Chicken and Dumplings

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Hello, culinary explorers! Today, I'm sharing my adventure with a classic comfort food: chicken and dumplings. Spoiler alert: It's a tale of rustic charm and deliciously happy endings!

First things first, let's talk about chopping. I tackled the onions and carrots with a 'chop till you drop' attitude. Minced? More like roughly hewn to capture that homemade essence. The same went for shredding the chicken with forks. I used more chicken than the recipe called for (because why not?) and stopped shredding when my arms waved the white flag – a bit before the chicken was fully separated.

Now, the dumplings – oh, the dumplings! They were a new frontier for me. The dough was a sticky affair, like trying to sculpt with glue, but I persevered. Following the recipe, I cooked them for the recommended 5-7 minutes. However, they came out a tad too doughy for my taste. Trusting my culinary instincts, I gave them an extra 5-minute sauna in high sauté. Voilà! They transformed into the perfect texture.

The final product? Absolutely scrumptious. It was a hearty, comforting bowl of homemade goodness. And guess what? It even earned me some kudos in the lunchroom at work. Talk about a recipe success!

In conclusion, this chicken and dumplings dish gets a resounding two thumbs up from me. It's a reminder that a little improvisation in the kitchen can lead to some wonderfully tasty surprises. So, don't be afraid to chop a little less, or cook a little more. Your taste buds (and lunchroom buddies) will thank you!

From Lose Weight with your instant pot by Audrey Johns ISBN 978-0-06-287455-9

Chapter 4 - One-Pot Dinners Page 45

Cassoulet

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Welcome back, fellow food adventurers! Today, we're diving into the rustic world of Cassoulet, a dish that turned out to be as much a learning experience as it was a meal.

So, I embarked on this journey with frozen chicken – lots of it. I may have gone a bit overboard with an entire pack of boneless chicken thighs, but who's counting? Spoiler alert: there weren't heaps of leftovers, so maybe my chicken intuition was spot on.

Now, let's talk about the squash saga. Cutting squash isn't in my usual repertoire, so thank goodness for how-to videos! The mission: peel and cube. The result: an abundance of squash. The recipe said a cup, but honestly, I could've thrown in the whole lot, which was about two, maybe two and a half cups.

Here's a fun twist: the recipe mentioned transferring the chicken, sausage, and beans to the serving plate. But what about our dear friend, Mr. Squash? I assumed he was invited to the plate party too, leaving the broth to its own devices.

The verdict? I indulged in two bowls of this hearty concoction. As a self-proclaimed squash skeptic, I was pleasantly surprised. It was the tablespoon of spices that really brought it home, transforming the dish into something I'd actually crave.

So, where does this Cassoulet adventure land on my rating scale? I'm dishing out a hearty two thumbs up. 


From Lose Weight with your instant pot by Audrey Johns ISBN 978-0-06-287455-9

Chapter 4 - One-Pot Dinners Page 41

Recipe Reviews

Insta Pot

Beef Bourguignon Review

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Embarking on a culinary venture with the classic Beef Bourguignon, I found myself immersed in a cooking experience that, while lengthier than anticipated, proved to be a journey worth taking. The recipe, sourced from a reputable cookbook, initially estimated a preparation time of 75 minutes. However, in my kitchen, the process unfolded over a span of nearly 2 hours, a testament to the dish's complexity and the attention it demands.


The initial stages of preparation were somewhat daunting. As the beef sizzled and sautéed, a crust of caramelized flour formed a challenging layer at the bottom of the pot. This moment of alarm was swiftly assuaged when the addition of wine worked its magic, effortlessly scraping off the crust and integrating it into the sauce, much to my relief and fascination.


An adventurous deviation from the recipe involved an overzealous addition of pearl onions. This experiment, though well-intentioned, led to a slightly overpowering onion presence in the dish - a minor misstep in an otherwise harmonious blend of flavors.


The dish's core, its flavor, was a delightful discovery. The rich, hearty essence of the beef, bathed in a luxuriously deep sauce, was both comforting and sophisticated. Accompanying bread would have been a wise inclusion, serving as the perfect vessel to savor the sauce to its last drop.


