Sunday, June 27, 2010

Cowboy Soup Mix

picture links to product info

Today was one of those days where you go back and forth from the fridge to the pantry because there's "nothing to eat." After a few trips, I spotted this forgotten soup mix in the back of the pantry.

I had all the ingredients (ground beef and tomatoes), so I dragged out my pot and started on soup.

The first thing I realized was that this mix makes a giant pot of soup. I had to switch to a larger pot two times. I guess I'm just used to making small amounts. But seriously, this could feed a small crowd. Anyway, it was super easy to make. I just browned the beef, added the mix, tomatoes, and water, and let it cook.

It smells delicious. The chili powder and cumin aromas are mouthwatering. It had a good flavor, not too spicy but not bland. I added some beans just because it smelled and tasted like it should have beans. I also served it with some GF garlic croutons on top. Overall, a tasty and filling soup. I think it'd make a great meal if you paired it with a grilled cheese sandwich made with Udi's bread.



I hope it freezes well because I have a lot of it!

P.S. It's not that green; I took the picture before turning the heat up and it's all the dried parsley and stuff floating on top.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

little bitty chicken

This little bitty chicken kinda looks like a whore -rofl-

I was browsing through the grocery store the other day when I came across these little bitty chickens. For like 2 bucks. They were actually called cornish game hens, but I prefer little bitty chicken because who has ever heard of cornish game hens? Maybe more people than I think, but anyway I bought them because they were cheap and cute.

So, I thawed one out along with some chicken broth, and busted out my crock pot. I stuck a chopped up clove of garlic into the cavity of the bird, then added it to the crockpot with the chicken broth, some chopped onion, rosemary, thyme, and pepper.

I set the temperature to high, ran some errands, and came home a few hours later to NOM-ness.
I checked the bird to make sure I don't poison myself with salmonella.

Speaking of, I had a nicely growing culture plate of salmonella dropped directly onto my shoe the other day. Just like toast never lands jelly- or butter- side up, that plate landed with such precision right face-down onto my shoe. It got a massive dose of disinfectant.

Anyway, microbe tangents aside, I checked it with a meat thermometer. Those things are awesome for my germ-conscious self.

I have decided that I like these little bitty chickens better than full-sized chickens because
  1. They are still cheap
  2. They make the perfect amount of chicken for about 2 or 3 me-sized meals. This means I don't have days and days of chicken leftovers followed by a freezer full of chicken. Talk about chicken burnout.
  3. They fit perfectly into my little crock pot.
Woo chicken happiness!

Friday, June 11, 2010

King Soba Black Rice Noodles



I was doing some grocery shopping in HEB, kinda browsing around, when I came across these noodles. I thought, "Black noodles? Hey wow, neat!" and threw them in the basket. They're made from black rice. I had no idea there was such a thing as black rice.

I checked out their website and they have all kinds of neat, unconventional blends of gluten free noodles.

When I cooked them, they turned kinda purple, just like the package said they would. Unlike regular noodles, they blend in with the pot and sort of disappear when you put them in the water and you're like, "Where'd they go?" Kind of a novel thing, making black noodles.

Cooking quirks aside, they also have a good flavor. Kinda nutty, but mild. Not as pronounced as, say, the flavor of quinoa. It doesn't compete with whatever you're mixing it with; it's more of a complimentary flavor.

Not only were they tasty, but there's something kinda cool about having purple-ish black noodles on your plate. I'd like to serve them at a dinner party some day and be all, "Oh those? They're just black noodles," and feel completely unique. Because black noodles are definitely unique.