Aside from the speed at which we finished the herb garden (read...slooow); my brother would be pleased.  Today is Saturday, which usually means project day,...and today we decided to build a raised garden bed. 

Half way through the project, I got the lawn tractor stuck between two trees.  Don't ask.  I really can't explain.   

So...while the mower was decoupling itself from the trees (read...my dear hubby had to take the deck off to get it to move)...I thought I'd get a start on dinner.  After all, I couldn't really pull off a wedged mower AND frozen pizza.  I didn't have a lot of time, so here's what I came up with, Drunken Chicken!  By the way, the wine was the inspiration.

Saturday, February 28, 2009 10:08:55 PM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)         Blog reactions

Had dinner with some friends last night.  The conversation meandered crossed a number a paths, as good conversations typically do.  We chatted about things like how similar experiences can help as a base for relevance in relationships.  For example...eating mashed potatoes with sauer kraut.  Some folks cringe, others think it's perfectly normal.  My personal opinion is that the cringe doesn't come from serving the two dishes simultaneously, but from a lack of appreciation for sauerkraut.  That got me thinking about other foods in that same family.  German potato salad was begging for a little attention here. 

I've never met anyone that was neutral on German potato salad.  The warm, slightly sweet, slightly sour taste is traditionally something that either you like or you don't.  But, never is a long time (as someone said today), and I remembered that my husband said he didn't like German potato salad until I made this recipe. 

I happen to enjoy German potato salad most any way that it's prepared.  I didn't make it because I didn't want to eat an entire batch by myself.  But, following my own philosophy that most people will like most foods if they are prepared well, I rummaged through my old box of recipes that I got from my mother, that she got from a number of other women who were also immigrants and cooked like they did in the old country (as they affectionately called home).  And there it was...the recipe of all recipes for German potato salad.  The recipe I found wasn't actually in recipe form.  It was more like a few notes scratched on a scrap of paper...but, I deciphered the notes through trial and error and have arrived at what I consider to be the best German potato salad recipe ever.  High praise.  I admit.  The reason I think it is so wonderful is because my husband (who if you will recall has never liked the dish), loves this potato salad.  So much, that he actually requests it.  Go figure.  :)

Reminds me of the Old Italian saying..."To cook like you mother is good.  To cook like your grandmother is better." 

Wednesday, February 18, 2009 3:36:03 AM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)         Blog reactions

Namasté

Beauty.  Loyalty.  Trust.  Integrity.  Grace.  Acceptance.  Joy. 

Sometimes difficult to find amidst the stressors that cause us to lose sight of our self.  We try to do so much, afraid that we're missing out.  We seek and yet we do not find.  We get lost in the pursuit of having more, being more. 

I read a magazine article at the airport recently that spoke of clean conversation.  Not the type that doesn't involve those little four letter words, but techniques that we can use in the course of our conversations with friends and loved ones to get to the heart of the matter.  The article cited the increasing difficulty we are having communicating on a meaningful level with those around us.  The text messages and emoticons leave us empty handed when we need to cope with something really difficult, like losing a job or home.

So what's left?  Most frequently we are left with the store of strength that we have inside. 

But how do we cultivate the sacred inner beauty when economic times are what they are?  There lies the wonder of your soul.  You don't have to do more to feel more.  You don't have to see more to be more.  You just need to slow down and appreciate what is already around you. 

Give yourself a vacation from the drama of television, give yourself a break from reading glamour magazines (they will only make you feel like ugly as Baz Luhrman so eloquently stated in Everybody's Free) and take time getting to know yourself again.  Go for a walk.  Spend time playing with your child..really playing with them...not just passing time.  Listen to the wind. 

When I was a child, my mother told me about her most memorable Christmas.  She was an orphan, living in Germany shortly after the war.  In celebration of the holiday, she was given an orange.  I remember her describing her desire to savor it, not wanting to peel it or eat it for fear that it would be gone forever. 

When I was a younger, I didn't understand the reason she told me that story.  It didn't make any sense to me.  "Is that all you got?  An orange?  Why not just eat it?"

As I reflect on the economic challenges that face our nation of excess, I can't help but wonder if it really is as simple as the Christmans orange.  If we spent more time appreciating what we have, getting the most out of every experience, would we feel the need for so much?  By the way...the orange is a wonderful snack for the airplane.  It smells delicious, is thirst quenching, gives you a Vitamin C boost and is refreshing.  And, if you're not worried about how your nails look or what people will think of you for bringing an orange on the plane, you will be pleasantly surprised at how wonderful something so simple can make you feel. 

