YOU JUST DONT KNOW IT YET

It's On Like Donkey Kong

2012-01-30T07:47:00.000-05:00

Winter months are pretty boring around YJDKIY with the lack of pretty food and fun outings. So I decided it was time for a challenge of a different sort for February. Clicky though to read the rules and play along if you choose. You know I hate instagram, and I don't really care to share them as tweets, so I'll be (attempting) to post them here!

http://www.fatmumslim.com.au/2012/01/february-photo-day-challenge.html

What happened to January?

2012-01-29T07:30:00.000-05:00

Tofu-Spinach Calzones that never happened last week
Toasted Sesame Noodles
BB SP Quesadillas
Turkey Cucumber Wraps
Shrimp & Grits with Garlic Bok Choy
Oven Roasted Tofu with Sauted Apples, Green Salad with Beets

Stewed

2012-01-28T07:40:00.002-05:00

Hard to believe, but YJDKIY actually followed this recipe pretty close. I just didn't make the Harissa - added plenty of my own spices though.

Oh, and at the last minute, the other eater suggested crumbling up some soy-sage links we had in the freezer for a little more protein. Good suggestion! I think this would also be good served with broiled shrimp on top, or cubed tofu mixed in.

Go check it out and make for yourself. Next time I'll try it in the crock pot as I would have like the carrots to be a little more tender.

*I REALLY need to charge my DSLR battery!

Pineapple-Avocado Salsa

2012-01-26T06:08:00.000-05:00

A quick dinner with a tropical topping (aside from the 50-minute-to-cook-fancy wild rice) that only took minor preparation!

Baked tilapia (seasoned with Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime - salt free) topped with pineapple-avocado salsa. Sweet and tangy, one of my favorite combinations.

Pineapple-Avocado Salsa
1/2 c crushed pineapple (drained)
1/2 c chopped tomato (vine ripened preferred)
1 medium ripe avocado, chopped
1-2 finely diced garlic cloves
1 t garlic salt
1 T dried cilantro (or fresh!)
1 T lime juice

Mix all ingredients well to combine. Serve chilled or room temperature.

Empire Cups

2012-01-24T20:17:00.000-05:00

These were going to be white chocolate-cranberry muffins. Then I saw the oats, and the almond slivers, and remembered we just had a fresh delivery of Empire apples from the Empire State (thank you!).

I knew they would be the star ingredient, but they ended up taking over the whole thing! Luckily apples + cinnamon + doughy goodness is always delicious.

I had three of these to use, which didn't seem like a lot since they were tiny. But really, it was a lot.

I could have even just eaten the flour-oat-cinnamon-nutmeg mix. It smelled divine. Apple cinnamon is my most favorite flavor or scent of all time I think.

At the last minute I realized the only pan-greaser I had was non-stick olive oil spray and that sure didn't sound tasty. So I used the paper cups...big fail.

They stuck something awful because I didn't put much oil like in cupcakes. No matter, just eat it like spoon bread. In retrospect, this would have been most excellent in a square pan as more like coffee cake, but the extra apple-y flavor and texture was still a big yum. I loved how there was more apple than bread, too.

Why yes those ARE iPhone photos. Thanks for noticing.

Empire Cups
1 c whole wheat flour
1/4-1/3 c brown sugar
1 c old fashioned oats
1 t nutmeg
1-2 T cinnamon
1/3-1/2 c slivered almonds

1/4 c oil
2 eggs (or equivalent)
1/4 c soy milk
1 t vanilla

1/2 c dried cranberries
2-3 c small-diced Empire apples

Combine first 6 ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine next 4 ingredients. Gradually add liquid to flour mix. Stir until just combined and fold in cranberries and apple. Spoon into 12 (greased) muffin cups and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until center is springy.

And we're back

2012-01-21T07:05:00.003-05:00

To that schedule where YJDKIY does all the chores on Saturday!

SATURDAY: leftovers
SUNDAY: Kale, BEPs, Gardein, Mac & Cheese (aka YJDKIY Cafeteria Plate)
MONDAY: Polenta Lasagna
TUESDAY: Fish with Pineapple-Avocado Salsa over lettuce bed, wild rice
WEDNESDAY: Chick Pea & Butternut Squash Stew
THURSDAY: Leek & Asparagus Frittata, Fruit Salad
FRIDAY: Calzone Redux & Salad

Asian Tuna Salad

2012-01-17T19:03:00.001-05:00

Keeper keeper keeper! Even better because it was on a bed of local lettuce leaves and took all of 8 minutes to prep. Ready, get set, combine: 2 cans chunk light (low sodium) tuna, 3/4 c matchstick carrots, 1 c chopped steamed but still crunchy snap pea pods, 1-2 T sweet & sour sauce, 1-2 T low sodium soy sauce, 1 t toasted sesame oil (optional). Mix well and top with crunched up sesame sticks over lettuce.

Done!

Guess what it's time for!

2012-01-16T10:07:00.002-05:00

It has been quite a while since YJDKIY did one of these (February 2011!). But last night was the start of award season and today is a holiday, so voila!

Is there a Poehler in there? I can't tell because of the weird gold blob. This wouldn't be half as bad without the sleeves but as it is, total fail. F

This gets an A from head to waist, and feet, but the middle part, well that's a D.

She's so pretty and this is so...weird. It looks like a superhero formal. D

Love the top hate the bottom. C

Good in theory, bad in execution. With a different, daintier belt, this might be a B. But that thing makes it a C. Actually, D.

This is the best Ms. Wood has looked in a while, I think. The hair is a little stuffy and some bling would be nice, but solid B+

I have no idea who this is but I like the color and simplicity. B

Ms. Klum is looking very Malibu Barbi, or maybe Florida Barbie. C

Not one of my favorite choices on her, but her taste is usually impeccable, so we'll give her the benefit of the doubt and go with B.

This is how you wear pink on the red carpet. Lovely complement to her skin and very flattering (didn't she just have a kid?) A

Is she trying out options for her wedding dress? Nothing about this works. D

An unusual choice, but she pulls it off amazingly. So vintage Hollywood-esque. A

Huh? She looks like Sally Draper at a ballet recital. D

Ms. Kate looks ok, but should keep those shoes hidden. Not bad, yawn. C

Totally undecided. She usually looks amazing, but I'm just not loving this, too much going on and weird posing, I think. C (again...what's with all these average people?)

I find it funny she's on a fashion show. I can't find anything nice to say about this from head to fish tail. D

Just no. Another miss for Nic. D

This was even worse from the front - hello Winter Olympics? We have a new figure skating competitor. What happened Lea? D

The older ladies seem to love these ruffley bottoms. I like the color of this with her hair, but something is amis. B

This is ALSO how you do pink. Love every bit of it, as usual. A

Huh. Solid Gold Fever! C

The sweet heart neckline is apparently making the rounds, and this is cute on her. And, the messy fabric bunches at the bottom of the dress match her hair - if that's what she was going for, A. If you ask me, C, but only because you can do better Reese.

Love everything about these two. Daring color choice but so rocking it, especially the lips. A

Maybe the elder Ms. Osborne could help out her daughter. I actually love this, and love her in it, very appropriate. A

A new one for the red carpet. Bark Plus!

Apparently, having both spent time on the SNL set, Ms. Fey suffers from the same disease as Ms. Poehler. There are so many reason why this is the wrong choice for her. The dress itself isn't that bad but try again, ok? D

And last but not least, dear Ms. Deschanel. I can't decide on this one. I really want to like it, and I don't think anyone else could have worn it so well, but it's just weird. However, purely on the hair, makeup, jewelry, the neckline, the nails, and the hair (yes again), she gets an A.

4/5

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

That's what the work week looks like for YJDKIY. Since it's going to be a little off, this week I just picked seven recipes and we'll pull them out of the hat as needed!

Tofu Spaghetti Squash and Broccoli (that never happened)
Quinoa Corn Chowder
Asian Tuna Lettuce Wraps
Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Brussels
Butternut Lasagna
Crock Pot Sante Fe Chicken
Veggie Plate: Kale, Roasted Potatoes, and whatever looks fresh when I go to the store!

Sweet Potato Pie

2012-01-14T16:30:00.000-05:00

When's the last time you had sweet potato on your pie? Pizza pie that is!

Friday night proved to be another alternative pizza night at casa YJDKIY. This idea came from Pinterest, and while I didn't love it as much as last week's weird, I didn't hate it either.

I made the crust with all whole wheat flour instead of half and half, which made it filling, but also a little tough. A layer of jarred marinara and garlic, sweet potatoes, fresh baby spinach leaves, and topped with cheddar.

The potatoes, local from a Winter Harvest basket a while back, were thinly sliced and microwaved with some garlic olive oil and rosemary for 4 minutes, one minute at a time, just to make sure they were tender. I think steaming them would have been a better option since the micro is so uneven.

Compared to my overloaded veggie pizzas, this could have used more. Of what I'm not sure. Perhaps some goat cheese/feta, I could even see black beans.

Thankfully, melty cheese always makes things delicious, and otherwise it was pretty nutritious.

See I told you!

2012-01-13T21:30:00.000-05:00

Long week! Blog posts would happen on a much more timely basis if my DSLR had wireless or if my iPhone took better pictures. :P

Last week, YJDKIY fired up the slow cooker for some cabbage & lentil stew.

I love cooking dinner while I do other chores and go about the day, or snooze my face off, but it's rare that I plan enough ahead to do this.

I let the lentils soak for about 30-45 minutes before adding them in.

Other stuff, just chop it up and dump! (onion in the bag) I also added 4 bay leaves, basil, rosemary, pepper, and celery seed for seasoning since I didn't have broth.

All ready to go, on high heat for about 4 hours and low heat for 1 hour.

This was pretty tasty.

Although the other eater thought it needed the addition of Texas Pete! Who really is not from Texas, but just a few miles away in Winston-Salem.

Long One

2012-01-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

With FIVE entire days of work this week, the first time since 12/5/11 (zoiks, that's more than a month), it's going to be an EXTREMELY long one.

SUNDAY: Tilapia Soft Tacos
MONDAY: Tofu Spaghetti Squash, broccoli
TUESDAY: Grilled Cheese with Kale
WEDNESDAY: Tangy Tempeh Kitchen Sink Salad
THURSDAY: leftovers
FRIDAY: Sweet potato and spinach pizza

Sew What?

