Today I decided to prepare Arron's favorite dish; Chicken Parmesan and Creamed Spinach. He's been kinda down and some what in a negative mindset due to lack of funds...who isn't. In order to not be totally effected by his unhappy disposition or contagious negative attitude, I thought it would make me feel better to be in the kitchen preparing something and make him feel better to eat his favorite meal. You know what they say, "it's the thought that counts." But from the way the night played out, maybe thinking is not my strong suit; at least when it come to making something my husband likes to eat.
Arron was trying to make himself busy fixing Christmas lights, organizing the garage and painting. I thought he needed a break so I dragged him along with me shopping for ingredients to prepare tonight's meal. First mistake. Leave it up to Arron, he would have made the frozen pizza we purchased a few days ago as opposed to spending money we don't have to prepare a real home cooked meal. I wasn't going to let that stop me. Ten minutes, twelve items and twenty six dollars later, I was back home getting ready to don my apron. I was all set to start my chicken parmesan when Malik comes home with news that he's been invited to a party at a classmates house! Hooray! So, of course he can't go empty handed. I quickly whipped up the no-bake peanut butter rice krispies cookies in fifteen minutes for him to take. This recipe is pretty simple and quick. I love the fact that no baking is involved. Corn syrup, brown and granulated sugar, peanut butter, vanilla and rice krispies are combined to make this tasty treat. Bring the corn syrup and sugars to a boil over medium heat and stir. Once that's been incorporated well, remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter until that's incorporated. After that, add the vanilla and rice krispies. Pour out into a parchment lined baking sheet, spread out and let cool. Wait fifteen, twenty minutes, then lift the entire lining out of the pan, cut into squares and serve!
Now that Malik is gone and Arron is busy doing something else, I can be about the business of cooking. First, I made homemade breadcrumbs to coat my chicken breasts. Anybody could do this in a cinch. Cut the ends off the bread, cut into cubes, then place them into a food processor and pulse until you've reach the desired crumb size. If you don't have a food processor, place dry bread into a sealed bag and smash with a rolling pin or wine bottle. That aside, I add olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes to my hot saucepan and stir. Then I added the tomatoes I pulsed earlier and some salt for taste. While that's simmering for thirty minutes I proceed to wash and cut my chicken breasts in half horizontally through the middle. I grab my breadcrumbs, add some parmesan cheese and spread it out to cover the bottom of a baking sheet. I brought my chicken to the mixture, added salt and pepper, then coat; one side, then the next. Once all the chicken is done, I swirled some olive oil and butter in my hot skillet to coat the pan. I added the chicken, cooked on each side for five minutes then repeated the process for the remaining pieces; adding oil and butter as needed. Meanwhile, the oven is preheating at 400 degrees. I greased a 9x12 baking dish, spooned some tomato sauce on the bottom and spread it out, layered the chicken, topped it with mozzarella slices and shreds, added more tomato sauce, then sprinkled some parmesan cheese to cover. Just as I'm adding the top layer of tomato sauce, Arron appears with his comments. "If it was me, I'd add an extra layer of that vodka sauce in the fridge to make sure it has a lot of sauce. You know how much I like sauce." I just looked over at him with that, "who's-making-this" look, but added it anyway; thinking, who the hell died and made him Wolfgang Puck? Go back to making yourself busy! Nevertheless, I baked it for forty minutes until it was golden and bubbling. Yum! Once it was done the directions tell me to let it sit for fifteen minutes before serving. Earlier I found out that this is to ensure that the juices are distributed or settled in all the cracks and crevices.
With the chicken in the oven and Arron back upstairs, I started on the dessert. Lemon Souffle Pudding. I never for once thought that the word "souffle" and "rochelle" would ever be in the same sentence, but here I was, souffle-ing. The hardest part of this recipe was separating the eggs. I beat egg whites until stiff, then put aside. Then took the yolks and beat those until frothy and light in color for about five minutes. Slowly I added sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Once all combined, I gently folded the mix into the stiff egg whites, then added the batter to my buttered baking dish. Twenty minutes later, this light and airy dessert was ready to be cooled; just in time to consume after dinner.
Since this was Arron's favorite meal, I asked him how he would like the spinach prepared. "Whatever, creamed is fine." So, that's what I did. I steamed the spinach for three minutes, drained, then chopped. While the spinach is waiting in the wings, I started on the bechamel. That's the cream in the creamed spinach. Butter and flour are whisk until combined, then milk is stirred in until fully incorporated. Once that's done, I stirred in some salt, pepper and nutmeg. Moments later, I folded the spinach in and served it immediately with the chicken parmesan. Oh, the aroma was divine! Only thing missing was the garlic bread.
I thought everything turned out great...a little too salty, but still good. Arron had one spoonful of spinach and two helpings of chicken. He mentioned the salt was a bit much, but overall it was delicious. Guess I wasn't convinced considering yesterday he plucked all the rosemary off the "fish fillet with rosemary" during dinner. Ugh! I'm beginning to think that all this fancy cooking is wasted on my plain-jane of a husband who could eat nachos and frozen pizza for dinner every night. He didn't even taste the souffle. It tasted so good and felt so light going down. Not like those desserts that leave you feeling bloated and guilty.
I thought making this dinner would lighten the mood, render a few laughs and make him proud to have a wife that can prepare a made-from-scratch meal. Instead, I was left feeling like I couldn't do anything right and that I was wasting my talents cooking for someone who could care less about what he puts in his mouth. Gourmet is not only lost, but forgotten on Arron.
This set back however will NOT impede my talents or stifle my desire to prepare gourmet meals; even if I'm cooking just for a party of one; ME! Oh wait, my child thought it was "pretty good." And that's saying a lot coming from a thirteen year old.
For those that enjoy cooking, even if you're the only one tasting, click (or copy and paste) the link below and be your own food critic.
http://blog.madhungry.com/2010/11/recipes-from-todays-show-chicken-parmesan.html
Mad Hungry
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thanksgiving Meal Pictures
I'm not sure how food comes across when looking at pictures and not the real thing, but hey, you never know.
