The Fumbling Foodie

A Good Vinaigrette

1 Part Red Wine Vinegar
1 Part Dijon Mustard
4 Parts Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to Taste

99 Cents Only Store Cookbook

I saw this on Yahoo! the other day. There is a part of me that takes a perverse pleasure in being able to accomplish an objective on the cheap. Someday, I'm going to fix a whole week's dinners for my Sweet Lady Wife and I using just two roasted chickens.

A lot of the recipes in here can't be classified as gourmet but some may surprise you. I found a recipe on Page 82 for Salmon souffle that is strikingly similar to the souffle I made last week. Reading the recipe, I noticed that they used canned salmon instead of the smoked salmon I used, and compensated with a little Worcestershire sauce.

The curious thing is that it calls for making the roux with pancake mix instead of flour. "I wonder why?", I thought. Well, later when I visited the 99 cent Only Store, I figured it out: no flour. If it does not come in a can, box, or jar with a price of 99 cents or less you won't find it there.

The souffle was interesting but since I made one last week, I wanted to find something different. There is a little Homer Simpson in all of us, and when mine spied the recipe for Corned Beef Casserole, mine went, "OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH, COOOOOORRRRNNNNNED BEEEEEEEEEF! YUUUUUUUMMMMMM!". Sometimes you gotta satisfy your inner Homer.

To stay in he spirit of this, I actully did go to the nearest 99 Cent Only Store to buy the ingredients:

1 Tablespoon dried chopped onions (.99 / jar)
1/4 cup dried chives (.99 / jar)
1 cup macaroni (.99 for a 29 oz bag!)
Two 7 oz cans Corned Beef (.99 each, the recipe calls for one 12oz can but it was a victime of inflation, I guess)
One 15 oz can cream style corn (2 for .99)

Total Price: $5.45

Preheat the oven to 350F, Soak the dried onions in hot water for 5-10 minutes, drain. Cook macaroni until al dente. In a mixing bowl, break up the corned beef. Add the onions, corn, and chives. Add the cooked pasta. Place in a greased casserole dish and cook for 30-40 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Was it good? yes. Would I eat it again? yes. Maybe I would add something to make it a little saucier.

Was it cheap? Yup. about $1.36 per serving.

Re: Will Spam Kill Twitter

I read an interesting post over on Opinionated Markets today titled 'Will Spam Kill Twitter?'.

I've noticed a recent tactic - which I deplore - that works like this:

1. Let's say you make widgets.
2. You do a Tweetscan for 'widget'
3. You follow anyone who uses that term, hoping they follow you back.
4. You can then send them your marketing messages via Twitter.

I'm sorry, but you'll never find me engaging in such a tactic, and you can't hire me to do it for you.

I do think that Tweetscan is a legitimate tool. It allows you to keep your finger on the pulse of your market and reputation. I also think it is legitimate to reach out to a Twitter user who has twittered about a bad experience with your product or service.

I also think it's very legitimate to set up a Twitter account that your customers can subscribe to and get your updates. Then it's THEIR choice.

Souffle Success

This is the way a souffle should look.

My Sweet Lady wife says it is because last time the eggs may have been a little stale. I say it is because I set the oven 25 degrees lower this time, preventing the crust from getting too brown before the rest had a chance to rise.

Who knows?

I should try to remember to fix more souffles. They are incredibly easy.

Dad's Doing Better

Thank you all for your kind words, support, and your prayers. you have noidea how much I've appreciated them.

Dad is doing much better. Monday night, when they wheeled him off to the hospital I seriously doubted he would make it until the next morning. I underestimated the crusty old dude. He's been up out of the hospital bed sitting in the chair these past few evenings. He needs a little help walking but his walking is MUCH better than we'd feared.

Mom and I think that if we can get her some full-time help, there should be no reason Dad can't come back home soon, which will be so much better for him than a care home.

Nearing the End, I'm afraid

Not for me, for my Dad. He had a stroke several years ago but the crusty old dude pulled through it pretty well. A couple of days ago he had another pretty big one. I'm sitting here next to his hospital bed right now. He's asleep. He doesn't know I'm here, of course.

