Monday, January 17, 2011

Egg in a Hole with Broiled Tomatoes

* 2 slices whole-grain bread
* 4 tsp olive oil
* 2 large eggs
* Kosher salt and black pepper
* 2 medium tomatoes, halved
* 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan

Recipe Preparation
1. Heat broiler. Brush one side of each slice of bread with 1/2 tsp of the oil. Using a round cookie cutter or drinking glass, cut a 2 1/2- to 3-in. hole in the center of each slice of bread, reserving the cutout pieces.

2. Heat 2 tsp of the remaining oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the bread and cutouts, oiled side up, in skillet and cook until undersides are crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip; crack 1 egg into each hole. Season with 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper, and cook, covered, to desired doneness, 2 to 3 minutes for runny yolks.

3. Meanwhile, place the tomatoes cut-side up on a broilerproof baking sheet. Drizzle with the remaining tsp oil and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp each salt and pepper. Broil until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with the eggs and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Nutrition Facts


Calories 253
Total Fat 16 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Cholesterol 214 mg
Sodium 465 mg
Total Carbohydrate 17 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Protein 12 g

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Pan Roasted Steak Dinner

1 lb well-trimmed boneless beef sirloin steak, 1 inch
1/2 c light Catalina dressing, divided
1/2 tsp pepper
1 small red onion
3 c small broccoli florets
1 1/2 c very thinly sliced carrots (4 large)
1 1/2 c brown minute rice

Place steak in ziploc. Pour 1/4 c of catalina over steak; refrigerate at least 30 mins to marinate

Preheat over to 400. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat on medium-hot until hot. Remove steak from bag. Place steak in hot skillet; sprinkle with pepper. Place onions around steak. Cook 3 mins or until bottom of steak is well browned. Turn steak over; remove form heat. Combine broccoli, carrots, and remaining catalina; mix with onions. Wrap handle of skillet in heavy duty foil. Place skillet in oven.

Bake 18 to 20 mins or until steak is cooked to medium doneness (10F). meanwhile, prepare rice as directed on box. Cut steak across grain into thin slices; transfer to serving plates. Spoon vegetable mixture over steak, serve with rice.

Mini Ham & Cheese Calzones appetizer

1 can (11 oz) refrigerated soft breadstick dough
1/2 c Kraft Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
12 sliced shaved honey ham, cut in half
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Unroll dough; separate into 12 breadsticks. Cut each breadstick crosswise in half; flatten dough to 2 inch width.

Spoon 1 tsp cheese onto center of a ham piece. Fold ha piece over cheese to create a tight roll. Place ham roll near the end of a piee of breadstick dough, leaving a border.

Fold dough over ham, pinching edges to seal. Repeast process for all ham pieces. Place calzones on baking sheet. Sprinkle with permesan cheese.
Bake 12 to 15 mins or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Makes 24. Serve with ranch dressing or honey dijon mustard.

Stove Top Easy Chicken Bake

1 pkg (6 oz) Stove Top for chicken
1 c hot water
1 1/2 lb boneless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
1 can condensed chicken soup
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (thawed)

Preheat oven to 400. Sprinkle 1/2 c of the stuffing mix evenly on bottom of a 13 x 9pan. In another dish, add hot H2O to remaining mix until moist.

Place chicken over dry mix in pan. Mix soup, sour cream, and veggies. Spoon over chicken. Top with stuffing. Cook 30 mins at 400.

Updated Fettucine Carbonara

1/2 lb (8oz) fettucine, dry
1 c frozen peas
1/4 light cream cheese spread
1/4 c light classic caesar dressing
1 tbsp flour
1 c milk
1 pkg (6 oz) smoked ham, cut into short strips
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed, adding peas for the last 3 mins of cooking time. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese spread, dressing, and four in a small saucepan with a wire whisk until blended. gradually add milk, stirring constantly until mixture is well blended.

Add ham; cook on medium-low--heat 5 mins or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Drain fettucine mixture; return to saucepan.

Add sauce misture; mix lightly. Cook an addtional 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Top with parsley; sprinke with cheese

Roast Pork with Fruit

1 medium onion, sliced
2 lb pork roast
8oz (1 1/2 c) dried big fruit
1/2 c apple juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Place onion in slow cooker. Place pork on onion. Top with fruit.

Mix other ingredients, pour over fruit.

Oven Chicken Salad

2 c cooked chicken, cubed 1/2 inch
2 c celery, thinly sliced
2 c 1-inch bread cubed, toasted
1 c light mayo
1 c shredded chaddar cheese
1/2 c shredded toasted almonds
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp minced onion
1/2 tsp salt

Heat over to 400. Spray a 2 - 2 1/2 quart oval baking dish with non-stick spray. combine chicken and celery, 1 c of the bread cubes, the mayo, 1/2 c of the cheese, the almonds, lemon juice, onion, and salt. Spoon into the dish.

Top with the remainder of the bread. Bake for 20 mins at 400.

