Dim Sum and soup.

This all serves about 2 people, with some leftover. Hot and Sour soup: 1 qt. chicken stock with ginger and star anise 3 kaffir lime leaves, minced very fine 1/2 tsp (or to taste) red chili paste 3 Tb white vinegar simmer the above ingredients for 20 minutes. add 9 peeled and deveined raw shrimp, just before serving, and turn off the heat. I made the dumplings (shu-mai, wontons, and gyoza) a few days ago and froze them. Steamed Dumplings: oil a bamboo steamer or line it with parchment paper. Bring about an inch of water to a simmer in a large pot, big enough for the steamer. Put dumplings in steamer, put the whole thing in the pot, and steam for 20 minutes. Fried Dumplings: Heat oil in a medium skillet, fry the dumplings in oil, working in batches, letting them brown well on each side. Bok choy with garlic and hazelnut oil: Chop up 4 ribs of bok choy, separating the green from the white part. Heat some oil in a pan, and stir-fry the white part for a few minutes, or until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and the green part of the bok choy, stir-fry for a minute or so, and cover and remove from heat. Braised Short Ribs: I made these yesterday and reheated them Cinnamon Rice: Heat a few Tb of oil in a saucepan. Stir in 1 cup of rice and two split cinnamon sticks. Cook for aminute or so, until the all the rice is coated in oil. Add 2 cups of water, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes on low heat.

Random.

Pot roast for lunch

Prepare the meat and refrigerate overnight. Chop two carrots and two small turnips into large dice. Quarter three small potatoes. Bring a large saucepan (3 quarts or more) of water to a boil and add some salt. Boil the vegetables at a medium boil for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, scrape most of the cold fat off the top of the gravy, and heat the pan with the meat on low until heated through, stirring often so that it does not burn. When the veggies are done, drain, and add them to the meat in the pan. Stir the vegetable into the gravy and serve.

Braised short ribs.

Braised Short Ribs (serves two as part of a multi-item entree) 1 pound beef short ribs marinade: 3 Tb soy sauce 2 Tb dry sherry 1 tsp freshly grated ginger 2 Tb oil 1 Tb ground peanuts 2 cloves of minced garlic 1 Tb black bean and garlic sauce 1 Tb hoisin sauce 1/4 tsp red chili paste 2 tsp chinese 5 spice 2 heaping Tb orange juice concentrate Marinate ribs overnight. Remove the ribs from the marinade, reserving the liquid, and brown in a large skillet. set the meat aside, and add a cup of chopped onion and a half cup of celery. Add oil if necessary, and cook until the vegetables have softened. Deglaze the pan with a splash of dry sherry, and add the reserved marinade to the pan, along with the beef. Simmer, covered, turning the meat every half hour or so,for at least an hour and a half, or until the meat is very tender. Skim whatever fat you can from the sauce, and if it needs thickening, use a cornstarch slurry at the end to finish.

A late dinner tonight.

Lamb chops with haggis, baguette slices, roasted potatoes and turnips, romaine salad and orange slices. The haggis was sent to me by another contributor to alt.binaries.food. Thanks, Graeme! Roasted potatoes and turnips Preheat the oven to 375 F. Peel and dice two potatoes and two turnips. Mince a few cloves of garlic and add half to the diced vegetables, along with a few Tb of oil and salt and pepper. Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring a few times so they don't stick to the pan. Broiled Lamb Chops for one Take the remaining garlic, and mix with a few Tb of oil, and some dried or fresh rosemary. Season two lamb rib or loin chops with salt and pepper, and add to the bowl with the garlic and oil, turning to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator, (or at room temperature, so that the lamb chops are not cold when you cook them, if you are not a wimp ;>) while the potatoes roast. Get anything else you need to have done before dinner done before you cook the lamb. when the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven and heat the broiler. Make sure there is a rack about 6" from the broiler element. Broil the chops for about 2 minutes on each side for rare.

Seared tuna.

