Hotplate: Imitation Tuna Sliders

I wanted to make Jack's kidney bean burgers. I did not have kidney beans, so I tried using Bayos Enteros, a kind of pinto bean but I did not really like the results.

(http://www.lacostena.com.mx/es/product/frijoles-bayos-enteros/)

Later, I wanted to make imitation tuna salad but I changed my mind and decided to make imitation tuna burgers or sliders inspired by Jack's recipe.

In my mind, sliders are smaller versions of burgers or sandwiches.


Hotplate: Imitation Tuna Sliders
(Inspired by: https://cookingonabootstrap.com/2018/02/19/carrot-cumin-kidney-bean-burger-17p-was-9p-vg-v-df/)


Ingredients:


1 can garbanzo beans, drained
About 2 TBspns sardine oil, drained from small tin of sardines
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 TBspn of leftover canned carrots and jalapeno peppers, diced*
About 4+ heaping TBspoons mixture of leftover saltine crackers, crushed, and bread crumbs*
2 teaspoons cumin
Olive oil for cooking or extra
1 Roll
1 TBspn Mayo
Ground black pepper
Cole Slaw* as a side (Optional)

*the canned carrots and jalapeno peppers, crackers and bread crumbs, and cole slaw were leftovers, so when you make the recipe make your own variations.



Process:


In a large bowl, add beans and mash well.
Add sardine oil.
Add onions.
Add carrot mixture.
Add crushed crackers and bread crumbs.
Stir and mix well.
If mixture is too dry, add a little olive oil.
Put 2 heaping teaspoons of flour on cutting board.
Pick up about a golf ball size of mixture.
Squeeze, shape into a ball.
Flatten in center of palm. Smooth edges.
Pat both sides of patty with flour as you shape the patty.


If necessary, reshape patty to make sure it does not crumble. Add more flour to outside of patty, this will help it keep it's shape and make it crispy.


Pour oil into skillet to cover bottom, about a 1/4 inch in depth.


Add patties to skillet. Cook on medium-high for about 3+ minutes per side.


I tried to make sure they were crisp.

Remove and place on platter when done.


To serve, I used a hamburger roll, would have preferred a small dinner roll.
Add Mayo on both parts.
Sprinkle with ground black pepper.


I used a bit of cole slaw from a carryout order as a side or you can add on top of patty.

 I made 7 small to medium sliders/burgers.


They were good!!!


Because of this success, I am going to try to make the Bayos Enteros burgers, again. I think it will work this time.

Microwave: Poached Egg Sandwich

First, I need to thank Business Insider (http://www.businessinsider.com/) for this recipe. It made my year. Now, I can have poached eggs.

I had tried the "boil in water" method ala Julia Child but it was cumbersome for me. I don't recall the results but I have not tried it again. Plus, that method uses a lot of water, so with this method, I save water.

Let's not forget, I can burn water. I am not a cook. Plus, all I have is a hotplate and a microwave. So, you can understand my joy!

The original steps in Business Insider were in a video. I like written instructions.

Microwave: Poached Egg Sandwich
(Adapted from: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-perfectly-poach-an-egg-in-the-microwave-2016-6)

Ingredients:

About 3 TBspoons water
1 clean egg
1 Roll
1 TBspoon Mayo
Ground black pepper
Imitation bacon bits


Process:

Put water into a small microwaveable bowl.
Carefully crack egg and open contents into bowl.
Place bowl in microwave and cover.
Microwave on high for about 45 seconds.
Note: I tried varying the time to get a softer egg, 40 seconds works, too.

Spread mayo on both parts of roll.
Sprinkle with black pepper.
Use a slotted spoon to remove cooked egg from bowl.
Place egg on one side of roll.
Sprinkle with bacon bits.

Yum!

Royal Sussex Mocktail

I watched Harry and Meghan's Royal wedding (5/19/18).

It was a beautiful wedding. Meghan and Harry added so many personal touches like the Forget-Me-Nots from the Kensington Palace garden for Meghan's bouquet as a remembrance of Princess Diana, Harry's mom.

Plus, I really liked Meghan's veil. It was embroidered with the official flower from each of the 53 countries (member states) in the Commonwealth.

  Meghan in her Wedding Dress and Veil.

