POPCORN!

I usually eat this in the winter but somehow I thought it would go well with my New Glarus-Stone Soup beer,( thanks Annie and Seth) and I was right. I always prefer to make my own popcorn as opposed to the microwave variety. I use a little popcorn popper I got awhile ago which is just a covered sauce pan including a little hand crank you twist which pulls a small paddle along the bottom of the pan. I tried to take a picture but I dropped my camera on the floor just now and broke the lense. DURH...

The paddle turns the kernels so they got completely coated in oil, it also keeps the kernels moving so they dont scorch on the bottom of the pan. Dont let this fancy technology fool you though. You remember those old jiffy pops you used to get for camping and slumber parties? The truth is, you can use any old pan to pop corn. Just make sure you oil the pan and keep the kernels moving by shaking back and forth.

So, I put just enough oil in the pan to LIGHTLY cover the bottom. Then I add enough kernels to cover the bottom also. It really doesn't require any more than a stove with medium high heat. I turn the crank the entire time of cooking but you can shake regular covered pans back and forth. When the popping slows down, remove from heat to avoid burning. As long as you leave the lid on, the heat will stay in and the final kernels should pop on their own.

I usually dump the popped corn into a bigger bowl a little at a time and season each layer. Sometime I like to use butter which I melt first, some times, and as many of my vegetarian friends know, nutritional yeast is an awesome topping which gives you a little boost of B Vitamins but tonight I went straight savory.

I added freshly ground sea salt, fresh ground black pepper and a little bit of onion powder. The black pepper gives it a delicious kick and the onion powder really rounds out the flavor. Even Bryan eats it and he doesnt really care for popcorn...

Actually made this while watching John Stewart talk about the latest republican sex scandal on the Daily Show. Michael Steele and Co spent campaign contributions at this club, http://www.voyeur7969.com/ I dont know about you but I am happy to see spendthrift republicans supporting hard working women, its about fucking time...

Pad Thai and Chocolate Cake

I made the Pad Thai with pre-cooked chicken strips but this is just as good with tofu or fake chicken. My current chicken stand in is made by Quorn, Chik'n Tenders. They are really tasty and just need to be heated through.




Tofu!
I am a fan of tofu as it was a staple in my diet for many years. People sometimes get a little overwhelmed by cooking and underwhelmed by eating it. Let's face it, it CAN be bland and mushy but it does not have to be. Here's some rules I live by, I implore you to do the same. Note: when using tofu as a main protein in this kind of dish, firm or extra firm is the way to go. I also freeze it first. This definitely adds heft to the texture which is pretty satisfying to bite into.

1. Defrost -Leave frozen tofu in its original container and run under warm water to assist with the defrost. (try to get it pretty close to fully defrosted before you press or else you will end up with a mess).
2. Press - put the block of tofu between two towels or cheese cloth (paper towels aren't really strong enough for this step). I put it on a plate and cover with a heavy pot or pan to help press. You should make sure to press it down every couple of minutes and I usually flip it over at least once.
3. Quick press- I am often lazy and just press it between my palms between two towels over the sink, just be careful because the sides usually get a little mangled. Its ok, still tastes fine.
4. Season - I got this tip from Cissie and she makes the best fried tofu I've ever had so add it to your repertoire. Once you have pressed the tofu, it is ready to suck up any flavor you add to it. In a small sauce pan, heat enough veggie broth to cover your tofu block. I use Knorr Vegetarian Vegetable Bullion cubes but I also like the 365 box of broth, just make sure you like the way the broth tastes before you dunk the tofu in there. You can slice the tofu before or after this step, I just find it easier to fish the whole block out, but cutting the soaked block is a little messy.

Ok, on to the recipe!

Pad Thai

1. Get some nice rice noodles and follow the directions on the package, I like to have my noodles pretty much ready to go before I get the rest of the stuff done cause this doesnt take long to cook. Typically most rice noodles are soaked first for awhile and are sometimes boiled. They get stir fried also so dont over cook them first!

