Monday, October 14, 2013

Greek Marinated Chicken

My Hubby and I have a strong love for greek food (I don't eat lamb though).  We like to find places that serve a good gyro.  I like to make my own Taziki sauce.  Whenever I see a recipe that has greek in the name, I have to pin it; make sure that I am saving it for later.  This however wasn't as good as I expected.  I probably didn't marinate the chicken as long as I should have.  And, I probably shouldn't have poured all of the marinade into the pan and baked it.  The greek yogurt separated, and became chucky.  And I couldn't get over the overwhelming taste of lemon.  What did I do wrong?  

I didn't click on the link inside of the link to try and find the directions, I didn't think that they were there until after I made the recipe.  So I did a lot of guessing.  I baked the chicken at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. I was more concerned that I was going to eat raw chicken, rather than being concerned in flavor of the dish.  I was also in a hurry.  I thought that I gave myself plenty of time, and I really didn't.  (Come to find out Hubby didn't get up when I thought he was supposed to....)

So now to give you the recipe....

Greek Marinated Chicken

  Ingredients
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ Tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 medium lemon
  • ½ tsp salt
  • freshly cracked pepper
  • ¼ bunch fresh parsley
  • 3½ to 4 lbs chicken pieces
Instructions
Read full details on: www.budgetbytes.com
- See more at: http://www.recipefavorite.com/2013/07/greek-marinated-chicken.html?m=1#sthash.a5bwegpt.dpuf

Thursday, October 10, 2013

I didn't even get a bowl :(

Sometimes I make something and I don't get anymore than a taste, and with this soup that was the case.  Hubby was late for work so that he could have another bowl.  I don't blame him, the one little taste that I go was amazing.  

Did I mention that I LOVE my crock pot?  More than love it, I can't live without it.  I can cook a meal and not have to stand in the kitchen all day.  Not that I don't mind standing in the kitchen all day..just sometimes I want to stay on the couch under my blankie, cuddled with my boxer!!!!

I made Buffalo Chicken Soup, it's great.  Now it is pretty spicy, so if that isn't your thing I don't recommend this recipe. If spicy is your thing don't hold back you will love with.  Oh one more thing, there is a rue, it didn't work.  I don't know what happened, but I dumped it in the pot anyways.

Buffalo Chicken Soup

1 tablespoon oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, diced
2 to 3 cups cooked chicken, diced
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour 
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups milk 
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup bottled buffalo wing sauce (mild or hot)
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and celery and saute for about 5 minutes.  Scrap veggies into slow cooker.  Add cooked chicken to the slow cooker.  Melt butter in skillet over medium heat just until foamy.  Whisk in the flour to make a roux, stirring well to incorporate all the flour.  Cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until the roux is slightly golden.  Scrap into the slow cooker.  Stir in broth and milk.  Add garlic salt and wing sauce.  Stir well.  Cover and cook low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.  Stir in cheese about 20 minutes before serving!  

Enjoy on a cold day!!

Not as good as it looks :(



So usually Meatball subs are awesome, this not so much.  It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't awesome.  I cheated a great deal on this and didn't make my own meatballs (who has time for that?  I guess I do since I don't have a daytime job anymore.)  There really isn't much to this.  I mean it is from the GooseBerry Patch cookbook, and they are time savers, but I think that this would have been better in crock pot, without butter and more meatballs.

Any ways...I will be trying to blog a lot more.  I know that I have broken my set schedule for the year, but really I like to just cook and see what happens.  So I am glad that I have broken the trend.  I also have a lot more time for cooking, so that excites me some.  I applied to sub for my county and I am hoping that I will find a full time sub job, however that is really wishful thinking.  This has really made we want to get back into teaching.  They only down side, I get really attached to the kids.  I think this is what happens when you see the kids 5 days a week for a year.  

Back to cooking....

Italian Meatball Subs
(Dana Thompson, Gooseberry Patch)

1 onion, sliced
1/2 c green pepper, sliced (I used the entire thing)
2 T. Water
8oz can pizza sauce
24 meatballs, cooked
4 Italian hard rolls, sliced and hollowed out
1/2 cup shredded provolone cheese (I used whole slices, couldn't find shredded, and I used a lot)

Cook onion, pepper and water, covered in a large saucepan over medium heat just until tender; drain.  Stir in pizza sauce and meatballs; cook until hot and bubbly.  Fill each roll with 6 meatballs; top with sauce mixture.  Sprinkle with cheese and add roll tops.  Place sandwiches in a lightly greased 13"x9" baking pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until bread is crusty and cheese is melted.  Serves 4.

