Lost Video Island

[thefilmchick]

People in spam know I like to cook and talk recipes. Today I am making this version of crockpot rice pudding. I normally make my rice pudding with coconut milk but decided to try something different. Left out the raisins, because I don't like them, and substituted 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) maple syrup for half of the sugar, because I figured that'd be a good flavor with rice pudding (used Splenda for the other half of the sugar, since it's no-calorie and I can't taste the difference, like I can with saccharine). It's cooking in the crockpot now.

Talk about cooking and share your recipes here!
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I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's. His hair was perfect.

[thefilmchick]

So I'm the only cook. Oh well!

Tonight I made Carrot Cream Pasta
(modified from here)

Serves two.

1/2 pound of baby carrots
3 cloves of garlic, whole, peeled [Note: I like garlic. You could reduce this to 2 cloves if you wanted.]
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Fresh pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1/3 cup light cream
1/6 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving
1/2 pound of pasta
3/4 cups of pasta water

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl toss the carrots and garlic with the olive oil, using your hand to thoroughly coat the carrots and garlic with oil.
Season well with pepper and thyme. Put carrots on piece of aluminum foil atop 9x13 baking pan, for easy cleanup.

2. Bake in a 9x13 inch baking pan about 45-50 minutes until carrots are tender. Take the pan out and toss halfway through the cooking time.

3. When carrots are tender, remove from oven. Cook the pasta in a generous amount of salted water to al dente according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, make the carrot cream.

4. In a blender or food processor puree the carrots and garlic together with the light cream and Parmesan cheese. When the pasta is done cooking reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta water.

5. Drain pasta and add to a large mixing bowl. Toss with carrot cream, adding pasta water a little at a time until you get a nice consistency and the pasta is evenly coated.

6. Serve with Parmesan.

Changes: I don't use heavy cream if I can help it. I used light and it turned out fine--a little less creamy, but I like things that don't taste so fattening. I also used baby carrots for less prep work, and left the spices the same, since I like my food fairly heavily seasoned. According to another site that changed things up (by adding bacon), this sauce also works well with gluten-free pasta (hi, Nikkimonique!). The original recipe has too much fat; this recipe cuts down on it. I also omitted salt as I avoid it wherever possible, but add some in with the pepper and thyme if you want.

Enjoy!
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I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's. His hair was perfect.

[eloramoon]

That sounds awesome, Kate!

I cook, too, and have been eyeing this thread. I promise I'll post something up soon!

[thefilmchick]

Maple cumin chili roasted carrots. You must try this; I looked for a recipe to approximate what I put in, but couldn't find it.

Roast carrots (either sliced-to-matchstick-size large or sliced-in-half baby) for 30min, 400F, in a glaze of:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 tbsp chili--For once, err on the side of less, as you just want a slight heat.
1/2 tbsp cumin
Dash garam masala if you have it (toss in a dash cinnamon and coriander, if you don't.)
Dash salt and pepper.

Add all except garam masala at start; add garam masala/cinnamon and coriander at 15min in when you stir the carrots to make sure they're glazed.

You will thank me. It's sweet-salty-spicy all at once, and everything blends really, really well. Oddly enough, I also think it would make a really good barbecue glaze for chicken, as it somewhat approximates the taste of Brooks' Chicken Barbecue, which is the best barbecue flavoring ever.

Another possible invention that I thought of while eating the carrots: Apple cider waffles, since it's apple cider season here in New York. Unfortunately, someone beat me to it, and there's already a recipe.
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I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's. His hair was perfect.

[nikkimonique]

mmm! Well you know I like to cook too Kate! Your recipes sounds awesome! I'll have to try them. Especially the carrots. I'm always looking for new ways to cook carrots!

Last night I made this really good spicy pumpkin Thai soup.


1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon Thai Kitchen red curry paste
1 15-oz can pumpkin (or squash)
1 15-oz can Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles
1 15 oz can of Black beans
1 heaping cup roasted corn kernels
1/2 cup Frontera Jalapeno- Cilantro Salsa
1 cup light broth
1 14-oz. can coconut milk, as needed
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Chopped cilantro, to taste- dried or fresh
1 teaspoon raw organic agave nectar
Juice from 1 fresh lime

Heat the olive oil in a heavy soup pot over medium-low heat and add the garlic, cumin and curry paste; stir for one minute. Add the pumpkin, fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles, roasted corn, and salsa. Stir to combine.

Add the broth. Heat through to a simmer, and begin adding the coconut milk; start with one cup. If you like it creamy, add more. Season with sea salt and ground pepper, cilantro and sherry. Heat through gently and bring to a slow simmer.

Taste test and add the fresh lime juice to brighten the flavor. Stir. Add more spice if you need more heat; add more agave and/or coconut milk if you need less heat.

Serve with organic blue corn tortilla chips.
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[thefilmchick]

My entire apartment smells like butterscotch now, thanks to these oatmeal/coconut//butterscotch cookies.
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I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's. His hair was perfect.

[nikkimonique]

I want some!! Thanks for the recipe. I can make them gluten free I think.
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[thefilmchick]

Are you on a diet? If no, please continue.
Do you have any sense of culinary shame? If no, please keep reading.
Do you want to make very possibly the most perfect lazy/hipster dessert in the world? If yes, let me introduce you to...

The chocolate-marshmallow panini. (In honor of my dog, I will also call this 'The Dixie,' because she would have been all over you about this.)

Ingredients for The Dixie:
2 slices of bread
butter
scant handful of semisweet chocolate chips (enough to sprinkle on a sandwich and have it look decent)
chocolate sauce (alt for even more hipster cred: Nutella)
marshmallow fluff
waffle iron

Butter 2 slices of bread. Assemble the logical way, sprinkling the chips between the chocolate sauce/Nutella and marshmallow fluff. Heat for 3-5 minutes (iron dependent) in a well-greased waffle iron/sandwich press, or fry for 2min each side on the stovetop, over low heat. Watch closely or else the chocolate might melt through the bread.

Diet substitutions: No. You are eating a chocolate-marshmallow sandwich. There is no way to make it healthier. I guess you could use wheat bread or something (since I only have that in the house, and it came out fine when I used it) but don't fool yourself into thinking that makes it healthier.

Gluten-free advice: Uh, gluten-free bread? I have no idea if marshmallow fluff has gluten in it. Don't look at me for help on this one.

Atkins exchange: 2 starch, 2,500 (I suspect) fat.

Weight watchers points: 42. I think. I don't know. Again, chocolate-marshmallow sandwich.

Tastes like: Somewhere between a S'mores and a chocolate-filled croissant.

People who would like The Dixie: PMSing women, eight-year-old children, the Stay-Puft marshmallow man, the Nestle Quik bunny, Count Chocula.

People who should avoid The Dixie: Top Chef candidates, people with Michelin stars, other classically-trained chefs, people allergic to chocolate, people allergic to eggs (marshmallow fluff has egg whites), diabetics, people on a diet, people with high cholesterol, most of humanity.

Enjoy!
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I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's. His hair was perfect.