So I was thinking this morning about leftovers and I have a couple ideas for you.
Personally, I don't like leftovers. The whole food that's supposed to be hot being cold in my fridge after it was cooked thing turns me off. And the whole transfer of the cold food to a heating vessel bound for the microwave thing isn't nice either. Or the smell. Ugh. A lot of reasons.
But reusing them and making them something new is something I can deal with. For example...
Mashed Potato Pancakes
~2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese... or more... I like cheese. Add more. :D
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
Seasoning of your choice- I did salt, pepper, season salt and oregano.
Mix all the ingredients together. Heat up a couple tablespoons of your fat of choice (I use olive oil) in a skillet. Grab yourself an ice cream scoop and start dishing out the pancakes. Fry them until they're nice and crispy on side one. Flip them and then squish them into a nice flat disk. Or if you want to get messy, just make them a disk in the first place. If you go with the ball and squish method, flip them again once the other side is nice and crispy. Enjoy!
I just made up a batch of them for an early dinner/afternoon snack. Nom.
My plan for dinner tomorrow is...
Turkey Pot Pie... of course
1 cup leftover turkey
Leftover veggies- I have corn and about 1 1/2 cups left
3/4 c. diced onions- I have some pre chopped in the freezer
3/4 c. diced celery- I have some left over from the turkey yesterday
Chicken stock
Flour
Olive Oil
Premade pie crust
I'm making mine a little roughly, like any good cook does. Here's about how I'm going to make it.
Saute the onions and celery in a nice skillet. When they're nice and translucent, add in the turkey and the corn to heat them through and get a nice brown flavor on it.
In another pot, heat up about a tablespoon of oil and mix in the flour to make our lovely friend the roux. Add in about a cup of chicken stock to make the gravy filling of delicious.
Note: I have green bean casserole in the fridge as well. You could actually add that in there if you like. the salty deliciousness that we love it for will give a nice depth of flavor and only add to the tasty. Something to think about. Just toss it in with the gravy to heat it up.
Then take out a pie pan and the premade crust. There is one thing that a lot of people will agree- some things are important to make yourself. Some things are not. Puff pastry and pie crust are on that list. They're a lot of effort and hard to get right. So save yourself some time and just buy it. I happen to have a leftover pie crust sitting in the fridge from a pie I made. I'll let it thaw according to the directions on the package. Since I only have one pie shell, I'll just top it with the crust. I'm okay with that. Another option if you're looking to cut calories like I should be doung (cough) is Filo dough. Use a few layers with some fat in between. I also have some of that in the freezer. But that isn't already mostly thawed. So pie crust it is.
At this point you're just baking the pie crust. Mix the filling together in the skillet and toss in the pie dish. Then toss that crust on top and bake until golden, according to the directions on the box.
So those are leftovers Merry style. I hope they help make a dent in that stack in the fridge. :D
26 November 2010
15 November 2010
Pie
Arguably, the best thing about Thanksgiving is pie.
Okay, probably not the best (that spot is reserved for Stove Top stuffing), but a definite plus.
For me, pies have to be easy. Want an anecdote? I knew you did.
Last year, for Thanksgiving, the boyfriend wanted a pumpkin pie. Contrary to American popular tradition, I have never had pumpkin pie. Ever. So I thought "How hard can it be?" and I made one.
As anecdotes always go, it didn't end well. It kind of gelled in the middle and separated from the crust... it was pumpkin sadness. Only one obligatory slice was eaten.
SO, I go with graham cracker crust pies. And my favorite? French Silk. Rich, creamy and amazing. Want to know how to make it?
Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar (regular granulated sugar, mind you)
3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted (microwave or double boiler)
2 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs
1 crust (graham cracker or pastry, whatever you like. if it's a pastry, make sure to blind bake it first because this pie is not baked!)
Directions:
Cream the butter. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy and the sugar has dissolved into the butter so it isn't gritty. This is important. If you don't do this, you will have a gritty filling. If you're into that thing, fine buuutttt.....
Slowly add the melted chocolate. Beat until it's all mixed and chocolatey.
Now add the eggs one at a time, waiting until the first one is fully incorporated. Now, these eggs are going to be raw. Nothing to be afraid of. Make sure they're fresh and, of course, if you know where they came from, even better. If not, only one egg in every 20,000 ends up contaminated. And you like raw cookie dough! You do. Don't lie to me or to yourself. :D
Oh, and scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything's mixed. Then add the vanilla.
Once it's all mixed, put it in your pie crust and refridgerate until it's nice and hard.
Easy, no?
That wasn't easy enough for you? And you want the kids in the kitchen? Or you have a problem with machinery? I have just the pie for you.
The Super Simple Yogurt Pie Recipe! (dun-da-da-DAAAAAA!!!)
1 regular container of Cool Whip
1 regular container of yogurt- any flavor you like
1 graham cracker crust
Get a bowl. Put the Cool Whip in the bowl.
