inspiration: creamed honey

A coworker is a beekeeper on the side and he's been selling some really good honey. This time he made creamed or spun honey with cinnamon.  Folks have been raving about it so I bought a jar earlier this week.  I've been thinking about what to eat it with.

So when I got home I immediately looked up a recipe for biscuits.  I actually wanted some corn bread but I haven't had time to go to Trader Joe's where they have a really good mix.  But I found a simple recipe for buttermilk biscuits and the clincher as usual is that I had all the ingredients.

I then thawed some chicken breast tenders and dredged them in flour mixed with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  I fried them in a little bit of olive oil. Afterwards, I drained off some of the oil so I can use the pan drippings for the sauce.

I had a can of cream of mushroom so I dressed that up by adding some sliced fresh mushrooms and chopped onions.  I sauteed both in the pan drippings then added the cream of mushroom.  I thinned it a bit with about a quarter cup of heavy cream.  That little carton of heavy cream is lasting us a long time!  For veggies I boiled some asparagus.

The dinner presented well and the flavors were what I was expecting and wanting.  The creamed honey was excellent on the biscuits.  It was a good dinner overall.  Very satisfying!  

last night wins over tonite

Last night I was victorious with my first ever attempt at meatloaf.  I had taken out a pound to thaw before I went to work that morning.  All day long I thought about what to make with it.  The best I could come up with was meatballs and make some spaghetti.  But that didn't really excite me.

I had gotten some macaroni last Sunday during our awesome trip to the grocery store.  I had been craving baked mac and cheese.  Quickly I went through my mental pantry and fridge and confirmed I had everything I needed to make BMC!  So what would go well with that?!  Meatloaf!

I used to use epicurious for online recipes but lately I've been going to the Food Network.  Since I watch a lot of FN and the Cooking Channel, I try recipes from my favorite chefs.  And I found one that I liked, mainly because it was simple and I had all the ingredients.  This one is from Paula Deen.  I tweaked it slightly, using green onion instead of regular and I added some chopped fresh parsley (I felt like it needed some fresh flavor and I had some on hand).  The recipe was for 1.5 lbs of ground beef.  I only had 1 lb and ended up using just half of the tomato sauce the recipe called for.  Though a smaller loaf, it still needed to bake for 1 hour.

Now for the BMC.  I used a cup of dried macaroni and cooked it per the box instructions. I then added 2 tbsp butter, 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1 cup grated cheese (Mexican blend and Italian blend).  Over low heat, I stirred it all until the cheese melted.  I then transferred the mix into a baking dish and sprinkled a layer of garlic & herb bread crumbs on top.  I put it in the oven in the last 15 minutes of the meatloaf baking time.  For the last 3 minutes or so, I switched the oven to broil to brown the tops of both the meatloaf and BMC.

I served the meatloaf and BMC with a side salad.  It was a delicious meal.  The meatloaf was moist and the BMC creamy with a little bit of crunch.  My husband enjoyed it as well.  We were comforted indeed!

Tonite I whipped up a quick linquine with shrimp using some leftover fixings for the sauce.  Some canned stewed tomatoes, Alfredo sauce, mushrooms, garlic, green onion and fresh parsley.  Unfortunately my heavy hand showed up tonite and I overdid it with the parsley.  It looked more like alfredo pesto although I was aiming for more alfredo with hints of tomato and parsley. 

My husband, who is on to me, reminded me that parsley goes a long way (just like ginger!) and that the bunch cost only 49 cents.  I couldn't tell him it wasn't the price really but the whole idea of wasting it.  I did tell him I did exercise some self control with the garlic and also with the few red paper flakes I sprinkled in the sauce when what I wanted was a whole tablespoon!  So 2 out of 3 is not bad at all, if I may say so myself!

a beautiful weekend

This past weekend was just simply beautiful with my husband.  It was one of those rare easy weekends that we weren’t rushed and had no commitments. He indulged me my to-do list and they were fairly easy chores.  Since it was sunny out, we eagerly went outside to do some yard work.  First he took down the Christmas lights while I mowed the lawn.  Then he did the edging because I just can’t control the blasted edger.  While he did that, I did some quick reading on how to prune our little vineyard of 21 wine grapevines.

We pruned away and marveled at how much the vines grew this past season.  So much so that we gathered enough grapevines to make some wreaths!  That was an added bonus – a cool little project I didn’t foresee.  I got excited with the prospect.

