Normally I would write the recipe first, but, as this was a negative experience for my family, I will spare yours.
I was at the grocery store, browsing the produce section, when I saw portabella mushrooms on sale. I love mushrooms, and I thought it would be nice to make a meatless meal during the week so I thought this was a great choice. I have never had portabella mushrooms, but baby bellas are my favorite. On the way home, I was trying to recall TV cooking shows that used these and decided to attempt stuffed portabella mushrooms.
In hind sight, I should have looked up a recipe, but I thought, "It would be so easy!" I preheated the oven to 350 and sliced some tomatoes and got out shredded mozzarella. I take out the portabellas. A voice in my head tells me, "Shane doesn't like mushrooms." Then a memory of Olivia saying, "Yuck! I don't like mushrooms!" when we gave her spaghetti sauce with mushrooms. Hmm. Juliana will try everything, and Gabriella won't try anything, so we're down to me and Juliana. I had bought 5 mushrooms.
"No worries," I tell myself. "I will cover them up with cheese and no one will know what they are eating!" (Yeah, right...) I clean the tops of the mushrooms with a wet paper towel. The gills of the mushroom look so black I decide to run them under some water. (DO NOT DO THIS) I layer mushroom, cheese, tomato, cheese, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and olive oil. I put in the oven.
My stomach is growling and the girls are telling me they are hungry every thirty seconds. Olivia keeps asking me for cantaloupe. After only five minutes I take them out of the oven, before the cheese is melted. I put some more cheese on top (bad idea) and pop them one at a time into the microwave for 30 seconds each. The cheese is still not melted all the way, but the mushrooms are steaming hot. I figure it's good enough, and I cut the mushrooms up into bite size pieces. Shane is working the night shift, so he gets to miss this meal. The rest of us, however, do not. I serve a piece of bread with each stuffed mushroom. Gabriella eats the inside of her bread and asks for another. I eat her crust.
Olivia asks, "What is the black stuff?"
I tell her, "It's a vegetable that's really good for you so eat it."
She says, "It looks yucky."
Juliana says, "Ew, gross!" C'mon Juliana, you were the one I was counting on to eat it!
I say, "It's just tomatoes, cheese and vegetables. You will not get any cantaloupe unless you eat it!"
Then I try mine. As I cut into it, brown water runs out and the tomato separates from the mushroom. I'm assuming due to the shower I gave them. The cheese closest to the mushroom is melted but the cheese on top is still cold. I'm basically eating cold shredded mozzarella with a watery tomato and watery mushroom.
The girls have finished their bread and are now asking for cantaloupe. I say, "At least eat your tomatoes."
Olivia persists, "Can you take all the brown stuff off my plate?"
"Fine," I say. I didn't really expect her to eat it anyway. I am happy to see Juliana has at least taken a bite of her mushroom without complaint.
"Can I be excused?" asks Olivia. I notice she ate her tomato but left the cheese which has been colored brown from the watery mushroom.
"Just one more bite," I say. I spoon some brown cheese into her mouth and release her.
"Can I be excused?" asks Juliana. I see she hasn't eaten a second bite of anything but I let her go after she ate more tomato.
Gabriella just follows her. I don't object.
I finish just enough of my undercooked dinner so that I don't feel guilty for wasting it. Then I have some cookies.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Monday, June 14, 2010
Hawaiian Chicken
Ingredients: 1 pineapple, 2 chicken breasts, 2 tbs spicy honey BBQ sauce
Recipe: Heat grill or grill pan on med-hi. While pre-heating, slice pineapple into rings. Sear pineapple for grill marks and turn down heat. Cook only a few minutes per side. Then turn up heat to med-hi. Coat chicken breasts with BBQ sauce. Then, sear chicken for grill marks and turn down for cooking, about 7 minutes per side, depending on thickness of chicken. Plate chicken, add sauce if needed, then pineapple ring. Serve with a side salad with ranch dressing.
