Fabulous Food Photos on Pinterest

Warning: may be habit forming.

Pinterest has added a new dimension to my love affair with food - photos, photos, photos.
Not a lot of links to recipes for the items shown; but they are inspirational nonetheless.

Sometimes I have ingredients, and go a Googling to find a recipe to put them to creative use.
Sometimes I find a recipe, usually in the paper or a magazine, and just reading through the ingredient list gives me the nudge to get up and put something new together.

But photos of food on Pinterest (a social media site, where each account holder 'pins' photos found on the internet to their digital scrapbook, which other account holders can see, comment on, and even 'repin' to their own accounts' 'boards') work some other part of my brain. That part where images live, I guess, apart from words or smells or even the memory of foods indulged in in the past.

When I scan through a board of food pins, not everything looks good to me. And I don't have an irrepressible urge to get up and cook. I just re-pin what looks most attractive to my own board, titled Fabulous Food, and know I can go there any time for inspiration.

Soon I should be going back through my recipe posts here, pinning the photos from them, and giving folks on Pinterest a link to my recipe, in case the photo inspires them to make the dish.

Want to see what's in my scrapbook so far? Just visit http://pinterest.com/steamtour/

Polenta Indoors or Out

Polenta, which many Americans know as cornmeal mush, makes a quick and easy alternative to rice or mashed potatoes. It makes a nice side dish (especially with herbs and cheese added), or a base for a savory dish like ratatouille.

Ingredients and Amounts
Most stovetop recipes call for a 1 to 3 or 4 ratio, such as 1 cup coarse cornmeal to 3 or 4 cups water. Salt varies according to taste, additions, and the entrée planned.
The recipe for solar cooking found in Cooking with Sunshine calls for 1.5 to 3.5; but I liked it with more water for a softer consistency.

In the Solar Oven:

• Measure cornmeal and place in a mixing bowl
• Add salt
• Pour water into bowl and stir
• Place in solar cooker for 1 – 2 hours
• Stir occasionally, and check to make sure it does not dry out

Stovetop Method:

• Measure cornmeal and place in a mixing bowl
• Add salt
• Pour 1 cup water into bowl and stir
• Heat rest of water in a saucepan to boiling, then pour wet mix in and stir well
• Bring to boil, then stir and reduce heat to low
• Simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally (10 -15 minutes)

Variations

• In place of water, vegetable or chicken stock can be used (watch the salt!).
• For a richer, creamier version, replace some water with milk and add a little butter.
• For savory flair, add sautéed onions, roasted garlic or red peppers, cheese, fresh basil, or other herbs.

Serving
The easiest way is to place on a plate or bowl while still soft and hot.
As a gourmet alternative, spoon the hot mix into a pan, smooth out and chill. Then bake or top and heat to serve.
Baked polenta can be used as a gluten-free alternative to pasta, for instance layering with sauce and cheese in a variation on lasagna.

Eating your own Trash? Food for Thought.

An intriguing info-graphic that brings home the health issues created by plastic waste.


Created by: MastersDegree.net