What should I make this weekend?

[minoanmiss]

WEirdly, I have no ideas for what I should cook this weekend to split between us and the community fridge. I suppose I can always make Pokemon Soup, since I keep bags of mirepoix in the freezer, but what else could I make? Humbly, I request ideas. (Real ones please)

Comments

[ilyena_sylph]

I find mac'n'cheese never goes over badly? Or chicken'n'dumplings?

[full_metal_ox]

The former can be Lent-compatible (a consideration for some food bank recipients) as long as you don’t add something like bacon.

[minoanmiss]

Huh, I thought dairy was excluded during Lent? Anyway I used to cook Kosher/attempt to cook Kosher, so I know bacon doesn't grow on trees. (That would be a great April 1 photoshop project though)

[full_metal_ox]

Outright veganism (sometimes also avoiding wine and olive oil (1) is only one interpretation; a lot depends upon one’s particular denomination, local folkways, and cleric. The default I’ve seen, based on grocery and restaurant specials, is abstention from the flesh of warm-blooded animals—-whereupon the likes of mac and cheese and filet-o-fish sandwiches go on sale.

I know bacon doesn't grow on trees.

From r/mildlyinteresting: https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/1c8zq6/this_piece_of_tree_bark_looks_just_like_bacon/

A surprisingly good bacon analogue does grow in the sea, though: the red alga dulse (Palmaria palmata) is a traditional food among a lot of coastal North Atlantic peoples, and dries down to a savory red salt and umami bomb.

(1) Dietary rules-lawyering is as old as dietary rules; Crisco is a popular Lenten shortening in Greek Orthodox circles because it wasn’t around for St. John Chrystostom to specifically prohibit. (Source: the cooking instructor at the Dayton (Ohio, US) Greek Festival.)

[minoanmiss]

You know I've never made chicken and dumplings. I would be concerned about its reheatability, though. The dumplings probably absorb liquid when stored. *contemplates*

[dissectionist]

This was always my go-to for parties because it’s filling, tasty, cheap, not difficult to make, and you can make a huge batch if you have a Dutch oven. I used kielbasa though because I can’t find andouille up here except in expensive gourmet places. (I’d reserve about a third of it into a different pot before adding the kielbasa to the big pot though, so vegetarians would have some to eat.) And I’d mix in the rice, not serve the sauce over top.

It’s even better if it has a day to sit for the flavors to deepen, but it’s good on the same day it’s made too.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/58211/authentic-louisiana-red-beans-and-rice/

[minoanmiss]

Red beans and rice has a Jamaican sister (Stew peas) and 10% of my biomass got into me that way. I've made both for the pantry before -- thank you for reminding me!

[dissectionist]

Man, I’ve had an Antiguan version of stew peas and it was amazing! My bestie’s mama is a terrible person but such a good cook. My queer ass quietly puts up with her homophobia when it means she feeds me, LOL.

Adouille sausage

[dialecticdreamer]

The same company that makes kielbasa, turkey kielbasa, et al, ALSO makes an andouille sausage, and that's at Walmart, (lowest common denominator of foodstuffs, generally). I'm not saying that it's great, but it is distinctly andouille sausage, if salty. I slice it and boil the slices for a few minutes, drain, and then add the sausage to the real pan, just to cut some of that saltiness.

[alatefeline]

Do you like lentils?

[minoanmiss]

No, but in this case that would be a good thing -- I can at the moment afford to give an entire dish away. I would love the lentil recipe you were thinking of giving me!

comfort food

[dialecticdreamer]

This one isn't one that I grew up with, but it's become one of my go-to comfort foods.

Moros y Cristianos (Moors & Christians)
https://www.goya.com/en/recipes/moros-y-cristianos/

This one uses a can of black beans, but the proportions and the spices are what make the dish sing, so it's easy to sub in dry black beans. (For quick prep, wash and pick over beans, then cover well with water and bring to a boil for four or five minutes. Let cool, COVERED, while doing the other prep work, toss the water, rinse the beans, and bring them to a boil again. Or, use an instant pot with pressure cooking settings, which is my go-to.)

Tips on quick bean prep
https://bittmanproject.com/recipe/cooked-beans-the-quick-soak-way/

Re: comfort food

[minoanmiss]

Oh I love legumes with rice so much. Thank you for reminding me of this one!

Re: comfort food

[dialecticdreamer]

It's a peek into my sense of humor, too, serving "Moors and Christians" during Lent. *G*

Re: comfort food

[full_metal_ox]

And, with Ramadan also underway, the Moors can have it for iftar.

Re: comfort food

[dialecticdreamer]

Grin! GOOD. That makes it even more amusing to me!

[adrian_turtle]

Black bean chili. (Or some other kind of chili, I guess.)

Pumpkin bread. The recipe on the King Arthur website is for 1 can of pumpkin and makes 2 loaves which implies sharing. This is the recipe that finally taught me how much pan material matters.

[minoanmiss]

Pumpkin bread! Awesomitude! Thank you a lot!

[libitina]

I made this braised potato dish, and it was cheap and easy and delicious both hot and cold.
https://cheznermine.com/wprm_print/egyptian-potato-bake-saneyet-batates-recipe

[minoanmiss]

Hallo Beautiful! I am delighted to hear from you! Doubly so about potatoes which are excellent bases for sustaining food!

[libitina]

Yeah, I don't regularly get to my reading list here, but it's good to see you posting even if it is to work through harder things.

For this recipe, it doesn't give a temperature for your oven. From similar videos, I think it's 400F. But I had it simmering on low for about an hour and then cooked it for 40 minutes at 250F because my friend's appointment ran two hours later than I was expecting and this was for us to have for lunch together.

[killing_rose]

Given that you don't regularly read your friends list, have you heard what happened?

[libitina]

Awww thank you for checking in. I did read and will miss her very much.

[cellio]

For the future, vegetarian soups and stews using beans or chickpeas or lentils, sweet potatoes, and flavorings of choice are hearty and freeze well. I did a lot of experimenting in this space when the CSA supplied rather an abundance of sweet potatoes, but also, bean-based soups/stews/chilis have been a staple for me for a while.