Roasted Cornish Hens with stuffing, braised collard greens and sautéed spinach
Macaroni and Cheese
Sweet Yams
Rice
Cornbread
Arron cutting the cornish hens
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thanksgiving Meal
Today turned out great! We ate outside on the back patio with the sun shining bright and the temperature at a pleasant 75 degrees. Thank you God!
Everything was delicious. The hens were tender and flavorful. I could have pulled them out of the oven a little bit earlier to retain more of the juice, but otherwise it was good. The macaroni and cheese was absolutely the best. Often times macaroni becomes dry from being baked, but Arron did a good job of making the inside moist and cheesy. Lots of shredded and creamy cheese from velveta. I was very proud of him. The yams...yummy. That was a no brainer. The more sugar and syrup, the better. The rice was just that....rice. Nothing to write home about. I didn't even put any on my plate. Speaking of which. Arron's spinach was boring. I didn't want to bruise his ego, so I left him alone to make it. Bad move on my part. I watched as he poured olive oil and tossed minced garlic into a cold sauté pan. Then moments later, he sliced lemons into round disc and added them to the oil and garlic. What the hell? Still, I sat quietly. Before the oil could get hot or the garlic soft, Arron added the spinach. What is he doing? Just when I thought I couldn't take any more, he cut up some prosciutto and tossed it into the pan. Sigh! Needless to say, I passed up that dish when it came time for plating mines. Instead, I piled on the braised collar greens which were tender and spicy. The red pepper flakes added a kick that made you sit up and take notice. Then to balance the plate, I added a slice of cornbread. I should have added more sugar to the batter to make it taste more like cake, but the butter laid on in between the bread made up for that. Sweet! Just to make sure I gave an accurate account of the recipes, I went in for a second helping. Oh so good!
Oh, by the way. The eggnog was very sweet (almost too sweet for me) and yummy. Not as thick as the ones purchased from your local supermarket, but good nevertheless.
One thing I did notice after dinner was that, for once, I wasn't tired. Arron suggested that the chemicals injected inside turkeys have caused us to be sleepy during pass Thanksgiving dinners, but I'm not certain as to that. All I know is that the dishes were washed, put away, and the kitchen was in order directly after eating; as if we hadn't prepared a thing. Now we had the reminder of the night to visit with new friends, play board games, watch t.v. and think of all the reasons to be thankful. For the Lord has blessed our family with an abundance of love, health and happiness.
To add a measure of love, health and happiness to your family, click (or copy and paste) the link below to try out these recipes for yourself.
http://blog.madhungry.com/page/2
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/macaroni-and-cheese
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/eggnog
Happy Thanksgiving!
Everything was delicious. The hens were tender and flavorful. I could have pulled them out of the oven a little bit earlier to retain more of the juice, but otherwise it was good. The macaroni and cheese was absolutely the best. Often times macaroni becomes dry from being baked, but Arron did a good job of making the inside moist and cheesy. Lots of shredded and creamy cheese from velveta. I was very proud of him. The yams...yummy. That was a no brainer. The more sugar and syrup, the better. The rice was just that....rice. Nothing to write home about. I didn't even put any on my plate. Speaking of which. Arron's spinach was boring. I didn't want to bruise his ego, so I left him alone to make it. Bad move on my part. I watched as he poured olive oil and tossed minced garlic into a cold sauté pan. Then moments later, he sliced lemons into round disc and added them to the oil and garlic. What the hell? Still, I sat quietly. Before the oil could get hot or the garlic soft, Arron added the spinach. What is he doing? Just when I thought I couldn't take any more, he cut up some prosciutto and tossed it into the pan. Sigh! Needless to say, I passed up that dish when it came time for plating mines. Instead, I piled on the braised collar greens which were tender and spicy. The red pepper flakes added a kick that made you sit up and take notice. Then to balance the plate, I added a slice of cornbread. I should have added more sugar to the batter to make it taste more like cake, but the butter laid on in between the bread made up for that. Sweet! Just to make sure I gave an accurate account of the recipes, I went in for a second helping. Oh so good!
Oh, by the way. The eggnog was very sweet (almost too sweet for me) and yummy. Not as thick as the ones purchased from your local supermarket, but good nevertheless.
One thing I did notice after dinner was that, for once, I wasn't tired. Arron suggested that the chemicals injected inside turkeys have caused us to be sleepy during pass Thanksgiving dinners, but I'm not certain as to that. All I know is that the dishes were washed, put away, and the kitchen was in order directly after eating; as if we hadn't prepared a thing. Now we had the reminder of the night to visit with new friends, play board games, watch t.v. and think of all the reasons to be thankful. For the Lord has blessed our family with an abundance of love, health and happiness.
To add a measure of love, health and happiness to your family, click (or copy and paste) the link below to try out these recipes for yourself.
http://blog.madhungry.com/page/2
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/macaroni-and-cheese
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/eggnog
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
The Day Before Thanksgiving Prep
Today I was so excited to get the prep started for a number of reasons. First being, I purchased a new cutting/chopping knife at Macy's by Martha Stewart. Wow! Chop, chop! And chop I did! Onions that is; until my eyes were running. Who knew I could be so damn happy to buy a knife? Ah, the simply joys in life.
Second reason for being so excited about the prep; I had a sous chef in the kitchen this evening...and I don't mean Malik. Arron was on hand this evening to help with the dirty dishes, measure out some ingredients and try his hand at making macaroni and cheese. The votes are out until tomorrow on that one.
So here's the menu:
Two Roasted Cornish Hens with Herbs
Rice
Sweet Potato Yams
Braised Collard Greens
Macaroni and Cheese
Sauteed Spinach
Cornbread
and for a beverage; Eggnog
Let me share the ingredients and prep information of what we've accomplished thus far. Since I wanted the cornish hens to ooze flavor and retain its juice and tenderness, I followed Lucinda's recipe to the letter with the omission of one thing...caraway seeds. When Arron and I went to get the last of the ingredients, he frowned his nose at the thought of eating seeds with his hen, so I decided at $3.94 for a 0.5oz jar, and with all else that the recipe entailed, we wouldn't miss it. With that being said, I placed the rosemary, sage, marjoram, thyme, chives, and bay leaves on the chopping board combined to integrate the spices. Once all was mixed together I combined the herbs with salt and pepper (I know, more spices), lemon juice and olive oil to give it a paste like texture. While the herbs were mingling, I cleaned the hens very thoroughly, then patted them dry with paper towels and then proceed to pour lemon juice over each one, inside and out. After they were all juiced up, I rubbed the herb concoction every where, including the inside right before I tossed the lemon rinds into the cavity. I covered the hens, placed them in the fridge and waved goodbye until we meet again in the morning.