Get the yogurt. I like berry yogurts for this- strawberry and cherry are my favorites. It gives you a kind of berries and cream flavor. Just get one- about the size you'd regularly eat in the morning for breakfast- the regular store brand will do you find. Aaaaanyway, add the whole container to the bowl.
Mix them together and toss the mixture in the pie crust. Refridgerate. Look at that. Amazing.
So this was another pretty short post, but you got TWO recipes out of it! Two EASY recipes! Two easy DELICIOUS recipes. Win.
Okay, probably not the best (that spot is reserved for Stove Top stuffing), but a definite plus.
For me, pies have to be easy. Want an anecdote? I knew you did.
Last year, for Thanksgiving, the boyfriend wanted a pumpkin pie. Contrary to American popular tradition, I have never had pumpkin pie. Ever. So I thought "How hard can it be?" and I made one.
As anecdotes always go, it didn't end well. It kind of gelled in the middle and separated from the crust... it was pumpkin sadness. Only one obligatory slice was eaten.
SO, I go with graham cracker crust pies. And my favorite? French Silk. Rich, creamy and amazing. Want to know how to make it?
Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar (regular granulated sugar, mind you)
3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted (microwave or double boiler)
2 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs
1 crust (graham cracker or pastry, whatever you like. if it's a pastry, make sure to blind bake it first because this pie is not baked!)
Directions:
Cream the butter. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy and the sugar has dissolved into the butter so it isn't gritty. This is important. If you don't do this, you will have a gritty filling. If you're into that thing, fine buuutttt.....
Slowly add the melted chocolate. Beat until it's all mixed and chocolatey.
Now add the eggs one at a time, waiting until the first one is fully incorporated. Now, these eggs are going to be raw. Nothing to be afraid of. Make sure they're fresh and, of course, if you know where they came from, even better. If not, only one egg in every 20,000 ends up contaminated. And you like raw cookie dough! You do. Don't lie to me or to yourself. :D
Oh, and scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything's mixed. Then add the vanilla.
Once it's all mixed, put it in your pie crust and refridgerate until it's nice and hard.
Easy, no?
That wasn't easy enough for you? And you want the kids in the kitchen? Or you have a problem with machinery? I have just the pie for you.
The Super Simple Yogurt Pie Recipe! (dun-da-da-DAAAAAA!!!)
1 regular container of Cool Whip
1 regular container of yogurt- any flavor you like
1 graham cracker crust
Get a bowl. Put the Cool Whip in the bowl.
Get the yogurt. I like berry yogurts for this- strawberry and cherry are my favorites. It gives you a kind of berries and cream flavor. Just get one- about the size you'd regularly eat in the morning for breakfast- the regular store brand will do you find. Aaaaanyway, add the whole container to the bowl.
Mix them together and toss the mixture in the pie crust. Refridgerate. Look at that. Amazing.
So this was another pretty short post, but you got TWO recipes out of it! Two EASY recipes! Two easy DELICIOUS recipes. Win.
12 November 2010
Thanksgiving! Yaaaaaay!!!!
It's coming to be the holiday season and let me tell you, it's my second favorite season- the first being fall, of course.
But now we're coming onto the biggest foodie holiday of the year, THANKSGIVING. I got my meal planned and will be cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the third year in a row and I'm pretty excited! I love cooking... obviously... and this gives me a chance to really get down and dirty with my cooking.
Let's be honest, though, the most creative thing I'll be doing is the turkey. This is the one time of year that reinventing, particularly when cooking for my family, is strictly prohibited. I'll use the premade boxed stuff. I'll crack open that can of cranberry sauce from the cupboard. I'll make plain ole mashed potatoes.
Some things don't need to be reinvented. Not yet. Maybe when I have my own family unit with my own kids I'll get creative. But I probably won't. The thing I love about the holidays is that tradition and the expectation of something that no matter what diet I'm on or what's happened that DAMN IT, I'm getting that Stove Top stuffing and my brown and serve rolls.
At the moment, here's my menu:
Turkey- I'm thinking of putting a garlic head, some onions, celery, carrot, maybe a lemon and some fresh rosemary into the cavity and then coat it with olive oil, salt, pepper and some more fresh rosemary and maybe some thyme. I love those two herbs. Add oregano and it's the herb trifecta. :)
Ham- The boyfriend wanted ham last year and he wants it again this year. I figure a simple treatment of some maple syrup and dijon mustard sounds good to me.
Mashed potatoes- skin on, fully delicious butter, garlic and probably some heavy whipping cream filched from the pies. A whole blog about pies will probably be forthcoming.
Stuffing- Stove Top. Nothing beats it.
Broccoli- frozen and then cooked.