My mama's meatloaf

Makes 3 small, 2 medium, or 1 large

3 lbs ground beef
1/3 c plus 2 tbsp plain bread crumbs
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 c milk
1 large egg
2 tbsp dehydrated onion

Beat egg in a 2 cup measure or small bowl and add milk and onion. Mix in bread crumbs.

In the pan you're going to bake in, mix in the above mixture to the meat. Smoosh with your hands and shape into the loaf(s) you want. When you shape the loaves, then run your finger down the long middle to make a slight dent and drizzle ketchup into the indentation.

Bake at 350 until meat is firm (poke with a fork or knife to test firmness).

1 = 1.5 hours
2 = 1 hour
3 = 1 hour

Rob's Guacamole

2 avocados
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1/4 small white onion, chopped and rinsed
1/3 medium tomato, diced
1 jalapeno, stemmed/seeded/diced

scoop out avocados, removing stem bottom. Smash garlic in it paper shell to remove it, then finely chop it up and add it to the avocados.

Smash avocados with a fork until mashed.

Add cilantro, lime juice, onion, and jalapeno. Mix well. Gently fold in tomatoes.

Taco Seasoning

1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
Salt
Pepper

Devil's Food Cake

2 1/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 c unsweetened coca powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c shortening
1 3/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/3 c cold H2O

Grease and lightly flour a muffin pan or mold of your choice. If using oven safe mugs, grease botom and halfway up the sides. Set aside.

Stir together flur, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high for 30 sec. Add sugar adn vanilla, beat until well combined, Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add flour mixture and water alternatively to beaten mixzture, beating on low after each addition, just until combined. Pour batter nito mold until half full.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutses for mugs, 20 to 25 mins for muffin cups.

Maks 20 to 24 cupcakes.

Pie Crust

1 c flour
1/3 plus 1 tbsp fat
3 tbsp ice water

Makes 1 crust

Cream Sauce

1/2 stick of butter
2 tbsp flour
2 c milk

Melt butter in a sauce pan. Slowly ad in flour, stirring so it stays smooth. Add milk gradually while stirring.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

SOTD: Let It Rock, Kevin Rudolf

This song keeps begging me to open the sun roof....


(Verse 1 : Kevin Rudolph)
I see your dirty face
High behind your collar
What is done in vain
Truth is hard to swallow
So you pray to God
To justify the way you live a lie, live a lie, live a lie
And you take your time
And you do your crime
Well you made your bed
I'm in mine

(Chorus)
Because when I arrive
I bring the fire
Make you come alive
I can take you higher
What is this, forgot?
I must now remind you
Let It Rock
Let It Rock
Let It Rock

(Verse 2: Kevin Rudolph)
Now the son's discrased
He, who knew his father
When he cursed his name
Turned, and chased the dollar
But it broke his heart
So he stuck his middle finger
To the world
To the world
To the world
And you take your time
And you stand in line
Well you'll get what's yours
I got mine

Chorus:
Because when I arrive
I bring the fire
Make you come alive
I can take you higher
What is this, forgot?
I must now remind you
Let It Rock
Let It Rock
Let It Rock

(Verse 3: Lil Wayne)
Yeah!
Wayne's world
Planet Rock
Panties drop
And the tops
And she gunna rock 'til the camera stop
And I sing about angels like angelock-?
And pay m-?
A-?
A-?
A-?
?
Im in here up like b***h what's up
Mechanic, me, I can fix you up
I can f**k you up
I can f**k you down
Shorty we can go wherever just pick a town
And the jewelry is louder than an an engine sound
Big xxx rocks like on the ground
Baby like sex that's on the ground
Weezy

Chorus:
Because when I arrive
I bring the fire
Make you come alive
I can take you higher
What is this, forgot?
I must now remind you
Let It Rock
Let It Rock
Let It Rock
(x2)

Just Let It Rock
Let It Rock
Let It Rock
Let It Rock
Let It Rock
Let It Rock
Let It Rock

(Lil Wayne)
I'm back like I forgot somethin
I'm somethin
-? Rock rubbin' rap runnin'
Miles like I'm trying to get a fat stomach
Like Wayne the personal trainer
My aim is perfect I'll bang ya
Period, Like the remainder

(Kevin Rudolph)
I wish I could be
As cool as you
And I wish I could say
The things you do
But I can't and I won't live a lie
No not this time


Saturday, January 10, 2009

SOTD: Ieva's Polka, Loituma

They're Finnish, and it's not technically an SOTD, since I didn't wake up with it in my head, but it totally caught my ear on the internet this morning!

Ieva's Polka

I think I might live

OMGosh--I've been down with this terrible cold that's been making its way around. Terrible! I've sounded like Kathleen Turner for more than a week, which, while it has it's charms, I've really had enough of!

Hope everybody had good Xmas and NY holidays--mine were good, and my New Years' resolution is to pay more attention to you guys.

MY goal is to post every day, even if I have nothing to say. We'll see how long until *that* gets annoying!

Saturday, December 13, 2008

New music for to while away the winter hours

Was watching the current_ channel and they have a show call La Blogotheque. The Fleet Foxes were featured. I love them! By the looks of 'em, I'm pretty sure they live in a van down by the river, but I like 'em.


