I have returned.

Jan12

I’ve been on a super long haitus. I’d like to say that during that time, I was doing life changing stuff.. but mostly I’ve been working overtime, and just haven’t been ultra motivated. Blogging felt like it was becoming a chore, and that’s the whole point right? That it’s supposed to be an expressive, happy activity that isn’t even remotely chore-like?

In my extended absence, I’ve totally been cooking stuff though. I swear. There was a Christmas Feast(tm) complete with goose and everything. You know what I have to say about the whole goose eating experience though?

It was total bullshit.

Yep. That’s right. It tasted like a cross between roast beef and turkey, Two things I really like.. but just not together.

It is my hope that I will get to more cheesemaking and meat curing this year. I am working full time, going to school, and also have a move coming up on the horizon. 2013 is going to be jam packed.

Ooh. Jam. Jelly. That’s another thing I’d like to do this year.

Inspiration comes from the smallest places, sometimes.

I promise I won’t wait a month and a half next time.

Confluent Kitchen: Thanksgiving Edition

Nov22

Today is a day for giving thanks. What better way to do that than to consume copious amounts of food?

I went a little bit non-traditional and made a duck. I hadn’t ever cooked a whole duck, so I figured.. hey that would be fun!

It turned out amazingly!

For the rest of the meal, I went with somewhat traditional accompaniments. Stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy, and balsamic glazed brussel sprouts.

Sour dough, giblets, onions, mushrooms, watercress and celery.. Just add duck fat. <3

I am trying to fight the ‘itis’ right now. I fear it a losing battle.

Cranberry Sauce – Orange Juice, Orange Zest, Sugar, Five Spice Powder, and Sugar.. Oh.. did I mention SUGAR?

Homemade cranberry sauce always requires much more sugar than you’d think. I must’ve dumped a TON in.. used some orange juice. After like a cup or so of sugar I found the balance I was looking for.

: Sauteed in chicken stock, lightly fried in balsamic vinegar

I will be bringing the leftover sprouts for a post thanksgiving leftover potluck. There aren’t many left. For brussel sprouts they were freaking amazing.

There was really only one faux pas during the dinner prep. It stuck in the form of gravy. I deglazed the pan with some stock, then added a little milk to give it some creaminess… only.. IT WAS EGGNOG. Jesus crap. So I salted the shit out of it, and it wasn’t terrible.. but yeah, wouldn’t have been my first choice..

I totally put fucking egg nog in my gravy by accident. Fail-tastic.

Finally, I present to you the entire meal, eggnog gravy and all.. because a nap is calling my name..

Recipes for all forthcoming once I wake up from my nap!

It has come to my attention…

Nov14

… that my recent posts have been total bullshit. What I mean to say is that my meals have been lack luster and that therefore a level of suckage has been added to my blog. I’ve been doing this for a little under a year, but I figured at some point I would hit some sort of plateau. Some time where I had done what I was going to do with food, and that it would all be repeats.

I am working to combat this by adding some baking expeditions into my blog, along with some new meals, new techniques, and hoping that this will spice it up. (Also, look for a new page design soon, cause I’m bored with it)

Last night, I decided that the roulade was a WAAAAY under-utilized food device. I purchased some milanese’d steaks because.. well .. I’m lazy.

To them, I added some stale bread, gorgonzola, parsley, garlic, onion, beef broth and leek. Roll, tie, bake off at 400 degrees until the outside looks brown and appetizing.

Very.. roulade-ey.

See. Innovation. Comfort. Minimal clean up.

Sun-dried Tomato Pasta

Nov13

I know. I know. It’s been a while. I’ve been sick, and busy, and .. ok. so I’ve mostly just been lazy and not wanting to cook. This is typically a problem for me when I’m only cooking for me. Confluent Boyfriend has been working late hours lately, and I’m working early hours.. so by the time I get home, I am sapped of energy, and by the time he gets home, I’m ready to sleep. Makes for a healthy relationship, no?

Last night I cleaned up a bit and was still feeling ambitious enough to actually make food! Go me! Sadly, Confluent Boyfriend was not a fan.

