Pixiedust ~ Allison

Something From Nothing ~ Week 9

2012-02-12T09:12:00.003-05:00

It is a bizarre twist of fate in life, when one is faced with something one cannot predict, or control. As a cook, I'm all about "control". Controlling ingredients, flavors, appearances, etc. One of my culinary heroes, Anthony Bourdain says that "cooking is about control ~ eating is about submission". Not only do I agree - I also sometimes slip into the Chefs' pity-party of NOT getting surprised by the flavors, textures, and wonderful-ness of any given dish - because I've been there, sampling and tasting for correctness all along. This is not my favorite foible of being a good cook. One has a hard time going to a restaurant, for instance....disappointment at the outcome, and the price one had to pay for it, inevitably follow. On to this weeks' creation.

This recipe pays homage to my humble culinary early days. As a new Air Force bride, I found myself in lovely Austin, Texas....and part of a community I never knew existed. My companions were Mothers, wives, and people who were unbelievably generous with their time and recipes. Although this recipe is probably anything but authentic, it feeds a lot of people for a little money, and any protein (such as chicken) can be substituted for the pork. Sweet and Sour pork, here I come! Speaking of the pork, this is what I defrosted overnight....

A humble, not-very-attractive slice of pork shoulder....sold cheaply (under $3.00) usually called "pork steak", or some other such nonsense. Let's look deeper, though. After one trims the fat, and cuts the meat into cubes, there is quite a bit of meat to work with there! That is just what I did, using of course, my kitchen shears to trim the fat, and cut into relatively similar cubes....

Be warned - this is not a recipe you want if you are in a hurry. In fact, I did the trimming and marinating of the pork, as well as prepping the vegetables in the morning. A weekend day is perfect for making this dish. As with many Asian recipes, there is a lot of prep - and everything needs to come together with pretty precise timing....not a dish for novice cooks, or those unfamiliar with stir-frying in general. Having said that, it is a good recipe for those looking to sharpen the Asian cooking technique, and practice....especially if you assemble most of the components ahead of time. On to the marinade...into the container goes 2 Tablespoons sherry or white wine, 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, and some minced garlic and ginger.

Then, one scours the pantry and fridge to see what vegetables are ready....the only ones called for are bell pepper (green or red), celery, carrot, and onion....I have modified over the years to include things that we like in our stir-fry.....such as:

The bell pepper, half an onion, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts, as well as the carrot and celery. Not shown, a can of pineapple rings...which is important for its juice, as we will make the sweet and sour sauce with it. Cut these vegetables accordingly ~ which is to say, slice thinly, and on the diagonal, so that all cook evenly. I did just that, and placed in a container in the fridge for the day...

And yes, there was some liberal "taste-testing" of these beautiful vegetables...can you blame me? Fast forward to that evening...combine the sauce ingredients, and place in a saucepan on the back burner (don't be daunted by the amounts - I doubled the sauce ingredients from the initial recipe)...they are;

10 Tbsp. sugar

4 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. wine (I used sherry)

6 Tbsp. white vinegar

1/2 cup pineapple juice (from a can of pineapple rings)

6 Tbsp. ketchup

1/2 cup water with 3 Tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in it

It's not attractive (yet), but here is mine...

combined & ready to heat up toward the end of the cooking time.

The pork has been marinating all day, and has absorbed the flavors (and color) of the soy, wine, garlic and ginger. I pick out the garlic and ginger, and drain the meat in a colander..

Now we cook! Mix an egg with about 4 Tbsp. cornstarch, and add a little water...you want a nice, thick batter. Now is the time to get a beverage, bring the phone near, or do anything that will take you away from the stove - frying does not take well to lack-o-commitment. Here is the batter before and after mixing...

Now, heat up about an inch of vegetable, canola or peanut oil, and deep-fry the meat....I don't like using a lot of oil, and don't fry often....I put about seven pieces per batch into the batter, and fry until crispy and browned...

Place on a rack in a warm oven (I like it about 210 degrees). The rack will keep the pieces crispy, and help to drain any excess oil....here are mine..

I wanted some lovely, nutty Basmati rice for the dish - but refuse to pay nearly five dollars a bag for it - but I lucked into this recently....and normally I also shun anything "boil in a bag", but since this dish is so labor-intensive, I caved like a cheap deck of cards....and bought.....this!

Place in some boiling water, and forget about it for ten minutes...you have better things to attend to...such as, draining your vegetables that you prepped this morning...if any liquids have come from them, you will be steaming ~ not stir-frying.

Get a non-stick pan or wok super hot, and add just a teaspoon of oil. Throw those veggies in (along with a half a can of pineapple rings, cut appropriately), and keep them moving ~ this is essential...you want them crisp-tender, not mushy...and while you are doing this step, heat your sauce - about medium high, and whisk to combine...

Here are my veggies, ready for sauce, pork and rice, and the sauce, coming to a boil so that the cornstarch can thicken the whole thing...

The results? How did I know you want to see how the finished product comes together? Just a guess...plate with a lovely fragrant bed of your rice, the vegetables, some cubes of pork, and ~~drown~~ ahem, bathe the whole thing in the sauce....oh, and enjoy!

How was it? Really......really good. Now, as I said before, this may be anything but "authentic" but it is delicious, fulfills a stir-fry craving, did not cost more than about 6 dollars, has no MSG, and did not have to be picked up, in paper cartons, hauled home, or any of that bother.

Eat well, my friends, and stay tuned for some crab-tastic fun, a big announcement from Kitchen Angel, and a tribute to my first, and most important culinary influence...what made Pixie....Pixie? Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Something From Nothing ~ Week 8

2012-02-02T08:08:00.000-05:00

Last week was the two-year Anniversary of this blog. As you know, I always like to make something special to mark the occasion. However, being in my "use it up" mode, I did not want to spend a lot of money. I prefer to make something delicious and elegant without the expense....it's so much more rewarding! So, with that in mind, I looked at the leftover situation....

Some leftover cooked chicken, the rest of a bag of frozen shrimp, and one half of a smoked sausage....hmmmm.....one word...GUMBO! Strange how when I think of ways to spoil myself, Southern or ethnic foods usually play a part. On to the roux....

I never really thought that just by cooking flour and oil together, one could obtain that deep, caramel-colored roux that is portrayed in cookbooks.....but, I pressed on..

Ten minutes into the stirring on medium heat...

While the roux did its thing, (while I stirred it frequently) I cut into small dice, the trinity....bell pepper, onion, and celery..

Twenty minutes in...and, well, I could not believe it! I had achieved a dark, caramel-colored roux!

I diced the smoked sausage, and added it to the chicken, and prepped vegetables...

Now it was time to add those vegetables to the aforementioned roux...

I should add that the fragrance of this lovely dish was at this point, wonderful and enticing...when the vegetables were getting tender, about ten minutes later, I added the chicken and sausage...

It was at this point, that I took a sharp turn from the recipe....and threw the whole mixture, along with some chicken stock, thyme, bay leaf, cayenne pepper and salt, into the crock pot on high...

Off I went, doing Pixie-related chores until late afternoon....then, I prepared an envelope of yellow rice...

I added the peeled and deviened shrimp at this point, since the rice takes about twenty minutes to cook....and although shrimp cook quickly, it was being done in the slow cooker, so I wanted to give them some time to flavor the dish. Now, time to slice some scallions for garnish and flavor...

I placed a couple of ice cream scoops of the rice in the center of the bowl.....and ladled in the gumbo....the results?

Let the good times roll! It was delicious, spicy, and complex...click here for the recipe I started with...thank goodness that wonderful chef Emeril Lagasse went to New Orleans! Stay tuned for week nine, a surprise from Kitchen Angel, and a special tribute.

Eat well, my friends...love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Something From Nothing ~ Week 7

2012-01-22T05:40:00.001-05:00

Sometimes, even those of us who live to cook - just are not all that into it. I know, try to contain your astonishment....and this may not be "nothing" but one morning, I took out the following for supper...

Yes, it looks very nice...but quite frankly, come suppertime, I just had no energy to be creative, or spend hours in the kitchen whipping up some gourmet seafood feast. I perused the Pixie-library of cookbooks for a while, but did not see anything that struck my fancy. An Internet search using some of the ingredients I had on hand produced a recipe for "Portuguese Fish Supper", from Rachael Ray. As an American of Portuguese descent, I was a little concerned about its authenticity, to say the least. However, it did look quick, hearty and filling, and since I was rapidly running out of both time and heart (the most essential ingredient, of course), I decided to make it. Click here for the recipe.

It is a relatively short ingredient list as well. Sometimes, just getting everything together to even begin a recipe is a chore...not so here...

