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!!!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
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!
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!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
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.
Monday, September 21, 2009
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!
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!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
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.
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.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
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
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
Friday, September 18, 2009
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!
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!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
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!
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!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
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!!!
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!!!
Monday, September 14, 2009
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!
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!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
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...
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...
Sunday, September 6, 2009
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?
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?
Friday, September 4, 2009
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!
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!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
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.
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.
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