Omnomicon

So if you have an rss feed to my site, you may have (?) noticed some test posts in there. This is because I have officially migrated my entire site to Omnomicon.com! This is very exciting for me, as it marks my very first domain, and I'm a nerd like that. If you wish to continue receiving updates to Omnomicon by rss feed, please update yours by going to www.omnomicon.com and clicking on this button:

The content at omnomicon.blogspot.com is being abandoned, so this is the only way to keep getting Omnomicon updates. All my old posts will redirect to the new site. If you experience any issues, would you please let me know? I also have a new email address, for this and all other issues/questions/love letters:

aleta at omnomicon dot com.

If you keep me on your feed, that's so awesome, thanks a zillion bunches for the extra effort! If not, maybe we'll cross paths again soon.

Either way, big hugs and many thanks.

-Aleta

A pumpkin cream pie served in a pecan-studded meringue crust.

That, right there, was supposed to be my masterpiece. This was going to be a winner recipe, and I imagined the food blog equivalent of everyone hoisting me on their shoulders and carrying me away to a raucous victory party where everyone brought something they made from a recipe on my blog and we all drank and hugged and had merry times until five the next morning.

How very, very wrong was I.

This mish-mash of ideas I found in various places come from individually neat ideas unto themselves, but plain silly when put together. For one thing, beginning to end, this stupid thing took me about seven hours. Seven freakin hours, can you believe that? On a weeknight, no less, so after getting home before five, I collapsed in bed around 1am (I know that's more than seven hours, but I take a little while to wind down).

The meringue takes about 30-45 minutes to whip up, then bakes for an hour. During which time there is nothing to fill the void, because we don't want to do anything with the pudding mix so it won't set anywhere but on that crust. The crust that bakes for an hour. Then cools for two hours.




Making the filling is easy enough. Except that after you put it in said crust it needs to chill for an hour.







On top of all that, I put too much sugar in my first meringue, so add about 45 minutes before I realized that this potion was never going to get stiff peaks. Then, just at the end of the final cooling, I started a caramel sauce from the Joy, but of course, this was not the kind of sauce I meant it to be, so after burning my finger with sticky hot sugar, I tried another batch. And then added too much water at the end. We'll only count the last half hour of that, since the first half was spent waiting.



Then I cut into the pie to take a nice picture.



Look at that friggin thing! What a mess! It is so pathetic that it looks like it's hanging its head in shame, and it's a slice of pie, how could it even do that? I don't know, but it is.

The meringue crust is not the worst idea in a world full of crusts made out of Crisco, but you can't make this more than 24 hours before it needs to be done, or else all the moisture from the pie will turn it into a gummy mess. And I don't know why it stuck so fervently to the bottom of the pie plate, I oiled that sucker and everything! The flavour combination was pretty great, though, and this idea may be salvageable. But right now . . . I'm too tired to salvage.

I'm sure I'm not alone in this. What's the biggest kitchen disappointment you've been on the receiving end of? Did you manage to salvage anything from it?

Hai guise!

So even though it's not a breakfast food, guess what: I'm making chili with you today. It most certainly is a diner dish, and therefore not entirely out of line with that little theme I have going. A theme, I might add, that is probably only two weeks from expiry, as I'm not entirely sure I have clever little recipe tricks for the really good stuff on the menu, other than to buy the Heart Healthy variation of the usual pancake mix, which seems to amount to a smaller serving size on the label and some cellulose gum to add fake fiber. (Well, I guess the fiber is real, but it's not exactly whole-anything).

Alright, first you need your BEP. What's a BEP? Why, I'm so glad you asked!

It's a BIG EFFIN POT! I was going to name it something a little more literal (think BFP), but I have been linked from other blogs with the caveat that the LANGUAGE on this WEBSITE is NOT AMUSING, and I'd hate to piss off anyone who has such kind and thoughtful things to say about my website. The more faint-of-heart might wish to refer to their BEP as a BOP, or BIG OLE POT. In addition to making for a far superior acronym, it's also something you can share with your loving children. On a side note, BEPs are one of the most useful things you can have, if you don't already. Verily, they are the LBDs of the kitchen.

In this case, the BEP is somehwat pivotal, as we have a fairly large amount of stuff that really wants to stain your walls/stovetop/white blouse/microwave, bubbling up as it simmers and you lean over to give it the occasional stir. So please, do yourself a favour and bust it out.

Alright, recipe time! I made generic labels for my canned goods because I always thought it was kind of stupid and funny and obvious when they did that in kids' shows back in the day.



