Wanna hear a great tip?
When you make cookies and set them out to cool, don't put them on the same cutting board you diced garlic on a couple hours earlier. The cookies absorb the garlic flavor and that's really not the best combo ever.
Just wanted y'all to know.
amy
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Pretty Good for a Thursday!
There is a winter squash that I really think is under-appreciated: Acorn Squash. It looks a little intimidating because you don't find a ton in the grocery store at one time and it has a dark green skin that is thick and really quite beautiful. Needless to say, it is one of my favorite squashes...ok really its my favorite.
(that's not my squash...i googled it...)
Tonight, I had the acorn squash with chicken and fresh green beans. I'm sure it's against some cardinal cooking rule to have summer beans with a winter squash, but I am pretty sure you've figured out that I do things my own way.
So about that squash...
1 acorn squash
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper for taste
1. With a big knife, cut your acorn squash in half going in the same direction as the ripples on the surface of the squash. (So if you set the squash so that the lines are horizontal, you want to half it that way)
2. Using a spoon, clean out the seeds and membrane-y stuff that is on the inside. It's like a pumpkin, but less guts.
3. Now set your squash in your baking dish and its time to make the butter mixture. In a small bowl, mix the butter, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Pop it in the microwave for 25 seconds and then mix it all together.
4. Coat the cleaned insides of the squash with the butter mixture. I used a pastry brush and painted it on. Sprinkle it with a bit of salt and pepper and then put it in the oven.
5. Bake it for about 1 hour at 400 degrees. You want the 'meat' of the squash to be nice and soft all the way through.
Acorn squash has a slightly sweet and buttery flavor that is so delectable. I really recommend you try it once. I bet you'll love it. There are some people that add brown sugar or molasses or maple syrup to the mixture, but I honestly think the acorn squash has an amazing flavor all on its own so it doesn't need it. Just my opinion. Add a table spoon or two if you want! Shake things up!
Just in case you're not so good at math, splitting the squash in half gives you two parts. One part is a serving, so you should invite a friend over to share in the goodness of acorn squash.
Happy Cooking, Y'all!
amy
(that's not my squash...i googled it...)
Tonight, I had the acorn squash with chicken and fresh green beans. I'm sure it's against some cardinal cooking rule to have summer beans with a winter squash, but I am pretty sure you've figured out that I do things my own way.
So about that squash...
1 acorn squash
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper for taste
1. With a big knife, cut your acorn squash in half going in the same direction as the ripples on the surface of the squash. (So if you set the squash so that the lines are horizontal, you want to half it that way)
2. Using a spoon, clean out the seeds and membrane-y stuff that is on the inside. It's like a pumpkin, but less guts.
3. Now set your squash in your baking dish and its time to make the butter mixture. In a small bowl, mix the butter, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Pop it in the microwave for 25 seconds and then mix it all together.
4. Coat the cleaned insides of the squash with the butter mixture. I used a pastry brush and painted it on. Sprinkle it with a bit of salt and pepper and then put it in the oven.
5. Bake it for about 1 hour at 400 degrees. You want the 'meat' of the squash to be nice and soft all the way through.
Acorn squash has a slightly sweet and buttery flavor that is so delectable. I really recommend you try it once. I bet you'll love it. There are some people that add brown sugar or molasses or maple syrup to the mixture, but I honestly think the acorn squash has an amazing flavor all on its own so it doesn't need it. Just my opinion. Add a table spoon or two if you want! Shake things up!
Just in case you're not so good at math, splitting the squash in half gives you two parts. One part is a serving, so you should invite a friend over to share in the goodness of acorn squash.
Happy Cooking, Y'all!
amy
Monday, February 21, 2011
Same Chop, Different Method
I made the prettiest pork chop tonight...but I ate it too quickly to take a picture. My bad. I actually didn't season it any different than I did when I baked it, but I did cook it in a little bit of olive oil on the stove. I served it up with some carrots and sweet potato fries--and I added a sprinkle of chili powder to the cinnamon, salt and olive oil. It gave it a tiny little kick that was just right!
Here's how to make that pretty little pork chop...
1. In a small pan, put a teaspoon of olive oil and one clove of garlic (that's one little part, not the whole head!). Before you throw the garlic in the pan, smash it with the palm of your hand or the flat side of a large knife...
**Pause** Don't be a dummy. If you smash the garlic clove with a knife, be careful. Watch out for the blade (that's the cutty, sharp part, Velma). Just set the flat part on the garlic and press down so that when you're done, you still have the same number of fingers you started with. gah.
ok...
2. So you're heating the olive oil and the garlic in your SMALL fry pan...medium heat...add in a the leave from one sprig of rosemary. It'd be about 10 or so leaves.
3. While the pan and contents are heating up, set your pork chop on a towel and pat it dry. Sprinkle some fresh pepper and kosher salt on the exposed side then put that side down in the pan.
4. On the 'blank' side or the side you haven't seasoned that is now facing up, go ahead and add the seasonings, pepper and salt. Cook each side for about 7 or 8 minutes. You want it to have a little bit of a brown-ness going...not burnt, but cooked.
