One of my most favorite soups...and it's just about perfect for these late autumn weekends.
Trav's Tomato Florentine Soup
1 C chopped onion
1 t. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
8 C vegetable broth, divided use
1 t. oregano
1 t. thyme
2 t. basil
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1/4 C red wine
2, 14 oz. cans chopped tomatoes, undrained
1, 12 oz. can unsalted tomato paste
1, 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 T. balsamic vinegar
Parmesan cheese
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and cook until onions are limp. Stir in oregano, thyme, basil, pepper, and red wine. Add broth, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and thawed spinach (be sure to squeeze the liquid out of it first). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add balsamic vinegar and serve immediately with hot crusty bread and a lighter red wine (shiraz, for example.) Garnish with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese and croutons.
Makes about 14 servings.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Basic Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
I got this one a while ago from my chemistry lab instructor. I had forgotten all about it, until I found it in an old notebook last week.
If this is "Basic," I'd hate to see the "Advanced" recipe.
Basic Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
532.35 cc gluten
4.9 cc NaHCO3
4.9 cc refined, pulverized halite (#200 sieve)
236.6 cc partially hydrogenated tallow triglyceride
177.45 cc crystalline C12H22O11
177.45 cc unrefined C12H22O11
4.9 cc methyl ether of protocatechuic aldehyde
2 CaCO3-encapsulated avian albumen-coated protein units
473.2 cc theobroma caco
236.6 cc pulverized, sorted,and de-encapsulated legume meats (#10 sieve)
To a 2-L capacity jacketed round reactor vessel (reactor #1), combine the gluten, NaHCO3, and refined halite. Pass this mixture through a #150 sieve, and set aside.
In a second 2-L capacity reactor vessel (reactor #2), add the partially hydrogenated tallow triglyceride, the methyl ether of protocatechuic aldehyde, and both species of C12H22O11. Agitate reactor #2 with a variable-speed radial flow impeller operating at 100 rpm until the mixture is homogeneous.
Add the contents of reactor #1 to reactor #2. Mechanically extract the avian albumen-coated proteins from the CaCO3 capsules and add to reactor #2 (discard encapsulation.) Agitate the mixture thoroughly until homogeneous. Care must be taken at this point in the reaction to control any temperature rise that may result from exothermic reaction or mechanical friction. Slowly add the theombra caco and de-encapsulated legume meats, and combine with constant agitation at 15 rpm until homogeneous.
Using a screw extrude attached to a #4 nodulizer, place the mixture piecemeal on a 316SS sheet (300mm x 600mm). Heat in a 460K oven until moderate carmelization is achieved and the albumen has sufficiently bound to the gluten. Once the reaction is complete, place the sheet on a 25C heat-transfer table and allow the product to achieve thermal equilibrium.
If this is "Basic," I'd hate to see the "Advanced" recipe.
Basic Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
532.35 cc gluten
4.9 cc NaHCO3
4.9 cc refined, pulverized halite (#200 sieve)
236.6 cc partially hydrogenated tallow triglyceride
177.45 cc crystalline C12H22O11
177.45 cc unrefined C12H22O11
4.9 cc methyl ether of protocatechuic aldehyde
2 CaCO3-encapsulated avian albumen-coated protein units
473.2 cc theobroma caco
236.6 cc pulverized, sorted,and de-encapsulated legume meats (#10 sieve)
To a 2-L capacity jacketed round reactor vessel (reactor #1), combine the gluten, NaHCO3, and refined halite. Pass this mixture through a #150 sieve, and set aside.
In a second 2-L capacity reactor vessel (reactor #2), add the partially hydrogenated tallow triglyceride, the methyl ether of protocatechuic aldehyde, and both species of C12H22O11. Agitate reactor #2 with a variable-speed radial flow impeller operating at 100 rpm until the mixture is homogeneous.
