Wordless Wednesday: Making Cooking Fun

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Five on Friday: January 9, 2015

1. Things I didn't know....re interstates. On the east coast we say e.g. I-95 (aka known as the road from hell) but in California they have unique ways of speaking of Interstate-5, a similar ubiquitous north-south road. In Southern California, they say "the 5" but I just learned that in Northern California, they say "5".  I don't know where their 'Mason-Dixon' line is for the change of speech because I don't want to sound like I'm ignorant when I next go to California.  Big problem, eh???

2. That great project of getting rid of clutter in my studio reminds me that there are always steps to do before the actual work starts. Trashing the surface crap is easy. But then there are the other things that require boxes etc. I mean what to do with the several older versions of say PSE software. I need a give away box, a big one, so that I don't have to obsess on where each item should go. So a trip to Walmart is in order and the weather is cold and I'm not overjoyed to go out again....Big Sigh.

3. Why is it that when a do a massive amount of cooking to stock up, mainly for him, he goes out for meals half the week? Time to pack the freezer with stuff I guess.

4. Less than happy with the display of the newer Instagram filters? Here's a way to arrange them the way you like. Click HERE

5. My dh made one of his halibut curry dinners for his guy friends and one of them brought a big bowl of salad. I was able to enjoy the salad leftovers twice this week with some TraderJoes shrimp. A nice almost ready meal for me and a big thank you to the wife of the guest. She actually made the salad.

Now go and have a wonderful weekend! and if you're in a cold snowy area, don't fall down on the ice!

Five on Friday: January 2, 2015

I somehow don't find it hard at all to write 2015. Some years it takes me a long time to become accustomed to the new date but not this year, so far. I suspect that my limbo state of November that was consumed by knee surgery and recovery stretched into December when I did very little for Christmas. In fact, it almost passed me by unseen. A lot of my focus from Halloween on was how I would feel and what I would be able to do by January 2015.  Well, here it is and I can do most things I want to do.

Ok, I've yet to try getting up from the floor (as in Pilates or Yoga) nor have I attempted to get down on the floor. My physical therapist suggested 6 months. I can wait.

1. While I'm still not a knitter, yet, I think this is the coolest idea. Many times in my life I've had a lidless tea pot but just not now. But if you have one, give it to a knitter! or a crocheter.

2. Are you doing OLW this year? That's "One Little Word" a year long project that Ali Edwards does and it gives you a chance for a lot of reflection and potential for change and growth. I started one year and followed through. Started another year, 2013, and never did much of anything. This year? I feel the need for change and my word is space. Not the NASA kind but free and open space. This Virgo has hemmed herself in with too too much, too much physical and mental clutter. If you want to have a go with this project, click this link.

3. Though I have had a quiet December, I got the cooking bug on New Year's Eve, mostly as I had a 4lb package of ground beef that wanted cooking. After about 90 minutes in the kitchen we have a pot of chili-mac (sans the mac), a batch of meatballs in sauce, and a good sized meatloaf. I hold himself that if I croaked before 2015, he'd be good for meals for almost 2 weeks. He was impressed with the food and that I had been standing for that long. Actually, so was I.

4. Yes, I'm a bit late to the party but I have thoroughly enjoyed semi-binge watching Parenthood. Yes, it reminds me of Brothers and Sisters which I also loved via Netflix.  I'm only in season 2 so I have some fun ahead!

5. One of the things that was strongly suggested to me when I finished my knee physical therapy was to get back to the gym. Yep, the journey continues again but now I know how much a part my former exercising helped me during and post surgery. I'd still rather pretend I don't need it but I know. I really know.

Five on Friday: June 6 2014

1. I love aprons. Why? for all the reasons this blogger loves them. The prime reason for me is that I can wipe my hands down the sides of the apron as I cook. I don't know about the rest of you, but I wash my hands a lot but in between, I need to wipe 'stuff' off and I do not hold with paper towels.  I used to make some of my own, oilcloth in England which was trendy back in the day, but not as useful for hand wipes.  Yvonne, the blogger mentioned, even has a pattern tutorial on that post. Check it out!

