Hotplate: Simple Chicken Vegetable Soup

Hotplate: Simple Chicken Vegetable Soup
(Inspired by: https://natashaskitchen.com/easy-chicken-noodle-soup-recipe/)

I love soup. It is one of many comfort foods. This recipe is also frugal (Budget-friendly).

I appreciate Natasha's recipe. It inspired me to keep trying to make Chicken Soup. I had failed before so many times. While my recipe is a major departure from Natasha's, she pointed me in the right direction.

Now, I have an easy recipe, I can make with confidence.

I used leftover vegetables and vegetables I had on hand, so this recipe can have lots of variations.

I think potatoes add additional flavor and texture to the soup.


Ingredients:

1 Chicken bouillon cube
6 cups of water
1 dash of garlic powder (Optional)
1 dash of onion powder (Optional)
Ground Black Pepper (Optional)
Season to taste and GERD tolerance
Use vegetables on hand for example:
2 chayotes, 1 frozen, 1 fresh, sliced and diced
6 Leftover roasted potatoes, cubed
10 snack carrots, diced
*I added some leftover pastrami slices. (Optional)


Process:

Add 2 cups of water to a microwaveable container
Add 1 bouillon cube to the water.
Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes.
Remove and stir until bouillon cube has dissolved
Add stock to large pot.
Add 4 cups of water.
Add spices.
Stir.
Cover pot.
Cook on high.
Bring liquid to a boil.
Add vegetables.
Stir.
Recover pot.
Cook on medium for about 15 minutes.
Check vegetables, if they are soft, the soup is ready, if not, cook for 5-10 minutes more.

I serve soup with crackers.

I divide remaining soup into single servings in freezer containers and freeze for later use.

#GERD-Friendly, use none or a little of the spices

Grocery Shopping as an Adventure

Grocery Shopping as an Adventure

In the past, going to the grocery store was just an errand squeezed in during a busy work week. Grab what you need and go.

But, three changes occurred in my life that altered my perspective on grocery shopping.

First, I got the Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyzcyn, and learned to use a "price book.” Also, I limited my grocery shopping to one day a month and learned to cook some basic recipes like the Universal Casserole, Cuban Bread, various "baked" potato toppings and more. The recipes replaced my usual potato chips and PB&J dinners, and the microwave frozen dinners I took to work for lunch.

The second change was when I moved back home to live with my elderly mother. She had stopped cooking, so I learned to make Reuben sandwiches, dump cake, grilled cheese sandwiches, crock pot dishes and more, always attempting to make dishes my mom would like. The crock pot made me look like a good cook. They are amazing.

At that time, I went to a day-old bakery for breads and sweets, an Asian market for eggs and other items, and a grocery store with lower prices for the rest. When I went grocery shopping, it was a break from work and some time alone, where I explored each aisle looking for bargains, examining new products and thinking about what mom would like.

The third change came years later. I traveled to Mexico and wrote a cookbook for noncooks. Now, I continue to research and try “new” recipes.

So, when I go grocery shopping now, still approximately once a month, it is like a mini-escape from the world where I still explore the aisles and ponder ideas like 'how did this can of Heinz potatoes get here?'

Maybe it was trucked from a farm in the U.S. to a canning factory, then trucked to a U.S. shipping port, then moved by ship to Mexico, then trucked to a distribution center and finally trucked to individual stores? Most of the food in grocery stores, around the world, travels thousands of miles from farms to stores.

I love the Ad Council's media spot on The Life and Times of Strawberry which highlights some of the rigors of food transportation and distribution.

Among expats here, there is a saying, “If you see a product you like, buy several because it may not be there next time.” So, when I see canned chicken, I buy several because it may only be on the shelves for a short time and not replaced for many many months.

When I first came to Mexico, the contents of the shelves in grocery stores were puzzling. I remember being amazed at the rows and rows of canned corn.

I wondered, “What do they do with all this corn?” I don’t have the final answer but I am living in the land of corn. It is worshipped and is part of Mayan mythology and many Mexican recipes feature corn.
 