OK, before you dig in to that chop, make sure it's done cooking. If you have a meat thermometer, it should read more than 150 degrees to be done (if it's under you run the risk of getting sick. no bueno.) I read on the interwebs that for a chop to be well done it should be at 170 and a chop cooked 'medium' should be at 155. Well...I'm not a fan of pink pork chops. It might be fine, but I make sure it's white all the way through. A meat thermometer is on my kitchen wish list, but until I get one, I have to look at the middle of the meat. Less scientific, but it works. IF you check one spot and it looks questionable, check another one...better safe than sorry. AND, don't just check the edge, check the middle of the pork chop. Don't be afraid to slice into it. Just serve it with the cut side down so it still looks pretty :)
I really want to make my acorn squash for dinner tomorrow. Y'all love acorn squash, right?
Happy cooking, y'all!
amy
Here's how to make that pretty little pork chop...
1. In a small pan, put a teaspoon of olive oil and one clove of garlic (that's one little part, not the whole head!). Before you throw the garlic in the pan, smash it with the palm of your hand or the flat side of a large knife...
**Pause** Don't be a dummy. If you smash the garlic clove with a knife, be careful. Watch out for the blade (that's the cutty, sharp part, Velma). Just set the flat part on the garlic and press down so that when you're done, you still have the same number of fingers you started with. gah.
ok...
2. So you're heating the olive oil and the garlic in your SMALL fry pan...medium heat...add in a the leave from one sprig of rosemary. It'd be about 10 or so leaves.
3. While the pan and contents are heating up, set your pork chop on a towel and pat it dry. Sprinkle some fresh pepper and kosher salt on the exposed side then put that side down in the pan.
4. On the 'blank' side or the side you haven't seasoned that is now facing up, go ahead and add the seasonings, pepper and salt. Cook each side for about 7 or 8 minutes. You want it to have a little bit of a brown-ness going...not burnt, but cooked.
OK, before you dig in to that chop, make sure it's done cooking. If you have a meat thermometer, it should read more than 150 degrees to be done (if it's under you run the risk of getting sick. no bueno.) I read on the interwebs that for a chop to be well done it should be at 170 and a chop cooked 'medium' should be at 155. Well...I'm not a fan of pink pork chops. It might be fine, but I make sure it's white all the way through. A meat thermometer is on my kitchen wish list, but until I get one, I have to look at the middle of the meat. Less scientific, but it works. IF you check one spot and it looks questionable, check another one...better safe than sorry. AND, don't just check the edge, check the middle of the pork chop. Don't be afraid to slice into it. Just serve it with the cut side down so it still looks pretty :)
I really want to make my acorn squash for dinner tomorrow. Y'all love acorn squash, right?
Happy cooking, y'all!
amy
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Tea
One of my guilty pleasures since I've been in school this year, has been sitting on my porch in the morning with a mug of something hot and a good book. My little dog, Buddy, loves it, too, since I let him sit outside with me! Lately, I've been enjoying a mug of hot tea when I do this, and I've tried a few different things with the tea.
I've been adding different citrus fruits to my tea and I've used honey instead of sugar. The honey has a gentler sweetness and generally has a better flavor than just sugar. The lemon with the honey gives it a nice zing, while a slice of orange with the tea and honey just makes tea outstanding. I haven't been using huge slices, either, so the flavor is a flavor and not super overwhelming. I think I used a 1/2 inch wedge of lemon one day and a 1 inch wedge of orange today. Not a lot of fruit, but it adds another level of flavor. I really need to make a pitcher of iced tea with orange in it, too, because you KNOW it'd be fabulous!
Remember how I've mentioned buying regular sized amounts and dividng them? Well, I've finally figured out the right serving size for me in regards to pan sausage. For me, I need to divide the pan sausage into 5 servings. Its perfect. Bacon is usually 2-3 slices per serving...and that 3rd slice is for Buddy...don't judge me!
Also, did you know that some fresh herbs are REALLY inexpensive at the grocery store? I love cilantro and I've recently realized I like parsley. The cilantro at Wally World is literally thirty cents. You can't buy anything else for .30. The parsley was about a dollar. Really not bad for the huge bunch of loveliness you get. I think I'm forever going to be a fresh herb fan. Now, if only I could get an herb garden going...I haven't killed my rosemary plant, yet, and I even think it's growing new leaves. This is a milestone for me! I've got a brown thumb!
Happy Cooking!
amy
I've been adding different citrus fruits to my tea and I've used honey instead of sugar. The honey has a gentler sweetness and generally has a better flavor than just sugar. The lemon with the honey gives it a nice zing, while a slice of orange with the tea and honey just makes tea outstanding. I haven't been using huge slices, either, so the flavor is a flavor and not super overwhelming. I think I used a 1/2 inch wedge of lemon one day and a 1 inch wedge of orange today. Not a lot of fruit, but it adds another level of flavor. I really need to make a pitcher of iced tea with orange in it, too, because you KNOW it'd be fabulous!
Remember how I've mentioned buying regular sized amounts and dividng them? Well, I've finally figured out the right serving size for me in regards to pan sausage. For me, I need to divide the pan sausage into 5 servings. Its perfect. Bacon is usually 2-3 slices per serving...and that 3rd slice is for Buddy...don't judge me!
Also, did you know that some fresh herbs are REALLY inexpensive at the grocery store? I love cilantro and I've recently realized I like parsley. The cilantro at Wally World is literally thirty cents. You can't buy anything else for .30. The parsley was about a dollar. Really not bad for the huge bunch of loveliness you get. I think I'm forever going to be a fresh herb fan. Now, if only I could get an herb garden going...I haven't killed my rosemary plant, yet, and I even think it's growing new leaves. This is a milestone for me! I've got a brown thumb!
