Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Recipes: Shrimp & Mushroom Pasta

There are recipes I find all the time that I know I would love to try, but I KNOW that Scott is not going to eat. So on days like today, where he works 3-11, I get to be my own Guinea pig.

One thing I am not, is patient. So when you cook this, don't try to rush it.
*pot calling kettle black*


Here is what you will need:
Pasta. Any thin will work, I used vermicelli.
A stick of butter. The recipe called for 10 tbl. I used the stick, which had 8.
I would use the 10. The recipe insisted on 10. I am stubborn.
Shrimp. Frozen is okay, just pick their little tails off.
Mushrooms. Sliced baby bellas are the best!!!!
Cream cheese 3-4 oz
Minced garlic 2-3 tbl
Basil
Seasonings. You know which ones I used.


Boil the pasta. Save half a cup of the water before you drain them.
Melt 2 tbl of butter in a pan, cook mushrooms until they're soft. VERY IMPORTANT.
Season with salt and pepper.
When they're ready, set mushrooms aside in a cool lime green bowl, and add remaining butter to skillet.
Add the cream cheese, 3 tbl of minced garlic, basil, and I off course added white pepper, garlic powder, garlic pepper, and black pepper.
It's going to look jacked up, and you have to mush the cream cheese, but it'll turn out okay.


Add the noodle water.

Stir, stir, stir.
Add mushrooms and shrimp. If you aren't cheap and buy frozen shrimp like I do, cook it while the pasta is boiling. Otherwise, take your shrimp out of the colander, de-tailed of course, eat a couple, then throw them in the pan, along with the cooked mushrooms.


Stir, stir, stir until it thickens. LET IT THICKEN!!!!
I added seasoning to my pasta.


Here is where I messed up.
Calm yourself. It happens.
I didn't let it thicken enough. I immediately mixed it all in a pot, where the recipe specifically said to add on top of the pasta, but I was like "SGETTY!!!!" and proceeded to eat.
It was good, but the sauce needed to be more thick.
Also MAKE SURE that your mushrooms are cooked until they're soft. Mine are definitely not soft.
There was one of the seasonings that kind of got on my nerves. I don't know if it was the garlic pepper or the basil. It didn't cook down. Once again, I didn't let it cook enough.
Sigh.
I could never be a pro chef, I would flunk on "plating".

It was okay, despite my errors. I will try it again, the right way.
Try to enjoy.


Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Recipes: Crunchy Baked Pork Chops & Crunchy Onion Potatoes

Otherwise known as "In which I cooked the wrong thing".

I had a nice pork chop recipe to cook tonight, bought all the ingredients, the whole shabang. It was supposed to be baked pork chops with a nice mushroom gravy. The mushrooms are in the fridge mocking me.
To go along with this feast I planned on making a potato side that I haven't made in a while. It's the most unhealthiest side I can think of, I haven't made it in almost 2 years.
I suppose I had French Fried onions on the brain, because when I went to my email to get the recipe for the pork chops, I typed in "Crunchy Baked Pork Chops", not at all "Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy Sauce" and then preceded to make the dish. After I had them in the oven, I THEN realized I am retarded and shouted "CRAP I am cooking the wrong thing!!"


So...here is what I made.

Crunchy Baked Pork Chops

Take 1/2 inch thick boneless pork chops season them the way you like. I love Lawry's seasoning, garlic powder, white pepper, and a shake of garlic salt.

Get two eggs and Panko bread crumbs. I also added a shake or two of Loeb's Onion Crunch. These things are amazing. They make your breath rank, but I still add them to the majority of all my food. I am lazy and don't like to cut up onions. It's not like I have family or friends that come over. Probably because of things like THIS.
I added the above mentioned seasonings to the bread crumb mixture, and mixed them all in a lime green bowl. The eggs had to be cracked into an old butter tub. Don't judge. Buy me bowls if you don't like it.

Coat the chops in egg, then Panko mixture. Place on greased pan.

I suppose you can use actual French Fried Onions. Be that way.

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.


Enjoy.


Eat me!!




Crunchy Onion Mashed Potatoes

The first time I made this I actually boiled potatoes and mashed them myself. Yeah, that only happened once.

Make instant mashed potatoes. One package or two, depending on how gluttonous you feel.
After they're ready, add half a cup of sour cream, garlic powder, and 1/4 cup of milk into the potatoes. If you use both packets of potatoes, you will want to use more sour cream/milk, but don't double it. Trust me.

Spread half of the potato mixture in a baking dish. Add French Fried onions (I snuck some of the Loeb's Onion Crunch in here as well) and cheese of your choice. I normally use Colby Jack, which was the majority of cheese today, but I also use recipes like this to clear out any cheese that is left in bags. So it had some Sharp Cheddar and Mozzarella as well.

