Bah! Humbug! (also holiday dinner menu)

If left to my own devices, I don't think I would end up celebrating the holiday.
But my Tyler really wants to celebrate it... in a low-key way.
So... since I am completely broke, I crocheted a tree. I used this pattern from Planet M as inspiration, but made it twice as big and complicated! At first I was just going to leave it plain, but it looked like a green arrow, so I added some garland in white and red. Now it is an unmistakeable holiday tree.
If anyone is interested in the pattern I used, I could probably be convinced to write it up and add it to the blog.

It's more square than it looks in this picture. The corner is just curled up.

For the Day itself, I have a menu planned. Is there ever a holiday where I don't have a menu planned?

Breakfast:
Pull-apart cake
Oranges
Hot Chocolate

Lunch:
Leftover breakfast and mixed nuts

Dinner:
Slow roasted leg of lamb with
carrots and potatoes
Baked sweet potatoes
seared baby bok choy
Apple Pie?

So, despite my Grinchy nature, that's my plan for the upcoming holiday. 
-Zay

Bento redux

So,
since my last Bento lunch post, I have continued and refined my bento-making techniques.
I find that, with ingredients prepared and ready, I am able to get up around 7:45 and have Tyler's lunch ready for him to take on the bus before 8:15.
I could probably speed it up by packing some of the lunch the night before... or by being actually awake during the construction of the lunch so I don't spend 5 minutes staring blankly at a frying pan trying to recall it's use.
Anyways, this is a picture-heavy post. If you want the recipes for any of the items I mention, I would be more than happy to write it up or post a link.
Most of the stuff I get off of justbento. Check it out. Maki is awesome.
As always, click on the pictures to make them bigger!

This bento is rice with soy sauce and miso-marinated egg, sauteed spinach with red pepper, a tomato (sliced salted and reconstructed), and mini turkey meatloaves with sesame-soysauce-molasses-and other stuff sauce. This is one of the earliest bentos I made. I was still pouring the soy sauce directly on the rice, and using waxed paper cups which had a tendency to leak if the contents were too damp.
The box was closed with rubber bands.
My camera is really bad at taking closeup pictures, or you might be able to see on the box it says "SAFETY, it's wonderful to be able to hold on to your dreams."... one of those what? moments... having a little engrish on the box makes me feel better about using it for bento.

Another bento. rice with soy sauce and toasted sesame seeds, green pea burgers, broccoli with red peppers and garlic, and mini turkey meatloaves with horseradish sauce. There is also a little extra container with arctic kiwis and blackberries.
Tyler gets broccoli a lot because we get it in our bountiful baskets and I don't like it. If I give it to him for lunch, I don't have to eat any!

These lunches are from a little later. I had just gotten an order from allthingsforsale.com, some stuff off of ebay, and some from the local dollar store.
Most prominant (other than my pretty dragonfly box), silicone muffin cups to contain saucy things and keep things separated, and mini soy sauce bottles in the shape of tiny bottles and fish.
This lunch is wild rice mix with soy sauce, turkey dumplings, boiled egg, and orange slices, with grape tomatoes and sauteed carrots and celery. Tyler and I got matching lunches that day! They had to be assembled differently to fit in the different boxes.

Now we have after-thanksgiving bentos! This one is rice with toasted sesame seeds, sauteed peppers and onions, almonds and raisins, and two servings of leftover turkey. The little bottle in the middle is the soy sauce.
Having appropriate little bottles and muffin cups if very handy.

Here we have another wild-rice mix bento, with soy sauce fish bottles, leftover turkey with onions and thyme, and carrot-celery salad. The little bottles are oil and vinegar to season the salad. The crescent shape silicone container came from the dollar store and is pretty handy sometimes.

This is a quinoa bento, with soy sauce, curry-flavored leftover turkey, and sauteed mixed vegetables -onions, carrots, yellow squash, and celery.

These three came after I won a giveaway from allthingsforsale and got a panda bento set. I was pretty excited about that.
Lunch is rice with toasted sesame seeds, soy sauce. turkey dumplings, swiss cheese broccoli, nanban chicken, and blackberries. I was pretty excited about the panda toothpicks and stuck them on everywhere... Tyler just laughed. It takes a strong man not to feel emasculated by cute pandas in his lunchbox.
I like to use lettuce to divide things too. It is a bit more flexible than silicone cups. 
I am fond of the Panda: day after day. on my new bento box. Is it a sad panda? We may never know.
One thing we can know is that my bento boxes are WAY cuter than Tyler's box... but his is much larger, and since he is a large hungry man, we will just have to put up with it for now.