Enjoy!!! :D

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Time to bring out the crock pot!!!! (YES!!!!)

Did I mention the fact that FALL is my favorite season?  I can plug in my crock pot and get along with my day.  I can put it all together the night before, and then in the morning before I leave plug in and go.  I can eat soup and not feel hot about it, cause it is time to eat it.  I love it.  I also love that when you make something in the crock pot there seems to be an abundance of food left.  You can eat it for days!  I love cooking, but sometimes there isn't enough time to do so!  

I think that I have made something like this before.  It tastes kind of like the au jui dip.  But this tasted good.  It's not really a comfort food, it is just something yummy to eat.  

From My Crockin' Girls Cook Book

Jenna's Beef Tips
A crockin' girl standby, this flavor- packed recipe makes regular appearances at Jenna's Texas home.

Ingredients

1 can golden mushroom soup
1/2 can water (use can from soup)
1/2 can cooking wine (use can from soup)
1 packet onion soup mix
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, cut into rings
Sirloin tip steaks (2 to 3 Steaks)

Directions
Combine soup, water cooking wine, onion soup mix, and minced garlic in the slow-cooker.  Whisk together to remove lumps, then add onions and steaks.  (We put the steaks into the liquid whole and pull apart the meat once it is cooked; you can cut up the meat before cooking, if desired.)  Make sure the steaks are fully covered in the mixture; add a little liquid to cover them, if needed.  Cook LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Don't buy walmart bread...it molds!

I don't know how many times I will do this and not learn my lesson..for crying out loud my hubby is an Assistant Manager for walmart and I still buy the bread there.  Every single time i buy it, before I can eat it, usually the day after it molds.  It would be nice for me to be able to use a little bit of it, I can't even manage a sandwich with it.  I had to replace both things of bread, and I went to wegmans this time.  

I am not sure if this recipe is a real winner.  It's not horrible, but I was expecting a little bit more flavor.  My hubby loved the burger and he would have liked the slaw a lot better if there were different veggies in them.  

Chicken Kiev Burgers and Russian-Style Slaw Salad

The herbed butter in the center of the burger adds great flavor and tons of moisture and is a good-time, exploding centerpiece to this fast and simple meal.

4 servings (way more than that)

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped (a few sprigs, stripped)
4 tablespoon-size tabs of cold butter (1/2 stick cut in 4 thick slices)
2 pounds of ground chicken
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
Salt and Pepper
EVOO
4 rounded tablespoons of sour cream
Juice of 1 lemon
4 to 5 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
8 radishes, sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 cups shredded carrots
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced into half moons
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
2 cups coleslaw mix
4 slices of rye bread or marble rye, toasted

Preheat a large nonstick skillet, indoor grill pan, or tabletop grill to medium-high heat.

On your cutting board, combine 2 tablespoons of the chopped parsley, the chopped chives, and the chopped thyme.  Dip toe tabs of cold butter into the herbs one at a time, pressing the herbs into the butter to coat them completely.

In a medium bowl combine the ground chicken, Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons of the mustard, salt, and pepper.  Form the mixture into 4 large patties no more than 1 inch thick.  Nest 1 herb-coated bold butter tab into the center of each patty and gently form the patty around the butter.  Drizzle EVOO over the patties and place them in a hot skillet or on a hot grill.  Cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side.

While the burgers are cooking, in a mixing bowl thoroughly combine the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, horseradish, and the remaining tablespoon of mustard.  Add the radishes, red onion, carrots, cucumber, celery, coleslaw mix, the remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.  Toss to combine.  Serve the Kiev burgers open faced of a slice of toast with the salad alongside.

I don't really eat chicken salad....But,k






I don't like chicken salad.  Cold chicken is not my thing, I don't eat a cold turkey sandwich after thanksgiving either.  But, I like rice and I like mandarin oranges so I thought that this was worth a try.  And I am really glad that I did.  It is really simple and doesn't take much time. there was a lot left, and the hubby made it disappear.  I really like my "Gooseberry Patch" cookbook.  It really comes in handy!!

