Mac & Cheese Stuffed Apples with Bonuses -- Updated

Mac & Cheese Stuffed Apples
(Adapted from: http://domestikatedlife.com/2014/10/04/mac-and-cheese-baked-apples/)

This was an interesting recipe to adapt for my kitchen.

I usually cook for one. Plus, I do not have an oven, so I have to convert portion size/ingredients and baking times to microwave times.

I had two apples, I had been meaning to use for something. Where I got the idea to look for stuffed apple recipes I don't recall but I found this Mac & Cheese Baked Apple recipe and it looked like something I could do.

Ingredients:

Pasta, 1 small bag of ribbon pasta
2   dollops olive oil
3   Tblspn flour
1   Cup milk
2  Tblspn parmesian cheese
1  cup grated cheese (I used gouda)*
s/p to taste
2 red apples

Directions:

Pasta

Cook pasta according to package.
Add a dollop of oil to water to help keep the pasta from sticking together later.
When done, drain pasta in a colander.

Cheese Sauce

In a large saucepan, add 1 dollop of oil.
Cook at medium heat.
Add in flour and stir until smooth.
Gradually add milk, stir, and cook until the sauce thickens.
Add parmesan and grated cheese.
Stir until sauce is smooth.
Add pasta to sauce.
Stir until pasta is fully coated.
Season with s/p to taste.

*The original recipe called for a sharp cheese. I used Gouda cheese and it seemed bland in this mac & cheese. 

Apples

Slice off about a 1/2 inch of top of apple. Save it to use later as a lid.
Using a melon ball scoop, scoop out the inside of the apple to create a deep, wide hole for the mac & cheese.
Fill apple with mac & cheese. Pat it down with a spoon. Fill to the top.
Place apple "lid" on top.

Microwave 6 minutes on high.
Remove from microwave.
Remove apple "lid" and spoon or pour juices over apples.

I cut my apples in half vertically and then into fourths.


Bonuses

With this recipe, there was plenty of mac & cheese leftover for other meals. Also, I could not throw out those apple ball cores, so I decided to make a dessert based on the Apple Crisp recipe in Recipes from the Kitchen of a Frugal Non-Cook.

Apple Ball Core Dessert

apple ball cores from two apples
6  tspn oatmeal
1 1/2 tspn sugar
3 tspn flour
2  tspn butter
cinnamon

With the apple ball cores in a bowl, add additional ingredients. Make adjustments to the ingredients to suit your situation.
Stir mixture until apple core balls are coated.
Sprinkle with cinnamon to taste preference.
Microwave on high for one minute or until apples are soft and warm.

Guess what, no disasters!

Easy Quesadillas

Easy Quesadillas
(adapted from: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/quesadilla/)

This recipe was another "Use What You Got" recipe. About all I had were tortillas, cheese, radishes, two apples, onions, carrots, a squash, and a yogurt (not counting some canned goods).

Also, I was in a hurry, so, it was time to learn how to make Quesadillas.

While it easy to make these Quesadillas, you need to be fast because the Tortilla will cook quickly. I use an electric stove top, so once it gets hot, it's really hot and turning it down seems almost impossible.


Ingredients:

1-2 dollops olive oil
4  flour tortillas
4  Tablespoons grated cheese (I used Gouda.)
4  Tspns olives (no pits), sliced
4  Tspns mushrooms, canned
black pepper per taste.

Note: Tspn = Teaspoon


Instructions:

Gather ingredients before you start.
Grate cheese and slice the olives.
Place ingredients on a plate for easy access.

Picture shows ingredients for one Quesadilla

1. Add a dollop of oil in a small skillet.
2. As oil begins to get hot, add one tortilla.
3. Flip the tortilla so both sides are lightly-coated with oil.
4. Flip the tortilla so both sides get a slightly brown.
5. As the tortilla begins to puff up, add 1 Tablespoon cheese to one-half of tortilla.
6. Top the cheese with 1 Tspn of olives.
7. Add 1 Tspn of mushrooms.
8. Sprinkle with black pepper.
9. Then fold the tortilla.
10. It should be done in seconds.
11. Check to see if the underside is brown.

Remove Quesadilla, place on plate and start with the next tortilla. If needed, add a little more oil to the skillet.

Tortilla is puffing up.

Add ingredients on one side of Tortilla

Fold Tortilla

Fini!, It's Done.

There are many different recipes for Quesadillas. Some with lots of fillings. Some with side condiments. Buen Provecho! (Enjoy your meal!).

WorldCons - World Science Fiction Conventions and more

Every year since about 1939, science fiction fans, writers, artists and more gather to honor some of science fiction's favorite authors and artists.

