Food glorious food, so yummy and scrumptious!

[stoney321]

All I'll say about the debate last night is that choosing "my friends" as the repeated phrase to require a drink was a stupid idea. Fortunately, I'm 48% liver, so I made it through unscathed. [ETA: haha it appears he said "my friends" 24 times last night. WOW. Wait, I do want to say this: neither candidate said enough about what SPECIFICALLY they plan on doing to help the common man (read: almost all of us schleps) get out of this crisis, but Obama was the only one that actually used language that made it clear he understood the breadth of it. McCain really doesn't understand economics, and THAT is why no one should vote for him. Among other reasons, like him calling the Vietnamese the "g" word, him taking funds from Warren Jeffs for years, and other reasons too numerous to mention.

Seriously. Vote for economic understanding if nothing else. McCain really really doesn't understand it, period. (Although my friend solipsae had the funniest comment of the night: "McCain's approximation of laughter is how I imagine Cthuhlu to sound when he's breathing." Hahahaha.)

Now! *hand clap* I have recipes I've been meaning to record. Veggie dishes, desserts, and a lovely pumpkin soup, under the cut. (read: I have loads of zucchini, pumpkins, tomatoes and basil in my garden, and here's how I'm using them up. *G*) Also, I'm going to start recording new wines I'm trying out, because I like being pretentious. Or rather, I want to further my alcoholic tendencies with a record of what worked. :)


Zucchini-Basil Frittata (a great way to use up all of that damned zucchini coming in right about now the funk soul brother I can't help it, guys, sorry.)

1/4 C best quality olive oil (divided use)
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced (I use a whole one, because I love me some yaller onion)
3/4 pound zucchini, shredded (again, I use two big huge zucchinis, or three smallish ones)
8 eggs
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese (use the best you can get. In a simple dish like this, the crap in a green shaker can will NOT do)
1/2 tsp salt
4 to 6 basil leaves, torn into pieces (I use a few more because again, gluttony/flavor addict is me)

Heat the broiler. In a 10 inch oven safe non-stick skillet (read: no plastic/wood handles) heat 2 TBSP olive oil over medium heat on the stove top. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until it softens and sweats. Add zucchini and cook until it's no longer moist and begins to clump together, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

While the zucchini is cooking, beat the eggs with a fork until they are ropey and well mixed, but NOT foamy. (They should be lighter in color.) Stir in the cheese, salt and basil leaves into the egg mix, and add the zucchini. Stir for a minute after you've added the veggies to cool it a little.

Return the (emptied) pan to the heat, and add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. When oil is hot, pour in the egg mixture and immediately reduce the flame to medium low. The bottom of the egg mixture should set very quickly. Gently lift the sides with a fork and pull them towards the center, allowing the loose egg mixture to run underneath. Cook this way until the eggs are almost set, about 5 minutes. The mixture should look like loose scrambled eggs, with a little liquid remaining.

Place the pan under the broiler until the eggs are puffed and lightly browned, about 45 seconds. Cool slightly before sliding the frittata onto a serving plate. 6 servings.

(I'm going to try a more hands-off approach in a cast iron skillet, which is a more traditional way. It'll take longer, but I won't have to stand over the stove top lifting and stuff. I'll report back if that is easier.)



Feta-Crusted Baked Tomatoes

1 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
4 medium ripe tomatoes, cored, cut into half horizontally
1 large clove of garlic, minced (2 tsps)
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 oz. crumbled feta (about 2/3 C)

Preheat oven to 350. Use oil to lightly grease a shallow baking dish large enough to hold all of the tomato halves. (9 x 13 ish)

Discard all seeds and pulp from the tomato halves (note: I use my Amish paste for this as they have more meat than seeds/goo. Roma would also be a great choice, or Big Boys) place halves cut side up in baking dish. Sprinkle garlic evenly over halves, drizzle with 1 tbsp of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes. The tomatoes will soften, begin to shrink, and lose some of their juice. (Check time as different tomato varieties may take less or more time) Remove dish from oven, and move baking rack to position 4 inches below broiler. Set oven to broil.

