Old Mother Hubbard Went to the Cupboard

If you're in your 30s, you should know the rest. I was thinking about today's post as I stared at my lunch. You see it was a pantry (cupboard) meal. Last night after a late meeting, MJ and I were hungry. He was going to have leftovers and I'd have none. There wasn't enough for the both of us. So, I started thinking what am I going to do. It was before 11 PM so I could have called Dominos, Papa Johns, Pizza Hut or any number of joints specializing in quick Asian cuisine. Well, lack of funds prevented that.

I glanced at the counter and saw my mise en place for dinner which I didn't get to cook b/c of said meeting. Hmmm, I can boil some pasta to eat tonight and have for lunch tomorrow. My mise en place consisted of a 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes, dried onions, garlic, salt, pepper, fennel seed, rosemary, Italian seasoning, sugar and red wine. A plan was forming. We had some cheese and pepperoni in the fridge. While the pasta boiled, I sliced the pepperoni. It was the last of a stick we'd bought for flatbread pizza. My colander was in the sink waiting to be washed so I transferred my cooked noodles to a baking dish. I then drained the water from my pot and added my tomatoes, wine, herbs and spices. Ten minutes later, my house smelled as if I had been slaving over a hot pot all day. I poured the sauce over the noodles stirred them together and topped it all with the cheese and pepperoni. I baked it for 10 minutes to melt the cheese. Voila, a tasty pizza casserole for about $4.'

Yeah, it only cost about $4 to make. I have been looking for ways to decrease my grocery bill yet maintain the taste level that my family has grown accustomed to. I was pleased when I had lunch today. How about you? Have you come up with inexpensive and tasty meals? What are some of your faves? Please share!

You Know I'm Sick When

I tell you I don't want anything to eat. Or I'm not hungry. Those are indicators that something isn't right in my world. For the last three or so days, the mere thought of eating has made me sick to my stomach. And that just ain't natural. I couldn't even watch the Food Network that's the kind of shape I was in. For someone who has three squares a day and routinely plans meals days in advance, this was so not good. I mean I even missed work. Some would say, 'You missed work for a stomachache?'. To which I would reply, 'No, not for a stomachache. It was the nausea, headache and the roiling in my belly that kept me at home'. What's a girl to do?



Well, my strategy was to eat something so that I wasn't completely depriving my body. You know it's bad when a comfort food like oatmeal treats you like a redheaded stepchild. Today, some caring friends suggested soup. I had a lovely beef barley from Au Bon Pain. I wanted the loaded baked potato, but I thought it best not to risk it. The chicken noodle soup was totally unappealing. There's something offputting about those noodles. SC agreed. I'm thinking that once I'm feeling normal I'm going back to get some of that baked potato soup.

What is your 'go to' food? Is it a nice bowl of soup? Or a hot cup of tea? I know tea is a drink, but we're going with it for now. How about plain toast or crackers?

Have You Hugged Your Crockpot Today?

I know I thank the good Lord every time I use my crockpot. It has never failed me. While looking out over the sea of food blogs out there, I noticed Stephanie's. She is the force behind A Year of Crockpotting . She's devoted 2008 to testing and tasting recipes using her crockpot. She's had some winners and some that weren't quite as good. She's even made her own cheesecake and her own crayons in her crockpot. In two words, SHE ROCKS! Let me tell you about one of the winners.

A few weeks ago, she prepared Vietnamese Roast Chicken. It was a fairly simple recipe with only a few ingredients. The odd one for me was fish sauce. Worcesthire sauce was the closest thing I had on hand. As I've mentioned before I like to make my crockpot meals at night, this was no exception. I woke up in the middle of the night wanting to open the lid and just inhale deeply. The scent was intoxicating. MJ and I were going to take this for lunch. It was sooooo good. We even had it for dinner. I used chicken thighs as I had those on hand and there were plenty. You would have thought we were a pack of wolves the way we attacked dinner last night.

Once I get Stephanie's permission, I'll post a copy of the recipe. BTW, she's famous. She was on the Rachel Ray show. Check out her site for a link to the show. Also, make sure you check out some of the fabulous recipes. And if you do it before the end of the week, you have a chance to win a new crockpot. Just leave a comment on the appropriate post to enter.

What are some of your favorite blogs? Do they revolve around organic foods? Vegan recipes? Gluten free lifestyle? Desserts? Or maybe the obscure? Let me know. I've shared some of mine. I'm also discovering new ones. As I do, I'll let you know.

Rice Is Nice!

