The Unseasoned Chef

2010-08-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

Well today my family had a surprise birthday party for my aunt at olive garden

It was lunch time so I decided to do the soup salad and bread sticks lunch

I already know that I love their salad and who doesn't like bread sticks so all that was to decide was which soup to try

I decided to so the Tuscana which was a light sausage and potato soup with kale

I was actually going to try another since its endless but I filled up on so much salad and because this soup was so good I ate it all and left no room to try another

I guess next time ill have to take it a little slower lol

2010-08-21T22:01:00.000-07:00

Tonight it was my papa's turn to cook

I had bought some country pork ribs a few days ago and I'm not the best at cooking ribs yet so I let him do it

He also made some delicious dill potatoes to go with the ribs

He made these by cooking off some prosciutto and onions and boiling the potatoes

He them sauteed them with the onion mixture and seasoned with salt and pepper and of course dill

Delicious every bit of it

I really do love these days when someone else cooks for me

I think my parents will do just fine without me

Johnny Cakes

2010-08-20T20:48:00.000-07:00

So tonight I was in the mood again to experiment so I decided to try and make my version of Johnny cakes

See at work we have these things called johnny cakes which are basically little honey corn meal pancakes that we serve with our pulled pork

I absolutely love these things and I just wanted to see if there was an easier way to make them at home

Well I think I figured it out

After some trial and error I think I got it

But the thing is I don't have measurements exactly

But here is basically how I made them

I mixed a little pancake mix with some corn meal

not exactly equal a little more corn meal

Then I added some water, milk, sugar, honey, and a bit of melted butter

Now these things are a little finicky to cook so you kind of have to practice to get it right but they are definitely delicious and make an awesome breakfast or a side dish for dinner

or even a snack either way these things are AMAZING!

Tuna Salad

2010-08-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

So lately I have really been wanting to make some tuna salad

But unfortunately we had no tuna

But the other day when we went to Sam's I had to get some

So today I decided to make my tuna salad for lunch

Now normally tuna salad is made simply with canned tuna, mayo, and pickle relish

But I decided to jazz mine up a bit and this is how I did it

I started with 1 can of chunk light tuna and I added to it...

(note: I don't have measurements because this was an experimental recipe)

Mayo, dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper

And I didn't have any pickle relish so I decided to substitute some of my pickled Cherry peppers

Its basically a hot pepper relish so I figured it would be pretty good and substitute in pretty well

Well that's about it
This is a great healthy lunch and its perfect with some crackers or as a sandwich with whole wheat bread and a little lettuce and tomato

delicious

2010-08-18T21:01:00.000-07:00

Tonight it was just my mom and I for dinner

My dad had a unexpected meeting so I had to come up with something simple to make for just my mom and I

So I decided to make a frittata

Just a simple one made of what I found in the frig

which happened to be some leftover Italian sausage, bell pepper, some red onion, basil, Parmesan, salt, and pepper

Oh and of course GARLIC

pretty simple and this is definitely one of those recipes were you can make as much of as little as you want depending on how any you are feeding

So my mom never feels like just the frittata is enough so I made some hash browns as well to go with it

That too was easy enough

simple grate a few potatoes squeeze out the extra water add to a HOT pan greased with a little olive oil and butter season with some salt pepper and garlic

and cook the crap out of it until golden brown and crisp on both sided

These leftovers make a great breakfast or brunch!

2010-08-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

Alright so today I just wanted a little snack before I went to work and I'm a huge lover of fruit and what makes a better snack than fruit?

In my opinion not much and this is probably one of my very favorite fruit snacks

Apples and peanut butter

ok so you way be thinking

WHAT? not caramel

well you see I never have the caramel dip at home so one day I decided to pair one of my favorite fruits with my favorite things ever!

peanut butter

and it was delicious

thus birthing this snack

But you all know I'm pretty nuts about peanut butter and I like it on everything

so you try it and you be the judge

2010-08-16T19:50:00.000-07:00

Today my mom and I had to do all kinds of shopping in beavercreek and we really needed to go to Sam's to get some of those things we go through so fast it only makes since to buy in bulk

so any way we both decided that for dinner it would be good to just buy one of their delicious roast chickens

so when we finally got home we decided to just have salad with the chicken or in my cases chicken in my salad

for my salad I used the spring mix with a delicious Parmesan and herb vinaigrette

and of course the chicken

fantastic

2010-08-15T20:25:00.000-07:00

Tonight it was back to the chicken

My mom didn't want my dad eating anymore beef or pork because he had ate way to much steak the other night especially for his diabetes

So tonight I tried to make something a little liter but still super delicious So I made chicken breasts with a broccoli sauce and bulgur risotto

The chicken was simple enough to make I just seasoned the chicken breasts with some Cajun seasoning we bough from a market in South Carolina a few years ago

I then seared them in a pan with a little olive oil then removed them from the pan

Then I added 1/2 can of cream of broccoli as well as 1/2 a bag of frozen chopped broccoli

I then placed the chicken back in the pan and covered and allowed the chicken to finish cooking while I made my bulgur risotto

Also simple enough this risotto starts with one small red onion softened and about 3 cloves of minced garlic

then I toasted the bulgur and added chicken stock a few ladles at a time until the bulgur was cooked through and was nice a creamy

Finally I finished off the risotto with a little Parmesan and served along side the chicken

2010-08-14T20:12:00.000-07:00

Today was another day off for me

Which at my house is not really a day off since I still have to cook for my parents

But at least I don't have to do it for 6 hours straight

So what I decided to make my parents tonight was actually one of the first meals I ever cooked for them by myself

It has much improved though

What I made was pork chops and mashed potatoes with pan gravy and mixed veggies

These pork shops are so simple to make and best of all its a one pan deal and by making the gravy you get a kick start on the clean up

You see after cooking the chops in the pan you have all though lovely brown bits and are full of flavor but a hassle and a half to clean

So why not take to extra step and add a bit of flour to the residual fat and make a roux

Then add milk and with a whisk scrub away at those little brown lovelies

And vuala clean pan and in the process you made a delicious gravy!

Now you can either smother your chops or some delicious mashed potatoes

Or in my case both

Cinnamon Apple Crisp Cheesecake

2010-08-13T21:18:00.000-07:00

Well we got a new dessert at work this week and its pretty delicious and as you can see we have a great presentation for it so I decided to take a pic of it and post it for you guys

So its called the apple cheesecake crisp

And we make it by frying the tortilla triangles and tossing them in Cinnamon and sugar

I then scoop out a square of the apple cheesecake and place it in the bowl

I stick the tortilla strips into the cheesecake to make a star and then drizzle it with caramel sauce

Then the crumble

Then some whipped cream (hand whipped by yours truly)

Chocolate drizzle and "fairy dust" more Cinnamon and sugar
Delicious and beautiful!

2010-08-13T20:59:00.000-07:00

Well today my doggy had to have surgery for a blockage in his tummy which turned out to be a corn cob and nothing serious

But to take my mom and I's mind off it we kept ourselves busy with errands

So when it was time for lunch we were still out so we decided to grab something to eat at Arby's

I know I'm sorry not to exciting but we had to eat and we weren't close enough to home to make anything

Plus I had to work all night to I also didn't get a chance to make dinner

I promise something better tomorrow

2010-08-11T21:46:00.000-07:00

So as you know I usually work pretty late and I'm always a bit hungry when I finally get home

So tonight was pretty much the same story but I didn't really want anything big so I decided to make myself a little platter of crackers and hummus

two kinds of hummus to be exact a little garlic hummus and a little roasted red pepper hummus

MY FAVORITE!

Just a little simple snack before bed
perfect

2010-08-10T20:26:00.000-07:00

So today I actually got called off work so of course I made dinner for my parents and I

Well my dad wanted some pasta but all we had was a canned marinara sauce

So you know I had to spice it up a bit and make it my own

And to do so I started by sauteing one onion until soft about 10 minutes

I then added 3 cloves of minced garlic and let cook for about 2 more minutes

I added the jar of sauce to the onions and garlic and added some basil and a bit of red pepper flake because as you know my dad and I like things a little spicy

I also added about a cup of water and I allowed the sauce to simmer and develop it flavor for about 15-20 minutes

Lastly of course I cooked my pasta in a nice big pot of SALTED boiling water until al dente

and served with plenty of Parmesan cheese

2010-08-09T21:04:00.000-07:00

Well today realized that we literally had not food in the house and we definitely needed to go grocery shopping

But before that we had to figure out how to use what little we did have in the freezer

So we found these steaks and decided to cook those off with some corn on the cob and the last three of our potatoes

So while my mom and I shopped for groceries my dad got ready to make dinner

He baked the potatoes and boiled the corn and caramelized some onions to go with the steaks

and once we got home he cooked of the steaks

They were delicious and perfectly cooked

props to my dad because he definitely knows how to cook a steak

2010-08-08T20:56:00.000-07:00

Today my parents and I went to visit my aunt and uncle and look at cars so while we were out we decided to get a little late lunch/dinner

So we went to a place called Smash Burger

My dad and I went here before back during swim season and I had gotten the classic Smash Burger

So this time I decided to try something different

But between my mom and I we couldn't decide which to try

So we each got something different and we split them

For me I got the Spicy Baja

This burger consists of

Pepper jack cheese, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, onion, chipotle mayo and fresh jalapenos on a chipotle bun

Man it was good and not overly spicy it just had the right kick with a little extra when you got a bight of jalapeno

For my mom she got the Mushroom Swiss

consisting of garlic sauteed mushrooms, Swiss cheese and mayo on an egg bun

Very much a classic burger just simple and delicious

And you can't have a burger with out fries

So we decided to try the

Sweet Potato Smash Fries

which like their regular smash fries are tossed in rosemary, olive oil, and garlic

Absolutely delicious I say if you want a good burger go Smash Burger

PB&J

2010-08-07T20:58:00.000-07:00

So today I went back to my roots and school lunch box ways and made myself a PB&J before I headed off to work

I love PB&J sandwiches a lot but I don't eat them a lot in the summer because they remind me of school and it upsets me that I have less than a week to get prepared to go back =/

But you know what its my senior year so Ive got to get through and and make the most

I actually think I'm really going to enjoy this year

Lobster Bisque

2010-08-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

Well today was pretty exciting because my dad was out this morning running some errands

He stopped by a local market to grab a little lunch and he brought me home a little treat

Lobster bisque!