Corn- Pennsic corn- frozen corn fired up in a skillet with salt and pepper and butter. Delicious. It's called Pennsic corn because when you're camping, you don't have a microwave so my mom fried it up instead. DELICIOUS! We picked up the bag of corn the other day on the first trip around. The organic was the same as the conventional. My thought on the matter- if it costs the same, might as well. :)
Candied yams- Yep, the Bruce's from a can stuff. This year I'll use mini marshmallows. Why? I forgot last year that marshmallows puff when you cook them. It ended up in a smokey mess on the bottom of the oven. The whole apartment filled with smoke, I had someone stationed under the smoke alarm with a cookie sheet... it was bad. The actual dish didn't burn (which confused my youger sister) but it was still a mess.
Green bean casserole- I actually didn't grow up with this dish, believe it or not. I only had it for the first time when I made it last year. It's another item the boyfriend wanted so I thought "It's a Campbell's Soup recipe. It can't be that hard." And it isn't. I found it to be quite delicious and I figure I'll make it yet again!
Brown and Serve rolls- a staple for sopping up gravy. I'm apparently the only one in my family who loves gravy. I also apparently inherited some of my dad's southern tastebuds. One year I sat there at the end of the meal, pouring gravy onto my plate and sopping it up. My mom proceeded to laugh at me. "What?!" Yep, I was eating basically biscuits and gravy. So good. :D
Gravy- I bought a premixed packet. I don't know if I'm going to have the energy, gumption or stove space to make it from scratch using the drippings (I know, I know, especially after my last post on roux) but whatevs. If I'm the only one that eats it, I'm fiiiiiine with that.
Traditionally my family just had cinnamon rolls for breakfast and then we starved until dinner around noon. The boyfriend wanted to do some entertaining last year with appetizers. I found it ridiculous but apparently everyone on Food Network does it. *shrug*
Last year we made a sweetened cream cheese stuffed strawberry (a Paula Deen recipe) and proscuitto and mozzarella cheese topped bagel chips. This was fine until I remembered that my dad doesn't like cheese. >< This year we're going to do a classic bruschetta- tomato, basil and olive oil on a baguette with parmesan cheese optional.
Another future post is going to have to be leftovers, I know. Let me think on it and I'll let you know what I come up with. :)
Happy eating!
But now we're coming onto the biggest foodie holiday of the year, THANKSGIVING. I got my meal planned and will be cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the third year in a row and I'm pretty excited! I love cooking... obviously... and this gives me a chance to really get down and dirty with my cooking.
Let's be honest, though, the most creative thing I'll be doing is the turkey. This is the one time of year that reinventing, particularly when cooking for my family, is strictly prohibited. I'll use the premade boxed stuff. I'll crack open that can of cranberry sauce from the cupboard. I'll make plain ole mashed potatoes.
Some things don't need to be reinvented. Not yet. Maybe when I have my own family unit with my own kids I'll get creative. But I probably won't. The thing I love about the holidays is that tradition and the expectation of something that no matter what diet I'm on or what's happened that DAMN IT, I'm getting that Stove Top stuffing and my brown and serve rolls.
At the moment, here's my menu:
Turkey- I'm thinking of putting a garlic head, some onions, celery, carrot, maybe a lemon and some fresh rosemary into the cavity and then coat it with olive oil, salt, pepper and some more fresh rosemary and maybe some thyme. I love those two herbs. Add oregano and it's the herb trifecta. :)
Ham- The boyfriend wanted ham last year and he wants it again this year. I figure a simple treatment of some maple syrup and dijon mustard sounds good to me.
Mashed potatoes- skin on, fully delicious butter, garlic and probably some heavy whipping cream filched from the pies. A whole blog about pies will probably be forthcoming.
Stuffing- Stove Top. Nothing beats it.
Broccoli- frozen and then cooked.
Corn- Pennsic corn- frozen corn fired up in a skillet with salt and pepper and butter. Delicious. It's called Pennsic corn because when you're camping, you don't have a microwave so my mom fried it up instead. DELICIOUS! We picked up the bag of corn the other day on the first trip around. The organic was the same as the conventional. My thought on the matter- if it costs the same, might as well. :)
Candied yams- Yep, the Bruce's from a can stuff. This year I'll use mini marshmallows. Why? I forgot last year that marshmallows puff when you cook them. It ended up in a smokey mess on the bottom of the oven. The whole apartment filled with smoke, I had someone stationed under the smoke alarm with a cookie sheet... it was bad. The actual dish didn't burn (which confused my youger sister) but it was still a mess.
Green bean casserole- I actually didn't grow up with this dish, believe it or not. I only had it for the first time when I made it last year. It's another item the boyfriend wanted so I thought "It's a Campbell's Soup recipe. It can't be that hard." And it isn't. I found it to be quite delicious and I figure I'll make it yet again!
