Tonight, I will be doing something that I hope will become a tradition: carving Jack O'Lanterns and watching classic scary movies. The day before Halloween is a perfect time to do it, since (1) all the pumpkins will be marked down drastically at the grocery store, and (2) Halloween night itself should be for trick-or-treating, not carving gourds.
So I thought it would be fun to post a couple of recipes that go well with a night of pumpkin-carving. The first is for cooking those tasty, vitamin-rich pumpkin seeds. The second is a Thai dish, for cooking up those spare pumpkin parts from the eyes, nose, and mouth places. Hope you enjoy!
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Trav's Toasted Pumpkin Seeds (#3)
Fresh pumpkin seeds (about 2 cups)
1 T. vegetable oil
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking powder
Remove the seeds and pulp from the pumpkin, and place them in a colander. Under running water, separate the seeds from the pulp and rinse them well. One large pumpkin will yield about one cup of seeds; adjust the recipe as needed.
Drain the seeds, and put them in a shallow bowl. While they are still damp, add the salt and baking powder and stir until the powders dissolve. Spread the seeds out evenly on an ungreased, stick-resistant cookie sheet, and allow to dry overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the pumpkin seeds and vegetable oil in a bowl, and toss until well-coated. Spread the seeds out evenly on a stick-resistant cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F until golden brown and crispy (about 30 minutes), stirring every 15 minutes.
Blot the seeds on paper towels, and serve warm.
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Stir Fried Pumpkin
1 C. water
1 T. vegetable oil
2 C. pumpkin
1 t. ground black pepper (more or less to taste)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. sugar
1 T. fish sauce
1/2 t. salt
2 T. green onions, chopped (green parts only)
Remove the skin from the pumpkin, and remove any seeds or spongy pith from the inside...you want the solid meat from the inside of the pumpkin. Chop the pumpkin meat into 1/2-inch cubes.
Heat the oil in a wok, and add the garlic and pepper. Cook on high heat until the garlic is almost browned, then add the pumpkin and reduce heat to medium. Stir to coat the pumpkin in the garlic-oil mixture, then add the water. Cook until the pumpkin is medium-soft and most of the water has evaporated, then add the sugar, fish sauce, salt, and green onions. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the pumpkin is tender, and serve immediately over rice.
(Update: Using jack o'lantern pumpkins is not a good idea; they are not the tastiest of gourds. Well, the flavor is okay I guess, but the texture is strange. I dunno. If you are serious about this recipe, I recommend you use acorn or butternut squash instead.)
Monday, October 30, 2006
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Trav's Peppercorn Ranch Dressing
This one is for you, Sarah. It's egg-and-tomato free.
TRAV'S PEPPERCORN RANCH DRESSING
This recipe is made in two parts. In part one, you make the dry mix, which you store in the pantry or the freezer until ready to use. In part two, you complete the recipe by adding the perishable ingredients. This way, you can make as much dressing as you need, and not have to worry about it going bad before you can use it. Very helpful, since it doesn't contain any preservatives.
Dry Mix:
8 saltine crackers
12 whole peppercorns
1/2 cup dry parsley flakes
1/2 cup dry onion flakes
1 tablespoon dried dill
3 tablespoons onion powder
3 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon celery salt
1 tablespoon sea salt
Pulverize the saltine crackers, peppercorns, and onion flakes in a food processor until finely ground. Add other ingredients and mix well, then store in an airtight container until ready to use.
Dressing:
1 tablespoon of dry mix (more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Makes 2 cups.
If you like your ranch dressing to be extra tangy, use sour cream. Otherwise, use the yogurt instead. Some people prefer to use mayo in place of sour cream or yogurt, but I don't like mayo at all.
TRAV'S PEPPERCORN RANCH DRESSING
This recipe is made in two parts. In part one, you make the dry mix, which you store in the pantry or the freezer until ready to use. In part two, you complete the recipe by adding the perishable ingredients. This way, you can make as much dressing as you need, and not have to worry about it going bad before you can use it. Very helpful, since it doesn't contain any preservatives.
Dry Mix:
8 saltine crackers
12 whole peppercorns
1/2 cup dry parsley flakes
1/2 cup dry onion flakes
1 tablespoon dried dill
3 tablespoons onion powder
3 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon celery salt
1 tablespoon sea salt
Pulverize the saltine crackers, peppercorns, and onion flakes in a food processor until finely ground. Add other ingredients and mix well, then store in an airtight container until ready to use.
Dressing:
1 tablespoon of dry mix (more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Makes 2 cups.