Orange-Wild Rice Chicken Salad

Heads up!  This isn't your ordinary chicken salad..it's better!  This salad boasts wild rice, sugar snap peas and mandarin oranges.

6-oz. pkg. long grain and wild rice, cooked
2 c. cooked chicken breast, shredded (I cubbed them)
1 c. sugar snap peas, trimmed (I used frozen and I used the entire bag)
15 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained (I couldn't find 15, so I found 19.5 and used them all)
1.2 c honey-Dijon salad dressing (I couldn't find this so I used honey mustard salad dressing and added Dijon)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; mix well.  Chill until serving time. Serves 4.

(or if your hubby decides that he likes it serves 2).

Rhonda Redder
Ellicott City, Md

These totally fell apart, but tasted really good

Under that sea...Under the sea..okay enough of that.  I have made shrimp burgers in the past, they seem to be a trend of Rachael Ray's (not that I mind cause it is nice to eat a burger and it not be a hamburger).  There isn't too much prep work in this burger, and they don't take long to make.  They are super spicy and I couldn't figure out how to make them stick together.  So, instead of burger patties we had taco type meat (though some if did stick together).

Shrimp Fajita Burgers
(makes 4 burgers)

1 1/2 pounds raw medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, tails removed
1 tablespoon of chili powder (half a palm full)
1 tablespoon Old Bay or other seafood seasoning (half a palm full)
Several drops of hot sauce, such as Tabasco
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
A handful of fes flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 celery rib, chopped (no thanks)
1 garlic clove, smashed out of its skin
2 tablespoons EVOO (twice around)
1 package of large flour tortillas, warmed and passed at the table

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Place half of the shrimp in the food processor bowl with the chili powder, Old Bay seasoning, hot sauce, thyme leaves, black pepper, lemon zest and juice, parsley, celery, and garlic.  Process the mixture for 1 minute to combine.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl.  Chop the remaining shrimp and fold into the ground shrimp.  Add the EVOO to the skillet.  Mound a quarter of the shrimp mixture into the scoop at a time and transfer it to the hot pan.  Use a fish spatula to gently press the shrimp mixture into patties and fry them for 5 minutes on each side or until firm and opaque.

Not a bad dish!  

Monday, September 2, 2013

Boil the Chicken all day, peels right off the bone!

It's almost time for the crock pot to be dusted, my house to smell like fall, and to eat something with pumpkin in it until Christmas.  Can you tell I'm excited?  Fall is my favorite time of year.  (I bought pumpkin spice creamer, I have 5 cans of pumpkin in my pantry, I love FALL!!)  

I bought a bunch of chicken legs, and my hubby could not care to eat them, because they are bone in.  So I decided that I would use them for this recipe, but I needed to get the bone off first.  Not such an easy task, the chicken is not really willing to part with the bone.  So I boiled it almost the entire day.  While I was busy doing laundry, and cleaning up, the chicken was busy party ways with it's bone!!  (I crack myself up sometimes!!!)

I made "King Ranch Chicken Casserole" from my Gooseberry Patch book.  (Thank you Sharon "ShaSha" Wolfe for deciding that I need this cookbook, I have loved every recipe that I have made from it!!!)  However, when I was reading this, I didn't realize that there was no ranch in it.  I kind of wanted the ranch, and no I didn't dip it in ranch.  This recipe is simple and very yummy!!!

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

(Introduce your family to the cheesy layers of this chicken and tortilla casserole that's popular with residents of the Lone Star State, where it originated.)

1c. onion diced
1c. green pepper, diced
8-oz pak. sliced mushrooms (I forgot to buy them)
1/4c. butter
10 3/4oz can cream of mushroom soup
10 3/4oz can cream of chicken soup
10 oz can tomatoes with chiles (I used rotelle)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. chili powder
1 T. chicken broth
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, torn into quarters (I forgot to tear them)
3c. cooked chicken, diced and divided
16oz. pkg, shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

Saute onion, pepper and mushrooms in butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add soups, tomatoes, garlic chili powder and broth, heat until bubbly and set aside.
Arrange half the tortilla pieces in a light greased 13x9 baking dish, top with half the chicken half the sauce and half the cheese.  Repeat layers.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Serves 6.  (Um more like two and a hubby who decided that he loved it and ate on it until there wasn't anymore).

Linda Behiliing
Cecil, PA

Yummo!!!!

