Prime Rib Roast with Au Jus

This year I hosted Christmas dinner for my family, which was a first for me. I'm usually in charge of Thanksgiving and sometimes Easter. So deciding what to serve for Christmas dinner stumped me for quite a few weeks. I didn't want to do another turkey and ham is usually an Easter meal in my eyes, so I was looking for something different. Prime rib was my answer and yet I had no experience with rib roasts. I guess you have to learn somehow though right? I was concerned mostly because prime rib roasts are an expensive cut of beef and I didn't want to screw it up. I did a LOT of research and wasn't sure if it helped or hindered. Almost every recipe I found used a different cooking method and different rub blend for seasoning the meat. The night before I prepared this roast I went back and forth on which method was right. My darling husband calmed me down by simply saying each recipe is a personal preference and until I give it a go I would never find my own. So with that (and a few extra personal preferences of hubby's) I came up with a mix of recipes, if you will. (note: most of my measurements are approximate as I don't actually use measuring spoons when creating a rub, it's all made to taste. But I did notice that every recipe tells you to use at least a tablespoon of salt as it's a big piece of meat)

Prime Rib Roast:

Ingredients:

7lb Prime Rib Roast (I really like leftovers! You can use a smaller roast if you'd like)
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon cracked pepper
1 tablespoon EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Au Jus:
1 cup beef broth
1 cup red wine

Directions:

About 1-2 hours prior to roasting take meat out of fridge and bring to room temperature

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine salt, pepper, garlic powder in small dish. Rinse your room temperature roast and pat dry with paper towels. Coat roast with EVOO, then liberally rub seasonings all over roast. Place in roasting pan and insert meat thermometer, be careful not to touch bones with the thermometer. (I encourage the use of a digital thermometer. http://s10.thisnext.com/media/largest_dimension/731350A7.jpg) Place in oven and roast on 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

Then reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue roasting until meat reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees. (Mine took approx 2 hours) Remove roast from oven and transfer to cutting board or baking sheet. Allow meat to rest covered with foil for at least 10 minutes prior to slicing. Leave thermometer in roast, the temperature will continue increase (approx 10 degrees) while the meat rests. Then remove bone from the meat and slice the roast.

(My end temperature result of my roast after resting was 140 degrees, which lead me to a medium-rare roast)

Au Jus:

Carefully drain off most of grease in pan. Return roasting pan to stove top and heat over medium-high heat. Deglaze pan with 1 cup beef broth and 1 cup red wine, scraping up all the flavorful bits on bottom of pan. Bring to boil and allow to reduce by half. Transfer to gravy bowel and serve with rib roast.

Thai Red Curry Mac n' Cheese

I'm a HUGE fan of homemade baked mac and cheese, but then again who isn't? I happened to catch an episode recently of "Aarti Party" on the Food Network, where in which this dish was featured. I really enjoy the flavors of Indian food and wanted to give the recipe a try. So this dish made it's debut at my family's Christmas dinner this past weekend. It was fun because (except for my daughter and husband) the rest of the family didn't know there was a secret ingredient. They realized shortly into it that it did have a flavor kick to it. It was amusing to listen to them try to figure out what the ingredient was. My mother ended up taking home leftovers which surprised me, as she was the one I was worried wouldn't like it. I'm glad it was a hit though!

Ingredients:

Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (4-ounce) jar Thai red curry paste
2 cups whole milk
2 cups cream (alternatively, use 5 cups whole milk instead of both milk and cream)
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated

Crumb Topping:

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Salt generously, and then add the pasta and cook to box instructions, usually 6 to 7 minutes. Drain.

In another large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and continue whisking until it deepens in color and releases a light toasted aroma, about 1 minute.

Whisk in the Thai red curry paste, and when fully combined, pour in the milk and cream (or all milk, if using). Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and then turn down to a simmer. Simmer until the mixture thickens, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Off heat, whisk in the cheeses and stir until melted. Add the pasta and toss to combine.

Turn your broiler on.

For the crumb topping: Toss the panko with the melted butter and season with salt and pepper.

To assemble: Pour the mac 'n' cheese into a broiler-safe casserole dish, sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture, and broil until browned, about 1 minute.


My amendments: I used maybe about 3/4 of the jar of curry. You can adjust to your liking. I didn't broil my end result. I had the oven on since I was making multiple things at once. I just popped the dish in and kept my eye on it. Maybe about 10-15 minutes.

