Random yet deliberate ruminations on art and crafty stuff, the state of education, munchies, various psychoses, and a not-your-standard-garden-variety life.
As in, it would kill you to eat all of it. So share it with friends. Keep a dollop of it for a fabulous omelet or a grilled cheese sandwich. I may be Northern, but my Southern friends lapped it up contentedly (and quickly).
Blasphemy! I didn't make it from scratch. But the teenager that was doing our yard work was bathed in sweat today and I felt a "tip" was in order. He loves lemon pound cake, and I used what I had. Well, I had to buy a box of lemon pudding mix, but hey...
Now I NEVER make a cake mix just the way it says to make it. I ALWAYS add an extract. Makes it taste more like home made. For some cakes, it's vanilla extract. But in this case, I had a bottle of organic lemon flavoring (go figure!) and tossed some in.
He told his mom "it's really bad for you, you shouldn't eat any." I guess that meant he wanted to save it all for himself. And that's probably a seal of approval. ;-)
Honestly, this cake does NOT measure up to pound cake at least in ingredients...not enough oil and no butter. But hey, I didn't taste it, I gave it all to the lawn dude.
Also, I never used canned frosting. Eeeew. A dusting of powdered sugar is plenty on this one. MAKE YOUR OWN FROSTING. It's just softened butter and powdered sugar, after all, with maybe a little something extra. Anne Byrn, the Cake Mix Doctor herself, preaches the no-canned-frosting gospel, and I have bought into it hook, line and sinker. ;-D
Cake: •1 pkg Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Lemon Supreme Cake Mix •1 (3.4 oz) pkg instant lemon pudding and pie filling •4 large eggs •1 cup water •1/3 cup vegetable oil (added lemon flavoring--extract)
1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 10-inch tube pan. 2.Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water and oil in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour into pan. 3.Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Invert onto heat resistant serving plate. Cool completely. 4.For glaze, place frosting in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high power 10 to 15 seconds. Stir until smooth. Drizzle over cake.
I found this cookbook online. It is filled with recipes from native americans. Some are southwestern in nature which look interesting (haven't tried any yet). In addition, it covers use of commodity food from the government; in these times I think anyone can probably find something in here that would help us all save some bucks.
I bought an apple peeler. Peels, cuts, cores. or some combination of the previously listed. It made this recipe easy, easy, peasy.
initially I said I loved it, but it fell apart after two batches of apples. I'm taking it back; it didn't even last a week.
I hadn't thought of other uses for a contraption like this, but my friend the veggie grower said she uses hers for potatoes as well. I might actually make potato dishes now, just peeling them with lightning speed.
Apple Maple Jam
about 6 lbs finely chopped apples 6 cups sugar 1 cup maple syrup 1 t cinnamon 1/2 t allspice 1/2 t nutmeg 1/4 t ground cloves
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepot. Bring slowly to a boil. Cook rapidly to jellying point. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.
Pour hot into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust caps. Process ten minutes in a boiling water bath.
I used to work with Barb and I had no idea she was such a writer. Hey, back in the dark ages, when we both worked at a record company here in Nashvegas, she was a radio promoter--so who knew? But suffering has a way of making a person either really bitter or really thoughtful, and she has chosen the latter. Worth a look!
Also, here's a couple canning blogs I really like...
Yeah, I know, the title "Almond Vegetable Quiche" doesn't sound very promising to you, perhaps. However, I was very intrigued and set out to try it. The final result: something I think is quite tasty, low carb, healthy, and nice for an easy dinner or for breakfast or brunch.
I have posted the recipe as found originally below. The Tennessean doesn't keep their links active for long, and I didn't find this recipe anywhere else in my cursory Google search.
I mixed up everything except the sizeable veggies (for which I substituted one medium, ripe tomato, diced, and a diced green pepper), poured a bit of the mixture into the silicone bundt, and then dropped in the veggies. Then I put in the rest of the mixture. This is important in baked goods so as to have a finished product that doesn't crumble into pieces, and it resulted in a very nice "quiche-bundt" with no crust to boot. Really, you should try this.
Trader Joe's sells almond meal, but you could always put almonds into a food processor and pummel the life outta them. ;-)
ALMOND VEGETABLE QUICHE 6 eggs 1/2 cup mayonnaise or kefir Pinch of baking soda 1/2 cup red cabbage 1/4 cup onion or shallots 1/2 cup cauliflower 1 cup almond flour Salt to taste 1 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Mix all ingredients and pour into a silicone Bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour. Recipe from Sepehr Homayoon of the Baha'i Center of Nashville.
