midwest neurotica

This post could also be titled - How I Finally Learned to Make Lentils Taste Good. The secret is drowning them in caramelized onions. Mjaddarah, a Middle Eastern combination of rice, lentils and those sweet and toasty onions is pretty simple, but requires substantial patience. I spent about 30 minutes on the onion process, though I admit to cheating with a little sugar. Meanwhile, my lentils and rice hung out in some olive oil, waiting to join the buttery, brown goodness. (I cooked the lentils in 8 cups water and drained the excess. The rice is instant brown - I nuked it.) At long last, and perhaps 2 minutes too soon, the onions were ready. Tossing the 3 ingredients together, I added salt and pepper while turning up the heat. Little spots of crispy brown are the key to this ethnic comfort food.

As a side note, my list grows shorter!

Putting together my list really offered a fresh perspective on what I have, but I think tonight was the easiest. It’s all down hill from here. Seriously, anyone, what the heck can you do with a bag of dried lentils of unknown age?

My current (vegetarian) roommate requested “something with barbecue sauce” and since I really wanted to mute the taste of barbecue as much as possible, I picked the creamy pasta below. This dish is what CPK’s pizza would be, if it were a pasta.

Barbecue “Chicken” Pasta
Serves 2-4

1/2 box rigatoni
6 T butter
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1 box Veat (or other chicken alternative)
1-2 T barbecue sauce, to taste
2 T wondra flour
1 cup milk
salt & white pepper
cheddar cheese, grated

Start salted water for pasta. Melt 2 T butter in sauce pan and begin to caramelize onions over low heat. When onions are nearly done, add Veat. Cook until dry and add 2 more T butter. Saute until Veat is golden brown. Remove from heat and toss with sauce. Meanwhile, cook pasta and drain. Using pasta pan, melt remaining 2 T of butter. Add flour and cook our flour taste for 1 minute. Add milk, whisking vigorously. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat to low. Add salt and white pepper to taste. Toss cream sauce, barbecue chicken and pasta together. Fold in a handful of grated cheddar cheese.

Chicken Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy and Polenta

A little more than a month ago, I mentioned that I was trying to start eating up all of my food in preparation for the big move. I am not officially at the point where I need your creative genius to help me combine the remainders of a once-bountiful pantry. Assume I have most herbs, spices and condiments - though I am out of ketchup.

Protein
veat
seitan
cheese
fish sticks
peanut butter
eggs
veggie dogs - 3
tuna fish
chick peas
cooked lentils

Produce
carrots
celery
red cabbage
2 yellow onions
1/2 red onion
2 potatoes

Freezer
aforementioned fish sticks
mini tater tots
brussels sprouts
broccoli & cheese
chicken stock
coconut
pecans
macadamia nuts
italian vegetables - 2

Dry Goods
wondra flour
white whole wheat flour
white sugar
brown sugar
corn syrup
vital wheat gluten
corn meal
corn masa
bread crumbs
cool ranch doritos
cheddar croutons
french fried onions
spaghetti
rigatoni
instant brown rice
polenta
lentils
couscous
peanut butter
quick oatmeal
large poha

Canned Goods
cream of mushroom soup - 2
broccoli cheese soup
chicken sausage gumbo
tuna fish
tomato soup
pineapple
sauerkraut
chick peas

Perishables
milk
eggs
bread
flour tortillas - 2
corn tortillas - 1
cheese
sour cream
butter

My blogging absence would lead many to believe that I’ve simply just not been cooking and eating. The huge pile of dishes in my sink counters that thought. In the midst of the month-o-packing, I’ve tried my best to keep my spirits and taste buds alive. Last night, Cooking Light and a little ingenuity produced fireworks in my mouth. I accompanied the Spice-rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Barbecue Sauce with my own Summer Picnic Polenta and coleslaw.

Summer Picnic Polenta
Serves 4-6

2 slices bacon, diced
1 cup onion, chopped
1 T chopped garlic
1 can corn
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup polenta
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
salt & pepper

Fry bacon until crisp. Add onions and cook 5 minutes over medium heat. Add garlic and corn, cooking until garlic is fragrant. Add stock and bring to a boil. Whisk in polenta and continue whisking while polenta cooks for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add cheese, salt and pepper.