Parker House Rolls

I made these rolls for Thanksgiving, adapted from the Food Network. It seemed like a big task to take on (and I had a few skeptics) but I pulled it off and they turned out great! I received many compliments and I am told I must make them every holiday from now on.

Ingredients:

1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
7 1/2 to 8 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus softened butter for brushing
2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling

Directions:

1) Bloom the yeast-

Measure out 1/2 cup warm water and check the temperature: It should be between 110 degrees F and 120 degrees F (comfortable bathwater temperature). Sprinkle the yeast into a large bowl, add the warm water and whisk in the sugar. Let sit 1 minute (it should bubble and froth slightly), then gently stir in 1 cup flour. Set aside near the stove while you prepare the dough.

2) Make the dough -

Mix the melted butter and milk in a mixer with the hook attachment on low speed. Add the eggs and mix until blended. Scrape in the yeast mixture and mix until incorporated. Add 6 1/2 cups flour and 1 tablespoon salt; mix until the dough forms a ball, 2 to 3 minutes, adding up to 1/2 cup more flour if the dough is too wet and sticky.

3) Let it rise-

Brush a large bowl with softened butter. Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place, 2 hours to 2 hours, 30 minutes. The dough should double in volume.

4) Shape the dough-

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust a clean flat surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Flour your hands; gently press the dough into a 16-by-8-inch rectangle, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick (don't use a rolling pin).

5) Cut the dough-

With the short side in front of you, cut the dough in half lengthwise with a floured knife. Then slice crosswise into 12 strips.

6) Shape the dough-

One at a time, fold each strip of dough unevenly in half so the top part slightly overlaps the bottom half, then tuck the overhang underneath. Place the rolls seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet in 3 tightly packed rows. (If making in advance, wrap the baking sheet tightly in plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 weeks.)

7) Bake the rolls-

Bake until the rolls are bursting at the seams and golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. (If frozen, bake 25 minutes at 325 degrees F, then 10 minutes at 375 degrees F.) Remove from the oven and brush with softened butter. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Sausage and Apple stuffing

My favorite Thanksgiving side dish! This recipe was adapted from the Food Network.

Ingredients:

1 pound mild italian sausage
4 tablespoons butter
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped (I used Macintosh)
1 cup chopped celery with leaves
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
6 cups boxed bread cubes
2 to 3 cups chicken stock (I actually prefer apple juice to give it more of an appley flavor)
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Saute the sausage in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, crumbling coarsely with the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage and drippings to a large bowl. Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples, celery and poultry seasoning to the skillet and saute until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the mixture to the sausage, then mix in the bread cubes. Next add the chicken stock (or apple juice) a little at a time until the stuffing is very moist. Be sure not to overdo it; it shouldn't be mushy. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a casserole dish. Bake in a 9 by 13-inch rectangular casserole dish and place, uncovered, in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is crispy and the center piping hot. Remove and serve immediately.

Happy Belated Thanksgiving

Thursday was one of my favorite holidays. I volunteered to host Thanksgiving at my house this year. I'm actually thinking of claiming the holiday as my holiday to host for good, I enjoy it that much! My menu this year consisted of Alton Brown's (from Good Eats) famous fool proof turkey. It turned out very delightful! The recipe requires you to brine the turkey for anywhere from 6-16hrs (depending on the size of the turkey). My turkey was 25lbs this year! I'm pretty sure I will continue to buy this size of turkey in the future, as it comfortably leaves me room to pass out leftovers and still have plenty left for my own use. I have plans to make turkey cran-chiladas with some of the leftovers. But I also just love my plain and simple turkey sandwiches with mayo. Yum!

Next, we had sausage and apple stuffing. That too was quite good if I do say so myself. I might make this on a more regular basis. Mashed potatoes were also in the line up for dinner that day, along with green bean casserole (lovingly made by my sister-in-law, Jenny). My next big project that day was making homemade rolls, something I've always wanted to try but been too doubtful of my skills. My family loved the end result and requested I make them for every holiday from now on.

My mom made one of my all time favorite desserts growing up, chocolate eclair cake. I was excited for Sam to try this, as I know how much he loves store bought chocolate eclairs. I think I'm going to have to steal the recipe from my mom, so I am able to make them for my hubby on my own in the future.

