The Smells in My Kitchen

[Nehali Sophia]

The best alfredo sauce you've attempted, huh? Where's the recipe? And by recipe, I really mean the list of ingredients with approximate measurements/proportions. It doesn't have to be exact, because it's cooking and I never follow the measurements anyway. You know how I feel about garlic (it says 2 cloves, what do you mean only 2 cloves! that's like nothing! I'll put in 8 cloves.)

Also, since moving to the new house, my mom has taken to cooking enough on the weekend to last us the entire week. I approve. On Saturday she made some beef mince with diced carrots, corn & peas and assorted spices (don't ask, I don't know, although there was at least some pre-fried onions, garlic, and green chilies in there), as well as a cauliflower dish with turmeric & mustard seeds, and a black-eyed peas curry. On Sunday she made some chicken curry, which I still have not gotten around to eating - mostly because I'm trying to reduce the number of meals I eat meat at and having the black-eyed peas curry & cauliflower dish has been very helpful in that regard.

[Petra456]

My kitchen hasn't smelled like anything special for a while now... I think i've been in a bit of a slump. Although, I am getting excited about Thanksgiving, i'm really wanting to try something new this year, but not sure what...

What's everyone's favorite Thanksgiving dish?

[Jayelle]

On the menu tonight is spaghetti and meatballs. I've been working at getting my basic tomato sauce recipe to be better, so here's hoping!


Favourite Thanksgiving recipe: I love my mother-in-law's cranberry sauce, cause it's so ridiculously easy. I grew up on the canned stuff, so I love how good "real" stuff is.

Cold version: Fresh Whole Cranberries (2c), Sugar (1c), a whole orange (skin and all) Put it all in a food processor and blend until combined.

or Hot version: Same ingredients, roughly chop the orange (skin and all) and cook everything slowly in a pot until it's soft and yummy.

[Eaquae Legit]

The best alfredo sauce you've attempted, huh? Where's the recipe? And by recipe, I really mean the list of ingredients with approximate measurements/proportions. It doesn't have to be exact, because it's cooking and I never follow the measurements anyway. You know how I feel about garlic (it says 2 cloves, what do you mean only 2 cloves! that's like nothing! I'll put in 8 cloves.)

Strangely enough, no garlic! Weird, I know, eh? But it wasn't supposed to be alfredo and there was garlic in the pesto, so I didn't bother.

First I put butter (measurement: whatever was in the butter dish, or about 1/4 cup) into a pot and melted it over medium heat and then added probably about 1/4 cup flour. I let that cook for a while (1-2 minutes?) and then added milk (the tiny bit left in the jug, maybe a half cup?) and whipping cream (the leftovers in the carton, possibly a cup). By this time I felt like making it a real sauce, so I sprinkled in a bit of shaved parmesan (maybe 1/4 cup?) and then some salt and pepper. I kept whisking it faithfully until it thickened into a smooth sauce, maybe 15 minutes or so?

Rei thought it needed more cheese, and I coulda used a bit more, but we were super-low so I didn't have much more. If you need garlic, I'd suggest no more than 1 small clove, fried with the butter and flour at the beginning. You know I'm usually right with you on the massive amounts of garlic, but this was pretty great as it was.

Also, since moving to the new house, my mom has taken to cooking enough on the weekend to last us the entire week. I approve. On Saturday she made some beef mince with diced carrots, corn & peas and assorted spices (don't ask, I don't know, although there was at least some pre-fried onions, garlic, and green chilies in there), as well as a cauliflower dish with turmeric & mustard seeds, and a black-eyed peas curry. On Sunday she made some chicken curry, which I still have not gotten around to eating - mostly because I'm trying to reduce the number of meals I eat meat at and having the black-eyed peas curry & cauliflower dish has been very helpful in that regard.

*drool* Brent was telling me last night to make the cauliflower and potatoes with turmeric and mustard seeds again sometime. No idea if it's like your mom's, but I'd love to find out. Same with the black eyed peas. Mmmm.

