Swede Approved, Probs

This is alternately giving me that pre-barf feeling in my throat and intriguing me to come up with some savory cocktail options, garnished with dill. It probably would be good in a bloody mary which is, apparently, the idea behind this refreshing bacon vodka.

Cinnamon-Cumin Pork Chops and Orzo Salad with Eggplant, Mint, & Feta

All day yesterday I knew I wanted to make a peach and blackberry cobbler for dessert but was at a loss as to what to have for dinner. My co-worker Jessie then solved that problem for me by saying that she had never really had a good, juicy pork chop. I took that as a challenge and made these pork chops glazed with cinnamon, cumin, lemon juice, and olive oil seared in a hot, dry pan.

But the clincher of the meal was this orzo salad which is super adaptable (could use Israeli cous cous, substitute different cheeses, veggies, and herbs) and can be served hot or cold.

Orzo Salad with Eggplant, Mint, & Feta - serves 6
Olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
Sea salt mix (sea salt with rosemary, tarragon, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes)
1 large eggplant, diced with skin on
1 medium zucchini, diced with skin on
1 box orzo
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 large red onion (or one small), finely diced
2/3 cup zante currants
1 large bunch chopped fresh mint
Generous handful of crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Toss diced eggplant with the sea salt mixture and a good amount of olive oil. Roast in a 375 oven for about 25 minutes. Cook orzo just shy of al dente as it will absorb more cooking liquids when the salad comes together. As the orzo is cooking, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter to a large, deep saute pan. Add diced zucchini and cool for about 5 minutes then add currants and broth, allowing the currants to plump a bit. Drain pasta and rinse well with cold water to stop the cooking process. Add pasta, raw onion, and eggplant to the saute pan and mix well. Transfer to serving dish and allow to cool a bit before finishing with the feta and mint.

Thanks friends!

"It's Like Upton Sinclair Nightmare Bratwurst"

The LAS-andwich. [Photo: News of the World]

In this week alone I've been made aware of the Candwich, the footlong cheeseburger, and this lasandwich. But of all the disturbing pre-fab foods I have learned of lately, this German-made hamburger in a can is top drawer. Everything about it is best summed up in the taste-test experience conducted by the Onion AV clubbers. Just be aware that the German company that makes these does not ship to the US.

Sad Keanu.

Challenge: Jacket Lunch Box

Challenge...not accepted. I am not even artistic enough to trace this image onto a sheet of paper, let alone transfer its likeness in Marmite onto white bread.

I also really like this one using bits of fruit, rice, and nori but it is not quite as nuanced...or something.

I can't understand anything on the Jacket Lunch Box website of course but I found it via the Food Network Humor site which boasts this gem of a series: Unnecessarily Censoring the Food Network.

Get Kids to Eat Their Cereal, Jello, Peanuts, and BRAINS

Go To Birthday Cake

If you read this blog when I was actively watching (and complaining about) Top Chef, you are already familiar with my feelings about the contestant's inability to make dessert that is not a) savory ice cream or b) a rustic tart. This weekend I found the cake recipe that I will now memorize and forever have up my sleeve for dessert emergencies or....professional cooking contests. It's a pretty basic chocolate cake but it turned out extremely moist with a springy, spongy crumb and it wasn't overly sweet. This makes it an ideal cake for dressing up. It could go the route of Black Forrest, or salted caramel...I just slapped some whipped cream and bittersweet chocolate on it. Please make this:

Perfect, Easy Chocolate Cake (sent in by a friend, original source unknown)

2 cups sugar
1 cup oil canola or vegetable
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup HOT coffee
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream
-----
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Grease and flour your cake pan(s) (2 round, or 1 sheet).
3. Add all dry ingredients (except sugar) to a bowl and whisk to combine.
4. In mixer, add sugar and oil and mix to combine.
5. Add eggs one at a time until incorporated.
6. Slowly add milk, coffee and vanilla extract.
7. Add dry ingredients in increments with mixer on low speed.
8. Add sour cream and stir to combine.
9. Pour into cake pans and transfer to oven.
10. Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Here's how it looked before I finished frosting, which was a lot like an Oreo cookie.


And here's how it looked being lifted up and served to a hungry Britta.

Meatless Mondays - Stuffed Bell Peppers With Feta

I am sure no one will care/do this, but don't hold me to Meatless Monday being an actual weekly thing. Ezra Poundcake does it so I was inspired to follow suit. PLUS my dear roommate is on a kick of trying to up her protein intake but is interested in doing so in a non-Atkins sort of way so last night I came up with these guys:


(I apologize for the picture quality. I meant to photograph them hot from the oven with my camera instead of cold from the Tupperware with my phone.)

The beauty of the recipe is that you can use up odds and ends of bits of veggies, sneak in some very lean protein with the fake meat, and it's all very pretty. If you have leftover rice, this would also qualify as something pretty quick to put together but since I made the brown rice just for these peppers, they took like an hour and twenty minutes. But you know, have a glass of wine, watch clips of the horrible new show Baggage, and get even more ideas for variations on this recipe by reading Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Suppers.

Stuffed Bell Peppers With Feta (makes 6 servings)
3 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers
2 cups cooked brown rice (I cooked mine in vegetable broth)
Few Tbs. olive oil
1 shallot
2 medium diced carrots
1 diced tomato
1/2 package (plus) of Gimme Lean (ground beef OR sausage style)
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 cup water
2 Tsp. Italian seasoning
2 Tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 package sliced mushrooms
1 cup raw broccoli florets
Handful frozen corn
Handful raw spinach
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Salt & Pepper
Chiffonade of basil for garnish


Get yer rice going. It will take a while.

You could certainly use white rice, couscous, or quinoa, but I like the added texture of the brown rice for this. Also, I felt like a giant a-hole at the co-op when I had to ask "um...is this the ONLY bulk quinoa you have right now?"

Slice shallot roughly and add to a Tablespoon or so of oil in a good sized pan with sides. Eventually ALL of your filling will be in there so make sure you have room.

Once shallot starts to soften add carrots. Cook these for about 10 minutes until they are no longer super crisp. Add salt, pepper, and a little water while they cook and then remove from the pan and set aside.

Add another glub of oil to the pan and turn up the heat a bit so your fake meat will get brown. Crumble in about a half tube or maybe a bit more of the Gimme Lean. Once brown, add the diced tomato, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, pepper flakes, and tomato paste. Pour in a bit of water or wine to loosen and combine the paste. Add the carrots and shallot back into the mix and bring everything up to temperature.

Get a pot of salted water going and slice your three peppers top to bottom. Remove seeds and pith and drop pepper halves in the water for about four minutes to soften a bit. Turn your broiler on low.

When your rice is just about done, put in your quick cooking vegetables (the ones you want to have retain their colors) like the corn and broccoli. After a minute or so (remember, these guys go under the broiler too) remove from heat and stir in a handful of raw spinach leaves. Add the rice and mix everything together. Check seasoning.

Stuff peppers with as much filling as they can handle. Any leftover filling can be served on the side. Top stuffed peppers with a generous sprinkle of feta and pop under the broiler until the feta gets toasty.

Garnish with chiffonade of basil. Real good.