#instant polenta

[etirabys]

me: cooking is sooo tiring [rarely re-makes the same dish to benefit from the reduced cognitive overhead & more streamlined workflow]

[ryangoslingartsadmin]

Instant Pot Italian Sausage and Polenta Recipe Use your Instant Pot to cook this quick and easy polenta dish with Italian turkey sausage. It takes just minutes to prepare and the Instant Pot does the rest.

[petermorwood]

More food and cooking of the Middle Kingdoms, though in this instance with photos only since the recipe hasn't yet been written up.

It's Lamb in Sour Blackberry Sauce, from "The Door Into Sunset", and this form involves lamb chops, both marinated and not, a sauce made from the marinade, and (since the Middle Kingdoms have no PO-TAY-TOES) a simple accompaniment of Arlene Roasted Root Vegetables, in this case parsnips.

The marinade is made from blackberries macerated in balsamic vinegar (red wine vinegar is another possibility, but we - and to our surprise the shop - were both out of it) and, for a bit more fruity complexity, some Kriek, a Belgian lambic beer brewed with sour cherries.

This was the drinking accompaniment as well. It's a very attractive colour, and its dry finish contrasted well with the lamb.

*****

Step one, take a bowl, add some of the beer and the macerating vinegar, then the chops.

Step two, add a layer of the macerated berries.

Step three, top off with the rest of the beer...

...then cover with clingfilm and put into the fridge.

We left ours for 72 hours, and here's the contrast between unmarinated chops and marinated ones.

That berry is to mark which was which, but it's really not needed. :->

*****

Sauce was made by reducing the marinade by about 50%, with some of the berries mashed into it and others left whole, then thickened with arrowroot.

Why not cornflour?

Fiction-wise, DD has decided that the Middle Kingdoms lack maize as well as potatoes, so there'll be no cornflour, sweetcorn or polenta;

Food-wise, arrowroot thickening keeps a sauce smooth and fluid rather than turning semi-solid or even solid when cold, because we were already thinking about other ways to eat this than over whole chops on a plate.

For example I got a couple of fondue forks and tried toasting some of the fatter bits of chop, then dipping them in the sauce.

It worked very well - understatement! - even with that little Instant BBQ tray. Barbecuing works wonderfully. We've also tried flash-frying, whose result different but just as good, for the last couple of chops we'll try grilling (US broiling) to see how that turns out.

*****

As for "does the sauce look and mouthfeel good when cold?", yes it does. We used it as a dip when finishing the leftovers later that night. The last couple of cooked chops were cut into pieces matching the parsnips, like the ones toasted on the BBQ, then everything was seared / re-crisped under the grill for a few minutes and eaten as finger-food.

There are no photos, because by the time either of us thought of a camera, there wasn't enough left to bother with - which by itself says how good this was!

*****

Also, instead of fingers, we used eating-picks.

If a diplomatic envoy is having a working snack while busy with documents, saucy-greasy fingerprint reminders of that snack on the documents will impress nobody.

And if diplomacy is a bit on edge, then no matter how much they really eat, the envoy can always tell superiors back home how they expressed silent disapproval by merely picking at their food.

It'll fool nobody, of course, especially if that diplomat is known to enjoy the pleasures of the table, but token gestures are what this sort of diplomacy is all about.

:->

[andmaybegayer]

A favoured and rare childhood treat of mine was Kreemymeel, an instant porridge that they sell in South Africa. Rare not for any reason other than that we didn't make porridge at home really? It's not like it was hard to find.

Anyway I was looking at my cupboards and thought "hey I'm pretty sure that was like. 100% white corn and nothing else" and sure enough when I look up old boxes it's 99+% white corn and "flavouring" whatever that was. Maybe butter flavouring. Like Polenta?

So I boiled some masa harina in water, added salt and sugar and hey yeah that's kreemy meel. Good to know. Thank you corn.

