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8/30/2011 6:38:40 PM

just cooked spaghetti squash for the first time. I really liked it. It was easy too cook and I liked the texture/flavor and it also yielded two solid servings off of one gourd (sp?). Sauteed some garden grown red basil, oregano and some fresh tomato, sweet onion, red and green peppers with some roasted garlic. salt and black pepper to finish and I had a really great meal that I'm very happy with. Even had a nice tupperware full of squash "noodles" left over so I guess if I had enough of the other stuff it would have been a solid 4 servings.

8/31/2011 1:08:06 AM

I love spaghetti squash. I bought one the other day I need to get around to cooking. Usually I just saute it with some fresh fancy mushrooms, olive oil, and thyme. Sometimes I go super simple and just throw some butter on that mofo.

8/31/2011 8:34:31 AM

i also love spaghetti squash! so easy to make and yields tons of leftovers

8/31/2011 8:57:34 AM

I'm excited fall squash is finally starting to come in. Acorn, butternut, spaghetti, pumpkin, it's all good

8/31/2011 9:03:19 AM

spaghetti carbonara with wheat pasta


http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/spaghetti-alla-carbonara-recipe/index.html

8/31/2011 10:29:39 AM

You must have a really big appetite!

8/31/2011 10:30:49 AM

should be fixed now

also, smore's pie



http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/kelsey-nixon/smores-pudding-pie-recipe/index.html

8/31/2011 10:39:51 AM

Quote :

"I'm excited fall squash is finally starting to come in. Acorn, butternut, spaghetti, pumpkin, it's all good"

Ok...this let's me ask my squash question...What squashes are winter, summer, and fall? I am assuming there is a spring squash but I have never heard it referenced.

8/31/2011 12:40:41 PM

Usually the harder-skinned ones (the ones she mentioned) are "winter" squash and soft ones (zucchini, yellow squash, etc.) are "summer."

8/31/2011 12:49:07 PM

^ She's got it.

8/31/2011 12:53:03 PM

skwinky, you still on track for 365 recipes? i dint cook all summer so i am way behind. i might start it again but i doubt i will complete all the recipes in that book

8/31/2011 1:03:05 PM

Close enough. I'm at 240 and it's day 243.

You don't have to get them all. Just be like Amna and don't have a number goal set, but instead aim for making more meals at home.

8/31/2011 1:06:42 PM

i rarely eat out these days. I was doing this to learn and try new recipes. Btw i tried couscous recipe recently. i will post the recipe later if i remember.

couscous is pretty good substitute to pasta

[Edited on August 31, 2011 at 1:21 PM. Reason : also good job on being on track, thats pretty cool! it motivates me ]

8/31/2011 1:20:31 PM

Couscous is pasta

8/31/2011 1:26:58 PM

^^ Well then just aim at doing it more. I wasn't saying you were exactly like Amna, just saying you can use her model of not trying to hit a particular (arbitrary) number or benchmark like getting all the recipes in the book.

8/31/2011 4:52:31 PM

im gonna put some of my moms recipes on here.

she could cook a tonka truck up so good, the wheels would melt in your mouth eddie

9/5/2011 1:49:41 AM

I might turn into a tuna.

238. Blueberry Banana Cake: http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/baked-good/recipe-blueberry-banana-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting-119567 — I didn't make the frosting it called for. I brushed it with a tiny glaze of dulce de leche. It wasn't as good as I hoped it would be, but my co-workers liked it.

239. Tuna and Chickpea Salad: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/tuna-and-chickpea-salad/detail.aspx — Used water-packed drained tuna and added a bit of olive oil, not quite the whole can of chickpeas, dried parsley and tomato basil flavored feta. It was a tiny bit bland on its own, but I served it over greens tossed with sun-dried tomato vinaigrette with avocado, and that was great.


240. Savory Zucchini Fritters: http://www.paleoplan.com/2011/07-26/savory-zucchini-fritters/ — I de-paleoed them because I didn't have coconut flour so I used regular. Added some basil, oregano and garlic salt. Cooked them with coconut oil and served with a tzatziki-ish sauce I made with Greek yogurt. Different for breakfast, but I liked them.


241. Mom's Roast Turkey: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/moms_roast_turkey/ — I was just doing a turkey breast (5ish pounds) so I cut the time down but did everything else the same. It was used for a work thing so I didn't try any of it alone, but seemed to be pretty good.

242. Pan-Seared Tuna with Avocado, Soy, Ginger and Lime: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/pan-seared-tuna-with-avocado-soy-ginger-and-lime-recipe/index.html — I used a tiny bit of serrano in place of jalapeno. Perfect.


243. 4-Minute Tuna: http://helenrennie.com/recipes/fish/grilled_tuna.html — I marinated them, then cooked them in all of the marinade. I went a little bit short on the lemon zest because I was afraid it would be too much, and I'm glad I did because it was still pretty strong. Very good though. I didn't finish with rosemary.


244. Sesame Broccoli Salad: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sesame-Broccoli-Salad-798 — I was just making a serving so used a dash of all the seasoning ingredients and tossed in the broccoli. Yum.

