Thursday, January 27, 2011

Homemade slaw

1 large carrot 
1/4 red cabbage
3 tablespoons mayo
3 tablespoons sauerkraut

Julienne the carrot and shred the cabbage, mix all together


This can be made for under $13

Sunday, January 23, 2011

The cook books arrived

About two months ago, I made a complaint about how I do reviews for 5 different publishers, but yet no one had sent me any cook books in the year and a half I'd been doing this.
Then I was given a chance to have a couple of cook books.  I was just glowing happy.  One, because I love cook books in general, and two, because it would give me a much needed break from the constant reading of regular books which leaves me with massive eyestrain and headaches after a few days.

I knew I was getting one of the Jamie Oliver books.  Double joy on this news.   The books were sent out the week of Christmas and only got here two days ago.  Yeah, it took over 3 weeks for the books to come from the U.S.A. over the border to Canada.  And let me tell you, they didn't have a happy journey as the packaging was half gone and the bottom of the books were bent in.

I'm a vegetarian, and over 80% of the books are meat dishes, so I took the books with me to mom's.  The plan is to next weekend, pick out a couple of recipes from each book, make them and see how they fair.   In the meantime, I have to finish reading another Jane Austen sequel that's due for Friday.

But, I'm going by the reaction mom had to the two cook books in question, that the Jamie Oliver book won't be as much a hit.  Which is sad cause we're both big fans of his other works.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Gibby's pasta and cheese

2 c shell shaped pasta
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon table pepper
1 c bread crumbs (I used Tostitos Whole Grain Scoops just crushed)
1 c milk
2 c shredded cheese (I used old cheddar and mozzarella)

*Cook pasta shells as you normally would, then drain and place in pan.
*Sprinkle garlic and pepper, toss, add milk and bake for 10 minutes at 350degrees (depending on your oven)
*Add cheese, toss and bake for 10 minutes at same temp
*Add crumbs on top and continue to bake for another 10 minutes

If you are using regular bread crumbs, you may need to add salt to the mix, but I found the Tostitos were plenty salt(y) enough for my taste.

Friday, January 7, 2011

That doesn't look right

Photo by Kimberly Hulst/hcvp '2010

This is why I do not bake.  I made a lemon cake the other day with a lemon butter frosting. And well... I never said my food was pretty. 
I'm also not a baker at all.  Try as I might, I just could not get the frosting even, it kept falling off and leaving empty spots on the cake.

Lemon cake:
 1 c sugar
1/2 c margarine or butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 c milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 c flour
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 lemons juiced and zested

Mix all
bake in a greased pan for 1 hour at 350 degrees


Frosting:
1/2 c butter
1 c icing sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 tablespoon lemon juice

Mix well with electric mixer for about five minutes

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

New Year, New Food Challenges

Last year, I had promised a few recipes that I just never got around to. (nor did I ever end up finishing reading that book Cleaving by Julie Powell, but I will...)

I've become addicted to Top Chef  in the past month, and there was one particular challenge that they had to do.  The Vending Machine challenge.
The chefs had to make a fabulous meal with only what they could find in a vending machine and gas station corner store.  (actually it was two challenges)
I posted on my main blog  the other week about it.  I'm very much thinking about trying to do this challenge. 

I'm not giving a date on this, just sometime in the up coming year. 

With the ice rink that this city had become and will stay covered in until March, I won't be getting out much at all.  Which will be leaving grocery shopping in general pretty slim.  It's a good thing I still have that 1kg of Silly Circles cereal Eh?.... I also have a storage bin of ramen noodles.  The trick is figuring out how to make those things interesting.   Just not together.  No, that would be bad.

Okay my Spudguns, has anyone else become addicted enough to the Top Chef shows, to actually try any of their challenges at home?

Ramen Recipes

I had been doing another blog.  It was successful for what it was, but it put too much pressure on me.
The original theme was a food blog -soap opera.  I ended up dropping it but... here are a few of the ramen recipes I had posted on there.


Ramen #7 (originally posted on Friday April 30th 2010 on The Year I Lived Off Of Ramen Noodles)

2 cups water
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 cup frozen vegetables (broccoli, onion, green beans, red peppers, mushroom)
1 serving of noodles
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
parsley
a half can of baby corn

Boil water, add frozen vegetables, add noodles, stir.
Add garlic, parsley and bouillon cube.  Stir.
Drain baby corn then add just as you are turning off the heat.  Stir and let sit for about 5 minutes.  Should serve 3.


I got the noodles in bulk at the Dollar Store.  What at first looked like two servings of noodles, turned out to actually be 8.  Which made it even better for the money.  One package was only $1,  and because it looked to be only two servings per package, I picked up three packages. So for $3 I got my money's worth.

Homemade Ramen  (Originally posted on March 15th 2010 on The Year I Lived Off Of Ramen Noodles) 


Photo by ME copyright hcvp'2010

You read the last post that my oven is dead.
There is one small working burner at this time.

Just enough for me to make a pot of something.

I went out to the grocery yesterday and bought a bag of noodles. Last night I made a small pot of homemade ramen.

3 cup water
1 medium onion sliced
1 cup frozen mixed veggies (carrots, celery, onion, red peppers)
1/2 cup frozen carrot coins
1/2 frozen Asian mixed veggies (broccoli, green beans, onion, mushroom)
pinch of dried oregano
pinch of salt
3 whole black peppercorns
pinch of red pepper flakes
pinch of marjoram
1 vegetable broth cube
2 handfuls of steamed broadcut noodles

Boil all ingredients EXCEPT the noodles for 20 minutes. Add extra water if needed, stirring every few minutes. Then add dry noodles. Stir turn off heat and serve.
This severs three.