Rice Pud'n

I love rice. I recall moving one time and getting my brother to help me, and his words were as he packed the kitchen "You have enough rice and noodles to feed the Chinese army" That may be true cause every time I see a flashy package in the grocery store I can not resist.

Rice pudding is something new for me, I love bloging b/c it forces me to think out side the normal meal box. So here we go...

Rice Pudding

The Hardware
Wisk
Cassarole dish
Large deep pan or bigger cassarole dish
Sauce pan

The Software
3 Slightly beaten eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c brown sugar
2 cups scalded milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp vinnamon
1 c cooked Rice
1/2 C raisins

The Application
In a cassarole dish combine eggs, salt, and Sugar. Temper in scalded milk, wisking constantly. Add vanilla, rice and raisins. Stir. Sprinkle cinnamon on top and place whole dish into another pan to create a water bath, add hot water to the outside pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 min or till knive comes out clean.

You need the determination to go on — even after you’ve scorched the first batch of stew, burned the sauce, mutilated the fish filet and lopped off a hunk of fingertip. -Anthony Bourdain

Pizza

We got the AC fixed today in the house... 200. Dollars... AND the wonderfull news that our AC would hopefully last through the summer, the repair man said that it looked about 20 yrs old and a new one would cost about 1800 dollars.

so that being said we need to start saving for next summers AC exspence this means NO eating out, NO coffee out, No nothing,,, so when we want pizza it means make it our self... so I did

Portabella & Salami Pizza with Tomatoes (on my half)

The Hardware
Large bowls
Pizza pan
Knife

The Software
1 1/2 c White flour
2c whole wheat flour
1tsp salt
1tbsp sugar
1tbsp yeast (Instant)
1 1/2 c warm water
3tbsp oil
Toppings
Tomato paste
Oregeno
Mozza chease, shreaded
Portobella Mushrooms 1/8 inch slices
Onion Sliced thing
Salami
Tomato

The Application
Mix all the dough ingreadients less the whole wheat flour together until moist, gratually stir in the whole wheat flour until you can turn out on to a floured table. Kneed for about 3-4 min. Cover and let rise till double in size. Punch down and then separate into 3 and let rise again. Then roll out and add toppings..

Toppings: I use just plain tomato past then a bit of oregeno, small handfull of chease, meat, mushroom, onion, top layer of chease, and then tomatoe.

The Pie should go on an oiled pan into a 350 degree oven till the chease is golden.

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The Cook Next Door Meme

I have been tagged byAna at the Pumpkin Pie Bungalow for a meme... I think these are cool I am honored to be recipent of this one..

without further waiting.....


What's your first memory of baking/cooking on your own?
I didnt acctually cook on my own till I was about 12 years old, I am the oldest of 4 kids and my youngest sister was hungry one day and the only thing I could figure out how to cook was a grilled chease sandwich... at that time she called a grouchy sandwich (she was 6)
Who had the most influence on your cooking?
My Gurl, I did some cooking as a kid, my mom made sure I took home ec. I was the only boy in the class.. (thanks mom) But is was my soul mate that watered the seed to my foodieness,, I no longer eat store bought barritoes and beer for lunch.
Do you have an old photo as "evidence" of an early exposure to the culinary world?
Sorry but no.
Mageiricophobia - do you suffer from any cooking phobia, a dish that makes your palms sweat?
Fish.. my family was a beef family we didnt eat much fish... plus when i was a kid I was told samonella was from samon.. so fish has scared me since then
What are your most valued or used kitchen gadgets and/or what was the biggest letdown?
I heart my blender... see several posts ago.. biggest letdown was the garlic press... sure it works fine but not too easy to clean ... fork works just as well
Name some funny or weird food combinations/dishes you really like - and probably no one else does.
peanut and banana sandwich, fries w/mustard, cottage chease with onions
What are the three edibles or dishes you simply don't want to live without?
bread, perogies, roast beef.
Any question you missed in this meme, that you would have loved to answer? Well then, feel free to add one!
Three quickies:
Your favorite ice-cream
Rasberry
You will definitely never eat...
rocks
Your own signature dish...
Mongolian style stir fry.

I tage Myze to fill out the survey as she is the Sopel Chef Champion

Nutty

Hiya,,,

I have been nuts with work latley... I am stoked about this week though canada day is comming... the weather has been nice... I am thinking of doing rice pudding on my days off this week.

Any how,, I will give a less slacker update soon...

