a tasty snack

I tend to eat a lot on sundays. and not just in one sitting. there's something about a salty treat after waking up from a fabulous nap to get you going again. today, I decided on toasted garbanzo beans with red pepper, lime and garlic. here's how it comes together:

1 can garbanzo beans
1-2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
crushed red pepper flake
zest of a lime
1-2 tsp cumin
salt
pepper

1. rinse, drain and dry beans. [if you add them to the pan wet, they don't get as toasty]
2. heat olive oil over med-low to med heat.
3. add minced garlic and red pepper flake. [cook this slowly to release flavor without burning]
4. after 2-3 minutes add lime zest.
5. once the garlic is soft, toss beans in and combine. season with cumin, salt and pepper.
6. toast until desired done-ness [I like a mix of still soft and totally crunchy]

couldn't be easier, and it's a high fiber snack!

cook's notes: these can be flavored any way you like, but the pepper, garlic, lime and cumin really pop.

I'm back! hopefully...

so it's been awhile since my last post. I'd like to say I was doing something constructive, but mainly I've been super busy with life. I have a million posts in the works, but I thought I'd take this time to discuss waste not, want not.

I'm not the perfect homemaker - as evidenced by the current state of my home. however, I think I have the process of stocking the kitchen down to an art. unless you count being unable to keep enough hot pockets and frozen pizzas to please the boyfriend. I fail miserably at that.

anywho.

here are the steps I take to make sure I don't waste my time and money at the grocery store:

the day before:

1. review this week's local grocery store ads. if you have to shop at walmart (like myself), at least take advantage of their price matching. I especially use this when soda goes on sale at other stores. I really should invest in the dr. pepper brand because of how much we drink. price match has saved me many dollars.
2. inventory what you currently have. I know it sounds silly, but I like to keep a running list of what's in my freezer, fridge and pantry. and yes, I write it down. it helps when planning meals for the week and prevents pantry overload.
3. think about certain meals you want to make for the next week or two. what do you need to make those meals? what do you already have? start making your grocery list.
4. once you have dinners squared away (I like to think of the protein I want to use and build out from there), think about what you want for breakfast and lunch. continue writing your list.
5. quickly check the trash bags, storage bags, dish and laundry needs, and the bathrooms. write down anything you will run out of in the next week or two. add to the list.

dooms day

1. go to store. stand in line. shoot murderous daggers out of your eyes at everyone around you. [I don't know why I loathe going to the grocery store so much. but I always hate my life while I'm there.]
2. I like to know how much I'm spending along the way, so I keep a running total while I shop. if you like surprises, skip this step.

the day after

1. I usually shove everything in their respective places when I get home. the only item I properly put away is parsley. I take it out of the produce bag, trim the stems and place the bunch in water. but fresh herbs turn quickly. and that's the only reason why I'm not completely lazy after getting home from the store.
2. the next day, break down any large packs of meat you bought. I portion my ground beef, cube steaks, chicken breasts, etc. anything I'm not using the day of goes in the freezer.
3. I clean my produce and let it dry. then I put it where it should go.
4. pantry organization is next. [note: I first typed "panty organization". for those of you that know me well know that is another topic I could write about. but perhaps not on my food blog] just group like things together. tomato sauce, paste and other tomato products all go together. canned beans, boxed things, rice, pasta, blah blah blah. you get the picture.

I know this sounds like a hassle, but when you only buy things for the meals you intend to make you waste less food. if you're feeling extra organized, plan meals that can be rolled over into another meal. you save even more time and money!

I promise to post recipes again soon. this was just the easy way to get back in the groove.

scrambler

ohmygoodness. I just made the best scrambled eggs.

1 tbsp butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup shelled edamame
2 tbsp cream cheese, cubed
salt and pepper

1. melt butter over med-low heat
2. add edamame and cook for a minute or two
3. scramble eggs in a bowl, add to pan
4. stir when eggs start to set
5. add cubes of cream cheese, salt and pepper
6. remove from heat when eggs are done to your preference

seriously, these were so good. if my mom hadn't hammered into my head that more than 2 eggs per day were bad for me, I would have scrambled one more.

mother's day brunch

I have the best mom! and she doesn't even read this blog, so it's not like I'm sucking up :) for mother's day this year...or rather the day before mother's day...I made her a fabulous brunch. I had to slightly alter my menu because my local market stopped carrying puff pastry for the ham and cheese pockets, but they turned out delish anyway.

