23 posts tagged “in the kitchen”
I love soup.
Here is a quick soup I threw together last night after the husband asked, "can we have soup with dinner?"
1 can of white kidney beans
vegetable or chicken broth (I used chicken this time)
3 kinds of onion type things - chopped. I used leek, red onion and sweet vidalia.
smoked paprika - look! no ham bones!
slightly saute the onions add the broth. Simmer. Add half the can of beans - I prefer to rinse my beans. Simmer. Add salt, pepper and that delicious smoked paprika. I also tossed in a packet of Oxo.
I poured half of the pot into my food processor and spun it around for awhile then poured it back in the pot to simmer a little longer. I also added the rest of the beans.
It was thick and delicious!
In my efforts to eat more vegetarian style I created this tamale pie the other night and was so pleased with it I will probably make it again. It is obvious that vegan to carnivore versions of this can be made. Mine was almost vegan - I used real cheese, but if there is a melty vegan cheese out there tell me and next time it will be full on vegan.
Here is what I used - you can do it how you like. This recipe is small because I am cooking for two and a lot was left over - but it was really good the next day too.
- 1/2 chub of pre-made organic polenta. Crumbled and set aside. I used San Gennaro.
- olive oil
- fake meat - the kind that resembles the texture of ground beef. I used a product called Oh Naturel! that may be only available in Canada.
- 1/2 can of red kidney beans - rinsed
- 1/4 can of corn - drained
- chopped onion
- chopped garlic
- salt/pepper
- cumen
- chili powder or chili spice mix
- 1 can of red enchilada sauce - you might want two cans so you can pour some over right before serving.
- cheese of your choice
In a small sauce pan on a low heat start your sauce. The only sauce I could find at my IGA was mild so I had to rev it up with some tobasco, cumen (love the cumen), red pepper flakes, etc. Simmer for a few minutes then turn off the heat to cool.
In a skillet with a little olive oil start to wilt your onion and garlic then throw in your fake meat (especially if frozen).
While this is working get a loaf pan (I guess any deep pan will do depending on how big you make this - I used a loaf pan) and coat the bottom with a little olive oil. Take a few handfuls of the crumbled polenta and press into the pan. Save some for the top layer of the pie.
Turn off your meat/onion/garlic mixture and gently fold in the corn and kidney beans and extra spices like the chili powder or mix or what have you.
Put this mixture on top of the packed polenta. Take the rest of the crumbled polenta and sprinkle on top of the meat mixture - hopefully it should be enough to make a top crust but if not - no big whoop because you are going to pour your sauce over the entire thing anyway.
After the sauce is poured place your cheese or fake cheese over the sauce. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until your cheese is bubbly and melty. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before digging in to it.
While in Arkansas I bought me one of those George Foreman grills.
My mom has one and I tested it out with a grilled cheese samich and
figured I should get one too. It makes a damned good grilled cheese...
Both my mother and sister were concerned.
"Does Canada use the same plug-ins we do?"
What kind of question is that?
"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" I
gesticulated like I was conducting an orchestra. "Why would anyone ask
that question when the answer is obvious?"
"Maybe they just wanted to make sure your grill worked in Canada..." The Husband countered. He is always trying to balance my negativity with some
optimism, unfortunately sometimes that makes him say STUPID things
too...
First of all, we have been living in Canada for a few years. I have my Cuisinart, my toaster, my hairdryer and a few other things that depend on electricity to be functional. All of these things were things I BROUGHT WITH ME when I moved. I have been using these items and have even talked (with my mother) about being glad that I finally got my food processor out of the storage unit. I have kept her updated on all the things I have been making with my Cuisinart. That is usually what we talk about: Our pets, the weather and what we had for dinner.
Also, both ask
me this AFTER I bought the grill...Like maybe I am the idiot and forgot
a minor detail that would have me buying something I couldn't possibly
use unless I crossed the border into Washington.
"Honey! Pack up the car with bread and Monterey Jack, I have a hankerin' for a George Foreman grill cheese samich again!!!"
Anyhoo, this entry isn't about the Canadian "plug-ins". It's about the grill and last night's dinner.
The
Husband said he wanted to start eating more fish and less mammal. I've
just never been very good at fish cookery so I don't cook it that much. I hate frying it because it stinks up the whole house and it's greasy. I hate oven baking it because I always cook it too long or it comes out with the texture of a wash rag.