Pretty, itsn't it.

2. This week has seen my husband in Kansas City for work, a trip I happily passed on. I've been to Kansas City so this is not contempt prior to investigation.  That airport is out in nowhere's-ville.  He fortunately had a chance to visit with his son and family who coincidently were visiting a relative of dil out there. It all works out some how.

3. A volunteer position I have held for 7 years is now no longer mine. My choice.  I felt it was time to let newer blood assume the title of Recording Secretary and gladly let go. It was enjoyable for a lot of years until it wasn't.  Anyhow, seven years is a true cycle.

4. Do you find that you often, without planning, read several books with a theme? I've recently had two Holocaust/WWII brutality books in a row.

One a library book that came in and the other one that I pulled from my bookshelf because it was thin and could easily be held in bed.  Perhaps the books in the house talk to each other and say...Tell her to pick ME!!! Me!  Anything is possible with the number of books our home contains.

5. Because of #2 I have done almost no cooking this week.  I've switched from oatmeal to lassis for breakfast and salads the rest of the day. Oh yes, there was leftover pizza twice from his last night here. Sadly this lack of cooking does not result in the pounds slipping away.  Perhaps chocolate has something to do with that. Ya think?



From me to you...have a wonderful weekend! See you again on Monday.

Five on Friday: February 14, 2014

Yes, this post has to start out with the Valentine's Day message but baby it's cold outside! We actually have a special lunch to go to compliments of our financial adviser. He does this every year and it's a nice treat. We'll see if the weather makes it possible.

1. Are you thinking about Project Life? Here's a link to a freebie from the source...Becky Higgins. A free Project Life Starter Kit. You will certainly see how easy it can be if you're ready for the digi version.

2. I had my first experience of working directly with the guests in Hospice and loved it. I'm so glad they call the people in probably their last days of life guests, and not clients or patients. It represents a whole different attitude. btw, beat the hell out of any place that calls the people in that institution as beds. People are not beds. Beds hold people. People with names.

3.I'm thinking these little albums might make a great gift for the grandchicks. I suspect they will be or are now in some independent scrapping stores. Aren't the colors dreamy?

4. I finally got round to making the slow roast beef recipe my dil gave me, saying my son and grandson devoured it. That's a good recommendation any time. 2.5 hrs per pound at 200 degrees means 10 hours cooking for a 4lb eye of round. I had to plan that pretty well since I'm not up early and functional enough to get it in for a 6 pm dinner. So I got it prepped and my dh put it in as he gets up in the dark a.m. Nice to have the oven on all day in this cold.

5. I'm seriously thinking about finding this pattern and even considering making this tunic top. It would be so nice for the summer in a linen. I love it and looking at a lot of similar items on Etsy etc, they are usually over $100. and more often sold out. I have a machine and once could sew fairly well. This looks sooo comfortable and covers a multitude of 'sins'.

AAM Monday - Project Life Week 15

Lots of exercise classes are good for the body but somehow once again, scrapping has fallen behind. I know it's much better to be moving than sitting on my butt ...but...I want to do both! I'm not great at doing scrapbooking in the early am so getting up early is not the answer. Those morning hours work for a lot of other things, and I'm finding I'm willing to get up closer to 6am now. I think I'll have to note just what I actually accomplish between 06:00 and my departure for class at 08:15.  Off the top of my head, I can't think of what does get done.  bwahaha

Cyber Monday?

As much fun as it is to shop on line, at any hour, and in jammies or barefoot or...today is not Cyber Monday for me.

It's Color Your Hair Monday! I got up early and out to the post office to return my Netflix so I don't start jonesin' about the next Mad Men disc. After that swing round, a quick dash into RiteAid with two coupons and so for $4.44 my roots are gone. Yeah!

But shopping? I think there will only be this today. Free shipping too!














How bout you? any good buys online that I should know about?

