Cooking, As requested (+)

Eggplant Rounds, Potato Pancakes, Fried Tilapia, Egg noodles, and paprika/onion sauce

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take one large eggplant, one large potato, and two apples; pierce several times around each with a fork. Wrap each separately in tin foil. Take one bulb of garlic with the top 1/4 inch cut off and top with 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Wrap in tin foil. Place in the oven for one hour. Afterwards, cool outside of the oven for 1/2 hour or until it is easy to handle.

Boil 4 cups of water. Place 1 1/2 cups of egg noodles in the water and cook according to the directions. Rinse off the starch when done then set aside until assembly.

Place in a food processor: 1/2 of the eggplant, one small onion chopped, 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, two cloves of baked garlic, 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, three dashes of freshly milled black pepper, and one egg. Pulse until the ingredients are well blended and hold together. Set aside. Rinse and wipe out the food processor.

Place in a food processor: 1 large baked potato roughly chopped, 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, four cloves of baked garlic, one small onion roughly chopped, 1/4 teaspoon of Kosher salt, a dash of freshly ground pepper, and one egg. Pulse until smooth. Set aside in another bowl.

Set the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat corn oil in a frying pan. Use enough oil to clear 1/2″ from the bottom of the pan. Using a tablespoon or two of either the potato or eggplant batter, form small patties in the palm of you hand then place into the oil. Brown each patty on both sides. Take a breaded tilapia fillet and cook in the hot oil. Set potato, eggplant, and fish aside on a paper towel covered plate and slip into the oven to hold temperature until needed.

Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, heat 1 tablespoon of corn oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Add one medium onion sliced julienne to the hot oil. Cook the onion until it turns transparent. Add three tablespoons of paprika. Mix until a thin paste forms then add two cups of chicken bouillon. Simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Add 1 cup of sour cream. Stir then set aside.

Toss the 1/2 the noodles with some of the hot sauce. Plate with the eggplant, potato, and fish. Serve warm.

Note: I balanced the salt content low on the vegetables and fish. This is because I anticipated the broth in the sauce to be salty enough to balance out each bite. Your palette may lead you back to the salt shaker. Pick and choose your battles wisely.

Slice and core a fresh pineapple for dessert.

~Jain Sioux Anne Fellps

Cooking, As Requested

Really Simple Soup (RSS Feed)

1/2 cup white rice

1 tilapia fillet thinly dressed with sesame oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper. Broiled in the oven until flaky.

1 cup boiled water blended with 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of powdered chicken bouillon, 1/2 teaspoon of hot chili oil, 1/8 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder.

1/4 cup of peanuts, finely diced

1/8 cup cilantro, finely diced

1/4 cup of white onion finely julienned into thin curved slices

In a large bowl place the rice on the bottom, then lay the fish fillet on top. Carefully pour in the seasoned broth. Finish dressing the bowl by lining the center with the peanuts and placing the cilantro and onion to opposite sides of the line of peanuts. If you are game, grab the fancy soup spoons and bowls from an Asian grocery for an ambiance that delivers high culture every time.

Enjoy,

Fluted Frog, Esq.

Cooking, As Requested

Friday, February 17, 2017

6:13 p.m.

The crux in enjoyment is the bowl. Make it big and beautiful.

2-3 ounces of Mung Bean noodles (vermicelli). Prepare it by soaking the noodles in boiled water for 10-20 minutes. Return the kettle to the flame with more water. When the whistle blows for the second time pour 2 cups of boiling water into a pyrex measuring cup. Add 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of chili oil, and 2 teaspoons of powdered chicken bouillon. Mix well and set aside.

Chop two chicken legs into smaller section. Even take the time to debone several piece that have large deposits of meat hanging from the bone. Place in a ceramic container and season the meat by lightly dusting once or twice and turning with the following spices:

Kosher Salt, Cinnamon, Paprika, Allspice, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Cumin, Mexican Chili Powder, Black Pepper, and Coriander.

Oil a deep roasting pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Arrange the chicken in the pan and broil on low for five minutes then on high for five minutes. Turn the chicken over and finish cooking by broiling for three minutes more.

