Yes, I have returned and I must say, I have returned in a big way! No, this time my inspiration was not a movie but, a cooking class at Whole Foods. Okay, slightly true, I have been cooking off and on and I will tell you about those dishes at a later date. Tonight, this blog is dedicated to the Whole Foods class and the magic of kale.
Let me start from the beginning. Last week our department had a team building experience at Whole Foods. We were divided into two teams of 7. We were given 5 dishes to prepare in under 2 hours. My team, Team B were like a group of Energizer bunnies that you could not shoot if tried and Team A were calm and cool, like Paul Newman. It was a serious competition! Just imagine, the Energizer bunnies vs. Paul Newman. The judges came in and Paul Newman (Team A) knew they won because Energizer (Team B) made a mess in the kitchen. For you see, the chicken was slightly over cooked (never mind Paul created a fire), the risotto was okay I guess, the cake was over cooked by both teams, and Energizer's tart was too satly. So what did Energizer do that led them to victory? Kale, glorious kale! Who knew that adding sugar to this dish would make such a difference in my life. Now, for those of you who cook often, I don't want hear that adding sugar to kale is horrible. Please keep these thoughts to yourself. By my team adding this "treat" to our kale --no I am going to give this kudos to the big guy himself-the BOSS--by him adding a TON of sugar when I said add a pinch, that lead our team to victory! That victory lead me to my victory of a lifetime!!!! BEATING DK!!! Opps I digress. The hole point is that by adding something different, we had a new experience. The experience of working with new people, laughing together, trying new food and once again my beating DK!!
Remeber, try something new and enjoy yourself!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Bat Wings and A Gingerbread House?
As I stated during my last post, I during Halloween I made Martha Stewart's Bat Wings. Now, our dear friends always allow me to test my dishes out on them. Lucky for me, she is an excellent cook so there is always something else to eat and in the event I accidently poision us with one of my dishes, he is in the medical profession!
Anyway, back to the bat wings. The recipe calls for bean sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and black food coloring. You marinate the chicken wings from two to 12 hours turning them every 30 minutes. My problem with the dish was that my wings were too big!! I should have purchased a more lean wing. The other problem was that I had never purchased a bean sauce or oyster sauce and at 6:00am, no one in Wal-Mart knew what the hell I was talking about. So, I had to leave Wal-Mart in Mt. Juliet and drive to Publix to find it. When I got to Publix I stared at the shelf for 15 minutes before I found the bean sauce. While I could have called several people to help me, there was no one I dared call at 6:45 am to ask about bean sauce. I found the recipe quite delicious except I could only eat a half a wing. Why, I was exhausted from making cake pops.
So, I bet you wonder how bat wings and a gingerbread house are related. Let me tell you. This evening, I get in the car and my son tells me he has signed us up to participate in a gingerbread house contest. Luckily my husband was driving!!!!!! I see flashes of everyone laughing. The worst part is the kid believes we have a chance to win $100.00!!! Is he insane?? Hell, maybe I should just give him the $100.00. I wanted so bad to say son, let me put $100.00 in your savings account but instead, I said "sure, we can enter the contest." So, the real question is, is there a therapist out there somewhere??? I NEED HELP!!!!!!
Anyway, back to the bat wings. The recipe calls for bean sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and black food coloring. You marinate the chicken wings from two to 12 hours turning them every 30 minutes. My problem with the dish was that my wings were too big!! I should have purchased a more lean wing. The other problem was that I had never purchased a bean sauce or oyster sauce and at 6:00am, no one in Wal-Mart knew what the hell I was talking about. So, I had to leave Wal-Mart in Mt. Juliet and drive to Publix to find it. When I got to Publix I stared at the shelf for 15 minutes before I found the bean sauce. While I could have called several people to help me, there was no one I dared call at 6:45 am to ask about bean sauce. I found the recipe quite delicious except I could only eat a half a wing. Why, I was exhausted from making cake pops.