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Southern Peach Pork Chops...and I am missing the Peaches :(

I always try my best to make sure that if I am going to cook something I have all the ingredients...  For this recipe I am missing the peaches, simply because they rotted :( !!!!

This recipe isn't too bad, but it isn't the most flavorful recipe, when the book says "Quick and Easy" there isn't much to it to make flavor!

Southern Peach Pork Chops
Total Time: 25 Minutes
Makes: 4 servings


1 tablespoon curry powder (I didn't have this)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch coarsely ground black pepper
1 garlic clove (I cheat and use the refrigerator jar of minced garlic)
 4 bone-in pork chops, 3/4 inch thick (5 ounces each) (my hubby would have been happier if they would have been boneless, but you have to cook them for a bit and the boneless would have burned on the grill)
4 large peaches, each cut in half and pitted (mine rotted)
1/2 cup peach or apricot jam or preserves

1. Prepare grill for direct grilling over medium heat.
2. In a cup (I used a bowl), with fork, stir curry powder, sugar, oil, salt, cinnamon, pepper, and garlic until blended; use to rub on both sides of pork chops.
3. Brush cut side of each peach half and one side of chops with some jam.  Place peaches, jam side down, and chops, jam side up, on grill over medium heat; grill 5 minutes.  Turn chops and peaches, brush grilled side of chops with some jam and grill 5 minutes longer.
4. Transfer peaches as they are browned to platter.  Turn chops and grill until browned on the outside and still slightly pink inside 2 to 3 minutes longer.  Transfer chops to platter with peaches and serve.

From Good Housekeeping: Fast Weeknight Favorites, 200 Really Quick, Simply Delicious Recipes

Friday, August 16, 2013

Fresh Produce my foot!!!!

As I was cleaning my kitchen today, I noticed how much "Fresh Produce" I was throwing out (and it hasn't been even a week since I bought it).  I am not saying that I want it to last forever, but a week without rotting would be great!!  My bank account would really appreciate it!!

I just find that I am throwing them out.  So the better question is, how long is it left there before I buy it?  My peaches that I bought lasted 2 days before fuz started to grow on them.  I was really sad!  

I really like to keep fresh stuff on hand.  If I was better at growing it, I would.  Maybe I just need to make the trek to the farmers market on Saturday and buy from there.  It might cost a little bit more, but I think that stuff is actually fresh.  And being that I refuse to work Saturday's I have no excuse not to go.  Now I just need to get cash!

I hope that you have better luck with your produce!  I will continue to buy it, after all it's good for you!!

Best of luck!!!

Saturday, August 10, 2013

I did not grill this..but it was still good!!

First I want to apologize for not following my lined out schedule of blogs.  I have decided that I am going to go with the flow and pray for the best.  Second, I haven't been on here a lot this year.  Blogging is always on my mind, but time is never on my side.  

I have a ton of cookbooks and cooking magazines.  So, I decided that I should go through them.  After all there are so many recipes that I could make, I could make something new every day and blog every day, I just neither have the time or money.  

For my bridal shower, almost two years ago (:D) I got a cookbook called Good Housekeeping: Fast Weeknight Favorites, 200 really quick, simply delicious recipes.  The cover shows a picture of stir fry!!  This is the first time that I have really opened it.  It is quite interesting.  

I am not really a steak person, I like a good one once in a while. But, I honestly do not go out of my way to make steak.  My hubby on the other hand could eat it every night.  If I mention it I think that his mouth waters.  So I found a recipe for Chili-Crusted Flank Steak.  He was totally excited.  This recipe is very easy to make, and it is super tasty.  Basically a man meal that doesn't take very long to make (okay who is interested now!>?!?!?)  

Chili-Crusted Flank Steak
Total Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 6 servings

2 tablespoons of chili powder
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 large garlic clove, crushed with garlic press
1 beef flank steak (1 1/2 pounds)
3 large red onions (8 ounces each), each cut into 6 wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions
1. Prepare grill for direct grilling over medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, in a cup, with fork, stir chili powder, sugar, salt, lime juice, and garlic until blended.  Use to rub on both sides of steak.  In a medium bowl, toss red onions with oil.
3. Place steak and onions on grill over medium heat and grill steak, turning once, 15 to 20 minutes for medium-rare or until desired doneness.  Cook onions, turning occasionally, until browned and just tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Transfer onions and steak to cutting board.  Let steak stand 10 minutes to set juices for easier slicing.  Thinly slice steak and serve with grilled onions.

