I've officially decided to turn my love for watching the Food Network and this blog, into a love for preparing delicious, creative meals that I can actually eat... not just salivate over on tv... and that means I need to get busy learning how to do fancy cookin' stuff.
I actually love to cook (and have whipped up some pretty creative dishes!), so that's not an issue, but I think I get lazy. I don't make "fancy food" because I am daunted by the steps and skills required... and the time! But so-called "fancy food" is healthier, more economical and well, Dave and I need both!
My first action was to read through my various collected recipes, cookbooks, etc, and plan out some meals to prepare for the next week (or two?)
I wrote out a thorough shopping list, and then tackled numerous budget-friendly grocery stores ... And I know God was with me because 1. I stayed within price budget and 2. when I was standing in front of the dairy case looking for the heavy cream (where o' where are you dear heavy cream?), and a girl about my age was also looking for the heavy cream and she called her mom for instructions on what it looked like. (She was making alfredo.) Together, us and her mom via phone, found the little container of creamy goodness on the top shelf in the back... not called "heavy cream" but something else like heavy whipping cream.
I managed to check off nearly everything from my shopping list (decided to buy salmon fresh the night I make it instead of in the frozen form) and was very thankful to have a handy and handsome hubby to bring in all the grocery bags! Though he escaped to play Call of Duty on the xbox while I put everything away...
So, here it is. Meal numero uno. The first night of my fancy meal planning, and I am using a recipe from the Diabetes DTour Diet cookbook - one of the many cookbooks my hubby was blessed with when he worked at the family shelter. The cookbook promises "200 undeniably delicious recipes to balance my blood sugar and melt away pounds".... yay! As I was recently told my blood sugar was "pre-diabetic", I am kinda in a scare about it! (Dave's is fine though, of course.)
The recipe I chose to begin this little sojourn looked tasty and I was attracted to the "quick" in the title - we'll see if it lives up to its name! I also like the idea of cooking with edamame and tomatillos!
I had to change the recipe a bit because as awesome as I thought I was at menu planning and grocery shopping, I missed adding some items/spices to the list. Like cumin, the main spice.
Oh well.
Also, I wasn't planning on Dave needing to "practice using the espresso machine" at the exact time I wanted to start dinner in our small kitchen... I am assuming this is pretty normal, typical man behavior, so I will give him a couple minutes to dinker around...
Quick Pork Chops with Green Salsa
1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame
4 boneless pork chops
1 tsp ground cumin (after a little Googlin' I learned that I can substitute ground coriander and chili powder. I think its fitting for me, Cori, to use coriander, don't you? I didn't have chili powder, of course, but I did have cayenne pepper. It worked.)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp canola oil
6 tomatillos
4 scallions
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 chicken broth (the recipe calls for fat-free, reduced sodium - I am using what I have on hand, which was not fat-free or reduced sodium but it was all-natural!)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1. Prepare the edamame according to the package directions; drain.
2. Rub the chops with the round coriander and cayenne peppper and salt. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add the chops and cook for 4 minutes, turning over once (or until the temp is 160 and juices run clear.) (I was very excited that the smoke alarm did not go off, as it is known to do whenever I cook anything hot.) Remove to plate and keep warm.
3. Heat the oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat, cook the tomatillos [Never made these before! Exciting!] scallions, and garlic, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until browned. Add the broth, cilantro, and edamame and cook for 3 minutes (until the flavors "meld").
Serve with the chops to your happy, hungry husband on your pretty white dishes!
Check it out -- my food looks like the food in the picture! (Also, don't you love the Fiestaware butter dish holding my cookbook up? ha!)
And, it was, pretty darn good. I really liked the coriander and cheyenne pepper spice - which I didn't know beforehand! The pork chops were perfect! And the green salsa was sour with a kick to it. I am just so impressed with myself! Go Cori!
However, to gauge with the true meter: Dave. He gave it a 7 out of 10. Not bad for my first attempt at culinary greatness!
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