Rainy Day Oatmeal With Egg

This is the sort of breakfast that my Mom would have taught me, when I was young. Maybe she did, I don't remember...

>> See it done!

Ingredients

• 1 C Oatmeal, Quick Cooking.
• 2 Eggs.
• Butter / margerine, a teaspoon or so.
• A dash Curry Powder.
• 2 dashes of Ginger.
• A dash of Onion Powder.
• Boiling Water.

Preparation

1. Add oatmeal to a microwave safe individual serving bowl.
2. Add spices to oatmeal, and mix.
3. Pour boiling water over oatmeal and mix. Add water until slightly soupy.
4. Let oatmeal cook and cool. Oatmeal will be a clay like paste. This is what kidz love (yes, I had fun too).
Add butter, mix well.
5. Take a teaspoon (or use fingers), and mold the oatmeal into a bowl, pressing against inside edge of the outer bowl. Mold the bottom of the oatmeal bowl, decoratively.
6. Break open eggs - carefully - into a coffee cup. Don't break the yolks.
7. Pour eggs into the oatmeal bowl. Don't break the yolks.
8. Pour boiling water over the egg whites, carefully. Don't break the yolks. When done, the water should cover tops of the yolks. It's like poaching the agg.
9. Take a toothpick, and carefully poke 2 or 3 holes in each yolk. Don't break the yolks.
10. Cover the bowl with a larger and flat shallow plastic bowl, place in a microwave, cook 1 minute on high at 100%.
11. Remove from the microwave and check. Egg white should be solid white, yolk should be creamy like a sunny side up egg.
12. As necessary, repeat in 30 second bursts, until egg is properly cooked.
13. Break yolks, and mix with oatmeal in chunks.
14. Garnish / add condiments. I like grated cheese, salsa, minced onion, more salsa. Cover with bean salad or maybe cucumber / yogurt dressing, as available.
15. Eat when cool enough.

See It Done!

(Coming soon)!

CoronaVirus Rice

This started out as CoronaVirus Prevention broth - but I like curry and ginger. And someone else suggested adding rice.

CoronaVirus is not going away! Eat healthy!!


Here, we have all 5 identified healthy spices - some in rather generous quantity.

Ingredients

• 1/2 t Cayenne Pepper.
• 1/2 t Cinnamon.
• 1 t Curry Powder.
• 6 cloves fresh garlic.
• 1/2 C Ginger Root ("fresh ginger") chunks / 2 T ground ginger..
• 1/2 t Tumeric.
• 1 large onion, diced.
• 1 cube / 1 T powder bouillon.
• 2 C rice, well rinsed and drained, until clear water.
• 8 C water.

Preparation

1. Rinse and drain rice, repeatedly - until water drains clear. This removes starch.
2. Dice onion, mince 2 cloves of garlic, peel and mince 2 or 3 chunks of ginger root (as possible, without cutting yourself).
3. Add water to a deep pot or dutch oven, bring to a boil.
4. Add bouillon, curry powder, minced and whole garlic cloves, grated / minced / whole ginger root, diced onion, rice to boiling water.
5. Add any other interesting veggies, as desired.
6. Reduce water from boil, to slow simmer.
7. Stir, and cover mixture - and simmer. Stir frequently and well, until no water is visible, Remove from heat, and let it cool until all water is absorbed,
8. Refrigerate in a large pot with tight cover. Warm up in microwave, when hungry. If not hungry, force eat some anyway, regularly.

Protect yourself for CoronaVirus - drink lots of garlic water. I added ginger and onion, and someone else suggested rice. Drink / eat up - and wash your hands!

Bourbon Chicken

You can serve this as "bourbon barbeque chicken", with the sauce absorbed by the chicken. It is so fragrant, as it cooks.

Since I cooked it overnight, the first time, it made an excellent breakfast sandwich.

Grated ginger is a key ingredient. Avoid grating your fingers, when grating the ginger.


