Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Zuchini Chicken
Zucchini Chicken did not go over as well as I had hoped. Though the zucchini was very good and served with corn I really liked it, the chicken was bland. The sauce that the recipe called for was gross. I didn't even bother to serve it after tasting since it tasted like sour milk. Needless to say I'll make zucchini the same again in the future, but leave the rest!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Basic Pantry
Here's a list of things I keep around the house that I frequently use in recipes (and sometimes against the recipe throw it in anyway):
In the cupboard:
Brown sugar
Natural sugar
Gluten free flour mix
Soy milk (this stuff stays good forever until you open it, then you have like 4 days to use it)
Canned corn (good side, pretty much the only vegetable Elvo will eat)
Cream of something soup, usually both chicken and celery are in the cupboard
Almonds, because I love them
Vinegar
Vegetable oil
Saltine crackers
White rice
Brown rice
Pecan rice (this is very good, go find it)
Rice pastas, usually angel hair and penne
Soy sauce
In the fridge:
Lemon juice
Lime juice
Frozen fish, usually salmon because we really like salmon, in case I need a last minute dinner
Onion, the kind that comes already chopped because I can't stand chopping onions
Butter/Margarine
Eggs (I get fresh eggs from my mother, they stay fresh for weeks and are healthier than commercially farmed)
Chicken broth, in the box
I also keep basic spices, such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and black pepper around. For christmas I got a spice rack so everything stays orderly.
Things that don't expire, or don't expire quickly, I keep around in excess. It's cheaper to buy in bulk, but only if you'll use it up in time. So vegetable oil, margarine, lemon juice, crackers, canned vegetables, rice, and almonds I buy in bulk packages from our local members-only-bulk store, to which Elvo has a membership thankfully. I haven't bought vinegar in bulk simply because I don't use it much, and I don't buy my sugars in bulk because I don't have an air tight container for them so it's easier to buy fresh, not-hardened-to-boulder-consistency packages of sugar and use them up.
Obviously, I've only been at this cooking business for a month or so, and your pantry probably has items in it that are a reflection of your personal taste. Elvo likes sweet, sugary things so I have a lot of brown sugar where you might have spicy things like jars of salsa or peppers. There's also detrius that accumulates. I've got a package of bacon in the fridge from my bacon-wrapped-foods-craze and some non-gluten-free flour from before we knew about Elvo's intolerance. Someday I'll find a way to use up the cake mix that we've had for way too long.
In the cupboard:
Brown sugar
Natural sugar
Gluten free flour mix
Soy milk (this stuff stays good forever until you open it, then you have like 4 days to use it)
Canned corn (good side, pretty much the only vegetable Elvo will eat)
Cream of something soup, usually both chicken and celery are in the cupboard
Almonds, because I love them
Vinegar
Vegetable oil
Saltine crackers
White rice
Brown rice
Pecan rice (this is very good, go find it)
Rice pastas, usually angel hair and penne
Soy sauce
In the fridge:
Lemon juice
Lime juice
Frozen fish, usually salmon because we really like salmon, in case I need a last minute dinner
Onion, the kind that comes already chopped because I can't stand chopping onions
Butter/Margarine
Eggs (I get fresh eggs from my mother, they stay fresh for weeks and are healthier than commercially farmed)
Chicken broth, in the box
I also keep basic spices, such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and black pepper around. For christmas I got a spice rack so everything stays orderly.
Things that don't expire, or don't expire quickly, I keep around in excess. It's cheaper to buy in bulk, but only if you'll use it up in time. So vegetable oil, margarine, lemon juice, crackers, canned vegetables, rice, and almonds I buy in bulk packages from our local members-only-bulk store, to which Elvo has a membership thankfully. I haven't bought vinegar in bulk simply because I don't use it much, and I don't buy my sugars in bulk because I don't have an air tight container for them so it's easier to buy fresh, not-hardened-to-boulder-consistency packages of sugar and use them up.
Obviously, I've only been at this cooking business for a month or so, and your pantry probably has items in it that are a reflection of your personal taste. Elvo likes sweet, sugary things so I have a lot of brown sugar where you might have spicy things like jars of salsa or peppers. There's also detrius that accumulates. I've got a package of bacon in the fridge from my bacon-wrapped-foods-craze and some non-gluten-free flour from before we knew about Elvo's intolerance. Someday I'll find a way to use up the cake mix that we've had for way too long.
Pork in Pear Sauce
The pork in pear sauce is not in the book. Yet.
