Global Adventures in the Kitchen

I have personally experienced many funks in my meal ideas and creativity. Recently I have taken the initiative to step out of my cooking comfort-zone and create a few affordable multicultural meals to pull me out of my food funk.

It all started with a curiosity in Gumbo. A quick search online found me an easy and affordable recipe. I headed out to the store with a list of thrilling ingredients. There were a few substitutions I needed to make, but the end result was still delicious.
            Green Gumbo:
1 pound turkey(recipe called for sausage, but I was craving turkey at the time)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons flour
1 chopped onion(I used a white onion)
1 chopped green bell pepper
3 stalks of chopped celery
salt and pepper(add it to taste, I used more pepper than salt)
1 teaspoon spicy paprika(I used about 3 teaspoons)
2 cups of vegetable broth (I used chicken because that is what I had on hand)
1 pound of kale(seems like a lot, but it cooked down and was very tasty)
10 ounce bag of black beans
2 cups of rice
1 tablespoon of soy sauce

1 jar Thai Kitchen Curry Paste(this stuff is the best, and very spicy. I am sure you can use as little or as much as you would like.)
First thing you should start is your beans, boil them until soft. Also get started on your rice. My favorite type of rice is short-grain. The recipe doesn't call for rice, but I love me some carbs. Once you have your beans and rice started, put the turkey in a warm skillet and cook up with curry and other spices you enjoy. I used a lot of curry and some chili powder. Get a big pot and start warming up the flour and vegetable oil. Put in all the liquids, chop up the veggies and toss those in. Add curry, cooked beans, and turkey.
Put a dollop of rice in a bowl and scoop a healthy serving of gumbo over that! You will be transported to New Orleans in your very own kitchen.

Now let us head over to India and try some spicy rice noodles.
          Curry Noodles
1 green bell pepper cut into thin strips
2 chopped carrots
1 jar Thai Kitchen Curry Paste
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup chicken broth
package of rice noodles
cilantro

Submerge noodles in boiling water. Put a layer of olive oil on a warm skillet. Place a generous amount of curry paste in skillet. Add water, broth, and carrots. Let boil for about ten minutes. Add coconut water, peppers, and soy sauce. After all was said and done, I used up the whole jar of curry. Serve delectable mixture over noodles, top with cilantro, and enjoy a taste-bud explosion!

All this spicy food gave me a hankering for some Hispanic dishes.
I have enjoyed many Carne Asadas, but this was my first attempt at creating this treat.

                  Carne Asada

2 pounds of steak

1 recipe of Mojo

olive oil

salt and pepper

whole wheat tortillas

shredded iceberg lettuce

chopped white onion

1/2 cup Pico De Gallo

2 limes

Marinade steak in Mojo for 1-8 hours. This is a perfect thing to prepare in the morning and enjoy as an evening feast. Grill steak, cut into thin strips, serve on warmed tortilla. If you have a gas stove use this to your advantage and heat tortilla over the flame. Top with Pico De Gallo, lettuce, onion, and sour cream. My boyfriend is a lover of cilantro and cheese, so he added a liberal helping of both. 

Mojo

2 tablespoon minced garlic

1 minced jalepeno or 2 tablespoons canned jalepenos

1 large handful of chopped cilantro

salt and pepper

2 juiced limes

1 juiced orange

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 cup olive oils

The recipe asked for everything to be mashed together with a mortar and pestle. My young kitchen does not contain a mortar and pestle so I just mashed everything together and added the juices.

Pico De Gallo

4 chopped tomatoes

1/2 chopped white onion

2 chopped green onions

1 teaspoon chili powder 

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 juiced lime

1/4 cup olive oil(I only used about 2 tablespoons)

1 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together. If you have any Pico De Gallo left over after your Carne Asada, it makes and amazing salsa. 

Chiviro is another amazing Hispanic meal.

Chiviro:

1 pound ground beef

2 tablespoons minced garlic

3 tablespoons chopped white onion

2 teaspoon salt

1 tsp oregano

3 tablespoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon cumin

Mix up meat and ingredients, fry, serve on warmed whole wheat tortilla with sour cream, cilantro, onion, and iceberg lettuce. 

Now a need for greasy Papa John's Pizza caused me to buy up ingredients for a home-made pizza. This is one of my favorite things to make. Pizza is great for a fun date night or even a fun girl's night. Opting for home-made is so much healthier than any pizza you can order in Missoula. It is required to run to the Good Food Store on Russell and Third and pick up Magnificent Pizza Dough by Le Petit Outre. I have recently used this dough to create cheesy bread sticks which are....sinful!

Also, while you are at the Good Food Store, pick up some fresh mint for a refreshing Mojito. 

Home-made pizza needs no instructions, just grab up all your favorite ingredients to top off your unique pizza. I used basil marinara, white cheddar, onions, and green pepper. 

Please use your imagination while trying and creating new cultural meals. Adventure is everywhere, including your kitchen.