If you are an author of science fiction, going to a WorldCon is a great experience and a marvelous opportunity to promote your works.

In 2015, the World Science Fiction Convention will be held in Spokane, Washington, USA from August 19-23, 2015. The Sasquan SF WorldCon is the 73rd SF world convention (http://sasquan.org/)

It is at the world convention that the city for the world SF convention to be held two years out is selected. So, at Sasquan, the city for the 2017 WorldCon will be selected. Helsinki, Nippon, Montreal and Washington, DC are the candidate cities.

Kansas City, MO is the site for the 2016 WorldCon to be held from August 17-21, 2016. For more information, go to: http://kcin2016.org/

For more information on WorldCons, go to: http://worldcon.org/.

There are many other science fiction conventions around the world. They are usually smaller and more focused on local authors or particular genres like Star Trek or fantasies. See this site for listings: http://upcomingcons.com/science-fiction-conventions.

As an author, you have many promotional opportunities. These are just some of the opportunities: participate in a panel discussion, rent a table in the Dealers Room to sell your books and such, leave flyers on the various information tables, and more. But, you need to plan in advance and you need to be invited to participate in the panels.

eBook Orchard -- A New Online Bookstore

Recent controversies, such as the battle between Amazon and Hachette Books, have illuminated that royalties for the sale of an author's works are in a great deal of flux, often to the determent of the author's income.

Ted Summerfield, an author and founder of Smashwords Forum has developed a new online bookstore, eBook Orchard, for authors, to give authors more control over the sale of their works.

Blog Post
http://punzhupuzzles.wordpress.com/2014/12/20/an-ebook-store-by-authors-for-authors/

Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/ebookorchard

Twitter
@EbookOrchard

As Ted notes on his blog, eBook Orchard is in its testing phase.

Spinach and Egg Sandwich

While the picture below is of a "simple" egg and spinach sandwich, it was days in the making.

I had had difficulty making hard-boiled eggs using my own RKFNC recipe. But, I realized that the original recipe was developed when I had access to a propane gas stove top, now I have an electric stove top.

This particular stove top heat levels seem to vary from the propane gas stove top, so I reverted to my standby hard-boiled egg cooking instructions. They are easy.

Hard-Boiled Eggs Method 2

• Place eggs in a bowl.
• Place bowl on counter to let eggs reach room temperature.
• Fill a pot with water, about 2-3 inches from the top of the pot. Need enough water to cover eggs.
• Add a dollop of vinegar.
• Bring water to a vigorous boil.
• Use a slotted serving spoon and gradually lower one egg at a time into the water. Go slowly, it will help keep the egg from cracking due to the change in temperature.
• Once all the eggs are in the pot.
• Set timer for 10 minutes.
• Remove pot from burner at the end of 10 minutes.
• Remove eggs, one at a time. Place into bowl.
• Run water over eggs to cool them off.

Note: I had to run water for awhile to get the eggs to cool.

I did not attempt to shell an egg at that time.

Now, I had a bag of spinach I had bought several days before. It seemed urgent to cook the spinach before it went bad. I was nervous. I hadn't cooked fresh spinach in years. I wasn't quite sure how to approach cooking it.

After looking at various recipes. I found one on Simply Recipes.com (http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/spinach/) that pointed me in the right direction. As usual, I had to adapt the recipe to the appliances and quantities I had. Here's my recipe.

Easy Cooked Spinach

1 clove of garlic, diced
1 package of fresh spinach
1 dollop olive oil

• Add olive oil to large microwave glass casserole dish.
• Add garlic.
• Cook on high, one minute in microwave.
• Rinse spinach in a colander to remove grit.
• No need to shake off all the moisture. It will be useful in the microwave.
• Add spinach to casserole dish and cover.
• Cook 2 minutes on high in microwave.
• Stir spinach.

Note: Spinach should be very wilted and moist.

So, now I had cooked spinach and hard-boiled eggs. The experiment continued.

Hard-Boiled Egg and Spinach Sandwich

1 dollop olive oil
2 slices of multi-grain bread
1 hard-boiled egg
1 serving of cooked spinach
1 teaspoon mayonaise
Black pepper
5-8 capers
1/2 teaspoon Basil

• Add olive oil to small skillet.
• Lay one slice of bread in the oil to coat one side.
• Lift bread out with a spatula.
• Add the second slice of bread.
• Place first slice on top with the oiled side up.
• Cook until underside of slice is brown.
• Flip slices, so the top slice can get brown.
• Remove slices.
• Place slices on plate, side by side, toasted sides down.
• Spread mayonaise onto one slice of toast.
• Shell, peel and slice a hard-boiled egg.
• Place slices of egg onto one slice of toast.
• Top egg slices with black pepper, capers and basil.
• Add serving of spinach to other slice of toast.
• Fold two slices of toast together.
• Slice sandwich in half.

