KZ Kitchen

Employee Garden

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 02:35:46 GMT

Today I strolled past the chocolatier's shop and crossed the street to Trader Joe's.

Do you think my $2.99 today was better spent on Basil than the bonbon?

Will It Last?

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 22:50:07 GMT

Joel's mention of a hankering for some sauerkraut reminded me that we had a jar in the refrigerator. I've heard people say that it doesn't go bad, and as of this afternoon ours hadn't. I wasn't going to hold the green beans that I bought from the produce section five days ago to their title, "fresh", so I steamed half of them and blanched then froze the rest.

For those of you keeping track of my time-to-the-table, I apologize. The food and not the clock was in my sights this evening.

When Walking Doesn't Save You Money

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 03:08:05 GMT

Orange Blossom

BELLARIA bakery & chocalatier is just a few blocks from where I'm working.

The cost of one truffle totals $2.93.

Do you think I might possibly save that much money by walking there instead of driving somewhere on my lunch hour?

Slippered Contessa

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:43:38 GMT

Dinner didn't make it to the table quite as speedily as it did on Monday night. I had to stop at Wells Fargo for quarters on the way home, so we ate at 5:05p.m. instead of 4:35p.m. While waiting in line, we all watched the barefoot contessa make butternut squash tortellini with cranberry-nut topping. Boiling pasta was part of my plan for the evening, but with chicken, peppers, plaintain and peanut sauce.

When I got home, Joel made use of the quarters, by starting a load of laundry, while I chopped my ingredients. Coconut milk and peanut stir-fry sauce worked well to bring the meat, veggies, and whole grain pasta together.

Although the plantain brought color and texture to the plate, it lacked flavor.

That's all for today from this slippered contessa.

Steamin'

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 02:25:28 GMT

65 Minutes from Work to Table

Adjusting to a 40-hour work week isn't easy. However, a thoughtful husband makes things run more smoothly.

Joel has lightened the load by offering assistance with the housework, now that we are both gone from 6:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

This afternoon I left St. Louis Park at 3:25p.m and we had supper on the table by 4:35p.m.

No, it wasn't all leftovers! Joel husked the corn, while I snapped the fresh green beans. The ciabatta bread warmed in the toaster oven while I sliced the steak and seasoned it with Canadian Steak Seasoning, red wine vinegar, and lime flavored olive oil. I sliced half an onion and sauteed the rings in olive oil while the vegetables steamed on the stove top. While the steak sizzled in the George Foreman grill I melted butter to season the corn and green beans. A dollop of ( store bought, I must confess) potato salad completed the meal.

Jell-O

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:30:18 GMT

Although I have to admit that I turned on the oven and baked bread today, I realize that not everyone is comfortable heating up their home on humid summer days.

So, what do you do when you're in the mood for something creamy like flan, but are somewhat convicted that being eco-friendly and not cranking up the air conditioning might be a good idea?

The International Aisle at your grocery store might have an answer. I picked up a plastic packet of orage colored crystals on one of my trips to Cub Foods several weeks ago. This week I finally convinced myself that I should try to prepare the egg nog flavored gelatin dessert.

All you have to do, is dissolve the contents of the packet in boiling milk, then let it cool in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Instructions are in English as well as Spanish.

Try it. You just might like it.

Chips

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:44:29 GMT

For a while, Joel requested pico made with freshly chopped cilantro, tomato, onion and jalapeno in his weekday lunches.

When chips were buy-one-get-one bag a week or so back, I bought one bag of scoops and the other something new, multigrain. The seasoning on the "healthy" chips is good. The strength of the chip for dipping is not so great.

More recently, he has come home having decided that he needs to eat fruit and vegetables for lunch. Yogurt with tart raspberries, cubes of fresh cantelope, slices of cucumber...

Mid morning, today, an email chimed in the inbox on our computer: "Oh this vegetable thing is terrible."

He decided that I deserve to go out to eat tonight, since I worked so hard entertaining friends this weekend.

We'll probably end up at La Casita since I've got a coupon and since it is relatively close to where we live.

What should I order?

Steak and Peanut Sauce with Pasta

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:44:54 GMT

Success! Contrary to Deborah's opinion on Facebook, the "poor steak!" turned out nicely.