Even though he doesn't know I'm here, I need to be here simply because it may be my last chance t spend time with him.

Why I LOVE Plate It Up!

I spend a lot of time here talking about Plate It Up!, my favorite gourmet kitchen tools store in Glendale, AZ. I was reminded again this week why I am such a loyal raving enthusiatic fan of Plate It Up! and the owner, Heather.

Somehow, I had damaged my big Viking saute pan. When I set it in the new smoothtop stove here in my new house, I noticed the bottom was not flat. Somewhere along the line I must have gotten it too hot. I decided to replace it. After all, it is my Number 1 pan here in the Fumbling Foodie kitchen.

I went to Plate It Up to get a new one and Heather was out of them. I asked her when she expected her next shipment from Viking and she said, "Not for a while". I explained what had happened and what I needed. Knowing that is my favorite pan, she said, "Let me see what I can do." A few days later I received an email from here saying that my replacement had arrived.

Now THAT's service.

Thank you, Heather!

Spinach Salad

Salad of baby spinach, hearts of palm, green and white asparagus, and almonds.

Help, I've Fallen and Can't Get Up!

SO last night, my Sweet Lady Wife and I are with some friends, and upon learning that I'm going to make a salmon and dill souffle today, I explain that souffles are generally pretty easy and it's almost impossible for them not to rise. Me and my big mouth.

Fallen is probably not technically correct. It sure didn't rise like it normally does. It's not like I've never made a souffle before. I've made a few dozen without a problem. I've made this one before too.

To high up in the oven (There is a fan at the top of this oven)? Did I over beat the eggs? Was I too energetic folding the egg whites in? I dunno.

Time to experiment and figure it out, I guess.

Kona Kampachi

I have never eaten fish this good before. Melt-in-your-mouth good.

There has been a lot of buzz in the foodie blogs lately about Kona Kampachi, aka Hawaiian Yellowtail. Kona Blue farm-raises it in the open ocean off Hawaii.

Kona Kampachi is sushi-grade, but getting my family to eat raw fish is something that is just not gonna happen. So I would have to cook it, but I wanted to prepare it without relying upon a sauce so that I could really experience the taste if the fish itself.

I borrowed some ideas from a recipe I found on the Kona Blue website. I sauted it over medium-low heat in a non-stick pan (Anyone that tells you a non-stick pan won't brown food has never owned Scanpan) and served it over a bed of sauteed Swiss Chard. BTW, this is a very fatty fish (That's good fat, not bad fat) Even thick portions sauteed easily without drying out.

My wife loved it. And my wife is not a fish lover. My son cleaned his plate. It melted in my mouth. A couple of interesting health facts about Kona Kampachi:

• It is very high in Omega-3.
• There is no detectable mercury in Kona Kampachi

It is expensive. At $17/pound plus Fed-Ex 2-day shipping, it's not something I will serve every day. On the other hand, this stuff is so good that it is worthy of special occasions and certain dinner guests.

On the other hand, Kona Kampachi is so good I will probably serve it often despite the price. I'm serious when I say that I've never tasted fish this god before. I have one more fillet left (and the fillets are HUGE) and I'm already trying to figure out a way to prepare it that will do it justice.

I Remember Why I Don't Like Williams-Sonoma

I don't visit Williams-Sonoma very much. The main reason is that I have a local gourmet kitchen tools store near me. The owner greets me by name when I walk in, She knows my likes and dislikes, and she carries - and is knowledgeable about - almost everything I could want or need in the kitchen. So if Heather carries it, I buy it from her.

I was in the Apple Store last night - I'm finally breaking down and upgrading to Leopard. The Williams-Sonoma store is right next door so my Sweet Lady Wife and I decided to drop in and browse.

We spent several minutes there and as usual I was drawn to the cookbook section. I don't know what it is about cookbooks but if there is a display of them I seem to be magnetically drawn to it. I ended up picking out two cookbooks to the tune of about seventy five bucks. We took them to the cash register and waited. and waited. and waited. and waited.

We spent several minutes standing there at the counter while the three clerks all seem to find almost anything to do but wait on us.

