Gnocchi with Shrimp, Asparagus and Pesto

If you are hosting a St. Patrick's Day dinner party - this meal would be a great one to make. This dish unfortunately doesn't photograph too well - but its one of those ugly ducklings. 

In the mix:

• 1 pkg gnocchi
• 1 lb shrimp
• 1 lb asparagus
• 1 batch of homemade pesto

If you have never made your own pesto before - its the worth the few minutes of extra effort.  There is something to be said about being able to control the flavors & oil content.  And of course, it helps to have a food processor to throw everything in.

*A little side topic - I am very much aware that I speak of my food processor as though it is a love affair. It's probably been the most used counter-top appliance that I own.  I use the thing for just about everything - salsa, hummus, pesto, shredding cheese, shredding cabbage...  If you don't own one - I highly recommend the investment - and no - KitchenAid did not pay me to write this.

Back on track: Pesto

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic
• ~4 teaspoons olive oil

Place all ingredients sans oil in processor, blend until smooth, while drizzling in oil until the mix reaches the desired consistency.

This dish is almost a one pot wonder - my favorite type of meal to make on a busy work day.

• Boil gnocchi for 4 minutes
• Remove gnocchi from water with slotted spoon
• Add shrimp & half-ed asparagus to the still boiling water for 3-4 minutes
• Drain, and add gnocchi to the shrimp & asparagus.
• Toss with pesto, and top with a hint of parmesan.

The pesto gives the gnocchi a creamy texture without feeling too heavy.  A quick meal, but unfortunately not too appealing to serve to company.  This guy goes in the repeat offender list when in a bind.

Garden Fresh Salad

We have to brag just a bit - this salad contains 90% home-grown veggies.  Green leaf lettuce, spinach, cucumber, and a neighbor gave us a couple of his tomatoes. I tried to sneak in a few posts - hoping that no one will notice that we haven't posted since August - eeks!  This salad was crafted back in September - with the bouty of our little garden.  Who would have thought that all 30 lettuce & spinach seeds that I planted would actually all grow?  Thus - resulting in quite a few salads like the one pictured above.

I would beg to differ that nothing tastes more satisfying than fresh, from the yard vegetables.  In our attempt to lighten up the dinner plate a little bit a salad was a refreshing change to a heavy meal.  This salad was packed full of spinach, green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, a handful of croutons and a splash of Annie's Organic Balsamic Vingarette. Annie's dressings are unfortunately a dollar or so more than regular dressings - but the short list of ingredients that I actually recognize is well worth the price. 

I can't wait until next summer and the variety of veggies we will have - we'll hopefully have an abundance of veggies that aren't just lettuce & spinach :)

Mushroom & Spinach Quesadilla

Sauteed mushrooms - tons of spinach, gooey jack cheese, inside a toasted tortilla - pretty much heaven - if you like mushrooms and spinach.

We have a quesadilla maker, which every now and then we need an excuse to drag it out of the cupboard. There is something comforting about a bit of "junk food" every now and then.  In an attempt to eat some symbolance of nutrition - I sauted up a few sliced mushrooms with a hearty spoonful of minced garlic.  Layered between a large handful of spinach - the combination of mushrooms and jack cheese was tasty gooey. 

Definately not the healthiest of meals - but this probably isn't too terrible in the calorie department sans cheese.

Proscuitto & Turkey Paninis

I may have gotten sucked in - to the joy of New Seasons.

The story: On my way home from a client, I decided to stop by New Seasons to pick up some fixings for dinner.  It was right on the way, and didn't require much of a detour.  I've shopped at New Seasons before, but never have I realized how many choices of peanut butter they have!  I should have taken a picture - its mesmerizing. Almond butter, peanut butters of all flavors and varieties - I may have to try them all! Anyways - I did not go shopping with peanut butter in mind, nor did I buy any - but my, oh, my - I will definitely have to try some next time I shop.  The prices within New Seasons keep my little basket pretty light - but I came home with some fun stuff.

Dinner was semi random tonight - sandwiches, salad, and corn on the cob - this is what we end up with when I get caught up in the fun choices of the store. 

Paninis:

• Gouda
• Proscuitto
• Herbed Turkey Breast
• Honey Dijon Mustard
• Ciabatta roll

And thanks to a Panini griddle that Cam gave to us one Christmas - we end up with pretty legit sandwiches - nice and crisp.

The corn on the cob was a great treat - so fresh and sweet - it was almost dessert.  I felt like I had been missing out - I've only had corn twice this summer!

A great meal to cook while trying to keep the kitchen cool during summer.

Flank Steak Tacos

What to do with a ton of leftover flank steak? Make tacos, of course!  We've been moseying our way through leftovers the past few days, and in fear of just eating repeats, I decided to transform our Teriyaki flank steak into some tacos.

In the mix:

• Flank steak sliced thin
• 1 poblano pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/3 white onion
• tablespoon of garlic
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• Touch of oregano

All cooked up into a tasty taco/fajita mixture.  Served in whole wheat tortillas with some Spanish rice.  An excellent use for leftovers!

Blueberry Scones

Those who know me well, know my adversion to blueberries.  A strange and perhaps hindering adversion to a fruit, but I tend to like blueberries much more when cooked up in something rather than eating them fresh.  Strange - yes.  But, we went to a family brunch on Sunday, and decided to make these super easy scones to bring along.

Easy as pie... well - easier!

• 2 cups of flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• pinch of salt'
• cut in 5 tablespoons of butter with a pastry cutter

Make a well in the middle of the mixed dry ingredients and stir in 1 cup of milk (the recipe called for heavy cream - but I decided to go the lighter route).

The dough will be pretty sticky  - but gently stir in 1 cup of frozen blueberries.

Spread out dough on a greased cookie sheet into a circle.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Once the scones come out of the oven, brush them with a mixture of 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup lemon juice and zest of one lemon.  I didn't use nearly all of the glaze in fear of making the scones too sweet, but the zest of the lemons really gave it a nice fresh zip.

Super easy scones!

Flank Steak with Grilled Asparagus

We don't really cook up steak very often.  I don't really know why, but I don't tend to shop in the "red meat" section of the store. On Thursday we decided to grill up a piece of flank steak to "mix it up a bit".

