Non Stop Cooking and Helpful Ideas

I have been cooking the last few days non-stop. My feet ache from standing in the kitchen and I am just plain tired. What an awful Hot day.
Some ideas to add to your menus;
Adding more raw into your diet:
Easy tortilla sandwich
Microwave for about a minute a tortilla with re fried beans, cheese, grated carrot and grated zuchinni, when done top with salsa and lettuce.  Makes for a quick and easy meal.
I make this sometimes when I need to run out the door in a hurry.
Add more veggies to lasagna
Even if your crowd loves meat you can add veggies in and they still will be happy if you cut it up small enough so they don't notice.
I use a zyliss but you can use your food processor to chop up veggies like, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, onion and spinach. Mix it in with the sauce and don't forget a little fresh basil!
Cook up chicken breast to use the whole week
When I get chicken on sale I boil(simmer) them in chicken broth just till they are still slightly pink inside (they still cook when turned off) Cut them up into bite sized chunks and then keep them in the fridge for easy use. This way you can lather them in barbecue for a quick barbecue chicken meal, spice them up with marsala sauce(next post) and cauliflower for a quick Indian flavor meal. You can use them in sandwiches, and salads too. You can even freeze it after cooked to nuke later.
Cook Oatmeal up the way you like it into small cups and freeze
I love stove top oatmeal cooked with cinnamon and maple syrup my way. If you have a special oatmeal only you can make check this out; After done cooking pour into those cheap 6 oz plastic cups cover with saran wrap an freeze. Pop them into a bowl and nuke when ready to eat.
Not so beefy Sloppy Joes
I feel like my kids get too much beef, but they really like the flavor. So I do half beef and half ground turkey when I can. Worried about it being too dry, mix in a cup of blended cooked cauliflower into the meat before cooking. It keeps it moist but the flavor is not noticeable!
Chow, Now I need a Nap!

Raw Biryani with Fig Chutney

I got this recipe on You Tube - Kemi's Raw Biryani with Fig Chutney
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe4F9bkUD20

It went over well with the Adults even non Raw Vegans, so here it is;
Kemi's Raw Biryani
Food Process:
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped cauliflower
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp chili
1 tsp cinnamin
then mix together with:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (more if you like cilantro like I do)
Fig Chutney

6 dried figs soaked in water a few hours
2 Tbsp chopped mint
1 Tbsp lime juice
Blend together until smooth. Dollop into the middle of your Biryani and garnish with chopped raw cashews or peanuts.

This was so different and so good most of my friends didn't even realize they were eating raw.
A good dish to bring to a picnic!

Pork Chops with Apricot marinade and Haluska

I rarely cook Pork chops but got a BOGO at Giant Eagle and I know how much Peter likes Pork chops. So I Decided to make a marinade so my Mira would eat them as well. My little Carnivores.   

Pork Chops with Apricot marinade
Marinate 3-4 good sized pork chops (med thickness) in the items mixed below for at least 4 hours or overnight;
 2 TBSP apricot jam (we bought this from our farm with our CSA)
 2 Tbsp soy Sauce (or more if you like it saltier)
 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
 2 tsp sugar
 Grill the marinated Chops on the Grill outside and serve over the Haluska below... 

Haluska is a authentic Hungarian or Polish Noodle dish. My friend Patricia Loverich-Bernard gave me her version from her Mom and this is it here sans the sour cream but you can use it if you like.

Haluska
1 head med-large green cabbage chopped into strips
1 large onion (or 2 small-med) chopped into strips
 1stick of butter (butter makes everything better)
1 bag or box of large flat egg noodles cooked and drained (this is important because although I have tried it does not work or taste as good with any other noodle)
salt and pepper (I will tell you I use Penzeys 'Mural of Flavor' spices 1/2 tsp and add some salt and it is wonderful)
Penzeys is in the Strip District in Pittsburgh and they have wonderful spice mixes that are so easy to use to enhance your dishes (that sounded like an advertisement, I wonder if they will give me a discount!)
Saute the butter, cabbage and noodles in a deep fry pan on med high heat. Be careful not to burn the butter. Once the cabbage has softened and the onions translucent add the spices and the noodles and cook a little more 5-7 min.

 The kids and Peter were in heaven over this dish and I served it with a side of my kids favorite Asparagus. What is it about heavily laden butter dishes that make everyone smile;)?

