The Joy of Spam Folder Cooking

This week the spam folder brought me a recipe for Orange Juice.  I have to admit, I never thought of a recipe for Orange Juice.  I always thought ‘well, you juice oranges and then you have orange juice!’.  Who knew that it’s actually a process?  Apparently my spam folder did and isn’t it nice of it to share that information with me.

So buying twenty-five oranges at once is a bit out of the budget this week.  Plus apparently I’d need to buy bottles and corks for the bottles.  So it’s out this week.

It’s an interesting recipe though, I’ve never bottled anything like this.  I’ve made the occasional preserves because hot biscuits with blueberry preserves are a wonderul treat, but I’ve never actually bottled a liquid.

This recipe also comes from Mrs. Wilson’s Cookbook, another spammer favorite.  I guess since it’s available online, they just copy and paste.

Until next time, toodles!

This week my spam folder included a recipe but forgot to tell me the title.  You know, the important part that tells me what I’m actually making?  I asked  Mr Google (this blog has taught me more about googling!) and I found that it is Warm Mexican Bean Dip.  It’s from the BBC and some of the ingredients were in grams (not ounces or cups)

I mentioned the recipe to Fred and I told him it had Cajun seasoning.  He said ‘Nope’.  I reminded him how much he loved that guacamole dip and the salsa I had made, but the word Cajun just turned him off.  He is convinced that he hates all spicy food.  Never mind the part where he loved the almonds, spicy food is just not for him!  I made the mistake of telling him about that spice.  If I hadn’t, I bet he would have eaten every last bite.  Well, live and learn.

Until next time, toodles!

Paprika Almonds is the recipe I found when I went diving into the spam folder this week. The end result of the recipe is roasted almonds with paprika on them. Fred, dear sweet bland food only Fred, at first refused to taste test for me. I reminded him that this blog was his idea and as such, he could open his mouth and throw in an almond. I also reminded him that I used paprika in his fried chicken all the time and that wasn’t spicy to him at all.

After much whining, pouting, and general silliness (I do love you dear, but really, you just couldn’t throw one in your mouth?) he finally tried one. And he liked it! Fred really liked it! He’d eat one or two, wander off, then come back and have some more. He wouldn’t admit he really liked them, he’d just say ‘eh, that’s not bad…’ and go have more. He’s going to say that what I typed here isn’t really true, but if it isn’t, why is that dish that had the almonds in them completely empty?

On to the recipe that Fred really liked but won’t admit he did:

 Ingredients :

2 cups blanched whole almonds
1 tbsp salt, preferably fine sea salt
2 tsp sweet, hot, or smoked paprika


Directions :

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet. Sprinkle them with a 
little water and toss on the sheet. (The water will help the 
salt and paprika cling to the nuts.) Sprinkle the nuts with the 
salt and the paprika, tossing to ensure that they are all evenly 
coated. Spread out the nuts in an even layer.

3. Place in the oven and roast the almonds, stirring occasionally, 
for 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and serve warm or cooled 
to room temperature.

I took a picture of what they looked like after I pulled them out of the oven.

Paprika Almonds

I should have taken a picture of the empty bowl so I could prove to Fred that he ate them, but he’d probably just blame the dog.

Until next time, toodles!