Here's a special post for my birthday! It's my golden birthday (28 on the 28th). I thought I'd look back on the goal list that I created a year ago, and just see how I did. I didn't accomplish everything that I wanted, but I'm still pretty pleased with how many I did manage to cross off the list!
Goals:
1. Use eggplant in a meal. Done!
2. Bake another pie. Done and done!
3. Take another cooking class. I'm taking college classes instead, that overrules this goal. :)
4. One week a month I'll cook only vegetarian meals (ovo/lacto ingredients are acceptable). Revised this one, as it just didn't work for us.
5. I will have at least 3 new blog posts a week for the whole year (except when we're on vacation). Done!!
6. Host a dinner party for friends. Sort of done...we had a few people over for a super impromptu, not planned meal. That counts, right?
7. Try a new (to us) restaurant every month. Done. I didn't always blog about it but we did try 12+ new restaurants this year.
8. Bake a souffle. Done!
9. Buy more potted herbs for the house. Not done.
10. Make Tiramisu completely from scratch. Not done.
11. Cook a meal with fish at least twice a month. Done! It ended up being mostly salmon.
12. Get an icecream maker and use it! Done, many times over. :)
13. Make at least one pasta dish from scratch. Not done.
14. Try making my own ricotta and mozzarella cheese. Not done.
15. Get a freezer for the garage. We determined that our garage is too small. :(
16. Buy an aebelskiver pan and use it! Used it once, I'm counting it!
17. Cook my very first turkey. I cooked a chicken instead, I'm counting it. :)
18. Look into buying a juicer and use it to add more fruits/veggies to our diet. Decided against it, not worth the money/time/effort.
19. Make caramels. Done!
20. Make Thai food at home. I've made a bunch of curries, I'm counting it.
21. Make macarons. Not done.
22. Try making creme fraiche. Done.
23. Sign on with a home delivery service for local organic produce. Tried one delivery.
24. Make homemade jam. Not done.
25. Make creme brulee. Done!
26. Learn how to use my camera to take better pictures of my meals. I took a class!
27. Try more recipes from my Irish and Norwegian heritage. Done and done!
Now that we've looked at the past, I wanted to update you all on the future. Two months ago I quit my job and headed back to school to begin the long journey of hopefully becoming a Registered Dietitian. Before classes began in January, I wrote almost 30 posts and scheduled them for January and February, which is why I've been able to keep up with my 3-posts-a-week goal while going to class. That backlog of posts has now run out, and classes are keeping me very busy. I'm going to reduce my posting to probably just once a week, but my hope is that one post will be well-written and well-photographed, and hopefully you will appreciate the quality over quantity! :)
Thanks for reading, and I hope you continue to enjoy reading my blog as much as I enjoy writing it!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
I've been roasted
I received a roasting pan as a Christmas gift from my mom, and the first thing I made in it was a roast chicken. Believe it or not, I've never roasted a whole chicken before, so this was a first for me! It turned out really well, it tasted great and I used the leftovers on a homemade pizza the next day.
It took a bit longer than I expected to get done (the recipe said 1 hour but it was more like 1.5 hours), but that was alright. The spices might seem a little weird in this recipe but they really do work well together!
I added some red potatoes and onions to the pan and they turned out great, too.
Roasted Chicken
slightly adapted from AllRecipes
Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
Stuff the chicken cavity with the garlic and onion. Place the chicken, breast side down, on a rack in a roasting pan.
Roast 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 450 degrees F, and continue roasting 15 minutes. Baste chicken with pan drippings, reduce heat to 425 degrees F, and continue roasting 30 minutes, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.
It took a bit longer than I expected to get done (the recipe said 1 hour but it was more like 1.5 hours), but that was alright. The spices might seem a little weird in this recipe but they really do work well together!
I added some red potatoes and onions to the pan and they turned out great, too.
Roasted Chicken
slightly adapted from AllRecipes
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Directions:
In a bowl, mix the salt, sugar, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Rub the chicken with the mixture. Cover chicken, and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours. (I actually didn't marinate the chicken, I immediately baked it and it still tasted great).1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (4 pound) whole chicken
5 cloves garlic, whole
1 onion, cut into quarters
1 onion, cut into quarters
Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.Stuff the chicken cavity with the garlic and onion. Place the chicken, breast side down, on a rack in a roasting pan.
Roast 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 450 degrees F, and continue roasting 15 minutes. Baste chicken with pan drippings, reduce heat to 425 degrees F, and continue roasting 30 minutes, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.
