Pizza for the Economy Slump

I could buy a pizza for dinner. Or I could get gas. Or pay my electricity bill. Or buy my dog food.

It just seems like $15 is a little steep for a pizza that I won't even finish eating. So...I created a fast and extremely cheap alternative:

Cracker Pizzas.

ingredients (pay attention now... don't want to lose you in the list..)

Saltine Crackers

Pepperoni slices

Cheddar cheese (or mozzarella, provolone, gouda, whatever)

Place two slices of pepperoni on each cracker (I think I used 11, which turned out to be about 2 too many). Cut a small slice of cheese (not bigger than the pepperoni) and set it on top of the cracker.

Put in the oven on 350 until cheese is sufficiently melted.

voila. Cracker Pizza. If you wanna feel like a kid again, drink a Crappy Sun with it.

Chicken Saute for the Sick Soul

It's time (up here in Oregon at least) to break out the jackets, turn on the heaters, and stock up on cold medicine. My roommate is getting over a throat infection/cold, my boss was sick with a cold and everywhere I'm hearing sniffles, coughs, and complaints of a cold. Today I started to feel a little stuffy and got that "impending cold" feeling in my head and throat. I had to act fast. I greeted the morning with a glass of green tea and researched what foods can increase immunity.

After a little research, I settled on the following ingredients:

Chicken - Niacin and Selenium
Spinach - Folate
Bell Peppers - Vitamin C and Pyrodoxine
Garlic - Selenium
Tomatoes - Chromium
Lemon zest and juice - Vitamin C
Jasmine Rice - Selenium
chicken stock/broth
and Turmeric. Click here to learn 20 health benefits of Turmeric.
pepper
parsley
oregano
garlic powder

First I put 3 1/2 cups of chicken stock on to boil.
While that was boiling I chopped up the bell peppers into bite-sized pieces, cut the tomatoes into pieces, and mixed the spinach, bell peppers, and tomatoes together in a large bowl. I used about 3/4 a bunch of spinach, 3 bell peppers, and 3 large roma tomatoes. I seasoned the mixture with ample pepper, some parsley, oregano and plenty of garlic powder.

I then chopped the garlic and placed it in a large, almost wok-style, skillet in which I had drizzled olive oil. Next I cut two large chicken breasts into small pieces and dumped them into the olive oil and garlic. I set it on med-high heat and stirred every 30 seconds or so. I added 1 tsp of turmeric and 2 cups of jasmine rice to the boiling chicken stock. Once the rice started to boil, I lowered the heat to a simmer, covered the pot 3/4 of the way with a lid and let it simmer.

After the chicken was cooked sufficiently (no raw parts showing), I added the tomato, pepper and spinach mixture to the pot and stirred. I poured the excess juice into a smaller pan. Then I scraped lemon zest into the cooking mixture and then squeezed the juice of 2 quarters of a lemon into it. I let this cook and simmer for awhile on the same temperature setting while stirring.












At this time I turned off the heat on the rice and completely covered the dish to let it steam.










Then I added the rest of the lemon's juice and a little white wine to the excess juice in the smaller pan. I set this on high to boil and cook off much of the liquid to create a thick sauce for the rice.














The dish is done! Be sure to drink a big glass of water, as you need plenty of fluids when sick. And for storing, you can just dump the chicken/spinach/tomato/pepper mixture on top of the rice and throw on some press n seal and stick it in the fridge.
















A good dessert might be a bowl of strawberries and a cup of tea (be sure to check for caffeine).
I'm drinking Yogi Tea's Cold Season.



I think I'm feeling better already....

Feng Shui

I've been reading a bit about Feng Shui lately. Here's a tip I received in my email.

Dear Brooke,
Here is your Daily Feng Shui Tip for Sunday, September 28

"I think I love this time of year the best (I say that at the turn of every season though!). I love the crisp, cool mornings and how the days are starting to slightly shorten while darkness descends just a bit earlier each evening. And I love all the beautiful seasonal fruits and vegetables that are available for the novice cook like me. Whenever I start to think about tinkering in the kitchen, I remember cautionary advice that a sage Shui master once gave me. He said that it was considered taboo in almost every Asian tradition to bang or hit utensils on the side of the pan while cooking, as this changes the extraordinary energy of the food. He also warned that you should never, ever swear or curse while cooking, as that will infuse the cuisine with churlish and negative energies. He offered that when anyone is cooking, they should stand and be grateful to the food for the gift of nourishment that it will bring, and for all the activity it allows our cells to perform in support of our being. He told me to pray over each meal, not only thanking my higher power, but also thanking the spirit of the food itself. I thought this such a beautiful teaching, and aside from a few sailor-like slips where the cursing is concerned, I have embraced this slightly different sort of cooking technique ever since." -Ellen Whitehurst

Chicken Fried Steak

I have had three chicken fried steaks this summer (well I guess it's Autumn now!). One at a Eugene restaurant, one at Babe's in Roanoke, Texas, and one made by me.