We let the steak sit in a pretty simple marinade overnight:

• Teriyaki sauce
• garlic
• onion powder

Grilled up with some hearty asparagus was a great summer meal to eat out on the patio. I believe asparagus in the grilled form is my favorite way to prepare.  Just toss in a bit of olive oil and garlic and throw on the grill for a quick minute or two.  They come out way more tender than when cooked on the stove top.

Easy Penne & Tuna Salad

I had whipped up this meal this last Wednesday, but once again, I have a backlog of meals that I need to post.

I tried out packaged tuna for the first time - and was mildly impressed.  I don't remember the last time I've eaten tuna from a can, or tuna - period.  Something about the smell of packaged tuna brings me back to smelling a tuna sandwich in my lunch bag in grade school. You never wanted to be the kid who had a tuna sandwich in their lunchbag...

Anyways, I purchased 2 packages of tuna packed in water - one of light meat and one of darker meat.  Opening the packaging took up a bit of courage as I was afraid of a wafting "tuna can" smell - no such smell.  And so, I proceeded with this recipe:

Start out by roasting 1 red bell pepper under the broiler.

• Cut a bell pepper in half lengthwise - clean out the innards, and place skin sides up on foil-lined baking sheet. 
• Broil for 15 minutes, then place in a zip-loc bag and let steam for another 15 minutes.  
• Peel off the skin (this was a bit messy) and chop.

Boil up 6 oz of penne noodles. Drain and rinse with cold water (to bring the temperature down)

In a large bowl, combine:

• 2 cups of coarsely chopped arugula
• 1/4 cup sliced shallots
• 2 tbsp of red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp capers, drained
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 packages of chunk tuna
• Pasta
• Red peppers

This pasta salad was great and refreshing.  The tuna added a definitive flavor, but the red peppers and capers added a bit of complexity.  Overall, super quick to make, and not too terribly unhealthy.  Next time I make, I will probably use wheat pasta.

Lime Chicken & Smoked White Cheddar Quesadillas

This wasn't the most healthy of meals, but it was pretty darn good. 

When we were in Rockaway the other week, we had picked up a tiny, baby block of smoked black pepper white cheddar cheese from the Tillamook Cheese Factory, which served as the inspiration for this meal.

In the mix:
Lime-Cilantro marinated grilled chicken

• Chicken breasts marinated in a mix of lime juice, cayenne pepper and cilantro

Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar
Jalapenos (in David's)
Green onions

On the side: Homemade salsa and a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade. 

Vegetable Lasagna

I realized a very sad fact yesterday - I don't think I had used my oven in over 3 weeks.  For me - this is a shockingly long time.  And so, in honor of my neglected oven, I decided to whip up a meal that managed to use nearly every inch of my tiny counter space, cook-top and food processor - veggie lasagna.

I find that lasagna is one of those foods that makes you work for its delicious flavors - so many assembly items! But this one was worth it.
I used this Recipe but then changed it up a bit

The layers:
 - Whole wheat noodles (I typically use the whole box, because I like a sturdy lasagna)
 - Ricotta mixture

• 15 oz carton of low-fat ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• a few teaspoons each of Italian seasoning & parsley

 - Vegetable layer

• 12 oz of fresh spinach
• 1 crown of broccoli
• 3 carrots
• Handful of mushrooms

 - Cheese - I gave low-fat mozzarella a try. I couldn't tell a taste difference.

This recipe made a very full 8x13" pan full of oozing layers - I think it weighed at least 3 lbs.

I'll eat my servings of vegetables like this any day :)

Homemade Salsa

 A few days ago, David & I whipped up our first-ever batch of salsa.  With the acquisition of a food processor back in May, salsa has been on my list of foods to make. After making this stuff, I don't know if I'll ever buy the canned stuff off the shelf again. 

I just threw a bunch of stuff in the mix and didn't really follow a specific recipe:

• 2 lbs of roma tomatoes
• 2 jalapeno peppers
• 2 Serrano chili peppers
• a few tablespoons of garlic
• handful of cilantro
• 2 tsp of cumin
• dash of salt

Whir it all up in the food processor until desired chunkiness level - we like it pretty liquidified.

I was pretty nervous at first throwing 4 hot peppers into the mix, as I'm not a big "hot" person - but the 2 lbs of tomatoes were enough to mellow it all out.  This batch made a LOT of salsa - next time, I'll probably cut it in half.  

Tasty delicious!

Grilled Shrimp Skewers

We have been eating meals lately - I promise - but once again, we start to lag on the posting. Our camera has a backlog of photos from our tasty meals.  We'll get around to posting them - one day...


Last night's dinner was super easy and very summer appropriate.  We have definitely been utilizing our grill with these hot summer days, so it was time to try it out with some shrimp.


We picked up a pound of raw 16/20 count shrimp and they don't lie - there were 18 shrimps in our package. :) 

The thought to grill up shrimp was a semi-impulse decision as was the mixture that I marinading them in:

Peel and then marinate for 30 min or so in a mixture of the following:

• 2 tblsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp of cumin
• 1/2 tsp of onion powder 

We stacked these guys up on some bamboo skewers (soaked in water for a few minutes so they won't catch on fire) - then grilled on each side for 2-3 minutes.

Paired with a crisp green side salad and a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade, this meal made the perfect summertime dinner. 

This meal clocked in at about $5 per plate - which is thrilling and makes me say - "forget you Red Lobster - I can make my own shrimp skewers" :)

Orange Sherbert

We have the pleasure of owning an ice cream maker - which to be honest had remained totally unopened stored safely in the linen closet (aka kitchen gadget storage closet).  But with the warm weather, brings out the cravings for a satisfying cold treat - so why not bust out the ice cream maker.

This one is surprisingly easy - there are canisters that are pre-frozen that just set on a mechanical base and whir away.  20-25 min later the magic of ice cream occurs.

We decided to start the ice cream adventure with a simple orange sherbert.  Sherbert is a bit "healthier" than a standard ice cream, as its made with just whole milk, juice concentrate, and a touch of sugar, whereas ice cream contains - yes - cream!

The recipe if you have an ice cream maker and want to replicate:

2 1/2 cups of whole milk
3/4 cups of frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 tblsp of sugar

Mix together, pour into ice cream maker and start! Easy!

