Countdown to 2010!

Dec 31...Corndog Chili (fun recipe for New Year's)
Dec 30...Pumpkin Pudding (Prav loves pumpkin)
Dec 29...Oven roasted Spicy Potatoes and Glazed Carrots (mom made the meat)
Dec 28...Twice baked potato fritters
Dec 27...Turkey Vegetable Chili
Dec 26...Frank and Beans Casserole
Dec 25...Eggnog syrup and pancakes
Dec 24...Eggnog Bake (OMG...this one rocked!)
Dec 23...Ham and Swiss lasagna
Dec 22...Fruit and Nut Scones
Dec 21...Cheesy Hashbrown Chili (cheap and fast!)

Wedding Day Bliss

We did it! Prav and I are officially married!!!

My wedding day was everything I had ever hoped and dreamed it would be and more! I was surprisingly calm and not stressed or nervous at all. Everything went as planned...well, almost. :) I guess every wedding has those little mishaps that become great memories. Ours was no exception, but I wouldn't have changed a thing!

Yes, I was able to make my RR recipes yesterday and today thanks to my mom!
I made Lunchbox Chicken Tender Salad the day before the wedding and Skinny'ed Up Sour Cream and Onion Dip on my wedding day. My mom helped me set up a fabulous spread of fruit, veggies, and the RR dip in her suite for all my girls to enjoy before the wedding. Today, we made Mom's Olive Spread (not my mom, Rach's mom, I assume...lol). I'll be cooking from my mom's house from tomorrow until Prav and I return to our home in North Carolina. I'm looking forward to getting back to our own kitchen and starting our life together! I'm so lucky to be married to the absolute best man I know!

So, to recap the recipes:
Dec 18...Lunchbox Chicken Tender Salad
Dec 19...Skinny'ed Up Sour Cream and Onion Dip
Dec 20...Mom's Olive Spread

Dec 17...Spinach-Artichoke Hummus
Dec 16...Bacon Wrapped Taters
Dec 15...French Onion Soup (we had lots of onions in the bag, lol)
Dec 14...French Onion Dip Pizza (really good!)
Dec 13...Guilty Pleasure Cheesy Toast (sooooo delicious)
Dec 12...Sloppy Dawgs
Dec 11...BLT Dip (seriously, we ate this as dinner it was so yummy)
Dec 10...Chicken Caesar Pizzas
Dec 9...Individual Chicken Pot Pies (my favorite meal so far)
Dec 8...Mini Philly Cheesesteak Crostinis (made a meal out of them)
Dec 7...Frozen Fruit Sticks
Dec 6...Mac n Cheese Jalepeno Poppers (big enough for a meal and so good)
Dec 5...Ham & Cheese Waffles with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce (sounds bad, but not)
Dec 4...Chili Cheese Potato Armadillos
Dec 3...Ricotta Pie Calzones
Dec 2...Tangy, Sweet BBQ Gravy with chicken tenders
Dec 1...Tomato Ginger Chutney (Prav devoured this with naan)

A December to Remember!

Wow...it's 3 days before my wedding and I am so excited I could just burst! Prav and I are back in Florida and will be heading to the Keys tomorrow to start all of the celebrations! I've been told that our hotel room has a stove/oven, microwave, fridge/freezer and cooking supplies. I'm a bit nervous about getting my challenge meals cooked, so I've planned some "no cook" dips for the next few days. My mom has volunteered to help, thank goodness! I know Rachael told me to take my wedding off, but I just can't! I've been so dedicated to completing this..how could I stop? :)

This month has been crazy! I had to work lots of crazy shifts in order to afford myself the days off around the holidays. As a new nurse, I'm so grateful to have the next 2 weeks off during the holidays. I had to work lots of other holidays to earn this! Plus, during my initial interview with my manager, I told her I would need this time off and she still hired me! Whew!

I know a lot of people like to cook holiday recipes around this time of year, but I must admit, I have been literally cooking whatever is easiest in order to meet my challenge goals and maintain my sanity before the wedding. I've been making lots of RR snack recipes and dips this month. I'm looking forward to cooking more challenging meals next month when things settle down.

I did manage to learn some new things this month while cooking. I've learned that you can put lemons, limes, and oranges in the microwave for a few seconds in order to help get their juice out. You should always squeeze these fruits with the cut side up in your hand so the seeds don't fall out into what you're cooking. Oh, and I've learned about gremalatas!...avery fancy word for "all-over seasoning." :)

I used a carving knife for the first time in my life this month too! I have a set of knives, but never really used more than the steak knives in the set. I was surprised at how much better the carving knife works for slicing meats!

So, for now, I'm just looking forward to the next few days of celebrating! I will post my December recipes and wedding day updates soon.

November recipes

Nov 30...Butter Me Up pasta with shrimp (see pic on the side)
Nov 29...Grilled Chicken and Eggplant Parm
Nov 28...Turkey pasta (leftovers can be great)
Nov 27...Turkey Empanadas
Nov 26...Teri Hatcher's Ginger Sweet Potato Mash
Nov 25...Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Nov 24...Buffalo Chicken Chili Mac (another great one for freezing)
Nov 23...Not Tuna Casserole
Nov 22...Mini Twice-Baked Potatoes
Nov 21...15 minute paella (Prav didn't like it, but I did!)
Nov 20...Individual chicken pot pies (oh so good!)
Nov 19...Cinnamon Apple Strata (brought this one to a friend's house for dessert)
Nov 18...Baked Shells Casserole (so good and easy that I made it again)
Nov 17...Cheesy Stuffed Cherry Peppers
Nov 16...Milk Mac n Seafood (the fiance was not a fan)
Nov 15...Chili Con Queso Mac (great for freezing)
Nov 14...Chicken Caprese
Nov 13...Grilled Eggplant Roll-ups
Nov 12...Egg Calzone (still working nights)
Nov 11...Bacon and Egg Quesadillas (breakfast for dinner because I'm working nights)
Nov 10...Quesadilla Casserole
Nov 9...Butternut Bowties (first time cooking with butternut squash...love it)
Nov 8...Tater Tot Casserole (OMG!!! Yummy)
Nov 7...Spinach Feta Greek Pizza
Nov 6...Super-sized 7 Layer Casserole (great for freezing)
Nov 5...The Ultimate ham and Cheese Sandwich
Nov 4...Mashed Potato Soup (perfect for the cold day)
Nov 3...Sweet and Spicy Thai Noodles (again because my fiance loves it)
Nov 2...Cowboy Spaghetti with Cheddar Cheese Sauce (very easy to make)
Nov 1...Creamy Spicy Citrus Corn

Thanksgiving...

Yesterday, we celebrated Thanksgiving at my mom's house. I love my mom so much! It was great being back in my family's home in Florida for the holiday (I'm actually blogging from mom's computer right now). I wanted to share a few of my family's Thanksgiving traditions with all of you out there in blog world since Rachael Ray always says how food and cooking is so much more than just eating. :)

Every year, my family names the turkey. We usually name the turkey after someone who is either new to our Thanksgiving table or who has never had the turkey named after him/her. The first Thanksgiving I spent with my fiance, he had the honor of having the turkey named for him. The following year, we named the turkey after my friend's boyfriend, who was joining us for Thanksgiving for the first time. In 2007, the turkey was named for my brother's girlfriend...who was promptly sprayed with turkey grease (accidentally) by my mother while we were basting the namesake bird, lol. The next year, the turkey was named for my father-in-law to mark the first Thanksgiving that we shared with Prav's family and my family together. Last year, we added a new member to our family. My mother married the love of her life, Teddy, last December. So, naturally, this year the turkey was aptly named, Teddy. :)

My family always eats Thanksgiving dinner in our pajamas. This started years ago for a very special reason, but it is a family secret. ;) On Thanksgiving morning, we hold the annual "Parade of PJ's" just before the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade airs on TV. We each take turns parading down the stairs to show off our new Thanksgiving pj's! We don't just eat in regular old sweatpants and t-shirts here. No, no, we make an effort to wear funny pj's that reflect our unique personalities. My mom debuted her fabulous 2-piece flannel, button-down pj's this year. They have dogs, specifically Whippets, on them because my mom owns a Whippet named Toby. They were awesome. My brother, who is a college student, usually wears funny pj's that reflect pop culture. This year, he wore Corona beer pants and a Budweiser shirt...gotta love college kids, right! Now, about my pj's this year...flannel 2-piece pj's with little wooden spoons, mixing bowls, and whisks on them!!! :) My future hubby is still searching for one-piece footed pj's with a "butt flap" that come in his size, LOL!

Another family tradition, which I'm sure many of you also participate in, is the time-honored question, "What are you thankful for this year?" before the meal. My family goes around the table and shares what we're most thankful for...it's usually a tear-jerker too! Then, someone gives a toast to our family and we all sip Martinelli's sparkling apple cider (mmm...so good)!

