Sunday at the Cat Farm

It snowed overnight — just a little bit of snow, but it still needed to be relocated, which was a modestly pleasant task — the sun was out, and the air was warming nicely, and by the time the plow-guy arrived, it was possible to go outside without having to bundle up in All The Winter Things.

Today is one of those rare days when I’ll be making dinner:  beef stew, in the HotPot, which will be a first for me, and will stretch my practical skills with the equipment.

Still got some Stuff moving in the background.  Yesterday, as a sort of Displacement Activity, I cleaned out the bottom drawer of the supply bureau in my office.  Threw out a metric ton of old software; shifted some old tech — roll up keyboard; portable USB hub; an old trackball to the Goodwill box.

I was so jazzed by all this success, I moved to the next drawer up, and got rid of Even! More! Stuff!, so that now what occupied two drawers barely fills up one.

Today, I may also make a loaf of quick bread; that will be soothing.  And useful, too.

Hope everybody’s having a pleasant weekend.

View from the deck, photo by Steve Miller

3 thoughts on “Sunday at the Cat Farm”

  1. So, the stew turned out fine, but my continuing problem with InstantPot recipes continues. They say things like, “cook at high pressure for 25 minutes.” They neglect to say, “it will take your InstantPot approximately 18 minutes to build up enough pressure to do the jobs, after which it will start timing those 25 minutes.” Also! The instructions are often, “Do a natural release.” They do not say, “The natural release will take between 10 and 28 minutes to complete.”

    So, in fact, you are not making a “meal in an hour.” With the 20 minutes prep, and the actual cooking and the unmentioned extra time, you’re *actually* making a meal in an hour-and-a-half. Longer, if you’re a real slowbee chopping things, like I am.

    All of which is to say that the dinner I planned for 2:00 landed on the table at a couple minutes past 3:00.

    Also, not a Big Fan of sauteing in the InstantPot. Seems simpler and less Fraught With Peril to saute on the stove, in the frying pan that doesn’t *spin around* while you’re trying to stir things.

    On the other hand, deglazing a pan remains one of the Major Miracles of Civilization.

    To recap, beef stew with mushrooms and barley in the InstantPot was very good, and I’ll be making it again, after adjusting for the Time Implied.

  2. Sounds delicious. What flavor quick bread are you contemplating? I have over-ripe bananas, but also have persimmon puree and apricot puree in the freezer.

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