If you like your ranch dressing to be extra tangy, use sour cream. Otherwise, use the yogurt instead. Some people prefer to use mayo in place of sour cream or yogurt, but I don't like mayo at all.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
The Ultimate GCS
A month or so ago, my cousin Russell came up to visit us. One of the things we decided to do while he was here: to perfect the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich (GCS). We gathered several different kinds of bread, three kinds of butter, and dozens of different cheeses. Then we invited an impartial panel of taste-testers to come over for dinner, and we spent the next couple of hours in the kitchen grilling up dozens of combinations.
Through trial and error, this is the recipe we concocted.
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Trav & Russell's Ultimate GCS
French bread
Unsalted butter, softened
Muenster cheese, sliced
Smoked cheddar cheese, sliced
Spicy brown mustard (optional)
Bacon bits (optional)
Cut the french bread into 3/4" thick slices, cutting along the diagonal at a 45-degree angle. Cut away the crusts on two sides, leaving the top and bottom crusts from the loaf.
Apply a thin layer of butter to one side of a slice of bread, and place it buttered-side down on the hot griddle or skillet. Immediately place a slice of muenster cheese and a slice of smoked cheddar cheese on the slice of bread. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of bacon bits over the cheese, and then squeeze a thin ribbon of the spicy mustard over everything.
Butter one side of another slice of french bread. When the cheese begins to melt around the edges, place the second slice of bread atop the sandwich (butter-side out) and flip the sandwich over. Cook until well-toasted and evenly-browned, flipping as needed.
Serve immediately with a cup of hot tomato soup.
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Anthony and I have proclaimed the GCS to be the official geek food. When we lived together at Cottonwood Terrace, and again at Gold Claim, it became a popular ritual for us to meet in the kitchen at midnight for some grilled cheesy goodness. Then we would discuss Dungeons and Dragons at length while we cooked and consumed the artery-clogging snacks.
If we weren't up for D&D, we would make up a batch of sandwiches and then retire to our respective computers, where we would play a LAN game of Age of Kings or Age of Mythology (and lately, Diablo2).
And guess what I'm eating right now? You know it.
Through trial and error, this is the recipe we concocted.
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Trav & Russell's Ultimate GCS
French bread
Unsalted butter, softened
Muenster cheese, sliced
Smoked cheddar cheese, sliced
Spicy brown mustard (optional)
Bacon bits (optional)
Cut the french bread into 3/4" thick slices, cutting along the diagonal at a 45-degree angle. Cut away the crusts on two sides, leaving the top and bottom crusts from the loaf.
Apply a thin layer of butter to one side of a slice of bread, and place it buttered-side down on the hot griddle or skillet. Immediately place a slice of muenster cheese and a slice of smoked cheddar cheese on the slice of bread. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of bacon bits over the cheese, and then squeeze a thin ribbon of the spicy mustard over everything.
Butter one side of another slice of french bread. When the cheese begins to melt around the edges, place the second slice of bread atop the sandwich (butter-side out) and flip the sandwich over. Cook until well-toasted and evenly-browned, flipping as needed.
Serve immediately with a cup of hot tomato soup.
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Anthony and I have proclaimed the GCS to be the official geek food. When we lived together at Cottonwood Terrace, and again at Gold Claim, it became a popular ritual for us to meet in the kitchen at midnight for some grilled cheesy goodness. Then we would discuss Dungeons and Dragons at length while we cooked and consumed the artery-clogging snacks.
If we weren't up for D&D, we would make up a batch of sandwiches and then retire to our respective computers, where we would play a LAN game of Age of Kings or Age of Mythology (and lately, Diablo2).
And guess what I'm eating right now? You know it.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Church Lady Mac-N-Cheese
Who doesn't love mac-n-cheese? Nobody, that's who.
This is my adaptation of the American classic, based on dozens of batches that I have sampled over years and years of Baptist potlucks. And I could be biased here, but I believe that Baptists make the best mac-n-cheese. And I believe that browned, crunchy burnt cheese is an addictive substance. Please enjoy it responsibly.
Of all of my recipes, I think this one is Anthony's favorite. We used to eat this stuff every now and then when we lived together at Cottonwood Terrace. It was Anthony and my wife (fiance at the time) who gave this dish its distinctive name.
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Church Lady Mac N Cheese
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided use
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the macaroni, and cook until almost tender. Drain, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, and add the flour. Cook over low heat until the flour is slightly browned. Using a wisk, add the milk and continue to cook over low heat, stirring quickly and constantly, until thickened (do not allow to boil). Add the cheeses and continue to cook, wisking constantly, until smooth and creamy (be sure to save about 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar for later).
Lose the wisk, and get a large wooden spoon. Add the macaroni to the cheese sauce, and stir until evenly coated. Taste the mixture, and add salt and pepper as necessary. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish, top with the shredded cheddar you set aside, and bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and browned on top.
Serve piping hot with an ice-cold IBC Root Beer.
