tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90946176562682607922024-03-08T14:46:42.972-05:00Adventures in Food and WordSee the chaos unfold!Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.comBlogger481125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-72708045590917572612023-07-10T21:39:00.000-04:002023-07-10T21:39:30.907-04:00My New Life As A Food Writer<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div>Hello! It's been a while. I admit that I haven't been motivated to post here because a little over a year ago, my beloved boy Memphis passed away. Memphis was with me at the start of this blog and loved to spend time with me the kitchen. <div><br></div><div>I've also been kept busy writing about food elsewhere! And it's really been awesome. I never thought I'd be working multiple well paying gigs writing about food. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>Some of my favorite things to write about are world cuisine and food history, and if you visit my profile at Mashed, you will find several of them. I've linked to each of them on my social media, but I wanted to share some of my favorites here on my blog.</div><div><br></div><div>I was lucky to have a little series of articles that I pitched get accepted. I loved writing them! If you, like me and my husband, make food a part of your vacation plans, you have to click on these.</div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/1192240/classic-detroit-foods-you-need-to-try-before-you-die/">12 Classic Detroit Foods You Need To Try Before You Die</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/1244238/classic-chicago-foods-need-try-before-you-die/">12 Classic Chicago Foods You Need To Try Before You Die</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/1250971/classic-san-francisco-foods-try-before-you-die/">16 Classic San Francisco Foods You Need To Try Before You Die</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/1257923/classic-new-orleans-foods-you-need-try/">18 Classic New Orleans Foods You Need To Try Before You Die</a></div><div><br></div><div>If you like <b>world food</b>, check out some if these articles linked below.</div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/895696/iconic-street-foods-you-can-only-find-in-africa/">Iconic Street Foods You Can Only Find In Africa</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/898305/comfort-foods-from-around-the-world/">Comfort Foods From Around The World</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/910228/egyptian-dishes-you-probably-havent-tried-yet-but-should/">Egyptian Dishes You Probably Haven't Tried Yet, But Should</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/1169591/vending-machines-dispensing-unique-foods-around-the-world/">12 Vending Machines Dispensing Unique Foods Around The World</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/1195196/mardi-gras-pastries-from-around-the-world/">Mardi Gras Pastries From Around The World</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/1285941/mcdonalds-pie-flavors-cant-get-us/">McDonald's Pie Flavors You Can't Get In The US</a></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>If you like <b>food history</b>, here are some links for you.<br></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/1324718/traditonal-fourth-of-july-foods-where-they-come-from/">13 Traditional 4th Of July Foods And Where They Come From</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/1332674/most-popular-ice-cream-flavors-us-history/">14 Most Popular Ice Cream Flavors In The US And Where They Came From</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/818775/the-untold-truth-of-chicken-tikka-masala/">The Untold Truth Of Chicken Tikka Masala</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/915983/the-untold-truth-of-egg-drop-soup/">The Untold Truth Of Egg Drop Soup</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/1134075/the-story-behind-the-rise-and-fall-of-hot-n-now/">The Story Behind The Rise And Fall Of Hot 'N Now</a><br></div><div><br></div><div>If you're hooked into the world of <b>food entertainment</b>, check these out.</div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/990678/the-untold-truth-of-russ-morash/">The Untold Truth Of Russ Morash</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/1073157/who-is-wolfgang-pucks-son-byron/">Who Is Wolfgang Puck's Son Byron?</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/1012973/the-untold-truth-of-the-food-that-built-america/">The Untold Truth Of The Food That Built America</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.mashed.com/1303402/foods-max-miller-tasting-history-didnt-like/">11 Foods Max Miller From Tasting History Didn't Like</a></div><div><br></div><div>Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just <a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn">click the link right here</a>.</div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-42519656262762963752022-09-15T00:01:00.003-04:002022-09-15T00:01:00.151-04:00Trader Joe's Eggwich Breadless Breakfast Sandwich<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCqR0zd81ighdCcVOpZne9X6tRU072mLciYnHeXpHZgodZADZoEjvZAj2WQFKflQjOzNxqkRabGsdVax6KXZY3g9AzN9vgtTqikqhZy4e_2VyD-v4rqSE6aC-hWdkVgBQm0xS7EGKHbsEgl-Zt40a3Ohiopza_e3dv1uC_ZsbYJifTxg04xu6Mr4_MA/s2679/IMG_20220911_115218766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="My left hand holding the orange box of Trader Joe's Eggwich Breadless Breakfast Sandwich." border="0" data-original-height="2679" data-original-width="2679" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJCqR0zd81ighdCcVOpZne9X6tRU072mLciYnHeXpHZgodZADZoEjvZAj2WQFKflQjOzNxqkRabGsdVax6KXZY3g9AzN9vgtTqikqhZy4e_2VyD-v4rqSE6aC-hWdkVgBQm0xS7EGKHbsEgl-Zt40a3Ohiopza_e3dv1uC_ZsbYJifTxg04xu6Mr4_MA/w400-h400/IMG_20220911_115218766.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I recently took a trip to Trader Joe's to check out their new fall items and some non-fall products caught my eye. I am often too tired or too much in a rush to make breakfast in the morning, so when I came across the microwavable, gluten-free turkey sausage eggwich, my interest was piqued. I used to occasionally buy the <a href="https://www.jimmydean.com/products/sandwiches/delights-turkey-sausage-egg-white-and-cheese-english-muffin/" target="_blank">Jimmy Dean Delights Turkey Sausage Breakfast Sandwich</a>, which taste terrific and are easy to make on the go, but they are not, of course, gluten free. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9wrohqDCINCCr6s77wa81S20YfXqYcsF0JStR4WhJOXjmZu2BvHKy74soGt0e0lV8CaBhQN7Ea6zllR3bUOJji2u6_7PaPLo2w5FgMKll0PPMTvCW0pewBdTRJRgquxwsdEthey1gGDEF0V-i-en4MW7IbnpeFJVXh4_pKzSIyN2vT7uhRAV92qoVA/s4000/IMG_20220911_115522140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="An eggwich still in its plastic wrapper sitting on the counter." border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9wrohqDCINCCr6s77wa81S20YfXqYcsF0JStR4WhJOXjmZu2BvHKy74soGt0e0lV8CaBhQN7Ea6zllR3bUOJji2u6_7PaPLo2w5FgMKll0PPMTvCW0pewBdTRJRgquxwsdEthey1gGDEF0V-i-en4MW7IbnpeFJVXh4_pKzSIyN2vT7uhRAV92qoVA/w400-h300/IMG_20220911_115522140.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>In this eggwich, the egg actually acts as the bun, so there are two egg "patties" with a turkey sausage patty and a slice of American cheese sandwiched in between. And it's really tasty! I can't compare turkey sausage to pork sausage because I honestly don't know what that tastes like, but my husband Greg has told me that pork sausage typically juicy, and turkey sausage isn't as juicy. But it's juicy enough for me! The eggs are also moist. And the cheese has a nice sharp cheddar taste to it as well, which I wasn't expecting from American cheese. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzS61kzFXpoisIUXI8gEHW7NHCu4UJKPDYSW8u9yuXflWMzqL6tIeD7ilhmR2Wzp6g3cB62Fv-SeqcxqWLoPbiPMR5IbaZqxsBiQA0WJ3GXim3N0htOHKvtWnl-24yxB-KUydqj69EEx6v-WpmDnMnf8wNnvVaX9VMHpAu1pJH7BlpBcmFqkERqgzOw/s4000/IMG_20220911_115929715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The cooked eggwich on a plate with melted cheese oozing onto the plate." border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxzS61kzFXpoisIUXI8gEHW7NHCu4UJKPDYSW8u9yuXflWMzqL6tIeD7ilhmR2Wzp6g3cB62Fv-SeqcxqWLoPbiPMR5IbaZqxsBiQA0WJ3GXim3N0htOHKvtWnl-24yxB-KUydqj69EEx6v-WpmDnMnf8wNnvVaX9VMHpAu1pJH7BlpBcmFqkERqgzOw/w400-h300/IMG_20220911_115929715.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>You can cook the eggwich in either a microwave or a toaster oven. I used the microwave because we no longer have a toaster oven, and the microwave is quick. Only 50 seconds per side, and the eggwich came out with the turkey patty at a full 167 degrees F. The meat is pre-cooked, but it's better to be safe. </p><p>My only complaint is that there are only two eggwiches per package. The Jimmy Dean package only has four, but that covers most of a working week, and it's literally twice as many as Trader Joe's. The Jimmy Dean sandwich I could also make on my own, but I am not sure I could as easily recreate the egg "bun" of the eggwich. The point of the eggwich for me is to be quick and easy, though I have premade sandwiches in the past and frozen them. (See <a href="https://foodandword.blogspot.com/2021/05/cookbook-review-time-to-eat-by-nadiya-hussain.html" target="_blank">Cookbook Review: Time to Eat by Nadiya Hussain</a>.) Maybe I can one day try that again. </p><p>In the meantime, the Trader Joe's Eggwich Breadless Breakfast Sandwich is a win! </p><p style="text-align: center;">---</p><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Teal Background with a coffee cup with a heart on it that says Buy Me a Coffee." border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/w200-h50/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-6252933713599163722022-09-01T00:01:00.001-04:002022-09-01T00:01:00.164-04:00I Made My Own Tzatziki (With Recipe)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjc1adQMHMw2V2StcULfIdSKsxGL8EP9RAqYllfd8pWuhFvThrtLcxjiyDVTj2y7pgoXB7c9p24cI7L39u20jio1z4RJluFAw7hiQwqRUcotCC4FMTpbuuXgRRhzRwZ0NSvGIwks-eIAtXno8MLfHWd1CyumuwOLcfBwF6NxRvpqC_rUcUcmJArfnRlA/s4000/IMG_20220807_162701718.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Closeup of a bowl of tzatziki with mixing spoon sticking out." border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjc1adQMHMw2V2StcULfIdSKsxGL8EP9RAqYllfd8pWuhFvThrtLcxjiyDVTj2y7pgoXB7c9p24cI7L39u20jio1z4RJluFAw7hiQwqRUcotCC4FMTpbuuXgRRhzRwZ0NSvGIwks-eIAtXno8MLfHWd1CyumuwOLcfBwF6NxRvpqC_rUcUcmJArfnRlA/w400-h300/IMG_20220807_162701718.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I did not realize how long it has been since I last posted here. Not long after the car accident, my beloved baby boy Memphis got very sick and passed away. He and I started this blog together in <a href="https://foodandword.blogspot.com/2010/12/warm-in-december.html" target="_blank">December of 2010</a>. It's sad to be cooking without him. <p></p><p>But I wanted to keep going for at least a little longer, so here I am reporting on my first time making my own tzatziki with ingredients fresh from the garden! (Not our garden. We only managed to get one cucumber, but our friends' garden has done much better, and they have generously shared their bounty with us. Thank you, friends!) </p><p>There are about as many recipes for tzatziki as there are people who make it. Some add vinegar. Others add lemon juice or lemon zest. I've also seen sour cream in place of yogurt. It's up to your own personal tastes what you want to do. This is a very basic recipe. Fresh dill is preferable, but I was forced to use dried, and it turned out just fine.</p><p><u>INGREDIENTS</u></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>1 32oz tub of plain Greek yogurt</li><li>2 cucumbers, grated (with skin)</li><li>6 cloves fresh garlic, chopped (or mashed if possible)</li><li>1/3 cup olive oil</li><li>Dill to taste</li><li>Salt to taste</li></ul><div><u>INSTRUCTIONS</u></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Dump the tub of yogurt into a good-sized mixing bowl. Big enough to not make a mess when you stir everything together.</li><li>Add all of the ingredients to bowl of yogurt. Stir thoroughly.</li><li>Put into a sealable container and stick it in the fridge.</li></ol><p style="text-align: left;">Et voila! You have tzatziki. It really is that easy. As it sits, the garlic will become stronger in flavor, so I understand if you want to cut back on the amount used to avoid this. I find tzatziki a very refreshing condiment perfect for summer. I put it on omelets, bagels, burgers... It's quite versatile! And it lasts for quite a while in the fridge. Mine has been in there a couple of weeks at least.</p><p style="text-align: left;">If you have made tzatziki, let me know in the comments. Or if you have anything else to share!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2IOfS2yuJzh8Q1cG5GxvxunoO9wFMULyoxKoSkaNp9AjYSNKVd0lIAaeqeQILpUNaaS8EDzSoNnPz5engUyz6uXrYvzjVSJUhtLhv-W0zes5ruJSlzwXvw2nqgsH5KSrTDn5VHF7NAE6-f6pNyQxqnygUUi5-T8T1PS_XraBXHliJ-tL-B22MJIRhmw/s1672/cucumber.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="My left hand holding a cucumber." border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1672" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2IOfS2yuJzh8Q1cG5GxvxunoO9wFMULyoxKoSkaNp9AjYSNKVd0lIAaeqeQILpUNaaS8EDzSoNnPz5engUyz6uXrYvzjVSJUhtLhv-W0zes5ruJSlzwXvw2nqgsH5KSrTDn5VHF7NAE6-f6pNyQxqnygUUi5-T8T1PS_XraBXHliJ-tL-B22MJIRhmw/w400-h300/cucumber.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="long-line">---</span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line"><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div></span></div></div><p></p>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-74492101255451343582022-06-16T22:56:00.001-04:002022-06-16T22:56:48.324-04:00I Can't Type Right Now<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div>Ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but truly not far off. I'm not typing now. I badly burned my wrist and hand in a car accident recently (for pictures see my Life From A2 blog and Instagram). So no update this week. I need to reserve my limited hand use for my paying jobs. <div><br></div><div>Not being able to use my dominant hand to write is driving me batty.</div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-81672454786286689522022-06-02T14:30:00.000-04:002022-06-02T14:30:12.131-04:00This Little Goat: World Traveling Sauces and Toppings<span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRB6qEjlGkpDaP09osucH6xO6UQbX4Fl5d-EMRHq-HbH7L7tEfEypKm1XlLb9jerxCyvU809_I0pkJxYKST1RiIlI1MBwOdGDzSGCJ7utyk4b_tQZ6n7USFNUjkVZ7z_v9rGejc55hcpoVff8HLBFxoisd2VIwx-lyKGB5zfhl1G5U9U5XnZmnE4igJg/s1080/this-little-goat-everything-sauce-bundle.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The This Little Goat Sauce bottles in a V pattern." border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRB6qEjlGkpDaP09osucH6xO6UQbX4Fl5d-EMRHq-HbH7L7tEfEypKm1XlLb9jerxCyvU809_I0pkJxYKST1RiIlI1MBwOdGDzSGCJ7utyk4b_tQZ6n7USFNUjkVZ7z_v9rGejc55hcpoVff8HLBFxoisd2VIwx-lyKGB5zfhl1G5U9U5XnZmnE4igJg/w400-h400/this-little-goat-everything-sauce-bundle.