I perfected my meatball recipe last night, and I thought I would share.
Spicy Meatballs
1 pound lean ground beef
12 saltine crackers, finely crushed
6 oz. tomato paste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon grated Parmesian cheese
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands until smooth and evenly blended. Shape into 2" balls.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-low heat. Place the meatballs in the skillet and brown them evenly on all sides, shaking the skillet and letting the meatballs roll around while cooking. Once they are all browned, place the meatballs into the oven (skillet and all). Bake for 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the meatballs have an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees.
Remove them from the oven and blot them on paper towels for 5 minutes.
Pile them on some hot pasta with your favorite sauce, and pour yourself a glass of red wine. Or stuff 'em in a split loaf of french bread with some provolone and marinara, and crack open a cold beer.
TIPS
If you don't have an oven-safe skillet...say, your skillet has plastic handles or a Teflon coating...just dump the meatballs into a casserole dish or cake pan to bake them.
Substitute half of the ground beef with your favorite spicy Italian sausage.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Sunday, November 07, 2004
My latest batch
This weekend, I started another batch of mead. This one is based on several different mead recipes I found on the internet, from the medieval Scandanavian people. It is not a "period" recipe (as you might have noticed from some of the additives I am using), but the ingredients and the process are fairly close. It is fermenting happily in Anthony's basement at the moment; when it is finished I will let you know how it turned out.
VIKING MEAD
Ingredients
1 quart (3 pounds) unfiltered wildflower honey
2 quarts fresh water
1/2 cup dried chamomile flowers
12 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon yeast energizer
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
1 packet dry wine yeast
1 can (12 oz) organic frozen apple juice concentrate
1 Campden tablet
2 teaspoons sparkoloid powder
(glossary)
Directions
In a large pot or kettle, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Slowly add 1 quart of honey, stirring constantly to prevent the honey from burning. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Skim the white foam off of the top of the honey-water, cover, and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a separate saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a full boil. Add the chammomile and cloves, cover tightly, and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain out the flowers and cloves, and add the tea to the must.
Once the must has cooled to room temperature, pour it into a sterile, 1-gallon glass jug. Add 1/2 teaspoon of yeast energizer, one teaspoon of yeast nutrient, and enough cold water to almost make one full gallon (leave about 3 inches of room at the top of the jug for froth). Shake until well-mixed. Add the dry yeast, and shake again until well mixed. Attach a sterile fermentation lock to the jug, and set in a cool, dark place to ferment.
Once fermentation stops (2 or 3 weeks), remove the fermentation lock and taste the mead. Stir in the apple juice concentrate, a couple of ounces at a time, until the mead is as sweet as you like it. Replace the fermentation lock, and allow to ferment to completion once again. Repeat this process until the mead is both sweet and stable.
Rack, clarify, stabilize, and bottle. Makes 1 gallon of "cyser" (apple mead).
VIKING MEAD
Ingredients
1 quart (3 pounds) unfiltered wildflower honey
2 quarts fresh water
1/2 cup dried chamomile flowers
12 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon yeast energizer
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient
1 packet dry wine yeast
1 can (12 oz) organic frozen apple juice concentrate
1 Campden tablet
2 teaspoons sparkoloid powder
(glossary)
Directions
In a large pot or kettle, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Slowly add 1 quart of honey, stirring constantly to prevent the honey from burning. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Skim the white foam off of the top of the honey-water, cover, and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a separate saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a full boil. Add the chammomile and cloves, cover tightly, and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain out the flowers and cloves, and add the tea to the must.
Once the must has cooled to room temperature, pour it into a sterile, 1-gallon glass jug. Add 1/2 teaspoon of yeast energizer, one teaspoon of yeast nutrient, and enough cold water to almost make one full gallon (leave about 3 inches of room at the top of the jug for froth). Shake until well-mixed. Add the dry yeast, and shake again until well mixed. Attach a sterile fermentation lock to the jug, and set in a cool, dark place to ferment.
Once fermentation stops (2 or 3 weeks), remove the fermentation lock and taste the mead. Stir in the apple juice concentrate, a couple of ounces at a time, until the mead is as sweet as you like it. Replace the fermentation lock, and allow to ferment to completion once again. Repeat this process until the mead is both sweet and stable.
Rack, clarify, stabilize, and bottle. Makes 1 gallon of "cyser" (apple mead).
Saturday, September 18, 2004
Photo Album - Older Photos
Me standing on a jette in Nehalem, Oregon.
Dutch Harbor, Alaska, as seen from the top of Pyramid Peak.
Irish Hat Rock, Unalaska Island.
One hundred and ten pounds of halibut.
The Makushin Volcano, Unalaska Island, Alaska.
Me and some sea lions. No, I'm not happy to see them; that is a fighting harness.
A pod of killer whales (somewhere off the shore of Unalaska Island.)
Me, at the coffee counter of Oregano's. This picture was taken around the time Toni and I started dating.
Inside the Cave of the Winds, Colorado Springs.
Still inside the Cave of the Winds.
A seriously-long stalagmite. Our tour guide told us that this was one of the longest stalactites in North America.
Toni and I, halfway up to the summit of Pikes Peak.
This is a picture of me at age 3 (left), sitting next to my 6-year old brother (right). Dig that groovy armchair, man.
I'm about 4 years old here, playing with a kitten.
I'm about 9 years old in this photo, and I am reading some sort of enormous book.
The Laney Family portrait; 1997 Edition.
