Horchata

I love this stuff and has to be fairly healthy.  Much better than soda.  Ingredients are as follow:
1 cup uncooked white rice
5 cups water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
2/3 cup sugar

I blend the water and rice, then add everything except the milk, my blender is too small.  That goes in the fridge to marinate, or in this case it is more maceration.
I will blend a few more times while it sits, will let it sit for a few hours or overnight.  Probably best at a minimum 4 hours.
Add the milk if you didn't already, strain and its done.  Best with tons of ice.

Cleaning out the cabinets

Been trying to make use of stuff at the back of the cabinets.  Yesterday I made chicken pot pies.  They turned out the best I've ever had.  Will do them again and post my recipe.
I found some craisins and some cashews, and still have some apples, so made a "Waldorf" salad.  Only thing the same is the apples and mayo.  I added a little vinegar, craisins and cashews.  Turned out well, going to let it sit and marinated for awhile.

Massive burger

Burger turned out huge and have no buns so its on top of shoestring potatoes, Avocado ranch, topped with an egg.

Everything burger

I feel like heartburn tonight.  Making a burger with everything I can find.  Using devils spit Bbq sauce in the meat for spicyness, I'll mix shredded cheese in, some worchestershire, and topped with an egg and fried shoestring potatoes, or maybe some Avocado too

Potatoes: math, it works

<p>I saved a little sauce for something else, though I could've put all it in the potatoes.&#160; It's almost ready now, will add a small layer of cheese, then breadcrumbs, then maybe a little cheese on that for color, I spray it with cooking spray so it browns nicely.&#160; Can store it in the fridge till ready, though don't spray it until just about to bake </p>
<p>Bake at 350, or 375 till bread crumbs brown, 30 minutes or so.&nbsp; Temp doesn't matter a whole lot, if I have something else in the oven I toss the potatoes in at whatever temp it is

Potatoes: saucy potatoes

So sauce is awesome, I added some garlic spread seasoning and that's it. 
Potatoes are in a big bowl, will pour some sauce over, add some cheese, and toss/stir

Potatoes: taste and strain

The sauce was just a little thick so that's as easy as adding some cream or milk.  I would rather have it too thick than too thin.  If too thin, just make a small batch of roux, add a bit and boil.
Taste at this point, mostly for the chicken flavor.  Turned out good, so then strain into a bowl and rinse out the sauce pan.
Add the sauce back to the pan, simmer and add seasonings.  I'm going to garlic it, then take some out for chicken.

Potatoes: ghetto sauce supreme

I turned up the heat, the sauce has to get to boiling temp for the flour to activate and thicken.  I added 2 tbsp chicken base and whisked.  I will probably add more as I taste it, but if you try it now it will just taste like flour, the taste will cook out

Potatoes: sauce roux

I melted about 3-4 tbsp butter, added 5 tbsp flour.  Cooked the roux for a few minutes, over medium heat and stirring constantly so it wouldn't burn.
Then I added 3 cups cream and about 2 cups milk. 
I'm making extra because I will use some of the sauce for some chicken

Potatoes: fork tender

They are fork tender, but don't break when forked.  Immediately strain and pour onto a baking sheet in an even layer to cool and dry.  Usually I would have the sauce done by now, but decided to wait so I could pay attention to measurements.

Tims Potatoes: peeling and dicing potatoes

Don't worry about all the cubes being the same size. Most should be but those small ones will cook more, break up, binding the cubes.  As long as you don't overcook the potatoes, should have some nice textures with small variations in size

The most requested recipe I have: Tims Potatoes

I have been asked for this recipe so many times and I have to explain I don't have a recipe.  This time I will post pictures and guesstimates of the measurements.  Ingredient list is as follows:

Potatoes, obviously...if you can see in the picture, I measure the amount by putting them in the dish I will use.

Whipping cream, I use a bit of milk as well, just to keep it from being too rich and to stretch the amount of cream I have.

Shredded cheese.  I'm using Mexican style and usually will add whatever sounds good at the time or what I have.

Chicken base.  We will be making a ghetto sauce supreme, use this in place of salt for extra flavor.

Butter, probably a couple tablespoons, for the roux

Flour, again just a few tablespoons for the roux.

Bread crumbs.  I may crush my homemade croutons for this, I usually just use store bought.

Seasonings, I use garlic and Italian seasoning.  Or I may use Johnnys garlic spread cause I like it more than garlic powder.  No salt will be needed. 

This can be prepared way ahead of time, Ill do them day before if I'm making a large dinner.

