The Saga of the Bell Pepper

Well, all right. Not really a saga. But a nice little story, anyway.

Dinner last night went surprisingly well. I had a basic recipe for a pasta salad but decided to change it up just a bit. Not a whole lot; just a smidgen. The bell peppers were in the recipe but I decided to add some tomatoes and some Parmesan cheese. Throw in some Italian dressing and those beautiful peppers (green, red, orange and yellow!) and it actually turned out really well. I was impressed and my cooking guru/guinea pig, Robin, said it was good, too.

And, of course, the ever-popular pork chop made it's appearance as well. I was going to brine them but pulled them out to thaw way too late. They should sit in the brine for at least an hour or so but I didn't leave myself enough time. Possibly later this week. If I can remember to pull them the day BEFORE. We'll see.

Anyway. I decided to just fry them. Put some "seasoned salt" on them and threw them in the pan. Worried about over cooking them but also under cooking them. And what do you know? They also turned out great! For once, a complete meal....I was so happy.

I took some pictures and picked the one I liked the best to show everyone. You can see how colorful the pasta salad turned out to be; very festive!

Thanks for listening!

The Missing Herbs

Went to the store today to buy my ingredients for dinner. Trying something a little different; planning on semi-creating my own dish. Semi because I have a basic recipe and wanted to add a few different things to make it my own and to see how good I am at putting ingredients together.

So, I thought I'd get some fresh vegetables and some fresh herbs. The veggies were beautiful (More later on what kind they were when I regal you with my dinner). Then I started hunting for the fresh herbs. Now, I don't know if it's the particular store I picked or if it's like that everywhere but I found two (yes, that's what I said), basil and thyme. Both distinguished herbs but I was hoping for a better choice.

Hmm. Again, not sure if it was the store or even maybe the time of year or what. So, while I was chopping up my veggies, I came up with what I thought was a brilliant idea. Grow my own! Yes, people have been doing it for millions of years but my success with plants is even WORSE than my cooking ever was. But seriously. Is it even possible to kill an herb?

I guess we'll find out. I'll keep you informed on that little idea and definitely will be writing later on how dinner turned out.

Thanks for listening!

Mise en place

Mise en place (pronounced [miz ɑ̃ plas], literally "putting in place") is a French phrase defined by the Culinary Institute of America as "everything in place", as in set up. It is used in professional kitchens to refer to organizing and arranging the ingredients (e.g., cuts of meat, relishes, sauces, par-cooked items, spices, freshly chopped vegetables, and other components) that a cook will require for the menu items that he or she expects to prepare during his/her shift.^[1]

That's the Wikipedia's definition of something I have a hard time pronouncing but find very helpful when working in the kitchen. I heard it first on "Worst Cooks in America". Chef Anne Burrell used it a lot in the show and it seemed to help the cooks when they finally grasped the full concept. I've also heard her use it on "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" and it was easier to understand at that point. I guess because instead of just telling the learner, she was actually doing it.

And if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Basically, have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start putting things together. That way, you're not running all over the kitchen. Which is how I usually roll.....

I wanted to share this little tidbit with everyone; I find it a fascinating phrase and hope to have the concept fully grasped by ME!

Thanks for listening!

The Wonders of Pasta

Ah yes. The decision had been made and acted upon. The ingredients acquired; the recipe read and the cooking began.

Although, to be honest, there wasn't any cooking involved in this pasta dish. Well, okay. I cooked the pasta. But that actually is something I never really had any problems doing. So it wasn't a big effort. Didn't even have to read the instructions on the box. Ha! Bet you didn't know I could do THAT, did you?

Going on...I had found a recipe this morning in my search for just the right pasta salad. It seemed fairly easy and uncomplicated; something I could possibly do successfully. I don't believe it had a name but it was black and green olives (did you know that you can buy them already chopped? I didn't either until after I had chopped them all up). Some chopped onions, some bacon bits, shredded cheese and ranch dressing. I actually got brave and doubled the recipe although I did cut back on some of the ranch dressing. Maybe it's me, but the picture that came with the recipe looked slightly too wet.

I thought it turned out rather well although a trifle dry (Next time I won't cut back so much) It will probably taste better tomorrow when it gets really cold. I only gave it a couple of hours in the fridge.

Oh and I cheated on the pork chops. (Yes, told you we had pigs so lots and LOTS of pork). I bought the packaged Shake n Bake and just popped them in the oven. Needless to say, they turned out really well. But then, even I couldn't mess up Shake N Bake.

