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Rainbow carrots: Ain’t we the craziest?
Wow! It's a double rainbow!
So on impulse I picked up a bag of these at the grocery store last week. They’re not cheap, but they come all peeled and ready to go in a handy little cello pack, so all you have to do is cook them just like regular carrots: steam ’em, roast ’em (olive oil, onions, salt and pepper at 350 for half an hour or so), throw ’em in with your roast chicken. The only way they could be less work is if they cooked and digested themselves. And as an added bonus, when you serve them to guests, you actually look like you know what the hell you’re doing. Very restaurant-y, and they provide a new twist on an old staple. Do they taste any different than regular carrots? Not so’s you’d notice, but one assumes the purple ones have a slightly higher nutritional content, and it makes for a change, so what the hell.
Occupy Breakfast: No more thick cut bacon!
courtesy theprudentendeavor.wordpress.com
When did thin crispy bacon go out of style and, more importantly, WHY ferchrissakes? I really would like an answer.
Let me tell you a little story.
Nuts and bolts, or Chex Party Mix done right
"This Chex Mix is makin' me THIRSTY."
Every family has its Christmas traditions – Rice Crispy treats with red and green sprinkles, Aunt Edna’s fruitcake, sugar cookies shaped like Santa, hot whiskey to take the edge off Christmas morning, festive drives up to Sing Sing to smuggle bring Uncle Mike some holiday cheer, what have you. In my family, Christmas just ain’t Christmas without Grandma Pierce’s nuts and bolts, a riff on Chex Party Mix that takes cocktail snacks to a whole other level.
I have served this at every holiday party I have ever thrown and, let me tell you, it is a proven winner, a real crowd pleaser. Why? It’s crunchy, salty and spicy, which guarantees your party guests will stay good and thirsty and that, my friends, is the key to party success.
Lord love a duck
Perfect for dinner for two!
It’s fowl, but it tastes like steak! Which means that your mammal abstaining dinner guests may eat it, and if they don’t, all the more for you!
Expensive? Yes and no. At around $10 per pound for a breast, duck is far cheaper than a decent cut of beef and only slightly more expensive than organic boneless chicken breasts. Plus, because it’s so rich, one half of a large breast (pictured right here!) easily feeds two healthy adults. I always keep one in the freezer.
Still not sold? I think you’re just a-scared. No need! Cooking duck breasts could not be simpler. Nigella has a nice recipe for gingery duck salad if you’re in the mood for a little spice (especially tasty in summer), but here’s the easiest way I know to prepare duck.
Mother of the Year: Rice pudding
courtesy popularsmokers.com
I’m not one for PTA meetings, and truth be told, whenever the candy/magazine/little crappy knickknack drives are on I just write a check and leave the order form blank. I’ve slept through more holiday pageants than I can remember and once even nodded off during a particularly torturous curriculum night. There is, however, one area of motherhood where I excel; it’s the sick day, with its hot lemonade, pharmacy forays and bland, sugary treats.
So without further ado, here it is: my take on rice pudding the easy way. It has a pleasantly glue-y consistency that the unwell find soothing, can be made from ingredients on hand, and has a binding quality that frequently comes in handy during these little detours from the path of wellness.
Kitchen Slattern 