Ahhhhhhhhhh, the joys of Christmas! This year I could say I am truly blessed. I wasn't in need of anything, but somehow managed to get everything I wanted...and well, let's face it, a few things I didn't. Yup! I could have done just fine without the few pounds of food I packed on. But hey, what the hell. It's Christmas after all and what would Christmas be like if you couldn't feast on your favorites with family. So, marmalade glazed ham, baked turkey wings, braised collard greens, macaroni and cheese, yams, plus chocolate pudding with whipped cream for dessert, certainly got the festivities started.
With several items to prepare in making this Christmas captivating, dishes were designated. Since Arron did such a wonderful job at preparing the macaroni and cheese for Thanksgiving, he took on that task. This holiday, Arron also tried his hand at sauteed spinach, but it wasn't well received. It was too salty for Nana's taste and too lemony for mines. Nana had the turkey wings pinned down, and I took care of the ham, yams, collard greens and of course, the chocolate pudding for dessert I took to my neighbors.
Seeing how the yams were the easiest dish to prepare, I got started on those the day before. Like always, I peeled, washed and cut the yams before I tossed them into my sugary, buttery, syrupy, cinnamon sprinkled layered baking dish. Baked until tender, I let them sit before placing them in the fridge. Yams are all ready to be heated for dinner the next day. Christmas afternoon, after a long nap after breakfast, I patted down to the kitchen to find the turkey wings just about ready. They looked and smelled delicious. Once Nana was done, I reduced the heat to 350 degrees, covered my ham with parchment paper and aluminum foil, then placed it in the oven to bake for one hour. I was getting hungry just thinking about the marmalade glaze that would coat it once done.
While the ham was baking away, I got started cleaning and cutting the collard greens while Arron got started on the mac and cheese. He's slicing and dicing cheese and I'm frying bacon, onions and red pepper flakes to give the greens a braised flavor. Smelling good! I'm adding greens and red wine vinegar to my fried mixture and Arron was adding the milk mixture to the pasta and cheese. I'm cooking the greens down and Arron is stirring the pasta up. All is well! uhhhhhhhh, not so much. Truth be told, we were fine until it came down to who was using the oven when. Oh, what I wouldn't give for double ovens! Before I could blink, Arron is stomping off, throwing his hands up in the air, crying holy hell because I stole the oven from him. Wait a minute! I had the oven first. Remember, my ham is cooking away. While he's upstairs sulking, I'm downstairs, heating up the marmalade, sherry, lemon and orange juices, in preparation for glazing the ham. Since I had to take the ham out to glaze and arrange orange slices over top, the nice wife in me tossed his mac and cheese in the oven for thirty five minutes in order to bake. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Now that I have the oven to myself, I put my ham, now glazed, and covered with oranges, back into the oven at 425 degrees to bake uncovered for another twenty minutes. Once that's done, I brush the remaining glaze over the ham and bake AGAIN until it's golden brown, about fifteen minutes more.
By this time I'm hungry and can't wait to eat. Nana and I placed all the prepared dishes back in the oven, heat for twenty minutes, and Arron plated the food once hot. I don't remember having much conversation at the table, but I do remember how fat I felt when the eating was over. Malik didn't eat, but sat at the table just to be with the family during Christmas dinner. He couldn't see pass his new video game to the hunger pains. Nana didn't seem happy with her turkey wings and certainly not with Arron's sauteed spinach. Arron was happy with all except for the collard greens. He didn't even put any on his plate. Every thing else he consumed. And I was content with all except his sauteed spinach, which I took off my plate and heaped onto his, and I thought the turkey could have been much juicier. Overall though, the dinner was delicious.
At the neighbors where we shared the chocolate pudding, it was finger licking good. I never thought I could make it from scratch, but I had all the ingredients in the house and it was relatively simple to make. I topped it off with one of Nana's homemade chocolate chips cookies and whipped cream as an added bonus. The neighbors loved it!
