Across the Desert

Party Mix

2008-11-23T21:02:00.003-06:00

2 sticks butter
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 cups each of Rice Chex, Corn Chex, and Crispix
2 cups each of Wheat Chex, Cheerios, and pretzels

First mix cereals and pretzels together in a large roasting pan or stock pot. Melt butter in a small pan and add spices. Drizzle over the cereal and mix well. Heat in oven for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Lemongrass Chicken Soup

2008-09-25T11:25:00.005-05:00

I found this recipe at Live to Eat. What a great site! Lots of exotic recipes. We used ridged gourd and crimini mushrooms. We added udon noodles to the leftovers the next day. Excellent soup. It's important not to skimp on the lemongrass.

Use any veggies and greens and mushrooms of your choice. I used oyster mushrooms and baby spinach, only veggies I had. The measures are approximate.

Ingredients

8-10 cups of chicken broth

3 lemongrass stalks

2 tbsp thinly sliced ginger pieces

8 small Thai chilies slit (3 jalapeno peppers)

1 cup oyster mushrooms

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1 large tomato cut into 8 pieces.

fresh basil leaves for garnish

1 tbsp light soy sauce/ tamari sauce

juice from half a lime

salt and pepper for seasoning

Method

Discard the tough outer layers of the lemongrass, and cut the soft inner part into small finger long slices. Place the lemongrass stalks and the ginger slices in a mortar, and crush lightly with the pestle.
In a large saucepan, place the broth and bring it to a boil. Add the lightly crushed lemongrass and ginger, along with the sliced chilies. Reduce the heat and cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove and discard the lemongrass, ginger and chilies from the liquid and bring it back to a full boil.
Add the mushrooms and spinach and tomato slices into the liquid and let it boil for about 8-10 minutes. Add the soy sauce and lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve piping hot.

Lori's Skillet Smashed Potato Recipe

2008-09-24T17:16:00.002-05:00

This recipe also came from 101cookbooks.com. It looks great! I'll be making them the next time I go camping. Btw, this comes from no Lori I know.

The great thing about these potatoes is that you can boil them off (pre-cook) the night before. they come together in just a few minutes just as you are ready to serve the rest of your breakfast or brunch.

one small bag of small potatoes (yukon golds, fingerlings, or something similar) salt & pepper 1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

Start by placing the potatoes in a large saucepan. Add a teaspoon of salt and cover with water. Don't peel the potatoes, because the skin helps keep the potatoes together. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and cook at a low boil until they are tender enough to slide a knife in easily. It is important not to over-boil them, for golf ball size potatoes about 10 minutes or a little less. Drain the potatoes and refrigerate until you are ready to brown them in a large skillet.

Heat the olive in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Keep in mind it needs to be big enough to hold the potatoes, which double in size when they are smashed. Smash each potato with a masher or the bottom of a heavy glass. Season with salt and pepper and cook until crisp, and them turn and cook the other side. Sprinkle with chives, fresh herbs, whatever and serve.

Egg Salad Sandwich

2008-09-24T12:03:00.003-05:00

This recipe makes a great egg salad sandwich. Sprouts can be substituted for the celery, if no celery is on hand. It is very true that the most important part of the recipe is not over boiling the egg.