245. Tomato Basil Mediterranean Chicken Burgers: http://snappygourmet.com/2011/01/17/tomato-basil-mediterranean-chicken-burgers/ — Chopped all the mayo stuff instead of processing it. Used part light mayo and part Greek yogurt. The first two I made felt a little loose, so I mixed a tiny bit of bread crumbs in with the other two. I can't tell a difference in them after they were cooked (I broiled them) and I'm not sure which one I just ate. So I will update if it makes a huge difference. I didn't add much salt at all, and that might have been a mistake. They came out a bit bland. But I added a squirt of sriracha on top open faced on a piece of Trader Joe's 7 grain sprouted bread and it was delicious. Might add onions next time. Definitely has potential.


Now I have a bunch of stock I made from the turkey breast carcass. Not entirely sure what to do with that.

9/12/2011 8:13:18 PM

Soup of course!!

9/13/2011 12:51:12 AM

http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/07/caprese-baked-egg-cups/

I used parmasean instead of mozzarella though... They look tasty oh and I hate tomatoes so I used mushrooms

9/19/2011 11:06:17 AM

246. Three Bean Smoked Turkey Soup: http://www.othersideoffifty.com/2011/02/three-bean-smoked-turkey-soup.html — Had leftover roasted turkey and stock I made from it and had been wanting to make this soup for a while. Used butter beans instead of great northern, and went with pintos. I think it would be a bit better with refried to thicken it, because I usually like soups more toward the stewy side. Flavor was great.


247. Chocolate Banana Cake: http://wednesdaychef.typepad.com/the_wednesday_chef/2006/04/nigella_lawsons.html — Awful. It tasted like flour. I kept wondering if I did something wrong, but I don't think I did. This went to the trash.

248. Bundt of Doom: http://citymama.typepad.com/citymama/2008/02/look-out-weeken.html — Used Swiss instead of fontina and spinach as the veggie. Aaron said he had to pour a bunch of cheese grease out of the pan when he took it out of the oven. It stuck to the pan a good bit, so it looks all ghetto. But it was fucking awesome. There were 4 of us eating it and we nearly finished the whole thing. One guy had like 5 pieces of it.


249. Potatoes with Basil: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/New-Potatoes-with-Basil-438 — Instead of using whole smaller potatoes I cut up some bigger ones, so I didn't have to cook them quite as long. Pretty good. Would be nice with a bit of parm on top.

250. Tofu Cacciatore: http://vegetarian.about.com/od/maindishentreerecipes/r/tofucacciatore.htm — I didn't use tomatoes and added extra mushrooms. Turkey broth instead of veggie because I had some left that needed to be used. Also sauteed the tofu a little bit to crisp it up. Served over wheat spaghetti. Decent. Better the next day.


251. The Best Broccoli of Your Life: http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2008/11/the_best_brocco.html — Also omitted pine nuts. The basil was kind of weird. Not sure I like roasted broccoli too much. I prefer it steamed. Meh.

252. Tofu and Edamame Frittata: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2011/05/23/tofu-and-edamame-frittata-dipping-sauce/ — Didn't make the dipping sauce. Baby bella mushrooms, instead of boiling edamame threw them in skillet with mushrooms. Baked it instead of cooking in a skillet. Topped with sriracha. Not bad, but odd.


253. Peanut Butter Pancakes: http://thishomemadelife.com/?p=335 — Except mine were sunflower seed butter pancakes. I used coconut milk (not the kind in a can, the kind kind in a carton made to be a beverage). They really were very light and fluffy. I made some that were lighter and some that were cooked darker, and I liked the darker ones better. Best pancakes ever? Perhaps.


I've been super busy lately and not cooking as much, so I'm a little behind. But Fareako is about to be here for a couple weeks and I have to fatten him up, so I'll make it up soon.

[Edited on September 24, 2011 at 5:46 PM. Reason : .]

9/24/2011 5:45:16 PM

Sometimes I like broccoli in the oven, sometimes not. here's a great mix for roasted cauliflour I came up with a couple days ago though. it's awesome!

1 pint mushrooms, sliced
1/2 a head of cauliflower, in large bite-size pieces
1 onion, finely diced
garlic to taste
sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tbsp oil

mix in a casserole and bake at 375 for 40-50 mins until the edges of the cauliflower are turning light brown. stir a few times to ensure nothing is sticking. nom nom nom...

9/24/2011 8:22:13 PM

254. Caramelized Onion and Horseradish Mashed Potatoes: http://www.recipegirl.com/2006/11/03/caramelized-onion-and-horseradish-mashed-potatoes/ — I used regular balsamic, and didn't have plain milk so used half and half and dialed back butter. Also used red-skinned potatoes and left most of the skin on. Horseradish flavor wasn't terribly strong. Caramelized onions in potatoes have potential, but something about this was lacking.


255. Dill Veggie Tuna Salad: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/dill-veggie-tuna-salad/detail.aspx — I wasn't feeling plain pasta so I used some of the Harvest Grain Blend from Trader Joe's that has orzo, mini garbanzo beans, black quinoa and I forget what else. And I was spacing out while following the directions on the package to cook that and used broth as it called for. After I put it on I realized turkey broth might be weird in this, but I rolled with it. White onion because I didn't have green, and I didn't peel the cucumber. Instead of ranch dressing I used Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of dry ranch dressing mix. Really glad I did that because I think it has much better flavor than bottled ranch. I tasted it without the dill and really liked it, so I just added a tiny bit of dried dill. Really tasty. And way better the next day when the yogurt had absorbed into the pasta some. Will definitely make again.