As the time frees between preparations, take time to finely chop 2 tablespoons of peanuts, 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, and 1/4 cup finely julienned white onion.

Assembly: One clean large bowl, place noodles in the bowl to provide a base. Add  less than 1/2 of the chicken, pour in broth, dress with the peanuts, cilantro, and onion.

 

Notes: 1) Salt is not heavily added through the recipe. Though it is only seasoned on the chicken, the powdered chicken bouillon contains a large amount of salt. Taste the final assembly before adding more. I chose not to add additional salt. The flavors stood out very well without that. 2) When assembling the bowl, I poured some of the liquid fat accumulated in the roasting pan. The overall taste was mild to my palette but complex enough to satisfy my soul. I will be eating the leftovers before midnight. For another take on chicken noodle soup I am happy with the outcome. I am positive that I will be making and tweaking again to perfection.

~Jain Sioux Anne Fellps

Menu, As Requested

Menu, As Requested

Friday, February 3, 2017

6:56 p.m.

Dinner

Broiled Tilapia

Apples and Sweet Potatoes with Ginger

Roasted Peanuts and Cashews with spiced honey glaze

 

Wash, core, and slice into thin wedges two golden delicious apples. Place into a medium pan. Also scrub and slice into thin wedges one medium sweet potato. Add that to the pan as well. Pour into the pan ½ of water. On medium heat, boil until soft and the water completely evaporates. Make the bulk reduce by using a potato masher. Once soft, push to one side of the pan. Melt one and one half tablespoons of butter in the open side. Add in one quarter teaspoon of powdered ginger and one eighth of a cup of granulated sugar. Brown the mixture slowly.

While the apples and sweet potatoes boil, rinse a fresh fillet with water. Place in an oven safe dish. Drizzle on both sides of the fish one teaspoon of lemon juice and one teaspoon of olive oil. Finish the preparation by adding a dash of kosher salt and freshly grated pepper to each side. Broil each side on low for 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a plate.

Place one half cup dry roasted peanuts and one cup of raw cashews in a bowl. Melt two tablespoons butter, one eighth cup honey, one quarter teaspoon cinnamon, one quarter teaspoon Mexican chili powder in a small sauce pan. Pour the hot mixture over the nuts. Coat the nuts thoroughly. Take a small cookie sheet and cover the bottom with a piece of parchment. Spread the nuts over the paper. Place in the oven on a lower rack than the fish. Allow to brown. Next, gently turn with a wooden spoon. Place back in the over until they turn a dark golden brown again. Allow the nuts to cool. Place with the fish and apples as an accent or use as a late night snack.

~Jain

Note: Today, I only cooked what I was craving. It is not very fancy, nor is it difficult to make. For midwinter I am in love with fish and apple on a Friday night. Consider this my personal substitute for a hamburger, fries, and a chocolate malted. The oatmeal raisin cookies I baked make for an easier weekend as well.

 

Menu, As Requested

Menu, As Requested

Thursday, February 2, 2017

6:51 p.m.

Dinner

Fish Tacos with broiled tilapia, seasoned avocado mash, cilantro, queso fresco, and green salsa

Seasoned French Fries

Slice one large potato into thin strips (re: shoe string cut potatoes). Place into about two inches of cold oil in a frying pan. Turn the heat on medium and allow the potatoes to cook slowly and thoroughly. When the potatoes float, they are done. Otherwise, let the potatoes brown around the edges for crispness. Drain on a paper towel and lightly season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

While the potatoes are cooking, set the oven on low broil. Prepare two tilapia fillets by squeezing lemon juice and one teaspoon of corn oil on both sides. Complete the preparation by dusting both sides lightly with salt and pepper. Broil until light brown on both sides. The fish will have no pink or red on either side. Focus on removing the fish from the oven while it is still flaky. Keep warm until you are ready for assembling the tacos.

Take one avocado, mash and season lightly with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and lemon juice. Set aside. Chop two to three tablespoons of cilantro. Set aside. Warm four tacos on a griddle. Spread one tablespoon of avocado mash down the center. Follow with half of a tilapia fillet. Sprinkle with cilantro and a little queso fresco. Finish off with a teaspoon of green salsa. Plate the tacos in a row across a dinner dish with French fries to the side. Serve. Eat.

