Apparently it is just not my week to cook. The grocery store didn't have eggplant for ratatouille, I was sick and couldn't cook on Monday and tonight I planned on making steak...but well, something didn't go so well.
I put the steak in the oven, came back 8 minutes later to check it and it was completely done. That was pretty strange in itself, but I managed to ignore that until I put the steak on my plate and there was a strange smell. Like a piece of meat you left in the back seat of your car in the middle of summer type smell. So I sniffed the steak, and then even stuck my finger to it and tasted it. It smelled okay, but the taste was just off.
So, Tom and C are making SPAM (EWWWWWWWWWWWW!) and I opted for a rather healthy meal of Ramen noodles.
I guess its just not my week to cook.
Ever had one of those weeks?
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Cheesy Garlic Risotto
So if you read the weekly meals you'd know that I was supposed to make chicken ratatouille and chile salmon with baked potatoes.
Well, I'm sick again so Monday was fend for yourself day. Tuesday I planned on making the ratatouille but the grocery store still didn't have any eggplant and Tom really isn't a big fan, so I seasoned the chicken with chicken seasoning, garlic and pepper and it was fend for yourself sides night. Since baked chicken isn't all that interesting I figured there was no need to blog about it.
Today I did make the salmon, but I wasn't happy with the recipe at all. It just tasted like fishy fish. So before I blog about it, I'm going to make it again with an all day marinade to see if it improves the taste. The thin pieces of the fish had the marinade and weren't bad, but the thicker parts were just crappy. However, it is in the picture because risotto in a pan doesn't look quite as well as risotto on a plate.
I also realized tonight that there weren't enough baked potatoes to make them tonight and tomorrow and Tom suggested risotto. Since I didn't have any mushrooms for the mushroom risotto that I always make, I figured I'd create my own cheesy risotto.
Cheesy Garlic Risotto
Servings: 3
Source: my brain!
Ingredients:
3/4 cup arborio rice
1 small onion, diced
1 tbs. minced garlic
1 green onion stalk, diced
1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. cream cheese
1 tsp. butter
Directions:
1. Warm the chicken broth over low heat.
2. Add the oil to a pan over medium heat and cook the garlic, onion, and green onion for 5 minutes.
3. Add the rice and stir until the rice is coated with the oil and takes on a pale beige color, about 1 minute.
4. Add the white wine and cook until the rice absorbs the wine. Add in the chicken broth in parts, no more than 1 cup at a time and stir occasionally until its absorbed into the rice.
5. Once all of the chicken broth is absorbed, add in the cheeses and butter. Stir occasionally until everything is melted. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
And by the way, I realize that I'm a crazy risotto making lady. But I'm okay with that because risotto is damn good!
Well, I'm sick again so Monday was fend for yourself day. Tuesday I planned on making the ratatouille but the grocery store still didn't have any eggplant and Tom really isn't a big fan, so I seasoned the chicken with chicken seasoning, garlic and pepper and it was fend for yourself sides night. Since baked chicken isn't all that interesting I figured there was no need to blog about it.
Today I did make the salmon, but I wasn't happy with the recipe at all. It just tasted like fishy fish. So before I blog about it, I'm going to make it again with an all day marinade to see if it improves the taste. The thin pieces of the fish had the marinade and weren't bad, but the thicker parts were just crappy. However, it is in the picture because risotto in a pan doesn't look quite as well as risotto on a plate.
I also realized tonight that there weren't enough baked potatoes to make them tonight and tomorrow and Tom suggested risotto. Since I didn't have any mushrooms for the mushroom risotto that I always make, I figured I'd create my own cheesy risotto.
Cheesy Garlic Risotto
Servings: 3
Source: my brain!
Ingredients:
3/4 cup arborio rice
1 small onion, diced
1 tbs. minced garlic
1 green onion stalk, diced
1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. cream cheese
1 tsp. butter
Directions:
1. Warm the chicken broth over low heat.
2. Add the oil to a pan over medium heat and cook the garlic, onion, and green onion for 5 minutes.
3. Add the rice and stir until the rice is coated with the oil and takes on a pale beige color, about 1 minute.
4. Add the white wine and cook until the rice absorbs the wine. Add in the chicken broth in parts, no more than 1 cup at a time and stir occasionally until its absorbed into the rice.
5. Once all of the chicken broth is absorbed, add in the cheeses and butter. Stir occasionally until everything is melted. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
And by the way, I realize that I'm a crazy risotto making lady. But I'm okay with that because risotto is damn good!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Shrimp Bisque
When I first found this recipe, I was really excited to try it out. I'm from Maryland and if you know anything about Maryland, its that we sure love our seafood. First in line is steamed crabs followed closely by steamed shrimp.
If you're not from Maryland and you've never visited here, then you have never had a Maryland crab cake. I don't care if they called it a Maryland crab cake on the menu, I'm telling you, there is no way you had a Maryland crab cake. Just believe me! While steamed crabs is what Maryland is known for, you absolutely can NOT have steamed crabs without their awesome seasoning, Old Bay.
A former Maryland knottie friend once said that people from Maryland just like to put Old Bay on stuff, and well, its true. Seafood, french fries, in mashed potatoes or potato salad, on chicken...basically whatever you can think of. I don't believe I could live in a state that didn't sell Old Bay, but luckily, with the invention of the internet, I'd at least be able to order it.
So, what in the world is Old Bay is what you non-Maryland natives are thinking right? Well its this awesome zero calorie seasoning that makes seafood, well, seafood. The ingredients list is celery salt, spices (including red pepper and black pepper) and paprika. Yeah if I was McCormick, I wouldn't allude too much to the ingredients either. But let me just tell you, its great. Really great!
Ooo, can I tell you a funny story about crabs? I swear, I really am getting to the recipe, but you just need to hear this first. So, my friend Cassidy is from here and she moved to Virginia Beach for a while and was dating a guy from New York. He came and visited her family during the summer while they had steamed crabs. His response when they pulled one out "Don't you wash that thing off first?" I laughed so hard I almost cried when she told me that story. I'm sure its not quite as amusing if you're not from here, but just imagine this crab, covered in clumps of Old Bay spices, resembling dirt and this poor boy thinking that you actually ate the shell and legs of the crab. Not funny? Oh well, I'll try again later.
Here's proof that I am by no means a perfect cook. We purchased cooked shrimp in a two pound bag from the grocery store last week because they were ridiculously cheap. Now all day I've known I was going to cook the shrimp bisque. But for whatever reason, I didn't bother to look at the bag and I didn't bother to take them out to dethaw either. So, after I had my veggies chopped, I pulled out the shrimp and realized not only were they frozen together, but they still had their tails on. Sigh. So, with the use of a really sharp chef's knife I managed to chop off their tails, cut them into bite sized pieces and toss them in the microwave for a minute and a half to get some of the freeze off. However, I don't suggest that you do this.
When you go to make this recipe, you either need raw shrimp that you are going to steam, or frozen shrimp that have been dethawed and their tails removed.
If you plan on steaming them yourself, follow the directions on a can of Old Bay. Honestly, I'd have no idea how else to steam said shrimp. So, do that. Or, if you live in the middle of nowhere and only have Emeril's Essence, its a pretty close taste that you could use.
Oh yeah, to make this you will need some form of a blender. Preferably one that can really chop things up and make them smooth. It creates a better texture for the soup.
