Quote

"I cannot live without books: but fewer will suffice where amusement, and not use, is the only future object." -- Thomas Jefferson

Monday, December 21, 2020

Microwave: Mug O'Frittata

Over time, I shifted from making a Mug dish and eating it straight from the mug to using the recipe as a Toast Topping. Now, I am using various recipes as a Quesadilla filling.
 
Also, over time, I have moved away from frying foods. Plus, I hardly every use salt in my recipes because often many of the ingredients already contain salt.
 
I do attempt to make my recipes GERD-friendly. This can not be labelled GERD-friendly primarily because it contains cheeses.
 
 
Mug O’Frittata 


Ingredients:

1 Slice Multigrain toast or “fried” Tortilla*
1 Dab of Olive oil
1 Egg
1 Dollop of Milk (lactose-free)
1-2 Drops Hot sauce
1 Tspn Parsley, dry
S/P to taste
1-2 TBspns Hard or mixed cheeses, grated
1 Slice of Turkey lunchmeat, torn into pieces
2 Heaping TBspns Canned mixed vegetable, drained & rinsed, or frozen mixed vegetables
Mayo (Optional)
Topping: 1 TBspn Canned Mushroom slices / bits, rinsed (Optional)
Garnish: parmesan cheese (Optional)
 

Process:

Add oil to mug, swirl to cover bottom and sides.
Add egg, milk, spices and S/P.
Stir and whip thoroughly.
Add cheese, vegetables and turkey pieces.
Stir and mix well.
Top with mushrooms.
Microwave on high 2 minutes.
Check to make sure all liquids have been cooked off, if not microwave 60secs or more.
Remove and garnish with Parmesan cheese.
Spread some mayo over toast or "fried" quesadilla.
Mash and spread the mixture over toast, or a tortilla and fold (It will be stuffed).




 
 
I did not use the mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, or put mayo on the "fried" quesadilla and it was fabulous and filling.


*Note: I microwaved the tortilla for about 60sec on high to "fry" it. A microwaved tortilla is not as good as a fried tortilla but I am just not frying much these days.
 
To fry a tortilla, put a bit of oil in a skillet and brown the tortilla on both sides and then while still in the skillet fill one side of the tortilla, fold over and cook a bit more. Then remove from skillet to plate.
 

Sunday, December 20, 2020

Stovetop: Canned Mushrooms and Mixed Vegetable Soup

I love the Star Trek Cookbook by Ethan Phillips (Neelix from Star Trek Voyager) and William J. Birnes. I have bookmarked several recipes, this is one, Jeri Ryan's Wild Mushroom Soup. But, as you will see, my recipe does not resemble the original recipe.
 
Where I live, many powdered spices absorb moisture and harden. I decided to try and use up my hardened onion and garlic powders in this recipe. I used a bit too much. But, the end result was tasty, not a knock your socks off flavor, but tasty.
 
Most of the time, I never have all the ingredients recipes call for, so, I am usually in “Use What You Have” mode.
 
In this recipe, I did not have fresh mushrooms or potatoes, so I used canned mushrooms and canned mixed vegetables.
I did not add specific measurements, I just eye-balled it.
 
 
Canned Mushrooms and Mixed Vegetable Soup
(Inspired by: Star Trek Cookbook, Jeri Ryan’s Wild Mushroom Soup p30)
 

 
Ingredients:
 
Olive oil
Garlic powder
Onion powder
1-2 Drops Hot sauce
1 14oz Can of Sliced Mushrooms, drained & rinsed
Water
1 vegetable or chicken bouillon cube
1 14oz Can of mixed diced vegetables, drained & rinsed


Process:
 
Note: my skillet is small, a larger skillet would have been better or I could have cooked the mushrooms in the pot, first.

In a skillet, add olive oil, garlic and onion powders, and hot sauce.
Cook at medium heat, stir and cook until ingredients are thoroughly mixed and heated.
Add mushrooms.
Add oil as needed.
Stir and cook ingredients until thoroughly mixed and heated.

In a pot, add 2-6 cups of water.
Add bouillon cube.
Add vegetables.
Add mushroom mixture.
Stir well.
Bring to a boil.
Simmer 20 minutes.

Serve with crackers.
 
 

Saturday, December 19, 2020

Microwave: Mug O'Mixed Fruit Bread Pudding (Non-Dairy)

I started out thinking I'd try making different Mug Recipe, then, I switched to thinking about my recipe Mug O'Diana's Bread Pudding which used raisins.
 
I thought, I have raisins. Hmmm, I have apples. I have blueberries. Let's see how this goes.
 
Then, I realized I didn't have any milk, at the moment. Then, I thought, hey, use the crema de coco (Cream of Coconut) which is cream-like. Then, I thought, try using the condensed Horchata. So, here is the result.



