Oh, it’s been a while…I wrote this in a timely manner and am posting it in a less timely manner and I am sorry for that. And I’ve half written three or four other posts. Eh. I hear blogging is dead anyway. But I am not. And I have those other posts to post..so I will…eventually. But if I don’t do it before Christmas…Happy Christmas! And all that jazz.
THANKSGIVING….
So, here’s the scoop. The pumpkin empanadas: super good. I used the recipe for empanada dough from The Joy of Cooking and added about two tablespoons of sugar and a teaspoon of cinnamon. For the filling, I mixed canned pumpkin with brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and mace to taste. They were a keeper and although I am not really a “pie” person, I did enjoy both the making and eating of these.
The chocolate pie with the pretzel crust was…good. Good with some reservations. I liked the filling a lot, but it was, essentially, just a rich chocolate pudding. The crust is a good idea, but I was not picky enough with my pretzels and ended up not liking it. I say go for good, thin pretzels. I am thinking a Mr. Salty stick pretzel type would be good. And although the recipe tells you to “coarsely chop”…don’t. Finely chop. Whiz (or, if you are Jamie Oliver, “wazz”) it all up in the food processor until it’s the consistency of bread crumbs or graham cracker crumbs. Coarse doesn’t work well. And also, if you are even mildly lactose intolerant, don’t get all cocky and think you can eat this. You can’t. I don’t know why you thought you could. Just don’t.
The mashed potatoes and parsnips with carmelized onions and blue cheese were..fine. I got lazy and bought a package of cubed parsnips, rutabagas and turnips and they were a little…grainy and slightly watery. And I sliced the onions into fine rings. Next time I would cut them into cubes or something so they weren’t so…dangly. In fact, I also think I’d just go with potatoes and leave out the other root veggies. And add more cheese. You’re not adding butter or milk to these so go for the cheese.
Let’s see…what else? Oh, the twice baked sweet potatoes…they were good, but hollowing out a baked sweet potato is slightly more delicate a process than hollowing out a russet. So they got made in ramekins, and that was fine. Probably good. But once that happened I just started winging it and didn’t really follow the recipe. But the principle is sound and the flavors were good, so don’t be worried about that.
Everything else was fine. I thought last year that I was over turkey. And this year, when the turkey came out of the oven I was actually quite excited about it. And then I ate it and I thought, “Hmmm… I think I am over turkey.” And then there were leftovers and I was definitely over turkey, so…I’ll have to think on that for next time.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
*sigh*
I know, I know. You weren't waiting for me to post, but here I am anyway.
The thing is...this year is kind of just buzzing past me. And it's my own fault. I basically ignored Halloween. Not really a fan so it didn't seem like a big deal. Bought a bag of candy, just in case. SIDENOTE TO THE CHILDREN OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD: You should totally take advantage of apartments. You can get craploads of candy superfast. Seriously, when I was a kid, back in the olden days, we LOVED trick-or-treating in apartment buildings. Granted, that was on the east coast, where it might be really chilly on Halloween, but still, LOTS of candy, VERY LITTLE walking. Then you can move on to the neighborhood and you're golden.
I hear people are trick-or-treating less and now doing this trunk-or-treating thing. That's all well and good but please make it clear to the kiddies that they can't take candy from trunks on any other day of the year, ok?
So, like I said, I kind of skimmed over Halloween and started planning Thanksgiving dinner. Which is a little silly because it's just for two of us. But I like it. Here's the plan...
-Ancho Chili and Honey rubbed Turkey Breast (possibly cooked in the crock pot)
-dressing made with french bread and sage
-roasted brussels sprouts with garlic
-twice baked sweet potatoes
or
-vanilla mashed sweet potatoes
-mashed potatoes and parsnips with carmelized onion and blue cheese
and for dessert:
-pumpkin empanadas
AND
-milk chocolate cream pie with a pretzel crust
FOR THE TWO OF US.
Yeah, it's overkill, but I really want to try out some of these recipes. Besides, you'll come over for leftovers...won't you?
The thing is...this year is kind of just buzzing past me. And it's my own fault. I basically ignored Halloween. Not really a fan so it didn't seem like a big deal. Bought a bag of candy, just in case. SIDENOTE TO THE CHILDREN OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD: You should totally take advantage of apartments. You can get craploads of candy superfast. Seriously, when I was a kid, back in the olden days, we LOVED trick-or-treating in apartment buildings. Granted, that was on the east coast, where it might be really chilly on Halloween, but still, LOTS of candy, VERY LITTLE walking. Then you can move on to the neighborhood and you're golden.
I hear people are trick-or-treating less and now doing this trunk-or-treating thing. That's all well and good but please make it clear to the kiddies that they can't take candy from trunks on any other day of the year, ok?
So, like I said, I kind of skimmed over Halloween and started planning Thanksgiving dinner. Which is a little silly because it's just for two of us. But I like it. Here's the plan...
-Ancho Chili and Honey rubbed Turkey Breast (possibly cooked in the crock pot)
-dressing made with french bread and sage
-roasted brussels sprouts with garlic
-twice baked sweet potatoes
or
-vanilla mashed sweet potatoes
-mashed potatoes and parsnips with carmelized onion and blue cheese
and for dessert:
-pumpkin empanadas
AND
-milk chocolate cream pie with a pretzel crust
FOR THE TWO OF US.