Sprinkle cheese evenly over the halves, return to oven and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until cheese starts to brown. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

(Note:This is awesome with a good crusty loaf and a glass of bordeaux, incidentally. Simplicity at its finest.)



Pumpkin Soup With Blue Cheese and Bacon [insert Homer-esque drool]

15 oz. canned pumpkin
14 c chicken stock
3 1/2 C half-half
3 1/2 C minced onion (my guess is this is about 2 medium onions)
3/4 C molasses
3 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
1 TBSP ground black pepper
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 TBSP Kosher salt
16 thick slices of high quality, thick-sliced bacon
3 1/2 C high quality H20 blue cheese


Combine all ingredients except bacon and blue cheese into a large pot and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring well. Stack your sliced bacon on top of each other, making two piles. Cut the bacon into smaller pieces and place into a skillet and cook until golden brown. Crumble the blue cheese for later use.

(Note: this is a tailgating recipe, so the instructions are to store into thermoses and bring toppings. It moves well, which is nice.) Top with fixin's and dig in.



Sugar Cookie Apple Crisp
2 TBSP butter, melted and cooled
1/4 C packed brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of salt
6 medium apples, peeled, cored, chopped into bite-size chunks
1 (14 oz) package prepared sugar cookie dough, broken into chunks (cheating, I know, but hey.)
1/2 C rolled oats

Preheat oven to 375. Coat a 9 x 9 inch DEEP baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine first 7 ingredients (up through salt); add apples and toss to coat. Transfer the apples to the dish, and use a rubber spatula to get all the nummy bits left in the mixing bowl.

In a food processor, combine the cookie dough and oats. Pulse several times until it looks like coarse, wet sand. Use your hands to sprinkle this over th eapples. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned and the apples bubble. Let cool before serving. (6 servings.)

And how good would this be with pumpkin ice cream? Or cinnamon ice cream? Or homemade French vanilla ice cream?

Can also be used as a room freshener. ;)



Gingersnap Balls (the local paper had a mess of things to do with packaged gingersnaps. NUM. I used Ikea's for this, and it was great. Later in the year I'll use my own recipe because I looooove making gingersnaps.)

Pour 1 pound box of gingersnaps into a food processor; add 1 1/2 C of chopped pecans, half a can of orange juice concentrate (12 oz. can) and 1/2 pound powdered sugar [call your dentist for a filling appointment, good lord]. Pulse to combine, adding more orange juice if needed to form a cohesive dough.

Scoop dough with melon baller and roll into balls, then roll balls in coconut flakes. Makes 60 balls. [people just can't seem to keep their hands off my balls.] haha. Also: HOLY CRAP, these were delicious.



It's juuuuust starting to get fall-like here, and I'm wanting to be in the kitchen again. I've got only a handful of venison brats left (my husband is a hunter - most of the meat we eat is from his hunting, incidentally) from last season, and I'll probably make "apples-n-onions" with them. Incidentally, that recipe is from "Farmer Boy" and it's freaking delish.

Apple-n-Onions, Stoney Version

In a HUGE skillet, saute two large yellow (sweet) onions that have been cut into thick rings and separated. I use about 2 TBSP good olive oil for this. When they start to wilt, add two flavorful apples (old school apples are the best. I prefer Gravensteins, but Pink Ladies are a second favorite. Juicy and good smelling. I fyou can't smell the apple before you've cut it, that's not a good choice) that you've coarsely chopped.

At this point I add diced brats to add a protein, but you could certainly just have this with the two ingredients and a crusty loaf. The brats add a fantastic flavor and makes this a meal instead of a side dish. (Apple sausages would be a good choice, too.)

My kids go nuts for this. If you have a hard time getting kids to eat onions, this is a great way to make them eat it, as they take on the flavor of the apples. Plus? All the fiber and vitamin C you could want, excellent for winter time.