Happy Cooking!
amy
Friday, February 18, 2011
Chicken and Avocado Salad
In keeping with the wonderful weather, I wanted to eat a nice lite salad for dinner that still had enough substance to be an meal. I have also been craving the flavor of lime....a LOT! That led me to tonight's salad.
This is what you'll need:
Salad mix---I bought a 50/50 mixed bag of spinach and field greens
1 avocado
1 chicken breast
8-10 Grape Tomatoes
dressing
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Tequila--sorry kiddies, Momma's gonna have to make this salad dressing for you
2 tablespoons mayo (I used low fat or fat free I think)
1. IN a bowl, mix the cilantro, lime juice, honey and tequila together. Add in the mayo and blend really well. The acid in the lime juice is going to make it clumpy, so you really have to mix it up and make it smooth. Add a dash or two of chili powder if you'd like and mix it in. Let this chill in the fridge while the chicken is cooking.
2. Bake the chicken at 350 for about 20 minutes. I put a little bit of lime, salt and a few rings of red onion on my chicken. It gave it a nice bit of flavor.
3. When the chicken is cooked, cut it into bite sized pieces. I put mine in the fridge to cool so I didn't have to worry about the salad wilting. I also put my salad bowl in the fridge, just for fun :0P
4. OK, once the bowl and chicken are chilled a bit, mix the salad and the chicken pieces in the bowl with tomatoes. Add chunks of avocado to the mixture and drizzle the salad dressing over everything. I used all of the dressing and it seemed like just the right amount.
5. Toss everything so that the dressing coats pretty well. Crunch a few tortilla chips on top and enjoy!
This might be good with a little bit of Monterey Jack cheese or something, just for a little extra texture. I like texture :)
This salad was so good! The tequila and honey work really great with the lime, and cilantro is my second favorite herb ever, so I loved it here!! Just remember, that you probably shouldn't let the dog lick the bowl clean when you're done...something about tequila and dogs seems like a bad idea....
BTW...the texture of spinach is kind of amazing. It's a little velvety...I like it!
Hope you are enjoying the lovely weather! Happy Cooking!
amy
This is what you'll need:
Salad mix---I bought a 50/50 mixed bag of spinach and field greens
1 avocado
1 chicken breast
8-10 Grape Tomatoes
dressing
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Tequila--sorry kiddies, Momma's gonna have to make this salad dressing for you
2 tablespoons mayo (I used low fat or fat free I think)
1. IN a bowl, mix the cilantro, lime juice, honey and tequila together. Add in the mayo and blend really well. The acid in the lime juice is going to make it clumpy, so you really have to mix it up and make it smooth. Add a dash or two of chili powder if you'd like and mix it in. Let this chill in the fridge while the chicken is cooking.
2. Bake the chicken at 350 for about 20 minutes. I put a little bit of lime, salt and a few rings of red onion on my chicken. It gave it a nice bit of flavor.
3. When the chicken is cooked, cut it into bite sized pieces. I put mine in the fridge to cool so I didn't have to worry about the salad wilting. I also put my salad bowl in the fridge, just for fun :0P
4. OK, once the bowl and chicken are chilled a bit, mix the salad and the chicken pieces in the bowl with tomatoes. Add chunks of avocado to the mixture and drizzle the salad dressing over everything. I used all of the dressing and it seemed like just the right amount.
5. Toss everything so that the dressing coats pretty well. Crunch a few tortilla chips on top and enjoy!
This might be good with a little bit of Monterey Jack cheese or something, just for a little extra texture. I like texture :)
This salad was so good! The tequila and honey work really great with the lime, and cilantro is my second favorite herb ever, so I loved it here!! Just remember, that you probably shouldn't let the dog lick the bowl clean when you're done...something about tequila and dogs seems like a bad idea....
BTW...the texture of spinach is kind of amazing. It's a little velvety...I like it!
Hope you are enjoying the lovely weather! Happy Cooking!
amy
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Chicken and Rice Soup
Today's temperature was in the 80s...yes, it's still February. I guess that ol' groundhog was right and spring is coming early! Since it was warmer (and since I'm on a little bit of a health kick as of, oh, yesterday), I wanted something lighter and healthy that would still be filling. So with that in mind, I decided on chicken and rice soup. I'd never made it until today, and I think it turned out pretty well. The 'recipe' below is a little altered from what I did, but trust me, this will make it better!
You need this:
1 boneless & skinless chicken breast
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 chicken bouillon cubes (yes it seems like a lot...go with me!)
3 cups water
1 cup carrots
1 cup uncooked instant rice
1 celery stalk, cut into bite sized chunks
1/4 onion, in large chunks
4 mushrooms, quartered
fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 350.
1. Place your chicken breast into a baking dish, drizzle lightly with oil, then salt and pepper. Bake it about 20 minutes...or until its cooked through. I,of course, just put it in the oven and forget about it, so I have no clue how long it took to bake my chicken. Sorry...
***Don't start step 2 until the chicken is almost cooked.***
2. Put your water in a medium sauce pan and add the bouillon cubes. Set on medium high and add carrots. Let it cook together for 10 minutes or so.
3. Cut your chicken into bite sized pieces and add to the bouillon pot. Also add the celery, rice, onion and mushroom.
4. Take a few sprigs of the fresh parsley and tear it into pieces and add it to the pot.
5. Let everything cook together until the rice is fluffy and the carrots are cooked. Don't let the carrots get mushy! They should still be firm!
