sept 27 2023
THE DONKEYS HAVE LEFT COLORADO-- two trucks. 22 donkeys and I don’t know how many people— I already have the hay for the 22 donkeys......except I was told to prepare to feed 30 people dinner..on Friday night.. I ain’t no chef—as we all know....
30 people--- SO---- if I go by my “how to feed an unknown dog, which is ---” feed ½ the size of their head.”....probably about a bit more than 1 cup------so we are talking at least 1 cubic foot of food for 30......
Therefore the physics of raising the temp of the middle of the cubic foot to above 165 degrees( in the case of chicken) must be addressed... furthermore--- any pot full of anything will take FOREVER if it is more than about 8 inches deep.
So.....i will start with 2 big pots on the stove—--- plus an electric fry pan to get the chicken up to something more than refrigerator temp.. as I cut it- put it in the fry pan for a few minutes as I cut up the next bunch of chicken( thighs- because white meat shreds to near zero in a stew.)adding to the alternating pots also on high.. add quickly the small carrots uncut so they become the faux thermometer--- you need liquid... so....add at least on quart box of chicken stock ( or veggie stock if that is what you have.) to a level of nearly covering whatever is in the pot...— lots of onions cut up somehow. ---I do buy the small potatoes and cut them all in half--- after that ... anything goes... like anything the store has already cut up--- peppers, squash ,those sweet potatoes spaghetti like things...keeping the fluid just below contents—it will make more fluid as it goes along. it should be kept on slow gurgle for about 2 hours after which you can add a frozen package of corn and peas ( for color)—test a carrot--- should be nearly soft- cooked—if you have a thermometer that would be the correct thing to do... at least 165 in the middle.. you now have chicken soup--- now comes the tricky part....
I use a bottle of ken’s honey mustard salad dressing to each pot--- it is still soup.... but you want to glue the flavors of the soup to the contents better.. To do this ... put ¼ cup of corn starch ( it comes in a yellow plastic container) in a glass—add water while stirring with a fork... it will be stiff—then all of a sudden turn to loose liquid.... pour that into the chicken soup slowly while stirring—and repeat until you get the consistency of stew...not soup.... and you will have glued the flavors to the pieces of stew... much better.... ( flour does work but not as efficiently) cover on warm til people eat it.
Now the veggie version . I start the veggie after I get the chicken set on gurgle – it is identical minus the chicken and use veggie stock for liquid.. and for heavens sake don’t use the same spoon in both pots... veggies do not approve of contamination.
Another emergency liquid solidifier is—if you notice too liquid early..... you can add a handful or two of rice--- or if it is last minute those instant potatoes will absorb moisture too... but that corn starch works best.
And.... because in these deals you never know just who will arrive and eat what, better clean out the refrigerator to accept a huge pot of leftovers—which could also be frozen nicely !
