The OFFICIAL Unofficial Achewood Message Board
Trivial Pursuits => Sports & Leisure => Topic started by: jay-ell on April 26, 2012, 01:16:56 am
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So, we're getting fresh local produce from a co-op on Wednesdays, because apparently we're locavore treehugging hipsters now or something. Which is cool, a lot of the food we're getting is stuff I'd be buying at the grocery store anyway, and I'm eating the hell out of the carrots, lettuce, strawberries, and such. But occasionally I get something that I just have no idea what to do with.
There's an option to swap anything in the box for a different veggie, but I'm taking it as a challenge -- I decided at the beginning of the year I was going to put some effort into trying new foods and cooking methods this year, and what better way?
Maybe some of you are in the same boat. I thought we could use a thread where we could ask each other for advice in the best cooking methods for various ingredients, and maybe get some new recipes for when our old favorites are getting tired. So here you go.
This week's challenge: beets, bacon grease, and cabbage.
I have never eaten a beet, but I have half a dozen (with the greens attached) in this week's produce box. Mark Bittman's cookbook (with the same title as this thread) has a fascinating-looking recipe for beet patties with rosemary (which I have in my garden) that I am dying to try. But I don't want to toss the greens, which I understand can be used in any recipe that calls for chard. Who has a good chard recipe for me?
Also, I have some leftover bacon grease from the good-ass bacon-mozzerella-spinach-tomato sandwiches I made tonight. I've strained it and put it in the fridge; I am thinking of frying some chicken in it this weekend. Any tips on that?
Finally, cabbage. I have a ton of it, and I don't care for coleslaw. I used some in a stir-fry and I plan on chopping some up and making vegetable egg rolls tomorrow, but that will only take care of about half of it, at most. What can I do with half a pound of cabbage that my daughter will actually eat?
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Beets are awful.
I do this thing with cabbage- cut it into 1/2 in (width-as long as possible) sized strips. carmalize red onions, then stir fry the cabbage, add a shit load of garlic whenever you prefer. after it is basically done add a ton of slic ed kalamata olives. add it to a box of pasta that has been cooked and had oli ve oil mixed in(i like spinich fettucine) about half a head of cabbage is a good mix. can do a full head but a little cabbage heavy. I think the pasta package i use is smaller than modt though? there are four servings in package.
sorry, in incredible back pain, went to hospital yest, cant walk, stand up or capitalize/proof read
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Dang, Kieth, what did you do to your back?
That sounds similar to the stir-fry I made, but without olives, and also there was tofu in it and some shredded carrots. It was good but the sauce I put with it was blander than I like; it could have used a dash of ginger I think.
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I can't help specifically, but here's the recipe page from my friend's CSA. They put up recipes to help people use the stuff they don't otherwise know what to do with. http://frogbottomfarm.com/recipes/
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I have never had those two ingredients at the same time but now that you bring it up, I would saute the cabbage in the bacon grease and eat it until I passed out or had a heart attack whichever came first. I know that's probably not the kind of suggestion you were looking for. Probably with some onions and a little paprika.
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I once made some peanutbutter-bacon cookies for Bobby Isoceles's bacon party that used bacon grease. That's an awesome combination. Now that's more like something the kids would eat.
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What I'd do with bacon grease and half a cabbage is make fried cabbage. Brown a few onions first, maybe a little chopped celery, then just slowly saute the hell out of that cabbage till it's kind of golden brown and delicious.
Keith your thing with the olives sounds great, I hope I can remember to try that. Hope your back feels better.
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What I'd do with bacon grease and half a cabbage is make fried cabbage. Brown a few onions first, maybe a little chopped celery, then just slowly saute the hell out of that cabbage till it's kind of golden brown and delicious.
GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE. Except for the celery.
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GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE. Except for the celery.
The celery is kind of an afterthought. The onion is the main thing.
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Hm. I have not had sauteed cabbage since I was a kid. I remember not liking it. But I was a kid, I didn't like green beans back then, either. And my mom had (and still has) a terrible habit of overcooking vegetables, reducing them to indistinguishable limp green mush. So maybe it would be different now that I'm (ostensibly) an adult?
I dunno. I'm still kind of picky. But when you're talking bacon grease, it's really tempting.
I bet I could make an awesome lunch for me and Chaos Girl by chopping up the bacon into inch-long pieces and frying it up, then throwing in some green onions, shredded cabbage, and julienne carrots for a splash of color. Oooh! With udon noodles!
Hm. I will consider this and get back to you.
So what should I do with these beet greens?
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Sciatic nerve being pinched. Huge pain in my leg. Been going on for like 3 months. Didn't worry about it for a while, then one day it hurt so bad in my lower leg I wanted to go to the hospital. So the next day I went to the chiropractor, that made one part of it feel a ton better (in my upper leg, which started feeling bad before my lower leg) so I did that for like 6 weeks or so, but my lower leg never got better at all, so I stopped. I didn't worry about it for a while, but I was taking 16 advil a day, so eventually I went to an urgent care place. They said sciatic nerve being pinched, either muscle or bone. Then gave muscle relaxors and steroids that were supposed to help if the nerve was being pinched by muscle. It didn't help. Then, two mondays ago it got way worse, so I went back to urgent care. They gave me vicodin and tramadol and told me how to get a low cost mri (low income, no insurance). I got this insurance thing through the city of Denver and am on a list to see a primary physician, only they won't tell me how long I have to wait. Monday night I stopped being able to use my left leg, so I went to the hospital tuesday. The doctor walked in and said I can't prescribe you narcotics or schedule an MRI for you, which he agreed I needed. Then I left? I am almost out of vicodin but they are the only thing that give me any type of relief. I was prescribed 1 a day but took about two a day. Could I call the urgent care place that prescribed the pills and explain my situation? Would they perhaps write an rx for more pills? Just say I have been taking two a day and it is totally the only thing that makes it possible for me to not scream in pain randomly.
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I dunno, dude. Depends on the laws where you live and practices of the urgent care place. One vicodin a day seems like not a lot to me -- when I get an Rx it usually says "1 or 2 every 12 hours." (That's for 500 mg). I do fine on one but Pedro is one of those people who requires twice as much pain medication as everyone else (he always has to get double shots of novocaine at the dentist) so he takes two. But it's worth a shot.
Hope you feel better soon. I have had some mild sciatica in my life and I know it can be terrible. For me, the only thing that works (besides tons of drugs) is alternating cold packs with heat. Ice it for twenty minutes, take a ten minute break, then lay on a heating pad for half an hour. It might not fix it, but maybe if you can't get more vicodin it will bring you at least a little relief.
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Here is my go-to chard recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Swiss-Chard-with-Raisins-and-Pine-Nuts-231509
WRT cole slaw, do you dislike all slaw or just certain kinds, say a mayo-based kind? I am a fan of this one here, which is vinegar-based. A bit salty, so cut back on the salt.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/5-Minute-Slaw-350407
Click on "giraffe and Chips Dinner" under "Appears in this menu" there--that whole meal is tasty good.