Be well.   

Monday, February 16, 2009 9:10:45 PM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)         Blog reactions

While coloring wth my son this afternoon, my mind was captured in awe at the sheer number of crayons that we have acquired.  My thoughts immediately turned to the number of times I've picked up crayons.  Then I decided to try and solve my problem. 

And created...the crayon monster.  :)

A big scary monster that comes out at night and is very hungry for...crayons!  Any crayons he finds on the ground he eats and you never see them again.  He never ever eats anything other than crayons and will only eat the crayons he finds on the ground. 

We decided to try and imagine what the crayon monster would look like.  Here's what we came up with. 

I'll let you know how this all turns out.  If it works, there may just be a shoe monster and race car monster too.  :)

Sunday, February 15, 2009 10:32:58 PM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)         Blog reactions

Went for a walk today and saw two bluebirds.  A female, with the most beautiful midnight blue feathers.  And a male, who's tail feathers were less impressive but who was determined to not to be ignored.  How apropos on this, the 14th of February. 

I managed to fumble my phone out of my pocket and get the camera out just in time to capture the birds completely hidden in the bushes.  :)  My husband swears up and down the birds flew away before the camera snapped.  So, for your viewing pleasure, I have attached that very shot.  Also, because there may be some of you wishing you had received some flowers today...I've attached a pic of some daffodils that just started blooming.  Spring is in the air!

I dedicate today to my favorite herb, Basil.  A little history lesson thanks to Wiki.  There are several different kinds of basil (sweet, Thai, lemon) all of which are used in Asia.  Basil comes from the Greek word for King and is believed to have grown in the place where St. Constantine and Helen discovered the Holy Cross. 

The basil most readily available in grocery stores is sweet basil.  Along with pine nuts (yes, they are actually the edible seeds of a real pine tree), basil is the main ingredient in pesto (a northern Italian sauce comprised of pine nuts, basil, garlic, olive oil and a few others seasonings). 

I rarely used pesto before I started making my own.  Well, let me say that a little differently.  I was never impressed with store bought pesto.  I used it, I just didn't find the results to be memorable.  The flavors weren't ...Wow!  So, I say uneuivocally, that you cannot find a store bought basil pesto better than this homemade version.  Give it a try! 

One quick tip about purchasing sweet basil.  The leaves should be bright green in color.  If the leaves are turning dark and wilty, the basil isn't fresh.  I took a pic of two different leaves below so you know what to look for in the store.  To get 2 cups of basil, you can either purchase two of the small fresh herb packets or one large packet.  If you have any Vietnamese grocery stores near you, that is usually the most inexpensive place to purchase fresh basil.

Saturday, February 14, 2009 6:46:55 PM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)         Blog reactions

I'm laughing as I read the title of the post out loud.  It's like one of those titles that's kind of interesting ("The cost of convenience, eh?  Yeah, that could be something I might be interested in")  So you read a little further.  ("Chicken stock.  Worth making your own?  Who cares!  What a waste of time to make a decision worth a couple of bucks.") 

So I'm sitting here as I write, uncertain as to whether anyone will ever be interested in this.  But, I gotta share.  Because odd as it may sound, I've been wondering whether I should make my own chicken stock or just keep buying it in the store for quite some time.  Some people worry about lint in their belly button, I worry about chicken stock.  :)

For the time being, I decided to limit my study to the type of chicken stock I actually purchase; canned or boxed.  I've never been a fan of the bouillon granules, cubes or soup base. 

So, I purchased the ingredients to make the stock.

Grocery total $13.34  Each batch makes 26 cups at a cost of $.51 per cup. 

* I don't have a price for the parsnips.  They weren't on the receipt???  The checker must have not known what they were and tossed them in the bag anyway.

I purchase my chicken stock at Costco and buy Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Broth.  Each box of stock holds 4 cups and costs $1.67; that's about $.42 per cup.  

Holy cow!  It's more expensive to make your own stock than to purchase it.  I wasn't really expecting that.  Not sure why, but I just wasn't.  Although, when you make your own stock, you get to keep the chicken meat and it tastes soooo much better.  Trust me on this one.  The taste difference is incredible!!!  I did a side by side just for the fun of it and came away thinking that store bought chicken stock tastes like warm water in comparison.  It reminds me of the first time I learned not to cook with wine that you wouldn't drink...you know...the inexpensive kind that says it's for cooking.  Terrible.  Ruins recipes.  I'm thinking that the chicken stock may be along those same lines.  I can hardly wait to try some of my old favorites with my homemade stock.  Mmmmm!