Pi day: complete

Thing smells awesome.  I was going to use the scrap dough to make a pi symbol on top, but threw it away as I was cleaning.  Oh well, it would have to be 2pi anyway, and that's just too much.  So enjoy you pi/4 piece of pie.

Pi day: caramel apples

While the caramel is still hot, pour over apples and stir/toss to coat.  Make sure caramel is hot.  Let that sit, tossing every few minutes unrolled the juices come out of the apples.  While this is sitting, roll out the crust and put in pie pan

Pi day: caramel

Caramel is done.  A note on this, use a much larger saucepan than you think, once you add the butter it will boil like crazy and even more after adding water.  I've made caramel other ways and all of them end up with violent boiling.

Pi day: making caramel

All the apples are sliced, tossed the flour in to coat.  I was contemplating some cinnamon in there but decided against it, rather not overspice. 
Mixed the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat.  This cooks till the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.  Once the sugar is dissolves, crank the burner to 11...actually medium high to boil, then cook without stirring.  Will cook this till deep amber colored, can swirl the pan while cooking, should be 5 minutes or so.  Add the 2 tbsp water and butter.  Mix and now you have caramel.

Pi day: apples

Peeled 8 granny smith apples.  I'll probably do slices for the pie.  Rest of the recipe is:
1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
6 tbsp water
3 tbsp butter

Pi day 3: strussel topping

3/4 cup flour
6 tbsp sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter, 1/2 cubes
Same technique as the dough.  Cover and chill.  I'm taking a break to make a massive sandwich after watching man vs food

Pumpkin pie spice

This recipe uses pumpkin pie spice in the strussel topping.  I just make my own because then I get my own flavor.  I found roasted cinnamon and ginger so I'm going to use those along with cloves and nutmeg.  I'm a little weary on the roasted ginger, I think its not as strong so may add more.  I could just do equal amounts of each, but usually start with equal parts clove, cinnamon, and ginger.  I add almost the same amount of nutmeg.  From there I typically all another half part cinnamon and close to that of ginger.  Just depends on how I feel

Pi day 2

You can see how it formed, I rolled it out a bit so its 1/4 inch thick, will wrap in plastic wrap and cool.  I rolled it a bit so it would cool faster because I am impatient and want pie.

Pi day!

For pi day I am making a caramel apple crumb pie.  I'm going off a recipe for this, but may change the spices.
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups flour, I sifted mine
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into 1/2 cubes and cooled or frozen
4 tbsp ice water
Whisk the dry ingredients, then add the cubes butter.  Using your hands squeeze the butter and mix.  Keep doing this unrolled the largest chunk of butter is about pea sized.  The picture shows how mine looked after this step.  Add ice water and mix, just unrolled it comes together, I used about 2 tablespoons.  4 tbsp is 1/4 cup by the way. 

Potato skins

They are out of the oven, topped them with green onion, some tomato on a few and some sour cream on the side.  Just like eating at a chain restaurant

Baking

Put shredded cheese and the bacon on the skins, put in a 375 degree oven directly on the rack to get crispy.  This was I forgo the 2nd fry, I use the fryer too much

Almost ready

Par cooked the skins, rendering some chopped bacon, chopped some green onion.  May dice this tomato I have too, try that on a few.  Still contemplating how I will finish them.  When I worked at a sports bar we fried them, topped with cheese and bacon, then into a salamander.  I think just the oven will be fine.

Skins scooped out

I used a melon baller to get the meat out, left about 1/4" potato on the sides, little less on the bottom.  Saving what I scooped out for something else.  I'm going to par cook them in the fryer because its faster than the oven, then a little seasoning.

Potato skins

Gonna try my hand at potato skins.  This can be done all in the oven, but I can do better than that.  I got about 5 medium potatoes that were flat-ish and cut them in half.  I will scoop out some of the potato, then do a par cook in the fryer.

Almost done

Add the diced chicken, mix that in, then I added a few tablespoons of yoshidas.  Next will be egg then the green onion.  I keep that separate and add it right before serving

Veggies

I usually keep about a 1:1 ratio of Veggies to rice.  Right now I'm waiting for the chicken to cook a bit, when there's 5 minutes left I'll start sauteing the veggies in my 6 quart dutch oven.  I don't have a nice wok because I don't have a real stove...gas trumps electric anyday

Round eye fried rice

Making fried rice.  I made a bunch of jasmine rice last night, and marinated some chicken thighs in yoshidas sauce.  I like dark meat, better taste and more moist.  I am rendering 4 slices of bacon that I diced.  I add tons of Veggies, whatever I have.  Using broccoli, carrot, celery, peas, onion, and green onion.  I also scramble some eggs and add that last.

