On beans, chicken gizzards and chili.

  Yesterday I discovered how to cook beans.  I have cooked beans many times before but yesterday I finally discovered how to do it properly.  I was making chili for supper and discovered about 4 pm that I had no canned beans.  I always have dried beans on hand but I hadn't soaked and cooked them yet.  Normally that means beanless chili.  However yesterday I thought, I have 2 hours, if I cook them hard for that amount of time maybe they will be good.  I rinsed some and put them on to boil.  Then, just for the fun of it, I googled 'how to cook dried beans quickly .'  Am I ever glad I did.  I have never cooked better beans, and they have never taken such a short time.  I boiled them for about 10 min, then drained them and added more water.  I then brought them back to a boil, put a lid on them and put them in the oven at 300*F for about an hour.  They were ready, they weren't mushy and they didn't have crispy bits.  Also on the subject of chili... We recently killed chickens.  Being Dutch, I hate wasting things, so I kept all the chicken gizzards, liver and hearts.  I haven't tried this with heart or liver yet, but for the gizzards this is the best idea.  Partially freeze (or if frozen partially thaw) the gizzards, cut into chunks/strips grind in a meat grinder.  When they are all ground, regrind them (takes me about 15 min for a lb in a hand grinder).  I mix the ground gizzards half half with ground beef and use it in whatever I use ground beef for.  To date I have made hamburgers, lasagna, and chili.  This is all without the more sensitive tastebuds even knowing that it was anything other than beef.  I tried once to stew them and make a chicken stew and while I could eat them they weren't particularly enjoyable.  Tonight we have a beef roast on the oven with lots of veggies for supper.  Have a good evening all.

Life, sleep, souffle etc.

  I know, I've been terribly delinquent in writing.  Life has been going on mush the same as usual.  W is now working farther away so time starts earlier in the morning.  The furnace is going and it is almost warm in here.  Yes, I did see the spelling mistake in the second sentence, I decided to leave it because that's what my brain is like.  Last night I finally tried to make a souffle.  I have often thought about making one but thought that they were HARD to make.  I decided to make it with cheese as that is the most basic recipe that I had.  It was easy.  It was very easy.  I'll be making that again soon.  Maybe I'll make it with mushrooms, or chocolate.  We had it with steak, sweet potato and peas.  W's first question when he took a bite, 'Where are the mushrooms?'  :)  I think I knew he would ask that.  I would have taken a picture but....... my camera cord is MIA.  I need to get a new one.
  Sunday is a Fellowship meal at Church.  I'll be bringing bread and dessert.  Anyone have a suggestion for the dessert?  I need a new idea.  :)
  My sourdough is mostly used for crackers nowadays.  W prefers yeast bread.  I've recently received some blackstrap molasses.  I love it.  It tastes better than regular molasses.  I made cookies with it and they looked like I had burnt them, they were that dark, but did they ever taste good.  The other thing I've been experimenting with recently is Kefir.  Kefir is a cultured milk drink similar to yogurt or cultured buttermilk.  It is made by adding milk to Kefir grains (look like a cauliflower) and letting it sit at room temp for 24-36 hours.  I eat it with granola, in smoothies or bake with it (like buttermilk or sour milk).  I have also let it sit longer and then placed it in a cloth to drain out the whey.  It made a very nice cream cheese, tangier than a commercial cream cheese but very good.  A is awake from her nap so I'd better go get her.  Have a great day all.  :)