562 replies to this topic

[Tantric KittenGStudy]

I do,  too,  Jim.   I've tried to make fried rice a few times and it's not good.   It's not terrible but it's not what I expect or want.

[Tantric KittenGStudy]

I made Greek-ish pasta salad today.   I made dressing from champagne vinegar (really it should have been red wine vinegar or lemon juice but I have champagne,  white and balsamic and no lemons),  olive oil,  some oregano and a couple really minced cloves of garlic (today was one of the times I thought "I really need a microplane),  1:3 vinegar:oil and about a teaspoon of dried oregano to make roughly a cup of dressing.

Then I threw random things in it so it's not really completely Greek.   Cold macaroni,  broccoli,  carrots,  snow peas,  cucumber,  feta,  sliced Greek olives and pepperoni.

I also have stuff for antipasto pasta salad and ranch pasta salad.   We all like pasta salad around here and it's hot.

[JIMOverSeer]

I have had the same experience, Tantric.
That's it, I'm going over to the Chinese Restaurant tomorrow for take out!


.

[JIMOverSeer]

Tantric KittenGStudy, on 12 June 2016 - 02:37 PM, said:

I made Greek-ish pasta salad today.   I made dressing from champagne vinegar (really it should have been red wine vinegar or lemon juice but I have champagne,  white and balsamic and no lemons),  olive oil,  some oregano and a couple really minced cloves of garlic (today was one of the times I thought "I really need a microplane),  1:3 vinegar:oil and about a teaspoon of dried oregano to make roughly a cup of dressing.

Then I threw random things in it so it's not really completely Greek.   Cold macaroni,  broccoli,  carrots,  snow peas,  cucumber,  feta,  sliced Greek olives and pepperoni.

I also have stuff for antipasto pasta salad and ranch pasta salad.   We all like pasta salad around here and it's hot.

Wow, Tantric... if you ever have a haunting, call me, I'll come just for the food!
.

[Tantric KittenGStudy]

Jim@GhostStudy, on 12 June 2016 - 06:51 PM, said:

Wow, Tantric... if you ever have a haunting, call me, I'll come just for the food!
.

LOL,  I opened packages,  minced some garlic and boiled pasta.  

That comment reminded me of the time we were out of dressing except thousand island,  though.   My husband hates thousand island and I was like "I have the stuff,  you want me to make a vinaigrette for you?" " no,  but is it possible to make Italian dressing? " " sure,  I have to look up how to do the creamy bit"  "I want the clear one"  "so a vinaigrette."

He was surprised I made salad dressing in about twenty seconds in a jar.  I just don't very often because I like thousand island and that's a bit more complicated.

[MacCionoadha BeanSidhe]

Jim@GhostStudy, on 12 June 2016 - 12:23 AM, said:

MacCionoadha' Bean-Sidhe.
I want to try the... VEGETABLE FRIED RICE!  
.

I hope you like it.

Tantric KittenGStudy, on 12 June 2016 - 02:37 PM, said:

I made Greek-ish pasta salad today.   I made dressing from champagne vinegar (really it should have been red wine vinegar or lemon juice but I have champagne,  white and balsamic and no lemons),  olive oil,  some oregano and a couple really minced cloves of garlic (today was one of the times I thought "I really need a microplane),  1:3 vinegar:oil and about a teaspoon of dried oregano to make roughly a cup of dressing.

Then I threw random things in it so it's not really completely Greek.   Cold macaroni,  broccoli,  carrots,  snow peas,  cucumber,  feta,  sliced Greek olives and pepperoni.

I also have stuff for antipasto pasta salad and ranch pasta salad.   We all like pasta salad around here and it's hot.

I've got to try that, it sounds good.

[MacCionoadha BeanSidhe]

This is a lower fat version of 'fried fast food'.

Oven 'Fried' Chicken
4 (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
3 cups cornflakes, crushed
1½  tsp dried parsley flakes
3  tbsp flour
¾  tsp poultry seasoning
½ tsp garlic powder
¼  tsp black pepper
½ tsp sea salt
3 egg whites or ½  cup egg substitute
1½ tsp spring water
Spray on Olive oil(use cooking spray or use a spray pump, with your choice of oil)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Rinse chicken. Trim off any fat. Pat dry with paper towels.
Mix together crushed cornflakes and parsley in shallow bowl. Combine flour, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper and sea salt in resealable plastic food storage bag. Whisk together egg white/egg substitute and water in small bowl.
Add chicken to flour mixture, one or two pieces at a time. Seal bag; shake until chicken is well coated. Remove chicken from bag, shaking off excess flour. Dip into egg mixture, coating all sides. Roll in crumb mixture. Place in shallow baking pan. repeat with remaining chicken, flour mixture, egg mixture and crumb mixture.
Lightly spray chicken. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until no longer pink in center. Yield: 4 servings.


