Breakfast for dinner

It was one of those days when the month dips down into the negatives, the chilly Arctic wind sweeping hair into mouth as you trudge throughout the day in a big puffy jacket, a coloured toque atop your head and lovely Olympic mittens stark red against the grey sky .

Classes, classes and cold walks in between - you finally, finally, get home, starving from your only meal of the day (a chicken shawarma à la cafeteria), only to open your fridge and find nothing there.

I have never felt more like a university student than I did at that moment.

After ridding the idea of ordering in, and a long chat with my mother, I decided on a breaktastic dinner: eggs.

I first attempted to supercook.com way way through this one, scavenging my pantry for any random ingredient I could find, whether it be indian spices or pasta. Though, I did find a very appetizing recipe for mac n' cheese - it took 40 minutes in total to cook. At that point in time, my stomach couldn't handle a whole 40 minutes, and knowing me, it'd probably take an hour instead. So creativity took over. Remembering my camera, before I started my cooking process, I felt that Herm would enjoy this particular meal - especially since it's not coming directly from my freezer. ;)

This recipe was very much made on the spot. A spontaneous combustion of eggs, tomatoes, frozen garlic, oil, cheese and coriander sauce, if you will.

2 eggs

1/2 tomato

1/2 tspn crushed garlic

1 tspn canola oil

1 tspn coriander chutney

1. Cut up tomatoes and cheese into tiny chunks
2. Whisk both eggs in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to your discretion.
3. Saute tomatoes for a few minutes in a small frying pan using canola oil. Add the crushed garlic and coriander chutney
4. Add in egg mixture.
5. Let eggs cook, then using a spatula stir eggs until they are in small pieces.
6. Once completely cooked (should slightly brown in colour), serve with a carbohydrate and juice of your choice

Kicking off with comfort food

Sometimes, it's difficult being a college student. Today I'm, once again, stuck in my bedroom reading one food blog after the next, unbearably bored and trying my hardest to put off the inevitable - work - all the while wishing I had the mind power to just sit still and finish the damn assignment. In some ways, I'm still a melodramatic teenager, bemoaning school and responsibilities and life while sulking angrily in a corner. But living on your own and doing your own laundry usually puts things into perspective, and I know that when the time comes, I'll have only me to pull myself out of that corner.
Well, and friends. Those that matter.

One of whom is my partner in starting this blog, which was born at a whim about two months ago. This accidental little brainchild, to its own bad luck I suppose, was neglected while the two of us worked our butts off for academia's annual mid-term season, which brings with it loads of late-night video calls, midnight cereal bowls and frantic hair pulling.

But things have quieted down somewhat, and I think it's time to pick this baby up again.
 
Inspired by a brief gchat session with Tifa last Wednesday, I made Pâté chinois for my boyfriend and his housemates. Pâté chinois is essentially a French Canadian Shepherd's Pie. I remember first tasting and falling in love with it the summer of 2008, in Trois Pistoles in Quebec. 

The recipe is actually taken from the Wikipedia cookbook (Classy, I know..) and was pretty awesome! It was my first time making this three-layered comfort, and I was pleasantly surprised by the wonderful turn out (NOM). The leftovers stayed at J's house, so when I got the cravings for this dish back in my own apartment, I made it again, and remembered to bring my camera. 

layer one!

pepper, pepper, finely chopped

they're all in this together...

ZOMG the big mash up! Loads of milk for super creamy spreadable mash =)

into ze oven........

nom comfort food nom

Pâté chinois (from the Wikipedia Cookbook)

8 medium fresh potatoes

2lbs ground beef

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 can creamed corn, with sauce

2 Tb butter

1.     Boil potatoes in lightly salted water until soft, drain. Mash potatoes, adding 2 T butter and just enough milk to achieve a spreadable consistency. Set aside.

2.     Brown ground beef with onions and peppers. Drain fat and put ground beef mixture in bottom of casserole dish.

3.     Mix creamed corn and whole kernel corn and spread over beef.

4.     Spread the mashed potatoes across the top to form a 'crust'. Lightly sprinkle with paprika, and salt/pepper to taste, and make tracks with a fork, if desired.

5.     Bake uncovered at 400F until the potatoes are golden brown. (approximately 30 minutes)