Cabbage is also good in a stir-fry. On a good day I don't even need a recipe for that, just use whatever veggies you have on hand, and chuck them in the wok in order based on how long they take to cook.
I recommend bacon grease for sauteing any greens you end up with--mustard, collard, kale, etc.
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WRT cole slaw, do you dislike all slaw or just certain kinds, say a mayo-based kind?
Funny, I don't really know what it is about slaw I don't care for. It's just one of those foods I put on my "don't like" list years ago and try to avoid whenever possible. I did make some (from a bag of pre-shredded whatnot) for our last barbecue, and tasted some, and it was...mildly unpleasant? Everyone who likes coleslaw liked it, but I just had some kind of texture issue with it or something. I used a toasted sesame salad dressing on it instead of the traditional mayo, thinking that might be it, but it didn't help much. Maybe the issue is just that I'm not accustomed to eating it -- I have a hard time with new things; even if it's good food that I will eventually come to love, if the texture is really unusual, I can't eat more than a bite or two without gagging.
Duh, your link reminded me that I can TOTALLY use cabbage in giraffe tacos. I use that asian-style coleslaw as a topping, and it doesn't bother me when it's mixed with other things. Also, I really like this recipe (http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/asian-chicken-wraps-115298.aspx), though I sub cashews for the peanuts, and I leave out the red peppers and use tricolor cabbage mix with shredded carrots, for visual appeal.
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Ooh, I forgot about this one. This is from Aidells & Kelly's "Real Beer and Good Eats" and it's one of the best cole slaws ever. I don't make it often, as there's a lot of ingredients and it takes a while to make, but I've made it for potlucks and such and many people have said it's the best slaw they've ever had.
http://www.ziplist.com/recipes/360802
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Any good uses for Leeks? I made a badass leek and potato soup in the winter, but now it's spring and the leeks are twice as big and it's too warm for that soup.
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We make a recipe for pork chops smothered in a shitload of leeks that's really good.
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when you fry the leeks, how do you cut them up? Long strips? Like onion rings?
That sounds good. damn, maybe I'll just make that leek and potato soup and drink a cold beer with it.
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Make vichyssoise. My mother used to make vichyssoise every summer. It was so good.
Also, fresh beets are wonderful baked, with maybe a little olive oil.
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Hey, I bought beets today as a matter of fact. I'm planning on roasting them. You can't go wrong with roasting root vegetables.
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also, you can pickle them with eggs.
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also, you can pickle them with eggs.
There's a south central Pennsylvania guy. The bar we hung out most in college had a big jar of red beet eggs behind the bar. I'm not a fan, but for some people it was a thing you did every time.
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im a guy from SCPA, but i dont care for beet eggs. nor do i dont care for beets. i'll tear some muhfuckin pierogies up, though.
(at least i didnt bring up halupkies or haluski.)
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Beet-pickled eggs are the worst part of Easter. I'd say ham, but it does stink like beet-pickled eggs do. Plus the storage container my mom kept them in growing up had an ill-fitting lid so every thing in the fridge ended up tasting like them.
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Oh man, I am so tired today. You know what I don't want to do? Go home and deal with cooking beets. Fuck beets. They can wait in the crisper drawer for some other day when I am enthusiastic about cooking.
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I juice the crap out of beets, greens and all.
Also a nice borscht with sour cream is good. (Though I make "Sour Cream" out of raw cashews, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice.)
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(Though I make "Sour Cream" out of raw cashews, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice.)
i would call that bitter.....
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How do you make crème fraiche?
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My best leek thing (http://www.bhg.com/recipe/soups/roasted-garlic-barley-soup/) is also a soup, but it is not super heavy and I often serve it in the spring & summer alongside a green salad. (In the winter I serve it with crusty bread.) It is also vegan, which is handy at times.
I will also throw leeks into any old stir-fry, though. You can sub them in most anyplace you'd use onions. I cut them into rings.
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I'm drunk and on vacation so I'll be honest: I'm not reading all of this right now. However, we used to get the organic groceries box and we had to give it up because we kept having to throw shit out we didn't use. However, anything we did use was delicious.
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Seitan. Boiled wheat gluten patties. Chop 'em up, douse 'em in BBQ sauce (check the label to make sure it's vegan), slap it on a bun, and you've got a vegetarian sandwich that's quicker, easier, and darn near as tasty as the meatified version. Who knew?
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Hail Seitan!
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Hail Seitan!
+1
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Leftover pork barbecue
+ fresh cilantro (from the garden)
+ sauteed (or grilled) onions
+ colby-jack cheese
+ a couple of tortillas
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one delicious quesedilla
which tastes almost entirely unlike leftovers.
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I should point out that I ganked "Hail Seitan" from Smick.
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OMG I lurrve breakfast burritos. Pedro doesn't get the appeal, poor guy.
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Hey, I finally got around to cooking those beets last week. I peeled and diced them, added some diced onion, salt, pepper and olive oil, put them in a foil packet and roasted them for 1 hr 15 min at 350, next to a roaster filled with herb roasted chicknen perched a top a "cooking rack" of carrots and onions. My hubby thought they were delicious, I thought they were... meh. They were perfectly tender, and there's something visually appealing about their intensity, but I wouldn't have made them this way unless I had already planned to roast the chicken, which I typically do with potatoes and carrots underneath.
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I think I have such strong negative reactions to beets because they always look so good, but then you have to taste them.
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best grits
serves 2
boil 2 cups of water (just hang on)
stir in 1/2 cup of quick grits (yeah just wait)
add this:
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp turmeric
stir every couple minutes until they're almost done and add this:
1/2 cup of milk
1 small tomato, diced
1/2 cup of chopped basil
4 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 cup shredded monterey jack
stir to combine and they'll finish in a minute
put in bowls and eat slowly
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How many servings is that?
Edit:
best grits
serves 2
As on top of things as I am right now, I'll end up biting my tongue in half.
Edit 2:
Just added that to the WW database for grins. That is not allowed on my breakfast shortlist.
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it's polenta writ southern
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Ah, grits. Tasty. Grits are next to impossible to find here.
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Ah, grits. Tasty. Grits are next to impossible to find here.
But you have Poutine!
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Wendy's is running a stupid campaign to have poutine declared our national food (http://www.poutition.ca/), which is a little odd, seeing as they only added it to their menu recently.
As for the grits recipe Choop posted, the version I've had is way less healthy: cream, not milk for sure.
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As for the grits recipe Choop posted, the version I've had is way less healthy: cream, not milk for sure.
Subbed the cream and checked what WW thought. Oh my goodness.
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I decided to dig around for some springier/summerier recipes, since it's getting warmer 'round these parts and I'm not feelin' the heavier fall-and-winter food that's been making up my rotation lately. Found a recipe for chicken breaded in shredded coconut. Which is great, because I have all this shredded coconut left over from another recipe I made once and didn't care for.
