Category Archives: improv

Jan 06 3 comments
improv, vegetarian

cucumber and carrot

I wish I would have thought about taking a picture of the carrot before I sliced it up so that you could see what a real carrot looks like. It’s lumpy, bulbous and covered in dirt. The carrot I used for this salad was probably just under two inches in diameter. Anyway, I’ll explain the rest after the ingredients. I feel this recipe is somewhat unique and is an example of one of my styles.

Spinach, carrot, cucumber and apple

  • 1 large carrot
  • 1 cucumber
  • 2 small handfuls fresh spinach
  • 1 palm full sliced white onion
  • 2 small apples
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • ground cumin

I started with a bed of spinach with which to lay everything upon as I prepared the produce. If you know have a technique or a tool for slicing things very thin, almost as thin as what a peeler would produce, use it here on the carrot. Otherwise, this could end up slightly dry. Arrange the carrot slices across the bed of spinach and feel free to overlap them. If you want to get fancy, place the carrots in overlapping groups of three and that will make the final product come out in sections.

The cucumber doesn’t need to be sliced as thin, here. Slice your cucumber and arrange in a layer on top of the carrots. Follow the same rule of threes here as you did with the carrots.

If not prepared correctly, the next step could cause the salad to look unappetizing. Apples tend to brown quickly so as we are slicing our apple wedges, approximately one-eighth-inch, we are going to have a plate of lemon juice ready. Gently rub each side of the apple in the lemon juice before placing on top of the cucumber. At this point sprinkle a light layer of cumin on top of the salad. I’ll describe the dressing next.

A single serving would ideally be three slices of carrots, three slices of cucumber, some bits of onion and a quadrangle of apple on a small bed of fresh spinach.

Creamy spice dressing

The dressing is almost as simple as the salad but with a couple twists. I honestly didn’t pay attention to the amounts of each ingredient I used so you may have to experiment until you reach the desired flavor.

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider (juice will work just fine)
  • 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
  • 2 pinches marjoram
  • 2 dashes black pepper
  • 1 pinch coriander seed
  • 1 pinch cumin
  • 2 tablespoons milk (half and half or cream would work as well (not whipping))

This will be a sort of creamy vinaigrette. Start with your oil and add your spices. This will allow the oil to take on some of the flavor of your spices. Feel free to crush up the coriander seed just slightly so the flavor can leech into the oil. After a few minutes mix the apple cider and vinegar together in a separate container and whisk into the main dressing. Whisk the milk or cream next and splash the dressing generously onto the salad. This is a light dressing and compliments the salad perfectly.

Here’s a closer look at the salad. You can’t really make out the spinach or the carrots but it was prettier when eating. I added some crumbled dried bread to the top.

Closer look

Jul 21 1 comments
dinner, improv

salmon spinach lasagna

This isn’t quite how lasagna is traditionally made, but I’ve never made lasagna before and they were the only noodles I had so I just threw this together.

  • 1 box lasagna noodles
  • 1 dozen spinach leaves
  • 1 can pink salmon
  • 1 can whole tomatoes
  • brown sugar
  • 1/2 pound shredded cheese
  • 1/8th of a read onion, sliced thin
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • oregano
  • sea salt
  • black pepper
  • crushed red pepper
  • lemon juice

Pre-cook your lasagna noodles just under al dente. Rinse them off with cold water and butter the bottom of a baking pan. Arrange one layer of noodles, I used three for each layer, on the bottom of the pan and top with the spinach. I drizzled a teeny bit of olive oil and then generously sprinkled black pepper on this layer. Add another layer of noodles and fill this layer with your salmon. I could have added capers here if I would have thought about it, but instead I just splashed some lemon juice and sea salt with a pinch of garlic powder onto the salmon layer.

The next layer will be another row of noodles and then your can of tomatoes along with the thinly sliced onions and garlic. Sprinkle some brown sugar across this layer. You can break up the tomatoes with your fingers, no need to slice them. Spread some oregano and crushed red pepper on this layer before topping with one last row of noodles.

The top layer is just the shredded cheese with some more oregano and bake it in the oven at about 375 for approximately thirty-five minutes or so. You know it’s done when the cheese starts to brown slightly. Use the next to bottom rack if you can.

For a side, I made some green onion soup in a beef broth. Both of my dinner guests loved this concoction and ate three servings.

Jul 01 0 comments
improv, snack, vegetarian

july roasted carrots

  • Small handful of early picked carrots
  • Small bunch of celery
  • Small handful of cashews
  • Splash of olive oil
  • Pinch of oregano
  • Dash of sea salt
  • Dash of black pepper

Using some of the vegetables I obtained from the farm, I decided to roast them. I had some fresh carrots that were still tiny so I just rinsed them and tossed them into a quart pan with some celery sliced into one inch strips and some oil. After everything is covered in oil toss in your oregano, salt, pepper and cashews then bake at 425 degrees for about fifteen to twenty minutes. That should be all. If you try this, let me know what you think.

