Health issues and cooking

Well it looks like I had to finally give in and go to the doctor about my gall bladder. Good thing I went when I did.  I have been having a constant gallbladder attack for the past 2 weeks now. 

I go in on Monday for laprosocpic surgery to have it removed.  The doctor lectured me that I let it go way to long before seeking help.  3 years of attack after attack I should have consulted my doctor.   He threw out some numbers that were scary to me about the fact that I have left it go for so long. 

The biggest thing that is going to change is the way I cook, and eat.   I need to take care of my self and the people I love.   If one of those ways is making sure they are eating nutritional meals and taking care of my self at the same time then that is one step I can do.

I need to do a lot of learning on things I can and can't or shouldn't eat after this surgery.  Any suggestions or help is appreciated. 

Major changes in my life

Many things have been changing in my life.  I had posted a previous post about having time for your family.  Well my family has changed.  I am in the process of a divorce and I am finding new things in my life!  I have discovered a new meaning behind the word "LOVE".  I am learning how a true friend will always love you.  That those true friends might actually be that "love" you needed. 

I am finally going to start re-blogging I need to start sharing my happiness in my life.  Things are really turning around in my life and its time i start showing and sharing it with the world again!   Keep checking back for future updates and creations... -  Those dreams are coming out again!  I will return!

Creamy tomato basil chicken and pasta

Creamy tomato basil chicken with pasta

2 LBS pounded flat chicken breasts lightly floured and sauteed salt and pepper when done
Allow to rest while sauce and pasta cook on back of stove where the heat stays. 

One small container of Philadelphia cooking cream original
1 pint of heavy cream
1 tbsp of minced garlic
10 fresh basil leafs
1 1/2 cup of cherub tomato (or grape, cherry )
fresh ground pepper
2tbsp of flour
3tbsp Olive oil
1/2 cup fresh grated parm cheese

add flour and oil to pan then place on heat after it is combined add garlic  add parm cheese and philadephia cooking cream combined, add in 1/2 of the heavy cream stir to combine add remainder of cream simmer while pasta cooks. just before you drain pasta add basil to sauce (you can shread basil or keep whole ) add fresh ground pepper
Campanile pasta, (Cook in salted water as directed) - Drain all but 1 cup of pasta water

Add 1 hand full of the  tomatoes sliced in half  to the pasta and remainder water.  and 1/4 cup olive oil and fresh ground sea salt.

My Heritage - and a request for YOUR help!

My sister spent 2 weeks burning the midnight oil on Ancestry.com working on extending our family tree branches back to its roots.  She was attempting to find Irish heritage since she was going to be taking a trip to Ireland.  Where she is right now!-  She did not have luck finding Irish blood in our tree.   She did how ever find that our family roots back in this town for many many generations.  More than likely we were one of the first settlers in the area.  Once she made it further she found most all of our heritage comes from Germany.  







This makes so much sense to me looking at the style of cooking my grandmother had.    The home made noodles that remind me that of the German's spaetzle.

All of these things coming in to play I have decided to get my hands on a GOOD German cook book.  When I do get my hands on one that seems authentic that is actually in English ... (Even tho I took 3 years of German in school I'm not sure I could manage my way around a cook book)  I am going to cook and post many items from said cook book.

If anyone out there in blog land - knows of any REALLY good German cook books.  I would love names, suggestions, or even ideas.

Thank you for any help in advanced!!-

picture borrowed from http://www.vipnyc.org/page/7/

Spring is just around the corner

This rainy morning has me longing for the dog days of summer.  You know.  Those days when the gardens are booming with vegetables.  Food sizzling on the grill.  I sure wish that the weather would calm down and give us some nice days.  I have big dreams for my garden this year.  I found these wonderful carrots at the farmers market last year.  They were all different colors.  It was amazing!  I loved them.  I am wanting to plant some of them.  The picture above has potatoes that were 4 different colors. That makes it so nice to the eye when you sit down to chicken and roasted potatoes and you don't have all off white food on the plate.