Add the contents of reactor #1 to reactor #2. Mechanically extract the avian albumen-coated proteins from the CaCO3 capsules and add to reactor #2 (discard encapsulation.) Agitate the mixture thoroughly until homogeneous. Care must be taken at this point in the reaction to control any temperature rise that may result from exothermic reaction or mechanical friction. Slowly add the theombra caco and de-encapsulated legume meats, and combine with constant agitation at 15 rpm until homogeneous.
Using a screw extrude attached to a #4 nodulizer, place the mixture piecemeal on a 316SS sheet (300mm x 600mm). Heat in a 460K oven until moderate carmelization is achieved and the albumen has sufficiently bound to the gluten. Once the reaction is complete, place the sheet on a 25C heat-transfer table and allow the product to achieve thermal equilibrium.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
A Whole Bowl of Yummy
A couple of weeks ago, I decided to host an impromptu dinner party for a couple of friends. The day before, while I was picking up the groceries for the event, I sent my guests a text message and asked them which dessert they would like me to prepare. I think it was a conspiracy, because every single one of them responded with "bread pudding!"
I had never made this dish before, and I didn't really have access to a computer right there in the produce aisle. So I called my good friend Tisha, and asked her for help. She Googled a recipe for me, and read off all the ingredients I would need. I thanked her, asked her to forward me the recipe, and hung up the phone.
When I got home, the link wouldn't open. So now I had all of these ingredients, and a vague idea of how to put them together, but no recipe to follow. I did a few web searches, but wasn't ever able to locate anything resembling the one Tisha read to me. So I printed out a couple different ones, sort of melged them together into a single recipe, and crossed my fingers.
And holy crap, it was awesome.
TRAV'S BREAD PUDDING IN WHISKEY SAUCE
Pudding:
1 loaf of day-old French bread
4 eggs, beaten
1 C sugar
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t ground cinnamon
4 T butter, melted
1 C milk
1 C table cream
1/4 raisins
1/4 C slivered almonds
Sauce:
1 C milk
1 C granulated sugar
1 t ground cinnamon
1 T butter, melted
1 t cornstarch
1/4 C whiskey
Garnish:
Powdered sugar
Ground cinnamon
Slice the loaf of bread. Remove and discard the crusts, and cut the white portion of the bread loaf into 1" cubes. Layer the bread cubes evenly in a 2-qt. deep-dish casserole (the kind with a glass lid.) Sprinkle the almonds and raisins over the bread crumbs, and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, blend together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, butter, milk, and cream until smooth. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 3 hours.)
Remove the pudding from the refrigerator, and allow it to return to room temperature (about 30 minutes.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Leaving the dish covered tightly, bake the pudding for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid, and bake uncovered for 10-15 more minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.
While the pudding is cooling, make the sauce: combine the milk, butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until almost boiling. Combine the whiskey and cornstarch, and whisk into the hot mixture. Return to a boil and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until bubbly and slightly thickened.
To serve: spoon a small amount of the whiskey sauce into the bottom of a dessert bowl. Spoon out the desired portion of pudding onto the sauce, then drizzle with extra sauce. Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon, and serve immediately.
VARIATIONS:
Don't like raisins? I bet that chopped dates, figs, or dried apples would be awesome instead. Or just skip the fruit.
Got no almonds? You can probably use walnuts or pecans. Or you can skip them altogether; it's not that big of a deal.
Hate to waste good whiskey? Use bourbon, rum, or brandy instead. Or use a quarter-cup of water and some artificial rum flavoring, if you must. To each his own.
I suppose that if you were on some sort of diet, you could make this recipe with low fat milk instead of cream, cholesterol-free Egg Beaters instead of real eggs, and margarine instead of butter. But I can't vouch for how it is going to taste. If you are on a diet, you are probably better off just drinking the whiskey for dessert...hey, it's low-calorie and cholesterol-free.
TIPS:
Save those French bread crusts. Dry them out in the oven (at its lowest temperature setting) for about 30 minutes, then grind them to dust in a food processor. Store them in an airtight container in the freezer, and use them in your next recipe that calls for bread crumbs.
