Cookin' With Honey Bunny

Maple Sandwich Cookies

2010-11-07T15:55:00.000-08:00

I've been dreaming about quitting the 'ol nine-to-five corporate America job and starting my own bakery. I'm not sure how feasible it is at this time in my life, but I'd like to think that in the near future I'll be able to open something in the Minneapolis area. I've received nothing but praise and compliments on the stuff I bake, so hey, why not?

I decided to try out this recipe I found on Sweet Pea's Kitchen. I buy and consume a lot of maple cookies and candies when I travel to Canada, so I figured that these would work in a pinch til I get there again. I did not have a maple leaf cookie cutter, so I used my Montreal shot glass to cut round discs out of the dough.

The problem that I had with this recipe is that 2 teaspoons of baking powder seemed like an awful lot. The point of baking powder is to have the cookies rise just enough to not make them heavy and hard. I think that the two teaspoons added to this recipe is too much. The cookies rose to fast and fell (and spread out) too much while baking. If I were to make this recipe again, I'd probably use one generous teaspoon.

Oh, they are tasty, but they didn't turn out how I expected them too. The cookie is too thin and too crispy*. The filling is delicious, but could also use a little more maple flavor. I guess trial and error could make this a really delicious cookie.

Now, on to the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoon maple extract
4 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and maple extract; beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Divide dough into two balls and flatten each ball into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough from refrigerator onto a lightly floured surface.
With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a maple leaf cookie cutter to cut out cookies, placing on prepared baking sheet.
Bake cookies in preheated oven 8-10 minutes, or until edges just start to brown.
Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 3 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
While cookies are cooling, make the filling by creaming butter in a stand mixer. Add confectioners sugar and maple syrup and beat until combined and smooth.
Using a knife or spoon, spread the filling onto the backside side of the cookie. Top with another cookie, backside down. Repeat with the remaining cookies.

Yields: 36 two-inch cookies

*I stored these in an airtight container over night and when I tried one this morning it was chewier and more maple-y tasting than last night. Maybe that's the secret?

Olive Cheese Bread

2010-10-26T19:19:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine asked me what I thought about making some bread this past weekend. I was pretty excited as I'm new to the world of bread. Our first attempt at a loaf of whole wheat beer bread turned out awesome a few weekends ago, so we wanted to experiment with something completely different. He found this wonderful recipe for Olive Cheese Bread and we made it our mission to try it.

We went to Whole Foods and purchased our bread flour, olives, and cheese. I had a few packets of yeast hanging out at home, so I brought them along to his house. We sliced up the green olives and measured out the cheese. Added flour and sour cream. He mixed up all the ingredients, greased up an enormous stock pot so it had room to grow, let it sit for 2 hours, punched it down, and waited some more. The only problem? It did not double in size.

We looked over the recipe and wondered what was wrong. Was anything wrong? Why wasn't the dough filling up the entire stock pot like we imagined? Why after 2 hours does it look like it gained a bit of a belly, but not the massive amount of girth we were expecting? We shrugged our shoulders and decided to just carry on.

Finally we put it in the oven and waited, mouths watering, enjoying the smell coming out of the kitchen.

When we decided the top was sufficiently brown and toasty, we took it out of the oven. I swear it took all of our energy not to cut into it right away. After letting it cool for what seemed like an eternity, we sliced into it.

It was delicious.

This bread did not turn out like any bread I've ever had. It was dense and moist and had so much flavor from the cheese and olives that I was pretty surprised. Spread a little butter on top of a slice and you're in heaven.

But we kept asking each other: is this how it's supposed to turn out? The photo in the recipe wasn't all that great, so it was hard to tell if it should be a dense bread or a fluffier bread. Did we not use enough flour? Was the yeast dead? Is 1/2 cup sour cream too much? We are novices when it comes to baking bread, so we had so many unanswered questions.

We've decided that it doesn't matter. This Olive Cheese Bread was so delicious just the way it turned out that we decided that yes, this is how it should be. That's how we roll.

Recipe:

1 cup of warm water

1 package of dry yeast

Teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup of sour cream

4 even cups of bread flour

1 cup each of black olives and green olives

1 bag of shredded cheddar cheese

Greased bread loaf pan

Greased large mixing bowl (stainless steel is best)

1. Dissolve your package of yeast in one cup of warm to hot water. Be sure the yeast has completely dissolved in the water before adding it to any other ingredients.

2. Adding the ingredients for making the best olive cheese loaf you have ever had is next. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, salt, sour cream, olives and the package of cheese. Mix around a bit and add yeast solution to the mixture.

3. Knead mixture until it forms a dough. Add dough to greased mixing bowl and cover with towel for about 2 hours until the dough has risen twice it's original size.

4. Punch dough in the middle to release the air that has accumulated, once it has risen after two hours of resting. Place inside greased loaf pan, cover once again for about 30 minutes and allow it to rise again.

5. Place inside 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Remove from oven, slice, and enjoy.

Awesome Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-12-29T18:35:00.000-08:00

I've been away for quite a long time, but now I'm back and sharing my recipe for awesome Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I recently purchased a KitchenAid mixer. I don't know how I survived this long without one. I love it and make almost everything with it.

My brother purchased me some awesome silicone cookie sheets for Christmas. He got them on QVC. I know I'm one of 300 people who have used them, but I have to add my two cents and say they are awesome. They were a bit stinky at first, but that smell did not carry over into the cookies. And I could care less if, down the road, they stain. That just adds flavor.

On to the recipe!*

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 cup granulated sugar (I used 3/4 cup granulated sugar)
1 cup brown sugar (I used 1 1/4 cup brown sugar)
1 cup butter or margarine, softened (i used unsalted butter)
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Place sugars, butter, eggs, and vanilla in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and flat beater to mixer. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape bowl. Turn to Speed 4 and beat about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape bowl.

