Spicy Turkey Ragu with Penne and broccoli Rabe

I cannot believe how the temperature in NY dropped in a mere day! For those that do not know, NY has been experiencing a relatively mild winter with temperatures in the 40’s and 50’s. I’m not gonna lie, while most people were loving the mild weather, I was annoyed by it.

Sure, I love the not so cold weather, but the in-between has been wreaking havoc on my allergies. Everyone at the office is sniffling, sneezing, coughing, and blowing their noses till the skin falls off. Miserable, I tell ya. This weather is really getting the best of us!

I even got a gorgeous winter coat from my parents that can handle frigid temps and resist water! But I had yet to wear it.

Until now. 

Last night, armed with merely a thin pea coat, the temperature dropped from 50 something to 32 degrees – which is FREAKIN COLD when you aren’t dressed properly. Even the landlord wasn’t expecting the temperatures to drop so drastically. And coming home to a frosty apartment, I thought the best way to spend the evening was warming up in the kitchen….with a spicy pasta.

Spicy Turkey Ragu with Penne and Broccoli Rabe (inspired by my pantry)

ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 lb lean ground turkey

salt and pepper

1 tsp fennel seeds (optional)

8 oz crushed tomatoes

dash of red pepper flakes

1 small bunch of broccoli rabe, roughly chopped

1 lb of penne rigate (I used smart taste)

In a large fry pan,  heated 1 Tbsp of olive oil over a medium-high flame (my burners are on the weak side- Medium heat if you have a normal burner). When the oil is hot, add the onions and stir fry until they start to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Add the ground turkey and using a wooden spoon, break the meat up as it cooks the way you would a chili. After about 8 minutes or so, the meat should no longer be pink. . Add Fennel seeds and red pepper flakes. (I add the fennel to give it a sausage kinda flavor, but its totally optional.) Lastly, add the tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper. Bring the ragu (because it’s a ragu now!) to a very slow bubble and let simmer for 20 minutes.

During the final ten minutes of simmering, start the pasta. The average cook time for pasta is about 8-10 minutes. (I like my pasta done right at the 8 minute mark) With 4 minutes left of cooking time on the pasta, add the broccoli rabe to the water with the pasta. When time is up, drain the pasta and broccoli rabe.

Remove ragu from the heat.

To serve, a heaping spoon of pasta and broccoli rabe and spoon some piping hot and spicy ragu sauce on top with a hearty shake of parmesan cheese.

It might be necessary to don a snuggie while you eat… if you live in my apartment. But if not, enjoy this simple and delicious dish.

Careful with the red pepper flakes… I always forget how potent they are and over do it.

Creamy Polenta with Turkey Meatballs and Sweet Basil Marinara

For the last few weeks, my coworker has been calling me at least once a week with the same question: “Yo, when are we going to the Meatball shop?” Its like he has this 6th sense to call when i have plans. He has been DYING to go to the meatball shop and even went as far to say “C’mon Mo, My treat!” And i still couldn’t break the plans that i had already made. I felt pretty terrible about it. But every time he said “Meatball Shop”, like clockwork, I went online and looked at the menu.

The torture.

And pretty soon I had an insatiable craving for meatballs. And a side of creamy, cheesy polenta. Since Im pretty sure I am now black listed by my coworker for constantly declining his offer, I decided to recreate the magnificence in my own home.

Cuz I hate long lines. And I needed it ASAP.

So i unearthed some frozen ground turkey from my freezer and made some italian style meatballs inspired by my grandmother.

There really isnt a SOLID recipe for Grannie’s meatballs but generally it goes a lil something like this:

1 lb ground turkey

1 medium onion, diced

1 egg

1/4 cup italian bread crumbs

1/4 cup parm cheese

salt

pepper

In a medium bowl, mix by hand the turkey, egg, onion, breadcrumbs, cheese, salt and pepper. Mixture should be sticky. Roll turkey into balls, about 2 tablespoons of the turkey, and set on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 400* for 30 minutes. I anticipated cooking these for 60 minutes…and when i went to turn the meatballs, realized they were already done… so- brown bottom meatballs. YUM, regardless.

Along side my turkey meatballs, i made a creamy polenta inspired by Simply recipes. I love polenta and was STOKED about this recipe that had cream cheese and butter- oh man- creamy goodness!

I placed the meatball on top of the polenta with a heaping spoonful of sweet basil marinara sauce.