Also, I saw lots and lots of hotdogs of various brands and types. I still don’t know what they use all these hotdogs for, there is a snack made from fried hotdog slices, street vendors do sell grilled hotdogs, and hotdog slices can be found in several recipes in restaurants. But, I never hear the term “backyard barbecue.” I have never been invited to a Mexican barbecue. Hamburgers are becoming popular but that does not explain all those hotdogs.

As I push my cart up and down the aisles, I still think of mom and often buy products she would have liked, like sauerkraut for Reuben sandwiches.

Mom was a great cook. Nothing I make compares to her dishes. I remember she was always trying new recipes and hated it when we kids turned up our noses at some new dish when we wanted "pigs in a blanket" (hot dogs with cheese wrapped in bacon).
 
American, British, Japanese, and food products from around the world can be found on many aisles these days.

I like Earl Grey tea from Bigelow (another item I buy several of if I see it).

Also, I am always amused when I see the familiar, famous Kraft blue box of Mac & Cheese.At one time, this was a mainstay meal for me. But, now, I can make my own "Mac & Cheese" from scratch in a variety of ways.

When I go grocery shopping, I also like to discover new items like this one: “powdered butter." I found it on my last trip. I've never seen this before. I used it. It does taste like butter, hummm.

I remember when a recipe called for descented onion juice. I thought, 'why bother'? But, powdered butter could be useful.

This spice is made by McCormick.

McCormick like Heinz and other American brands can be found more frequently in “high-end” grocery stores.

I am intrigued by the penetration of U.S. products into the Mexican market.

Coca Cola has been here for decades. It was one of first things I noticed. You could see the battle between Coca Cola and Pepsi played out in the economica cocinas.

These cafes carry either Coca Cola or Pepsi products and for their patronage, the soda companies provided lots of plastic tables and chairs emblazoned with their logo, so when you scan the landscape, you see Coca Cola won the war by the number of Coca Cola tables and chairs versus Pepsi's.

Hurray! On my recent trip to the grocery store, I finally found “Wagon Wheels” or Rotelle pasta for the Star Trek Cookbook recipe, Garrett Wang’s Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes.

 I have been looking for “Wagon Wheels” for at least a year.

Hotplate: Wagon Wheel Pasta with Chicken, Spinach & DIY Pesto

Updated 12/22/19
Made minor edits to clarify process.

I peruse my Star Trek Cookbook often and have made several recipes from the cookbook. There are two things, I think many cookbook authors miss, adding humor and personal stories. It's just fun reading this cookbook.

  One recipe I have been waiting a long time to make is Garrett Wang's Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes. I spent months looking for "Rotelle" pasta (wagon wheel pasta). Then, Hurray! I found some bags of small wagon wheel pasta, called "Engrane" in Mexico.

Looking at this recipe, now, my eyes roll.

I am not going to be making this recipe as it is stated in the Star Trek Cookbook, gotta adapt it to what I have and also make it GERD-friendly.

Plus, I wonder, how can spinach be a substitute for pasta as the recipe suggests?

Oh no, I forgot the recipe called for pesto. So, I desperately searched for an easy DIY pesto recipe.

Luckily, I found one at RecipeTinEats! Now, I don't have a blender, so I am not sure what to call the mixture I made, maybe "Almost Pesto Sauce." Now, that I think about it, I should have just stirred the mixture more furiously.

Even though I have been trying to learn how to cook for years now, I am still uncomfortable with many of the ingredients and processes.

While this recipe states the process in a logical order, I was bouncing all over the kitchen because I would forget one step before I started another. Or the pasta boiled over. Or I almost ran out of tablespoons. Or I ran out of space to put things. I felt a little like Neelix (Ethan Phillips) when he runs around Voyager's kitchen cooking up a storm for the crew with various pots boiling, frying, and steaming.

The sink is full of all the dishes, cups, bowls, spoons, pots and pans I used. While I am exhausted, I know IF I make this recipe again, it will go easier.