Oven "Fried" Potatoes
5 baking potatoes, cut into strips
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp sea salt
∞ tsp black pepper

Wash dry and refrigerate potatoes overnight. Cut potatoes into strips; pat dry with paper towels. Preheat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl combine all ingredients and toss to coat evenly. On nonstick baking sheet arrange potatoes, leaving space between strips; bake for 20 minutes. Using spatula, turn potatoes over; bake until browned and crisp, about 20 minutes longer. Yield: 4 servings.

Sesame Slaw
2 cups green cabbage, shredded*
½ cup red cabbage, shredded*
1/3 cup sweet bell pepper, chopped
1 tbsp onion shopped
¼ cup cider vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
¼ tsp dill seeds
¼ tsp salt

Put cabbage into a colander, that’s set over a bowl, sprinkle with the salt. Let it sit for a 30 minutes. Then place cabbage in a bowl and combine with the bell pepper and onion. Combine the vinegar, sugar, sesame and dill; pour over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Yield: 4 servings.

* You may substitute Cole Slaw or Broccoli Slaw Mix for the shredded cabbages.

Edited by MacCionoadha' Bean-Sidhe, 25 June 2016 - 08:46 PM.

[earthlydelitesGStudy]

The oven fried potatoes sound great! I'm having beef and barley stew tonight since it's rather cold here

[MacCionoadha BeanSidhe]

earthly, I'm not surprised. It's almost winter there isn't?

[earthlydelitesGStudy]

MacCionoadha, on 13 June 2016 - 05:55 PM, said:

earthly, I'm not surprised. It's almost winter there isn't?

Sure is! It was 10 degrees celsius on the way to work this morning. I guess I can't complain too much because it's no-where near as cold as it gets in other parts of the globe!

Tonight's meal is mustard chicken and noodles:

http://www.taste.com...ith garlic mash

[MacCionoadha BeanSidhe]

During winter at times it can get to -28.88889ºC here. Just last week Mt. Washington in New Hampshire was -2.222222ºC with a wind chill of -26.11111ºC.

Tonight we had Sloppy Joe's served on garlic bread, spinach greens with a sesame salad dressing and homemade GF peanut butter cookies.

Sloppy Joe's
1lb ground beef (or pork, turkey, chicken, etc.)
8 oz. can organic tomato sauce
1 cup organic ketchup
2 tablespoons.onion, minced
1 tablespoons green pepper, diced fine
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon prepared spicy brown mustard
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
Brown 1 pound ground beef, drain fat, add sauce.
Bring to boil, lower heat, simmer for 10 minutes.


Sesame Dressing
3 tablespoons mirin
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1/8 teaspoon

Prepare dressing ingredients by mixing in a small bowl. Refrigerate.


Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies
2 tablespoons GF all purpose baking flour*
1 cup organic peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup date sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix ingredients together and roll into 1 inch balls and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for approx. 8 minutes. Makes 24 cookies.


* Gluten Free All purpose Flour Mix
4 1/2 cups + 1/3 cup white rice flour
1 2/3 cups brown rice flour
1 1/3 cups potato starch
3/4 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder

Whisk all ingredients in large bowl until well combined. Transfer to airtight container and refrigerate. This mix will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Edited by MacCionoadha' Bean-Sidhe, 14 June 2016 - 07:25 PM.

[Tantric KittenGStudy]

Tonight is the spaghetti salad only I'm using rotini.

Diced mozzarella,  black olives,  broccoli, giardinera mix (pickled peppers,  cauliflower,  carrots and pearl onions),  pepperoni, grape tomatoes,  Italian dressing (bottled)  and rotini.

You can be all fancy and use stuff like sun-dried tomatoes,  mortadella  or prosciutto  and fresh mozzarella but I'm making it like a 70s potluck.

I'm marinating the cheese and stuff in about half the bottle of dressing and will add the rest when I add the pasta.

