(mis)Adventures in Cooking

[StevOz]

Bananas acquired...

Air fried honey soy chicken 'n' chips tonight!

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

Ooh, ooh! I like bananas a lot (haha, I am a naked ape, after all), but seems like every time I get some, there's fruit flies in the apartment for months. And those things reproduce *fast*!

Now, after cutting out bananas for years, all the same there were fruit flies who shimmied through the screen windows from one of my neighbors' appts, last fall. (I actually caught a couple trying to squirm through, and the bigger ones definitely could not)

Problem? As a borderline-human rabbit, I always have veggie scraps in my outgoing garbage, and that was all it took to be sharing my appt with fruit flies through the winter.

I kept hoping they'd naturally run their course with the freezing temps, but somehow they held on. This all got brought to a head a few months ago, when my lower kitchen drain rusted out behind the wall (where nobody could see it), and maintenance came bashing on my door, crying "emergency, emergency!"

And there I was, EXCRUTIATINGLY-embarrassed about having that number of fruit flies in my appt while they worked on the pipes. So next week I reluctantly had to say-- alright, mateys, it's you or me, here.

Then I bought a whole bunch of glue-fly traps, placed them around the appt, and all my little friends were stuck within days. Sadly, I had to do a variation of that the year before, in which these cute little mice would get all the way up to the highest floor, working through the pipe-heating spaces all the way up. (I live on the 7th floor)

So I laid out a bunch of red pepper powder & vinegar, trying to dissuade the cuties, but they just kept coming in (they're impressive jumpers, too) and nibbling on anything they could, waking me up. Unfortunately, humane traps didn't fit this situation, so I had to resort to the dreaded kill traps, which very much worked.

Oh well--
this has been blog post #1,256, for some reason shared on PN, this time?

P.S. you might get the wrong idea here, that I love absolutely ALL animals.
No, sorry,
I despise quite a few, like: bedbugs, female mosquitos (the ones who suck), fleas, ticks, clothes moths and even houseflies, which are mainly just super-annoying, but not really dangerous.

I even have a "Bug-A-Salt" plastic shotgun that blasts salt crystals towards unwanted flying insects, altho it's mainly useless against bedbugs & fleas, and I advise you to act FAST if you ever detect an infestation of either.

 

[StevOz]

@Isaac Sauvage

Here is my bug zapper, this thing is great, just leave it on overnight and clean off the victims in the morning, highly recommended, especially for those damn midges I get around these parts, these critters are really annoying being so small they can fly straight though fly wire and have an annoying habit of getting in your face.

Electric UV LED Light Mosquito Killer Insect Fly-Bug Zapper Trap Catcher Lamp | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Electric UV LED Light Mosquito Killer Insect Fly-Bug Zapper Trap Catcher Lamp at the best online prices at eBay!

www.ebay.com.au

Trialled and tested, actually only lasts about 6 hours on the battery, though I usually just leave it plugged in, though being portable is a handy feature.

Also makes the most satisfying crack sound when another one bites the lightning! :D

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

@StevOz
wow, that looks pretty cool

any idea if it works against fruit flies

 

[StevOz]

any idea if it works against fruit flies

My Google fu senses say yes, yes indeed...

Do Bug Zappers Work on Fruit Flies? - Thanos Home

Yes, bug zappers work well on fruit flies, and it is an effective way of eliminating them.

thanoshome.com

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

Lol...
I must admit, I've consistently walked in to that joke, over the years.

Steve = 100
Nicolas = maybe 12, lol

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

Funny, I just fixed a small, seized-up standup fan today by taking it apart, laying it on its back, dabbing mineral oil in the chamber, then manually rotating it. Repeat 3x, wiping up the excess, and now the rotors turn silkily, and the fan runs just fine.

Just for the record, the fan seized up again, yesterday. Did the same procedure as before, and now it's good. Guess that means I get a year of usage out of my 'mineral oil' fix.

But it also suggests that: 1) maybe there's a better lubricant to use, 2) maybe you have to get deep in to the guts to lubricate it -properly-, 3) possibly it's picked up bits of internal dust/hair that mean that it's just never going to run as well as when mint.

Unfortunately, it looks pretty hard to open the crank case without a lot of effort, and I don't think I'm ever going to try.

Just kind of interesting, I guess. I probably got ~5years out of it before it started having problems. Oh well, not too bad for a cheap standup fan.

 

[StevOz]

@Isaac Sauvage

Actually talking repairs, did you know that there is a free repair cafe movement, only came across this yesterday, they might need your skills.

Repair Café - Fix Your Broken Items

Repair Café is here to help you fix your broken items. Join our community of skilled volunteers and get your belongings repaired in a sustainable way.

www.repaircafe.org

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

@StevOz
Those sound pretty great.

Back in West Philly, there was something called a "Bike Church," which occupied the basement of a small gothic-style church. It was filled with bikes in various states of repair, tools & supplies, and volunteers.

I got a decent hybrid bike there for a very modest fee which I used for many years, and still have.

It would be nice to live in a community that had more projects like that in operation.
Most people in the States could use it too, what with inflation + chronic wage stagnation.

