My brother-in-law turned me on to a cooking podcast: The Splendid Table (the show for people who love to eat!).
Do you remember Delicious Dish from Saturday Night Live in the '90s (good times)? Teri & Margaret-Jo are the hyperbole of NPR hosts. The Splendid Table's host Lynne reminds me of them....but in a good way! She cracks herself up with food witticisms and humor....I love it!
She has an incredible breadth and depth of any cuisine that comes her way. So much so that she can troubleshoot a caller's lumpy claflouti batter or how best to showcase a smoked duck.
Sadistically, I love to listen to this podcast while I run. I have an hour to think about new ideas and it really gets my brain going. I've been playing catch up with the podcasts and am up to August 2010. Another 5 months worth to go. Yay!
Showing posts with label blog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blog. Show all posts
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Lenten Vegan
Dr. Uncle Mike is as talented with a chef's knife as he is with words. He's combining those gifts and is blogging about being vegan* for his Lenten Sacrifice. Shame on me for not sharing this sooner! Please enjoy his recipes and commentary as much as I do:
* Being vegan? Going vegan? Keeping vegan? I don't know how the phrase goes....All I know is there be none of the meats or dairies!
Monday, January 17, 2011
New Food Show
I don't really watch reality shows. They usually end up annoying me after 5 minutes. But, Worst Cooks in America (on the Food Network) takes self-avowed bad cooks and puts them through a boot camp with two celebrity chefs - Robert Irvine & Anne Burrell. The last two contestants left will compete by serving a 4-course meal to harsh restaurant critics.
The trailer for the show looked like train wreck after train wreck in the contestants' kitchens. Schadenfreude* got the best of me and I tuned in. I'm glad I did! The chefs put these people through their paces with knife skills and complex dishes. These people could barely boil water in Episode One! Tonight they had to make a seared T-bone with a mushroom sauce, glazed carrots, and browned potatoes. As Chef Anne ripped some of the contestants apart, I began to wonder how I would do! Would my knife cuts be poo-poo'ed? Would the protein be too bland? Would my plate be too messy?
Even the "recruits" who were floundering still felt more confident in the kitchen. They were excited to take their new skills home to their families. I think that's the part that I like the most. Even the "worst cooks in America," with some practice and direction, can serve up some pretty impressive dishes!
* For a full explanation of Schadenfreude, please refer to Avenue Q.
The trailer for the show looked like train wreck after train wreck in the contestants' kitchens. Schadenfreude* got the best of me and I tuned in. I'm glad I did! The chefs put these people through their paces with knife skills and complex dishes. These people could barely boil water in Episode One! Tonight they had to make a seared T-bone with a mushroom sauce, glazed carrots, and browned potatoes. As Chef Anne ripped some of the contestants apart, I began to wonder how I would do! Would my knife cuts be poo-poo'ed? Would the protein be too bland? Would my plate be too messy?
Even the "recruits" who were floundering still felt more confident in the kitchen. They were excited to take their new skills home to their families. I think that's the part that I like the most. Even the "worst cooks in America," with some practice and direction, can serve up some pretty impressive dishes!
* For a full explanation of Schadenfreude, please refer to Avenue Q.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Cranberry Pork Roast
I came across a blog of a woman who made an ambitious New Year's resolution to use her slow cooker everyday for an entire year: A Year of Slow Cooking. Since we have an unnatural relationship with cranberries and a pork loin in the freezer, I thought this would be a good one to try.
I made my homemade cranberry sauce the night before (because canned cranberry sauce is just sacrilege). I also added one cup of mushrooms to the pot. The pork loin was amazingly tender, and the cranberry/onion, sweet/savory combination was fantastic! The blog-stress is completely right: you can experiment with the cut of meat. You can dress this dish up with some crusty bread or a green salad, and it's good enough for company!
Cranberry Pork Roast
from A Year of Slow Cooking
2-3 pounds beef or pork roast or stew chunks [Bonnie note: I used a pork loin]
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 c mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
16 oz can of cranberry sauce (or 2 cups homemade!)*
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Plop in the meat, and add the onion and soy sauce. Pour in the entire can of cranberry sauce over the top. Do not add water.
Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 5-6. If you are cooking on high, you may need to "help" the meat break apart by taking it out an hour or so before serving by cutting it into chunks, then returning to the sauce.
Serve with slotted spoon.
* I buy a metric ton of fresh cranberries during the holidays, and freeze them to use throughout the year....otherwise good luck finding fresh cranberries in May!
