Thursday, April 23, 2015

Trey is coming to visit, I should cook

Trey will be in later tonight. He is preparing for a marathon and is being very careful about his diet. So we went to the store and kept a lookout for "the right stuff".

The Grocery Outlet on 410 in Bonney Lake had organic black beans for $.99 can, I felt a chili coming on. I do not know Trey's spice preference so I kept this toned down. I also found a smoked turkey drumstick. We are in business. They also had a bag of mixed, (red, yellow, orange), bell pepper and they aren't from Mexico. Picked up a bag of onions, nothing special, but needed for chili.

Black Chili
Started by chopping one half of the largest onion in the bag finely.
Added a can of chopped tomatoes, skins removed.
Added a cup of tomato pasta sauce
Added two tablespoons of red cooking wine
Cut up an orange bell pepper, (Kathy picked the color)
Added the can of organic black peppers
Added one half cup black wild rice,
Two dried Pasilla-Ancho chilli pods
Tossed in the drumstick and added enough water to cover the drumstick by a half inch.
Started on high, when it boiled went to my smallest burner lowest heat.

Five hours later

Turned off the heat. Waited till it cooled enough to handle the drumstick. Removed all of the bullet proof, crocodile outer covering consistency skin and chucked it. Began to separate the meat from the tendons and added the meat to the chili. Before I was done it looked like there was too much meat so I saved 1/4 cup pressed down to make sausage. Also removed what remained of the Passila-Ancho, (the seeds are long gone, this is the skin). It looked a little too thick so I added some hot water until it looked like the consistency of black bean chili and set it aside for later.

Caraway Smoked Turkey Sausage (this is almost a vegetarian sausage as it is, just omit the turkey to go the rest of the way)
Cut the other half of the onion coarsely
Add the turkey and remaining pepper from the chili
Two cups of water, start to boil
2 heaping tablespoons flax meal
2 heaping tablespoons nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons quinoa, (if I try heaping, they roll out)
1/8th cup unsalted cashews
Caraway seeds to taste, for your first time try a teaspoon, they are powerful little guys.

Cook until the water just covers the mixture. Turn off the heat and let cool till it meets your blending safety comfort level. Blend into a paste. Pour into a mixing bowl. Add 1/8 cup cheese, 1/8 cup egg white.
NOTE: I have high cholesterol so I only used no cholesterol mozzarella, but if I didn't I would do half Parmesan and half part skim Mozzarella.

Spices
Here you are on your own. As a general guide sausage has salt, something I do not normally add to food, but I did to this. Sausage also generally has sugar. I have hated sugar all of my adult life, but that does not mean you should. Suggestion would be wait till you get to the tasting part and decide what to do. Garlic and Pepper are also almost universally present. Consider some liquid smoke, the smoke flavor of the turkey is greatly diminished after its five hour bath. Thyme is a nice bright flavor. I also added tumeric and paprika. Keep in mind that we have put nothing in the mix that will make you sick if you taste it raw, (I use pasteurized egg whites from those cartons near the eggs at supermarkets). I try not to overdo it, but some mustard seed really adds and they almost feel like caviar when you bite into one. So taste and see, (that the Lord is good), and let your on-board flavor calculator be your guide. Be willing to overspice a bit since the final step is adding the filler.
NOTE: you can do an Italian sausage theme by adding ground fennel seed as a ruling spice, I would have, but this kitchen is currently out.

Filler
I know, I know, you are looking at this liquid mess and thinking, this will never turn into a patty. And unless you drop it, by spoonfuls, into a fryer, you are probably right. Filler is your friend, whole grains, stiffen the mixture, what is not to like? I started with an 1/8th cup of oatmeal. As the patty cooks the oats will absorb water, but they will release it far more slowly than cornmeal.

Cornmeal is the final thing I add unless the ready for baking mixture needs a spice recalculation. You want to achieve the consistency of cookie dough. (without the fat of course. Cornmeal helps your mixture dry out in a big way and if you are serving that day or tomorrow, it is great. By day three or four a significant amount of cornmeal makes your sausage taste like a rock.

Drop spoonfuls onto a non-stick baking sheet, (I have had zero problems with sticking when I do this with this mixture). Set oven to 350 degrees. No need to pre-heat, remember, nothing in this mixture has to be cooked to be food safe. When your oven beeps "at temperature" wait five minutes, turn the off and let it coast for thirty minutes.

So there we have it. A forbidden food, sausage, (sort of). No fat, no cholesterol, no gluten, + protein, omegas, energy efficient because it coasts in the oven, and it tastes good. I think I will have one right now.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Banana Hemp Heart Bread

We were down in Sumner and Kathy mentioned we were out of milk. She decided to stay in the truck and I went shopping at WinCo.

I picked up some bananas, wandered over to the bulk section to get some wild rice. While I was there, I noticed something called hemp hearts which is new.

I let two of the bananas get old because I wanted to make banana bread. I crushed the two bananas and decided to try hemp hearts and oatmeal as my grain. Egg white to hold it together, cinnamon and vanilla as spicing. I cooked it at 350 degrees till the egg white was solid. Came out pretty good.