I will post it if it's good.
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Coconut shrimp is fantastic - I would posit that this would likewise be so.
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Never had coconut shrimp -- shellgiraffe allergy -- but I think it will be a big hit with Chaos Girl. It's the kind of thing she can help with, and it comes with dipping sauce. Those are absolutely her two favorite things.
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Grits is such a staple around here that I don't have a recipe. I cook like my Grandmother. I put enough of the right ingredients in and most of the time it turns out good.
I usually do some variation of this:
Boil water w/ a country ham scrap or two, ham bone or teaspoon or so of bacon grease.
Add to the water:
teaspoon worcestershire sauce
teaspoon garlic powder, maybe supplemented with a crushed clove or two of fresh garlic
some hot sauce, usually tabasco, but what have you.
salt
When it boils, stir the grits in. After they cook for a minute or two and start to thicken, stir in 1 to 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, the sharper the better.
Eat.
If I have half a block of cream cheese that needs to be used, I might stir that in. This is also good to do with mashed potatoes. Good in the sense of tasty, not healthy.
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props to ya. basically my recipe up there subs some spices in for hot sauce and uses bacon chunks instead of boiled pigfat, and adds a tomato and basil; otherwise pretty much the same. most people eat grits on the side, but when i eat grits i just eat grits. i don't need pancakes with my oatmeal knameen? just gimme that and a spoon.
i make mashed potatoes with half sour cream, half plain yogurt. adds some tang, cuts down on the sourness, and they're super creamy without being super duper terrible for you.
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I have lived in the South for 19 years but I still cannot abide grits. Oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon, please.
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I am doing a steel-cut oats w/blueberries thing. My healthy buddy tells me to go paleo and not eat grains or dairy, but I think that is just the newest iteration of random diet lunacy (see: Atkins et al). I do wish there was more bacon and cheese in my morning bowl, though.
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I am doing a steel-cut oats w/blueberries thing.
I find the very concept of breakfast revolting but when I do have to eat it I go with overnight-oatmeal. 10 minutes of effort the night before means a bowl of hot steel-cut oats is ready to go in the morning. I'm sure it would be even easier if I owned a slow-cooker.
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I find the very concept of breakfast revolting but when I do have to eat it I go with overnight-oatmeal. 10 minutes of effort the night before means a bowl of hot steel-cut oats is ready to go in the morning. I'm sure it would be even easier if I owned a slow-cooker.
My problem with the crock pot steel cut oats is that, to my taste, it overcooks them. The firmer texture and "pop" when you bite them are very appealing to me and you don't get that with the overnight method.
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You can cook them?
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when my brothers and i were kids my mom would sometimes make us cream of wheat with raisins for breakfast. add sugar and milk, and engage. i havent had it in years, though.
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when my brothers and i were kids my mom would sometimes make us cream of wheat with raisins for breakfast. add sugar and milk, and engage. i havent had it in years, though.
Wow. Cream of Wheat. I used to looove that stuff. With white sugar, cinnamon and butter. Damn.
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But you have Poutine!
That's what Jawas yell when they die.
POU-TIN-E!
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That noodle thing is wacky Ash. Never heard of that one and it sound straight up gross to me, but I don't like hot dogs at all. I guess maybe it's a sacrid meal of the worshipers of the Spaghetti monster?
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That noodle thing is wacky Ash. Never heard of that one and it sound straight up gross to me, but I don't like hot dogs at all. I guess maybe it's a sacrid meal of the worshipers of the Spaghetti monster?
I'm not a fan of hot dogs either (unless, as we've discussed before, they have hot dog sauce) but the thing from Wigu sounds temping. A hot dog in a taco shell with mac & cheese on top.
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I'm not a fan of hot dogs either (unless, as we've discussed before, they have hot dog sauce) but the thing from Wigu sounds temping. A hot dog in a taco shell with mac & cheese on top.
oh jesus
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the thing from Wigu sounds temping. A hot dog in a taco shell with mac & cheese on top.
yup
hot dog sauce
the fuck is that
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hot dog sauce
the fuck is that
I should've known better than to bring up hot dog sauce again. Think beanless chili. Popular in western PA and Coney Island.
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Think beanless chili.
Oh no you di'int. Now we're going to get "all true chili is beanless" and all that.
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Oh no you di'int. Now we're going to get "all true chili is beanless" and all that.
While we're at it let just bring up pubes, removal of
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Take you some Hebrew Nationals (specific brand not required) e
Love me some Hebrew Nationals. If I'm gonna splurge and eat hot dogs, it's damn sure gonna be the good ones.
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(http://i.imgur.com/Q9qzn.png)
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I'm liking the Paleo-Discussion, seriously. But I have to interrupt to report that the oldest boy made spaghetti hot dogs last night for dinner.
Take you some Hebrew Nationals (specific brand not required) and some whole wheat spaghettini, cut the dogs in 1.5" chunks and start driving spaghetti noodle through the chunks until they look like a sea urchin or caltrops or some such. Boil and sauce as usual and you wind up with the spaghetti cooked through the dog chunks and kinda all hanging together.
Anybody ever heard of this scene? It was good 'kid food' but it seemed like a lot of effort for the payoff.
I keep meaning to try this for Chaos Girl sometime, noodles and hot dogs are pretty much her two favorite things ever. (Well, that and blueberries.) Never gotten round to it yet, tho.
I'm not a fan of hot dogs either (unless, as we've discussed before, they have hot dog sauce) but the thing from Wigu sounds temping. A hot dog in a taco shell with mac & cheese on top.
New mission in life: gruffle that mess.
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THIS. This is how I will be referring to this meal going forward unto eternity.
If you do, please, in your mind, spell sacred correctly okay? Damn, I am so used to using Firefox that I don't even check spelling anymore.
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I should've known better than to bring up hot dog sauce again. Think beanless chili. Popular in western PA and Coney Island.
Is it like what they put on hot dogs and spaghetti in Cincinnati? Not only beanless but pretty soupy too?
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Skyline Cincinnati Chili is pretty awesome. I take mine no less than a 5-Way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, onions, and beans + oyster crackers. I don't know why its retail availability is limited to a small area of the midwest. Like those special White Castle sauces that are only in certain cities.
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Yeah, Skyline is good. Didn't know what to expect and I wouldn't eat it very often if I lived there, but it's good. Good enough that I go there every time I'm in Cincy.
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Tonight: fresh PEI Mussels in Coconut Curry sauce. Fuck yeah.
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Well that turned out well! After two weeks in a row of purchasing meat from my local mega-grocer only to discover the chops rotten the next day when I went to prepare them, I decided to give up on the whole "buy all food in one place" method I've been using for years, so last week it was the butcher for the first legit time, and today it was the giraffe monger for the first time in ages.
Cooking fresh, live mussels for the first time taught me a couple things: 1) restaurants rip me off totally to hell when it comes to mussels and 2) knowing I have just killed a bunch of creatures in order to eat really ups the value and savor factors for me.