I've realized that 90% of the challenge here is properly boiling the egg. You need to boil it so the center sets yet stays moist. You also need to avoid the green/grey ring thing that surrounds the yolk in many hard boiled eggs. I use the same technique here that I learned camping with a hardcore egg enthusiast. It has worked for me flawlessly ever since. The key is to avoid over cooking, and to dunk the eggs in a bowl of icy water to stop the cooking after you remove them from the hot water. I always use good quality eggs - but something to keep in mind, the fresher they are, the harder they are to peel after boiling.
6 large eggs
1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
A tiny squeeze of lemon juice
2 stalks celery, washed and chopped
1/2 bunch chives, chopped
2 small handfuls of lettuce
8 slices of whole grain bread, toasted
Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by a 1/2-inch or so. Bring to a gentle boil. Now turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for exactly seven minutes. Have a big bowl of ice water ready and when the eggs are done cooking place them in the ice bath for three minutes or so - long enough to stop the cooking. Crack and peel each egg, place in a medium mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise, a couple generous pinches of salt and pepper, now mash with a fork. Don't overdo it, you want the egg mixture to have some texture. If you need to add a bit more mayo to moisten up the mixture a bit, go for it a bit at a time. Stir in the celery and chives. Taste, and adjust the seasoning - adding more salt and pepper if needed. To assemble each egg salad sandwich: place a bit of lettuce on a piece of toast, top with the egg salad mixture, and finish by creating a sandwich with a second piece of toast. Make 4 sandwiches.

This recipe is from 101cookbooks.com by Heidi Swanson.

UK Vizion Headlamp

2008-03-31T10:05:00.003-05:00

This is the headlamp I want for this summer's camping. Not Olive Drab, though. I like the Black or the Eco Green, maybe. It's $40 on Amazon.

Knife

2008-03-31T09:58:00.003-05:00

This is the knife I want to get for this summer's camping. It's the Gerber Obsidian with a serrated edge.

Ceiara's Flatbread

2007-10-06T19:24:00.000-05:00

This recipe came from Ceiara Adams. They invited us over for dinner and served this with stir-fried vegetables. Delicious!

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup ice water
1 Pinch of salt
Oil for pan frying

Method

Knead flour with water into slightly sticky dough. Break off golf ball-sized pieces. Dip in the flour, and roll out as a tortilla. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Pan fry until slightly brown. Drain excessive oil and serve hot.

Garam Masala Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2007-04-12T17:26:00.000-05:00

Ok, I took this from Blue Kitchen. Looks really interesting. We'll try it tonight and I'll comment on how they are. A comment suggested using Chocolate instead of rasins. Think I'll try that.

Garam Masala Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Yield 2 dozen

This recipe is based on one taught by the excellent cooking school The Chopping Block here in Chicago. They offer a wide range of cooking classes for all levels of cooks.

1-1/2 cups each regular or quick-cooking oats, flour
1 teaspoon garam masala [see Kitchen Notes]
1/2 teaspoon each, baking soda, baking powder, salt
1 stick [1/2 cup] unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup each, sugar, dark brown sugar [packed]
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup golden raisins [see Kitchen Notes]

Heat oven to 350ºF. Combine oats, flour, garam masala, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until thoroughly mixed and creamy. If you’re impatient like me and don’t let the butter get warm enough before starting, use the tines of a fork to mash it together with the sugar, then finish up with the mixer.

Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. I usually add it about a third at a time to avoid overwhelming the egg mixture. Stir in raisins.

Using a tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop rounded balls of dough onto greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly. Bake until golden, 12 to 14 minutes [depending on your oven]. Cool on wire racks.

Kitchen Notes

Garam masala. You can find it in the spice aisle of many supermarkets or in Indian grocery stores. The Spice House also sells it in their stores and online; Marion finds their mix a little heavy on the cloves. Wherever you get it, read the ingredients. If salt is too high up the list, don’t get it—some we’ve tried are waaaay too salty. If you’re adventurous and would like to make your own, here’s a recipe at food-nepal.com.

Golden raisins. If you can’t find [or don’t want to spring for] golden raisins, regular raisins will do. But golden raisins have a slightly, I don’t know, bigger taste—a slightly less sweet, tangier, more interesting flavor. And their golden color is more harmonious in these golden cookies.