Clockwise from bottom left; fresh parsley and thyme, chicken cubes, olive oil, diced tomatoes and sauce, garbanzo beans, Old Bay seasoning, pepper, salt, nutmeg, and onion, garlic and a package of Spanish-style chorizo. (Not shown, a handful or so of fresh spinach, chopped). The recipe calls for kale, but spinach was the green that I had on hand, and thrown in during the last minute of cooking, does quite well in this. You can find those shelf-stable (!) chorizo in the Spanish section of your local mega-mart, as well. Really not too ingredient-heavy! Now, we cook....

Chop the onion, garlic, spinach, parsley and thyme. Cube the chorizo into small chunks, dissolve a cube of chicken stock in hot water, open your cans & prepare your seasonings and you are in business! Now, start to cook the chorizo...do not jack the heat up here, just warm enough to get the chorizo to crisp up a little, and release some of their paprika-and-garlic flavored goodness....like so,

Add in the onions and garlic. I apologize for the blurry photo....but this is real cooking...heat happens!

Now, add in your parsley and thyme, tomatoes and sauce, garbanzo beans, salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg. Note: I am not fond of nutmeg, so I just added a pinch. Bring this to a nice simmer...look at the beautiful, vibrant color of the stew!

Place your cod fillets, rinsed and patted dry, on a plate and sprinkle on both sides with Old Bay seasoning..

Slide the fish into the stew broth and simmer for ten minutes, covered, until the fish is cooked through.

At this point, I carefully broke the fish pieces into more spoon-sized chunks. When the fish is just cooked (make sure your heat is just at a simmer, you don't want that beautiful fish to get tough, or overcooked), throw in your spinach for the last two minutes of simmering...

The results? Well, with a piping-hot, crusty loaf of French bread, I must admit....this was a satisfying, easy, hearty winter stew! The only changes I would make would be to add shrimp for the last five minutes of cooking time, and some canned diced, or leftover cooked potatoes. Here was a stew I could get into!

Whether or not this was "authentic Portuguese" no longer mattered...as always with cooking, taste was what it was all about.

Eat well, my friends, and stay tuned for week 8, and the two-year Anniversary of this blog! Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Something From Nothing ~ Week 6

2012-01-19T20:56:00.006-05:00

Dear Husband knows me best. To include the fact that although we have what we need in life...e.g., food, clothing, and a home...cookbooks come a close fourth with me. My need to collect cookbooks probably stems from the time when there was no Internet, and the printed word was all one had to refer to. In a totally ego-centric way, however, I think I need this blog MORE than the cookbooks...to preserve for my children what their Mom was/is all about! Long story longer....for the Holidays this year....and since I'm not fond of chaining oneself to any organized religious affiliation...I'm calling it: "Christma-cha-kwanzicah" (Festivus fans take note) I received a COOKBOOK from Dear Husband for above-mentioned holiday. As it happened..I was defrosting a couple of hot Italian sausages for reasons unknown at the time...(insert joke here). Really, though...I thought I'd make my spaghetti sauce or something...but here are the lonely sausages...uncased, and awaiting their fate...

Looks rather gross, actually...but then I remembered that I had just purchased some of THESE....in a mid-winter, mis-guided Chile rellenos kinda way...some beautiful Anaheim chilis...

The answer was clear....a recipe in the cookbook given to me that was an Italian-inspired stuffed pepper...first, we roll those beautiful chilis in extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt...

I roasted them until tender...then assembled the ingredients for the dish....remember, you are all about your mise 'en place....short for "getting your )(&*%$ together" before you cook...

Here we have..(clockwise from bottom right) the roasted and cooled peppers, 2 Tb. garlic, 2 Tb. finely chopped red onion, 2 Tb. chopped walnuts, 2 Tb. grated fresh Parmesan cheese, 2 slices white bread, crusts removed, 1/4 cup milk, olive oil, tomato sauce, an egg, chicken granules, salt, pepper, and some fresh spinach...

Although the recipe did not call for garlic....I TOTALLY knew that if you are going to make an "Italian stuffed pepper" recipe....garlic would, and quite frankly should be required...by law. So a quick saute' of the fresh spinach...with garlic and olive oil...was required...

Ninety seconds later...

Turn off the heat...and set it aside...you may not think so, but that little bit of filling just became an integral part of the dish...

I skinned the newly roasted peppers, and laid them in an olive-oil coated baking dish..like so..

Then proceeded to add the chopped up white bread, egg, milk, and Parmesan into the mixing bowl..

The recipe said to mix this into a "paste"...introducing you, the reader...to the "paste"...

Yeah, I hear you...not pretty. But, being intrepid chefs...we press on...

Adding the sausage, the sauteed, chopped spinach, the chopped onion and walnuts....and then we mix...

The recipe called for stuffing the peppers and then frying them, filling-side-down..in some oil. Now, I don't know about you, but that part was just asking for disaster, doom, and spilled filling everywhere...so I filled the peppers in the baking dish...

I then baked them for about 40 minutes in a 375-degree oven..until the sausage was crispy brown on top....in the meantime..per recipe, I simmered some tomato sauce and chicken stock and water...

It just did not seem "Italian" enough to me...so before service, I added dried oregano, garlic powder, and dried basil...The results?

And...

Let's put it this way..when Dear Husband asked if there would be any "leftovers" from this dish...the answer was a resounding "no". If only because we kept going back to munch on it all night...

Eat well my friends, I will try to find the copy of this recipe and post it...and we have the 2-year Anniversary of the blog coming up.....and you know what that means, right? That's right....something I want to make for MEEEEEEE! Ya gotta take care of number one, right? Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Something From Nothing ~ Week 5

2012-01-18T15:08:00.001-05:00

Yes, I have decided to pick back up where I left off. In these tough times, too many people have emailed me to let me know that making "something from nothing" is a much-needed quality! So, I have answered the call in the only way I truly know how......cook!

I was recently faced with the type of "leftover" that is my favorite. A scary leftover as well, because when something is a quality ingredient, well, you just don't want to screw it up, frankly. So when I took this out of the freezer, I really had to put my gourmet thinking cap on....

Leftover rib portion of my New Years' prime rib roast! There is a small amount of tender and delicious meat between those bones, and as I always do, I think of Pho...(Vietnamese noodle soup, pronounced "fuh"). There is absolutely nothing on earth as wonderful as that steaming hot bowl, filled with meats and vegetables, spicy and noodle-filled, that I do not love. On to the preparation...first, I

covered the remaining rib bones with water, after carefully separating out the lovely tender bits of prime rib meat, in a large stock pot.

While that was starting to heat up, I stuck a few pieces of onion with some whole cloves, sliced some ginger root, tossed all with vegetable oil and placed on a baking sheet covered with foil.

Under the broiler this goes, to get nice and charred...then, I gathered up some dry ingredients from the Pixie-Pantry for soaking...dried shiitake mushrooms, and rice noodles...

Notice the ingredients in the background getting ready for their part in this tasty soup. In the next photo you see the noodles and mushrooms on the right....I then poured boiling water over them both, to let them soak while I prepped the rest that you see here...

Clockwise from plate. The broiled and cooled onion and ginger, some pickled jalapenos, some fresh basil, fresh cilantro and in back; Thai chili garlic paste, hoisin sauce, pepper, cinnamon sticks, Chinese five-spice powder, and salt.

I added the soaked rice noodles, the drained and chopped shiitake mushrooms, and the thinly sliced prime rib pieces to the prep...

I added the cinnamon stick and the five spice powder to the broth, which had simmered for three hours by now, after straining and putting back into the stock pot...it looked like this..

Keeping it at a nice, hot bubble, it was finally time to start building the bowl...first, prime rib pieces..

Then, in rapid, and getting-ever-so hungry fashion, rice noodles, cilantro, basil, jalapeno, shittake mushrooms, and a dollop each of Thai chili hot sauce, and hoisin sauce...

Now, we ladle over that wonderful beef stock....and let the heat of it finish cooking the beef, and mix all the sauce and noodles in with a spoon...

The results? PHO-TASTIC! hahahaha...if I do say so myself! A warming, comforting, yet exotic spicy broth with tasty additions...that has me craving it again already. See?

Yes, it was the fulfillment of a craving, and a wonderPHOl one at that. What's that? Oh, OK, I'll stop with the PHO references....but it is really.....really....good. Next time you are faced with a cold, snowy Sunday at home, take the time, and make some real, authentic soup.

On to our visit...I went to go and find Kitchen Angel to let her know that soup was literally, on....and just what do you think she was up to now? That's right, that selective and presumptuous lady was strolling down the aisles of my pantry! Selecting what SHE thought were the very best items to use in the next post!