Ingredients

• 2 or 3 lbs chicken
• 1/4 C cornstarch
• 1/4 C sliced green onions (to taste)
• Bourbon Sauce

Bourbon Sauce

• 1/3 cup apple juice
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• salt & pepper, if needed
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup water

Preparation

1. Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl.
2. Place chicken in slow cooker, pour sauce over chicken. Cover and cook on Low 6-7 hours / overnight.
3. Remove cooked chicken from pot, leaving the sauce.
4. Combine 1/4 C water with cornstarch. Turn cooker up to High. Pour cornstarch mixture into the sauce. Cover and allow sauce to thicken, stirring occasionally (5 - 10 minutes).
5. While the sauce is cooking, shred chicken using two forks. With chicken properly cooked, it will almost shred itself.
6. Stir shredded chicken back into the sauce and add green onions.
7. Turn cooker to Warm, cover, get the rest of the meal ready (if you can wait). Sample as necessary - and pour yourself a finger of bourbon. Cook until the sauce is absorbed by the chicken, to serve as barbeque - or serve over rice, as is.

Inspired by SpendWithPennies: Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken - and simplified by me. This was my first recipe using freshly grated ginger - and the grating was worth it.

Jambalaya (Dollar Store)

Everything here can come from a Dollar Store - and it cooks in a microwave. It's perfect for a quick potluck contribution.

Try the Supreme Version, with additional / fresh ingredients, for a special dish.

This is perfect. to "celebrate" the first day of winter.

>> See it done!

>> Supreme Version


Ingredients

• Jambalaya Mix, 8 oz
• Chicken, 2 x 8 oz sandwiches
• Chili powder, 1 t
• Curry powder, 1 t
• Garlic, 1 clove, minced
• Ginger powder, 1 t
• Mushroom pieces, 10 oz can / jar
• Onions, chopped and dried, 2 T
• Red pepper strips, 10 oz jar / diced pimento peppers, 4 oz jar
• Rotel tomatoes / green chilies, 10 oz can
• Water, 3 C
• Salsa, 4 oz

Preparation

1. Remove chicken patties from sandwiches, chop chicken into 1/4" cubes.
2. Mix Jambalaya mix, chopped chicken, chopped onion, spices.
3. Add water.
4. Microwave mix etc 10 minutes, on high.
5. Add 1/2 to 3/4 each of the veggies.
6. Microwave 30 - 40 minutes, on high - 10 minutes at a time, stirring each 10 minutes.
7. When all liquid is absorbed by the rice, the jambalaya is done. Cover, and let it sit 10 - 15 minutes to thicken.
8. Add remainder of veggies, and salsa. Mix well.
9. Let it cool slightly, and serve.
10. Have lots of cold beer, soft beverages, and / or water ready.

Supreme Version

• Substitute 8 oz fresh ground turkey - for chicken sandwiches.
• Add 6 - 8 oz canned shellfish (clams, oysters, scallops).
• Substitute 1 medium fresh onion, diced - for dried onions.
• Added / substituted ingredients may overfill the typical microwave casserole dish. Cook in a dutch oven on stovetop, instead of in microwave - it is much easier to stir ingredients when cooking in a stovetop pot.
• Saute the meat - then the garlic, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes - in that order - before adding rice and spices.

See it Done!

Jambalaya Mix, spices, water, vegs, chicken.

Add spices, and water.

Add vegs, and chicken.

Cook until no water is visible.

Stir once more. Mix everything lovingly.

Cover, and leave alone for 15 minutes.

Stir once more - and serve. Some sourdough bread - and a nice red wine (or apple / mango juice) - are perfect accompaniments.

Cold Ramen Salad

Continuing my exploration of the humble Ramen soup mix, I find that, given the right spices, it makes a rather satisfying meal.

Ingredients

• i package Shrimp / your choice flavour Ramen soup
• 1/16 t cayenne pepper
• 1/4 t curry powder
• 1/4 t fish oil (opt)
• 1/8 t garlic flakes
• 1/4 t ginger
• 1/8 t mint
• 1/4 t onion flakes
• 1/4 t sesame seeds
• 1/8 t tarragon
• 1/2 t tomato sauce (opt)
• 1/16 t tumeric
• 6 or so slices of cucumber, quartered
• 1/2 stalk green onion, chopped
• 1/4 bu parsley, chopped
• 1 roma tomato, chopped
• 1 handful mixed salad greens

Preparation

1. Crumble noodles, into bowl.
2. Mix noodle flavour packet, dry herbs, spices, dried vegs, noodles.
3. Add salad greens, mix again.
4. Add boiling water to cover, stir, let it cook.
5. When salad greens are just slightly tender, it's ready.
6. Drain excess liquid, set aside.
7. Add fresh vegs, toss lightly.
8. Decorate with soy sauce, sweet chili sauce (Mae Ploy).
9. Serve cold, with sourdough bread, Thai tea.

