Updates

I started to write a comment in the last post to update how things turned out, but then it just got so long I thought I'd go ahead and make it a post. :-)

Ribs
The ribs turned out dry when par-boiled and then broiled. They are just so lean! Next time we're thinking about cooking them covered in the oven. I made a quick BBQ sauce (broth, ketchup, worchestershire, tabasco, cayenne, S&P, & smoke seasoning) that really helped. (BTW, I'm not so sure about the smoke flavoring. I watched Alton Brown make it one time and he built a campfire and got the smoke to condense and drip into a container, but I'm not so sure that the stuff you buy is made so naturally so I only use it occasionally.)

Granola
I hope it's not possible to OD on granola because the boys LOVE it. :-) I updated the post with a hyperlink to show which recipe I followed. (Granted I made changes to use what I had on hand...maple syrup instead of honey (just for ease of use...hahaha), I added mango and extra coconut (since I was short on the nuts), and I left out the cinnamon. I used sour milk to help soak the oatmeal (instead of yogurt and water) since I have some I'm trying to use up. :-)

Stock
The turkey stock turned out great...it even gelled which my chicken stock has not been doing lately so I was very excited! I took a picture to try to show you the thickness, but I can't fine the right cable. :-) (When it was cooled, it was a semi-solid to solid which means it has a lot of gelatin in it. Gelatin aids digestion and allows your body to more fully utilize the proteins in your diet...giving you "more bang for the buck" out of the food you eat. Stock also contains cartilage and collagen and it helps prevent and mitigate infectious diseases.) I was very diligent about skimming the stock for any impurities and I think I also managed to skim off the fat at the same time (by accident) since my stock did not have any fat on top once gelled. I froze half the gallon of stock in ice cube trays (and then transferred them to a bag)...the rest will go in the gumbo. Beacuse our weekend was busy and we had dinner away from home I haven't made the gumbo yet. Since it'll be assembled on a week night, I went ahead and made the roux so I can put it all together fast. Since the roux takes a while, I made 3 times the roux I need and froze the rest (in ice cube size). When we want gumbo I can heat up the roux in the pan, add the diced trinity (from the freezer), add stock and any leftover meat, and season. MMMMmmmm I think I even have cooked rice in the freezer. :-)

Quinoa
I used the leftover quinoa to make a breakfast porridge today that was good. I didn't measure, but I added milk and maple syrup and then slowly heated it to get it to absorb the milk and soften. At some point I mixed up and egg and stirred it in to thicken it and make it a bit custard-y...plus I was trying to add even more protein. :-)