[five cheese ziti]

So I haven't written in a while because for the last month, I have hardly cooked anything worth blogging about. I am however, back to post about my adventures in cooking for tonight's dinner!

5 Cheese Ziti Al Forno topped with Grilled Italian Chicken with baked italian parmesan zucchini sticks! Also, I am making David's mom's recipe for homemade flower pot garlic bread! I think it will be a very interesting evening!

I will post the recipe when I have finished cooking!

As of right now, I am in the process of dethawing chicken breast and I will then marinade it in italian dressing before I grill it!

Cheers!

[korean night]

So -- I have completely dropped the ball. I still haven't gotten used to the idea that I have a blog, and updating it every day is something that I should do! Well, I suppose I will explain what I made for dinner for me, my boyfriend, my two roommates (Travis and Lisa) and Lisa's little sister.

Korean Bulgogi
Chicken Lo Mein
Shrimp Sushi
Korean Kimbap

I would explain what I did for each dish, but I didn't even take pictures to go along. I feel sort of like a failure but HEY -- everyone has to start somewhere. I had been slowing bringing this meal together for the past 3 days so keeping this specific meal updated wouldn't have even been possible. SO -- If I happen to ever get any followers and you all want to know how I made these delicious meals, then send me a message and I will cook it all over again, with pictures, how to's and my mothers recipes!!

Cheers!
Rach

[lemon flounder]

Today I am going to make lemon flounder with sauteed green beans, garlic cheese mashed potatoes and flower pot bread rolls! This is the go-to dish that David and I really enjoy eating because it is so simple and fast with not much prep time. I am going to the store to pick up a few items and then I will talk about the recipe and the way to cook this delicious and easy meal!

Phase 1: Prep work to do when you wake up in the morning:

You can basically use any type of white fish or salmon for this recipe. As far as this blog entry goes, I will be using Flounder.

I got this bag from Aldi's for $3.99. Being poor and in college means to shop where it is the cheapest! It comes with 5-6 decent size skinless and boneless fillets that are actually quite tasty.
I like using flounder with this recipe because it isn't as delicate as some fish can be.
I took this out at around 10am and put it in the refrigerator to defrost. If you are in a rush or don't feel like defrosting it, you can place the fish in a sink full of hot water right before you are ready to cook. Fish defrosts very easily!
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This is totally optional but I really enjoy fresh bread rolls. David's mother makes these really great bread rolls that you put into a little flower pot and bake in the oven. They are really buttery and very garlicy!

1. I buy the little bread rolls that need to be set out for 4-6 hours to rise.
2. Crush up the amount of garlic that you prefer. I just buy the already crushed garlic in a little jar. I use about 1/4 teaspoon for each pot.
   
3. Use about 1 teaspoon of butter and put ontop of the frozen bread rolls.
   
4. Place two bread rolls in a glazed ceramic flower pot and place it in somewhere warm. (I usually heat the oven to about 175 degree's and turn it off and place the frozen rolls in there just to stay in a warm place. 4-6 hours is about average.)

These are the bread rolls about 4 hours in! Still a little bit more rising to go!!

Phase 2: Sauteed Green Beans!

Ingredients:

• 1/2lb of fresh green beans
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 4 tbsp water
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
• dash of lemon (optional)

1. About 30 minutes before you are about to eat, it's time to saute the green beans! Now, here in Warrensburg, we get the fresh kind where we have to cut the ends off, if so, do that ahead of time and rinse them well! Unfortunately, I couldn't find fresh... word of advice after we ate.. do not buy the frozen kind of saute purposes! Yuk!!!!
2. Put the green beans in a medium size pan that has a lid.
   
3. Pour water in the pot so the green beans steam and become soft and chewy.
4. Add sesame seeds and sesame oil
5. Add soy sauce (add more if you likes strong flavor)
6. Add a dash (optional) of lemon juice to give it an great kick!!
   
7. Set pan on low, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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Here Comes the Tricky Stuff!!! Multi-Tasking!
Phase 3: Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Cooking Bread Flower Pots and Cooking the Fish!

