stout, biscuits & tips

A late St. Patrick's Day 

Dinner

From the kitchen of

Isa Chandra Moskowitz

of 

Post Punk Kitchen

(I've added her to my sidebar

since she's a regular mention)

Mushroom Stout Pie With

Potato Biscuits

Recommended Listening

while preparing:

Gillian Welch

One More Dollar

Recommended Viewing

While Eating:

The Quiet Man

Actually Watched:

Big Bang Theory

Okay...

so I wouldn't be posting if it

weren't

fantabulous!

Boys drawn to the kitchen

during gaming

to see what

smelled so darn good!

Joe asking for seconds

with a

"Thanks, Mom!"

Ahh...priceless I tell ya.

Quick confession after yesterday's post...

I kinda hinted at the fact

that gathering at the table is as frequent

as a Spring Equinox...

well, maybe not that rare...but...

our meals are most often

enjoyed while...

dare I say it...

watching television!

Yeah...it's true,

we're one of those families!

So I've decided to post movies

I think would pair delightfully

with your meal.

Believe and trust me here.

I have VAST experience in this area.

Basically what I'm saying is

don't question me...

just do it.

With that over with

I had to share this picture

I was so thrilled with the

outcome...

picture perfect.

I never made anything like this before

so I was very impressed 

with myself.

Those potato biscuits were so

flaky and moist...

I have many plans to incorporate them

in my upcoming meals.

Now for the tip.

You know when you have

a recipe that calls for 

1 Tablespoon of Tomato Paste?

You go to that little can

in the pantry...open it...scoop out what you need

and...

refrigerate what's left so you can

toss it in a month when it

has turned a shade of

Spring Green?

Nah...

you've never done that!

Well, I have.

So I decided to be smart and freeze

the leftovers...frugal me.

Not so smart though

cuz...when I went to use it...well...duh...

it was frozen in a nice
hard brick I had to thaw.

Plan B:

A Genius Little Plan.

Measure the leftovers in

1 Tablespoon scoops

place on wax paper and an old Corelle plate

Flash Freeze

and then...

store in the freezer

in a small Ball Jar and you're all set

for that next pot o'

Stout Pie.

Accolades accepted.

I came upon this idea with my

own wee brain.

So if some of you have been doing this

for years...why didn't you tell me?!

And, yes...I have heard about the paste in tubes

but there aint no way I'm paying

3 bucks for what I can get for 59 cents.

Dems the facts o' life.

Music and Making.

Movies and Meals.

Musings and Masterminds!

Happy St. Patrick's Week!

Happy Spring!

Alleluia Chorus!

"make do" tuesday

Inspiration hit on

laundry day.

After folding a fresh

clean load of

kitchen towels.

After pricing milk bags

at 

Whole Foods...$16.

Ouch!

I get so discouraged with myself

when I want to try

new things

like making my own soap...

making candles...

or on this day making almond milk,

and I get hung-up on 

needing all the right equipment

before I get started.

Well...I am here to say

You don't need all that stuff!

I have enough stuff
(more than enough!)

can't I make it with what I already

have?

Yes.

And so can you.

I don't have a Vitamix blender

(the Rolls Royce of blenders)

but I do have a Ninja.

And all the ingredients:

Soaked Almonds

Filtered Water

Dates (for sweetness)

Sea Salt.

No milk bag?

No problem.

Check this contraption out.

Lined with a just from the washer

bleached
super-clean

kitchen towel.

After blending for about 3 minutes

I poured the

almost almond milk 

into the center and let gravity

do its thing

while I washed and tidied my work space.

Gathered what was left in the towel

to squeeze out the 

goodness.

Milking the Towel  :)

Poured through one final 

stage 

(to check for pieces)

Really not necessary...

I was just curious as to how my

method was working.

Splendidly!

I didn't "catch" any 

little pieces.

Smooth.

Creamy.

Like milk.

One last test.

Delicious.

I won't lie to you

soy milk is my preferance

but like anything

moderation is key

and variety is the spice of life.

I like using plain almond milk in 

many recipes that call

for milk...

because it blends so well with other

ingredients

and doesn't alter the flavor

like soy can.

Now I have a fresh stash in the frig

and a nice batch of

almond meal...

all that almondy stuff left in the towel

which can be used

in many recipes.

No waste!

I am seeing almond meal cookies

in my very near future.

The best part.

Trusting my ingenuity

to guide me.

Knowing that everything

I need

is already there.

Making do with what I have

instead of buying into 

the thought that
the next best thing

will make it even better.

Wrong.

It doesn't get any better than this!

still time

Whether you're

listening to the radio

watching a Hallmark Movie

visiting your laptop

watching your child tear a green

link from his chain

glancing at a calender

 December Countdown

is nearing its final days

No need to panic

no need to rush about for

those last minutes

(you'll regret them anyway)

no need to begin your

next year I'm going to do things

differently

soliloquy

Martha's
got your back
with simple
I swear you can make them
bake them
knit or crochet them
ideas



Gifts from the kitchen
with packaging
how-to's
and label print-ables
on site

Holiday cheer
in the form of
Peppermint Swirled
Marshmallows
with hot cocoa mix
Baily's Irish Creme
and a candy cane

I really do
Love It!




Get the kids in
on the action (and fun!) with
tons
of craft ideas using
supplies from around the house
like skating
Frosty

Make today
 Make It Day
because
there's
still time.

:)