Shrimp Bisque
Adapted from: www.allrecipes.com
Servings: 6 as a starter course, 3-4 as a main course
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tbs. olive oil
1 red pepper, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1/2 lb. shrimp
2 cups fat free half-and-half
1 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. hot sauce
1 tsp. Old Bay
1 tsp butter
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
parsley, for garnish
Directions:
1. In a large pot, add oil, red peppers and onion and saute for 15-20 minutes over low heat, or until soft. Stir occasionally. Add in the shrimp, tomato sauce, half-and-half, hot sauce, Old Bay, and salt and pepper. (If you have never used Old Bay before, skip the salt and pepper until serving to make sure you don't make it too salty. Oh, and adding the half-and-half will turn it a funny orange color, but I swear its okay.)
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted.
3. Pour the mixture into a blender and switch it to pulse. Let it run for 15-20 seconds or until no large pieces remain. (I tried this with a stick blender and it made it really frothy, so I put it back over the heat for a few minutes to boil off the bubbles because it looked pretty unappealing.)
4. Transfer the soup into bowls and sprinkle Parmesan (or mozzarella works too) over the soup and garnish with parsley. You could also save a few shrimp and stick them around the bowl for a garnish, but I forgot to do that.
Another note: If you want the soup to be thicker, I recommend a blender. If you don't mind some shrimp chunks and a thinner broth, the stick blender works perfectly fine.
Its also a pretty versatile meal. You could serve it as a first course, a main course, or even in shot glasses as shooter soup.
If you're not from Maryland and you've never visited here, then you have never had a Maryland crab cake. I don't care if they called it a Maryland crab cake on the menu, I'm telling you, there is no way you had a Maryland crab cake. Just believe me! While steamed crabs is what Maryland is known for, you absolutely can NOT have steamed crabs without their awesome seasoning, Old Bay.
A former Maryland knottie friend once said that people from Maryland just like to put Old Bay on stuff, and well, its true. Seafood, french fries, in mashed potatoes or potato salad, on chicken...basically whatever you can think of. I don't believe I could live in a state that didn't sell Old Bay, but luckily, with the invention of the internet, I'd at least be able to order it.
So, what in the world is Old Bay is what you non-Maryland natives are thinking right? Well its this awesome zero calorie seasoning that makes seafood, well, seafood. The ingredients list is celery salt, spices (including red pepper and black pepper) and paprika. Yeah if I was McCormick, I wouldn't allude too much to the ingredients either. But let me just tell you, its great. Really great!
Ooo, can I tell you a funny story about crabs? I swear, I really am getting to the recipe, but you just need to hear this first. So, my friend Cassidy is from here and she moved to Virginia Beach for a while and was dating a guy from New York. He came and visited her family during the summer while they had steamed crabs. His response when they pulled one out "Don't you wash that thing off first?" I laughed so hard I almost cried when she told me that story. I'm sure its not quite as amusing if you're not from here, but just imagine this crab, covered in clumps of Old Bay spices, resembling dirt and this poor boy thinking that you actually ate the shell and legs of the crab. Not funny? Oh well, I'll try again later.
Here's proof that I am by no means a perfect cook. We purchased cooked shrimp in a two pound bag from the grocery store last week because they were ridiculously cheap. Now all day I've known I was going to cook the shrimp bisque. But for whatever reason, I didn't bother to look at the bag and I didn't bother to take them out to dethaw either. So, after I had my veggies chopped, I pulled out the shrimp and realized not only were they frozen together, but they still had their tails on. Sigh. So, with the use of a really sharp chef's knife I managed to chop off their tails, cut them into bite sized pieces and toss them in the microwave for a minute and a half to get some of the freeze off. However, I don't suggest that you do this.
When you go to make this recipe, you either need raw shrimp that you are going to steam, or frozen shrimp that have been dethawed and their tails removed.
If you plan on steaming them yourself, follow the directions on a can of Old Bay. Honestly, I'd have no idea how else to steam said shrimp. So, do that. Or, if you live in the middle of nowhere and only have Emeril's Essence, its a pretty close taste that you could use.
Oh yeah, to make this you will need some form of a blender. Preferably one that can really chop things up and make them smooth. It creates a better texture for the soup.
Shrimp Bisque
Adapted from: www.allrecipes.com
Servings: 6 as a starter course, 3-4 as a main course
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tbs. olive oil
1 red pepper, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1/2 lb. shrimp
2 cups fat free half-and-half
1 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. hot sauce
1 tsp. Old Bay
1 tsp butter
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
parsley, for garnish
Directions:
1. In a large pot, add oil, red peppers and onion and saute for 15-20 minutes over low heat, or until soft. Stir occasionally. Add in the shrimp, tomato sauce, half-and-half, hot sauce, Old Bay, and salt and pepper. (If you have never used Old Bay before, skip the salt and pepper until serving to make sure you don't make it too salty. Oh, and adding the half-and-half will turn it a funny orange color, but I swear its okay.)
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted.
3. Pour the mixture into a blender and switch it to pulse. Let it run for 15-20 seconds or until no large pieces remain. (I tried this with a stick blender and it made it really frothy, so I put it back over the heat for a few minutes to boil off the bubbles because it looked pretty unappealing.)
4. Transfer the soup into bowls and sprinkle Parmesan (or mozzarella works too) over the soup and garnish with parsley. You could also save a few shrimp and stick them around the bowl for a garnish, but I forgot to do that.
Another note: If you want the soup to be thicker, I recommend a blender. If you don't mind some shrimp chunks and a thinner broth, the stick blender works perfectly fine.
Its also a pretty versatile meal. You could serve it as a first course, a main course, or even in shot glasses as shooter soup.
Weekly Meal Breakdown #4
Four weeks in a row! Look at me go!
Sunday - Shrimp Bisque
1 red pepper, $1.31
1 onion, $0.25
1 lb. shrimp $6.50
2 c. half & half, $1.25
1 c. tomato sauce, $0.40
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, $0.45
Total: $10.16
Monday - Chicken Ratatouille
3 chicken breasts, $7.08 (I ran out of the bulk package)
can of diced tomatoes $0.50
bag of frozen zucchini and squash, $2.29
1 eggplant, $0.65
1/2 box penne pasta, $1.00
Total: $11.52
Tuesday - Salmon w/ Baked Potato and Cheesy Broccoli
3 salmon filets, $7.99
broccoli, $0.85
3 potatoes, $1.00
Velveeta cheese $.75
Total: $10.59
Wednesday - Steak w/ Baked Potato and corn
3 steaks, $5.12
3 potatoes, $1.00
canned corn, $1.00
Total: $7.12
Thursday - chicken noodle soup
leftover from a week or so ago
Total: $0.00
Friday - Tacos
1 lb. ground beef, $5.12
whole wheat taco shells, $1.75
lettuce, $0.15
tomato, $0.15
cheese, $0.45
sour cream $0.50
Total: $8.12
And the total for the week is: $47.51.
This is also the first time that we've spent under $100 at the grocery store. In addition to most of the items above, I managed to buy two half gallons of diet green tea, a half gallon of skim milk, baby carrots, two boxes of low fat waffles, unsalted stick butter, 1 lb. of low fat turkey breast, two boxes of Cheerios, 1 box of Kashi cereal, a loaf of potato bread, a loaf of rye bread, a large container of vanilla yogurt, strawberries, a lime, and ranch dressing. Total cost at the grocery store: $87.41 and the lovely receipt from Giant even tells me that I saved $9.31 on these purchases. Yay!!