Gotta keep my eye on that one, I tell ya. Eat well, my friends, and stay tuned for the next "Something From Nothing" post ~ which has a decidedly Italian flair! Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

The Attack of the Killer....Broccoli?

2012-01-11T14:32:00.001-05:00

Yes, broccoli. A vegetable that like Brussels sprouts, people simply love to hate. I have never shared this particular aversion, and love broccoli it all its manifest glories. I recently bought an embarrassingly large head of broccoli, and then became busy. I mean busy to the point where my broccoli began to...um, "age" as it were. See?

It's not inedible......yet. I knew I had to act fast. Well, other than steamed with lemon and butter, what could I do to use (and not waste) this cancer-fighting, delicious vegetable? I will show you my other favorites, but the first solution was......Cream of Broccoli soup. First I broke the vegetable down into its constituent parts. And yes, this humble vegetable has more than one edible part ~ more on that, later.

I cut the top into florets, and peeled and sliced the stalks. Broccoli stalks are incredibly tasty ~ like a broccoli-esqe water chestnut. More on their use later. Then I assembled the goodies for my soup....

Clockwise from bottom; salt, pepper, and chicken bouillon cube (vegetarians substitute veggie stock), parsley, onion, water, garlic, olive oil, butter, sherry, broccoli and carrots.

Now, we cook....melt 2 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. oil in your saucepan, and add the onion, chopped, and the garlic, minced. Note: you do not have to worry about chopping these too finely, as we are going to puree' it all later. Saute' on low until soft and fragrant. Sprinkle with a pinch of that salt, too.....to make for a quicker saute'.

Then, dice up the carrots, chop the parsley, and take approximately 3 cups of those broccoli florets...like so...

Add to the pot along with the chicken bouillon, water, salt and pepper...

Cover and simmer until the broccoli is tender, approximately ten to fifteen minutes...then, get your carrots, and seasonings ready. From bottom to top I have cayenne pepper, thyme, paprika and white pepper. Add one half of the chopped carrot, and 2 Tablespoons butter, mixed with 2 Tablespoons flour. I melt the butter with the flour for thirty seconds in the microwave (a pixie-approved usage of said device, by the way), and mix together with a fork before putting into the soup.

Simmer for another five to ten minutes....just until the carrots are tender. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and get out your immersion blender. Use a regular blender, in batches, if you do not have an immersion blender.

Puree' the soup until it is a nice, velvety texture. Leave chunks of broccoli, if desired. Toss in the remaining carrot pieces, all the spices, and two Tablespoons sherry. Cover and simmer for another five to ten minutes, just until the second batch of carrots are tender.

The results? Well, served attractively in a soup tureen with a garnish of fresh basil.....

Or....chopped fresh parsley, or your herb of choice...

This would be a soup I would entertain with! Freshly served in a hot mug, with nice, Italian bread, toasted and buttered is how I rolled with this one! It was creamy without having to use cream....the broccoli flavor became more subtle, yet still tasty, and it was a satisfying winter lunch! Eat well, my friends, and stay tuned for what became of the rest of the killer (delicious!) broccoli, a catch-up of "something from nothing" posts, and of course, a visit from our favorite audience member, Kitchen Angel. Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Tuna and Ketchup

2012-01-06T14:49:00.002-05:00

NO....NOOOO! NOT "ketchup", but, CATCH-UP. As in, I know I have failed to blog since November 6th, and "gee, was committing to a weekly post about making something from nothing a really good idea while working full-time"? Ahem, that answer clearly, is no. I will attempt, however, to reinvigorate my "something from nothing" posts, beginning this Sunday. Clearly, though, I have been busy. I DID manage to prepare this as well, on that end-of-November holiday that we foodies look forward to so much....

Yes, it was a very traditional Thanksgiving supper, shared with the awesome company of Son B., Daughter S., and Dear Husband. Moving on...Recently one cold January weekend, I saw Giada DeLaurentiis preparing a tuna sandwich that was anything but routine. The recipe is called "Open-Faced Tuna Sandwiches with Arugula and Sweet-Pickle Mayonnaise". Well, the sandwiches looked so delicious, I simply HAD to, was COMPELLED to re-create them for lunch. What is interesting is that within one day of seeing that episode (go here for the recipe), I found this gorgeous piece of tuna....

I sliced it in half lengthwise, as this piece would be way too thick for a sandwich, and saved the remainder for my next adventure in tuna. Then, gathered up the following ingredients...

Clockwise from the tuna...kaiser rolls, arugula, kosher salt & pepper, mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, extra virgin olive oil, chopped fresh parsley, tarragon, basil and thyme, and cheddar cheese. If you read the recipe you shall see that I may not be using precisely the same ingredients. That's the whole point of cooking creativity! Substitute! Play around a bit...you will find it gastronomically rewarding, I promise.

After drizzling the tuna with the olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and herbs, and place on a preheated grill pan like so...

While it is doing it's thing, mix some mayonnaise with sweet pickle relish, or large chunks of sweet pickle per the recipe....

Flip your fishie to begin grilling the other side after about 3 minutes...you want it nice and rare in the middle...

Butter and toast your roll of choice when the fish is almost done...

Add your cheddar after removing your bread, and top with a lid to melt. Here's mine before lidding...

Then, spread your toasted bun with the pickle mayo...

Top with a piece of the tuna (as you can see, I cut that piece into two)..

Finally, top the tuna with some arugula sprinkled with kosher salt, black pepper, and olive oil...

The results? Well, first have a peek....

I almost regret making this sandwich. How will I ever eat canned tuna again? Ruined, I tells ya, ruined! I made a second sandwich with the remaining piece of tuna faster than you can say "sorry Charlie" lol! Eat well my friends, and stay tuned for Portuguese fish stew, something from nothing catch-up (not ketchup!), and a winter visit from Kitchen Angel! Wonder how she is spending the colder months...hmmmm. Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Something From Nothing ~ Week 4

2011-11-06T12:17:00.001-05:00

Well, although recently beset by a head cold the size of Mount Rushmore, I was able to complete the work week (ok, OK...I took ONE sick day!), and head into the weekend filled with anticipation of the treats that I would be cooking. I mistook free time for "renewed energy", however, and have spent a large portion of the weekend recuperating.

Fast forward to Sunday ~ around brunch time, and since I had bounced back well enough to clean house and rake leaves, etc., I figured I deserved a little treat. As you know, I detest most traditional breakfast-type foods, and consider them overly sweet, and too filling. So, long story short, around eleven in the morning I spotted this lonely container in the fridge.

If my memory serves me right, the Japanese word for rice is "Gohan", which I'm told literally translates to "honorable food". Now, far be it for me to waste something that a large portion of our planet uses to survive on. What to do? Well, to be honest, other than soup, I've never had a really good use for leftover rice until recent years. I love fried rice, but could never really make it well ~ that is, until I stumbled upon Rachael Ray's easy, quick and tasty version of it. Click here for the recipe. Luckily enough, a quick search of the Pixie~Pantry and refrigerator yielded the following...

Clockwise from upper left; soy sauce, vegetable oil, frozen peas, carrot, scallion, bell pepper, egg, ginger, garlic.

You can now be great at making fried rice, too. I make this all the time lately, it's quick and delicious, and makes me feel wonderful about using up the leftover rice. First, a little (and I mean less than 7 minutes to do all this) prep. Beat the egg, mince the garlic and ginger, grate a carrot, and slice the scallion thinly. Dice the bell pepper pretty small, and get all ready to roll. It's a stir-fry, and will go quickly, so be ready!

Now, heat your oil until it's almost smoking hot, and throw all the veggies, along with the garlic and ginger into the pan, and begin to stir-fry, moving everything quickly, so that it does not burn.

Stir-fry until getting tender, but still retaining its bright color, and texture...about 3 to 4 minutes...

Then, empty the rice out onto the vegetables, and incorporate by stir-frying it all together...

Look what a beautiful a dish we are making!

Now, push everything to one side, and dump in your beaten egg...working quickly, scramble it up, and mix into the rice and vegetable mixture...

When the egg is scrambled, and mixed in with the rest of the vegetable-rice mixture, pour in soy sauce to taste. I used about a Tablespoon, and wished that I had used less, as I like mine a little lighter in color - but such is cooking.

Use your imagination on this dish - got a can of bamboo shoots? Use it! Do you have a vegetable that you love, but is going bad quickly? Use it! The results?

I am in LOVE! What a great use-up this dish is. Please try it ~ you will feel so proud of yourself for not wasting, and for creating ........... something from nothing! Of course! I went to go find Kitchen Angel, just to show her my work, ....and where was she?