Oh man this stuff was delicious

I have only had lobster bisque a few times but that just makes it all the more special when I do get it

2010-08-05T22:08:00.000-07:00

As you know after work I like to just make up something to eat with whatever we have in the frig

So tonight my dad made some kind of steak we really aren't even sure what cut it was but whatever he did to it made it delicious

Even if its no so attractive it was yummy and I'm sure it was better when they had with the corn on the cob and potatoes that they decided not to save for me =/

so I had to eat mine with black beans and rice

still good but I wish I would have got some corn

Blackened Chicken

2010-08-04T21:08:00.000-07:00

Yes tonight I actually got to cook for my parents

An actual meal too not just something out of a box

So what I made was a blackened chicken breast with green beans and baked sweet potato fries

Those were a request from my mother

Alright making this meal was fairly simple I just started by peeling and chopping my sweet potatoes and tossing them with olive oil salt pepper and a little bit of brown sugar

Then after getting those in the oven I started on my chicken and green beans

I got a pot of salted water boiling to cook the beans and heated my pan pretty high so I could sear then chicken and get that nice dark blackened crust

I seasoned the chicken breasts with some blackening spice and salt and pepper

Then got them cooking in my pan

Once the chicken was cooked through I removed them from the pan and tented them

I then sauteed my blanched green beans with some of the blackening spice and by the time they were done so was everything else

So to serve I just sliced up the breasts and served with some of the green beans and fries

Delicious

2010-08-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

Today I was out and about for most of the day and so I brought with me one of my favorite protein bars just in case I got hungry

Its called a LUNA bar as you can see and they are made by CLIF bar which in my opinion are the best organic energy bars

But what is great about LUNA is that they are made just for women

they have extra vitamins and minerals that us gals need

and with all the delicious chocolaty flavors

of course we are going to love it!

All so they are only about 180 calories and are packed with protein so they are a great substitute for any candy bar

This flavor is cookies 'n cream delight

But my favorite has to be the chocolate peppermint stick

It tastes just like thin mint girl scout cookies!

2010-08-02T20:43:00.000-07:00

Tonight we just had a easy little dinner because it was really hot and none of us felt like really cooking so we just made one of our favorite summer meals

Taco Salad

its one of the simplest dishes but its perfect for lazy summer days

you can just make it up and everyone can come and eat whenever they want

its just and all around great recipe

Mini Frittatas

2010-08-01T22:26:00.000-07:00

Today we had a family birthday party for my uncle bobby

and I was asked to make an appetizer type thing for it

So I decided to make mini frittata

I actually made two different kinds

the fist was an Italian style with sausage, peppers and herbs

and the second was another Italian style with mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes

To make them I started with a basic frittata base of about 8 eggs and a little bit of cream

I then seasoned the mix and added my mix-ins and cheese

I divided the mixtures up into well greased muffin tins and baked them at 350 for about 25-30 minutes or until they pull away from the sided

These are perfect little appetizers because you can fill them with anything and make them your own

also leftover are perfect for breakfast the next morning

2010-07-31T20:56:00.000-07:00

So today before heading off to work I made myself a little lunch

and what I decided to make was a hot ham and cheese sandwich
I actually made it in a pita pocket because they are just so handy and portable they make messy sandwiches so easy to eat
So to make it I simply filled the pita with cheese and ham and heated it up on the flat top until the cheese melted
And finally when it came off the flat top I stuffed in a little lettuce and spread a little pesto inside
So yummy!

2010-07-30T20:39:00.000-07:00

Tonight before I left work I made myself my favorite salad

Our homemade pesto salad!

Mmm it is so delicious

But when I got home I saw that my dad had made jambalaya for their dinner

So I made myself a little bowl of that to go with my salad

My dad made the jambalaya with a store bought sauce base and he added spicy sausage and some chicken thighs and served it over brown rice

It was actually really good but what can be bad about sausage or even chicken thighs?

2010-07-29T22:33:00.000-07:00

So today being the last real day of summer school and the second to last day I had to wake up before 10 I decided to get myself a donut from Stan's

Mmm that's the breakfast of champions right there

Sand Pudding

2010-07-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is officially our last party in summer school

So I decided to make one of my favorite desserts

Sand Pudding!

Sand pudding is really just a vanilla version of dirt pudding but I love it and it is so addictive

To make it all you need is three simple ingredients

1 large packet of vanilla pudding mix (plus milk)

1 tub of cool whip

1 box of nilla wafers

And to make it is just as simple
I start by mixing up the pudding and putting it in the frig

then while the pudding is setting up I use my food processor to grind up the whole box of nilla wafers into a powder much like sand

Then before the pudding is completely set up I add the cool whip to it and fold it in until thoroughly mixed

I then divide the "sand" in half and add half to the pudding mixture itself and preserve the other half for topping

Finally I let it set up in the frig and serve

This is such a simple and awesome dessert you just can't get enough of it

And with the way the "sand" topping acts like real sand by filling in all the spaces as the pudding is dipped out everyone always gets a little bit of the topping

Who ever invented this dessert was a genius!

2010-07-27T20:26:00.000-07:00

Wow my eating habits are becoming terrible because of this job

I always get home late and I'm hungry but there is never anything really good for me to eat and I really don't feel like cooking after cooking at work for 5 plus hours

So its always exciting when I get home and there is leftover take out from flying tiger!

good job dad thanks for dinner lol

Lemon Pepper Cod

2010-07-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

So today I continued the fish theme and made cod for dinner

I made baked lemon pepper cod with pasta and sauteed zucchini and squash

This was really just a quick fix dinner I had to make before I went to my class at the Y

I find baking fish is one of the fastest and easies ways to cook it plus it super healthy that way

To make the veggies I just sauteed them in a little olive oil with salt and pepper and right at the end I sprinkled a little dill weed on the squash because I just really love that combination

Oh and the pasta was just a simple box mix I found

Hey I'm allowed to take short cuts sometimes

especially when I'm in a bind and we have nothing else
Any way it was very tasty and I was pretty impressed with it for throwing it together in such short notice

Applewood

2010-07-25T23:06:00.000-07:00

Well today was the day my sister left town we had to drop her off at her bus in cincy around 6:30 so my dad decided we should go out to dinner as a family before she left

He chose to go to his favorite restaurant

Applewood

Its in Aurora Indiana right on the river and the food is amazing!

Every meal starts off with their homemade ciabatta and apple butter

I got a salad with my dinner
I mean where can you go wrong there?

My sister and my dad ordered a bowl of french onion soup
so of course I had to try it
They definitely do it the right way
with lots of soft bread and TONS of melty cheese dripping down the sides
In my opinion that is the only way

For my main course I decided on the baked Mahi Mahi with mandarin orange glaze and a baked sweet potato
I really enjoyed this dish and mahi mahi was cooked great and the glaze was delicious but I found I really liked topping it with horseradish
You see my sister got the horseradish crusted salmon but she asked for the horseradish on the side because shes really not the most adventurous eater
and like suspected she didn't like it so I took artistic liberties and added it to my dish
I loved it!

And we musent forget dessert
Applewood makes the absolute best bread pudding I have ever had and it happens to be where I stole my recipe from for my bread pudding
The bread itself it spiced and the custard makes it to moist and the use of apple pie filling just gives it that special Applewood touch
Oh and the amaretto sauce just puts it over the top
Its a humble dessert and not one that everyone it a fan of but if you haven't had this bread pudding it could convert you

Alright so this is where the real story begins
My sisters bus got delayed 3 hours and since its a Sunday nothing is really open after 6 so we spent the time driving around cincy and Kentucky and being a cliche family
but finally around 9:45 the bus arrived and my sister went home
But my parents and I believe it or not were quite hungry so as you can see we made a late night stop to whit castle
One of the greater fast food establishments we have in America
and like waffle house its better after night fall

Pulled Pork

2010-07-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

So it was another late night at work tonight and when I finally got off I was really hungry so I decided to make myself a little something for dinner

What I made was a little mini version of the pulled pork dinner

I just made myself yummy johnny cake and a little bit of pulled pork

Mmm so delicious

I just love those little johnny cakes they go so well with the pork and just tastes like nothing I have ever had before
I Love My Job!

BW3s Hot Wings

2010-07-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

Today we had yet another party in summer school

And this time it was a WINGS PARTY!

Yesterday we made our orders at BW3s and one of the students picked them up last night and brought them in this morning

It was awesome we had so many wings and some other really good food

I got the Asian Zing favor which was really good and really hot

I compared them to extremely hot general tso

I really haven't been to BW3s more than probably 4 times but every time I do go I love it even more

Pesto Salad

2010-07-22T20:56:00.000-07:00

So today was a very long day and I really didn't have much sleep

So basically my day consisted of loading myself up on COFFEE going to school coming home taking a little nap going to work and soon I will be going back to bed

Well I really didn't have a ton to eat today just a little something here and there

But I accidentally made the wrong kind of salad at work so I decided to just set it in the frig and eat it later

So once I finally got off work at 9 I grabbed my pesto salad and headed home

Plus this late at night I never like to eat a lot so this was just perfect

Chicken Pesto

2010-07-21T23:38:00.000-07:00

So my cousin, my sister and my dad all have birthdays in July so today we had a big family birthday dinner

And my dad got to choose where we went and he decided to go to Smokin Aces

So even on my day off I had to go into work

Well any way for dinner I decided to get the Chicken Pesto because well I actually hadn't tried it yet

I also got the sauteed mushrooms and scalloped potatoes

It was really delicious and I ate every bit of it

After dinner we had birthday cake of course!