May the days of weather like this soon be behind us.  To the left of that little shed is where my Garden is.  Behind that shed rests my two Lilac bushes. -  Mind you this is not what it looks like outside.  Today the ground is flooded with water and is so saturated it is running like a river in my  yard

Oh you pretty flowers that grow along my road I can't wait to see you again! 

I know its to early for blooming flowers but I'm ready when they are.!!!!

Lets get growing !

Gadgets and Toys Of a Cooking Mom

I have been compiling a list of wants, desires, and just things I would like to have.  I don't often buy things for my self.   I have never been raised to do the "I want this, I want that, give me give me give me. "   How ever I have things that would either make things in life just a little easier.  Perhaps encourage me to bake more, or things I bake might turn out a little better.  One of those items my work has recently compiled donations from fellow employee's and placed one in our break room.  I LOVE IT! I made my donation knowing I would use it.

I am pretty much the only person in my house that consumes coffee on a regular bases.  I would want to get the nice little pod you refill yourself.  I just think how nice would it be.. plop the pod in the maker press a button and caffeine ingestion commence.  I do think it would be better to just take on my caffeine like this - 

I think we should be able to drive  up to our local star bucks and order up one of these.

My other wish and desire is to have a kitchen aid stand mixer (and a bigger kitchen so i can store all of these wonderful things ).  I would like to have the pasta attachment that attaches to it. 

Now putting all of these items in a kitchen that say I design would be just wonderful but I live in reality and well like I said these are my dreams. 

Or even better something more like this one

Oh now I can't forget .  I do have this love for wine.  I enjoy a nice glass of wine with a wonderful dinner.  I enjoy it in the summer and fall as a great way to unwind the day.  This is my contribution to that lust for wine.

So when that day comes that I win the lotto and I am done giving to everyone else.. these are the things I want to get.  Oh and one last thing. 

If I have a endless supply of money I would get a cleaning service. 

Having fun with google

So today I was just sitting reading my facebook and someone posted an address of a street in Pittsburgh with some instructions on using google maps.  So I look it up and follow the instructions , laughed then looked around.  Eventually I had to google what I was seeing there were so many CRAZY things on this one street.  Needless to say it was a set up.  Carnegie Mellon University fine arts student set up a big event to happen down a street that the "google mobile" was going down.  It was hilarious.  Being as I am located not far from Pittsburgh this meant a lot to me and amused me.  I honestly found so much humor in this ! I ask you to take a tour around this little street in Pittsburgh enjoy a laugh.   So just do as a friend of mine told me and google map Sampsonia Way, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania .  Take a stroll up and down the street investegate the side streets to especially at "firemensway "  Post gazett's news artcle about it

Stuffed cabbage or Pigs in a blanket

Saturday or Sunday I was watching Foodnetwork Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa.  She was making a traditional Jewish meal for her husband Jeffry.  When she said stuffed cabbage I nearly fell off the couch.  I hadn't had stuffed cabbage in YEARS!  She proceeds to tell and cook this "sweet and sour" style tomato sauce.  Her recipe
The more I would think about it the more I wanted it.  I knew my dear husband would have nothing to do with it.  It contained cabbage after all.  He refuses to eat cooked cabbage in most forms.  (only kind I have ever seen him consume was in Chinese foods when I don't think he realized what it was.)  When I was a child my mom would make these things called porcupine balls (the filling that went in to stuffed cabbage with out the cabbage) So it hit me.  I will make stuffed cabbage and I will make a separate container for Mike of just the meat.

All day today at work all I could think of was eating this meal.  I honestly must have said it 100 times at work today "I can't wait for dinner tonight" . 

So-  I am not one to read a recipe ... So I recalled the jist of the recipe.  (see above for her recipe) I knew I didn't have the red wine vinegar but I have many other kinds.  I decided to use Rice wine vinegar. -

I prepped my ingrediants for the sauce , I used my Immersion blender  with the mini chopper attachment to fine mince onion and carrot.  for in the meat mixture.   That was very handy.

This is what Mikes turned out like.   Not nearly as yummy looking as mine but- 

I made home made escalloped potatoes to go with. 

Let me get you a napkin. I'm sure you are drooling too!