The one in Eugene was AWFUL! I didn't even eat half of it! Everything about it was bad. The one at Babe's was good, of course, but it definitely lacked a "home-cooked" meal feel.

But mine...mine was delicious. I really have to congratulate myself on this one. Either it was so delicious because I haven't had those flavors/textures in a long time and forgot how great they are, or it really was that good. Either way, here's my rendition of a southern favorite:

Note: All portions are for 1 serving

1/3 pound of Cube Steak (I've read you can purchase round steak and ask the butcher to run it through their cubing machine if you're trying to make your budget stretch)

1/4 c of Saffola oil (in a feeble attempt to be somewhat healthy on this monstrosity of a health killer)

1 egg
1 Tbsp of milk (egg and milk should be beaten in a bowl)

Batter (adjust the seasonings to your liking):
1 c flour
1 T salt
1 tsp cracked pepper (or more)
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
a dash of beef seasoning

Pour saffola oil into cast-iron skillet (don't worry--if you don't have one a regular skillet works as well), set on a high temperature to get it cooking

Dip steak into egg and milk mixture, then place it in the batter, ensuring all areas are covered in batter. You'll definitely be getting your hands dirty on this one.

Dip steak BACK into egg/milk mixture, and repeat the process of dipping the steak in the batter, only this time, make sure all the crevices and everything have batter on them.

Gently place steak into oil to fry. Let one side cook for about two minutes, then flip the steak. After two minutes on the other side, lower the heat to medium (but still cooking) and flip after 4-5 minutes.

When it is done, turn oven to 150 and place steak on an oven-proof plate and stick it in the oven.

Gravy (again for one person):

Pour out most of the oil and dripping. You'll need about a visible Tbsp left. Slowly stir in the rest of the batter with a wooden spoon. Stir around on a medium heat while the batter catches the oil. Then pour milk slowly in. It will end up being about 1/4-1/2 cup of milk. Slowly stir until it is a gravy-like texture.

Presumably you'll have mashed potatoes going as well... Simply place those on the hot plate with the steak and dump the gravy on top.

Be sure to have the Rolaids or some other antacid on hand. And take an extra long walk in the morning to counteract the unhealthy dose of fat.

When Life Gives You Strawberries.... Make a Pie!

Evidently I'm both blog lazy and pie crazy. I haven't had much access to internet lately, so I've been slacking on the blogging. However, with all that extra free time I have found a new hobby...pie making! I loved the apple pie so much, I thought I'd try out a strawberry pie. Considering I've never EATEN a strawberry pie....I think it turned out ok.

To make the crust, I used the same recipe as in the apple pie:

Preparation time: 20 min Baking time: 8 min
Yield: Pastry for 1 (2-crust) pie or 2 pie shells

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cold LAND O LAKES® Butter (I got mine right out of the freezer, and it worked perfectly)
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water (again, used the freezer)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract


Combine flour and salt in large bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in enough water with fork just until flour is moistened. (This part was a bit difficult for me to understand, basically you just want tons of tiny pieces of butter with flour clumped on them, or at least that's what I did, and that method work nicely for me. You will have to get your hands dirty on this one :-) )

Divide dough in half; shape each half into ball. Flatten slightly. Wrap each ball in plastic food wrap; refrigerate. (While it's refrigerating you can make the pie filling)

Roll out 1 ball of dough and place in pie pan. Bake the bottom layer for 10 minutes or so, depending on your oven.

For the filling, I investigated the basic practices of strawberry pie filling and discovered I needed to go buy some corn starch. The rest is just what I figured would be a tasty combo.

4-6 cups of cut strawberries

1/2 c to 1 c of granulated sugar

1 Tbsp of vanilla (I'm a little vanilla obsessed)

3 Tbsp or more of cornstarch. I honestly didn't measure, I just kinda threw it in there from the box.

1 Tbsp of lemon juice
1 c of water

Using a potato masher, smash up 3 cups (or more...whatever you're feeling) of strawberries. Don't puree..just mash. Place them into a large pan. Add the water, sugar, and cornstarch.

Cook on medium, stirring frequently until you get a delicious tasting, syrupy mixture. Toss in the lemon juice and vanilla. I made the mistake of not mashing them until I was cooking it, AFTER I realized they'd cook down better mashed. Don't make my mistakes.

When the filling is sufficiently delicious by your standards, pour it into a different dish to cool. By now the pie crust should absolutely be finished baking, and you should let it cool. Pour the cooled filling into your cooled pie crust, and put the rest of the cut strawberries on top.

The next part is a bit of a predicament, and I haven't yet figured out a solution. I'd love your comments about it! Since the strawberries are already cooked and hopefully forming a gelatin like texture, you don't want to stick them back in the oven. But I like a pie with a full crust on top! Problem. I rolled out the second ball, put it on top, and baked the pie anyway. Sure, it was a little runny when I took that first slice, but the flavor didn't change. Do what you feel. Isn't that what baking is about?

