tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29440322347002860092024-02-18T22:58:09.212-06:00The Obsessive ChefSylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-59949513335082732882018-12-17T11:02:00.000-06:002018-12-19T23:07:05.470-06:00Vegetarian Swedish MeatballsI was bringing Swedish meatballs to the potluck at work, and wanted to bring a vegetarian version as well. I really couldn't find a good one online, so as usual, I made one up.<br />
<br />
I had a lot of trouble getting the flavor of the meatball the way I wanted it, I accidentally used twice as much black pepper than I intended, and I couldn't get a veggie brown sauce that didn't taste like bitter onion soup - so I almost scrapped the whole thing. However, after a few additions to the meatballs and an herb sauce in place of the brown sauce, they turned out great! I am planning to make bunches to freeze, and make Italian versions for spaghetti as well.<br />
<br />
<br />
meatballs:<br />
<ul>
<li>8 oz cooked black eyed peas, drained and mashed</li>
<li>1/2 onion, minced (can saute or leave raw)</li>
<li>3 TBS olive oil or melted butter</li>
<li>1/3 cup bulghur wheat, soaked overnight, drained</li>
<li>1/3 cup oatmeal, cooked or soaked overnight in water, milk, yogurt, or sour cream</li>
<li>1 tsp nutmeg</li>
<li>1/4 tsp allspice</li>
<li>1/2 tsp black pepper</li>
<li>2 TBS soy sauce (Kikoman works very well for this)</li>
<li>1 tsp thyme</li>
<li>1 tsp garlic salt or adobo</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
</ul>
gravy:<br />
<ul>
<li>1 cup milk or cream</li>
<li>1/4 cup flour</li>
<li>1 tsp thyme, ground</li>
<li>1 TBS parmesan/romano or Jarlsberg, shredded</li>
<li>1 tsp garlic salt or adobo</li>
</ul>
<br />
Heat oven to 300F with a small pan of water on the lower rack.<br />
<br />
Mix meatball ingredients together. <br />
Form into 1" balls and place on a well oiled cookie sheet. (They are easier to roll if you cool the mix).<br />
Drizzle or brush olive oil on the balls.<br />
Bake for 30 mins. Make sure to keep the water pan filled as they bake.<br />
<br />
Mix gravy ingredients in a medium sauce pan and bring to simmer.<br />
Simmer until it thickens to the desired consistency.<br />
If you are having trouble getting it thick enough, add a little more flour mixed in milk to the mixture, and simmer some more.<br />
<br />
Serve the meatballs with just the sauce or over noodles. Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-14654933100754785922018-12-15T10:49:00.000-06:002018-12-20T13:19:59.731-06:00Swedish MeatballsWe had a pot luck at work and someone requested Swedish meatballs. I
agreed to make them, even though I had never made them before! So I had
to do a little research.<br />
<br />
Yes, I visited Ikea.<br />
<br />
I
saw an article that said that they had gotten chicken meatballs, but
alas, when I got there, they had discontinued them sometime in the seven
months since that article was written. Oh well. I bit the bullet and
took a chance that my digestive system could take a few small bites (I
have an intolerance to certain proteins found in pork, beef, and the
dark meat of poultry, so I avoid those meats altogether - because it
does not contribute to me living my best possible life, if you know what
I mean).<br />
<br />
I survived and was able to come up with a
recipe that I think, although maybe not authentic Swedish meatballs, is
pretty close and really tasty!<br />
<br />
Swedish Meatballs<br />
<br />
meatballs:<br />
<ul>
<li>3 TBS butter or olive oil</li>
<li>1/2 sweet onion, minced</li>
<li>1/4 tsp nutmeg</li>
<li>1/4 tsp ground allspice</li>
<li>1/2 tsp black pepper</li>
<li>1/2 tsp salt, or garlic salt or adobo</li>
<li>1/4 tsp tarragon *</li>
<li>1-2 cups bread/cracker crumbs</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
<li>1 lb ground meat</li>
</ul>
gravy:<br />
<ul>
<li>3TBS butter or olive oil</li>
<li>1 cup mushrooms, chopped into small pieces *</li>
<li>1/4-1/2 cup flour</li>
<li>1 cup chicken broth</li>
<li>1/4 cup sour cream *</li>
<li>1 TBS Worcestershire sauce *</li>
</ul>
*optional ingredients:<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 300F for non-browned meatballs or 350F for browned meatballs. <br />
<br />
Heat
the butter/oil for the meatballs in a large sauce pan. Add the onions,
saute for 1 minute. Add the seasonings for the meatballs. Saute for 1
minute. Scrape out into a large mixing bowl. (Don't clean the pan,
you'll use it for making the sauce later and the drippings add to the
flavor.)<br />
<br />
Mix in the bread/cracker crumbs, then the eggs. Add the meat and mix everything until uniform.<br />
<br />
Oil a cookie sheet. Roll the meat mixture into 1" balls and place on cookie sheet about 1/2 apart. The mixture is much easier to form into balls if it is chilled first.<br />
<br />
Bake for about 15-20 minutes.<br />
<br />
Heat
the sauce butter/oil in the same pan you sauted the onions. Add the
mushrooms and saute for a few minutes. Add flour and mix until
incorporated. Mix together broth, sour cream, and Worcestershire. Whisk
into pan. Simmer on low until thickened to desired consistency. <br />
<br />
Serve meatballs and gravy over cooked egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-10227088121990190252018-12-03T14:00:00.000-06:002018-12-20T00:03:24.204-06:00Easy Creamy TrufflesI had about 8 pounds of a 10 pound bar of chocolate left over - what? I have reasons. Chocolate. Anyway, I needed to use it up, and I had a friend who made some truffles, so I thought that would be a good project -- try to find a recipe that was like Lindor Truffles - cause they are expensive!<br />
<br />
I found <a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/41236/easy-decadent-truffles/" target="_blank">a good truffle recipe on AllRecipes</a> and just tweaked it a bit for my tastes. I really didn't need to do much to it - just added cream and cocoa powder to make them chocolatier and creamier.<br />
<br />
And they are YUMMY! In fact, my husband said he preferred them to Lindor truffles! That's quite a compliment, because he would eat a whole bag of Lindors.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>8oz package cream cheese (any variety, low fat is ok)</li>
<li>3 cups chocolate (semi-sweet chips, milk chocolate, white chocolate, even almond bark will work)</li>
<li>1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar</li>
<li>1/3-1/2 cup cocoa powder (if you're making white chocolate truffles, omit this)</li>
<li>1/4-1/2 cup cream (heavy, whipping, or even half-n-half; could try a coffee creamer substitute)</li>
<li>1-2 tsp vanilla (or other flavoring)</li>
</ul>
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave. Be careful to not cook the chocolate. Keep the heat on low so that the chocolate just melts.<br /><br />Soften the cream cheese until smooth. I used an electric hand mixer.<br />Add the sugar, cocoa, cream and vanilla. Add the lowest amount and add more if necessary for texture and taste.<br />Mix until smooth and there are no streaks. The mix should pull away from the beaters fairly easily. If it is binding up the beaters, add more cream. If it is too runny, add more cocoa powder.<br /><br />Add the melted chocolate using a rubber spatula (the mix will get a bit too thick for beaters)<br />Mix until smooth and there are no streaks. The mix should resemble a very soft, sticky cookie dough. If it is too dry/thick, add more cream and mix in well.<br /><br />Let the mix rest in a cool place for an hour in the refrigerator or two hours in a cool room. It sets up faster if you flatten it out a bit.<br /><br />Scoop out and roll into balls. You can use your hands or a melon baller coated with coconut oil. <br /><br />If coating with chopped nuts, coconut, baking cocoa, or other toppings, roll in the topping immediately after rolling into a ball.<br />You can coat these in melted almond bark to get a nice, slightly crunchy outer coating that will hold toppings easier. Roll in the toppings immediately after dipping the truffle in the almond bark.<br /><br />Let these set up on waxed paper. They will set up fairly quickly at room temperature.<br />Makes about 30 bite-sized truffles<br /><br />**You can convert this recipe to fudge by substituting the cream and most of the sugar with a can of sweetened condensed milk. Mix the chopped nuts into the mix while it is soft and press the mix into a 9x13 pan coated with coconut oil.**<br />Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-18583793521763909882018-11-02T22:31:00.000-05:002018-12-19T22:32:40.329-06:00Nacho BakeI had some stale tortilla chips to use up, so I just whipped up a nacho bake! It was so good that my son joked that he is eagerly awaiting for more tortilla chips to go stale. You don't have to wait for stale chips to enjoy this easy bake dinner. <br />
<ul>
<li>1 lb ground meat (vegetarian option below*)</li>
<li>1 can Fire Roasted Rotel </li>
<li>1/8 cup water</li>
<li>taco seasoning (whichever one you like)</li>
<li>1 can black beans </li>
<li>1 TBS olive oil</li>
<li> 4-6 cups tortilla chips (these can be somewhat stale, it'll taste the same)</li>
<li>3-4 cups shredded Mexican mix cheese (I used one with Monterey jack, medium cheddar, queso quesadilla, and asadero)</li>
<li>1/8 - 1/4 cup Mezzetta Hot Cherry Peppers, chopped into small pieces</li>
<li>1/8 cup liquid from the jar of peppers</li>
</ul>
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, water, the whole can of Rotel (liquids and all), liquids from the can of beans, and the taco seasoning. Cook until browned. This should be a little saucy, so add additional water if necessary as it cooks.<br />
<br />
Spread the olive oil in the bottom of a 7x11 (2 quart) baking dish. Fill the dish about half way with tortilla chips. Sprikle cheese over the chips just enough to lightly cover them. Spread the meat mixture over the cheese. Spread the beans and peppers over the meat. Sprinkle more cheese over the top (I use enough to completely cover all other ingredients). Pour the pepper liquid over the top.<br />
<br />
Bake at 300F for about 20 mins. It's ok if the cheese browns or doesn't brown; it is good both ways.<br />
<br />
Serve as is; or with sour cream, taco sauce, avocados/guacamole, or more chips!<br />
*This can be easily turned into a vegetarian dish by using 2 cans of black beans, mashed, in place of the ground meat, and omit the layer of whole beans.Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-10554558824937971452017-05-11T11:42:00.000-05:002018-12-19T23:47:53.184-06:00Enchiladas Verdes
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had a bunch of left over roast turkey from another recipe I was making for a friend so I decided to try my hand at enchiladas verdes!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here is the recipe I came up with after reading through several recipes I found on the internet (as mentioned previously on this blog, I tend to Frankenstein recipes together to get the exact recipe I want -- or I just make one up myself!)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sauce:</span></b></div>
<ul>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3 cups tomatillos</b>
remove husk, rinse, cut them in half or quarters</li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2 TBS minced garlic</b></li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1” slice of onion</b>
optional <span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(or you can remove
before blending if someone doesn’t like onions)</span></li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Water or soup stock </b>enough
to just cover the tomatillos <span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(I
use either stock from the meat or Better Than Bouillon)</span></li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3-5 serrano peppers</b>
discard stems, seeds, and pith<span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
(the amount you use depends on pepper size and how spicy you want it)</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Throw the first four ingredients into a saucepan. Cook until
the tomatillos dull and become somewhat translucent. Add the serranos and
blend. Cook a couple minutes more and remove from heat or turn the heat to warm
if you will be serving right away.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Filling:</span></b></div>
<ul>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4 cups shredded roast
meat</b> - chicken, turkey, or pork</li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3-4 TBS olive oil</b></li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3 TBS minced garlic</b></li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3-4 bay leaves</b></li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1 cup water or soup
stock </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(I use the stock from the meat, or Better Than Bouillon)</span></li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1 TBS chipotle pepper
ground</b></li>
<li>I use <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3-4 TBS of
Badia fajita seasoning</b>, but you can add your own spices. Try this mix:</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>1-2 tsp
red pepper flakes <span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(depending on
how hot you want it)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>1 tsp
paprika <span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(can use smoked)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>1/4 tsp
cayenne pepper <span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(leave out if you
don't want it very spicy)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>2 tsp
chili pepper powder </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>1/2 tsp
cumin</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>1/2 tsp
onion powder or 1 tsp onion flakes</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>1/2 tsp
garlic powder or 1 tsp granulated garlic</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>1 tsp
salt</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>*Add
more of any of these spices until the meat tastes the way that you want it to!<br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can add a variety of peppers (eg.
poblano/ancho) for a richer flavor.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Add meat to a large, hot skillet. Stir until heated. Add
oil. Once oil is heated, add garlic and seasoning (except bay leaves). Cook for
a couple minutes stirring to keep from burning. Add stock and bay leaves. Turn
down heat to a simmer. Add more water if needed. Simmer on low for 10-15
minutes to set in the flavors.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Assembly:</span></b></div>
<ul>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">White corn tortillas</b></li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Filling</b></li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sauce</b></li>
<li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chopped cilantro</b></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Heat a pan (preferably cast iron) on high. Put a tortilla on
the dry pan for 30 seconds, turn over and cook another 30 seconds. There should
be some browning, and even a little scorching is good. They should lose some of
their translucence but still be flexible. Remove from heat and throw another
tortilla on. Repeat process with all the tortillas you will need.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On one end of the cooked tortilla, spread about 1/8 cup hot filling.
