I recently discovered Roger Ebert's blog, and while I may not always agree with his movie criticisms, I do enjoy his writing.
He wrote a great ode to the rice cooker, which inspired me to dig out my own rice cooker and try to cook rice with it again. I think Zojirushi is a good brand, although I've never owned a rice cooker made by them. I also have, until recently, always made rice disasters from the various rice cookers I've owned throughout the years, and usually made rice in a pot on the stove when the occasion called for it.
My mom made soy eggs for me when I was growing up, and they were always one of the mysterious Taiwanese snacks that had no formal name. When I was in Taiwan last year I embarrassed myself by mispronouncing the Chinese term (apparently I said "street lamp" instead), and for the rest of the trip was reluctant to speak in Chinese.
You can also throw a small roast, tofu, and/or root vegetables in the soy stew, for a well rounded meal. Serve with rice.
Soy Eggs (adapted from "Soy-Stewed Beef Over Rice" in Chinese One Dish Meals)
1/2 c. soy sauce
1 T. sugar
1/4 tsp. whole peppercorns
6 hard boiled eggs
1 lb pork roast
Find your small crockpot. Put everything in the pot and cover with water. Let slow-cook at least 6-8 hours. You should have enough in here for three meals. Serve over rice.
You can add some green onion or ginger root as well for a more complex flavor.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Dinner For 1 - Salmon Salad
CostCo has these frozen salmon fillets. Get some. They make cooking dinner so much easier. The fillets are individually wrapped and can be defrosted under a running tap for 15 minutes. Remove the fillet from the package and pat dry with a paper towel.
I bake mine at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, but they can just as easily be grilled or pan-fried. I tend to just season the fillets with salt and pepper, but they could be easily dressed up.
Prepackaged salad is easy and keeps for a few days, although I've heard if you take care of whole lettuce right it's a bit cheaper. I don't eat much salad, so I usually get something like the Spring Mix. Adding chopped parsley or other herbs makes it interesting. I like tossing my salad with a handful of dried cranberries or chopped nectarine (when it's in season).
Because I don't eat much salad, I tend to not have salad dressing at home. I make a vinaigrette with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, although I've also made one with lemon juice and olive oil.
Assemble the salad, then top with the cooked salmon fillet. Tonight I also have a side of macaroni and cheese, which I'll cover in a different post.
I bake mine at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, but they can just as easily be grilled or pan-fried. I tend to just season the fillets with salt and pepper, but they could be easily dressed up.
Prepackaged salad is easy and keeps for a few days, although I've heard if you take care of whole lettuce right it's a bit cheaper. I don't eat much salad, so I usually get something like the Spring Mix. Adding chopped parsley or other herbs makes it interesting. I like tossing my salad with a handful of dried cranberries or chopped nectarine (when it's in season).
Because I don't eat much salad, I tend to not have salad dressing at home. I make a vinaigrette with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, although I've also made one with lemon juice and olive oil.
Assemble the salad, then top with the cooked salmon fillet. Tonight I also have a side of macaroni and cheese, which I'll cover in a different post.
Friday, January 09, 2009
Movie Review - Gran Torino
Gran Torino is a Clint Eastwood movie, in the sense that Dirty Harry is a Clint Eastwood movie, or the spaghetti westerns. More so than in Unforgiven, his character in his latest film embodies the anti-hero we expect Clint Eastwood characters to be.
Clint Eastwood plays Walt, a widower who is estranged from his sons and seems to still be fighting the Korean War. His neighborhood's demographic has slowly changed from Caucasian to Hmong, yet Walt refuses to move from the house he's lived in for so many years. He seems healthy enough to maintain the house on his own, and is repulsed when his son and daughter-in-law suggest he check into a retirement "resort". Walt prefers spending his days sitting on his porch with his dog Daisy, drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon and enjoying either a cigarette or mouthful of chew. He also seems to have a epithet or two for everyone, and doesn't mind stringing them together creatively.
Over time, Walt befriends his Hmong neighbors, Sue (Ahney Her) and Thao (Bee Vang), taking Thao under his wing to show him what it means to be a "real man". This includes a hilarious scene in a barber shop, where Walt tries to teach Thao how to "talk like a man". While a few critics have complained that this scene feels contrived, I have to disagree. Walt knows of no other way to establish intimacy with other people. He doesn't respect people unless they sass him back. I wouldn't say Walt is racist, but misunderstood (not to mention he misunderstands people as well).
I was somewhat unsatisfied by the ending. However, I believe that there was no other way for the film to end. Even though it is disappointing, it is the most realistic outcome of the situation.
The cinematography is excellent. I particularly liked the lighting in this film.
Overall, I enjoyed the film immensely, but I don't think it would be enjoyable for everyone. If you want to see a new Clint Eastwood film, starring Clint Eastwood, I think you would enjoy this.
