difficulty: easy peasy lemon squeezy
yum factor: 5/5 stars
price: less than $5
*this is the easiest thing i've ever made. if these turn out bad, stick to take-out.
ingredients:
3 cups butterscotch chips
10 oz. chinese noodles
other stuff you'll need:
wax paper or tin foil
2 soup-size spoons
microwaveable glass bowl
directions:
melt the butterscotch chips in a glass bowl in the microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring until they are completely melted. add the chinese noodles to the melted chips and mix well. use your two spoons to drop spoonfulls onto the waxed paper/tin foil. let these cool until they harden.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
pasta and rabes
difficulty: moderately sticky situation
yum factor: 5/5 stars
price: less than $9
*this is another family recipe. broccoli rabe, or rabes [pronounced 'rah-bees'] are an acquired taste. as a kid i hated their bitter qualities, but they've since grown on me. they can be easily found in the produce section, usually toward the back behind broccoli and fresh spinach. if you don't like the taste of this veggie, you can substitute normal broccoli at the risk of losing italian street cred.
ingredients:
1 package of chicken sausage (sweet, garlic, or hot works with this)
1 bunch of broccoli rabe
1 lb pasta
about 1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic
red pepper flakes (to taste)
salt (to taste)
other stuff you'll need:
pan
skillet
strainer
wooden spoons to cook with
directions:
wash your broccoli rabe. cut off any ends which are larger than the width of your pinkie finger (they'll be too tough to eat). boil water in a pan large enough to hold your rabe on high. add uncooked rabe and allow it to blanche for about 10 minutes in boiling water. doing this makes your broccolini tender and also makes sure that it will stay bright green. drain these and set aside.
chop your three cloves of garlic into semi large pieces (or if you want to be fancy, we call it rustic) and put this in the bottom of a skillet with a small drizzzle of olive oil over medium heat. here's where you can add the red pepper flakes, more means spicier. let the oil/garlic/red pepper do it's magic in the pan for about ten minutes. cut up your chicken sausage and add this to your garlic-infused oil. allow this to cook completely, flipping your slices over periodically.
while that's cooking, boil enough water to make pasta the usual way. while that's heating up, add your cooked rabes to the sausage and oil pan. cook and drain your pasta, adding it back to the pan which you used to cook it in. add the 1/2 cup of olive oil to this pan, putting it back onto low heat. mix in the cooked sausage and rabes, season to your liking and eat.
yum factor: 5/5 stars
price: less than $9
*this is another family recipe. broccoli rabe, or rabes [pronounced 'rah-bees'] are an acquired taste. as a kid i hated their bitter qualities, but they've since grown on me. they can be easily found in the produce section, usually toward the back behind broccoli and fresh spinach. if you don't like the taste of this veggie, you can substitute normal broccoli at the risk of losing italian street cred.
ingredients:
1 package of chicken sausage (sweet, garlic, or hot works with this)
1 bunch of broccoli rabe
1 lb pasta
about 1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic
red pepper flakes (to taste)
salt (to taste)
other stuff you'll need:
pan
skillet
strainer
wooden spoons to cook with
directions:
wash your broccoli rabe. cut off any ends which are larger than the width of your pinkie finger (they'll be too tough to eat). boil water in a pan large enough to hold your rabe on high. add uncooked rabe and allow it to blanche for about 10 minutes in boiling water. doing this makes your broccolini tender and also makes sure that it will stay bright green. drain these and set aside.
chop your three cloves of garlic into semi large pieces (or if you want to be fancy, we call it rustic) and put this in the bottom of a skillet with a small drizzzle of olive oil over medium heat. here's where you can add the red pepper flakes, more means spicier. let the oil/garlic/red pepper do it's magic in the pan for about ten minutes. cut up your chicken sausage and add this to your garlic-infused oil. allow this to cook completely, flipping your slices over periodically.
while that's cooking, boil enough water to make pasta the usual way. while that's heating up, add your cooked rabes to the sausage and oil pan. cook and drain your pasta, adding it back to the pan which you used to cook it in. add the 1/2 cup of olive oil to this pan, putting it back onto low heat. mix in the cooked sausage and rabes, season to your liking and eat.
