This Week's Menu

Roasted Eggplant & Steamed Broccoli tossed with Teriyaki Sauce

Yes, it looks awful. It is, however, edible.

Next time, I'll

--Take the skin off the eggplant,

--Add garlic to the roast,

--Use a different type of frozen broccoli, (i.e., not chopped), and

--Add chopped walnuts just before eating.

Some grated parmesan or pecorino probably would be a nice finish as well, but I'm trying to cut down on the cheese.

Greens & Yams with a bit o' Pork

This is a one pot go-to comprised of onions, sweet potatoes and greens.

This time I used mustards and white sweet potatoes. That bit of pork is some leftover fatback/salt pork (best for a pot o' beans); bacon is better, though. In either case, the onions are sautéed in the pork grease before the sweet potatoes are added.

As usual, I waited a bit too late to add the greens, so the sweet potatoes are overcooked. <sigh>

Variations on the theme include adding lentils and/or curry powder. Nor do I always add pork or meat.

Apple Salad

Granny smiths, raisins, sour cream. Something I sort of remember from childhood, in that I can't remember precisely when we ate it, but I make it the same way I think I remember it from when I was a child.

Here again, chopped walnuts would give it a nice finish. Next time,

Cappuccino Crème Brulee

I know it's hard to tell, but that custard is smoooth

So excited.

There are no scrambled eggs in my custard! (Though I didn't strain it, so I might find a small piece later.) Success with tempering whisked egg yolks with hot whipping cream!

I mostly used Ina Garten's recipe from Food Network, except instead of adding orange liqueur, I added a teaspoon of espresso powder per Mary Berry's recipe from The Great British Baking Show (aka The Great British Back Off ). I really could've used eight ramekins, but I made it work with six. Those tubs are full.

  

What I wanted to do was make a caramel, crack it up, blitz it in the blender, then sprinkle on top for torching. Alas, my caramel still needs work, so I had go with torching regular granulated sugar.

Yum