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Before I tell you about this amazing line of sauces that my husband and I discovered one day at Meijer, I need to tell you about my husband. His name is Greg, and he loves goats. He sometimes lightly headbutts me (and occasionally others) and says, “Goat.” He made himself goat pants so he could dress up as Krampus and/or a satyr for different events. When he completed them, he shuffled around the apartment wearing them, periodically stopping and saying, “Goat pants.” I do not know why he loves goats so much (other than goats are cool), he just does. <br /><br />So when we spied a bottle of sauce with an adorable goat on the label called <a href="#">This Little Goat Went to Tokyo</a>, there was no question about whether or not we were buying it. Goat for him, and Tokyo for me. The description for the Tokyo sauce is: “The perfect balance of sweet & salty, inspired by flavors from Tokyo. Finishing drizzle for meat, rice or veggies.” We chose to use it in a chicken stir fry. And it was delicious! <br /><br />On subsequent trips to Meijer, we decided to grab <a href="#">This Little Goat Went to Hong Kong</a> and <a href="#">This Little Goat Went to Korea</a>. A win and a win! Terrific in stir fries, on burgers and hot dogs, with eggs and hash browns… Right now Greg is putting <a href="#">This Little Goat Went to Yucatán</a> on everything. There is also <a href="#">This Little Goat Went to Southeast Asia</a>.<br /><br /><a href="#">This Little Goat</a> was founded by James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef <a href="#">Stephanie Izard</a> of Food Network fame. (Though I really only know her through these sauces, I put two of her books on hold at the library.) The About Us on the website says, “It all started with a side of green beans.” Which means I will have to consider using the sauces on more vegetables. <br /><br />The website also has <a href="#">recipes</a> of all kinds. There is a <a href="#">Sweet & Salty Citrus French Toast</a> that I think I need to try. It uses one of the spice blends, <a href="#">This Little Goat Went to Belize</a>. We have yet to try any of the spice blends. I honestly didn’t know about them until I went to the website for this blog post. There are also <a href="#">crunches</a>, which can be used to top all kinds of foods (salads, savory toasts, etc).</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="long-line">---</span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line"><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div></span></div></span></div></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-60183736388272335332022-05-19T16:45:00.000-04:002022-05-19T16:45:02.307-04:00Breakfast Prep Is Go<div style="text-align: left;"><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u5V1J5p6V_E/YoapJ5BISeI/AAAAAAAAI0c/fHVv5cG9xZob4lFOAm7_4xuOM9DvK3hGACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1652992293407714-0.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="My tabby cat Tully asleep using a laptop as a pillow." border="0" height="300" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u5V1J5p6V_E/YoapJ5BISeI/AAAAAAAAI0c/fHVv5cG9xZob4lFOAm7_4xuOM9DvK3hGACNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/1652992293407714-0.png" width="400" /></a></p><br /></div>I've been working a lot of morning shifts at the library. I'm a night owl, so mornings aren't an easy time for me. My circadian rhythm runs 2 a.m. to 10 a.m. The library opens at 10 a.m. <div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Couple that with the crippling fatigue I've been experiencing since "recovering" from Covid, and getting in breakfast before shambling zombie-like out to my car is nigh impossible. (It's probably not safe for me to be driving in this state, but since I don't get sick leave, I don't have much of a choice. If I took the bus, I'd have to get up over an hour earlier, and my body flat out refuses to do it.) So yesterday, I decided to spend the three hours of energy I'm allowed per day on preparing breakfasts. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNqSLuAwnDRNJbJFtrrKSeur0Or1hojYPsThGMwO-sNPRBQJNJmRLZ5gTQd32g6jzq4hT_goMcKSm7WJAxkZkfgLwBlXeQe-Mms7mDQceQRB7fG3zSsmgrR_RNzIFW0JdDE8Ank3iSp0b7HOBNqkSs0YswpBmSjgdxttITdJMu31kS9VpaNEdkseABQ/s984/Peanut-Butter-Chocolate-Breakfast-Shake1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Breakfast shake card: 2 cups milk; 1 banana, chunked; 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder; 4 dates, pitted; 1/2 cup nut butter; handful spinach or chopped kale. Blend. Consume." border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="952" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYNqSLuAwnDRNJbJFtrrKSeur0Or1hojYPsThGMwO-sNPRBQJNJmRLZ5gTQd32g6jzq4hT_goMcKSm7WJAxkZkfgLwBlXeQe-Mms7mDQceQRB7fG3zSsmgrR_RNzIFW0JdDE8Ank3iSp0b7HOBNqkSs0YswpBmSjgdxttITdJMu31kS9VpaNEdkseABQ/w310-h320/Peanut-Butter-Chocolate-Breakfast-Shake1.JPG" width="310" /></a></div><br />First I made a <a href="https://foodandword.blogspot.com/2015/07/peanut-butter-and-chocolate-breakfast.html">Peanut Butter and Chocolate Breakfast Shake</a> and divided it between yesterday and today. What I like best about this shake is how easy it is to take to work with me. Also it's delicious. It makes over 2 cups of shake, which would be 3 to 4 meals for me, but I don't have the glass bottles that I used to have anymore, so I just used 2 pint glasses and balanced a measuring cup on top of one before putting it in the fridge. In the morning, I put it in a reusable coffee mug with a proper lid.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="A soup bowl with a Ouija board patter on the side and oatmeal inside." border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nzpVP_0gas4/YoajIF4E4OI/AAAAAAAAI0I/GUKiTIShAf8mONmLf3YYsopzyg_pzrKYwCNcBGAsYHQ/w320-h320/1652990747113187-0.png" width="320" /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">My second set of breakfasts is two servings of <a href="https://foodandword.blogspot.com/2014/05/refrigerator-oatmeal.html">Refrigerator Oatmeal</a>. I've used the base recipe to make several different flavors over the years, but my usual is peanut butter and banana. This time, I decided to try using flavored yogurt, so I got a small tub of sugar-free strawberry Greek yogurt (it's a small store with not a lot of options) and made strawberry banana oatmeal. I hope it's good. I haven't had an inedible batch yet, just a few I won't ever be repeating.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I like breakfast shakes and refrigerator oatmeal for when it's hot because it means not using the stove or oven. It's supposed to be 90°F or something tomorrow, so I'll take any way I can to cool off.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="long-line">---</span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line"><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div></span></div></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-16254888207043415452022-05-07T11:35:00.003-04:002022-05-07T11:35:42.959-04:00Is This Turkey Meatloaf Really Unbelievably Moist?<p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xxiwcRiLdj8zbkDWVKPsRr7kyuUt3QevPX-b_ya1eCtfqqyUiZNy8KYFv8vZKtj0TMXz-3wGrs08HZxKk0S1uU_CbU4QbslL3gtm97ctWH_pfSEy040oXItUCig5oOaUJLhc8kz9xyobRbPTt5j916LHcuvirFqNvv8jbS2kHbMT2YKKbRQrmBeSZg/s3000/moist-turkey-meatloaf-mac-cheese.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A place with a slice of meatloaf and a scoop of macaroni and cheese on it." border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xxiwcRiLdj8zbkDWVKPsRr7kyuUt3QevPX-b_ya1eCtfqqyUiZNy8KYFv8vZKtj0TMXz-3wGrs08HZxKk0S1uU_CbU4QbslL3gtm97ctWH_pfSEy040oXItUCig5oOaUJLhc8kz9xyobRbPTt5j916LHcuvirFqNvv8jbS2kHbMT2YKKbRQrmBeSZg/w400-h400/moist-turkey-meatloaf-mac-cheese.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><i><p style="text-align: left;"><i>This post is late due to dealing with the lingering symptoms of <a href="https://lifefroma2.blogspot.com/2022/04/my-experience-with-having-covid.html" target="_blank">having had Covid</a>.</i></p></i><p></p><p>One of the easiest meals to throw together with a tub of ground turkey is meatloaf. It's also a convenient way of <a href="https://foodandword.blogspot.com/2017/11/how-to-hide-serving-of-vegetables.html" target="_blank">sneaking more vegetables into a meal</a>. I have never followed a meatloaf recipe, though, and the results have been mixed in terms of level of moisture (turkey is much dryer than ground beef) and substance.</p><p>So I decided to see what suggestions the internet had, and came across this recipe for <a href="https://www.inspiredtaste.net/21535/unbelievably-moist-turkey-meatloaf-recipe/" target="_blank">Unbelievably Moist Turkey Meatloaf</a> from Inspired Taste. Unbelievably moist, huh? Challenge accepted.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QnseWAWeWGiqUV5D_C4RcaSij4Ab5wM9JDjGUibWnW1S71DcZBSw44eo9WazgLATpr7sZ9jqiZzhCkq1D83q2X3pgSBQ49owpb_PBpSNIezpr3RnjQkauuBcqyP8Vrh_O1vOLwzAJlqYCX6Ql3iCvqgwRgge_TW6ukNXgO4faT3ROprNaLAZRSrZVQ/s4000/sautee-onions.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Chopped onions sautéing in a pan." border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QnseWAWeWGiqUV5D_C4RcaSij4Ab5wM9JDjGUibWnW1S71DcZBSw44eo9WazgLATpr7sZ9jqiZzhCkq1D83q2X3pgSBQ49owpb_PBpSNIezpr3RnjQkauuBcqyP8Vrh_O1vOLwzAJlqYCX6Ql3iCvqgwRgge_TW6ukNXgO4faT3ROprNaLAZRSrZVQ/w400-h300/sautee-onions.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Since this is a recipe review, I won't go through the individual ingredients and steps. What sets this meatloaf apart for me is that it calls for mushrooms. I <i>love </i>mushrooms. On a two-topping pizza, I order mushrooms and mushrooms. The recipe calls for the mushrooms to be cooked until all their moisture is out, which I thought was odd for a recipe that promised to be unbelievably moist, but I did my best. Cooking the liquid out of mushrooms turned out to be harder than it seemed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMUkF1C0hpArK0hwPcLo029d_PJJzVe9RuY6QOQhai8m9MI3DxCsqpfhx8GY4zn19mvdpU91Mlht2oL7kEL0Px76OUQA8MFNYoVXlMW0U3ILFUvfqI8rFzx9oioC6CClk9v1K0NYDjyGLG8uDNa8d-0zUdsLN6WMdpfWh1tMqhH1LbCmUjIbGf6kwBg/s4000/mushrooms-onions-chopped.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Chopped mushrooms sautéing with the chopped onions in same pan." border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMUkF1C0hpArK0hwPcLo029d_PJJzVe9RuY6QOQhai8m9MI3DxCsqpfhx8GY4zn19mvdpU91Mlht2oL7kEL0Px76OUQA8MFNYoVXlMW0U3ILFUvfqI8rFzx9oioC6CClk9v1K0NYDjyGLG8uDNa8d-0zUdsLN6WMdpfWh1tMqhH1LbCmUjIbGf6kwBg/w400-h300/mushrooms-onions-chopped.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>This recipe also called specifically for panko crumbs rather than the more generic (and Western) bread crumbs. My husband Greg and I often use panko crumbs for bread crumbs because we like the texture better, and there are some terrific gluten free options out there, like <a href="https://www.glutenfreepalace.com/aleia-s-gluten-free-panko-crumbs-original-12-oz.html" target="_blank">Aleia's</a> and <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/trader-joes-gluten-free-rice-183017880.html" target="_blank">Trader Joe's</a>. </p><p>A lot more went into this than I usually do on my own. That isn't to say that it was more difficult, though. I usually slice carrots or zucchini into my meatloaves, so mushrooms and onions wasn't that far off. I just don't usually cook the veggies first. I think the end result was twice the size of my usual meatloaves. Which also meant it was twice as filling, and we ended up with leftovers. (Oh darn.) And I was really looking for comfort food that night, so I made gluten free macaroni and cheese for the side. Meatloaf and mac 'n cheese is a fantastic combination!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuU8DwQ4TtuGTIa1-lmBCbJFA12bxFave3TotEMCAQ3tHgh_ltVEYD1olGKPOFbQVmr-Yi2C4O59VHpynwondZuNotM-s8WhIXcfsQ4-qmSsx4ToHdRaRAbdykqXOckahqn6kLrLaa4sWV_jJ78_YrocYMnGltIJ3H8bFRzCZlCOCjkxSb00UJyWUFpw/s4000/turkey-meatloaf-ketchup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The meatloaf, complete in its pan and topped with ketchup." border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuU8DwQ4TtuGTIa1-lmBCbJFA12bxFave3TotEMCAQ3tHgh_ltVEYD1olGKPOFbQVmr-Yi2C4O59VHpynwondZuNotM-s8WhIXcfsQ4-qmSsx4ToHdRaRAbdykqXOckahqn6kLrLaa4sWV_jJ78_YrocYMnGltIJ3H8bFRzCZlCOCjkxSb00UJyWUFpw/w400-h300/turkey-meatloaf-ketchup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>So, how moist was it? Pretty moist! I have a lot of experience cooking with poultry, so I think me threshold of "unbelievable" is much higher than other people's who are more used to fattier meats like beef or pork. The texture was also smoother than I usually make it, possibly because I had to mix so much into the ground turkey. I didn't hate it. I actually would make this again. I am tempted to add a little shredded zucchini just because I also love zucchini. </p><p>Do you have any tips or tricks to make your meatloaf more moist? Let me know in the comments.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="long-line">---</span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line"><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div></span></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-36247832925273983402022-04-21T14:45:00.000-04:002022-04-21T14:45:34.035-04:003 More Poems About Food <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="A farmers market." border="0" height="427" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hhxYJc1TSNA/YmGjivlGEVI/AAAAAAAAIoA/JqlMFDNwhUU3-p-SX_IrTFPIOTPV7XLowCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h427/1650566025725373-0.png" width="640" />
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</div><br /></div>I had plans for a blog today, but I've been dealing with Covid for the past week, and I honestly don't have enough energy for so much writing right now. Thus I share with you more poems about food! These are not by me, but I do enjoy them, and I wanted to share them. I hope you enjoy them! Perhaps they may inspire you.<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="A cutting board with various vegetables, a lone onion in the center, taking prominence." border="0" height="265" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QSThYxPUxZg/YmGjiCRogeI/AAAAAAAAIn8/16pJrroCYPA0g2ZGx4L3QbK1klcT9qmrQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h265/1650566023663469-1.png" width="400" />
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</div><br /></div><div><b>The Traveling Onion</b></div><div>by Naomi Shihab Nye</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="long-line">When I think how far the onion has traveled</span><br /><span class="long-line">just to enter my stew today, I could kneel and praise</span><br /><span class="long-line">all small forgotten miracles,</span><br /><span class="long-line">crackly paper peeling on the drainboard,</span><br /><span class="long-line">pearly layers in smooth agreement,</span><br /><span class="long-line">the way the knife enters onion</span><br /><span class="long-line">and onion falls apart on the chopping block,</span><br /><span class="long-line">a history revealed.</span><br /><span class="long-line">And I would never scold the onion</span><br /><span class="long-line">for causing tears.</span><br /><span class="long-line">It is right that tears fall</span><br /><span class="long-line">for something small and forgotten.</span><br /><span class="long-line">How at meal, we sit to eat,</span><br /><span class="long-line">commenting on texture of meat or herbal aroma</span><br /><span class="long-line">but never on the translucence of onion,</span><br /><span class="long-line">now limp, now divided,</span><br /><span class="long-line">or its traditionally honorable career:</span><br /><span class="long-line">For the sake of others,</span><br /><span class="long-line">disappear.</span><br /></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="A board with large wedges of cheese, a knife stuck into one." border="0" height="295" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-y9S6P4adXkM/YmGjhl2jtnI/AAAAAAAAIn4/qWNNIZt0gJAtc7q8JUIbteQY18wxc70EQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h295/1650566021478867-2.png" width="400" />