Sunday - Shrimp Bisque
1 red pepper, $1.31
1 onion, $0.25
1 lb. shrimp $6.50
2 c. half & half, $1.25
1 c. tomato sauce, $0.40
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, $0.45
Total: $10.16
Monday - Chicken Ratatouille
3 chicken breasts, $7.08 (I ran out of the bulk package)
can of diced tomatoes $0.50
bag of frozen zucchini and squash, $2.29
1 eggplant, $0.65
1/2 box penne pasta, $1.00
Total: $11.52
Tuesday - Salmon w/ Baked Potato and Cheesy Broccoli
3 salmon filets, $7.99
broccoli, $0.85
3 potatoes, $1.00
Velveeta cheese $.75
Total: $10.59
Wednesday - Steak w/ Baked Potato and corn
3 steaks, $5.12
3 potatoes, $1.00
canned corn, $1.00
Total: $7.12
Thursday - chicken noodle soup
leftover from a week or so ago
Total: $0.00
Friday - Tacos
1 lb. ground beef, $5.12
whole wheat taco shells, $1.75
lettuce, $0.15
tomato, $0.15
cheese, $0.45
sour cream $0.50
Total: $8.12
And the total for the week is: $47.51.
This is also the first time that we've spent under $100 at the grocery store. In addition to most of the items above, I managed to buy two half gallons of diet green tea, a half gallon of skim milk, baby carrots, two boxes of low fat waffles, unsalted stick butter, 1 lb. of low fat turkey breast, two boxes of Cheerios, 1 box of Kashi cereal, a loaf of potato bread, a loaf of rye bread, a large container of vanilla yogurt, strawberries, a lime, and ranch dressing. Total cost at the grocery store: $87.41 and the lovely receipt from Giant even tells me that I saved $9.31 on these purchases. Yay!!
Moving
Warning: This post is kind of pointless.
Tom and I have talked about moving for a while, but now its really becoming a reality. The apartment we live in now is just okay.
Pros:
3 bedrooms
ridiculous amounts of closet space
separate visitor parking so we always have somewhere to park
close to my friends
20 minutes for work for me
2 bathrooms
free utilities
Cons:
loud and annoying neighbors
washer and dryer aren't in the apartment
centipedes everywhere because of bushes and shrubs in front of building
over an hour drive to work for Tom
tiny kitchen
Aside from the free utilities, the cons really outweigh the pros. I hate bugs, like really hate bugs with a serious passion. They're disgusting and nothing with more than 4 legs is ever allowed in my house. I hate spending $600 a year to wash clothes, share a washer and dryer with people that I don't know and deal with the fact that they are just rude and will leave their clothes in there for as long as they feel like. The kitchen drives me crazy because I can't cook if someone else is in there. The only place to prepare meals means that no one can access the glasses or any utensils. I can't put anything into the pantry if I'm loading the dishwasher. The pots and pans are currently above my head because its the only cabinet big enough for them. I also have approximately 1 foot of usable counter space.
Obviously, it makes sense to move. This apartment doesn't really work for us, aside from having more closet space than some houses do. And while the closets are nice, they definitely don't make up for the bugs and kitchen annoyances.
Apartment Option 1: Havre de Grace MD
Pros:
3 bedroom
gigantic kitchen with island/bar
washer and dryer in the apartment
amazing waterfront views
pretty equal closet space
large bedrooms
25 minutes to work for me
40 minutes to work for Tom
adorable and cute town
no monthly pet fee
water & trash removal included
Cons:
no pool (how am I not going to be pasty in the wedding dress if I don't have a pool)
old building
small parking lots
security deposit is the same as the first months rent
no idea what the neighbors are like
on-the-water = bugs galore
kitchen cabinets start at 5 foot high, I'm 5'1
I looked at this apartment with my mom after picking up my wedding dress. Its 100 times better than the one that we live in. Honestly, I could move into the kitchen and probably never leave. Its approximately $200 less than our current apartment, but we would need to add approximately $100 to cover electricity. I love that there is a 3rd bedroom, we could put our desk, Gidget's litter box and all of the stuff I've collected for the wedding in that room and still have storage space throughout the entire apartment. What worries me is that there are no reviews on the apartments at all. They are owned by a real estate company thats local to the area and again, no reviews. I think they offer specials to people who work at a local base, but I don't know if thats a good or bad thing. I'm pretty sure we would never be able to use the balcony in the summer because its literally 50 feet from the water. Well, we could use the balcony but we'd be covered in mosquito bites in a minute. Having worked at a restoration company for 2 years, I also wonder what condition the buildings are really in. One that we went in smelled like mold. Mold is not okay in my book. Also, with an older building, the utility costs are going to increase unless the windows are brand new...I'm pretty sure they weren't. And there could be waterbugs. Waterbugs come in 2nd on my list (right after centipedes) of something that I'll completely flip the F out if I see in my house. Its a relative of a roach and thats just NOT okay with me.
I haven't told the water bug story, have I? It's nothing fantastic, but it proves the point on how much I don't do bugs. Tom and C leave for work and I'm in the kitchen getting my lunch together before I leave. I notice that we have run out of paper towels so I walk down the hall to get more. And directly in front of the closet holding the paper towels is a 3 inch long water bug. I manage not to scream, but my eyes get huge and my heart starts pounding because I'm all alone and have no way to get rid of this disgustingly large vermin in my house. I refuse to step on it, mostly because I can't handle the crunching noise, but also because I don't want bug guts squirted all over my carpet. Finally, a small amount of sense clicks in and I remember a can of bug spray in the kitchen. I back away slowly from the bug, I don't want to scare it and make it run into my bedroom or I would stay at a hotel that night (No, I'm seriously not joking!) and finally make it to the kitchen and grab the bug spray. Which was ant spray, but I didn't have any other choice. I sneak down the hall and back up on it and start spraying like a mad woman. I refuse to get close enough to it for it to die immediately so it starts moving which results in me squealing and then yelling 'DIE FUCKER!!!' and going full blast with the can of bug spray. Finally, it stops moving and starts quivering so I'm assuming the bug spray is killing the bastard but I can't give up yet. I keep spraying and spraying until I'm sure that its completely dead. Now, being the sissy girl that I am, there is no way in hell I'm going to pick that fucker up. But I realize that I can't just leave its bug spray coated self in the middle of the hallway in case the cat had any interest in removing it for me. I also refuse to get too close to it, so I've completely given up on getting paper towels at this point. I back down the hallway, watching for any signs of reoccuring life and grab a napkin. I get about a foot away from it and toss the napkin on top of it and cross my fingers that Gidget won't find it. Then I called Tom and proceeded to inform him just how disgusted and grossed out I was and that it needed to be removed from the hallway prior to me returning home from work that day. I also managed to shiver incessantly for the next hour thinking about how disgusting it was.
Okay, finally onto apartment option 2.
Apartment Option 2: North East, MD
Pros:
newly built
resort style swimming pool
grilling area
completely modern
car wash facility
24 hour fitness center
balcony
gorgeous kitchen
bigger bathroom
washer and dryer
walk in master closet
15 minutes to work for Tom
15 minutes to Tom's brothers house
Cons:
40 minutes to work for me
no 3rd bedroom
I'd have to pay a toll to get to and from work
Gidget's litter box would have to go in the master bedroom closet
no coat closet for vacuum cleaner and board games
guarantee that my friends will never visit because of said toll
I like this place, I really do. It's completely gorgeous, modern and doesn't even look like it could be in our price range. I know that my neighbors aren't going to be crack heads because you have to make a minimum amount to even live there. The kitchen is awesome, it has double sinks!!! and more counter and cabinet space than I could probably ever fill. The bedroom is a bit smaller than ours now, and it sucks that we'd have to put our desk in there too, but we could still move around quite well. The closet is every woman's dream. Its humongous. There are shelves and racks to hang clothes and more than enough room for tons of shoes. But, it would also need to house my wedding dress and if Gidget's litter box is going to be in there, that makes me nervous. Very nervous. The bathroom has a linen closet. I could actually have my towels, bath stuff and extra toilet paper in the room I would need it in! Its really strange to me, but there is no hall closet for coats. We could use the extra linen closet in C's room to hold the vacuum and board games, but there still wouldn't be anywhere for coats. I guess we could buy a coat hanger though.