Friday, February 24, 2012
A new kind of pie
As promised, here is the 2nd Mexican recipe for this week. This was a fun way to use my springform pan, and it was a fun meal to eat. We ended up scarfing this tortilla pie before running off to catch an early movie, and it kept us full and happy for hours.
The only thing I disliked was that it took a lot longer than 8 minutes to evaporate most of the beer. Maybe I had the heat too low, but it took more like 20 minutes.
Tortilla and Black Bean Pie
from EllySaysOpa
Ingredients:
4 (9-10″) flour tortillas
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 large onion
1 jalapeno, minced (remove or leave seeds and ribs to your preference)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
12 oz. beer
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen tri-colored bell peppers
4 scallions, thinly sliced (plus additional for garnish)
8 oz. shredded cheddar
Directions:
The only thing I disliked was that it took a lot longer than 8 minutes to evaporate most of the beer. Maybe I had the heat too low, but it took more like 20 minutes.
Tortilla and Black Bean Pie
from EllySaysOpa
Ingredients:
4 (9-10″) flour tortillas
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 large onion
1 jalapeno, minced (remove or leave seeds and ribs to your preference)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
12 oz. beer
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen tri-colored bell peppers
4 scallions, thinly sliced (plus additional for garnish)
8 oz. shredded cheddar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400. Spray a springform pan with a little cooking oil. If necessary, trim your tortillas to fit into the pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeno, garlic, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the beans and beer, and bring to a boil. 
Reduce the heat and continue to simmer until the beer is almost completely evaporated, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the peppers until warm. Add the corn and scallions. Remove from heat, and season to taste.
Fit a tortilla in the bottom of the springform pan.
Layer with 1/4 of the bean mixture, followed by 1/2 cup of cheese. 
Repeat layering 3 times, finishing with 3/4-1 cup of cheese on top.
Bake 20-25 minutes, until cheese melts. Let rest 5 minutes before removing from pan, sprinkling with scallions, and slicing into wedges.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Enchilada Soup
I really love Mexican food (there is another related post coming later this week!), and I thought this soup recipe was pretty good. I honestly don't think the enchilada sauce adds much flavor, and I would leave it out in the future (especially to reduce the amount of sodium in this meal). If the weather is a bit cool this is a perfect weeknight meal, and I love that it's done in the crockpot.
Chicken Enchilada Soup
from DaintyChef
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
½ cup chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 can (15 ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 ounce) Rotel diced tomatoes and jalapenos
1 package (10 ounce) frozen corn
½ cup onion, chopped
½ cup bell pepper, diced
1 can (10 ounce) Enchilada sauce
2 whole chicken breasts
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
Directions:
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in flour; keep stirring until smooth and bubbly.
Remove from heat and add the chicken broth and ½ cup milk, a little at a time, stirring to keep smooth. Return to heat. Bring sauce to a gentle boil; cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens. In a large bowl, whisk together the enchilada sauce and chicken broth mixture . Gradually whisk in remaining milk until smooth. Set aside.
In a crockpot, combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper.
Place the chicken breasts on top of the mixture. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker.
Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. When you are ready to serve, remove chicken and cut or shred into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken back into the soup, mix together. Top with cheese and serve.
Chicken Enchilada Soup
from DaintyChef
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
½ cup chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 can (15 ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 ounce) Rotel diced tomatoes and jalapenos
1 package (10 ounce) frozen corn
½ cup onion, chopped
½ cup bell pepper, diced
1 can (10 ounce) Enchilada sauce
2 whole chicken breasts
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
Directions:
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in flour; keep stirring until smooth and bubbly.
Remove from heat and add the chicken broth and ½ cup milk, a little at a time, stirring to keep smooth. Return to heat. Bring sauce to a gentle boil; cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens. In a large bowl, whisk together the enchilada sauce and chicken broth mixture . Gradually whisk in remaining milk until smooth. Set aside.
In a crockpot, combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper.
Place the chicken breasts on top of the mixture. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker.
Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. When you are ready to serve, remove chicken and cut or shred into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken back into the soup, mix together. Top with cheese and serve.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Complete meal in a packet
I love easy dinners, and this was one of the easiest. Sadly, I didn't particularly enjoy the flavors, but that might be personal preference as The Husband thought it was alright. I did like the chicken, but I didn't enjoy the mushrooms at all. At least this meal creates ZERO cleanup, as everything is cooked in foil!
Orange Chicken Packets
Ingredients:
1/2 lb baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 15-ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
4 5-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 slices of orange
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
6 Tbsp. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Orange Chicken Packets
Ingredients:
1/2 lb baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 15-ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
4 5-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 slices of orange
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
6 Tbsp. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 F. Cut 4 rectangles of aluminum foil.
Layer the mushrooms, pinto beans and garlic into each of the foil rectangles. Lay the chicken breasts on top and season with salt and pepper. Top each chicken breast with an orange slice and drizzle the butter and orange juice concentrate on top.