We've also attempted a lime sherbet that turned out really well! I put the milk mixture in a food processor for a few seconds to make the mixture super creamy and I loved it! Next on the list to make is a raspberry sorbet. Cannot wait.

An easy and delicious way to start off the summer.

Potato Salad (mayo free)

One of the best parts of summer are the family bbqs. It's always great to get together with friends and family to share a great meal - and its always made better when you can enjoy the sunshine.  Potato salad is one of the quintessential icons of summer. Seems like its semi-un-American to have a bbq without potato salad.  However, one of the things David & I have in common is that there are no mayonnaise jars allowed in our fridge.  We don't eat the stuff. I'm a little more lenient when it comes to saucy condiments, but nonetheless, I set out on a journey to find a mayo-free potato salad substitute - and I believe I may have found one.

Recipe: Potato Salad

Basicially, its red potatoes tossed in a vinegar/oil dressing and mixed with some veggies. I didn't have/want to purchase flavored rice vinegar, so I used plain rice vinegar and mixed in a small handful of some Herbes de Provence that I had stored in the pantry.

I added the drained potatoes while they were still hot in a bowl with the vinegar mixture, and was a little nervous at first because the smell of warm vinegar potatoes was a little strong. I was afraid that I had created a monster of pickled potatoes - but don't fear - with a little time, it all mellowed out. I made this the night before and let it sit in the fridge overnight to allow the flavor of the vinegar to meld around with everything. The vinegar could hardly be tasted - it just gave things a little zip.

I will definately be making this one again - probably much to my sister's demise - as she liked to pick out all the veggies.  Watch out pasta salad - you may have met your match.

Chocolate-Banana Cream Pie

For Father's Day, I decided that I'd whip up something a little special that I knew my dad would enjoy.  It might not have been the healthiest or most calorie friendly of desserts, but this baby was a delicious pie.  This guy was heavy - it probably weighed in at a good 3-4 lbs.  The combination of chocolate cookie crust, banana slices, chocolate cream filling and whipped cream on the top was to die for.  A little slice went a long way with this guy.

Here's the recipe if you'd like to make: Chocolate Cream Pie.  The recipe did not call for the bananas - I added those in as a layer on the bottom and sides of the crust before adding the pudding.  2 bananas sliced was plenty to cover the bottom and sides of the crust. I would definately recommend using the deepest pie dish you've got - you won't want any of the filling to go to waste!

This guy took a bit of time to make, as I had forgotten how long it actually takes to get homemade pudding to thicken - especially when using low-fat milk.  Homemade pudding is simply a combination of milk, cornstarch, sugar and egg yolks.  I think it takes a bit longer when using low-fat milk as its pretty thin to begin with, but that's what I had in the fridge.  Its amazing how 45 minutes of whisking turns into delectible chocolate pudding. No easy shortcuts on this one.

I didn't get a picture of it, but after transporting, I topped the whole thin with some thickly whipped cream and sprinkled with almond slivers.  Watch out Marie Callendar's.

Baked Turkey Egg Rolls

Hello Internet! David here with an important message:

Stop.

Stop what you're doing right now.

Whatever you are in the middle of is not nearly as important as what you're about to read.

However, take note of this moment. At this time you are blissfully ignorant. Unaware of a culinary masterpiece that will not only enslave you with its delicious taste, but knock all of your favorite recipes down a peg. Take note, dear reader, for this moment is akin to moving out of your parents home for the first time, or the instant before your first kiss. This is the moment before you lose your cooking innocence. This is the moment before your life changes forever.



The shining light at the bottom of the precipice from which you're about to tumble off is Baked Turkey Egg Rolls. Their preparation is simple and concise; So easy I won't bother elaborating here, but simply link to you at the end. Your home will be filled with smells of the freshest and most decadent Chinese food you've ever tasted. Your mouth will be full of contradiction that even an episode of Lost would envy. Salty, savory, sweet... alliteration aside, you're brain won't know what to make of these.

My life has been changed forever, and I still have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.



LINK WHICH COULD EASILY BE DESCRIBED AS THE MOST IMPORTANT MOUSE CLICK OF YOUR LIFE

Chicken-Apple Sausages

Sunday was definitely a BBQ day.  After a long day on Saturday with both of us at respective family graduation ceremonies and getting burnt in the sun - Sunday was a nice relaxing day *(full of lawn mowing and studying).

Tonight was a simple quick dinner, nothing difficult: leftover pasta salad & bbq'd chicken sausages on a whole wheat bun.  The chicken sausages that we pick up are a bit on the spendy side (about $1.25 a piece), but they are so fresh tasting.  New Seasons usually has a great selection in their meat case of all kinds of flavors, but I opted for pre-packaged selection from Albertsons.  Almost summertime - love it!

Colorful Pot-Luck Worthy Pasta Salad

It seems like most everyone has a "go-to" pot-luck type dish.  For example, my mom is the baker of pies.  Any special occasion, she makes the pies. Pies are her thing.  Over the years, she has the crust and filling down to an exact science.  And then my grandma, she the maker of crescent rolls - yeasty and flaky.  I have not perfected a special occasion food item, but I have discovered that for nearly every large summer type gathering I tend to lean towards the same pot-luck dish: Pasta Salad.

I don't remember when the Hein/Vranizan Pasta Salad trend began, but it seems like its always the thing I tend to make for gatherings - perhaps because its so darn easy.

My brother is graduating college tomorrow!   In celebration of his accomplishment, on what promises to be a gorgeous day, we're having a pot-luck bbq in his honor after the ceremonies. And yup, I made pasta salad.

In the mix:

• 2 zucchini
• 2 cartons of plum tomatoes
• 1 each: red, yellow and orange bell peppers
• 1 cucumber
• 4 oz of reduced fat feta cheese crumbles
• handful of blue cheese stuffed olives & Kalamata olives, sliced thin
• 4 oz of coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 1/2 boxes of wheat spiral pasta (would have been 2 boxes, but ran out of room in the bowl)
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup of light italian dressing

I like to keep the dressing pretty light and let the flavors of the other ingredients shine through. 