Rei's grandma asked me for some simple vegetarian recipes, because they like to eat without meat from time to time. I copied out a bunch, and gave her the ragu (I suggested store-bought gnocci, though!) and the tomato curry. I hope you don't mind me spreading the tomato curry love! Oh, and the kholapuri baigan, since it got rave reviews around here when I made it. I figured she wouldn't have the curry leaves or chaat or mustard seeds, so I gave her little baggies of those, because as amusing as the image of Rei's tiny little Dutch grandma going into the local Indian market would be, I wanted to get her started and hooked so she'd actually brave the trip when she ran out.

[Jayelle]

On the menu tonight is spaghetti and meatballs. I've been working at getting my basic tomato sauce recipe to be better, so here's hoping!

It worked! Lots of garlic and spices (tablespoons instead of teaspoons) made all the difference. As did olive oil. Yum.
Now we have leftover meatballs marinara for meatball sandwiches tomorrow. Double Yum.

[Eaquae Legit]

Mmmmm sounds tasty. There's nothing like homemade tomato sauce! Do you use tomato paste in it? I tried that once, but I really like the light freshness that comes with just tomatoes.

[Nehali Sophia]

Rei's grandma asked me for some simple vegetarian recipes, because they like to eat without meat from time to time. I copied out a bunch, and gave her the ragu (I suggested store-bought gnocci, though!) and the tomato curry. I hope you don't mind me spreading the tomato curry love! Oh, and the kholapuri baigan, since it got rave reviews around here when I made it.

lol! store bought or restaurant gnocchi it is! Never, ever, ever again will I voluntarily make or assist in the making of gnocchi. I am very comfortable with paying someone else to to supply me with gnocchi.

As for spreading the tomato curry love - the more the merrier! My mom's food cannot be replicated. Not even I can make the dishes taste the same, even when I document each step of her culinary process with pictures and notes. It tastes delicious, and similar, but it's never exactly the same.

Not enough people know about the awesomeness that is South Indian cooking. Too many people think that Butter Chicken is the height of Indian food, and it is yummy, and there is so much more!

[Jayelle]

Mmmmm sounds tasty. There's nothing like homemade tomato sauce! Do you use tomato paste in it? I tried that once, but I really like the light freshness that comes with just tomatoes.

I usually use either canned puree or whole canned tomatoes (the latter is better, but the former is what I used yesterday). I would love to use fresh tomatoes, but I don't always have them on hand. Also, tomatoes are kinda expensive these days, especially on the island. Someday I'll grow my own!!

[Eaquae Legit]

Yeah, I've done it with puree and chopped, too. I definitely prefer fresh tomatoes, but chopped is better than puree. Puree turns out a lot like using pre-made sauce, and it kind of defeats the purpose for me.

My attempts to grow tomatoes this summer were total fail. I'm such a horrible gardener.

[megxers]

MMM smells. Right now I am carmelizing onions to have with butternut squash thanks to an internet recipe (the nytimes just posted a spread of vegetarian thanksgiving recipes, I am in love), and I am making lots of extra onions so that I can make a quick french onion soup, ie basically just dump in veggie broth.

[Luet]

Dead animal. No really. Something died in my wall and my whole living room and kitchen smell like dead animal. NOT cool.

[Rei]

Yeee... that sounds awful!

[Young Val]

There have been lots of great smells in my kitchen lately; I've just been too busy to post about them!

They included:

-A birthday cake (vanilla butter--aka "yellow"--cake with cooked chocolate frosting. OH MY GOD, so good)
-Soft beer pretzels
-Chicken dumpling soup!
-Another loaf of Oatmeal Molasses bread
-Mushroom risotto and vennison tenderloin
-upsidedown cranberry apple cake


All from scratch! (David shot and butchered the deer himself!).

[Jayelle]

Did you ever succeed at making homemade tater tots, Kelly?

[locke]

All from scratch! (David shot and butchered the deer himself!).

mmm fresh venison is damn good. Deer Season starts tomorrow morning in Missouri, iirc.

