The Cook's 100: #28 Infused Olive Oil

So all these big fancy gourmet grocery stores sell this nicely packaged infused olive oil, for a lot of money. I don't have extra cash to be spending $15 on a small bottle of garlic rosemary olive oil. I do have a rosemary plant though. Make your own instead. It's quick and more exciting when you make what you like. This recipe is about winging it and using what you have.

• Olive oil, a bit less than will fit in your jar
• Jar with a lid, or one of those fancy oil bottles with the pouring spout
• Funnel or measuring cup with a spout
• Saucepan, or small frying pan
• Infusions, garlic minced, rosemary, thyme, dill, marjoram, dried chili peppers, anything you like.

1. In a frying pan or small sauce pan, over medium heat pour in your olive oil, and add in your infusions.
2. Bring to a high simmer, and simmer for about 5 min
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes
4. Using funnel or measuring cup with a spout, pour into jar or oil bottle
5. Taste it, with a nice crusty bread
6. Make more!

I would make this oil in small batches that you can use within a week or so and keep in the fridge. By heating the oil with the infusions in it, you are also killing off any bacteria, and preventing botulism.

This can also be a nice little quick gift to make too. It took me about 10 minutes start to finish to make this batch.

Baked Mac N Chee, the easy teenage version

Driving home from work the other day all I could think about macaroni and cheese, specifically the baked variety. I had no desire to stop at the store to pick up things to make such a dish. I knew I would be eating macaroni and cheese from the box. But I really wanted the good stuff. I debated in my head, should I stop at the store, but it's 5 o'clock, it'll be a zoo. Ugh! I though about the block of parmigiana cheese in my fridge drawer... 

  When I finally got home, I investigated the contents of the icebox, and found some a block of cheddar, monterey jack, and a small carton of heavy cream. "I will make this work."I said aloud determined. 

Here's how it went down:

1 box of annies naturals mac

plus what the box of macaroni and cheese calls for (milk, butter)

1/4 heavy cream (or milk)

3/4 c shredded cheese i used a mix of motery jack, chedder, and parmgiana

a few spoons of panko

1 tbs butter melted

1. Prepare the boxed macaroni and cheese according to the instructions on the box. 

2. While the macaroni is boiling preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3. After the macaroni is prepared from the box, mix in the heavy cream and shredded cheeses. Then transfer into an oven safe casserole.

4. Sprinkle panko on top of macaroni and top with melted butter. 

5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, or until golden on top and bubbly. You can also broil the casserole on high for a few minutes to get the top nice and golden. 

This came out great, it was exactly what I was craving. My hubs absolutely loved it. Next time I make this I'd like to add some chicken and broccoli to it. 

Stir fried pork in Nom sauce

Since school has been in full swing, the devil, the death of me i've been neglecting cooking, laundry, feeding my husband and myself a proper diet. This week i've had it. Tonight I decided at 11:30pm I needed to get my self in the kitchen and cooking (like a good housewife!) And now at 1:00am i'm going to tell you about it. 

Along with all the other neglect i've been neglecting my bento-ness. And since in my teaching class tomorrow, I will be teaching my class a Japanese lesson on food, and bento I thought I should make one to prepare and not look like a fake!

Lately at school, more specifically in my Japanese class, we've been obessing over lol cats, even more specifically the "noms" that they make. Ie: Anything yummy! 

This sauce= exactly that! 

Pork in Nom Sauce!

This recipe makes one Man sized bento portion.

• 1 porkchop, cut into strips
  
• sesame oil, for cooking

Sauce

• 2 tbsp tamari (soy sauce) , Please buy the legit stuff, read the label if there anything hydrolized put it down. I beg you! That stuff is crap!
• 2 tsp. mirin (aka: sake, cooking wine)
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp or so of light agave nectar or honey. I like the agave better it mixes up nice!

I do this in the big pyrex measuring cup I have. Mix all the ingrediants other than the pork up in the cup bowl what-have-you. Make sure you taste it! Adjust the ratios if need be. I also wing this, and I think you should too. After it's kosher add the pork to the mix, stir up good and find something else to do for 15- 20 min. Heat a smallish skillet up and add about 1 tbsp of sesame oil, let heat up, throw down the pork strips and reserve the marinade on the side. Once I see the white creeping up the side of the pork, I add in the excess marinade, put a lid on it and let it simmer till its cooked all the way through. Only a few minutes or so depending on the thickness of the pork. Remove pork from sauce. 

Optional: You can crank the heat back up on the pan with the remaining sauce to thicken and coat the Noms all over the pork!

NOM!

What's in the Bento?

Clockwise from top left: Basmati rice (from the freezer stash) with edamame, hard boiled egg with nori faces, gyoza (from trader Joe's), pork in Nom sauce, steamed carrots, wax beans & haricots verts in mirin. Packed in DH's 900 ml bento.

Cold Indian Rice Salad

My mother in law is a great cook. Such an inspiration to my culinary adventures. This is a salad that I am addicted to and I can always count on this to be at any BBQ or summer party she is at. A very easy recipe which can also be made in a rice cooker streamline things, has a great combination of spices that are center stage in this salad. It is my all time favorite!

Cold Indian Rice Salad

1 cup brown rice
1 tsp. curry powder
2 whole cinn sticks, broken3 or 4 whole cardamom pods, slightly crushed
2 cups chicken broth (or H2O)
2 TBSP oil
1/2 C raisins
1/2 Cup chopped almonds=toasted is best
1 10 oz. pkg froz peas
1 Cup mayo mixed w/1 or 2 tsp. curry powder (I go for the 2)

A neat trick: To make life easier in hunting down the cardom pods, I take a needle and double thread and sew them together into a ring. I like to make two of them each with half the pods.
Simmer rice & spices in broth w/oil till broth is absorbed, covered, approx 40 min. (I do this in my rice maker, Again use the approriate amount of liquid according to your rice maker.)

Cool and remove cinn sticks & pods (if you can fine them!-I usually end up dumping in big bowl to cool better and search for pods &  sticks.)

When cool, add thawed peas, raisins, & almonds

Mix in mayo mixed w/curry powder. Chill & enjoy!