NMS Covenant: Pizza di Spaghetti

This use for leftover spaghetti is truly a revelation. It's fast, easy, delicious, and I had so much fun making it for dinner last night that I made it again today! After churning out a brutal essay on American existentialism, I was forced to face dinner alone with nothing in the refrigerator. Nothing. Honestly, you could see the shelves because there wasn't anything on them (a rarity in our household). The only thing there was a bag of leftover spaghetti (no sauce), and I had eaten spaghetti two days in a row and didn't fancy a repetition.

The lurking spaghetti....

Well, once again I was amazed by what can be done with leftovers. I googled "leftover spaghetti" and the first result was an article from Shoestring Magazine that described a slapdash version of Giada De Laurentiis' recipe for Pizza di Spaghetti. Immediately I rushed to begin putting it all together, and another NMS Covenant dish was born.






So all you need for this is

• Spaghetti
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Pesto
• Salt and pepper
• Garlic powder
• 1 egg
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

All of the measurements are pretty much a matter of taste, with my only recommendation being 1 egg/1 cup spaghetti. Mix all of this gunk (minus the EVOO) together in a bowl, coating every strand of spaghetti with the sticky mess and distributing the flavors evenly throughout. 

Happy Pancake Tuesday!

Some of you might think that today is Mardis Gras, Fat Tuesday, or simply the day before Lent, but you would be missing out on a vital sacred tradition: pancakes! 

Britophile that I am, I have learned that Shrove Tuesday is often celebrated in Britain by the eating of pancakes and even pancake races (for the origin of this tradition, see www.picturebritain.com). In honor of this delicious day, I am sharing with you a very cool little recipe for gluten-free banana pancakes which I recently discovered. To look at them you'd swear that they were normal, everyday pancakes, but biting in you discover something like moist banana bread. To make it even better, there are only 3-4 ingredients involved and you can whip up enough for one person in a matter of a couple minutes! That is why this recipe gets the NMS Covenant official seal of approval.

Here is the super-super-easy recipe (perfect for weeknight dinners or lunches alone):

• 1 banana
• 2 tbsp. nut butter (I used peanut)
• 1 egg
• 1 dash of vanilla (optional)

Plop these puppies into a blender and whirl into a smooth batter.

NMS Covenant: Blueberry Cream Cheese Danish Oatmeal

All of you boys and girls out there who are sick of lunch-meat and cheese sandwiches: this is for you.

The No More Sandwich Covenant

As part of my dedication to the NMS Covenant, I decided to post about a delicious new recipe I discovered via the brilliant website,FoodPair.com. I wanted to make something quick and delicious that involved cream cheese and oatmeal, and lo and behold, I discovered an amazing new way to eat oatmeal! The recipe is from a chef on Food.com.

All you need is

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon sugar (I used some Splenda as well as brown sugar)

NMS Covenant: Sweet/Spicy Chicken and Rice

This might look like some of my previous creations, but it's very different, really!

Most of the ingredients were leftover from chicken quesadillas (and boy, were those tasty), so if you're going to be having burritos or quesadillas in the near future, consider this as a way to use up whatever's left.


Here's my ingredient list, but of course you could put anything you wanted in here:

• Basmati brown rice
• Black beans
• Mexican-seasoned chicken
• Green onions
• Cheddar cheese
• Sour cream
• Sweet/spicy toppin’

I piled the rice, beans, chicken, and cheese onto a plate, nuked it, then sprinkled with green onions, Mexican seasoning and a plop of sour cream. The “sweet/spicy toppin’” is simply a mixture of Mama’s homemade salsa and a spoonful of strawberry jam. The jam adds a subtle sweetness to the dish that tones down the salsa zing.

It only took a few minutes to throw together and I found it delicious! It’s bulky, it’s satisfying, and it’s not a sandwich. Mission accomplished!

• Featured on my food blog: www.WeTheNibblers.wordpress.com

NMS Covenant: Ooey Gooey Potatoes

             

Here's a random NMS experiment (because I was starving):

• Leftover roasted potatoes
• Homemade ranch dressing
• Spicy Dijon Mustard
• Parsley for garnish

Here’s what you do:

1. Nuke the potatoes in the microwave (or—if you have time—or no microwave—or you want them to be crispy—you can pan fry them). In a small cup mix a glob of ranch dressing (a little if you’re on a diet, a lot if you’re not) with a dollop of spicy Dijon mustard (a little if you’re scared, a lot if you’re not).
2. Garnish with a flourish of fresh or dried parsley leaves, crushed.

