I have a callback interview tomorrow! Yay!
Fake Stroganoff, Real Delicious
This is my version of Beef Stroganoff, which of course contains no beef. It is as healthy as stroganoff can get and still taste good, in my opinion. I usually eat about five bowls of it and then roll around bemoaning my fate and asking my husband why he didn't stop me after the first two. It is seriously good.
Alice's Fake Stroganoff
Nouns:
1 package ground Turkey
1 large onion, sliced
1 can fat free condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 small tub of fat free sour cream (8 ounces)
2 teaspoons paprika
1 package whole wheat egg noodles (12 ounces)
1 oz red wine
1 cup chicken broth
Verbs:
Prepare noodles according package directions and set aside.
Brown the turkey over medium high heat for about 8 minutes. Add the onion, and some olive oil if necessary to prevent sticking. Stir over medium high heat until the onion is beginning to caramelize. Reduce heat to medium. Add the wine and gently scrape delicious browned bits off the bottom of the pan into the liquid. Add the chicken broth and paprika, simmering until reduced by about half. Add the condensed cream of mushroom soup and stir to combine. Heat through. Finally, just before serving, stir in the sour cream. Simmer over low heat until heated through. Serve the sauce mixture over noodles. Try not to eat the whole thing.
Alice's Fake Stroganoff
Nouns:
1 package ground Turkey
1 large onion, sliced
1 can fat free condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 small tub of fat free sour cream (8 ounces)
2 teaspoons paprika
1 package whole wheat egg noodles (12 ounces)
1 oz red wine
1 cup chicken broth
Verbs:
Prepare noodles according package directions and set aside.
Brown the turkey over medium high heat for about 8 minutes. Add the onion, and some olive oil if necessary to prevent sticking. Stir over medium high heat until the onion is beginning to caramelize. Reduce heat to medium. Add the wine and gently scrape delicious browned bits off the bottom of the pan into the liquid. Add the chicken broth and paprika, simmering until reduced by about half. Add the condensed cream of mushroom soup and stir to combine. Heat through. Finally, just before serving, stir in the sour cream. Simmer over low heat until heated through. Serve the sauce mixture over noodles. Try not to eat the whole thing.
Things Apple could have named the Ipad... but for some reason, didn't.
In the hours since Apple's release of its new Ipad, the interwebs have been abuzz. Many many many of the buzzers have been noting that clearly, Apple does not have ANY women on its marketing team, because if there were even one woman involved in the making of this product, it would not sound like a high-tech menstruation aid.
Here is Bust blogging about how Dudely the Ipad is.
Here is Mad TV spoofing the Ipad... two years ago when no one thought Apple would ever actually name something the Ipad.
There must have been some other name they could have given this thing. But what?
Itablet?
Igear?
Icon?
Iform?
Or, if they were going to go with unfortunate connotations, why not-
Itool?
Since they clearly don't mind sounding a little dumb, why not go with-
Ithing?
Iwhatsit?
Idoohickey?
Really, just calling it "that thing, you know, with the stuff," would have been better than Ipad.
Here is Bust blogging about how Dudely the Ipad is.
Here is Mad TV spoofing the Ipad... two years ago when no one thought Apple would ever actually name something the Ipad.
There must have been some other name they could have given this thing. But what?
Itablet?
Igear?
Icon?
Iform?
Or, if they were going to go with unfortunate connotations, why not-
Itool?
Since they clearly don't mind sounding a little dumb, why not go with-
Ithing?
Iwhatsit?
Idoohickey?
Really, just calling it "that thing, you know, with the stuff," would have been better than Ipad.
Gluten-Free Fancy Dinner: Roast Chicken with Wild Rice Stuffing
A good friend of mine is moving soon, and I so made her a nice dinner this weekend in a vain attempt to bribe her to stay. She has Celiac, so no wheat was harmed in the making of this dinner.