Turn to Stir Speed. Gradually add baking soda, salt, and flour to sugar mixture and mix about 2 minutes. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 30 seconds. Stop mixer and scrape bowl. Add chocolate chips. Turn to Stir Speed and mix about 15 seconds.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375* F for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from baking sheets immediately and cool on wire racks.

*came with my KitchenAid mixer

Thrown Together Chicken Pot Pie/Chicken 'n Dumplings

2008-03-15T16:27:00.001-07:00

We desperately need to do some grocery shopping. I scraped together some stuff we have in our fridge and cupboards and came up with this super easy version of either chicken and biscuits or pot pie. You choose.

I based it on a recipe I found online, but made my own version. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to make this. Enjoy.

1 lb chicken breast, cut into cubes.
1 can of cream of chicken soup
Half bag of frozen corn (you could used mixed veggies, too, but corn was all I had)
1/2 cup of milk
1/4 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of chicken broth
1 can of your favorite biscuits (I used the reduced fat Grands)
salt, peper, garlic, and other spices to taste

Directions:

Heat a deep saucepan over medium heat. Add 1tbs vegetable oil and cook the chicken cubes until they are brown. Add chicken broth and simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed. Add corn and cook for about 5 minutes, or until corn is tender.
Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Pour into pan and increase heat to high. Mix thoroughly and bring to a boil. You'll want to cook this until it becomes thick, about 10 minutes.

While your chicken mixture is cooking, separate four of the 8 biscuits and press four of them into the bottom of a greased deep dish pie plate (or whatever else you have on hand - I used a roasting pan because it was all I had) and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven (biscuits will be slightly doughy) and pour chicken and corn mixture on top of baked biscuits. Use the remaining four biscuits to top the chicken mixture. Place back into oven for another 15 minutes. Cook until biscuits are brown on top.

Enjoy!

Eggplant Parmesan

2007-10-28T07:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I made the most delicious eggplant parmesan I've ever tasted. I've never actually made it before, so I was super proud of the way it turned out. It's not as good as my grannie's eggplant parm, but it's pretty damn good.

The first thing I did was cut the eggplant in thin slices. Since it was the first time I'd ever made it, I was unsure of how long it would take to cook. So I figured the thinner the better.

Then I whisked together two eggs, 2 tbs of milk, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. I also mixed about 1 1/2 cups of italian breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese together in a shallow dish. I then dredged the eggplant in the egg wash and then coated each piece in the breadcrumb mixture.

I fried up the eggplant slices in a hot (but not too hot!) frying pan coated in olive oil. I cooked each piece for about 3 minutes on each side, or until they were crispy and brown. Keep in mind that the eggplant absorbs a lot of the oil, so you may have to add more oil as you go.

After you fry up all the pieces, lay them overlapping in the bottom of a nonstick baking pan. I only own this roast pan, but it works just the same.

After you've put one layer of eggplant in the bottom of the baking dish, spread on a generous layer of your favorite spaghetti sauce and about a handful of your favorite brand of mozzarella cheese.
Layer the remaining eggplant on top of the cheese and sauce and then cover that layer with more sauce and cheese. Bake in the over at 375 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Or, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

So, in one hour I went from having an eggplant and other various ingredients sitting on my counter to this...a warm, bubbly, delicious dinner. It turned out so delicious that I know I will make it again soon. I split it up into freezable portions so I'll have it ready to eat when I get home from work. This was a very cheap and very easy meal. If I break it down, it cost me about $5 for all the ingredients. That's pretty good, especially since I'll be eating this for at least a week.

Krups Ice Cream Maker

2007-10-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

My awesome Mother In Law bought me a Krups Ice cream Maker for my birthday last week. I've been too busy to try it until today. Ironically, it's about 60 degrees in my apartment. Not exactly ice cream weather. But I wanted to try it out anyway.

I decided that my first ice cream recipe would be a simple cream/half-n-half/sugar base. If this turns out well I will try more of a custard base with egg yolks and the whole nine yards.

I froze the ice cream bucket for well over a day. It recommends no less than 24 hours in order to have a successful batch of ice cream made. I used the following ingredients:

I made sure to mix the ingredients super well so all the sugar was dissolved.

The assembly of the machine is super easy. I read some reviews on Amazon.com about how people found that the paddle didn't stay in or the top didn't fit on. Or worse, that the motor didn't snap into place right. But I had none of these problems. I don't even think this machine is very loud. In fact, the kitchen is just 10 steps away and I can't hear it. You can hear it in this video because, well, I'm right on top of it:

After about 25-30 minutes, the paddle switched directions. That's the signal that the ice cream has finished. I poured in three chopped peanut butter cups to the mix. They weren't enough to make any difference in the taste of the ice cream, but it was tasty anyway. The final product is like a soft serve consistency:

I spooned it into a tupperware container and put it back in the freezer. In about 4 hours it should firm up and taste a little better. I already washed all the parts and stuck the bucket back in the freezer in case I want to make another batch later on. I mean, really. Home made ice cream in 30 minutes? How can you beat that?

So far, I love this little machine. It's small, quiet, and I had no troubles putting it together. I want to make all sorts of new and exciting flavors of ice cream. The big problem I'm having is actually waiting the 45 minutes until I can try it and see how it tastes!

Enormous Delicious Fudge Brownies

2007-07-11T12:47:00.000-07:00

For those of you who read this blog regularly, you know that 1) I love to bake and 2) I tend to stick with pre-packaged cake or brownie mixes. For the longest time I've been telling myself that it's just easier that way. Until today, that is.

I love food. I love desserts more. I really want to work at a bakery or restaurant. But what kind of place would want me, a woman, who uses pre-packaged mixes? So I decided to ditch the mix and make a pan of delicious brownies from scratch.

