Woo Hoo - First Post

Hand Made by Dominique

Food Made of Love - A Grandfathers Sandwich

Food Made of Love - this is the first article that I read that really gets it.

Almost exactly 16 years after that day, I thought of my grandfather and that bologna sandwich again. It happened just last week, as I sat, staring out the window of another airplane, looking over the cloud cover.

How to Wield a Knife

Great article from the Atlantic - I am appreciating the food section more and more.

Great Conclusion

No matter how much care you take, if you spend lots of time cutting meat you will cut yourself severely at some time or another. Often you will do so just when your first aid kit has hit bottom. No matter! If you have paper towels and plastic wrap handy, you have all the necessary first aid to get you to a hospital, or, less desirable, to the end of your shift. Simply wash the cut to remove any parts that don't belong to you and then wrap quickly with paper towels and plastic wrap, tightly if the cut is bad and you're on the way to the hospital, and less snug to make it through your shift without your injured extremity falling asleep.

It's my sincere hope that some of you out there will be able to avoid spilling your own blood at the expense of my own. Stay awake. Stay aware. Keep the plastic wrap handy.

Miso Soup and Sushi Christmas Lunch

Chestnuts roasting by an open fire.... Not so much

Lunch this year is Miso Soup and Sushi

Miso Soup is very Japanese, but not so common in the U.S.

Exceptionally simple to make, the most important thing is the Miso. We use Hacho Miso, from Eden Organics

6 cups water, bring to boil
Add one leak, sliced thin.
Reduce heat to medium
After 5 minutes, add carrots (I match stick them). Simmer another 5 minutes.
Add 1 lb cubed tofu (I let it drain for an hour before hand), reduce heat to low
After 3 minutes, scoop out some of the broth into a bowl, and mix in 5 tbs of Miso - stir, then add back in.
Simmer for 2 minutes - serve!

Sushi -

First, make the rice in a rice cooker. No rice cooker? Buy one - you will thank me later. Buy one with a real top that locks down - not a glass top one.

Ingredients - well, this is Wisconsin, so no raw tuna (unless you can find someplace that sells frozen sushi grade). We use cooked shrimp, smoked salmon, cream cheese, carrots, cucumber, wasabi, toasted sesame seeds in a variety of combo's.

It's easy to roll - check out you tube

Bandit Pinot Grigio

Other reviews at Snoot.com - my take?

Drinkable. Convenient. Used it in Coquille St. Jacque, and then served the rest with it for our Christmas Eve Dinner. Slightly thin, some mineral, little bit of sweetness in the mid palate. Finish ok. Reasonable acidity, not very fruity (which is ok) not too sweet. Say - an 82

Burrito's as Big as your Head

Tonight is Burrito as big as your head night.

We will pressure cook some chicken thighs
We will convert the left over Red Beans from last night to Refried Beans (add cumin and cook down more)
And make some Chipotle Lime Rice (sort of)

Wrap it all up in Del Rey Burrito tortillas as big as your head (with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa and cabbage) it should be great.

Red Beans (and Sweet Potato) and Rice

Well, it's Red Beans and Rice again this weekend - the family loves it.

Somewhat different - Daughter #3 is not a fan of ham/sausage. So, an almost vegetarian version.

I started with this recipe, but added some variations, not the least of which, it may be meatless, but it is not vegetarian.

To start, I like to chop my vegetables - I don't mind if you can see the celery in my RBnR. The onion cooks down, but the celery has a tendency to maintain it's shape and color. That works for me.

Second, I cut the spices way down because my family won't eat it spicy.

Third, and our family favorite - Sweet Potatoes! I add 1 sweet potato, 1 inch dice when cooking. It gets very soft, and starts to disintegrate. It also adds a little sweetness to the RBnR.

And finally, I use chicken stock instead of water. That pretty much kills the vegan thing.

I have never used the liquid smoke before, but it works well in this - i think because usually the ham hock and/or bacon usually carry that. - Side note - Why do so many vegan dishes do things to fake the meat? Answer - because meat is good.

Oh well, I will fry up some smoked sausage to serve on the side - it's all good, my daughter's happy, and so is everyone else.

Red Beans and Rice - truly a great dish.