[MacCionoadha BeanSidhe]

Tantric KittenGStudy, on 15 June 2016 - 02:09 PM, said:

Tonight is the spaghetti salad only I'm using rotini. Diced mozzarella,  black olives,  broccoli, giardinera mix (pickled peppers,  cauliflower,  carrots and pearl onions),  pepperoni, grape tomatoes,  Italian dressing (bottled)  and rotini. You can be all fancy and use stuff like sun-dried tomatoes,  mortadella  or prosciutto  and fresh mozzarella but I'm making it like a 70s potluck. I'm marinating the cheese and stuff in about half the bottle of dressing and will add the rest when I add the pasta.

Ooo, that sounds good. My sister makes something similar, but uses pepperoni, Kalamata olives, scallions, spinach, fresh mozzarella, and sun-dried tomatoes. She usually uses penne pasta and creamy Italian dressing, unless my nephew is there and than she'll use regular Italian.


Tonight we're having semi-homemade pizza. It's a store bought crust and six cheese Italian shreds, but the meat sauce is homemade. I make a big batch of sauce and freeze part of it. It's good for pizza, as well as pasta.

Hearty Meat Sauce
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground veal
1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground hot Italian sausage
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped fine
1 sweet green bell pepper, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, minced, pressed or micro-planed
2 tsp olive oil
28 oz ground/pureed San Marzano tomatoes
28 oz crushed San Marzano tomatoes
8 oz tomato paste (preferably San Marzano)
1 tsp freeze-dried basil, divided in half
1/2 tsp each freeze-dried oregano, marjoram, rosemary, basil, sage, thyme, savory, and parsley
1 tsp pure cane sugar

- In a large preheated skillet, brown beef and then drain off fat from skillet; set aside. Continue browning and draining veal, pork and sausage meat; setting them aside.

- Wipe the skillet with a paper towel. Add olive oil and saute onions, peppers and garlic, until onions are translucent; set aside.

- In a large stockpot heat remaining olive oil and add tomato paste. Cook and stir until paste is fragrant. Add browned meats, vegetable, and tomatoes into the stockpot. Heat until the sauce comes to a boil; reduce heat and stir in the sugar, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, basil, sage, thyme, savory, and half the basil.

- Continue to cook on low for three hours; fifteen minutes before serving, stir in the parsley and remaining basil.

[Tantric KittenGStudy]

Yum.   I should try that although it's hard to get veal around here so I'd leave that out (you'd think with all the agriculture in the state it'd be no problem but farmers keep their cull calves for their own tables because people don't want to buy veal).

Today is ranch pasta salad.   I just made it.   It's just like suddenly salad but you don't get the half reconstituted vegetables.

1 c mayonnaise
1 Hidden Valley Ranch packet

(or a bottle of dressing but it's better with the mayo and packet)

8 Oz small shells or pasta shape of your choice
1c-ish frozen petite peas
1c-ish shredded carrots
1c-ish small broccoli florets

Crumbled,  cooked bacon (I use the shelf stable packet because I don't really cook bacon)

Optional 1c-ish grape or cherry tomatoes,   1c shredded cheddar cheese,  1 c shredded,  cooked chicken.

Put the pasta on to boil according to package directions.   Meanwhile,  mix the mayonnaise and dressing packet in a large bowl.   Put the frozen peas in the bottom of the colander you're going to rinse the pasta in and throw the rest of the vegetables in the bowl with the dressing. When the pasta is done,  rinse under cold water until cool,  add to the bowl and fold together.   Refrigerate until cold.   Just before serving add the bacon and any optional ingredients you want.

Ha!    This seemed familiar!   I already said it in my first post!   I don't repeat meals all that often so it didn't occur to me I'd already had it recently.   This is the last pasta salad from my ingredient stock last weekend.   I have to figure something else out that isn't hot now.   Maybe I'll take a trip to the fancy store and get stuff for Cobb salad or nicoise.

[MacCionoadha BeanSidhe]

Here's a favorite, I just need to get to the nearby farm, to pic up some of the ingredients.

Gazpacho
3 medium diced beefsteak tomatoes, cored and diced (about 4 cups)
2 small red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and diced (about 2 cups)
2 small cucumbers, one peeled, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)
1/2 small sweet onion (such as Vidalia, Maui, or Walla Walla), chopped   
2 medium garlic cloves, minced, micro-planed, or pressed (about 2 teaspoons)
1/3 cup sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
5 cups tomato juice, preferably homemade (for store-bought, I recommend Welch's)
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/3 cup sherry vinegar
5 large fresh basil leaves, chiffonade, divide in half
8 ice cubes
Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil for serving


1. Combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, onions, garlic, salt, vinegar, and pepper in a large (at least 4-quart) nonreactive bowl. Let stand until the vegetables just begin to release their juices, about 5 minutes.

