Home Alone

Laura is gone this weekend which means two things: 1) I'm going to get a little bit bored, and 2) I'm either going to eat really well, or have ramen noodles four times a day.  After debating this later fact, I eventually voted down the case of oriental flavored Maruchan.  However, the first fact remains that I am a little bit bored, so whatever I make has to keep me interested and productive for a good part of the evening.

Here is where my new best friend enters the picture, my fireplace.  During the first big storm this winter we all sat huddled around the fireplace and thought, "What would happen if we lost power?"  The answer my friends is, "We would eat like kings!"  And it was here that the idea of being able to cook with my fireplace was born.

Like I said, this meal had to occupy me for a good chunk of the night which equals I get dinner AND dessert!  To help ease my way into cooking with my fireplace I decided I should somewhat follow a recipe.  Turns out that the good people over at Reynold's Aluminum Foil have an entire recipe section of their website dedicated to cooking with foil packets.  I was going to make a Curried Cauliflower.  I chopped the cauliflower, added a tomato, half a red pepper, curry powder,  and salt to my foil packet.

Is this a Chipotle ad?

 I cleared a spot in the fireplace surrounded by coals and put the packet in for 15 minutes.

I carefully took out the packet, opened it up and the steam came pouring out.  I added some yogurt, sriracha, and raisins to complete the dish.

Fresh from the fire.

Yummers!

With the main course complete, it was time for dessert... and I seriously wanted some cookies.  So, in doing just a little bit of research I discovered many a person who had "grilled" cookies.  I figured the top of my fireplace is hot, why not cook there?  So, whipping up a basic chocolate chip cookie dough and placing some more fabulous Reynold's Aluminum Foil on top of the fireplace, I formed very thin cookies figuring they would burn fast.

(Sorry for the photo quality - phone camera)

With how fast they were cooking I needed to flip them half way through, sort of like cooking a pancake. They got a little dark on the outside, but they tasted fabulous!  The kind of fresh soft cookie that reminds me of Sweet Martha's (I miss you Minnesota state fair).  I paired them with some mint ice cream and the evening was complete.

I hope Laura is eating as well as I am!  I guess I'll save her a few of the cookies... maybe.