Canoodling with her new-found State-Fair friend, Blackie! Are those my flowers she's feeding him?! Oh.....my.....goodness!

Eat well, my friends, and stay tuned for week 5, and a pre-Thanksgiving feast! Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Sundays in Pixieland...

2011-10-30T16:13:00.001-04:00

So, although I do not have this weeks' "Something from Nothing" post ready, I DO have a good excuse...a potluck! Yes, I have ventured back to the working world, and another wonderful place where I will get to taste the cooking and treats from everyone else, instead of just my own (admittedly wonderful) cooking. With a budget that has suffered a serious downfall in the last several months, I settled on that inexpensive standby, pasta. Here is the recipe I created for the occasion...

1 pound pasta
6 ounces sharp cheddar, cubed
6 ounces salami, cubed
fresh rosemary, oregano, parsley and thyme, minced fine
3 Tb. Olive oil
½ a garlic clove, pressed
3 Tb. Each chopped scallions and pepperoncini peppers
salt and pepper to taste

And the results? Pasta-riffic!

Eat well, my friends, and stay tuned for Something from Nothing, Week four, and Kitchen Angels' latest hijinks's. Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Something from Nothing ~ Week 3

2011-10-23T09:45:00.001-04:00

I KNOW! I am soooooo late on this post, it's not even funny. Well, if it makes you feel any better, I have good reasons - like re-gaining gainful employment! That is the reason this Pixie has been too pooped to pop! Anyhoo, like all those already in the working world, my time and my energy have been seriously compromised. It shall not deter me from my cause to make a dish from leftover ingredients each week for a year, and share the results.

This week (week 3), I had a bag of these, which were in danger of turning into fridge Frisbees....

I also had one lonely chicken thigh, at the bottom of what used to be entire bag of thighs....so it hit me, Buffalo-style chicken wrap! First, I shallow-fried the chicken thigh, seasoned with salt and pepper, until it was cooked through...

I then spread the tortilla with mayonnaise..

And lined it with some crunchy lettuce leaves...

On top of the lettuce went some shredded mozzarella cheese, because that is what I had on hand...and of course, some zingy pickled jalapenos..

To make the Buffalo-style sauce, you simply melt together butter or margarine, hot sauce, and a splash of apple cider vinegar...

When the chicken had cooled enough to handle, I shredded it up for the wrap like so...

Toss the shredded chicken in your Buffalo sauce..

Then, fill your tortilla with it...include all that spicy sauce!

Roll it up, burrito-style, cut in half, and enjoy! My results?

Filling, delicious, crunchy from the lettuce, cooling mayonnaise and cheese, and spice-tacular from the buffalo sauce and jalapenos! It was a tasty and satisfying lunch created with just what I had lying around, needing to be used. That is the whole point of this project, after all!

Eat well, my friends, and stay tuned for week 4 of Something from Nothing, some workday lunches, and Kitchen Angels' Autumn fun!

Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Something from Nothing ~ Week 2

2011-09-30T11:46:00.000-04:00

As you know, in the dual interests of thrift and tasty Pixie~Pursuits, I am disciplining myself to make a delicious meal from something leftover...at least once a week. The rules of the game are that I must give a recently enjoyed food a new life, and hopefully a new taste and look as well! Here's what I had to start with this week...

A typical-looking leftover plate of some chicken Piccata with sauce, peas and mashed potatoes. Oh my - whatever am I going to do with this? I put my thinking cap on, and came up with the perfect solution ~ croquettes! Yes, those wonderful golden brown creations....but first, I needed to make a dipping sauce. Marinara-type sauce is wonderful for dipping, so I sliced a garlic clove quite thinly, and sauteed it in two Tablespoons of olive oil...on the lowest heat setting..you just want to soften the garlic, and flavor the oil in this step....the garlic will burn and turn bitter if you do not keep the heat extremely low...

Then, I added the following ingredients,

A little more olive oil (about one teaspoon), a small can of tomato sauce, salt, pepper, red pepper flake, and dried basil, parsley and oregano..just throw it all into the sauce pan with the garlic and oil, mix with a fork, and place on low heat to simmer..

I scraped the sauce (which contained lovely capers and sun-dried tomatoes) off the chicken, and placed into a bowl. Then, one chops the chicken into very small dice, like so...

I then mixed the chicken, mashed potatoes, peas and sauce together with some fresh tarragon and parsley from the (now indoor) Pixie herb Patch...

I then got out one of my favorite go-to ingredients; Japanese Panko breadcrumbs....crunch-tacular!

Then, one rolls the mixture into croquettes...

Then coat them with seasoned flour, and the bread crumbs. I added salt and pepper to the flour, and salt, pepper and garlic powder to the Panko...

Then, you heat about 2 Tablespoons olive oil in your non-stick skillet, and fry over medium heat, just until nicely browned on each side...

These can be made vegan or vegetarian friendly by simply leaving out the chicken! Well? How did they turn out?

Really....quite.....amazing! The hot croquettes with some of the marinara sauce were a lovely hot lunch on a blustery Autumn day that made me feel like I was wrapped in a foodie blanket of warmth! The chunks of chicken were great, the chewy sun-dried tomatoes...yum! There are two things I might tweak the next time I make this, which are; put some chopped scallions into the mixture, and include a beaten egg to hold them together better ~ these have to be carefully handled, and will fall apart easily. But oh my, they tasted wonderful! Week 2 Something from Nothing is a definite keeper.

Stay tuned for next weeks' Something from Nothing, and a visit with Kitchen Angel! I hear she's been "horsing around". Hmmmm..

Please email me your favorite leftover use-up recipes (allymv@yahoo.com) and I will re-create them and post the pictures here! Come ON! I've got a whole YEAR, ya know!

Eat well, my friends. Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Scones ~ The Remix

2011-09-22T22:04:00.001-04:00

Even though I just produced a recent batch of scones for Dear Husbands' work place, I was unhappy with them. Why? Well, please see my Berried Treasure post, and you will know why. I simply thought that although tasty, they were less-than-pretty. Now don't get me wrong....tasty will win every time with me, but, I simply could not stand it. I could, nay, HAD to do better. So, I found an interesting and rather unique (I will tell you why in a bit) recipe on the usual Inter-galactic web search, and attempted my redemption. This scone recipe was for a simple scone dough, Go here to print it, if you like. I intended to use dried cranberries, instead of raisins, and some orange rind. First, I got all ingredients together to assemble what would hopefully be my finest scone hour....

From left to right; dried cranberries, sugar, egg, orange, baking powder, flour (unbleached) salt, sour cream and baking soda (not pictured, butter). The reason that the butter is not in the photo, is the unique thing about this recipe ~ it is kept in the freezer, until mixing time! I know that baking ingredients have to be kept cold, but this was most interesting.... Then, after I mixed all the dry ingredients, the REALLY cool part of the recipe....one grates in the entire stick of butter! No, I'm not kidding....look!

The more I thought about it, the more sense it made! After all, when we use a pastry blender, or two butter knives to cut the butter into the flour, the object is to get the butter into small, pea-sized bits. The grating of the butter did exactly that....and was easier! AND faster! A very new, and very cool technique. And just look at the perfectly small, curlicues of butter this left behind...

Genius! I am going to use the grater to cut butter into flour from now on...the only problem was what was holding the end of the stick of butter....which started out to be my (very clean) hand.....but ended up as a paper towel, as the butter got warm and started to melt a little ~ causing me to have...yes, you guessed it...BUTTERFINGERS! HAHAHA! OK, I know, back to the actual task, ahem. The scones went quickly after that...mixing in the cranberries and orange rind...

Mixing an egg and the sour cream....

Then, combining all into the dough...

Now, here is where I went to another, different level than the blueberry scones. I made three small rounds, so that the scones would be more workplace-friendly, and would serve more, come to think of it...

I rolled each one of these out into an 8-inch round...

Then cut into wedges and placed on the baking sheets....

Baked at 400 degrees until a lovely golden brown, then cooled on wire racks

While I mixed up a glaze of confectioner's sugar, cream, lemon rind and juice...

Well? Did I finally achieve scone-tacular looks? Scones that looked as good as they tasted?

Why yes......yes I did. They were rich, moist, not too sweet...and I could sleep at night knowing that Dear Husbands' work buddies would not have to shy away from the less-than-pretty blueberry version. So, I dressed them for the party with some mint which is ~~taking over~~ abundantly growing in the back garden...

What dish did you re-make to your satisfaction? Was it worth it?

Eat well, my friends, and stay tuned for "Something from Nothing", week two! Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

The Great Rib Fake Out!