2. Add chicken, fake chicken or tofu and peanut sauce (enough to coat all your chosen protein) large frying pan. Saute for a few minutes or until protein is browned and warmed through. If you don't have peanut sauce you like, you can add a few teaspoons of oil, minced garlic and a few tablespoons of peanut butter instead. Just make sure your protein gets coated. I do this fast on high heat but if you haven't done it before, start slow at medium heat with everything in the pan together.

3. Add:
a few handfuls of shredded carrots
half a bunch of chopped green onions
one clove on minced garlic
Add a splash of pad thai sauce here but not too much
pinch of cayenne pepper
generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

I also added a very small amount of tamarind paste here. The sauce i used, from a bottle, has the tamarind paste in it but I like the taste so I add more. I like it spicy but I was making it for guests so I didn't overdo it so feel free to add more cayenne and red pepper flakes. Some people add an egg or two here but that is just fucking nasty. Eggs should be scrambled or over hard but the drippy stringy ones that are often found in traditional pad thai are ICKY.

4. If you can't find pad thai sauce you like or want to make one with out fish sauce, here's what it should have in it. TASTE IT AS YOU GO ALONG. Its easy to forget when you are focusing on technique however, the taste is really the most important thing.

canola oil
brown sugar
soy sauce
tamarind paste
you can substitute vegan worcestershire sauce for fish sauce
onion powder
smidge of tomato paste (really not a lot)

5. Add the noodles and a generous helping of pad thai sauce and cook through on pretty high heat for just enough time to warm through. I like the edges of the noodles to be browned. To manage this and make sure everything gets well combined, add the noodles and sauce in a few batches.

6. The following garnishes are totally necessary for this recipe:

Cilantro (which I forgot this time), washed and chopped
Lime Wedges
Bean sprouts- washed and whole
Crushed peanuts (blend, food process or ground in a coffee grinder). don't overdo it or you will just have peanut butter

I like A LOT of lime on mine...

I was trying to listen to the new Raw Nerve LP while doing this but I was getting a ton of phone calls and text messages about a show I was booking that night and my friends emergency surgery so I need to listen to that record again. I also let my noodles cook too long so they got mushy and broke apart but they still tasted ok at the end of the day. Presentation has never really been my strong suit...

Thankfully, everything turned out ok on all fronts!

NOW LISTENING TO: Big Black - Songs about Fucking and Way Hap, Ultimate Rarities.

Logan's Chocolate Birthday Cake with Chocolate Frosting and Raspberries

For the last two years, Logan Worell has been in Chicago on his birthday and I make him a cake! Last year was some decadent chocolate cake replete with peanut butter chips and icing if memory serves...It was made from scratch and there was nothing vegan or healthy about it.

The cake shown above was a more simple affair but it was also pretty fucking delicious, particularly with the raspberries. I know raspberries shouldnt really be in season yet but I got them any way. I tried to write LOGAN in raspberries but they were too genetically modified and huge, could only fit LOG so I started over and it made the frosting look a little wonky. Whateves...

I used Dr. Oetker's Organic Cake and Frosting Mix and followed the directions. I used real eggs, milk and butter as directed. I don't eat as many sweets as I used to so I went whole hog. Not too many tips here except to say that I lined the cake pan with wax paper which minimized the mess. I was hoping it would be a little easier to get out of the pan. I might try parchment paper instead next time with a light spray of canola oil...mmmmm

RockNRoll will never die (people do)

I have a lot of racing thoughts right now. It was a total bummer to hear about Alex Chilton, we played his songs all night last night. Oddly enough, I always think of his as spring/summer music. Only recently have I been able to climb out of the midwestern winter haze lodged in my head and he helped me do so.

Now I hear about Bruce Roehrs passing. Agnostic Front, Cocksparrer and Templars on repeat. Only met him a couple times but he had this huge spirit that seemed to show up even before he did. RIP Bruce and Alex...

everybody, take care of yourselves, xo

I fell in love with the glory hole

Today I was wandering around the airport trying to kill time until bryan came to get me and Movies by the Big Boys came up on the old IPOD Shuffle. All the annoyance of the airport just slipped away. I used to sing this melody to Sadie and change all the words to suit her...

