28 March 2011
Background
The whole "gas stove" theme is nice and all, but I wanted to do something custom. Any ideas out there? For some reason I just can't come up with something I like.
27 March 2011
Hamster Wheels and Human Destiny
Exercise.
Okay, I've just set the tone for this little rant. Chances are, you are either now nodding up and down or shaking your head left and right either consciously or sub-consciously. My perspective on this, just to share (it's a blog afterall) is quite simple.
Personally, I find the idea of exercise 100% appalling. It is silly. Wasteful. Uninteresting. Uninspiring.
I had a hamster once (several actually, but that is another story). Her name was "Zelda". She had this tiny wheel that she practically lived on. I'm serious! She ran in it, climbed over it (unsuccessfully), slept in it and chewed on it. She loved her wheel. Many hours were spent watching with fascination at her obsession with this simple device. She would run and run and run... and never get anywhere.
We can all relate to that, right folks?
Anyway. Fast forward a bit. I'm in my thirties. I sit at a computer A LOT. No, not here on the 'net goofing off. I mean at work trying to make a few bucks. I have a screwed up knee thanks to a once fleeting feeling of teenage invincibility. I live in Buffalo (pizza and wings and Mighty Taco, need I say more).
A couple years ago, I decided it was time to get off my ass and get to work on improving my health situation. My brother was kind enough to lend me this fantastic elliptical exercise machine. I set it up, tried it out and enjoyed how it felt to use it. Then over time... I used it less... and less... you know the story.
Why did I stop using it? Was I lazy? Did I not care? Was it too much work? No, not at all. It was FREAKIN' BORING. I was staring at the dust-collecting coat rack it had become and thought, rather unintentionally, "I don't like my hamster wheel anymore".
I was running and running and running... and would never get anywhere. No feeling of accomplishment besides a sincere happiness that I was finally done with the routine for that morning or afternoon.
What is a poor hamster to do?
Then the shock came. One afternoon in November I was lying in bed trying to sleep and then felt this odd flutter in my chest. Then again. I checked my pulse (not something I used to do often). Every 20 beats or so, I would skip one. Needless to say, this scared the hell out of me. I went to a doctor (for the first time in 10 years) and tests were done. Result: too much stress, too much caffeine, too little exercise. My weight was high, but I was in good health otherwise. My doctor, being a simple guy, recommended a stationary bike. I nodded and in my mind thought "no more wheels, no way".
At home that evening I devised a strategy that to this day I am still putting into practice.
First: decrease use of caffeine. I used to drink 8-10 diet sodas per day (minimum!), plus coffee on occasion. I cut this immediately. That was tough, but today I have a little now and then, but coffee, tea and soft drinks are not staple beverages for me. Water, water and more water!
Second: alleviate some stress. No magic here. I had to get it in my head that worrying was pointless. If you cannot affect or change it, do not worry about it. If you control your destiny then do you best. That is that. No more, no less. I don't worry as much anymore. I'm too busy to worry!
Third: exercise. We have a gym here in our community. Free use for all residents. I have no intention of doing so. I know what will happen. What I have done is make a promise to myself: "I will invest 30 minutes a day to improve my level of physical activity. If I cannot do so I will invest an hour the next day. I will make it interesting and fun."
I won't lie. This is very difficult for me. However, I learned something about myself in this: I am a goal-oriented person. Put something ahead of me that I am supposed to accomplish and keep me engaged and I will achieve it. So what do I do?
I walk.
Simple right? I walk to the pharmacy (1 mile round trip), I walk to the grocery store (1.5 mile round trip), I walk to the auto shop to drop off and pick up the car (1.5 mile each way). This has worked very well. Am I losing a lot of weight? Not quickly. Am I training my damaged knee for more activity? Yes. Am I improving my metabolism? Yes. Am I giving myself an opportunity to relieve stress and meditate on important matters? Yes. Am I actually going somewhere and doing something when I exercise? YES. Am I enjoying it? HELL YES!