I was a little heavy handed with the rice when I made this. I wasn't thinking and added 2 cups of rice...eek. In the version above, I added one more bouillon cube than I used. I had to salt my soup and I really think the extra cube would just make it all around better. Over all, it was a really delicious soup!
WARNING: There are left overs. I know. I didn't want there to be, but really, you'll like having this soup for lunch tomorrow :)
I hope you like it! Tomorrow I'm going to try my hand at a spinach and avocado salad. I'll, as always, keep you posted!
Happy Cooking!
amy
You need this:
1 boneless & skinless chicken breast
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 chicken bouillon cubes (yes it seems like a lot...go with me!)
3 cups water
1 cup carrots
1 cup uncooked instant rice
1 celery stalk, cut into bite sized chunks
1/4 onion, in large chunks
4 mushrooms, quartered
fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 350.
1. Place your chicken breast into a baking dish, drizzle lightly with oil, then salt and pepper. Bake it about 20 minutes...or until its cooked through. I,of course, just put it in the oven and forget about it, so I have no clue how long it took to bake my chicken. Sorry...
***Don't start step 2 until the chicken is almost cooked.***
2. Put your water in a medium sauce pan and add the bouillon cubes. Set on medium high and add carrots. Let it cook together for 10 minutes or so.
3. Cut your chicken into bite sized pieces and add to the bouillon pot. Also add the celery, rice, onion and mushroom.
4. Take a few sprigs of the fresh parsley and tear it into pieces and add it to the pot.
5. Let everything cook together until the rice is fluffy and the carrots are cooked. Don't let the carrots get mushy! They should still be firm!
I was a little heavy handed with the rice when I made this. I wasn't thinking and added 2 cups of rice...eek. In the version above, I added one more bouillon cube than I used. I had to salt my soup and I really think the extra cube would just make it all around better. Over all, it was a really delicious soup!
WARNING: There are left overs. I know. I didn't want there to be, but really, you'll like having this soup for lunch tomorrow :)
I hope you like it! Tomorrow I'm going to try my hand at a spinach and avocado salad. I'll, as always, keep you posted!
Happy Cooking!
amy
Breakfast, of course!
Here's my first blog since I've been back...I know you're excited!
I thought I would start with breakfast, since I love it and I know you do, too. It turned out extremely pretty and extremely tasty! I made more of the breakfast type muffin things...here's what I did different. Instead of mixing in a little bit of ham, I cooked some turkey bacon and kind of lined the biscuit with it. Then if filled the bacon/biscuit lining with the egg mixture. So GOOD!
Here we go:
1/2 cup bisquik mix
1/4 cup of milk
2 strips of turkey bacon
2 eggs, blended together
shredded cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
1. Mix up the bisquik and milk according to the directions on the box. Roll it to just less than 1/2 inch thick. Once its nice and flat, cut out two pieces for your muffin plan liners.
2. Spray the muffin tin with pam and press the biscuit pieces into the pan. You should have enough dough for 2 biscuit liners and one extra biscuit.
3. Cook your bacon until it's about half-cooked and set it aside on a paper towel to cool and drain. Since we're going to bake everything, we don't want to over cook the bacon and end up eating leather strips!
4. In your hot bacon pan, pour the eggs and cheese and let them cook up just a little bit, but not all the way.
5. Take your bacon strips and wrap them around the biscuit liners. Spoon your egg mixture into the middle of the bacon and the biscuits. Bake for about 7 minutes or until the biscuit has turned a little golden brown.
When they come out, sprinkle them with a little bit of cheese and enjoy! Here's what mine looked like, before I devoured them...
They were so good...I did have to feed like half of the biscuits to Buddy because I just couldn't eat it all! My cat Sammie, was EXTREMELY interested eating my breakfast, as you can see here:
Of course, Sammie is your typical cat and fell asleep about 45 seconds after being shot down.
I hope you enjoy these and tonight, I'm making chicken soup...so you better find your stretchy pants.
Happy Cooking!!
amy
I thought I would start with breakfast, since I love it and I know you do, too. It turned out extremely pretty and extremely tasty! I made more of the breakfast type muffin things...here's what I did different. Instead of mixing in a little bit of ham, I cooked some turkey bacon and kind of lined the biscuit with it. Then if filled the bacon/biscuit lining with the egg mixture. So GOOD!
Here we go:
1/2 cup bisquik mix
1/4 cup of milk
2 strips of turkey bacon
2 eggs, blended together
shredded cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
1. Mix up the bisquik and milk according to the directions on the box. Roll it to just less than 1/2 inch thick. Once its nice and flat, cut out two pieces for your muffin plan liners.
2. Spray the muffin tin with pam and press the biscuit pieces into the pan. You should have enough dough for 2 biscuit liners and one extra biscuit.
3. Cook your bacon until it's about half-cooked and set it aside on a paper towel to cool and drain. Since we're going to bake everything, we don't want to over cook the bacon and end up eating leather strips!
4. In your hot bacon pan, pour the eggs and cheese and let them cook up just a little bit, but not all the way.
5. Take your bacon strips and wrap them around the biscuit liners. Spoon your egg mixture into the middle of the bacon and the biscuits. Bake for about 7 minutes or until the biscuit has turned a little golden brown.
When they come out, sprinkle them with a little bit of cheese and enjoy! Here's what mine looked like, before I devoured them...
