So for the next week or so I am gonna have to take a break from cooking because I am moving... so all the pots and pans are packed up... Time for Michael to pick up the slack! ;0) heheheehe I know my massive blog audience (1 follower - English thanks! hahahahha) will miss my updates. If there are more of you out there - and/or if you have any input English please let me know! Let me know what you are cooking, what tips you have, or your thoughts on my blog!!! I am very interested to know if anyone has any tips or recipes for cooking for weight loss...
Ugh Sunday nights stink... looming Monday morning, laundry night, and nothing on tv.....
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Ashley's Suggestions
So my lovely sister, Ashley, suggested that I try to find some recipes that are healthier than the ones that I have choosen thus far. And she's absolutely right. The whole cooking experiment has not been exactly conducive to my perpetual promise to start my diet. So, in addition to my learning to cook and I have to learn to cook healthily.... Here are some of Ashley's examples and suggestions!
Hey Suzanne...here are a few i tried this past week that were SO GOOD!
Orange Balsamic Chicken (Rachael Ray)MY FAVORITE!!!!!!!!
Ingredients:
* 4 pieces skinless, boneless chicken breast
* Salt and pepper
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
* 1/2 pound thin green beans, ends trimmed
* 1 small bunch asparagus, trimmed and tops halved on an angle
* 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed
* 11/2 cups milk
* 1 teaspoon grated peel and the juice of 1 orange
* 1 cup quick-cooking polenta
* 4 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions: 1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, for 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil. Reserve the skillet.2. Meanwhile, fill a medium saucepan with enough water to reach a depth of 2 inches; bring to a boil and salt it. Add the green beans and cook for 3 minutes, then add the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes; drain.3. In another saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, the milk and orange peel to a boil. Whisk in the polenta and cook for 2 minutes for a creamy consistency, whisking in a little more broth if needed. Whisk in 2 tablespoons butter and cover to keep warm.4. In the reserved skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the vinegar, then the orange juice, then the remaining 1 cup chicken broth; simmer until slightly reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in any juices from the chicken; season with salt and pepper.5.Slice the chicken thinly on an angle. To serve, mound the polenta in shallow bowls or onto plates and top with the asparagus, green beans and chicken. Drizzle the orange-balsamic sauce on top. and if you are doing no meat (like me :) ) then just don't add the chicken!
Blueberry CrispIngredients
* 6 cups blueberries, rinsed and lightly dried
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1/4 cup sugar
* Pinch salt
Topping Mixture:
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
* 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 3/4 cup chopped pecans
* 1/2 stick room temperature unsalted butter, cubed
* Whipped cream, for topping
* Ice cream, for topping
Directions Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toss blueberries, cornstarch, sugar and a pinch of salt together in a bowl. Combine flour, oats, brown and white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and pecans in a bowl. Add butter and pinch into chunks. Mix until it looks crumbly. Add the blueberries into a 2-quart baking dish. Top evenly with the crumb mixture. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream and whipped cream. I added peaches too and it was delicious!
Lime Honey Salmon (Rachael Ray)
* 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided use)
* 1 medium red onion, chopped
* 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
* 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin (1/3 palmful)
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* Juice of 2 limes
* 3 tablespoons honey (3 gobs)
* 1 teaspoon chili powder (1/3 palmful)
* 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
* 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
* 1 (10-ounce) box frozen corn kernels, defrosted
* 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
* 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
* 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
* 6 cups baby spinach
1. Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil (twice around the pan). Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.2. While the onions are cooking, preheat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.3. In a shallow dish, combine the juice of 1 lime, honey, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the salmon fillets to the lime-honey mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Add the seasoned salmon to the hot skillet and cook until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.4. To the cooked onions, add the bell pepper and corn kernels and cook for 1 minute.5. Add the chicken stock and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.6. Add the black beans and cook until the beans are just heated through.7. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the juice of the second lime, the cilantro and the spinach. Toss to wilt the spinach and then taste and adjust the seasoning.8. Serve the lime-and-honey-glazed salmon on top of the warm black bean and corn salad.
Lentil Salad (tastes best the next day)
* 1 cup dry brown lentils
* 1 cup diced carrots
* 1 cup red onion, diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 bay leaf
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1/2 cup diced celery
* 1/4 cup chopped parsley
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup olive oil
DIRECTIONS 1. In a saucepan combine lentils, carrots, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes or until lentils are tender but not mushy.2. Drain lentils and vegetables and remove bay leaf. Add olive oil, lemon juice, celery, parsley, salt and pepper. Toss to mix and serve at room temperature.