**ham and cheese pastries**

ham
swiss cheese
dijon mustard
packed croissants

1. preheat oven according to package directions.
2. unroll 4 croissants on a baking sheet.
3. spread mustard on bottom.
4. add desired amount of ham and cheese.
5. top with another croissant.
6. bake until done.

ohmygosh ya'll. these were so tasty. and so easy.

**yogurt and granola parfait**

vanilla yogurt
granola [or "just bunches" from honey bunches of oats works too if you don't want melody to call you "granola"]
frozen mixed berries
sugar
water
mint for decoration

1. heat frozen berries over medium low heat.
2. add a sprinkle of sugar and a dash of water.
3. boil for 5 minutes.
4. turn off and let cool.
5. once berries are cool, layer with yogurt and granola in pretty glasses.
6. garnish with a sprig of mint.

super duper easy, and also tasty. come on guys, you can totally pull this off!

**spinach and orange salad**

baby spinach
orange segments
cucumber, peeled and chopped
pine nuts, toasted
parmesan cheese
dressing:
1/2 cup light oil
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

1. mix dressing together.
2. assemble remaining ingredients and mix.

mmm...this was so refreshing on the plate next to the ham and cheese pastries.

**"mimosa"**

orange juice
sparkling water

1. mix and enjoy.

usually I would add sparkling wine to this, but my mom doesn't drink. but feel free to "kick it up".

cook's notes: after eating this meal, my mom declared that she wanted to open a bed and breakfast. and my dad pointed out that she'd have to pay me for my services. I think the idea was immediately less appealing.

this really came together as a meal. maybe I will open a B and B some day.

music and meatballs

yesterday was stressful. after walking the dog in the much-needed sunshine, it was time to cook dinner. music always lifts my mood, so I blasted my library on random and let the universe decide what I would be dancing to in the kitchen.

I opened my freezer full of meat [thank you reasor's meat sale], and after a minute of deciding between chicken, beef and pork I settled on meatballs stuffed with cheese. I had leftover tomato sauce, and I hate to let things go to waste.

except the tomato sauce was moldy.

but I didn't know it until the meatballs were browning. [oh no!! SAUCE EMERGENCY!!! what will I make my sauce out of?] luckily I made some chicken stock the other day, and I had a random can of tomato paste. turns out if you whisk those together and add some basil and garlic, you have instant tomato sauce!

1 pound ground beef
1 egg
1 handful of breadcrumbs [start with less and add more if the mixture is too wet]
a smattering of seasonings. use what you like in your meatballs. I used:

• red pepper flake
• chopped garlic
• chopped parsley
• worcestershire sauce
• onion powder
• italian seasoning
• salt and pepper
• parmesan cheese

combine above ingredients together. you'll also need:

4 cubes of mozzarella
tomato sauce
olive oil
parsley
more parmesan

1. divide meat mixture into four sections.
2. stuff each meatball with mozzarella.
3. pack together tightly to keep it from falling apart.
4. brown over medium heat on all sides.
5. remove.
6. add tomato sauce. [if there is a lot of fat in the pan, soak it up with a paper towel and discard]
7. simmer until reduced a little.
8. add meatballs back in.
9. stir every now and then until the meatballs are done.
10. add parsley.
11. sprinkle with more parmesan.

cook's note: no pasta necessary! although a hearty helping of cheese and butter spaghetti wouldn't hurt... we just ate ours with crusty bread.

buffalo chicken casserole

I love buffalo sauce. like, really love it. so when I had a bunch of leftover roasted chicken I decided to make some sort of cheesy chicken casserole with buffalo as the sauce.

are you drooling? I was. just a little.

2 cups cooked chicken
1 cup pasta, cooked and drained
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp frank's red hot [seriously, don't try this with any other hot sauce. frank's is the only way to go]
1 cup cubed mozzarella
1 cup cooked broccoli [optional]
parmesan cheese for the top
salt and pepper
ranch dressing

1. preheat oven to 350.
2. melt butter over low heat.
3. stir in frank's red hot until it is combined.
4. add a pinch of salt.
5. mix all ingredients together.
6. season well with salt and pepper.
7. pour into baking dish.
8. top with parmesan.
9. bake for 20 - 25 minutes.
10. drizzle portions with ranch dressing.

cook's note: I cannot emphasize enough how DELICIOUSLY TASTY this was. and the leftovers? they totally rock. the broccoli is only optional because the boyfriend stated he would prefer it without the "green stuff". but I have a hard time calling anything dinner without something green on the plate [thanks mom!]

