A New Instant Pot

 A quick check on Amazon tells me I ordered my first Instant Pot in 2014 and then another one in 2015 so the fact that they've both recently stopped working is not disappointing. I've used those things so, so much and I'm very pleased with how long they lasted. A couple of months ago, one of them wouldn't do anything. I had already loaded the cooking container with food, stuck it in the pot, plugged it in . . nothing! I switched to another outlet in case it was that. Nothing. No problem, there's a second one. I transferred the food to it and it worked fine. Last week I "boiled" some eggs in it. Very fresh eggs are hard to peel but for some reason, pressure cooking them for about 5 minutes, then dropping the egg in ice water makes the peeling come off easily without tearing up the egg. I did the eggs like I always do, took them out and they were about 1/3 cooked. Tossed those, put more in and they cooked fine so I figured I had some setting wrong. 

Last week I was going to cook a whole meal in there and could not get it to work. It would achieve pressure, cook for 2 minutes no matter how long I had it set to cook and then, just go off - screen went black. This morning I wanted to cook quesabirria taco meat for tomorrow. I told Vince . . we may have to run to Walmart for a new Instant Pot if this one doesn't work. Oh . . he was on that! He was more than happy to go to Walmart. I said  . . just wait. I want to see if this one works. It did . . perfectly! We're having leftover gumbo for dinner so I wanted to make more potato salad. I put two eggs in it . . didn't work. What in the world is wrong with it? 

I have a Ninja Foodi 14 in 1 that's 6.5 quart but I don't keep any of those "extra" pots on the counter and that thing, according to Amazon, weighs 24 pounds and that's a bit much for me to lift off a shelf, carry into the kitchen and return when I'm done. I will still use it for some of the specialty things it does but not for my main pressure cooker.

Vince said "I think it's time to replace the Instant Pot so we started looking online. I ended up ordering the Instant Pot Rio (6 quart). It was on sale for $89 and it does all the things I would ever want it to do - pressure cooking, slow cooking, rice, yogurt, steam, warm. In the older models, the insert with the food would spin when you were trying to stir. There was a "clip" you could buy and I never did . . always planned to do it. I see that the new models, the insert doesn't spin when you're stirring. That's something I will appreciate.

The Gumbo "Recipe"

 Several folks asked about my gumbo recipe. I don't really have a recipe and it's so easy, you don't need a recipe. I made a pot of gumbo today and I tried to document how I did it all. 

There are a million - probably more - ways to make gumbo. This is the way I do it. I had always made my own roux. My sister told me recently that she now buys her roux already made in a jar. I mentioned it on Facebook and every one of my friends in Louisiana who responded said they now use store bought roux. I tried it for the gumbo I made today and I will NEVER make roux again!  :)  This is the roux I ordered. Prompt shipping and very expertly packaged with foam peanuts and bubble wrap.

Let me also say that there are several brands of roux in a jar and there's the one where the flour is cooked in oil and there's a "dry" roux where the flour is toasted in the oven. I used the one in the jars with the oil.

I use a Lodge #8 cast iron Dutch oven. I would guess that it makes enough gumbo for at least 8 hungry adults. According to Google, it holds 5 quarts. Of course, you don't have to make 5 quarts. I probably made 4 quarts. We both had it for lunch and I had a 1/2 gallon jar and a quart jar left over (3 quarts left over) and between us, we probably ate about a quart for lunch before I filled up the jars for leftovers.

I do as much as I can the day before. I'm sure some people make their gumbo the same day but I'm not real sure how. I do think it's better the day after it's made but did all the prep work yesterday, got it all put together and simmering by about 6 this morning and we ate about 2 p.m. so that gave it a good bit of time for the flavors to blend.

What you will need for my method of gumbo. There are many ways to make gumbo but in my world, tomatoes do NOT go in gumbo!

• A chicken - don't get the tiniest one you can find. Don't get the biggest one you can find. You need some fat in the broth to make it good! If you're using a pot bigger than I used, you can whatever size chicken will fit into your pot (along with all the other ingredients).
• Seasonings (I use a good Cajun seasoning - Cajun Redhead; salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper, bay leaves - whatever you want. Those are the ones I use).
• Two onions, 1 large bell pepper, 3 stalks of celery, several cloves of garlic, sliced green onions, chopped parsley. I usually use one jalapeno pepper too.
• Roux
• Sausage

NOTE - sausage: To me, the sausage makes the gumbo. Here, I cannot get sausage anywhere near what I like to use. When I go to Louisiana or when Chad goes, we bring back lots of sausage. It doesn't matter how many times or how big the print is, even if it says CAJUN, I haven't found any in this area to be good, flavorful cajun type sausage. Hopefully those of you in larger areas can find good sausage.