And now the last bento I have a picture of - from earlier this week. Rice with salty/candied seaweed, soy sauce, orange segments and blackberries (and a panda), soy sauce broccoli, and pulled pork.
I am a huge fan of the seaweed... The Partner not so much. He says it's 'ok' which might mean he has no strong feelings, or that he would rather not eat it, but doesn't want to hurt my feelings. We may never know.

Today was The Partner's last regular school day for the quarter at college, and also the day I used the last of my freezer bento stash. I have no more portioned frozen proteins to dispense for his lunchtimes.
This might seem like perfect timing... but since he will be working his work study job at school for about 40 hours next week, he will probably actually need MORE lunches per week than when he's going to school.
He has stated the preference of 'self-contained-things' for his lunches - like mini meatloaves and dumplings, instead of loose things like pulled pork or artfully seasoned leftover thanksgiving turkey. (we have so much turkey. so much. I have experienced turkey overload. I can't face it anymore.)
I will see what I can do!
I will probably not post too many more bento updates on here... since they aren't probably all that interesting to anyone but me. I thought this update was fun because it showed the evolution of my bento tools stash.
Until I think of something else to write... (I have a christmas present project or two I am dieing to share, but the people who I'm giving it to would see!)
Later,
-Z

Christmas List

This seems early to me. Far too early.
It hasn't been thanksgiving yet! Who's already thinking of Christmas?
But, every year, someone asks me what I want for Christmas, and when I don't answer on time because I haven't though of it yet, they give me wool socks.
Don't get me wrong. I love wool socks! I wear them all the time! They keep my toesies warm!
But my socks-drawer runneth over.
So this year, I introduce the pre-emptive Christmas-List-Strike!

I could use:
Thermal underwear bottoms. My favorite is falling to pieces, it's a Duofold Women's Small. I like them because they are designed for a human being and not someone with a 14" waist somewhere in the vicinity of their armpits.
A fun winter hat with earflaps. 
A petco gift card (what? grain-free dogfood is expensive!)
And of course: books. This is my current list.

Build Your Own Earth Oven, 3rd Edition: A Low-Cost Wood-Fired Mud Oven; Simple Sourdough Bread; Perfect Loaves
Kiko Denzer, Hannah Field
ISBN: 096798467X
ISBN-13: 9780967984674

Handmade Houseboats: Independent Living Afloat
Russell Conder
ISBN: 0071580220
ISBN-13: 9780071580229

The Hand-Sculpted House: A Practical and Philosophical Guide to Building a Cob Cottage: The Real Goods Solar Living Book
Ianto Evans, Michael G. Smith, Linda Smiley
ISBN: 1890132349
ISBN-13: 9781890132347

Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods
Sandor Ellix Katz
ISBN: 1931498237
ISBN-13: 9781931498234

The Just Bento Cookbook: Everyday Lunches To Go
Makiko Itoh
ISBN: 4770031246
ISBN-13: 9784770031242
or
ISBN: 1568363931
ISBN-13: 978-156836393


Tyler could use:
Shirts or Pants. He wears a men's medium shirt, and a 32/30 pant.
A bookstore gift card. (his favorite bookstore is betterworldbooks.com)
Collapsible chopsticks
Convertible Gloves (fingerless gloves that convert into mittens) 

Thank you, and Merry Christmas or something.
(it is too early for Christmas.)
-Zay

*Disclaimer! By making this list I am not begging for any of the stuff on it. I am perfectly ok without any of it. I just wanted it out there because... socks.

Bento Lunches

For several years now, I have been fascinated by bento box lunches, but I never attempted to make one. There was always a reason: I didn't have the ingredients, I didn't have a pretty box, I didn't have the time, I was too poor, I don't have the artistic talent to assemble such a beautiful thing.
But then, upon a rereading of the justbento archives*, I came to a decision. I didn't need to be artistic, or rich, or spend a huge amount of time, or have a fancy box. I could use the container Tyler was already using for his lunches, I could use everyday ingredients, I could make stuff ahead. Most imporntantly, I could send my love to school with a lunch far better than a sandwich full of overly processed sandwich meats, and cheaper than buying a lunch at the cafeteria.
This is my first attempt.

On the left there are three mini turkey meatloaves, topped with horseradish. Center back are three sesame coated green pea veggie burgers, center front is pan fried butter-lemon-pepper asparagus in a waxed paper cup so the sauce doesn't get everywhere. And finally on the right is brown rice with soy sauce.