Southern Delight (stolen from Gouda ;) )
strawberries
applesdried
cranberries
peanut butter
vanilla yogurt
white chocolate
almonds
pecans
mix all together and serve in bowl on in a wheat wrap
Vasselopita (Greek New Years Cake) tastes similar to a pound cake..i made it for George's bday
* 1 cup butter
* 2 cups white sugar
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 6 eggs
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 10 inch round cake pan.2. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light. Stir in the flour and mix until the mixture is mealy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Combine the baking powder and milk, add to the egg mixture, mix well. Then combine the lemon juice and baking soda, stir into the batter. Pour into the prepared cake pan.3. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove and sprinkle the nuts and sugar over the cake, then return it to the oven for 20 to 30 additional minutes, until cake springs back to the touch. Gently cut a small hole in the cake and place a quarter in the hole. Try to cover the hole with sugar. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes before inverting onto a plate.4. Serve cake warm. Each person in the family gets a slice starting with the youngest. The person who gets the quarter in their piece, gets good luck for the whole year!
okay...thats all i have for now...let me know how they go!
Try to find more healthy/veggie ones...that ranch chicken sounds HORRIBLE for you! love you xoxo,Ashley
Michael and I actually tried the Honey Lime salmon and it was very good. Although we did make the mistake of eating on top of a salad instead of the blackbean and corn mixture - don't try this. It was okay but the flavors don't blend as well as I think the suggested blackbean/corn mixture would be.
Hey Suzanne...here are a few i tried this past week that were SO GOOD!
Orange Balsamic Chicken (Rachael Ray)MY FAVORITE!!!!!!!!
Ingredients:
* 4 pieces skinless, boneless chicken breast
* Salt and pepper
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
* 1/2 pound thin green beans, ends trimmed
* 1 small bunch asparagus, trimmed and tops halved on an angle
* 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed
* 11/2 cups milk
* 1 teaspoon grated peel and the juice of 1 orange
* 1 cup quick-cooking polenta
* 4 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions: 1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, for 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil. Reserve the skillet.2. Meanwhile, fill a medium saucepan with enough water to reach a depth of 2 inches; bring to a boil and salt it. Add the green beans and cook for 3 minutes, then add the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes; drain.3. In another saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, the milk and orange peel to a boil. Whisk in the polenta and cook for 2 minutes for a creamy consistency, whisking in a little more broth if needed. Whisk in 2 tablespoons butter and cover to keep warm.4. In the reserved skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the vinegar, then the orange juice, then the remaining 1 cup chicken broth; simmer until slightly reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in any juices from the chicken; season with salt and pepper.5.Slice the chicken thinly on an angle. To serve, mound the polenta in shallow bowls or onto plates and top with the asparagus, green beans and chicken. Drizzle the orange-balsamic sauce on top. and if you are doing no meat (like me :) ) then just don't add the chicken!
Blueberry CrispIngredients
* 6 cups blueberries, rinsed and lightly dried
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1/4 cup sugar
* Pinch salt
Topping Mixture:
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
* 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 3/4 cup chopped pecans
* 1/2 stick room temperature unsalted butter, cubed
* Whipped cream, for topping
* Ice cream, for topping
Directions Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toss blueberries, cornstarch, sugar and a pinch of salt together in a bowl. Combine flour, oats, brown and white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and pecans in a bowl. Add butter and pinch into chunks. Mix until it looks crumbly. Add the blueberries into a 2-quart baking dish. Top evenly with the crumb mixture. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream and whipped cream. I added peaches too and it was delicious!
Lime Honey Salmon (Rachael Ray)
* 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided use)
* 1 medium red onion, chopped
* 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
* 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin (1/3 palmful)
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* Juice of 2 limes
* 3 tablespoons honey (3 gobs)
* 1 teaspoon chili powder (1/3 palmful)
* 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
* 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
* 1 (10-ounce) box frozen corn kernels, defrosted
* 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
* 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
* 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
* 6 cups baby spinach
1. Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil (twice around the pan). Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.2. While the onions are cooking, preheat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.3. In a shallow dish, combine the juice of 1 lime, honey, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the salmon fillets to the lime-honey mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Add the seasoned salmon to the hot skillet and cook until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.4. To the cooked onions, add the bell pepper and corn kernels and cook for 1 minute.5. Add the chicken stock and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.6. Add the black beans and cook until the beans are just heated through.7. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the juice of the second lime, the cilantro and the spinach. Toss to wilt the spinach and then taste and adjust the seasoning.8. Serve the lime-and-honey-glazed salmon on top of the warm black bean and corn salad.