As an added bonus, I usually walk with my wife. This helps the time pass and gives us both an opportunity to talk and catch up on thing. So on top of it all, this routine is also improving communication at home.
I found something I love to do that accomplishes many goals. Not fancy. Just get up and go somewhere and do it often. My knee burns like hell sometimes... but it feels great once I finish my walk. I'm starting to go further and walk faster. Less pain each time.
This spring once the snow has left and the temps are in the 50F's I will begin jogging in the morning along a nice trail on the west side of the island. I don't think I'll get bored of it. I'm enjoying being on the move all the time in control of where I go and not spinning around in my human hamster wheel.
Okay, I've just set the tone for this little rant. Chances are, you are either now nodding up and down or shaking your head left and right either consciously or sub-consciously. My perspective on this, just to share (it's a blog afterall) is quite simple.
Personally, I find the idea of exercise 100% appalling. It is silly. Wasteful. Uninteresting. Uninspiring.
I had a hamster once (several actually, but that is another story). Her name was "Zelda". She had this tiny wheel that she practically lived on. I'm serious! She ran in it, climbed over it (unsuccessfully), slept in it and chewed on it. She loved her wheel. Many hours were spent watching with fascination at her obsession with this simple device. She would run and run and run... and never get anywhere.
We can all relate to that, right folks?
Anyway. Fast forward a bit. I'm in my thirties. I sit at a computer A LOT. No, not here on the 'net goofing off. I mean at work trying to make a few bucks. I have a screwed up knee thanks to a once fleeting feeling of teenage invincibility. I live in Buffalo (pizza and wings and Mighty Taco, need I say more).
A couple years ago, I decided it was time to get off my ass and get to work on improving my health situation. My brother was kind enough to lend me this fantastic elliptical exercise machine. I set it up, tried it out and enjoyed how it felt to use it. Then over time... I used it less... and less... you know the story.
Why did I stop using it? Was I lazy? Did I not care? Was it too much work? No, not at all. It was FREAKIN' BORING. I was staring at the dust-collecting coat rack it had become and thought, rather unintentionally, "I don't like my hamster wheel anymore".
I was running and running and running... and would never get anywhere. No feeling of accomplishment besides a sincere happiness that I was finally done with the routine for that morning or afternoon.
What is a poor hamster to do?
Then the shock came. One afternoon in November I was lying in bed trying to sleep and then felt this odd flutter in my chest. Then again. I checked my pulse (not something I used to do often). Every 20 beats or so, I would skip one. Needless to say, this scared the hell out of me. I went to a doctor (for the first time in 10 years) and tests were done. Result: too much stress, too much caffeine, too little exercise. My weight was high, but I was in good health otherwise. My doctor, being a simple guy, recommended a stationary bike. I nodded and in my mind thought "no more wheels, no way".
At home that evening I devised a strategy that to this day I am still putting into practice.
First: decrease use of caffeine. I used to drink 8-10 diet sodas per day (minimum!), plus coffee on occasion. I cut this immediately. That was tough, but today I have a little now and then, but coffee, tea and soft drinks are not staple beverages for me. Water, water and more water!
Second: alleviate some stress. No magic here. I had to get it in my head that worrying was pointless. If you cannot affect or change it, do not worry about it. If you control your destiny then do you best. That is that. No more, no less. I don't worry as much anymore. I'm too busy to worry!
Third: exercise. We have a gym here in our community. Free use for all residents. I have no intention of doing so. I know what will happen. What I have done is make a promise to myself: "I will invest 30 minutes a day to improve my level of physical activity. If I cannot do so I will invest an hour the next day. I will make it interesting and fun."
I won't lie. This is very difficult for me. However, I learned something about myself in this: I am a goal-oriented person. Put something ahead of me that I am supposed to accomplish and keep me engaged and I will achieve it. So what do I do?
