Are Agriculture’s Most Popular Insecticides Killing Our Bees? : The Salt : NPR.
via Are Agriculture’s Most Popular Insecticides Killing Our Bees? : The Salt : NPR.
Answer: Yes
Chu Minh Tofu Company License Revoked | Food Poisoning Bulletin
The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has revoked the license of Chu Minh Corporation, which makes tofu and other soy products. Several inspections found sanitation problems at the facility. A civil penalty of $17,800 has been assessed against the company. All of the companies products are to be destroyed.
via Chu Minh Tofu Company License Revoked | Food Poisoning Bulletin.
Presented without the usual snide comment.
Bumble Bee Issues Voluntary Recall On Specific Codes Of 5-Ounce Chunk White Albacore And Chunk Light Tuna Products Due To Loose Seals
Bumble Bee Recalls Canned Tuna – Los Angeles – Restaurants and Dining – Squid Ink.
I spent five minutes this morning reading tuna can labels.
Good thing there were only two cans in the pantry.
Sunday 02.17.13
There are three grocery stores within a 3 mile radius of the house I normally shop at. I don’t favor one over the others as each store has its pros and cons. Shopping the sales is a favorite pastime of mine. There are many occasions when the evening meal is not determined until I find what looks good at the store. And if it’s on sale I am in Heaven. The problem I have had recently is buying too much of what’s on sale. Who can resist the family pack of chicken tenders at $1.99 a pound? This is the crux of my affliction. What do you do with 10 pounds of chicken tenders and just two mouths to feed?
I admit I am getting better at not buying everything I see simply because the price is irresistible.  The worst transgression recently turned out to be 10 pounds of boneless chicken thighs. I love boneless chicken thighs but I had a hard time figuring out what to cook with those flavorful pieces of the bird. So I ended up freezing most of the meat. And you end up making meals with chicken thighs for a long, long time.
For the past couple of months, I’ve been disciplining myself to buy less. The only other solution I can think of is to find more people to cook for. This is the hand I’ve been dealt.
Wish me well this morning. I’m going shopping.
P.S. – I have 5 pounds of organic carrots I bought a few days ago. Anyone have any good carrot recipes?
Chili Chicken Fricassee
11.21.20 (yesterday)
“Why don’t you make that Chili Chicken Fricassee dish you used to make?”
“HUH?”
Clearly it’s been years since I’ve made this. When the years start passing by faster than the weather changes in Oklahoma and you’ve been cooking as long as I have you forget. So I’m glad I wrote this recipe down when I did because I had to look it up to remind myself how to make this dish.
- 1 to 1.5 lbs boneless chicken cubed
- 1/4 C seasoned flour (salt pepper cumin oregano)
- 3 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large Sweet onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1 C chicken broth
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 3 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 C frozen corn
- 1 C frozen peas
- 1 16 oz can organic kidney beans, drained
- Salt and pepper
- Combine flour and a dash each of cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper in a gallon size plastic baggie. Add the chicken, close the bag, and shake well until all of the chicken pieces are well coated with the flour mixture.
- Heat 3 T olive oil in a large stock pot over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces and brown on all sides. Lower the heat to medium high to avoid burning the chicken. You will get pieces of flour and chicken stuck on the bottom of the pan. This is OK. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 1T olive oil, onion, garlic, carrots and green pepper, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Saute 5 minutes.
- Add chicken broth and scrape the brown pieces from the bottom of the pot. Add tomatoes, bring up to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by one half.
- Add chicken and continue to simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes. If the mixture starts to get too thick, thin out with more chicken stock.
- Five minutes prior to serving, add the corn, peas, and beans. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until the vegetables are warmed through.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve in soup bowls, chili bowls, or any bowl of your choosing.
I seriously doubt this dish was a family favorite. But the original recipe was preserved on an aging yellowed 3 x 5 and I’ve made this dish many times over. But again, I find the same pattern. The dish I make is not the dish on the recipe. So, this recipe is how I make it now, the modifications long etched in my aging brain and definitely NOT the recipe on the card. Let’s be honest here. The family (to the best of my recollection) never requested this dish. As best as I can recall, I started making this concoction during a “healthy” phase when I wanted chili but lighter, with more vegetables.
You will need rice and some nice crusty bread, salad on the side, and a tasty light red like Pinot Nowhere. I’ve used both breast meat and thigh meat for this tasty meal. Let your preference be your guide.
Ah the hell with it. Drink whatever you want because this dish ROCKS!
This fricassee freezes well. ROCK ON.
TIPS
Use a combo of grapeseed and olive oils to brown the chicken. The grapeseed oil has a higher smoke point and will brown the meat better than when using olive oil alone. I tossed in a a stalk of celery diced along with the other veggies. Why? Because I had celery in the fridge. Purely optional. I’m making this recipe for the first time in years and I changed my mind on the nice crusty bread accompaniment. I’m making Texas Corn Bread instead. And since I rarely drink wine anymore (this is a whole other story) grab a PBR instead.
One Rotisserie Chicken, 50 Meals – #7 Sandi’s Memaw’s Chicken Spaghetti
Sandi’s Memaw’s Chicken Spaghetti
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 C chicken stock
1 T chopped parsley
1 whole onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch each, basil and thyme
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 rotisserie chicken, de-boned and diced
1 lb mushrooms rinsed and sliced
2 T flour
1 C cream
1/4 lb grated cheese, Monterrey Jack and Parmesan
1 lb Spaghetti
2 T Butter
- In a medium stock pot simmer tomatoes and chicken stock until reduced by half.