Each serving: About 270 calories, 24g protein  15g carbohydrate.  13g total fat (5g saturated).  57mg cholesterol, 200mg sodium.

Tips and Changes:  I didn't grill, I fried in a pan.  Still tasted good, but would have like the grilled taste even better.  You don't need 3 onions, you probably don't even need 2, one will do you.  I used lime juice in a bottle, I also used chopped garlic that I had prepared, they each tasted just fine.  Lastly, don't leave this out where your boxer can get to it...she will eat it and then you will have none left over and your hubby will be sad.

Make it and let me know what you think!! 

Monday, July 15, 2013

This was not a winner, but not a loser either!

We have all cooked that recipe that just didn't work.  I am not exception to this rule.  With this recipe, there was a cheese sauce to be made, and it didn't work.  It is butter, flour, milk, and then provolone cheese.  However, it didn't get sauce-y. I was not happy.  So I had to scrap the milk, butter, flour, concoction and just melt provolone cheese on top.

Have you ever made a meal and thought that some one was coming to eat it, and 30 minutes later, they are still not here?  Yeah, that happened to me.  I thought the Hubby was going to come down stairs, dinner was all sorts of done, and he come strolling down stairs 30 minutes later.  To a cold meal (YIKES).  So we had to use our trusty side-kick the microwave...

So this meal wasn't completely awful...It really did taste good. But I added more A-1 sauce.  I really like condiments.  I know that they are not super good for you, but they help me eat meat. Something that started when I was a kid and hasn't not ended.  Oh, well...we all have our down falls...


here is the recipe: http://tasteofhomecooking.blogspot.com/2011/05/philly-cheesesteak-sloppy-joes.html

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
Adapted from Rachael Ray

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 softball-sized onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped (optional)
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons steak sauce, such as A-1
1/2 cup beef stock
Salt and ground black pepper
4 dinner rolls
Cheese sauce (see below) or sliced provolone or Cheez Wiz
Optional toppings: shredded Romaine, sliced tomato, sliced raw white onion, 4 tablespoons mayo mixed with a splash of red wine vinegar and a shake of oregano 

Cheese sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 cup provolone, shredded

In large skillet over medium-high heat add the oil. Add the onion and green pepper and cook until soft and starting to brown. Add the ground beef and cook about 5-6 minutes. Drain off the fat, then stir in the steak sauce and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil and cook about 2 minutes.

Toast the rolls and set aside. 

If making the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a medium-size pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook about 1 minute. Whisk in milk, bring up to a bubble and let thicken, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in the cheese. 

To serve, place a scoopful of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the rolls, then top with the cheese sauce and replace the top of the roll. If serving as a cheesesteak hoagie, spread the mayo mixture on the top bun and add lettuce, tomato and raw onion on top of the meat.

recipe curtsy of Taste of Home & Pinterest

Saturday, July 6, 2013

JULY!!!

I think that I just blinked and the year is more than half way over...whoops.  I haven't been a super cook lately...honestly I have been a pretty awful cook.  It is not helping me that the Hubby works over night, and I work late.  I don't like to eat alone, so Ramen noodles or something quick has been the name of the game.  Can we say that equals boring!?!?!?!  

So I am determined...even though we are 6 days in to July that I am going to cook and blog this month.  Even if I don't get to try with the hubby I am going to do it.  July's theme is Hamburgers and Hot dogs...That is a little bit of a challenge.  But I do have the Rachel Ray Big Burger book, which I am sure I will be consulting.  I hope that you are still reading.  I hope that someone is still finding my blog interesting.  Really it just helps me.  Even though no one might be reading...well someone is I have 924 page views.  

Does anyone else go to several stores to get deals?  I feel like my shopping list is a puzzle.  This item here, these five items over there.  Luckly the stores that I go to are not far from eachother.  Lord knows that I spend enough time on the road, using enough gas.  I don't need to go all over town to get the deal.  I really should shop at food lion more, but I kindof forget that it is in town, because of where it is located.  And there has to be one HELL of a deal for me to go to the safeway in town, espically if I am shopping on my own, it is just in a weird place and NEVER has anything.  Maybe I should complain to the head office, but working in retail, I know nothing will come of it.

So for the next few days I will be on the hunt for my 5 recipes, then I will blog about them.  Please wish me luck!  Have a wonderful July!!  (Just incase I'm not back until August!!!)