So, I bet you wonder how bat wings and a gingerbread house are related. Let me tell you. This evening, I get in the car and my son tells me he has signed us up to participate in a gingerbread house contest. Luckily my husband was driving!!!!!! I see flashes of everyone laughing. The worst part is the kid believes we have a chance to win $100.00!!! Is he insane?? Hell, maybe I should just give him the $100.00. I wanted so bad to say son, let me put $100.00 in your savings account but instead, I said "sure, we can enter the contest." So, the real question is, is there a therapist out there somewhere??? I NEED HELP!!!!!!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Ghost Pops
I bet you thought I had given up cooking! The answer is no. Since my last post, I have made a variety of dishes . Some winners and some well, lets just say, not winners.
This past weekend was Halloween and I decided I was going to cook something. This is the second year we have spent the holiday with friends dressing up and sending the kids out with the dads to trick or treat. The difference this year was I decided I was going to bake and cook. I searched the internet and decided on two things. Cupcake pops and Martha Stewart's Spicy Bat Wings.
Let me tell you, for a novice, I should have slit my wrists!!!! The recipes sounded easy so Saturday at 6am I found myself at Wal-Mart purchasing the items with excitment. I purchased the cake mix and frosting. White chocolate (the choices for white chocolate gave me a headache--to microwave or not microwave, that was the question). All this for the cake. For the wings, chicken wings, black bean sauce and oyster sauce (foreign to the Wal-Marth staff--got it at Publix).
Anyway, for the cupcake pops, I baked the cake, of course I licked the bowel, are you insane, I love cake batter! Once it was done and cooled, I crumbled it up and added the frosting to it. It was to make 45-50 balls(roll it by hand). Of course being me I was not going to make that many damn balls and decided to make mine larger. Big mistake. I then read the recipe again and you had to freeze them to let the chocolate cool you put on the lollipops you inserted in the cupcake ball. Now, you understand why you don't make them large. Mine were too heavy to lift in the freezer!!!! So, here I am with 23 large cupcake balls that won't freeze. So, I took the smaller of the 23, 10 to be exact and rolled them in the chocolate I had melted. They turned out beautifully! Well, not that beautiful. You see, they were a little weird looking because they would not roll in the chocolate but they were perfect for Halloween. What happened to the other 13 cupcake balls??? I threw them out, I was late for the party!
Next time, I will tell you about the wings!
This past weekend was Halloween and I decided I was going to cook something. This is the second year we have spent the holiday with friends dressing up and sending the kids out with the dads to trick or treat. The difference this year was I decided I was going to bake and cook. I searched the internet and decided on two things. Cupcake pops and Martha Stewart's Spicy Bat Wings.
Let me tell you, for a novice, I should have slit my wrists!!!! The recipes sounded easy so Saturday at 6am I found myself at Wal-Mart purchasing the items with excitment. I purchased the cake mix and frosting. White chocolate (the choices for white chocolate gave me a headache--to microwave or not microwave, that was the question). All this for the cake. For the wings, chicken wings, black bean sauce and oyster sauce (foreign to the Wal-Marth staff--got it at Publix).
Anyway, for the cupcake pops, I baked the cake, of course I licked the bowel, are you insane, I love cake batter! Once it was done and cooled, I crumbled it up and added the frosting to it. It was to make 45-50 balls(roll it by hand). Of course being me I was not going to make that many damn balls and decided to make mine larger. Big mistake. I then read the recipe again and you had to freeze them to let the chocolate cool you put on the lollipops you inserted in the cupcake ball. Now, you understand why you don't make them large. Mine were too heavy to lift in the freezer!!!! So, here I am with 23 large cupcake balls that won't freeze. So, I took the smaller of the 23, 10 to be exact and rolled them in the chocolate I had melted. They turned out beautifully! Well, not that beautiful. You see, they were a little weird looking because they would not roll in the chocolate but they were perfect for Halloween. What happened to the other 13 cupcake balls??? I threw them out, I was late for the party!
Next time, I will tell you about the wings!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Still Cooking
Yes, it's been awhile and for those of you who have called me to ask where I have been, I have been around and cooking but just have not have time to post. It's nice to know you enjoy my blog but it would be great if you would put it in writing. I love to read comments! Oh, how vain I am.