After Midnight

Cucumber and apple with vinaigrette

Wash and core one golden delicious apple and slice into small chunks. Place into a bowl. Wash and core one cucumber. Slice into quartered moons. Place with the apples. Crush and finely dice one garlic clove. Add to the bowl. Season with one tablespoon  of vinegar, one tablespoon of olive oil, ¼- ½ teaspoon of salt, two to three gratings of fresh pepper, ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Turn the cucumber and apple in the vinaigrette. Place into a small container and seal with a lid. Give the mixture a few shakes and place in the refrigerator to chill.

 

Love,

~Jain

 

 

 

 

Recipe, As Requested

W.H. XXX

Place two sweet Italian sausages in an oven and broil on low. About five to ten minutes each side. Place six cups of water and ½ teaspoon of salt on the stove top to boil. While the sausages cook, boil enough spaghetti for two servings to a little more soft then al dente. When the pasta is finished, drain, and season with garlic infused olive oil. (Take one finely diced clove of garlic and toss in one to two tablespoons of olive oil heated in a pan.) Finish the pasta by lightly dusting with parmesan cheese. Set aside and keep warm until needed. In a medium frying pan sauté one finely chopped small onion and two finely chopped garlic cloves in two tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of butter. Add one tilapia fish fillet, 1/8 of teaspoon of oregano, dash of salt, and a grating or two of pepper to the onions.  When the fish is flaky, dowse the fillet with one tablespoon of vodka and one tablespoon of chicken broth. Add 1/8 cup of freshly chopped parsley to the fish. Allow a few minutes for the temperature to readjust through all ingredients. Meanwhile, take the sausages and cut into one inch sections. Plate a healthy helping of pasta into a large past bowl. Place the fish and onion in the middle. Run a line of the sausages from one end of the plate to the other. Serve warm.

This recipe is designed for one person. Besides one donut and glass of chocolate milk in the morning, the pasta dish was the only meal I ate. I slept through the night with no bloating or frequent trips to the bathroom. For ease, just think of this dish as pasta aglio y olio with broiled sausages and pan fried fish. The onions and parsley are for taste and extension. Broccoli or spinach could expand the fare in a positive way as well.

~Jain Sioux Anne Fellps

 

Menu, As Requested (+)

S (Anarchy of Angels)

Title

Menu, As Requested

Content

Dinner and Dessert
Baked Chicken 425 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour
Rice Pilaf with broccoli, onion, garlic, and chicken broth Cook one small chopped onion, one large chopped garlic clove in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until transparent. Add one cup of rice scrubbed with water and one more tablespoon of oil to the pan. Saute brown. Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped broccoli. Stir. Add 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth, 1/2 of red wine, 1/2 cup of water. Boil 5 minutes. Reduce heat and cook until all the liquid is absorbed.
Fried Apples with ginger Core and slice two golden delicious apples. Cook down in a saucepan in 1/2 of water. After twenty minutes or when all of the water has evaporated, mash the apples. A 1/8 cup of white sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of powdered ginger. Mix together and lower heat. Try not to let the sugar caramelize in the pan unless you know how to control the heat to prevent burning.
Sweet Iced Tea with Lemon and Sugar
Ice Water
Caramel Popcorn
Note: Gentle Understanding about Trump: His actions are not understood completely on the surface. There are many layers of inference and risk. Try looking at a drawing by M.C. Escher. There are multiple dimensions hidden behind the initial view. 120 days may be a quick direction into war. I’m guessing at two locations considering how long the President may act without Congress determining funding. The current refusal of entry reflects that, especially if a strike by insurgents was detected. If I remember correctly from research over the past nine years, Yemen is a training headquarters for Al Qaeda. If going to the source and acting quickly is President Trump’s current approach proves him a hardliner not afraid to do the work at the behest of being politically correct. Not to be rude, but sometimes our little lives need adjust to bigger concerns. Being outside the United States for the next three months may be an actual advantage. Presidents and Prime Ministers cannot always disclose the affairs of office if not but for the interests, protection, and survival of the general welfare. This is just an observation. Things are not always what they seem. Take the bones he’s thrown in the media and make due. He is not the idiot that you may assume. More is at play. Latitude may be needed. Fluted Frog, E-squire