Put the remaining potatoes on top. If you <3 garlic powder as I do, add it here. White pepper is delish as well. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Take out, add more cheese and onions on top. Bake for 5 more minutes. It's going to be like napalm when you take it out of the oven, so let it cool off. Oh. And use a pan BIGGER than this one, it will look a lot prettier:



Enjoy.








Thursday, July 12, 2012

Wordless Wednesday










Saturday, July 7, 2012

June 2012

June 1, 2012

Sweet Mother!! I finally have a washer and dryer. It only took 18 months :) My arms are so sore. If I had muscles they would be displeased with me.

Work and sleep, not much else going on.
~

June 2, 2012

Work and sleep. Bailey and I are watching "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". By far the best Narnia movie to date.
I am still trying to put the house back together from having to empty out the spare room to put the washer and dryer in.
~

June 5th-

I have spent my off day doing absolutely nothing. It feels great. I have been so exhausted lately. I slept til 8am, then napped from 12-4. I keep telling myself I need to get up and do something productive, but alas, I sit here watching DVR and pinning things on Pinterest. I have washed all of my uniforms and have socks in there now.




June 10-
I FINALLY get a weekend off. You know what happened? I sprained my foot. That's right. All weekend I have sat on the loveseat with my foot propped up. Figures. I did it Thursday evening right before I left work. No cool story to tell, my Shape Up gave way while I was about to vacuum. I heard a crack, then the pain hit. Nothing came out of my mouth but air. It hurt, but nothing too bad that I couldn't drive home. Then I got home, propped it up all was good. When I attempted to get up, then the pain hit. The next morning I wanted to call into work so bad. I honestly didn't think I could do it. I managed. I kept ice on it. Yesterday it was a little better, it only hurt when I put pressure on it. Today I have it wrapped, but I am walking around. Turning very carefully.



My dad is in the hospital again. The doctors have decided that his liver is too far gone, and that Hospice will be the way to go. I will mentally deal with that later.
Bailey has been here since Friday evening. I swear she has sent 3,000 texts. If not more.
So that's what I have been doing. Catching up on email, chatting with friends, trying to clean up when Scott isn't telling me to "get OFF your FOOT!!!"

OOH! One of the dumbest movies ever! "Good Neighbors" with Scott Speedman and Jay Baruchel. Now I love both of these actors, which is why I decided to give it a shot. Don't. Just don't.

June 12-
Yesterday was horrible. There isn't really anything more medically that can be done for my dad. He is being sent home into Hospice care. I knew that it was going to come to this, and thought I was ready. Not so.
My foot is still throbbing. It would probably heal if I would stay off of it.
Teehee



June 15
So my dad is at home. I spent the last 2 days sitting with my family. At work, just waiting to go home. I NEED to clean house! it's terrible since last weekend my foot was bum and I couldn't walk on it. This week has been kind of hectic. Since Bailey stays with me on Friday and Saturday nights, I suppose I could clean her off a spot to sleep.
I got to see Brayden and Micah yesterday. Neither of them cried when I held them, so there must be an issue there. :)
Bailey testing Joey's Hospice bed


June 17.
Happy Father's Day


June 23
I am off the weekend. Right now sitting at my mom's with her on Daddy Patrol. Nothing much planned for this weekend, just hanging out here, cleaning my yard, and not thinking about work.
Her playlist has issues.

Kayla, and her dog Lola


June 27
Callie and Tonks look odd here

I am in Heaven

Bailey was cold, so she covers up with the arm cover

What a clever way to water my plants :)

I made Zesty Lemon Shrimp

Sassie is devastated when I come over

A housekeeper said "Someone drew a rocket ship on one of our directories"

Brayden. Chillin.



June 28
8 years ago today I went on the longest date of my life. I sure am glad I did!!
Happy "First Date" Anniversary to Scott!! I have no idea how he has put up with me all this time!!
I won't get to see him much today, I work 7am-8pm, then he works 11pm-7am. We will have next Saturday though :)



June 30
The end of the month. A very hot month.
I spent a few hours at my mom's today. My daddy doesn't have very long. When it does actually "set" in my brain, then I am sure it will be the worst moment of my life so far. Right now I am just numb to it all.
Casey came by with Brayden. He lets me hold him and doesn't cry. This is a great start.
I have a few hours alone at the house right now, I should be up and cleaning, but I am sitting on the couch listening to NASCAR on tv. Soaking up the a/c. I don't even want to think about the bill next month.