I have a confession to make. I am a lover of cheeseburgers. They are my downfall food. They are the food that I must MUST stay away from at all costs. They are the food I turn to in stress. One time I vowed to be a vegetarian and I had made it meat free for three months and then I went to Target and spent over $400 and I got a quarter pounder with cheese on the way home where I would have to tell Mike how much money I spent. I was double shamed because of the money spent and the need for the cheeseburger crutch.
HOWEVER. If you are even remotely a fan of cheeseburgers and you can control yourself and your butt is smaller than mine, you are allowed to continue to read.
Carl's Jr has a new burger. It's called the Kentucky Bourbon Cheeseburger. They have it in single, double and the big ol six dollar burger varieties. Just get a single. The ratio of meat/cheese/toppings is better with just a single. Any more would be too much of a good thing. It comes with pepperjack cheese. I am not a fan of the pepperjack. I believe cheeseburgers should always come with American cheese unless you are eating a mushroom/swiss burger. So I cancelled the pepperjack and switched to American. Once I tasted the burger and all the flavors together, I started to rethink my switch of cheeses. I actually think the pepperjack might have been really good. However, I will not be eating another of these burgers because once I start it can get ugly really fast. So I have to force myself to go on a burger fast which means NO burgers under any circumstances. But you can have one. And this one is seriously good. As in better than Red Robin good, better than TGI Fridays good, better than Chili's good but not better than In and Out good because come on.
That is all.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
White Trash Transformed
This is going to give you 2 nights of meals along with leftovers from night #2.
You know those cooking shows where the contestants are given a basket of random white trash ingredients and they have to make something wonderful out of them? Well, since we are sort of on a budget these days and since I've just been buying stuff for my pantry for the past year with no rhyme or reason, I've been trying to pretend I was on one of those shows and make dinner based on random ingredients in my house. This week, I came up with a total winner of an idea for super dooper cheap.
Night #1 - Chicken and Rice
Rotisserie Chicken from Costco or grocery store (stick in your fridge til' you are ready)
1 packet of McCormick chicken gravy mix (the kind you mix with water)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
Milk (about 1 1/2 cups or 2 cups)
2 carrots
2 ribs of celery and some of the curly celery leaves
1/2 onion
2 TB butter
4 cups of cooked white rice
Make a mirepoix. Mirepoix (pronounced mirahpwah) is a fancy french word for a mixture of finely diced onion, celery and carrots sauteed in butter. And when I say finely dice, I mean FINE. When veggies are soft, add your soup, milk and mix with the gravy packet whisked into the mixture. Quarter the cold chicken and lay it in a 9x13 pan. Lay the rice in between the chicken. Once the sauce is hot and bubbly, spoon the sauce all over the chicken and the rice, cover with foil and bake at 325 until the whole thing is hot and bubbly and starting to brown at the edges. (I started baking my chicken ahead of time so the pan and chicken was warm when I added my hot rice and hot sauce so I only had to bake the whole thing for like 20 minutes) Serve in bowls with some black pepper.
Night #2 - Cream of Chicken and Rice and Potato "Stoup"
Ingredients
Leftovers from night #1
2 potatoes peeled and chopped into the size of pieces you would want in a chowder
2 carrots sliced into bite sized pieces
2 ribs celery sliced into bite sized pieces
1/2 onion coarsely chopped
3 small boxes of Kitchen Basics Chicken Stock or good quality chicken stock
1 TB butter
Milk (amount depends on consistency desired in soup, I would plan on at least a cup)
Make another mirepoix just with bigger pieces. When butter is starting to brown, add the onions, celery and carrots. Add the potatoes and the stock. De bone and take skin off of all the leftover chicken. Add to pot. Simmer until vegetables are tender but not mushy. Add rest of the pan of leftovers which include the cream sauce and rice. Add milk until you have the right consistency of the soup you want. Remember, the rice will absorb a lot of the liquid so keep adding milk and maybe even a splash of cream until you have a chowder like consistency. Add plenty of salt and pepper to taste. I made mine the consistency of what Rachel Ray would call a "stoup" which is a 1/2 soup 1/2 stew. It was thick and hearty and yummy. I guess it was a chicken and rice chowder? Maybe it was a cream of chicken, rice and vegetable soup. (Optional, add frozen corn and this would make an excellent chicken corn chowder)
Notes: you don't really notice the rice all that much. It ends up being more like a thickening agent instead of using flour. My parents came over and my Dad thought the stoup was excellent and so did both the girls. I think I liked night #2 over night #1 but Mike liked night #1 better.