With eggs and mini lemon tarts, we ate all but one of the steaks at our book & breakfast group last Saturday morning. So this afternoon I plugged in the George Foreman and grilled the last lonely piece of beef after soaking it in soy sauce for a few minutes. When the tell-tale clicking began, I unplugged the grill, pulled the steak onto the cutting board and sliced it. While boiling the whole wheat spaghetti, I cut the red pepper, zuchinni and green onion into strips.

A little bit of sesame oil with lime-flavored olive oil worked to stir fry the vegetables. The peanut sauce warmed well when about 1/2 cup of it was added to the drained pasta. Next, I added the sliced steak to the vegetables along with a dash of salt, ginger, garlic powder (my "fresh" bulb was bitter), and red pepper flakes. With the pasta and peanut sauce stirred in, and some sesame seeds sprinkled on top, the meal was complete.

Joel complimented me by claiming that it was better than the Mongolian Beef that we had at Shuan Cheng in Dinkytown on Tuesday. The only fault was that I didn't make enough for a second helping.

People Serving People

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:19:48 GMT

Last Summer I helped Art Institute students make coleslaw for the annual Strike Out Homelessness Event- Pre-game party and Minnesota Twins Baseball Game. We were given some cabbage and were supposed to find in the kitchen the rest of whatever ingredients we thought were essential to complete our task. It's not as easy as it sounds. Fortunately, two of us agreed that we prefered creamy to vinaigrette.

At the end of the evening the husband of the owner of Maria's Cafe brought around paper cups of water for us to drink.

Since at that time I was using the tourist souvenir Colombia bag that Mrs. Z had brought back from one of their return trips, Maria asked what my connection to her homeland might be.

Maybe she'll be there again and I'll be more prepared to chat.

Here is the link to pictures on Facebook.

Kosher? Not even Close

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:21:23 GMT

Last week I bought the world's best hot dogs: Hebrew National brand, "we answer to a higher authority".

Over the next week or so, we will flip to the non-Kosher side of things. Since our "Christian" nation celebrates independence by lighting charcoal as well as fireworks, most of the grocery stores encourage their patrons to fill their shopping carts with meat for the grill. The choices were a slab of ribs for $3.77\ lb or a 10 lb box of frozen ribs for $14.99. I bought the box.

At our apartment the outdoor grills are your generic city park kind: a black box with hinge grate and no cover. Also, the grill is located quite close to the plastic & wood playground where curious children are not likely to allow you to leave your post to tend to things indoor. So, we stick to George Foreman, and this evening, the slow-cooker (a.k.a. "crockpot").

Last week when we ate at Famous Dave's in Duluth, Joel said next time he might have to try the pork. He used the bottle of Sweet & Zesty sauce, liberaly, on his beef brisket that night, so I decided to purchase a bottle for our pantry.

In the past, he has said that he does not like country-style pork ribs. I convinced myself that it was safe to continue in my rib endevour, because he will have other choices at the church fellowship dinner and possibly the Friday night bash.

Classes in Culinary Arts can give you some good recipes. Often, you have to use your math skills in order to scale down the proportions, though. We had some men that compete in national bbq contests come in to advise us during one summer class.

Here are the ingredients for the dry rub that they recommend for ribs and beef (we used it on 2 brisket and 2 pork butt). It should be sweeter than your general, all-purpose versions.:

scaled down by 4

1/4 cup Kosher (ha ha, I didn't even think about that when I came up with the title) salt

1/4 cup White Sugar

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Cumin (oops! I forgot this)

1/4 cup Chili powder

1/4 c gGound Back Ppper

1/2 cup Paprika (Hungarian recommended)

2 Tablespoons Powdered Cayenne

Feel Like Chicken Tonight?

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:49:14 GMT

The woman cashier at the Asian market in Brooklyn Park recommended this "bell brand" for its "smell" aroma.

She said chicken curry with carrots & potatoes, or other fish\meat with basil & rice or any kind of noodle.

Tonight I plan to use chicken, onion, and zucchini. Joel will want Jasmine rice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What package, bottle, envelope or box doesn't come with directions or a suggested recipe, these days?

I decided to follow the instructions for once, so that I would have an excuse if it didn't turn out.

Butter, onion, chicken, curry powder...sauted.

Add water and allow the sauce to thicken to the desired consistency. Add coconut milk.

The woman was right. The aroma of the curry was sweeter than incense rising to the heavens (well, maybe not quite...).