This is a picture of Uncle Earl (middle), holding my dad (right) and his twin brother, Uncle Lloyd (left).
We are all dressed up for Dorland Awards 1998.
I'm dressed down for Peace and Love Day, 1990.
Someone took this picture of me at work on 'casual Friday,' about 6 months after I moved here. I guess that would make it September 2000...
My favorite of our engagement photos, taken in the spring of 2001.
My brain, top view. I had a serious cluster of migrane headaches, and the doctor ordered these scans of my head.
My brain, side view. The cause of the headaches? Nobody knows. But at least they know what it isn't.
Kara snapped this picture of me when I came back to Oklahoma for a visit. I think it was February 2001.
A picture of Toni eating some cookies in Louisiana. I have no idea when this picture was taken; I got it from my mother-in-law.
Aaron and his son Jacob. I really wish I could remember when this picture was taken...Jacob is so much bigger now.
My lifelong friend Aaron Dye, posing with his dad. This picture was taken back in 1997, I think.
My best friend Anthony. This picture was taken in late summer of 2000, when I still lived at Epernay Apartments.
Another great picture of Toni, hugging our friend Chaz. I think this photo was taken in November of 2000.
Sunday, September 12, 2004
About Me
(current as of 11-03-12)
Contact Info:
E-mail: trav underscore laney at yahoo
Facebook: Yup
Personal Info:
Location: Portland, Oregon
Nickname(s): Trav, pretty much
Height: Lots.
Eyes: Sometimes blue, sometimes grey
Hair: Brown
Occupation: Civil Designer, engineering student.
What I'm up to:
Current Drink: Maker's Mark
Current Food: Savory oatmeal
Current Music: Geek Rock
Current Book: The Poetic Edda
Current Mission: Cure my insomnia
Most recent CD purchase: was years ago
Most recent DVD purchase: was years ago
Contact Info:
E-mail: trav underscore laney at yahoo
Facebook: Yup
Personal Info:
Location: Portland, Oregon
Nickname(s): Trav, pretty much
Height: Lots.
Eyes: Sometimes blue, sometimes grey
Hair: Brown
Occupation: Civil Designer, engineering student.
What I'm up to:
Current Drink: Maker's Mark
Current Food: Savory oatmeal
Current Music: Geek Rock
Current Book: The Poetic Edda
Current Mission: Cure my insomnia
Most recent CD purchase: was years ago
Most recent DVD purchase: was years ago
Friday, July 30, 2004
Recipe: Vegetable Egg Rolls
This recipe is one of my favorites. Give it a try with your significant other. It is easier than you think.
Trav's Vegetable Egg Rolls
1 pkg. Coleslaw mix
3 medium mushrooms
1 pkg. bean sprouts
1 bundle green onions
1 large egg
1 T. five-spice powder
1 pkg. egg roll wrappers
vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop mushrooms and onions finely, place in a large glass bowl. Add bean sprouts and cole slaw mix. With a clean pair of metal scissors, snip the vegetables until they are the consistency of fine confetti. In a small bowl, scramble the egg with the five-spice powder and salt, then pour over cabbage mixture. Work with hands until well mixed.
Now the fun part. Place 1-2 tablespoons of cabbage mixture onto an egg roll wrapper. Using the instructions printed on the back of the egg roll wrapper package as a guide, wrap the egg roll like a miniature burrito. Place on a cookie sheet, and repeat until all egg roll wrappers and cabbage is used. Be patient, it can take almost an hour if you are new at this. Brush the egg rolls with vegetable oil, and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately with an Al Pacino movie, lots of Dr. Pepper, and your favorite dipping sauce.
VARIATIONS:Brown 1/2 pound of ground turkey, season with garlic salt and ginger, and add to the cabbage mixture. Or, if you prefer, add 1 pound of tiny cooked salad shrimp to the cabbage mixture.
Deep-frying is a method I try to avoid, but some people prefer it. Heat oil to 400 degrees, and fry egg rolls until golden brown. Blot on paper towels, and serve.
Trav's Vegetable Egg Rolls
1 pkg. Coleslaw mix
3 medium mushrooms
1 pkg. bean sprouts
1 bundle green onions
1 large egg
1 T. five-spice powder
1 pkg. egg roll wrappers
vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop mushrooms and onions finely, place in a large glass bowl. Add bean sprouts and cole slaw mix. With a clean pair of metal scissors, snip the vegetables until they are the consistency of fine confetti. In a small bowl, scramble the egg with the five-spice powder and salt, then pour over cabbage mixture. Work with hands until well mixed.
Now the fun part. Place 1-2 tablespoons of cabbage mixture onto an egg roll wrapper. Using the instructions printed on the back of the egg roll wrapper package as a guide, wrap the egg roll like a miniature burrito. Place on a cookie sheet, and repeat until all egg roll wrappers and cabbage is used. Be patient, it can take almost an hour if you are new at this. Brush the egg rolls with vegetable oil, and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately with an Al Pacino movie, lots of Dr. Pepper, and your favorite dipping sauce.
VARIATIONS:Brown 1/2 pound of ground turkey, season with garlic salt and ginger, and add to the cabbage mixture. Or, if you prefer, add 1 pound of tiny cooked salad shrimp to the cabbage mixture.
Deep-frying is a method I try to avoid, but some people prefer it. Heat oil to 400 degrees, and fry egg rolls until golden brown. Blot on paper towels, and serve.
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