fried fish

a few nights ago we had sat out some white fish (i think it was striper) and we didn't want to just toss it in a frying pan like we usually do so we fried it. we mixed 1/4 cup of flour, 2 cups of cornmeal, salt, pepper and some old bay. dipped the fish in egg, coated in the cornmeal mixture and fried in a pan (not deep fried) with a little vegetable oil. it took about 15 minutes total. we went with french fries as a side because we had them. yummy.

beef and gravy

i really don't know what to call this dish. growing up at home, my mom would buy stew beef and cook it in a crock pot all night with water. we fished it out of the water and dumped it on some rice. adam calls it beef tips and gravy.

it's basically chunks of beef that you are looking for. sometimes it says stew meat. i used 2 lbs.

this takes a long time and you need a dutch oven.

generously sprinkle house seasoning (onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper) on top of all of the meat. heat a dutch oven with a little oil in the bottom to medium. brown the meat in segments starting with the seasoned side down. don't crowd the pot. season the top and flip after about 3 minutes. remove. continue until all beef is browned. there will be lots of good brown bits in the bottom of the pot. dump in 2 garlic cloves chopped and half an onion. it doesn't matter how you chop it because it is for flavor and pretty much melts. add about 3 cups of water and scrape the bits off the bottom. add the meat back to the pot and add more house seasoning (to taste) and a little dried rosemary and thyme. cover tightly and turn down to simmer. you can simmer it forever if you would like, but i'd make sure to give it at least 2 hours. today i let it simmer from 12 until about 4:30.

about 30 minutes before dinner start making some white rice. i made about 6 cups to go with 2 lbs of meat. we have leftovers. follow the directions on the box. mix about 1/4 cup of cornstarch with 1/2 cup water. bring the meat back to a boil and push the meat to the side. add the cornstarch mixture and stir about 1 minute while continuing to boil. the sauce will thicken. at this point the meat chunks will be falling apart. i just use the back of a spoon to press them and they fall apart.

put rice on a plate and top with beef and gravy.

because you need something green i served this with asparagus that i roasted in the oven (400 for 15 minutes) with garlic, salt and pepper.

adam always requests this dish. i love it too, but i consider it a fall/winter dish. we missed it though, so i made it and it was well worth it. i like to try to find the onion and garlic while i am eating. i never can. i have no idea where it goes.

afternoon snack

when i'm off of work i like nothing better than a cup of coffee (or two) in the middle of the afternoon. could explain why i am dragging every afternoon around this time when i do have to work.

today i decided to bake up a frozen cream cheese pastry that i got at trader joe's. pepperidge farm used to make one like this, but smaller, however now they only come in cherry and peach. i was so glad to see this while shopping because i have missed the cheese so much. it was so good.

salad with grilled chicken

tonight we had grilled chicken and salad for dinner.

i coated boneless, skinless chicken breasts with house seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder) and grilled it on a grill pan and we assembled salads. my favorite salad toppings are tomatoes, feta cheese, croutons, artichoke hearts and banana peppers. i like vinegarette dressings, but adam used cesar with parmesan cheese. it was pretty yummy, but even though i bought organic tomatoes at trader joe's, i was still disappointed in the flavor. there is nothing like a home grown tomato and i have been craving them bad. i guess it will be some time before i can get one, but i can't wait. i like eating them when they are still warm off the vine.

flourless chocolate cake

yesterday i made a stop at trader joe's and since it was my birthday, i was able to justify buying this flourless chocolate cake in the bakery section. it is so rich that you can barely eat a slice...you have to slice it really thin. it is really good with a cup of coffee and makes milk taste amazing. the case says "true decadence" and it is so true.

thanks to stacey for the cute dish towel that i receive in the mail today along with a batter dispenser. i am excited to use it to make pancakes soon.

happy birthday to me

yesterday, june 3rd, was my 26th birthday. on sunday i visited my family to celebrate and it was good.

my wonderful husband gave me the most awesome birthday gift ever, a brand new digital rebel xti by canon so i am so excited to make something good so i can photograph it.

we went to dinner at my favorite restaurant, carrabas. it was so good, but we were too busy eating to take any photos.

pork chops with rice and tomatoes

my grandma used to make a huge pot of white rice which she added diced tomatoes to. then she would brown these little baby boneless pork chops and mix it all together. it was the best. this is my version of that dish.

we used seasoned boneless pork chops with our house seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder) and browned them in vegetable oil. i made a pot of rice and added a can of diced tomatoes (hunts brand with sauce). add a little garlic salt, a lot of pepper and a little parsley for color. so simple and sooooooo good. less than 30 minutes.