Treachery of Technology

Remember those days when you didn’t drop down in front of your computer first thing in the morning? Or all day through.
Heck, I remember not even owning a computer. I remember when a computer took up a whole room the size of a large walk in closet and punch cards were required.

Being linked in, hooked up, on line, skypeing, face-booking, tweeting, blogging, always connected has its ups and downs. Mostly it's an incredible time drain.
Although the blogging for some reason, even if no one is reading it, I really enjoy. For me blogging is cathartic.

Facebook is like a voyeuristic indulgence. I get to peak into peoples lives, look at their pages and pictures when they don’t know it. It feels incredibly naughty to me. Of course if you are FB friends, you expect that people will look at your pictures and words etc. But still sometimes I feel like I am eavesdropping, like some of the conversation(if you can call it that) is personal and really not meant for my ears.

Twitter, is like stream of consciousness on steroids. I have enough problem with saying just what I think at the wrong time, who needs a place to broadcast it. A new way to piss more people off that’s what twitter would be for me! I do have a twitter account but I avoid it.

Like most of you though, I am addicted.

I can’t help just jumping onto the FB newsfeed as I walk by the computer bringing lunch to the kids. I jump on, read quick and jump off, not wanting anyone to catch me, lest I get caught up chatting and then the kids would be on to what I am doing. OK I know you can block the chat box, but that seems like lying so quickly getting on and off somehow makes me feel better. Hey I’m not hiding, catch me if you can! Didn’t I just tell a friend the other day, “I never have time to get on Facebook anymore”, there was some truth in that. If your not caught on Facebook doesn’t that mean your not on Facebook?

I need to blog. I can’t seem to write in sound bites. I like words, always have since I used to browse the dictionary as a kid. Trying out new words like most girls try on shoes. I want to blog everyday but believe it or not by the end of some days I have very little to say. Not sure how it would come out any way when I am that exhausted.

I still like email. Oh but the dangers of email. One day you send a funny email to a friend about their funny looking hat they wore and the next day they send you a ‘you don’t understand me’ email back. They read your email with a tone in their voice you couldn’t and wouldn’t have. They made your email vile, when it was meant to be light if not a bit cajoling. So you spend your day emailing and then calling to convince them it was a misunderstanding and you didn’t mean to hurt their feelings. What a gimboid! you think but keep it to yourself.

Not fully on to Skype but it is soon to take hold in this household I am sure. Especially when Max is in college. Then I can chastise him about his messy room on line in real time over the internets! He’ll be moving his computer where the backdrop is a blank wall.

What would we do without all the ways we have now a days to keep connected. Some days I want to go trekking deep into the woods, hole up in a little cabin with books to read, writing material and plenty of canned food. But then I would get lonely and need my computer.
It was because of all this connectedness (computer) that I learned to type. I was a hopeless hunt and pecker until it became imperative that I be able to create a quick email. It took me a while but now I don’t have to look at the keys anymore and I couldn’t live without it. Or at least I don’t think I could!

I have been on a strike from cooking last few days! I am determined to get my kids to each take one day a week and cook. Why should I have all the fun?!

I showed them how to take a can of chopped tomatoes, blend it with garlic and basil and you have a quick sauce for penne (we were out of bottled tomato sauce).
They should know how to cook something besides mac n' cheese before they go out on their own.

So this coming week will be the trial run. They must make a meal for the family, a complete meal I might add. It can't be Mac n' Cheese and it can't be hamburgers and hot dogs. They also can not repeat a meal for 6 weeks.
Gosh, I'm a mean Mommy!! Just call me Mommy Dearest.

Tempeh Masala

OK so this is not real Masala, just my bastardized version of it.

Tempeh Masala

The Sauce:

1 30 oz (or 2 15oz) can of diced or whole tomatoes
1 can evaporated condensed milk (you can use Sweetened if you like for a sweeter, thicker version. Read about them here; http://homecooking.about.com/od/cookingfaqs/f/faqcannedmilk.htm)
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Tumeric
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Ground cloves
1 tsp Cinnamon

Blend the above ingredients in a blender. You can make this the day or night before if you want to have a quick meal the next night.