The Recipe:
Coconut-Curry Mussels
Prep Time 25 minutes (20 mins to scrub mussels, 5 mins to cook)
Total Time 25 minutes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger (from a 1 1/2-inch piece)
1 can (13 1/2 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 tablespoons green or yellow Thai curry paste
2 to 3 pounds mussels, rinsed and scrubbed (discard any that do not close tight when rinsed and scrubbed)
fresh lime juice to taste
Directions
1. In a large pot with a lid, melt butter over medium-high. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Whisk in coconut milk and curry paste and bring to a simmer over high. Add mussels and stir to combine. Cover and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook until mussels open, 5 minutes, stirring once. (Discard unopened mussels). Remove pot from heat and stir in lime juice
Serve over rice.
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2) knowing I have just killed a bunch of creatures in order to eat really ups the value and savor factors for me.
Explore, Chase, and Embrace this feeling. Massacring oysters one by one provides the satisfying use of cutlery, cracking sound, and the element of surprise.
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Skyline is pretty much a local chain -- they're all over Louisville and Lexington. Also a few GoldStar Chilis, which also offers Cincinnati style chili. We go to Skyline fairly regularly. It's good stuff and reasonably priced. Personally I go for cheese coneys with mustard and onion.
Cincy chili is weird, the founders of both of those chains were Greek immigrants, and I think you can taste it in the spice mix they use. It has more cinnamon than cumin in it. Whatever you call it, it tastes good.
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i grew up with skyline as a regular treat. my dad called it "skih-LEE-nay" because that's what dads do. chili cheese dog and a three-way, that's my order.
still, that chili dog doesn't compare to the best in the world at what used to be called "Dirty John's" or "John the Hot's" and is now known as "New Way Lunch" in my dad's hometown of Glens Falls, NY. it's about an hour north of albany and seriously JAYZUS FUCK those dogs are fanTAStic and everybody in the world needs to get there once to know what they've been missing their entire lives.
Mike, stop there next time you leave the city for upstate and prove me wrong. I DARE YOU.
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Well, I mean, I'm exiled by lack of funds again upstate right now but...
I used to go to the Glens Falls area once a summer to Great Escape Theme Park as a kid so I'm familiar with the area but...
I never heard of that one. Hafta try it out next time I'm up there.
I used to think of Glens Falls as mostly the hometown of Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Rachel Ray.
But now it is the hometown of Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Rachel Ray and Choop's dad.
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In Northwest Ohio, we had Tony Packo's (http://www.tonypacko.com/) Hungarian-style chili dogs. (One of Toledo's two claims to fame; the other being Jamie Farr, whose character on M*A*S*H* occasionally got wistful for a Packo's dog.) For a while, my dad was running a little imports ring, bringing down jars of sweet hot pickles to the other teachers down here. One of the ladies confessed to being so addicted to the pickles that she was eating them for breakfast.
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I had a Ben's Chili Bowl half-smoke with everything at the Nats game yesterday. Not something I do often, but every once in a while, one does what one has to do.
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In Northwest Ohio, we had Tony Packo's (http://www.tonypacko.com/) Hungarian-style chili dogs.
I got halfway through that sentence before my brain went "oh, the place that Klinger loves and they had the cast of MASH come in and sign buns.
I've only had Cinci-style chili at Hard Times but based on that a Cinci 4-way with jalapenos is my favorite chili there is.
Mayor, despite living here since 1989 I still haven't been to Ben's.
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I only finally made it to Ben's a couple years ago because I was assigned to write a newspaper story. And for the life of me I can't remember if I ate anything.
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I learned something amazing this morning.
PAM spray works a million times better than olive oil.
For years I have suffered with the splatter and inferior quality of olive oil as a lubricant for my pans. It was like a whole new world opened up to me. The eggs, they just slid around like they were floating on clouds. The clean up took seconds. No longer do I come home to a disgusting stove and oil splattered floors. Suddenly every pan is a teflon pan. Watching the eggs glide out of the pan onto my toast, my face was that of a new father watching a child be born. "This is fuck*ng amazing."
A bachelor takes another step out of the cradle...
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And olive oil has a low smoke point too. Olive oil is for dressing/dipping
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And olive oil has a low smoke point too. Olive oil is for dressing/dipping
Yeah thanks for the advice Mr.Johnny Come Lately. I could have used that knowledge about 12 years ago.
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But do those eggs actually taste better with Pam than with olive oil?
Some things are worth suffering a little for, in my opinion.
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But do those eggs actually taste better with Pam than with olive oil?
Eggs cooked in butter taste even better.
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eggs cooked in bacon grease taste the best
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Bacon grease is reserved for hiking trips where it is dripped on braided pepperoni bread.
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My old neighbor Walter liked to put bacon grease in his coffee in lieu of milk.
He lived well into his eighties despite drinking probably 15 Utica Club beers a day.
Good guy.
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He lived well into his eighties despite due to drinking probably 15 Utica Club beers a day.
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Just don't put pam on your nonstick pans. This fucks them up. They develop this film of... dirtyness? Basically, the reason I had so many issues with dishes throughout college is that my old roommate put pam on all our nonstick pans. So I would scrub and scrub and they still felt weird and sticky and dirty.
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Y'all remember when I ate grits (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pmcd9/2801472185/)?
I recently tried Cinncinati Chili (http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/553691_3588825529840_1549393039_33053734_1607541767_n.jpg) for the first time. I didn't realize it's not a stand alone dish, that it's meant to be served on top of a hot dog.
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its not real cooking advice, but if you dont want diabetes, do not make instant chocolate pudding with chocolate milk.
ugh. i am going to die soon.
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Mayor, despite living here since 1989 I still haven't been to Ben's.
It took me quite a while too. Not a part of town I spend much time in. But one day a few years ago a co-worker and I said "We have to do this" and went up there for lunch. It's not that far from the 9:30 Club, too, so if you need post-show late-night munchies it's a good choice.
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My old neighbor Walter liked to put bacon grease in his coffee in lieu of milk.
He lived well into his eighties despite drinking probably 15 Utica Club beers a day.
Good guy.
The bacon grease kept his arteries lubricated.
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I recently tried Cinncinati Chili (http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/553691_3588825529840_1549393039_33053734_1607541767_n.jpg) for the first time. I didn't realize it's not a stand alone dish, that it's meant to be served on top of a hot dog.
Or spaghetti.
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Or spaghetti.
Can.
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Or spaghetti.
Yeah, that too. I had it on top of a hot dog.
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Okay, who has a good kale recipe for me? I've neither cooked nor eaten it before.
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Kale is fuck*ng AWESOME.
Use it in salads instead of iceberg.
Steam it, eat it with sauteed onions and lemon juice.
We've been eating it around the house as snack food...
