Disappointing Recipes

I dont know if anything is as disappointing as a recipe that fails. There's the buildup of what you want to cook, the collecting of the ingredients, and then the hard work that goes into preparing a meal. And when all of this leads to something not as edible as you hoped, you have nothing remaining but wasted time and disappointment.

My girlfriend has left for Peru with her family for the holidays and will be gone until New Years has passed. So before she left, we tried to celebrate Christmas, Boxing Day and New Years all in a single day. It was very successful! The only sad thing... was this soup I had planned to cook for lunch.

I had been eyeing this soup for awhile in one of my cookbooks. The ingredients sounded amazing, the picture got my stomach rumbling and it even the story that went along with it inspired me! It took some time to get myself organized and assemble the ingredients, so I was excited when I had an occasion to create a dish!

As it was a soup, it had to sit for awhile and simmer, supposedly allowing the flavours to mellow and to collect themselves. And even despite the awesomeness of the ingredients, and the great smell that it made... the taste was lacking. There wasn't anything to it at all!

This post is merely the ranting of a foodie that experienced something akin to a disaster in the kitchen, and felt the need to whine about it. So dear readers, my sympathies go to those that have experienced the same sort of letdown. And lets hope that nothing like that occurs during your own holidays! Good luck to everyone!

Root Beer Floats

Okay, so it isn't Christmas. And this has absolutely nothing to do with the holidays. Its just a tasty drink that I had a thirst for and decided to have. Why the heck dont people do that more often? Have some great steak in the middle of winter? Hot turkey dinner in the middle of the summer? Why can't we just enjoy the meals that we like whenever we want?

The Root beer Float is a drink that belongs in the summer, but tastes great anytime of the year! Its a good treat to have every now and again! Im not a big soda fan, but this is one of the best ways to enjoy it! So for a couple of minutes, I was able to enjoy a nice frosted float, even when wearing a thick wool sweater!

I haven't had many chances to write this December. My girlfriend and I are busy house/dog sitting and I have been away from my own kitchen. Living in someone else's house is a great novelty at the beginning, but now I just miss my own place. Especially my own kitchen! We had so much great counter and cupboard space that I didn't even notice! This current kitchen is a bit more cramped, with only one usable counter thats already cluttered with family items.

I suppose its easy for me to criticize as I dont have to worry about kids and pets! But I do know that when I have to start house-shopping, a big kitchen is going on the must have list!


Root beer Floats

Root beer
Ice Cream

Place a couple of scoops of ice cream in a large mug and then gently cover with fresh root beer. Let the bubbles subside (Or sip them off) before adding in some more. Eat the ice cream with a spoon and drink the remainder! 

Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole

This opening paragraph is a warning about what you are about to read. It may strongly turn you off of the recipe I am writing about. However, do not let this deter you. This is still a good recipe and it may even become one of your favourites. Its easy and tasty, and heck, it does look good. So just give it a shot and ignore my own writings!

I used to hate this recipe. With a passion. I mean, broccoli and cauliflower? It was a recipe destined to be hated by any child. I never really had much of a chance to avoid this recipe growing up, as everyone else in the world around me seemed to love it. Anytime a ham dinner made an appearance, so did the casserole. It was a family favourite, a friend's favourite, and I never stood a chance.

I always tried to avoid this dish, but it always somehow got added to my plate. A little scoop there, a spoonful there. It would either get mixed in with the stuffing or the potatoes and I would have to try some. Just... wasn't my favourite.

It all started with the croutons on top. Crunchy and flavourful, it was a good way to disguise the vegetables underneath. I would deliberately eat the top of the casserole and ignore the rest, something that started to annoy my family when one of their choice ingredients started to disappear.

I went away to university and things were well. No casserole.  And I even... started to miss it. But even when I went home and the dish would make a reappearance, I couldn't bring myself to really like it. The next step of my downfall was the cauliflower. I have always preferred to to the broccoli, and it just became a great compliment to the croutons. And with scalpel-like precision, I could easily separate the broccoli and enjoy the rest.

And finally... six years after completely moving out the the house. I missed the dish enough that I had to make it for myself. Of course it doesn't help that my mom helped to convert my girlfriend who started to request the recipe... Perhaps that was my final undoing. .

I still cringe a little with the broccoli, but I now manage to finish everything on my plate. Just like a good boy! In any case, I hope that my earlier writings didn't scare you all off! And despite my earlier misgivings, this recipe is an OK one in my book.


Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole

Broccoli - 1 head
Cauliflower -  1 head
Celery - 2 stalks
Mushroom Soup - 2 cans
Sour Cream - 1 large container (500ml)
Cheddar Cheese - About 2 cups, grated
Salt and Pepper
Croutons

Trim the Broccoli and Cauliflower heads nicely. Steam the tops until crisp.

Meanwhile, cut up the celery into small bite size pieces and add to a separate bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients except the croutons and stir in well.

Put the broccoli and cauliflower tops into a large casserole dish. Spread the remaining ingredients over the top. You dont need to stir it all in as it will settle on its own. Sprinkle the croutons over the top. I like to put on a lot as it still is my favourite part.

Bake at 375 for about 30-40 minutes. It should be all bubbly around the edges. Enjoy.

Tuna Melt Sandwiches

Need a quick and delicious lunch? A tuna melt masters simple ingredients for a delicious and tasty meal. It seems to be one of those easy recipes that a cook can learn fairly fast, but it can have many variations before you find the one for you.

Everyone has different ways to eat a tuna melt. Tons of different ingredients can be thrown inside and completely change the composition of your sandwich. It could be open faced or closed, with pickles or salsa, hot sauce or mustard. Even the cheese itself can twist the flavour. Mozzarella never seems to work for me the same way that cheddar does. Red onions taste better than yellow. And I had found a recipe that went with rosemary bread that simply blew my mind. 

So really, even when I supply a recipe with my recommendations for a tuna melt, how you make yours can be completely different from my own ideas. I know that mine do change with whatever ingredients I have lying around. Regardless, this is today's version of the Tuna melt.


Tuna Melts

Tuna - one 15oz can, drained
Mayo - 2-3 tbsps
Green Onions - 2 stocks finely chopped
Tabasco - a dash
Bread - 4 slices
Cheddar Cheese - grated - about a cup

In a large bowl, mix together the tuna, mayo, green onions and tabasco. I like to used a fork and mash it all together. Scoop out the tuna mixture and place on the bread. Cover with the grated cheese.

Toast in the oven under the broiler for about five minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve with pickles and a large glass of milk and you have a great tasting lunch! Simple and easy, but a great tasting classic that everyone should try at least once.