Monday, May 13, 2013

Welcome May: 13 days in, 2 blogs behind, not enough time!!

May is side dishes: I'm behind.  I thought that I was being really good at getting the blog done and then getting the recipes ready, but I'm not.  

So I am going to incoroperate my last two April blogs into May blogs, and hope that I get some side dishes and such done before June.  

This month ALSO marks my one year at CI.  I am excited and Happy that I changed jobs.  It has really changed my life.  I feel like I am much happier!  I just don't have a lot of time.  I am hoping that I will be able to have a smaller work load this summer, but that means less money.  That could also mean more time for scentsy and thirty-one.  

Please for those of you reading this if you need either scentsy or thirty-one order from me!!

www.crystallstine.scentsy.us
www.mythirtyone.com/286373

thank you!!

<3

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Lo Mein that turned into Chow Main: Rachael Ray

Something bad about a mag vs a cookbook: No glossy pages, if that sucker gets wet, you have to pray it is not ruined!  
I am hoping that my April issue of Rach is not ruined because I have gotten 3 really yummy recipes from it!  So, the reason this became Chow Main, is because I couldn't find a package of Lo Main noodles to save my life.  And trust me I tried!!!  This recipe is not so simple, but it tastes really good.  I think that it could have used more soy sauce, but it was good non-the-less.  I may not make it again, Im really not sure. 

With out further ado:
Chicken & Spring Vegetable Lo Main

Serves 4 to 6, Prep 15 min, Cook 20 min

2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced (I used the entire thing)
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 pkg (8oz) dried Lo mein noodles
1 small head cabbage, thinly sliced lengthwise (3 cups)
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced lengthwise
1/4 lb shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
1/3 lb snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise
1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp dry sherry
1 tbsp toasted seasame oil
2 cups cooked chicken, sliced into bite-size pieces
salt
1/4 cup chopped peanuts for sprinkling

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Meanwhile in a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium-high until simmering.  Add the onion, garlic and ginger.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat.
2.  Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.  Add the cabbage, bell pepper, mushrooms, snow peas and carrot; cook for 30 seconds   Drain the noodles and vegetables thoroughly.
3. Turn the heat under the skillet back to high.  When the onions sizzle, add the soy sauce, sherry and sesame oil and let the mixture bubble for a few seconds.  Add the noodles and vegetables; toss well.  Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are fully cooked and the peppers are tender but still slightly crunchy, about 3 minutes.
4. Lower the heat to medium, add the chicken and cook, stirring often, to heat through.  Season with salt and sprinkle with the peanuts.

Yum Yum!!!  Make this, enjoy this :D


Monday, April 22, 2013

Rachael Ray: What the hell is Brioche rolls?!?!?

Lesson #1: if you don't know what an ingredient is, google it before you go to the store, otherwise you still won't know what it is!!!

Lesson #2: Read all the directions before you start cooking other wise the recipe takes that much longer!!!


So burgers are really not my thing.  I like them, but it isn't something that I would go out of my way to eat.  However, for Christmas I did ask for the Rachael Ray burger book.  Why not?!?!?  I mean she is creative and I can please the Hubby by making something that he really likes.  I sat down the other day and began reading through the book.  I cam across Bloody Mary Cheeseburgers: my first thought, um a drink in a burger.  My second thought, lets give this a try.  

With most Rach recipes, you have most of the ingredients  and only have to buy a few things!  (Reason probably 5, why I like her!!)  This recipe was easy to make, and didn't call for lots of things to do.  I did leave off the celery because I HATE it.  Oh and these burgers were spicy (though mom and Hubby did not think so, maybe I am just a wimp!!).

Oh wait a minute, before I give you the recipe...I must google what Brioche Rolls are:

Brioche (pronounced: [bʁi.ɔʃ or "bree-osh"]) is a highly enriched bread of French origin, whose high egg and butter content give it a rich and tender crumb. It is "light and slightly puffy, more or less fine, according to the proportion of butter and eggs"[1] It has a dark, golden, and flaky crust, frequently accentuated by an egg wash applied after proofing.
Brioche is considered a Viennoiserie. It is made in the same basic way as bread, but has the richer aspect of a pastry because of the extra addition of eggs, butter, liquid (milk, water, cream, and, sometimes, brandy) and occasionally a bit of sugar. Brioche, along with pain au lait and pain aux raisins — which are commonly eaten at breakfast or as a snack — form a leavened subgroup of Viennoiserie. Brioche is often cooked with fruit or chocolate chips and served as a pastry or as the basis of a dessert with many local variations in added ingredients, fillings or toppings.