We really aren't all day everyday carnivores either. We aren't having
30lb buttsteaks for breakfast, lunch and dinner...But since I rarely cook fish, it seems like we do. Just so you know - we have many PETA
approved meals through the week...
We had heard from a good source (Floyd) that the GF grill was great for fish. So far I have made a really nice steak, chicken breast, mushrooms (and other vegetables) and a pork loin on this thing and all came out PERFECT! I didn't want the first thing on the grill to be fish because I did that with a wok one time and everything I made in that wok afterward smelled and tasted like fish.
Last night I decided to finally try the grill out with some fish. I went to my Safeway and picked out 2 fresh Halibut fillets. I got those guys home and squirted some lemon juice on them then covered the tops with a dry rub of dill, sea salt and this fabulous pepper mix (Royal Blend - black & green pepper, all spice, clove, fennel seeds, cinnamon and rose petals) I get from a local guy. Maison Coté
About halfway through the meal...
Me: "I can not believe I cooked this fish! It looks like restaurant fish!"
The Husband: "It's good. Really good."
Me: "I think I could have taken it off the grill about 30 seconds sooner, but it's not dry or cottony..."
I
cut through the fish chunk with my fork and eat the piece, skin and
all. "Gosh. I can't wait to throw some salmon on there. I am going to
be cooking the hell out of fish!"
The Husband: "Lobster."
I eat another chunk.
Me: "Are you eating the skin?"
The Husband: "Yeah, am I not supposed to?"
As
I am talking I pull a large juicy flake from the crispy skin. "Well, I
like the skin and this crisped up real niii - what the fuck is that?"
The Husband: "What?"
I poke the small brown coil with a fork tine. "Uhhhh."
The Husband stops eating. "What?"
"I
think..." I stretch the small brown coil out with my fork tine and it
makes a delicate S on the rim of my plate. "I think...I think my fish
had a worm in it...Is this a worm?"
The husband makes a groaning noise, "Do you want some of mine?"
"Darlin' I think these pieces came from the same fish."
I poke the worm again.
"Is it dead?" He asks.
"Well, yeah, that grill gets about 400 degrees...but..."
There was a long silence, and in that silence I am staring at that worm and my husband is eating his salad.
"Are you sure it came from the fish, remember that time you found that inch worm in the lettuce?"
"This isn't an inch worm and I found it UNDER THE SKIN!"
I
looked at the rest of my beautiful halibut fillet. I wondered if I had
already eaten a buddy or two of this worm. "So, what do I do now?"
"What do you mean?"
"Besides
drink a whole Big Gulp of scotch, what do I do? Do I call Safeway? Do I
call the Canadian Health department? I really don't know what to do but
poke at this worm on my plate." I started eating my zuchini with my
fingers.
The husband shrugged.
"You know, I'm not as worried
about this worm I found as I am about the ones I might have already
swallowed. And the eggs! What about the eggs!" My hands grasped my
throat.
"Is this going to turn you off on fish?" He sighs.
"That depends if I crap a wad of brown sea worms in a few weeks or not."
End of dinner.
So, I called Safeway and talked to their customer service rep. She seemed repelled and told me that she was documenting the call - but she never took my personal information. Then she put me in contact with the store where I bought the worm. I talked to someone who I assume was a manager of some capacity.
"I bet that fish was a white fish." She says, like she is Sylvia Brown and I am in the Montel audience.
"Yes, it was Halibut." I offer.
"And it was probably fresh and not frozen."
"Right again."
The person told me that this happens all the time. That there is even a
government mandate that says a fish can have so many worms on it and
still make it to the grocery.
I
tell her that I am 44 years old and I have never had a fish with a worm
under the skin, and I have eaten fresh caught fish and garbage eating
fish like catfish.
"Ohhhh, but that's not an ocean fish. The ocean
fish pick up all kinds of little worms and things. The worm latches on
and burrows in just under the skin..."
She offered for me to bring the fish back and get a refund to which I mentioned I would, but the fish was eaten and the worm wasn't found until about 3/4 of the fillet was consumed. I offered to bring the worm back and she declined.
"Ok, so am I in any danger of hatching a bellyfull of worms?"
She laughed and said, "No! Not a chance of that!"
"Well, if I wake up in a few days with these things pouring from my orifices, you will be hearing from me again."
She laughed and said, "Oh, no!"
When I hung up the phone the Husband says, "Sounds like you made a friend."
"She says it's common. She says that she has worked for Safeway since 1978 and they are always picking worms off the fish."