---

Continuing my experimentation, I observed that ramen noodles do not always require boiling water. Given enough soaking, 15 minutes of soaking in cold water will produce chewy ("al dente") noodles - and a tasty meal.

The longer you soak the noodles, the more water is absorbed - and the less to be drained and set aside.

The idea of adding enough water ("to cover") simply ensures that the noodles on the top get the chance to soften. Water temperature may or may not be important. YMMV.

---

Cucumber / Peanut Ramen Soup

So I had a mushy cucumber, that could not be peeled. Threw it into the freezer, and it turned hard. What can you do with frozen cucumber?

Put it into soup.

Ingredients

• 1 package Ramen soup mix.
• 6 cucumber slices, frozen, and yes unpeeled.
• 1/4 t curry powder.
• 1/4 t ginger.
• 1/4 t mustard.
• 1/4 t sesame seeds.
• 1/2 t brown sugar.
• 1/2 t vinegar.
• 1/2 t peanut butter.
• 1 h mixed greens (bagged salad).

Preparation

1. Boil water.
2. Dump ramen flavour packet, spices, sugar, vinegar, peanut butter into 1 quart soup bowl.
3. Pour boiling water into bowl, mix everything well.
4. Add ramen noodles, crumbled.
5. Fill bowl with water, to 1" below rim (don't want water overflowing when you carry the soup bowl).
6. Add cucumber slices and salad greens.
7. When the bowl is cool enough to carry, the noodles will be nice and soft - and the cucumber slices will be just slightly chewy.

Serve with a nice chunk of sourdough bread.

California Style Lime Peanut Bean Curry

Beans and peanut curry are a great combination. Dried beans keep forever in the pantry - and can be used easily in an emergency.

This is similar to California style red beans - except the flavourings use a curry powder base, instead of chili powder - and the lime / peanut butter. And, it takes some from the Cuban style black beans - except the sour black beans use an orange, but the red beans are sweeter and use a lime.

Only rinse the beans twice, to make sure they are clean - then stash in refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the other ingredients. No soaking overnight - and no repeated rinsing, and removing all of the flavour.

• 1 lb dried red beans
• 2 - 3 carrots, well scrubbed and chopped, 1/4" sections
• 3 - 4 cloves of garlic, chopped, 1//4" squares
• 1 medium onion, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped, 1/4" squares
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 2 cubes / 2 t bouillon
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1/2 t coriander
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1 t curry powder
• 1 t garam masala
• 1 T ginger
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1/4 t tumeric
• 1 6oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 C peanut butter
• 1 lime, scrubbed and whole

1. Rinse beans, twice, in large bowl. Let them sit in the refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the vegetables.
2. When vegetables are ready, dump beans and water - un drained - into a large pot.
3. Add vegetables, and enough water to make everything float.
4. Bring water to a boil, and add spices. Do not add lime, peanut butter, or tomato sauce, yet.
5. Reduce to simmer, cover, and let them cook. 2 - 3 hours gives me what I like - I suspect that you can't overcook this recipe, as long as you add water periodically. Sample beans and sauce, an hour after start.
6. If the beans and spices make you sneeze, you have just enough spices. The peanut butter and tomato sauce will bring the spice level down.
7. At 1 1/2 hours, the beans will be chewy. Add peanut butter, using a fork, stir until dissolved and mixed. Then add tomato sauce and the lime, stir again.
8. When beans are soft enough to eat without chewing, they are ready.
9. Turn off stove, uncover, let them sit until they are cool enough to enjoy.
10. Serve over Bengali style sesame mint rice, with sourdough bread.
11. Refrigerated over night, they are even more tasty.

California Style Red Beans

This is similar to Cuban style black beans - except the flavourings use a chili powder base, instead of curry powder.

Only rinse the beans twice, to make sure they are clean - then stash in refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the other ingredients. No soaking overnight - and no repeated rinsing, and removing all of the flavour.