Yeah, it's overkill, but I really want to try out some of these recipes. Besides, you'll come over for leftovers...won't you?
Friday, November 20, 2009
Prunes.
How often can I start a blog with…”So much has happened since last time!”?
Apparently, pretty often.
I don’t even know when last time was…hang on, let me look…hmmm….not quite a month. So I have almost avoided blogging for the entire national blogging…month…thing…what do you call that? NANBLOPOMO…eh. I am not participatory anyway.
So, we’ve had Halloween…nothing on there, I’ve made a few new Christmas card designs…the ‘rentals have come to visit and now we are well on our way to Thanksgiving. So, there…now we are caught up. Oh, right. And I got a year old and I received an awesome gift or two…one of them being a Kindle. Which is exciting…for me. I also became the proud owner of a 1917 cookbook entitled “A Thousand Ways to Please A Husband, “ oddly, there seemed to be no companion book on pleasing a wife…go figure.
Let’s see…Thanksgiving. Same ol’, same ol over here. Turkey…last year I felt like I was done with turkey. That maybe it was time to move on to some other holiday protein. Tofurky…nut loaf…something else. I still kind of feel this way but because I am cooking for others, I will stick with traditon. We’ll see how I feel about it this year and perhaps next year I will add the vegetarian option. I don’t know. I do have strong feelings on both sides, but last year the turkey just didn’t work for me.
Sorry, lost my train of thought there…turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole (topped with pecans and brown sugar or may be almonds or walnuts since I already have those …), roasted Brussels sprouts, cranberry jelly (from a can, dammit, none of your fancy compotes here!), crescent rolls (ya gotta!), and…what else? Pumpkin pie. Maybe some whoopee pies…and, if we have company, some sort of snacks for earlier in the day. Maybe the old standby of artichoke spinach dip or some jalapeño dip. I think that sounds pretty good. We’ve gotten rid of the mashed potatoes because…eh, we have enough. And I was going to make an acorn squash pie instead of a pumpkin pie but was advised against it. So there you go.
Actually, let me check my new 1917 cookbook and see if it has any good recipes…no…several “creamed” things…several “escalloped” things and…oh, this is kind of telling, three dessert recipes that involve prunes. Considering we no longer even call them prunes (they are now called “dried plums”), that seems pretty…dated. Prune blanc mange, prune soufflé and prune whip. Hey, I LIKE prunes, but…yeah. We’ll stick to pumpkin pie for this one.
One last thing for today…my big and lovely birthday present from my husband was a Kindle. I am swoony over it. Jodi said a while back that she didn’t think I would want one. She thought that I am the kind of reader that likes the tactile sensation of a book, and the smell of them. I’m gonna be honest with you here…I’m not. Despite loving books and owning many, many old and treasured volumes. I really don’t like touching old books. Too dirty (I know! Coming from me that’s pretty rich!) and I am really not fond of the smell of old books either. Guys I work with rhapsodize over that musty smell but ugh. Maybe it’s the memory of traveling during my childhood. I would bring my mother’s and grandmother’s books with me to read on long cartrips and spent too many sunny days trapped in the backseat of a car with and old book, and old dog and two older brothers coming back. I would get so queasy from the smell of the book on a hot day (not to mention the smell of dog and brothers!) and now, when I crack open an old book, that’s all I can think of. Yeesh, I’m feeling carsick right now. So, the Kindle seems ideal for me. No smell. No dust. And since I got it, I have put…let’s see, maybe 15 or 20 books on it and I’ve only paid for two! Naturally, like a good little geek my first addition was “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and being a lit geek, my second was the complete works of William Shakespeare. But since then I have been adding historical cook books, classics and the occasional free mystery novel. It’s been fun finding new stuff and so far, I am really enjoying it. And, again, no smell.
p.s. oh hey, look, a recipe for homemade crescent rolls....nah. i'm gonna get mine from a tuuuuuube!
Apparently, pretty often.
I don’t even know when last time was…hang on, let me look…hmmm….not quite a month. So I have almost avoided blogging for the entire national blogging…month…thing…what do you call that? NANBLOPOMO…eh. I am not participatory anyway.
So, we’ve had Halloween…nothing on there, I’ve made a few new Christmas card designs…the ‘rentals have come to visit and now we are well on our way to Thanksgiving. So, there…now we are caught up. Oh, right. And I got a year old and I received an awesome gift or two…one of them being a Kindle. Which is exciting…for me. I also became the proud owner of a 1917 cookbook entitled “A Thousand Ways to Please A Husband, “ oddly, there seemed to be no companion book on pleasing a wife…go figure.
Let’s see…Thanksgiving. Same ol’, same ol over here. Turkey…last year I felt like I was done with turkey. That maybe it was time to move on to some other holiday protein. Tofurky…nut loaf…something else. I still kind of feel this way but because I am cooking for others, I will stick with traditon. We’ll see how I feel about it this year and perhaps next year I will add the vegetarian option. I don’t know. I do have strong feelings on both sides, but last year the turkey just didn’t work for me.
Sorry, lost my train of thought there…turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole (topped with pecans and brown sugar or may be almonds or walnuts since I already have those …), roasted Brussels sprouts, cranberry jelly (from a can, dammit, none of your fancy compotes here!), crescent rolls (ya gotta!), and…what else? Pumpkin pie. Maybe some whoopee pies…and, if we have company, some sort of snacks for earlier in the day. Maybe the old standby of artichoke spinach dip or some jalapeño dip. I think that sounds pretty good. We’ve gotten rid of the mashed potatoes because…eh, we have enough. And I was going to make an acorn squash pie instead of a pumpkin pie but was advised against it. So there you go.