 

Cooking, menu as requested

I soaked 1/2 cup of dried Pinto beans two days ago. They were rinsed and slow cooked for five hours the next day. The beans are dressed with one chopped small onion, two minced garlic cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon of iodized salt. Mashed gently and cook off most of the liquid. Important: Do not burn. So keep a close eye every hour while they cook. Add more water early in the cook time as necessary.

Today I boiled rice and fried a tilapia fillet dressed in Panko bread crumbs. I used corn oil for the fry. During plating take 1/2 cup of rice and season with 1 tablespoon butter and lightly dress with salt and pepper. Cover the rice with 1/3 cup of beans. Set the fish fillet to the side of the large bowl. Further dress the beans with finely chopped onion and black olives. In a small niche between beans and rice place 1/8 cup of the coating for eggplant bruschetta.

Serve. Season. Eat.

Note: I do not add seasoning to the fish before frying. Season to taste at the table. For some the taste may balance out with the slat content in the rice, beans, olives, or eggplant.

Cooking, As requested

My measurements follow for left over ingredients. Increase proportions as needed for an anticipated meal.

Boil two chopped medium potatoes in water till soft and easily breaks apart. Mash and season with two tablespoons of chicken broth. Set aside.

While the potatoes are boiling steam enough cabbage for two servings. Add in thin strips of carrot made with a vegetable peeler. Also add in half an apple slice into thin sections. If necessary season with 1/4 teaspoon of no salt seasoning. Mrs Dash or a generic brand works well.

Lastly prepare the turkey meatballs:

1/2 cup of ground Turkey

1/4 cup of breadcrumbs (Mine where made from leftover buttermilk biscuits)

1 tablespoon of dried onion soup mix

2 tablespoons of cream cheese

1/4 cup of corn oil for frying in a medium fry pan

Slowly heat the oil in the fry pan. In a bowl combine the turkey, breadcrumbs, soup mix, and cream cheese. I do not remember using an egg. The ground turkey was reasonably still bloody and extremely moist. If you do add an egg, make for proportions of 1 cup of turkey or half the egg to meat the measurements. Mix well. Place by rounded tablespoon into the oil. Fry till browned on most sides and cooked through. Yield will come to less than 10. Set meatballs aside and cover. Pour off enough oil out of the pan to leave an 1/8 of a cup in the bottom. Add one cup of chicken broth and heat well. Meanwhile take one and a half tablespoons of flour and 1/4 cup of water in a small cup. Beat well, at least until there are no lumps. Add to the broth and allow to thicken. Season to taste with less than a 1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

Serve with a small portion of bread if desired. I plated everything with a tablespoon or two of hummus and half a piece of warmed pita.

This warmed my bones as well as my stomach. I ate barely a serving of each dish and was happy to conclude the night with homemade dark chocolate chip cookies four hours later. Something to be said for patience and encouragement.

With yesterday’s leftovers, tonight I am sated.

W.H.Tespid ERT

Poverty #1 (Addendum)

All I can see is clarity fracturing into tiny squares. The shelf must have been designed to be shatter proof. My face and legs should be cut into a thousand shards.  I looked down at brown sugar feet capped with long toe nails that shred bed sheets into coleslaw like bedding. Angling my eyes up, I reserved panic at the vegetable drawer being filled with tiny pieces of glass. Nothing embedded into the tomatoes and lettuce. Chicken salad Friday night might still be in order. Bare handed I dug into the mess to assess the damage. The thick skinned fruit and wrapped cuts of meat would make it through the weekend. Meanwhile, I have an hour or two to clean up before running errands at the edge of sundown.