I really just made this up. I've had similar items at restaurants and I know that "Hawaiian Chicken" usually involves chicken, pineapple and BBQ sauce. I had those three things so this is what did with them.
I put cartoons on for the kiddos. The baby is napping. Olivia notices I am cutting up a pineapple. "Pineapple! I want some!"
I have just finished cutting around the pineapple and slicing and was now trying to cut the core out to make those perfect circles. Impossible. There are several chunks of pineapple off to the side of the cutting board. "How do you ask nicely?" I reply to her.
"May I please have some pineapple?"
"Me too! Me too!" Juliana shouts as she comes into the kitchen.
"Okay, here's some for both of you to share."
While that occupies them, I preheat the grill, finish the slices, and I cut my chicken through the middle (like a butterfly cut, but all the way through) so it isn't as thick, and I get two breasts out of one.
I am in the middle of grilling when my husband comes home. He asks, "What are we having for dinner?"
"Um, I think I'm going to call it Hawaiian Chicken," I tell him.
"Uh-oh. Are you experimenting again?"
"Well, yes. But it''s going to be good."
He just gives me a hug and kiss on the cheek and look, as if to say, "We'll see."
After I make the girls some nuggets to go with their pineapple and plate the "Hawaiian Chicken" with a side salad of lettuce, tomatoes and ranch, it's time to eat.
I cut my chicken and pineapple and mix it all together to make a "Hawaiian Chicken Salad" and it is delicious. I ask my husband what the thinks.
"It's really good honey," he says.
Four empty dinner plates tells me dinner was a success!
Recipe: Heat grill or grill pan on med-hi. While pre-heating, slice pineapple into rings. Sear pineapple for grill marks and turn down heat. Cook only a few minutes per side. Then turn up heat to med-hi. Coat chicken breasts with BBQ sauce. Then, sear chicken for grill marks and turn down for cooking, about 7 minutes per side, depending on thickness of chicken. Plate chicken, add sauce if needed, then pineapple ring. Serve with a side salad with ranch dressing.
I really just made this up. I've had similar items at restaurants and I know that "Hawaiian Chicken" usually involves chicken, pineapple and BBQ sauce. I had those three things so this is what did with them.
I put cartoons on for the kiddos. The baby is napping. Olivia notices I am cutting up a pineapple. "Pineapple! I want some!"
I have just finished cutting around the pineapple and slicing and was now trying to cut the core out to make those perfect circles. Impossible. There are several chunks of pineapple off to the side of the cutting board. "How do you ask nicely?" I reply to her.
"May I please have some pineapple?"
"Me too! Me too!" Juliana shouts as she comes into the kitchen.
"Okay, here's some for both of you to share."
While that occupies them, I preheat the grill, finish the slices, and I cut my chicken through the middle (like a butterfly cut, but all the way through) so it isn't as thick, and I get two breasts out of one.
I am in the middle of grilling when my husband comes home. He asks, "What are we having for dinner?"
"Um, I think I'm going to call it Hawaiian Chicken," I tell him.
"Uh-oh. Are you experimenting again?"
"Well, yes. But it''s going to be good."
He just gives me a hug and kiss on the cheek and look, as if to say, "We'll see."
After I make the girls some nuggets to go with their pineapple and plate the "Hawaiian Chicken" with a side salad of lettuce, tomatoes and ranch, it's time to eat.
I cut my chicken and pineapple and mix it all together to make a "Hawaiian Chicken Salad" and it is delicious. I ask my husband what the thinks.
"It's really good honey," he says.
Four empty dinner plates tells me dinner was a success!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Creative Meatloaf
It's a rainy, cloudy, stormy, lazy Sunday evening. I am not leaving the house. Hmm....dinner. I know I have a lot of ground beef because I had bought one of those 5-pound packs to last a while. I am thinking meatloaf.
Traditional Recipe: 1 pound ground beef, 1 egg, breadcrumbs, ketchup, seasonings. Bake at 350 for an hour.