So I guess what it comes down to is potential bugs and no pool vs. less closet space + pool + fitness center + car wash.
Now that I've babbled on about this long enough, I think it actually helped me make a decision. Option 2 it is.
Tom and I have talked about moving for a while, but now its really becoming a reality. The apartment we live in now is just okay.
Pros:
3 bedrooms
ridiculous amounts of closet space
separate visitor parking so we always have somewhere to park
close to my friends
20 minutes for work for me
2 bathrooms
free utilities
Cons:
loud and annoying neighbors
washer and dryer aren't in the apartment
centipedes everywhere because of bushes and shrubs in front of building
over an hour drive to work for Tom
tiny kitchen
Aside from the free utilities, the cons really outweigh the pros. I hate bugs, like really hate bugs with a serious passion. They're disgusting and nothing with more than 4 legs is ever allowed in my house. I hate spending $600 a year to wash clothes, share a washer and dryer with people that I don't know and deal with the fact that they are just rude and will leave their clothes in there for as long as they feel like. The kitchen drives me crazy because I can't cook if someone else is in there. The only place to prepare meals means that no one can access the glasses or any utensils. I can't put anything into the pantry if I'm loading the dishwasher. The pots and pans are currently above my head because its the only cabinet big enough for them. I also have approximately 1 foot of usable counter space.
Obviously, it makes sense to move. This apartment doesn't really work for us, aside from having more closet space than some houses do. And while the closets are nice, they definitely don't make up for the bugs and kitchen annoyances.
Apartment Option 1: Havre de Grace MD
Pros:
3 bedroom
gigantic kitchen with island/bar
washer and dryer in the apartment
amazing waterfront views
pretty equal closet space
large bedrooms
25 minutes to work for me
40 minutes to work for Tom
adorable and cute town
no monthly pet fee
water & trash removal included
Cons:
no pool (how am I not going to be pasty in the wedding dress if I don't have a pool)
old building
small parking lots
security deposit is the same as the first months rent
no idea what the neighbors are like
on-the-water = bugs galore
kitchen cabinets start at 5 foot high, I'm 5'1
I looked at this apartment with my mom after picking up my wedding dress. Its 100 times better than the one that we live in. Honestly, I could move into the kitchen and probably never leave. Its approximately $200 less than our current apartment, but we would need to add approximately $100 to cover electricity. I love that there is a 3rd bedroom, we could put our desk, Gidget's litter box and all of the stuff I've collected for the wedding in that room and still have storage space throughout the entire apartment. What worries me is that there are no reviews on the apartments at all. They are owned by a real estate company thats local to the area and again, no reviews. I think they offer specials to people who work at a local base, but I don't know if thats a good or bad thing. I'm pretty sure we would never be able to use the balcony in the summer because its literally 50 feet from the water. Well, we could use the balcony but we'd be covered in mosquito bites in a minute. Having worked at a restoration company for 2 years, I also wonder what condition the buildings are really in. One that we went in smelled like mold. Mold is not okay in my book. Also, with an older building, the utility costs are going to increase unless the windows are brand new...I'm pretty sure they weren't. And there could be waterbugs. Waterbugs come in 2nd on my list (right after centipedes) of something that I'll completely flip the F out if I see in my house. Its a relative of a roach and thats just NOT okay with me.
I haven't told the water bug story, have I? It's nothing fantastic, but it proves the point on how much I don't do bugs. Tom and C leave for work and I'm in the kitchen getting my lunch together before I leave. I notice that we have run out of paper towels so I walk down the hall to get more. And directly in front of the closet holding the paper towels is a 3 inch long water bug. I manage not to scream, but my eyes get huge and my heart starts pounding because I'm all alone and have no way to get rid of this disgustingly large vermin in my house. I refuse to step on it, mostly because I can't handle the crunching noise, but also because I don't want bug guts squirted all over my carpet. Finally, a small amount of sense clicks in and I remember a can of bug spray in the kitchen. I back away slowly from the bug, I don't want to scare it and make it run into my bedroom or I would stay at a hotel that night (No, I'm seriously not joking!) and finally make it to the kitchen and grab the bug spray. Which was ant spray, but I didn't have any other choice. I sneak down the hall and back up on it and start spraying like a mad woman. I refuse to get close enough to it for it to die immediately so it starts moving which results in me squealing and then yelling 'DIE FUCKER!!!' and going full blast with the can of bug spray. Finally, it stops moving and starts quivering so I'm assuming the bug spray is killing the bastard but I can't give up yet. I keep spraying and spraying until I'm sure that its completely dead. Now, being the sissy girl that I am, there is no way in hell I'm going to pick that fucker up. But I realize that I can't just leave its bug spray coated self in the middle of the hallway in case the cat had any interest in removing it for me. I also refuse to get too close to it, so I've completely given up on getting paper towels at this point. I back down the hallway, watching for any signs of reoccuring life and grab a napkin. I get about a foot away from it and toss the napkin on top of it and cross my fingers that Gidget won't find it. Then I called Tom and proceeded to inform him just how disgusted and grossed out I was and that it needed to be removed from the hallway prior to me returning home from work that day. I also managed to shiver incessantly for the next hour thinking about how disgusting it was.
Okay, finally onto apartment option 2.
Apartment Option 2: North East, MD
Pros:
newly built
resort style swimming pool
grilling area
completely modern
car wash facility
24 hour fitness center
balcony
gorgeous kitchen
bigger bathroom
washer and dryer
walk in master closet
15 minutes to work for Tom
15 minutes to Tom's brothers house
Cons:
40 minutes to work for me
no 3rd bedroom
I'd have to pay a toll to get to and from work
Gidget's litter box would have to go in the master bedroom closet
no coat closet for vacuum cleaner and board games
guarantee that my friends will never visit because of said toll
I like this place, I really do. It's completely gorgeous, modern and doesn't even look like it could be in our price range. I know that my neighbors aren't going to be crack heads because you have to make a minimum amount to even live there. The kitchen is awesome, it has double sinks!!! and more counter and cabinet space than I could probably ever fill. The bedroom is a bit smaller than ours now, and it sucks that we'd have to put our desk in there too, but we could still move around quite well. The closet is every woman's dream. Its humongous. There are shelves and racks to hang clothes and more than enough room for tons of shoes. But, it would also need to house my wedding dress and if Gidget's litter box is going to be in there, that makes me nervous. Very nervous. The bathroom has a linen closet. I could actually have my towels, bath stuff and extra toilet paper in the room I would need it in! Its really strange to me, but there is no hall closet for coats. We could use the extra linen closet in C's room to hold the vacuum and board games, but there still wouldn't be anywhere for coats. I guess we could buy a coat hanger though.
So I guess what it comes down to is potential bugs and no pool vs. less closet space + pool + fitness center + car wash.