Also, you sadly can't read it, but that salsa jar says "The party's on, Wayne, I brought the SALSA!" That one was my favourite. =(

Now chop an onion. Press some garlic. Sautee in some oil. It took me a long time to learn this, so I offer this PSA for anyone who doesn't already know: don't press your garlic into the pan before you add the onion. You are begging for burnt, bitter-ass garlic that really does nothing good for your food. Press the garlic into your pile o'onions, and add both at the same time.

And knowing's half the battle.




I swear, I could take a thousand pictures of onions and garlic sauteeing in a pan, and I would love every single one as though it were my own, real live baby. Nothing in the world smells better.

NEXT! Add some meat n stuff in there.




Unlike cooking onions and garlic, I have a feeling that providing a picture of raw ground meat is a lot like letting someone watch you put on pantyhose . . . it's only sexy after it's done, and only in the context of other *stuff*.




See now, that there, is totally like, after you've put on the pantyhose, but before your svelte little dress is on. BUT



There we go. We're getting somewhere.

So this is a wonderful chili in its own right. It's downright edible even if you have no intention of losing a single ounce, and, rather than being just low-calorie, is actually good for you! Loads of veggies, protein and fiber in there, nothing at all fake . . . and so completely undeniably filling. Seriously, a cup of this stuff is probably the most gut-busting cup of anything you can eat.

The recipe makes about 7 servings, but if you wanna bump it up to 8 for no detectable increase in calories, throw in a chopped pepper or another onion or something. These servings freeze well, but if you don't have room in there for your entire Gladware collection, break up the monotony of leftovers by enjoying 2 Point Tacos! That's right, this already-incredible chili makes one heckuva taco. Just add one regular taco shell to 1/4c of this stuff. Cheese and lettuce might be nice, but not necessary.



Mmmmm.


Turkey Taco Chili

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1.25 lbs ground turkey (93/7 works best)
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin (this is the secret to making the chili taste taco-like)
2 tsp salt
28oz can of diced or stewed tomatoes
14oz can of dark red kidney beans, rinsed (or any other red bean you have on hand)
3/4 c hot salsa

Heat up the oil over medium heat, then add onions, then garlic, and saute for a couple minutes. Add the turkey, chili powder, cumin and salt and break up the turkey with a scoop, until it is no longer pink. Add tomatoes, kidney beans and salsa, and bring to a boil over high heat. Let boil a minute, then reduce heat to medium/low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Nutrition info: 235 calories, 5g fiber, 8g fat; 4.5 Weight Watchers Points



Two Point Tacos
a subtle variation

Scoop 1/4c of the chili into a taco shell. Eat.

Nutrition info: 120 calories, 2g fiber, 5g fat; 2 Weight Watchers Points

So I know diet diner food isn't a great sell for everybody, and frankly, I think baking takes far prettier pictures. That said, I have, for Valentine's Day, a visual gift for all y'all. Strawberry shortcake is a beautiful thing all on its own, but for dessert for two, it can be improved upon.

Generally, in place of shortcake, I make some sweet biscuits, slice 'em open and throw some sugary strawberries and whipped topping on there. However, I've been reading aaalllll about different flours and decided to try out the theory that the low protein levels in cake flour makes for a more perfect crumb.

OH MY GOD, I will never go back to all-purpose flour. All-purpose flour varies from region to region and season to season, so while in theory it can make for a seasonal flair, there's something to be said for fabulous consistency. This recipe makes a tender, delicious, and all-around omnommy shortcake biscuit.

Enter strawberries.

They're out of season, but available in most stores. Do yourself a favour and throw out any that aren't red inside. White strawberries are blech, ugh, and above all else, yucky.

Here's how to measure your flour perfectly. First, sift onto a flexible cutting board or, as seen here, parchment paper.



Funnel the flour into the measuring cup. Oh hey, bitch has tattoos, check that out.



Overfill the cup with flour, and DO NOT shake to level it off--this repacks the flour and undoes all your fancy sifting.



Instead, kinda slice off the top with a knife into the sink, or back into your flour bag/box if you can manage it. It's messy, but it's the best way.



Use a pastry blender or two knives to blend the butter into the flour until it kinda disappears in there. Then add some heavy cream, light cream, or fat free half and half. This is a batter rather than a dough, so no folding out is required, and it will be goopy.



And hey, back to the strawberries! Except this time they're seasonally-themed.



