Pea and Lentil Chowder

So I forgot that one recipe actually had no pictures at all. That is this delicious recipe for pea soup. 

After Jackie made ham one night (the same night as the poached pears), we had plenty of leftover ham. In fact we still have some in the freezer. So I boiled the ham bone and crafted this recipe around traditional pea soup, but a little better. Lexie gives it an 8.5.

Pea and Lentil Chowder

Ingredients:

 1 ham bone
1 cup ham, chopped
4-5 cups of water
4 carrots, chopped into 1 inch lengths
3 bay leaves
5 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 onion
1 cup chicken stock
pinch of celery seeds
2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
1 cup fresh cilantro
2 cups lentils, cooked and strained
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon white pepper

Preparation Instructions:
 1. In a large saucepan over medium heat,  saute the ham bone, half the onion and half the garlic until soft.

2. Add water, carrots, bay leaves and celery seeds and broil to a boil. Cook for 2-3 hours or until you have about 2 cups of ham stock in the pot.

3. Remove the ham bone and add the chicken stock, peas, white pepper, and the rest of the onion and garlic. Cook about 15 minutes or until the peas are soft.

4. Remove the bay leaves, puree the soup in a blender with the cilantro, and then return the mixture to the saucepan over low heat. Next, add the lentils, ham, and cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes more and then serve.

* This is delicious over mashed potatoes.

Herb Kissed Roast Beef

Well, as I said in my last post, I have been doing a lot of cooking, but not much posting due to the job search and construction. Over the next few posts I will be posting recipes I have created over the past few weeks.

In addition to not posting, Lexie and I have also not really had the time to document my cooking with pictures lately. So the next few posts will have fewer pictures. Some posts will have only the final picture, and some will have only a few step by step photos.

Lexie rated my roast beef a 6. She says its pretty average. Not bad at all, but not amazing. I would tend to agree on this, as I accidentally got involved in something else and left the roast in the oven for too long. Usually we like our meat medium-rare, but as you can see, its more medium well to well done.

I think the vegetables turned out pretty well. Lexie agrees with a rating of 9.

 Ingredients:

1 bottom round roast

1/2 onion, sliced thick

1/2 onion, chopped fine

5 cloves garlic, minced

4 mushrooms, sliced

4 carrots, chopped

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

thyme

salt

pepper

1/2 cup red wine

Preparation Instructions:

 1. Preheat oven to 350. At the bottom of a baking dish add carrots, mushrooms, basil, white pepper, olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon of thyme, and half of the chopped onion and garlic. Season further to taste with salt and pepper. Mix together.

2. Wash the roast with water and dry thoroughly with a towel. Next, rub the roast all over with salt, pepper, and thyme.

3. Place roast on top of the vegetables in the baking dish and rub the rest of the chopped onion and garlic into the roast. Pour wine over the roast and vegetables.

4. Cover and cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes, then uncover and cook for 10-30 minutes more, depending on how well you desire your meat to be cooked. Remove the roast from the oven, let it set for twenty minutes, and then serve.

Pears Poached Purple

So it has been quite a long time since I have posted anything. I have been extremely busy lately and not had a chance to do very much posting. But there has been plenty of job searching, loss mitigation, construction, and, of course, cooking going on.

You know, a lot of people are leaving Florida right now. It is just as well. Florida is the home of the 3rd worst job market in the US, according to a Gallup.com poll. Sited to be in such a state due to the recent "housing disaster" we Floridians are dealing with, Florida is only topped by Michigan and Rhode Island as the worst job markets. According to the most recent news headlines on MSNBC, 45% of the population of Detroit is now out of work, due to the crippling of the american automotive industry.

However, the best job markets can be found in "oil-producing states [such as] Wyoming, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas." But with the country's sudden apparent interest in "going green," this trend will probably not last long. I understand that soon the government will be giving incentives for businesses and homeowners to switch to solar, wind, and other eco-friendly froms of energy... which is great news for electricians like me.

I would venture to say that some of the best places to move (without needing to turn around and relocate again in another couple years) would be states that are on the above map that have a "Better" or "Best" job market rating, but are not so dependent on oil.

The most recent "Moving Trends" report by U-pack Moving shows that, according to their records, Florida has the second highest count of outbound movers. It is also ranked tenth in the nation for states with a higher ratio of outbound moves to inbound. In short, a lot of people are leaving without any coming in to take their place.

 The U-pack report reads: "It is interesting to track and compare the percentages of inbound and outbound moves for cities and states. These statistics could indicate potential trends in population growth or decline..."

Other states with a high percentage of outbound moves are New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island, Nevada, Michigan, California, Alaska, Connecticut, and New York. While states that have a high percentage of people moving in are Hawaii, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Montana, Kentucky, Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana. States that have balanced percentage are Arizona, Oregon, Indiana, and Nebraska.

What does all of this mean? Well when you compare these statistics with the states that have the highest volumes of inbound an outbound moves and the job market map above, I believe it may be evident where the best and worst places to move (economically) are.

Texas, North Carolina, and Louisiana seem to be great states all around, however, due to that fact that everyone seems to be moving to these states (especially Texas and North Carolina), I would venture to suggest that states where few are moving in or out, but have a good job market (not involved with oil), such as Utah and Colorado, would be the ideal places to move.

