Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Pork Piccata



I recently found this recipe for pork piccata. Even though I didn't know what that meant, I decided to make it anyway. And in the pork sauce, those are capers, not peas. (Like I originally thought.) I've never cooked with capers before. In fact, when I went to buy them at the grocery store, I had to use my phone to google "Where are the capers in the grocery store?" In the aisle with the pickles and olives. Now I know! Anyway, this recipe was amazing. The sauce had the most amazing flavor! The capers REALLY added a great flavor. And now I have a whole jar of them, I'm going to have to find more recipes that use them! Served with leftover brown rice (I really needed to get rid of it) and green beams. Yummmmm!

From: November 7, 2012

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup



First time make 100% homemade chicken noodle soup. Yum! I bought a rotisserie chicken last week for dinner, and saved the bones and most of the meat to make this soup. I also made the noodles from scratch. They were pretty easy. Perfect for this drizzly, cold night. Have I mentioned how much I love soup? Also, right before taking this picture, I dropped my cellphone in the soup. Oops. It still works, but I can't get it to connect to my computer. Uh oh.

From: October 30, 2012

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Creamy Crockpot Chicken Burritos



The leftovers from the creamy crockpot chicken with rotel are a lot more set than the somewhat soupy original. So I made burritos out of them. (Note: I also ate it plain for lunch the next day and it was fine.)

From: October 22, 2012

Creamy Crockpot Chicken with Rotel



I got this recipe from a Relief Society meeting about crockpot cooking. It's chicken, cream cheese, rotel tomatoes, black beans, and corn. Served over rice and topped with cheese. It was pretty good, and had a little bit of heat, but I think it could have used more flavor. Maybe add some taco seasoning or some other combination of spices something? (Maybe that's why people went on about how much their kids love it. :) )

From: October 21, 2012

Butternut Squash Soup



I've made butternut squash several times, but this was by far the best it's turned out. Not sure why. It could have been that I threw in an apple and used some apple juice (in addition to the regular broth), and put in a ton of onions. It was so, so good. That's a dollop of plain yogurt, and I served it with whole wheat bread that I made a few weeks ago and froze. I love soup season!

From: October 20, 2012

Garlic Chicken Pasta with Spinach



Got this recipe off a blog I follow. First time I've tried cooking with fresh spinach. Success.

From: October 17, 2012

Chicken and Rice Casserole



I dropped my cell phone in some water (oops) and so I bought a bag of white rice to put it in overnight. (It survived after a little TLC.) I didn't use all the rice, had about 1/2 cup left. So I whipped up a chicken and rice casserole; just threw together some cream of chicken soup, plain Greek yogurt, frozen peas, on top of rice, and topped with crunched up Ritz crackers. It was pretty good. Oh! And this was the first dish I made in my new set of Corning Ware!

From: October 16, 2012

Friday, October 12, 2012

Pork with Apple butter



I actually made the apple butter so I could make this recipe. The original recipe I had was for pork chops, but I didn't have those, but did have a pork tenderloin. This was SO good! (The green beans were alright; turns out fresh green beans out of my dad's garden are way better than fresh green beans from the grocery store. Alas.)

From: October 9, 2012

Stuffed Peppers



I've never made stuffed peppers, but I was recently inspired by a friend's blog recently. These turned out pretty well! They were stuffed with ground beef, black beans, onions, etc. and topped with cheese. Tasty!

From October 8, 2012

Apple butter



 I made this apple butter in my crockpot. While it cooked, my apartment smelled amazing!

From: October 7, 2012

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Chicken, Spinach, Pesto Lasagna



I got this recipe off a bag of mozzarella cheese I bought. Overall not bad, although not as spectacular as I'd hoped. Part of it might be my pesto. This was made from some fairly sub-par basil leaves. I might have added too much pesto too. Anyway, overall not bad, but not my favorite thing ever. But glad I tried it!

From October 2, 2012

Chili

First pot of chili of the fall! Perfect for this drizzly night. I love soup season!

From October 1, 2012

Caprese Chicken



I got this recipe off a food blog I follow. I made the pesto fresh. It was pretty good, although this time around I put way too much garlic in my pesto. Anyway, I wanted my garlic bread to also be a little toastier, but turns out my oven thermometer blew out when I attempted to change it over to broil. It has since been fixed.

