Simple Italian pasta loveliness

I’m just a simple girl. Well, at least palate wise. We could probably debate on whether I qualify to be a “girl” at my age.

Anyhoo.

I thought I’d share what I made for lunch today because it was a simple, unexpected surprise.

Ever since my favourite macaroni and cheese mix disappeared from the grocery store shelf, I’ve been making my own at home with butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

And lovin’ it.

Today I decided to mix it up a bit.

And so, after boiling my pasta, I added:

• finely chopped tomato fresh from the garden
• finely chopped garlic
• olive oil
• freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

The results were simple and delicious:

Simple. But good. Just like me.

If you’re like me and love aged cheese, you MUST try Parmigiano-Reggiano. Toss the old parmesan bits you’ve been using and get the real stuff. The taste is so different! It reminds me more of old cheddar. Plus, the inferior parmesan is getting expensive anyway, so why not buy the real deal?

Grate it right over your food. Yum.

What the triangle of Parmigiano-Reggiano usually looks like in my fridge…

I’ve discovered the best cooking isn’t about the fancy recipes.

It’s about the ingredients.

Enjoy. And ignore the voice in your head that says pasta is evil.

Mustard dip for the Labour Day Weekend

I love garlic almost as much as I love Nutella, although clearly, they run in different circles.

Garlic makes almost any meal 100 million times better—unless you’re on a date. Then it makes your breath a bazillion times worse.

This is one of my favourite dips, and I’ve tweaked it a bit. It goes great with apples, cheese, and chips though I’m beginning to think it’s the dip which makes everything tasty, so you could even eat it with celery.

Try it this long weekend and you’ll love it (just not your breath!)

Mustard Dip

Ingredients:

• 1/4 to 1/4 cup honey or other sweetener depending on how much your dentist charges
• 3 tablespoons oil (e.g. canola)
• 2 teaspoons of powdered or fresh garlic
• 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

Mix everything together. Tweak as needed. If you like Dijon mustard, use that instead. If you prefer sour cream instead of mayonnaise, why not give that a try?

Use less sweetener to make it healthier and more tart.

This dip goes fantastic with:

• chips
• crackers
• pepperoni
• cheese
• vegetables

Enjoy!

Party dip for one.

Top 15 reasons why coffee is the best adult beverage in the world

I love coffee. And I need it. It’s the wind beneath my wings (in contrast to Red Bull, which gives you wings).

Every day starts with my piping hot beverage. I’m not sure what I would do without it. I do know that days starting without coffee tend to lead into headache heavy nightmares. At one point, I thought I would triumph over my addiction and go off the juice for months. The only thing that happened was that I didn’t stop getting headaches, even once I was finished withdrawing.

Since then, I’ve learned that caffeine can help with headaches; some medications for headaches even include the caffeine right there in the pill. (This does not hold true for migraines, apparently, just tension headaches.)

But, alas, nothing is more wonderful that a mug of coffee, single, single. (Though I prefer 5% percent cream to traditional coffee cream, which is practically the consistency of butter.)

I started drinking coffee as a teenager. Back then, it had to be flavoured and made white with cream and about two teaspoons tablespoons shovels of sugar.

Now I’m down to one actual teaspoon and a little nip of cream. I’ve also come to appreciate strong roasts, especially on early mornings.

Here are some of the reasons I think coffee is the best adult beverage in the world.

1. You can drive while drinking coffee and the police won’t stop you.
2. It doesn’t put you to sleep and may, in fact, keep you awake during times you need it most: work, conference calls, driving.
3. If you’re hyper-active or have ADHD, it may help you focus.
4. There are as many coffees and roasts in the world as there are wines.
5. It goes great with sweets and enhances the flavours of other foods.
6. It doesn’t make you sing off-key, take your clothes off, or put lampshades on your head.
7. It is more socially acceptable to take a coffee break than a cocaine break or tequila break.
8. Most coffee shops have far more ambience than downtrodden watering holes decorated with pickled eggs and the shattered dreams of humanity.
9. You don’t have to give up coffee during your childbearing years; nor do you have to refrain from drinking it while you’re being responsible for the kids.
10. It may prevent, or help heal, headaches caused by misbehaving blood vessels. This is great if you have no ibuprofen handy.
11. Studies suggest coffee drinkers may experience less Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s, dementia, and certain types of cancer.
12. There are antioxidants in coffee and we all know how awesome those are.
13. A study found people who drunk coffee were more likely to spot grammatical errors. (See? There’s an error in that sentence!)
14. It’s easier to communicate over a cup of coffee.
15. Nothing smells better than a brewing pot.