2011-09-19T14:49:00.001-04:00

I know, I know...the scone REEEEE-MIX is coming up. However, Pixies cannot live by baked goods alone, you know. I don't know about you, but I love me some delicious baby-back ribs! During this ~~impossible~~ strained economic time, however...baby backs are not in the Pixie Purse's capability. So, left with a half a rack of spare ribs in the freezer, but seriously undaunted, I began my quest to make a rib so tender, so juicy, that it would meet or beat any one's expectation of a baby back-style rib. Here is the aforementioned hunk o' ribs....oh boy, we've got some work to do up in here!

Clearly, Doctor Pixie needed to make these gargantuan spare ribs at least look like baby backs, yes? So, before they thawed completely, I hacked them into baby back lookalikes....

Yes, that is plastic covering my bamboo cutting board - no cooties, here. Then, I created my own rub out of the following;

In a left-flowing concentric circle (HAHAHAHA) Brown sugar, onion powder, onion salt, garlic salt, garlic powder, paprika, dry mustard powder, cayenne, white pepper, Emeril's Essence, and thyme. Now, we take our ribs to the spa, and give them a good massage on both sides with yonder rub.

Covered, and into a slow (300 degree) oven for just two hours.....

After two hours, I let the ribs cool slightly, placed them on a plate, covered them, and put them in the fridge until later in the day.

In the meantime, I mixed a can of Great Northern beans with a can of black beans, added barbecue sauce, bacon, and onion, and let it go a-simmering in the crock pot.

Over half of a barbecue supper - done! I went out for a few hours, and when I came home, the beans were filling the house with the most tantalizing aroma! I then mixed up a barbecue sauce that simmered low and slow for a good half an hour...

Then, I mixed up the following for my Asian slaw (you've seen this one here before);

Black and white sesame seeds, rice wine vinegar, vegetable oil, sesame oil, salt and pepper, chopped scallion, carrot, cabbage and cilantro. Presto! Slaw goes into the fridge, and you are just about done!

Crunch-a-riffic! Now, slather (sidebar note: I once answered the phone at a food company to hear a woman say that she thought the word "slather" was vulgar - just weird...) ahem...slather those lovely ribs with your sauce. And yes, in a pinch, you may use commercially-made sauce, just use a good one!

Into a 375 degree oven for twenty or so minutes, just until the top gets a little caramelized, and the sauce has flavored the ribs...the results?

Can you blame me for not eating in restaurants much?

What is your favorite barbecue meal?

What did Kitchen Angel think? Well, I think this may have something to do with it being National Talk like a Pirate day....but all I heard was a loud "ARRRGGHHHH"...and there she went!

Well, avast ye scurvy dogs....eat well, and stay tuned for that long-awaited scone remix. Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Something from Nothing ~ Week One

2011-09-14T13:05:00.001-04:00

Welcome to what I hope will be my newest adventure! In these tight times, being able to make something you actually want to eat, from what is already in your fridge and cupboard, can be a challenge! So for an entire year once each week, I will endeavor to post a "Something from Nothing" episode! For week one of the challenge, I was in a Southwestern kind of mood, so I looked at what potential ingredients in my fridge were either on the way out, or needed to be used up. Here's what I found...

From bottom to top: The rest of a jar of salsa, leftover shredded chicken, chicken stock, leftover saffron rice, lemon, cilantro, a half of an avocado going South quickly, sour cream and some Jack cheese.

The recipe search took me to Rachael Ray's Mexican Chicken and Rice Soup - and here, with modifications based on what I had on hand, is how it went!

First, you simply bring the salsa chicken stock (mine made from bouillon with water) and lemon (instead of lime) juice to a boil...

Then, you place some of the leftover chicken and leftover rice into your service bowl. I bet you could use leftover rotisserie chicken for this, too!

When the stock and salsa mixture comes to a boil, ladle it over the chicken and rice. I made sure to have both chicken and rice up to room temperature, so the boiling stock would actually warm them completely...

Then, grate ye up some Jack cheese...

And build your bowl! Simply add the cheese, sour cream, avocado and cilantro. I also added chopped pickled jalapenos, and some crushed up tortilla chips for crunch. The results?

Ole'! The only changes that I would make are to not put such a big dollop of sour cream in, and to add the tortilla chips with each spoonful as desired, as they get mushy in the broth quickly. All in all, an amazingly fast, tasty use-up that turned a little of this, and a little of that into something wonderful!

I think of it this way...if you had to give someone 3 out of every ten dollars you made, OR, skillfully utilize your leftovers, which would you do? 'Nuff said.

What are your favorite leftover use-ups? Send me your recipe, and I will duplicate it for this year-long project!

Eat well my friends....Kitchen Angel and the scone re-mix are coming this week! Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Tabbouleh and Resolve

2011-09-11T15:06:00.001-04:00

I miss my friends in Alaska. WAAAAYYY more than I miss Alaska, of course.... One of my favorite things to do, was to cook my vegan friend Happy Aly some dishes which I thought she might like. So, to remind myself how fun and healthy that was, as well as honor a resolution I recently made to eat healthier, I thought I'd make some tabbouleh! Also, many have asked for my recipe since seeing it in my happy little lunchbox in prior posts.

I believe that the origin of tabbouleh is as a Lebanese parsley salad, and although my version may not be true to the original, it IS tasty! I do not use garlic in mine because although I love garlic, it may overpower the fresh mint and parsley that make this version so delightful.

First, you luck into some cracked wheat berries, called bulgur...here are mine: All natural and delicious..

Nutritionists, and people in the know ~ realize that whole grains are not just good for you, they are tasty, too. These are the "scrubbing bubbles" of the grain world, my friends.....your colon will thank you for eating this dish, let's just put it that way. Whenever I worry that I have had too much meat in my diet, I make this dish, knowing it's cleansing properties are so good for me. On to the dish - pour boiling water over one cup of the bulgur wheat, just to cover.

Let it soak and begin to plump up while you get your ingredients in order...

Cucumber, scallions, fresh parsley and mint, cherry tomatoes (clearly I used my pixie-patch tomatoes), olive oil, lemon juice, dried parsley, mint, and salt. That's it! And when I say lemon juice, I mean fresh lemon juice, folks....it's not hard, really! A two-dollar citrus reamer, and you are good to go....none of that stuff in a jar!

Peel, seed and chop the cucumber into fairly small dice, quarter the cherry tomatoes, and slice the scallions thinly. Chop the parsley and mint, and you're ready!

If after 30 to 45 minutes, if your bulgur wheat still has water that is not yet absorbed, don't panic...simply drain in a sieve or fine colander, like this....

Then, just mix everything together, in one beautiful bowl o' colorful goodness!

Place into your fridge to chill for a while -

The flavors blend wonderfully, and the wheat absorbs all the olive oil and lemon juice. I can never wait, and always make myself a ~~ridiculously large~~ healthy bowl of it, right away! Here is what a person with restraint might serve up....

The grains become chewy little morsels of goodness, while you enjoy the fresh crunch of the vegetables, and the bright, clean flavors of the mint and parsley. I can never get enough of this, and usually demolish the entire bowl within 48 hours....sigh,...it's just.....that.....good! Oh, and good FOR you, too....but, I already said that...

In other news, did I mention my weird obsession with other people's refrigerators and pantries? I love seeing what kinds of foods people buy, how they store it, organize it....etc. I know, strange...however, in the interest of serving people who also might have my strange affliction...here is my fridge after it's most recent cleaning..

I know, right?....don't judge me - I am the queen of condiments! Hey, I have at least four different kinds of vinegar in the pantry ~ be grateful I don't subject you to more pictures of THAT! :-0

Autumn is my favorite time of year, hands down. Not only does football return (go Dolphins! uh, we'll see...). but the air becomes crisp, the foliage beautiful, and the food-related holidays increase with each passing month! I have a little secret....I make my yearly resolutions in the Fall! I find that with the increase of time spent indoors, it is far easier to make resolutions and keep them with the focus needed, when Spring is not loitering right around the corner....tempting you to fail at all your New Year's resolutions! Mine are; to begin a fitness program (and stick to it), to take better care of myself (no more cheap makeup! I swear!), and to make sure I take care of everyone I love during the upcoming holidays with gifts that will show forethought and skill - not just something that was on sale!

If you made your resolutions in the Fall like me, what would they be?

Eat well my friends, and stay tuned for the Great Rib Fake out, a scone re-mix, a visit from Kitchen Angel, and my exciting year-long project! Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

An Ode to Betty M.