If you'd like to try your hand at this marmalade glaze ham, or make your stomach pleased with the creamy macaroni and cheese, click (or copy and paste) the links below for these and other joys of Christmas. Happy Holidays!
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/marmalade-glazed-ham
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/macaroni-and-cheese
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/braised-collard-greens-mad-hungry
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chocolate-pudding-with-whipped-cream
Mad Hungry
Monday, December 27, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Stuffed Shells
A couple of nights ago I made this stuffed shells recipe and had to roll myself away from the table. It was simply delicious! Every bite was flavorful, stuffed with prosciutto, garlic, onions, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, drizzled with red wine vinegar. I had to remind myself of all the possible weight gain to order to keep from heaping a third serving onto my plate. Good thing I made a salad to offset the pasta and bread...uhhh, can't forget the bread. Four shells, two pieces of bread and two fist full portions of salad later, I felt sick. For the first time since putting on my chef's hat, I was sick of eating. I guess it didn't help that I also had a scoop of vanilla ice cream covered in a fresh batch of homemade berry sauce for dessert. Put a fork in me. I was done!
This recipe was easy to prepare and apparently, just as easy to consume. I boiled my pasta for about ten minutes, drained, then set aside to cool. Meanwhile, over medium heat, I cooked the prosciutto, garlic, and onions until all was soft and caramelized in olive oil. Smelled so good. Just before I was about to remove it from the heat, I poured in the red wine vinegar. Since that needed to sit for a minute to cool, I poured marinara sauce into the bottom of my baking dish for extra flavor. Now that my mix has cooled, it was ready to welcome the ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. Once combined, I filled the shells with a generous portion, laid it in the marinara sauce, dotted each one with a pinch of butter, covered and let cook for 40 minutes for 375 degrees. Yum! When the 40 minutes were done, I uncovered, raised the temperature to 450 degrees, then let the shells get golden and bubbly for another 15 minutes. Meanwhile, since I had tons of mix and shells left, I made another batch and placed in the freezer for another eating occasion.
I served the shells with extra marinara sauce, garnished with parmesan cheese, garlic bread and a side salad. It was so good, Malik had the shells for breakfast and dinner the next day. Even today he devoured the last of it and left just one for Arron. To get the full effect of the episode, of course I had to make the berry sauce to top my vanilla ice cream. That sent me over the cliff. I purchased a bag of frozen berry mix, tossed in a saucepan over medium heat, and cook the berries until they formed a sauce-like consistency. I mixed in some sugar, lemon juice, along with lemon zest. Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum!
Which I could say the same for the batch of sugar cookies Malik and I baked the other day. It was a mess. It's hard to bake with a child only interested in eating the cookie dough. Half way through the process, he was bored and hungry. We forgot to add ingredients a few times and had to go back and read the directions. In many cases, I just mixed in the missing ingredients and kept going. No wonder the kids at his school were using them for frisbees. I was told that even when one hit the floor, it didn't break. Okay, so they were crunchy, but they weren't that bad. Kids could be so cruel.
To enjoy the stuffed shells for yourself, and pack on a few pounds like I did, click (or copy and paste) the links below. Don't forget the berry sauce and the sugar cookies. What would the holidays be like if we didn't gain extra weight? Ha!
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/stuffed-shells-recipe
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/berry-sauce-mad-hungry
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/old-fashioned-sugar-cookies backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/sugar-cookie-recipes#slide_1
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Breaded Pork Chops with Thyme and Potato and Leek Gratin
It's been a long time since I had pork chops and was so excited by the idea of preparing it. Too bad it was a bust. First let me say, this recipe did NOT come from Lucinda or "Mad Hungry." That could have been my first clue, right? Well, Lucinda didn't have a recipe with pork chops and I wanted to make them. So, I pulled this recipe from the Martha Stewart show.
To give pork chops or any other poultry tons of flavor, the brine technique was instituted. This technique called for six cups of water, one cup of sugar, ten whole peppercorns, orange zest, and one cup of salt. Yes! That's where the trouble began. I was fine with all the ingredients until it came to the ONE CUP OF SALT!!!!! What the hell.....? I was a bit nervous about all that salt, so I added more water hoping that would help. Boy was I wrong. Cautiously, I proceed by adding the pork chops to the brine mixture to let it marinate for a couple of hours in the refrigerator.