Fleet Foxes - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.


White Winter Hymnal

Your Protector

Sub Giant

Ragged Wood

Meadowlarks

Mykonos

He Doesn't Know Why

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Well, there's that...

Overheard In New York:

"I turn 34 on friday. I'm old, but at least I made it past Jesus"

Monday, December 01, 2008

Help me pick a teeny-tiny laptop

I'm potentially in the market for a little tiny netbook. I know they are not as high functioning as a regular laptop, but the size really appeals to me.

I know I was as much hard drive space as is realistic, and that I want Windows XP and not Linux, so between these 2, what do you think?

Asus EeePC 901

Dell Mini 9

And speaking of netbooks...

...well, if I wasn't, I was about to.

I'm looking into getting one--Dell Mini 9 or 12, the Asus ones. Anybody have an opinion? As soon as I get decent links, I'll post them so you electronic nerds can help me (as before...bow, bow, scrape, scrape)

Yay the internets!

Assuming my tech skills are functioning tonight, I should have the internets at my house by 9pm!

It's like not having running water. Smartphone has been geting a workout.

SOTD 12/1/08: Title TBD

Ohhh and it's alll right and it's coming on we gotta get get right back to where we started from. Love is good, love can be strong, we gotta get right back to where we started from.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

I've moved!

Yep, a week ago Tuesday I moved into a townhouse my parents own. It's 9 minutes from work (fan-tastic) and walking distance to movies, restaurants, and bars. It's different living alone (well...with the troublemaking cats), but I like it. I've warned my father about his habit of letting himself into my domiciles, as I have a worser habit of standing naked in my kitchen.

The big house is unsurprisingly still for sale, but that's how it is in this market.

The new house is super cool--2 bed, 2.5 bath, wood floors on the main, metal beam running thru the bedroom, full basement (for my keggers, my sister says). I don't have much furniture yet, but that'll come (the couch, specifically, on Dec 10th). I'm having a hell of a time with the lightswitches, as every single one seems to be on the opposite side from where my reflexes want them to be, but hey.

Phone showed up Wed, internet will be here Monday (well, not here, as I'm at Panera right now), and TV Tuesday.

Housewarming pending...and like any other offer, if y'all wanna drive up from GA or down from America's Hat, I'll make you the guest of honor. I'm just saying. :)

Okay, so

I had one really bad day on Friday and a few moments yesterday, but today? I'm doing fine. Finer than I expected! (Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? NO! And it's not over now!)

And do you know why? Because as I told the Wisconsin boy on the night of Meredith's Second Best Thanksgiving Day Breakup Ever, you gotta want me. Really, that's all there is to it. If you don't, then I've not got that much to be upset about. It's like grilling up some Black Angus for a vegetarian. No matter how good it is, they're still not gonna like it, so you might as well get another dinner partner.

I've got a lot going for me. Like my kickass chicken pot pie, for example

Saturday, November 29, 2008

SOTD: Precious and few

You know, 'precious and few are the moments...we can shaaaaare...and if I can't find my way back home (can't find my way) well it just wouldn't be fair (wouldn't be faaaaiir), cause precious are the moments we 2 can share.'

Monday, November 10, 2008

You guys still out there?

It's been a while--I'm sorry, it's been crazy. I'm not going to try to cover all that's gone on in life since I last posted, but I'll catch you up as needed.

As a lot of you whom I know i.r.l. already know, DB and I have gotten divorced since you all and I last really spoke. It's ok, we get along pretty well. We're both on match.com and not too long ago, Match delivered his profile to me as a potential mate, as we expected would happen. Life has this weird sense of humor.

We're both still living in and owners of the big blue house, but were working to change the "living in" part before the holidays. So, that's the biggest news.

Now hopefully I can entertain you guys more frequently in the future!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

I've not forgotten you!

I've been working god aawful hours and am soo tired when I get ome!


Here are some upcming events:
My Fiddler Crab hand
Half-Shirts At Starbucks (aka, why some people don't date)
Linen Pants Guy
The Corn Booth
The Owls and
The Crack Spider's Bitch

Stay tuned :)

Monday, September 01, 2008

My head hurts...ask me why...

Oh forget it, I'll just tell you.

This morning I was lying in my bed with my laptop resting against my bent knees. My small troublemaking black cat (as opposed to my large troublemaking orange cat) started to slip off the side of the bed and dug her claws into my quilt to gain purchase.

I didn't want her to tear a hole in the quilt, so I reached over to grab her and in the process, my PC tipped toward me and the lid hit me right on the bridge of my nose.

It wouldn't be quite so bad if it actually looked like a black eye. Kiiiinda just looks like dirt. If it's turned colors tomorrow, I'll take a pic for you--might as well laugh, I do. Less cool than the time my sister broke my nose while we were wrestling (at age 20), more cool than the time I actually did step on an upturned rake and smacked myself in the head (at age 25).

I've made it my personal responsibility to keep the McHenry County cool quotient at a median level. I contribute where I can.