I actually roasted a chicken last night

but that's not the focus of this post. I was at a loss of what to make for the side dishes, and I finally settled on broccoli with cheese sauce and modified ramen noodles. the noodles surpassed my expectations.

1 package ramen noodles, flavor packet discarded
1 green onion, sliced on an angle
olive oil
drippings from roast chicken
salt and pepper

1. cook noodles
2. put 1 tsp of olive oil in pan
3. cook green onion briefly
4. add noodles
5. add drippings
6. combine and season to taste

when the boyfriend went to dish the noodles, he asked "what is this, oil or butter?" it was SO shiny with flavor! and then he eat 3/4 of the package. and shot me dirty looks for eating any of it.

but seriously I'm going to die of heart failure with all the "flavor" I eat.

a sunday evening snack

I had a meeting at church last night, and I figured, "what the hey?" I'll go visit my parents. especially because they were concerned that I might have the swine flu.

they had decided to snack for dinner. I offered to whip something up for them. "quickly". I started pulling ingredients out and placing them next to each other on the counter to see if anything would come to me. I settled on chicken artichoke salad, croissant croutons, with a baked egg on top.

catchy name, right? here's how I made it:

1 can white meat diced chicken
1/2 can artichokes, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
4 slices bacon
mixed baby greens

dressing:
1/2 cup mayo
2-3 tbsp spicy brown or dijon mustard
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flake
salt, pepper

croutons:
1 can croissant dough
bacon drippings
dried parsley
salt, pepper

baked egg:
1 egg per person
1 dollop butter per egg

ok...let's break this down piece by piece.

1. heat oven to 300. cook bacon until crispy.
2. mix all dressing ingredients together. set aside.
3. cut croissants into pieces.
4. brush with bacon drippings [ or just olive oil if you'd rather not use bacon grease] . season with salt, pepper and parsley.
5. bake according to package directions. [well, not as long. they're in pieces and go fast]
6. mix chicken, tomatoes, artichokes and cooled, crumbled bacon in a bowl.
7. add desired amount of dressing. and let marinate. [don't use all the dressing! you'll need some for the salad greens]
8. generously grease a muffin tin for the baked eggs [only grease the number of cups for eggs you plan on making. it just makes clean up easier]
9. put a little butter on top of each egg. season with salt and pepper.
10. bake at 375 for 5-10 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs and the oven temp.
11. toss remaining dressing with salad greens.

to plate this, put a pile of greens in the middle of the plate. heap the chicken salad on top. place the egg on top of the salad. surround the plate with croutons. eat and enjoy!

not really the quick snack I intended to start off with, but is was delicious no matter how many steps it took.

lazy

I've been pretty lazy in the kitchen this week. we bought three papa murphy's pizzas and a salad on sunday and ran out last night. sometimes I'm just not "feelin' it".



however, last night I went over to my parents' house and made a birthday dinner for my mom. her direction to me was "I saw eggplant was on sale at reasors. maybe pasta? and a salad?" so I made up a menu and decided to go full force. even though I was wingin' the pasta and salad. the eggplant I could make in my sleep...

birthday dinner, part 1

eggplant parmesan "steph style"

I won't lie to you. this is basically fried eggplant with tomato sauce. but it's SO GOOD.

1 eggplant
flour
egg
breadcrumbs
parmesan cheese [grated or shredded, doesn't matter]
oil for frying

1. slice eggplant. I usually go with about 1/4 inch [actually, I have no idea. I'm really bad at measuring inches. just go thinner rather than thicker].
2. put flour in a bowl. season with salt and pepper.
3. beat egg with a little water to thin it out.
4. mix breadcrumbs and some cheese together. don't ask me how much. use enough that you won't run out mid-eggplant. [I'm so helpful, right?]
5. heat oil over medium heat.
6. dip individual slices into flour. shake off. dip in egg and then in breadcrumbs. pack it down so the breadcrumbs stay in place.
7. fry on both sides until golden brown. drain on paper towels.

bread all slices before frying the first. they go kind of quick, and I'd hate for you to waste any because they're burned. although in my house those just get a little extra sauce...