Seared Tuna with Sesame Seeds 1 tuna filet or steak 2 Tb Tarragon vinegar 4 Tb oil 2 cloves minced garlic salt and pepper Mix the above ingredients, and marinate the tuna in the mixture for a few hours. Remove tuna from the marinade, and roll in: 2 Tb black sesame seeds 2 Tb white sesame seeds Heat 1 Tb oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, and sear the tuna for about 30 seconds on each side. Wasabi Mayonnaise: 2 Tb mayonnaise 1 tsp thai fish sauce 1 tsp wasabi, or more to taste.

Pot roast for tomorrow.

Pot Roast 1 beef chuck roast (2-4 pounds) 4 cloves garlic, cut into 12 shards Bring the roast to room temperature and cut 6 deep gashes on each side. Push the shards of garlic into the gashes, and season the roast with salt and pepper. dust the roast with 1 Tb flour. Heat 2 Tb oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or large stovetop safe casserole pan. Brown the meat on all sides, about 15 minutes total. Remove the roast to a plate, and pour off all but 3 Tb of fat from the pan. add: 2 cups finely chopped onion 1/2 cup finely chopped celery 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot Cook the vegetables until slightly softened, reduce heat to low, and then add 3 Tb of flour and cook into a dark roux, stirring often. add 1.5 cups dry red wine 2 Tb demiglace 1 bay leaf 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp dried rosemary Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and return the roast to the pan and cover. Maintain the heat so that the sauce just barely simmers, and turn the roast every half-hour, scraping the thickened areas at the bottom of the pan as well. Cook for 1 1/2 to 3 hours, depending on the size and shape of the roast. (Flat roasts cook more quickly than oblong ones.) When done, cool and refrigerate for up to 2 days before serving.

Shrimp stock and chicken stock

Shrimp Stock with Mushrooms 2 cups shrimp shells, raw 1 onion, chopped, including skin 1 celery stalk, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1/2 cup dried mushrooms (black truffles here) 1 bay leaf 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1 clove crushed garlic 3 peppercorns Cook above ingredients in 2 Tb of oil over medium heat in a large (3 qt or larger) saucepan for a few minutes, until the onion is slightly softened and everything is fragrant. Deglaze the pan with: 1/4 cup white wine or vermouth Add enough water to cover (about 8 cups), and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Maintain the heat so that the stock is barely simmering, and cook for about 40 minutes. Strain, cool, and freeze. Makes about 2 quarts. Chicken stock with ginger and star anise 3 chicken legs 1 oz. ginger, chopped into large pieces with skin on 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 onion with skin, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 3 peppercorns 1 star anise 2 cloves garlic, crushed Put above ingredients in a large stockpot, and cover with about 3.5 quarts of water, at least enough to cover everything. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Maintain heat so the soup is barely simmering, and cook for about 3 hours. Strain and reserve chicken meat and freeze separately in bags. Cool the stock and freeze.

Fun with Paint.

Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti 12 oz. ziti 1 medium onion, chopped 1 zuchinni, diced 1/2 green pepper, diced 2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes 1 6 oz. can tomato paste 1/2 tsp ea. dried basil, oregano, and thyme 1/4 tsp crushed rosemary 1 cup ricotta cheese 1/2 cup grated parmesan 8 oz. mozzarella Start 6 quarts of water boiling for the pasta. Heat a few Tb of oil over medium heat and stir in the onions. Cook the onions intil they begin to soften, and then add the zucchini and green pepper. When the zucchini is softened, add the garlic and herbs and cook for a minute or so. add the diced tomatoes and the tomato paste. Bring to a slow simmer and cook, stirring often, until thickened. Cook the pasta while the sauce is simmering. when sauce and pasta are cooked, drain the pasta and mix in a large bowl with all but 2 cups of the sauce. stir in half of the parmesan, and spread half of the ziti mixture into an 8x8 pan. spread the ricotta on the ziti, and sprinkle with a third of the mozzarella. Layer the rest of the ziti, and the remaining cheeses. Bake,tented with aluminum foil, at 350 F for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake until the cheese browns slightly. Can be wrapped tightly in foil and frozen for use at a later date.

