Two nights ago I fell in love

I had not done a recipe in a few days so I decided to make a BIG MEAL two nights ago. I really wanted fried chicken, so I opened up my handy dandy PWC book, and decided to go with her friend chicken recipe. Even though I have my own recipe, but this is about doing EVER SINGLE RECIPE. So on pg 155-157 I followed her recipe for fried chicken. It was good, but I did change the recipe, I used chicken tenders, not chicken pieces.

But let's get to my new love, pg 204-205, Creamy Rosemary Potatos....O...M...G...!!!! I am sooo in love with these potatos. I cut the recipe in half since it was for just 4 of us, but by the end of the meal Every Last Drop was gone. I would recommend getting PWC book for everyone, just for this recipe alone. These delicious, dreamy, potatos require a empty tummy and a big plate. I have never ever had such awesome potatos. Even dad said "you can make these again," Which is a HUGE compliment. I can't wait to make them for mom and for Kenny.

Even being stuffed to the gills with these amazing spuds, I did decide on making Deen Bros. Pina Colada Smoothies (pg. 185). This was a nice treat. I made it twice, the first time per the recipe, the second time with an extra shot or three of Malibu Rum. Both times it was nummy. might even have to pull this recipe out for the Super Bowl tomorrow (GO STEELERS!!...even if my Colts didn't make it).

So now I am flipping through both books to figure out what recipes to make for tomorrows game. I am thinking maybe those jalapeno poppers form PWC, or the cheesy pretzel dipping sauce from DB....or lets just go crazy and make both.

Breakfast with the Deen Brothers.....or the Fratto Brothers

I really really wanted donuts this morning, and didn't want to go out in the rain to get some. That is when I remembered that in the Deen Bros. Recipes from the Road there was a donut recipe (Pg. 182)....So I grabbed the book, flipped it open and saw the recipe. My heart SANK. Seriously, Donuts from Biscuit dough?? How bad are these going to taste?? But I did promise to do recipes from both books, and for some reason I have only done PW recipes. So I sucked it up and said Let's Do It!

Luckly I had a tube of biscuits in the fridge (store brand texas style), and started heating up the oil in my electric skillet. Used a shotglass to cut out the holes of the donuts and let them fry....they looked ok, but still, will it taste ok?? After dipping them into some sugar, and taking the first bite...well lets say this, it's been a hour and I still can't stop eatting them. O...M...G...!!!!! They are AWESOME!!!! I feel my jeans getting tighter already, even if I am wearing sweatpants right now.

The only substitue I did with this recipe, I did not put cinnamon into the recipe. WHY?? Well, i have a major issue....*sobbing* I am allergic to cinnamon. And I LOVE CHURROS!!! *sobbing* However, the donuts are AMAZING!!!

Been a few days, but it's been crazy

The only cooking I have done in the last few days has been another try at the Egg in a Hole recipe. There are several reasons: 1) School began this week, and I am taking 15 units. 2) Mom left for Germany for her mother's (my Oma's) funeral. Don't shed a tear, Oma had a long, long life and left us at the age of 102. However, yesterday there was a knock on the door while I was prepping dinner ( Comfort Meatballs PW Pg 172-173, and PW's Creamy Mashed Potatos Pg 146-147). The person behind the door was someone from CPS (Child Protection Services). I was FLOORED to say the least. Apparently, Drew had a rash on the back of his neck, which I had informed both teachers of, but someone I forgot to inform of this rash, called CPS on me, because Andrew IS AUTISTIC and cries at the drop of a hat. He cried regarding it, so they pushed and pushed until they got some story. SO that led CPS to my front door. Even the lady said it looked like a rash or a tag scratch. That just upset me to tears, where I became hysterical. And if you know me, I have a very soft heart. This isn't a political blog, but a cooking blog, so let's talk about my dinner tonight.

Right now in the oven is PW Comfort Meatballs (pg 172-173) and on the stove top is potatos boiling to be made into PW's Creamy Mashed Potatos (pg 146-147). The CMPs look interesting since half and half is used and cream cheese. I am not doing the WHOLE 5 pounds, but bringing the recipe back down to a 4 person household level. and since two of those household members are 5, let's make it a 3 person household, unless AJ asks for seconds.

The other change in the recipe is, thanks to yesterday, the 30 minutes in the freezer, became close to 24 hours in the freezer. It shouldn't matter that much, but I will let you know if it's a hit or miss.