The carrots end up just slightly soft and firm while the celery gives them a good structure. I used oil instead of butter because it just tastes better that way for some reason. I was going to garnish with parsley but I couldn’t find my parsley so I was a bit disappointed. I may even try it with a couple tablespoons of half-and-half spooned on top.

Jun 25 0 comments
improv, snack, vegetarian

june tomato surprise

  • 1 tomato
  • 3 leaves romaine lettuce
  • salt
  • pinch of garlic powder or slivered garlic
  • basil
  • oregano
  • capers
  • parsley
  • olive oil
  • balsamic vinegar

Prep time on this is, like, five minutes. Slice your tomato, arrange on three leaves of rinsed romaine lettuce, sprinkle generously with salt and sprinkle with garlic. Sprinkle some capers, whole. Top with fine parsley and then drizzle with oil then a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar.

My guest was so antsy to eat tomatoes tonight that he kept peeking over my shoulder. He only ate maybe two hours before hand and he ate almost the whole plate and then asked for seconds.

A variation could include some lime juice in place of the balsamic with just a pinch of lime zest. Or you could sprinkle some hard boiled egg yolks on top with a pinch of cayenne. You could even dash some a hard cheese such as parmesan on there if you wanted. Let me know how the variations taste because I think they sound awesome. Rock on.

This was just an appetizer for our Tony’s pizza. We had some pictures to share, but my dinner guest didn’t know how to save the pictures to his phone. Just now we went up to pick up my Community Supported Agriculture produce from East Farms here in Utah. I’ll have to tell you all about the loot that I got. Some good stuff including rhubarb and fresh celery. I’m quite excited to tell you about it. Oh how I wish I had pictures to share.

Jun 24 1 comments
improv, lunch, vegetarian

june salad

Vinaigrette:

  • 1 part olive oil
  • 3/4 part red wine vinegar
  • Pinch of salt
  • Dash of dried basil leaves
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • Drops of sesame seed oil
  • Pinch of garlic powder

With the oil in a bowl, add your dry ingredients first and allow a few minutes for the oil to infuse. Add the pure sesame seed oil and then whisk in the red wine vinegar with a fork until the color is uniform.

June Salad:

  • 1 part chard
  • 1 part romaine lettuce
  • 4 radishes
  • Sprigs of parsley
  • Capers
  • Dash of paprika

Rinse the vegetables well. Pull apart, by hand, the chard, lettuce and parsley. Layer in your bowl if you are only serving one and wish to skip the tossing stage. Slice the radishes and arrange on top of the salad. Top with capers, drizzle vinaigrette and sprinkle with paprika.

Eat.

Apr 13 0 comments
Uncategorized, improv, quick fix, vegetarian

Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Almonds

Today I decided to combine my love of Roasted Red Pepper with almonds, so I invented a new salad. It tastes great, it’s inexpensive, takes about 15 minutes to make, and it’s packed with nutritional goodness. Even the dressing is good for you.

Recipe

  • Two peppers (red, orange, or yellow – mix for nutritional variety), roasted and diced
  • Three or four large handfuls of baby romaine lettuce
  • A small bunch of grapes (about a dozen), sliced in half
  • One small handful of sliced almonds
  • One small handful of sunflower seeds
  • A drizzle (2-4 tablespoons) of classic balsamic vinaigrette
  • Freshly grated hard kasseri, to taste (parmesan or romano will substitute)
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Roast peppers. If you have a gas stove, you can roast peppers right on the burners, directly above the flames. Turn the peppers every few minutes with tongs until the skin is thoroughly charred. Otherwise, set your oven to broil and place the peppers on the top rack, directly under the heating elements. Broil for 7-10 minutes one one side, then flip and repeat. Once the skins are charred, peel them off under cold water. The charred skin should come off effortlessly. Dice peeled peppers as you normally would into small pieces.

While the peppers are roasting, rinse and slice the grapes. Mix lettuce, grapes, almonds and seeds in a large bowl.

Add diced peppers and vinaigrette, and gently toss until ingredients are evenly distributed. Don’t toss too much or all the seeds will fall to the bottom.

Plate and top with cheese and pepper to taste. Pepper liberally for best effect.

Nutritional Info

Sweet peppers are one of my favorite foods, especially red peppers. They’re also extremely healthy. Sweet peppers are hydrating, low in calories, and high in nutrition. Red bell peppers are packed with vitamins A and C (more vitamin C than an orange) and a good source of fiber. They also contain lycopene and beta-cryptoxathin, which can lower the risk of cancer.

