Me: "Yes that's right."
Blockette:"Well then if the Earth goes around the Sun, how does God hold it in his hands?? "
Friday, January 29, 2010
The theologian
Blockette:"The Earth goes around the Sun right?"
Me: "Yes that's right."
Blockette:"Well then if the Earth goes around the Sun, how does God hold it in his hands?? "
Me: "Yes that's right."
Blockette:"Well then if the Earth goes around the Sun, how does God hold it in his hands?? "
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Empanada-esque Dressing
Around Thanksgiving Mrblocko and I were watching Simply Delicioso with Ingrid Hoffman on the Food Network. She was making a several Thanksgiving dishes and her homemade 3 meat stuffing caught our attention.
The stuffing recipe reminds me a lot of Empanadas with the olives, raisins and hard boiled eggs. Some of the reviews on the Food Network website poo poo this recipe because of that combination. Clearly those people have never had empanadas before to know, while the combo sounds weird on paper, it's delicioso on the tongue.
Ingrid's recipe calls for a whopping four pounds of meat. I knew that in order to make this recipe work I'd have some serious tweaking to do. My version of this recipe is basically half the ingredients of the original. We ate this as a main course instead of a side dish to turkey. Ingrid must have a ginormous family. I had to freeze half of what I made. What we did eat was enough for 2 meals for the three of us. One night we ate this as a topper for crockpot garlic baked potatoes. That was an especially tasty combination.
While we all enjoyed this meal a lot, there was a lot of preparation and chopping involved. This is not a dish I'd add to my regular meal rotation. This will be saved for when I'm in a serious cooking mood, or when Mrblocko asks me with a sad puppy dog face and I'm not super cranky. (yeah, when is that?!)
Here is my altered version of Ingrid Hoffman's Homemade Three Meat stuffing
Meaty Stuffing
A few swirls of olive oil
5 eggs
1 lb ground beef
1 lb bulk Italian Sausage
5 small onions, chopped
8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 c steak sauce (or 1/4 c Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 c BBQ sauce)
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/2 a lemon, zested
1/2 T cumin
1/2 T oregano
kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 red pepper, seeded, ribbed, roasted and finely chopped(directions for roasting here)
3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
one bunch of scallions, finely chopped. (separate the dark green part from the white)
1/2 can (3 oz) tomato paste
5 slices of slightly stale whole wheat bread, cut into bite size cubes
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c olives with pimentos, coarsely chopped
1/2 c flat leaf parsley
Place the eggs in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil, cover, and turn off the heat. Let the eggs sit for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely before peeling and chopping.
Pour a few Tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the beef and pork; cook until the meat is starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 the chopped onions and garlic, along with the steak sauce, vinegar, lemon zest, cumin, and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are completely tender and the meat is cooked through, 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and drain the fat. Transfer the meat mixture to a large bowl to cool. The meat base can be made up to 1 day in advance. You may cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you're ready to make the rest of the stuffing.
To the same large pot, pour a few more Tablespoons of olive oil and warm on medium heat. Stir in the remaining onions and garlic, along with the bell peppers, celery, and white and light green parts of the green onion. Add the tomato paste and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 15 minutes. Add the meat mixture back into the pot, along with the chopped eggs, sausage, raisins, parsley, olives, dark green parts of the green onion and bread cubes. mix to combine. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the stuffing to a buttered 9x13 dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the top is nicely browned.
The stuffing recipe reminds me a lot of Empanadas with the olives, raisins and hard boiled eggs. Some of the reviews on the Food Network website poo poo this recipe because of that combination. Clearly those people have never had empanadas before to know, while the combo sounds weird on paper, it's delicioso on the tongue.
Ingrid's recipe calls for a whopping four pounds of meat. I knew that in order to make this recipe work I'd have some serious tweaking to do. My version of this recipe is basically half the ingredients of the original. We ate this as a main course instead of a side dish to turkey. Ingrid must have a ginormous family. I had to freeze half of what I made. What we did eat was enough for 2 meals for the three of us. One night we ate this as a topper for crockpot garlic baked potatoes. That was an especially tasty combination.
While we all enjoyed this meal a lot, there was a lot of preparation and chopping involved. This is not a dish I'd add to my regular meal rotation. This will be saved for when I'm in a serious cooking mood, or when Mrblocko asks me with a sad puppy dog face and I'm not super cranky. (yeah, when is that?!)