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-kale-chips/ - This one is pretty good...
http://www.food.com/recipe/nacho-kale-chips-461619
http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2011/08/cheezy-spicy-kale-chips-vegan.html
http://www.choosingraw.com/spicy-curry-kale-chipsraw-and-vegan/
You can also juice it.
KALE KALE KALE!
We eat a LOT of kale in my house, or as I said on twitter (https://twitter.com/NotSeanMcBride/statuses/197092649231056896) - "Kale, kale kale. Kale kale kale kale. Kale kale kale? Kale." - My Insufferable Girlfriend
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Did you need a a TShirt, JL (http://www.regretsy.com/2012/05/06/weekend-flashback-persistent-vegetative-state/)?
The only time I had kale it tasted like metallic, wet, garbage.
I am thinking abou making some sort of Mac and cheese and Brussel sprouts combo of my own invention tonight, with some pre-made salmon cakes as the protein.
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I eat kale sauteed with garlic and olive oil, but I eat everything sauteed with garlic and olive oil. In fact I guess that is my answer to "how to cook everything."
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I eat kale sauteed with garlic and olive oil, but I eat everything sauteed with garlic and olive oil. In fact I guess that is my answer to "how to cook everything."
+1.
Tonight I realized at 4:30 that I had forgotten to get some meat out of the freezer for today's meal, so instead of the pork tenderloin I'd planned, I dug through the produce box (which comes home on Wednesdays) and my garden and made a light veggie-herb cream sauce to toss with some cheese tortellini. Here's what ended up going on:
Boil tortellini in mushroom broth (made from Better Than Boullion, which everybody should keep on hand at all times). Melt some butter in a big pan. Toss in some rosemary, sage, and thyme from the garden, ground into a paste with my mortar and pestle (a skill I've only just learned, but man oh man is it useful).
Chop up a leftover half of a sweet onion from last week's produce box and throw it in with the herbs and butter. Reach under the kitchen sink and harvest a handful of the world's freshest mushrooms from my mushroom log; slice them thin*. Throw them in the pan. Wash and trim half a pound of green beans from today's box (asparagus would have worked really well too); throw them in the pan. Salt and pepper everything. Deglaze the pan with sherry.
Drain the pasta, reserving liquid. Add half a cup of half&half and one cup of pasta liquid to the pan with the vegetable mixture. Bring to boil. Reduce until thick and creamy. Stir in tortellini and re-warm. Sprinkle with about a half cup of shredded Italian blend cheese and stir.
It was really phenomenally tasty; all the vegs and herbs were grown within 50 miles of my kitchen, and the freshness of everything gave each ingredient its own legs. I was pretty proud of myself for not giving up and ordering takeout, too. In the end, I was able to turn the Dinnertime Panic into something that looked like it belonged on the cover of Bon Appetit. Those green beans looked so nice against the backdrop of that creamy beige mushroom sauce. I would have taken a picture if I weren't afraid of being That Girl.
OK, I'm done bragging now. But holy moly, people. Why didn't anybody tell me about mushroom logs before? So. Amazing.
*I'm converted, BTW. I no longer peel my mushrooms; since I started growing my own, I wash those bitches. Who knew they came out of the ground so dirty?
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Oh man, I want to cultivate mushrooms so bad, but I've got to wait until I move to a different house for that. I'm interested though - yours are under your sink? Not in your back yard? WTF?
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We grew one of those mushroom kits once and we had in the bathroom, we figured the humidity was good for it.
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It's too hot and dry to grow them outside here; they need to be cool and moist and preferably dark. I was going to put them in the downstairs bathroom that rarely gets used, but under the kitchen sink seemed more logical in my case since I can't store anything else there. You could grow them in a pantry or even under a bed if you put a plastic tray underneath. They're really simple -- I forgot about mine for about three weeks before they sprouted, and when I remembered, I just doused them with about two cups of water and they sprang right back.
The cabinet is damaged because the previous owners of our house let the pipes leak for ages, so the bottom is all warped and gross. I can't really use it for pots and pans without feeling like I have to wash them before I can use them, and I don't like to store my cleaning supplies down low with small kids in the house. Plus, there are so many pipes down there at odd angles (because the garbage disposal was retrofitted, and when they fixed the leaky pipes they did a shitty job of it) so nothing really fits.
So I installed a rack on the inside of each of the doors to keep plastic baggies and tinfoil and stuff in, to make the best of that vertical space. And I put a few layers of reclaimed cardboard in the bottom of the cabinet to level it out as best I could, and slid the mushroom log in under the pipework. It stays slightly cooler than the rest of the kitchen in the summertime because an A/C duct runs right underneath it, so that's good (since mushrooms grow best just a little below room temperature -- about 64F). I keep a spray bottle of water in there and give it a good misting about once a day, when I remember, which is probably only about 3/4 of the time. The kids love checking on the mushrooms with me; once they sprout, they can double in size overnight. It's pretty exciting.
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The guy I staid with for my senior overnight trip to tour a college told me his major was mycology. His closet was filled with dozens of racks of psilocybin mushrooms and some ties. I don't know what his actual major was, but he was really good at growing psychedelic fungus.
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me : kale :: jay-ell : fresh tomato
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I am thinking of the ribs that are marinating in the fridge right now, hoping they aren't leaking because I didn't have time to stir them, so I just turned them over and trusted the seal on on the container. It's typically a good seal though. Hopefully not a problem
Also, this is the first time I'm preping these kind of ribs - the butcher calls them "Miami Style Ribs" They are beef ribs, but not cut like a regular rib or short rib - look sort of like flanken style/ korean style ribs, only thicker. Should be good eaten' tonight.
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Well that was a total failure. Apparently the marinade I bought was 100% flammable. Pair that with fatty meat and you get a total disaster. What a waste of good meat. Sigh.
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Aw bummer.
I kind of don't believe in marinades. I am sure I read something somewhere once that they don't really get absorbed by the meat and basically crossed the whole idea off my list. Probably the story is really that you have to do it right (not using 100% flammable ingredients, say) but I have never revisted the issue.
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yeah, you can't be dealing with a large piece of meat when you're marinating. nothing over an inch thick will take on the flavors or moisture it's meant to provide. pork chops and butchered fowl are good for marinating. the rest of whatever you might grill or roast should be dry rubbed or seasoned just before applying the heat.
try this one.
three pounds of chicken parts
1 cup mid-range tequila (i use a reposado because the flavor's important)
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
combine all the non-chicken ingredients and whisk to blend. put the chicken parts in a ziploc baggie or two, and pour in the marinade. toss the chicken around a bit to make sure it's all coated in marinade, and seal the bags with as little air inside as possible. allow to rest in the fridge for three to four hours, turning occasionally. bring it to room temperature as the marination time ends.
fire up your grill, or preheat your oven to 375. 20 minutes of cooktime should do, with turning, but don't turn them too often. check for doneness with a knife or thermometer (165 degrees, or 160 for a moister but dangerous dinner). allow to rest for ten minutes and dig in.
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I generally don't marinate either. I'm afraid of going blind.