Here in the South we are currently overrun with zucchini and summer squash in general.
I was given a whole pile of organic yellow summer squash by some fab fellow vendors at a farmers' market. Actually, we were given SCADS of different vegetables this last week: green and banana peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
The cucumbers went to good use in some gazpacho, with the (organic, HUGE!!!) tomatoes. MMMMMMM.
But what to do with all that yellow squash? I don't want to waste it, after all. Already, my fridge overflowed with zucchini, which comes in handy in the zucchini chocolate cake (just search this blog under recipes and it will pop right up).
So I went trolling for summer squash uses, knowing that there was no way in blazes I could just saute' or steam that pile before it would be toast. Plus, hubs was at Teleios so I couldn't count on him consuming them, either.
This is what I ended up with. I changed a number of things from an existing recipe. That's something you CAN'T do successfully with a jam recipe, but with pickles it seemed to be just fine. Plus, the veggie amounts can be approximated. I would just use the syrup recipe as is. You want to end up with the right acidity in order for things to can safely.
These are sweet pickles, that look positively lovely in the jar. A mix of colors and spices...yellow, green, white, red, etc.
Plus, you can just water bath can these puppies. No pressure cooker needed.
You can handle this ! honest. Give it a whirl if you are overloaded with yellow squash. The jars will look lovely sitting on your kitchen counter as they cool.
ten-ish cups thinly sliced summer squash a couple cups thinly sliced onions (rings would be nice) diced green and banana peppers a large jar of roasted red peppers, diced 2/3 cup salt (I used sea salt, but I think pickling salt would be better. Pickling salt is, as I understand it, simply non-iodized salt.
Soak squash, onions, and peppers (other than the roasted ones) with the salt in enough water to cover everything well. Let it sit on your counter for two hours and then drain them.
Syrup three cups sugar (I used organic demerara cane sugar, but white would be fine. I wonder how brown sugar would be!) two cups apple cider vinegar two tsp celery seed two tsp mustard seed Combine syrup ingredients and bring to a boil.
Remove from heat. Drop drained vegetables and roasted red peppers into the syrup and mix well. Put mix into hot sterilized jars and cover with syrup. Process in water bath for 15 minutes.
A Southern friend of mine says her mother used to make pickles like this. I guess I just grew up too far north to know about them before! Give 'em a whirl...or if you're my friend you could try asking me for a jar... *L*
A few days ago, our landlord's kids showed up at the front door of Teleios. They came bearing fresh veggies from their garden. What a nice thing to do! So I put the veggie names in Google, and came up with a pie recipe.
Well, I wasn't about to bother with the pie thing. But I thought the recipe had some good ideas and I snitched some of them.
So in a small glass pyrex dish (probably 6 x 8), I layered the following:
a couple of tomatoes that I cut into small pieces a thinly sliced small summer squash a thinly sliced zucchini a can of mushrooms (4 oz can)--sorry, didn't have any fresh on hand I covered them with some all purpose no salt seasoning...basil and other spices, that hubs had in his very limited spice selection. I topped it with a not very thick layer of light mayo and then topped that with thin slices of reduced fat cheddar.
Since it was a small dish, I slapped it in the large toaster oven (we seldom use the oven down there, and it's a big electricity--and cost-- savings) for 40 min at 350 degrees.
Didn't have to twist hubs' arm to eat it. He finished off his portion with gusto and returned for seconds.
Hubs loves it. I had no idea he did until this year. It just goes to show you; never assume you know everything about your husband even after twenty-five years of marriage.
They looked like something beyond my pay grade, so I would get the store bought frozen ones. All seemed to meet his expectations, so I stuck with that.
Then I thought I'd check and see how hard they are to make. Let's just say that you can handle it. Really.
I used the basic Nellie and Joe's Key Lime Pie recipe. Then slather some whipped cream on top if you like. I don't mind slumming and using Cool Whip, but that's anathema to my dear love.
They tasted so good to my hubs, I told him he had to work out to get some more of them. He didn't seem to mind that thought, so the taste must be powerful. Whether or not it's just wedded schmoozing, you will have to decide for yourself, but he insists they are better than the store-bought. Let's just say they are definitely WAY cheaper.