256. Portobello Mushroom Soup: http://www.examiner.com/healthy-food-in-knoxville/healthy-slow-cooker-portobello-mushroom-soup-recipe — I was going to use the slow cooker, but then got home later than expected so just put it on the stove. Used some homemade veggie broth and two beef bouillon cubes. Really tasty and easy. Barley always amazes me with how such a tiny bit of it cooks up to be so much.


257. Herbed Corn & Edamame Succotash: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/herbed_corn_edamame_succotash.html — Something about this was quite gross to me. I think my edamame might have had that not-so-fresh feeling though. But either way, not a fan.


258. Beer-Barbecued Chicken: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/beer_barbecued_chicken.html — I roasted it in the oven instead of on the grill. And made roughly the amount of seasoning called for (eyeballing it) and then decided to season it a lot more (rubbing under the skin used up a lot of it) and just tossed on the components separately. Used Fat Tire and didn't need the whole bottle. Don't be like me and forget the chicken is full of liquid and decide to flip it over when you take it out of the oven. It was good and very tender.


259. Garlic-Rosemary Mushrooms: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/garlic_rosemary_mushrooms.html — Used turkey bacon and only baby bella mushrooms. Really deep in flavor for how easy it is.


260. Hot Fudge Pudding Cake: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/hot-fudge-pudding-cake-i/detail.aspx — Aaron decided he wanted to loosely follow the Paleo diet. At the end of day 1, this happened. We didn't use nuts. It looks really gross, because it's pretty solid black. It wasn't bad but it also wasn't great. It was better the next day though.


261. Quick Tuna Burgers: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/quick_tuna_burger.html — I used a 12-oz can of tuna, regular (white) bread crumbs, Greek yogurt instead of mayo, and I was intending to use roasted red peppers but when I opened the jar I had in the fridge they were gross, so I left those out. I didn't make the pimiento mayo either. I broiled them. The mixture seems like it's going to be dry, but it came out nice and moist and creamy. We didn't put them on a bun, just ate them plain, some with a little sundried tomato basil "mayo" I had left. Good, and bonus points for being able to eat the mix before you cook it. You can't do that with other burgers.

262. Jalapeno Chicken: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/jalapeno-chicken/detail.aspx — Used 3 chicken breasts. chicken broth I made from the last chicken I cooked, 1 lime, and a whole serrano instead of 1/2 jalapeno. Also added a bit of cayenne to spice mix. Not very aesthetic, but really tasty. The pan sauce was the best part, and it had a great balance of spicy/sweet/tangy.


263. Stuffed Tomato Halves: recipe out of a cookbook involving spinach, mushrooms, onions, cheese, milk thickened with flour, nutmeg and rice (I used leftover couscous) stuffed inside a tomato half and baked — Tasty despite me having shitty fall tomatoes.

10/3/2011 9:27:58 PM

264. Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic: http://crepesofwrath.net/2010/03/19/crock-pot-chicken-with-40-cloves-of-garlic/ — I might be cheating, but I had to have Aaron put this one in the crock pot for me. I also made him chop up a whole raw chicken, which evidently sucks. The end result was good but the garlic was mellowed more than I expected, and the sauce wasn't terribly complex in terms of flavor.


265. Tastes Like Lasagna Soup: http://thedeenbros.com/index.php/recipes/recipe_detail/bobbys_lighter_tastes_like_lasagna_soup — I used some turkey cheese sausage I had, didn't have a bell pepper so used a bit of celery, and used wheat spaghetti instead of lasagna noodles. I added a bit more red pepper, and it was nice and spicy. I'm happy it's getting to be soup season.


266. Yemenite Zhug hot sauce: http://ushotstuff.com/Sauce.Recipes.htm#YemeniteZhug — Cut it in half. I hate cilantro so I left that out. I was afraid the olive oil would overpower the flavor so added some vegetable oil. Smells awesome.

267. Chipotle Sauce (same site as above) — I wasn't sure whether I should rehydrate my dried chipotles beforehand, so I didn't because I figured boiling them for 20 minutes would take care of that. It did make a super thick sauce though. I'd prefer it a little thinner.

268. OMFG Habanero Hot Sauce: http://www.boallen.com/omfg-habanero-hot-sauce.html — Mine blended up more than that guy's. Tastes very fresh.

269. Habanero Hot Sauce: http://www.pepperfool.com/recipes/hotsauce/hab_sauce2.html — I've wanted to try carrot hot sauce for a while. I think this was my favorite of the hot sauces. Really hot, but with flavor.

270. Cranberry Poppy Seed Mayonnaise: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cranberry-poppy-seed-mayonnaise/detail.aspx — I wanted to use some cranberry sauce I had so was looking around and saw this. I love Lowe's foods' deli chicken salad, and they use poppy seed dressing instead of mayo. So I figured I'd try this and make chicken salad with it. I used part mayo and part Greek yogurt. I just used this, chicken and celery at first, which was a bit too sweet, so I added some onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Still left room for improvement, but was good.

271. Pasta with Beans and Greens: Recipe out of a cookbook. Onion, red pepper and garlic cooked in olive oil. Add kale, water and a can of canellini beans. Toss with pasta, salt and pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Instead of pasta I used spaghetti squash. I wanted to like it as it was, but it seemed lacking. I tossed in just a tiny bit of pasta sauce, and I liked that a lot.