Enjoy!

Happy New Year !!! El Sueño de Gina is officially published by The Write Place!

Happy New Year 2015!!!

I am bringing in the New Year with a Dual Book in English and Spanish, Gina's Dream/El Sueño de Gina. Published by The Write Place (http://www.thewriteplace.biz/bookstore/product/56-gina-s-dream-el-sueno-de-gina).

It has been a pleasure working with The Write Place. They are a full-service publishing house. The staff are knowledgeable, talented and responsive to author inquiries and suggestions.

From now until January 8, 2015

Gina's Dream/El Sueño de Gina is 30% off in print or ebook formats.

In Gina’s Dream, Kit Brennan, SETA’s (Space Exploration Through Astronomy) Assistant Director, meets an unusual woman at a convention. She claims she is an alien. What is he to believe? What is he to do?

Kit’s co-worker sees her as a threat, first to his friend and then to humans. The co-worker seeks to discover Gina’s secrets to stop her.

Gina has broken the emissaries’ primary rule by telling Kit who she is. But, she is here to defend her world from a future invasion by humans. As Gina’s safety is threatened, what will she do to defend herself?

Caught in the middle between his co-worker’s fears and her defense, Kit has few choices but to let Gina follow her dream.

What would you do if you met an alien?

El Sueño de Gina

Traductor, Ileana Silva

En El Sueño de Gina, Kit Brennan, asistente del director de SETA, se encuentra con una mujer excepcional en una convención. Ella dice que es un extraterrestre. ¿Qué es lo que creer? ¿Qué ha de hacer?

Un compañero de trabajo del Kit la ve como una amenaza, primero a su amigo y luego a los humanos. El compañero de trabajo trata de descubrir los secretos de Gina para detenerla.

Mientras tanto, Gina ha infringido la regla principal de los emisarios diciéndoles Kit quién es. Pero ella está aquí para defender su mundo de una futura invasión por los seres humanos. Como se ve amenazada la seguridad de Gina, ¿qué va a hacer para defenderse?

Atrapados entre temores a su compañero de trabajo y la defensa de Gina, Kit tiene pocas opciones pero para dejarla seguir su sueño.

¿Qué harías si te encontraste un extraterrestre?

(PR crédito: Google Traducir)

~~~~~

Gina’s Dream began as an idea after reading several research papers, in the early 1990s, where basic life functions were being manipulated for singular purposes without regard for the universe’s ecosystem.

Several characteristics run through Ria’s stories. Characters confront moral dilemmas with honesty, truth, fairness, self-responsibility, compassion, common sense, respect for science, curiosity, hard work, and optimism. Characters question the status quo. Spirituality, dreams, faith, and a belief in contributing to community and society to improve the lives of others now and in the future are underlying themes.

Category: Fiction

Genre: Science-Fiction/Romance/Predictive Fiction/Social Commentary

Audience: 12+ Adult 

Length: Novelette

Language: English/Spanish

No illustrations

*Pen Name

Contact:

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/RiaStone

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BitsBitesBooks

Blog: eBooks & More (http://riastoneblog.blogspot.mx)

Amazon: Author Page

Email: Ria.Stonemail@gmail.com

Honey Peanut Butter & Chocolate Balls

Here's the peanut butter ball recipe I was looking for.

Honey peanut butter & chocolate balls
(Adapted from: http://www.whatscooking.fns.usda.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/honey-milk-balls)

Servings: about 16 (depends on size)

1/4 cup honey
2 heaping tablespoons  peanut butter
2 heaping tablespoons dry milk, low-fat/non-fat
2 heaping tablespoons chocolate mix (cocoa milk mix)*
1/2 cup cereal, crushed+
1 dab of olive oil

*My cocoa mix is a mixture of Chocolate Ensure and a powdered cocoa milk mix.

+I used bran flakes.

Mix honey and peanut butter.
Gradually add the dry milk and  cocoa mix.
Stir mixture. Mixture will be very stiff.
Chill to make "dough" easier to roll.

Add dab of olive oil to one palm, rub palms together, to make it easier to roll the "dough."
Take a small amount of mixture and roll between palms.
Roll ball in crushed cereal.
Sprinkle some cereal over ball.
Roll in palms again. (optional)

Place finished balls in small container.
Cover when done.
Chill until firm.

Notes:

These peanut butter balls are best when "frozen."

I am going to try the same recipe but coat the balls with different types of crushed cereal and make some with crushed cookies.

Update:

I made more peanut butter balls with three types of cereal.

The winner is Choco Krispies. They were tasty and crunchy. I will skip the crushed cookies for now.