I tried chai for the first time in Tokyo of all places. Japanese food and I weren't getting along very well, so I decided that an Indian dinner at Maharaja would be a nice change of pace (actually that getting through a meal without feeling sick would be a nice change of pace, but that's another story). The meal was good, but the highlight was the cup of chai at the end. I was instantly in love with the steaming sweet and spicy drink and vowed to make some when I returned to the States.
There were so many recipes out there that I didn't know where to begin. It looked like the mixes were generally not well received, except for those by David Rio of San Francisco. I finally tracked some down at the Cost Plus World Market in Carmel. Four flavors were available - Elephant Vanilla, Tiger Spice, Orca Spice and Flamingo Vanilla. I ruled out the last two because they contain Splenda and settled on the Tiger Spice for no better reason than the name pleased me.
The website describes the drink as having a "traditional masala chai flavor of cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and ginger with black tea." The reviews generally describe it as being less sweet than the Elephant Vanilla. There are three recipes on the canister - one for hot chai, one for chai on ice, and one for a chai ice blend. I started with the traditional hot chai made with milk tonight but will try a cold version tomorrow.
The flavor was quite sweet and well spiced. It's a bit like drinking gingerbread if you can imagine that. I don't think I would be a fan of the sweeter Elephant Vanilla version. My one small complaint is that I wish the Tiger Spice were slightly less sweet and more spicy. Regardless, the comforting flavor and creamy texture make it a great way to warm up on a cold day. That it's as quick and simple as heating up milk and stirring in a few tablespoons of the mix is an added bonus. Until I find a recipe for homemade chai that catches my fancy, I expect to going through many canisters of Tiger Spice. Now I need to find a teacup worthy of my new addiction.
Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts
Actual conversation Kurt and I had in Meijer:
Kurt: You should try these pretzels.
Me: I don't like pretzels.
Kurt: But these are good. Try them.
Me: No.
Kurt: They're butter sesame.
Me: No.
Kurt: Seriously, you'll like them.
Me: No.
This went on for a while. In the end my stubbornness won out, and we left sans pretzels. Fast forward a couple months, and Kurt brings out a bag for us to snack on during a movie. I was skeptical. I don't like pretzels. Never have. I'll only eat them out of desperation on long airline flights, and even then I grumble. They're hard and flavorless except for the offensive level of salt. Bleh.
As usually happens when I get fervent and dig my heels in, I must eat my words. Snyder's Butter Sesame Sticks are unbelievably addictive. Granted, I'd prefer them unsalted, but that's a minor point. They have a fabulous sweet butter flavor perfectly balanced by the nuttiness of the sesame and a texture that's crispy without being hard. Awesome!! Kurt mentioned that they're good for dipping, but I wouldn't want to mask the buttery goodness. Two thumbs WAY up.
Kurt: You should try these pretzels.
Me: I don't like pretzels.
Kurt: But these are good. Try them.
Me: No.
Kurt: They're butter sesame.
Me: No.
Kurt: Seriously, you'll like them.
Me: No.
This went on for a while. In the end my stubbornness won out, and we left sans pretzels. Fast forward a couple months, and Kurt brings out a bag for us to snack on during a movie. I was skeptical. I don't like pretzels. Never have. I'll only eat them out of desperation on long airline flights, and even then I grumble. They're hard and flavorless except for the offensive level of salt. Bleh.
As usually happens when I get fervent and dig my heels in, I must eat my words. Snyder's Butter Sesame Sticks are unbelievably addictive. Granted, I'd prefer them unsalted, but that's a minor point. They have a fabulous sweet butter flavor perfectly balanced by the nuttiness of the sesame and a texture that's crispy without being hard. Awesome!! Kurt mentioned that they're good for dipping, but I wouldn't want to mask the buttery goodness. Two thumbs WAY up.
Mama Kurt turned me on to Irish oatmeal while I was visiting the family in Michigan. I was skeptical because the standard Quaker Oats had never been a favorite of mine (understatement!). Irish oats look similar, maybe a bit more lumpy, but have a wonderful nutty taste and an interesting, chewy texture. I eat them with a little butter. Best of all, they're easy to prepare and good for you. Definitely happiness in a bowl!
I often crave soup when it gets cold, but I can't stomach the stuff in a can. Lately, I've been making a quick, simple potato soup when the craving hits. This isn't terribly precise, but it's hard to go wrong with this one.
Potato soup for one
Dice 2 medium potatoes and some onion. Season with salt and pepper. Barely cover with water and bring to a boil.
Lower heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes (if you dice small, the potatoes should be tender at this point).
Mash the potatoes with a fork. Leave chunky if you wish.
Add 2 t butter and slowly add milk while stirring. When it reaches the consistency you like (I like it on the thick side), return to low heat and warm through. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Variation: Stir in a half cup of shredded cheddar cheese when you're adding the milk and butter and top with (fake) bacon crumbles, sour cream, and more cheddar.
Potato soup for one
Dice 2 medium potatoes and some onion. Season with salt and pepper. Barely cover with water and bring to a boil.
Lower heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes (if you dice small, the potatoes should be tender at this point).