Lentil Salad (tastes best the next day)
* 1 cup dry brown lentils
* 1 cup diced carrots
* 1 cup red onion, diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 bay leaf
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1/2 cup diced celery
* 1/4 cup chopped parsley
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup olive oil
DIRECTIONS 1. In a saucepan combine lentils, carrots, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes or until lentils are tender but not mushy.2. Drain lentils and vegetables and remove bay leaf. Add olive oil, lemon juice, celery, parsley, salt and pepper. Toss to mix and serve at room temperature.
Southern Delight (stolen from Gouda ;) )
strawberries
applesdried
cranberries
peanut butter
vanilla yogurt
white chocolate
almonds
pecans
mix all together and serve in bowl on in a wheat wrap
Vasselopita (Greek New Years Cake) tastes similar to a pound cake..i made it for George's bday
* 1 cup butter
* 2 cups white sugar
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 6 eggs
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 10 inch round cake pan.2. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light. Stir in the flour and mix until the mixture is mealy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Combine the baking powder and milk, add to the egg mixture, mix well. Then combine the lemon juice and baking soda, stir into the batter. Pour into the prepared cake pan.3. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove and sprinkle the nuts and sugar over the cake, then return it to the oven for 20 to 30 additional minutes, until cake springs back to the touch. Gently cut a small hole in the cake and place a quarter in the hole. Try to cover the hole with sugar. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes before inverting onto a plate.4. Serve cake warm. Each person in the family gets a slice starting with the youngest. The person who gets the quarter in their piece, gets good luck for the whole year!
okay...thats all i have for now...let me know how they go!
Try to find more healthy/veggie ones...that ranch chicken sounds HORRIBLE for you! love you xoxo,Ashley
Michael and I actually tried the Honey Lime salmon and it was very good. Although we did make the mistake of eating on top of a salad instead of the blackbean and corn mixture - don't try this. It was okay but the flavors don't blend as well as I think the suggested blackbean/corn mixture would be.
Goat Cheese and Sun - Dried Tomato Kabobs
So excited to try this new app..
chop pistachios until fine, roll goat cheese in the chopped nuts....
Sandwich sun dried tomatoes with a sprig of basil and skewer with the goat cheese....
Sounds so yummy and so easy!! :0)
chop pistachios until fine, roll goat cheese in the chopped nuts....
Sandwich sun dried tomatoes with a sprig of basil and skewer with the goat cheese....
Sounds so yummy and so easy!! :0)
Monday, August 17, 2009
Janice's Everything Chicken
So I sent all of my friends the link to this new blog and requested that they send me advice, tips, and recipes that they have found to be successful over the years. So Janice, who is my former babysitter but is now more like a "big sister", responded with this tip. I think this is a great idea if you are trying to get rid of some "extras" left in your fridge or just want an easy meal.
Chicken EVERYTHING recipe
Get some fresh chicken
Pyrex or roasting pan with a lid
A refrigerator
Basically take your pan and take the lid off. Find EVERYTHING in your frig to marinate with and throw them all together. (here is one I have made up --- dash of salt and pepper, a few teaspoons of soy sauce, splash of ketchup, a squirt of mustard, chopped onions, 1/2 bottle Italian dressing) mix all ingredients together and add chicken and lid. marinate overnight or for a few hours. bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes and let ingredients cook into the chicken, or remove and you can grill the chicken.
After looking in my fridge this afternoon - this could be a scary concoction! Ha! I have to make note to keep some basics in my fridge! :0) Although I have heard that beer chicken is pretty good! hahahhahahaha
Chicken EVERYTHING recipe
Get some fresh chicken
Pyrex or roasting pan with a lid
A refrigerator
Basically take your pan and take the lid off. Find EVERYTHING in your frig to marinate with and throw them all together. (here is one I have made up --- dash of salt and pepper, a few teaspoons of soy sauce, splash of ketchup, a squirt of mustard, chopped onions, 1/2 bottle Italian dressing) mix all ingredients together and add chicken and lid. marinate overnight or for a few hours. bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes and let ingredients cook into the chicken, or remove and you can grill the chicken.
