Here's a thought -- get some molds for making homemade ice cream, or frozen juice treats. I got mine from Ikea, but I've seen them at other stores, too. I just puree the desired ingredients together, freeze for a few hours, and run hot water over the molds to get them to unstick. They come with their own handy plastic handle.
You can freeze any one of the following, or make up your own recipe:
- any fruit juice, plain, or blended with other fruits. For example, one whole banana pureed with pomegranate juice.
- pureed plain fruit, such as strawberries or raspberries. (this would be good if you brought home a large amount of fruit on sale and needed to put it up fast for later use)
- milk with cocoa powder and a banana
- milk with a banana, and a spoonful of maple syrup and a dash of vanilla (DECADENT)
- peaches and cream
- steamed winter squash with a splash of cream and maple syrup and a dash of nutmeg (pumpkin pie-like treat)
You could even get exotic with ingredients like rose water or cinnamon or nuts.
Have fun! I am.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Humor (kinda food related)
In the beginning, was the Cola, made from sugar, water, and cocaine. And the Lord God saw that it was good, and said, let ye sip this for hangovers.
And then, the Federal Government said, ye should no longer partake of cocaine; this drink is illegal. And their was a wailing and gnashing of teeth, and much headachiness upon the land.
But then the scientists discovered caffeine, from the lowly coffee plant.
The Lord God said, let ye use this instead of cocaine.
and the headaches vanished, and all were happy again.
And THEN, the people became accustomed to their caffeine; they began to ask for more. And with more sugar, too. and a little different flavoring. And thus was the begetting of the Great Rift: Pepsi versus Coke.
And the people and their God were pleased; and the workers were ever more able to wakefully complete their daily tasks.
But then, the people became used to the amount of caffeine in these popular, sugary, fizzy drinks. And too, the Corporations invented: The Night Shift.
and lo, The Night Shift was long, and it was dark, and it was Sleepy. And the people prayed for More.
And then was invented: Mountain Dew. More caffeine, more sugar, more MORE!
But still, The Night Shift did not bubble and fizz.
And So Mountain Dew begat the Energy Drinks: More Caffeine, More sugar as High Fructose Corn Syrup, and other stimulants added to make The Night Shift bubble and fizz.
Guarana! Ginseng (both Panax and Eleuthero)! EPHEDRA!
And lo, The Night Shift both bubbled AND fizzed!
And then those drinks with Ephedra, led to heart palpitations, and bubbling and fizzing was perhaps a bit much.
And so the so, the Federal Government said: drink not of the Ephedra, for it is harmful.
And there was some gnashing of teeth, for Ephedra was said to help with weight as well. But not too much gnashing.
For still The People, including The Night Shift, had caffeine, HFCS, guarana, ginsengs, and other herbs to drink. Some fortified with B vitamins!
To partially replace the vitamins stripped away from the corn to make sugar.
And hosanna, all did bubble and fizz. Pass the Pizza and Ho-Ho's. Amen.
And then, the Federal Government said, ye should no longer partake of cocaine; this drink is illegal. And their was a wailing and gnashing of teeth, and much headachiness upon the land.
But then the scientists discovered caffeine, from the lowly coffee plant.
The Lord God said, let ye use this instead of cocaine.
and the headaches vanished, and all were happy again.
And THEN, the people became accustomed to their caffeine; they began to ask for more. And with more sugar, too. and a little different flavoring. And thus was the begetting of the Great Rift: Pepsi versus Coke.
And the people and their God were pleased; and the workers were ever more able to wakefully complete their daily tasks.
But then, the people became used to the amount of caffeine in these popular, sugary, fizzy drinks. And too, the Corporations invented: The Night Shift.
and lo, The Night Shift was long, and it was dark, and it was Sleepy. And the people prayed for More.
And then was invented: Mountain Dew. More caffeine, more sugar, more MORE!
But still, The Night Shift did not bubble and fizz.
And So Mountain Dew begat the Energy Drinks: More Caffeine, More sugar as High Fructose Corn Syrup, and other stimulants added to make The Night Shift bubble and fizz.
Guarana! Ginseng (both Panax and Eleuthero)! EPHEDRA!
And lo, The Night Shift both bubbled AND fizzed!
And then those drinks with Ephedra, led to heart palpitations, and bubbling and fizzing was perhaps a bit much.
And so the so, the Federal Government said: drink not of the Ephedra, for it is harmful.
