Chickpea curry soup: the "OMG ate the whole thing" variation on kale soup

I recently tried a vegetarian version of an Italian kale soup which involved kale, chickpeas, and (vegetarian) sausage. It was fantastic and I loved it. But I started thinking that it would be easy to create a more middle-eastern version. So here you go, with ingredients that should be easy to find in even a small town grocery store. It is delightful and simple:

2 TBS olive oil
1/2 medium white onion, diced
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 can chickpeas (Garbanzo beans), drained
1/3 package of frozen greens (kale, collard greens, or mustard greens)
3 cups of vegetable broth or equivalent (reconstituted bouillon cubes, etc.)
2 TBS curry powder
OPTIONAL for thickening: 4 tsp corn starch + 4 tsp cold water (slurry)
Dash of lemon juice for serving

In a medium to large soup pot, heat the olive oil on medium heat, then add the onion. Saute 2 minutes and then add the garlic. Saute 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally, then add everything except the corn starch slurry and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, and add the cornstarch slurry while stirring constantly; allow to boil for about a minute. Turn off the heat and cover until ready to serve. Serve with a dash of lemon juice in each bowl.

The best way to serve this, IMO, is over a little bit of basmati rice as pictured. I made a pilaf of the rice so it would be nice and fluffy rather than sticky.

I can't stop eating it. Please help.

Laid to Rest (2009) - Wilton Silver Color Mist

"A woman awakens inside a coffin. She struggles to escape, and once she does, she realizes she doesn’t know where she is or who she is. She quickly learns she’s being stalked by a freakish killer who sports a chrome skull mask and a shoulder mounted video camera," writes Outpost Zeta of the 2009 gore flick Laid to Rest.

There are a few items of food in the movie itself, but we're turning our focus to the chrome. Did you know there's edible food spray to give your food items a metallic coating?

Yup, sure enough. The product is Wilton Color Mist, and it comes in a variety of colors, the most striking of which are silver and gold. Yep, really.

We've included some photos here, and you can purchase it in any well-stocked baking/cake supply aisle, but the reason you want to view it right now on amazon.com is because of the reviews. Just... just go look.

You're welcome.

The Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow (1959) - Teddy Bear Racecars

This campy 50s-era story is much more about teens and cars than about ghosts or spookiness. In fact, it's like a beach party movie, substituting asphalt for the sand. Outpost Zeta writes, "The Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow is a precursor to the beach movies of the 1960s, in that it features weightless comedy performed by teen actors, and plenty of musical interludes. For a movie that barely clocks in at over an hour, it takes a good forty minutes to get to the haunted house," however, with the first half of the movie being more or less a kind of car porn for wholesome teens.

Anyway. You need a racecar snack? You got it. Kristol, at The Magic of Ordinary Things, has it covered. These are pretty stinkin' cute. You just need mini-Milky Way bars - which are vegetarian but not vegan, using egg whites in the recipe Teddy Grahams, and M&Ms, and maybe a few chocolate chips to melt and use as glue.

http://themagicofordinarythings.blogspot.com/2012/04/teddy-bear-race-cars.html

Cat People (1982) - Black Cat Oreos

"Graphic where the original is suggestive, the 1982 Cat People is a good example of how to do a remake correctly," says Outpost Zeta. The film stars big names Natassja Kinski and Malcom MacDowell.

For day 18 of our 31 Days of Halloween, what could be cuter, or easier, than a plate full of black cats? Today, we're pointing you toward these adorably decorated Oreos, created and photographed by Norene Cox, of PartyPinching.com.

Oreos are vegetarian and ingredients are vegan, though the factory advises they come into cross-contact with milk.

Check the ingredients on whatever candies and frosting you choose to decorate the Oreos as sometimes frosting contains gelatin.

Night Ripper (1986) - Soup for You!

We are halfway through October--can you believe it? Here's the latest in our 31 Days of Halloween collaboration with movie review blog Outpost Zeta.

Night Ripper is a shot-on-video slasher whose most notable feature is that it stars [Larry Thomas,] the man who would later rise to fame as the ‘Soup Nazi’ on Seinfeld," writes Outpost Zeta, so naturally we have to make soup!

The brilliance of this recipe is that if you have a normally stocked kitchen, you're likely to have most of these ingredients on hand, making this a damned cheap recipe--especially considering that the base for the soup is one of the staples of budget-cooking... ramen noodles.

Nissin Top Ramen makes two flavors that are vegan: Oriental and Chili. Either will work for this recipe, though I prefer the Chili flavor. The amounts of vegetables are really up to you but I'd recommend about 1/4 of each per serving.