After looking in my fridge this afternoon - this could be a scary concoction! Ha! I have to make note to keep some basics in my fridge! :0) Although I have heard that beer chicken is pretty good! hahahhahahaha
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Travis' Brats - Surprise Yummy Dish
So last Monday Michael came home from work and found that his water main had been leaking in his front yard. -MESS- So after the city came out and said that it was just a few inches out of their jurisdiction and, naturally, Michael's responsibility, he spent a good portion of the evening cleaning that disaster up. By the time he was done we was exhausted and it was too late for me to start cooking anything. Fortunately, our wonderful friends Emily and Travis invited us over to share their dinner. We had baked potatoes and these delicious brats that Travis had prepared.
His recipe is as follows:
Boil the brats in beer, with one chopped onion. Then throw them on the grill for a few minutes to get that crunch. And finally serve them by throwing them back in the boil.
Very yummy.....
His recipe is as follows:
Boil the brats in beer, with one chopped onion. Then throw them on the grill for a few minutes to get that crunch. And finally serve them by throwing them back in the boil.
Very yummy.....
Stuffed Chicken and Asparagus :-P
This dish is NOT a do over. Ick.... Chicken breasts were stuffed with mozzerella cheese, peanuts, and bacon. Then they were cooked and served with ranch dressing drizzled over top. I found this dish, surprisingly, to be very bland, but at the same time too much. This is a very heavy dish. It's almost something a child would like, but somehow misses the mark.
The asparagus was nothing to exciting. Except that instead of steaming it I roasted it in the oven. I actually liked this better because it cooked the asparagus, but still left it a little be crisp. The cook book called for parmasean cheese to be sprinkled over it, but with the heavy dish discribed above we forwent that - too much cheese....yikes....
Anyways this dish was so not tasteful to me that I couldn't even look at it to clean up after we ate... To my huge embarassement that nastiness left over from this meal sat there until the next morning... The sight of this dish the morning after may have also lead to my desire to not ever make it again...
The asparagus was nothing to exciting. Except that instead of steaming it I roasted it in the oven. I actually liked this better because it cooked the asparagus, but still left it a little be crisp. The cook book called for parmasean cheese to be sprinkled over it, but with the heavy dish discribed above we forwent that - too much cheese....yikes....
Anyways this dish was so not tasteful to me that I couldn't even look at it to clean up after we ate... To my huge embarassement that nastiness left over from this meal sat there until the next morning... The sight of this dish the morning after may have also lead to my desire to not ever make it again...
Mini Meatloaf Loaves (is that how you spells that??? looks weird) and Blue Cheese Macaroni
OMG This was our favorite dish so far!!!!!!! This is def. a do over!! It is just your general, very basic, meatloaf recipe except instead making a large loaf you make six mini loaves that take much less time to cook. In addition we had baked blue cheese macaroni...D.LISH.US. Instead of using a cheddar cheese you add blue cheese and swiss cheese. It was an excellent twist on standard macaroni.
Of course this dish was prepared early in the week when I wasn't exhausted and sick of cooking - that could having something to do with why we liked it so much! ha!....
Of course this dish was prepared early in the week when I wasn't exhausted and sick of cooking - that could having something to do with why we liked it so much! ha!....
Monday, August 10, 2009
Chipotle Lime Chicken Succotash
I was very nervous about how this dish was going to turn out as I was making it.... It looked way less than appetizing..... With the corn, lima beans, shredded chicken, and salsa all mixed together it looked something like vomit.... Not to be too graphic or anything?! hahaha ;0)
It also never required that I empty the water that the lima beans and corn cooked in, next time this dish is made this is something I will make a point to do.
I actually ended up using a Pineapple/Manage Chipotle salsa which I think gave this dish and extra kick. The pineapple and mango, though not called for in the recipe, actually blended really well with the lime chicken flavors. I also served this dish with lime wedges and tortilla chips - I was a bit impressed with myself! hahahaa
This is def. a do-over dish... Michael discribed it as very good, but not quite gourment.... food snob! hahahahaha Just kidding he really did like and he's right I could have made it look a little better.... next time....
** He also noted that just since I have been doing this he thinks my cooking skills have improved!!! Score one for Suzi!!!! :0)
It also never required that I empty the water that the lima beans and corn cooked in, next time this dish is made this is something I will make a point to do.
I actually ended up using a Pineapple/Manage Chipotle salsa which I think gave this dish and extra kick. The pineapple and mango, though not called for in the recipe, actually blended really well with the lime chicken flavors. I also served this dish with lime wedges and tortilla chips - I was a bit impressed with myself! hahahaa
This is def. a do-over dish... Michael discribed it as very good, but not quite gourment.... food snob! hahahahaha Just kidding he really did like and he's right I could have made it look a little better.... next time....