Yesterday's activities:

• Boiled a chicken in a pot of water with salt, 3 quartered onions, 5 garlic cloves, 6 stalks of celery and a couple of bay leaves.
• Removed the chicken from the pot and let it cool.
• Strained and poured the broth into one half gallon jar and one 1-1/2 pint jar.
• Picked the meat off the bones. Put that in a quart jar.
• Chopped two onions, 4 cloves of garlic, 2 large stalks of celery and 1-1/2 bell peppers. Those filled one 1-1/2 pint jar. I sauteed it all but pulled half of the veggies out to freeze for another batch of gumbo in a couple of weeks.
• Sliced and browned the sausage.

As it cooled, it all went into the fridge.

Today's Activities:

1. Slice the sausage and brown it in the Dutch oven. Once browned, remove the sausage, leaving the grease in the pot unless there's a massive amount and then you can remove whatever isn't needed for the gumbo.

2. Add a bit of bacon grease, butter - oil of your preference - to the skillet/Dutch oven if there isn't enough left from the sausage and add the onions, celery, garlic and peppers. Saute til they're all tender.

3. Add warm/hot broth (water if you don't have broth but it's so much better with a good, rich broth) and add a couple of bay leaves.  

4. Add roux. I used about one-third of the jar. I started with about 1/4 cup and then added, letting it all simmer for a few minutes and adding more as needed. What's "needed"? Gumbo isn't supposed to be thin or watering and it isn't supposed to be thick like gravy. You will learn how thick or thin you like yours.

5. Gently stir until all of the roux has "melted" into the water. Add more roux if needed to get the gumbo to the right consistency.

6. Add the chicken to the gumbo and let simmer at least a few hours.

7. It will be great to eat the same day (over rice with a bit file' added to each bowl) but it will be better the next day.

Here's the quick version of the recipe:

Boil a chicken. Save the broth.
Cook sliced sausage in Dutch oven, remove and set aside.
Saute chopped onions, peppers and celery in same Dutch oven.
Add hot broth or water (homemade broth is much better).
Add roux until the gumbo is the desired thickness.
Add shredded chicken. Add sausage if desired.
Taste and add seasonings to taste.
Before serving, add chopped green onions and parsley.

Please ask if something doesn't look right. 

Smoked Gouda Tomato Soup

 A week or so ago I was watching a YouTube video and the lady was making a Smoked Gouda Tomato soup. She was making changes and I don't know if she shared the recipe. I found this recipe for Rich and Creamy Smoked Gouda Tomato Soup. It was very easy to make and it was very good. I will be making it again. The recipe made enough for us to have it for at least two meals. We also had sandwiches with the soup.

Advice:  I had two different packages of smoked Gouda. The first one I opened and thankfully tried before putting it in the soup. It had a horrible chemical/fake smoke taste that was quite overwhelming. I cut off a piece to taste and threw the rest of it out.

This one was mild and not overwhelmingly smokey.

I'm sure there are lots of smoked Gouda varieties out there. I don't even remember the brand of the one I didn't like and Vince has already taken the trash out so . . if anyone is interested, I can look at Walmart or Sams and see if I recognize it. I remember that it was more in a wedge.

Biscuit Recipe I Use

 Sharon asked in a comment about my biscuit recipe. This is the recipe I use. I have it taped inside one of my cabinet doors. It's so simple, you would think I could remember it but I don't. I use buttermilk and it's pretty thick so I usually have to use 1 full cup of buttermilk and if the dough still seems a little dry, I'll add a bit more just in little drizzles until I get the consistency I want.

This is the picture I posted yesterday.

I like biscuits in layers and I know we are supposed to handle biscuit dough as little as possible but I roll it out a little narrower than my biscuit cutter. I think my cutter is 2" and if that's right, I would roll the dough out to be about 1-3/4" by however long  .. probably 14 or 15 inches. Then I fold the dough over. Make the fold about 4" in, then fold that over and keep folding it over until your dough is about 1-3/4" x 4"' but it actually keeps getting bigger so by the time you're done folding, it's probably 1-3/4" x about 6". Then gently roll that that until the dough is big enough to get about 8 biscuits. You're mostly rolling it to smash it down a bit and get the layers to stick together. Use as little flour as possible during the rolling process.

To bake them, I use a cast iron skillet. When I first started making the biscuits, I heat the skillet just enough to melt about 2 T. of butter. Then remove it from the heat and allow the skillet to cool a bit (it won't get completely cold). Add one biscuit to the skillet, top side down to get the top buttered, then turn it right side up and position it in the skillet. Keep doing that til all the biscuits have buttered tops. They can be squeezed in but shouldn't be too squished. I think I use an 8" skillet and mine are almost touching . . maybe 1/16th" apart . . maybe some are touching.