I'm posting a picture; please forgive the messy plate. Not used to trying to make it look pretty and I always forget how much the flash on a camera picks up.

Thanks for listening! Possibly Italian food in the near future.....

Ingredient Madness

Okay. I know I don't know a lot about what ingredients work best with other ingredients but I just have to say, the chefs on the Food Network Channel's show "Chopped" are simply inspirational.

They are given a basket with random food items and must come up with a dish that incorporates all those items. And some of the those items are completely bizarre! Well, to me as a beginner, anyway.

Rabbit, rattlesnake, tapioca pearls (not sure about those), mussels and oxtails to name a few. And they are paired with ingredients that no normal person would even consider putting together. Brussel sprouts and sour cream? Pickles and strawberry jam? Totally outrageous!

But the best part? These incredible people actually make dishes that look good, are edible and for the most part, even delicious! I don't know that I'll actually get to that level or even if I'd want to but it is so very interesting seeing what each one comes up with in their own way. Some of them can be quite creative.

So I watch the show, fascinated, and hope that maybe their creative juices will flow out of the TV and into me. Hey! It could happen!

Thanks for listening!

Decisions, decisions....

Italian? Pasta salad? Or maybe a delicious, decadent dessert? (I love that word: decadent. Sounds so...sinful) I've cooked a few dinner meals and learned a few things (reading the recipe is ALWAYS a good thing) but now I think I want to stretch it out a bit. Do I stick with dinner and make something Italian? Or do I push the boundaries and make a fairly simple pasta salad for lunch or a dessert worthy of a king? Well, maybe not THAT good the first time. But pretty darn close.

I have actually cooked all of those before. Just never enjoyed it like I'm doing now. And if I pick Italian, do I start simple with a homemade spaghetti sauce or just throw caution to the winds and go for the big one, lasagna? Hmmm....

And a pasta salad could be anything I wanted it to be. There are so many different possibilities that I wouldn't even know where to start with that one. But should I go for easy or more elaborate? Should it be cold or hot? Just looking through SOME of the recipes for pasta salad took quite a while. Maybe I'll just close my eyes and point to one.

Dessert. Who doesn't like dessert? My first thought of dessert is something chocolate. So that narrows it down quite a bit. Maybe a cake but something unique or something that isn't offered very often.

Not sure yet which one I'll choose although just writing about them makes me hungry. I am leaning more toward the Italian choice (I love Italian food) so maybe I'll start there. Wait. Here's a thought although possibly more than I should even think about taking on at this point in my self-education.

Why not all three? Hmm....definitely worth thinking about!

Thanks for listening. Will let you know my decision!

Winning the Battle

Well. The potatoes turned out fairly well. Better than I thought (I can't believe I forgot to take a picture). I had a huge amount of ketchup on my plate in case I needed to douse them and cover the badness. Ended up throwing most of that condiment away. So I guess I won this potato battle. Until next time, that is. Although I thought this was supposed to get easier....

But the main dish....while not BAD, it wasn't terribly good either. I followed the recipe closely except for a minor substitution or two. I believe my problem was worrying that they wouldn't be done enough AND waiting for the potatoes to cook. They were slightly overdone. Not dry, thank goodness, but not as juicy as I had hoped. One day, I will have the perfect meal; where everything is done at the same time and it all tastes wonderful. Sounds a little far-fetched to me but apparently it's possible; people do it all the time!

Thanks for listening and hopefully next time I'll have a picture to show!

The Potato Saga Continues....

Here we go. Trying the potatoes again. Same method; different version. This time, I'm going over the recipe with a fine-tooth comb. I'm not going to let it beat me again! So take THAT potatoes! I'm coming for you!

Also going to do a dry rub with the pork chops (I use a lot of pork since we raised pigs for just that very purpose). It's a fairly simple recipe; one that I hope I don't mess up. But I have faith in myself. Just need to be confident about it and don't let it overwhelm me.

Will let everyone know how it worked out this evening. And I was watching "Secrets to a Restaurant Chef" and will definitely be trying out "brining" with my chops soon. Just need a few days in advance to let them sit. Sounds really, really good and even better; sounds really, really simple!

Thanks for sharing this we me and I'll write how it turned out.

Cookbook for Dummies (Like Me)

Memories are a good thing. They help us remember people that are gone and things we've done in the past; some even help us in the future.

