Choco-Peanut Butter Popcorn

Thank you Pinterest. This was easy and delicious.

Pop popcorn - microwave or stovetop, your choice. Personally, stovetop popcorn makes me giddy like a little girl, so it's my preference.

Melt a few handfuls of chocolate (or about a cup) and a few large spoonfuls of peanutbutter (to taste) on the stovetop (or microwave...but, why?)

Pour choco-peanut butter over popcorn, place in the fridge (unless it smells like Kimchi, then put it on the 'verandah' if it's winter) for 30 minutes until choco-peanut butter hardens a bit.

Enjoy with friends and crafting supplies!

Brunch Quesadilla

Seriously as I go through the things I have to post this month I keep thinking...that's not that impressive. Probably everybody does this for a quick meal.  Then I remember what kind of hell I was living in taking two Master's courses simultaneously and I think "Eff Yah that's IMPRESSIVE!" (and I don't use 'eff' much). So, it may not seem like much and it's by no means gourmet nor innovative, but it was delicious and quick and energy-giving, what more can you ask for when you're spending hours typing about linguistic concepts followed by English language learner teaching strategies?

Saute Mushrooms and Onions. Whisk one egg with milk, salt and pepper throw into a small hot skillet cover with a lid, cook thoroughly. Throw some cheese on a tortilla, top with egg and mushroom/onion mix, fold, place in a large hot skillet until it's melty on the inside, crispy on the outside and get back to work.

(Probably takes you less time to make it than to read this post)

Spent Grain Lady Treats (a.k.a. Dog Treats)

With Mike's brewing continuing in full force, 519 Kitchen has been blessed with an abundance of spent grain (that's the grain such as pilsner, wheat, caramunich, etc. that's used to give beers their unique flavors and characters).  This grain is generally thrown out by brewers or used for composting projects, but of course, in the Harrington household there is greater joy to be found in discovering ways to use it up.  You may have seen that I failed at making granola with this first batch of spent grain, luckily, my second experiment: dog treats, was a huge success (as evidenced by Lady's eagerness to chow down on these morsels). Best thing about this recipe...it's so easy.

In a large bowl mix 4 cups of spent grain, 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of peanut butter and 2 eggs - it's one heck of a thick dough, but use your muscles and you'll get through it.

Next, cut into shapes or just press into a cookie sheet.  If you press into cookie sheet, use a butter knife to separate the biscuits into bit-size/treat-size pieces for your dog and cook at 350 for 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven and break apart the biscuits (unless you already cut them into shapes).

Return to oven, reduce heat to 250 and bake for a couple of hours until they are completely dried out.

If you're feeling spunky, go ahead and test out a biscuit prior to completely drying it out - not to bad for a dog treat!

She's one lucky Lady!

Coconut and Cinnamon Spent Grain Granola: Take One

Actually, this was a fail.

This is more of a post where I'm going to just write some notes to myself.

350 Fahrenheit is 277 in Celsius

275 Fahrenheit is 135 in Celsius

Check granola often...it burns easily.

Korean brown rice syrup is, apparently, not that impressive, go figure.

Fingers crossed that round-two will work out better.

Roasted Cabbage and Onion Fried Rice

Doing an MAED online, having the ocassional exhausting day teaching kiddos or working with co-teachers, I have gained a knack for quick meals that use up random odds and ends from the vegetable drawer - this is not exception.

Chunk up some cabbage and onion, drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper roast in the oven at about 350 degrees (277 Celcius) for 15 minutes or so (mine got a little crispy and I LOVED it, so don't fret too much while it's in the oven). If you don't have day old rice, prepare some rice while veggies are cooking. With prepared rice and veggies ready just throw some olive oil in a skillet, whisk up a couple of eggs with some garlic and soy, throw it into the hot skillet and scramble, throw in the rice and additional soy sauce to taste - mix with the egg and serve with roasted veggies on the side. It may seem like a strange combination and it likely is (the lemon with the soy) but it served it's purpose well in my household and I wouldn't be ashamed to go there a second (or even third time).

Choco-Chip Spent Grain Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin during fall and especially as Thanksgiving approaches is homey and perfect, especially when you're feeling a little too distant from the friends and family you love.