I’m also a big fan of nuts. IMO, one of the least appreciated foods. If you don’t keep a good stock of nuts in the kitchen, it’s time to start. Almonds are among my favorites. Not only are they sweet, they’re loaded with protein, iron, calcium, vitamin E, zinc, and B2. Almonds contain good for you fats, and can actually help lower your cholesterol. Almonds contain a healthy blend of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, so if you’re trying to reduce your fat and carbohydrate intake, almonds make a great substitute for the fatty foods you’re replacing. I prefer to buy my almonds pre-sliced from the grocery store bulk bins, because sliced almonds are great for sprinkling in salads, breakfast cereals, on yogurt, and even on the top of baked casseroles. In terms of raw nutritional value for money, it’s tough to beat almonds.

This recipe also contains sunflower seeds. Like almonds, sunflower seeds contain protein, healthy fats, calcium, and iron. They are also a good source of potassium and phosphorous. I buy them shelled and salted in bulk.

On Iodine and Salt

The salt from the sunflower seeds will most likely be iodized, which can help prevent some disease, including goiters. I usually buy non-iodized sea-salt to sprinkle on my foods, so I like to have iodized salt for most of my cooking and baking to make up for the lack of iodine in my diet. If you use sea salt and eat locally grown produce in land-locked regions, you might also think about adopting a similar habit. Too little or too much iodine can cause thyroid disorders. A teaspoon of iodized salt per day is plenty. If you eat out often, or eat produce from coastal regions, you probably have nothing to worry about. Most modern diets provide plenty of iodine, and heavy milk drinkers often get more than enough iodine from their dairy intake.

The Dressing Won’t Make You Fat

In salads, the biggest health concern is usually the dressing – but fear not! Balsamic vinaigrette contains about 50-100 calories per serving, only 5g-10g of fat, zero trans fats, and zero cholesterol. In other words, it’s good for you. Really!

Mar 03 0 comments
dinner, ghetto, improv

ghetto cornflake chicken

A delicious recipe that I used for the Awkward Hour cooking special last Saturday. Delicious!

  • 5 lbs chicken breasts with bones and skin
  • 1 c flour
  • 1 tsp rosemary
  • 1 c buttermilk
  • dash hot sauce
  • 4 c cornflakes, crushed
  • salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread salt and pepper over the chicken and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. You can use this time to prepare other food or conversely feed the cat, put gel in your hair, etc.

If your cat is properly fed then add some more salt and pepper to the buttermilk in a large bowl. Chop the rosemary. Fresh rosemary is the best, but at $3.00 for a little pack you either need to grow your own, you can even use that hydroponics set up from your failed weed-growing venture, or get dried. Dried works as long as it’s fresh. So, add the rosemary and hot sauce to the buttermilk and put the chicken in there and let it soak 20-30 minutes.

Feed the cat again or maybe reorganize your stamp collection.

Okay. This part requires three semi-large bowls. If you don’t have bowls Tupperware works. If you don’t have Tupperware, consult your nearest Tupperware party.

Drain the buttermilk into a bowl. Put the flour and cornflakes in bowls as well. Coat the chicken in the flour, then the buttermilk and finally roll it in the cornflakes.

FInally place your chicken on baking sheets and bake for about 45 minutes or until there is no pink left. It’s really good! Try it!

Feb 23 0 comments
improv, quick fix, snack

quick salad

I was still feeling hungry after snacking on an orange so I found the occasion to be a good excuse to try some of that new food that I bought. Not in the mood to cook, I scanned the items in my refrigerator and saw some mushrooms and some basil and tomato feta cheese. Feta cheese and mushrooms sounded perfect.

Now, I could have just stuffed the mushrooms with feta cheese but then I would no longer have any feta nor would I have any mushrooms left. I would still like to have some throughout the next month. Also, I have some lettuce in the fridge that probably only has a shelf life of a couple weeks at most. Maybe I should use some of that lettuce, I thought to myself.

Looking at the lettuce, I noticed the green onions and figured that green onions would not only add flavor, but help add some body to the salad so that I could get full. Some of the yellow onion I had left over would provide the same purpose.

I rinsed off about three or four leaves of lettuce along with four mushrooms and two stalks of green onion. Remember that all of this food comes out of the ground so it never hurts to give things a quick rinse.