Ingredients for potatoes:

• 4 medium potatoes
• dash of milk
• 1 tbsp of butter
• 1/2 teaspoon of crushed garlic
• 1/2 cup of cheese

1. Wash and peel potatoes, then slice into 1/2in cubes
2. Put in a bowl and cook for 15-20 minutes depending on the power of the microwave (at the same time, place bread pots in the oven at 350!!)
3. About 10 minutes in, heat up a george forman grill, or just a normal grill or pan -- place fish brushed with a little olive oil
4. Sprinkle some lemon pepper and italian seasoning and close! Cook for 5-10 minutes!
   
5. When the potatoes are finished, drain potatoes -- add a dash of milk and butter.
6. Add cheese and garlic!
7. Mix together with a mixer and place in a covered dish to keep warm
8. Pull out bread pots and place in a warm place covered with a paper towel

This is the finished bread flower pot! Sorry that it looks so dirty, it's just the butter that cooked onto the side!!

Here is David, doing his usual, "oh you're taking a picture so I'm going to cock my head back all weird" eating the flounder!! All in all, the main lesson I learned today is that frozen green beans are NOT good when sauteed. ALWAYS use fresh green beans!!

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Tomorrow is Korean Dinner Day! Much posting!
Toodles!

[cheesy baked potato soup]

...in a sourdough bread bowl!!

This is my first time making this recipe so I really hope it turns out okay. I went and looked through about 50 different websites trying to find a cheesy baked potato recipe that had the ingredients that I already had a home, because as we all know -- I am poor! I figured making a meal with ingredients that I already had would be easier than going to the store to and buying mix. SO -- We here we are, my first adventure.

What I like about this dish is that I can start it in the afternoon after I get out of my first class. Once I get the first part of the ingredients done, I don't touch the crock pot for 5 hours! The next step has you wait another hour, so it's easy to do homework instead of slaving over the stove!

Cheesy Baked Potato Soup
Necessary Items:

• 1. Large crock pot
• 2. Small blender (I don't like onions, but I love the flavor! So I just mince it up in a little food processor)
• 3. Something to stir with!

Recipe:
(I've changed a few things to my liking! It is still in the crock pot, so I will tell you if I've failed or not in about... 5 hours!! )

• 6 medium potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into 1/2 cubes
• 1 small onion, minced (I food process mine because I'm picky!)
• 1 small green onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes or 14 oz can of chicken broth
• 2 cups of milk
• 1/2 cup of flour
• salt, pepper to taste
• 1 cup of shredded cheese of your choice
• bacon bits, sour cream and shredded cheese for garnish
• 4 sour dough bread rolls! big ones!! yum!

Phase 1: Potatoes, Onions, Butter and Broth!

That is my broth onions and cubed potatoes. I forgot to get the butter and green onions in there but at least this is something to look at for now!

1. Add the chicken broth to the crock pot.
   
2. Add minced onions and stir into broth with wooden spoon
3. Add potatoes to the crock pot
4. Put butter into crock pot and mix it in
   
5. Turn crock pot on medium for 5 hours! Woo!! This is going to be a long wait!!

Phase 2: After 5 hours... Water, Milk, Flour and Cheeeeese!

1. Add the water with the flour and mix until well blended.
2. Add water mixture to milk and stir.
3. Pour into crock pot along with the cheese!
4. Stir together well, and cover.
5. Cover, turn crock pot to low and let stand for 1 hour or until serving time!

Phase 3: The Sour Dough Bread Bowl & Garnish!
This was the fun part!!

• Take a knife and slice the very top of the bread bowl off
• Take a spoon and carefully spoon out the middle part, just like you'd do for a twice baked potato!

• Take a ladle and spoon the soup into the bread bowl.
• Garnish to your liking!! I added bacon bits and reduced fat cheddar cheese to the top! I also added a dollop of fat free sour cream!!

This is my lovely boyfriend David who experiences all of my dishes, the good and the bad. He makes my life worth living. Thank you David -- for always... always being there for me.
This website is dedicated to you.
I love you.

[the beginning]

It is exactly 8am, Tuesday Sept. 22nd, 2009. I have been wanting to do this for a long time but have never seemed to have the confidence. Just recently, I've decided to go forth in my adventures in creating a college cookbook -- maybe not for the sake of someone seeing it, but more so for when in the future, I know that I had to learn to cook on a dime and to never forget this moment in my life.

I am a Junior, almost a Senior going to the University of Central Missouri. I have so many classes that I had to forfeit my job in order to keep up with all of the homework that is being tossed into my lap. This.. is my guide to the world of poor college cooking.