While the pork chops were marinating, I got started on the potato and leek gratin. I wouldn't know a leek if it bit me in the butt, so while Nana was out, she picked some up for me. It pretty much looks like a scallion, just bigger. It's in the onion family, but doesn't give off the same strong flavor as onions do. Interesting! Another interesting point, only the white part of the leek is used. There must be something I could make with the rest of the leek. I'll have to research that! From what Nana says, the price for a leek bunch is pretty darn expensive to the point that she didn't even want to tell me how much it cost. Nevertheless, I melted butter over medium heat, then threw in the leeks and cooked for about five minutes. Then I added the cream, milk and nutmeg. It smelled so yummy! I couldn't wait to taste. Prior to starting this mixture, I cleaned, cut, soaked, and laid the potatoes out in a shallow baking dish to await the yumminess. After the mix came to a boil, I stirred it briskly, added it to my potatoes, then sprinkled gruyere cheese all over it. That too (meaning the cheese) was pretty expensive too! Thank goodness for Nana's that enjoy providing for her family and going grocery shopping. I placed the potatoes in the oven until they were brown, bubbling and tender. I could not wait to taste what smelled so delicious in the oven.
Now that the potatoes are done, I start on my pork chops. Still not liking the whole one-cup-of-salt thing, I proceed with the directions anyway. With my oven preheated to 350 degrees, I get my oil filled frying pan hot. I start by removing and patting down the pork chops to get rid of the excess brine mixture. The recipe calls for more salt and pepper, but of course, I completely skipped that step. Instead, I went about the business of carefully dredging each pork chop in flour, eggs, and then finally in panko mix to coat, before I lay them down in my hot frying pan. My excitement is returning and again, I can't wait to cut into one. In about five minutes, once all three pieces are golden brown on the outside, I place them in the oven for another seven minutes to ensure that the inside is done. Oh boy! We're just about ready to plate. Countdown! Three. Two. Cut! UGH!!!!!!!!!
All I taste is salt. How disappointed! My Nana tries to put up a good front, but watching her entire body tense from the overwhelming taste of salt pissed me off. After two bites I finally told her to "step away from the plate." I couldn't watch her gracefully try not to hurt my feelings by trying to consume a meal which even I, whom loves salt, could not bear to swallow. Good thing she made a lamb chop for Malik. She was able to eat some of that, but after sucking down salt for dinner, everything you put in your mouth thereafter was salty. She could barely get that down. Good thing we had the potato gratin. With every bite of the pork chop, I had to bite into the gratin to chase the salt. Not a happy camper right now.
Let it be known, I certainly gave my review of that recipe on Ms. Martha Stewart's website. Stating exactly this:
One cup of salt is WAY TOO MUCH! I could barely eat the pork chop and my grandmother had to discard hers. What is the chef thinking when they decided to add one cup of salt? This recipe would have been delicious without all that salt.
Honestly, had the recipe called for a quarter, or even a half a cup of salt, the outcome would have been entirely different. I'd be on cloud nine right now, having just enjoyed a lighter, crispier, crunchier pork chop, as opposed to feeling like I just gargled with salt water.
For your own take on this recipe, hopefully minus all that salt, click (or copy and paste) this link below.
Let me know how pork chops are really supposed to taste.
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/breaded-pork-chops-with-thyme
To give pork chops or any other poultry tons of flavor, the brine technique was instituted. This technique called for six cups of water, one cup of sugar, ten whole peppercorns, orange zest, and one cup of salt. Yes! That's where the trouble began. I was fine with all the ingredients until it came to the ONE CUP OF SALT!!!!! What the hell.....? I was a bit nervous about all that salt, so I added more water hoping that would help. Boy was I wrong. Cautiously, I proceed by adding the pork chops to the brine mixture to let it marinate for a couple of hours in the refrigerator.