Roll. Put on a plate and pour the heated sauce on top. Sprinkle chopped
cilantro over the enchilada. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eat!</div>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
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<![endif]--><br />Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-4271551407140139792011-10-21T02:04:00.010-05:002011-11-01T22:49:35.890-05:00Titania Pasta MakerI have been putting off getting a pasta maker for years. The ones that I have found were big, bulky and expensive. And pasta is cheap, so why bother?<div><br /></div><div>Well, I tried homemade noodles a couple of months ago. I have pledged to reduce my purchases of corporate products and non-corporate pasta is expensive! -- but tastes SO GOOD!! So instead of paying $6 for a bag of egg noodles, I just made them myself. My family declared that only homemade noodles would suffice from that day on.</div><div><br /></div><div>Which is great except for the fact that they are really time consuming when you are cutting all the pasta into strips with a knife.</div><div><br /></div><div>So a couple of weeks ago, I was in a store looking for a smaller stock pot for canning just a few jars at a time, and instead found a compact pasta maker for $35. It impressed me enough that I bought it without even researching it first. It ended up being probably the most perfect pasta maker I could have gotten.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziUrgCCVSGrh1mP7Ze3WSu0bwq0enjX8qSKiYYxpWvnQ79K8lnLjMD1hc1wHS6K5SpjGfKHQ2mO09cdZKE4CGlN01RRbMwLtv1ufBH-utKXZo4S5_Xxg7UuZ2G9XQk8mF8vJm1SU28jQ/s1600/DSCN7457.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziUrgCCVSGrh1mP7Ze3WSu0bwq0enjX8qSKiYYxpWvnQ79K8lnLjMD1hc1wHS6K5SpjGfKHQ2mO09cdZKE4CGlN01RRbMwLtv1ufBH-utKXZo4S5_Xxg7UuZ2G9XQk8mF8vJm1SU28jQ/s400/DSCN7457.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665838901667357634" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It is Titania from Imperia. The reviews I eventually read indicated that it was an authentic Italian pasta maker - the one that an Italian household would most likely be using.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW58PipXobRrecIbjrjipduv69Lr_pCEGDYHReM5ACYI4VPgYgURGWJvROtSkxr2FLKhgPv-wMzfzG4TDvdUSzIYTJpLUbty-yHhmsIOtGvRIhtWj1idpclqXplNxfGtzO9jE-_T2b8zU/s1600/DSCN7476.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW58PipXobRrecIbjrjipduv69Lr_pCEGDYHReM5ACYI4VPgYgURGWJvROtSkxr2FLKhgPv-wMzfzG4TDvdUSzIYTJpLUbty-yHhmsIOtGvRIhtWj1idpclqXplNxfGtzO9jE-_T2b8zU/s400/DSCN7476.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665838890091637282" border="0" /></a>The pasta is easy to make. It is just flour, eggs, a little salt, and oil. I don't even measure. The consistency should be like bread dough when it is all mixed and kneaded thoroughly.<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lSgxK2YnhIo" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><br />Now a lot of the reviews complained that the maker took more than two hands to operate. I was able to work the machine without clamping it to anything and while holding the video camera under my chin. And all the while I had three dogs dancing around my feet looking for fallen pasta scraps. I think those facts illustrate the actual ease of use of this pasta maker. I did not let the dough rest. I just rolled a ball of the dough in a little flour before trying to roll it through. You do have to start on a wide setting and work your way down to a thinner setting or your dough will shred and it is much harder to get it through the rollers if you skip too many widths.</div>I used the noodles I made in the video in this vegetable and chicken broth soup. Celery, carrots, kohlrabi, sweet onion, sauteed with olive oil, and seasoned with a little ginger. A couple chicken bouillon cubes, water and the cooked noodles. It was delicious!<br /><br />And the noodles from start to finish probably took less time to make and cook than it would have taken store-bought dried noodles to cook. With homemade noodles this fast and easy, I don't think it will be hard at all meeting my family's declaration!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlVFSpYCdRzhoLbiDylT8zf5U4rhCBeVdrh_tevWk2Byok-26sGOg6qqi7vcwRQkAQ8SotxFY9eCRcEXLwgGIjgbi2g5rBrUXIguTrtInd51z8NoyJr_EbD14gPupdcQCp52JMVBFcmo/s1600/DSCN7481.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlVFSpYCdRzhoLbiDylT8zf5U4rhCBeVdrh_tevWk2Byok-26sGOg6qqi7vcwRQkAQ8SotxFY9eCRcEXLwgGIjgbi2g5rBrUXIguTrtInd51z8NoyJr_EbD14gPupdcQCp52JMVBFcmo/s400/DSCN7481.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665838885117829122" border="0" /></a>Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-33508021682527982622011-10-17T01:38:00.005-05:002011-10-24T13:05:07.131-05:00Ginger Garlic Wonton PackagesI had some interesting wontons from the local food co-op and knew I had to try to make my own.<br /><br />Mine were better!<div><br /><ul><li>1 head nappa cabbage, shredded</li><li>1 bulb garlic, minced or put through a press</li><li>2 TBS fresh ginger, minced</li><li>2 scallions, chopped - use white and green parts</li><li>1/8 cup chopped carrots</li><li>1 package wonton wrappers</li><li>2 cups peanut oil</li></ul>I threw the first five ingredients into my electric chopper to get it into a fine slaw.<br /><br />Spoon into wonton wrappers.<br /><br />Fold the corners to the middle like an envelope and seal together with water. I found that wetting my hands slightly before handling the wrappers helped a lot.<br /><br />Fry in peanut oil on medium high heat. You want them to cook quickly but not burn.<br /><br />Serve on their own as they are really flavorful, or you could serve with sweet pepper dipping sauce.<br /><br />These were easy and quick to make, and DELICIOUS!!</div>Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-68268150743155281632010-11-16T12:33:00.008-06:002010-12-05T18:05:30.281-06:00Avocado MargheritaI love avocados, even if I seem to be alone in that love in my household. This recipe is one of my favorite ways to prepare them.<br /><br /><table style="width: 432px; height: 645px;" summary="" border="0" rules="none"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6AuKGHLcX_Lbi2MtVVDoBaoNoDVijA98EMJBwzL24qzwrSaoJMKIECvFsrGqXPom75MVlwLWGEWMU9bYpsQO7iIdTIXuI12wIrO7vojhd9M18NY91N2GzlkMz94A4-WkNdQvevDRZ3Q/s1600/AvacadoMargherita-pre.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 115px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6AuKGHLcX_Lbi2MtVVDoBaoNoDVijA98EMJBwzL24qzwrSaoJMKIECvFsrGqXPom75MVlwLWGEWMU9bYpsQO7iIdTIXuI12wIrO7vojhd9M18NY91N2GzlkMz94A4-WkNdQvevDRZ3Q/s200/AvacadoMargherita-pre.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540224724582942418" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCydrxfm29kwEo5nx_s_0L2sn5jatoZujNH7RN8I5knZSVA7lpYRZjtwB6TUgg3QxHeNulOWfDjOTwhnYPf6ocC73MSkqwkewz6L8cqaKoBjAmK7EekxkySO2a7SpPeuRnQO3hj1l7Oxg/s1600/P3270020.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCydrxfm29kwEo5nx_s_0L2sn5jatoZujNH7RN8I5knZSVA7lpYRZjtwB6TUgg3QxHeNulOWfDjOTwhnYPf6ocC73MSkqwkewz6L8cqaKoBjAmK7EekxkySO2a7SpPeuRnQO3hj1l7Oxg/s200/P3270020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540224737565583202" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6AuKGHLcX_Lbi2MtVVDoBaoNoDVijA98EMJBwzL24qzwrSaoJMKIECvFsrGqXPom75MVlwLWGEWMU9bYpsQO7iIdTIXuI12wIrO7vojhd9M18NY91N2GzlkMz94A4-WkNdQvevDRZ3Q/s1600/AvacadoMargherita-pre.jpg"><br /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td><ul><li>Avocado - halved and pitted <span style="font-size:78%;">(I also peel mine, but you don't have to)</span><br /></li><li>2TBS diced red onion</li><li>1 garlic clove, minced<br /></li><li>1/4 cup diced fresh tomato</li><li>2 TBS fresh basil, shredded <span style="font-size:78%;">(can substitute 1 tsp dried basil)</span></li><li>2 thin slices of mozzarella<br /></li><li>1 TBS olive oil</li><li>Salt and pepper</li></ul>Oil a small bread pan. Place the avocado halves into the pan and sprinkle with a tiny bit of olive oil. Place the garlic, tomato, onion, and basil into halves. You can pre-mix these first if you want. Cover the avocado halves with the mozzarella slices and bake in a 350F oven until cheese is melted, and golden brown if you like.<br /></td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyI_t3axPk1i7r2D-GGNFAKaW8eZqfYev0FfSVyLr8fXNQaRAap7I1WxyMbZ-8PecPkyhxjh8tDznqSPE1F1gIDNzlNEemIlRX7IyFemsTo1cKzRAo4cJu9HB5sApPD148FKUF8VDm3x0/s1600/AvacadoMargherita-baked.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 168px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyI_t3axPk1i7r2D-GGNFAKaW8eZqfYev0FfSVyLr8fXNQaRAap7I1WxyMbZ-8PecPkyhxjh8tDznqSPE1F1gIDNzlNEemIlRX7IyFemsTo1cKzRAo4cJu9HB5sApPD148FKUF8VDm3x0/s200/AvacadoMargherita-baked.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540224804881731762" border="0" /></a></td><td style="vertical-align: top;"><br /></td><td>Serve them warm with salt and pepper.<br /><br />They are hearty, tasty and filling!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-23748082836881364972010-10-25T02:01:00.017-05:002010-11-16T12:16:40.108-06:00Delicata with Wild Rice and Cranberry StuffingI grew delicata for the first time and wasn't exactly sure what to do with it. The recipes I found online were your standard squash recipes: butter and brown sugar. I wanted something more savory, so I came up with something on my own. Our exchange student had never had wild rice before, so I knew that was in and it just sort of evolved from there.<ul><li>1 cup uncooked wild rice</li><li>1/4 cup craisins</li><li>2 TBS chopped scallions</li><li>1 TBS chopped medium-hot pepper<br /></li><li>1/2 tsp ground rosemary</li><li>3 TBS fresh thyme</li><li>1/4 tsp fresh chopped sage</li><li>2 TBS butter<br /></li><li>1 TBS honey<br /></li><li>2 Delicata squash</li></ul><br /><table style="width: 415px; height: 622px;" summary="" border="0" rules="none"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HFNdywE_y3r4UYy8WW_11v7PB_mTG5sFQTkAQUaWreYOoW9MgWSgDUxm9nCqM8yV0pddVbGUaaWRY1U7WJhR0aGkyHcVYwrT1I87v5t79Y3dRA0HsjrhNtFU0Iq2_2YD6QRWhyj80l4/s1600/DSCN2620.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 0px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 195px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HFNdywE_y3r4UYy8WW_11v7PB_mTG5sFQTkAQUaWreYOoW9MgWSgDUxm9nCqM8yV0pddVbGUaaWRY1U7WJhR0aGkyHcVYwrT1I87v5t79Y3dRA0HsjrhNtFU0Iq2_2YD6QRWhyj80l4/s320/DSCN2620.