Clint Eastwood plays Walt, a widower who is estranged from his sons and seems to still be fighting the Korean War. His neighborhood's demographic has slowly changed from Caucasian to Hmong, yet Walt refuses to move from the house he's lived in for so many years. He seems healthy enough to maintain the house on his own, and is repulsed when his son and daughter-in-law suggest he check into a retirement "resort". Walt prefers spending his days sitting on his porch with his dog Daisy, drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon and enjoying either a cigarette or mouthful of chew. He also seems to have a epithet or two for everyone, and doesn't mind stringing them together creatively.
Over time, Walt befriends his Hmong neighbors, Sue (Ahney Her) and Thao (Bee Vang), taking Thao under his wing to show him what it means to be a "real man". This includes a hilarious scene in a barber shop, where Walt tries to teach Thao how to "talk like a man". While a few critics have complained that this scene feels contrived, I have to disagree. Walt knows of no other way to establish intimacy with other people. He doesn't respect people unless they sass him back. I wouldn't say Walt is racist, but misunderstood (not to mention he misunderstands people as well).
I was somewhat unsatisfied by the ending. However, I believe that there was no other way for the film to end. Even though it is disappointing, it is the most realistic outcome of the situation.
The cinematography is excellent. I particularly liked the lighting in this film.
Overall, I enjoyed the film immensely, but I don't think it would be enjoyable for everyone. If you want to see a new Clint Eastwood film, starring Clint Eastwood, I think you would enjoy this.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
I Cut Up My First Chicken Today
It was a learning experience. No, I didn't take photos. I was too busy making puzzled, frustrated faces. It wasn't bad until I had to figure out how to get the backbone out, and split the two breasts from each other.
Don't laugh. I bet it was difficult your first time too.
There were crunchy sounds, which I expected but didn't know how bad it would really be. And there was some, "How the hell?!?" going on too.
I consulted Cooking For Engineers. The pictures were helpful. GourmetSleuth was helpful too, but I was stuck at step 5 and couldn't figure it out between the photos, the description, and what I had sitting in front of me.
I screwed up when I cut the one thigh away and accidentally cut into the breast. Good thing I'll probably be the one eating it.
I was supposed to cut up two chickens tonight but I think I'll do the other one tomorrow. This was enough of a learning experience for me.
My two rays of enlightenment:
1) Use kitchen sheers to remove the backbone. It's the best way.
2) When you get stuck with the two breasts, just cut right through. Don't try to figure out why there's a weird 3-d puzzle somewhere in all of those ribs and meat. Just cut it in half, clean everything up, and call it good.
Don't laugh. I bet it was difficult your first time too.
There were crunchy sounds, which I expected but didn't know how bad it would really be. And there was some, "How the hell?!?" going on too.
I consulted Cooking For Engineers. The pictures were helpful. GourmetSleuth was helpful too, but I was stuck at step 5 and couldn't figure it out between the photos, the description, and what I had sitting in front of me.
I screwed up when I cut the one thigh away and accidentally cut into the breast. Good thing I'll probably be the one eating it.
I was supposed to cut up two chickens tonight but I think I'll do the other one tomorrow. This was enough of a learning experience for me.
My two rays of enlightenment:
1) Use kitchen sheers to remove the backbone. It's the best way.
2) When you get stuck with the two breasts, just cut right through. Don't try to figure out why there's a weird 3-d puzzle somewhere in all of those ribs and meat. Just cut it in half, clean everything up, and call it good.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Dinner For 1 - Chili
Oh no, I thought. I was late getting out of CostCo and the chili would have been in the crock-pot for almost 11 hours by the time I got home. I was worried the chili would be ruined.
On the other hand, if I did ruin the chili I did have this massive pizza I could cut a slice out of and bake. My mom gave me this idea of buying a CostCo take-n-bake pizza, slicing it, and freezing individual slices to bake whenever I felt the craving.
No, I didn't ruin the chili. It actually didn't turn out too bad. A bit mild, for my taste, but I can just add more spice the next time I make it.
1) In the morning, before you go to work, take out the half pound of browned ground beef from last night. Put that in your small (1-1/2 quart) crock-pot with 2/3 can of pinto beans (mash the rest with some garlic and olive oil - or bacon grease - and heat for refried beans later), 2/3 can of diced tomatoes, and half a can of tomato sauce. No, I don't know what to do with the tomatoes. Make more marinara, I suppose.
2) Add some chopped onion and chili pepper. I used one serrano without the seeds. I might add the seeds next time. Add a TB of chili powder, 1/2 tsp of oregano, and 1/4 tsp of cumin. Add some garlic powder if you don't want to mince a clove, and salt and pepper to taste.
3) Wait between 6-8 hours. Obviously, this is an estimate, because it was almost 11 hours before I was able to get home and try the chili out.
4) Eat. Top with more chopped onion or grated cheese if you like.
On the other hand, if I did ruin the chili I did have this massive pizza I could cut a slice out of and bake. My mom gave me this idea of buying a CostCo take-n-bake pizza, slicing it, and freezing individual slices to bake whenever I felt the craving.
No, I didn't ruin the chili. It actually didn't turn out too bad. A bit mild, for my taste, but I can just add more spice the next time I make it.