That is according to google.  This bread is made in France!!  Good to know!!!
Brioche.jpg
That's what it looks like: BTW

Bloody Mary Cheeseburgers
(serves 4)

Burgers: 1 1/2 lbs ground beef chuck
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 rounded tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Tabasco Sauce
A small handful of celery tops and leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup good-quality ketchup, such as Heinz Organic, or Heinz chili sauce
1/2 cup Ritz cracker crumbs or fine dry breadcrumbs
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and coarsely ground pepper
1 tablespoon of EVOO
4 slices deli-sliced sharp cheddar cheese

Sauce:
3/4 cup good quality ketchup
1 rounded tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons minced celery tops
coarsely ground pepper

4 brioche rolls, split and toasted

Directions:
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium high heat.  Make the burgers: In a large bowl, combine the beef, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, Tabasco, celery, ketchup or chili sauce, cracker crumbs, and egg yolk. Season with kosher salt (it makes a nice crust) and pepper and mix thoroughly.  Score the meat into 4 equal portions and form them into patties slightly thinner at the center than at the edges for even cooking and to ensure a flat surface (burgers plump as they cook).  Add the EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, to the hot skillet.  Cook the burgers, flipping once, 10 minutes for medium (adjust the timing for rarer or more well done burgers).  Top the burgers with the cheese for the last 2 minutes of cooking, tenting the skillet with aluminum foil, if you like, to help melt the cheese.
While the burgers are cooking, make the sauce: Stir the ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Tabasco, and minced celery together in a small bowl.  Season with pepper.
Place the burgers on the roll bottoms and top with the sauce.  Set the roll tops in place.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Rachael Ray: Express Lane Suppers (supper 1)

Oh my gosh this was so yummy...I don't need to go to Chipotle for a while!!!  (Oh an my hands smell like lime juice!!)  Normally I do not eat beans (other than green beans), I just don't like the taste of them.  Tonight however I ate them :D!  Yum!!

This dish really was done in a flash.  I think that I started at 6:45 and by 7:15 or so I was ready to eat.  These flavors blend well, and I really thought that the oregano would do it no justice!!  I really do LOVE cooking.  BTW (by the way) Hubby helped me on this, which was really nice cause I love him and cooking :D.

This is what you need (in the mag you go shopping once for 3 meals but I havent made the other two yet):

Grilled Shrimp Burrito Bowls

1 cup medium-grain white rice
1 lime, juiced
1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed
1 tsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper
1 red onion, sliced into thin rings
5 scallions, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
lb thawed frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp. EVOO
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 avocado

1. In a medium saucepan, boil 2 cups water.  Add the rice, lower the heat to low, cover and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.  Stir in half the lime juice.
2. In a small saucepan, mash half the beans with 1/2 cup water over medium heat.  Add the remaining beans and the oregano.  Simmer for 8 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.
3. Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.  In a bowl, toss the onion, scallions and shrimp with the EVOO and chili powder; season.  Grill the onions and scallion whites for 7 minutes, then the scallion greens and shrimp, turning once for 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
4. In a small bowl, mash the avocado with the remaining lime juice.  Divide the rice, beans, veggies and shrimp among 4 bowls and dollop with the avocado mash.


Notes: I did not have a grill pan, so I fried the veggies and shrimp on the stove.  Also I wasn't sure what "Season" meant when doing the grill thing so I didn't add anything.  

It was so good!  Yum Yum Yum!!!

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Happy April!!!

So I decided that potatoes are not my thing.  I know I only made two dishes...
Honestly I lost the other two pins, I bought all the ingredients, and didn't write down the name of the pin.  So I suck.  LOL!  

So I am not onto my Rachael Ray recipes!  I am more than a little excited..I mean I have a ton of mags, cookbooks, and all that jaz to pull from!! I am soooo excited!  However there is going to be a lot of time spent on these recipes.  Rachael has a lot of people to do her prep work, I only have me unless I can convience the Hubby.