I got a little frivolous and carried away with decorating the pie, but I had fun doing it. I ate a slice, took the pie to work the next day, and came home with an empty pie pan! It really was delicious. I can't wait to try my hand at some fresh-picked blackberries. Here are a few more pie pics:

The pie! And the leaves. I know, ridiculous, right?

Take a slice out of the pie!

Nobody said baking was good, clean fun. Just good fun.

Definitely NOT clean.

Ensalada de Pasta

On a hot Summer day, the craving for pasta is usually met with disdain at the thought of eating some steaming dish of noodles. A delicious and often healthier option to fettucine alfredo or spaghetti and meatballs is ...Pasta Salad!

2-3 cups of Penne Pasta

Balsamic Vinegar

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Parmesan Cheese

Garlic

Cherry or Grape tomatoes

Mozzarella

Orange Bell Pepper

Boil pasta and two cloves of minced garlic until pasta is al dente. Cool thoroughly.

While pasta is boiling, julienne the bell pepper and saute it in a very small amount of olive oil. I thought this might draw out the flavors of the bell pepper better. After it is pliable, dump into the pasta.

Gently stir in a splash or two of balsamic vinegar, a Tbsp or so of olive oil.

Cut the mozzarella (however much you want...we all like different ratios) into small pieces. Mix with pasta.

Cool dish, and cut tomatoes in half and add to your plated salad. I like to keep them separate until just before I eat the dish, because I don't want it to become runny or tomato-y.

I like my bites to include two pieces of pasta, several strands of bell pepper, one half of a tomato and 1 bite of mozzarella.

Delicious with ANY wine.

Crab Apple Pie

Several days ago I finally ate one of the apples from the trees in our backyard. They're crab apples, which evidently some people don't like. But seeing as how I'm partial to the more sour apples, I LOVED them. I ate another one immediately. Then I began dreaming up ways I could incorporate them into cooking. And what better way than a homemade apple pie?!

I've never made apple pie filling, let alone a pie crust, so I was a bit nervous. I stole two recipes from the internet, changed them up a bit to fit my taste, and went to town.




















The Crab Apple Tree

The Pie Crust - most pie crusts I found called for Crisco or shortening, which I didn't have and didn't want to go buy. But I did have a brand new box of Land o Lakes butter (which is a family favorite due to a joke my dad would do with the box..but more on that later). I just happened to find a recipe on their website.

I added a teaspoon of vanilla (it could've used two, but you'll need to put in a little bit less water if you do this) and a tsp of cinnamon.
Preparation time: 20 min Baking time: 8 min
Yield: Pastry for 1 (2-crust) pie or 2 pie shells


2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cold LAND O LAKES® Butter (I got mine right out of the freezer, and it worked perfectly)
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water (again, used the freezer)


Combine flour and salt in large bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in enough water with fork just until flour is moistened. (This part was a bit difficult for me to understand, basically you just want tons of tiny pieces of butter with flour clumped on them, or at least that's what I did, and that method work nicely for me. You will have to get your hands dirty on this one :-) )

Divide dough in half; shape each half into ball. Flatten slightly. Wrap each ball in plastic food wrap; refrigerate. (While it's refrigerating you can make the pie filling)

For 1-crust pie, roll out 1 ball of dough on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters. Place dough into 9-inch pie pan; unfold dough, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Trim crust to 1/2 inch from edge of pan. Crimp or flute edge. Fill and bake according to pie recipe directions. (Store your rolling pin in the freezer and coat it with flour before rolling out the dough. Unless you like a doughy mess, this is a good technique)

For 2-crust pie, roll out remaining ball of dough on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle. Fold dough into quarters. Place dough over filling; unfold. Trim, seal and crimp or flute edge. Cut 5 or 6 large slits in crust. Bake according to pie recipe directions.

Pie Filling - Almost every recipe I found said to use UNPEELED apples, which I'm usually against, but I was pressed for time and recipe said I could...so I did.

6 cups of cut apples
1 c of granulated sugar
1 Tbsp of flour
The juice from half of a lemon (be sure to roll the lemon before you cut it, this helps the juice come out)
1.5 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c of water
2 tsp cinnamon





1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt; toss together with apples.










2. Pour apple mixture into pastry-lined pan. In a small bowl, combine water, lemon juice and vanilla; sprinkle over apples. Dot apples with butter.








Cover with top crust, crimp edges to seal and cut 3 slits in top crust to let steam escape. (Ok, we didn't have a rolling pin...so I used a bottle of liquor stored in the freezer as a makeshift rolling pin. It did it's job, but the crust doesn't look as pretty as one might want it to. )








3. Bake 10 minutes; then reduce heat to 375 degrees F and bake about 45 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.

This pie was DELICIOUS, and I don't think I'm just saying that as the proud person that cooked it. I took it to a dinner party that night, and they enjoyed it. The next day I took the rest of it to work, where they all enjoyed it too.




Maybe it's not something that qualifies for "Plating for One," but every entree deserves a delicious dessert, so it'll be good to have on hand. I recommend eating it with either cheddar cheese OR ice cream (but not both...)