"Does this mean we can buy fish from the fish market instead of the grocery store?"
We talk as we clear the plates.
"Well, besides that, it was a really good dinner." I say.
"Besides that, how did you like the play, Mrs. Lincoln?" Says the Husband.
I get to my plate and stare at the worm. "Did you look at this guy?"
"No."
"Look at him." I say.
"I don't wanna!"
"Why not?"
"Because
I don't!" The Husband is looking up and around and everywhere to avoid
a glance at the 3/4 of an inch dead worm on my plate rim.
"Then get out of my kitchen and pour me a shot of whiskey!"
Actually, I had two shots and a shot of scotch in my lemonade a few minutes after that.
What are your top five favorite cooking seasonings?
Submitted by skip.town.
Garlic - Fresh, dried, powdered, roasted...
Cumen - If you make chili without it...your chili sucks.
Salt - I have about 10 different salts. Pink salt, black salt, French salt...garlic salt...
Crushed Red Pepper
Balsamic Vinegar - You can do so much more with a Balsamic than just salad dressing. It might not technically be a seasoning...but I cook with it a lot.
I would like to add a 6th, something sort of new to my kitchen:
Smoked Paprika.
I do not know why more vegans don't incorporate this into dishes instead of that Liquid Smoke crap.
Show us the best thing you've acquired from a pawn shop, garage sale or second hand store.
Submitted by kamapuaa.
THAT'S RIGHT! TAUNT ME, YOU BASTARD!
I don't know what it is about the QoTD and the Vox Hunt, but for me they are the equivalent of a day old fortune cookie note or last week's horoscope.
We were visiting friends and family in Arkansas. We drove from our new home in Canada with our cat in the back. This time it took 5 days because we drove across Canada and border crossed near Winnipeg. Glad we got that out of our systems. Our vacation just happened to land over the Father's Day weekend. I thought it would be nice if we came out to the double wide and had some BBQ. I told my mother that I wanted to grill up some burgers and such for Dad...He didn't even need to touch the grill - all he had to do was chew. I should have known better.
Dad didn't have a grill, but when Mom told him what I wanted to do, he went "downtown" to Big Lots and bought one. He hadn't had one in years, the last one rusted out, so this was a big event.
I don't know about you, but my childhood scrapbook is not filled with happy camper, hazy lazy days of summer, picnic images. Oh, we grilled a few times in the summer or when the grandkids would visit, but it was never an EVENT. Dad did not fall for the hype or epitomize the stereotype that all dads are kings of the grill. From the time of the Flintstones; men have supposedly been the proud masters of the fire. Somewhere along the way his family line lost this instinct. No pride here. He just didn't care. He would buy meats of low quality, cook the meat in the most horrible manner, then complain all night about stomach aches and how he couldn't tolerate grilled food. Never did it occur to him that his grilling technique was the problem. The food was the innocent victim.
His way of starting up the fire was to spew half of a bottle of lighter fluid on the coals, usually without removing the cooking surface. Before any of the liquid could soak into the charcoal or evaporate, he would jam a flaming rolled up sheet of newspaper in between the spokes. PWOOOOOF!
If my mother would have let him, he would have used gasoline. His theory was why have two accelerants on hand when one was perfectly good to start his lawn mower and start fires.
He never put the coals in a pyramid. He never waited for the coals to go white. He always put the tomato based sauce on right away. The meat would catch on fire and my mother looked like a screaming villager chasing a man-made monster up a hill. Her torch being a flaming chicken thigh atop a long handled fork. The faded house dress and bare feet were a nicely added touch.
Then there was that one time my sister brought some squirrel down from Tennessee to toss on the grill...another story for another time.
Until I acquired a propane grill, I thought all outdoor cooked foods were dry and black on the outside and raw or overcooked on the inside. I thought nostrils and gums tingling with the distinct flavor and aroma of petroleum was part of the experience. After cooking with a gas grill, I couldn't understand why anyone would prefer charcoal. The gas grill prompted a chain of experimental dinners. I have grilled everything from burgers to lobster to pineapple. We grill in the dead of winter. We grill on a whim...
Grilled PineappleExcited to show Dad that you can grill very tasty food with briquets and much less starter fluid, we headed out to the country. When we got there the grill was on the porch. Although the porch is not enclosed, like all good porches it is attached to the house and covered. Besides being on the covered porch, very close to the house, the grill was setting on a varnished wooden table right behind a supporting beam that secured a brand new Stars and Stripes. (Dad never takes his flag down unless he is putting up a new one) It was waving in the breeze, and by the looks of it, made of a material that would have been recalled if used for children's sleepwear.
