FOOD Thursday, October 18, 2007

So, Allen bought these frozen Tilapia fillets.  I was not optimistic about it.  I was so sure they were going to be not as good as the stuff we buy at the fish counter.  Naturally, I did not follow any of the directions on the bag.  I didn’t thaw it correctly.  Okay, not at all before I cooked it.  I really wasn’t expecting much.  But, it looked so pretty.  So, I took a picture.  I had coated it in oil, liberally coated it in fajita seasoning (my everything spice) and pepper, squeezed some lime juice on it, covered it in Italian bread crumbs, put some slices of lime on it and then, threw some left-over chopped up tomatoes on top for coloring.  I stuck it in an oven that wasn’t quite hot yet and forgot about it.  I made all the “extras” we had to go with it.  Then, took it out of the oven and, oh-my-freakin’-gawd, it was good.  And, it looked pretty, too.  I LOVE cooking.  Zane would like for me to mention my homemade chicken noodle soup at this time.  He is something of a chicken soup lover.  And he really liked my chicken noodle soup.  That I made.   From scratch.  And leftovers.  Myself.  Without a recipe.  I hear the applause in the empty bowls.

     BEFORE & AFTER     

 

Picklepop Friday, August 31, 2007

Why, yes folks, it is a picklepop.  As you may or may not know, I like pickles.  However, I have two really odd kids who claim not to like pickles.  How can anyone not like pickles?  I wondered, “How can I improve on the basic pickle?”  And, this is what I came up with.  You may be wondering if it truly is an improvement.  No, it is not.  It was WAY too salty.  I think the kids liked it, though.  I guess I used the wrong kind of pickle juice.  Next time, (Yes, there WILL be a next time.) I will use a different type of pickle juice to see if it will be less salty.  We will just have to wait and see.  I know every single one of you will be eagerly anticipating my next attempt. 

Fred’s Fideo Soup Saturday, June 23, 2007

This is Allen’s recipe for fideo soup.  (fideo, pronounced: fi-de-o; amazingly just like it is written)  We like it with a little bit of broth but, some people like it with less broth.  If you like yours with less broth, simmer it longer before you add the noodles.  If you can’t take flavor and spice, you may want to skip this recipe until you can. Allen is constantly changing this recipe up.  So, as with all recipes, this is just a guideline for a great soup.  It is a very forgiving recipe.  So, if you don’t like something, add less of it.  And, you can use regular lean ground beef but, the flavor isn’t affected by using turkey AND it is better for you.  So, you might as well, right?  Also, don’t think you can make this as a side dish.  It will totally take over any other meal idea. 

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium bell pepper, diced
1 small jalapeno, chopped finely
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 box fideo (vermicelli)
vegetable oil
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 limes (one for garnish, one for juice)
2 tablespoons cumin powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 quarts chicken stock

In a large pot, cook ground turkey with a little bit of oil (about 2 tablespoons) until done.  Then, add onions, bell peppers, jalapeno and garlic; simmer until onions are clear.  Add canned tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, lime juice and ONE quart of chicken stock and simmer.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat.  Add vermicelli and brown lightly.   Once vermicelli is lightly browned, add the other quart of chicken stock.  Turn heat down to low and allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes.  Then, add the vermicelli batch in with the meat and add the cilantro.  Simmer until noodles are tender.  Serve with lime wedges.

Cupcakes Thursday, May 17, 2007

Normally, I don’t watch cooking shows but, Allen made me watch “Throwdown with Bobby Flay.”  This lady made the most awesome looking cupcakes I have ever seen.  I don’t have a really big sweet tooth, surprisingly, but these red velvet cupcakes made me want them, big time.  I couldn’t find a picture to show you (Jennifer found a picture for me.  Thanks Jenn!) but, here is the recipe I found at Food Network.  Oh, by the way, she used an ice cream scoop to put the icing on the cupcakes.  The icing part was just as big as the muffin part AND she used the big muffin cups.  She’s BRILLIANT!   Anyway -  click HERE to go to Food Network and see her recipe.