Pork and Pears

The idea of Pork and Pears came to me straight from the cover of the most recent Williams-Sonoma catalog. Oh if I could have space for more LeCreusets in almost all the colors! I have two seasonal teapots but to go from red to yellow to green with the cast iron?? That is luxury and really, in truth, needless luxury. but fun to think about

So, if you clicked that link above, you will see what the goal was. Ok, so I'm one of the women who Messes With the Recipe. You knew that. I had a pork roast in the freezer but not a boneless loin but the right size and shape. I had the Anjou pears (and isn't it great that they were 99c a lb last week???), onions instead of leeks which I had already cooked up over the weekend - the leeks i.e., but all the rest. Well, I had half and half instead of cream, but that was enough to up the caloric value imho. You get the picture of how I cook.

Here's that roast browned, with the browned pears, ready to go back into the LeCreuset and the oven.

Now the gravy is simmering away after adding the half and half.

Eh voila! (or eh viola! if you want a musical twist)the final dinner. Boy it was good if the cook says so herself. Now I remember why I like to cook. My adaptation of the recipe is here.

Simmering on Saturday

I usually try to have a Souper Saturday but there was no soup made this week, nor any pictures of last week's Halibut Chowder. I'll have to do the latter again and both take pictures and write down what I did.

Some cooking has gone on, but not a lot. Fortunately, there was meat from the Amish Market for lunches and a couple of dinners out for dh. I was just in the mood for a good salad and something on Thursday, so I was the one who suggested Old Country Buffet. I used to joke about that place and roll my eyes but now I'm happy enough with lots of visual choices and no work. One thing I really like is their pickled beets. Thursday I had a bowl of them for 'dessert'. Weird but good. After so many English chips, we both are eating lighter again.

So what did I make recently? Well there was the mac/cheese and ham which later was a lunch or two for me.

Then the chicken adobo which got its flavor from a mix. It wasn't bad, but I really want to try my friend Chatoy's recipe and hope I find it! It's an interesting technique. Marinate the chicken or pork in the marinade, then drain meat and fry it crispy, then add the marinade and simmer till reduced and meat is tender.

Chatoy also gave me her flan recipe - again simple. She said "Start with a dozen eggs..." I can just about taste this now! which is hard since I stopped eating dessert when I came back from England. (weight and size issues...ugh)

Finally this am, I took the leftover rice and made some congee. Mine is usually ad hoc, and I had soaked the leftover rice with water and some other sliced spring onions and cilantro that didn't get used last night. Then this am, I simmered it with some Knorrs' prawn stock and when it was hot and pretty gluey, I poured it over some sliced cherry tomatoes and then added the Korean tofu pancake chunks on top. Not bad at all.

So what's cookin' round your kitchen these days? I need some push to do some serious cooking again so help me out please.

Take 5 Tuesday

Ah, a new meme that I saw on Caryn's tweet re her Take 5 Tuesday questions. Here are today's 5 questions from Deep in the Heart of Texas's Take 5:

1. what is your favorite food/cooking website?
No longer watch any of them as I watched them go from cooking to dubious imho entertainment. Wish I could get Jamie Oliver here.
2. do you prefer to watch cooking shows or read cooking magazines?
Read cooking magazines is choice from options, but more likely to get recipes on line now
3. are you more adventersome in what you cook or in what you eat?
More adventuresome in what I eat as I don't have to forage for ingredients. With some foreign dishes, I really can't tell what it should taste like either.
4. what is one ingredient that you have always wanted to cook with, but never have?
hmmm...still thinking about this one. I'm fortunate not to live in an ingredient wasteland.
5. what is the one thing that you can not cook without?
silicone spatulas I love them!

Oh and she has a Mr. Linky so the other players can be seen. I love that feature and will have to try it out myself one of these days, months ...

