Alaska was one America’s final wild land, frontier, unexplored region.Well, after it was bought from Russia it was.My final frontier for true exploration was breads.I really stress sometimes over breads.You just never know when it will come out well, will it rise ? Will it be to heavy? All kinds of stress.Not that enjoyable.
But, I have finally , in the last 6 months or so, truly began to accept my inner pioneer and explorer spirit and work my way into just baking breads, instead of buying store bought.
I know, I am one brave person.one day, perhaps, there will be some monday holiday based about my bravery with baking breads.That would be majestic, would it not?
So, there you have it.Today’s is nothing wild, or very adventurous, I admit, but whole wheat bread is among my favorites, so that is what I made.Whatever, maybe I will not get that monday holiday after all.
Ingredients.
- 2 and 1/2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour.
- 2 tablespoons of sugar.
- 1 tablespoon of salt.
- 2 tablespoons of Earth Balance.
- 1 cup of warm water.
- 2 packets of yeast.
- 1 tablespoon of Earth Balance, melted.
Firstly, mix the two packets of yeast with the warm water, and let it sit, for about 6 minutes.
Grab yourself a nice big bowl, and put in the salt, sugar, flour in said bowl and mix.You are well on your way to making bread.Add the two tablespoons of Earth Balance and mix it into the flour with a fork.The flour should be looking clumpy.Add the yeast and water combination to the flour, and mix well.You will now have to knead the the dough.
After you have kneaded the dough for 8 minutes, place the dough in a bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise.
You want the dough to rise to double it’s size.I cold tell you this should take an hour, but if you have made bread before, it could take longer.So, just be patient.
Has it risen? How exciting.Now, shape it into a loaf, and place in a sprayed or oiled bread pan or something similar, cover again with damp cloth, and let it rise, again.This time, it should not take as long, and once it has, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Now, this is when you brush the top of the loaf with the melted Earth Balance.Place it in the oven, and let it cook for 25 minutes, or till it it is cooked.A good trick is to tap the bread, if it sounds hollow, it is ready to go.
I think that does it, or maybe it does, I really have no idea.Parting is such sweet sorrow, or some other bullshit.Oh, and here is another song to add to your making bread tunes, you are so welcome.
I have been lazy , lately.I put a lot of effort into these posts, you know.I do, or maybe I do not, that really should not be your concern.The point I am trying to make, I think, is sometimes, even when I have like 5 posts I could pop out, I just do not feel like doing it.Whatever.
So, I feel like I am a bit backed up, and should get back on track.Maybe I will, maybe I will not.Anyways, some time last week I made this sandwich, you could make it, too.But, only if you wanted.You could also lie, and say you did, and how delish it was.That way, I might feel better about myself, if you actually cared.Maybe you do, maybe you do not.
Ingredients.
- 8 slices of eggplant.
- Egg replacer, three ” eggs” worth, mixed with the specified amount of water.
- Bowl of bread crumbs.
- 1/2 cup or so of marinara sauce.
- 1/4 a cup or so of Daiya Mozz cheese.
- 1/2 a cup of zucchini, sliced.
- 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar.
- 1/2 of sweet red pepper.
- A few tablespoons of pesto.
- Bread, obviously.I used a couple slices of the bread I had just made a few days before.
This is fairly easy.Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.Take your slices of eggplant, and dunk them in the egg replacer, then the breadcrumbs, and then lay out on a sprayed baking pan.Bake on one side for 2o minutes, flip them and cook for another 20 minutes.Once you put them in the oven, marinate the zucchini slices in balsamic vinegar.
Is the eggplant ready? Okay, now lay a layer of marinara sauce in a casserole dish, then lay the eggplant out, followed by the shreads of daiya cheese.Place in oven and cook for maybe 10 minutes, just till the cheese is a bit melty.
Now, using a spatula lay out the eggplant.You will only use half, as I had you make enough for two sandwiches,I am nice like that.Now add a layer of the zucchini, followed by the sweet red pepper, and top with the other slice of bread, which you should have spread the pesto on.
I would also suggest toasting the bread, if I was you.If you do not want to, that is your right, as a human.But, it may be a bit soggy.Whatever floats your boat, captain.
I will just judge you, harshly.
I was thinking, today, how as much as I loath and despise right wing politics, and right wing thought in general, I have to give them some credit.They are quite the shrewd and crafty motherfuckers, aren’t they?
Their love of culture wars have gone on for years, and years, and with not much to actually show for it.That has to be quite frustrating, as since 1980 they have had the presidency for a majority of the time, yet gays still walk freely, abortions still happen, and liberals are still considered American citizens and can vote.