Now that I've babbled on about this long enough, I think it actually helped me make a decision. Option 2 it is.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Pan Seared Scallops with Mushroom Risotto and Garlicy Green Beans
You could expect to read this on a restaurant menu, right? That's one of my favorite things about cooking; making something that sounds complicated and intricate when its really just simple ingredients that create an awesome meal.
If you read my first risotto post, you'll know that I think everyone should learn how to make risotto because well, its not difficult at all! It takes a bit of time, yes, but its definitely not rocket science. Hell, I even think that with the right cooking utensils, some close supervision and a better kitchen, even my mother could make risotto. And that speaks volumes!
Also, you may have noticed that I don't blog about just the main course for dinner. Why? Well, because I can usually figure out what to do with the chicken, steak, pork, ground beef on my own, but the side dishes are where I'll sit there and flip through my recipes trying to figure out what to make for sometimes 30 minutes. So, I like to be a well rounded blogger and include the side dishes. Does it make the blog longer, sure, but at least you get an idea of an entire meal instead of just 'cream cheese chicken' because really, what does one serve with cream cheese chicken?
Servings: 2-4
Ingredients:
1 lb. bay scallops
sea salt
1 tbs unsalted butter
1 tsp olive oil
Directions:
1. Rinse the scallops in cold water. Scallops are usually packed in an ingredient that keeps them white. You want to wash that off.
2. Put scallops on a paper plate and pat dry with a paper towel.
3. Season liberally with salt.
4. Add olive oil and butter to a pan (unsalted works best, but if you don't have it, don't worry) over medium-high heat. Wait until the pan just begins to smoke.
5. Add the scallops to the pan. Now DON'T TOUCH THEM! I know its hard to resist the temptation to peek and see if they are searing or not, but trust me, just leave them there.
6. In about 2-3 minutes (2 if you have tiny scallops) its okay to lift them up and see if there is some searing going on there. If they are at the pretty caramelized color, turn them over and repeat the process.
A scallop is cooked through when its still squishy to the touch. If its firm, you've overcooked it.
Mushroom Risotto
Servings: 3-4
Source: Adapted from allrecipes.com
Ingredients:
3 cups chicken stock
3 tbs. olive oil, divided
1 package mushrooms (I use Shitake or Bella)
1/4 cup onion, diced
3/4 cup Arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tbs butter
2 tbs Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Pour the chicken stock into a small pot and put over medium-low heat. You're just going to warm it up.
2. Put 1 tbs. olive oil in a large pan and put it over medium high heat. Dice the mushrooms and add in. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until mushrooms are soft.
3. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and put into a small bowl or on a plate, just keep them nearby.
4. Add the rest of the oil to the pan and the onion. Cook until the onion is soft.
5. Stir in the rice and toss it around until it is coated with the oil. Add the white wine and stir until it is completely absorbed by the rice.
6. Add the chicken stock to the rice in parts, no more than 1 cup at a time and wait until the rice has fully absorbed the stock (and it looks like its going to stick) to add in more.
7. Once all of the stock is in the rice and absorbed, put the mushrooms, butter and Parmesan cheese into the risotto and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt.
Garlicy Green Beans
Servings: 2-3
Source: my brain, again
Ingredients:
2-3 handfuls green beans, ends trimed
1 tbs. minced garlic
1 tsp. butter
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Melt butter over medium high heat.
2. Add in garlic and let cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add in green beans and salt and pepper.
4. Cook, covered for 5-7 minutes or until green beans are soft.
To cook as an entire meal, start the green beans and scallops when you add in the second cup of chicken stock to the risotto. If all goes well, you should have everything done at the same time.
If you read my first risotto post, you'll know that I think everyone should learn how to make risotto because well, its not difficult at all! It takes a bit of time, yes, but its definitely not rocket science. Hell, I even think that with the right cooking utensils, some close supervision and a better kitchen, even my mother could make risotto. And that speaks volumes!
Also, you may have noticed that I don't blog about just the main course for dinner. Why? Well, because I can usually figure out what to do with the chicken, steak, pork, ground beef on my own, but the side dishes are where I'll sit there and flip through my recipes trying to figure out what to make for sometimes 30 minutes. So, I like to be a well rounded blogger and include the side dishes. Does it make the blog longer, sure, but at least you get an idea of an entire meal instead of just 'cream cheese chicken' because really, what does one serve with cream cheese chicken?
Pan Seared Scallops
Source: google and allrecipes.com reviews Servings: 2-4
Ingredients:
1 lb. bay scallops
sea salt
1 tbs unsalted butter
1 tsp olive oil
Directions:
1. Rinse the scallops in cold water. Scallops are usually packed in an ingredient that keeps them white. You want to wash that off.
2. Put scallops on a paper plate and pat dry with a paper towel.
3. Season liberally with salt.
4. Add olive oil and butter to a pan (unsalted works best, but if you don't have it, don't worry) over medium-high heat. Wait until the pan just begins to smoke.
5. Add the scallops to the pan. Now DON'T TOUCH THEM! I know its hard to resist the temptation to peek and see if they are searing or not, but trust me, just leave them there.
6. In about 2-3 minutes (2 if you have tiny scallops) its okay to lift them up and see if there is some searing going on there. If they are at the pretty caramelized color, turn them over and repeat the process.
A scallop is cooked through when its still squishy to the touch. If its firm, you've overcooked it.
Mushroom Risotto
Servings: 3-4
Source: Adapted from allrecipes.com
Ingredients:
3 cups chicken stock
3 tbs. olive oil, divided
1 package mushrooms (I use Shitake or Bella)
1/4 cup onion, diced
3/4 cup Arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tbs butter
2 tbs Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Pour the chicken stock into a small pot and put over medium-low heat. You're just going to warm it up.
2. Put 1 tbs. olive oil in a large pan and put it over medium high heat. Dice the mushrooms and add in. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until mushrooms are soft.
3. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and put into a small bowl or on a plate, just keep them nearby.
4. Add the rest of the oil to the pan and the onion. Cook until the onion is soft.
5. Stir in the rice and toss it around until it is coated with the oil. Add the white wine and stir until it is completely absorbed by the rice.
6. Add the chicken stock to the rice in parts, no more than 1 cup at a time and wait until the rice has fully absorbed the stock (and it looks like its going to stick) to add in more.
7. Once all of the stock is in the rice and absorbed, put the mushrooms, butter and Parmesan cheese into the risotto and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt.
Garlicy Green Beans
Servings: 2-3
Source: my brain, again
Ingredients:
2-3 handfuls green beans, ends trimed
1 tbs. minced garlic
1 tsp. butter
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Melt butter over medium high heat.
2. Add in garlic and let cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add in green beans and salt and pepper.
4. Cook, covered for 5-7 minutes or until green beans are soft.
To cook as an entire meal, start the green beans and scallops when you add in the second cup of chicken stock to the risotto. If all goes well, you should have everything done at the same time.
Rotini Casserole Thingie
Fancy name for a recipe, huh? Yeah I thought you would find it amusing. This is one of those recipes that is born of necessity. Necessity to get rid of stuff in your kitchen.
This won't be the only time I'll say this, but I can't measure spices for crap. I just add enough until it looks/tastes good. So when I give you recipes with spice measurements, they are only guesstimates. If you're making a recipe that calls for 1 tbs of garlic and you think thats absolutely insane, well then, by all means, just add what you think is right. I love garlic and spicy food, so I tend to increase those spices.