Actually, let me check my new 1917 cookbook and see if it has any good recipes…no…several “creamed” things…several “escalloped” things and…oh, this is kind of telling, three dessert recipes that involve prunes. Considering we no longer even call them prunes (they are now called “dried plums”), that seems pretty…dated. Prune blanc mange, prune soufflé and prune whip. Hey, I LIKE prunes, but…yeah. We’ll stick to pumpkin pie for this one.
One last thing for today…my big and lovely birthday present from my husband was a Kindle. I am swoony over it. Jodi said a while back that she didn’t think I would want one. She thought that I am the kind of reader that likes the tactile sensation of a book, and the smell of them. I’m gonna be honest with you here…I’m not. Despite loving books and owning many, many old and treasured volumes. I really don’t like touching old books. Too dirty (I know! Coming from me that’s pretty rich!) and I am really not fond of the smell of old books either. Guys I work with rhapsodize over that musty smell but ugh. Maybe it’s the memory of traveling during my childhood. I would bring my mother’s and grandmother’s books with me to read on long cartrips and spent too many sunny days trapped in the backseat of a car with and old book, and old dog and two older brothers coming back. I would get so queasy from the smell of the book on a hot day (not to mention the smell of dog and brothers!) and now, when I crack open an old book, that’s all I can think of. Yeesh, I’m feeling carsick right now. So, the Kindle seems ideal for me. No smell. No dust. And since I got it, I have put…let’s see, maybe 15 or 20 books on it and I’ve only paid for two! Naturally, like a good little geek my first addition was “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and being a lit geek, my second was the complete works of William Shakespeare. But since then I have been adding historical cook books, classics and the occasional free mystery novel. It’s been fun finding new stuff and so far, I am really enjoying it. And, again, no smell.
p.s. oh hey, look, a recipe for homemade crescent rolls....nah. i'm gonna get mine from a tuuuuuube!
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Menu.
Easter Dinner
Jalapeño popper dip w/some sort of cracker/chip
Deviled eggs
Roast lamb with parsley, garlic, lemon, breadcrumb and anchovy gremolata sort of thing
Roast asparagus
Spring potato salad (with green onions, pickles, eggs, parsley and celery)
Homemade challah
Strawberry cupcakes w/strawberry cream cheese frosting
Deep-dish brownies
That’s the plan, man. We’ll see how it works out. We’ve had the same basic meal for the past three or four Easters and we still like it so…you know.
I was just having a conversation with someone about how you think you know a person and then they tell you something so simple and basic that you had no idea about that you feel like you’ve never known them at all. Like how they hate chocolate, or how they were raised by bears. Stuff like that. I think I am pretty transparent. It was made obvious when I found this in my inbox (that’s not a euphemism).
Oooh…shiny and naked. My two favorites.
(That's Wolverine there, in case you DON'T know me all that well. I get Naked Wolverine emails. Oh yes I do.)
And in my continuing adventures in hypnosis, I had another hypnotherapy session. Now, I don’t know how deeply I am actually hypnotized. To me it just feels more or less like sitting with my eyes closed, being mellow and listening to my friend’s voice. But it was pleasant, and I did feel relaxed and everything kind of…sloooowsss….dowwwwwn. So that’s good. This session was centered on creativity. It was nice and I do feel good and raring to draw today, but I think I liked the visualization part of the relaxation session more. We’re going to try some other stuff, but I have to say, even if it’s not achieving much, it’s very nice, and it’s 40 minutes or so of deep relaxation. I do feel something though and it’s been different somethings each time, so…whatever. It’s fun.
Finally....look at this. Give it a few seconds to load and then just sit and watch.
Jalapeño popper dip w/some sort of cracker/chip
Deviled eggs
Roast lamb with parsley, garlic, lemon, breadcrumb and anchovy gremolata sort of thing
Roast asparagus
Spring potato salad (with green onions, pickles, eggs, parsley and celery)
Homemade challah
Strawberry cupcakes w/strawberry cream cheese frosting
Deep-dish brownies
That’s the plan, man. We’ll see how it works out. We’ve had the same basic meal for the past three or four Easters and we still like it so…you know.
I was just having a conversation with someone about how you think you know a person and then they tell you something so simple and basic that you had no idea about that you feel like you’ve never known them at all. Like how they hate chocolate, or how they were raised by bears. Stuff like that. I think I am pretty transparent. It was made obvious when I found this in my inbox (that’s not a euphemism).
(That's Wolverine there, in case you DON'T know me all that well. I get Naked Wolverine emails. Oh yes I do.)
And in my continuing adventures in hypnosis, I had another hypnotherapy session. Now, I don’t know how deeply I am actually hypnotized. To me it just feels more or less like sitting with my eyes closed, being mellow and listening to my friend’s voice. But it was pleasant, and I did feel relaxed and everything kind of…sloooowsss….dowwwwwn. So that’s good. This session was centered on creativity. It was nice and I do feel good and raring to draw today, but I think I liked the visualization part of the relaxation session more. We’re going to try some other stuff, but I have to say, even if it’s not achieving much, it’s very nice, and it’s 40 minutes or so of deep relaxation. I do feel something though and it’s been different somethings each time, so…whatever. It’s fun.