** He also noted that just since I have been doing this he thinks my cooking skills have improved!!! Score one for Suzi!!!! :0)
Beef Salad and Lemon Vinegrette
We actually made this on Thursday evening... just now posting it due to a crazy weekend!!! It was actually very good!!! I mean it's a salad so of course it wasn't too hard to make. Michael decided a London Broil was the best type of meat for this salad. That was so easy - salt and pepper it and throw in the oven to broil. Then the rest of the salad was really what we typically eat anyways. Romaine lettuce, feta (we got the garlic flavored and it was yuuuummmmmy!), red onions, kalamata olives (not my cup of tea but a small amount of them chopped up was do-able), tomatoes, and the dressing. Now I gotta tell ya I am not someone who makes there on dressing - that seems just a bit over the top for me. Michael on the other had ALWAYS makes his own dressing and it is usually really really good.
This dressing consisted of olive oil, lemon juice and zest, minced garlic, orgeano, salt, and pepper. First I started with 1 3/4 cup oil when it really only needed 1 1/4 cup oil.... so you can guess how well the rest went... I finally ended up pouring out and starting over. By itself I didn't really care for this dressing, but with the salad and everthing it actually did bring everything together and was pretty good.
This dish was good, maybe a do-over but with some variations....
This dressing consisted of olive oil, lemon juice and zest, minced garlic, orgeano, salt, and pepper. First I started with 1 3/4 cup oil when it really only needed 1 1/4 cup oil.... so you can guess how well the rest went... I finally ended up pouring out and starting over. By itself I didn't really care for this dressing, but with the salad and everthing it actually did bring everything together and was pretty good.
This dish was good, maybe a do-over but with some variations....
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Leftovers
So Wednesday... blah... hump day... Michael ended up working really late and didn't get to my apartment until 6:45 or so. I hadn't gone to the grocery store, so we decided to eat some of the yummy leftovers before they went bad. (Of course we had the stir-fry - I didn't even bother offering him the chicken/spinach/phyllo)
Nothing much to report here, except that I learned when you are reheating rice place a damp paper towel on top of it before you place it in the microwave or make sure what ever you top the rice with (in our case - stir fry) has enough moisture to keep the rice from drying out.
The stir-fry was just as good reheated!
blah... Wednesday's stink....
Nothing much to report here, except that I learned when you are reheating rice place a damp paper towel on top of it before you place it in the microwave or make sure what ever you top the rice with (in our case - stir fry) has enough moisture to keep the rice from drying out.
The stir-fry was just as good reheated!
blah... Wednesday's stink....
I WILL learn to cook!!!!!
I have always felt like I was a good cook. I enjoy cooking and creating. I even took a cooking class in Italy the one summer I lived over there. However, it wasn’t until I met Michael that I became aware of how not good at cooking I was. Now granted that makes it sound like Michael has convinced me of this without it being valid. (Side Note: Michael is an excellent cook! He just picked it up from having good cooks in his family his whole life and working briefly with a catering service. I have learned more just from watching him cook – sans recipes of course – than I have from any other source.) Sadly, the truth is he is right. As much as I love to cook – I am not very good at it. I don’t even really know the basics of it. So basically what I have been claiming as “cooking” is really the ability to follow instructions, i.e. a recipe. And lets be honest – I wasn’t really even that good at that. I would always add a little of this and a little of that, not really knowing what I was doing, and most of the time it would come out edible, but not necessarily good.
So it is now my life’s mission to become an excellent cook. I don’t really have the desire to be some gourmet chief or anything, I just want my grandchildren (many many years from now) to think that their grandmother is the best cook in the world. And for Michael to think that the best dinner comes from my kitchen, not some overpriced restaurant.
Anyways, back to the mission at hand. After seeing the previews for Julia & Julie, the movie with Amy Adams and Meryl Streep, I decided that the concept of that movie was a GREAT idea!! Now, as I said before, I have no desire of being some amazing gourmet chef, so the whole Julia Child’s thing was a little bit out of my league. For a more realistic approach, I am going to complete the entire Better Homes and Gardens “Anyone Can Cook” cookbook. This is a step by step cookbook/manual. My thought is that I should probably start with the basics, get those down, and then I can advance on to more intense things – like maybe a Julia Child’s recipe or two!