I had never made this dish before, and I didn't really have access to a computer right there in the produce aisle. So I called my good friend Tisha, and asked her for help. She Googled a recipe for me, and read off all the ingredients I would need. I thanked her, asked her to forward me the recipe, and hung up the phone.
When I got home, the link wouldn't open. So now I had all of these ingredients, and a vague idea of how to put them together, but no recipe to follow. I did a few web searches, but wasn't ever able to locate anything resembling the one Tisha read to me. So I printed out a couple different ones, sort of melged them together into a single recipe, and crossed my fingers.
And holy crap, it was awesome.
TRAV'S BREAD PUDDING IN WHISKEY SAUCE
Pudding:
1 loaf of day-old French bread
4 eggs, beaten
1 C sugar
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t ground cinnamon
4 T butter, melted
1 C milk
1 C table cream
1/4 raisins
1/4 C slivered almonds
Sauce:
1 C milk
1 C granulated sugar
1 t ground cinnamon
1 T butter, melted
1 t cornstarch
1/4 C whiskey
Garnish:
Powdered sugar
Ground cinnamon
Slice the loaf of bread. Remove and discard the crusts, and cut the white portion of the bread loaf into 1" cubes. Layer the bread cubes evenly in a 2-qt. deep-dish casserole (the kind with a glass lid.) Sprinkle the almonds and raisins over the bread crumbs, and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, blend together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, butter, milk, and cream until smooth. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 3 hours.)
Remove the pudding from the refrigerator, and allow it to return to room temperature (about 30 minutes.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Leaving the dish covered tightly, bake the pudding for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid, and bake uncovered for 10-15 more minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.
While the pudding is cooling, make the sauce: combine the milk, butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until almost boiling. Combine the whiskey and cornstarch, and whisk into the hot mixture. Return to a boil and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until bubbly and slightly thickened.
To serve: spoon a small amount of the whiskey sauce into the bottom of a dessert bowl. Spoon out the desired portion of pudding onto the sauce, then drizzle with extra sauce. Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon, and serve immediately.
VARIATIONS:
Don't like raisins? I bet that chopped dates, figs, or dried apples would be awesome instead. Or just skip the fruit.
Got no almonds? You can probably use walnuts or pecans. Or you can skip them altogether; it's not that big of a deal.
Hate to waste good whiskey? Use bourbon, rum, or brandy instead. Or use a quarter-cup of water and some artificial rum flavoring, if you must. To each his own.
I suppose that if you were on some sort of diet, you could make this recipe with low fat milk instead of cream, cholesterol-free Egg Beaters instead of real eggs, and margarine instead of butter. But I can't vouch for how it is going to taste. If you are on a diet, you are probably better off just drinking the whiskey for dessert...hey, it's low-calorie and cholesterol-free.
TIPS:
Save those French bread crusts. Dry them out in the oven (at its lowest temperature setting) for about 30 minutes, then grind them to dust in a food processor. Store them in an airtight container in the freezer, and use them in your next recipe that calls for bread crumbs.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Mmm...Bacon Pie!
Around Christmastime, there was a potluck lunch at the theatre. Toni informed me, on rather short notice, that I needed to make an entree for the occasion...so I threw this one together and crossed my fingers. Turns out, it was one of the best things I have ever created out of thin air.
I call it "Quiche O'Brian," but thanks to the unique crust on top, everyone else likes to call it "bacon pie." It is not for the feint of heart.
Quiche O'Brian ("Bacon Pie")
10 raw strips of bacon
1 deep-dish pie shell, thawed
1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups frozen hash browns
1/2 C. diced onion
1/2 C. diced bell pepper
6 eggs
1/4 C. sour cream
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Punch holes in the pie crust with a fork, and bake until lightly browned (about 10-15 minutes). Set aside to cool.
Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. On a sheet of aluminum foil, weave the bacon together to form a lattice. (It should look like this.) Place in a cast iron skillet, and bake until done, about 6-10 minutes. Drain.