Home again, Home again, Jiggity Jig

Tis good to be inside one's own home even if the weather up here is a considerably brisker than down in Savannah and Hilton Head! I hope my dear friend Judy is making the transition from sunny LA. She got to go to the Rosebowl! I forgot to tell her about 'that' food store in Los Angeles but perhaps she remembered from reading the blog. Hey Judy! I have a gift certificate for "Sur La Table" that needs spending!! Sadly, I don't think anyone else is close enough to me to watch/help me make some serious decisions on what I need (Ha!), what I'd like, and what I have room to store from that emporium. I do believe my gift certificate will last me a loooong time especially as I also have a return to make.

If you are reading this, and want to give me some advice on what you would get if you had a big hunk of change for cooking stuff, I'd love to hear from you.

This is the item going back, because at 9qt I know I won't be able to lift it into the oven - full. It's darn heavey empty. My apologies, Mario. I know dh loves me if he got me this, because he is the one usually saying....Now where do you think you'll put THAT?? when I do buy a new pot or pan. I think, heheheh, he loves his food more than he enjoys complaining, and that is a Good Thing.

One last bit of catch up....if there's not a new post and you show up here thinking there should be or might be, it's quite likely that there is a new tweet over on the right. I had good success with tweeting on the phone over the vacation. Ok, I admit...I love social media. I do. Feel free to join me on Twitter. It's fun. I have to credit BlogHer for letting me see the network value in that application. I may not be living all over the world anymore, but I certainly do like meeting people in hither and yon places.

Op Shopping At Its Best

I don't often pray for specifics but today was an exception. I had dropped some food off at a local shelter, and suddenly said...Oh God the only thing I'd really like is to find a pot and pan at the nearby thriftstore. My 2 yr old granddaughter is getting cooking things, and I wanted a lightweight aluminum pot. I knew they are often a dime a dozen at thrift stores but not lately.

Well, in I go, drop off a red rug that needed to be donated because it's wool and we have a barfy cat...and YES, Yes, Yes. There's one aluminum pot and one small lightweight pan. $2. each. Plus one small cake mold which is either a bear or a monkey for $1. Thank you God!



Oh yes, and there were some goodies for me too...a ravioli mold and a popcorn popper. I hope the popper works because I haven't used one like this in a zillion years but I want to get away from microwaved popcorn. I LOVE popcorn!

Souper Saturday

I tend to think about this soup a lot, mainly because I like lasagne A Lot. However, I don't often feel like making lasagna a lot, especially in the summer months when the idea of the oven on for 45 minutes or so has very little appeal. So winter or summer, this is a good one because it's a stove top one and can even be done in a crockpot . I think I would brown the meat first though. My batch is for next week, so the pasta has NOT been added yet.

photograph by Marilyn at GardenWeb

1 pound ground beef (sirloin or chuck)
1 large onion; chopped
5 cloves garlic; minced
4 cups beef broth
15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 can Campbell’s tomato soup
1 teaspoon dried basil
4 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cup mafalda pasta (mini lasagna noodles)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Brown ground beef in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions and continue to cook until onions are tender, stir in garlic and sauté for another minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, soup and basil; bring to a simmer and cook covered for 30 minutes to blend flavors. Meanwhile cook pasta until al dente, drain and toss with olive oil. Add spinach and pasta to the soup and simmer uncovered until spinach wilts, 1 or 2 minutes. Taste soup and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, place 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese in the bottom of bowl and ladle hot soup on top to melt cheese. Garnish top with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately. Serves 4 generously.

Recipe inspired by Lasagne Soup from Cuisine at Home magazine via Marilyn at GardenWeb.

My notes - the pasta will swell quite a bit if you save any leftover soup. You may like that, you may not. I would suggest doubling this if you like it and freezing half to add pasta later. I do find pasta will freeze quite nicely - for a soup like this - if coated with a bit of oil and microwaved for a bit from the frozen state.

12 Days of Halloween - Day 8

A decadent treat is called for if you have been the one preparing your household for Halloween.

How about Cheesecake Pops?



