shrimp and spice and jasmine rice

(...that's what a lovely dinner is made of.)

pepper duo

Well, it was definitely a cold that had me feeling under the weather on Monday. A really nasty bug that had me feverish, achy, congested and otherwise miserable for a good three days. I tried to maintain a somewhat normal schedule and at least put dinner on the table, but I was too wiped out for anything too fancy. So I turned to an old standby - easy étouffée. Thanks to canned soup, frozen shrimp and my ever-handy rice cooker, this dinner was something even a sniffling, shivering me could muster.

toddy

Chocolate, men, coffee - some things are better rich.


I have a major case of the Mondays. I'm not sure if I'm coming down with a cold or if yesterday's hangover just won't give it up, but I woke up feeling like garbage today. Thankfully, the cure was only a few steps away in my refrigerator: a pitcher of toddy.


Sometimes a regular cup of coffee just doesn't cut it. Today I wanted something deeper, darker... richer. Toddy is just the thing. Basically it's nothing more than cold-brewed coffee. I think it has a similar flavour to coffee made using a French press, but is much stronger. You can drink it hot or cold. I like mine poured over a glass of ice and topped with milk and just a touch of simple syrup for sweetness - essentially an iced latte! (Similarly, with steamed milk you have a hot latte.)


The best part about making toddy is you need zero fancy equipment. No special pots, presses, stirrers, or any other contraption. Just a bag of good coffee, two containers that will hold a quart of water, a strainer and some coffee filters. As one of my friends who worked at a coffee shop in Cedar Falls used to say - easy peasy Japoneasy!

that's some mighty fine bbq

I know I say this about things all the time, but... I. Love. Barbecue. It's funny because once upon a time, I was one of those angsty teenage vegetarians. Then bacon brought me back into the meat-eating world (never heard that one before, eh?) and from there I kind of went whole-hog (pun intended). Don't get me wrong - I definitely respect vegetarians, and I probably eat a vegetarian meal at least a couple times per week. I do think it's important to pay attention to farming practises, especially where livestock is concerned. That being said, I have no problem chowing down on some pig.

Another all-too-prevalent theme I've noticed is how often I write things like, 'I love _____, but I've never attempted to make it.' I bet you can guess where this is going. Craving barbecue + looking through cookbooks + needing dinner ideas that can double as a great cold lunch for Parker = rolling up my sleeves and delving into the world of homemade bbq.

gỏi cuốn

...that is to say, Vietnamese spring rolls! I love, love, love fresh spring rolls - cold, crisp, and succulent, with rich peanut sauce for dipping (recipe here). They make an excellent dinner, especially on a warm day, and keep perfectly as leftovers, especially quick and easy to throw in a lunch box with an ice pack.

I started making mine at home to save money, but I have to say that I enjoy it for other reasons, too. This is one of those recipes that lends itself to a crowded kitchen, with everyone wanting (and able) to get in on the action. While they're not that difficult to make, all the prep work can be a little time consuming - but not with an extra pair or two of hands to make the work go more quickly! I find that sometimes the process of cooking is just as rewarding as the outcome, especially when it's shared with friends, family, good conversation, and perhaps a good drink.

method: julienned herbs

1) Prepare your herbs by de-stemming them
(here, I'm using basil)

2) Stack several leaves on top of each other

3) Roll the leaves up

4) slice width-wise across the roll
ta-da!

short and sweet

Well, I've once again been temporarily M.I.A., this time thanks to the process of lining up a post-grad, career-building job and moving to the big city (well, as big as you can get in this state, anyway). After a nerve-wracking interview today, I decided to relax a little by unpacking my kitchen things and making a pitcher of sweet tea. The perfect way to unwind and refresh myself.


Sweet tea 
8 C fresh water
8 bags Lipton tea

1/2 C sugar 


Bring the water to a boil, then let it rest for about two minutes. Add the tea bags and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags. Stir in the sugar until it is dissolved. Refrigerate the tea until cool, and serve in a large tumbler full of ice. Ahhh...


Sweet tea is one of those Southern things that's hard to find here in the Midwest, but super easy to make! And it's easy to experiment with... I like peppermint sweetened with honey for a change of pace. Try your own combinations - tea and sweetener varieties abound! Feel free to share whatever you discover sweetens your day. :)

Cheers! 

à votre santé

It never fails that when anyone close to me gets sick, my mother hen instincts kick into overdrive. Case in point: when Parker came down with strep throat last week, I instantly made sure he got on the right antibiotics and stayed on the couch, and supplied him with plenty of Gatorade and chicken soup.

Depending on how much time I have, I either buy a rotisserie chicken for meat and use bouillon cubes for broth, or I buy a whole chicken and make homemade stock.