Potstickers and Wontons

Potstickers / Wontons 1 pkg. Gyoza skins or Wonton wrappers 1 lb ground pork 1 Tb soy sauce 1 Tb 2 Tb dry sherry 1 tsp freshly grated ginger 1/2 tsp pepper 2 Tb sesame seeds, crushed 1/2 cup chopped green onion 1 egg white 1 Tb corn starch 1 Tb minced kaffir lime leaf 1 Tb Thai fish sauce 1 Tb oyster sauce 3/4 cup minced raw shrimp (about 8 meadium, shelled and deveined) 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 tsp brown sugar 1 cup finely chopped bok choy Mix all of the filling ingredients together very well. Fill a small bowl with water. Place about 2 tsp of filling in the center of each wrapper. Using the water from the bowl, wet the edges and fold and seal. Mix 1/4 tsp red chili paste with one cup of filling to make 15 spicy ones. Can be steamed, pan fried or deep fried; I usually make these in quantity and keep them in the freezer. Makes about 50 wontons/potstickers

Vegetarian Lasagna recipe.

Requested by Abby. If you are not up to making your own sauce, you can use 2 jars of a good quality pasta sauce instead. Vegetarian Lasagna You can prepare this a day or two ahead of time, and cook right before serving, if you like. about 12-16 oz. lasagna noodles-enough for 3 or 4 layers in a 9x12 pan. (fresh are best, but dried are perfectly fine, too) 4 cloves garlic, minced a pinch of crushed red pepper 1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped 1 zucchini, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 2 28 oz. cans (or 4 14 oz. cans) of diced tomatoes 2- 15 oz packages ricotta cheese 2 eggs, beaten 1 10(?) oz. package frozen spinach (you can use fresh spinach too, wilting it quickly in a hot pan first, but fresh spinach is a pain in the ass to clean.) 1 bunch fresh mint, chopped 1 bunch fresh basil, 3 nice leaves reserved whole, the rest chopped. 3 cups (12 oz.) mozzarella, shredded or cut in small dice. You might need a bit more, so buy a pound, and use whatever you don't use for something else. 1 cup grated Parmesan 1 Tb each dried basil and oregano Oil Salt and pepper Heat a few Tb of oil in a large saucepan (3 qt. or larger)over medium heat. Cook the onions in it for a few minutes, until softened slightly. Add the zucchini and green pepper. when the zucchini and green pepper have softened some, add *half* of the garlic and the crushed red pepper. Cook for a minute or so, but don't let the garlic brown. Add the diced tomatoes, dried basil and oregano, and some salt and pepper. bring to a slow simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Cook, stirring often, for about 20 minutes or so, or thickened to the proper consistency. Meanwhile, cook the lasagna noodles in 6 quarts of salted water. (If using fresh noodles, you don't need to cook them first) Mix the ricotta with the eggs, mint, spinach,chopped basil, half the grated Parmesan,and the remainder of the garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. (If you worry about raw eggs, season before adding them, and taste.) When the tomato sauce and lasagna noodles are ready, spoon about 1/2 to 3/4 a cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan, just enough to coat the bottom. Layer as follows: Lasagna/Sauce/Ricotta/1/4 of the mozzarella/Lasagna/Sauce/Ricotta/1/4 of the mozzarella/Lasagna/Remainder of sauce/Remainder of mozzarella/Remainder of Parmesan Arrange the reserved whole basil leaves in the center of the lasagna, and nestle them into the cheese. Carefully cover the pan with aluminum foil, tenting it slightly so that it does not touch the cheese. Cook at 350 F for 30 minutes, or until heated throughout. Uncover and cook for 5- 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden. A veggie salad is an easy accompaniment.

Pizza again.

With green peppers this time. Recipe Here

Midnight snack.

I had a massive craving for garlic this evening, and I had ricotta and some leftover spaghetti in the fridge. Therefore: Spaghetti Aglio Olio for one alla Saerah 2 cups or so cooked pasta 4 cloves garlic, minced (hey, at least I wont get bitten by a vampire :>) 2 TB olive oil a few pinches of crushed red pepper a few pinches of freshly ground fennel seed a few TB ricotta cheese salt and pepper Cook the pasta and set aside. (Or you can be lazy like me and use leftovers.) Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper, and fennel. Cook, stirring often, for just a minute or two, and make sure that the garlic does not brown. Add the cooked pasta and toss with the garlic and oil. Serve with ricotta cheese and lots and lots of pepper. Fresh parsley is really nice with this, but alas, I have none. Aldi doesn't carry fresh parsley and I was too beat to make another stop on my way home from doing laundry at my mom's.