And there was some gnashing of teeth, for Ephedra was said to help with weight as well. But not too much gnashing.
For still The People, including The Night Shift, had caffeine, HFCS, guarana, ginsengs, and other herbs to drink. Some fortified with B vitamins!
To partially replace the vitamins stripped away from the corn to make sugar.
And hosanna, all did bubble and fizz. Pass the Pizza and Ho-Ho's. Amen.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Vegetarian Crock Pot Chili
Yesterday, it was time to cook something ... I was going to be out to class last night, had plenty to do, not much time. But enough to start up the crockpot around 2 or so, just enough time for chili around 5!
Got out the crockpot, added a spoonful of butter, 2 heaping spoonfuls of chili powder, and a smaller spoonful of cumin seeds. Also about 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne. Turned on the pot to let the butter melt and the spices warm up a bit.
Found in the refrigerator: The last of a bunch of celery, plus an onion. I diced these up and set aside. When the butter and spices were melted and mixed a bit (about 15 minutes), I added the diced veggies. Let it all brew for about 30 minutes. I stirred it a couple of times.
Found in the cupboard: 3 cans (16 oz size) of various kinds of beans: kidney, pinto, and garbanzo. Opened them up, and gave them all a very good rinse in a colander. Added them to the crockpot. 2 cans (same size) of tomato (I think one was diced and one was crushed). Added to crockpot. Rinsed out the tomato cans with a little bit of water (no more than a 1/2 cup total). Added that water to the crockpot.
This is the very basic recipe, but it's decent enough, and feeds two people dinner for about 3 days. It's good on toast with melted cheese on top.
Do you see how you could add things to this, if you have them around? Mushrooms? Ground turkey or beef? Minced garlic? Red, yellow, green peppers? A jalepeno pepper (carefully deseeded and minced)? Zucchini? Etc? Hmmmmmm? Have fun!
Got out the crockpot, added a spoonful of butter, 2 heaping spoonfuls of chili powder, and a smaller spoonful of cumin seeds. Also about 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne. Turned on the pot to let the butter melt and the spices warm up a bit.
Found in the refrigerator: The last of a bunch of celery, plus an onion. I diced these up and set aside. When the butter and spices were melted and mixed a bit (about 15 minutes), I added the diced veggies. Let it all brew for about 30 minutes. I stirred it a couple of times.
Found in the cupboard: 3 cans (16 oz size) of various kinds of beans: kidney, pinto, and garbanzo. Opened them up, and gave them all a very good rinse in a colander. Added them to the crockpot. 2 cans (same size) of tomato (I think one was diced and one was crushed). Added to crockpot. Rinsed out the tomato cans with a little bit of water (no more than a 1/2 cup total). Added that water to the crockpot.
This is the very basic recipe, but it's decent enough, and feeds two people dinner for about 3 days. It's good on toast with melted cheese on top.
Do you see how you could add things to this, if you have them around? Mushrooms? Ground turkey or beef? Minced garlic? Red, yellow, green peppers? A jalepeno pepper (carefully deseeded and minced)? Zucchini? Etc? Hmmmmmm? Have fun!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Ginger syrup
Take the ginger, peel it (or just trim away the dried out parts). Using a sharp knife (the cook's favorite implement), slice the ginger thinly (1/8 inch is good, 1/4 inch is okay but a little thicker than ideal, and even less than 1/8 inch is best yet). Layer the slices in a clean container with one of the following between the layers:
- plain sugar (brown or white, either is okay)
- honey
- agave syrup
(Artificial sweeteners are not recommended)
Add some extra on top of the slices, too.
Let it sit for a day or so (you can put it in the fridge if you want, but you don't have to).
It's easiest to see with the sugar, because the ginger juice will liquify the sugar and turn it to ginger syrup! What can you use the syrup for?
- add a spoonful to hot water with some lemon juice for an instant hot beverage! Also good iced.
- add it to pie filling -- especially good with cherries!
- add a spoonful to a smoothy.
It may be strong, depending on the quality and freshness of your ginger, and the exact ratio of sugar to ginger root. PLUS! you can fish out the ginger slices for use in baking, or to add to tea or even just nibble on straight. Again, it may be more spicy that what you are used to, so you may want to taste it first before use to estimate how much to use.
- plain sugar (brown or white, either is okay)
- honey
- agave syrup
(Artificial sweeteners are not recommended)
Add some extra on top of the slices, too.