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IMBB 16

DIM SUM CUSTARD BUNNS

When I heard that this months IMBB event was eggs I was at a loss.. As I usually am when the announce the theme, I am so glad that Seattle Bon Vivant gave me enough time to wrap my head around this topic and come up with Dim Sum, I love dim sum it is the Chinese equivalent to fast food, (please correct me if I am wrong on that) and one of my favs is the custard bun we eat it as a dessert bun. I had lots of fun making this and even more fun sharing it with my Gurl.

The Filling

The Hardware
4 Ramicans
Wisk
Bowl
Deep Pan

The Software
1 egg
3 egg yolk
1/4 cup superfine or granulated sugar
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup 18 percent cream
1/2 tsp vanilla

The Application
whisk together eggs, egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Whisk in milk, cream and vanilla. Pour into ramicans and place ito a deep pan and fill 1/3 the way up with water. Bake in a 400 degree oven for aprox 35 min and tip of knife inserted into custard comes out clean

The Bun

The Hardware
Bowl
Bamboo steamers
Sheet of parchment

The Software
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (DO NOT use instant)
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour, (approximately)
1 tsp baking powder

The Application
In large bowl, dissolve sugar in water. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand until frothy, about 10 minutes. Stir in salt. Mix in enough of the flour to make soft ragged dough. Turn out onto floured work surface. Knead, adding as much of the remaining flour as necessary, until smooth, elastic and no longer sticky to the touch, about 8 minutes.

Place in greased bowl, turning to grease all over; cover and let rise in warm draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 3 hours.

Punch down dough; turn out onto lightly floured surface. Flatten slightly and sprinkle with baking powder. Knead into ball, incorporating baking powder completely, about 1 minute. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Roll out dough into 16-inch log. Slice into 16 pieces; roll or press each into 3-inch circle. Spoon scant 2 tbsp filling onto centre of each circle. Gather dough together around filling, stretching slightly if necessary, to form pouch; twist to seal top.

Cut sixteen 3-inch squares of parchment paper. Place each bun, sealed side up, on square of paper. Arrange in steamer trays, about 2 inches apart. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.

Bring water to boil in steamer or wok. Cover and steam, 2 trays at a time, for 5 minutes. Reverse trays and steam until puffed and dry to the touch, about 5 minutes.

Searve Hot.. The above recipe was a collage of a few dim sum recipe's I found to make the one I wanted..

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Sandwich day

Today was sandwich day ... And yes the temp was down, LOL us canadians dying of heat after 3 days of 30 degree heat.

List if sandwichs in stack.
1. Peanut Butter and Banana
2. Tuna, with letuce
3. Chicken and letuce w/ mayo
4. Ham and letuce w/ mayo & mustard
5. Tuna with pickles...

I know Exciting,,, bare with me I can turn on the oven soon..

Damn it is hot here

Hiya... Not doing much cooking lately.. lots of sandwiches... Out AC hasnt worked since we got the house.. and now it is solitare in a tin box hot .. of course all the repair people are booked solid till next week... Alls I have to do is wait till next tuesday and then the repair people will come and fix it... yay..


May be I will blog a sexy sandwich spread... Hmm...

@ work there is no AC on the night shift either.. But I can bypass it for an hour at a time.. the catch.. it cost $100 in power to kick it on for an hour.. I pushed button twice last night.. each time I did the people that work for me said in unison,,, Ahh haaaaa.... it was cool Literaly..

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Roast Beef w/ Orange Tatoes,

I love a good roast... We have been having a heat wave here and the AC never started up this year so I am waiting for the repair man,,, what does this mean for food... 3AM roast beef dinner, cause it is has cooled down enough to put the oven on.. I never knew how to do a roast I had to look it up and research it... I was afraid of spending $13 on a piece of meat and then recking it.. Jamie Oliver was the best at helping. So... her it is...

The Roast

The Hardware
Sharp Pearing knife
Roaster

The Software
1Roast, Any cut will do I Buy what is on sale
3 Cloves of garlic
Fresh ground pepper

The Application
Take raw meat and peirce with a pearing knife all the way to the hilt and then once the blade is in move back and forth to make a hole about 1 inch, repeat 2 more times, Then peal and trim 3 cloves of galic and place into said holes.. this will flavor the whole roast and give you nice garlicy surprises when eating,,, (this is trick right out of the Jamie Oliver Cookbook) then place in a roaster and fill 1/4 the way up the side of the roast with water, you can use beer too but I would rather drink the beer, Liberaly coat the top with pepper.
It is important to set the oven at 300 degrees and either Bast or Flip the roast on the hour,,, or else the top will dry out.. I roast mine for 6 hours.. this makes it so tender it will flake when taken out.

