Saturday, December 09, 2006

Tuesday Night Tempeh

I've been thinking about the art of cooking. For me it's a lot like building a mixed-media mostly found object sculpture or sometimes installation. I appreciate recipes and love reading cook books, but I think the real fun is the challenge of working with what you've already got or the inspiration that comes from the fresh produce isle.

The following meal came together suddenly when a dinner invitation was cancelled at the last minute. Brenna had recently brought me a bag of teensy tiny baby bok choy to cheer me up
(she knows I like them because they're so cute) so I was glad to stay home and cook with them.

For those of you who think you don't like tempeh, just try it. It's so freakin good and easy to cook. It is an absolute staple in my refridgerator and my diet.

Tuesday Night Tempeh


Oil - 3 T olive, sunflower, canola, whatever you got
Garlic - 4 fat cloves smashed, or more!
Ginger - 2 slices
Onion - 1 medium chopped coarsely
Tempeh - 1 package sliced in 1/4 inch strips
Tomatoes - 2 Roma diced
Boy Choy - an armload, the cuter the better
Braggs - to taste
Peanut Butter - 1 T fresh ground
Black Pepper - to taste

Rice – whatever kind you like.

Guest - at least one (everything tastes better when you're cooking for someone else)

Rice is one thing I have trouble cooking consistently so I won’t give any advice here. This night it came out perfectly however. I'm not asking questions.

You will need two pans to proceed. It's great if one has a lid.

Start each pan with a little oil. I put about 1T in the pan with the lid and 2T in a large chef's pan. It’s great if one of them has a lid. Smash the four cloves of garlic and when the oil is hot put two in each pan.

SECRET...Sometimes I forget to wait until the oil is hot and things still taste good.

Slice off a couple pieces of ginger and take the skin off. Toss in the pan with the lid. Add chopped onions to the ginger and garlic. Add sliced tempeh to the other pan and brown on each side. To the onions add two chopped roma tomates and cook down a little. Add 1 heaping Tablespoon of fresh peanut butter. No sugar added! Add a little water to thin out if necessary add braggs stir and taste. Add the baby boy choy, grind some fresh black pepper and put the lid on for a minute. Cook until boy choy is tender. Keep adding squirts of braggs until it is flavored to your liking. When the tempeh is brown, douse it in braggs sauté and add to the boy choy. Serve with rice and sriratcha.

Now...what to do with all these apples I've got laying around.



Monday, December 04, 2006

Hippie Granola

As you know, I'm generally overwhelmingly excited about everything, but I've been feeling sort of broken down lately and in an effort to locate my misplaced enthusiasm, I've decided to fire up this blog. Many of you I talk to on a regular basis, but for those of you that haven't heard from me since I was sleeping on your couch last year, here is a quick and dirty rundown of what has happened since I returned home one year ago.

Last January/February I went to Thailand with my best friend in the whole world, Samantha. We met up with our friend Robin first in Cambodia and then traveled with her to the tiny town of Sanglaburi where she was teaching art. It was an amazing trip that changed my perceptions of the world and my place in it.



I spent the better part of the Spring planning and then constructing a 7 foot tall x 7 foot wide Rice Krispie Treat Sculpture for an exhibition at the 2006 Three Rivers Arts Festival. It nearly killed me. Literally! I cracked my head open during it's construction.


I took a job this past summer with a modern dance company, no not dancing thank you very much, I'm the marketing director. I know, I can't believe someone made me the director of anything either. I didn't plan on going back to full time work but after the head wound health insurance seemed nice a novel idea.

Also, I have a dog now. Her name is Nona and she has been the source of some frustration lately as she recently crossed the dozen pair mark. For those of you without dogs, that's shoes we're talking. Nona was a well intentioned surprise gift and it's too late to give her back; I know, I tried...twice. But I love her so much and though it's a challenge, I'm learning all kinds of things about myself and who needs material things anyways?



I turned 26 this past September. I was crowned the Queen of Penn (Avenue) and Main (Street) on my special day and because of it had to ride on a float in the Bloomfield Halloween Parade.



It was a Christmas themed float...

Anyhow, on to dinner. Tonight I made homeade granola. I know this totally confirms my hippie status, but it's ridiculously easy and so delicious!

Hippie Granola

Oats
- rolled, 4 cups
Oil - canola, sunflower etc. 1/2 cup
Honey - 3/4 cup or as sweet as you like
Cinnamon - 1/2 t
Salt - 1/2 t
Fruit and Nuts - 1-2 cups
Coconut - if you like, shredded 1/2 cup

This is a great way to use up dried fruit and nuts you have laying around. Tonight I threw in two kinds of raisins, cranberries, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. You just mix everything together in a bowl except the fruit and bake it on cookie sheets until it gets brown. You have to check it frequently so it doesn't burn and flip it after about 10 minutes. After it's done, mix in the fruit and let cool, or don't. It's really really good while it's still warm with soymilk! Hey...there's my enthusiasm! I knew it would be right under my nose.