While still hot, place the baked, woven bacon on a stack of paper towels. Lay a couple more paper towels over it, and press flat. With a clean pair of scissors (and using a spare pie pan as a template), trim the edges of the woven bacon into a circle...this will be the famous "top crust" that earned the quiche its nickname. Crumble the trimmings, and set aside.
Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees.
Sprinkle the cheddar cheese into the bottom of the pie crust. Combine the frozen hash browns, onions, bell peppers, and bacon crumbles, and layer them over the top of the cheese in the pie shell. Blend remaining ingredients together in a mixing bowl until smooth and well-scrambled, and pour over the vegetables. Finally, lay the woven bacon over the top, tucking it in at the edges.
Bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes, then increase oven temperature to 325 degrees and cook an additioinal 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with a tossed green salad and a glass of pinot noir.
-----
TIP: this recipe is delicious, but it is incredibly bad for you...almost every ingredient is something your doctor would advise you to eat less of. You can make it a little healthier by using turkey bacon, Egg Beaters, fat-free cheese, and fat-free sour cream. And don't skimp on the salad or wine.
But even so, I still wouldn't call this "health food." For the love of arteries, consume in moderation.
I call it "Quiche O'Brian," but thanks to the unique crust on top, everyone else likes to call it "bacon pie." It is not for the feint of heart.
Quiche O'Brian ("Bacon Pie")
10 raw strips of bacon
1 deep-dish pie shell, thawed
1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups frozen hash browns
1/2 C. diced onion
1/2 C. diced bell pepper
6 eggs
1/4 C. sour cream
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Punch holes in the pie crust with a fork, and bake until lightly browned (about 10-15 minutes). Set aside to cool.
Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. On a sheet of aluminum foil, weave the bacon together to form a lattice. (It should look like this.) Place in a cast iron skillet, and bake until done, about 6-10 minutes. Drain.
While still hot, place the baked, woven bacon on a stack of paper towels. Lay a couple more paper towels over it, and press flat. With a clean pair of scissors (and using a spare pie pan as a template), trim the edges of the woven bacon into a circle...this will be the famous "top crust" that earned the quiche its nickname. Crumble the trimmings, and set aside.
Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees.
Sprinkle the cheddar cheese into the bottom of the pie crust. Combine the frozen hash browns, onions, bell peppers, and bacon crumbles, and layer them over the top of the cheese in the pie shell. Blend remaining ingredients together in a mixing bowl until smooth and well-scrambled, and pour over the vegetables. Finally, lay the woven bacon over the top, tucking it in at the edges.
Bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes, then increase oven temperature to 325 degrees and cook an additioinal 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with a tossed green salad and a glass of pinot noir.
-----
TIP: this recipe is delicious, but it is incredibly bad for you...almost every ingredient is something your doctor would advise you to eat less of. You can make it a little healthier by using turkey bacon, Egg Beaters, fat-free cheese, and fat-free sour cream. And don't skimp on the salad or wine.
But even so, I still wouldn't call this "health food." For the love of arteries, consume in moderation.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Three-Day Vegeterian Chili
Here it is, my famous (and award-winning, if you can believe it) chili recipe. THis is one of my more time-consuming recipes, but it's well-worth the wait.
-----
DAY 1: Soak the Beans
1 C dry pinto beans
1-1/2 C dry kidney beans
1/2 C dry black beans
6 C water
Rinse and sort the beans in cold water for several minutes. Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot, and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then cover tightly and remove from heat. Allow the beans to soak overnight.
DAY 2: Make the Sauce
6 C. Water
1 T. Worchestershire sauce
1 t. liquid smoke
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes, hot or mild
1 can tomato sauce
1 12oz. can V-8 vegetable juice
1 t. cumin
1 t. Mexican oregano
1 t. chili powder
1 t. crushed red pepper
1/2 lb. green chilis, roasted and peeled
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1 T. chopped fresh garlic
2 vegetable boullion cubes
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. black pepper
1 T. brown sugar
Drain and rinse the beans. Return them to the stock pot, and add the water, Worchestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. Cover tightly and cook on very low heat until tender (about 3 hours), stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed. Remove from heat, cover tightly, and set aside.