272. Pumpkin Spice Latte Syrup: http://www.jasonandshawnda.com/foodiebride/archives/8295 — Pretty damn good. I just mixed it in with regular coffee. With espresso it probably would have been pretty spot on to a coffee shop version. There's still some spice in the syrup, which kind of leaves a residue on the cup. But that doesn't bother me.

273. Kale Pasta Sauce: I saw a recipe for it somewhere but then when I tried to look it up the next day it was gone, so I gave my best approximation. Cooked kale, blended with a bit of cream and red pepper flakes (and also some leftover creamed spinach), put that over spaghetti squash and topped with a sprinkle of Parmesan. I like that it's super bright green. The salmon is cooked with the garlic hot sauce from earlier.


274. Asian Lettuce Wraps: http://www.recipegirl.com/2008/05/28/asian-lettuce-wraps/ — Used chicken and added water chestnuts. Used romaine instead of butter lettuce, so they were more tacos than wraps. Delicious.

275. Herbed Risotto with Chicken and Caramelized Onions: http://thenovicechefblog.com/?p=2679 — I cooked it in the real risotto way instead of her weird method. The onions didn't seem to add to much to me. I think it would have been better with the addition of mushrooms or a bitter green.


276. Basil Bean Salad: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/basil-bean-salad/detail.aspx — I didn't have kidney so left those out. I used French cut green beans, which was a little weird and made it less visually appealing, but worked out fine. Also used part green pepper and part red. Left out the sugar, and I liked that it had the bite of the vinegar. Nothing amazing, but was good as a veggie side when I was out of fresh stuff.


277. Vomit Vinaigrette: http://www.recipesource.com/holiday/halloween/crudites-vomit-vinaigrette1.html — Super salty. I added a little green food coloring. I thought about adding some canned peas and carrots, but decided that would have been odd in a dip.

278. Maggot Sliders: http://www.dailymunch.com/2008/10/halloween-appetizer---maggot-sliders.html — I used turkey so I could eat them but then I ended up not eating one anyway. I didn't add the basil. I'd season the meat some if I made them again because Aaron said they weren't too flavorful. I debated adding it but I stuffed them with a tasty jalapeno cheese so I was hoping that would add enough flavor.

279. Crusty Booger Balls: http://www.gone-ta-pott.com/crusty_booger_balls.html — I used about 1/2 cup almonds because I had those already ground and didn't feel like grinding any more. It makes so many. I felt like I was rolling them forever. I liked them though.

280. Breakfast Sliders: http://www.macheesmo.com/2011/09/breakfast-sliders/ — Used turkey bacon and a little slice of jalapeno cheese on a King's Hawaiian wheat roll. Love those rolls. The cheese and the sweetness of the bread were great together.

281. Shrimp Cakes: http://www.paleoplan.com/2009/12-31/shrimp-cakes/ — Didn't use cilantro. Followed a suggestion and used ground almonds instead of almond flour, and chopped up the shrimp instead of putting it in the food processor. It is a very goopy batter but it holds up OK. Not bad. This was really 264 but apparently I forgot to add it to the list and I don't feel like renumbering everything.

10/16/2011 12:53:43 PM

Those breakfast sliders sound amazing

10/16/2011 12:55:36 PM

They were. I was sad I only had 3 of the rolls left. I made them to use up the leftovers, but I'd definitely buy more rolls to make them again.

10/16/2011 12:56:38 PM

Tara, YOU ARE AMAZING!! I can't believe the variety of dishes and the websites that you get your recipes.

10/16/2011 1:53:12 PM

282. Chicken Enchilada Soup: http://homeiswheretheholmansare.blogspot.com/2010/11/chicken-enchilada-soup.html — I cooked it the way I normally would make a soup with these ingredients, sauteeing the onion and peppers a bit before adding to the broth with tomatoes, and cooked the chicken in the skillet while the rest was cooking, adding it with the beans and corn. Used way less cheese. Also I had to sub parm for cojita because I was hoping Food Lion would have that, and it didn't. Turned out awesome.


283. Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins: http://bakedwithloveandbutter.blogspot.com/2010/02/cheddar-jalapeno-cornbread-muffins.html — I had a larger can of corn so eyeballed it. Might even try a serrano next time to get a bit more of the sweet/hot discrepancy. They were delicious as is, though.


284. Warm Shitake Slaw: http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=3379 — I thought this was a little weird. At first I didn't put enough lime, and I liked it more when I added an extra squeeze of it. Other people said they liked it though.


285. Creamy Tuna Salad: http://aprovechar.danandsally.com/?p=425 — Loosely followed this recipe. Used no sweetener, because to me sweetening tuna salad is weird. 1/2 avocado, 1 can tuna, white onion instead of green, spoon of Greek yogurt instead of milk, celery salt and garlic pepper as seasonings. Nuts in tuna salad was new to me, but it was pretty good. Mmm, fat. I think I like regular tuna salad better, but this was a fun change.

286. World's Best Braised Green Cabbage: http://nomnompaleo.com/post/1356598429/recipe-worlds-best-braised-green-cabbage?c7c6cd18 — I used some garlicky chicken broth I had left from something else, and a splash of water. I didn't re-cover for the second hour because it was pretty liquidy. It was good, but not worth as much time as it took, and I like my standby cabbage recipe better.