I had several problems with the recipe, the first being that one step: Poach for 20 to 25 minutes, wasn't readily apparent to me. What's poaching? Elvo googled it on his phone and came back with the reply "to cook in liquid". Hm. Wow. Thanks a lot, Google.
I muddled through and it was edible. Elvo really liked the warm pears. I should experiment with halved pears and brown sugar in the slow cooker. I'm always worried to use the slow cooker when I'm not home, though. I'm paranoid the house will catch fire and the cats will be trapped inside.
Speaking of cats, Pollo loves steak, Ane thinks it's ok, and Emily does not care for it. So if you're curious if your cat likes steak, I cannot help you, but I can reasonably guarantee that they will like salsa and cream of mushroom soup.
Right, I promised not to be random. My second problem with the recipe was that the pork really didn't take on much flavor. I want to experiment more with marinades.
I actually have a third misgiving: I don't like pork. I don't like turkey either, and I don't really love beef but I will eat it readily enough. So I made two pork tenderloins but one of them is still in the fridge, covered in foil. I just ate the pears. So I don't think this recipe will go in the book, but it's an interesting experiment with canned fruit that I will have to pursue later on. Maybe put some canned peaches and brown sugar in the slow cooker with chicken?
Since this week's meal plan was shorted I'll be making Monday-Thursday's dishes later, probably next week. The great thing about those is that they don't require anything I don't already have on hand. I should make a list of things I keep in the pantry to give you some ideas.
Tonight's dish will be cucumber chicken. But cucumber chicken was struck from the plan by Elvo, who claims cucumbers are gross. So I am substituting zucchini, which is seriously the only green thing he will eat! Shouldn't make much difference... I sure miss cucumbers though.
I had several problems with the recipe, the first being that one step: Poach for 20 to 25 minutes, wasn't readily apparent to me. What's poaching? Elvo googled it on his phone and came back with the reply "to cook in liquid". Hm. Wow. Thanks a lot, Google.
I muddled through and it was edible. Elvo really liked the warm pears. I should experiment with halved pears and brown sugar in the slow cooker. I'm always worried to use the slow cooker when I'm not home, though. I'm paranoid the house will catch fire and the cats will be trapped inside.
Speaking of cats, Pollo loves steak, Ane thinks it's ok, and Emily does not care for it. So if you're curious if your cat likes steak, I cannot help you, but I can reasonably guarantee that they will like salsa and cream of mushroom soup.
Right, I promised not to be random. My second problem with the recipe was that the pork really didn't take on much flavor. I want to experiment more with marinades.
I actually have a third misgiving: I don't like pork. I don't like turkey either, and I don't really love beef but I will eat it readily enough. So I made two pork tenderloins but one of them is still in the fridge, covered in foil. I just ate the pears. So I don't think this recipe will go in the book, but it's an interesting experiment with canned fruit that I will have to pursue later on. Maybe put some canned peaches and brown sugar in the slow cooker with chicken?
Since this week's meal plan was shorted I'll be making Monday-Thursday's dishes later, probably next week. The great thing about those is that they don't require anything I don't already have on hand. I should make a list of things I keep in the pantry to give you some ideas.
Tonight's dish will be cucumber chicken. But cucumber chicken was struck from the plan by Elvo, who claims cucumbers are gross. So I am substituting zucchini, which is seriously the only green thing he will eat! Shouldn't make much difference... I sure miss cucumbers though.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Week Two
The coconut beef wasn't bad, but I didn't keep the recipe, either. It wasn't as flavorful as I had hoped.
You see all my "successful" recipes are going into a personal anthology for future weeks, so if it "goes in the book" it was a success.
This week:
You see all my "successful" recipes are going into a personal anthology for future weeks, so if it "goes in the book" it was a success.
This week:
Friday: pork with ginger pear sauce
Saturday: cucumber chicken with corn
Sunday: filet mignon with white rice for him and brussel sprouts for me
Monday: asian grilled chicken – marinate in 1/3cup soy sauce, salad
Tuesday: saltine fried chicken with corn
Wednesday: tuna in cream sauce over pasta
Thursday: chicken in ginger sauce – could sub fish, salad
This got muddled a bit. I made filet mignon and the brussels sprouts yesterday -- both were good. I personally don't like steak so that's why our meal was split. Friday & Saturday have been moved because of new year's holiday, so they will be tonight and tomorrow instead.
Yay for flexibility!
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