Saturday, March 13, 2021

Shingled Taco Pie

When the wind is blowing and the thermometer is still up and down like a yo-yo, why not turn up the heat with these vegetarian taco pies? A simple spiced lentil and vegetable filling hides under a shingled blanket of thinly sliced potatoes and (of course) cheese! The recipe makes two, so have one tonight and freeze one for later.

Well guys - it's almost Spring! That said, around here, Spring is more fits and starts than a season of it's own, and the nights are still plenty chilly! I've also been sidelined from cooking (mostly) for the last month and a half since a lovely car accident and final exams, so my silence is not intentional! 

However, before all that went down I was dabbling a fair bit in the kitchen, and one of my favourites so far has been this Shingled Taco Pie. It (like a lot of things during the school year) was born out of leftovers - in my case, it was leftover taco filling that the kids and I made. N loves my shepherd's pie made with lentils, and with potatoes always in our pantry I figured why not take that idea and twist it into a meal he could enjoy for a week before his night shifts?

That said, I have a wee secret. I loathe making mashed potatoes. The water, the waiting, the splashing, the dicey-at-best draining... yeah, that's a two-to-three times a year thing (probably good too, cause we like these guys). So instead of baking / nuking the spuds and mashing like I do for the shepherd's pies, I decided to let my knife work and create a neat little shingled "roof" over the taco filling, held together by the highlight of any taco - cheese.

 Did it work? Yes - and way better than I anticipated it working. Not to mention how gorgeous it looked sitting in the pan! Of course, since this isn't a pie with a crust or anything, a slice won't hold the same photogenic quality. However, I am the last person to complain about how a delicious meal looks while I'm savouring every last mouthful! I made two pies and N froze one for a later stretch of work, which apparently came in handy!

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

A Comfy Kitchen: 4 Must-Have Appliances For Your Kitchen

 

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A Comfy Kitchen: 4 Must-Have Appliances For Your Kitchen

If you are moving in a new home or just planning to spice up your kitchen, make sure that you include in your list the most important appliances for your kitchen. Of course, there are so many kitchen appliances to choose from but you must remember to start with the basics that will really help you a lot in the kitchen.

We all know that costs escalate fast once you start looking into appliances to buy since you learn about better technology of one thing or the other, you could doubt what is beat to buy so you buy different things instead.  Maybe you now want a bigger sized appliance as you have quite a larger family, things that you never considered before.

There are just some things that should top your must-have list as these kitchen appliances come in very handy especially on days that you will need a hand in the kitchen. So, let us start start looking into the list of your Kitchen appliances must-haves:

Rice Cooker

A rice cooker may be small but it is a very jam-packed appliance that is very useful in the kitchen.  This easy-to-use automatic appliance is also an energy-saver that can give you the perfectly warm bowl of rice that you want. You just need to plug it and it is good to go, no supervision or monitoring needed as it works without much fuss.

The good thing about a rice cooker is that it is a multipurpose appliance. You can cook healthy, nutritious vegetables in it like steaming carrots, cabbages, cauliflower and even boil some eggs in your rice cooker. To check the best rice cookers, this guide on Foodal is a great resource.

Kitchen Stove

Whether you want a gas or an electric stove is up to you but take time to weigh the advantages and disadvantages before purchasing one. All your cooking will be done here so it is essential that you pick one that will fit you and your lifestyle.

If you are quite picky with your food and cooking, you may prefer the gas stove as this can offer more control of what’s going on your pan. Heating up or cooling down with electric stoves may take some time, that may not get the nod of some fussy cooks or a professional chef. However, many modern housing and condos highly recommend electric stoves because they believe this is easier and safer to use.

On the other hand, another plus of gas stoves is that it can still be used even if the power is off. Residents in far-off areas with unstable power supplies usually have gas stoves as this is more appropriate for their situation. So, it is really up to what you prefer for your kitchen but this appliance is definitely very vital for every kitchen.

Refrigerators

Depending on size and style, refrigerators can take not only a large amount of space in your kitchen but your pocket as well. That is why it is critical to make sure that you need this new appliance before you hand in your bills. If you think you can no longer recycle your old fridge you may want to sell it at a low price online or to your family or friends, this could save you lots of money so that you can buy that ref that you really want.

There is no denying the advantages it gives to your health and comfort. With a fridge, you are able to save your leftovers. You are also able to save a lot because you are able to keep your meat, fruits and vegetables fresh and safe to eat for a longer period of time. If the food lasts longer, there is a higher chance that it will be consumed.

In addition to this, if you really want to save on your food you must check on its organization,  keep your newly-purchased goods at the back of your fridge so that the early retailed ones will be used up first.  

Microwave Oven

Another highly-popular appliance for your kitchen is the microwave oven. Since people are very busy with their daily work or business, many rely on the microwave to cook their food fast and easy instead of using the stove where you will need to flip the food and keep an eye on.

With the microwave, your frozen food will be cooked in no-time. You can grill, cook rice, thaw frozen foods plus it is cooked evenly. This is the reason why it is also very useful in many corporate offices as they usually work overtime. 

Takeaway

Even if you think you have it all planned out, you can still get overwhelmed with all the eye-catching tools and things for your kitchen. But you must always keep in mind that you will need something that will be able to help you do your everyday chores in the kitchen.

So stick to the basics and look for the appliances that will give you efficiency and durability which in the end will make a world of difference for you. At the end of the day, you would also want to rest, and these appliances will be your ever reliable friends you can always count on to make your life a bit easier.