[unsellingconvenience]

I tried making polenta in the oven for a change. It worked ok. There was substantially more browning than my usual methods (stove, instant pot), which was fine, and possibly because I used milk in the mix. This cornmeal was from my farmer’s market and particularly finely ground, so I think that may have interfered with it dissolving well - some of it floated on top and bubbled up into a browned crust that I had to stir to break up after about 20 minutes, and the overall texture was a mix of very smooth plus intermittent lumps. On the plus side, I was able to make twice as much as I normally do, pretty easily, and it’s mostly hands off except occasional stirring. This is 2 cups of cornmeal to 4 cups of water and 4 cups of milk, with about a tablespoon of salt, finished with a knob of butter and grated parmesan. #dinner #cooking #polenta #oven #sides

[unsigned-me]

Trying Food From Bram Stoker's "Dracula"

Paprika Roast Chicken over Mamaliga

Before offering the recipe, proper dues and citation must be given! Here is the proper website of the recipe I tried:

“I had for dinner, or rather supper, a chicken done up some way with red pepper, which was very good but thirsty. (Mem. get recipe for Mina.) I asked the waiter, and he said it was called "paprika hendl," and that, as it was a national dish, I should be able to get it anywhere along the Carpathians.”

-Dracula, Chapter 1

“I had for breakfast more paprika, and a sort of porridge of maize flour which they said was "mamaliga"…”

-Dracula, Chapter 1

As it can be guessed, I’m heartily partaking in Dracula Daily. I decided that merely re-reading the novel wasn’t enough for me, and at the very least I should try a recipe or two. Now, I’m unsure about the authenticity of the recipe, though I enjoyed it regardless, and would appreciate recommendations for more authentic versions. Ah, I’ve spent enough time tottering on like a bird, here is the recipe. After which I’ll give a few thoughts.

Paprika Roast Chicken over Mamaliga

(A lofty thank-you to Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez, the author of the recipe, is in order. Thank you.)

prep time: 15 MINS cook time: 35 MINS total time: 50 mins

INGREDIENTS:

For the chicken:

2 tablespoons honey (all I had in my abode was Hot Honey, which seemed to work fine.)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (alas, mine was not fresh…)

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 (3.5 pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces (I’m not fond of bones, chicken breast worked for me, just be sure to confirm the poultry is cooked thoroughly.)

1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into 1/2"-thick wedges

For The Mamaliga (Romanian Cornmeal Porridge):

3 1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal (sometimes labeled grits or polenta) (My note: I never knew I was already so familiar with this dish!)

1/3 cup sour cream, optional (heavily optional in my case, something about it makes me uneasy.)

1/4 cup chopped fresh mixed herbs (parsley, thyme, sage, tarragon), optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

Make the chicken:

1. Preheat oven to 500° F; place rack in upper third of oven. (Fainting for those with glasses. Warning; temporary, foggy blindness.)

2. Combine first 7 ingredients for the chicken in a large bowl until smooth. Add chicken pieces and onions; toss to coat. Pour everything into a 12-inch cast-iron skillet (or similar sized dish), with the chicken is skin side up, making sure to scrape all of the paprika paste into the pan. (If there is anything I would have done better, it is slightly increase the amount of paste I made.)

3. Slide into hot oven and bake until chicken is just cooked through (should register 165° F on an instant-read thermometer), 30-35 minutes. (Around 74 degrees Celsius. There may be some burning, I find it didn’t detract much.)

Make the mamaliga:

1. In the meantime, put the water, butter, and salt in a medium-large pot and bring to a full boil. Using a wooden spoon, stir costantly as you gradually add the cornmeal, stirring constantly. (Those from the American south or anywhere that grits are common, will be well acquainted with these steps.)

2. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until it thickens and starts to pull away from the sides of the pot, 30-35 minutes. If using, immediately stir in the sour cream and herbs.

To serve:

1. Serve chicken and onions over the hot mamaliga, spooning a little extra paprika butter from the pan over the top.

This was a wholly wonderful meal. Not nearly as “Thirsty” as dear Jonathan proclaimed, but I will not poke fun at him for it. The chicken was certainly savored and will be made again. The Mamaliga wasn’t much of a shock, as I’ve technically already had it—just under a different name. Regardless of its accuracy, it was filling and hearty. A type of dish best eaten shared. (Though, most dishes are heightened by company. Cooking or baking for others brings me such joy.) I think you may enjoy the recipe, if you do intend to try it, and hope it brings you the contentment of a pleasantly fat cat (like it did me).

