Sunday, February 25, 2007
Friday, February 23, 2007
Chinese Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
As you all know, I am interested in fusion food. So I recently made my version of Chinese spaghetti with meat sauce. The dish is similar to what one often finds on Chinese menus as "Marco Polo Noodles: This is the original spaghetti and meat sauce that Marco Polo brought back to Italy from China!" But is also plays a lot on traditional Singapore or dan dan fun.
1 pound ground meat (I use venison but it would be as good with ground chicken or even those Boca TVP crumbles. I would not use ground turkey unless you use an all dark meat version.)
1 T ginger paste (you can get this as Indian markets)
2 t dried minced garlic
1 t aleppo pepper (for heat)
1 small onion, diced fine
1 carrot, diced fine
1 stalk of celery, diced fine
1 t galangal powder
2 cups crushed tomato
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti noodles
Coat the bottom of a large pan or wok with oil and preheat. Add in ginger paste, minced garlic, and aleppo pepper. Cook until the aroma of the spices really smells great and then add in the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook just until the onion starts to brown. Add in ground meat. Cook this, stirring often, so that the result is very fine pieces of ground meat mixed with the other stuff. Then add the tomato paste, stir for a couple of minutes, then add in crushed tomato. The result should look a bit like a Bolognese sauce at this point. Then add in galangal and hoisin sauce. Cook pasta according to the manufacturer's directions. When pasta is done, serve it with a scoop or two of meat sauce. The sauce is can also be enhanced with chopped up green onion or the addition of frozen peas or corn. This recipe should serve 4 very hungry people.
As you all know, I am interested in fusion food. So I recently made my version of Chinese spaghetti with meat sauce. The dish is similar to what one often finds on Chinese menus as "Marco Polo Noodles: This is the original spaghetti and meat sauce that Marco Polo brought back to Italy from China!" But is also plays a lot on traditional Singapore or dan dan fun.
1 pound ground meat (I use venison but it would be as good with ground chicken or even those Boca TVP crumbles. I would not use ground turkey unless you use an all dark meat version.)
1 T ginger paste (you can get this as Indian markets)
2 t dried minced garlic
1 t aleppo pepper (for heat)
1 small onion, diced fine
1 carrot, diced fine
1 stalk of celery, diced fine
1 t galangal powder
2 cups crushed tomato
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti noodles
Coat the bottom of a large pan or wok with oil and preheat. Add in ginger paste, minced garlic, and aleppo pepper. Cook until the aroma of the spices really smells great and then add in the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook just until the onion starts to brown. Add in ground meat. Cook this, stirring often, so that the result is very fine pieces of ground meat mixed with the other stuff. Then add the tomato paste, stir for a couple of minutes, then add in crushed tomato. The result should look a bit like a Bolognese sauce at this point. Then add in galangal and hoisin sauce. Cook pasta according to the manufacturer's directions. When pasta is done, serve it with a scoop or two of meat sauce. The sauce is can also be enhanced with chopped up green onion or the addition of frozen peas or corn. This recipe should serve 4 very hungry people.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Experimental Cookie #4
So this weekend while I was having a guest, I decided to try out experimental cookie #4. The guest had requested to become a guinea pig, so I figured why not? Our experimental cookie was Banana Chocolate Chip. The cake did not have enough banana flavor, but was otherwise tasty.
2 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup Splenda
1 cup light brown sugar
4 T banana flavor
2 large eggs
1 cup 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375. Sift flour with baking soda and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar and brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated. Blend dry into wet slowly until you have a nice smooth batter, then mix in your chips. Drop by the tablespoon full unto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes,This recipes makes between 2-3 dozen cookies. The cookies are very moist and rich and somewhat cakey in texture.
My guest's take on the cookies: "Best cookies I've had today!"
So this weekend while I was having a guest, I decided to try out experimental cookie #4. The guest had requested to become a guinea pig, so I figured why not? Our experimental cookie was Banana Chocolate Chip. The cake did not have enough banana flavor, but was otherwise tasty.
2 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup Splenda
1 cup light brown sugar
4 T banana flavor
2 large eggs
1 cup 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375. Sift flour with baking soda and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar and brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated. Blend dry into wet slowly until you have a nice smooth batter, then mix in your chips. Drop by the tablespoon full unto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes,This recipes makes between 2-3 dozen cookies. The cookies are very moist and rich and somewhat cakey in texture.
My guest's take on the cookies: "Best cookies I've had today!"
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Frozen Concentrated Winter
A reader brought to my attention that I haven't posted in a while, and he is absolutely correct. Instead, I have been participating in the latest round of frozen concentrated winter. Rather like frozen concentrated OJ, we are experiencing winter in such a concentrated form that we are getting a whole year's worth of it in 23 days. Insanity! Between the sub-zero temps, wicked winds, and massive snow falls, well, I am just exhausted. Too exhausted to write.
That being said, I did recently participate in the Three Questions meme. This is where you invite 10 friends to ask any three questions, questions you must answer absolutely honestly and then post the questions and answers to your blog. My friend Donna is the only one to ask me questions... here is our exchange.....
Her Questions:
1. Where do you ultimately WANT to settle down by the time you are ready to retire – still thinking about Jump river?
2. Are you glad you had the stomach surgery or are the side effects making it not worth it?
3. Are you EVER GOING TO WRITE THAT BOOK?
My Answers:
1. Where do you ultimately WANT to settle down by the time you are ready to retire – still thinking about Jump river?
This is a very interesting question and a discussion I recently had with the potential love interest. I have never really been drawn to any one place. There isn't anyone place that I consider to be home. I love the Jump River. Of all the places I ahve been that is the one I like best. Rather than places, I have always been attracted by the opportunities in any given place. Which is why I am inclined to stay put here for a while.