I walk.
Simple right? I walk to the pharmacy (1 mile round trip), I walk to the grocery store (1.5 mile round trip), I walk to the auto shop to drop off and pick up the car (1.5 mile each way). This has worked very well. Am I losing a lot of weight? Not quickly. Am I training my damaged knee for more activity? Yes. Am I improving my metabolism? Yes. Am I giving myself an opportunity to relieve stress and meditate on important matters? Yes. Am I actually going somewhere and doing something when I exercise? YES. Am I enjoying it? HELL YES!
As an added bonus, I usually walk with my wife. This helps the time pass and gives us both an opportunity to talk and catch up on thing. So on top of it all, this routine is also improving communication at home.
I found something I love to do that accomplishes many goals. Not fancy. Just get up and go somewhere and do it often. My knee burns like hell sometimes... but it feels great once I finish my walk. I'm starting to go further and walk faster. Less pain each time.
This spring once the snow has left and the temps are in the 50F's I will begin jogging in the morning along a nice trail on the west side of the island. I don't think I'll get bored of it. I'm enjoying being on the move all the time in control of where I go and not spinning around in my human hamster wheel.
Homemade Cream Cheese
Bagels. What can I say? I love bagels. Some of my friends who are fortunate enough to live in New Jersey have some of the best bagels on the planet.
I also enjoy a nice cream cheese on my bagel. However one serving (2 tbsp) of you typical cream cheese packs 30mg of Cholesterol, 100mg of sodium and 10g of fat.
I was thinking about this many months ago. Can this be made at home without having to invest in the means to make my own "cheese" products?
This is so incredibly easy to make, and allows you to take control (somewhat) of what is in your cream cheese.
What you will need:
Note: check the ingredients of the sour cream. If it contains "gelatin" it will not work. Look for grade A cream and cultured milkfat. I prefer to use Daisy(tm) Light. The nutrition facts are decent and it's so good I could eat it right out of the carton (no, I don't do that, honest!).
Some very easy steps:
When you place the sour cream in the cloth and wrapped it up, you will immediately notice a clear liquid starting to saturate the cloth or even drip out. This is whey, a very useful byproduct of this process. The bowl underneath the hanging cloth will capture this for use later, or to discard if you please.
While hanging, you can give the cloth a squeeze to prime the dripping process, however be careful. If solid white dots appear outside the cloth, you are forcing out the sour cream itself and not just whey.
After the appointed time has passed (see #6 above), take the cloth down, untie it and open it. You will have what looks like a head of garlic in your napkin; a clump of white soft cheese. Place this in a clean resealable container and mix (I use a wooden spoon handle). You can use it immediately, but I prefer to refridgerate it for a couple hours first. Also, if you plan on using the whey later, place it in a container and seal it as well. Both are good for approximately 10-14 days.
This is also a good opportunity to give the cheese a taste. If you used Daisy, what I can tell you is that it will be a little bland compared to Philly and will have a smooth aftertaste. Letting the cheese hang longer will affect the firmness and depth of flavor. I usually invest no less than 12 hours.
Spread on a bagel, toast or use as a dip.
Variations:
I also enjoy a nice cream cheese on my bagel. However one serving (2 tbsp) of you typical cream cheese packs 30mg of Cholesterol, 100mg of sodium and 10g of fat.
I was thinking about this many months ago. Can this be made at home without having to invest in the means to make my own "cheese" products?
This is so incredibly easy to make, and allows you to take control (somewhat) of what is in your cream cheese.
What you will need:
- One 16 oz carton of Sour Cream (see note)
- Cheesecloth or a cloth napkin or old but clean segment of sheet/pillowcase (do not use a "fluffy" material like a towel)
Note: check the ingredients of the sour cream. If it contains "gelatin" it will not work. Look for grade A cream and cultured milkfat. I prefer to use Daisy(tm) Light. The nutrition facts are decent and it's so good I could eat it right out of the carton (no, I don't do that, honest!).
