My House Smells Delicious
MMmmmmm! It smells wonderful in here.
I have savory AND sweet spiced nuts dehydrating in the family room, vegetable broth simmering in the kitchen, and the hummus is made. Dinner was spaghetti and garlic toast.
I’m starting to get excited for Thanksgiving. I’m ready to feast!
Hummus: (photo to come!)
4 cups cooked and drained chickepeas
1/2 c tahini
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 heads (yes, heads) roasted garlic
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tbs paprika
3 tbs cold-pressed flax oil
1 tsp fine sea salt
Soak the chickpeas overnight in filtered water with a little sea salt. Drain and rinse well. Cook in filtered water for 6-8 hours until soft (I started mine on the stove and then moved them to the crockpot on low overnight.) Drain and rinse.
Measure out chickpeas and put into food processor (I used the Vitamix, but kept having to stir the top to release the air bubbles) along with all other ingredients. Blend until smooth. Serve with a drizzle of your favorite oil on top and a sprinkle of paprika, alongside crackers, pita chips, or fresh veggies.
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We’re making the stock to brine our turkey. Here is the recipe.
Every time I make vegetable stock, I do it a different way. It depends on what I have on hand. The most frugal way is to save all of your veggie scraps throughout the week and then toss them all in. You can use onion and garlic peels, etc. Tonight’s stock has brussels sprouts, lemon, spinach, potatoes, carrots, garlic, onion, shallots, leek, celery, fresh rosemary and thyme, parsley, portabella mushrooms, sea salt, bay leaves. Even Goose came through the kitchen sniffing and “mmmmmm”-ing before bed.
Pasta dinner- rice pasta with meat sauce and EnjoyLife Rice bread toasted with loads of butter, garlic and parsley
Brussel sprouts in the stock? I’ve always read to leave out cruciferous vegetables because they get bitter and smell funny when cooked for a long time. They’re the one type of veggie I typically won’t throw in. It came out OK I assume?
It only simmered for about 2 hours, so not as long as I would have left in a meat-based stock. It is totally fine and doesn’t smell the least bit funny or taste bitter at all. Twig was worried about the lemon in there getting bitter, but apparently I am magical and turned out a good stock despite the lemon and the crucifers.
I usually put a little vinegar in chicken stock when I make it. The acid helps break down the collagen. I suppose lemon would do the same thing. I’ve never heard of adding it to vegetable stock, but I doubt it would hurt.
Collagen is my friend.
Pastured chicken pieces are roasted with winter vegetables then baked with stock-soaked bomba rice with saffron garlic fire-roasted tomatoes piquillo peppers and butifarra morcilla and chorizo sausages. Spanish Chicken and Rice with Roasted Vegetables Butifarra Morcilla and Chorizo. Season with salt and pepper add water then roast in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.