creamy chicken alfredo

There are probably fifteen reasons why I shouldn't have said ok to alfredo sauce Thursday night, most of them involving my digestive tract, but it sounded yummy and it was Ryan's idea. When he says he wants to be the head chef and I'll be the sous, it's a stupid idea to say no. A little roux to start, then cream, chicken broth, parm & mozz, white wine (yes, one you'd choose to drink from the glass). Add sauteed chicken & broccoli, pour it all over egg noodles. It was creamy, oooey, gooey, and other words that use multiple o's in the middle. This fooooood was way toooo gooooood for fancy foodie words, like "succulent" or "earthy" or "floral notes." Screw that. Just say, "mmglmb."

PS: Leftovers were just as yummy.

Coming soon: goat cheese cheesecake with vanilla pineapple compote.

beefy beany barley brothy

I've really wanted to use my crock pot lately. I keep putting it off during the week since I'm too lazy to cut up all the veggies before work, and when I get home from work the last thing I want to do is prepare for another day's meal. Did I say before that I'm lazy?

So a Sunday is perfect for crock pot cookin'. Got me some stew meat browning, cut me up some carrots/onions/celery/garlic. Add to heated crock pot with broth/beans/barley. I think the whole load cost $10. I'm going to freeze it. All in all, it's going to give me ten more meals. A very, very good idea.

it was good banana bread because ryan said so

I used to be a nervous wreck about baking - measuring the right amounts, making sure the baking soda wasn't over 3 months old, being out of eggs & not wanting to go to the store, having a floury mess over every countertop. My one-butt kitchen experienced a peaceful, organized symphony of baking glory today, however. I have my new stand mixer from my sweet mom to thank for it. I found two recipes from some new cookbooks I got for Christmas that call for very few ingredients: sour cream banana bread and lemon-lime tea cakes. I only had to get ripe bananas, lemons, and limes from the store - I had everything else. Lazy is my middle name. I hate recipes where I have to go buy things no normal kitchen has stocked. Tell me you have the following combination of ingredients at your house at this very moment and I will give you $10: heavy cream, mexican chocolate, turmeric.

Banana bread came first - set up my wet ingredients on one counter, dry on another. I heart mise en place. The stand mixer was awesome - I was done mixing when the oven beeped it was ready, and an hour later I had two beautiful brown loaves. Sour cream made the loaf thicker, and for baking two loaves at once, I sure timed it right. That never happens for me. I tried to talk myself out of eating a few crumbs off the corners, but it didn't work.



Then came the tea cakes - 24 mini muffins made with lemon and lime zest and their juices. This was probably the best batter I've ever tasted. While they baked, I made a simple syrup with more lemon slices, and poured the syrup over the cakes when they were done. They were so gooey and light. I think if they were regular-sized muffins, they'd be too rich.

I would sure hate to have a gluten problem.

With love and citrus,

Jabe

taco pie = gringa greatness

I am a lover of the idea of casseroles. Take anything in your fridge, chop it up & saute it, throw it in a dish & bake it. Bake pasta in it, throw it on rice. Cheese is undoubtedly a requirement. Eat it for breakfast the next day, give it as a birthday gift. This evening's Taco Pie was great - inexpensive, balanced, filling, and easy. Chop & sweat onions, garlic, jalapenos, bell peppers. Brown 93/7 ground turkey, add cumin, oregano, chili powder, s&p, add black beans and the onions, garlic, jalapenos, green peppers. Oven at 375. 8X8 pan lined with crescent roll dough. Fill in the pan with the meat mixture, cover with grated medium cheddar and crumbled chips. Bake covered for 30 minutes, uncovered for 8. IMPORTANT = let it sit for 5-8 minutes out of the oven before going to town. It will be slightly congealed, sliceable, yet still piping hot. Add sour cream dollops, avocado slices, salsa, MORE cheese. Put on some tunes and get sexy with it, this casserole is lovin'.

Pee-your-pants-awesome variations: add little potato chunks, broccoli florets, corn, peas, include serrano peppers instead of or along with the jalapenos, mix salsa in the ground beef, use pinto beans instead of black, use leftover grilled steak chunks, add refried beans, top with grated pepper jack. You can't mess this up.