Every few weeks, we have a grocery standoff in my house. No one is interested in heading to the store, but we are all hungry. For the most part, when we do go grocery shopping, I plan the meals and make a detailed grocery list so that I do not have to frequent the store any more often than I have to. This way of shopping helps keep down on wasted food, but do not lend itself to making meals up on the fly. So when we have a meal menagerie, it is challenge akin to Chopped or Iron Chef except there is no time limit.
Author: micahquookie
Po’ Boy with a Twist
Recently, I decided to introduce liver into my meal repertoire. And the first dish I made was a surprising success. I had decided the best way to present it for all to enjoy was to...well...disguise it. I made a medley of warm bacon, fennel, and Brussels sprouts over tagliatelle pasta with chicken liver alfredo sauce. It worked; the disguise, that is. But no one was saying that they now loved liver--they didn't even know liver was in the sauce until I told them. It was at this point that I realized that I needed to push it a bit farther. I still had half a pound of liver to play with, so I decided it was time to hit the kitchen and find my inspiration.
Aunt Jemima On My Mind
I grew up in what may now be considered a large family. And most of us were not very culinarily (is that even a word?) adventurous. But one thing we could all agree on was Aunt Jemima's Buckwheat Pancakes. If you have never had them; I feel sorry for you. Very, very sorry. You can't even buy the mix now, or at least I was unable to find it available online. I did however find plenty of strings of content from those of us who would love to buy this mix though.
Food Find Friday: Crispy Onions
Have you ever had an epiphany that left you wanting to share it with the whole planet; to shout from the highest mountain or maybe click Share with the World on Facebook (if that option existed)? I have; in the form of an edible epiphany...crispy fried onions.
PB & GF?
In honor of my little peanut who just turned nine, I thought it only appropriate to share one of her favorite cookies of all time; classic peanut butter cookies. These old-fashioned chewy treats have been a staple in our house for years, but the recipe is by no means traditional. Our grandbaby also happened to spend the first six and a half years of her live on a gluten-free/dairy-free diet.
The Offal Truth
A couple of weeks ago, I was meandering through the aisles at the grocery store, when I passed by some packaged items in the the poultry section that caught my eye; chicken livers. Their brilliant hue of burgundy flesh was hard not to notice. As I investigated further, I was surprised at how reasonable the price was; less than $3 per pound. I had to know more. I went home and started looking online at how to prepare chicken livers, their nutritional value, and why they are not more popular.
Friday Food Find: Matcha Matcha!
There are lots of things that you can use matcha in--lattes, smoothies, Popsicles, salads, soups, curries, and of course, tea. In my mind it is similar to ground flax; in that you can add it to a lot of your current recipes for an added nutritional boost. But sometimes, it is also good in something a little more decedent. And that's where today's recipe begins...Matcha Drops.
Pound for Pound
I have baked my fair share of pound cakes throughout the years, but I have never really made the original. You know, the one with one pound of butter, one pound of sugar, one pound of eggs, and one pound of flour. So, no time like the present. My task today was obvious: bake a traditional pound cake as well as a slightly updated version that even included a bit of baking powder and compare them.
The Good Egg
I may not have left home with a full culinary arsenal, being the youngest of five girls, but I knew how to make a good cake, an array of cookies, a pot of steamed rice, and eggs. Scrambled eggs to be exact. Perfect scrambled eggs to be even more precise. I would actually consider myself a scrambled egg snob. I have so rarely liked scrambled eggs when dining out, I gave up ordering years ago. Once in a blue moon, I will be tempted and snatch a bite off of someone else's plate, but am always disappointed. What seems to be such a simple task, seems to allude most short-order cooks. What gives?
Friday Food Find: Better Butter
I would like to introduce you to one of my absolute favorite fats in the world: ghee. Actually, it IS my favorite now that I think about it. But not just any ghee. My personal favorite is Ancient Organics Ghee. I happen to cook my fair share of Indian food and many recipes call for using ghee, so I have tried a few brands over the years, but Ancient Organics has perfected the making of this liquid gold. From the moment you open the jar as the intoxicating caramel scent waifs towards you, you know this is the good stuff. It is rich, almost decadent.
quookie 