Muffins and Procrastination

I have drawn on my new chair, with chalk, the main elements of the painting but I am putting off taking paint brush in hand. Oh, I know, I can always sand it back down to the primer if I mess up ... but I am still procrastinating.

So, lucky you, you get the recipe Tamarak sent me. It was used in a Canadian study of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and was found to reduce tumours by 30 percent. It is the flax seed that is the miracle worker. But even if you are skeptical about the effect, do try these. They are yummy, moist, easy and salt-free. The only fat comes from what is in the milk and the flax seed, so they are high fibre and low fat as well.

SUPER FLAX SEED MUFFINS
350 degrees; 18 muffins
apparently work miracles against cancer cells

Combine in large bowl: 1 ½ c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c. ground flax seed
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 T baking powder
1 t. nutmeg
2 t. cinnamon


Combine in another bowl: 2 c. milk
1 beaten egg

Add liquids to dry mixture and stir just enough to blend. Don't over mix. If you like, add grated carrot, raisins or chopped raw almonds.

Spoon into muffin tins and bake 20-25 minutes.

These are yummy and freeze well.



Yesterday Sarah came to pick up Remi, and she and Lucas spent the day with me. I will miss Remi. Tamarak has a couple of great shots of him with Kaiah, the pocket-sized puppy. Take a look! (http://tamarakstable.blogspot.com) on my side bar.

And now off to paint creamy sheep!

Not Such a Good Day for Writing ...

My heating system caused me grief last night ... well ... lack of sleep, anyway ... so it was after seven when I got up. It is nine and I have a wood fire lit and am just now finishing my tea and computer stuff ...

I should run into the village as soon as I get dressed to buy salad makings and more kindling wood ... a friend is coming for lunch and we will have salmon, rice and salad.

But after he leaves I have to run over to a neighbour's because I am looking after their place while they are away.

If I do all this entertaining and running I will have no time to write ... and I want to keep going ...

I think I will improvise a different kind of salad ... one that can use scraps of Romaine lettuce, onions, baby tomatoes and canned artichokes ... or I will serve cooked veggies with it. Problem is I am not sure whether I have any veggies that are not orange ... and I don't want the meal to look like a Hallowe'en joke. Ah well ... friends are the kind of people you can subject to such indignities with food. After all, it is the wine and conversation that really matters.

So ... on I go ... with yet another difficult conversation ... this one between Dan and Mary ... or maybe the inner dialogues that Robert and Emily must have after their last conversation ... the one in which she reveals what she found ... and what people know ... the one that puts Robert in a box with no safe exit. Will Robert act in character or will he make a decision that shows more concern for others than for himself? He really has no way out ... even if he tries to silence those who know ... there are too many now to silence ... and eventually he would end up in the same place he is now but with more harm done than before.

Okay ... time to stop running the maze. Time to write.

Sick and Tired of being Sick and Tired

I called my GP today about my laryngitis and she has faxed a prescription for thrush to my pharmacy.

I am sleeping better now ... as a matter of fact, I seem to be trying to catch up on the the six weeks of almost no sleep now. It is a real effort to get dressed in the morning and I am taking frequent naps during the day.

I am also free of the salt taste in my mouth and the constant hunger.

But my eyes are straining and everything seems blurrier than it should despite frequent polishing of lenses. I see the ophthalmologist again on the 19th.

I really hope this nonsense ends soon. It has been almost two months since the first visit to the ER.

Here is the Oma's basic sauces page:

BASIC MEAT SAUCE

ONIONS, LEEKS OR SHALLOTS
cooked till golden in

OIL
+
(GARLIC)

add and brown
GROUND MEAT OR SAUSAGE
***
FLUID
+
VEGGIES
+
HERBS OR SPICES

simmered either on stove top or in oven at 350 degrees till tender and thickened ... often hours

served with

PASTA, RICE, COUSCOUS
cooked separately and either mixed into cooked sauce or used as a base

GARNISHES

SOME CHOICES USED ALONE OR IN COMBINATION

MEATS: GROUND BEEF, VEAL, PORK, LAMB, POULTRY OR SAUSAGE ... EVEN SPARE RIBS AND STEW BEEF CAN BE USED ... AND CURED MEATS LIKE PROSCIUTTO OR DICED HAM...