[Eaquae Legit]

Mmmm that sounds delicious, especially the upside-down cake and the beer pretzels. Are they the enormous soft kind that go well with mustard? Because I really love those...

[Young Val]

Ali, yes, the soft kind of pretzels! We bought four different types of mustard to dip them in, because we were feeling extravagant!

Jan, I have made one attempt at homemade tater tots so far. It did not go well. The LOOKED like tater tots. But they TASTED like glue. The official competition is the night before Thanksgiving. I'll let you guys know how it goes!

[Syphon the Sun]

mmm fresh venison is damn good. Deer Season starts tomorrow morning in Missouri, iirc.

Friday, here. (I thought Missouri usually started a week or so before us...) And we all know that Illinois deer taste better than Missouri deer, anyway, given that they're more likely to be corn-fed.

[Nehali Sophia]

Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Arils!

I used this but substituted milk chocolate for bitter sweet chocolate because I felt like it.

They're amazing!

Also, I didn't know that pomegranate seeds were called arils. Actually, it's the flesh surrounding the seed that's called the aril. Such a fun word!

[Eaquae Legit]

So.... do I get some when I'm home?

[Rei]

Ooooh! Those look really exciting!

[Nehali Sophia]

So.... do I get some when I'm home?

Absolutely!!! Although you'd better show up on time. If you're even a 5 minutes late, a few might be claimed by quality control testers (my family, perhaps even including myself).

Ooooh! Those look really exciting!

They are! Your first taste is chocolate, and then it's a splash of pomegranate juice, and then it's back to chocolate. Amazing! I think this is going to be my go-to dessert/hostess gift for parties this Christmas season.

[Eaquae Legit]

I was beginning to think about planning for being home, and I wondered if you'd be interested in getting together and cooking at meal at my sister's (if she's up for it). She does so much throwing of dinner parties and such, and I thought it would be fun to make her some curries and have a nice meal. (Plus I know she'd be thrilled to hear about you being officially an R.N.!)

It's just a thought, and I suppose I coulda emailed you, but I though of it here and wanted to write it before I forgot.

[Nehali Sophia]

I was beginning to think about planning for being home, and I wondered if you'd be interested in getting together and cooking at meal at my sister's (if she's up for it). She does so much throwing of dinner parties and such, and I thought it would be fun to make her some curries and have a nice meal. (Plus I know she'd be thrilled to hear about you being officially an R.N.!)

It's just a thought, and I suppose I coulda emailed you, but I though of it here and wanted to write it before I forgot.

The cooking for your sister sounds awesome! Will your adorable nephew be around?

Also, I didn't tell you this yet but I can't use the title "R.N." until after I pass the licensing exam and pay the governing body money for that privilege. And I passed the exam!!!

Back to food - has anyone ever tried quinoa or barley in recipes? What do you'll think? I'd like to try them but am a bit hesitant.

[Eaquae Legit]

I love barley, and I have a good recipe for a crockpot mushroom and barley "risotto", if you want it. Rei likes to put barley in stew. I tried quinoa once, and it wasn't bad so I'd probably try it again, but I just haven't gotten around to it. Don't expect it to be rice, though. It's grains, but it's a totally different texture.

And yes, I'm sure Steph would be sooooo upset to have someone come over and babysit the little guy and also make her dinner! I'll email her tonight and see what she thinks!

P.S. Go pay the licensing fee already, since you passed the exam!!

[VelvetElvis]

I was beginning to think about planning for being home, and I wondered if you'd be interested in getting together and cooking at meal at my sister's (if she's up for it). She does so much throwing of dinner parties and such, and I thought it would be fun to make her some curries and have a nice meal. (Plus I know she'd be thrilled to hear about you being officially an R.N.!)

It's just a thought, and I suppose I coulda emailed you, but I though of it here and wanted to write it before I forgot.

The cooking for your sister sounds awesome! Will your adorable nephew be around?

Also, I didn't tell you this yet but I can't use the title "R.N." until after I pass the licensing exam and pay the governing body money for that privilege. And I passed the exam!!!