2. Are you glad you had the stomach surgery or are the side effects making it not worth it?
I think it was a good thing I had the surgery as I was killing myself slowly. but I am struggling now. I have increased side effects the longer out I go. And I still feel like a fat failure.
3. Are you EVER GOING TO WRITE THAT BOOK?
Only if I radically change careers. It is too hard to write all day long and then go home and write for 4 more hours....
A reader brought to my attention that I haven't posted in a while, and he is absolutely correct. Instead, I have been participating in the latest round of frozen concentrated winter. Rather like frozen concentrated OJ, we are experiencing winter in such a concentrated form that we are getting a whole year's worth of it in 23 days. Insanity! Between the sub-zero temps, wicked winds, and massive snow falls, well, I am just exhausted. Too exhausted to write.
That being said, I did recently participate in the Three Questions meme. This is where you invite 10 friends to ask any three questions, questions you must answer absolutely honestly and then post the questions and answers to your blog. My friend Donna is the only one to ask me questions... here is our exchange.....
Her Questions:
1. Where do you ultimately WANT to settle down by the time you are ready to retire – still thinking about Jump river?
2. Are you glad you had the stomach surgery or are the side effects making it not worth it?
3. Are you EVER GOING TO WRITE THAT BOOK?
My Answers:
1. Where do you ultimately WANT to settle down by the time you are ready to retire – still thinking about Jump river?
This is a very interesting question and a discussion I recently had with the potential love interest. I have never really been drawn to any one place. There isn't anyone place that I consider to be home. I love the Jump River. Of all the places I ahve been that is the one I like best. Rather than places, I have always been attracted by the opportunities in any given place. Which is why I am inclined to stay put here for a while.
2. Are you glad you had the stomach surgery or are the side effects making it not worth it?
I think it was a good thing I had the surgery as I was killing myself slowly. but I am struggling now. I have increased side effects the longer out I go. And I still feel like a fat failure.
3. Are you EVER GOING TO WRITE THAT BOOK?
Only if I radically change careers. It is too hard to write all day long and then go home and write for 4 more hours....
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Another Sure Sign of Midwestern Insanity
I went yesterday to fill up my car's gas tank (always full during cold cold weather) and add a bottle of Heet to make sure it will start when needed. And it has been cold cold here......it's 20 right now, which is as warm as it has been in days. Well, I am sitting at the pump, trying to get my gas tank open, as it has frozen shut and what do I see? A line of eight cars waiting to get into the car wash. The car wash! It is below freezing! They must all have heated garages at home.
Insanity!
I went yesterday to fill up my car's gas tank (always full during cold cold weather) and add a bottle of Heet to make sure it will start when needed. And it has been cold cold here......it's 20 right now, which is as warm as it has been in days. Well, I am sitting at the pump, trying to get my gas tank open, as it has frozen shut and what do I see? A line of eight cars waiting to get into the car wash. The car wash! It is below freezing! They must all have heated garages at home.
Insanity!
Friday, January 26, 2007
Best Soup Ever
or
How Heather Got Seven Meals for Under $15
Last week, I got a hankering for boiled dinner. And the hankering did not go away all week so I knew, I just knew, I had to give in to it. Not that I struggle all that hard against cravings anyway, but still.
For all those who don't know, boiled dinner is a typical bit of peasant food. In the case of my family tradition, it is basically a chunk of somewhat salty ham, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes thrown into a pot, cover with water, and then boiled. The ham gets all soft and juicy and the broth is tasty, and when you eat it, you throw stuff on your plate, smoosh the taters, spoon on the broth, and maybe - maybe - put a pad of butter on the cabbage. Damn good stuff!
So, I went to go and gather the ingredients only to discover that all the available hams were huge - big enough to feed a family of 24 - way too big for little old me to make myself some boiled dinner. So after a nice discussion with the butcher, I decided to purchase some pork hocks - four fresh and two smoked - in palce of the ham ($4.13). I also got a head of Savoy cabbage ($1.93), two large carrots ($.63), a dozen small potatoes ($1.23), and three small ears of corn ($1.49). Total so far - $9.41.
I took everything home and chucked the hocks in my largest pot, chopped the cabbage and carrot into large pieces and chucked them in the pot, too. Then I added to corn cobs (trying adding corn on the cob to your soups... they add an incredible flavour). Then I scrubbed the potatoes (I got baby ones so they didn't need to be chunked). I added some salt (because I wasn't using ham) and proceeded to boiled it all until the potatoes were just soft. Then I ate.
Because there was so much in the pot, I knew it would be more than one meal. I kept everything in there, though, and every night reboiled it, further infusing the water with yummyness. I ahd boiled dinner for four nights. There were still a few little potatoes left, so I took those out and for breakfast mashed them up with onions and a beaten egg and fried them up as little potato pancakes. Then, I took the about two quarts of broth left, added some chopped onions, threw in about a cup of lentils and a half cup of barley and cooked it til the lentils and lentils were cooked. Hark! Two nights of the best soup ever!
I think the soup was so good because the flavour of the hocks had been concentrated and also because I used a special spice mix I had never tried before - something Australian that is called "garlic and onion" but also includes cloves, cumin, cinnamon, bell peppers and a bunch of other cool stuff. I got it at TJ Maxx, where I also find the coolest cooking mixes. It's great because they are cheap so if what you picks up sucks, no biggie. But it's bad because if you really like something, you may never find it again. I am currently facing that with my "grind your own" African BBQ spice mill. Which I adore tremendously but have never seen again since I found it. It also cannot be found on the internet and I can only make an educated guess as to what is really in it.