You know those cooking shows where the contestants are given a basket of random white trash ingredients and they have to make something wonderful out of them? Well, since we are sort of on a budget these days and since I've just been buying stuff for my pantry for the past year with no rhyme or reason, I've been trying to pretend I was on one of those shows and make dinner based on random ingredients in my house. This week, I came up with a total winner of an idea for super dooper cheap.
Night #1 - Chicken and Rice
Rotisserie Chicken from Costco or grocery store (stick in your fridge til' you are ready)
1 packet of McCormick chicken gravy mix (the kind you mix with water)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
Milk (about 1 1/2 cups or 2 cups)
2 carrots
2 ribs of celery and some of the curly celery leaves
1/2 onion
2 TB butter
4 cups of cooked white rice
Make a mirepoix. Mirepoix (pronounced mirahpwah) is a fancy french word for a mixture of finely diced onion, celery and carrots sauteed in butter. And when I say finely dice, I mean FINE. When veggies are soft, add your soup, milk and mix with the gravy packet whisked into the mixture. Quarter the cold chicken and lay it in a 9x13 pan. Lay the rice in between the chicken. Once the sauce is hot and bubbly, spoon the sauce all over the chicken and the rice, cover with foil and bake at 325 until the whole thing is hot and bubbly and starting to brown at the edges. (I started baking my chicken ahead of time so the pan and chicken was warm when I added my hot rice and hot sauce so I only had to bake the whole thing for like 20 minutes) Serve in bowls with some black pepper.
Night #2 - Cream of Chicken and Rice and Potato "Stoup"
Ingredients
Leftovers from night #1
2 potatoes peeled and chopped into the size of pieces you would want in a chowder
2 carrots sliced into bite sized pieces
2 ribs celery sliced into bite sized pieces
1/2 onion coarsely chopped
3 small boxes of Kitchen Basics Chicken Stock or good quality chicken stock
1 TB butter
Milk (amount depends on consistency desired in soup, I would plan on at least a cup)
Make another mirepoix just with bigger pieces. When butter is starting to brown, add the onions, celery and carrots. Add the potatoes and the stock. De bone and take skin off of all the leftover chicken. Add to pot. Simmer until vegetables are tender but not mushy. Add rest of the pan of leftovers which include the cream sauce and rice. Add milk until you have the right consistency of the soup you want. Remember, the rice will absorb a lot of the liquid so keep adding milk and maybe even a splash of cream until you have a chowder like consistency. Add plenty of salt and pepper to taste. I made mine the consistency of what Rachel Ray would call a "stoup" which is a 1/2 soup 1/2 stew. It was thick and hearty and yummy. I guess it was a chicken and rice chowder? Maybe it was a cream of chicken, rice and vegetable soup. (Optional, add frozen corn and this would make an excellent chicken corn chowder)
Notes: you don't really notice the rice all that much. It ends up being more like a thickening agent instead of using flour. My parents came over and my Dad thought the stoup was excellent and so did both the girls. I think I liked night #2 over night #1 but Mike liked night #1 better.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
The BEST Breadsticks Ever -danger warning
If you make these bread sticks you'll be glad and sorry at the same time. They are evil in their yumminess and in the butter factor. They are easy too which makes them even more dangerous.
I got this recipe from my sister in law Amber who got it from her rad neighbor Kara. I had these once and I'm still talking about them, they are that good.
