Arrrrr … It Be a Fine Weekend
Friday we had my company picnic which is always a good time. Beer and brats, you know. Saturday, went to our neighborhood garage sale with friends who have babies or are about to have babies … my neighborhood is FULL of rugrats, so practically every sale has a ton of kids stuff. Didn't buy anything for me, but the kiddos got good stuff. Followed that up with lunch with Matt's bro, errands, and loads of housework.
Sun morning, we snuck in a trip to the theatre and saw Pirates, which I found to be immensely enjoyable. Johnny Depp is superb in his role and the rest of the cast was great too. We didn't anticipate that being so long, so we had to rush to get up to my aunt and uncle's house to celebrate my cousin's 13th b'day. After that, back home and s'more laundry and housework and to bed.
Busy Busy Busy
I was just looking at my calendar for the rest of the month. It is jam-packed. And it seems like every time I turn around, there's something to add to it. And of course, once we get into August, we've got my b'day, my dad's b'day, our anniversary, and our anniversary trip. Is it any wonder I need toothpicks to prop open my eyes?
Beef Wellington
We had a lovely birthday dinner for my lil sis at Briarwood last night. It's a very interesting restaurant … seems to be sort of stuck in time, but in a good way. I had beef wellington for dinner, which, coincidentally is the latest thing they screwed up attempted on Control-Alt-Chicken. I think that they probably need a consultant to clue them in on a few things … for example … do not substitute pie crust for puff pastry. Ditto sausage for liver. They aren't even close to equivalent.
Best Mac & Cheese Ever?
Last night I decided to try out the Best Mac and Cheese Ever from Words to Eat By. It was pretty easy to make … my one complaint is that it used a lot of kitchen accoutraments (2 pans, a blender, and a casserole dish), but what's that in light of a tasty dish. Now I don't know that I would give it the title of Best Mac and Cheese Ever, but it certainly ranks up there … there's something very simple and good about it. And as mac & cheese recipes go, it's not even all that heart-stoppingly bad for you. In the future, I might use some sharper cheddar instead of the mild I had lying around. But that's it … another great mac & cheese recipe.
Broken Camera
Well I thought mom might save me on the photo front … she took almost 60 photos this weekend, but alas, after viewing them I have come to the conclusion that her digital camera is broken. Everyone is blurry (even ones taken in full light that have no business being blurry!) … This one, displayed here was one of the only ones that looked decent, unfortunately. It also makes it look like we were on the set of A Perfect Storm all weekend, which really isn't the case. Oh well. It's a cool photo anyhow! : )
Coconut Rice with Beef Stir-Fry
from: Cooking Light January 2005
Ingredients
Rice:
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of ground red pepper
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
Stir-fry:
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil, divided
1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed and thinly sliced across the grain
1 cup vertically sliced onion
1 cup red bell pepper strips
3 cups sliced bok choy
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 lime wedges
Directions
To prepare rice, bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir in rice. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. It will be soft and creamy.
To prepare stir-fry, heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of beef; stir-fry 4 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and beef.
Add onion and bell pepper to pan; stir-fry 5 minutes. Add bok choy; stir-fry 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add beef, cilantro, chili garlic sauce, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with rice and lime wedges.
Nutritional Info (1 1/4 cups stir-fry, about 3/4 cup rice, and 1 lime wedge(
CALORIES 416(28% from fat); FAT 13.1g (sat 7.5g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 28.3g; CHOLESTEROL 45mg; CALCIUM 90mg; SODIUM 561mg; FIBER 1.7g; IRON 4.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46.5g
BBQ Shrimp
from: Cooking Light April 2000
Ingredients
1/2 cup fat-free Caesar dressing
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
5 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds large shrimp with peels on
1/3 cup dry white wine
10 (1-ounce) slices French bread baguette
10 lemon wedges
Directions
Combine the first 11 ingredients in a large nonstick skillet; bring to a boil. Add shrimp, and cook 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine, and cook 1 minute or until shrimp are done. Serve with bread and lemon wedges.
Nutritional Info (5 oz shrimp, with sauce, 2 slices bread(
CALORIES 403(20% from fat); FAT 9.1g (sat 3.8g,mono 2.4g,poly 1.7g); PROTEIN 34.4g; CHOLESTEROL 219mg; CALCIUM 211mg; SODIUM 1021mg; FIBER 2.8g; IRON 7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 41.7g
Best Mac & Cheese Ever
from: Words to Eat By
Ingredients
2 T soft butter or margarine, plus more for topping
2 T flour
½ t salt
1/8 t pepper
½ t mustard powder (optional, this gives it a little bite)
2 cups hot milk (take it off the heat just before it boils)
1 ½ cups diced cheddar cheese
12 oz elbow macaroni, cooked al dente
½ cup fresh bread crumbs
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Put butter or marg, flour, salt, pepper, and hot milk into blender container. Press low button, then high for 40 seconds. After 20 seconds, gradually add cheese. Mix with macaroni, and empty all into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and dot with additional butter or margarine. Bake for 30 minutes, until bread crumbs are nicely browned and cheese sauce is bubbling.