And there you have it--a little snack to be proud of. I found that the combination of tangy ranch and spicy mustard was quite pleasant. The gooey, comforting sauce covered up that “reheated potato” flavor. It took about 1 minute 28 seconds to make (1:00 minute to nuke the potatoes, 0:20 to mix the sauce, 0:08 to sprinkle the parsley). Great use of leftover roasted potatoes (or fresh ones from the Walmart deli).


Tip: Make it decadent with crumbled bacon as a topping.

P.S. My brother and I have started a Wordpress blog for all of our food experiments! Check it out if you're interested :)

NMS Covenant: Veggie Tortilla

It happened again. There I was, all alone in the house (Mom and Dad had gone on their anniversary trip and Aaron was at summer camp), and I was very, very hungry. Believe it or not, I was tempted to slap together one of those evil sandwiches, but the NMS Covenant held me accountable. So I grabbed a Taste of Home magazine and got to work. 

I had drooled over a certain recipe for grilled veggie tortillas, but unfortunately I have absolutely no idea how to grill (I'm not sure that my parents would trust me with live flames and propane, either). So I had to alter the recipe, and fast. It was a challenge, but I believe I passed the crisis with flying colors. I created my own version of this vegetable delight, and though I had expected it to be good, I had no suspicion that it would be remarkable! 


Here is a very flexible list of ingredients:

• A tortilla (duh)
• Oil for the skillet
•  Zucchini (plenty of that from our garden, use some squash if you have it)
• Sliced bell peppers
• Onions 
• Italian seasoning
• Parmesan cheese
• Basil (for garnishing)
• Fresh garlic, mushrooms, and tomatoes would also be great additions!

The process is very simple--stir fry or saute (What's the difference?) your veggies and seasonings on high heat long enough for your zucchini or squash to soften but not so long that it burns or gets squishy. In a separate skillet heat up your tortilla in a bit of butter until it's crispy. Pile the veggie-goodness onto the tortilla, douse it with Parmesan cheese (or any other cheese you've got on hand) and garnish with fresh snipped basil leaves (I used purple basil. Mmmhmm, I'm just that good.). Cut into slices and scarf it down!

Voila, you have an absolutely delicious, crispy, healthy, pizza-like-thingy on your hands (be careful, it's messy). I hope that you can enjoy this delicacy for yourself and be spared the pain of yet another heinous sandwich!

NMS Covenant: Almost Spiedies

I finally got another chance to do a "No More Sandwiches" meal! It's about time :)

So I had a leftover piece of grilled chicken and some onions and I needed lunch fast. Hmmmm...a chicken and barbecue sauce sandwich? Never! A quick Google search brought up a suggestion for "Almost Spiedis". A spiedie (pronounced: speedy) is a dish from Greater Binghampton in New York State, and according to Wikipedia "consists of cubes of chicken, pork, lamb, veal, venison or beef. The meat cubes are marinated overnight or longer...in a special marinade, then grilled on spits...over a charcoal pit."

Now as I was trying to come up with a meal that could be made in about five minutes, I obviously wasn't going to make the authentic thing, but my little dish was inspired by it. I threw a bunch of stuff in a skillet (the chicken had been grilled to perfection a few days before) and ate it just like that. I probably overdid it somewhat on the heat (you see the poor blackened peppers), but it gave everything an interesting crunch--and I was in a hurry.

So do you want to make it yourself? You'll need

• Olive oil
• About a capful of apple cider vinegar
• Sliced onions and bell peppers
• Fresh garlic
• A precooked chicken breast
• Salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings

The apple cider vinegar was an interesting touch, and I think it added something special. A great way to make a more filling meal (this was more of a side-dish for me) would be to pile it all on top of a thick slice of soft Italian bread, or going all-out and actually skewering everything, marinating it, and throwing it on the grill.

                                                                                               Crusading for the cause against dull meals,

Sources:

en.wikipedia.org

An Exciting Evening

You won't believe the dinner that I almost didn't eat.

A few weeks ago I was chilling out at home alone, working, studying, etc., and I decided to get some dinner. Now, I might have just whipped up a sandwich for myself, but then I remembered the NMS Covenant. 


So I got creative. There really was nothing in the refrigerator. Well, yes, there was a little leftover chicken salad. I thought I might put it on toast...no. I decided to go all-out, even though I wasn't altogether sure that I'd want to eat my creation after I was finished with it.

What I did was this: tortilla chips went into a bowl. In a separate bowl I mixed up the chicken salad with raisins, a handful of sunflower nuts, a good dose of curry powder, and a splash of honey dijon salad dressing. Spooning the salad stuffs onto the chips I sat down to a completely creative meal of Curry Chicken Salad Nachos. 

I can see your face right now.