The zucchini lost it's texture, having spent time in the freezer, so I added peas instead.

Rice: Jasmine for Joel, Brown for Beanie.

And a sprinkle of cashews to top it all off.

The curry was missing depth of flavor. Spicy hot but thin.

Try, try again.

Steak Fries Pies

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 03:36:11 GMT

Andy introduced us to pasties in the U.P. during his Northland days. Several years later, I bought a box from the frozen food section at a grocery store in Columbus, Ohio. Whereas frozen pot-pies bubble over with vegatables swimming in sodium rich gravy, the Cornish Pastie is rather dry and usually just holds meat and potatoes(...onion your vegetable?).

A few weeks ago, Joel suggested we share cold fried chicken with our guests at Sunday dinner. For a side we could have prepared mustard potato salad at our indoor picnic, but I decided not to go out to buy a bag of spuds. Instead, some frozen french fries, steak, and onion were fried, then enveloped in a whole wheat pastry crust.

Just this evening I Googled "Cornish Pastie" for an image of the finished product. Did you know there is a Cornish Pasty Association?

If you so happen to have left-overs, these hand-held pies are tasty cold with a dash of tabasco sauce.

Wickedly Delicious

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:13:59 GMT

Most of my shopping is done at Rainbow Foods, a middle-of-the-road grocery store, but occasionally I look for a bargain at Mike's Discount Foods. They often have cases of yogurt for $2 or so. The drawback is that you only get one flavor.

Last week they had something quite different, Rachel's wickedly delicious yogurt. It came in 3 flavors: plum honey lavender, peach green tea, and pink grapefruit lychee. After much deliberation, I pulled a case of the "calm" plum honey lavender out of the cooler and placed it in my shopping cart.

Rachel has a website. I was suprised to find that she is in quite high esteem in the British empire, having acquired several awards and titles.

Oh, and by the way...yogurt \ probitotics are good for your digestive system, too.

Red: Watermelon Wonders

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:39:40 GMT

Last week, the watermelon that I purchased wasn't as flavorful as I expected. Jen White's seedless variety was undeniably superior.

Today, while eating the last slice, I went to the internet to see if this jucy red fruit had nutritious value beyond hydration.

See for yourself. It won't cure all ills that oil of oregano may, but the benefit claims are suprisingly broad.

Green

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:12:25 GMT

Spending extra money on bagged salads is tempting, but I'm usually too cheap to justify it. Often the iceburg lettuce leaves have rusty stripes or the spring mix looks downright slimy, so the quick-and-easy is a little bit easier to resist.

Yesterday I took the time to tear apart and wash a bunch of fresh spinach leaves. There was too much for just two people, so I blanched then froze about 1/3 of it to sneak into lasagna or some other baked dish. While the dull leaves swam in the boiling water for sixty seconds, the green became brilliant and smooth. I was nearly mesmorized by the beauty of the swirling pieces of spinach, but managed to rescue the leaves before they got overcooked.

Here are a few pictues of the salad that I put together. Since I wasn't sure that Joel would be convinced that black beans count as a protein source, I grilled chicken breast strips with a marinade of white wine, olive oil, and Canadian steak seasoning (garlic, red, white, & black pepper, salt).

Salad dressing:

spicy brown mustard

olive oil

apple cider vinegar

lemon juice

Other ingredients:

avocado

vine-ripened cocktail tomatoes

green onion

white onion

shredded cheese

red bell pepper

fresh spinach

black beans, rinsed and drained

crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Lunch Box

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:31:39 GMT

Dad asked me what I was preparing for lunch today.

This is what I sent in Joel's lunch, and I'll probably have the same thing myself.

seedless, red grapes

peach yogurt

Roast Beef with blue cheese butter

Thinly sliced, deli-style roast beef

sliced tomato

sliced onion

lettuce

2 slices whole grain bread

spicy dijon mustard

blue cheese butter:

roka blue cheese dressing

cream cheese

butter

chives

cayenne pepper

Pack the tomato slices separately, so that the sandwich doesn't get soggy.

Yes, We Have No Tomatoes...

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:11:53 GMT

The Media is warning consumers not to eat raw red plum, red roma or red round tomatoes this week. Apparently those types are linked to the 145 reported cases of salmonella nation-wide. Cub Foods has a sign in their produce section that assures the customer that the vine-on, grape, and cherry tomatoes are safe. They also offer refund or replacement if you care to bring your Romas back.