(Source: https://www.elle.com/fashion/a20754091/meghan-markle-veil-royal-wedding/)

 Update: just found out Meghan's veil also included California's state flower, the poppy. Meghan was born in California. 
(Source:
 https://fashion.hellomagazine.com/fashion-news/201805248795/meghan-markle-dress-designer-royal-wedding-highlights/)

For more information on Meghan's dress, veil and more, see https://www.royal.uk/wedding-dress-bridesmaids%E2%80%99-dresses-and-page-boys-uniforms. Seems there are crop images on the veil as well. Very interesting. But, I see no mention of the Poppy.

The wedding was also a great break from the doom and gloom in the news.

The bridal party.

Harry, Meghan, the Queen and Prince Phillip, and several other members of the Royal Family.

I admire Meghan for choosing to make conscious choices in living a healthy life. I think she's a vegan during the week. Plus, she has rescued two shelter dogs. She does yoga. She is a spokesperson for women's issues.

This is not from the Duchess of Sussex's official web page.
Link to the Duchess of Sussex webpage at; https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/

Megan and her beagle, Guy (Source: conceptnewcentral.com)

Meghan's parents, Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle.

Ms. Doria Ragland at Meghan's wedding

Doria and Thomas Markle at their wedding.

After the wedding, the couple, now, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, went to their reception at Frogmore House in Windsor. While you can find lots about the menu at the reception on the web, one item caught my eye. They served mocktails!

"With a nod to the no-ABV cocktail movement, guests of the royal couple were offered a non-alcoholic drink: An apple and elderflower mocktail, created to complement the elderflower in the wedding cake."

(Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/elvaramirez/2018/05/19/royal-wedding-prince-harry-and-meghans-official-menu/#57ff35b54709)

Couldn't find the recipe, so I can only guess at the proportions and ingredients.

Anyway, I decided to make my own Royal Sussex Mocktail.

 Royal Sussex Mocktail

Ingredients:

1 8 oz glass
Ice cubes
1 capful of Lime concentrate
1 capful of Jamaica concentrate*
Apple Juice
Sparkling Water or any carbonated water
Garnish Optional

Process:

Add ice cubes to glass.
Add Lime and Jamaica concentrates.
Fill glass about 1/3 with Apple Juice.
Fill remainder of glass with Sparking Water.
Stirring is optional. I liked the layered look.
Add Optional Garnish.

It's tasty!!

*Jamaica Concentrate is made from juice made from the Jamaica flower (flor de Jamaica). The flower is also called Hibiscus. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus_tea

For more frugal Mocktail Recipes, see Mocktails by Ria Stone at Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/539967. Only .99 cents!

Fish, Vegetable, and Noodle Soup

Fish, Vegetable, and Noodle Soup

I enjoy it when I can use various leftovers to make a new dish.

I had made some pasta to add to my soups. I had frozen a batch of quickie tomato broth and vegetable soup which I had made from leftover squash, carrots and chayote, and a whole tomato bullion. Then, I had a "doggie" bag of leftover fish from an evening meal.

Ingredients:

One serving of vegetable soup, frozen
One small serving of pasta
1/3 of a fish cake (leftover), chopped

Process:
 
Put the pasta and and fish chunks in the bottom of a large soup bowl.
Top with tub of frozen vegetable soup.
Microwave on high for 3 minutes.
Remove, stir and mix soup ingredients.
Microwave on high for 1 minute.
S/P according to taste*

*I added a bit of ground black pepper and no salt. It really didn't need salt.

Came out quite tasty and filling.

Microwave: Small Bowl Cake

Microwave: Small Bowl Cake Recipe
(Excerpt from: Recipes from the Kitchen of a Frugal Non-Cook)

Searching for simple recipes or ones for one or two persons is like a treasure hunt. So, finding a recipe for Mug Cake on Fun Foods on a Budget was a find. But, I did not have chocolate chips. This is how my disasters usually start; I am missing one ingredient. But, I forged ahead with confidence because the recipe said the chips were optional.

Instead of chocolate chips I used 2 tablespoons of a dry chocolate milk mix. Mixing was the hard part. When done, it was like a brownie but it tasted good. Oh, my egg had two yolks; wonder if that made a difference?