Hotplate: Wagon Wheel Pasta with Chicken, Spinach & DIY Pesto
(Adapted from: Star Trek Cookbook, Garrett Wang “Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes”)

Note: While this dish is cooked on a hotplate, it is served cold.


Ingredients:

2 Cups Frozen spinach
1-2 Cups water
1 dab of olive oil
1 Tomato bouillon cube
1 200g (7 oz) Engrane (tiny wagon wheel pasta)
2 TBspns olive oil (Sorry I do not ask my olive oil about their sex lives.)
1 350g (12.3 oz) Can of Chicken, drained
1/2 Tspn garlic powder
A few grinds of Ground black pepper
S/P to taste
Sauce: 3 TBspns Pesto sauce, store bought or DIY (See DIY Pesto Recipe Post)
Garnish: Parmesan cheese and extra olive oil (optional)

(Some Ingredients shown are for the DIY Pesto)

 
Pre-Preparations:

Cook Spinach:

Add frozen spinach to a 2-cup container.
Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes.
Remove, drain, and set aside.


Make Tomato Stock:

Add cube of tomato bouillon to 2 cups of water.
Microwave water 2-3 minutes on high to bring to a boil.
Remove and stir to make sure bouillon has dissolved.


Make Pasta:

Put pasta into a large pot, cover with tomato stock.
Add a dab of olive oil.
Stir.
Bring to a boil.
Stir.
Add salt if desired.
Stir.
Cover.
Boil about 5-8 minutes.
Watch the pot, it may boil over.
Check pasta to see if is done. It is done, if it is still a bit firm and you can bite it easily (al dente).
Drain pasta, reserve some of the pasta liquid, and set aside.


Process:

In a skillet, add a dab of olive oil and garlic powder.
Cook on medium heat.
Stir and mix oil and powder.
Add chicken.
Add spinach.
Stir thoroughly.
Cook on medium heat until mixture is hot throughout.
Add a little pasta water if the mixture is too dry.
Add mixture to pasta in pot.
Stir mixture thoroughly.
Pour mixture into a large bowl.
Add pesto sauce.
Stir thoroughly.
Cover bowl and place in frig.
Wait until mixture is chilled throughout.
When serving, garnish with Parmesan cheese and additional olive oil, if desired.

I forgot how much pasta 1 small bag makes. I have to figure out how to halve this recipe.

 Note: While I really like the flavor the tomato bouillon adds, I keep forgetting bouillon cubes add quite a bit of salt and spice to any dish.

 #GERD-friendly - if you reduce the garlic powder to just a hint.

Mexican Carry-Out: Tamales

Mexican Carry-Out: Tamales

I love these tamales. There's a vendor nearby and they offer chicken or carne tamales with red or green salsa sauces.

For $10pesos each, two tamales for $20 is a bargain.

I love opening the tamales because they are wrapped and cooked in huge banana leaves, so when you slowly and carefully unwrap the hot tamales the aroma fills the air.

Hotplate: Another TWG Mini-Universal Casserole

As you can see, I am on a bit of a kick here, using a variety of combinations to make TWG mini-universal casseroles.

So far, this one is the best, though it could use more spices.

This is what Amy Dacyczyn, author of The Tightwad Gazette, is all about. She encourages people to be creative.


Hotplate: Another TWG Mini-Universal Casserole

I really like this combination of ingredients. The homemade cream sauce reduced the salt level because I did not use canned cream soup which contains a substantial amount of salt. I do not use salt in most of my recipes.