In a smaller saucepan or crock pot, combine the remaining ingredients and 1 cup of liquid from the cooked beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer very slowly for 6-10 hours, or until everything disintegrates and a smooth chili sauce forms.
Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by almost half and the sauce has thickened. (The sauce should have the consistency of thin gravy.) Remove from heat, cover, and set aside.
DAY 3: Add the Veggies
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 bell peppers (1 red and 1 yellow), chopped
4 medium jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 C. whole-kernel sweet corn
Drain the liquid from the beans; do not rinse. Add the chili sauce, mix well, and bring to a boil. Stir in the vegetables, cover, and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes to an hour, or until all of the vegetables are tender.
Taste the chili, and adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve hot over cornbread, with grated cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream (or corn rellish for all you vegans out there) on the side.
-----
VARIATIONS:
This chili is *HOT*. Those with soft pallets should (1) use mild Ro-Tel tomatoes, (2) use bananna peppers instead of jalapeno peppers, and (3) skip the crushed red pepper altogether. If it is still too hot, maybe you should stick to catsup.
Some people like it even hotter. Such daring individuals should (1) use extra-hot Ro-Tel tomatoes, (2) add 2 habanero peppers to the jalapeno peppers, and (3) balance it with 2 T. of horseradish. If it still isn't hot enough, maybe you should just drink battery acid.
-----
DAY 1: Soak the Beans
1 C dry pinto beans
1-1/2 C dry kidney beans
1/2 C dry black beans
6 C water
Rinse and sort the beans in cold water for several minutes. Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot, and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then cover tightly and remove from heat. Allow the beans to soak overnight.
DAY 2: Make the Sauce
6 C. Water
1 T. Worchestershire sauce
1 t. liquid smoke
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes, hot or mild
1 can tomato sauce
1 12oz. can V-8 vegetable juice
1 t. cumin
1 t. Mexican oregano
1 t. chili powder
1 t. crushed red pepper
1/2 lb. green chilis, roasted and peeled
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1 T. chopped fresh garlic
2 vegetable boullion cubes
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. black pepper
1 T. brown sugar
Drain and rinse the beans. Return them to the stock pot, and add the water, Worchestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. Cover tightly and cook on very low heat until tender (about 3 hours), stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed. Remove from heat, cover tightly, and set aside.
In a smaller saucepan or crock pot, combine the remaining ingredients and 1 cup of liquid from the cooked beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer very slowly for 6-10 hours, or until everything disintegrates and a smooth chili sauce forms.
Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by almost half and the sauce has thickened. (The sauce should have the consistency of thin gravy.) Remove from heat, cover, and set aside.
DAY 3: Add the Veggies
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 bell peppers (1 red and 1 yellow), chopped
4 medium jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 C. whole-kernel sweet corn
Drain the liquid from the beans; do not rinse. Add the chili sauce, mix well, and bring to a boil. Stir in the vegetables, cover, and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes to an hour, or until all of the vegetables are tender.
Taste the chili, and adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve hot over cornbread, with grated cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream (or corn rellish for all you vegans out there) on the side.
-----
VARIATIONS:
This chili is *HOT*. Those with soft pallets should (1) use mild Ro-Tel tomatoes, (2) use bananna peppers instead of jalapeno peppers, and (3) skip the crushed red pepper altogether. If it is still too hot, maybe you should stick to catsup.
Some people like it even hotter. Such daring individuals should (1) use extra-hot Ro-Tel tomatoes, (2) add 2 habanero peppers to the jalapeno peppers, and (3) balance it with 2 T. of horseradish. If it still isn't hot enough, maybe you should just drink battery acid.
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