Stovetop Cheddar Potatoes au gratin - PUBLISHED

http://www.bakespace.com/recipes/detail/Stove-Top-Au-Gratin-Potatoes/27087/

1 - It's a very good basic recipe. I'm sure things like chives or thyme or rosemary would make for some pleasant variation, but they aren't required.

2 - It continues to be very good. No changes recommended. 

3 - I think too salty. I've reduced the amount by 1/2tsp

4 - It continues to be a good side dish.

5 - Matched with Garlic Thyme Quinoa Pilaf it makes a very satisfying main course.

3 Tbsps. butter (1½ oz/42gr)
1 small onion, chopped (4oz/115g)
4 medium potatoes, sliced thin (1lb 12oz or 800 grams)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 cup grated cheddar (4 oz/115g) (Old English very good)

OPTIONAL - 1 - 2 tsps minced herbs (chives or thyme or rosemary)

1. Sauté onion in butter until they are lightly browned and soft. 
2. Add the potatoes, salt and milk. 
3. Cover and cook slowly, approximately 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. 
4. Remove cover and sprinkle with cheese. Stir in very gently. Serve at once.

Swiss Steaks - Testing

https://www.thespruceeats.com/old-fashioned-swiss-steak-3056883
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/73089/my-moms-swiss-steak/
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/swiss-steak-recipe-1917184
https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/slow-cooker-swiss-steak/

1 - First attempt was very positive. I omitted the tomato which was good, and I added the broth and the cream which was good, however... I added the cream an hour before serving, and it curdled. I will try whisking it in at the end. Oh, and I did not have a tenderizer, so I just used a regular hammer and it worked!

2 to 3 pounds boneless bottom round chuck steak
1 1/2 tsps salt
1 tsp black pepper
3/4 to 1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup of oil or fat (optional: 1 popcorn kernel)
2 medium onions, sliced)
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsps dried oregano
1 tsp paprika (preferably smoked)
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup cream
(optional - 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce)
Garnish - 2 Tbsps fresh parsley

1. Heat the oven to 325F. (for stovetop or crockpot instructions, disregard step 1 and see below)
2. Trim fat from steak.
3. Combine flour and seasoning. Dredge the meat in the flour mixture after every time you pound it to add more flour to it. Season meat with salt and pepper and put on a well-floured cutting board. Sprinkle more flour over steaks and pound with a meat hammer to tenderize. Continue to turn, flour, and pound until most of the flour is used. Cut steak into 6 pieces.
4. Heat the oil in a large, heavy ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven (with a lid for later use) over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking (or when the and add a single popcorn kernel. When it pops, remove the kernel and reduce the heat to medium.
5. Fry the steaks until lightly browned on both sides, working in batches as necessary and avoiding any overcrowding. Once nicely browned, set aside (or put in the bottom of the slow cooker).
6. Add the sliced onion to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent and lightly browned.
7. Scootch the onion to the side of the pan, reintroduce the steaks and (if using a slow cooker, skip this and just) place the onion on top of steaks, add the tomatoes, beef broth, oregano, bay leaf and paprika.
8. Cover the pan and bake or cook on the stove top over low temperature for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the steaks are tender. (If using the slow cooker, put on High and cook 2 hours, then reduce to low to cook another 3-4 hours)
9. Before serving, stir in the cream. If the sauce is too thin, remove the solid matter to a serving plate and re-place the pan over medium heat. Combine 1 Tbsp of flour with 1 Tbsp cold water. Stir until no lumps remain. Stir into the simmering sauce and cook, stirring, until thickened.
10. Pour sauce over steak, tomato, and onions on the platter. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if using.

Pasta with bacon, swiss chard and gruyère - PUBLISHED

http://www.oprah.com/food/pappardelle-with-bacon-and-gruyere-recipe#ixzz5s3wqeh2F

Serves 4 normal people or 2 farmers.

1 + 2 : made a few changes and we loved it both times. I think this may be in the third testing stage.

3 - almost there! I cut the gruyere cubes quite small and I feel like it was mostly lost. I will standardize the size to 1/4" to see how that goes.

4 - Very good, served it to Heather P who loved it. Used spaghettini instead of chunky pasta and cubed the cheese. I think cubed makes sense for chunky pasta, but I want to try grating it if I'm using spaghettini. I think the cubes turn into clumps in the long noodles and a creamy cheesy sauce might be better.