We went inside for some yummy, impromptu leftover lunch.  The day prior my husband didn’t get to eat his pastrami sandwich so I grilled that and paired it with some tomato soup, sliced pears, crackers and the last of the Brie.  I love lunches like this – fancy yet simple and easy.  Afterwards, we tackled a long-awaited project:  shortening the window blinds throughout the house.  I helped my husband get started with one and then he took over the rest while I went outside and worked on my grapevine wreaths.

I finished with four different size ones.  I’ve been wanting to put seasonal themed ones on the front door so this is perfect!  I plan on making one for a dear friend’s birthday. 

Sunday was a great finish to the weekend.  Church was inspiring and then we had a very productive trip to the grocery store:-)  Found some amazing deals and delicious options for meals.  We enjoyed watching football in the afternoon and then my husband took another turn cooking – this time grilling a t-bone steak that we shared, along with some sea salt filone bread and a green salad.  I got to enlighten my sweetheart with something I learned from Rachael Ray:  the small side of the t-bone is filet mignon and the large side is New York strip.  Did you know that?! 

a special treat

Cooking this week has been uninspired because it's my busiest week at work.  Thankfully my husband is low maintenance and appreciates whatever ends up being our dinner.  And more importantly he doesn't mind leftovers.  I have to admit that I can get really creative with leftovers.  I don't just rewarm them; I try to serve it with different sides, etc.  Or make an entirely different meal with it, like using leftover pork chops to make moo shu pork.  But that will have to be another post.

I am even more thankful when my husband takes a turn at making dinner.  Because he is an excellent cook...I would even say chef level.  He is naturally creative at it and is more knowledgeable than I am about spices and flavors.  I do most of the cooking because I'm fast and organized.  Also, he usually comes home dead-tired from a job he doesn't enjoy.  Reverse for me so I'm the default cook and it's worked out.

But this week, with the crazy stress at work, my husband cooked dinner Wednesday.  And it was fantastic!  We had gotten a fresh red snapper at the Asian market (where the fish and seafood are awesome and affordable!!!) and he made a crab & portabella stuffing for it.  And the white sauce he poured on it before serving had sherry and heavy cream!  Decadent and just simply incredible.  We ate it with rice and broccoli and a nice bottle of our favorite white wine.  The house smelled heavenly and we had a beautiful, relaxing mid-week dinner, just what I needed after a stressful day.

We both said for presentation, it should have been in a glass or ceramic dish.  Oh well - next time!

off topic - football analysis

My husband and I are hooked on professional football.  I had wisely given it up about ten years ago because it is too much for my obsessive nature.  And it all came back full force when I got married.

Ever notice they spend hours on analysis, before, during and after the game?  And the stupid questions they ask the coaches and players!  Unlike the military, they know better than to reveal their strategies to the press.  Sheesh.

I vented at my husband yesterday when Phil Simms asked Darrelle Revis on whom the Jets will focus.  And expectedly, Revis says they plan on stopping Brady.  Um, duh.  Of course you want to stop the quarterback!  That's where it all starts!  If you can stop the QB, there will be no plays, literally no offense.  It doesn't matter who the QB is. 

So I tell my husband that if I were a defensive player being interviewed, I would say I'm gonna aim for the center.  I'm going to be so lightning quick and fast, he's not gonna get a chance to snap the stupid ball. I'll mess with his head.  All legal plays of course but heck, get to the center and you won't worry about the QB.

All the networks have at least 5 guys on their panels.   I don't get it. Just play the game and call the plays.  Not only do they over-analyze, these guys are so obvious with their favorites.  They drool and trip all over themselves over Brady and Rivers.  Like my husband says, they would all want to kiss Brady.

Back to cooking.  Nothing too interesting the past couple of days.  I'll try to get back on it tonite with dinner.
 

shock and awe

I hate to admit it but I’ve got a heavy hand when it comes to spices.  My husband has to remind me regularly that a little bit goes a long way.  Emeril’s BAM! has nothing on mine.  I put a lot of shock into some of my meals. 

Last week my husband was nursing a head cold.  I had Asian planned for dinner so I thought I’d make hot and sour soup.  That’s one of my favorites and he loves it too.  You’ll never hear me go for the egg flower soup at restaurants.  Amazingly enough, for a soup that has such complex flavors, it is fairly easy and actually simple to make.

And so  I make a batch and I julienned a huge chunk of ginger.  Much to my husband’s disapproval!  He reminded me that a marble-size one, finely chopped, would have been enough.  The soup still had the awe but the shock wasn’t necessary.  We still enjoyed it and it helped clear up his head cold.