Pre-Preparation:

Make a batch of pasta per package instructions.
Make cream sauce if needed. (See Hotplate: White Cream Sauce (Medium) Recipe)


*Ingredients:

1/2 14.75oz Can of salmon, drained
1/2 Cup Canned mixed vegetables, drained and rinsed in can
1 Cup Pasta, cooked
3/4 Cup Cream sauce or use canned cream soup
1/8 Cup Almonds, sliced
2 TBspns Parsley, dry, crushed between palms
A few twists of Ground black pepper
Salt to taste (Optional)
Topping: 1/2 Cup or more Mozzarella cheese
Garnish: Parsley, dry, crushed


Process:

Add all ingredients to a small microwaveable casserole dish, except the topping and 1 TBspn of parsley.
Mix ingredients thoroughly.
Add topping by sprinkling cheese over the mixture.
Sprinkle 1 TBspn of parsley over cheese.
Cover with plastic wrap.
Microwave on high for 8 minutes.
Be careful when removing casserole from microwave. The plastic may release hot steam.
Be careful when removing plastic.
Sprinkle casserole with more parsley if desired.

*Note: This recipe is a great catchall recipe where you can use leftovers. I used a little leftover pasta and some leftover cream soup from a previous recipe.

#GERD-friendly

Microwave: TWG Universal Casserole -- Single Serving

TWG Universal Casserole -- Single Serving
(Adapted from The Complete Tightwad Gazette)

The Universal Casserole is one of my favorite TWG recipes but as a single person, I wanted to make a smaller amount. So, I decided to half the recipe and give it a shot.

Categories of Ingredient Choices
 
Main ingredient: tuna, cubed chicken, turkey, ham, seafood
Second ingredient: sliced celery, mushrooms, peas, chopped hard-boiled eggs
Starchy ingredient: sliced potatoes, noodles (cooked), cooked rice
Binder: cream sauce, sour cream, can of soup
Goodie: pimineto, olives, almonds, water chestnuts
Topping: potato chips, cheese, bread crumbs
Spices or Herbs: Your choice


Ingredients:

Choose one item from each category above.

1/2 Cup main ingredient
1/2 Cup second ingredient
1 Cup starchy ingredient
3/4 Cup binder
1/8 Cup goodie
Spices or herbs
Topping
Oil to grease microwave dish

I choose canned chicken; canned mushroom pieces, rinsed in the can; canned potatoes, diced, rinsed in the can; crema Flor de Calabaza; olives, diced; and mozzarella cheese, grated as a topping.

Dry Parsley and ground black pepper were my choice of spices. 

I had enough leftover ingredients to make this casserole again.


Process:

Stir and mix ingredients, except for topping, together thoroughly.
Add the spices or herbs of your choice.
Stir well.
If mixture is dry, add a bit of milk or stock.
Stir well.
Transfer mixture to buttered or greased microwave dish.
Add topping.
Sprinkle with spices or herbs. (Optional)
Cover with plastic wrap.
Microwave on high for 8 minutes.

Eight minutes was enough to heat the casserole all through but next time, I may try to microwave it for 10 minutes.

I also sprinkled more parsley, dry crushed over the individual serving.

I enjoyed this recipe even though it had strong olive flavor and was more salty than I would have liked.


#GERD-friendly if you use almond slivers or water chestnuts, diced, instead of olives.

Sweet Iced Neth with Spices (Faux Mango Lassi)

Ethan Phillips (Neelix) and William J. Birnes have created a delightful cookbook. Ethan / Neelix uses his experiences as chef on Star Trek Voyager to talk about various "recipes" he made during the show and recipes he gathered from crew members from all the Star Trek series.

It's like an anthropological cookbook because Ethan / Neelix weaves in stories about the history of the recipe and the ingredients. I must say I am glad that I don't really need any bloodworms or bugs to make most of these recipes.

For Sweet Iced Neith, Ethan / Neelix talks of his family adventures exploring the countryside near their home, discovering "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page."

I rarely have all the ingredients called for in a recipe and I often want to make a smaller amount.

In this recipe, I used ingredient ideas from two Star Trek Cookbook recipes, Sweet Iced Neth and Spiced Iced Neth.


Sweet Iced Neth with Spices (Faux Mango Lassi)
(Adapted from: the Star Trek Cookbook)


Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Yogurt, plain
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 Tspn Ginger powder
1/2 Tspn Cardamon powder
1/4 Tspn Cumin powder
5 Full TBspns Canned Mango juice with pulp, crushed
1 TBspn Honey

In a large glass, add ingredients.
Use the spoon to smash the mango pulp.
Stir and mix ingredients well.

