It's early 2008, and I'm living out my last couple of months in Brighton, England. Our good friend Tony is living with a Spaniard, who was kind enough to have us over for a dinner party and cook us food from his homeland. I had never had 'tortilla', though I had heard of it. What he served us was so amazingly perfect that I still think about it (and try to recreate it) to this day. Thank you, Javier, wherever you are.
His version was so simple, but tasted divine. Eggs, potatoes, onions, and ham, transformed into a thick omelet in a saute pan. The accompaniment was a vinegary salad with delicious, strong Spanish cheese. Add in a few bottles of red wine, and you've got a real winner.
Well, I've tried to make tortillas a couple of times since then, and haven't succeeded. They've been edible, but disappointing. Tonight I will be trying again, using a recipe out of 'Mediterranean: the Beautiful Cookbook'.
Here it is:
3/4 cup olive oil
4 large baking potatoes, peeled and sliced about 1/8 inch thick
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 onions, thinly sliced
6 eggs
(I'll also be adding diced ham)
Add the potatoes to some oil, and saute (in batches, if necessary). Remove with a slotted spoon, and then cook the onions the same way (carmelized is best). Remove the onions, mix with the potatoes, and wipe out the pan. Beat the eggs in a bowl, and add to the mixture. Heat the saute pan to medium heat, add the remaining oil, and pour in the eggs, potatoes, and onions. Reduce the heat to low, and then cook for about 10 minutes, or until golden on the bottom. Invert a plate over the pan, and then flip to free the omelet. Add some oil to the pan, and slide the omelet back into the pan, browned side up. Cook for 8-10 more minutes. Let cool a bit, cut into wedges, and serve.
I'll be serving it with Greek salad, which will be also based on a recipe from the book: a dressing of red wine vinegar, dried oregano, olive oil, salt, and pepper served over sliced cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, red onions, kalamata olives, and feta cheese.
I'll update this with the verdict, and with pictures of the final product.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Thai-style chicken and cashew stirfry
Oh, Donna Hay, you're such a genius.
I've mentioned her before on this blog, and for good reason. Her recipes are simple and flavorful, and so far every single one of them has been a success for me. My favorites so far: baked risotto with chicken, peas, and mint; steaks and field mushrooms with garlic sauce; and her double chocolate cookies.
The actual title of this particular recipe was 'Chilli cashew chicken noodles', but once again I was unable to find suitable rice noodles (I really need to make a trip to the Asian supermarket). I looked closely at the recipe, however, and realized it would be adaptable to making it with jasmine rice on the side.
So here is her recipe, with my changes in parantheses:
200g dried thick rice noodles (omitted, simple jasmine rice used as alternative)
2 Tablespoons peanut oil
2 onions, sliced into wedges (I used red onions for color and flavor)
4 large red chillies, seeded and chopped (I used four dried red chillies, cut with scissors)
1/4 cup sugar
4 chicken breast fillets, sliced (I used chicken breast tenders)
1 red capsicum, sliced
3/4 cup roasted unsalted cashews
2 Tablespoons fish sauce (I used 2.5)
2 Tablespoons soy sauce (I used 3)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice (I used 3)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
(I also threw in some fresh green beans that had been softened in boiling water)
Heat the pan, and then add the peanut oil, onions, sugar, and chillies. The sugar melts and creates a homemade Thai chilli sauce--very clever! Once soft, remove onion mixture from pan, and add the chicken to brown. Add everything else back in, and stir until done. Serve with rice, and add some chopped cilantro to the top. Don't you just love how easy stirfry is?
The flavor was out-of-this-world good, with a great balance between sweetness, sourness, and saltiness. I had boosted the sauce components to make sure the rice would be coated, and it worked, as I felt that the amounts were just right. The leftovers reheated very well, too.
Score: 9 out of 10
Also, I need to start taking photos. I'm always in such a hurry to eat!
I've mentioned her before on this blog, and for good reason. Her recipes are simple and flavorful, and so far every single one of them has been a success for me. My favorites so far: baked risotto with chicken, peas, and mint; steaks and field mushrooms with garlic sauce; and her double chocolate cookies.