2011-09-09T11:47:00.002-04:00

To say you loved your Mother-in-Law is a strange admission to some. Not for me. I really loved, admired and respected the woman who gave birth to Dear Husband, and not just for that! An incredibly strong person who raised six children, lost her husband way too early, and accomplished a career as well! You'd be hard-pressed to find her kind of tenacity, even in this day and age, when womens' options are almost limitless.

In addition to being tough, and the kind of person who would "tell it like it is", Betty was also kind and had a ready smile. She was a great storyteller as well...sometimes holding you spellbound until you were on the edge of your seat, waiting to hear the very end of the tale.

As a thrifty Mother of six, Betty was also well-versed in how to feed a large family on a budget, and her stuffed cabbages (known as "pigs in blankets" in the family) are legendary. All of her children, to include my own Dear Husband, will reminisce about this wonderful, tasty, and filling meal. I knew if I could reasonably duplicate it, the whole clan would enjoy it. (disclaimer to my extended family - this is my recreation of Betty's famous dish to the best of my recollection ~ I'm sure Mom's was always best :-) ) I was privileged enough to watch her make these, and thought I would show you. As with most families, their personal "soul food" was a dish rooted in peasant times, meant to be hearty, filling, thrifty, and tasty. This is all four of those things.

Betty M.'s Pigs in Blankets

First, steam one cup rice in two cups water, and let cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients..

Then, core a nice large cabbage, and cook for eight to ten minutes until tender, and let cool.

Now, get these ingredients together...

From left to right; green bell pepper, onion, can of crushed tomatoes, one pound of ground beef, apple cider vinegar, the cabbage, salt, pepper, garlic powder, the cooked rice. Not shown, two Tablespoons unsalted butter.

Chop one half of the bell pepper, and the whole onion, into a pretty small dice, as you want them to melt into the filling, rather than stay large chunks...like this,

Sautee' these in your skillet (with 2 Tablespoons butter), on low to medium low heat - until soft and tender...you don't want these to brown up on you, keep it low, and slow your roll! Hahahah - I'm a poet and did not even know it! Ummm., ok, on to the saute'....

Now place your cooked rice, the ground beef, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a mixing bowl. It looks like a lot of seasoning, but remember, this is going to be a large dish that includes sauce, and you are seasoning all of that!

When the pepper and onion are soft and tender, put them into the bowl with the rice and beef, and mix very well.....

Did I mention that this is one of those meals that takes a while to make? Well, ah, yes....BUT, the payoff is, that once you are done, you pop it into a low oven, and you have your day to do ~~manicures and shopping~~ whatever pressing items are at hand! :-) Now, prepare your cabbage leaves by gently peeling them from the head of cabbage, trying not to damage the leaves. Lie them on your work surface or cutting board thusly;

Cut off the very top portion, then cut out the tough center rib of the cabbage leaf, pictured below. Each side then becomes a wrapper, and save those middle ribs....you'll see why in a bit.

Now take a small handfull of the meat and rice mixture, and press it into a small bullet-shaped ball o' meat. MEAT BULLETS, yay! What a way to go! Place into the cabbage leaf with the end of the meat lined up with the straighter edge of the leaf, like this...

Now, gently roll the filling into the leaf, tucking in the frilly, outer leaves...on the upper right in this photo...

You should have a nice, neat little cabbage roll, with one end closed and the other open. Like this little one...

Place in your casserole, all the little soldiers lined up and ready for duty! This post shows one of two trays of piggies - this makes a lot! Perfect for a large family, and it freezes quite well.

Now, chop the remaining half of your bell pepper, and some of those tough, inner ribs of the cabbage, sprinkle on top, season again with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and two Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.

Pour over the can of crushed tomatoes...

Then, add enough water to almost come to the top of your pan.

Cover tightly with foil, place on a cookie sheet (because pixie ovens need to STAY clean - I detest cleaning the oven!), and bake at 325 for four to six hours. Go fishing, shop, get a manicure - wooooo-hoooo! Do check every two hours or so, and add water if needed - for two reasons: One, the rice will continue to absorb liquid, and Two, you want the final product to have sauce to ladle over the little bundles...and mashed potatoes, of course!

The result? Let me put it this way, if one were to look up "comfort food" in the dictionary, one may very well see this dish!

Of course, one ends up eating so many of these deceptively tiny rolls, that one begins to resemble a "piggie in a blanket" as well ~ ahem. Well, at least we know how they got their name...hardy har.

Thank you Betty M, for never judging me, for being so accepting, for having strength, spunk and wisdom. And for allowing me to be a part of your life for a time, and giving me the love of a lifetime.

Now! On to the beeeeeeg annoucement!

I am pleased and proud to announce my affiliation with this wonderful site: http://www.militaryconnection.com/

This web site is an invaluable resource for current Service members, Veterans, retired military, spouses, and much more! Please visit, support, and patronize this honorable venture! You may read my cooking articles at this address within their site, http://militaryconnection.com/military-spouses/cooking-tips.asp and a big thank you to Debbie G., and Judi J for all you do for us. Nearing the anniversary of 9/11, all I can say is that my heart swells with patriotic pride when I think of this country, our diverse and talented population, and all of those who made the ultimate sacrifice ~ so that you and I can cook and eat, travel and live ~ in Peace and Freedom always. God Bless America!

Eat well, my friends,

Pixie

Bounty...

2011-09-05T09:27:00.004-04:00

I have been busy dealing with what the end of Summer 2011 has brought to my table. This has been the first year in over a decade that I have had the privilege of creating a garden that is not in containers! It was, as they say, like "riding a bike". All my formative years of reading magazines and books about organic gardening have literally come to fruition. I present to you, the August snapshot of the garden that I fondly call "The Pixie Patch"...

Needless to say, as a big believer that one should not waste what one has worked so hard to create, I've been trying to use and preserve all that the Patch has produced. The best part of it has been two-fold; I am producing food for us at nearly no cost, and since I grow organically, there are no chemicals in anything we utilize from this wonderful endeavor. Let me show you some of what I was delighted to get this year....

From left to right - canned products are; canned tomatoes, bread-and-butter pickles (2 jars), pickled dilly beans, and pickled okra. Freshly harvested produce; tomatoes (red and green), banana peppers, red cherry tomatoes, yellow pear tomatoes, carrots, green beans, and okra.

To say that I am filled with delight at what my first year back to a real garden has produced, is an understatement!

What did you do this summer that pleasantly surprised you?

Now, with that many carrots, you know I'm just going to have to make carrot cake! As well as eat them freshly steamed with lemon and butter, dontcha know. Eat well, my friends and stay tuned for the carrot cake from my own harvest, a scone re-mix, and the exciting year-long project I am developing now! Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Berried Treasure

2011-08-25T11:36:00.003-04:00

You know, we're supposed to eat more of those wonderful antioxidant-filled berries. Nutrition experts agree and I for one, will bravely take action for the cause. Even though it is healthier to eat them Au naturale, it has been a while since I sent treats to work with Dear Husband. As a plus, today was a cool, rainy late summer day...perfect for baking. First, we get all our ingredients to come to the party, as usual...

From bottom left; butter, baking powder, salt, flour, sugar, milk, blueberries and eggs. Immediately after this picture, the butter went back into the fridge, and the blueberries back into the freezer. It is important with most baking, to keep your ingredients cold. Then, we mix all the dry ingredients...

And add the butter, cut into small pieces...

I am sure you are familiar with the baking term of "cutting" the butter into the flour. Here's my pastry blender doing just that...until pea-sized. One can also use two butter knives in lieu of a pastry blender...

Now, we beat together the eggs and milk...

Then, pour into the dry mixture...

Mix well, until you have a sticky dough...

Turn out onto a floured surface...

Then, knead in your blueberries...

Now, form the dough into two circles, approximately eight inches in diameter...

And using whatever is convienient, cut into wedges. I used a pie server...

Place on non-stick baking sheets, or line with parchment paper for easy clean up, and bake at 375 until the tops have turned golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes...

Remove to a rack to cool completely...

Scones are not super sweet, so to add a little sweetness and lemon flavor as a nice counterpart to the blueberries, I made a glaze with powdered sugar, lemon zest and juice, and a little half and half.

When the scones were completely cool, I drizzled a little of the glaze over the top, and added lemon zest for a touch more color and flavor. The results?

Chock full of blueberry goodness! What I liked best was that the scone itself is rich and buttery tasting, without actually having a ton of butter in the recipe. Go here for the recipe I used. With a nice hot cup of tea, my breakfast was delicious, and I will send the rest off with Dear Husband...mainly because I'd like to stay Pixie-sized!

What did Kitchen Angel think? Well, 'tis the season for State fairs and festivals, and, well....let me just say, she had no problem getting into the "spirit" of things.

