I grew up not really enjoying pork chops, since they were always dry. Matt doesn't really like them, either. But guess what?! After tonight I got, and I quote, "I don't really like pork chops, but I REALLY like yours." Yay! I love getting compliments about my food. :)
These pork chops take minimal work. Seriously, it would be hard to mess these up. And they're super flavorful and very moist. Dry pork is the WORST, but these are far from that :) I made a pan gravy while the pork rested. Served with a veggie and roasted potatoes, these make a fabulous well rounded meal. Yummy yummy!
For the pork chops:
Two bone-in pork chops (please, use bone in. That's key to juicy, yummy pork. Boneless will dry out like you won't believe)
Salt
Pepper
Herbs de Provence (Or you can use whatever seasonings you want, but Herbs de Provence tastes really good with dijon mustard)
Butter (I know, I know. Sorry).
1. Melt some butter in the bottom of a pan over medium heat. You need enough to cover the whole bottom
2. Season both sides of the pork with salt, pepper, and the seasonings
3. Place the pork in the pan. Cook for 7 minutes. Flip, add more butter if needed, and continue to cook for 7 more minutes
4. Remove from pan and rest
For the pan gravy:
Flour
Dijon mustard
Milk
Salt
Butter, if needed
1. Turn the pan down to low. Using the drippings (mainly butter) from the pan, sprinkle some flour in the pan and whisk with the drippings. You only need enough flour to make a one-to-one ratio. You can do less, but definitely do not do more than one-to-one with the flour, or your gravy will be really thick.
2. Whisk in the milk and the Dijon mustard, along with a sprinkling of salt. Sorry I don't really do measurements, just eyeball it. Your gravy will become thick. If you want it thicker, continue adding milk and Dijon. Also, if you want a thinner gravy, use less flour in step one. You can also add more butter at this time. Heat through.
Serve the gravy with the pork chops. Yummy!
Notes:
If you don't like Dijon mustard, just leave it out. Without the Dijon, you'll make just a regular ol' pan gravy, which is just as delicious :)
You can try making an even thinner/healthier gravy by using chicken stock instead of milk.
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Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Cheesy Ranch Potatoes
I must inform all of you of some yumminess that I created last night as a side dish. Matt LOVED it. I think he even liked it more than the chicken pot pie I made. But alas, I only made enough for one serving each. But I have been warned. Next time, I must make more!
Alright, so what is it that I made?
Follow along:
-Dice up a potato into small bite size pieces. If you want more than 1 serving per person, dice more potatoes.
-Fry up the potatoes in some vegetable oil in a pan until the outside is brown and crispy but the inside is nice and soft. You will to constantly be turning the potatoes to make sure they don't burn. Salt the potatoes while they're frying.
-Once done, empty the potatoes onto a plate covered in paper towels. This way you can drain all the excess oil. If you leave the oil on the potatoes, not only is that extra calories, but the nice crispy outside of the potatoes is going to be mushy.
-Put the potatoes in a bowl. Dump some ranch dressing to taste on the potatoes, then shred some cheddar cheese on top. Mix. Adjust to taste, and viola! Yummy potatoes.
Cook's note: Next time I might try ranch powder instead of the dressing, but it was still good nonetheless! If you do that, don't salt the potatoes. Ranch powder probably already has enough salt in it. But of course, if you need more, you can always add some :)
Happy cooking!
Alright, so what is it that I made?
Follow along:
-Dice up a potato into small bite size pieces. If you want more than 1 serving per person, dice more potatoes.
-Fry up the potatoes in some vegetable oil in a pan until the outside is brown and crispy but the inside is nice and soft. You will to constantly be turning the potatoes to make sure they don't burn. Salt the potatoes while they're frying.
-Once done, empty the potatoes onto a plate covered in paper towels. This way you can drain all the excess oil. If you leave the oil on the potatoes, not only is that extra calories, but the nice crispy outside of the potatoes is going to be mushy.
-Put the potatoes in a bowl. Dump some ranch dressing to taste on the potatoes, then shred some cheddar cheese on top. Mix. Adjust to taste, and viola! Yummy potatoes.
Cook's note: Next time I might try ranch powder instead of the dressing, but it was still good nonetheless! If you do that, don't salt the potatoes. Ranch powder probably already has enough salt in it. But of course, if you need more, you can always add some :)
Happy cooking!
Monday, December 3, 2012
Crostini with Pea Pest Topped with Red Pepper and Bacon
Ah, food. I was feeling bad, since for dinner I was eating leftover homemade mac and cheese, so I decided I needed something "healthy." A few weeks ago, I made Giada's pea pesto. Delicious. A few days ago, I made French toast. Together, there was an opportunity for healthy, so I went with it.
I think I kind of failed on the healthy part. Whatever, it was delicious!
Behold:
So I toasted the French bread in the oven. I made the pea pesto. Then I sauteed some red pepper because I needed to use it up. Then I got another wave of brilliance: BACON! Why? WHY NOT? So in to the skillet it went.
And hence, crostini with pea pesto topped with red pepper and bacon. It definitely became un-healthy, but that doesn't make it any less yummy!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Caprese Quinoa
Matt's gone, so I am cooking for myself, which I hate. I love cooking, but cooking for yourself is really boring. I have lately gotten really into quinoa, which I have discovered is the perfect vessel for one dish meals. Perfect! Fast, easy, and healthy!
I absolutely love Italian food, in pretty much any form. Caprese salad is one of the most well known Italians foods, and even looks like their flag. Caprese salad is slices of mozzarella cheese and tomatoes layered with basil leaves, and then topped with balsalmic vinaigeratte. These exact ingredients happen to be why I love Italian food so much! So why not put it in quinoa? Yes, please!
I'm sure this idea has been done before, so while I won't admit to "inventing" anything, I will say I did not use a recipe :) I love it when that happens!
All you have to do is cook your quinoa. Fluff it, then stir in tomatoes, mozzarella (the real stuff, please! SO much better!), and basil, sprinkle with pepper and salt, and drizzle with olive oil and balsalmic vinegar. Enjoy!
As you can see, Jack really wanted some, too :) Although that was probably mostly for the cheese.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
I've Fallen in Love
With quinoa!
It is SO yummy, and SO good for you! It's also a great side dish to replace rice with, if you're tired of rice, like me. I think it's fluffier than rice, though, and not quite as dense.