It may even be more beneficial to find a state that has a good job market, but has more people moving out than coming in. However the only state that matches this criteria is Alaska! Hmm...

So, basically, we're thinking about moving if my wife and/or I can find the right opportunity. I am sure many people in this nation are doing the same. But in this economy, it is especially important to do your research before you move.

And if you are considering a move, you may want to sit back and think over your decision over "Pears Poached Purple." Lexie gives it a 10... I am on a roll!

 Pears Poached Purple

Ingredients:

4 firm pears, peeled and cored (leave stem)

2 cups sweet concord grape wine (Manischewitz is good)

½ cup moscato

3 tbsp brandy

4 whole cloves

1 tsp sugar

1 cup plain yogurt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp honey

1 cup crumbled ginger snaps

Preparation Instructions:

1. Make sure your pears are peeled and cored first.  

 

 

2. Pour the wines and brandy into a sauce pan that’s just large enough to hold the pears. Add the cloves and the pears. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 40 minutes, turning the pairs occasionally.

 

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Put pears and juice into a bowl and cover. Refrigerate overnight.

4. Mix the yogurt, honey, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Refrigerate.

 5. Take bowl out and strain the juice into a pan. Add the sugar. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes, or until reduced by two thirds into a syrup. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

 

6. To serve, place each pair in a dish and drench in syrup. Spoon the yogurt over the top of the pair and top with ginger snap crumbs. Serve any additional crumbs on the side.

 

 

 

* Be sure not to overfeed hyperactive one year olds.

Stuffed Zucchini Parmesan

  So Lexie, Harrison, and I are now pretty much settled in at our new home. Dan and Jackie, our friends (more like family, actually) that are allowing us to stay with them until we get on our feet, are just about the most awesome couple you will ever meet. Very easy going, kind, and generous, we are eager to help out around the house in any way we can, and there is plenty to do.

Before we can actually begin construction on the house, there is a load of prep work to be done. The first thing that needs to be completed is the garage. The electric needs to be run and the ceiling needs to be drywalled and finished. However, the space has been used to store all sorts of tools, equipment, materials, and various household items for some time. So, before anything else was touched, the garage needed to be cleaned out. In the past two days alone, I estimate that I have moved more than two tons of paraphernalia! Its been fun, its been great to actually have something to keep me occupied.

As far as job hunting, Lexie and I continue our search day by day, and night after night. Despite the fact that our house is being foreclosed on, we refuse to allow ourselves to feel defeat. In fact, thanks to Dan and Jackie, and our God, Jehovah, we ultimately feel encouraged and are able to keep from getting depressed about the situation we're in. We're really happy to have friends like them.

Lately, I have been going through the phone book and calling every electrical company in alphabetical order. Thus far, I have called businesses all the way up through "G." A lot more lines have been disconnected than I thought there would be, and not a single company that I called was hiring. On top of the crappy economy, this is usually the slow season for electrical work, so finding a job now will probably be pretty much beyond the bounds of reality. But that won't stop me from looking. 

The calling has not been entirely in vain either. I have found two companies, so far, that told me to call back at the beginning of the new year, as they may have work then. I will continue my calling through the yellowpages' contractors over the next few days. Hopefully, "H" through "Z" will be more fruitful.

Cooking has been pretty entertaining the past few days. My cooking equipment is mostly all packed away, and getting used to Jackie's kitchen has been interesting. Although it took me a while to find out where everything was, now I am comfortable enough with the arrangement.

Last night I tried something new; a combination of three recipes. Unfortunately, Lexie has been to busy to be taking pictures of the food preparation, however, she did photograph the final results. Lexie rates it 10 out of 10. Dan and Jackie loved it.

     

Stuffed Zucchini Parmesan

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds

2 teaspoons paprika

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons sage

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

2 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 zucchini
1 onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup rice, cooked
2 tomatoes, chopped and lightly stained
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 teaspoons oregano
2 cups marinara sauce
6 slices provolone cheese
1 teaspoon basil
8 oz box spaghetti, al dente 




Preparation Instructions:
1. In a medium sized bowl, mix the turkey, fennel seeds, paprika, sugar, sage, red wine vinegar, black pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the minced garlic. Knead the ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

2. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. With a spoon, hollow out the halves, carving out the pulp until the halves are 1/8 to 1/4 inches thick. Finely chop up the pulp. Refrigerate.
 
3. After the allotted time, take the ground turkey out of the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On medium heat, cook the turkey in a medium saucepan with half the zucchini pulp, the onion and the rest of the garlic. When the meat is cooked through, drain.

4. Return meat to saucepan and add rice, tomatoes, one teaspoon of oregano, and the rest of the salt.

5. Fill the zucchini halves with the turkey and place in a large baking dish side by side. Sprinkle the rest of the pulp, oregano, and basil randomly around the dish. Pour the marinara sauce over the stuffed zucchini and pulp. Arrange provolone slices on top. 

6. Cover the dish and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the zucchini is soft. Serve on top of spaghetti.

Serves 4-6.