Rubbishy Cookery

  I just had a crazy inspiration and thought that this would be a good idea. Let’s see if I’m right! Ingredients: I mean, with these ingredients and a Vitamix, how could it be bad? Directions: I just tossed the peeled shallot, a bunch of frozen corn kernels (directly from the bag while still frozen), a generous teaspoon of miso paste, and covered it with milk (using 2% now): I turned the Vitamix on and let ‘er rip. It didn’t have enough liquid and turned into corn slushie. So I added enough water to get it blending properly and let ‘er rip for six (6!) minutes: and poured it into a bowl, steaming warm (not hot but that’s fine): And… it’s o-kay. Not great. Not up to my usual Rubbishy Cookery standards. It’s definitely edible but it’s too thin and too dull. I will try, try again and addendum this post. I’m thinking a cooked potato would help… Stay tuned!

This week has been soup week chez nous, thanks to some minor but pesky dental misadventures with Mr. Rubbishy, and we all wish him a speedy recovery! In the meantime, the challenge has been to create new and healthful soups daily, and stretch my creative rubbishy cookery. I have embraced the challenge! Unfortunately, I’ve been so busy focusing on the matters at hand that I didn’t even think about this blog, until after I’d already cooked and we’d eaten this dish, which was unexpectedly easy and fabulous. A perfect recipe for the blog—but no photos! What to do? Get out the old art supplies and, in the spirit of the original Moosewood cookbook series, do some rubbishy drawings! Ingredients: In case my drawing and handwriting isn’t exactly the hyperrealism style of artistry you may have expected from this blog, the ingredients are: - 1-2 Tablespoons butter  - 1 onion chopped  - 2 carrots diced - 2 potatoes peeled and diced - 2 fresh bay leaves - 1-2 teaspoons dried thyme  - ...

  Wow—today is not only the 50th rubbishy post, but also the Winter Solstice, and where I live, the first winter storm (a nor’ easter, no less!) of the year! Let’s get cosy and make a warm pot of Tuscan soup! Ingredients: What you’ll notice in the photo above is the great deal on ground turkey—enjoy today, 50% off! What a deal! What you may not notice in the photo above is that the fresh kale was harvested from my backyard garden just hours before the storm started.  Imagine—a December harvest of kale! And half price ground turkey! I feel hashtag blessed. Directions: Start by mixing ingredients for the turkey meatballs: ground turkey, a generous handful or two of quick cook rolled oats, 1-2 tablespoons-ish each of garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, dried basil, not pictured but assumed S&P, and a really good amount of finely grated Parmesan cheese. Mix it all up with your hands and add more oats if necessary to get a good texture, i.e., one in which to form meatball...

  There’s a chill in the air! Let’s make split pea soup! Ingredients: Missing from the above photo but added later: a parsnip. And: Note that the pink object in the baggie is a defrosted chicken breast, not the typical meat in split pea soup. But that’s what was in the house so it will work. Nice, more traditional options would be ham or bacon, or I’ve also used smoked turkey drumsticks. I’ve also left out the meat and had a completely vegetarian/vegan soup that was still excellent. So you have options galore! Directions: If, like me, you’re working with a defrosted chicken breast, prepare it as in Recipe #14 with S&P, a little oil, and bake for about 30 minutes until fully cooked and browned: Meanwhile, in a big soup pot, add two cups of rinsed split peas and a lot of water and bring to a boil: Spooning off and discarding the foam as it develops: Once it reaches a full boil and all the foam has been removed, let it simmer for a while, maybe 45 minutes or so, give or take. It w...

  This is a fantastic soup if you have a Vitamix. I have no idea how it would work out without a Vitamix. Also, more clean up. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be posh to own a Vitamix. I got the least expensive model from Best Buy with several years’ worth of points in gift cards, so it only cost me about the same as a regular blender. But it sounds like a jet plane is taking off in the kitchen whenever I use it. Apparently the more expensive models have mufflers or something. This is also a minimal clean up soup if you use a Vitamix, a microwave oven, and reuse your bowl and spoon for serving. Perfect for lazy, rubbishy cooks like us! Ingredients: Directions: Cut up your broccoli head into large florets and the stem into chunks and place into a microwave safe bowl. Rinse with water and ensure the broccoli is good and wet. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook on high for about 3-5 minutes until bright green and softened: You could alternatively steam or parboil th...

  This is a very basic and delicious potato soup that was introduced to me in my young adulthood. One summer, my roommate’s boyfriend Scott spent a lot of time staying at our place, but he was such a delight we didn’t mind. In fact, he was like a 5th housemate. Except he didn’t pay rent.  But he did make us this soup. I can still picture the bunch of us sitting around, listening to tunes, bantering, and peeling potatoes for this soup. I remember Scott made it for us in the late summer when there was just the touch of a chill in the air. It was perfection. Good ole Scott. I wonder where he is today? Ingredients: Directions: Peel some potatoes, chop into cubes, and boil in salty water: Until fork tender: Then drain: Melt a good sized chunk of butter in the pot: Chop an onion into thin slices and add to the pot: And sauté until softened but not browned: Add milk to the pot and heat without boiling: Then return the cooked potato cubes to the pot: Heat through and, without boiling,...