While the pork chops were marinating, I got started on the potato and leek gratin. I wouldn't know a leek if it bit me in the butt, so while Nana was out, she picked some up for me. It pretty much looks like a scallion, just bigger. It's in the onion family, but doesn't give off the same strong flavor as onions do. Interesting! Another interesting point, only the white part of the leek is used. There must be something I could make with the rest of the leek. I'll have to research that! From what Nana says, the price for a leek bunch is pretty darn expensive to the point that she didn't even want to tell me how much it cost. Nevertheless, I melted butter over medium heat, then threw in the leeks and cooked for about five minutes. Then I added the cream, milk and nutmeg. It smelled so yummy! I couldn't wait to taste. Prior to starting this mixture, I cleaned, cut, soaked, and laid the potatoes out in a shallow baking dish to await the yumminess. After the mix came to a boil, I stirred it briskly, added it to my potatoes, then sprinkled gruyere cheese all over it. That too (meaning the cheese) was pretty expensive too! Thank goodness for Nana's that enjoy providing for her family and going grocery shopping. I placed the potatoes in the oven until they were brown, bubbling and tender. I could not wait to taste what smelled so delicious in the oven.
Now that the potatoes are done, I start on my pork chops. Still not liking the whole one-cup-of-salt thing, I proceed with the directions anyway. With my oven preheated to 350 degrees, I get my oil filled frying pan hot. I start by removing and patting down the pork chops to get rid of the excess brine mixture. The recipe calls for more salt and pepper, but of course, I completely skipped that step. Instead, I went about the business of carefully dredging each pork chop in flour, eggs, and then finally in panko mix to coat, before I lay them down in my hot frying pan. My excitement is returning and again, I can't wait to cut into one. In about five minutes, once all three pieces are golden brown on the outside, I place them in the oven for another seven minutes to ensure that the inside is done. Oh boy! We're just about ready to plate. Countdown! Three. Two. Cut! UGH!!!!!!!!!
All I taste is salt. How disappointed! My Nana tries to put up a good front, but watching her entire body tense from the overwhelming taste of salt pissed me off. After two bites I finally told her to "step away from the plate." I couldn't watch her gracefully try not to hurt my feelings by trying to consume a meal which even I, whom loves salt, could not bear to swallow. Good thing she made a lamb chop for Malik. She was able to eat some of that, but after sucking down salt for dinner, everything you put in your mouth thereafter was salty. She could barely get that down. Good thing we had the potato gratin. With every bite of the pork chop, I had to bite into the gratin to chase the salt. Not a happy camper right now.
Let it be known, I certainly gave my review of that recipe on Ms. Martha Stewart's website. Stating exactly this:
One cup of salt is WAY TOO MUCH! I could barely eat the pork chop and my grandmother had to discard hers. What is the chef thinking when they decided to add one cup of salt? This recipe would have been delicious without all that salt.
Honestly, had the recipe called for a quarter, or even a half a cup of salt, the outcome would have been entirely different. I'd be on cloud nine right now, having just enjoyed a lighter, crispier, crunchier pork chop, as opposed to feeling like I just gargled with salt water.
For your own take on this recipe, hopefully minus all that salt, click (or copy and paste) this link below.
Let me know how pork chops are really supposed to taste.
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/breaded-pork-chops-with-thyme
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Shrimp Scampi, Luca's Caesar Salad and Bread with Herb Butter
I know it has been a while since I posted a cooking blog, but it has also been a while since I cooked. I could blame it on the holidays, or blame it on the amount of money it takes to prepare something fresh more than once a week, but honestly, there's no one to blame but myself. I've been feeling lacks-a-daisy lately and cooking hasn't been high on the "to do" list. Nevertheless, I'm still watching Lucinda. I'm truly inspired to make her latest dish - Stuffed Shells - oh yum, but just haven't had the get-up-and-go spirit. Besides that, once you cook any meal seen on "Mad Hungry," it's sure to feed an army, so one dish could last two, maybe three days and that's exactly what happened with this recipe.
