A good food blog needs pictures. I want to see what I'm thinking of cooking. So, this blog needs pictures. The problem is, I usually think about blogging AFTER I've made something and so...no photos. Meaning only sporadic blog posts.
Case in point. Tonight Tim's dad Joe was dropping by not long after we got home from a day in the city, so I wanted something quick. But also warm and nourishing. And I wanted to use up stuff in my fridge/freezer/pantry. What I like to call Fridgeluck Supper, and so often what ends up being my latest favorite dish. I never did think to photograph even the final product because Joe was here and we were all chatting and setting the table and the next thing you know it's a few leftovers in a tupperware. But I need to write down what I did so I can remember to do it again. Might as well do it here. And then I will make it again and hopefully remember to photograph it so this entry can at some point have those pictures that make it a blog worth reading.
I had a ziplock storage bag of my favorite steamed rice mixture in the freezer, so I started there, then gathered together the rest. Starting with how I make the rice to begin with, here's the recipe:
1/2 cup brown basmati rice
1/4 cup black rice (WinCo Forbidden Rice)
1/4 cup freekeh
1 Tbl herbes de Provence
1 3/4 cups water
Steam all the above together until done. I make this in larger batches, portion it into freezer bags, and then always have it on hand. The freekeh has a lightly smoky flavor and makes everything taste more substantial and HEAVENLY.
1 smallish butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1/2" chunks. Steam until tender.
3 medium-size carrots, diced 1/4"
1/2 onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 Japanese eggplant, diced 1/2"
1/2 cup dry toasted slivered almonds
1/2 - 1 cup frozen peas, thawed a little in the microwave
In a large saute pan, heat 2-3 Tbl oil. Saute carrots until they start to get tender. Add onion, celery, eggplant. Saute until onion looks translucent. Add steamed rice mixture and saute a bit more. Add almonds. Add peas and stir until they are warm. Salt to taste.
Heap the rice mixture in a large shallow bowl. Arrange steamed butternut squash around the perimeter. If you are having a protein, arrange that in the center. Tonight I simply grilled a few chunks of Andouille sausage for Tim and Joe, although Joe never did get around to spooning his portion of the sausage onto his plate and didn't miss it one bit. Gus, our Lab/Shepherd mix, happily ate his sausage for him.
We ate this with a little naan and a cucumber salad (cucumber, diced tomatoes, dill, mint, salt, goat-milk yogurt, and a little mayo). I sure wish I had taken a photo.
Of course I have enough leftovers for 2 lunches later this week. Of course they'll taste even better the second and third time around. Flavors like this always develop further over a day or two. And because I wrote a blog post I'll remember this and make it again. Hopefully, there will be pictures.
Monday, November 12, 2018
The Persistence of Memory gets a new hairdo
"Did you change your hair? Lose a couple pounds? New lipstick shade?" All those questions when it's you, but a little different. What, exactly?
A few months ago I wrote about Fresh Apple Cake (Persistence of Memory, Jan '17). It had cycled out of my repertoire, and then when I made it for Joe, it settled back into regular rotation. I've been making it as apple cupcakes. Adding chopped dates when my brother brought a fresh box from the Syrian family grower down in Brawley. Tweaking the proportions, seeing just how little sugar I can get away with and still taste cake (honestly, 1 1/2 cups is still the gold standard. Although with less sugar--and using whole wheat pastry flour--what you get is delicious apple muffins for breakfast--nothing wrong with that). All slight variations of the standard Apple Cake.
Then, the other day we were heading to Joe's place for dinner and dropped by a bakery to bring a little dessert, which turned out to be carrot cake. I love certain things about carrot cake but it is generally too-too: too rich, too sweet, and too cinnamon-forward for me. Part of what I love about Fresh Apple Cake is that it isn't any of those things--it's just right. The ingredients profile for both cakes is quite similar, just different proportions. So why not try a mash-up?