The actual title of this particular recipe was 'Chilli cashew chicken noodles', but once again I was unable to find suitable rice noodles (I really need to make a trip to the Asian supermarket). I looked closely at the recipe, however, and realized it would be adaptable to making it with jasmine rice on the side.
So here is her recipe, with my changes in parantheses:
200g dried thick rice noodles (omitted, simple jasmine rice used as alternative)
2 Tablespoons peanut oil
2 onions, sliced into wedges (I used red onions for color and flavor)
4 large red chillies, seeded and chopped (I used four dried red chillies, cut with scissors)
1/4 cup sugar
4 chicken breast fillets, sliced (I used chicken breast tenders)
1 red capsicum, sliced
3/4 cup roasted unsalted cashews
2 Tablespoons fish sauce (I used 2.5)
2 Tablespoons soy sauce (I used 3)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice (I used 3)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
(I also threw in some fresh green beans that had been softened in boiling water)
Heat the pan, and then add the peanut oil, onions, sugar, and chillies. The sugar melts and creates a homemade Thai chilli sauce--very clever! Once soft, remove onion mixture from pan, and add the chicken to brown. Add everything else back in, and stir until done. Serve with rice, and add some chopped cilantro to the top. Don't you just love how easy stirfry is?
The flavor was out-of-this-world good, with a great balance between sweetness, sourness, and saltiness. I had boosted the sauce components to make sure the rice would be coated, and it worked, as I felt that the amounts were just right. The leftovers reheated very well, too.
Score: 9 out of 10
Also, I need to start taking photos. I'm always in such a hurry to eat!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Poolside with David Hasselhoff
Last night we celebrated Julia and Ryan's birthdays at Sauce Box downtown. The food was all impressive, but this drink stole the show for me.
Poolside with David Hasselhoff:
House-infused watermelon vodka
Muddled with cucumber
Washed with lemon-lime soda
Served on shaved ice (allegedly--ours weren't)
Yum!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
The Ned Effect
We adopted Ned from the Oregon Humane Society a little over two months ago now. Ned is the sweetest dog: a cross between a Jack Russell terrier and a basset hound. His looks are mostly JRT (but very stretched out) and his personality is mostly basset (mellow and friendly).
Ned's background is sketchy at best, but we do know that he came from Klamath Falls with at least two of his brothers, and that he's 1-2 years old. He immediately came down with kennel cough, mange, an ear infection, giardia, and worms--a really stressful situation, especially when the vet thought that the kennel cough might instead be distemper. The hassle and hefty vet bills have been worth it though, because Ned is everything we've always wanted in a dog: he's loving, active outside, relaxed inside, quiet, and house-trained. In the ways that truly count, Ned has been incredible, and we consider ourselves lucky.
'The Ned Effect' is what I call my resulting weight loss and energy boost since we've adopted our little man. Ned gets FIVE walks per day: early morning, late morning, mid-afternoon, early evening, and late evening. I'm present for four out of those five walks (Rory is in charge of the before bed one, as he's the night owl), so I have been getting a large amount of exercise. I reckon I walk for over two hours and four miles per day, which has led me to drop a whole dress size in the ten weeks since we've had him. I'm also back to my Brighton and Wellington era hill-climbing ability, which I must say is considerable.
Just in time for summer--thanks Ned!
Ned's background is sketchy at best, but we do know that he came from Klamath Falls with at least two of his brothers, and that he's 1-2 years old. He immediately came down with kennel cough, mange, an ear infection, giardia, and worms--a really stressful situation, especially when the vet thought that the kennel cough might instead be distemper. The hassle and hefty vet bills have been worth it though, because Ned is everything we've always wanted in a dog: he's loving, active outside, relaxed inside, quiet, and house-trained. In the ways that truly count, Ned has been incredible, and we consider ourselves lucky.
'The Ned Effect' is what I call my resulting weight loss and energy boost since we've adopted our little man. Ned gets FIVE walks per day: early morning, late morning, mid-afternoon, early evening, and late evening. I'm present for four out of those five walks (Rory is in charge of the before bed one, as he's the night owl), so I have been getting a large amount of exercise. I reckon I walk for over two hours and four miles per day, which has led me to drop a whole dress size in the ten weeks since we've had him. I'm also back to my Brighton and Wellington era hill-climbing ability, which I must say is considerable.
Just in time for summer--thanks Ned!
