Lisa's Artichoke Cheese Dip (Old flames may flicker out but their recipies keep on cooking forever)

Grate some cheese (16 oz. Parmesan & 8 oz. Ramano), this can be a 'larger' grate than is typical for these cheeses as they will be baked. If your lazy like me you can buy the pregrated stuff. 

Chop or press some garlic (I use some where between a half and a whole head depending on large it is and how lazy I'm feeling at the time, I don't think I can use too much in this but your tastes may and probably do vary.)

Chop some artichoke hearts (1 16 oz. can, quarters are best in my opinion as they are generally cheaper and you save yourself 2 cuts. Hey we lazies will take what we can get.)

Mix all with just enough real mayonaise to form a stiff paste. (This is the one thing that CANNOT be varried.  I'm serious, if you use 'salad dressing' (which is an abomination in the eyes of the lord or whatever) something unspecified but truly horrible will happen to you. (In truth probably nothing worse than eating salad dressing but you never know and isn't that bad enough?))

Pack into a small baking dish and bake at 350 f. (or whatever) untill done (Baked through and browned on top, remember the browner the cheese the better it tastes. Well untill it stops tasting at all.)

Serve spread on baggete sliced on a bias to increase the surface area.  Buy two extra baggetes so you can have sword fights with them if things get borring.

This freezes to good effect and can also be pressed into service as a half way decent topping for pasta although you may want to grate/chop ingredients a little finer if you expect you may use it for this purpose.  Just cook the pasta, drain quickly, return to pot, toss in a couple of spoonful of the stuff and mix! Mix! MIX! like the Dweller On The Threshold was nipping at the heels of you very soul. (Your counting on the heat of the pasta to melt and distribute the sauce evenly throughout, slacking off will give you big ugly blobs and the brief burst of frenetic activity will help you appreciate your genral state of laziness so much the more.)

 Serve with a nice (red?) wine to cut the greese and an optional referal to a good heart specialist

Thank you, that is all.

rb

P.S. appologies to those of you who have the great missfortune to live in those unenlightened parts of the who have adopted the metric system (imagine that, adopting a system just because it makes more sense and is easier to learn) for all the oz.'s and I have no favorite T.V. chef as I don't really watch T.V. that isn't in DVD form where all the best stuff eventually ends up anyways.

"It's not so bad as long as you can keep the fear from your mind." - D. Cooper

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer." - P. Atreides

"Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe" - L. tzu

French Ham and Butter Baguette for breakfast! Yummm!  I'm an excelant eater!  (Definetly a poor spellar.)

 Thanks rebel. (Gotta love a rebel)

The aformentioned Lisa introduced me to both fresh and canned Artichokes (It might have chocked Artty but it ain't gonna choke me!)  as well a so many other things! (Attepts to say with great sexyness, fails misrably, pulls self off floor, returns to message.)

Artichokes are good, or rather I should say I enjoy them.  Fresh take time to cook but not a bunch of work. They, like fondue, are experiential food which is to say there is a certain ritual process that is a pleasure that is related to but seperate from the taste.  Good thing for the late earlly or earlly mid dating process but for gods (or whatevers) sake don't try to do it in the mid early or late mid.

One has to observe that I generally eat fresh dipped in special secret sauce (melted butter, oh fecal waste! I blew the secret) which is also the secret to my national (3/8ths) dish, letefisk (Sp? This time really, it's Swedish Lye curred fish and it's every bit as good as it sounds or should I say I find it to be every bit as good as it sounds to me.) so the lesson is that Fat Is Flavor! A message from the Fat Council of America.

Anyway that is my one good dish that does not come from a cookbook. Not that I'm afraid to give you those but they're not in front of me.

One of my own 'Human Kibble's:

Toast some bread (I use the broiler but must be careful cause it'll burn the bread just like that!), spread with butter (it has been thought that one might be able to use a very light brushing of olive oil to decreese the health footprint but this has not been tried), sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and press in with butter knife.  Return to broiler (which you probably should have shut off while buttering) until the greese is sizzling.  Eat when cool enough and reflect on your sublime lazzyness. Well I gotta get back to work (fornicating capitalism.)