The Meal:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp chopped garlic (I use the jar kind for ease and so my hands don't smell like garlic)
1 small head cauliflower cut into Florette chunks
1 large onion cut into chunks
Sauce Above
8 oz organic Tempeh cut into 1 inch chunks (if you want to know what this is see; http://www.tempeh.info/)
3 cups chopped spinach


Saute onion, garlic, and cauliflower in the oil until onion is translucent and some browning (do not burn) Add the Sauce from the night before with the Tempeh and turn down to simmer for 20 minutes. Add the Spinach and cook for another 5.
Serve with cooked Brown Rice. Bread or Nan is also good to have to mop up all that yummy sauce with.
Enjoy!

Oven Frustrations and Nori Rolls

OVEN WOES:
For about a year now (probably longer) I have been nursing our gas range along.
The electrical panel went out for the second time since we moved into this house 12 years ago. 1st time it broke, we had it fixed and the repair man told us that it would not be worth repairing again and we should just replace it next time the panel goes.
Deciding to wait until we save for a new one or looking for a good used...
Here is how I manage it.
Manually lighting the burners when I need them - this I don't mind but I don't like the kids to do it because their carelessness with the matches laying near the burners.
I also told them laying the gas lighter next to the burner could cause an explosion. Max's retort to that was, "How cool would that be!" Not very I think.
Simply lighting the burners I could go on for years with but it is the oven that is a pain.
The stove panel likes to beep in Error mode at odd times and is unpredictable when hooked up to electricity so we must flip the circuit breaker off in the basement when not in use.
So every time I want to use the oven I have to flip it back on.
Also now, like all aged things it moves so much slower. It takes about a half an hour to heat up the oven to 400 degrees so it is important to plan ahead.
I often forget to go back down and flip the breaker again which causes Peter or I to get up at 2 am when the piercing Error buzzer goes off.
I don't know why it can't alert us to this at a reasonable hour.

My solution to this of course is to just eat raw foods but my family isn't going for it!
Here is one of my favorite raw food meals;

Nori Wraps

1 sushi Nori seaweed sheets
1 tsp ume plum paste (can pick up at an asian store)
Pea Sprouts
1/2 small carrot julienne
4 pieces julienne cucumbers (no seeds)
1/4 avocados sliced or cubed
1 Tbsp cooked rice

Spread the plum paste on the nori sheet and place the other items and rollup. Here is a tutorial that will help you master a hand roll. Too bad all of these come with an advertisement first, but this one is pretty funny. http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Make-a-Sushi-Hand-Roll-5289

Chickpee Masala

We got our CSA(Community Supported Agriculture) box this week with fresh Spinach, lettuce, spring onions, homemade bread and strawberry jam. CSA is a way for you to receive fresh produce directly from the farm. Sort of like going to a farmers market without having to pick out the produce. There are many here in Pittsburgh to choose from, some you even get to pick from a menu every week. I prefer the surprise of finding out what new vegetables are ripe and in the box every time we pick it up on Wed all through the summer. Here is a link to find a CSA near you anywhere in the USA: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

Went with a friend to Trader Joe's and bought Masala Simmer Sauce.
Would feel better shopping there if more stuff was made local. Most of their items come from Monrovia, Ca. But some of their stuff is good and quiet reasonable.

I made;
Chickpee Masala

1 15oz can garbanzo beans (chickpees) drained and rinsed
2 cups chopped spinach
1 large onion chopped
1 TBSP olive oil

Saute the onion in oil until translucent, add spinach, garbanzo beans and sauce and cook for a few minutes till heated through. You can make your own sauce (see my next post) but this is so simple for a quick veggie meal!

I made this for my dinner with French Meadow Bakery gluten free tortillas.