WINE LIST
Because I'm essentially a n00b when it comes to vino (hey. I'm a tequila girl, always have been, always will be, but I'm expanding!) I thought I'd keep track of some of the wines I've really liked.

Reds:
Condesa de Leganza 2002 Cheap, but doesn't taste cheap AT ALL. Very complex and flavorful, but minus the astringent nature that some oakey wines have. Loved it. Got this as World Market for under 7 bucks, if you can believe that. Had this with venison, and it's appropriate for strong flavored foods.

Veo Ultima cab sav 2006 I had this last night during the debate with tapas, and it was alright. Since it was also under 7 bucks (no, really) it's getting a huge pass for the price point, but it was just okay. Nothing exciting here. I'll keep some on hand for parties.

Paulliac, Reserve Speciale, 2004 (bordeaux) Holy sheep dung, this is one of my most favorite wines ever. 1. it's a Rothschild. 2. See #1. It's about 30 bucks at World Market (when they have wine specials, LOAD UP.) and worth every penny. Fabulous fabulous drink. Complex, smokey, easy on the palate, and did I mention delicious? If you want a wine to impress but not get crazy with the spending, this is it.

(the get crazy with the spending is Silver Oak, 2004 Cab Sav. Best wine I've ever had, ever. It's about 100 bucks a bottle, so... Merry Christmas! ;) The nice thing is that Silver Oak and Paulliac will keep for years. The others need to be drunk within months.)

Marques de Casa Concha 2006, Cab Sav I'm really digging some of the Chilean wines. They don't over do it with the oak, which I've realized is what puts me off of some wines. (That's that astringent cack thingy at the back of your tongue. I'm nothing if not erudite. hahaha.) This has lots of flavor but doesn't make your mouth pucker up. Seriously, I should write for wine magazines with this grasp of the biz, right? :D Also, Chilean wines seem to be fairly inexpnesive, but taste like they cost a lot more, so that's a plus. This one is under 15 bucks and would be great with a red meat dish or tapas. And, according to the sommalier at a shop I like to frequent, will keep for more than a year, so that's a plus, too, if you're not a booze hound.


whites:
Santa Margherita, Pinto Grigio Damn, I love this. I'm not a chardonnay or zinfandel fan at all. Pinot Grigio? Yes, please. This one is perfect: nice and bright and smooth, and only a little fruity. Fish, chicken, tapas, crackers and cheese, whatever, it's great. It's best to get from World Market if you can, because they routinely have it for 18 bucks. Everywhere else has this for about 25. Redonk. It's great to have a few of these, honest engine.

McManis, Pinot Grigio (and their cab sav is awesome, too) The Mr. and I were at a wine tasting, and they pushed this heavily, which was funny as it was the least expensive. Under 10 bucks, actually, and people were picking this over a 60 dollar bottle that the owner of the wine cellar was pushing. (Duh.) This is also a great wine to cook with - I've reduced garlic and butter with this and served with a touch of cream and shrimp and it was DIVINE. Big big fan.


Oh my god, I'm so hungry right now. I hate that I have to wait until Sunday to hit the farmer's market for more food... On the plus side: my house is smelling goooood since I've set out two pans of bread for baking off, plus a clutch of roses are brightening up my counter. *is content*

Comments

[copykween.livejournal.com]

OMG, all of those recipes look DELICIOUS! Especially the Sugar Cookie Crisp and Apples & Onions.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Apples-n-Onions is such a simple recipe, yet it is SO GROOD. (Sometimes we get fancy and add a little Paulaner Heffeweisen to the bottom of the pan and stick it in the oven for 20 minutes. But that becomes a thing of such deliciousness you might hit someone.)

:D

[mere-ubu.livejournal.com]

Mmm, so much yumminess, especially that pumpkin soup. I have a quarter-wheel of Maytag Blue in the fridge that needs to go away before it gets any, um, bleu-er, and that sounds heavenly.