Originally these were made by scooping cheesecake balls from a cheesecake. Daring but sensible bakers decided squares were quite fancy enough. I have to admit I love any cheesecake frozen, but this idea can also be used without the sticks as I've read that you have to eat them quickly.

(Are there people who have to be told this? And are they wasting damn good cheesecake while standing around with a stick in the air? If you know some of these people, just give them a glass of gin instead. Save the cheesecake for serious eaters who recognize a Pop-Into-the-Mouth when they see it.)

Once you peruse the instructions, get yourself some sprinkles and nonpareils in orange and black and knock your socks off decorating those sweetie pops. IMHO, I'd forgo the sticks entirely and/or make some out of styrofoam just for pretty. Do the pops as petit-fours. Tell me how yours come out!

12 Days of Halloween - Day 5

It must be time for some Halloween food...real food...meaning pumpkin desserts. I think any decent cook should make some now just to test out before the Halloween rush! In truth, this one is such a production it may take you until Halloween just to contemplate the whole prospect. This would be perfect for an adult party or for teenagers. "Parental Guidance" suggested.



Barbara can give you all the directions, and they aren't that difficult, but all in all I think I'll pass. If you can stomach it (pun intended), go for it and post your pictures!

This is ...show off time.

This week's theme comes from May the cloth be with you and it certainly is a different idea. Good one I think. Too many people (read women) are loathe to boast about themselves. True humility says this is what I'm good at and this is what I'm not. We need to recognize both sides of our own coin's makeup.

I will say that I'm really good at cooking, and more so...something that surprised me about 20 yrs ago...was that I can quickly plan a meal/party for a group and not get flustered.


I only say I was surprised when a woman I knew, my own age, mentioned it was a talent 'these young people' had for entertaining a big group. Huh? I had no idea it was not a natural talent for all of us, well mostly all of us females. (Sexist yes, but ...) Anyhow, I recognized that it was a skill I had.

The other boast about is that I finally, finally finished up my degree at age 56. But literally on my first wedding anniversary! So the timing was meant to be.


I love this saved one...because to me it IS proof. ;-)

I'm sure I could make my list considerably longer because I have never been a shy, little violet. However, it does sometimes take me time to recognize that what comes easily to me might not come so easily to you. So...click that button that says This is...and see what great accomplishments others might be proud of.

(And yes, I have three children but really it was just a few minutes of sex that produced them...and that's not so hard, is it?!?!?)

Back from vacation means...

Well if you've read me earlier, you know I don't mind the laundry at all. One batch is on the line and the other is on its way. So only whites are left and there's no urgency for that since we are in that part of the curve where we each have lots of smalls...or in plain English...underwear.

My emails have been answered (mostly done on vacation which is a snap with Mac's MobileMe) and I'm caught up with my Swap=Bot swapping and rating. I've thought of some of the postcards and atcs I'm doing so now it's just get them from head to paper and then mailed out in September.

The bugaboo hanging over my head this week is The Camera. Since we didn't manage to take a cable between our two wise and experienced heads, there are WhoKnowsHowMany pictures on each camera. I fear to plug the cable in. But I have verified, much to my shame, that it is the leaving the camera plugged into the computer after I have uploaded pictures which drains the battery. I get so excited seeing them appear on the screen, I forget to pull the plug. This is one time that pulling the plug is a Good Thing - a la Martha.

Well...the answer is 280 pictures from my camera. There are more I took on dh's but I'll just deal with these today.

We are happily dealing with these - 2 suitcases full of peppers, all waiting to be roasted, bagged and frozen. We try to do this every two years.


In addition to 40lb of Big Jim peppers from Hatch, we bought a pound of Chimayos just north of Santa Fe at one of the pueblo markets. They are the thin ones on the right.



This is the first batch of roasted Big Jims. It is now my job to pack them for the freezer. FYI 4 of these babies is equivalent to one of those little cans of Ortega or whatever. However, these have flavor AND heat as we usually leave all the seeds in. Talk about good....!!!

