I started watching the movie "The Lather Effect," thought how it was similar to "The Hangover," and decided to finish my dishes and cooking. Yay me!!! I had been interested in trying "Little Weiner Shortcakes," because I like the idea of making something a bit homey and a bit outrageous. As I started making "Frantic Mother Cornbread," I could practically imagine little rugrats scattering around the house while I dumped cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder into a bowl. With the intention of cutting up hot dogs into pieces and adding them to soup for the sauce.
I love that feeling~~ throwing together something kids love out of nothing. Magic Mommy. Mine sure was. She's alive, but long live the rugrat days when dinner was a surprise every night. It was usually a wonderful dish that just happened to hit the spot.
I always thought her Mommying skills came naturally. I assumed every woman who wanted to could do just what my mom did, with just a variation of difference... it takes all kinds aside. Of course I thought I'd naturally take her skills and only improve on them. I guess I thought I had the birthright to do better. Perhaps it could have been had I not been so impatient. However time did move on and here I sit, marvelling at her skills. Thus the trip down Magic Mommy Lane was a satisfying one.
Results: As much as I love the idea of dumping and baking, the corn bread was too dense. And flour-y. Perhaps the trouble could be lowered by just using less flour, and thus proportionately less baking powder... right??? But. ..., I digress. I already own the ultimate corn bread recipe.
I pause and wonder how I came to stray away from it in the first place. This came from a woman whose family called it, "Corn Pone," even though not from the South , but from Minnesota. (my brothers' Godmother.) I see it does have a lo t less flour, and the addition of oil. One less egg, and the milk is buttermilk. Also it includes baking soda. (think it tames the sponginess down somehow??) It is not dump & bake, but really hardly any other steps since you'll be going to the trouble of measuring anyway. Mix the drys, make a well, add egg & milk, mix, add oil, & bake.
And then for the true Frantic Mothers we have the pre-mixed corn bread in a bag. Dump, add water, and bake.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Overall results, I'd have to say it was rather tasty, like a corn dog, biscuit and gravy combination. (with veggies). The green onions really helped with the freshness of the dish. Forgot the creamed corn in the sauce- may be better without it. And---------------...................
thank you to the poor chickie who sacrificed her life for our nourishment. (Yes, it was a female!!!)
Monday, April 19, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Oink! Oink! Schnitzel!
My next project was "Hearty Pork Pancakes," listed also as "Fleskerpanekakker," in my lil Norwegian cookbook. I realized upon looking in a Scandanavian cookbook, that "Flesker" refers to pork and then... obviously.. panekakker.. is pancakes. Through the friends I've had from Norway, I've learned that so much in our languages are similar. Anyway, this was a very simple recipe that I've been rather curious about. I wasn't even just interested in how it would turn out as much as how it would be to make and eat something that was a very old recipe. This recipe would connect me with thousands of Norwegians from an earlier, simpler, and, as I've learned from my readings, undoubtedly poorer, time.
The pancakes were tastier than I expected, given the ingredients. Rather filling as well! I can imagine them making these. Without the pork and chives, the same recipe is called, "Everyday Pancakes." I can imagine liking those if I didn't have access to any ready-made mixes, especially on long cold winters. Of course otherwise they are pretty dame plain to eat alone, as they did, with pea and ham soup.
The "pork" I used in the pancakes was of course, thick sliced bacon. And, of course, the kiddo ate the bacon out of the pancake and left most of it sitting on her plate. She just has no appreciation for earlier times.... I really enjoyed the experience. She did say she kind of liked them, they just needed more bacon. LOL. Indeed, I thought, maybe next time of cutting the bacon up and distributing them throughout the pancake. Also, making the pancake a bit thinner would probably help. Even so, I still couldn't stomach the idea of serving these pancakes plain with split pea and ham soup, as the cookbook suggests would be fun for a "Saturday Night," as one family back in the day did. Perhaps during a viewing of the Wizard of Oz, we could eat our Wicked-Witch colored soup, and it would seem appropriate.
Schnitzel! For my Fritzel, indeed! My little girl earned the nickname "Fritzel," in her dance group.... Lovely. I haven't gotten to see her dance yet. She has fun, and that's the main reason to be there. The night she had her first performance, at a pep assembly followed by a basketball game, no less... and she was wearing her team shirt with the nickname right on it, I served Schnitzel. It was a recipe that popped up on my Facebook feed under the Food Network's posts. Gil thought it sounded good , too. And so did Mary Esther, my aunt! (SHOUTOUT!) She added that they were originally made with rabbit, were in fact German, and that no, rabbit did not taste gamey, they tasted like chicken. That being said they were made with chicken.