Oh and it was red velvet which happens to be my VERY FAVORITE

We also had coconut pound cake and my cake truffles but I was focused on the red velvet

Cake Truffles

2010-07-20T20:45:00.000-07:00

Today I made cake truffles!

these are something I saw on food network a while back and I have been wanting to try them

mind you this is not exactly how I saw them made

The one I saw were on a stick and called cakes pops but I like my way

To starts simply bake you favorite cake

for me I chose spice cake

next crumble it all up and throw it in the mixer

mix until the cake is almost sand like

then either use homemade icing or you can doctor some store bought

I used store bought cream cheese icing and added some vanilla and cinnamon to it

Add as much icing as you like to the cake crumbs

not to much just enough to make it stick together and mailable

Finally roll your cake mixture into balls and refrigerate

I froze mine but either way works

And lastly use melted white chocolate to either drizzle or dip your cake truffles in

The only reason I drizzled mine was because I have terrible luck with any melted chocolate let alone white chocolate

I would recommend refrigerating before serving to allow the chocolate to set and so the icing doesn't melt and get all sticky

I really love this recipe and I think I will be making these a lot more often for parties and what not and I hope you liked it also and try it with your favorite cake

2010-07-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I had a lot of trouble with my Internet and I tried really hard to get my update up but my computer just wouldn't let me.

So this is a double update for yesterday and today

So yesterday my dad took us to lunch at his favorite Chinese restaurant called Flying Tiger

I got the chicken with mixed vegetables

I normally get general tso but I felt like trying something different for once

Oh and since it was lunch you get soup, an egg roll, and a chicken leg with your meal!

I love that place

So later that night after being at Kings Island all day my sister and her boyfriend and I all decided to go to Waffle House

at 11 o'clock!

It was great I was starving and I ate so much

Both my sister and I put her boyfriend to shame

Alright so tonight for dinner I made enchiladas

To make them I used shredded chicken, sauteed peppers and onions, and a mix I made of corn and black beans seasoned with chili powder and cumin

I filled whole wheat tortillas with some of each and rolled them and placed them in a glass pan

I also made a quick mole sauce with tomato sauce and a ton of chili powder

I poured the sauce over the enchiladas and baked them in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes until they were heated through

I finished them off with some cheese and served with refried beans

I was super delicious and everyone liked them

even my sister who is kind of a picky eater

2010-07-17T20:20:00.000-07:00

So tonight I wasn't really home until late and when I did get home my parents and sister had all gone out to eat so you can guess what my dinner was

LEFTOVERS!

Yeah I actually do get excited about leftovers especially when they are from an amazing Italian restaurant

Also this way I got to have a little bit of everything

I'm not sure what either of these were called but they were both really good

and I know this kind of looks like a saucy mess but it was delicious and I'm sure it looked better in it original form
I have had leftovers from this place a few times now
I'm hoping one day I will get to actually eat at the restaurant itself

2010-07-16T23:48:00.000-07:00

Today I had a very BUSY BUSY day so I just decided to post my yummy breakfast

A French croissant!
very delicious

BBQ Eggrolls

2010-07-15T20:35:00.000-07:00

Today I brought home a little piece of my work because I was very impressed with myself

Yes I made these eggrolls all by myself from scratch!

Drew and been were also impressed

they both said the ones that I made looked way better than any of the ones they made and they even looked like we may have bought them

lol Well I just think its because I'm a perfectionist and I probably waisted to much time trying to make them perfect

Alright well anyway if you didn't know these are the BBQ eggrolls that we make at Smokin Aces

They are simply just pulled pork and cole slaw wrapped up in a wanton wrapper and deep fried

With a little BBQ sauce these things are dynamite!

Sloppy Janes

2010-07-14T20:43:00.000-07:00

So my sister is home and her first request for dinner was Sloppy Joes

So I made her some of my own homemade Sloppy Janes

which are sloppy joes just with ground turkey instead of beef

I would give you the recipe but to be honest I don't really have one

I have made these twice and both times I have just added everything to taste without measuring

But basically all I did was brown about 1 1/2 pounds of ground turkey along with one chopped onion and right at the end about 4 cloves of minced garlic

I then added 1 can of tomato sauce and that's where the measurements stop

After that I added a little soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chipotle ketchup (Just because we had it not a big deal if you don't but it added a nice heat) and of course lots of pepper because you know my family loves it

and just a splash of apple cider vinegar

That's about it not to complicated sorry its not an exact recipe but that's just not how I do things

2010-07-13T19:55:00.000-07:00

Today we my sister came home from Chicago so my mom and I went to Cincinnati to pick her up

Well she was supposed to be in at 1:30 but the bus was running late so my mom and I decided to grab a little lunch at Bruegger's Bagels

I got the Turkey Toscana hot panini

My mom got the Primo Pesto Chicken panini

I really liked my panini and I tried hers too and it was also really good!

I wish we had one of these places closer to home I would go there all the time

But then again maybe that wouldn't be to good

especially for the wallet

Spaghetti & Turkey Meatballs

2010-07-12T19:38:00.000-07:00

Tonight I made spaghetti with turkey meatballs

To start off I made my regular marinara sauce that I always make and then while it simmered I got started making my meatballs

I used a recipe I got from Giada De Laurentiis for turkey meatballs and it worked very well

they were very moist and just as good as any other meatball

to make them combine

1 small onion (grated)

3 garlic cloves (minced)

1 egg

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

3 tablespoons of ketchup

1/2 cup of Parmesan

a few tablespoons of basil and oregano (however much you like)

and finally 1 pound of ground turkey

To cook them you can either bake them of simply fry them in a large pan with a little olive oil

I decided to fry them in a pan

So I used my small disher to make bite sized meatballs and I quickly seared them all off in the pan about 2 minutes per side

I then added my sauce to the pan and allowed them to simmer in the sauce for about 15 minutes

At that time I cooked my pasta and then when the meatballs were ready I simply served the sauce and meatballs over the pasta with a little extra Parmesan cheese

Hoisin Glazed Pork Roast

2010-07-11T19:58:00.000-07:00

Tonight for dinner I made a hoisin glazed pork roast with apples and red onions

as well as green beans and roasted potatoes

To cook the roast I simply seasoned the pork loin with salt and pepper and seared it in a cast iron pan on all sides
I then added some apple cider vinegar and soy sauce to the pan covered and placed it in a 325 oven for one hour
After about 45 minutes I uncovered the pan and glazed my roast with a simple mixture of hoisin sauce apple cider vinegar and soy sauce
I let the roast cook the rest of the time uncovered and I removed it when its internal temp reached 150 so it would carryover while it rested
So while the roast rested I got started chopping my apples and red onion
I then added it all to the pan drippings and added some extra hoisin sauce and a little bit of garlic
I cooked down the apples and onions until they were soft and the sauce was thickened
To serve I poured the sauce and the apples and onions over the roast and sliced individual servings for everyone
Now my dad doesn't really like the whole apples and pork thing but he really liked this so I think it was a success

Veggie Pita

2010-07-10T20:12:00.000-07:00

So today I got called into work unexpectedly so before I went in I threw my self together a little lunch so I didn't have to resort to chips and onion straw at work lol

So I made myself an little pita pocket filled with some roasted red pepper hummus and some of the leftover veggie mix I made for dinner the other night

It was really quite tasty and It was easy to manage with the pita pocket while I drove to work

I probably should say that I ate and drove but oh well

I'm a girl I can multitask lol

Cheesy Sausage Dip

2010-07-09T20:45:00.000-07:00

Today we had yet another party in government and my contribution was cheesy sausage dip

Its a very simple recipe that my dad likes to make for parties

To make it you need

1 pound breakfast sausage

1 pound hot sausage

1/2 green bell pepper

1 small jar of pimento peppers

2 pounds of Velveeta

To make it start by browning the sausage along with the diced bell pepper

then simply cube up the Velveeta and add it and the sausage mixture to a crock pot

Finally add the pimento peppers and allow the cheese to melt occasionally stirring so as not to let it burn

Well that's just about it

very simple but SUPER delicious!

Smokin Aces BBQ Hog Wings

2010-07-08T19:31:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had to work so I didn't get to make dinner for my parents but before I left I did bring them home a nice snack to try And to make up for not cooking lol
Neither of them have had the Hog Wings from work so I decided to make a few for them and let them try
They both really liked them and I think this may become a regular take home item

BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

2010-07-07T16:29:00.000-07:00

Today I made not BBQ pulled pork sandwiches but BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches!

And man were they good

I got the recipe from Ellie Krieger on food network

I'm not usually a big fan of her recipes because I think she goes a little crazy trying to make them ULTRA healthy

And personally I don't think a little extra olive oil or salt and hurt to much

But in this case I followed the recipe to the T and I had no complaints

This recipe was super easy and the sauce was awesome very sweet and tangy

Here is the recipe if you would like to try it

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/pulled-bbq-chicken-sandwiches-recipe/index.html

So this just goes to show that even though I work at a BBQ place doesn't mean I will EVER get tired of it lol

2010-07-06T18:31:00.000-07:00

Today for lunch I made myself an delicious sandwich

I made my sandwich with roast beef, jack cheese, lettuce, and honey mustard all on a yummy focaccia bun

It was a really nice lunch and something good to eat before I went to work and ate a dinner full of fried goodies lol

Red White & Blueberry Cheesecake

2010-07-05T19:12:00.000-07:00

So I said I would make a cool patriotic dessert for today and I didn't break my promise

I made a Red White and Blueberry cheesecake!