Worry Wart

So my Dad said to me on my visit this last week, "don't be such a worry wart!"
My first reaction was, I am not a worrier I just am careful and conscientious.
But I couldn't get it off my mind as I drove into the Red Roof Inn that night at midnight on the way headed back home.
Doesn't everyone look around their surroundings and take stock of what is going on?
My body feels forever on the verge of fight or flight mode when I am in unknown territory.
My mind always takes it one step further.
As we unload our car at midnight I take stock of what is going on. A sixteen and eighteen wheeler truck sitting in the upper parking lot. Truckers always give me a sense of safety. Most of these guys would come to your defense if a problem arises. One of my best friends from high schools Dad was a trucker and although tough and burly and quick to swear, he was a stand up guy. So with no where else to park, after we unload in the no parking zone, I park up near them.
As we finish bringing the stuff into our room, top floor 3 flights up, I notice a guy standing outside his room leaning on the railing smoking and checking his flip phone. Flip, flip, flip, rhythmically as he reads his texts. He seems to be waiting.
Once I park the car I see a guy limping out of the shadows as I am coming toward him to climb the stairs. My body tenses, I do a quick check in my mind of where Mira is, 'In the room locked. Good.' Keys are in my hand the way I was taught from our INPAX defense training and I look for a quick way out of the oncoming threat. The guy moves into the light and with a nod of his head to me I see he is an elderly man, hunched over from years of hard work that also shows on the lines of his face. He is thin and I think, "one push of my pointer finger would make him teeter over". I can tell from his shirt name tag that he is the night guard. What I really want to do is grab a chair so he can sit down.
I go up to the room and the flip phone guy is still smoking and looking squirrely. He does a quick 'check me' out look. I walk straighter as if to say, "I got strength in this 5'5" body and I could probably take you down". I give him that 'don't even think about it look'.
Once inside, Mira rolls up in her bed covers and starts to snore immediately. I fuss around cleaning up, organizing to make a quick depart in the morning.
I hear Mr. Flip It still outside now talking on his phone.
I lie in bed looking at the ceiling imagining him talking to a druggy, and saying, "where are you your late" and giving directions. I can't really hear what he is saying but my imagination starts to go wild. I imagine they try to break down our door because somehow the deal goes awry and they are shooting. I have to pull Mira down to the floor inbetween the beds and when they stop shooting to break in the door I yell for her to get into the bathroom and lock the door. I jump over the bed do the knee kick to the gastrocnemius muscle and having had the forethought to grab a pen in my hand on the way as he goes down I shove it into his neck. Stabbing one side then the other and with all my might once he is down I jump my body onto his neck. Next guy in gets the same but Mr Flip It runs off when he sees what is happening. By then the cops are there and grab him on the way.
I continue to imagine different scenarios, sometimes nastier and worse, with always the same ending. Me taking the bad guy down.
My back begins to hurt from laying that way and my shoulder hurts from tensing with those thoughts. I wonder if Mr Flip It will go inside or is he continuing to do deals all night.
I don't get to sleep until 2 am after an hour or so of deep breathing and relaxation techniques.
In the morning as we are leaving I see Mr Flip It giving a woman his age a hug and a toddler a head tousle as he hands back his key to the office.
OK so maybe I do worry a little more than I should. But next time it really could happen!

Meat for the KIDS

QUICK AND EASY MEAT LASAGNA
My kids have been begging me for Meat Lasagna for weeks. So I decided to make it for them.
I buy market districts natural meats (ground beef) and mostly organic cheese - I buy it already shredded. I think a mix of cheeses taste best and I even like some cheddar and provolone mixed in(don't forget to add parmesan). I use oven-ready lasagna noodles (although as long as you have enough liquid any noodle can be used.)

1 med to lrg onion chopped
1-11/2lbs ground beef
8 oz box of fresh mushrooms chopped into small pieces
15ounce container ricotta cheese
Generous 6 ounces (or more) mixed cheeses
Arugula or spinach (uncooked, there's your xtra liquid)
1 box lasagna noodles
25 oz jar of your favorite tomato sauce. I used Muir Glen Vodka sauce.
Extra sauce from a new jar.

Cook the onions and beef in a pan until browned and set aside to cool after draining off grease.
Saute the mushrooms in the same pan(no need to clean but may need to add a little more oil if you poured out the grease from the meat) just till cooked and cool.
Mix your cheeses together in seperate bowl
Mix meat, sauce and mushrooms together.
Put a little of the extra sauce on the bottom of your 9X12 glass baking dish. Layer over with your uncooked lasagna noodles(you will have to break noodles to fit). Layer sparingly, just enough to cover noodles with spinach or arugula then with meat mixture, and then with cheese. Do this again starting with the noodles, spinach, meat and cheese. Top this with noodles and more of the extra tomato sauce. Sprinkle some extra cheese on top for good measure. Bake on 375 for about 1 hour. It should be bubbling and noodles easy to put a fork through.
Enjoy!

