Cooking Under Economic Hardship Part 4
Here we are - part 4 of this never ending tips and tricks as to how your ass will not starve even though the jobs reports, last we heard, showed slight growth - it's still abysmal.
Anyhow, perhaps you could go to the dollar store, and buy lots of beans, rice and things to season them with. If you can find cheap broth/stock/bouillon, make large pots of soup with cheap vegetables and pasta/potatoes. If you have internet access, look up lots of recipes that look good to you, and see what you can find from them for cheap at dollar stores and ethnic markets. If there's a Grocery Outlet in your area, check it out if you haven't already - sometimes they have very nice things there for very cheap (but watch for expiration dates). Learn where each item you want is the cheapest, and plan your shopping trips accordingly.
It's all relative, you think about it for a second - poor food is an interesting cultural thing, Americans are all about rice and beans, Brits go for beans and toast, French just make awesome things out of roadkill and the crap we throw away after preparing a "nice" dish out of "proper" meat, but them french. Oh they have it going on.
When eating poorly you have to understand one thing - Casseroles are your friend. If you have a roommate, perhaps you should go in on meals together. Some sort of "roommate meal" in that you make a big batch. Spaghetti, a roast, some corned beef.. learn how to cook these basic things you find in the most basic cook books and you'll be set for a few meals.
You should also not be shy about utilizing any local food banks either. If you have some stupid hangup over it, then donate your time to a soup kitchen when you can as your way of paying it forward. Don't let pride fill your belly instead of food. Besides, chicken with two lemons or chicken with a slew of garlic slowly roasted is a lot cheaper and a lot healthier.
In fact, you should buy whole chicken, take two lemons, perforate the fuck out of them with a fork, stick them in the cavity, stitch the cavity closed with some butchers' twine and roast the shit out of it. The lemons will explode while it roasts and baste the entire thing with lemon juice continually. Plus the skin will crisp up. Rub it down with canola oil for a greater crispiness.
So there you go - now enjoy some poor man's food.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Doctor Who - A Pond Dries Up
Doctor Who - A Pond Dries Up
So Doctor Who, for the remainder of the year, is all over and now we're two companions short of a power of three. But for those of us who miss the old Doctor Who Confidential, here's a little quick goodbye to Amy and Rory.
Now let's talk about the episode.. Cause really, I over thought it the last time around. But hey, what about that statue of liberty... Fuck you, French people. Giving us a large Angel at our doorsteps. Which was sort of strange when it started moving, because, really. How the hell does that even begin to work?
Then again, it's not like the statue of liberty is a stranger to roaming around the city.
They just assume someone somewhere is playing Higher and Higher.
I'm left wondering what just happened. I mean, if you stop and think about it for even a few seconds, there was a ton of plot holes that could swallow people whole. The whole purpose of fixed point and having it in a paradox is to make sure you could write off the Ponds without having them come back.
I don't by it. You know, given that all last season was about the Doctor showing us that he could flip the bird to fixed time. What with him not dying after he died. Though I guess he didn't cheat the universe out of killing him, For all the talk that time could be rewritten or time can't be rewritten, the events involving the death of the doctor revealed that time can only be misrecorded.
What I did like the most was the growth of the characters in just one episode. It was an amazing character arc to leave Amy finally taking up Rory's last name and having the tombstone say Amelia Williams.
On the other side, the whole suicide thing was a bit strange. Strange enough that BBC had to air a little warning before;
"Dear BBC:
As someone who lost his parents in a time travel accident, I found the lack of a trigger warning tonight very offensive..."
I guess I didn't see it as suicide at all. I thought it was meant as an extremely literal leap of faith. They trust the Doctor and his view of the situation enough to put themselves in a situation which will either solve all problems, or prove to be a certain death for both should the Doctor turn out wrong. So, it's not really different from the rest of the series in terms of danger.
Besides, to the best of my knowledge, no one has ever committed suicide in real life because they were trying to create a temporal paradox.... At least no one NOT already in the crazy bin. Then again, maybe I just never heard of anyone doing it, not like we'd ever know about it anyway.
So Doctor Who, for the remainder of the year, is all over and now we're two companions short of a power of three. But for those of us who miss the old Doctor Who Confidential, here's a little quick goodbye to Amy and Rory.
Now let's talk about the episode.. Cause really, I over thought it the last time around. But hey, what about that statue of liberty... Fuck you, French people. Giving us a large Angel at our doorsteps. Which was sort of strange when it started moving, because, really. How the hell does that even begin to work?
Then again, it's not like the statue of liberty is a stranger to roaming around the city.
