Who else loves experimenting with recipes? I love nothing more than to find a recipe and make it my own by playing with it a bit. Or take a familiar favorite I’ve grown bored with and tweak it so that it’s new and exciting.
I did that this weekend with a lentil and rice soup I’ve been tossing together for years. I’ve grown tired of it, and the last time I made it, it was a chore to eat it. So when I made it yesterday, I completely changed the spices. Rather than using soup seasoning cubes, I tossed in two tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp mild curry, and some salt. Oh man, when it was done cooking, it was all I could do to not scarf down a whole bowlful–it smelled and tasted savory. Yum! I didn’t let myself eat a whole bowlful, though, because then I wouldn’t make it through this week’s worth of lunches. But now I’m really, really looking forward to my lunches.
And I just pulled some bread out of the oven and am pleased with the results. Baguettes have just gotten too dang expensive at the grocery store, and I want a yeast bread that’s tasty and quick to make. So I found a French bread recipe and have been trying something a bit different each time I make it. I don’t want to go through two rises. I want something I can start on a Sunday night while I’m cooking dinner and be done with it. So I’m kneading, letting it rise in whatever I’m baking it in, and then popping it straight in the oven. And since I want more fiber than what you get with white flour, I’m mixing in some wheat instead. Today’s version included half a cup of oat bran and went into bread pans instead of onto a cookie sheet.
So who else finds simple joy in making recipes their own? What sorts of experiements do you do and what kinds of recipes have you invented? Here’s a cauliflower cassarole I came up with a couple of years ago that I’m especially pleased with.