Yours in my joy of not being lactose intolerant, redbear

"It's not so bad as long as you can keep the fear from your mind." - D. Cooper

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer." - P. Atreides

"Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe" - L. tzu

Redbears Insanely Healthy Winter Breakfast

Add 3-6 frozen strawberries, about 1/4 cup frozen raspberries &/or blueberries and a scant handfull of raisins to 1 & 1/4 cups of water and bring to a boil. (This can be varried as you like, just remember that frozen or fresh fruit means you need less water, dried mean you need a little more.)

When boiling add 3/4 cup rolled oats and return to boil.  Cook for about 10 minutes or until it reaches a consistancy that you prefer.

Let cool while you do somthing important like shower or drink your 2nd or 3rd or 4th cup of coffee.

Optionally add nuts or seeds for texture and protein but also some fat.  Grubbs add more protein with no fat but also no texture.  No Honey! (Unless you get it from the hive with your paws. Bonus grubbs!)

Eat the entire thing while contemplating how wonderfully virtuous you are and all the sinfull things you can consume the rest of the day.

rb

"It's not so bad as long as you can keep the fear from your mind." - D. Cooper

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer." - P. Atreides

"Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe" - L. tzu

Indian Spiced Chicken With Riata I have never tried this dish, But! I will next weekend :)

serves 4 -6

1TBSP. sweet paprika

2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp.  ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground corriandor

1/8 tsp. ceyenne

1 cup plain yogurt

juice of a 1/2 lemon juice

1 TBSP fresh ginger

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

2 lbs. skinless  chicken thighs scored

2 TBSP. olive oil

2 yellow onions slice 1/4 inch thick

lemon wedges for serving

1. toast the cumin, cinnamon, paprika, corriandor, & ceyenne about 1- 2 minutes in skillet.

2. transfer spices o large bowl, add the plain yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, salt & pepper.

combine, merinade it over night.

preheat oven to 500

heat the olive oil in large skillet cook the yellow onions til softened/translucent. remove chicken from merinade & place on top off the cooked onions. transfer to the oven & roast til the chicken is slightly charred, about 40 minutes. serve immediatly with lemon wedges or riata.

riata - makes 2 cups

1 1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cucumber peeled & seeded / grated

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp.  ground cumin

2 TBSP. fresh mint chopped

mix & serve with the Indian spiced chicken

Get a Marie Callender's Sweet and Sour Chicken--white meat chicken with rice and vegetables. These things retail for $4.59 but are always on special from 2 for $7 to 4 for $8.

Bake in conventional oven for 35 minutes. great frozen entree.

Best thing since the electric toothbrush !

strawberry & spice trifle

need to try this one! I need a trifle bowl. you'll have to get an 8 - inch diameter one.

using a store - bought pound cake make it easier to prepare.

ask your wineshop for a shiraz that can be described as spicy.

for the strawberries

2 pounds ripe strawberries sliced

1/4 cup superfine sugar

1 teaspoon ceyenne

1 cup shiraz wine

for trifle:

3 1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

30 ladyfingers

1 pound  (1 - pound  cake, cut into cubes)

whole strawberries to garnish

prepare the strawberries in a bowl, combine the strawberries with sugar, cayenne, & wine. set aside for about 2 hrs.

prepare the whipped cream using an electric mixer until stiff, peaks form. gently fold in confectioners sugar & cinnamon.

assemble the trifle:

line an 8 - inch - diameter glass trifle bowl with ladyfingers so they are visible from the outside of the bowl.

place a spoonful of whipped cream in the base of the trifle bowl. top with macerated strawberries.

continue layering the cream, cake, & strawberries until the bowl is filled.

top trifle with whipped cream & sprinkle with crushed ladyfingers. refrigerate for at least 4 hrs. & up to 24 hrs. before serving. garnish with whole strwaberries.

ENJOY! 

1000 Year Thread;

Take one thread.

Bury for four months.

Dig up.

Enjoy.

Well I was going to finally post the worlds best Macaroni and Cheese recipe, had it all copied out and ready to bring in, then left it on my desk.  Oh well, another day.