Last week I made this shrimp scampi dish and it was good, but in the fourth quarter, I called an audible and changed it up a bit. This recipe called for one pound of pasta or cooked rice, so I opted for pasta shells. Since preparing pasta is like watching paint dry, I decided to get it boiling while I started cleaning and peeling the two pounds of shrimp. Yup, I said it...TWO POUNDS! I know it sounds like a lot of expensive shell fish, but trust me when I say, by the time it was all said and done, two pounds of shrimp made the dish full and flavorful. After the shrimp hit the olive oiled pan for a few minutes, I tossed in some salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes. It had the entire house smelling like a seafood restaurant. To make matters better, I added lemon zest and white white. Oh my! Can't you just smell it? A few more minutes and the pasta was done. I drained it and poured the one pound of pasta into my two pounds of shrimp. For additional taste, presentation and per the instructions, I added my already finely chopped parsley, a pinch more red pepper flakes and a drizzle of olive oil.
For the bread with herb butter which I prepped earlier in the day, I combined the unsalted butter, parsley and oregano to make a paste like mixture to spread inside the slits of the french baguette. The trick here is to cut the bread just three fourths of the way through to ensure that the butter will stick to each sides. 375 degrees and twenty minutes later, you've got Italian restaurant style gourmet french bread. I tossed the bread in the oven just before I started making the shrimp. This was so good.
Much like the bread, I also prepared the salad in the earlier part of the day. I cleaned my romaine lettuces, wrapped them in paper towel to absorb all the water, and then placed them in the fridge until needed. Even though it wasn't necessary, and I'm not certain if the family ate any, I prepared homemade croutons. So along with prepping the salad, I had to prep the olive oil, garlic and cut bread cubes to make croutons. The olive oil and the garlic, which I crushed, sat in a bowl for a couple of hours in order to infuse the bread cubes once in the frying pan. When the time came, I put the bread in the pan, and in three minutes, my cut wheat bread cubes were golden brown and crunchy. While I prepared the salad, I laid them out on a paper towel to soak up any remaining olive oil.
With the croutons ready and set aside, awaiting a salad, I retrieved my romaine lettuces from the fridge and poured olive oil all over them. I flavored with salt and pepper, added two whole eggs, which I only cooked for two and a half minutes, and some lemon juice. Since the eggs were soft cooked, it broke apart and made such a nice, tangy, creamy dressing when mixed with the lemon juice. Once all combined, I added parmesan cheese, a little more salt and pepper, and my homemade croutons. BAM! Instant caesar salad.
Just before I set the table, I noticed that my shrimp and pasta tasted like it was missing something. The only thing giving the dish real sauce and flavor was the red pepper flakes, wine and the olive oil. Knowing my family the way I do, I knew that I needed more sauce. White creamy sauce would be perfect. So I made basil pesto sauce in two minutes. With the heavy cream I had left in the fridge from something else I prepared, I combined that, olive oil, and dry basil in a sauce pan under medium high heat for one minute, stirring constantly. The aroma and the taste was spot on. I poured a generous amount over each portion and served it up. Not one complaint! Malik was the shrimp and pasta hog.
However, the salad wasn't a hit. I love caesar salad, but Arron doesn't like anything green COOKED and my Nana just doesn't like croutons. Nevertheless, they both added some to their plate, Arron shoving it down and Nana skipping the croutons. Malik just dismissed the idea entirely. For everyone else except Arron, the bread was delicious. Silly man! He knows nothing about real food. Anything other than salt and pepper is a mystery.
For me, this recipe was good all across the board. I would definitely serve this for a large dinner party. Two pounds of shrimp and one pound of pasta is a lot for this small party of four. Five days later and we're still eating it. Malik and I finished it for dinner just last night.