I like to freeze them, for a lovely texture. But your mileage may vary.
Look at all the other lovely recipes on this page, including lower fat and sugar possibilities. I'm definitely going to try them.
Apparently in some places of the world "chai" just means "tea". Well, whatever it means, I like it. Lately I've been thinking that cutting out some soda would be a really great idea.
A couple kinds I like are: Decaf Coconut Chai from Celestial Seasonings, and the lovely chais from Stash Tea. The coconut chai is available right here in Nashvegas grocery stores, as is some of the Stash Teas, but both companies offer online ordering if you desire.
A Venti Chai with soy at Starbucks is my drink of choice, but it ain't cheap, either in price or calories. I still do that just to savor the experience (it's one of the few faux-sophisticated places on this side of town that has yet to close), but I don't get that many Starbucks gift cards (hint hint! ROFL!).
If you are slender, and in need of no particular dietary things, sweetened condensed milk, or cream or reg milk, would be added to this tea with other sweeteners, perhaps honey. I don't do that.
My recipe: brew a couple cups of strong chai. Add stevia to taste, while it's hot. Then pour over a tall glass of ice. Add soy milk. Stir. Enjoy pretending you're a barista.
No, it's not the rich creamy chai, but it's pretty guiltless. So I enjoy it.
Soy is quite excellent from a dietary standpoint. We middle aged chickadees benefit from the plant estrogens, and it's also a good thing for one's heart, my physician reports. The estrogens do seem to improve one's mood, too.
I think I'll get me one before I head out to the northern outpost, right now! Time for that quick dash from Teleios to Nashvegas.
The idea of eating kale has always repulsed me. I am no fan of greens as my husband will freely admit. He loves turnip greens, kale, etc., cooked till limp, with bacon bits, vinegar, etc. As a transplanted northerner, I had to learn how to cook them. My husband is a midwesterner too, but has southern relatives and as such he grew up with greens, biscuit and gravy, etc. He enjoys how I cook them, and always says "try just a little." My response is, "Um, dollface, I tried them last time I cooked them, and the time before that, and the time before that, because you asked. You can stop asking now."
However, I have found a very lovely way to eat kale. I tried a salad like this at Whole Foods recently. Only a smidgen from the salad bar made its way onto my plate, but I was soon wishing I had a larger quantity. Hubs was out of town. I texted him: "guess who just ate kale...and liked it a lot?" His response: "*faint*".
Apparently kale is one of the very best foods you can eat, chock full of vitamins and nutrients. This makes it not only bearable, but actually VERY nice indeed. The lemon seems to take all the bitterness away that I was expecting.
My salad (that's not my photo, it's the recipe creator's, who offers the html freely to post on one's blog) did NOT include tomatoes. But it might be good. And some folks use pine nuts, but that is WAY out of my budget at present.
My kale was from the fabulous organic growers at Delvin Farms, who are fellow vendors at the farmers' market.
You gotta try this. No, really. I can't even believe I said that. ;-)
Ingredients 4-5 leaves of Curly Kale
Sea Salt
Olive Oil (Extra Virgin)
1-2 Lemons
Dried Cranberries
Sliced Almonds or Pine Nuts
Tomatoes (if desired)
This was one of my first raw dishes. It's very easy to prepare and can be eaten immediately, or prepared in advance for lunch or dinner.
First grab a nice bowl. I tend to prepare in the serving bowl, so I also make sure its nice looking for the table. With the bowl by your cutting board, its time to prepare the Kale.
For safety, because not all stores clean their green vegetables well, rinse Kale with cool water; then pat or shake off excess.
On cutting board, I cut off excess stem, in a 'V' motion going up into the green, but not too far. About an inch or so where the stem is surrounded by greens, but still thick.
Once the excess stem is removed, it is time to cut the leaves. Flat cuts across work, but I like the greens more bite size, so I continue with an angled motion, cutting off from both sides. Place cut Kale leaves into the bowl.
Pour about 1/8th cup Olive Oil on the greens. You can eye, this. You just want enough oil to coat the leaves. After adding oil, take one of the fresh lemons, slice and juice it over the greens as well. Remember to catch the seeds.
The lemon adds a nice tart flavor. If you let the recipe sit for an hour or more, will also mellow the greens, making them softer and easier to digest.
Sprinkle a little sea salt over them, a pinch or two should do, but season to taste. Then mix.