I made my homemade cranberry sauce the night before (because canned cranberry sauce is just sacrilege). I also added one cup of mushrooms to the pot. The pork loin was amazingly tender, and the cranberry/onion, sweet/savory combination was fantastic! The blog-stress is completely right: you can experiment with the cut of meat. You can dress this dish up with some crusty bread or a green salad, and it's good enough for company!
Cranberry Pork Roast
from A Year of Slow Cooking
2-3 pounds beef or pork roast or stew chunks [Bonnie note: I used a pork loin]
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 c mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
16 oz can of cranberry sauce (or 2 cups homemade!)*
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Plop in the meat, and add the onion and soy sauce. Pour in the entire can of cranberry sauce over the top. Do not add water.
Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 5-6. If you are cooking on high, you may need to "help" the meat break apart by taking it out an hour or so before serving by cutting it into chunks, then returning to the sauce.
Serve with slotted spoon.
* I buy a metric ton of fresh cranberries during the holidays, and freeze them to use throughout the year....otherwise good luck finding fresh cranberries in May!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
I Are Smart
It's been a long week (Wait....It's only Wednesday!...there's still 2 more days in the week?! Yipe!), and Cake Wrecks never fails is cheering me up. It's got the right balance of "I see where they were going with this" and "WTF!" I especially love the ill-planned, wording-butchered cakes. They make me smile.
These will not disappoint.
These will not disappoint.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Popovers from Heaven
On Wednesday, we're having our church small group over for dinner and the start of a new video series we'll be discussing. We're going to grill some burgers, and cook up some couscous. Then, I found this recipe for popovers on The Bitten Word and thought it would be a good addition to the meal. Instead of serving a brand new recipe to guests, I decided to try it out on my favorite guinea pigs.
OMG. Heaven's to Betsy. Sweet Jiminy Christmas. These suckers are good!!! I have an issue with kitchen equipment that is used for one purpose only. So, I do not own a popover pan. I have confirmed tonight that a muffin tin will work just fine.
I halved this recipe and still had enough batter for 16 popovers (using a 1/4-cup measure). The guys on Bitten Word showcased 2 different Martha Stewart popover recipes. I used some directions from each, and had great results.
Best Popovers Ever
Original Recipe From Martha Stewart's Twitter Feed
Place pan in oven. Heat to 425F .
Sift 2C flour + 2.5t salt
Heat 2C milk (for the sake of time, I microwaved the milk for 45 sec, stirred, then for 45 sec more)
Whisk 4 eggs slowly. Add in milk & flour
Spray hot pan with cooking spray. fill halfway up with batter. (a 1/4-cup measure seems to do the trick)
Bake 20min turn. Lower oven to 350F, and bake for 20 min.
Invert to remove.
OMG. Heaven's to Betsy. Sweet Jiminy Christmas. These suckers are good!!! I have an issue with kitchen equipment that is used for one purpose only. So, I do not own a popover pan. I have confirmed tonight that a muffin tin will work just fine.
I halved this recipe and still had enough batter for 16 popovers (using a 1/4-cup measure). The guys on Bitten Word showcased 2 different Martha Stewart popover recipes. I used some directions from each, and had great results.
Best Popovers Ever
Original Recipe From Martha Stewart's Twitter Feed
Place pan in oven. Heat to 425F .
Sift 2C flour + 2.5t salt
Heat 2C milk (for the sake of time, I microwaved the milk for 45 sec, stirred, then for 45 sec more)
Whisk 4 eggs slowly. Add in milk & flour
Spray hot pan with cooking spray. fill halfway up with batter. (a 1/4-cup measure seems to do the trick)
Bake 20min turn. Lower oven to 350F, and bake for 20 min.
Invert to remove.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Chicken Tortilla Extravaganza Soup
I haven't always been a fan of tortilla soups. This soup had such rave reviews and is such a departure from our usual entrees that I had to give it a shot. This recipe makes a pretty thick soup. Use more liquid if you desire a a thinner soup.
Yummy, onion-y, spicy goodness. Doesn't that make your mouth just water??
The final product.
Chicken Tortilla Soup Extravaganza
From: This Week for Dinner
Yield: 8 servings
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- olive oil
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 can corn
- 1 large chicken breast
- 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 lime (one extra for garnish)
- 1 handful cilantro, chopped
- 4-5 corn tortillas, cut into strips --> used half a tortilla per person
- 1 avocado, diced
- cayenne pepper --> used a 5 drops of cayenne pepper sauce
- chili powder --> 1/2 tsp
- cumin --> 1/2 tsp
- salt and pepper
- cheddar or jack cheese, shredded
- sour cream
Sautee onion in olive oil until soft, then add garlic, green onions, cayenne, chili powder, and cumin. Sautee until fragrant (a minute or two). Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Add tomatoes, corn, black beans.