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531876807599599378" border="0" /></a></td><td>Cut the delicata lengthwise and scoop the seeds out. The seeds are said to be good for roasting, and this is an heirloom squash, so you may want to try to save the seeds.<br /><br /></td></tr><tr> <td colspan="2" align="left">Cook the wild rice in 2 cups water until tender. Add craisins, onion, herbs, and honey. Mix well and stuff the delicata halves with the mixture.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgzOZXGNrzMRW5Sq1SWS4YX2RJbcoXLp48Gsi4AeJIRwcf_rnomYVjdRfDyb3_algQkwUFR3NTncOAsaBsRCVzl9PKhTefEiKGUpYEzOeQtV35hGyyQiLiC5KcLZEm_GNEi65i_o4GYY/s1600/DSCN2628.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 20px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgzOZXGNrzMRW5Sq1SWS4YX2RJbcoXLp48Gsi4AeJIRwcf_rnomYVjdRfDyb3_algQkwUFR3NTncOAsaBsRCVzl9PKhTefEiKGUpYEzOeQtV35hGyyQiLiC5KcLZEm_GNEi65i_o4GYY/s320/DSCN2628.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531876816318519330" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLdKjOfGLys09K1zZlJ4jUM4pz-N2O_UultGYJ67Jq6WVDKQEslbBet2_40Bp4zkx3QmFz7vcR_278BGM6e224ktiIqUqS-_ZBBtlyJGHKN4L0TFmZIUOJrzP5M1hs0y0adcF-qpZvJA/s1600/DSCN2629.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 0px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 236px; height: 178px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLdKjOfGLys09K1zZlJ4jUM4pz-N2O_UultGYJ67Jq6WVDKQEslbBet2_40Bp4zkx3QmFz7vcR_278BGM6e224ktiIqUqS-_ZBBtlyJGHKN4L0TFmZIUOJrzP5M1hs0y0adcF-qpZvJA/s320/DSCN2629.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531876818930571026" border="0" /></a><p></p></td><td>I baked these at 400F in a claypot cooker for 40 minutes. You could probably get by with 350F in a regular baking dish.<br /><br />This was the first time that I had eaten delicata. It was a tiny bit mealy, but sweet. The skin, although fairly hard when raw, is soft enough to cut with a fork after cooking and completely edible.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The recipe? It was delicious! I will definitely be making this again. And the stuffing could be a stand alone dish as well.Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-28898466863765092942010-05-12T22:10:00.031-05:002010-10-25T09:22:40.803-05:00Morel Cream SauceI had my best morel year ever. My son and I usually just saute the mushrooms and eat them as a treat, but I actually had enough to make some kind of a dish with the morels that I found. I wanted to keep it simple and mild, since this was the first time that I was actually cooking them into a dish and wanted to be sure they would hold their own.<br /><br />So, although I was going to do a stroganoff or an Alfredo, I opted for a simple cream sauce. I basically went out to my garden and pulled what was available.<br /><br /><ul><li>1 TBS olive oil</li><li>1-2 TBS garlic chives, chopped - whites and greens</li><li>1-2 TBS chives, chopped</li><li>Small leek, chopped - whites and tender greens</li><li>A few rosemary leaves, chopped (or a pinch of ground rosemary)</li><li>1/3 cup (or more) morel mushrooms, chopped</li><li>1-2 TBS flour</li><li>1/2-1 cup cream or half-n-half - enough to get consistency you want</li><li>Sea salt</li><li>Pepper</li></ul><br /><table style="width: 350px; height: 422px;" summary="" border="0" rules="none"><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1ATb9oNa6HE1Vp3RRO7n94YHxRc9UcOvdwvKGqPj1E__MDV5GLFg_aRTSTi6U884xVSftyu_mAlClzMHkxYRSLokA20Tz1D1iixzQmppD83i_sBX6sFNtN6JXN7_GJgEhJxaiyh_fv8/s1600/DSCN1402.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 158px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ1ATb9oNa6HE1Vp3RRO7n94YHxRc9UcOvdwvKGqPj1E__MDV5GLFg_aRTSTi6U884xVSftyu_mAlClzMHkxYRSLokA20Tz1D1iixzQmppD83i_sBX6sFNtN6JXN7_GJgEhJxaiyh_fv8/s400/DSCN1402.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470587677521776002" border="0" /></a>Saute the chives and leeks.<br /></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboaumvUvginF6xjQCwOWtC-aqBTiRuvgdGhPF89bfj382KmaiZuVJyOAIH_QuUMB4LFHEp_OiGa9UHERxgI0GaLVshFDudbELYAdQuK9MA2sGRk-kk5S7F1H0kBn7N67s4j4sss7pd7Y/s1600/DSCN1404.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 201px; height: 151px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboaumvUvginF6xjQCwOWtC-aqBTiRuvgdGhPF89bfj382KmaiZuVJyOAIH_QuUMB4LFHEp_OiGa9UHERxgI0GaLVshFDudbELYAdQuK9MA2sGRk-kk5S7F1H0kBn7N67s4j4sss7pd7Y/s400/DSCN1404.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470587686980424498" border="0" /></a>Add mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms are fully cooked.<br /></td></tr><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8AfHe4hrbXG24grq9tPNNunBnWmGtRt0xtxeX49H6f8BRshp5Fkr7fNAoMJrhHHI_Dq_BM94TDEqG6MK3AaqNER2UOzTlzB5bvUmxc6UJZ0lyHAdLuEOC3NZ3SXNTog8a3uJyf9_YiY8/s1600/DSCN1405.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 139px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8AfHe4hrbXG24grq9tPNNunBnWmGtRt0xtxeX49H6f8BRshp5Fkr7fNAoMJrhHHI_Dq_BM94TDEqG6MK3AaqNER2UOzTlzB5bvUmxc6UJZ0lyHAdLuEOC3NZ3SXNTog8a3uJyf9_YiY8/s400/DSCN1405.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470587694687938706" border="0" /></a>Sprinkle in the flour and mix well.<br /></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kg7nVvFTB21u5bZ8-7FKr7-tV5H4LeHV_KI290neqyuUV9iWfSOJF_5ViyWcURX-LuSh6WtByQTYCey7jDF9lN8SpVWD9n2GnGWiFsOW1vrFoZjPZylR-5839ncfodjGhs4I9kP95R8/s1600/DSCN1407.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 177px; height: 131px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kg7nVvFTB21u5bZ8-7FKr7-tV5H4LeHV_KI290neqyuUV9iWfSOJF_5ViyWcURX-LuSh6WtByQTYCey7jDF9lN8SpVWD9n2GnGWiFsOW1vrFoZjPZylR-5839ncfodjGhs4I9kP95R8/s400/DSCN1407.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470587706094276066" border="0" /></a>Pour in cream/half-n-half a little at a time and mix well. You want to dissolve all the flour into the liquids.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Hfg-bO3z66Kumewe6QSoK-yt5LyMFHhaBET718ABnXCgCdms39B8PpF27V1IDywnahBJLfLdWaAI_RhaakVg_AsHQw2FM8NM8S7BdW9Qv2l_cN64N9JrFXmU5Ca2GnVBxYezQxIKExk/s1600/DSCN1410.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 238px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Hfg-bO3z66Kumewe6QSoK-yt5LyMFHhaBET718ABnXCgCdms39B8PpF27V1IDywnahBJLfLdWaAI_RhaakVg_AsHQw2FM8NM8S7BdW9Qv2l_cN64N9JrFXmU5Ca2GnVBxYezQxIKExk/s400/DSCN1410.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470587715349213554" border="0" /></a>Add the salt and pepper and cook until thickened.<br /><br />I used this over egg noodles. It was delicious!!<br /><br />The sauce was mild enough that the three mushrooms I used easily held their own. If you want to add a little more spice, like thyme or convert it to a stroganoff by adding sour cream, or an Alfredo by adding some Parmesan; I would add more morels. Heck, if I had had them, I would have added more anyway :)Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-73064374699794840162010-01-04T20:15:00.018-06:002010-01-24T00:15:46.967-06:00Tunisian BrikI wanted to add some more appetizers to my repertoire, so when I found a recipe for Tunisian Brik in my appetizer cookbook ("Appetizers, Finger Food, Buffet & Parties", by Bridget Jones) I had to try making it. I did make a few small changes - of course. The following is what I came up with.<br /><ul><li>3 TBS butter, melted</li><li>1 small red onion, finely chopped</li><li>1 lb ground turkey</li><li>1 garlic clove, minced</li><li>1 TBS lemon juice</li><li>2 TBS finely chopped cilantro</li><li>1-2 eggs, scrambled</li><li>phyllo dough<br /></li></ul>Start by mixing everything but the egg and phyllo dough in a frying pan and cook until meat is thoroughly cooked. Then it is on to phyllo dough!<br /><br />Let me start by saying that phyllo dough is a mother to work with! It is very thin, tears easily, dries out quickly, and then crumbles. I kept a mister handy to keep the dough moist; but be careful! If you get the dough too moist, it sticks to everything!<table style="width: 440px; height: 220px;" summary="" border="0" rules="none"><tbody><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIc5rXM6UTLn7wNK8BRz7SD9T2e1Hl__CPHV7GSI8b3PUVie4Jmma3GlaqpWCN0ZRgnYXeCI-ihgNYO9egvkkv79_gX8AohyphenhyphenDCEjZmbi-gukVbuL4Zm7wU6N59-eAcnmTCfGKDs6nO8M8/s1600-h/DSCN0471.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIc5rXM6UTLn7wNK8BRz7SD9T2e1Hl__CPHV7GSI8b3PUVie4Jmma3GlaqpWCN0ZRgnYXeCI-ihgNYO9egvkkv79_gX8AohyphenhyphenDCEjZmbi-gukVbuL4Zm7wU6N59-eAcnmTCfGKDs6nO8M8/s200/DSCN0471.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426336777242496530" border="0" /></a></td><td>I laid out two sheets. the recipe called for brushing with melted butter, but due to the delicacy of these sheets, I sprayed them with Pam instead.<br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejw2J542XGzmt-RER1P44zR9R0SWLU4-exuSUvmdMv24oYYrcxuP0ma5OGfJYQEcZXGgbyfbTKxVB3kNXZQx3dxqqnE-BQiSio3CijlyiEzMdBAhuyKk0zJFybch3TxtlhUWSh1IZ4W0/s1600-h/DSCN0474.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejw2J542XGzmt-RER1P44zR9R0SWLU4-exuSUvmdMv24oYYrcxuP0ma5OGfJYQEcZXGgbyfbTKxVB3kNXZQx3dxqqnE-BQiSio3CijlyiEzMdBAhuyKk0zJFybch3TxtlhUWSh1IZ4W0/s200/DSCN0474.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426336783941271458" border="0" /></a></td><td>The sheets were rather large, so I cut them into sixths.<br /></td></tr><br /><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgO3GYM0mjQiBfTpynmLCi70uPSQsoyK7tOMxyMokAhEUO3seb0YWAx0IY9L6uPmdLjP-idoF3hmyPb3wt9mMc47NIji0kHOXkljSPVZsZRl7naJQGLBx_ohB1J_k-XubDZLnJIYXU8Y/s1600-h/DSCN0475.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWgO3GYM0mjQiBfTpynmLCi70uPSQsoyK7tOMxyMokAhEUO3seb0YWAx0IY9L6uPmdLjP-idoF3hmyPb3wt9mMc47NIji0kHOXkljSPVZsZRl7naJQGLBx_ohB1J_k-XubDZLnJIYXU8Y/s200/DSCN0475.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426336792020300434" border="0" /></a></td><td>Then I folded each of the pieces until they made 3"x3" squares.<br /><br />They don't need to be perfectly even. As you can see, some parts have more layers than others.</td></tr><br /><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1odv383-ZTPbl4mA-bD2mJuD2iQmAQkSwn0OU8llWHdsYVuaa8gEZlemzYz5tLoCbCsFR67M-2bi777LQP3g3Vcczz6UNO6ec6tyrnm94reQMTXF6Dl3l-l7VTJDWayrQKx9juA-RZX4/s1600-h/DSCN0476.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1odv383-ZTPbl4mA-bD2mJuD2iQmAQkSwn0OU8llWHdsYVuaa8gEZlemzYz5tLoCbCsFR67M-2bi777LQP3g3Vcczz6UNO6ec6tyrnm94reQMTXF6Dl3l-l7VTJDWayrQKx9juA-RZX4/s200/DSCN0476.