It's simple to make up, too. You have to rinse the quinoa first, though, don't forget to do that. According to multiple sources on the internet, it will taste bitter if you don't wash it. What I did, since I don't have a fine mesh strainer, I placed two paper towels in my strainer, then as I was running water over it I squeezed the quinoa through my hands a few times. It apparently worked, since my quinoa did not taste at all bitter.
Here is how I cooked it, and I used my own recipe, although I'm sure this idea has been done before:
Chili Lime Quinoa with Cilantro and Avocado
Using a 2:1 ratio of chicken broth (you can use water, but CB has more flavor) to quinoa, bring both of them up to a boil. (If you are using sodium free CB or water, be sure to salt the water). Then put the lid on, and simmer for 15 minutes. DO NOT LIFT THE LID! Or else it will take about an hour to cook. Once all the liquid is used up, fluff the quinoa.
Add salt, chili powder, and cayenne pepper to taste. Add a splash of lime juice (I used about a half of a lime). Sprinkle with cilantro and topped with avocado.
Enjoy!
It is SO yummy, and SO good for you! It's also a great side dish to replace rice with, if you're tired of rice, like me. I think it's fluffier than rice, though, and not quite as dense.
It's simple to make up, too. You have to rinse the quinoa first, though, don't forget to do that. According to multiple sources on the internet, it will taste bitter if you don't wash it. What I did, since I don't have a fine mesh strainer, I placed two paper towels in my strainer, then as I was running water over it I squeezed the quinoa through my hands a few times. It apparently worked, since my quinoa did not taste at all bitter.
Here is how I cooked it, and I used my own recipe, although I'm sure this idea has been done before:
Chili Lime Quinoa with Cilantro and Avocado
Using a 2:1 ratio of chicken broth (you can use water, but CB has more flavor) to quinoa, bring both of them up to a boil. (If you are using sodium free CB or water, be sure to salt the water). Then put the lid on, and simmer for 15 minutes. DO NOT LIFT THE LID! Or else it will take about an hour to cook. Once all the liquid is used up, fluff the quinoa.
Add salt, chili powder, and cayenne pepper to taste. Add a splash of lime juice (I used about a half of a lime). Sprinkle with cilantro and topped with avocado.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Kitchen Yumminess
I cannot tell you how amazing it is to get cooking again... what with Matt having been absent for two weeks before we moved (cooking for one equals no fun), trying to not acquire more food before the move, eating out for 8 days on the road, and waiting for the kitchen dishes to be put to use and doing a grocery run. But yay for cooking!
Back to business. I left you guys during Giada's cookbook week. I think I shared the salmon and meatloaf recipes I shared? Yes, I believe so. I have made two more of her recipes:
Stuffed Baby Peppers:
I turned these into an entree by using three bell peppers (one was rotten inside so I couldn't use it) instead of the baby peppers. It turned out fabulously! I had never had stuffed peppers, so I thought I would finally try it. And you don't even miss the meat! I think I served it by itself. So good!
White Bean and Chicken Chili
This is a great variation of regular chili. I also believe it's healthier, full of protein from the chicken and white beans, and it uses no milk or butter, so it's not heavy. If you use low sodium stock, you can even control the sodium content. The white beans add the desired creaminess so you think it's full of butter and milk, but it's not. This recipe also uses Swiss chard, which I had never had before but wanted to try, so this was a great way to get introduced to the vegetable without it being served plain. Yummy yummy! And it comes together pretty quick, it's mostly just chopping nonsense.
I have two more Giada recipes planned, but I've either run out of the ingredients, or I couldn't find what I needed at WinCo. I'll probably just end up buying a different lettuce for the penne with treviso and goat cheese. Or maybe I could substitute chard, since I realized I like it. Hmmm...
Anyways, I continued this week with another Pinterest menu (because dude, I keep pinning recipes to that board! I'm rather addicted). Since relocating to California, I have realized that one of my favorite fruits, avocados, are available here all year long (YES!), so I found so yummy looking avocado recipes to try. I heart avocados :)
So far this week, I have made:
Avocado Pasta
This was SO DELICIOUS! Exactly like eating an avocado flavored fettuccine alfredo, but without out all the flour, milk, and butter! So I'm assuming it's healthy. I served it with lemon pepper chicken, chicken breasts just seasoned with salt and lemon pepper and baked in the oven. Next time I'll probably double the amount of avocado in the sauce, I like my pasta to have more sauce (what can I say, I'm American), but it was still so delicious. And easy: boil pasta, put all sauce ingredients in food processor and blend. If you don't have a food processor, no sweat, just mix it up in a bowl, avocado is easy to smash :)
Spicy Roasted Shrimp Sandwich with Chipotle Avocado Mayo
Again, super scrumptious. I would definitely make this recipe using rustic bread, don't use regular old wheat bread, it just won't work. I found the mayo to be a little spicy, but I used about 5 chipotles, so that might have been overkill. Matt, though, had absolutely no problem with it. To make it healthier, substitute all of the mayo for the Greek yogurt. You could probably also try it with sour cream, or cottage cheese. Actually, cottage cheese would be super yummy....
Man Pleasing Chicken
This dish is super easy to make, it's just dijon, maple syrup, and rice wine vinegar poured over chicken and baked! I added more syrup, since the mustardy taste was a little too strong, but that's easy to fix, just taste it as you go! I would recommend using thighs like the recipe does, I used chicken breasts and I thought it came out a little dry.
If you've noticed, my recipes lately have been more healthy than normal. It's SO much easier to healthier here in California. I'm not really sure why, since you can definitely buy all these ingredients in MS, but for some reason it's just easier. It also helps shopping at WinCo, which is WAY cheaper than most grocery stores, even the commissary. I'm also trying to get in better shape, and help control Matt's cholesterol, which he has been told is really high, but there's not much we can do about that since it's genetic. Anyways, if anyone has any other easy, really healthy recipes, please recommend them to me, especially if they involve avocado! I'm usually willing to try most anything! So is Matt.
Happy cooking!
Back to business. I left you guys during Giada's cookbook week. I think I shared the salmon and meatloaf recipes I shared? Yes, I believe so. I have made two more of her recipes:
Stuffed Baby Peppers:
I turned these into an entree by using three bell peppers (one was rotten inside so I couldn't use it) instead of the baby peppers. It turned out fabulously! I had never had stuffed peppers, so I thought I would finally try it. And you don't even miss the meat! I think I served it by itself. So good!
