Saturday, October 17, 2009
I'm Soooo Sick of Thanksgiving Leftovers!!!
There are a few things that I can do well. I can paint, draw, write, bake, take my jeans off with one hand and pee while holding my eleven month old baby in the other...and I can cook. I wasn't always a good cook. In fact, I used to be a horrible cook. Never having had the opportunity to cook as a child/teen/young adult, there was never a need to learn. Until I moved out on my own. I had to teach myself to cook. I watched others cook (my father is an amazing cook and so was my late grandfather), took note of how dishes were presented at restaurants, paid attention to flavours and ingredients in dishes. That meant a lot of dining out at all kinds of restaurants. It also meant watching FoodTV.On Thursday, I was craving Hawberry Farms' garlic spread on crackers.
We didn't have any crackers in the house and the baby was just getting over her first cold. Instead of dragging her out to the grocery store just so I could buy crackers, I made some homemade crackers. HOMEMADE CRACKERS! I remembered watching a show on FoodTV about making crackers.
Worked like a charm! It was the easiest, quickest thing to make!- 2 Cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2/3 Cup warm water
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Lightly grease two large cookie sheets. Combine the dry ingredients, and then stir in the water, oil and mix until a smooth dough forms.
- Divide the dough in half and flatten each half on a cookie sheet. Use a small rolling pin or even your fingers for a rustic, uneven look. Once the dough is spread thin, use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut the dough into squares. The elasticity in the dough will make the crackers shrink slightly and pull away from each other; this makes them easy to bake without sticking together.
- Brush lightly with an egg wash (one egg white and 2 tablespoons of water) or spray lightly with olive oil.
- Sprinkle with the topping of your choice. Experiment with your favorite flavors, or try one of these variations: Chopped rosemary and sea salt, sesame seeds, poppyseeds and onion salt, Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until the crackers are golden and crispy.
Lots and lots of seared tomatoes! Why? Well, they were in abundance (from Dad's garden) AND I make sure Hubby eats lots and lots of tomatoes. Tomatoes are high in lycopene and lycopene is said to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer. Luckily Hubby likes tomatoes! I feed him tomatoes like there's no tomorrow! Paranoid much? Perhaps I am...just a little! At least the roasted tomatoes I fed him yesterday tasted yummy though!We had tons and tons of squash (again from Dad's garden) this year.
Fortunately for me, Little One LOVES squash! Hubby's not so much of a squash fan, but squash is one of my faves.Did I mention that I can turn leftovers into several very different dishes to last the week? Today, I made a batch of baby food (squash) for Little One, AND a squash puree that I used to coat some Rotini with. I also added diced ham (still left over from Thanksgiving!) and more roasted tomatoes. I roasted the tomatoes in olive oil with some oregano and a dash of salt and black pepper.
Looks kind of like mac and cheese, but it's got a sweet, buttery squash flavour. Hubby was shocked. I don't really know if he loved it. He said it was "interesting". I, on the other hand, think it is my new favourite quick fix! It's full of vitamins and nutrients with the squash and the tomatoes. I loved it!I can make a meal in record time. I can live on a shoestring budget. I can be a very frugal chef and my guests don't even know it. There are many things I can't do though. I've always been horrible at math. Horrible. Oh, and I have never been able to knit. My wonderful friend, E tried to teach me one winter. I did well...until she left! I messed up and ended up unraveling the scarf that I started making.
Which leads me to my next project.
One of these days, when I finally get some spare time, I am going to teach myself how to knit. I am determined to learn how to knit. I don't know why I need to learn, but I do.
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City girl moves to the country, falls in love, and marries a farmer. She tries to incorporate her city ways with her new country lifestyle and blogs to keep in touch with friends, family & students who live far, far away :) Can this city girl go country? Watch as she learns all sorts of exciting things about life on the farm and in a small rural community. *UPDATE* We are now parents! Our baby girl was born on Nov. 11, 2008 (at 28 weeks gestation- 12 weeks premature, but she's quite the trooper)!!!
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14 comments:
I could eat left over Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwiches seven days a week!!!