1 TB yeast dissolved in 1 1/2 cups warm water
2 TB sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cube butter
Garlic Salt to taste
Parmesan Cheese to taste
Combine sugar and warm water, then add yeast. If it bubbles, you are good to go. Knead dough for 3 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes. Melt 1 cube butter in cookie sheet. Roll out dough, cut into sticks. Roll each one in butter on cookie sheet. Once finished, sprinkle with garlic salt, Parmesan cheese. Let rise 10-12 minutes. Bake 400 degrees, for 10-15 minutes.
I got this recipe from my sister in law Amber who got it from her rad neighbor Kara. I had these once and I'm still talking about them, they are that good.
1 TB yeast dissolved in 1 1/2 cups warm water
2 TB sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cube butter
Garlic Salt to taste
Parmesan Cheese to taste
Combine sugar and warm water, then add yeast. If it bubbles, you are good to go. Knead dough for 3 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes. Melt 1 cube butter in cookie sheet. Roll out dough, cut into sticks. Roll each one in butter on cookie sheet. Once finished, sprinkle with garlic salt, Parmesan cheese. Let rise 10-12 minutes. Bake 400 degrees, for 10-15 minutes.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Amber's Easy Chicken
You know how you are always looking for ways to use Chicken breasts that are easy, produce decent leftovers and are something your kids will eat? Amber made this chicken when I was visiting. Katie and Jessica literally shoveled it into their mouths making yummy noises. It wasn't one of those dishes that you eat and think "man, I'm going to make this next time my husband's boss comes to dinner". It is simple and you might think forgettable. Except it's not forgettable. You keep thinking about it because of it's simpleness. You know you need to add it to your repertoire of chicken dishes because it's that easy and good and your kids loved it. So here it is - Amber should be very happy to know I didn't forget it at all, but have now made it myself.
4 chicken breasts
1 stick of butter (I cut this to 1/2 stick and added some chicken stock)
Good Seasons Salad Dressing Packet (the dry seasonings only)
1 can cream of chicken soup (although it would be great with cream of mushroom or broccoli)
1 stick of cream cheese (go ahead and use the light)
egg noodles (boiled and drained or any kind of pasta or rice)
Stick chicken, butter (and stock optional) in your trusty crock pot and season with your Italian Dressing Packet. (I used about 3/4 of the packet) Cook on low all day while you are running errands, highlighting your hair, Christmas shopping whatever. (Or you can do what I did and throw the chicken in frozen and crank that baby up to high for like 4 hours then turn it down to low once you catch up with those people who planned ahead and thawed their chicken) About an hour or two before dinner, dump in your soup and cream cheese. Stir it around, shred the chicken with a big fork, whatever makes your skirt fly up. Serve it over the pasta with a big ol' side of broccoli and you have dinner. Come on, is that easy or what?
4 chicken breasts
1 stick of butter (I cut this to 1/2 stick and added some chicken stock)
Good Seasons Salad Dressing Packet (the dry seasonings only)
1 can cream of chicken soup (although it would be great with cream of mushroom or broccoli)
1 stick of cream cheese (go ahead and use the light)
egg noodles (boiled and drained or any kind of pasta or rice)
Stick chicken, butter (and stock optional) in your trusty crock pot and season with your Italian Dressing Packet. (I used about 3/4 of the packet) Cook on low all day while you are running errands, highlighting your hair, Christmas shopping whatever. (Or you can do what I did and throw the chicken in frozen and crank that baby up to high for like 4 hours then turn it down to low once you catch up with those people who planned ahead and thawed their chicken) About an hour or two before dinner, dump in your soup and cream cheese. Stir it around, shred the chicken with a big fork, whatever makes your skirt fly up. Serve it over the pasta with a big ol' side of broccoli and you have dinner. Come on, is that easy or what?