So, today I chose not to add chopped tomato and sliced onion to my pita pocket. The tuna was sweet with mayonnaise, yet spicy-hot with jalapeno. Just the right size, too.

Tuna Salad in a Whole Wheat Pita Pocket

1 can tuna packed in water

1 green onion, chopped finely

1 slice fresh jalapeno, minced

2 T miracle whip

salt and white pepper to taste

2 halves whole wheat pita bread

meunster cheese

lettuce

Drain and rinse the tuna in a fine sieve. Press the water out of the tuna, before flaking it into medium sized chunks with a fork.

Combine the tuna with green onion, jalapeno, milacle whip, salt & pepper.

Line each pita pocket with 1/2 slice of Meunster cheese and lettuce leaves.

Add 1/2 of the tuna salad to each.

Enjoy!

Nothing Artificial

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:34:51 GMT

NO GOOD, sorry.

Many diets recommend cutting back on the sugars in our diets. While I realize that this includes more than just the granulated white stuff we manufacture from beets or sugar cane, I though that I try to at least start by cutting back there. The following recipe derives its sweetness from the fruit's natural sugar content. I also used whole wheat pastry flour that I found at Rainbow Foods the last time I bought groceries.

Banana Nut Bread

1 1/2 ripe, mashed banana

1 large egg

1/2 c 2% milk

1 3/4 c whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 t baking powder

dash of salt

3/4 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t ground ginger

1 cup dried, pitted prunes and apricots, coarsely chopped

1/3 c chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350* F.

Grease a 8x14 inch loaf pan.

Blend together the banana, egg and milk.