2012-01-07T15:46:00.001-05:00

My Green Kitchen faces southish, so it gets lots of natural light. It is usually about 5 degrees warmer in there than any other room in the house. While I love this, it is quite the problem when I'm trying to cook and the sun is directly in my eyes. Plus, there's an alleyway back there and it creeps me out to not have the window closed at night.

A week or so ago, I started pinning kitchen curtains, but didn't really love any of them. And then I started pinning fabric, and ordered these three options from fabric.com.

It would be prudent to note I hate sewing, I strongly dislike having to be precise, and I get frustrated pretty easily with home repair. :P That's when I saw this INGENIOUS idea.

Source: cottageandvine.blogspot.com via Emily on Pinterest

She hotgluded, but I was thinking spray glue. After a minor domestic dispute hanging the hardware, I was on my way. I went with the chevron (surprise), which proved ingenious has it has built-in 1" guide marks for cutting a straight line. Not one measure, straight pin, or stitch...and about 15 minutes...later, I had this (just iPhone pics here...sorry).

Mostly it will be short, which is good for blocking the blinding sun. But it can be pulled long, too.

Only minor problem was failing to allow room for a thicker roll. See that oddly placed light fixture in the middle of the window casing there that prevents any other type of window treatment? Yeah, it gets caught on that.

Since I had a little fabric left, I took apart the existing curtain, and cut it to fit the size of cloth leftover. I used superduper hem tape to finish the ends, left the tabs in place and poof! 15 minutes and done.

So glad I went with the bold graphic!

$7.49 one yard of fabric
$7.99 roller shade
$3.49 hem tape
$.75 hardware
spray adhesive, rod & curtain - reused

We picked up a weirdo

2012-01-07T08:13:00.003-05:00

Friday night is pizza night in casa YJDKIY. Well, actually, it's more like, pizza night is Friday night. Because not all Friday nights are pizza, but pizza is almost always Friday night.

gee thanks iPhone - that's almost better than my DSLR

Even though I love it, regular veggie pizza was getting kinda B-O-R-I-N-G! When I started looking for new ideas, the only thing that kept coming up was BBQ Chicken Pizza. I don't like BBQ. Nor do I really want chicken on my pizza. Enter my strange world of concocting. YUUUUM. I masked the BBQ and avoided the chicken.

BBQ Chick Pea Pizza (get it!?)

1 prepared pizza crust (or homemade would be even better, but we were going for quick here)
1 c organic chick peas, rinsed
2 c washed kale torn into small pieces
1 medium sweet onion finely sliced
1 c grated Gouda cheese (not smoked)
1 c jarred low sodium marinara sauce
2 T sweet & tangy barbecue sauce
1 T olive oil

Heat oil in a skillet, add onions, and reduce heat to low. Cook 10+ minutes until caramelized and add kale. Mix well to coat kale with oil, cover, and cook 8 more minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix marinara and BBQ sauce, tasting to get your preferred balance of BBQ and tomato. Once kale is wilted, remove from heat. Spread sauce onto crust, top with kale & onion mix, and chick peas. Sprinkle grated cheese over top and bake for 11-13 minutes on 405 degrees, broil for 1-2 minutes (I use a pizza stone pre-heated with the oven).

It might sound weird, but don't throw it out of the car until you try it...

New Recipe Thursday*

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

Hallelujah it's Thursday...starting the week one day short is the best idea ever. Well, having the whole week off was actually the best idea ever, but that's not really practical.

I'm not really sure what inspired this concoction, but thankfully (spoiler alert) it worked! Often I simply think about what think would taste good together and then, well, put it together.

Our Winter Harvest baskets featured a Siberian kale from a new (to me) farm:

"Dane Fisher from Fisher Farms has just returned to providing us produce. Dane is a professor at Pfeiffer University and one of area's earliest supporters of buying local and eating local. He has grown Siberian Kale for us. When young, this interesting kale variety is peppery and smooth. As the cold comes, the flavor is milder but richer. "

I don't think I've had this variety, but I could tell it was going to be tasty! So much so that I decided to save a little out of the recipe for steaming so I could taste the true flavor.

Anyhow, chop up the butternut it pretty small pieces ~ 3 cups. Transfer to a microwave safe container, add 1 T water, and cook for 5-8 minutes until tender and mushy.

Love the Ikea foldy cutting mats, but really, REALLY wish they could go in the dishwasher.

Meanwhile, saute kale & green onion. Microwave 4 breakfast sausage style links and mash (could easily substitute regular sausage here).

Combine 4 eggs or egg equivalent**, 1/3-1/2 cup low fat ricotta cheese, and desired amount of garlic powder, sage, and rosemary. (I never ever measure, but it was maybe 1 t garlic, 1 t sage 1.5 rosemary). Mix well until smooth.

Combine sausage crumbles, kale, and butternut and mix with eggs. Pour into pre-heated deep dish pie crust. Top with parmesan cheese and bake for 30 minutes on 400 degrees, plus a 3-4 minute broil.

The kale was phenomenal. Due to it's dainty leaf style, it is here by named Fancy Kale in this house. The quiche was the perfect flavor/texture combination, not too eggy, and felt more filling than some others.

Definite keeper!

*note that unlike Wordless Wednesday, this will likely not be a regular feature :P

**egg substitutes are probably not the most wisest choice when it comes to nutrition, local eating, organic, or sustainable, but for me, I choose the lack of cholesterol as more important to make this "healthy" for me. It's totally your call.

Late Start

2012-01-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

The menus are a bit late this week, but since I'm still trying to remember what 6 am looks like (oh, I will miss you 10 pm, perhaps we can meet again soon), back to work week has the schedule all off. Mainly this was because I procrastinated food shopping until Monday, which actually turned out to be the smartest thing I've done all 2012. Mid-day, mid-week shopping changed my cooking life.

MONDAY: Gnocchi with Chard & Beets - wild mushroom & sage olive oil
TUESDAY: Nature Burger, carrot sticks
WEDNESDAY: Butternut Quiche with Sausage & Chard
THURSDAY: Primavera with Salmon & Penne
FRIDAY: BBQ Chickpea, Carmelized Onions, Spinach & Gouda Pizza
SATURDAY: Crock Pot Curried Lentils with Sweet Potatoes & Kale

Artistic Oil

2012-01-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

A New Year's Day hardly ever goes by without the traditional meal. Last year the peas got a little burned, but we managed because the collards were perfect (supposedly they are for coins and cash, which we sure did spend really well in 2011!).

This year, the peas were perfect and the collards were so-so. I had some organic ones, and planned to make sweet potato stuffed leaves, but I love my perfect GK collards so much that I couldn't resist the usual way!

The star of the 2012 show though, was a Christmas present from Art of Oil in Boone (the present was bought there, not actually FROM the store, as in to YJDKIY from AoO.) YJDKIY received a gift of 6 samples. These two were first up to go on my beet salad. Warm beets over salad greens, with pine nuts and feta and a dressing of walnut oil and maple balsamic.

These are the other four to figure out how to use:

The flavors are surprisingly potent (unlike Garlic Gold, which was all the rave, but which I can not for the life of me taste any garlic flavor in). Sesame is definitely for something Asian, Walnut will be tasty with chard and gnocchi. Blueberry will probably go on a fruity salad, but I'm a little stumped on what to do with the espresso balsamic. It smells and tastes divine, but I'm not sure what the flavor complement will be yet!

Round Here

2012-01-01T13:59:00.001-05:00

The blog has been sort of slack lately, but that doesn't mean we haven't been COMPLETELY enjoying a solid 7 days of no schedule. Here are a few of the things we've been up to...

We took a little trip

And did a little (antique?) shopping.

I loved these glasses in the 80s...does that make me an antique?

A framed neon jalopy, just what every house needs right?

This is all the fault of my recent pinning addiction.

And spending lots of internet time here:

We've been eating out at new places like Bangkok Downtown,
where the food was delicious and the service was horrendous.
And The Sweetest Thing, where I had a grilled Brussels sprouts sandwich
...who knew?

Plus I did cook a few things, besides the disaster, like this yummy Sandy Creek Farm shiitake & collard quiche (which you saw if you follow me on Twitter).

But some of us simply salivate over a piece of cloth.

And ruin our new Christmas toys in less than a week!

A more angelic version of the grand-dog was immortalized in oil.

Crafty + 65 degree Christmas = outdoor pretties

Actual house number changed to protect identity, and prevent doggy-napping.

But not actual dogs napping. Hello Canine Stink Protector 4000.

(PS: I promise the numbers look way cuter than that.
Also, those are the most stinky fragrant pansies ever!)

Alas, it's not been all play. Organization ensued.

Even if this is still true.

The best kind of crafty: re-purposed and reused!

Merry Christmas it was and a Happy New Year to you!

When Dinner is a Disaster*

2011-12-29T20:00:00.001-05:00

After my week plus vacation from the blog, YJDKIY had big plans to return with a tasty sweet potato recipe that I could also feature for an upcoming Winter Harvest post. I should have known when the sweet potatoes were MIA that this dinner was doomed. Apparently when unpacking groceries the other day, I thought they should go in the freezer. Just for the record, frozen whole potatoes are an ideal substitute for bricks. The other eater showed up with two new sweet potatoes, and I decided to cheat the recipe and microwave them for a few minutes to reduce the 60 minute bake time. Note, this doesn't really work.

Meanwhile, I got out the shallots, garlic, and corn for a little stuffing saute. Again, I should have quit when two of the just purchased shallots were already rotten.

Plus they make SUCH a mess.

Diced them up and cooked for a while, but apparently not long enough (this will be clear later).

Scooped out the potatoes, which is not at all like scooping out a baked potato.

Spooned the mix back in.

Top with some fancy-grated cheddar and return to the oven for 15-20 minute. These had such potential!

Just so we're clear, I have never met a dish that had too much onion or garlic...until now. I couldn't even finish this because the shallots were so potent. It burned my mouth to even chew it. And just to reinforce the magnitude of this disastacular, the other eater even said, for the first time EVER, that this dinner concoction did not get approval. first.time.ever.

