What to do with this Zucchini...

G. and I have been quite busy lately and we didn't get home until 8 o'clock pm on night and I was starving.  Instead of munching on something bad for me I decided to go to the refrigerator.  I am someone who will open the refrigerator and stare inside... hoping that something I want will jump out at me.  Then I will close it, walk around the apartment, open it again and keep staring.  However, this time was different, the zucchini that was in the refrigerator fell on my foot.  So I decided... why not try it!

So I washed two the them, cut the top and bottom off, then chopped them up.  Then I chopped 1 clove of garlic and a little bit of onion.  I added olive oil, the garlic and onions and let that cook for a little bit.  I added the zucchini, gave it all a quick stir and let it cook for 15 minutes. I added some Parmesan cheese and stirred that in. 


Then I ate almost all of it. Completely gluten free!!!!!

Stay strong, love one another, and keep cooking!

Chicken, rice and cheese ... Oh my!!!

I normally don't like leftovers, but this dish has the best left overs ever and has leftovers in it! I had some cooked plain white rice and I wanted to do something with it.  I read online somewhere that cooked rice can be saved for up to a week in the refrigerator.   One night I had no idea what we were going to have for dinner and I pulled the leftover rice and the chicken out of the refrigerator. I just started cooking and G. said that " he could eat this every night".


3-4 boneless/skinless chicken breast - cubed
1(or more) cups of cooked rice
2 garlic cloves - chopped
Olive Oil( to your liking)
1/4 cup milk or cream
1 1/2 cups of broccoli - cut to the size that you prefer
1/4 white onion -chopped 
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of cheese soup
6 sliced mushrooms
dash of salt and pepper


After prepping your chicken and vegetables, put some oil in your pan and turn your burner on medium heat. Then place your chicken, garlic and onions in the pan and let cook until the chicken is no longer pink.  Then add your can of cheese soup, can of cream of chicken, broccoli, mushrooms and milk.  Let this come to a boil for about 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Then reduce to low heat and add your rice, salt and pepper and let this cook for another 10 -15 minutes.  If your vegetables are to your liking, then it is ready to serve.

You can add any vegetables that you like.  I have tried peas and it was great too.  G. always puts some shredded cheddar on top of his portion. 


Like I have always said ... make this recipe yours! I don't mind... but comment if you have a new combination of ingredients.

As always - stay strong, love one another and keep cooking!

Crab Rangoons... An all time favorite at my apartment

The idea for this recipe all started when I was hanging out with one of my closest friends.  We went to Meijer and ambitiously bought cream cheese, green onions, imitation crab and wonton wrappers.  We mixed together the ingredients and put the wonton wrappers in a muffin tin.  This was our first attempt so we had baked crab Rangoon.  Over many more months and trial and errors... I think I have perfected it.  Try it and see what you think!


1 package of cream cheese - softened
3 green onions - chopped
1 package of imitation crab - chopped (you can use as many as you like. I typically use 4 pieces)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce... I use gluten free
1 package of wonton wrappers
2 chopped cloves of garlic or garlic powder to taste
corn oil (for deep frying)

Mix together the cream cheese, green onions, crab, sugar, ginger, soy sauce and garlic.  In a wonton wrapper I put a teaspoon of the mixture (large teaspoon).  I use water to seal the wonton wrapper.   While I am prepping  the mixture and stuffing the wontons, I heat the oil.  I normally drop three or four wontons in the oil and let them cook until they are golden brown.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or plain (that is how I like them).


I will try and add pictures of the process... I am making this recipe tomorrow for my date night with my fiance and two of our friends! : )

Stay strong, love one another and keep cooking. 

Update

It is my goal this spring/summer to blog more recipes and adventures of my life.  So here is goes... it a shortened/condensed form.

December 2011
 * Found out I am allergic to; gluten, soy, beef, pork, eggs, dairy, lettuce ( Iceberg), crab, lobster, shrimp, eggs, and walnuts.  Yeah... I am having fun learning Gluten and Soy free recipes.  So be prepared for my food to take a gluten free turn.  I am not the Gluten Free Goddess that I would like to be, but I am working on it. 

* On Christmas, G. proposed.  We have set the date for April 6, 2013(as of right now that is 348 days away)

January 2012

* Turned 26 :)

February 2012 - Current
* keeping my allergies in check
* Wedding planning.  I have found my dress and have some stuff planned out.

* I have four new recipes that I am going to be posting very soon


So stay strong, love one another and keep cooking <3 J

I Think that I'm addicted

This is the third Sunday within the last month and a half that we have had enchiladas.  This time I made them with chicken.   They were much better this time then any other time.




Five chicken breast
1 package of taco seasoning
jar of salsa
1 can of enchilada sauce
cheese
taco shells

Around noon, I placed 5 frozen chicken breast into my crock pot with a package of taco seasoning and I filled the package with water and put that in the crock pot, plus half a jar of chunky salsa.  I turned the crock pot on to low and let it cook for about 4 hours. 


I took out the chicken and cut it up into little chunks and put it in the taco shells, placed the seam side down in the pan.  Then put enchilada sauce over all of the enchiladas, then shredded cheese and cooked them for about 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 350. 


I made about 20 enchiladas.  Maybe next Sunday... I will have something different.


<3 and keeping cooking !

Summer Dessert

So G. and I went shopping and I found some white peaches super reduced.   I got 10 peaches for $1.30.  Last night we had company over and I wanted to make a healthy dessert. After looking online for thirty minutes, I decided to wing it.


Peaches
3 tablespoons of butter(sliced)
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
3 tablespoons of white sugar
1/4 cup of lemon juice(from fresh lemon)


Cut the peaches in half and remove the pit.  Place the peaches skin down in a casserole pan.  I lined the pan with tinfoil.  Cut the butter into little cubes and placed one cube in the center of each peach.  Then I sprinkled the peaches with the white and brown sugar.  Then I squeezed the lemon over the peaches and placed them in the oven for 25 minutes. 

I served them warm and by themselves, but you could serve them with Vanilla ice cream.

So overall it was a great adventure! 

Tonight I am trying homemade chicken enchiladas.  I have already but the chicken breast in the crock pot with taco seasoning, a little bit of water, and salsa.

Keep cooking, smiling, and loving life!

Meat Tenderizer.. why do you taunt me?

So when G. and I were moving into our apartment, I was given many misc. kitchen utensils, by my beloved nana.  In this multitude of utensils there was a meat tenderizer.  Yesterday I decided to make pork chops and thought if maybe I used the tenderizer that the pork chops would be AMAZING.  So I used the tenderizer for a total of four whacks and then rubbed the mixture of spices that I concocted.  After letting that set, I put them in a frying pan on a medium heat and let them cook thoroughly so the were at the right internal temperature.  While the taste was good, the texture that they had was not appetizing.

So the first attempt at the meat tenderizer was not successful...so to searching I go.