Months since we have done this type of "normal" event

Marty and I test recipes for Cook's Country and its sister magazines.  We get recipes to test all the time.  But because I hadn't had an appetite in forever, we rarely participated in the testing.  Well now I am hungry, all the time.  This new gentler chemo is not killing my appetite.  Last night we tested a new recipe.

The recipe was for pork burgers with a horseradish sauce.  Right away we found an error.  One place it said it served 6, in another serves 4.  That is a little confusing.

Close to the end of the recipe is where it says serve on 4 hamburger buns. 

 

Ingredients for the burgers.

 

 

Marty carefully weighed out each patty at a 1/4 pound each.

 

 

Ingredients for the horseradish sauce.  No, the Pedialyte is not part of the ingredients.  I forgot to move it out of the picture area.

 

 

Horseradish sauce ingredients all whisked together and ready to serve.

 

 

Burgers hot from the grill.

 

 

Plated and ready to eat with some home made tater tots.

 

I think the horseradish sauce is fabulous.  I would eat it off a spoon.  But the pork burger disappointed me just a little.  It was good, but I think in my head I thought it would be more of a hamburger taste. It looks like a hamburger, it is on a hamburger bun. That was just me, beef and pork totally different flavors.

 

I really enjoyed testing a recipe with Marty..  We like cooking together and then discussing what we have served.  So normal again was great.  

TESTING ANOTHER RECIPE

Marty and I tested another recipe for Cook's Country Magazine last night. It was Reduced Fat Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce. Above is the start of the project. The scale is to weigh the 6 ounces of ground beef. The beef was seasoned with soy sauce and then pulsed in the food processor.

Then diced tomatoes were pulsed.

Marty is getting ready to saute onions and garlic with herbs and spices.

Sauteing onions and ground beef.

I helped some and insisted Marty take my picture to prove I was there. I really do cook.

Tomatoes and other goodies going in. Hot pepper flakes are in the sauce.

Marty is stuffing the shells with the cheese mixture. I would eat this mixture on a cracker it is so rich. But it is really low fat.

Shells on the meat sauce and ready to be topped off and then into the oven.

Last bit before it goes into the oven. We froze the rest of the stuffed shells and meat sauce. In the future we can just pull out the shells and sauce we need and have an easy supper.

The finished product topped with melted Parmesan cheese, a Rubicon 2004 Syrah, tossed salad, and flat bread. The dish is delicious. We will be fixing this again.

VALENTINE'S DAY PART 2

Marty cooked most of our Valentine's Day dinner.  I made my world famous potato salad.  He made pulled pork, barbecue sauce, and cole slaw.  We were testing another recipe for Cook's Country. 

The pork is bone in with a dry rub.  The rubbed meat is wrapped up for 24 hours, then on the grill 3 to 4 hours, next it goes into the oven covered for 2 to 3 hours. When it comes out of the oven, it sits 30 minutes, then it is finally pulled.  The sauce is a vinegar catsup with lots of bite to it.  Marty of course added Tabassco.  We like hot as well as bite. Such a great meal.  And I remembered to take pictures.                                                                

Marty working with the dry rub.

Ready to be sealed for 24 hours.

                                                        Wrapped up and ready for a 24 hour rest.

Ready to come off the grill.  Look at the crust from the rub. After 4 hours of heavenly smells, the neighbors were hinting for a dinner invitation.

                      Now to get ready for the oven.  I was ready to eat it then.  The aroma was incredible!

Wrapped and ready to go in the oven for 2 to 3 hours.

Marty is starting the Barbecue sauce.  Notice the champagne glasses and the wine glass.  We have already had a fun day.

Paprika and onions sauteing for the sauce. Lots of paprika.

Marty is pulling the pork. I lost control and stole crusty pieces while he was busy.  Yum!

At the bone, the meat is the best.  Moist and tasty.

                                                               Ready to build the sandwich.

This is the meal.  We are ready for pulled pork sandwiches.  Toasted buns, Barbecue sauce on them, then pile on the pork, more sauce, and top with cole slaw.  Potato salad and wine, some do beer.  Oh, and lots and lots of napkins. 

TESTING A RECIPE

Tonight I had a girls' night out for dinner. Good friends eating, talking, laughing, and there were a couple of tears. It was a nice evening. And what did Marty do while I was playing? Well, when I came home the house smelled like chocolate heaven.

Tonight Marty tested a recipe for Cook's Country which is in the Cook's Illustrated family. This time it was for German Chocolate cake. But there was a catch. It was low fat. Horrors, a healthy dessert. YUCK!

They used less butter, fewer eggs, low-fat sour cream, and fat free evaporated milk. They dropped a lot of calories.

Regular cake 740 calories, 45 g fat, saturated fat 23 g per slice.
Test recipe 340 calories, 13 g fat, saturated fat 7 g per slice.
Still not a real healthy choice.

Marty cut the cake while it was warm. The only way to eat cake. Surprise, it was good. And a very light cake. It was not as rich, of course, as real German Chocolate cake. But we thought the frosting was as good or better. Would he make this again? Probably not. This is not a cake he ever makes. Just not one we crave.