They were so good...I did have to feed like half of the biscuits to Buddy because I just couldn't eat it all! My cat Sammie, was EXTREMELY interested eating my breakfast, as you can see here:
Of course, Sammie is your typical cat and fell asleep about 45 seconds after being shot down.
I hope you enjoy these and tonight, I'm making chicken soup...so you better find your stretchy pants.
Happy Cooking!!
amy
Sunday, February 13, 2011
They're BAA-AACKK!!
I had fun in San Antonio at TMEA and of course, I had my fill of awesome Mexican food. I kept a promise to a friend and didn't eat at Pappasito's (I could eat there all day, every day!). I did however, eat at Mi Tierra Cafe and Bakery. OMG. Mui Delicioso! While I was there, I tried for the first time, Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chili sauce. They were great! I've always been Team Cheese Enchilada, but I branched out! I have a new favorite, and maybe something new to try and cook.
Well, that's all for now. I'll grocery shop tomorrow and bring you some fabulous new foods for the week. I'm thinking about acorn squash...and avocados...but not together.
Happy Cooking!
Amy
Well, that's all for now. I'll grocery shop tomorrow and bring you some fabulous new foods for the week. I'm thinking about acorn squash...and avocados...but not together.
Happy Cooking!
Amy
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Hold the Onions!
Well, the onions and everything else....
I'm hitting the road for a few days. Going to TMEA to learn how to be a better band director. Yes, I still want to be better, even though I'm not teaching right now. (There's no telling what will happen in the next few weeks, months, years...you get the picture!)
So, read some old blogs. If I think of anything funny or find anything cool, I'll be sure to let you know. San Antonio is full of all kinds of fun goodness!
I can't wait to eat at Mi Tierra! If you've never eaten there, slap yourself, slap your neighbor and then y'all get in the car and get your butts to San Antonio!
Gosh.
Happy Cooking!
amy
I'm hitting the road for a few days. Going to TMEA to learn how to be a better band director. Yes, I still want to be better, even though I'm not teaching right now. (There's no telling what will happen in the next few weeks, months, years...you get the picture!)
So, read some old blogs. If I think of anything funny or find anything cool, I'll be sure to let you know. San Antonio is full of all kinds of fun goodness!
I can't wait to eat at Mi Tierra! If you've never eaten there, slap yourself, slap your neighbor and then y'all get in the car and get your butts to San Antonio!
Gosh.
Happy Cooking!
amy
Sunday, February 6, 2011
An Ode to Breakfast
Breakfast, O Breakfast
You fill me with joy
Breakfast, O Breakfast
The best cereal has a toy.
Breakfast, My Breakfast
Eggs are so delicious.
Breakfast, Lovely Breakfast
You give me food that is nutritious.
When I get up in the morning,
whether sunny or gray,
you always have given me
and egg-celent start to my day.
Here's another breakfast meal for y'all at the request of my amazing artist and graphic designer friend, Hannah! I tried to do it two ways, just to see what would work best.
Breakfast Bakes
1/2 cup plus 2 table spoons of bisquik powder
1/6 cup of milk
non stick spray
1 egg
1 table spoon milk
1 slice of canadian bacon, diced or cubed
generous pinch of shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
1. Mix up the bisquick mix. The proportions here are for a quarter of the recipe. Knead it a couple times on a bisquik-ed surface (you know,throw some bisquick on the counter like you would flour if you were kneading bread).
2. Roll it out so that it's about 1/2 inch thick and cut two circles about three or 4 inches inches in diameter.
**IF you are using a ramican, make the biscuit the size of the ramican you are using.
**IF you are using the biscuit as a liner/cup for the eggs, you need to roll it out to about 1/4 inch thickness.
3. Next, break your egg into a bowl and add the milk, canadian bacon, cheese and salt and pepper and mix well.
Here's where the recipes differ.
Breakfast bake-in a ramican
4. Pour the egg mixture into the ramican and put in the oven for about 10 minutes.
5. After the egg mixture has started to cook on the edges of the ramican, cover with the biscuit piece you cut to go on top. Bake again for about 8 or 9 minutes. The biscuit should be a little brown and when you cut into it, the egg should be cooked.
Breakfast bake-Eggs in a biscuit
4a. Spray your muffin pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Gently shape the thin biscuit circle to fit in the pan.
5a. Pour the egg mixture into a small frying pan and cook about halfway. You don't want the eggs to actually be scrambled, but you want the color to change from the runny yellow of raw eggs to the slightly cloudy of the cooking egg. When they change color, gently pour them into the biscuit that's lining the muffin tin.
6a. Bake for about 8 minutes or until the egg is cooked and the biscuit has browned a little bit.
I know this format is a little weird....
If you do one or the other recipe, you should be able to make two of whichever you are making. I only made one of each with the ingredients listed above.
Not gonna lie, my first batch turned out bad, but, that's part of the fun!
I hope you like them and I hope Hannah does, too!!
Happy Cooking!
Amy
You fill me with joy
Breakfast, O Breakfast
The best cereal has a toy.
Breakfast, My Breakfast
Eggs are so delicious.
Breakfast, Lovely Breakfast
You give me food that is nutritious.
When I get up in the morning,
whether sunny or gray,
you always have given me
and egg-celent start to my day.
Here's another breakfast meal for y'all at the request of my amazing artist and graphic designer friend, Hannah! I tried to do it two ways, just to see what would work best.