So while dinner was a total flop and second dinners ensued, we're going to hope this is just the fault of the frozen potatoes/rotted shallots and not because I, you know, forgot how to cook or anything.

* or The One that made me have to re-think tomorrow night's dinner in order to make this flop not the last post of 2011. You're welcome.

Wordless Wednesday: This Year's New Ornament

2011-12-21T06:30:00.000-05:00

Always

2011-12-19T18:17:00.000-05:00

Holiday baking around here almost always involves this.

And it always makes me laugh.
(click the photo to enlarge if you can't read the text under Peppermint Extract).

Green "Meat" Balls

2011-12-18T18:01:00.002-05:00

No, YJDKIY didn't use green meat. But I had this idea to make meatballs out of kale. Given that I don't really like meat, this proved a bit of a challenge.

Instead I used MorningStar Farms Meal Starters Grillers Recipe Crumbles. Basically, I just sauted some onion and garlic with the grillers and then set them aside to cool, Meanwhile, I boiled an entire bunch of kale, torn into tiny pieces. Then I combined the two, plus an egg (egg beaters), breadcrumbs and spices, and rolled into balls. They baked at 375 for about 30-45 minutes until crispy on the outside. Served with marinara sauce over spinach spaghetti.

Food that doesn't photograph well is dead to me though.

Quinoa Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

2011-12-16T06:30:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty sure this used to get made when I was younger, and it involved millet and I hated it. :P

I started with some random ingredients (those are the local turnips I never used!)

Feature ingredient!

Plop it in a pot of boiling water and let it cook for about 5 minutes. Rotate it to get even cooking.

Remove from water (not as easy as one might think!) and transfer to a cool water bath. Gently peel off the tender leaves without tearing them.

If you get to tight leaves that are crisp, plunk it back in the boiling water for a couple minutes. I got about 10-12 off a the small cabbage patch head. While your leaves are cooling, saute 1/2-1 finely diced sweet potato, half a yellow onion, 4 cloves of garlic (minced), and, cook about 1 c (dry) quinoa (I ran out so I mixed in some cous cous, which actually worked really well to hold it all together). Dump a bunch of rosemary, garlic powder, sage, and basil in the mix and stir it all together. I also added about 2T nutritional yeast.

Evenly divide your mix according to how many leaves you have an spoon onto a leaf. They are much more flexible than you would imagine.

Roll'er up! Place rolls in a greased baking dish and top with 1.5 c tomato sauce of your choice. I used no-salt added plain tomato sauce with extra basil, garlic powder, and rosemary.

I also sprinkled a little parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes on 400. Remove foil and broil for 10-15 minutes.

Because I forgot to add the soy crumbles, this was served over balsamic-rosemary chick peas for some extra protein. Weird looking and a little weird of a combination, but it actually turned out pretty tasty!

PS: While the winter sky does give you things like this out your back window

and sometimes even rainbows with a pot of gold right next door,

it is IMPOSSIBLE to photograph dinner this time of year. Dark at 5 pm = overhead fluorescent + yellow incandescent = bizzzzzarre colored food.

A video is worth a thousand words

2011-12-15T05:30:00.000-05:00

The fresh spinach we got last week in the Winter Harvest basket was crunchier, yes CRUNCHIER, than any spinach, and just about any green I've seen.

I could tell you all about it, but it's just easier to let it speak for itself.... (excuse the blurriness and messy background!). Make sure your sound is on.

I'm not sure I can go back to bag spinach ever again!

Wordless Wednesday: The Canine Component

2011-12-14T06:30:00.000-05:00

Shrimp Salad

2011-12-13T20:24:00.002-05:00

When you think of shrimp salad, does something like this come to mind? YJDKIY happens to think that creamy stuff is rather disgusting. So I remade it!

Simplest supper we've had in a while! Just dice up some green and yellow pepper, a small tomato, red onion, fresh cilantro and combine with lime juice, agave, and a tiny drip of olive oil. Mix it all together and add some chopped boiled shrimp. Chill and serve!

Last One

2011-12-10T07:50:00.001-05:00

Likely the last regularly scheduled menu programming of 2011! This week features a few recipes from the Gluten-free Goddess. I'm not going to be strict about the ingredients, but her recipes looked so tasty, I decided to give it a go!

SUNDAY: Butternut Chili
MONDAY: DIY dinner
TUESDAY: Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (totally modifying this)
WEDNESDAY: Kale-Meatballs & Spaghetti
THURSDAY: Twice Baked Tofu Potatoes
FRIDAY: Chicken Enchilada Casserole
SATURDAY: Mediterranean Tuna & Artichoke Pasta

Top 11 Ornaments of 2011

2011-12-07T06:52:00.001-05:00

For some reason, YJDKIY hasn't been big on the food posts this week. In place though, please find a holiday countdown sure to have your PayPal accounts dwindling*!

Top 11 Fantastic Ornaments of 2011 from Etsy**

blackrose1151: Looks Lke (sic) Football Christmas Santa Skull Ornaments--Set of 2

Surly Girl Crafts: Recycled Bike Chain Star

Nerdgazmic: Nightmare Before Christmas

TheOffbeatBear: Terrified Gingerbread Man

brandfisher: Recycled Budweiser Can Ornament

Posiez: Pocket Full of Posiez Santa Bat

SweetBabyJs: Elvis

Junkfx: Transparent Red Christmas Ornament Fire Flies Made in Iowa

tomtaggart: Hand Painted Mermaid

boxhounds: Surfer Girl LEGO

eavesmade: Heroes of Science Greatest Hits

Note that all images are from the seller's linked pages, these are not my photos, nor do I claim ownership or credit for them.

*after reading this list, hopefully you will have detected my sarcasisity***.

**I heart Etsy, there is fantastic stuff out there and this post is all in the name of fun. and taste. because there is no accounting for it. Just think of it as exposure to culture.

***scarcasisity is a YJDKIY special word of the day. go on, look it up.

YJDKIY Christmas 2010 with my actual ornaments

YJDKIY 12 Days of Christmas 2009 Special

Post title (I can't think of one)

2011-12-02T18:23:00.001-05:00

SATURDAY: No-cream Creamy Broccoli Soup
SUNDAY: Tofu Hoagies that never happened but without the hoagie and brown rice instead, squash, radish salad
MONDAY:Cheesy Butternut Bake & Peas
TUESDAY: SortofCeviche
WEDNESDAY: Spinach stuffed shells
THURSDAY: bleh
FRIDAY: more bleh (but convenient for dinner planning)

Wordless Wednesday: Last Thursday

2011-11-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

Pumpkin Stuffed Mushrooms

2011-11-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

For Thanksgiving Day, YJDKIY needed a hearty appetizer/lunch item since dinner got pushed back to, well, dinner time. Enter my Winter Harvest mushrooms...

...and an open can of half-used pumpkin, the end of a bag of stuffing, some yellow onion, some shredded parm, some sage and thyme, and a spoonful of almost-done Neufchâtel.

Remove the stems and fill them up. Place on a cookie sheet (I foiled it, don't know why though...). Since I only had 5 little shiitakes, I also stuffed some organic buttom mushrooms from TJs.

Bake in a 400 oven for about 20 minutes.

The other eaters thought these were pretty tasty...and I had a couple of bites, despite my lack of love for mushies. They were super easy to make and presented (and photographed!) really well. I'll definitely make these again.

Dashing to December

2011-11-27T07:30:00.000-05:00

SATURDAY: Salad with Baked Breaded Cod
SUNDAY: Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Kale, Shiitake, Sausage
MONDAY: Black Bean Quesadillas
TUESDAY: Breakfast Dinner
WEDNESDAY: Tofu Hoagies
THURSDAY: Tuscan Chick Pea Soup
FRIDAY: Chicken with Asparagus & Pine Nuts

Falalalalafel

2011-11-26T07:33:00.000-05:00

Now that Thanksgiving is past, it is, in fact, permissible to move on to Christmas.

If you're busy with the decorating and shopping and falalalas, here is a simple dinner.

Falafel! This was a new brand YJDKIY picked up at The Fresh Market. Normally I stand over a hot pan and fry these, but this time I just stuck them in the oven and went about my other chores.

I made some fake tzaziki sauce with Oikos, lemon juice, and garlic powder, and got them all ready to go in my pita, only I didn't have any pitas!

No matter! I wrapped them up in lettuce-pitas!

Wedding Cake Redo

2011-11-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

YJDKIY got a fantastic birthday surprise!

A certain someone arranged to have a remake of that wedding cake I didn't really get to enjoy.

A closeup doesn't do it justice. MMMMmmmmmmm...muah!

T'was the night before...

2011-11-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving and all through the house, I only wanted salad to put in my...mouth (close enough rhyme right?!).

YJDKIY is preparing for a carb-o-licious fall feast tomorrow, so the night before (and likely lunch before) was as light as possible. It's based on this recipe, but of course I didn't measure, I omitted ginger and used garlic powder, added green onions, and used EVOO instead of sesame. Oh, and I sauted canned TJ's salmon instead of a filet.

It was a little odd combining these things at first, but it actually turned out super delicious. Keeper!

Long Lost Post

2011-11-23T16:30:00.000-05:00

Somehow this post got lost in the depths of YJDKIY, likely because I was too lazy to bust out the DSLR and these are iPhone photos. But I decided to go ahead and give it life.

Eggplant-Artichoke panini in the new grill pan!

I'd never cooked with one of these before, but it worked perfectly! I can't wait to try "grilling" other things!

Wacky Wednesday: Like it's 1991

2011-11-23T06:18:00.000-05:00

Isn't it funny how things get stuck in your head? I called this Wacky Wednesday for a reason, so I won't go into lengthy detail. But, what started with an innocent little SNL skit (not nearly as cool as REALLY!?!) has resulted in a trip down memory lanjavascript:;e to 1991, also known as Junior High for YJDKIY.

It was pretty amusing to watch these videos for fashion and culture. Plus, I had all these singles on cassette tapes. (which, when you think about it was sort of like the 1990s version of iTunes - it was much more efficient to just buy the songs you liked rather than the whole album...which, were they albums or CDs at that point?)

It's also interesting that this was going on at the same time, too.