Granted, if I were really getting technical with the cost analysis, I would figure in the cost of electricity to cook the chicken, time to make the stock, cost to store it, time to clean up, etc.  But...that would be a little too nerdy.

Hope the little math lesson didn't put ya to sleep.  :)

Be well.

The Muse Gourmet

Thursday, February 12, 2009 9:51:30 PM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)         Blog reactions

The best coconut rice I've ever made. And sooo easy too! The first time I made this, I was so impressed with the texture, rich flavor and perfect amount of spice to keep your tastebuds interested; I immediately made another batch. If you like coconut rice, you won't be disappointed.  

Now I just need to come up with a good recipe for some type of Hawaiin Pork to serve with the rice. Hmmm...reminds me of something I had for lunch once at the Tahitian Noni Cafe. Gotta work on that one. 

...music thyme while you cook?

Tuesday, February 10, 2009 11:28:14 PM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)         Blog reactions

It's no surprise that Mondays can make some of us a little grumpy from time to time.  If you had a hectic weekend, you may be feeling a little worn out.  If your weekend was relaxing, you may have a challenge getting motivated.  Whatever my mood, there is one thing that is sure to make me smile...walking into a house filled with the aromas of a slow cooked meal.

Mondays are my favorite day to use my crock pot.  Crock pot cooking is convenient, easy, and makes the house smell like you had your own chef working on creating something wonderful while you were at the office.  Crock pots are one of those things that everyone seems to have and few people use regularly anymore.  I began routinely using a crock pot when I started my first job.  I worked with a group of ladies who were veterans of juggling household responsibilities and working outside the home.  Keep in mind, this was about twenty five years ago, the heyday of the crock pot.

One of my favorite things to make on a Monday is taco chicken.  It smells wonderful while it cooks and offers a variety of meal options throughout the week.  I make a large batch and take the leftovers for lunch (either taco salad for chicken wrapped in flour tortillas).

Monday, February 09, 2009 10:15:08 AM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)         Blog reactions

The first slow cooker was developed in 1970 by Naxon Utilities Corporation, which was later bought by Rival.  The Naxon All-Purpose Cooker, as it was called, was renamed Crock-Pot in 1971.  Since that time, a number of companies have made enhancements to this device and we have come to know it by its trademarked name, regardless of the manufacturer. 

There are several things to consider when chosing the right crock pot.  I think this hometopics.net article does a good job of hightlighting those considerations, so I won't reiterate.   

I've had my crock pot for several years...before some of the newer features came out.  I have a large oval Rival cooker with a removable cooking chamber for easy cleaning.  My cooker has three settings, low, high and warm.  I chose the oval cooker because I wanted to be able to fit in larger cuts of meat (roasts and chicken) and wasn't able to accomodate those in my round, smaller cooker.  If I was purchasing a cooker now, I would get one that had the feature of automatically turning itself to warm after the cooking time expired.  Just seems like something that would come in handy. 

One word about used cookers.  You may have a friend or relative who has a slow cooker and would like to re gift it.  Before you use the cooker, be sure to test the cooking temperature.  Slow cookers are designed to cook the food slow enough that you can leave it unattended, but still allow the food to reach a safe cooking temperature.  To test your cooker to be sure it heats correctly, fill you device with 8 cups of water from the tap (room temperature water). Set it to heat on low.  Leave the cooker alone (do not lift the lid) for 8 hours.  After that time, test the water temp with a food thermometer.  Be sure to take the temperature quickly after lifting the lid as water cools down very fast.  A delay on your part will cause you to get inaccurate results.  The temperature should be at 185 F.  If the temp is below that, it could mean that your cooker doesn't heat the food adequately to avoid safety issues.  If the results are above 185 F, the cooker heats hotter than most and you will want to adjust your cooking times accordingly.  If you'll notice, most recipes give you a pretty large window for cooking times (say 6-8 hours on low).  That's because the cookers don't all heat the same.  Once you make a recipe or two, you'll get the hand of how your cooker operates and can adjust your cooking times accordingly. 

Have fun!  If you learn to use your cooker, you'll find it indispensible. 

Be well.   Namasté.

Saturday, February 07, 2009 8:50:43 AM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)         Blog reactions

Gwyneth Paltrow announced today that she is planning on writing a cookbook to further emphasize the importantance of eating healthy and dining together as a family.  Uh huh.