2 cans tomato sauce [the small ones. I'm not sure what size they are]
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flake
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
fresh basil, torn [or dried...it works too. just use a lot. dried herbs are pretty strong]
salt and pepper

1. heat oil over low heat.
2. add red pepper flakes.
3. add tomato sauce.
4. stir in garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
5. add basil at the very end.

putting this together isn't rocket science. when the eggplant is done, add the basil and stir. then layer eggplant, sauce and repeat on your plate. feel free to add cheese to this meal. it only makes it better. shredded mozzarella or parmesan on top makes it look so fancy!

birthday dinner, part 2

for the life of me, I can't remember how I made my mom's pasta dish. I know it was lemon, parsley and parmesan cheese. it was delicious, but the details escape me. I'll play with that one and post it soon.

the salad on the other hand was mmmm...mmmm good. my original idea was to make a caprese salad [that's mozzarella, tomato and basil for the non-italian lovers out there], but the basil was looking terribly sad at the store. that did not stop the lady who elbowed her way up next to me from taking both packages of the brown and bruised herb as soon as a put them down.

but anyway, back to the salad.

I improvised and went with arugula, mozzarella and tomato. paired with a simple vinaigrette made it extra delightful.

grape tomatoes [or cherry, or cut up regular tomatoes]
1 ball of fresh mozzarella, cubed
1 package arugula
1 lemon
olive oil
salt and pepper

1. put arugula in salad bowl.
2. squeeze in lemon juice.
3. season with salt and pepper.
4. toss and leave it alone for a little bit.
5. drizzle in olive oil just before serving.
6. add tomatoes and cheese.
7. toss and serve.

so easy, but so good. this would be great during the summer. add more cheese, tomato and maybe a hunk of bread and you have a no-heat-in-the-kitchen dinner. who doesn't love that during an oklahoma july?

deep fried green beans

I read a lot of blogs. mostly of people I've never met. creepy, right? today during my online lurking I read about a poor soul who had never heard of fried green beans. I can only assume this means she has never experienced the delicious flavor that comes from the better-than-french-fry side.

well, maybe not better than french fries.

anywho. these are really simple to make:

canola oil [or your frying oil of choice]
deep skillet
1 cup beer [I don't think I need to tell you what to do with the remainder]
1 cup flour, plus more for dusting
desired seasoning
frozen or fresh green beans

1. preheat about an inch of oil in the skillet over medium to medium-low heat.
2. when oil is hot, combine beer, flour and seasoning.
3. dust beans with flour.
4. dip into beer batter.
5. fry until golden. flip to evenly cook.
6. drain on paper towels and season with salt.
7. DIE FROM HOW GOOD THESE ARE.

cook's notes: I love using salt, pepper and cayenne for these. but you could use anything you want. any grill seasoning would be tasty, or thyme would be good. mmm...I'll have to make these tonight. OH! there is a big difference between the fresh and frozen beans. fresh will be crisper than the frozen. if you choose frozen (and I often do), thaw them completely and pat them dry. they hold the flour better, which means they hold more batter. and that's what I'm all about.

leftover guilt

does eating leftovers depress anyone else? especially cold, right-out-of-the-fridge leftovers. I always feel a little bad for not taking the time to heat them up and have them taste right.

but maybe that's just me.

loaded mashed potatoes

mmmmmm.....

who doesn't love loaded mashed potatoes? I believe in a previous post I listed bread as a favorite starch. but anyone who has known me for any length of time knows that I'm a potato girl at heart. when I went low carb I had dreams about jack's urban fries. if any of you happen to be in the sacramento area, please rush to jack's urban eats and devour a plate of urban fries for me. I've tried to recreate them, and it's just never as good.

anyway.

back to the loaded mashed potatoes. here's what I did this time.

7-8 red potatoes [this was for a group larger than two people. normally I would only use two taters. and less of everything else too...]
1/2-3/4 cup milk
5 tbsp butter
2 green onions
4 pieces of bacon
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup colby jack
salt and pepper

1. peel and chop potatoes. add to pan and cover with water. boil until fork-tender.
2. cook bacon, reserve drippings.
3. warm milk and butter together over very low heat.
4. chop green onion.
5. cook whites of onion in 1-2 tbsp bacon fat, reserving the tender greens to stir in at the end.
6. drain potatoes.
7. in mixing bowl, smash potatoes to desired consistency. season with salt and pepper.
8. add milk and butter a little at a time until the potatoes are smooth and creamy.
9. add bacon, cheese and green onion whites. stir until cheese is melted.
10. mix in sour cream and onion tops.

serving suggestions: a great side for any meal. or a meal in itself if you're in a starchy mood!

happy easter!