I could smell the fluid as I approached. I groaned to the husband. Dad had already gotten to the virgin briquets.
I had piled the briquets in a nice pyramid, only to have Dad flatten them out before I could get the fire going. He wanted to put more fluid on the struggling coals. I said, NO! NO MORE FLUID! IT RUINS THE TASTE OF THE FOOD!
The fuel was puddling in the ash catcher. The ash catcher looked like a coffee can with holes the size of half dollars cut in to it. I pointed out the excess and he took a strip of paper, lit it and stuck it in one of the holes. PWOOOOOOOF! A fireball shot up through the coals.
He jumped and yanked the strip out of the ash catcher. A 2 inch flaming piece landed on the hand towel that was folded and placed neatly next to the grill. After scrambling to pat out the hand towel, I suggested that the husband find a water hose and pull it as close to the porch as he could...just in case.
He wasn't convinced that there was enough stink on the briquets, so I got some whisky and chucked it on the coals and PWOOOOOOOF!
I tried to explain to Dad that there is an art to grilling with charcoal and part of the art is patience. Yes, me lecturing someone on patience. Use less and allow that stuff to burn away and, for Stubbs sakes, don't get it on the cooking surface. If I wanted my ribs to taste like a gas station attendant's shoe soles, I would splash some of the starter in the marinade. Patience means white hot coals, so you are cooking with heat and not flame. Grilled food doesn't have to look like the charcoal briquets you used to cook it. How many cows must die in vain? If you are going to sacrifice the animal, at least do it up right and show some respect to the flesh!
When all the cooking was done, Dad suggested that I lift the 1798 degree grill from the table to the front yard so I could hose it down with water to put out the coals. I smacked my head. So that is why every grill we ever owned rusted out and never made it through a second year! I told him I would have no part in his blatant abuse!
Well, when it was all over...the burgers, ribs, chorizo, brats, potatoes, corn...was pretty tasty and not as burny and gum numbing as past cook outs. Usually my goal when spending time with the parents is to avoid leaving mad or crying. Four out of five times it's one or the other...or both. This time was one of those rare days when I feel sad because there weren't more days like it.
06/18/06
--------
That would be the last Father's Day and one of the last times I would see my Father. We said, "see you next year" and headed back to Canada a few days later. He died that December.
What was your worst cooking experience?
I have already reminisced about my baking failures here.
Another story I have is not about me, but one my mother likes to tell...
She was new to America. Dad wanted to make a pumpkin pie. She had never had a pumpkin pie or heard of it. Dad got her a pumpkin and she scooped all the guts out of it, mixed it with sugar, plopped it in a pie shell and baked it.
Show us your shopping list.
Nonpoisonous cat food
dragon fruit
over the counter muscle relaxers
spelt flour
milk
chick peas
blue sports drink
olive oil
Faberge eggs
canned corn
1 1/2 cups of yellow cornmeal
2 1/2 cups of milk
2 cups of all-purpose flour
3 TBLSP of granulated sugar
2 TBLSP of baking powder
1 tsp of salt
2 eggs
2 TBLSP of molasses
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
I mix the cornmeal and milk and let it sit for about 8 or 10 minutes.
I often use two kinds of cornmeal of different grind. Not necessary, just something I do sometimes...
If you like a sweeter cornbread, add more sugar. I like a hint of sweet.
You can also add whole kernal corn, mexican spices, chopped green onion, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, cracked black pepper or a few spoons of bacon grease added to the vegetable oil, etc.
Preheat oven - 400f
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add egg, molasses and oil to cornmeal mixture. Mix well. Add to dry ingredients, stirring just until combined.
Pour into a lightly greased 9x13 inch pan and bake for 35 - 45 minutes. I prefer a cast iron skillet for my cornbread and this would probably make two regular sized skillets of bread.
Which household chores do you most/least enjoy?
Submitted by falcon.kmc.
Well, pulling stuff out of drains isn't that enjoyable.
Cleaning the cat box is no fun, but the cat appreciates it and shows me so by not taking a poo on my couch.
I like organizing things...so cleaning out the fridge is always fun.
Cooking is a chore, but I like it. Cleaning up after I cook is the worst part of cooking.