Rustic Orange Tatoes

The Hardware
Knife
Vedge Pealer
Large Bowl
Mixer

The Software
4 large Carrots
5 Potatoes
1/2 C milk
stick of butter( I use Margerine)

The Application
Peal and cube the carrots and potatoes and toss into the roaster with the beef, at the end of the cooking take out the vedge and place in a bowl add milk and Margerine and hit them with the mixer low speed at first and then push it up to high for creammy goodness... This is a good way to get some orange vedge into your kids diet .. thats what my inlaws did to get my Gurl to eat her vedge and she enjoy 'Orange tatoes' to this day..

thanks
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I Heart My Blender

A foodie friend and I were talking about appliances, she says that she has two blenders, one for food and one for drinks, because she does not want her drinks tasting like pesto... I thought I dont have that problem...

I work at a dept store so that night I looked at the blender sellection ,,,, What crap... There was only one with a glass container, and it was like 100.00 the rest were all plastic and cost like 35.00 so no wonder I would pay 70.00 for two blenders too.. i guess...

Any way MY blender is old... it was a hand-me-down from my dad, and it actualy has a stamp on the bottom saying made 1974 the thing is older than me and still crushes Ice like a pro,,,

So I just want to give it up to my blender...

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Return to active duty

Dear Mr/Mrs Harold

In our last correspondence Click here for last letter We informed you that your son PFC Harold was taken by the enemy, Well it is my good fortune to inform you that he has been found, He did sustain some injury, and was in critical care for some time, However he refuses to leave his post.

Your son continues to be a role model and a champion among men,

-end post

Crumble

Crumble

Strawberry Crumble

I tossed the cook books last night and did this one off the top of my head. I am always scared to do this because of the last time (the taramisu incident) but this time it was wonderfull..

The Hardware
Knife
Sauce pan
9x12 deep pan.
Large bowl

The Software
1lb strawberries
2 baking apples
2 stocks of rhubarb
1/2c sugar
1/2c brown sugar
1/4c butter
aprox 300gram of granola

The application
In a sauce pan gently heat the following with the white sugar: Pealed and slice apple, sliced strawberry, and slixed rhubarb. cook till rhubarb is no longer woody.

In a bowl mix the butter with the brown sugar and then mix in the granola.

In a pan put the fruit mixture in bottom and the granola mixture on top, bake in a preheated oven for aprox 1/2 hour @ 350 deg.. I served with vanila ice cream....

Ninja Rated 4 Throwing Stars

as I was driving to work last night I saw a sign on the side of a truck that said..

"The grandfather had a farm, The father has a garden, and the son had a can opener. " it just made me think...

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International Food Exchange?

Ok My Idea..

Is anyone interested in swapping a box of baking mix with me.I got the Idea from this post . I thought that seeing the same thing evey day at the grocery store may becoming dull to people in another contenant as well..

I doubt exchanging with an american would not do much since our stores do carry mostly the same thing.. Yet We dont get cherry coke.. Damn the Coke a Cola co.. Ninja's get there powers from cherry flavour..

Just an Idea.. I guess that if I get no comments it was a bad one.. LOL..

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Taste Canada

This is my dish for Taste Canada It is held every year on The Domestic Goddess Blog and I thought me being Canadian Hey why not Eh?

The feature here is supposed to be the Perogies, Nothing says Canada, Family, Comfort, and Love like this food for the Ninja's soul. Several Interesting things happend while creating this dish Please see below for the details on that. I am of mixed decent 3 I think Polish, Ukrainian, and Irish.. at every family meal Perogies have to be there, since I am hosting the first Christmas dinner out side of a parent or grandparent this year, I thought this would be a good time to practice my Perogy skilz. (The sausage comes from Baba... Once she figures out what the internet is I'm sure she will start a food Blog)

The Harware
Knife
Large Stock Pot(Pressure Cooker) *1
Several Bowls,
4in wide glass

The Software
10 lb potatoes *2
8 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup oil
1 egg
1 tbsp salt
3 cups hot water
2 lb old cheddar cheese, grated
3 cups onions, sauteed in butter until clear
1lb Bacon Cooked and cut into small Bits.
1 lb butter
salt and pepper to taste

The Application
Filling:
Boil the potatoes until soft. Drain them well (saving the water for the dough) and mash. Add the cheese, bacon, and onions while it's still hot and keep mashing until it's smooth and lump free. Add enough butter and seasoning to reach a Creamy Consistancy.Let the filling cool.