The true versatility of this Beef Bourguignon revealed itself the following day. A creative twist of adding cheese and a sprinkle of 'season all' to the leftovers breathed new life into the dish, elevating its flavor profile significantly and adding a playful, jazzed-up dimension.


In conclusion, while the preparation of Beef Bourguignon demands patience and a certain culinary bravery, the result is a dish that resonates with depth and flavor. It earns a solid one thumb up from me - a nod to its delicious outcome, despite the time and effort involved. This dish stands as a reminder that great cooking is often a labor of love, yielding rewards well worth the wait.

From Lose Weight with your instant pot by Audrey Johns ISBN 978-0-06-287455-9

Chapter 4 - One-Pot Dinners Page 38

Fast Fajitas review

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As I ventured into the vibrant world of fast fajitas, my taste buds were greeted with a pleasantly surprising mix of flavors. Each bite was a delicious ensemble of spice and savory, hitting a delightful note of 'just right' on the spicy scale. Though they leaned towards the drier side, possibly a quaint memento of my enthusiastic sautéing, the overall texture was satisfyingly hearty.


What truly stood out was the ingenious substitution of yogurt for sour cream, a stroke of culinary genius that added a creamy, tangy twist to each bite. The decision to cook three chicken breasts, as opposed to the recommended one, might have subtly subdued the spice's kick, yet it allowed for a more wholesome and satisfying feast.


The inclusion of lime juice was a revelation, its citrusy zest elevating the fajitas with a burst of freshness that I hadn't realized I'd been craving. It's clear that the magic of acid in cooking is not to be underestimated. A quick tip for fellow enthusiasts: don't overlook warming your taco shells—a brief spin in the microwave works wonders for texture and warmth.


In conclusion, these fajitas were a delightful culinary escapade. From the subtle tweaks to the recipe to the unexpected flavor combinations, every element came together to create a truly enjoyable meal. I enthusiastically award these fajitas a well-deserved two thumbs up, a testament to their deliciousness and the joy of adventurous cooking.

From Lose Weight with your instant pot by Audrey Johns ISBN 978-0-06-287455-9

Chapter 4 - One-Pot Dinners Page 43

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Understanding Phoneme Representation through Dot Patterns

If each dot pattern represents a phoneme, with the system encompassing the 44 phonemes in English and 16 additional common global phonemes, we could group these phonemes to correspond to rows, columns, and panels in a way that clarifies their articulatory features and relationships.

Rows (Vertical Alignment)

Each row could categorize phonemes based on articulatory features. For example:

  • First row: Plosive sounds (e.g., /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/)
  • Second row: Fricative sounds (e.g., /f/, /v/, /s/, /z/)

Columns (Horizontal Alignment)

Columns could represent characteristics such as voicing or place of articulation:

  • First column: Bilabial sounds
  • Second column: Labiodental sounds
  • Third column: Alveolar sounds
  • Fourth column: Velar sounds

Panels (Middle Dots)

The middle dots of the panels could differentiate between vowel qualities or other phoneme types:

  • Panel 1 (Middle dots blank): Basic vowel sounds (e.g., /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/)
  • Panel 2 (Middle dot on left): Diphthongs and complex vowels (e.g., /ai/, /oi/, /au/, /ou/, /ei/)
  • Panel 3 (Middle dot on right): Basic consonants (e.g., /p/, /t/, /k/, /b/, /d/, /g/)
  • Panel 4 (Middle dots both filled): Complex consonants and additional phonemes (e.g., /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /θ/, /ð/, /ŋ/, /ʧ/, /ʤ/)

Within each panel, rows and columns would further differentiate the phonemes. For instance, in the consonant panel, the first row for voiceless consonants and the first column within that row for plosives would represent /p/, /t/, /k/, etc. The next column in the same row would then represent voiceless fricatives like /f/, /s/, /ʃ/, and so on.

This structured approach allows for a visual and systematic understanding of the phonemes, facilitating education in phonetics and phonology.


Related subjects:
Braille ASCII
English phonology
Phoneme
Phonemic orthography
Shavian alphabet
shavian.info
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