I made my crust by combining 6 graham crackers, 1/3 cup of almonds, and 1/4 cup of sugar in a food processor until it was finely ground

I then added 5 tablespoons of melted butter to the mixture and processed it until combined

I presses it into an 8in tart pan and let it chill in the frig while I made the filling

To make the filling I simply combined

2 8oz blocks of cream cheese

1/2 cup of sour cream

1 cup of sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon of vanilla
I then filled my crust and let the cheesecake cook in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes

once it came out of the oven I let it cool then I refrigerated it for about and hour before serving it

And finally for the color

I simply made a topping by defrosting a bag of mixed berries and adding just a few teaspoons of sugar

So there you have it a perfect red white and blue dessert for your 4th of July holiday

Skyline

2010-07-04T20:31:00.000-07:00

Alright so I know I said I was going to make some really intense patriotic dinner for the 4th

But my dad decided that he wanted to go to Gold Star Chili tonight

Well as you can see we didn't go to Gold Star because we couldn't find it lol

But we did find Skyline!

So yeah skyline is where we went for dinner on the 4th of July

But really I mean whats more American than a Coney from skyline?

Well this was probably only the 3rd or 4th time I have been to skyline so this time I decided to try a Coney and the classic 3 way

Mmmm it was so good

And as much as you would like to hate it because of that mound of radio active orange cheese and the mystery chili

You know you love it

Red White & Blue Pancakes

2010-07-03T21:26:00.000-07:00

So this morning we all decided to have a big family breakfast since the 4th of July is tomorrow my dad will be working to early in the morning to do it then

So as you can see I was feeling a little creative and extra patriotic so I made

RED WHITE & BLUE PANCAKES!

I also made some garlic home fries and scrambled eggs with cheddar and jalapeno sausage

Such a great start to the day

minus the fact that I went back to bed and took a nap after eating so much

Well since tomorrow is really the 4th I'm going to have to come up with something even better to do for dinner to top this

Oh and I think our family is having a get together on Monday so Ill have to make some kind of awesome dessert or do something for that

EXCITING! =]

Homemade Mac & Cheese

2010-07-02T22:11:00.000-07:00

Today at summer government we had a 4th of July party

at least this time the party was relevant to the class

I mean if our founding fathers hadn't signed the Declaration of Independence then there would be no 4th of july or American summer government class

So it's justifiable lol

Well any way I made my homemade mac & cheese because we wanted real cook out kind of food

And it really was just like a family picnic

It was great

So any way I actually made this recipe up on my own and every time I make it people really seem to like it so this is how I make it

I start with a LOT of garlic

I then use my microplane to grate the garlic down to a sort of paste

I add 1 quart of heavy whipping cream to a sauce pan with the garlic and I allow it to heat and absorb all the garlic flavor

While the cream heats I grate my cheeses

I use Extra Sharp White Cheddar, Medium Cheddar, Colby Jack, and Pepper Jack

I then get my roux started by melting 1/2 stick of butter then adding 1/4 cup of flour

I let the roux cook a little to cook out the flour flavor and give it a more blond color

When the roux is ready I add the hot cream to the roux and allow it to come to a boil to that the cream sauce came thicken

Once the sauce has thickened a bit I added ALL 2 pounds of cheese to the cream sauce

And I continue to cook it a little longer until all the cheese its melted

And finally I season the sauce with salt and pepper and sometimes a pinch of cyan pepper

And just before I add my elbow noodles I add one egg to the sauce

It just helps hold it all together and keeps the cheese sauce smooth and creamy

And this is the final product!

This recipe make a TON of mac & cheese at least 3 pounds

And to my surprise and my parents disappointment I had none left after the party

I guess that's a good thing though

Grilled Peach Dessert

2010-07-01T19:14:00.000-07:00

Tonight was another long day at work so when I got home I decided to make myself a cute little dessert

My dad bought some peaches from the farmers market the other day so I wanted to try grilling one!

So I first I sliced my peach in half and removed the pit

I then rubbed each half with some butter then set it on my grill for about 3 minutes then I tuned it to get the criss cross grill marks and I let it grill for another 3 minutes

I set it on my plate and sprinkled it with some cinnamon and sugar

And finally topped it off with a scoop of ice cream!
Delicious

2010-06-30T18:57:00.000-07:00

So apparently we have had some steaks sitting out in our other refrigerator for a few days so while I was at my class tonight my dad decided we should probably cook them up

So on my way home I picked up some corn and once I got home we got started on cooking everything

My dad decided to try salt crusting the steaks so to do that he simply coated them in kosher salt then let them rest on a rack for about a half and hour while we cooked everything else

then at the last minute before everything was done he threw them on the grill and cooked them to perfection

So as you can see these steaks were HUGE and we had 4 of them

let me remind you only three people live at my house right now

needless to say we had leftovers

which is probably a good thing since I have work tomorrow night so I wont be able to make my parents dinner

well any way it was really good and the fact that the steaks were kind of on the edge added with the salt crusting they were super tender and the meat just melted in your mouth

It was almost like eating prime rib

Pesto Pasta with Chicken & Veggies

2010-06-29T18:24:00.000-07:00

Tonight for dinner I made a simple pasta dish with veggies and chicken

To make it I simply sliced up 2 chicken breasts and seasoned them with salt, pepper, and garlic

I then grill the chicken while I also sauteed sliced red and green bell peppers and a red onion

Once the pasta was cooked and the veggies all done I added it all to a big bowl and tosses it with pesto, balsamic and olive oil

It was a very simple dinner to make and it was really tasty too

2010-06-28T19:53:00.000-07:00

So today was my day off for the week so I decided to make dinner for both my parents and our friends Sand and Randy because Sandy just had back surgery a few days ago and I thought it would be nice to give them a good meal with out having to cook or go out

So I made them some pork chops with a pan pepper gravy, mash potatoes, and asparagus

I started by seasoning the pork chops with some salt, pepper, and garlic pepper

I then seared them in a large pan then I removed the chops and added a little extra olive oil and a few tablespoons of flower to make a roux

I then added about 2 cups of milk to the pan and brought it to a boil and allowed it to thicken

I then added the chops back to the pan and let them simmer in the gravy until they were cooked through

While I did all this I also chopped up a few potatoes and got them boiling until they were for tender then I drained them and added them back to the pan and added buttermilk, butter, salt, pepper, and garlic

Then I mashed away to make nice garlicky smashed potatoes

I also steamed a big bunch of asparagus until tender then I sauteed them quickly with some garlic, salt and pepper

It was a really good dinner and it was nice to get back into my own kitchen for once and Randy and Sandy really liked it as well

I also made them bread pudding finally since I forgot to make it for them last time

To make it I simply make a sort of custard of

5 eggs

2 1/2 cups of cream

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons of vanilla

and finally my secret ingredient

1 can of apple pie filling (with the apples chopped up)

I then cube a large loaf of day old Italian bread

I also really like to use Challah but a lot of the time I can't find it so Italian works fine

I let the bread cubes soak in the custard for about 10 minutes then I pour it out onto a greases 9 x 13 pan and bake it in a 350 oven for 40-45 minutes

Now it is important that you let this dessert stand and cook so that is sets up and gets real dense and delicious

Mmm it is so so good

And to top it off I make a simple sauce made by boiling powdered sugar with some cream and amaretto liquor

You have got to try this one

2010-06-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

Today I actually got up early enough to be able distinguish between breakfast and lunch so when it was lunch time I made myself a really awesome sandwich
I had bought so focaccia bread the at the grocery the other day so I decided I would use that for my sandwich
I cut it in half and toasted it a bit then spread a good layer of roasted red pepper hummus on both sided
I then added some lettuce, tomato and red onion
and finally Romano cheese!
Mmm it was great
maybe I should get wake up in time for lunch more often

Peanut Butter & Banana Crepe

2010-06-26T21:07:00.000-07:00

This morning i felt like having something a little more special than just cereal

So I decided to make a crepe!

I actually didn't make the crepe today because well that would take to long and I had a few in the freezer from last time I made them so all I had to do was pop it in the microwave for about 10 seconds then I spread a layer of peanut butter and some thinly sliced bananas and folded it up

I drizzled a bit more peanut butter on top

and voila

Delicious and wonderful breakfast!

Egg in a Basket

2010-06-24T19:22:00.000-07:00

Today I had school again from 8 to 12 and then work from 3 to 8

So once I got home from school I just had enough time to make myself a little lunch and relax a bit before work

So for lunch I decided to make myself an egg in a basket

I know this is kind of a common thing with most people and this is something most kids grew up with

But not me

My mom didn't even know what this was when I was making it today and this is only the third time I have ever had it but I love it!

I mean who doesn't like toast and an over easy egg?

Mmm I just love the crispy toast mixed with the gooey yolk of the egg it is just so good and so very simple

Just perfect for breakfast or lunch!

Pizza Rolls

2010-06-23T19:30:00.000-07:00

Tonight I actually got to make dinner for once!