So anyway, the cost of the lentils and the onion and the barley and the egg was way under $5 bucks, so my grand total for seven very filling meals was under $15.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
I Am Many Things - Ayup
You are The Moon
Hope, expectation, Bright promises.The Moon is a card of magic and mystery - when prominent you know that nothing is as it seems, particularly when it concerns relationships. All logic is thrown out the window. The Moon is all about visions and illusions, madness, genius and poetry. This is a card that has to do with sleep, and so with both dreams and nightmares. It is a scary card in that it warns that there might be hidden enemies, tricks and falsehoods. But it should also be remembered that this is a card of great creativity, of powerful magic, primal feelings and intuition. You may be going through a time of emotional and mental trial; if you have any past mental problems, you must be vigilant in taking your medication but avoid drugs or alcohol, as abuse of either will cause them irreparable damage. This time however, can also result in great creativity, psychic powers, visions and insight. You can and should trust your intuition.
You are a dragon.
You're smart and cunning, and enjoy taking risks. Your need for independence is an advantage, but sometimes it alienates you from others. As far as *good* and *evil*, you're pretty neutral--but you may have something of a wicked streak
You are The Moon
Hope, expectation, Bright promises.The Moon is a card of magic and mystery - when prominent you know that nothing is as it seems, particularly when it concerns relationships. All logic is thrown out the window. The Moon is all about visions and illusions, madness, genius and poetry. This is a card that has to do with sleep, and so with both dreams and nightmares. It is a scary card in that it warns that there might be hidden enemies, tricks and falsehoods. But it should also be remembered that this is a card of great creativity, of powerful magic, primal feelings and intuition. You may be going through a time of emotional and mental trial; if you have any past mental problems, you must be vigilant in taking your medication but avoid drugs or alcohol, as abuse of either will cause them irreparable damage. This time however, can also result in great creativity, psychic powers, visions and insight. You can and should trust your intuition.
You are a dragon.
You're smart and cunning, and enjoy taking risks. Your need for independence is an advantage, but sometimes it alienates you from others. As far as *good* and *evil*, you're pretty neutral--but you may have something of a wicked streak
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
I Miss Sebastian's
I eat lunch pretty much every day in the cafeteria. It's easy and I often can either hang out with the faculty or listen in on their conversations. But, really, the food is bad. I think it is much worse than when I was a student here, ten years ago. Of course, it could just be that I have become a food snob. But I really think the food is pretty bad even if it is attractive to teens (burgers and fries every day! Dude!)
Take today, for example. I had to go to lunch later than normal and I got there and, after seeing the menu, I almost left. Except I was hungry and an overpriced sandwich at the little cafe was unattractive to me. Available to me - burgers and fries (dude!), a bacon cheesburger wrap, pork satay stirfry (overcooked pork in a gloppy sweet sauce on ramen noodles), meat paella (don't ask), some mushy cooked frozen veggies, and an overcooked chicken breast in a creamy bacon sauce. I selected the breast with the least amount of sauce on it and then made myself a salad at the extremely small and hard to access salad bar.
And that is when it hits me. I really miss Sebastian's.
Sebastian's is a mostly lunch place in downtown Boston with the world's greatest salad bar. First, you pick any one of three lettuce blends. Then you can add as many of about a gazillion add-ons that you want. Ok. maybe not a gazillion, but at least 30, including beans, nuts, tuna, roasted veggies, fruit, cheeses... I mean, just about anything and everything. Then, they mix it with your choice of dressing throw it in what seems to be a half gallon bowl and hand it to you with a slice of pita. Price? As long as you didn't get something totally weird as an add-on - about $7. This is a salad that took me almost an hour to eat. An hour of steady eating. An incredible salad that when you were done with it, you thought, "Dude! I just ate a SALAD!"
Dudes. I just really want to eat a SALAD!
I eat lunch pretty much every day in the cafeteria. It's easy and I often can either hang out with the faculty or listen in on their conversations. But, really, the food is bad. I think it is much worse than when I was a student here, ten years ago. Of course, it could just be that I have become a food snob. But I really think the food is pretty bad even if it is attractive to teens (burgers and fries every day! Dude!)
Take today, for example. I had to go to lunch later than normal and I got there and, after seeing the menu, I almost left. Except I was hungry and an overpriced sandwich at the little cafe was unattractive to me. Available to me - burgers and fries (dude!), a bacon cheesburger wrap, pork satay stirfry (overcooked pork in a gloppy sweet sauce on ramen noodles), meat paella (don't ask), some mushy cooked frozen veggies, and an overcooked chicken breast in a creamy bacon sauce. I selected the breast with the least amount of sauce on it and then made myself a salad at the extremely small and hard to access salad bar.
And that is when it hits me. I really miss Sebastian's.
Sebastian's is a mostly lunch place in downtown Boston with the world's greatest salad bar. First, you pick any one of three lettuce blends. Then you can add as many of about a gazillion add-ons that you want. Ok. maybe not a gazillion, but at least 30, including beans, nuts, tuna, roasted veggies, fruit, cheeses... I mean, just about anything and everything. Then, they mix it with your choice of dressing throw it in what seems to be a half gallon bowl and hand it to you with a slice of pita. Price? As long as you didn't get something totally weird as an add-on - about $7. This is a salad that took me almost an hour to eat. An hour of steady eating. An incredible salad that when you were done with it, you thought, "Dude! I just ate a SALAD!"
Dudes. I just really want to eat a SALAD!
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
No Cooking Due to Lard!
Sadly, I will not be cooking at all this week due to a malfunctioning kitchen sink.
Over the last couple of months, I have been having a real problem with my kitchen sink backing up. Both sides fill with water and various gunk and take forever and a day to actually drain out. Very annoying, but I figured I had probably caused the problem by putting something down the sink that didn't belong there, a kind of blaming the victim mentality. So, I betook myself to the local hardware store and poured out my heart to the store helper (an 85-year-old man who was terribly no-nonsense), who said "Buy this foaming pipe snake and run it down there. If that don't work, call the plumber!" Which I, personally, thought was great advice and something I never would have expected to hear from someone who could have sold me any number of very expensive products over the course of the next month.
