Easy Peasy Mac & Cheese-y

Ever since graduation, I have had the biggest craving for Boundary Bay's mac & cheese in Bellingham. With gas prices climbing higher and higher every week, a trip up to my alma mater went from being plausible to pretty much impossible in a jiffy. In desperation, I began my search for mac & cheese recipe that could rival the original. At last I found one from Alton Brown on foodnetwork.com (see link after the jump). I made this recipe the other night for my family and friends--it's so easy and, chances are, you already have all of the ingredients hanging around your pantry! 

JUMP!!!

K'nish in a pinch

One of the challenges I have discovered this past week has been trying to come up with food I could just grab-and-go on my way out the door in the morning and actually feel like eating by the time my lunch hour rolls around.

My solution for this next week is the Jewish staple snack: K'nish.

It's small but filling, it's portable and delicious.

Recipe: Is that my Bureka?

*The only thing I changed was that I doubled to dough recipe and added copious amount of Hungarian paprika and sharp cheese to the filling. Also, mine look considerably more misshapen than normal k'nishes.*

Quick and (nearly) painless Samosas!

I started making these almost a year ago when I read the recipe in the Kent Reporter. Samosas are mostly thought of as being Indian, but really everyone has a version of them (except maybe the U.S./Canada...all of the countries who consider cabbage a main food group...) and they are all delicious! The selling point: It's just not possible to screw them up--pan fried, meat/veggie stuffed pastries...they're going to taste good no matter how horrible of a cook you are! The biggest problem I've run into, however, is after I make them I realize that they really do need to be dipped into something...what has worked best for me is using a plum sauce or mango chutney, both of which can be found in the international/kosher section of most grocery stores or at any Asian food market.

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 large chopped onion
• 2 tsp grated ginger/ginger paste/(or just use the 1 tsp of the spice, really doesn't matter much)
• 3-4 cloves of minced garlic
•  SPICES! (I always make a spice mix of 1 tbsp garam masala, 1 tbsp curry powder/tumeric, pinch of salt, cinnamon and nutmeg) 

Dough:

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp veggie oil/canola oil
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup water

Directions:

For filling
1. Combine spices and using your hands fold into the raw ground beef.
2. Cook meat with onion and grated ginger in a skillet over medium heat. Set aside.

For dough
1. In bowl, sift together flour and salt. Using your finger, make a divet in the center of the dough (deep, but not to bottom) and fill with oil and water. Using a fork, stir quickly until sticky dough forms.
2. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes on generously floured surface until elastic. Cover bowl with damp towel so as to allow the dough to not dry out when not in use.

For assembly
1. Break of a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball and with your fingers, stretch out into a flat circle (like you're making a tiny pizza).
2. *This part varies, depending on what shape/consistency of dough you want your samosas to have* I usually stick a spoonful of filling in the center of the dough and wrap in up like a potsticker; if you would like to make triangles (thinner, crisper dough) you should cut your dough circle in half, place filling on one side and then place the other half of dough over the one with the filling as though you are making a sandwich; then, use your fingers to seal the edges and form samosa into a triangular shape.
3. Once you've assembled your samosas, heat 1/4 cup (probably more) of oil in skillet and fry pastries four or five at a time until crisp and golden brown on all sides.
4. Serve with plum sauce/chutney. Enjoy!

Photo: Taste.com
Recipe: A la moi and the Kent Reporter

Basic Beer Bread

Ingredients:

1. 3 cups self rising flour
2. 1/4 cup sugar
3. 1 1/2 cups grated cheese
4. 1, 12 oz bottle of beer--room temperature

Directions:

1. Using a wooden spoon, mix ingredients together one at a time. (Be very careful not to over mix, you want it to be lumpy!)
2. Dump into greased loaf pan, bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees or until toothpick comes out clean.
3. Serve warm or toasted. Enjoy!

*Taste will vary based on selected beer. While I haven't tried it, I would guess that darker beers--like a porter--might be more appropriate*

Recipe source: My grandma

Homemade Pel'menis

Ingredients:

For dough
1. 1 1/2 cups flour
2. Pinch of salt
3. 1/2 cup cold water
4. 2 eggs

For filling
1. (1) large russett potato
2. 2 tbs. butter
3. Thyme, salt, pepper, greek oregano, basil...


Directions:

To make dough, quickly combine flour and cold water in a mixing bowl and mix together with a fork. Stir in eggs and add salt, to taste. Using generous amounts of extra flour, roll dough into ball and set aside.

To make filling, cut potato into chunks and dump into pot of boiling water. After potatoes become soft, strain out the water and place into a mixing bowl. Let cool. Using a pastry cutter (or your hands) mash potatoes along with butter and herbs/spices until blended.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

To asssemble pel'menis:

1. Grab a chunk of dough about the size of a 50 cent piece (generously floured) and roll it out until it is very thin medallion.
2. Drop a chunk of filing in the center of the medallion and using your fingers, gently fold the dough in half over the filling. Pinch the dough together along the crease and around the shape of the filling. Fold the creased dough up and shape it around the filling--like a person reaching two arms around their beer gut and clasping their hands at the center.
3. Dump the pel'menis into the boiling water and cook until they float to the surface. Strain and serve with sour cream, hot sauce & cilantro.