Bring together the edges of the foil and fold over each other. Seal the ends well.
Place the foil packets on a cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Sausage Stew
Stew. My husband turns his nose up at the mention of stew, although he tolerates it more than the dreaded soup, He didn't seem to hate this recipe, which for a stew is high praise! :) I added a couple spices and a bit of cream, just because I had them and I thought it would make the stew a little more robust. I also reduced the stated quantities by 1/2 as the recipe below serves 10!
Lentil, Kielbasa, and Garlic Stew
slightly adapted from IWasBorntoCook
Ingredients:
Directions:
Add onion, celery and carrots to pot and cook until golden. 
Add garlic and cook another minute. Add water, broth, tomatoes, seasonings and lentils to pot and bring to boil. Reduce to medium-low and cook uncovered for about 40 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
Stir in kielbasa and heavy cream and heat through. Serve.
Lentil, Kielbasa, and Garlic Stew
slightly adapted from IWasBorntoCook
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds turkey kielbasa, cut into bite size chunks
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups baby carrots, cut into small chunks
4 medium stalks celery, chopped
8 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups water
2 cans (14 oz) chicken broth (or homemade)
2 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1 1/2 bags (16 oz) lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 tsp Italian Seasonings
Bay Leaf
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp Italian Seasonings
Bay Leaf
1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions:
Heat oil in a large pot, then add kielbasa (divide if necessary). Cook until brown, then transfer to a plate.
Add onion, celery and carrots to pot and cook until golden. 
Add garlic and cook another minute. Add water, broth, tomatoes, seasonings and lentils to pot and bring to boil. Reduce to medium-low and cook uncovered for about 40 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
Stir in kielbasa and heavy cream and heat through. Serve.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Savory Strudel
I've had a box of phyllo dough sitting in my freezer for the better part of a year. I bought it back when I made baklava, and have been meaning to use it I just hadn't found the right recipe. Well, the wait is over because this recipe is amazing! So flavorful and delicious, and it's easy enough to make on a weeknight. Just make sure you take your phyllo dough out of the freezer the day before! I did make some modifications to this recipe, and I think it made it even tastier and easier.
Chicken and Goat Cheese Strudel
adapted from Loves to Eat
Ingredients:
1 lbs extra lean ground chicken breast
2 tsp dried Italian seasonings (it's easy to make homemade Italian seasoning)
10 ounces baby spinach
4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
10 sheets whole-wheat phyllo dough, thawed
Evoo cooking spray
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
Directions:
Cook onion in olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add chicken and cook over medium heat until cooked through. Add garlic and seasonings. Cook another 1-3 minutes. Set aside.
Add spinach to skillet and cook covered one minute. Transfer spinach to fine mesh strainer in sink or over bowl and let cool two minutes. Make sure all the juices/water is strained out of spinach. Mix with chicken and cheese.
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Place 1 phyllo sheet on counter. Coat with evoo spray. Continue with all 5 sheets each on top of the other.
Spoon chicken mixture onto phyllo stack. leaving a 2 inch edge.
Add 5 phyllo layers on the top, continuing to spray in between each layer. Bake on a cookie sheet or baking pan for 20-25 minutes or until nicely golden brown. Let cool 3-5 minutes and then cut into 4 equal pieces. Serve immediately.
Chicken and Goat Cheese Strudel
adapted from Loves to Eat
Ingredients:
1 lbs extra lean ground chicken breast
2 tsp dried Italian seasonings (it's easy to make homemade Italian seasoning)
10 ounces baby spinach
4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
10 sheets whole-wheat phyllo dough, thawed
Evoo cooking spray
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
Directions:
Cook onion in olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add chicken and cook over medium heat until cooked through. Add garlic and seasonings. Cook another 1-3 minutes. Set aside.
Add spinach to skillet and cook covered one minute. Transfer spinach to fine mesh strainer in sink or over bowl and let cool two minutes. Make sure all the juices/water is strained out of spinach. Mix with chicken and cheese.
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Place 1 phyllo sheet on counter. Coat with evoo spray. Continue with all 5 sheets each on top of the other.
Spoon chicken mixture onto phyllo stack. leaving a 2 inch edge.
Add 5 phyllo layers on the top, continuing to spray in between each layer. Bake on a cookie sheet or baking pan for 20-25 minutes or until nicely golden brown. Let cool 3-5 minutes and then cut into 4 equal pieces. Serve immediately.
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