Brown and Serve rolls- a staple for sopping up gravy. I'm apparently the only one in my family who loves gravy. I also apparently inherited some of my dad's southern tastebuds. One year I sat there at the end of the meal, pouring gravy onto my plate and sopping it up. My mom proceeded to laugh at me. "What?!" Yep, I was eating basically biscuits and gravy. So good. :D
Gravy- I bought a premixed packet. I don't know if I'm going to have the energy, gumption or stove space to make it from scratch using the drippings (I know, I know, especially after my last post on roux) but whatevs. If I'm the only one that eats it, I'm fiiiiiine with that.
Traditionally my family just had cinnamon rolls for breakfast and then we starved until dinner around noon. The boyfriend wanted to do some entertaining last year with appetizers. I found it ridiculous but apparently everyone on Food Network does it. *shrug*
Last year we made a sweetened cream cheese stuffed strawberry (a Paula Deen recipe) and proscuitto and mozzarella cheese topped bagel chips. This was fine until I remembered that my dad doesn't like cheese. >< This year we're going to do a classic bruschetta- tomato, basil and olive oil on a baguette with parmesan cheese optional.
Another future post is going to have to be leftovers, I know. Let me think on it and I'll let you know what I come up with. :)
Happy eating!
05 November 2010
Roux
Let's talk roux.
What is a roux? A roux is a mixture of fat of some sort and flour whisked into a paste. This mixture can then be used as a thickening agent for various liquids. The fat absorbed into the starch allows it to plump up and thicken.
A couple of uses:
Bechamel sauce or a white sauce. Start with two tablespoons of butter. Melt it. Add in two tablespoons flour. Whisk. If you don't whisk a roux, it will taste like raw flour. Yuck. To make it a bechamel, add in milk (about 2 cups). Tadaaaaaa!!!! You have a bland white sauce! Add cheese and it makes a lovely cheese sauce for your mac and cheese.
Gravy. Start with the basic roux from above. Add stock. TADAAAAAA!!!! Gravy! You can do the same thing with your drippings at Thanksgiving. Substitute the butter for the fat that came off of your turkey then add the delicious juices. Noooooom nom nom nom nom. I like gravy.
The fat can be substituted with your favorite fat. I've made roux with olive oil before.
If it tightens up too much, add some water, more milk or more stock to loosen it up. If it gets too loose, cook it for a bit longer. If it still doesn't set up, you might have to start again. Sorry. Some things are unfixable.
There are different levels of the color you get on the roux. I said to cook it a little bit to get that flour flavor out. For most cooking, that's just fine. Cook it until it has a little bit of color. The longer you cook it, the darker it gets and they all have their uses, none of which I've tried. Alton talked about it in a cajun cooking episode. I'm not a huge fan of spicy or seafood so I don't know from experience. Best advice: Ask Alton.
This is a short one. I mean, it's fat and flour. Whisk it. Yep....
-Merry!
What is a roux? A roux is a mixture of fat of some sort and flour whisked into a paste. This mixture can then be used as a thickening agent for various liquids. The fat absorbed into the starch allows it to plump up and thicken.
A couple of uses:
Bechamel sauce or a white sauce. Start with two tablespoons of butter. Melt it. Add in two tablespoons flour. Whisk. If you don't whisk a roux, it will taste like raw flour. Yuck. To make it a bechamel, add in milk (about 2 cups). Tadaaaaaa!!!! You have a bland white sauce! Add cheese and it makes a lovely cheese sauce for your mac and cheese.
Gravy. Start with the basic roux from above. Add stock. TADAAAAAA!!!! Gravy! You can do the same thing with your drippings at Thanksgiving. Substitute the butter for the fat that came off of your turkey then add the delicious juices. Noooooom nom nom nom nom. I like gravy.
The fat can be substituted with your favorite fat. I've made roux with olive oil before.
If it tightens up too much, add some water, more milk or more stock to loosen it up. If it gets too loose, cook it for a bit longer. If it still doesn't set up, you might have to start again. Sorry. Some things are unfixable.
There are different levels of the color you get on the roux. I said to cook it a little bit to get that flour flavor out. For most cooking, that's just fine. Cook it until it has a little bit of color. The longer you cook it, the darker it gets and they all have their uses, none of which I've tried. Alton talked about it in a cajun cooking episode. I'm not a huge fan of spicy or seafood so I don't know from experience. Best advice: Ask Alton.
This is a short one. I mean, it's fat and flour. Whisk it. Yep....
-Merry!
04 November 2010
Mac and Cheese
I. Love. Mac and cheese.
I just made some for lunch. I also realized that this was my last box.
In memoriam of my last box on hand, I thought I'd post on my absolute favorite meal ever.
My love comes from the fact that I love cheese and I love pasta. The rectangular boxes were always cheap and on hand and ready, especially for my mom with 5 kids. Mac and cheese was actually the first thing I learned how to make back when I was about 10 years old. I love being able to cook something and not look at a recipe or instructions. Boil water, add pasta, cook it, drain it, add milk, add cheese, stir, consume.