Although grunge had earlier origins than new jack swing, it wasn't until 1993-94 that we all started wearing flannel shirts and Doc Martens and one of my all-time favorite recordings was done: Nirvana on MTV Unplugged. That is still one of the handful of classic "albums" worthy of purchasing the entire thing in my book. Watch it on Netflix.

Check out the MTV Yearbooks for your own walk down musical memory lane. 1991 1994
(but it's a dead end at 1981!)

GK TG menu

2011-11-20T16:30:00.000-05:00

Harvest Apple Salad Bowls
Homemade Bread*
Tofurky*
Lemon Seared Brussels Sprouts
Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Granny Bell Beans with Stewed Tomatoes
Green Kitchen Favorite Collards
Carrot Spice Cake with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Icing

*outsourced

REALLY?!

2011-11-20T08:50:00.001-05:00

Seth AND Kermie...about food...I can't handle it. REALLY!

Tis the Week

2011-11-19T06:41:00.001-05:00

SATURDAY: leftovers
SUNDAY: Corn Chowdah Mac 'n' Cheese; Broccoli
MONDAY: Naan Pizzas
TUESDAY: Tofu Stir-Fry w/ Brown Rice
WEDNESDAY: Shredded Cabbage & Salmon Salad
THURSDAY: this day requires and entire separate post
FRIDAY: leftovers

Wordless Wednesday: In the Dining Room

2011-11-16T08:20:00.000-05:00

Behind The Scenes

2011-11-15T20:16:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow in the Post...the method to this madness:

Crunchy Tofu?!

2011-11-13T06:38:00.000-05:00

YJDKIY never thought to do this with tofu!

The recipe is pretty close to what I did, I just added some assorted other chopped veggies (peppers, zuchs, squash) and used panko instead of regular bread crumbs.

This was tasty and pretty filling, but still light, plus I love using kale in a casserole!

For vegetables
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 lb cabbage, cored and cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices (4 cups)
1 lb kale, stems and center ribs removed and leaves coarsely chopped (12 cups)
1/2 lb carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt

For topping
1 1/2 cups fine fresh or dried bread crumbs, preferably whole wheat
7 oz firm tofu
1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon paprika
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt

Sauté vegetables:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
Heat oil in a deep 12- to 14-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and add cabbage, kale, carrots, water, soy sauce, and salt. (Skillet will be full, but volume will reduce as vegetables steam.) Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish.

Make topping:
Pulse all topping ingredients together in a food processor until combined well. Alternatively, mash ingredients together in a large bowl with a potato masher. Sprinkle tofu mixture over vegetables in baking dish and bake, uncovered, until topping is golden brown and vegetables are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Prep week

2011-11-12T14:23:00.001-05:00

YJDKIY has a little Post article in the works. Nothing big, just, you know, THANKSGIVING!! Since it is running before the big day, this week is prep week!

SATURDAY: Lentil Loaf, Green beans
SUNDAY: Limas & Stewed Tomatoes, Apple Salad, Tofu Steaks
MONDAY: Those fajitas that never happened
TUESDAY: Likely Leftovers
WEDNESDAY: Hmmm....
THURSDAY: Taragon Tuna Toasties
FRIDAY: Potato Kale Enchiladas

Sad State of Affairs

2011-11-08T18:28:00.000-05:00

1. At 5:20 pm, yesterday, Nov. 8 (!) , I was the 225th voter in my precinct. That is almost 12 hours after the polls opened this morning and only 224 people made it there before me? Granted it is just a local election, but if you think about it, the City Council vote probably has more direct impact on your daily life than any national or state election. And if you multiply that out, that means like 1000 people will elect 5 people, including the mayor.

2. The Canine Component was horribly embarrassed, but is totally rocking her (coupla months late) back to school look. Since she turns 7 next month, she's old enough to carry her own loot, yes?

3. Due to an unfortunate encounter with an IKEA SLOM and untimely appointments, I've had to resort to frozen dinner and lunch. I honestly cannot tell you the last time I stuck one of these in the microwave. It might have been 2 years ago. But, it turns out you do in fact need your left thumb to peel vegetables and you know, cook. So, until these three stitches are removed and my left hand can get wet again, don't expect much. PS: Donations of sympathy and dinner cooking are being accepted. PPS: Be glad I spared you the photo without the bandage!

(note both are organic, and the most healthy frozen item I could find! that counts for somethin right?)

The Small Stuff: The Menu

2011-11-08T07:16:00.000-05:00

Ok so this wasn't really small stuff. In fact, it was one of the first things I started working on. Who would cater and what would dinner be like?

Photo by Denny Shortt

We knew there had to be a vegetarian option, so that ruled out a lot of companies. Luckily, Reids Catering seemed to be a perfect fit. With only a couple of revisions, they crafted a delicious fall meal with three entree options for our guests.

Hors D’oeuvres

To Be Passed

Assorted Vegetarian Bruschetta

Warm Feta & Spinach Filled Cremini Mushrooms

Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque

Served in Demi Tasse Cups with Crème Fraiche

Sparkling Peach Ginger Lemonade

Dinner

Crisp Local Apples, Caramelized Pecans & White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Over Local Organic Greens

Grilled Molasses Glazed Local Pork Tenderloin

Apricot Ginger Chutney

Grilled Cedar Plank Mountain Trout

Lemon Gremolata

Vegetarian Strudel

Roasted Red Pepper Vegan Sauce

Sides

Grilled Seasonal Vegetable “Salad”

Basil Pistou

Butternut Squash Ravioli

Swiss Chard & Garlic

Assorted Artisanal Breads

Olive Oil

Hibiscus Herbal Tea

Coffee & Tea Service

I first chose the vegetarian strudel, but at the last minute change my mind to have the pork, since I knew it was something I rarely, hardly ever, in fact, prepare at home. This proved a wise choice because it was so tender & juicy and the strudel had mushrooms.

Photo by Denny Shortt

The other eater chose Trout. I don't think either of us got to try the appetizers, but the Sparkling Peach Ginger Lemonade was delicious. Many couples told me that you don't get to eat at your own reception, but I was pretty intent on sitting down to dinner, just in case though, we had two boxed meals saved for a late night snack.

Photo by Denny Shortt

Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup with Green Onions and Sesame

2011-11-07T07:43:00.001-05:00

Quite an impressive title huh? For YJDKIY's first official Winter Harvest meal, I wanted to use those delicious green onions. Local fresh ones always seem to be spicier and hotter than the store variety, yet somehow milder than regular onions.

Nevermind that I forgot they were the star ingredient until I'd already diced up a yellow onion and had to seal it back up and put in the fridge. Doh.

This packaging cracks me up.

The recipe called for Napa Cabbage, which looked less than appealing at the grocery store (I can't imagine it's turnover rate is very respectable and it showed. Alternative?

I used Savoy Cabbage, that came all the way from Deep Gap, NC.

Cabbage is a winter vegetable and it is entering it's peak month (according to Wiki).

Chopped to pieces.

I put together a marinade of low-sodium soy, EVOO, and Sherry. And, for this meal, we reached a new milestone. I didn't think it was possible for a food photo, especially one I took, to be...well, gross. Squeamish readers shield your eyes....

...

...

Chopped up chicken marinating. GAHRHOOOOS.

I let it sit for a while and sauted a bunch of pressed garlic.

Add in the cabbage/onions. (The recipe called for a bunch of other ingredients I omitted.) Boil some water for the noodles.

Hello shutter speed.

Add in the stock and the cooked chicken strips.

Add some sesame.

Combine it all.

VOILA! Bangkok Garden right here on the Ave. Another keeper soup.

It's Harvest Time!

2011-11-05T11:20:00.000-04:00

The Bread Riot's Winter Harvest program started this week. We have 20 weeks of bi-weekly local goods to look forward to again! From now until March, menu listings with a * designate Winter Harvest items.

SATURDAY: Baked Radish* Chips, Salad* & Bread
SUNDAY: Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup with Sesame & Green Onions*
MONDAY: Vegetable Polenta Bake
TUESDAY: Fajita* Pita
WEDNESDAY: Vegetable* Casserole with Tofu Topping
THURSDAY: Fish with Garlic Bok Choy* & Potatoes
FRIDAY: Butternut Risotto, Green Beans

WEEK 1: Lettuce, Baby Bok Choy, Kale, Potatoes, Raw Peanuts, Radishes, Green Onions

Wordless Wednesday: In the Kitchen

2011-11-02T08:24:00.000-04:00

Notme

2011-11-01T06:10:00.000-04:00

That's who came up with this recipe...not me. I recently started following this blog, and could barely contain my excitement to make Heather's butternut & Brussels sprouts recipe. (Please excuse the dark weirdness that is this next picture....my Photoshop is busted...go look at the other blog for photos!)

I also couldn't contain myself until it was time to eat the leftovers for lunch. I omitted the Parm, so there is absolutely nothing unhealthy for you in this dish. It really is a warm Fall salad.

AND, for those of you in the South, Harris Teeter has the little green aliens on sale until Wednesday!

Stirring and stirring and stirring...

2011-10-31T07:03:00.000-04:00

...my strew! Sometimes, the best laid dinner plans don't always work out. As YJDKIY headed out for a doggy walk on a chilly Sunday morning, someone pointed out it was the perfect day to use the new slow cooker, and an idea was born!

It's about this time of year that I crave Brunswick Stew. Not having access to any church fundraisers, I set out to concoct my own.

First up, 24 oz of tomato sauce, NO SALT ADDED! Mix with about 2T Worcestershire sauce.

Meanwhile, boil some chicken breasts, cool, and shred. Into the pot.

Combine 2 tiny-cubed baking potatoes and 1 diced medium sweet onion with 1-2T flour, 3/4 t chicken bouillon granules and 2t poultry seasoning. Shake well and into the pot.

Last add some frozen limas and corn. Mix it all up.

Slow cook for 4 hours, adding water and extra tomato sauce if needed. Add pepper to taste.

The resident sniffer will let you know when it is ready.

It wasn't made by RUMC, but it also wasn't full of unhealthy ingredients.

And bottom line, it was tasty. PLUS, I was cooking dinner while I was doing 12 other things.

Happy Halloween!

Half the work

2011-10-30T08:03:00.000-04:00

Last week I was feeling froggy and planned ahead, so YJDKIY only has half the work to do today (well, 4/7 the work)! Good way to start a new month.