They just assume someone somewhere is playing Higher and Higher.
I'm left wondering what just happened. I mean, if you stop and think about it for even a few seconds, there was a ton of plot holes that could swallow people whole. The whole purpose of fixed point and having it in a paradox is to make sure you could write off the Ponds without having them come back.
I don't by it. You know, given that all last season was about the Doctor showing us that he could flip the bird to fixed time. What with him not dying after he died. Though I guess he didn't cheat the universe out of killing him, For all the talk that time could be rewritten or time can't be rewritten, the events involving the death of the doctor revealed that time can only be misrecorded.
What I did like the most was the growth of the characters in just one episode. It was an amazing character arc to leave Amy finally taking up Rory's last name and having the tombstone say Amelia Williams.
On the other side, the whole suicide thing was a bit strange. Strange enough that BBC had to air a little warning before;
"If you have been affected by any of the issues in tonight's episode of Doctor Who..."I think I'll send them a strong worded letter with the following;
"Dear BBC:
As someone who lost his parents in a time travel accident, I found the lack of a trigger warning tonight very offensive..."
I guess I didn't see it as suicide at all. I thought it was meant as an extremely literal leap of faith. They trust the Doctor and his view of the situation enough to put themselves in a situation which will either solve all problems, or prove to be a certain death for both should the Doctor turn out wrong. So, it's not really different from the rest of the series in terms of danger.
Besides, to the best of my knowledge, no one has ever committed suicide in real life because they were trying to create a temporal paradox.... At least no one NOT already in the crazy bin. Then again, maybe I just never heard of anyone doing it, not like we'd ever know about it anyway.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Cooking during Economic Hardship 3
Cooking during Economic Hardship 3
Continuing the series of helping you help yourself in these times of making two truck boat trucks meet, it's me again telling you how you can stretch them dollars and make your life not suck so much - in that you at least are kept fed.
First off, do not be above dumpster diving. Sure, there can be scary things in that there dumpster, but that doesn't mean you're not going to find some treasure every now and then.
Did you know all those food establishments toss out on average a hundred pounds of food a day? It's true. Stuff that could be given to foodbanks or to the employees making below min. wage is just discarded. Their loss is your reward for getting down and dirty.
If you don't want to do that. Invest in dry goods. You can never make enough red beans and rich. It's the poor southern swamp trash's best kept secret. You will never go hungry again with those two items.
I talked about organ meats in the last update, but it's really something worth repeating. It's kind of a fad right now, but organ meat is still shockingly cheap. A pound of grass-fed organic beef liver at whole foods was around $2.50. Chicken livers are similarly priced and delicious, and kidneys are even cheaper.
If you want to get classy, you can often find whole chickens for $5 each. If this happens where you live, you've just hit the jackpot. Butterfly that son-bitch and roast those bad boys. Rub them down with some oil and stuff them under the skin with garlic, salt and pepper and you have yourself a feast of a meal that will last for days.
If you're not afraid of a little diversity, look to ethnic stores. Those butchers are really cheap and have good quality meats. Look for your town's little Arab, Armenia, Iranian, Mexican, Asian stores and you'll find yourself some really low priced protein. I've also found that Mexican and Asian markets have cheaper veggies and meat than any other supermarket around.
Once you're done with that protein, do not toss away the bones. Simmer that carcass for a couple of hours to get the rest of the meat off and make a great stew base. Strain out the bones and add veggies and potatoes or rice or what have you, egg noodles for that matter work as well. Go nuts, it's all good. You can even freeze and enjoy them whenever fairly easily.
You can also get those bones and keep them in the freezer till you have about 8 pounds of them and then smear them with a bit of tomato paste, roast them and add some shallots and herbs. Cook them down to demiglace and freeze it. Fucking delicious and dirt cheap. The only thing you need to worry about is time. Do it on your day off - if you even have a job anymore - as it takes a good part of the day to properly cook it down.
Last in this installment is the poor folks' seasoning guide:
Scour the spice racks at dollar stores and ethnic markets - spices are far cheaper there than at regular grocery stores (look for the wall racks of spices in plastic bags or bulk spices - never buy those cylindrical glass jars of spices because they are a waste of money).
Garlic - This is your friend. It's sold almost everywhere, is cheap, goes well in most styles of cuisine, and adds lots of flavor.
Salt - It is sold in large quantities for small amounts of money, and you'll use it in almost everything you cook.
Onions - You can usually find large bags of them for very cheap. Buy lots and use them in everything you can. Simmering them in a bit of cooking oil/butter for a bit will caramelize them and make them very tasty.