For today;

Redbears healthy summer breakfast;

Put 1/2 cup (or so) frozen fruit in a small sauce pan with just enough water to cover the bottom, bring just to a boil.  Mash berries to release juice and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until liquid is reduced to a syrupy consistancy, remove from heat and cool.  Add juice to about a cup to a cup and a half of yogurt (no, low or full fat based on your tastes and how healthy you want to be.)  Mix in a cup to a cup and a half of granola.  Eat and enjoy.  I take the yogurt & berry mix to work in one container and the granola in another so I can mix them here and the granola stays crisp.

Farmers Greenjeans healthy ramen;

Take one head baby Bok Choy, chop lightly, add to the proper amount of water for the ramen in question.  Boil until the water turns very light green, add noodles, cook as directed.  Eat.

rb

"It's not so bad as long as you can keep the fear from your mind." - D. Cooper

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer." - P. Atreides

"Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe" - L. tzu

As promised;

Worlds Best Macaroni & Cheese (Please to note; This is a value judgment reflecting my values, you values may vary.)

5 Cups Macaroni, uncooked

1/2 cup Butter

1/2 Flour

4 cups Milk

2 lbs. Chedder Cheese, grated

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne

3 cups mozzarella

1/4 cup havarti

1/4 cup cheddar

1/4 cup contal

1/4 cup Parmesan Reggiano

1/2 tsp. Poppy seeds

Cook the mac in a large pot with lots of water (add salt and oil if you do it that way), drain.

Melt the butter in a good sized sauce pan. Add flour and cook for 2 -3 minutes. Slowly add milk, stiring continuously (If you've never made a white sauce before be aware that when you add the first bit of milk the roux (butter & flour) will bind up into a thick paste and you really have to be on top of it at that point) After you've added all the milk bring the mix just to a boil and begin adding the cheese, a scant handful at a time, don't add any more until what you've already added melts into the sauce.  Once you've all the cheese is incorporated add your spices and mix well.  Add the cooked, drained macaroni.  This is the point where you discover if your sauce pan was big enough, I think I use my 3qt and it's just barely big enough.

Pour the entire thing into a 9in x 11in baking dish.  Cover the whole mess with the second batch of cheeses and top with the poppy seeds.  Bake in a 350F oven for 30 minutes or until the top is browned to you likeing, I like it pretty brown.  Remove from oven, cut, eat.

Notes; This was adapted from a recipe in the Kripalu Kitchen cook book.  It called for 8 cups (2 lbs) grated chedder.  Well when I made it I discovered 2lbs grates out to be much more than 8 cups.  Naturally I went with the larger amount.  It also called for just Mozzerella for the topping cheese, boring!  I used what was on hand and it worked out pretty welll.  You can use the cheese you might have on hand as long as it is a good melting cheese. Also please note poppy seeds can cause one to register positive for opiates if you are drug tested.  They can be omited with little effect on the final product.  Also note that this is NOT a health food.  As such I only make it for special occasions.

rb

"It's not so bad as long as you can keep the fear from your mind." - D. Cooper

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer." - P. Atreides

"Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe" - L. tzu

A Basic Strata;

1 loaf bread, 1 to 1&1/4 lb. (Good bread is better but bad bread is okay.)

3 cups grated cheddar 

5 large eggs

1 cup milk

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp salt

pepper to taste

4 Tbsp butter, melted

Oil a 9-10 in., deep baking dish

If bread is not sliced slice it, about 1/2 inch thick.  If it's presliced thinner than this don't worry about it.

Starting with the bread layer the bread and cheese in the baking dish, you should lay down two or three layers, end with the last of the cheese.

Mix together the milk, eggs and spices.  Don't over mix.

Poor egg mixture over the bread/cheese mix.  Slowly or it will go all over the place.

Drizzle the melted butter over the whole mess.

Place in the refrigerator over night.

Remove from refrigerator about half an hour before baking.

Bake in a pre heated oven for fifty five minutes or so.

Remove, slice and eat.

Stratas are great.  They are easy to make, taste good, require next to no effort in the morning.  You can vary the cheese selection, spices and you can add extras like meat, herbs or even vegtables.

A Real American Breakfast by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison (William Morrow), from which this was adapted, has many variations as well as many other good breakfast ideas.  Great book to have if you like breakfast, cookbooks or both!