1lb Swiss chard, leaf separated from stem and sliced, stems sliced thin
2 tsps vegetable oil
2 oz bacon cut into lardons
3 garlic cloves
½ cup white wine
½ cup heavy cream
2 tsps chopped fresh sage
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
8 oz chunky pasta OR spaghettini

3 oz Gruyère, If using Chunky Pasta, cube 1/4"; If using spaghettini, coarsely grate

1. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook chard stems for about 2 minutes, then add chard leaves and cook an extra minute. To save the water for cooking the pasta, remove the chard with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add bacon, and cook until crispy and rendered; set aside. 
3. Reduce heat to low, add the garlic and cook until just starting to go brown. 
4. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half. 
5. Add the heavy cream and sage and simmer for 2 minutes. 
6. Add the salt, pepper and reserved chard; cover and remove from heat. 
7. Return the pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and add to the skillet. 
8. Toss the hot pasta with the sauce, Gruyère and reserved bacon until the cheese starts to melt. 

Bacon, Gruyère, Thyme Pasta - Test 3

https://www.marthastewart.com/1520407/bacon-pasta-cheese-sauce-and-thyme
https://damndelicious.net/2013/11/01/gruyere-bacon-mac-cheese/

1 - First attempt, with changes I made, was quite good. I think I prefer it to the Bacon and Cheddar pasta.

2 - Another successful recipe.

3 - I was worried about the onions overcooking with the bacon, but it was really good. I'm adding optional parsley without even trying it because I can already tell that it would be a very good addition.

For 2 to 3 people as a main dish

12 oz spaghetti
100gr (about 7 slices) bacon cut into lardons
170gr onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 Tbsps fresh thyme, chopped
Salt and Pepper
1 1/2 (23g) Tbsps butter
1 1/2 (15g) Tbsps flour
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup white wine

1/2 cup pasta water
1 1/2 cups (9oz) grated Gruyere

Optional - 1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. Cook the bacon, onion, and garlic in a large straight-sided skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bacon is browned, about 10 minutes. 
2. Stir in chopped thyme. Remove from heat.
3. MEANWHILE, put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 cups pasta water.
4. Once the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in the flour, stirring until it just starts to brown to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in the milk and 1/2 cup pasta water until smooth. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and whisk in cheeses.
5. Return the bacon mix to medium-high heat; add the white wine and cook, scraping up browned bits, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cooked spaghetti and cheese sauce. Stir, only adding remaining pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until sauce is thick like a whipping cream and evenly coats pasta. Taste and season as needed. Serve, sprinkled with pepper and thyme leaves.

Ginger Bug - Untested

A fermented soft-drink starter.

https://www.growforagecookferment.com/how-to-make-a-ginger-bug/
https://www.growforagecookferment.com/fermented-apple-ginger-beer/

1 Tablespoon organic ginger, unpeeled, grated
3 teaspoons raw sugar
3 Tablespoons filtered water, unchlorinated

1. Add the unpeeled, grated ginger and the sugar to a jar. 
2. Next add the water and stir it all around well until the sugar completely dissolves.
3. Cover it up with a cheesecloth or other breathable cloth and a rubber band and let it sit on your counter for 24 hours. Stir it up a little anytime you think of it.
4. Feed the ginger bug by adding 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 1 teaspoon sugar, and a little bit of water.
5. Keep feeding it and stirring it every day, and after a couple of days you should start to see some bubble action. When your jar is full, it's ready to use. See below on how to use the ginger bug to make a soft drink.

Notes
Total fermentation time before the ginger bug is ready to use is 5-7 days.
Soda recipes will require about ½-1 cup of ginger bug depending on how large a batch your are making.

To Make A Soft Drink

1 gallon (16 cups) liquid (unchlorinated water or fruit juice)
1 cup sugar
Additional ingredients, such as 1 inch ginger root, sliced

1. Pour most of the water or juice into a wide mouth gallon jar, leaving several inches of head space (you will have a few cups of unused liquid left over).
2. Add the ginger bug the sugar and any additional flavorings and stir well to dissolve the sugar.
3. Cover the jar with a cheesecloth secured by a rubber band, and put in a cool,dark place to ferment, stirring vigorously daily.
4. After a day or two you should start to see some active fermentation. Let it ferment for 5-7 days, then strain with a fine mesh strainer and transfer to flip top bottles.
5. Let the bottles sit at room temperature for a day or two to build up carbonation, then refrigerate.