Pages, Pucks and Pantry

Small Plates August 30, 2007

TOASTED MARSHMALLOWS One hundred degree weather doesn't exactly make me want to start a fire and toast some marshmallows, but it is still summer and lots of folks are camping so maybe there are some fools folks out there actually having toasted marshmallows on National Toasted Marshmallow Day.

THE BASICS If you are clueless on how to roast a marshmallow, go here, where there are instructions. Personally I prefer to have my toasted marshmallows lightly golden and believe those that prefer to light their marshmallows on fire to be barbarians. There really is an art to toasting to a marshmallow completely golden all around...I can't always get them to my liking but I will spend my toasting time trying.

MARSHMALLOW CANNON So, it's too hot to toast marshmallows, you'd rather be out by the pool? With Supersoakers? Hmm...why not liven up the party and shoot marshmallows at each other. How about a cannon that can shoot them 50 feet? Go here.

THE BIRTH OF A MARSHMALLOW - Ever wondered where marshmallows actually come from? What, you thought there were manufactured in some factory somewhere? Silly people, go here.

Roz's Spam Casserole

Reading The Spam Fans blog made me remember a recipe my mother used to make when I was a kid. I loved this stuff. Good hearty food for a cold winter night. Yeah, not so cold right now, but I had a craving so I asked mom to send me the recipe.

One of the good things about this recipe is you can add, substitute and play a bit and I think it will pretty much always taste good. And it has Spam. What more could one ask for? Plus, since, it's um...mostly canned food, it comes together pretty quick.

Mom said she found this recipe on the label of a Campbell's Mushroom Soup can almost 50 years ago.

ROZ'S SPAM CASSEROLE
(also known as Spam Stovetop Casserole)

1 12oz can of Spam, cubed (original flavor)
2 cans of Cream of Potato Soup
1 large onion diced
Diced or crushed garlic to taste.
3/4 to 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 pint Milk

Saute onions and garlic until softened. Add Spam and lightly brown. Add cream of potato soup and milk. Mix well. Add frozen mixed vegetables and bring almost to boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat to simmer. Stir and simmer until blended(and vegetables are cooked).

Substitutions: Per Mom, she has used 1 to 2 cans of baby potatoes (cubed) if she didn't have potato soup. You can also substitute Cream of Mushroom Soup. Mom says she prefers the Potato soup. I'm thinking even Cream of Celery or Cream of Cheese would work here :)  You could also use the different types of Spam for a different flavored dish.

Notes: You can make this with just half a can of Spam and 1 can of soup.

Notes: I used frozen petite peas instead of mixed vegetables. I used a cup and a half which was to much and Mom said it had to much pea flavor so I listed the veggie count as 3/4 cup. You can add more or less of the frozen vegetables to your taste.

Note: Mom also said there wasn't enough garlic. I put in probably two or three teaspoons of the jarred crushed stuff. You might want to add more.

Note: As for the milk, mom used milk "to desired consistency". With 1 pint it made the dish pretty thick so you might want to add more for a soupier version, but how much you use is up to you.

Didn't quite get it to taste like "moms version" on my first try. She is going to make it sometime soon and let me taste it. As for Mr. L? I gave him a taste and his response was "I could eat this"...ah...welcome to the Spam side....

The Spam Fan

I hope he doesn't mind, but ladies and gentleman, meet The Spam Fan...for the last thirty days he has humored and inspired my mom and I with his blog and his challenge to himself to eat Spam, three times a day, for thirty days. He's tried things I wouldn't eat if you paid me and he's cooked some stuff that I've made notes on to try in the future. And yes, not only will I be looking for the new Spam book, but several of my friends and relatives have mentioned the need to go out and buy the new book too. He's done a great job in promoting Spam.

But more importantly, The Spam Fan made me revisit a childhood recipe, one I don't think I've ever actually cooked myself, but I remember loving as a child.

So, hats off to The Spam Fan, for his enduring an entire month of pretty much eating nothing but Spam, for his wit and his fun to read posts. But more importantly for bringing Spam back into my life. I know both my mom and I will miss reading his blog every day. Do go check out his site THESPAMFAN. I just wish the ride wasn't over....

Small Plates August 28, 2007

GO BANANAS - Alas, it was yesterday that was National Banana Lovers Day. I heard Gwen Stefani's "Holaback Girl" on my way to work, so yes, I was singing B-A-N-A-N-A-S all day. And what is a day of Bananas without a little Elvis. Since the 30th anniversary of his death was just a few weeks ago (his daughter just came out with a duet with him) why not mash up the two and have Elvis and Bananas? Okay, now add some chocolate and peanut butter and you have the limited edition of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups with Banana Creme! I found these at our local candy shoppe and gave it to Mr. L as part of his birthday present. (No we haven't opened it yet, it will be his dessert tomorrow).