Grill up chicken spiced with cayenne, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. (You can also pan-fry it, but it won’t add the smokiness that the bbq does).
--> I roasted the chicken breast with only salt & pepper on it.
Cut up or shred chicken and add it to the soup. Try the soup and add more seasonings according to taste, if needed. Add lime juice, cilantro, and avocado.
--> We aren't a "cilantro household." So, we omitted.
In large fry pan over medium-high heat, crisp up tortilla strips. Add salt. You may do this with oil or cooking spray. (For a shortcut, use tortilla chips instead).
--> You have to cut them really, really thin to get the same consistency as the restaurant strips.
--> I used cooking spray. Cooked 'em ~3min per side for a satisfying crispiness.
Serve soup garnished with cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, and a lime wedge.
Yummy, onion-y, spicy goodness. Doesn't that make your mouth just water??
The final product.
Chicken Tortilla Soup Extravaganza
From: This Week for Dinner
Yield: 8 servings
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- olive oil
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 can corn
- 1 large chicken breast
- 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 lime (one extra for garnish)
- 1 handful cilantro, chopped
- 4-5 corn tortillas, cut into strips --> used half a tortilla per person
- 1 avocado, diced
- cayenne pepper --> used a 5 drops of cayenne pepper sauce
- chili powder --> 1/2 tsp
- cumin --> 1/2 tsp
- salt and pepper
- cheddar or jack cheese, shredded
- sour cream
Sautee onion in olive oil until soft, then add garlic, green onions, cayenne, chili powder, and cumin. Sautee until fragrant (a minute or two). Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Add tomatoes, corn, black beans.
Grill up chicken spiced with cayenne, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. (You can also pan-fry it, but it won’t add the smokiness that the bbq does).
--> I roasted the chicken breast with only salt & pepper on it.
Cut up or shred chicken and add it to the soup. Try the soup and add more seasonings according to taste, if needed. Add lime juice, cilantro, and avocado.
--> We aren't a "cilantro household." So, we omitted.
In large fry pan over medium-high heat, crisp up tortilla strips. Add salt. You may do this with oil or cooking spray. (For a shortcut, use tortilla chips instead).
--> You have to cut them really, really thin to get the same consistency as the restaurant strips.
--> I used cooking spray. Cooked 'em ~3min per side for a satisfying crispiness.
Serve soup garnished with cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, and a lime wedge.
Curried Carrot Soup
I have made this soup several times now. It's quick. It's easy. It freezes well. You can put as much or as little heat as you want. I found it on Three Many Cooks. This soup is perfect for a cool (Florida?) day or as part of your brownbag lunch!
I used baby carrots. I wish I had bought regulation-sized carrots. Chopping up a pound of those little guys was a little tedious.
Curried Carrot Soup
From: Three Many Cooks
Yields 6 to 7 cups, serving 6 to 8
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, cut into large dice
1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tablespoons butter
1 large pinch sugar
3 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons curry paste
3 cups chicken broth
1 to 1 1/2 cups half and half or whole milk
Salt and ground black pepper
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large deep sauté pan until shimmering. Add carrots and then onions; saute, stirring very little at first and more frequently at the end, until carrots start to turn golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add butter, sugar, and garlic; continue to cook until all vegetables are a rich spotty caramel color, about 10 minutes longer. Add selected curry powder; continue to sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute longer.
Add broth; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce to low and simmer, partially covered, until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender; puree until very smooth, 30 seconds to a minute.
Return to sauté pan (or a soup pot if pan is too shallow for milk addition); add enough milk so that mixture is thin enough to be soup, yet thick enough to float optional garnish. Heat through, ladle into small bowls, garnish, and serve.
Nothing bad can come from this combination. Cook these guys until they're tender and brown.
I used baby carrots. I wish I had bought regulation-sized carrots. Chopping up a pound of those little guys was a little tedious.
The receipe calls for curry powder. I happen to have this green curry paste to use it up! Use as much as you dare!
After everything has simmered, and the mixture is blended in the food processor, it can be mistaken for baby food.
I package up the soup at this point. You can put those party cups to good use! 
Fill the bag with one serving. You can pull the bag out of the cup once it is frozen. Keep the soup-sicle in the freezer until ready to use. When the soup is thawed, you can add water to the consistency of your choice. Enjoy!