I was interrupted before I could comment yesterday, but you go, walking lady! You deserve peppermint foot lotion in perpetuity. ;)

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oooooooooh, if you make the soup later, I'll set up my fwoomp tube so you can send me some, too. I think I need to make that this Saturday for game day, actually. (Plus, orange! *hooks horns*)

Aww, thank you! And I will take that peppermint foot lotion, and hope to find someone with strong hands to rub it in. *passes out with the want*

[entrenous88.livejournal.com]

I envy people with fresh zucchini! Of course, I know people who grow it are probably getting sick of it by now, but still!

Fresh baked bread, YUM!

You weren't the one I promised a baked acorn squash recipe to, were you? I can't remember why it's sitting on my desk. *eyes it*

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Zucchini is shamelessly easy to grow - you could put a big terra cotta pot out of your front door and have some next year? *pets* i have a LOT of shredded zucchini in my freezer for winter-time bread baking (and pancakes and cakes and...) so using up the fresh stuff is becoming a must.

How good is fresh baked bread on a scale of 1 to 10, one being awesome and 10 being incoherent with hunger?

...um... *thinks fast* YES. IT IS FOR ME. Uh... (I don't think so, but when have I ever turned down a Nous recipe? Gimmie! *G*)

[entrenous88.livejournal.com]

How good is fresh baked bread on a scale of 1 to 10, one being awesome and 10 being incoherent with hunger?

Let me theeenk...

These go to eleven!

What I need is an extra freezer for freezing stuff like shredded zucchini, and also extra fruit breads and those kinds of roll-them-up-in-a-cylinder cookie logs you can cut off a few at a time when guests suddenly show.

Heee, okay, I will post it later then! It's pretty om nom nom, so I hope you will like it.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

*points to icon* HEEEEE!

If I find a magic lamp, #1 on the list is a freezer for you. Ooooh, cookies ready to cut and bake, isn't that the best thing ever?!

I cannot imagine NOT liking it for a) I love acorn squash and b) I love your recipes. WIN-WIN.

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

I chose not to make this debate into a drinking game, having learned my lesson from the morning after VP headache. Fortunately, my drinking word was crisis, so I would have been in the bag by half time. My friend Julianne gave me the biggest laugh of the evening with I thought Obama sat on the stool just like in the Dating Game. He was the bachelor you'd pick for sure.

All these recipes look fantastic, especially that frittata (I love frittata leftovers).

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, I felt sick after the Palin debate. But that was also because I ended up having a skunky wine, so that's my fault. :D

Hahahahaha, I would TOTALLY pick Obama in the Dating Game. BP, I want to sit in front of him with "ILOV" "EYOU" on my eyelids a la Indiana Jones' students. He's dreamy. :)

Mmmm, me, too re; frittatas. So good and numtastic!

[tricksterquinn.livejournal.com]

Unfair! You're making me hungry, too, and I'm trapped at work.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I am SO HUNGRY and I'm at home! But I can't decide what to eat...

But... it's almost lunch time, and perhaps I've inspired you to get something delicious instead of just filling? ;)

[tricksterquinn.livejournal.com]

It IS almost lunch time! And I will think about... okay, probably I'll just hit Panera, but at least it's better than Burger King!

My life, so sad and bereft of real food. Sigh.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Soup in a bread bowl!

Oh, woe is you. All should have real food all the time, no fake, fast stuff. *pets*

[tricksterquinn.livejournal.com]

Mmmmmmm. I'm hoping for cream of chicken & wild rice.

I concur. Alas, political campaigns are never having real food to eat.

I swear, part of the now-ex sweeping me off my feet during the primaries was insisting on making me a real honest-to-god homecooked meal.

[fitofpique.livejournal.com]

OMG I am going to try the first three recipes for sure! Yay! Thanks, Stoney!

Lately I've been drinking Malbec and really enjoying it! A friend of mine who spent time in Argentina told me that they call it lady's wine there because it's smooth and drinkable. Glug glug!

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I LOVE FALL FOODS, OMG. I hope you like them!

Oooooooooh, Malbec!! I love Malbec. The Mr. was working in Buenos Aires for several months and brought a lot back, all delicious. I need to stock up, thanks for reminding me! (Hahaha, lady wine.)