I use my hands to gentle mix olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and greens together. Making sure each green is covered.
Now to add the extras. Dried cranberries will add a nice sweet flavor to the mix, or if you prefer tart just stick to tomatoes (cherry or grape tomatoes work well as well).
Pine nuts can be added directly into the mix, and stirred again. But when using almond slices, I add after I've plated the dish.
If desired, the second lemon can be cut into wedges, so those who like more tart can add more lemon juice individually.
A few weeks ago strawberries started appearing on our shelves here in Nashvegas grocery stores. Publix was first with the Florida strawberries, and then the California ones started coming in. Of course, later this summer, fellow Franklin Farmers Market vendors will bring theirs to market, and they will blow the others away, but one must take what is available at this time of year.
At one point, strawberries were a mere $5 for four pounds. Cash has been really strapped at our home due to extended unemployment, but we really wanted to say thank you to friends and family nonetheless, and offer the wonderful flavor of homemade jam to those around us as gifts.
So I started scrounging around the house, and found that I had more jelly jars than I had originally thought. Being a chandler, this wasn't entirely surprising, as I have used them off and on for products. I also had an extremely inexpensive source for pint jars because of some connections I have for my business.
All of this led to strawberry jam creation. I must say, it is easier than I thought, and so darn yummy. Just thinking about it makes me want to go to the kitchen and grab some out of the fridge. But I have a post to write, so that will have to wait for tomorrow morning.
All you really need are jars, lids and bands, fruit pectin (available at many grocery stores), and good quality fruit--fresh or frozen will work.
Here are some quick lessons learned:
1. Jam making is NOT an art. It is a SCIENCE. That is to say, it is like a bread recipe in many respects: read the recipe through, measure carefully, and don't do any creative tweaks unless you are willing to deal with something that may or may not turn into jam (there ARE solutions if it doesn't come out the first time).
2. Use fresh pectin. Go to a store where you are reasonably certain that it turns over quickly. Check sell-by dates if they are available.
3. Use the recipe as written. Follow the steps. Read them all through ahead of time, because once you get started you will be busy for a little while (it really doesn't take very long). Do not change the steps. The more you do them, the easier they will be. You will find plenty of recipes to get started inside the pectin package itself, or by surfing over to the Sure Jell site.
4. You can boiling water can jams and no pressure cooker is needed. That was a big one for me. Or you can make jams that you store in your freezer (the fastest and easiest, but I prefer shelf-stable jams).
5. Make nifty labels on your computer and include all the ingredients. That way giftees won't have to worry about any allergies or etc.
6. Be sure to sanitize your jars. My dishwasher has a sanitize cycle which I use shortly before I make jam.
7. Keep the jars warm. Differences in temperature can cause glass to break, and where's the fun in making jam only to lose it in a broken jar? Keeping the jars in hot water until used is a good way to do this.
8. Different sweeteners need different pectins. If you want to make no sugar added spreads, or spreads with splenda or etc., you will need different pectin. When you look on the store shelf, you will find this type clearly marked.
9. Different sweeteners will change the appearance of the jams. If the bright jewel colors of jam are important to you, white sugar is the best way to get this. A yummy batch with demerara cane sugar, for example, is more robustly colored (and just downright delicious, too!). Jams with splenda will look entirely different when finished than a sugar-based jam. (They're pretty good tasting, too!)
10. A canning funnel makes life tons easier. They were selling for a measly fifty cents at my local K-Roger, so it's not exactly a budget-buster.
11. If you plan to can in boiling water, you will need a container that holds enough water to get an inch to an inch and a half of water over the top of the jar.
12. Did I say read the directions thoroughly? They are not that challenging once you read them through.
13. A dab of butter will really cut down on bubbles/foaming.
14. Just because you are able to can things does NOT mean you can sell them. In our state (and hopefully in all the other ones!) there are domestic kitchen requirements that must be met. Our state agriculture department regularly runs domestic kitchen classes to review all the regulations, and you will have to meet regular inspections. This isn't an issue for me, because I don't sell mine, but I include it here for the significant number of folks who sometimes read my blog that are interested in agriculture and selling at farmers' markets.
Anyway, if you are a neophyte like I was, I hope this is helpful! I'll post some pics as well.
Everyone needs a dip for the Super Bowl. Go Cardinals!!!!