Potato and green pea biryani

2007-04-06T18:35:00.000-05:00

Ingredients:

Rice 2 cups
Onions, sliced 2
Ghee ¾ cup
Cardamom 6-8
Clove 6-8
Cinnamon a few sticks
Bay leaves a few
Black peppercorns 8-10
Garlic, chopped 6 cloves
Green chillies, chopped 2
Ginger, crushed ½ inch
Salt to taste
Large potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces 3
Green peas ½ cup
Large tomato, chopped 1
Fresh coconut, grated 3 tbsps
A little yellow colour or saffron
Milk ½ cup
Sliced onions, golden fried ½ cup
Cashew nuts, fried a few

Method: Fry the onions in a little ghee till golden brown. Add half the cardamom, clove, cinnamon, bay leaves, pepper, garlic, chillies and ginger. Fry for a minute. Then add one and a half cups of water and salt and boil. Now mix in the potato pieces, green pieces and tomatoes. Cover and cook till done and a little gravy remains. Mix in the coconut. Heat two tablespoons of ghee. Add the remaining spices and three cups of water. Add rice and salt and cook until done. In a thick vessel, spread half the rice. Cover with potatoes and green peas with gravy. Spread the remaining rice over it. Cover the vessel with a wet cloth and a lid. Put on a slow gas and cook for 10 minutes. Heat the remaining ghee and pour over biryani. Garnish with golden fried onions and fried cashew nuts. Melt saffron in the milk and pour over the rice.

Bhindi Masala

2007-04-04T10:53:00.000-05:00

Ingredients:

Okra (bhindi) 1/2 kg
Tomatoes 3 (medium)
Onions 2 (large)
Green chillies 3
Cinnamon 1 piece
Cloves 3
Bay leaf 1
Ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp.
Red chili powder 1 tsp.
Oil 2 cups
Garam masala powder 1 tsp.
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Salt to taste

Directions:

Cut the onions, tomatoes, okra & green chillies.
Heat the oil in pan and add the okra pieces. Deep fry.
Remove fried okra and place on kitchen tissue or table napkin so that excess oil is removed. Keep it aside.
Heat 3 spoons of oil in a pan. Fry the cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf for 30 seconds. Now add onions, green chili pieces and fry them until onions turn light brown.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for one minute.
Add tomato pieces, red chili powder and salt, cover the pan and cook for a few minutes until tomatoes become soft. Stir twice or thrice to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan.
Add fried okra and mix slowly. Keep on heat for two more minutes and then remove the pan. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Cooking Steak in a Cast Iron Skillet

2007-02-09T11:18:00.000-06:00

I've copied this article from another site. Noemi and I are convinced that this is the best way to cook a steak!

I'm afraid I've been spoiled by cooking my steak in a cast iron skillet. So much so that I can't even remember the last time I threw one on the grill. The cast iron skillet allows a steak to be seared and then cooked in its own juices under the broiler.

There are two key parts to the equation; preparing the pan and seasoning the meat. First, the pan. Heat your oven to its highest temperature (usually 500 degrees F) with the cast iron pan inside. It may take a while until the pan is completely heated. When the pan has reached the temperature of the oven, remove it place over a lit burner (this works best with a gas range) for a few minutes to let the pan soak up more heat.

While you are heating the pan, make sure your steak has been taken out of the refrigerator and allowed to warm up to room temperature. Season the steak with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper (this is my steak rub). Rub in the seasonings to make sure the steak is evenly coated on both sides. Be careful not over season, as the seasonings are there to enhance the flavor of the meat, not cover it up. On one side of the steak, rub (or spray) a little olive oil in to cover the surface. This will be the first side placed down the heated pan.

Place your steak, oiled side down, in the heated pan while still on the burner. DO NOT touch the steak for at least 1 1/2 to 2 minutes while it is searing. The meat and seasonings will form a crust and the steak with slightly separate from the pan. With a pair of tongs, flip the steak once and allow the other side to sear. After searing the second side for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, remove the pan from the stovetop and place under the broiler. The time you leave it under the broiler depends on how well done you want your steak. Five to six minutes should be adequate for a 1 1/2 inch steak to be cooked medium rare. Cook it longer or shorter to your liking.

