jump to navigation

The Irony is Not Lost on Me January 20, 2012

Posted by cirellih in Craving, Dinner, Family, Food, Motivation.
Tags: , ,
add a comment

After a post about leftovers, what should I write about today? More leftovers!

As I said, the irony is not lost on me. Anyway, to the real post:

My mother is a genius. A real food wiz. I can guarantee you that she would roll her eyes, turn a bit pink, and scoff at this accolade… but it is true.

There are some people in this world who have a talent for turning one delicious meal into a completely different, equally delicious new meal. My mother is one of them. I like to imagine that rather than the usual cooking tools in her kitchen, she has a secret magic wand that can transform any leftover into a delicacy.

Maybe my mum isn’t a genius… maybe she is a superhero. LEFTOVER LADY, saving the world, one meal at a time! Regardless of her true identity, I need to learn her ways!!!

For dinner this evening, I tried to channel her magic. I turned ordinary leftover chicken roast *poof* into chicken enchiladas!!! Everybody can ooh and aah at this point! This is child’s play really, but I’ll take it at this point!

That’s right, hidden inside that ooey, gooey goodness is my roasted chicken. Shredded by my own two hands, and covered in salsa verde and more cheese that I like to admit. On the side, cauliflower poppers. Just chopped up cauliflower with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper baked for 10 minutes at 400*.

It might not have been quite the meal of LEFTOVER LADY, but I’m on my way to figuring out her secrets.

Waste not, want not, that’s what I always say!

Time for Change January 18, 2012

Posted by cirellih in Dinner, Food, Lunch.
Tags: , ,
add a comment

I don’t mind eating leftovers. I enjoy having ready-made lunches that I can just heat and eat. I thought that eating the same thing several days in a row was something that didn’t phase me.

There is a limit.

Remember soup week? It seems like it has become soup month. I love turkey cabbage soup as much as the next gal. Soups loaded with vegetable goodness make my day! Big fan of hearty soups right here! But working on the same pot of soups for lunch everyday can grow a bit weary… just a bit.

So, with great happiness I present to you (drum roll please) the last of the turkey soup. I repeat THE LAST OF THE TURKEY SOUP!!!

You have served me well, dear turkey cabbage soup, your goodness warmed me on many a cold day. Your vegetables filled me with wholesome nutrients. Your smell delighted my nose, and brought a smile to my face.

That being said, although you were a most welcome house guest, I look forward to our time apart. See you next winter!

In a Roasting Kind of Mood January 17, 2012

Posted by cirellih in Craving, Dinner, Food, Goals.
Tags: , , , , ,
add a comment

Yesterday was Martin Luther King Day, and a wonderful day it was. Working at a school has definite benefits… like important days off. Having the day off made me think of my years in AmeriCorps, and how the bravery and courage of people before me allowed for my years of service to take place. So, thank you MLK and all of the rest of the believers in civil rights for all you have done. Working in Baltimore and Boulder has shaped me in ways I am still discovering.

It was partially from my experiences with these kiddos that I decided that I would like to be a teacher… some classes would definitely help, now that I’ve had these experiences!

On a completely separate note, I decided that I wanted to channel my inner domestic goddess and prepare a roast for my hubby. Roasts seem to have gone a bit out of vogue. Everyone is running around with no time to wait for hours for dinner to prepare. Life is far to hectic to take pleasure in the simple things.

Not tonight. I had bought a little chicken, perfect for two, the other day. Tonight, I took the dog for a walk, and then settled in to make a scrumptious meal. I removed the giblets… my least favorite cooking task. I don’t even like the word…giblet…ick. Anyway, massage the chicken with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and rotisserie spices. Peeled and quartered potatoes for roasting. Sliced zucchini, and prepared (stovetop) stuffing. A mere one hour and forty-five minutes later, Chris was carving the chicken, Oliver was drooling over the smells, and I was preparing plates. Exactly what the doctor ordered after a hectic day.

Sometimes, good things really do come to those who wait.

Training and Rigatoni January 15, 2012

Posted by cirellih in Dinner.
Tags: , , , ,
add a comment

Having a puppy is lots of fun, but certainly hard work! We’ve enrolled Oliver in training classes. He passed puppy class with flying colors, and now we’ve moved on to the intermediate level. Difficult tasks, like heeling and staying while lying down. It’s frustrating for him sometimes, but it will certainly be worth it in the end!

After our grueling training session… Oliver would have called it grueling anyway, I settled in to cook dinner before an evening of Downton Abbey. For tonight, I decided upon a pasta dish. The wonderful thing about pasta is that it can hold a whole host of other ingredients.

There were several ingredients I had that needed to be used: broccoli, garlic, and spinach and feta chicken sausages. I sauteed the sausages with garlic and olive oil. Mixed the pasta and broccoli together, and added in sausage slices and olive oil. So incredibly easy, and so delicious!

Now that dinner is done, Chris and I are ready to settle in for Masterpiece Theater beside the fire. Quite the perfect end to the evening.

Tuesday, Wing Night January 10, 2012

Posted by cirellih in Dinner, Food.
Tags: , , ,
add a comment

I married a man who loves chicken wings. Happily, I too greatly enjoy them. In fact, Chris often names my love of wings as one of the reasons he married me! One of my more brilliant Christmas presents to my husband was a book of wing recipes and two sauces.

Tonight we decided to instate Tuesday as a wing night.  We tried out the Wing Time buffalo wing sauce from Steamboat Spring, CO. Definitely had a lot of kick. Habanero as the main spice, and what not. I opted for tenders instead of wings this time, and they definitely hit the spot!

I added carrots with ginger and honey to make it a totally orange meal… and to have something that could help cut the spice! I think that this will be a fun way for us to set aside a cooking night, so we’ll have to find our favorite wing recipe!