287. Pumpkin Turkey Chili: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/467 — Cooked in slow cooker after softening onion and peppers on the stove. Used dark beer instead of water. I think it semi-accidentally cooked for about 14 hours. Decent but not terribly exciting. Seemed like it was missing something.

288. Pumpkin Waffles: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pumpkin-waffles-with-apple-cider-syrup/detail.aspx — I didn't make the syrup, but I want to in the future. Also didn't feel like getting my mixer out for the egg whites so whipped them by hand for a while and called good enough, I was afraid that would ruin them, but it didn't. Quite good with pecans on top. Definitely should have halved the recipe, because it makes a ton of batter.


289. Blackened Salmon: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/blackened-salmon-fillets/detail.aspx — Made way more spice blend than I needed. Turned out pretty spicy, in a good way. I liked it.

290. Creole Chicken: Got from a phone app. Had a cup of chili sauce, which seemed like too much.

291. Apple Celery Salad: From an app. Granny Smith and red delicious apples, vanilla yogurt, chopped celery, golden raisins and walnuts. — I used red raisins instead of golden, and omitted walnuts because bf is not a fan of nuts. Aaron thought the celery flavor was a little too strong, but I liked it a lot. I enjoyed the vanilla yogurt to add a bit of sweetness instead of plain yogurt or (gross) mayo. I will definitely make this again, and try different types of raisins, and add the walnuts. I don't even like red delicious apples, but this disguised their mealyness.

292. Sweet Peppers Stuffed with Scalloped Corn: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00565 — I used whole eggs instead of whites. Baked the peppers while I was cooking the filling. The eggs kind of scrambled a little rather than just thickening, but it tasted good.


293. Honey Mustard Tilapia: From an app. Mix equal parts salsa, honey and mustard (any flavor), spread over baked tilapia and return to oven till heated through. — I used spicy mustard and less honey than it called for. Taste was fine, but appearance was not too stellar.

294. Grapefruit Brulee: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/grapefruit-brulee-recipe/index.html — I have been wanting to try this for a long time. I don't think I used quite enough sugar. The taste was there but not enough to crisp it up much. Enjoyed the flavor though.

295. Lentil-Mushroom Soup: http://www.justslowcooking.com/slo-0015750.html — Not a fan of cream of mushroom soup, but I had some and wanted to get rid of it, and most of the other stuff in this. I put about the recommended amount of water, maybe a wee bit less. I came home after 12 hours and the top was pretty dry. I should have thought about how much water lentils soak up and added a bit more. The cream soup doesn't stay that creamy, but I mean that in a good way. And it's also not very soupy, but more of a thick stew. I liked it.

296. Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta: http://joelens.blogspot.com/2011/04/creamy-chicken-marsala-pasta.html — Made basically as directed (a bit less butter and cheese; half and half instead of heavy) and served over spaghetti squash instead of pasta. Pretty good. I'd prefer strips instead of cubes of chicken.

11/11/2011 8:27:41 PM

Quote :

"278. Maggot Sliders: http://www.dailymunch.com/2008/10/halloween-appetizer---maggot-sliders.html — I used turkey so I could eat them but then I ended up not eating one anyway. I didn't add the basil. I'd season the meat some if I made them again because Aaron said they weren't too flavorful. I debated adding it but I stuffed them with a tasty jalapeno cheese so I was hoping that would add enough flavor. "

i didn't really like these, but i'm pretty sure i saw jacob eat like 6



this was good, and i don't even like mushrooms. or maybe i do.

[Edited on November 11, 2011 at 8:44 PM. Reason : when are you making us dinner again?!?!]

11/11/2011 8:43:58 PM

I felt kind of bad because I had been drinking for a while at that point and kind of forgot about them so they were barely warm when my friend reminded me they hadn't been eaten yet and we needed to finish assembling them. Oh well. Fun party anyway.

Name your day. I am a little behind and need to catch up, and very much welcome excuses

11/11/2011 8:46:44 PM

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Herb-Roasted-Turkey/Detail.aspx

Tonight, I used this recipe with chicken. It's freakin' awesome.

11/11/2011 8:47:27 PM

i'll bring guacamole, so you should make something to complement that

aaaand.... maybe next weekend? fri or sat?



[Edited on November 11, 2011 at 8:51 PM. Reason : ]

11/11/2011 8:47:34 PM

Do you like empanadas? I have a recipe for black been sweet potato ones I have been wanting to try forever. They seem like they'd be compatible with guac.

I believe I am free next Friday, but not Sat.

11/11/2011 9:02:41 PM

oooo that sounds really good! the boy even perked up when i said empanadas!



[Edited on November 11, 2011 at 9:04 PM. Reason : i don't think i have ever had empanadas]

11/11/2011 9:03:36 PM

I think I have had empanadas once. At an empanada restaurant. So I am a bit afraid I will be disappointed.

There's always the backup ordering pizza option if I fail too bad

11/11/2011 9:06:15 PM

plus my guacamole is amazing so that won't disappoint anyone

11/11/2011 9:18:21 PM

297. Sausage 'n' Spinach Eggs: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sausage-n-spinach-eggs/detail.aspx — I used turkey sausage instead, halved it and omitted mushrooms. Poured into a pie dish and baked it to finish rather than using the skillet method. Tasty, and one of the rare egg dishes I'm not inclined to top with something.


