Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Shoddy Spring Semester Eats

So we've been severely slacking. School and work has piled on the work and sadly the cooking has fell by the way side. I managed to take a few pictures of some things I cooked so here are the highlights. Also thought I'd showcase the apron Bingham sewed for me by hand.





Sunflower Granola Bars
In my hungry, stressed state, I was rummaging through my cabinets/fridge for something sweet. For some reason, I threw a handful of sunflower seeds, semi-sweet chocolate chips, & craisins in my mouth and said "hot damn! that tastes good!" So I decided to make some granola bars with those ingredients in mind for Bingham to bring on one of his geology field trips.

3 cups rolled oats1 cup raisin nut cereal
1 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (un-shelled, roasted)
1/3 cup craisins
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

Pack evenly onto greased pan, Bake for 20-30 min & cut bars while still warm.

Easter Coconut Mini-Cupcakes
Cake:
1 cup butter
2 cup sugar
3 cups cake flour
4 eggs
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla
Bake at 375 for 10-15 min.

Marshmallow Icing:

4 eggs whites
3 cup sugar
1.5 c water

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks.
Boil sugar & water until it spins a thread & add slowly to egg whites.


Crock-Pot Red Beans

2 lbs dry red beans
1 onion, chopped
5 bacon strips
1 bell pepper, chopped
Tobasco & Tony's to your liking
Throw everything in the crockpot with the indicated amount of water indicated for the beans & leave on all day while you go to class & work.
Come home to very lovely smelling apartment & hot meal...ahhhhh.

Sick-of-Cereal Benedict-Like Eggs
Some might argue that this does not qualify as cooking but I was proud of my semi-fancy breakfast made from limited food supplies. All I did was toast some "sandwich thins" (you could use an english muffin), spread on some vegetable cream cheese, slapped on a slice of tomato & topped it all with a fried eggs (and of course some Tony's). TADA!

More food to come, and on a more regular basis, I promise!