SATURDAY: Linguine with Creamy Tomato Cauliflower
SUNDAY: Mama Pea's Tamale Pie & Brussels sprouts
MONDAY: Halloween Candy
TUESDAY: Spaghetti Squash with Pesto & Pine Nuts; Lemon-Basil Fish
WEDNESDAY: Quick White Bean Stew with Chard & Tomatoes
THURSDAY: Eggplant-Artichoke Panini
FRIDAY: Chicken Hash with broccoli

Small Stuff: The Tables

2011-10-29T07:54:00.001-04:00

Are you getting tired of wedding posts yet? Too bad! Another one of those little Etsy details that YJDKIY fell in love (harhar-you'll get that in a second) with immediately were tiny round magnets from Buttonhead. For $60, I got 100 custom design 1" magnets.

See? The design was a no-brainer. And I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.

Placed on top of a simple white napkin at each seat. A useful wedding favor for once. Shop Owner Ali Puckett was great to work with, from placing the order, submitting my files, reviewing a proof, and fast delivery!

For rustic elegance in our outdoor tent, I immediately decided on family style seating - two long rows of tables instead of traditional rounds. Things were a little tight, but hey, we're all friends here right?

The next decision I made was the runners and cloths. I started with plain white linens, in tea length. Trying to maneuver a floor length cloth in a nice dress, especially in the grass, with folding chairs is just awkward. (It also save a couple of dollars). For the runners, I considered burlap but didn't love the smell and mess that it brings. A better, cheaper option was found with a roll of brown kraft paper extended the entire 40' of the table line.

The vases were an IKEA find! The galvanized look was perfect for the theme. Each one cost about $2 and was filled with 10-12 of my scarlet red Gerbera daisies, ordered in bulk from a local grocery store. Note: test IKEA products for quality. Although I did a test arrangement with silk flowers, I didn't actually try putting water in the vases until the morning of the wedding. What could have been a disaster was saved by simply placing a plastic wine/punch cup (the short kind) in the bottom to hold the water. The table numbers were small white doilies with house numbers from Lowes Hardware laminated. I repeated those under faces and place cards.

I opted for a contemporary flatware instead of traditional even though it cost a little more, and used one style of hi-ball glasses for all beverages (except wine), which made up the cost difference.

The folded doilies were excellent place cards and were super affordable. In addition to the tea lights (also from IKEA), I found $1 plastic white frames perfect for menu cards (stay tuned for that menu!). One side was menu, one side was a photo.

I could have spent a lot of money on fancy linens and flowers, but in the end it just really didn't matter. There were a few details that made it personal, but I wanted it to be easy and comfortable, just like a family dinner at some one's home. The food and the fun would be the feature. Success!

Squash Worth Squealing For

2011-10-26T07:34:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't love a good Southern-made summer squash casserole? Paula Deen's recipe calls for, among other things:

4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon House seasoning, recipe follows (i.e. salt)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup crushed butter crackers

Not the healthiest ingredient list is it? And, sort of defeats the purpose of eating a vegetable in the first place!

Enter my revamped recipe that features the squash instead of smothering it (served with local kale and bbq tofu steaks, below).

Green Kitchen Squash Casserole3 medium yellow (or summer) squash sliced in thin rounds
3/4 c chopped sweet yellow onion
5.3 oz plain Greek yogurt (Oikos)
1/2-3/4 c grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
8-10 crumbled crackers (I had a fancy pants version of club crackers)

Preheat oven to 400. Mix first three ingredients in a bowl, add all but 1/4 c cheese, and stir well. Fold in half of cracker crumbs. Transfer to greased (non-stick spray) baking dish, top with remaining cheese and crumbs. Bake 30 minutes until golden and bubbly.

---
Stonyfield's organic plain Oikos has just 80 calories, 0 fat, and a whopping 15 g of protein for the entire 5.3 oz. cup. Just for comparison's sake, a 5.3 oz serving of sour cream would have 307 calories, 26 g of fat, and only 5 g of protein. Now that is an improvement (and there's no butter!).

Sweet Treats

2011-10-25T08:10:00.000-04:00

It's sort of funny that the wedding cake gets it's own post. Especially since YJDKIY barely even tasted it! :P

Photo by Shelton Wilder

A little background...I really don't love cake. Especially traditional yellow or chocolate plain ol' wedding cake. And icing doesn't fall too far behind.

Photo by K. Drew Sumrell

So, I wanted something with flavor, character if you will. And, since I also don't like frilly cakes with sugar-formed decoration and goofy fondant, the focus was on flavor. It's cake...something you eat, it shouldn't require fancy packaging just to get to the good stuff.

Photo by Shelton Wilder

Hallmark Cakes nailed it with a "wedding cake comprised of 6-inch and 12-inch torted single layers and a 10-inch double layer pumpkin spice cake filled with pumpkin spice cheesecake, all topped with vanilla mousseline buttercream."

Photo by K. Drew Sumrell

That one bite was heavenly (literally the only one)!

Photo by K. Drew Sumrell

The topper was a simple Robert Indiana-inspired LOVE sculpture replica, which was a theme for the wedding since that is where we got engaged (NYC not Philly!).

Photo by K. Drew Sumrell

The homemade look was complemented by a few flowers and a grapevine wreath to achieve rustic, simplicity and elegance. Since neither of us really got a taste, and it was all gobbled up, we've decided a remake is necessary for our 4th (fruit & flowers) or 6th (candy) anniversary (those are the closest traditional gifts!).

Photo by Denny Shortt

To make a long post even longer, a sweet treat sweeter, and the night cheerier, I used a popular local pop. YJDKIY doesn't really drink soda, but there is nothing like a cold Cheerwine (made in our hometown) in a glass bottle.

Photo by Denny Shortt

These served as favors and Cheerwine was also a pinch hitter for our dainty and elegant toasting glasses, that were also a gift. Next time you stop by an old Southern country store, have some cheer!

Photo by Shelton Wilder

The right tools for the job

2011-10-24T07:39:00.000-04:00

YJDKIY acquired some new gadgets as a wedding gift (I speculate you're going to be seeing a lot of those featured here!) to aid in the preparation of one of our favorite meals.

Pizza night is almost always on a Friday night (unless it is my FFR version) at our house and I always think I am going to come up with some ultra-groovy new topping idea, but in the end, I always revert to my tried and true (and well-loved) veggie supreme!

But a good pizza starts with a good crust and a good crust starts with a good pan! This one from Calphalon Essentials has lots of tiny holes that allow air to reach the bottom of the crust in the pan so it can breathe.

It turns out crispy on the outside and gooey right where it its the sauce. I have to say, the very first time I used it, it worked wonders for my recipe. (Note: if you are using a store bought crust, I recommend a well-seasoned baking stone for crisping).

We call these zucchini-ronis because they look like green pepperoni!

Hot out of the oven after about 14 minutes.

Using a pizza wheel to slice it was so much easier than trying to cut with a knife or kitchen scissors. The key is a very sharp blade and a large diameter. (hello white balance where are you?!)

YJDKIY Easy Crust
1 packet Fleischman's Pizza Crust Yeast*
1 1/4 c whole wheat flour
3/4 c white flour
1 t sugar
pinch of Kosher salt
2/3 c hot tap water
2 T olive oil
3-5 cloves of fresh garlic, minced (optional)

Preheat oven to 425. Combine 1 c flour, yeast, sugar and salt in large bowl. Add water and oil, mix until blended. Gradually add flour and mix until a dough ball forms. Gently knead for a few more minutes in the floured bowl, until soft and elastic. Spread evenly into pan with fingers, or roll out on a flat surface and place in pizza pan. Top with garlic and bake 2-3 minutes before topping with pizza ingredients.

*I always use the quick yeast specifically for pizza. You can use regular yeast, but will need to follow instructions for that brand (usually on package or website).

Topping suggestions: jar (low sodium) marinara sauce, fresh basil, zucchini rounds, broccoli, olives, bell peppers (any color), sliced mushrooms, onions, red pepper flakes, oregano, garlic, crumbled tofu, fresh or (thawed) frozen spinach and of course, MOZZARELLA!

October Finito

2011-10-23T10:37:00.000-04:00

How can this be!? My favorite month is over. It was such a pretty month, too.

Photo by Denny Shortt

Photo by Shelton Wilder

Photo by Drew Sumrell

A weird-meal week up in here.

SATURDAY: That bok choy recipe that didn't happen last week recycled to this
SUNDAY: That squash casserole, bbq tofu, and kale that didn't happen last week
MONDAY: Sweet Potato Curry
TUESDAY: Black Bean Quesadillas
WEDNESDAY: Tortellini Soup
THURSDAY: DIYD (do it yourself dinner)
FRIDAY: Shredded Brussells Sprouts with Shallots and Roasted Butternut
SATURDAY: Linguine with Creamy Tomato Cauliflower
SUNDAY: Mama Pea's Tamale Pie
MONDAY: Halloween Candy

It's all small stuff

2011-10-22T08:18:00.000-04:00

YJDKIY doesn't really aim to turn this into Style Me Pretty, but I did want to share a few details from the most expensive 48 hours of my life. Kidding! (sort of). It was possibly the most scrutinized 48 hours of my life, so it deserves some blog love. Lucky for you, I'll try to space it out between (annoyingly less frequent) regular posts.

In planning the small stuff, I spent a lot of time on Etsy (and somehow managed to refrain from favoriting wedding items, therefor displaying them on the right over there!). One of the first things I loved and purchased was a detail perhaps no one but YJDKIY would see:

Custom cake forks commemorating the day. These came from WoodenHive and arrived just a few days after placing the order. Love personal service!

Who knows if anyone else noticed, but for a foodie, this is a perfect "keepsake" of the day. A little tease from the main event:

We also had an adorable cake plate for the first slice from a special family member that traveled from Florida to celebrate with us. But, now that the festivities are done, I am debating their future. Option A: use the forks for a special treat on each anniversary. Option B: frame the forks in a shadowbox for kitchen art (like this) so I can see them every day. What's your vote?

Next up: the tasty confection we put those forks into!