Select the pointiest berries to create the hearts. Then remove the stem and carve out the little stem-pit there. Also, this berry was a poor example, as there was a lot of white under that stem.



Cut the strawberries in half length-wise, then carve a little V out of the top. To further carve out the heart-shape, slice from the already-sliced side and round out the edges. This takes a little bit of practice, and I really didn't know how to show it in photos (sorry!). Really, though, the strawberries are going to be pushed into the batter anyway, so the edges really don't have to be all that perfect. They just take better pre-baked photos that way. And that's how to make strawberry hearts.



Scoop two heaving tablespoons of batter into each spot of your muffin pan, then press one of the strawberry hearts into each.



Then bake to perfection. And hey, don't serve yours this way . . . you need to serve it with sugared strawberries. Really. Trust me. This just took the best picture.




Strawberry Heart Shortcake Cupcakes
makes 8 cakes

1 lb fresh strawberries.
2c sifted cake flour (if using all-purpose flour, which is not recommended, reduce to 1.75c sifted)
1 tbsp baking powder
3 tbsp sugar (1 tbsp for the shortcake, 2 for the strawberry topping)
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp cold butter
3/4 c light or heavy cream, half and half, or fat-free half and half
Whipped cream, whipped topping, or cream-in-a-can

Rinse the berries, reserving 8-10 small to medium ones with pointy tips. These will be your hearts. Heat the oven to 450.

Slice remaining strawberries into quarters and toss with 2 tbsp sugar to coat. Set aside.

Sift flour on a flexible cutting board or parchment paper. Gently pour into measuring cup, then level off with a knife. I'll repeat it again just in case you missed it the first time: do not level off by shaking or tapping the measuring cup. You'll get dry nasty muffins, and nobody wants that.

Sift the sifted flour AGAIN, this time with baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut up the butter, which should have been in your fridge all this time, a little bit to get the blending going. Dump into the flour, then use a pastry blender or two knives to blend together. You're done when there are no remaining chunks of butter in there. Add in the cream or half and half all at once, then mix until all ingredients are moistened.

Let that sit a bit while you create your strawberry hearts. Pull off stems, carve out the pit with a paring knife, then slice in half. Shape each half into a heart by carving a V at the notch (where the stem used to be). Since the berries will be pushed into the dough, the edges don't need to make a perfect heart, but the V at the top is pivotal.

Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool a minute or two in the pan, then transfer to wire rack to cool. Serve to your dearest love with the sugared strawberries and whipped cream.



Love,
Aleta

Woo! More diner food. Get excited.

What I mean to say is "Get excited, you're going to be one skinny bitch or dude!"

(Hey! Some of those menu items are clickable.)


Yum! The sausage is a *mite* time-consuming, but it's delicious and easy to freezey. Here, lemme show you.



This called for a number of spices I don't normally use, hence the unappealing array of unsightly jars. It even looks better on raw meat, somehow.



Since turkey comes in 1.25 lb packages, and since I haven't tested the spice blend with that much turkey (I saved the extra quarter pound for a chili), I would say to use generous 1/2 tsps of the spices. Because we're talking an extra 1/8 tsp, and my measuring spoons don't even get that small. It's about a pinch.

Now weigh out 1.1 oz patties. I know that's kind of a weird size, but they were just the right size. If you don't have a scale, divide your meat into about 12 parts. Ball up the meat, then pat it down, and stack between little squares of wax paper.



Now chill it for an hour. After the hour's gone by, wrap whatever you aren't going to use in saran wrap, then throw them in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer. To thaw later, microwave on high in two 10 second intervals, allowing a minute or so between nukings.

After the hour's up, get a pan hot, then lay down a patty. Let it sit for a couple minutes, then flip. Let sit another couple minutes. Cut into one to be sure you've cooked all the way through (these should be rather thin, so if both sides look white, you're probably all set).



And there you are! Money shot in a bit.

Now for the eggs. I love love LOVE egg substitute, and I use it anywhere I can get away with it. I don't care what anyone says, for a scramble, these are fantastic. And oh so low calorie. I put a pinch of cayenne and probably a 1/4 tsp of garlic powder. Garlic powder is this amazing thing that you can put in fat free food to make it a thousand times more satisfying. You may have heard of it.



Next, some stuff to add a little fiber to your meal.



In addition to being delicious, these are lovely additions to your eggs. First you want to salt and pepper these . . . because they are particularly low-fat, the salt helps bring out a lot of otherwise neglected flavour. Sautee on medium-high for a few minutes, then set the burner to medium and lid it for another few minutes to let the broccoli get nice and tender.