Council Grove State Park

This post is dedicated to Missoula's very own river state park. This 187 acre park is nestled between farm land and is located less than 1 mile off of Mullan Road!

 When you pull into the parking area, you are surrounded by beautiful plant life and our glorious Montana mountains just add to the awe-inspiring view. You are greeted with a park sign that contains a plethora of information. You will find that weekends are a busier time, but the park is so huge that you barely run into anybody, you will mostly notice more cars parked.

Council Grove provides disabled accessible facilities, adventurous hiking trails, picnic tables, grills for bbq fun, and a green little water fountain that you pump yourself from a fresh, cold well. 

My pug jumped in the shot for a modeling opportunity.

This fountain is a two person job (one to pump, and one to drink), but it is a blast! Come on, you are pumping your own well water! Past the intriguing pump, you are welcomed with a gorgeous grassy field which contains a few well-worn trails. You can pick any trail that will lead you through the trees and towards the river. 

You are provided with the splendid adventure of crossing the river to reach the other side of the park. This side of the park contains majority of the acreage and the grills and picnic tables. Since you will be crossing the shallow, clear water of the Clark Fork, you may want to be prepared with Ziplock bags for electronics(in the rare case you lose footing and slip) and sandals or water-shoes. Crossing the river is, personally, where I think all the fun of the park is.Speedo Wave Walker Water Shoes, these are cheap and reliable, you may get sand stuck in them but all need need to do is slip them off and rinse out in the water.. nature's gift!

Shallow waters.

I enjoy venturing down the shallow waters and finding a nice shaded beach were I can sit and enjoy a well packed picnic. Your senses are bombarded with the smell of the flowing river water, the sight of the colorful rounded river rocks, the warmth of the sun, the touch of the trickling river, and overwhelming view of beauty....

The river provides areas for simply walking through, and areas were you can enjoy a nice refreshing swim. My little pug is a fairly strong swimmer, but resides to being afraid of deep water, so the shallow parts were a great way for him to cool off without stressing.

I know any living, breathing dog would enjoy a trip to this eccentric "water" park. The main entrance to the park will tell you that dogs are required on a leash, but you will find designated areas in which dogs are be released to enjoy the wild with out a tether. Also remember to bring fresh water for you four-legged buddy, river water isn't always the best thing to drink from. "Jr. Folding Dog Water Dispenser in Assorted" Also a great way to always have a poop bag on you.. just clip a dispenser to your leash  and you will never be without!"N2N Poop Patrol Pet Waste Bag Dispenser"(you can find a really cheap bone-shaped one at most dollar stores) My favorite leash is the Flexi Leash, this thing has been through thick and thin and still remains loyal. I love it because it allows for the pooch to venture but not too far away."Compact Extra Large Retractable Dog Lead"

This is an incredible place to visit, Missoula natives are so lucky to have this in their back yards. This place a worth a trip for anyone who lives any where. Add it to your bucket list! I hope every single person reading this is able to come and enjoy nature here!

Montana Map T-Shirt

Best Hotdog in Town

If you are looking for a delicious hot-dog in Missoula, you need to visit a new local place in town called Tom Dooley's. This establishment serves gourmet hot-dogs and fries. You can order The Coney Island, The Chicago Dog(my personal favorite), and many other classics. All steaming hot-dogs are served on pretzel buns which are amazing!

Tom Dooley's is located at 744 Broadway next to McDonalds and The Campus Inn. So you can grab a quick hot-dog and walk down to the river, or simply enjoy the atmosphere of Tom Dooley's.


The reason I decided to create this blog is because of the experience I went through to discover this place, and I would really hate to see Tom Dooley's go out of business to McDonalds. 


While I sat out in the Missoula sunshine enjoying a one-of-a-kind hotdog, I couldn't help but notice that for every car that stopped at Tom Dooleys, there were about 5 that would stop in at McDonalds. Sure McDonalds is cheap, sure it is fast, sure is is familiar. But I discovered that his great gourmet hotdog establishment is inexpressive for the amount of food you get, they are very quick in service especially considering that this food it prepared in front of your eyes and not stored in a warmer until you order. And people just NEED to be adventurous and try new places!


Now let us back up about 2 hours. My boyfriend had an awful hankering for a Chicago tyle dog. The only place we knew of in Missoula was from a hotdog stand downtown. Unfortunately this stand has not been seen yet this summer. So we ventured down town a while and raked our brains for a place that would provide a genuine worthwhile Chicago dog. After much complaining (from the oh-so hungry boyfriend) we hopped in the car and prepared to set out in defeat. As fate would have it, a commercial boomed on the radio. This commercial ranted and raved about Chicago style dogs on a pretzel bun, and Coney Island Dogs that will knock your socks off. We caught the location and headed to our destination with a new hope. 


Lo and behold we walked into a glorious establishment that smelled of deliciousness and had a lovely bar with cream soda nestled in ice! 

Moral of the story, if you are looking for a new place to enjoy in Missoula, or you are craving a hotdog like a pregnant women, you better try Tom Dooley"s!