Thursday Thoughts #17
Book quote: "It isn't good to hold on too hard to the past. You can't spend your whole life looking back. Not even when you can't see what lies ahead. All you can do is keep on keeping on, and try to believe that tomorrow will be what it should be - even if it isn't what you expected."
Today's Thought: Food
I tried a new recipe last month, Mushroom and Lentil Bolognaise. It was in the Sunday paper, or maybe the Saturday one, I don't remember which.
Anyway the first few ingredients are: one brown onion, coarsely chopped; one carrot peeled and coarsely chopped; one celery stick, coarsely chopped, two garlic cloves, halved.
There are more ingredients, but never mind those for now.
We read down to Step One.
Which says: "process the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped, (but not paste)"
Really? why not just chop them finely in the first place? It will take a little longer, but at the end, all you have to wash is a knife and a chopping board.
With their method, you have to wash a knife, a chopping board and the food processor!
So I chopped finely, because I don't have a food processor, but I do have plenty of time; cooked as instructed, and it wasn't too bad, but definitely something I never wanted to make again.
I halved all the ingredient amounts to begin with, so there wouldn't be too much to throw away if I didn't like it.
So I threw away what I didn't eat, and also threw away the recipe, which means I can't print it here for anyone who might like to try it.
Sorry about that.
I remember some of the other ingredients, tomato paste, tomato puree, vegetable stock, french green lentils, but not the amounts or the cooking method.
Today's Thought: Food
I tried a new recipe last month, Mushroom and Lentil Bolognaise. It was in the Sunday paper, or maybe the Saturday one, I don't remember which.
Anyway the first few ingredients are: one brown onion, coarsely chopped; one carrot peeled and coarsely chopped; one celery stick, coarsely chopped, two garlic cloves, halved.
There are more ingredients, but never mind those for now.
We read down to Step One.
Which says: "process the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped, (but not paste)"
Really? why not just chop them finely in the first place? It will take a little longer, but at the end, all you have to wash is a knife and a chopping board.
With their method, you have to wash a knife, a chopping board and the food processor!
So I chopped finely, because I don't have a food processor, but I do have plenty of time; cooked as instructed, and it wasn't too bad, but definitely something I never wanted to make again.
I halved all the ingredient amounts to begin with, so there wouldn't be too much to throw away if I didn't like it.
So I threw away what I didn't eat, and also threw away the recipe, which means I can't print it here for anyone who might like to try it.
Sorry about that.
I remember some of the other ingredients, tomato paste, tomato puree, vegetable stock, french green lentils, but not the amounts or the cooking method.
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I tell people, I have nothing but time.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like it might have been reasonably decent.
You know it's bad when you toss the recipe with the results.
ReplyDeleteMy eyes are watering as is my mouth. Onions + garlic + mushrooms!
ReplyDeleteJoanne; I've never liked lentils, but this recipe called for the tiny green ones and I thought they'd disintegrate enough so I wouldn't notice them. I was wrong. I just hate the feel of lentils in my mouth.There's an odd dryness to them, just like chick peas which some people know as garbonzo(?) beans.
ReplyDeleteDelores; it's the lentils. I just can't stand them.
Susan Kane; those three are the main staples in my regular spaghetti sauce to which I also add zucchini, carrot and celery. But never again will I add lentils.
Just by the name of the recipe it sounds ghastly. What made you think that would work? Our food processor sits mostly unused on the bench. By the time you set it up, read which blade you should use, assemble it and then rinse it and put it in the dishwasher, you can chop by hand much quicker. It might get used if it did a better job than by hand, but it doesn't and there is higher food wastage too from bits of food that don't chop up.
ReplyDeleteHey River,
ReplyDeleteYou are not imagining this. I'm actually leaving a comment.
I can rather relate to that book quote.
You have proven one doesn't need a food processor. Heck, I don't even have a masticating machine, but that's another story.
Thank you, River.
Gary
Andrew; what made me think it would work? I am the Queen of poor decisions, that's what. The rest of the ingredients sounded okay, I thought that would cover the lentils, which are supposed to be good for you. But that was the last time I ever try lentils again.
ReplyDeleteklahanie; nice to see you back. That quote is a good one isn't it? I bought a food processor way back in 1980 and used it once. When I tried it again in 1986 the motor puffed and sparked and died. I'll stick with hand chopping. I have a blender for milkshakes and soups and that will do me nicely.
If it was bad enough for you to throw away I shouldn’t think I’d want the recipe.
ReplyDeletePS: no, I don’t keep the supplements on a saucer; they go into a largish pill container with a well-fitting lid. I need 20 days to take them all.
I like lentils but every time I prepare them, I think of
ReplyDeletethe lyrics to a song from "Funny Girl" that goes,
"When a girls incidentals are no bigger than two lentils, all she gets in life is pity and pat"....... ta dah.
So I guess not a success.
ReplyDeleteI'm also guilty of food processor neglect. I'm not sure why I have more than one knife in the kitchen because I use my chef's knife for absolutely everything - from tiny garlic to cutting into a butternut squash.
I make this but with tinned lentils and Paul Newman's spaghetti sauce which has taste already in it. Cheaper as well.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget the fresh basil and lotsa cheese.
ReplyDeleteFriko; I'm guilty of throwing away every recipe I don't like without thinking that someone else might have different tastes. I keep my vitamins in the original jars right beside my breakfast makings, that way I don't forget them. It's only vitamin c and iron anyway.
ReplyDeleteManzanita; that sounds like a funny song.
Marty Damon; definitely a failure for me. I have several knives that I use all the time, plus a set in a knife block that almost never gets touched.
JahTeh; I've never tried Paul Newman's sauce. I'll give it a go, but not with lentils. Lotsa cheese for sure, but I don't like basil so much. I put oregano in my spaghetti sauce.