I hate baking. it could have something to do with my inability to be patient. or that I hate measuring [as you might have noticed from previous posts]. but every now and then I channel my inner pastry chef and want to make something sweet. this transformation usually happens around family holidays...

I always look for a short cut. there are many super easy and delicious ideas out there. for this easter, I decided to steal ina gardner's simple cheese danish filling for use in my holiday dessert. she baked hers in puff pastry, but I'm making it even easier. I found pre-made fillo dough cups! surely even I can't mess this up.

8 oz cream cheese, room temp
1/3 cup sugar [one tbsp removed before adding]
2 egg yolks, room temp
1 1/2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
2 packages pre-made fillo cups

1. thaw fillo cups
2. cream the sugar and cream cheese until smooth
3. add yolks, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk, salt and lemon zest
4. mix on low until combined
5. fill cups, bake according to package directions

cook's note: the original recipe called for 2 tbsp ricotta cheese instead of the sweetened condensed milk. I didn't have any ricotta or cottage cheese [usually an acceptable sub for ricotta], so I removed a tbsp of sugar to keep it from being too sweet. these were super tasty. they were good right out of the oven and even hours later. I'll definitely be making these again.

the best garlic bread

I <3 carbs. I always have. pasta, risotto, and BREAD. bread is my weakness. don't get me wrong - sweets are good - but give me a hunk of crusty bread and call it a meal. too bad eating so much bread leads to a doughy exterior.

but I digress.

there are some great garlic breads in the frozen section. and hey, they're already prepared. I can't fault you for using them because I have too. however, if you want the ultimate garlic bread LISTEN UP.

1 french baguette [I love crusty bread. if you like a softer texture, opt for a french loaf bread instead]
butter
olive oil
garlic
parsley
red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

1. preheat oven - 350 if you have nothing else in the oven. this can cook at any temp.
2. cut bread in half length-wise. [I portion mine first and freeze the rest. no need for a whole loaf to go bad waiting for two people to get around to it]
3. slather bread with desired amount of butter. hey - who am I to tell you how much fat to use?
4. crush garlic and spread over butter. again, it's your perfect garlic bread so use as much or as little as you want. [I use my garlic press to avoid large chunks of garlic. if you don't have one, chop it super fine or paste it with salt. just don't use any more salt if you paste it]
5. chop parsley and sprinkle liberally over bread.
6. season each half with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.
7. put two halves back together and place on foil.
8. drizzle with olive oil.
9. wrap tightly and place in oven.
10. bake until tender and crunchy, all at the same time. [10-15 minutes in my oven at 350, but my oven runs a little hot]

serving suggestions: this makes a great side dish to any meal. really. italian, meatloaf, chicken, etc. it also makes a lovely snack. if you're feeling lazy you can always put salt, pepper, red pepper flake and parsley in a bowl and add olive oil to dip bread in. dried basil, rosemary, thyme or any herb can be added. enjoy!

caper substitution

some people don't like capers. I don't understand these people. they are delicious! anyway, last night I was making quick pan-fried chicken cutlets for dinner. [take a normal chicken breast, butterfly it open, and pound it out. voila!] I had seasoned them with lemon pepper and planned to make an easy pan sauce to pour over [melt butter, add chopped parsley and done. I meant EASY].

I started thinking that capers would make a lovely addition to the meal, but my pantry is sad looking at the moment and there is no caper in sight. I opened the fridge to try and find a suitable substitution when my eyes landed on a jar of green olives. PERFECT! same salty bite, a little brine-y and similar texture. I chopped a few up and threw them in with the butter and parsley. I can't say it was just as good because I love capers so much. but it definitely opened my eyes to the world of cooking with green olives.

skirt steak with peppers and onions

I hate green bell peppers with a passion, and I really don't like onions much either. so you might be asking yourself why I have a dish with "peppers and onions". well, my friend, it's because I have fallen in love with the combination of poblano peppers and green onions. [mmmmmm] I used leftover skirt steak for this particular dish, but it was super easy to prepare:

1 skirt steak
olive oil
salt and pepper
grill seasoning
red pepper flakes

1. cut skirt steak into portion sizes.
2. marinate with remaining ingredients in gallon size ziploc.
3. brown on stove top until pretty.
4. finish in the oven (350 or whatever temp you are using for side dishes).