In the kitchen

2011-10-15T21:43:00.000-04:00

YJDKIY hasn't been in the Green Kitchen in quite a while. We did play around in someone else's kitchen though....

More about that later, lest this turn into a wedding blog. ;)

SATURDAY: Homemade Pizza
SUNDAY: Garlic-Parm Fish, sweet potato fries, broccoli
MONDAY: Better'n'Mac and Cheese
TUESDAY: Black Bean Soup
WEDNESDAY: Squash Casserole, BBQ Tofu
THURSDAY: Veggie Burgers
FRIDAY: Shrimp Stir Fry with Bok Choy

Balsamic Birthday Beets

2011-10-01T12:50:00.000-04:00

Someone in this house just had a birthday!!

It wasn't that one.

Happy birthday other someone. I asked what he wanted to dine on for his special day. Turns out, he likes everything. It's a tough problem to have. So we settled on a new recipe: Balsamic Beets & Kale with Whole Wheat Gnocchi (which does not photo well, but it was tasty!).

Super easy to make. Just boil the beets and dice. Steam the kale. Boil the gnocchis. Mix it all together with a little EVOO, balsamic, rosemary, garlic powder, and pepper. Super easy, but there were a bagillion dishes leftover. Convenient day to get out of clean-up duty, huh?

There might have been some triple-chocolate cupcakes involved too.

Lest you be confused, he's not 4.

Neither is this one.

Package Deal

2011-09-27T20:51:00.000-04:00

YJDKIY told you to switch on Google Reader! I've been busying myself elsewhere lately. But that doesn't mean dinner has suffered!

Even though I haven't made it to a grocery store in a couple of weeks, it's easy to make healthy fast dinners from the freezer. Trader Joe's breaded cod, at only 300 calories per (hearty!) serving, plus frozen green beans, and Annie's whole wheat organic shells & cheese make an excellent choice. Plus ketchup.

And speaking of red. Here's a hint on what I've been up to lately. More on that in a 11 days, but a big thank you to ingenious friend who found the perfect shoes for a foodie. :)

Tuna Casserole and a PSA

2011-09-19T21:22:00.003-04:00

The previous switch to nayo was first tested with my tuna casserole redo.

Most tuna casseroles involve some unhealthy ingredients, and I've been trying to do a makeover for a healthier version.

I'm still working on it a bit, as the end result had good flavor, but was a little dry. Any suggestions?

Tuna Casserole Makeover
1/2 package no-yolk egg noodles
2 cans tuna (no sodium added)
5.3 oz plain oikos (maybe I just need to increase this amount)
1/2 c chopped sweet yellow onion
2 c chopped broccoli
1 c green peas (thawed if frozen)
1 egg/substitute
1 c grated cheddar
1/4 c breadcrumbs
garlic powder
celery seeds
kosher salt

Prepare noodles as directed. Combine all ingredients except 1/2 c cheddar and breadcrumbs. Mix well and transfer to baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs and remaining cheddar. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes until bubbly and crispy.

Public Service Announcement
YJDKIY recommends switching to Google Reader or subscribing to the RSS because posts are going to be few and far between over the next few weeks!

Redo

2011-09-18T11:25:00.000-04:00

Last week was a little crazy, but at least I get to recycle some meals that didn't happen!

SUNDAY: Tofu-Ricotta Stuffed Shells & Spinach, Broccoli
MONDAY: Farmer's Market Quesadillas
TUESDAY: Tangy Tempeh Kitchen Sink Salad
WEDNESDAY: Beet salad, Lemon-Baked Salmon, Roasted Potatoes
THURSDAY: TJ's veggie burger with spinach, avocado & green pepper

Come gather round people

2011-09-12T18:38:00.000-04:00

Low and behold, Nayonaise (with it's clever name from Nasoya), just happened to be on sale, $1 off.

With imitation food products, I'm always concerned about not-real igredients. This one fares pretty well. INGREDIENTS: Soymilk (Water, Organic Whole Soybeans), Sunflower and/or Soybean Oil, Cane Juice (dried), Vinegar, Salt, Mustard (Distilled Vinegar, Water, Mustard Seed, Salt, Turmeric, Paprika, Spice, Garlic Powder), Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Alginate.

Egg free, cholesterol free, vegan, 35 calories. Upon popping the top, the smell was 100% mayo, but the texture left something to be desired. Neither really mattered though, because the taste was spot on! The times they are a changin!

Remembering This Week

2011-09-10T14:00:00.000-04:00

This week, everyone is talking about what they were doing 10 years ago. We all remember and no one will ever forget. Do you remember what you were doing last year this weekend, though? I was hoofing it around Boston, one of my favorite long weekend getaways ever...decidedly better memories.

SUNDAY: Broccoli-Tuna Casserole
MONDAY: Tomato-Zucchini Bake
TUESDAY: Grilled Cheese, side salad
WEDNESDAY: Salads, baked tofu (other cooker)
THURSDAY: Farmer's Market Quesadillas
FRIDAY: Beet salad, Lemon-Baked Salmon, Roasted Potatoes
SATURDAY: on your own

Chicken & Bok Choy with Soba

2011-09-06T20:53:00.000-04:00

THIS

turned out delicious. I may never fix chicken any other way.

Poach it for about 15 minutes in water/garlic powder/kosher salt/pepper. Let it cool and shred with a fork. Meanwhile, prepare (local!) baby bok choy, carrot matchsticks, and green onion. Toss with 1T tamari. Mix 2T tamari and 1/2 c prepared sweet & sour sauce. Saute greens until tender, add shredded chicken and sauce mix and simmer. Boil soba noodles according to directions, drain and mix all together.

And in other news...

2011-09-05T07:39:00.002-04:00

TUESDAY: Pulled (organic) Chicken & Bok Choy
WEDNESDAY: Farfalle with Chard & White Beans
THURSDAY: Rainbow Veggie Wraps
FRIDAY: Stuffed Acord Squash
SATURDAY: Tomato Eggplant & Olive Pizza

that is all.

Local Undecided and PSA

2011-09-01T07:41:00.000-04:00

Oikos. It has it's own tag over there in my word cloud of labels. It USED to mean the fantastically healthy breakfast made by a company I adore. If you've been to a grocery store recently, you may have noticed something odd in the "oikos" section.


via

There is a new game in town and as of yet (typical) YJDKIY is undecided on the verdict. Dannon, owned by the same parent company, Groupe Danone as Stonyfield (although Stonyfield has retained its own leadership), has launched a line of yogurt also called oikos. But not all oikoses are created the same.

1. Dannon oikos is not organic
2. Not all Dannon oikos is fat free

via

3. Dannon oikos is not quite as healthy with the protein, sugars or ingredients (there are a LOT of them and several I don't really want in my yogurt)
4. The packaging is similar and could be easily confused
5. There is an obvious marketing benefit for Dannon and they are embracing their Stonyfield rip-off, but I wonder how Stonyfield really feels about it, and is this just the beginning of more food conglomerate shinanigans?
6. Alternatively, Dannon oikos is still probably better for you than many, MANY, sugar filled, low protein yogurts, so it is good exposure at a lower price point.
7. The key lime is HEAVENLY and I would rather eat it than ice cream, and I half the serving size for a treat.

screen shot via

8. This is exactly the crazy antics of the food business that get consumers in trouble when trying to make healthy choices. I have no doubt its all about the bottom line and I'm not sure I want to support that. Stonyfield's CE-yo always says, vote with your food dollars, afterall.
9. So what's a Oikos-proper loving girl to do?
10. Did I mention it's like dessert but slightly healthier? Clearly, more research is needed.

PS: If you want to check it out and make the decision for yourself, visit this site: http://www.oikosyogurt.com/faq/

Gadget Love

2011-08-30T17:47:00.001-04:00

YJDKIY lives in a 91 year old house. Insane right? And although the Green Kitchen was redone just a couple of years ago, we're still lacking one common modern convenience:

The garbage disposal. I don't really miss it, since I never had one growing up, and certainly not in those college apartments. But that doesn't mean we don't have our fair share of well, food-related garbage. Enter my latest $7 Stein Mart find!

The most ingenious invention from OXO. It's not just any sink drain strainer. It's flexy! So, when you're ready to empty, just flip, press the bottom, and poof!

All the sink goo flips out an into the trash without you ever having to touch it. Plus, there are no weird edges for stuff to get stuck on. I've tried the cheap $2 basket/mesh ones (bent/broke, never got clean), a nice $4 (melted with a hot pan placed in the sink, and stained) plastic one, so the $14 to outfit our sinks was well worth it in my opinion.

In case you are jealous, you can order your own from Amazon!

Fall Preview

2011-08-29T19:37:00.000-04:00

There was a bit of a nip in the air this morning. It made me think fall. And that, of course, means pumpkin. I love the butternut version of this, and I had a can sitting in the pantry.

Saute some baby spinach and most of a sweet yellow onion. Add in 1/2-3/4 can of pumpkin and reduce heat to low. Prepare a white sauce using 1 t butter, 1/2 c light soy milk, and some flour to thicken, mix in a little of the cheddar until melty. I also always add in garlic powder. Mix 1/2 the sauce in the pumpkin-spinach mix and set the rest aside. Meanwhile, cook 9 whole wheat lasagna noodles as directed.

Cool the noodles and spread the mix evenly over the length of one noodle.

Roll'em up and place in a greased baking dish.

Top with remaining white and cheddar.

Bake ~ 30 minutes at 375-400 (YJDKIY is the worst recipe instruction giver ever huh?).

These were funner to eat than they were to taste. Def love the butternut lasagna better...the pumpkin, although providing a nice creamy ricotta-like (healthier) consistency, is just bland and there isn't enough cheese or other flavor to really kick.

Perhaps topping with tomato based sauce instead of white would have been good. They did make a nice and easy packable leftover lunch for the next day though!

Laboring Toward Labor Day

2011-08-28T07:29:00.000-04:00

For $10 at the Farmers Market I got: 3 peppers, a bag of stringless green beans, a green pepper, a sweet onion, 2 cucumbers, 3 summer squash, and 3 asian pears (SO happy those are back at the FM).