From September 21, 2012

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Creamy Pesto Pasta with Vegetables



Kind of made this up. I made a creamy white sauce with a roux (sauteed onions in olive oil and then added a little flour and milk) and added more of my leftover pesto to make the creamy sauce a pesto sauce. Wasn't sure this was going to work, but turned out very good. Also added some green-can parmesan and tossed in some hot pasta. And then threw on some steamed vegetables and sprinkled with fresh parmesan because that's just what I do.

From September 3, 2012

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Pesto stuffed chicken breast



This is the best thing I've made in awhile. I made this recipe up. First I made some pesto in my relatively-new mini food processor. (I make a pretty simple, semi-lightened up version of pesto. I didn't have nuts, so I left them out and I use very little oil. I think most pesto recipes are way too oily.) I then mixed some of the pesto with a wedge of regular laughing cow cheese, and mixed in a little Parmesan cheese just because. I cut the chicken breast open on the side, creating like a pocket, and stuffed the pesto/cheese mixture in there. Closed it with a toothpick, and rolled it in some crunched up croutons I'm trying to get rid of. I was in heaven while I ate it.

From September 2, 2012

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Laughing Cow Chicken


You can't tell, but this chicken is stuffed with garlic and herb laughing cow cheese. It had a good flavor. However, I think my breadcrumbs are a little bit stale. The dish probably would have tasted better if those had been a bit fresher.

From August 31, 2012

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Summer Vegetables with Sausage



I got this recipe from one of the blogs I follow. (Recipe is here.) A nice mix of colorful peppers, zucchini and yellow squash, onions, potatoes, and sausage. It's seasoned with fresh rosemary, which I don't usually like that much, but it gave it a really nice flavor.

From August 1, 2012

Monday, July 30, 2012

Creamy pasta with tomatoes and chicken



Made up this recipe. Grilled up some onions and garlic, added some leftover cutup chicken (from a rotisserie chicken I bought last week), and then Italian style diced tomatoes that I had run through the food processor (for just a second...didn't pulverize it). Once that was done, I stirred in some laughing cow cheese to make it a bit creamier. Stirred in with some hot pasta, topped with shredded Parmesan cheese. Sprinkled with some freshly dried basil. Yum! (I wish I would have had some zucchini to throw in, but I didn't. Next time!)

From July 29, 2012

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Pita Bread and Falafel



I'm debating whether or not I should actually post this one. But I dirtied enough dishes, I might as well get a post out of it. Anyway, I attempted something somewhat lofty tonight (after failing at in on Sunday, I might add). I made pita bread and falafel from scratch. The dough for the pita bread seemed to rise in the first stages (I even proofed the yeast before starting), but then never really puffed up in the oven like it was supposed to. So they were a bit flat and somewhat heavy, which makes it so most of them didn't have a pocket when you cut them in half...which kind of defeats the point of pita bread! The falalfel were baked, not fried, and had a great flavor, but they were really crumbly and kept falling apart. (I chose one of the best for the above picture, and it almost worked, but then started crumbling like crazy. Gah.) I served the falafel in one of the pitas with cucumbers and a yogurt/cucumber/dill sauce that DID turn out well and tasted great. I'm pretty sure I know what I need to do to improved the structural integrity of the falafel, if I ever decide to try again. As for the pita...I have some ideas too, but probably just need to try again.

From July 26, 2012

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Chicken Enchiladas



Confession: I've never before tried to make my enchiladas pretty before. But for some reason, I decided they need some color before getting their picture taken. First I put on the sour cream and tomatoes, but then decided it needed green too. I would have put diced green onions if I had them. But I didn't. I did have parsley, so I put a little bit of that on it. Taste-wise, not a great idea; presentation-wise, I guess okay? Anyway, still the best enchiladas around.

From July 24, 2012

Friday, July 20, 2012

Grasshooper Caramel Sundae



For the purpose of this post, I just made up a name for this dessert that I make a lot, but doesn't actually have a real name. (What do you think? Better suggestions?) One of my favorite desserts. Except I like it best with Slow Churned mint cookie crunch ice cream (think: mint oreo), rather than mint chocolate chip, but I'm pretty sure my grocery store stopped carrying it. (Boo!) This is chocolate graham crackers on the bottom, mint chocolate chip ice cream, and caramel sauce. Can you believe most people haven't yet discovered how wonderful chocolate graham crackers are?

From July 20, 2012

Pesto stuffed chicken



Finished off the pesto by making up this recipe. Stuffed the pesto under the skin of a chicken thigh, along with some laughing cow cheese (cut up) and baked, uncovered most of the time. Had a great creamy, cheesy, pestoey flavor. Served with pasta (with garlic salt) and peas.