White Bean and Chicken Chili
This is a great variation of regular chili. I also believe it's healthier, full of protein from the chicken and white beans, and it uses no milk or butter, so it's not heavy. If you use low sodium stock, you can even control the sodium content. The white beans add the desired creaminess so you think it's full of butter and milk, but it's not. This recipe also uses Swiss chard, which I had never had before but wanted to try, so this was a great way to get introduced to the vegetable without it being served plain. Yummy yummy! And it comes together pretty quick, it's mostly just chopping nonsense.
I have two more Giada recipes planned, but I've either run out of the ingredients, or I couldn't find what I needed at WinCo. I'll probably just end up buying a different lettuce for the penne with treviso and goat cheese. Or maybe I could substitute chard, since I realized I like it. Hmmm...
Anyways, I continued this week with another Pinterest menu (because dude, I keep pinning recipes to that board! I'm rather addicted). Since relocating to California, I have realized that one of my favorite fruits, avocados, are available here all year long (YES!), so I found so yummy looking avocado recipes to try. I heart avocados :)
So far this week, I have made:
Avocado Pasta
This was SO DELICIOUS! Exactly like eating an avocado flavored fettuccine alfredo, but without out all the flour, milk, and butter! So I'm assuming it's healthy. I served it with lemon pepper chicken, chicken breasts just seasoned with salt and lemon pepper and baked in the oven. Next time I'll probably double the amount of avocado in the sauce, I like my pasta to have more sauce (what can I say, I'm American), but it was still so delicious. And easy: boil pasta, put all sauce ingredients in food processor and blend. If you don't have a food processor, no sweat, just mix it up in a bowl, avocado is easy to smash :)
Spicy Roasted Shrimp Sandwich with Chipotle Avocado Mayo
Again, super scrumptious. I would definitely make this recipe using rustic bread, don't use regular old wheat bread, it just won't work. I found the mayo to be a little spicy, but I used about 5 chipotles, so that might have been overkill. Matt, though, had absolutely no problem with it. To make it healthier, substitute all of the mayo for the Greek yogurt. You could probably also try it with sour cream, or cottage cheese. Actually, cottage cheese would be super yummy....
Man Pleasing Chicken
This dish is super easy to make, it's just dijon, maple syrup, and rice wine vinegar poured over chicken and baked! I added more syrup, since the mustardy taste was a little too strong, but that's easy to fix, just taste it as you go! I would recommend using thighs like the recipe does, I used chicken breasts and I thought it came out a little dry.
If you've noticed, my recipes lately have been more healthy than normal. It's SO much easier to healthier here in California. I'm not really sure why, since you can definitely buy all these ingredients in MS, but for some reason it's just easier. It also helps shopping at WinCo, which is WAY cheaper than most grocery stores, even the commissary. I'm also trying to get in better shape, and help control Matt's cholesterol, which he has been told is really high, but there's not much we can do about that since it's genetic. Anyways, if anyone has any other easy, really healthy recipes, please recommend them to me, especially if they involve avocado! I'm usually willing to try most anything! So is Matt.
Happy cooking!
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Giada Meals- Meatloaf
It's that time again! We're finally settled, so I can resume my cooking desires!
This week all of my recipes came of Giada de Laurentiis' cookbook, Giada at Home, where she mixes classic Itallian recipes and fresh California fare. Last night I decided to make her turkey meatloaf with feta and sundried tomatoes. It was SO GOOD. And super simple. I had to do a little chopping, but nothing hard, just sundried tomatoes, garlic, and some parsley. Mix everything in a bowl, bake, and BAM! Delicious, succulent meatloaf that needs no extra flavoring.
I also made some mashed cauliflower. I have seen it all over pinterest, and since I don't like cauliflower, I figured this would be the only way to make it where I would like it! I must say, it was fairly good! I went without a recipe, and used a blender, so it didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped, but I know exactly how to fix that for next time. Steam one head of cauliflower. Place in a blender AFTER you drain it well. A food processor might work better, but I hate mine, so blender it is! Add whatever you like to your mashed potatoes. I used milk, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Since the garlic is raw, go easy on that! Also only add a little milk and oil at a time, I went a little overboard on accident so it came out watery.
Overall, yummy meal! And healthy, too! Who would have thought meatloaf and "mashed potatoes" would be so good for you?!
Happy eating!
This week all of my recipes came of Giada de Laurentiis' cookbook, Giada at Home, where she mixes classic Itallian recipes and fresh California fare. Last night I decided to make her turkey meatloaf with feta and sundried tomatoes. It was SO GOOD. And super simple. I had to do a little chopping, but nothing hard, just sundried tomatoes, garlic, and some parsley. Mix everything in a bowl, bake, and BAM! Delicious, succulent meatloaf that needs no extra flavoring.
I also made some mashed cauliflower. I have seen it all over pinterest, and since I don't like cauliflower, I figured this would be the only way to make it where I would like it! I must say, it was fairly good! I went without a recipe, and used a blender, so it didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped, but I know exactly how to fix that for next time. Steam one head of cauliflower. Place in a blender AFTER you drain it well. A food processor might work better, but I hate mine, so blender it is! Add whatever you like to your mashed potatoes. I used milk, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Since the garlic is raw, go easy on that! Also only add a little milk and oil at a time, I went a little overboard on accident so it came out watery.
Overall, yummy meal! And healthy, too! Who would have thought meatloaf and "mashed potatoes" would be so good for you?!
Happy eating!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Nana's Cookbook Meals
My first week of exclusive cooking week started with Pinterest meals. This last week I made recipes from the cookbook Nana (my dad's mom) gave me and all my cousins when we got married (or was it when we went off to college? I don't remember).
Let me just say:
NOM NOM NOM! Matt and I loved ALL of them. And what I liked about the recipes is that there were no fancy ingredients, really. I spent no more than 30 minutes on any of the recipes, except maybe the pork chops, because my stove sucks.
For time's sake, and so this post isn't ridiculously long, I'm only going to include the ingredients, so you can get an idea of what's in the dish. If you want the directions, let me know and I can send them to you.