This seemed like a simple recipe, so I tried again with one change. I did not use the dry chocolate milk mix, but it still came out like a brownie.

Now, I was determined to figure out how to get a more cake-like outcome. I made more revisions. I used 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, 5 tablespoons of milk, and cocoa milk mix instead of cocoa. Through the microwave window, I watched wide-eyed as the mixture bubbled and spilled out over the mug. But, it worked! The result tasted like a wonderful piece of chocolate cake.

Then, I made another revision. Due to spillage, I used a small bowl instead of a mug, and surprise, I made a beautiful, small, chocolate cake.

Next, I will revise the recipe again, to get that cake back into a mug. Then, I may venture to make microwave “bread.”

As you can see, this recipe has many possibilities.

(Author’s Note: it was after I made these experiments I found a microwave cake recipe on Fun Foods on a Budget, mine is different.)

Microwave Small Bowl Cake

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons chocolate milk mix or cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
5 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons olive oil
dash of vanilla flavoring 

Process:

Add flour, sugar, chocolate milk mix, and baking powder into bowl. Stir well. 
Add egg and stir. Add milk and oil. Stir well. Add vanilla, then stir. 

Microwave: 3 minutes on high.

Cross One off My Bucket List--Ants by Bert Hölldobler and Edward O. Wilson

I enjoy reading the books by E.O. Wilson. When his book, with co-author, Bert Hölldobler, Ants came out, I wanted to buy it, but it's a big, expensive book. So, I put it on my bucket list.

During a visit to my brother's, he treated me to a visit to a used bookstore and there I found "Journey to the Ants: A Story of Scientific Exploration" by Bert Hölldobler and Edward O. Wilson.

So, in essence, I can cross off one item on my bucket list. While this book is about Hölldobler and Wilson's early lives, and exploration and research into the lives of ants, it is still satisfying.

I will probably go to a library to look up Ants because I have at least five different species of ants who visit my home.

Microwave: Buried Baked Potato

My sister is on Weight Watchers. This has stimulated me to reexamine my eating habits and recipes. I try to follow MyPlate.gov and the American Heart Association guidelines but I think I am missing the mark considerably.

American Heart Association Guidelines (Abbreviated)

Eat an overall healthy dietary pattern that emphasizes:

• a variety of fruits and vegetables,
• whole grains,
• low-fat dairy products,
• skinless poultry and fish
• nuts and legumes
• non-tropical vegetable oils

Limit saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, red meat, sweets and sugar-sweetened beverages. If you choose to eat red meat, compare labels and select the leanest cuts available.One of the diets that fits this pattern is the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan. Most healthy eating patterns can be adapted based on calorie requirements and personal and cultural food preferences.

When I look at my recipes and then at My Plate, I see I am falling short on vegetables, fruits and grains.

Now, the recipe below was devised based on what I had on hand but with the idea to bump up the vegetables and proteins.


Microwave: Buried Baked Potato


Ingredients:

1 medium to large white potato

1 dab of butter

1 tspn red beans, canned, drained

1 tspn Salsa

3 bits & pieces mozarella cheese

2 green olives w/pimento, sliced

2 sprinkles of imitation bacon bits

2 dashes red pepper sauce

1 fried egg

S/p to taste


Process:

Wash potato, pierce with a fork.

Place in microwaveable bowl.

Microwave on high for 5-6 minutes. Check, if you can push a fork through, it's done.

Remove.

Slice potato in half.

Mash insides with a fork.

Add butter, beans, salsa, cheese, olives, and bacon bits.

Sprinkle hot sauce about the whole potato.

Top with fried egg.

My new secret ingredient: a few dashes of red pepper sauce.

 See why I called it Buried Baked Potato :-)

This was a surprisingly tasty and filling dish.

#STC2018 Tweeting Star Trek Cruise January 2018

#STC2018 Tweeting Star Trek Cruise January 2018


Check out @BitsBitesBooks!