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426336797427353138" border="0" /></a></td><td>Place a tablespoon of the meat filling in the center of each square and a teaspoon of egg over that.<br /><br />Fold the phyllo corner to corner and seal with a little water. Place the triangles on a greased/oiled baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.</td></tr><br /><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_cP5ZKDX9tdYvGDX6uODvVdw283qo7_n96naXNf53i8u4BHHf6XmfREM0HCihC9Bkn7Gp7dRV-A4MOcvdikHuHqdNG_7qvDIUAbzifkU32YkaHDUe-PYBp8b5CQuX7ikPKvNTCJ7yAo/s1600-h/DSCN0479.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 174px; height: 129px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_cP5ZKDX9tdYvGDX6uODvVdw283qo7_n96naXNf53i8u4BHHf6XmfREM0HCihC9Bkn7Gp7dRV-A4MOcvdikHuHqdNG_7qvDIUAbzifkU32YkaHDUe-PYBp8b5CQuX7ikPKvNTCJ7yAo/s200/DSCN0479.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430170348818915410" border="0" /></a></td><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOGqoSZKqprmuhfwVeKthkw-LzREFPqj1ylEuFeVqx0nu3JEPHg39SWXTAcoSrzCkPW8umpyYhpmQplj1kJA_rF39_7nLxiYD6sOS7KBwiU-VNRUaWd0S4sIuuP1psvqZjxVPU6phCBU/s1600-h/DSCN0480.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 169px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOGqoSZKqprmuhfwVeKthkw-LzREFPqj1ylEuFeVqx0nu3JEPHg39SWXTAcoSrzCkPW8umpyYhpmQplj1kJA_rF39_7nLxiYD6sOS7KBwiU-VNRUaWd0S4sIuuP1psvqZjxVPU6phCBU/s200/DSCN0480.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430170356587658994" border="0" /></a></td></tr><br /><tr><td><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-439f47V0cB3tWkjL59UAVKilfQDmsucbveC5jfSsdDt5dinyt9lmUavGIHW_9nCWNCbAgNb-M1uaLOsJVnMxpe6ilLO8qMGd6NZKmIGjvsNgD0D5firs6pKE9gBch-KxvhkgOXyO6Uc/s1600-h/DSCN0484.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 158px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-439f47V0cB3tWkjL59UAVKilfQDmsucbveC5jfSsdDt5dinyt9lmUavGIHW_9nCWNCbAgNb-M1uaLOsJVnMxpe6ilLO8qMGd6NZKmIGjvsNgD0D5firs6pKE9gBch-KxvhkgOXyO6Uc/s200/DSCN0484.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430170370414293522" border="0" /></a></td><td>Bake at 425F for 8-10 minutes. They should be golden brown.</td></tr><br /></tbody></table><br /><br />These were AWESOME! And once you get the hang of handling the phyllo dough, they are amazingly easy to make!Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-53438310994205316592009-12-28T20:59:00.006-06:002010-01-01T10:52:12.060-06:00Tomato Lentil Soup/Casserole<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MgvPkP13pqMyLJbCctNbhvshEGP9ntt3P9uUYsazpCuF1jUi2SFQUMpQ1RQ3FWF4q-U2NUlvWPbGW-0pdHDVQGGr5QUvKV2-R6AS86jicFTZPk-2yOoDzAirDs3wZRiGd-ZK4OIUPKg/s1600-h/DSCN0430.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MgvPkP13pqMyLJbCctNbhvshEGP9ntt3P9uUYsazpCuF1jUi2SFQUMpQ1RQ3FWF4q-U2NUlvWPbGW-0pdHDVQGGr5QUvKV2-R6AS86jicFTZPk-2yOoDzAirDs3wZRiGd-ZK4OIUPKg/s200/DSCN0430.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420492764027318850" border="0" /></a>I needed to make a quick meal and had been remembering a wonderful minestrone that I had whipped up once, so I decided to try that again. Except I couldn't exactly remember how I had made it, so what I ended up with was different, but equally as wonderful.<br /><br />I call this a "soup/casserole" since it could really be either. When it was first done cooking it still had a soup consistency, but as it sat, the noodles soaked up most of the remaining liquid and it became a casserole. Either way was very good.<br /><ul><li>3 cloves garlic minced (I used the garlic I grew this year)<br /></li><li>1/2 medium onion, chopped or diced<br /></li><li>3 TBS olive oil</li><li>1 pint tomato sauce (I used the sauce I canned this fall - YUM!)</li><li>3 TBS ground Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary mix)</li><li>1 TSP sea salt</li><li>2 cups reconstituted lentils (about 1 cup dried - I used two lentils: French and brown)</li><li>2 stalks celery, diced</li><li>3 medium carrots, sliced (you can leave the skins on)</li><li>2 handfuls of uncooked pasta (your choice - used egg noodles)<br /></li></ul>The first thing that you want to do is start the lentils reconstituting by placing them in a bowl and pouring near boiling water over them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtjcwAi2kA8I4DEtPuKs6lbEtBmzRVAKew7pRkStNphTRLbn1rV81jRNvebQeorypW27wWJUQu4NdBs9eLx9s_tULuzb2YRA6Zo-qJ1dTRepZkBmjuESvIV5O2pnBWgU5ilaEcNVIL5o/s1600-h/DSCN0423.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtjcwAi2kA8I4DEtPuKs6lbEtBmzRVAKew7pRkStNphTRLbn1rV81jRNvebQeorypW27wWJUQu4NdBs9eLx9s_tULuzb2YRA6Zo-qJ1dTRepZkBmjuESvIV5O2pnBWgU5ilaEcNVIL5o/s200/DSCN0423.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420492786854061170" border="0" /></a>Heat the olive oil on medium in a soup pan while you mince the garlic and chop/dice the onion. Saute the garlic and onions in the olive oil while you dice the celery. Saute the celery while you slice the carrots. If you like your carrots firm, hold off placing them in the pot until later.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ehQXdqxXQn7s9xbJDVNjzRH6HrUYzeGGlJXS-WYCHdh78aOhmxr4Xj2JBNb70MmiAP8_1mCE5hgS2dAzEXbZS0T9qI6TbYxuytJRvTAXzqzuCGq65bUwzltMMw3ewZ1tVCLLqzWtTgQ/s1600-h/DSCN0426.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ehQXdqxXQn7s9xbJDVNjzRH6HrUYzeGGlJXS-WYCHdh78aOhmxr4Xj2JBNb70MmiAP8_1mCE5hgS2dAzEXbZS0T9qI6TbYxuytJRvTAXzqzuCGq65bUwzltMMw3ewZ1tVCLLqzWtTgQ/s200/DSCN0426.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420492776016457938" border="0" /></a>Dump the tomato sauce into the pot. Add a pint of water and mix in the Italian seasoning. Rinse the lentils and add to pot. Simmer for ten minutes. Add the pasta (and carrots if you didn't do that earlier) and simmer until the pasta is cooked. You may need to add extra water during this process (but make sure that the liquids remain bubbly hot or the pasta will cook pasty - <span style="font-size:78%;">Yuck</span>!)<br /><br />Salt to taste.<br /><br />This was quick and easy to make. I really liked this and so did my husband (who isn't a big shelled bean fan). It will make great leftovers for lunch tomorrow as well :)Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-79915345225251916172009-11-21T11:52:00.006-06:002010-10-26T17:35:34.440-05:00PersimmonThe persimmon is an over-looked, if not out-right forgotten, American-native fruit. I have a blogger friend that really likes persimmons, and I have even been contemplating getting a persimmon for my garden, so when I saw them at the co-op, I had to buy one to try it out.<br /><br />It was really squishy, like an over-ripe tomato, when I bought it and I was thinking that maybe it was a bit over-ripe.<br /><br />I started in on it by popping off the top. It was so ripe that this was rather easy. I then peeled the skin down, almost like you would do with a banana.<br /><br />The inside was like jelly with a segmented center.<br /><br />It almost had a slightly spicy orange flavor on first taste, but I think that was the mind playing tricks on me seeing as it was so orange. As I tasted it some more, it was more like squash pie flavor (like a pumpkin pie, only lighter). My husband thought it had some slight banana tones to it. As I tasted it some more, it became clear that it tasted like a cross between wild plums and squash, with the consistency of really ripe wild plums. There is definitely a delicate spicy flavor to it which is very interesting.<br /><br />The interior has two textures: the outer is like gooey marmalade and the inner is of almost lychee(or firm grape)-like textured segments.<br /><br />I really want to try a less ripe persimmon to see if the flavor is improved. I could definitely see eating these as a mock pumpkin pie by throwing a little whipped cream on top; or even mixing the persimmon into a milk shake! I have read that the Japanese let the persimmon freeze on the tree and eat them like popsicles - that would be worth a try, too.<br /><br />These fruit definitely have possibility, and I think that they'd make great, unusual gifts.Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-1445233984804457742009-10-26T00:08:00.018-05:002009-10-27T23:00:06.373-05:00Moroccan Stuffed Acorn SquashI had two acorn squash that I had to use up soon since I accidentally tore the stem off while harvesting - Oops! Oh well, my loss is my gain as I found some great recipes for this particular squash, and not your run of the mill "drizzle it in honey" recipes. In fact, I found two really interesting ones and couldn't decide, so I made them both!<br /><br />The recipe base came from <a href="http://www.elizadomestica.com/2009/10/07/moroccan-style-stuffed-acorn-squash-recipe/">elizadomestica.com.</a> Just like Eliza, I had to make a few changes. The original recipe came from the October 2009 edition <span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005NIOA?ie=UTF8&tag=elizadomestica-20&linkCode=as2&camp=211189&creative=374929&creativeASIN=B00005NIOA">Martha Stewart Living magazine</a></span> if you are interested.<br /><br />The following is my version of this recipe...<br /><br /><strong>Ingredients</strong><br /><ul><li>One medium acorn squash, cut in half and seeded</li><li>3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil</li><li>1 scallion, separate the green and white parts and chop</li><li>1 slice sweet onion, chopped<br /></li><li>3 garlic cloves, minced</li><li>1/8 teaspoon cinnamon</li><li>1/8 teaspoon nutmeg</li><li>1 cup chicken bouillon</li><li>4 cups water</li><li>1 cups of veggie burger mix</li><li>1/2 cup barley</li><li>1/8 cup raisins, minced</li><li>3 tablespoons chopped ripe sweet pepper</li><li>2 tablespoons chopped apple<br /></li><li>2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts</li><li>1 tablespoons cilantro, minced</li></ul> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p><p>Cut acorn squash lengthwise and remove the <span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102);" title="You can roast the seeds like pumpkin seed. They are very good.">seeds</span>. Bake at 350F face down in an oiled baking dish for 30 minutes.</p> <p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2p9G3cYzMpDNpxKsAPv1zmhKVDwOYMgh51GjbvqlLCl87v-u2qm8Inu91TFt7woSrOKHVlHkQ1dHvoT2i5NkrImi3BlzN9FgouASfNi4Ue-quUyPWFLKAKOLKJij4hQsL9bajydKiSbs/s1600-h/MororacanGruel.