Cheap Eat Challenge, Part 2: Watch as our family of 6 eats on less than $10/day.
Yesterday was my 10th anniversary. Thanks to a glorious friend who watched our kids, we weren't in town. We were gone for only a day/night, but it was such a lovely lovely day/night.
Alas, I have now returned to life and the painting of trim, which we all know is really the best way to celebrate marital bliss.
But first, I wanted to let you know what I would have made if we'd been here for our anniversary instead of in Nashville sharing cheesecakes.
This cake, only with 10 layers. Yeah, pretty brilliant. Maybe I can do it for Valentine's Day.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Acorn Squash Soup
Cheap Eat Challenge, Part 2: Watch as our family of 6 eats on less than $10/day.
As we all know, people who endeavor to paint over a room of wood paneling one day before their 10th anniversary and 6 days before their in-laws arrive in town areclinically insane of high moral character.
Fortunately for you I've provided a step-by-step guide for any others who wish tohave turkey with me in the looney bin take the high road.
1. Get the wrong thing at Lowe's. The workers will most likely make this easy on you since they like to give you the wrong thing even if you specifically ask for the right thing. I got this taken care of on Monday and discovered it last night, so that I could run to Lowe's to rectify it this morning, which takes me to the 2nd step.
2. Run to Lowe's to rectify previous problem. Commit to buying extra of everything you could possibly need so that you won't ever have to return. Forget to buy extra of the thing you'll actually run out of.
3. Prime in the afternoon, racing to beat your piano students who will start arriving any minute. Mostly make it. Discover that oil-based primer that you had to use for wood paneling must be removed from your hands with none other than paint thinner.
4. Send your husband--quick--to Rural King to buy the thing you need that you ran out of.
5. Paint in the evening after putting kids to bed.
6. Think you're making really good time at 9:00pm.
7. Stop thinking that at 10:00pm. Wonder if it was the fumes from the oil-based primer speaking earlier anyway.
8. Start surveying room and wonder if you will actually like the color (cottage cream) that looked so beautiful and cottage creamy in your friend's house, but has started to look a little nicotine stain-y in your own room with the flourescent lights over head.
9.Enter denial. Express cock-eyed optimism. You're quite sure that that color will look just stunning in the morning with the sun streaming through. You're also purely confident that the one wall that isn't wood paneling--the one that had wall paper on it that you ripped off--does not have any residual glue that must be painstakingly washed off. You're perfectly confident that you can paint over it.
10. Console yourself that anything will look better than the wood paneling (true enough). And that things do brighten up when the trim is done.
11. Commit to purchasing a different kind of light bulb for overhead lighting.
12. Discover that you are a person oflow moral character practical thinking because you are considering skipping painting the part of the wall behind the desk, which you cannot move.
13. Discover that you are a person oflow religious character prayer because you begin praying fervently when you are in need that the paint will make it through that last wall. And also that the color will look a wee bit lighter when dry. It's not that you're saying there aren't more important things to pray about in this world. It's just that, in this moment, you may not happen to care one lick about them.
14. Ponder that you think the 10th anniversary is wood. How fitting that you are painting the wood paneling. Your spouse will be very pleased. If, of course, he is the type to consider good gifts those in which he is required to watch the kids all afternoon while you paint. If, on the other hand, he is the type that rather wishes you would just be bathed by the time the big day rolls around, well then, I cannot help you.
15. Discover wood is for the 5th anniversary. 10th is tin. Perhaps your brain will suffice.
16. Discover that your cheapskatery has a limit at washing out that roller that cost only a few bucks.
17. Consider that your carpet looks much better with your tennis shoe bottom imprinted on it in country cream. Perhaps you should leave it be instead of hastily scrubbing it out. I believe they call that art.
18. Remember how very physical painting is.
19. Do not put the furniture back. Do not pack anything for your big day tomorrow. Or wrap your spouse's gift. Or clean the house. Or write your dear friend, who is babysitting, a list of routines/things she might need to know for the day.
20. Eat something. (And for heaven's sake, go read a good book in a really hot bath.)
Which brings us here to this lovely, and I might add, soothing soup. You can even have it with some chocolate covered cranberries thereby. Not that I did, due to my high moral character and all.
Acorn Squash Soup
adapted from Koreafornian
Makes a good 8 servings
prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5-6 hours
3 acorn squash, halved, seeds removed
2 carrots
1 Korean pear, peeled cored and chopped (I sprang for this, but think you could get away with a regular pear)
1 onion, peeling and chopped
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
4 C chicken or vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
I also added a shot of cayenne pepper, which I really enjoyed
garnish with green onions if that's your thing
Note: Don't waste tons of time chopping since this is going in the crock pot. Just get things into big chunks.