This recipe makes a GIANT bowl of pasta salad - so much that I had to leave out some of the pasta and scoop myself a little bowl for dinner :)

And just to show you how many veggies are in this thing, this is how full the bowl is before adding any pasta:

Tons of: Vegetable Stifry

Yup, another vegetarian meal was on the menu for last night.  No - we haven't switched to a vegetarian diet, but grocery shopping is a bit more satisfying when 85% of the cart comes from the produce section and I hardly even ventured into the dreaded center aisles.

This stirfry utilized some yakisoba noodles we had on hand, even though they were masked by the copious amounts of vegetables I threw in.  This baby made a giant wok full of stirfry - our fridge is screaming at us to eat leftovers.

In this stirfry we've got (in order of cook time)

• 1 zucchini, sliced & quartered
• 1 bunch of bok choy, just the leaves sliced
• 1 head of cabbage, quartered then sliced nice and thin (coleslaw style)
• 5 or so mushrooms, sliced
• 2 carrots, thin ribbons from using the vegetable peeler
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 package of yakisoba noodles

Cooking the vegetables created enough moisture in the wok that only a minimal amount of sauce was necessary.

Sauce:

• a few tablespoons of lime juice
• few dashes of rice vinegar
• quite a few dashes of red pepper flakes
• few dashes of soy sauce
• 1/4 cup or so of teriyaki sauce

Like I mentioned before - this made tons!  Looking forward to leftovers as lunch, plus another dinner later on. YUM :)

Hearty (Almost) Vegetarian Chili

Nothing like an end to a workday with a hearty, comforting bowl of homemade chili & some cornbread. 
* I say almost vegetarian because we used Worcestershire sauce, which apparently is made from fish - you learn something new everyday.

Saute a bit of fresh garlic with some olive oil in the bottom of a big soup pot.  Let it sizzle for just a few minutes, then add:

• 3 cups of water
• 2 cans diced tomaotes - juice and all
• 1 can each, drained & rinsed: garbanzo beans, black beans, cannelloni beans
• variety of spices to taste: chili powder, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, pepper, salt, dashes of Worcestershire sauce

In a small bowl whisk together 3/4 cups of water with 1 small can of tomato paste and then pour into the chili.
I let the chili simmer for about 15 minutes while the cornbread muffins cooked away.  Gotta love Jiffy cornbread muffins - can't beat the .79 for enough mix to make 6 tasty muffins. 

Overall, this meal clocked in not too shabby - rib sticking enough for David, with lots of healthy proteins - and tons for leftovers!

Roasted Chicken & Vegetables with Quinoa

Last night's dinner with full of lots of veggies!  In an effort to get more fruits and vegetables in my diet, I've been heaping them up in our dinners.  The thai noodle salad left David hungry for a bit more, so with this meal I tried to make something that would be a bit more "rib-sticking" and satisfying.  But, as David put it: "Its not satisfying like a cheeseburger, because its not a cheeseburger".  Good call :)

This meal actually used 2 more pans than I like to use on week day meals, but there isn't a lot of stirring or tending needed, so I didn't mind dirtying up a couple extra dishes - especially if I have someone else to help clean up the mess - thanks babe!

I tried to time everything so that it would finish about the same time:

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Bring 2 cups of chicken broth to a boil. 
• On a sheet pan, toss 1 chicken breast with a drizzle of sesame oil, garlic powder, onion powder & pepper.  
• Put in the oven for about 10 minutes.
• Once broth is boiling, put in 1 cup of rinsed quinoa. (See the Special Occasion Dinner post for more info about quinoa. Lower heat to a simmer and cover - cook for 15 minutes.
• When the 10 minutes on the chicken is up - make room on the sheet pan for 1 bunch of asparagus quartered and 1 head of broccoli cut into florets. Toss also with another round of sesame oil, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper.  Roast for another 10-15 minutes.
• When the quinoa has finished its 15 minutes - turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes (to finish absorbing the liquid)
• Meanwhile - get a skillet pan ready with 1 clove of garlic cut into thin slices and just a bit of extra-virgin olive oil.
• When the veggies & chicken are nice and roasted, shred up the chicken with 2 forks.
• Wilt 1 bag of baby spinach in the skillet with the garlic & olive oil with a 1/4 cup or less of chicken stock.
• Combine veggies & shredded chicken in the skillet with the wilted spinach and toss to combine.
• Serve veggie mixture over quinoa and top with a touch of freshly grated parmesan cheese

It looks like a lot of steps and a lot of ingredients for a week-night dinner, but it came out well and was pretty satisfying for being a plate of green vegetables.  And it made plenty for lunch leftovers!

Thai Noodle Salad

As we all know by now - Thai frequents our kitchen often.  Instead of typical Phad-Thai, I wanted to make something a little fresher and a bit lighter.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pkg Thai Rice Noodles
• Head of Broccoli - cut into florets
• Mango - cubed
• Large carrot - shredded
• 2 green onions
• Handful of bean sprouts
• Handful of peanuts - crushed
• Lime juice
• Tablespoon of peanut butter
• Rice Vinegar
• Fish Sauce
• Dash of Sriracha (aka Rooster Hot Sauce)
• Sesame Oil

I apologize for the lack of measurement of ingredients - but I kinda made this one up as I went along.

Bring a pot of water to boil, then take off the heat and dump in the rice noodles. Let the noodles soak and get happy for about 10 minutes, and throw in the broccoli during the last 5 minutes or so.  This gives you enough time to prep the remaining ingredients. 

I like to prep my carrots by thinly peeling them with a vegetable peeler.  It gives a great thin piece of carrot.

Mix together the carrot, mango cubes, green onion, bean sprouts & peanuts in a small bowl.

In another small dish, whisk together peanut butter, few tablespoons of lime juice, dash of fish sauce, dash of sesame oil, teaspoon or so of rice vinegar, and just a dash of the hot sauce.  Stir this into the drained broccoli noodle mixture.

Serve the veggie salad on top of a bed of the warm noodles & broccoli. 

This was a refreshing dish that had a great blend of flavors & textures and was 100% vegetarian! 

Homemade Hummus

I am very much a fan of hummus.  Frequently when we go out with friends to grab a bite to eat, or I'm on the road traveling for work - I'll order the appetizer of hummus as my entree.  Hummus is refreshing, light but also satisfying and filling.  We went out with friends last night to the Raccoon Lodge, and opting out of a big burger with fries, I ordered the hummus plate.  I should have correlated the quality of the burger to the lacking quality of the hummus plate - it left a lot to be desired.  So today - as my lunch, I sought out on the mission to make homemade hummus in my still shiny new food processor.