I have never made meatloaf the same way twice. Instead of breadcrumbs, I have used Saltine crackers, Ritz crackers, oats, cornflakes, or stuffing mix. Instead of ketchup, I have used tomato puree, tomato sauce, or even A-1 sauce (my husband's favorite). I have seasoned with Italian spices, plain old S & P, or onions and garlic.
Tonight, I root through my cabinets and think "Italian Style!" I have some leftover marinara sauce and some dry spaghetti sauce mix in a packet that I have been wanting to get rid of. I originally bought it for a recipe that required an Italian dressing mix and realized it wouldn't work. I get out an egg and breadcrumbs and put the beef in the microwave to defrost.
Meatloaf is incomplete without potatoes, so I peel and dice the best ones I have. (In my cabinet, it seems there's always some sprouting.) I put a pot of water on the stove to boil.
In a large bowl, I start on my meatloaf. I beat the egg and add about a 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce and then I add half of the spaghetti sauce packet. Whoa - it's orange. OK, I will leave the rest out. I add 1/2 cup breadcrumbs. (I'm actually not measuring, so don't pay too much attention to what I say about that.) I add the ground beef and mix with my hands. (Wedding ring is off!) I am trying to remember what consistency the meatloaf is supposed to be. I add some more marinara, then some more breadcrumbs and hope for the best. I pour it into my foiled and sprayed loaf pan and into the preheated oven for an hour.
After I boil and mash the potatoes, I give them "Italian" treatment too (in my opinion). I squeeze some garlic through the garlic press and add butter and grated Parmesan cheese and then stir in some milk. I try it and add some salt and pepper. Yum!
After half an hour, the meatloaf smells great, but I manage to hold everyone off until it's ready. I slice it immediately after removing it from the oven because my family is acting like hungry wolves. Some slices stay together, some don't. That is fine though because I have to crumble the girls' up anyway.
That meatloaf was the juiciest meatloaf I've had! Is meatloaf supposed to be juicy? Maybe I should say moist. Anyway, I liked it. My husband didn't say it was the best ever (I think he prefers the A-1) but he had seconds and the girls finished their plates (which never happens!) so I'd say it was a success. I think it was the spaghetti sauce mix after all.
Traditional Recipe: 1 pound ground beef, 1 egg, breadcrumbs, ketchup, seasonings. Bake at 350 for an hour.
I have never made meatloaf the same way twice. Instead of breadcrumbs, I have used Saltine crackers, Ritz crackers, oats, cornflakes, or stuffing mix. Instead of ketchup, I have used tomato puree, tomato sauce, or even A-1 sauce (my husband's favorite). I have seasoned with Italian spices, plain old S & P, or onions and garlic.
Tonight, I root through my cabinets and think "Italian Style!" I have some leftover marinara sauce and some dry spaghetti sauce mix in a packet that I have been wanting to get rid of. I originally bought it for a recipe that required an Italian dressing mix and realized it wouldn't work. I get out an egg and breadcrumbs and put the beef in the microwave to defrost.
Meatloaf is incomplete without potatoes, so I peel and dice the best ones I have. (In my cabinet, it seems there's always some sprouting.) I put a pot of water on the stove to boil.
In a large bowl, I start on my meatloaf. I beat the egg and add about a 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce and then I add half of the spaghetti sauce packet. Whoa - it's orange. OK, I will leave the rest out. I add 1/2 cup breadcrumbs. (I'm actually not measuring, so don't pay too much attention to what I say about that.) I add the ground beef and mix with my hands. (Wedding ring is off!) I am trying to remember what consistency the meatloaf is supposed to be. I add some more marinara, then some more breadcrumbs and hope for the best. I pour it into my foiled and sprayed loaf pan and into the preheated oven for an hour.