2. In a blender, puree the mixture; return to the bowl. Stir in the tomato juice, sherry vinegar, hot pepper sauce, ice cubes, and half of the basil. Cover tightly and refrigerate to blend flavors, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.


2. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and remove and discard any unmelted ice cubes. Serve cold, drizzling each portion with one teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, remaining basil and topping with any desired garnishes*.

* Optional garnishes: garlic croutons, chopped pitted black olives, chopped hard-cooked eggs, and finely diced avocados.

[Tantric KittenGStudy]

I'm being fancy for lunch today.   We have strawberries to eat and what better vehicle than pannu kakku (Finnish pancakes /pannekoeken/Dutch babies /Dutch pancakes)?

1 c flour
1 c sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4 eggs
2 c milk

6 tbsp butter (aw heck,  just use the whole stick)

Put the butter in a 9x13 pan or large skillet.   Put that in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.   Meanwhile,  whisk the other ingredients together until light and frothy.   When the oven is preheated,  the pan is screaming hot and the butter is sizzling carefully pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30 minutes until puffed and golden.

Serve with what you like.   You can make it savory with sausage and cheese (briefly return it to the oven after filling to melt the cheese),  use syrup or add any kind of fruit.   Today I am adding sliced strawberries,  sour cream and brown sugar (shut up,  try it before you say ew).

[MacCionoadha BeanSidhe]

Tantric KittenGStudy, on 01 July 2016 - 09:56 AM, said:

... 6 tbsp butter (aw heck,  just use the whole stick)

Butter... more butter, Julia Child would approve...

Tantric KittenGStudy, on 01 July 2016 - 09:56 AM, said:

..Today I am adding sliced strawberries,  sour cream and brown sugar (shut up,  try it before you say ew).

... lol, just kidding. It does sound good. I think I saw that recipe on a Scandinavian cooking show on PBS.

Edited by MacCionoadha' Bean-Sidhe, 01 July 2016 - 02:06 PM.

[Tantric KittenGStudy]

A lot of people are grossed out at the fruit/sour cream/brown sugar thing.   Think strawberry yogurt.   It's really good.

And this does make enough for like six people (I cut the recipe in half today and it was still too much for the two of us).   That's not nearly as much fat as it seems.

[MacCionoadha BeanSidhe]

I had a homemade breakfast sandwich and for dessert... DD glazed donut and a glass of skim milk...  I have to have something healthy. LOL

1 toasted English muffin, buttered
2 slices applewood smoked bacon cooked
1 egg, cooked over easy
1 oz aged cheddar cheese(Kerry Gold- stout infused)

[Tantric KittenGStudy]

I haven't had DD in...  I was going to say I don't know how long but I do...  I stopped there in NYC when I was there in January of 2003.  And I managed to go to KK exactly once while they had stores in my state (like seven or eight years).   I don't eat a lot of sweet things.

I'm baking bread today.   We're out and I can't be bothered to go to the store.   I'm just making a simple loaf that will turn into garlic bread later.

2c (or so)  bread flour
1.5 tsp dry yeast (a packet of yeast but I buy it in bulk)
.5 tsp kosher or sea salt (non-iodized because the iodine can cause an off taste)
Warm water to hydrate,  between .5 c and 1 c.

Stir the dry ingredients together (or if your yeast is iffy proof it in half a cup of the water along with a pinch of sugar...  if it's fizzy and growing in ten minutes it's good to go),  add half the water and then add it in small amounts until the dough comes together and is neither crumbly nor too sticky to handle.   Knead until elastic and smooth (it should ideally feel like a baby butt... firm but not really and smooth and powdery).   I Knead in my stand mixer but don't do that unless you have a heavy duty one.   Form into a ball,  put in a bowl that has been lightly oiled,  turn to oil the dough,  cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid,  leave until doubled and two finger holes poked in it don't fill instantly back up.   Form as wanted,  bake at 400 until done (rolls will take about 18 minutes,  this size loaf probably half an hour,  a big loaf 40 minutes).