Creativity is borne out of necessity
It's 2008, and we've just arrived in Wellington, New Zealand. The exchange rate is much more painful than we'd imagined/planned for, and we're watching our bank account shrink on a daily basis. We're both looking for work, but so far have zero income--and we still have to eat.
This specific situation is what started me on my personal cooking journey. We wanted tasty, hearty food, but couldn't afford the $25 NZ per meal that most nice restaurants charge there. In fact, our budget was closer to $5 NZ per meal per person (probably close to about $3.75 US, at that time). What to do?
The answer was get creative: research recipes on the internet, cook in bulk (at least four servings at once, if not more), and base meals around carbs (as opposed to meat). We also had to change our eating habits based on the New Zealand food market. For example, we were used to eating chicken breasts--in the UK and US, these are plentiful and affordable. This is not the case in NZ, but on the other hand, seafood was both.
Some of our favorite recipes were found during this time, including fish and cilantro stew, which I included at my blog at the time. The habits that I formed have proved to be lasting ones, and have been extremely valuable and rewarding for me.
Now that I have money and space (and have no current plans to move countries again), I have the luxury of collecting cookbooks. My personal favorites are the Donna Hay softbacks and the 'Beautiful Cookbook' series. But when I was living out of my backpack, the internet did a brilliant job of meeting my needs, and I have used it for finding new ideas ever since.
I still cook large meals the majority of the time, and I have learned to love leftovers. Some meals, like curries and soups, even taste better the next day. Rory calls this the 'maturing' process. Cooking at least 4 servings at once is much more economical--in terms of time and money.
And the whole 'cooking around carbs' idea is still the way I operate. Yes, there are times that I fancy a steak--but this is happening less and less. When I plan meals, I ask what carb (or starch) we haven't eaten in a while: rice, bread, pasta, cous cous, potato, etc. Then I build the meal around that, and use the meat as a garnish, sometimes literally. A little meat can stretch a long way--especially red meat.
My cooking repirtoire has certainly expanded since that time in our lives, and I'm thankful. They're skills I'll always be able to use, and improve upon as I age. Now when I go to a restaurant, I try to order something that I can't make at home, and then try to imagine how I someday could. A few restaurant experiences recently have even left me saying 'I could do that dish better', and how wonderful is that?
This specific situation is what started me on my personal cooking journey. We wanted tasty, hearty food, but couldn't afford the $25 NZ per meal that most nice restaurants charge there. In fact, our budget was closer to $5 NZ per meal per person (probably close to about $3.75 US, at that time). What to do?
The answer was get creative: research recipes on the internet, cook in bulk (at least four servings at once, if not more), and base meals around carbs (as opposed to meat). We also had to change our eating habits based on the New Zealand food market. For example, we were used to eating chicken breasts--in the UK and US, these are plentiful and affordable. This is not the case in NZ, but on the other hand, seafood was both.
Some of our favorite recipes were found during this time, including fish and cilantro stew, which I included at my blog at the time. The habits that I formed have proved to be lasting ones, and have been extremely valuable and rewarding for me.
Now that I have money and space (and have no current plans to move countries again), I have the luxury of collecting cookbooks. My personal favorites are the Donna Hay softbacks and the 'Beautiful Cookbook' series. But when I was living out of my backpack, the internet did a brilliant job of meeting my needs, and I have used it for finding new ideas ever since.
I still cook large meals the majority of the time, and I have learned to love leftovers. Some meals, like curries and soups, even taste better the next day. Rory calls this the 'maturing' process. Cooking at least 4 servings at once is much more economical--in terms of time and money.
And the whole 'cooking around carbs' idea is still the way I operate. Yes, there are times that I fancy a steak--but this is happening less and less. When I plan meals, I ask what carb (or starch) we haven't eaten in a while: rice, bread, pasta, cous cous, potato, etc. Then I build the meal around that, and use the meat as a garnish, sometimes literally. A little meat can stretch a long way--especially red meat.
My cooking repirtoire has certainly expanded since that time in our lives, and I'm thankful. They're skills I'll always be able to use, and improve upon as I age. Now when I go to a restaurant, I try to order something that I can't make at home, and then try to imagine how I someday could. A few restaurant experiences recently have even left me saying 'I could do that dish better', and how wonderful is that?