Then I got started on the rice. This recipe called Rice and Noodle Pilaf consisted of butter, onions, broken vermicelli noodles, chicken broth and long grain white rice. While my local store (and myself for that matter) had no idea what vermicelli noodles were and Lucinda suggested spaghetti as a substitute, I when with that instead. Don't worry! I broke up the long strands of spaghetti into one inch pieces prior to mixing. Once I had the butter, onions and spaghetti all combined, it was now time to add the rice and broth. Thinking that I could substitute white rice for brown without missing a beat, I was in for a rude awakening. First lesson learned; brown rice cooks at least thirty minutes longer than white. Second lesson learned; don't listen to your husband when you're shopping for ingredients and he tells you it's okay to use brown instead of white rice. "Rice is rice." Needless to say, I had to scrap the entire dish because the brown rice never got tender and the spaghetti turned into mush. So now, tomorrow I'm forced to make that already prepared come in a pouch microwave rice because we have no white rice in the house. Ugh!
On to the sweet potato yams. I've been making this all my adult life so another person's recipe wasn't needed. I peeled my yams, washed them off, then cut them into round disc. After all the yams were cut, I placed them into a 9x12 dish layered at the bottom with syrup, brown and cane sugar, butter and cinnamon. Then again after all the yams were in, I repeated the sweet mixture to coat the top. I tossed those bad boys into the oven at 375 degrees and wait for the sweetness to soak through. About an hour or more later, the yams are soft, sweet and ready to be eaten.
Next up, the braised collard greens. That was very easy to prepare. This recipe called for onions, bacon, red pepper flakes and red-wine vinegar. First I had to clean the greens. I washed them good, removed the stems, then rolled them up like a cigar to cut into strips. That put aside, I had to add my onions, bacon and red pepper to the oil. Since I'm not a huge bacon eater, I substituted the bacon for prosciutto. Yup, I sure did! What a twist right? Having learned just recently that prosciutto is just a fancy name for ham and bacon is the same thing, I figured it couldn't hurt. I fried that all together until the onions were soft and the ham was beginning to render its fat and crisp up. Y-u-m-m-y! Fifteen minutes later, I added the greens. I tossed that around for a minute then added the vinegar to slowly be absorbed by the greens. Another fifteen minutes later, the greens were tender and flavorful with a kick. Nice!
For the duration of my yams and collard greens preparation, Arron has been on the sidelines all the while preparing his own dish. His macaroni and cheese called for butter (of course), pepper, elbow macaroni, evaporated milk, regular or skim milk, eggs, salt, garlic powder, extra sharp and monterey jack cheeses. I wasn't watching the process, but I can tell you the end result looked absolutely delicious. He had to stop me and Malik from taking a fork to it. Tomorrow I will render my verdict.
Since the spinach only takes about five minutes, and because Arron likes it raw, he decided to wait until tomorrow to prepare it. And because you can't make cornbread the day before and expect it to be all hot and buttery, I waited on that. So instead, we decided to make our very own eggnog. That's right! We made it from scratch. Milk, sugar, eggs yolks and heavy cream are the ingredients that makes up this holiday staple. Bourbon was also an option, but I like my eggnog sweet, not spiked. I have to admit, this recipe is better prepared with two people. Constant whisking and pouring is made much easier if help is present. Plus, when the mixture starts to look more like scrambled eggs and less like eggnog, you'll need that companion to tell you all the reasons why you thought this was a good idea to make in the first place. Like the mac and cheese, I can't tell you yet how this one came out because instructions dictate to let it cool completely, then refrigerate until chilled. Tomorrow I'll have that and all the recipes prepared to share as well. If you can't wait, go the www.marthastewart.com and type in each dish name in the search box.
Until then, Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Rochelle
Second reason for being so excited about the prep; I had a sous chef in the kitchen this evening...and I don't mean Malik. Arron was on hand this evening to help with the dirty dishes, measure out some ingredients and try his hand at making macaroni and cheese. The votes are out until tomorrow on that one.
So here's the menu:
Two Roasted Cornish Hens with Herbs
Rice
Sweet Potato Yams
Braised Collard Greens
Macaroni and Cheese
Sauteed Spinach
Cornbread
and for a beverage; Eggnog
Let me share the ingredients and prep information of what we've accomplished thus far. Since I wanted the cornish hens to ooze flavor and retain its juice and tenderness, I followed Lucinda's recipe to the letter with the omission of one thing...caraway seeds. When Arron and I went to get the last of the ingredients, he frowned his nose at the thought of eating seeds with his hen, so I decided at $3.94 for a 0.5oz jar, and with all else that the recipe entailed, we wouldn't miss it. With that being said, I placed the rosemary, sage, marjoram, thyme, chives, and bay leaves on the chopping board combined to integrate the spices. Once all was mixed together I combined the herbs with salt and pepper (I know, more spices), lemon juice and olive oil to give it a paste like texture. While the herbs were mingling, I cleaned the hens very thoroughly, then patted them dry with paper towels and then proceed to pour lemon juice over each one, inside and out. After they were all juiced up, I rubbed the herb concoction every where, including the inside right before I tossed the lemon rinds into the cavity. I covered the hens, placed them in the fridge and waved goodbye until we meet again in the morning.
Then I got started on the rice. This recipe called Rice and Noodle Pilaf consisted of butter, onions, broken vermicelli noodles, chicken broth and long grain white rice. While my local store (and myself for that matter) had no idea what vermicelli noodles were and Lucinda suggested spaghetti as a substitute, I when with that instead. Don't worry! I broke up the long strands of spaghetti into one inch pieces prior to mixing. Once I had the butter, onions and spaghetti all combined, it was now time to add the rice and broth. Thinking that I could substitute white rice for brown without missing a beat, I was in for a rude awakening. First lesson learned; brown rice cooks at least thirty minutes longer than white. Second lesson learned; don't listen to your husband when you're shopping for ingredients and he tells you it's okay to use brown instead of white rice. "Rice is rice." Needless to say, I had to scrap the entire dish because the brown rice never got tender and the spaghetti turned into mush. So now, tomorrow I'm forced to make that already prepared come in a pouch microwave rice because we have no white rice in the house. Ugh!