This meal made me very happy.  The only thing that would have made it better is if everyone in the family would have loved them as much as me.  I guess its the cabbage that gets them. 

I have one container with potatoes and stuffed cabbage to take to work later in the week.  I have 3 leftover containers of just stuffed cabbage. I have already had one request for some.   mmmm This was so yummy.

Here is the list of ingredients I used to make mine. 

3 large carrots fine minced (with a processor ) 2 for in the filling 1 for the sauce
1 large onion (1/2 fine minced like the carrot 1/2 just diced)
2 lbs of ground beef
2 cups of long grain rice (not minute or instant)
2 large cans of diced tomatoes
3tbsp rice wine vinegar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 large jars or cans of spaghetti sauce or 4 cups of a home made sauce)
2 tsp garlic minced
one head of cabbage.

salt n pepper

I will not give step by step how to make this.  If you need more instructions please read Ina's recipe.  I  will tell you that I mixed 2 of the minced carrots and the minced onions with the rice and 1 can of diced tomatoes with the ground beef.  I saute' the diced onion and remainder carrot  with a tbsp of oil till they are caramelized I then add the brown sugar and vinegar and diced tomatoes and boil rapidly to reduce moisture.  Meanwhile I had already cooked the head of cabbage for apx 10 -15 min to loosen the leafs.  I started rolling the cabbage with meat waiting on sauce to reduce then placed them in casserole dishes topping with sauce.  I baked them for 1.5 hours  

A Cooking Mission or Project

Every time I watch Julia and Julie it makes me want to set forth on a project of my own.  I get so bored with cook books.  Either not enough pictures, many recipes I couldnt attempt to feed my family, or ingrediants that would drive my food budget through the roof.  I want to do SOMETHING! I love to cook, I love to learn new dishes, techniques.  I love taking pictures of my food. 

I own so many cook books.  None of them pull at my heart enough to attempt any mission as large as that in Julia and Julie.   I am seriously in need of suggestion.  Do you know of a small cook book.  One that the ingredients will not break the bank?  I am sure I will be running over this in my head all night tonight.  I wish there wasn't a storm upon us.  I would go to a book store and look at the cook books.

Please Help!

taquitos

I had looked at many taquito recipes after googling that very phrase.  Told myself oh this would be hard to make.  Then it hit me.  Food processor! I was correct. I thought these were fantastic and easy! just one of those repetitive dishes where you repeat the same steps over and over again rolling till i almost ran out of pans. 

Taquitos

1-1.5 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breast
1/4th cup buffalo chicken style hot sauce. (red hot brand)
1 package of cream cheese
3 cups of 4 cheese blend (mexican style)
1/2 tsp or enough to lightly season chicken    of cumin
2 packages of flour tortillas (Tortillas cut in 1/2)
1-4 cup salsa
1 small onion,
1 small green pepper
salt and pepper to taste

saute seasoned chicken (with cumin, salt and pepper) and peppers in a large skillet over medium heat till cooked to temp.  allow to cool slightly.
put chicken and peppers in a food processor and pulse till fine mince.  Remove mixture place in to a bowl
place hot sauce, and cream cheese and salsa in food processor and pulse till cheese is completely incorporated with hot sauce
Add shredded cheese, pulse till cheese mixture is combine.
Remove cheese and start slowly stirring together with chicken.

On each tortilla that has been cut in 1/2 on the cut end of tortilla place 2tbsp (apx) of mixture and spread evenly from one end to the other.  Roll tortilla and place in a lightly greased pan so it will not unroll.
repeat till all mixture is used.  Bake in oven at 375 for 15 min

(I have always  seen different blogs that someone has made home made taquitos. I thought they would be very laborious .  I said to my self I'm going to attempt to make them A cheap and yummy snack, or appetizer.  Make it your own tweak it as you may... Let me know how you change it!)


I wish I would have more pictures then just the few that are left over that I put in the fridge.  I will make these again soon. Perhaps next time I make them I will use some fine shredded beef in some of them. I thought these were so easy to make.  Food processor helped that along so much.   I tweaked my written recipe a little different from how i made it.  I found mine to need more spice.  I had only added apx 3 table spoons of hot sauce, it needed more of a kick.  I didn't add salsa to mine but next time I will.  I ended up with 32 or so.  Perhaps I should make these for Superbowl Sunday! Lets go Steelers!!!!!