Another note: I did the squash in the oven, but if you're crunched for time (like if you work or plan to be gone for the day), you can put these flesh side down (cut in half with the seeds out) on a plate with just a wee bit of water and microwave until soft (between 5 and 10 minutes most likely).
Preheat oven to 400.
Cut squash in halft and scoop out seeds and stringy stuff.
Lay on baking sheet (on parchment paper if you care about your sanity) cut side down and bake for 40-45 minutes.
Scoop out insides and put in crock pot.
Put other ingredients in crock pot and set on high for 4-5 hours.
Use your immersion blender to blend. I don't have one so I let this cool a bit and put it in my regular blender (you'll probably need to do 2 batches.
Warm again if necessary.
Eat. Then eat more.
PRINTABLE RECIPE
As we all know, people who endeavor to paint over a room of wood paneling one day before their 10th anniversary and 6 days before their in-laws arrive in town are
Fortunately for you I've provided a step-by-step guide for any others who wish to
1. Get the wrong thing at Lowe's. The workers will most likely make this easy on you since they like to give you the wrong thing even if you specifically ask for the right thing. I got this taken care of on Monday and discovered it last night, so that I could run to Lowe's to rectify it this morning, which takes me to the 2nd step.
2. Run to Lowe's to rectify previous problem. Commit to buying extra of everything you could possibly need so that you won't ever have to return. Forget to buy extra of the thing you'll actually run out of.
3. Prime in the afternoon, racing to beat your piano students who will start arriving any minute. Mostly make it. Discover that oil-based primer that you had to use for wood paneling must be removed from your hands with none other than paint thinner.
4. Send your husband--quick--to Rural King to buy the thing you need that you ran out of.
5. Paint in the evening after putting kids to bed.
6. Think you're making really good time at 9:00pm.
7. Stop thinking that at 10:00pm. Wonder if it was the fumes from the oil-based primer speaking earlier anyway.
8. Start surveying room and wonder if you will actually like the color (cottage cream) that looked so beautiful and cottage creamy in your friend's house, but has started to look a little nicotine stain-y in your own room with the flourescent lights over head.
9.
10. Console yourself that anything will look better than the wood paneling (true enough). And that things do brighten up when the trim is done.
11. Commit to purchasing a different kind of light bulb for overhead lighting.
12. Discover that you are a person of
13. Discover that you are a person of
14. Ponder that you think the 10th anniversary is wood. How fitting that you are painting the wood paneling. Your spouse will be very pleased. If, of course, he is the type to consider good gifts those in which he is required to watch the kids all afternoon while you paint. If, on the other hand, he is the type that rather wishes you would just be bathed by the time the big day rolls around, well then, I cannot help you.
15. Discover wood is for the 5th anniversary. 10th is tin. Perhaps your brain will suffice.
16. Discover that your cheapskatery has a limit at washing out that roller that cost only a few bucks.
17. Consider that your carpet looks much better with your tennis shoe bottom imprinted on it in country cream. Perhaps you should leave it be instead of hastily scrubbing it out. I believe they call that art.
18. Remember how very physical painting is.
19. Do not put the furniture back. Do not pack anything for your big day tomorrow. Or wrap your spouse's gift. Or clean the house. Or write your dear friend, who is babysitting, a list of routines/things she might need to know for the day.
20. Eat something. (And for heaven's sake, go read a good book in a really hot bath.)
Which brings us here to this lovely, and I might add, soothing soup. You can even have it with some chocolate covered cranberries thereby. Not that I did, due to my high moral character and all.
Acorn Squash Soup
adapted from Koreafornian
Makes a good 8 servings
prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5-6 hours
3 acorn squash, halved, seeds removed
2 carrots
1 Korean pear, peeled cored and chopped (I sprang for this, but think you could get away with a regular pear)
1 onion, peeling and chopped
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
4 C chicken or vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
I also added a shot of cayenne pepper, which I really enjoyed
garnish with green onions if that's your thing
Note: Don't waste tons of time chopping since this is going in the crock pot. Just get things into big chunks.
Another note: I did the squash in the oven, but if you're crunched for time (like if you work or plan to be gone for the day), you can put these flesh side down (cut in half with the seeds out) on a plate with just a wee bit of water and microwave until soft (between 5 and 10 minutes most likely).
Preheat oven to 400.
Cut squash in halft and scoop out seeds and stringy stuff.