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2p9G3cYzMpDNpxKsAPv1zmhKVDwOYMgh51GjbvqlLCl87v-u2qm8Inu91TFt7woSrOKHVlHkQ1dHvoT2i5NkrImi3BlzN9FgouASfNi4Ue-quUyPWFLKAKOLKJij4hQsL9bajydKiSbs/s320/MororacanGruel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397287209387960642" border="0" /></a>While squash is baking, saute in a medium frying pan white scallion, onion, and garlic in 1 TBS olive oil. Add chicken bouillon and sprinkle in cinnamon and nutmeg. Once the bouillon and seasoning are thoroughly mixed in, add water, veggie burger mix and barley. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the barley is cooked. Add more water during the cooking if necessary to keep it moist.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczlO6roJmhtKtRbkdl2Tn_PSe4F3W98_OwDyM-C63Hi0PelcnrP_E9DH_MLwthAlhEGOP7sNBf3Xw2OvNsPcBZEJofFaNhWAODDpcwhTAIwE9-zOzu2CXreFZGLRcSs0ex5QWAW-8xxA/s1600-h/MorocanStuffing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczlO6roJmhtKtRbkdl2Tn_PSe4F3W98_OwDyM-C63Hi0PelcnrP_E9DH_MLwthAlhEGOP7sNBf3Xw2OvNsPcBZEJofFaNhWAODDpcwhTAIwE9-zOzu2CXreFZGLRcSs0ex5QWAW-8xxA/s320/MorocanStuffing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397287216406554738" border="0" /></a>Near the end of the cooking process, add the raisins, pepper and apple.</p><p>Turn the heat up a little, add 1TBS olive oil and allow the mix to dry out so that it holds a form. Add the pine nuts and cilantro and mound into squash halves. Bake for 15 - 30 minutes until squash is soft.</p>The following are pictures of the squash before and after cooking.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UPYGzYTQWAEcGaM6PjVLhR7s_Jv41ksRjNHfWQBE5TGjcewBQw2GdRpXfcKsvWOovVx5s6uZyqralteFy8ZvD_y4b7_hkZ1kW1vWr-YZIQiFZNBnri-H53hzpPZZ1lPc6p0OnuvLtic/s1600-h/Corn-n-MorocanSquashFilled.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 196px; height: 148px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UPYGzYTQWAEcGaM6PjVLhR7s_Jv41ksRjNHfWQBE5TGjcewBQw2GdRpXfcKsvWOovVx5s6uZyqralteFy8ZvD_y4b7_hkZ1kW1vWr-YZIQiFZNBnri-H53hzpPZZ1lPc6p0OnuvLtic/s320/Corn-n-MorocanSquashFilled.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397287227319492610" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6SHGT8wQXIfRW1NdiMwYgpyJUv-_kBnX2g-6KAYF2ch2OvcAbReD-vvNuPWvMcm1VqegHCBzrJlVTmpfY3bIVC1OJzkCCQXienRqlV0U8uK1d26dzy9GPT4Wjv0stFdp76eL9vbXCRNA/s1600-h/Corn-n-MorocanSquashBaked.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 196px; height: 149px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6SHGT8wQXIfRW1NdiMwYgpyJUv-_kBnX2g-6KAYF2ch2OvcAbReD-vvNuPWvMcm1VqegHCBzrJlVTmpfY3bIVC1OJzkCCQXienRqlV0U8uK1d26dzy9GPT4Wjv0stFdp76eL9vbXCRNA/s320/Corn-n-MorocanSquashBaked.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397287219795806738" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The dark is the Moroccan (the light is the other recipe I tried: <a href="http://obsessivechef.blogspot.com/2009/10/corn-chowder-in-acorn-squash.html">Corn Chowder Acorn Squash</a>). This was definitely a great recipe, and, it was even better as leftovers!Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-39691828377896545762009-10-25T23:53:00.014-05:002010-11-16T12:24:15.530-06:00Corn Chowder Acorn SquashI had two acorn squash that I had to use up soon since I accidentally tore the stem off while harvesting - Oops! Oh well, my loss is my gain as I found some great recipes for this particular squash, and not your run of the mill "drizzle it in honey" recipes. In fact, I found two really interesting ones and couldn't decide, so I made them both!<br /><br />The base recipe came from <a href="http://fredlet.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/roasted-corn-pudding-in-acorn-squash-recipe-for-mabon/">fredlet</a>.<br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><ul><li>1 acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeded</li><li>1 tablespoon olive oil</li><li>1 cup half & half</li><li>1 egg</li><li>1 can sweet corn, drained</li><li>1/3 cup grated Italian cheese (I used Romano and Asiago)</li><li>2 shallots, minced</li><li>1 sweet pepper, ripe (orange or red are great) chopped</li><li>1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced</li><li>1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt</li></ul></div> <span><span>1. Turn on your oven to 350F<br />2. Cut the acorn squash in half and scoop out <span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);" title="Save the seeds for roasting!">the seeds</span> with a spoon<br />3. Cook acorn squash cut side down in an oiled baking pan for 30 minutes.<br /></span></span><span><span>5. Put the corn, shallots, garlic and sweet pepper in a frying pan (I used cast iron) over medium heat. You want to roast these ingredients. A little charring is ideal, just don't burn them.<br /><br />Mix egg, half & half, cheese in a saucepan. Warm over low heat to melt the cheese.</span></span><span><span><br /><br />Add the roasted mix and continue heating until the chowder thickens. Stuff the squash halves with as much of the chowder as they will hold. </span></span>Bake at 325F for 40-45 minutes.<br /><br />The following are pictures of the squash before and after cooking.<br /><br /><a onblur=" try=" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UPYGzYTQWAEcGaM6PjVLhR7s_Jv41ksRjNHfWQBE5TGjcewBQw2GdRpXfcKsvWOovVx5s6uZyqralteFy8ZvD_y4b7_hkZ1kW1vWr-YZIQiFZNBnri-H53hzpPZZ1lPc6p0OnuvLtic/s1600-h/Corn-n-MorocanSquashFilled.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 196px; height: 148px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UPYGzYTQWAEcGaM6PjVLhR7s_Jv41ksRjNHfWQBE5TGjcewBQw2GdRpXfcKsvWOovVx5s6uZyqralteFy8ZvD_y4b7_hkZ1kW1vWr-YZIQiFZNBnri-H53hzpPZZ1lPc6p0OnuvLtic/s320/Corn-n-MorocanSquashFilled.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397287227319492610" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6SHGT8wQXIfRW1NdiMwYgpyJUv-_kBnX2g-6KAYF2ch2OvcAbReD-vvNuPWvMcm1VqegHCBzrJlVTmpfY3bIVC1OJzkCCQXienRqlV0U8uK1d26dzy9GPT4Wjv0stFdp76eL9vbXCRNA/s1600-h/Corn-n-MorocanSquashBaked.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 196px; height: 149px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6SHGT8wQXIfRW1NdiMwYgpyJUv-_kBnX2g-6KAYF2ch2OvcAbReD-vvNuPWvMcm1VqegHCBzrJlVTmpfY3bIVC1OJzkCCQXienRqlV0U8uK1d26dzy9GPT4Wjv0stFdp76eL9vbXCRNA/s320/Corn-n-MorocanSquashBaked.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397287219795806738" border="0" /></a><br />The light one is the corn chowder squash (the dark is the other recipe I tried: <a href="http://obsessivechef.blogspot.com/2009/10/moroccan-stuffed-acorn-squash.html">Moroccan Stuffed Acorn Squash</a>). This was definitely a great recipe. My son ate a half of one clean and I froze the other for a quick dinner later.Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-16512348227927398062009-10-25T23:04:00.000-05:002009-10-27T23:06:04.904-05:00TIP: Cutting Winter SquashFor cutting this rock hard squash in half, make a shallow slit in it where you intend to cut it in half, pop it in the microwave for 2 minutes, get a chef's knife firmly into the squash and pound it onto the counter.<br /><br /><object width="255" height="206"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pkAkWFOd3QU&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pkAkWFOd3QU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-4463088279175629432009-10-19T23:02:00.010-05:002010-01-01T10:53:35.067-06:00Leek and Potato SoupI have been trying to grow leeks for three years now since I love them but they get a little expensive in the stores. Well, this year I finally have some!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5JfrPrBIqsSbDyZCEipvffAl3PVb6gCq-klg45kCnbOuRirdGLU4pquFekZFQ_jaZCkbUplfyoNBOxbbND0y_9zumYt8HKE8Hzy1qZZTng_loVLtV84kH8mOYFl1dtQvzsT_hbK9sIkp/s1600-h/DSCN0229.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5JfrPrBIqsSbDyZCEipvffAl3PVb6gCq-klg45kCnbOuRirdGLU4pquFekZFQ_jaZCkbUplfyoNBOxbbND0y_9zumYt8HKE8Hzy1qZZTng_loVLtV84kH8mOYFl1dtQvzsT_hbK9sIkp/s400/DSCN0229.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394523813483171778" border="0" /></a><br />Not the huge ones you see in the store, but they will work just fine for my leek and potato soup. I evolved this recipe from the one in Renny Darling's Vegetarian Fast and Fancy (one of my favorite cookbooks.<br /><br /><ul><li>4 small leeks</li><li>1 small sweet onion</li><li>4 medium potatoes (I recommend one of the golds)</li><li>6 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)</li><li>4 TBS chopped chives</li><li>Olive oil</li><li>White pepper</li><li>sea salt</li></ul><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOuEIezY8CySkzuJ2Bw44MZnesVoapv18lrfTOWYloNn0xHkSoOWOCi1K4E_8zkopKt4XuBNzT9I09pui8EiOc_9AJaQ2X7VunbnKfoho0lf___IZOFS65XeeLNZum1J_ZAcW5N2gL5k/s1600-h/DSCN0234.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOuEIezY8CySkzuJ2Bw44MZnesVoapv18lrfTOWYloNn0xHkSoOWOCi1K4E_8zkopKt4XuBNzT9I09pui8EiOc_9AJaQ2X7VunbnKfoho0lf___IZOFS65XeeLNZum1J_ZAcW5N2gL5k/s320/DSCN0234.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394531419180914306" border="0" /></a>Slice the leeks and chop the onions. Saute in a little olive oil.<br /><br />I use chicken bouillon for the broth and like to add it with the oil as the oil helps break it down faster.<br /><br />Once everything is sauteed, add all the broth (add 6 cups water at this point if using bouillion), white pepper and salt. Simmer while preparing the potatoes.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRSLlrmQwxMC2ALSOrIy3qPgMBzr0GFaJKb-tAHJ02f4WNicRgzYVKOSye4hy6rEaV339OmPiTcn5XEgjWtkW7GlZC343c89v7Z1pEV_WqJ1QH6fPnHu0s2lGC2L4gKUA4pVaWW146zc/s1600-h/DSCN0236.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRSLlrmQwxMC2ALSOrIy3qPgMBzr0GFaJKb-tAHJ02f4WNicRgzYVKOSye4hy6rEaV339OmPiTcn5XEgjWtkW7GlZC343c89v7Z1pEV_WqJ1QH6fPnHu0s2lGC2L4gKUA4pVaWW146zc/s320/DSCN0236.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394531427751521890" border="0" /></a>Cube the potatoes into 1/2 - 1 in cubes and fry over medium heat.<br /><br />Once the potatoes are well seared, add them to the soup.<br /><br />Simmer for about ten minutes.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOlveWobVR6z1vFwhJLvVBiGbOgsH_OyOn0xW6dzhyphenhyphenSXtIOvtSraxg2Skw5Mqiibz0IFnnqVUqO_KYSK7YPVEzCFDlcBhRwYJXBNPIX13C84jem5z_TA1yssWHEG3NC9nqFU3OFBbXmw/s1600-h/DSCN0238.