Lost Tulsa

2007-01-18T16:14:00.000-06:00

Interesting website... http://losttulsa.com/

IRS Documentation on Worker Status

2006-12-13T10:10:00.000-06:00

I've done some research on the question of worker tax status. Do you file someone who works for you as an independent contractor or an employee? The IRS treats the two very differently.

Google Notebook with links to IRS documentation on Worker Status.

Grandma's Sugar Cookies

2006-11-21T12:55:00.000-06:00

Savory Indian Rice

2006-11-18T14:25:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups long grain rice
4 cups hot water
2 teaspoons ghee
2 1/2 teaspoons salt

Method:

Wash rice well and soak I hour in cold water. Drain in colander while bringing water, ghee and salt to the boil in a heavy saucepan with a well-fitting lid. Add rice, stir and bring quickly to the boil. Turn heat very low, cover tightly and cook, without lifting lid or stirring, for 20-25 minutes. Lift lid to allow steam to escape for about 5 minutes, then lightly fluff up rice with fork, taking care not to mash the grains, which will be firm, separate and perfectly cooked. Dish up using a slotted metal spoon rather than a wooden spoon, which will crush the grains. Serve with curries or other spiced dishes.

(Supposedly) The One True Cornbread

2006-11-14T10:29:00.000-06:00

This has been touted as the one and only cornbread recipe. We'll see...

0.75 cup whole-kernel stone ground cornmeal
0.25 cup wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
0.25 to 0.33 teaspoon baking soda
2 level tablespoons sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons melted fat (see below)
0.75 to 1 cup buttermilk (*)

In a 9'' cast iron skillet, melt 2+ tablespoons of fat (Crisco, bacon fat, etc). Pre-heat oven to 375F.

Mix dry ingredients together; mix in egg and buttermilk to make a goopy, sloppy mix, and pour into (slightly) warm skillet. Bake fifteen minutes (**). Turn out onto a warm plate and serve.

(*) If real buttermilk is not available, it can be simulated by adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar to whole milk and allowing the mixture to warm at room temp (or slightly more) for about an hour.

(**) When tableknife stuck in center of pan comes out clean the bread is done.

Simple Tomato Sauce

2006-11-08T10:57:00.000-06:00

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
4 to 6 basil leaves
2 dried bay leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. If sauce tastes too acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, to round out the flavor. Pour half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce. If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and then pour 1 to 2 cup portions into plastic freezer bags. Freeze for up to 6 months. Yield: 6 cups Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Penne with Vodka Sauce

2006-11-08T10:56:00.000-06:00

My old roommate Chris loved to make this.

1 quart Simple Tomato Sauce, blended until smooth
1 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 pound penne

Simmer the tomato sauce and vodka in a heavy large skillet over low heat until the mixture reduces by 1/4, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir the cream into the tomato and vodka sauce. Simmer over low heat until the sauce is heated through. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and well blended. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pan with the sauce, and toss to coat. Recipe Summary Difficulty: Easy Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Yield: 6 servings

Pot-Au-Feu

2006-11-08T10:32:00.000-06:00

Pastel de Choclo (corn and meat pie)

2006-11-08T10:24:00.000-06:00

This is a popular Chilean recipe. Serves 12.

6 large ears of corn, grate the kernels
8 leaves of fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. butter
1/2-1 cup milk
4 large onions, chopped
3 tbsps. oil
1 lb. (1/2 kg) finely ground lean beef
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 cup black olives
1 cup raisins
12 pieces of chicken, browned in hot oil, seasoned with salt, pepper and cumin
2 tbsps. confectioners' sugar

Heat the grated corn, chopped basil, salt and butter in a large pot. Add the milk little by little, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Leave to one side while you prepare the meat filling. Fry the onions in oil until transparent, add the ground meat and stir to brown. Season with salt, pepper and ground cumin. To prepare the pie use an oven-proof dish that you can take to the table. Spread over the bottom of the dish the onion-ground meat mixture. Arrange over this the hard boiled egg slices, olives and raisins. Put the chicken pieces on top, bone the chicken if you like. Cover the filling with the corn mixture. Sprinkle the confectioners' sugar over the top. Bake in a hot oven 400 Deg. F (205 Deg. C) for 30-35 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Serve at once. In Chile more sugar is served to sprinkle over the "pastel" as it is eaten.