Probably the thing I love most is the versatility of the dish. You can add most veggies you want to it and not ruin it. You can even boost the nutritional content of it by adding some simple ingredients.
My favorite mix in? You guessed it, frozen broccoli. I toss it in when I toss the pasta in. It all cooks together and nooooooom.
When I'm in the mood and I have it, I add some sort of meat- hot dogs or ham typically. I always cook the meat before I add it. Why? The textural difference between the crispy meat and the chewy pasta is one of my favorite things.
Mac and cheese with hot dogs and broccoli is pretty much the best thing ever.
My family sprinkles paprika on top. I have no idea why but I think my mom started doing it when I was little and if you ask me or my sisters, the only way to eat it is with paprika. It's a sweet spice that adds something to it. Not just for your deviled eggs, put it on your mac and cheese. It will change your world.
Of course, there's also a baked version that every family has its own version. My mom goes all the way- sharp sharp cheddar, butter and macaroni. I like using a colby jack mix to give it a nice melty texture with the nice sharp flavor as well. While visiting family in Tennessee, my grandma made it with spaghetti, american cheese and milk. If I'm in the mood, I'll do a legit bechamel sauce. That reminds me of a post I want to do soon.... Every family has their own variation. But I do love me the box stuff.
This post is strangely short. I mean, it's mac and cheese. What more is there to say?
Is there a way you like to eat mac and cheese? Your family recipe for mac and cheese? Let me know! Post in the comments or email me at merryskitchen@gmail.com!
Happy eating!
-Merry
I just made some for lunch. I also realized that this was my last box.
In memoriam of my last box on hand, I thought I'd post on my absolute favorite meal ever.
My love comes from the fact that I love cheese and I love pasta. The rectangular boxes were always cheap and on hand and ready, especially for my mom with 5 kids. Mac and cheese was actually the first thing I learned how to make back when I was about 10 years old. I love being able to cook something and not look at a recipe or instructions. Boil water, add pasta, cook it, drain it, add milk, add cheese, stir, consume.
Probably the thing I love most is the versatility of the dish. You can add most veggies you want to it and not ruin it. You can even boost the nutritional content of it by adding some simple ingredients.
My favorite mix in? You guessed it, frozen broccoli. I toss it in when I toss the pasta in. It all cooks together and nooooooom.
When I'm in the mood and I have it, I add some sort of meat- hot dogs or ham typically. I always cook the meat before I add it. Why? The textural difference between the crispy meat and the chewy pasta is one of my favorite things.
Mac and cheese with hot dogs and broccoli is pretty much the best thing ever.
My family sprinkles paprika on top. I have no idea why but I think my mom started doing it when I was little and if you ask me or my sisters, the only way to eat it is with paprika. It's a sweet spice that adds something to it. Not just for your deviled eggs, put it on your mac and cheese. It will change your world.
Of course, there's also a baked version that every family has its own version. My mom goes all the way- sharp sharp cheddar, butter and macaroni. I like using a colby jack mix to give it a nice melty texture with the nice sharp flavor as well. While visiting family in Tennessee, my grandma made it with spaghetti, american cheese and milk. If I'm in the mood, I'll do a legit bechamel sauce. That reminds me of a post I want to do soon.... Every family has their own variation. But I do love me the box stuff.
This post is strangely short. I mean, it's mac and cheese. What more is there to say?
Is there a way you like to eat mac and cheese? Your family recipe for mac and cheese? Let me know! Post in the comments or email me at merryskitchen@gmail.com!
Happy eating!
-Merry
03 November 2010
Meal Planning and What I had Tonight
So upon the suggestion of my only regular reader, I think I'll be posting my weekly menu up here and give updates on what I make and if we order out (which happens embarrassingly a lot).
I do my meal planning on Sunday usually during the day so I have time to go to the grocery store (read "Trader Joe's"). I usually have my meals planned in my head- things I want to eat, things I have time to make, etc.- but it is mostly contingent on what's going on in the week. I teach theater one day a week, the boyfriend is a musician with gigs galore and a full time teaching position so it makes planning a little hard.
My biggest advice for a busy household is casseroles. I know, I know, I'm not married and I don't have kids so I don't exactly know what it's all about but you try keeping after a boyfriend who has a tendency to forget his commitments and only one car between the two of you. It can be pretty hectic.
See, I like to cook. A lot. And some nights, after the risotto's made and the nightly routine is well under way, I want to cook some more! It's sick and twisted but true.
So, when I'm in the mood, have an hour or so to spare and want to do something, cooking it is.
If you're in a small household like me, a small (8x8) casserole dish makes the perfect amount for dinner tonight, lunch tomorrow for two and is easy to portion control.
When it comes to the meal day, I typically leave the casserole out in the morning when I head off to work and the instructions are always the same: "350 for at least half an hour." Boyfriend comes home, pops it in the oven and TADA, dinner is done when I get home! AND I have lunch for the next day. Life is good.