I bought the snake and took it home and threw it down the drain and waited an hour. Then, per directions, I ran hot water down the sinks - only to have it back up. Great, now my sinks were full of water and dangerous chemicals. I quick locked the cats in the bedroom so they wouldn't be tempted and waited for the sinks to clear and wiped them out good.
On Monday, I want to Fac Man and begged for help. When I got home last night, I went to the sink and ran the water and there was no backing up. So excited. So Excited! I did a little dance.
This morning, I got a call from Fac Man. Turns out my problem actually wasn't fixed. The fix is just temporary. Apparently, these old houses had special points on the drainage system where "lard traps" were placed. Because people used to cook with lard and then dump it down the sink. Which is stupid and must be a city folk problem, because everyone that I know in rural areas that cooks with lard and bacon grease knows that you should keep it in an old coffee can on the back of your stove, where you can reuse it to delicious end, such as making friend chicken or homemade donuts.
Anyway, outside of my apartment, one of the lard traps has apparently rotted and the drain pipe has collapsed. Which explains all the weird debris and bad smells coming out of my kitchen drain. Getting this fixed is actually going to be somewhat problematic. Ideally, it would involve digging large holes in the front yard and putting new pipes. Which is somewhat difficult to do in January, considering that the ground is frozen and what all. Not to mention the fact that I can just see the neighbors throwing a hissy fit about the ugliness of the digging, dragging out the process for months and holding up permits, in which case I might as well just move and say screw it to the whole drain problem. Instead, they are having someone come in and reroute the entire plumping system to a new drainage point somewhere already existing in my basement. So, there will be lots of fun and interesting happenings in my basement for the next week or so.
And in the meantime, I am likely to not cook and to eat off of paper plates. It's hard to do when you can't wash dishes well....
Really, I just need to get out of my townhouse and find my own place. With a kitchen at least twice as big as I have now. Donations towards a downpayment would be appreciated and will be payed back in various delicious goodies and dinner parties.
Sadly, I will not be cooking at all this week due to a malfunctioning kitchen sink.
Over the last couple of months, I have been having a real problem with my kitchen sink backing up. Both sides fill with water and various gunk and take forever and a day to actually drain out. Very annoying, but I figured I had probably caused the problem by putting something down the sink that didn't belong there, a kind of blaming the victim mentality. So, I betook myself to the local hardware store and poured out my heart to the store helper (an 85-year-old man who was terribly no-nonsense), who said "Buy this foaming pipe snake and run it down there. If that don't work, call the plumber!" Which I, personally, thought was great advice and something I never would have expected to hear from someone who could have sold me any number of very expensive products over the course of the next month.
I bought the snake and took it home and threw it down the drain and waited an hour. Then, per directions, I ran hot water down the sinks - only to have it back up. Great, now my sinks were full of water and dangerous chemicals. I quick locked the cats in the bedroom so they wouldn't be tempted and waited for the sinks to clear and wiped them out good.
On Monday, I want to Fac Man and begged for help. When I got home last night, I went to the sink and ran the water and there was no backing up. So excited. So Excited! I did a little dance.
This morning, I got a call from Fac Man. Turns out my problem actually wasn't fixed. The fix is just temporary. Apparently, these old houses had special points on the drainage system where "lard traps" were placed. Because people used to cook with lard and then dump it down the sink. Which is stupid and must be a city folk problem, because everyone that I know in rural areas that cooks with lard and bacon grease knows that you should keep it in an old coffee can on the back of your stove, where you can reuse it to delicious end, such as making friend chicken or homemade donuts.
Anyway, outside of my apartment, one of the lard traps has apparently rotted and the drain pipe has collapsed. Which explains all the weird debris and bad smells coming out of my kitchen drain. Getting this fixed is actually going to be somewhat problematic. Ideally, it would involve digging large holes in the front yard and putting new pipes. Which is somewhat difficult to do in January, considering that the ground is frozen and what all. Not to mention the fact that I can just see the neighbors throwing a hissy fit about the ugliness of the digging, dragging out the process for months and holding up permits, in which case I might as well just move and say screw it to the whole drain problem. Instead, they are having someone come in and reroute the entire plumping system to a new drainage point somewhere already existing in my basement. So, there will be lots of fun and interesting happenings in my basement for the next week or so.
And in the meantime, I am likely to not cook and to eat off of paper plates. It's hard to do when you can't wash dishes well....
Really, I just need to get out of my townhouse and find my own place. With a kitchen at least twice as big as I have now. Donations towards a downpayment would be appreciated and will be payed back in various delicious goodies and dinner parties.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Experimental Cookies On Deck
So, in the next month or so I will be working on experimental cookie 3B (cafe mocha, but with crushed chocolate covered espresso beans instead of chips), #4 (pumpkin butterscotch) and #5 (chocolate covered banana). I will post as the experimenting begins. #5 is going to be baked in the middle of February, when a potential love interest is coming to visit me. he has expressed a desire to be a cookie taster.
And speaking of tasters and testers, has anyone been trying any of the recipes here? What modifications did you make? Have you liked anything?
So, in the next month or so I will be working on experimental cookie 3B (cafe mocha, but with crushed chocolate covered espresso beans instead of chips), #4 (pumpkin butterscotch) and #5 (chocolate covered banana). I will post as the experimenting begins. #5 is going to be baked in the middle of February, when a potential love interest is coming to visit me. he has expressed a desire to be a cookie taster.
And speaking of tasters and testers, has anyone been trying any of the recipes here? What modifications did you make? Have you liked anything?
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Food Jokes!
Mia madre sent me the following forwarded email yesterday. I normally hate forwards. They often harbor viruses and are so prevelant that they clog my in-box. BUT! She doesn;t do it very often and this one was actually somewhat funny...
How come when you mix water and flour together you get glue?..
And then you add eggs
And sugar... And you get cake? Where did the glue go ?