On to the sweet potato yams. I've been making this all my adult life so another person's recipe wasn't needed. I peeled my yams, washed them off, then cut them into round disc. After all the yams were cut, I placed them into a 9x12 dish layered at the bottom with syrup, brown and cane sugar, butter and cinnamon. Then again after all the yams were in, I repeated the sweet mixture to coat the top. I tossed those bad boys into the oven at 375 degrees and wait for the sweetness to soak through. About an hour or more later, the yams are soft, sweet and ready to be eaten.
Next up, the braised collard greens. That was very easy to prepare. This recipe called for onions, bacon, red pepper flakes and red-wine vinegar. First I had to clean the greens. I washed them good, removed the stems, then rolled them up like a cigar to cut into strips. That put aside, I had to add my onions, bacon and red pepper to the oil. Since I'm not a huge bacon eater, I substituted the bacon for prosciutto. Yup, I sure did! What a twist right? Having learned just recently that prosciutto is just a fancy name for ham and bacon is the same thing, I figured it couldn't hurt. I fried that all together until the onions were soft and the ham was beginning to render its fat and crisp up. Y-u-m-m-y! Fifteen minutes later, I added the greens. I tossed that around for a minute then added the vinegar to slowly be absorbed by the greens. Another fifteen minutes later, the greens were tender and flavorful with a kick. Nice!
For the duration of my yams and collard greens preparation, Arron has been on the sidelines all the while preparing his own dish. His macaroni and cheese called for butter (of course), pepper, elbow macaroni, evaporated milk, regular or skim milk, eggs, salt, garlic powder, extra sharp and monterey jack cheeses. I wasn't watching the process, but I can tell you the end result looked absolutely delicious. He had to stop me and Malik from taking a fork to it. Tomorrow I will render my verdict.
Since the spinach only takes about five minutes, and because Arron likes it raw, he decided to wait until tomorrow to prepare it. And because you can't make cornbread the day before and expect it to be all hot and buttery, I waited on that. So instead, we decided to make our very own eggnog. That's right! We made it from scratch. Milk, sugar, eggs yolks and heavy cream are the ingredients that makes up this holiday staple. Bourbon was also an option, but I like my eggnog sweet, not spiked. I have to admit, this recipe is better prepared with two people. Constant whisking and pouring is made much easier if help is present. Plus, when the mixture starts to look more like scrambled eggs and less like eggnog, you'll need that companion to tell you all the reasons why you thought this was a good idea to make in the first place. Like the mac and cheese, I can't tell you yet how this one came out because instructions dictate to let it cool completely, then refrigerate until chilled. Tomorrow I'll have that and all the recipes prepared to share as well. If you can't wait, go the www.marthastewart.com and type in each dish name in the search box.
Until then, Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Rochelle
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Lighter Beef Chili and Jasmine Rice
Tonight is our second day home from a long road trip and I'm exhausted and sick. When we arrived yesterday my grandmother took out ground beef for dinner, but I was in no mood to cook, stand in front of a stove or chop anything. Today is no different, but I had to make something with the ground beef before it went bad. Since I hadn't seen a "Mad Hungry" episode in five days, I was thinking of what could be the easiest, fastest, don't feel like cooking meal to prepare, so I decided on chili. Had I been more alert in preparing for this meal, I would have known that the recipe was from Marthastewart.com and not one from Mad Hungry. Oh well, the cooking must continue. I chopped one onion, six gloves of garlic and eye-balled the rest of the ingredients of tomato paste, chili and unsweetened cocoa powder. Once that was all mixed together in the frying pan, I added the ground beef for a five minute mix. After that, I added the tomatoes and pinto beans. I stirred it around for a few until it came to a boil, then let it simmer. While the chili was at a simmer state, I got started on the rice. That too was simple. Fifteen minutes later, I plated my rice and chili, but could barely eat more than two spoonfuls. It wasn't because it didn't taste good. On the contrary. From what I could taste, it was surprisingly chili-like. LOL. Too bad I'm too tired and sick to enjoy it. According to my husband who could eat an entire bowl, it was "yummy." Not that it means much...he could eat anything.
Today's cooking wasn't as much fun. I'm hoping for a better tomorrow. Nevertheless, there's always stick-to-your-bones-warm-my-insides-all-I-can-muster-up-in-case-I'm-too-sick-to-cook-tomorrow-chili.
For this recipe to beat a cold or to fight the cold weather, click (or copy and paste) this link below.
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/lighter-beef-chili
Today's cooking wasn't as much fun. I'm hoping for a better tomorrow. Nevertheless, there's always stick-to-your-bones-warm-my-insides-all-I-can-muster-up-in-case-I'm-too-sick-to-cook-tomorrow-chili.
For this recipe to beat a cold or to fight the cold weather, click (or copy and paste) this link below.
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/lighter-beef-chili
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Roasted Chicken and Bushes Baked Beans
Now that I'm at the house in Maine, opportunities for cooking are slight or next to none. However, after winterizing the house, I was beat and starving! The only thing I had to eat all day was a blueberry muffin before church. And trust me, after blowing leaves, crawling under the house to help fix the air conditioning unit, packing the truck with ten tons worth of fitness equipment and doing laundry, a muffin just wasn't cutting it.
Since "winterizing the house" means shutting off the water, turning off the electricity and removing all perishables, everything in the fridge and in the cabinets had to go. So, I made the only thing that was available in the house for me to make. Chicken and Bushes baked beans. A woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do! And roast I did! Because I was so hungry by this point, I boiled the chicken for about fifteen minutes to get a jump start on roasting. From past experiences, I have encountered some not-so-fully-cooked chicken when roasting because the outside has a tendency to be done before the inside. Not this time. Too hungry to play around. Once the chicken was done boiling, I popped it in the oven on broil for twenty minutes. I figured, while I was cutting up onions to mix in the beans, (which had to be caramelized first otherwise Arron won't eat any) it couldn't hurt to get the chicken really tender. I love that meat-falling-off-the-bone-oh-so-tender-and-crispy-skin-roasted chicken.
