I realized this morning that I had forgotten to purchase some essential household items this morning in preparation for the storm. I bundled up and headed out layered and prepared for the worst kind of cold. I was surprised it was not so bad out for a feels like 1 day!
I made it home and decided to do one of my favourite things ~ cook. Cooking for a storm is fun. I began by stripping most of the meat off the ham bone and tossing it in a pan of water to simmer in preparation for ham and beans. I got it boiling and left it to simmer.
In the meantime I waited for a hunk of center cut pork roast to thaw from the freezer and got busy reading and writing and gaming. Sweeping and mopping put aside yet again ~ dishes and laundry done and done.
The smells from my kitchen tantalized my taste buds as the concoction began to simmer ~ I threw in a couple of cloves of garlic and some onion and gave it a stir ~ semi resisting the urge to eat the ham from the pan.
I chopped some more garlic and stuffed my pork roast top, bottom and each end ~ we love garlic infused meat (as if you could not tell!). I preheated the oven and tossed that in to cook after searing the fat and seasoning the top heavily with some lemon and pepper seasoning.
I wish I had a way to share the smells that were filling my house. They woke up my son! While the pork was cooking, I decided to make baked instead of garlic mashed potatoes and grabbed six very small potatoes ~ (one of the reasons I reconsidered the mash ~ I did not feel like peeling 20 potatoes to feed two people they were that small!)
I knew I had a large supply of apples in the fridge needing to be used. I got my paring knife and peeled enough apples to fit into a two quart heavy sauce pan and covered them with water and turned up the heat until they began to boil.
At that point I lowered the temperature to simmer and let that cook down as well. It was getting more difficult to avoid the hunger pangs as the aroma in my house blended into one yummy smell! I wish there was a way to share the smells but take my word for it ~ amazing!
Soon the roast was finished. I pulled it out of the oven. The top was a perfect crispy delight which I knew would also be awesome. The trick is to cut the fat so that it can brown ~ thanks for that tip Gordon Ramsey!
I got another sauce pan from the cabinet and tossed some butter in to melt and added enough flour to the melted butter to thicken it. The thicker the paste the thicker the gravy. I added the juices reserved from the bottom of the roasting pan after stirring and scraping all of the flavours from the sides and bottom of the pan, stirring it together for that boil and thickening.
At the same time as the gravy I added a bit more than a quarter cup of sugar to my applesauce and a bunch of cinnamon. Yummy! I left that to simmer some more and thicken as well, stirring the gravy so it did not burn and slicing the roast after it set for an adequate amount of time.
The ham bone (shank) separated into two pieces at the joint ~ that is when you know you are halfway there. I stirred that up some more, added some onion and left it to do it's job. Cooking down the fat and getting that marrow.
I was starving by the time we sat down to eat and it was well worth the wait! I am sitting here writing more than content with a full and happy tummy. I cannot wait til tomorrow to finish making the ham and bean concoction. It is still simmering as I write.
Before I retire I will remove the bone and the large sections of fat I added for flavour and toss it in the fridge until tomorrow. Then I will add some kidney beans and an onion and a bunch of ham and have a feast fit for a king. I am sure I will be delicious! Some people add corn and I would but my canned veggies are limited at the moment and I am not planning on leaving my house for a couple of days, especially if we acquire the 10 to 12 inches of snow they are expecting to hit us.
I did save the floors for tomorrow and I have other fun activities to do if I choose not to do them again. The dirt is not going anywhere until I take care of it unless those magical elves come in and do my sweeping and mopping the same way they made the cobblers shoes ~ wishful thinking to be sure!
I had the pleasure today of becoming acquainted with the creator of the Glipho site today who read today's post and began following me! I love Glipho!! Have I said that yet today to you guys?
If you are serious about writing and want to get noticed then by all means check out Glipho! Even if you just like to write and want a safe and encouraging platform this is the place to be! I have met many nice people and meet more everyday.
I cannot say enough good stuff about Glipho. The writers are amazing, the topics are varied ~ a category for everyone. The writing challenges really make you think ~ especially the weekly ones with exactly 150 words and your post has to begin with the topic which is so open that the responses are varied!
The encouragement and support from staff and fellow writers is so amazing. Blogger does not do that. No one does that I am aware of! When I am in a rut and feel discouraged I am always encouraged by the support.
Don't believe me? Go and check it out for yourself! Even if you are not a writer but a reader I recommend it highly ~ something for everyone. I have even inspired at least one person to write after reading my blog (an honour to be sure for someone who questions themselves on sometimes a daily basis in regards to their writing (meaning me!)).
I finally am beginning to feel like a part of something for one of the first times of my life (outside of being a Mom ~ and a good one according to my long lost brother the other day)! I think it is safe to think and type but not yet ready to say it aloud so as not to jinx my sense of community!
I have had a great day and it is turning into a wonderful New Year!! Have I ever felt that in my life?? Not in many, many moons! I am off to watch some television with my son before I finish up the work on the ham. Have an excellent evening and stay warm and safe if you are in the path of the storm.