This is my adaptation of the American classic, based on dozens of batches that I have sampled over years and years of Baptist potlucks. And I could be biased here, but I believe that Baptists make the best mac-n-cheese. And I believe that browned, crunchy burnt cheese is an addictive substance. Please enjoy it responsibly.
Of all of my recipes, I think this one is Anthony's favorite. We used to eat this stuff every now and then when we lived together at Cottonwood Terrace. It was Anthony and my wife (fiance at the time) who gave this dish its distinctive name.
-----
Church Lady Mac N Cheese
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided use
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the macaroni, and cook until almost tender. Drain, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, and add the flour. Cook over low heat until the flour is slightly browned. Using a wisk, add the milk and continue to cook over low heat, stirring quickly and constantly, until thickened (do not allow to boil). Add the cheeses and continue to cook, wisking constantly, until smooth and creamy (be sure to save about 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar for later).
Lose the wisk, and get a large wooden spoon. Add the macaroni to the cheese sauce, and stir until evenly coated. Taste the mixture, and add salt and pepper as necessary. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish, top with the shredded cheddar you set aside, and bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and browned on top.
Serve piping hot with an ice-cold IBC Root Beer.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Making Metheglin
Metheglin is the root (Welsh) word for "medicine," and refers to a special alcoholic beverage made from honey and water fermented with herbs and spices.
I don't know how "medecinal" this particular recipe is, but it sure tastes good. The next time I make this recipe, I'll multiply it...because dude, this is a lot of work for a six-pack. Once I get some five-gallon glass jugs, I'll make a couple of cases of it.
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TRAV'S CINNAMON METHEGLIN
Ingredients:
1 pkt. Red Star Premier Couvee wine yeast
1 oz. barley malt
2 cups lukewarm water
1 t. yeast nutrient
1/2 t. yeast energizer
3 lbs. orange blossom honey
Filtered water
1/4 C crushed cinnamon sticks
12 whole cloves
1 T. sparkoloid
1 Campden tablet
Directions
Sterilize all equipment by soaking in a mixture of bleach water (1 tablespoon of unscented chlorine bleach to each gallon of water) for at least 10 minutes. Rinse well before using.
In the large stock pot, bring 3 quarts of filtered water to a full rolling boil. Remove from heat and stir in the honey. Cover and set aside to cool.
In a sterile quart jar, smack the yeast with barley malt in 2 C lukewarm water. Set aside.
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a tea kettle, and add the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes (to desired strength). Pour the "tea" through a strainer into the must, discarding the cinnamon and cloves.
When the must has cooled to 70 degrees F, add more honey or water to reach the desired specific gravity. Pour the must into a sterile carboy, leaving 2" of head space at the top of the jug. Pitch the yeast, cap the jug, and shake well for 5 minutes. Finally, remove the cap and attach the fermentation lock. Set the jug in a cool, dark place to ferment undisturbed for 2-4 weeks.
Rack, stabilize, clarify, and bottle. Makes 1 gallon of a warm-tasting, medium-sweet mead.
I don't know how "medecinal" this particular recipe is, but it sure tastes good. The next time I make this recipe, I'll multiply it...because dude, this is a lot of work for a six-pack. Once I get some five-gallon glass jugs, I'll make a couple of cases of it.
-----
TRAV'S CINNAMON METHEGLIN
Ingredients:
1 pkt. Red Star Premier Couvee wine yeast
1 oz. barley malt
2 cups lukewarm water
1 t. yeast nutrient
1/2 t. yeast energizer
3 lbs. orange blossom honey
Filtered water
1/4 C crushed cinnamon sticks
12 whole cloves
1 T. sparkoloid
1 Campden tablet
Directions
Sterilize all equipment by soaking in a mixture of bleach water (1 tablespoon of unscented chlorine bleach to each gallon of water) for at least 10 minutes. Rinse well before using.
In the large stock pot, bring 3 quarts of filtered water to a full rolling boil. Remove from heat and stir in the honey. Cover and set aside to cool.
In a sterile quart jar, smack the yeast with barley malt in 2 C lukewarm water. Set aside.
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a tea kettle, and add the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes (to desired strength). Pour the "tea" through a strainer into the must, discarding the cinnamon and cloves.
When the must has cooled to 70 degrees F, add more honey or water to reach the desired specific gravity. Pour the must into a sterile carboy, leaving 2" of head space at the top of the jug. Pitch the yeast, cap the jug, and shake well for 5 minutes. Finally, remove the cap and attach the fermentation lock. Set the jug in a cool, dark place to ferment undisturbed for 2-4 weeks.
Rack, stabilize, clarify, and bottle. Makes 1 gallon of a warm-tasting, medium-sweet mead.
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