NEED AN ANSWER? You know darned well where it went!That's what makes the cake stick to your BUTT
The actual email had some funny little graphics, which don't cut and paste ......
Mia madre sent me the following forwarded email yesterday. I normally hate forwards. They often harbor viruses and are so prevelant that they clog my in-box. BUT! She doesn;t do it very often and this one was actually somewhat funny...
How come when you mix water and flour together you get glue?..
And then you add eggs
And sugar... And you get cake? Where did the glue go ?
NEED AN ANSWER? You know darned well where it went!That's what makes the cake stick to your BUTT
The actual email had some funny little graphics, which don't cut and paste ......
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Experimental Cookie #3
Well, the alien flu has been causing me to malinger. I am still sick. Can you believe that crap? I don't feel awful but I don't feel 100% either. My poor house is looking a sight as a result, so today I am in cleaning mode. If you are a dust bunny, you will be terminated!
I did recently have enough energy to make Experimental Cookie #3 - cafe mocha chip. Sadly, test results showed it was more mocha and less cafe, so in its next incarnation, I am going to use crushed chocolate covered espresso beans instead of chips. Here is the recipe for #3!
2 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup Splenda
1 cup light brown sugar
1 T vanilla extract (or chocolate vanilla if you can get it)
2 large eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup cappuchino chips
nuts, if you like them
Preheat oven to 375. Stif flour with baking soda and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar and brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated. Blend dry into wet slowly until you have a nice smooth batter, then mix in your chips. Drop by the tablespoon full unto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes,
This recipes makes between 3-4 dozen cookies. The cookies are very moist and rich.
Well, the alien flu has been causing me to malinger. I am still sick. Can you believe that crap? I don't feel awful but I don't feel 100% either. My poor house is looking a sight as a result, so today I am in cleaning mode. If you are a dust bunny, you will be terminated!
I did recently have enough energy to make Experimental Cookie #3 - cafe mocha chip. Sadly, test results showed it was more mocha and less cafe, so in its next incarnation, I am going to use crushed chocolate covered espresso beans instead of chips. Here is the recipe for #3!
2 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup Splenda
1 cup light brown sugar
1 T vanilla extract (or chocolate vanilla if you can get it)
2 large eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup cappuchino chips
nuts, if you like them
Preheat oven to 375. Stif flour with baking soda and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar and brown sugar until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated. Blend dry into wet slowly until you have a nice smooth batter, then mix in your chips. Drop by the tablespoon full unto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes,
This recipes makes between 3-4 dozen cookies. The cookies are very moist and rich.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Fallen in Lurve!
Yes, folks, I have fallen in lurve..... I fell hard and fast. For Garden Fresh Market in Mundelein...
Now, you have all read about my search for the almost perfect grocery store (nothing is perfect, ayup). In this pursuit, I have been to a Garden Fresh in Northbrook. It was pretty good, it's primary feature being that 50% of it was kosher. But a coworker gave me a tip and told me to go to the Garden Fresh in Mundelein. So after over a week of feeling near death and not leaving the house, I finally worked up the strength to go.
I spent 2 hours there. It was heaven. I had died and gone to heaven.
It's fruit and veggie section was nearly as large as Russo's in Watertown - if the quality was not quite as good (well, of course not, Russo's is a wholesaler). It had huge sections of both Asian and Latino fruits and veggies. There were even items there that I had never seen before. It's deli section was about 3 times as large as any deli I have ever seen, and it sells about a dozen types of feta. It had a huge Greek yogurt section. Huge Russian and Polish sections. There were three - count them! - three types of headcheese, including a 1 pound tube o' headcheese redolent of onion and garlic (I bought it, yummy!). I even found items I was afeard I would never see again - Osem brand Israeli canned tomatoes and Swad brand Indian staples. There were more dulses than I could beat with a stick. More than 25 types of honey (I counted). Beef toungue. Chicken feet. Duck thighs. No rabbit though. And they did not have a huge fresh fish section, but maybe they don't get much call for that. What was there was fresh smelling and nice looking and they had large section of dried and smoked fish. And cheese! Not quite as much snooty imported stuff as you might find in a Whole Paycheck, but they had smoked butterkase and five types of French yoghurt cheese. I also got these excellent pumpkin and sunflower seed rolls that I am eating for breakfast. Checken drummies for 49 cents a pound. A frozen horchata snack bars. I could go on but, really, I am breathless and way too excited by this discovery.
But wait! There's more!
In February, the store is moving into the old Cub foods space.... which means it will be about 50% bigger than it is now.
I will have to make certain to leave the credit card at home the next time I visit....
Yes, folks, I have fallen in lurve..... I fell hard and fast. For Garden Fresh Market in Mundelein...
Now, you have all read about my search for the almost perfect grocery store (nothing is perfect, ayup). In this pursuit, I have been to a Garden Fresh in Northbrook. It was pretty good, it's primary feature being that 50% of it was kosher. But a coworker gave me a tip and told me to go to the Garden Fresh in Mundelein. So after over a week of feeling near death and not leaving the house, I finally worked up the strength to go.
I spent 2 hours there. It was heaven. I had died and gone to heaven.
It's fruit and veggie section was nearly as large as Russo's in Watertown - if the quality was not quite as good (well, of course not, Russo's is a wholesaler). It had huge sections of both Asian and Latino fruits and veggies. There were even items there that I had never seen before. It's deli section was about 3 times as large as any deli I have ever seen, and it sells about a dozen types of feta. It had a huge Greek yogurt section. Huge Russian and Polish sections. There were three - count them! - three types of headcheese, including a 1 pound tube o' headcheese redolent of onion and garlic (I bought it, yummy!). I even found items I was afeard I would never see again - Osem brand Israeli canned tomatoes and Swad brand Indian staples. There were more dulses than I could beat with a stick. More than 25 types of honey (I counted). Beef toungue. Chicken feet. Duck thighs. No rabbit though. And they did not have a huge fresh fish section, but maybe they don't get much call for that. What was there was fresh smelling and nice looking and they had large section of dried and smoked fish. And cheese! Not quite as much snooty imported stuff as you might find in a Whole Paycheck, but they had smoked butterkase and five types of French yoghurt cheese. I also got these excellent pumpkin and sunflower seed rolls that I am eating for breakfast. Checken drummies for 49 cents a pound. A frozen horchata snack bars. I could go on but, really, I am breathless and way too excited by this discovery.