That was ten years ago and I am learning the other end of providing for myself – notably on a fixed income. Then, I gave up on my waistline and fad dieting. I fully gave into cooking. Learning my palate and local cuisine would go a long way to satisfying  hunger that I placed at Christ’s feet to surmise the winters and the loneliness. Sometimes we feed our fears and wanton natures throughout the dark nights with midnight cooking. The first time I made spaghetti with clam sauce after two in the morning, I knew I had a problem with balancing and fulfilling my appetites. Struggling through fasts and feasts still marks my back hucks and inner curves of skin gracing my hips. To me it is a mark of poverty that may finally disappear.  What it is, is a sign of inferiority crippling and vanity dictates. The men and boys around town admonished me as it is a sign of jealousy born of cravings for money. I caved in when Father admonished that this fascination with losing weight all succumbs to lust.

Since the thousand shards I am continually encouraged to cook and continue my studies. I never left the drive that put me in the kitchen then and the complimentary call of poverty suits me to be a little clever now with the meat, vegetables, grains, and sweets. Two years ago I asked God to keep me company in the kitchen while I cooked. The menu changed; the groceries changed; the methods expanded. Now I cook with the common and am finally filled. Passing the choice cuts and cooking in season bear intellectual as well as physical fruit.

Voices on the wind have been welcoming me into poverty. The welcome wagon was sincere enough for me to stay calm and understand the blessing. True, I am now a few levels up from street, but the breeze outside has been chilling my bones to make me think different. This month I have had more decisions to make complimented with an extensive amount of research and reading. Today the return on my investment began: a phone call from the oral surgeon’s office, a list of dental insurance companies to start with, and a mindfulness of what I already do to meter out the intermittent pain and inflammation. What I do with herbs and spices tends to turn a head in culinary and in medicinal applications. Late last night I got reminded to trust my education whether or not I am certified Naturopath. So, one cup of boiled water steeped with one clove of chopped garlic, ¼ teaspoon of turmeric, and ½ teaspoon of honey was started this afternoon. I steeped it for two minutes, followed by straining the solution. Furthermore, I cooled the liquid with several ice cubes to yield two cups. Gargle with 1/8 cup of solution three times a day to treat as an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. I gargled after breakfast and felt a change in my mouth. I have been pretty calm since one o’clock this afternoon. Also, one aspirin grazes these lips with 8 ounces of water once a day. I do not know if I will make it 6 months let alone 12 before insurance covers the oral surgery, but for now, I am good and that is all I need give a damn about.

Trying not to feel overwhelmed in the rain.

More essays on poverty’s edge to follow,

Jain Sioux Anne Fellps

TAMU graduate

(That Ain’t Me University)

Poor #1.5

Sidetracked: I lost confidence. I almost poured the solution out. I began to doubt anything I learned or rationalized in and out of the grocery store, in and out of the metaphysical store, in and out of the forest. The weight and experience of first-hand knowledge almost got bulldozed. So, I ransacked the Internet and my bookshelf to prove to myself that the time and knowledge has not been wasted. The following notes are from research that may help you follow my logic in making the mouth rinse. Meanwhile, I am adding natural care for teeth to my proactive research list. Necessity is the mother of invention.

1.       The herbal mouth rinse recipes range from alcohol base, to oil, and finally water. Refrigerate the rinse from the essay. It will keep for a week.

2.       I tend to combine herbs that focus on the culinary as well as the medicinal. I have not ordered anything online or have shopped at a fancy boutique. Garlic, turmeric, and honey are fairly inexpensive and easily found in the produce and baking aisles at many grocery stores.

3.       Garlic functions with the body as an antibiotic, a carminative, a diuretic, an expectorant, and a vermifuge.

4.       An active ingredient in turmeric is called curcumin. It is known to function as an anti-oxidant and an anti-inflammatory. Cholesterol lower properties are also attributed to turmeric.