 #GERD-friendly - this recipe is GERD-friendly for me, if I use lactose-free milk.
 

Hotplate: Simmered Sardine on Toast

Update 2/11/2020

I added a choice, garlic or anchovy butter.

At times, I get lost in recipe research. I enjoy looking for cookbooks online, in particular, old ones.

I use Project Gutenberg and the Internet Archive, often.

Found this little gem, The Cook-Book of Left-Overs, on the Internet Archive.

I was amused to find several Toast Topping recipes in this 1911 cookbook.

While this is a similar recipe to other Sardine on Toast recipes I have blogged about, in this recipe I used a different brand of sardines, Yavaros. The sardines are larger and in a tomato sauce. Surprisingly, the sardines were meaty and less fishy than the smaller tins of sardines, I use.

I could not remove the sardines whole, they fell apart. I made several adjustments to this wee recipe. For example, the original recipe called for broiling the sardines. I choose to use a skillet and simmer the sardine in a garlic butter base.


Hotplate: Simmered Sardine on Toast
(Adapted from: the Cook Book of Left-Overs, Broiled Sardines on Toast, p101 [p95].)


Makes one serving or more.


Ingredients:

1 Tin of large sardines, drained
1 TBspn of garlic or anchovy butter
A bit of water
Ground black pepper, to taste (Optional)
Lime juice
1 Slice of multi-grain bread
A dab of olive oil
Garnish: Parsley, dry, crushed between palms

 
Process:


In a skillet, add garlic or anchovy butter.
Cook on medium heat.
Add 1 or more sardines (save any remaining sardines for later use.)
Mix the sardine with the butter as it melts.
Add a bit of water.
Add black pepper.
Stir mixture.
Cover the skillet.
Simmer mixture several minutes to heat thoroughly.

Make toast.
Add a bit of olive oil to toast.
Spread sardine mixture over toast.
Top with parsley.
Sprinkle a little lime juice over the topping.

Hotplate / Microwave: Pasta, White Beans, Spinach With an Anchovy Sauce

Ok, here’s how it often goes with me. I wanted a pasta recipe that used anchovies. I found this recipe (Broccoli Rabe (Rapini) and Pasta with White Bean and Anchovy Sauce) on Recipeland and thought I’d use it as a guide. I wanted to make a singe serving among other things.

I made a small bag of ribbon pasta. I’ll use the rest of the pasta elsewhere.

The recipe called for Broccoli Rabe. I assumed it was a type of greens. Because I did not have Rabe, I used spinach.

Recently, I had made a small batch of anchovy butter, so I used about a 1/3 of a cup of the anchovy butter.

I made a cup of vegetable stock with a vegetable bouillon cube and a cup of water. I only used about 1/3 a cup of the stock, I'll use the rest of the stock elsewhere.

Beans are plentiful here but there are not many choices of white beans are available. I had made a small batch of white beans previously and wanted to use them.

Because I had made several changes to the original recipe, I wasn’t sure it would turn out. One bite told me, it came out great.

I thank Jack Monroe for introducing me to the varied uses of anchovies.

Normally, when I use garlic powder, I have no ill effects i.e. acid reflux, but because I made several recipes with garlic powder, lately, my system was overwhelmed. So, now, I will reduce the garlic powder to a hint to none.


Pasta, White Beans, Spinach With an Anchovy Sauce
(Adapted from: Recipeland, Broccoli Rabe (Rapini) and Pasta with White Bean and Anchovy Sauce)


Makes a 1 bowl serving.


Pre-Preparations:

Make Anchovy butter:

Drain 1 tin of anchovies.
Add anchovies to a container with a lid.
Add 1/2 Cup butter.
Mix and smash the butter and anchovies until they are thoroughly combined and the anchovies are in tiny pieces.
Hold off on adding spices. Add them later when using the mixture as anchovy butter.