298. Mild Curry Omelet: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mild-curry-omelet/detail.aspx — Used less sesame oil, and my oil is "fiery" so it added a bit more flavor. Flavor was good but egg was a bit dense at the end so I'd add a splash of milk or water to the egg.


299. Mushroom Hunter's Sauce: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mushroom-hunters-sauce/detail.asp — Cooked up pretty quickly, and was tasty and a flavor I hadn't really had before. Served over spaghetti squash.


300. Sun Dried Tomato Turkey Meatloaf: http://cakebatterandbowl.com/sun-dried-tomato-turkey-meatloaf.html — I used flax seed instead of ground croutons. It didn't really taste like sun-dried tomatoes and was kind of bland.


301. Dijon-Herb Dressing: http://www.food.com/recipe/dijon-herb-dressing-114805 — I remembered the tarragon vinegar I had made a good way back so used that instead of white. And I only had dried herbs. It went nicely over a green salad.

302. Spicy Black Bean Salad with Chicken and Roasted Cumin Vinaigrette: http://www.mccormickgourmet.com/Recipes/Main-Dishes/Spicy-Black-Bean-Salad-with-Chicken-and-Roasted-Cumin-Vinaigrette.aspx — Mostly used recipe for the vinaigrette. I didn't use cilantro. Omitted corn, and used some leftover chili beans instead of black beans. I like this kind of salad to have a warm component, so I kept the chicken warm and tossed the pepper and onion in the pan with the vinaigrette. Also added a bit of avocado, and topped with a couple blobs of Greek yogurt. It was a little bland so I added a bit of hot sauce. It was good and super filling though.

303. Baked Stuffed Winter Squash: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/baked-stuffed-winter-squash/detail.aspx — I used a white acorn squash, soy sausage crumbles and subbed flax for bread crumbs. Omitted nuts. The flavor was good but it needed salt. And mine was a little soft texture-wise, but I think that would not have been a problem if I'd used real sausage.


304. Chipotle Black Bean and Sweet Potato Empanadas: http://naturallyella.com/2011/04/01/chipotle-black-bean-and-sweet-potato-empanada/ — Used a green pepper instead of red and mashed the sweet potatoes somewhat instead of leaving them in cubes. I was afraid these would feel like a pain in the ass. But they didn't. The dough was easy to make, and they weren't hard to assemble. I did forget egg wash to seal the first few, but it didn't make a difference. They were really good. Meg snuck two of them out of my house in her purse. We had them with peach salsa, and I think the sweet complement to it was a good choice. (and her guacamole was pretty badass)


305. Mexican Pulled Chicken: http://www.handletheheat.com/2010/04/mexican-pulled-chicken-winner.html — I wanted to make chicken breasts, but simultaneously just didn't feel like eating a whole chicken breast. So I decided to shred them. I probably used more cumin than it called for. I think I reduced the sauce a wee bit too much. But it tasted nice.


306. Black Friday Pasta Salad: I don't want to post the link here but if you want it, PM me — This is a recipe my friend made up. It's fucking awesome. Cubed turkey, dried cranberries, raisins, toasted pecans, celery, celery leaves, onion, olive oil, S&P, chives. The first time she made it, I seriously ate about half of it. So good. I want to put celery leaves in more things. And when I first heard what all was in it I didn't expect to like it as much as I do.


307. Balsamic Brussels Sprouts: http://www.myfabulousrecipes.com/2011/11/20/roasted-balsamic-brussels-sprouts/ — I do not like the crispy parts of roasted Brussels sprouts. The flavors were otherwise good, but I think the roasting can make them taste a bit burnt, which was intensified by the balsamic.

308. Yummy Sweet Potato Casserole: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/yummy-sweet-potato-casserole/ — I baked the potatoes instead of boiling them. And I baked them kind of funky. I put them in the oven for about half an hour, then really needed to go to bed, so I just turned off the oven and left them in there. They came out very buttery. Everyone said this was great. I wish the topping had been a bit more crispy/crumbly.

309. Heavenly Spinach: Another forgotten recipe made a month ago. It came from the SparkRecipes app. — Something along the lines of spinach, mayo and Parmesan cheese spread in a pan and topped with tomato slices and bread crumbs. I liked it. Aaron thought it was weird. Which it was, but I still liked it.

310: Thyme-Braised Brussels Sprouts: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/thyme_braised_brussels_sprouts.html — I cut them in half because I like them a little smaller, used a beef bouillon cube, and used like 2/3 lb of them. Really good. And I kind of ate the whole pan at once.


311. Asian Style Tilapia: From SparkRecipes App — Supposed to mix soy sauce, pineapple, garlic, ginger and sesame oil, pour over fish and bake in parchment. I lined dish with oil, put rest on top and covered with foil to bake. I had pineapple rings, so I chopped one up for a small piece of fish. I think it would be better with crushed pineapple, but I liked the flavor. Might add a bit of chili paste next time.

312. Cuties Mandarin Parfait: http://www.cutiescitrus.com/recipes/mandarin-parfait — I used one clementine and adjusted everything from there. Kind of bastardized it. I used blueberry Greek yogurt because I didn't have vanilla or feel like making it from plain. Flax seeds instead of almonds/granola. Sugar-free strawberry preserves instead of raspberry. I liked the blueberry flavor, and the Greek yogurt over regular felt a bit more luxurious. I am trying to stop listening to my cravings for cookies and stuff by making desserts like this.