5.       Honey functions as an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal.

Primary Sources:

Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffmann FNIMH, AHG

 http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/medicinal-uses-of-honey#4

~Jain

 

 

Cooking, As needed

Comfort Foods Winter 2016/2017

 

Warm applesauce mixed with crashed pineapple and Marichino cherries

Apples and peanut butter

Hot buttermilk biscuits with butter and honey

Coffee cum leche with a healthy dose of fresh whipped cream

Fresh English butter toffee coated in dark chocolate and almonds

Fresh hummus infused with garlic and a double side of pita

Almond Bark

Potato Pancakes dusted with parmesan cheese and a side of black olives

                1 ½ medium potatoes boiled, mashed, and cooled

                3 tablespoons of butter

                2 tablespoons of milk

                1 egg beaten

                2 tablespoons flour

                ½ teaspoon salt

                ½ teaspoon pepper

                Olive oil for frying

                ¼ cup Parmesan cheese

16 ounce can of black olives

Blend all ingredients into a smooth consistency. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a small frying pan. Drop potato batter into the oiled pan by 1/8 cup portions. Fry until golden brown on each side. Cook 1-3 pancakes per person. After the pancakes brown, place on a small plate and dust with parmesan cheese. Serve with a small side (5-7) of black olives.

               

Banana Bread

Twizzlers Candy

Shortbread with sweet Raspberry Tea

To be continued..

~NCC

Cooking, As requested (Addendum 2)

 Left over Christmas business…

 

Peppermint Chocolate:

2 cups all purpose flour

¼ Hershey’s special dark chocolate powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

¾ cup light brown sugar (packed)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs

1 cup dark chocolate chips

½-1 cup of crushed peppermint candies or candy canes

½ – 1 cup of coarsely chopped almonds

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Sift flour, chocolate powder, soda, and salt into a bowl and set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla. Add in eggs one at a time and blend in for each addition. Fold in flour mixture ¼ at a time to the butter mixture. Use a spatula to catch edges. After mixing until a consistency appears, fold in chocolate chips, peppermints, and almonds. Drop by a 2” baller  into the sugar and cinnamon mixture and roll to coat. Place onto a parchment covered cookie sheet. Average about 12 cookies per sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Once removed from the oven, allow to cool 10-15 minutes before storing. Yield: 36.

Note: If you are a finicky person, the final shape of the cookies may bother you. When the peppermint candies melt, they will run away from the body of the cookie. Thus the small points when removed from the oven. Also, the cookie tastes more like food than a delectable sweet. Chocolate breakfast cookie perhaps? I’ll tweak that later with a little more research.

Note: After eating a generous helping of cookies since finishing the last batch, I sat in denial over the night. Waking a six, friend had a few words for my latest baking debacle. “They need to be sweeter,” he minded me. I could not deny it, even in spite of eating two more after turning on the light in this dark morning. Forcing a solution without messing with Toll House’s cookie chemistry I’m choosing to roll the dough in cinnamon and sugar before baking. That will balance the essential taste made by the dark chocolate powder to a degree. After that I’ll need add in more chips and/or peppermints. My balance for additions rested on the smaller end of values.

This will need wait until next Christmas with a fresh batch of leftover candy canes and such. Or at least until Christmas in July. I’ve baked so much in the last two months, that I am surprised my waist has not grown to match the cookie and cupcake total yield. The last two recipes I have baked four times a piece tweaking butter, flour, and sugar additions. The freezer knows me all too well. I’m set for snacks into June. A dozen here, a doubling there, a repeat up there tends to balance out in high numbers. I am learning my first approach is the best. I heard back from someone I gave a test stack of an old recipe. They want to get on board for next year’s Christmas baking list. If they only knew. Meanwhile I’m hyped for a meat pie recipe with a delicate crust along with finding a Renaissance or Middle Ages cookbook. New challenges for the coming year along with discovering a new ethnic grocery store. I miss my Palestinian cookbook.

From the Kitchen: I lost hope at five this morning, but I was reminded about how proportions and ingredients change when using cocoa powder. In other words, the recipe needed more sugar for the body of the cookie. I added 1/4 cup granulated sugar to the original 3/4 cup. This will increase sweetness and balance out flavors better. I will not be attempting this grace for several more months. If you are apt, go for it. Meanwhile, I have the two dozen plus from last night to mull and crumb over for the next two weeks. Eats will be good for the next few days. Just made corn tomato soup with all the fixin’s in less than an hour. Compared to the original five hour vigil, I’m feeling accomplished.

Thanks to Toll House for the base recipe. I appreciate you more each month I bake with your products.

