One whole month is done! I barely squeaked by, using the last day of the month for this. But this was a reasonably successful meal,for all that my husband was nervous. :)Menu:
Roast BeefBrowned PotatoesGravyBettina's Jelly PickleBreadGrapefruit Marmalade
Date Loaf CakeSliced OrangesI had intended on making this menu Friday, but then we had friends over and I didn't want to have to buy a large enough roast. But I did use some of the supplies, meaning that another grocery run had to happen in addition to the butcher visit. Side note, my butcher will let me know the next time they get mutton, and there will be veal by the end of the week! I won't have to buy grocery store meat next time I have a veal menu! This is very exciting.
Anyway, I made the cake when I got home from Y's house and before my afternoon students. Be prepared for a lot of sticky chopping, for it takes a lot of minced dates to make a full cup. Also, I realized while making it, that a liquid was needed. It's very difficult to have vanilla be your only liquid... I added milk, and just poured until it was a quick bread batter consistency. Maybe 2/3rds of a cup?< Everything else was cooked back to back.
I started by making the gelatin. Easy enough, although I misjudged when to add in the pickles, and it didn't gel smoothly. (Also didn't unmould well.)
Next I started the roast andd the veg. I used the broiler for the first section of the cooking, and then fluctuated between 350F and 450F as it cooked, eventually needing around 1.75 hrs to cook.
I had potatoes (with some carrots for good measure) cooking with the meat the whole time.
We almost didn't get gravy because someone wheedled Yorkshire Pudding out of me, and that takes drippings. (Recipe from Fanny Farmer, courtesy of my Aunt C.)
Luckily, we had the "chicken carcass turning into stock" on the back burner, so I made chicken gravy to go with our roast beef. (My college experience taught me to never avoid free calories.)
Which leaves us at our bread and marmalade. I bought marmalade rather than make it (although recipe was given), but had to settle for orange as no one sells grapefruit marmalade.Verdict? Pretty damn tasty. Roast took an hour longer than expected, the jelly is fine but way more than anyone could eat, ditto potato portion size, and I opted not to do the sliced oranges, even though I have them. It was just a little much. But the cake! Glorious cake. Soft, moist, sweet, just the right amount of texture. And I didn't need to use the mixer for it. I will be making this again.
Anyway, I made the cake when I got home from Y's house and before my afternoon students. Be prepared for a lot of sticky chopping, for it takes a lot of minced dates to make a full cup. Also, I realized while making it, that a liquid was needed. It's very difficult to have vanilla be your only liquid... I added milk, and just poured until it was a quick bread batter consistency. Maybe 2/3rds of a cup?< Everything else was cooked back to back.
I started by making the gelatin. Easy enough, although I misjudged when to add in the pickles, and it didn't gel smoothly. (Also didn't unmould well.)
Next I started the roast andd the veg. I used the broiler for the first section of the cooking, and then fluctuated between 350F and 450F as it cooked, eventually needing around 1.75 hrs to cook. 
I had potatoes (with some carrots for good measure) cooking with the meat the whole time.
We almost didn't get gravy because someone wheedled Yorkshire Pudding out of me, and that takes drippings. (Recipe from Fanny Farmer, courtesy of my Aunt C.)
Luckily, we had the "chicken carcass turning into stock" on the back burner, so I made chicken gravy to go with our roast beef. (My college experience taught me to never avoid free calories.)
Which leaves us at our bread and marmalade. I bought marmalade rather than make it (although recipe was given), but had to settle for orange as no one sells grapefruit marmalade.Verdict? Pretty damn tasty. Roast took an hour longer than expected, the jelly is fine but way more than anyone could eat, ditto potato portion size, and I opted not to do the sliced oranges, even though I have them. It was just a little much. But the cake! Glorious cake. Soft, moist, sweet, just the right amount of texture. And I didn't need to use the mixer for it. I will be making this again.
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