I will post recipes for the turkey, stuffing and rolls later this week.

Muffin Tin Pot Pies

I love good old fashion winter food. Pot pies are one of those delightful foods. This is another one of Rachael Ray's recipes. I've made this particular recipe once before and thought it was going to be the last time. The recipe leaves you room to choose which seasoning you like more and I went with dill at the time, end result it was over-powering. I liked the "guts" (as I refer to the inside mixture of the pot pie) but maybe without so much dill. Well since I still had unused pastry sheet dough left I decided to make it one more time. This go around I used thyme instead and my husband and I decided it really made a difference. I'm glad I decided to give this recipe one more chance.

As a side note, I also realized my daughter has a weird quirk. She likes the "guts" of the pot pie but will not eat the crust of any pot pie whether homemade or store bought. I find this very odd. I guess I know what to do with my left over "gut" mixture, though.

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bay leaf
1 medium onion, halved, divided
1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus a drizzle or cooking spray for oiling muffin tin
A handful mushroom caps, sliced or chopped
1 small rib celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup defrosted frozen peas and carrots
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour, plus a sprinkle to roll out dough
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup cream or half-and-half
1 rounded tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh dill or thyme, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
8-ounce sheet frozen puff pastry dough, defrosted
1 egg, beaten with a splash of water

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Place chicken in a pan with 1/2 of the onion and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Gently poach chicken until cooked through. Remove from liquid and dice or shred with forks in a mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and brown 5 minutes. Finely chop remaining 1/2 onion and add to the pan along with the celery. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, a few minutes more. Add frozen veggies and heat through, a minute or 2 more. Add veggies to bowl with shredded or cut chicken.

Return the skillet to the heat and add butter. Melt butter, add flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in stock and let thicken a minute or 2. Stir in cream and heat through. Add Dijon, dill or thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat and pour over chicken and vegetables, and stir to combine.

Wipe a large, 6-cup muffin tin with oil or spray with cooking spray. Roll out dough and cut into 6 squares. Place each square in a cup, fill with chicken, vegetable and gravy mix. Pull in all four points of the crust over the filling so they meet in the middle, forming 6 individual pot pies. Brush pies with egg wash and bake 25-30 minutes until crisp and deeply golden. Let stand a few minutes before removing from the muffin cups.

Baked Shells Casserole

This dish is for those who love the classic Italian dish, stuffed shells but don't like the extra work that goes into stuffing the shells. I had been planning on making this dish for quite some time and finally got around to it this week. Be aware the prep in this dish is quite lengthy and should be taken into consideration when beginning. I started late in the evening and let me tell you we were eating quite late that night...Opps. I made a few amendments to the recipe to suit our tastes (and what we had on hand in the house). I left out the carrot, fennel seed, and only used 1 box of spinach (which was plenty in my eyes). I used red wine, oregano, and mozzarella cheese as opposed to parmigiano-reggiano (worked just fine). I really liked how the sauce turned out in this recipe and might use it again in future adventures.

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
1 large finely chopped, divided
1 small carrot, finely chopped or grated
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano or marjoram, half a palmful
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1/3 palmful
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed by pressing under flat of your knife
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, 5 to 6 sprigs
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white or red wine
2 cups chicken stock
2 28-ounce cans Italian crushed tomatoes
1 pound medium or large shell pasta (not extra-large stuffing shells)
2 boxes frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung dry in clean towel
Freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/4 teaspoon
2 cups fresh ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus some to pass at table
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

Preparation:

In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add 4 cloves of chopped garlic, 3/4 of finely chopped onion and the carrot. Season with salt, pepper, oregano or marjoram, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds and thyme, and gently sauté 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in parsley, stir, then add wine and reduce a minute. Add stock and tomatoes, bring sauce up to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer sauce 45 minutes.

After sauce has been simmering for 30 minutes, preheat oven to 375˚F.

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt water and cook pasta 5 minutes.

While pasta water comes to a boil, heat remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO in a small skillet over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and onion and sauté to soften, 5 minutes. Add spinach, pulling it apart and separating it as you add it to pan. Stir to combine well and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Turn off heat.

Drain undercooked pasta and return it to the hot pot. Add spinach mixture to pot along with ricotta and grated Parm. Stir to combine, adjust salt and pepper then add eggs and stir.

