Everything All The Time

Polenta, Mushroom Ragu & Poached Egg by Working Class Foodies

I had no idea this site existed until I asked for submissions, and man am I glad I was introduced. Working Class Foodies is a web series created by siblings Rebecca & Max Lando, with a goal to use fresh local ingredients and keep a low budget per person.

If you have any interest in cooking, you must check this out. The recipe above definitely got my attention, and polenta is very easy to make.

(thanks to rebecca for sending this over)

2.22.10   26 note(s)  

Delicious Chicago by Delicious Design League

Man I’m hungry. There was a small place where I went to college that had Chicago style hotdogs…. this is bringing back memories. Awesome print!

(via jesseddy)

12.29.09   7 note(s)  

Cream Wafers

I don’t post much about food on this blog, but is it safe to say that most creative people or imaginative people have a love for food or cooking? I think it goes hand in hand. Anyway, this is my favorite Christmas cookie, and I can’t go without having them at least once a year. It doesn’t have to be a Christmas cookie either, since really the only thing Holiday about them is the red and green filling.

These are simple to make. I can’t describe the taste except maybe this will help: there is a lot of butter in them so they are definitely buttery. To me they taste like a cupcake in cookie form.

Cookie Wafer

1 cup softened butter or margarine

1/3 cup whipping cream

2 cups flour

granulated sugar for coating wafers

Mix the butter, whipping cream and flour together until you get a smooth consistency. Place in a bowl and cover, and store in the fridge for at least 1 hour. This can be left overnight in the fridge if you need too.

Filling

1/2 softened butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Mix the filling until smooth, then divide in half. Color one half red and the other green.

Bake

Heat the oven to 375℉. Roll out 1/3 of the dough at a time, until it is 1/8” thick. Try not to re-roll the dough more than twice. Cut wafers with 1 1/2” round cookie cutter. Coat each side with the granulated sugar. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and make sure to puncture the cookies with a fork before baking. I made three rows of four holes. Bake for 7 - 9 minutes, but I would stay closer to 7. Since there is no egg in this recipe you can under cook them and it will be fine. Transfer to a cooling rack when done. Make sure they are completely cooled before filling.

Variations

Since the filling is so basic, obviously you can adjust it to whatever you like. Instead of vanilla you could use a lemon or orange extract, or almond.

12.22.09   12 note(s)  

I love Genghis Khan. I could eat there every day…  Guess who has the biggest bowl! I actually got a comment from someone behind me in line today: “dude, I am seriously impressed.” And with unlimited access to Crab Rangoon, who can go wrong!

10.8.09   7 note(s)  

I just signed up for my beta account at Culinary Culture. The site looks amazing, and I’m looking forward to using it. They did a great job with the site.

10.2.09   5 note(s)  

Homemade Chili Powder

I did this quickly this morning, to test out my new Mortar & Pestle. I don’t talk about food or cooking much on this blog, but I actually really enjoy both. I usually cook the majority of meals in my household and I love it.

Anyway, this is something I have done before, and it is very easy.

Step 1: Obtain a large amount of dried red chilies (or use your favorite chili). I got mine at the local farmers market, which is probably the best way because they are fresh, and I got a huge bag for literally $1. You need about a dozen chilies or so to make 2T of powder.

Step 2: Cut off the tops of the chilies and shake the seeds out. If you prefer this to be extremely hot, leave the seeds in. Cut the chilies into 1/4” rings.

Step 3: Toast them over low heat in a pan. Do not use anything else in the pan (i.e. oil, butter, nonstick spray, etc.). Make sure to turn them often when toasting.

Step 4: To make a fine powder, simply put the toasted chilies in a clean coffee bean grinder, and then you are done. I decided I wanted flakes instead, and a chance to use my new toy. Grind the chilies by hand with a mortar & pestle for flakes. Place in an air tight container when done. I had an empty spice jar available.

There are many don’t s when doing this. Don’t be like me taking so many pictures, I forget to watch the chilies and burn them. I used them anyway, because I don’t mind a little burnt flavor added. Don’t be like me taking a photo directly above the pan and consequently inhaling the fumes. This results in a serious coughing fit for the next 30 minutes. Don’t rub your eyes after handling the chilies.

Anyway, this is an easy thing to do, and you can use this for future batches of Chili or with the flakes you can shake it on Pizza. Plus it will keep for a very long time, and is much fresher than buying chili powder from the store.

9.27.09   13 note(s)  

andrewromano:

Gourmet:

Horseshoe sandwiches are ubiquitous in Springfield, Illinois, but no one eats them anywhere else. Like many folk foods, they’re hard to define, but all share a toasted bread base, a pile of some meat or other, a slathering of sauce, and, in place of the usual toast topper, a full spud canopy. A modern “shoe” is perhaps the most massive single-dish meal in the nation, comparable in both size and spirit to the notorious Rochester (New York) garbage plate: a kitchen-sink meal of nutritionally wicked elements doled out in awesome proportions. At breakfast time, you can get the shoes slathered with cream gravy or cheese sauce and covered with hash browns. Lunch and supper shoes are piled up with hamburgers, pork tenderloin cutlets, fried chicken, whitefish, or just about any other main course you’d find on the menu of a diner or pub and strewn with french fries. Of course, good meat is important to a shoe’s success, and some claim the cheese sauce is the key, but in our experience it is the potatoes that make or break the dish.

God bless America.

I lived in Springfield for almost 5 years, and I can’t tell you how many of these I consumed. And, I still weighed a measly 165 pounds. The two places they mention getting these at, aren’t even that great. If you want a recommendation, ask me. I know all the secrets. :) Plus they don’t mention you can get a ‘Pony Shoe’ which is half the size. I cannot wait until November when I am in Springfield, and can have one of these again. You can even get ‘Horseshoes’ at Steak N’ Shake in Springfield.

I know…. I’m a glutton..

9.25.09   18 note(s)  

fourchirps:

Urban Edibles in Portland

Portland, the land of milk, honey, and berries, has blessed itself with this great website. Contributors add fruit and other food they’ve spotted to a map so everyone can find it. I’ll have one of these up and running for Kansas City in about 17 years, or perhaps 8 years with the help of Amy and Caleb.

I better check on those peaches in Westport…

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I think this is awesome. As if I didn’t have enough things going on already, I would be seriously interested in figuring out a way to make this work for KC. Hmm…

8.24.09   35 note(s)  

thisiswhyyourefat:

Deep Fried Ravioli

(via flickr)

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This is Toasted Ravioli, which originated in St. Louis. This stuff is fantastic! Try it

7.24.09   486 note(s)  

fromme-toyou:

This weeks Dinner & A Movie theme was Americana in celebration of the 4th of July! We had Better Butter Burgers, Salty Dogs and Southern Potato Salad washed down with Classy Summertime Beer while watching Pearl Harbor.

You can find recipes for these American Classics on Tasty Planner by clicking the links below:

Classy Summertime Beer

Salty Dogs

Better Butter Burgers

Southern Potato Salad

First off, I’m going to have to try some of those recipes: it is almost lunch time here and this is making me really hungry!

Secondly, where did you get those glasses?!! I have to get some!

7.8.09   13 note(s)