midwest neurotica

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

After my milkshake disaster, I vowed to just not eat until supper. Then my stomach rumbled for a slice of homemade roasted veggie pizza. Oh well.

I’m procrastinating on folding the laundry and I really do need to shower because I have a friend coming over in 40 minutes. (We are going to see my favorite Canadian tonight!) So I decided to thumb through my blog reader.

I know that I had been off doing other things, eating very simple, non-photogenic foods and just not that engaged with all of my blogging compadres. I just didn’t realize how far behind I’d gotten! Some serious de-cluttering is in order here… but I promise that even if I mark you “all read”… I will still read you and love you and dote on all your wonderfulness! Cross my heart!

Can someone tell me how?? Specifically, I would like to make a low fat vanilla milkshake. Normally, I like to share a cooking secret I’ve figured out, like how to poach chicken or make cinnamon rolls. But, I seemed to have had supreme failure as I attempted to make a lowfat vanilla milkshake for lunch today. (Please don’t comment on my meal choice.)

I put three scoops of Breyer’s Fat Free Double Churn ice cream in a mixing cup with about a cup of vanilla soy milk. While a lot of fat free ice cream is icy and hard, this stuff is pretty good. I figured I would end up with a nice creamy drink. I used the immersion blender and what resulted was a slushy mess. The so-so taste of soy milk in a milkshake aside, the texture was just all wrong!

So what’s the secret? How can I make an excellent fat free to low fat vanilla shake? I’m not quite sure I can call myself a connoisseur of midwest goodness without this skill.

Seriously?!? Why bother?

You may have noticed that I cook, eat and bookmark many vegetarian and vegan recipes. For many years, I have been varying degrees of an aspiring vegetarian. These days, my aspirations are more organic animal protein-centric, but thats OK.

“I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter what other people think; life is far too short to not find pleasure in food. And sometimes that means eating bacon!”

One of my most favorite of kindred bloggers, New Old-Fashioned Gal, posted a few weeks ago on her vegetarianism. The insightful comments are worth the click alone.