Make Vegetable Stock:

Add 1 vegetable bouillon cube to a cup of water.
Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Remove and stir until the bouillon cube has dissolved.


Ingredients:

1 Small bag of pasta
1 dab of vegetable oil
1/3 Cup of Anchovy butter
1/3 cup of vegetable stock
2 Heaping TBspns of canned (rinsed in the can) or cooked white beans (any type)
1 Small dessert bowl of frozen spinach
a hint of garlic powder
Ground black pepper to taste
Garnish: Parmasan cheese


Process:


Pasta

In a medium pan, add enough water to cover the pasta.
Add a dab of oil.
Add pasta and cook according to package directions.
When pasta is done, drain and set aside.


Anchovy, Spinach and White Bean Sauce

Add anchovy butter to a small skillet.
Simmer and stir until anchovies have “melted.”
Add vegetable stock.
Add beans.
Add spinach.
Add garlic powder.
Add ground black pepper.
Stir to mix ingredients.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Check and stir occasionally.
Use a spoon to mash the beans.
Simmer until beans are so soft they are easy to mash.
Continue to simmer. You want the mixture creamy and hot throughout.

To serve:

Fill a bowl about 2/3 full of cooked pasta.
Add the sauce.
Stir ingredients to mix them thoroughly.
Add garnish.

#GERD-friendly
 

Hotplate / Microwave: Dressed Up Can of Portobello Mushroom Soup

You can take this dressed up Can of Cream of Portobello Mushroom soup anywhere.

Thanks to Jack Monroe (https://cookingonabootstrap.com/), I’ve made another great soup.

Sadly, I do not have a blender, so I used a can of Cream of Portobello mushroom soup instead of fresh mushrooms and also made other adjustments.

It turns out that Cream of Portobello mushroom soup is more of a broth whereas a different Cream of mushroom soup is creamy.

Also, I was pleasantly surprised, I had been saving a bit of leftover red wine in the frig for quite awhile. It was fine.


Hotplate/Microwave: Dressed Up Can of Portobello Mushroom Soup
(Adapted from A Girl Called Jack - Red Wine and Mushroom Soup p51)
 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups water
1 Vegetable Bouillon cube
1/2-1 TBspns Onion powder
1/2 TBspn Garlic powder
1 15oz (420g) Can of cream of Portobello mushroom soup
2 oz (50ml) Leftover Red wine
1 Tspn Thyme, dry, crushed
Garnish: Thyme, dry, crushed

Process:

Add bouillon cube to water.
Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Remove and stir until cube has dissolved.
Pour a small amount of the vegetable stock into a medium pan.
Add garlic and onion powders.
Stir.
With the liquid, the powders will become a paste.
Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Add mushroom soup.
Stir and mix ingredients.
Add the rest of the stock.
Stir.
Add wine.
Stir.
Add thyme, crush between palms over liquid.
Stir.
Bring to a boil.
Stir.
Simmer 3-5 minutes to get soup thoroughly hot.
Add garnish when serving.

#GERD-friendly

Hotplate: TWG Universal Pilaf

As time goes on, popular books are often forgotten. In the 1990s, Amy Dacyczyn's Tightwad Gazette books were popular and the topic of tightwaddery was discussed about in various media.

While the focus of Amy's books is a change in perspective about saving money, it is also about a lifestyle and a philosophy. In addition, to Amy's ideas and illustrations, she tells stories about becoming and being a tightwad.

I enjoy reading about her adventures in yardsaling, dumpster diving and more, as well as some of the "ethical" conundrums she confronts like the Great Muffin Debate.

While Amy was staying as a hotel for a talk show appearance,  she kept an extra muffin from the buffet because she could not finish eating it. She had published in her newsletter her experiences about traveling while on her book tour. She included a story about the buffet. Later, in a letter, a reader chastises Amy for keeping the breakfast muffin. Amy agreed with the reader. Because in Amy's words:

 "The relationship between ethics and thrift can be summed up in one sentence. It is wrong to save money at the expense of others. Period."