My cooking guru/guinea pig, Robin, was remembering a cookbook from her past that helped her tremendously when she was just starting to cook. And lo and behold! She went to the library for some books and thought maybe she could find that same book. There it was. The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook published in 1980. This book is incredible. There are pictures for every single recipe; whether easy for people like me or for the more capable cook. Instructions are step-by-step; you just can't go wrong!

Not only does it have a TON of food recipes, it also has wine and beverage recipes that anyone would love to have. I've also discovered in the back a glossary of cooking terms (boy, I need those!), a calorie guide, menu planning and so much more! It even has an herb and spice list showing the characteristics and uses of all kinds of spices. Is that cool or what?

I just had to share this. This is a truly incredible book for cooks like myself just starting out. Definitely worth sharing with someone else. Thanks for listening!

Potatoes: 1 Froggy: 0

Well. Just finished my second dinner.

Not so good. Not bad, mind you...but definitely not as happy with this one as I was with the first one. Most of it because of stupid mistakes on my part. Missed one thing on the recipe that might have made all the difference in the world. A baking DISH is different than a baking SHEET.

I used the dish instead of the sheet (could have sworn it said dish) so what I thought would be the easiest part of the dinner turned into the worse. Oven fried potatoes. Who but me could mess that up? And it's funny but I've cooked them before on the stove top and never had a problem. But I found a recipe that sounded really good (potatoes dipped in oil and lemon juice) and easy (just pop them into the oven). Maybe that was my mistake. Overestimating myself. Hmm...could be. Or maybe just trying too hard.

I also forgot the cooking spray. Made a list, put it on there, bought it at the store and even managed to bring it home. But forgot to use it. Did you know potatoes stick to aluminum foil? Yes, they sure do.

And because I used a dish instead of a sheet, the cooking time was altered. It said "twenty minutes" but they were so far from being done. I had to put the hamburgers aside so as not to burn while waiting for the potatoes.

They didn't taste TOO badly; just a little mushy in spots and hard in others. Next time, it'll be better.

Hey! But, surprising enough, the hamburgers turned out great! I didn't stuff them as I was going to originally but they were cooked evenly and were still juicy; even after sitting and waiting for the potatoes. Quite surprised. I used some steak sauce, some onion soup mix and swiss cheese and a few bacon bits for texture.

So, it wasn't a BAD meal but I expected better of myself with the potatoes. But then again, I didn't expect the hamburgers to go that well. I guess that balances out, right?

Anyway, thanks for joining me on this journey. Next time, I WILL win the battle over the potatoes!

The Second Attempt....

Okay. Found myself with a day off so I'm going to cook another meal. A lot different from the first; not only in the ingredients but in the WAY I'm going to do it.

The first dinner was made following the recipe explicitly. While I will have recipes for both my main dish and my side dish, I am also going to be adding my own signature to them. There is a little anxiety involved; hoping I don't screw it up to the point of being inedible. But my friend will be here to offer advice (you know, my guinea pig) and as long as I don't let myself become frazzled, I'm sure I'll be all right.

Not going into too many details right now because I honestly don't know exactly how I'm going to make them my own but on the menu tonight are hamburgers and oven fried potatoes. So, once again, wish me luck and I'll write more tonight on how it all turned out.

Secrets

I keep discovering shows to watch on the Food Network Channel. I still love watching "Worst Cooks in America", "Cupcake Wars", "Chopped" and various others but recently I discovered "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" with Chef Anne Burrell.

It really is simply amazing. While she may be cooking something that I never will or not for a long time, she's always giving out little tips that help with the food item she's working with, not just the dish.

When frying french fries, fry them at a lower temperature of 325 degrees, take them out and let them cool. Then raise the temp to 375 and finish them off. Makes them less soggy. And I never knew this (well, of course since I've never cooked lasagna) but when you cook the noodles, only cook them for 6 to 7 minutes. You don't want them to completely cook because they cook in the oven later. Pretty cool, huh? And it makes perfect sense and probably for most people out there, they have it all figured out. But that's something that I'm working on. Common sense in the kitchen.

She had so much more in every show and of course, watching her cook is a joy because she enjoys it so very much. That's where I want to be one day. No, not with my own show (unless they let non-cooks in the kitchen in front of a camera) But I'm looking forward to having fun with food.

Oh and hey, tomorrow night is creative hamburger night. Wish me luck! I'll let you know how it goes!