Pour a thin layer of marinara sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish. Fill dish with pasta then top with another thin layer of red sauce. Save remaining sauce to pass at table. Bake 30 minutes until bubbly.

Serve casserole directly from casserole dish, passing extra sauce and cheese at the table.

Fall Fun

These past couple of weeks have been busy, but a good busy! Fall is my favorite time of the year! Let's start at the beginning. September 24th was my 28th birthday! :) We celebrated by heading to the apple farm that weekend. It was the perfect day for apple picking. My big story from that day was the LARGE spider Sam had on his leg for only God knows how long! We had been out in the raspberry picking area for a little while and then meandered back to the store to stand in line for apple donuts (yum!). After standing in line for over 1/2hr the guy behind us pointed it out to us...after he took a picture of it!





This past weekend was my brother's wedding! I now officially have 2 sister-in-laws with the name Jennifer! :) It was a beautiful outdoor wedding. The weather was unseasonably warm for October. My daughter stood up in the wedding as a Jr. bridesmaid, she looked so pretty!






We all had Monday off of work and school so we headed out to the pumpkin farm. We ran into a boy Claire went to preschool through 3rd grade with...and whom she's had the biggest crush on for all these years. I was very cute to see them so bashfully excited to see each other.

Yesterday on my day off I had a dentist appointment (yay?) and stopped in at Michael's on my way home to buy some materials for a fall decoration. I made a cute wreath for our front door. I'm happy with the way it turned out.

Maple Walnut Chicken Thighs with Cheddar Apple Rice

I made this recipe the other day. The over all taste of it was great, however the original recipe only cooks the chicken in the skillet for 10 mins. Being naive I followed it blindly believing RR couldn't steer me wrong. Oh boy did she ever. The chicken was very undercooked (as any sane person would expect). So we ended up warming the chicken in the microwave for a few minutes each piece and it cooked it the rest of the way through. So should I make this again in the future (which I probably will as it was very yummy) I plan to bake the chicken in the oven after browning it in the skillet. So as you will see I have added the baking the chicken direction into this recipe for your convenience.

Ingredients:
1 cup walnut halves
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups long grain white rice
2 1/2 cups chicken stock, divided
1 Honeycrisp, Gala or Golden Delicious apple, peeled, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup flat leaf parsley leaves, packed
1/4 cup fresh dill, packed
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
1 brick sharp white cheddar cheese (6 ounces), cut into small, 1/4 inch cubes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup dark maple syrup

Preparation:
Heat oven to 325°F. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and roast until well toasted and fragrant, 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO, one turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken dry and season liberally with salt and black pepper. Add to the skillet and cook, turning once, until browned, about 10 minutes. Reserve grease.

(Increase oven heat to 375 degrees. Bake chicken on baking sheet in oven for 30mins.)

Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the skillet and add the vinegar. Cook, scraping up the pan drippings, then add the remaining 1/4 cup chicken stock, maple syrup and black pepper to taste. Cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and walnuts and spoon with the sauce. Loosely cover the pan with foil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Cheddar-Apple Rice:

In a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the rice and toast for a minute or two. Add 2 cups chicken stock and bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the apple and simmer for 8 minutes.

While the rice cooks, using a food processor, pulse 1/4 cup chicken stock, the parsley, dill and 1/4 teaspoon salt until finely chopped. Stir into the rice during the last minute of cooking. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 1-2 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Transfer to a serving dish and stir in the cheese.

Serve the chicken, sauce and nuts with the rice alongside.

Pumpkin Cookies

This past Thursday was my mom's birthday, so as a nice treat I made some yummy pumpkin cookies to help bring in the fall season. They turned out very delicious! I made the glaze as per the recipe, however, I felt it was too sweet and would have preferred a cream cheese frosting instead.


Ingredients:
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoons nutmeg
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter (softened)
1 ½ cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze-
2 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon butter (melted)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking Instructions:
Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: In a separate bowl cream butter and sugar. Add pumpkin puree, egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients until well combined. Drop on a cookie sheet by the tablespoon-fuls. Flatten slightly.
Step 3: Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool.
Step 4: While cookies are cooling to make the glaze – Combine confectioner’s sugar, milk, butter and vanilla. Mix well.
Step 5: Drizzle glaze onto cookies with a fork.
(Makes 36 servings)

BLT Roll-ups

I made these this past week for a co-worker's wedding shower luncheon. They went over well, which always makes me happy! :)

6 - 9in tomato basil or garden spinach tortillas
8oz cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp - ranch dressing
1 pound bacon cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded lettuce
3 Roma tomatoes, diced

Directions:

Lay tortillas out on flat surface. Combine cream cheese and dressing in small bowel and mix until smooth. Divide between the 6 tortillas and spread into a thin even layer. Sprinkle with a sixth of bacon, lettuce and tomato over each tortilla. Starting at edge roll each tortilla up tightly into a spiral shaped log. Wrap each log in saran wrap and chill for 2 hours. Cut each log into 1.5 - 2in sections.

