Grown-up life, Grown-up food :)

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Monstrous Mongolian Beef

I missed a fairly large event that happened in my life withing the last year. I reread my last post and realized I skipped right over the fact that I got engaged! Ms. Grown-up Life will be marrying Mr. Occasionally Updated on November 8, 2014.

Wedding plans keep me occupied, but not busy yet. We have a year... however, 6 months of an engagement already down, I have a fair bit planned out. It is kind of frustrating, honestly, because I have the dress, venue, date, officiant, photographer, bridal party, hotel... and we are a year and a week out still. What can I do at this point? Well, I will soon be sending out my save the dates (which will be early, but I want to do something!)... Long story long, I am getting married, and I forgot to list it among the things that happened to me last year. Oops :/

The review for today is WW Mongolian Beef

Originally, the recipe I had pinned was a PF Chang's knock off recipe and it looked amazing, but it stupidly had put a calorie count on the site, and at 800 cals per serving, my pre-wedding body didn't think it was the best decision. Instead, I went with this WW recipe. Don't get me wrong, most WW recipes are pretty good. This is not the first one featured on this blog... however, this one was really not very good.

The flavor was fine. It tasted like any typical Asian inspired beef dish. The onions were soggy and tame, and the heat from the pepper flakes were almost non-existent (even though the recipe claimed it would be too hot. And I am not a person who likes spicy food, typically).

The texture is what really got me. When I think Mongolian Beef, I think almost spicy BBQ in texture. It should be dark, and rich in color... and you don't have to deep fry anything to get that. That should be in the sauce... this was... well... gray. It was what I imagine in Gruel would be colored in a Dickens novel. It was gray, gelatinous, goop.

I follow these recipes to a T, so I can properly recreate them, and there are quite a few things that could be done differently to improve this recipe. I would nix the corn starch and focus on grilling that meat as dry as possible... get a glaze going with the drippings, and wait to add the onions til last.

I will be back with more... looks like I'll be doing a Diabetes friendly Pumpkin Pie soon. I'll let you know how it goes!

Monday, October 28, 2013

No Longer Neglected Blog!

It's been almost a year... I could have had a baby, or bought a house, or... I don't know... done something impressive in the time it's been since I've posted last. The truth is... I'm just lazy. I'm like, the laziest person
I know. But since my last post, I have gone through 3 jobs, and 2 shows, plus a major professional audition, and a move from the 'burbs to the city... again.

My journeys have shown me a few things:

1. I hate not acting. I feel useless and blob-like.
2. I still have a child-like tendency to defy any rules put in front of me.
3. I have a handful a friends, and a lot of friend-like acquaintances.
4. Turns out, I hate playing league sports.
5. I am kick ass with customer service.
(...I suppose you can say that this makes me a tolerant person... and I am. Professionally. In my personal life, I use to be, but man... I'm feeling too old for other people's drama!)

I have been cooking. A lot. I just haven't been posting it.
What I've been doing is pinning recipes that look good, and then trying a few each week... and pinning the one's I've tried to another board... with the intent on reviewing each one. I didn't do that either... so I figured, the best way to get rid of two unfinished projects is to combine them.

Neglected Blog, meet Unfinished Recipe Reviews.

There have been some that were simply amazing... and then, well, not so much as well.

So, to kick off this whole shebang, and re-christen my long neglected blog, I give you the first review of the series:

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

For those of you who know me on a personal level, you will know I love this soup. Even better if it's in a bread bowl.
I am picky about this soup.
Very picky.

I loved this. There was none left. It was absolutely amazing. I mean, if you are clueless about what you want for dinner tonight, do this. Do it. You won't be sorry. It was really simple to make, and very quick. I made the soup, combined the ingredients, and let it simmer while I baked rolls (no bread bowl, but hey, it filled the void), and it was perfect when everything was done.

The only criticism I would give this recipe is that it didn't make very much. I fed three people one medium bowl, and though the soup is filling, it wouldn't go very far in a group setting.

So, now you should all be set for dinner tonight.

You're welcome.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Good Morning Grilled Cheese

As I am such a dedicated blogger, I will do 2 in one day!!!

Wooot!

This is what I ate for breakfast, and no, it's not crazy healthy. BUT I never eat breakfast, so this is a good step, I swear!

Good Morning Grilled Cheese:

What you'll need:
Cheese (sliced or shredded. I like sharp cheddar, but you can use whatever you'd like)
2 Slices of Bread
1 Egg
Butter or Margarine

In a non-stick pan, fry an egg over medium heat.
Once yolk has reached desired consistency (I like em runny), remove an set aside.