It's so pretty :)  And yup - there's peanut butter in the picture.  There's a bit of a story:  I went to the store to gather the ingredients for the hummus - I really only needed garbanzo beans and tahini paste.  I went to the Albertson's that is super close to us - and after several minutes on the hunt for tahini paste I didn't find it.  I didn't have the patience to drive to another store, so I used the power of the internet to find a quick substitute.  Thanks to Alton Brown, I was able to whip up something tasty.

• 1 clove of garlic (Alton wanted 2-3, but after my aioli experience, I shied away for too much garlic
• 1 can of garbonzo beans (drained, but save the liquid)
• 2 tablespoons of smooth peanut butter
• handful of parsely
• 1 lemon, zested & juiced
• 1/3 cup of EVOO

Pulse together the garlic, beans, and 1/2 of the bean liquid until semi-smooth.  Then pulse in the peanut butter, parsely, lemon zest & juice (only for a couple of seconds).  Then drizzle in the olive oil until nice and creamy.


It paired excellently with a fresh cucumber:

Next time I'm on the hunt for groceries I will defintaly have to find tahini paste. Using peanut butter didn't taste terrible - in fact I could hardly taste it except for a slight aftertaste.  I had a large lemon - so using all the juice and zest gave it quite a zip.  Definitely a snack I will make again and tweak as time goes on.

Special Occasion: Lamb Chops, Asparagus, Quinoa Salad & Lemon Tarts

This last Sunday (Memorial Day weekend) in celebration of taking the 2nd of the 4 monster CPA tests on Saturday - we decided to have a few friends over for a special occasion dinner.  I hadn't really been cooking anything other than 1 pot wonders the past few weeks - if we've been cooking at all - so I decided to step it up a notch and make a few things to take me out of my spaghetti pot comfort zone.

On the menu:
Lamb chops (which I have never had lamb before)
Asparagus with Aioli (utilization of my new food processor - thanks Karen)
Quinoa, Pea & Mint Salad (first experience with Quinoa - pronounced "KEEN-wah")
Mini-Lemon Tarts (also a use of the food processor - and an attempt at a recreation of a dessert David & I had while on vacation in Gearhart)

Unfortuntalely, I didn't get a picture of all the food on the table - but it was quite a spread.

I used Martha's cookbook for all but the lemon tart recipe.  

- Lamb chops:
I ventured to New Seasons - which is a rare occurrence and sprung for some lamb rib chops.  These are pretty small - but I got enough for 2 per person.  I just pan fried the chops seasoned with a bit of salt & pepper.  I cooked the chops in shifts in my pan - so as to give them plenty of room to get happy.  Once they were all nice and seared and cooked to a medium-rare - medium, I threw them all back in the pan and tossed with some lemon juice and zest.  The flavor of lamb is difficult for me to describe.  It was interesting and different - and I'm afraid in my effort to not overcook some pricey cuts of meat - some of it may have been a tad on the rare side. 


- Asparagus with Garlic Aioli:
I paired some blanched asparagus with a garlicky aioli.  I loved being able to try out my new food processor with something I would normally never make.  Aioli is basically mayonaisse - which I don't normally like - but I thought I'd give a shot with homemade.  I zipped together an egg, 1 clove of garlic, 1/2 cup of canola oil and 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil.  1 clove of garlic was almost too much!  It complemented the asparagus with a twang but I felt like with a little taste I could ward off vampires.


- Quinoa Salad with Pea & Mint:
Quinoa is something I have heard about from a few of my co-workers.  They supplement their traditional white grains (rice, pasta, etc) with this nutty-flavored grain in the effort to get more nutrients in their diet.  Martha's cookbook has a tidbit about it being the only non-animal protein that contains all of the essential amino acids.  I found this grain in the bulk section of the natural foods portion of Fred Meyer. At 1.49 a lb, 1 cup of this stuff isn't too spendy at all - only a few cents.  I cooked up 1 cup of rinsed quinoa (use a super small sieve or it will all end up in the sink) with 2 cups of chicken stock. It cooks up for about 20 minutes with the addition of 1 cup of peas during the last 5 minutes of cooking.  It was a refreshing alternative to a traditional starch side.

- Mini Lemon Tarts:
In my hunt for a tart pan at BBB, I came across a set of 6 mini 4" tart pans.  Since it's just the two of us - it doesn't make sense for me to own a traditional sized tart pan - so I opted for the single serving dessert choice.  Since we had a table of six - the small dessert pans worked out perfectly.  This dessert was a bit time consuming.  I started the dough the night before.  Start to finish probably took me about 2-3 hours - which is a bit rediculous.  I welcomed the time in the kitchen, but would not make this dessert on any type of regular basis.  The food processor produced a flaky tart crust that held up well to the lemony filling.  The dessert David & I enjoyed in a restaurant in Seaside had a much more creamy type of lemon filling - but perhaps on the next try.

This dinner was a great special occasion dinner. It was great to be able to share time with my husband and friends around the dinner table.  It was great to take a short break from studying to enjoy life a bit :)

Lemony-Apricot Chicken

This chicken falls under the same type of cooking style as the Sweet-Spicy Pork below.  These were spaced a few days apart - I'm just posting in order of pictures that my camera card pops up with :) 

• A few thin chicken breasts
• tsp of curry powder, pinch of salt & pepper
• juice & rind from 1 lemon
• 1/3 cup of apricot preserves

I already had some apricot jam handy - and I never the buy that flavor of fruit - which makes me think I must have made something like this in the past.  The jam wasn't expired (does it expire)?, so I forged on.

Mix together curry powder, salt & pepper & rub on chicken.  Cook in pan until heated through. I didn't use any oil in my pan - so the curry created a burned on effect on the bottom of my pan - but the juice/jam mixture saved the day as it 'de-glazed' my pan.  Fancy.  Once chicken is cooked - remove from pan and stir in the lemon & apricot. The lemon and apricot heat up into a tangy fruit sauce, which paired well with the crustifed chicken curry bits on the bottom of my pan.  Spoon sauce over chicken & serve. 