Same time as the beans are getting hot, I move the chicken from the oven to under the broiler to ensure skin crispiness. Ten minutes later the chicken wingettes are done, the beans are hot and steamy, and my plate (and stomach) is ready to receive.
This is not my typical Sunday night dinner, but hey, it served it's purpose...fulfilling my stomach, reducing the shakes and cutting off the migraine at the past.
Since we are hitting the road bright and early tomorrow morning, preparing any meals, other than peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or cheese wiz on wheat thins, I will not have much to convey. However, when things get back to normal, I'll be cooking and sharing all that Lucinda has to offer. Until then, bon appetit!
Since "winterizing the house" means shutting off the water, turning off the electricity and removing all perishables, everything in the fridge and in the cabinets had to go. So, I made the only thing that was available in the house for me to make. Chicken and Bushes baked beans. A woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do! And roast I did! Because I was so hungry by this point, I boiled the chicken for about fifteen minutes to get a jump start on roasting. From past experiences, I have encountered some not-so-fully-cooked chicken when roasting because the outside has a tendency to be done before the inside. Not this time. Too hungry to play around. Once the chicken was done boiling, I popped it in the oven on broil for twenty minutes. I figured, while I was cutting up onions to mix in the beans, (which had to be caramelized first otherwise Arron won't eat any) it couldn't hurt to get the chicken really tender. I love that meat-falling-off-the-bone-oh-so-tender-and-crispy-skin-roasted chicken.
Same time as the beans are getting hot, I move the chicken from the oven to under the broiler to ensure skin crispiness. Ten minutes later the chicken wingettes are done, the beans are hot and steamy, and my plate (and stomach) is ready to receive.
This is not my typical Sunday night dinner, but hey, it served it's purpose...fulfilling my stomach, reducing the shakes and cutting off the migraine at the past.
Since we are hitting the road bright and early tomorrow morning, preparing any meals, other than peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or cheese wiz on wheat thins, I will not have much to convey. However, when things get back to normal, I'll be cooking and sharing all that Lucinda has to offer. Until then, bon appetit!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Broiled Salmon Teriyaki, Ginger Garlic Glazed Green Beans, and White Rice
Tonight I made salmon in a very different way. Hey wait! What am I saying? Tonight I made salmon for the first time ever. Period. Normally my grandmother makes all the dinners, but since I've been trying my hand at this cooking thing, I had to see what making salmon was all about. Piece of cake! I whisked all the ingredients together, placed the salmon skin side up in the marinade for ten minutes and waited. I'd like to say that while I was waiting for the salmon to soak up the juice I was making the rice and green beans, but not so. Instead, I was busy yelling at my son for not washing his dishes. Sigh! Actually, I made the rice and beans much earlier this afternoon before I went out to meet a girlfriend. Good thing. Yelling at my son took the wind out of my sails and I only had enough energy left for making the salmon. I even had to take a nap before composing this blog.
Let's take it from the top. First, I started with making just plain white rice. Lucinda's recipe gave directions for such, but also included a way to prepare a variation of this dish. So, why not! While the rice was boiling, I toasted some sesame seeds, chopped a scallion and some cilantro. Tossed it all in and presto!! Basic white rice with a Asian spin.
Second, I made the ginger garlic glazed green beans. This was different again, but easy as well. I love when it only takes fifteen minutes from start to finish to prepare a recipe. These green beans were sautéed and stir-fried in oil, ginger, and garlic. The aroma alone made me feel like I was sitting in a Japanese restaurant. Four minutes later, under partially covered pan, I added the soy sauce and sesame oil. Wow, what a kick. It formed a glazy sauce that helped each piece of garlic and ginger stick to each green bean. Nice!
Okay, now back to the salmon. What can I say? It was delicious and the rice and green beans was a great accompaniment. The marinade was certainly something I would have never thought of. Often times my grandmother would use mayo, but this soy sauce, honey, and lemon juice combo, along with the garlic and ginger, completed this Asian twist. Under the broiler, the salmon doesn't has a chance to over-cook, but be very careful because if you step away for too long, you run the risk of burning it completely. For this recipe, the key is to soak the salmon in the marinade for as long as you can prior to broiling and to base the salmon while cooking. Fifteen minutes is all you need.
If you'd like to give your meal an Asian spin, click (or copy and paste) the link below.
http://blog.madhungry.com/2010/11/recipes-from-todays-show-asian-inspired-dishes.html
Let's take it from the top. First, I started with making just plain white rice. Lucinda's recipe gave directions for such, but also included a way to prepare a variation of this dish. So, why not! While the rice was boiling, I toasted some sesame seeds, chopped a scallion and some cilantro. Tossed it all in and presto!! Basic white rice with a Asian spin.
Second, I made the ginger garlic glazed green beans. This was different again, but easy as well. I love when it only takes fifteen minutes from start to finish to prepare a recipe. These green beans were sautéed and stir-fried in oil, ginger, and garlic. The aroma alone made me feel like I was sitting in a Japanese restaurant. Four minutes later, under partially covered pan, I added the soy sauce and sesame oil. Wow, what a kick. It formed a glazy sauce that helped each piece of garlic and ginger stick to each green bean. Nice!
Okay, now back to the salmon. What can I say? It was delicious and the rice and green beans was a great accompaniment. The marinade was certainly something I would have never thought of. Often times my grandmother would use mayo, but this soy sauce, honey, and lemon juice combo, along with the garlic and ginger, completed this Asian twist. Under the broiler, the salmon doesn't has a chance to over-cook, but be very careful because if you step away for too long, you run the risk of burning it completely. For this recipe, the key is to soak the salmon in the marinade for as long as you can prior to broiling and to base the salmon while cooking. Fifteen minutes is all you need.
If you'd like to give your meal an Asian spin, click (or copy and paste) the link below.
http://blog.madhungry.com/2010/11/recipes-from-todays-show-asian-inspired-dishes.html
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Tuna Tomato Pasta
Last night I made this Tuna Tomato Pasta. It was quick, easy and just what you'd pull together from the items in your pantry.
