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.

Garlic Butter

Spruce Eats has become another of favorite go to recipe site.

For the present, the website is not full of popup boxes or moving videos which I like.

Lots of good info, written in an easy to understand manner.

Recipes include both fancy and simple recipes.

I always love a recipe website that offers tips.

For some reason, I was swimming in anchovy and sardine recipes and ended up on Spruce Eats and making garlic butter and anchovy butter for other recipes.

I know, I know, it's a simple recipe. But, it's all the other tips that make it fun.

Garlic Butter
(Adapted from: How to Make Simple Garlic Butter With Variations)


 Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Butter
1 Tspn Garlic Powder


Process:

Add butter to a container with a lid.
Add garlic powder.
Use a spoon to mix the ingredients thoroughly.

#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.

No Bake: Pineapple Overnight Oats

When I returned home, I got frustrated. I had a pantry full of items but because I lacked one essential ingredient for several recipes, I floundered. What do I make? Unfortunately, my “Use What You Have” method did not help this time.

I love Jack Monroe’s Carrot Cake Overnight Oats from her Tin Can Cook Cookbook (https://cookingonabootstrap.com/2019/05/30/carrot-cake-overnight-oats-recipe/). But, where I live, the canned carrots are seasoned with salty and sour spices that I could not rinse out.

So, I decided to make a variation on the recipe using a replacement ingredient for the carrots.

So, after three trips to various tiendas, I got oats, milk, and canned pineapple. This venture was Not Tightwaddery.

I was bound and determined to have a breakfast of overnight oats. During the process, I did a bit of research about overnight oats recipes and found answers to several of my questions.

There are several types of oats according to the Oldways Whole Oats Council (https://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/easy-ways-enjoy-whole-grains/grain-month-calendar/oats-%E2%80%93-january-grain-month/types):

Raw, Whole Oats Groats, Steel Cut Oats, Scottish Oatmeal, Rolled Oats Regular, Rolled Oats Quick or Instant, and Oat Flour.

On my visit to my family, I made the Carrot Cake Overnight Oats with quick oats. While the result was good, the oats were semi-soft, that was not a problem, they just gave the dish a different texture.

For this recipe, I used rolled oats which are thicker. This gave my new overnight oats recipe a thicker, crunchier texture.

Also, @TheKitchn gave some great information about making and storing overnight oats recipes. I wondered how long the oats would keep in the frig and found this article: This is How Long Overnight Oats Will Last in the Fridge, (https://www.thekitchn.com/this-is-how-long-overnight-oats-will-last-in-the-fridge-248415).

Also, I found I had already made an Overnight Oats Mug recipe years ago (https://riastoneblog.blogspot.com/2014/02/mug-no-cook-fruit-oatmeal-treat.html). With my new information, I can improve that recipe.



No Bake: Pineapple Overnight Oats


Ingredients:

Food container with a lid
1 Can of chunk pineapple, drained
Rolled oats (Instant will work, too)
Honey
Cinnamon
Milk


Process:

I had to eyeball the measurement of the ingredients based on the size of the food container.

Basically, layer the bottom of the food container with some of the pineapple chunks.
Top with a thick layer of oats.
Add honey and cinnamon according to taste.
Stir mixture well
Pour in milk to cover the oat mixture.
Stir well.
Cover container with the lid.
Store in fridge.
Check mixture about an hour later.
The oats will have absorbed most of the milk.
Add a bit more milk and stir.
Check later if necessary.

In the morning, upon serving, add more milk if mixture is too thick or dry.


#GERD-friendly

Tin Can Cook - Creamy 'Chicken' Soup

While visiting my family, I got Jack Monroe's Tin Can Cook Cookbook and went a little crazy making a few of their recipes.

Jack Monroe is an incredible human being. She struggled through severe poverty with her young son for several years. During those years, she blogged about her experiences and her efforts to fed her child. Eventually, she caught the attention of the media and was approached to write a cookbook. They did.

While the cookbook was a "success", Jack still struggled in poverty. Since then, she has written several cookbooks including Tin Can Cook Cookbook. This book is special because Jack wrote it for others who have to survive on food bank donations. He also started a GoFundMe account so her followers could donate money to purchase the cookbook for food banks in the UK.

The GoFundMe account has purchased 1000s of cookbooks for several foodbanks and their clients.


Creamy Chicken Soup
(Adapted from: Jack Monroe's Tin Can Cook, Creamy 'Chicken' Soup)

I loved the idea of this soup. It sounded easy, healthy, and tasty. But, sadly, I could not find pease pudding. So, I sorta learned how to make it by accident.


DIY Pease Pudding

Because I could not find pease pudding, my sister got me a small bag of split yellow peas.

I had no idea what to do next, so I put some in a bowl, covered them with water, then put the lid on the bowl and stuck them in the frig.

I went back to the frig several times to add more water as the peas did soak up the water but the peas remained hard.

The next day, I decided to put the peas in a pot, cover them with water and, bring them to a rapid boil on my sister’s gas stove. Then, I reduced the temperature to simmer.

At first, the pot boiled over with a white foam. I was not expecting this. I spooned off the foam and continued to simmer the peas.

After over an hour, the peas finally became mushy and the water got thick.

I did add some turmeric but I actually liked it plain.

I wasn’t ready to make the soup, so I poured the mixture into a bowl with a lid, let it cool, then added the lid and put it in the frig.