Decadent is the last word for the day.

Enjoy and Merry Christmas Bob Crachett wherever your incarnation may be!

YF,

Pastied Pastry Cook

 

Cooking, As Requested

January 5, 2017 6:02 p.m.

Panko Crusted Tilapia and Fried Rice

Chop one clove garlic, one medium carrot, and one small onion. Sautee in two tablespoons corn oil until the onions are transparent and the carrot’s edges turn light brown. Add in ¼ cup of defrosted green peas. (When you remove them from the oven, run warm water over the peas until the ice crystals are gone and they begin to turn bright green.) Turn the vegetables to evenly distribute the content. Add 1-2 cups of cold rice. Turn several times then begin to heat through. When the temperature is consistent through the rice, place aside in a separate bowl. In the pan add two beaten eggs and allow them to set before separating the disk into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Return the rice to the pan and toss with the eggs. Dress the rice with a tablespoon of fish sauce, a tablespoon of soy sauce, and two tablespoons of hot chili oil. Serve well heated, but not steaming. I have found two cooking notes when I make this dish: Parboiled rice is not necessary. Balancing the contents of enriched rice and starch are remedied by scrubbing the rice before boiling. Otherwise the rice may breakdown and stick when making fried rice. Some days I am all for sticky rice, other days I’m an entitled American. Hunger speaks for itself.

Today I used one tilapia fillet, ¼ cup of flour, one beaten egg, ½ cup of Panko bread crumbs, a ¼ cup of corn oil. Defrost the fillet and rinse it in water. Begin heating the corn oil. Coat the fillet in flour, dredge in the egg, and coat again in the Panko crumbs. Fry each side in the oil to 2-3 minutes or until golden brown on each side. (Source: 4C Panko Bread Crumbs Container). Come time to eat, I had to lightly dress the fish with salt. Though bites paired with a portion of rice make for good eats as well.

Fluted Frog, E-squire

Salt Cooking (Addendum 3)

Got hit. A long one. Just walked back into my room. This is what I am drinking/eating:

16 ounces hot tea (orange pekoe)

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

***

Left over boiled lentils in a seasoned tomato broth (Armenian recipe) placed in a shallow bowl. Dressed in the center with slices of ham topped with tapenade. One side (1/2 cup) of freshly made applesauce.

Sautee 2 medium onions chopped and 2 cloves chopped in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Turn 1 cup rinsed and sorted lentils into the pot. Add the leaves of four sprigs of fresh Italian oregano, one 16 ounce can of tomato sauce, 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, and 3 cup of water to the pot. Boil 1-3 hours. Keep adding water to the pot as the consistency thickens. Try not to let the contents burn. When in doubt scrape the surviving matter from the top, add to another pot, and pour in water to cook down further. The original recipe from my Armenian or Albanian friend’s grandmother says to boil for three hours. I got impatient and waited for the lentils to split at 1 hour. Served with white rice and four anchovies is a treat. For this dish spoon into a shallow bowl about 1/2-1 cup of hot lentils. Dress in the center with small slices of Christmas ham amounting to about 1/2 cup. Top with 1/4 cup of tapenade:

 

Tapenade

                1 can of black olives liquid drained

                3 Roma tomatoes

                1 small onion

                2 large cloves of garlic

                1/8 cup chopped fresh basil

                ½ cup chopped fresh parsley

½-1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of one lemon

In a food processor carefully pulse vegetables until ingredients are small but coarse. Place in a bowl and toss with ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt, olive oil, and lemon juice. Test for a good balance of flavors. Carefully add in more salt if necessary, but do not exceed 1 teaspoon in the whole dish. Serve with cracker or slices of fresh loaves of French bread.

Note: Should you be an old soul, chop fine all ingredients then season with the vinaigrette.

***

Later, I plan on following up with a couple of oatmeal raisin cookies I botched earlier this afternoon. They will be placed in a dish with hot milk and topped with whipped cream.