She commented that she was currently working on making her father's pancake recipe more diet friendly.  Better get working on it Gwyn, there's much to be done with a pancake recipe.  Clearly, Gwyneth has a lot of cooking and eating experience to share.   

Unless she hires out the task of writing the recipes (which would be the only logical solution), we should expect to get something along the lines of this recipe from a reader at Sfgate.com. 

"Take one organically grown string bean and run it under ice cold water from a Norweigan fjord. Cut into 72 pieces. Place one piece on a plate. Perform 8 hours of yoga. Take an organic piece of bamboo and carve a fork. Place one piece of the string bean on the fork and savor for 12 hours. Then, have an enema."  Posted By: trait | February 05 2009 at 02:48 PM 

Friday, February 06, 2009 1:36:12 PM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)         Blog reactions

So I was having a little craving for cheesecake. 

Not the full fledged cheesecake that's thick,... and rich, ...and, mmmmm..... full of calories.  The kind of cheesecake that tastes like cheesecake but doesn't make you feel guilty for breaking a few of those New Year's resolutions already.  So...here's a torte version of cheesecake that I've been making since I was 8 years old.  I remember typing this recipe exact out on my Dad's typewriter.  Karen is my sister.  And for the for the past oh, say, many moons, this is the only version of cheesecake that my family ever prepared.  I will say, that as simple as it is....this recipe has earned its share of praise over the years.  It's requested for birthdays and holidays and goes down as "The best cheesecake I ever had!" according to my nephew. 

PS  When this original recipe was typed, there weren't precrushed graham crackers available in the store.  I've adapted the recipe to "modern times" and thrown in a low fat, low sugar version if you're feeling really guilty about breaking some of those New Year's resolutions. 

Wednesday, February 04, 2009 6:07:33 PM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)         Blog reactions

In relation to the blog, someone asked me over the weekend..."So, ahhh, what's the plan here?"  Implying that I had no desired end result.  Which, perhaps, was true.  While I may not have been able to elouently explain my intentions at that moment (after all, it was during the Super Bowl and after a few rum and cokes)...I was able to convey my heartfelt desire about wanting to inspire. 

So, I've given it some thought.  After soul searching I think I'm ready to answer that question.   

The Muse Gourmet is a means through which I can share artistic expressions about my most favorite hobby...cooking.  The way I look at it, everyone has something they are passionate about.  And, if you take the time to chat with those folks, you can learn all kinds of interesting stuff.  And perhaps, you too decide to share in the passion. 

I don't think enough people cook anymore.  Too many chain restaurants.  Too many cookies and cakes bought at the grocery store with that "commercial" flavor.  Too many people packing up their families and heading off to restaurants where they are surrounded by hustle and bustle, kids watching videos, and meaningless conversation about the speed of the waitress. 

But, I understand.  I really do.  It's convenient.  And...if you aren't sure your kitchen experience will turn out favorably, it's time consuming and expensive to make something that flops.  Besides, if you're like many of the mothers I know (myself included) who pick up hungry kids from school only to have a few moments between events, you don't want to multitask in the kitchen trying to do something that seems like a hassle. 

So, my purpose in doing this is twofold...  1) To have fun.  2) To teach anyone that wants to learn how to cook.  How is that different from everyone else?  Well, for starters...I'm not trying to make any money doing it.  I'm also not into exotic cooking methods.  I enjoy healthy, wholesome foods.  I cook dinner for my family most evenings and do so in less than an hour.  I prefer homemade birthday cakes, homemade cookies in the cookie jar, and using as many fresh ingredients as are available and I can afford. 

What that means is that "this" isn't going to be your typical food blog.  "This" is going to be an eclectic mix of simple and new and will hopefully offer something to make you smile once in awhile.  It also means that you should find my recipes a little more detailed than most.  I realized (thanks to my hubby) that many of my little tricks aren't in the recipe.  Some of it is implied.  But...it doesn't need to be.  I'm also going to do my best to tell you which tools I use the most.  Which ones are worth the extra money and which ones aren't.  After all, why spend $150 on a bread maker that you'll use for four months?  (That's one of our standing jokes). 

So, I'm working on a cooking class of sorts that will be available on the net for free.  And, if it helps just one person spend a little less eating out, allows one parent to make a meal with their kids that everyone can enjoy, allows someone to make a special dinner at home for a loved one and get to talk...really talk...about the desires of their heart...then I'm happy.  I will have gotten to do something I love and help someone else (another favorite past time). 

And that my friends is what this is all about. 

Be well.   Namasté.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009 5:29:21 PM (Central Standard Time, UTC-06:00)         Blog reactions