I am so glad I did. They took the same amount of time that a packaged mix would, but taste infinitely more delicious. I used the Wuolett Enormous Brownies recipe from their website. Here it is:

In a glass mixing bowl, combine:

• 3/4 - cups melted Butter
• 4 - squares un-sweetened baking Chocolate
Microwave Butter and Chocolate until melted (on high about 2 minutes)

Add:

• 2 - cups Sugar, then mix
• 3 - large Eggs, then mix
• 1 - tsp. Vanilla
• 1 - cup Flour, then mix
• 1 - cup large Walnut pieces and chunks of premium-grade Bar Chocolate (Gently fold in – don't over-mix)

Stir Sugar into Chocolate until well blended - stir in Eggs and Vanilla, mix in Flour, stir in Nuts and Bar Chocolate. Pour into a 9x13 buttered baking dish and bake 30-35 minutes and 350° (325° in glass pan), until toothpick in center comes out with fudgy crumbs (do not over-bake).

I had to bake them about 45 minutes, but that's because my oven stinks. I let them cool for about 20 minutes and then I dug in. OMG these are the most delicious brownies I've ever tasted. They are not too sweet but totally soft and chewy.

And to think I made them with my own two hands! And the best part is that they probably cost less per pan than the pre-packaged-nuts-included kind you can get at the grocery store.

I'm never making packaged brownies again. Now I have to cut them up into squares and freeze half of them. If I don't, my husband will eat them all in one sitting and all my work will be gone in a flash.

Baked Crab Rangoons

2006-12-31T17:43:00.000-08:00

I'm obviously bored because the oven is on and I just HAD to make something. So I decided to try the Baked Crab Rangoon recipe I found in the Kraft Food & Family mag. OMG DELISH! Here's the recipe:

1 can (6oz) white crabmeat
4oz (half a block) of cream cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (I didn't have any, so I didnt use them)
1/4 cup Mayo
12-24 Won ton wrappers

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix crabmeat, cram cheese, onions, and mayo.

Spray 12 (I don't know why the recipe says it makes 12, when it clearly makes 24 or more) mini muffin cups with cooking spray. gently place one won ton wrapper in each cup, allowing edges of wrappers to extend above sides of cups. Fill evenly with crabmeat mixture.

Bake 18-20 minutes or until edges are golden brown and filling is heated through. Serve warm. garnish with chopped onion if desired.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with White Chocolate Peppermint Buttercream Icing

2006-12-23T16:22:00.001-08:00

Red Velvet Cupcakes with White Chocolate Peppermint Buttercream Icing
Originally uploaded by thehoneybunny.

I wanted to try something different to bring to my in-laws house for Christmas tomorrow. What better time to make red velvet cupcakes, right?

The batter sure looks scary in that picture, but trust me, it tastes great. I used a Cupcake Doctor recipe and tweaked it a little because I didn't have German Chocolate mix in the house. I also didn't have food dye. But I DID have a box of red velvet cake, so I used that.

Here's the recipe:

24 paper liners for cupcake pans
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain German chocolate cake mix (I used a Red Velvet Cake Mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix (I used Chocolate pudding mix)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring (of course, you'd omit this if you're using Red Velvet cake mix)
3 large eggs
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips ( I used regular size chips, since it was all I had)

White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting (see below)

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.

2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, water, oil, food coloring, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.

3. Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 3 cups, enough to frost 24 cupcakes (2 1/2 inch size) generously (although I found that it only frosted about 18 cupcakes, so keep that in mind)

6 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used white chocolate chips)
4 ounces (half an 8-ounce package) reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 to 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1. Place the white chocolate in a small glass bowl in the microwave oven on high power for 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the oven and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until it is smooth. Set the chocolate aside to cool.

2. Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until well combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine. Add the melted white chocolate and blend on low speed until just combined, 30 seconds. Add the peppermint extract and 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar and blend on low until the sugar is incorporated, 30 seconds more. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the frosting is fluffy, 1 minute more, adding up to 1/2 cup more sugar if needed to make a spreadable consistency.

3. Frost cupcakes however you like. I piped it on top of each cupcake to look snowy and festive. You could put sprinkles or crushed peppermints on top if you wish, too. I like them just like this.

4. ENJOY!

Jeanne's Awesome Mac and Cheese

2006-12-17T14:00:00.000-08:00

My Mom always made mac and cheese from scratch and we always loved it. Since I'm home today in an apartment with no heat (ack!), I decided to try making my own version. Keep in mind that The Griffins are cheese lovers, so we always have a ton of different cheeses in the fridge. Here's how it's done:

INGREDIENTS

* 1 (16 ounce) package shell macaroni
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
* 1/2 can milk
* 1 generous handful shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1 handful mexican style shredded cheese
* 2 slices Muenster cheese
* 1 slice American cheese
* 1 tbs spicy brown mustard (this is the secret ingredient!)
* parmesan cheese to your liking
* salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.

2. In the same pot you used to cook the macaroni, stir in the can of cheese soup and one half can of milk (whole milk is the best) under medium heat. Whisk together until smooth, about 2 minutes.

3. Add cheeses one at a time, making sure to whisk each until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add drained pasta back into cheese sauce and mix gently. Transfer macaroni and cheese into a casserole dish and sprinkle top with parmasan cheese.

5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until cheese is brown and bubbly.

6. Enjoy!

Gifts for Foodies/Food Lovers!

2006-12-13T14:54:00.000-08:00

Here's my friend Tammy modeling the foodie skull t-shirt that she purchased from my cafepress store. When she sent this to me today, I could hardly contain my joy. Seriously...I wept a little. It's just a little overwhelming seeing your design come to life and proudly worn by someone! I think the shirt looks awesome, the design looks awesome, and I'm so thankful for friends who support me and my big ideas.