SUNDAY: Pumpkin & Spinach Stuffed Shells
MONDAY: Pineapple Chicken, Green Beans
TUESDAY: Quinoa Summer Vegetable Salad
WEDNESDAY: Red Beans & Rice with Shrimp & Chips
THURSDAY: Tofu Veggie Quiche
FRIDAY: on your own
SATURDAY: Taragon Tuna Toasties
SUNDAY: Black Bean Sweet Potato Boats
MONDAY: Corn, Notdogs, Coleslaw (oops, that is Memorial Day isn't it?)

You're Welcome

2011-08-27T06:28:00.000-04:00

You can thank me for this post! Since I knew I liked Good Housekeeping's Pasta Sauce, I thought I would give this one a try.

I even sliced up the tofu to marinate for a couple of hours.

Fresh local green beans.

Basmati rice from the Earthfare bulk bin

Pan seared.

Add red pepper slices and boiled green beans and lid-it to simmer for a while. Add some more of the sauce.

It looked like it should taste good, and it wasn't bad, I guess. But after my last curry, this was disappointing. I found the simmer sauce to just be spicy hot with no real flavor.

So, save your $4 (it was on sale!) and make it from scratch.

Hot Potato

2011-08-26T07:01:00.000-04:00

This was SUCH an easy twist on twice-baked potatoes.

Microwave them for about 8 minute each. Then scoop out, combine with artichoke hearts, a LOT of garlic powder and some grated parm. Restuff and bake for about 15-20 minutes on 375 until melty. Served with my perfect collards. This recipe is now officially tried and true (I even used veg stock this time).

Rockin & Rollin New Recipe

2011-08-23T21:05:00.002-04:00

Literally! More on that (clicky) in a minute though...

Totally awesome recipe coming at you. And I mostly just invented in my little YJDKIY bobble head. Hold on, I'm getting to that (different clicky).

Un-cob the fresh, local, sweet white corn and microwave it for about 1 minute.

Thin slice 2 zucchinis and dice half an onion.

Saute those three ingredients in EVOO with some cumin and cilantro until tender, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, wrap corn tortillas in damp paper cloth and microwave for a minute.

Pam the pyrex (fun expression, no?) and layer a bit of salsa, 4 tortillas and the corn-zuch mix.

Ignore the cheesemongrel.

Top with cheddar, salsa, and olives. Repeat, finishing with a layer of tortillas and a bit of salsa.

Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

This was such a good combination. Sweet fresh corn is the key. The look on their faces sums up the day...

HUH?! What was that? Is that ... an EARTHQUAKE?! I was in a meeting at 1:50 when the loud rumbling started. We all talked over it for a few seconds and then quickly realized there wasn't a lawn crew outside the door. The beverages on the table were sloshing and the door joints were very squeaky! It felt like driving over the rumble strips on the side of the road. The weirdest thing was that I suwannee (so worth-it clicky) it lasted about a minute despite reports of 20-30 seconds. The funnest part, of course, was the social media flurry for the next 2 hours (I'm pretty sure no one was actually doing work this afternoon). It made me slightly more endeared to Twitter.

That was the second quake I've felt in Winston, the first was in 2006 at like 5 am and was just a loud noise and quick rattle, enough to wake me up. My very first quake experience was like a 2.1 in Boonetacular in high school. Who knew?! And as one of my favorite local reporters said: "stop rolling your eyes at us, Cali!"

Obligatory: Did you feel it?

Green and White Pizza

2011-08-22T20:29:00.000-04:00

YJDKIY had some store bought (whole wheat) pizza crusts sitting around. After making my own dough with the quick rise yeast, it's hard to justify ever using these. They kinda taste and feel like cardboard, and don't expire for 2 months. Never a good sign.

At any rate, I didn't want them to go to waste, so I invented an alternative to red sauce. Hey if it turned out bad, at least I wasn't wasting good dough! The green ingredients.

And the white.

Four cubes of frozen pesto mixed with half a container of fat-free ricotta (plus I added extra fresh garlic because the pesto maker doesn't use as much as I do).

Spread across the crust just like sauce and top.

Bake for about 10 minutes at 405.

It was kind of like green cheesy toast. Good, but not great. The second one got a little tomato sauce added to the pesto-ricotta mix and that helped significantly! Overall, can't complain about this 20 minute dinner.

The Week Ahead

2011-08-19T20:20:00.002-04:00

SUNDAY: Cheesy Butternut Bake
MONDAY: Green & White Pizza
TUESDAY: Zucchini-Corn Enchiladas
WEDNESDAY: Nocream Creamy Broccoli Bake
THURSDAY: Seared Tofu with Green Beans & Asian Coconut Sauce over basmati
FRIDAY: Artichoke-stuffed Baked Potatoes & Kale (didn't happen last week!)
SATURDAY: tbd

Totally Honest Tempeh Wraps

2011-08-16T20:36:00.000-04:00

YJDKIY has one gorge looking tempeh wrap to share with you.

Pretty simple ingredients. More plastic than I'd like, though.

Slice the tempeh in triangles and then thin it in half.

Do the same to the apple and cheddar.

Saute in a cooking spray'd pan. Notice that weird moldy looking piece?

(clicky the pic to enlarge if you can't read...that doesn't really make me feel better)

They'll start to get golden and crispy.

Prepare your wrap with a base of apples and spinach.

Top the tempeh triangles with some cheddar and lid-it to melt.

Nom! Doesn't that look delicious? I couldn't wait to take the first bite it was so gorge.

And then I promptly recoiled in horror. All my previous dislike of tempeh came flooding back. It. Was. Gross. Bitter, bland, and well, moldy tasting. Apparently I don't like this kind, I only like the high-sodium masked by other flavors tempeh. I told you it was Totally Honest.

Our Own Potluck

2011-08-15T06:33:00.000-04:00

The neighborhood was having a picnic last night. I love potluck style dinner, but the whole concept, well I just can't handle food sitting for 3 hours and made in who knows what kitchen. I'm not young or male, after all.

Not to miss out on all the fun though. I made our own!

Clockwise from 12. Caprese pasta salad, homemade tortilla chips, peach salsa, sparagus, black bean cakes over baby romaine with cucumber-radish chutney. What a hodgepodge!

Menutacular

2011-08-13T12:38:00.000-04:00

SUNDAY: Those lentil enchiladas that never happened.
MONDAY: Other cooker shrimp & veggie specialty
TUESDAY: On your own!
WEDNESDAY: Haps!
THURSDAY: Salads with MSF
FRIDAY: Artichoke stuffed potatoes, kale
SATURDAY: Date nite!

grocery list
peppers
asparagus
lettuce
celery
potatoes
kale
artichoke hearts
edamame
fresh parm
cooking wine

Being Green

2011-08-12T16:58:00.002-04:00

This is what happens when YJDKIY is crunched for time and/or is only cooking for one! At least it's green! Spinach pasta, frozen green beans, frozen pesto. Done.

State of Tom

2011-08-08T07:55:00.000-04:00

Join Tom's of Maine in supporting nonprofit organizations.

50 States for Good is a national initiative to support the goodness behind grassroots community projects, and we need your help! Six organizations will share in our $150,000 sponsorship fund, including one organization that will be given $50,000!

Our panel of judges selected 20 non-profit finalists doing great things in their communities. Now we need your help. Your votes determine which organizations get funding! Vote Now.

HERE'S THE COOL PART: Leader Board. In case you're too lazy to click through, I'll tell you:

1	Galveston Island Tree Conservancy
2	Alamance County Meals on Wheels - Fresh Food to Seniors
3	The Lands Council - Reforest Spokane Day
4	Joplin Peace Garden - School of Metaphysics
5	Parkway Partners - ReLeaf New Orleans East
6	Philly Friendship Circle - Friends for a Caring World
7	Yadkin Riverkeeper

GO VOTE LOCAL! You can vote once a day until September 13.

Whataweek

2011-08-07T10:13:00.001-04:00

Not to be confused with What-A-Burger. I really wish I liked hamburgers because these places are all retro MCM fast food cool.

Check out this local W-A-B inspired Etsy find by ncFolklife.

TUESDAY: Nature Burger (i.e. YJDKIY whataburger)
WEDNESDAY: Spaghetti with Soysage, Peppers and Chard Sauce
THURSDAY: Mama Pea's Red & Green Lentil Enchiladas
FRIDAY: Homemade Pizza
SATURDAY: Tempeh Wraps with hummus, spinach, apples, and white cheddar

My Second Curry

2011-08-02T06:29:00.000-04:00

This is My First Curry. It's pretty good. But My Second Curry is sort of showing it up.

Start with all this, pretty simple right? The secret ingredient is the coconut milk (not to be confused with coconut water, which is very different, and I wrote about here). One thing I didn't realize is that coconut milk has a lot of saturated fat. But, as we know, all fats are not created equal, and there is considerable thought that it is indeed good for you (LA Times article). The bottom line for me though, is, like with many other things, moderation. Fixing this once every other month....not going to kill you. Eating it every day...probably not wise.

The other, not so secret ingredients: low sodium everything.

I digress. Chop up two sweet potatoes in 1/2 inch cubes.

Dice a sweet yellow onion and 4-6 large gloves of garlic.

Saute. Add curry powder, pepper, garlic salt, ginger, turmeric. I did not measure, duh.

Ever wonder exactly what is in curry powder?

Once translucent, add chick peas, sweet potato, frozen peas, water, and coconut milk (it will be gross coming out of the can). Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring frequently. Add a little more curry powder and garlic salt to taste.

Add the tomatoes and simmer 5-10 more minutes.

Remove lid, and bring to a boil again to reduce any excess liquid (you want it slightly runny but not soupy).

Prepare base of basmati rice and top.

Holy. This turned out superduperdelish and was pretty easy to make, the hardest part was peeling and cutting the potato, and who can't do that?

This is definitely a keeper and tasted even better the next day for leftover lunch.

Already August

2011-07-31T22:34:00.002-04:00

SUNDAY: Sweet potato & chick pea curry with broccoli
MONDAY: Spinach Quesas
TUESDAY: Pasta Pesto & Peas
WEDNESDAY: Warm Quinoa Bean Salad with Feta, Asparagus
THURSDAY: Spinach Salad with MSF grillers
FRIDAY: Black Bean Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese

Total grocery cost (including cereal, soy milk, and yogurt): $55.32
Not bad for 15-18 meals each (< $2/pp per meal)

Weird things...

