We had another snowstorm today. Steve's office closed just before lunch due to the heavier snow they will see. I decided to use the day to catch up on some housework. That means that I hadn't given dinner any real thought.
So, looking for some inspiration I asked Steve, while he was finishing up his day's work at the table, what he would like for dinner. Ususally he doesn't know, but bless his heart, he wants to make it easy on me and asked me if we had anything quick to pull out. I looked in the fridge and said, "well, we have some leftovers from last night and other meals". We had spaghetti last night. We really didn't like the idea of having that again though. Fortunately, when we have leftover spaghetti or other cut pasta, I generally pack the pasta separately.
I had some baby bella mushrooms and some shallots, as well as balsamic vinegar. I decided to make a side dish with them. While they were sauteing, I started to pull out the spaghetti sauce. Then I looked at the mushrooms and shallots and got an idea! "Steve, what do you think about having the mushrooms and shallots with the pasta?". "Sure!" So then I tossed in the cold pasta to warm up in the pan with the sauted mushrooms and shallots! So proud of myself I said loudly "I'm using the knowledge I've absorbed from watching The Food Network all these years!" Clarissa, my oldest, proceeded to laugh at me! It turned out quite good! Although as I'm typing this, I realize that I forgot all about adding the garlic! Oh, that would have been good! I did top it with grated parmasan though! The kids had other leftovers, but that's fine, because this was just enough for Steve and I!!
Tomorrow is apparently suppose to be another very snowy day. I plan to use tomorrow's "snow day" as a school admin day. Hopefully I'll manage to make some time to make those Oreo truffles too!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Reading Cookbooks???
First of all, I was thrilled yesterday to receive my box a day early!!!! I opened it yesterday and flipped through the cookbooks and my other book!
Betsy posed the question to Beverly and I a few days ago "who reads a cookbook?" I admitted to her that I have done that before and was in the process of reading The Flavor Bible, to see if it was worth owning my own copy. I have the library's right now. When Betsy arrived in France, they had a small apartment that they stayed in for a few days and no tv, so she started to read MAFC. When I looked at my copy (and I'm excited to have the same exact copy as Betsy), I saw that it is indeed a good idea to read first before trying a recipe. It's sort of a cookbook textbook. I'm okay with that. I'll be self educating in more fancy cooking without having to go to a school! Apparently the recipes increase in difficulty as you learn the techniques. I have to admit to you right now, that I don't have the time to go through this cookbook in one year like Julie Powell did. I also can't make every single recipe due to some of the food allergies in our family. But, I will try as many as I can and will post my experiences.
I also need to read through the beginning of AB in 5 Min. a Day because it's also new techniques. Therefore, I will be spending some time reading and preparing for my first recipes in these books. I'll try to post about other things I'm trying out in the meantime.
I was going to make some Oreo truffles today, until I found out that the bulk box I had bought to do this no longer has the amount of cookies I need left. I will have to wait until I go to Costco again to pick up more. Maybe before the week is over, since we may have another winter storm coming our way and I just may need to do a stocking up run again.
I found a recipe for Curried Meat in one of my other cookbooks yesterday. It is bascially a master recipe with variations to change it up. I may try to make some curried chicken before the week is over.
That's all for now. I'm going to watch some Olympics and knit for a while.
Betsy posed the question to Beverly and I a few days ago "who reads a cookbook?" I admitted to her that I have done that before and was in the process of reading The Flavor Bible, to see if it was worth owning my own copy. I have the library's right now. When Betsy arrived in France, they had a small apartment that they stayed in for a few days and no tv, so she started to read MAFC. When I looked at my copy (and I'm excited to have the same exact copy as Betsy), I saw that it is indeed a good idea to read first before trying a recipe. It's sort of a cookbook textbook. I'm okay with that. I'll be self educating in more fancy cooking without having to go to a school! Apparently the recipes increase in difficulty as you learn the techniques. I have to admit to you right now, that I don't have the time to go through this cookbook in one year like Julie Powell did. I also can't make every single recipe due to some of the food allergies in our family. But, I will try as many as I can and will post my experiences.
I also need to read through the beginning of AB in 5 Min. a Day because it's also new techniques. Therefore, I will be spending some time reading and preparing for my first recipes in these books. I'll try to post about other things I'm trying out in the meantime.
I was going to make some Oreo truffles today, until I found out that the bulk box I had bought to do this no longer has the amount of cookies I need left. I will have to wait until I go to Costco again to pick up more. Maybe before the week is over, since we may have another winter storm coming our way and I just may need to do a stocking up run again.
I found a recipe for Curried Meat in one of my other cookbooks yesterday. It is bascially a master recipe with variations to change it up. I may try to make some curried chicken before the week is over.
That's all for now. I'm going to watch some Olympics and knit for a while.
Monday, February 22, 2010
While I'm Waiting for the Cookbooks to Arrive....