If you're in the mood for a little seafood pasta, click (or copy and paste) the link below for the recipe and bring a little italian french flavor to your kitchen table.
http://blog.madhungry.com/2010/10/recipes-from-todays-show-restaurant-food-at-home.html
Last week I made this shrimp scampi dish and it was good, but in the fourth quarter, I called an audible and changed it up a bit. This recipe called for one pound of pasta or cooked rice, so I opted for pasta shells. Since preparing pasta is like watching paint dry, I decided to get it boiling while I started cleaning and peeling the two pounds of shrimp. Yup, I said it...TWO POUNDS! I know it sounds like a lot of expensive shell fish, but trust me when I say, by the time it was all said and done, two pounds of shrimp made the dish full and flavorful. After the shrimp hit the olive oiled pan for a few minutes, I tossed in some salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes. It had the entire house smelling like a seafood restaurant. To make matters better, I added lemon zest and white white. Oh my! Can't you just smell it? A few more minutes and the pasta was done. I drained it and poured the one pound of pasta into my two pounds of shrimp. For additional taste, presentation and per the instructions, I added my already finely chopped parsley, a pinch more red pepper flakes and a drizzle of olive oil.
For the bread with herb butter which I prepped earlier in the day, I combined the unsalted butter, parsley and oregano to make a paste like mixture to spread inside the slits of the french baguette. The trick here is to cut the bread just three fourths of the way through to ensure that the butter will stick to each sides. 375 degrees and twenty minutes later, you've got Italian restaurant style gourmet french bread. I tossed the bread in the oven just before I started making the shrimp. This was so good.
Much like the bread, I also prepared the salad in the earlier part of the day. I cleaned my romaine lettuces, wrapped them in paper towel to absorb all the water, and then placed them in the fridge until needed. Even though it wasn't necessary, and I'm not certain if the family ate any, I prepared homemade croutons. So along with prepping the salad, I had to prep the olive oil, garlic and cut bread cubes to make croutons. The olive oil and the garlic, which I crushed, sat in a bowl for a couple of hours in order to infuse the bread cubes once in the frying pan. When the time came, I put the bread in the pan, and in three minutes, my cut wheat bread cubes were golden brown and crunchy. While I prepared the salad, I laid them out on a paper towel to soak up any remaining olive oil.
With the croutons ready and set aside, awaiting a salad, I retrieved my romaine lettuces from the fridge and poured olive oil all over them. I flavored with salt and pepper, added two whole eggs, which I only cooked for two and a half minutes, and some lemon juice. Since the eggs were soft cooked, it broke apart and made such a nice, tangy, creamy dressing when mixed with the lemon juice. Once all combined, I added parmesan cheese, a little more salt and pepper, and my homemade croutons. BAM! Instant caesar salad.
Just before I set the table, I noticed that my shrimp and pasta tasted like it was missing something. The only thing giving the dish real sauce and flavor was the red pepper flakes, wine and the olive oil. Knowing my family the way I do, I knew that I needed more sauce. White creamy sauce would be perfect. So I made basil pesto sauce in two minutes. With the heavy cream I had left in the fridge from something else I prepared, I combined that, olive oil, and dry basil in a sauce pan under medium high heat for one minute, stirring constantly. The aroma and the taste was spot on. I poured a generous amount over each portion and served it up. Not one complaint! Malik was the shrimp and pasta hog.
However, the salad wasn't a hit. I love caesar salad, but Arron doesn't like anything green COOKED and my Nana just doesn't like croutons. Nevertheless, they both added some to their plate, Arron shoving it down and Nana skipping the croutons. Malik just dismissed the idea entirely. For everyone else except Arron, the bread was delicious. Silly man! He knows nothing about real food. Anything other than salt and pepper is a mystery.
For me, this recipe was good all across the board. I would definitely serve this for a large dinner party. Two pounds of shrimp and one pound of pasta is a lot for this small party of four. Five days later and we're still eating it. Malik and I finished it for dinner just last night.
If you're in the mood for a little seafood pasta, click (or copy and paste) the link below for the recipe and bring a little italian french flavor to your kitchen table.
http://blog.madhungry.com/2010/10/recipes-from-todays-show-restaurant-food-at-home.html
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Comfort Food
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
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
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!
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