From July 20, 2012

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Chicken and Pesto



I had a little bit of fresh basil leftover, so I made pesto. I love pesto. I didn't make very much, because I didn't have very much basil. I made my pasta slightly creamy with a wedge of laughing cow cheese (remarkably tasty in pasta) and a tiny bit of milk, then mixed the pesto in. So good. Also grilled up a chicken thigh and cut it up and mixed it in. Served with steamed asparagus on the side.

From July 19, 2012

P^4: Pork, Pineapple, Peppers, and Potatoes



Another pork tenderloin recipe, this one cooked in the crockpot. The original recipe didn't call for potatoes, but I threw them in. Next time, I think I'll leave them out. I also think I cooked it all too long; which is probably also why everything has sort of a dull color. But it had a nice flavor. Sort of reminiscent of a sweet and sour pork dish, though not exactly. (Hence why potatoes probably weren't a good idea.)

From July 18, 2012

Monday, July 16, 2012

Cabonara



Got this recipe for Carbonara from Chase. My first time trying it! Turned out very tasty. Served with ciabatta bread (I didn't make that...leftover from the loaf I had for sandwiches) dipped in olive oil plus balsamic vinegar. Grilled asparagus on the side.

From July 16, 2012

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Tomato, Mozarella, Basil Sandwich



Try and tell me this isn't among the most beautiful lunches you've ever seen. Strawberries and kiwi = yum! But, more importantly, it's one of my all time favorite sandwiches: tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil with balsamic vinegar on ciabatta bread. I cannot get enough of this sandwich right now.

From July 14, 2012

Breakfast for Dinner!



Nothing says Go America! (4th of July week) like breakfast for dinner. The thing I was most excited about with this meal was the experimental roasted potatoes. Tossed in olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika, then baked.

From July 3, 2012

Crockpot Creamy Italian Chicken



You know that creamy crockpot chicken that everyone makes? The one with cream cheese, cream of chicken soup, and a packet of dry Italian salad dressing? Sometimes I make that too.

From July 6, 2012

Grilled Chicken Margherita



Occasionally I go through phases where I can't get enough of the combination of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. So why not combine them on chicken? (First marinated in Italian salad dressing then grilled. Adds some nice underlying seasoning.)

From June 18, 2012

Baked Chicken Thighs



When it comes to eating chicken straight up, I actually way prefer dark meat to white meat. So occasionally I'll just bake some thighs or legs, just for fun. And I love mashed sweet potatoes. And grilled summer squash. Oh...and those fork marks in the meat? Classy! (Note to self: scoop the meat out of the pan, rather than stabbing it.)

From June 3, 2012

Pork Tenderloin



Pork tenderloin was on sale at the store, and since I've never made it before, I bought one. Did you know pork tenderloin is really, really good? (Not to mention lean.) I also made my own roasting/grilling pan using a cookie sheet and a cooling rack. I grilled the asparagus and squash on it too.  Perfect combination.

From June 4, 2012

Chicken Taco Salad



Normally when I make taco salad, I use beef, but I had leftover crockpot chicken taco meat, so I made this taco salad with that. There are some tortilla chips under all that lettuce. Delicious!

From July 10, 2012

Chicken Quesadillas



Made using leftover crockpot chicken taco meat. Served with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. Yes!

From June 26, 2012

Crockpot Chicken Tacos



Super easy, super tasty. And makes great, and versatile leftovers. (See the next two posts.)  Followed this recipe: http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2012/03/09/crockpot-chicken-tacos/ which includes combining your own spices to make the taco seasoning, though you can just use a packet of the pre-made seasoning.

From May 14, 2012

Garlic Italian Chicken



This has been one of my favorite quick dishes for a long time. Chicken rolled in a mixture of grated Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and dry Italian salad dressing mix and baked. Excellent flavor. Again, I didn't make the whole clove garlic bread but doesn't it look great? It was.

From May 8, 2012

Breaded Garlic Chicken



I created this recipe by combining two recipes I found online. It is chicken breast coated in olive oil and minced garlic, rolled in crushed Ritz cracker crumbs, and baked. Sort of looks like schnitzel. Has a great buttery, garlic taste.  Served with steamed zucchini and yellow squash, one of my favorite summer sides. And of course topped with Parmesan cheese. I didn't make the garlic clove bread, but it was delicious.

From May 6, 2012

Tuna Croquettes



I like tuna. I grill these tuna croquettes with my George Foreman grill. (And taste great with pita chips and apple slices.)