[angelkin-food-cake]

Lobster Polenta Pizza with Sun Dried Cherry Tomatoes

1 box instant polenta

8 oz mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

2 heads roasted garlic

8 oz. fontina cheese, freshly grated

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 to 4 lobster tails, raw and removed from shell (use as many as you want!)

1 pouch sun dried tomatoes

fresh basil leaves for topping

freshly grated parmesan cheese for topping

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Prepare the polenta until it is just thickened, then spread it out into a thin layer on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake the crust for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it is slightly crispy and set in a crust. Remove and let the crust cool slightly.

Add the mascarpone to a bowl. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into a smaller bowl and add a pinch of salt, then mash well with a fork. Add the garlic to the mascarpone and stir until combined.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil and butter. Add the lobster tails and cook until they are just opaque and bright red in color – be sure to not over cook since they will cook more in the oven. Remove from heat immediately and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Allow to cool slightly then chop into pieces.

To make the pizza, spread the roasted garlic mascarpone over the crust, leaving an inch or so around the ends. Sprinkle three quarters of the fontina on top, then add the lobster pieces and the cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is crispier. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil leaves and parmesan cheese. Cut into slices. Serve immediately.

[killingmesoftlywiththissong]

ate half an instant polenta and less than half a pack of cottage cheese and i feel guilty like girl its rlly not that deep

[hell-ama-official]

You didn't answer mu question.

Hm, hm. I don't know who you are. Are you the clerk from the grocery store who asked me if I wanted going to try the "Instant Double Spicy Raw Carp Flavor Polenta (NOW with ketchup and pieces of actual potato chips!!)"? In that case, no, I wasn't going to try that atrocity. Or are you, perchance, the person who scribbled "d2f?" on the back of my office chair? In that case, expect a defacing public property fine in your mailbox tomorrow.

[wholesomebellies]

Polenta Chips

 PREP TIME10 minutes

 COOK TIME1 hour

If you’re looking for a quick and easy snack that’s a healthier alternative to fried potato chips, then look no further than these flavourful polenta chips.

The secret to making them extra tasty is to use instant polenta and flavour the stock you cook it in. While plain water can result in a bland outcome, using a flavorsome vegetable stock infused with herbs, vegan parmesan, garlic powder, and onion powder will elevate the flavors to a whole new level.

Polenta, a staple in Italian cuisine, is not only affordable but also incredibly versatile. It’s made from ground cornmeal and was traditionally valued for its affordability, ease of preparation, and filling nature. In this recipe, we take polenta to the next level by transforming it into crispy and delicious chips.

Polenta Chips

 PREP TIME10 minutes

Ingredients

1 litre water or vegetable stock (vegetable stock will be more flavoursome)

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons vegan parmesan

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon mixed Italian herbs

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

250 grams instant polenta

Method

In a large pot bring to boil the vegetable stock or water with the olive oil, three tablespoons vegan parmesan, salt, Italian herbs, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Once it comes to a boil, gradually add the polenta and stir continuously with a whisk ensuring no lumps form. At this point taste to ensure seasoning is to your liking. Add more herbs or salt if necessary. Remove the rosemary.

Line a 20 x 20cm tin with baking paper and pour in cooked polenta. Smoothen surface.

Place in fridge for about an hour to set.

Once set, tip the polenta onto a wooden board and cut it into fries.

Place on a lined tray, sprinkle with salt and rest of vegan parmesan, and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the fries over and bake the other side for 20 minutes.

Serve with a dipping sauce of your choice.

Recipe Notes

Equipment you Need

Large pot

Whisk

20 x 20cm tin

Baking paper

Baking tray

Wooden board

To start, bring a large pot of vegetable stock (or water) to a boil, along with olive oil, few tablespoons of vegan parmesan, salt,  herbs, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir everything together to create a flavourful base for the polenta. Gradually add the polenta while continuously whisking to ensure a smooth texture without any lumps. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning if needed, adding more herbs or salt to suit your preference. Remove the rosemary from the pot.