I was a bit skeptical at first thinking...tuna with tomato sauce, ummmmmmmm, but hey, that's what this decision to prepare recipes was all about. If I was afraid to try new things, I should have kept my butt out of the kitchen.
Literally, I just tossed the onion, garlic and red peppers in the hot olive oil for five minutes before adding my tuna and tomatoes. I didn't really measure anything. I kinda, as Lucinda would say, "eyeballed it."
I let that simmer for twenty five minutes while my pasta was getting tender. Ten minutes later, I sat at my dining room table with a tossed salad topped with honey mustard vinaigrette and the tuna tomato pasta. I must admit, at first I was a bit curious, but minutes after biting into it I realized that tuna definitely brings out the tomato flavor better than any ground beef. The tuna was tender, the sauce was light and the pasta was nicely coated...not too rich, not too tomato pasty.
All in all, this recipe is one of those last minute, having uninvited guests, kids are picky, husband is no help, what the hell am I gonna make meal. It's not the gourmet meal that I've been making these past several weeks, but it will do.
To feed your uninvited guests or to make your house happy, click (or copy and paste) the link below.
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/tuna-tomato-pasta-mad-hungry
I was a bit skeptical at first thinking...tuna with tomato sauce, ummmmmmmm, but hey, that's what this decision to prepare recipes was all about. If I was afraid to try new things, I should have kept my butt out of the kitchen.
Literally, I just tossed the onion, garlic and red peppers in the hot olive oil for five minutes before adding my tuna and tomatoes. I didn't really measure anything. I kinda, as Lucinda would say, "eyeballed it."
I let that simmer for twenty five minutes while my pasta was getting tender. Ten minutes later, I sat at my dining room table with a tossed salad topped with honey mustard vinaigrette and the tuna tomato pasta. I must admit, at first I was a bit curious, but minutes after biting into it I realized that tuna definitely brings out the tomato flavor better than any ground beef. The tuna was tender, the sauce was light and the pasta was nicely coated...not too rich, not too tomato pasty.
All in all, this recipe is one of those last minute, having uninvited guests, kids are picky, husband is no help, what the hell am I gonna make meal. It's not the gourmet meal that I've been making these past several weeks, but it will do.
To feed your uninvited guests or to make your house happy, click (or copy and paste) the link below.
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/tuna-tomato-pasta-mad-hungry
Monday, November 8, 2010
Birthday Dinner Party for 10...
On Friday, November 5th my Nana turned seventy and I thought it would be nice for her to invite some friends over for dinner. So on the following day I prepared a meal for nine of her friends. Here's the rundown of the meal from soup to nuts.
For the appetizers: Pepperoni, ritz crackers, cubed sharp cheese, cut celery and carrot sticks with ranch dip and Bruschetta Pomodoro.
For the starter: Tossed salad with the Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette.
For the entrees: Pan-fried Steak and Fish fillet w/Rosemary.
For the sides: Carrots Agrodolce, Steamed String Beans, and Jasmine Rice.
For the dessert: Watermelon, Strawberries, Grapes, Mangos, Cantaloupe, German Apple Cake, Classic Yellow Cake w/Strawberry filling covered in Buttercream icing, and last but not least, Devils Food Cake w/Milk Chocolate Icing and French Vanilla ice cream.
For drinks: Red wine, white wine, orange/pineapple and ginger ale punch.
WHEW!
What was I thinking you ask? Well, I was thinking that I wanted my grandmother to have a really nice seventieth birthday since she made sure to mention (and several times I might add), that she was turning the big 7-0. Initially, I thought going out to dinner would be good, but we could do that anytime. Dinner with friends is always nice. Besides, it gave me the opportunity to show off my newly found chef skills.
The smartest thing I did in preparing for this dinner was to cut all my necessary spices, fruits and vegetables the day before. Onion, garlic, carrots, and cucumbers, PEELED and MINCED! Watermelon, cantaloupe, mangos, tomatoes, celery and cheese CUT! That being done, I must admit, wearing my chef hat still felt like a juggling act with four different sets. Since the group arrived about forty minutes early, I still wasn't quite prepared...if you can believe that. I had just showered and was about to ice Betty Crocker's Devil Food Cake with BC's milk chocolate icing, plus the made-from-scratch Classic Yellow Cake, strawberry filling with the Buttercream icing, when the door bell rang. Oh boy! I knew I had to get the cakes iced and harden before I could start on the appetizers. With the invitation of help from two guests, I had one wash dishes and the other cut the German Apple Cake into squares while I put the finishing touches on the cake. Once that was done, I popped the cut italian loaf into the oven to toast for the olive oil, tomato, garlic and basil topping. At the same time, I made the punch, put all my carrots, celery, pepperoni, cheese, crackers and ranch dip into the serving tray to buy some time and give the guest something to munch on until the Bruschetta Pomodoro was ready. Trust me when I say, killing time was all I was doing because before I knew it, the guest were inhaling the German Apple Cake and the Pecan Bars (which Nana made the night before), along with the vegetable tray thirty minutes into the party. By the time I presented the Bruschetta, they were half way filled.
As a result, I decided to wait forty five minutes before getting dinner started. This did not go over well. First, I was jokingly referred to as the "slow cook." And was told by a guest that she "could whip up this kind of meal in thirty minutes." Second, because I was a "slow cook" unfortunately, they continued to eat the dessert and left little room for the main course. Guess I could have made the side dishes the day before, but I wanted everything to be fresh. No worries. I proceed with my game plan. As the guests are lounging, laughing, and drinking, I went about the business of preparing my sides. Since I'm still new at this cooking thing, I made my dishes one by one. I needed to focus to ensure necessary ingredients, proper cook time and lessen the risk of burning anything or anyone. In view of the fact that I had more chefs in the kitchen than needed and my rambunctious child coming in and out, I quickly realized that cooking for ten is quite different than cooking for three. HUGE!