Here's what I made:
Pork Tenderloin with Herb Rub (use either fresh OR dried, not both)
Herb rub: 2 tbsp fresh basil (2 tsp dried)
2 tsp fresh thyme (1 tsp dried)
1 tbsp fresh rosemary (2 tsp dried)
1 tbsp oregano (2 tsp dried)
4 cloves chopped garlic
a shake of garlic powder
1 tbsp of salt
2 or more tbsp of olive oil
Pan Sauce: 2 tbsp of chopped shallots or scallions or garlic
1/2 c dried white cooking wine
3/4 c chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp of corn starch for thickening
sauteed slice mushrooms, optional
Baked Chicken Breasts with Parmesan-Garlic Crust
1 c breadcrumbs
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
3 minced garlic cloves
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1/4 c minced fresh basil
1/4 c mayonnaise (feel free to use sour cream or Greek yogurt)
Lemon wedges for serving
Chicken Breasts Veronique
4 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and split (8 pieces)
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp orange marmalade
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 c dry white wine
1/2 c whipping cream
salt to taste
Halibut with Garlic Mayonnaise-Parmesan Topping
Topping: 2 tbsp light mayonnaise (or full on fat, whatever floats your boat or what you have :)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 small garlic clove
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Halibut: 2/3 pound Halibut
2 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Nana made a note and said this is also scrumptious with salmon. I would wholeheartedly agree.
Let me just say:
NOM NOM NOM! Matt and I loved ALL of them. And what I liked about the recipes is that there were no fancy ingredients, really. I spent no more than 30 minutes on any of the recipes, except maybe the pork chops, because my stove sucks.
For time's sake, and so this post isn't ridiculously long, I'm only going to include the ingredients, so you can get an idea of what's in the dish. If you want the directions, let me know and I can send them to you.
Here's what I made:
Pork Tenderloin with Herb Rub (use either fresh OR dried, not both)
Herb rub: 2 tbsp fresh basil (2 tsp dried)
2 tsp fresh thyme (1 tsp dried)
1 tbsp fresh rosemary (2 tsp dried)
1 tbsp oregano (2 tsp dried)
4 cloves chopped garlic
a shake of garlic powder
1 tbsp of salt
2 or more tbsp of olive oil
Pan Sauce: 2 tbsp of chopped shallots or scallions or garlic
1/2 c dried white cooking wine
3/4 c chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp of corn starch for thickening
sauteed slice mushrooms, optional
Baked Chicken Breasts with Parmesan-Garlic Crust
1 c breadcrumbs
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
3 minced garlic cloves
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1/4 c minced fresh basil
1/4 c mayonnaise (feel free to use sour cream or Greek yogurt)
Lemon wedges for serving
Chicken Breasts Veronique
4 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and split (8 pieces)
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp orange marmalade
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 c dry white wine
1/2 c whipping cream
salt to taste
Halibut with Garlic Mayonnaise-Parmesan Topping
Topping: 2 tbsp light mayonnaise (or full on fat, whatever floats your boat or what you have :)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 small garlic clove
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Halibut: 2/3 pound Halibut
2 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Nana made a note and said this is also scrumptious with salmon. I would wholeheartedly agree.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Pinterest Meals
Yum... food. I love food. And even though I'm currently exhausted, I'm going to write this post. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't nap because I have caffeine surging through my veins... but then again, when do I not have caffeine surging through my veins?
Anyways.
This week was my pinterest menu. All the meals came from that site. If you don't have a pinterest, you're seriously losing out. Losing out on being productive, really, but whatevs. It's fun!
Note: None of these pictures are mine, source is the hyperlink.
Ranch Roasted Red Potatoes:
Pork Chops with Dijon Herb Sauce:
Ranch Cheddar Chicken:
Anyways.
This week was my pinterest menu. All the meals came from that site. If you don't have a pinterest, you're seriously losing out. Losing out on being productive, really, but whatevs. It's fun!
Note: None of these pictures are mine, source is the hyperlink.
Ranch Roasted Red Potatoes:
Seriously delish. Ranch Powder. Potatoes. In oven. Done. Delicious. I will say, make you sure you actually do follow the directions and mix the potatoes in another bowl before putting them in the baking dish. Unless, of course, you want yummy burned ranch powder in the corners that hardens and causes you to absolutely need to soak the pan. But it IS a great excuse to not wash that dish...
Dude. Comfort food easy to make?! Heck yes! I used 2% milk, and just added some extra milk to make up for the lack of evaporated milk in my house, and it STILL tasted scrumptious. Even the next day. So make this dish. And it's another one of those meals where you can leave the dishes to soak and deal with them later :)
Pork Chops with Dijon Herb Sauce:
EVERYONE SHOULD LOOK AT THIS RECIPE. Even if you don't want to make this particular recipe, read it for her method of cooking pork chops (it's definitely important to buy them WITH the bone). It worked PERFECTLY. And I have the crappiest stove ever, so I know it will work for you too! I am never going to cook pork chops another way again! Unlike steak, pork needs low and slow heat. The sauce that you make after deglazes the pan for you, too, so easy clean up! And as a side note, I MIGHT have made these with a little more butter than it called for. Just a little.
Ranch Cheddar Chicken:
Ranch. Cheddar. Chicken. How can this NOT be the most amazing chicken ever? Because it was. And it's super, super easy. Just mix mayo, dry ranch dressing mix, and cheese together. Spread on chicken. Sprinkle with bread crumbs, spray with nonstick cooking spray. Put in oven. Go make this for dinner! Yummy! (I think I used Greek yogurt. I think. If I didn't, though, you can definitely substitute it for the mayo to cut out fat and calories.)
If this pictures can't convince you enough, Matt's testimony should. He told me he loved all these recipes, and when I asked him today while I was making my grocery list, "What do you want for dinners this week?" he responded with, "Make a bunch of the stuff you made last week. That was good!" These recipes have Matt's stamp of approval on them! And they're all easy!
This coming week I'm making recipes from the recipe book my grandma made for me. Can't wait to get started! I will post all of those recipes, too, if they're good. Which I'm sure they will be. I just happened to pick all the ones that called for garlic and Parmesan and herbs. How ironic.
Happy cooking!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
From My Recipe Box to Yours: Chicken Enchiladas
The other day I was surfin' one of my favorite blogs, Budget Bytes, and she posted a recipe for homemade enchilada sauce. It takes about ten minutes to make! Say what? And you can adjust the heat by changing the amount of cayenne pepper (I doubled it and it wasn't that hot). If you make a huge batch, you can freeze it for later uses! Yay! You're welcome. So I decided that for dinner I was going to make my aunt Cindy's recipe for enchiladas, using this sauce. Hello, yumminess.
The recipe is very quick to make, cheap, and extremely creamy. I'm sure there are ways to make it healthier, but for right now, I was really craving the delicious creaminess this recipe provides. Sometimes you just need that good ol' homemade fatty taste.