Granted, It's not the prettiest of bento lunches (link: the prettiest of bento lunches). The colors are a bit bland, but I assure you the flavors are not! This lunch also fulfills my meal rule: Protein, Carbohydrate, Vegetables. It's a simple rule, but simple is good.

And here the lunch is packed to go to school with Tyler - affixed to the rack of his bike with bungie cords. He was afraid it would get scrambled if he put it in his backpack or tried to put it in a pannier bag. I'm sure I'll hear later if it survived the jostling on the back of the bike.
And that's it folks. Maybe later I'll show off the other bento lunch items I prepared - pulled pork and miso marinated eggs.
-Zay


*I have been a huge fan of Maki's sites, justhungry and justbento, for years. She is the reason my younger siblings think I am some sort of magical foreign-food-cooking wizard when I visit home. I highly recommend visiting her sites.
-Z

It rises from the ashes of the forsaken blog! Pithale! Deliciousness!

So...
Let's just ignore the fact that I suddenly and for no reason abandoned this blog, k? I'm back now, however temporarily. And I have food.

Pithale. A chickpea flour curry. Yummy. 

Recently, in cleaning out the kitchen, I discovered an unopened bag of chickpea flour a former housemate had abandoned. A quick googling told me it was useful for gluten-free baking and Indian food. Googling for Indian recipes that use chickpea flour lead me to one hot stove's pithale recipe (check out Nupur's blog, it's awesome!) I basically used the recipe as given but without the curry leaves, with green onions and a little red pepper so I felt I was also eating vegetables.
This recipe is also awesome in that 3tbsp of chickpea flour and some aromatics made too much curry for me to eat on my own. I would guess, all told, this meal cost only a few cents. It was delicious, nutritious, vegan, colorful, and satisfying.

Fourth Of July Vegetarian BBQ Menu

Ok,
So Tyler and I do this thing sometimes where we decide that we're going to cook a big holiday meal... and sometimes I think it might be a little out of hand... but it's good fun. We all need excuses to make an extra fancy meal now and then.
So, in that vein, let me share our proposed menu!

4th BBQ

Portabella Burgers
-mushrooms
-buns
-cheese
-zucchini

Kebabs
-seitan
-pineapple
-zucchini
-potato
-sweet potato


Sweet Corn

Baked Beans

Green Salad
-strawberry balasmic vineigrette

Fruit Salad

Lemon-Mint Sun Tea

Today we biked to the grocery store to pick up the things we'll need. Tomorrow I'll spend the day prepping things like bread, salad dressings, baked beans, mixing up a batch of saitan, and chopping kebab veggies. In the evening, grillmaster Tyler will burn things to deliciousness, and the whole house will eat until sufficiently full.
I'll try to remember to take a picture or two, it should be somewhat epic.
-Zay

P.S. drop me a line if you want the recipe for any of the things mentioned... I could probably be easily convinced to add them to the blog.
-Z

The stages of hot chocolate addiction - or the search for the perfect cup of cocoa

Hot chocolate might seem like an innocent enough pleasure, until you, like me, find yourself going further and further to reach that sweet chocolatey heaven.  Heed this cautionary tale or you might be next!

Stage 1: Milk, chocolate syrup, the microwave. So simple, it has been mastered by toddlers nationwide.

Stage 2: Boiling water and a packet of cocoa mix. As this stage progresses, sufferers (enjoyers?) may find themselves trying different brands of cocoa mix, trying specialty flavors, adding things like marshmallows, seeking that perfect cup of hot chocolate.  This stage may still seem innocent, even to the outside observer.

Stage 3: Making your own mix. Sooner or later there comes a point where pre-packaged mixes are no longer enough to satisfy the hot chocolate addict. In desperation they turn to recipes for home made mix, such as this one by Alton Brown. With it's distinctly adult flavor of cayenne, the simple hot chocolate turns into a decidedly more adult flavor. From here on out, it's a quick trip downhill as the addiction spirals out of control.

Stage 4: In a desperate bid for more varied flavors, the addict turns to breaking the hot chocolate down into it's base components. Milk is slowly heated on the stove while cocoa powder, sugar (or honey, agave, or maple syrup), and other flavor components like cinnamon or vanilla are mixed together in a mug. The steaming milk is poured in, all is whisked together until frothy and fragrant, and our poor addict sips the concoction down. Still, even this can only satisfy the addict for so long.