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</div><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line"><b>O Cheese</b></span></div><div><span class="long-line">by Donald Hall</span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">In the pantry the dear dense cheeses, Cheddars and harsh</span></div><div><span class="long-line">Lancashires; Gorgonzola with its magnanimous manner;</span></div><div><span class="long-line">the clipped speech of Roquefort; and a head of Stilton</span></div><div><span class="long-line">that speaks in a sensuous riddling tongue like Druids.</span></div><div><span class="long-line">O cheeses of gravity, cheeses of wistfulness, cheeses</span></div><div><span class="long-line">that weep continually because they know they will die.</span></div><div><span class="long-line">O cheeses of victory, cheeses wise in defeat, cheeses</span></div><div><span class="long-line">fat as a cushion, lolling in bed until noon.</span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">Liederkranz ebullient, jumping like a small dog, noisy;</span></div><div><span class="long-line">Pont l’Evêque intellectual, and quite well informed; Emmentaler</span></div><div><span class="long-line">decent and loyal, a little deaf in the right ear;</span></div><div><span class="long-line">and Brie the revealing experience, instantaneous and profound.</span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">O cheeses that dance in the moonlight, cheeses</span></div><div><span class="long-line">that mingle with sausages, cheeses of Stonehenge.</span></div><div><span class="long-line">O cheeses that are shy, that linger in the doorway,</span></div><div><span class="long-line">eyes looking down, cheeses spectacular as fireworks.</span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">Reblochon openly sexual; Caerphilly like pine trees, small</span></div><div><span class="long-line">at the timberline; Port du Salut in love; Caprice des Dieux</span></div><div><span class="long-line">eloquent, tactful, like a thousand-year-old hostess;</span></div><div><span class="long-line">and Dolcelatte, always generous to a fault.</span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">O village of cheeses, I make you this poem of cheeses,</span></div><div><span class="long-line">O family of cheeses, living together in pantries,</span></div><div><span class="long-line">O cheeses that keep to your own nature, like a lucky couple,</span></div><div><span class="long-line">this solitude, this energy, these bodies slowly dying.</span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="Ripe blueberries on a bush." border="0" height="225" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6R2fNBSqMNg/YmGjhH10ZfI/AAAAAAAAIn0/PEOqv3MTEfY9SWO0deU-Z7Ab_62EmZ1VgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/1650566018756305-3.png" width="400" />
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</div><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line"><b>Blueberries</b></span></div><div><span class="long-line">by Robert Frost</span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"You ought to have seen what I saw on my way </span></div><div><span class="long-line">To the village, through Mortenson's pasture to-day: </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Blueberries as big as the end of your thumb, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Real sky-blue, and heavy, and ready to drum </span></div><div><span class="long-line">In the cavernous pail of the first one to come! </span></div><div><span class="long-line">And all ripe together, not some of them green </span></div><div><span class="long-line">And some of them ripe! You ought to have seen!" </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"I don't know what part of the pasture you mean." </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"You know where they cut off the woods—let me see— </span></div><div><span class="long-line">It was two years ago—or no!—can it be </span></div><div><span class="long-line">No longer than that?—and the following fall </span></div><div><span class="long-line">The fire ran and burned it all up but the wall." </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"Why, there hasn't been time for the bushes to grow. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">That's always the way with the blueberries, though: </span></div><div><span class="long-line">There may not have been the ghost of a sign </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Of them anywhere under the shade of the pine, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">But get the pine out of the way, you may burn </span></div><div><span class="long-line">The pasture all over until not a fern </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Or grass-blade is left, not to mention a stick, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">And presto, they're up all around you as thick </span></div><div><span class="long-line">And hard to explain as a conjuror's trick." </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"It must be on charcoal they fatten their fruit. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">I taste in them sometimes the flavour of soot. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">And after all really they're ebony skinned: </span></div><div><span class="long-line">The blue's but a mist from the breath of the wind, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">A tarnish that goes at a touch of the hand, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">And less than the tan with which pickers are tanned." </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"Does Mortenson know what he has, do you think?" </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"He may and not care and so leave the chewink </span></div><div><span class="long-line">To gather them for him—you know what he is. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">He won't make the fact that they're rightfully his </span></div><div><span class="long-line">An excuse for keeping us other folk out." </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"I wonder you didn't see Loren about." </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"The best of it was that I did. Do you know, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">I was just getting through what the field had to show </span></div><div><span class="long-line">And over the wall and into the road, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">When who should come by, with a democrat-load </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Of all the young chattering Lorens alive, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">But Loren, the fatherly, out for a drive." </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"He saw you, then? What did he do? Did he frown?" </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"He just kept nodding his head up and down. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">You know how politely he always goes by. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">But he thought a big thought—I could tell by his eye— </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Which being expressed, might be this in effect: </span></div><div><span class="long-line">'I have left those there berries, I shrewdly suspect, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">To ripen too long. I am greatly to blame.'" </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"He's a thriftier person than some I could name." </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"He seems to be thrifty; and hasn't he need, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">With the mouths of all those young Lorens to feed? </span></div><div><span class="long-line">He has brought them all up on wild berries, they say, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Like birds. They store a great many away. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">They eat them the year round, and those they don't eat </span></div><div><span class="long-line">They sell in the store and buy shoes for their feet." </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"Who cares what they say? It's a nice way to live, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Just taking what Nature is willing to give, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Not forcing her hand with harrow and plow." </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"I wish you had seen his perpetual bow— </span></div><div><span class="long-line">And the air of the youngsters! Not one of them turned, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">And they looked so solemn-absurdly concerned." </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"I wish I knew half what the flock of them know </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Of where all the berries and other things grow, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Cranberries in bogs and raspberries on top </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Of the boulder-strewn mountain, and when they will crop. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">I met them one day and each had a flower </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Stuck into his berries as fresh as a shower; </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Some strange kind—they told me it hadn't a name." </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"I've told you how once not long after we came, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">I almost provoked poor Loren to mirth </span></div><div><span class="long-line">By going to him of all people on earth </span></div><div><span class="long-line">To ask if he knew any fruit to be had </span></div><div><span class="long-line">For the picking. The rascal, he said he'd be glad </span></div><div><span class="long-line">To tell if he knew. But the year had been bad. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">There had been some berries—but those were all gone. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">He didn't say where they had been. He went on: </span></div><div><span class="long-line">'I'm sure—I'm sure'—as polite as could be. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">He spoke to his wife in the door, 'Let me see, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Mame, we don't know any good berrying place?' </span></div><div><span class="long-line">It was all he could do to keep a straight face. </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"If he thinks all the fruit that grows wild is for him, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">He'll find he's mistaken. See here, for a whim, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">We'll pick in the Mortensons' pasture this year. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">We'll go in the morning, that is, if it's clear, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">And the sun shines out warm: the vines must be wet. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">It's so long since I picked I almost forget </span></div><div><span class="long-line">How we used to pick berries: we took one look round, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Then sank out of sight like trolls underground, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">And saw nothing more of each other, or heard, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Unless when you said I was keeping a bird </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Away from its nest, and I said it was you. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">'Well, one of us is.' For complaining it flew </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Around and around us. And then for a while </span></div><div><span class="long-line">We picked, till I feared you had wandered a mile, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">And I thought I had lost you. I lifted a shout </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Too loud for the distance you were, it turned out, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">For when you made answer, your voice was as low </span></div><div><span class="long-line">As talking—you stood up beside me, you know." </span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line">"We sha'n't have the place to ourselves to enjoy— </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Not likely, when all the young Lorens deploy. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">They'll be there to-morrow, or even to-night. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">They won't be too friendly—they may be polite— </span></div><div><span class="long-line">To people they look on as having no right </span></div><div><span class="long-line">To pick where they're picking. But we won't complain. </span></div><div><span class="long-line">You ought to have seen how it looked in the rain, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">The fruit mixed with water in layers of leaves, </span></div><div><span class="long-line">Like two kinds of jewels, a vision for thieves."</span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="long-line">---</span></div><div><span class="long-line"><br /></span></div><div><span class="long-line"><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div></span></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-10757963297785823302022-04-08T18:06:00.001-04:002022-04-08T18:06:49.454-04:00Ohio's Jungle Jim's: a food adventure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="Me holding up a bottle of King Cake soda in front of my face." border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EIwvsG9dCww/Yku5vfJYqCI/AAAAAAAAIbo/989rBCNl5qs8E5UV7rGs7xsNdqf_KG0ogCNcBGAsYHQ/w399-h400/1649129914909956-0.png" width="399" />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="background-color: #fdfdfd; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My husband Greg has been telling me about this fanciful grocery store called <a href="https://junglejims.com/" target="_blank">Jungle Jim's</a> for years now. In my pre-book career, I worked for about a decade in grocery at four different grocery chains. Yet I had not heard of Jungle Jim's despite it being located in our neighbor to the south, Ohio. Greg and I finally had the perfect excuse to visit Jungle Jim's during our trip to <a href="https://lifefroma2.blogspot.com/2022/03/steampunk-symposium-2022.html" target="_blank">Steampunk Symposium</a>. Our hotel was located right across the highway, so super convenient.