Cooking rice is one of those jobs either you do it well or you burn it. Rice was never one of those things that I did very often. And when I did cook it, I wound up frustrated. Either it was wet and sticky or a little on the chewy side. Yes, yes, I know that I can buy those cook in ten minute bags of rice, but where's the challenge in that. If I can boil water, I should be able to make a decent pot of rice. Yes, yes, I know there's a gadget called a rice cooker, that seems a little like cheating. I know they are prized by many. However, I don't eat enough rice to really warrant one. That's not to say I don't have one. I have a cute little red one that CH and JG gave me for Christmas. It's so adorable I can't bring myself to use it. Okay, the real reason is we just don't eat enough rice. It's not something I cook everyday.

Last night, I decided to get over my rice phobia. I started by carefully reading the instructions. Then, I measured my water and left it to boil. Next, I measured the rice. I used a wide pan and realized that would change the cooking time as I'd have more cooking surface to work with. After adding the rice, I set the time on the stove to go off a few minutes before the directed times. My instincts were pretty good. While not quite perfect, the rice was well received, being a Southern girl I added a little butter and some seasoning. To borrow a phrase from Alton Brown, the rice was Good Eats.

People will tell you using the best ingredients will enhance a dish. However, I'm here to tell you that knowing the techniques of preparing even the simplest dish will elevate your results. Now, what are some of your food fears? Are you like me, terrible at cooking rice? Or does the thought of frying potatoes send you running to the frozen food section? What have you done to get over your fears?

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

Well, I did absolutely nothing. I had high hopes that I would whip up delicious dishes to put in my freezer. I would make batches of cookies and other treats to bring to my friends at work. I just never happened. The slacker in me took over. I took two or three naps a day while watching who's the baby daddy on Maury Povich. I saw hour after hour of the NFL Networks Top Ten. As a matter of fact, I rarely left my home. The longest trip we took was a four hour excursion to the emergency room. MJ contracted a really bad case of swimmer's ear. This from a guy who can't swim. Go figure.

I was talking to CD this morning. And we were discussing marinades and spices. He gave me a recipe for adobo sauce that I will try. That led us to my true dilemma. My spice rack is sorely lacking. There was a time when I had a wealth of dried herbs and spices to choose from. Now, we only have the bare minimum. Could this be the source of my discontent? Would a trip to Penzeys or World of Spice (Philly) be in order? Or at least a trip down the international food aisle for a little multicultural inspiration. I'll let you know what it will be.

In the meantime, my vacation is over. What meals shall I prepare as I ponder my spicy dilemma? The freezer is full of steak, chicken and shrimp. I know tonight I'll be prepping a whole chicken for a crockpot meal. I'm really looking forward to that. I'm thinking that a ceasar (sp) salad with steak might be a welcome change for us.

What are you spices of choice? What can't you live without? What spice were you introduced to that surprised you? What flavors inspire you?

OOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! PEACHES!!!!!

I went out of town this weekend. I had a job to do. No, I wasn't going to whack somebody. Although I must say that as I passed through a certain part of town, I sure felt like it. I digress. The job I was going to do wasn't incredibly hard. All I had to do was cut and slice peaches. My friend, MD, has a mini-orchard. He has spent the past few weeks canning apricots as whole fruit, jam and preserves. Well, this week it was time for the peaches. For my time, I would be rewarded with jars filled with sweet, sticky, and delicious fruit. I set to work. For any of you who have spent time in a kitchen set up for canning, you know it was hot as Hades in there.

As I sat there with my friends, I thought how this is how life must have been 100 years ago. Canning was not a solitary event. It involved family and neighbors coming together to stock up and preserve for the winter months and any hard times that were to come. What I once thought was a dying art has seen a revival this year. Mason jars/Ball jars are becoming hard to find as people are preparing for lean times due to what might be an impending recession. I was happy that MD allowed me to share in his bounty.

My peaches are destined to become the basis for smoothies. My plan is to use the sweet flavored syrup as a base for homemade liquers. Some of the peaches may even find their way into turnovers made from puff pastry or a glaze for pork chops. I was delighted when MD said that I could also have some plum jam and apricot preserves and jam as well. Sweating profusely in the summer heat can be deeply rewarding when shared with friends and food.

How do you like your peaches? Do you have any ideas for what to do with my luscious fruity booty?

The Manila Cafe-Springfield, VA

MJ and I were out and about on Saturday. You know the usual running errands, hitting the grocery store, etc. We were to meet up with CH and JG. CH and I were making a book run. After the run, she suggested we go to Manila Cafe. They had eaten there the week before and liked the food. Manila Cafe is a filipino restaurant. It is run by a husband a wife team who prepare the dishes themselves. They offer buffet dining as well as a regular menu. JG and CH sampled the buffet while MJ and I shared a platter of lumpianitas. This little mom and pop shop provided a clean if extremely cozy atmosphere. The food was fresh and plentiful. The servers were very friendly and attentive. I hope that we get to go back soon.