Mayonnaise

I'm so excited.  I'm making homemade mayo tonight.  Wish me luck.  I'll report back the results.

Done!

The cooking for engineers website had a recipe that I used.   It turned out OK.  I think I will do vinegar instead of lemon juice next time as I thought the lemon flavor was kind of overwhelming.  I'm not sure I got mine to set up as nice as I was supposed to.  I used a food processor and I think the blade didn't go close enough to the bottom so it didn't emulsify right at first.  Anyway.  I used it on cabbage to make slaw and it is OK.  Again, the lemon flavor is too powerful.  I do have photographic evidence, but I'm too lazy to upload it now.  When I get the pictures off the camera next, I'll post it here.  I'm planning to use the leftovers for making tuna salad.  Lemon flavor shouldn't be too bad for that one.  Who doesn't love lemon on their tuna?  It's a standard in pretty much every tuna recipe I've ever made.  The other thing, that might have been better had I successfully created the full emulsion is that there is a somewhat significant oil flavor.  I bought light olive oil instead of extra light, so that is probably my fault.  The other thing I have read is to do a combination of canola and olive oil.  Anyway, it was a great experiment.  Not many people can say they have made mayonnaise.  I think I will do it again sometime.  Perhaps I will do it by hand for practice in seeing how it should look at the various stages of the process.

Pot Roast

Making some Pot Roast today.  Thanks Heather!

Update:  Making some more today to use up all the leftover carrots and celery and V8 juice I got stuck with when Aaron left.  Trying to work, but this smells sooooo yummy and it is soooo distracting.   You totally need to make this if you haven't.  Find a big hunk of beef that is on clearance because it is dated for today and make some!  Red wine vinegar is my vinegar of choice.

Just in case Heather ever takes down this recipe, I'm putting it here because I love it!

From New Crockery Cooker Cook Book

2 1/2 - 3 lb beef chuck pot roast

1 T cooking oil

1 1/2 C tomato juice

1/4 C wine vinegar

2 t Worcestershire sauce

1 t sugar

1/2 t salt

1/2 t basil

1/2 t thyme

1/4 t pepper

1 clove garlic

6 carrots - 1/2 inch pieces

6 boiling onions (I also add potatoes)

1/4 C quick cooking tapioca or corn starch (I use flour)

Trim fat. Brown roast on all sides in hot oil. In a bowl combine tomato juice, basil, thyme, pepper, and garlic. Place carrots and onions in a crock pot. Sprinkle tapioca/corn starch/flour. Place roast on top of the veggies and pour tomato mixture over the roast.

Easy Greek Salad

6 leaves Romaine lettuce, torn
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 c sliced red onion
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
2 T olive oil
2 T lemon juice
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t salt

Combine vegetables and cheese. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and salt. Pour over vegetables and toss until coated. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Updated: 

The way I do it these days:

1/2 pkg cherry/grape tomatoes sliced in half
1 cucumber
1/4 c (or more!) sliced red onion
1/4 c (or more!) crumbled feta--I usually buy the block and use a fork to scrape it off... much cheaper

2 T olive oil
2 T lemon juice
1 t dried oregano
1/4 t salt

 Combine vegetables and cheese. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and salt. Pour over vegetables and toss until coated. Serve immediately.

In the summer time when I have lots of tomatoes and cucumbers from the garden, I make a bunch of the dressing and keep it on hand.  

Serves 4 very generously as a side salad.

Pecan Pie (sans corn syrup)

Adapted from here. 

1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour 
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
9 inch pie shell (if using deep dish, use 1.5x as much of each of the other ingredients... don't forget 1/4 c sugar = 4 T, so 1.5x is 2 extra T)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy, and stir in melted butter. Stir in the brown sugar, white sugar and the flour; mix well. Last add the milk, vanilla and nuts. 


Pour into an unbaked 9-in pie shell. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 300 degrees and bake for 45-50 minutes (pecans start to smell nutty), or until done. (Don't forget to use a baking sheet under the pie in case it spills over or the butter leaks out.)

Cool significantly before serving.