Potato hash mash, Savory pancakes

Potato Hash Mash
Have leftover mashed potatoes. Here is what I do with them:

Olive oil
1 onion
2 carrots grated
2 cloves minced garlic
1 small zucchini
1/4 cup roasted red peppers (from a jar)
1/2 cup of veggie broth
Leftover mashed potatoes (about 2 to 4 cups)
1 tbsp mixed seasonings w/o salt
Salt to taste

Saute on Med/High all vegetables in 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan until onions are translucent. Slight browning OK just don't overdue it. Add broth, and let bubble for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Broth will evaporate some and should still have some left in pan. Add 1 Tbsp more if desired of olive oil. Add potatoes with seasoning and salt mixed in, smashing to fill bottom of fry pan, turn down to medium heat. Potatoes (depending on how much you have) should take approx 4-8 minutes to brown. Although they won't turn over as one piece, turn over to brown on other side another 4-8 minutes. Then eat!

Savory VEGAN Pancakes

1 Cup Flour
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup soy, rice or almond milk
2 tbsp veg oil
1 tbsp flaxseed
1/2 to 1 tbsp chopped garlic
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped parsley


Stir dry ingredients together. Add in wet items and stir till smooth. Grill like pancakes until golden brown both sides. Serve with applesauce or soy sour cream.

Eating Cake

My daughter is taking a Cake decorating Class at Michaels for the next few weeks.
So every week we have a cake in the house.
They use this disgusting Wilton icing that you buy in a large container and it taste like eating Crisco! Peter and the kids have some when it comes home then I bring most of it over to the neighbors who can't seem to get enough cake.
But at the Steelhead Grille...
I will admit I had a half glass of wine and 4 bites of cake for my anniversary.
Felt awful.
Now I know what they mean when they say Desert Desserts!
The sugar really doesn't work for me anymore.
With regular and dried fruit I get enough sweets.
If you haven't had a 'Kind' bar (they sell them at Starbucks) you should they are wonderful and right now my favorite snack kinda meal!

Juice, Juice and More Juice

Lucky me, I have Green Star Juicer
The best juice so far is
handful of wheatgrass.
2 small sweet/crisp apples.
2 stalks celery.
6 carrots (If you are lucky enough to get the red carrots at McGinnis and Bros it makes a lovely color)
Juice and Yumm!!
Most people have a hard time just ingesting Wheatgrass(I got mine at Kuhns of all places) so mixing it like this makes it palatable.

Foray Into Raw Foods

Long ago in a faraway place...
Sounds like a story coming on, hold tight and I will make it short.
I was in my 20's and living in a one bedroom flat with a wooden door and a foam pad I had propped up flat on cinder blocks for my bed. I was traveling and settled light those days.
I went on the Master Cleanse Diet. I was having a lot of upper respiratory colds and infections and a friend told me about it. I was a waitress at the time and I lasted 3 days then went on to eating only raw foods. Veggies, Fruits, Sprouts and Wheatgrass. I did this for about 2 years. I was healthy and managed quiet well. My mother was the only one who regularly would stress on her weekly phone calls to me.
Over the years of course I brought back into my life the foods I had ignored. Dating a pasty chef and a sous chef made it easy to do!
Which brings us up to now;
This latest bout of Bronchial Pneumonia has scared me enough to begin the Master Cleanse 6 days and now breaking fast with raw foods again. I don't plan on just doing a raw foods diet but I do plan on keeping mostly raw foods on my plate and working hard to stay healthy.
The reason I am telling you this is I will be blogging about the foods and if you want to try some well, jump right in. You might actually enjoy a few. Oh, and I will be using ONLY organic food.
My first is,
Coco Avo
1/2banana
1/4 avocado
1 Tbsp finely shredded coconut
6 crushed walnut pieces
Did you know Avocado is a Fruit, and it tastes yummy with banana!
Mash up the 1st three ingredients together with a fork, then stir in the walnuts and eat.
This kind of eating is healthy and simple.
More involved creating with raw foods to come late...

