90. Learn to cook 10 new recipes (4/10)

I'm a meat and potatoes kind of gal. I'm also super frugal.. I totally check out circulars (do they still call them that? I swear I'm incapable of keeping up with current lingo) before I go grocery shopping so when I saw an ad at my local supermarket for super cheap pork ribs.. I jumped on that bandwagon.

You'll notice quickly that I had absolutely no idea how much to buy or what kind of ingredients I would need to complete this meal.

Seriously, I just started pulling stuff that I already had from my fridge and pantry. Let's see there's minced garlic, honey bbq sauce, worcestershire sauce, regular bbq sauce, TJ's sweet chile sauce (seriously, amazing - get some now), garlic salt and ketchup.

After looking at various recipes online, I just started mixing stuff together and tasting it until I wanted to consume it by the spoonful. Yes, that's my "seasoning" method.

With just salt and pepper, I put these bad boys in the oven - See! I told you! Massive pork ribs. I mean, there are ONLY two of us (Murphy does not count when people food is involved) and look how much I bought! Whoops!

I can't even explain how much balance it took for me to take a picture WHILE flipping the meat. I'm just thrilled I didn't knock the entire pan over. Back in the oven they go!

They were fall-off-the-meat tender when all was said and done. And my house, the smell was insane. I tore off a piece and slathered my mix all over them. Yes, the picture is fuzzy because they were pipping hot!

I let them cool down a touch before taking another picture. Yes, I still use paper plates.. don't all the great cooks do that? I'm not sure if I've ever had pork ribs before but I would love to make these again. NOM!

90. Learn to cook 10 new recipes (3/10)

As documented in past blog entries, I'm a total glutton when it comes to food blogs. Now, I realize I can't really cook or bake a lick but in my mind, I'm totally a heavier, less cracked out Sandra Lee. Anyway, one of my favorite blogs (like I totally visit the site multiple times a day) is Carrots N' Cake. I'm such a super fan and totally purchasing her book when it debuts in May 2011.

Now, she has blogged about "the best apple crisp recipe" and since it's fall and apple crisp happens to be S' favorite dessert of all time, I said hey why not. So, I pulled up her recipe and started cutting apples.

Isn't it cute that I cut apples like I do this all the time?



I could not believe I owned a pan perfect for this little cooking project. I threw all the apple pieces in the pan.


Time to mix the topping. And yes, that's butter. Come on, live a little people.



Sprinkled cinnamon on zee apples.



Toppings on the apple slices and into the oven. I'm such a bad wannabe food blogger.. forgot to take a picture of the oven with the pan in there.


Look at that.. browned up in no time flat. The house smelled divine.. like I wish I could have bottled the smell and sold it.



Obviously, I had to check quality control of the product. Delish. Seriously, so so easy. Another successful new recipe in the books. Count it!

And yes, in case you're wondering, S loved the apple crisp.

90. Learn to cook 10 new recipes (2/10)

My daily post-work commute is long.. sometimes longer than I care to admit. So, if you know me, you already know that I'm kind of a grouchy pants if I wait too long between meals and even when I snack, I'm absolutely annoying until I eat dinner. And if you don't know me, then hi thanks for stopping by my blog and yes, I have low blood sugar which makes me a borderline lunatic at times.

ANYWAY.. these variables along with probably a dozen others (like how I'm incredibly Type A) requires me to plan ahead my meals for the week. I'm always on the hunt for new recipes - especially those that require minimal effort and no cooking skills whatsoever. I'm not looking to be Julia Child here.. I just want to eat.

One of my favorite websites to browse recipes is the Pioneer Woman. Her website includes photography, family, hobbies and my favorite, cooking. She even has her own cookbook so you know she's legit. One section she's starting to tag is 16 minute meals - I'll take those extra fourteen minutes over Rachael Ray any day! So, on July 17, she posted about her Mini Meatball Sandwiches. First, I love most things in miniature form so my heart strings were tugged at the sight of the title. Second, I've never made meatballs before and totally wanted to try it without consuming hours of my time. So, here we go! (btw, the actual directions may be found here)

First, let's gather ingredients shall we? (Like last time, we're going to overlook my outdated kitchen)

Yes, I used jarred sauce. WHATEVER. It was light Ragu Tomato Basil and surprisingly delish. Additionally, I made use of my roasted garlic (that I made a couple days before), panko, yellow onion, one lb of 90/10 ground meat (on sale! score me!), provolone cheese, milk, olive oil, salt & pepper and the cutest little dinner rolls. Most of the items I already had in my house so that was another bonus.