Finally....look at this. Give it a few seconds to load and then just sit and watch.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Semi.
I know everyone who cooks loves to complain about Sandra Lee and her Semi-Homemade show. I watch it. I am fairly frequently horrified by the ideas she has. But I fully support the concept. 70 percent storebought , 30 percent home made isn’t perfect, no. But it’s certainly better than 100% drivethrough. And it’s a good way to start if you really aren’t much of a cook. So, no, I don’t take issue with it, but I do hope that it’s a learning tool. I mean I use canned beans all the time. Have I used dried beans? Yes, I have. And I like dried beans but it’s pretty amazing that I remember pants most days so let’s not push it, ok. I don’t want to be out a dinner just because I forgot to put the beans to soak. Have I made my own bread? Yep, many, many times. And I love it. But do I still buy sliced sandwich bread? Oh hells yes.
I enjoy a baking challenge. Just yesterday I was reading a recipe for croissants and I thought…hey…I should…no. No! NO! But you know I will someday. I like to try stuff and I like to bake and I wish all my food was perfect and home made and organic and vegan…but it’s not. I can’t pretend that there aren’t Wendy’s nights. And even, once a year, a…dare I say it? McDonalds night (literally ONCE…A…YEAR because it takes me 364 days to forget how much I didn’t like any of it except for the hot mustard. I love the hot mustard.). So I can’t really complain about Semi-Homemade all that much.
Except for one thing. And it’s not the Kwaanza cake because that just defies…everything.
(And just so you know, I am not the only person obsessed with the Kwanzaa cake.)
I was watching the other day and she made a cocktail called the “Risky Whiskey.” She started by saying “Put three cups of Whiskey in a pitcher…”” and I said “DONE!”.
Sandra Lee, I just beat you at your own game. 100% store bought. 100% delicious. Wanna come over for a cocktail?
(Obviously she added other things to the pitcher (maple syrup? really? ew.) but really…why mess with perfection?)
I enjoy a baking challenge. Just yesterday I was reading a recipe for croissants and I thought…hey…I should…no. No! NO! But you know I will someday. I like to try stuff and I like to bake and I wish all my food was perfect and home made and organic and vegan…but it’s not. I can’t pretend that there aren’t Wendy’s nights. And even, once a year, a…dare I say it? McDonalds night (literally ONCE…A…YEAR because it takes me 364 days to forget how much I didn’t like any of it except for the hot mustard. I love the hot mustard.). So I can’t really complain about Semi-Homemade all that much.
Except for one thing. And it’s not the Kwaanza cake because that just defies…everything.
(And just so you know, I am not the only person obsessed with the Kwanzaa cake.)
I was watching the other day and she made a cocktail called the “Risky Whiskey.” She started by saying “Put three cups of Whiskey in a pitcher…”” and I said “DONE!”.
Sandra Lee, I just beat you at your own game. 100% store bought. 100% delicious. Wanna come over for a cocktail?
(Obviously she added other things to the pitcher (maple syrup? really? ew.) but really…why mess with perfection?)
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Baked.
Last night I decided that I wanted an egg with my dinner. It was a breakfast for dinner night and I thought an egg would be lovely with the Kashi waffle and veggie bacon. And I was right. The thing I is, I don’t generally care about eggs and I eat them so rarely that I am not very good at making them. I can scramble. Oh yes, how I can scramble (I use water instead of milk or cream…something about the proteins? Or the steam? I don’t remember, but it was in a book.) I can boil, soft or hard. I don’t think I’ve ever poached and egg but I am betting I could. It’s the frying that’s the problem. It should be easy enough but I can’t get the timing right and I either break the yolk or I cook it too long or, worst of all, I don’t like to cook eggs in butter so I use olive oil and they get really, really brown and look gross (but they taste fine, I swear). So last night, I figured it was about time to try something new. Baked it was. And it worked perfectly. One good egg was a perfect serving with the other stuff. It was easy. I DIDN’T HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO IT! That’s the biggest thing for me. I get home from work kind of late and I like to be able to put the dinner in the oven and let it go while I change clothes, give the cat her meds, check the mail, go to the bathroom, gather up clothes for the next day, prepare my breakfast and sometimes lunch for the next day and put away some dishes.
…
You know what I’d like even more? Someone else to do all that stuff…
Anyway, it worked well, it tasted good and it’s a keeper. Baked eggs are nothing new but if you are not a fan of standing over a frying pan it’s a nice way to go.
Here’s what I did:
-Buttered small ramekins (Next time I will use olive oil. Turns out, I don’t really like butter all that much. But, I had some in a small dish from a dinner I had served to friends the night before so it was convenient. Live and learn. Olive oil or Earth Balance next time.)
-Cracked one egg into each ramekin.
-Topped with salt, pepper and parsley.
-Added a few drops of soy creamer on top. A very few drops. Just enough to dampen the yolk really. I had read that the eggs could dry out without the addition of cream or milk and I had no cream or milk because I don’t really like cream or milk (or eggs…except last night, or butter…) so soy creamer it was. I was worried that there might be a protein issue here like when you add soymilk to hot coffee....it kind of curdles a bit…but no. No problems. Then, because most of the recipes I read called for it, I added a bit of cheese. Parmesan on one, cheddar on the other.