Now I am capable of hints of flavor. I make a mean potato salad that my husband just loves.  I made some the other day to go with barbeque beef sandwiches and spicy pickles and I got heaps of compliment from my love.  My well-known “secret” ingredient is bacon.  But I have another secret that I have yet to reveal and I only put a little bit of it.  I think it enhances the flavor quite a bit but you would never guess what it is.  I also put boiled egg, green onion and sweet relish in it along with the usual mayo and mustard.

Tonite we’ll have fish. I’m thinking lightly breaded with some rice and veggies.  I need to make dessert one of these days.  It’s been awhile.  I’ve not made any because of the dreaded new year, etc

simple enchilada sauce

My husband is better than I am when it comes to making a truly homemade meal.  For example he likes to make his own spaghetti sauce.  I think there are really good quality jars out there and I just doctor it up a bit.  I made my first batch of buffalo wings (fried not baked) and he asked if I made the sauce.  Nope. The first time I made enchiladas, there was that question again:  “Have you ever made your own enchilada sauce?”

There was challenge in that question. I heard it loud and clear.

So I finally took the time to look up a recipe and found this.  And of course I had to personalize it and added 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika. Excellent!  Really easy to make and not at all intimidating.  I made turkey enchiladas, using leftover turkey from Christmas.  Now I have my own jar of my own sauce!  I hope to continue to make my own sauces which really is a lot better with less preservatives.  And if you’re asking if I used homemade chicken stock for the sauce – nope!  Sigh.  I’ll have to make stock soon.

Tonite it’s Cornish game hen for dinner.  I like these little guys.  They are a lot tastier than chicken and one hen is a perfect serving for two.  I combine all sorts of spices with a little bit of butter and then I spread the mixture under the skin.  I will bake the two halves skin up and sprinkle a little bit of parmesan and bread crumbs on top for a bit of crunch.  I still have leftover au gratin potatoes from the last two nights (made from scratch!!!) and I’ll steam some broccoli for the veggies.

I’m trying to serve a lighter fare for dinner.  Since getting married, my husband and I have gained weight and primarily because we tend to have really big dinners.  I think our breakfast and lunches are fairly healthy with good proportions.  But dinner…we tend to pig out.  So I’m doling out our portions so we don’t go for seconds.  Third night in a row and I envision success!

Hope you try out this recipe soon. And add your own touch to it and make it your own.

discovering the meat tenderizer

My earliest memory of cooking was back when I was 5 or so and my grandma was teaching me how to cook rice.  You measured the water by sight and when in doubt, you used your fingers.  Measuring cups didn’t exist where I grew up.

So although I’ve been cooking for over three decades, a few months ago I used a meat tenderizer for the first time.  Wow!  What a discoveryJ

I made pork cutlets (or schnitzel or chicken fried pork or whatever you want to call them).  We buy these thick pork chops at Costco and my husband likes them grilled.  My guilty pleasure though is anything deep fried; if not deep, then fried will do as well.  Especially meat.  So I sliced the chops cross-wise and two chops yielded eight pieces and by the time I was done pounding them, there was enough for two meals!  I couldn’t believe what difference the tenderizer made.  I dried the pork slices first with paper towels before I pounded the hell out of them.  (Otherwise you’ll splash bacteria bombs all over your kitchen).

I used some sea salt, tons of black pepper and really rubbed them into the meat.  Then I beat one egg and that was enough to moisten all the pork. I used some Panko to bread them and then I fried them in some extra virgin olive oil.  Deep frying wasn’t necessary since they were so thin and will cook fast.  Medium heat.  I served the pork with cooked rice (water measured by sight!) and Asian greens with shitake mushrooms and oyster sauce.  Sweet chili sauce on the side for dipping.

My husband compliments the dinner and asks “So, what prompted this dinner?”

I simply replied, “I was craving something fried.” 

I am now inspired to attempt my first ever chicken fried steak.  I can’t wait.  It’s one of my favorites.

So if you own a meat tenderizer, I hope you’ve used it.  If not, use it soon!

venturing into blogging

I have been wanting to blog for awhile now and a new year is good time to start.

I am passionate about cooking and have just recently started gardening.  So I will be sharing mainly about that.  Food will be the headliner but daily life will be make a regular guest appearance; at the very least it will be the background.

My husband shares my passion - in every way.  And not only is he the appreciative recipient of my culinary efforts but also a great cook himself and his advice is invaluable.  He'll be featured in my posts as well.

I plan to share recipes, tips and daily life experiences.  I welcome your comments and hope we can encourage each other to great meals and even great relationships!

Let's eat!

(I've got a pot roast simmering in the crock pot, blanketing the house in a heavenly aroma of seared beef, red wine, vegetables and spices.  Perfect for winter.  I've got Irish soda bread to go with it).