Curried Carrot Soup
From: Three Many Cooks
Yields 6 to 7 cups, serving 6 to 8
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, cut into large dice
1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tablespoons butter
1 large pinch sugar
3 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons curry paste
3 cups chicken broth
1 to 1 1/2 cups half and half or whole milk
Salt and ground black pepper
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large deep sauté pan until shimmering. Add carrots and then onions; saute, stirring very little at first and more frequently at the end, until carrots start to turn golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add butter, sugar, and garlic; continue to cook until all vegetables are a rich spotty caramel color, about 10 minutes longer. Add selected curry powder; continue to sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute longer.
Add broth; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce to low and simmer, partially covered, until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender; puree until very smooth, 30 seconds to a minute.
Return to sauté pan (or a soup pot if pan is too shallow for milk addition); add enough milk so that mixture is thin enough to be soup, yet thick enough to float optional garnish. Heat through, ladle into small bowls, garnish, and serve.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Recipe Reviews - The Bitten Word
This weekend Mike introduced me to a new food blog - The Bitten Word. They are two cute guys who review recipes from various food magazines. They started the blog two years ago as a way to keep track of their New year's resolution to make use of their food magazines.
I like that they don't always rave over every recipe they make. Could the Old Bay Sweet Potatoes match their favorite Fajita Sweet Potatoes? "Eh, not really." At least they're honest! To have a fighting chance, I always look for the reviews on recipes before I try them. I'll have to keep an eye on these guys for some variety in recipe sources!
I like that they don't always rave over every recipe they make. Could the Old Bay Sweet Potatoes match their favorite Fajita Sweet Potatoes? "Eh, not really." At least they're honest! To have a fighting chance, I always look for the reviews on recipes before I try them. I'll have to keep an eye on these guys for some variety in recipe sources!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Week 5 Menu
Sunday: Pumpkin Pancakes
Monday: Chicken Pot Pie (made ahead)
Tuesday: Quesadillas
Wednesday: Leftovers for Dad & Shelby; mom is out of town!
Thursday: Chicken Tortilla Soup Extravaganza (from This Week for Dinner!)
Friday: Whole, roasted chicken
Saturday: Out with friends
Monday: Chicken Pot Pie (made ahead)
Tuesday: Quesadillas
Wednesday: Leftovers for Dad & Shelby; mom is out of town!
Thursday: Chicken Tortilla Soup Extravaganza (from This Week for Dinner!)
Friday: Whole, roasted chicken
Saturday: Out with friends
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Post Modern Procrastination
I left work tonight really feeling like I accomplished something at work. I checked a bunch of items off my list. I creatd some new procedures for reconciling full-goods inventories. And, yes, "super-nerd" is, in fact, hyphenated.
And then I came home, and Scott pointed me to a new blog he's reading. Upon scanning the blog, I came across this post about procrastination.
Laziness in a white collar job has nothing to do with avoiding hard physical labor. “Who wants to help me move this box!” Instead, it has to do with avoiding difficult (and apparently risky) intellectual labor.
"Honey, how was your day?"
"Oh, I was busy, incredibly busy."
"I get that you were busy. But did you do anything important?"
Busy does not equal important. Measured doesn't mean mattered.
While it was funny, it kinda deflated my proud-of-myself bubble! Then I remembered an older supervisor who trained me when I first started in Merrimack. He said,
"Walk really fast and write on a clipboard while you walk. Everyone will think you're really busy." And, that just cracked me up! The sad part is that it works.
At work this week, an Instant Messaging service was installed on our computers under the guise that it would "improve productivity." I have found it quite useful for finding out what time my friends will be in the cafeteria or asking what time the post office across the street opens. But, I do love the fact that I can desk stalk people. If they're not answering their phone, but their availability shows they are at their desk, I go on a stalking mission! Bwahaha!
And then I came home, and Scott pointed me to a new blog he's reading. Upon scanning the blog, I came across this post about procrastination.
Laziness in a white collar job has nothing to do with avoiding hard physical labor. “Who wants to help me move this box!” Instead, it has to do with avoiding difficult (and apparently risky) intellectual labor.
"Honey, how was your day?"
"Oh, I was busy, incredibly busy."
"I get that you were busy. But did you do anything important?"
Busy does not equal important. Measured doesn't mean mattered.
While it was funny, it kinda deflated my proud-of-myself bubble! Then I remembered an older supervisor who trained me when I first started in Merrimack. He said,
"Walk really fast and write on a clipboard while you walk. Everyone will think you're really busy." And, that just cracked me up! The sad part is that it works.
At work this week, an Instant Messaging service was installed on our computers under the guise that it would "improve productivity." I have found it quite useful for finding out what time my friends will be in the cafeteria or asking what time the post office across the street opens. But, I do love the fact that I can desk stalk people. If they're not answering their phone, but their availability shows they are at their desk, I go on a stalking mission! Bwahaha!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)