"It's not so bad as long as you can keep the fear from your mind." - D. Cooper

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer." - P. Atreides

"Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe" - L. tzu

When I saw INLAND EMPIRE, I got a kick out of the special feature called Quinoa...which turned out to be DL showing how he makes his humble little dinner of a bowl of quinoa, brocolli, and Bragg's liquid aminos! Of course, no measuring, just "about this much" of grain and "about this much" of water...he even cooks intuitively!  Anyway, here's a not-quite-so-humble quinoa recipe.. Curried Quinoa with Peas and Cashews

2 tablespoons butter/ 1 onion, 1/4 finely diced, 3/4 coarsely chopped/1 cup quinoa/2 teaspoons curry powder/2 zucchini, diced into small cubes/1 cup carrot juice/1 cup peas (I love snow peas, but any will do)/1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions/1/2 cup cashews, roasted and coarsely chopped/2 tablespoons chopped cilantro  

Heat half the butter in a small soup pot, add the finely diced onion, and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes.  Stir in the quinoa, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes.  Add 2 cups boiling water then lower the heat. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, eat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a skillet.  Add the chopped onion, zucchini, and remaining curry powder.  Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Add 1/2 cup water, the carrot juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the peas and scallions and cook for a few minutes more.  Stir the vegetables and cashews into the quinoa.  Taste for salt and season with pepper.  Serve in soup plates, garnished with cilantro. The carrot juice gives the dish a vibrant color and flavor.  Yum!

Here is what I came up with poking around the web.  My guess is that  hazelnuts could probably be substituted for the almonds. Automatic translations can be so amusing.  I hope it helps. (The Google translation of http://www.cookaround.com/yabbse1/showthread.php?t=19863)

 "

I tried to make these buonissimi chocolates taste very delicate .. seem a bit of bai perugina the shape if it were not for the "nipple" on top of marzipan ..

questa ricetta l'ho trovata tempo fa sul web ma sinceramente non mi ricordo su che sito..comunque era presa da un libro chiamato "chocolat"! This recipe I found long ago on the web but frankly I do not remember on that site anyway .. was taken from a book called "chocolat!

Eccovi la ricetta:

Here's the recipe:

CAPEZZOLI DI VENERE

Nipple VENUS


Ingredienti per 18 cioccolatini di queste dimensioni:

Ingredients for 18 chocolates of this size:


25 gr mandorle

25 gr almonds


90 ml panna liquida

90 ml cream


10 gr burro 10 g butter


vaniglia ½ stecca

vanilla ½ stick


150 gr cioccolato bianco+ altri 100-150 gr per copertura

150 gr white chocolate + 100-150 degrees for other coverage


10 gr marzapane

10 gr marzipan


cacao amaro

bitter cocoa


rum o liquore

rum or liqueur


Tritare le mandorle con una punta di cucchiaio di zucchero fino a ridurle in polvere.

Chop almonds with a spoonful of sugar to reduce powder.





Mettere in una pentola 150 gr di cioccolato bianco a pezzetti piccoli;

Put in a pot 150 grams of white chocolate in small pieces;




in un’altra pentola mettere la panna liquida, il burro e la stecca di vaniglia tagliata a metà.

in another pot put the cream, butter and vanilla cue to cut in half.

Lasciare bollire.

Let boil.





Togliere la stecca di vaniglia e versare questo composto sui pezzetti di cioccolato, amalgamare bene; Remove the stick of vanilla and pour this compound on pieces of chocolate, mix well;





aggiungere poi le mandorle tritate e, a piacere, del liquore.

then add almonds and chopped, as desired, liqueur.






Lasciare raffreddare il composto immergendo la pentola in un recipiente d’acqua fredda fino a quando il composto non si sarà indurito per poterlo lavorare bene con le mani.

Cool the mixture by immersing the pot in a bowl of cold water until the mixture is not hardened to be able to work well with your hands.


Nel frattempo sciogliere il restante cioccolato per la copertura e preparare le piccole palline di marzapane mischiandolo a del cacao amaro.

Meanwhile melt the remaining chocolate to cover and prepare small balls of marzipan mixed with bitter cocoa.


Formare con le mani delle palline non più grandi di una noce cercando di dare una forma un po’ a cono. With your hands to form balls no bigger than a walnut trying to give a somewhat 'Cone.





