Food In Many Forms

12:30 PM, Thursday May 25th Overall the experiment was a success! I did get some dirty looks, some grunts, some embittered mumblings and  some under-the-breath complaints from my brother - but nothing the sound of running water couldn't muffle! On a scale from 1 to 5. this recipe was a 2 on the complaining family scale.  So what did I make? Well, I'm going to call it "Macaroni Lorraine". According to Wikipedia, it would be more accurate to call it "Macaroni Alsacienne", but that's too hard to say: The original ‘quiche Lorraine’ was an open pie with a filling consisting of an egg and cream custard with smoked bacon or lardons. It was only later that cheese was added to the quiche Lorraine[3]. The addition of Gruyère cheese makes a quiche au gruyère or a quiche vosgienne. The 'quiche alsacienne' is similar to the 'quiche Lorraine', though onions are added to the recipe.  - "Quiche", Wikipedia Ingredients: 1

11 AM, Tuesday May 25th Returning home from college is always interesting - you take a look around the house, see how things have changed, learn the new rules, adapt to the new rituals and habits of your family - and you realize that everyone was pretty much happy without you. You learn that when you cook your own dinner, it is considered a nuisance, not an act of independence. With this is in mind, how am I going to keep cooking and not drive my family crazy? It's a good question. I am certain that there is not a single recipe in existence that requires little counter space, produces no odor of any kind, doesn't make a mess and takes only a small space of time. I am going to try my best today to consider these issues in the hopes of not causing conflict by making lunch. I have all summer to push my boundaries, so I think I am going to start with something easy - a Mac and Cheese bake with some veggies mixed in. My brother is my gauge for this experiment and I am going to rate

Monosodium glutamate , also known as  sodium glutamate  and  MSG , is a  sodium salt  of the naturally occurring  non-essential   amino acid   glutamic acid . It is used as a  food additive  and is commonly marketed as a  flavour enhancer . Although traditional Asian cuisine had often used  seaweed  extract, which contains high concentrations of glutamic acid, it was not until 1907 that MSG was isolated by  Kikunae Ikeda . MSG was subsequently patented by  Ajinomoto  Corporation of  Japan  in 1909.  - Wikipedia, "Monosodium Glutamate"  MSG is one of the mysterious ingredients in food that I prefer to avoid. It is responsible for the fifth taste - after sweet, sour, salty and bitter - umami , which is best described as a " savory " taste. There is little scientific evidence that MSG causes health problems, but I can't imagine eating large concentrations of any chemical is good for you. Check the nutrition label when buying: - Taco Seasoning  - Instant Sauce Mixe

This is a great convenience meal because most of the ingredients can be frozen - I ate it several times during exams ! This is a great way to get vegetables, and saves time because the pasta is precooked. The whole bag of veggies is only 270 calories so load up! Recipe Courtesy of  Birds Eye ( see product website ).  Ingredients: Birds Eye Asparagus Stir Fry (w/ Asparagus, Carrots, Cauliflower, Noodles, Green Beans) Frozen, Uncooked, Peeled Shrimp Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder Sesame Oil Directions: 1. Cook shrimp in a skillet in 1-2 Tbsp of sesame oil until pink, being sure to flip them occasionally 2. Pour in as many vegetables as you want (you may need to add some more oil too!) 3. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste 4. Cook until hot

Counterclockwise: Flour Tortillas, Goya Black Beans and Rice Mix, Taco Filling (LightLife Smart Ground Mexican, Onions, Orange Bell Peppers, Canned Corn) Center: Sliced Grape Tomatoes and Avocado Cinco de Mayo Taco Dinners are yet another reason I need more party platters - they make food look so wonderful! This one happens to be my roommate's, but I have plans to acquire one of my own in the near future. How else are four people going to make their own tacos in a way that does not involve cramming them into a tiny college apartment kitchen?