[ruthless1.livejournal.com]

oh my god - these all look so good. Thanks for typing them all up. I am a little leery of the blue cheese and pumpkin BUT I will try it.
Also - don't you think McInsane looked a little bit like a talking garden gnome last night? Can we put the funny little red cap on him and splash it across the internets?

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

My husband said the same thing re: pumpkin soup, but TRUST ME. If you like cream of carrot soup, you will like that. (If you hit my recipe tag, I have loads of soup recipes here and there, if you're interested.)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA he did!!!! I was waiting for him to explode in a ball of fire, blood, anger, and boogers, but he internalized it and got quieter and quieter. And his internal rage was delicious to me. *kisses fingers*

[ruthless1.livejournal.com]

I came up with a slogan for the two of them.
McCain and Pailin - the rich boor and the oil whore.
I only came up with that because I already have a sign that says Bush is an Oil Whore - I would just need to modify it a bit.
Bush actually looked at my sign one time. I could see him moving his lips as he read it.

[stephanierb.livejournal.com]

McCain sounded to me like he was wheezing all night. I kept wondering if he was going to pass out.

Thanks for the recipes. You are so awesome, sharing so much with us. If I were even a remotely decent cook, I'd return the offer. I am working on it. One of these days I will produce something in the kitchen without nearly suffering a nervous breakdown first.

And thanks for the wine recs. I've been seriously thinking about carrying a notebook with me, since I try so many wines for the first time while eating out and I want to remember what I've had and how much I enjoyed it.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I hope you can create a masterpiece in your kitchen, which will inspire you to cook even more! I get in ruts, so it's nice to try new things, even if they don't work out. Besides, that's what the wine is for: to help you forget you burned the roast. :D

I need to carry a notebook, too. There were several I had in NYC that I can't remember now, and it makes me sad.

[swmbo.livejournal.com]

Um. I am now making the apples and onions and brats for dinner tonight. You are a GODDESS.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

It is SO GROOD. A little cracked pepper over all at the end? *kisses fingers*

I'm about to head to the store for supplies. Nothing is better than going to the store for ingredients to make a delicious and cozy meal!

[beadattitude.livejournal.com]

:::tummy rumbles:: OMG, I got these enormous Honeycrips the other day, seriously like two fists big. I'm gonna try the apples and onions with that. You know I think the feta would be good on that, too.

I never thought of putting bleu cheese and bacon into pumpkin soup! That sounds really interesting!!

I've discovered turban squash. Big bumpy green things at the grocery store. They are HUGE bag for your buck and are even better than butternut; more savory and sweet, less need for butter and such. Why would ANYONE foof with an acorn squash when they could have this is plum nuts. Make sure it's green and heavy.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I LOVE HONEYCRISPS. Mmmm, those are so delicious! I should amend the post to put those up there, too. Those and Pink Ladies are seriously drool making.

...I don't know about the feta. maybe it's because I've got brats in there, and that is throwing me off. If the brats weren't in it, I bet that would be good.

I love turban squash! There's pretty much not a single squash I don't love - root veggies and squash = fall goodness!

[beadattitude.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the brat would satisfy the salty/sweet contrast. I was thinking about a vegetarian version....

Late summer and fall around here are my favorite foodie times. Yum.

[julia-here.livejournal.com]

Those all soundwonderful, and I wish someone was around to cook them.

Julia, stuck on the Planet of the Guys and doing what cooking gets done, these days

[weird-cowgirl.livejournal.com]

Don't worry Mom! I've been reading your flist because it's interesting and this recipes sound AMAZING. So you will get some of this either this winter or next summer, depending. The tomatoes I think should wait until summer. But that soup? If you can have the bacon and the bleu cheese, I'll do it!

Of course that won't be for more than two months, but oh well.

(I'm sorry for using your comments to talk to my mom, Stoney. That must seem odd.)

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Aw, that's alright! I think it's sweet. You're a good daughter. :)

[julia-here.livejournal.com]

Also, you know: welcome to the world of high-functioning properly treated young adult ADHD.