2011-07-31T08:33:00.000-04:00

...from the aisles of Ocean State Job Lot. I love this place for a good bargain! Once a year I get to hit it up for some tasty, super discounted goodies. Last year, I scored tons of Bob's Red Mill for $2. This year, in order to spend the week here (no photoshopping of that true blue sky involved, straightup iPhone!):

we had to fly the friendly (but annoyingly delayed...did you see my tweets?) skies to get there. [insert my rant about US Airways first checked bag fee and delays] So there, was sadly no room to return home with $2 whole grains and $3 agave. I wouldn't want you to miss out on the fun that was had though, with these finds from the shelves.

Do you even know what sprats are? I don't and that picture on the box isn't helping.

Oh, creepy eyeball looking onions. In a jar?

And who is Maria and how did they get her in a box? At least she is original and natural.

Again with the jarred...roasted eggplant, really? I can't imagine how you would ever use this.

Everyone's favorite flavor: Meat. Not actual meat, meat flavor. Nom.

And while we're on imitation things...vegetables flakes? Wonder how many you'd have to eat to get a servings worth? Guarantee some idjit thinks this counts as healthy.

And finally, another thing I had to look up: Quince. There you have it.
Until next year, OSJL, I remain yours truly.

-------

Sidestory just for fun. One day last year at work, the Museum staff was doing a touchy-feely exercise with the art (not actually touching it, that's illegal), but looking at different paintings and then we were asked to write on a slip of paper a 2-3 word response. For this painting:

I wrote "Ocean State!" Boy did that confuse people. Do you have any idea why? Here this might help.

William M. Harnett (1848-1892), Job Lot Cheap, 1878, oil on canvas, 18 x 36", original purchase fund from the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation,
Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, ARCA Foundation, and Anne Cannon Forsyth, 1966.2.10

Sometimes it's fun to

2011-07-23T11:03:00.000-04:00

play with your food! The other eater got creative with his plate arrangement...

I totally see it. Fitting.

Risotto Row

2011-07-20T07:22:00.002-04:00

Such a simple combination of ingredients.

In case you can't tell, that's onion & garlic

grated summer squash and zuch-i-nini (like her-mi-ninny in HP4 that I am listing to currently!)

risotto

broth

and bonus basil (other flavor/topping options include parmesan and tomato)

I like onions. Saute them in EVOO for a few minutes.

Add in the rice and get it nice an toasty, about 3 minutes.

Gradually add 1/2 c broth, continue stirring until absorbed, and add another 1/2 c. Repeat until 3 c. added and rice has expanded.

Add grated veggies and simmer on medium for 10 minutes. You can increase heat to high to burn off extra moisture but to do this, you will need to stir constantly.

Add in other flavorings/toppings as desired! Perfect amount of summer meal.

Green Clean

2011-07-19T06:22:00.001-04:00

Just as I scrutinize the unnatural items of food that I put in my mouth, YJDKIY is starting in on the unnatural cleaning items I put in my house. I haven't actually stopped to count how many "products" I use each day, but I figure it's well over 12 (shampoo, makeup, toothpaste, soap, lotion, etc. plus all the household ones toilet cleaner, windex, dishwashing detergent, furniture polish, etc), but if each of those have 10 ingredients (of which I can't pronounce any!), that adds up fast.

The first change I made to simpler, fewer ingredients was a while ago: toothpaste. Natural, no additives, less chemicals.

I almost always use a baking soda variety, either Arm & Hammer or this one from Tom's of Maine.

Next up, tackling those pesky weeds. If you've been reading a while, you know my dislike of Monsanto, makers of Round-Up. I just couldn't bring myself to spray those chemicals on places we walk barefoot, the Canine Component lounges, and where rain runs off into storm water drains.

So the ingenious other resident at YJDKIY (not the furry one!) discovered a weed-killer that works. And that he can squirt me with! All safe ingredients - you could even do without the detergent and it would work I think. And work it does! I had serious doubts, but after spraying directly on the leaves, 3 hours of bright sun left even the crab grass shriveled, brown, and dry, ready to be easily removed.

And because of those who DO use roundup, I've added a PUR filter to our tap. No excuse to ever buy bottled water, but more importantly, getting rid of those chemical additives (both intentional and unintentional) in our water. I can tell a definite difference in the smell and the taste.

Moving to the bathroom. I haven't been able to give up wipes, but I did junk the Clorox, at least, with these disinfecting wipes from Seventh Generation.

They were expensive, smell a little funky, and I'm not doing anyone any favors with the non-biodegradable materials, but I feel better about the ingredients, my hands and nose aren't burning when I'm done, and things still get clean pretty quickly. I'll be weaning off these soon, but will look to other Seventh Generation products to green up my clean.

This isn't really cleaning, but it's green: reusable bags. This one is from Whole Foods. We've all been toting them to the grocery store for a while now, but I'm really trying to take it on other shopping adventures, the farmers market, and just about anywhere I might need to tote something. Plus it's cute to boot so I like showing it off!

Back in the bathroom, shampoo. I've used brands without sulfates & parabens before, but they were either extremely expensive, or not so hot with the hair.

Enter Simply U. I'm still trying to research this company, because I bought at GASP Walmart, but it was under $6, smells good, and works well so far.

And last up, the laundry room. This one still has some room for reform, but less ingredients is better with this Arm & Hammer variety. Perfume & Dye free.

These are baby steps by far, but at least it is a conscious choice. Next up to fix: makeup and dish washer detergent! What products do you like?

Muffins, My Favorite Kitchen Gadget, Seasame Street and Photography Lessons all on a Sunday morn

2011-07-17T13:07:00.000-04:00

One of only things that drives me to bake is expiring produce.

YJDKIY had some bananas approaching seniority, so I decided to whip up some muffins. Who doesn't love a carby fruit & nutterbutter filled mid-morning snack?

One of the things I really hate about baking, is all the small little dishes required. It's like the baking recipes set out to nickel & dime you into a carby coma. So...I always find little ways around these inconveniences.

Like adding oil. Don't get me wrong, the recipe (below) called for it, but listed it as the last item to add to the wet ingredient mix. Reverso that, adding oil first, and you can use the same measuring cup for the egg, PB, and sugar and it will slide right out, allowing you to use only one measuring cup. By using only the 1 c. one, you can visually estimate 1/2, 1/4, 2/3, whatever is necessary. As long as you know your fractions and pie wedges.

I also don't measure anything requiring spoons. 1/4 t salt = a small pinch, 2T cinnamon = coating the top of the mix with a decent pour. And yet another trick. This one might seem really odd...but I never bring out the electric mixer. A potato masher works perfect for almost anything, including bananas and PB.

You might be thinking, ok that's fine for mashing, but to mix in the flour, she's going to have to switch tools.

Nope! It's a perfect paddle-stirrer. And it's contour scraped the edge of the bowl cleaner than any spatula. Try it.

Voiahaha! Von, too, vree! Only vree dirty dishes (plus the muffin pan)! That is my attempt at counting like the Seasame Street Count. After a little time in the easy bake oven, out popped the most delicious smelling muffins ever.

Only they didn't look like it. They looked washed out blueish grocery store fare or something. Thanks to the "food" scene setting on my DSLR. Normally food photos around here happen at night. But with lots of natural morning light, there was no need for that enhancement.

So I switched to "A" mode, opened up the aperture as wide as I could, set the white balance to sunlight and the ISO to 400.

POOF! Just like that, they were as golden delicious on "film" as IRL. No photoshopping required.

I couldn't stop with the photos because they were smelling and looking so good I could just eat them up.

So I did. I don't know if it was the Hoffner Organic Farm's Whole Wheat Flour, or the lack of measuring, or just my lucky day, but these were so light and fluffy and at the same time moist and gooey. Perfection.

PB&B Muffins
3 ripe bananas
1/4 c vegetable oil
2 eggs (or equivalent substitute)
1/3 c packed brown sugar
~2T soy milk (optional)
~1t vanilla
~2T cinnamon

1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
~1t baking soda
tiny pinch of coarse salt

Preheat oven to 400, spray 12-muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Mix together first 6 ingredients until well-blended in a large bowl. Add remaining 3 ingredients to a sifter and gradually mix into wet ingredients. Spoon into muffin pan and baked ~20 minutes.

Artful Week

2011-07-16T07:30:00.000-04:00

YJDKIY is totally in love with theydrawandcook.com and this week's menu planning clearly illustrates that fact. get it?! Click the links to see the full size image and artist.

MONDAY: Pesto Baked Salmon

TUESDAY: Zucchini & Summer Squash Risotto

WEDNESDAY: Tofu McMuffin & Greens

THURSDAY: Ratatouille (Pasta Bazoola)

FRIDAY: Chick Pea & Sweet Potato Curry

Or-gonzo Take Two

2011-07-15T17:11:00.000-04:00

Remember back when I did this? But I still had one major problem, this? After nearly a year of hemming and hawing over how to best organize those shelves and not spend a lot of money on fancy contraptions, or designer IKEA space eaters, I settled on this.

A $4 solution. Each shelf has a tray with certain spices. They're all labeled on the front and top for easy selection.

And then you just slide the tray out (the garlic only fell down because I'd already taken the dash out! It's not like that normally I promise!)

And grab what you need. Woe to the first one who puts a spice in the wrong tray though! It's working pretty well and will be re-useable in other spaces. Mission accomplished. And, because I can't post a post title that without reference to this

you're welcome!

Israeli Cous Cous & Scallops

2011-07-14T20:10:00.000-04:00

The scallops aren't Israeli...they're pretty down home unhealthy American. :P

I love this larger cut of cous cous. In fact, I've been known to buy the prepackaged Near East brand and throw away the 710 mg sodium seasoning pack just for the couses.

But! Finally, I found a box of plain.

Static-y! How can you not love that?!

Just add to boiling water, simmer, and serve.

I mixed a few of flavors in, but didn't measure the Dash. Apparently it's called Mrs. Dash for a reason, and you do not need a Mr. Pour to go with it.

The scallops turned out pretty tasty with a white wine (onion, butter, whole wheat flour, garlic powder) sauce and crunch pankos on top.

But it still wigs me out to eat these. The other eater said they were v. delish though.