Dough:
Beat the egg and mix in oil, salt, and hot water from the potatoes. Make a well *3 in the flour and pour in the liquid. Work the egg mixture into the flour with your hands and knead the dough until it's really smooth and not sticky.

Cooking:
There are several ways people cook these when they are hungry for perogies. Some people prefer to boil them in a pot of water with a pinch of salt until they are nice and tender and then smother them in sour cream, or fried onions and butter, or bacon bits, mushroom gravy, etc... Others prefer to just fry them up in a frying pan with the butter and onions. Most often perogies are served up with a side of cabbage rolls and some nice sausage, but they go well with just about anything.

Ninja Tips (Only can be read by Clicking and Draging to highlight next to the area of *)

*1 Did you know that when releasing the steam valve on a preasure cooker it can blow a hole clean through a dish towel.. I didn't, till last night, Moral of the story Never forget patience when working with a pressure cooker. I use one all the time and the one time I get rushed I learn about the physics of dish towels.
*2 A note on Yeild This is the first time I have ever made perogies, this recipies yeilds at my best guess 12 - dozens, I am guessing cause I have a gross in my freezer now and about 8 lbs of filling left.. I think I will have enough for christmas dinner.
*3 Do the dough on a table!!! I did it on a counter and I was lucky that it didnt flow onto the floor. I have never attempted anything of this scale. It can be a massive undertaking. umm 8c flour 3c water ya sure I can fit 11 cups of warm runny dough on my counter... NOT!

Ninja Rated 5 Throwing Stars

Just a note I wana give it up to my gurl for posting this recipie on her blog for a friend a few months back, that way I just copied and pasted... Although Ninja was the only one brave enough to make it..!

I will be bumping this post up later in the month.. FYI

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Banana Bread

Banana Bread

Today I got a new loaf pan. I have been excited about buying a Silicone Cookwear. I tried it our on this Banana Bread Recipe, I found the recipe in a trusty cookbook, however it was not a tall Loaf but it was very tasty and good. Eating bananas aways makes me think of the Peanut butter and banana sandwiches that I had as a kid, School lunches bring back so many memories.

The Hardware
Wisk
5x9 Loaf pan
2 Bowls.

The Software
3/4c AP flour
1/2c whole wheat flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
3/4c sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1/4 c plain yogurt
1/4 c vedg oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 ripe Mashed Bananas

The Application
In a bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder

In a second bowl wisk together sugar, egg, egg white, vedge oil, vanilla, mix well,
Wisk in Bananas, and dry ingredients, Wisk only till the dry becomes moist do not over mix.

It is at this point you can add in Chocolate chips (I did) or nuts (I did) and then pour into the loaf pan.. Bake in a350D preheated oven for 1 h or till toothpick comes clean.

Ninja Rated 3 Throwing Stars

I have been in a very Bake-y mood latley I guess It is b/c I am a Mean Carb Craving Machine. What is next.. I Duno.. But I think it will involve BACON... MMMM Bacon

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TGIF?

I know my mood says TGIF and that is bc for me it is friday I am off for the next 2 days. With the house clean and Laundry done (my gurl ROCKS) I am kinda looking forward to kicking back. For me however I am gona make a list of things to do..

1. Make Banana Bread.. I bought a new silicone loaf pan and I am dying to try it out.
2. Play more Animal Crossing.. God that game has me again..
I. What happens if you release a bee after you catch it does it still sting you?
3. Ponder and possibly create my dish for is my blog burning ( Seattle Bon Vivant's blog is hosting)this month it is Eggs.. I am at a loss in this one too.. why cant they pick, Cabbage or suasage,, I am contemplating using either Fish Row or Maybe an Ostrich egg if I can hunt one down.
4. Do my dish for taste canada this one will be a no brainer.. I am doing perogies with bacon bits and sour cream... to me that says Canada.. atleast MY Canada.
5. And it looks like I will be doing alot of dishes too... :P

It is Judgment time.

Oblio has posted the 3part Sopel Chef challenge on her blog.

Watermelon is the offical judge, Did you get my Bribe er ah Gift of Maple syrup?