But, they are getting a bit mote clever, these days.You can’t make abortion illegal? Well, just make it that much harder for one to get one.You were raped and do not wish to keep a rapist’s child? Well, we are not sure that was true rape, but it was just rape-ish, who knows?
What the hell am I talking about? I am talking about this.It is rather shrewd, as well as completely evil, let alone completely asshole-ish of them.
You see, they have to become clever and shrewd, and fast.Because, with every passing year, more diabetic diseased, white, festering old right winger dies, someone younger, less closed minded, becomes of age, and can vote.Plus, all those years of treating minorities as second class citizens are slowly catching up on them as they come to realize that within a short time period, those minorities will be the majorities.Oh, shit!
So, now, if you cannot ban abortions, let’s just make them extremely difficult to get, even if you were impregnated at age 13 by your 45 year old uncle.Brilliant.
The title is pretty clear cut, and simple.I could say I was unable to come up with something better, but that would be a lie.I just thought that I would be upfront with this post.I think you will appreciate that.If not, go fuck yourself.Ingrates.
I have slowly become a big fan of making my own pasta.It is can be rewarding, or whatever.You ca make the pasta the shape and flavor you want.That is much better then being held hostage at your local grocery store with only select options.Also, who does not like a fun cooking project? I know I sure do, as I enjoy making large messes that I have to then clean up.I just love cleaning up messes.Oh, boy.
I am lying about cleaning up messes, and I do not want you to think that this recipe is a big mess.It is not.So, ignore what I said previously.
Pasta Ingredients.
- 3 cups of flour.
- 1 cup of water.
- 2 tablespoons of basil.
- 1 tablespoon of thyme.
- 1 teaspoon of salt.
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Find yourself a large bowl, and if you have a pasta maker, find that, too.Mix all the dry ingredients.Add the oil, mix that.Now add the water, mix in, and make a dough.Knead the dough for a few minutes, then form a ball and let it sit, covered or wrapped for about an hour.
Once that is all complete, you can make your pasta.If you do not have a pasta maker, well you are fucking screwed.Sorry, but you are.
No, I am only teasing, you can do it without one, easily.
I made my dough into three smaller amounts and put through your pasta machine, and then once again through the part that makes it fettucini shape.I made mine thick, but whatever.You can really do it anyway you want.
If by hand, roll out the dough on a floured surface, and cut out your shapes with a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
You could even skip the whole pasta making thing and use store bought, loser.Okay, so your pasta is made into shapes,I used a pasta hanger I made to hang it and let it dry.For a while, at least an hour.
Let’s move on to the other stuff in dish, shall we ?
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- 2 tablespoons of minced garlic.
- 1 largish tomato, diced.
- 1/2 cup of sliced sweet red pepper.
- 3 tablespoons of capers.
- 1/4th a cup of fresh chopped basil leaves.
- Salt
- Pepper.
Heat the oil up in a pan, over medium heat.Add the minced garlic , and the tomatoes.Cook and stir occasionally.
While this is going on, put another pot with water and salt, on high and bring to a boil.When it is boiling, add your pasta.Cook the pasta for at least 5 minutes, but I cooked mine for closer to 10, but my pasta was thick.You can always sample it as it cooks.You can also ignore all of that if you are using a box of pasta, and just follow their directions.
Okay, back to the other pan.Add the sweet peppers,the basil leaves,salt, and pepper.Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.Add the capers.Cook for another two minutes.
The pasta should be ready, so once you pour it in a strainer, add the pasta to the other pan with your tomatoes, and stuff.Yeah ” and stuff”. How Shakespearean of me.
Toss, add salt and pepper to taste and finish off with some parsley.Serve, or whatever it is you plan on doing with your food.I do not know, it is your business, weirdo.
The other day, I was using those tubes we call the internet.That is fairly common.Completely common.But, I am not bragging about my ability and desire to surf the web.No. rather, I wanted to talk about Paul Ryan.
First, I am not comparing Mr. Ryan to the infamous Boston Strangler, just that there is a similar facial structure to both of them.
Of course, and mind the uncivil nature of this comparison, or do not, that is not my concern.But, there is a bit more to this; While Albert DeSalvo is basically considered to be possibly the infamous Boston Strangler, Ryan would love to use his new role as the GOP’s economic czar to strangle out entitlement plans such as medicare and social security.
His “Road Map For America’s Future” would get anyone lost if it was an actual road map.His plan, or map will see the tightening and future end of social security and other entitlement plans.
I will not bore you with the details, you can read more on Mother Jones.