As you read the Tightwad Gazette, you'll find little gems of advice. One of my favorite pieces of advice from Amy is "are you getting your bang for a buck?" meaning before you spend money evaluate whether it is truly worth it.

As I have said elsewhere, Amy saved my life, and I still try to follow her advice as best I can.

Often, in all 4 of Amy's books, she includes ideas from her readers.

This recipe is from two of her readers.

I made a few adjustments.


Hotplate: TWG Universal Pilaf
(Adapted from:  The Tightwad Gazette (The Complete edition)  P824-25)

From Andrea J. Albert and David E. Gurzynski, they note, this can be a meatless side dish or a meal when meat or a protein is added.


Ingredients:

Choose one in each category.

Fat: 2 TBspns: vegetable oil, olive oil, butter, or other oil

Base vegetable, diced: 1 onion, 3 shallots, 1 leek bulb, or 2 TBspns onion powder

Herbs: 2-3 Garlic cloves, diced or 1-2 TBspns garlic powder

Meat or protein: 1/2 to 2/3 Cup cooked chicken, diced; canned chicken, drained; canned tuna, drained; fresh tuna, diced; cooked or canned red beans, drained; white fish, diced;  cooked hamburger crumbled; or other protein

Grain: 1 Cup: Uncooked rice (white or brown), bulgur, couscous, or other grain

Liquid, 2 Cups: chicken bouillon cube and water, vegetable broth, chicken broth, vegetable water, or water

Vegetable(s), 1/2 Cup: frozen, fresh, or canned (rinsed) peas; frozen, fresh, or canned (rinsed) carrots, diced; frozen, fresh, or canned (rinsed) corn kernels; or frozen or canned (rinsed) peas, carrots and corn; frozen or fresh bell peppers, diced; frozen or fresh celery, diced; or other vegetable

Seasonings: S/P, hot sauce or herb of your choice, to taste

Garnish: Parsley, dry, crushed


Process:

In a skillet, add fat.
Add base vegetable.
Saute on medium heat until soft.
If using only onion powder, just mix powder with the fat and heat for a moment.
Add herbs.
Stir.
Add meat (except tuna, add that later).
Use medium heat to brown the meat.
Stir.
Add grain.
Saute for a minute or two.
Stir mixture.
Add liquid.
Stir.
Bring to a boil.
Add tuna if that was the protein choice.
Stir.
Add vegetables.
Stir.
Add seasonings.
Stir.
Return to boil.
Stir.
Reduce heat to simmer.
Add cover.
Check often and stir.
Cook 15-40 minutes, depends on ingredients chosen.
Stir.
Cook until liquid has been absorbed.
Stir.
Serve.
Add garnish.

Can be #GERD-friendly if you use onion, garlic and black pepper sparingly or use onion or garlic powder, and don't use hot sauce.

 

Toaster Oven/Stovetop: Fishy Snacks - Anchovy Savories and Deviled Eggs Stuffed with Sardine Mash

During the last few weeks of recipe frustration, I did make two recipes that came out well but only for people who like sour and salty snacks.

I like anchovies, so I had to try Jack’s recipe Anchovy Savories from Cooking on a Bootstrap (eBook version).

While it looks like a simple recipe, it is, but the whole melting butter mixed with flour thing intimidates me.


Toaster Oven / Hotplate: Anchovy Savories
(From Jack Monroe’s Cooking on a Bootstrap (eBook) )

Makes enough sauce for 2 slices of toast.


Ingredients:

1 tspn Butter
1 tspn Flour
A little Milk
A small lump of hard Cheese, grated
A few drops of hot sauce
2 pieces of multi-grain bread
Parsley (optional)
1 36g (1.25oz) Can of anchovies, drained


Process:

Make toast, first, either in a skillet or in a toaster oven.

In a small skillet, add butter.
On a low heat, melt butter.
Add flour and stir.
Keep stirring as you slowly add a bit of milk.
Keep stirring to avoid lumps.
Add grated cheese.
Keep stirring.
Add a bit more milk, if needed.
Add hot sauce.
Keep stirring, scraping the bottoms and sides of skillet.
Sauce should be slightly thick.
Spread a layer of sauce on toast.
Top with a few anchovies.
Add parsley (optional).
Eat immediately.