Let it sit for a day or so (you can put it in the fridge if you want, but you don't have to).
It's easiest to see with the sugar, because the ginger juice will liquify the sugar and turn it to ginger syrup! What can you use the syrup for?
- add a spoonful to hot water with some lemon juice for an instant hot beverage! Also good iced.
- add it to pie filling -- especially good with cherries!
- add a spoonful to a smoothy.
It may be strong, depending on the quality and freshness of your ginger, and the exact ratio of sugar to ginger root. PLUS! you can fish out the ginger slices for use in baking, or to add to tea or even just nibble on straight. Again, it may be more spicy that what you are used to, so you may want to taste it first before use to estimate how much to use.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Two new things
1. I was talking to a woman yesterday as we were oohing and aaahing over the price of organic broccoli in the store (99 cents a pound), and she said she likes to roast it. My sister also says that roasting is her "go-to" prep method for veggies, so I thought, what the heck. I cut up the broccoli into florets, tossed them with a small spoonful of olive oil, and put them on a pan in the oven at 350. I shook/turned them a couple of times, but they were done in less than 15 minutes. Took them out and tossed them with a pinch of salt. YUMMY!
2. I saved the broccoli stems and put them through my juicer, along with some celery, carrots, and part of a cuke. I had been feeling kinda punk, and this juice perked me right up, and also ... YUMMY! or am I just a wierdo? whatever, I thought it was yummy!
TTFN!
2. I saved the broccoli stems and put them through my juicer, along with some celery, carrots, and part of a cuke. I had been feeling kinda punk, and this juice perked me right up, and also ... YUMMY! or am I just a wierdo? whatever, I thought it was yummy!
TTFN!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
This works as a vegetarian main course
Don't know what you'd call this .... polenta-dilla? It's polenta, refried beans, salsa, and cheese layered in a pie pan. You could use a 9x9 square dish if you prefer.
First, the polenta layer -- Bring 3 cups water to a boil, add 1 teaspoon each salt and olive oil. Slowly add, while stirring, 1 cup dry polenta. Turn down heat to a simmer, and stir continuously for 10-15 minutes. It's a surprisingly long time. Better have some music on to keep you company. stir stir stir. don't stop! I use a wire whisk, but you could use a spoon.
The polenta will be fairly thick -- pour it into an oiled pan (pie or square), spread it out evenly and smooth the top. Pop it into a 350 oven for 15 minutes.
Next is the refried beans. Now, I prefer the low fat, or fat-free, but you could use the fully loaded ones. I put a full 15 or 16 oz can into a cuisinart and add about 2 to 4 tablespoons of water -- just enough to allow me to make it into a slightly thinner puree in the cuisinart. This helps me to spread it on top of the polenta. At the end of 15 minutes, pull out the polenta, and carefully pour the beans on top, and spread them out as evenly as possible without terrifically disturbing the polenta. Put this back in the oven for another 15 minutes.
Finally, take it out, and pour about 1/2 cup of salsa over the top, spread it around so it's more or less even, and top with grated cheese more-or-less evenly over the top. Put this all back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes, till the cheese melts.
Take it out, and do your best to cut it up -- it's still pretty mushy, but it's very tasty! You can top with any of the following: sour cream (or plain yogurt), cut up scallions, cilantro, parsley, minced onion, or whatever you want.
Serve with steamed veggies - I did broccoli last night. Yum!
First, the polenta layer -- Bring 3 cups water to a boil, add 1 teaspoon each salt and olive oil. Slowly add, while stirring, 1 cup dry polenta. Turn down heat to a simmer, and stir continuously for 10-15 minutes. It's a surprisingly long time. Better have some music on to keep you company. stir stir stir. don't stop! I use a wire whisk, but you could use a spoon.
The polenta will be fairly thick -- pour it into an oiled pan (pie or square), spread it out evenly and smooth the top. Pop it into a 350 oven for 15 minutes.
Next is the refried beans. Now, I prefer the low fat, or fat-free, but you could use the fully loaded ones. I put a full 15 or 16 oz can into a cuisinart and add about 2 to 4 tablespoons of water -- just enough to allow me to make it into a slightly thinner puree in the cuisinart. This helps me to spread it on top of the polenta. At the end of 15 minutes, pull out the polenta, and carefully pour the beans on top, and spread them out as evenly as possible without terrifically disturbing the polenta. Put this back in the oven for another 15 minutes.