After I boil and mash the potatoes, I give them "Italian" treatment too (in my opinion). I squeeze some garlic through the garlic press and add butter and grated Parmesan cheese and then stir in some milk. I try it and add some salt and pepper. Yum!
After half an hour, the meatloaf smells great, but I manage to hold everyone off until it's ready. I slice it immediately after removing it from the oven because my family is acting like hungry wolves. Some slices stay together, some don't. That is fine though because I have to crumble the girls' up anyway.
That meatloaf was the juiciest meatloaf I've had! Is meatloaf supposed to be juicy? Maybe I should say moist. Anyway, I liked it. My husband didn't say it was the best ever (I think he prefers the A-1) but he had seconds and the girls finished their plates (which never happens!) so I'd say it was a success. I think it was the spaghetti sauce mix after all.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Spaghetti Night
Recipe: 1/2 box spaghetti noodles, 1/2 lb. ground beef, 1 jar "Ragu Super Chunky Mushroom"
Cook the noodles. Cook and drain meat. Add sauce. Mix all together. Yum.
We leave the park at 5:30. The girls slept through lunch and Olivia ate chicken nuggets and goldfish on the playground, but Juliana wouldn't leave the swings. I'm hoping they will just watch TV.
I'm glad I planned something simple for dinner, because today seemed busy with pre-school and the park. Such a nice day though. I have tried spaghetti several different ways: I vary the sauce or have even made handmade meatballs, but no matter what I do, Shane prefers Ragu. That's fine with me. It's easier and cheaper that way.
I open the fridge and find two puzzles. Olivia must have been making cookies.
Hmm, what was I looking for? Oh, ground beef. It's in the freezer. I stick it in the microwave for 5 mins on 30% power to defrost and heat up the pan and boil a pot of water.
"Mommy, can I have a snack?" Olivia asks.
"No baby, I'm making dinner and don't want you to get full on snacks," I answer.
"What are you making?" she asks.
"Spaghetti."
"I don't like spaghetti. What's spaghetti?"
I show her a picture from the box of noodles.
"Yuck, I don't like that," she responds. "I want macaroni and cheese."
"No. And you do like spaghetti. You've had it before," I say.
She grumbles and leaves the room.
Gabriella (9 mos) is fussing so I pick her up. I put the noodles in the pot and I start browning the beef. I must say, I feel like a super mom cooking dinner with one hand and holding a baby on my hip with the other. Oops, I almost burn her foot. She's bigger than she used to be. I start unloading the dishwasher (still one-handed) while the stuff on the stove cooks.
"Seat." Juliana says, pulling a bar stool towards the kitchen. This is her way of telling me she wants to sit up by the stove to help me stir or cook, like when we're baking.
"No Juli, Mommy doesn't need help cooking right now. Do you want to help be do the dishes?" I ask.
"Alright!" she says. Then she goes to her room.
I drain the ground beef and pour the Ragu sauce into the same pan. I drain the spaghetti and pour that into the pan too.
Juliana comes back into the kitchen, clutching her ballerina dress. Olivia is close behind, holding her princess dress.
"Stuck," Juliana says. This is what she says if she can't get something open or, in this case, on.
I am still one-handed so I tell her I can help her after I make dinner.
I put Gabriella down on the floor, glancing around to make sure there was nothing harmful she could eat. While she cries, I finished loading the dishwasher and mixing the spaghetti, which I leave on warm until we're ready to eat. Juliana comes back, still clutching her ballerina dress.
"Peas Mommy?" she says. Aw, how can resist the magic words? I put it on over her clothes.
Shane comes home while I'm feeding Gabi baby food. Time for dinner! We coral the children to the table and I try unsuccessfully to explain to Juliana she cannot wear her ballerina dress at dinner because she will get it messy. She starts to throw a fit and I give in. I don't care at this point - it's washable.
Dinner is good. Shane has seconds, which is high on the scale. (Low is when he doesn't eat it; medium is finishing what's on his plate; high is when he gets seconds; super is when he agrees to eat leftovers.) Actually, he may have eaten the leftovers if there were any.