This is ...my trade secret

Hmm...this is a hard one. The main thing I think I am pretty darn good at right now is cooking sooo....




After all, it is my blog title! Good equipments certainly helps anyone, but I think any reader here knows I love my kitchen. (Once more, many many thanks to my dh for making it happen. And thank you for putting up with my pot and pan collecting...)

Click the "This is..." button on the right to see more players of Three Button's game. Thanks to Amelia for this great theme. Try saying the name of her blog outloud...

Not just...salmon again

I have come to have the feeling of ..oh salmon again...just because dh goes to Alaska a lot of years so we usually have half a freezer full of salmon and halibut. I can't get wild about halibut tho I believe with its large chunks it could be a good substitute for crab. However since we are in crab territory, crab tends to be cheaper.

But salmon. I have come to love these salmon cakes because they can be varied so many ways. Fishburgers sounds so very bland but it might be the word to use if you are cooking for the male of the species, or the short people.


Skinning the salmon is not as hard as you might think. A sharp knife run along the edge of the skin...and it cuts off very easily.





In these photos I made the recipe as stated originally. I then decided that I wanted all the flavorings IN the food processor before I put the salmon in to chop.



Just a panfry tho I have also done them on a heavily greased griddle.

Marilyn's Fresh Salmon Cakes

2 cloves garlic; minced
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 dashes Tabasco (or 1 teaspoon Old Bay)
1 egg yolk (or egg white)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (see notes)
2 tablespoons real mayonnaise (I use greek yoghurt)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (less if table salt)
fresh ground pepper to taste
2/3 cup coarse white bread crumbs ( I use brown or white crumbs)
1 pound fresh salmon
1/2 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)(I often skip this step.)
2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil

In a small bowl, combine garlic, onion, Tabasco, egg, parsley, mayonnaise, salt and pepper; set aside. (I usually just pulse the garlic and onion IN a food processor, add the herbs, dry or fresh, and pulse again, and then the egg, salt and pepper.)

Remove skin and bones from salmon and cut into small cubes (about 1/2-inch). (I add the salmon to the mix in the food processor and pulse a few times to get a flavored mince.) Place mixture in a medium bowl and gently stir in bread crumbs. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before shaping into 4 patties. ( I find I can shape w/o refrigeration.)

Carefully coat the outside of each patty with Panko crumbs. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot and add salmon cakes. Fry the cakes until brown, about 4 minutes on each side turning only once. Serve with lemon wedges or your favorite tarter sauce.


Variations:

Asian...add cilantro for parsley, fresh ginger to taste, and two blurps of SiRacha sauce

Today I made these with dried dill instead of parsley. I think you can add a bit of whatever seasoning you like and consider salmon the new chicken in terms of adaptability to flavors.

Let me know what you think, and how you fixed your salmon cakes.

What's been Cookin'

Well since everyone who posted said they'd cook up a storm in my kitchen, I felt almost like getting back in the groove. Somehow we haven't eaten as much and the fridge is plagued with leftovers. But dh has been out a lot and so there they sit. Even dinners seem to have been leftovers. I had cleaned out the fridge before Spain/Portugal but here we are again. Lingering leftovers

Last Sat we had a brunch and I did finally lose my Habanero Cheese Bite Virginity. They are sooo easy and sooo good. But knowing the crowd that was coming, I didn't use the Habanero Gold Jelly from Canning Camp. (OH, does dh love that stuff!) With a sweet pepper jelly (bought) they were good, but not great. Here's the dough, cut and rolled.


After they bake 5 min, you make a dent and then fill them with the jelly. I poked/dented the first batch with a large chopstick.


But then realized that the chopstick was not wide enough. I settled on the little oil stopper for batch 2.


The jelly in a plastic baggie for piping in


And the first batch finished. The 2nd looked better because the dents were larger and the bites then held more jelly. Out of 80+ we have about 10 left.


And till I think of a better way to do recipes (OPEN TO SUGGESTION) I will link them. Habanero Bites