Here is my altered version of Ingrid Hoffman's Homemade Three Meat stuffing
Meaty Stuffing
A few swirls of olive oil
5 eggs
1 lb ground beef
1 lb bulk Italian Sausage
5 small onions, chopped
8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 c steak sauce (or 1/4 c Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 c BBQ sauce)
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/2 a lemon, zested
1/2 T cumin
1/2 T oregano
kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 red pepper, seeded, ribbed, roasted and finely chopped(directions for roasting here)
3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
one bunch of scallions, finely chopped. (separate the dark green part from the white)
1/2 can (3 oz) tomato paste
5 slices of slightly stale whole wheat bread, cut into bite size cubes
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c olives with pimentos, coarsely chopped
1/2 c flat leaf parsley
Place the eggs in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil, cover, and turn off the heat. Let the eggs sit for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely before peeling and chopping.
Pour a few Tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the beef and pork; cook until the meat is starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 the chopped onions and garlic, along with the steak sauce, vinegar, lemon zest, cumin, and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are completely tender and the meat is cooked through, 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and drain the fat. Transfer the meat mixture to a large bowl to cool. The meat base can be made up to 1 day in advance. You may cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you're ready to make the rest of the stuffing.
To the same large pot, pour a few more Tablespoons of olive oil and warm on medium heat. Stir in the remaining onions and garlic, along with the bell peppers, celery, and white and light green parts of the green onion. Add the tomato paste and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 15 minutes. Add the meat mixture back into the pot, along with the chopped eggs, sausage, raisins, parsley, olives, dark green parts of the green onion and bread cubes. mix to combine. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the stuffing to a buttered 9x13 dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the top is nicely browned.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls
It was Mrblocko's birthday a few weekends ago. I told him I would make him cinnamon rolls for breakfast as a special treat. He thought I meant I would snap open a can of the Pillsbury variety. Boy was he surprised when he saw me rolling out the dough and the giant mess I made of the kitchen.
I've mentioned before that I am scared of rolling pins and yeast. Cinnamon rolls usually require both. Then I found the recipe for cinnamon rolls from Big Red Kitchen. No yeast! What a great way to get my feet wet in the world of cinnamon roll making.
I followed the recipe using the filling stated in the recipe. Some of the ingredients say they are optional, but I assumed that meant you could use them all if you wanted to. For the filling I used 2 cups of brown sugar, not packed, and a scant cup of each of the following, pecans, caramel chips and cinnamon chips. Do not do this as it is an insane amount of filling.
The filling amounts may have been off for me because I didn't roll the dough out long enough. I have no idea as the recipe doesn't give any direction as to what the final dimensions the dough should be once it is rolled. I just rolled the dough out as best I could. When I went to roll the dough up into a log, there was so much filling that it fell out everywhere.
I don't think the filling is supposed to be on top of the rolls like it is in this photo below. Seriously, there was so much filling that I could not get the log rolled tight enough for it to stay in when sliced. I had to get Mrblocko to help me transfer the cut rolls into the baking pans, and cram in all the filling that fell out. You can even see some of the huge mess the filling made on the counter in the rolling and cutting process.
Below is what they looked like after the rolls had baked in the oven for nearly an hour. Keep in mind the original recipe said it would take less than 20 minutes for them to bake. Breakfast was reeeeally late that morning. Even though it was Mrblocko's birthday that morning, he was a good sport about it.
Since we were absolutely famished by the time the rolls were cooked all the way through. I did what any normal tummy growling mommy would do and plated them immediately. Don't do that. Let them cool for a while or they will fall apart and look like this:
The cinnamon rolls were infinitely better the next day. Once they had cooled they actually kept their shape and looked like a cinnamon roll on the plate instead of a pile of brown muck. 30 seconds in the microwave got the filling ooey and gooey, and the dough soft enough to eat with a fork.
If you attempt this recipe, whatever you do don't eat two rolls in one sitting. Mrblocko and I both did and, the rolls are so rich, we felt a little sick to our tummies afterwards. Did I mention the original recipe called for icing as well? These rolls are sweet enough as is. Besides, I think icing would mask the flavors from the carmel and cinnamon chips. These are good flavors, don't cover 'em up!
The rolls ,while they were good, I don't think I'll make them again. The dough part of the roll just wasn't as tasty as the yeasted kind. This recipe did give me a bit of practice for the "real thing." Maybe by the time Mrblocko's birthday rolls around next year I'll have worked up the courage to try a more traditional cinnamon roll.