Behold the wonder of the chicken enchiladas:
3 large chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 pint sour cream (I will try Greek yogurt next time for a healthier enchilada)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can of diced green chilies (I didn't have any, so I just chopped up some jalapenos)
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 large can enchilada sauce (or make your own)
Tortillas
Mix the chicken, sour cream, soup, chilies, and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Roll each tortilla with approximately 1/2 cup of filling. Place in the pan. When full, pour the sauce over the enchiladas. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese in the last 15 minutes of baking.
The recipe is very quick to make, cheap, and extremely creamy. I'm sure there are ways to make it healthier, but for right now, I was really craving the delicious creaminess this recipe provides. Sometimes you just need that good ol' homemade fatty taste.
Behold the wonder of the chicken enchiladas:
3 large chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 pint sour cream (I will try Greek yogurt next time for a healthier enchilada)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small can of diced green chilies (I didn't have any, so I just chopped up some jalapenos)
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 large can enchilada sauce (or make your own)
Tortillas
Mix the chicken, sour cream, soup, chilies, and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Roll each tortilla with approximately 1/2 cup of filling. Place in the pan. When full, pour the sauce over the enchiladas. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese in the last 15 minutes of baking.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Lemon Almond Poppy Seed Muffins
This is probably my absolute favorite type of muffin. I LOVE almond extract, and poppy seed muffins, and the fresh lemon zest makes them so bright tasting! And they taste just like the muffins you would buy at the bakery- but even better, because they're not as oily, but still deliciously moist.
I first found this recipe among my mom's gigantic stash of recipes. I think it originally came from Country Woman Magazine (which, I must admit, I love). I have been making these muffins for years and they always disappear rather quickly. I have made some changes, though. They originally did not have lemon zest in them, but I love the combination of lemon and almond, and I think the zest just enhances the flavor. I have also decreased the amount of oil in the recipe. The original recipe resulted in muffins that were so oily, the top of the muffin stuck to your fingers. Still deliciously good, but I have always felt that eating an oily muffin makes me feel weighed down. Why have all that extra oil in there if you don't need it? And I don't think it added anything to the taste of the muffin.
So here is the recipe, with my changes to it:
3 c flour
2 1/2 c sugar
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 c milk
2/3 c vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp almond extract (or to taste)
Zest of 1 lemon (or to taste)
Shift the first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl. In another bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Add in the milk, oil, extracts, and lemon zest. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredient, mix until incorporated.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Makes 24 muffins
Note: Almond extract is VERY STRONG. If you don't like it, definitely decrease the amount. Don't add extra! It will definitely overpower the muffins. Also, feel free to add even more lemon zest if you love lemon. 1 lemon gave a lemon taste, but not a strong one.
Hint: I buy fresh lemons a lot, for both the juice and the zest. However, I got tired of wasting money, using just the juice, then throwing the rind away. I can't remember where I learned this, but if you freeze the rind after juicing, you can then thaw out the rind and zest it before you throw it away! That way, nothing is wasted! I have yet to see if the zest is still the same, but I have about 3 lemon halves in my freezer waiting to test this theory.
Another hint: For best juicing results, use room temperature lemons. For best zesting results, use cold lemons.
Happy baking!
I first found this recipe among my mom's gigantic stash of recipes. I think it originally came from Country Woman Magazine (which, I must admit, I love). I have been making these muffins for years and they always disappear rather quickly. I have made some changes, though. They originally did not have lemon zest in them, but I love the combination of lemon and almond, and I think the zest just enhances the flavor. I have also decreased the amount of oil in the recipe. The original recipe resulted in muffins that were so oily, the top of the muffin stuck to your fingers. Still deliciously good, but I have always felt that eating an oily muffin makes me feel weighed down. Why have all that extra oil in there if you don't need it? And I don't think it added anything to the taste of the muffin.
So here is the recipe, with my changes to it:
3 c flour
2 1/2 c sugar
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 c milk
2/3 c vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp almond extract (or to taste)
Zest of 1 lemon (or to taste)
Shift the first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl. In another bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Add in the milk, oil, extracts, and lemon zest. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredient, mix until incorporated.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Makes 24 muffins
Note: Almond extract is VERY STRONG. If you don't like it, definitely decrease the amount. Don't add extra! It will definitely overpower the muffins. Also, feel free to add even more lemon zest if you love lemon. 1 lemon gave a lemon taste, but not a strong one.
Hint: I buy fresh lemons a lot, for both the juice and the zest. However, I got tired of wasting money, using just the juice, then throwing the rind away. I can't remember where I learned this, but if you freeze the rind after juicing, you can then thaw out the rind and zest it before you throw it away! That way, nothing is wasted! I have yet to see if the zest is still the same, but I have about 3 lemon halves in my freezer waiting to test this theory.
Another hint: For best juicing results, use room temperature lemons. For best zesting results, use cold lemons.
Happy baking!
Food Network Made, Sara and Matt Tested
There is a lack of entertaining things to do in Columbus. Unless you're local and this is all you know. Or you don't mind driving hours to your activity. That aside, I have been looking for fun activities for Matt and I to do. I didn't come up with much, but I did manage to come up with something, as little as it is.
Every month when my Food Network Magazine gets delivered, I read the whole thing in one sitting. I like it that much. Anyways, I have only recently just decided that once a week, I'm going to have Matt pick out a recipe from the magazine that he wants for dinner. It's not much, but hopefully he'll pick some recipes that will have ingredients that I've never used before, so I can branch out :) Last night was the first adventure!
He picked out Ham, Swiss and Apple Wraps. We both really enjoyed it, and it was easy and fast to make! Also very low calorie.
There are a few things I will do differently next time, though:
-Since I couldn't find any large whole wheat wraps in my local Kroger (fail), I wish I had diced the apples and onions. I think if you use the large wraps, though, the slices will do.
-Even though I don't like Swiss cheese, it worked well in this recipe. If you really don't like Swiss, or don't want to spend the extra money, try mozzarella. Stay away from a cheddar, though, I think that would be too much.
-While I loved the dressing, I thought it was rather sweet, especially with the apples, and would have preferred an extra tang or acidity. Next time I might try a honey mustard that's more mustard than honey, or at a little cider vinegar to the dressing.
Yum, yum, yum! I can't promise I will post every recipe we try, I'm going to try to! Because I apparently have nothing else to blog about except food. Oh well. Let me know if you make any of these recipes and what you think of them!
Every month when my Food Network Magazine gets delivered, I read the whole thing in one sitting. I like it that much. Anyways, I have only recently just decided that once a week, I'm going to have Matt pick out a recipe from the magazine that he wants for dinner. It's not much, but hopefully he'll pick some recipes that will have ingredients that I've never used before, so I can branch out :) Last night was the first adventure!