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOlveWobVR6z1vFwhJLvVBiGbOgsH_OyOn0xW6dzhyphenhyphenSXtIOvtSraxg2Skw5Mqiibz0IFnnqVUqO_KYSK7YPVEzCFDlcBhRwYJXBNPIX13C84jem5z_TA1yssWHEG3NC9nqFU3OFBbXmw/s320/DSCN0238.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394531441720943778" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQYGNEqdrGScjkrFMwkeqVFKLoymbbTzibHnbq_KQBCZHu-ZH6RwDSEYwE1ucpT1oJdfx5PK7FRvmlZj73WSHKG-faAth2vM0mWrpT4iKCKI6ClWkt8kqOeWW2HplW7rmh2ZThr7PiJM/s1600-h/Bowl+of+leek+and+potato+soup.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQYGNEqdrGScjkrFMwkeqVFKLoymbbTzibHnbq_KQBCZHu-ZH6RwDSEYwE1ucpT1oJdfx5PK7FRvmlZj73WSHKG-faAth2vM0mWrpT4iKCKI6ClWkt8kqOeWW2HplW7rmh2ZThr7PiJM/s320/Bowl+of+leek+and+potato+soup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394531454848899202" border="0" /></a>Add the chopped chives right before serving. Delicious!<br /><br />This soup always goes fast in my house, and this batch was the best ever!<br /><br />Maybe it was the home grown leeks...Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-27254866839548513452009-10-17T18:48:00.006-05:002009-10-18T21:09:45.707-05:00Apple ChipsI went a little nuts this year. I told my apple orchard friend that I would like 3-4 bushels of apples for making applesauce. He gave me close to four bushels. What was I thinking?! After having made about forty quarts of apple sauce, I decided that I might want to make something else with the remaining apples.<br /><br />I love the apple chips that I have gotten from the stores -- the very expensive apple chips. So why not make those? And guess what? They are easy!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhksaGBhkTA9jvWev_kuWN8WhWx7b57oindwkobDuVf_HGKBhGbGqOrygMUjP3BJyWiq9M5e_piUCfsYYXzImdFE21kl05bg9eEhE6Q-DLJYZlZjdt3p5xgrQxilEcCVrYcntXUETmkFcw/s1600-h/DSCN0198.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px; display: block; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhksaGBhkTA9jvWev_kuWN8WhWx7b57oindwkobDuVf_HGKBhGbGqOrygMUjP3BJyWiq9M5e_piUCfsYYXzImdFE21kl05bg9eEhE6Q-DLJYZlZjdt3p5xgrQxilEcCVrYcntXUETmkFcw/s320/DSCN0198.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393722153319922498" border="0" /></a>I borrowed a cast iron apple peeler/corer/slicer. This tool slices the apples to the perfect thickness - about 1/8 inch --, but you could do that by hand. You don't have to peel or core the apple. Just slice the apple into 1/8in thick slices and pop the seeds out. If you use the peeler/corer/slicer, disengage the peeler. The apple will be sliced in a spiral with this tool, so line up your knife with the spiral end and slice through one side of the apple. This will leave you circles instead of a spiral.<br /><br />If you want them flavored: mix 4TBS brown sugar, 1/2 - 1TBS cinnamon, and 1/8-1/4 cup water. Dip the slices in the mixture, shake them off and lay them in a single layer on a dehydrator* tray sprayed with Pam. IMPORTANT: If you do not Pam the tray, you will not be able to get the chips off the tray! I learned this the hard way and lost half my first batch.<br /><br />Let them dehydrate about 18-24 hours. They may feel a little pliant when you remove them, but once they cool they should be as crispy as a potato chip.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSLj21GXm4aAmnnOJ8w1JtMh105aXUIxnGZ9ScheYsHMjDBB5QxBMST9GSCjp83ixW0_zfm_ohwv2mKD0r3GbuN3IttnpGOOTcj-eyMxFk6Fu4ve1p1AijBskTwOG_sYh5WPWXYPag9s/s1600-h/DSCN0195.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSLj21GXm4aAmnnOJ8w1JtMh105aXUIxnGZ9ScheYsHMjDBB5QxBMST9GSCjp83ixW0_zfm_ohwv2mKD0r3GbuN3IttnpGOOTcj-eyMxFk6Fu4ve1p1AijBskTwOG_sYh5WPWXYPag9s/s320/DSCN0195.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393722139265404642" border="0" /></a>These are addictive, but as healthy as they are, that's just fine. You should be able to store these as long as any other dried fruit, but you probably won't have to worry about storage times as they won't stick around long!<br /><br />*<span style="font-size:85%;">If you do not have a dehydrator, you can do this in the oven. I didn't do any batches in the oven, so I'm not sure the best way to do that, but I hear a SilPat is indispensable. I don't have one, so I would line my cookie sheets with my cooling racks, Pam those and lay the apple slices on that. If I ever try the oven, I will update this post with directions.</span>Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-33850666237017294712009-10-11T23:47:00.006-05:002009-10-12T01:23:52.862-05:00Sweet Zucchini Pickles<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDSw7XZOzE6YyYmbPgK1bcwLurACj72A4QEGzXA9x4dMzI-WN3zyVnhWGNgFUlUx3nvek4kDaXaDYyg261plQrt7KTWsNAD5JKy6SqC4w_LLSIRLxm1uAZTbG5Eao1SVG3nIysDI568A/s1600-h/DSCN0162.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 20px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDSw7XZOzE6YyYmbPgK1bcwLurACj72A4QEGzXA9x4dMzI-WN3zyVnhWGNgFUlUx3nvek4kDaXaDYyg261plQrt7KTWsNAD5JKy6SqC4w_LLSIRLxm1uAZTbG5Eao1SVG3nIysDI568A/s400/DSCN0162.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391586634899157586" border="0" /></a>I had a late bumper crop of zucchini and usually I grate it and freeze it for pancakes, but I was on a canning kick, so I decided to try making pickles with them. Zucchini isn't that much different from cucumbers, except that they have way more flavor and can be HUGE!<br /><br />I got the base recipe from kitchengadgetgirl website. I say base, because I changed it drastically as I am apt to do. Here is my final recipe:<br /><br /><ul><li>1 monster zucchini (the kind that you find in your garden and can't believe that you missed it for so long!), fairly scar/blemish free<br /></li><li>1/2 cup salt in 1/2 gallon water for soaking zucchini<br /></li><li>1 large sweet onion</li>SAUCE:<li>2 quart apple cider vinegar</li><li>2-3 cups brown sugar</li><li>1 Tablespoons turmeric</li><li>2 teaspoon celery seed</li><li>6 teaspoons mustard seed</li></ul><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3iShgRmFZT8O7Fjk2EzOAWN6Tx4bxEfQUFsCQGoRzWwZHpigsj_Onq0ddnUqjvtIHUJZ3j0QLkv072jjdmvXmWI_1ImShnJSAhKrWNIusAgF0bkB-K5UAYRg_4UTFYqJf7z62IFX2QI/s1600-h/DSCN0180.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip3iShgRmFZT8O7Fjk2EzOAWN6Tx4bxEfQUFsCQGoRzWwZHpigsj_Onq0ddnUqjvtIHUJZ3j0QLkv072jjdmvXmWI_1ImShnJSAhKrWNIusAgF0bkB-K5UAYRg_4UTFYqJf7z62IFX2QI/s400/DSCN0180.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391586661253315970" border="0" /></a>Slice the zucchini and onion thinly, about 1/16-1/8in thick. When you hit the part that has well developed seeds, just pick them out and leave the slice as whole as you can. Soak the zucchini in the salt water for about an hour.<br /><br />While the zucchini is soaking, sterilize your jars (if you are going to can this), mix the sauce and bring to a boil. Drain the zucchini and mix with the onion slices.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Op7g7Xdl8n6TXDyhwhrUzhbxkJMOFSbJJYvn0I929ZYd3TYDgUqgUVG4AIP3BKM7jdcr5RqIcB_nDNe_anRM95Lr4jCm_1G32ayYD2Uw5WyYZoIhUPLIWSHNheN7JMhYyAt76hgoPAk/s1600-h/DSCN0181.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Op7g7Xdl8n6TXDyhwhrUzhbxkJMOFSbJJYvn0I929ZYd3TYDgUqgUVG4AIP3BKM7jdcr5RqIcB_nDNe_anRM95Lr4jCm_1G32ayYD2Uw5WyYZoIhUPLIWSHNheN7JMhYyAt76hgoPAk/s400/DSCN0181.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391586675315830098" border="0" /></a>Pack the hot jars with the zucchini/onion mix and pour the sauce into the jar so that it covers the vegetables and leaves a little less than an inch head space (just past the shoulder).<br /><br />Process the jars for 10 minutes using the hot water bath method.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufLix5JZV-ldLkz-gIBiRF0QZdoNla6Zx9f2Xf4foulQSQ5zx2LEH1rwB1qJRrhk8qL2i0LDxbQ6wHNH6ajxNtMfHUFqo3uRpoCEP7QobxG_uOSIClpwrDWo64ovDZGI6HKgUsfy-Ii0/s1600-h/DSCN0182.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufLix5JZV-ldLkz-gIBiRF0QZdoNla6Zx9f2Xf4foulQSQ5zx2LEH1rwB1qJRrhk8qL2i0LDxbQ6wHNH6ajxNtMfHUFqo3uRpoCEP7QobxG_uOSIClpwrDWo64ovDZGI6HKgUsfy-Ii0/s400/DSCN0182.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391586688158807714" border="0" /></a>These were much different than the sweet pickles I usually make and I think I just might like them even more.Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-45181409831325958482009-09-24T21:17:00.008-05:002010-10-26T17:39:09.432-05:00Grilled Portabella & Pastrami Sandwich<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNjGWwpj6VgkYTRoWO_wEE_i0a8WWYiPQioTyihu0iZELZk0K0fIlhN-0LHY1Zroy6gbVA_cfcwBgJ6vgfAxAoE9ZrJUeMJRH1Zv-iznoo6lXplDC4IwmGk0XTh4gwuKzbUSgqIl5vwY/s1600-h/Copy+of+DSCN9823.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 243px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNjGWwpj6VgkYTRoWO_wEE_i0a8WWYiPQioTyihu0iZELZk0K0fIlhN-0LHY1Zroy6gbVA_cfcwBgJ6vgfAxAoE9ZrJUeMJRH1Zv-iznoo6lXplDC4IwmGk0XTh4gwuKzbUSgqIl5vwY/s400/Copy+of+DSCN9823.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385224302651455314" border="0" /></a><ul><li>Pastrami (I used turkey pastrami)</li><li>Portabella mushroom cap</li><li>Mozzarella cheese (I used shredded, you could also use very thin slices) </li><li>2 slices of bread</li><li>Butter</li><li>1/2 TBS Olive oil<br /></li><li>Fresh rosemary</li></ul>Fry the pastrami and portabello in olive oil and rosemary. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Sprinkle a little cheese on one unbuttered side, lay on the fried pastrami, sprinkle a little more cheese, lay on the portabello, sprinkle little more cheese, add the second piece of bread buttered side out. Set the sandwich in the hot pan to grill both sides.<br /><br />My son was so excited about this sandwich he had almost half of it gone before I could even take a picture! Two thumbs up from my teen. He reluctantly gave me a taste as well, and I agree it is a keeper.Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-88893765002156090372009-09-03T17:54:00.002-05:002009-09-25T09:14:36.530-05:00Cherry Bomb SalsaI have a bunch of tomatoes ripening in my garden, so I have been canning. I only can high acid foods since I don't have a pressure canner, and I never had experience with one (that may change next year). Most tomatoes are naturally high in acid, so they can be canned using the hot water bath method.<br /><br />I wanted to make salsa but didn't have enough jalapeños, so I ordered a pound of Cherry Bomb peppers from our local coop. I like these peppers a lot because they have the sweetness of the ripe red sweet pepper but a nice bite of a mild jalapeño.