-Tossed the whole thing in a 350° oven for about 14-18 minutes. I let them cook a little long because I was unsure about how well done they would be. 18 minutes was fine. 14 would have been fine too, for a runny yolk.
-What I’ll do differently next time:
Olive oil instead of butter, no creamer on top, no cheese on top, possibly a wee bit of toast on bottom, and some frozen spinach, and if I have it, a slice of tomato. And maybe some other herbs, like thyme, or some green onion. And despite the fact that I claim not to like eggs (unlike Snarkydork, who REALLY does NOT like eggs), I think I might use two eggs in a slightly larger ramekin…with previously mentioned toast (or bread), spinach and tomato.
Congratulations to me for doing something else that the rest of the world has done for ages. Yeah, I’m not breaking new ground here. But it was really good.
Oh, also, if you are looking for more things to read, I've been posting a bit over here...
…
You know what I’d like even more? Someone else to do all that stuff…
Anyway, it worked well, it tasted good and it’s a keeper. Baked eggs are nothing new but if you are not a fan of standing over a frying pan it’s a nice way to go.
Here’s what I did:
-Buttered small ramekins (Next time I will use olive oil. Turns out, I don’t really like butter all that much. But, I had some in a small dish from a dinner I had served to friends the night before so it was convenient. Live and learn. Olive oil or Earth Balance next time.)
-Cracked one egg into each ramekin.
-Topped with salt, pepper and parsley.
-Added a few drops of soy creamer on top. A very few drops. Just enough to dampen the yolk really. I had read that the eggs could dry out without the addition of cream or milk and I had no cream or milk because I don’t really like cream or milk (or eggs…except last night, or butter…) so soy creamer it was. I was worried that there might be a protein issue here like when you add soymilk to hot coffee....it kind of curdles a bit…but no. No problems. Then, because most of the recipes I read called for it, I added a bit of cheese. Parmesan on one, cheddar on the other.
-Tossed the whole thing in a 350° oven for about 14-18 minutes. I let them cook a little long because I was unsure about how well done they would be. 18 minutes was fine. 14 would have been fine too, for a runny yolk.
-What I’ll do differently next time:
Olive oil instead of butter, no creamer on top, no cheese on top, possibly a wee bit of toast on bottom, and some frozen spinach, and if I have it, a slice of tomato. And maybe some other herbs, like thyme, or some green onion. And despite the fact that I claim not to like eggs (unlike Snarkydork, who REALLY does NOT like eggs), I think I might use two eggs in a slightly larger ramekin…with previously mentioned toast (or bread), spinach and tomato.
Congratulations to me for doing something else that the rest of the world has done for ages. Yeah, I’m not breaking new ground here. But it was really good.
Oh, also, if you are looking for more things to read, I've been posting a bit over here...
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Done.
Well, sort of done.
Bourbon balls (sounds uncomfortable)?
Check.
Guinness Truffles?
Check.
Whisky caramels?
Check.
Guinness Cupcakes?
Check.
Gingerbread cupcakes?
…
No.
Brownies?
…
No.
Pecan Pie Truffles?
…
Look, I’m only human…well…mostly human.
Many packages have been mailed (keep an eye out). No presents have been wrapped though. And right now, right this very minute. I am tired. All of the sudden and quite decidedly. But hey, it’s getting there. Although I am doubting that those gingerbread cupcakes will show up before I leave.
And for the record, let me tell you about making caramel. I like to do it. It’s one of my favorite things to make, but be warned, caramel is extreme cooking. It’s candy napalm waiting to happen. Boiling sugar? Oh hell yeah that’s dangerous. But, what you may not think about (but believe me, I do) is that when you add cream to boiling sugar, you get a hot volcano of death. So far I have survived but I can’t say that the eruption doesn’t scare the bejeezus out of me. Luckily, this Whisky caramel recipe doesn’t call for cream. Instead it calls for whisky. Which also boils up violently when added to hot sugar. Except, it sort of…growls at you first. There is a distinct grumbling sound and then the insane bubbling starts. I was expecting the insane bubbling…I was not expecting the prelude of deep angry sounds. I am glad they warned me to step away. I was in the process of stepping away anyway but man did I JUMP when the caramel started making that noise.
Finally, randomly…I was thinking the other day about the Peanuts, the Tao of Pooh and identifying oneself with a cartoon character…don’t ask why. But when I was in college, all those years ago, The Tao of Pooh was a very popular freshman sort of things to read. My friends and I realized that we all fit into the mold of a Winnie the Pooh character and really lead our lives in the manner of those characters. Then I realized that I also fit into the mold of one particular Peanuts character, who also just happens to be my favorite Peanuts character as well. So, I’m asking you…which Pooh character and which Peanuts character do you think I am…and which are you?
Hmmm...also, just noticed that this is my 499th post. That's kind of interesting...
Bourbon balls (sounds uncomfortable)?
Check.
Guinness Truffles?
Check.
Whisky caramels?
Check.
Guinness Cupcakes?
Check.
Gingerbread cupcakes?
…
No.
Brownies?
…
No.
Pecan Pie Truffles?
…
Look, I’m only human…well…mostly human.
Many packages have been mailed (keep an eye out). No presents have been wrapped though. And right now, right this very minute. I am tired. All of the sudden and quite decidedly. But hey, it’s getting there. Although I am doubting that those gingerbread cupcakes will show up before I leave.
