A Day of Cooking

Ugh.  I came home from work on Friday super frustrated with life.  Don't get me wrong... I have a very full life.  I love my family.  I like my job (most of the time).  Not too many people can say that!  It's just that life is a little too full at the moment.  I am counting down the days until summer vacation.  It can't come fast enough!

So, in order to try to give myself more time each night this week, I did a whole lot of cooking today.  My lovely husband, who does not get nearly enough credit for all that he does, went grocery shopping for me while I watched the baby.  Did I say that I love my family? 

Here's what I made:

Rosemary Lamb Stew with Spring Vegetables

Except that I used beef instead.  Lamb is crazy expensive and we are trying to stick to some sort of a budget here, people.  Plus, who wants to eat lamb?  Lambs are baby sheep!!!  :-(  If you eat them, they won't grow to their full potential and give anybody any wool.  Sheesh. 

Smokey Shrimp and Corn Soup

This is not for those allergic to shellfish *cough* Jimmy *cough cough*.  I'm eating some right now for dinner though and enjoying every bit.  Both of the above recipes were from the infamous WW recipe book that I can never find links to online.  I'll see what I can do. 

Veggie-Stuffed Shells

Absolutely no lactose in those... well, at least right now.  I may add some cheese directly to the top once I scoop some out.  They smelled really good while they were cooking and I'm excited to try some this week.  I love all things pasta.  There's also no meat, by the way.  Completely vegetarian. 

MORE Barley with Spinach and Asparagus

Yeah, I made this last week and it was so amazing that I made it again.  I didn't even take a new picture.  It looks exactly the same except that I accidentally added more onion than last time and I did add some leeks (on purpose) because I had one to use.  I like leeks. 

Anyway, if I have to cook this week, then there's something wrong.  Our refrigerator currently has a lot of yummy, healthy choices in it!  Go me!  :-)

Ugh, just ate a spoonful of onion.  I think I chopped/sliced/diced too many onions today. 

Healthy Schtuff

OMG.  My baby blog has taken over all of my blog time!  :-) 

Here are some yummy things I've made recently and haven't had time to post about...

Grilled Zucchini Rolls with Herbs and Cheese

Now, I will say that my zucchini rolls did not include herbed goat cheese because Jimmy couldn't find it at the store.  Where does one find goat cheese?  On a farm?  Well, we didn't go to a farm.  Maybe next time.  These were really good though!  I used my new grill pan (woot woot!) and cooked up the zucchini and then rolled them, which was not nearly as easy as it sounds. 

Jimmy thought they tasted like cheeseburgers.  Seriously.  I dunno.  You'll have to try them and see!

Crockpot General Tso's Chicken

I love love love that crockpot site.  It's very user-friendly and has about a million recipes that are easy and rated based on how much the chef's family actually liked them.  Plus, most of the recipes (if not all) are gluten-free and pretty darn healthy. 

I will say that this was nothing like the General Tso's you would order from a take-out place, but it was delicious in its own way and waaaaaaay healthier.  Worth it.

Broth Fondue!

Neal, Casee, Jimmy, and I have been having all sorts of fondue fun!  I may have purchased a fondue pot for Neal for his birthday and now we make him bring it over every time he comes to visit.  :-)

Casee trying to cut apart salmon. 
Yes, the vegetarian at the table has the job of cutting meat. 
That seems fair!

Haha, both Neal and Jimmy were watching her trying to cut up the salmon.  After fondue, we watched some Game of Thrones... there it is!  It has a prime spot on the table.  Haha. 

Barley with Spinach and Asparagus

I can't find this last recipe online... but it was pretty darn delicious.  I got it out of a weight watchers cookbook.  YUM! 

What have you been cooking lately?  :-)

Markets, Soups, and Spring

So what does everyone think about farmer's markets (Farmer's Markets -do you capitalize that?)? 

I like the idea of them, but haven't really utilized any in my area because it seems like a lot of work.  I'm not all about extra work.  I think if I could cook without ever shopping for food in the first place, I'd be okay.  It seems like food shopping PLUS shopping at another market just doubles the time spent out and about.  Ugh.