Fried Chicken Strips

Although I am still not eating.
Just tea, wheatgrass juice mix, Master Cleanse Lemonade and now some fruit.
I still have to cook for my gang.
They loved my;
FRIED CHICKEN STRIPS
2 eggs
2 TBsps water
1 cup Bread crumbs
1/2cup flour
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4tsp salt
few turns of the ground pepper
high heat vegetable oil
1 full skinless chicken breast

whisk eggs with water in large shallow bowl
Mix Bread crumbs, flour, seasoning, salt and pepper in another shallow bowl.
In a deep skillet pour in enough vegetable oil to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep (you can tell when ready if you let a drop of water into it and it sizzles up immediately, don't fry until this happens or you will have greasy chicken strips) Turn to Medium High when you are ready with the chicken;
Cut breast into pieces no more than 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches long. Extra pieces that won't work or have the white pieces? in it I just fry up first without breading to give to the pets.
Dredge chicken first in egg mixture then roll in the crumb mixture and right to the frying pan
Brown on both sides and place and a plate with a paper towel and serve. They should only take a minute or 2 on both sides to be done and should be nicely browned.
The Kids love these and so does the hubby!
Paired with steamed asparagus(a vegetable my kids will actually eat) and rice mix for a quick meal.

Dill Tomato Fish

Always trying to get the kids to eat more fish. And they did with this.
I unfortunately am eating gobs of antibiotics, supplements and homeopathics. So food holds little intrigue. Although it smelled(whats left of my ability to smell) good and Peter thought it wonderful. Paired it with Peters charred home fries(I told him to stay in the kitchen when he was cooking). Simple, easy and quick...
Dill Tomato Fish
1Tbsp olive oil
3 pieces of flaky white fish. I used sole(3/4lb)
3/4cup Vegetable broth
1-14.5oz can diced tomaoes
Fresh Dill
Heat olive oil in pan, then fry quickly on both sides (you do not want it to cook thouroughly yet)
Add vegetable broth and cook just till flaking(the broth will start to cook off) Pull apart with fork into chunks, add diced tomatoes and dill. Turn down to low, low and cook for another 3 minutes then cover and turn off flame. The fish will continue to cook as you get everything else you want to eat with it together.
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Feeling Sorry for Myself Tortilla!

Sad, cabin fever, sick, bronchial and feverish. Overall feeling sorry for myself.
This is what I eat for a pick me up!
Feelin' Sorry For Myself Tortilla
One Tortilla you prefer, white, wheat or gluten free
Butter or margarine
1-2 TBSP peanut butter
1TBSP cream cheese
1/2 sliced banana
1TBSP chocolate chips
(if you like you can add raisins or dried cranberries for a little zip)

Fry tortilla in frying pan and butter. Flip and put all ingredients on one side of tortilla then fold. Fry on both sides then slice in half and eat. It is gooey and delicious and sure to make you feel just a little bit better about yourself! Works for me everytime!

To Cure What Ails You Chicken Leek Soup

I cooked this up the day after the big snow storm and our electricity had been off since the evening before. I can't believe how good this soup came out. So easy and sure to cure what ails you! Especially those snowed in winter blues!

3cups thin sliced leeks(round slices)
2 leaves Kale, remove large vein
1TBSP Olive Oil
handful chopped italian parsley
1/2 cup chopped Dill tops
64 oz chicken broth
1 full breast chicken cut into chunks
salt and pepper to taste

Saute leeks in olive oil medium heat in bottom of deep pot until soft, 5-8 minutes, stir occasionally so as to not brown.
Throw in parsley, dill and broth, bring to a boil.
Once boiling add chicken and turn down to simmer for 20 minutes.
Salt and pepper to taste. You can add more spices if you like but the leeks and dill really make this soup wonderful!

About that Cat

So talking about this kind of stuff doesn't really add anything of good to a food blog.
So I won't go into too much detail but...
Misha, our 12 year old cat has had a stroke. So now we have to keep him in so he doesn't go out and never return and we can keep an eye on him.
He howls at the door to go out still even after all this time of keeping him in.
I am so used to opening the door up for him when he insists that I have to catch myself when I am not thinking and starting to open it.
He also had a upper respiratory infection, and tapeworm. EWWW!
He was sneezing and eye dripping for a few weeks. Finally he is over it. The tapeworm only took one pill to kill (both cats had to be treated).
But it took me days to stop freaking out about parasites!
After a $500 vet bill I asked the Vet if it was a good idea to get Pet Health Ins.
She said, "you won't get it for this cat, it is a preexisting condition"
Do you think they could add Pet Ins to the Health Bill they are getting ready to pass(if they ever do) in Congress??
Needless to say both cats seemed to forget where the litter was and managed to find other areas of the basement to let us know they were not well. I am still not over that, even though they are now using the litter again.
Molly our Lab sleeps by Misha on the sofa, as if to protect him, they are buddies.
Oh, the joy of pet ownership.
Our Pets we couldn't be without; Misha the Mayor (Maine Coon Cat), Phat Phoenix (Calico with no tail) and Magnificent Molly (black lab) the best dog in the world!