Breakfast Bakes
1/2 cup plus 2 table spoons of bisquik powder
1/6 cup of milk
non stick spray
1 egg
1 table spoon milk
1 slice of canadian bacon, diced or cubed
generous pinch of shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
1. Mix up the bisquick mix. The proportions here are for a quarter of the recipe. Knead it a couple times on a bisquik-ed surface (you know,throw some bisquick on the counter like you would flour if you were kneading bread).
2. Roll it out so that it's about 1/2 inch thick and cut two circles about three or 4 inches inches in diameter.
**IF you are using a ramican, make the biscuit the size of the ramican you are using.
**IF you are using the biscuit as a liner/cup for the eggs, you need to roll it out to about 1/4 inch thickness.
3. Next, break your egg into a bowl and add the milk, canadian bacon, cheese and salt and pepper and mix well.
Here's where the recipes differ.
Breakfast bake-in a ramican
4. Pour the egg mixture into the ramican and put in the oven for about 10 minutes.
5. After the egg mixture has started to cook on the edges of the ramican, cover with the biscuit piece you cut to go on top. Bake again for about 8 or 9 minutes. The biscuit should be a little brown and when you cut into it, the egg should be cooked.
Breakfast bake-Eggs in a biscuit
4a. Spray your muffin pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Gently shape the thin biscuit circle to fit in the pan.
5a. Pour the egg mixture into a small frying pan and cook about halfway. You don't want the eggs to actually be scrambled, but you want the color to change from the runny yellow of raw eggs to the slightly cloudy of the cooking egg. When they change color, gently pour them into the biscuit that's lining the muffin tin.
6a. Bake for about 8 minutes or until the egg is cooked and the biscuit has browned a little bit.
I know this format is a little weird....
If you do one or the other recipe, you should be able to make two of whichever you are making. I only made one of each with the ingredients listed above.
Not gonna lie, my first batch turned out bad, but, that's part of the fun!
I hope you like them and I hope Hannah does, too!!
Happy Cooking!
Amy
Saturday, February 5, 2011
I love breakfast!!!
I really think breakfast might be my favorite meal. You can pretty much eat anything for breakfast and it's ok. Pizza for breakfast? Go for it! A cupcake? Why the heck not? There are eggs in it! Eggs, biscuits, bacon, waffles, pancakes, toast, steak, pizza, veggies, anything!!
I'm really lucky to be able to make my own work schedule while I go to school. Because of this, I pretty much eat great breakfasts all the time. I kind of think people get stuck in breakfast ruts...grape nuts, again? Spice it up! Add cinnamon to that yucky stuff! Don't just eat plain toast! Get some of that All-Fruit (do you remember the commercials? Please pass the jelly...this isn't jelly! It's Polaner All-Fruit!) It's still relatively healthy and then you won't die of food boredom!
AND if you are really feeling creative (or like to procrastinate, like I do), you can make outstanding breakfasts! I made Eggs Benedict the other day. It took 5 tries to get a really good, edible poached egg, but I did it! I whipped up some fresh homemade biscuits this morning...bisquik style, but still fresh.
Today, I was feeling a little country. I made a half batch of the bisquik biscuits, a couple slices of bacon, and a fried egg (fried in the bacon grease, of course, because it just tastes better that way!). Now, don't judge me. You're probably guessing my heart will stop before this gets posted, right? No. It's fine. I rarely eat fried eggs. Or bacon really... Every couple weeks isn't that bad, and I drain any excess grease off of everything. It's yucky.
The best part of the breakfast, was probably my coffee...I have a French press that my grandma bought me a couple years ago. I'm not a coffee guru, but I know the coffee always tastes great. I've read it described as more gritty...I think they mean good or they need to filter theirs better. Just saying... So, today, I had some heavy cream left over from making butter this week. (Yes, I made butter. It's not hard, it's delicious.) I put a little of the heavy cream in the coffee and holy moly! You would think that an angel spit in my cup. It was so creamy and with a little bit of sugar, boy, oh boy, it was good!
OK, I'll get off my tangent about breakfast. Its time to do homework and be a responsible grad student. I've gotta keep the GPA up. Summa Cum Laude, here I come!
Happy Cooking!
amy
I'm really lucky to be able to make my own work schedule while I go to school. Because of this, I pretty much eat great breakfasts all the time. I kind of think people get stuck in breakfast ruts...grape nuts, again? Spice it up! Add cinnamon to that yucky stuff! Don't just eat plain toast! Get some of that All-Fruit (do you remember the commercials? Please pass the jelly...this isn't jelly! It's Polaner All-Fruit!) It's still relatively healthy and then you won't die of food boredom!
AND if you are really feeling creative (or like to procrastinate, like I do), you can make outstanding breakfasts! I made Eggs Benedict the other day. It took 5 tries to get a really good, edible poached egg, but I did it! I whipped up some fresh homemade biscuits this morning...bisquik style, but still fresh.
Today, I was feeling a little country. I made a half batch of the bisquik biscuits, a couple slices of bacon, and a fried egg (fried in the bacon grease, of course, because it just tastes better that way!). Now, don't judge me. You're probably guessing my heart will stop before this gets posted, right? No. It's fine. I rarely eat fried eggs. Or bacon really... Every couple weeks isn't that bad, and I drain any excess grease off of everything. It's yucky.
