June 2020 “In My Kitchen”

It’s the first of the month so welcome to June 2020 “In My Kitchen.”  Anyone can join up in the IMK fun.  Check out Sherry’s Pickings (our host) for more information.

Thankfully, we are all still well here.   I am still working from home (but that is my usual M.O. from the end of May until the first of August).  We’ve been going to the lake every weekend and being “safer-on-the-boat” so that breaks up the monotony and at least I can talk to other people in the next slip or those that pull up beside us.   Last weekend was glorious—the first two days in a row where we did not have rain.   Glorious, I tell you.

Not a whole lot of new products or gadgets in the kitchen again this month but I did make a lot of new-to-me recipes and hacks.

But first, let me start with this:

This split-leaf philodendron was actually in my kitchen all winter.  After re-potting it this spring, I  added the metal trellis that had been outside all winter.   I then moved it back in the kitchen.   Last weekend I went to water it and noticed a tiny bug on top.  Luckily, I investigated further (read “put on my glasses”) and quickly moved the plant back outside.  There were hundreds of baby praying mantids on the trellis.  (Yes, I had to look it up.  “Mantids” is the plural form for mantis.)   The next day, another cocoon hatched out.   I’m glad to get all these little aphid and mite eaters outside to the gardens.

The first hack is a game changer.  I remember that I first read about this idea on an IMK post.  It’s making your own spreadable butter.   First of all, this is cheaper and I can reuse the original container.  Secondly, you can play around with seasonings and obviously adjust the salt to your preference.  

I’ve started up my sourdough again.  Fingers crossed, but it’s been alive since April!  You can see a bit of the bread above but I’ve been making a lot with the starter.  In fact, sometimes I worry about over-using it between feedings.

Sourdough banana bread. This is my new favorite recipe! More about this on a later post.

 

Sour dough coffee cake. This recipe comes from my grandmother’s archives. More about this recipe later as well.

Here is a great sourdough pancake recipe but no photos.  I am also going to try these crackers this week.

Last month I mentioned that I had made tortillas.  For Cinco de Mayo this year, I made tamales.

My solo tamale assembly line.

I have always been intimidated to try these because (a) we can find authentic homemade tamales from different food vendors most anywhere around here; and (b) I had always heard that you needed to assemble your entire family in order to make these.

They weren’t that difficult.  I used a recipe from my Coyote Cafe cookbook and again, I will post more about these later.   I served these with some Mexican rice that I made in my rice cooker.   The recipe can be found here but I still need to work on it a bit for our tastes.

Finally, back to our boat and our galley!   🙂

In March, we pulled off the original (1964) copper-tone refrigerator.  It was quite the ordeal and we had to take it through the front windshield.

Out to the bow deck.

I took the door off and then we slid it through the front windows to the bow.

I was able to slide it over to The Hubs and then we sat it on the slip.

I’m really not sure how the two of us accomplished this.  Rest assured that it was disposed of in a responsible manner and was not dumped overboard.  Anyhoo, my point of the whole story is we have a new more compact refrigerator.  It’s one that is made for overland camping.

Photo from vendor’s website

The great thing about this fridge is that it will run on AC or DC and can be converted to a freezer if needed.   I love it!  It’s the perfect size for the boat.  (I had to use the manufacturer’s photo above b/c I don’t have a photo from the boat.  The fridge alcove just got painted and we haven’t redone the floor yet.  Maybe soon when all the refurbishing is done I can give you all a virtual tour.)

I also bought some new dishes for the boat.

Aren’t these cute?   

They’re from World Market and were advertised as dip cups.  I think we will use them more for nuts and snacks.

 

Finally, I have a important question for all of you:

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve thrown together during the pandemic and social-distancing?

For me:  half a baked sweet potato topped with cottage cheese topped with a smashed half an avocado (with lots of salt and pepper).  It was actually quite good.

I also ate potato salad for breakfast once.

 

Make sure you check out all the IMK postings this month.   Have a joyful June!

7 comments to June 2020 “In My Kitchen”

  • I have been wondering what happened to your newly bought boat! Here you go :-)) Yes, yes, yes, we want a virtual tour!!
    I love to use sourdough discard to make pancakes, bread, and cake for extra flavour. So I look forward to your banana bread recipe, Deb.

  • Mae

    Very tempting uses of sourdough starter! We have also made crackers and pancakes with the same goal: don’t waste!

    be well… mae at maefood.blogspot.com

  • The sourdough banana bread looks amazing. I’m wanting to get on that sourdough bread making but life has been in my way. Medical stuff still plaguing me. Ugh.

    I love potato sald for breakfast, why not? Ha! I don’t think we have had any strange combos but I will think about that. It’s all blending together.

  • Getting the old ridge out of the boat looks like a trip! 🙂 It’s almost like they built the boat around the fridge. Lots of goodies in the kitchen! I’m going to be trying the spreadable butter soon. Just what I need.

  • […] k.fillText(f(55356,56826,55356,56819),0,0),!(j.toDataURL().length    June 2020 “In My Kitchen” […]

  • Yes, you gave the recipe! Another good use for my sourdough, and I want to make some. Now if our bananas will just start fruiting again. I may have to buy some. Your boat is looking good.

  • Liz

    I love hearing about your renovations on the boat. My husband lived on a trawler when we first met and we lived there together for a couple of years (until I got pregnant). It was great fun and I loved living so near to nature and the water.

    You actually named a dish which is very close to my favorite way to eat a sweet potato, fresh goat cheese, avocado and salt. I would chose that over butter any day.

    Your new dishes are perfect for the boat…cereal as well as snacks.