• 1 lb dried red beans
• 1 - 2 carrots, well scrubbed and chopped, 1/4" sections
• 2 - 3 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped
• 2 cubes / 2 t bouillon
• 2 bay leaves, whole
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1 T chili powder
• 1 t Kashmiri chili powder
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/2 t mustard
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1/4 t tumeric
• 1 6oz can tomato sauce

1. Rinse beans, twice, in large bowl. Let them sit in the refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the vegetables.
2. When vegetables are ready, dump beans and water - un drained - into a large pot.
3. Add vegetables, and enough water to make everything float.
4. Bring water to a boil, and add spices.
5. Reduce to simmer, cover, and let them cook. 2 hours gives me what I like.
6. When beans are soft enough to eat without chewing, they are ready.
7. Turn off stove, uncover, let them sit until they are cool enough to enjoy.
8. Serve over Bengali style sesame mint rice, with sourdough bread. Garnish / mix with mango salsa.
9. Refrigerated over night, they are even more tasty.

Cuban Style Black Beans

This is quick, and easy to fix.


Don't rinse the beans, any more than necessary.

Only rinse the beans twice, to make sure they are clean - then stash in refrigerator while you prepare the other ingredients. No soaking overnight - and no repeated rinsing, and removing all of the flavour. That may be the missing ingredient, that I have not found - until yesterday.

• 4 C dried / 4 x 14 oz cans / 1 lb dried black beans
• 3 - 4 carrots, well scrubbed and chopped, 1/2" sections
• 3 - 4 cloves of garlic, quartered
• 1 medium onion, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 1 orange, scrubbed and whole (opt)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped
• 2 cubes / 2 t bouillon
• 2 bay leaves, whole
• 1 t caraway seeds (black caraway is best)
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 1 t cilantro
• 1 t cumin
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1 6oz can tomato sauce (opt)

1. Rinse beans, twice, in large bowl. Let them sit in the refrigerator, while you prepare the vegetables.
2. When vegetables are ready, dump beans and water - un drained - into a large pot.
3. Add orange (opt), vegetables, and enough water to make everything float.
4. Bring water to a boil, and add spices.
5. Reduce to simmer, cover, and let them cook. Most recipes claim 1 1/2 hours - I decided 2 - 3 hours gives me what I like.
6. When beans are soft enough to eat without chewing, they are ready.
7. Turn off stove, uncover, let them sit until they are cool enough to enjoy.
8. Serve over Bengali style rice, with sourdough bread. Garnish / mix with mango salsa.
9. Refrigerated over night, they are even more tasty.

Curry Potatoes

I love the smell of Curry Potatoes with garlic in the evening - it smells like - - - dinner.

Eat first, take pictures after. And this is what was left.

Ingredients

• 6 medium / 12 small potatoes, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 T sliced jalapenos
• 1 T nopalitos
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 can red beans
• 2 T bouillon powder / 2 cubes bouillon
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1/2 t coriander powder
• 1/2 t cumin powder
• 1 T curry powder
• 1/2 t garam masala

Preparation

1. Chop potatoes, slice garlic.
2. Heat up dutch oven, until water sizzles on bottom.
3. Cover bottom with oil.
4. Saute garlic 15 seconds or so, just long enough until the room fills with the aroma.
5. Add potatoes, stir like crazy 1 - 2 minutes until potatoes brown just slightly.
6. Add beans and tomatoes, mix. With the right amount of potatoes, the top layer should be 1/2 floating in juice.
7. Add nopalitos and jalapenos, and a bit of juice from each jar.
8. Add spices, and mix well.
9. Bring to boil, reduce to slow simmer.
10. Stir frequently.
11. When potatoes just stick to the spoon, cover pan, turn off heat, let it finish and cool down to not burn your mouth.
12. Serve with sourdough bread, or steamed tortillas - and dark Mexican beer.

Chuck's Potatoes Au Gratin

This is yet another example of making what you want, with what you have in the kitchen.