And guess what? Olivia liked it too! She even "made it" the next day in her toy kitchen.
Success.
Cook the noodles. Cook and drain meat. Add sauce. Mix all together. Yum.
We leave the park at 5:30. The girls slept through lunch and Olivia ate chicken nuggets and goldfish on the playground, but Juliana wouldn't leave the swings. I'm hoping they will just watch TV.
I'm glad I planned something simple for dinner, because today seemed busy with pre-school and the park. Such a nice day though. I have tried spaghetti several different ways: I vary the sauce or have even made handmade meatballs, but no matter what I do, Shane prefers Ragu. That's fine with me. It's easier and cheaper that way.
I open the fridge and find two puzzles. Olivia must have been making cookies.
Hmm, what was I looking for? Oh, ground beef. It's in the freezer. I stick it in the microwave for 5 mins on 30% power to defrost and heat up the pan and boil a pot of water.
"Mommy, can I have a snack?" Olivia asks.
"No baby, I'm making dinner and don't want you to get full on snacks," I answer.
"What are you making?" she asks.
"Spaghetti."
"I don't like spaghetti. What's spaghetti?"
I show her a picture from the box of noodles.
"Yuck, I don't like that," she responds. "I want macaroni and cheese."
"No. And you do like spaghetti. You've had it before," I say.
She grumbles and leaves the room.
Gabriella (9 mos) is fussing so I pick her up. I put the noodles in the pot and I start browning the beef. I must say, I feel like a super mom cooking dinner with one hand and holding a baby on my hip with the other. Oops, I almost burn her foot. She's bigger than she used to be. I start unloading the dishwasher (still one-handed) while the stuff on the stove cooks.
"Seat." Juliana says, pulling a bar stool towards the kitchen. This is her way of telling me she wants to sit up by the stove to help me stir or cook, like when we're baking.
"No Juli, Mommy doesn't need help cooking right now. Do you want to help be do the dishes?" I ask.
"Alright!" she says. Then she goes to her room.
I drain the ground beef and pour the Ragu sauce into the same pan. I drain the spaghetti and pour that into the pan too.
Juliana comes back into the kitchen, clutching her ballerina dress. Olivia is close behind, holding her princess dress.
"Stuck," Juliana says. This is what she says if she can't get something open or, in this case, on.
I am still one-handed so I tell her I can help her after I make dinner.
I put Gabriella down on the floor, glancing around to make sure there was nothing harmful she could eat. While she cries, I finished loading the dishwasher and mixing the spaghetti, which I leave on warm until we're ready to eat. Juliana comes back, still clutching her ballerina dress.
"Peas Mommy?" she says. Aw, how can resist the magic words? I put it on over her clothes.
Shane comes home while I'm feeding Gabi baby food. Time for dinner! We coral the children to the table and I try unsuccessfully to explain to Juliana she cannot wear her ballerina dress at dinner because she will get it messy. She starts to throw a fit and I give in. I don't care at this point - it's washable.
Dinner is good. Shane has seconds, which is high on the scale. (Low is when he doesn't eat it; medium is finishing what's on his plate; high is when he gets seconds; super is when he agrees to eat leftovers.) Actually, he may have eaten the leftovers if there were any.
And guess what? Olivia liked it too! She even "made it" the next day in her toy kitchen.
Success.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Catalina Cranberry Chicken
Recipe
Ingredients:
4 lbs. bone-in chicken pieces (any assortment)
1 16-oz can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 bottle Catalina Dressing
1 envelope dried onion soup mix
Preheat oven to 350
Place chicken in 2 baking pans (13x9). Mix remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken. Bake 50 mins or until chicken is 165 degrees.
So easy even I couldn't screw it up!!
I had already fed the girls leftover tacos so they were content watching TV while I cooked. As I got everything out, I was disappointed to learn I had only bought 2 pounds of chicken so I reduced the rest of the ingredients by half - except for the cranberries. I love cranberries.