But, this is the real kicker, the real “genius” behind the plan; Middle class get tax hikes, while the wealthy see lower taxes.I seem to recall not so long ago the GOP harping about class wars, with the fight over taxes.Seems more like that is the game they wish to play.
Interesting plan, Congressman.
I am madly, and gladly looking forward to Congressman Ryan’s retort to Obama’s SOTU , tomorrow night.
Last week, somewhere down yonder in hillbilly country, South Carolina to be precise, a woman hung and burned a dog simply for chewing on her bible.She claimed the dog was a “devil-dog” and was a risk to children.The story can be found here.
It is an odd, strange, and bewildering story.It has both animal cruelty and religious zealotry.Two of my more despised traits in humanity.I cannot really think or say which is the worse of the two offenses.However, the zealotry is just another sign of what can and does go wrong with religion.Sure, you can tell me not every christian, muslim, jew, or whatever is like that.You would be correct.
But, how much such zealotry is committed by atheists? How many acts of violence, animal, or against humans , is committed by atheists? Do not give me the junk political science that the Nazis were atheists.They were in themselves a religion, if not a cult.Despite the millions of attempts to portray atheism as a cult , it is not.Not even close.
No wars, no rapes, no murders, and no animal abuse was ever committed because of atheism zealotry.None.
So, I made crackers, then I made brownies, and suddenly realized sometimes.I had not made any dinner.Well, I could have just ate brownies for dinner, I could.But, I felt I should be a good boy, or as good as I can be, and make some actual food for dinner.I wanted chickpeas, and I wanted vegetables.
So, I chopped up this, chopped up that, and took it from there.Yeah, if you had not already guessed; I am a bit of a wild guy.Watch out for me.
So, I went into chopping frenzy.Well, once I picked out of the fridge what would be cooked, and more importantly: What I would be eating.
That is the frenzy of the chopping, and such.Colorful, isn’t it?
Ingredients.
- Cup of Chickpeas, cooked and rinsed.Ready to go.
- 3 tablespoons of minced garlic.
- 1 green pepper, chopped into rings.
- 1 red pepper, chopped into rings.
- 1 onion, yellow, chopped into half moon rings.
- 1 zucchini, chopped into coin shapes, I do not fucking know.Look at the photo.
- Mushrooms, chopped up.I would say about a cup and a half.
- 1 tomato, chopped into medium sized cubes.
- 3 tablespoons of tomato paste.
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable stock.
- 2 tablespoons of cooking sherry.
- Tablespoon of thyme.
- Tablespoon of oregano.
- 1/3 cup of sliced black olives.
- Salt
- Pepper.
Get yourself a big pot, with a lid.I am not sure the order matters, but I placed the garlic, followed by all the vegetables.
I then added the chickpeas, paste, thyme, oregano,vegetable stock,sherry, and put the heat on to medium.lid it, and let it come to a boil.Mix frequently.Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat and let it simmer, still mixing frequently, for about a half hour.
Now, salt and pepper, and add the olives.Mix it once more, and let it cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve with some parsley.
For something I kind of just made up in my strange little mind, it was not half bad.Well, I guess it would have to be for me to be writing this.Maybe.I suppose you will never know, unless you made it.Or, whatever.
I do not make New Year’s Resolutions, ever.For one, I fail enough at things, and do not need to add one more failure to the list, every single year.Two, what am I going to do? Quit something? I like having an occasional drink, and I do not smoke crack, so there really is nothing for me to quit.Or, should I say there is nothing that I would want to quit?I do not know.
But, I do, on occasion make goals.Sometimes I keep them , sometimes I do not.I recently decided I would like to cut down on processed snacks.I have already cut out a huge portion of processed foods over the years, but I still like a snack, or two, or three.So, that is a goal, and so that means making more snacks.Today, I made crackers.Go, me.
(This also counts towards my week of using a flour everyday for a week.)
Ingredients.
- 1/2 cup of walnuts.
- 3/4th cup of all purpose flour.
- 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour.
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.
- Teaspoon of salt.
- Teaspoon of baking powder.
- Teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Half a teaspoon of nutmeg.
- 1/4th cup of Earth Balance.
- 1/2 cup applesauce.
Ground your walnuts! If you have a mortar and pestle, and wondered if you would ever use it, this is that time!
Now, in a large bowl, mix the flours, salt, baking power,ground walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon,nutmeg, basically all the dry ingredients.I probably should have just said that.But no, I went and wasted some time, and space.Oh, well.