Monday, September 24, 2007
pistachio pudding cake
difficulty: moderately sticky situation
yum factor: 5/5 stars
price: less than $10
*my best friend's mom gave me this recipe this summer and i've made it twice since.
ingredients:
2 packages of instant pistachio pudding mix
1 package white cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup club soda
1 cup veg oil
1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 tub cool whipshortening to grease cake pans
other stuff you'll need:
2 round cake pans
mixing bowls
spatula
cake plate
shortening to grease cake pans
directions:
blend everything together except for 1 pkg of pudding and the cool whip. mix together hardcore for 2 minutes or until your arm is tired. make sure there's no air pockets or lumps.
grease both cake pans with a good amount of shortening. heat oven to directions on cake box. pour batter into the two cake pans evenly.
bake at same heat/time as indicated on the cake box. when done, let both cakes cool.
mix the cool whip and remaining package of pudding mix together. use this in between both cakes and to frost the cake.
devour.
yum factor: 5/5 stars
price: less than $10
*my best friend's mom gave me this recipe this summer and i've made it twice since.
ingredients:
2 packages of instant pistachio pudding mix
1 package white cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup club soda
1 cup veg oil
1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 tub cool whipshortening to grease cake pans
other stuff you'll need:
2 round cake pans
mixing bowls
spatula
cake plate
shortening to grease cake pans
directions:
blend everything together except for 1 pkg of pudding and the cool whip. mix together hardcore for 2 minutes or until your arm is tired. make sure there's no air pockets or lumps.
grease both cake pans with a good amount of shortening. heat oven to directions on cake box. pour batter into the two cake pans evenly.
bake at same heat/time as indicated on the cake box. when done, let both cakes cool.
mix the cool whip and remaining package of pudding mix together. use this in between both cakes and to frost the cake.
devour.
aglio e olio
difficulty: easy peasy lemon squeezy
yum factor: 5/5 stars
price: less than $10
*ed note: another italian family favorite. my only issue with this dish is, watch the amount of salt you use to flavor with. between the olives, the olive oil, and the pasta, salt can be overpowering.
ingredients:
1 lb pasta (usually spaghetti or linguini)
1 can olives, drained and cut into rings
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or more if you like-a the spice-a)
salt to taste
other stuff you'll need:
big pot
strainer
directions:
cook pasta. drain. set this aside.
heat the oil and garlic in the pot you just cooked the pasta in. turn the heat to medium. when the garlic begins to change color, add the parsley, red pepper flakes, and olives. stir well and remove from heat.
add pasta, toss and return to low heat.
mangia.
yum factor: 5/5 stars
price: less than $10
*ed note: another italian family favorite. my only issue with this dish is, watch the amount of salt you use to flavor with. between the olives, the olive oil, and the pasta, salt can be overpowering.
ingredients:
1 lb pasta (usually spaghetti or linguini)
1 can olives, drained and cut into rings
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or more if you like-a the spice-a)
salt to taste
other stuff you'll need:
big pot
strainer
directions:
cook pasta. drain. set this aside.
heat the oil and garlic in the pot you just cooked the pasta in. turn the heat to medium. when the garlic begins to change color, add the parsley, red pepper flakes, and olives. stir well and remove from heat.
add pasta, toss and return to low heat.
mangia.
fiori di zucca fritti (scuilles)
difficulty: moderately sticky situation
yum factor: 5 stars
price: less than $5, unless you're buying the squash flowers. then it's expensive.
*ed note: this is a recipe my grandmother used to make. it's italian and it's one of my favorites for summer. scuilles [pronounced: sha-deals] are tiny fritters made with the flowers from zucchini or squash plants. if you don't have access to a friend with a garden, don't bother trying to make these since buying the flowers is hard and expensive. but with a friend's garden, free!*
ingredients:
fresh parsley, chopped
eggs
flour
milk
zucchini/squash flowers, chopped with the pistols removed
*my family was a little vague with the exact science of cooking, therefore no measurements needed. these aren't rocket science - you just mix together until you have the right consistancy. not doughy, not too runny. you want pancake consistancy.
other stuff you'll need:
pan
olive oil to fry with
oven friendly baking dish
directions:
mix all ingredients together and let marinade in fridge for one hour. deep fry small, pancake-like circles in olive oil over medium high heat. keep these in the oven at 175 degrees F until ready to serve.
yum factor: 5 stars
price: less than $5, unless you're buying the squash flowers. then it's expensive.