Lay on baking sheet (on parchment paper if you care about your sanity) cut side down and bake for 40-45 minutes.
Scoop out insides and put in crock pot.
Put other ingredients in crock pot and set on high for 4-5 hours.
Use your immersion blender to blend. I don't have one so I let this cool a bit and put it in my regular blender (you'll probably need to do 2 batches.
Warm again if necessary.
Eat. Then eat more.
PRINTABLE RECIPE
Monday, November 14, 2011
Curry Popcorn
Cheap Eat Challenge, Part 2: Watch as our family of 6 eats on less than $10/day.
Note: I got this up a little late yesterday. I'd had it written since last Wednesday, but managed not to publish it because, apparently, I also have popcorn for brains. Anyway, because I got it up late I'm leaving it up an extra day and I'll be posting another recipe from Koreafornian Cooking tomorrow. So keep an eye out and hop on over to Koreafornian and have a look at the blog.
It's reveal day for the Secret Recipe Club. This month I was assigned the blog Koreafornian Cooking, which was a surprise and stretch for me. Not because I don't love Asian food. I absolutely love Asian food. However, I've never made much of it and it seems really intimidating to me. My own brother spent two years in Japan and then married an utterly charming Japanese girl who's a great cook. I've been meaning to pick her brain forever, but--again--I'm intimidated. Additionally, finding exotic ingredients also seemed a bit overwhelming to me. Evansville is not exactly the crux of cultural foods and--although we have one excellent international market--it kind of intimidates me too.
Admittedly my choice for this month still reflects that intimidation. I chose a food I know all Koreafornian'ed out. I might not have even posted it as my choice, however, except that it was SO DANG AWESOME. Not only was this curry popcorn awesome the day I made it when I ate almost the entire bowl, but the little bag I had left was still really good the next day. This is no small feat for popcorn.
So now I feel less intimidated. I'm planning to try this acorn squash soup this weekend. And this sandwich as soon as I get my lazy bottom to the store for ground beef.
The only thing I changed about this recipe was the cooking method as I don't have an air popper so I made mine in a pot.
Curry Popcorn
taken from Koreafornian Cooking
Serves about 6
Prep and cook time: 5-10 minutes
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp curry powder
1/2 C popping corn
Heat coconut oil in sturdy pot. Put 2 kernels of corn in it and cover with lid.
While the oil heats, melt your butter in the microwave and add the curry to it. Mix well.
When your 2 kernels pop, your oil is ready. Add popcorn. Put lid back on pot. Shake or slide the pot back and forth as your popcorn pops. When popping has slowed to almost nothing remove it from the heat.
Quickly pour popcorn into a bowl and drizzle on butter/curry mixture. Toss gently. And then try not to make a pig of yourself, alright.
PRINTABLE RECIPE
It's reveal day for the Secret Recipe Club. This month I was assigned the blog Koreafornian Cooking, which was a surprise and stretch for me. Not because I don't love Asian food. I absolutely love Asian food. However, I've never made much of it and it seems really intimidating to me. My own brother spent two years in Japan and then married an utterly charming Japanese girl who's a great cook. I've been meaning to pick her brain forever, but--again--I'm intimidated. Additionally, finding exotic ingredients also seemed a bit overwhelming to me. Evansville is not exactly the crux of cultural foods and--although we have one excellent international market--it kind of intimidates me too.
Admittedly my choice for this month still reflects that intimidation. I chose a food I know all Koreafornian'ed out. I might not have even posted it as my choice, however, except that it was SO DANG AWESOME. Not only was this curry popcorn awesome the day I made it when I ate almost the entire bowl, but the little bag I had left was still really good the next day. This is no small feat for popcorn.
So now I feel less intimidated. I'm planning to try this acorn squash soup this weekend. And this sandwich as soon as I get my lazy bottom to the store for ground beef.
The only thing I changed about this recipe was the cooking method as I don't have an air popper so I made mine in a pot.
Curry Popcorn
taken from Koreafornian Cooking
Serves about 6
Prep and cook time: 5-10 minutes
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp curry powder
1/2 C popping corn
Heat coconut oil in sturdy pot. Put 2 kernels of corn in it and cover with lid.
While the oil heats, melt your butter in the microwave and add the curry to it. Mix well.
When your 2 kernels pop, your oil is ready. Add popcorn. Put lid back on pot. Shake or slide the pot back and forth as your popcorn pops. When popping has slowed to almost nothing remove it from the heat.
Quickly pour popcorn into a bowl and drizzle on butter/curry mixture. Toss gently. And then try not to make a pig of yourself, alright.
PRINTABLE RECIPE
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