• Butter, 1 T (opt).
• Celery, 1 stalk.
• Cornflakes or similar cereal, crumbled / crushed, 1 C (opt).
• Onion, 1 medium.
• Potatoes, 5 - 6 medium, sliced and quartered.
• Soup, anything creamy (I used tomato), 1 can.
• Milk, 1/4 C or so.
• Cheese, 1 C (I used Parmesan grated).
• Cumin, 1/4 t.
• Ginger, 1/2 t (OK, I like ginger).
• Pepper, 1/4 t (I add pepper to everything).
• Salt, 1/4 t (If you wish).
• Tumeric, 1/4 t (It's good for you).

1. Slice the potatoes, 1/4" thick - then quarter the slices.
2. Dice the onion, and the celery.
3. Mix celery, onion, and potatoes in a large casserole dish, and microwave until the potatoes are chewy (15 - 30 minutes).
4. Grate or mince the cheese, if necessary.
5. Mix the cheese, milk, soup, and spices - pour the mixture over the vegetables, and mix well.
6. (Opt) Melt butter / margarine, mix with cornflakes, pour over the soup / vegetable mixture.
7. Bake in oven or microwave, until potatoes are soft, and cheese is nicely melted (another 15 - 30 minutes).

Dumlyama / Dymlyama

All of the other recipes (see below) say beef or lamb for the meat - and basil / dill is the green herbs.

»http://www.youtube.com/v/sAldVsayIm8

Another version of the recipe:

»http://www.youtube.com/v/VCcgLJ-gHfE

As the old saying goes,

Google is your friend.

And using Google for Dumlyama, and again for Dymlyama, I found one recipe, in English (accompanied by a lot of recipes, predictably, in Russian).

Mutton - two kg potatoes - two kg, carrots - one kg, Bulgarian pepper - one kg, cabbage - forks (1 kg), onion - one kg tomatoes - one kg, garlic - 10 cloves, a bunch of dill, a bunch of basil vegetable oil - 0, five l, salt, pepper, bitter - 1struchok. First, prepare all the food. The meat cut into chunks, see my 3x3, clean all vegetables. Potatoes are leaving a whole, a major cut in half, carrots, peppers in half, tomatoes, onion rings, cabbage in large pieces (10 pieces of forks). Tying thread bunches of greens. Take the cauldron at the bottom of the pour vegetable oil, laid a layer of meat, salt, onion layer on it, a little tomato, a layer of potatoes and carrots on it, the top layer of tomatoes and peppers, salt. All pours garlic, put a pod of red hot pepper, keeping stalk. Laid a layer of cabbage, add some salt again, cabbage, cover with tied bundles of herbs, then put the whole cabbage leaves, cover with all the big dish, cover with lid and set on fire. Cook for one hour.

Starting with the first ingredient (translated)

4 pounds of mutton

It is obvious that this recipe is designed to feed a large family. I'll not be attempting this in my own kitchen - so I'll plan to post an actual recipe, in 2 - 3 months, at the soonest.

And briefly glancing at the Russian recipes, in the Google searches, and translated, I can tell that there are many variations - with different meats, herbs, spices, and vegetables.

Corn / Mushrooms / Peas

Lots of the veggies, that I like.

• 1/4 t black pepper
• 1 t bouillon (1 cube)
• 1/8 t cayenne pepper
• 1/4 t cumin
• 1 t ginger
• 1/4 t paprika
• 1/8 t tumeric
• 2 cl garlic
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper
• 1/2 pimiento pepper
• 1 can corn
• 1 can mushrooms
• 1 can peas
• 1 can tomatoes
• 1 T vegetable oil

1. Dice onion and pimiento, and mince garlic and jalapeno.
2. Saute garlic, in oil, until golden brown.
3. Add onion, saute until transparent.
4. Add other vegetables.
5. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, cook 10 - 15 minutes.

Banana Curry Rice

A quick and easy way to use up a left over banana, and improve on plain white rice.

• 1 C white rice.
• 2 1/2 C water.
• 1 T chicken bouillon / 2 bouillon cubes.
• 1/2 t curry powder.
• 1/4 t garam masala.
• 1/4 t ground coriander seed.
• 1/8 t cayenne pepper.
• 1/8 t tumeric.
• 1/4 medium onion, diced.
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced.
• 1 banana, sliced horizontally, 1/4" thick slices.