Put the following in a food processor (or in a deep bowl and use a stick blender instead):
Two cans white beans. Canneilli if you're uppity, great northern if you're slumming. I don't know that it matters. Rinsing the beans and draining them in a colander will cut down on the salt content.
A couple T water if you drain the beans.
Some garlic. Cloves, powder, you decide.
Sage and rosemary.
Salt, I like sea salt myself.
A dash o' cayenne. More, and my hub won't eat it. Your mileage may vary.
Puree, while adding a thin drizzle of olive oil.
Vegan, healthy fat, protein, and something my skeptical husband enjoys as well with raw veggies, or in his case Triscuits if he's lucky. ;-)
Pretty low in fat (especially if you just use egg whites).
Extremely easy.
Moist and yummy.
What else do you want? :-)
Give it a try.
Norwegian Apple Pie
2 eggs (4 egg whites can be substituted) 1 ½ cups white sugar 1 cup flour 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tsp baking powder 1/8 tsp salt ½ cup chopped nuts 2 cups diced apples
Mix together all ingredients. It will likely seem unwieldy at first, but the moisture from the apples will change the consistency to a batter of sorts. My mother bakes this in two greased eight-inch pie pans at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, but I usually bake it in a prepared 7 x 11 pan for slightly longer.
Using turbinado sugar and whole wheat flour probably will work, although I haven’t tried it as of yet.
A very kind friend who sells apples has been giving me their "factory seconds". Sometimes they doubt that I would want them, but I grew up on a farm and know good and well how to use those apples! Especially at present, I do not want to waste a thing if I can help it, so I've been looking at a couple cookbooks for ideas. "Too Many Tomatoes" is a book I have blogged about before, with a killer recipe for zucchini cake, and the one I'm going to mention today.
The "More with Less" cookbook came out over thirty years ago. Mennonites put it together as a way to eat well on a reduced budget. Their goal really was to use less of the world's resources, and back in 1976 that was a little more cutting edge than it is now, as you might imagine. My mother bought me this book and I used to use it somewhat regularly, but I'm using it a lot more now. The newer versions might be updated (mine is from the 80's) but the older book's recipes aren't always necessarily healthy (although lots are). They aim first for cheap and effective use of resources. Sometimes they use weird stuff like MSG once in a while, but I just eschew those recipes.
After all the ways I've used apples, of which I will chronicle in more detail later, I really thought some apple butter would be great. However, I wasn't really thrilled about using a whole ton of white sugar in apple butter, and my enthusiasm for using Splenda was pretty low as well. So in the "More with Less" cookbook I found a recipe that worked pretty well...my hubs really likes it. Go get this cookbook, or be really cheap and check it out of the library.
Honey Apple Butter
7ish pounds of peeled and cut up apples
Cook the apples and then process for applesauce. I just stuck them in a crockpot all night and then the next morning used a stick blender--that worked fine.
Add 1 cup crushed pineapple, 1 1/2 pounds honey (the size of container you can get at Aldi, for example), and 1 cup apple cider vinegar or cider, to taste. You could also add some spices--maybe cinnamon, nutmeg, you get the drift.
I took the removeable crockery out of my crockpot at that point and put the apple butter in a 300 degree oven for 3-4 hours, stir once in a while. This is to remove some of the water and make it thicker.
You can freeze it, but I put it in cleaned and sanitized jars. Stir with a plastic or wooden spoon (no metal!!!) to get air bubbles out if necessary, but there probably won't be air bubbles. Clean the rims scrupulously, and add the lids and bands. Five minutes in a boiling water bath worked just fine. Then I removed the jars and sat them on my kitchen counter. All of them sealed, which was encouraging.
**addition: it had been a while since I canned anything, so remember...heat differences are a no no! make sure your jars are sitting in hot water to stay warm and your apple butter is just-cooked and still warm! temperature differences are a problem...don't put cold jars in a boiling water bath, or they may break.***
Sometimes when life isn't going along so swimmingly, it is nice to remember that friends care, and that some things can go right--like this recipe.
This is a yummy breakfast treat, although of course it works any time of day.
Mrs. Fezziwig gave us a lovely gift. This is well suited for our current economic times.
We received a loaf of italian/french bread (the Kroger kind, that you bake at home to finish to a nice crusty loaf), a bottle of olive oil, and a container of Carrabba's type herbs. At that fine restaurant, which is something we really can't afford at present, the waiter brings out crusty bread and pours olive oil on a plate, and tops it with a very nice herb blend.