And for the record, let me tell you about making caramel. I like to do it. It’s one of my favorite things to make, but be warned, caramel is extreme cooking. It’s candy napalm waiting to happen. Boiling sugar? Oh hell yeah that’s dangerous. But, what you may not think about (but believe me, I do) is that when you add cream to boiling sugar, you get a hot volcano of death. So far I have survived but I can’t say that the eruption doesn’t scare the bejeezus out of me. Luckily, this Whisky caramel recipe doesn’t call for cream. Instead it calls for whisky. Which also boils up violently when added to hot sugar. Except, it sort of…growls at you first. There is a distinct grumbling sound and then the insane bubbling starts. I was expecting the insane bubbling…I was not expecting the prelude of deep angry sounds. I am glad they warned me to step away. I was in the process of stepping away anyway but man did I JUMP when the caramel started making that noise.
Finally, randomly…I was thinking the other day about the Peanuts, the Tao of Pooh and identifying oneself with a cartoon character…don’t ask why. But when I was in college, all those years ago, The Tao of Pooh was a very popular freshman sort of things to read. My friends and I realized that we all fit into the mold of a Winnie the Pooh character and really lead our lives in the manner of those characters. Then I realized that I also fit into the mold of one particular Peanuts character, who also just happens to be my favorite Peanuts character as well. So, I’m asking you…which Pooh character and which Peanuts character do you think I am…and which are you?
Hmmm...also, just noticed that this is my 499th post. That's kind of interesting...
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Dinner.
At the moment, the thinking is this:
roast turkey stuffed with:
bread stuffing with sage
sweet potato casserole
roasted brussels sprouts with garlic
crescent rolls (can’t help myself)
And for dessert:
chocolate tart with hazelnut crust
But I am sure that I will feel guilty for not making a pumpkin pie and overcompensate with some kind of pumpkin cupcake or cookie or…pie.
Also watch for hors d’oeuvres to be added, as well as various side dishes as I start to worry about not having a “thanksgiving” feeling…for two people. I’d say you’ll probably see the appearance (or at least the consideration) of: deviled eggs, cheese and olive platter, pastry wrapped olives, cheese straws, home made breads, another vegetable, possibly a salad, corn bread to replace rolls from a tube, various wines (although I am the only one that drinks them), ice cream to go with whatever kinds of pies, and as long as I am making ice cream, maybe I should just go ahead and make chocolate chip mint, since that’s his favorite, and since I don’t eat ice cream, maybe I should make some soy cream too…
Yeah, I always start with the best intentions.
Aren't you thankful that Thanksgiving cards are available in the store?
roast turkey stuffed with:
bread stuffing with sage
sweet potato casserole
roasted brussels sprouts with garlic
crescent rolls (can’t help myself)
And for dessert:
chocolate tart with hazelnut crust
But I am sure that I will feel guilty for not making a pumpkin pie and overcompensate with some kind of pumpkin cupcake or cookie or…pie.
Also watch for hors d’oeuvres to be added, as well as various side dishes as I start to worry about not having a “thanksgiving” feeling…for two people. I’d say you’ll probably see the appearance (or at least the consideration) of: deviled eggs, cheese and olive platter, pastry wrapped olives, cheese straws, home made breads, another vegetable, possibly a salad, corn bread to replace rolls from a tube, various wines (although I am the only one that drinks them), ice cream to go with whatever kinds of pies, and as long as I am making ice cream, maybe I should just go ahead and make chocolate chip mint, since that’s his favorite, and since I don’t eat ice cream, maybe I should make some soy cream too…
Yeah, I always start with the best intentions.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Daily.
Tired, tired, tired. I don’t what is going on in here but man I am tired! Sleeping has gotten difficult due to…whatever and I just can’t seem to catch up. But I figured a tired mind turns out some weird stuff so I thought I’d see what dropped out of my brain today…
Well, first I would like to share my three favorite breakfasts with you. Why, you ask? Because I already told you, I AM TIRED and my brain is funny. And this morning I had one of my favorites and I thought it was funny (remember…tired) and the other day I was reading a blog that listed the some of the blogger’s breakfasts and…whatever…here…
My standby breakfast is Nature’s Path Flax Plus organic cereal with fresh blueberries and soy milk. I can hear you sobbing right now but seriously, this stuff is good. It doesn’t taste like cardboard and unlike certain other healthy cereals it doesn’t contain anything referred to as “twigs” (I’m looking at you, Kashi!). Although, to be honest, I had never noticed that my Kashi contained twigs until my mother pointed out and told me that it was just too…healthy tasting for her. When I don’t have blueberries, I sometimes add raisins or I just buy the raisin bran version. And it was actually Donovan’s Mama that got me eating this cereal, even though she wouldn’t eat it herself. Added bonus, well…sort of a bonus…um…let’s just say, I may not be normal but I am totally regular. Sorry, couldn’t help myself there. Also, Nature’s Path makes what we call in our house “Hippie Pop Tarts”. I will on occasion buy their toaster pastries and I really like them. So much so that now when faced with an actual Pop Tart…not interested. And I see they also have some kind of Pumpkin Raisin Flax Crunch thing going on…gotta find that. Wait…what? Fig and Flax waffles? Dude. Oh and if you totally have a pie fix but you think you are all kinds of healthy and don’t want to make a pie but also cannot imagine doing the McDonald’s drive thu kind of pie, this same company makes something called Pie-Oh-my! I think the name says it all.