I have been cooking up a storm. I even made a meatloaf. I searched for a great recipe and my friend told me about the one the Barefoot Contessa has. It is the turkey meatloaf recipe. Let me tell you, it's wonderful. Preparing the meatloaf had my mouth watering. I did not use all turkey as the recipe called for, I used a combineation of turkey, and Laura Lean Beef (A great suggestion from my good friend). I also cut the recipe in half. It still made a lot of meatlaof and we were able to eat it for several days. You actually saute the onions and other ingredients prior to adding it to the meat and that was new for me. Hell, who am I kidding, cooking is new for me and my family! I'm telling you, this was something that someone like me who never cooks can actually cook. Yeah, to the Barefoot Contessa!!!!!!
I also made another recipe from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. I wanted to prepare fish. So, I decided that I would go to Publix and pick out something. So, I pretended I was an actul cook. We all strive for something, don't we??? I decided to try trout. The Barefoot Contessa dish was Sole Menuire (spelling is wrong I am sure). So, being the foodie I am, I substituted sole for trout. The dish called for the fish to be cooked in unsalted butter and in the end you add lemon and lemon juice. The problem with my dish was the lemon juice over powered the trout but guess what??? The trout was a beautiful brown. You see, I am all about the presentation of a dish and with the broccoli and roasted winter vegetables, the plate was beautiful.
Speaking of winter vegetables, that is my favorite thing to do, experiement with vegetable. AND GUESS WHAT??? I HAVE A VEGETABLE PEELER!!!!!! I am so excited that I am learning to cook. It is the enjoyment of learning the taste and texture of foods and buying neat gadgets like a vegetable peeler. I enjoy the Farmers Market and seeing what is offered. I enjoy the grocery store and wondering what can be made with that item. My very good friend and I now discuss what we are cooking that evening.
My son is on Fall Break and for some reason we are getting home late. This evening I am not cooking again because I had to stop by the mall. But I plan to make the shrimp scampi from the Barefoot Contessa's Cookbook. Check back next week to see how that turns out.
I have been cooking up a storm. I even made a meatloaf. I searched for a great recipe and my friend told me about the one the Barefoot Contessa has. It is the turkey meatloaf recipe. Let me tell you, it's wonderful. Preparing the meatloaf had my mouth watering. I did not use all turkey as the recipe called for, I used a combineation of turkey, and Laura Lean Beef (A great suggestion from my good friend). I also cut the recipe in half. It still made a lot of meatlaof and we were able to eat it for several days. You actually saute the onions and other ingredients prior to adding it to the meat and that was new for me. Hell, who am I kidding, cooking is new for me and my family! I'm telling you, this was something that someone like me who never cooks can actually cook. Yeah, to the Barefoot Contessa!!!!!!
I also made another recipe from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. I wanted to prepare fish. So, I decided that I would go to Publix and pick out something. So, I pretended I was an actul cook. We all strive for something, don't we??? I decided to try trout. The Barefoot Contessa dish was Sole Menuire (spelling is wrong I am sure). So, being the foodie I am, I substituted sole for trout. The dish called for the fish to be cooked in unsalted butter and in the end you add lemon and lemon juice. The problem with my dish was the lemon juice over powered the trout but guess what??? The trout was a beautiful brown. You see, I am all about the presentation of a dish and with the broccoli and roasted winter vegetables, the plate was beautiful.
Speaking of winter vegetables, that is my favorite thing to do, experiement with vegetable. AND GUESS WHAT??? I HAVE A VEGETABLE PEELER!!!!!! I am so excited that I am learning to cook. It is the enjoyment of learning the taste and texture of foods and buying neat gadgets like a vegetable peeler. I enjoy the Farmers Market and seeing what is offered. I enjoy the grocery store and wondering what can be made with that item. My very good friend and I now discuss what we are cooking that evening.