</span></div><div style="background-color: #fdfdfd; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiDyyma8ECJVNbxgNXjE4LODerB3sUOPhpBc841_MF9BIhLFvPr_w41mNgCHeegxdVfN274tV-OwyAQ5xN6GWkvPaiq9QNemND5__j5Y7pmnwP4Y-pn9jQPo4pORT8YSRabNigvvRLNYTdOsd9v4rfulFhE_46A6AFxm82qgpEFdMVKeC87GQn7QM9cQ/s1456/Jungle-Jims-Ohio-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Greg looking at the entrance to Jungle Jim's with its full size monorail extending into the parking lot." border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="1456" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiDyyma8ECJVNbxgNXjE4LODerB3sUOPhpBc841_MF9BIhLFvPr_w41mNgCHeegxdVfN274tV-OwyAQ5xN6GWkvPaiq9QNemND5__j5Y7pmnwP4Y-pn9jQPo4pORT8YSRabNigvvRLNYTdOsd9v4rfulFhE_46A6AFxm82qgpEFdMVKeC87GQn7QM9cQ/w400-h305/Jungle-Jims-Ohio-1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div style="background-color: #fdfdfd; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Jungle" Jim Bonaminio started off with a produce stand in 1971. The first store was opened 4 years later, and it has expanded greatly to include two locations with one of the largest wine selections in the U.S. Which I completely believe having wandered those aisles. The craft beer selection was beyond impressive as well. </span></div><div style="background-color: #fdfdfd; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: #fdfdfd; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was also the largest gluten free section I have seen outside of a gluten-free bakery. It was wonderful! I got gluten-free pumpkin donuts with chocolate chips on top and gluten-free chocolate donuts that I think also had chocolate chips on top. They were so moist that they were really more like muffins than donuts, but they were still delicious. </span></div><div style="background-color: #fdfdfd; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfAtl68EmxGc08jPYT15a21YdCawyIkIE_vn9opPgj-xipPHTF8aX526vpIvONYZZmMmSVHfM_cCHOfeSLfQNLMffpMEYJMZ6GoVsbtyBY8aJTSernQfdjHKEeJbe69miS8kA4CnhbIfGWWKXfq92uDx7JZ0huTm0uUF0-RlbJDmho0mikGWZCSVP_og/s1354/Jungle-Jims-Ohio-Gluten-Free-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="The six aisles of gluten free." border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="1354" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfAtl68EmxGc08jPYT15a21YdCawyIkIE_vn9opPgj-xipPHTF8aX526vpIvONYZZmMmSVHfM_cCHOfeSLfQNLMffpMEYJMZ6GoVsbtyBY8aJTSernQfdjHKEeJbe69miS8kA4CnhbIfGWWKXfq92uDx7JZ0huTm0uUF0-RlbJDmho0mikGWZCSVP_og/w400-h300/Jungle-Jims-Ohio-Gluten-Free-2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDT1oXkzYJAphLX-1L-mf_rFIHW_hpQIHH0AdgPa74sYkR_oR1dFGBwvf08Vb1gdE8QJ9Ak9iAAGLJ-VTprchpQdxGp8YN0KVwTfCqoFNgWayW5sS9amPRkjLjWbFlYGoxFik_tr9V-GJZ5aMtBY9DAkm3h-MYorQGP5odqA3aMEVr_0XvI-fBWYpZw/s1367/Jungle-Jims-Ohio-Gluten-Free-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="A small wall of gluten-free baked goods." border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="1025" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDT1oXkzYJAphLX-1L-mf_rFIHW_hpQIHH0AdgPa74sYkR_oR1dFGBwvf08Vb1gdE8QJ9Ak9iAAGLJ-VTprchpQdxGp8YN0KVwTfCqoFNgWayW5sS9amPRkjLjWbFlYGoxFik_tr9V-GJZ5aMtBY9DAkm3h-MYorQGP5odqA3aMEVr_0XvI-fBWYpZw/w300-h400/Jungle-Jims-Ohio-Gluten-Free-1.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div style="background-color: #fdfdfd; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the location we visited, which took up most of a strip mall, there was an entire monorail affixed to the front with dinosaur riders. As soon as I laid eyes on it, I knew I was in for something unique. I was completely blown away by the international foods section that was larger than some Krogers I have been to. That alone would have been enough to make me happy, but it as just a small part of this amazing and nearly endless experience. </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="814 pounds of cheese on display." border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ycr04eUwIqs/Yku5ujfdZmI/AAAAAAAAIbk/X78xMLiGAaMPAz1Bf8Q3E9xJwDEQYrdqACNcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/1649129912256721-1.png" width="300" />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The seafood department was the largest I have ever seen. It smelled very strongly of fish, which worried me a little. There was a full sized fishing boat displayed above some coffin freezers, and a fishing dock with little shop fronts had been constructed above the fresh fish counters. Jungle Jim's goes all out! There is always some interesting display to look at around every corner.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="A full sized fishing boat displayed above some coffin freezers." border="0" height="300" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X799Mrjm7LU/Yku5uFCwl8I/AAAAAAAAIbg/9a6LqrVB6F8z6ERPNSjY_t0ac64wmw6ngCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/1649129910031218-2.png" width="400" />
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<img alt="A fishing dock with little shop fronts has been constructed above the fresh fish counters." border="0" height="300" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0rjruW3Da40/Yku5tS0MbCI/AAAAAAAAIbc/66rv7AWW36gCAQRZRJlMpgAdVFxSFEsMgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/1649129907701968-3.png" width="400" />
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</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was a real jeepney hanging from the ceiling in the international section and a TV explaining what it was. Briefly, it's an elongated jeep used as public transportation in the Philippines. (Read more at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeepney" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>.) A real firetruck was displayed in the hot sauce section. Yes, this place is so big, there are multiples aisles of hot sauce.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="A firetruck painted solid gray is on display surrounded by Mexican cuisine staples." border="0" height="300" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-akozlIEXvEk/Yku5rHkhUqI/AAAAAAAAIbQ/mN57wpZqSZInQG3RJPz-p3msCuYV3HlmwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/1649129898795940-6.png" width="400" />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There were so many pop aisles that I was too overwhelmed to look at them all. I was amused by the alien-themed once like Martian Soda and Martian Poop. I did not buy these, however. I opted for </span>bottles<span style="font-family: inherit;"> of a delicious blueberry and a satisfying strawberry. (I'm sorry, I forget their brands.) Greg discovered a King Cake flavored pop by Abita that he could not resist. And it really did taste like King Cake! Thus it was really sugary. I like sweet things, but dang. It was really sweet. If you like the idea of drinking cake, seek this soda out.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="Bottles of Martian Soda and Martian Poop on the shelf." border="0" height="300" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jLwhcmVjrGo/Yku5p0n-4xI/AAAAAAAAIbI/3WpTmydPXLsW1Fizt2HWzxt2Bly44NySQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/1649129893745800-8.png" width="400" />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't even know what else to say now. We wandered this place for what felt like hours. And we made a second trip on our way out of town! So here are a couple more pictures of their large displays in the grocery aisles.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="A pirate ship on top of a couple shelves of candy." border="0" height="300" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tdbYjmXRt9E/Yku5pWGECXI/AAAAAAAAIbE/wabLHIZKq1U3pBHAii8Zb_n1OOx2UOLUwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/1649129891237397-9.png" width="400" />
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<img alt="A monoplane hanging from the ceiling that says powered by hot sauce." border="0" height="300" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MV0jc8BRAvM/Yku5oriYezI/AAAAAAAAIbA/eMwC8WUDNh05FxnY_phgQ9Ff7WQ8zT-cgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/1649129888533485-10.png" width="400" />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ok, before we go, I want to share with you one of my favorite things that I stumbled upon. I almost regret not buying it, but I really am not sure where I would put it. I took a video so everyone can experience it in all its glory...the jellyfish lamp.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzuhpxNFSVQ-Jp-PONCVNA-0K7wBbaM8aWrlxFjxUlZVtmzaqJGrnyBMEj6RloKcy3qW6mkM7L1HAN2yUXbgA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3M3V3f8kkEFqDjRkEuN5QZUZQpXAFgzhZrITDsHSPDzBqFof7PoBdujlcuDuhPLp9JOE1Q5Xf6Epz4PeA536eomgDEdVfEnPF8J549shbRGBCSytXNfGbJz_4Wz5PqfSzG14ZLN7nOKgQogHSnJly0_dH35GM991K1E0vzOpczpjVfXDhRTPJD9P0Og/s1149/Jungle-Jims-Gorilla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Greg posing as if to get a kiss on the cheek from a large gorilla statue that is wearing a yellow T-shirt that says in memory of Harambe." border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="1149" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3M3V3f8kkEFqDjRkEuN5QZUZQpXAFgzhZrITDsHSPDzBqFof7PoBdujlcuDuhPLp9JOE1Q5Xf6Epz4PeA536eomgDEdVfEnPF8J549shbRGBCSytXNfGbJz_4Wz5PqfSzG14ZLN7nOKgQogHSnJly0_dH35GM991K1E0vzOpczpjVfXDhRTPJD9P0Og/w400-h400/Jungle-Jims-Gorilla.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-85589866063860884122022-03-24T00:08:00.001-04:002022-03-24T00:08:41.905-04:00Cookbook Review: Cooking With 5 Ingredients From Trader Joe's<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img alt="Cover of the book Cooking With 5 Ingredients From Trader Joe's: Simple, Weeknight Meals Using Your Favorite In-Store Products by Tracey Korsen." border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WtKD2pJCDdo/Yjp4Nh118CI/AAAAAAAAIJ8/AR4dLx-D-d40SU-0DHKrkd6rUWPVT32lwCNcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/1647999029161043-0.png" width="300" />
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</div><br /></div><div><div>I worked for Trader Joe's in both California and Michigan for five years. They're a decent company, and my experiences varied enough across the multiple stores in which I worked that I left without hating the place. (Though it was a while before I would shop there when certain people were working.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Now I work in a library that's located not too far from my old store, so I often drop in for my faves on my way home from work. When the book<i> </i><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/cooking-with-5-ingredients-from-trader-joe-s-simple-weeknight-meals-using-your-favorite-in-store-products/9781645673903"><i>Cooking With 5 Ingredients From Trader Joe's: Simple, Weeknight Meals Using Your Favorite In-Store Products</i> by Tracey Korsen</a> was brought to my attention by a coworker, I immediately placed a hold on it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Because Trader Joe's products change often (by design), many of the old Trader Joe's cookbooks are all but useless with long obsolete items. Korsen's book is current, having been published in 2021. It also isn't a long book and, my favorite part, the ingredients are listed with a picture of what the packaging looks like, making it so much easier to find these items. Why aren't more cookbooks like this? (Don't answer that. It's a rhetorical question. Unless it compels you to comment below, in which case, type away!) </div><div><br /></div><div>This is a book I would actually add to my collection. The recipes are simple. Do they all require only 5 ingredients? No. Like Hello Fresh, the author expects you to already have certain items on hand such as cooking oil, butter, salt, and pepper. I'll go over some of the recipes that I have already tried below.</div></div><blockquote><div><i>“Tracey’s cookbook is exactly what Trader Joe’s fans have needed—a helpful guide bridging the gap between our favorite cult products and getting dinner on the table. Her creative spins are delicious and relatable, hitting on everything from comfort food crowd-pleasers and lighter fare. It’s a great jumping-off point for home cooks to lean on and build on.”</i></div><div><i>—HANA ASBRINK, food writer and recipe developer</i></div></blockquote><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8UnoGClUqIA/YilzlAKu26I/AAAAAAAAIFg/nyx2boDQoQA6QY8uUkK1PFKKRW7wLIQEgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1646883729486161-0.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img alt="A bowl of shredded chicken with two forks in it." border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8UnoGClUqIA/YilzlAKu26I/AAAAAAAAIFg/nyx2boDQoQA6QY8uUkK1PFKKRW7wLIQEgCNcBGAsYHQ/w320-h240/1646883729486161-0.png" width="320" />
</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Simple Chicken Enchiladas With Jicama Wraps</b></div><div><br /></div>Of all the enchiladas I've made, these were probably the easiest. You can read about another time I made enchiladas by <a href="https://foodandword.blogspot.com/2021/05/chicken-enchiladas-naturally-gluten-free.html" target="_blank">clicking here</a>. Using a premade bottle of enchilada sauce definitely took less time than making my own. <div><br /></div><div>I could not find jicama wraps, so I used corn tortillas instead, which was fine for me. I was more concerned with being gluten free than low on carbs. But I still couldn't keep the corn tortillas from tearing. Maybe it's easier with the jicama wraps.<div><br /></div><div>The TJ's ingredients are chicken tenderloins, enchilada sauce, jicama wraps (or corn tortillas), and shredded Mexican blend cheese.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFxvbFn2XTb0vS341-YoGyqTx5m-xj3KdnQrewDY1OOvWmPcwMzjEXcD5Lu14lY7_UK4-IyCFEYHC470POriPttACUKPPj6WrbQ5WzKA56NWPmyLsQcuHxwOvPq-VEZ2pkrHv0T_mvk9N5ZsfgDCYqfq8uujKA-IHYvhKgVcwCRsQGW9Qo-s-cjgmIg/s4032/bbq-chicken-grilled-cheese.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The bbq chicken grilled cheese sandwich on a plate." border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFxvbFn2XTb0vS341-YoGyqTx5m-xj3KdnQrewDY1OOvWmPcwMzjEXcD5Lu14lY7_UK4-IyCFEYHC470POriPttACUKPPj6WrbQ5WzKA56NWPmyLsQcuHxwOvPq-VEZ2pkrHv0T_mvk9N5ZsfgDCYqfq8uujKA-IHYvhKgVcwCRsQGW9Qo-s-cjgmIg/w320-h240/bbq-chicken-grilled-cheese.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div></div><div><b>BBQ Chicken Grilled Cheese</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Talk about a simple meal! This recipe is basically as advertised. And it's delicious! I'd say I can't believe I never thought of doing this, but I am really not that innovative and clearly not as clever as the author of this cookbook.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since I have now been introduced to the idea, I am getting all kinds of other ideas. Obviously you could use pulled pork instead of chicken, or a nice brisket. I like putting slices of tomato on a grilled cheese, and I think it would go well with bbq too. </div><div><br /></div><div>The TJ's ingredients are chicken tenderloins, bbq sauce, sliced Colby jack cheese, and bread.