David didn't eat this one up with as much vigor as the pork posted previously - but it made for some good leftovers.

Spicy-Sweet Pork

Yes - I'm way behind in posts - I have been cooking - but with the studying and such I just haven't gotten around to posting. While the below described Shrimp with Spaghetti left room for improvement  - this little number earned me a few gold stars for the week.  David absolutely loved this dinner!  Plus it was super cheap and very tasty.

I found some thin cut porkchops on super sale - which helped make this dish super cheap!  You may read the ingredients list and get a little nervous and think - soy, ginger - ok, salsa, raspberry jam - what?!? - Trust me - its tasty delicious.  The pairing of the soy & the sweet salsa is tantalizing on the taste buds.

• 1  tablespoon  low-sodium soy sauce
• 1  teaspoon  bottled minced fresh ginger
• 1  teaspoon  bottled minced garlic
• 1  teaspoon  canola oil
• 1  (1-pound) pork thin cut pork chops
• 1/3  cup  bottled salsa
• 1  tablespoon  seedless raspberry preserves
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh cilantro

Pan fry the pork chops with the soy, ginger, garlic mixture poured over top while cooking - this gave it a great flavor. Since the pork chops were so thin - this took a matter of minutes.

Remove the pork chips from the pan and then heat up the salsa & raspberry jam.  We used some leftover fresh salsa & some no sugar added raspberry jam. Cook the salsa - jam mixture just until warm and spoon over the pork.  Top with the cilantro.

This one was definitely a winner.  This would go great with a side salad or even some fresh veggies. 

And no - we don't encourage our cat to sit on our table - she just wanted to be in the picture - she feels her profile is her best side :P

Shrimp with Spaghetti & Pine Nuts

First, let me start my acknowleding that the blog is sparse.  However - I do make meals, sometimes... This weeks is a perfect example.  I've cooked 2 of the past 3 nights - but have just not taken the time to post.  Between work, taking care of the husband & house, and studying for my exam that I'm taking on Saturday - its everything I can do to get a fresh meal on the table.  But I'm taking the time this morning to catch up on the posting.  I'll start with the least exciting and leave you with the fantastic meal in a separate post.

We all know by now that I love shrimp - I cook with it often.  In attempt to make something quick and maybe a bit different I tried out this recipe.  I used the opportunity to use up some pine nuts leftover from the prosciutto pasta.  To make a side note - we did not have pasta two nights in a row.  I made this meal last night - so there were a couple nights of pasta free eating.

It was pretty simple, but I should have listened to my gut and thrown in something more exciting - a can of diced tomatoes, some mushrooms, something - it was just pasta & shrimp....  Quick, satisfying and I used whole wheat pasta in an attempt to be healthier.  I can't tell a taste difference with the wheat pasta, but its delicious just the same.  I probably won't be making this one again - but then again - I typically make variations of shrimp & pasta all the time.

Pasta with Asparagus, Prosciutto and Pine Nuts

I am very much a fan of pasta, as well as a fan of asparagus.  When it comes to asparagus, I've very judgemental of size.  The thin petite ones are my favorite - they are more tender.  Albertson's finally had some small ones in stock - so I took advantage of the opportunity.  I also used up the remainder of the prosciutto from the pizza the other night.  This meal was a great one-pot wonder with the assistance of using aluminum foil for the oven items.

I absolutely loved this dish!  It melded all the flavors that are my favorites and had plenty of asparagus to make it a veggie-full meal.

• 8 oz of cavatappi pasta (its just regular pasta, but in a fun swirl shape)
• 1 lb of aspargus, trimmed and broken in smaller pieces
• Teaspoon of minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• A couple shakes of salt & pepper
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 oz or so of prosciutto, diced
• 1/4 shredded parmesan

• Boil pasta per package directions, throw in asparagus in the last 3 minutes of cooking time.
• In 400 degree oven, toast the pine nuts for about 3 minutes. Take out, then up the temperature to 475 and cook the prosciutto for about 6 minutes - to give it a good crisp.
• Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt & pepper.
• Drain pasta & asparagus and put back in the pot, stir in the garlic & lemon/olive oil mixture, pine nuts, prosciutto & the cheese.

Yum!

Mushroom, Prosciutto & Gouda Pizza

I attempted to make a pizza to deviate a bit from the normal pizza we usually make.  David typically makes a delicious thick slow baked crust that rises quite a bit with a rich garlicly tomato sauce.  So, in effort to be totally different because I cannot reach his greatness - I made a thin crisp crust, no sauce, hearty mushrooms & crisp prosciutto with creamy gouda (leftover from last nights dinner)

I found the crust recipe in a Cooking Light magazine: Crust Recipe  I preheated up the pizza stone in the oven while it got up to 550 degrees.  Cooking at a high temperature helps get a nice crisp to the crust, however, I would recommend to clean out any little burnt crisps that lay in the bottom of the oven before getting it this hot.  The little boil over that I have postponed cleaning up created quite the whaft of black smoke that had the dog a bit worried.

While the oven heated up, I sauted 1 minced shallot with 8 oz of sliced mushrooms.  Once the mushrooms became tender, I stirred in a tablespoon of garlic and a few teaspoons of red wine vinegar.

We like to roll out pizza dough on cornmeal to give it that extra crunch, so once the oven was heated up, I rolled out the dough and topped with the mushroom mixture (no sauce needed), 3 oz of thinly sliced prosciutto, and shredded Gouda (leftovers from last night).  I baked for about 10 minutes. I watched closely in fear it would start on fire with the oven being so hot - but it all turned out without incident.

I loved this pizza - the flavors were different than the typical pepperoni and tomato sauce.  I didn't miss a sauce, and the prosciutto crisped up nicely.  I would definitely make this one again - and I'll remember to clean out my oven a bit first next time :)

Gnocchi with Spinach & Zucchini

I've been in a bit of a food rut lately.  I haven't really been too adventurous with our meals lately - so it was time to try something a little different.  We are a fan of gnocchi and its so easy to cook - so I just expanded a bit on how we've had it in the past.