"Sadie is a stinky puppy, you know she a stinky puppy"

T.V. is also a fucking great song by the big boys. The line "that's incredible, the sonny and cher show, rocky and bo-winkle" absolutely reminds me of a very specific period in my life...NOSTALGIA. Of course I didn't hear this song until a hundred years after it came out but I still love it.

So that brings me to the Dicks. The other night I was watching my brother's old band play a reunion show and I overheard a couple of people talking about the greatest love songs of all time. Please note that one of the bands used the crazy tube drum set shown above!!! What the fuck is that thing? What is the target market for this drum kit?

Anyway, my vote for the greatest love song of all time is the bookstore song. One man's journey from the book store to the safeway parking lot, one of the most sincere accounts of the functions of "love" ever written...

EDIT: After listening to the Skinny Elvis about a hundred times over the last couple days it occurs to me I got the T.V. lyric wrong. "Good morning america, the sonny and cher show, THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW, Roky and Bowinkle"...tall rob would be so bummed that I forgot his favorite show. Sorry...

This is another dish I made about a week ago, I have a vague recollection that I was listening to a Michael Gira project called Skin and possibly the Complications lp

anyway, next recipe...

ARTICHOKE CHEESE SOUP- stolen from super duper soups

Medium is a good heat for this whole recipe

1/4 c. unsalted butter

1 medium onion

1 large grated carrot

2 sticks celery chopped

Saute all together until veggies are tender

Sprinkle in 2 tbsp of flour (whatever kind floats your boat is ok in this)

Add 2 1/2 c. veggie stock and 1 3/4 c. milk and bring to a simmer

Add 2 c. grated cheddar cheese and stir constantly until melted

Drain one can of artichoke hearts ( or 2 1/2 c fresh) chop roughly and add, simmer for 10 minutes then eat...

fucking simple and tasty.

DELICIOUS ITALIAN CASSEROLE

Before the whole recipe/direction thing, I wanted to share this crazy article I just read.
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/03/the-great-grocery-smackdown/7904

Also, i made this dish like a week ago and I forgot what I was listening to at the time but right now I am listening to Kyklooppien Sukupuutto (or as the leg would call them, kuku su poopoo)

I am also happy to announce that I got a HUGE cast iron frying pan (after coveting anna and jordan's), from Macy's, almost free after I returned the Heathcliff Huxtable sweater bryan got for christmas.

1 lb Italian Sausage- ground

BROWN

OR
make your own veggie italian sausage

one pack of tempeh

crumble into a pan and add water just until covered, simmer until all the water is absorbed- drain any residue

1 tblsp olive oil add
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp or more fennel seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tblsp chopped parsley
if you feel spicy, a tsp or so of crushed red pepper flakes

Saute for about two minutes or until fennel starts to brown (DONT BURN IT)
throw in the drained tempeh and mix through
(they also have a bunch of pre made veggie sausages that you can dice up if you are feeling lazy)

So you have your browned sausage in the pan add:

1/2 c or more of diced green peppers
1 medium onion chopped - I used a white onion for this one

Cook over medium until the peppers and onions are sauteed nicely then add

One can of diced tomatoes (I used the ones with garlic added)

Then add 1 and 1/2 orzo pasta

Stir through and add a quarter cup at a time
2 c. vegetable juice ( I got the low sodium kind)

its important with orzo to add the liquid a little at a time and stir and stir and stir. Cooking time may vary by brand but about 10 minutes gave me orzo that was al dente.

The original recipe for this called for instant white rice, knock your self out and try it, but regular rice or brown rice are much better for you.

I also added a ton of fresh basil and dried marjoram....

Once you have that all incorporated and the orzo is pretty well done, remove from heat, cover with cheese (in this case I just used shredded mozzarella) and cover the pan. let it stand for 6-8 minutes then eat. The cast iron pan rules cause it REALLY retains all the heat.