My meal plan for the week was:
Monday- Pasta with sauce- whole wheat, of course
Tuesday- Risotto- intended for two but ended up for one. Sadness.
Wednesday- Asian Noodles and pork dumplings - more below
Thursday- Cauliflower/Parmesan/Pancetta gratin- in the fridge waiting to be cooked
Friday- Three grain blend with mozzarella, herbs and broccoli- Hm. I need to make that.... YAY CASSEROLES!
Weekends are typically unplanned and end up being mac and cheese or eating out, depending on what's going on. For example, on Saturday, I have a party to go to and I'll eat there. Sunday is always a toss up and ends up in something simple or something ordered out.
Now, about tonight's dinner. I thought I'd share this clever use of leftovers.
I had been planning on Asian noodles and the dumplings- I bought the rice sticks a few weeks ago and bought the dumplings on Sunday to go with the noodles and veggies. I have a nice "Soyaki" sauce in the fridge (three guesses where it's from) and I've made it before, nom nom nom nom nom....
Last night, however, the boyfriend came home and hadn't eaten sometime around 8 at night, past my risotto making. So he ordered out and asked me if I wanted anything.
Now, I've been trying to eat healthier and lucky for me, our favorite chinese place has some healthy options. My favorite? Steamed broccoli with brown sauce on the side and white rice. Note: I'm lucky broccoli is my favorite vegetable. I don't drink milk- never liked the taste of the stuff. "Oh no, Merry! Where's your calcium coming from?!" Broccoli is a veggie high in calcium. Most veggies in the cabbage family are. I love most of them. There ya go. :)
Weeeeeellll anyway, since I had already eaten, I didn't eat the whole thing. Intending on saving it for tomorrow, I dumped the rest of the sauce on it and stuck it in the fridge.
You can see where this is going, can't you?
I cooked up the noodles (just like pasta), drained them, tossed it and the broccoli and the sauce into a skillet and heated the broccoli through! Dumplings were nuked to perfection and dinner was amazing.
My tip for using leftovers: Pair something high flavored with something flavorful with something neutral.
Like what I did tonight. I had the flavorful broccoli and sauce paired with the neutral flavored rice noodles. You'd pair leftover noodles with a sauce, right?
I was asked about rice the other day. Iiiiiiiiiiiiiii don't store cooked rice. I don't keep it. I toss it. Why?
I had to take a quick food safety course when I was in Scotland with my awesome chef Henry. He told us why. There is a bacteria in rice- Bacillus cereus- that is heat resistant. Boiling it doesn't kill it. Freezing it doesn't kill it. Archaeologists have dug up centuries old bowls of rice and the bacteria is still alive.
Properly cooking it and eating it right away is okay but if you're going to make a bunch of rice, here's my advice:
Store it within 4 hours
Throw it away if you don't eat it within 3 days
But my ultimate advice is: rice is cheap. Make new rice.
Sooooooo this post went on a pretty long tangent. I hope it was worth reading though! :D
Happy cooking!
-Merry
I do my meal planning on Sunday usually during the day so I have time to go to the grocery store (read "Trader Joe's"). I usually have my meals planned in my head- things I want to eat, things I have time to make, etc.- but it is mostly contingent on what's going on in the week. I teach theater one day a week, the boyfriend is a musician with gigs galore and a full time teaching position so it makes planning a little hard.
My biggest advice for a busy household is casseroles. I know, I know, I'm not married and I don't have kids so I don't exactly know what it's all about but you try keeping after a boyfriend who has a tendency to forget his commitments and only one car between the two of you. It can be pretty hectic.
See, I like to cook. A lot. And some nights, after the risotto's made and the nightly routine is well under way, I want to cook some more! It's sick and twisted but true.
So, when I'm in the mood, have an hour or so to spare and want to do something, cooking it is.
If you're in a small household like me, a small (8x8) casserole dish makes the perfect amount for dinner tonight, lunch tomorrow for two and is easy to portion control.
When it comes to the meal day, I typically leave the casserole out in the morning when I head off to work and the instructions are always the same: "350 for at least half an hour." Boyfriend comes home, pops it in the oven and TADA, dinner is done when I get home! AND I have lunch for the next day. Life is good.
My meal plan for the week was:
Monday- Pasta with sauce- whole wheat, of course
Tuesday- Risotto- intended for two but ended up for one. Sadness.
Wednesday- Asian Noodles and pork dumplings - more below
Thursday- Cauliflower/Parmesan/Pancetta gratin- in the fridge waiting to be cooked
Friday- Three grain blend with mozzarella, herbs and broccoli- Hm. I need to make that.... YAY CASSEROLES!
Weekends are typically unplanned and end up being mac and cheese or eating out, depending on what's going on. For example, on Saturday, I have a party to go to and I'll eat there. Sunday is always a toss up and ends up in something simple or something ordered out.