314. Brussels Sprouts with Sherry-Asiago Cream Sauce: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/brussels_sprouts_with_sherry_asiago_cream_sauce.html — They were OK. Not worth the time really.

315. Salmon with Cuties Mandarin Salsa: http://www.cutiescitrus.com/recipes/salmon-with-cuties-mandarin-salsa — My only complaint is that the chopped clementines released a good bit of juice, which made the salsa a little too liquid. The flavors were good. I just fully cooked the salmon in a pan instead of using the oven method.


316. La Madeleine's Tomato Basil Soup: http://www.food.com/recipe/la-madeleines-tomato-basil-soup-5368 — I used a can of petite diced tomatoes, half veggie juice and half stock. I was planning on using half and half, but I was out so I used regular milk. While it definitely would have been richer with cream, it was very good with milk, and quite easy. I also did not use nearly as much butter as called for because apparently I misread the ingredients. Next time I'd just pulse the blender a couple times because I like having a little bit of chunkiness.


A wee bit behind, but I got this.

11/29/2011 8:22:20 PM

pls to make me some cookies. I'm coming to loleigh this weekend.

11/29/2011 8:34:06 PM

double post is double.

[Edited on November 29, 2011 at 8:36 PM. Reason : .]

11/29/2011 8:34:45 PM

4srs? I will make you cookies if you come get them! I'm busy most of Sat/Sun so probably can't meet you too far out anywhere.

11/29/2011 8:35:21 PM

yeah I'm def comin down. :-)
I'll be staying by your old place so I'll be close by.

11/29/2011 8:38:03 PM

For a second I read that as "I'll be staying at your place" and I was like that's cool but you might should have mentioned that at some point.

What kinda cookies you want?

[Edited on November 29, 2011 at 8:41 PM. Reason : I like how with my last two big posts someone convinces me to make them stuff]

11/29/2011 8:39:16 PM

holy shit, something like this!

http://www.beckybakes.net/2011/01/20/oreo-stuffed-chocolate-chip-cookies/

[Edited on November 29, 2011 at 8:58 PM. Reason : aaand then I see your message. ]

11/29/2011 8:56:07 PM

haha, I can totally do those. I have been wanting to anyway. I might make a couple kinds because I am also going to a party on Sunday and would like to take something. So let me know if any others look good.

11/29/2011 9:02:37 PM

cake batter bars, pretzel blondies, and the lemonade bars all look good and interesting too.

11/29/2011 9:06:03 PM

My filapina friend just fed me this interesting dessert/snack called maja blanca, which is something in between fudge and jello, made of coconut milk and corn.

Ingredients:
4 cups coconut milk
3/4 cup cornstarch
14 ounces condensed milk
3/4 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
15 ounces whole sweet kernel corn
5 tbsp toasted grated coconut


Cooking procedure:
1. Pour the coconut milk in a cooking pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add the sugar, condensed milk, and whole sweet kernel corn then stir until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
3. Simmer for 8 minutes
4. Combine the fresh milk and cornstarch then whisk until the cornstarch is diluted
5. Pour the fresh milk and cornstarch mixture in the cooking pot and stir thoroughly.
6. Allow to cook while stirring until the mixture reaches your desired thickness
7. Pour the mixture in a serving tray then arrange and flatten the top using a flat tool such as a wooden spatula
8. Allow to cool down then refrigerate for at least 1 hour
9. Garnish with toasted grated coconut (or latik- browned curdled coconut cream- if available)
10. Serve cold. Share and enjoy!

12/8/2011 8:47:53 PM

+2 to Skwinkle is awesome.

12/8/2011 8:50:35 PM

^^ How was that? It sounds interesting for sure. I don't think I would be a fan because I don't really like squishy-type stuff all that much.

317. Mongolian Shrimp: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=691688 — I used flour instead of cornstarch. Had more flavor than I expected and was really good. Sesame oil always adds more flavor than I anticipate. Used regular brown sugar. Will make again.

318. Zimbabwean Chicken and Vegetable Soup: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/zimbabwean-chicken-and-vegetable-soup/detail.aspx — I didn't have a turnip. I threw in a little yellow pepper I had in the fridge. My PB was chunky but I couldn't really detect any peanuts in it. I wasn't happy with the heat level from the red pepper as it came out, so I added a couple drops of ghost pepper sauce to my bowl.


319. Okra Rice: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/okra-rice/detail.aspx — I used brown rice so cooked it a bit while sauteing the other stuff. Used turkey bacon, and not nearly as much, but it also doesn't cook off as much. I wasn't really paying close attention to the directions so I didn't realize I was supposed to cook the okra in the broth and just threw it in with the rice. Turned out fine but did have a little okra sliminess to it. I ate it with the soup over it, so that didn't matter.


320. Cake Batter Bars: http://www.lovintheoven.com/2011/08/cake-batter-bars.html — At first I didn't realize you were just using part of the cake mix so I wondered how the hell that was all supposed to fit in an 8x8. But then I realized I was being slow. But I still think it ends up being a little too much for 8x8. I didn't put quite all of it in there, so threw like 2 Tbsp. of dough in a separate pan, which flattened out into basically a big sugar cookie. The bars sloped up on the sides more than usual. They were a bit too buttery for my preferences.