VEGGIES: CARROTS, OTHER ROOT VEGETABLES, ZUCCHINI AND OTHER SQUASHES,CELERY, MUSHROOMS, PEPPERS, PARSLEY

FLAVOURINGS: SALT, PEPPER, NUTMEG + HERB MIX OF YOUR CHOICE:

ITALIAN HERBS: OREGANO, MARJORAM, THYME, BASIL, RED PEPPER FLAKES, LEMON ZEST

GREEK MIX: CINNAMON, BAY LEAF, MINT, WINE VINEGAR

ARMENIAN COMBO: BAY LEAF, ALLSPICE, CUMIN, CAYENNE, CINNAMON

CURRY: FRESH GINGER, CAYENNE, CORIANDER, CINNAMON, CLOVES, CARDAMOM

HUNGARIAN: CARAWAY, PAPRIKA, THYME

FLUIDS: WINE, CANNED TOMATOES, WATER, STOCK, TOMATO PASTE, COCONUT MILK

FINAL FLAVOURINGS: LEMON JUICE, LIME JUICE, SOUR CREAM, YOGURT

GARNISHES: CHEESE, LEAVES OF PARSLEY OR CORIANDER, FRESHLY GRATED PEPPER

LEFTOVERS? FREEZE IN SERVING SIZES

Pork Basics

PORK BASICS

The flavours in these "un-recipes" will work for either tenderloins or chops. Tenderloins cooked whole are best done in the oven or on the barbecue wrapped in foil and protected from the intense heat. Because they are so tender you can cook these with as little fluid as you wish and they need far less time than you might imagine ... 15 minutes at 400 degrees is usually enough to leave just the smallest hint of pink after searing and allowing the meat to rest before cutting will finish the cooking. They can also be sliced into medallions and marinated to be cooked on the stove top or on the barbecue grill or cooked gently in a sauce. Chops usually need a little more cooking with moist heat, but some are tender enough to be treated exactly as medallions.

You can choose to sear both tenderloins and chops or not. I think they look nicer if you do. To keep the number of pans down, start with one that can go from stove top to oven.

The basic recipe then is a choice and you decide which cooking method is right for your pork. After that I give some possibilities for rubs, marinades, sauces, bastes, and toppings. You may use only a rub or only a marinade etc. or you may mix and match but try to keep the flavours harmonious if you do.

For example, the tenderloin I cooked last night was rubbed with ground ginger, salt and pepper, sprinkled with freshly grated ginger, topped with walnuts and cranberries, and basted with gingerale. I baked it covered with foil for 1/2 hour at 350 degrees. After the cooking was complete, I kept the tenderloin warm while I scraped up the brown bits in the pan and deglazed the pan with cream which I used as a sauce when I served it. Next time I would cut the cooking time and increase the heat.

Even if the suggested ingredients do not mention salt and pepper, you will likely need them.

RUBS: ... DIJON, GARLIC, WINE VINEGAR, THYME AND SAGE
... ROSEMARY + FRESH GINGER
... GINGER
... OIL, SAGE, SAVOURY
... CUMIN, SALT, PEPPER + GARLIC SLIVERS INSERTED IN SLITS
... TED READER'S SPICE RUB (bulk recipe follows)

½ c. paprika
1/4 c. chili powder
3 T. salt
2 T. coriander powder
2 T. garlic powder
2 T. curry powder
2 T. dry mustard
2 T. sugar
1 T. black pepper
1 T. basil
1 T. thyme
1 T. cumin
1 T. cayenne

BASTES: ... APPLE JUICE + APRICOT JAM
... CHICKEN BROTH + APPLE CIDER VINEGAR + APRICOT JAM
... WHITE WINE
... GINGERALE + FRESH GINGER + CANDIED GINGER

MARINADES: . .. OLIVE OIL,PEPPER,CUMIN SEED,CORIANDER SEED + CAYENNE
... LEMON ZEST, JUICE, GARLIC, BASIL, THYME, PARSLEY, OIL


TOPPINGS: NUTS
DRIED FRUIT
APPLE SLICES
ONIONS BROWNED WITH MEAT
CARAWAY SEEDS


SAUCES/ GLAZES: ...CITRUS FRUIT OR GINGER MARMALADE + PAN DRIPPINGS
... CREAM OR YOGURT + PAN DRIPPINGS
... APRICOT JAM + PAN DRIPPINGS
... ONIONS, APPLES+ SUGAR BRAISED 5 MINUTES + STOCK + CALVADOS

While I am waiting for a passion to set me afire ...

You will be able for the next little while to follow my dinners ... every time I have one that can be used for Oma's Basics, I will post the basic un-recipe here. Here is salmon from Sunday evening. I used the first sauce ... yummy.