I enjoy the actual cooking process way more than shopping.  The chopping, mixing, and bubbling, not to mention the aromatic kitchen that comes along with it.  Oh, and eating the food isn't half bad.  ;-)

...but... there are apparently farmer's markets who have programs where you can pay a lump sum and then pick up fresh produce every week, every other week, whatever you want.  The one I visited today provides a bag of whatever produce is in season beginning in July and ended in October (if you join the program).  That might not be bad for me.  All I'd have to do is pick up the bag and then cook whatever happens to be inside.  It would be a mystery every week and hey, I might learn some new things about whatever is in there. 

I'm very tempted. 

Oh, you can also pick items up directly from the farm... where you can go and cut your own herbs and sunflowers!  Doesn't that sound fantastic?  Since I've failed twice now at growing herbs on my own, that sweetens the deal even more. 

Okay okay, enough about that.  Here's some yummy soup I just made:

Asparagus Leek Chowder

It started out as a giant pile of veggies in a pan... and turned into an awesome pot of soup!  Jimmy and I both liked it a lot.  It didn't even need a lot of seasoning! 

Now that it's springtime, I think it's time for some light and delicious soups.  What kind of soup do you like to make this time of year?

March Madness!

Happy March everyone!  I can't believe it's March already!  I am pretty excited that it's almost spring.  I've got spring break coming up eventually... and next weekend we "spring forward" and lose sleep, but it will be sunnier in the mornings (I think).  That makes sense, doesn't it?  I could never be a time traveller.  I'd get too confused.

I'm sorry I've been kind of MIA.  Two grad classes is a little overwhelming and I've been really bad about cooking new things.  I have been cooking, so that's a plus.  You just already have links to all of those recipes!  I decided I wanted to cook some new things this week, so I planned it all out.  I also did a lot of cooking this weekend so that lunches and dinners are going to be ready to go throughout the week.  I made Eggplant Parmigiana and Taco/Bacon Noodley Goodness and they are in giant containers sitting in the fridge.  I think you can search for those recipes through my site if you're interested!  Let me know if that works.  :-)

I also discovered that apple cider, when left sitting in the fridge for a while, explodes.  Yep.  Sticky, gooey mess all over everything.  Who knew?

Back to dinner.  Here's what I made tonight:

Maple Pork Chops

Bacon, Cremini, & Brie Potato

...oh, and steamed asparagus.  We drizzled the asparagus with the maple concoction leftover from the pork.  Super yum.  The pork was all tender and sweet.  I think it might be my favorite way to cook pork so far (not that I've tried very many). 

The potatoes were to die for.  I know, you can barely see the potato in that picture!  They are exactly as they sound from the caption.  Unfortunately, I cannot post the link because they are a "member only" recipe on the Taste of Home site.  They do say it all right in the name though.  These were really fabulous.  You know, if you like bacon and cheese.  The mushrooms were a good touch, too.  Baked potatoes are seriously filling.  I always seem to forget that when I sit down to eat one and then remember about halfway through. 

I can't promise I'll be more regular with my posts, but I'll try!  The good news is that I'll be completely done with my Master's degree by July!  Can't wait.  :-)

Seeyas soon!

Not easy being green...

Hi again!  Hope your day is going well... mine hasn't been too shabby.  I made something new for lunch... check it out:

Creamy Asparagus Soup with Roasted Pepper Puree

It was... very green.  :-)  I almost scared Jimmy off just based on that fact... but we all know that it's not easy being green.  You just have to give it a try.  You might like it! 

We thought this was an okay soup.  It's definitely not my favorite, but then again you really can't compare much to Spicy Cheeseburger Soup.  This is light and healthy and has an overall different kind of flavor.  We added a dash of garlic salt and some shredded mozzarella cheese (just because we felt like it needed something a little more).  Here are some more pictures!

I know, you're probably wondering what I'm going to make for dinner.  The answer is NOTHING!  We have so many leftovers in our fridge it's getting a little ridiculous.  Hello lunch this week!  :-)  We're also going to what should be quite the interesting concert tonight: Avenged Sevenfold, Stone Sour, and Hollywood Undead.  Wish me luck!  :-)