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

So, getting back to cooking...

My occasional carnivore-mode (tm) kicked in yesterday, and so I made some chicken skewers, but instead of grilling or air-frying, decided to do them up in some store-bought simmer sauce.

I was also making rustic tzatziki sauce and air-fries again, so was hoping the sauce would save me some steps in the main dish. Fortunately, it all turned out pretty nicely, and I stuffed some pita bread with the results, then pan-toasted it in to sort of an 'generic Indian sandwich.'

I must say-- I really admire the way Indian food does sort of a high-wire act, in which it blends spices that you'd almost spit out in disgust because they're too bitter (fenugreek, cumin seeds, ginger, etc) with ultra-smooth foods that I'd normally be trying to avoid for health reasons (like butter & cream, or in Thai food, coco milk).

I did screw up the picture-plating, and the moisture-control on the pitas, so I'll be posting that to FB this time, but here's the sauce, anyway: (I'm sure there's better, but this wasn't bad at all, after it had been perked up a lil)

 

[StevOz]

Keeping simple and tasty, air fryer cooked frozen fish and chips...

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

The other day I saw a GIF version of the method below, and remembered that I had an old hot sandwich / burger press in storage:

So I pulled it out just now and tried toasting up a quarter wrap with stuff I had laying around.
It was pretty good! And more importantly-- showed promise.

The one thing I think helps is to get as much toasting & crunch on this sucker as possible.
So for attempt #2, I coated the grill plates with some oil, and turned the sandwich once.

Let's see what happens...

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

As for the experiment above, I feel like I've gone as far as I can. Corn tortillas work best because they crisp much easier than flour-made, but they're also much higher in kcals. The core problem is that the device isn't really a sandwich press, but a George Foreman grill. It's not actually made to press sandwiches. In future, if I ever get over to a thrift store again, I might just look for some waffle-style sandwich presses, which press & heat a lot more surface area.


Anyway, I was watching the Venture Bros episode "SpanaKOpita," and realised that I hadn't had that Greek treat for a long time, and had never tried to make it myself.

I made some substitutions, for example parm instead of feta, cilantro for dill & parsley, caramelised onions for sauteed onions, and pastry dough instead of phyllo dough. I also added some salty curry powder, MSG, and fennel seeds.

The first one I made is attached below. It tasted good, altho not really like classic spanaKOpita. I also let the dough defrost too long, which hurt it's ability to fluff up, and forgot to brush the outside with butter (dumb, because I had ghee at hand). Note that I also cooked it in the AF at default temp, turning it twice, for a total of 15min.

Also-- next time, I think it would taste great with some ground lamb. Some Greek olives couldn't hurt, either.

 

[StevOz]

Now I have a hankering for an Oz pastie, these cook up great in the old air fryer on a layer of frozen chips, 15 minutes each side...

Buy Herbert Adams Seasonal Garden Vegetable Pastie 4 pack 700g | Coles

Shop Herbert Adams Seasonal Garden Vegetable Pastie 4 pack 700g and other great products online or in-store at Coles.

www.coles.com.au

 

[StevOz]

Linguine bolognese...onion, garlic, chilli, paprika, mince, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, mushrooms, olives, mixed herbs, peas and carrots...

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

Linguine bolognese...onion, garlic, chilli, paprika, mince, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, mushrooms, olives, mixed herbs, peas and carrots...

Okay, that looks incredible.

I wouldn't dare trust myself to make that, as I'd probably try to gobble it all up in one sitting. My damn profile already looks like a balloon tied to a popsicle stick due to lack of exercise during the pandemic.

Over here, I haven't been too adventurous other than with a chili stew, which I make once in a while. The main two 'hacks' I've made are to use fresh green beans from the vine instead of kidney beans, then finish the dish with potato flour, which thickens everything up. The combination of ground beef and potatoes is pretty awesome, sort of like a shepard's pie with some heat and Mexican spices.

 

[pinhead1]

you guys are amazing.
have you ever tried the seasoning mixes in a package at the store for spaghetti and whatever?
the spices are already done for you in the mix.
follow the directions on the package.
i use small elbow macaroni.
just add tomato paste and water with the seasonings, brown the hamburger, boil the pasta and you got bomb spaghetti in about 20 minutes.
it's super easy and really super good.

sometimes i boil some elbow pasta, brown some hamburger and add my own seasonings with some chipotle peppers.
i love hot chili peppers.
i don't use any phoney chili with vinager.
i might use Tapatio' sometimes but i don't really like it because of the vinager.

in the summer i eat a lot of sandwiches because it's too hot to cook.
i use whole wheat bread, a corn or flour tortilla and throw some tomatoes, maybe some cheese, purple onion together with some chipoltle peppers, jalapenos or maybe some green or red chili by the spoonful in a jar by Carey.

 

[StevOz]

have you ever tried the seasoning mixes in a package at the store for spaghetti and whatever?
the spices are already done for you in the mix.
follow the directions on the package.
just add tomato paste and water with the seasonings, brown the hamburger, boil the pasta and you got bomb spaghetti in about 20 minutes.
it's super easy and really super good.