You thought I had lost my train of thought here, didn’t you? You thought that I forgot that I was naming my three favorite breakfasts and had just gone on a rant about hippie food, Didn’t you? Nope, I remember. Second favorite breakfast is whole-wheat couscous made with soymilk and mixed with dried fruits, nuts and cinnamon. It’s great hot and it’s good cold and I can make a big container and it will last a few days. It’s a nice alternative to oatmeal, which I like but will rarely make, and you can do just about anything you want to it. If you stick with the whole-wheat couscous you are getting some fiber. And with the soymilk and nuts you’ve got your protein. It’s very filling and comforting and OH SO EASY!
Third favorite is what I had for breakfast this morning. Well, sort of. What I had this morning was a toasted English muffin, covered with I.M. Healthy brand CHOCOLATE soy nut butter and topped with blueberries. And it was good, but what I really like is when have some fresh from the farmer’s market whole-wheat pita. The kind that doesn’t even have a pocket. That’s good stuff.
Finally, my fourth favorite breakfast is one I only get when I am on vacation despite the fact that I actually OWN the necessary tools to make MICKEY WAFFLES. Somehow they just taste better in Disneyworld. And in just a few weeks, I will be indulging in them daily. Maybe by then I will be less tired….maybe not.
So, why blog about breakfast? Well, it is the most important meal of the day. But mostly because I am still tired and it entertained me.
Honestly, breakfast has always been a difficult meal for me. I don’t like mornings much and eating in the morning just isn’t my thing. So when I dedicated myself to a regular breakfast, I knew it would be a struggle. Turns out, if you like what you are eating, it’s a lot easier. Some of that came to me when I discovered that soymilk didn’t upset my stomach. (Before that I was eating my granola covered in grapefruit juice, which makes most people cringe when I mention it). And I understood it even better when I found a cereal that I actually LIKED that wasn’t full of junk. Even more when I found things I could eat in the car that wouldn’t cause accidents. Once I figured all that out, everything else became a lot easier. Hunh, it only took me…almost forty years. So, I’m a slow learner.
Well, first I would like to share my three favorite breakfasts with you. Why, you ask? Because I already told you, I AM TIRED and my brain is funny. And this morning I had one of my favorites and I thought it was funny (remember…tired) and the other day I was reading a blog that listed the some of the blogger’s breakfasts and…whatever…here…
My standby breakfast is Nature’s Path Flax Plus organic cereal with fresh blueberries and soy milk. I can hear you sobbing right now but seriously, this stuff is good. It doesn’t taste like cardboard and unlike certain other healthy cereals it doesn’t contain anything referred to as “twigs” (I’m looking at you, Kashi!). Although, to be honest, I had never noticed that my Kashi contained twigs until my mother pointed out and told me that it was just too…healthy tasting for her. When I don’t have blueberries, I sometimes add raisins or I just buy the raisin bran version. And it was actually Donovan’s Mama that got me eating this cereal, even though she wouldn’t eat it herself. Added bonus, well…sort of a bonus…um…let’s just say, I may not be normal but I am totally regular. Sorry, couldn’t help myself there. Also, Nature’s Path makes what we call in our house “Hippie Pop Tarts”. I will on occasion buy their toaster pastries and I really like them. So much so that now when faced with an actual Pop Tart…not interested. And I see they also have some kind of Pumpkin Raisin Flax Crunch thing going on…gotta find that. Wait…what? Fig and Flax waffles? Dude. Oh and if you totally have a pie fix but you think you are all kinds of healthy and don’t want to make a pie but also cannot imagine doing the McDonald’s drive thu kind of pie, this same company makes something called Pie-Oh-my! I think the name says it all.
You thought I had lost my train of thought here, didn’t you? You thought that I forgot that I was naming my three favorite breakfasts and had just gone on a rant about hippie food, Didn’t you? Nope, I remember. Second favorite breakfast is whole-wheat couscous made with soymilk and mixed with dried fruits, nuts and cinnamon. It’s great hot and it’s good cold and I can make a big container and it will last a few days. It’s a nice alternative to oatmeal, which I like but will rarely make, and you can do just about anything you want to it. If you stick with the whole-wheat couscous you are getting some fiber. And with the soymilk and nuts you’ve got your protein. It’s very filling and comforting and OH SO EASY!
Third favorite is what I had for breakfast this morning. Well, sort of. What I had this morning was a toasted English muffin, covered with I.M. Healthy brand CHOCOLATE soy nut butter and topped with blueberries. And it was good, but what I really like is when have some fresh from the farmer’s market whole-wheat pita. The kind that doesn’t even have a pocket. That’s good stuff.
Finally, my fourth favorite breakfast is one I only get when I am on vacation despite the fact that I actually OWN the necessary tools to make MICKEY WAFFLES. Somehow they just taste better in Disneyworld. And in just a few weeks, I will be indulging in them daily. Maybe by then I will be less tired….maybe not.
So, why blog about breakfast? Well, it is the most important meal of the day. But mostly because I am still tired and it entertained me.