With the #BombCyclone storm, this will be interesting. Didn't bring enough warm clothes :-(

Mug O'Quichy-Canned Spinach Soup-Egg Quesadilla

Mug O'Quichy-Canned Spinach Soup-Egg Quesadilla


Ingredients:

1 8oz Mug
A dab of olive oil

1 egg

3 Tbspns canned spinach soup concentrate (don't add water)
A dash of Tabasco sauce or ground black pepper
A dab of milk
1 flour tortilla
Toppings: a sprinkle of imitation bacon bits, a dash of Parmesan cheese


Process:
Add dab of oil to mug, swish around to coat bottom and sides of mug.
Add egg, soup, sauce and milk in a mug.
Stir vigorously to mix ingredients thoroughly.
Microwave mixture 2 minutes on high.

Place tortilla in skillet, heat on medium-high to brown bottom. Turn over, add egg mixture on top of tortilla.

Sprinkle bacon bits and Parmesan cheese on top. Heat about 1-2 minutes, fold tortilla, then transfer to a plate.

Variation: use mushroom soup concentrate.

Star Trek Cruise 2018

Star Trek Cruise 2018

https://www.startrekthecruise.com/

Another opportunity to meet science fiction fans.

World Con 76 San Jose, CA August 16-20, 2018

World Con 76 San Jose, CA August 16-20, 2018

This is an opportunity for writers or lovers of science fiction and fantasy to meet other authors, share their work, participate in workshops and events, and vote in the Hugo Awards.

http://www.worldcon76.org/

Microwave: Baked Potato Salad

Microwave: Baked Potato Salad



 Ingredients:

5 medium to large white potatoes, peeled
1 cup plain yogurt
1 TBspn mayo
1/2 red onion, diced
1 Medium slice, Mozzarella cheese, diced
1/2 Cup Imitation Bacon bits
Ground black pepper to taste
A palmful of dry parsley, crushed
A few dashes of Parmesan cheese
Garnish: a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved (Optional)



Process:

Place potatoes in microwaveable dish.
Pierce with fork. Cook on high for six minutes or more until cooked.
Let potatoes cool before dicing.
Add diced potatoes to large bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients, except garnish.
Mix and stir well until potatoes are coated.
Cover bowl, place in frig to cool.
Add garnish to individual servings.

I usually don´t add salt to my recipes but I just thought, maybe I should make sure I offer a salt shaker to guests.

 

Also, Lucy likes it. Lucy is a friend who is brave enough to try some of my recipes. This is the first recipe she has liked :-)

Dressed Up Store Bought Cake

Dressed Up Store Bought Cake

Part of my morning routine is to have coffee and a slice of store bought nut cake. One morning, I decided to dress up my usual slice of nut cake with a plain yogurt sauce, a few dried blueberries, banana slices and a few dashes of cinnamon. Presto: breakfast.

Happiness is Cake

Happiness is Cake

When you move to another country, you make alot of adjustments. One is finding a favorite snack. In Mexico, these cakes are called Pinguinos. Chocolate Cake with chocolate frosting with a little white icing inside.

(Brand: Pinquinos. https://marinelausa.com/en)

Microwave: A Dish of Apple Pie

 While the original recipe was a mug recipe, for this recipe, I used a small dessert dish.

This recipe is similar to Amy Dacyczyn´s Apple Crisp recipe in the Tightwad Gazette.

A Dish of Apple Pie
Adapted from: http://www.curryandcomfort.com/2012/11/2-minute-apple-pie-in-mug.html


Ingredients:

1/2 an apple, peeled, cored and diced
1/2 Tsp flour
1 Tsp olive oil
a few dashes of Cinnamon
a dash of Nutmeg
1/2 Tbsp lime juice concentrate
Toppings: crushed cookies, whipped cream or ice cream


Process:

Mix all ingredients together, except toppings.
Stir well.
Microwave 1 minute on high.
Add toppings.

My New Blender

My New Blender

In a previous post, I had discussed thinking about buying a convection oven, a toaster or a blender.

I have solved my blender problem.

My blender's name is Marcos. He is a former bartender. Now, he runs a juice bar  on Paseo de Montejo at Calle 39 where you can choose from various preselected fruit blends for a tasty fruit smoothie. Or, Marcos lets you pick your own fruit combinations.

I often get banana, dragonfruit and papaya with water and no sugar.

As with most tiendas, Marcos has no set hours, you just have to catch him when he's open.