The best part of the breakfast, was probably my coffee...I have a French press that my grandma bought me a couple years ago. I'm not a coffee guru, but I know the coffee always tastes great. I've read it described as more gritty...I think they mean good or they need to filter theirs better. Just saying... So, today, I had some heavy cream left over from making butter this week. (Yes, I made butter. It's not hard, it's delicious.) I put a little of the heavy cream in the coffee and holy moly! You would think that an angel spit in my cup. It was so creamy and with a little bit of sugar, boy, oh boy, it was good!
OK, I'll get off my tangent about breakfast. Its time to do homework and be a responsible grad student. I've gotta keep the GPA up. Summa Cum Laude, here I come!
Happy Cooking!
amy
Thursday, February 3, 2011
The other exception to the rule: Fried Mac and Cheese
We know the whole point of the blog is to have recipes for just one person, right? Well, when I made the macaroni and cheese yesterday, I did it with the intention of having left overs so I could make fried macaroni and cheese. Since that's not exactly healthy, I decided to roast some squash and zucchini and bake a pork chop like I did last week.
I had a minor mishap..and the neighbors probably think I'm crazy (if you think you KNOW I'm crazy, keep that to yourself! HA!). I made a rookie mistake and let my oil get hot. Idiot! You'd think this was my first time in the kitchen! So lesson learned here, kids, is don't let your oil get too hot. If you do, you'll set off the smoke alarm and you food will look something like this:
(Side note: I come by my burning skills honestly...grandma's nickname is burn. Mine's usually crash.)
Roasted Veggies:
1/2 zucchini, cubed
1/2 squash, cubed
olive oil to coat lightly
chili powder
salt
pepper
Set oven to broil.
1. Wash and dry your veggies and place them in a small baking dish.
2. Drizzle them lightly with the olive oil and sprinkle lightly with chili powder. (HELLO! It's chili powder! Go easy with the stuff so you can eat the veggies!)
3. Salt and pepper lightly and toss the veggies to coat them well and mix the seasonings.
4. Bake for 10 minutes or until they start to char a little. They're charred! Not burnt!!
If you like your veggies a little more firm, you might want to cut the cook time a little short, just check on them.
Fried Mac and Cheese
3-4, 2" cubes of left over macaroni and cheese (I used Alton Brown's from foodnetwork.com)
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
House seasoning
2 eggs, blended
1 1/2-2 cups veggie oil/canola oil* (depends on your pan)
1. Mix the bread crumbs and a few good shakes of the house seasoning.
2. Put your oil in a frying pan and set to medium-high. Keep an eye on it, so that you don't have an incident like I did :)
3. Coat the macncheese cubes in egg, then in the bread crumbs. When the oil is nice and hot (just sprinkle a little bread crumbs in there, if it bubbles, the oil is hot) gently place your macncheese cubes in the oil.
4. Let each side cook in the oil for a minute or two. You want them to be golden brown. Take them out of the oil and set them on a paper towel to drain...remember, we're not trying to die tonight!
5. Top with a little shredded cheese and you're good to go!
How's that for a slice of fried gold? :D
*I used veggie oil...because that's what I had. I think that's what I always use. I know there are differences between canola and veggie oil, but really, Home Ec was like 10 years ago...
Here's what these turned out to look like...they were quite tasty!
Stay warm and happy cooking!!
Amy
I had a minor mishap..and the neighbors probably think I'm crazy (if you think you KNOW I'm crazy, keep that to yourself! HA!). I made a rookie mistake and let my oil get hot. Idiot! You'd think this was my first time in the kitchen! So lesson learned here, kids, is don't let your oil get too hot. If you do, you'll set off the smoke alarm and you food will look something like this:
(Side note: I come by my burning skills honestly...grandma's nickname is burn. Mine's usually crash.)
Roasted Veggies:
1/2 zucchini, cubed
1/2 squash, cubed
olive oil to coat lightly
chili powder
salt
pepper
Set oven to broil.
1. Wash and dry your veggies and place them in a small baking dish.
2. Drizzle them lightly with the olive oil and sprinkle lightly with chili powder. (HELLO! It's chili powder! Go easy with the stuff so you can eat the veggies!)
3. Salt and pepper lightly and toss the veggies to coat them well and mix the seasonings.
4. Bake for 10 minutes or until they start to char a little. They're charred! Not burnt!!
If you like your veggies a little more firm, you might want to cut the cook time a little short, just check on them.
Fried Mac and Cheese
3-4, 2" cubes of left over macaroni and cheese (I used Alton Brown's from foodnetwork.com)
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
House seasoning
2 eggs, blended
1 1/2-2 cups veggie oil/canola oil* (depends on your pan)
1. Mix the bread crumbs and a few good shakes of the house seasoning.
2. Put your oil in a frying pan and set to medium-high. Keep an eye on it, so that you don't have an incident like I did :)
3. Coat the macncheese cubes in egg, then in the bread crumbs. When the oil is nice and hot (just sprinkle a little bread crumbs in there, if it bubbles, the oil is hot) gently place your macncheese cubes in the oil.
4. Let each side cook in the oil for a minute or two. You want them to be golden brown. Take them out of the oil and set them on a paper towel to drain...remember, we're not trying to die tonight!
5. Top with a little shredded cheese and you're good to go!
How's that for a slice of fried gold? :D
*I used veggie oil...because that's what I had. I think that's what I always use. I know there are differences between canola and veggie oil, but really, Home Ec was like 10 years ago...
Here's what these turned out to look like...they were quite tasty!
Stay warm and happy cooking!!
Amy
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Chicken Strips and Macaroni
This cold weather has me in the mood for summer foods! I must be low on my vitamin H(eat)! ha!