Besides that, I did everything like the recipe said and the kids stayed out of the kitchen and it was delicious! How boring. But, I had to share the recipe.
I got this recipe from the Kraft Foods magazine, Holiday 2009 edition.
Ingredients:
4 lbs. bone-in chicken pieces (any assortment)
1 16-oz can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 bottle Catalina Dressing
1 envelope dried onion soup mix
Preheat oven to 350
Place chicken in 2 baking pans (13x9). Mix remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken. Bake 50 mins or until chicken is 165 degrees.
So easy even I couldn't screw it up!!
I had already fed the girls leftover tacos so they were content watching TV while I cooked. As I got everything out, I was disappointed to learn I had only bought 2 pounds of chicken so I reduced the rest of the ingredients by half - except for the cranberries. I love cranberries.
Besides that, I did everything like the recipe said and the kids stayed out of the kitchen and it was delicious! How boring. But, I had to share the recipe.
I got this recipe from the Kraft Foods magazine, Holiday 2009 edition.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
How to Mess up Box Mixes
My daughter just turned 2, and for her birthday, I made a variety of treats. For her pre-school class, I made brownies. Then, for a play date birthday party, I made a cookie cake. At least, I tried to make those things.
Tuesday night, I made the brownies. Couldn't be easier: Pour contents of bag into bowl, add just a couple of ingredients, mix and bake. Olivia helped me pour and stir. The box said to immediately put in the oven. But I had to wait for the oven to finish preheating. The instructions were to bake 25-30 mins for an 8x8 square pan but mine was 9x9. I thought nothing of it. 25 mins later, I am in the middle of giving the girls a bath so my husband takes the brownies out and lays them on the counter to cool. After I read the girls a story and put them to bed, I check on the brownies. Rock hard. Why? How? I cut off the outer edges and try to salvage the inner squares. I put in plastic wrap and hope they will magically soften on their own.
In the morning, the brownie squares are cement statues of their former selves. Why? How? I bring them anyway. I show them off for laughs and a teacher suggests microwaving them in a damp paper towel to add moisture. Great idea! So, right before my daughter's snack time, I try it. Mmmm, now they are warm brownies right from the oven! It worked, but as soon as they cooled, they cooled hard. So I re-microwaved and hurried over to her room.
As luck would have it, another mommy had brought in mini cupcakes so all the kids went straight for the icing. We sang Happy Birthday and I took pictures of Juli with icing on her face and the kids ate the cupcakes AND the brownies. I mean, they are 2, they'll eat anything, right?
The next day was her actual birthday and her play date party. After cleaning the house, I attempt a cookie cake. You know, one of those jumbo cookies the size of a pizza with icing decorations? Again, I pour the mix out of the box and add just a couple of ingredients. I start stirring and think, "Hmm, why is this dough so pale and mushy?" I re-read the box, and underneath the photo of a stick of butter it says "1 tbs butter." So, yes, I used a STICK of butter when it called for only a tablespoon.
In my defense, I usually make cookies from scratch using two sticks of butter so it did not seem odd that a mix would ask for a stick.
OK, don't panic, just laugh. I have to tell somebody, and ask for advice, so I call my friend Angie who is a baking whiz. She bursts out laughing and says, "I don't know. I've left out ingredients before, but I've never added too much of one. Just taste it and see what it needs." I add a bit of flour just to get the consistency right, then I try it. It tastes bland. Like butter. (I always buy unsalted butter.) I try to think back at what cookie dough is supposed to taste like, so I add more sugar. When it starts to resemble regular cookie dough, I spread it on my pizza pan. It looks a lot smaller than I thought it would. I could have used two boxes. Oh well. I do my best to shape it into a circle and bake it.
As my guests arrived, I gave them full disclosure and warned them the cookie cake may taste a bit odd. Looking back, I shouldn't have said a word. It came out just fine.