Matt (my husband)really liked it, and of course it being fried, who really wouldn't. The flour was seasoned with nutmeg and paprika, and the breadcrumbs with majoram as well as salt & pepper. Had the nutmeg been fresh ground I truly wonder if the flavor would have been stonger, and , thus, better. Anyway , I will add that it was fairly easy to cook and not bad when you pre mix all the stuff you dip it in before you fry. It helps to use chicken cutlets that are actually 1/8" thick. Oh, and the sauce was good with it and for some reason I felt this meal had a medieval-ness to it. Don't ask me why, cause I don't know. The sauce was made with whole grain mustard mixed with plain yogurt. (Fat Free!) Yay, fat free..... Then also recommended to serve it with is applesauce (which was very good with it) and then I just added green garlic-stuffed olives and blue-cheese stuffed green olives too.
Make it or don't make it, I will probably make it again. My next entry will be about the dishes I have ingredients for, again... Blueberry Baked Pancakes (Pancakes without the work!) , Veggie Dip #1, and Italian Bowtie Pasta . Casserole. (with no meat) Stay tuned! Or should I say stay tuned, vegetarians???
The pancakes were tastier than I expected, given the ingredients. Rather filling as well! I can imagine them making these. Without the pork and chives, the same recipe is called, "Everyday Pancakes." I can imagine liking those if I didn't have access to any ready-made mixes, especially on long cold winters. Of course otherwise they are pretty dame plain to eat alone, as they did, with pea and ham soup.
The "pork" I used in the pancakes was of course, thick sliced bacon. And, of course, the kiddo ate the bacon out of the pancake and left most of it sitting on her plate. She just has no appreciation for earlier times.... I really enjoyed the experience. She did say she kind of liked them, they just needed more bacon. LOL. Indeed, I thought, maybe next time of cutting the bacon up and distributing them throughout the pancake. Also, making the pancake a bit thinner would probably help. Even so, I still couldn't stomach the idea of serving these pancakes plain with split pea and ham soup, as the cookbook suggests would be fun for a "Saturday Night," as one family back in the day did. Perhaps during a viewing of the Wizard of Oz, we could eat our Wicked-Witch colored soup, and it would seem appropriate.
Schnitzel! For my Fritzel, indeed! My little girl earned the nickname "Fritzel," in her dance group.... Lovely. I haven't gotten to see her dance yet. She has fun, and that's the main reason to be there. The night she had her first performance, at a pep assembly followed by a basketball game, no less... and she was wearing her team shirt with the nickname right on it, I served Schnitzel. It was a recipe that popped up on my Facebook feed under the Food Network's posts. Gil thought it sounded good , too. And so did Mary Esther, my aunt! (SHOUTOUT!) She added that they were originally made with rabbit, were in fact German, and that no, rabbit did not taste gamey, they tasted like chicken. That being said they were made with chicken.
Matt (my husband)really liked it, and of course it being fried, who really wouldn't. The flour was seasoned with nutmeg and paprika, and the breadcrumbs with majoram as well as salt & pepper. Had the nutmeg been fresh ground I truly wonder if the flavor would have been stonger, and , thus, better. Anyway , I will add that it was fairly easy to cook and not bad when you pre mix all the stuff you dip it in before you fry. It helps to use chicken cutlets that are actually 1/8" thick. Oh, and the sauce was good with it and for some reason I felt this meal had a medieval-ness to it. Don't ask me why, cause I don't know. The sauce was made with whole grain mustard mixed with plain yogurt. (Fat Free!) Yay, fat free..... Then also recommended to serve it with is applesauce (which was very good with it) and then I just added green garlic-stuffed olives and blue-cheese stuffed green olives too.
Make it or don't make it, I will probably make it again. My next entry will be about the dishes I have ingredients for, again... Blueberry Baked Pancakes (Pancakes without the work!) , Veggie Dip #1, and Italian Bowtie Pasta . Casserole. (with no meat) Stay tuned! Or should I say stay tuned, vegetarians???
Puffing it TheBlueCheeseWay
So last Saturday I made the "saucy blue cheese puff." (Better Homes & Gardens ShortCut Recipes,copyright 1980.) Pictures and recipes should find their way on here. I was so excited to make something with blue cheese! I thought the next blue cheese thing I would make would be "nutty blue cheese dip." Yum. Ended up being, this puff.
It turned out like a puffy omelet, if you've had one of those... with soupy sauce underneath. I honestly thought it wouldn't be quite so... soupy. It did seem way too runny. Perhaps next time I will not use skim milk extended with water in the egg part. The recipe said, milk or light cream. Now I followed the sauce recipe just fine. I guess that was meant to be soupy.
That being the texture report, this is the taste report: I have to admit while I was mixing the eggs and cheese, it smelled like sour milk. Upon tasting- it was VERY GOOD. Blue cheese and cream cheese, even mixed together, really are my friends! It was also very good once cooked. I even thought next time I make it I will use a different veggie combination: cauliflower, celery, carrots. I think it will taste like a really dang! tasty cauliflower soup.