For reference, Tammy is wearing the Women's Foodie Skull Dark T-Shirt in a 2X. She says the fit and feel of the shirt are great...and I believe her :)

So, yeah...this is a very proud moment for me. It might not seem like a big deal to most, but to me, it's overwhelming. I'm very proud of myself, for sure.

If you're looking for creative gifts for this holiday season, check out cafepress.com.

Cafepress store (dark)

Cafepress store (light)

Super Delicious Sweet Potatoes

2006-11-24T08:14:00.000-08:00

Here's a new recipe I tried this Thanksgiving. If you like sweet potatoes, I suggest giving this a try.

Smushed Apples and Sweet Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

* 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1/4 cup white sugar (I used brown sugar)
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
* 1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored and sliced (I used a HoneyCrisp, because it was all I had)
* 1/8 cup milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the sweet potato in a medium saucepan and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
2. Melt butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Mix in the sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Add the apple slices, cover, and let simmer for 5 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Mix the apple mixture into the drained sweet potatoes along with the milk. Mix well using an electric mixer or just a fork until potatoes are mashed.

source

Bacon Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Chicken

2006-11-18T18:01:00.000-08:00

The Griffins usually have a kitchen full of groceries that allow endless possiblites when it comes to fixing meals. As of late, we haven't had the time or money to purchase anything. Sad, I know. So tonight I decided to go through the last of the remaining "stuff" in our cupboards and came up with this. Bacon Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Chicken. Totally delicious, but so bad for you. The sauce is so rich it should almost be illegal to consume! I'm sure if I used low-fat, low-sodium ingredients it wouldn't be so bad. But like I said, I can only use what I had.

INGREDIENTS

* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 4 slices bacon (it's best to cook this a bit before assembling)
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
* 1 teaspoon garlic pwder
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
* 1/2 cup sour cream plus 1/8 cup
* 1/8 cup shredded cheese of your choice
* 1/2 cup milk (I didn't have milk so I used half&half)
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 pinch salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Pound the chicken breasts until flat. Mix the 1/8 cup sour cream and 1/8 cup cheese in a bowl. Add a pinch of the garlic powder and mix. Spoon this mixture onto the middle of each breast and roll up. Wrap each rolled breast with 1 slice of bacon and secure with toothpicks. Place in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. In a medium bowl, combine condensed soup, sour cream, milk, lemon juice, garlic powder, pepper and salt. Mix until smooth, then pour over chicken.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until no longer pink and juices run clear.
5. Enjoy alone, or with egg noodles.

Super Easy Apple Crisp

2006-11-01T19:49:00.000-08:00

I decided to use up the last of the (delicious!) Honey Crisp apples before they went bad. I was craving apple crisp so I decided to make some. I'll be the only one eating it because Phillip doesn't enjoy it like I do. His loss, for sure!

INGREDIENTS:
5 cups thinly sliced apples
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats (I used one cup of Quick Cooking Oats and it turned out just fine)
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I didn't have nutmeg, but I DID have pie spice, so I used that)
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup butter, softened

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Toss apples with lemon juice and water in a shallow 2 quart baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, nutmeg, and salt. Mix to blend thoroughly. Cut in the butter or margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in walnuts. Crumble over apples to cover completely.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until top is lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

OMG, this is one of the best apple crisps I've ever tasted. It's not as crunchy as some, but it's not soggy in the least. I think I baked it for 1 hour, instead of the 45 minutes. Also, I used an 8"x8" Corning dish.

Try it, you'll LOVE it!

Tasty Low Fat Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Pie(s)

2006-06-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

My mom used to make this dessert for us when it was blazing hot out. Of course, there was no such thing as "light" Cool Whip or "low fat" yogurt back then. Of course, this tastes just as good if you want u use the full fat versions. The choice is yours!

Here's what you'll need:

2 (8 ounce) containers strawberry flavored yogurt
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup strawberries, finely chopped
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust (or six little pie crusts like I used)

Here's what you do:

1. Mix yogurt with 3 and 1/2 cups of the dessert topping until blended.
Sweeten the strawberries, if necessary. Mix in the strawberries.
Spoon into crust or crusts, which ever you prefer.

2. Freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight, if possible, until it's firm.

3. Remove from freezer and top with remainder of dessert topping. Store in
freezer.

ENJOY!!

Double Lemon Poppy Seed Cheesecake Muffins

2006-05-18T11:36:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd try out this recipe today. I cut it in half since I wasn't sure if I'd like them or not. I didn't want 12 muffins laying around if they were icky.

Ingredients (for a half batch):

1/4 block of cream cheese at room temp.

1/8 cup sugar

1 teaspoon of lemon zest

1 package (7 oz) lemon poppy seed muffin mix. I used the "just add milk" kind.

1/2 milk

Directions:

Mix together cream cheese, sugar, and lemon zest until creamy and fluffy. I just used a fork instead of hauling out the electric mixer for such a small amount. In a separate bowl, mix together muffin batter as directed on package. Fill muffin cups 1/3 full with muffin batter and then spoon about 1 tsp of the cream cheese mix on top of batter. Place in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until brown on top.

These muffins are seriously delicious! The cream cheese mixture tastes heavenly, and almost like you're eating lemon cheesecake. I will definitely be making these again.

Luciously Cheesy Artichoke Dip

2006-05-13T13:56:00.000-07:00

Ever since my friend Tammy catered my wedding reception, I've loved artichoke dip. She made a delicious version with crabmeat and cheese and...mmmm! I've had some artichoke dips out in restaurants in the last 6 months, too. That's how much I love it.

