Gator Pam

Instant Pot has discontinued the 10-quart several years ago before I got mine. However, occasionally Big Lots had them in stock, which is where I found it a few years ago after they were discontinued. I use the 10-quart mostly to make stocks, tomato sauce from my garden grown tomatoes, and full size 9”x3” cheesecakes. It would work well for a small whole turkey, say 10 lbs. I think, but I prefer doing either Alton Brown’s Good Eats Roast Turkey or spatchcocking, so I haven’t used it for that. If you have a Big Lots nearby, keep an eye out for one, if interested. I haven’t heard of them carrying one in quite a while, but I got it there for $79 after a Big Lots 20% off Rewards coupon.

Come on into the GottaDeal Lounge where there is a thread on Instant Pots if you have any questions or are searching for recipes. I’ll admit my most recent model, the Duo Evo Plus, is a few years out of date and I know very little about the air fryer or newer models. But of the earlier models I’ve owned four different ones: Duo, Duo Nova, Ultra, and Duo Evo Plus. I got rid of the Ultra, but now have the Duo in both 6-quart and 3-quart, the Duo Evo Plus in 6-quart, and the Duo Nova in 10-quart.

Bastille Day

I love my Thermapen and Smokex4 from Thermoworks, but while the Smokex4 has good wireless range, neither are leave in without a wire or probe to a base unit. I’ve been tempted to give a Meater+ a try, especially for sous vide cooking. If the Chef IQ is truly comparable, I may just splurge sooner rather than later.

Rabbit Rabbit! Rabbit!! Happy Canada Day!

Rabbit Rabbit! Rabbit!! Sounds like the couples in your family enjoy “us time” during Labor Day weekend. A great way to relax and unwind!

^this^

How I spent my day yesterday: From this… …to this!

I give mine a head start by pressure cooking them in the Instant Pot, but otherwise I do the same. I use potato vodka, so I am comfortable with the resultant extract for Passover. Where do you get your vanilla beans?

Rabbit Rabbit! Rabbit!!

Thanks to a guest, here are a couple of photos from the second night Seder I prepared. Seder plate in the center Ashkenazi charoses in fat upper left Sefardi charoses just to the upper left of the Seder plate White grated horseradish (the strong stuff) to the upper right of the Sefardi charoses Matzah ball soup with carrots, parsnip, and celery Grated horseradish with beets Clockwise from bottom left: Basket of Grandma Bessie’s recipe for matzah meal rolls Platter of white meat roasted turkey Platter of dark meat roasted turkey Turkey gravy using chef Alex Guarnaschelli’s recipe which thickens the gravy using roasted onion and garlic Crockpot holding garlic mashed potatoes (I forgot to turn it on once plugged in, so they were cold by the time we got to them) Crockpot holding matzah farfel “stuffing” (That crockpot was on, so the “stuffing” was warm) Platter of George’s roasted asparagus Hollandaise sauce for the asparagus Cauliflower Tabbouleh-style salad (This really should have macerated far longer for the flavors to meld, but it sufficed) I also finally got the Kosher for Passover adapted noodle kugel made. I think it came out really well! Fresh out of the oven Plated for storage An interior shot showing how the Kosher for Passover egg noodles didn’t quite meld into the filling; it’s a bit chunkier than usual. However, the flavors were spot on if a bit dense in texture. All in all a great adaptation.

Chag Kasher v’Sameach Pesach! Happy Passover! Every few years, I host a Seder and invite folks to join us instead of cooking only for the three of us. So, I’ve been busy the past week preparing for the second night seder, and then cleaning up afterwards. In total there were seven of us. Unfortunately very few photos this year, as my timing was seriously late and we sat to table for second night Seder about an hour later than I told our guests. But, here’s what I served: Appetizer served while guests arrived and I finished up what was needed to sit at table: Homemade chopped liver with chopped eggs and TamTams Ritual foods: Parsley, arugula and romaine lettuce, horseradish, roasted egg, both Sefardi and Ashkenazi charoses, roasted shank bone, Shmurah matzah, salt water, various K4P wine and sparkling grape juice Main meal first course: Hard cooked egg in salt water Main meal salad course: Gefilte fish with horseradish Cauliflower Tabbouleh-style salad Main meal soup course: Matzah ball soup with carrots, parsnip, and celery Main meal entree: Roasted turkey and a turkey breast roast for extra white meat Gravy made from giblets and turkey drippings using chef Alex Guarnaschelli’s recipe for thickening with roasted onions and garlic Garlic mashed potatoes Matzah farfel crockpot stuffing Cauliflower tabbouleh-style salad for those who wanted more Roasted asparagus Hollandaise sauce Grandma Bessie’s matzah meal rolls Beverages offered in addition to wines and sparkling grape juice: Water Iced tea Mexican Coke (I couldn’t find yellow capped K4P Coke anywhere, so Mexican made only with natural cane sugar had to suffice) Dessert: Dark chocolate dipped coconut macaroons Matzah Caramel Crunch I had planned to make an adapted for Passover version of Pressure Luck Cooking’s noodle kugel, but ran out of time. I did make it last night, so I’ll share photos of it once we cut into it. Eggs, onions, bell pepper, and potatoes courtesy of both International Nutritional Sustainability Partners and Hopelink, gathered over multiple weeks. Except for the matzah, TamTams, Ashkenazi charoses, and the roasted asparagus, I made all of the food. Even the iced tea was brewed in the Instant Pot! The Askenazi charoses was made by a couple of guests, and my landlord made the asparagus, as he does that really well. The only photos I took were of the desserts. I just ran out of time to get photos once everything was staged. #MatzahChallenge Dark chocolate dipped Coconut Macaroons Matzah Caramel Crunch

For those in the North American continent, here’s an idea. If you’re not planning on holding on to your eclipse glasses until the next total solar eclipse over North America in 20 years, here’s an option other than filling landfills with them. https://astronomerswithoutborders.org/programs/solar-glasses-distribution

All that you touch And all that you see All that you taste All you feel And all that you love And all that you hate All you distrust All you save And all that you give And all that you deal And all that you buy Beg, borrow or steal And all you create And all you destroy And all that you do And all that you say And all that you eat And everyone you meet (everyone you meet) And all that you slight And everyone you fight And all that is now And all that is gone And all that's to come And everything under the sun is in tune But…

Have you seen the new eclipse doughnut from Krispy Kreme?

Perfect for Wear Blue for #autismacceptance Day!

Rabbit Rabbit! Rabbit!!

פורים Purim Sameach! Happy Purim! Here’s a plate of hamantaschen I assembled at the hamantaschen bake at CHABAD earlier in the month. I baked them all at home and then froze them. I think I rolled my dough too thin, as most of them popped open on at least one side, but I’ll try again next year. I defrosted them on a couple of baking racks this morning, and then arranged them prettily on the plate.

Et tu, Brute? Belated Happy Birthday!

What’s funny is that this is also a leap year on the Jewish calendar, where we add a full month, known as Adar I and Adar II. AND, we’re in Adar I as we speak.

BDE It now feels out of place, but tradition. Rabbit Rabbit! Rabbit!!

Happy Presidents Day! (I guess a video from a White House affiliated society would try to keep it all positive) https://youtu.be/RmvUD5sahW0?si=NMIIDZONcV76CZeS

在新的一年里，祝你龙飞凤舞，事业有成。 In the new year, wishing you soaring success in your career as the dragon and phoenix dance in the sky.