Hotplate: Thinking About Fritters

I have been thinking about making vegetable fritters for weeks.
Also, I have been thinking about food waste.
I thought vegetable fritters would be one solution to reduce vegetable waste.
So, I searched for new vegetable fritter recipes and found:

Mother Earth News – Vegetable Fritters 
http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/seasonal-recipes/vegetable-fritters-recipe-zerz1410zdeh

Taste Without Waste – Vegetable Fritters 
https://tastewithoutwaste.com/2014/02/07/vegetable-fritters/ 

The Guardian – Vegetable Fritters
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/may/06/vegetable-fritter-recipe-anna-jones-the-modern-cook 

The Kitchn – How to Make Fritters Out of Any Vegetable 
http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-fritters-out-of-any-vegetable-231408 

While I enjoyed reading these recipes and learned a few things, either I did not have all the ingredients or it seemed too complex for me, so I went back to my fritters recipe and made few revisions.


Vegetable Fritters

Ingredients:

leftover tomato and onions, diced
1 garlic clove, diced
1 cup of frozen diced mixed vegetables
2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
3 dashes of Tabasco Sauce
¼ cup white cheese, grated (optional)
ground black pepper to taste
Garnish: Lime Juice
Makes about 12-15 small fritters.


 

Not all ingredients used are shown.

Process:

Place diced tomato, onion and garlic in a small bowl, microwave for one minute on high. Set aside.
Place frozen mixed vegetables in a small bowl, microwave for two minutes on high. Set aside.

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.
Add egg, milk, and Tabasco Sauce, mix well.
Smash batter lumps with the back of your spoon to make batter smooth.
Add tomato, onion, garlic and vegetables to batter.
Add grated cheese.
Stir thoroughly.

Add oil to medium or large skillet.
Heat oil until it sizzles.

Use large spoon to scoop up batter mixture.
Drop the batter mixture into skillet, leave room for other fritters.
Press down on batter mixture with spoon to flatten.
Cook on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side until fritter is brown on both sides.

If fritter is thick, cook a little longer on each side to avoid uncooked batter.

Remove cooked fritters to a plate, drain oil.
Sprinkle with a little lime juice. 

Note: did not use Basil. 

Alternative: Canned Spinach Fritters

All I did was make the batter and mix in two tablespoons of twice drained canned spinach instead of tomato, onion, garlic and vegs, and cooked the fritters the same way as the vegetable fritters.

Ideas for future fritters: use diced cooked potatoes, shredded carrots, or mashed beans; spices: cumin or paprika.

While my fritters came out well, the amount of dirty dishes and utensils I made was overwhelming. Plus, I am on my fourth hot plate and this one is finicky, too, and my new skillet cooks unevenly, so I had to move the fitters around in the skillet to the areas where they would cook not burn.

If I had had any fritters left, I would have frozen them.

But, I think next time, I will slice and dice the veggie items, put them in containers and store for a bit. Then, make up a batch of dry batter mix and store it in a container.

Then, maybe when I make fritters next, it might be easier. Who knows.

More Links:

Sustainable Table
http://www.gracelinks.org/tag/main_dishes

Rice, Shrimp and Vegetable Salad

Rice, Shrimp and Vegetable Salad

Yes, this recipe is easy. I found this salad cool and fresh to the taste.

 Ingredients:

20 small, shelled shrimp,f rozen
a dash of garlic powder
a dash of lime juice, concentrated
1/4 Chayote, sliced
1/4 onion, sliced
1/4 pepino, sliced and chopped
1 small tomato, sliced
Leftover white rice
1 dash of Italian dressing
ground black pepper to taste


Process:

 If you don't have any leftover white rice, it's easy to make. Just don't walk away and let the rice burn.

White Rice
1 cup White Rice
2 cups water
Add both to a pot.
Stir.
Place lid on pot.
Heat to simmer.
Simmer about 15-20 minutes, until water has been absorbed or evaporated.
If you want the rice cold, place in a covered container and put in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes.
This batch of rice will be more than you need for this recipe.

Shrimp
Add about 20 small shrimp into a glass bowl.
Add 1/2 capful of lime juice concentrate.
Add a dash of garlic powder.
Stir thoroughly.
Microwave 2 minutes.
Remove and drain shrimp.

Add  about a cup of cooked rice to bowl.
Add cooked shrimp.
Add cut vegetables.
Add a dash of Italian dressing.
Add ground black pepper to taste.