Grocery Budgets

Recently, I have been involved in some discussions on a couple of Usenet groups about the cost of groceries. The more in-depth discussion was populated by folks who do most of their cooking from scratch (including myself), and I know most people do not (at least , judging by what I see people put in their grocery carts whenever I go shopping). What do you guys spend? Is most of it raw, to-be-cooked-and-prepped stuff, or "convenience" products? This inquiring mind would like to know. Here at Chez Binet, a family of two adults and one preschooler, I spend about $250 US a month for groceries and paper products. We rarely eat out. The USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion has a number of documents on the subject, two of which are here and here (PDF files); the data coming from their 'Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals'. Maybe I'm a geek, but I think this stuff is fascinating.

Spaghetti with meatballs.

Tomato Sauce: 3 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes 1 cup chopped green pepper 1 medium zuchinni, diced 2 mushrooms, diced 1 large onion, diced 2 cloves of garlic, minced 2 tsp ea. dried basil and oregano 1 tsp dried thyme 1 6 oz can tomato paste salt and pepper to taste Heat some oil in a large (3 qt or bigger) saucepan, and cook the onions ontil they have softened a bit. Add the other vegetables except for the garlic (you can use carrot and celery, too, but I am out at the moment), and cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic, cook for just a minute, then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and spices. Cook covered on a very low heat, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick, for as little as 20 minutes, or longer of you like a very thick sauce. While the sauce cooks, make the meatballs, prep the garlic bread, and cook the pasta. Meatballs: 1/2 pound ground beef 1/2 cup minced onion 1 egg 1/3 cup breadcrumbs ( I like to use matzah meal) 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/2 tsp ground thyme 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Mix all the ingredients with your hands until mixed together well. You don't want to overmix it, though, or the texture will be weird. Using your palms, roll into small balls and fry in a few TB of oil, in two batches, in a large skillet over medium heat. Turn them as they cook, so they brown evenly, until they are well browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the simmering sauce. Garlic Bread 1 loaf of french bread (Baguette, whatever. Long skinny bread. This works with thick slices of whatever bread you have, too.) 4 TB butter 3 big cloves of garlic, minced Soften the butter in the microwave- you want it to be almost melted, but semi-spreadable- and add the garlic to it. Cut the bread in half (vertically, so you have two long pieces) and spread the garlic/butter mixture on it. Place on a baking sheet and broil for a few minutes, until browned slightly. makes about 30 3/4" meatballs

Red Beans and Rice Pilaf

Red Beans and Rice Pilaf 1/2 pound red beans, picked over, rinsed, and soaked. 1 chopped onion 1 clove of garlic, minced 1 rib of celery, chopped a few pinches of ground red pepper 1 tsp. liquid smoke 1 tsp thyme 1 tsp oregano 4 cups of water combine the above ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, making sure the beans are covered with water at all times. drain, remove the bay leaf, and set aside. in a large saucepan, heat a few Tbs of oil over medium heat and add: 1 chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped green pepper 2 chopped mushrooms and about a cup or so of diced cooked ham. when the onions are transparent, add: 1 minced clove of garlic and cook for a minute. stir in one cup of dry white rice and stir for a minute or so, until all the grains are coated with oil. stir in: 2 cups of water or stock 1 tsp of salt 1/2 tsp each of dried oregano and thyme pepper to taste bring to a boil, reduce the heat about as low as you can get it, and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. when the rice is cooked, stir in the beans.

I'm so lazy sometimes....