*ed note: this is a recipe my grandmother used to make. it's italian and it's one of my favorites for summer. scuilles [pronounced: sha-deals] are tiny fritters made with the flowers from zucchini or squash plants. if you don't have access to a friend with a garden, don't bother trying to make these since buying the flowers is hard and expensive. but with a friend's garden, free!*
ingredients:
fresh parsley, chopped
eggs
flour
milk
zucchini/squash flowers, chopped with the pistols removed
*my family was a little vague with the exact science of cooking, therefore no measurements needed. these aren't rocket science - you just mix together until you have the right consistancy. not doughy, not too runny. you want pancake consistancy.
other stuff you'll need:
pan
olive oil to fry with
oven friendly baking dish
directions:
mix all ingredients together and let marinade in fridge for one hour. deep fry small, pancake-like circles in olive oil over medium high heat. keep these in the oven at 175 degrees F until ready to serve.
lentil soup
difficulty: patience required
yum factor: 5/5 stars
price: less than $12
ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled & chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
salt and pepper
1 lb lentils uncooked
11 cups low-salt chicken broth
4-6 sprigs thyme
2/3 cups dried pastina pasta (tiny pastas. ABC ones count).
other stuff you'll need:
veggie peeler
knife
cutting board
giant pot with lid
measuring cup/spoons
directions:
heat the oil in a large pot set to medium heat. add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper and saute for about 5-8 minutes. add one cup of water to the pot. add the lentils and mix it all around. make sure the lentils are coated in water and keep stirring to be sure they're not stuck to the bottom of the pot.
add the broth and stir. add the thyme and crank the stove up to high. let it boil for about 3 minutes (stirring still), then cover and simmer on low heat until the lentils are almost tender. this usually takes about 30 minutes. once the lentils are cooked, turn the heat to medium, stir in the pastina and wait until that cooks. keep stirring to make sure nothing sticks. add salt/pepper if you feel it needs it.
serve.
yum factor: 5/5 stars
price: less than $12
ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled & chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
salt and pepper
1 lb lentils uncooked
11 cups low-salt chicken broth
4-6 sprigs thyme
2/3 cups dried pastina pasta (tiny pastas. ABC ones count).
other stuff you'll need:
veggie peeler
knife
cutting board
giant pot with lid
measuring cup/spoons
directions:
heat the oil in a large pot set to medium heat. add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper and saute for about 5-8 minutes. add one cup of water to the pot. add the lentils and mix it all around. make sure the lentils are coated in water and keep stirring to be sure they're not stuck to the bottom of the pot.
add the broth and stir. add the thyme and crank the stove up to high. let it boil for about 3 minutes (stirring still), then cover and simmer on low heat until the lentils are almost tender. this usually takes about 30 minutes. once the lentils are cooked, turn the heat to medium, stir in the pastina and wait until that cooks. keep stirring to make sure nothing sticks. add salt/pepper if you feel it needs it.
serve.
cucumber papaya salad
difficulty: EASY PEASY LEMON SQUEEZY
yum factor: 4/5 stars
price: less than $15
ingredients:
1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced thin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
4 tsp sugar
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 tsp minced chiles
2 tsp minced garlic
1 large papaya, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
other stuff you'll need:
lettuce leaves (optional...for garnish)
knife capable of cutting
colander for straining
veggie peeler
wire wisk
directions:
sprinkle the cucumber with salt and let it drain in the colander for 30 minutes. rinse and pat dry.
in a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, oil, chiles, and garlic. add the cucumber, papaya and cilantro and toss together.
line your serving dish with lettuce leaves and top with salad.
yum factor: 4/5 stars
price: less than $15
ingredients:
1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced thin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
4 tsp sugar
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 tsp minced chiles
2 tsp minced garlic
1 large papaya, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
other stuff you'll need:
lettuce leaves (optional...for garnish)
knife capable of cutting
colander for straining
veggie peeler
wire wisk
directions:
sprinkle the cucumber with salt and let it drain in the colander for 30 minutes. rinse and pat dry.
in a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, oil, chiles, and garlic. add the cucumber, papaya and cilantro and toss together.
line your serving dish with lettuce leaves and top with salad.
tomato & fennel salad
difficulty: easy peasy lemon squeezy
yum factor: 5/5 stars
price: less than $10
ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs heirloom tomatoes
1 small bulb fennel
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
other stuff you'll need:
knife
cutting board/sturdy dish
serving dish/bowl
directions:
core the tomatoes (cut out the middle) and cut these into wedges. remove the top of the fennel (save some of the fronds....aka the curly stuff) and slice the bulb very thinly.
toss the tomatoes and fennel in a bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper.
chop up the fronds that you saved and garnish with this.
voila. this salad tastes even better the second day.
yum factor: 5/5 stars
price: less than $10
ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs heirloom tomatoes
1 small bulb fennel
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
other stuff you'll need:
knife
cutting board/sturdy dish
serving dish/bowl
directions:
core the tomatoes (cut out the middle) and cut these into wedges. remove the top of the fennel (save some of the fronds....aka the curly stuff) and slice the bulb very thinly.
toss the tomatoes and fennel in a bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper.
chop up the fronds that you saved and garnish with this.
voila. this salad tastes even better the second day.
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