Monday, October 27, 2008
Last Of The Summer Salad
6 ears of corn
6 zucchini
1/4 red onion (finely diced)
6 tomatoes
tiny fresh mozzarella cheese balls (la perla - i think they are called. You can get the regular small bite sized balls and cut them into 4 pieces)
Balsamic Vinaigrette - you can buy it or make it yourself
Salt and Pepper to taste
Crispy fried pancetta bits
Toss corn and zucchini in olive oil and season with salt and grill on a BBQ until caramelized and done. Cool in the fridge. Dice onion and cube tomato into small little pieces. Strip the corn off the cob and cut zucchini into small little pieces like the tomato. The largest pieces in the salad are the tomatoes and zucchini, then the cheese should be about that size too, then the onion is the smallest. Toss with the balsamic dressing, season with salt and pepper and then crumble the pancetta over the top and serve. Crunchy, veggie summer bliss!
6 zucchini
1/4 red onion (finely diced)
6 tomatoes
tiny fresh mozzarella cheese balls (la perla - i think they are called. You can get the regular small bite sized balls and cut them into 4 pieces)
Balsamic Vinaigrette - you can buy it or make it yourself
Salt and Pepper to taste
Crispy fried pancetta bits
Toss corn and zucchini in olive oil and season with salt and grill on a BBQ until caramelized and done. Cool in the fridge. Dice onion and cube tomato into small little pieces. Strip the corn off the cob and cut zucchini into small little pieces like the tomato. The largest pieces in the salad are the tomatoes and zucchini, then the cheese should be about that size too, then the onion is the smallest. Toss with the balsamic dressing, season with salt and pepper and then crumble the pancetta over the top and serve. Crunchy, veggie summer bliss!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Yogurt Cream With Berries and Orgasmic Face
This was on my best friend The Pioneer Woman's Website and let me tell ya, it is the best thing you have ever tasted. Honestly people this is so great.
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups plain unflavored yogurt
2/3 to 3/4 cup brown sugar
Berries - you better have a lot on hand because you are going to eat several helpings of this stuff.
Mix cream and yogurt together. Now carefully drop little spoon fulls of the brown sugar all over the top of the cream/yogurt mixture but DO NOT STIR. Cover in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge overnight. The next morning, stir it all together. Get out a fancy glass and spoon in some berries (whatever kind you like) and spoon a healthy dose of this cream over your berries. Now prepare to make an orgasmic face after you take that first bite. Yep. There it is. That face. Does it get better than this?
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups plain unflavored yogurt
2/3 to 3/4 cup brown sugar
Berries - you better have a lot on hand because you are going to eat several helpings of this stuff.
Mix cream and yogurt together. Now carefully drop little spoon fulls of the brown sugar all over the top of the cream/yogurt mixture but DO NOT STIR. Cover in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge overnight. The next morning, stir it all together. Get out a fancy glass and spoon in some berries (whatever kind you like) and spoon a healthy dose of this cream over your berries. Now prepare to make an orgasmic face after you take that first bite. Yep. There it is. That face. Does it get better than this?
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Crab or Shrimp Louie - Perfect for Summer
A bed of lettuce. This is the only salad I use iceberg for however, it is much better for you if you use a darker mix of green.
Top bed of lettuce with: sliced black olives, sliced hardboiled egg, cucumber and tomatoes.
Top veggie bed with a lot of crab meat or shrimp. If you do shrimp, I like the bay shrimp that are small. Don't forget to clean and shell whatever type of seafood you choose.
In a seperate container mix 1 part thousand island dressing, 1 part cocktail sauce and 1 part maynaise. Add chopped pickle and lemon juice and garlic and stir until you like the consistency and taste of the dressing.
Serve with some saltine crackers on the side. Season your salad with salt and pepper so it won't be bland.
Top bed of lettuce with: sliced black olives, sliced hardboiled egg, cucumber and tomatoes.
Top veggie bed with a lot of crab meat or shrimp. If you do shrimp, I like the bay shrimp that are small. Don't forget to clean and shell whatever type of seafood you choose.
In a seperate container mix 1 part thousand island dressing, 1 part cocktail sauce and 1 part maynaise. Add chopped pickle and lemon juice and garlic and stir until you like the consistency and taste of the dressing.
Serve with some saltine crackers on the side. Season your salad with salt and pepper so it won't be bland.
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