I'm sitting out this week. Dh is scheduled for gallbladder surgery next week, so I'm keeping meals very simple and fat-free.

I have a double entry. I'm making something new, which I'm making up, which is a Blazing Cold lasagna. Or East of the Pacific, West of Santa Ana. Or something like that. Zucchini and pumpkin lasagna. Summer and Winter squash. :) And herbs. I haven't decided on the herbs.

The old recipe waiting to be tried is a pasta recipe I've been meaning to make. I finally have a good excuse to make non-whole-grain pasta. I'm going to use my forlorn pasta roller too. I always think, nah, I could just roll by hand, but for lasagna one really doesn't want rustic. It has to fit the pan. I'm going to make the pasta early, however, in case it doesn't work nicely and I have to go to plan B. I figure it'll keep a day or two in parchment and a zip bag.

I start the challenge on Monday, and so far I've made homemade sour cream, which has turned out to be quite good. I don't think I'll go back to the commercial brands.

In a sterilized pint canning jar, place:

2 cups whipping cream + 3 T. cultured buttermilk [cold from the refrigerator is just fine]

Stir to blend. Place a coffee filter over the jar (secure it with a rubber band). Let sit in your oven with the light on for 24-hours (needs to be a consistently warm temperature). Remove and replace the coffee filter with a lid. Refrigerate another 24-hours before using. This sour cream is great for cooking. It won't separate, curdle or break. Keeps well refrigerated.

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I used this recipe for hubby's lunches this week because I had a dab of pumpkin puree leftover from another recipe.

PUMPKIN CEREAL BARS

Blend until smooth in a small mixing bowl:

1 T. honey (I used Lyle's golden syrup - I like the buttery flavor)

1 T. coconut oil

1/2 c. pumpkin puree

Mix together and add to the pumpkin mixture:

2 c. crispy rice cereal

1/4 c. raisins

1/4 c. unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 t. ginger (I used pumpkin pie spice)

Place mixture in a greased 8x8" baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30-40 minutes. Cool, cut into squares. Dust with powdered sugar, if you like. [I didn't dust them with anything.]

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Not sure what my third recipe is going to be, but Saturday we have muffins for breakfast and I might try a new muffin recipe.

Grainlady, for those of us who don't have ovens with lightbulbs in them, do you know the temperature you make the sour cream at? I'm sure my warming drawer could do it...

plllog-

The information I have says between 74° and 77°F (no more than 80°F maximum). You may need to take the temperature in several areas of the oven to get close to the optimum temp. I also like to let the oven chamber warm up a bit before placing the jar in it.

It would be better to err on the side of cooler than warmer, and just extend the fermenting time (it will be nicely thickened and "set" when done, and will thicken a little more after 24-hours in the refrigerator). If you get a grainy finished product, the fermenting temperature was too warm.

FYI - a yogurt maker is too warm.

You can place a small incandescent lightbulb in a lamp or trouble-light in the oven or under a large plastic storage box if you don't have an oven light.

I use this same method for making homemade "buttermilk" using reconstituted powdered milk or regular milk that is inoculated with commercial buttermilk, reconstituted powdered buttermilk, or leftover homemade buttermilk.

In a sterilized quart jar:

Mix 1/2 c. commercial buttermilk, reconstituted powdered buttermilk, or buttermilk leftover from your homemade version. Fill the jar with milk (commercial milk or reconstituted powdered milk - cold from the refrigerator works fine). Stir and cover. Let stand in a warm place (at least 80°F) until clabbered, about 12-18-hours. Stir again and refrigerate. You can make a new batch using leftover buttermilk at least every two weeks. You can make larger or smaller batches, just adjust the amounts accordingly.

-Grainlady

Thanks, Grainlady. The lowest my warming drawer is rated to go is 85° F., so that won't work. During the Summer, the temperature on my counter would be fine! Who knew so many consequences would come from the death of the incandescent bulb? Consider all those soldiers with their Easy Bake ovens!

plllog,

You are very welcome.... Ironically, I do think about all those soldiers and their Easy Bake ovens (LOL)! Our son-in-law is an Army officer (26-years of service) who has been deployed all over the world, including the middle east many times, and has been away from home MORE than half of their 22-year married life. He's State-side just now. Iowa of all places ;-).

Two new recipes for me. One was bread made with potato water, made with a poolish that I started yesterday. It was so so. I'm keeping the starter so we'll see how that goes. The other was cioppino with the last of the summer tomatoes and basil. Again, just so so because made with canned clams and frozen fish. It was good, but nothing to write home about and probably shouldn't even be called cioppino made that cheaply. How about "Vaguely Italian fish soup." Lastly, mincemeat muffins, to use up this jar of mincemeat languishing for a year in the back of the fridge. Again, just so so.