After my sides were done, the last thing I started on was the fish and the steak. Given that both only took about ten minutes from start to finish, I was feeling like I was approaching the home stretch. I couldn't wait for the cooking to be over to present my dishes. With the buffet server that was generously loaned to me by a neighbor-friend, I plated everything and made a five star restaurant presentation. Complete with labels and all. It was a proud moment for both me and my grandmother. With all but maybe one guest, I'd safely assume that the meal was pleasing on the plate as well as to the palate. This one particular person didn't really care for the fish and left a chunk on his plate. Nevertheless, everyone else ate in silence while they savored the different textures and taste. Some even left with extra sides, a second helping or just dessert. Speaking of which... To go along with the cake and ice cream, I put out an array of mixed fruit... watermelon, grapes, strawberries, mangos and cantaloupe. Not one piece was touch! Everyone was too stuffed to even consider adding fruit. However, there's always room for cake and ice cream! I placed the number seven and zero candles atop the cake, turned out the lights and sang happy birthday to my Nana! She seemed pleased and that's really all that mattered. All the guests suggested I start a catering business, but after standing on my feet for eight hours, cooking for the masses is not my idea of a good time. Within the hour, everyone was gone and the kitchen looked as if I didn't cook a stitch or feed ten people. I was so tired I didn't even blog. I'm a little better now and have recovered in just enough time for tonight's dinner... Oven-Fried Chicken. It was good, but there's nothing like chicken fried in hot oil stove-top. To accompany the chicken, I made sweet potato yams, soaked in white and brown sugar, syrup, butter and cinnamon. Lucinda made chilled sweet potatoes, but I prefer mines southern style. I also steamed some green beans. Very good, but very tired.
Check out some pictures from the dinner party.
If you'd like to try the Oven-Fried Chicken recipe, click (or copy and paste) the link below.
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/oven-fried-chicken
For the appetizers: Pepperoni, ritz crackers, cubed sharp cheese, cut celery and carrot sticks with ranch dip and Bruschetta Pomodoro.
For the starter: Tossed salad with the Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette.
For the entrees: Pan-fried Steak and Fish fillet w/Rosemary.
For the sides: Carrots Agrodolce, Steamed String Beans, and Jasmine Rice.
For the dessert: Watermelon, Strawberries, Grapes, Mangos, Cantaloupe, German Apple Cake, Classic Yellow Cake w/Strawberry filling covered in Buttercream icing, and last but not least, Devils Food Cake w/Milk Chocolate Icing and French Vanilla ice cream.
For drinks: Red wine, white wine, orange/pineapple and ginger ale punch.
WHEW!
What was I thinking you ask? Well, I was thinking that I wanted my grandmother to have a really nice seventieth birthday since she made sure to mention (and several times I might add), that she was turning the big 7-0. Initially, I thought going out to dinner would be good, but we could do that anytime. Dinner with friends is always nice. Besides, it gave me the opportunity to show off my newly found chef skills.
The smartest thing I did in preparing for this dinner was to cut all my necessary spices, fruits and vegetables the day before. Onion, garlic, carrots, and cucumbers, PEELED and MINCED! Watermelon, cantaloupe, mangos, tomatoes, celery and cheese CUT! That being done, I must admit, wearing my chef hat still felt like a juggling act with four different sets. Since the group arrived about forty minutes early, I still wasn't quite prepared...if you can believe that. I had just showered and was about to ice Betty Crocker's Devil Food Cake with BC's milk chocolate icing, plus the made-from-scratch Classic Yellow Cake, strawberry filling with the Buttercream icing, when the door bell rang. Oh boy! I knew I had to get the cakes iced and harden before I could start on the appetizers. With the invitation of help from two guests, I had one wash dishes and the other cut the German Apple Cake into squares while I put the finishing touches on the cake. Once that was done, I popped the cut italian loaf into the oven to toast for the olive oil, tomato, garlic and basil topping. At the same time, I made the punch, put all my carrots, celery, pepperoni, cheese, crackers and ranch dip into the serving tray to buy some time and give the guest something to munch on until the Bruschetta Pomodoro was ready. Trust me when I say, killing time was all I was doing because before I knew it, the guest were inhaling the German Apple Cake and the Pecan Bars (which Nana made the night before), along with the vegetable tray thirty minutes into the party. By the time I presented the Bruschetta, they were half way filled.
As a result, I decided to wait forty five minutes before getting dinner started. This did not go over well. First, I was jokingly referred to as the "slow cook." And was told by a guest that she "could whip up this kind of meal in thirty minutes." Second, because I was a "slow cook" unfortunately, they continued to eat the dessert and left little room for the main course. Guess I could have made the side dishes the day before, but I wanted everything to be fresh. No worries. I proceed with my game plan. As the guests are lounging, laughing, and drinking, I went about the business of preparing my sides. Since I'm still new at this cooking thing, I made my dishes one by one. I needed to focus to ensure necessary ingredients, proper cook time and lessen the risk of burning anything or anyone. In view of the fact that I had more chefs in the kitchen than needed and my rambunctious child coming in and out, I quickly realized that cooking for ten is quite different than cooking for three. HUGE!
After my sides were done, the last thing I started on was the fish and the steak. Given that both only took about ten minutes from start to finish, I was feeling like I was approaching the home stretch. I couldn't wait for the cooking to be over to present my dishes. With the buffet server that was generously loaned to me by a neighbor-friend, I plated everything and made a five star restaurant presentation. Complete with labels and all. It was a proud moment for both me and my grandmother. With all but maybe one guest, I'd safely assume that the meal was pleasing on the plate as well as to the palate. This one particular person didn't really care for the fish and left a chunk on his plate. Nevertheless, everyone else ate in silence while they savored the different textures and taste. Some even left with extra sides, a second helping or just dessert. Speaking of which... To go along with the cake and ice cream, I put out an array of mixed fruit... watermelon, grapes, strawberries, mangos and cantaloupe. Not one piece was touch! Everyone was too stuffed to even consider adding fruit. However, there's always room for cake and ice cream! I placed the number seven and zero candles atop the cake, turned out the lights and sang happy birthday to my Nana! She seemed pleased and that's really all that mattered. All the guests suggested I start a catering business, but after standing on my feet for eight hours, cooking for the masses is not my idea of a good time. Within the hour, everyone was gone and the kitchen looked as if I didn't cook a stitch or feed ten people. I was so tired I didn't even blog. I'm a little better now and have recovered in just enough time for tonight's dinner... Oven-Fried Chicken. It was good, but there's nothing like chicken fried in hot oil stove-top. To accompany the chicken, I made sweet potato yams, soaked in white and brown sugar, syrup, butter and cinnamon. Lucinda made chilled sweet potatoes, but I prefer mines southern style. I also steamed some green beans. Very good, but very tired.