In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients, stirring until just moistened. Mix in the dried fruit pieces and chopped nuts.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and place into the center of the oven for 30 minutes. Check the loaf. If the top is already browning on top, lower the oven temperature to 325*F. Either way, bake the bread for another 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Next, remove the bread from the pan and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.

~~~this recipe was modified from DATE & BANANA LOAF p. 109 of Great Healthy Food Diabetes by Azmina Govindji, A Firefly Book, 2003~~~

Space Odyssey 2008

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:20:35 GMT

Remember listening to an old record of the soundtrack to Space Odyssey: 2001?

This YouTube video reminded me of it...

Having recently disposed of our deceased toaster oven, I feel a certain draw to this gadget.

$57.82 + shipping and handling ( 29.49 GBP, ouch!)

I came across it after viewing some images of photo art of food. The link sent me to "Breakfast Blogger".

Breakfast Blogger had posted a picture of bacon weave, an interesting concept for people looking for variety in their breakfast menu.

***disclaimer: I don't approve of all of the language in his blog & commentary.***

The French Diet

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 01:59:13 GMT

The secrets of why French women don't get fat

Michel Montignac

Interesting to consider, but difficult to give up all sugar (including honey) and to follow his advice to replace strong coffee with decaf or half-caf. This book presents another diet with Phases. However, Michel Montignac is "emphatic" that this new diet is what your normal diet should be. The program is one of considering GI, carbohydrates, et cetera. 1/2 of the book is menus and recipes. The recipes don't require as many exotic ingredients as I have seen in other diet books.

" ...eating should count among the greatest pleasures of human existence. This is why cooking is a real art--just like music or painting-- that is accessible to everyone and which symbolizes some of the most valuable qualities of life. Perfecting this art should not be limited only to an awareness of the nutritional value of a food, but should also celebrate the culinary pleasures that come from discovering new foods and different ways of preparing them."

Photo Album: Shingle Creek Critters: August 18

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:20:52 GMT

Shingle Creek Critters: August 18

Heron afar spotted from the bridge behind the Brookdale Library

Heron a little bit closer

Heron at Shingle Creek

Harry the Heron

Harry the Heron as we part from his presence

Benjamin bunny beside the bridge that leads to the ball fields

Tommy the turtle

Expert fisher "cormorant" I don't think it is, but that's what Joel calls this bird

Stealthy fisher bird

Photo Album: Birds

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:23:40 GMT

Birds

James Havens was the first American to receive insulin. He later specialized in woodcuts.

James Havens woodcut

hummingbirds in hand

pole bean hummingbird

sparrow hand

Sparrows

sparrows-stonefountain-modesto

Photo Album: Duluth June 26

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:58:23 GMT

Duluth June 26

Irvin

The Suites bedroom #239

staggered coffee mugs at Famous Dave's

Popcorn wagon, Canal Park

mini doghnut boat

Lift bridge & shore

boat by museum

birds

lighthouse and rocks

Joel reading Friday morning

More Photos...

Photo Album: Cantata Weekend: June 14

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 23:08:15 GMT

Cantata Weekend: June 14

Saturday:Quiche Lorraine

Deborah

Todd

Sunday:Raspberry Cheesecake Pie

Photo Album: Breakfast in Taylor's Falls: Roadtrip May 29

Thu, 29 May 2008 23:56:16 GMT

Breakfast in Taylor's Falls: Roadtrip May 29

Chisago House Restaurant 052908

Drive In

Public Library

Photo Album: When will the lilacs bloom? 5/20

Wed, 21 May 2008 00:54:24 GMT

When will the lilacs bloom? 5/20

EL crabapple trees at light

EL 16 path grassy knoll

EL 13 mushrooms

EL 12 path to bridge

EL Eagle Lake Parking

EL 11 dock

EL 10 no motor vehicle sign

EL 9 path trees sunlight

EL 7 Joel shore

EL 6 green path from shore

More Photos...

Photo Album: May 09 Shower for Lucy at the Hedstroms

Sat, 10 May 2008 03:24:51 GMT

May 09 Shower for Lucy at the Hedstroms

Dining room

Room with the swirly chairs

Sugar and Cream with that?

Photo Album: Husband on Business: Ireland April 2008

Fri, 02 May 2008 18:06:58 GMT

Husband on Business: Ireland April 2008

Joel arriving in Shannon airport 0408

Not so fond memories from '07

Gerben at Adare, pic made by Joel 0408

Joel Ireland River Maigue

Joel at Bruree co Limerick 0408

Joel Ireland 2

Photo Album: April 2008

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 01:13:33 GMT

April 2008

leftover breakfast Saturday morn

leftover breakfast Saturday

Photo Album: March 16:Twenty Eight

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 02:44:40 GMT

March 16:Twenty Eight

Photo Album: Como Conservatory in 30 Minutes

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 21:10:15 GMT

Como Conservatory in 30 Minutes

steam pipe

Sloth

Joel and Volunteer

Tropical Encounters Yellow Bird

Key Lime, Fig & Mandarin Orange Trees

Joel beneath a mandarin orange tree

Year of the Frog exhibit hallway

Photo Album: Leap Year Surprise Party

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 04:34:44 GMT

Leap Year Surprise Party

Layered Taco Dip, Veggies, Grapes & Cheese, assorted crackers and chips

chocolate with bavarian creme & carrot with cream cheese frosting

Successful delivery

Church folk

Signing in at the cake table

Smiths, Jessie, Stimacs, & Lee

Gifts

Photo Album: February 25

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:48:40 GMT

February 25

Lucky the Cockroach

Photo Album: February Retreat

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:45:26 GMT

February Retreat

Breakfast Casserole

Todd presenting Huxley

Andrea and Deborah

Cherrie and Elly stirring up Cocoa

Dale and Ben before the Sunday morning services

Men of Granite Falls

Soup on Saturday

Photo Album: December 07

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 00:55:05 GMT

December 07

Rum River Christmas Tree $26

Really, there's nothing inside the tin...

Wynonah & Katrina

Jeff and Dot

Punch

HPIM0731

Glass Harmonica

Special Diet

Buckeye Choir

Claiming the $5 bill

Photo Album: First Week of December

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 02:41:40 GMT

First Week of December

First Snowfall First of December

Baptismal Service at Edgewater

Morning in Minneapolis

Turkish Delight

Flower Fairies

Brooks Brothers

Maycy's 8th Floor Intro

Nutcracker

Nutcracker 2

Nutcracker 3

More Photos...

Photo Album: November

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 21:15:08 GMT

November

Blue and Cranberry Pie: Jessica VDM is going to have to help me practice fluting pie crust. This one was quite a bit of patchwork!

Minneapolis Public Library, Central branch.

I've been summoned to jury duty late in November

Augsburg St. Nicholas

Jen, Olivia, Sophia Christensen Center

Norwegian Minnesotans at our table

Olivia and Thistledown

Sophia, Olivia, Thistledown, and Thumbelina

Jen: Whose pets are these?