Rice Dish

Sundried Rice
Preheat oven to 350
Use a pan that can also go into the oven
I use my cast Iron Skillet that has a lid. If you have a dutch oven you can use that.
This is a good dish to use up leftover rice with.
Ingredients;
Precooked Rice (whatever 1 cup uncooked makes) I used basmati
2 large leeks. sliced thin, just the white part
1 Tbsp Olive oil
6 to 8 pieces sun dried tomatoes in oil
1 can black beans
2Tbsp flat leaf parsley
2 Tsp seasoning mix that has something like; salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, rosemary, garlic and chipotle(I used Penzeys Northwood Seasoning form the Strip) Many seasoning would do though and does not have to be that combination. Use what you have.
16 ounces veg broth.
Cheese (pregrated) You can leave this out if you want a Vegan Dish.

This is an easy dish to make but very satisfying. You can serve it as a one dish meal or add a salad to it.
Saute the leeks in the oil 2 min, slice the pieces of sundried tomatoes into strips and add. Saute another 2 minutes. Check leeks for tenderness. When tender add black beans, parsley, seasoning and rice. Mix and add veg broth a little at a time. You want to add enough broth just to be moist, but not soppy, with a little broth on the bottom. Flatten the mix lightly in the pan then add your cheese. I am generous with the cheese for the kids sake but don't overdo it or it will be greasy. Feel free to not add cheese at all as it stands alone well without it.
Cover your pan and stick it in the oven at 350degrees for 30 - 40 minutes. You can check at 30 and if bubbling on the sides it is done.

Best Borscht

Remember the old Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen?
My husband has the 1977 version and it has a recipe called Russian Cabbage Borscht that I have made and loved.
In Portland Oregon I used to teach English to the Russians at their homes.
One family I became close with and they would cook me lunch every time I came.
Often it was different versions of Borscht, some red, some green. Some with meat, some not and not always with beets. But always so yummy. They would never give me a recipe because they said it was always meant to be with what you had on hand.
In this country we always think of Borscht as having Beets and Mollie Katzens version is a good one. But again I think I have made it better, by changing a few thing, and easier, by leaving some annoying steps out and giving you some choices. So here it is...

My "Best Borscht"
2 TBs Olive oil
1 large chopped onion
1 large chopped carrots
1tsp caraway seeds
1 to 2 stalks chopped celery (I don't use the ends and I also pull off the strands)
1/2 small head red cabbage and 1/2 small head regular cabbage chopped (but you can use just one head of any cabbage you like)
2 large chopped red potatoes
3 chopped beets
1tsp raisins
1/2tsp dill weed or use more fresh dill
8 ounce can diced tomatoes or 8 ounces V8juice
1 heaping TBSP Cider vinegar or wine vinegar
1 heaping TBSP honey
Veg broth or just water
salt and pepper to taste


Saute onions, carrots, caraway seeds and celery with olive oil in a large pot till onions are translucent.
Add cabbage, potatoes, beets, raisins, tomatoes, dill, vinegar, honey and just enough broth or water to cover. If you like a thinner soup use more broth or water as this makes a thick soup.
Cover, turn down to simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Taste to season with salt and pepper.
Serve with a dollop of, sour cream, yogurt, or your vegan alternative for a vegetarian or vegan soup!

In search of the Perfect Oatmeal

We all know Oatmeal is good for lowering Cholesterol and can be a gluten free alternative to most cereals. But it can get boring day after day so I was on the search for a Perfect way to start the Day!
If you google 'Perfect Oatmeal' you find a nice recipe on whfoods.org
But of course I had to tweak it. I like mine thicker and sweeter than their recipe and I add a few things.
My Perfect Oatmeal
2 cups water
1 cup old fashioned oatmeal (just not the fast cooking kind)
molasses 1 to 2TBsp
honey 1 to 2TBsp
Cinnamon 1 to 2tsp
heaping 1/3 cup mix of dried: goji berries, cranberries, blueberries, cherries (or your choice changing this from time to time helps make it more interesting)
1/2 peeled and chopped medium tart apple (I used Granny Smith)
1 heaping TBP chopped walnuts, almond or pecans (your choice)

Bring the water and oatmeal to a boil. turn down to simmer for about 3 -5 minutes when oatmeal is at a cooked consistency. Add in all other items, I give you a range on some between 1 to 2 means that is to taste. You may want to try the 1 at first. I use the most amount in mine but this is a personal preference. You can always add later when you taste it.
Once all ingredients are added, stir, cover, turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Eat with your favorite topping, milk, soymilk, almond milk or yogurt!
Yum!!