My son is on Fall Break and for some reason we are getting home late. This evening I am not cooking again because I had to stop by the mall. But I plan to make the shrimp scampi from the Barefoot Contessa's Cookbook. Check back next week to see how that turns out.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Cabbage
Did you know there was more than one way to cook a cabbage? Well, I am here to tell you that when I searched the word, there were more than 200 recipes. There was cabbage soup, cabbage pudding, purple cabbage, fried cabbage, baked cabbage. Who knew there was so much to choose from. What's a girl to do? In the end, I found a recipe that included alchohol. Of course, I did not feel like stopping by the store so I had to loose the wine and include all the other ingredients so just imagine what it would have tasted like had I had the wine. With the smoked turkey sausage, FABULOUS!!!!!!
I am here to tell you that something can be said for this vegetable thing. My child is even all into this. This evening, he even asked if he could choose vegetables at the Farmers Market this weekend so that I could cook them next week. SUCCESS!!!!!! This cooking vegetables is starting to turn into a real family affair! Hey, remeber that TV show from long ago? I used to have a crush on the curly hair kid. Oh, there I ago digressing again. Anyway, another successful night with another successful cooking adventure. Simply put, I cut up cabbage, added a little olive oil to the skillet. I sauted the garlic and shallots and added the cabbage and added a few tablespoons of water and let the cabbage cook slowly. I added kosher salt, red pepper flakes and that seasoning you add to cabbage--it slips my mind now. My child is talking to me about PAR!!!! I thought I could two do two things at once, I guess I was wrong!
I am here to tell you that something can be said for this vegetable thing. My child is even all into this. This evening, he even asked if he could choose vegetables at the Farmers Market this weekend so that I could cook them next week. SUCCESS!!!!!! This cooking vegetables is starting to turn into a real family affair! Hey, remeber that TV show from long ago? I used to have a crush on the curly hair kid. Oh, there I ago digressing again. Anyway, another successful night with another successful cooking adventure. Simply put, I cut up cabbage, added a little olive oil to the skillet. I sauted the garlic and shallots and added the cabbage and added a few tablespoons of water and let the cabbage cook slowly. I added kosher salt, red pepper flakes and that seasoning you add to cabbage--it slips my mind now. My child is talking to me about PAR!!!! I thought I could two do two things at once, I guess I was wrong!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Parsnips?
Whoever thought I would eat so many vegetables in my life much less be cooking them? Last week, I made a grocery list as I flipped through the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, yeah, I know, so much for a diet but, look I can try to make it work for me especially if I cut back on the butter! Anyway, once again, I digress. So, as I make this grocery list a picture in the book grabs my attention. It's something called a parsnip. It's mixed with carrots and sweet potatoes and it's baked with olive oil, salt and pepper. I add this funny vegetable to the list.
This evening, I decide to make this dish except when I grap the parsnip, I don't know what to do with it. I mean what do you do with this yellow looking squiggly thing? Do I peel it first? Chop it? cut it? What the hell do I do with it? The Barefoot Contessa tells me that I am to cut it in circles or squares but do I peel the damn thing first? So, what is a girl to do? I called my friend and she told me to peel it with a vegetable peeler (my knives are dull). A vegetable peeler? This is getting worse. I don't own that either so, I just start peeling with my dull knife and then I do what I do best, pretend it's okay and by George, I made roasted vegetables! They were excellent. Before Len and I could saute brussle sprouts and cook the meat, we were eating the parsnips and roasted sweet potatoes! The only bad part was that I felt guiltly about enjoying them so much. You see, I was not supposed to eat this so I had to work out. It's nothing but a weight thing baby!
This evening, I decide to make this dish except when I grap the parsnip, I don't know what to do with it. I mean what do you do with this yellow looking squiggly thing? Do I peel it first? Chop it? cut it? What the hell do I do with it? The Barefoot Contessa tells me that I am to cut it in circles or squares but do I peel the damn thing first? So, what is a girl to do? I called my friend and she told me to peel it with a vegetable peeler (my knives are dull). A vegetable peeler? This is getting worse. I don't own that either so, I just start peeling with my dull knife and then I do what I do best, pretend it's okay and by George, I made roasted vegetables! They were excellent. Before Len and I could saute brussle sprouts and cook the meat, we were eating the parsnips and roasted sweet potatoes! The only bad part was that I felt guiltly about enjoying them so much. You see, I was not supposed to eat this so I had to work out. It's nothing but a weight thing baby!
