Happy Weekly Food Fun to you!

This week started out slow, a sickly week for my son and I.  Feeling better and happy to say it finished very fun.

I made my first batch of yogurt at my house in the beginning of the week with my friends recipe.  And, I happily confirmed she doesn’t have secret yogurt gnomes in her house helping with the yogurt while our backs were turned.  Her recipe really does work.  I am beyond thrilled.

My son likes thick yogurt, so what do you do?  You strain it for a few hours over a towel or cheesecloth.   I am not one to get rid of any fresh food by-product that might be able to be used in some way.  So, I was not about to throw out the whey from the yogurt.  We all know the words – buttermilk biscuits.  Well, you can do the same thing with the yogurt whey.  My recipe calls for 1/2 cup milk, so I would say I use about 3/4 of half a cup of whey, then the rest with milk.  I am not real specific on this… I just read on one post you don’t want to use full whey, so I guessed at it.  And they turned out good.  I admit, I am not sure if they taste different or if the texture is different, although the whey does add some healthy benefits and I don’t think they are all cooked out.  Just my opinion on that.  And if not, hey, I am still using the whey it isn’t getting throw out.

Next big cooking day was also a snow day.

For breakfast we had to have something cozy and good. My idea of cozy and good starts with biscuits and gravy, then, hmmm.. I really also want to have eggs in some way or another.  So scrambled ham and cheese eggs to go with them. Topped with some onions and mushrooms.

Next step of the day was scalloped potatoes.  I used the recipe here.
I did add more cheese, they were really good, yet still missing something.  I think next time I will add a little more milk to make them a little more creamy and a little more cheese.

As I was layering the potatoes, cheese, flour in the skillet
I realized I sliced up to many potatoes.
So, what to do with these extra beauties?

Well, a new adventure, that is what you do.

I had a little bit of lard left in the refrigerator.  I know, a little bit?  Time to make a new batch.
And a little bit of vegetable oil, so I heated it up in the cast iron skillet and decided to make potato chips.

Nicely browning in a thin layer of oil.

The finished product.  Place them on a paper towel, sprinkle with salt while still warm and snack away.  I seriously don’t know why I have never tried these before, they were so good!

Now it was time for dinner. The elk steaks on the grill on a snow day, hey why not.

Sautéed some mushrooms and onions with garlic,
butter, marsala and tarragon to top the steaks.

A side of veggies,
the scalloped potatoes have been in the oven for a little over an hour,
time for dinner.

Enjoy the fun of food, snow, or sun.