I'd write more often if I remembered to photograph...

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.

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.