1. Combine rice and water, bring to boil.
2. Stir constantly, adding bouillon, spices and vegetables.
3. When rice starts to thicken, turn heat down to slow simmer, stir frequently.
4. Add banana.
5. When rice starts to get sticky, stir then cover.
6. Remove from heat, let rice absorb the remainder of the water, until soft.
7. Serve with pasta sauce / salsa / chili sauce to taste.

Chicken Gizzards, With Ginger And Ramen

My Mom used to serve us chicken gizzards and rice, pressure cooked, years ago. This month, I'm visiting Mom and sister - and sister buys a pound of chicken gizzards and asks me to cook them. I hated the pressure cooker, when I was young - but I loved the gizzards and rice - so I found a recipe with microwave cooking instructions, and I added my favourite spices. Not bad, for a first attempt.

• 2 packages Ramen soup mix
• 1/4 t Cayenne pepper
• 1/2 t Ginger
• 1/4 t Paprika
• 1 lb Chicken Gizzards / Hearts / Livers. Not the healthiest parts of the chicken - but tasty.
• 1 medium onion
• 1 T oil (olive, vegetable, whatever)
• 1/2 C flour
• 2 C water

1. Combine Ramen flavour packets, Cayenne, Ginger, Paprika, and flour.
2. Wash, rinse, drain, dry chicken parts.
3. Mix chicken parts, and flour mixture.
4. Chop onion.
5. Brown floured chicken, and onion, in a skillet with oil.
6. Put browned chicken / onion in a microwave safe container, add water.
7. Cook chicken / onion on High, until the meat is just barely tender. The original recipe claimed 30 minutes - my microwave needed 60 minutes.
8. Crumble Ramen noodles, mix with chicken. Add water as necessary.
9. Cook until noodles are tender, and mixture is thick enough to eat with a fork.

Seven Seas (7 Cs) Rice

• 4 bouillon cubes, chicken or vegetable
• 1/2 t Cayenne pepper
• 1/2 t ground Coriander
• 1/2 t Cumin
• 1 t Curry powder (to taste)
• 1 t garam masala (to taste)
• 3 lg cloves garlic, smashed then minced
• 1/2 head Cabbage, chopped
• 2 lg Carrots, chopped
• 2 or 3 Chicken thighs (I like dark meat), or equivalent in whatever pieces you like
• 1 med onion, diced
• 2 C rice, well washed
• 16 C water

1. Add Chicken and water, in a deep pot (a dutch oven is good).
2. Bring water to a boil.
3. Add bouillon, spices, and garlic.
4. Cook for an hour or so until the Chicken falls off the bone, as you use a fork to lift it out of the pot.
5. Put the Chicken on a plate. If you like healthy chicken, and the skin is still on the chicken, it should scrape off quite easily with a fork. Then use a pair of forks to remove the bones, and shred the chicken. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
6. Add Cabbage, Carrots and onion, bring to boil again. Cook until the carrot pieces are soft.
7. Add rice, mix well, bring to boil.
8. Make sure that water just covers top of mixture.
9. Stir rice frequently, reduce to slow boil, cook until the rice is soft. If the mixture is too soupy, add 1/4 C oatmeal, and mix well.
10. Turn off the heat, cover, let sit for 1/2 hour so it's cool enough to enjoy.
11. Serve with sourdough bread, and lots of beverages.
12. If you sneeze or your nose runs just slightly, you have enough just cayenne and curry. Keep Kleenex handy.

Peanut Chicken Stew

Sometimes I don't have enough ingredients to make one recipe, don't feel like running to the store, but feel like cooking something. So, it's time to improvise. Here is my attempt at a combination of several favourite recipes, and using what I felt like cooking.

• 2 or 3 chicken thighs / 4 to 6 drumsticks (dark meat chicken)
• 12 C water
• 4 bouillon cubes
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced, or thinly sliced
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 1 T curry powder
• 1 t ground coriander seed
• 1 t garam masala
• 1 t ground ginger
• 1 t paprika
• 2 C white rice, rinsed and drained
• 28 oz can cooked kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 LG onion, chopped
• 1 LG red (sweet) pepper, chopped
• 28 oz can cooked tomatoes (5 large), chopped, drained
• 8 oz peanut butter

