What's Cookin? 2/1 - 2/13

I ended up going to spend a week with my parents and sister in South Texas last week. So, our menu didn't get completely used. It looks like next week we'll be traveling to California (if everything works out that is) so our menu will mostly consist of restaurants and grocery store pre-made meals. So, with that in mind, here's the menu that I'll be doing before we go and in case we don't go.

Thursday - Satay Chicken with Fried Rice (F)

Friday - Five Guys, Burger and Fries (seriously the BEST burgers and fries around. I think it's even better than Kincaids!)

Saturday - Mini Pizza's

Sunday - Bulgogi, Sticky Rice, and egg rolls

Monday - Spaghetti Vegi Toss and grilled chicken

Tuesday - Baked pork chops, steamed vegetables

Wednesday - Thai Spicy Curry Chicken and rice and Naan

Thursday - Turkey burgers, spaghetti squash, and green salad

Friday - Carbonara

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Creamy Rice Pudding

Cooked rice is combined with milk, sugar, an egg and golden raisins, and flavored with butter and vanilla in this quick, stovetop rice pudding. This pudding is delicious hot or cold.

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 cups uncooked medium grain white rice

4 cups milk, divided

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

1-1/3 cups golden raisins

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Make sure your rice is tender (fully cooked) and then move onto the next step.

(If you’re using a rice cooker, start here) In another saucepan, combine 3 cups cooked rice, 3 cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. In a small bowl, put ½ cup of the rice mixture and add the remaining cup of milk and the eggs; stir them together until well incorporated (about 3 minutes). Add to the main rice mixture with the raisins. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm.

NOTES:

This recipe may also be made using Splenda® instead of sugar. Use 1/3 the amount. This is an easy way to enjoy this great creamy recipe but cut down on the sugar and calories.

This recipe can be easily made with skim milk to cut the fat. You’ll need to increase the cooking time a bit, but it’s worth the time! It’s also great with evaporated skim milk!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Satay Chicken

This is a super delish meal that is relatively healthy and loaded with flavor - and it's straight from my mother's kitchen. My favorite "pairing" with it is fried rice.

INGREDIENTS:

2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts (or tenders)

1/3 C. soy sauce

1 green onion, sliced (or 1/2 tsp. onion powder)

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp honey

2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)

1/2 tsp ground ginger

DIRECTIONS:

Flatten chicken to 1/4 thickness and slice into 1-inch strips. (If you're using tenders, you can skip this step). In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the remaining ingredients; add the chicken. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least two hours and up to four hours.

Drain and discard the marinade. Thread the chicken strips into soaked wooden skewers. Broil 6 inches from the heat for 2-4 minutes on each side, or until chicken is no longer pink. (We don't normally skewer them unless we're grilling the chicken. But, it does make for a pretty presentation.

Yields 10-12 servings.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Finding time to Create...

While I was in the hospital having the baby, I checked my email via my phone and accepted an invitation to join in a creative swap. I don't recall exactly when I responded, but Joanna tells me it was RIGHT after I had the baby. It could be... drugs are a wonderful thing. The swap was for an ATC Valentine Swap that would be bound into a book.

I started thinking about what I wanted to make as my contribution to our book, and had a few ideas. Of course, after having the baby, finding time was almost impossible. But, after weeks of little bits of time here and there, I finished my pages.

I met up with our hostess one day during lunch to deliver my pages and chat.

I haven't seen and touched the end result yet (as I'm visiting with my family in South Texas), but the other participants have started to share the book on their blogs. So fortunately for me I've gotten to view and love the photos of our collaboration. I can't wait to see it for myself!

Since having Fred, I've started to realize what a challenge it can be to find time to create. There are always pressing items that I should be seeing to, or our new darling baby to tend to. How do you manage to find time to enjoy your artistic time?

reade more... Résuméabuiyad