To my mind, this is a snack food.

Note: You may have heard about the controversy over the contents of some Parmesan Cheese containers. Some companies were selling cheese flavored sawdust. Well, the same problem exists in the spice industry. I had a jar of Parsley that was more like twigs than parsley leaves. So, that is why I did not use parsley in this recipe




I credit Alex Fergus for the inspiration for the following recipe. You can find him at https://www.alexfergus.com/blog/51-sardine-recipes-for-the-fussiest-of-fish-eaters.


Deviled Eggs Stuffed with Sardine Mash

Pre-preparation:

Make hard-boiled eggs via toaster oven. See recipe on this blog.

Make sardine mash. See recipe on this blog.

Ingredients:

Hard-boiled egg(s)
Sardine mash
1 TBspn Mayo and a little more
1/2 Capful of lime juice
Ground black pepper to taste
1 TBspn of parsley, dry


Process:

Peel egg(s) and cut in half lengthwise.
Carefully remove the yolk(s) and put into sardine mash container.
Add Mayo into container.

Add Lime juice to mixture.
Add ground black pepper.
Stir and mix sardine mash and yolk(s) well.
Stir mixture until it is creamy.
Add more mayo if needed.
Take a Tsp scoop or more of mixture and fill the hollow in the egg halves.
Sprinkle deviled egg(s) with crushed dry parsley.

#GERD-friendly if you do not add Black pepper.

Stovetop: Salmon and Corn Chowder

I have a smile on my face. I made chowder.

For the last few weeks, my attempts at making several recipes from various sources failed.

I battled with making peanut butter ice cream. My first attempt had came out good but when I tried to make it again, it became peanut butter ice or a thick peanut butter cream.

My little white beans, while cooked, lacked flavor.

But, things began to change when I made a wonderful sesame sauce for cucumber slices. Ahhh.


Stovetop: Salmon and Corn Chowder
(Adapted from: Tin Can Cook - Salmon and Corn Chowder p110)

I have made adjustments to Jack's recipe based on ingredients I had available and also in an attempt to make the recipe GERD-friendly.

Also, while I converted the grams into ounces, the amounts are not exact to the quantity you will find in cans in your grocery store.


Ingredients:

1 430g (15.16 oz) Can of potatoes, sliced or cubed, drained, and rinsed in can
 
1 and 1/2 Chicken bouillon cubes

10 oz Water

1 285g (10.5oz) Can corn, drained, and rinsed in can

4 oz Salmon paste see fish paste recipe below

2-3 TBspns Milk (I used powdered milk mix)

S/P to taste

2-3 TBspns thawed frozen spinach (Optional)


Fish Paste
(Adapted from: https://jackiem.com.au/2015/05/19/how-to-make-fish-paste/)


Ingredients:

 1 140g (4.93oz) Can of salmon, drained
3+ TBspns of flour
and a bit of water
S/P to taste


Fish Paste Process:

Basically, in a bowl, add salmon and flour, mix ingredients thoroughly by hand until it is a smooth thick paste. Add water if needed. Store the fish paste in the frig until ready for use. This recipe makes about 8oz of fish paste.


Salmon and Corn Chowder Process:

Add potatoes to medium sauce pan.
Add bouillon cubes to 10 oz of water.
Boil water and cubes in microwave for two minutes.
When ready, stir to blend bouillon with the water.
Add bouillon stock to pan.
Stir.
Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
Add corn.
Add fish paste.
Stir until mixture is smooth.
Simmer until vegetables are soft.
Stir.
Simmer for 15 minutes.

Add milk.
Stir.
After a minute or two, add s/p to taste.
Add spinach (optional)
Simmer for a minute or two until chowder is hot.
Serve.

Note: I did not add spinach.

 

 Great with saltine crackers.

#GERD-friendly