Next, line a tin with baking paper and pour the cooked polenta into it, smoothing the surface. Place the tin in the fridge for about an hour to allow the polenta to set. This chilling process helps the polenta solidify, making it easier to cut into chips later on. Once the polenta has set, remove the tin from the fridge and carefully tip the solidified polenta onto a wooden board. Now comes the fun part—cutting it into chips! You can choose to cut them into thick chips for a hearty snack or thin fries for a lighter option. Use a sharp knife to create even slices, ensuring that each chip is of similar thickness.

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit). Arrange the cut polenta on a lined baking tray, ensuring they are not too crowded, as this allows for even cooking and maximum crispiness. Sprinkle the chips with salt and the remaining vegan parmesan to add an extra layer of flavor. Pop the tray into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. After the initial 20 minutes, carefully flip the chips over using a spatula or tongs. This helps to ensure both sides of the chips become golden brown and crispy. Continue baking for another 20 minutes until the chips are beautifully crisp and golden.

Once your polenta chips are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes. They should be delightfully crunchy on the outside with a tender, creamy center. Serve your homemade polenta chips with a dipping sauce of your choice to enhance the flavor even further. Whether it’s a tangy tomato salsa, a creamy garlic aioli, or a spicy chipotle mayo, the choice is yours. The combination of the crispy chips and the flavorful sauce creates a mouthwatering experience that is sure to satisfy your snack cravings.

These polenta chips make a fantastic side dish or a tasty snack for any occasion. They’re a healthier alternative to traditional fried potato chips, as they are baked instead of fried. The use of instant polenta makes them quick and convenient to prepare, while the added flavors in the stock and the vegan parmesan elevate them to a whole new level of deliciousness. Plus, you can customize the seasoning to suit your taste preferences, adding herbs and spices of your choice to create a flavor profile that excites your palate.

[brookston]

Holidays 10.9

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Premieres

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Boulder Wham! (WB MM Cartoon; 1965)

The Boy Bounders or Plane Punchy (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 61; 1960)

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Life Begins for Andy Panda (Andy Panda Cartoon; 1939)

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Little Einsteins (Animated TV Series; 2005)

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The Mole Men, Parts 3 & 4 (Underdog Cartoon, S2, Eps. 7 & 8 1965)

NBC (Television Network; 1926)

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A Peek at the Peak or Your Climb is My Climb (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 62; 1960)

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Prisoner of Love, recorded by Russ Columbo (Song; 1931)

Pursuit of the Po-Ho (Animated TV Show;Jonny Quest #4; 1964)

Rocky Rides Again or Small in the Saddle (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 168; 1962)

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Thomas & Friends (Animated UK TV Series; 1984)

Timewasters (BBC TV Series; 2017)

Under Siege (Film; 1992)

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Wild Night, by Van Morrison (Song; 1971)

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Today is Also…

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Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 18 of 90)

Week: 1st Full Week of October

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[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 10.9

Holidays

Abolition Day (Saint Barthelemy)

Buckwheat Day (French Republic)

CATober 9th

Commonwealth Cultural Day (Northern Mariana Islands)

Community Day (Spain)

Constitution Day (Sint Maarten)

Curious Events Day

Day of National Honor (a.k.a. Day of Dignity; Peru)

Earth Science Literacy Day

Felicitas Asteroid Day

Fire Prevention Day (Canada, US)

Fungus Day

Give Peace a Chance Day

Global Work From Home Day

Hangul Day (a.k.a. Korean Alphabet Day; South Korea)

Indian Foreign Service Day (India)

Instant Karma Day

International Subscription Day

International Walk & Bike to School Day

Leif Erikson Day (Iceland, Norway; Minnesota, Wisconsin)

Magic Lantern Day

Manhattan Project Day

Messenger Appreciation Day

Mop Fair (Tewkesbury, England)

National Absentee Ballot Day

National Chess Day (Original Date)

National Class Ring Day

National C60 Day

National Dance Marathon Day

National Day Commemorating the Holocaust (a.k.a. Ziua Nationala de Comemorare a Holocaustului; Romania)