So today I decided to make my own so I can have it whenever I want. I got a recipe from Allrecipies.com, but modified it a great deal. Here's what I came up with:

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1/4 cup mayonnaise (although I used a little less. I've got a bit of a phobia when it comes to Mayo. I know, call me crazy)
* 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 cup grated Parmasan cheese
* 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (because I didn't have fresh garlic on hand)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl, mix together artichoke hearts, sour cream, mayonnaise, cream cheese, Parmasan cheese, Mozzerella cheese, and garlic. Transfer to a baking dish.
3. Bake until heated through and bubbly, about 30-35 minutes.
4. Enjoy with celery sticks, carrot sticks, crusty bread, or Tortilla chips.

Yeilds: 3 cups.

SO DELICIOUS!

Cheesecake Cupcakes

2006-03-25T13:28:00.000-08:00

Made with No Bake Cheesecake. Instead of putting it in a pie plate like suggested, I decided to make them in my favorite silicone muffin molds. They turned out awesome. I thought they would fall apart when I took them out of the mold, but they totally held their shape. I kept them in the fridge overnight. They are delicious.

Comfort Food Day

2006-03-22T10:21:00.000-08:00

I'm having a downer of a day, so I decided to make everyone's favorite treat: Rice Krispie Squares!

Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats Original
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 package (10 oz. about 40) regular marshmallows
or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal

1. Melt margarine in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cut into 2-inch squares when cool. Best if served the same day.

I used my new silicone muffin cups to make things a bit easier.

Phillip will be so excited when he gets home. He loves Rice Krispie treats!

World's Ugliest Cupcake

2006-03-19T19:06:00.000-08:00

dark chocolate black bottom cupcakes with caramel frosting.

I know this cupcake doesn't look all that appealing, but it's so unbelievably tasty you don't even know.

I used a dark chocolate cake mix as the base. I mixed cream cheese, powdered sugar, and caramel & chocolate swirl chips together. I don't know the measurements since I just mixed to taste.

Fill the cupcake tins about 3/4 full. Drop about a teaspoon of the 'black bottom' cream cheese mix on top of each cupcake. Bake for about 20 minutes (ovens will vary, so keep an eye on them). When the tops are dry and the cake springs back, they are done.

Let them cool completely and then frost with caramel frosting. These cupcakes are seriously sweet already, so I didn't want to use all that much frosting. But of course, you can use as little or as much as you like.

Enjoy!

Cherry Cobbler!

2006-03-18T18:11:00.000-08:00

Quick and Easy Cherry Cobbler

1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling (i added about a half cup of crushed pineapple because i like the flavors together)
1 cup Bisquick
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar i used 2tbs
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
more sugar or cinnamon sugar, to sprinkle over dumplings
whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Spread pie filling in buttered 1 1/2-quart baking dish i used an 8x8 pyrex dish. Place in a cold oven; heat to 400° then continue to bake for 10 minutes. Remove baking dish from oven. While pie filling is baking, combine remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl; stir until well blended. With a tablespoon, drop dough onto hot pie filling (about 6 dumplings). Sprinkle each dumpling with a little more sugar (i used cinnamon sugar). Put dish back in the oven and continue to bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until topping is nicely browned. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream of a dollop of cool whip.

Delicious!

Mrs. Griffin's Best Smashed Potatoes

2006-02-17T14:21:00.000-08:00

for some strange reason, i got a craving for mashed potatoes this afternoon. i didn't want to make a lot, but just enough for me now and some for later. here's what i did:

fill a pot (or in my case, a saucepan) full of water and bring to a boil. when it's boiling, add a few pinches of salt.

wash, peel and cut into thin-ish chunks three small russett potatoes.

add potatoes to the boiling water. simmer for 10-12 minutes.

drain potatoes and add a tablespoon or two of milk and butter.
Smash, smash, smash! and then SMASH some more!

transfer to a bowl or plate and enjoy! i like sour cream and some bac-os on mine. :)

Choco Choco House

2006-01-08T17:59:00.000-08:00

the food network' s Sugar Rush is doing a piece on the choco choco house based here in boston (ok, well somerville, but the same thing). she's got some really cute ideas, although they are a really too girlie for me. but check out the website anyway. she has to have a crapload of patience to make those little chocolate treats, that's for sure. no wonder they are so expensive!

Ring in the New Year With Weenies!

2006-01-01T09:11:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Make the resolution to cook cocktail weenies at least once in 2006, ok?

Long Time, No Meal!

2005-07-23T20:37:00.000-07:00

i know i've been absent from this blog for a while. trust me, i've got a ton of meals that i have to post. i just haven't had any time to myself.

but tonight i had a craving for stuffed mushrooms, which is super weird because i HATE mushrooms! the only time i'll eat mushrooms is if they are raw and sliced and in a salad. but i was flipping through a cookbook about a week ago, looking for recipes for the wedding, and i saw one for stuffed mushrooms. of course, i returned the book to the library before writing the recipe down, so i had to go by memory.

and since i was working on memory, i didn't want to make too many in case i got it wrong. so i only made four. i didn't measure anything, so please bear with me.

here's what i used:

large white mushrooms from whole foods

organic cream cheese at room temperature

plain bread crumbs (although i think italian would taste better)

butter

oilve oil

garlic powder

italian seasoning

parmesan cheese

PAM cooking spray

here's what i did

i mixed a little bit of all the ingredients together. i have no idea how much i used. i used a scoop of cream cheese, parm cheese, about a palm full of bread crumbs, a tiny bit of butter, a dash of garlic powder and italian seasoning, etc. i just mixed in what i thought would look/taste good.

i bought some white mushrooms at whole foods tonight. i washed them off and then hollowed out the middle after snapping off the stems.

i then lightly brushed the mushrooms with the olive oil and then stuffed the mushrooms with the mixture i made.

i sprayed them real quick with some PAM. i put them on some aluminum foil and baked them for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. i've never made these before, but i was trying to remember what the recipe said as well as how my grannie makes them. 20 minutes seemed like enough time. you don't want to over cook these or they will be mushy (i'm sure).

they smell SO GOOD when they come out of the oven.

let them cool for about 5 minutes before eating. these were DELISH! and i don't even LIKE mushrooms!

