Thursday, March 05, 2015

Why a Lot of People Don't Really Cook from Scratch at Home

Okay, I'm on a break from cooking. I've been cooking for nearly an hour and just got tired of the meditation when it occurred to me what I'd done and what still needs to be done to finish a pretty simple meal.
    Okay, first off, I had to earn some money. Then I had to go to the store. At the store I decided to make stuffed pork chops with gravy, and then make sauteed chicken livers with chicken backs and a little rice--left over--for Boots, the Wonderdog.
    So I first bought the livers. $1.60 for a pound. Wish I loved liver because at that price you feed 3 or four people with one pound. I had flour, salt and pepper and oil to make the livers, so I was cool.
    For the chops, I bought the thickest pork chops I could find and decided to stuff them with good swiss cheese, organic spinach, sea salt, black pepper, garlic in olive oil and onions.
    I had most of that stuff.
    But we are not going to have a starch, so we need veggies instead. I bought a zuccini, a yellow squash, a couple of roma tomatoes, an onion, and thought I'd add that to the organic broccoli and cauliflower I have.
     So I start by having to wash last night's dishes. Then chop two heads of garlic and add it, with new olive oil, to the chopped garlic in olive oil I already have.
     I get organic flour out and put it on a plate. Finely dice half an onion and saute both garlic in olive oil with onion. While that's happening, I flour the chicken livers, put them in the saute pan one by one, salt and pepper them, add a diced tomato.
     While that's cooking I chopped the zuccini, yellow squash, broccoli, cauliflower and put that all in a small stainless steel pot full of hot water that I didn't tell you about but which still existed.
     Once those things were in the pot I cut swiss cheese that I bought, put another saute pan on with minced garlic and onions and olive oil and, when ready, added a lot of washed spinach leaves. While that was cooking, I flipped the chicken livers--for Boots--and cut a slice into the back of the fat pork chops.
     When  the spinach and onions and garlic were ready, I strained them with my hand--very hot--then added the swiss cheese.
    I took off the chicken livers for Boots: I ate half of one: Fantastic, considering it was liver. I think I've got a mastery over that now and can do what I want with it. I've been working with it in restaurants in different forms for nearly 50 years, so it's about time, eh?
    Then I chop the spinach with the garlic and onion. Then i add the swiss to that. Then I cut the chops at the back. Then I stuff them with the tasty mix. Then I flour, egg and breadcrumb the stuffed chops. Then I put them in a hot pan, sear them and put them in the oven. While they're cooking, I finish the melange of veggies. I ask Madeleina to make salads. When the veggies are done I have a good burner on which to make gravy for the chops.
    Do you guys see how freaking long and tiresome this is compared to going to Mickey D's or Sonic or Chicken Express? I do, but I can't let my family eat that stuff. So I do what I do.
    But 40 minutes in the oven at 325 F and you take out the chops, plate them, pour gravy on them, serve them with the veggies and a good salad...and then it's time to say "worth the pain", because sometimes it's a real pain.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Pete....I dont know if you allow visitors, or if you would like to meet for lunch? my treat...off course...you pick the place.....if you are well enough to go out....we have not met, I know you through your writing...I live between mansfield and burleson, my email is swmlnb@gmail.com.

Warm Regards,
Tommy Cox

Andrew moman said...

Momanandrew@gmail.com, please email so that I can share an experience I had. Too long and off topic for a public forum. Thank you in advance!

Unknown said...

Was that comment for Pete or Tommy?

Unknown said...

Was that comment for Pete or Tommy?

Andrew moman said...

For Peter. Sorry for the confusion.