"Eat Pray Love"

This is not going to be so much a spoiler. It will more just be my expression of how much i enjoyed this movie.  This movie is touching in so many ways.  It is a great movie to help one connect to them self.  It helps you find "peace" with yourself.. 


I have often wanted to travel the world. -  I have always wanted to live with in the towns, not as a tourist but as someone whom knew and understood the way each culture lived.  Dreamed and behaved.  Many couples do not know how to dream together-  .  This movie is set to help people develop them self ... I feel like I need to watch it again... I would love to read the book perhaps it will envelope my head with more things that will make me restless .  Eat pray love was a very good movie...

Will it rise or not!

Short on groceries Trying to figure out what I could make and not have to go to the store.  I'm the queen of pantry meals.  Always trying to make something from nothing.  I knew I had everything I needed to make for pizza at any given time. I am not one to pick up the phone and order pizza. I would rather make it my self. 

Yeast- I knew i had some in my spice cabinet. I pull it out got my flour, some sugar and warm water. I go to cut the package and i see the date. OH NO!  Sep 2010.  I thought- I will proof it see if it wakes up.  VOILA! It started to rise. YAY!  so- I tried to keep my eye on the bowl hoping it wouldn't get out of control. It came very close.

These are a few of my favorite things.  (I usually never buy for the name of a cook) I just happened to grab the "EVOO".  Gia Russia pizza sauce is by far my favorite from  any store bought sauce you could get.  Then its just diced onion and motz cheese, deli pepperoni .

I lightly baked the crust then added my toppings. To assure those thick areas of the crust got done.

Bon Appetit!

My green beans dish!

A few weeks ago I submitted a recipe on a whim.  It was for a cook book released by Mount Nittany Medical Center. I have honestly become obsesed with fine dinning plates, food appeal, simple, clean foods.  So I decided I was going to work on recreating the "green bean casserole " .  That dish that is served at the holidays that looks like slop.  Why take some beautiful green beans and make them look like that. 

So-  There I sat picturing it in my head.  I started just jotting down ingredients I would use.  Picturing in my head if i was in the kitchen cooking this how would I make it.  It just started to pour from me.  The items to use were easy.  I wanted it to be like the traditional.  I wanted fresh ingredients. So I did my best at tossing measurements on to paper. Picturing this dish coming together.  Put the steps together, and hit submit.  Didn't honestly think any more of it.  I have done this before. I have submitted recipes. Only to get an instant response saying "Thank you for your submission. We will review what you have given us."  Very generic. 

Then when it came for my Turkey dinner at my sisters house where i do most of the cooking, I thought this is it. I will make it NOW.!  So that is what I did.  I thought it was wonderful.  Looked amazing. I never took a picture or anything. I was very proud of it though. 

More than one week passes from the date that I made the dish. I was at work and I clocked out to go home checking my phone i seen i had a voice mail. I check it..-  It was a representative from the contest telling me "We have chosen to use your recipe, please call us to discuss details and your prize"  I was floored! I know its honestly not as big of an ordeal as what i felt.  It still means something to me.  The dish will be in the cook book and I will be getting dinner at the restaurant I wanted!  It is hard for me to do anything involving a recipe. I am cook by feel, flavor and what I have. 

You will have to just enjoy my picture or buy the cook book when it is released :)

One step in the right direction

Today I had the pleasure of meeting with the Executive chef of a very nice restaurant.  I walked in to this place and as I grabbed a hold of the door nob i took a deep breath!< in- out> I walked in to a very quiet place ... and that was great.. ... Dinning room set for dinner, I quietly just turned around and let everything sink in. Absorbing things slowly...    

I spent the next 2 hours having the pleasure of walking around this kitchen been showed everything menu, recipes, storage.  I keep running everything back threw my head trying to remember the things that were told to me.  I am spilling with excitement.  This is what I want! This is where I belong. I see my future here.  If they only knew how hard it was to hold my emotions back and keep from practically crying.  Faith in my self is the biggest thing right now !~ I need to learn to trust in my self. I need to go with the flow. 