Pollo Arvejado

2006-11-02T16:41:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:

2 tbs vegetable oil
1 large onion
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup water
1 lb fresh green peas, shelled, or 1 (10-oz) package frozen peas, thawed
1 (3-4 Lb) chicken, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 8 serving pieces with all visible fat removed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 cup dry white wine or rich chicken broth
2 tbs finely finely minced fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbs tomato paste

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken in batches and cook until golden brown all over, about 7 minutes. Remove the chicken to a platter and season with salt and pepper.

Discard all but 2 tbs fat from the dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, carrot, and paprika. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until softened but not browned, 3-4 minutes. Season with oregano, salt, and black pepper. Add the water, wine, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, stirring and scraping all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Arrange the chicken over the vegetables, cover partially and simmer 30 minutes.

Add the peas and simmer uncovered until the chicken is very tender, 20-30 minutes more. Taste for seasoning. Sprinkle with fresh parsley just before serving.

Betty Crocker Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

2006-10-30T18:28:00.000-06:00

3 dozen cookies

1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 (12 ounce) package chocolate chips

Cream shortening, butter, and sugars in large mixing bowl; blend in eggs and vanilla.
Combine dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.
Mix until well blended.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 375° for 7-10 minutes until golden brown.
For chewy cookies adjust the baking time accordingly.

Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies

2006-10-30T18:20:00.000-06:00

This is one of those few recipes that seem to be just about right, and real hard to improve on. This famous old recipe is originally from Kenneth and Ruth Wakefield's "New England Toll House" near Whitman, Massachusetts, and was brought to the world's attention by Betty Crocker in the late 1930's. It is truly an American classic.

Sift together and reserve:

2 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt

Turn the oven to 375'.

Beat well together:

1/3 cp butter
1/3 cp vegetable shortning
1/2 cp white sugar
1/2 cp brown sugar
1 lg egg
1 tsp vanilla

Stir in:

flour mixture, then:
1/2 cp chopped nuts
6 oz, about 1 1/4 cp, chocolate chips

Add a bit more flour if you want to "fluff up" cookies, or if you are at high altitude, (>5500 ft). Bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until just begining to brown a bit but still quite soft. Leave cookies on the pan for a couple minutes before removing.

Basic White Sauce and Cheese Sauce

2006-10-12T14:15:00.000-05:00

2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1 c. milk or cream
Salt and white pepper to taste

CHEESE SAUCE:

1/2 c. Cheddar cheese, cubed

Blend ingredients in blender, food processor, or wire whisk. Basic white sauce consists of the first 4 ingredients. Cheese sauce is simply white sauce with Cheddar cheese.

Pour into saucepan and cook over low heat, stir constantly until thick. Season with salt and white pepper. Sauce can be thinned by using half of the butter and flour. It can also be made thicker by using twice the amount of butter and flour. Low heat and stirring are secrets of success. May be cooked in microwave with suitable container by cooking for 2 minutes, stirring well and repeat. Continue to cook for 2 minutes and stirring until bubbling smooth.

Grandma's Potato Soup

2006-10-12T14:13:00.000-05:00

1 1/2 cup milk
1 onion
7 baby carrots
2 potatoes
salt and pepper

Chop the onions and carrots and place in a sauce pan. Peel and dice the potatoes and add to sauce pan.

Pour over enough water to cover the vegetables, add salt and pepper as needed.

Cook over high heat until vegetables have boiled down to a simmer, then remove from heat. Add milk and stir.