Ok, time to combine my meat with panko and a touch of milk.

Chopped up some yellow onion. Did you know that if you throw an onion in the freezer for a couple of minutes before you chop it that it's easier to cut it AND it doesn't trigger tears as easy!? These are just some treats for reading my blog - you're welcome!

Moving on, I used my tablespoon measuring thingee to scoop the perfect size meat for the meatballs and then I rolled them cleanly with my hands. Again, if you want the correct lingo, I'm sure the Food Network is an excellent resource.

I know, that's a lot of meatballs! So you're probably wondering why I rolled all the meatballs before throwing the onions to brown in the skillet (if not, let's pay attention here!). I knew that I would totally burn the onions in the oil if I didn't pay attention so yes it took longer but I needed to not screw it up before I got there.

Here's the oil and onions! Now, I had to be super stealthy because S doesn't like onions but likes the taste of them.. so as long as he doesn't see them, he'll eat them. Make sense? It's fine, I think there's a unwritten rule that guys are supposed to make absolutely no sense various times throughout the day.

So now we brown the meatballs - let's use our imaginations here since I was trying to be stealthy and avoid burning our house down so picture taking was not the top priority - and then add the sauce!

Doesn't it smell good?! Yes, I know my blog is not a scratch and sniff but as I type this, I'm salivating at the picture. Now we cover the pot! Like my new cookware? Compliments to Paula Deen and S for selecting these beauties as a gift!

While that bad boy simmers away, time to prepare the bread and cheese. Yes, in absolute fat kid style, are there two words that go more perfectly together as bread and cheese?! I think not. So you just slice the bread in half and put a quarter of provolone on each piece of bread.

Once everything is cooked, you just put a meatball on the bottom of the bread, top with some extra sauce and squish down the top piece of bread and watch those bad boys just melt together.

Yeah, sometimes we use paper plates. It happens more frequently when I anticipate that I'll be in a fat kid coma with my mini meatball sandwich belly. These sandwiches were absolutely delicious and I will definitely make them again. Perfect sized mini meatball to the cutest little bread. Divine!

90. Learn to cook 10 new recipes (1/10)

I love the summer.. well, minus the ridiculous humidity and its affect on my hair. Oh and how I hate working when it's gorgeous out and all I want to do is be outside. And how every time I'm outside in the summer, I burn to a crisp even though I wear like SPF 60. Vicious cycle, I tell you.

Now, where was I? Oh yes, summer - love love love. One thing I love about summer is obviously glorious cocktails. What?! You didn't think I was going to attempt an actual meal for my first new recipe, did you?

Anyway, since I'm a total fat kid, I have a subscription to the Rachael Ray Magazine (as well as Martha's Food Everyday - and since I really don't cook, fat kid alert) and she featured an adorable "Fourth of July" themed party. The party drink was called a Blackberry Ginger Sour Highball and look how summery it looks!

Source

So I'm totally going to do the rest of the post like I'm food blogger - in advance, I will apologize for my lack of fancy kitchen stuff and the pictures, in general. haha!

First, I chopped the ginger into one inch pieces. Btw, thanks to the Smith Household for my answering my random phone inquiry about whether or not I had to peel the skin off the ginger root. Sure, none of us knew the answer, but I appreciate answering my call!

Then I put the chopped ginger, blackberries, water and sugar into the pan on the stove. And within five minutes, it looked like this. Tell me this isn't a pretty color!

So this is the "syrup" for the drink. Since we were going to the cottage that weekend, I opted to make this ahead of time. I let it cool, strained it (aka just took the ginger and blackberries out) and then poured it into some tupperware where it sat in the fridge until it was drink time!

Obviously now we're in Saratoga - who else noticed the change in kitchens? So you're supposed to essentially fill the pitcher with ice and the gin - then mix it for a little over a minute so the alcohol is NICE and cold. I attempted to put the syrup right into the pitcher but it started to leak.

So I just transferred everything directly into the large tumbler glasses. Now this recipe is supposed to make six cocktails but obviously my serving size and the magazine's are two different things. I put more blackberries, ice, topped with club soda and even some limes (for color) right into the glasses and served!

Absolutely refreshing! I'm so happy with how these came out and I will absolutely be making these again. Next time, I'll just make like triple the recipe (what's more syrup right?) so there's enough if anyone wants a refill. In the words of Ms. Rachael Ray - Delish!