Back to food - has anyone ever tried quinoa or barley in recipes? What do you'll think? I'd like to try them but am a bit hesitant.

I paid my licensure fee before my exam, so 48 hours (I totally paid that 8 bucks) after the exam, I had my license number!

[steph]

And yes, I'm sure Steph would be sooooo upset to have someone come over and babysit the little guy and also make her dinner!

Yeah, you know just how to make me mad, Ali!

[Young Val]

Back to food - has anyone ever tried quinoa or barley in recipes? What do you'll think? I'd like to try them but am a bit hesitant.

Quinoa is great! We use it all the time! It's very tasty.

[Eaquae Legit]

And yes, I'm sure Steph would be sooooo upset to have someone come over and babysit the little guy and also make her dinner!

Yeah, you know just how to make me mad, Ali!

Hahahaha. I think ANY parent would be just infuriated!

[Nehali Sophia]

I paid my licensure fee before my exam, so 48 hours (I totally paid that 8 bucks) after the exam, I had my license number!

The only way to do that in this province is to get a temporary license before you write the licensing exam. And to get a temp license you need to have a job and your employer has to sign a form. I didn't have a job before I wrote the exam.

Also, your licensure fee is only $8?!! Ours is approx $150!!

I love barley, and I have a good recipe for a crockpot mushroom and barley "risotto", if you want it.

Yep! I want the recipe!

Quinoa is great! We use it all the time! It's very tasty.

Thanks! Will try some and let you'll know!

[VelvetElvis]

I paid my licensure fee before my exam, so 48 hours (I totally paid that 8 bucks) after the exam, I had my license number!

The only way to do that in this province is to get a temporary license before you write the licensing exam. And to get a temp license you need to have a job and your employer has to sign a form. I didn't have a job before I wrote the exam.

Also, your licensure fee is only $8?!! Ours is approx $150!!

We are allowed to fill out our paperwork and pay the licensure fee before we sit the exam , and if we pay 8 EXTRA dollars on top of the 340 we already paid for the exam, we can find our results in 48 hours instead of waiting a couple weeks.

So, licensure fee was ~150 USD, NCLEX RN fee ~340 USD, early results fee 8 USD.

[Jayelle]

Back to food - has anyone ever tried quinoa or barley in recipes? What do you'll think? I'd like to try them but am a bit hesitant.

Quinoa is great! We use it all the time! It's very tasty.

I love quinoa. It's as easy to cook as rice and we eat it like rice when we have it. It does tend to be a bit pricey, I find.


I made this banana bread lastnight and it was so incredibly good. It's all gone by now.

[VelvetElvis]

Hey look, I'm posting on topic!

I'm currently baking lasagna. It smells like warm cheese and tomatoes in my kitchen.

[Eaquae Legit]

Delicious, delicious! Noodles with cheese sauce, and breadcrumbs on top! Mmmmm.

[steph]

Dinner was stuffed acorn squash, only I did it casserole style, since most of it is for Thanksgiving tomorrow and it will be easier for everyone that way, although not as cool looking. I didn't want to cook 2 things tonight, so I just baked a little pan for us for dinner! Yum!

Also, it may have taken all day, (seriously, I started at 11am. It's now 7 pm.) but I just pulled out of the oven my very first Pandoro! (I'm not sure why this recipe decided to use orange zest, instead of the traditional lemon zest. I used lemon.) It looks and smells amazing!! I can't wait until Brian gets home so I can surprise him!

I secretly ordered a pandoro mold a couple of weeks ago. Brian wants this every Christmas, ever since he served his mission in Italy. Every Italian gives these as a gift to everyone else. No one actually makes them, since they are kind of involved to make. They buy them and they come in cute boxes. To buy one around here or order one on online costs about $20! Although we have splurged a few times, we've been getting by with Pannetone, since we can find them everywhere (costco, target, marshals) for around $6. Anyways, since the pan only cost $25 and the ingredients are cheap, I decided that I'm going to make them from now on! I've already made return on my investment, since it barely cost more for the pan that for a pandoro itself! It seems to be a success! I really just want to eat it now, though.