321. Oreo-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies: http://www.beckybakes.net/2011/01/20/oreo-stuffed-chocolate-chip-cookies/ — Per request of Sean. I made the first batch with the fresh dough, which was very sticky and a bit hard to shape. They kind of melted around the Oreo and left a little Oreo shadow in the middle (the pic is the first batch where this happened). I chilled the dough for other batches, which helped them stay solid a little. They were really good. Probably the best chocolate chip cookie base that I've made. They stay nice and soft. I also made a strong effort to do things the way you're supposed to with cookies, i.e., letting butter come to room temperature without external heat, eggs at room temp, etc. I never worried too much about those factors before.


322. Spinach Bars: From Georgia on My Menu cookbook. — Made them to take to a party. Flour, eggs, cheese, spinach, salt and baking powder. And it called for 4 Tbsp. of butter melted in the pan before you pour in the mix. I normally would have nixed that, but I didn't. I wish I had. It just needed a little spray in the pan. And it called for 1 pound of Monterey Jack, but I used like 6 oz. cheddar and 4 oz. Swiss. People seemed to like them and I got asked for the recipe by a lady who said she wanted to make it as a way to get her kid to eat spinach.


323. Brussels Sprout and Rosemary Soup: http://pursuitofhippieness.com/2011/11/12/weekend-do-visit-the-farmers-market/ — I made this in the crock pot. Used some leftover steamed sprouts and a bag of frozen cauliflower. Only added one cup of water. It has a weird flavor that I can't quite place on any of the ingredients. Bitter I guess. One of the few things I've made in this challenge that I couldn't eat.

324. Turkey Carrot Quiche: http://www.paleoplan.com/2009/12-02/turkey-carrot-quiche/ — I had a full pound of turkey so made two. I didn't measure the carrots, but used two large ones. Didn't double the broth. The coconut milk was an interesting flavor in quiche. It's good, but not my favorite quiche.


325. Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Creamy Chive Sauce: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/sauteed_chicken_breasts_with_creamy_chive_sauce.html — I didn't pound out the chicken and used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. I accidentally added too much mustard, so that flavor was a little too strong. Not bad.


326. Sriracha Salt: http://ramshackleglam.com/blog/eat/sriracha-salt/ — Say what? When I came across this idea I had to make it immediately. It wasn't drying out too well loosely covered, so I just left it completely uncovered overnight, and that did nicely. I haven't actually tried it yet.


327. Okra Chickpea Tagine: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/okra_chickpea_tagine.html — I used an orange pepper and just put it in with the onion. No cilantro. It's decent.

328. Curry Shrimp with Spicy Peanut Lo Mein: http://www.onthewoodside.com/2011/02/blazing-noodles.html — YUM. I don't feel like making two separate sauces is necessary. They basically ended up getting mixed together anyway. I didn't use sugar, and used regular wheat pasta noodles instead of the lo mein noodles. I used chunky peanut butter, and I liked having a few tiny bits of peanut. Spicy to the point it made my lips burn

329. Chicken Caliente Sandwiches: http://www.recipegirl.com/2008/11/12/best-wurst-chicken-caliente-sandwich/ — I used one chicken breast and one chicken sausage, and scaled everything else. I didn't have the type of chili sauce it called for so used some Thai chili sauce and a bit of ketchup. Also didn't have red pepper so omitted it. Served open-faced on some brown bread rolls I had on hand. Pretty amazing. Mmmm spicy.


330. Oatmeal "Cookie" Pancakes: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=490096 — Used regular milk. A little too dense but the flavor was good. Needs some tweaking but has potential.

331. Turkey Gravy: from an app — It was just turkey sausage, cornstarch, milk and pepper. To me that is super bland. I added a bit of cayenne, garlic salt and onion powder. That was awesome.

332. Homemade English Muffins: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=499028 — The dough was way soft with the recommended amount of flour (after the 2 initial cups + 1 extra). I feel like I added a good bit more than a cup after that but wasn't really measuring it. I never knew that English muffins were pan fried and not just baked.They turned out so yummy! I want to try subbing a little bit of wheat flour and seeing how that turns out. They do take a little bit of time, but it's not that much hands-on, and for as many as the recipe yields I think it's worth it.


333. Loaded Breakfast Muffins: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=416743 — Lots of ingredients, but worth it. Instead of oat bran and wheat germ I used 3/4 cup of wheat bran because it's what I had on hand and I don't actually know the difference. Used grated apple instead of applesauce, and pecans instead of walnuts, which weren't particularly finely chopped. One whole egg instead of two whites. Felt like the dough was a bit dry before I baked them, but it turned out fine. I used frozen blueberries that were pretty large, and they seemed to kind of dominate the muffins. I might eliminate those next time and up the nuts and craisins. I am kind of excited about these to grab on the way to the gym in the morning.


334. English Muffin Breakfast Sandwiches: http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/english-muffin-breakfast-sandwiches-recipe.htm — Used turkey bacon instead of Canadian. Put the cheese on top of hte egg and broiled the whole thing. Nice Sunday brunch.

12/11/2011 11:17:07 AM

I have to say that the chocolate chip cookie was real real amazing.

12/11/2011 11:26:14 AM

set us up the post

12/11/2011 12:12:08 PM