CAMPUS MASCOT - If you ever wondered how UC Santa Cruz managed to get a Banana Slug as their mascot go here. And in case you don't think that kind of a school mascot can cause terror in the hearts of opponents...remember their motto...."Banana Slugs-No Known Predators."

SPEAKING OF SLUGS - Seems you can get anything "gummied" these days. Gummy Banana Slugs? Well, it does say "delicious banana flavor". Go here.

Frankly I think I'll just stick to eating a nice normal fresh yellow banana to get my banana fix!

Picadillo

While this may look like chili it's not. This has a "sweet" taste to it that comes from the balsamic vinegar. Though some of the classic Latin Picadillo recipes have raisins and potatoes, Suzannes version is carb free and follows her diet protocols. If you aren't following South Beach or Somersizing, you can use this dish in tacos or tortillas.

I love the taste of this dish and need to remember to cook it more often. It's super simple to put together and reheats well. Suzanne states that this recipe came from Rita Moreno when she was on Suzanne's talk show. If you are Somersizing this is Level One.

PICADILLO

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 large bell pepper, finely chopped
6 plum tomatoes, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound pork
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1/2 cup tomato puree

Garnish:

Sour Cream
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 head of iceberg lettuce

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers. Cook until they are brown and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, garlic, cumin, and coriander.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the meat. Brown the meat, using a wooden spoon to break it into tiny pieces.

Add the balsamic vinegar, capers, and tomato puree. Reduce the heat and simmer for at least 1 hour.

Serve in a bowl with a dollop of sour cream and chopped cilantro. Or roll up in a lettuce leaf and eat like a taco. Serves 8.

To make Level Two add 1/4 cup chopped black olives.

Note: I've halved this recipe many times.

Note: For South Beach, use low fat sour cream. I used butter lettuce as my "taco" wrap as I've found it bends and works better as a wrap than iceberg lettuce. I left out the cilantro.

Note: Not that it's diet, but you could probably add some shredded cheese to this :)

Current Cookbook - Get Skinny on Fabulous Food

GET SKINNY ON FABULOUS FOOD - Suzanne Somers

This cookbook has a copyright of 1999. I bought this at Costco. I've read the entire book and cooked from this many times.

Back when this book came out I was at Costco checking out their cookbook section as I usually do when I make a run there for something. Being unemployed at the time, picking up a cookbook wasn't high on my list. But I remember glancing through this, paying more attention to the recipes than the diet section at first. But something in the diet part did catch my notice...that this diet helped get rid of indigestion...which at that point in my life was a daily occurrence. I lived on Tums and Rolaids. So, I bought the book, took it home and read it cover to cover. I then started to "Somersize" which is what Suzanne calls her diet. Not only did I feel better, have more energy, give up my reliance on antacids, and do some actual cooking, I ended up losing  weight.  There are many times I think I should go back on this diet because I was never hungry and it actually worked.

I wouldn't buy this book for the recipes unless you were on the diet or maybe on South Beach. Everything I've made has been good, but there aren't enough recipes to make it worthwhile just for that. Recipes I've tried have been Turkey and Shiitake Mushroom Soup (a favorite that I've made quite a bit), Rosemary London Broil, Grilled Steaks Provencal, Picadillo (another favorite) and Stuffed Mushrooms among others.

While I was on the diet I did make quite a few recipes that followed the Somersize way. It was probably the only time in my life up to now that I cooked on a regular basis. Of course being unemployed and having nothing to do all day but plan and cook meals might have helped.

Small Plates August 26, 2007

BIG FOOD PLACE I used to live near a Whole Foods but I found most of their products to be to expensive to shop there  regularly. My first experience with heirloom tomatoes though, was through Whole Foods, so I spent one summer going there on a regular basis just to get my fill of those scrumptious, juicy fruits. When I heard a new Whole Foods was opening in Cupertino, I didn't pay to much attention. Until I read in the paper the following...that the new store is 64,000-square feet. That they will serve made to order sandwiches, soups and salads. Cooking classes. Free wireless internet access. A carvery and tossed to order salad station. A dim sum bar. A wood-fired pizza oven. Hot teriyaki bowls. Sushi section. Live shellfish. Seafood salad bar. 20 types of handmade sausages. 400 cheeses. Eight food long olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting section. In-store smoker for ribs and brisket. Hell, the whole damn thing sounds like one giant foodie amusement park! It will be to far and to expensive to visit on a regular basis, but I'm looking forward to checking it out soon to see what it has to offer. I wonder if there is a height restriction on some rides?