This recipe is known as Tim’s Courtship Cookies in my logs. I designed the recipe in 2007. I bake it at least once every other year. I baked it earlier last week to give for Christmas gifts, but now I am coming to grips with poor proportions.  Today, I recognized I did myself ill back then when transposing from a culinary school cookbook to my own keeps. The problem was I doubled the butter portion without doubling everything else. The reason for the preponderance of a toffee taste, I did not argue. I was happy with it in fact. Still today I was driven to correct the batter and I did, but I made another doubling mistake with the flour and nothing else. So, I have six dozen biscuits between the counter and the freezer. Doughy, yes, but palatable.

Here is where I was working:

3/4 cup of butter

3/4 cup of fresh applesauce

1 1/2 cups of dark brown sugar

1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 tablespoon of vanilla

3 cups of flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons ginger

1 teaspoon salt

4 cup of oats

1 cup of raw almonds

12 ounces of dark chocolate chips

12 ounces toffee chips

1 1/2 cups of raisins

Preheat of to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cream butter and sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, and salt. Add to mixture in two parts. Fold in oats, almonds, chips, toffee, and raisins one after another. Drop by the 1/8 cup on to parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or golden brown on the underside. I yielded over 72 cookies this time.

Note: On a decadent note, you can use 1 1/2 cups of butter instead of splitting it with applesauce. On a healthy note, substituting 100% with applesauce will produce a denser cookie.

***

If you are interested in menus a la domestic terrorism I’ll keep posting. I’m learning where I live a little at a time by observation. Comfort foods and patience rule through the first month of the Trump presidency.(Not that one had to do with the other.) Five dozen in the freezer and one dozen plus on the counter. Thinking positive.

~Pastied Pastry Cook

BTW: Eureka!

2 cups whole milk

1/8 cup decaffeined instant coffee

1/4 cup granulated white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/8 cup special dark Hershey’s cocoa powder

Heat slowly over medium heat. Constantly stir with a whisk. Pour into a large mug when the milk starts to steam. Top with whipped cream. Pair with one oatmeal raisin cookie no matter how unsuccessful the batch is. More than that will overwhelm the taste buds.

My mood has changed as well as the weather. Right now I am enjoying much bliss, indeed. Have a good night.

~W.H. Tespid ERT

Eve II (Addendum)

Sometimes it is the background music that saves us. Sometimes it is staring into the depth of the sky. Other times it is a single breath that brings us out of a barrage of accusations and insults. We embody fear in those moments and don’t see clearly enough how to escape. So I praise happenstance and the consistency of nature. I must remember that physically I am secure. What lurks outside will remain outside. What saved me today was in the rhythm of cooking. Staying sensory and patient made for a painless pairing of long moments of oppression. Right now it is three and a half hours to sync with a world of children’s hopes and dreams. Even the seventy year old children sit in anticipation for a brief nod to joy and elation. I don’t think I will be forgetting today. I will especially remember that this was not the first night and the occasion is born from a string that seems not to be cut from an endless length.

I have much more to learn about my chosen name sake.

Looking for a second sight of St. Nicholas this year may be pushing it. Some mysteries I crave more than annually or just with the return of the sun.

A blessed Eve to you and yours,

Niven St. Nicholas Constantin

 

Sweet Potato Latkes (roughly what sustains this Eve)

Boil two cups of water. Roughly grate two medium sweet potatoes. Yield one to two cups of potato. Set aside in a metal container. Cover with boiled water and sit for five minutes. Drain and set in a bowl. Add two eggs, three tablespoons of flour, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ cup of raisins, ¼ cup of sliced almonds. Mix well. Drop by 1/8 cup spoonfuls onto a hot griddle. Brown the latkes on each side. Serve warm as is or with a dollop of sour cream.

Served cold is just as good.

Latkes

Grate 1 and 1/2 white potatoes. Yield 1-2 cups of bulk. Place in a bowl and cover with boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and press out water. Place in a bowl with 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper (the more pepper you add the more of a warm and spicy after taste will curl around your mouth), 2-3 Tablespoons flour, and 2 eggs. Blend well. Drop by 1/8 cup onto a hot griddle. Brown the latkes on each side. Serve warm as is or with a dollop of fresh made apple sauce.

Enjoy!