Weekend Recipe Roundup

Here are a few interesting recipes from the previous week's readings:

-Herb Baked Eggs from Columbus Foodie
-Strawberry Whipped Sensation from Kraft Foods
-Broccoli Pesto Fusilli Pasta from 101 Cookbooks

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Mango Teriyaki Sauce

This sauce was originally intended as a marinade for tofu steaks but I think it is great as a stir fry sauce. Of course you can use it for its intended purpose and meat eaters would probably love it on grilled chicken. I have made one or two modifications for my personal preference. It is great as is but I like a little more bite and/ or heat in my sauces.

2 ripe mangos peeled pitted and coarsely chopped
2 tsp grated ginger
6 Tbs mirin (rice wine)
4 Tbs soy sauce
4 Tbs sake
2 Tbs water
2 Tbs sugar (substitute honey for a more complex flavor)
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional for some heat)

-puree mango and ginger until smooth
-whisk mirin, soy sauce, sake sugar (or honey) 2 Tbs water, red pepper (if you are using it) and mango mixture in a saucepan.
-stir constantly over a low heat until it comes to a simmer then remove from heat and use it as a glaze, marinade, stir fry sauce, or whatever.

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Mission 1: Get New Gear

The first thing that I am realizing is that I need new gear. I am realizing that the chef's knife I got with my 15$ knife set probably is not going to cut the mustard. I figure that I should probably spend at least double for the chef's knife alone as I paid for a set of fifteen knives with a block. The problem is there are so many different knives of different materials and qualities and prices that it gets daunting. I guess one of the main factors that I need to keep in mind is that I won't be using it 5-7 days a week for 8-10 hours a day. I don't need the absolute top of the line $250 dollar knife. I just need a good, solid, 10 inch knife with a decent grip and a steel to sharpen it on occasionally. What I want to find also is a high carbon no steel blade so that it is easier to sharpen and less resistant to corrosion.
I am interested in ceramic knives too. On the upside they do stay sharper 10x longer than steel knives but they can shatter or chip if dropped. What I do like is that the ceramic knives are priced more within my spending range. I guess I just need to hit up Sur La Table and hold a few to get a good feel. I do know this now, no serrated edges on my chef's knife.

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A New Mission

Since I have recently begun my foray into cooking (in the past year or so) I have really been enjoying it (for the most part). I am getting to that point where I want to be better at it. I always admire those people who can just whip crap up at the spur of the moment. While I realize that this does come from a lot of practice and a lot of failures and building up their knowledge base I believe that it also comes from a knowledge and understanding of the basics.
That I really don't have.
Everything I am going on now I picked up from books or from that 1/2 semester of cooking we did in Home Ec back in 8th grade (which I managed to remember a surprisingly large amount from that). What I did not get was any sort of "home" learning. Growing up my cooking consisted of microwaving something from the freezer or opening a can of soup. My parents weren't much better. It seemed like they had a repertoire of about 10-15 recipes that really didn't get rotated all that much (In fact my brother can still recite the rotation of dinners that we grew up with. About all I can remember was that Monday was spaghetti, Tuesday was either city chicken or Beef-A-Roni, and Sunday was leftover day.) I guess that would explain my current need for variety in my dinners. Don't get me wrong, I can eat macaroni and cheese everyday for a week for lunch and be fine but I do enjoy some variety in dinner.
In order to help with my goal of becoming a better cook I got a book that describes and walks me through all the steps of classical French cooking (who better to learn the basics from, right? Besides you can't effectively break the rules without knowing them first). Hopefully working through these "lessons" will improve my confidence and my skills in the kitchen.

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PSA

I have a brief PSA to make. Due to one of my employee's parents finding out that she used the F bomb on her facebook page she now has to apologize to everyone on the Intenet (yes, her father actually told her that she must apologize to everyone on the Internet) so I am helping to spread the word that Laurel is sorry for using the F bomb.
Thank you and back to your regularly scheduled program.

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Things That Make You Go Hmmmm

This Saturday my nieces are performing this weekend at Asian Fest (they are taking Tae Kwon Do and the class is doing a demo) and I was on the website when I happened to notice a link for math help. That's right, a link for math help on an Asian Festival website. . .
Does anyone else find this really funny?

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The Power of Oregano

I just found out that oregano has more antioxidant punch than most fruits and veggies and even garlic. Antioxidants fight free radicals which are directly related to age related diseases. Antioxidants also help fight heart disease and stroke. One of the ways that I found to add more oregano into my diet is a simple one. The Vegetarian Times recommends adding fresh oregano to salad mix. I did that last night and it does add a nice flavor combined with spinach, fresh baby greens, and iceberg lettuce (what can I say? I love the crunch) or I found a yummy marinated bean salad that I can't wait to try too.

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Dilled Potato Frittata

I made the dilled potato frittata last night and it was good, it just need a little something more. I think the next time I make it I will double the dill and add some feta cheese for a little bit more of a bit to it.
Ingredients:
1 lb russet potatoes (sliced)
3 TBS cider vinegar
3 TBS olive oil (divided)
2 TBS dried dill
4 clove garlic minced (divided)
1 TBS dijon mustard
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup chives (chopped)
1 small tomato diced
3 large eggs beaten\
3/4 cup plain yogurt (I used fat free)
2 Tbs Parmesan cheese

Directions
-Whisk vinegar, 2 TBS olive oil, 1 TBS dill, 3 tsp garlic, mustard, pepper, and salt
-boil potatoes in a large pot for about five minutes (or until tender)then toss in with the dill mixture
-Preheat oven to broil and saute tomato and chives for about 4 minutes in an ovenproof skillet then transfer to a bowl and fold in eggs
-Add dill and potato mixture to skillet (the same one you just sauteed all the other stuff in) and spread along the bottom. Cook covered over medium heat about 5 minutes until a crust forms on the bottom of the skillet.
-Pour egg mixture over the top and cook until eggs set (about four minutes)
-Top with the Parmesan cheese and cook in oven about 2-3 minutes.
-Cut in slices and serve with dill yogurt sauce

Dill yogurt sauce
mix 3/4 cup yogurt with remaining garlic and dill.