My family also watches "A Christmas Story" and "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" at night on Thanksgiving. We are usually ready for round 2 of the Thanksgiving desserts by the time we start the movies too! :)

And, in case you were wondering, I made the turkey gravy this year! It was awesome! I also made Teri Hatcher's Ginger Smashed Sweet Potatoes that Rachael featured on her website and show. Today, we are using the leftover turkey to make RR's Turkey Empanadas.

I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving!!!

November...stressful month!!!

All I can say about this month is...STRESSFUL!!! I finished my orientation training at work last month and have been a new nurse, on my own, for over a month now. I've been working a crazy rotating schedule at the hospital...switching from days to nights and back again every 2 weeks. Needless to say, it has taken a toll on me! Additionally, I am counting down the days until my wedding day! Prav and I will be married next month and we are finalizing all of the last minute details that go into planning a destination wedding. I must admit, this challenge has been harder to keep up with recently. Cooking a meal a day has been nothing short of impossible some days. I finally came up with a system that works for me. First, I am prepping all of my recipes ahead of time on one of my days off from work. This includes doing all of the grocery shopping, cutting veggies and herbs (if they won't spoil, etc), trimming meats, measuring out spices, and labeling everything into tupperware and baggies! When I'm ready to cook, it takes me half as much time as it usually does...a definite added bonus! It looks a lot more organized in my kitchen when I prep like Rachael does on her show (of course I don't have 5 assistants running around my kitchen wearing cute little "EVOO" and "YUM-O" t-shirts like she does, hahaha...I wish I did though!).

I try to prep all of my meals and sometimes I will even "pre-cook" some casseroles and store them in my freezer for days when I am really tired or busy. At first, I felt guilty doing this because I thought it was like "cheating" on my challenge, but my friends have reminded me that I vowed to cook a RR meal for 365 days and that, "putting things in the oven is still cooking", LOL. I got the idea to freeze some of my pre-cooked recipes and casseroles from Rachael Ray. When Prav and I were on the show, Rach made us the Chicken Divan casserole which she said was great for freezing and saving...or making a double batch and saving half in the freezer for another time.

This month, I've really been trying to cook with fresh herbs. I was really amazed at how good fresh tarragon tasted when I used it last month. So, this month, I've tried to use a lot more fresh herbs. I tried sage, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, and flat leaf parsley (which my local grocery store is always out of). Rach says, "It's all in the shoulder action!" when she describes how to use the knife when chopping fresh herbs. I have been mastering my shoulder action! I love the knife set Rachael gave me. The knives are a much better quality than any other set I've ever used. My hubby-to-be likes them too! I bought myself new cutting boards this month. I have to thank my co-workers, who gave me a lovely bridal shower and lots of gift cards to stores that carry cooking supplies! I have been stocking up on my kitchen gadgets like a mad woman (and I love it)!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and Prav and I will be heading back down to Florida one last time before our wedding. The wedding will be held in Islamorada, Florida...which is in the Florida Keys near Key Largo. Usually, we host Thanksgiving at our house. This is the one meal that I am an expert at cooking! I can brine and cook a turkey with great ease, but I can't carve the turkey to save my life! :) Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. What's not to love about football, parades, family, and eating? I'm bummed that I won't be hosting Thanksgiving at my house this year. It's always nice to have Prav's family and mine all together around our table for a big, yummy meal. I must confess, although I make a great turkey and my mashed potatoes rock, I usually use StoveTop stuffing (from the box) canned green beans and Campbell's soup for the traditional green bean casserole, canned candied yams, and Mrs. Smith's frozen pumpkin pie. Since I'm going to have to make a RR recipe for Thanksgiving this year, I am going to step out of my comfort zone and cook something from scratch from Rach's website. I'm nervous, but excited. I've gotten really great at making gravy since starting this challenge. My fiance has even commented on how I can "Whip up a gravy in a minute." Maybe I'll offer to make the turkey gravy and a side dish to help my mom.

I'll post this month's recipes at the end of the month once I survive Thanksgiving!

October 31, 2009...Halloween!!!

So...over the past 2 weeks, I have been experimenting with ingredients I had never previously cooked with. As silly as it sounds, I had never tried to cook an entire pork loin (or any pork loin for that matter). The result...YUM! I LOVE pork loin! It's so easy to cook and you can do so much with it. I am definitely searching for more of RR's recipes that include pork loin from now on. I've also been making dishes with tarragon. I've always liked the flavor of tarragon, but never used the fresh herb in a recipe before. My fiance and I loved (and devoured) Rachael's chicken casserole with fresh tarragon. Mmmmm... Another new ingredient I've recently tried is tamari, which is aged soy sauce. In some of my earlier blogs, I used regular soy sauce in recipes not realizing that there was much difference between the soy sauce packets I've saved in the junk drawer (you know you have one too) from all the Chinese food take-out we used to eat. Well, now I can say, there is a difference! Tamari has a richer quality as opposed to just a saltiness like soy sauce packets have. I went back and made the Orange BBQ make-your-own take out using the tamari instead of soy sauce packets and it made a huge difference. I highly recommend it.

Here are the recipes I've made over the past 2 weeks including tonight (Halloween):
Oct 31...Deviled eyeballs (LOL...a nice twist on traditional deviled eggs)
Oct 30...Reuben stuffed potatoes
Oct 29...Orange BBQ Cashew Chicken
Oct 28...Honey mustard chicken tenders
Oct 27...Baked Shells Casserole
Oct 26...Philly Cheesesteak Lunchbox roll-ups
Oct 25...Not Your Mama's London Broil
Oct 24...Jerk Chicken (yes, again....my fiance LOVES it)
Oct 23...Split dog foot longs
Oct 22...Florentine Dream Burgers
Oct 21...Rollover pork loin black bean chili (a new favorite)
Oct 20...Indian Curry Roast Vegetables
Oct 19...Roast Pork Loin with Oven roasted veggies
Oct 18...Chicken casserole
Oct 17...Inside out sausage chops (not really a fan of this one, sorry)
Oct 16...Tuna casserole (not as good as the chicken version!)
Oct 15...Maple glazed pork chops with scallion smashed potatoes and escarole
Oct 14...Hot Reuben dip (and leftovers!!!)

Playing Blog Catchup!!!

I know, I know...I've been MIA for awhile, but I promise I've been cooking and have the pictures to prove it, LOL! I haven't posted on my blog in awhile because I have decided not to post the daily blogs separately, but rather to post them as an entire month so that the blog is easier to read. I will still post the daily blogs and the pics of the food, however, I will be posting them in a calendar format...For example, October will be one post with 31 sections (one for each day). The pictures will be posted chronologically on the left hand column of my blog, as they are now. I was told by a "professional" blogger that this will make my blog easier to read. I will post the food photos daily and the blogs will probably be posted weekly or bi-weekly under the month they coincide with.

For now, I'll give you a brief update...I've been in Florida for a few days and have whipped up some yummy meals in between traveling, wedding planning, and attending my bridal shower! This challenge is getting tougher, but I'm still dedicated and have been learning sooooo much!

Oh, and best news of all...my fabulous bridesmaid, Jody, bought me the plastic whisks I have been dying to cook with!!! Oh my gravy! I'm going to be whisking up lots of yummy sauces and gravies soon!!!

Florida Fun!

Prav and I had so much fun in Florida! I attended my bridal shower and got some great RR cooking tools! My friends and family gave me plastic whisks, food warmers (awesome for entertaining) and a new set of RR cooking knives! Yay! While in Florida, my mom and stepdad enjoyed the benefits of this challenge. I was their personal chef! I made South Beach inspired burgers for them (how appropriate, right?) and pigskin paninis. I am working on my knife skills now that I have a few sets of knives that are actually meant for cooking with and not cutting steak with, lol. :)

Here are the recipes from the last 2 weeks:
Oct 13...Ragin' Cajun Chili
Oct 12...South Beach inspired burgers
Oct 11...Pigskin Paninis (for game day, of course)
Oct 10...Pretzel-crusted chicken & zucchini strips with honey mustard dipping sauce
Oct 9...Super-sized healthy breakfast sandwich
Oct 8...Double chicken dumpling soup
Oct 7...Spanish Chicken and Rice (very cost-conscious meal...love it)
Oct 6...Oven glazed apple lemon chicken with cordon bleu potatoes (a favorite!)
Oct 5...Thai lettuce cups
Oct 4...No fry stir fry
Oct 3...Crispy Chicken Sticks (so easy!!!)

9/30/09 My small screen debut!!!...diet inspiration, LOL

I think my face is going to explode from blushing so much!

Prav and I spent an hour watching the Rachael Ray Show in bed together. We absolutely LOVED supernanny, Jo Frost's segment! We didn't actually get to meet her while we were in NYC, but we did see her sitting in her green room with her "people." I wish we had the opportunity to chat with her. She just seems like such an amazing, down-to-earth person.

I'm still feeling a bit overwhelmed after seeing Prav and myself on TV with Rach! I can tell I was nervous. :) Also, I think I'll be looking through the "figure friendly" RR recipes for awhile! The camera really does add 10 lbs...and there were like 5 cameras on me (50 lbs??? LOL). Ugh...the wedding is less than 3 months away. Thank you, Rachael, I think I've found my motivation to work harder to be healthier. :)

I hope everyone enjoyed the show. We definitely enjoyed filming with Rachael Ray and her crew! I have to say, the producers of the RR Show were/are some of the nicest people I have ever met! A special thanks to Amy, Jill, & Liliana!!! I feel so lucky to have met these women and to have them supporting me through this endeavor.