Friday I did my Costco shopping. They sell a dehydrated mushroom blend. I've looked at it nearly everytime I go through that section. I want to find something to make with it. This last time I looked at it and wondered if I would learn anything new from Julia Child about cooking with mushrooms, if she uses a variety of mushrooms, or if I might have to do some research on that on my own. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow, to open that box with the new cookbooks and another book I'll probably tell you about later.
Why Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, when there is a Panera Bread, Costco Bakery and a Wegman's bakery only 15 minutes from my house and in the same plaza? Well, because I can't buy their bread....literally. My youngest child has a life threatening allergy to all tree nuts and peanuts. I'm getting tired of reading labels when I shop. I've decided that my time is probably better spent making what we like rather than reading the labels of all the short cut items available. That means I need to find ways to make good food quickly and maybe create my own short cuts. I like really good bread and Steve likes having fresh homemade bread in the house rather than store bought. When we heard about AB in 5 Min a Day from 2 different people who don't even know each other, well, isn't that a good reason to give it a try? We think so! The concept seems to be about making a wet dough in bulk, that you store in your fridge and then all you have to do is take out the amount of dough that you want to use that day, shape it, let it rest, then bake it! Well, that all sounds good to me! So, I'm just as excited to have this book! I'll probably still use the bread machine that I have too. It's all about options right now.
Saturday night, Steve and I went out for dinner and a movie. Indian cuisine rocks! Paneer Tikka (cottage cheese seasoned to perfection), Butter Chicken, Lamb Roganjosh and Gulab Jamun! What a dessert! Fried dumplings in a rose & cardamom syrup! I did NOT make the food. However, I love Butter Chicken and want a good recipe for it to make at home.
Steve & I were blown away by the Gulab Jamun! How in the world they made that syrup with rose & cardamom - we, or rather I was trying to figure it out. Steve humors me. I don't know if they use a rose infused water or honey....I've used cardamom before and like it but am stumped with the rose bit. The syrup was incredible, light and simply divine!
Steve & I were expecting the little cottage cheese curd that we are used to and were wondering how that would be.....but, this cottage cheese was more like 1" x 1/2" blocks of mild cheese cooked on kebobs with what I assume was a curry seasoning, served with onions, peppers and carrots - delectable!
Monsoon opened almost 2 years ago. We noticed their grand opening sign and visited within a week or 2 after that. I think last night was our 4th time eating in the restaurant and we've done carry out once or twice. We've liked everything we have tried there.
Avatar was a really good movie! I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I will say, we both agree that it will be added to our dvd collection! Really worth the trip to the theater if you haven't seen it yet!
Why Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, when there is a Panera Bread, Costco Bakery and a Wegman's bakery only 15 minutes from my house and in the same plaza? Well, because I can't buy their bread....literally. My youngest child has a life threatening allergy to all tree nuts and peanuts. I'm getting tired of reading labels when I shop. I've decided that my time is probably better spent making what we like rather than reading the labels of all the short cut items available. That means I need to find ways to make good food quickly and maybe create my own short cuts. I like really good bread and Steve likes having fresh homemade bread in the house rather than store bought. When we heard about AB in 5 Min a Day from 2 different people who don't even know each other, well, isn't that a good reason to give it a try? We think so! The concept seems to be about making a wet dough in bulk, that you store in your fridge and then all you have to do is take out the amount of dough that you want to use that day, shape it, let it rest, then bake it! Well, that all sounds good to me! So, I'm just as excited to have this book! I'll probably still use the bread machine that I have too. It's all about options right now.
Saturday night, Steve and I went out for dinner and a movie. Indian cuisine rocks! Paneer Tikka (cottage cheese seasoned to perfection), Butter Chicken, Lamb Roganjosh and Gulab Jamun! What a dessert! Fried dumplings in a rose & cardamom syrup! I did NOT make the food. However, I love Butter Chicken and want a good recipe for it to make at home.
Steve & I were blown away by the Gulab Jamun! How in the world they made that syrup with rose & cardamom - we, or rather I was trying to figure it out. Steve humors me. I don't know if they use a rose infused water or honey....I've used cardamom before and like it but am stumped with the rose bit. The syrup was incredible, light and simply divine!
Steve & I were expecting the little cottage cheese curd that we are used to and were wondering how that would be.....but, this cottage cheese was more like 1" x 1/2" blocks of mild cheese cooked on kebobs with what I assume was a curry seasoning, served with onions, peppers and carrots - delectable!
Monsoon opened almost 2 years ago. We noticed their grand opening sign and visited within a week or 2 after that. I think last night was our 4th time eating in the restaurant and we've done carry out once or twice. We've liked everything we have tried there.