In fact, Number 15 is the reason I started drinking coffee so long ago. The smell still beckons to me, making me feel homey and relaxed.

Number 1 isn’t so bad either.

Penny carrots

If you’ve never eaten penny carrots, you’re missing one of the best ways to get your Vitamin A. They are delicious.

I first ate penny carrots at Everything Nice Cafe in Bridgewater. It’s one of the best places to eat in town.

I’d like to add my carrots taste nothing like theirs. Oh well.

Cook a 2 pound bag of carrots. Drain.

Simmer one can of tomato soup, 3/4 cup vinegar, 1 cup of sugar, garlic, one onion, one green pepper, and any other spices you like.

I add parsley, thyme, and pepper.

Pour sauce over carrots and chill.

These are a great, cool side to your summer meals! If you want to make them a bit healthier, leave out some of the sugar, or switch it for honey.

Sometimes, I’m far too simple (unlike Facebook’s privacy settings)

Masterchef is one of my favourite shows: I love watching up-and-coming chefs woo the judges with their cooking prowess. I love the chop of knives, the searing of meat, the glorious plates of food that look more like art than something to eat.

When it comes to my own cooking tastes, though, I’m very simple. Too simple. I could subsist on bread and butter.

I’ve never had a sophisticated palate. Growing up, all I wanted was pasta, pasta, and more pasta. Today, little has changed.

Okay, I’m a weee bit better than I was at four: I eat tomatoes when the mood strikes me, I flavour EVERYTHING with onions and/or garlic. And I’m willing to try new things on occasion.

But I still love to keep it simple.

One of my easy peasy meals is just some pasta with the following:

(In case you can’t tell what’s in the bag, it’s Himalayan pink sea salt from the Bulk Barn.)

Sometimes I swap the olive oil for butter. And that’s real butter, not margarine. Butter, in minute amounts, is delicious and rich. You don’t need much. When I make pancakes, I fry them in healthy vegetable oil, then put a smidgen of butter on top. It’s all you need.

You’d be surprised how tasty pasta can be with a bit of salt and butter. It’s easy to transport for lunch—and not messy like tomato-based sauces.

As far as rice goes, I like to make it in my little rice cooker (best $9.99 ever spent), add a little soya sauce and oodles of green onions. Oodles. I love green onions.

I wish I could say I was sophisticated when it comes to my diet; the reality is, the more simple it is, the more I likes it.

If you want to be simple like me, just stick to quality ingredients and fresh items like green onions. Or red onions. Or garlic cloves. Yum.

Now, if you’d excuse me, I have to go eat.

It’s not the heat: it’s the eternal damnation

Let me get this straight: it’s only the first day of summer and it’s 32 degrees Celsius at 9:00 in the evening.

May I just say: yuck.

Complaining about the heat is nothing new for me. See here, here, and here. I have no doubt there are more instances of my whining about hot temperatures, but you get the point.

It always gets super hot the last week of June in time for graduation and prom.

In 1999 it was the same: I recall (very distinctly!) nearly passing out while I sat on the stage in my cap and gown, praying I would make it to Safe Grad. Someone chose the location wisely: there was an indoor pool which was the main goal at the end of the night.

Not the diploma. Heck no. It was all about jumping into the pool.

If anything, the onset of summer will help my garden flourish. Since it was too hot inside this evening, I went outside with my camera.

Peony.

I love the flower feature on my camera that allows for close ups.

Thanks Miss Mayah for this (Nana loves it).

Oops. Got the Crocs in this picture.