What is your favorite fair or festival at this time of year?

Eat well, my friends and stay tuned, because making these scones has put me in the mood for a proper British high tea! Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Patty Cake, Patty Cake

2011-08-22T11:18:00.001-04:00

As you know, I abhor wasting food. Sometimes, however, there is only a tiny bit of something left. What does one DO with that? Well, I found at least one answer recently, when I was left with the remaining smoked salmon from a tin that I had partially used the other day. A seriously tiny bit of salmon....see?

Well, first I flaked the salmon with a fork into a bowl....

Then, added the vegetation; finely chopped bell pepper, celery and green onion...

Now, we add some crunchy Panko Japanese breadcrumbs, an egg, some lemon rind, Old Bay seasoning, salt, pepper and dill. Mix until blended.

Form the mixture into patties, place on parchment paper, and refrigerate while you make the dip...

The dip is as simple as can be! Mix store-bought mayonnaise with a pressed or finely minced clove of garlic, some lemon rind and juice, some Old Bay seasoning, salt, pepper, and a little more dill.

Now, heat a little butter and plain vegetable oil in your non-stick skillet, about medium heat, and begin to cook the salmon patties...

About six minutes a side....or until they have achieved GB and D status (Golden Brown and Delicious). Here are mine after the flip.

Now, place them on a paper towel for just a minute or two, to cool, remove any leftover oil, and plate to enjoy. The results...?

Thrift-tastic! Thrift-tacular! Oh, um, I mean that they were elegant, delicious, crispy on the outside and tender and wonderful on the inside. The vegetables were done enough to not be too crunchy, the dill and Old Bay seasoning came through, but not enough to drown the salmon taste out. Just wonderful!

I feel especially thrilled that in a world where there are people who are without adequate food and water, that I made good use of something that others might consider only a few Tablespoons of food. Turning that small amount of product into a delightful, elegant and tasty salmon patty is what it's all about, for me.

What thrifty use-up meal is your specialty?

Eat well, my friends...Kitchen Angel and I are working on the scones, AND her next visit!

Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Such a Pill

2011-08-19T10:34:00.004-04:00

As you know, I don't DO breakfast...for the most part. I find traditional breakfast foods to be heavy, overly sweet, and generally not good for you. I really do not buy into that whole "most important meal of the day" stuff, as I firmly believe that physiologically speaking, our bodies are busy trying to eliminate waste from the prior day, and feel light and energetic for the day ahead. So, you can imagine my recent consternation when, due to a medication I had to take for a dental issue, I was told I MUST take it with food.....four, count 'em FOUR times per day. What to do? Another omelet (with the things I enjoy) was the obvious answer.

Additionally, this day was my coupon-clipping-grocery-store-shopping, get-all-the-bargains day ~ so I knew being hungry later was NOT going to bode well for the snack aisle. Plus, my garden was being it's lovely productive self, and giving me a bounty that I had pledged early on not to waste. Looks like all three issues (medication/shopping/bounty), have told me what I should do. So....on to the assembly...

Clockwise from upper left; a tablespoon of butter, a chopped clove of garlic, salt & pepper. Diced bacon, salsa, beaten eggs (2), a tablespoon of vegetable oil, zuchinni, green beans, broccoli, tomato, shredded sharp white cheddar, red onion, a wedge of lemon.

First, saute' your bacon with the red onion, just until the fat has rendered, the bacon is crisp, and the onion has begun to soften, like so. Drain the bacon fat, set aside to cool, and wipe out the skillet with paper towels.

Then, add one half of the tablespoon of butter, the tablespoon of oil, the garlic, salt and pepper, and all your veggies.

Saute' until the vegetables are crisp-tender, and have not lost their texture and color.

Squeeze that lemon wedge over the top of the vegetables, mix in the bacon-onion mixture, and set aside to cool...preferably on a cheerful, sunny plate...that reminds you that you are going to have a great day!

Now, wipe out the skillet again, and add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of butter to it. Pour the beaten egg into the bottom, make sure the heat is on medium low and.....you guessed it, DON'T TOUCH IT! Let it set. In fact, sprinkle it with a little salt and pepper. Season every layer of your dish. When you can slip a spatula under the edge like so....it is ready to fill..

Add your sauteed vegetable, bacon and onion mixture...staying ever so slightly to one side...

Then, pile on the cheese and salsa ~ ole!

Take your spatula (and yes, a deep breath), and flip the unfilled side over the top of the filling...

Now, carefully slide on to your serving plate, garnish with more shredded cheese, salsa, and chopped parsley....

A side view? For sure!

I feel as though I have fulfilled more than one mission here. I ate so that I could take the medication, I used produce from my garden so that I did not waste, and ensured that I would not suffer the dreaded "hungry while food shopping" issue! Oh, and it was delicious, too. :)

What did you do recently that accomplished more than one goal at a time?

Eat well, my friends, and stay tuned for a scone-tacular baking fest, and a visit from Kitchen Angel! Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Bean there, done that...

2011-08-10T10:37:00.006-04:00

I so admire the people, culture and cuisine of that great city of New Orleans. Especially for being the adopted home of one of my culinary heroes, Emeril Lagasse. Recently, one of their famous, traditional dishes became my Monday supper. It was a heavier wash day than normal for us here in Pixie-land, and I decided that I would celebrate what domestic goddesses did back in the day, on wash-day Mondays ~ Red Beans and rice! The story is, that during the (at the time) long day of washing, hanging and ironing clothing, these wonderful women would simmer the red beans with various additions low and slow, all day long. This freed them up to do the laundry, while ensuring a tasty, nutritious, and inexpensive supper.

I turned once again to Emeril, and his great recipe for the dish, go here if you'd like it. A bit of forethought is required, so I began by soaking the red beans in water on Sunday night (especially after taking a look at how much washing there was to do!).

This is how they looked by Monday, mid-morning. Plumping up nicely...

Then, we begin the dish - by of course getting all our ingredients ready. Once again, this is the hardest part of the whole meal! Simply assemble, saute' a few times, and cook slowly for hours...this would be great in the slow cooker all day as well.

Clockwise from bottom left we have; the soaked and drained beans, on the plate we have cayenne pepper, garlic, bay leaf, salt and thyme (not shown; freshly grated black pepper), vegetable oil, chopped onion, bell pepper and celery, and last but not least, diced sausage and ham.

Now we cook! Saute' the bell pepper, onion and celery in the vegetable oil with the cayenne, salt and pepper, and thyme for about 5 minutes, just until softened slightly.

Then, add your bay leaf, ham and sausage, and saute' that for five minutes as well.

Now, add the soaked and drained beans, the garlic, enough water to cover it all, put a lid on it, and simmer on low for two hours. GO DO SOME LAUNDRY! Hahahaha... Here's mine beginning the simmer..

After two hours (add more water as necessary) this is what it will look like...

Then, take a wooden spoon, or a potato masher (much quicker) and mash half the beans. This step will ensure a creamy, thickened final dish. Here's mine during the mashing...

Put the lid back on, and simmer on low for another hour and a half. You DID have some things to iron, remember? :) Oh, and trot out to your garden for some fresh, flat-leaved Italian parsley and/or raid your refrigerator for that, and some green onions for garnishing the dish....

The results? Well, considering that this is a dish of very humble origins, is made with incredibly cheap, nutritious products, I was stunned! Stunned at the depth of flavor, the creamy texture, and the steamed Basmati rice underneath was the perfect vehicle to support this lovely dish. See for yourself..

Amazing, really. Thank you Emeril for this recipe, thank you to the City of New Orleans, and the surrounding areas for your courage in the face of adversity after Hurricane Katrina, for your traditions, for your warm, sugar-dusted beignets (oops, that's another post), your delicious chicory-enhanced coffee, your wonderful seafood. I'm going on and on again.....what did Kitchen Angel think?

Should I tell her that Mardi-Gras is already over for this year? Nah, she'll find out later.....

Eat well, my friends, and stay tuned for a garden update.......and.....SCONES! That's right, I'm going to bake....in the summer....(a clear sign that I have, in fact, gone right round the bend, actually).

Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Attack of the Rubber Chicken! The finale....

2011-08-09T14:01:00.005-04:00

As you know from the soon-to-be famous rubber chicken posts (go here for the beginning), I have one, count 'em ONE chicken breast left to use up to complete my goal of three meals, a snack and stock from the one bird. Here is what I did.

Recently, although it IS in fact, summer...I longed for soup. Many in my family are this way as well ~ we can eat soup throughout the year. I suppose it is that we descend from a long line of Portuguese fishermen (and women, ahem), and peasant food is serious soul food.