Insanity, Dementia or CDS

I always thought that insanity was a unique perversion of humans.
That dementia and alzheimers was particularly human.
Not to make fun of these horrible diseases, as we all have made reference to ourselves at one time or another when we forget something.
But I am beginning to see that animals can have something like which they call
CDS - Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome.
This is a much nicer term and one that I think I personally often do suffer from. But I am getting off topic.
This is about our 12 year old cat!
Misha(named after Mikhial Baryshnikov)I think has begun to lose his mind.
He would go outside and turn back around right away and sit at the door to come back in. When back in, within minutes he would cry to go back out.
We've decided to keep him in now that he is getting old and it is so cold out.
He is not at all happy at that and he meows so loud they turn into howling sounds that pierce the ear drums.
He was always good about going in the litter box when in, but now prefers to dump in front of Peters workbench (You probably guessed that Peter stepped in it, and you would be correct).
He just doesn't always seem to know where he is. He often will settle just to get up and pace again as if he forgot where he was going.
I liken it to me, when I go into a room and forgot why I did and then have to walk back out thinking that way I will remember what I went in for. CDS for the moment.
So I am reading about Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome.
Then of course I go through my usual guilt diatribe: "Why didn't we keep him in all along, why didn't I make my own organic pet food, maybe it is what we fed him, we are bad pet owners" and on and on until I am worn out of guilt and realize I need to take him to the vet.
So I am calling the vet in the morning to talk to him about CDS and how to give Misha the best last years of his life. Should I be grinding up that organic fresh raw chicken tomorrow for his meals...

FOOD TINKERING

I will admit, I am not a good cook.
I am not 'Chef' material.
I am a Food Tinkerer.
I like to mix flavors till they become something that wakes up in my mouth.
I like spices, herbs, vegetables and fruits. Meats and beans(proteins) are the bed that they must lie upon. At least in my house!
I do not like touching to prepare chicken, meat or fish, but I do it because I must cook.
You really didn't need to know this, but there it is anyway.

I have been cooking lately and just not writing, so alas, you have missed some weird but interesting stuff.

• I made a turkey shepherds pie with pepitas. Leftover turkey and mashed potatoes. Lined the square bake dish with the potatoes, filled with chopped turkey, grilled onions, celery and spices and leftover gravy. More potatoes to cover and pepitas on top. Big hit with the kids.

• A few soups over the holiday that I can't remember what went into them. One was a Butternut squash with rice (leftovers of course) with a menagerie of spices. Max even ate this one.

• Tonight I made Coconut curry chicken over brown rice.

Two large breasts of chicken cut into good sized chunks (I always use a fork and knife so I don't have to touch it, see my aversion to it above.)
1 leek sliced thin
1tbsp garlic chopped
1 sweet potatoe
1 to 2 cups green beans (I used last nights leftovers and any leftover veggies would be good here)
2 to 3 plum tomatoes (I know these are not in season but I like tomatoes in curry)
4 to 6 baby bella mushrooms
Chicken broth
1/2 can Lite coconut milk
1/2tsp curry
1/4tsp coriander
dash salt
Saute in a deep dish the leek and garlic in about a TBSP olive oil or butter for about 1 min then mushrooms another minute. add in chicken chunks just to quickly brown on both sides.
Add; enough chicken broth just to cover, the coconut milk, sweet potatoe, curry, coriander and salt.
Bring to boil and then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes and add the leftover veggies and tomatoes in the last 5 minutes(if you add to early they will be mush, but I don't have to tell you that)

I go light on the spices because my kids would not eat it otherwise. Personally I would add more curry and some hot sauce if I was eating it. So go ahead and add what you like!

Oh, don't forget to cook your rice!
I bought a used rice cooker from a friend years ago and it is one of my favorite appliances. I always ruined rice cooking in a pot, but this rice cooker gets it perfect every time!