And my mom requested that I make my pizza rolls

These are kind of a hybrid of a recipe I saw on Dinner Drive-ins and Dives mixed with my deluxe pesto pizza that I created

So to make them I start off with one of those Pillsbury roll out pizza doughs

But make sure when you roll it out you don't let it get to thin or else the dough will not hold its shape when rolled and it will just fall apart

I then get started on sauteing my toppings diced bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and finally Italian sausage

When everything is cooked I let it sit and cool while I sauce my dough

I first oil the dough with some extra virgin olive oil then I spread it with a layer of pesto and tomato sauce

I then sprinkle the toppings evenly on the dough and begin to roll

(if you don't use the canned dough make sure you roll your dough in a rectangle because it helps to make more consistent rolls)

So I then rolled my dough into one big log and then I sliced it into 8 separate rolls

I then sprinkled a small sheet pan with corn meal and placed the rolls on the pan

I baked the rolls at 375 for about 20-25 minutes

And in the last few minuted I added cheese to the tops of the rolls and turned on the broiler to melt the cheese and give the rolls a little color

To serve I top the rolls with extra tomato sauce and sprinkle them with a little Italian seasoning

I love to make these because I think it is a really fun little twist on regular pizza and the process is so much like a homemade cinnamon roll its just kind of neat make a sort of savory one

Berries & Cream

2010-06-22T17:44:00.000-07:00

Today I worked the dinner shift at the restaurant so I didn't really have an official dinner I just kind of snacked on things there and so when I got home I just really wanted something sweet!

So I made myself a little dessert

We had some leftover blueberry bread from Bob Evans so I took a piece of that and then I topped it with a little canal of vanilla ice cream

And finally some of our fresh wild berries we picked the other day
So I'm sorry these blogs aren't going to be as consistent as they were before but with my new job I'm not going to be home to make dinner all the time anymore

So I'm going to try and make more meals that I can make ahead and just have my parents heat it up when they want it and I can eat when I get home

So I think it will work I will just have to get better at planning ahead =/

2010-06-21T18:48:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had my Pilates class and my parents didn't want to eat before I left but they also couldn't wait until I got home so we just decided everyone was just on their own for dinner

But when I got home my parents had gone out to dinner without me so it was really just me on my own lol

So I just decided to make myself something out of what we had in the frig

So I scavenged somethings together and made a wrap with eggs, roast beef and some colby jack cheese

I know it doesn't really look that great but it was actually pretty tasty

Cupcakes

2010-06-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

Today I made cupcakes for a photo shoot!

Alright my mom is doing some mad hatter tea party thing for her blog next week and she wanted some cute cupcakes to put set up

So naturally she asked me to make some

So I made chocolate cupcakes with multicolored pastel frosting

I really love cupcakes so I had no problem doing this for her if you can imagine and we even brought them to dinner for fathers day so the rest of the family got to enjoy them

My mom and I added a few garnishes to the cupcakes just to make them even cuter

This one has a few antique buttons that were my grandmas

This one was my favorite just because its my favorite color and the orange flower was so CUTE!

Cooper really wanted one of the cupcakes but I couldn't give him one so I just gave him a little frosting on one of his treats
He loved it!

Chicken & Asparagus Crepes

2010-06-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

So today I had my first early morning of work so I decided on my way to work I would make a stop at the local donut shop and pick myself up a delicious donut for breakfast

Mmm Stan The Donut Man is the BEST!

Alright so for dinner I have been really wanting to try this french bistro dish I saw awhile back and tonight I finally did

I made Chicken and Asparagus Crepes with a Mushroom and Asiago Cream Sauce

I decided I wanted to try my hand at french cuisine

And I think I did pretty good

I started by making a simple crepe batter because that has to rest in the frig for at least 1 hour before use

To make it you simply add

2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted

to a blender or food processor

and blend for a few second until smooth

then cover and refrigerate

After that I got started grilling my chicken that I seasoned simply with salt, pepper and garlic powder

At this time I also got some water boiling to blanch the asparagus

I also began heating 1 cup of cream with a few cloves of minced garlic

Once the chicken finished cooking I set it aside and began sauteing 8 0z of sliced button mushrooms with 1 chopped onion

I deglazed the pan with white wine then let it reduce for a few minutes and then set that aside while I made my crepes

8 crepes later I began to make my sauce and assemble the crepes

To start I made a roux with butter and flower then added my hot cream and allowed it to come to a boil and thicken

I then added a good handful of asiago cheese and the mushroom and onion mixture

I allowed the sauce to cook and let the flavors come together while I quickly rolled my crepes with the chicken and blanched asparagus

And finally I plated the crepes and added a generous amount of sauce to finish

My parent both really liked it and I think my first french inspired meal was a success

But then again french food is never bad considering all the butter and cream it consists of

Quesadilla Burgers

2010-06-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

So tonight for dinner I decided to make my quesadillas burgers

I have made these many time and like always I seasoned the burgers with taco seasoning salt and pepper

then once cooked I layered them in my tortilla with salsa, sour cream, lettuce, and finally cheese

I then folded up the tortilla and sealed it on the flat top

To go with the burgers I also made a quick grilled corn and black bean salad

To make that I simply sauteed my corn with a bit of butter salt and pepper

Once the corn had some color on it I then tossed it in a bowl with the black beans and some cumin and chili powder as well as some fresh diced tomatoes and a small can of green chillies

I like to chill the salad before serving but it is also good warm

Finally I like to serve it with some extra salsa and sour cream

I love this recipe because it is just such a simple way to put a twist on a classic burger

Berry Cobbler

2010-06-17T17:57:00.000-07:00

So a few days ago my mom and I picked a bunch of wild berries that grow out in the woods by our house

Normally we just buy some of those shortcakes or angle food cake to eat with them but this year I decided to try a cobbler!

So I made a very simple cobbler that was really a combination of recipes to make it my own

So I decided to do a quick step by step for you

It was really simple and I encourage you to try it even if you don't have fresh berries this works just fine with frozen

To start simply measure out about 6 cups of berries

Then add to that 1/4 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch

If your berries are tart add more sugar and if they are juicy add a bit more cornstarch

Since my dad is diabetic I used splenda in place of sugar....Shh he doesn't know ;]

Now for the topping

I know there is a lot of dispute over which topping to make for a cobbler but my dad really likes the biscuit kind of topping so I decided to make it that way

The recipe I used for the biscuit topping is a recipe I got from one of my first 4-H projects about 7 years ago

I actually did a bake off with this recipe

They are called Jamaican buns and I just tweaked the recipe a bit to make it a better cobbler topping

So first off start with

1 3/4 cups of four

1/4 cup of sugar/splenda

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking powder

Sift and thoroughly mix

Next cut in 1 stick of COLD butter until it looks like this

The little bits of butter make the biscuits fluffy and flaky

Finally add 1 beaten egg and 1/3 cup of milk
These should also be cold

Also I add about 2 tbs of lemon juice to this mixture

I think it pairs very well with the berries and just wakes up the flavors a little bit

Lemon zest would also add a really nice flavor but I didn't have a fresh lemon to zest =[

Mix together just until moist

I wouldn't recommend a mixer for this

Just a spoon or a fork

You want to keep those bits of butter intact

Move the berries into a greased 8in pan and finally with an ice cream scoop drop 9 scoops of the dough onto the top of the berries

Before putting it in the oven I like to brush the tops with some cream and sprinkle with some sugar

This cobbler bakes at 375 for about 35 - 40 minutes

Just until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown and the center is bubbling

The finished product!

It is really just a simple rustic kind of cobbler but it really is delicious

And since I used splenda and its fruit its almost good for you lol

And of course the best and only way to really enjoy this is hot out of the oven with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Mariachi Chicken

2010-06-16T20:21:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had a pilates class that kind of went late and my dad was really hungry when I got home so instead of waiting for me to make dinner he decided we should just go out to eat

So we went to Los Mariachis

I got the mariachi chicken which consisted of chicken, mushrooms, onions, spinach, and CHEESE!

It also came with a side of rice and some delicious pico de gallo

I have never had this before but it was really good and I think I'm going to have to get this more often

Sweet Italian Sausage & Peppers

2010-06-15T18:09:00.000-07:00

Tonight for dinner I made sweet Italian sausage sandwiches with peppers and onion and on the side some grilled green beans

I began by boiling my sausages and sauteing my peppers and onions

Once the sausages were cooked through I removed them from the water and set them aside to put on the grill toward the end

As the peppers and onions continued to cook I quickly blanched my green beans then put them in an ice bath

I finished the peppers and onions off with some fresh garlic and a splash of balsamic vinegar

I then finished both the green beans and sausages off on the grill

To serve I first put my bun in the microwave for a few seconds just to get it soft

I then slice my sausage and layer my bun with tomato sauce, peppers and onions, and finally the sausage

I also top mine off with some Romano cheese just for a little extra kick

This is one of my favorite meals its always good

I don't think there is a way to make this bad?

Pork Stir Fry

2010-06-14T15:54:00.000-07:00

So tonight for dinner I made pork stir fry

I started off by marinating the sliced pork loin in a mixture of hoisin sauce, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and some honey

I let it rest for about an hour then I heated up a pan on high and quickly cooked the pork

I then removed the pork and started cooking my prepackaged veggie stir fry

At this point I also got my soba noodles into my boiling water

I then added some soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, pineapple chunks and pineapple juice to the pan

One the sauce was reduced and the veggies were cooked I added the pork back in and cut the heat

Finally when the noodles were cooked I put them in a bowl and added some hoisin and sesame oil

I served the stir fry on top the noodles and it was just as good as any take out

and I'm sure it was much healthier

2010-06-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

So today was a little busy

I had to go into my new job today to fill out my W2's before we open on Tuesday

Then after that my family and I headed off to a grad party and had a lot of good food there

Finally when we got home I had a few other things to do and then it was time for dinner

We still hadn't gone grocery shopping so I had no idea what I could cook so my dad just decided to pick up some chicken from the grocery store

So as you can see we had a simple dinner of fried chicken potato salad and a nice side salad

And yes while we were picking up the chicken we did pick up a few groceries so I will be making some better dinners soon

But I have to let you know I just got a job at this new restaurant downtown and I'm going to be working in the kitchen!