Lasciare un po’ solidificare in frigo. Leave some 'solidify in the refrigerator. Immergere ogni cioccolatino nel cioccolato bianco fuso, adagiarli nuovamente su un foglio di carta da forno e poggiarvi nel centro la pallina di marzapane.

Dip each chocolate in melted white chocolate, sit again on a sheet of paper from oven and rest in the center of the marzipan ball.


Rimettere in frigo a solidificare.

Call to solidify in the refrigerator.

Ed ecco il risultato:

And here's the result:




come potete vedere i cioccolatini in fondo al piatto diciamo sono venuti meglio perchè li ho completamente immersi nel cioccolato bianco fuso..quelli dietro invece mi sono venuti meno bene perchè non avevo abbastanza cioccolato da poterceli immergere e cosi poi ne ho sciolto dell altro.. As you can see the chocolates at the bottom of the dish we were better because they have completely immersed in melted white chocolate .. rather than behind me came less well because I did not have enough chocolate to immerse poterceli and so then I loose the other ..

"

"It's not so bad as long as you can keep the fear from your mind." - D. Cooper

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer." - P. Atreides

"Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe" - L. tzu

Skipping Jenny

2 cups cooked and cooled brown rice

4 cups firm cooked and cooled black eyed peas

4 large ribs celery, sliced thin

3 large carrots, coarsely chopped

1 cup pitted green olives, coarsely chopped

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced

Optional

1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded an minced OR

1 generous dash cayenne pepper

Mix all above together and dress with

Herb Vinegret

3/4 cup olive oil (the good stuff is best)

1/4 cup white, red or sherry wine vinegar

1/4 to 1/2 cup tightly packed, minced basil

1 or tsp finely minced shallots 

sea salt to taste (1 tsp)

Best if you let it sit for a while, an hour or so.  If you let it sit too long, like over night, add more sea salt or lemon juice to 'bring up' the flavor.

This was called 'hoppin John salad' in Recipes From An Ecological Kitchen by Lorna Sass from whence it was ripped off adapted but I dislike calling vegetarian dishes that were originally meat filled by the original name. Great for vegan potlucks and is pretty good even if you're not a veg or vegan.

"It's not so bad as long as you can keep the fear from your mind." - D. Cooper

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer." - P. Atreides

"Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe" - L. tzu

~ Amanda

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave..."

just got done cooking cabbage & baked a huge cornbread dish  for my twin sis. does anybody love this dish? I DO!!!!

pumpkin pie dip

8 ounce cream cheese room temp.

1 canned pumpkin

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 &1/2 Tablespoons orange juice

2 teaspoons cinnamon

a pinch of ground clove

whip ingredients together till fluffy, combine & smooth

serve with gingersnaps.

^^^^ I almost always get chorizo omlettes if they are on the menu.

My new mexican discovery is the cans of pickled tomatillos in the mexican aisle at the supermarket.   MMM- really tangy and delicious.  Last night I wanted to make a quick dinner so I browned some ground turkey, then removed and sauteed an onion, then dumped in a can of beans, a big can of diced tomatos, a can of hominey, a big can of the pickled tomatillos, and a small can of green chilis, then cumin, chili powder, oregano, lime juice, and some Cholula.  While that was cooking I cubed a yam, threw that in, then cut up a zuccini and threw that in.  Finally added back the turkey, and took it off when the sweet potato was cooked.  Came out tasting kind of like Tortilla soup.

 I've usually seen Hominy in Mexican cooking used for Pozole (spelling?), which is a hearty pork stew.  Sometimes Mexican restaurants will have it as a special menu item on weekends.  I've only gotten it from restaurants a couple of times, and sometimes it is insanely salty (actually a problem with tortilla soups too, and now that you mention it pretty much any soup, and especially canned soups in the super market. even the 'healthy' ones in the organic aisle will have 80% of your recommended sodium.  why??? /rant)

 The above was just my own creation- I usually don't follow recipes exactly unless i've got dinner guests and really don't want to make a mistake.  I also don't remember the amount of spices I used, but I'd guess maybe half teaspoons of cumin and oregano, and quarter or 8th  teaspoons of chili powder and  black pepper, and cholula.

 There are a lot of tortilla soup recipes out there, I think the key is a tangy mexican flavored tomoto broth, that you can top with cheese and strips of crunchy tortilla.

 http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1748,128181-246196,00.html