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0aT1eKHK901KFQzMlVsjWK6p-DeO2hHurtZdbJzBPTRtOLDHiZRC9CLgetO_zbebl3iFu_wq5QrVWY1IVRuWCH1UrkfwjaQEC8Gssg618_3soxTO8mXLtW9-uQvyxsEsC8iOD271Pjs/s1600-h/DSCN9720.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0aT1eKHK901KFQzMlVsjWK6p-DeO2hHurtZdbJzBPTRtOLDHiZRC9CLgetO_zbebl3iFu_wq5QrVWY1IVRuWCH1UrkfwjaQEC8Gssg618_3soxTO8mXLtW9-uQvyxsEsC8iOD271Pjs/s320/DSCN9720.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377079748990473858" border="0" /></a><br />This makes four quart jars of salsa.<br /><ul><li>1 gallon crushed tomatoes<br /></li><li>1/2 lb Cherry Bomb peppers, tops and seeds removed (leave seeds for more heat)<br /></li><li>1 medium sweet onion, bottom and skin removed<br /></li><li>1 bulb garlic, skins removed<br /></li><li>1 tsp sea salt, or more to taste<br /></li><li>1/4 cup lemon juice (necessary for water-bath canning; you can omit if pressure canning)<br /></li><li>2 TBS brown sugar (it cuts down on the harshness of the acidity necessary for water-bath canning these)</li></ul><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5gW9qY4d3qhRg71Hy1riytqavtr89pgd5vtGcyZkW5teo-qV1RbdCXNpsGWixUB0JMCm-JJj6ahVW1pNOxaspf63RvFrI1CXq6lsUSzA7peQ9xf3jUpVI8NYwnyJqtzwMa3ynzXQs2Zk/s1600-h/DSCN9704.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5gW9qY4d3qhRg71Hy1riytqavtr89pgd5vtGcyZkW5teo-qV1RbdCXNpsGWixUB0JMCm-JJj6ahVW1pNOxaspf63RvFrI1CXq6lsUSzA7peQ9xf3jUpVI8NYwnyJqtzwMa3ynzXQs2Zk/s320/DSCN9704.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377079739252422578" border="0" /></a>Chop everything and put in a large pan to reduce until thickened. You can either let cool and eat it right away or you could can this for later. I did can this but had some leftovers to try. It was very good, but mild. I will add more peppers or leave the seeds in for more heat next time.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">For canning:</span><br />*Please visit <a href="http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/publications_usda.html">the National Center for Home Food Preservation site</a> for proper canning instructions. Although no one has ever fallen ill from my canning methods, I may be omitting proper procedural steps here.*<br /><br />While the salsa is boiling down, put the rack in the water-bath pan, fill 1/3 way with water, and bring to boil. Wash four jars, lids and bands. Carefully examine each jar for any damage; do not use jars with any amount of damage (you can save these for storing dry foods). Sterilize the jars and lids by placing in the boiling water for ten minutes.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHqCbgvbCHEUQoyL0P-TmTF_LxJZfO0tfPAZKhzhGalftyoEOCo07jBmTeVSozCTYBHJOjqoU8jRbiFne1SHgv644V8zW7vu8GtnNnjyjwisKIesJTCse8WkrXtSGywBK79EiRq-5DsYQ/s1600-h/DSCN9708.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHqCbgvbCHEUQoyL0P-TmTF_LxJZfO0tfPAZKhzhGalftyoEOCo07jBmTeVSozCTYBHJOjqoU8jRbiFne1SHgv644V8zW7vu8GtnNnjyjwisKIesJTCse8WkrXtSGywBK79EiRq-5DsYQ/s320/DSCN9708.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377079727880376114" border="0" /></a>Fill the jars with the hot, reduced salsa to 1/2 inch from the top. Wipe the rim with a clean, damp towel. Place a lid on and hand-tighten a band on the jar.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJhWu641elybDG9tdluWGMw9hKqStVI5xoweEG7Zxe8e0tFmRZ-_saZkK2y611AQcUnPhmIE-K5HfHzms-o1a65APc9F1NsXv4WNDU6kfUWdlNrUI98zbcNJRGaOlOa9Djyl82zA8PRc/s1600-h/DSCN9707.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJhWu641elybDG9tdluWGMw9hKqStVI5xoweEG7Zxe8e0tFmRZ-_saZkK2y611AQcUnPhmIE-K5HfHzms-o1a65APc9F1NsXv4WNDU6kfUWdlNrUI98zbcNJRGaOlOa9Djyl82zA8PRc/s320/DSCN9707.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377079719898342322" border="0" /></a>Place the jars in the water bath. When the temperature has reach at least 212degrees, place a lid on the pan and maintain temperature for 35 minutes.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLpxVvP_eI97rU4BOb_YrSdDgnp8ljDIaMeKiH0K5k3MwxzTCDvw2RTAjInGUeQE5n93QScNoeQHCJMehFCLB30tRDZ7r1KHM8QpOY8sPY7hJ0Pyvltvrnyawlta6-2v7DvO9tyCNeF0/s1600-h/DSCN9723.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLpxVvP_eI97rU4BOb_YrSdDgnp8ljDIaMeKiH0K5k3MwxzTCDvw2RTAjInGUeQE5n93QScNoeQHCJMehFCLB30tRDZ7r1KHM8QpOY8sPY7hJ0Pyvltvrnyawlta6-2v7DvO9tyCNeF0/s320/DSCN9723.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377079716862097906" border="0" /></a>Remove the jars carefully. Place on a towel or cooling rack leaving at least an inch in between all jars. You should hear the lids contract, making a popping/pinging sound. Let them cool for 24hrs before checking for proper seal, labeling and storing in a cool, dry, dark place.<br /><br />I try to use up my canned goods within a year for best taste and throw out everything that's older than three years just to be safe. But when I was growing up, we often ate home canned goods that were over five years old and we're all still alive!!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">*I also found <a href="http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art2816.asp">this site</a> to be very good at basic canning instructions.*</span>Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-21412899185803052022009-08-23T23:16:00.007-05:002009-09-26T15:14:53.698-05:00Chez JudeLast weekend I went camping with my husband and son near the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota. When we go up there, we like to go eat at really nice places - hey, we're saving so much money camping, why not? We have chosen our camping clothes to be dirt resistant, wrinkle free, and stylish so that we don't look like total bums walking into these fine dining establishments - although we have found that if they feel like you can pay, they aren't too choosy as to what you look like. Especially in outdoor rec areas; they are used to getting people straight out of the woods.<br /><br />And we were finally there and hungry when <a href="http://www.chezjude.com/">Chez Jude</a> was actually open, so we decided to give it a try.<br /><br />The place was as beautiful on the inside as the outside. The waitress was friendly and let us pick our own seating - nice. It was chilly, so I grabbed a table next to the fireplace. The fire wasn't burning, unfortunately, but it was the furthest away from the door.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-feRHuZEUrl6rvCTJ_Myr-T-cjV3mHmSfDK4b63fvjiJYLAiYUPU4sClTjXdTOgNaUcHy4I0kJpFK2E73PWWko0KBWDRFd1wIpwb1rgeQnp0ROne3qVQFesg-1dTXPFEeQ5h2v1RUkgo/s1600-h/DSCN9350.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-feRHuZEUrl6rvCTJ_Myr-T-cjV3mHmSfDK4b63fvjiJYLAiYUPU4sClTjXdTOgNaUcHy4I0kJpFK2E73PWWko0KBWDRFd1wIpwb1rgeQnp0ROne3qVQFesg-1dTXPFEeQ5h2v1RUkgo/s400/DSCN9350.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373380734911075298" border="0" /></a>The bread plate we got with our meal was fabulous. Fresh baked bread with mixed olives and what tasted like freshly made butter. I would have been satisfied with just that.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Cm5x_UUNCRUZV_NyELcvbqu-VROu1agmyiIDx4w7YGytoXsamtKECcN1CpeUzSymqI9i-YUOG7YQaxPwmnN-CXFElYL1UuVlxuPXwv9xDEOfRHy2-Qncj2uIwklQFJo_fORPLPBR1uU/s1600-h/DSCN9342.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Cm5x_UUNCRUZV_NyELcvbqu-VROu1agmyiIDx4w7YGytoXsamtKECcN1CpeUzSymqI9i-YUOG7YQaxPwmnN-CXFElYL1UuVlxuPXwv9xDEOfRHy2-Qncj2uIwklQFJo_fORPLPBR1uU/s400/DSCN9342.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373380706290872562" border="0" /></a>But then I got these <span title="Vegetable Spring Rolls, Cucumber Fennel Salad, Thai Chili Garlic Dipping Sauce, $12">spring rolls</span>. They were light and delicious, but it was the pickled salad accompaniment that was really fascinating. It was their version of bread and butter pickles on arugula and possibly fresh tarragon as well. The flavors were a fantastic mix, definitely something I would like to try to recreate.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtG2pRTDPP8oP9B_noJ1qhm81FjaPHQRHyg660uIhYwr6ereDtw6p17hKDgMQpnzScEC4IBKtozdigO8PLjHnqbKb0HUDaGG_e6bh5Bc9mp5INnEopwDJOIob5D8yrtz0kkl2gMEgrOcQ/s1600-h/DSCN9345.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtG2pRTDPP8oP9B_noJ1qhm81FjaPHQRHyg660uIhYwr6ereDtw6p17hKDgMQpnzScEC4IBKtozdigO8PLjHnqbKb0HUDaGG_e6bh5Bc9mp5INnEopwDJOIob5D8yrtz0kkl2gMEgrOcQ/s400/DSCN9345.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373380727284958706" border="0" /></a>My son got the <span title="Fish & Frites, $18">fish and chips</span>. The chips are tucked in a spiral wire vase. What a fun presentation. The fish was not greasy. It tasted like it had been flash fried then baked. The tartar sauce was light and flavorful. Not the best that I've ever had, but far superior to most.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GgDlg8ktFc9Wik18HvLezzTuSjL18oKqfzdWpgGbPI9UUl02FvcMCyPgjYQiaEaOIu0NzaAsHxqS_64_6mDjft7BkAE2wdku3YK-FJ8jvbe4e-PRgPVYn95cEUdDi7gv6A50P72pADQ/s1600-h/DSCN9344.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GgDlg8ktFc9Wik18HvLezzTuSjL18oKqfzdWpgGbPI9UUl02FvcMCyPgjYQiaEaOIu0NzaAsHxqS_64_6mDjft7BkAE2wdku3YK-FJ8jvbe4e-PRgPVYn95cEUdDi7gv6A50P72pADQ/s400/DSCN9344.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373380717008489634" border="0" /></a>My husband got the <span title="Organic Summer Greens Salad, $4)">side salad</span>. My goodness! He said that if that was the side salad, he was so glad that he didn't order the full order! This was a fantastic salad. The cheese was a blue, I believe; very flavorful. He made the mistake of mixing it all into his salad only to find out that this was too much for him. He spent much of the rest of the meal picking most of it out. I would recommend taking a small bit of the cheese and crumbling it into fine particles over the salad and setting the rest aside or it overwhelms the delicate variety of tastes that this fine salad has to offer.<br /><br />They offer their coffee by the cup or French press. We chose French press <span title="$4">(2 cups worth)</span>. I was a little nervous because they only had French roast which is normally too dark for me (a.k.a. burnt), but this coffee was wonderful. It tasted like mocha. I wanted to sit there drinking that coffee, looking out onto the lake all day (did I mention that their restaurant has beautiful views of Lake Superior?), but we had to be off to set up camp.