Roast Chicken with Wild Rice Stuffing
Nouns:
1 whole roaster chicken, about 4-5lbs
olive oil
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1-2 handfuls dried cranberries
3 stalks chopped celery
2 minced shallots
1-2 handfuls shelled pecans
1 cup wild rice, prepared
2 cups chicken broth
1-2 tablespoons corn starch
1 small onion
2 cloves minced garlic
salt
pepper
butter
Verbs:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Gently saute the celery and shallots in a small (or large) amount of butter over medium heat for several minutes until shallots become translucent. Strip Thyme leaves off the stems and add to the pan. Add garlic and cook several minutes, stirring to keep from sticking. Add more butter if needed. Turn heat to low and add cranberries and pecans. Stir in wild rice, adding more butter and a splash of chicken broth if necessary to keep moist. Remove from heat.
Remove any icky bits from inside the chicken. My supermarket generally doesn't include giblets anymore, but often the neck is in there. Get that out of the way. Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry. Liberally coat with olive oil, salt and pepper inside and out. Position the chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan. Spoon the wild rice mixture into the chicken's cavity, getting as much in there as you can. Then, tie the chicken's legs together with kitchen twine to hold it all together. Fold the chicken's wing tips under the chicken to keep them from burning. Cut the small onion in half and put in the pan next to the chicken. Roast the chicken at 450 until your meat thermometer reads 170, or if you're old fashioned, until the juices run clear; this takes about 75-90 minutes. If you are using a pounds to minutes roasting ratio guide, be sure to allow for the pound or so of stuffing. As you are roasting the chicken, keep an eye on the drippings. If they are about to burn, add several glugs of chicken broth to the pan. You may need to do this several times depending on the depth of your pan.
When done, remove the chicken from the roasting pan and allow to rest for ten minutes. While chicken is resting, remove the onion and pour the drippings into a stove-top safe pan (perhaps your roasting pan will do) and reduce the liquid over medium high heat until you have the volume of liquid you want for gravy. If necessary, add the rest of the chicken broth to make more gravy. Thicken by whisking in corn starch until desired gravy consistency is reached, season with salt and pepper. Serve with the chicken.
I served my chicken on a platter with the roasted onions, stuffing, and sprigs of thyme, and had mashed sweet potatoes and sauteed tarragon carrots as side dishes. It was tasty.
Roast Chicken with Wild Rice Stuffing
Nouns:
1 whole roaster chicken, about 4-5lbs
olive oil
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1-2 handfuls dried cranberries
3 stalks chopped celery
2 minced shallots
1-2 handfuls shelled pecans
1 cup wild rice, prepared
2 cups chicken broth
1-2 tablespoons corn starch
1 small onion
2 cloves minced garlic
salt
pepper
butter
Verbs:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Gently saute the celery and shallots in a small (or large) amount of butter over medium heat for several minutes until shallots become translucent. Strip Thyme leaves off the stems and add to the pan. Add garlic and cook several minutes, stirring to keep from sticking. Add more butter if needed. Turn heat to low and add cranberries and pecans. Stir in wild rice, adding more butter and a splash of chicken broth if necessary to keep moist. Remove from heat.
Remove any icky bits from inside the chicken. My supermarket generally doesn't include giblets anymore, but often the neck is in there. Get that out of the way. Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry. Liberally coat with olive oil, salt and pepper inside and out. Position the chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan. Spoon the wild rice mixture into the chicken's cavity, getting as much in there as you can. Then, tie the chicken's legs together with kitchen twine to hold it all together. Fold the chicken's wing tips under the chicken to keep them from burning. Cut the small onion in half and put in the pan next to the chicken. Roast the chicken at 450 until your meat thermometer reads 170, or if you're old fashioned, until the juices run clear; this takes about 75-90 minutes. If you are using a pounds to minutes roasting ratio guide, be sure to allow for the pound or so of stuffing. As you are roasting the chicken, keep an eye on the drippings. If they are about to burn, add several glugs of chicken broth to the pan. You may need to do this several times depending on the depth of your pan.
When done, remove the chicken from the roasting pan and allow to rest for ten minutes. While chicken is resting, remove the onion and pour the drippings into a stove-top safe pan (perhaps your roasting pan will do) and reduce the liquid over medium high heat until you have the volume of liquid you want for gravy. If necessary, add the rest of the chicken broth to make more gravy. Thicken by whisking in corn starch until desired gravy consistency is reached, season with salt and pepper. Serve with the chicken.