But wait! There's more!
In February, the store is moving into the old Cub foods space.... which means it will be about 50% bigger than it is now.
I will have to make certain to leave the credit card at home the next time I visit....
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Weird Foods of Wisconsin Christmas
Sorry all for not posting for a while, but I have been terribly sick - fever, cough, head filled with cement. In fact, I have been sleeping until at least 10 every day for almost a week, which all of you know is unheard of. So, yup I am sick!
Well, I am feeling a little better today so I thought I would talk about the weird foods one finds at Christmas gatherings in many parts of Wisconsin... some of which are tasty and others which should be banished from the face of the earth.
Wolf Bait - this one is actually not bad even with the strange name. It is basically cream cheese, chopped up onion, and chopped up dried chipped beef or ham. Mix it all together and serve with buttery crackers. Yum yum! But it will make you need some mouthwash.
Cannibal Sandwiches - Good ground beef, chopped green peppers, chopped onions - mixed together with salt and pepper. Serve raw with rye bread. Yup, no cooking. I don't see this as often now as there have been so many e coli scares, but it used to be quite common. I always found it hilarious, considering how many cannibal grave robbing serial killers Wisconsin has produced over the years.
Lutefisk - This is a Scandihoovian tradition. It is basically cod fish that has been preserved in lye. Yes, lye. The same stuff mobsters use to dissolve bodies in remote burial sites. Basically, the pye-preserved cod gets rinsed and rinsed and rinsed again. Then it is boiled until it looks like a giant glob of snot. It is served with lefse (potato flatbread) and butter and sometimes sliced onion. Gack.
All in all, Christmas was ok. Visiting the stepfather's family was a bit like being in a casino - so many lights and noise and yelling and smoking. No jackpots though! And a definite lack of vegetables. I am not used to living n a situation where the meat is central and the veggie is the condiment. It is good to be home...
Sorry all for not posting for a while, but I have been terribly sick - fever, cough, head filled with cement. In fact, I have been sleeping until at least 10 every day for almost a week, which all of you know is unheard of. So, yup I am sick!
Well, I am feeling a little better today so I thought I would talk about the weird foods one finds at Christmas gatherings in many parts of Wisconsin... some of which are tasty and others which should be banished from the face of the earth.
Wolf Bait - this one is actually not bad even with the strange name. It is basically cream cheese, chopped up onion, and chopped up dried chipped beef or ham. Mix it all together and serve with buttery crackers. Yum yum! But it will make you need some mouthwash.
Cannibal Sandwiches - Good ground beef, chopped green peppers, chopped onions - mixed together with salt and pepper. Serve raw with rye bread. Yup, no cooking. I don't see this as often now as there have been so many e coli scares, but it used to be quite common. I always found it hilarious, considering how many cannibal grave robbing serial killers Wisconsin has produced over the years.
Lutefisk - This is a Scandihoovian tradition. It is basically cod fish that has been preserved in lye. Yes, lye. The same stuff mobsters use to dissolve bodies in remote burial sites. Basically, the pye-preserved cod gets rinsed and rinsed and rinsed again. Then it is boiled until it looks like a giant glob of snot. It is served with lefse (potato flatbread) and butter and sometimes sliced onion. Gack.
All in all, Christmas was ok. Visiting the stepfather's family was a bit like being in a casino - so many lights and noise and yelling and smoking. No jackpots though! And a definite lack of vegetables. I am not used to living n a situation where the meat is central and the veggie is the condiment. It is good to be home...
Monday, December 18, 2006
You Win Some, You Lose Some
So, I have been doing a bit more cooking lately. Likely because it is winter, and I get the urge to cook (and eat!) more during winter. Sadly, most of my recipes have been meat or seafood-based, just because the veggies are not as nice in the winter herein the Great White North.
Here is a round-up of recent winners!
Tex-Mex Shrimp Saute
8 oz shrimp
3 medium, ripe tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 cup corn (I prefer Trader Joe's Fire-Roasted Corn)
1 T cumin
2 t Southwest Seasoning (Penzey's)
Chop the tomatoes (keep the seeds and skin based on your taste and patience level) and onion. Saute onion in some garlic olive oil. Throw in cumin and Southwest Seasoning (use chilli powder if you don't have the Southwest Seasoning and then go and get some, because it rocks the house). Throw in shrimp and corn. Just before the shrimp get all pink frmo their internal thermometers, throw in the tomatoes. Cook until heated throw and full of bubbly goodness. Serve over pasta or rice.
Fig-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
1 breast per person (make sure they are the plump and meaty breasts, not the skinny individually packed frozen breasts)
Your favorite stuffing mix
1 medium red onion
5 dried figs per person
.25 cup of pecans
Mix up the stuffing according to the directions on the package. Chop the figs and the onion and throw them into the stuffing (add less onion if you only have a couple of people eating). Mix in the pecans. Then, butterfly each breast and stuff with the stuffing mixture. Put into a high-sided baking pan and put in the oven at 350 for about 45 minutes. Towards the end of cooking, slice some Fontina cheese and put on top. If you can melt the Fontina under the broiler so it gets a pretty brown crust. Just be careful not to burn the cheese under the broiler, which is easy to do.
Crock-Pot Venison for a Party Crowd
1.5 pounds of venison stew meat
1 handful of dried mushrooms (I use wild ones handpicked by mia madre but feel free to use whatever ones strike your fancy at the store - even try some morels! Yum!)