Stage 5:  At this point there is no hope for the poor addict. Their fate is sealed. As milky chocolate is no longer strong enough to soothe them, they turn to even darker pleasures. A teaspoon of pero (or instant coffee, I guess) is mixed in a small mug with a tablespoon of high quality cocoa powder, a little honey and a drop of vanilla join them and are mixed into a paste, maybe with a little cayenne, nutmeg, or orange zest, and a few grains of salt added as carefully as a chemist. Boiling water is poured over top, and the mixture is stirred until all is incorporated. This dark, slightly bitter brew, devoid of all the sweet comfort of the beginning cup, must be sipped slowly even by the advanced addict desperate for their hot cocoa fix.

Who knows what steps may lay beyond this one? Gnawing on blocks of baker's cocoa in an alleyway? Selling 'services' behind seedy bars for cocoa powder? Raiding chocolate factories for unsullied beans? Truly, this is a dark path.
So mothers, speak to your children about hot chocolate, before someone else does!


...
So, maybe this post needs an explaination, but I don't really think I have a good one. Just that... sometimes a girl needs her chocolate... badly. It occurs to her as she mixes it up that she feels a bit like an alchemist, and then when she's drinking her rather unconventional cup of hot chocolate she thinks it would be funny to write a post like this one... though maybe it's just the painkillers talking...
...
Ok, Enough for tonight. I love you all.
-Zay

Baked Falafel and Cucumber Yogurt Salad

Falafel are easy and delicious, and go well with just about any middle-eastern themed dinner, especially when combined with this simple Cucumber Yogurt Salad.

First off, I want to make it clear that these are not intended to be authentic. I don't think I've ever had authentic falafel. I usually make my falafel from lentils instead of the more traditional chickpeas, though the ones here were made with pinto beans. Pretty much any cooked legume will do.

Lentil Falafel
4 cups cooked lentils
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp lemon juice
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup flour

Preheat the oven to 350*.
In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients except the flour, the mixture should be a thick paste. Stir in the flour, the mixture should be no thicker than cookie dough, but it can be thinner. This is ok.
Heavily grease a cookie sheet, and spoon the falafel mixture onto it the same way you would drop cookies. Alternatively, if you have a pretty thick mix, you can use a small ice cream scoop for more rounded falafel which may take more time to cook.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the falafel are set all the way through and are browned.
Serve warm or cold.

Cucumber Salad
1 or 2 cucumbers, peeled and cubed
yogurt to cover
salt and cumin to taste (more than you think)

Mix together in a bowl. Serve over falafel.

My favorite way to eat falafel is with pita bread, hummus, cucumber yogurt salad, and sprouts. I don't always do that though because I'm lazy.

This time around, Tyler ate his in a spinach tortilla, because he knows no shame.
Love,
Zay

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Moved Again

I hate moving-cooking. I really do.
First, you don't have half the things you want (for example, vinegar, soy sauce, milk, any fruits or vegetables) because you let them run out in preparation for the move. Then you have to get used to a whole new kitchen, which is a nightmare in itself. Also, you've been moving all day, so you're physically exhausted and don't have the kind of creativity needed to make a good meal with the few things you do have left.
I have a bad feeling we might be using another box of the emergency-there-is-nothing-to-eat mac & cheese tonight.
Maybe we'll do better tomorrow.
-Zay

Ricotta Muffins

So... I had some plain ricotta left over from a recent pizza dinner, and I wanted to do something different for breakfast, so I googled and found this recipe for ricotta muffins. They look so good!
And then, being me, I didn't follow the recipe at all!

 

These muffins are very delicious, though they do take a bit more time and preparation than many muffins I have made. They are more savory than sweet and quite rich. I could only eat two.

Muffin Batter Ingredients

2 tsp fennel seed, toasted and ground

3 cups flour (1 cup all purpose, 2 cups whole wheat)

1 Tbsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup melted butter

1/3 cup honey

1 egg

1/2 cup ricotta

some milk

2 1/2 Tbsp vinegar

Ricotta Filling Ingredients

1/2 cup ricotta

1/3 cup yogurt or sour cream
pinch salt

Topping
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat the oven to 350*, and butter a muffin tin.
In a small bowl, mix together the filling ingredients and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the muffin batter dry ingredients. Make a well in the center, and add the melted butter and honey. Do not mix it in.
In a clear glass liquid measuring cup, add the egg, ricotta, and enough milk to bring the liquid level to 1 1/2 cup, add the vinegar and mix well.
Mix the milk mixture into the flour mixture.
Fill the muffin tins 1/3 full with muffin batter, making a well in the center if you can. Scoop a small spoonful of ricotta mixture into the middle, and top with more muffin batter. Sprinkle the walnuts on top.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are browned and firm to the touch.
Enjoy!

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