NEW POST NEW POSTTTTTTT

Ok now that that is out of the way... I have a ton of things to write about but I have yet to make time to do so.... I know LAME. BUT that being said. I am EXCITED.

I MADE HOMEMADE spaghetti sause a few days ago. I had tomatos in my freezer my mom sent with me, sshhhhhh, last year. I didn't know what I wanted to do with them. So I grabbed a bag defrosted them and looked on the internet for some ideas. I happend to hate most of the ideas i saw so i stole a few ingredient ideas and ran to the store.

I came back with a pretty looking onion, two cans of crushed tomatos, a can of tomato paste. Then I went and took a nap. AND it was great. But then i got to work. I threw some tasty evoo in a big pot on mid-high heat. Then went ax-murderer on a whole onion and 2 big cloves of garlic. I then put all of that in the pot.  I then let them brown. I have chopped and frozen basil from Trader Joes that i now love. (Imagine a tiny ice try only pre-chopped and measured basil and garlic rather than water... :/ ) I tossed the bag of drained tomatos, 3 chunks of basil, the tomato paste, and the 2 cans of crushed tom in the pan. I stirred all this and then added a bit of garlic salt, an other Italian spices in and put a lid on it. little did I know. It got REALLY hot and was boiling. I took the lid off and it was one angry pot of sause. Next think i knew, I had scalding hot spagitti sause ALL over my eye lids, nose, forehead, and cheeks. It was so hot it left burn marks below my eye and on my nose.... At least it was SO good.

Inspiration from a Rat

I love food. I LOVE FOOD. I love movies that involve food, books, magazines, TV channels, Shows. I guess I am a Foodie. Its almost 5 am and I am watching Julie and Julia and I can't help but fall in love with everything I see. I have dreams of going to culinary school. I love cooking for people. At any rate, I left off writing to long ago and after being questioned by my mom and grandmother every time I go home I knew I needed to get going again.

I have been crazy about zucchini and eggplant for years now. And after Watching Ratatouille I wanted to make it. And at some point I will. But I was reading Rachel Ray's magazine and I found Ratatouille Grilled Panini. It was sort of a undertaking. I being the dork that I am didnt look at the cook time and the veggies needed to soak in water for 40 min! At any rate I had no idea what Herbs de Provence is, let alone where to find it, so I didnt use it. Mistake. Upon using the ever faithful google, I found out it is a spice mixture. YUM! Any way I decided not to grill the sandwiches because they were huge! After digging my way out of a billion sliced veggies I put together what might be one of the yummyest things I have tasted. It was how ever missing something. Olives, olive paste or something like it. Even still, It was delightful! Crusty bread and a perfect mix of vegetables.

Happy Dining!
Erin :D

Chili 'R US

I love Chili! It's meaty, beany (is that a word... my spell check says no), thick and yet still soup. I grew up with both of my parents making chili, they were both great but my father's was a bazillion times spicier, the type that your mouth was on fire for hours after consuming it. Don't get me wrong, I love spicy food... a lot actually. At any rate, my mother, whom does not like spicy food much at all, makes a chili that is much more tame. Now being tame on the spicy factor did not mean it was lacking flavor. Mom's chili had kick in all the right places and that is what mattered.
Now when my mom sent me to college with a box of Carroll Shelby's Texas Chili mix, I knew I couldn't let her OR my dad down. I need some extra spice while not making my roommate want to kill me. So it was a throw down between said chili and I.

I decided to complement such a devine meal, and to help us college kids get our veggies in, to pair it with a salad. Nothing special, leafy greens and other such salad goodies

I, unlike some people I'm sure, like to add and exchange almost any ingredient if i think it will make it better. Heed my advice.

Use diced tomatos rather than water, it is so much better.

Add Kidney Beans, Because how is it chili without it?

Remember the cheese! Chili needs a little pile on top!

                                                                                        

You need 2 Lbs of ground beef. I get the leanest I can find. If you have a local meat carrier, go there! Homegrown beef is the BEST! And one 8 ounce can of tomato sauce. I used a Carrol Shelby's Chili Kit. My mom got it at Wal-mart or you can often times find it at Kroger. Or Click here to buy some online. PS it says on the box to add all or none of the cayenne pepper, I added half and got the perfect punch!

At the end of your dinner you have happy stomachs. CS chili mix is the best and lets you add your own touches!

Spinach and Ham Delight

This is one of the best things I have ever made and maybe better than most of the things my mom has made. It's up there on my list of best meals ever.

It is a Creamed Spinach and Ham Broiler on White. I need to start by just saying that I love Rachel Ray. I have made a dozen or so of her ideas. Up until this week it had all been her Christmas cookies topping my list of great things. I must clarify that my mom and I both watched 30 minute meals when it was in it's hayday. My mom did and still does make things of RR and often times I would help as well. I should also point out that I don't follow directions all that well when it comes to cooking. So I will post a recipe and then also tell you what I did differently.

The first thing I changed was the cheese. Now, I'm a big fan of cheese. My top favorite cheese is Mozzarella. The only thing that would make it better is it being melted. I switched mozzarella for the gruyere that she wants you to use, not because it's a nasty cheese because it is far from that, it is because it is a pretty pricey cheese. Also dear college kids, you can sometimes go cheaper on your cheese but produce is something I can't go cheap on and you shouldn't eather. If you can, get your butt to a farmers market and buy it FRESH! If not for things like the delightful tomato, pay a little more at your local Walmart or Kroger and buy on the vine. Trust me it's so worth the few cents more. Also She wants you to use a country loaf of white bread, but I used Ciabatta instead.

I just starting loving spinach a few years ago, and now its something I just can't eat enough of. At any rate this just happens to be creamed spinach that started as a bag of spinach, a stick of butter, and some flour.

This is the finished product. And I have to say that the end result made a great ending to a day that was spent in classes all day. And Beats Raman anyday!

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-index/lunch-recipes/Creamed-Spinach-and-Ham-Broilers-on-White

Happy Non-raman Day!

Erin

Getting to Cook

I'm going to start sharing my adventures cooking while I'm away at college! Icurrently cook for my roommate and I, and I thought I would share with all the other starving college kids and maybe some hungry adults. I'll include pictures and the recipie it's self that way if it looks and sounds tasty you can try it too!

For this first Blog I will just share a little about myself. I am currrently a junior at Ohio University. And this is my first time living away from home. I always thought that I was a baker and not a cook. In fact most of my cooking at home ending in something being burnt. So far I haven't burnt anything here, But I'll be keeping you posted!

Bon Apple Pie,

Erin