Why 'yum' and not 'yummy'?
I love foreign lingo, and New Zealand had 'heaps' of it. I remember thinking it was quite quirky when Sara, our old housemate, said 'that smells yum!' after smelling whatever it was I was cooking. Afterwards, I realized it was how all Kiwis use the word, and I was completely charmed. So short and succinct, and so much fun to say.
I try to hold on to those little things, now that we're living in the USA. I miss the everyday surprises of language and culture, and I wish to preserve them somehow. So 'yum' it will always be for me, and 'yum' it is on this blog.
(Also, 'lifeisyummy' was already taken. I checked, out of curiosity.)
I try to hold on to those little things, now that we're living in the USA. I miss the everyday surprises of language and culture, and I wish to preserve them somehow. So 'yum' it will always be for me, and 'yum' it is on this blog.
(Also, 'lifeisyummy' was already taken. I checked, out of curiosity.)
Friday, June 24, 2011
Quick, simple, and healthy spinach enchiladas
This recipe was a recent discovery. I have been aiming to eat vegetarian at least half of the time, as it's cheaper, healthier, and better for the environment. Spinach and mushroom enchiladas have been long-standing faves of mine, but for some reason I had never made them myself. Silly, really, because spinach enchiladas are wonderfully simple--and next time I intend to add some fried onions and mushrooms, too. Yum!
Ingredients:
1 big bag of washed spinach leaves (the Popeye brand is great)
1 bag of 10 medium-sized flour tortillas
1 small block of Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 small pot of plain 0% fat Greek yogurt
1 can of green enchilada sauce
1 can of red enchilada sauce
Six ingredients and about 30 minutes--that's all. Here are the instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix the yogurt with the green enchilada sauce.
3. For each of the ten tortillas, add a good spoonful of the above mixture, a handful of spinach, and enough cheese to top the spinach. Roll the tortilla up, and pack it tightly into a nonstick cake pan.
4. Line all 10 enchiladas up evenly, and then pour the red sauce on top.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the enchiladas are cooked through.
This basic recipe can be toyed with in any number of ways, and I look forward to experimenting. I can't think of a better last-minute meal.
Score: 8 out of 10
Ingredients:
1 big bag of washed spinach leaves (the Popeye brand is great)
1 bag of 10 medium-sized flour tortillas
1 small block of Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 small pot of plain 0% fat Greek yogurt
1 can of green enchilada sauce
1 can of red enchilada sauce
Six ingredients and about 30 minutes--that's all. Here are the instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix the yogurt with the green enchilada sauce.
3. For each of the ten tortillas, add a good spoonful of the above mixture, a handful of spinach, and enough cheese to top the spinach. Roll the tortilla up, and pack it tightly into a nonstick cake pan.
4. Line all 10 enchiladas up evenly, and then pour the red sauce on top.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the enchiladas are cooked through.
This basic recipe can be toyed with in any number of ways, and I look forward to experimenting. I can't think of a better last-minute meal.
Score: 8 out of 10
Italian sausage and tortellini stoup
I'm always looking for new 'one pot' recipes. They're easy to make, easy to clean up, and they seem to have a hearty quality to them--especially when you mop up the deliciousness with some bread. Yum indeed.
So I came across this recipe at Allrecipes: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/italian-sausage-tortellini-soup/detail.aspx. I'm a big fan of Italian sausage, and the idea of tortellini served in a soup appealed to me. Trader Joe's carries a tasty, cheap bag of dried cheese tortellini, so I decided to attempt it.
Of course, when I use Allrecipes, I pay close attention to the recommendations from other users. I also feel a bit more freedom to mix things up (as opposed to cooking out of cookbooks--I'm not sure if this is logical, but it's the way it is).
So, in the end, these were my ingredients (all from Trader Joe's):
1 package hot Italian sausages
Pot of pre-diced onions, celery, and carrots
3 cloves worth of minced garlic
1 yellow pepper, diced
3 small courgettes (zucchini), diced
3/4 cup of cheap red wine (3 buck Chuck)
5 beef stock cubes dissolved in 5 cups of boiling water
2 more cups of boiling water
Large can of plum tomatoes with basil
1 heaping tablespoon of tomato paste
1 bag Trader Joe's cheese tortellinis
Dried oregano and basil, to taste
Serve with crusty bread, chopped asiago cheese, and fresh Italian parsley.