National Day Without Stigma

National Digitool Day

National Heritage Day (Turks and Caicos)

National Nanotechnology Day

National Send a Booty Pic Day

National Sneakers Day

Nautilus Night

Naval Forces Day (Turkmenistan)

Pans/Pandas Awareness Day

Puerto Rico Friendship Day (Virgin Islands)

Realtor’s Day (Ukraine)

Region of Valencia Day (Spain)

Samitinget Establishment Day (Norway)

Scrubs Day

Steam Calliope Day

Strawberry Fields Day

Tavistock Goose Fair (Devon, England)

Valencian Community Day (Valencia, Spain)

World PANS/PANDAS Awareness Day

World Post Day (UN)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Beer and Pizza Day

Canadian Beer Day

International Beer and Pizza Day

National Moldy Cheese Day

National Polenta Day (Italy)

Submarine-Hoagie-Hero-Grinder Day

Yukon Gold Potato Day

Independence & Related Days

Cambodia (Declares Itself a Republic, Changes Name to Khmer; 1970)

Frivia (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Guayaquil Independence Day (Ecuador)

Hobart (Founded; Tasmania; 1804)

Malvern (l.k.a. Malvern and Roslyn; Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Republic of Skovaji (Declared; 2014) [unrecognized]

Uganda (from UK, 1962)

Union of Piedmont (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

2nd Wednesday in October

Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work Day [2nd Wednesday]

Emergency Nurses Day [2nd Wednesday]

Energy Star Day [2nd Wednesday]

Health Cares About Domestic Violence Day [2nd Wednesday]

Hump Day [Every Wednesday]

International Day For Natural Disaster Reduction (Hawaii) [2nd Wednesday]

International Top Spinning Day [2nd Wednesday]

National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work & School Day [2nd Wednesday]

National Curves Day [2nd Wednesday]

National Fossil Day [2nd Wednesday]

National Pet Obesity Day [2nd Wednesday]

National Stop Bullying Day [2nd Wednesday]

National Take Your Parents to Lunch Day [Wednesday of 2nd Full Week]

Sauerkraut Day (North Dakota) [2nd Wednesday]

Stem Cell Awareness Day [2nd Wednesday]

Stop America's Violence Everywhere (a.k.a. SAVE) Today [2nd Wednesday]

Wacky Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Website Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Walk & Roll to School Day [2nd Wednesday]

Watermelon Wednesday [2nd Wednesday of Each Month]

Workout Wednesday [2nd Wednesday of Each Month]

Weekly Holidays beginning October 9 (1st Full Week of October)

National Fire Prevention Week [Week of 10.9]

World Rainforest Week (thru 10.14)

Festivals Beginning October 9, 2024

BFI London Film Festival (London, United Kingdom) [thru 10.20]

Film Fest Gent (Ghent, Belgium) [thru 10.20]

Paraty International Literary Festival [FLIP] (Paraty, Brazil) [thru 10.13]

South Carolina State Fair (Columbia, South Carolina) [thru 10.20]

WOMAD (Johannesburg, South Africa) [thru 10.13]

Feast Days

Abraham the Patriarch (Christian; Saint)

Andronicus and Athanasia (Christian; Saints)

Atilla the Hun Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Bill Tidy (Artology)

The Count (Muppetism)

Curious Events Holiday (Shamanism)

Day of Tuonela (Pagan)

Demetrius of Alexandria (Christian; Saint)

Denis (Christian; Saint)

Denis Ghislain (Christian; Saint)

Dionysius the Areopagite (Christian; Saint)

Divine Wisdom Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Domninus (Christian; Saint)

Felicitas (Old Roman Goddess of Good Luck & Joy)

Festival for Venus (Ancient Rome)

Frank Duveneck (Artology)

Ghislain (a.k.a. Guislain; Christian; Saint)

Innocencio of Mary Immaculate and Martyrs of Asturias (Christian; Saint)

Jaqueline Carey (Writerism)

Jean-Baptiste Regnault (Artology)

John Doubleday (Artology)