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBzg_yznNtN9ysBIho1NojutX8Wx-ipHGfJnumwwwDP31NlmcOgo-Fvm5OyPjlozO4SV3PVpC_ZrQneM5_XJ5wpwRfFafDzdvgGp8xeJfrIBKEGCDjIJS0J9iSZgwidBFWb_A3mtiadl4avQVgaLuUMnEEMFPQ99DdXYMTx6Olm3EMPCrU-3lt6wQqgw/s2614/soup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A bowl of chicken salsa verde soup." border="0" data-original-height="2614" data-original-width="2614" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBzg_yznNtN9ysBIho1NojutX8Wx-ipHGfJnumwwwDP31NlmcOgo-Fvm5OyPjlozO4SV3PVpC_ZrQneM5_XJ5wpwRfFafDzdvgGp8xeJfrIBKEGCDjIJS0J9iSZgwidBFWb_A3mtiadl4avQVgaLuUMnEEMFPQ99DdXYMTx6Olm3EMPCrU-3lt6wQqgw/w320-h320/soup.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><b>Chicken Salsa Verde Soup</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I was excited about trying this recipe, but I didn't have all of the correct measurements of ingredients, so I was super skeptical of how my batch would turn out. I should not have worried! This soup was truly delicious! Highly recommend. </div><div><br /></div><div>My avocado was...weird. I really miss the fresh avocados I got in California. Luckily, it wasn't integral to the soup. I totally skipped the jalapeno because I don't like how they taste.</div><div><br /></div><div>The TJ's ingredients are onion, salsa verde, chicken breasts, avocado, and jalapeno. (I left out the jalapeno.) </div><div></div><blockquote><div><i>“This is a delightful cookbook filled with fun, fresh, no-fuss meals. You’re going to want to cook all of these scrumptious and easy-to-follow recipes.”</i></div><div><i>—MADELINE THOMAS, Creator of Trader Jolene</i> </div></blockquote><p>I realize that's not a ton of information on these recipes, but they are short, which is kind of the point, and the names of the recipes are fairly self-explanatory. </p><p>If you are a Trader Joe's shopper, this book is totally worth checking out. Do it now before the ingredients are discontinued!</p><p style="text-align: center;">---</p><p>Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</p><div><br /></div><div></div></div></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-60752716883490768732022-03-11T16:58:00.000-05:002022-03-11T16:58:17.996-05:00Pasta Terror from 'Moshed Potatoes'<div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eWVsOreSPjI/YiAHRAdWxDI/AAAAAAAAIFM/tBIi_yOFuWsn8W8U3PJoXqoMHX9lDeYgACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1646266177951307-0.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[Image description: A closeup picture of a bowl filled with spaghetti noodles, chunks of tomato, and Parmigiano visible.]</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br /></div><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/55705/9781439181324"><i>Mosh Potatoes: Recipes, Anecdotes, and Mayhem from the Heavyweights of Heavy Metal</i> by Steve Seabury</a> is a cookbook that my husband Greg picked up, and it's got some great recipes! I don't know that I have shared any before on this blog, and I don't have the energy to go searching to be quite honest. So let's pretend this is the first time you have heard me mention this book because it may well be!<div><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"></span><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PCodi4qpx_A/YiADuJZJ3WI/AAAAAAAAIFE/vNG0KdxpnkgOM2-RaIxEZzxJrRyvWILlQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1646265270210800-0.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[Image description: A sliced up red tomato on a plastic cutting board with a knife.]</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br /></div><div>This particular recipe, Pasta Terror, was contributed by Mille, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for German thrash metal band Kreator. I do not know this band and only have a vague idea what thrash metal is. I'm what I assume is contrast, this recipe is a simple vegetarian dish with ingredients that I quite enjoy: pasta, tomatoes, pine nuts, and cheese.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aHsGq1B2pZc/YiADtTSHhPI/AAAAAAAAIFA/camLi5Ng1oAID-43kYUDVztbA3kFKIA6QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1646265267520706-1.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[Image description: Extreme close-up of pine nuts in a cast iron skillet.]</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br /></div><div><div>INGREDIENTS</div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>2 cups pine nuts</li><li>1 clove garlic, roughly chopped</li><li>1/4 cup grated Parmigiano di bufala, or regular Parmigiano</li><li>Large spoonful balsamic vinegar</li><li>1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil</li><li>salt and pepper</li><li>12 oz of spaghetti, penne, or other pasta of choice (ours was gluten free)</li><li>2 medium tomatoes cut into small pieces</li></ul><p style="text-align: left;">INSTRUCTIONS</p></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Cook the pasta in a large pot.</li><li>While pasta is cooking, put the pine nuts in a large skillet and roast without olive oil until the nuts are brown, but not too long!</li><li>In a food processor, combine the roasted pine nuts, garlic, Parmigiano, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Process until a smooth paste forms, adding more oil if needed.</li><li>Mix the cooked and drained pasta with the pesto. Toss with tomatoes, sprinkle with pepper, and serve with red wine.</li></ol><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLd_6BJnoVVTGuV913L0txCtDOo1ARnUCHl1-7Ht_YEhicbN4CkKsiO-IJRI2PZtIv57oOL-_fRup5iLDINubKmF-lU-1-c3mg-jF-U8zn4vGsJPLufrvgCf6KL1KXTigYdfogMJ4S3XJYNZS4c9XWlkUl0OfEAMPshx4tyV9NL6V9h7ZnwvxeRAaADA=s400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="319" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLd_6BJnoVVTGuV913L0txCtDOo1ARnUCHl1-7Ht_YEhicbN4CkKsiO-IJRI2PZtIv57oOL-_fRup5iLDINubKmF-lU-1-c3mg-jF-U8zn4vGsJPLufrvgCf6KL1KXTigYdfogMJ4S3XJYNZS4c9XWlkUl0OfEAMPshx4tyV9NL6V9h7ZnwvxeRAaADA=s320" width="255" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[Image description: Cover of the book 'Moshed Potatoes.' A potato on fire is speared by a fork with its two middle tines down similar to the rock 'n roll symbol made with the hand.]</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">We did not serve this with red wine, but it's not a terrible idea. This was a delicious dish! I don't normally like pesto because I find it tasteless, but this one I loved! As I said above, these are some of my favorite things to mix together.</p><p style="text-align: left;">If you are, or someone you know is, into hard rock and cooking, this is a fun book. And it's not all gimmick, it truly does have some marvelous recipes. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments, and rock on!</p><p style="text-align: center;">---</p><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div></div></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-40323528782159888422022-02-24T00:01:00.001-05:002022-02-24T00:01:00.156-05:00Zucchini, the Little Squash That Could<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSt5jvnaiOJX20g0CEB3f_GiG94236kTT7qN1mrLLGbc1WnPgSIio8O_D_B7B36t7NpgCKJe34jX-b21L-aooAQTTWOdaQBSoERjYz4q1tYU5x4yTfpD9sQKJ56NGD3x3DNR5HEo4izcuQSRM2hzEpHZDBmZvUsVdovFhMoQUn8RTLJVReikmm0e70XA=s640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSt5jvnaiOJX20g0CEB3f_GiG94236kTT7qN1mrLLGbc1WnPgSIio8O_D_B7B36t7NpgCKJe34jX-b21L-aooAQTTWOdaQBSoERjYz4q1tYU5x4yTfpD9sQKJ56NGD3x3DNR5HEo4izcuQSRM2hzEpHZDBmZvUsVdovFhMoQUn8RTLJVReikmm0e70XA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[Image description: Young striped green zucchini on the vine<br />with their waning flowers still attached.]</td></tr></tbody></table><p>No, this is not a children's story, but a brief look at one of my favorite vegetables, the zucchini. Ok, yes, <i>technically </i>it is a fruit, but in cooking, we treat it like a vegetable. The word "zucchini" is the diminutive plural of <i>zucca, </i>the Italian word for squash. (So zucchini are little squashes.) And it turns out zucchini are more international than I suspected.</p><p>Incidentally, another common word in English for zucchini is courgette, which is another diminutive, this time from French, meaning "vegetable marrow or marrow squash." I assume "marrow" because, like bones, squash have a hard exterior (or rind) and a squishy interior. Both courgette and zucchini appear to be cognates, evolved from the Latin word <i>cucurbita</i>.</p><p>But as I was saying, zucchini (as I will call them because I was raised by Sicilians in the United States) have a truly international lineage. Its ancestors were first domesticated by humans in Mesoamerica 7,000 years ago. You might notice that this is quite a distance from the Italian peninsula. It wasn't until trade began between these two landmasses that Progenitor Squash was introduced to Europe. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUK_zvoH6brDkJqLb1lyrpeDPsn-T3LIl5-SKPMcRwU2PU1O6mqddAL6ceR47iPxbzjKK-3WQB12-70NBci8k6GdYohlLLydklORrMKalPa8s2YBbRo4s6bu1-q35haDF8rxjBEVzEMPPiTlMvNdLT5ZLkPptH27tyAGdtAlNqfsh0Rg3M_jwpYaVvJA=s464" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="463" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUK_zvoH6brDkJqLb1lyrpeDPsn-T3LIl5-SKPMcRwU2PU1O6mqddAL6ceR47iPxbzjKK-3WQB12-70NBci8k6GdYohlLLydklORrMKalPa8s2YBbRo4s6bu1-q35haDF8rxjBEVzEMPPiTlMvNdLT5ZLkPptH27tyAGdtAlNqfsh0Rg3M_jwpYaVvJA=s320" width="319" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[Image description: A short stack of zucchini potato <br />fritters in a dark bowl with parsley garnish.]</td></tr></tbody></table><br />What we now call the zucchini (or courgette) was cultivated in northern Italy in the 19th century, which is really not that long ago, especially when put against 7,000 years. And it was only a century ago that zucchini were brought to the United States, likely by Italian immigrants. (In Britain, it was likely introduced via French cuisine, hence the British preference for courgette. Italians were <i>far </i>more likely to emigrate to the U.S. than the U.K.)<p></p><p>While zucchini can grow up to about a yard/meter in length, it is generally picked early, when the rind is still soft, and the seeds less plentiful. As a food, zucchini is remarkably versatile. It can be grilled, sautéed, fried, baked, stuffed, roasted, spiraled, frittered, blended into soups, and used in baked goods, just to name a few. </p><p>And there you have it, a brief history of the humble zucchini. Do you like zucchini? What is your favorite way to eat it? Let me know in the comments. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjI2QQZXxftXn0KaIeOS-vsy3e_D2ZOH-1EGxMPhz6gnEC6o9Y-Ot4hzR3JsFB4oHWMLC13B9B4wcjutluA18M3_83WhyLiYbvlZ_jVI7Cux2XCWUz-a85KBonw18iiEkbPzMccFeFNO0-8XAxpUEjzK5_E4dfc7Iqf1RJBqhVrhr2_DPq_SFESpL0Uog=s640" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjI2QQZXxftXn0KaIeOS-vsy3e_D2ZOH-1EGxMPhz6gnEC6o9Y-Ot4hzR3JsFB4oHWMLC13B9B4wcjutluA18M3_83WhyLiYbvlZ_jVI7Cux2XCWUz-a85KBonw18iiEkbPzMccFeFNO0-8XAxpUEjzK5_E4dfc7Iqf1RJBqhVrhr2_DPq_SFESpL0Uog=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[Image description: A close-up of round slices of zucchini and<br />red peppers on a grill with grill marks on the vegetables.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;">---</p><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-9245110961020650312022-02-10T12:17:00.000-05:002022-02-10T12:17:07.292-05:00Eggplant Parmesan in the Slow Cooker<p></p><a href="http://foodandword.blogspot.com/search/label/slowcooker" target="_blank"></a><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_H7tBZW0rNsSnEkf6UhMo2KjDCAE8p0AbbBYEmuLIDMzLVfH7ZeTXFTEa73gv64pQS16h9dBQrlZg6ykX2Es4GxHcchNYfFTlunpQRnZJGfMdM-toVT0DpbgKPlZp55YjAr_HkbpnQMaacZGAj9crazP-Zes8s8NoOUtki0w3Ff2oYUsFfdm6wT_E3g=s2919" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2918" data-original-width="2919" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_H7tBZW0rNsSnEkf6UhMo2KjDCAE8p0AbbBYEmuLIDMzLVfH7ZeTXFTEa73gv64pQS16h9dBQrlZg6ykX2Es4GxHcchNYfFTlunpQRnZJGfMdM-toVT0DpbgKPlZp55YjAr_HkbpnQMaacZGAj9crazP-Zes8s8NoOUtki0w3Ff2oYUsFfdm6wT_E3g=s320" width="320" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://foodandword.blogspot.com/search/label/slowcooker" target="_blank"></a></div><span style="color: black;">If you follow this blog, you may know that I am quite fond of my slow cooker. (</span><a href="http://foodandword.blogspot.com/search/label/slowcooker" target="_blank">Click here for more slow cooker recipes on this blog.</a>) So when I saw the book <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/55705/9781401310387" target="_blank">More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: 200 Brand-New, Budget-Friendly, Slow-Cooker Recipes</a> </i>by Stephanie O'Dea at the library, I had to check it out.<p></p><p>One recipe that stood out to me was the Eggplant Parmesan. I love Eggplant Parmesan. My grandmother used to make it for family gatherings. In my opinion, it's one of the best, most satisfying vegetarian meals out there. Eggplant has a soft texture and buttery taste that goes perfectly with tomato. And tomato, of course, goes great with cheese! It's a match made in heaven.</p><p>If you enjoy the ease of this recipe, be sure to check out O'Dea's books for more!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEin8EpW1LPY6iN3HLlXyWWYoYY3SjgpGGFPoaO_Woc7G9wXZMGNAitLxVvPvZ9JFbzcdeMob4HIhzZdSpPPDiMavQJn2hobWaBNCJ1ZCtW6WOK6N1Q5dRHn83hAgXFgbJ6KA73zjkyP6u_yunFJEl0A8qQ0m6A22XXX8PDbS1Tj5vGxntqcOiG8P5FbLg=s402" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Book Cover More Make It Fast Cook It Slow by Stephanie O'Dea" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="402" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEin8EpW1LPY6iN3HLlXyWWYoYY3SjgpGGFPoaO_Woc7G9wXZMGNAitLxVvPvZ9JFbzcdeMob4HIhzZdSpPPDiMavQJn2hobWaBNCJ1ZCtW6WOK6N1Q5dRHn83hAgXFgbJ6KA73zjkyP6u_yunFJEl0A8qQ0m6A22XXX8PDbS1Tj5vGxntqcOiG8P5FbLg=w320-h318" width="320" /></a></div><b>INGREDIENTS</b><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>cooking spray of your choice</li><li>1 T olive oil</li><li>1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used gluten-free panko)</li><li>2 tsp Italian seasonings</li><li>1/2 tsp Kosher salt</li><li>1/4 tsp black pepper</li><li>1 large eggplant, sliced (I do not peel it, but you may)</li><li>8 oz sliced mozzarella cheese</li><li>1 26oz jar pasta sauce</li></ul><div><b>INSTRUCTIONS</b></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray to ease removing the food later.</li><li>Pour the olive oil into one dish. In another dish, combine the breadcrumbs, Italian seasonings, salt, and pepper. </li><li>Coat both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil (a pastry brush works great if you have one), then sprinkle both sides with the bread crumb mixture.</li><li>Put a layer of the eggplant in the slow cooker topped by the mozzarella cheese slices. The fit will likely not be perfect, so the pieces will overlap, and you may end up with multiple layers. That's ok.</li><li>Pour the entire jar of pasta sauce over the top.</li><li>Cover with slow cooker lid. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours. </li></ol><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrp_p3AMPI5JfjDWyhbkNeQjyKt5pfNtr2fVRWHiITZvGYZ5wcwnAUlpdl321hIUolDC3Btiwd3x2n8r-RJR_xRYtgNQLtffyJY3wy6gQYFV-vRN3lNI3xJYd3vgXL_OaKzbCNBKLVS8Gp9sKMYMn-kb2KfK-2zZbYj1mz6QWllA_6pE3EvIsWCquKjw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrp_p3AMPI5JfjDWyhbkNeQjyKt5pfNtr2fVRWHiITZvGYZ5wcwnAUlpdl321hIUolDC3Btiwd3x2n8r-RJR_xRYtgNQLtffyJY3wy6gQYFV-vRN3lNI3xJYd3vgXL_OaKzbCNBKLVS8Gp9sKMYMn-kb2KfK-2zZbYj1mz6QWllA_6pE3EvIsWCquKjw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br />The recipes suggest cooking with a side of pasta or green salad, but I did neither. This is a dish that stands on its own for me. <p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Normally I would pan-fry the slices of eggplant before baking, and next time I may do that before putting them in the slow cooker. Regardless, it's going to be a very wet dish, which I feel is part of its charm. </p></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqw3KTHbux01cJw59rsF8xD0G5b96-TazTudh38rJVc5EB0nCzwkcXD-FZIaAfKN2z0RE0TNUhYd2eLNqPAjPoCMOsnXyj4LFy_Z9G8jPMICL6_wCneiGxsvmWcTInU4jac6QD44wBRYuDi1g0gFjs9bx6uaIS1mfetthLav4rK5byiPBCBwVLNAgucw=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqw3KTHbux01cJw59rsF8xD0G5b96-TazTudh38rJVc5EB0nCzwkcXD-FZIaAfKN2z0RE0TNUhYd2eLNqPAjPoCMOsnXyj4LFy_Z9G8jPMICL6_wCneiGxsvmWcTInU4jac6QD44wBRYuDi1g0gFjs9bx6uaIS1mfetthLav4rK5byiPBCBwVLNAgucw=s320" width="320" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">The aroma that filled the house while this cooked was mouth-watering, and the resulting flavor was abundantly satisfying. When I made this, I was busy all day, so even though I was working from home, I didn't have much time to devote to dinner. This recipe was a real saver! </p><p style="text-align: center;">---</p><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-19616802005496787482022-01-27T12:13:00.004-05:002022-01-27T12:13:57.960-05:00Yummy Haiku<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEis2JxY0fgZOaJohdoB_q1wlWjySZp6ezjDWTgEqL-E3sf79weDC3Ua5eWFLsKkJpikWKBeYWO0-J4XVenUGtV2MKc8R5GmmTqqEV8_mA2rzRzdaWVWW2KWtxXJGTl_xyML7GNfNK2dNodsjqV6W6iEkCPsGXV6rKTTwBfcmRKm3AxVdFfdNxqKMtU8Ig=s720" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEis2JxY0fgZOaJohdoB_q1wlWjySZp6ezjDWTgEqL-E3sf79weDC3Ua5eWFLsKkJpikWKBeYWO0-J4XVenUGtV2MKc8R5GmmTqqEV8_mA2rzRzdaWVWW2KWtxXJGTl_xyML7GNfNK2dNodsjqV6W6iEkCPsGXV6rKTTwBfcmRKm3AxVdFfdNxqKMtU8Ig=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Photo by</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><a class="css-1a1xj59-CaptionLink" href="https://unsplash.com/@brookelark?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=vocal.media" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Brooke Lark</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">on</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><a class="css-1a1xj59-CaptionLink" href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=vocal.media" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Unsplash</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I'm in the middle of a nasty bout of illness, so I don't have the focus today to write a full blog post. Instead, I will share with you a bunch of haiku that I have written about food over the years. (Previously published at <a href="https://vocal.media/poets/yummy-haiku" target="_blank">Yummy Haiku</a>.) </div><div><br /></div><div>These are all original haiku, and I have tried to keep to the spirit of haiku by using seasonal words or cues. They are not the same as listed for Japanese haiku because I am not only writing in different language, I am of a different culture. I hope you enjoy them. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>🍽️</div><div><br /></div></div>New year, new you<div>Another season with</div><div>New foods to try.</div><div><br /></div><div>🍽️</div><div><br /></div><div>Li'l swimming fishes,</div><div>You're tastier than you know.</div><div>Get into my mouth.</div><div><br /></div><div>🍽️</div><div><br /></div><div>A rainbow of fish</div><div>So happily assembled</div><div>Look so delicious.</div><div><br /></div><div>🍽️</div><div><br /></div><div>So satisfying,</div><div>Veggies and fish rolled in rice.</div><div>And sake to drink!</div><div><br /></div><div>🍽️</div><div><br /></div><div>A bowl of ice cream</div><div>Waits patiently in the freezer</div><div>To sooth aching souls.</div><div><br /></div><div>🍽️</div><div><br /></div><div>What is this new thing?</div><div>Powder that comes in a tin:</div><div>Pumpkin chai latte.</div><div><br /></div><div>🍽️</div><div><br /></div><div>In my coffee now</div><div>Pumpkin pie spice and sugar</div><div>As the leaves turn red.</div><div><br /></div><div>🍽️</div><div><br /></div><div>Hot pumpkin latte</div><div>While curled up with a good book</div><div>Warms fingers and soul.</div><div><br /></div><div>🍽️</div><div><br /></div><div>Pumpkin, cranberry,</div><div>Baked into a delicious,</div><div>Moist and scrumptious scone.</div><div><br /></div><div>🍽️</div><div><br /></div><div>A warm cup of tea</div><div>That tastes like sugar cookies.</div><div>Tis the holidays!</div><div><br /></div><div>🍽️</div><div><br /></div><div>Family dinner</div><div>With turkey, stuffing, gravy</div><div>Is good for the soul.</div><div><br /></div><div>🍽️</div><div><br /></div><div>In the calm after</div><div>Raging storms and flash floods,</div><div>We find empty cupboards.</div><div><p style="text-align: center;">---</p><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-80911352126415303562022-01-13T13:09:00.004-05:002022-01-13T13:09:45.103-05:00Chicken Florentine Casserole<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqXgsDsoIQ4cXZBykFbdJbn9TaPBlRERGCYrCFax_Up2sT1dHPhwQvidzBn9PytJ7gYGoeMnwGuGoy3EKfKoZxMe6NdyhUKFQWNqBX_sRmCX8U07IOofgVs7B5DpyzNudZZ4bUu8XOmAar1E6xs4iXDESJmFOhrphaAT1MbxxciFw9H82daglV2Jk1Ag=s3024" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqXgsDsoIQ4cXZBykFbdJbn9TaPBlRERGCYrCFax_Up2sT1dHPhwQvidzBn9PytJ7gYGoeMnwGuGoy3EKfKoZxMe6NdyhUKFQWNqBX_sRmCX8U07IOofgVs7B5DpyzNudZZ4bUu8XOmAar1E6xs4iXDESJmFOhrphaAT1MbxxciFw9H82daglV2Jk1Ag=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">If you enjoyed the recipe from two weeks ago, <a href="http://foodandword.blogspot.com/2021/12/spinach-artichoke-chicken-roasted-zucchini-dinner.html" target="_blank">Spinach-Artichoke Chicken</a>, with all of its cheesy, spinachy goodness, you will likely love this one too!</p><p style="text-align: left;">I love the ease of casseroles, so I was immediately drawn to this recipe, <a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/68868/chicken-florentine-casserole/" target="_blank">Chicken Florentine Casserole on AllRecipes</a>. It doesn't strike me as a casserole so much as a baked chicken, but there are layers to it, so it can easily be a meal-in-one-dish, with a little prep. That is how my husband and I ate it. You could also pair it with pasta or rice to put the extra gooey goodness on. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIIIf7frqsRhBHH7gGaKDgpwdFgRj30CComFwl8XaT8Gi1lgkZSOOEkmLuXr8lBkPVXNibThIrb-RJSCrSeXA91wiiHQj9mSwF59lepbOXEeFbch29UjLmY2zQk64kO2KKjdcVJoBKrODMGj8UBz2YlvZmHldFuxZ-lMy8bX9hvxjNzRDXFBTRAVi9qw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIIIf7frqsRhBHH7gGaKDgpwdFgRj30CComFwl8XaT8Gi1lgkZSOOEkmLuXr8lBkPVXNibThIrb-RJSCrSeXA91wiiHQj9mSwF59lepbOXEeFbch29UjLmY2zQk64kO2KKjdcVJoBKrODMGj8UBz2YlvZmHldFuxZ-lMy8bX9hvxjNzRDXFBTRAVi9qw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Since I linked to the recipe above, I won't copy it here. I will say that I cut it in half, since there are two of us, not four, and it worked perfectly. I did accidentally forget to cut the mozzarella cheese in half at the end, so this chicken was <i>swimming </i>in cheese. But I also don't think it was that bad, so... Add cheese at your own discretion. And I cut out the bacon bits because I don't eat pork.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhs59ocFXSt3uQw_odsxNDH_3XD1xzJXP21SYSzW9U60MOVQm9iYSYorBp31VPDMsppedcmKVC9hJFlyPEDjl8fj_YkOY671wHlN8RRrkh2NGqENnonH-CJ8bI5fWTVBM9r5LO3FWoiDd9YhfoYBqD7B42em69Y-5mG3_UKaE-W6SwTp9M0L1K0Zf92Qw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhs59ocFXSt3uQw_odsxNDH_3XD1xzJXP21SYSzW9U60MOVQm9iYSYorBp31VPDMsppedcmKVC9hJFlyPEDjl8fj_YkOY671wHlN8RRrkh2NGqENnonH-CJ8bI5fWTVBM9r5LO3FWoiDd9YhfoYBqD7B42em69Y-5mG3_UKaE-W6SwTp9M0L1K0Zf92Qw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">The can of spinach definitely helps with the quick-and-easy part, but I am more inclined to use fresh ingredients. If you grow spinach in your garden and need another use for it, this would be an excellent recipe to try it out on. Frozen spinach should also work.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNcVFxRnCzse4q4J2j2xOlFqgqzbwBWhXxBdsyNcFcXtjbp0Sfxh6eCKa3tBk8GWUDIhseKATJBorDf3VVUv562OXDscci7fr8Ts8kxqmadXPfeRrYud0JLA1rfe4UxFRVqXaPzTcRpJcOHrT7xMzJzDQWVmJdUZa51kqkhsrb1o3HAlRJXqzul95VFA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNcVFxRnCzse4q4J2j2xOlFqgqzbwBWhXxBdsyNcFcXtjbp0Sfxh6eCKa3tBk8GWUDIhseKATJBorDf3VVUv562OXDscci7fr8Ts8kxqmadXPfeRrYud0JLA1rfe4UxFRVqXaPzTcRpJcOHrT7xMzJzDQWVmJdUZa51kqkhsrb1o3HAlRJXqzul95VFA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">I know the cheese looks a little crispy, but it tasted fine. However, if you don't like crispy cheese, be sure the chicken is fully cooked before you assemble the layers. I was sort of loose on that since it goes into the oven twice. </p><p style="text-align: left;">There were a couple more steps to this than the Spinach-Artichoke Chicken, but enough downtime in between steps that I was able to finish a podcast and get some reading in, so a pretty stress-free recipe that I would try again, especially in the summer when I can get fresh, local ingredients. Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments.</p><p style="text-align: center;">---</p><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-74295593862751650622021-12-30T00:01:00.004-05:002021-12-30T00:01:00.143-05:00Spinach-Artichoke Chicken and Roasted Zucchini Dinner<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBClxT6Ufx3KWJjiGN7_AbHuf-OU18AORgz4M7ZlmLJ53gcpu6chdUkbEHm7VkMNlH2tqPebUUTo8K0HETJGkt4KDFhi2wMEkKwHKTCnuOHSL5S_jbZMN_4w2OCmPPOP2tXCUFBr5KsTCov1vMBd6oWWdw3Ap5U_r1pubZn6vizS7_cy0w2SQCBPiPuw=s2870" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2869" data-original-width="2870" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBClxT6Ufx3KWJjiGN7_AbHuf-OU18AORgz4M7ZlmLJ53gcpu6chdUkbEHm7VkMNlH2tqPebUUTo8K0HETJGkt4KDFhi2wMEkKwHKTCnuOHSL5S_jbZMN_4w2OCmPPOP2tXCUFBr5KsTCov1vMBd6oWWdw3Ap5U_r1pubZn6vizS7_cy0w2SQCBPiPuw=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br />As I was saying in my last update (<a href="https://foodandword.blogspot.com/2021/12/pan-roasted-chicken-with-collard-greens-dinner.html" target="_blank">Pan-roasted Chicken with Collard Greens Dinner</a>), I put together a list of easy-to-make, nutritious meals from some internet searches to make life a little easier during a hectic time of the year. Here is another combo that was both tasty and filling - and easy!<p></p><p>SPINACH-ARTICHOKE CHICKEN (<a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/274192/keto-spinach-artichoke-chicken/" target="_blank">original recipe here</a>)</p><p><u>Ingredients</u></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>½ (10 oz) package frozen spinach</li><li>1 (4 oz) package cream cheese, softened</li><li>½ (14 oz) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped</li><li>¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese</li><li>¼ cup mayonnaise</li><li>½ teaspoon garlic powder</li><li>½ teaspoon salt</li><li>4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 2 large)</li><li>salt and pepper to taste</li><li>1 tablespoon olive oil</li><li>½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese</li></ul><p style="text-align: left;"><u>Instructions</u></p><div style="text-align: left;"><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Preheat the oven to 375F.</li><li>Thaw spinach in the microwave. When cool enough, squeeze spinach to remove excess moisture.</li><li>In a medium to large bowl, mix spinach, cream cheese, artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder, and salt. Set aside.</li><li>Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.</li><li>Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on both sides. Place chicken in a large baking dish. Spread spinach-artichoke mixture on top of each breast.</li><li>Bake until chicken has cooked to 165F or is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 20 to 22 minutes (or 35 if you use my oven). </li><li>Top breasts with mozzarella cheese and continue baking until cheese has melted; 1 to 2 more minutes.</li></ol><p style="text-align: left;">Allrecipes suggests serving this with "roasted broccoli or asparagus, or on top of cauliflower rice." If you have read the title of this blog post, you may have surmised that I did not do that. But this would be great with rice or pasta, or probably one of the things Allrecipes recommends. Here is what I did pair this chicken with, as I made it...</p><p style="text-align: left;">ROASTED ZUCCHINI (<a href="https://twokooksinthekitchen.com/how-to-roast-zucchini/" target="_blank">original recipe here</a>)</p><p style="text-align: left;"><u>Ingredients</u></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>3 zucchinis</li><li>¼ cup extra virgin olive oil</li><li>⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese</li><li>2 cloves minced garlic</li><li>½ teaspoon kosher salt</li><li>¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</li></ul><div><u>Instructions</u></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Preheat oven to 425F.</li><li>Two Kooks in the Kitchen, who originated this recipe, say to "line a pan with parchment paper or foil and place a wire rack (sprayed with oil) on top of the pan." I didn't have either of those, so I sprayed a baking sheet with cooking spray.</li><li>Slice each zucchini lengthwise in half. Then slice each half lengthwise in half again. (Like pickle spears.)</li><li>In a bowl or plate, mix together oil, Parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper. Coat zucchini spears with this mixture and place them, green skin side down, on the baking sheet (or wire rack) in a single layer with no overlap.</li><li>Roast zucchini on the middle oven rack for 12 to 15 minutes. Do not flip, and do not burn.</li></ol><p style="text-align: left;">For more tips on zucchini and things to add to play with this recipe, do check the original recipe by Two Kooks. There's some great info! Zucchini is one of my favorite things, so I hope to experiment with these in the future.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The zucchini would go great with the pan-roasted chicken from my last blog post. Pairing this chicken with the collard greens might be a bit redundant. 🙂</p><div>Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p></div><p></p><p></p><p></p>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-84289814702940698302021-12-16T00:01:00.001-05:002021-12-16T00:01:00.153-05:00Pan-roasted Chicken with Collard Greens Dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I've been feeling some serious burnout lately. So when it comes to dinner, I'm looking for quick, easy, and nutritious meals. Here is one that I put together with the help of copious internet searches.