Makes at least 6 gigantic helpings (more like 8 servings, especially when served with the bread).
If you compare my list to the original list, you'll notice that I changed measurements and even entire ingredients. I also amended the instructions, as follows:
1. Squeeze sausage out of their casings (this is good fun!) and cook over medium heat in a large stockpot.
2. Once browned, add the garlic and the pot of pre-diced onions, celery, and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes, or until soft.
3. Add the wine, stock, pepper, courgettes, tomatoes, and extra water. Simmer for 10 more minutes, to let the alcohol cook out of the wine.
4. Add the tortellini, tomato paste, and herbs. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the tortellini are soft.
There you have it: easy, peasy. The flavor of this 'stoup' (it's thicker than soup, so more like a stew or even a pasta dish) is quite deep and rich, thanks to the beef stock lurking in the background. Rory and I both really liked it and agreed to add it to our rotation. The leftovers are also lovely, as the sauce seems to mature and the tortellini completely soften and absorb the flavors.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
So I came across this recipe at Allrecipes: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/italian-sausage-tortellini-soup/detail.aspx. I'm a big fan of Italian sausage, and the idea of tortellini served in a soup appealed to me. Trader Joe's carries a tasty, cheap bag of dried cheese tortellini, so I decided to attempt it.
Of course, when I use Allrecipes, I pay close attention to the recommendations from other users. I also feel a bit more freedom to mix things up (as opposed to cooking out of cookbooks--I'm not sure if this is logical, but it's the way it is).
So, in the end, these were my ingredients (all from Trader Joe's):
1 package hot Italian sausages
Pot of pre-diced onions, celery, and carrots
3 cloves worth of minced garlic
1 yellow pepper, diced
3 small courgettes (zucchini), diced
3/4 cup of cheap red wine (3 buck Chuck)
5 beef stock cubes dissolved in 5 cups of boiling water
2 more cups of boiling water
Large can of plum tomatoes with basil
1 heaping tablespoon of tomato paste
1 bag Trader Joe's cheese tortellinis
Dried oregano and basil, to taste
Serve with crusty bread, chopped asiago cheese, and fresh Italian parsley.
Makes at least 6 gigantic helpings (more like 8 servings, especially when served with the bread).
If you compare my list to the original list, you'll notice that I changed measurements and even entire ingredients. I also amended the instructions, as follows:
1. Squeeze sausage out of their casings (this is good fun!) and cook over medium heat in a large stockpot.
2. Once browned, add the garlic and the pot of pre-diced onions, celery, and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes, or until soft.
3. Add the wine, stock, pepper, courgettes, tomatoes, and extra water. Simmer for 10 more minutes, to let the alcohol cook out of the wine.
4. Add the tortellini, tomato paste, and herbs. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the tortellini are soft.
There you have it: easy, peasy. The flavor of this 'stoup' (it's thicker than soup, so more like a stew or even a pasta dish) is quite deep and rich, thanks to the beef stock lurking in the background. Rory and I both really liked it and agreed to add it to our rotation. The leftovers are also lovely, as the sauce seems to mature and the tortellini completely soften and absorb the flavors.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Here we go again
Hi, I'm Amy. You might remember me from such blogs as 'A Year Down Under', 'Amy and Rory's Latest Adventure', and 'The Same Look for Less'.
Those blogs died, for various reasons (we left New Zealand, finished our honeymoon, and ran out of money and closet space, respectively). But I'm going to give this another whirl, because life is worth documenting, even when it is more predictable than it once was.
I'll be sharing recipes, pictures, and stories with you all, but also with myself. I'm only now fully appreciating the content on my other blogs, and there is much about this time that I'll want to remember. So here we go--again.
Those blogs died, for various reasons (we left New Zealand, finished our honeymoon, and ran out of money and closet space, respectively). But I'm going to give this another whirl, because life is worth documenting, even when it is more predictable than it once was.
I'll be sharing recipes, pictures, and stories with you all, but also with myself. I'm only now fully appreciating the content on my other blogs, and there is much about this time that I'll want to remember. So here we go--again.
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