Why not, indeed. Fresh Apple Cake, but with a different hairdo.
Fresh Apple Cake calls for 4 cups shredded apple. This time I used 3 cups apple, 2/3 cup shredded carrot, 1/3 cup crushed pineapple (juice squeezed out), and threw in 2/3 cup raisins. Everything else the same.
The result? That harvesty flavor I love from carrot cake, nestled in the perfectly balanced proportions of apple cake.
A few months ago I wrote about Fresh Apple Cake (Persistence of Memory, Jan '17). It had cycled out of my repertoire, and then when I made it for Joe, it settled back into regular rotation. I've been making it as apple cupcakes. Adding chopped dates when my brother brought a fresh box from the Syrian family grower down in Brawley. Tweaking the proportions, seeing just how little sugar I can get away with and still taste cake (honestly, 1 1/2 cups is still the gold standard. Although with less sugar--and using whole wheat pastry flour--what you get is delicious apple muffins for breakfast--nothing wrong with that). All slight variations of the standard Apple Cake.
Then, the other day we were heading to Joe's place for dinner and dropped by a bakery to bring a little dessert, which turned out to be carrot cake. I love certain things about carrot cake but it is generally too-too: too rich, too sweet, and too cinnamon-forward for me. Part of what I love about Fresh Apple Cake is that it isn't any of those things--it's just right. The ingredients profile for both cakes is quite similar, just different proportions. So why not try a mash-up?
Why not, indeed. Fresh Apple Cake, but with a different hairdo.
Fresh Apple Cake calls for 4 cups shredded apple. This time I used 3 cups apple, 2/3 cup shredded carrot, 1/3 cup crushed pineapple (juice squeezed out), and threw in 2/3 cup raisins. Everything else the same.
The result? That harvesty flavor I love from carrot cake, nestled in the perfectly balanced proportions of apple cake.
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Blue-Collar Mac 'n Cheese
For my mac 'n cheese fangirls, sorry it's taken so long to get this post on the books. Trust me, it's worth the wait!
This is another recipe grace of the angels of the LA Times kitchen. I first learned to cook with those blue boxes of atomic Kraft Mac 'n Cheese. Apparently the daughter of the Times writer learned the wholesome way on this recipe which, as it turns out, is almost as easy. And oh, so so delicious.
The first time I make a recipe I follow it to the letter to get a feel for it. I can't help playing around with the details after that, though. I found that the more gourmet the cheese profile, the less successful the mac. This dish should comfort your palate, not challenge it. The combination I personally liked the most is noted at the top of the page in my recipe book, but I don't make this dish for me--it's my pot 'o love for my husband, for my mom, for Darla's daughter Catherine to keep in her dorm freezer and heat up when she needs a tummy hug.
The combination that all my mac 'n cheese people love the most is actually the simplest, most downhome version, straight from my WinCo grocery cart. No fancy twirly pasta, no Tillamook sharp or Trader Joe's goat milk cheddar. Blue collar ingredients all the way. I do replace some of the milk with coconut milk (not the coconut-ish drink product you pour on your cereal) and add green chiles (if I'm ambitious I roast a couple of Anaheim or pasilla chiles myself; it's easiest to just open up a can of Ortega chiles. I have to credit Tim with this addition to the recipe).
So here's the recipe:
1 lb elbow macaroni
1/2 stick butter (4 oz)
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk (this is a good time to use old milk that's a day or two past its date)
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 bay leaves
8 oz medium cheddar cheese (or goat milk cheddar)
8 oz colby jack cheese (or gruyere)
4 oz parmesan, romano, or asiago cheese
1/4 - 1/2 cup diced green chiles
4-5 dashes Tapatio or Tabasco sauce
Boil the pasta in generously salted water (this is the only salt you'll use so don't be stingy). If you are planning to serve this dish right away, boil until al dente (but not a second more--the pasta will continue to soften a little in the warm cheese sauce). If you are cooking now to reheat later, take the pasta out of the water one minute before al dente, otherwise you'll end up with mushy macaroni.