Aaaaahhh!! Egg substunami!



Scramble it up in your awful pan that sticks to everything even when you use cooking spray.



You are perhaps thinking "But Aleta, I only like broccoli when its flavour is completely masked by cheese!" Have no fear, cheese-lover . . . there is such a thing as fat free shredded cheddar, and it goes on top of these eggs.



Now turn off the burner and, without moving your pan, lid it again to melt the cheese without burning the shit out of your eggs.

Mmmmmelty.



And that's dinner.



Maple Turkey Sausage
adapted from a recipe by A Taste of Home

1.25 lbs ground light turkey
1 tbsp maple syrup
One generous half-teaspoon each:
salt
onion powder
dried sage
dried thyme
poultry seasoning
nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne powder (plus a pinch for the adventurous)

Mix the turkey with the spices and maple syrup. Pat into tight 1.1 oz patties (about 14 total). You want these pretty thin so they don't have to cook for very long. Layer between squares of wax paper and chill in the fridge one hour.

No no, the turkey patties, not you. Get out of there.

Heat a nonstick pan to HOT, then cook each side of the patty 2-3 minutes. Cut into one to be sure that there's no pink in the middle.

These freeze and reheat fantastically, and I highly recommend making a month's supply at a time. To do so, wrap each patty individually with plastic wrap, then store in a freezer bag in your freezer. They should last a good few months that way.



Easy Fo-cheesey Egg Scramble

1/2 c egg substitute

pinch of cayenne
pinch of garlic powder
1/3 c (or more) chopped broccoli
1/4 c chopped onion
1 slice packaged ham, chopped
1/4 c fat free shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 medium tomato, chopped, with the gutsy part left out, for garnish


Spray your pan with cooking spray, and heat to medium-high. Sautee the veggies until the onions start to look translucent (a few minutes), then cover the pan with a lid to help the broccoli cool.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg with the cayenne and garlic powder.

Remove the lid, turn heat to medium, and add the egg. Scramble it up. These cook pretty quickly. When the egg is no longer runny, sprinkle the cheese on top, turn off the burner, and lid the pan again to melt the cheese without burning the egg. About two minutes later, you, my friend have a cheesey egg scramble.

So I've been back on Weight Watchers to lose my last little bit of weight there, and unfortunately this limits the number of lovely baked goods I can feature. But rather than cook/bake items of which I can only enjoy half a portion, I've decided to pass my cheap little diet secrets onto anyone who's interested.

I'll tell you something, in case you didn't know already: eating out SUCKS when you're essentially counting every calorie. Diner food is easy because it's so simple, but every time I go out for diner food, I sit there thinking about how easy it would be to slim down the same dishes. We decided to institute Diet Diner Dinners once weekly to make eating things like egg substitute and light Italian bread a special meal. This also gives me a focus for the blog, which it so desperately needs.

We'll start with the basics. Here, have a menu. Take a look.

Bacon is a diner food STAPLE. Sometimes I feel guilty ordering a diner plate without it because shit, the smell of bacon grease is what Sunday morning hangover food is all about. I've tried turkey bacon, and while I'm not afraid of food colouring nor fake diet food, that stuff is remarkably unappetizing. Those stripes and that awful off-taste don't convince me at all. What is a surprisingly good substitute is frying up some ham and kinda just pretending it's bacon. Goes well with a fried egg.



No pan greasing required! And a single 30-calorie slice of ham makes four slices of fakin bacon. Just the right amount for a single egg.



Now because I'm completely unoriginal (and also because I've never made hash browns before), I followed Simply Recipe's Crispy Hash Browns Recipe. I cut the oil down to 2 tbsp to achieve that delicious crispy hash brown taste without all the calories.

I should write commercials.

I started with a pound of potatoes. This is what they looked like.



There was a lonely potato as I was shredding 'em. Dano took a picture. It's my new desktop background. Grab the large size on Flickr if'n ya want yer own.



Alrighty. Elise was so right about draining the potatoes. In the absence of a potato ricer, I annihilated about half a roll of paper towels drying these out. It was worth it.



I guess it's a little subtle in the photos . . .

I threw on some salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, a pinch of cayenne, and probably other spices from my standard fare.



Then I ruined the photo by mixing it all up. This stuff is not terribly photogenic, not gonna lie.



But in the end? Best diet food ever.