11 March 2008

A Long Post

I'm a bit behind in posting some of this, but I am determined to finally get some of this up! And I will also appologize to Meagan because the first two news items are recipe related! First of all, I made the Chicken Purses I talked about before last night. Holy Moly! These things are fabulous. Everyone needs to try these! It is one of those classic Italian recipes where a few simple ingredients blend together to create the most incredible flavor. You can really taste each individual flavor, but at the same time they come together to be something totally awesome in your mouth. I am really, really looking forward to enjoying the leftovers for lunch today! Sadly, mine aren't as pretty as the ones in the recipe picture (they actually look kind of gross), but here they are anyway:
The other recipe news I have goes back to the post where I asked you all for inspiration for using up the meat in my freezer. Joanna sent me her recipe for Chachere Chicken which she thought would work well for my bacon wrapped beef filets since the recipe has bacon and chicken in it. I adjusted it a bit to account for having beef and not chicken, but it was great! Here's what I used:
  • 2 slices bacon (unwrapped from the filets), chopped
  • 20 oz. filet mignon
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 1/2 green pepper, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1 c. beef stock
  • Montreal Seasoning

Cook bacon on medium high until crisp, remove. Season beef with Montreal Seasoning and put beef in pan and brown in bacon fat on both sides, then remove. Reduce heat to medium. Put onion, garlic, green pepper, and celery in pan and cook until onion is translucent. Slice beef into thin strips. Add beef, bacon, and stock to pan. Reduce heat to low and cook until beef is done. Serve over rice.

This was so yummy! I served it with asparagus that I sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with the same Montreal seasoning and roasted at 450 for 12 minutes. Having the same seasoning on both tied it all together. And I just love asparagus. It is my favorite veggie. I always know spring is right around the corner when asparagus starts being featured in the grocery ads. Take a look:

Now I have to tell you how awesome Tina is! Tina totally rocks! Yesterday when we went out to get the mail, there was a package waiting on my doorstep from Tina! Back when I was looking up British recipes, Tina helped me out with knowing what the British people actually did. And now she has sent me a box full of British foods! Bisto gravy granuals, cookies, pancake mixes, Yorkshire pudding mixxes...I hit the jackpot! Before I could even get a picture, my family removed one of the packages of cookies - they were a big hit! I plan to make toad in a hole this weekend with one of the pancake mixes!

Finally, in other news, my baby, Ethan, turns three today. ::sniff, sniff:: I cannot believe that he is already three! I think that because I had postpartum depression so bad after he was born I have blocked out his first year or so. So in my mind he is only turning two! Here's the big birthday boy:

6 comments:

Unknown said...

wow! that all looks so great! i can't wait to try the chicken purses. i'm in a bit of a cooking slump though. josef wouldn't eat the peppers and then he said the mac and cheese left a vomit taste in his mouth. i was totally shocked that he would be so "honest". but my co-worker said that a typical boy comment. i'm thinking he was tasting the parmesan cheese. anyway, i'm a bit deflated right now, even though shane totally loved everything. i need my cooking mojo back! i'm just glad that you guys keep posting inspiration. i'll snap out of it soon.

isn't it a mix of emotion when they grow up? happy cause their healthy and doing new things, but sad cause they don't want to be babied. i try to cuddle caleb, but find that he always ruins it by saying someting like "oww, mommy your squeezing me" or "let me go!" :(

Johanna said...

Jerry thinks parmesan tastes like vomit too, if there is too much of it in the recipe!

Tina said...

Oh, that all looks yummy. I love have some new ideas for dinner. We have kind of hit a slump around here.
I am so glad you got the package. I do okay, it just takes me forever to get stuff in the mail. My excuse is that at the nearest base you can only send packages out on Mondays and Thursdays. Those pancake mixes can also be used for yorkshire puddings... the recipe is on back. Hope you like it all. Those Highland shorties are the cheapest cookie they sell around here, but my ABSOLUTE favorite. If you like Chai, they are perfect with a big cup of chai!

Joanna said...

great stuff! i have everything i need to make those except for the wonton wrappers. darn. maybe i can find a recipe to make my own. oooh, now there's a challenge.

Joanna said...

PARMESEAN TASTES LIKE VOMIT?!?!?!?! oh my word! what planet are these people from?

Leah said...

mmmm... i love asparagus too :)