From May 5, 2012

Balsamic Chicken with Onions



Another recipe I made up. I absolutely love balsamic vinegar. And onions, apparently. (Oh yeah, and all that shredded Parmesan cheese on the zucchini.)

From April 6, 2012

Chicken Enchilada Soup



Best new soup of the year! I posted this recipe on my blog here. So good. And makes good leftovers!

From January 22, 2012

Mom's Chili



I make this all the time. This is my mom's recipe for chili. Except that I add onions and green peppers.

From January 14, 2012

Chicken in Peanut Sauce



I made this for someone once and he called it "peanut butter chicken." Okay, fine, so the sauce was made with peanut butter, but it was better than that description would imply. Add brown rice and vegetables and it was a great dish.

From January 5, 2012

Ground Beef Vegetable Soup



Using ground beef was a nice twist on a beef vegetable stew. Same spring salad as mentioned in the post below. And I made that whole wheat bread too.

From December 3, 2011

Swedish Meatballs and Spring Salad



These meatballs were great. And spring salad is one of my favorites. (I have the recipe for it posted in my notes section on Facebook. Check it out if you've never tried it. It's awesome.)

Recipe for meatballs is here: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/05/swedish-meatballs.htm

From November 29, 2011

Sauteed Chicken and Vegetables



I made this recipe dish up. This year I also went through a phase where I put fresh shredded Parmesan cheese on half of what I ate. I'm not entirely over it.

From September 6, 2011

Butternut Squash Soup


I made the French bread too. Puree soup made extra creamy with (and somewhat tempered by) plain yogurt stirred in.

From September 3, 2011

Blog Introduction: I make food

When I was in college I was the queen of eating processed food. My roommates used to tease me, "There's no food in your food!" It was kind of true. (By which I mean, *very* true.)

My favorite story from those days was one day when I was grocery shopping and buying a pretty typical assortment of the food I ate, including TV dinners, boxed mac and cheese (Western Family, of course!), Kraft singles, hot dogs, etc. As I was checking out at the register, the cashier asked me, "So, are you feeding a lot of kids?" Ha! I would have been embarrassed if it hadn't been so funny.

Somewhat paradoxically, when I was in grad school I started eating a lot healthier and cooking a lot. I discovered that I loved cooking, and trying new recipes. Even if I am just cooking for myself, I like cooking well. I try to find healthy recipes, or modify ones I find to be lighter than initially written. My cooking has come a LONG way, and though I still feel like I have a lot to learn, I am always willing to experiment and try something new or try and learn how to do a particular thing in the kitchen. (The internet was invented for cooks like me.)

I hear lots of people say that although they like to cook, they don't like cooking for just for one person, or that cooking for one person is too hard. I definitely agree that cooking for more than one is more fun; but I've decided I like cooking too much to not do it, even though it's usually just for me. (One of the tricks is not being afraid of leftovers; and sometimes halving/quartering recipes.) Actually, I figure being single is the BEST time for experimenting and trying new recipes. Sometimes I feel slightly self conscious when I'm trying some new food or method, so it's nice to not have an audience witness me bumbling around the kitchen. And it's pretty low risk to only ruin YOUR dinner if it goes badly. And you don't have anyone (like picky kids) turning up their nose at something you worked hard at. Win-win! My last roommate in Austin and I used to have "practice" dinners when we'd try new recipes and cook for each other. It was awesome. Now I feel like I'm more prepared and confident if I do ever get to have anyone to cook for.

Anyway, in the last year or so, I noticed this weird new habit starting to emerge. Often when I would cook something delicious, I would take a picture of my plate before I started eating it. I'm not really sure why I started doing this. It's possible that it's because I don't have a roommate or anyone around to appreciate my food, so I feel like a picture is a good way to feel like I'm appreciating it. And sometimes if I make something particularly good, I'll post the recipe on my blog, and I like to have a picture then.  I have a good camera on my phone that is always within arm's reach, so getting a picture is easy. Additionally, I'm going to try to put a recipe book together of favorite recipes I've found, and I like to have pictures of the time I made it. All of these reasons add up to a lot of pictures.

So I've realized recently that I have a lot of pictures of my food from the last few months....and no place to showcase them. And what's the internet for, if not to send things out into the black hole of cyberspace to pretend like there are lots of people out there caring about what you say or do? Hence this blog.

This isn't a recipe blog. I probably won't post any recipes. Just pictures. Sounds fun, right? At least for me. I love comments, so feel free to tell me how great my food looks. (If you think my food doesn't look good, then please skip the commenting! :) ) And if you're ever in the neighborhood, stop by and I'll cook you something!