Another cooking adventure!

Earlier this week, I found some recipes that I was dying to try...and so, Sunday seemed like the perfect day since I would have company for lunch. :-) (Sunday is Jon's productive day at my place: laundry time. It's also the day he is guaranteed a home-cooked meal...though, it's not always something he's had before. You might could call this "guinea pig day". He's a good sport about it.

The theme of the day: apples, or something "apple" related.

I have been itching for some pork so I got some pork chops earlier this week with the intention of cooking them on Sunday for my wonderful fiancé. Yesterday, I made another run to the grocery store for some apples and applesauce once I realized I could have a theme! Haha...

So, here's what I made:

• Marinaded pork chops
• Stewed apples
• Applesauce bread

Ranch chicken

So, I'm sure that someone out there has come up with this recipe. No doubt. However, after some searching, I didn't find one like this and thus the experiment began! Unfortunately, my better half took off for Florida yesterday morning and left me here all alone so he didn't get to be the guinea pig for this recipe (he claims to enjoy it...I guess because he's getting fed and doesn't have to cook).

So, here's what I used:

• 2 chicken breasts (no, I didn't eat all, or even half of that, but it's silly not to make enough for at least 2 meals for me
• 1 cup of chicken broth (I used 1 cup of water and 1 chicken bouillon cube)
• 1/2 package of dry ranch dressing mix
• 1/2 cup of milk
• Flour as needed
• Olive oil

Here's what you do:

My twist on "aloha chicken"

There is a cookbook that I was given several years ago that has LOTS of delicious recipes in it. I haven't made nearly 1/4 of them but the ones I have tried have not been disappointing. One of my favorites is called "aloha chicken". Delicious! First I'll give you the original recipe and then I'll share my twist on it with you.


Original recipe:

Chili!

I got creative today and made chili for the first time. I didn't have a recipe (I couldn't find one I liked) so I made my own. I thought I'd share it with you so that perhaps you can enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground beef
• 2 cans of navy beans
• 2 cans of kidney beans (I used one light and one dark)
• 1 can of tomato sauce
• 1 can of stewed tomatoes
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes
• Oregano -- probably about 2 teaspoons
• Basil -- probably about 2 teaspoons
• Garlic powder (I didn't have any garlic on hand) -- probably about 2 cloves worth
• Cayenne pepper -- to taste

Restaurant review: Dan'l Boone Inn

Last weekend, I took my fiancé out for breakfast at the Dan'l Boone Inn restaurant here in Boone, North Carolina. Since my arrival in Boone for school nearly 18 months ago, I had been wanting to try this restaurant. I have heard many good things about it, especially the country ham. I was not disappointed.

This is a quaint little country style restaurant complete with country-style uniforms the staff wear. Here, the meals are family-style. You are served bowls and plates of food from which you pick and choose what you want. When a dish is emptied, your server will grab it and bring you fresh and delicious food. Anything that you can eat is yours for the taking. Here is what we were served:

Cooking, cooking...always cooking

Mom and Dad LOVE it when I come home from school on my breaks to work. Why? Because I cook. A lot. And bake. A lot. Of the few full days that I have been home, I have spent most of them (like 75% of them) in the kitchen. So, here's what I've been doing:


Hibachi chicken:
I made this for the first time a few weeks ago when I was back at school (you can find the post here). I made it for Mom and Dad...with a few leftovers for me to take to work. They seemed to enjoy it because when I got home from work the next day, there was none left.


Mint chocolate chip cookies:
Yummy! I have been enjoying making these delicious cookies for my "goodie plates" for my grandparents and my boyfriend's parents. Mom and Dad have enjoyed eating them as well. You can find the recipe for that here at AllRecipes.com. If you like mint chocolate chip ice cream, you'll like these. (By the way, the "mint" extract is peppermint extract.)


Pumpkin crunch:
This is a delicious recipe that I got from my former roommate's mom (who loves to cook...and is fantastic at it!). I couldn't tell you where she got it so I can't give the "proper" credit...but here's the recipe for that:

Japanese cuisine

This past week, I attempted to make my first Japanese meal. I have never tried to do this before now. I made a trial run on Wednesday and it turned out marvelously! The real run was today, with Jon. This is where I find out if it's a keeper or not. (He claims that it is and he'll gladly eat it again.)