Bake as directed. Enjoy!

We don't eat them all so I'll stick them in a zipper bag after they've cooled. The next day I slice them in half like a sandwich, add butter to a skillet and toast them on their cut side. That gets them warm all the way through and gives you a buttery, toasted edge. I think I like them best the second and third day than I do the first day.

A Bread Baking Comment

 Panto Pam left this comment on my bread baking post and I think it's something that might help others, especially those of you who have a bread maker and have never been 100% happy with it. Thanks, Pam, for sharing this. It's a great idea.

Pam, if you see this, will you share which bread maker you use please? Thanks!

I've been making our bread for the past several years. My bread got much better after I bought a bread machine. I only use the dough cycle and then I shape the dough into whatever type bread I need for the final rise and baking. I use the same recipe for everything, so I made my own "mixes" by putting all the dry ingredients, minus the instant yeast, into quart jars. Whenever I make bread, I put the wet ingredients into the bread machine and then dump the "mix" and add the yeast. I'm hoping by leaving this comment, this will inspire someone who has a bread machine collecting dust in a closet to get it out and use it. I never did like bread made in the machine, but the dough cycle is a wonderful tool.

January 2026 Stitching Report

 Can you believe January is already over and February is here? Yesterday Vince and I were complaining about the cold and the snow and I said . . just think in less than 10 months, we get to start winter all over again!  I love snow but I love snow that is gone after about three days. We've had snow for 10 days now. The sun comes out and even though in those 10 days, we've had ONE day when the temp got above freezing . . all the way up to 33 degrees. We're getting down to single digits most nights. And when the sun comes out, snow starts to melt and then the temps drop below freezing and we wake up to more ice and slick surfaces.  The good news is that one day early next week, our high is going to be in the 50's (I think).

OK . . back to the stitching report.

Starts & Finishes:

1. On January 1, I started the Blessing Sampler which was Christmas in my Heart 1843. I finished it on January 22. I have ordered the frame and it should be here the second week of February.

2. On January 22, I started Wynter and I finished him yesterday, January 31. I added a couple more snowflakes to make him just a bit taller because I'm hoping he will fit in the little arched frame I bought at Hobby Lobby this week. I left off his name on the left side because, as I had mentioned, other snowmen I make won't have names so he doesn't really need one either.

Purchases:

I think I've done great with purchases in January. Several times, I saw a chart on flosstubes, pulled it up on the computer and decided against it. I have to remind myself that I have so many charts I want to stitch so why buy more?

I did buy a couple of things and I'm good with what I bought.

Purchase #1 was the Quilted Anniversary chart from Colour and Cotton which included floss and linen.

Even though samplers will probably always be my first love, I think I'm becoming more of a seasonal stitcher. I want to stitch Valentine's then Spring and Easter. I will probably stitch patriotic at least through July 4 but I saw this Valentine's Day chart and the display piece and I ordered both of those. It's Love Notes and I got the PDF and ordered the display through Paisleys & Polka Dots.

Do I expect to have this finished by Valentine's Day? Doubtful but I will have it finished for next year.

I also ordered 6 skeins of three different green flosses from Colour & Cotton. I want to get started on Dasher & Dancer and I want the perfect shade of green. I'm still not sure I've found the perfect shade but I will use one of those three greens!

I did order one more chart but it isn't here and I don't think it's even on the shop's website. It has been shipped so I will count it in the February purchases.

That's it for the purchases.

Goals Set and Achieved:

My stitching goal is at least 400 stitches per day. I stuck with that
and met that goal. The only day I didn't record at least 400 stitches was on January 1. I had my settings in Markup so that my day ended at 2 a.m. because I'm often up stitching til that time and it seemed to me that my day shouldn't end until I went to bed but after the little mixup with stitching numbers on 1/1, I changed my settings back to where my day ends at midnight. What happened was I started stitching at midnight but Vince was still up for a while and I got 218 stitches made before 2 a.m. and then it switched over to January 2. I didn't get any more stitching time on January 1 until after midnight that night and I had already switched the tracker to go to the next day at midight. You can see that I made 758 stitches on January 2 so at least 200 of those were made in the early morning hours of January 1. So, I'm counting that as having made my goal.

Changes to Goal:

I am going to allow myself up to two days each month to get some things fully finished. I cannot stitch 400 stitches each day AND find time to sew things into pillows or get pieces laced and framed. If I don't have anything I want to get fully finished, I'll just stitch those two days but from now forward, my goal will be to stitch at least 400 stitches per day except for two days for finishing, if needed. 