I feel very fortunate to have had this amazing experience. Prav and I both feel that being on the RR Show is a memory we will cherish forever. And, yes, I am using my new knives and spoons everyday!!!

9/29/09 My very first pot roast...

What's for dinner tonight? Weeknight Pot Roast with Horseradish Buttered Bread

Confession...I have NEVER made a pot roast or a stew in my life! However, I absolutely love pot roast and stewed meat with veggies. And, what could be bad about gravy and bread...nothing, that's what!

Tonight, I attempted to make my very first pot roast. Rachael calls this a "Weeknight" pot roast because you don't have to slow cook it (at least that's what I assume was the logic behind the name). I still haven't braved the crock pot slow cooker yet, but I fully plan to before this challenge ends! Throughout the movie, "Julie and Julia," Julie Powell keeps mentioning that she has to, "bone a whole duck" by the end of the year. That was her obstacle and maybe the crock pot is mine, haha.

So, the pot roast was delicious. I am definitely more comfortable making gravy from roux and really love doing it now! My veggies were tender and the London Broil was perfectly medium rare. Prav and I both agreed, this was one of our favorite meals. We've been eating late at night recently because I am back to working night shifts. I can't wait to take my leftovers to work with me. This is such comfort food and I am LOVING it! The horseradish and butter spread over the crusty bread is the perfect addition to the meal!

This meal only took me 45 minutes to make too! I'm getting better with my time, but I am still making a huge mess in the kitchen, LOL. Everyone keeps asking me if Prav does the dishes and cleans up. My answer to everyone is this: Prav is an amazing eater, taste tester, and an incredibly dedicated spouse.

Maybe part of my challenge will be to learn to love cleaning...NOT! I don't like to clean, but I love my fiance and I know how hard he works. He deserves all of the best things I can give him. Plus, my floor is covered with salt because I throw a little over my left shoulder for luck whenever I cook (just like Rach). Since I am doing this intentionally, I feel responsible for cleaning it up. I guess I forget that Rachael has a crew to clean up her set and I am stuck doing it myself. Oh well!

Oh, I almost forgot, the News & Observer has written an article about my appearance on the Rachael Ray Show. You can check out the article at: http://blogs.newsobserver.com/tv/duke-nurse-to-appear-on-the-rachael-ray-show

Enjoy!

9/29/09 About the missing dates on my blog...

So, you may be wondering what happened to some of the missing dates on my blog...good question! Some of the dates that are missing contain information that cannot be posted due to the confidentiality agreements I signed with the Rachael Ray Show. Since the show airs tomorrow, you can expect that I will post the missing blogs shortly after (if I'm allowed to, lol). Thank you to everyone for your support and encouragement!

9/24/09 Very French and Cheesy!

What's for dinner tonight? French Onion Soup with Cheesy Croutons

There's nothing my man loves better than a bowl of French Onion Soup! He will order French Onion Soup from any restaurant regardless of what the quality might be! I've seen Prav order this soup at Subway, Panera Bread, Quiznos, and 7-11, etc. There's nothing wrong with these establishments, mind you; I'm just making a point here...he will order this dish from anywhere!

So, Rach made French Onion Soup on the show today and I made it for dinner tonight. I hate chopping onions more than anything and this recipe calls for slicing up 6 whole onions! Ugh... I took a tip from Rachael and it seemed to help. Rachael said on the show today that one of her viewers wears goggles while chopping up onions to avoid having burning, stinging eyes. Well, I don't have goggles, but I do have sunglasses! Yep, I wore my sunglasses while chopping up the huge pile of onions! And, guess what...it worked!

I don't think my onions caramelized properly. The onions are supposed to brown up in the pot and mine didn't. I even cooked the onions for 45 minutes instead of 30 as the recipe instructed. Oh well. The soup still tasted great. Rach adds Worcestershire sauce to the onion broth and I think it tastes even better that way! The cheesy croutons are made with Gruyere cheese which, thankfully, I now know how to pronounce and use! Rachael uses smaller croutons as opposed to one big floating crouton which makes eating the bread much easier.

All and all, I think the soup was tasty and Prav finished a big bowl of it tonight. However, I think I need to figure out why my onions never browned up. Hmmm...a mystery for now.

9/22 & 9/23...Hush, hush!

I cannot post about these dates just yet. I promise to blog at a later date about the adventures of 9/22 and 9/23.

9/21/09 Breakfast for Dinner

What's for dinner tonight? Fancy Almond Crusted French Toast

Since I have my hours all backwards from working rotating shifts at the hospital, I decided to make breakfast for dinner. This recipe took ordinary French toast and made it into a fancy treat!

Of course, nothing ever goes as planned with me in the kitchen. I didn't have almonds for the "almond crust," so I used crushed up pecans which I seasoned and toasted. As a crust, the nuts burned in the pan and I had to waste 2 perfectly good slices of challah bread! I decided not to coat the bread in the nuts before cooking it. Instead, I sprinkled the chopped up nuts on top of the bread just before serving it.

Tomorrow is a big day and I'm exhausted...off to bed I go!

9/20/09 No matter how you make it...jerk is just so good!

What's for dinner tonight? Jerk Chicken Burgers with Mango Salsa

I like Jerk Chicken and I like Mango Salsa...so what could be better than combining the two in a low-fat burger? Nothing!

This meal was so quick and simple! The burger tasted just like jerk chicken and the mango salsa was the perfect compliment to the meal. Jerk chicken always makes me think about my wedding day because we will be serving delicious jerk chicken and lemon pepper mahi-mahi.

I didn't have any cucumber in the house for the salsa so I added tomato as a substitute...a very good choice! I added a little cheddar cheese to the burger too...also a good choice. I decided not to serve the burger with spicy chips as Rachael suggests. Instead, I served the burgers with corn on the cob. The burgers had just the right amount of heat to them too. This was a really good meal! When I came home from work, Prav told me that he ate leftovers for lunch today and was too busy to stop working and have dinner tonight. The poor guy is working on a Sunday (well, actually we both are). Once I started cooking the burgers, Prav's office door creaked open and, there he was, asking me what I was cooking. He said it smelled so good he had to take a look. Well, a look led to a taste, which led to us sitting down for a nice dinner together...yay! I guess the way to a man's heart really is through his stomach, haha.

9/19/09...Heaven in a Pot pie!

What's for dinner tonight? Individual Chicken Pot Pies

Oh, heaven!!! There's nothing I love more than a good chicken pot pie! I have been known to even be jealous of the hospital food on Sunday nights because Duke serves their version of chicken pot pies. The little hint of Dijon mustard and dill made the gravy sooooo good. This is the perfect comfort food and it's great for entertaining. Plus, it was very simple! I had to alter the recipe for Prav because he doesn't like peas. So, I made some of the pies without the peas for him and he loved them! Prav spends his Saturdays watching Penn State football and this was the perfect hand-held meal for him! I'm adding this to my favorites list!

Lastly, I had no trouble making the roux for the gravy tonight!!! Yay! I think I'm getting a little better at making gravy from butter and flour. No more Gravy Master or Heinz jarred gravy for me! :)

PS- I just realized that most of my clothing is getting big on me and I've dropped a dress size. When I weighed myself this morning, I was down 13 lbs...wow! Thanks, Rach...you're better than Jenny Craig!!! LOL

9/18/09 Back to the Beginning...the balsamic that started it all!

What's for dinner tonight? Chicken Breasts with Creamy Balsamic Gravy and Chestnut Stovetop Stuffing.

YUMM-O...this was definitely one of the best recipes yet! I recreated the recipe that started it all tonight and, once again, it was a winner! The gravy is so delicious and the leeks are just "oniony" enough...I just made up a word! The chicken browned perfectly thanks to the tip I got from Julia Child...you must fully dry the chicken before you put it in the pan otherwise it won't brown. Also, never crowd the pan! :)

Once again, I couldn't find chestnuts anywhere! I checked 3 different grocery stores, but still no luck. So, I used toasted, chopped macadamia nuts again. I think it tasted great, but I would love to see how the stuffing tastes with the chestnuts too.

My roux didn't exactly "roux" enough either...still working on my gravy techniques. ;) I had to add a little more flour than the recipe called for, but the gravy came out great. I definitely need to get a plastic whisk so I can use it in my non-stick pans and skillets. I've heard that you shouldn't use the wire whisk on a non-stick surface because it scrapes off the non-stick finish and can be toxic if ingested. I think, if I had used a whisk on the gravy, it would've turned out better. I had to use a wooden spoon so I wouldn't scrape the pan. The gravy ends up too lumpy with a wooden spoon, but I bet it would be much creamier with a whisk. Live and learn! :)

Prav said that this meal needs to go on his "list"...meaning his list of favorite Rachael Ray meals. I completely agree. This dish looks like a mini-Thanksgiving meal, but costs a fraction of the money and takes a fraction of the time to prepare. Now, if only I could learn to use my knives. I'm still only chopping and cutting with a steak knife...LOL!