Tuesday night, I made the brownies. Couldn't be easier: Pour contents of bag into bowl, add just a couple of ingredients, mix and bake. Olivia helped me pour and stir. The box said to immediately put in the oven. But I had to wait for the oven to finish preheating. The instructions were to bake 25-30 mins for an 8x8 square pan but mine was 9x9. I thought nothing of it. 25 mins later, I am in the middle of giving the girls a bath so my husband takes the brownies out and lays them on the counter to cool. After I read the girls a story and put them to bed, I check on the brownies. Rock hard. Why? How? I cut off the outer edges and try to salvage the inner squares. I put in plastic wrap and hope they will magically soften on their own.
In the morning, the brownie squares are cement statues of their former selves. Why? How? I bring them anyway. I show them off for laughs and a teacher suggests microwaving them in a damp paper towel to add moisture. Great idea! So, right before my daughter's snack time, I try it. Mmmm, now they are warm brownies right from the oven! It worked, but as soon as they cooled, they cooled hard. So I re-microwaved and hurried over to her room.
As luck would have it, another mommy had brought in mini cupcakes so all the kids went straight for the icing. We sang Happy Birthday and I took pictures of Juli with icing on her face and the kids ate the cupcakes AND the brownies. I mean, they are 2, they'll eat anything, right?
The next day was her actual birthday and her play date party. After cleaning the house, I attempt a cookie cake. You know, one of those jumbo cookies the size of a pizza with icing decorations? Again, I pour the mix out of the box and add just a couple of ingredients. I start stirring and think, "Hmm, why is this dough so pale and mushy?" I re-read the box, and underneath the photo of a stick of butter it says "1 tbs butter." So, yes, I used a STICK of butter when it called for only a tablespoon.
In my defense, I usually make cookies from scratch using two sticks of butter so it did not seem odd that a mix would ask for a stick.
OK, don't panic, just laugh. I have to tell somebody, and ask for advice, so I call my friend Angie who is a baking whiz. She bursts out laughing and says, "I don't know. I've left out ingredients before, but I've never added too much of one. Just taste it and see what it needs." I add a bit of flour just to get the consistency right, then I try it. It tastes bland. Like butter. (I always buy unsalted butter.) I try to think back at what cookie dough is supposed to taste like, so I add more sugar. When it starts to resemble regular cookie dough, I spread it on my pizza pan. It looks a lot smaller than I thought it would. I could have used two boxes. Oh well. I do my best to shape it into a circle and bake it.
As my guests arrived, I gave them full disclosure and warned them the cookie cake may taste a bit odd. Looking back, I shouldn't have said a word. It came out just fine.
Monday, January 4, 2010
New Year's Eve
It's Jan 4th and I've managed not to use any recipes all year! Nachos, steaks, and restaurants. It may have been New Year's Eve that did me in. I'll post the recipe first then detail my experience.
Lentil Soup with Beef (or, as I tell my husband, Beef Stew with lentils)
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis (from foodnetwork.com)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
6 (14-ounce) cans beef broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
2 cups (about 11 ounces) lentils, rinsed
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Directions
Heat the oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Add half of the beef and cook until brown, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining beef. Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, rosemary, and oregano to the pot. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Return the beef and any accumulated juices from the bowl to the pot. Add the broth and tomatoes with their juice. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the meat is just tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Add the lentils. Cover and continue simmering until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
I've made this once before and it was great. My husband loved it and even ate the leftovers, which he never does. I originally planned to make this on New Year's day and I was going to make that stuffed veal that I didn't get to make on Christmas Eve, but once again I never made it to the store to buy the ingredients. So, our New Year's Eve feast it is!
The day was doomed from the start since I was expecting a service call. (We're switching from cable to do a bundle thing; we'll see how it works out.) You can never plan around service calls. In particular when they tell you "some time today between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m." I started dinner at 5 pm when I started calling the service provider, but since it was a holiday, they were closed early. For some reason, I kept calling.