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

Ingredients:

1-lb ground beef (cooked and drained)
5 cups shredded hashbrowns
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped onion
8oz mexican blend shredded cheese

Preheat oven: 350 degrees

Set aside 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Combine all remaining ingredients in large bowel and mix well.

Pour into 8x8 inch glass baking dish.

Bake 50-55 minutes or until center is hot and edges are golden brown. Sprinkle with reserved cheese over top. Return to oven for 2 more minutes to melt cheese.

(As a side note: I tend to leave the cooked beef out of the rest of the mixture and then layer it into the dish. It's just a personal choice, either way it will turn up with the same results)

Warm Bacon Potato Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon coarse-grained mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 pounds red potatoes, diced into 1-inch cubes
salt
6 bacon slices, chopped
1 medium sized red onion, diced
black pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup freshly chopped dill leaves

Directions:

For the Vinaigrette:
Mix together the white wine vinegar, mustard, sugar in a small bowel and set aside.

Add potatoes to pot of salted cold water. Bring to boil, over high heat then reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes until tender. Drain and place in large bowel. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Add bacon to large saute pan and cook until crisp over medium heat. Remove to a paper towel lined sheet tray and reserve. Add onion, garlic and dash of pepper to bacon grease and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add vinaigrette to vegetables, let cook until reduced and thickened, about 2-3 minutes.

Add potatoes, dill and bacon to the pan and toss to coat with dressing. Allow to cook for 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

09.05.10

This Sunday Sam and I celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary! I feel very blessed to share my life with someone so amazing. We started our celebration Saturday night with a campfire and some wine. Sunday morning we went to breakfast at a place called "Burnt Toast". Then we headed out to Yorktown mall, mostly to look for a dress for me to wear for dinner that night but didn't find anything I liked. So instead we ended up buying a blu-ray player as Sam's anniversary gift. My gift was a new ring. It's a white gold band that has 3 blue sapphire gemstones in it. It signifies our wedding month stone. Later that night we went to dinner at Fox Fire, a nice restaurant right across from where we had our reception 1 year before. We walked along the river and took a few pictures to remember the day by.






When we got home we toasted each other using the flutes we received at our wedding shower and watched our wedding video. The night before I had attempted to make a replica layer of our wedding cake. However it didn't turn out so well. The cake was yummy but the decoration was not so pretty. Cake decorator successfully removed from my "what I want to be when I grow up" list.

It was a lovely day but just like the actual wedding day it went by all too fast. :( I look forward to celebrating many more anniversaries with my hunny!!!

Back To School

Yesterday began a new school year for Claire. She started 6th grade, next year she's off to jr. high school, yikes!

This is my last semester for my AA degree (FINALLY). I hope to finish the BA part of my degree, in elementary education, starting either next semester or next fall.

To celebrate the first day back at school I made a nice dinner, red wine pot roast. Word to wise don't attempt to prepare dinner in a hurry. I was trying to start the roast in between my classes (1 hour of time) and was cutting onions and almost sliced through my finger! Eek! I really enjoy this recipe it's very flavorful.

Red Wine Pot Roast:

3lb boneless chuck roast
2 tbsp canola oil
Herb and garlic blend seasonings (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)
8 large cloves of garlic smashes and chopped
1 large onion chopped
1/2 cup red wine
3 large carrots (I didn't add these as we don't like cooked carrots)
3 large russet potatoes peeled and cubed

In a large heavy pot (with lid) heat oil, sprinkle and rub seasonings over all sides of roast.

Then sear the roast (brown it) on the stove on both sides over med to high heat (approx 3 mins each side). Do not move roast during searing or it won't brown up nicely.