Then we spent several minutes standing there at the counter while one of the clerks waited on someone else.

Then we spent a minute or so standing there in disbelief as the clerk finished with that customer, turned and found something else to do.

My wife and I looked at each other, shrugged our shoulders, abandoned our prospective purchases there on the counter and walked away.

Homemade Cookies and Cream

This is almost too easy

Easter Rack of Lamb

I broke one of cardinal rules today but it worked out fine.

I have a rule that I don't use dinner guests as guinea pigs. I normally serve dishes to guests that I have made at least once before.

But we have a new grocery chain in town, Fresh & Easy. My Sweet Lady Wife and I checked it out last week and I discovered that they carry rack of lamb. I've never prepared lamb, but I've wanted to. I decided right there on the spot to break my rule and prepare lamb for easter. Coincidentally, Fine Cooking's special Dinner Parties issue just arrived and lo and behold there was a recipe for lamb that did not look beyond my meager capabilities.

It was actually pretty easy: sear the rack on the stove top, mix up a paste of Kalamata olives, parsley, thyme, and garlic, rub the paste on the browned rack, dredge it in some breadcrumbs, and finish it in the oven.

I was easy. And the lamb was sooooo tender.

they were accompanied by my wife's favorite potatoes. (I call them 'Forgiveness Potatoes' because my wife likes them so much I think I could prepare them and get forgiveness for any sin.)

Bosch Integra 800

We're in the house only three months and I'm already replacing a major appliance.

The GE dishwasher that came with the house just wasn't cutting it. I think it is a waste of time to have to wash the dishes before I put them in the dishwasher, and that's what we were having to do. The ten-year-old Maytag in the old house did a better job than the new GE. (the GE range and refrigerator are great, BTW, my complaint is only with the dishwasher.)

So I said 'screw it, we are not going to live with this." I already knew what I wanted: Bosch Integra 800.

I had heard that the Bosch Integra was quiet. I was not prepared for just how quiet. You practically have to put your ear up to it to hear it. It's so quiet that they have built in a red light that shines on the floor to show when it's running.

As a test, we found a bowl in my son's room with hard-crusted food stuck inside (typical teenager). We put it straight into the dishwasher to see what would happen: it came out sparkling clean.

Happiness is having good tools.

The Oven and I are Getting Along Just Fine

The smell of bread in the oven. That crackling sound it makes as the finished loaf starts to cool.

This is the first bread I've baked since moving into the new house. I've been away from bread-making too long.

My Last Plate It Up! Cooking Class, Part II

First an apology: I'm sorry I have been away for a while. My business is kinda taking off, and for the past couple of weeks it has consumed almost every spare minute. I'm back though.

This is part two about my last cooking class at my favorite gourmet kitchen tools store in downtown Glendale, AZ. Part 1 can be found here

Simple ingredients. Simple preparation. Distinctive results. That's what I thinkof when I think of French Bistro cooking. I could learn a lot from Chef Bernard. LIke how to make fish stock when no carcass is available:

Fish Stock

1 extra portion of fish that you are preparing for the meal
thyme
water
1 celery stalk, coarsly chopped
chopped parsley

Boil the ingredients in water for 20 minutes. Strain.

Sea Bass with Saffron Sauce and Baby Vegetables
Look at that picture. See how beautiful it is? I learn so much about presentation just from watching him. Yes, I know: there are no quantities for most of the ingredients. Chef Bernard is teaching me to cook by taste.

4 portions sea bass
asparagus
baby carrots, boiled until crisp-tender
haricot vert or snow peas
broccoli, boiled until crisp-tender
fish stock
3 pinches Spanish saffron
whipping cream

Reduce the fish stock and add the saffron and cream.

In a separate pan, saute the vegetables. FIrst the asparagus for about 3 minutes. Add the snow peas and saute for about 4 minutes. Then add the carrots and broccoli.

Using a non-stick pan, sear the bass in a little olive oil over high heat.

Pour a little sauce on the plate. Place a portion of the vegetables on each plate. Place the bass on top of the vegetables.