Honestly, breakfast has always been a difficult meal for me. I don’t like mornings much and eating in the morning just isn’t my thing. So when I dedicated myself to a regular breakfast, I knew it would be a struggle. Turns out, if you like what you are eating, it’s a lot easier. Some of that came to me when I discovered that soymilk didn’t upset my stomach. (Before that I was eating my granola covered in grapefruit juice, which makes most people cringe when I mention it). And I understood it even better when I found a cereal that I actually LIKED that wasn’t full of junk. Even more when I found things I could eat in the car that wouldn’t cause accidents. Once I figured all that out, everything else became a lot easier. Hunh, it only took me…almost forty years. So, I’m a slow learner.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Sweet.
Another weekend, another massive round of baked goods…for other people. There were:
24 chocolate chip brownies
24 home made oreo type cookies
12 beaten biscuits (accidentally vegan)
12 vegan jelly doughnut cupcakes
and
something else that I am forgetting…hmmm. Whatever.
The biscuits were actually partially for me and made a guest appearance underneath some chickpea gravy. Sounds nasty, looks nastier but tastes…really good. Like I took a taste and thought, “eh, it tastes like chickpeas” but under some fluffy biscuits…oh golly that was good. The rest of the biscuits are hanging out in the freezer, looking for an excuse for dinner. And they were accidentally vegan because by the time I finished all my other baking there was only Earth Balance and soy milk left. But it worked. Nicely, I might add. And it’s fun to beat the hell out ‘em as you make them.
Dad will get the brownies and the fauxreos for father’s day. Both seemed to come out fine. I was only going to make the cookies but when I called to ask my mom what she thought of that my dad overheard her talking to me about baked goods and started yelling “SEND MORE BROWNIES!” in the background. So, more brownies it is. I always pack them so they are ready to just go right in the freezer for a day when they might want a treat. I have only just found out that none of my baked goods ever make it into the freezer. Now, I take that as a compliment but I kind of do picture my parents eating dinners of brownies and cookies and giggling how they always made me eat all my vegetables.
In fact, when I took a tour of the U.K. (and Northern Ireland) with my mom a few years ago, I was a little shocked. We did a lot of wandering and didn’t want to spend much time sitting down in restaurants so we would buy a sandwich at a little market, or a pastie from a shop or something quick like that, but as I do love my veggies, I was making an effort to get them whenever I could. One night after a very long walk we stopped at a little café for dinner. I was very excited to be able to get a nice roasted vegetable sandwich. My mom had a cinnamon pastry. I made her eat some veggies. And it was like fighting with a toddler. And she had dessert every chance she could. She totally deserves it, she’s worked long and hard and she’s an adult and can have whatever she wants but goodness! I worry that it’s all sugar all the time over there! And before you say anything about how bad I must have been as a child, I never gave her trouble about eating my veggies, well except for green peppers, Brussels sprouts and creamed spinach, but can you really blame me? Everything else was just fine. I did throw fits over Spanish rice though, man I hate that stuff! Wasn’t keen on steak either. Or bluefish, oh and ham steaks…and fish stew…liver…spam...cream chipped beef…I liked the veggies though.
24 chocolate chip brownies
24 home made oreo type cookies
12 beaten biscuits (accidentally vegan)
12 vegan jelly doughnut cupcakes
and
something else that I am forgetting…hmmm. Whatever.
The biscuits were actually partially for me and made a guest appearance underneath some chickpea gravy. Sounds nasty, looks nastier but tastes…really good. Like I took a taste and thought, “eh, it tastes like chickpeas” but under some fluffy biscuits…oh golly that was good. The rest of the biscuits are hanging out in the freezer, looking for an excuse for dinner. And they were accidentally vegan because by the time I finished all my other baking there was only Earth Balance and soy milk left. But it worked. Nicely, I might add. And it’s fun to beat the hell out ‘em as you make them.
Dad will get the brownies and the fauxreos for father’s day. Both seemed to come out fine. I was only going to make the cookies but when I called to ask my mom what she thought of that my dad overheard her talking to me about baked goods and started yelling “SEND MORE BROWNIES!” in the background. So, more brownies it is. I always pack them so they are ready to just go right in the freezer for a day when they might want a treat. I have only just found out that none of my baked goods ever make it into the freezer. Now, I take that as a compliment but I kind of do picture my parents eating dinners of brownies and cookies and giggling how they always made me eat all my vegetables.
In fact, when I took a tour of the U.K. (and Northern Ireland) with my mom a few years ago, I was a little shocked. We did a lot of wandering and didn’t want to spend much time sitting down in restaurants so we would buy a sandwich at a little market, or a pastie from a shop or something quick like that, but as I do love my veggies, I was making an effort to get them whenever I could. One night after a very long walk we stopped at a little café for dinner. I was very excited to be able to get a nice roasted vegetable sandwich. My mom had a cinnamon pastry. I made her eat some veggies. And it was like fighting with a toddler. And she had dessert every chance she could. She totally deserves it, she’s worked long and hard and she’s an adult and can have whatever she wants but goodness! I worry that it’s all sugar all the time over there! And before you say anything about how bad I must have been as a child, I never gave her trouble about eating my veggies, well except for green peppers, Brussels sprouts and creamed spinach, but can you really blame me? Everything else was just fine. I did throw fits over Spanish rice though, man I hate that stuff! Wasn’t keen on steak either. Or bluefish, oh and ham steaks…and fish stew…liver…spam...cream chipped beef…I liked the veggies though.
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