Once browned lift roast out of pot and place onions and garlic at bottom of pot and place roast back on top. Add the wine and cover. Simmer for 3 1/2 hours. Then add cut potatoes and carrots (you may add additional seasoning at this time as well) and simmer for additional 45 minutes.

ramblings

(Sorry no new recipes this post.)

I was hanging out on my favorite forums (the nest on FB) and someone posted a link that dares you not to cry. So I thought I'd share it here...
http://www.wimp.com/coupleromance/

It's so very sweet. In my line of work I deal with cancer on a daily basis. So I couldn't help but think of some of the patient's we've taken care of and their relationships with their loved ones.

Sam and I are approaching our 1 year wedding anniversary this Labor Day weekend. I'm so lucky that God has blessed me with such a wonderful companion with which to share my life. This first year has flown by so fast. We've seen our fair share of rough days but the good days far out weight any bad ones we may have had. I look forward to (God willing) the many years ahead with Sam by my side.

I've been trying to come up with some good ideas of how to spend our first anniversary. It's harder than I thought. I'd like it to be memorable and yet not too expensive. One idea I've thought about was heading to some of our "first" spots we've shared over the past 8 years of our relationship. But whatever we decide to do will be documented in a journal that we will use every year to record how we spent the day and it will include a current picture of the 2 of us. I also plan to take on a small project. Sam and I did not save the top tier of our wedding cake (in fact it didn't make it past the 1st week. LOL). So I will attempt to make a replica layer of our wedding cake. Only difference will be the cake flavors. Sam and I both wanted chocolate cake with banana filling but the cake people didn't recommend it (said it wouldn't freeze well. We should have never listened to them) so we're going to have it in this cake. :)

This weekend has been pretty eventful. A co-worker of mine (who's wedding I attended last year) gave birth to a beautiful baby boy! Baby's name has yet to be determined. She wasn't due till our anniversary date actually so she's a couple of weeks early. I'm very happy for her and her husband!

Here's the trouble...I wish it were Sam and I welcoming a new baby to the family. Ever since Claire was a baby herself I've wanted another baby but knew the time wasn't right. The next baby would be done in the right order. All my ducks would be in a row, so to speak. Well now, happily married and officially trying to conceive since January, the cards are not playing out the way I'd like. I used to think God was mocking me...now I'm convinced he down right dislikes me. I must have done something to piss him off. On a daily basis I feel like I'm surrounded by pregnant women. Every other day it seems another girl announces she's expecting "and they weren't even trying!" Ugh gag me. When people find out that we've been trying for this long with no success they try to make it better with "It will happen" or "Don't try" I despise both of those phrases. How do you not try?? It consumes my daily thoughts. My doctor tells me to come back closer to September/October time and they'll do some blood work up. In the mean time I just keep getting to experience the frustration of month after month of negative pregnancy tests.

I could go on about this topic forever, but I won't. I'll leave it at that. I just wish God would answer this one prayer for me.

Jam Packed Fun

(I do have one new recipe to share towards the end of my post.)

Sometimes I like the hussle and bussle of fun activities to keep me busy on my weekends off. Other times I love spending the whole weekend at home with no plans, it's quite relaxing. This weekend was one of those jam packed fun weekends.

Friday started out as an impromptu date night with my hubby. With Claire off at her grandparents for a sleepover, Sam and I decided to go out to dinner. We had plans to see a show but with the weather changing fast we headed home for a movie night at home instead. FINALLY my rain showed up! It was quite the storm. We left the restaurant with the dark sky quickly rolling overhead. I love when the sky changes so much it's daytime one second and dark as night the next. In our 5 minute drive home the sky opened up. The roads were flooded in a matter of minutes. The run from the car to the front door soaked us as much as if we had just jumped in the shower for 20 minutes. CRAZY but awesome!!!

Saturday was a typical errand running day. We made tentative plans to go to the drive in that night (depending on what time Claire got home from a party with her grandparents. I threw a pork roast in the crockpot to make some pulled pork sandwiches to bring with us to the drive-in, and last minute I decided to make some brownies for dessert. Claire arrived home and we made it out to the drive-in. We saw "The Other Guys" and "Salt", both good movies. I love the drive-in it's some good old fashion fun.

Sunday was my brother and soon-to-be sister in law's wedding shower. It was very lovely. They both looked so happy. It makes me happy to see them happy.

Their wedding date is October 10, 2010. After the shower Claire and I met up with Sam and his parents who happen to be in town that day.