- Add parsley, onion, garlic, basil, thyme, Worcestershire, and chicken.
- In a separate pan saute the mushrooms in butter. Stir in flour, cream, and cheese. Add to chicken/tomato mixture.
- Cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain and combine with the sauce.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.
When you want a tasty baked pasta dish that’s not exactly Italian try this recipe. The origin of this recipe is as interesting as the dish itself.  Sandi is one of my wife’s childhood friends. Sandi called her grandmother “Memaw”. Hence, this is Sandi’s grandmother’s recipe. Over the years this pasta supper was made with minor variations. I’ve always substituted half and half for the cream. But if your intention is for a creamier dish, go for the cream. Different pasta shapes work well too. Don’t just limit yourself to spaghetti. Be generous with the cheese quantity also.
Scalloped Potatoes
4 cups thinly sliced potatoes
Half cup diced sweet onion
Half stick butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
Dash salt and pepper
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
4 slices American cheese
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions until translucent.
- Add flour to create a roux. Add milk slowly, stirring continuously. Add salt, pepper, one cup of the cheddar cheese and all of the American cheese. Simmer briefly until all of the cheeses have melted and you have a smooth sauce. Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Butter a baking dish large enough to hold the potatoes. Alternate layers of potatoes and sauce, ending with a layer of sauce on top.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, remove the aluminum foil and bake uncovered for another 45 minutes.
- During the last five minutes, sprinkle the remaining cup of cheddar cheese on top of the casserole.
- Remove from oven and let set for at least 15 minutes prior to serving.
Simple is good and super simple is better. Recipes for Scalloped Potatoes are all pretty much the same. Potatoes, butter, cheese, milk, bake. But when you get compliments on the potatoes, you put the recipe on the blog to hopefully answer the question:
“So what do you do differently?”
After thinking about the question and looking a few other recipes, the answer is not much. (but I think it’s the half stick of butter).
TIPS – slice the potatoes as thin as possible, 1/4 inch is good. Sauce up every layer of potatoes. Use a high quality extra sharp cheddar cheese. Butter, not margarine.
One Rotisserie Chicken, 50 Meals – #6 Pasta with Chicken, Vegetables, Oiive Oil and Garlic
Pasta with Chicken, Vegetables, Olive Oil and Garlic
Parmesan cheese (lots)
3 medium carrots
2 small zucchini
2 small yellow squash
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
4 oz mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil for sauteing, 3-4 tablespoons for dressing the pasta
1/2 an onion, chopped
2 – 4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 lb cooked, drained bow tie pasta
One Rotisserie Chicken, carved off the bone, cut into pieces that match your pasta shape.
- Cook pasta according to directions on the package for al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Cut carrots and zucchini on the diagonal into thin slices about 1/4 inch thick.
- Heat 1 T olive oil (preferably extra virgin) in a frying pan. Saute the carrots and squashes for several minutes on each side until golden brown and caramelized.
- Add the onion, red pepper, mushrooms and garlic. Saute for several minutes until the onions are translucent. Add more olive oil if necessary to prevent sticking.
- Toss chicken into the pan and stir until the chicken is warmed through.
- Add pasta to the vegetable chicken mixture and stir to mix well. Add remaining olive oil.
- Sprinkle with fresh basil and grated Parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Top each serving with more shredded Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
It was hard figuring out how this dish started. When the kids were little time was always limited, especially around dinner time when they needed to eat RIGHT NOW. One night there was leftover spaghetti in the fridge. It got tossed with some sautéed onion and garlic, topped with cheese and served. Not only did the pasta get eaten, but the kids requested the dish again. We had discovered a fast meal without resorting to fast food.
Over the years this simple meal evolved. More vegetables got added. The browning of the squashes came later, spurred by a memory of a dish eaten in some Italian restaurant a long time ago. Chicken was added to make the dish more substantial and to take advantage of the cooked birds that every market started to prepare and sell.
TIPS – use a good quality extra virgin olive oil. Add crushed red pepper in Step 4 if you want some zing. You’ll need a nice loaf of bread and a salad to complete the meal. Either red or white wine will work but if you choose red, get a lighter bodied Italian red like Bardolino.
Five Secrets to Fab Fried Rice
Eddie’s Carrot Sheet Cake
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot (3 large carrots, peeled)
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained well
1 C sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Preparation
- Grease and flour a 10 x 15 inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 350°.
- Stir together first 4 ingredients. Set aside.
- In another bowl, beat eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat some more until smooth.
- Add flour mixture and continue beating at low speed until blended.
- Fold in carrot, pineapple, coconut, and pecans. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool completely in the pan before icing.
- Spread cream cheese frosting on top of the cake.
I wish I knew who Eddie was. My lovely wife of too many years lovingly informs me this is the only dessert I know how to make well. It’s true. Put me in charge of making dessert and you’re getting carrot cake. One day while leaving the Y I noticed a stack of bright purple colored papers. Upon closer inspection, the pieces of paper were copies of Eddie’s Carrot Sheet Cake recipe.
“I love carrot cake. Is this recipe any good?”
“Why do you think we have a stack of ’em on the counter?”
So here’s to Eddie, whoever you are. Thanks for the recipe. Without you I wouldn’t be making any desserts at all.
TIP – save the pineapple juice for marinade.
10.02.21
I still don’t know who Eddie was or is.
garyskitchen.net 