Monday, September 21, 2009
What's Up with The Food Processor?
I'm back! For all of you who thought I disappeared, I'm back and I'm back full force. Let me tell you, it has been a week full of surprises. Not only did I cook, but I used my Cuisinart that was purchased a few months ago. Yes, that's correct, don't fall off your chair, I actually pulled it off the shelf and used it.
The journey bagan last week whenI had a day off and decided to make little personal meatloafs (oh, did I mention I also joined a weightloss competition?). Sorry, I digressed. Anyway, the recipe called for onions to be diced and I decided that I would use the food processor. Well, as would be my luck, instead of dicing, I made a purree. So, what's a girl to do? I could have dumped the onions but instead, I drained the liquid and browned the onions! The miracle was that somehow it worked. And, guess what, for a family that hates onions in their food, they could not taste it. Oh by the way, the meatloaf rocked.
Fast forward to Sunday, when it appeared that my weight was going in the wrong direction --up instead of down-- I had to take drastic measures. It was time for my family to eat lots of protein and vegetables. So, we had vegetables for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I also found one vegetable to try that while it might not have been tuly a diet " material recipe, it was a vegetable my family did not normally eat. BUTTERNUT SQUASH! In fact, I used the recipe from the Bareffot Contessa Back To Basics Cookbook. The recipe called for the squash to be diced and cooked in the oven at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. So far so good. Well, once that was done, you transfer it to the food processor to whip it to a potato like consistency. Great, I used the processor last week so what could go wrong? I added the squash to the processor and flip the switch and nothing happens. I mean nothing! After 10 minutes and a few choice words, I transfer it to a bowel and use the mixer. What's up with the food processor????? Okay, could it be that I was not supposed to use the Barefoot Contessa recipe because of the half and half? Could it be that I am a food processor idiot? What gives with my expensive Cuisinart?
After all of that, the squash did tuirn out great. We had fresh green beans with smoked turkey and cornish hens (not one per person). Cut the meat uo and eat more of the vegetables. The plates looked fantastic and diiner was enjoyable. I must say I am getting better with the seasoning but I still have to ask what's up with the food processor?
The journey bagan last week whenI had a day off and decided to make little personal meatloafs (oh, did I mention I also joined a weightloss competition?). Sorry, I digressed. Anyway, the recipe called for onions to be diced and I decided that I would use the food processor. Well, as would be my luck, instead of dicing, I made a purree. So, what's a girl to do? I could have dumped the onions but instead, I drained the liquid and browned the onions! The miracle was that somehow it worked. And, guess what, for a family that hates onions in their food, they could not taste it. Oh by the way, the meatloaf rocked.
Fast forward to Sunday, when it appeared that my weight was going in the wrong direction --up instead of down-- I had to take drastic measures. It was time for my family to eat lots of protein and vegetables. So, we had vegetables for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I also found one vegetable to try that while it might not have been tuly a diet " material recipe, it was a vegetable my family did not normally eat. BUTTERNUT SQUASH! In fact, I used the recipe from the Bareffot Contessa Back To Basics Cookbook. The recipe called for the squash to be diced and cooked in the oven at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. So far so good. Well, once that was done, you transfer it to the food processor to whip it to a potato like consistency. Great, I used the processor last week so what could go wrong? I added the squash to the processor and flip the switch and nothing happens. I mean nothing! After 10 minutes and a few choice words, I transfer it to a bowel and use the mixer. What's up with the food processor????? Okay, could it be that I was not supposed to use the Barefoot Contessa recipe because of the half and half? Could it be that I am a food processor idiot? What gives with my expensive Cuisinart?
After all of that, the squash did tuirn out great. We had fresh green beans with smoked turkey and cornish hens (not one per person). Cut the meat uo and eat more of the vegetables. The plates looked fantastic and diiner was enjoyable. I must say I am getting better with the seasoning but I still have to ask what's up with the food processor?
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