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Bye Bye Urban Outfitters

Damn it! Now I can't shop at Urban Outfitters anymore. Not that I really did in the first place but you can find some cool shit on sale there. Why can't I shop there you may ask? It is because Richard Hayne (the owner and mega rich guy) donates money (and lots of it) to the likes of Rick Santorum. Basically he is presenting this cool, hip, left wing, anti-corporate mission and then handing all the money he is raking in right to W.
Crap!

Thanks Towleroad for the heads up.

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Garden Time

I love spring because that means it is garden time and I finally have the space to go all out with my garden (and I am). I have my tomato seedlings started and I'm just waiting for the weather to warm up before putting them in the ground. I do also have a few window boxes of herbs planted. Does anyone have any idea what to do with pineapple sage? I was thinking maybe grill some peaches and do a dressing of balsamic vinegar and pineapple sage? I think it would also do well as a flavoring for cocktails.

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Another Cat Video

Okay, I had to take another video of the cat drinking with his paw. . .this time with the camera the right way. Sorry to bore you with this but I think he is absolutely adorable.

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WTF?!?

GET MORE AT ManBabies.com!

Again, I feel the need for an interrobang to fully illustrate the WTF-ness of this post. This site is the most disturbing (non-porn) site I've seen in awhile. It is like a train wreck that you just have to keep staring at it because you are so baffled, bewildered, and befuddled. Thanks to Knee Deep in the Mud for horrifying me with ManBabies

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Get Your Own Damn Water

Yes, I know. . .another post about the cat. He is so damn cute I can't help it though. Here he is being "sneaky" getting some water out of my cup.

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Economically Stimulated

Well, I went out today and spent part of economic stimulus package. I finally signed up to take ashtanga yoga with a friend from work. There is a great yoga studio (Yoga on High) right down the road from me so it should be fun. Although they did give us a posing guide of what we'll be working on in the class and O-M-G I don't know how my body will ever move like that!

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Awkward!

I was feeling restless today on my day off and didn't feel like hopping in the car to go anywhere and I had no errands to run so I decided to walk down to Starbucks and grab a cup of coffee and listen to some music. After getting my coffee I go to the condiment bar and begin the precise chemical formulation to make my coffee the way I like it. In the process a thirty something, not unattractive but somewhat socially awkward guy comes up to me
Him: Hey there
Me: uh, hi
Him: How are you
Me: fine (and still concentrating on getting the correct ratio of cream to sugar to coffee)
Him: So, what are you up to
Me: uh, getting coffee (as if it weren't obvious)

At this point I should mention that if you don't know me you probably don't realize that I am not exactly the friendliest person you will meet and I don't do well when strangers talk to me. I can only imagine the look on my face as I replied to this guy who was severely interrupting my "me" time.

Him: So. . .
Me: (nothing, just fixing my coffee up)
Him: I'm guessing you aren't Steve then?
Me: no, sorry

At that point my coffee is the perfect light tan color and the sugar content is just right so I leave in a rush thinking to myself "awkward,".
I really hope Steve is a lot nicer of a person than I am otherwise that poor guy is going to have some confidence issues. . .

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Easy Veggie Lasgna

I had no idea there was such a thing as no boil lasagna noodles. I'll tell you what it makes lasagna so much easier to make!

Ingredients:
8oz pack no boil lasagna noodles
15 oz low fat ricotta cheese
8oz low fat mozzarella cheese
3 cups(ish) chopped mixed veggies (I used cauliflower, broccoli, and asparagus)
28 oz jar pasta sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Lightly steam or blanch the veggies
Combine ricotta cheese with 1/4 cup water and mix well
In a 9x13 baking pan cover the bottom with a thin layer of pasta sauce then noodles. On top of noodles add another layer of sauce, 1/3 ricotta cheese, 1/3 veggies, 1/3 mozzarella cheese. Repeat 2 more times then top off the whole thing with sauce and some more mozzarella cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes (I bake it uncovered because I like a crunchy crust on top).
It is surprisingly tasty and so freaking easy.

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MMMM. . . Strawberries

Yesterday I made the yummiest desert. I found strawberries at the market and got some shortbread. This is so easy and so good:
Ingredients:
2 pounds strawberries
2 Tbs sugar
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
10 basil leaves
whipped cream
shortbread

Directions:
combine strawberries, sugar, and vinegar in a bowl and toss to coat. Let the strawberries sit for 30 minutes (no more than 90 minutes though) then pop on top of the shortbread. Top with whipped cream and cut strips of basil leaves. Trust me, the basil adds great flavor.

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Who Knew?

You know the Bible 72%!

 

Wow! You are truly a student of the Bible! Some of the questions were difficult, but they didn't slow you down! You know the books, the characters, the events . . . Very impressive!

Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes

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