While perusing one of my ~~8 gazillion~~ many cooking periodicals and books, I came across a recipe for Thai Chicken Soup in the Food Network magazine. Go here to print ye a copy.

As per usual, let's assemble all the goodies ahead of time, so our cooking is a labor of love, not a rushed or stressful time...

We have; coconut milk, fish sauce, curry paste, rice noodles, a lime, the diced up chicken breast, minced garlic, chopped cilantro and a thinly sliced red bell pepper. The hard part is done! Notice how I lined my cutting board with wax paper, to avoid any contamination from any uncooked chicken. Let's go!

First, get a nice 2-quart saucepan, and heat some plain vegetable oil in it (not pictured), and begin to saute' your onions...

Saute' until you get them beginning to caramelize, and turn a nice golden brown...like this;

That will take a good ten to fifteen minutes, to properly soften and get nicely browned. Do that step on medium-low heat, you do not want bitter, burnt onions here. Then, add a few chunks of your curry paste and the garlic..

Saute' for about five more minutes, until the curry paste is blended in nicely, like this....

Then, add in the coconut milk and water or chicken broth. I use a couple teaspoons of chicken base (not pictured) with the water...

Now, bring it to a boil, and add in your diced chicken breast.....

Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for about 10 minutes, just until the chicken is cooked through, and has begun to lend its flavor to the soup. Now, add the bell pepper strips and rice noodles, stir, and simmer for another ten minutes...

Now, just before serving, throw the cilantro in there, squeeze a little fresh lime juice too, dish it up, and enjoy! Although I am a self-confessed soup nut, I must say that this one is so amazing that it is addictive! In fact, I admit that when I am making this for myself, and there is nothing left in the pan but broth, I have added more rice noodles, more bell pepper, garlic and cilantro....and enjoyed rounds two, three, and OH I'VE SAID TOO MUCH! Gee, I don't know why I'm not hungry when Dear Husband comes home from work....yikes. This was probably my seventh time making it! And of course, the Attack of the Rubber chicken! was a resounding success! Three meals, a snack, and chicken stock from our wonderful, versatile bird. Have a look at the bowl o' Thai goodness..

Stay tuned for a trip down to the Big Easy (foodie-wise, of course), and another visit from Kitchen Angel! Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Back in the...

2011-07-25T21:00:00.000-04:00

Yes, I'm back to working for a living...which explains my prolonged lack o' blogging. However, comma...I HAVE made some healthy workplace lunches to tell you about, because of course, as a ~~grazer~~ non-stop eater, I must of course, share the wealth...this was my lunch on one of those first, awkward days...

Clockwise from left...home-made tabbouleh (cracked wheat salad with tomato, cucumber, mint and parsley), homemade Japanese Udon soup, fresh, segmented grapefruit...and a nectarine.

I'm sure that on that particular day (especially being new back to the working world), I regretted not having a "crunch" component to the menu...but I was too new, too intimidated by the "I don't know you, and I think you are going to think that I'm weird" part of the job...to worry about it...

What do you do, when you are new, to make yourself known?

Eat well my friends, and comment when you can....it's a busy life when you are a working woman! Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Grill Marks....

2011-07-07T13:17:00.003-04:00

When the heat of summer is upon us, and we feel a little less-than-enthusiastic about turning our ovens to a blazing four hundred degrees, creativity has a chance to help us out. How? Well, I decided that on one particularly steamy day, I was going to make the entire meal on one pan....my grill pan! The rules of the game were simple, I must have a protein, a starch/carbohydrate, and a vegetable. How did I do? Let's have a look....first, I marinated some beautiful New York strip steaks with grill seasoning, Worcestershire, and steak sauce, overnight.

Then, I got together some ingredients for the veggie kebabs. Cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and a lovely red onion. Feel free to change these around as needed..bell pepper and summer squashes are excellent in this dish, too...

Once again, my pretty-but-versatile appetizer tray became the perfect vessel for soaking the wooden skewers for the veggie kebabs.

I cut the mushrooms in halves or quarters, dependant on their size, chunked the onion & separated the leaves, and cut the cherry tomatoes in half.

If you would like to duplicate these wonderful kebabs, get ye these ingredients....

From left to right; kosher salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and, of course, garlic...
Finely mince the garlic, and put 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 Tablespoon Italian seasoning, and 3 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar into a bowl with the veggies, and toss...like so..

If the vegetables seem like they are soaking up too much of the marinade, feel free to keep adding dashes of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, until they are nice and saturated. Marinate at room temperature for as long or short of a time as you need! I have marinated the mixture for as short as 20 minutes, or for hours. Obviously, the longer the better, but you do not strictly have to marinate for a long time. Let's recap, you've got the steaks marinating in the fridge, the wooden skewers soaking, and the veggie kebab happily marinating by now...

Our one-pan grill supper is moving along just fine! Now our starch, peel four potatoes (for two people, increase as necessary)...

Slice them lengthwise, about 1/4 inch thick, and toss in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper....

Begin to grill them on your oiled grill pan, in a single layer, over medium to medium-high heat...turning to achieve nice grill marks...

Now, let those cool for a few minutes, then chop into potato-salad sized chunks. Add; 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, 1 Tablespoon brown mustard, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, some chopped celery, green onion (any type onion will do) and chopped pickles. Sprinkle dried parsley in there as well, about 1 teaspoon. Toss all while those taters are still warm, and set aside.

OK, now bring your steaks out of the fridge, trim off the line of fat down each side, and let them start to come up to room temperature...

Now, remove those wooden skewers and thread your marinated veggies on them, and grill on medium-high heat, turning every now and again, so that they do not burn..

Then, simply slide them off the skewers when the veggies are tender, and on to a serving tray...hmmmmm, now where have we seen this tray before?

Now on to the last, and easiest part of the meal, grill those steaks! I am not going to go on about poking or prematurely flipping your steaks, you know better than that. P.S., when you throw mine on, I like it medium-rare! Thank you. :)

Tent them loosely, to allow all the juices to redistribute, but not so tightly that you are "steaming" the steaks...like this

Well, how did our grill-tacular meal come out?

Absolutely fantastic! I will not hesitate to use the grill for the entire meal again! And....since it is hot, you know of course what dessert was....

What did Kitchen Angel think? Well, I know it's hot and all.....but, seriously? My scrubby sponge is NOT a pool float, Missy!

Eat well, my friends, and happy Summer grilling! Love and kindness to all,

Pixie

Leftover Magic ~ Part Forty-Two

2011-06-29T15:08:00.003-04:00

Actually, I'm not quite sure how many "leftover magic" posts I've done, or will do....I just like saying "Part Forty-Two". As you know from Monday's "Broccoliflower" post, I've got some leftover cheese sauce in the fridge.....and, as it turns out, some elbow macaroni! Talk about propitious timing! As it turns out, I've got a special guest coming to visit, and need to get a LOT done today! You know what that means, right? That's right, no time to create a gourmet lunch, AND I NEEDS ME SOME CARBS FOR ENERGY!! Basic science tells us that the body turns foods with complex carbohydrates into the stuff (love that medical term!) that gives our bodies energy. Along with paying attention to nutritional balance and hydration, of course....so just like a long-distance runner, I must carb-load! First, I got the two all introduced to one another....

You would not believe how quickly this dish comes together. I then added to the party with; salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, Panko bread crumbs and parsley & tarragon from the Pixie-Patch. I preheated the oven to 375....

Then, I literally just dumped the noodles into a favorite small casserole, emptied the cheese sauce on top, chopped the herbs, grated a little Parmesan, and put it all on top with some salt & pepper.

Just mix all together until smooth....and even out the top with your spoon...

I topped with enough Panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs to make a nice, even layer..and dotted with a little fat-free margarine....

While the mac & cheese goodness baked, I mixed some arugula lettuce with good-quality olive oil, a splash of dark, sweet balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of kosher salt. Remember your greens! Oh, and nutritionally speaking, the darker the green, the better it is for you....

After approximately 15 to twenty minutes, when the bread crumbs on top have turned a light golden brown, pull out your macaroni and cheese, and let cool for a few minutes to set up...

The results? Well, let me just say that after this lunch, I hung pictures and curio cabinets, installed a window blind, unloaded and loaded my dishwasher, and ran and put away two loads of laundry. All before prepping for supper! Carb-tastic! Here's the yummi-ness...

I love that Panko breadcrumbs stay crunchy after baking. The arugula salad was the perfect crispy foil for the richness of the pasta dish. The tarragon was an inspired touch, I think I am going to have to use it in my macaroni and cheese from now on!

What is your go-to lunch when you need energy, but don't have loads of time?

Eat well, my friends. Love and kindness to all,

Pixie