Those are some of my perennial favourites (pardon the pun), but I’m super-proud of my little vegetable garden. So much is popping up!

Beans.

Radish.

Baby blueberries.

Aristotle Basil. I’m not sure if it makes you more philosophical or not.

The Red Leaf Lettuce is up. So is the Buttercrunch. I’d love to have a great harvest—I could call it the Zero Kilometre Diet! And since it’s going to be a lean summer around here, food from the door yard will be muchly appreciated.

I suppose the heat isn’t all bad.

What’s up buttercup? (Work and stroganoff)

You can tell when I get lots of teaching days. Because my one-post-a-day blogging drops off to one-a-week. So this is what has been up, y’all.

 

Work

Thank goodness. I was beginning to think there would never be another day of subbing. I have had lots of days AND I’m booked for lots more. I’m not going on any cruises any time soon, but I think I’m going to be able to slap some cash on my bills! Hurray!

 

Resting Up

On my days off, I like to be lazy. Like really lazy. Like stay in my jammies until 2 kinda lazy. I figure I’d better enjoy it now before I get married and buried and have kids.

Jack agrees.

Jack likes to thwart my bed-making attempts.

 

Volunteering

In honour of Sexual and Reproductive Health Day (which was yesterday), the Sexual Health Centre set up a display at Shopper’s Drug Mart in Bridgewater. We were very lucky to be allowed this luxury because a lot of businesses shy away from our work likely because a) we give away free condoms and lube and b) they think we do/or love abortions. Sexual health is touchy business with some people. I’m a huge believer that’s it’s better to educate so we can cut down on disease across the lifespan, as well as unwanted pregnancies. Furthermore, it’s not 1862.

No doubt Saturday was the first time some people saw packages of dental dams and female condoms!

We had awesome free stuff including condoms, lube, and chocolate hearts. Oh yes and pencils!

 

Food Adventures

And finally, one of my favourite ups, beef stroganoff. Even writing this makes me excited for supper tonight because there’s leftovers. It’s only 2:22 PM and I’m trying my best to hold out to at least 4:30 or 5:00. And there’s still garlic bread left… yum…

I’ve been meaning to try this dish, and finally, for the first time in 31 years, I et beef stroganoff. It’s kind of like Sidekicks or Hamburger Steak Helper for adults, without all the MSG and $#!^.

Here’s my version.

 

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients

• steak
• beef broth
• sour cream
• white or sweet onions
• mushrooms
• green onions
• butter
• egg noodles
• garlic
• pepper

Cut steak or beef into strips, then saute in frying pan with some oil and butter. Be careful, though, because butter burns quickly.

Once beef is mostly cooked, add 2 cups of beef broth, along with at least 2 cloves of garlic.

Cook egg noodles and drain.

Add onions and mushrooms, cut into desired size. I had a measuring cup filled with my vegetables, which is about 4 cups. Simmer in pan until tender.

Mix 1/2 cup of beef broth with 3 tablespoons of flour. Put into a container and shake until it’s pasty and thick. Add to beef mixture. It should thicken. If not, mix up and add more flour, just like making gravy.

Add egg noodles to pan, then add pepper, 1 cup sour cream, and a small amount of butter.

Taste your mixture and add more pepper or beef broth until you reach your desired taste.

Serve immediately!

Helpful Hint

If you make a roast, save the drippings to make your own beef broth. Then, instead of sauteing beef, add leftover roast.

Also, I think the dish would still be tasty minus onions and mushrooms.

Nutritional Information

If you use light sour cream and minimal amounts of butter, you’ll have a rich, lovely meal that won’t clog your arteries. Be careful including fatty beef. And if you find the beef broth too salty, make your own or use low-sodium broth.

An electric skillet is just the right size!

I found a slice of oven-toasted garlic bread a tasty addition to the meal.

Five easy peasy meals that will keep you out of the drive thru

So there was no school today. I was probably one of the few people in the school board who was disappointed. (I shouldn’t vocalize that too much. Eggs might find their way to my door.)