I didn't feel like typing these recipes up, but I finally did tonight. Baked Chicken (serves 3) 3 chicken leg quarters 1 tsp each dried oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary. 1 diced onion 1 minced clove of garlic salt and pepper Preheat oven to 400 F. Rinse the chicken and rub with the spices and garlic. Put the diced onion in a 9x13 baking dish and place the chicken over it. bake for an hour or so, or until the juices run clear/ the meat registers 165 F on an instant read thermometer. Sloppy Joes (makes about 8 if you use small buns) 1/2 pound of ground beef 1/2 cup minced green pepper 1/2 cup minced onion 2 cloves of garlic, minced 8 oz tomato sauce (you can use ketchup, if you want, and omit the sugar) a few tsp. of sugar worchestershire sauce ground cumin chili powder salt and pepper Brown the beef in a large skillet. When it is mostly cooked, add the onion and bell pepper. When the meat is fully cooked, add the garlic and cook for just a minute. Add in the tomato sauce, and season to taste with the above ingredients. Beats the hell out of manwich :) Cheese Grits Casserole (serves 4) Bring 5 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. In the meantime, heat 4 TB of butter in a skillet over medium heat, whisk 2 eggs, a half cup of milk, and a few pinches of ground red pepper.grease an 8x8 pan or any other 2 qt. casserole and preheat the oven to 350 F. chop an onion and add it to the melted butter in the skillet. when the onion is translucent, add a minced clove of garlic.cook for a minute and remove from heat. When the water boils, add a cup of grits and a tsp of salt. Cook over low heat, stirring often for about 15-20 minutes, or until very thick. (you can use a very low heat. This stuff likes to stick, so don't forget to stir it!) when the grits are cooked, add the onion mixture, 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, and the egg mixture. spread in the greased pan and bake for about an hour. It's done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Advice?

I know I don't get a ton of traffic, but to those that are returning, do you have any advice about how I could take better pictures? I was verbally smacked around on Usenet for the shitty quality of my pictures, and I need some constructive feedback about my work. I use a Kodak EasyShare c530 and I know absolutely nothing about proper photography(a fact which I am sure my pictures bear witness to.)

Eggs in purgatory

We ate dinner on the early side yesterday, and it was the only proper meal I had had all day. Around 10 I whipped up something easy and artery-clogging. Eggs in purgatory: (adapted from The Sopranos Cookbook) 1 garlic clove, minced 1 Tb olive oil 1 cup canned tomato puree or tomato sauce 1/4 tsp each dried oregano and basil salt and pepper 4 large eggs a TB of grated parmesan Cook the garlic for a minute over medium heat in a small skillet. add the tomato sauce and the seasonings. simmer over a very low heat for about 10 minutes, or thickened slightly. Using a spoon, make a well for each egg, and carefully slide the eggs into the sauce. sprinkle with the cheese and a little bit more pepper (I like to use crushed red pepper in this, too). cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the eggs are done to your liking. For the macaroni, I just put a half cup of frozen peas in the colander before I drained the pasta.

Tuna Melt

I haven't had one of these in so long. Tuna salad on a bun with cheese and banana peppers on top, put under the broiler for a few minutes. Much better on an onion roll, though.

Soup and Sandwiches

Since I have been making sandwiches for a living for a month now, I figured I'd give it a try at home. Sub sandwiches (makes 4) 2 long loaves of french bread 4 rectangular or 8 square-ish slices of cheese (swiss here) 2 slices for each sandwich of whatever meat you like. (we did 2 ham and cheese, one roast beef and cheese, and one ham, salami, and cheese) a few leaves of romaine, shredded 1 or 2 roma tomatoes, sliced a small onion, sliced and separated into rings 1 cucumber, sliced (I only used about a third of one, because no one else here wanted cukes on their sandwich) mayonnaise mild banana peppers homemade vinaigrette dressing (balsamic vinegar, oil, garlic, oregano, basil, rosemary salt and pepper) cut each loaf of bread in half horizontally, and for each sandwich, make a cut through the bread closer to the flat part than the round part, but not slicing all the way through, so that you still have one piece of bread that opens like a book. pull out the crumb from the top of the loaf, and spread the whole thing with mayonnaise- a TB or so will do.put tomatoes and cukes on the flat side, and fill the hollow you made with onion, peppers, and lettuce. pour on a little vinaigrette on the lettuce side, put the cheese and meat on and eat before it gets too drippy to eat neatly. Turkey Noodle Soup: 1 large turkey carcass (if it is very meaty, cut off some of the meat to use for pot pies or in the soup) a couple of carrots, cut in chunks ditto for onions (rinse, but leave the skins on) ditto for ribs of celery a few smashed cloves of garlic a half bunch or so of fresh parsley a few peppercorns a bay leaf put all that stuff in a pot and pour in water to cover. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down an simmer for a few hours. when it tastes like soup, strain the turkey and veggies out, put in containers and freeze whatever will not be eaten that night, and bring the soup back to a medium boil with some of the meat from the carcass and a few (new!) peeled and diced carrots, and a cup or two (depending on how much soup you are making) of egg noodles. when the noodles are soft, it's done and ready to eat. season with salt and pepper. I made the soup after Thanksgiving, and stuck it in the freezer. I love making my own convenience foods :)