No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls from Big Red Kitchen
4 cups unbleached AP flour
4 T. white sugar
2 1/2 T. baking powder
1 1/2 t. Kosher salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
In a large bowl mix together all the dry ingredients then cut in butter and mix until the dough is crumbly. Add buttermilk and mix until a nice dough forms. Place dough on a floured surface, knead a little, and roll into a big, big rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
Toppers:
1/2 cup butter very soft
2 cups brown sugar- yes!
2 T. cinnamon- I just sprinkle
1 cup cinnamon chips, optional
1 cup caramel chips, optional
1 cup chopped nuts, optional
Spread the dough with the butter and then sprinkle with remaining topper ingredients. Roll dough length-wise away from you and slice into 14 evenly sized buns. Place 7 buns each in two greased 8" cake pans. Bake for 16-18 min in a 350 oven. Top with icing of your choice. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon to make them look even prettier. The middle bun may still be a little under done but someone has to take one for the team.
I've mentioned before that I am scared of rolling pins and yeast. Cinnamon rolls usually require both. Then I found the recipe for cinnamon rolls from Big Red Kitchen. No yeast! What a great way to get my feet wet in the world of cinnamon roll making.
I followed the recipe using the filling stated in the recipe. Some of the ingredients say they are optional, but I assumed that meant you could use them all if you wanted to. For the filling I used 2 cups of brown sugar, not packed, and a scant cup of each of the following, pecans, caramel chips and cinnamon chips. Do not do this as it is an insane amount of filling.
The filling amounts may have been off for me because I didn't roll the dough out long enough. I have no idea as the recipe doesn't give any direction as to what the final dimensions the dough should be once it is rolled. I just rolled the dough out as best I could. When I went to roll the dough up into a log, there was so much filling that it fell out everywhere.
I don't think the filling is supposed to be on top of the rolls like it is in this photo below. Seriously, there was so much filling that I could not get the log rolled tight enough for it to stay in when sliced. I had to get Mrblocko to help me transfer the cut rolls into the baking pans, and cram in all the filling that fell out. You can even see some of the huge mess the filling made on the counter in the rolling and cutting process.
Below is what they looked like after the rolls had baked in the oven for nearly an hour. Keep in mind the original recipe said it would take less than 20 minutes for them to bake. Breakfast was reeeeally late that morning. Even though it was Mrblocko's birthday that morning, he was a good sport about it.
Since we were absolutely famished by the time the rolls were cooked all the way through. I did what any normal tummy growling mommy would do and plated them immediately. Don't do that. Let them cool for a while or they will fall apart and look like this:
The cinnamon rolls were infinitely better the next day. Once they had cooled they actually kept their shape and looked like a cinnamon roll on the plate instead of a pile of brown muck. 30 seconds in the microwave got the filling ooey and gooey, and the dough soft enough to eat with a fork.If you attempt this recipe, whatever you do don't eat two rolls in one sitting. Mrblocko and I both did and, the rolls are so rich, we felt a little sick to our tummies afterwards. Did I mention the original recipe called for icing as well? These rolls are sweet enough as is. Besides, I think icing would mask the flavors from the carmel and cinnamon chips. These are good flavors, don't cover 'em up!
The rolls ,while they were good, I don't think I'll make them again. The dough part of the roll just wasn't as tasty as the yeasted kind. This recipe did give me a bit of practice for the "real thing." Maybe by the time Mrblocko's birthday rolls around next year I'll have worked up the courage to try a more traditional cinnamon roll.
No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls from Big Red Kitchen
4 cups unbleached AP flour
4 T. white sugar
2 1/2 T. baking powder
1 1/2 t. Kosher salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
In a large bowl mix together all the dry ingredients then cut in butter and mix until the dough is crumbly. Add buttermilk and mix until a nice dough forms. Place dough on a floured surface, knead a little, and roll into a big, big rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
Toppers:
1/2 cup butter very soft
2 cups brown sugar- yes!
2 T. cinnamon- I just sprinkle
1 cup cinnamon chips, optional
1 cup caramel chips, optional
1 cup chopped nuts, optional
Spread the dough with the butter and then sprinkle with remaining topper ingredients. Roll dough length-wise away from you and slice into 14 evenly sized buns. Place 7 buns each in two greased 8" cake pans. Bake for 16-18 min in a 350 oven. Top with icing of your choice. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon to make them look even prettier. The middle bun may still be a little under done but someone has to take one for the team.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Project #1: Pink Crochet blanket
I am not a good crocheter. I can follow a pattern if someone translates it for me but that's about it. Last week I saw a flyer at the library asking for knitters and crocheters to make blankets for Haiti.
My first thought was, "Hey, I can do that." I'd conveniently forgotten what a horrible crocheter I am. All I could remember how to do was a single crochet. When I single crochet in a long line my stitches get very distorted.
