Potentially Odd

I made it tonight. I feel like doody. I’ve got this funk BabyDaddy brought back from Hotlanta. He also brought back a generous paycheck, but the cold has been here just as long. Bleh.

Sickly Tomato Soup

1 large can Campbell’s Tomato soup (gross)

1 c orzo

dried oregano

*smoked paprika

salt

1 can evaporated milk

**Robitussin DM

Cook pasta in boiling salted water for 6 minutes. Drain out half of the water. Add the “soup” concentrate, shudder, and stir. Add herb, *fancy, schmancy spice, and can o milk (because your milk is now a green planet.) Drink water and chase with Recommended Dose of **Robitussin more water. Stir. Serve. Sleep and pee. Blurg.

BabyDaddy and I scored some excellent, fresh lady peas from the green grocer yesterday. We also got baby sweet potatoes and the Best Tomatoes In The History of Man. Here’s what I do with super fresh lady peas (my favorite cowpea variety):

Fresh Lady/Purple Hull/Cow/Black-eyed Pea:

Legumes

Water to cover

Salt to taste

Wash peas and remove leaves and strings and shell fragments (It ain’t Grammaw pickin’ them clean anymore, kids. Machines can now sit on the glider on the front porch in the heat.) Cover peas with water by one inch. Add one tsp of salt per inch of water. Bring to a boil. Test after 10 minutes. Fresh peas are done when there is a bit of resistance to the tooth and a slight grassy flavor in the end product. Serve with cornbread/biscuits, butter, and hot sauce. Greens and sliced garden tomatoes are mandatory.

You are now a Southerner. Congratulations. Now go support the Dixie Chicks. Sketchy LOVES them.

I made this tonight. It was not a total success. I think it would be in a rice cooker.

Much Lazier and It’s From a Can Enchilada Sauce Rice

1 c mild red enchilada sauce

1 c white rice

1 c water

2 tbs oil

Warm the oil in a skillet. Add the rice. Stir to cook a bit and then add water and then sauce when you can smell the rice toasting. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 10 minutes, covered. Add 2 parts water for 1 part sauce to the mix if you need to. Cook for 10 more minutes, adding water and sauce, until cooked.

This never cooked fully for me.

What I will do next time? Cook the rice in the rice cooker with the same 2 parts water to one part sauce plus salt.

I will update! (Because we celebrate the failures here too!)

Canned tuna was on double deep discount this week so BabyDaddy and I stocked up. As I adore the Sabra brand Tuna Salad (and hummus - oh joy! the hummus), I decided to try to fool around with my basic Tuna Salad recipe. I don’t like it very much, but it will suffice when time and funds demand.

Old Skool Tuna Salad

2 cans tuna in water, dranied

1 big spoon mayo

1 big spoon sweet relish

salt

Mix. Die of boredom.

Now, my recent jaunt to the Mediterranean has caused me to try a radical thought - lemon juice and tahini in tuna. I also added some salt, some mayo, and a sprinkling of my secret shame, my secret love - smoked paprika.

Not quite there yet. It still needs something. Mostly something sweet to balance out the rest of the flavors. I’m not sure if this will involve sweet pickle relish or not, but I’ll keep trying until I realize canned tuna is a horror that cannot be saved. I PROMISE.

I knew I could make this at home. I was afraid of killing us all, but I got over that hurdle with the help of my Culinary Hypnotherapist, Larry. Do not make this if you don’t have a good juicing apparatus. The Recipe’s just adore the Black & Decker Citrus Mate Plus . RockStar uses it every damn day.

Anyway!

Shrimp and Whitefish Ceviche

1 lb peeled raw shrimp

1 fillet tilapia or other white fish (NOT CATFISH!)

3 limes, juiced

1 lemon, juiced

1 onion, finely diced

1/2 c tomatoes, finely diced (I use grape or currant tomatoes)

1/2 c cilantro, chopped

salt to taste

Chop raw shrimp into bite size chunks. Do the same with the fish. Add the citrus juice to the fish and shrimp and let sit for 5 minutes. Add additional ingredients. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Taste for seasonings and serve with tortilla chips, hot sauce, sliced avocados, and extra sliced onion and tomatoes.

Keeps in fridge for 3 days, covered.

This recipe is rated HOLY COW!