Citrus - Lemons and limes sell for next to nothing, and a little of their juice goes a long way to make tastier food.
Meats as Seasoning - Boil a ham bone in your soup or greens/vegetables for more flavor. A diced up packet of lunch meat ham from the dollar store works too.
Curries - Many curries are based on a mixture of cumin and coriander. Add turmeric for yellow curries. If you can get coconut milk for cheap, that's the base of most Thai curries. Yogurt, milk, tomato purees and/or butter/vegetable oil comprise the base of most Indian curries. Experiment with what's available to you, and if you have any culinary skill you'll probably end up with something decent most of the time. A good curry mix can turn a huge load of flavorless vegetables into a few days' worth of savory meals. Serve over rice for maximum cost-effectiveness.
Mexican Food - For a simple Mexican seasoning, use lots of cumin, garlic and salt, then add spicier peppers to taste (chipotle, jalapeño, ground chilis). Lime adds a nice dimension to it if you have some. Chicken thigh/leg meat is affordable and goes well with this seasoning. Get a stack of cheap tortillas and stir-fry some onions, bell peppers and whatever cheap meats/vegetables you can find for a fajita feast. Use a bit of stock/broth/bouillon in your rice along with some salt and a bit of garlic (cumin can be good in there too, if you're into it).
Itialian Food - Tomato sauces and canned tomato product that can be made into sauce are widely available at discount stores. Simmer up some vegetables and/or brown some meat and mix it into your sauces when available. Rosemary, bay leaf, basil, oregano, thyme and garlic can be used in different combinations to make your sauce better. If it's too acidic, add a bit of milk. Pasta is one of the most inexpensive foods you will find, so learn to dress it up. If you have a baking sheet, cut up some potatoes and sprinkle them with rosemary, salt, garlic and olive oil (or cheaper cooking oil if necessary). Bake until browned and enjoy.
Be creative. Read lots of recipes. Save your leftovers.
Continuing the series of helping you help yourself in these times of making two truck boat trucks meet, it's me again telling you how you can stretch them dollars and make your life not suck so much - in that you at least are kept fed.
First off, do not be above dumpster diving. Sure, there can be scary things in that there dumpster, but that doesn't mean you're not going to find some treasure every now and then.
Did you know all those food establishments toss out on average a hundred pounds of food a day? It's true. Stuff that could be given to foodbanks or to the employees making below min. wage is just discarded. Their loss is your reward for getting down and dirty.
If you don't want to do that. Invest in dry goods. You can never make enough red beans and rich. It's the poor southern swamp trash's best kept secret. You will never go hungry again with those two items.
I talked about organ meats in the last update, but it's really something worth repeating. It's kind of a fad right now, but organ meat is still shockingly cheap. A pound of grass-fed organic beef liver at whole foods was around $2.50. Chicken livers are similarly priced and delicious, and kidneys are even cheaper.
If you want to get classy, you can often find whole chickens for $5 each. If this happens where you live, you've just hit the jackpot. Butterfly that son-bitch and roast those bad boys. Rub them down with some oil and stuff them under the skin with garlic, salt and pepper and you have yourself a feast of a meal that will last for days.
If you're not afraid of a little diversity, look to ethnic stores. Those butchers are really cheap and have good quality meats. Look for your town's little Arab, Armenia, Iranian, Mexican, Asian stores and you'll find yourself some really low priced protein. I've also found that Mexican and Asian markets have cheaper veggies and meat than any other supermarket around.
Once you're done with that protein, do not toss away the bones. Simmer that carcass for a couple of hours to get the rest of the meat off and make a great stew base. Strain out the bones and add veggies and potatoes or rice or what have you, egg noodles for that matter work as well. Go nuts, it's all good. You can even freeze and enjoy them whenever fairly easily.
You can also get those bones and keep them in the freezer till you have about 8 pounds of them and then smear them with a bit of tomato paste, roast them and add some shallots and herbs. Cook them down to demiglace and freeze it. Fucking delicious and dirt cheap. The only thing you need to worry about is time. Do it on your day off - if you even have a job anymore - as it takes a good part of the day to properly cook it down.
Last in this installment is the poor folks' seasoning guide:
Scour the spice racks at dollar stores and ethnic markets - spices are far cheaper there than at regular grocery stores (look for the wall racks of spices in plastic bags or bulk spices - never buy those cylindrical glass jars of spices because they are a waste of money).
Garlic - This is your friend. It's sold almost everywhere, is cheap, goes well in most styles of cuisine, and adds lots of flavor.
