“When it comes to minimum input and maximum output in the kitchen, beer bread is about as good as it gets. Five minutes of work reward you with a heavenly aroma wafting through the house and a warm, crusty loaf in under an hour.”
Beans are a simple, magical and sometimes musical food source. I made a pot of navy beans, threw in some lentils and a touch of meat. Nothing special in components, but hearty and satisfying. Much can be added to the mix, but sometimes just have them in their own natural juices with maybe just a touch of black pepper and salt.
Go easy on the quantities the first time. One cup of beans is plenty for a meal or two. After the beans have cooked you will learn how thick your juice is. Do you need to reduce the juice down a bit or add a touch of water? After they set over night in the fridge, they will thicken into a bit of paste. Slowly reheat them either in the pot or microwave. Always good for a day or two. Throw in some cornbread, buttered bread, crackers or bacon on the side.
Perhaps a simple Valentine’s Day, stay at home, showing off your culinary skills dessert…Chocolate Mousse. If not tonight…perhaps soon.
“Like other emulsions (vinaigrette, aioli), it works as if by magic. As you whisk, microscopic bits of water get suspended in the fat, thickening it and making it seem creamier. Then still more air is whipped into it and the cooling chocolate crystallizes around the air bubbles to make a remarkably stable foam, a.k.a. mousse.” (how to and whip cream too)
Always a simple and elegant dessert. Put down your microbrew and consider impressing that special someone with this light and fluffy fair
http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/genius-recipe-two-ingredient-chocolate-mousse-173200947.html?_sr=1
MidCurrent Fly Fishing Offers Morning Hatch Organic Coffee Beans
OK, I bit on the name alone. Which, I guess, is the idea. But, the beans themselves are excellent! A nice bold, dark roast for the mornings. As the East Wind blows hard down the Columbia Gorge this morning, this is a nice brew. Next someone will be offering a nice Pinot or Merlot. Sorry for the blurry pic…it was morning and I was shaky!
I like the texture of Hummus. It can be a bit bland, so of course, the inclination is to spice it up. But, it makes a nice supplement to other dishes that carry the more intense flavors as well.
As you may know, if you come by here now and then, I rarely promote food, bebidas or music. I have even fallen away from the curvaceous promotions of old. But, last night I was led to believe an Arctic Express might be bearing down upon my back yard, so I developed a primal appetite for meat and decided to throw in a few legumes. I browned up some ground chuck, boiled up some pinto, lentil, black, navy and kidney beans in no particular proportions (yes purest, I added beans to the mix). Added to the mix was cumin, dried chipotle, lots of black pepper and a touch of tomato paste. Mixed all together, it was perfect this morning as I watched the snow swirl and blow. Meat!
No, the Kiwi's are not involved. SwittersB's Chili Con-Coction
Of course, the snow has stopped for now (I am one of those rare Portlandian’s that love snow and don’t panic when a half inch accumulates). An aside, do the news crews that standing in Troutdale at the mouth of the Gorge or at Sylvan in the West Hills feels like the blithering fools they appear to be?
Either you like Egg Nog during its brief holiday season visit or you detest it (as I do Buttermilk). I happen to like it. Came upon this recipe via The Hungry Southerner (via, darn it, I lost the link…)
Egg Nog French Toast @ The Hungry Southerner
Grew up with French Toast. Always been a camping breakfast for at least one morning, with bacon. I am not big on pancakes, but French Toast slathered in syrup and butter will grab my attention.
Give thanks for all you have. It may be a lot and you take it for granted, or it may seem like you have nothing and pass on the finding something to be thankful for self quiz. Yesterday, I overheard three men talking. They were considering this year and what Thanksgiving Day meant for them.
One remarked that he had lost his wife after four, seemingly continuous, years of fighting cancer. He dreaded the holidays this years. He didn’t want to deal with his older kids that were attempting to draw him into their celebrations to ease his loss and loneliness. But, he said he was going to go to ‘keep his daughter happy. She was having a rough time this year’.
A second man said it was just his wife and himself. He was looking forward to just enjoying a quiet Thanksgiving because he had spent the last three years in prison. He had lost the support of his family. His wife had stood by him. He was thankful this year to feel normal and ‘taken care of’.
The third man complained about the gathering being at his home this year and all the kids that would make racket and the cleanup. He wasn’t looking forward to all the noise and being around people he didn’t really ‘have patience for’ . He didn’t comment about the other two men’s conditions.
The conversation wound down and the men turned away from each other. The facial expressions on the first two men revealed much to me. They were a mix of emotions that fanned across their faces in seconds to disappear. I think they were thankful. The third man seemed oblivious to his blessings. This brief snippet of eavesdropping made me reflect upon my blessing this year. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Kitchen Science Bacon & Turkey Prep
This is a version of the traditional dish, but it looks quite tasty and heck plop it down right beside that meat dish. Bell peppers stuffed with mashed potatoes and cheese. Kind of like twice baked potatoes.
Treehugger.com
Stuffed Bell Peppers (Mashed Potatoes and Cheese)