CROOKED ZUCCHINI - My Zesty Zucchini Saute was just a bit early it seems...The Mercury News had front page photos and recipes for zucchini in this past Wednesdays food section. Nothing seemed interesting except this little tidbit...that you should buy 'straight' zucchini "bent or crooked zucchini means the plants were stressed by a lack of water; this can make zucchini more bitter". Who knew!

SPAMALOT - I was finally able to have some Bacon Spam fried up for breakfast this morning. Mr. L thought it smelled like, and I quote "ground up rats in a can". I didn't bother to ask how he knew that smell. Mr. L also refused to kiss me until all traces of the offending Spam were erased. At least my cat seemed interested as she sniffed around hopefully. I found it to be quite tasty and look forward to future Bacon Spam treats.

Small Plates August 22, 2007

EAT A PEACH No we aren't talking about an Allman Brothers album, we are talking about National Eat A Peach Day. Of course does your peach taste like a peach? I find that a lot of peaches in supermarkets these days just lack the bursting with peach flavor I remember from my childhood. Most peaches now seem to be "fuzz free". I remember having to really wash all that fuzz off my peaches when I was a kid cuz something bad would happen if you didn't. Don't remember what that bad thing was, but I was always careful to defuzz before eating. And I do have memories of standing over the kitchen sink sinking my teeth into that peach while the juice ran down my chin. I may or may not have gone out to play with peach juice still clinging to my shirt. Ah, childhood.
IMAGE SOURCE

OLD CLAMATO Okay so we talked about the Clamato and Beer recently, how about nine year old Clamato juice? It seems Late Night with Conan O'Brien has a nine year old bottle of Clamato Juice as a mascot. Go here for more information. My worry is that it being Conan and friends that someone is going to be dared to drink the stuff! Oh and it's Clam-AH-to!

ON THE ROAD If I'm not posting regularly it's because I'm currently commuting between two offices for two weeks and it's kicking my butt. I would like to thank my husband who is currently in charge of cooking dinner and packing lunches. I do plan on making the Spam dish tonight...I need comfort food.

Zesty Zucchini Saute

I can hear the groan now...with over 400 incredible sounding garlic recipes to choose, how come you picked a simple dish like this? Where's 101 Garlic Chicken that calls for 101 cloves of unpeeled garlic?  Or the five different scallop recipes in the book? Fettuccine Gloriosa? Garlic Chip Cookies? Well, sometimes with a busy life, the simpler the better. And it was National Zucchini Day and I needed something quick and easy (sounds like a regular occurrence in this household doesn't it?). This fit the bill.

Simple to make. Tasted okay. Zesty? Not so much. The only garlic in this was some garlic powder, and not really that much. These had no real garlic flavor. Not a bad dish, I just think I could find a recipe with a bit more punch to it and one that uses fresh garlic. 

ZESTY ZUCCHINI SAUTE

4 medium-sized zucchini
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
2 teaspoons parsley flakes
1 teaspoon instant minced onion
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Wash zucchini but do not peel. Slice in rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Mix together remaining ingredients except olive oil. Sprinkle over zucchini and toss until seasoning is well distributed. Heat oil in skillet; add zucchini and saute until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper. Makes 4 servings.

Note: I didn't bother with draining on paper towels, I just let the oil go to the bottom of the bowl I served this from. It reheated pretty well though. Seasoned Salt used was Lowrys.

Current Cookbook - The Complete Garlic Lovers Cookbook

THE COMPLETE GARLIC LOVERS' COOKBOOK - from Gilroy, the Garlic Capital of the World - by The Gilroy Garlic Festival

This cookbook has a copyright of 1987. I think this is actually my mom's copy that she gave to me. I've never cooked from this before.

Ah, Garlic. If I wanted to cook something with garlic, this is the book to go to. Though there are no photos, every page is filled with great sounding garlic recipes (over 400). And though there are a few "one clove" dishes, looking through you will find recipes that call for three or four HEADS of garlic. None of the recipes look like they would be to much trouble to make. If you like garlic, it seems like every dish would be comfort food. Hearty. And Garlicky. The first Garlic Festival was in 1979 and this book lists several of the past years winning recipes up till publication. There's even a little map of how to get to Gilroy from the San Francisco area. But NO, there is no recipe for garlic ice cream! They do have a "miscellaneous" section in the back of the book where you will find "Garlic Pancakes", "Garlic Pudding" and even "Garlic Dog Biscuits". As with many of these sort of compilation recipe books, the directions aren't as thorough as I would like, but it's a cookbook I would love to explore more in the future. There are several later editions of garlic books put out by the Gilroy Garlic Festival but I think this was their first.