Random (yet delicious and beautiful) Creation

I boiled some noodles.. to this I added tomato paste, a splash o’ vodka, some heavy cream, a dab of dijon mustard and some sun dried tomatoes. It was quick and easy.. and also surprisingly good despite the strange combination of ingredients.

I am (as I type) also planning an epic Thanksgiving feast. I am thinking of being non-traditional (you’re shocked, I know) and doing either beef wellington or something equally extravagant.

More to come on this as details develop.

Four Cheese Mushroom Lasagna

Oct30

Crispy top? Check. Chewy cheesy deliciousness? Check. Holds together like a lasagna should? Check.

Last night I got home from work and decided only lasagna would do. I sliced up 2 large portabello caps, grated 1 clove of elephant garlic, and minced 1 shallot.

I combined 1 8 oz container of ricotta, 6 oz of shaved parmesan, 6 oz of grated provolone, the grated clove of elephant garlic .. some salt and pepper.. into a bowl. I added a splash of cream to loosen the mixture up.

I liberally spread some butter garlic on the bottom of my baking dish.. What is butter garlic you say? It’s a partially hydrogenated spread that is made primarily of garlic. It’s a thing I didn’t know about until I ate at Zankou Chicken in California.. but I discovered that it was available in grocery stores too.

Anyway, so after that, I begin the layering process. Noodles, cheese mixture, mushrooms/onion, noodles, cheese mixture, grated mozzarella, mushrooms/onion.. noodle, mozzarella.. mozzarella.. mozzarella.

Fast forward 50 minutes at 375 and we have fabulousness!

I feel like the noodles could’ve been done a bit more (I used oven ready since I’m lazy) but Confluent Boyfriend says I shouldn’t change a thing. His zeal for this dish is evidenced by him picking out of the pan once the leftovers were away.

Not bad for 35 minutes of work.

Tomato Basil Soup and Grilled Cheese: When Persistence, Perseverance, and Nagging Prevails.

Oct26

Two nights ago I committed the ULTIMATE faux pas. I ate leftovers when I got home from work and had the majority of the meat. When Confluent Boyfriend came home, he went for the leftovers too. At that time he discovered the decided lack of sausage and pulled the saddest pouty face ever.

Through continued sad faces and guilt, I was then somehow roped into making tomato basil soup and grilled cheese as my penance.

Guilt Soup with a side of Penance.

Tomato Basil Soup

2 cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes

1 cup beef broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tsp fresh chopped oregano

1 tsp fresh chopped basil

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan

Combine all ingredients in a pot
Stir until hot
Oh, and I used my all powerful stick blender to turn it smooooooth
Season liberally with salt, pepper and a drizzle of nice olive oil

Grilled Cheese

2 slices of light jewish rye slathered in margarine

2 slices white american cheese or cheddar (personal preference)

Salt/Pepper

I won’t insult you by posting instructions on how to make a grilled cheese…

Post Work Ambition: Why Fresh Pasta Just Won’t Happen

Oct25

Tuesday was .. how you say.. a kick ass day?

I left work on time, feeling good. On the drive home, I started to ponder dinner. I thought to myself, “Self?? What would be a better way to wrap up the day than with homemade tortellini and stuffed mushrooms?”

My plans were TOO ambitious and clearly destined to fail from the start.

I managed to get in at 5:30 after my drive home and a quick stop at the grocery store. I arrived home, and began the dough. While the dough was resting, I worked on the filling for my mushrooms and got those started.

I used some italian seasoned spicy sausage, gorgonzola, and panko bread crumbs. I combined this, and loosely stuffed the mixture into some portabello mushroom caps that I had previously cleaned the gills from.

Loosely packed awesome flavor bombs of awesomeness

I then set out to work on my tortellini. I should add here, that I have never actually made tortellini. I’ve always just purchased them. It turns out that it’s a pain in the ass to make them from scratch and that I suck at it.

I decided that I would not attempt to photograph my homemade tortellini because they were ugly and stupid.

Sad little bowties in awesome sauce (cream and gorgonzola) with crumbled spicy sausage goodness

Mushrooms: The Final Product

So there. That was dinner. Stay tuned for homemade soup and grilled cheese tonight.

I. LOVE. FALL.

confluentkitchen

Confluent-y.. Kitcheny.