I'm really excited because the chef Drew is really awesome and he is excited to help me out and get me some good experience in the kitchen

I'm so excited because this is exactly the kind of job I have been looking for and it really just fell into my lap

I can't wait to get started and since I will probably be eating there a lot you will probably see a good portion of the menu

So you all should come out and visit I think this place is really going to be good

Banana Nut Bread

2010-06-12T20:50:00.000-07:00

So today was pretty much and icky sticky rainy day and after taking the ACT at 8 a.m. I really didn't feel like doing much

But later this afternoon I decided to make some banana nut bread

See we bought a few to many bananas awhile back and we couldn't eat them fast enough so I just left 3 of them and let them ripen until basically black

That's when they are best to make banana bread

Alright so the recipe I use is one I found in a family cook book and the best thing about it is that it's super simple and DELICIOUS

To start out cream together 1 stick of butter with 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy

Then one at a time add your 2 eggs

make sure to mix well before adding the second egg

Now add half of the flower to the mixture
1 cup all purpose along with 1 tsp of baking soda and 1 tsp of salt
Mix well

Now take your 3 very ripe bananas and smash them all up in a separate bowl with 1 tsp of vanilla

Add the banana mixture and the remaining 1 cup of flower to the batter and fold it all together

The nuts are optional but if you like you can add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts either pecans or walnuts

Finally pour the mixture into a well greased loaf pan and bake at 350 for 40 minutes

the recipe says between 30-40 minutes but every time I have made this bread I have had to let it bake at least another 10 minutes if not 15

Once you have tested the bread with a toothpick to make sure it is fully cooked

remove it from the oven and allow it to cool 15 minutes or until it pulls away from the pan and you are able to easily turn it out

Now don't wait to long to try it this stuff is AMAZING right out of the oven

What is better than warm bread especially banana bread?

Well it looks like I know what I'm having for breakfast in the morning

YUM

2010-06-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

So our house is pretty much deprived of any food and we really need to go grocery shopping so my dad decided to give me the night off and so we just went out for dinner

We decided to go to this little restaurant in Jamestown called the Phoenix Restaurant

where every Friday they have all you can eat fish

needless to say we all got the fish

To go with mine I decided to get the broccoli salad and mac & cheese

Oh I just love broccoli salad!

I had it for the first time last spring and now I just can't get enough

Well the fish was great like always and we all ate to much

But when they say all you can eat who can resist?
Well after dinner my dad drove us all around Jamestown showing us the places of his childhood and the places where my great grandparents and grandma use to live and play with my aunts

I really enjoyed seeing all those places and just spending time with my parents

It was a really nice evening

Pot Roast

2010-06-10T21:57:00.000-07:00

Today I started my day off early by getting my roast all prep and ready to stew in the crock pot until dinner

To do this I simply seasoned my roast liberally with salt and pepper

Then in a large pan over very high heat I seared the roast on both sides for about 5 minutes or until it was nice and brown and had developed a nice crust

I then set the roast in the crock pot while I deglazed the pan with about 1 cup of red wine and I prepared my vegetables

After deglazing my pan I poured that over the roast and I began chopping the veggies

I chopped 2 small onion into large chunks

3 carrots

3 stalks of celery

and

2 potatoes

I then added all that to the crock pot along with 3 cloves of garlic 2 bay leaves a few cups of chicken broth and just enough water to cover the roast

I allowed the roast to cook on high for 6 hours then I turned off the crock pot and let everyone have at it when they wanted

You see today was a busy day and we all had different schedules so this seemed like the best way to get everyone fed

So that's it just simple pot roast not to exciting but very tasty

2010-06-09T20:41:00.000-07:00

So as you know I am now on summer break so you will be seeing a lot more of these lunch updates since now I am home to make lunch

Today for lunch I figured since I had a leftover mushroom from dinner last night I would make a salad and add it in

I made a simple romaine salad with Italian dressing and then I just sliced up the portobello and added it in

It was a really good lunch and very tasty to bad I don't have another for tomorrow

Alright and for dinner I had to come up with something quick with whatever we had here at home

which I'm telling you isn't a lot

So I just decided to make up a quick marinara sauce which I added some frozen meatballs to and fettuccine

It was a really quick thing but it was pretty good and even though I used frozen meatballs that doesn't mean it was bad or a cop out

It was simply a time saver

Portobello Sandwiches

2010-06-08T18:39:00.000-07:00

So tonight I made Portobello sandwiches with mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus

To make the sandwiches I simply seasoned the mushrooms with olive oil salt and pepper then I grilled them until tender

to go on the sandwich I also roasted a red bell pepper

To roast the pepper I just set it on my stove top burner and charred it until it was completely black

I then placed it in a bowl and covered it with plastic wrap to let it steam

when I was finished with everything else I took the pepper out and wiped off the charred skin

I then sliced it and removed the seeds

To make the sandwiches I layered the portobello with provolone cheese, the roasted red pepper, lettuce and tomato

I had mine with Dijon mustard but you could certainly make some sort of herbed mayonnaise I'm sure that would be great

Turkey Burgers

2010-06-07T20:20:00.000-07:00

Alright so for dinner tonight I made turkey burgers with baked potato chips and corn on the cob

The turkey burgers I made tonight were actually a meatloaf recipe but I figured...

what is a burger but a small meatloaf?

So any way I made the turkey burgers by combining

1/4 cup of chicken broth

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs Worcestershire sauce

1 tbs hoisin sauce

3/4 cup of panko

and of course some salt and pepper

I then sauteed and onion with 8oz of chopped mushroom and 3 cloves of garlic

Finally I combined both the mixtures with 1 lb of ground turkey and divided it into 5 equal burgers

Trust me these burgers were huge!

you could probably make up to 6 burgers with this recipe

I also made a simple sauce for the burgers of

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 tsp ground mustard

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tbs brown sugar

And I assembled the burgers on these delicious onion buns that I found at the grocery today

So as you can see I baked up some potato chips and I also cooked some corn on the cob

It was all very good and I think my dad enjoyed the turkey burgers even though he isn't a big fan of turkey

I think though I have proven him wrong on most of the reasons he doesn't like turkey
I think he is finally excepting my healthy cooking style lol

Blackened Chicken Breasts

2010-06-06T20:18:00.000-07:00

Tonight for dinner I made blackened chicken breasts with some grilled vegetable couscous and a simple salsa type sauce

For the chicken I made a simple rub of chili powder, cumin, and some garlic powder

I patted the rub onto the chicken breasts then I cooked them in a nonstick pan on pretty high heat to sear both sides and give them that blackened color

I then covered the pan lowered the heat to let the chicken cook through

While I did that I got some diced bell peppers and onions cooking in another pan

once they were cooked I added some of the rub that I used for the chicken as well as some corn

I then allowed that to cool while I started the couscous

couscous is very simple all you need to do it bring the water or chicken stock to a boil then pour it on to the couscous, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes

When the chicken was done I pulled it out of the pan and let it rest while I finished the couscous

All I did to finish the couscous was fluff it with a fork and then added the veggies

I also deglazed my pan with some salsa to make a quick sauce

And there you have it blackened chicken breast with some grilled veggie couscous

Chicken BLT Wrap

2010-06-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had planned to cook dinner but as I was just about to get started my dad just said he wanted to go out because there wasn't anything good in the house to cook

So after much debate over where to go out to eat I finally suggested that we go to Peach's Grill in yellow springs

I wanted to go there because the other day I put in a job application there and they sounded very optimistic about giving me a job in the kitchen!

so I figured I should at least be acquainted with the food they make lol

So for dinner I got the Chicken BLT Wrap with a side salad

It was really good and huge so I could only eat half of it, and that means leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

Well I guess that's all not to special but it was good I'm really hoping that this job comes through for me

Extraordinary Burgers

2010-06-04T20:08:00.000-07:00

Today was a really busy day for me, it started around 8 a.m. when my mom and I went to Yellow Springs to help out with the flower power (ladies have been making felt flowers for weeks now and they are now starting to sew them to polls and trees all over the town, its really neat)

Well anyway we helped out with that for a while then around 11 we got our coffees from brother bears and headed out to Dayton

I had to take this accuplacer test today so I would be eligible to do PSEO next year at Sinclair

So we got done with that around 12:30 then we headed to Beavercreek

btw I passed my test so it looks like PSEO is a GO!

So we did a little shopping in Beavercreek then we had to go to Bellbrook for another chiropractic visit.

Finally we went to the Greene to do just a little bit more summer clothes shopping

So after all of that, instead of have to go home and cook dinner my mom and I just had my dad meet us at the Greene so we could get some dinner there

We decided to go to the new burger place called Extraordinary Burgers (EO Burgers)

And we finally get to the food part

So my dad got their "Classic" Bacon Burger
I'm not sure how it can be a classic yet since it has only been around for a few months?

My mom got the Veggie Burger or Potobello Burger
Which in this picture looks like a big pile of onions and peppers
I promise though there was a big portobello mushroom under there...somewhere

And finally I got the Gobble Burger
It was as you can probably guess a turkey burger
And it was REALLY good!
It was really tender and juicy (which is a big concern with turkey, but I thought it was great) and it had this cranberry mayonnaise that just put it over the top
We also got some onion rings and fries as you can see, and those were really awesome as well
I decided that the onion rings had to have some corn meal in the batter because they had an awesome crispy texture that we all really liked
They also have some really great sauces and of course I had to try them all and I don't think I could pick my favorite because they were all so good
Well I think I have talked this place up enough to make you want to go try it, maybe
And I would totally encourage you to
I really enjoyed it and and I think my parents really did too
I have been inspired, there will be more burgers to come very soon!

Porterhouse Stakes

2010-06-03T20:19:00.000-07:00

So like I said today my dad grilled some stakes for dinner

but these were not just regular old stakes these stakes were HUGE!