Avatar was a really good movie! I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I will say, we both agree that it will be added to our dvd collection! Really worth the trip to the theater if you haven't seen it yet!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
I Think I Want to Blog, But What Do I Blog About and the Friends Who Inspired Me
I have 4 Friends who were my primary inspirations to blog. I've known Theresa for about the past 14 years or so. We met through our husbands who grew up going to camp together. It's only been in the past 6 years or so that we've really had the opportunity to develop our friendship to the point that I now consider her a sister. I met Peg through Theresa about 4 years ago. Peg taught me how to knit in August of 2008. I have learned that knitting with friends creates a special bond that's hard to explain. A little over a year ago I learned that both Theresa and Peg were blogging. I was interested, but unsure about blogging myself. So, I enjoyed following theirs.
Then I joined Facebook and loved it, thinking that it could sort of fill that desire to blog. It sort of did, but not completely. During the time since I joined Facebook, I reconnected with 2 sisters that I grew up going to camp with, Beverly and Betsy. Beverly and I were the oldest in our families and as far as we can remember we started playing together at camp somewhere between the ages of 8 & 10. Betsy was/is Beverly's younger sister. It has been a lot of fun reconnecting with them! Betsy has been blogging for a while too, so I started to follow her blog. The blogging bug bit again. Betsy just moved to France, so Beverly asked her if she had seen Julie & Julia. Lo and behold, she had and she also has Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. I had wanted to see the movie but now had even more reason to, because of this new connection and understanding that Betsy had of Julia from this movie. Beverly told Betsy to blog about it, so she did. If you are curious, you can check out her blog. After reading Betsy's blog, I decided that I just had to see the movie sooner than later. The blogging bug bit again! Especially since Beverly was now considering blogging!
So, I finally made the decision. I REALLY want to blog! But, what do I blog about? I can't do what Julie Powell did, but that is a good starting point. What am I going to blog about then? Well, I am a homeschooling mom who likes to read, knit, bake and cook. Mostly I'm going to blog about my culinary adventures and maybe a bit about the other stuff I like to do too. I wanted to get MAFC so that I could connect in another way with Betsy while she is in France. Who knows, it may be the only way I'll get to experience France in this lifetime. I bit the bullet, so to speak, and ordered MAFC along with Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, which was recommended by another childhood friend of mine as well as a co-worker of my husband's. They are due to arrive this Tuesday and I can't wait!!
Why Kristi's Kafe Around the Korner? Well, the way I think about it, when friends get together at a local Kafe (changed the C to a K to match my first initial) they not only eat and drink coffee or tea together, but they also talk about their hobbies, what's new in general and what's going on the the world. A big thank you to Beverly and Betsy for the help in picking a name for my blog. And a big thank you to Theresa and Peg for the encouragement to go for it and have fun! I love you guys!
And there it is. Now you know why I want to blog, what I will blog about and who inspired me. I hope that you will enjoy this as much as I think I will! As soon as Beverly gets her blog set up, I will add her to my Blog List!
Then I joined Facebook and loved it, thinking that it could sort of fill that desire to blog. It sort of did, but not completely. During the time since I joined Facebook, I reconnected with 2 sisters that I grew up going to camp with, Beverly and Betsy. Beverly and I were the oldest in our families and as far as we can remember we started playing together at camp somewhere between the ages of 8 & 10. Betsy was/is Beverly's younger sister. It has been a lot of fun reconnecting with them! Betsy has been blogging for a while too, so I started to follow her blog. The blogging bug bit again. Betsy just moved to France, so Beverly asked her if she had seen Julie & Julia. Lo and behold, she had and she also has Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. I had wanted to see the movie but now had even more reason to, because of this new connection and understanding that Betsy had of Julia from this movie. Beverly told Betsy to blog about it, so she did. If you are curious, you can check out her blog. After reading Betsy's blog, I decided that I just had to see the movie sooner than later. The blogging bug bit again! Especially since Beverly was now considering blogging!
So, I finally made the decision. I REALLY want to blog! But, what do I blog about? I can't do what Julie Powell did, but that is a good starting point. What am I going to blog about then? Well, I am a homeschooling mom who likes to read, knit, bake and cook. Mostly I'm going to blog about my culinary adventures and maybe a bit about the other stuff I like to do too. I wanted to get MAFC so that I could connect in another way with Betsy while she is in France. Who knows, it may be the only way I'll get to experience France in this lifetime. I bit the bullet, so to speak, and ordered MAFC along with Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, which was recommended by another childhood friend of mine as well as a co-worker of my husband's. They are due to arrive this Tuesday and I can't wait!!
Why Kristi's Kafe Around the Korner? Well, the way I think about it, when friends get together at a local Kafe (changed the C to a K to match my first initial) they not only eat and drink coffee or tea together, but they also talk about their hobbies, what's new in general and what's going on the the world. A big thank you to Beverly and Betsy for the help in picking a name for my blog. And a big thank you to Theresa and Peg for the encouragement to go for it and have fun! I love you guys!
And there it is. Now you know why I want to blog, what I will blog about and who inspired me. I hope that you will enjoy this as much as I think I will! As soon as Beverly gets her blog set up, I will add her to my Blog List!
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