Well, I don't know if the recipe is a fail in general but it's a fail for today. I was excited because I'd never used the pasta roller for kneading the dough, but I was excited by the idea. I'm over it! Maybe with electric, but the dough is way too tight with the hand crank. Putting it through many times, as described made it worse and worse. And then my back started bothering me from cranking so hard. I've put it in the fridge and may try rescuing it later in the week if I have time, or I'll just dump it. It's not really enough to worry about waste so much.

Cindymac, hope things go well for your DH.

Grainlady, I have always wondered how much time you spend in cooking. By that I mean everything from researching, shopping, preparing, cooking. I am sure you are extremely organized but it boggles my mind all that you do.

lpinkmountain, someone always makes me google :) Never heard of poolish. I love looking up stuff I don't know!!!

plllog, I will take "hand crank pasta roller" off my Christmas list. Actually wasn't on my list but they always make me turn my head in stores. Thinking that it would produce the ultimate pasta. Somethings are just too much work.

I made Ann T's Canadian Apple Pie yesterday. I had been meaning to make it since I saw her photo of the lovely pie. The apple filling came out pretty good - just a little too sweet for my taste but everything is too sweet for my taste. My DH didn't have that problem. The crust came out really good for a first try, but I need to work on getting it flakier. I may have worked the dough too long. I did not put it in the fridge to cool for an hour. I am sure one of those things could have contributed to the crust not being as flaky as it could have been. This recipe is definitely a keeper. I will keep trying until I get it right.

It was a recipe from Emeril LaGasse and I used it because it called for potato water. He labeled it "sourdough" but technically not really sourdough if you're using commercial yeast and you only let it ferment for one day. It wasn't sour, but now I'm feeding what is left so we'll see if anything interesting develops.

Debra, it's this recipe, with letting the machine do the kneading, and starting off with a bit of a back issue that I don't want to bother. The machine is fine and cranks easily. I mount it to a utility table so it's not too high. You might still not want it. Just don't want to discourage you.

DH pulled our carrots last week. This carrot soup was one I'd tried at a soup fundraiser years ago. I bought their community cookbook because it had the recipe in it and never got around to making it. Tried it and now I'm wondering why I took so long. The author says it's her go-to soup when someone's sick. Making a big batch to freeze next weekend.

Carrot Ginger Soup

3/4 stick butter

1/4 c. grated fresh ginger (I used a little more)

1 c. white wine

1 1/2 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced

1 lg. onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic (I used 4)

6-7 c. chicken or vegie broth (I used my homemade vegie broth paste and a little salt)

Lemon juice, curry powder, chives, for garnish

Saute onions, ginger and garlic until onions are soft. Add carrots, wine and broth and simmer until carrots are soft. Puree in blender (I used a stick blender). Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of curry powder and a sprinkle of snipped chives. (I added some lemon juice and curry powder directly to the soup. Didn't have chives...topped it with a little dollup of sour cream.)

From: Spirit Valley Cookbook

Katie I make this same soup! Occasionally I will add rice to it. My recipe is called "Quick Carrot Bisque" although it doesn't have cream in it and I know some folks get all upset about improper usage of words! Anyway, I just love the alliteration of the title!

You reminded me of a carrot ginger soup I had a conference. One of the women at my table demanded the recipe. They make it in multiple sized batches but gave her the base recipe. It starts with five pounds of carrots. :D

I have been meaning to jump in on this. I bought three cookbooks last spring - including ATK vegetarian cookbook. And besides making vegetable soup stock concentrate I have done nothing.

So recently I made the beets bulgar pinto bean recipe. It is ok but needs tweaking. This week I made carrot and ginger soup - like everyone else. This I liked. Simple and very carroty. I served it with yogurt, thyme and guacamole - the recipe suggested croutons.

The recipe was simpler than the one mentioned above.. No chicken stock. Grated and candied ginger. Carrots and carrot juice. Also the recipe had baking soda to make the carrots soft while cooking. Then apple cider vinegar at the end which made the soup much oranger. Odd. I remember playing with baking soda and vinegar to get cabbage to change color but was suprised. I almost skipped it too.

debark_2008-

It's all regularly scheduled programing to me - plus - what else is there to do at 3 a.m. when I get up each morning (LOL)? -Grainlady

grainlady, sometimes that is when I'm falling asleep. :)

I did another recipe for a potluck at work.

Another dilemma as DD liked it, DH said it is too spicy, I'm in the middle. Might try it again with a different sausage to cut the heat a little. It also would have been nicer if there was a little less liquid.