Accidental Lentil Loaf!

Hello!

This is not part of the recipe challenge, but it actually turned out pretty good so I wanted to share.

I made this: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=6394

Except I really didn’t. I took the ingredients and plopped them into a loaf pan rather than making patties and baked it instead of frying it in a pan. Because I am lazy. HOWEVER it turned out REALLY GOOD so it’s ok!

This is what I did differently. The onion and carrots were blended in a food processor rather than grated (lazy). I combined everything in the bowl like it said, then baked it in a greased loaf pan at 350F/176C/Gas Mark 4 for 30 minutes covered nice and snug in foil. Then, baked an additional 15 minutes uncovered for full loafability.

See? Totally loafable.

Lentils are awesome. The fact this was made with them gave it a very savory flavor and hearty texture. Like meat, but not like meat at all. Yet, like meat a little (and also not).

Actually, if you haven’t eaten meat in a while and are thinking some sort of meaty-like loaf sounds delicious, you would really like this. If you regularly eat meat, this will be a new and exciting adventure, and one you may enjoy. Because, you know, lentils. 

I made some green beans with sea salt and black pepper to go with my loaf. Also I added ketchup. Everything is better with ketchup.

Totally not meatloaf - YET IT IS SOMEHOW.

It was GOOD. I had two pieces it was that good. Definitely worth a repeat!

The next recipe challenge post should be up by 1/15, by the way.

Bye!

DECEMBER RECIPE CHALLENGE!

HELLO! So, I have finally gotten around to using this thing. Woohoo! Some friends from Recipe Happiness and I decided to start a RECIPE CHALLENGE. So this means I cooked something and am now contractually obligated to blog about it. AREN'T YOU SO EXCITED?! I am.

The RECIPE CHALLENGE (must be in caps) required a special ingredient, and that special ingredient was winter squash. There was a recipe I've wanted to make for some time that had zucchini in it that I decided could be switched out for winter squash (I chose spaghetti squash) so I went for it with very mixed results.

This is what I attempted: Ratatouille Taco Towers

Doesn't that sound so delicious and fusion-y? Ratatouille from France on TORTILLAS?! What?! Inspire my senses, Monsieur Guerithault!

 (He created the recipe in case you didn't bother to read it up there. You're welcome.)

As delicious as this LatinoFrenchian combination sounds, it didn't turn out so great. This is completely my fault. I learned a few things from this journey:

1. I'm not great at making ratatouille.
2. Spaghetti squash is much too watery for this recipe.
3. Whole wheat tortillas are not a good substitute for white flour ones.
4. I'm not French.
5. Recipe modifications can lead to certain disaster (please see #2).
6. I do not have a decent understanding of the term "finely chopped."
7. I'm not French.

So, with no disrespect to the creator of this fine dish, here is a photographical (is that a word?) review of its undoing. JOIN ME ON THIS JOURNEY OF RECIPE CHALLENGE CRAPULATION!

Ratatouille Taco Towers: Deconstructed Very Poorly

So, right here, there's already a problem. Broccoli isn't in the recipe. I bought the broccoli for another recipe and forgot when I was happily grasping vegetables from the fridge in preparation for the "photo shoot." Stupid broccoli. Also there's too much crap on my counter.

Halfway through sauteeing onion, I realized I had forgotten to bake the spaghetti squash. Whoops! Here it is being frantically prepared while vegetables burn in the pan next door. Fun times!

This actually looks ok.

Instead of standard salt and pepper, I added this. It's salt, white pepper, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Honestly, had I cooked it right, the food might have benefited from the additional flavors.

The squash and 'touille had to bake together. Why is this sideways?

Together again for the first time!

Here is the assembly station. 

Bye taco towers! Have fun baking!

Soggy wonderment.

Wow. That looks...just...awful.

To be honest, these were edible. Watery and bland, but edible. I ate them for a day or two, then threw the rest out. So it wasn't a complete disaster. However, they were not enjoyable and had I not modified the recipe they might have been a little bit more enjoyable. Ugh. Oh well.

TUNE IN NEXT MONTH FOR ANOTHER RECIPE CHALLENGE!