Julia, and yes, she's like this in person, only possibly bouncier.

[juno.livejournal.com]

How about how McCain keep referring to Obama as "that one"? And would not shake hands afterwards?

Really rude and disrespectful.

Wonkette pointed out that on the CNN feed which kept running after the debate that the Obamas stayed and talked to people, took pictures and gave autographs for over 30 minutes ( maybe more) after the event. The McCains left immediately instead of talking to the little people who were actually there - cared about the tv audience only.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oh my GOD was that not jaw dropping?! THAT ONE. Wow. He appeared more and more like a doddering old man shaking his cane last night than he ever has, imo.

I watched Obama shake everyone's hand after - Michelle, too. They smiled, talked to everyone individually, got their pictures taken... It was clear who the big stand out was that night for the audience. I saw two people (that old man and the ex-military guy) that were clearly in McCain's camp, everyone else looked like they were really listening and taking it in.

[moosesal.livejournal.com]

Your apples and onions reminds me of my apples and sweet potatoes that I used to do for Turkey Day. I just slice some granny smiths and some sweet potatoes and cook them up in a sautee pan. Because it's T-Day I usually cook them up in butter, baby. But oil would work too. Yum.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Damn, that sounds good. New dish for T-day in my house this year!

(And for the record: my dish is a touch on the savory side, but you could pull it over whole hog with some spicy brown mustard for the brats to be dipped in. Or slide a big scoop into a hoagie bun for game day. NUM.)

[moosesal.livejournal.com]

Chris makes great brats with "stuff" for game day sometimes. And sometimes sausage and peppers. Or I make soup/chili. Love game day food. Mmm.

For a special touch on the sweet potatoes and apples, I sometimes tranfer to a baking dish and sprinkle with a little brown sugar and throw it in the oven for a few minutes before serving. My family is used to excessively candied yams, so the brown sugar gave back a little of the sweetness they were used to. A little cinnamon is nice too. But those are just depending on what flavors you want.

[anelith.livejournal.com]

I've already eaten lunch and yet these recipes are still making me hungry... bookmarking!

I'm sad that most of the good local fresh veggies and fruits will not be available for much longer. I'll have to try out some of these soon! Especially the frittata, mmm...

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I'm eating left over Apples-n-Onions right now! (Slipped into a hoagie bun with spicy mustard. YUUUUM.)

I think the frittata would be a good one to try. Simple, short, and flavorful. If you got the boys to help you with the veggies, would they eat it?

All the weather shifts are making me want to eat up all the fresh foods I can before they're gone, too.

[abusing-sarcasm.livejournal.com]

Yeah, McCain lost any chance of me thinking he wasn't an idiot when he said, during the primary debates, that he wanted to lower interest rates, following it with "I wish interest rates could be zero! Heh-heh."

Um... Yeah. THAT'S how it works. *eye roll*

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

UGH. I like how he says how anti-big government he is, then turns around and says something like a commission needs to be formed to blah blah blah and I want to shout out, "that's creating MORE government, ding dong!!"

and your icon is HILARIOUS. hahahaha.

[abusing-sarcasm.livejournal.com]

Ah, Stoney... You always get my icons. This is why you are my idol. *clings to you*

Anyhoo, um yeah. He's always yapping about spending less money, but he's a huge warmonger. Where does he think he's going to get the money to invade Russia and Iran and wherever else he's itching to scurry off to?

Oh, wait. The Fed will just print it out of thin air. Duh.

[ellid.livejournal.com]

If McCain says "my friends" one more time I swear I'm going to hit something.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, I KNOW!!!! I'm rewatching the debate with my husband (he was out of town last night) and I'm banging my head every time I hear him say it all over again.

Which is why I'm now on LJ instead of in the living room. :)

[ruthless1.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you will get this but I FINALLY tried the apples and onions and brats and ZOMG! I might have eaten a rather large second helping! mmmm. I used sweet italian sausage. delish.