Rotini Casserole Thingie
Source: my brain
Ingredients:
1-1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 24 oz. jar pasta sauce
3/4 box rotini noodles (or whatever you have on hand)
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. powdered garlic
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning (or oregano)
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Put a pot of water on the stove over high heat until boiling.
2. Cook pasta al dente according to directions. While pasta is cooking, put a pan over medium high heat and brown the ground beef. Drain the fat.
3. Add the garlic powder, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes to the ground beef. Once the pasta is done, drain the water.
4. Pour half of the noodles into a 9x13 dish. Top with 1/2 of the pasta sauce. Then add all of the ground beef and the other half of the pasta sauce on top of that.
5. Top with the remaining noodles and then sprinkle the cheese over the top.
6. Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes or until cheese is slightly golden and melted.
Once again, another completely simple recipe that you can chose to dress up however you like. Have extra mushrooms, green pepper, or onions hanging out in the fridge? Cook them along with the meat and add right on in! Have some Ritz crackers that are going stale? Crush them up and put them on top of the last layer of noodles.
This won't be the only time I'll say this, but I can't measure spices for crap. I just add enough until it looks/tastes good. So when I give you recipes with spice measurements, they are only guesstimates. If you're making a recipe that calls for 1 tbs of garlic and you think thats absolutely insane, well then, by all means, just add what you think is right. I love garlic and spicy food, so I tend to increase those spices.
Source: my brain
Ingredients:
1-1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 24 oz. jar pasta sauce
3/4 box rotini noodles (or whatever you have on hand)
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. powdered garlic
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning (or oregano)
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Put a pot of water on the stove over high heat until boiling.
2. Cook pasta al dente according to directions. While pasta is cooking, put a pan over medium high heat and brown the ground beef. Drain the fat.
3. Add the garlic powder, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes to the ground beef. Once the pasta is done, drain the water.
4. Pour half of the noodles into a 9x13 dish. Top with 1/2 of the pasta sauce. Then add all of the ground beef and the other half of the pasta sauce on top of that.
5. Top with the remaining noodles and then sprinkle the cheese over the top.
6. Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes or until cheese is slightly golden and melted.
Once again, another completely simple recipe that you can chose to dress up however you like. Have extra mushrooms, green pepper, or onions hanging out in the fridge? Cook them along with the meat and add right on in! Have some Ritz crackers that are going stale? Crush them up and put them on top of the last layer of noodles.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
"Grilled" Chicken with Cajun roasted potatoes and corn
For the most part, you can't exactly grill when you live in an apartment. Sure, somewhere on the grounds here there are grills for public use but they are no where near my apartment and in my opinion, rather unsanitary even if you cooked your food on aluminum foil.
So what is an apartment dweller to do? My recommendation - buy a George Foreman. However, in the need to save space, I decided that I wanted a grill plate/pan instead. So for Christmas Tom bought me a Nordicware Reversible Grill Griddle.
Tonight, I finally decided to try it out. Having never cooked on one before, I figured I should google some reviews to see exactly what to do. Well, I found out that my lovely cooking utensil really wasn't all it was cracked up to be. It had crappy reviews, was called the stickiest non-stick product ever, and even the manufacturer website advised to use it on low heat to avoid smoking.
Really? Who in the world grills over low heat? Regardless, I decided to try it out anyway. I shellacked the puppy up with about a quarter ton of Pam cooking spray, put it over low heat and toss my chicken tenders on it and turned on the exhaust vent in preparation. Well, chicken cooks slowly over low heat. As in a turtle could walk a mile in the time it takes for one side of the chicken tender to even turn white. But, since I was roasting potatoes, I decided to hell with it and I'd just wait it out.
20 minutes later, with some barely there grill marks on my mostly white chicken, I gave up and toss the chicken in a pan to let it brown. So while I didn't exactly 'grill' or the chicken, I browned chicken and created some grill marks on it, so I'm going to say I grilled the chicken. You okay with that?
Grilled Chicken w/ Cajun roasted potatoes and corn
Source: my brain
Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts cut into strips or 1 package chicken tenders
3-5 red potatoes, cut into chunks
2 tbs. Cajun seasoning
1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 canned corn
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and then cut up the potatoes.
2. Put potatoes in a large bowl and add olive oil, salt, pepper and 1 tbs. Cajun seasoning. Toss to coat.
3. Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish covered in foil. Stick in the oven. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until potatoes are fork soft and slightly browned on the edges.
4. Preheat griddle, skillet or whatever you're using. Season chicken with salt, pepper and the remaining Cajun seasoning. Cook over medium high heat until browned.
5. Melt 1 tbs. butter in a sauce pan. Drain canned corn and add to pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
Simple enough, huh? Obviously you can be as creative as you want and add in different spices or vegetables or whatever. I'm just on a mission this week to blog each meal I make, so my lovely readers get to enjoy this rather boring and basic meal. =)
I'll probably try out the grill pan again, on something else, but I have a feeling that it will eventually meet its fate in the trash and we'll just register for a George Foreman grill and hope that one day we will have the counter/kitchen space to house it.
So what is an apartment dweller to do? My recommendation - buy a George Foreman. However, in the need to save space, I decided that I wanted a grill plate/pan instead. So for Christmas Tom bought me a Nordicware Reversible Grill Griddle.
Tonight, I finally decided to try it out. Having never cooked on one before, I figured I should google some reviews to see exactly what to do. Well, I found out that my lovely cooking utensil really wasn't all it was cracked up to be. It had crappy reviews, was called the stickiest non-stick product ever, and even the manufacturer website advised to use it on low heat to avoid smoking.
Really? Who in the world grills over low heat? Regardless, I decided to try it out anyway. I shellacked the puppy up with about a quarter ton of Pam cooking spray, put it over low heat and toss my chicken tenders on it and turned on the exhaust vent in preparation. Well, chicken cooks slowly over low heat. As in a turtle could walk a mile in the time it takes for one side of the chicken tender to even turn white. But, since I was roasting potatoes, I decided to hell with it and I'd just wait it out.
20 minutes later, with some barely there grill marks on my mostly white chicken, I gave up and toss the chicken in a pan to let it brown. So while I didn't exactly 'grill' or the chicken, I browned chicken and created some grill marks on it, so I'm going to say I grilled the chicken. You okay with that?
Source: my brain
Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts cut into strips or 1 package chicken tenders
3-5 red potatoes, cut into chunks
2 tbs. Cajun seasoning
1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 canned corn
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and then cut up the potatoes.
2. Put potatoes in a large bowl and add olive oil, salt, pepper and 1 tbs. Cajun seasoning. Toss to coat.
3. Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish covered in foil. Stick in the oven. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until potatoes are fork soft and slightly browned on the edges.
4. Preheat griddle, skillet or whatever you're using. Season chicken with salt, pepper and the remaining Cajun seasoning. Cook over medium high heat until browned.
5. Melt 1 tbs. butter in a sauce pan. Drain canned corn and add to pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
Simple enough, huh? Obviously you can be as creative as you want and add in different spices or vegetables or whatever. I'm just on a mission this week to blog each meal I make, so my lovely readers get to enjoy this rather boring and basic meal. =)
I'll probably try out the grill pan again, on something else, but I have a feeling that it will eventually meet its fate in the trash and we'll just register for a George Foreman grill and hope that one day we will have the counter/kitchen space to house it.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Chili Peppered Steak
I was supposed to make this recipe last night, but the meat didn't dethaw in time, so we gave up and ate McDonald's. Yeah, healthy, I know. So, today started day 1 of eating healthy and Tom's family weight loss challenge. They are all weighing themselves in weekly and exercising for the next 10 weeks. Whoever loses the most amount of weight wins the money that they put in at the beginning of the challenge.