9/17/09...Ready for the Small Screen & the Big Pasta

What's for dinner tonight? "Butter Me Up" Vermicelli with Buttery Butterflied Shrimp

Attention, attention...I have HUGE news. I actually cooked a 30 minute meal in under, yes UNDER 30 minutes!!! Thank you very much (I can here the thunderous applause in my head). Ok, so I chose a meal that took Rachael maybe 5 minutes to cook on TV, but I did it. In fact, on TV she stood behind the stove saying something about how she should've made a salad too because she was finished so quickly, LOL. This meal was super simple and tasted oh so good! It was the perfect dish to make to keep my kitchen semi-clean for the camera crew tomorrow. Also, I have plenty of yummy leftovers for my hungry co-workers! Definitely, a winner for dinner.

In other news, I am going public tonight. I'm going to post the link to this blog on my Facebook page. I'm a bit scared. I haven't even finished putting all of my word.doc journal entries onto the blog yet. Oh well. It will have to be a work in progress for now.

Also, I have to thank my amazing friends, Carrie and Sharron. Carrie owns an apron and tablecloth business in Cary (haha, Carrie & Cary). She gave me several gorgeous aprons to wear for my filming tomorrow. She even gave me some for Prav to wear. If anyone is interested in purchasing her aprons or table linens, please go to: www.bishopaprons.com I promise you, you're gonna LOVE her stuff! Lastly, my dear friend, Sharron came over tonight to help me get my house ready for TV. She is simply fabulous! My house looks amazing...better than it has ever looked before! Sharron is studying to get her Real Estate License which she will earn next week! She is going to make the best real estate agent ever! Her awesome personality coupled with her artistic eye and social savvy make for one fantastic real estate agent! I'll post her website and contact information once she is in business!

9/16/09 Leftover Madness & the Perfect Monte Cristo Sandwich

What's for dinner tonight? The Perfect Monte Cristo Sandwich

Houston, we have a problem...leftovers!!! We have sooooo much leftover food!!! I chose to make a sandwich for dinner tonight because I have no more room in my fridge for leftovers! I think I need to start cutting Rachael's recipes in half. She typically cooks for more than 2 people/servings. Prav and I are gonna get even fatter at this rate! I brought the leftover BBQ Chicken with Cornbread Topper over to my friend, Barbara. Barbara is 9 months pregnant and I know she isn't feeling up to cooking these days. I hope the leftovers kept well overnight. Now, all I have to do is find someone willing to eat all of the other leftovers in my fridge!

So, dinner tonight was "light"...in the sense that I didn't have any leftovers (thank goodness). On another note, I have picked my recipes for Friday's big Rachael Ray Show filming in my kitchen. I've decided to make the meal that inspired the entire 365 day challenge, Chicken with Creamy Balsamic Gravy and Chestnut Stuffing (maybe this time I will actually find chestnuts). I chose this recipe because I don't want to make a fool out of myself on camera by cooking something elaborate and screwing it up on national television. I figured I would make this meal because I am familiar with the recipe, but I never actually cooked it for the 365 day challenge. I started the challenge on 8/24, but made this recipe on 8/21. The meal isn't exactly simple either...you can refer back to my first blog post to see what a nightmare I was in the kitchen for my first attempt. I'd like to try it again to see if I have improved any of my kitchen skills too.

I will also be making another meal to bring to my co-workers at Duke. I figured I'd make a big pasta dish to guarantee that there will be enough for everyone and it's easy to transport. Additionally, I will be making mini chicken pot pies. I must confess...I LOVE a good chicken pot pie!!! Every other Sunday, Duke serves chicken pot pies to our patients and I am always eye-ing them with hunger! I'll have to make a few of the pies without peas in them for Prav. Peas...yet another vegetable my husband to be refuses to eat. :) I love peas.

Lastly, I am getting NERVOUS!!! National TV...ugh. I hope the camera is good to me. I have a really good sense of humor and can laugh at myself, so I think I'll be alright with Rachael. I just hope she doesn't think this whole thing is a stupid waste of time like in the "Julie & Julia" movie. Julia Child thought what Julie Powell was doing was stupid and disrespectful. I mean no disrespect to Rachael...in fact, it is just the opposite. I respect her so much that I'd like to be a bit more like her. My mom always said, "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." I hope Rachael agrees. I never ever thought I'd get the chance to meet her. I never thought I'd be cooking in front of a camera. And, I never thought anyone would care about this challenge because it was just me doing my usual crazy things! I think Prav and my mom are the only people who are not at all surprised by this whole thing. I guess they just know how I am and all the odd things I get myself into! :)

Alright, it's very, very late (or early) and I must go to bed. My kitchen is clean and ready for TV (I think). I am still on the night shift schedule despite working days this week. My body hasn't quite adjusted...which is why I'm sitting here at 2:30am blogging. Goodnight world. I am putting my spatula down for the evening.

9/15/09...my first day off in soooooo long!

Tonight's dinner: BBQ Bourbon Orange Chicken Skillet with Cornbread Topper

Ok, so the title of this recipe is a bit deceiving because I have had to alter it a bit. First, sorry, no bourbon. I don't have any in the house and just didn't feel like trekking all the way down to the liquor store to get some. It figures, it's the one liquor we don't have in our stock. Rachael said this recipe tastes equally as good with or without the bourbon. So, sans bourbon it is for now.

Next, this recipe calls for cooking in a skillet in the oven. Waaaaaaaah, I don't have a skillet that can go in the oven. Correction: I have 2 lovely new wedding gifts sent by Prav's former manager, Jeff and his wife Annette. They sent us 2 cast iron Caphalon skillets last month as a wedding present. I have not opened them yet and didn't dare use them in the oven for a trial run. I've never cooked in a cast iron skillet and I was scared to use my gorgeous new cookware in the oven without trying it on the stove first. I know how much Caphalon costs and I am petrified that I will ruin them in the oven...even though I am pretty sure it is safe to use them in that capacity. Ugh, I'm such a beginner. Anyway, Rachael said that you can wrap foil around a rubber handled skillet and it won't melt in the oven too. Again, I am just not brave enough to try this either.

So, I have opted to put my "skillet creation" in a casserole dish since I am getting used to using it and feel much more comfortable using this instead. I am using my larger Rachael Ray casserole dish (given to me by my dear friend, Kimberly, as my bridal shower gift). Fabulous!

I am a HUGE fan of Jiffy cornbread! Jiffy cornbread muffins are so simple to make even I can make them. Although, I admit I have had a few instances of burning the bottoms of the muffins and having to cut the bottoms off with a knife. Either way, I love Jiffy!

It took longer to cook the cornbread topper than the recipe indicated. The recipe online said to cook it until golden brown for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. It took almost 20 minutes before my cornbread was golden brown and the cheese had melted on top.

Oh, this meal was soooooo good. I think it could've done without the orange juice and zest, but it was still awesome! Prav inhaled his! This month's Supper Club is BBQ themed...maybe I'll make this recipe again. I'm hoping the leftovers will keep since there is soooo much left over! I plan to send some of the leftovers to my friend, Barbara, who is very pregnant and about to pop. According to Barbara, her husband Tom can only make hotdogs. Poor thing. I've been there. FYI; I have a funny feeling that Barbara went into labor tonight. It's just a feeling...womens' intuition.

Ok, time to clean up my mess and take a walk with Prav. I think we're both feeling a bit off of our "wedding diet" these days with all this great food. :)

I still have NO CLUE what I'm going to make on Friday to bring to work and cook on camera for the Rachael Ray Show!!!

9/14/09...Learning about Lemon Curd

What's for dinner tonight? Lemon Glazed Chicken with Bay Leaves

Have you ever wondered how you make that sweet lemony filling inside of a lemon meringue pie? Well, I have figured it out! You open a jar of lemon curd and, bam, you have pie filling...or lemon glaze for your chicken as was the case tonight.

I had no idea what lemon curd was before tonight. I guess I assumed that the word "curd" sounded like "curdle" so it must be something chunky like cottage cheese. Nope, lemon curd is lemony heaven in a jar. It's awesome. So, tonight I used the lemon curd as part of the glaze for a sweet lemon pepper chicken. Prav loves pepper and lemon. Actually, lemon pepper chicken is one of his favorite dishes. I used to just go out and buy the pre-made lemon pepper rotisserie chickens at the grocery store, but not anymore. This glaze was really delicious. Prav asked if it was a Rachael Ray meal. When I told him it was (of course) and questioned why he asked, he said that he thought it was a store-bought chicken because it was so good. Sweet!

We had leftover gnocchi from last night's dinner and I served it with the chicken. Prav really liked this one, but I still think the lemon apple cider roasted chicken has been the best glaze so far. The bay leaves added a nice savory herb taste to tonight's chicken. I was impressed at how good the chicken looked coming out of the oven. I have lots of leftovers because I roasted a whole chicken.