• 1 pkg of gnocchi
• 10 oz bag of spinach
• 2 small zucchini
• 2 oz of Gouda (found in the specialty cheese section - I usually buy the smallest quantity I can find - so its not too expensive)

While the gnocchi cooks, saute sliced zucchini chunks until slightly crisp & browned - about 4 minutes.
Add a spoonful of garlic, then add spinach and cover for a few minutes until it all wilts.
Reduce heat and stir in 1/4 cup of milk and the 2oz of shredded Gouda, and stir in the gnocchi.

The flavor of the Gouda really added a different twist to this pretty simple dish.  The flavors didn't really lend themselves to hot sauce - so not sure this had the zing that David typically likes in his food - but I was happy to try something new.

Southwest Chicken Soup

Tonight's dinner is also known as -  a good way to use up a rotisserie chicken.

The other night I brought home a rotisserie chicken for a quick dinner - but with just the two of us - its tough to get through a whole chicken.  So - the fantastic solution - a soup!

• Saute a few spoonfuls of garlic in a soup pot.
• Add 6 cups of chicken broth (we use this a lot - so I always stock up when its on sale)
• Add in 1 tsp of cumin
• 1/4 cup of rice (I used brown rice)
• 1 can (16 oz of Great Northern beans) - the white ones :) rinsed & drained.
• Simmer for 30 min - because I used brown rice, it took considerably longer than if I had used quick white rice)
• Stir in 3 cups of shredded cooked chicken & 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
• Heat for 5 minutes or so until the chicken heats up, then stir in 1 tsp or so of fresh lime juice.

I love soup - and this one turned out pretty good.  The cilantro stirred in near the end gave it a fresh bite.

Arugula-Tomato Salad with Chicken

After having pasta for the past couple of nights - it was time for something a little different.  While browsing through a "Cooking Light" magazine I ran across this one. It ended up being a really hearty salad that had a great fresh taste.  I enjoyed making my own dressing - it was surprising simple.

Marinate 1 pound of chicken cutlets (thin strips of chicken breast) in 1 tablespoon olive oil, grated rind from one lemon, juice from half a lemon. I let this sit for about 5 minutes while I prepped the rest of the salad.  Cook in a pan for a few minutes on each side (only took about 6 minutes). The thin cuts of chicken are handy when in a rush.

Dressing:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence (found in the spice aisle)
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
• salt & pepper 

Just wisk together and pour over the greens

Salad:

• 5 oz of arugula (found in the salad aisle next to the spinach)
• 1 small package of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 3 oz of kalamata olives (this is where the olive bar at Fred Meyer comes in handy)

Bread:
I found a mini loaf of bakery multi-grain bread and brushed on a mixture of olive oil & garlic and topped with some grated Parmesan and heated up in the oven @ 400 for a few minutes.  It gave it a great crunch and flavor.

Roasted Shrimp & Asparagus with Angel Hair Pasta

If I were to rank tonight's dinner, I'd rank it as a "Needs Improvement".  In theory, this dish had potential, but I just didn't pull it off well.

What it's supposed to be: Oven roasted shrimp with asparagus, tossed with butter & lemon juice & served with angel hair pasta. Seemed like it would be a nice simple dish with a good taste.  Simple it was - but I made one fatal flaw: I bought cheap shrimp.  Buying cheap ingredients gets me almost every time. I once again made the fatal flaw of not buying good enough quality ingredients when the meal only has a few.  I would definately make this again with a few modifications: buying better quality protein and adding a few herbs to add some more flavor.

As it was tonight:

1 1/2 lbs of 51-60 shrimp
1 lb angel hair pasta (I tried multigrain pasta)
1 bundle of asparagus
2 lemons, juiced & zested
4 tblsp of butter

Spread out shrimp & asparagus on a sheet pan & coat with a bit of olive oil, pepper & salt.  Roast in 400 degree oven for about 8 minutes.
Cook pasta per package - 8 min or so. Before I drained the pasta, I reserved 3/4 cup of the pasta water.
When the shrimp turned nice and pink & asparagus was tender, I put it in the pot of drained pasta with the butter, lemon juice & reserved pasta water and tossed to mix the flavors.

Next time: either more lemon or less pasta & add some red pepper flakes.

Ravioli with Tomato Sauce

Within the Vranizan household - we are a fan of quick, easy and tasteful meals.  Tonight's dinner was super easy with the taste of fresh ingredients.

• Start out with a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a pan, heat and then toss in a few slices of finely chopped salami with a tablespoon or so of minced garlic.  Cook til a bit crisp.  
• Drain a can of whole plum tomatoes, but reserve the juice. Crush the tomatoes in the pan and cook until they are almost on the dry side - this took about 5 minutes.  
• I then poured in the reserved sauce from the can of tomatoes, a few leaves of torn fresh basil, a pinch of sugar, pinch of salt and 3/4 cup of water. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

While I was making the sauce, I boiled up a pot of water and cooked 1 1/2 packages of cheese ravioli (we like the refrigerated kind, it tastes fresher).  We wanted to use spinach ravioli, but the store was sold out, but the cheese was a good flavor. I overcooked the pasta just a bit, so it got all stuck together, but other than that, it tasted ok.

Served up the ravioli with some garnish of more torn basil and lots of freshly graded Parmesan.  We had some leftover garlic bread, so this went well.  Overall a very simple meal, but using chunks of the crushed tomatoes and the fresh basil gave a great taste.

Pulled Pork Chipotle Burrito

Anyone who has spent a considerable amount of time with me has probably noticed that I love the McDonald's owned burrito place: Chipotle. For dinner tonight I attempted to mimic the pork-pulled burrito best I could.

For the pulled pork I bought 3lbs of pork loin. Chopped it up into two inch strips. Combined in the slow cooker with about 2 cups of water, a couple cans of diced jalapaneos, chilis, and whatever you fancy with your pork. Chipotle always has a lime taste to me so I dumped a bunch of lime juice in there too. Cranked it at low for 7 hours while I was at work. A great smell to come home to; mmmmm!

For the rice I think they use basmati. Rinsed a bunch because I didn't want it to be mushy. Combined in the rice cooker with water, lemon and fresh cilantro. I used a water to rice ratio of 1.5:1

Just heated up some canned black beans. I was going to use dried ones but I had no idea how long it took and didn't have time once I got home from work!