It was a lazy day. After eating breakfast at 6AM (and enduring all the excited Facebook statuses about school being closed) I went back to bed. I got up. Ate breakfast again as lunch, had my coffee, then snuggled with my cat. Snuggling with cats on a lazy snow day is just heavenly, as long as you can forget the whole loss of $140 in wages. I can do lazy. That’s why I like easy cooking.

I’ve been thinking of doing a post of my favourite meals that are bound to keep me out of the drive thru because a) they’re tasty and b) they’re easy peasy to make.

I do wish I had pictures. When I cook, I’m just interested in the cooking and eating, not the taking of pictures. I promise to add some in the future, the next time I make my favourite dishes.

 

1. Lemon garlic spaghetti. This is my new favourite. It came from a blogger, who discovered it on Pinterest. And it was actually pinned from another blog. It has made its way around! I love it because it is easy. This is my version.

Boil pasta. Can you do that much? I’m sure.

Toss fresh lemon (or bottled lemon) with garlic (fresh or powdered), parmesan cheese, and olive oil. Add basil or other herbs if you like.

Eat.

 

2. Quesadillas. These are next to godliness. I would pick them over fast food any day of the week.

Slap cheese and salsa into a tortilla. Fry in pan with a little oil. Put on plate and dip in sour cream.

May I also suggest adding: tomatoes, green onions, chicken?

 

3. Taco dip with tortilla chips. I love these. You get your crunch fix and they’re FULL of taste. Here’s the recipe.

 

4. Egg McMuffins. I am addicted to these breakfast sandwiches from McDonalds. They’re easy to make at home though, even if they’re not as neat. (And P.S. I eat them for supper, sometimes lunch.)

Toast English muffins. Fry an egg (see if you can get one of those silicon moulds to keep it round).

Put on muffin with cheese. Cheez Whiz or non-processed cheese works. And is delish.

If you’re a carnivore, get some bacon or ham to make it really like the one from McDonalds. I’m trying to eat less processed meat. You don’t have to. But you should.

 

5. Pita pizzas. I like to keep pitas in the freezer so I can make these any time. Sometimes it’s hard to eat all the bread before it gets mouldy.

Put sauce and all your favourite toppings on pita bread. I like green peppers, onions, and pineapple. I’m in love with pineapple. I’m going to marry it. I also use spaghetti sauce instead of pizza sauce because that’s how I roll.

Cook pitas in oven for 10 minutes, or until bread is crispy. Easy peasy.

All of these meals are healthy if you use the right ingredients (e.g. whole grains) and avoid adding extra sodium. They’re quick AND will give you a junk food fix. Now you have no excuse to go to the drive thru. My apologizes to Wendy’s.

I’m salivating already. Don’t forget the sour cream for your quesadillas!

Reflections on a rainy snow day

There was a time I loved snow days almost as much as Christmas morning.

Going to bed while the wind whistled outside, and the snow beat against my windows.

Waking up with great expectation and rushing to the radio (now the internet) to find out if all South Shore Regional School Board schools were closed for the day.

And, finally, going back to bed while the wind whistled outside and the snow beat against my windows.

Yesterday, schools were cancelled 1.5 hours early in anticipation of a Nor’easter due to drop 10 centimetres of snow on our green lawns.

In other words, I got home early without a drop in pay. Pretty sweet, if you ask me. I was also pretty happy to be home ahead of the storm (and a little disappointed because I do enjoy the occasional drive in snow).

This morning, though, I was torn. I love snow days. Going back to bed? Yes, please.

However, I don’t get paid a cent if school is cancelled. And these days, I need every cent I can get.

I woke up at 4:30, then peeked out my window. The roads looked reasonably clear. Yes, the storm turned to rain at some point through the night (I heard it change. The soft whip of snow against the windows because the decided snap of hard rain).

When my alarm shrieked at 6:05, though, I was dismayed/happy to discover all schools in the board were cancelled.

Good news. I got to go back to bed.

Bad news. I got to pay a lot of money for the privilege through lost wages. Bah.

Ah, the trials and tribulations of the substitute teacher. (If you’re a “real” teacher, you get snow day pay. If you’re a sub, you get s”no”w pay whatsoever. Darn.)