My family are going to need to understand and be there to support me in my adventure down the path that i have been waiting for my entire adult life.  I can't wait to actually share images of "things to come" .  Please keep me in your thoughts over the next few weeks, days, hours.... I need all the faith in the world to get me where i need to be. 

Plates full of dreams are honestly where my dreams are !

My love of Cooking

I have not had the time that I would like for the one thing that gives me great pleasure.  Cooking! 
I have been making some very simple meals.  I keep drawing a blank unable to come up with something creative. I have spent many hours looking at pictures of food "art" on tastespotting.com  I love it!  I have so many things I want to create from looking at that site.  One thing I would love to try to make is Sushi. The lack of fresh sea food here would be my biggest preventive.  I could make veggie rolls, and CA rolls..

Anyway- I have realized that the more I think of the things that I want so badly have me becoming depressed, forming hatred  for my job.  Wishing I could figure out the direction I wish my desire for cooking would take me.  I fear the working in a restaurant because the times that they are the busiest is the time I love being with my family. In the evenings and on the weekends.  Personal chef in this area would never last.  I have thought about creating a banquet hall/catering.  That doesn't allow for ME to shine... It is so much easier on a smaller scale to create works of art on a plate.....

For now I will just tough it out... Perhaps one day my eyes will open and I will see the direction I'm to go.  Till then I will be miserable dreaming about that possible chance I might one day get to create a "plate full of dreams".  .....

Love your family

I have found sometimes we get to caught up in our own lives. We find that we "don't have time" for others. We rush our lives away!
I honestly have a major problem with this.  I stopped at my mom's the other day to get my dog after work and my niece and nephew were at my moms. My nephew is getting so big!.  I haven't seen them in a while and that is my fault. It is hard when you are working and have your own children to enjoy your extended family. Everyone has busy lives. It has had me thinking recently. Of my family growing up.  I always enjoyed spending time with my aunts, cousins, and extended family.  It makes me so sad to see how a family once so strong and happy has now grown apart. -  I still love my extended family. I miss them. I just know that our relationships will never come back to what we had some 10 years ago or even longer...Wow, might seem corny but a "Boys 2 men" song came to mind- The name of the song is "Water run dry" - Many words in this song couldn't be more true! "We don't even talk anymore."  - "Don't even say I love you no more"  "Now they can see the tears in our eyes- But we deny the pain in our hearts"... Just listen to the song- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNRHnwCFQ4Q

Thinking of that it has made me realize my relationship with my own family.  I love my husband and children very much.  I think I have seemed distant in many ways as of recent. Showing a lack of patients, affection, and expressing my love for my husband. No matter what my excuse is I vow to changes! My children are my world! I love them very much. It is scary how hard reality hits showing how fast they grow up.  I wish it would just slow down a little. My oldest will be 14 in just a few weeks!!!!!!!!! He is play football as i struggle to let go and just watch him grow all of the fears in side of me just want to pull him back and shelter him.  My little one being the dare devil he is always hurting himself. Making requests for more things to hurt himself on! It just never seems to end. 

I just want my family to know that I love them. I wish I could spend more time with them. Hold your family close to you. Express your love constantly!  HUG! .... - Ok I promise to cook something and add another dreamy plate of food!

The world of Chili

Have you ever looked for a recipe for chili and get over whelmed by the number of different things used in each different recipe.  From the different spices, beans or no beans, the animal (meat) and the cut.  I honestly set out to "wow" everyone with my chili.  I had to travel this morning for my son's eye dr appointment. This town had so many wonderful stores. I figured i would just stop at one of them on my way home.


Pull in to a store not to get grocery items but to grab a few "back to school" items.  We found what we wanted made our way to the check out. i reach for my wallet in my pocket open it and instantly realized i left my atm card at home. :( Apologized to the check out girl left the items got in the car apologized to my child. Made a few emergency phone calls trying to get some of the ingredients to make chili just so i knew we would be able to eat before my oldest had to go to football. 

