Well, not really defeat, but it's been a challenging week.
My hubby & I both caught a cold.
Monday was a hideous day...including a 911 call I had to make from my classroom. Everything turned out fine - but it was a unique experience, to say the least. I discovered I can chase a stretcher down a hallway wearing heels.
Tuesday was ridiculously busy. Regular classes + Community Band rehearsal + making arrangements for a guest performing group to perform, including coordinating tech personnel, feeding the artists, and going to the performance (which was incredible).
Wednesday the sick sank in - mostly because the previous 2 days I worked from 7:30 am to 10:30 pm.
Thursday I completely lost my voice.
Today, I feel better...but still recovering from sick + the trauma of the rest of the week.
But - I share this not to whine about my life - but to celebrate!
Why?
Because this would have been the perfect week to ditch my commitment to making food and let mi amigos make the dinners this week.
And I didn't let that happen. The leftover chili from Tuesday we ate on baked potatoes on Wednesday. Last night (when I felt my absolute crappiest) I served gnocchi with butter, herbs & cheese. And tonight, good ol' rotini with "Little Italy's" marinara sauce and salads.
We did it! It's beginning to become a habit to cook, and I'm proud.
And, you know, while I do enjoy the local Mexican establishments, I don't miss them all that much. I think I enjoy the queso even more now.
Oh - my brown mustard seeds came in the mail...along with the chipotle powder & grains of paradise I ordered with them.
What, oh what shall I make next? I'm excited to keep finding out.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
One of those days...
Fighting off a sore throat + cruddy day at work = Hot Toddy
And that's all I have to say about that.
And that's all I have to say about that.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Comfort Food, Part Deux
My last "comfort food" related post was about grilled cheese sandwiches - you know, I think they actually can make me feel like I'm in my comfy chair, covered in my obnoxious pink flannel blanket, no matter where I am.
Tomorrow I'll be making another category of comfort food...Chili.
And not just any Chili - but Turkey Chili.
The way I see it, comfort food can bring comfort not only by the feelings of warmth, happiness, hearth and home it brings to mind and stomach - but in the knowledge that it is actually good for you.
Yes, I know, sometimes you just have to go "all out" for the full-fat version for true comfort-completeness. But, I think there are some "comfort food" dishes that make a bit of room for making better nutritional choices. This is one of them.
1 package of ground turkey, 93% lean (if you don't use the 93% lean, you might as well use beef!)
1 green onion, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can of diced tomatoes (I use the fire-roasted kind, but any will do)
1 can of mild Bush's Chili Beans
1 can of hot Bush's Chili Beans (Now, I know, I could just use 2 cans of medium, but I like the layers of flavor this combination brings to the party.)
Any kind of wine or beer.
Garlic powder, ground mustard, sugar, kosher salt, pepper, cloves, lemon juice - to taste.
Cook the turkey in a skillet until all pink is gone. Add some salt, pepper and garlic powder while browning.
When the turkey is finished, put it in a Crock-Pot. Then saute the green peppers and onions with the salt, pepper and garlic powder until soft, and add them to the Crock-Pot as well. Add the cans of beans, tomatoes and tomato sauce and stir. Use the wine or beer to rinse out the cans, and then add the liquid to the Crock-Pot until the chili stirs smoothly. Remember - it will get juicier as it cooks, so add the wine/beer wisely - or you may end up with Chili Soup...which I guess wouldn't be bad at all.
Cook for 6-8 hours on low in the Crock-Pot. Before serving, taste it, and add any of the "to taste" items above until it tastes how you like it. Every batch I make is different, so I go with my instinct - and of course, add spices sparingly. You can always put more in...but you can't take it back out!
Serve in bowls with grated cheese, sour cream (fat free is served in our house), crackers, hot sauce - whatever meets your fancy!
I won't be posting pictures - because everyone knows what Chili looks like - and this looks no different. And, my next two days will be 14 hour days...so I'm betting I won't be blog posting. But - the good news about this meal is that honestly, you can leave it on "low" all day and it will be just fine. This means that tomorrow, when I eat at 5:30, my daughter eats after 6:00, and my husband eats after 7:00, it will be equally yummy - and homemade - all evening long.
So - this isn't just comfort food because it makes me cozy on a cold winter day. It's comforting because I know I will make it, and my family will get to eat a home-cooked, healthy meal on an insanely busy day. And, on 14 hour days, you take all the comfort you can get!
Tomorrow I'll be making another category of comfort food...Chili.
And not just any Chili - but Turkey Chili.
The way I see it, comfort food can bring comfort not only by the feelings of warmth, happiness, hearth and home it brings to mind and stomach - but in the knowledge that it is actually good for you.
Yes, I know, sometimes you just have to go "all out" for the full-fat version for true comfort-completeness. But, I think there are some "comfort food" dishes that make a bit of room for making better nutritional choices. This is one of them.
1 package of ground turkey, 93% lean (if you don't use the 93% lean, you might as well use beef!)