<div><br /></div><div>PAN-ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS (<a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/245367/pan-roasted-chicken-breasts/?printview" target="_blank">original recipe here</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><u>Ingredients</u></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Chicken thighs (or breasts if you prefer)</li><li>salt and pepper to taste</li><li>some dried parsley flakes (or fresh if you prefer)</li><li></li><li>1/4 cup apple cider vinegar</li><li>4 tablespoons cold butter</li></ul></div><div><u>Instructions</u></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Season chicken with salt, pepper, and parsley. Put chicken in a frying pan or skillet. On medium to medium-high heat, leave on one side about 5 minutes to sear; repeat for the other side.</li><li>Add butter 1 T at a time followed by apple cider vinegar.</li><li>Cook in pan until internal temperature reaches 165F.</li><li>Remove cooked chicken to plate to rest. Leave any liquid in the pan for the greens.</li></ol></div><div><br /></div><div>QUICK COLLARD GREENS (<a href="https://cookieandkate.com/quick-collard-greens-recipe/print/32984/" target="_blank">original recipe here</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><div><u>Ingredients</u></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>1 large bunch fresh collard greens</li><li>2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced</li><li>salt and pepper to taste</li></ul></div><div><ul></ul></div></div><div><u>Instructions</u></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>De-rib collard greens and cut into ribbons.</li><li>Add greens to the pan previously occupied by the chicken.</li><li>Salt and pepper to taste, add garlic, continue stirring and rotating (I use tongues) until cooked.</li><li>Plate with chicken.</li></ol><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Et voila! </i>Dinner is served. </p><p style="text-align: left;">This was very tasty and did not require a lot of dishes or pans to create. The greens cooked quickly enough that the chicken was still warm. I'm not really sure what the apple cider vinegar did. I couldn't really taste it, and the original recipe says that any vinegar will do. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Will I be making this again in the future? Yes, absolutely. It ticks all of my boxes. The greens could easily be swapped for something else, too, like kale or spinach. My husband just happens to be partial to collard greens.</p><p style="text-align: left;">(Sorry for the single boring photo. My phone has been acting up and stopped taking photos that night.)</p><div>Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div></div><div><br /></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-44526435456039825972021-12-02T14:15:00.000-05:002021-12-02T14:15:10.690-05:00I Made Risotto Primavera, and I Never Will Again<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vA4qgYrW_1s/YakQvVlx0qI/AAAAAAAAH8A/Vz2XIGvinAs22Pn3wC8k0q-JMr4XJewSwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Risotto-Primavera.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vA4qgYrW_1s/YakQvVlx0qI/AAAAAAAAH8A/Vz2XIGvinAs22Pn3wC8k0q-JMr4XJewSwCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Risotto-Primavera.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I have a rice cooker. And that rice cooker makes rice perfectly every time I use it. Why would I ever use some other technique to cook rice? Because the recipe told me to. Alas.<p></p><p>This is another recipe from<i> </i><a href="https://www.storey.com/books/moms-best-one-dish-suppers/" target="_blank"><i>Mom's Best One-Dish Suppers</i> by Andrea Chesman</a>. It's one of my most-used cookbooks, and I generally recommend both the book and the author, who has published other cookbooks. The recipe, however... Maybe other people will fare better. This is what I did:</p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DjyUPauSyfk/YakXd_bEDMI/AAAAAAAAH8I/piG99CyDCmg1nuQBseHQBPMotplFOPjaQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Risotto-Primavera-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DjyUPauSyfk/YakXd_bEDMI/AAAAAAAAH8I/piG99CyDCmg1nuQBseHQBPMotplFOPjaQCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Risotto-Primavera-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br />INGREDIENTS</b><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>5 1/2 cups vegetable broth</li><li>1/2 cup white wine</li><li>1 lb frozen asparagus, trimmed and cut to 1-inch pieces</li><li>1 cup frozen peas</li><li>1 T olive oil</li><li>1 1/2 cups short-grain white rice</li><li>1/2 red bell pepper, diced</li><li>3 garlic cloves, minced</li><li>1/4 cup grated Parmesan</li><li>salt and pepper to taste</li><li>1-2 teaspoons fine lemon zest</li></ul><div><b>INSTRUCTIONS</b></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Heat the broth and wine in a medium saucepan to a simmer.</li><li>Thaw the frozen vegetables.</li><li>Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the rice, bell pepper, and garlic; toss to coat in oil. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes. The rice should be opaque and the bell peppers softened.</li><li>Add 1 cup of the simmering broth to the rice mixture. Reduce skillet heat to medium. Stir until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Continue adding broth 1 cup at a time, stirring until the liquid is absorbed. The rice should have a firm but creamy texture. This takes about 18 to 25 minutes.</li><li>Stir in the asparagus, peas, and Parmesan. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Cover and let stand for about 3 minutes to allow the vegetables to heat through. </li></ol><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pUnGt7za2no/YakYQ6aIIZI/AAAAAAAAH8Q/xm8YpDUf8mgenXirtPqrmiFnE3vQcGkdgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Risotto-Primavera-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pUnGt7za2no/YakYQ6aIIZI/AAAAAAAAH8Q/xm8YpDUf8mgenXirtPqrmiFnE3vQcGkdgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Risotto-Primavera-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />It's really not a difficult recipe. It just requires some patience, and you need to keep an eye on it so the rice doesn't get stuck to the bottom or something. <p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Was it tasty? Yes. Was it filling? Yes. Was it satisfying? Mostly. Was the rice crunchy? Oh yeah! Whenever I cook rice this way, it ends up crunchy. Whenever my husband cooks rice this way, it ends up crunchy. Why does anyone cook rice this way??</p><p style="text-align: left;">So as much as I enjoyed these flavors, I will never make this dish again. I hate crunchy rice. If you've had luck with perfectly cooking the rice in a risotto, tell me your secret in the comments. </p><div>Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div></div><p></p>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-79588683944362896172021-11-18T00:01:00.004-05:002021-11-18T00:01:00.145-05:00Review: Krusteaz Gluten-free Wild Blueberry Muffin Mix<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G83xvkXbMN4/YZVmTmYTClI/AAAAAAAAH6Q/9YoJ6igkZ2IMXhLRRihWmV80SjEq2hZeQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Krusteaz-gluten-free-wild-blueberry-mix.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G83xvkXbMN4/YZVmTmYTClI/AAAAAAAAH6Q/9YoJ6igkZ2IMXhLRRihWmV80SjEq2hZeQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Krusteaz-gluten-free-wild-blueberry-mix.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I <i>love </i>blueberries. I grew up in Southwest Michigan, which remains (Michigan ranks third in the nation in growing blueberries), and was very much more back then, blueberry country (many farms are, sadly, now subdivisions). Nearly every summer, I would drive with family or friends to the outskirts of Kalamazoo to pick our own blueberries at one of the many blueberry farms. <p></p><p>So when I saw on Kroger's shelf a box of Krusteaz Gluten-free Wild Blueberry Muffin Mix, I had to give it a try. I think we all know that gluten-free baked goods can be acutely hit or miss. Often the texture is weirdly grainy, but the grains are miniscule like powder. It's not good.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6eU07hrn1ag/YZWGkNnEFqI/AAAAAAAAH6c/g0rCANxdtpgiUElY3spEUEXgY0tD1lZWgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Krusteaz-gluten-free-wild-blueberry-muffins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6eU07hrn1ag/YZWGkNnEFqI/AAAAAAAAH6c/g0rCANxdtpgiUElY3spEUEXgY0tD1lZWgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Krusteaz-gluten-free-wild-blueberry-muffins.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />But <i>these muffins. </i>Oh boy. They were wonderful. My only complaint is that they could have used more blueberries. Wild blueberries are much smaller than cultivated blueberries, so they don't quite go as far in a dish. (Learn more: <a href="https://www.vandrunenfarms.com/blog/wild-blueberries/" target="_blank"><i>Wild Blueberries: 6 Things You Probably Didn’t Know</i></a>.) When I make these again, I will likely add more blueberries.<p></p><p>If I hadn't known they were gluten free, I seriously doubt I would have been able to tell. The texture was fluffy to me, though my husband Greg thought they were dense. (I honestly can't say what kind of muffins he is used to eating, though.) I may have overmixed the dough. I know I have that tendency, but I wanted to be sure that the berries were well distributed since they were so little. Even so, I loved the flavor so much that it was hard not to eat them all in one sitting. Though the taste never worried me as much as the texture. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FG48TNMLYK8/YZWGpzx3r2I/AAAAAAAAH6g/taQY2QQuERIh_YrYcfjmIOWO_iBP93FtgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Krusteaz-gluten-free-wild-blueberry-muffin-butter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FG48TNMLYK8/YZWGpzx3r2I/AAAAAAAAH6g/taQY2QQuERIh_YrYcfjmIOWO_iBP93FtgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Krusteaz-gluten-free-wild-blueberry-muffin-butter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />So if you see these on your grocery shelves, I hope you feel a little more confident in your purchase. I generally like Krusteaz's gluten-free creations. I think they do a good job. But if you have other thoughts, please post them in the comments.<p></p><div>Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-44332093741951910732021-11-04T09:47:00.000-04:002021-11-04T09:47:46.503-04:00Halloween Feast 2021<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>Halloween was extremely low key again this year. We had only two groups of trick or treaters, and two friends joined us for food and watching Greg and Dana Newkirk's seance on our TV. Because it rained, there was no backyard fire. (Boo.)</div><div><br></div><div>I tried some new things on the menu as well as brought back an old favorite, <a href="http://foodandword.blogspot.com/2013/11/pumpkin-spiced-nutella-puppy-chow.html">Pumpkin Spiced Nutella Puppy Chow</a>. The original recipe calls for pumpkin pie spiced Hershey's Kisses, which I'm not sure they make anymore, so I had to rely on just good ol' pumpkin pie spice. The two stores I checked were out of it, so I had to make my own. Luckily, it isn't a difficult blend to make on your own. All you need is ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>I also put a new twist on an old favorite: deviled eggs. There are several suggestions for dressing up deviled eggs for a Halloween theme on Pinterest. I went my own way by using a slice of red bell pepper cut into little triangles to make tiny horns that I then stuck in the yolk mixture. I think they turned out very cute.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>Something entirely new that I tried was Mini Mummy Meat Muffins. They were also easy to do and turned out pretty cute. You just mix up some meatloaf and use a muffin pan rather than a loaf pan to make individual servings. When they're baked through, use a piping bag, or a plastic bag with the corner corner out, to squeeze on mashed potatoes (I bought premade to save on time) to be the mummy's wrappings. <span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">I was going to use green peas for eyes as the internet suggested, but I had several red bell pepper triangles left over from the deviled eggs, so I used those instead, pressing them gently into the mashed potatoes. </span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">In the theme of the harvest, I roasted slices of russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, and carrots in the oven to round out the meal. This is the first time I've ever worked with a whole beet (I usually do the canned variety), and it wasn't as hard as I assumed it would be. And it was very tasty roasted!</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Did you make anything special for Halloween? Let me know in the comments below!</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Thanks for reading. If you'd like to support this blog, please consider <a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn">buying me a coffee</a>.</span></div><div><br></div><h1 class="title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="margin: 0px; position: relative; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; padding: 0px 0px 0px 50px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; width: 290px; display: table-cell; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; letter-spacing: normal;"><br></h1>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-51533606087482734432021-10-22T21:52:00.000-04:002021-10-22T21:52:48.334-04:00Courgette, Feta, and Walnut Pasta<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">I work for a library, and one of my favorite sections to peruse on my breaks is the cooking section. That's how I came across </span><i style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-thrifty-veggie-economical-sustainable-meals-from-store-cupboard-ingredients/9781848993884">The Thrifty Veggie: Economical, Sustainable Meals from Store-Cupboard Ingredients</a> </i><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">by </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Nicola Graimes. </span><br></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">So far, I've only made the one recipe, but there are several more I'd like to try. Enjoy this small taste of a wonderful vegetarian cookbook. (P.S. I made it gluten free with gluten free pasta.)</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></span><b style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Courgette, Feta, and Walnut Pasta</b><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Ingredients:</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">• 14 oz. pasta</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">• 4 T olive oil</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">• 4 spring onions, chopped, white and green parts separate</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">• 2 garlic cloves, chopped</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">• 1 red chili, deseeded and chopped (I skipped this)</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">• 3 zucchini (aka courgettes), coarsely grated</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">• juice and finely grated zest of two lemons (unwaxed)</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">• 4.5 oz. feta cheese, crumbled</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">• 1/2 cup roasted walnut pieces</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">• handful torn basil or oregano leaves (I skipped this too)</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">• salt and pepper</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Instructions:</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">1) Cook pasta per package instructions. Save 4 T of cooking water.