So it is now my life’s mission to become an excellent cook. I don’t really have the desire to be some gourmet chief or anything, I just want my grandchildren (many many years from now) to think that their grandmother is the best cook in the world. And for Michael to think that the best dinner comes from my kitchen, not some overpriced restaurant.
Anyways, back to the mission at hand. After seeing the previews for Julia & Julie, the movie with Amy Adams and Meryl Streep, I decided that the concept of that movie was a GREAT idea!! Now, as I said before, I have no desire of being some amazing gourmet chef, so the whole Julia Child’s thing was a little bit out of my league. For a more realistic approach, I am going to complete the entire Better Homes and Gardens “Anyone Can Cook” cookbook. This is a step by step cookbook/manual. My thought is that I should probably start with the basics, get those down, and then I can advance on to more intense things – like maybe a Julia Child’s recipe or two!
Chicken and Spinach on Phyllo
Well let's just say this night wasn't exceptional. It started off rough though becuase I was irritated with Michael for going to the Gamecock's open practice rather than participating in my little experiment. But I quickly got over it because Emily came over to play and enjoy my dinner!!
This dish was not really what I expected it to be. (Note: make sure to fully read the recipes before deciding to make them!!) I was under the impression, due to the ingredients involved, that this was going to be similar to a spanicopita - very much not the case. This dish required that I sautee vegetables and spinach and place them on top of browned phyllo dough to serve. I was then supposed to drizzle balsamic vinegrette over top.
Emily determined that the dish was fine, but would maybe be better served as a side dish or if I could figure out to make into some type of appitzer. I agree I suppose, but I thought it was pretty blah tasting.... Next time maybe more BV or salt. And a little feta of course....
Isn't pretty much EVERYTHING better with cheese?!?!? ummm... yuuuummm.....
Probably a good thing Michael went to practice - I don't think he would have been much of a fan.
On a much more exciting note... Me and Michael, his parents, Emily and Travis, and several other people, have all gotten a tailgate spot together for the USC football games this year! So Emily and I spent the rest of the evening going through cookbooks and planning the menus for each game! SO EXCITING!!! I LOVE FOOTBALL SEASON!!!!:0)
This dish was not really what I expected it to be. (Note: make sure to fully read the recipes before deciding to make them!!) I was under the impression, due to the ingredients involved, that this was going to be similar to a spanicopita - very much not the case. This dish required that I sautee vegetables and spinach and place them on top of browned phyllo dough to serve. I was then supposed to drizzle balsamic vinegrette over top.
Emily determined that the dish was fine, but would maybe be better served as a side dish or if I could figure out to make into some type of appitzer. I agree I suppose, but I thought it was pretty blah tasting.... Next time maybe more BV or salt. And a little feta of course....
Isn't pretty much EVERYTHING better with cheese?!?!? ummm... yuuuummm.....
Probably a good thing Michael went to practice - I don't think he would have been much of a fan.
On a much more exciting note... Me and Michael, his parents, Emily and Travis, and several other people, have all gotten a tailgate spot together for the USC football games this year! So Emily and I spent the rest of the evening going through cookbooks and planning the menus for each game! SO EXCITING!!! I LOVE FOOTBALL SEASON!!!!:0)
Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry
So the first night of my little experiment I made Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry. And it was so good!!! I was so excited!! This is an excellent way to start off. A few things I did learn though, 1) it pays to go ahead and buy the shredded cabbage, while buying the head of cabbage is much more economical – it just makes the dish way more intense than it needs to be, 2) cabbage is actually a really good filler in stir-fry, 3) garnishing a stir-fry dish with peanuts or cashews really gives it an extra crunch that makes the dish – although next time I think I will actually add them to the vegetables in the pan rather than garnishing the bowls before serving. And finally this most exciting – I can make rice that is really really good!!!!!! Prior to this rice was something I had so much trouble with!! I am really bad at letting something just sit. I always want to “check on it” or stir it around or I let it cook too long and it burns to the pot…. (Prime example was Michael and I’s second date where we made dinner at his house. He did the chicken and broccoli and I was responsible for the rice. Long story short – I burnt the bottom out of one of is his pots – oops!!!) Anyways the key is to use double the amount of water compared to the amount of rice you have (i.e. 1 cup of dry rice = 2 cups of water), add a little salt, cover the pot, and do not touch it for 15 minutes. OMG I was so excited!!! Overall this way a great dish, filling, and DEF. a repeat! Even persnickety Michael enjoyed it!
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