Today is my relaxation day. I have plans to do nothing all day long. AHHHH. It's so nice.

As for my recipe... Thursday night I made Singapore noodles. If anyone knows anything about my husband it's that he is a HUGE fan of Chinese food. He enjoyed it. My own criticism is to be careful with that soy sauce. I love soy sauce and get a little carried away with it. Hubby said it was a little too salty because of it. Next time I'll limit my soy sauce in the main pot and just add to my own serving. Oh and just so you are aware it is a bit spicy.

Singapore Noodles:
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup vegetable broth
3 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 lbs angel hair pasta (cooked and drained)
1/4 cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 tbsp toasted sesame seed

Stir coconut milk, broth, soy sauce, curry powder, honey, ground cumin, and ground red pepper in small sauce pan over medium heat.
Add sauce to cooked pasta and toss to coat. Sprinkle with scallions, red bell pepper, and toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot.

(as a side note, I added some cooked diced chicken to the dish. You can also add pork)

Where is my rain?

I love rain. Even more I love thunderstorms. I love to spend rainy days on the couch curled up with a comfy blanky, my pup and watching movies all day. That was suppose to be my day today or so weather.com predicted last night. So you can imagine how bummed I was when I woke to find the sun shinning bright in the sky...oh and will be all day. Stupid weather.com.

So with my plans out the window I spent the rest of my day being semi-productive and attempting to figure out what to make for dinner. Here are my results:

Pork Chops with Apple Stuffing

6 boneless pork chops
4 tbsp butter (divided)
6 cups unseasoned stuffing cubes
3/4 cup chopped peeled apple
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup raisins (I left these out. Cuz I find them yucky!!!)
1/2 cup apple juice
3 tsp rubbed sage
salt and pepper to taste
4 tsp dijon mustard (instead I used a marinade from jewel's culinary line called Applewood honey mustard marinade)

To start I marinated the chops for 3 hours in my yummy marinade from jewel.

Then...

-In large skillet (I recommend cast iron if you have it) brown the chops over medium heat in 2 tbsp butter on each side. Remove from pan and keep warm.

-In the same pan saute stuffing cubes, apples, celery, raisins, apple juice, sage, salt + pepper in remaining butter until apples and celery are crisp-tender.

-Transfer to a greased 3qt. baking dish. Top with pork chops and spread mustard (or in my case some reserved marinade) over chops. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins. Remove cover and bake for 10 more mins.


Finished product.

If you really knew me....

So I was reading a thread in a forum on The Nest (on facebook) and it was titled "If you really knew me..."

I don't often post mostly because I feel what I have to say is not important but I could not help myself. Here was my response:

"If you really knew me..

-you would know I have jealousy issues. I hate when people get what I want before I do. Especially when they're younger than me.

-you would know I have a fear of failure. Lots of times I don't feel I'm smart enough to finish school. I find myself avoiding or procrastinating in finishing my degree because of this.

-you would know how alone I feel.

-you would know how insecure I truely am.

-you would know how much I just want people to like me.

-You would know my husband is the only person that really knows the real horrible me and I don't know how I'd live a day without him.

-you would know how much more I could add to this post but would be afraid to hurt other people's feelings if they ever happen to read it."

Here goes nothing!

I love the idea of a blog. And I love reading other peoples blogs but I'm not sure about maintaining my own blog. I'm pretty sure I bore people in 1:1 communication so I can't see anyone wanting to read my thoughts if they don't have to. Oh well maybe that will work to my benefit. I can ramble on about things and people that bug me without worrying about hurting feelings.

I plan to use this as my way to keep those who do want to read updated on what's going on in my life. Also I plan to share my cooking adventures here as well.

So here goes nothing....

On the menu for tonight's dinner: Meatloaf and rosemary-garlic red roasted potatoes.



As for the meatloaf I simply follow the recipe on the back of the meatloaf seasoning packet but I add Worcestershire sauce to the mix.

Rosemary-garlic red roasted potatoes:
Preheat oven 350 degrees
7 red potatoes (skins on and quartered)
3-4 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried rosemary or 2-3 sprigs fresh (stems removed)

Toss all ingredients in bowel to evenly coat potatoes and place on bake sheet lined with foil. Bake 30-35 mins or until golden brown. Enjoy!

Ok so that's what I've got to offer for now. I hope to keep this updated. I wonder if daily updates is too ambitious?