I'm So Proud!

2005-06-06T14:06:00.000-07:00

phillip cooked himself dinner the other night!

now, this might sound like no big deal, but he is not an oven man. he's strictly a microwave man.

so when i saw that he was cooking himself some chicken nuggets in the oven, i had to take a picture to mark this great day in history!

Dump Cake

2005-05-30T16:03:00.000-07:00

the name of this cake might turn you off, but trust me, it's the easiest, most delicious cake ever. it gets it's name from the fact that you dump all the ingredients in the pan. no mixing, no measuring, no nothin'.

here's what you need:

one can crushed pineapple
one can cherry pie filling. this is very important. you don't want a can of cherries, you want the pie filling.
one box of vanilla cake mix
1/2 stick of butter or margarine.

here's what you do:

open both cans of fruit. dump the cherries in the bottom of a ungreased glass pan, making sure you cover the bottom. dump the pineapple right on top of the cherries, covering the bottom layer.

remember...this isn't a pretty cake, so it doesn't have to look beautiful.

then sprinkle the vanilla cake mix on top of the pineapple. again, this can just be dumped on. don't worry about the lumps!

cut up the butter or margarine into small pieces. if you'd rather shred the butter using a cheese grater, go for it. this is what my mom used to do when i was a kid. i don't have a grater, so i had to cut the butter into little chunks.

spread the chunks over the top of the cake mix. remember, it doesn't have to look pretty!

put the cake in a preheated 350 degree oven. cook for about 20-25 minutes or untill the cake is brown and the cherries bubble at the side. the liquid in the pineapple and cherries makes the cake moist and the butter gives the cake a crumbly topping. you don't want to overcook it though. just enough to brown the cake mix on top.

this cake tastes delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. or cool-whip, whatever you prefer!

dig in!

New Restaurant Review - Trattoria Toscana

2005-05-18T17:28:00.000-07:00

Phillip and i have had dinner there twice since it opened a few weeks ago. the first time was great, the second time, even better. i'm notoriously picky when it comes to italian food, because most of the time i figure i can just make it at home and spare myself the grief of getting a dish that i can't stomach. but this place...

the first dish i got was rigatoni in a pesto shrimp sauce. it was so delicious. i'm super picky about my pasta (it has to be al dente) and this place got it perfect. the pesto wasn't overly garlic-y either, which was excellent. phillip had the lasagna bolognese, and he said it was the most delicious lasagna he's had in years. very cheesy with just the right amount of sauce.

tonight we went for dinner again. i ordered the tortellini and prosciutto in a cream sauce. oh man. it was incredible and totally reminded me of sunday dinners at my grandparents house. the tortelini was cooked al dente as well and the prosciutto was done just right (and there wasn't TOO much of it. sometimes that can be overwhelming). phillip had the spaghetti with cherry tomatoes. he's very picky about his spaghetti, too. usually he likes a TON of sauce on it. this dish comes with no sauce, just the tomatoes. and it was so good, he kept commenting on it. i had a bite of it and yes, it was delicious.

the place is small, but very clean and inviting. it would be a great place to go on a romantic date for two. the waitstaff was very pleasant and attentive. we did not order wine, since we weren't in the mood for it, but they do have a small list of wines. they also have italian pasteries for dessert, but we didn't order any. maybe next time.

i seriously recommend Trattoria Toscana if you like dishes from northern italy. the price is reasonable, the service is great, and the food is out of this world.

Trattoria Toscana (across from Brown Sugar)
130 Jersey Street
Boston, MA 02215
Phone: 617-247-9508

Meatless Meatballs and Ziti

2005-05-15T17:12:00.000-07:00

since phillip works nights (A LOT) i'm left cooking for one. in the past, i'd run to mcdonalds or the pizza place to grab something fast. but that's obviously not good for me (or anyone) so i had to stop. in fact, today is the one year anniversary of me being McDonalds Free! i haven't set foot in a McDonalds for one whole year! i decided to give up fast foods (mcdonalds in particular) after seeing the movie Super Size Me. i have not been in a wendy's in a year, either. but i won't lie. on two occasions over the past year i bought 2 fish sandwiches from Burger King. i just had a craving and i couldn't get rid of it till i had one. but 2 times in a year ain't bad! so i'm happy to say that i can live the rest of my life without McDonalds!

ok, on to tonight's dinner.

since i am cooking for one, i decided to cook up some pasta. the only choices we had in the house were angelhair or ziti. i chose the ziti. so i cooked up some ziti and heated up some sauce. i then threw in some of these awesome meatless meatballs i found at whole foods today:

they are really good. i popped them in the oven for 10 minutes and then added them to the sauce. after about 3 minutes (and when the pasta was ready) i tossed it all together and, voila!

sorry i didn't take a picture of it before i dug in. it just smelled so good that i couldn't wait!

Baked Scallops

2005-04-25T17:21:00.000-07:00

DP-
thanks for the baked scallops recipe! they were delicious!