I served my chicken on a platter with the roasted onions, stuffing, and sprigs of thyme, and had mashed sweet potatoes and sauteed tarragon carrots as side dishes. It was tasty.
Sad Kitten
I am feeling pretty pathetic right now, because to compensate for the hope I felt at my job interview yesterday, I got a rejection letter for a different job, after not even getting an interview, this morning. Ugh. Please, somebody, hire me!
Interview
I had a job interview this morning, and it went okay, I think. Really, it's just starting to hit home for me how soon big changes are coming and how unprepared I really am for them. My job ends in August, which is 7 months away. Shortly thereafter, the husband is going back to school. It would probably make sense for us to move around that time if I manage to get a job that doesn't require a commute, since the main reason we live in this suburb is so that I can easily hop on the highway and reduce commute time. But all that is up in the air... I don't have a job offer, he doesn't have an acceptance letter, and we don't know where we'd go if we went.
I have very job options, and even fewer that actually appeal to me. It seems each has its own set of drawbacks. The job I think I would enjoy the most would mean still commuting, and getting a pay increase, but not enough of one to compensate for losing the husband's income. That's the only job I have an interview for. There are other options, one not involving a commute but involving a pay cut, and one not involving a commute that would be a pay raise, but neither has responded to my applications as yet, and time is ticking.
It's discouraging and tiring to constantly be networking, to be talking to people who might know someone who might know someone who might know of a job. I had the waiting and the roller coaster of hope and defeat. Still, at least I got an interview. That feels like forward motion.
I am tired of strapping on my heels and hose, blowdrying my hair, putting on conservative jewelry and dry-cleaning my suits.
Anyway, wish me luck!
Chicken burgers with apples and brie
Okay, so I like brie. A lot. And I spend my days thinking of things to put it on. So, when I encountered a truly brilliant take on the Turkey Burger (staple of BBQing for all us non-mammal eaters) at a restaurant in Denver, I was pleased and set about to duplicate its tastiness in my own kitchen. In my home version, I've substituted ground chicken for turkey, but either would work fine. Caution: This is NOT health food, despite the burger-made-of-bird. Do not be fooled.
Nouns:
1 package ground chicken
1 oz white wine
1 egg
4 Kaiser rolls
1 wedge brie
butter
1 apple, I like Granny smith for this
salt, pepper, mayo
Verbs:
Mix the chicken, egg and wine together in a bowl until combined. Separate into four equal chunks. Will be gooey. Cook on a well-greased (WELL-GREASED, trust me) griddle or stove-top grill pan. A real grill won't work too well for this because the consistency of the burgers is too gooey. Feel free to try, though, if your mad skills surpass my own. My technique is to scoop up a quarter of meat, dollop it onto the griddle (which has been well-greased, if you hadn't caught that) and smooth it into a patty shape with my spatula, rather than trying to pre-shape it. It's like making meat cookies. Yummm. Once the patty has cooked through enough to hold together, flip it. Flip it good.
Meanwhile, cut the kaiser rolls in half like a hamburger bun and lightly butter the insides. Lay them, buttered side down, on the back of the griddle over low heat while the burgers are cooking. Slice the apples into thin flat slices and do the same with the brie. Okay, fat slices are fine. When the burgers are mostly done, lay the apples and brie on top of each burger and put a pan or a lid over the top like a dome to trap the heat in and thereby melt the cheese. Physics!
When the kaiser rolls are all melted-buttery, warm and crispy, take them off the heat and lightly mayo them. Variation: Mix the mayo with finely caramelized onions, or chutney, or some other gooey delicious thing, and then spread it on the kaiser rolls. Once the brie is all melty, serve the burgers on the rolls. And please, take your Lipitor.
Good with a green salad or the leftover brie.
Nouns:
1 package ground chicken
1 oz white wine
1 egg
4 Kaiser rolls
1 wedge brie
butter
1 apple, I like Granny smith for this
salt, pepper, mayo
Verbs:
Meanwhile, cut the kaiser rolls in half like a hamburger bun and lightly butter the insides. Lay them, buttered side down, on the back of the griddle over low heat while the burgers are cooking. Slice the apples into thin flat slices and do the same with the brie. Okay, fat slices are fine. When the burgers are mostly done, lay the apples and brie on top of each burger and put a pan or a lid over the top like a dome to trap the heat in and thereby melt the cheese. Physics!