Comfort. *sigh*

This was amazing. Even more so because I had been wanting it for so long. While I enjoyed my homemade version…i think im due for a visit to the shop- you know, so i dont have to do dishes and stuff.

Skinny Chimichangas

Its almost Friday Kiddos! I cannot wait! Lots of fun planned for the long weekend. Also, the bittwersweet realization that summer is over.
Overall, I have had a Phenomenal summer! I half-bitched about having a jam-packed schedule but i loved every minute of it and hope to continue to enjoy every single weekend as we start to don stylish blazers, new boots, and cute Kangols. Perfect weather for walking through the park with a hot fall bevvy and stepping on crunchy leaves as they fall from the trees. And dont forget the awesome tunes.
Look at me bidding summer farewell already! Im early… but I just feel so amazing right now about the prospect of fall and want to share it with all of you. I predict lots of nature walks as the leaves change colors and all the new people I will meet! (and reconnecting with old friends!)
When I was sick though, i felt like shit. I really wanted to be out taking advantage of the last gorgie days but instead i stood home, in bed, cuddling with Mickey and updating my FB status like Whoa.
When i peeled myself out of bed and chugged my cough syrup I brought my pajama clad behind (oh how i love my pjs) to the kitchen to make some dinner.
SKINNY Chimichangas.
What you need:
6 8 inch tortillas
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lb of ground turkey
2 T cumin
4 T green chilles
2 t oregano
8 oz tomato sauce
1 cup of extra sharp cheddar, shredded
I was feeling particularly lazy and wanted to get everything done quickly so i threw everything into the pan at once. But saute the onion and garlic first. Then add the ground turkey. Break it up into smaller pieces as you are cooking.

When the turkey is semi cooked, add cumin, oregano, chilles, and tomato sauce. Let simmer for 10 mins.

While that is simmering, place your tortillas in your uber cool tortilla warmer (or some foil) and warm in the oven for 10 mins at 400*. (this helps them fold)

Then add your cheese to the turkey junk. and fold the cheese into the sauce.

meaty AND cheesey. YUM.

Take your now warmed tortillas out of the oven and place a spoonful of the mixture in the center of the tortilla.

Prepare to watch my attempted photo lineup of how to fold a chimichanga… its not pretty.

fold two opposite sides towards the center of the tortilla…

then roll…

WE Rolling ya’ll! Place chimichanga seam side down on a greased baking sheet.

spray tops of chimichangas and bake uncovered for 25 minutes.

Let cool a bit before chowing down. I ate one and froze the rest. Easy peasy.

*Traditionally, Chimichangas are deep fried and by baking these you can still have the great flavors with out all the grease… even though grease is pretty awesome…especially bacon grease…*

Turkey Taco Salad

Its gonna be a hot one today Lovelies!
If you have the day off, go to the beach.
If you dont have the day off, you just realized you dont feel well and you need beach therapy. Go, You have my permission. But Go after you peep this amazing salad.
Yeah, i MADE a salad. (and I ate it!) (MORE THAN ONCE!)
I am diggin the meal planning.
There, i said it.
Its become such a part of my routine that I excitedly dump all 5 million of my cookbooks onto my bed each week and I browse until something inspires me.
I saw sweet corn and I became inspired. Having the corn on my mind, and in my posession, finding this salad was, in my opinion, the workings of divine intervention.
Why?
Have you ever Had sweet summer corn?
*blink*
Cuz it rocks my world.
Especially at 20 cents and Ear. *doing a happy dance*
Sneak peek:
Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground turkey breast
2 ears of sweet corn (kernels shaved off)
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup of water
3 T taco seasoning
2 cups of black beans, rinsed and drained
3 T cilantro
5 cups of fresh baby spinach
1 Medium tomato, sliced
OPTIONAL: shredded cheddar and sour cream
To start this amazingness, you must saute your onion and your garlic. Best if you saute your onion first because i said so. In a bit of cooking spray or a T or so of oil, saute your onions over medium heat for 6 minutes. Add your garlic and saute for 2 more mins.

While the onion and garlic are making sweet aromatic love to one another, Carefully shave the kernels off of the cob. (that is after you remove the husk and silk! ^.^ )

and add the corn to your drained black beans to just chill for a bit. By now, your onion and garlic is ready for the turkey. Add the turkey to the onion and garlic and break up into crumbles as you go. When the turkey is no longer pink, add 3 T of taco seasoning, 1/4 cup of water, and cilantro.

