Sunday Review: Tried something new last week

Jamál (Beauty), 4 Kamál (Perfection), 170 BE - Sunday, August 4, 2013 about 9:37 AM Pacific Daylight Time

I tried something new last week, I used a packaged dressing and seasoning mix to make a spread for my sandwiches. A week or so ago, when I picked up some food supplies at one of the churches which gives away free food, I received two packages of garlic and herb packaged dressing mix. At the time, I did not know what I was going to do with the mix.

On Friday, August 2, I went to the store to pick up some food supplies and use some coupons that were on the verge of expiring. One of the coupons was for two jars of mayonnaise, so I bought them. On Saturday, I mixed the garlic and herb seasoning with the mayonnaise. The mixture tastes good when spread on bread with an egg. The mayonnaise gives the garlic and herbs an intriguing flavor. I am still experimenting with this mixture so I do not have a specific recipe yet.

That is the only thing new I tried last week. I like to attempt something new each week even if the only thing I do is cook something different. I  have a dish of pasta in the refrigerator that I cooked on Thursday. I still have a package of the herb and garlic seasoning, so I think I will try the mayonnaise mixture on the pasta because I think it would make a great dressing for a pasta salad.

I do not like cooking for just myself

Istijlál (Majesty), 2 Kamál (Perfection), 169 BE – Thursday, August 2, 2012 about 6:30 PM Pacific Time

I don’t like cooking just for myself and that is what I do five days a week. Mom goes to the daycare center Monday through Friday and she gets two or three meals a day there, when she comes home in the evening there is someone else to fix a small meal for her. Mom has evening meds to take and so she has to eat something.

I cook for myself five days a week. The problem is that I don’t fix a balanced meal just for me. I have tried frozen dinners and they don’t satisfy me; perhaps I need to try larger frozen meals instead of the one I am buying. I get hungry in the evening. I think I will fix myself a salad and eat that this evening. Perhaps that will satisfy me. A salad is easy to fix and I don’t have to warm it up in the microwave.

On weekends, when Mom is home I fix a balanced meal because Mom needs to eat. I eat balanced meals on the weekends and that seems to satisfy me, I have to start fixing myself balanced meals during the week.

Recipe of the Week: Old spices versus new spices

Jamál (Beauty), 10 ‘Alá (Loftiness), 168 BE – Sunday, March 11, 2012 about 11:40 AM Pacific Time

I need to restock the spices in my pantry. I cleaned out the cupboard, which contain the spices and found several containers half full different spices. I cleaned that cupboard out sometime in 2010 or 2011, I cannot remember exact year. I set the container on the kitchen counter next to the cook top.

I moved them because they were not easily accessible and I did not know the spices I already had on hand. They have sat in the heat and light since I moved them and that is not how they are supposed to be stored. I know they were sitting in the original cupboard for more then six months.

I know spices lose potency as the age and that certain of the seeds become rancid. As much as I dislike throwing the spices, I have out, they have probably lost their potency and the recipe would not taste the way it should. Therefore, I have to throw them out and get fresh spices.  When I buy the new spices, I will get the smallest container available. That way I will use them quickly and they will not sit in my pantry for months or years.

Recipe of the Week: I bought a new cookbook

Jamál (Beauty), 18 Sultán (Sovereignty), 168 BE – Sunday, February 5, 2012 about 11:10 AM Pacific Time

I bought a new cookbook a couple of weeks ago, Once-A-Month Cooking by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Largerborg. The book contains instructions about cooking enough meals to last once a month or two weeks at a time. I am beginning with the two weeks instructions and work from there.

I like to cook and normally do not mind spending time in the kitchen; however, taking care of Mom and doing housework takes a great deal of time and energy. I can find the time, but energy is the problem now. Maybe I need to eat better or there could be something else wrong. I will have to discuss this with my doctor at my next appointment.

Before I start cooking, I have to check my pantry and make a grocery list. Then I can begin fixing meals for two weeks at a time. I am looking forward to making something new. I am looking forward to the excitement and adventure of try new recipes and doing something new.

My Mother’s Gelatin Fruit Salad

Fidál (Grace), 9 Kamál (Perfection), 167 BE – Tuesday, August 9, 2011 about 9:55 AM Pacific Time

I made Mom’s gelatin fruit salad last night. I had two 15 oz. cans of mixed fruit in the cupboard, so I need only the gelatin to make the salad. When I went to Smith’s Food and Drug store last week, I bought four 0.3 oz. packages of flavored gelatin, two raspberry flavored and two cherry flavored.