Grate the cheese in your food processor (do NOT use pre-grated cheese--it's coated to keep it from clumping and will not make your cheese sauce happy).
In a large saucepan, melt butter over med-high heat. Whisk the flour in quickly to avoid lumps. Reduce heat and cook two minutes, whisking constantly. Continuing to whisk, slowly add milk, then pepper and bay leaves.
Cook, whisking, until mixture is thick as heavy cream (this doesn't take long). Remove from heat and fish out bay leaves. Gradually add cheese and stir to melt. Add a few dashes of Tapatio or Tabasco and the green chiles.
Stir in pasta.
Because I'm making this for lunches, I portion it into vacuum-seal bags and freeze. 1 1/2 cups makes a hearty serving. The packets I stashed in Catherine's dormroom freezer were smaller 1-cup portions, something to get her through a midnight study session. Whatever size portion, before I pop them in the freezer I press my finger along the center of the packet to create an open space. This makes it easier to reheat, since microwaves work better when there isn't a solid center.
Honestly, the amount of time it will take you to cook the macaroni and cheese is less than the minutes it took you to read this post. The dish is so easy your kids can help, and by the time they're old enough to whisk butter and flour together you can go watch an episode of Chopped and show up when the plates go on the table. Bon appetit!
This is another recipe grace of the angels of the LA Times kitchen. I first learned to cook with those blue boxes of atomic Kraft Mac 'n Cheese. Apparently the daughter of the Times writer learned the wholesome way on this recipe which, as it turns out, is almost as easy. And oh, so so delicious.
So here's the recipe:
1 lb elbow macaroni
1/2 stick butter (4 oz)
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk (this is a good time to use old milk that's a day or two past its date)
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 bay leaves
8 oz medium cheddar cheese (or goat milk cheddar)
8 oz colby jack cheese (or gruyere)
4 oz parmesan, romano, or asiago cheese
1/4 - 1/2 cup diced green chiles
4-5 dashes Tapatio or Tabasco sauce
Boil the pasta in generously salted water (this is the only salt you'll use so don't be stingy). If you are planning to serve this dish right away, boil until al dente (but not a second more--the pasta will continue to soften a little in the warm cheese sauce). If you are cooking now to reheat later, take the pasta out of the water one minute before al dente, otherwise you'll end up with mushy macaroni.
Grate the cheese in your food processor (do NOT use pre-grated cheese--it's coated to keep it from clumping and will not make your cheese sauce happy).
Cook, whisking, until mixture is thick as heavy cream (this doesn't take long). Remove from heat and fish out bay leaves. Gradually add cheese and stir to melt. Add a few dashes of Tapatio or Tabasco and the green chiles.
Stir in pasta.
Because I'm making this for lunches, I portion it into vacuum-seal bags and freeze. 1 1/2 cups makes a hearty serving. The packets I stashed in Catherine's dormroom freezer were smaller 1-cup portions, something to get her through a midnight study session. Whatever size portion, before I pop them in the freezer I press my finger along the center of the packet to create an open space. This makes it easier to reheat, since microwaves work better when there isn't a solid center.
Honestly, the amount of time it will take you to cook the macaroni and cheese is less than the minutes it took you to read this post. The dish is so easy your kids can help, and by the time they're old enough to whisk butter and flour together you can go watch an episode of Chopped and show up when the plates go on the table. Bon appetit!
Sunday, January 28, 2018
Oat Bran Muffins
Every time I stay at my mom's she sends me home with a bag of these muffins. They're good Mom Food--tasty, nutritious, and unfussy. They're light but stick to your ribs, with no flour (naturally gluten-free, and--for those like me avoiding simple carbs--low on the glycemic index) so I started making them myself for the in-between-visits times.