I'm working 4 night shifts this week...I'm committed to my challenge and will just have to be prepared in order to make it through this week! I can do it!

9/13/09 Nothin' like a little Gnocchi!

What's for dinner tonight? Gnocchi with Sage Butter Sauce

Holy garlic, Batman! Whew! This recipe was fantastic, but it needed to come with a warning label...have your toothbrush and toothpaste handy because this garlic is killer! Seriously, my house smells amazing and I doubt will be visited by any vampires for the next decade or so. I have learned that there is definitely a difference between the heavenly smell and taste of freshly grated garlic cloves and the stench of the minced jarred garlic I used to buy. Freshly grated garlic just melts right into the butter sauce and dissolves on the tongue. It's fabulous! The minced garlic just burns a bit and when you take a bite of sauce that it's cooked in, you get a chunk of crunchy, butter garlic. Fresh grated garlic cloves are the way to go. I have been converted for good.

Let's talk about sage...mmmmm, sage. I've never really cooked with sage. It has such a fresh, earthy smell and taste. It really compliments the butter and potato in the gnocchi. Deelish!

I have tons of leftovers...I'll probably find a good meat recipe and serve these leftovers as a side dish again tomorrow night. Prav loved this dish! He said he can't remember ever eating gnocchi before. As a potato fan, he really enjoyed the gnocchi. I'd liek to try this recipe with a little white wine, lemon, garlic, and butter sauce. Mmmmm...

9/6/09...You know who you look like???

What's for dinner tonight? Chicken Parmigiano

A classic...chicken parm! Prav doesn't like chicken with red sauce (crazy, I know!). So, I chose tonight to make this dish because Prav will be enjoying all of the leftovers we've accumulated over the past week. I'm still floating on cloud 9 from all of the excitement from yesterday's bridal shower. It was amazing...one of the best days of my life!

The dish...sooooooo good! I thought making chick parm would be much harder, but it was, surprisingly, much easier to do than I had originally thought. I've gotten some experience with the egg wash and bread crumb thing and I think I am getting the hang of it! Yay...I really love crispy, breaded meats so this is a good thing.

Ok, in other news...Today, I went to Target to spend some of the gift cards I received yesterday at my bridal shower. I really wanted to buy the entire set of my square plates and bowls from my registry. However, Target didn't have the complete set. :( I did manage to get enough plates and bowls to take some killer pics of my food!!! So, as I was paying for my dishes, the check out clerk looked at me and said, "You remind me of someone." She thought about it for a second and then said, "Somebody famous." So, naturally, I helped her out and said, "Ricki Lake?" She replied, "Well, kind of, but I think you look more like Rachael Ray." At this point, I'm laughing in my head so hard that I almost entered the wrong PIN number into the debit machine. Then, the girl calls her manager over and says to him, "who does she (me) remind you of?" The manager cocks his head to the side and says, "Oh, that TV cook girl Rachael Ray!" LOL
My mother took a picture of me at the bridal shower yesterday and when everyone saw it they said, "Oh, you look like Rachael Ray in this pic." Hmmm....Have I been trying so hard to cook like Rachael that I am beginning to look like Rachael?

9/4/09 Sneaking in the veggies anyway I can!

What's for dinner tonight? Zucchini Fettuccine with Grilled Lemon Basil Chciken

Veggies...grrrr, Prav is so bad about eating his vegetables! He has a whole list of veggies that he won't touch. Peas, carrots, sweet potato, radishes, butternut squash, etc. Sometimes a girl has to take matters into her own hands...and hide the veggies! So, tonight I made zucchini fettuccine. Looks like a pasta, but packs a ton of yummy green zucchini inside! And, guess who's getting creative? This girl, that's who! Yup, I even added the grilled chicken with lemon and basil all by myself! Rachael just makes the pasta. I knew if I wanted Prav and his cousin, Bintal (who's visiting us from California)to eat the pasta, I would need to jazz it up with some meat. It worked!

I only had 1 mishap tonight. I don't have a food processor to properly shred the zucchini the way Rachael does it. So, I had to hand grate it on the larger grate setting on my grater. However, I accidentally grated my knuckle! So, now I have a bandaid on 2 of my knuckles. Ugh...I wish I knew how to chop, shred, grate, etc! There has to be a better way than what I am doing! My hands look terrible...like I've been boxing or something. On top of it all, I had to squeeze lemon juice into the pasta, which got on my knuckles and stung my fresh wounds! I am committed to getting better cooking technique! My knuckles can't take much more of the current system, lol.

I did, however, learn a new trick! When squeezing lemons to get the juice, roll them on the counter first to release the juice then cut them open. Also, if you squeeze them with the center of the lemon pointing upward, the seeds won't fall out and get into your food! Lastly, when cooking with fresh fruit, whenever possible, use a zester to get all the great flavors out of the zest first and add it to whatever you're cooking. Thank you, Rachael. Great tips!

9/1/09 Keepin' it sweet & spicy!

What's for dinner tonight? Sweet 'N Spicy Chicken Breasts & Curry Rice Salad

So, my mom really loves Paula Dean (how can you not?)...I typed, "Paula Dean" into the RR Show website and found this great recipe! The Sweet 'N Spicy Chicken is very southern-inspired and the Curry Rice Salad is very Indian! Perfect for Prav and me! LOL

I had all of the spices already in my cupboard because my future mother-in-law has loaded me up with Indian spices...most of which are just powders in baggies with no labels so I have no clue what they are (and Prav is no help either, haha). However, I was able to identify the curry powder used in this recipe. I really loved the combination of spices used in this rub. I never would've thought to combine them together, but it was just the perfect amount of sweet and heat!

Prav had to work late tonight, but he came home earlier than usual just to have dinner with me! We ate together and spent some very valuable, and much needed, time together. I'll be working nights this week and next week so this time together is precious. Prav worked from his home office after dinner. I could tell he felt revived by the good meal...he even came back for seconds! I'm sure my sleep/eat cycle will be all out of whack for the next 2 weeks. I only hope I can keep up!

PS- My camera batteries died and my cell phone picture can't be uploaded. :( So, no pic tonight. Boo, I know.

8/31/09 Goodbye bagged Caesar Salad...hello Caesar Burgers!

What's for dinner tonight? Chicken Caesar Burgers with Parmigiano Taters

Goodbye bagged, pre-made Caesar salads that cost way more than they're worth! Hello, tasty Caesar burgers! Tonight, I made chicken caesar burgers with fancy parmigiano "french fries." Everything came out great with relatively no mistakes! Even the dipping sauce for the taters was awesome. I learned a new trick tonight too...if you don't want your burgers to pooch in the middle when you cook them, use your thumbs to make a dip in the middle of the burger and they will come out perfect! It worked!!! Another great RR tip! All these years I've been grilling burgers, they always come out to poofy in the middle and sometimes end up too rare in the center and burnt on the outside. By compressing them in the middle like a bowl, the burgers cooked evenly and were a perfect shape!

Prav and I had fun eating this meal. I think he loves any food that comes with a dipping sauce! I had to work today, so I prepared the burgers last night while cooking dinner. All I had to do tonight was pop the burgers in the pan and cook the taters. I'm really learning so much from this challenge! I can't believe how much dinner time has changed for Prav and me. I'm even setting the table in a "fancier" way these days. I can't wait until I can buy some of the new everyday dishes I registered for. I just love that Prav is looking forward to coming home for dinner now! We spent the evening talking about our wedding and how cute our parents are. My heart feel so full (my tummy does too). That reminds me, I've lost 4lbs! Could it be the food I'm cooking combined with working on my feet for 13 hours 3 days a week? Hmmm...all I know is the pounds are gone and they can stay gone! :)

8/30/09...Take out or make your own take out? Citrus Soy Pork Stir-Fry with Noodles

What's for dinner tonight? Citrus Soy Pork Stir-Fry with Noodles

Hooray!!!...I found a way to cook pork without Shake-N-Bake!!! That's right, I cooked pork a new way! When Rachael made this recipe on her show the audience voted for chicken; however, I made it with pork. I'm shaking things up around here!

This was sooooo easy to make and it was really, really good! Fresh ginger, garlic, and soy...what could be bad? Yummy. This meal proves that I am learning something in the kitchen!

I'm exhausted...day 2 of 3 at work.

8/29/09...people are noticing! Flat Iron Steak with Bleu Chz Butter, Tomato & Onion Salad with Balsamic Vinegarette & leftover Cordon Bleu Potatoes

What's for dinner tonight? Flat Iron Steak with Bleu Cheese Butter, Tomato & Onion Salad with Balsamic Vinegarette and leftover Cordon Bleu Potatoes

I had to work today...the first real work day of my 365 day challenge. I didn't know how I'd be able to do this after such long days at the hospital. I wake up at 4:45AM on work days. I'm out the door by 6AM, at the hospital by 6:35AM, and work until 8PM. I get home around 8:30PM (if all goes well). I helped myself out a bit last night by pre-making the bleu cheese butter and putting it in the fridge overnight. I also marinated the steak in Montreal Seasoning overnight. All I had to do when I got home was broil the steak, add the butter and reheat the potatoes. As for the tomato and onion salad...I had the world's greatest sioux chef! Prav cut up the onion and tomato for me. We'll call this a, "bless his heart moment." He tried. The tomatoes were cut a little thin and uneven, but at least he was trying to help. The onion was a bit too thick, but I was so grateful for his help that I didn't say a word.

