Grill Day at Work!

So I got transitioned to a new position at work. While that whole thing was kind of a sucky mess, my new team is cool and also I’ve been introduced to a new tradition: Food Friday! Since this is the first week that it’s actually felt like spring, everyone brought in something to grill outside. There was a bunch of meat stuff, but there was also tons of vegetables and some fruit. I think the fact that there’s a licensed dietitian on the team might have had something to do with it.

Though the irony here is that I ate this wonderful picnic-day food inside at my cubicle. The fluorescent lights made it look not the most appealing. Sorry! But it was good. My sad contributions are the fruit salad and macaroni salad that I got at Topps, but hey, that’s what they asked me to bring and as the new guy on the team I know better than to make any waves.

The corn on the cob looms large in the photograph, as it should! It was sooo sweet and good. Sweet corn season is going to take my mouth by storm. Mmm. Though have you ever had a baked potato on a wood chip grill? It tasted all smokey.

The veggie pack was assembled by JS. He marinaded it in a dressing of some sort, wrapped it in foil, and then threw it on the grill. Badass! My dad used to do it all the time.

I thought that the warm weather would mean I would lose weight and get all active, but all this food is turning me into a total chub. On the plus side, I’ve started running a mile and a half every day again. Soon, 3 mile runs!

-Bret

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Chili Not Dogs and Veggie Skewers

It’s the time of year for MEN TO COOK MEAT WITH FIRE. I’m not all yay barbecue but it can be really good especially corn on the cob mmm. Yesterday my housemates decided we should celebrate the warm weather by cooking outside and eating on the porch. Jeff made me some veggie skewers marinaded in Salamida’s Spiedie Sauce and after all the fuss I made the other day about mock meats I decided to pick up fake hot dogs (I think these were called Smart Dogs – Topps doesn’t carry Tofu Pups) and cook one up and add some chili sauce. Despite it making me a big liar, my only regret is that I didn’t toast the bun.

Today a bunch of my co-workers have decided to have a barbecue also. There will actually be a lot of good veggie things to eat. JS is bringing veggie packs in some sort of herb marinade. Mike is bringing corn on the cob. I brought mixed melon fruits and macaroni salad. Jeff is making baked potatoes.

Hey remember when it was a big deal that Dan Quayle couldn’t spell potato? I don’t know why I just thought of that.

-Bret

Frozen Tofu is Most Best

I bought two blocks of tofu right before I left town for a week on a work trip. I knew they wouldn’t go bad, but I decided to throw one block into the freezer so I could do fun things with it when I got back home.

When I got home from Pittsburgh, I looked at the block of tofu in my freezer and considered my options. I could

1. Plant it in my backyard and hope for a tofu tree
2. Dress it up in a cute outfit and have a tea party
3. Make it into grilled tofu sandwiches

I was pretty hungry, and didn’t really want to wait around for my tofu tree. Nor could I be rude enough to eat someone I’ve invited to a tea party. So I went with the sandwiches.

I started cooking tofu about five years ago. My first experience with it was a big mess of mushy tofu and five spice powder. Lessons were learned, including the difference between silken and firm tofu and that it has to be well drained and pressed. You don’t need to tell me more than four or five times.

So yadda yadda, I feel as if I’m experienced with tofu. The texture changes once you freeze and defrost tofu. It’s chewy and porous and much more firm. Perfect for sandwiches!

What I did was basic. It was just me eating, so there was no need for anything fancypants. I marinated the frozen, defrosted, drained, sliced, pressed tofu in barbecue sauce. Grilled it on my George Foreman Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine. Caramelized some onions. Wrapped it in a flatbread. Made a simple green salad. Ate!

-Ellen