Now, about tonight's dinner. I thought I'd share this clever use of leftovers.
I had been planning on Asian noodles and the dumplings- I bought the rice sticks a few weeks ago and bought the dumplings on Sunday to go with the noodles and veggies. I have a nice "Soyaki" sauce in the fridge (three guesses where it's from) and I've made it before, nom nom nom nom nom....
Last night, however, the boyfriend came home and hadn't eaten sometime around 8 at night, past my risotto making. So he ordered out and asked me if I wanted anything.
Now, I've been trying to eat healthier and lucky for me, our favorite chinese place has some healthy options. My favorite? Steamed broccoli with brown sauce on the side and white rice. Note: I'm lucky broccoli is my favorite vegetable. I don't drink milk- never liked the taste of the stuff. "Oh no, Merry! Where's your calcium coming from?!" Broccoli is a veggie high in calcium. Most veggies in the cabbage family are. I love most of them. There ya go. :)
Weeeeeellll anyway, since I had already eaten, I didn't eat the whole thing. Intending on saving it for tomorrow, I dumped the rest of the sauce on it and stuck it in the fridge.
You can see where this is going, can't you?
I cooked up the noodles (just like pasta), drained them, tossed it and the broccoli and the sauce into a skillet and heated the broccoli through! Dumplings were nuked to perfection and dinner was amazing.
My tip for using leftovers: Pair something high flavored with something flavorful with something neutral.
Like what I did tonight. I had the flavorful broccoli and sauce paired with the neutral flavored rice noodles. You'd pair leftover noodles with a sauce, right?
I was asked about rice the other day. Iiiiiiiiiiiiiii don't store cooked rice. I don't keep it. I toss it. Why?
I had to take a quick food safety course when I was in Scotland with my awesome chef Henry. He told us why. There is a bacteria in rice- Bacillus cereus- that is heat resistant. Boiling it doesn't kill it. Freezing it doesn't kill it. Archaeologists have dug up centuries old bowls of rice and the bacteria is still alive.
Properly cooking it and eating it right away is okay but if you're going to make a bunch of rice, here's my advice:
Store it within 4 hours
Throw it away if you don't eat it within 3 days
But my ultimate advice is: rice is cheap. Make new rice.
Sooooooo this post went on a pretty long tangent. I hope it was worth reading though! :D
Happy cooking!
-Merry
02 November 2010
Fluff
I grew up in Massachusetts, the place where the Fluffernutter is the state sandwich and Fluff flows from... sandwiches. The stickey, gooey cream, I have to admit, was not necessarily one of my favorites. But let me tell you, some days all I need is a Fluffernutter and a glass of Kool Aid and I'll be one happy chica.
My first christmas season with my boyfriend in Maryland, I was trying to figure out what to eat during the day and settled on some Fluffernutters. Easy, few ingredients and something I could make with minimal clean up in said boyfriend's cousin's house. Upon this conversation I learned that the boyfriend had never had a Fluffernutter.
I promptly made him one. His life has never been the same.
I have to say though, my favorite thing to do is made fudge. Especially around the holidays.
I grew up with this fudge. My dad calls it Moby Dick fudge. When he was in high school, he had to read Moby Dick during the holidays. At the same time, his mother was making fudge. So Dad naturally sat in the kitchen and ate fudge while reading Moby Dick. There ya go.
I had a problem last year, though. Fluff comes in two sizes of containers- the small glass jars and the big 16 oz plastic tubs. I have always made it from the big tubs and I couldn't find it anywhere. Safeway, Walmart, Giant, none of them had it. Making the big batches can work with the small jars but I've done it before... the mass murder of these cute little glass jars is really sad.
So I called my dad, who still lives in Massachusetts, and asked him to just bring me a couple tubs so I could make some fudge.
Well, when he came to visit for Thanksgiving last year, he brought me... about 10 tubs. I sent my sisters home with Fluff, I made fudge and I was still left with about 5 tubs of the stuff.
A couple days ago, I realised that the holiday season is almost upon us. Just for kicks, I hopped on a chair and took a look at the tons of evaporated milk and Fluff I had leftover and hey look! They haven't expired yet. Oh no....
This recipe makes 5 pounds of fudge. More than any reasonable human should eat. Over the next month, I have to make 15 lbs of fudge.
Oh my.
I made the first batch today so while it cools, let me share the recipe with you since I have the thing memorized.
For the first step, start off with:
16 oz Fluff (one big tub or two small jars)
10 oz evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed) (2 5 oz cans)
5 cups sugar
1 stick of butter
1 tsp salt (if you don't add salt, it just tastes funny so remember to add it, not that I've ever forgotten before...)
Put them all in a heavy bottomed pot (I went out and bought a pot specifically for my fudge making binges so if you do not have a havy bottomed pot, please go and get one so the fudge doesn't burn) and put on low heat until it all combines and becomes a nice liquid.