I mean this one was the smallest of the three so I think you can imagine

Alright so these stakes were porterhouse stakes so that means it basically a T-bone with the fillet still attached

I think my dad has a thing for these stakes because every time he sees them in the store its like he has to buy them, also i think his eyes are WAY bigger than his stomach or at least ours because he always gets 3 huge stakes and then me and my mom always end up sharing because it is to much

Not that I'm complaining

So to go with the stakes my dad also sliced up some squash, zucchini, peppers, onions, and potatoes and he put them all in a big foil pouch and he cooked it on the grill with the stakes

this is something he use to always do in the summer and it just makes me so excited because summer is finally here and I am done with school!

well I guess I do have one more year...

but we won't think about that for at least another 3 months

2010-06-02T16:36:00.000-07:00

So tonight was just a leftovers night because frankly we really needed to clean out the frig and my mom wasn't going to be home for dinner

So I decided to have my moms leftover general tso

From Flying Tiger

the best Chinese restaurant around!

So that's about it for dinner tomorrow my dad is grilling some stakes so I'm pretty excited about that, ill probably cook up some veggies or something with potatoes

It should be good, a perfect dinner for my last day of school!

Alright so this is like the best dessert ever!
I recently discovered these Jell-O mousse temptations and I love them
I always get the dark chocolate because its the perfect amount of richness and its just enough so you don't feel bad about it but you are left satisfied
Oh and I like to have mine with some nice ripe strawberries
because who doesn't like a nice chocolate covered strawberry

2010-06-01T16:01:00.000-07:00

Tonight I made dinner for my parents best friends/cousins

They have heard a lot about my cooking and they have been wanting me to cook for them for awhile and we finally got our schedules worked out to do it

So tonight I decided to make them pasta

Sandy wanted me to make my cream sauce with the chicken and broccoli because she doesn't like red sauce, but Randy wanted me to spice it up for him so i just decided to make him some of my marinara sauce because its always too spicy for my mom but my dad loves it and he and randy have very similar tastes so I figured he would like it

And I guess I was right about them liking it because while we were on our way home from the chiropractor we got a call to come back to their house because they wanted to give me a tip

Randy loved the marinara and sandy even liked it too

And they both loved the Alfredo

And of course the garlic bread

I did however forget to make them their bread pudding so I guess ill just have to make it sometime soon because I would really like some too!

2010-05-31T17:49:00.000-07:00

Alright so here is my make up post for my misses day

see I didn't forget I just couldn't get to a computer

Alright so before we left for the boat we stopped at good old T Hos to get some breakfast!

I got one of their new whole wheat blueberry muffins and of course an ICE CAPP haha alright not exactly breakfast drink but hey I got it for free...you would take it too

Alright so as you know today is Memorial Day and what would Memorial Day be without a picnic with the family?

Today we had an awesome family picnic well indoor picnic because it was threatening to rain but it was still a picnic

We had some really great food and everyone pitched in...

We had chicken, salmon, and steak

Some awesome salads and some really great desserts

Apple Pie and delicious berries

Cherry Cobbler and a big Cookie Bar thing!
It was all so good and of course we brought some home

I love family picnics!

So tomorrow I am making dinner for my parents friend and I'm pretty excited about it because they have been wanting me to cook for them for awhile so I hope they really like it

Pizza

2010-05-30T21:23:00.000-07:00

So this weekend I have been at the Ohio River with two of my best friends and I am aware that I missed a day but I didn't have Internet access anywhere so I will make that up tomorrow

Well we all had a really great time on the boat yesterday and today until today when I pulled my back out while trying to wake bored and then my friend got a speeding ticket while on our way home

So any way today I got home around 5:30 and considering my back feels like its broken in half and I'm pretty much burnt to a crisp I wasn't really feeling like cooking

So we decided to order Pizza!

Papa Johns Pizza to be exact its me and my moms favorite

I just love their garlic sauce stuff

I feel like it is totally unfair that they only give you one next time I will complain

maybe I will get a free on!

2010-05-28T15:10:00.000-07:00

And let the graduation parties begin!

Chicken Oriental Salad

2010-05-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

So today has been really really hot and we all weren't feeling like having anything heavy for dinner so I decided to make chicken oriental salad

It's a really simple family recipe that we really like to make in summer

I have had this one here before and I think the recipe is on there too

if you want to check it out here

http://theunseasonedchef.blogspot.com/2010/04/oriental-chicken-salad.html

well that's about it for today

Ill be gone this weekend so I probably won't have to many good posts but just wait I only have 1 more week of school!

and then Ill be cooking a lot more

Also I think I will visit my sister in Chicago this summer and I plan to try a lot of good food there including my first CHICAGO DOG!

exciting

Gad Party

2010-05-26T19:02:00.000-07:00

So like I promised yesterday here is the massive step by step amazing desserts post lol

So as you can see I made a chocolate cake, 2 kinds of mini cheesecakes as well as 2 kinds of truffles!

So I'm not going to get into the cake because I have a step by step for that one that I did awhile ago here

http://theunseasonedchef.blogspot.com/2010/02/big-dinner.html

here is the recipe as well

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/dark-chocolate-cake-with-ganache-frosting?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/chocolate-cake-recipes#slide_1

I warn you it is VERY RICH you will need milk

Alright so here we go this is how I make the mini cheesecakes
these are all the ingredients you will need except for the Oreos and or nilla wafers for the crusts

but I'm getting ahead of myself lets begin with the base

Simply beat together the 2 packets of cream cheese along with the 1/2 cup of sugar

then add your 2 eggs one at a time until smooth

lastly add your 1 tsp of vanilla and mix well

This is the base for the plain cheesecakes so at this point you would stop and scoop this batter into the prepared muffin cups I will show you shortly

But if you want cookies & cream cheese cake you just have to add a few crushed up ores to the batter then scoop that into the prepared muffin cups

Alright so these are the cups I was talking about simply some cupcake liners with either a nilla wafer in the bottom for the plain ones or an Oreo for the cookie & cream ones

Just fill them up 3/4 of the way then bake them at 350 for 20 minutes

Once they have cooled a bit you will want to put them in the frig for about 3-5 hours so that they set you could also put them in the freezer to cut back on time or to make them last longer

So to finish off the plain cheesecakes because you know I can't leave things alone I topped them all with some canned cherry pie filling so make them cherry cheesecakes!

Alright well that's about it for my desserts I had a lot of fun doing it and I'm hoping this summer I will get a bit more business from this because Ill be a lot less busy and it would be nice to cater some more parties!

Pork Chops & Veggie Kabobs

2010-05-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

Tonight for dinner I made pork chops and veggie kabobs

My mom and I had gone to the grocery and while we were there we saw these pre cut veggies for kabobs so we decided to get those along with some thick cut pork chops

This was a very quick simple meal because well I have been cooking for about 6 hours today making all the desserts for a graduation party that is tomorrow

So while I had a break between baking I started on dinner

I seasoned the pork chops very simply with salt, pepper, and a little bit of granulated garlic

I then skewered the kabobs and got them on the flat top on really high heat

Once I flipped the kabobs I then started the pork chops on the flat top and everything was done about the same time

My mom and dad really liked the pork chops and my mom made sure to let me know that i cooked them just the way she likes them

because she really hates tough pork chops lol

So I have decided that I will just post all the desserts tomorrow because I am just so tired and ready for bed

but be prepared there will be a lot tomorrow

Pesto Chicken with Peppers & Onions

2010-05-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

Tonight I got home kind of late and my parents were really hungry so I had to try and throw something together quick

So I started by sauteing some red onion with some butter and olive oil

I then added 1/2 cup of bulgur along with 1 cup of water and I let that cook while I got started on cooking my onions and peppers

Then I made a quick marinade for the chicken breasts of pesto, garlic, olive oil, and a little bit of balsamic vinegar

When The peppers an onions were almost done I added the chicken to the pan and layered the onions and peppers on top

After flipping the chicken I then covered the pan and let the chicken finish cooking

When It was all done I removed the chicken and added a bit of balsamic to the onions and peppers as well as the bulgur

I made this meal totally on the fly not knowing what the end result was going to be but I think it turned out really well

2010-05-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

Today I did a test for my desserts that I have to make for a graduation party on Wednesday

I will be making the famous chocolate cake that I feel like I could probably do with my eyes closed by now lol and I decided to make some mini cheesecakes

They turned out really good but I'm glad I did a test because I think they could be improved a little

Well since this was just a test I won't get way into it because on Tuesday I will probably do a step by step with these with the recipe and everything so don't worry lol

Alright so today was one of my dads best friends 50th birthday so we all took him out to dinner at Young's Golden Inn

I haven't been there in a long time but I was looking forward to going for this reason

THE SWEET POTATO BREAD!

It is amazing and the Cinnamon butter that comes with it...uh to die for

I could probably eat the whole loaf and which is terrible because it is just the appetizer when it should be dessert

Alright so you can see why I was excited for the bread because honestly their food is not amazing unless you get the chicken and dumplings or the buttermilk chicken
but I just wasn't really feeling that tonight so I tried something new
I got the honey bbq chicken with onion rings
It was pretty good and I really liked the onion rings
And now I feel like I will explode because I ate way to much
I'm thinking a nice lite dinner for tomorrow night sounds good to me

Seafood Gumbo

2010-05-22T20:53:00.000-07:00

Today my friend and I had a graduation party to go to so we decided that we should just go together and while we were out we should go to the festival that is going on at St Brigid, a local catholic church that has a annual festival right before summer

So we went to the festival first just to check it out because I have never been

Its pretty small and we didn't really feel like getting killed on the jank carny rides so we left kind of early and headed to the grad party

There was some really good food there stuff like mac and cheese, pulled pork, hot dogs and all the other good picnic foods

I ate a little there because I decided I wanted to go back to the festival and try some of their food later

The festivals food is all set up in different countries and regions and everything looked so good

I'm really not sure why I have never been to this thing?