Some very easy steps:
- Open the carton
- Pour contents into the cheesecloth or napkin
- Grab the corners of the cloth and twist until you have a ball of sour cream at the end of your twisted cloth
- Use a rubber band, twistie-tie or some string to tie cloth just above the ball of cream
- Hang on your counter over a bowl (not in a refrigerator)
- Let hang for 8-24 hours
When you place the sour cream in the cloth and wrapped it up, you will immediately notice a clear liquid starting to saturate the cloth or even drip out. This is whey, a very useful byproduct of this process. The bowl underneath the hanging cloth will capture this for use later, or to discard if you please.
While hanging, you can give the cloth a squeeze to prime the dripping process, however be careful. If solid white dots appear outside the cloth, you are forcing out the sour cream itself and not just whey.
After the appointed time has passed (see #6 above), take the cloth down, untie it and open it. You will have what looks like a head of garlic in your napkin; a clump of white soft cheese. Place this in a clean resealable container and mix (I use a wooden spoon handle). You can use it immediately, but I prefer to refridgerate it for a couple hours first. Also, if you plan on using the whey later, place it in a container and seal it as well. Both are good for approximately 10-14 days.
This is also a good opportunity to give the cheese a taste. If you used Daisy, what I can tell you is that it will be a little bland compared to Philly and will have a smooth aftertaste. Letting the cheese hang longer will affect the firmness and depth of flavor. I usually invest no less than 12 hours.
Spread on a bagel, toast or use as a dip.
 |
| Cream cheese after hanging for 12 hours |
Variations:
- Add a tablespoon or two of yogurt to the mix before you hang the cheese to add nutrients and alter the taste (do not use yogurt that contains gelatin).
- Mix in herbs or spices with the sour cream to change the resulting flavor (garlic, onion, cilantro and black pepper will yield a "ranchy" result)
- Mix in jam with the finished cream cheese before placing in the fridge
- Use your homemade cream cheese to make cheesecake, appetizers or frosting!
- Replace sour cream with yogurt to make yogurt cheese. Hanging for only a few hours will yield something akin to "greek-style" yogurt.
26 March 2011
Reduced Sodium Bread
Just to clarify, by "reduced" I mean trace amounts (less than 5mg per serving)
I tried this a few weeks back and it was "okay". By that I mean the taste was good enough but the texture was a bit "cakey".
I'm making a small modification to the recipe I used before. Last night I had the urge to make a little bit of my homemade "cream cheese". One of the by-products of this is whey, a protein-rich liquid with countless uses. If you have ever opened a carton of sour cream (or yogurt) and used about half, the next day or so after you usually find a clear fluid pooling or "separating". This is whey.
Having about 2.5 oz of whey left over from my cheese-making, I've decided to use it as a supplement part of the water in the original recipe.
Since I use a bread machine to do my kneading, I put these ingredients into the machine in the order above (your requirements may vary) and set to "dough" cycle, a 90-minute ensemble of mixing, kneading and rising.
I'm hoping the whey will boost the flavor and alter the texture somewhat. As an added bonus there will be a little extra protein added as well. The whey was from a light sour cream that was not high in fat, sodium or cholesterol.
Right now the machine is doing it's thing. I'll add more once I start baking (with full details of course!).
90 minutes later...
Took the dough out of the machine, turned it on a lightly floured surface, rolled it up and placed it seam-down in one of my new loaf pans.
Placed in a 375F preheated oven to bake for about 20 min., testing with a bamboo skewer to see if it was done. Was a little doughy so I gave it 10 more minutes and it was done.
Cooled on a wire rack before testing it out.
20 minutes later...
Success! This is rather interesting. The whey has given the bread a more "cellular" structure and a nice wholesome taste.