2 T dried toasted onion flakes
2 T garlic powder
1 T powdered ancho chillis (or chilli powder)
salt and pepper
even broth to cover the venison.
Throw everything in the Crock-Pot by 7:30 am. Turn on high. Come back at 4:45 pm. Turn off Crock-Pot. Using potholders, transport to car. Go to Party. Serve at holiday buffet. Take home an empty Crock-Pot.
And one loser -
Shrimp and Mushrooms in Chilli Garlic Sauce
Theoretically, this should have been yummy. I just used shrimp and mushrooms and a Cook-Do sauce. I love Cook-Do. For someone looking to have a lazy Asian supper, Cook-Do is the way to go. And I normally love the Chilli Garlic Cook-Do sauce. I don't know if the mushrooms were sliced to thinly or what the deal was, but this dish just did not speak to me. Actually, the only part I liked was the sauce, which I spooned over brown rice. The rest of it I chucked.
Which you should never be afraid to do. Ever. Just chuck it!
So, I have been doing a bit more cooking lately. Likely because it is winter, and I get the urge to cook (and eat!) more during winter. Sadly, most of my recipes have been meat or seafood-based, just because the veggies are not as nice in the winter herein the Great White North.
Here is a round-up of recent winners!
Tex-Mex Shrimp Saute
8 oz shrimp
3 medium, ripe tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 cup corn (I prefer Trader Joe's Fire-Roasted Corn)
1 T cumin
2 t Southwest Seasoning (Penzey's)
Chop the tomatoes (keep the seeds and skin based on your taste and patience level) and onion. Saute onion in some garlic olive oil. Throw in cumin and Southwest Seasoning (use chilli powder if you don't have the Southwest Seasoning and then go and get some, because it rocks the house). Throw in shrimp and corn. Just before the shrimp get all pink frmo their internal thermometers, throw in the tomatoes. Cook until heated throw and full of bubbly goodness. Serve over pasta or rice.
Fig-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
1 breast per person (make sure they are the plump and meaty breasts, not the skinny individually packed frozen breasts)
Your favorite stuffing mix
1 medium red onion
5 dried figs per person
.25 cup of pecans
Mix up the stuffing according to the directions on the package. Chop the figs and the onion and throw them into the stuffing (add less onion if you only have a couple of people eating). Mix in the pecans. Then, butterfly each breast and stuff with the stuffing mixture. Put into a high-sided baking pan and put in the oven at 350 for about 45 minutes. Towards the end of cooking, slice some Fontina cheese and put on top. If you can melt the Fontina under the broiler so it gets a pretty brown crust. Just be careful not to burn the cheese under the broiler, which is easy to do.
Crock-Pot Venison for a Party Crowd
1.5 pounds of venison stew meat
1 handful of dried mushrooms (I use wild ones handpicked by mia madre but feel free to use whatever ones strike your fancy at the store - even try some morels! Yum!)
2 T dried toasted onion flakes
2 T garlic powder
1 T powdered ancho chillis (or chilli powder)
salt and pepper
even broth to cover the venison.
Throw everything in the Crock-Pot by 7:30 am. Turn on high. Come back at 4:45 pm. Turn off Crock-Pot. Using potholders, transport to car. Go to Party. Serve at holiday buffet. Take home an empty Crock-Pot.
And one loser -
Shrimp and Mushrooms in Chilli Garlic Sauce
Theoretically, this should have been yummy. I just used shrimp and mushrooms and a Cook-Do sauce. I love Cook-Do. For someone looking to have a lazy Asian supper, Cook-Do is the way to go. And I normally love the Chilli Garlic Cook-Do sauce. I don't know if the mushrooms were sliced to thinly or what the deal was, but this dish just did not speak to me. Actually, the only part I liked was the sauce, which I spooned over brown rice. The rest of it I chucked.
Which you should never be afraid to do. Ever. Just chuck it!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
I had to be discounted
Well, the auction is over. And when it came time to put the money on the bidding sheet, my pre-auction interestees were not interested in paying for my cooking adventures. In fact, my starting bid was discounted by 50% just to get people interested. The romantic dinner for two and the vegeterian family style meal each went for $10 and the garden party - valued at $200 - went for $20.
The winners are cool folks with whom I will enjoy cooking! I will let you know what we end up making...
Well, the auction is over. And when it came time to put the money on the bidding sheet, my pre-auction interestees were not interested in paying for my cooking adventures. In fact, my starting bid was discounted by 50% just to get people interested. The romantic dinner for two and the vegeterian family style meal each went for $10 and the garden party - valued at $200 - went for $20.
The winners are cool folks with whom I will enjoy cooking! I will let you know what we end up making...
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
I am going to be the hit of the auction!
So, this week is the week of getting nothing done, of basically going from party to party and pressing the flesh. Which is really hard for me because I am a bit shy at parties and really only go to see if someone will drink too much and dance on a table, especially someone who is terribly shy and awkward in real life.
It could happen.
Nevertheless, I have - at all the staff and faculty parties I have been going to - been talking up my donations to the upcoming silent auction. And really, I think these certificates are going to bring in some cashola. There was a minor almost-loud-voice shoving match between two people last night who each want a particular certificate, and one person has already asked if he can get lessons without having to bid on an adventure.
There is something here. This could really end up being a new career path if I decide to make a radical change. Maybe I should start writing a business plan.
So, this week is the week of getting nothing done, of basically going from party to party and pressing the flesh. Which is really hard for me because I am a bit shy at parties and really only go to see if someone will drink too much and dance on a table, especially someone who is terribly shy and awkward in real life.
It could happen.
Nevertheless, I have - at all the staff and faculty parties I have been going to - been talking up my donations to the upcoming silent auction. And really, I think these certificates are going to bring in some cashola. There was a minor almost-loud-voice shoving match between two people last night who each want a particular certificate, and one person has already asked if he can get lessons without having to bid on an adventure.
