Mediocre cookie night

I made some cookies tonight and they were okay. They weren't bad, but they definitely weren't delicious. And it sucks because the recipe sounded SO GOOD:

Coconut, dark chocolate chips, toasted pecans, vanilla, almond extract. Sounds kind of like the perfect cookie to me. And they smelled good. So good. And then... meh.

Fré likes them a lot -  does that mean that the cookies are actually good, or that he just likes all cookies?

Coconut and rice soup

This soup is super yummy and the the spices will make your kitchen smell good.

Heat some oil (I used peanut oil) and throw in a small handful of mustard seeds and a lesser quantity of cumin seeds. Put in more mustard seeds than you think you need - they are mild and good. After a couple of minutes add a bunch of garam masala, turmeric, and a couple of fresh or dried chili peppers.

Spices (from top left): cumin seeds, garam masala, turmeric, mustard seeds, dried chili peppers. 

Add a decent handful of minced or grated ginger, some finely chopped shallots or onions, minced hot peppers, and some diced bell peppers. I also added some dried curry leaves.

Sauté for a few minutes then throw in a couple of handfuls of basmati rice. Stir until translucent and add some broth or water (enough to cover you rice + a bit more). Add two cans of coconut milk and simmer until the rice is tender.

Eggs to make for someone you love

Baked eggs are so easy and so good. All you need to do is crack an egg into a buttered ramekin and bake at 350° until the whites are set. Don't over bake them - you want the yolks to be nice and runny. Eat them with good buttered toast.
  
Some of my favourite ways to bake eggs:

• Add a bit of cream to each ramekin and a slice of tomato. Crack your egg over top and add salt, pepper, and some aged cheddar. Bake.

• Crack your egg over a nest of beet greens (blanche them or quickly sauté them with a bit of garlic. Or wild ramps (garlic) if they're in season). Cover your egg with caramelized shallots and fresh parmesan. Bake. 

• Crack your egg over some heavy cream mixed with chipotle peppers (I used canned chipotles packed in adobo sauce). Bake. Smoky and delicious.

•  Add a tablespoon or two of home made tomatoes sauce to each ramekin and crack eggs over top. Add some of your favourite cheese and bake.

• Cream, egg, pesto, bake. 

The best eggs in the world come from these gals:

Amazing grilled cheese + a bonus

Grilled cheese sandwiches with olive oil marinated tomatoes. 

You can either marinate your tomatoes for a few hours or overnight (or a bit longer) or just mix them up quickly and make the sandwiches. They'll be good either way. Plus, they're kind of a two-in-one meal. You'll see what I mean.

You'll need:

• Good bread
• Cheese (I like good aged cheddar or Gruyère for melty sandwiches, and chèvre is awesome, experiment and find out what you like!)
• Tomatoes
• Olive oil

And a combination of the herbs/seasoning you want to marinate your tomatoes in:

•  Garlic (don't use a lot to start with - raw garlic, especially when it marinates for a while, is strong. You can always add more later)
• Dried chili peppers (whole or crushed). Use chipotles if you want to add a smoky flavour.
• Black pepper
• Sea salt
• Fresh basil (so good with tomatoes), oregano, thyme, rosemary - any herb you like.

Slice the tomatoes layer them with the fresh herbs and other seasonings you're using. Cover them with olive oil and let them marinate for a while if you have time.

Butter the outside of your first slice of bread. Put it in a pan or on a grill over medium heat. Add a layer of the tomatoes and put your cheese on top. Add another slice of bread on top, butter side out. Flip when your desired goldenness is reached. Cut in half and enjoy your extravagant, calorie rich grilled cheese. If you're feeling nostalgic, you may want to omit the tomatoes and use slices of processed cheese for a trip back to the late 80's/early 90's.

Okay, here's the BONUS meal! It's a quick and dirty pasta dish, and it's good.

Make some extra tomatoes. I usually marinate them in a glass mason jar and put the leftovers in the fridge. Tomorrow or the next day (or later if you throw them in the freezer), heat up a skillet and throw in your tomatoes. While they bubble away and turn into a pesto-esque olive oil-tomato sauce, cook some pasta. Amazing with some good parmesan cheese on top.

Better containers

I hate plastic containers. Those clear-ish ziploc containers with the blue lids are fucking ugly. They never look 100% clean, the plastic is cloudy and horrible, and they hold on to odours. Never put curry or garlic into one of those babies.

I bought some awesome glass "tupperware" and I love it. Great for brining lunches to work and storing stuff in the fridge. I posted a while ago about mini Nutella jars and how they make awesome containers (and milk glasses - perfect for drinking milk with your nutella toast!)

I really love glass mason jars: cheap, reuseable, sterilizeable, and pretty. Great for keeping rice and dried beans and shiitakes in - everything stays fresh and super dry. They are also handy in for leftovers - soup, salsa, pasta sauce...

The best thing about mason jars? They won't crack if you add boiling water to them, making mason jars the perfect container for iced tea and bubble tea! Brew your tea in the jar, cool it down, and throw it in your backpack. Mason jars are totally leak-proof, so you don't need to worry about it spilling before you get to work or school or your sunny-day picnic in Gatineau Park.

Go get some mason jars and fall in love!

(Leftover canned tomatoes. And my budgie tin snuck into the picture! I am going to have to write a post about that tin...)