1. Add water to large dutch oven / pot, bring to boil.
2. Add bouillon cubes, chicken, garlic, and spices, bring to boil again.
3. Reduce to simmer. If you desire a more healthy stew, remove the skin - as it should peel off the meat, well before Step #4. Or, you can shred the skin, with the meat, later.
4. Cook until chicken is very tender, and meat falls off the bones.
5. Remove chicken from pot, use 2 forks to remove bones and shred the meat.
6. Return the meat to the pot.
7. Add the rice, stir well, bring to boil again, stir frequently.
8. Add beans, onion, pepper, and tomatoes, stir frequently, until rice starts to thicken. Add water as rice thickens - and stir constantly.
9. Check rice - when chewable, add peanut butter.
10. Stir until mixture becomes too thick to stir, and rice is cooked. When rice is tender, the stew is done.
11. Let cool slightly, and serve. Have lots of cold beverages available, this will make you very thirsty.
12. Refrigerate overnight, for best flavour. Kidney beans will make it rather sweet. Again, serve with lots of beverages. The cayenne pepper may make you sneeze occasionally (that's how you know that you have enough spices!), so have kleenex available.

Thanksgiving 2011

A great dish for Black Friday.

• 4 bouillon cubes, chicken or vegetable
• 1/2 t basil
• 1/2 t thyme
• 1 T parsley
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 2 lg cloves garlic, smashed then minced
• 1/2 head cabbage, chopped
• 3 lg carrots, chopped
• 1 lg onion, diced
• 1 C rice, well washed
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 8 C water

1. Bring water to boil in deep pot.
2. Add bouillon, spices, and garlic, mix well.
3. Add vegetables, mix well, bring to boil again.
4. Add turkey, break into small chunks, bring to boil again.
5. Add rice, mix well, bring to boil.
6. Make sure that water just covers top of mixture.
7. Reduce to slow boil, cook 1/2 - 1 hour, stir frequently. Add water as necessary.
8. Serve with sourdough bread, and lots of beverages.

Potato / Celery Soup

• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 3 large cloves of garlic, diced
• 1 medium / 1/2 large onion, chopped into 1/2" chunks
• 8 - 9 medium potatoes, chopped into 1/2" chunks (enough to fill a standard colander when washed)
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1 t celery seed
• 1 t cilantro
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/2 t mustard
• 2 t tarragon
• 1 t peppercorns
• 1/2 C oatmeal

1. Put 3 - 4 inches of water into cooking pot, bring to boil.
2. Add spices, garlic, celery, onion. Stir well.
3. Add potatoes, bring to boil again. Make sure that there's enough water so the potatoes stir easily.
4. Stir well.
5. Add oatmeal.
6. Reduce to slow simmer. Stir frequently.
7. Cook until thickened, and you're tired of waiting.
8. Garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg or paprika. Serve with sourdough bread and nice dark beer (Newcastle Brown Ale is my fave).

Cabbage / Curry / Potato Soup

Cabbage and potatoes are a good combination. Curry works well, here. Peppercorns and mustard seed are like pop rocks, in a stew. They give the mixture a subtle flavour while it cooks - then you eat the soup, and bite down on a flavour capsule (which should be reasonably soft from cooking long enough). If anyone in the group has trouble with eating seeds, substitute ground mustard and pepper.

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T curry powder
• 1 t mustard seed - or 1/2 t ground mustard
• 1/2 t paprika
• 2 t peppercorns - or 1 t ground pepper
• 1/2 head of cabbage, chopped
• 2 med yellow onions, diced
• 2 lb potatoes (6 - 8 medium potatoes), well washed, scrubbed, and diced 1/2" cubes
• 1/2 can (3 oz) tomato paste
• 4 C chicken or vegetable broth (2 bouillon cubes + 4 C boiling water)
• ground pepper, chopped green onions for garnish

1. Put 4 C water in a stew pot, bring to boil, add bouillon cubes.
2. Add garlic, onions, spices and tomato paste, bring to boil again.
3. Add cabbage and potatoes, add enough water (if necessary) to almost cover the cabbage and potatoes, bring to boil again.
4. Turn down to slow simmer.
5. Cook 1 - 2 hours, until vegetables are tender. Make sure cabbage and potatoes are very soft. Longer is better.
6. Garnish with ground pepper, and chopped green onions.
7. Serve immediately, if you're hungry. Best flavour may be obtained from refrigerating overnight.