Check out some pictures from the dinner party.
If you'd like to try the Oven-Fried Chicken recipe, click (or copy and paste) the link below.
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/oven-fried-chicken
Monday, November 1, 2010
Oven Roasted Ribs w/BBQ Sauce, Tangy Sweet Coleslaw and Pasta with Cheese
Yesterday I was planning to prepare pasta with cheese and chicken tenders for my son's Halloween party, but not a single soul showed up. That's right. Twenty five kids were invited and twenty five kids didn't show. I'll share that story another time... Needless to say, I traded in the chicken breasts for baby back ribs.
So tonight, I prepared the ribs, coleslaw and the pasta. I was taken with the idea of rubbing the spice mixture on the ribs. I never thought to do that before, but more impressively, I never had the idea to place the ribs on wire racks over a foiled cookie tray. In doing so, I didn't have to turn the ribs over to cook on the other side. Of course it made perfect sense thereafter. The spice mixture gave the ribs a nice red, flavored coating equivalent to a fried tomato. Falling-off-the-bone pork ribs requires at least two hours. Setting a timer is a good idea for those like me, that are doing a million things at once. Be sure to leave a little extra spice mixture for when you're in the mood for barbecue chicken.
After the ribs are in the oven, I started on the coleslaw. This required cutting up the cabbage, grating the carrot, plus seeding and dicing up the tomato and cucumber. Truthfully, cutting always makes me feel chef-like. I'm not at the point where I'm chop chop chopping, but I'm getting there. I'm still amazed how different ingredients combined make awesome flavors and the same holds true for the yogurt, mayo, honey, vinegar and salt mixture. At first I was like, yogurt...not my thing, but sure enough, I didn't even taste it once everything else was added. Outside of prepping, this recipe took all of ten minutes to pull together.
Since I had grated cheese on hand from the Halloween party that never happened, I figured I'd make the pasta. Having seen Lucinda do this, I like the idea of feeding my son real mac and cheese, instead of that boxed or microwave junk. It was relative easy to make. I was pleasantly surprised.
Because we love bbq sauce in this house, once the ribs were done, I brushed some on and returned the tray back to the oven for another ten minutes so the sauce could caramelize. Yummy! The ribs were so delicious. The meat just melted in my mouth. With every bite I could taste the spice mixture soaked to the bone. The pasta with cheese was unlike any powder or creamy cheese sauce you get in the store. No siree bob. This is the real thing. It reminded me of Thanksgiving or Christmas eve dinner when I prepare baked mac and cheese, but only better. This recipe is light and creamy. Next up, the coleslaw. This dish certainly holds true to its title; tangy and sweet. As I mentioned, I couldn't understand how the yogurt would play a part in coleslaw with the sour taste it has, but it brings just the right amount of tangy to the mix. The honey, mayo and apple cider vinegar further compliments and completes it.
This combination of ribs, coleslaw and pasta is a good dish to prepare for a backyard summer bash, a Sunday night football party or just to feed your need for bbq.
If you're not ready to let the summer go, click (or copy and paste) these links below for the recipe.
http://blog.madhungry.com/2010/10/recipes-from-todays-show-indoor-bbq-recipes.html
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pasta-wheels-with-cheese
Happy Barbecuing!
So tonight, I prepared the ribs, coleslaw and the pasta. I was taken with the idea of rubbing the spice mixture on the ribs. I never thought to do that before, but more impressively, I never had the idea to place the ribs on wire racks over a foiled cookie tray. In doing so, I didn't have to turn the ribs over to cook on the other side. Of course it made perfect sense thereafter. The spice mixture gave the ribs a nice red, flavored coating equivalent to a fried tomato. Falling-off-the-bone pork ribs requires at least two hours. Setting a timer is a good idea for those like me, that are doing a million things at once. Be sure to leave a little extra spice mixture for when you're in the mood for barbecue chicken.
After the ribs are in the oven, I started on the coleslaw. This required cutting up the cabbage, grating the carrot, plus seeding and dicing up the tomato and cucumber. Truthfully, cutting always makes me feel chef-like. I'm not at the point where I'm chop chop chopping, but I'm getting there. I'm still amazed how different ingredients combined make awesome flavors and the same holds true for the yogurt, mayo, honey, vinegar and salt mixture. At first I was like, yogurt...not my thing, but sure enough, I didn't even taste it once everything else was added. Outside of prepping, this recipe took all of ten minutes to pull together.
Since I had grated cheese on hand from the Halloween party that never happened, I figured I'd make the pasta. Having seen Lucinda do this, I like the idea of feeding my son real mac and cheese, instead of that boxed or microwave junk. It was relative easy to make. I was pleasantly surprised.
Because we love bbq sauce in this house, once the ribs were done, I brushed some on and returned the tray back to the oven for another ten minutes so the sauce could caramelize. Yummy! The ribs were so delicious. The meat just melted in my mouth. With every bite I could taste the spice mixture soaked to the bone. The pasta with cheese was unlike any powder or creamy cheese sauce you get in the store. No siree bob. This is the real thing. It reminded me of Thanksgiving or Christmas eve dinner when I prepare baked mac and cheese, but only better. This recipe is light and creamy. Next up, the coleslaw. This dish certainly holds true to its title; tangy and sweet. As I mentioned, I couldn't understand how the yogurt would play a part in coleslaw with the sour taste it has, but it brings just the right amount of tangy to the mix. The honey, mayo and apple cider vinegar further compliments and completes it.
This combination of ribs, coleslaw and pasta is a good dish to prepare for a backyard summer bash, a Sunday night football party or just to feed your need for bbq.
If you're not ready to let the summer go, click (or copy and paste) these links below for the recipe.
http://blog.madhungry.com/2010/10/recipes-from-todays-show-indoor-bbq-recipes.html
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pasta-wheels-with-cheese
Happy Barbecuing!
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