Tonight, we had a breakthrough...Prav said this was his favorite meal so far! He absolutely LOVED it! I once made him a similar meal with steak and bleu cheese, but this blew that meal out of the water! This was truly a culinary masterpiece and it was fairly simple. I was exhausted doing it, but it was so worth it to see Prav's reaction. Dinner is really something we're both starting to look forward to!

I have to work again tomorrow and Monday. This is going to be tougher than I thought.

8/28/09 Gruyere what?

What's for dinner tonight? Oven-Glazed Apple Lemon Chicken with Cordon Bleu Potatoes and Fresh Asparagus

So, tonight I am attempted to roast a chicken in the oven with a glaze and create au gratin style French potatoes! Well, let me tell you this was an ambitious undertaking for this sub-amateur cook!

First, I had no clue what Gruyere cheese was! I was pronouncing it "Groo-yer." Well, I called my mom to ask her what kind of cheese this is and she corrected me by saying, "Groo-yaire." Ok, so I was pronouncing it like a redneck, but whatever. I managed to find the cheese in the grocery gourmet cheese section. I usually just stick to the cheap cheese section near the yogurt and milk, but I spent a little more cash this time because the potatoes looked so good on TV.

I have to admit, I do not own a roasting pan that is appropriate for glazing chicken. I have been calling my broiling pan a roasting pan for years without realizing I was wrong until tonight. Plus, the only reason I even have a broiling pan is because it comes with the oven when you buy it. Hee hee... So, you guessed it, I have now registered for a roasting pan. A big one.

This recipe called for both grated cheese and grated garlic, but not grated fingers, which is what I ended up with. I own a cheese grater! I didn't know I owned one, but I do! It must've been Prav's from before we moved in together because I have never used a grater before that I can recall. So, yay...one more thing I didn't think I had to register for. Wrong! This grater sucks. Yes, sucks. It doesn't have a nice handle like Rachael's does. It has to be held with 2 hands to stabilize it...so, where do I find the 3rd hand to grate the cheese with? Ugh...a nightmare. The grater slipped out of my hand and I ended up grating my knuckles and finger. Thank goodness there is a nurse in the house with plenty of bandage supplies leftover from forgetting to check my pockets before leaving work. LOL I did, however, have to throw away the garlic I was grating and start over. No one likes the taste of blood in their garlic...not even vampires because they don;t like garlic!

Once I had the grating under control, the rest of the preparation was rather simple. Chopping potatoes, breaking up deli meat, adding spices, mixing glaze, etc. I even had fresh apple cider to use for the glaze! Hooray...it's almost Fall, my favorite season!!!

This meal was one of my favorites so far. The potatoes were...heavenly!!! Cream, butter, and cheese...oh my! What could be bad about that? Mmmmm...sooooo good! The chicken was excellent. I really liked the glaze and it looks so pretty on the plate with a nice zesty lemon slice on top. Loved it! This one is going in the winner for dinner book!

8/27/09 Rollover meal... Sweet & Spicy Sesame Noodles with Shredded Jerk Chicken

What's for dinner tonight? Sweet & Spicy Sesame Noodles with Shredded Jerk Chicken

Well, there is a trend starting here. I started posting my food pics on Facebook and now I have lots of friends inviting themselves over for dinner, lol! One of my favorite friends, Sarah Dagenhart, is coming over for dinner tonight. Sarah has become a regular at my dinner table over the past year. I adore her! I love inviting her over for dinner because we always have such great conversations and Prav and I really enjoy her company. However, Sarah is a VERY picky eater...and I mean VERY! She doesn't eat most vegetables. A salad to her is lettuce and plain ranch dressing topped with croutons. Nothing else. She doesn't like spices, spicy, or ethnic foods.

I made a rollover meal tonight using the leftover jerk chicken from last night's dinner. I used Asian noodles as the base. I was supposed to use half the leftover chicken and veggies, but there wasn't enough to just use half for the three of us. I think, if we hadn't had dinner guests 2 nights in a row, I could've pulled off one more meal, but I would rather have the company than the leftovers anyway! So, I had to use all of the leftovers. I shredded the chicken and added the veggies to the noodles. Then, I ran into a little dilemma. I didn't have any smooth peanut butter! Yikes! This Thai-inspired recipe calls for smooth peanut butter. I had to borrow some chunky peanut butter from our house guest, Carla.

As it turns out, the chunky/crunchy peanut butter was really good and the added crunch of the peanuts was awesome! Sarah and I devoured our noodles! Prav came home shortly after and I heated up a bowl for him adding a little extra hot sauce since Sarah didn't allow me to add any to the ours. It was definitely better spicy! We have enough for lunches tomorrow and, hopefully, the spices will mix together overnight and be even better tomorrow!

On another note, I sent some of my food pics to the segment coordinator at the RR Show along with my first blog entry.

8/26/09 Friends and Jerks...LOL Jerk Chicken with Roasted Veggies & Pineapple

What's for dinner tonight? Jerk Chicken with Roasted Vegetables and Pineapple

Tonight, I invited my friend Lydia over for dinner. She and I work together on 8100 at Duke and started on the same day. She's very sweet. I told her all about my 365 day challenge and she couldn't wait to come over to sample the cooking! Prav met Lydia for the first time tonight. They hit it off right away (everybody loves Prav). Lydia is awesome...she bought me and Prav our own Rachael Ray cookbooks! Comfort food recipes for me and guy food recipes for Prav! So nice of her! I chose to make jerk chicken because that is one of the meals being served at mine and Prav's wedding. We had a chance to sample it 2 years ago and we both loved it! Also, Prav absolutely loves pineapple.

Well, I learned a very interesting lesson while cooking tonight. Apparently, a blender and a food processor are very different things. I have a blender. Mostly, I use my blender for making my famous margaritas. Really there is nothing "famous" about them except that I make them pretty strong and add a dash of orange juice to the mix to hide the extra tequila flavor. Anyway, my blender has never really been used for more than making margaritas and milkshakes. Prav insisted on buying the Magic Bullet last year because he promised that he would use it for everything. He said he'd be making salsa and omelets for me, etc. So, I surprised him and bought the Magic Bullet for him as a gift! Well, R.I.P dear Magic Bullet...here lies the Magic Bullet, covered in dust in the back of my pantry, useless. Tonight, however, I pulled out the ole Magic Bullet hoping I could use it instead of a food processor, which I do not own. I was wrong. Plain and simple, you cannot substitute a food processor for a Magic Bullet, Slap Chop, or a blender. I have learned my lesson.

I am a mess. I sincerely thought that I could substitute another kitchen gadget for a food processor...nope. So, I have added a very expensive food processor to my wedding registry. Please, please someone buy me this item!!! I only hope it comes with VERY clear instructions on how to use it. I registered for the biggest, most expensive one I could find. I figured the more expensive ones must be better...maybe they are easier to use, maybe they do the work for you? Haha... Ugh...anyway, I apparently really need one.

For tonight, I used the blender...what a mess! It took me 30 minutes just to clean the goop out of the blades! And, my jerk sauce for the chicken doesn't look anything like Rachael's. I must say this, the chicken tasted amazing despite not being exactly like Rachael's and sans food processor. I think I can earn creativity points for tonight's mishappenings.

The meal was excellent!!! I cheated with the fresh pineapple. Rachael definitely used fresh ones, but I chose canned. Rach always says, "you control the quality of ingredients." Yep, I sure did...and I went cheap, easy and syrupy! I didn't have the strength to cut open a pineapple and core it. I've never done it before and I didn't want to end up in the ER tonight due to knife issues. FYI, Prav ended up in the ER last year attempting to cut open a watermelon. We affectionately call this the "Ninja incident" because Prav refuses to admit that he cut himself. So, he blames it on ninjas. I avoided all ER's tonight by purchasing canned pineapple. Done.

I served the meal with black bean soup (also from the can...come on, do you really think I made it from scratch...lol) and brown rice (boil in a bag, of course) in order to try to stretch out the leftovers because this can be rolled over into another meal tomorrow night. I'm going to try to do the rollover meals for as long as I have leftovers. I made 5 chicken breasts. Hopefully, that will be enough to roll it into a few more meals!

Lydia and Prav loved the meal! This one is definitely a keeper for the future. We have a winner for dinner!