So, a friend posted this recipe on her blog this week and I thought it sounded delicious. I like Japanese and Chinese cuisine -- but I'm very picky about what I will eat. Basically, my food choices are sweet and sour chicken and hibachi chicken. What I made this week and today, hibachi chicken (definitely an Americanized version...but close enough).

What you need:

• chicken
• soy sauce
• teriyaki sauce
• rice
• eggs
• vegetable oil
• veggies you might like (zucchini, squash, etc are suggestions from her -- Jon and I don't like many veggies)
• white sauce (also called seafood sauce)

How you do it:

1. Cut up chicken into bite-sized pieces. Prepare a hot skillet with vegetable oil and cook chicken half way. Then, add teriyaki sauce and simmer on low until the chicken is completely cooked. (She recommends covering the skillet while cooking in the sauce. I don't have one with a lid and it worked fine without it.)
2. Cook up the amount of rice you would like. (She recommends "day-old" rice. I made mine fresh and it worked fine.) Mix in soy sauce to taste. (Adds flavor and color to the dish.)
3. Scramble 2 eggs in a frying pan. Once finished, mix it in with the rice.

To serve it up:

• Plate some rice.
• Top with chicken.
• Top that with white sauce.

Then enjoy! I found it delicious and I hope you do the same.

Cooking and baking binge

I have said before that I love to cook and bake. My awesome boyfriend eats (so far) whatever I put in front of him so I try to attempt new things every now and again. Although I'm my worst critic, it's nice to have another opinion to say that "yes, this was terrible" or "no, you're just being silly."

Today, I went on a cooking and baking binge. And it was fun! I made something new: red potato and green bean salad. I kinda like it. It's different from the "typical" potato salad that I grew up eating (mayo or dressing base). This one has an oil and vinegar base. Different but good. I told Jon he has to try it tomorrow to see how it really tastes.

Here's a look at the finished product...yummy!

I love to cook

I really love to cook. And, thankfully, Jon likes to eat. He is rather gracious when the new recipe I am trying doesn't quite turn out right. He has eaten everything I have put before him. (Honestly, I'm amazed at that.)

Something I enjoy cooking (a genre of food, if you will) is stews and soups. Typically, they are pretty easy and end up tasting really good. I made a stew on Sunday and it turned out rather deliciously. I thought I'd share my "recipe" (of sorts). It's a rather loose recipe because I don't measure how much I put in there. (And between Jon and I, we are somewhat picky eaters...so there are only a few vegetables included in it. For what it's worth, here you go:

• Stew meat
• Potatoes
• Carrots
• Beef broth
• Tomato sauce
• Basil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Flour

First, take the stew meat and coat it in the flour. Put the meat in a lightly oiled pan on medium heat and flip after about 2 minutes and let it sit on the other side for about 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Let it cool for a few minutes and then slice the meat into smaller bits if you prefer.

Potatoes and carrots need to be peeled and sliced. These are cut into bite-size pieces for a few reasons (easier to eat...and they cook quicker). Here is where you can go two ways...

The first is cooking in a slow cooker. Put the vegetables and meat into the slow cooker. Use about 4 cups of beef broth in the cooker. I use a medium-sized can of tomato sauce. Add that at this point. Add spices to your liking. I like a lot of basil and pepper and very little salt (if any). Cook on low for about 6-8 hours, or, if you're short on time, you can cook it on high for about 4 hours.

The second and much quicker way is to cook it on the stove top. Again, add all the ingredients listed for the slow cooker method. Bring the stew to a boil and let it continue to boil for about 45 minutes to an hour and then let simmer until you are ready to eat.

If you are more of a veggie-lover, try adding some peas or green beans and part of an onion. Although, unless  you're looking for a veggie soup, I wouldn't add too many veggies.

Hope this helps you make a delicious meal that you and your family will love. Enjoy!