At this point, you should give it a taste to make sure its not too salty or too bland. I’m a girl that likes a lot of flavor so I thought the seasoning was sufficient… but if its too salty add a little bit more water. BUT…

…all that salty goodness is to be shared with the corn and black beans that you can now add to the turkey mixture. Simmer on low until the water is absored… about 10 -12 minutes.

We are ready to plate.

Since it was just me eating, I grabbed my favorite salad bowl, added a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach and and spooned 1/4 of the turkey stuff over the spinach. I garnished with some seeded Roma tomatoes, Extra sharp white cheddar and a dollop of sour cream.

After this pic, i grabbed my fork and stirred it all up. The heat from the turkey junk wilted the spinach and the juices combined with the cheese and sour cream to make a very nommable “dressing”.

I savored this baby and froze the leftovers… I can’t wait for lazy cooking day!

You know what would make this salad amazeballs? Crumbled tortilla chips.

Meatloaf Muffins

FOOD SNOB IS NOW ON FACEBOOK YA’LL! Click the badge to over there -> or wait for the link later (FB is blocked at this computer, boooooooo!)

Its so gorgeous these days!
I have never noticed the effects of weather on my mood up until recently… I feel wonderful on beautiful days. Maybe I am just getting older. But for whatever its worth- I am in a great mood.
My allergies on the other hand are a mess. I am a sneezy sniffly puffy-eyed mess. And not even the expensive prescription allergy meds are providing much relief. I was the sneezy sniffly girl on the train today. I was the woman that people were tweeting about
“I swear if this chick blows her nose one more time…”
LOL
But it will all be over soon.
I went to visit momma the other day, and as always, when i leave moms house, i leave with groceries. Its going on 3 years that I have been living on my own and mom still shops like shes feeding an army. But why should i complain? She throws bags of kale, broccoli, and other random things that ROT in her fridge whenever i go there. Recently, she gave me some ground turkey and mushrooms.
I was thinking of using them separately but after much consideration I felt like meatloaf was in order. Meatloaf because i havent had meatloaf in a LONG time and the thought of chili in this weather is just not comforting (maybe in the winter). And the mushrooms? A mushroom sauce of course!
I preheated the oven to 350*. In the only mixing bowl in my house (its also my popcorn bowl), I combined the meat with an egg, a handful of italian breadcrumbs, 1 small chopped onion, onion powder, salt, pepper, and a little bit of garlic powder. I then folded all the ingredients together to get all the ingredients acquainted with one another.
Stealing this idea from heather, i decided to use my muffin tin to bake the meatloaf. Normally i would make it the traditional way but now that im trying to get swim suit ready (HA!) i thought i would go for portion control.

I sprayed each cooking spray to avoid stickage and baked for about 30 mins. Since the meatloaf is portioned into smaller servings it will cook faster. While the meatloaf was cooking (and making my apartment smell OH SO NICE) I got to the mushroom gravy. Mom gave me like a pound of mushrooms! Once i cleaned them up, i sliced them and sauteed them in a little bit of olive oil. I kept them over a low flame and as they cooked, i sprinkled them with salt which helped draw out the natural liquids. I sprinkled some flour and whisked it into the mushroom “juice” to create a roux and i seasoned it with onion and garlic. I kept tweaking it by adding a little more water here and a little more flour there till the consistency was right enough for it to simmer.

SIMMER ACTION! OOOOOH.

I also needed some Greens… the number of greens in my diet have been few. An asparagus is in season so i trimmed off the woody ends and steamed some asparagus. I sprinkled them with salt, pepper and a little parm cheese.

I split a meatloaf muffin in half and poured my mushroom sauce over it alongside my steamed veggies.

I thoroughly enjoyed the meatloaf… the problem with making the meatloaf muffins, there are cute little servings readily available. I hate to admit but i went back for another one shortly after i consumed the plate above.

But i blame my mom for all of that! After all, if she didnt throw the chopped meat and mushrooms my way NONE of this would have happened.

So thanks mom!
Only one more day left to enter the Mini Herb Garden Giveaway! Now all three of my specimens are starting to sprout! If this City Girl can make this happen so can you! Enter here!