Toffee Apple French Toast (aka Caramel Apple Strata) report: sucked. Now, so as not to confuse anyone, this recipe came from Taste of Home Casserole Edition) I followed directions to a tea. The top was dry & crunchy, headed towards being burned, in fact... while the middle didn't cook all the way. Lovely. The taste, I was not even particularly fond of. I think the Heath bits' manufactured taste may have been the culprit. With the crunch they are good, but melted in to things, not so wonderful. My conclusion is that this recipe is flawed. I have no desire to restructure it at this time. Ya want apple custard, ya go to my aunt and ask her about apple custard biscuits. Those 'll do yuh...
The subject for my next blog will be: Pork Pancakes, (Fleskerpanekakker) and Chicken Schnitzel.
It turned out like a puffy omelet, if you've had one of those... with soupy sauce underneath. I honestly thought it wouldn't be quite so... soupy. It did seem way too runny. Perhaps next time I will not use skim milk extended with water in the egg part. The recipe said, milk or light cream. Now I followed the sauce recipe just fine. I guess that was meant to be soupy.
That being the texture report, this is the taste report: I have to admit while I was mixing the eggs and cheese, it smelled like sour milk. Upon tasting- it was VERY GOOD. Blue cheese and cream cheese, even mixed together, really are my friends! It was also very good once cooked. I even thought next time I make it I will use a different veggie combination: cauliflower, celery, carrots. I think it will taste like a really dang! tasty cauliflower soup.
Toffee Apple French Toast (aka Caramel Apple Strata) report: sucked. Now, so as not to confuse anyone, this recipe came from Taste of Home Casserole Edition) I followed directions to a tea. The top was dry & crunchy, headed towards being burned, in fact... while the middle didn't cook all the way. Lovely. The taste, I was not even particularly fond of. I think the Heath bits' manufactured taste may have been the culprit. With the crunch they are good, but melted in to things, not so wonderful. My conclusion is that this recipe is flawed. I have no desire to restructure it at this time. Ya want apple custard, ya go to my aunt and ask her about apple custard biscuits. Those 'll do yuh...
The subject for my next blog will be: Pork Pancakes, (Fleskerpanekakker) and Chicken Schnitzel.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Leftover Questions
I'd love to make my next grocery list for Sea Scallops and Cajun Pot Roast. However! I'm having some trouble using up my leftovers. I did see a really awesome "Irish" type recipe to kick off March with, though, too, in that little 5- ingredient recipe book.
Anyway, I have a bunch of pea-and-ham soup- wicked witch colored, (originally served with pepper jack grilled cheese sandwiches) some chili, and horseradish beef puffs. Also have some lemon carrots from Norwegian cookbook. I need to re-purpose ! I wonder if I would eat any of that stuff for lunch by itself. Ever. Duh-dah duhhnnn! Time will tell. And I think the answer is no. Really they are remnants of mostly unpopular meals. Minus the chili, which was "for sure good." Anywho, --- at least we still have the Cap'n Crunch candy. And somehow my husband scored two of the most gargantuan bags of peanut M & M's I've ever seen. ..
As a side note, they do not melt in your pocket. Whereas the Cadbury Egg, DOES. And as another side note, chocolate does not stain and does come out in the wash. ~~
Looks like I will probably be researching some awesome side dishes to go with my questionable entrees in the fridge, or throw them out. Consequences...
Next on the list for experimenti-cooking, blue cheese puffs. As well as caramel apple strata, since I already bought the ingredients for those! oh! and possibly Froot Loop Bars.
Adios!
Anyway, I have a bunch of pea-and-ham soup- wicked witch colored, (originally served with pepper jack grilled cheese sandwiches) some chili, and horseradish beef puffs. Also have some lemon carrots from Norwegian cookbook. I need to re-purpose ! I wonder if I would eat any of that stuff for lunch by itself. Ever. Duh-dah duhhnnn! Time will tell. And I think the answer is no. Really they are remnants of mostly unpopular meals. Minus the chili, which was "for sure good." Anywho, --- at least we still have the Cap'n Crunch candy. And somehow my husband scored two of the most gargantuan bags of peanut M & M's I've ever seen. ..
As a side note, they do not melt in your pocket. Whereas the Cadbury Egg, DOES. And as another side note, chocolate does not stain and does come out in the wash. ~~
Looks like I will probably be researching some awesome side dishes to go with my questionable entrees in the fridge, or throw them out. Consequences...
Next on the list for experimenti-cooking, blue cheese puffs. As well as caramel apple strata, since I already bought the ingredients for those! oh! and possibly Froot Loop Bars.