1) In the morning, before you go to work, take out the half pound of browned ground beef from last night. Put that in your small (1-1/2 quart) crock-pot with 2/3 can of pinto beans (mash the rest with some garlic and olive oil - or bacon grease - and heat for refried beans later), 2/3 can of diced tomatoes, and half a can of tomato sauce. No, I don't know what to do with the tomatoes. Make more marinara, I suppose.
2) Add some chopped onion and chili pepper. I used one serrano without the seeds. I might add the seeds next time. Add a TB of chili powder, 1/2 tsp of oregano, and 1/4 tsp of cumin. Add some garlic powder if you don't want to mince a clove, and salt and pepper to taste.
3) Wait between 6-8 hours. Obviously, this is an estimate, because it was almost 11 hours before I was able to get home and try the chili out.
4) Eat. Top with more chopped onion or grated cheese if you like.
Monday, January 05, 2009
Movie Review - The Reader
The Reader is, at times, not an easy film to watch. While graphic in some ways, the real horror in the film is described only in a courtroom, where it has been sanitized and dehorrorized.
In so many ways, you empathize with these terribly broken people. Why are we so fascinated with WWII and the Nazis? Why are there so many Holocaust films? Because, as the protagonist Michael Berg (David Kross) exasperates, we are trying to understand.
Kate Winslet pulls a stunning performance (as to Kross and Ralph Finnes). Her character is a sympathetic one, but at the same time her actions are inexcusable. Her illiteracy parallels our lack of understanding the Holocaust, how something so evil could have been allowed to happen.
The film is brilliant. It is not just about the Holocaust, about what one woman does to contain her secret, but it is also about human nature, and how what shaped other people shapes ourselves.
In so many ways, you empathize with these terribly broken people. Why are we so fascinated with WWII and the Nazis? Why are there so many Holocaust films? Because, as the protagonist Michael Berg (David Kross) exasperates, we are trying to understand.
Kate Winslet pulls a stunning performance (as to Kross and Ralph Finnes). Her character is a sympathetic one, but at the same time her actions are inexcusable. Her illiteracy parallels our lack of understanding the Holocaust, how something so evil could have been allowed to happen.
The film is brilliant. It is not just about the Holocaust, about what one woman does to contain her secret, but it is also about human nature, and how what shaped other people shapes ourselves.
Dinner For 1 - Spaghetti
I decided, as a belated New Year's resolution, that I would cook more and waste less food. I predict it will take me less than six weeks to throw my resolution right out the window and go back to being the "old me".
And yet, I made a meal plan for all my dinners (and subsequent lunches) this week, and I intend to stick to it.
Spaghetti can be amazingly simple, and if you're really put together you can make it in about a half hour.
1) Brown 1 lb of meat. Spoon half of it into a bowl for tomorrow's crock-pot chili. If you have your act together you can add some minced onion to the mix.
2) Add a can of tomato sauce and whatever herbs and spices you like. I use basil, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a bay leaf. I also glugged a bit of wine into my sauce tonight (Francis Coppola Siraz, although I think I like his Cabernet better).
3) While the sauce is simmering, cook up your noodles. One quick-and-dirty way to do this is to get something like the Pampered Chef Micro Cooker and fill it halfway with water. Microwave it for 3 minutes or so to heat the water, then take 3 oz. ("fist and a half") of spaghetti (I used whole wheat tonight), break it in half, and put them in the water. Then microwave that for however long it says to boil the noodles. I think I microwaved mine for 8 minutes or so.
4) Drain the noodles. Put half of the noodles in a bowl, top with sauce and Parmesan, and eat.
The other half of the noodles and sauce is for lunch tomorrow. Sit the stuff aside to cool, then throw it together in a container to take to work.
Tomorrow morning I will put together my chili in my crock-pot, and when I get home from work I will have something good to eat.
And yet, I made a meal plan for all my dinners (and subsequent lunches) this week, and I intend to stick to it.
Spaghetti can be amazingly simple, and if you're really put together you can make it in about a half hour.
1) Brown 1 lb of meat. Spoon half of it into a bowl for tomorrow's crock-pot chili. If you have your act together you can add some minced onion to the mix.
2) Add a can of tomato sauce and whatever herbs and spices you like. I use basil, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a bay leaf. I also glugged a bit of wine into my sauce tonight (Francis Coppola Siraz, although I think I like his Cabernet better).
3) While the sauce is simmering, cook up your noodles. One quick-and-dirty way to do this is to get something like the Pampered Chef Micro Cooker and fill it halfway with water. Microwave it for 3 minutes or so to heat the water, then take 3 oz. ("fist and a half") of spaghetti (I used whole wheat tonight), break it in half, and put them in the water. Then microwave that for however long it says to boil the noodles. I think I microwaved mine for 8 minutes or so.
4) Drain the noodles. Put half of the noodles in a bowl, top with sauce and Parmesan, and eat.
The other half of the noodles and sauce is for lunch tomorrow. Sit the stuff aside to cool, then throw it together in a container to take to work.
Tomorrow morning I will put together my chili in my crock-pot, and when I get home from work I will have something good to eat.
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