I decided to go to the Cajun booth and get the seafood gumbo

It was really good, a lot better than I expected and the price was really reasonable

Well I'm not sure how late it's open tomorrow but I would really like to go back with my family and try more things

So you may be seeing more of this kind of stuff tomorrow

Fish Tacos

2010-05-21T20:29:00.000-07:00

Today my family and I had to take my sister to Cincinnati so she could catch her bus back to Chicago for school

So my dad wanted to take us all out to eat before she left

When we got to Cincinnati we weren't sure where to go eat because we all had different ideas, so my dad suggested Don Pablo's

We all decided that sounded really good because we haven't been there in a really long time so that's where we went

I got the grilled fish tacos because I have really been wanting to try fish tacos and I just figured they would be pretty good there

And they really were!

they came with this cilantro vinaigrette sauce that was REALLY good and the tacos were both so big that I could only eat one, that might have had to do with all the chips and salsa I had before my dinner not to mention the queso fire bean dip appetizer

That stuff was so good!

well any way my meal came with beans and rice but I decided to substitute the rice for some of their delicious corn spoon bread, I love that stuff

So all together everything was amazing and we all decided that we need to visit Don Pablo's more often

Oh and what would a day be without some COFFEE!

Yeah my sisters bus stop is right across the street from a Starbucks and it never fails we always have to visit and sample some of their beverages and delicious confections!

2010-05-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

So like I said yesterday, today was my great aunts funeral so we were pretty much busy with that all day and around 3 the family all went to the legacy center for lunch

The food was catered by a local company and the food was all really good

I basically tried everything minus some weird orange looking salad that I was just a little ify about haha

So any way I really love all these kinds of picnicy foods they are just so yummy and homey and they just remind me of summer and I love summer!

I have a feeling that this summer I will be trying a lot of these different salad recipes

I'm excited!

2010-05-19T20:15:00.000-07:00

Alright so I'm really sorry but I'm going to have a lame post tonight because well I just really haven't felt good today and I completely forgot to take a picture of my dinner tonight because we were at a family thing and it just slipped my mind completely

But I'm sure you don't really care about all the random homey food we have at these family things and I'm sorry to say you will see it again tomorrow

See my grate aunts funeral is tomorrow so that is why we have had so many family dinners in the last week or so

Well any way today is totally bogus and tomorrow probably won't be much better but I promise I will get back to it SOON!

Breakfast

2010-05-18T17:55:00.001-07:00

Tonight I made breakfast for dinner as requested by my mom

As you can see I made pancakes bacon and eggs

I really love making big breakfasts like this but I never feel like having it for breakfast because it just makes me feel really lazy and sluggish all day so when we are in the mood for a big breakfast like this we just make it for dinner lol

Don't tell me you have never done this?

Ok so yesterday I bought these Luna protein bars because I have really been wanting to try them and a lot of people say they are really good

So today at school I brought the Cookie Dough one to have with my lunch and it was REALLY good. I wasn't expecting it to be covered in chocolate and basically like a candy bar but it was!

Its kind of like a healthier candy bar alternative

it has about the same amount of calories about 180 but its full of 12 grams of protein and some fiber and lots of good vitamins and minerals that are good for women so its basically the perfect snack for women, especially for PMS =]

Shrimp & Orzo Pitta Pockets

2010-05-17T14:52:00.000-07:00

For dinner tonight I had to find something quick and easy to make so my mom could eat before she went to one of her book club things.

So I had seen this commercial for Filippo Berio olive oil were they had made garlic shrimp with orzo and I thought it looked really good so while I was are the grocery today I saw some pitta pockets and I thought it would be fun to put the shrimp and orzo in them along with some kind of side.

So to make the pittas I started my heating some olive oil in a pan on high and I grated in 3 huge cloves of garlic then I added the shrimp and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Once the shrimp were cooked I got started on the orzo.

To make the orzo I brought 3 cups of chicken broth to a boil and I added 1/2 cup of orzo to it

The orzo took about 20 minutes to cook and once it absorbed all the liquid I seasoned the orzo with salt pepper garlic and Italian seasoning.

I added the shrimp to the orzo and then filled the pockets with the shrimp orzo mixture and some spinach for a little texture.

To make the broccoli I started by blanching them until they turned bright green then I added them to the same pan I cooked the shrimp in so that they could absorb some of the garlic flavor left in the pan.

I seasoned them with some salt and pepper and just cooked them until they had a little color and they were crisp/tender.

So like the Mexican soup with the shrimp that I made a while back my mom got a bit of a attitude with me for making shrimp

but just like last time after tasting everything together she really liked it

I also think these pitta would be really good with some avocado or some chopped tomatoes but we don't usually keep those at our house because my parents aren't big fans

maybe I will just have to try and wean them on to those too

2010-05-16T16:33:00.000-07:00

Today my mom and I ran some errands in Beavercreek

So while we were at sam's club I decided to get a soft pretzel

and if you don't know or haven't had one before you are missing out on one of THE BEST soft pretzel ever!

They are so doughy and buttery and amazing and to make it even better you can get it with cinnamon and sugar!

Sorry you probably think I'm a freak because I'm so adamant about this pretzel but I love it

So for dinner I made another one of my pasta concoctions that I just kind of made up on a whim

To start I cut up 3 chicken breasts into bight sized pieces and I began to cook those in a large pan to get some good color on them.

Once they were browned I removed them from the pan and began cooking one chopped onion and some garlic. Once the onions were cooked down I added about a cup of white wine to the pan to deglaze.

I then added the chicken pieces back to the pan and at that point I got my pasta cooking

Once the chicken was cooked through and the pasta only had about 5 minutes left I chopped about 1/2 lb of asparagus and I added it the the pasta water to blanch

When the pasta was done I drained it and the asparagus and added it to my chicken and wine mixture.

I then added about 2 heaping cups of baby spinach leaves and let it wilt with the heat from the pasta

To finish the sauce I added about 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of parm

and finally some extra virgin olive oil

So that's about it sorry its not really and official recipe but I don't do well with recipes or instruction I just like to do my own thing and I rarely do the exact same thing twice lol

2010-05-15T19:13:00.000-07:00

Tonight my family got together for dinner

and my aunt put me in charge of making a salad

So what I decided to do was make a simple romaine salad with some tomatoes and red onion then I made two different dressings for everyone to choose from

the first dressing I made is a orange balsamic vinaigrette

Here is the recipe:

1 tablespoon orange marmalade
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 small sprig rosemary, stripped and finely chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the marmalade, red pepper flakes, balsamic vinegar and fresh or dried rosemary using a fork or small whisk. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil into the dressing until combined. Season the dressing with salt, to taste.

Alright so the second dressing was a roasted garlic vinaigrette

and here is the recipe for that one

8 cloves garlic, roasted and peeled
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Combine the garlic, vinegar, mustard, honey, lime juice and salt and pepper, to taste, in a blender and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil until emulsified.

Both of the dressing were really easy and very delicious and they make enough for multiple salads so I would encourage you to try them or any home made vinaigrette for that matter

Sometimes I just think its nice to know exactly what you are eating

I think that's why I'm such a freak about making things from scratch

Cookie Birthday Card

2010-05-14T19:26:00.000-07:00

So today was a pretty busy day so my dinner was this lovely Arby's roast beef sandwich

The funny thing is that I have kind of been craving one of these and I was really excited when my dad showed up with this lol

It was delicious

I'm just sad I didn't get any curly fries or a Jamocha shake

So last night I made this awesome COOKIE birthday card for my friend

It is simply cookie dough rolled out in a pan into a sheet and cut into 4x5 card

the colors are egg washes colored with food coloring

the egg wash was a little rubbery but it was still really cool looking

I feel like it turned out pretty good and this may become my birthday specialty lol

Chicken Tenders

2010-05-13T18:23:00.000-07:00

Tonight for dinner I made baked chicken tenders

I also made baked french fries and BRUSSEL SPROUT! lol

The chicken tenders are breaded with believe it or not corn flakes

to make them I simply crushed up about 2 cups of corn flakes and seasoning them with 2 teaspoons of oregano and some salt and pepper

I them beat an egg with some milk and seasoned with salt and pepper

I dredged the chicken tenders in the egg wash then coated them with the corn flakes and laid them on a baking sheet with a wire rack

I cooked them at 400 for about 15 minutes

and I made some honey Dijon dipping sauce to go with them

They were really yummy and just as good as any fried chicken fingers

I made the fries by cutting them on my mandolin then soaking them in water to draw out some of the starch. I then tossed them with olive oil salt and pepper and baked them at 450 for about 30 minutes. Then when they came out I tossed them with a bit more salt and some granulated garlic!

And finally for the brussel sprouts I simply cooked down some bacon and an onion then tosses in my thawed pre frozen brussel spouts and browned them with the bacon and onion.

To finish I melted in a tab of butter and they were actually really good

I converted my mother...again

I also made an awesome cookie birthday card but I will put that on here tomorrow because its a surprise!

Vegetable Beef Soup

2010-05-12T17:41:00.000-07:00

Tonight my parents and I went to Perkins for dinner

After school I had gone with a few friends to this Mexican restaurant called Los Mariachis

and I really wasn't to hungry so I just decided to get some vegetable soup...

Probably should have just got a salad

Well first off I thought it was just vegetable soup and second I decided to get a bowl because normally a cup is just nothing and basically a ripoff

Well then this came out and it was huge and had a bunch of beef in it

Don't get me wrong it was really good it was just to much and not the lite bowl of soup I thought I was going to get

Well needless to say I really don't feel to good ate this point

and now I know why I used to never like Los Mariachis!