1 green onion, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can of diced tomatoes (I use the fire-roasted kind, but any will do)
1 can of mild Bush's Chili Beans
1 can of hot Bush's Chili Beans (Now, I know, I could just use 2 cans of medium, but I like the layers of flavor this combination brings to the party.)
Any kind of wine or beer.
Garlic powder, ground mustard, sugar, kosher salt, pepper, cloves, lemon juice - to taste.
Cook the turkey in a skillet until all pink is gone. Add some salt, pepper and garlic powder while browning.
When the turkey is finished, put it in a Crock-Pot. Then saute the green peppers and onions with the salt, pepper and garlic powder until soft, and add them to the Crock-Pot as well. Add the cans of beans, tomatoes and tomato sauce and stir. Use the wine or beer to rinse out the cans, and then add the liquid to the Crock-Pot until the chili stirs smoothly. Remember - it will get juicier as it cooks, so add the wine/beer wisely - or you may end up with Chili Soup...which I guess wouldn't be bad at all.
Cook for 6-8 hours on low in the Crock-Pot. Before serving, taste it, and add any of the "to taste" items above until it tastes how you like it. Every batch I make is different, so I go with my instinct - and of course, add spices sparingly. You can always put more in...but you can't take it back out!
Serve in bowls with grated cheese, sour cream (fat free is served in our house), crackers, hot sauce - whatever meets your fancy!
I won't be posting pictures - because everyone knows what Chili looks like - and this looks no different. And, my next two days will be 14 hour days...so I'm betting I won't be blog posting. But - the good news about this meal is that honestly, you can leave it on "low" all day and it will be just fine. This means that tomorrow, when I eat at 5:30, my daughter eats after 6:00, and my husband eats after 7:00, it will be equally yummy - and homemade - all evening long.
So - this isn't just comfort food because it makes me cozy on a cold winter day. It's comforting because I know I will make it, and my family will get to eat a home-cooked, healthy meal on an insanely busy day. And, on 14 hour days, you take all the comfort you can get!
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Ooey, Gooey, Crispy, Crunchy...
Grilled Cheese!!!
This was last night's dinner. Our family has decided we like cheese.
I realize, this doesn't seem like Earth-shaking news, and perhaps it is not. And we've always enjoyed the ooey, gooey goodness that cheese can be.
But our definition of what is really "cheese" has evolved. Or, rather, we've become more picky about what we expect from our cheese-eating experience.
This started when we began making fondue a couple of years ago. It was like traveling in a time machine, back to a time when a pot of melted cheese & wine could unite friends and family like no Youtube video-fest ever could. (Yes, our family has considered it an evening event to gather around the computer and watch ridiculous Youtube videos. Really.)
And, we discovered the difference between generic "cheddar" and "mozzarella" by investing in some higher quality versions of these cheeses, and others. Our first cheese adventures began at Jungle Jim's - and our standard was definitely raised. We enjoyed Gruyere and English Cheddar, among others, and our cheese horizons had definitely been expanded.
But then, we found the Nirvana of cheese shops - Grandpa's Cheese Barn. We had driven right by it for 14 years on our way home to my hometown - but for some reason, one day, we stopped.
And the world has not been the same since. Our favorite has spoiled us rotten - no Smoked Gouda since has served to quench our appetite for this delightful, rich, full-bodied cheese. And, as you can see from the above link - you can purchase it online!
But, since we are not made of money, we haven't indulged in this opportunity yet. What we have done, however, is sought out locally what cheeses we can get that aren't just the standard "Kraft-Block-o'-Cheese". And, we've found that surprisingly enough, a decent quality and selection of cheese can be found at the local Wal-mart and IGA. Our current favorite is Havarti - and this is what is on the sandwich you see above, as well as some Fontina that we bought at Jungle Jim's at Christmas. No, the Wal-mart cheese is not Grandpa's Cheese Barn quality, but it's not Velveeta either.
...not that there's anything wrong with Velveeta, actually. Melted and mixed with salsa, it makes a wonderful queso dip!
So - a toast to all things cheesy, and their ooey, gooey, funky, stringy, rich and righteous ways. There's just nothing quite as comforting as a big ol' grilled cheese sandwich...
...unless it's homemade Macaroni and Cheese...but that's another blog post...
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
I Feel Like Chicken Tonight....Like Chicken Tonight!
Long day yesterday - left for school at 7:30 a.m., got home at 8:00 p.m. However, there were two highlights to the day.
The first was a wonderful first rehearsal with the Community Band! I'm very excited about the upcoming semester with that group.
The second highlight was dinner! It sat in the Crock-Pot all day long - and was still quite good!
The first was a wonderful first rehearsal with the Community Band! I'm very excited about the upcoming semester with that group.
The second highlight was dinner! It sat in the Crock-Pot all day long - and was still quite good!
And again, forgive the picture - after a full day, I forgot to take the picture before I started eating.
Today will be another long day - Pep Band tonight means leftovers for dinner. But - with my choices including pot roast or chicken and dumplings, I can't go wrong!
And...for those of you who don't have the song running through your head after reading the title of this blog post...here you go.
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