I had intended to work on WIPS every month but I didn't do that in January. I could have set Wynter aside and spent a few days working on a WIP just to say I did it but I didn't have any WIPS I could get finished and not working on Wynter meant he would have been another WIP to carry into February so at least I didn't add any WIPS yet this year.

Goals for February:

1. Start and Finish Love Notes. I may not be able to fully finish it but I would like to finish the stitching.

2. Work on a WIP - either Noel Sampler or New Year Sampler.

Bread Baking

 Please accept my apology in advance. Can you really apologize for something before you do it?  :)  I have a tendency to think everyone should like the same things I like and I know that isn't true so if you have zero interest in making bread - don't waste your time. This post is solely me trying to convince everyone to make bread.

First, if you've never made bread, you probably think it's hard. It is NOT! There is a bit of a learning curve but once you learn what your dough should feel like, it's so easy. 

I have two stories for you that I hope will get at least those of you who have been thinking about making bread to do it.

First, when our area was waiting for the snow to arrive, all the usual suspects disappeared from the grocery store. No bread, no bottled water, no hot dogs . . really, it's the same thing whether it's a snow storm in the north or a hurricane in the areas that get those. As you might guess, we did not go to the store for supplies but there was much complaining and serious panic about no bread in the stores. I kept thinking . . it's flour, water and yeast or starter! Many recipes require oil. It can butter, olive oil, canola oil, shortening . . oil . . most any oil and if we're talking about no food in the house and you're snowed it . . ANY oil will do.

Second, I feel like I'm a decent experienced bread maker. This morning I needed to make baguette type rolls and I had a million things going on in the kitchen. The recipe called for 1 kg of flour. I should have known that was not a project for the Kitchen Aid so don't ask me why I used that mixer. It ended up ok. 

The next thing I did - totally forgot to add the salt. I always put everything in little prep bowls. It was there . . I just didn't dump it into the mix. I already had the dough out of the mixer and into the bowl to rise. In fact, I had already washed the mixer bowl and had to mess it up again. I put the dough back in the mixer bowl, added the salt, kneaded it a bit more with the mixer. Dumped it onto the counter to do a bit of hand kneading and realized it was way too dry. I had measured everything but sometimes, the exact same weight of water and flour creates a dough that needs more water or more flour. I poured a bit of water in and it was too wet. Dang it! How many times can I screw this up.

I dumped it onto the countertop, kneaded in a bit more flour and let it rise.

You can see the dough in the background. It was seriously needing attention.

I wanted fairly skinny baguette type rolls so I divided the dough into 12 pieces that were about 160 grams each.

I shaped those and let them rise on the counter.

They rose and baked up perfectly and were some of the best rolls I've made in a long time and yet, I messed up in so many ways!

This made 12 buns. Vince and I split one for dinner and had a sandwich and a salad.

Is that not a gorgeous salad? It's just lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers along with fried chicken "nuggets". I coated the chicken pieces in cornstarch, fried them in palm fruit shortening, then drizzled Frank's Hot Wing Sauce over them, added them to the salad, along with blue cheese dressing. Yum!

This is the recipe I use for rolls. I can make dinner rolls, larger or small or medium baguettes, hamburger buns, hot dog buns . . most anything. You could even use this recipe to make cinnamon rolls. We used one roll tonight, I kept out three more for sandwiches tomorrow and into the next week. I stuck the rest of them, still on the tray in the freezer. In the morning I'll take them out and vacuum seal them and put them back in the freezer. I like to keep baguettes for sandwiches, hamburger buns and a variety of rolls (sizes and added herbs) in the freezer. We were out of baguettes and we're out of hamburger buns so maybe in the next day or so, I'll make more of those. We use them for sloppy joes too.

Really, please think about learning to make bread if you aren't already a confident bread maker. You don't have to make all your own bread but if you have flour, salt, water, oil, sugar (or not) and yeast, you can make bread and if you divide a large recipe in half and it's a failure, you can usually turn it into croutons or bread crumbs so all isn't lost. Each time you make bread, you will get better at it. Having the knowledge to make bread can keep you from worrying if there is a time when you can't get the food you need.

Yeast keeps well in the freezer. The yeast I'm using is some I bought when I got here in 2020 and kept in the freezer. I figured I needed enough for myself and for Chad but, thankfully, yeast has not been in short supply. If there ever is a time when there's no power, and you have a gas stove, there are breads that can be cooked in a skillet - tortillas, English muffins, biscuits and I would imagine with a bit of patience, a small loaf of bread (mini loaf pans) could be baked on top of the stove in a Dutch oven.

As always, if you have questions, while I don't know everything about breadmaking, I'm glad to help out any way I can.