But believe me, it was actually delicious! The sharp tang of the dressing with the sweet raisins and flavorful curry was a delightful medley that sort of waltzed across the tongue. The crunch of the chips and the smooth chicken salad went together beautifully. But more importantly: it wasn't a sandwich.


However, I almost lost the chance to eat my amazing creation. Just after snapping the photograph above I got a phone call from "LITTLE ROCK, AR", according to our caller ID. Since we know no one in Little Rock I answered with some apprehension, to be greeted by a the recording of a woman's deadpan voice saying something like, "The National Weather Service has declared a tornado warning for your area. Take shelter now." 

NMS Covenant: Expatriate Toast

It was that time again. The family was coming inside from doing some lawnwork. It was three o'clock, and we needed something quick to eat. Mom sat down to a sandwich. Noooooooo!!!

I remembered the NMS Covenant and decided to get creative!  

Mom was laying out pieces of bread for her grilled cheese sandwich and an idea came to me. Hey, why not try French toast? But I couldn't just whip up the usual cinnamon-with-maple-syrup kind of French toast. It had to be different. And certainly not sandwichy. Then I saw that Aaron was eating chip dip and salsa. Bingo.

So was born "Expatriate Toast"--French toast with some serious relocation issues. I whipped up an egg and added some milk, then liberally sprinkled the mixture with Mexican seasoning and cumin (I adore cumin). Then I heated a little butter in a skillet, coated an insipid slice of sandwich bread with the egg stuff, then fried it up. I did this with two slices of bread, stacked them one on top of the other, and then slathered on the goods: melted colby-jack cheese, homemade salsa, and a dollop of sour cream. I sprinkled it with a bit more cumin, then splashed mild taco sauce over everything but the floor.

Perhaps this sounds a bit gross to you, the concept certainly disgusted my mother, but you have to believe me, I thought it was delicious. Trust me, would I recommend something to you that I didn't really like?

There are so many ways you could jazz this up. If I'd had thicker bread on hand (French bread, Italian bread, Greek bread, cornbread, homemade bread, any kind of bread other than store-bought sandwich bread) I might have attempted a yummy stuffed French toast. I could definitely see stuffing some authentic Mexican cheeses, chorizo, Ro-tel, grilled peppers and onions (have you figured out that I like onions, yet?), and if Aaron hadn't just polished off all the refried beans in the house I might have incorporated some of those too. 

And the possibilities for Expatriate Toast are practically endless! Think of it:

• Italian French Toast (tomatoes, basil, mozzarella)
• English French Toast (clotted cream and marmalade)
• Bulgarian French Toast (a variant on moussaka with sautéed tomatoes, eggplant, and minced meat)
• Peruvian French Toast (quinoa and chili peppers)
• Tibetan French Toast (yak yogurt and spicy potatoes)
• French French Toast (fruit preserves, foie gras, and champagne)  

Got any more ideas for quick and simple NMS meals? I'm dying to hear them!

                                                                                 

                                                                                                                             Cheers,

The NMS Covenant

Surely, at one time or another, you have experienced that sinking-stomach feeling that comes from looking at a bare cabinet or devastated refrigerator. Oh no, this can't be happening...there's nothing to eat in here. 


You're hungry for lunch and you certainly don't have the time to whip out Mastering the Art of French Cooking to browse for recipes. Not to mention the fact that lamb and scallions are a bit thin in your pantry. 


So where do you usually turn? 
Breakfast cereal? 
A banana and a cup of coffee? 
A yogurt cup? 
Gasp, a chocolate chip cookie? 
If you're a member of my family, you probably go to The Inevitable Sandwich.

Official symbol of the NMS Covenant 
(that's the Earl of Sandwich,

in case you're wondering.

But that gets so boring after a while. And what good is food if it's not interesting? After a few banana-and-coffee lunches our brains start numbing to the pleasure of eating--a tragedy indeed. That is why I am trying to hold fast to the NMS (No More Sandwiches) Covenant. For lunch, at least, if not dinner on the road. 

I will do my best to not succumb, to never give up. To hold fast in the face of temptation. 

Here is the first product of my NMS creativity:

Can you even see the potato underneath all that? 

It was so simple to make, but so delicious! If you have 

• a potato
• part of an onion
• some bell pepper slices
• a couple mushrooms
• a bit of leftover cheese
• a dab of sour cream 
• and a little olive oil

then this quick and easy lunch is a snap! Oh, and if you like tomato I suppose that you could add that to the mix as well. 

Just stir-fry all the veggies, throw the potato in the microwave for a few minutes on high, and then smoosh it all together; top with a glob of sour cream and grate cheese over the top. Season with salt and pepper to taste and you've got a fab lunch on the table in minutes! No sandwiches needed.