John Henry Newman (Christian; Saint)

John Leonardi (Christian; Saint)

Knot Day (Pastafarian)

Louis-Simon Boizot (Artology)

Luis Beltran (a.k.a. Louis Bertrand; Christian; Saint)

Mike Peters (Artology)

Nicholas Roerich (Artology)

Publia (Christian; Saint)

Robert Grosseteste (Church of England)

Roger Bacon (Positivist; Saint)

Savin (Christian; Saint)

Simeon Solomon (Artology)

Simon Drew (Artology)

Takayama Autumn Festival begins (Japan)

The Waters of Sul (Celtic Book of Days)

Wilfred Grenfell (Episcopal Church (USA))

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [47 of 57]

Premieres

Babe, by Styx (Song; 1979)

Big Top Scooby-Doo! (WB Animated Film; 2012)

Boulder Wham! (WB MM Cartoon; 1965)

The Boy Bounders or Plane Punchy (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 61; 1960)

Buzzard Bait or The Carrion Call (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 167; 1962)

Carry On, Jeeves, by P.G. Wodehouse (Novel; 1925)

Couples Retreat (Film; 2009)

Dance Dance Dance,, recorded by The Beach Boys (Song; 1964)

Holy Man (Film; 1998)

The Iceman Cometh, by Eugene O’Neill (Play; 1946)

Le Siège de Corinthe, by Gioachino Rossini (Opera; 1826)

Libeled Lady (Film; 1936)

Life Begins for Andy Panda (Andy Panda Cartoon; 1939)

Little Big Man, by Thomas Berger (Novel; 1964)

Little Einsteins (Animated TV Series; 2005)

Lucky Ducky (Tex Avery MGM Cartoon; 1948)

Microcosmos (Documentary Film; 1996)

Mogambo (Film; 1953)

The Mole Men, Parts 3 & 4 (Underdog Cartoon, S2, Eps. 7 & 8 1965)

NBC (Television Network; 1926)

Night Life of the Bugs (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1936)

The Olympic Champ (Disney Cartoon; 1942)

A Peek at the Peak or Your Climb is My Climb (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 62; 1960)

Phantom of the Horse Opera (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1961)

Phantom of the Opera (Broadway Musical; 1986)

Prisoner of Love, recorded by Russ Columbo (Song; 1931)

Pursuit of the Po-Ho (Animated TV Show;Jonny Quest #4; 1964)

Rocky Rides Again or Small in the Saddle (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 168; 1962)

Roof Top Razzle-Dazzle (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1964)

Rover’s Rival (WB LT Cartoon; 1937)

Rushmore (Film; 1998)

Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase (Hanna-Barbera Animated TV Movie)

Shaving Muggs (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1953)

Thomas & Friends (Animated UK TV Series; 1984)

Timewasters (BBC TV Series; 2017)

Under Siege (Film; 1992)

War Dogs (MGM Cartoon; 1943)

Wild Night, by Van Morrison (Song; 1971)

Today’s Name Days

Doings, Dionysius, Günter, Johannes, Sara (Austria)

Abraham, Dionizije, Sara (Croatia)

Sára, Štefan (Czech Republic)

Dionysius (Denmark)

Mariina, Riin, Riina, Riine (Estonia)

Ilona (Finland)

Denis (France)

Doings, Elfriede, Günter, Sara, Sibylle (Germany)

Avraam, Lot (Greece)

Dénes (Hungary)

Abramo, Dionigi, Ferruccio, Lorenzo, Sara (Italy)

Elga, Elgars, Helga (Latvia)

Dionizas, Virgailė (Lithuania)

Leidulf, Leif (Norway)

Arnold, Arnolf, Atanazja, Bogdan, Dionizjusz, Dionizy, Jan, Ludwik, Przedpełk (Poland)

Iacob (Romania)

Dionýz (Slovakia)

Abraham, Abrahán, Dionisio, Héctor, Juan, Luis, Sara (Spain)

Inger, Ingrid (Sweden)

Rebecca (Ukraine)