Mom pulled the recipe off the back of the Quaker Oats oat bran box. Their bran is more finely milled than most, and when I tried making it with another brand it sat heavy in the muffin tin. So I put my bran in my food processor and milled it finer, and the recipe worked again. Then, I tried simply letting the batter sit in the mixing bowl a bit before portioning into muffin pans, and that worked just as well--the liquid had a little more time to soak into the bran, so it didn't matter whether it was as finely milled.
Oven 365.
2 cups oat bran
2 tsps baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup mashed banana (when a banana gets a little brown I toss it in the freezer. It thaws quickly into the perfect consistency for cooking)
1/2 cup orange juice
2 Tbls oil
1/4 cup honey (I smear the oil residue left in the measuring spoon into the 1/4 cup measure, then pour the honey in--it'll slide right out into the batter)
Add-ins: raisins, mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dried cranberries (about 1/2 cup altogether, although I tend to overadd and never regret it)
Mix the bran, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, banana, orange juice, honey, and oil. Mix until incorporated, but don't overdo it. Even though you aren't worrying about developing gluten, you don't want to beat out the air bubbles you just mixed in with your liquids. Toss in whatever combo of add-ins and stir just enough to distribute.
Spoon into muffin tins or silicone cups. I use a silicone muffin pan that's a little wider and shallower than my metal tin and fill them pretty much to the top. These muffins have a nice light fine-crumb texture, but they aren't going to raise up fluffy with that traditional muffin top since there isn't any refined flour in them.
Bake at for about 15 minutes or so (it really depends on what kind of pan, size, etc.). Keep an eye on them, and when they're golden, test with a toothpick or cake tester. Remove from oven and turn out onto a cooling rack.
Store in a ziplock bag in the fridge. Heat your muffin in the microwave for about 20 seconds for a fresh tasty breakfast or snack anytime during the day!
Every time I stay at my mom's she sends me home with a bag of these muffins. They're good Mom Food--tasty, nutritious, and unfussy. They're light but stick to your ribs, with no flour (naturally gluten-free, and--for those like me avoiding simple carbs--low on the glycemic index) so I started making them myself for the in-between-visits times.
Mom pulled the recipe off the back of the Quaker Oats oat bran box. Their bran is more finely milled than most, and when I tried making it with another brand it sat heavy in the muffin tin. So I put my bran in my food processor and milled it finer, and the recipe worked again. Then, I tried simply letting the batter sit in the mixing bowl a bit before portioning into muffin pans, and that worked just as well--the liquid had a little more time to soak into the bran, so it didn't matter whether it was as finely milled.
Oven 365.
2 cups oat bran
2 tsps baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup mashed banana (when a banana gets a little brown I toss it in the freezer. It thaws quickly into the perfect consistency for cooking)
1/2 cup orange juice
2 Tbls oil
1/4 cup honey (I smear the oil residue left in the measuring spoon into the 1/4 cup measure, then pour the honey in--it'll slide right out into the batter)
Add-ins: raisins, mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dried cranberries (about 1/2 cup altogether, although I tend to overadd and never regret it)
Mix the bran, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, banana, orange juice, honey, and oil. Mix until incorporated, but don't overdo it. Even though you aren't worrying about developing gluten, you don't want to beat out the air bubbles you just mixed in with your liquids. Toss in whatever combo of add-ins and stir just enough to distribute.
Spoon into muffin tins or silicone cups. I use a silicone muffin pan that's a little wider and shallower than my metal tin and fill them pretty much to the top. These muffins have a nice light fine-crumb texture, but they aren't going to raise up fluffy with that traditional muffin top since there isn't any refined flour in them.
Bake at for about 15 minutes or so (it really depends on what kind of pan, size, etc.). Keep an eye on them, and when they're golden, test with a toothpick or cake tester. Remove from oven and turn out onto a cooling rack.
Store in a ziplock bag in the fridge. Heat your muffin in the microwave for about 20 seconds for a fresh tasty breakfast or snack anytime during the day!
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