did you know "penzeys" translates to "approximately twenty"?

not in another language, but in dollars.

i went to penzeys spices in omaha a while back. it's definitely a place to visit if you're even curious about cooking, or if you like shopping for ingredients. you can get a good idea of what they offer here at their website.

every item they have for sale is available in a wide range of sizes (read: prices). also, every item for sale has a sample out in an openable jar, so you can assess the freshness and quality a little more readily.

i don't usually like "boutique" food stores, but their presentation-- at least at their omaha location-- transcends the seeming, screaming distance from actual consumption that you often find in specialty food shoplets.

anyway, i bought everything in the two pictures for twenty bucks. approximately. i've been happy with my experiments and results, some of which should appear here soon.

new panaderia at 11th & g

i'd heard about the new panaderia (mexican bakery) at 11th & g and wondered if they were open sundays-- and the answer is yes, open from 10-6. these cream cheese and jalapeno stuffed rolls are only a dollar each! and the grocery store on the block does sell the sunday times.

these rolls are the only thing i've tried from the place, but they have a wide selection of traditional panaderia sweets... at traditional budget prices.

fajita mix from the hy-vee butcher

you can buy this at the meat counter at any time, but check in the packaged meat section for yesterday's fajita mix for 1.99#. i added the jalapenos and nothing else to what you see here. this tasted so good that i'll probably pay full price for it someday.

waffles, apples and sausage

i cut up some apples, tossed them with agave nectar, and threw them in the pan with the breakfast links.

if you use beef broth to make the rice...

it makes your house smell like the best popcorn ever.

i used half/half water/broth. and it smelled so good, i can't wait to do it again.

i like this kitchen basics brand you see in the picture. they have a few flavors (one vegetarian) that all taste more like broth than salt. ideal had this brand for 2/$5 earlier this month. i bought one or two since aseptically-packaged broth lasts a long time, almost as long as canned broth. of course you should check the expiration date on items you buy to make sure.

in my experience, when buying storebought broth, aseptic packaging is the way to go. you can keep any leftover broth in the fridge for a week without transferring to another container, which is something you can't do with canned broth. and if you find yourself with a half-full container several days after first use-- well, you'll probably think of something to do with it right away; but if not, pour into a freezer-safe container and freeze away.

more "fun with leftovers from the oven"

when i took the leftover lamb madras out of the fridge, the day after dinner at the oven, the color of the sauce said stroganoff to me. i know it's ridiculous to put leftovers from an indian restaurant together with pasta, but hy-vee has this great deal on some whole grain pasta which has at least one of the omegas...

i took a casserole dish and put a couple of cups of cooked pasta in it, poured a cup of chicken stock over that, and then put the leftover lamb madras on top of all of that, and covered. baked at 350 until it smelled done, about half an hour.

this turned out super tasty. it wasn't as spicy as the original plate, of course; unless you want to bite into one of those peppers you see there. good for packed lunch.