Stoneyfield Farms

2005-04-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

i LOVE Stonyfield Farms Organic Smoothies. LOVE THEM! thye are sweet and creamy and taste like this yogurt that i used to eat when i was a kid (i don't remember the name of it) every day after school. they aren't cheap though, (about $1.80 for a 10oz bottle) but sooooo worth it.

i love them so much that i decided to try the same smoothie only in their "light" variety.

not as good.

it's not as thick or creamy tasting. but it does have 130 calories, 0g fat, 0g Saturated and Trans fats, and 0g cholesterol, as opposed to 250 calories, 3g of fat, 2g Saturated fat, 10g cholesterol that's in the regular kind.

the good thing about stoneyfield farms smoothies is that there's the healthy bacteria in all of them that regular yogurt doesn't have. and they are all organic.

i will buy these again, because they are yummy, just not as yummy as the regular ones. and it's a good thing that there's a coupon i can use toward buying more smoothies :)

Drumsticks and Pasta

2005-04-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

phillip and i love chicken. we could eat it every day and not get sick of it. it's a good thing i know how to make chicken in a variety of different ways. but i'm sure if i only knew how to make it one way, we'd still love it.

shaws had chicken legs on sale last week, so i bought a package of them. you can leave the skin on or take it off. which ever you prefer. i left it on because phillip likes the skin. this was a really quick and easy dinner to make. a great idea if you're running short on time.

here's what you'll need

chicken legs of any size
shake and bake chicken flavor seasoning
pasta of your choice. we decided on annie's natural macaroni and cheese.
vegetable of your choice. we chose corn.

here's what to do:

make sure that your chicken is defrosted before starting. i'm sure you could cook frozen chicken, but that would take a long time, i'm sure.

boil your water for the mac and cheese. while that is on the stove, open the can (or prepare if fresh) of vegetables and empty into a microwave safe bowl. set aside.

follow the directions on the shake-and-bake box. empty contents into the special bag. add your chicken.

now shake it up!

when all pieces of chicken are coated, place them on a lined cookie sheet. or you can use a cake pan like i have done. the reason i'm not using a cookie sheet is because i don't have one. don't worry, i've added 'cookie sheet' to the wedding registry list :)

place the chicken in the oven. cook as directed on the shake and bake pacakge. just remember, the juices should run clear and there should be no pink left in the chicken. if there is, you will need to cook it more. because no one likes salmonella!

when the water has come to a boil, add the pasta. cook till desired. while the pasta is cooling, place your veggies in the microwave and cook for 2 minutes. when the pasta has finished, drain and follow instructions on the back of the package. some mac and cheese brands call for a lot of butter and milk. annies does not. so make sure you read before proceeding.

when the chicken is ready, remove from oven. it smells so delicious, you'll want to eat it right on the spot. but don't! let the chicken stand for a minute or two to cool. spoon the pasta and the veggies onto each plate. make sure you use normal sized plate so you don't crowd your food.

Dig In!

Scallops

2005-04-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

i just made the most delicious scallops i've ever had. it's just me tonight for dinner, since phillip works late. sometimes that's a good thing, because i'm able to cook seafood while he's at work. phillip hates any kind of fish. and there's no getting him to eat it, no matter what.

so i made a quick, easy, and light dinner for myself.

here's what you need (this is for one serving):

1/4 lb scallops, any size (i used the tiny ones because they were on sale)
1Tbs butter
dash of garlic powder
dash of salt
two cups of egg noodles

here's what i did
boil water for the egg noodles.

heat a skillet till it's hot. melt the butter in the pan, when it's almost all melted, add the garlic powder and salt.

add the scallops to the pan. make sure you cook them well. i tend to over-cook mine, but i like them that way. you'll know that they are thoroughly cooked when they are white. there should be no pink showing. if you over-cook them, you'll know. because they will brown :)

when the water has boiled, add the egg noodles. when they have cooked to your liking (i like mine al dente), drain and put back into the large bowl you used to cook them in.

add the scallops to the noodles and toss together.

add more salt or garlic if you like.

serve and eat!

it might look bland, but it isn't. very quick and great for those of you who enjoy scallops.

Tacos!

2005-04-10T12:15:00.000-07:00

i know it's been a while since i've posted anything to this blog. my hard drive died about 3 weeks ago and i lost everything i had. a true bummer. but it's best to get back on track and post what i DO have.

so todays feature is TACOS!

phillip and i are not fans of mexican food, but we do enjoy tacos every now and then. actually, the last time we had them was about two years ago, so i guess we enjoy them more on the "then" side than now.

here's what you need to make awesomely delicious tacos:

one pound of ground beef. i use the leanest meat i can find, because all the grease from the fat freaks me out. and if you want, you can also use ground turkey or chicken.

any brand of taco shells, or if you like, tortillas for the soft taco choice. i chose old el paso because they were on sale.

one packet of taco seasoning. you can choose whatever spiciness level you want. because i'm a weiner and can't handle spices, i chose mild. also from old el paso because it was on sale.

garnishes: everyone is different, so you can top your tacos with whatever you'd like. we like lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes. i've put black olives on my tacos before and that was pretty yummy.

sauces: again, because i'm a wuss, i bought the mild taco sauce. i got the ortega kind because it was on sale at the time. i also like to put sour cream on my tacos as well.

what you need to do:
place the ground beef in a large skillet. brown the meat until there is no more pink/red color in it. you never want to undercook your meat because you might get salmonella or E-coli poisioning. and no one wants that.

while the meat is browning, you can prepare the garnishes for your tacos. we chose lettuce, tomato, and cheese. chop up the lettuce in either strips or chunks, the tomatoes into chunks, and if you like to shred your own cheese, do so now. we take the easy way out and buy it pre packaged.

after the garnishes are ready, open the taco shells and put them on a cookie sheet. this is optional, but if you warm them in the oven for about 5 minutes on a low setting, they are crispier.

after the meat is thorougly cooked, drain any extra fat there may be in your skillet. since i buy the 3% fat ground beef, the fat burns off so there's no need to drain. after draining the meat, add the taco seasoning to the beef. always read the directions on the back of the package. this brand calls for 1+ cups water to be added with the mix and beef.

coat the meat with the mix and cook for about 3 minutes more. remove from heat and spoon into a seperate bowl.

remove shells from oven if you haven't already done so. place the garnished, meat, shells, and sauces on the table, making it easier for everyone to spoon as much or as little into their tacos as they want. personally, the taco sauce and sour cream are my favorite parts.

now it's time to eat!

if you're weird like me, you don't eat your taco with two hands. you mush everything up onto your plate like a salad. i don't know why i do it this way. to me, tacos taste better like this.

if you're NOT weird like me, you will pick one up and eat it the normal way. check phillip out! he knows how to do it!

verdict? tacos are awesome. especially when you make them yourself. enjoy!

