Shrimp Tacos

Target Audience

A few months ago my husband asked me who the target audience was for this blog. I explained it was for those who are less likely to ever open a cookbook when they are hungry. It is for those who think that preparing a meal is something that should take little time, and less effort. It is for those who are drawn to the kitchen for the possibilities, and not for the creative hour they may invest. It is for simplicity, not complexity. It is meant to make cooking look easy without math and measurement, and without lengthy lists of ingredients.

I didn't say so at the time, but I guess what I am saying, dear, is that this blog is really for you. It is to help you see that it is possible to make something lovely to eat without taking much time at all! It's a place I can put easy meals that you can make if anything ever happens to me, so you won't wonder how you can make this or that.

His response: "Oh, so it isn't for somebody like Sue S___."

No, it isn't for Sue. It's really for you.

ZZZZucchini!

Tonight after working out, I didn't feel much like cooking, so I tossed together something on the five minute quick side. Thanks to my good friend who helped me find a julienner last year, I whipped up a quick low-carb version of an Eastern Indian dish.

Zucchini noodles topped with Tikka Marsala sauce - a spicy and low cal way to pound some curry!

A Bit of Cooking Philosophy - la-de-da

When we were very young, my mom bought us a cookbook. After a while, we memorized the recipes, so we often didn't even need to open it. When I was 6 or 7, she gave us a pound of meat and let us loose on the spice rack. I think this is where I really started to learn which flavors worked well. Today, I rarely pull out a cookbook. Sure, there are some things that require specific chemical reactions through measurement, like baking, but much of cooking is knowing what mixes well with something else. It's a creative realm. You have to know your flavors and spices. Do you want a savory dish? Vinegar, garlic, onion, savory, sage, coriander... You want a sweet dish? Tarragon, basil, ginger, thyme... Rosemary can go either way.

Salt is NOT, I repeat, NOT!!! a seasoning. It is a flavor enhancer. First get the dish to taste like you want it to taste, and THEN add a small amount of salt to bring out those flavors. Sugar works the same way. Sometimes you have to work in the opposite direction to pop flavors. Vinegar or a bit of salt can make things sweeter than sugar alone can make. If you want to make a dish that tastes like a dessert, add the cookie foundation: brown sugar, eggs, butter, flour. You can puree or shred almost any vegetable, add these ingredients in the right amounts, and have a crowd go crazy.

It's like frying foods. You can fry a tennis shoe and it will taste good! A tablespoon of olive oil tossed with almost any veggie and broiled is AMAZING! You just have to know what will maximize the flavors you need, and suddenly you don't have to add a bunch of junk to make something taste better. Most foods have a really spectacular taste all on their own, if you know how to draw it out. Steaming, broiling are great ways to do this. Boiling is not a great way to do this. Boiling is for bagels and pork ribs and hard boiled eggs. Very few foods are improved through boiling.

Rue La-La

I learned how to make a rue at age 15. Everyone needs to know how to make a rue, don't you think? That way, you don't have to rely on those cream-o-whatever soups to make a creamy-based dish (soups, chowders, sauces, meat or veggie pie fillings, etc.). I know I normally don't include a lot of words here, but a rue is a foundational piece of cooking. The key to creamy dishes is they don't have to be fattening if you make them right.

You do begin with a little butter, but you really only need maybe a tablespoon for the entire dish. You could also use olive oil or something similar. Substitutes that have a little fat in them work also.

Over medium-on-the-slightly-low-side heat, grab a pan or pot to make the rue, and heat the butter or oil.

Next sprinkle in about a Tbsp of whole wheat pastry flour (white works also), and stir with a spoon until it is mixed.

You may need to add a little more flour, but you are looking for a smooth pasty consistency, like a very thin dough (see pic).

Here is where the magic begins. Right away, add about 1/2-1 cup of milk, but don't stir yet. Let the milk warm up a bit, maybe for 45 seconds, and start to bubble a little, and then use a whisk to mix the flour/butter mixture into the milk.

Did I mention you have to stand there the whole time? This isn't a step away creation. The milk scalds (burns to the bottom of the pan) easily, and if you do this right, it shouldn't take long, but requires persistence. If it scalds, you will know. It smells burnt, but try not to let it happen in the first place, by stirring the bottom of the pan frequently.

You can see here that I start with regular fat free milk, but end with fat free canned milk. Either will work fine. Canned milk is creamier and has a sweeter taste.

Those flecks in the whisked stuff are pieces of broccoli, in case you were wondering. This was for broccoli soup. Just ignore them :)

Now, you are going to keep repeating what you just did until you reach the volume and consistency you want, but just a little at a time. Each time you thicken, you are going to use about 1-2 Tbsp flour, and each time you thin (increase volume) you will only add 1/2-1 cup of milk.

We just thinned, so now more flour. Whisk it in until it is mixed and smooth, and then...

...stir while it starts to bubble and gets thick and smooth. Turn down the heat a bit if you feel it sticking to the bottom of the pan. If it sticks it will burn. Once it starts to bubble, it is time to thin again (unless you have the desired thickness and volume, in which case you will take it off the heat).

I use a whole can of milk to thin if I am trying to build the volume. I used a total of three cans of milk, and maybe 1 cup of regular milk total here.

Summary for the rue:

Butter + flour = stir to a paste

+ milk = warm, then whisk

+ flour = whisk, then warm til bubbly

+ milk = warm, then whisk

+ flour = whisk, then warm til bubbly

Stir frequently and thoroughly throughout to avoid a scald. If it scalds, DON'T stir anymore. You might be able to salvage the rue by quickly pouring it into another pan, but once you stir the burnt stuff into the rue, the whole thing will taste burnt. You may melt cheeses into a rue on a low heat while stirring for cheese sauce or soup. I cook celery and onion in the butter at the beginning before adding flour to make the base for chicken pot pie. Add flavors as you go once you have the desired volume and thickness. Thicker for sauces, thinner for soups.

Did I mention this was for Broccoli Soup? While cooking this, I was simultaneously steaming broccoli. I like these strainer pans because I just lift the broccoli out when it is done. Works great for pasta and eggs, too.

Once the broccoli was cooked, I cooled it a bit with cold water, then tore it up and stirred it into the rue.

Forgive the 2 Megapixel iPhone pics in the beginning. I was too lazy to go find my camera until the very end. Kawi had to take a quick peek to inspect my work. Don't worry if your first few rues are lumpy. Just practice and you will get there. It really takes no time to make a rue if you get it down, and it really expands your ability to stretch your creative muscles.

Puffy Pancakes

Mountain Pancakes, Swedish Pancakes, German Pancakes...whatever you choose to call them. In a glass dish, melt 2 T butter or substitute. In a blender, mix 1 c milk, 1 c whole wheat pastry flour, six eggs, pinch of salt and 1 Tbsp sugar or alternative. Pour batter in a pan and cook at 350 for 25 mins.

Parmesan Tilapia, Roasted Reds and Brocci-G!

You'll need eggs and:


















Here's what to do with it:




















That is, 350 for 20 mins. Now for the super easy sides:
Side dish #1: Steamed broccoli
















Side dish #2: Roasted Red Peppers (add a little olive oil and broil, stir once to get more blackened edges)


























This whole meal took all of 15-20 minutes to put together. I added a simple green salad, too. Super easy and healthy!