Denice, Denis, Denise, Dennis, Denny, Dion, Gunnar, Gunther, Leif (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 283 of 2024; 83 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of Week 41 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Gort (Ivy) [Day 11 of 28]

Chinese: Month 9 (Jia-Xu), Day 7 (Bing-Wu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 7 Tishri 5785

Islamic: 5 Rabi II 1446

J Cal: 13 Orange; Sixthday [13 of 30]

Julian: 26 September 2024

Moon: 37%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 3 Descartes (11th Month) [Joachim / St. Bonaventura]

Runic Half Month: Gyfu (Gift) [Day 3 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 18 of 90)

Week: 1st Full Week of October

Zodiac: Libra (Day 17 of 30)

[djshavingabath]

Indulge in the rich and zesty flavors of Cajun Skillet Pork Chops with Asparagus and Cheesy Polenta. This dish brings together perfectly seared pork chops, crisp asparagus, and creamy, cheesy polenta for a delightful and satisfying meal.

Ingredients: 4 pork chops. 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed. 1 cup instant polenta. 4 cups water. 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese. 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning. Salt and pepper, to taste. 2 tablespoons olive oil. 2 cloves garlic, minced. Fresh parsley, for garnish.

Instructions: Make sure the pork chops are well covered with Cajun seasoning, salt, and pepper. Warm up the olive oil in a big pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork chops on both sides until they are golden brown and fully cooked. Take it out and set it aside. Add minced garlic to the same pan and cook it until it smells good. Trim the asparagus and put it in the pan. Cook until it is tender-crisp. Bring water to a boil in a different pot. Slowly whisk in the instant polenta, making sure there are no lumps by stirring all the time. Turn down the heat and let the polenta simmer until it gets thick. Shred the cheddar cheese and mix it in until it melts. Put the pork chops cooked in a Cajun skillet on top of a bed of cheesy polenta and asparagus. Add fresh parsley as a garnish. Enjoy every bite of this dish, which is full of strong Cajun spices, tender pork, and cheesy polenta.

Erica

[addierose444]

Meal Planning: Benefits and Challenges

I love meal planning and genuinely find it to be so useful. I first tried it nearly two years ago back when I was a software engineering intern. I documented my overwhelmingly positive experience in a post titled why I meal plan. Upon returning to college, I was back on a different, and worse, kind of meal plan. While I miss other aspects of living at Smith, one of my favorite parts about moving into my first apartment has been having my very own kitchen and getting to cook for myself. You can read more about my kitchen essentials in the linked post. While I do enjoy cooking, meal planning, meal prep, and simple meals are the foundation of why I can sustain and enjoy preparing the vast majority of meals for myself. This still isn’t the post I’ve alluded to in the past about my actual meal prep process. The goal is instead to highlight the benefits and address some of the challenges I’ve run into more recently. 

The main reason meal planning is invaluable to me is that it allows me to front-load and consolidate the decision-making. While I wouldn't literally starve without it, I'm significantly more likely to skip a meal when I've not planned one out. I know it sounds strange, but even if I'm somewhat hungry, I don't always have the mental energy to figure out what to eat. 

The most practical benefit is that it streamlines my grocery shopping which in turn saves me time at the grocery store and money. The cost savings come in a few forms. First of all, when done strategically meal planning can eliminate food waste. More significantly, meal planning cuts down on impulse spending at both restaurants and grocery stores. A good meal plan still allows you to eat out if that’s something you value. The difference is that it’s with more intentionality rather than desperation and hunger. 

A side benefit is that it makes me more aware of what I'm eating which presumably helps me to be a bit more health conscious. While I don’t have scientific proof of causation, there’s absolutely a correlation at least for me. 

Now on to the challenges. The problem is that you can’t always perfectly stick to your meal plan. That in of itself is okay. For instance, say there is some free food opportunity or you get invited to go out to dinner with a friend. In that case, a good meal plan simply adapts. A meal plan isn’t meant to constrain you and should simply be updated as circumstances change or if you simply change your mind about what you want to eat.