Burgers

Hamburgers: 1 pound ground beef (I use ground chuck) 1/3 cup minced green pepper 1/3 cup minced onion one clove of garlic, minced salt and pepper dried herbs, if you like them Mix everything together, and form into 4 or 5 burgers. Grill, broil or fry over medium/medium high heat (cast iron gives a nicer crust than stainless or a nonstick pan, IMO) for about 4 minutes a side, or until done to your preference. Roasted potatoes: Scrub or peel 3 or 4 medium potatoes. Cut them lengthwise into quarters, then slice across to make 1" or so chunks. Toss with a few teaspoons of oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and a few teaspoons of whatever herbs or spices you like. Sometimes I make these with lime juice, cumin and oregano, which I think is pretty damned tasty.

Chicken soup etc.

The rice, kreplach, and carrots were all experiments that turned out great. The green beans were just leftover from yesterday. The recipe for the kreplach is here. Chicken soup: Bring a quart of chicken stock and one chicken leg or breast quarter to a simmer. cook for 45 monutes to an hour. Remove the chicken and bones to a bowl, strain the broth, remove the meat from the chicken bones,and return the broth and the meat back to the original saucepan. You can simmer a cut up carrot or two in the soup while you finish assembling the rest of dinner (and/or finish the kreplach/kneidlach if you've made them in the soup, after par-boiling them for about 10 minutes.).salt and pepper to taste. Glazed carrots: peel 5 medium carrots,cut them into quarters lengthwise, and cut 2 to 3 inch strips from them. put in a single layer in a frying pan with: 1.5 Tb butter 1.5 Tb brown sugar 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp molasses 1/3 cup chicken stock or water a pinch of pepper bring to a simmer over medium heat, turn down to medium low, and cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes. uncover, and cook for a few minutes to reduce the glaze. before serving, stir in 1 tsp dried mint (or 1 TB fresh minced) Happy Rice: Defrost 1 cup of frozen peas in a colander or strainer. Set aside. Heat 1.5 Tb oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Have about 3 cups of shrimp stock, hot and almost boiling, ready with a ladle on a burner on the stove. Mince a small onion, add it to the saucepan, and when it has softened a bit, add 2/3 of a cup of diced ham and 1/2 tsp ground fennel. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often. Stir in 1 cup of rice (I used ordinary long-grain white rice. I'm not sure if you can cook brown rice like this, but I think I am going to try some time...), and cook for a minute or so, making sure all the grains of rice get coated with oil. turn the heat to low, and add the shrimp stock to the rice gradually, 3/4 of a cup or so at a time.when the rice is almost completely cooked, crumble about a 1/4 tsp of saffron threads into the rice with your fingers. Stir in the defrosted peas and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, remove from the heat and cover until serving. Some minced parsley would probably be nice with this, but I don't have any today. The rice is a total keeper. I think I have some dried shrimp somewhere that I could use to make some more shrimp stock.

We're real gourmets...

mmmm! mechanically separated chicken* and modified food starch! *would have made a great name for a band, if I had gotten off my ass when I was actually able to do stuff like that.