Sole Food: Pinching pennies post-grad style

Horchata

In light of this recent heat wave, I thought it would be nice to post a recipe for horchata = refreshing and delicious summer beverage made from rice milk/water/cinnamon.

Ingredients:

1. 1 1/3 cup uncooked white rice
2. 1 cup milk
3. 5 cups water
4. 2 sticks of cinnamon (I prefer using sticks--they're $1 for a package located in the hispanic foods aisle at most grocery stores) Otherwise, use 1/2 tablespoon of ground cinnamon.
5. 1/3 cup - 2/3 cup sugar
6. Splash of vanilla (to taste)

Directions:

1. Add rice, 2 cups of water and cinnamon sticks into blend and blend until sticks and rice are ground.
2. Add the rest of the water and continue to blend. *
3. Place out in hot sun (on porch or balcony, etc.) and let sit for 6 to 12 hours. **
4. Strain mixture into a pitcher through a sieve (I bought a handheld one for about $1 at Haggen--baking section)
5. Stir in milk, sugar and vanilla---serve over ice. Delicioso!

*Be careful not to over mix this part; I always do and a lot of grounds make it through when I use the sieve.

**Direct sun is best, but next to a window or in the fridge is just as good too!

Photo: foodnetwork.com

Original recipe + tips from comment by "Serena" from July 16, 2008

Sole Food: Pinching pennies post-grad style

Quick & Dirty Gyros

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb. ground beef (lamb is way expensive, and beef tastes better anyway!) = $4
   
2. (1) package of frozen spinach = $1.50
3. 2 tbs. olive oil
4. Minced garlic ~ 3 cloves
5. Lots of spices (to taste): salt, pepper, cayenne/chili powder, cumin, a dash of cinnamon, grill seasoning, oregano *
   
6. Feta cheese = $3

Total cost: ~ $10

* The gyros will taste great with whatever kind of spices you choose to put in, so feel free to experiment! I like to use Garam Masala--it's a $6 spice, but I use it on absolutely everything and a little goes a long way!

Directions:

1. Defrost the spinach (squeeze out all excess liquid) and ground beef -- throw into bowl and blend together using hands.
2. Blend in the cheese, garlic and spices.
   
3. Transfer meat mixture to baking sheet and form into a log--about 3-4 inches wide and 11 inches long.
4. Drizzle log with olive oil and bake in oven (425 degrees) for 30-40 minutes. Note: It'll go fast, so be sure to start checking about 20 minutes in--watch the hot oil!
5. Cut log into 1 inch slices and serve gyros with fries/pita bread/tzaziki, etc.

*Recipe tweaked from original Rachael Ray Gyro Platter
Photo: Melarky.com

Sole Food: Pinching pennies post-grad style

Basic Bruschetta

Ingredients:

1. (1) baguette = 99 cents
   
2. Olive oil
3. Minced garlic = 50 cents (one clove)
   
4. Mozzarella = $4-$8 (shredded or fresh)
   
5. Fresh basil = free if you grow it at home*

Total Cost: $5.50-$9.50 (around $15 with tomato, avocado)

Directions:

1. Cut baguette into 1/2 inch to 1 inch slices and arrange in a single layer on a baking pan.
   
2. Drizzle slices with olive oil a broil until golden and crisp
3. Remove from oven and pile slices with favorite toppings (garlic, sliced tomato, avocado, etc.)
4. Place mozzarella medallions (or sprinkle the cheese) on top of the slices and top with a basil leaf.
   
5. Broil once more until cheese has melted. Serve.
   

*I love to buy basil plant starts and plant them in a pot I keep in the apartment. If you cut holes into a Ziploc bag and shove it over the pot, the plants really thrive = ghetto greenhouse. I pay $1 for the start and have fresh basil throughout the season as opposed to $4 for a tiny package --with one puny sprig-- at the store)

Image: Heartofwisdom.com

Sole Food: Pinching pennies post-grad style

"La baguette et la sauce blanche"
*Use the fancy name and I bet it will taste just a little bit better*

Ingredients:

1. (1) baguette = 99 cents
2. 2 tablespoons of butter = 25 cents
   
3. 2 tablespoons flour = 5 cents
   
4. 1 cup of milk = ~ $2 (for half gallon of milk)
   
5. 1/4 to 1/2 package of Websters "White Wine & Herb" spice mix = $1
6. Salt and pepper = free (if you grab a couple of packets from restaurants, dining halls)
   

Total Cost: $4.29

Directions:

1. Cut baguette into 1/2 slices ( I like them thinner), set aside
2. In medium saucepan, melt butter
3. Add flour, stir for about 2 minutes over low heat
   
4. Gradually add milk, continue stirring until sauce begins to thicken
   
5. Stir in herb mix, salt and pepper
   
6. While hot, pour sauce in bowl, serve with bread
   
7. Bon appetit!

Photo: Tasteofhome.com