Mmm

Sauteed the burger pieces, then added egg, scrambled that and added some cheese.  Put that on the potatoes and topped with diced tomato and green onion.  I'm going to have to put a good workout in today but looks worth it

Bacon and potatoes

Rendered bacon, then added the fries.  I'll put my eggs on top instead of mixing it all together

Breakfast of leftovers

I'm finally feeling a bit better from my sickness and need to get some calories after not eating much for days.  Chopped up part of a leftover bacon cheeseburger, diced the leftover fries, chopped some bacon.  Will be loaded eggs...I imagine this will be half a days calories

Nachos!!

Gonna be good, some refried beans, beef, lettuce, tomato, green onion, sour cream, and guac...all from scratch

Nacho meat

Saute some onion, then add ground beef.  Brown that, add some water and tomato paste or ketchup, taco seasoning and that's it

Chips

I decided to season with lime, salt, and garlic.  Then into a paper bag, don't want them in plastic or they will get soggy

Season

I'm seasoning with table salt and lime juice.   They are plenty good unseasoned, but making them better.  You can use garlic powder and salt too

Fry chips

Set my fryer to 350 and put a handful of cut tortillas.  This is where you can tell how clean you keep your oil.  If you don't take care of it you get black stuff all over and that's no bueno.  Mix them around with tongs so they don't stick together.  You can cook until they almost snap when bent and they will dry out and be crispy.  Or just fry till crispy, experiment and see what you like

Chips

Buying bags of chips is for suckers.  The $3 for a bag of chips bought me a Costco size bag of corn tortillas.  Quarter them and heat up the fryer

Done

I tasted and added more cumin and garlic.  You can also add diced tomato to it.  I used a bit more mayo so the color is light, but you don't taste the mayo.  It's at the point where I almost feel it needs a touch of salt, its perfect like that, don't over salt.  Throw some avocado pits in to keep it from browning, and done

Mayo???

Yes, some mayo.  Since I am what you would consider "white folk" I like mayo.  If you think it sounds wrong, you've probably had Guac with mayo and not known it.  It not only stretches how much Guac you have, it mellows and rounds out the flavor.  If you make Guac ahead of time, instead of mixing in the mayo, layer it on top, that way the Avocado doesn't brown.  Mix right before serving

Seasoned avocado

I used 1 1/2 avocados, and as I eyeball everything, I used about 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt, tablespoon or more lime juice, 1/2 Tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 Tsp cumin.  Of course just taste it and add more of what you like.  I do like spicy guacamole, but I have yet to find a pepper I like, I like a more basic flavor.  I'll add tapatio to whatever I want to spice up

Avocado

I use over ripe avocados.  I love avocados and put them in my salads and sandwiches.  Sometimes I salt half of one and eat it plain.  I cut most the blackish parts out, I don't mind a little bit but that's me, it will still come out green.  I smashed them up a bit with a fork, and now onto seasoning

Guac

So I made some Guac the other day and it turned out awesome.  Of course I forgot to blog it, so I'm going to make some more...then will make some awesome nachos.  Been sick for the last few days and lost some weight.  About 10lbs so far in the last 2 weeks, so I'm treating myself to some nachos...I just don't have tomato...I do have some refried beans and thawing some ground beef for taco meat.  Will be making fresh chips too.

Done

Took it out after about 30 minutes cause I'm hungry and it looks good.  Topped with lots of ketchup and time to feast.

Topped with taters

Poured the potatoes on top of the meat mixture, and smoothed it into an even layer.  Not bad for eyeballing all the ingredients, fit perfectly in the pan.  Now into a 350 degree oven till golden brown and delicious

Add milk

Add milk till a good mashed potato consistency.  Taste and season, if you like more butter just melt some and throw it in, I'm going to add some shredded cheese now

Fork tender

Potatoes are fork tender, I'm using my kitchen aid with the whisk attachment to mash them

Milk

Probably 3/4 cup milk and half stick of butter for the potatoes.  I don't measure or use recipes, so if you have a favorite mashed potato recipe use that.

Into pan

The meat mixture is in a pan, potatoes are taking forever cause one burner stopped working after a power outage.  So moved those and waiting for them to finish, will heat up some milk and butter with garlic in a small pot for the potatoes

Add broth

Added about 1-1 1/2 cups beef broth.  Season with garlic and Italian seasoning.  Rosemary is very good in this if you have it.  Letting it boil and then thicken and the meat portion is ready

Ground beef is done

I don't have enough ground beef to my liking but that's okay.  Depending on the fat content you may need to spoon some fat out or strain it out.  I'm going to Deglaze with worcheshire sauce, then add 2 tablespoons flour and mix it up.