Ha...I was first and second!!!
i just threw out the rest of our turkey...i figured a week in the fridge and it probably shouldn't be consumed- my kids decided they don't like turkey and hubby doesnt' love leftovers so it was just me eating it and i had enough!
Your creation looks yum! I have a squash in the fridge i need to cook...hmmm!
Good on you for wanting to learn to knit. You wont regret it. But be aware it takes a few years of practice to work up a good speed. I find that knitting is very relaxing.
And your recipe for crackers is one I will try! I still make your chocolate biscuits every few weeks. The children love them and so do I? (Can't you just hear the kilo's piling on!)
Jimmy:
LOL! You were first and second! Too funny! :) Really? Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches for a week? Man, you are just like my husband! He can eat turkey sandwiches every day. Gah! I need to change things up and spice things up for variety. Plus, unlike my husband, I'm not a sandwich person :( I don't know why. I'm not a huge fan of bread! LOL! I love the smell of hot, freshly baked bread, but I've never been a sandwich lover.
American Thanksgiving is just around the corner. What are your big plans? Hugs for Ab & Em! xo
Dina:
Yes, I am with you on that! I think a week of any meat or already cooked dish is long enough. I know some people say that food lasts long in the fridge, but I'd be afraid to eat it if it were in there for over a week.
Squash in the fridge...mmmmmmmm...squash soup? I remember you were always amazing at making soups! Yum!
The squash creation was delicious. Although you could replace the ham with something else. Chicken, maybe? Or just nothing and have it a vegetarian dish. I think I'm going to swear off ham. Seriously, I don't enjoy it. It grosses me out. I don't know why we have to have it along with turkey for the holidays. Urgh.
Merinz:
Ohhhhhhh! I'm so happy to hear you still make my chocolate chip cookies and that you guys enjoy them! I was just thinking the other day that I should make some. I haven't made them in ages! Hubby loves them, but with Thanksgiving, I didn't think we needed extra calories! One thing I like to do with the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies is put vanilla ice cream in between two cookies while they're still a bit warm and make an ice cream sandwich! YUM!
Isn't that chocolate chip recipe just the easiest to make? I sometimes make big batches of the cookie batter and freeze it for future use. You know, when you get those unexpected visitors who drop in and need something quick to make for them while they have their coffee or tea?
Wow... check YOU out. Domestic Goddess. ;)
CK:
Wow! I would have never imagined myself being or becoming a "Domestic Goddess"! LOL! *sigh* What has become of my life? When I read about all the excitement going on in your life, I kind of miss those days. I *used* to have a life filled with spontaneity, excitement, world travel...
Now my life is filled with run away cattle and baby puke.
In all seriousness, I do love my life. I love my husband, my baby girl, our animals, our farm, our island, our home...but sometimes the glitz and excitement of my past life leaves me feeling a bit nostalgic. I'm glad I have you to remind me of those days. When will you be coming back for a visit? xoxo
Every time I come to visit your blog I get hungry.
the captcha is "frited" which reminds me of fritters...again...i'm hungry.
i'm not much of a turkey fan. i usually will put the turkey meat in soup - that way i can use my any leftover veggies i may have laying around....
ooh, word ver is:
meths
Deb:
LOL! Fritters! :) Love your latest post! I have to tell you about the time I met Bono and the Edge in the summer of '92!
Canine:
Same here. Not a huge turkey fan. Not really a huge ham fan either. What I do with the turkey leftovers is make turkey pot pie or turkey casserole dishes. I'm still soooooooo sick of turkey! Just think, in another two months it'll be time for turkey dinner again. Actually, on my mom's side we switch things up a bit and don't go all traditional. We have lumpia and pancit at Christmas! LOL! LOVE lumpia!!
hi c - i like ham better than turkey. i will dice up the ham and put it in fried rice. or, if it's sliced, i'll fry it and then glaze it with orange juice or pineapple juice. yummy with rice and green onions and tomatoes.
thank goodness for Filipino food during the holidays too. much more exciting and tasty.
word ver:scidetn
huh?