Food for The Secret Society of Smokeless Sinners

Two Posts in one Day! Actually, it's really only one, but I wasn't able to get my computer to work yesterday so I'm posting back to back.

Anyway, last night a friend of mine informed me that she had found my blog. Amazingly, she spent a few hours reading through my rubbish. She also wanted to know why I had not mentioned her when referring to my renovations. I'm actually pretty sure I did mention her, but maybe I never put her actual name in the post. In any event...now I can. Thank you PAM and BARRY for coming to my house one early Sunday morning, ripping out my cupboards and then thanks to Barry for hauling them away while Pam and I started tearing out the tiled floor. We never finished it that day, but had it not been for them...well I wouldn't have my kitchen! And without my kitchen, why I would never have been able to create the masterpieces that have been pouring out of there in an effort to stave off the smoking.

Now, see even though I tell everyone I'm good at pretty much anything, the truth is I really am a good cook...the rest I just wing my way through. Much of my brethren may turn their noses up at the kind of cooking I've been trying, but I urge you all to throw down your recipe books, smash your glass measuring cups and embrace the idea of winging it. Not only that, try winging it with stuff that has been sitting in your kitchen for far too long.

For instance, mom had this stuff sitting at her place for over a year, finally she sent it to me. It's been in my house for about a year...but I did it, I tried cooking with Nutrela (high protein soya product)! When I poured it out of the box it looked like dog food. Then I soaked it in hot water for 15 minutes, then squeezed all the water out, rinsed it, then minced it. By that time it looked like pale, uncooked ground beef. I could pick many other ways to describe it...but you might actually want to try this stuff.

After that I fried some onions with a bit of green chilies, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, ground ginger, fresh garlic and 2 tomatoes. This made a delicious gravy which I then added the Nutrela to, and also some peas, carrots and green beans. I did a taste taste prior to serving...it needed something (badly). So I turned up the heat, added a pile of water, threw in some cinnamon and a couple cloves and boiled the crap out of it. Then another taste test...still needed something. To be honest it tasted like shredded newspaper in this fantastic gravy. I was at a loss...what to add, what to add...ahhh yes, the miracle sauce. That's right, I added 1 tablespoon of ketchup to my Nutrela dish. Surprisingly, that's all it needed. Of course next time I will brown the Nutrela with the onions and garlic first...I think I expected it to be like tofu, where it takes on the taste of anything you cook it with. This is not the case with Nutrela. Also, if you plan on trying this, just a little note of warning, the Nutrela doubles, or even triples in size after you soak it. So never, ever, ever make a half a box in one sitting unless you plan on eating it every day for a week.

Okay, hrm what else did I try making, oh yes...this is interesting...I was craving cake but had no cake. I ended up opening the box of Bisquick, pouring it into a little bowl, adding a bit of milk and water and a tablespoon of honey and then formed it loosely into a ball of goo. Then I made a big depression in said ball of goo and filled the depression with Saskatoon berries from the freezer. Then I slopped another gob of goo over it...to kind of make a hat for the depression and baked the whole shebang. It was soooooooooo delicious!

Ahhh and for those desperate for french fries late at night this was fantastic. I took two russet potatoes and grated them (raw), squeezed them to get rid of the excess water, added some chives, salt, pepper, cayenne, a tiny bit of grated asiago cheese and an egg, then I mixed that all together and fried it up like a pancake. Omg it was heaven. Seriously, I think that's just how you actually make potato pancakes...the thing is, I've never had potato pancakes before, nor did I ever think I wanted potato pancakes. I was wrong!

Okay I'm tired, it's -47 with the windchill, and my back hurts from digging myself out past my front door...I think I shall go snuggle under the blankets with Oli and Tinka!
Ciao