The actual challenge is when external factors impact your meal plan. Here are a few examples from this month. First of all, a few weekends ago I got a cold. This directly impacted my meal plan because I didn’t have the energy to cook. Besides, it made me want something like chicken noodle soup. Fortunately, I do keep an emergency can of chicken noodle soup as well as some instant ramen! And while I did recover in time, it did almost impact my ability to go grocery shopping and do meal prep for the next week. 

The following Friday, I prepared two servings of my polenta with sausage and peppers but managed to drop and break one of the bowls. I was thus forced to come up with a replacement meal for Saturday night. A similar but less extreme mishap was accidentally leaving my blue cheese in my grocery backpack. After being unrefrigerated for two days, throwing it out seemed like the prudent decision. In this case, I just had less yummy tofu spinach salads for the rest of the week. 

The challenge today and inspiration for writing this post was needing to replan on the fly due to there being no ripe bell peppers at the grocery store. This is a problem because peppers are a core ingredient for both of the meals I just mentioned. Fortunately, the frozen peppers were finally back in stock. While this unblocks the polenta meal, frozen veggies don't exactly work in a fresh salad. Thus instead of my normal baby spinach, I opted for frozen so that I could still make my spinach omelets. The good and bad thing is that I’d already done my usual meal prep of tofu for the salads and rice/tempeh for my rice bowls. Because the tempeh freezes well, the new plan is to use my salad tofu for tofu rice bowls. It should be okay, but I would have cut and cooked the tofu differently if I’d known it was going to be used for rice bowls. As for the tempeh, the plan isn’t fully set. I'm hoping to develop an alternate meal, but may end up simply making more rice next weekend.

I want the main takeaway to be that meal planning is incredible and can be as flexible as you need it to be. I’ll also leave you with a few learnings from the recent challenges I’ve encountered. First, always keep a few emergency meals on hand. Freezer meals can work here but ideally, you also have some shelf-stable options. Canned chicken noodle soup is perfect to have around in case you come down with a cold. I’ve also learned that grocery shopping is best done before meal prepping just in case items are out of stock or otherwise not to your liking. That being said, I probably won’t fully take this learning to heart as changing up my Sunday routine seems worse than the occasional forced adaptation.

[finaguide]

Imaginez des pentes émeraude recouvertes d'une végétation luxuriante, des ruisseaux de montagne cristallins et des vues incroyables à couper le souffle

Respirez l'air imprégné de l'arôme de centaines d'herbes alpines et sentez la douce brise sur votre peau, qui rafraîchit les joues rougies par une longue marche. Ici, comme au sommet du monde, vous trouverez l'harmonie avec la beauté immaculée de la nature et des vacances exquises dans le cadre du système tout compris premium. Explorez les sentiers de la montagne à pied ou à vélo, faites de l'exercice physique en plein air et, bien sûr, n'oubliez pas le golf. Faites du sport avec plaisir, et après - pas de culpabilité pour un autre morceau de mozzarella !

Profiter de chaque instant, c'est la dolce vita dans les stations balnéaires Club Med des fabuleuses Alpes italiennes. Quoi d'autre? 

La cuisine délicieuse est l'une des caractéristiques les plus courantes de l'Italie, qui a donné au monde de nombreuses recettes précieuses. Fait intéressant, chaque région d'Italie a ses propres particularités gastronomiques, et Superski Dolomites ne fait pas exception ! Ici, en plus des pizzas et des pâtes bien connues, vous pouvez également essayer le risotto au parmesan, aux champignons ou même aux pommes, la polenta classique sans garniture ou avec du fromage, des légumes cuits au four et secs, du prosciutto tendre, des salades à l'huile d'olive maison, fraîches ou olives et olives en conserve, bruschettas avec diverses garnitures et bien plus encore. Mais le plus important est que, où que vous soyez dans les Dolomites, vous vous régalerez toujours entouré de vues vertigineuses sur les montagnes !

[unsellingconvenience]

Smoked pork chops, with the largest scallops I’ve seen in a long time (speasoned, with garlic powder and paprika, 140F for 30 mins then seared in the pork chop fat), instant pot polenta, instant pot applesauce, and steamed string beans. #dinner #cooking #sousvide #instantpot #porkchops #polenta