I think no matter how much time i let my self i always feel i need to rush and i don't like rushing. Hoping my mom had a few cans of diced tomatoes that she would have sent with my husband when i walked in my door i realized she didn't have any.

I said well i will just make special beans.  I picked some of the chili peppers we were growing in the pots on the porch and gathered my ingredients.  I started browning my farm raised ground beef (from our farm). I cut up a big red onion 4-5 peppers (all different sizes and colors.) . I just started dumping everything in the pot. What was the one last ingredient i didn't think of. Figured i would have it.  Chili powder.

Anyway- everyone sat down and one response "mmm this is pretty good" i gave a sigh of relief.  It worked out after all.  Not how i like chili but it was good and colorful.

3 Kinds of beans
some fresh diced tomatoes
corn
beef
a secret ingredient
1 onion and 4 different chili's

Rainbow flavored dinner

A week ago I had made something i was hungry for. Stuffed pork chops, Corn, baked creamy mac n cheese.  I plated it up took a picture of it and turned my nose up to it. I gave the plate a twist, still not happy!

I held it under different light. I still was very depressed looking at this meal filled with YELLOW!

I went on and on about it to my friends on Facebook.  Someone said something about a "Roy G Biv" dinner. It hit me. What an amazing idea.  I had to wait I asked around, announced what i was doing. Went to the farmers market where I know I would find every color i needed.

Not sure what day i wanted to cook this "rainbow dinner" I let everything go and decided Sunday was when it would happen.  Not sure what protein we were going to have with it. I had many ideas of something colorful something full of flavor. Tuna perhaps.  Did i want to go back to the grocery store to pick up tuna? NO!

Well Sunday came the day started to to dwindle down after we went to brunch. I was not feeling well at all! My children were invited to Grandma's to spend the night.  But we still had to eat dinner.  Not in much of a mood to be creative i just washed up the potatoes diced them a few times chopped the pepper, carrots and onion.  Tossed everything in a pain with Olive oil, salt and pepper.  Thawed out two boneless skinless chicken breasts. Wanting it to be flavorful I went and trimmed some rosemary from my plant out side. Pulled a few peddles of thyme washed them slightly tossed them with the veggies that i then added a little lazy garlic (dried minced garlic). Seasoned the chicken with all the same things tossed it in the oven... This amazing thing happened

  My plate was amazing the colors were just what i wanted. I had envisioned me actually placing things on the plate in such a way that it resembled a rainbow. But i did not! I was still not feeling well and i was to tired to put that extra step in to it. 

I sat down to my chicken with  roasted veggies, baby spinich with heirloom tomatoes with walnuts and balsamic vinegar salad.

My mouth was soooo happy! Now that i have promised my friend once i make it to assure it was safe for others to eat I would make it for her. I must make this meal all over again. Thank you Kristi for the idea of this beautiful dinner.

work or not

I'm honestly sitting here pulling for the reasons i have to go to work.
This has become just a "job". I have so many other things i would rather do with my day. I have a house that i would love to stay home and tend to. My children whom need my attention. This farm we have needs so much work.

On the days that I am suppose to go to work I can't am crying inside. Knowing that i have passions for so many other things in life. I love people but those whom i encounter are not friendly are not great-full for any help I give them.

My manager asked me last week "What is wrong?". I do not recall my response I do recall what she said in return. "Be thankful you have a job". I am thankful I had the ability to find a job when our family needed money to make ends meet. I only continue to stay here because i enjoy affording some of the finer things i use to cook with, I enjoy going to do things with my family and spending a dollar or two on my self once and a while.

This is just another chapter in my life and when small novel of "life at Lowe's " is over I will look back at the friends i have made working here. The things i have learned about people.

Till anything changes i must dress my self and march out the door paint a smile on my face and endure another day. at my "job"

to blog or not to blog

I'm not sure how to blog, or why I even want to do this.  I guess I'm looking for a way to give my friends on facebook a break from seeing my endless supply of pictures of my food i cook. Or hearing my rambling about my life.

I'm sure till I come up with what i honestly want to put in to this my blog will be very boring. For today I will just say good morning and I hope to possibly provide some entertainment for someone.