Dump a ridiculous amount of hot sauce on it, and you have yourself a delicious burrito. I think the last part I have to change is the tortilla. We used 'Mission' brand tortillas but I am pretty sure Chipotle uses better ones, and they have that nice steamer thing that I do not know how to mimic.

Chicken Yakisoba Noodles

Inspired by a recent trip to Benihani, eying a table companion's entree choice of yakisoba noodes, David & I decided we could replicate a restaurant cooked meal with 1/4 of the price and probably half the calories.

Yakisoba noodles: I bought 2 packages of the pre-steamed noodles, found in the fresh produce section of the store. They have a variety of flavors, but I opted for the traditional teriyaki flavor.

 Cooked 1 1/4 lbs of chicken with a bit of sesame oil in the wok.  I sprinkled in a bit of red pepper flakes to spice it up just a bit.  The packages of noodles then went in the wok, with the flavoring packets and 1 cup of water, along with the veggies.  I cooked it just long enough for the noodles to unclump and the cabbage to just get a bit soft - probably only 2-3 minutes.  This came out tasting very good - a great substitute to a meal out - and a fraction of the cost.  Considering both David & Rick basically licked the pan clean, I'll guess that this one is probably a repeat offender.

Pork Chops with Orzo & Edamame

Yup, we're back!  We have not been starving the past month, as our blog may indicate. We have been making meals - we have just failed to post.  There is never a dull moment in our household, so finding the motivation and time to post after a meal just hasn't happened.

Last nights dinner:

Total grocery bill: $7.35, servings 4 - probably one of the cheapest meals I've made, besides spaghetti.  I found some thin cut pork chops on sale and seized the opportunity.  The thin ones are just the right portion anyways.  I pan fried the pork chops with a little Mrs. Dash - only took a few minutes since they were so thin.

Orzo pasta: 

1 1/2 cups of chicken stock

2 cups of water

3/4 cups of orzo pasta (tiny little grains)

Combine chicken stock & water, throw in a tablespoon or so of minced garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes & bring to boil.  Throw in the pasta, turn down the heat to simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.  The theory is that the pasta will absorb all the liquid - which was not the instance in my case. Pasta was a little soupy when served, but what was left in the pan after dinner had absorbed more - so I guess it just needs a little time.

Edamame: I love these tasty little soybeans.  They look a bit like lima beans, but once you get past that, they are quite tasty.  I'm sure they are healthy of some sort - they are green right :)  I just boiled these little guys for 5 minutes, drained and tossed them in a little salt.

Quick meal to the table - the pasta took the longest, maybe 20 minutes total - and plenty leftover for lunch today!

Shrimp Phad Thai

 
Nope, this photo is not of take-out, we actually cooked tonight!

Pretty simple mix of shrimp, zucchini, rice noodles, a packet of phad thai spice mix, bean sprouts, peanuts & lime. I have never used a packet of seasoning for my phad-thai but out of interest of the grocery budget, I decided to try something new.  It's very similar to a packet of taco seasoning, but found in the Asian section of the grocery store.  Normally I try and track down all the ingredients, but decided to opt for simple today.

It was nice to have a dinner at home for once. Only two more weeks of travel, and a few more weeks of crazy hours and things will be back to normal.

The Pit of Despair

It might be the scurvy talking, but Stephanie, you're missed greatly around here. There are only so many saturated fats and overly processed sugars a man can eat before he misses his wife with an unmatched intensity so fierce that even the fresh baked Albertsons nectar can no longer satiate him.

While I lay awake tonight, high on my HFCS, I will continue to count down the days until we are reunited.

20... 19... 18... 17... 16... 15... 14...

Vranizan Post Failure:

Well folks, by now, you've probably stopped checking our blog - because lets face it - we've failed.

Those of you who have talked to David in the last few weeks have noted my absence, or have heard his lamenting about our odd lifestyle.  Unfortunately, its that time of year - the time of year where I work crazy rediculous hours and leave my husband at home to fend for himself for weeks on end.  Between now and our last post, we have managed to make a few homemade meals during the weekends when I'm home, but nothing very post-worthy or notable. 

Don't give up on us yet - when things slow down - as they inevitably will when I return from travels at the end of March - check back in on us.  We'll start cooking again soon - I promise.  The meals on the road are not glamorous by any means, and David will eventually get tired of eating pizza rolls :)

Turkey Pesto Burgers

Finally - I made a decent meal this week.  David has been fending for himself as see below, and I made tacos the other night - but those weren't really post worthy.  Today at work, I was craving Red Robin a bit, so I came home and made these burgers as a healthier and cheaper alternative.

1 lb lean ground turkey
Couple tablespoons of pesto
Shake or two of parsley
Small handful of grated montery jack cheese
Palmful of breadcrumbs - to help hold it all together

I'm not a fan of touching moist raw meat, but I took one for the team to make these tasty burgers.  We even busted out our tiny little George Foreman grill (poor guy only fits one burger at a time)

The burger satisfied my cravings - but had to sacrifice the bottomless fries.

Chicken and Potato: CRITICAL FAILURE

Alternative Title: Steph lets David cook.

Well. That was certainly an adventure. Let me I'll give this recipe in first person and present tense:

• First I cup up the chicken into bite size peices. Unfortunately we only had skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs. I should have taken this as a sign, but I ignorantly continued on
• Shake up the bite size pieces of chicken with 2 tablespoons of flour, 2 teaspoons of paprika, and on a whim, a ton of powdered red pepper and other hot things I could find in the kitchen. This would prove to be a critical mistake
• I shook and distributed over the chicken, threw it into a pan on Med-High and cooked with some a ridiculous amount of garlic, mushrooms, and whatever other random things I could chop up and throw in.
• At this point, it started smoking. I was having a hard time being near the smoking inferno. Jake started snorting/coughing uncontrollably. It seems I used way too much red pepper. I saved Jake by letting him outside, and tried to brave the smoke as best I could.
• I opened most the windows, but it did little to clear the fog. Bella started bleating her discomfort, and orbit tried to claw her way out the window. I pictured Stephanie finding me in the kitchen: Killed by cooking.
• However, all ended up well. The smoke cleared and I seemed to have some kind of edible mess.
• I threw it onto a potato.
• I may never cook again.
  

Steph's poor pan...