On to searching for the next meal and take photos of the dinner to come :)

The first day of school, but I still made one recipe

Today is the begining of Spring Semester 2011. I only have 4 classes, but the one I attended today seems AWESOME!! It's my Investigations class and the professor told us we are actually going to have a crime scene we have to process, including lifting prints and everything. How cool is that?? Adn the best part is that class ends at 9:20, giving me the rest of the day to do whatever....housework, homework, Harry Potter Lego on the WII....

But since this is a cooking blog, lets get down to it: I made another recipe for lunch. OK it's not really a recipe that requires a lot, but it's in the book and I made it: Page 46 in PW Cooks, AKA Egg-In-The-Hole. I used Sourdough (only the best bread EVER) and lots of butter and it came out awesome tasting. The actually product to look at, not so much. I don't think I let it cook long enough to flip, because one of the Egg-in-the-holes doubled over and collapsed on me. But it still tasted good. DEFINATELY something I will make in the future.

LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!

It's not even 9 am yet, and the pork is in the pot....ok the crockpot since I don't own a dutch oven, so I hope it turns out just as good. Might have to invest in one down the line. Also have to get a cast iron skillet.

So while the pork is cooking, let me tell you about my morning. This morning, Andrew (one of my 5 year old twin boys) came up to me and told me he had to poop in the potty. This might not be a big deal for most 5 year olds, but Andrew has some issues, Autism, Speech problems, and some kind of bowel issues that we have been seeing a gastro dr since March of last year. Because of these issues he just can't potty train. It's like the signals don't go all the way from the brain to the bowels. So the fact that he told me this, and actually went potty in the potty is AMAZING!!! SO now besides the pork cooking, there is a cake in the oven to celebrate this.

I am using a girlfriend of mine from Love and Love (Life and Laughter? Love and Laughter? Ok L&L girls what DOES L&L stand for???) which started out on Theknot.com way back in 2003ish. ANYWAYS, I took this recipe from Amanda, who took it from....drumroll please....The Pioneer Woman Website http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/rainbow-cake/ . However, my cake only has four layers, blue, green, yellow, red.

With the cake baking and the pork cooking, what should I do today?? Maybe a load or three of laundry. Oh, and prep my school bag for tomorrow. College begins tomorrow again for Spring 2011 semester. Tomorrow is Introduction to Investigation, Tuesday is Community and Human Relations and Sign Language and of course Accounting online. 13 units is going to make for a fun spring. :)

Alright, It is now AFTER DINNER and let me tell you, IT WAS YUMMY!!! I did have to thinken the sauce a bit with the old corn starch trick, but other than that, it was delish. Dad had his with sour cream and salsa, I just had a little sour cream and lime juice. Now we are all sitting on the couch watching the Jets VS. Steelers (GO STEELERS!) full to the max. However, right after dinner the kids had a slice of the rainbow cake. Which they loved.

So I am calling Day 1 of the resolution a SUCCESS!!! However, there will be a few days until the second recipe. I made a wee bit to much, so I think we are having pulled pork for the next two nights. :)

T - a few hours.....and counting

So the other night, I was sitting in the bathtub drinking a bottle of wine, and watching Julie and Julia, a movie about a lady who loved Julia Child's cookbook The French Chef Cookbook and decided to do every single recipe in 365 days.

This got me thinking, how many of us have cookbooks that are sitting in a bookshelf somewhere, collecting dust, or we only pull them out for one or two recipes?? I have several. There is one on the bookshelf right now that I love, but have only done one recipe, "The Deen Bros. Cookbook, Recipes from the Road".

So I continued thinking. Everyone I know of has been talking about Ree Drummond's Pioneer Woman Cooks, and I checked out her site several times, and like the recipes I found there. So the next day, I went to Target and bought her book.

Which leads me to my New Years Resolution - 2011....to take both cookbooks, and cook every recipe in there, with one exception: I REFUSE to cook Duck/Goose, Rabbit, Lamb/Sheep, or any "baby" animal (veal, mutton, etc). When I get to those recipes, I will either A) try to change the recipe around to a different type of meat, or B) ignore the recipe like it didn't exist.

SOOOO....It starts tomorrow, Jan 23rd, 2011, a Sunday. I plan to make the Spicy Pulled Pork recipe from the Pioneer Woman Cooks (pg 94-95).

I am giving myself until the end of the year to do this resolution. And if I complete it with time to spare, lets hit another cookbook or two. :)