Last night, I boiled some water and mixed the raspberry gelatin. I used two cups of boiling water, one cup per package and dissolved the gelatin. After dissolving the gelatin, I mixed one cup of juice from the mixed fruit and one cup of cold water. I then added the 15 oz. of mixed fruit and put the dish in the refrigerator. When Mom returns home this afternoon, I will fix her a dish for her supper.

I made Jell-O Salad this morning

Jalál (Glory), 5 Sultán (Sovereignty), 166 BE – Saturday, January 23, 2010 about 9:14 AM Pacific Time

I had two boxes of Jell-O (Strawberry and Black Cherry) and two cans of mixed fruit in the cupboard. I made hot water in the drip coffee maker and then mixed the boxes of Jell-O together. Next I opened both cans of fruit and put them in the dish of Jell-O. I am now waiting for it to set.

I don't think I put too much liquid, but I'm not going to worry about it. When I make this specific salad my problem is not enough liquid. I measure as best I can with the equipment I have. The only measuring instrument I can find is the glass cup that holds four cups.

Spanish rice is on the menu today

Jalál (Glory), 10 Sharaf (Honor), 166 BE – Saturday, January 09, 2010 about 10:43 AM Pacific Time

Grandma Newland made Spanish rice. Grandma's recipe was a little different then the recipe I use. Grandma made it with rice, ground beef, and tomato sauce. I make my recipe with rice, salsa seasoning, ground beef, and Salsa Verde (green salsa).

I cook the rice first by mixing the salsa seasoning in the water with a little vegetable oil. After the rice is done, then I cook the ground beef. The last thing I do is mix the rice and ground beef together with the Salsa Verde. You let that heat for a few minutes and the Spanish rice is ready to eat.

Creative Cooking in Winter

Istiqlál (Independence), 17 Sharaf (Honor), 165 BE – Friday, January 16, 2009 about 5:22 AM Pacific Time

I have a cupboard full of spices in jars that I never use. I am not sure how old they are, but I do know they have been there at least four years perhaps longer. I am going to have to throw them out because they are not any good any more. I suppose I could look at the sell by date or the use by date; however, that is only going to confirm what I already know.

I use spices; I just use the prepackaged spices. Yesterday I made macaroni and I used the beef stew spice package to season it. Before my brother and his wife went back to Colorado last year, they brought us a bunch of prepackaged spices. I have used those and I am almost out of prepackaged spice, so I am going to have to put those on the grocery list the next time I go to the store.

My grandmother never used prepackaged spices, actually I do not think they had them when I was growing up. Grandma used spices from the jars or fresh spices, but never the prepackaged. In one way, I am like my grandmother when it comes to cooking because I normally do not follow a recipe. That is why I like the prepackaged spices. I can dump the package into the food I am cooking without measuring any spices.

I will have to post some of my recipes because I usually make things in a slow cooker or in a microwave. Since neither the stovetop nor the oven work, those are the only appliances that I use regularly. Sometimes I use an electric skillet, but even then I use the spice packages.

My Grandmother made whipped cream from scratch

Kamál (Perfection), 2 Kalimat (Words), 165 BE – Monday, July 14, 2008 about 6:14 AM PDT

I attended the Feast of Kalimat (Words) yesterday at 7:00 PM. The lady who served refreshments made cake and whipped cream from scratch. I watched her pour the heavy cream into a bowl and then put in vanilla and sugar. After that she took out an electric hand mixer, plugged it in and whipped the cream. When the cream was whipped, we put it on a cake she made from scratch.

This brought back memories of my Grandma Newland, who made whipped cream from scratch. To this day, I can remember Grandma making whipped cream. She did not use an electric mixer though (at least, not in the memories I have). Grandma used an old fashion hand mixer and turned a handle by hand to whip the cream.

I could probably make whipped cream, if I had the proper equipment. Actually, I may have an old fashion hand mixer in a drawer in the kitchen I will have to check. I know I do not have an electric mixer, at least I do not think I do. I have not seen an electric mixer in this house since we moved in. If we have one, I have put it away where I cannot find it.

An electric hand mixer would be nice; when I make cakes, I use a mix and bake the cake in a Microwave oven. All right, my grandmother might find it odd, but on the other hand she could just as easily attempt it.

Grandma used all the modern connivances she could get. My grandfather would buy her anything she wanted. He would buy her modern connivances even when she did not ask for them. Grandpa always wanted the latest technology and gadgets.