[it's important not to over cook skirt steak or it gets really tough. medium is perfect!]

like I was saying...I had some skirt steak leftover and I made it into another meal [even better than the first one]

skirt steak (sliced thin)
2 poblano peppers (seeded and sliced)
2 cloves garlic, chopped.
4 green onions (3 for steak, 1 for noodles. sliced on an angle [to be pretty])
olive oil
1 package ramen noodles [any flavor, discard (or save for a rainy day) seasoning packet]
2 tbsp butter

1. heat skillet over high heat .
2. add olive oil.
3. add peppers and garlic.
4. when soft, add meat. [if you were making the meat fresh, add meat first - then add peppers when meat is almost finished]
5. while peppers and meat are cooking, heat water for ramen noodles. when boiling, add noodles until soft. drain.
6. add green onions when meat and peppers are ready. soften onion.
7. heat butter in ramen noodle pan. add noodles back with salt, pepper and green onion. toss.
8. serve meat and veggies over noodles.

serving suggestions: this is a really good meal by itself, but a side of buttered snow peas or edamame would round it out.

bacon-wrapped artichokes

this is a perfect snack if you a.) love bacon b.) are watching your carbs or c.) need an easy appetizer. I find you can put them pretty close together [not touching] if you use a broiler pan with the slots in it. you know the kind, right? if you use a plain sheet pan, be carfeul how much grease is sloshing around when you removed the pan from the oven. it's easy to get too much, burn yourself and drop the pan. [not that I know this from personal experience...it just, could you know, happen :)]

1 can artichoke hearts [easier if you get the already quartered, but use the whole if you want to make this a side dish. or you can buy the whole and quarter them]
1 package bacon
[seriously. that's it.]

1. preheat the oven to 350.
2. drain the artichokes. you can use marinated here if you must, but still drain them.
3. cut the package of bacon in half. you'll use 1/2 a piece per artichoke.
4. wrap artichoke in bacon. place seam-side down on baking sheet or broiler pan.
5. bake until bacon is to your preferred crispy state.

serving suggestions: I like to eat these by the handful, but they do make excellent salad toppers. and like I mentioned above, wrap the whole heart for a great side dish to almost any meal.

mexican lasagna

I don't know where I got the idea for this recipe. I'm sure it was through food network osmosis, but I can't give anyone specific credit. it can be really easy, or a little more demanding depending on how you choose to make the layers. the layers go in this order (from the bottom up):

cheese sauce
tortillas
meat
tortillas
beans
tortillas
cheese sauce
tortillas
shredded cheese
sour cream/lettuce/olives/tomatoes/parsley/cilantro

like I said in my first post...I'm more of a method cook. but here is the recipe for what I made recently: [this filled my 8x8 pan, make more of everything if you want to fill a bigger dish]

preheat oven to 350.

cheese sauce
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
hot sauce, salt and pepper

1. melt butter
2. stir in flour for a minute or two
3. whisk in milk, let it thicken
4. add cheese when it just comes to a boil
5. dash in hot sauce to taste. add salt and pepper

this can sit on the stove on low until the other layers are ready. just keep stirring occasionally to avoid the skin on top. yuck.

beans
1 can pinto beans
1 tbsp bacon fat [or olive oil or butter...I just happen to reserve bacon fat for these occasions]
1/2 cup chicken stock
salt, pepper

1. drain beans and rinse
2. take half the beans and mash them with potato masher
3. melt your desired fat source on low
4. add beans, mashed and whole
5. when warm, add chicken stock
6. season to taste

[don't let these get too dry. you can thin with more stock or water if they get gummy]

meat
1 lb ground beef [I like 80/20, but use your preferred meat/fat ratio]
2-4 tbsp chili powder [start with less, and add until you like the color of the meat]
1-2 tbsp cumin
2 tsp onion powder
3 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne
salt and pepper
2/3 cup water
brown meat

1. drain if you're against flavor...or watching your calories
2. return meat to pan and add spices
3. allow seasonings to toast for a minute
4. add water, stir to combine
5. simmer until water evaporates [usually 8-10 minutes. stir constantly to keep from burning]

tortillas
flour tortillas
vegetable oil

1. in small saute pan, heat oil over med-low heat
2. soften tortillas by soaking them in warm oil until they start to puff [avoid them getting too crispy]
3. drain on paper towels

now it's time to assemble! just layer as you please (with the shredded cheese on top).

bake at 350 until cheese on top is melted. everything is cooked, so you just want the cheese sauce to bubble a little.