Mash the potatoes with a fork. Leave chunky if you wish.
Add 2 t butter and slowly add milk while stirring. When it reaches the consistency you like (I like it on the thick side), return to low heat and warm through. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Variation: Stir in a half cup of shredded cheddar cheese when you're adding the milk and butter and top with (fake) bacon crumbles, sour cream, and more cheddar.
Over the years I've tried several bacon substitutes. Veggie bacon is fine on a BLT but unconvincing on its own. Bacon Salt is surprisingly good but overpriced and too salty for many uses. About a month ago, through pure, glorious luck, I learned that Bacos are vegetarian. Vegan even! Apparently, they're some sort of chemistry project made of soy, food coloring, liquid smoke, and several things I can't pronounce and don't want to think about. Normally I would scoff at this, but desperation leads us to do funny things. Since it's been 15 years since I've had real bacon, all I can say with accuracy is that they taste like my memory of bacon - salty, crunchy, and a little smoky. Happiness!
I'm already on my second jar, and things may be getting out of hand. I started out topping potato soup and baked potatoes, the usual. Then I added a few to my morning waffle. Last week, I learned that my snack of herbed cheese and sesame crackers becomes sublime with a few bits of bacon-y goodness on top. I've started looking at everything I eat and wondering how it would taste topped with bacon. My low point came when I was eating a square of chocolate smeared with peanut butter and .. yes ... you see where this is going ... I topped it with some Bacos. And Lord help me, it was good!
I think I need a 12 step program. This can't be healthy.
I'm already on my second jar, and things may be getting out of hand. I started out topping potato soup and baked potatoes, the usual. Then I added a few to my morning waffle. Last week, I learned that my snack of herbed cheese and sesame crackers becomes sublime with a few bits of bacon-y goodness on top. I've started looking at everything I eat and wondering how it would taste topped with bacon. My low point came when I was eating a square of chocolate smeared with peanut butter and .. yes ... you see where this is going ... I topped it with some Bacos. And Lord help me, it was good!
I think I need a 12 step program. This can't be healthy.
My mom made the best biscuits and gravy and the secret was always the hot sausage. Since I can't find spicy veggie sausage, I decided to mimic the sausage seasonings in the gravy itself. The result is a dead ringer for my mom's recipe. Even my carnivorous dad can't tell the difference!
Spicy Veggie Biscuits and Gravy
Biscuits - make 'em or buy 'em, your call
2 T Crisco
1/4 c white flour
3 cups milk - ideally room temperature
salt, pepper, ground sage, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper
3 veggie sausage patties
While the biscuits are baking, melt the Crisco over medium in a large pan. Once melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to a light boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15 minutes or until thickened. While the gravy simmering, cook the veg sausage patties in a small skillet. Once done, dice and add to the gravy. Season to taste with salt, pepper, sage, cayenne and crushed red pepper. Serve over split biscuits.
Surprisingly, this heats up well in the microwave, so be sure to save any leftovers. I tried this once with veg sausage crumbles and the result wasn't nearly as good. I think the crumbles are too small and throw off the texture. I'm sure this could be made with real sausage, but you'll have to figure that out yourself.
Spicy Veggie Biscuits and Gravy
Biscuits - make 'em or buy 'em, your call
2 T Crisco
1/4 c white flour
3 cups milk - ideally room temperature
salt, pepper, ground sage, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper
3 veggie sausage patties
While the biscuits are baking, melt the Crisco over medium in a large pan. Once melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to a light boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15 minutes or until thickened. While the gravy simmering, cook the veg sausage patties in a small skillet. Once done, dice and add to the gravy. Season to taste with salt, pepper, sage, cayenne and crushed red pepper. Serve over split biscuits.
Surprisingly, this heats up well in the microwave, so be sure to save any leftovers. I tried this once with veg sausage crumbles and the result wasn't nearly as good. I think the crumbles are too small and throw off the texture. I'm sure this could be made with real sausage, but you'll have to figure that out yourself.
I love pimento cheese. Spread it on crackers and add a salad, and you have a great light lunch. I even went for the low fat Triscuits this time (in honor of Dr. H), and the cheese was flavorful enough that I couldn't tell the difference.
I use a recipe from a friend in Atlanta, but there are lots of variations out there. This one adds garlic, pickles, and Monterey Jack. Intriguing! It's really hard to go wrong with cheese and mayo in the mix.
Easy Pimento Cheese
2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar
1 small jar pimentos with juice
Mayo
Hot sauce (I use Frank's, but Tabasco would work)
Salt and pepper
Mix the cheese and pimentos in a medium sized bowl and slowly add mayo until you reach a spreadable consistency. Add hot sauce to taste (I like it spicy and usually add 2T or so) and season with salt and pepper. That's it! Let it sit in the fridge for 2 hours before eating. Overnight would be even better. Serve with crackers, celery or as a sandwich on wheat bread.
I use a recipe from a friend in Atlanta, but there are lots of variations out there. This one adds garlic, pickles, and Monterey Jack. Intriguing! It's really hard to go wrong with cheese and mayo in the mix.