According to the Internet, hemp hearts are good for you. Should be fun experimenting.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Soup and bread for small group

Kathy and I get to bring to soup and bread for our church small group. I started working on a lemony seafood stew with mussels, pollock, flounder, shrimp, artichoke hearts and lots of vegetables.

I also made an assortment of cornbreads, all gluten free:
Bottom right: non-spicy: Tomato Basil, lactose free, five cheese
Bottom left: non-spicy: lactose free, Garam Masala, caraway
Top left: South Western Spice, Crab, (both contain cheese)
Top right: lactose free sundried tomato, 2 South Western, 3 crab




Saturday, April 11, 2015

Bonney Lake Red Robin - Comparison to McDonalds

After Puppygarten III was finished, Kathy wanted to go across Highway 410 to the Wal-Mart Super Center to pick up some bobby pins to help put up her hair because Yogi likes to chew it. We decided to grab lunch and went to the Red Robin in the same little shopping center as Petco. It was our first time at a Red Robin.

One reason I was interested is because McDonalds, (MCD) is one of the largest positions in my personal mutual fund. I would probably not make the same decision today, (to be overweight on MCD), but it was a long time ago. Red Robin, (RRGB), has strongly outperformed McDonalds over the past five years.

How was our experience? Pretty good, we intend to return. The fact they have a gluten free bun that is pretty good and a gluten free beer resonates with Kathy. I like the fact they have alternatives to beef burgers, including a vegan option, (no I am not vegan and do eat beef, just not much of it). They have studied the most common food allergies and can work with customers to accommodate their needs.

Most of the tables were full even when we left at 2:45 PM

I had the Wild Pacific Crab Cake Burger on a whole grain bun, which was great and messy, (thank you RRGB for the extra napkins). They allow substitutions, so I substituted a Chili Chili bowl for the fries. It was a good chili, not a great chili, I had the red onions and skipped the tortilla strips.  Kathy had the mushroom burger with no burger on a gluten free bun and a side of bottomless broccoli and actually did eat a second bowl.

In terms of choice, RRGB clearly outguns, MCD, but you are paying a premium. Right now the economy is doing pretty well, so it is no surprise people will pay that price level. Over the long haul, it is hard to say. Think Baskin-Robins 31 flavors against Cold Stone Creamery.

On the other hand, if you are in a hurry, MCD blows RRGB away big time. I was concerned we were going to be late for Petco's Puppy Play time. It took a long time for our order to arrive. Also, my ice tea was not refilled once. That makes a $38.20 bill less attractive. We will come back at least once more. My understanding is that they hope to put ordering tablets at the tables. That should give the server staff more time to refill ice teas since they will have less time taking the order. We shall see, anyone who knows us knows we value automation, but it is all about the implementation.

The bottom line. When you look at the fundamentals, RRGB is a good place to get a burger, but I am not yet ready to invest in the company.

Friday, April 10, 2015

Showmark is the most annoying SPAMMER I have ever encountered

I am pretty chilled when it comes to unsolicited commercial email. However, like everyone else, I have limits.

The good news is the SANS Technology Institute has been selected as a finalist by SC Magazine. The bad news is that I get two, (or more), emails a day from Showmark to buy a plaque. This has been going on for days. The crazy thing is that I did respond to Steve Wilson and asked about buying  the rights to the art, (we have no need for a physical plaque), and never got a response.

I do not normally use unsubscribe because it validates the email, but I guess I have no choice. This is what the email looks like.

============================================================

SANS Technology Institute .,
Just following up to see if you would like to order your plaque?
To continue and complete your order, please click the link below.

https://www.showmark.com/products.php?pc=FH2HT15Y22&type=plaque

Regards,

Steve Wilson
Account Manager
SHOWMARK MEDIA, LLC
1-305-767-4271
www.showmark.com
s.wilson@showmarkmedia.com

Your Professional Distinction is worthy of the premier recognition product in the marketplace. Let us turn your distinction into an impressive and elegant work of art, a beautiful addition to adorn your office, lobby or conference room.

To Unsubscribe from any follow-up emails from SHOWMARK related to the above mentioned recognition in scmagazine.com, please Click Here.
SHOWMARK MEDIA, LLC, is an independent company, not affiliated with or endorsed by scmagazine.com or its publisher.

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Wednesday, April 1, 2015

GF Low Glycemic Baked Apples

Peel and cut into 1/2" chunks

  • 1 tart apple
  • 1 sweet apple

3 heaping tablespoons of:

  • Coconut powder
  • Peanut butter powder
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Shredded cheese
  • Pumpkin seed kernels (if you are a *nix admin you can substitute kernals)
  • Greek yogurt

1/2 TSP Baking powder
6 Figs stems removed, cut into slices
6 Dates, pitted, cut into slices

(I forgot cinnamon and vanilla, whoops)

Add enough egg whites to consume all the dry powders

350 degrees for 15 minutes, then hit clear off and coast for 30 minutes

It came out light and fluffy. Most people would probably add some sugar, next time I will use only tart apples, (Granny Smith), and will put in 12 dates vs. 6. Variations to try include one of:

  • Drizzle caramel extract on the top
  • Remembering the cinnamon and vanilla
  • Ginger powder

(And yes, I do a lot of my baking in non-stick skillets)