Salt - It is sold in large quantities for small amounts of money, and you'll use it in almost everything you cook.
Onions - You can usually find large bags of them for very cheap. Buy lots and use them in everything you can. Simmering them in a bit of cooking oil/butter for a bit will caramelize them and make them very tasty.
Citrus - Lemons and limes sell for next to nothing, and a little of their juice goes a long way to make tastier food.
Meats as Seasoning - Boil a ham bone in your soup or greens/vegetables for more flavor. A diced up packet of lunch meat ham from the dollar store works too.
Curries - Many curries are based on a mixture of cumin and coriander. Add turmeric for yellow curries. If you can get coconut milk for cheap, that's the base of most Thai curries. Yogurt, milk, tomato purees and/or butter/vegetable oil comprise the base of most Indian curries. Experiment with what's available to you, and if you have any culinary skill you'll probably end up with something decent most of the time. A good curry mix can turn a huge load of flavorless vegetables into a few days' worth of savory meals. Serve over rice for maximum cost-effectiveness.
Mexican Food - For a simple Mexican seasoning, use lots of cumin, garlic and salt, then add spicier peppers to taste (chipotle, jalapeño, ground chilis). Lime adds a nice dimension to it if you have some. Chicken thigh/leg meat is affordable and goes well with this seasoning. Get a stack of cheap tortillas and stir-fry some onions, bell peppers and whatever cheap meats/vegetables you can find for a fajita feast. Use a bit of stock/broth/bouillon in your rice along with some salt and a bit of garlic (cumin can be good in there too, if you're into it).
Itialian Food - Tomato sauces and canned tomato product that can be made into sauce are widely available at discount stores. Simmer up some vegetables and/or brown some meat and mix it into your sauces when available. Rosemary, bay leaf, basil, oregano, thyme and garlic can be used in different combinations to make your sauce better. If it's too acidic, add a bit of milk. Pasta is one of the most inexpensive foods you will find, so learn to dress it up. If you have a baking sheet, cut up some potatoes and sprinkle them with rosemary, salt, garlic and olive oil (or cheaper cooking oil if necessary). Bake until browned and enjoy.
Be creative. Read lots of recipes. Save your leftovers.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Don't Blink - Doctor Who Season Finale
Don't Blink - Doctor Who Season Finale
Tomorrow it is revealed to us the most important thing of the last few months - the season finale of Doctor Who, at least till December when Ol' Ms. Oswald joins the cast officially. But you know, the addition of one means the subtraction of another. Two of the most prominent companions that most of the new viewers have seen the Doctor come up with, Amy and Rory, are leaving the show, with this being their finale episode.
So what do we have to look forward to? How about a little teaser
Statue of liberty is an angel. Oh you clever girl. Though I knew that was going to happen and for some reason I have a feeling that Amy and Rory will be captured by an Angel and be sent back, stuck in time in New York. In the helpful position to help young River Pond grow up, as we saw in Day of the Moon episode she was wondering the streets of New York.
Another clue on all this is the way that the Doctor knows something is going to happen to the Ponds in the last few episodes. In last weeks, the Doctor and the Ponds meet Henry VIII and jump under the bed when Amy some how marries him. Then in the episode before that, A Town Called Mercy, the Doctor gives Rory a bit of hassle about the time he accidentally left his phone charger in Henry VIII's bedroom.
Could this be a situation where the time for Rory and Amy is going forward, but that the Doctor is the one traveling back in time for a sort of farewell tour? Add in that the Angels take Manhattan teaser showed the TARDIS being swallowed by some strange electrical energy. It's the same energy that has been superimposed into the opening titles this past week - you can see whenever the lightening flashes.
Could the every changing opening title sequence, the flickering lights and other such things be a hint of being caused by Weeping Angels? Seems like a good theory to me.
Tomorrow it is revealed to us the most important thing of the last few months - the season finale of Doctor Who, at least till December when Ol' Ms. Oswald joins the cast officially. But you know, the addition of one means the subtraction of another. Two of the most prominent companions that most of the new viewers have seen the Doctor come up with, Amy and Rory, are leaving the show, with this being their finale episode.
So what do we have to look forward to? How about a little teaser
Statue of liberty is an angel. Oh you clever girl. Though I knew that was going to happen and for some reason I have a feeling that Amy and Rory will be captured by an Angel and be sent back, stuck in time in New York. In the helpful position to help young River Pond grow up, as we saw in Day of the Moon episode she was wondering the streets of New York.