</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">2) Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-low heat. Add white parts of spring onions, garlic, and red chili (if using). Cook until softened but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add zucchini and zest; cook another few minutes. Pour in the reserved 4 T of pasta cooking water and lemon juice. Briefly heat through.</span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">3) Add skillet mixture to the pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Combine thoroughly. Serve with the green part of the spring onions, feta, walnuts, and herbs (if using) sprinkled over top. </span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></span><i style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Et voilà!</i><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"> Dinner is served. This was very easy to make while looking kinda fancy. It was also pretty light, yet satisfying, and would make a lovely summer dish that wouldn't uncomfortably heat up the kitchen. Even my husband agreed it was filling.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! <a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn">Just click this link here</a>.</span></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-17788791196342207262021-10-07T17:04:00.000-04:002021-10-07T17:04:12.057-04:00Gorgonzola Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Garlic Green Beans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nEybzlhQ0RE/YV4S-qC4ZlI/AAAAAAAAHzg/oyChBELP5M8wxNtlLCzhElidVBzb7u2kwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1633555190927386-5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
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</a></div><div><br /></div><div>I had never made stuffed chicken breasts until this recipe. Another recipe that my husband Greg followed for a fancy grilled cheese night called for gorgonzola. Since we didn't need much, we ended up with quite a bit left over. Thus I sought out a simple recipe, using ingredients that were on hand, to use up the rest of it. That is how I found <a href="https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/gorgonzola-chicken-breasts-350591"><i>Gorgonzola Chicken Breasts</i></a> on Epicurious. Chicken, gorgonzola, oil, water, and balsamic vinegar. I had all of these ingredients.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Greg has made stuffed chicken breasts before," I thought. "How hard can it be?"</div><div> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bL8F8D_NkdU/YV4TD-TgALI/AAAAAAAAHz0/osZLJjtr77oy3wgA6ywZ7Ox85cDrAPjSQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1633555208333926-0.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
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</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Pretty simple, it turned out. Now, I probably did cram more cheese in than I was supposed to, but it was delicious, and I stand by my decision.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some friends of ours had a prosperous garden this year (alas, we did not), and they gave us a bag full of fresh green beans at the end of summer. I wasn't quite sure what I would do with them, so I froze them so they wouldn't go bad. I took some out of the freezer to accompany the gorgonzola chicken. I found this <a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18288/garlic-green-beans/"><i>Garlic Green Beans</i></a> recipe on All Recipes. It calls for a can of green beans, but I substituted my frozen fresh ones, which I think worked out better.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From our Blue Apron days, we ended up with a ton of fresh garlic, a situation that I suspect all meal subscribers can relate to. The recipe calls for two cloves, and you are sent one full head of garlic. Next week, another recipe calls for two cloves, and you get another head of garlic. And so on and so on...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But I love garlic. Every opportunity to use it is a joy. And I got to use my new bamboo cutting board, a prize in the library's summer game. It's the library board! Get it? (Our library is run buy a board. So it's a terrible pun.) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Before making the sauce for the chicken, I cooked the garlic and green beans in the same pan as the chicken so that it could benefit from the flavorings left behind. Then I cooked the delicious sauce that I poured over the cheese-stuffed chicken breasts and sopped up with the green beans on my plate. This was really a great combination!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br /></div><div>I've realized recently that I keep coming up with more and more complicated dinners that I haven't had the energy to create when the day comes. (I make a weekly plan.) I don't need to make new recipes at all, let alone complex ones. I have been writing this blog for a decade, and it is full of simple recipes that I have tried and (mostly) enjoyed in that time. Dinner really can be as simple as cheese, chicken, oil, water, and balsamic vinegar. It takes little effort to enhance green beans with garlic.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you have simple dinner hacks, let me know in the comments. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</div><div><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-35595633521657050032021-09-17T12:51:00.001-04:002021-09-17T12:51:38.642-04:00Pumpkin Spice Season (a poem)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><div><br></div><div>In my coffee now</div><div>Pumpkin pie spice and sugar</div><div>As the leaves turn red</div><div><br></div><div><i>Haunted Mitten will be presenting this Saturday the 18th during <a href="https://www.frankenfest.com/">FrankenFest</a> at Historic Fort Wayne in Detroit. Come see us!</i></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-58241003020181952202021-09-02T00:01:00.003-04:002021-09-02T00:01:00.288-04:00Cookbook Review: Where There's Smoke: Simple, Sustainable, Delicious Grilling<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wex1wcwwesE/YS_SVSxYrlI/AAAAAAAAHvk/3ufY-1sDoB85-B7GuGTODh4q7934v2tSACLcBGAsYHQ/s375/Where-Theres-Smoke-Grilling-Book-Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="375" height="319" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wex1wcwwesE/YS_SVSxYrlI/AAAAAAAAHvk/3ufY-1sDoB85-B7GuGTODh4q7934v2tSACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Where-Theres-Smoke-Grilling-Book-Cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I think we can all agree that much of this summer has been unbearably hot. I've mentioned before that my husband Greg and I grill outdoors a lot in the summer to avoid using our oven or stovetop since we don't have central air in our house. We also like to find new recipes to try to keep dinner interesting. so obviously I turned to the newly re-opened library for inspiration!<p></p><p><a href="https://www.betterworldbooks.com/product/detail/Where-There-s-Smoke--Simple--Sustainable--Delicious-Grilling-9781402797057" target="_blank"><i></i></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZaKzOyz25PU/YS_YAcAuN7I/AAAAAAAAHvs/nm7RHqEPWkkupToQxs3L_clSv9bRLGDzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Where-Theres-Smoke-Grilling-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2047" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZaKzOyz25PU/YS_YAcAuN7I/AAAAAAAAHvs/nm7RHqEPWkkupToQxs3L_clSv9bRLGDzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Where-Theres-Smoke-Grilling-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i><br /><a href="https://www.betterworldbooks.com/product/detail/Where-There-s-Smoke--Simple--Sustainable--Delicious-Grilling-9781402797057" target="_blank">Where There's Smoke: Simple, Sustainable, Delicious Grilling</a></i><a href="https://www.betterworldbooks.com/product/detail/Where-There-s-Smoke--Simple--Sustainable--Delicious-Grilling-9781402797057" target="_blank"> by Barton Seaver</a> had been a real gem. (It is currently out of print, it would seem, so the link takes you to Better World Books, an online used bookstore that donates a book for every book that is sold.) There are two recipes that were real standouts for us, "Teriyaki" Chicken Salad and Jerk Spice-Smoked Chicken Breast.<p></p><p>The reason that teriyaki is in quotation marks is because the author does not claim to be an Asian chef and does not guarantee the recipe's authenticity. The taste was close enough for me to love it, though! The marinade took a little time to make on the stove, but I didn't need to hover over it, so I was comfortable. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U8UCxhfm270/YS_ZRKn6MYI/AAAAAAAAHv0/Kk0wiaRt0XMGJdgo3T3tG2SY7ypag29lACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Where-Theres-Smoke-Grilling-Teriyaki-Chicken.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U8UCxhfm270/YS_ZRKn6MYI/AAAAAAAAHv0/Kk0wiaRt0XMGJdgo3T3tG2SY7ypag29lACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Where-Theres-Smoke-Grilling-Teriyaki-Chicken.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The chicken marinated for maybe 5 hours in the fridge while I was at work, then Greg grilled it when we both got home. We both liked the chicken, but the salad made predominantly of sliced onion and celery that the chicken was served on was a bit too oniony for us. If you love onion, though, this salad is most definitely for you! <p></p><p>With the Jerk Spice-Smoked Chicken, the breasts are brined in orange juice, salt, and brown sugar. Greg decided to use the wood chip suggestion with this one, which we've never tried before on our propane grill. It really added a new element to the flavor! There was no salad accompaniment included with this one, so we just made mixed vegetables. Maybe next time we'll choose a more interesting side.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i36Pi78vxOI/YS_ZWVJvUZI/AAAAAAAAHv4/DG_AeWzyIF0HGnwqRihtgaw8aEvfpUsnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Where-Theres-Smoke-Grilling-Jerk-Chicken.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i36Pi78vxOI/YS_ZWVJvUZI/AAAAAAAAHv4/DG_AeWzyIF0HGnwqRihtgaw8aEvfpUsnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Where-Theres-Smoke-Grilling-Jerk-Chicken.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />If you enjoy grilling, whether with propane or charcoal, this books is great to look through for new ideas and inspiration. There are not only grilled meat suggestions but grilled vegetables, grilled fruit, and beverages that are not grilled but go well with the food that's being grilled. This would be an excellent book to check before going camping. <p></p><p>Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! Just click the link below.</p><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="450" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KZI-WSeRo/XDfEKaojMOI/AAAAAAAAFsU/-wXGcVy1dPEnz3aU09ndiDT7lxFHs_jDgCLcBGAs/s200/kofi4.png" width="200" /></a></span></p>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094617656268260792.post-13322838069854358292021-08-19T13:47:00.000-04:002021-08-19T13:47:59.644-04:00Slow Cooker Orange Chicken and Sweet Potatoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</a></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">I'm back with another easy slow cooker dish that's perfect for summer, courtesy of </span><i style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook: Feasting with your Slow Cooker. </i><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">It's an older book that my husband Greg had when we moved in together. Each page has three recipes, so there's a lot to inspire you.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</a></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">ORANGE CHICKEN AND SWEET POTATOES (makes 6 servings)</span><br></div><div><br></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div>• 2-3 sweet potatoes, sliced (you may choose to peel or leave unpeeled as we do)</div><div>• 3 whole chicken breasts, cut in half</div><div>• 2/3 cup flour (we use Cup4Cup gluten free flour)</div><div>• 1 tsp salt</div><div>• 1 tsp nutmeg</div><div>• 1/2 tsp cinnamon</div><div>• a dash of pepper</div><div>• a dash of garlic powder</div><div>• 1 can cream of celery <i>or </i>cream of chicken soup (we use cream of celery soup)</div><div>• 4 oz can of sliced mushrooms, drained</div><div>• 1/2 cup orange juice</div><div>• 1/2 tsp grated orange rind</div><div>• 2 tsp brown sugar</div><div>• 3 T (more) of flour</div><div><br></div><div><b>Instructions</b></div><div>1) Place the sweet potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker.</div><div>2) Combine the 2/3 cup of flour, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper, and garlic powder. Thoroughly coat chicken in this flour mixture. Place on top of sweet potatoes.</div><div>3) Combine soup with remaining ingredients. Stir well. Poor over chicken breasts.</div><div>4) Cover. Cook on low 8-10 hours or high 3-4 hours.</div><div>5) Serve over rice (if desired).</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</a></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">I can't help feeling that the use of canned mushrooms really dates this recipe. Today's cooking is all about fresh ingredients. You could probably substitute fresh mushrooms here, but that would dilute it of some of its charm.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>When I made this, I did not make the rice because I didn't notice that bit until it was too late. If you're writing a recipe that intends to be served over rice, you should really include rice in the list of ingredients is all I'm saying. </div><div><br></div><div>Even without the rice, this was surprisingly tasty. I love sweet potatoes and am always happy to try cooking them in new ways. And without central air, it's a blessing not to have to use the oven (or stove) to make a nice dinner. We also ended up with enough leftovers for lunch the next day.</div><div><br></div><div>If you try this recipe, let me know how it turned out!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</a></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to help support future posts, please consider buying me a coffee! </span><a href="https://ko-fi.com/crystakcoburn" style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Just click the link here</a><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">.</span><br></div>Crysta K. Coburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09506266003657248207noreply@blogger.com0