Butter each slice of bread on one side and place one piece butter side down in same pan over medium heat.
Cover bread in pan with cheese.

When cheese begins to melt, place egg on cheese and cover with remaining piece of bread.

Flip sandwich to new bread side and keep on heat until both pieces are toasted.

Soooo yummmy!!!!

Phenom Philly Cheese Steak Stuffed Peppers!

Oh my has it been a while!

Since my last post I have moved back up to Bellingham, started 2 new jobs, began rehearsing a play, and have become more than fully immersed in my geek culture.

As I type, I am fully engaged in a Doctor Who marathon. I have fully assembled my Comic Con Cosplay (Zatanna, if you're curious), and am gazing at my Star Wars souvenirs from my recent trip to Disney World. Sometimes life can be hard, and sometimes I am completely happy.

Like now.

Being completely happy is great, but there is a drawback. When I am happy, I like to eat. A LOT.

Sooooo, now I have to be really healthy while being happy :) Hopefully my newest posts will be a reflection of that. I have a hard time being completely committed to a new diet.... :/

So, with that brief catch-up, here we go:

Philly Cheese Steak Stuffed Peppers

What you'll need:

2 Large Peppers
8 oz Sliced Roast Beef
8 Slices Provolone Cheese
10 Crimini Mushrooms
1 Small Onion

Slice the mushrooms and onion.

Set aside.and saute in pan over medium heat until onions become translucent.

Slice peppers in half, and scoop out the seeds.

Preheat oven to 400, and add roast beef to the mushrooms and onions. Saute for 3 mins.

Turn off heat and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

Line pepper halves with 1 slice of cheese, and fill to the top with beef and mushroom filling.

Cover filled pepper with last slices of cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is golden.

There you have it, a bun free Cheese Steak with all the flavor!

This was a big hit with my honey last night, and would be a wonderfully fun dinner party food!

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Chicken Pot Pie for a Chilly Fall Day

I love chicken pot pie, and I am sooo ready for fall to hit. My entire apartment is full of fall smells. Pumpkin candles and apple cider. I just wish the weather would cooperate. I live in Seattle for a reason. I am so tired of all this "beautiful fall weather". Give me the fog and rain. I want wind storms and cold. Boots, scarves, gloves, and hats. I want the whole thing!

So, in leiu of the fall that I am pining for, I will post a recipe for fall in individual servings.

What you'll need:

1 lb. Chicken Breast

1 Package frozen vegetables of your choice

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 12 oz can of Chicken Broth

Pancake Mix (and ingredients to mix)

Heat deep pan, and fry cubed chicken breast.

When cooked all the way through, add vegetables, broth, and soup and cook until warm.

Pour mixture into individual baking dishes.

Mix pancake mix according to directions on the box.

Drizzle pancake mixture over filling mixture.

Bake at 350, until crust is golden brown.

There you have it! I sprinkled herbs, and a little egg bath before it was ready to be taken out.

The crust is a wonderful mix of bread and pie crust. So so SO yummy.

Happy Fall to Everyone!

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Star Wars Party for Grown-Ups!

I can't believe how long it's been since I've updated!

Well, here we are, almost a year later, and I am about to blog a post I am more excited about than ever!

My boyfriend turned 25 on 9/6. I have been planning a surprise party for him since June.

It was really amazing. He was totally shocked, and I had the most wonderful time planning... including the menu:

The drink recipes were:

Tatooine Sunrise: Double tequila sunrise

Blue Milk: Cream and Blue Raspberry Vodka

Darth Mault Liquor

Qui-Gon Gin and Tonics

So, to blog a recipe, I made "It's a Wrap!" Admiral Ackbar's Egg Rolls with "Thai" Fighter sauce.

What you'll need:

1lb Ground Pork
1Package Shredded Cabbage (I use a Cole slaw mix)
Soy Sauce
Rice Vinegar
Ground Ginger
Sesame Oil
Wanton Wrappers

Heat oil in Wok, or deep pan. When hot, add Pork and brown and add Ginger.

When Pork is cooked thoroughly, add Cabbage package and cook down.

While cabbage is cooking down, add Soy Sauce and Rice Vinegar to taste, and continue to cook until cabbage is tender.

When cabbage mixture is ready, remove from heat and let cool. Lay out Wanton Wraps and place a spoonful of mixture in the middle of the wrap, as it's oriented in a diamond shape.

Fold in corners til they touch.

Fold bottom so the Wanton Wrap creates an envelope shape.

Wet the lip of the "envelope", and roll til the egg roll is complete.

Deep fry in a shallow bath of hot oil, and serve when cooled. To stick with the Star Wars theme, I served with a Thai Chili sauce, which was my "Thai" Fighter sauce.