The blanket was supposed to be about 36" x 48". I looped up what I thought was 36" but the longer I made the afghan, the narrower the blanket became. I ended up adding extra along the sides, crocheting perpendicular to the rest of the blanket. That made the edges ripply, but not in a nice fancy way.
The whole thing looked very wonky, but my husband and best friend assured me that the person who received it probably wouldn't care too much. A blanket is a blanket when you need one. If I think about it logically, most of the time you use a blanket when your sleeping...with your eyes closed.
I'm hoping to make one more, but this one I am going to make smaller squares that I sew together. Wish me luck!
My first thought was, "Hey, I can do that." I'd conveniently forgotten what a horrible crocheter I am. All I could remember how to do was a single crochet. When I single crochet in a long line my stitches get very distorted.
The blanket was supposed to be about 36" x 48". I looped up what I thought was 36" but the longer I made the afghan, the narrower the blanket became. I ended up adding extra along the sides, crocheting perpendicular to the rest of the blanket. That made the edges ripply, but not in a nice fancy way.
The whole thing looked very wonky, but my husband and best friend assured me that the person who received it probably wouldn't care too much. A blanket is a blanket when you need one. If I think about it logically, most of the time you use a blanket when your sleeping...with your eyes closed.I'm hoping to make one more, but this one I am going to make smaller squares that I sew together. Wish me luck!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Quaker Oatmeal Pancake Mix, a review
I'm a big fan of Waffles, and an even bigger fan of mixes to make said waffles, so when I got a coupon for Quaker Oatmeal Pancake mix I was super jazzed. If I remember correctly, I paid less than $.50 for the box. What a deal huh? Well..sometimes you get what you pay for.
I thought the oatmeal version of waffles would be a good way to make something not so healthy just a bit more healthy. That's the thing with "healthy" food. Sometimes it tastes like the box it comes in. The waffles I made had a gritty texture to them. It was kind of like eating sand. The waffles also didn't crisp up on the outside like a regular waffle does fresh from the waffle iron. I even cooked them just short of being burnt and the waffles were still gummy in the middle. Aside from the taste, the waffles just looked bad. They had a gray tinge to them that was not appealing at all.
Not wanting to give up on the mix, I even made a batch of waffles using half the Quaker mix, and half of my usual brand, Hungry Jacks. It still had a gritty texture and gray color. I finally tossed the rest of the box out. Bleck. Don't waste your money on this pancake mix. It's not even worth spending $.50.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Lime Chipotle Shrimps
I'm not feeling very chatty today but I told myself I'd write a post anyway. Head on over to Ezra Pound Cake for the healthy pan seared shrimp with chipotle lime glaze. It's a great recipe if you are trying to figure out how in the world you are going to use up the rest of the can of Chipotle peppers after making Chipotle baked meatballs. This recipe won't use up the rest of the can, but it will make a dent. 
Just make sure that when you buy your shrimp you don't make the same mistake I did and buy the kind that still has the digestive tracks in. Handling shrimp poop for a half hour can make even the tastiest meal seem unappetizing. It also ruins the concept of having a quick and easy meal.
The good thing to come out of this is that I know how to de-vein a shrimp fairly well now. It only took me 3/4 of the bag to figure it out. I never said I was a fast learner.
This dish makes a great appetizer. You could also add this to noodles or rice in a butter sauce. I bet it would be a great addition to a stir fry as well.
In case you were wondering, Blockette does not care for shrimp. Yay! That just means more for me.
Chipotle Lime Glazed Shrimp from Ezra Pouncake
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds 21/25 shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon sugar
Glaze:
1 chipotle chile in adobo, minced
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
4 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
For Glaze: Stir together chipotle chile, adobo sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and cilantro in small bowl. Heat 1 Toil in 12" skillet over high til smoking. Meanwhile, toss shrimp, salt, pepper, and sugar in medium bowl. Add half of shrimp to the pan in single layer, and cook til spotty brown and edges turn pink, 1 min. Remove pan from heat; using tongs, flip each shrimp and let stand until all but very center is opaque, 30 seconds. Transfer shrimp to large plate. Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and shrimp. After second batch has stood off heat, return first batch to skillet, add chipotle mix, and toss to combine. Cover skillet and let stand until shrimp are cooked through, 1 to 2 min. Serve immediately.