Being the optimist that I am, though, I enjoyed my snow day and tried not to think of those mounting bills. I slept in until 10:30, when Jack the cat decided to pureow and hop on my chest. Then I had breakfast number 2. I had pumpkin seed granola at breakfast number 1; breakfast number 2 was Cinnamon Bliss from Sally’s Cereal which stomps Cinnamon Toast Crunch into the ground AND is only $3 a bag at Wal-Mart.

Breakfast number 2 also involved coffee. My current fave is The Great Canadian Coffee from Loblaws. It’s bright and rich, and costs $11.99 for a ginormous can. It’s a perfect all-purpose coffee that people have compared to Tim Horton’s brew. I think it’s better than Timmy’s coffee. And much cheaper. I like cheap. Except in men.

I had a very productive day today. I made my bed. Played Bejewelled Blitz. Had a nap. Fried homemade quesadillas for supper. And am now doing a blog post. Win.

Quesadillas

• whole wheat tortillas
• tomatoes, peppers, onions OR salsa
• cheddar cheese
• sour cream
• canola oil for frying

Chop your vegetables into small pieces OR pop open a jar of your favourite salsa.

Fill tortilla with cheese and vegetables (or salsa) and place in heated pan with oil on the bottom. I put two together and make a “sandwich” which I then cut. I’m not sure if this is the real Mexican way; it is the Julie way.

Fry until cheese is melted, then place on a plate and cut.

Dip in sour cream and enjoy while still piping hot.

Nutritional Information

If you choose light sour cream and light cheese, you have yourself a great low-fat way to enjoy vegetables! These should be a big hit with kids too.

Who needs salsa when you can chop your own fresh veggies?

Into the frying pan! I make my quesadillas sandwich-style, but you can also just fold one tortilla over.

Yummy.

Hi tofu, nice to meet you

The purchase of tofu was not a New Year’s resolution thing. In fact, it’s been sitting in the fridge for weeks in its Liberte package. Basically, until I could decide how to make it. Because I have never eaten tofu before, made by anyone much less me.

So tonight I tried it. Finally.

It seemed a pretty safe thing, since I had lots of macaroni and cheese leftover from my previous meal. (I always makes lots! I even have three portions in the freezer for “microwave” meals.) If the tofu was a bust, I could always fill up on mac and cheese.

A pack of tofu lasts awhile, costs $1.99 if you can find it on sale, and is fairly easy to use.

I like fried food. And you can fry tofu. So it seemed a good way to introduce myself to tofu. (After all, I always said I’d eat dog poop if it was fried. I wouldn’t really, but hyperbole is fun times a billion.)

I mixed up some whole wheat breadcrumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, and a weeeeee bit of salt. I tried rolling my sliced lumps of tofu (which looked like erasers) in the crumbs themselves, but quickly beat an egg to help the battering process.

The breadcrumbs burned a bit, so I tried my fried chicken batter (basically rolling meat or tofu in egg, then covering with salted, peppered flour). I also tried frying some slices au natural.

Final verdict?

The tofu fried in breadcrumbs won. Probably because tofu has no taste (for the most part) and needs something added to it. Even breadcrumbs.

I dipped my tofu in cherry sauce, thinking it was quite a clever substitution for sweet and sour chicken balls.

Now I have leftover tofu slices in my freezer, and I’m sure I’ll try adding them to various places in which tofu might be consumed (like salads and stirfries).

These breakfast links are super spicy. I prefer to keep it simple. Like me.

By the way, I lied earlier when I said I never tried tofu before. Last week I tried Tofurky breakfast links. I was impressed with the sausage-like texture, but couldn’t eat them because they tasted like an entire spice rack. Just because tofu is tasteless doesn’t mean it needs to be besieged by all the flavours in your cupboard. (Listen to the tofu snob!)

I’d like to add more tofu to my diet, both because it’s cheap, nutritious, and helps cut down on animal cruelty if you can only get your meat from a factory farm.

Does anyone have any great tofu recipes they’d like to share with a newbie? I’ll keep you posted if I find any good ones.