 
Photo courtesy of florriebassingbourn

I am just now six weeks away from moving. Well, my stuff is moving that is. I, on the other hand, don’t yet know when I will again join my stuff at its final destination. It might be in 6 weeks, or at worst case, 6 months. I just know that I have a house’s worth of stuff in my little apartment and I am not moving it all twice.  At first, it seemed like a pretty easy decision. But, as time draws near, the idea of living on only-what-can-fit-in-my car is causing me some anxiety. After all, I’m the girl who needed two cars (one an SUV) to move out of my dorm in college.

I am trying to look on this as an opportunity to live simply, to prove that I don’t “need” all that stuff. I believe I mostly have stuff thats a.) pretty to look at or b.) functional. (I’ve really tried to reduce the amount of useless and ugly in my life.)  For the most part, I realize that most of these things are not essential for my survival. In my head, my needs are pretty simple. I can rationalize myself down to a small number of items. But, my heart is already clinging tight to the feel of a rug under my feet, the supporting comfort of my love seat, the pleasure of seeing friends and family on the walls of my home and even though I haven’t knitted since December, the thought of my needles and yarn “just being there”.

Everyone has a food vice, I have many… most of which involve cheese of some sort. One of such devilish delights is a burger with cheese, tomatoes and mayo. I actually don’t even necessarily require the burger, its just a filling addition that happens to taste pretty good too.

Photo courtesy of Cheeseburger in Paradise

In an effort to avoid the drive-thru, I put together one of these nouveau mini burgers you’re seeing in all the family chains. Using Laura’s Lean natural beef, I crafted two meatball-sized patties. I grilled these up on the flat top with colby jack. For the most perfect mini-bun, I cut a hot dog bun in half and toasted the halves, naturally. Dressed with light mayo and a fresh organic tomato, these tasty boys are healthy enough that you can’t call them sliders.

I stayed home from work today because my feet weren’t working. Seriously, I woke up and they hurt like heck for no particular reason. I spent the day eating the leftover corn cakes, some quick cheese enchiladas and am still contemplating what would be tasty and simple for supper.

As I sit here and surf the web while watching early evening TV, I come across this ad:

Now, is it wrong that I feel like The Man is spying on me. I know I am a federal employee and that I already have a File… but gee whiz! Note to Big Brother: I rounded up on my taxes!

I am nearly convinced that a lovely poached egg goes with just about anything. Tonight I was inspired to throw together some quick corn cakes with bacon, topped with satiny portions of salty goodness. The corn cakes also work very well with maple syrup - sugar free for me!

Light & Hearty Corn Cakes
Serves 3-4

4 slices reduced fat uncured bacon, sliced
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 t baking powder
1 t dried chives
1/2 t salt
1/4 t cayenne
2 egg whites, slightly beaten
2/3 cup light soy milk
2 t vegetable oil
1 cup whole kernel corn
1/3 cup reduced fat shredded mexican cheese

Cook bacon until crisp. Pat dry on paper towels and set aside. Combine dry ingredients. Stir together wet ingredients and add to dry. Mix until just moist. Fold in bacon, corn and cheese. Cook over a griddle until golden brown and cooked through. Top with poached eggs, sour cream, or maple syrup.

One highlight of my weekend is curling up on the sofa with fresh, hot coffee and my friends, Nigella and Jamie. I don’t watch that much Food Network anymore, save for these trusted cooks and my favorite comfort-food-on-speed-host Guy Fieri. Somehow they snuck in an old episode of Nigella Bites into the Nigella Express lineup. This one featured her childhood favorites, such as bread and butter pudding. I had never heard of this dish, but it seems to be bread pudding plus butter - what’s not to love?!?

Photo courtesy of Cook (almost) Anything

I set out to make my rendition with pretty decent results, for it being lower in fat and sugar. Using her instructions and my ingredients, I made 2 sandwiches of Ezekiel bread, Smart Balance light and sugar free peach preserves. I sliced these on the diagonal and placed in a small Pam-ed ramekin. I made a light custard with 2 egg yolks, 2 T splenda for baking and 3/4 cup light vanilla soymilk. (Given that I didn’t know if this was going to work - I didn’t want to make too much of the sauce.) I poured this over the bread and let sit for about 40 minutes. I then baked the dish for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. I served a heaping spoonfull with a few T of fat free vanilla ice cream, which got all nice and melty next to the hot pudding.

I think using a tangier preserve or marmalade would enhance the flavor and maybe fat free non-dairy instead of soy to increase the richness. But overall, this was a pretty good interpretation.

• One of my childhood (non-edible) favorites
• Cook (almost) Anything’s even-simpler rendition