SALMON BASICS

A SALMON FILLET
topped or served with rice
+
A FAST COOKING GREEN VEGETABLE
+
FLAVOURINGS
+
A SAUCE
which could be placed raw on top of the fillet or cooked separately and either placed on top before baking or as a sauce afterwards

baked in a pre-heated "oven" on the wood stove or in a traditional oven at 400

... wrapped in parchment, or in a pan with foil covering
until it flakes easily with a fork. ,

SOME CHOICES OF SAUCE:

... 1 T. EACH MAYO, GREEN ONION AND FINELY CHOPPED ALMONDS +FRESH GINGER AND SOY SAUCE

...BUTTER, CAPERS, PARSLEY, GARLIC, SALT, PEPPER+ SHALLOTS WITH LEMON SLICES + SPINACH

... MAPLE SYRUP, SALT + PEPPER

...TOASTED SESAME SEEDS + SEPARATELY COOKED SAUCE OF BUTTER, RED ONION, FRESH GINGER, RICE VINEGAR, WHIPPING CREAM

... SOY SAUCE SUGAR, RICE VINEGAR, GARLIC, FRESH GINGER, LEMON JUICE, DRY MUSTARD

... SHALLOTS OR RED ONION CRUSHED PEPPERCORNS, DILL SPRIGS, LEMON JUICE, COARSE SALT

... DIJON MUSTARD, PARSLEY, OREGANO, THYME, FINE DRY BREAD CRUMBS

... SOUR CREAM, LEMON RIND, HONEY, DIJON, FRESH BASIL, CHIVES, DILL

...YOGURT, DILL, GARLIC, GRATED CUCUMBER

... MELTED BUTTER, LEMON JUICE, CHIVES, CAPERS

... GINGER, GARLIC, LEMON JUICE, SOY, ORANGE JUICE, HONEY, GREEN ONION

... PISTACHIOS, BASIL LEAVES, GARLIC, BUTTER, LIME JUICE, WHITE WINE

... BUTTER, GARLIC, LEMON JUICE, FRESH TARRAGON, GRATED LEMON RIND

... SALT, PEPPER, GARLIC, CAYENNE, BUTTER, WALNUTS, HONEY, THYME

... SWEET DESSERT WINE, ORANGE JUICE, CREAM

... RICE WINE VINEGAR, HOISIN SAUCE, FRESH GINGER, SOY SAUCE, HONEY, GARLIC, GREEN ONION, OLIVE OIL, ORANGE JUICE

Procrastination Produces Non-Recipes

Every time I think I should deal with the spacing problem of Explosion on the Writing Blog, I find a way to avoid the drudgery. One of my ploys has been to organize all my loose recipes from every possible source into some semblance of order in binders.

I made a discovery as I worked assiduously on avoiding the spacing chore ... that I could create a really simple cookbook that would replace all those recipes; all those cookbooks for which I bought a shelving unit. Of course I won't get rid of them because I love savouring recipes in much the same way I drool lasciviously over wool.

However; it will make life easier when I have only a dozen non-recipes to work with especially when there is a power outage. Here is what I produced this morning instead of fixing the spacing.

CHICKEN BASICS

WHOLE CHICKEN OR PARTS
browned in

OIL/BUTTER
with
ONIONS, LEEKS OR SHALLOTS
+
GARLIC
+
VEGGIES

seasoned with

HERBS OR SPICES
+
simmered either on stove top or in oven at 350 degrees in

FLUID

served with

POTATOES, RICE, BARLEY OR PASTA
cooked separately or added ½ hour before the end of the cooking time



SOME CHOICES
USED ALONE OR IN COMBINATION

VEGGIES: CARROTS, OTHER ROOT VEGETABLES, CELERY, MUSHROOMS

SEASONINGS: THYME, ROSEMARY, HERBES DE PROVENCE, PARSLEY, BAY LEAVES, VANILLA + ROSEMARY, LEMON JUICE, ITALIAN HERBS, MAPLE SYRUP , COMBO OF CINNAMON, CUMIN, CORIANDER, PAPRIKA

RUBS OF GINGER + DRY MUSTARD OR ..... APPLIED BEFORE BROWNING

FLUIDS: CHICKEN BROTH, WHITE WINE, CANNED TOMATOES, CREAM SOUPS, APPLE CIDER

LEFTOVERS? MAKE SOUP OR A KIND OF SHEPHERD'S PIE COVERED IN MASHED POTATOES


I will do the others over time and will share them too.