I didn't join the challenge mostly because of money reasons, but I figured I would just end up disappointed if I didn't win and that would un-motivate me to keep exercising.
So, onto the recipe.
Chili Peppered Steak
Source: Adapted from The Abs Diet book
Ingredients:
1 tbs. olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 green chile pepper, seeded and diced (the real recipe calls for a cayenne pepper, but the grocery store only had jalapenos, habaneros and chiles.)
1 lb. flank steak, cut into strips (real recipe calls for sirloin)
1/3 cup schezuan stir fry sauce (Hunan works too)
1 bag boil-in-a-bag brown rice
Directions
1. Heat the oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add in broccoli and carrots and cook until tender, about 5-8 minutes. Prepare boil-in-a-bag rice according to directions. Add the peppers and steak to vegetables and then pour in schezuan sauce. Stir occasionally until meat is cooked through. Serve over rice.
This recipe tastes like Chinese food, but its way healthier because it doesn't include any MSG. Honestly, the recipe reminds me of Hunan or Schezuan beef. The original recipe calls for 2 jalapenos and two cayenne peppers, but I definitely don't recommend it unless you're really stuffy and have a tongue of steel. This was just spicy enough to have some kick to it but not be overpowering. So, simple, quick and healthy! Not bad at all!
I didn't join the challenge mostly because of money reasons, but I figured I would just end up disappointed if I didn't win and that would un-motivate me to keep exercising.
So, onto the recipe.
Source: Adapted from The Abs Diet book
Ingredients:
1 tbs. olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 green chile pepper, seeded and diced (the real recipe calls for a cayenne pepper, but the grocery store only had jalapenos, habaneros and chiles.)
1 lb. flank steak, cut into strips (real recipe calls for sirloin)
1/3 cup schezuan stir fry sauce (Hunan works too)
1 bag boil-in-a-bag brown rice
Directions
1. Heat the oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add in broccoli and carrots and cook until tender, about 5-8 minutes. Prepare boil-in-a-bag rice according to directions. Add the peppers and steak to vegetables and then pour in schezuan sauce. Stir occasionally until meat is cooked through. Serve over rice.
This recipe tastes like Chinese food, but its way healthier because it doesn't include any MSG. Honestly, the recipe reminds me of Hunan or Schezuan beef. The original recipe calls for 2 jalapenos and two cayenne peppers, but I definitely don't recommend it unless you're really stuffy and have a tongue of steel. This was just spicy enough to have some kick to it but not be overpowering. So, simple, quick and healthy! Not bad at all!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Weekly Meal Breakdown #3
Look, two weeks in a row! Aren't you impressed with me? I AM!
Sunday - Chili Peppered Steak over Rice
london broil $5.00
broccoli $0.35 (It was on sale for $0.80 per lb.)
2 carrots $0.28
2 jalapenos $0.20
boil-in-a-bag brown rice $0.75
Total: $6.58
Monday - Grilled Chicken with Roasted Red Potatoes and Corn
3 chicken breasts - $3.48
4 red potatoes $0.65
canned corn $1.00
Total: $5.13
Tuesday - Rotini Noodle Casserole
1/2 box rotini - $0.50
1/2 can diced tomatoes $0.50
1/2 lg. can tomato paste $0.35
1/2 package mushrooms $0.99
ground beef $5.12
Total: $7.46 (I used 1/2 cans because I made this last week and froze the leftovers)
Wednesday - Pan Seared Scallops with Mushroom Risotto and Spicy Green Beans
1 lb. scallops - $6.99
1 package mushrooms $1.99
1 cup arborio rice $0.30
1 lb. green beans $0.75
3 slices bacon $0.33
1 onion $0.25
Total: $10.61
Thursday - Italian Baked Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes and Corn
3 pork chops $5.12
6 potatoes $0.80
canned corn $1.00
Total: $6.92
Friday - Steak with Baked Potato and Cheesy Broccoli
3 steaks $5.12
3 potatoes $0.40
broccoli $0.35
cheese - $0.58
Total: $6.45
Total cost of dinners for the week: $43.15!
Sunday - Chili Peppered Steak over Rice
london broil $5.00
broccoli $0.35 (It was on sale for $0.80 per lb.)
2 carrots $0.28
2 jalapenos $0.20
boil-in-a-bag brown rice $0.75
Total: $6.58
Monday - Grilled Chicken with Roasted Red Potatoes and Corn
3 chicken breasts - $3.48
4 red potatoes $0.65
canned corn $1.00
Total: $5.13
Tuesday - Rotini Noodle Casserole
1/2 box rotini - $0.50
1/2 can diced tomatoes $0.50
1/2 lg. can tomato paste $0.35
1/2 package mushrooms $0.99
ground beef $5.12
Total: $7.46 (I used 1/2 cans because I made this last week and froze the leftovers)
Wednesday - Pan Seared Scallops with Mushroom Risotto and Spicy Green Beans
1 lb. scallops - $6.99
1 package mushrooms $1.99
1 cup arborio rice $0.30
1 lb. green beans $0.75
3 slices bacon $0.33
1 onion $0.25
Total: $10.61
Thursday - Italian Baked Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes and Corn
3 pork chops $5.12
6 potatoes $0.80
canned corn $1.00
Total: $6.92
Friday - Steak with Baked Potato and Cheesy Broccoli
3 steaks $5.12
3 potatoes $0.40
broccoli $0.35
cheese - $0.58
Total: $6.45
Total cost of dinners for the week: $43.15!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Weekly Meal Breakdown #2
I've tried to do this post for the past few weeks, but it just hasn't worked out for whatever reason. This isn't the best week, but its better than the others have been. So, lets see how cheap I can get dinner this week:
Sunday - Chicken Noodle Soup
Oven Roasted Rotisserie Chicken $6.99
4 carrots $0.56
2 stalks celery $0.33
1 onion $0.25
1 box chicken stock $2
1 box chicken broth $2
1 bag egg noodles $1
Total: $13.13
Monday - leftovers of Chicken Noodle Soup
Total: $0.00
Tuesday - Beef Fajitas
London Broil Steak $5.12
5 flour tortillas $1.50
1 red pepper $0.88
1 green pepper $1.54
1 onion $0.25
Total: $9.29
Wednesday - Chicken with lemon, mushroom and chive noodles
3 chicken breasts $3.48
mushrooms $1.79
2 lemons $1.00
fettuccine noodles $1.00
chives $0.69
Total: $6.86
Thursday - Spaghetti w/ Garlic Bread and Salad
ground beef - $5.12
sauce $2.00
noodles $1.25
mushrooms $1.79
onion $0.25
6 slices bread $0.66
lettuce $0.28
carrot $0.14
cucumber $0.10
tomatoes $0.56
salad dressing $0.25
Total: $12.40
Now you're probably wondering how I get these calculations, right? Go back about 2 pages and you can see my meat breakdown when I go and stock the freezer with different types of meats. I start there.
Vegetables: typically I'll divide the cost by how many there are and then multiply that by how many I need. Obviously, I'm not going to count green beans or carrots, I'm just going to estimate. So, in the case of the carrots this week, we purchased a 2 lb. bag of carrots for $1.69. Its, a gigantic bag and looks to be about 12 carrots. So, $1.69/12 = 0.14 x 4 = .56. With lettuce, cucumber, and tomatoes, I divide it by how many salads I can make with them. Typically its 7. We buy mushrooms prepackaged so they are priced by how many meals they can make. I buy onions in a bag and usually there are 8 of them. I divide the onions by 10 because there are always at least 2 gigantic onions in the bag that I only use half each time.