Microwave: Mug O'Mixed Fruit Bread Pudding
(Non-Dairy)
 
 
Ingredients:
 
A Dollop of Olive oil
A palmful of Raisins
A palmful of Dried blueberries
1/4 Apple, diced
A Tspn Crema de Coco
A Tspn Horchata
A Dollop Water
A Capful Vanilla flavoring
A Drop of hot sauce
A Grind of Black pepper
1 Slice of Multi-grain bread, torn into small bits
1 Egg
 
 
Process:
 
Add oil to bottom of mug.
Swirl oil around to coat bottom and sides of mug.
Add fruits.
Add Crema de Coco and Horchata.
Add a dollop of water.
Add Vanilla and spices.
Add bread.
Stir and mix ingredients thoroughly until bread has been mixed well with the liquids.
Add egg.
Stir and mix well.
Cover Mug with a saucer.
Microwave 2 minutes on high. Check, if mixture is still too liquidity, microwave another 30-60 seconds.
Note: saucer may pop off as mixture heats and rises.
 
I ate it straight from the mug. It was delightful and surprisingly substantial.
 

Friday, December 18, 2020

Guest Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup

As part of the Guest Recipe Posts, S sent this one.
 
 
Butternut Squash Soup
 
Ingredients:

20 oz Butternut squash, cut up
1 Medium - large onion, chopped 
3 cups Carrots, cut up
3 Tbspns butter (or olive oil)
1 Container of Vegetable broth
Vegetable base
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Topping (Optional): Roasted Pumpkin seeds
 
 
Process:
 
Sauté onion 5 minutes or until soft not brown.
Add carrots, cook another 5-7 minutes.
Add butternut squash.
1 container vegetable broth.
Salt & pepper to taste.
Cook on high until boils then to medium high for about 30 minutes.
Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable base.
After a short cooling (while still hot), mix in blender until smooth.
Add some roasted pumpkin seeds to top before serving. 
 
Note: Vegan if you use olive oil.
 

Thursday, December 17, 2020

Guest Recipe: Vegetarian Mushroom Gravy

This is one of the Guest Recipes from my family and friends. 

The following is from D, a friend, who sent pics and notes for this recipe.
 
I made a vegetarian mushroom gravy yesterday and I think it would be good as a "cream" of mushroom soup, too! Here is the recipe I used and below are the adjustments I made!


Vegetarian Mushroom Gravy


Adjustments:
  • Used a little butter with the olive oil
  • Whole onion (instead of half)
  • White Mushrooms instead of portobello
  • Instead of straining it, I blended it up with an immersion blender (regular blender or food processor are probably fine too)
 


Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Guest Recipe - One Pan Dish - Salmon with potatoes and spinach

During this Pandemic Holiday Season, keeping in touch with family and friends is important whether by phone, video, text, email, or blog.

Exchanging recipes is one of the ways to share the holidays with family and friends.

All my family and friends are good cooks, I am the odd one out.
 
Here is the first of the Guest Recipes from my family and friends.
 
G, a friend, sent me pics and notes for the following recipe.
 
I'll guess from the pictures she sent how it was prepared.
 

One Pan Dish - Salmon with Potatoes and Spinach


Ingredients:

Leftover Bacon grease
1 Salmon piece, fresh
6 more or less, small potatoes, washed and halved
Some fresh spinach, washed and drained
2 or more Jalapeno peppers, washed, deseeded and sliced
A bit of oregano
S/P to taste
Several lemon slices
 
 
Process:
 
Add a dollop of bacon grease, or butter or oil to skillet.
Add salmon.
Top with lemon slices.
Add potatoes, spinach and peppers.
Sprinkle all with spices.
Squeeze lemon all over the ingredients.
Stir vegetables carefully to mix together.
Cover and cook on medium heat.
Stir vegetables after a few minutes.
Cover, continue cooking until vegetables are tender.


When done, you can separate the vegetables from salmon if you desire.
 
 

 

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Microwave and Stovetop: Peanut Butter Popcorn

I am always amazed when I crave a snack or dessert or other food information, Spruce Eats has what I want. Plus, I like their website, it is attractive, well-organized and user friendly.

It wasn't until I searched for popcorn recipes did I realize all the ways you can "flavor" or use popcorn as a snack or dessert.
 
 
Microwave and Stovetop: Peanut Butter Popcorn

 
1-2 Servings
 
Pre-preparation: 
Make 2-4 cups of popped popcorn.*


Ingredients:

2 Cups Popcorn, popped
2 Dollops Olive oil
2 TBspns Sugar
3 Dollops Honey
2 Dollops Vanilla flavoring
3 Heaping TBspns Creamy Peanut Butter
 

Process:

Place 2 cups of popped popcorn in a container with a lid.
Reserve any remaining popcorn for later use.
In a pan, add olive oil, sugar, honey, vanilla flavoring.
Cook on high.
Stir continually as mixture begins to boil.
Add peanut butter.
Stir thoroughly.
Reduce heat if necessary to avoid burning.
Remove from stovetop.
Spoon the amount of mixture you desire over popcorn.
Stir to coat the popcorn. It may be an uneven coating.
Reserve any remaining mixture in frig for later use.
Serve popcorn as a snack or treat.
Store any leftovers in frig.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*I made my popcorn in the microwave.