There is something here. This could really end up being a new career path if I decide to make a radical change. Maybe I should start writing a business plan.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Totally off topic political post
I know. I know. This blog is supposed to be about food and cooking and the occassional insanity of my cats. But really, we all know blogs are about whatever happens to spew out of your brain at any given moment. Most of mine just happen to be about food, cooking, grocery shopping, or something related to eating. However, even my brain thinks about other things once in a while.
And I gotta say. I am actually feeling a bit sorry for Bush I. Yes, the father of Dubya and Jeb. Apparently, he was giving some sort of speech somewhere and was talking about when Jeb was defeated in his bid to be Gov'nah of Florida in 1994. And he kinda broke down. Started crying at the part where he was talking about Jeb being gracious in defeat.
You have to wonder if he was really crying about Jeb at that point.
It has to be hard to be the father of Dubya. I imagine that it must be kind of like being the parent of a mass murderer. As a parent, you want to be proud of your children and support them no matter what. As a human being, you must be horrified that one of your own could do such awful things.
Now, Bush I wasn't a bad president. He wasn't a particularly good president, either. But right now, I wish he would be a good parent and send little Georgie to the corner for a time out.
I know. I know. This blog is supposed to be about food and cooking and the occassional insanity of my cats. But really, we all know blogs are about whatever happens to spew out of your brain at any given moment. Most of mine just happen to be about food, cooking, grocery shopping, or something related to eating. However, even my brain thinks about other things once in a while.
And I gotta say. I am actually feeling a bit sorry for Bush I. Yes, the father of Dubya and Jeb. Apparently, he was giving some sort of speech somewhere and was talking about when Jeb was defeated in his bid to be Gov'nah of Florida in 1994. And he kinda broke down. Started crying at the part where he was talking about Jeb being gracious in defeat.
You have to wonder if he was really crying about Jeb at that point.
It has to be hard to be the father of Dubya. I imagine that it must be kind of like being the parent of a mass murderer. As a parent, you want to be proud of your children and support them no matter what. As a human being, you must be horrified that one of your own could do such awful things.
Now, Bush I wasn't a bad president. He wasn't a particularly good president, either. But right now, I wish he would be a good parent and send little Georgie to the corner for a time out.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Silent Auction
Well, I finally decided what to donate for the silent auction at my College's staff holiday party - three gifts certificates for Gourmet Goddess Adventures! I even made up little certificates and everything. They are totally cute and professional.
The first is helping to plan, shop for, and prepare a romantic dinner for two. The second is helping to plan, shop for, and prepare a family style vegetarian meal. The third is helping to plan, shop for, and prepare a summer garden party. I hope the three will bring in at least $200!
The auction is the middle of December. I will report back with results!
Well, I finally decided what to donate for the silent auction at my College's staff holiday party - three gifts certificates for Gourmet Goddess Adventures! I even made up little certificates and everything. They are totally cute and professional.
The first is helping to plan, shop for, and prepare a romantic dinner for two. The second is helping to plan, shop for, and prepare a family style vegetarian meal. The third is helping to plan, shop for, and prepare a summer garden party. I hope the three will bring in at least $200!
The auction is the middle of December. I will report back with results!
Monday, November 27, 2006
Day of Turkey Destruction
Thanksgiving is a great day but really only because it is all about food. At least for me. And even when I am by myself, I go all out and make a whole turkey.
This year, I actually had two Thanksgivings. I went to the early seating at the school's catered Thanksgiving for everyone stuck on campus. It was bad, but it was mostly cafeteria food. The stuffing was ok, the green beans were in a really soupy casserole sauce, and everything with yams and 'taters and squash was just too damn sweet for me. But they had fabulous whipped cream for the pumpking pie and a great food salad.
Luckily, I can really only eat a little bit at a time and so I went home and I made a second Turkey Day dinner to eat after 6 pm. I made a broth with giblets, onions, and celery and then made stuffing (the old family favorite - with a can of mushroom soup added as well as giblets from the broth). Then I stuffed that in my turkey and shoved it in an oven bag and roasted for about 3 hours. For the last 30 mins, I opened up the bag so the turkey could get golden. I also made homemade gravy and cranberry sauce and a salad, and really that's all I need.
For the turkey though I do try to get a small one, which casues the meat department guy a lot of amusement. There's me, half in the freezer with my legs flapping in the breeze. It worked, though. I managed to find a 9 pounder.
And don't tell me to just get a breast. yuckola... I am a wing and thigh woman all the way.
Thanksgiving is a great day but really only because it is all about food. At least for me. And even when I am by myself, I go all out and make a whole turkey.
This year, I actually had two Thanksgivings. I went to the early seating at the school's catered Thanksgiving for everyone stuck on campus. It was bad, but it was mostly cafeteria food. The stuffing was ok, the green beans were in a really soupy casserole sauce, and everything with yams and 'taters and squash was just too damn sweet for me. But they had fabulous whipped cream for the pumpking pie and a great food salad.
Luckily, I can really only eat a little bit at a time and so I went home and I made a second Turkey Day dinner to eat after 6 pm. I made a broth with giblets, onions, and celery and then made stuffing (the old family favorite - with a can of mushroom soup added as well as giblets from the broth). Then I stuffed that in my turkey and shoved it in an oven bag and roasted for about 3 hours. For the last 30 mins, I opened up the bag so the turkey could get golden. I also made homemade gravy and cranberry sauce and a salad, and really that's all I need.
For the turkey though I do try to get a small one, which casues the meat department guy a lot of amusement. There's me, half in the freezer with my legs flapping in the breeze. It worked, though. I managed to find a 9 pounder.
And don't tell me to just get a breast. yuckola... I am a wing and thigh woman all the way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