Finally, take it out, and pour about 1/2 cup of salsa over the top, spread it around so it's more or less even, and top with grated cheese more-or-less evenly over the top. Put this all back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes, till the cheese melts.
Take it out, and do your best to cut it up -- it's still pretty mushy, but it's very tasty! You can top with any of the following: sour cream (or plain yogurt), cut up scallions, cilantro, parsley, minced onion, or whatever you want.
Serve with steamed veggies - I did broccoli last night. Yum!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Different cooking styles
Just so you know, most recipes for stews can be made either in a crock pot, cassarole dish, or large pot. You can even use a large frying pan. The effects will vary, and each method has pros and cons.
Crock pots are easy to use -- you need to have plenty of time (3-6 hours) to let things simmer, but once it's set up to go, you can pretty much leave it alone all day (although occasional stirring will help prevent stuff from sticking, but it's not strictly necessary). You can get an inexpensive crock pot if you just want to experiment with it, but the more expensive models have all kinds of bells and whistles - timers, several different temperatures, etc. To my experience, crock pots start at around 40 or 50 dollars.
A large cassarole dish should probably be lightly coated w/ oil before adding ingredients, and you'll want to make sure things are spread around evenly (more or less). A large cassarole dish with a lid might start at around 10 bucks, although those fancy ones can easily run a lot more (think 80-90 dollars). Things cook a lot faster in a large cassarole dish, and you can just leave it in the oven. If you wanted to go to an event of some sort and needed to just leave it to bake for a couple of hours, you can bake on a lower heat (around 300), but normally, I bake cassaroles at 350 and it takes about an hour.
A large cooking pot that stands about 9 inches tall and 9 to 10 inches in diameter, cooks on the stovetop, and comparatively fast (typically about 30-40 minutes). You should definitely start with some oil (or butter, yum!) in the bottom to prevent sticking and scorching. And you should pay closer attention with a stew made in a pot, than in the crock pot or cassarole - stirring to keep the bottom from scorching, unless there is a fair amount of fluid in there. You add ingredients according to how fast they cook, and you can sautee ingredients first (this is nice to help open up the flavor of spices, or to take the sharp flavor out of onions or garlic). Then add the rest of the ingredients: Meats generally need longest, then root veggies, then any other softer ingredients. A large cooking pot with a lid, like this will probably start at around 10 dollars, too.
And if you want to get even fancier, you can cook some ingredients separately, in a second pot, and add them to the stew just before serving. If you would like things to have more individual flavors, anyway. It's up to you! I'm just the messenger, here. Enjoy!
Crock pots are easy to use -- you need to have plenty of time (3-6 hours) to let things simmer, but once it's set up to go, you can pretty much leave it alone all day (although occasional stirring will help prevent stuff from sticking, but it's not strictly necessary). You can get an inexpensive crock pot if you just want to experiment with it, but the more expensive models have all kinds of bells and whistles - timers, several different temperatures, etc. To my experience, crock pots start at around 40 or 50 dollars.
A large cassarole dish should probably be lightly coated w/ oil before adding ingredients, and you'll want to make sure things are spread around evenly (more or less). A large cassarole dish with a lid might start at around 10 bucks, although those fancy ones can easily run a lot more (think 80-90 dollars). Things cook a lot faster in a large cassarole dish, and you can just leave it in the oven. If you wanted to go to an event of some sort and needed to just leave it to bake for a couple of hours, you can bake on a lower heat (around 300), but normally, I bake cassaroles at 350 and it takes about an hour.
A large cooking pot that stands about 9 inches tall and 9 to 10 inches in diameter, cooks on the stovetop, and comparatively fast (typically about 30-40 minutes). You should definitely start with some oil (or butter, yum!) in the bottom to prevent sticking and scorching. And you should pay closer attention with a stew made in a pot, than in the crock pot or cassarole - stirring to keep the bottom from scorching, unless there is a fair amount of fluid in there. You add ingredients according to how fast they cook, and you can sautee ingredients first (this is nice to help open up the flavor of spices, or to take the sharp flavor out of onions or garlic). Then add the rest of the ingredients: Meats generally need longest, then root veggies, then any other softer ingredients. A large cooking pot with a lid, like this will probably start at around 10 dollars, too.
And if you want to get even fancier, you can cook some ingredients separately, in a second pot, and add them to the stew just before serving. If you would like things to have more individual flavors, anyway. It's up to you! I'm just the messenger, here. Enjoy!
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