Bread: I estimate 18 slices of bread to a loaf. $2/18 = 0.11 per slice
Condiments: Typically I avoid including these into pricing because it really depends on how much you use. A jumbo squeeze bottle of ketchup could last us 6 months if we didn't eat a lot of french fries and cheeseburgers. For the salad dressing, I guessed the large $4.99 bottle would provide 20 servings, so $0.25 each, which is how much those individual salad dressings at the salad bar cost.
Spices: I don't even bother counting these. Mostly because I don't even measure spices when I cook. I just eyeball it and make it taste right.
So, lets see how we did for 5 days worth of meals... $41.68.
Not too bad! The soup honestly makes more than just 2 dinners. There will be enough left overs for me to take some into work for lunch one or two days too.
Sunday - Chicken Noodle Soup
Oven Roasted Rotisserie Chicken $6.99
4 carrots $0.56
2 stalks celery $0.33
1 onion $0.25
1 box chicken stock $2
1 box chicken broth $2
1 bag egg noodles $1
Total: $13.13
Monday - leftovers of Chicken Noodle Soup
Total: $0.00
Tuesday - Beef Fajitas
London Broil Steak $5.12
5 flour tortillas $1.50
1 red pepper $0.88
1 green pepper $1.54
1 onion $0.25
Total: $9.29
Wednesday - Chicken with lemon, mushroom and chive noodles
3 chicken breasts $3.48
mushrooms $1.79
2 lemons $1.00
fettuccine noodles $1.00
chives $0.69
Total: $6.86
Thursday - Spaghetti w/ Garlic Bread and Salad
ground beef - $5.12
sauce $2.00
noodles $1.25
mushrooms $1.79
onion $0.25
6 slices bread $0.66
lettuce $0.28
carrot $0.14
cucumber $0.10
tomatoes $0.56
salad dressing $0.25
Total: $12.40
Now you're probably wondering how I get these calculations, right? Go back about 2 pages and you can see my meat breakdown when I go and stock the freezer with different types of meats. I start there.
Vegetables: typically I'll divide the cost by how many there are and then multiply that by how many I need. Obviously, I'm not going to count green beans or carrots, I'm just going to estimate. So, in the case of the carrots this week, we purchased a 2 lb. bag of carrots for $1.69. Its, a gigantic bag and looks to be about 12 carrots. So, $1.69/12 = 0.14 x 4 = .56. With lettuce, cucumber, and tomatoes, I divide it by how many salads I can make with them. Typically its 7. We buy mushrooms prepackaged so they are priced by how many meals they can make. I buy onions in a bag and usually there are 8 of them. I divide the onions by 10 because there are always at least 2 gigantic onions in the bag that I only use half each time.
Bread: I estimate 18 slices of bread to a loaf. $2/18 = 0.11 per slice
Condiments: Typically I avoid including these into pricing because it really depends on how much you use. A jumbo squeeze bottle of ketchup could last us 6 months if we didn't eat a lot of french fries and cheeseburgers. For the salad dressing, I guessed the large $4.99 bottle would provide 20 servings, so $0.25 each, which is how much those individual salad dressings at the salad bar cost.
Spices: I don't even bother counting these. Mostly because I don't even measure spices when I cook. I just eyeball it and make it taste right.
So, lets see how we did for 5 days worth of meals... $41.68.
Not too bad! The soup honestly makes more than just 2 dinners. There will be enough left overs for me to take some into work for lunch one or two days too.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Cheesy Bacon Chicken w/ Cajun Roasted Potatoes
Cheesy Bacon Chicken w/ Cajun Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4-6 red potatoes
2 tbs butter
2 tbs. lime juice
2 tbs. Cajun seasoning
1 tbs. garlic powder
1 tbs. dried cilantro (or 1/4 cup fresh, chopped)
1 to 1 1/2 cups reduced cheddar cheese (or Mexican Blend, Taco, whatever really)
1/4 cup bacon bits
Directions:
1. Line a 9x13 and 8x8 baking pan with aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 425.
2. Rinse potatoes and cut into bit sized pieces. Place in the 9x13 dish.
3. Melt 1 tbs. butter and pour over the potatoes.
4. Season potatoes with 1 tbs. lime juice, 1 tbs. Cajun seasoning, 1/2 tbs. garlic powder and 1/2 tbs. cilantro. Drizzle 1 tbs. lime juice over the potatoes.
5. Put the potatoes in the oven.
6. Place the chicken breasts in the 8x8 baking dish and cover with the remaining 1 tbs. of melted butter.
7. Season with the remaining spices and lime juice.
8. Approximately 10 minutes after the potatoes have been in the oven, add the chicken to the oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes more, until potatoes are soft and chicken is cooked through.
9. Remove the chicken from the oven and sprinkle cheese and bacon bits over the breasts and return to the oven for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
I usually serve this with canned corn in the winter and corn on the cob in the summer.
Other Options:
Serve sour cream and salsa on top of the chicken.
Substitute the bacon bits for sauteed mushrooms.
Substitute Cajun seasoning for Creole, Jerk, Caribbean, or anything else really.
Increase or omit the lime juice.
Use chicken tenders and put chicken pieces and potato chunks along with vegetables onto skewers.
Yeah, you pretty much have a ton of options that you can do with this basic recipe. Let me know what you create!
Apple Chicken & Rice
So I had intended to make Caramel Apple Pork Chops but I accidentally pulled out chicken instead. I didn't realize this until I had already sliced two apples, so I was stuck. Instead I decided I would just create a recipe. Here's what happened:
Apple Chicken
Servings: 3
Ingredients:
2 Red Delicious apples
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbs. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup apple juice
1 package boil-in-a-bag rice
1 tbs. olive oil or butter (whichever you'd rather cook with)
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Core and slice the apples into thin slices.
2. Fill a pot with water and boil-in-a-bag rice and put over high heat.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Season the chicken.
4. Put oil or butter in a medium sized pan over medium-high heat. Add the apples to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes.
5. Add the seasoned chicken to the pan with the apples and brown on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side.
6. Add the apple juice and cook for 12-15 minutes more, or until chicken is done and apples are softened.
7. Serve apples and chicken over rice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
The chicken ends up staying pretty moist by cooking it in the apple juice. You can definitely add more apple juice to make more of a sauce to go over the rice. I was just throwing stuff together and had no idea how it was going to turn out.
Happy Eating!
Servings: 3
Ingredients:
2 Red Delicious apples
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbs. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup apple juice
1 package boil-in-a-bag rice
1 tbs. olive oil or butter (whichever you'd rather cook with)
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Core and slice the apples into thin slices.
2. Fill a pot with water and boil-in-a-bag rice and put over high heat.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Season the chicken.
4. Put oil or butter in a medium sized pan over medium-high heat. Add the apples to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes.
5. Add the seasoned chicken to the pan with the apples and brown on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side.
6. Add the apple juice and cook for 12-15 minutes more, or until chicken is done and apples are softened.
7. Serve apples and chicken over rice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
The chicken ends up staying pretty moist by cooking it in the apple juice. You can definitely add more apple juice to make more of a sauce to go over the rice. I was just throwing stuff together and had no idea how it was going to turn out.
Happy Eating!
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