Typically I use Pam or something similar to oil the top of the dough, or I split it to manage how it rises. Didn't work so well this time as the top of the bread "tore" open in the oven. Not very "elegant" looking, but it tastes very good!
I'll be making it like this from now on.
I tried this a few weeks back and it was "okay". By that I mean the taste was good enough but the texture was a bit "cakey".
I'm making a small modification to the recipe I used before. Last night I had the urge to make a little bit of my homemade "cream cheese". One of the by-products of this is whey, a protein-rich liquid with countless uses. If you have ever opened a carton of sour cream (or yogurt) and used about half, the next day or so after you usually find a clear fluid pooling or "separating". This is whey.
Having about 2.5 oz of whey left over from my cheese-making, I've decided to use it as a supplement part of the water in the original recipe.
- 6 1/2 oz. hot water
- 2 1/2 oz. whey (right from the fridge)
- 3 cups King Arthur(tm) White (bleached & enriched, whole grain) flour
- 1 tb sugar
- 2 tb Hollywood(tm) Peanut Oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
Since I use a bread machine to do my kneading, I put these ingredients into the machine in the order above (your requirements may vary) and set to "dough" cycle, a 90-minute ensemble of mixing, kneading and rising.
I'm hoping the whey will boost the flavor and alter the texture somewhat. As an added bonus there will be a little extra protein added as well. The whey was from a light sour cream that was not high in fat, sodium or cholesterol.
Right now the machine is doing it's thing. I'll add more once I start baking (with full details of course!).
90 minutes later...
Took the dough out of the machine, turned it on a lightly floured surface, rolled it up and placed it seam-down in one of my new loaf pans.
Placed in a 375F preheated oven to bake for about 20 min., testing with a bamboo skewer to see if it was done. Was a little doughy so I gave it 10 more minutes and it was done.
Cooled on a wire rack before testing it out.
20 minutes later...
Success! This is rather interesting. The whey has given the bread a more "cellular" structure and a nice wholesome taste.
Typically I use Pam or something similar to oil the top of the dough, or I split it to manage how it rises. Didn't work so well this time as the top of the bread "tore" open in the oven. Not very "elegant" looking, but it tastes very good!
I'll be making it like this from now on.
 |
| Finished loaf. Will yield about 14-16 slices. |
10 March 2011
Welcome!
I've been contemplating doing this for quite some time. Since I was seven, I have been meddling with ingredients, odd projects and other such endeavors in the kitchen. Not having anything really in the way of formal education about how to cook, I have had the pleasure of acquiring what I know from my mother (who is an exceptional culinary artist), books/blogs/magazines and of course from my many mistakes.
Just a quick background. I love to cook and often the kitchen is my escape from work. It is where I go to learn, play and (hopefully) create. I'm in my thirties, husband to a lovely wife and two very active children. As the designated cook, I spend a lot of time whipping up concoctions to be consumed by my trusting family. I also have some personal challenges. I'm overweight and have some health concerns, primarily my blood pressure. Regular exercise helps, but those battles are also fought on the dinner plate.
Hence why I chose "Errant Chef" as my blog title. It is quite fitting given how unconventional I can be. If this project serves only to keep me informed of my past successes and future opportunities then it will already be more than I could hope for. If someone out there gains a little something from it as well, all the better.
So here we go!
Just a quick background. I love to cook and often the kitchen is my escape from work. It is where I go to learn, play and (hopefully) create. I'm in my thirties, husband to a lovely wife and two very active children. As the designated cook, I spend a lot of time whipping up concoctions to be consumed by my trusting family. I also have some personal challenges. I'm overweight and have some health concerns, primarily my blood pressure. Regular exercise helps, but those battles are also fought on the dinner plate.
Hence why I chose "Errant Chef" as my blog title. It is quite fitting given how unconventional I can be. If this project serves only to keep me informed of my past successes and future opportunities then it will already be more than I could hope for. If someone out there gains a little something from it as well, all the better.
So here we go!
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