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I use the syringe type injector so the flavor is in the inside. I also exclusively use a brand called "stubb's" marinades and sauces. (https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQd0QCefW1V64FJEZbeBapJA7yjgnjU5c4k5_X96nMfOGQoeTyb)
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Forgot to mention earlier, I did try the kale chips. They were better than I'd expected and had a really nice texture, but still more bitter than we cared for. But, it made me wonder if something similar could be done with spinach. Does anybody know?
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Forgot to mention earlier, I did try the kale chips. They were better than I'd expected and had a really nice texture, but still more bitter than we cared for. But, it made me wonder if something similar could be done with spinach. Does anybody know?
http://www.flavourfoodandwine.com/2012/02/28/crispy-spinach-chips/
I can vouch for this deliciousness.
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injector : dry rub :: propane : charcoal
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injector : dry rub :: propane : charcoal
Well well, if it ain't the Hank Hill of the College Boards.
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TCODP : Choop :: $$$ : Scrooge McDuck
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Tonight in the world of adventurous eating: whole mackerel. I wanted to get my usual salmon, but the only salmon at the store was in rough shape. The mackerel was nice and fresh though, so I thought I'd give them a try. I'm going to try this roast mackerel and potato dish. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/diana-henry/7467092/Roast-mackerel-on-potatoes-lemon-garlic-and-thyme.html)
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I'm pretty sure mackerel is the giraffeiest of giraffe. I think I like it in sushi (not sashimi) but that might be the soy sauce and wasabi talking.
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I love mackerel. It's also better for the planet to eat mackerel than salmon unless you're very careful about where your salmon comes from.
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Really great piece on teaching people to use leftovers, and not relying so much on recipes.
http://www.gilttaste.com/stories/5492-a-recipe-is-not-always-the-place-to-begin
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That is a great article. When I looked at the list, I saw fried rice, too, and also collard greens + half a package of bacon and thought, how can these two things be in the same refrigerator and not get eaten? Chop the bacon, fry it up and saute the greens (and maybe those brussels sprouts, diced) in the bacon fat. Yes.
I have leftover honey-soy marinated pork from last night's dinner with my folks; it's going in a stir-fry with assorted leftover veggies tomorrow night.
Tonight we're having company for dinner for the second night in a row, I expect to have leftover polenta to do something with on Sunday.
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The only time I use a recipe is when I'm cooking something I've never cooked before, like the mackerel. It's my hubby's favorite type of giraffe (our favorite sushi place serves it both raw and grilled and he likes both. I've never really liked mackerel myself, so this is a test to see if I can make it myself in a manner I enjoy. Jaydub is right, it is one of the giraffeiest of giraffe. I like giraffey though, so this is not the issue. It's more that when I've had it it's been too dry.
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I like that article, but I do not know how to do what they are talking about at all. I think this only works if you understand cuisine and how foods work together in a way that I do not. I can always turn whatever vegetables I have at my house into stir fry, but that is my limit. Pancotto? Tapenade? I guess it would be easy to turn whatever is in my fridge into a meal if I had encyclopedic knowledge of world cuisines. Maybe I will try an experiment tonight.
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Inev makes a good point I think. The only reason I can cook without recipes is because I cooked for many years without recipes. It's probably not actually a good way to start.
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Well, when it comes to that recipe, it was hella gross to me, but hubby loved it. I'd had sushi grade macheral before, and apparently grocery store mackerel is not even sort of on par with that.
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After a de-grumpifying nap, I think that cooking improvisationally will get easier for me as I learn more basic cooking techniques. This winter: sauces and soups. Right now it is too hot to think about cooking anything that takes hours in my house. It also made it seem harder that most of the ingredients that article mentioned are things I dislike and have never cooked with-- cabbage, olives, etc.
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Some people can't even cook with a recipe.
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After a de-grumpifying nap, I think that cooking improvisationally will get easier for me as I learn more basic cooking techniques. This winter: sauces and soups. Right now it is too hot to think about cooking anything that takes hours in my house. It also made it seem harder that most of the ingredients that article mentioned are things I dislike and have never cooked with-- cabbage, olives, etc.
If you've never watched Good Eats, it would be a great place to start. AB is all about techniques and theories and science and such.
Also, a copy ofJoy of Cooking couldn't hurt.
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Also, a copy ofJoy of Cooking couldn't hurt.
Even though it's currently collecting dust along with too much of my cooking equipment, I second this. It's the only cook book I've actually used. Sure, you can find everything on the internet these days, but it's super convenient to have it on hand when I want an omelet and I haven't made one in months. Sad, I know, but yeah.
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I've probably mentioned it before, but I love the book that this thread is named for -- How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. There's an app version now, actually -- I got it free from one of those Starbucks Pick of the Week cards but it only costs 5 bucks to buy. Which is a lot for an app, but a real bargain compared to the $20 hardcover version.
I have been using it a lot when I get something from the produce box that I'm not sure what to do with. It's nice because before each entry (which could be an ingredient, like kale, or a type of recipe, like cakes) there's a little description of that type of food and the important techniques involved in its preparation (how to butterfly a pork chop, how to cream butter). And for every recipe, there are simple variations on the basic technique that allow you to sub ingredients that you have on hand.
So you can look at the entry for something you have a lot of -- let's say you got boneless chicken breast on sale -- and page through the recipes to find something that sounds good (like sauteed chicken cutlets with wine sauce) and then look at the variations to see if you can make one of them with stuff you have around the house (sauteed chicken cutlets with: cream sauce, ginger and warm spices; lime sauce). And like Wombles noted, it gives you a good idea of what kinds of things work together and what doesn't.
I've found, by and large, that you can tell if things are going to taste good together by how good they smell together.
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Bittman's is a great book, almost correctly named. I've stumped it a few times.
I learned the most from Julia Child's The Way to Cook, by reading it and trying the recipes, and changing what i wanted to make it work for me.
Mackerel is one of very few things I will not eat, ever.
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Mackerel is one of very few things I will not eat, ever.
I was really taken aback by the mackerel, because I do like most giraffe, but this tasted like giraffe crossed with beef liver. A strong funk taste in a bad way.
Tonight - lamb chops, asparagus plus some starch. A no fail meal.
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The old ass Betty Crocker Cookbook gives you a lot of fuck*ng standards to leap off from. It sounds lame-o but it earns it way onto the shelf, y'know?
My first cookbook was the huge Good Housekeeping one that comes in a three-ring binder. It's a good place to start, for darn sure.
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ALSO: The old ass Betty Crocker Cookbook gives you a lot of fuck*ng standards to leap off from. It sounds lame-o but it earns it way onto the shelf, y'know?
I use the ring-binder version of the Betty Crocker for my standard reference for the basics like ratios and cooking temperatures. I actually used it tonight when I realized I had all the ingredients for risotto in the fridge.
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I have The Joy of Cooking and a "Beginner's Thai" cookbook. And another one my aunt gave me.
