We share in each other,

La la la la la la la lasagna means, “I love you.”

s a u l — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:35:27 +0000

Lasagna, without the use of an oven. 1 pan. 1 pound. Oh wait, that’s Hamburger Helper.

: Ricotta, salt, pepper, 1 egg, chopped flat-leaf parsley and basil.

: Garlic toasted in oil, crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, and chopped flat-leaf parsley.

Some assembly required: 1 layer lasagna noodles, onions & mushrooms, ricotta mixture, spinach. Repeat.

Once everything is together, cover and let it simmer on the stove.

Not the prettiest plating ever, but it eats the same anyway.

curry-ently playing:

s a u l — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:25:55 +0000

Another cold day, another round of comfort food. Today’s menu: tikka masala with paneer.

Chop onions, green peppers, and just add sauce.

Cooking together like good harmonious ingredients do.

Say cheese.

Ready for my close-up!

(salmon) chili weather

s a u l — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:22:13 +0000

It’s getting quite cold quite fast, and I’ve been craving lots of comfort foods as the days are growing shorter. Unfortunately I do a lot of running back and forth from my place to my parents’, so I seldom have the energy, ambition, and proper groceries to cook as of late.

Though I’m not a total culinary failure. I did make a pretty mean skillet lasagna last weekend for my folks. Of course I forgot to bring my camera, but I think I’ll be re-creating that dish some time this weekend anyway.

Anywho, the topic for this evening was salmon. Pan-fried salmon with a Thai chili sauce, to be exact. And white rice. I don’t care what they say, white rice is so delicious! I’ll never get used to that chewy oatmeal-consistency of brown rice. Yuck.

I love my little Lihom.

Feeling saucy: minced garlic, chopped onion, and Mae Ploy chili sauce.

Pink salmon.

Finished product: delicious!

broken down and hungry

s a u l — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:20:34 +0000

A friend and I drove to Chicago last weekend for some money-spending. We hit up Mitsuwa off Arlington, and then shot back down (in heavy traffic, HA!) to Chinatown off 22nd. Before we left, we had dinner at Joy Yee’s.

THIS is what spring rolls are supposed to look like...

For some reason it won’t add my comments below the pictures like it did in the first. Oh well.

falafel remix

s a u l — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:25:08 +0000

Every time I make falafel I wind up with more than I can consume. So not only did I make enough for dinner tonight, I’ve got enough for lunch AND dinner tomorrow and then some, though I am fairly certain falafel doesn’t keep that long. Actually it’s probably best right out of the hot oil, but I can deal with soggy chick peas.

This was the only picture I took that I actually liked.

Hindsight (and a little fish) tell me to cut the recipe in half next time.

Spring (rolls) have sprung.

s a u l — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 19:29:31 +0000

I tried my hand at making Vietnamese/Thai-style-ish spring rolls for the very first time. I have to admit, I was quite intimidated at the start of it, but after making a couple (and quickly devouring them, as they were quite shoddily put-together) I started to get the hang of it. They still aren’t perfect, but I had a damn good time making them. And admittedly I got a little picture-happy. Oh well.

My sweet little set-up. My fishie-bowls were new, purchased today when I went in to Asia Mart for rice wrappers and came out with more than I really needed. From the left we've got sweet basil and mint, clear bean-thread noodles, shredded carrot, bean sprouts, chopped Boston lettuce, and cilantro. Alfalfa sprouts didn't make it in; I changed my mind at the last minute.

I think I sliced my tofu a little thin; next time I'll be sure to cut thicker strips, as it were. And maybe get a full-body splash guard from all the sizzling drops of oil that went flying onto my face, hands, and arms.

I love this shot. Even if it is of the first bite out of my first crappy attempt. Appearances aside, it still tasted heavenly!

Rice wrappers are a fascinating thing. It looks like my cutting board is bubbling, doesn't it?

My spring rolls look a little thin. This delicious Thai restaurant near my apartment has the best fresh rolls ever, I swear. And theirs are so tightly wrapped and compact that they can actually slice them into bite-sized pieces! I'm afraid at this novice stage mine would just fall apart. Hm, something to work on. But aren't the colors pretty? After throwing everything in randomly, I decided I'd be more OCD about things and arrange everything in neat lines.

The last three I made, and probably the best(-looking) out of the bunch. My ends still need work, though. Sigh.

retro-active

s a u l — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:36:19 +0000

So when I first moved down here this past summer, a friend and I decided to commemorate our living closer together by having a “Dinner Night” once a week. Needless to say we’ve been a bit slack in our resolve, but we’ve made some good attempts anyway!

Falafel Night, the first home-cooked meal in my new place.

I do love my 1950s plates. I managed to find a set of eight that had never been used before! Not even a scratch on them, and such a pretty color green.

A week or so ago said friend from above was also craving Oden (which is a Japanese soup/stew of some sort), so we loaded up in the car and headed out to our local Asian market for some assorted fishcakes. She brought over her electric cook-top and we had a nice little meal with rice and tea.

Oden Night, ’round the electric cooker.

Technically I suppose this wasn’t really a “cooking night,” though we did throw everything together. I can’t imagine it would be that easy to make, though, so I’m happy to stick with pre-made, pre-packaged meals of this nature. By the by, aren’t my placemats cool? A friend brought them back from Thailand for me. I love the color scheme.

It has certainly gotten easier eating with seafood-loving friends now that I’ve given in to fish temptations. (I guess that makes me a pescetarian?) Anyway, if I can muster up the courage and self-discipline again some day I’ll forego fish once more. But until then, I’ll have my Oden and eat it too!