He picked out Ham, Swiss and Apple Wraps. We both really enjoyed it, and it was easy and fast to make! Also very low calorie.
There are a few things I will do differently next time, though:
-Since I couldn't find any large whole wheat wraps in my local Kroger (fail), I wish I had diced the apples and onions. I think if you use the large wraps, though, the slices will do.
-Even though I don't like Swiss cheese, it worked well in this recipe. If you really don't like Swiss, or don't want to spend the extra money, try mozzarella. Stay away from a cheddar, though, I think that would be too much.
-While I loved the dressing, I thought it was rather sweet, especially with the apples, and would have preferred an extra tang or acidity. Next time I might try a honey mustard that's more mustard than honey, or at a little cider vinegar to the dressing.
Yum, yum, yum! I can't promise I will post every recipe we try, I'm going to try to! Because I apparently have nothing else to blog about except food. Oh well. Let me know if you make any of these recipes and what you think of them!
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Chicken with Creamy Mexican Sauce
Here's what I made for dinner last night, of my own recipe:
Season chicken breasts with salt. In butter, brown both sides of the chicken. Remove from the pan. In the same pan, saute some broccoli until desired "doneness." (Next time I will also add onions, garlic, and peppers would taste good, too). Add one can cream of chicken soup, and sprinkle with cumin, crushed red pepper, pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Add in some cheddar cheese. When bubbling, add the chicken and cook through. Serve with salsa and rice.
Note: If you make this in a cast iron skillet with some bacon fat leftover, this is REALLY GOOD. Just make sure to go easier on seasoning the chicken with salt, since bacon fat is rather salty.
Season chicken breasts with salt. In butter, brown both sides of the chicken. Remove from the pan. In the same pan, saute some broccoli until desired "doneness." (Next time I will also add onions, garlic, and peppers would taste good, too). Add one can cream of chicken soup, and sprinkle with cumin, crushed red pepper, pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Add in some cheddar cheese. When bubbling, add the chicken and cook through. Serve with salsa and rice.
Note: If you make this in a cast iron skillet with some bacon fat leftover, this is REALLY GOOD. Just make sure to go easier on seasoning the chicken with salt, since bacon fat is rather salty.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Weekly Menu
Y'all know I love to cook. Sometimes, though, I'm just too lazy. This comes from the fact that I don't want to do all the dishes from cooking, and Matt comes home at different times everyday, so it's hard to even guess when I should have dinner ready. That I also usually had a work shift, walked the dog, and went to the gym. Some days I'm just too tired. However, I don't want to start buying a whole bunch of frozen foods ladled with preservatives and sodium and who knows what else. I still want to have the pride that I cooked it, I just don't want to do it ;)
This past week, I decided to make my whole menu for the week on Sunday. Or at least do most of the prep work, so I had minimal effort on the day of. I left a few menu items not done, so if I decided I actually wanted to cook, I had a few options to choose from. :) Here's what Matt and I have been/will be eating this week:
Pot Roast: I found this recipe on Pinterest. I would copyright it here, but the link was just a picture. So please note this isn't my recipe. All you do is buy a pot roast (I bought beef, but you could use pork I'm sure) and packets of Ranch, Zesty Italian, and Brown Gravy. Mix those with 1/2 water. Place pot roast in the crock pot. I added chopped onions and celery to the bottom for extra flavor. Pour the liquid mixture over the pot roast and cook on low for about 8 hours. BEST POT ROAST EVER. Seriously. It was perfectly cooked and very moist. And for all you beginner cooks out there, it's really hard to overcook a pot roast on low heat in a crock pot, so don't be scared!
Taco Soup: One of the recipes I did not prep for the week, but soup is generally really fast and easy to make. Who doesn't love taco soup?
Tandoori Chicken Bites with Cucumber Raita: My first attempt at Indian food. It was pretty good, I thought the chicken came out a little dry, though. This was super easy. On Sunday I cut all the chicken up, made the marinate, and just froze it. The night before I took it out of the freezer, so by dinner the next day I could just pop them in the oven and make the raita while they cooked. Yum yum! Matt really liked them, too. And he even used the raita instead of his usual ranch.
Sunday Chicken: Also found on Pinterest, also just a picture. You take chicken tenders, wrap them in bacon (YUM!), cover the dish with foil and bake on 225 for 4 hours. Remove the foil, turn the oven up to 350 and cook for 15 more minutes. HOW CAN THIS POSSIBLY BE BAD!? BACON! Also very easy, which I like for this week.
Burritos: I made my own frozen burritos this week! I found the recipe on my favorite blog, Budget Bytes. I just put refried beans, jalapenos, and cheese on a tortilla, wrapped it up, wrapped in plastic wrap, and froze them! That way Matt couldn't complain about "having nothing to eat in this house." Just pop it in the microwave for 4 minutes and yummy! And you control the ingredients! I will probably be doing this quite regularly now. Endless possibilities!
These last recipes came from this blog. I made the Oh So Easy Pork Chops, Marinated and Baked Pork Chops, Sesame Chicken, and Chicken with Honey Sauce. You make all the sauces, cut all the meat, then place them in freezer bags. When you want to make them, just throw them in the crockpot and you have only one dish to clean up! But you still made dinner! Fantastic.
Man I am so excited. I'm looking forward to this week and being able to spend more time with Matt when he comes home, instead of being in the kitchen for a half hour cooking. Even though I love doing it, sometimes it just feels more of a chore than stress relief. Especially after a hard day of work, only to come home to a hyper dog and still need to fit in time to go to the gym and play with said hyper dog. Yay for being strategically lazy!
Happy cooking!
This past week, I decided to make my whole menu for the week on Sunday. Or at least do most of the prep work, so I had minimal effort on the day of. I left a few menu items not done, so if I decided I actually wanted to cook, I had a few options to choose from. :) Here's what Matt and I have been/will be eating this week:
Pot Roast: I found this recipe on Pinterest. I would copyright it here, but the link was just a picture. So please note this isn't my recipe. All you do is buy a pot roast (I bought beef, but you could use pork I'm sure) and packets of Ranch, Zesty Italian, and Brown Gravy. Mix those with 1/2 water. Place pot roast in the crock pot. I added chopped onions and celery to the bottom for extra flavor. Pour the liquid mixture over the pot roast and cook on low for about 8 hours. BEST POT ROAST EVER. Seriously. It was perfectly cooked and very moist. And for all you beginner cooks out there, it's really hard to overcook a pot roast on low heat in a crock pot, so don't be scared!