I am not about completing a meal fast, but sometimes I want to cut corners!  But then again, I really enjoy my time in the kitchen!  It is a comfort a release!  One thing I wish, is that my kitchen was bigger, mean I want more counter space!!!  Oh and a bigger fridge..but one improvement to the house at a time, and first comes the deck, then painting the living room, then hard wood floors!  Oh and can some one PLEASE hire a maid for me?  To clean up after??  That is the hardest part.  I hate cleaning.  I love to cook and make a mess, but do I really have to clean up after???  Can't I just wave my magic wand and it all be clean?

I am so ADD today!!  I'm not sure if the first recipe that I make should be a burger, or I should get one out of her mag that is shop once and have 5 meals?  Maybe I'll do that!!  I have had pretty good luck and did a big shopping trip the last time so I have been in a few weeks!  I don't miss it, that's for sure!!!  

Thanks for following me!  Thanks for hanging in there!  One day I hope that this becomes a book, even if it is just a book for me :D

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Something SO simple, But, I don't know how to make

I'll admit it: I don't know how to make mashed potatoes.  Simply because it is always a guessing game.  Add but to taste, add milk TO taste, add salt TO TASTE.  There has to be one way to make it and it taste good.  I don't have time for guessing, or to taste.  So I went to google this time.  

Google never lets me down...there were a few things that I need to sort out first (well just one): no cream.  Who in the world keeps heavy cream on hand?  (Rachel Ray if you ever read this, if you are reading this I KNOW you keep it on hand, and I should know better!!!)

So now that that is taken care of...

Question number one: how do I know when the potatoes are done?!?!
Answer: when the fall apart
(lord help me please)

I was worried that hubby wouldn't like them, his only complaint: add more cream cheese :D

This is the recipe I used, but you probably already have a recipe that you enjoy, or you just make it with the "add to taste concept"!


What You Need

Ingredients
2 teaspoons salt
1 large Yukon Gold potato per person (about 1/2 to 3/4 pound apiece) 
1 tablespoon butter, or more as desired
1/2 cup milk or cream, or more as needed
1 ounce cream cheese (optional) 
Freshly ground black pepper
Tools
3-quart pot (or larger) 
Wooden spoon 
Fork

Instructions

1. Fill a pot with water and stir in 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Decide how many potatoes you want to use. (I was making enough for two people, with some leftovers, so I used about 1 1/4 pound Yukon Gold potatoes.)
2. Peel the potatoes. Cut them in half, then in quarters, lengthwise. Then cut the quarters into thin strips. You can chop them finer, if you feel like it; the finer they are, going into the water, the easier they will be to mash later. Slip the potatoes into the boiling water and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are falling-apart tender.
3. Meanwhile, choose and warm your dairy. Now, this is decision time. For modest weeknight mashed potatoes, a tablespoon of butter (or a little olive oil) and 1/2 cup of milk per pound of potatoes will be plenty of dairy. It will help the potatoes be creamy and smooth, and bind everything together. But if you want a more decadent experience, then by all means, dial it up! Switch out the milk to cream, and add an ounce of cream cheese or even a dollop of sour cream. It's up to you. The more fat, the creamier they will be. But whatever you choose, warm it first, before adding to the potatoes. Warm the milk or cream in the microwave, and let any cream cheese or sour cream warm to room temperature.
4. When the potatoes are quite soft, drain them completely and return them to the pan over medium heat. Add the butter and cook for a few minutes over medium heat, stirring the potatoes rapidly and vigorously to help any residual water evaporate. You also want to break the potatoes up and smash them with the spoon. You can employ a fork to help, if you like, but you shouldn't need a ricer or a masher unless you want ultra-smooth potatoes. Just cook, stir, and smash.
5. When any remaining water has evaporated, and the potatoes are quite smashed up and smooth, it's time to add the warm milk or cream, as well as any other dairy you'd like to throw in. Pour the milk in slowly, stirring constantly. Keep stirring and cooking until the potatoes are quite hot, creamy, and smooth. Turn off the heat, season to taste with pepper and salt, and dish them up! (You can also keep them warm in the top half of a double boiler.)
Additional Notes
• Once all the milk is incorporated you can use a heavy whisk, if you like, to break up the last chunks of potato.
OK, your turn! How do you make mashed potatoes? Do you ever make enough for just one person, or for two? Do you add chives or other herbs into a basic recipe like this? Or cheese, perhaps?

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-mashed-potatoes-fo-132736