  • 3 leaves red leaf lettuce (these are quite large)
  • 4 button mushrooms
  • 2 stalks green onion
  • 1 small palm full of sliced onions
  • 3 tablespoons basil and tomato feta cheese
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

All I did after that was tear the lettuce into pieces with my hands, slice the mushrooms to make them go farther, cut the green onion into pieces, add a few slices of yellow onion, top with feta cheese and then splash a little bit of red wine vinegar into the bowl. Not all salads need dressing. The flavor of each piece of food in the salad should be enough to make your mouth water. Heck, my mouth is watering right now just remembering it.

Variations could include replacing the vinegar with juice from one-half of a lemon, sprinkling with fresh ground black pepper, adding 1/4 cup parsley or adding one-half of a diced roma tomato. This recipe can easily be doubled to feed two. Total cost is about one dollar per serving.

Feb 03 0 comments
improv, snack

kelds yummy sauce

Visiting my parent’s house I found some frozen chicken. They shop at Costco a lot. This bag of breaded chicken weighed several pounds. The chicken pieces ranged from the size of popcorn chicken to the size of chicken tenders. Earlier I learned that this wasn’t just any breaded chicken, this chicken was seasoned with sesame seeds.

Because of the sesame seeds I figured that not just any ol’ barbecue sauce or other dipping sauce would be appropriate. I wanted to be adventurous once again. I saw some green leafy stuff in the fridge and some horseradish mustard. Remembering how much I enjoyed some Salsa Verde (parsley, garlic, olive oil, lemon zest), I thought that I could make a variation to match the ‘asian’ theme of the chicken.

I have always felt that mustard and horseradish always go well with Asian dishes. My first attempt was to finely chop the greens and mix with the horseradish mustard. This didn’t quite accomplish the flavor that I needed. Something tasted off. Then I realized that this was not parsley, I had chopped up cilantro. No problem there. Cilantro tastes yummy with chicken.

I had to take off the bite somehow and compliment the cilantro and sweeten things up. I saw an orange sitting in the corner and found this an appropriate time to molest the orange with a steak knife. After I mixed in the orange zest, the sauce still had a bite to it that wasn’t all that pleasant. I mixed in maybe a cap-full of virgin olive oil and the rest of the night I was begging to make more because I could not have enough.

I loved it so much that I am planning a trip to my visit my family once more just so that I can make it again and eat it.

Feb 02 0 comments
dinner, improv

frozen pizza plus

Many times, out of laziness or a lack of resources for better ingredients, I will take some prepared food and attempt to add flavor and nutrition to it. Sometimes I fail epically but most of the time I end up with mouth watering yummy.

My sis and my coz can both attest to my last foray into indulgence. She also pointed out to me that some of her favorite dishes that I have prepared came from a drunken stupor. Like the time I made scones and I didn’t have the right ingredients but somehow, magically, we still ended up with scones.

I’d like to start measuring the correlation of my drunkenness to my ability to whip something up. I will liken it to the ‘uncanny valley‘ factor. The more drunk I get, the better the food is. Until I hit the valley. Then anything produced after that point will be met with revulsion. Am I making any sense here?

We took a squarish four cheese Costco frozen pizza out of the fridge and started pre-heating the oven. This is where some of my philosophy for food comes in. I am sure there were plenty of ingredients we could have put on this pizza to make it more nutritious and more appetizing, but I always go with the ingredients that look like they need to be used. Items that are almost gone and will get thrown out if not used with other things.

I saw a quarter of a red onion and a quarter of a roma tomato in the fridge. Perfect. These things naturally taste good on pizzas. Especially with each other. I also cannot resist placing fresh garlic on frozen pizzas. If you ever have a frozen pizza and fresh garlic in the house, it is a must. Being drunk, I was feeling adventurous. Hell, I’ve had pizzas with tomatoes and onions on them before, but have I ever had a pizza with pimentos on it?

Tonight was the night to find out. After the pimentos made it to the pizza I started feeling a little more adventurous and thought that some more green would help the pizza taste and look yummy. Tarragon. I haven’t used tarragon very much in the past so I used that as an excuse to use some now. After this I realized I wanted some spice in my pizza. Tapatio. Tapatio is one of the best hot sauces out there, it has no vinegar.

We were just about done but then I realized that no pizza can be harmed with some oregano. So in went the oregano and out came the pizza eight minutes later because after all the chopping and dicing, the pizza was almost done.

I can’t describe how amazed I was with myself. At first I just attributed this feeling to narcissism combined with alcohol. After the first three pieces I had to have seconds but my little sister had already beat me to the second serving. This is when I realized that maybe it wasn’t all in my head. My final confirmation was when I woke up and was craving the last six pieces but they had already been consumed by my cousin. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it. I can’t wait to make this for somebody so that I can try it again.

p. s. If you can tell me why I called it pizza plus and list the source, I will truly respect your trivia prowess.