Mrs. Fezziwig even included a laminated copy of the recipe so we could easily make more ourselves, and preserve the recipe for safekeeping.
1 tablespoon minced basil 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (Italian is best) 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or ground sea salt 1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon olive oil 1/8 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Directions 1. Combine all of the ingredients, EXCEPT oil and lemon. 2. Put in a small food processor (I used my little food chopper). Chop briefly until all ingredients are about the same. 3. Stir in oil and lemon juice. 4. TO SERVE: Combine about 1 1/2 teaspoons spice blend to 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil on a small Dish. 5. Dip sliced bread in mixture. 6. French bread is good. 7. ENJOY.
I think you will need to get a membership to print the following, possibly, but this is the page to print and laminate for your friend who is receiving the gift.
This recipe is from a book called "Too Many Tomatoes, Squash, Beans, and Other Good Things: A Cookbook for when your garden explodes" by Burrows and Myers. I think of it as being an outdated cookbook; mine is the 1976 edition. Based on a quick perusal of Amazon, it looks as though they updated the cover, but left all the same recipes intact.
My opinion is that some would not use these recipes at least from a health perspective, but it fit into the farmhouse cooking I grew up with. Some of the recipes are dated, but the vintage feel can be nice. And it does have some decadent stuff. Here is one example. I've given some substitutions that you may or may not want to use.
(Sorry I haven't blogged much lately. I have some good excuses. I will elaborate later. I haven't forgotten the giveaways, either, and actually the giveaway stuff is piling up.)
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Cream together in large bowl: 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup oil (I think you could use applesauce in exchange for the oil)
Add the following to above and stir well to mix: 3 eggs (six egg whites will cut down the fat a lot) 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup buttermilk (I use nonfat plain yogurt instead. You might be able to try some nonfat or lowfat sour cream here as well...worth trying.)
Measure the following into a sifter (I admit, I didn't do that) and then sift into the bowl 2 1/2 cups flour (mixing half and half white and wheat should work fine) 1/2 tsp allspice 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp baking soda 4 tablespoons cocoa
Grate three zucchini, about 6 in long each, into the bowl. Stir until blended. Pour into greased, floured 9 by 13 inch pan.
Sprinkle 1/2 to 1 cup of chocolate chips on top. (Of course I go for the cup full!) ;-) Bake for 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Be sure to test for doneness, make sure the center isn't still gooey.
Let's take a break from the madness. I need one, you do too? Okay, how about cooking something summery? Put those crises in a pillowcase, thrash them about a bit, and then tie the top. Yeah, they'll escape soon enough, but at least right now they're chewing on each other trying to get out.
Okay, off to the kitchen. I think both cooking and baking can be therapeutic for different reasons. Baking: reassuring and orderly. Cooking: a whack on the side of the head, a jolt that might get me thinking differently about the problem(s) and possibly come up with other ideas.
This is a salad I threw together for our 25th anniversary party. I consider cooking an art and baking a science. In other words, baking is almost uniformly a science experiment, i.e. combine the exact ingredients in the exact measure in the exact conditions (humidity, heat, etc.) and you should have a baked good emerge from your efforts. Baking is very gratifying because it doesn't fall along the realm of unpredictability, by and large. Do these exact things, and you should end up with the baked good of your dreams.
On the other hand, I consider cooking an art. Throw in a little of this and a little of that, and see what you come up with. Keep track of what you did, or you'll never be able to replicate it again. Or intentionally DON'T keep track, and enjoy a one time adventure.
Here's the ingredients. Need I say that they are open to experimentation, and you'll have to come up with the amounts yourself? It wouldn't be an art otherwise, would it?
Here are my suggestions:
Pretty pasta. I used Neptune's Dream pasta (photo and vendor shown), but of course that's all up to you. I like the multicolored aspect, but you could always go monochromatic. Pesto dressing. I just used Kraft. Roasted red peppers Chopped green pepper Black olives Artichoke hearts Basil (yeah, I added some more) and extra virgin olive oil Chopped garlic cloves Crumbled feta cheese Chopped vidalia onions Salt, pepper, whatever other seasonings suit you.
Okay, run with it, and make something exclusively your own. Not necessarily a substitute for therapy, but a heck of an adjunct. :-)