Another clue on all this is the way that the Doctor knows something is going to happen to the Ponds in the last few episodes. In last weeks, the Doctor and the Ponds meet Henry VIII and jump under the bed when Amy some how marries him. Then in the episode before that, A Town Called Mercy, the Doctor gives Rory a bit of hassle about the time he accidentally left his phone charger in Henry VIII's bedroom.
Could this be a situation where the time for Rory and Amy is going forward, but that the Doctor is the one traveling back in time for a sort of farewell tour? Add in that the Angels take Manhattan teaser showed the TARDIS being swallowed by some strange electrical energy. It's the same energy that has been superimposed into the opening titles this past week - you can see whenever the lightening flashes.
Could the every changing opening title sequence, the flickering lights and other such things be a hint of being caused by Weeping Angels? Seems like a good theory to me.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Fringe...Fringe...Fringe Friday!
Fringe...Fringe...Fringe Friday!
Why isn't it tonight already? I mean.. just look at what we're waiting for...
Which brings up a good question, have you've seen this woman?
Better yet, don't answer that - you're probably not loyalist
Here's a preview for tonight's episode...
Why isn't it tonight already? I mean.. just look at what we're waiting for...
Which brings up a good question, have you've seen this woman?
Better yet, don't answer that - you're probably not loyalist
Here's a preview for tonight's episode...
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Fringing On The Edge
Fringing On The Edge
You got the intro from the past...
as well as the intro of the present...
The intro to universe A present....
Intro for universe B present....
Intro to the future that you don't want happening...
Annnnnd the intro the future that we're heading into...
This is it - the final season. Thankfully I'm able to say that. Not cause I want it over, but because it didn't look good towards the end of the last season. So what do we have to look forward to? 13 episodes of little to no filler and all goodness. It won't be without its bumps. The season will run 4 episodes and then take a break for baseball. From there we get 2 new episodes and a longer break for the holidays and when we return in the new year it's 7 episodes with a three part finale.
Fuuuuuuuu, I can't wait!
You got the intro from the past...
as well as the intro of the present...
The intro to universe A present....
Intro for universe B present....
Intro to the future that you don't want happening...
Annnnnd the intro the future that we're heading into...
This is it - the final season. Thankfully I'm able to say that. Not cause I want it over, but because it didn't look good towards the end of the last season. So what do we have to look forward to? 13 episodes of little to no filler and all goodness. It won't be without its bumps. The season will run 4 episodes and then take a break for baseball. From there we get 2 new episodes and a longer break for the holidays and when we return in the new year it's 7 episodes with a three part finale.
Fuuuuuuuu, I can't wait!
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Heed Obey Serve - Fringe's Finale Season
Heed Obey Serve - Fringe's Finale Season
It's only a few days away from the finale season of Fringe starting to air. It's amazing that we even got to this point, but here we are. With only 13 episodes to work with in wrapping up this story, it's pretty much a given that this will be some intense stuff. Just take a look at the previews;
They are coming... I'm really curious as to where they are going with this. From the last future episode, Olivia was just completely missing and none of the other characters seemed to care about what exactly happened to her. As if they already knew. The only mention of her was "what William Bell Did" to her and that was that.
I'm really looking forward to seeing Ultimate Walter - that is to say that the Walter with all his brain back. He's not troubled by fears of morality, and he casually sets of antimatter bombs to take out targets of opportunity while doing something else. Man is he going to be messing some shit up and I'm going to be right there cheering the whole thing on.
Go Waltimate!
Oh noes. Maybe I spoke too soon. You know he'll get out of that with little problem. All in all this, as been a public service announcement for Fringe. Prepare for your scan...
It's only a few days away from the finale season of Fringe starting to air. It's amazing that we even got to this point, but here we are. With only 13 episodes to work with in wrapping up this story, it's pretty much a given that this will be some intense stuff. Just take a look at the previews;
They are coming... I'm really curious as to where they are going with this. From the last future episode, Olivia was just completely missing and none of the other characters seemed to care about what exactly happened to her. As if they already knew. The only mention of her was "what William Bell Did" to her and that was that.
I'm really looking forward to seeing Ultimate Walter - that is to say that the Walter with all his brain back. He's not troubled by fears of morality, and he casually sets of antimatter bombs to take out targets of opportunity while doing something else. Man is he going to be messing some shit up and I'm going to be right there cheering the whole thing on.
Go Waltimate!
Oh noes. Maybe I spoke too soon. You know he'll get out of that with little problem. All in all this, as been a public service announcement for Fringe. Prepare for your scan...
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