Posts from the ‘Bob’ category

The bedroom war and MT-Mex cook-a-thon, cont’d.

hee…payback!

“Who cares??? Let the *%&$! dog have the bedroom. It is warmer in here”

Back in the kitchen…

Tortilla production line – my favorite part!

This was maybe the best batch of corn tortillas I’ve ever made. Although they always taste good, this group held together in perfect circles out of the press, I didn’t burn any and oh…the corn aroma!! It is fortunate that they made it into the enchiladas!

However, after 2 batches of chile gravy, the tortillas, cleaning up the kitchen and all the pots and pans involved – I was running out of steam.

I made a mini enchilada of each type to test and make sure all was edible. WOW! – the chile gravies were packin’ a bit more heat than I anticipated. Medium chile powders from Hatch, New Mexico cooked up to the hot side. It is a good and flavorful heat but I wasn’t sure how my neighbors would like it so in light of the heat and my waning energy, I made some quick enchilada casseroles, put all leftovers in the freezer and while there is not a supply of frozen enchiladas, there is a supply of the fixin’s and easy MT-Mex meals for another day.

Today, Sunday, will truly be a day of rest. It is snowing lightly under heavy overcast and a small fire is burning in the woodstove. I will be joining whoever has possession of the bedroom for an afternoon nap.

Saturday morning

Oh, Bear!!! Why so glum??

Just in from the morning perimeter patrol/out and about…on a Saturday morning with a light snow falling…

The last several weeks, I’ve opened the bedroom to Bear during the day as Bob has elected to stay in ‘his (!!!)’ front room. From the bed, Bear can survey most of the woods from a spot he finds most comfortable.

Bob’s front room has the comfy daybed complete with comforter and several fleece blankies, the ‘craft desk’ which has food, water and yet another fleece blankie AND in a private corner: a most commodius litter box. For some time, Bob has deemed this room as fit for HIM.

But….in the perverse nature of cats…Bob has cottoned on to the fact that Bear loves the bedroom during the day.

For the first time in some weeks, Bob decided he would have his morning nap on the bed.

Hence, Bear’s pout. I wish I could have recorded the heavy sigh Bear emitted when he saw the bedroom was closed to him and Bob was on the bed.

Life can be tough here at the “casa” Summers…

Meanwhile, in the Saturday morning kitchen…

A Montana-Mex enchilada cook-a-thon commences.

Pictured above is 10 cups of lucious, rich chicken broth from 2 roast chickens. It is the prelude to both green and red chile gravy which hopefully will grace a number of enchilada dishes…some for now, some for my neighbors (the neighbors with THE TRACTOR!!!) and some for both of our freezers.

Hoo-rah!!!

“WHAT???”

Sun to Snow

Today, Thursday…started clear and sunny.

It started cold but warmed quickly.

Bob joined me in the office to enjoy a sun warmed spot.

…marred only by me pointing a camera in his direction.

Shortly, things changed.

The sky turned gray, the temperature dropped…

Snow started falling.

And falling.

Time for a fire.

Saturday miscellany

Maybe subtle in this photo but the truth is, it got very ugly today…warm, rain and ultimately freezing rain and sleet. Fortunately, at least for my day, the worst happened this afternoon after Bear and I returned from a shopping expedition.

Part of the shopping was for a new snow blower…oh, yea…you might be able to tell that my driveway and turnaround was plowed. It was not blown…The blower made it 3/4 of the way down the driveway – first pass – before the auger quit… AGAIN!!

Anyway…I found my dream machine but it may be a dream for another year. Oh, well. Currently it is 38F and the formerly beautiful snow is now slush and could not be “blown” anywhere with anything. Blech!!

On the home front, Bob and Bear progress. If I wasn’t such a wimp they would probably be fine…maybe some mutual avoidance but I think they are at the point of at least grudging acceptance.

Actually, I think Bear is intimidated by Bob and prefers to pretend that he does not exist.

See… Bob on his table, Bear knows it, the gate is open…no one cares. The main problem is me. I’m working on it.

And I made crackers. I’ve been making crackers at least a couple of times a week for months now. I made a batch over a year ago and dealing with thin dough…seemed more trouble than it was worth. But then I got hooked on La Panzella Rosemary Garlic crackers – they are very spendy and not always available here.

What to do??? I happened on this video …

I ordered the little silicon roller, the Silpat …

And the pastry wheel…

Now I make my own rosemary garlic crackers and they are very good! It takes me about 10 minutes to mix the dough, roll it out in the pan right on the silpat, score them with the pastry wheel and get them in the oven.

These turkeys have nothing to do with the weather or Bob and Bear or crackers. But they were here today and I took some delight at how often they shook in the drizzle…darn, messy birds! …their footprints are funny, though :)!

Saturday miscellany.

Tortillas v2.0 with a side of bacon

For years…up until several months ago, I have been making bacon in the micowave between sheets of paper towell. But after my dive into the benefits of fresh lard and then an accidental finding of a recipe for “bacon fat tortillas”…

Bacon is now fried in a cast iron skillet and the rendered fat, aka bacon grease is saved!

The entire tortilla recipe has evolved as well. Although Tortillas v1.0 were very good, there was a bit of an odd taste and they were a little puffier/heavier than I wanted.

The new recipe – which I make into 6-8 tortillas: (NO baking powder!!)

160 grams all purpose flour (Wheat Montana White) approx 1 cups
50 grams white whole wheat flour (King Arthur White whole wheat) approx 1/2 cup
3 T bacon fat, fresh lard or other fat…canola oil for example
1/2 (scant) tsp sea salt
1/2 cup very hot water

Mix all, knead lightly. Let rest for 20 minutes. Divide into 6 or 8 balls. Flatten and cook in dry cast iron comal or skillet.

The other improvement is the find of a pastry cloth and rolling pin cover…JUST like my Mama has! She has had her cloth and cover for probably 50 years – I never knew anything else to make pie crusts on. But I could never find one until several weeks ago…on Amazon. Mahhvelous!!!

Beautiful, light and pliable tortillas.

Meanwhile, my faithful companions lent their moral support…

…from the comfort of their beds.

Christmas Day

Almond Brioche to start the day…

…or a pig’s ear if you are Bear.

When I went out with Bear before bed on Christmas Eve, it was raining. My first outing this morning with Bob, it was clear and the sky was filled with stars. Fog dropped down, then sun.

But it was warm enough to entice Bob to spend some time on his pillow. And I turned on the dryer to give him a bit of extra heat – Christmas treat.

A second brioche – this one with a chocolate ganache…to celebrate the sun!

Not usual Christmas weather for this part of the country…

but beautiful and we enjoyed.

Baby back ribs with a teriyaki glaze, mashed sweet potatoes with fresh grated gruyere, steamed green beans and cranberry relish: Chrismas Dinner.

The dishes done, the kitchen clean, a walk taken with Bear as the wind came up…

And then a quiet cup of tea enjoying the end of Christmas day.