New Recipes and Another Blogger Meet :-)
japra | Oct 29, 2008 | Comments 18
I cannot stop thinking about Steamy Kitchen’s Fish Tacos with Roasted Corn and Pepitas and Homesick Texan’s Corny Dogs. I think I’ll make the corn dogs for my husband on Friday for our Halloween date since Roxi has a school dance/sleepover. She doesn’t like hot dogs, and to be honest, I’m not crazy about them either, but I’ll make do. I’ll save the Fish Tacos for the weekend because I know Roxi will be disappointed if I make them while she’s away.
I’ve been reading a lot of food writing lately–gosh, it makes me hungry. Here’s what I’ve cooked since getting back from Poland:
Isn’t this a hoot? Now yes, those are really big bagels, but that’s also a really small oven. Not much bigger than my mother’s toaster oven!
Smitten Kitchen’s Bagels (Peter Reinhart’s recipe). I didn’t refrigerate them after forming. I boiled them, threw on some shavings of Parmesan cheese, and then popped them in the oven. WOW! They really do need a sprinkling of cornmeal under them because they stuck to the parchment even though I oiled. But WOW! These were good eating. BTW, apparently polenta is the same thing as cornmeal (big duh moment for me). I am going to get some soon and mix up a batch of jalepeno cheese cornbread. We’ll see how it turns out.
Beer Cheese Soup, my third time to make this, but for some reason I only used beer instead of beer+water+chicken broth (UGH what was I thinking?) and threw in a can of tomatoes. Never again will I stray from this recipe. It is perfect as is.
Beef and Vegetable soup because I kept reading about soup in Laurie Colwin’s Home Cooking books. So good with a little rice. Mmmm.
Cherry and Almond Cake from Elizabeth of Ramblings from an English Garden. Mmmm. I wonder if it can be made with dried apricots soaked in something. Back before they got huge, my Whole Foods used to have a yummy apricot cake that reminded me of this. I’ve been trying to find the recipe for years. This could be it. I love the ground almonds in it.
Last night I made a chicken stuffing casserole because I had nearly a whole loaf of bread that I made two days ago. I used the recipe on the back of a yeast packet. While the bread looked gorgeous, it tasted like nothing! On the other hand, the casserole was delicious and perfect for a cold and rainy evening!
I’m off to meet another blogging friend–Kathy of Bridges to London. She doesn’t come totally unrecommended since she is a friend of a dear friend of mine from back home. We’ve been trying to get together for months. I’m so glad we have this chance to meet before she heads home in December.
I’ll posts pics of my outings with Pigtown-Design and Bridges to London later this week. Possibly even tomorrow!
PS It is hard to get used to this time change (we “fell back” last weekend). It is dark by 5:00pm, and I am ready for bed by 8 pm. Trudy reminds me it is time to pick up Roxi from school one hour earlier. I am sure she thinks I am crazy for not fulfilling my motherly duties.
PPS Mr. DJ sent me a text on his way out of town and said his driver told him it snowed 3-4 inches last night! Um, I don’t see it. Apparently it all melted. It’s 30-degrees out there this morning and we did get some sleet last night, so I guess it could have happened. This morning, we’ve a beautiful clear sky and a lovely sunrise :-)
About the Author: JaPRA is an expat Texan living in England with her husband (Mr. DJ), their 17-year old daughter (Roxi), and their dog Trudy.
I love hot dogs and fish tacos. I’ll be there this weekend. :) You guys need help eating all that food!
Sounds like a quiet, nice Halloween, but I guess Halloween is a much different thing over there. It’s such a big deal over here!
I’m not a big hot dog person either, but every once in awhile, it just sounds so good and hits the spot. Wish I were there to eat some of that yummy food you’ve been making!
Oh, now look what’s happened?
I have to print this out and find all your recipes and make everything. YOU just started on your dia de bloglandia work? Well, I haven’t started! I mean, it’s in my head… but sometimes I forget the key.
Glad to find your other blog!
Hi there,
Cherry and Almond sounds scrummy. What’s the recipe please ? Also do you use a breadmaker ?
Have done the Tag -haven’t left a link –er I don’t know how to. Did try but kept getting linked to myself !
yum! can’t believe you MADEbagels
meg
Now I’m hungry, too! I have never, and probably never will, make bagels, but those sure look good.
So neat to meet you today!
thanks for reminding we our clocks fall back this weekend!
love all this food talk.
guess you guys are becoming more of a couple these days as Roxi grows up. another life stage?
Laurie–Sure thing! How about 7 on Friday and 6:30 on Saturday? Can you bring the Shiner? ;-)
Alyson–I was shopping in a town nearby today and I heard a mother say to her child, “What’s all this fuss about Halloween? It’s just another…” and then didn’t hear the rest. I have seen people put up “no trick or treat” posters. It really isn’t part of the culture here. They do have an awesome Guy Fawkes celebration on Nov. 5! Lots of fireworks. And you can buy those fairly easily at Tesco, the garden shop, and even at the large fireworks stand in town. Very, very different from the US.
Chris–I drew a skull last night. I mean like a two minute drawing. I just need to sit down and do it and stop procrastinating!! So glad you stopped by here. Sorry about the recipes ;-)
Barbara–It was delicious! You can click on the words “Cherry and Almond Cake” in the post and it will take you to Elizabeth’s wonderful site. And no, I don’t have a bread machine, but I do have an excellent stand mixer that has changed my life (seriously!). I love that you did the Tag! Thanks so much for letting me know :-)
Meg–What I do for love! My husband and daughter were swoooooning. I’d make them again in a heartbeat. Maybe 1/2 garlic and 1/2 cheese this time.
Kathleen–It was great to meet with you too and to hear a soft Texas accent. I can’t believe how much I missed that. I hope to see you again one day soon :-)
Christine–I see that Barbara has started a recipe blog. Did you see that? I need to try her pickelets.
I shouldn’t have read this at dinner time. I’m starving. All that food sounds great.
The Grandpa–Whoops, sorry about that!
Hope you and Kathy had fun getting to know each other. And that cherry and almond cake looks right up my alley.
Hot dogs are one of my favourite foods but I am busy trying to give up eating bread so no more of that!
Lots of snow on the drive down to Wales and some snow on cars going into London on the M4. But gawd, Wales was freakin cold!!!
Barrie–The cake was yummy, but I think I’d prefer it with apricots (glace cherries aren’t my favourite).
Emm–You are a brave, brave person to give up bread.
P-D–It has been so chilly here. I got sick on Halloween and have been on the couch this whole weekend (I think I picked up some gross germs in the city this week). Hope you managed to stay healthy on your trip!
Those bagels look SO good! I’m full of admiration. Please do report back on your fish taco results, as I’m really partial to those, too.
One good thing about the dark days is that staying home to cook becomes such an enjoyable, desirable thing. It certainly isn’t as easy to work it all off with exercise, though!
BTW, when I drove from Cambridge to Surrey on Wed afternoon I was STUNNED to see snow on the ground and the cars.
:0) I think I have developed an allergy to wheat (and my husband works in a bread factory!!!). I feel a lot better now that I have given up 99% of the bread I used to eat.
Bee–You’ve probably already guessed I didn’t get around to making those tacos. But I will soon!
Emm–Oh my gosh! Well, for health reasons, I can see how you could do it. Still, it must be very difficult. Or at least it would be for me!
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