<br /><br />They get a little nit-picky about <span title="$4 to share a dish, which we chose to get a $4 salad for the additional person instead">splitting plates</span> and <span title="they charge 10% for take-outs even though they will have no table or dishes to clean nor table service to provide">take outs</span>, but their afternoon tea sounds intriguing.<br /><br />We <i>may</i> be back, Chez Jude.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Cm5x_UUNCRUZV_NyELcvbqu-VROu1agmyiIDx4w7YGytoXsamtKECcN1CpeUzSymqI9i-YUOG7YQaxPwmnN-CXFElYL1UuVlxuPXwv9xDEOfRHy2-Qncj2uIwklQFJo_fORPLPBR1uU/s1600-h/DSCN9342.jpg"><br /></a>Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-52057221229053818212009-08-20T22:35:00.004-05:002009-09-25T09:15:42.553-05:00Piel de Sapo<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFySJBczrgYrAJ6_zbZ9Opowz2TWbz283x1DJtNyiHJaFFbBS51sxRpXJxSBP1EgvVXOyxfjbP8tqb7sgAM3ByJ1CCnj5RPkcyg9nldcHZ-6RqvOHwOb3FeHNmsMiBVwlj74cTPhSE3lw/s1600-h/DSCN9320.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFySJBczrgYrAJ6_zbZ9Opowz2TWbz283x1DJtNyiHJaFFbBS51sxRpXJxSBP1EgvVXOyxfjbP8tqb7sgAM3ByJ1CCnj5RPkcyg9nldcHZ-6RqvOHwOb3FeHNmsMiBVwlj74cTPhSE3lw/s320/DSCN9320.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372256563697096770" border="0" /></a>The grocery store was having a sale on various melons. This particular melon caught my eye. Although I had never tried it before, and didn't know what "piel de sapo" meant in Spanish, I had a good feeling about it.<br /><br />I got it home and Googled it. It means "toad skin". Hmm. Hope it tastes better than it's name implies. It is also sometimes labeled "Christmas" and "Santa Claus" because they ripen into winter ready for Christmas, although I think that is a misnomer as those melons are said to have yellow-orange flesh.<br /><br />A little more research and I found rave reviews for the piel de sapo melon. Apparently it is widely served in Spain. In fact, it is so popular in Spain that when melon is mentioned, it is assumed to be this one. Some travelers said that it was the best melon that they had ever tasted.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4LBTJJU6OWAFRAua6ltGv3LtvncWGnKoXUGOmJsOQA7IYs-l0dbo7NdH_UraT6tCmkiosbuRGDpdtuY1yykqRsPNU83RfdcxLoQ0A8hj1bch7lpeYBD3_TrYpG0u0-whCrOo1Qzn5Cc/s1600-h/DSCN9322.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4LBTJJU6OWAFRAua6ltGv3LtvncWGnKoXUGOmJsOQA7IYs-l0dbo7NdH_UraT6tCmkiosbuRGDpdtuY1yykqRsPNU83RfdcxLoQ0A8hj1bch7lpeYBD3_TrYpG0u0-whCrOo1Qzn5Cc/s320/DSCN9322.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372256570726521362" border="0" /></a>Most admitted that it is difficult to tell when it is ripe since it is a hard-skinned melon that is ripe while it is still green. Supposedly, you look for a spreading of yellow tinting across the melon. It has fairly good keeping qualities, so even if you buy it from the store a little unripe, you can ripen it at home. I was pretty sure that mine was not fully ripe when I bought it so I waited. I had this one for two weeks before I caved and cut it open.<br />It still was not quite ripe, even after the two weeks, so I would wait for the skin to get a little more yellow. Also, the ends give a little as it ripens, so maybe wait until more of the end is springy.<br /><br />The flesh is white and somewhat juicy, much like honeydew. The seeds form three cases which were easy to remove. There wasn't much of an aroma.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOC7jyvKVbVtZoCOm-9ql5o1rrfc2BzanZ6vIi-c3nQ_PXv1-ADsgsumNCf4gou8dFwFrn6kcCeZ_GlLbCIIs-_0zCxjZmA-VAxO0GYfo5tPYyqM4IEZoQ2GhhyphenhyphenYTa0ajQS3D5WITfInY/s1600-h/DSCN9328.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOC7jyvKVbVtZoCOm-9ql5o1rrfc2BzanZ6vIi-c3nQ_PXv1-ADsgsumNCf4gou8dFwFrn6kcCeZ_GlLbCIIs-_0zCxjZmA-VAxO0GYfo5tPYyqM4IEZoQ2GhhyphenhyphenYTa0ajQS3D5WITfInY/s320/DSCN9328.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372256580555460786" border="0" /></a>The melon sliced up easily. Slice into thin slices, then filet the rind off. It is a little difficult to tell where the rind end as the flesh and rind are similar in color. Check for where it gets firm, the ripe flesh will be crisp but easy to bite into.<br /><br />I thought the melon tasted like sweet, juicy cucumbers. My husband said it tasted like a really firm watermelon. We both liked it. It had crisp flesh and was light and refreshing.<br /><br />I will definitely try it again.Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-89622949725120473492009-08-01T22:18:00.007-05:002009-09-25T09:16:17.746-05:00Reynolds Handi-Vac ReviewI have wanted a food vacuum sealer for quite some time. Two things have kept me from getting one:<br />1) Space. All the vacuum sealers that I have seen were HUGE! My kitchen isn't tiny, but I am not giving up precious space if it isn't something that I will be using all the time.<br />2) Price. Most of the vacuum sealers that I have seen were over $100. Not a bad price if you will use it all the time and you know that you are getting something that will work the way that they say it will, but I don't want to dish out $100 and find out that it isn't going to cut it.<br />Plus, did I mention the space?<br /><br />Then I saw the Reynolds Handi-Vac. It was small - about the size of a handmixer handle. It was inexpensive - $8.90! And the accessories weren't that badly priced either - the bags are $0.20ea for quart and $0.33ea for gallon.<br /><br />I checked it out on the internet to see what others had to say about it. Most of the reviews were very good. Some, however, complained that it was difficult to use, or they just couldn't get it to work. I figured at the price, and with that many favorable reviews, I could afford to see just how difficult this was to use.<br /><br />You judge for yourself - watch this video of my very first attempt at sealing a bag. A disclaimer is necessary, I didn't have a cameraman so I had to film with one hand and do everything else with the other.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tmomvx_3u9k&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tmomvx_3u9k&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />It was SO EASY!! Kind of noisy, but very easy; I literally was doing this one handed. This video shows my very first attempt. I did not even read the instructions (who needs stinking instructions, right?). I just picked it up and went for it.<br /><br />There were a lot of reviewers that said that it was tricky to get the bag to lay flat with bulky items; but I didn't even try to get it to lay flat and it worked fine, as you can see. I think the only thing that matters is that the vacuum surface has complete contact with the bag's vacuum valve.<br /><br />There are no parts sticking out the bag; the vacuum valve is flat and smooth. The ziplock is easy to close (did I mention I did this one handed?). You can write on the bags just like other freezer bags. And these bags can be opened and vacuum-sealed over and over; so you can take a little food out and reseal the rest for later. I am thinking that this will be great for fresh vegetables that tend to slime before their time - like cilantro and green onions.<br /><br />And, it came with batteries! It requires 6 AA batteries, which is a lot of batteries; but, I buy rechargeables, so that's not such a big deal. It would have been nice if they had included an AC option.<br /><br />Also, the bottom of the device is rounded, not flat. So it does not stand upright, which would have been nice. My husband said that they might have designed it this way to prevent falls that might damage the vacuum nozzle. OK. Fair enough, but I'm sure there could have been other ways around that -- like a storage base to stick it in.<br /><br />The vacuum itself is ergonomic and lightweight. Although it sounds like it is vibrating terribly while in use, there is only a slight vibration.<br /><br />The nozzle end detaches for cleaning in the event that some liquids get into it. Since I was sealing steamed beans that were still steamy, this end filled with steam. You should not try to vacuum seal really wet ingredients, like sauces and soups, since they will just suck right into the vacuum. These are easy enough to seal in regular freezer bags by just squeezing the air out by hand before sealing -- I've been doing that for years!<br /><br />Over all I would give the Reynolds Handi-Vac high scores on usability, price, comfort, size, speed and effectiveness. I would recommend this for anyone looking for a vacuum sealer that wants something small and inexpensive.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);font-size:85%;" >I will be updating this post in a couple months to let you know how the food actually stored in my crappy freezer that burns everything that isn't vacuum packed.</span>Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2944032234700286009.post-51594219299142996852009-06-24T23:04:00.003-05:002009-06-24T23:16:16.948-05:00Coconut Cream Sundae<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7maxT100B2jY4KFBT2z2gkHcKfKmykDT4v2iEo5BLo8cX38iW2BbS69oeIlMEvDePAEcNbgb1co4tpwO_WjkKdh2F_sCuuKHwM1BR0IQnP3RtijturmFGKcVZv-MuCNG_NNduD1StBM/s1600-h/DSCN8735.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 20px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7maxT100B2jY4KFBT2z2gkHcKfKmykDT4v2iEo5BLo8cX38iW2BbS69oeIlMEvDePAEcNbgb1co4tpwO_WjkKdh2F_sCuuKHwM1BR0IQnP3RtijturmFGKcVZv-MuCNG_NNduD1StBM/s320/DSCN8735.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351111738320509586" border="0" /></a>I had some left over coconut milk from making Thai Chicken the other night and thought it might make a great whipped cream substitute for making a sundae -- I was SO RIGHT!<br /><br /><ul><li>vanilla ice cream</li><li>coconut milk</li><li>Hershey's chocolate syrup</li><li>sweet pecan halves (or other nut)</li></ul>Put a few scoops of ice cream in a serving dish. Mix the coconut milk well then spoon on top of the ice cream. Sprinkle whole or chopped nuts on top. Drizzle with chocolate syrup.<br /><br />The coconut milk doesn't really taste coconutty. It isn't as light as whipped cream, but it is as creamy. Also, it does a neat trick -- it freezes quickly and hardens sort of like Magic Shell.<br />Delicious!Sylvanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13186604429680496847noreply@blogger.com2