Taco Soup: One of the recipes I did not prep for the week, but soup is generally really fast and easy to make. Who doesn't love taco soup?
Tandoori Chicken Bites with Cucumber Raita: My first attempt at Indian food. It was pretty good, I thought the chicken came out a little dry, though. This was super easy. On Sunday I cut all the chicken up, made the marinate, and just froze it. The night before I took it out of the freezer, so by dinner the next day I could just pop them in the oven and make the raita while they cooked. Yum yum! Matt really liked them, too. And he even used the raita instead of his usual ranch.
Sunday Chicken: Also found on Pinterest, also just a picture. You take chicken tenders, wrap them in bacon (YUM!), cover the dish with foil and bake on 225 for 4 hours. Remove the foil, turn the oven up to 350 and cook for 15 more minutes. HOW CAN THIS POSSIBLY BE BAD!? BACON! Also very easy, which I like for this week.
Burritos: I made my own frozen burritos this week! I found the recipe on my favorite blog, Budget Bytes. I just put refried beans, jalapenos, and cheese on a tortilla, wrapped it up, wrapped in plastic wrap, and froze them! That way Matt couldn't complain about "having nothing to eat in this house." Just pop it in the microwave for 4 minutes and yummy! And you control the ingredients! I will probably be doing this quite regularly now. Endless possibilities!
These last recipes came from this blog. I made the Oh So Easy Pork Chops, Marinated and Baked Pork Chops, Sesame Chicken, and Chicken with Honey Sauce. You make all the sauces, cut all the meat, then place them in freezer bags. When you want to make them, just throw them in the crockpot and you have only one dish to clean up! But you still made dinner! Fantastic.
Man I am so excited. I'm looking forward to this week and being able to spend more time with Matt when he comes home, instead of being in the kitchen for a half hour cooking. Even though I love doing it, sometimes it just feels more of a chore than stress relief. Especially after a hard day of work, only to come home to a hyper dog and still need to fit in time to go to the gym and play with said hyper dog. Yay for being strategically lazy!
Happy cooking!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Shrimp Fried Rice
Let me start off by saying that I am no expert in Asian cooking. I'm no expert in any cooking, really, but I'm definitely not an expert with the Asian cuisine. But I love to cook Thai food. Tonight I needed something fast and easy to make, so I came up with Shrimp Fried Rice. The rice cooker could do the rice, shrimp defrosts fast and cooks all in about 10 minutes, and I just chopped up all the leftover veggies in my fridge.
Here's what I did:
While the rice is cooking,
-Saute onions in vegetable oil until translucent. Then add the veggies you want. I added garlic (DUH!), green pepper, portabella mushrooms, and peas. Set aside.
-Scramble 3 eggs. Set aside.
-Salt and pepper the shrimp, then cook until done, about 4 or 5 minutes. Set aside.
-Add the rice to the saute pan. Add the sauce: 1 teaspoon chili powder, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Mix to combine. Then add all other ingredients. Sprinkle with green onions. Enjoy!
Here's what I did:
While the rice is cooking,
-Saute onions in vegetable oil until translucent. Then add the veggies you want. I added garlic (DUH!), green pepper, portabella mushrooms, and peas. Set aside.
-Scramble 3 eggs. Set aside.
-Salt and pepper the shrimp, then cook until done, about 4 or 5 minutes. Set aside.
-Add the rice to the saute pan. Add the sauce: 1 teaspoon chili powder, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Mix to combine. Then add all other ingredients. Sprinkle with green onions. Enjoy!
Oreo Cupcakes
Since I posted a picture of the Oreo cupcakes I made on Facebook, several people have asked for the recipe. Before I go on to the recipe, let us behold the wonderfulness again:
YUMMY IN MY TUMMY!
Ok, all seriousness, now. This is the recipe I used, with some slight changes. So no, it was not my own recipe. Unfortunately. Here is what I did differently:
-I used buttermilk instead of milk, only because I didn't have enough milk. While the cake was still good, I didn't like the hint of sourness the buttermilk adds (my taste tester pilots didn't even seem to care, though). So use real milk. I suggest the fattest milk you feel comfortable using (yummy yummy whole milk!), usually baking needs that extra fat in there to hold the cake together.
-I also didn't have 24 Oreos in the batter. I only had 12. Only because the package didn't have 48 cookies in it (or maybe it did, I just ate some...). But to prevent that glutonous deadly sin from kicking in, I did not buy a second package. I thought the end result was fine, though. That's still a lot of quartered Oreos in the cupcake.
-When it came to the frosting, I put the scrunched up Oreos IN the frosting, not sprinkled on top. It definitely takes away points for presentation (gray frosting is just not appealing), but I think it made the frosting taste like a crunched up Oreo. The boys didn't seem to mind, anyway.
-Don't frost these cupcakes until you are ready to serve them. Because of the butter and cream cheese, the frosting needs to be refrigerated. I found that putting these cupcakes in the fridge made them rather dense. That might be from the buttermilk, but I'm not entirely sure. So I waited to frost them until right before I left to deliver them.
So, if you're looking to impress anyone, make these cupcakes. I walked into the flight room with about 15 pilots sitting around. I'm not kidding you, within 10 seconds of the cupcake container opened, 15 pilots were on their feet, each with a cupcake in their mouth. If that's not an indication that these cupcakes are delicious, I don't know what is.
Happy baking!
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Pico de Gallo Inspired Fish
I can't remember where I originally found this recipe, but I'm pretty sure it was the good ol' Betty Crocker cookbook. Seriously people, if you don't own any cookbook but one, buy a Betty Crocker cookbook. There is a recipe in there for any ingredient under the sun (except maybe exotic foods) and they're usually pretty simple and don't call for really expensive ingredients or any "fake" (processed, boxed) foods. Yay! You all know my opinion on boxed baking mixes :)
Anyways. I have since tweaked the recipe, since I didn't always have the exact ingredients. So if you're looking for something fresh that literally takes 15 minutes to make, this is it. Also, if you don't like fish, this is still the perfect recipe, since you can slab on as much pico de gallo as you want and hide that fish. This is also a great recipe for those watching their wallets, it has minimal ingredients. Especially if made while everything is in season, this meal can probably be made for less than $5 a person. Right on!