Now, mix in the butter, using a fork to mix it in.The flour should begin to look clumpy.Making a well in the center,space, pour n the apple sauce, and then mix it , well.Yeah, I just used well twice, and used two different meanings.I am like that.Get used to it.
form a ball, and then two ball.On a floured surface, roll out the dough.You want it quite thin.Remember, these are crackers.Cut out any shape you desire; Triangles, squares, rectangles, hearts, I do not care.You could even use a small cookie cutter, if you want.Again, I do not care.Place them on a no stick sprayed baking pan.Poke holes in each cracker, with a toothpick, or a fork.
Bake in your oven at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes, or so.You will know when they are done.Do not burn them, as that will make you, and maybe me, sad.Cool them on a rack, and much away.You know you want to.
So, my carb week continues, nearing its fateful end.My vow to use flour in a recipe every day for a week is nearly over, and I am sure my waistline will thank me.But, it is winter, so carbs are good, no? Yes?
I do not know.Sounds good, anyways.
Friday night is a good night for snacks, so I thought I would make pretzels.Nice and warm, salty, with some mustard on the side.I chose to make whole wheat pretzels, so that way they have the allure of being somewhat healthy.They are not actually, by the way.But, who cares? it is Friday, after all.
Ingredients.
- Two packets of yeast.
- Cup and a half of warm water.
- Tablespoon of sugar.
- Half a tablespoon of salt.
- 4 cups of whole wheat flour.
- 3 tablespoons of melted Earth Balance.
- Kosher or larger sizes salt.
- Sesame seeds.
These are simple.Mix the warm water with the yeast, let it sit a few minutes.Meanwhile, mix the flour, sugar, and the salt.Now mix in the yeast and water into the flour.Knead your dough, for ten minutes.Cover, and let it rise for 45 minutes.
Now that it has risen, on a lightly floured surface,take smaller pieces of the dough and roll out into a rope shape.twist and connect dough like a pretzel.You can use a little bit of water to use as a glue.
Brush the melted butter on the pretzel, then top with the kosher salt, and the sesame seeds.Place on a sprayed pan, repeat.
Your oven should be set to 425 degrees.Cook your pretzels for 12 minutes , or till lightly browned.Serve with mustard, or eat as is.I made a bunch, so I froze most of them.You do not have much of anything preserving them, so if you think you will not eat them quickly, this is a wise idea.I am always full of wise ideas, or something.
So, I had the pleasure of having more fucking snow, today.I mean that, really.More fucking snow, and it really is becoming fucking snow, as it seems like it comes every other day, recently.
See? A real winter fucking wonderland, isn’t it?Now that I can’t complain about having to shovel, as I did shovel; It is cold, it is snowy, it is a winter’s day.So why not make a nice stew, eh?
Ah, stew, a perfect winter meal.Well, if you like stew.Some people may not enjoy stew.Suit yourself, or not.
This stew is mainly a rip-off of Veganomicon’s Cholent recipe, basically.Enough so , that I felt the need to mention it, so there.
This is a good stew, one great for a cold winter day, and that is why I made it.Okay?
Ingredients.
- Medium onion, chopped up, smallish but you do not have to go nuts.
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- 2 tablespoons of minced garlic.
- 1 tablespoon of tarragon.
- 1 tablespoon of marjoram.
- 1 tablespoon of thyme.
- Teaspoon of salt.
- Teaspoon of pepper.
- 1/4th a cup of vegetable stock.
- Two medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 4 potatoes, peeled and chopped.
- 16 ounces of tomato sauce.
- 3/4th a cup of lentils.
- 4 cups of water.
- Cup of TVP chunks.
- Cup of green beans, I used frozen.I know, I suck!
- Cup of peas.Once again, I used frozen.
You will not a big, well sort of big pot.Heat your oil up, in the pot.How simply! Add your onions, and cook for 5 or so minutes, at medium heat.Now, add the minced garlic, the tarragon, marjoram, thyme, salt, and the pepper.Cook till you can smell all the fragrances.I would say a few minutes, or so.
Now, add the vegetable stock, and let cook, till it glazes what is in the pot.That sounds fancy, huh? I really do not have any true clue what that means.I kind of think I know, but whatever.Cook till it is gone, how about that? Works for me.
Toss in the water, the tvp chunks,lentils,carrots, tomato sauce, and potatoes.Lid the pot,turn the heat down, and let it simmer.I let it simmer for about a half hour.I then toss in the green beans and peas, and let it cook another 10 to 15 minutes.
Salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy on that horrible cold, snowy day while you await spring, and then summer.Yes, summer, when you can complain about it being too fucking hot.