Not dying in an EPIC PIZZA Fail.

package design varies in 14 years
1997 crust

What happens when you eat 14 year old pizza crust from Betty Crocker? We found out.

On January 1, 2011, in a short series of unfortunate events, my husband prepared a Betty Crocker pizza crust from a mix. It turned out terribly. We couldn’t figure out why. It was paper thin, and stuck so badly to the pan that it seemed to only come off in stamp-sized pieces, not to mention being brittle and tasteless.

I forced it down, and after the kids bemoaned their meal, I, being a proper mom, I had them finish most of it–by decree. It was only after I saw the varying package design of some just-bought Betty Crocker pizza crust, did suspect something was amiss. That little wave of electric panic fear went around on my back. This could be a long night in the bathroom, I thought.

Soon, it seemed clear that we ingested 14 year old crust mix from 1997. There was no expiration date visable on any package, but there were copyright dates. The new ones said ©2009. [Obviously the old one read ©1997.] Gulp. This was bad news. Really bad news. This is nearly double the age of my daughter. Who eats food twice their age, and gets away with it? Okay, babies. But who else?

The thought was sickening, but oddly the meal wasn’t, in a true sense. We were all fine. No harm done.

4 Proposals:
1. Betty Crocker Pizza crust is not food.
2. God spared us (because sometimes he’s wacky like that.)
3. Pizza crust couldn’t hurt us, even if it was 50 years old…’cause that’s how p.c. rolls.
4. We’ve just realized we are the real life version of  “No Ordinary Family”
Do you have any ideas?

It was a mysterious way to start the new year, and things have only gotten stranger since.

What the oldest thing you’ve eaten recently?
Or…What’s the strangest thing that’s happened to you so far this year?


Heritage: A (Dulce) Sweet Celebration

Puerto Rican favorite “Arroz con Dulce” (sweet rice pudding)

We are having a “diversity picnic” with Nathan’s class. Few people, at the outset realize my Puerto Rican heritage. I was born there, and my dad was Puerto Rican (my mom is of mainly English and welsh descent.)

I’m going to surprise all the party-goers with my ethnicity today.

SO- I decided to try one of my favorite dessert recipes. “Arroz con Dulce” Sweet Rice Pudding with spices of ginger, cloves, cinnamon) with coconut creme. It’s really good.

The Arroz con Dulce recipe I used here. (I always skip the raisins.) Let me know if you give it a try!

What ethnic foods have you made recently? (And don’t say the easy stuff. Pizza, spaghetti, and tacos, don’t count, unless-of course- you made the stuff from scratch, or it’s incredibly unique somehow.)

How to make: Fried Green Tomatoes

photo from southern living mag.

This dish is a southern classic. A tangy, juicy, salty fried-up batch of awesome. I just re-watched the 1991 film of the same name, inspired by the book (of the same name) by Fannie Flagg. If you’ve never seen the movie, it’s quite good. It reminds us of the power and rescue of community and friendship.

The book by Flagg, is quite a bit better than the movie, and comes peppered with recipes of simply delicious southern cuisine. Pies, meat dishes, side dishes, goodies. If you want to spruce up your menu, check out the book from the library. I saw it on amazon.com, new, for $15.

When tomatoes aren’t ripening toward the end of the season, or for sale at a farmers market, pick them while they are firm and still juicy, and before red spots start. I made up a batch of fried green tomatoes from the recipe below, and it was fabulous. (Mind you, I like fried food. I’d even be tempted to eat a deep fried boot.) Usually when something edible is fried is ventures into the realm of superior in some way.

Fried Green Tomatoes –
1 medium green tomato (per person)
salt
pepper
white cornmeal (some use flour instead, about a cup)
bacon drippings
(some also use a bit of cayenne pepper too)

Directions:

Slice tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick, season with salt and pepper to taste, and then coat both sides with cornmeal. (some do this in a plastic bag.)

In a large skillet, heat enough bacon drippings to coat the bottom of the pan, and fry tomatoes until lightly browned on both sides (about 2 min each side)

Have you tried them?

I hope you give it a try, if you never have made them before.

Tell me how it goes.

What's not on the menu this Thanksgiving –

 

Everybody knows you eat babies at Easter, not Thanksgiving... oh wait.
Everybody knows you eat babies at Easter, not Thanksgiving... oh wait.

Here’s a reason to become vegetarian! You never really know what kind of meat is on the menu. In China, this is referred to a “girl meat.” It’s quite common. “Boy meat” is quite rare, and for that reason considered a delicacy, though it is stinky, and chewier.

WAIT!

 

Please tell me something got lost in translation!

Thoughts, comments, ideas?

 

 

(see if you can find the Easter egg in this post)