Here's what you need (serves 2):
For the pico:
One tomato, diced
One avocado, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
Salt to taste
For the fish:
One fillet of white fish (I buy wild caught cod, since that is the only wild caught fish I can find in this ridiculously small town), or enough to feed 2 people
Salt and pepper
Seriously, that's it!
Salt and pepper both sides of the fish, place in a really hot pan. While the fish is cooking, dice up all the pico ingredients and toss together in a bowl. When the fish is done (about 5 minutes per side), serve on a plate, top with the pico, and enjoy!
Super easy! I served with steamed peas, and that's it! Talk about healthy. I wasn't very hungry today, if you want something more filling, I would suggest rice or orzo, or even a lemon spaghetti type side dish. Delish!
If you want to add more to the pico, I have added cilantro and a little bit of cumin and garlic before.
This dish just tastes summer to me! And while I can't have my preferred wild caught Pacific salmon, this is a good substitution. :)
Happy cooking!
Anyways. I have since tweaked the recipe, since I didn't always have the exact ingredients. So if you're looking for something fresh that literally takes 15 minutes to make, this is it. Also, if you don't like fish, this is still the perfect recipe, since you can slab on as much pico de gallo as you want and hide that fish. This is also a great recipe for those watching their wallets, it has minimal ingredients. Especially if made while everything is in season, this meal can probably be made for less than $5 a person. Right on!
Here's what you need (serves 2):
For the pico:
One tomato, diced
One avocado, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
Salt to taste
For the fish:
One fillet of white fish (I buy wild caught cod, since that is the only wild caught fish I can find in this ridiculously small town), or enough to feed 2 people
Salt and pepper
Seriously, that's it!
Salt and pepper both sides of the fish, place in a really hot pan. While the fish is cooking, dice up all the pico ingredients and toss together in a bowl. When the fish is done (about 5 minutes per side), serve on a plate, top with the pico, and enjoy!
Super easy! I served with steamed peas, and that's it! Talk about healthy. I wasn't very hungry today, if you want something more filling, I would suggest rice or orzo, or even a lemon spaghetti type side dish. Delish!
If you want to add more to the pico, I have added cilantro and a little bit of cumin and garlic before.
This dish just tastes summer to me! And while I can't have my preferred wild caught Pacific salmon, this is a good substitution. :)
Happy cooking!
Sara's Brownies
The puppies have been sleeping ALL DAY... so weird. I'm not going to complain, though :) That is one nice thing about the Southern heat, it totally zaps all the energy from you and the dogs. Good puppies :)
Alrighty. While I was watching Sweet Home Alabama (hilarious movie, by the way), I decided to make some brownies. Well, folks, I have my own Sara brownies! I took inspiration from two different recipes and mashed them together to create some pretty tasty brownies. Here's what you do:
Mix together 1/2 cup water, 1/2 vegetable oil, 2 eggs, and 4 tablespoons instant coffee. In a separate bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until incorporated. You might need to add a little bit more liquid. Taste the batter and adjust the coffee flavoring to your liking. Finally, mix in chocolate and white chocolate chips (just add as many as you want. I added a lot :) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and you will have a wonderful batch of Sara's Brownies! Yum yum!
Notes:
*I used Kroger brand instant coffee. Gross. I decided to go with the cheap stuff first. Don't do this. Find some good quality instant coffee, it will really make a difference. If you want to use espresso powder, I would half the amount first, then add more, since espresso is way more powerful than regular coffee.
*I kind of forgot to add vanilla extract. That might have made it taste just slightly better. If you want to add some, start with 1 teaspoon. I will definitely add some the next time I make this batch.
Alrighty. While I was watching Sweet Home Alabama (hilarious movie, by the way), I decided to make some brownies. Well, folks, I have my own Sara brownies! I took inspiration from two different recipes and mashed them together to create some pretty tasty brownies. Here's what you do:
Mix together 1/2 cup water, 1/2 vegetable oil, 2 eggs, and 4 tablespoons instant coffee. In a separate bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until incorporated. You might need to add a little bit more liquid. Taste the batter and adjust the coffee flavoring to your liking. Finally, mix in chocolate and white chocolate chips (just add as many as you want. I added a lot :) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and you will have a wonderful batch of Sara's Brownies! Yum yum!
Notes:
*I used Kroger brand instant coffee. Gross. I decided to go with the cheap stuff first. Don't do this. Find some good quality instant coffee, it will really make a difference. If you want to use espresso powder, I would half the amount first, then add more, since espresso is way more powerful than regular coffee.
*I kind of forgot to add vanilla extract. That might have made it taste just slightly better. If you want to add some, start with 1 teaspoon. I will definitely add some the next time I make this batch.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
You Need This
Here is some advice, from a person who loves to cook, but still loves short cuts: go out and buy a rice cooker if you do not already have one. Seriously. Buy one now. Or put it on your Christmas list. But it's the most amazing thing ever. And I found out about them through... my husband! He put it on our wedding registry. I did not grow up using one, my my kids most certainly will. Here is why they're amazing:
-The rice is never, ever undercooked. I don't know how it does it, but it's seriously amazing.
-Mine is completely non-stick (I'm assuming most of them will be), cleaning could seriously not be easier.
-It doesn't take up burners on the stove, so you can have other things going.
-It's great for that college student who loves to cook but doesn't have the budget to buy every size pan. This will work perfect for steaming vegetables, too. So you can actually do two things at once!
-It doesn't take nearly as long to cook.
So just get one. They're awesome. And I totally discovered this today (it's probably been done before, but whatev), if you add heavy whipping cream to the rice and water, your rice will come out ridiculously creamy. I originally did this with coconut milk, but I don't have any of that right now and I still wanted creamy rice. It worked out wonderfully, and it's perfect for those of you who would be afraid of coconut milk.
Go rice cookers!
-The rice is never, ever undercooked. I don't know how it does it, but it's seriously amazing.
-Mine is completely non-stick (I'm assuming most of them will be), cleaning could seriously not be easier.
-It doesn't take up burners on the stove, so you can have other things going.
-It's great for that college student who loves to cook but doesn't have the budget to buy every size pan. This will work perfect for steaming vegetables, too. So you can actually do two things at once!
-It doesn't take nearly as long to cook.
So just get one. They're awesome. And I totally discovered this today (it's probably been done before, but whatev), if you add heavy whipping cream to the rice and water, your rice will come out ridiculously creamy. I originally did this with coconut milk, but I don't have any of that right now and I still wanted creamy rice. It worked out wonderfully, and it's perfect for those of you who would be afraid of coconut milk.
Go rice cookers!
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