8/25/09 YUMM-O! Italian Style Sandwiches

What's for dinner tonight? Rach's Italian Style Sandwiches

I'm keeping it real simple today because I am still sooooo tired from my very long work week. Italian-style sandwiches (or "sammies" as I like to call them). I had to cut this recipe down because it calls for a 1/4 of each deli meat and makes 6 samdwiches. We ended up with 3 sandwiches. 2 for dinner and one for Prav's lunch tomorrow. I bought the Ciabatta bread from my local grocery store since they have a great selection of "gourmet" bread. Rachael suggested using store-bought pesto and I am all for doing less work tonight! Hooray, for store-bought! I piled on the salami, provolone (Prav's favorite), turkey (my favorite), and mortadella (which surprisingly enough my store had plenty of, yay). I layered the sammies with lettuce and tomato and added a very tiny bit of spicy deli mustard and mayo (I can't eat a sandwich without mayo...not sure why). YUMM-O and simple!


On another note, Prav and I can't find our good camera. I had to use our old camera to photograph last night's meal. Tonight, the camera ran out of batteries and I'm stuck without a picture for my blog. :( Prav was so hungry when he came home tonight...I didn't dare tell him that he couldn't eat until I take a picture of the food, lol. I'll just have to make these babies again and take a picture some other time.

PS- I just found out that today is Rachael Ray's birthday!!! How fitting...I started my challenge yesterday and will finish next year the day before Rachael's birthday. Funny!

8/24/09...Orange Cashew Stir Fry Chicken

What's for dinner tonight? Orange Cashew Stir Fry Chicken

So, tonight I made Rachael Ray's Orange Cashew Stir Fry Chicken. The recipe originally aired on March 8, 2007. I figured this recipe looked easy enough for a beginner to cook and was something Prav wouldn't be afraid to eat. Prav is a pickier eater than I am. He hates carrots unless they are cooked into mush (aka very soft). He doesn't like sweet potato, orange juice (he will eat things that have a hint of orange flavor), radishes, fish (except sushi or tilapia), etc.

I didn't have any trouble making this meal. In fact, it was relatively easy to do! It tasted great too! I did have to hunt a bit to find Hoisin sauce at my local grocery store. Also, I substituted jasmine rice for boil-in-the bag white rice. I know I have a rice cooker somewhere in my pantry, but I've never used it before and didn't want to mess this up. It still takes me forever to chop vegetables and meat and herbs. I really wish I knew the technique for properly chopping, dicing, cutting, etc. Also, I am scared to use my big knives, which are probably better than using my steak knife, which is what I almost always use to do everything in the kitchen. These 30 minute meals are not taking me 30 minutes yet...more like 75 minutes. I hope I can get better at this! Also, I am making a bigger mess than I think I should be, lol. Prav has been reluctantly helping me with the dishes, but I know he hates it. Ok, so I have lots more to improve on, but the meal was yummy and it tasted just like take-out! Rach calls it "make your own take out." So, I call it "make out"...haha. It was so awesome to sit around the dinner table with Prav. I've decided not to tell him what's for dinner until I put his plate in front of him or until he comes home at night and asks, "what's for dinner tonight?" We loved the meal and I'm looking forward to tomorrow night's challenge!

PS- When I started cleaning up after dinner, I noticed that I completely forgot to put in the water chestnuts I had bought! Doh! Ugh...

Monday, 8/24/09...Contacting the show & accountability!

HUGE NEWS...

First, let me just start by saying, I have never written a blog before. I'm not really sure if anyone will ever be interested in reading my blog, but I have decided to create one if, for no other reason, than to do something for myself and to remain accountable to my challenge. At the end of this challenge, I will have something to look back on and see what I have accomplished in a year. I came from more of the "journal generation"...I always had some sort of journal tucked under my bed filled with my thoughts, etc. No one ever read it except me (and my sneaky mother, I'm convinced, lol). But, here I am putting my thoughts out there in cyberspace for all the world (or no one...haha) to read.

Let me tell you what happened today...

So, I was on the Rachael Ray Show website. No, not the Food Network one, the Emmy-award winning daytime talk show on ABC. I was looking up tonight's recipe for my challenge and I found one that looked uber-yummy! However, the recipe said to, "cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees." Problem...you cannot tell a sub-amateur cook to cook chicken to an internal temperature! That is waaaaay too non-specific! How in the world am I going to know if the internal temperature is right unless I constantly poke my chicken with a meat thermometer? What temperature do I set the oven to, how long should I cook it, etc??? Aaaah! So, I decided to write to the show to ask for recipe clarification.

I was on the RR Show website looking for a place to write in my question, but I couldn't find a "submit your question" section. So, I opted for looking under the show topics section; specifically the "Food" section. There were lots of topics you could write in about. I chose one entitled, "I cannot live without Rachael Ray's recipes"...or something like that. When you write to the show, you have to provide your name, address, phone number, etc. There's a section where you can free type to let the show know about you. So, I wrote about my 365 day challenge and elaborated on how I am such an awful cook and really want to learn to cook better. Well, guess what happened...the segment coordinator, Liliana, called me!!! I swear it must've been like 20 minutes after I hit "send" my phone rang! I can't even get doctors to return pages at work that fast for critically ill patients!!!

Liliana was so sweet! I spoke to her about my challenge and she asked me to send her some pictures of me and my fiance, Prav. So, of course, I hurried over to my laptop and emailed her immediately. Now, I guess I just have to wait and see if the producers would like to put me on the show. Wow...I never expected this! I never intended to even contact the show.

Actually, this is might just be the perfect motivation and accountability I need to make it through all 365 days! Even if I never end up being on the show or ever hearing back from them again, at least I know that I am doing something good for myself...something creative, ambitious, and innovative. I feel good about challenging myself. I've just reached my goal of becoming a nurse. A dream I had been striving to achieve since 2004. 5 long years and now I'm here! My work schedule has left me with enough time to try new things, take on new challenges and adventures, and learn something new. My job is so stressful and this is just the distraction I need to make my home life better for Prav and me. The dinner table is such an important place. Prav and I both grew up enjoying amazing family dinners. Prav's mom is a vegetarian Hindu. Every night, she would cook a vegetarian meal for herself, a diabetic-friendly meal for her husband, and yet another meal for her picky, meat-eating children. And, she would cook the meat dishes to perfection without so much as a taste for herself! I have no idea how she did it! She makes the most delicious meat meals without ever knowing how it tastes! Amazing. My mom is a fabulous cook too. Even though she was a single parent, working 50+ hours a week, she always managed to put a fantastic meal on the table every night. The dinner table was a lace of peace for us. We would talk about our day, our fears, our troubles, our joys. Mom was like therapy at the dinner table...lol. When my mom, my brother and I would eat dinner together, we were in our own world. Life was good and we knew we had each other when it got hard. Dinner was joyful and often the best part of my day, especially when times were tough. I want that for my marriage, for my future family, for Prav and me. I'm hoping that, wherever this journey ends up, that it leads me back to the dinner table of my childhood. Back to the place where the food was as good as the company. To a place of peace and tranquility after a hard day's work.

Sunday, August 23 2009...Let the 365 Days of Rachael Ray Challenge begin!

So, I heated up my leftover Rachael Ray meal at work today for lunch. Everyone was asking what smelled so good…a rare thing in a hospital, LOL! When I showed everyone my fabulous dinner creation, they were shocked, to say the least, to hear that I had actually made this delicious dish! My friend and co-worker, Sheryl (aka big Sheryl, since I am lil Cheryl) gave me an idea. She said, “You should keep this up! Have you seen that movie ‘Julie & Julia’”? And the rest is history… I have challenged myself to learn to cook and become more like spunky, amazing Rachael Ray by cooking one of her meals everyday for a year! 365 days of Rachael Ray!!! My fiancé may kill me for taking on this ambitious feat, but here I go!!! Now, the real question is: what’s for dinner tonight???

Thursday, August 20, 2009...Inspired!

YUM-O! So, I just watched Rachael Ray’s TV show and, let me say; now I’m starving! Rach made a balsamic chicken dish with a stuffing that looked soooooo good! Prav LOVES stuffing too! I think he’ll be ecstatic that I’m going to serve him something other than microwaved Stove Top for once! Plus, she made a pear tart for dessert! Ok, now I’m on a mission…I’m going to attempt to make this dish.

First, I need to go shopping because I doubt I have most, if any, of the ingredients she used to make the meal. This should be interesting because I have no idea where to find leeks, how to cook them and, apparently, they require some special cleaning too. Uh oh. Also, I don’t think I’ve ever even eaten a chestnut let alone cooked one! I’m off the grocery store!