Stir frequently until it starts to boil. Remember, there are bubbles in Fluff and they escape as it heats up so make sure you have decent sized bubbles. I like to see them as fish mouths since it holds its shape a little after the bubble pops.
Once you have fish mouth bubbles, set a timer for 5 minutes and stir constantly. At the end of that 5 minutes, the mixture should have darkened a little and turned into a kind of dulce de leche color. Lightly browned. Turn off the heat and grab:
1 tsp vanilla extract (real, everyone)
2 12 oz bags of semi sweet chocolate chips
First, put the vanilla in. Be careful. When the alcohol in the extract hits the hot fluff mixture, the alcohol will boil. This is totally normal but definitely something to be aware of. It's actually my favorite part and I call people in from other rooms to watch it bubble. Yay kitchen chemistry!
Now dump in the chocolate chips and stir until all the chocolate melts and everything is completely mixed. Pour onto a baking sheet or container of your choice (you *could* mould it if you like), just make sure it's greased or lined with parchment paper so you can get it out.
Something I'm going to experiment, since I have to make so much, is working with flavorings. I will be adding the vanilla but I'm also thinking some Disaronno or Chambord to give it some extra flavor and some variety.
Any ideas on variations to do?
Happy Holiday Warm Up!
-Merry
My first christmas season with my boyfriend in Maryland, I was trying to figure out what to eat during the day and settled on some Fluffernutters. Easy, few ingredients and something I could make with minimal clean up in said boyfriend's cousin's house. Upon this conversation I learned that the boyfriend had never had a Fluffernutter.
I promptly made him one. His life has never been the same.
I have to say though, my favorite thing to do is made fudge. Especially around the holidays.
I grew up with this fudge. My dad calls it Moby Dick fudge. When he was in high school, he had to read Moby Dick during the holidays. At the same time, his mother was making fudge. So Dad naturally sat in the kitchen and ate fudge while reading Moby Dick. There ya go.
I had a problem last year, though. Fluff comes in two sizes of containers- the small glass jars and the big 16 oz plastic tubs. I have always made it from the big tubs and I couldn't find it anywhere. Safeway, Walmart, Giant, none of them had it. Making the big batches can work with the small jars but I've done it before... the mass murder of these cute little glass jars is really sad.
So I called my dad, who still lives in Massachusetts, and asked him to just bring me a couple tubs so I could make some fudge.
Well, when he came to visit for Thanksgiving last year, he brought me... about 10 tubs. I sent my sisters home with Fluff, I made fudge and I was still left with about 5 tubs of the stuff.
A couple days ago, I realised that the holiday season is almost upon us. Just for kicks, I hopped on a chair and took a look at the tons of evaporated milk and Fluff I had leftover and hey look! They haven't expired yet. Oh no....
This recipe makes 5 pounds of fudge. More than any reasonable human should eat. Over the next month, I have to make 15 lbs of fudge.
Oh my.
I made the first batch today so while it cools, let me share the recipe with you since I have the thing memorized.
For the first step, start off with:
16 oz Fluff (one big tub or two small jars)
10 oz evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed) (2 5 oz cans)
5 cups sugar
1 stick of butter
1 tsp salt (if you don't add salt, it just tastes funny so remember to add it, not that I've ever forgotten before...)
Put them all in a heavy bottomed pot (I went out and bought a pot specifically for my fudge making binges so if you do not have a havy bottomed pot, please go and get one so the fudge doesn't burn) and put on low heat until it all combines and becomes a nice liquid.
Stir frequently until it starts to boil. Remember, there are bubbles in Fluff and they escape as it heats up so make sure you have decent sized bubbles. I like to see them as fish mouths since it holds its shape a little after the bubble pops.
Once you have fish mouth bubbles, set a timer for 5 minutes and stir constantly. At the end of that 5 minutes, the mixture should have darkened a little and turned into a kind of dulce de leche color. Lightly browned. Turn off the heat and grab:
1 tsp vanilla extract (real, everyone)
2 12 oz bags of semi sweet chocolate chips
First, put the vanilla in. Be careful. When the alcohol in the extract hits the hot fluff mixture, the alcohol will boil. This is totally normal but definitely something to be aware of. It's actually my favorite part and I call people in from other rooms to watch it bubble. Yay kitchen chemistry!
Now dump in the chocolate chips and stir until all the chocolate melts and everything is completely mixed. Pour onto a baking sheet or container of your choice (you *could* mould it if you like), just make sure it's greased or lined with parchment paper so you can get it out.
Something I'm going to experiment, since I have to make so much, is working with flavorings. I will be adding the vanilla but I'm also thinking some Disaronno or Chambord to give it some extra flavor and some variety.
Any ideas on variations to do?
Happy Holiday Warm Up!
-Merry
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