Creamy Chicken Soup
Again, I noted metric conversions and my substitutions.


Ingredients:

Estimated measurements for milk and bouillon

220g Pease pudding, 220g = 8oz
-I actually made a whole lot more, see picture

1 can Hot Chicken bouillon est 14oz
-I used 1/2 a chicken bouillon and a 1/2 can of LO creamy chicken soup

Consider a vegetable bouillon cube to keep soup vegetarian.

1 can Milk est 8oz
-I eyeballed the amount of milk because I had used a lot of pease pudding. I added enough milk to make the mixture soupy.

1 Tbspn Garlic paste
-I used a Tspn of minced garlic

I added 6-8 dashes of an onion and herbs spice
I added about a cup of minced cooked chicken, optional.
Black pepper, optional

Remember, other than the chicken bouillon cube, the original recipe did not have any chicken.



Process:

Add pease pudding to medium sized pan.
Add creamy chicken soup.
Add bouillon.
Add 1/3 of milk.
Add minced garlic.
Stir and mix well.
Cook on medium on hotplate.
Stir vigorously to make the mixture smooth.
Continue stirring
Gradually add remaining milk.
Add chicken bits.
Reduce heat to low, so milk does not boil.

Before serving, I increased the temperature to get soup warm-hot just before serving.

When serving season with ground black pepper.


Jack Monroe

https://cookingonabootstrap.com/

https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-tin-can-cook-to-foodbanks

Tin Can Cook - Warm Potato Salad with Anchovy Mayo

Myself and my nephew, I think, are the only ones in the family who like anchovies.

I was thrilled to see Jack Monroe's (https://cookingonabootstrap.com) recipe featured anchovies.

While at my sister and her husband's house on a recent visit, I tried several of Jack's recipes but I ended up eating them all because they did not appeal to others. I thought they were great.

This recipe took some time to make because it took time to smash, crush, separate, divide and mash the anchovies in the mayo amid many interruptions. I had to put the mixture in the frig, two or three times before I finished "creaming" the anchovies into the mayo.

Also, working in someone else's kitchen, sometimes you have to improvise. At first, the only "lemon" I found was a spice called "Lemon Pepper", so I used that. Then, I found a slice of lime in the frig, and used that, too. So, while my anchovy with mayo sauce was lemon-limey, I thought it came out great.

Again, I show the conversions from metric to ounces and my substitutions.

Tin Can Cook - Warm potato salad with Anchovy Mayo P81

Ingredients:

1 50g can anchovies, drained 1.76oz

I used a 2oz tin of anchovies.

100g mayo 3.527oz

1 Tbspn = .625oz

I used three heaping Tablespoons of mayo.

1 Tbspn lemon juice

I used a generous dose of "Lemon Pepper" and a good squeeze from a slice of lime.

1 500g potatoes, drained, cut in half, 500g = 17.63oz

I used a 14.5oz can of potatoes.

Process:

In a bowl or a medium container with a lid, add anchovies and mayo.

Mash with a fork and stir well.

Add lemon juice or other citrus flavors.

Stir.

Cover and place in frig.

Pour potatoes into saucepan.

Cut potatoes in half.

Add water to cover.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce to simmer.

Simmer 4 minutes to warm all the potatoes.

Remove pan from hotplate, drain potatoes.

Place potatoes in a bowl.

Pour anchovy mayo over potatoes.

Stir gently to coat potatoes.

Serve hot or cold.

Note: I made a lunch from leftovers that included: a fried egg and fruit from breakfast, pork and beans, Jack's Chickpea, Bread and Spinach dish, and a serving of Jack's Warm Potato Salad with Anchovy Mayo.

This recipe could be #GERD-friendly if other flavorings were substituted for the "spicy or acidic" flavorings.

Tin Can Cook - Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

I am enjoying reading Jack Monroe’s latest cookbook, Tin Can Cook. This is the first of several recipes I am going to try.

It is always an adventure to try and make a recipe.

BTW, I love the name of the recipe and the fact it is a no bake or cook recipe.

When I was in the states visiting family, going grocery shopping, is often a catch as catch can affair because I use public transit or join family on their trips to the grocery.

After a family event, my sister stopped by a grocery store. As we shopped, I tried to be quick. What did I need to make Jack’s Carrot Cake Overnight Oats?

Besides buying cans of carrots, I had asked my sister to pick up some oats. Back at the house, as I began to gather the ingredients to make this recipe, I realized she had selected quick oats, so I was not sure how they would work.

Note: I converted the metric measurements to ounces.

Tin Can Cook - Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
(No Bake)

Ingredients:

1 can carrots, drained, 200g = 7.05 oz

My can was 14.5 oz, so I used roughly half a can.

Milk 250ml = 8.79 oz
I used Lactose-free milk

Oats 70g = 2.49 oz

Raisins 70g = 2.49 oz

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbspns Sugar, optional

Process:

In a medium-size container with a lid, add carrots.

With a fork, mash carrots.

Add milk.

Mix and mash carrots in the milk

Add oats.

Add raisins.

Add cinnamon and sugar.

Mix well.

Affix lid.

Chill overnight or 8 hours to allow oats to soak up milk and swell up.

Serve with a splash of milk or cream.

The recipe turned out great. Now, I have another oats recipe including the "Worts" recipe.

#GERD-Friendly