Ok, grocery shopping is not as easy as I thought it would be. Leeks are not kept in the same area as onions…I thought a leek was in the onion family? I guess they are the bad sheep of the family because they are not kept in the dry bins with the red, yellow, and white onions. They must be more of a scallion because I found them (with the help of the produce manager) in the cooler next to, of all things, the radishes. They’re much bigger than I thought they’d be too. I’m not quite sure how to use them yet. I’m glad I have Tivo and a TV in my kitchen because I think I’m going to have to replay today’s TV show while preparing dinner. Next, finding chestnuts…OMG, there are NO chestnuts in North Carolina, I swear!!! Rachael said I could use fresh ones or the jarred kind. So, since I am still a sub-amateur cook, I went for the jarred variety. However, there are NO jarred chestnuts in North Carolina either! I asked the store manager for help finding chestnuts and he laughed at me! Yes, laughed at me! He said, “Mam, chestnuts are seasonal and it isn’t Christmas time for another 4 months.” Ugh…as if I didn’t feel bad enough having to ask for help, but then to hear that I’m searching for an item that is only available around Christmas…pathetic. So, I had to improvise. I thought to myself, “What kind of a nut is similar to a chestnut?” Well, considering I’m a Jewish girl from South Florida, I’ve never tasted the loveliness of a chestnut roasted on an open fire. I’ve sung the Christmas carol before, but where in South Florida would I find an open fire in the 80 degree weather in December anyway…or a chestnut to roast on it? Ok, so my best guess was that this chestnut thing is probably a pretty soft nut since it is going into stuffing which tends to be kind of soft and mushy, right? Plus, Rachael said the chestnuts were buttery and smooth on the show. So, let’s see here…I need a nut that tastes good in a stuffing, is soft and buttery, and I can find in the middle of August. (By the way, I just discovered that the episode I am getting this recipe from originally aired in February when chestnuts ARE in season…lovely!) Alright, my best guess for a substitute chestnut is a macadamia nut. Lord, help me…I hope this is a decent choice. I also needed challah bread for the toasted bread bits that go into the stuffing. Thank goodness, an ingredient this Jewish girl actually knows what it is and how to use it! However, this will be my very first time ever toasting challah. Well, wouldn’t you know it, North Carolina, aka the buckle of the Bible belt, disguises their challah bread! Ok, maybe they don’t “hide” it per se, but the bakery clerk had no clue what I was looking for when I asked. Challah bread is pronounced with that guttural “ch” that sounds like you are hocking up a loogie where I’m from. I had to actually pronounce it “hallah” in order to get the bakery clerk to even think he might have heard of this product. But, he still had no clue. So, he got the bakery manager involved. He too had no clue what I was talking about. Funny, the one ingredient I know how to cook, what it is, etc and everyone is looking at me like I have 2 heads when I ask for it as if it doesn’t exist and I’m making some foreign food up in my head! Finally, a very nice customer, who just happens to be from New York, points out the beautiful bread labeled “braided egg bread” sitting on the shelf behind me near the pies and muffins. Whew! I’m not crazy…challah, aka braided egg bread, does exist! Lastly, I had to find puff pastry sheets for the pear tarts. I don’t exactly know what puff pastry sheets are, but I figured they must be near all the other pastry items; so, I started in the bakery. Well, there are no puff pastry sheets in the bakery and, being that I was so embarrassed by the chestnut and challah fiascos, I didn’t bother to ask the bakery manager for help. So, I checked the only other area I have ever bought pastry products from…the baking aisle. Nope, they aren’t there either. My last attempt was hoping that I could substitute Pillsbury crescent roll dough for this puff pastry stuff. Wrong!!! This is where I’ve gotten in trouble in the past with following recipes…I usually don’t know what half the ingredients are or where to find them and how to cook them, so I substitute other junk and end up with a mess and a large grocery bill! Ok, so I am standing in front of the sad little section with the Pillsbury crescent rolls and I must’ve looked lost and confused because this very nice woman, obviously a customer, asked if I needed help. Now, normally I would’ve just shaken my head, “no” since I was mortified at the thought of being laughed at again (ala the chestnut incident), but I decided to take her up on her offer to help since she looked just like Paula Dean! Maybe she would know if this was a good substitute or a nightmare waiting to happen. When I told her I needed puff pastry sheets she very politely informed me that I was in the wrong section. I guess I must’ve looked like a complete baking idiot because she personally walked me over to the frozen section and picked out the product I needed and put it in my basket for me. She was so nice, thank goodness. She even gave me a bit of advice and told me that Pepperidge Farm is the only brand to use for this type of recipe! Hooray for the kindness of strangers! My grocery bill was a bit higher than I’d hoped for because I had to buy some odd products that I don’t usually keep in my cupboard. Although, most people wouldn’t consider thyme and chicken stock an odd product, it’s foreign to my house!

The cooking…well, I survived. I set up my TV, next to my laptop and all the ingredients. It looks like I’m going to do international business rather than cook here. I carefully measured, mixed and chopped! I roasted my macadamia nuts and put them aside as Rachel instructed. The challah was toasted, the chicken was browned and the sauce was simmering! The leeks were another story…I didn’t know you had to soak leeks in order to clean them! Thank you, Rachael, for teaching me a very important step. Thank goodness for my mom, as well. She called me on the phone while I was running the very hot water to soak my leeks in…I was thinking, “well, I feel the cleanest after I take a hot shower, so the leeks should be the cleanest after a hot bath too, right?” Wrong again! Mom informed me that leeks need to be cleaned in an ice bath so that they open and you can get all the grit to fall to the bottom of the bowl. Rach said you have to chop them first and then clean them. So, at least I got that part right. I soaked them for a long time and wiggled them around in the bowl. Then, just for good measure, I soaked them again in another ice bath! My pear tarts didn’t come out quite right. I’m not sure where I went wrong, but the puff pastry never “puffed” and I couldn’t get the sugar/water mixture to brown. Hmm…I even tried a second and a third time to make the sugar feel like wet sand and then heat it until golden brown. It still didn’t work. I ended up with very sticky, hard, granulated sugar. How is that even possible??? It started as “wet sand” and when I heated it, it turned into a clear syrupy liquid and then spontaneously transformed back into a solid granulated substance again! That even defies the law of chemistry in my opinion! I probably ruined the 3 pots I used for my 3 attempts at this too! Ugh. So, finally, I grabbed the light brown sugar that’s been sitting in my pantry for probably 3 years (the last time my mother decided to cook something sweet in my kitchen in 2006) and used that instead. Voila! We have golden brown syrup…LOL! So, I cheated…sue me!. I only have a 12 cup muffin pan and Rachael only made 6 tarts. Again, thank goodness for friends. My good friend, Barbara, taught me a while back (after another kitchen nightmare) that I have to put water in the empty muffin cups otherwise something bad happens to the pan. Whew…a problem avoided!

Prav absolutely LOVED this meal! I can’t believe I made gravy from scratch! Who knew that flour, butter, and chicken stock (still not sure what stock is…looks like chicken broth) could make gravy! Oh my gravy!!! We were making yummy tummy noises and “ooo-ing and ah-ing” at how good this tasted!!! My macadamia nut substitution was a great success…whew! We devoured the meal and even had leftovers for Prav to take for lunch the next day. We both really enjoyed sitting down to a home cooked meal together. Maybe I should keep this up?

Thursday, August 20, 2009...let the cooking begin!

Another night of the same old, boring chicken… Same marinade, same green salad, and the inevitable same reaction from my fiancé.

I’m so sick of cooking the same 10 predictable meals in my recipe repertoire. I have to do something to make dinner more exciting! I only see Prav, my fabulous fiancé, for the 30 minutes or so that we sit down to eat dinner at night. He is working his butt off and he deserves to come home to delicious meals that we both can look forward to. I'm a nurse...correction, I am a brand new nurse and I'm getting married in December. I work at Duke University Hospital. As a nurse, I only work 3 days a week...3 VERY long days a week, but still only 3 twelve hour shifts a week (which usually means waking up at 4:45am and working until 8pm). I have 4 days off during the week now. I am stuck working with a preceptor for the next 2 months during my orientation and, with that, I must work my preceptor's schedule. Claire, my preceptor is wonderful, but her schedule is NOT conducive to my life. She works every weekend...Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. This means Prav and I work opposite schedules.

I have to work this weekend, which means it will be another weekend of greasy Chinese take out, pizza delivery, and maybe the occasional Indian food to go. Ugh…this is not helping my needing to fit into my beautiful wedding dress in 120 days. I, reluctantly, ordered my wedding dress in a size 14, which does fit, but there is no room for Indian take out, pizza delivery, or sodium-rich Chinese food…trust me! So, I am on a mission to find recipes that are yummy, easy to follow, and figure-friendly! Admittedly, I am not a great cook. Let’s be honest here, I’m less than an amateur…I’m what the amateurs were before they became amateurs. I’m just a kitchen idiot! I have a drawer full of kitchen tools, passed down from my mother and mother-in-law and I have no clue what they are used for or how to even begin to use them! Last year, I returned a perfectly good crock pot that my sister-in-law gave me as an engagement present simply because I have no clue what a crock pot is, how it’s used, or what in the world I would use it for. What’s worse, the box even said “the easiest to use crock pot you’ll ever own.” Pathetic, I know! I’ve registered for all these great kitchen gadgets and cookware for our wedding, but I have no clue what I’d do if I actually received them! I need to get some courage in the kitchen. I need to emulate a chef who has spirit, know-how, and who makes cooking fun. I need to learn to cook from someone I can relate to…someone young and energetic who isn’t afraid to laugh at themselves (since I can guarantee I will be laughing at myself a lot in the kitchen). I am not up for the challenge of “Top Chef” and I am no Julia Child protégé. I’m thinking I can relate much more to Rachel Ray. I’m going to check out her TV show and see what she’s cooking today.