Until next time :) Keep smiling!
I made it home and decided to do one of my favourite things ~ cook. Cooking for a storm is fun. I began by stripping most of the meat off the ham bone and tossing it in a pan of water to simmer in preparation for ham and beans. I got it boiling and left it to simmer.
In the meantime I waited for a hunk of center cut pork roast to thaw from the freezer and got busy reading and writing and gaming. Sweeping and mopping put aside yet again ~ dishes and laundry done and done.
The smells from my kitchen tantalized my taste buds as the concoction began to simmer ~ I threw in a couple of cloves of garlic and some onion and gave it a stir ~ semi resisting the urge to eat the ham from the pan.
I chopped some more garlic and stuffed my pork roast top, bottom and each end ~ we love garlic infused meat (as if you could not tell!). I preheated the oven and tossed that in to cook after searing the fat and seasoning the top heavily with some lemon and pepper seasoning.
I wish I had a way to share the smells that were filling my house. They woke up my son! While the pork was cooking, I decided to make baked instead of garlic mashed potatoes and grabbed six very small potatoes ~ (one of the reasons I reconsidered the mash ~ I did not feel like peeling 20 potatoes to feed two people they were that small!)
I knew I had a large supply of apples in the fridge needing to be used. I got my paring knife and peeled enough apples to fit into a two quart heavy sauce pan and covered them with water and turned up the heat until they began to boil.
At that point I lowered the temperature to simmer and let that cook down as well. It was getting more difficult to avoid the hunger pangs as the aroma in my house blended into one yummy smell! I wish there was a way to share the smells but take my word for it ~ amazing!
Soon the roast was finished. I pulled it out of the oven. The top was a perfect crispy delight which I knew would also be awesome. The trick is to cut the fat so that it can brown ~ thanks for that tip Gordon Ramsey!
I got another sauce pan from the cabinet and tossed some butter in to melt and added enough flour to the melted butter to thicken it. The thicker the paste the thicker the gravy. I added the juices reserved from the bottom of the roasting pan after stirring and scraping all of the flavours from the sides and bottom of the pan, stirring it together for that boil and thickening.
At the same time as the gravy I added a bit more than a quarter cup of sugar to my applesauce and a bunch of cinnamon. Yummy! I left that to simmer some more and thicken as well, stirring the gravy so it did not burn and slicing the roast after it set for an adequate amount of time.
The ham bone (shank) separated into two pieces at the joint ~ that is when you know you are halfway there. I stirred that up some more, added some onion and left it to do it's job. Cooking down the fat and getting that marrow.
I was starving by the time we sat down to eat and it was well worth the wait! I am sitting here writing more than content with a full and happy tummy. I cannot wait til tomorrow to finish making the ham and bean concoction. It is still simmering as I write.
Before I retire I will remove the bone and the large sections of fat I added for flavour and toss it in the fridge until tomorrow. Then I will add some kidney beans and an onion and a bunch of ham and have a feast fit for a king. I am sure I will be delicious! Some people add corn and I would but my canned veggies are limited at the moment and I am not planning on leaving my house for a couple of days, especially if we acquire the 10 to 12 inches of snow they are expecting to hit us.
I did save the floors for tomorrow and I have other fun activities to do if I choose not to do them again. The dirt is not going anywhere until I take care of it unless those magical elves come in and do my sweeping and mopping the same way they made the cobblers shoes ~ wishful thinking to be sure!
I had the pleasure today of becoming acquainted with the creator of the Glipho site today who read today's post and began following me! I love Glipho!! Have I said that yet today to you guys?
If you are serious about writing and want to get noticed then by all means check out Glipho! Even if you just like to write and want a safe and encouraging platform this is the place to be! I have met many nice people and meet more everyday.
I cannot say enough good stuff about Glipho. The writers are amazing, the topics are varied ~ a category for everyone. The writing challenges really make you think ~ especially the weekly ones with exactly 150 words and your post has to begin with the topic which is so open that the responses are varied!
The encouragement and support from staff and fellow writers is so amazing. Blogger does not do that. No one does that I am aware of! When I am in a rut and feel discouraged I am always encouraged by the support.
Don't believe me? Go and check it out for yourself! Even if you are not a writer but a reader I recommend it highly ~ something for everyone. I have even inspired at least one person to write after reading my blog (an honour to be sure for someone who questions themselves on sometimes a daily basis in regards to their writing (meaning me!)).
I finally am beginning to feel like a part of something for one of the first times of my life (outside of being a Mom ~ and a good one according to my long lost brother the other day)! I think it is safe to think and type but not yet ready to say it aloud so as not to jinx my sense of community!
I have had a great day and it is turning into a wonderful New Year!! Have I ever felt that in my life?? Not in many, many moons! I am off to watch some television with my son before I finish up the work on the ham. Have an excellent evening and stay warm and safe if you are in the path of the storm.
Until next time :) Keep smiling!
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