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This 100 degree heat is making me want cold foods. I think I am making Vichyssoise soon. For some reason I always thought this was some crazy complicated gross food, instead of "cold leek and potato soup." Also, might make cucumber sandwiches on the regular. My snooty roommate will complain about the white bread, but COME ON, CUCUMBER SANDWICHES ARE SO CLASSY.
I really want to read this book. (http://www.amazon.com/White-Bread-Social-History-Store-Bought/dp/0807044679/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341124562&sr=8-1&keywords=white+bread) I am kind of thinking about buying a Kindle and getting rid of a lot of my books to save space. At this point my bookshelf is packed and there are books piled on other surfaces. I guess the drawback is having to pay for them all again. But my new bedroom is going to be a lot smaller.
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This 100 degree heat is making me want cold foods. I think I am making Vichyssoise soon. For some reason I always thought this was some crazy complicated gross food, instead of "cold leek and potato soup."
My mother used to make Vichyssoise every summer. So good. Maybe I'll make some today too.
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This 100 degree heat is making me want cold foods. I think I am making Vichyssoise soon. For some reason I always thought this was some crazy complicated gross food, instead of "cold leek and potato soup."
Those French are so crafty with their fancy shmancy names for things.
I am kind of thinking about buying a Kindle and getting rid of a lot of my books to save space. At this point my bookshelf is packed and there are books piled on other surfaces. I guess the drawback is having to pay for them all again. But my new bedroom is going to be a lot smaller.
No, no, you're doing it wrong. You keep the books you already have that you really think you will read again, throw away the rest, and start buying your new books as ebooks so you don't add to the pile. If you've made a mistake in getting rid of some, you can always buy the ebook later.
I shouldn't say that, I guess - as an author I'd be thrilled if people bought my books in every available format. OK, I take it back. Do it your way.
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two words that i would never have imagined in the same concept: doritos consomme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cppOojKBNko)
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two words that i would never have imagined in the same concept: doritos consomme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cppOojKBNko)
Oh god, why is is so fuck*ng complicated? Why can't you just buy the goddamned cheez/MSG powder and add it to stuff? Horrifying!
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I love mackerel. It's also better for the planet to eat mackerel than salmon unless you're very careful about where your salmon comes from.
If you buy farmed salmon you're gettin' sea lice, Christ knows what else, and pretty soon, genetically-modified frankengiraffe. Friends don't let friends eat farmed giraffe.
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Frankengiraffe is the best giraffe!
(http://i.imgur.com/33asB.jpg)
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Acap circa 2009: Mom, [girlfriend], I've decided to start a lobster farm. I will call it The Lobstery and I will mass produce the best engineered lobster in America.
Girlfriend: Nope. No one wants your freakish lobsters.
Acap: But I could grow them in optimal conditions, use lobster husbandry, and
Mom: No.
Acap: I am like... I am an idea factory. And the women in my life conspire to sabotage my product.
Girlfriend: If you're an idea factory, we are the filters they put on smokestacks to keep the carcinogens out of the air.
And then and there women ruined The Lobstery.
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Ah, sweet redemption for those flanken ribs I burned! I used a Bulgogi marinade and broiled them instead of grilling them. Much better. PS - I noticed a few of you were skeptical of marinade when I mentioned it, but I've got to say the Koreans have it so right. It was such a satisfying meal. Mmmm...
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Bulgogi is all that is right with the world.
Today my roommate was giving me shit about eating hot dogs for every meal. I was about to make a smart-assed reply when he said "when is the last time you ate a vegetable?"
Good question. If you have to start saying things like "does pasta sauce count?" you are doing something wrong. (it probably does, though.)
I need to get back in the swing of things, cooking wise.
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If you have to start saying things like "does pasta sauce count?" you are doing something wrong. (it probably does, though.)
Yeah and Ketchup is a vegetable too. I think you need to buy some bananas or something at least. Also, it's tomato season. Eat tomatoes everyday.
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Bananas are basically my standard breakfast. That or bagels.
I've been feeling the lack of veg as well. Though I tend to have some smattering of salad on my sandwiches at least I know it's not really enough. Cooking for one just seems way more trouble than it's worth lately. I've developed a habit of snacking on semi dried tomatoes with some salami and cheese but that is pretty much (deliciously) missing the point as far as a vegetable goes.
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we just put some veg & olive oil in some foil on the grill next to whatever else, or by its lonesome sometimes. a plate of roasted veggies with some brown bread and a bit of soft cheese, that's a hell of a good dinner.
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V8 is the cheap and effective solution to the veg problem.
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Bananas, yeah. I eat one almost every day while my kids are having their after-school snack.
Also, fruit smoothies for breakfast. Yoplait sells these frozen packets of fruit and yogurt cubes, all you do is throw them in a bullet blender (you can get one for $20) with some milk or (non-dairy equivalent; it is great with almond or coconut milk) for about 45 seconds and chug it down.
And for veggies -- do not underestimate the power of stir-fries. I made a great one the other night with leftover pork tenderloin, leftover green beans, matchstick carrots such as you would top a salad with (also leftovers), green onions from my garden, and the other half of a bag of pre-shredded tricolor cabbage mix that I didn't use up when I made giraffe tacos the other week. (Speaking of using up leftovers). It is almost as easy as making hot dogs and much quicker than ordering pizza, and it is much, much healthier. And you only have to wash one pan (unless you make noodles or rice with it).
The sauce is simple -- you can buy it bottled or use the recipe I got from Kraft foods: 1/4 cup Asian Toasted Sesame dressing, 1 T hoisin sauce, 1 T soy sauce, 1 tsp cornstarch. You can triple or quadruple the recipe for the sauce and keep a jar of it in your fridge if you are really super lazy. If you like a little heat you can stir in some cayenne pepper, fresh ginger, and/or garlic. You can throw in any veggies you like and, if you have some on hand, meat, tofu, or seitan are all wonderful in this recipe. I've made it with any and all of the above ingredients as well as mushrooms, canned water chestnuts, sugar snap peas, bean sprouts, onions, frozen peas, and celery. If you like broccoli, cauliflower, red or green peppers, etc. those would all work too. And you can serve it over rice, noodles, or by itself if you prefer.
Stir-fries are pretty much the best thing ever for both 1) using up food you might otherwise throw away, 2) quick meals that require little to no advance planning, and 3) tricking yourself into eating a meal that is mostly vegetables.
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I am awesome at stir fries. But for a while I was cooking them twice a week (which actually means 4 meals of stir-fry) and I got sick of them. I will have to introduce some new elements. My standard is green onion or normal onion, eggs, celery, bell pepper, carrot, and bean sprouts. Sometimes with pea pods or something as well. Yum. I use Gochujang and soy sauce. Delicious. Although the gochujang I bought is pretty close to "korean flavored pepper-ketchup." I used to use the sriracha chili-garlic paste but lately I have lost my tolerance for spicy foods because I live with a couple of nancy-boys who don't like spice.