Flag Cake
from: Jess original
Ingredients
2 bags mini marshmallows
half a stick of butter
1 cup (approx?) peanut butter
rice cereal (rice krispies or similar) … 8 cups? I dunno
1 bag (larger) milk-chocolate chips
Directions
This is basically the recipe for rice krispie treats, but with a peanut butter chocolate cast to them. So you melt up the butter and then you add the marshmallows and melt them in like 1 min increments, stirring in between until they're all melty. Then you spoon in a bunch of peanut butter … until it looks more peanut butter colored. Then you toss in a bunch of rice krispies until it's the right consistency. I like fewer rice krispies in mine than the old recipes call for, but whatever you like. Then you smush the whole blob into a greased 9×13 pan and then you pour the chocolate chips over it in an even layer. Then you stick the whole thing in an oven (I did a couple of minutes broil this time, but next time I think I'll do 350 for a bit longer, maybe) and then the chocolate gets all melty and you can smooth it out with a spoon or knife or whatever so there's a layer on the top.
from: Cooking Light October 2003
Ingredients
4 cups cubed peeled Yukon gold potato (about 2 pounds)
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place potato in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Return potato to pan. Add milk and remaining ingredients; mash with a potato masher to desired consistency.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)
Nutritional Info (3/4 cup(
CALORIES 215(30% from fat); FAT 7.1g (sat 4.5g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.3g); PROTEIN 4.5g; CHOLESTEROL 20mg; CALCIUM 51mg; SODIUM 280mg; FIBER 2.4g; IRON 0.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.5g Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough
from: Cooking Light May 2006
Ingredients
3 cups (1-inch) sliced asparagus (about 1 pound)
1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated linguine
4 bacon slices (uncooked)
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup (2 ounces) preshredded Parmesan cheese
Shaved Parmesan cheese (optional)
Directions
Cook asparagus and pasta according to pasta package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; set aside.
Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp; cool slightly. Remove bacon from the pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan. Crumble bacon. Add onion, garlic, and oregano to drippings in the pan; sauté 4 minutes or until onion is lightly browned. Add tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Add broth; bring to a boil. Stir in butter, salt, and pepper; remove from heat. Place asparagus mixture in a large bowl; add tomato mixture and juice, tossing well. Top with bacon and shredded cheese. Garnish with shaved Parmesan, if desired.
Nutritional Info (2 cups pasta mixture, 2 T cheese(
CALORIES 360(30% from fat); FAT 11.9g (sat 5.3g,mono 3.9g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 16.9g; CHOLESTEROL 23mg; CALCIUM 171mg; SODIUM 683mg; FIBER 5.6g; IRON 1.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46.1g
from: FillorBurst.com
Ingredients
2 Tilapia fillets
2 Portuguese rolls (or other not too hard, not too soft roll)
Blackened seasoning (Old Bay makes a nice one)
Chili powder
Cayenne pepper
Horseradish sauce
1/3 cup Light mayo
2 leaves Romaine lettuce torn
Directions
Mix mayo with cayenne pepper, chili powder and horseradish to taste. Chill. Sprinkle both sides of fillets with blackened seasoning and pan fry with a little bit of oil. Put mayo mixture on top and bottom of rolls. Place lettuce on top of roll and also bottom to keep roll from getting soggy. Place fillet between lettuce. Assemble and eat. Serve with baked or regular chips on the side.
from: Cooking Light November 2002
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup water
1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach, chopped
2 cups chopped plum tomato
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 1/2 pound)
1/4 cup chopped cooked bacon (about 2 slices)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 cups hot cooked angel hair (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded Asiago cheese
Directions
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add water and spinach; cover and cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts.
Stir in tomato, chicken, bacon, and vinegar; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Serve over pasta; sprinkle with cheese.
Nutritional Info (1 C spinach mixture, 1 C pasta, 1 T cheese(
CALORIES 350(21% from fat); FAT 8.1g (sat 2.4g,mono 2.6g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 26.4g; CHOLESTEROL 42mg; CALCIUM 153mg; SODIUM 433mg; FIBER 4.7g; IRON 4.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.7g
from: Barefoot Contessa
Ingredients
18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
For the icing:
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
To assemble:
2 half-pints blueberries
3 half-pints raspberries
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 18 x 12 x 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.
Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.
For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth.
Spread three fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe. Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing until the flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.