I made it with sour cream, olives, and parsley on top. just top it with what you like on your tacos.

modifications: if this seems a little overwhelming, adjust! canned refried beans, melted velveeta and packaged taco seasoning would work just fine.

chicken alfredo

my boyfriend really likes the chicken alfredo from zio's. and because we've been attempting to save money these days, I thought I'd try to recreate it. here's my version:

1/2 pound pasta of choice [I used fettuccine...and I was only cooking for two. increase as needed]
1 pint heavy cream [16 oz if you hate pint measurements like me]
1/2 stick of butter
1 cup grated parmesan cheese [please not from the green shaker. they sell good pre-grated cheese at the stores if you look for it]
1-2 tbsp of olive oil
1 big chicken breast, butterflied and cut into bite-sized pieces [again, only cooking for two]
6 medium sized mushrooms, white or cremini, sliced
3 green onions, chopped
Handful of chopped parsley [maybe 2 tbsp? I'm bad at judging "handfuls"]
Seasoning to taste

1. put water on to boil for pasta.
2. heat olive oil in skillet, add chicken (season with salt and pepper).
3. brown chicken and move to sides of skillet.
4. add mushrooms. allow them to fully darken before seasoning.
5. once mushrooms are dark, add green onion to soften.
6. when the water comes up to a boil, salt it and drop the pasta.
7. add the heavy cream to a different skillet than your chicken [one you can whisk in]
8. heat cream over med-low, and whisk in butter as it melts.
9. add the cheese and stir [or whisk if you don't want to dirty another utensil]
10. I add tons of black pepper here, but season to your taste.
11. drain pasta when it's cooked to your liking and transfer back to pot you cooked it in.
12. add chicken, mushrooms, green onion and alfredo sauce. mix well and serve immediately.

delicious!

serving suggestions: I served this with french bread drizzled with olive oil, wrapped in foil and heated through in the oven. along side was roasted asparagus:

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. trim asparagus.
3. drizzle with oil on sheet pan. add salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes if you like it spicy.
4. roast until tops are crispy and stalks are tender. [15 to 25 minutes depending on size of asparagus]

we still had leftovers, but it will make for a tasty lunch tomorrow.

spinach artichoke dip

those who know me well could tell you a few of my top ingredients:

• spinach
• bacon
• artichokes
• cream cheese

this recipe doesn't include bacon - although I incorporated bacon into this dip for a new year's bacon-themed party. it was greasy...and fun! it's easy to make and way better than most restaurant dips. in my humble opinion, of course.

oh! and this is totally easy to double. one box of spinach is plenty for the double recipe.

spinach artichoke dip

1 box of frozen spinach [usually 10 oz I think, if you don't LOVE spinach, half will probably work for you]
1 can of artichokes in water [buy the quartered artichokes to save chopping time. and NO marinated artichokes please]
1 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded mozzarella
Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. grease dish you plan to bake dip in. [I like to use a round pie dish or small square brownie pan]
2. defrost spinach and wring dry.
3. chop artichokes into small pieces.
4. add spinach, artichokes and 1/2 cup mozzarella to cream cheese. mix well.
5. season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste.
6. spread in baking dish.
7. top with remaining cheese. add more if you like. [I probably use closer to 1 1/2 cups of mozz total] sprinkle liberally with cayenne.
8. bake for 20-30 minutes. basically until bubbly and hot. you want the cheese on top to start browning.

serving suggestions: I've served this with everything from vegetables to pita chips to tortilla chips. honestly, it doesn't matter how you deliver it to the mouth. just pick your favorite crispy snack and dig in!

back to basics

I love to cook. it seems that people enjoy eating my food. I get asked for recipes, but the truth is I'm more of a method girl. I thought this online journal of recipes would help me stay organized, and I'd have somewhere to point people if they like something enough to make it themselves. and hey - if you have an improvement or a new idea, I'd love to hear it!