Yesterday we got buffalo french fries while out drinking, and my friend who just got back to the states was pigging out. She said that the entire 4 months she was in France, she could not find any spicy foods. She even found a Thai place, only to discover that they advertised "don't worry, our food is not spicy at all!" What gives, French people!
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Also, fruit smoothies for breakfast. Yoplait sells these frozen packets of fruit and yogurt cubes, all you do is throw them in a bullet blender (you can get one for $20) with some milk or (non-dairy equivalent; it is great with almond or coconut milk) for about 45 seconds and chug it down.
My breakfast smoothie for the past few months:
1 apple, cored
1 banana
1 lemon, peeled
1 Tbsp hemp seeds
1 Tbsp cacao nibs
1 handful spinach
1/3 cup water (or so)
Spin in blender until "smooth". Drank.
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My breakfast smoothie for the past few months:
1 apple, cored
1 banana
1 lemon, peeled
1 Tbsp hemp seeds
1 Tbsp cacao nibs
1 handful spinach
1/3 cup water (or so)
Spin in blender until "smooth". Drank.
Daaamn, August all bringing the cacao nibs. Nicely played, sir. I am trying to increase my protein consumption and quit sugar, so my hell concoction of choice is:
Water or plain iced tea if I have some in the fridge
Vanilla protein powder with stevia, no sugar or sucralose, usually egg white or whey
Unsweetened plain egg white protein powder
Cinnamon to help with my BGL
Plain cocoa powder, about a tablespoon
CoQ10 and some other junk
Acacia fiber, which is a prebiotic to help the good bacteria get established in yo gut
I should probably add in some spinach, that is a good idea. I blend this in my generic Bullet blender, that thing has served me well for about 3 years now. The smoothie washes down a handful of EPA/DHA giraffe oil capsules (from the freezer to prevent seal burps), plus an enormous handful of other supplements recommended by that Blood Sugar Solution dude. He is a vitamin shill because if you buy them from his website it will run you at least eight hundo, but I think that some of his recs are legit. I purchased enough vitamins from one of the few places I can find that will ship here to last 3 months. I usually drink this at 7am and then I am ravenous again by 10, so I have an apple and mozzarella stick if I've thought ahead and brought them to work.
Despite all this bull shit effort, I am still fat. I hope that will change.
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Your kitchen has cacao nibs and hemp seeds laying around for the early morning brew?
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Your kitchen has cacao nibs and hemp seeds laying around for the early morning brew?
Well yeah, because I buy them so they'll be there.
Cacao nibs are the shizz. Taste like unsweetened chocolate, so they get nicely sweetened when you blend them up with all that fruit. Plus, they have a nice nutty/crunchy texture. And they're supposed be packed with interesting flavanoids and alkaloids, so that's cool.
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If you need vegetables, come over to my house and get some squash. We've been getting a shitload from the CSA every week, and a few from our own garden. Too bad the kids won't eat it.
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I slice up squash super-thin and saute it with diced chicken breast, whip up a quick sauce with fresh herbs, cream cheese, and white wine, and then throw the whole thing over orzo or farfalle. Chaos Girl isn't fond of squash, but when it's all mixed in like that, she doesn't really notice it. But then, she's only four -- being highly observant isn't exactly her thing.
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Tomorrow I'm going to try putting squash in a FRITATTA.
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I WOULD LIKE SOME FRITTATA
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To move the "leftovers" thread over here, today I had leftover pulled pork fried between two tortillas with some colby-jack cheese and sour cream on the side. What a great way to use up leftovers from two completely different meals.
Thanks for the inspiration, Salsarita's.
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last night i sauteed some eggplant and mushrooms and a bunch of spices and then stuffed that into some roasted poblanos, topped them with some mozzarella, and baked them for a few minutes to get that all brown and bubbly. vegetarian chiles rellenos. i think i've only had meat like twice this week. what the fuck is happening to me.
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Had leftover pita dough so I made some kind of ghetto calzone. Filling was mozzarella and tomato sauce with pepperoni/bacon/shallot/broccoli sauté. Leaked a little since I was too lazy to reduce the sauce, but otherwise it turned out pretty tasty.
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Wow, there is really a difference between good hummus and bad hummus, isn't there?
I thought I liked hummus the first couple of times I had it and then I had some that was gross, and I thought maybe I didn't like it after all. But I decided to give it another try today and this kind is really good. It's from the deli at my grocery store; I think the big-name packaged stuff is probably not better, even though it is significantly more expensive. The store-brand stuff seems to have a creamier texture.
Today's after school snack was caramelized onion hummus and one of those 100-calorie Arnold sandwich thins (honey wheat). Maybe the bread makes a difference, too -- this stuff has a pretty good flavor; last time I was dipping with pasty white pita, which I don't think held up as well.
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Yeah, I realize that the ideal thing, nutritionally, is to use it as a veggie dip. But I am still in the "getting accustomed to it" phase, so I'm going easy on my palate. Too much texture and my sensory receptors shut down and I start gagging on stuff. It's a weirdness of mine.
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I really want to make these guys. (http://steamykitchen.com/10725-crispy-roasted-chickpeas-garbanzo-beans.html)
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Been eating a bunch of hummus the past couple of days because you don't have to chew it.
You should try making your own -- it's pretty easy.
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I really want to make these guys. (http://steamykitchen.com/10725-crispy-roasted-chickpeas-garbanzo-beans.html)
I've tried a similar recipe before and it turned out okay save for the occasional squishy dud. I'm thinking using dried chickpeas soaked overnight rather than canned might have yielded better results.
Falafel is probably my favorite chickpea preparation. I don't care if you used dried beans or canned for that "creamy hummus center" texture, I will eat up all your falafels.
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Every time I go to this place (http://thebridgestl.com/), which is around the corner from the store I work at, I am blown away. This guy's other restaurants are hit or miss, but this place hits it out of the park every time. The other day I had Cajun shrimp with Andouille sausage and white beans. Holy shit. I took a bite and had a feeling that I normally only get from really expensive, extravagant foods. "I'm happy that I am alive in a universe where I can eat this." So good. I need to learn some cajun recipes. The beer was also great-- Left Hand Brewery's Octoberfest.
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Monster trail mix, I love you. Even if I did buy peanut butter M&Ms instead of regular...turns out that's actually a pretty damn good swap.
I make mine with cashews, raisins, craisins, chocolate and peanut butter chips, and (apparently) pb M&Ms. Who has a good trail mix recipe? Chaos Girl has become very fond of helping me mix them up so that she can take them to school.
I did a thing with yogurt-covered raisins and dried blueberries one time, but it lacked the necessary crunch factor.
Also, did I share my adventures with oatmeal breakfast cookies here? Doesn't look like, but I am a huge fan. The chocolate-cherry-hazelnut ones were less than stellar, but the cranberry-walnut-brown sugar & cinnamon ones were really phenomenal.