Easy Pimento Cheese
2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar
1 small jar pimentos with juice
Mayo
Hot sauce (I use Frank's, but Tabasco would work)
Salt and pepper
Mix the cheese and pimentos in a medium sized bowl and slowly add mayo until you reach a spreadable consistency. Add hot sauce to taste (I like it spicy and usually add 2T or so) and season with salt and pepper. That's it! Let it sit in the fridge for 2 hours before eating. Overnight would be even better. Serve with crackers, celery or as a sandwich on wheat bread.
I love granola bars. I always have a box in the pantry, and they're one of my favorite go-to snacks. When I saw a recipe for raspberry granola bars, I knew I had to try them. They were raspberry-oat, no less, which meant I could feel smug and healthy while snacking. All the better!
The first cue that something wasn't right was when the batter looked exactly like oatmeal cookie dough. I mean exactly. In fact, the process and ingredients were suspiciously similar to those for oatmeal cookies, but there was a picture of granola bars right by the recipe and a mention of packing them for a hike, so I forged on undeterred. I opted to add slivered almonds for extra protein (ok, because they taste good).
Everything went as planned until I was supposed to "crumble" the remaining batter on top of the raspberry filling. Since the batter stuck to my fingers (and everything else it touched), crumbling wasn't so much an option. I sort of flicked globs on top and decided to call it a day. Thirty minutes later the timer dinged, and I pulled out of the oven ... oatmeal cookies. In bar form and with raspberry filling, but still oatmeal cookies. They looked nothing like the thin, crunchy bars pictured in the magazine. I will admit they're pretty good cookies, but I can't snack on cookies midafternoon and feel smug and healthy. Bah!
So now I'm on a quest to make an actual homemade granola bar. If you have a good recipe, please pass it along. I'll probably leave out raisins if they're involved, but otherwise I'm game for most anything.
The first cue that something wasn't right was when the batter looked exactly like oatmeal cookie dough. I mean exactly. In fact, the process and ingredients were suspiciously similar to those for oatmeal cookies, but there was a picture of granola bars right by the recipe and a mention of packing them for a hike, so I forged on undeterred. I opted to add slivered almonds for extra protein (ok, because they taste good).
Everything went as planned until I was supposed to "crumble" the remaining batter on top of the raspberry filling. Since the batter stuck to my fingers (and everything else it touched), crumbling wasn't so much an option. I sort of flicked globs on top and decided to call it a day. Thirty minutes later the timer dinged, and I pulled out of the oven ... oatmeal cookies. In bar form and with raspberry filling, but still oatmeal cookies. They looked nothing like the thin, crunchy bars pictured in the magazine. I will admit they're pretty good cookies, but I can't snack on cookies midafternoon and feel smug and healthy. Bah!
So now I'm on a quest to make an actual homemade granola bar. If you have a good recipe, please pass it along. I'll probably leave out raisins if they're involved, but otherwise I'm game for most anything.
I got a blender a few years back thinking that I would become the smoothie queen, finally getting my four (!!) servings of fruit per day in the form of milkshaky goodness. I searched the internet for smoothie recipes and settled on one that used familiar ingredients and received good ratings. I don't remember all the details, but I know that banana was used as the thickening agent. They claimed you couldn't taste it. Lies! I might have created the single nastiest smoothie the world had ever tasted. Underly sweet and overly chunky (with banana pieces, no less!), it was the anti-milkshake. Blech.
Fast forward to summer 2008 - Kurt mentioned offhand that he had a smoothie maker. My thoughts were as follows: 1) Unitasker bad! and then 2) Smoothies good! Not only did he own the contraption, but he seemed confident that smoothies were "no problem." Coming from a man whose cooking skill extends only to pressing buttons on his microwave, I was skeptical. Last weekend, he proved me wrong and made wonderful strawberry smoothies. Hurrah for the good doctor! I got the ol' blender down tonight and mimicked his "recipe" with great success. I just might get my four servings a day after all!
(Apparently, this is a fairly standard mix that I somehow failed to find last time. Nonetheless, it'll always be Kurt's recipe to me.)
Fast forward to summer 2008 - Kurt mentioned offhand that he had a smoothie maker. My thoughts were as follows: 1) Unitasker bad! and then 2) Smoothies good! Not only did he own the contraption, but he seemed confident that smoothies were "no problem." Coming from a man whose cooking skill extends only to pressing buttons on his microwave, I was skeptical. Last weekend, he proved me wrong and made wonderful strawberry smoothies. Hurrah for the good doctor! I got the ol' blender down tonight and mimicked his "recipe" with great success. I just might get my four servings a day after all!
Kurt's Fabulous Smoothie
One container Yoplait French vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup fruit (fresh or frozen)
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
large handful ice cubes (3/4 of a 12 ounce glass or so)
Put in blender. Whirr until smooth. Enjoy!
serves one
One container Yoplait French vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup fruit (fresh or frozen)
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
large handful ice cubes (3/4 of a 12 ounce glass or so)
Put in blender. Whirr until smooth. Enjoy!
(Apparently, this is a fairly standard mix that I somehow failed to find last time. Nonetheless, it'll always be Kurt's recipe to me.)
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