Just make sure that when you buy your shrimp you don't make the same mistake I did and buy the kind that still has the digestive tracks in. Handling shrimp poop for a half hour can make even the tastiest meal seem unappetizing. It also ruins the concept of having a quick and easy meal. The good thing to come out of this is that I know how to de-vein a shrimp fairly well now. It only took me 3/4 of the bag to figure it out. I never said I was a fast learner.
This dish makes a great appetizer. You could also add this to noodles or rice in a butter sauce. I bet it would be a great addition to a stir fry as well.
In case you were wondering, Blockette does not care for shrimp. Yay! That just means more for me.
Chipotle Lime Glazed Shrimp from Ezra Pouncake
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds 21/25 shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon sugar
Glaze:
1 chipotle chile in adobo, minced
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
4 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
For Glaze: Stir together chipotle chile, adobo sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and cilantro in small bowl. Heat 1 Toil in 12" skillet over high til smoking. Meanwhile, toss shrimp, salt, pepper, and sugar in medium bowl. Add half of shrimp to the pan in single layer, and cook til spotty brown and edges turn pink, 1 min. Remove pan from heat; using tongs, flip each shrimp and let stand until all but very center is opaque, 30 seconds. Transfer shrimp to large plate. Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and shrimp. After second batch has stood off heat, return first batch to skillet, add chipotle mix, and toss to combine. Cover skillet and let stand until shrimp are cooked through, 1 to 2 min. Serve immediately.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Cheater Cheater Garlic Baked Potatoes
I think I've just fallen in love with my slow cooker all over again! I don't know about you, but I have the worst luck with baked potatoes. The last few times I've made them, or had them at other people's houses, they don't get finished cooking until 30 minutes to an hour after the main course. Then you have to microwave them to get them completely cooked in the center. The skins are my favorite part of the potato, and chock full of good nutrients and all that jazz. Microwaving a potato usually makes the skin all crusty and hard, and not in a good way.
Enter crockpot garlic baked potatoes from A Year of Slow Cooking. I opted for cooking the potatoes on high and were fork tender after 2 hours. I then turned the heat setting to low because the rest of the dinner wasn't quite ready. I'm sure that the potatoes would have been fine on high, but I wasn't willing to take the chance of potentially ruining part of our dinner.
Blockette liked these potatoes so much demanded that I make these potatoes again and again. I most definitely will. They were even good as leftovers. I just broke them into rounds and crisped them up in the skillet for a quick and tasty lunch.
Incidentally, MrsThunder, when you came to pick up your munchkin the other day and said, "Mmmm, it smells good in here." It was from these potatoes. The do stink up the house something deeeeelishous.
Crockpot garlic baked potatoes from a Year of Slow Cooking
4 big brown potatoes
2 T melted butter
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper
8 or so garlic cloves
Peel the garlic and cut it into long slivers. Wash your potatoes, and pat dry. Carefully cut slits into each potato about 1/2 inch thick almost do the very base. The potato should start to separate a bit like an accordion. Shove as many garlic slices as you can in each slit of each potato. Nestle the potatoes into your crockpot. Liberally salt and pepper. Combine the melted butter with the olive oil and drizzle over the top of each potato, trying to get some in the garlic-filled slits, if you can. Cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for about 6. They are done when the potatoes reach desired tenderness. Top with sour cream.
Enter crockpot garlic baked potatoes from A Year of Slow Cooking. I opted for cooking the potatoes on high and were fork tender after 2 hours. I then turned the heat setting to low because the rest of the dinner wasn't quite ready. I'm sure that the potatoes would have been fine on high, but I wasn't willing to take the chance of potentially ruining part of our dinner.
Blockette liked these potatoes so much demanded that I make these potatoes again and again. I most definitely will. They were even good as leftovers. I just broke them into rounds and crisped them up in the skillet for a quick and tasty lunch.Incidentally, MrsThunder, when you came to pick up your munchkin the other day and said, "Mmmm, it smells good in here." It was from these potatoes. The do stink up the house something deeeeelishous.
Crockpot garlic baked potatoes from a Year of Slow Cooking
4 big brown potatoes
2 T melted butter
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper
8 or so garlic cloves
Peel the garlic and cut it into long slivers. Wash your potatoes, and pat dry. Carefully cut slits into each potato about 1/2 inch thick almost do the very base. The potato should start to separate a bit like an accordion. Shove as many garlic slices as you can in each slit of each potato. Nestle the potatoes into your crockpot. Liberally salt and pepper. Combine the melted butter with the olive oil and drizzle over the top of each potato, trying to get some in the garlic-filled slits, if you can. Cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for about 6. They are done when the potatoes reach desired tenderness. Top with sour cream.
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