Ham and Swiss Omelettes

Ah, omelettes... so versatile, and once you get the hang of them, pretty easy too. your basic folded omelette: (you can get all fancy and make the french rolled kind, but they are a little harder to get the hang of.) 2 eggs 2 TB milk or cream salt and pepper filling: I generally use one or two thin slices of cheese per omelette. (for three omelettes, that usually works out to about a fifth of a pound.) For the omelettes I cooked today, I sauteed a small onion over low heat until it was soft and added about 2/3 of a cup of ham (diced small), a little salt and pepper, and about a teaspoon of ground rosemary. you can put anything in an omelette, though. they are perfect for disguising leftovers into something more palatable. like leftover ham from Christmas, for example :) (I still have about a quart of diced ham in the freezer, and I have run out of ideas. I think we will be doing the omelette thing and the rice and beans thing a few times in the next week.) heat a TB of butter or oil in a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat. when it is hot (if you use butter, when the foam has subsided), pour in the egg mixture, and use a spatula to nudge the edges, so that the uncooked egg runs underneath and gets cooked. tipping the pan also helps with this. when the top of the omelette is almost cooked through, add a slice of cheese on one side and about a half cup of the filling. fold the unloaded side of the omelette over the side with the filling carefully (tilting the pan can help here, too), and slide onto a plate. If you have a large frying pan, you can make 3 egg omelettes, but in my experience, if you try doing that in a small pan, you dont end up with a nice thick omelette, you just end up with weird-looking scrambled eggs.

Latkes

I had a bunch of potatoes sitting around, so I made more latkes Latkes: 2.5 # potatoes, grated (soak the peeled potatoes in water while you are grating them, so they don't get brown, particularly if you are grating by hand), with the water squeezed out through a colander or cheesecloth. 2 medium onions, grated 1 clove of garlic, minced 1/4 cup matzah meal or flour 3 beaten eggs salt and pepper shortening or vegetable oil (a few cups) heat the oven to 200 F and melt the shortening in a deep skillet over low heat until melted, (you want about a half inch of liquid fat in the pan) then heat to medium-high. try to time it so that the potato mixture (below) doesn't have to sit around uncooked for long. you can also use more than one pan at a time, too cook the latkes quicker- this is helpful if you are making a large batch) combine the first five ingredients. add a little more matzah meal or flour if the mixture seems too wet. add salt and pepper. using a large spoon, make small fritters (about 2.5" across), and cook in batches of 6 or 7. fry until well browned on both sides- about 5 minutes a side or so. put the cooked latkes in layers in a paper towel lined oven safe pan, and place in oven to keep warm. repeat, placing paper toweling between each layer of latkes in the pan leeping warm in the oven. serve with applesauce and sour cream. makes about 25 latkes.

Tacos

Highly inauthentic. brown 1 lb ground beef in a large pan. add a half cup or so minced onion and another half cup or so of minced green pepper. mince a few cloves of garlic and add to the pan when the onions have softened. cook for a minute and add a few TB of ground toasted cumin, and some chili powder and oregano.(you can use commercial "taco seasoning", but I think its simpler to just add the spices myself) add a 1/2 cup of water, and simmer for a few minutes, until thickened. serve with the stuff you like on tacos, on tortillas or tortilla shells. I like whatever is remaining after all the shells are gone in a bowl, mixed with corn and lots of hot sauce :)

There goes my next paycheck.

This morning I went out to do a few errands, and on the way home I cut through a subdivision to avoid waiting at a light. I came to a two-way stop sign, saw a consumers energy truck hurtling down the cross street, and after it had passed, I proceeded. Unfortunately, there were *two* consumers energy trucks speeding down Samoset. So I got a ticket, two points on my license, and at the very least, a fucked up bumper. I'm sure my alignment is all out of whack, too. The guy I hit got out of his truck, and right after I asked if he was ok, he said :"you know, I wasn't required to stop". Hmmm, defensive much? I knew I was the one who would get a ticket; I wasn't being a jerk about it. I didnt even say anything to him about the fact that he was quite obviously speeding. At least the cop was nice. After the consumers energy guys took off, he came over to my car and was almost apologetic for giving me the ticket.