This recipe makes 1 large serving, or two smaller servings.

Ingredients:

1 package Nissin Top Ramen, chili or oriental flavor

Onions

Celery

Other vegetables of your choice such as sugar snap peas, broccoli, carrots

Fresh ginger - a few coins

Optional: 1 clove of fresh garlic, slivered, optional

Optional: 1 egg per serving

Optional garnishes of your choice such as:

• fresh basil
• fresh cilantro
• sesame seeds
• crushed peanuts

Optional: soy sauce or Braggs, sriracha sauce for serving

Directions:

In a small- to medium-sized saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, chop vegetables into similar-sized pieces--cut the onions into fat slivers and the celery on the diagonal. If using carrots, slice them on the diagonal into medium-thin ovals. Slice the ginger into coins; you do not need to peel it. Sliver the garlic clove if using.

Once the water comes to a boil, dissolve the seasoning packet in the pan. Break up the noodles lightly and add them to the pan, along with the vegetables, ginger, and garlic (if using). Let everything boil 2 minutes.

If using egg(s): allow the above to simmer for 2 minutes. In a small dish, separately, crack the egg(s) without breaking the yolk(s). Use the smaller vessel to gently lower the egg(s) into the simmering saucepan.  Use a spoon to splash four or five spoonsful of hot broth up over the top of the egg(s).

Remove saucepan from heat and cover.  Allow to sit for 1-2 minutes, the carefully transfer to a large serving bowl. Garnish and serve.

Hellions (2015) - Pumpkin Cakes

Pumpkins are everywhere in the 2015 film Hellions, directed by Bruce McDonald, and reviewed here by Outpost Zeta. Seventeen-year-old Rose discovers she's 4 weeks pregnant on Halloween. There are sinister trick-or-treaters. There are pumpkins.

Here's a crafty way to put mini-bundt cake pans to use to make little pumpkin-shaped cakes. To tell you the truth, I'd probably look around for "frosting from a can" that's already tinted orange; there are usually some seasonal flavors of frosting this time of year.

And if you're making these treats for Halloween, why not just fill the hole in the middle with something that looks gory so when you cut into it, it oozes like blood? Raspberry jam or cherry pie filling maybe?

Caveat: You'll want to check both the boxed mix and the frosting for lard. If all else fails, of course you can make your own frosting. The egg in a spice cake recipe can easily be substituted by using 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree or applesauce, by the way.

Find the recipe here at the Betty Crocker site: http://bit.ly/2e161dv

I Bury the Living (1958) - I Bury the Living... in Chocolate

I Bury the Living... in Chocolate - a companion recipe for I Bury the Living (1958), directed by Albert Band. Read the review here at Outpost Zeta. Actually, I May Be Causing Deaths by Changing Push Pin Colors in a Cemetery Map pretty much sums up the plot. 

In this recipe, you can bury whatever you want in gooey chocolate pudding. I made some little skeleton parts.

Serves 4 - or two, if you're like me. Maybe just one... just sayin'.

4 Tablespoons melted margarine or butter

1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 package of chocolate pudding, prepared according to package instructions with 2 cups cold milk, OR 4 chocolate pudding cups

1 full sheet graham cracker

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1/4 cups white chocolate chips OR vanilla almond bark

A few chocolate chips

Optional: crumbled cookies or chopped candy bar

To make the grave, combine melted margarine/butter, graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and cocoa powder in a bowl and mix well. Pour half the mixture into a small rectangular loaf pan, pat it down with the back of a spoon, and refrigerate or freeze for 10 minutes. When chilled, layer with the chocolate pudding. (Throw a few crushed cookies or chopped candy bar chunks into the pudding if desired.) Cover with the remaining graham crumbs loosely.

To make the skull & bones for the grave, lay out a small piece of parchment paper, or a piece of foil that you've lightly oiled/sprayed. Melt the white chocolate chips or almond bark in the microwave on low until you can stir it smooth. Spoon into a small zip baggie, cut a tiny corner off the baggie, and "draw" the bones & skull onto your parchment or foil. Allow to cool until set, or be impatient like I was and put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes.

To make the tombstone, use a sharp knife to cut the very corners off the large graham cracker. Use a paperclip, safety pin, or sharp knife tip to scratch a decoration into the cracker, being careful not to cut all the way through. Dust completely with the powdered sugar, working it in with your fingers if needed. Tap off excess and place at the head of the grave.