I have tried those package mixes, and they are average at best, much better results can be had by DIY. The paprika, was a new addition to my usual mix, and it made good even better.

All I had to do was chop the onion, open the cans and stir it all together, whilst the pasta cooked, took about 20 minutes, pic of ingredients attached...

 

[pinhead1]

I have tried those package mixes, and they are average at best, much better results can be had by DIY. The paprika, was a new addition to my usual mix, and it made good even better.

All I had to do was chop the onion, open the cans and stir it all together, whilst the pasta cooked, took about 20 minutes, pic of ingredients attached..

well, it's easy and i like it.
>>>>All I had to do was chop the onion>>>>>
what kind of onions,....white, purple or ???
purple onions are real good.

 

[StevOz]

what kind of onions,....white, purple or ???

Yellow onion - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Actually kind of surprised they are known as yellow, here they are brown, they sure look brown on the outside?

 

[pinhead1]

Yellow onion - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Actually kind of surprised they are known as yellow, here they are brown, they sure look brown on the outside?

yeah, i left the yellow and brown out because i always use purple.
bth, i make really super good breakfast russet pototoes with eggs, corn or flour tortilla and chill on the weekends.
i use olive oil, avacado oil or peanut oil.
these are the best oils to cook with because they have a higher burn temp and better for your heart and cardio
because they are supposed to have 0 trans-fat on the label.
i never use corn, vegatable, or anything else.
a lot of oils being used by food companies are not good for you.
they use it because it's cheap.
these are the bad oils.
i have no choice because this is what is in our food.
i read labels and try to stay away from the bad oils.
they have a lower burn temp, heavy in the trans fat and bad for your heart.
i hear coconut oil is real good but have not tried it.

Isaac.>>>>Over here, I haven't been too adventurous other than with a chili stew, which I make once in a while.<<<<<
there is good chili mix at the store if you want to try it.
it's carroll shelby chili beans mix kit.
i like it with some corn or flour tortillas and it's real easy.
its good.

carroll shelby chili beans mix - Google Search

www.google.com

 

[pinhead1]

you don't want to talk about the good and bad cooking oils and what food companies are doing to our food and FDA let them getaway with it??
EX: i remember way back i could get canned tuna in natural omega3 oil.
food companies have washed it out, sold it to the vitamin companies then replaced it with vegetable oil.
FDA let them getaway with it.
i have been forced to buy the water packed because i can't get my omega3 source from tuna anymore if there is any left
after processing.
i have had to look for other sources to get my omega3 fish oil.

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

you guys are amazing.
have you ever tried the seasoning mixes in a package at the store for spaghetti and whatever?
the spices are already done for you in the mix.

Yup. I use the low sodium versions for my chili / shepard's pie stew, but then throw in a bunch more spices like whole cumin seeds, a cinnamon stick, curry powder, ginger powder, loads of fresh cilantro, MSG, black pepper, chocolate powder (once in a while), and fennel seeds when it's done cooking, so they retain some crunch.

When balanced right, the stew has a lovely melange of subtle flavors which interplay on the taste buds. When I fuck it up, I usually just add more onions and potatoes, and all is well. At the local market I also found some nice whole grain burrito wraps at only 40kcal a pop. They taste like cardboard on their own, but they're fine when filled with something tasty.

Anyway yeah, I'd definitely use the spice packets more often, particularly for various ethnic food from Asia and the Middle East, but they're usually loaded with salt.

I swear... Americans and their endless love affair with corn syrup, salt and palm oil.

Btw, I'm pretty careless about what onions I use, but I agree with the chart that if you're going to have raw onions, like with salads and tacos, red onions are the mildest.

​

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

i use olive oil, avacado oil or peanut oil.
these are the best oils to cook with because they have a higher burn temp and better for your heart and cardio
because they are supposed to have 0 trans-fat on the label.

Olive oil actually has one of the lowest burn temps, FYI. It's way more of a finishing oil than a frying oil. If you want to go high smoke point, peanut oil like the Chinese use is real good.

Olive oil's also routinely cut with lower grade oils, which is why you should always sniff it to see if it has a fruity aroma, and look at it through glass. Even the non-virgin stuff should have a green tint (not just yellow).

With regard to trans-fat-- you're probably thinking of sat-fat. Cooking oils don't have trans-fat unless they've been treated to be thick and applied like a paste, which of course is completely obvious.

​

 

[pinhead1]

Olive oil actually has one of the lowest burn temps, FYI. It's way more of a finishing oil than a frying oil. If you want to go high smoke point, peanut oil like the Chinese use is real good.

Olive oil's also routinely cut with lower grade oils, which is why you should always sniff it to see if it has a fruity aroma, and look at it through glass. Even the non-virgin stuff should have a green tint (not just yellow).

With regard to trans-fat-- you're probably thinking of sat-fat. Cooking oils don't have trans-fat unless they've been treated to be thick and applied like a paste, which of course is completely obvious.

View attachment 38986


View attachment 38987​

trans-fat----saturated fat what's the diff.
all bad.
then the added sodium in our food.
there is already enough salt and maybe MSG in there.
i have learned to read labels and don't add any salt to my food or overseason.