Good with a green salad or the leftover brie.
Best Appetizer Ever
I make this for all the parties I go to, and virtually every special occasion.
Angie's Baked Brie
1 wheel of brie
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup whiskey
Preheat oven to 350. Unwrap the brie and place it in a small baking dish, or if you have on, a brie baker. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar and whiskey together, until the sugar is about half dissolved. Add more whiskey or sugar as you like. I sometimes double the sugar and whiskey, because what is better than sugar and whiskey? Roughly chop (or don't) the nuts and sprinkle them over the cheese. Then pour the sugar/whiskey over the cheese and nuts and bake until the sauce is bubbly, the nuts are browned, and the cheese is ready to ooze out everywhere.
Serve with crackers or thinly sliced apples, or both.
1 wheel of brie
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup whiskey
Preheat oven to 350. Unwrap the brie and place it in a small baking dish, or if you have on, a brie baker. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar and whiskey together, until the sugar is about half dissolved. Add more whiskey or sugar as you like. I sometimes double the sugar and whiskey, because what is better than sugar and whiskey? Roughly chop (or don't) the nuts and sprinkle them over the cheese. Then pour the sugar/whiskey over the cheese and nuts and bake until the sauce is bubbly, the nuts are browned, and the cheese is ready to ooze out everywhere.
Serve with crackers or thinly sliced apples, or both.
German-Inspired Dinner
Tonight I made a cheater dinner, just the quickest and easiest thing I could think of.
Kielbasa and Brown Rice:
1 turkey kielbasa, sliced into 3-inch sections
1.5 cups brown rice, prepared
1 half yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 half cup of beer
1.2 tsp stone ground mustard (optional)
olive oil
Saute the onions in olive oil until transparent, then add the kielbasa sections and saute over medium high heat for 3-5 minutes. Add the beer and mustard to the pan, turn down to a simmer and stir. When liquid has reduced by half, serve over rice.
Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pine Nuts
As many brussels sprouts as you want, cleaned and sliced in half
zest of one lemon
a few tablespoons pine nuts
olive oil
Saute sprouts in oil over medium high heat for about 10 minutes, or until they caramelize. Turn the heat down to low and add the nuts and zest. Stir for 2-3 minutes, not letting the nuts scorch. Serve with kielbasa.
Kielbasa and Brown Rice:
1 turkey kielbasa, sliced into 3-inch sections
1.5 cups brown rice, prepared
1 half yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 half cup of beer
1.2 tsp stone ground mustard (optional)
olive oil
Saute the onions in olive oil until transparent, then add the kielbasa sections and saute over medium high heat for 3-5 minutes. Add the beer and mustard to the pan, turn down to a simmer and stir. When liquid has reduced by half, serve over rice.
Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pine Nuts
As many brussels sprouts as you want, cleaned and sliced in half
zest of one lemon
a few tablespoons pine nuts
olive oil
Saute sprouts in oil over medium high heat for about 10 minutes, or until they caramelize. Turn the heat down to low and add the nuts and zest. Stir for 2-3 minutes, not letting the nuts scorch. Serve with kielbasa.
Noodle-y Goodness
Presenting: the pasta attachments for my Siegfried, my Kitchenaid stand mixer. Siegfried doesn't get used very much, because I am not much a baker. I believe this is because successful baking requires the baker to carefully follow lots of rules, measure things, and generally follow directions. I am pathologically incapable of doing those things, under normal circumstances.
However, one FANTASTIC use for Siegfried is making pasta dough, and now I have the technology to transform pasta dough into spaghetti or fettuccine.
I give rave reviews to the Kitchenaid attachments, by the way. The roller press attachment is sturdy steel and the setting knob is just like my old manual machine. It fits on the mixer easily and can be changed out in about five seconds. Both the cutter attachments sliced cleanly and work well.
Training Widget
Race Schedule Widget