I dont think I did so well But we had fun.. thanks all

Blondie

Blondie

This is a new treat for me I saw it on Baking Sheet Blog and I had to try it. so they turned out marv..

Butterscotch Chocolate Chunk Blondies

The Hardware
Spatchella
9x13 baking pan
Bowl x2

The Software
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt1 cup sugar (half brown, half white)
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips/chocolate chunks/whatever is lying around

The Application
Preheat oven to 375F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper.Stir together flour, baking soda and salt.Cream butter and sugar by hand or with an electric mixer. Add in eggs one at a time until incorporated. Stir in vanilla.Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 2 additions, then add your chocolate/butterscotch chips and stir until batter is smooth. Spread evenly into your prepared pan.Bake 20-25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown (A slightly longer baking time will produce a slightly more cakelike cookie). A tester should come out clean, if you use one.Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then lift out onto a rack for further cooling. Cut bars as desired.

Ninja Rated 4.5 Throwing Stars

-end post

Soupy

Cold Mellon Mango Soup

The Hardware
Knife
Blender

The Software
2C Mango
1C Cantaloupe
3/4C Orange juice
1/2C Plain yogurt
2tbsp each Lime juice and Honey

The Application
Peal and cube the fruit
In a blender liquify the fruit
Add the OJ, yogurt, Honey, and lime juice
Mix in blender and searve.

Ninja Rated 4 Throwing Stars

This was very good to have on a hot day, and it used up alot of the fruit that has been backing up in my bowl.

"Food had power. It could inspire, astonish, shock, excite, delight and impress. It had the power to please me ... and others"
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Welcome to winnipeg

My Gurl and I whent pizza place shoppin tonight and found This check the bottom right hand pizza combo.. you dont see that everywere.. go Winnipeg

It is OVER

Allright you blogy brats Brother,Sister
I have completed my dish and submitted it. as soon as all entries are in Oblio will post...

it is nice to have days off again I just worked 3 days and i am off.. I dont have much planned accept maybe grabbing my squeegee and trying to make some extra cash working the street corners ,, in preperation to pay the $#*kn property tax.

The house is clean and in-laws canceled.. I am thinking of making Blondies tomorrow. But for now I am gona watch the Pimp my ride marathon I have tapped all last week

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Ninja Strikes Back

Hot stuff

Oven Roasted chicken with Asparagus and cream sauce.

OK I rosted the chicken and steamed the asparagus but the sauce came out of a jar.

Oven roasted chicken
in a morter toss in lemon zest-3 cloves of garlic-salt and peper- a smidge of oil- pound till smells nice..

then stick your finger between the skin and chick and seperate it up a bit.. using your finger spread the above mixture in and about..

the out side of chick coat with olive oil..

roast in 350 oven till looks like pic.. about 1/2 to 3/4 hour.

Steamed asparagus

chop asparagus and I steamed in bamboo steamer till just firm.

after cooked spagetti I warmed sauce in pan... and assembled in the following order

bottom
spagetti
sauce
asparagus
chicken.

Ninja Rated 4 THROWING STARS

after pic I shreaded the chicken with my trusty hands and enjoyed...

End post

Some times ya suck

Meh

K what you are squinting at is Porkribs w/ a califlower chease crumble and coleslaw.. and lets say the Ninja was not pleased with his efforts. So No recipe cause it was so-so the best part was the coleslaw and it is just shreadded cabbage and dressing..

Ninja Rated 1.5 THROWING STARS
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Days off

Wow,, I have had 4 days off this week 1 for a day owed, one for Queen Victoria's Birthday.(oh yeah it rocks being part of the common wealth) So I have been off for a while and my hands are starting to soften up... (I work alot with my hands and they get kinda rough)

there has been a few things that have been getting me down latley...

1. My Mother in law is comming for a visit next week I like her and all, but some times she is too hard on my gurl and it makes me mad when she critsizes her,,, plus I catch her inspecting the house for dust.

2. Our Property taxes are due at the end of this month 1800 bucks owe.. thats a stiff kick in the nuts.

3.when I get stressed out I some times go into a cleaning frenzy and basicly answer all questions "cant talk now cleaning"

4. it has also been raining every day.. today I finally seen the sun yeah...


I am feeling cooky again so maybe sweetpotatoe biscuts tonight or tommorow

Crash -not me-

Car

Wpg is the car theft capital of Canada. There fore the above photo is a common occurance in our city. Young people steal cars and drive them till they crash. This one tried to take on a culvert and lost. about a block from my house.

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