I was of course inspired by a Pinterest find and was so thrilled with the way these turned out, as were my co-workers and friends whom I 'reluctantly' shared them with.  The original recipe at Petite Kitchenesse doesn't involve spent grain, rather it just calls for oatmeal.  However, I used some spent grain in these, which worked out brilliantly and I'm quite confident I could use even more and still have a delicious cookie. I'm hoping to play around with the recipe soon, maybe foregoing pumpkin and throwing in some peanut butter or bananas or Nutella - anything really to use up all these spent grains (leftover grains from my husband's brewing process) we've been producing.

Ingredients/Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit (177 Celsius) Combine 2 sticks butter, 1 cup brown sugar and 3/4 cups white sugar until fluffy (or combined if you accidentally melt the butter, not that I would know from experience). Add 3/4 cups pumpkin puree (or a full cup if that's what you thawed from the freezer), 2 eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla and beat until combined. Add 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cloves and a dash of nutmeg.  Stir in 2 cups of oats and 1 cup of spent grain. If the dough is too wet and sticky at this point (because generally spent grains hold a bit of moisture) add some flour and mix until you acquire a dough that can hold it's shape and isn't too wet. Finally add 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips, plop dough onto a greased cookie sheet and bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown and beautiful.

Ginger Pork Noodle Bowls

Once again, thanks to a plethora of frozen foods, the Man and I plus our friend Aaron had a decent meal regardless of the hours I had spent and still needed to spend sitting at a computer busting out MAED papers and such.

So, with a bag of thawed pork and a few fresh ingredients including: ginger, bok choy, bean sprouts and green onions, I set to work on these Ginger Pork Noodle Bowls

Ingredients/Directions:

(from Everyday with Rachel Ray - September 2011)

Soak rice noodles in warm water.  In a large pot bring 1qt. of beef or pork broth, 4 cups water and a 1 inch sliced piece of ginger to a boil.  Divide 1 cup (or two if you want more meat) pork, 6 baby bok choy, 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts, and 1/4 cup sliced green onions among 4 large soup bowls. Divide soaked noodles into four equal portions.  Using a mesh strainer lower one portion of noodles at a time into the boiling broth for 1-2 minutes. Transfer noodles to soup bowls, continue until all noodles are cooked.  Ladle hot broth into bowls serve with fresh cilantro, lime and hot chili oil.

Omelet Brunch Burrito

This dear friends, is what happens when breakfast burrito meets friggin'-fantastic omelet!

Whisk up a few eggs, throw in your favorite omelet fixin's (minus the cheese). Pour into a hot, greased skillet, cook until no longer runny (I recommend putting a lid over the skillet so the top of the egg cooks more thoroughly and at an equal pace to the bottom of the egg.)

Slide egg out of skillet onto a large tortilla (if using a large skillet) throw in some cheese, wrap the beast up, throw tortillas into hot skillet to toast and ensure that cheese is melty and delicious.

Viola! A beautiful brunch omelet burrito for your eating pleasure!

Korean Spiced Pear Cider

Last year we welcomed in fall with this Apple Cider Taste Alike.

This year, I did more or less the same thing...but with Pear Juice. 

1 Part Pear Juice

1 Part 수정과 (soo-jeon-ggwa)

1-2 Sticks of Cinnamon

Sprinkle of Cloves (5-6)

Sliced oranges or orange peels

Heat in slow-cooker or on the stove-top.  You'll convince people you're a domestic goddess because cider simply smells amazing and brings people 'home'...So they'll love you.  And that's the Harrington secret to making friends and ensuring they stick around ;)

Dressed Up Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup

One of my greatest cooking joys is taking something, whether leftovers, something bland, something too scantly portioned for the dining party, etc. and make it better, more filling, more exciting...so, with a single can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup in the cupboard and two hungr bellies, I set to work.

Saute onion, jalapeno and garlic in a touch of olive oil.

Add one can of prepared chicken noodle soup plus one cup of additional chicken broth or other liquid.

Bring to boil.

Whisk four eggs and a splash of water, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.

Reduce water to frisky simmer (ha!)

Slowly pour in egg. Restrain yourself from stirring.

Wait for cooked egg bits to begin rising to the surface of the water. Stir. Ensure all the egg is cooked...i.e. wait a minute.

Scoop into bowls and be fed.