I preheat the pot and cut and season the beef. Redial and place beef in pot. Peel and or chop veggies and herbs. Tears from onion, not from service center being closed. Swap beef for veggies. Talk to friends on phone at how ridiculous it is that it's 5:30 and no one is here yet. Keeping hopes up.
By now, all three children are on the kitchen floor playing tea party right under my feet. I return beef to pot and add in broth but forget to add the tomatoes. I had them in my cabinet, I just forgot amidst the commotion.
When it's time to add the lentils, it's 6:30 and I have given up hope on the service call. The worst part is, I have no one to yell at until Saturday because the next day is a holiday. I take out my aggression on the parsley. Finely chopped.
By 7 pm, Shane is home and we take turns griping about our day. I haven't been out of the house all day and felt like a caged bird so I take one of the little ones to the store with me while the soup cools. Before I run out the door, I try the soup and think it tastes a little bland so I pour in some salt and pepper and add the parsley.
When I get back, everyone is calm and we eat. I notice Shane isn't gobbling it up like last time. I have some and notice it is very, very salty.
"It's a little salty, don't you think?" I ask
"Yeah," says Shane.
I am starving so I have seconds but notice Shane instead grabs some yogurt. He tells me he's not that hungry. I save the leftovers anyway. It just figures.
IMPORTANT LESSON: Go easy on the salt because it will ruin even the best dish!
Lentil Soup with Beef (or, as I tell my husband, Beef Stew with lentils)
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis (from foodnetwork.com)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
6 (14-ounce) cans beef broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
2 cups (about 11 ounces) lentils, rinsed
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Directions
Heat the oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Add half of the beef and cook until brown, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining beef. Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, rosemary, and oregano to the pot. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Return the beef and any accumulated juices from the bowl to the pot. Add the broth and tomatoes with their juice. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the meat is just tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Add the lentils. Cover and continue simmering until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
I've made this once before and it was great. My husband loved it and even ate the leftovers, which he never does. I originally planned to make this on New Year's day and I was going to make that stuffed veal that I didn't get to make on Christmas Eve, but once again I never made it to the store to buy the ingredients. So, our New Year's Eve feast it is!
The day was doomed from the start since I was expecting a service call. (We're switching from cable to do a bundle thing; we'll see how it works out.) You can never plan around service calls. In particular when they tell you "some time today between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m." I started dinner at 5 pm when I started calling the service provider, but since it was a holiday, they were closed early. For some reason, I kept calling.
I preheat the pot and cut and season the beef. Redial and place beef in pot. Peel and or chop veggies and herbs. Tears from onion, not from service center being closed. Swap beef for veggies. Talk to friends on phone at how ridiculous it is that it's 5:30 and no one is here yet. Keeping hopes up.
By now, all three children are on the kitchen floor playing tea party right under my feet. I return beef to pot and add in broth but forget to add the tomatoes. I had them in my cabinet, I just forgot amidst the commotion.
When it's time to add the lentils, it's 6:30 and I have given up hope on the service call. The worst part is, I have no one to yell at until Saturday because the next day is a holiday. I take out my aggression on the parsley. Finely chopped.
By 7 pm, Shane is home and we take turns griping about our day. I haven't been out of the house all day and felt like a caged bird so I take one of the little ones to the store with me while the soup cools. Before I run out the door, I try the soup and think it tastes a little bland so I pour in some salt and pepper and add the parsley.
When I get back, everyone is calm and we eat. I notice Shane isn't gobbling it up like last time. I have some and notice it is very, very salty.
"It's a little salty, don't you think?" I ask
"Yeah," says Shane.
I am starving so I have seconds but notice Shane instead grabs some yogurt. He tells me he's not that hungry. I save the leftovers anyway. It just figures.
IMPORTANT LESSON: Go easy on the salt because it will ruin even the best dish!
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