OK, that was a terrible joke...
So in my need for warmer weather today I decided to make some homemade chicken strips and macaroni and cheese. And just for the hell of it, cinnamon rolls! I think I was trying to distract myself from work and the frozen bathroom pipes!! Anyways, the chicken strip 'recipe' is my own concoction and the macaroni and cheese is Alton Brown's from foodnetwork.com . I'm not going to post his recipe, you're a big kid, you can google it.
Chicken Strips
1 chicken breast, cut into strips
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 egg
2/3-1 cup veggie oil
1. Mix the flour and seasonings together in a bowl. In another bowl, beat your egg. These will be your dredge pans.
2. Put your oil in a small frying pan and add oil. Turn to medium high and let warm up while you do the next step.
** You need about an inch or so of oil in the pan. I'm really bad about measuring oil for frying...I eyeball it, sorry.
3. Pat your chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. Dip the pieces one at a time in the egg mixture and coat completely. Then, coat each piece with flour. Set them aside as they are coated and while you're waiting for the oil to heat.
4. To test the oil for readiness, drop a little bit of flour in the oil. If it bubbles up immediately, you're ready. If it falls to the bottom, wait a little longer. If it doesn't seem to ever bubble up, turn up your heat some. (WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T GET WATER IN THE OIL! IT'LL POP AND BURN YOUR AND MAKE A MESS!!)
5. Gently place a few pieces of chicken in the hot oil. Cook about 5-7 minutes then gently flip the pieces over so that both sides cook evenly. You'll know the pieces are done when they are nice and tan. If you're not sure, it's ok to cut a piece open to check. If it's pink, cook it longer. If it's white you should be good!
6. Drain the pieces on a couple paper towels so that you're not eating a ton of oil. Add a little salt as you like, just for flavor.
Serve them up with whatever sauce you like. I'm a fan of ketchup and the Texas favorite, ranch dressing (:
On a side note, I thought I would try panko bread crumbs instead of flour...bad idea. They're nice and crunchy, but not what I was looking for from chicken strips. The breadcrumbs are good for other things, just not my chicken strips!
The macaroni and cheese was delicious...but don't pull an Amy and forget to add the salt before you mix everything up. I had to add salt to my mac before I ate it. It was a good without, just a little bland.
I also thought I would try my hand at making cinnamon rolls. I don't think I've tried to make any since....the 90s. Literally. I didn't have a recipe in the cookbooks I have here, so I found Fairy Godmother Paula's recipe on foodnetwork.com. They turned out great! I was a little unsure of the glaze, but once it spread its sugary goodness around, it was perfect. I should never doubt my Fairy Godmother.
Hope y'all are staying warm and eating delicious food!
Happy Cooking!
Amy
OK, that was a terrible joke...
So in my need for warmer weather today I decided to make some homemade chicken strips and macaroni and cheese. And just for the hell of it, cinnamon rolls! I think I was trying to distract myself from work and the frozen bathroom pipes!! Anyways, the chicken strip 'recipe' is my own concoction and the macaroni and cheese is Alton Brown's from foodnetwork.com . I'm not going to post his recipe, you're a big kid, you can google it.
Chicken Strips
1 chicken breast, cut into strips
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 egg
2/3-1 cup veggie oil
1. Mix the flour and seasonings together in a bowl. In another bowl, beat your egg. These will be your dredge pans.
2. Put your oil in a small frying pan and add oil. Turn to medium high and let warm up while you do the next step.
** You need about an inch or so of oil in the pan. I'm really bad about measuring oil for frying...I eyeball it, sorry.
3. Pat your chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. Dip the pieces one at a time in the egg mixture and coat completely. Then, coat each piece with flour. Set them aside as they are coated and while you're waiting for the oil to heat.
4. To test the oil for readiness, drop a little bit of flour in the oil. If it bubbles up immediately, you're ready. If it falls to the bottom, wait a little longer. If it doesn't seem to ever bubble up, turn up your heat some. (WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T GET WATER IN THE OIL! IT'LL POP AND BURN YOUR AND MAKE A MESS!!)
5. Gently place a few pieces of chicken in the hot oil. Cook about 5-7 minutes then gently flip the pieces over so that both sides cook evenly. You'll know the pieces are done when they are nice and tan. If you're not sure, it's ok to cut a piece open to check. If it's pink, cook it longer. If it's white you should be good!
6. Drain the pieces on a couple paper towels so that you're not eating a ton of oil. Add a little salt as you like, just for flavor.
Serve them up with whatever sauce you like. I'm a fan of ketchup and the Texas favorite, ranch dressing (:
On a side note, I thought I would try panko bread crumbs instead of flour...bad idea. They're nice and crunchy, but not what I was looking for from chicken strips. The breadcrumbs are good for other things, just not my chicken strips!
The macaroni and cheese was delicious...but don't pull an Amy and forget to add the salt before you mix everything up. I had to add salt to my mac before I ate it. It was a good without, just a little bland.
I also thought I would try my hand at making cinnamon rolls. I don't think I've tried to make any since....the 90s. Literally. I didn't have a recipe in the cookbooks I have here, so I found Fairy Godmother Paula's recipe on foodnetwork.com. They turned out great! I was a little unsure of the glaze, but once it spread its sugary goodness around, it was perfect. I should never doubt my Fairy Godmother.
Hope y'all are staying warm and eating delicious food!
Happy Cooking!
Amy
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