Saturday, October 13, 2012

Ingredients for a fall meal


Hardware
long serrated bread knife
butter knife
measuring cups and spoons
potato masher
sharp knife*
cast iron skillet
tongs
apron
stove
Adele's "21"**
tissues***

Adele's "21"
1. Place CD in player.
2. Press "Play."

Bread
1 store-purchased loaf of bread (gotta save time somewhere)
butter****

1. Slice up loaf.
2. Spread on butter

Squash
3-4 cups of chopped squash*****
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice******
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1. Four months prior: plant squash seeds, water and weed as necessary.
2. Bring water to a boil the stove (use a pot that's one size larger than what you think you'll need).
3. Boil for 6-8 minutes, until the pieces fall apart when pierced.
4. Drain and mash in with all the ingredients

Steak tips
1-2 pounds of steak tips
1. Prepare with your favourite marinade, probably a day ahead or so.*******
2. Set stove temp to 350 degrees and your hottest burner on high.
3. Put your skillet on for at least 5 minutes (up to 10 if an electric stove).
4. Put your skillet in the oven for five minutes.
5. Wrap in foil and let the meat rest for five minutes before cutting.

If you start the water for the squash and the pan heating at the same time, they'll be ready at around the same time as well.

Last ingredient:

Family and/or friends (Substitute strangers as required).

* Seriously, a very sharp knife. It might seem kind of scary, handling a very sharp knife, but the nastiest cuts I've received are from dull knives.
** Can substitute any Motown.
*** May be needed, depending on how well you can handle "Someone Like You."
**** If it's a particularly cold day and your butter's hard-set, put it next to the stove when you start cooking. Near. Not on. Near.
***** Squash should be boiled as little as possible to preserve flavour, texture and nutrition. Cut it up in 1/4 inch cubes.
****** You can substitute trying to measure out a 1/4 tsp of allspice, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg but, really, why?
******* I recommend either this recipe or the house tips from The Sterling Cleaver.