Comments

2005-02-17T09:38:00.000-08:00

i fixed the comment problem. feel free to post as you wish :)

Breakfast - Eggs and Bacon

2005-02-13T11:36:00.000-08:00

it's no secret. breakfast is my favorite meal. i could eat breakfast food for every meal. Unfortunately, it's not so good for you. but one can wish it was.

phillip and i had the day off, so i decided to make us breakfast. i looked in the fridge and we had the following: eggs, bacon, cheese, bagels, and cream cheese. oh, and coffee. and don't forget tea. phillip likes tea; i like coffee.

How To Make Scrambled Eggs and Bacon

here's what you need:

bacon. we like the maple flavored kind.

eggs

cheese of your choice. the only thing i had was american, but you can use whatever you'd like.

bagels

cream cheese

coffee or tea or both

frying pan

mixing bowl

what you need to do:
grab a frying pan and place it on the stove. turn on the heat, or if you're luckier than i am, the gas. get it hot. then lay as many bacon strips as needed in the pan. i don't recommend eating bacon every day, but once in a while is ok. fry it to your liking. we like it really crispy, so all the fat is fried off.

when you've finished frying the bacon, you should probably dispose of the bacon grease. if you are frying eggs, i guess you could use the grease like my mom used to. actually, don't. memories of that kind of turn my stomach. anyway, dispose of the grease and wash out the frying pan. or just get a new one if you want to. make sure it's non-stick.

if you're making coffee, make sure you start it now so it's ready when the eggs are done. put a pot of water on for tea. or, if you're like us, put a mug of water in the microwave it :)

grab as many eggs as needed as well as the cheese. more people, more eggs and cheese.

crack the eggs into the bowl. cut up the cheese and put it in the bowl as well. whisk together the eggs and cheese. you can add salt and pepper to taste if you wish.

when the eggs are whisked together, pour the eggs and cheese into the heated nonstick frying pan. make sure that the heat isn't too high or you'll burn the eggs.

as the eggs heat, gently fold the eggs over on themselves, making sure to work from the outside in. eggs don't take very long to cook, so make sure you don't leave the stove for any length of time. if you do, you'll have burnt, dried out eggs. and no one wants that!

after the eggs have cooked, remove them from stove and put aside. place a bagel in the toaster. when it pops up, spread cream cheese on it. repeat for as many people you are cooking for. of course, if you don't want a bagel, you can skip it.

place the eggs, bacon, and bagel on a plate and serve it up. pour the coffee or tea and serve it as well. doesn't that look great? dig in!

Dinner - Turkey Pot Pies and Salad

2005-02-07T19:30:00.000-08:00

last night phillip and i were pretty tired from working all day. working on sundays bites, but at least we get paid time and a half. that's really the only good thing about working on sundays.

also, last night was the superbowl. we are not football fans (i like baseball and phillip likes soccer) so we didn't have the TV tuned into the game. we could hear people screaming every few minutes, so we assumed that the patriots were winning. anyway, we were too lazy to go out to eat and i was too tired to make something extravagant, so we decided on turkey pot pies and salad.

here's what you need for turkey pot pie and salad:

two frozen turkey pot pies (more or less for whomever you're cooking for). we like Pepperidge Farm® Pot Pies because the crust is tastier than others out there. plus, the veggies are crisp and not mushy like others.

some aluminum foil

an oven

lettuce of your choice. we like the salad-in-a-bag you can get at your local grocery store. it's a time saver and less messy. i like to throw in some baby carrots for the crunch. actually, it's so phillip gets more vitamins in his system, but let's pretend i do it for the crunch.

bac-os- if you're hardcore like us.

salad dressing of your choice. the only thing i had on hand was ranch. mmmm...ranch dressing. but you can pick whatever you'd like.

what you need to do:

preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

put a strip of aluminum foil around the outside of the pot pies. this keeps the crust from burning AND having the gravy drip all over the inside of your stove.

when you've got the foil on the pies and the stove is heated, pop those puppies in and set your timer for one hour.

listen to your tummy grumble.

prepare the salads:
--- put a handful of salad each in two bowls (less or more, depending on how many are eatin' with you).
--- put some carrots or other veggies in the salad.
--- sprinkle bac-os on top.
--- leave the salad dressing off because you never know how much each person likes. personally, i like a lot. phillip, not so much.

while you're waiting for the pies to cook:

talk to your loved ones about the weather, politics, sports, or how you hate your boss. whatever you choose, make sure you distract them from the fact that it takes an HOUR for the pies to cook

set the table

pour some drinks. remember: drink responsibly!

do the leftover dishes from the night before

watch bad tv

listen to your tummy grumble

breathe in the awesome smell of cooking turkey pot pies and try not to drool

when the hour is up, you will have awesome, delicious, perfect pot pies like this:

CAUTION!

pot pies will be HOT! you might want to suggest eating the salad first while the pies cool. no one likes a burnt tongue, do we?

there's nothing better than enjoying a meal with the ones you love. food is meant to be enjoyed. if you don't get pleasure out of cooking and eating, why bother?