Adios!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Opener
Morning,
Open-oven'rs, face-bloggers, and fellow bloggers! Just watched Skeleton Key. Man, that was a great movie. I would recommend watching it again. Yes, watch it again, if you've seen it once. The second time, you'll be able to see the movie better! Perhaps understand it more... more better. Ha Ha! I know I will. In any case, stick around for the ending. It was primo, a great climax, I have to admit. The deleted scenes would have explained the movie a lot better , as well as the motivations behind the characters and I would have been able to follow it better. However, tne ending wouldn't have been as climactic, "as the maker desired." Anyone want to give me their thoughts? Didn't think so, bleh...
On to cooking, as I have a cookbook with me. It's the 5 Ingredients or Less! Cookbook... one of those, simple awesomeness ones... and a very tiny one. It apparently does not have an author. It seems you can possibly purchase it at www.schoolmate.com, though. It's some kind of fundraiser cookbook. And the most awesome one I've ever seen!
Hmmmmmm... Garlic Butter Scallops. Does that interest anybody? Scallops, anyone? Just like in Gordon Ramsay's kitchen. I think he loves scallops. Any takers? Ha ha. I never had them. I see an experiment in the making. I don't know what I'd serve with it. Salad? It all does seem like a warm weather meal. This weekend is looking good weather wise. Can we hear a finally?! But I digress. IDK. It's a brand spankin' new idea. Anybody try making scallops before? Y'all may force me to research side dishes. No sweat. It'll be here.
Now I see in here the recipe for Orange Roughy. Fish. You know? The way I learned it is a fish is through a certain brand of hair products. Fish oil, I'm sure. Not just fish oil, Orange Roughy fish oil! Or was it just Orange Roughy. Very weird. I'd tell you the brand, but... you'll have to ask me on your own. ANYWAY. <;-) To get to the point of the story, I tried to make it once and they didn't have any in the store. I'm guessing seafood is somewhat seasonal as well. (as... fruit.) Regardless, I didn't make it.
Paging more through the book... Cajun Pot Roast. Mm. What the hello?! Who ever heard of that?! Just up my alley. Hmm... this weekend?! Easy comfort food, Yes!! Hehe he. First--
don't have any cajun seasoning, don't know what the "h" it is. Diced onion, tomato, chuck roast, tobasco sauce, cajun seasoning. Does this sound good? Hm. I'm finding lots of little goodies in this cookbook. More will be forthcoming! As well as the reults of experimentation in my open oven. Hope to see you for my next installment, friends!
Open-oven'rs, face-bloggers, and fellow bloggers! Just watched Skeleton Key. Man, that was a great movie. I would recommend watching it again. Yes, watch it again, if you've seen it once. The second time, you'll be able to see the movie better! Perhaps understand it more... more better. Ha Ha! I know I will. In any case, stick around for the ending. It was primo, a great climax, I have to admit. The deleted scenes would have explained the movie a lot better , as well as the motivations behind the characters and I would have been able to follow it better. However, tne ending wouldn't have been as climactic, "as the maker desired." Anyone want to give me their thoughts? Didn't think so, bleh...
On to cooking, as I have a cookbook with me. It's the 5 Ingredients or Less! Cookbook... one of those, simple awesomeness ones... and a very tiny one. It apparently does not have an author. It seems you can possibly purchase it at www.schoolmate.com, though. It's some kind of fundraiser cookbook. And the most awesome one I've ever seen!
Hmmmmmm... Garlic Butter Scallops. Does that interest anybody? Scallops, anyone? Just like in Gordon Ramsay's kitchen. I think he loves scallops. Any takers? Ha ha. I never had them. I see an experiment in the making. I don't know what I'd serve with it. Salad? It all does seem like a warm weather meal. This weekend is looking good weather wise. Can we hear a finally?! But I digress. IDK. It's a brand spankin' new idea. Anybody try making scallops before? Y'all may force me to research side dishes. No sweat. It'll be here.
Now I see in here the recipe for Orange Roughy. Fish. You know? The way I learned it is a fish is through a certain brand of hair products. Fish oil, I'm sure. Not just fish oil, Orange Roughy fish oil! Or was it just Orange Roughy. Very weird. I'd tell you the brand, but... you'll have to ask me on your own. ANYWAY. <;-) To get to the point of the story, I tried to make it once and they didn't have any in the store. I'm guessing seafood is somewhat seasonal as well. (as... fruit.) Regardless, I didn't make it.
Paging more through the book... Cajun Pot Roast. Mm. What the hello?! Who ever heard of that?! Just up my alley. Hmm... this weekend?! Easy comfort food, Yes!! Hehe he. First--
don't have any cajun seasoning, don't know what the "h" it is. Diced onion, tomato, chuck roast, tobasco sauce, cajun seasoning. Does this sound good? Hm. I'm finding lots of little goodies in this cookbook. More will be forthcoming! As well as the reults of experimentation in my open oven. Hope to see you for my next installment, friends!
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