Nurse Mo

Just thought I would let you all know that Momma Food Snob’s surgery went well and she is recovering at a great! Thank you all for your get well wishes. A day after her surgery, I packed up a weekend bag, packed Mickey’s bag (because dogs are like children) and headed to moms house. Out of all the wonderful goodies in my recipe collection, she requested a classic. Pasta with marinara and meatballs. Oh, Mom. Thats one of the first recipes I ever learned, back when i was 15. My very first dinner party was at the age of 15 and I invited all my friends over for some penne and meatballs…i called grannie and had her tell her me the recipe. Over time, the recipe has been tweaked here and there but its definintely a yummy dish!
I started with the sauce. I sauteed some onions and a teensy bit of garlic.

I added crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Lots and Lots of sweet basil too. And placed the sauce on simmer while i made turkey meatballs.

that be a lot of turkey! Mom still cooks for 4 even though I havent been home in 2 years. Its the Italian in her that always wants to have enough; whether its for leftovers or for company.

i added parm cheese, bread crumbs, garlic, onion, 1 egg and a little bit of water. I was supposed to add an egg and i forgot…

I made them to be about the size of a handball, or a little bigger than a golf ball. and broiled them for 12 mins (flipping them at 6 mins)

When they are done, toss them into the sauce and let them simmer for about an hour.

When meatballs and sauce are done, cook up some pasta, al dente. and call the troops to dinner.

The lack of egg in the meatballs was obvious. The meat had an odd texture, kind of gummy, and spongey- i was not a fan but everyone else seemed to enjoy them. Mom was thankful and it satisfied her craving for some good ol comfort food!

Lucky Mickey, she got a bit of pasta to nibble on in her kibble! She loves visiting my parents… more people for her to get loved by. I love my greedy pup!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

okay so Im a few days late!
I’ve been digesting, okay?
I had to break this post down because I was responsible for several menu items that deserve their own spot on the recipes tab so if you see anything on this post that you like…there might be a recipe post to follow. (like Baked Brie, Goat Cheese, Brussel Sprouts with bacon and Creamy Garlic Mashed potaotes)
When we arrive at my uncles house every Turkey Day, we arrive usually on almost empty stomachs and as of last year I have started preparing fruit and cheese platters to snack on to hold us over till dinner time. Above we have spanish peperoni (AKA Salchichon), baked goat cheese, garlic crostini, and water crackers. Also served but not shown: baked Brie with fruit preserves.

My camera decided to crap out on me on one of the biggest eating days of the year for me. (not to camera: you are in big trouble!) I made some mashed potatoes but those will be in another post. Above is homemade turkey gravy. Yes I made it. It was so easy. Auntie handed me her Rachael Ray magazine and asked if i could assist in making the turkey gravy.

Assist? I can handle this! Basically, drain all the trimmings and fat into a measuring cup. We had an 18lb bird and that bird yielded 4 cups of fat, to that I added two cups of chicken stock. Then whisked in some flour… 1.5 cups of flour. I heated the mixture and let it simmer till thickened. Since the trimmings were so full of flavor, I didnt need to add anything else to the gravy but the recipe called for salt. We all agreed to make our own gravy from now on.

I got the honor of carving the turkey this year. I had some difficulty and got more chunks of turkey than I did gorgeous slices of the turkey. But when I cleaned out the cavity, I got some delicious homemade stuffing courtesy of my aunt. She makes the stuffing every year! Its my favorite! yum yum yum!

A horrible shot of my mashed potatoes that could have used a touch more garlic.

White meat and Dark meat. I like the darker meat for its juiciness!

Another one of my aunts specialties. Candied yams. Cinnamony, sweet and perfection in every way.

Green bean casserole. A favorite!

My plate. Ya know, I usually can shovel my food in my mouth on thanksgiving day with no problems. In the past I hve had seconds and even thirds of thanksgiving sides. This year I barely finished my plate and I think i enjoyed my leftovers more. Does that happen to you?

Well. My cousin decided after dinner he needed a nap. He looked really comfy… i couldnt lay on my belly after all that food… so we went to the basement and did some Karaoke. Good times. Good Times.

The New Alarm Clock is the Smoke Detector

After a disagreement with Henry, I went to bed at 10pm last night. I figured I might as well get a good nights sleep since neither of us are speaking (Don’t worry- We are OK now) and was startled at 2 am when I remembered that I had my bread machine working on some Italian Herb Bread that was scheduled to be done at Midnight. So I hopped out of bed, plopped the loaf into a container and shut the appliance off. Then at 430 I was startled out of bed when my smoke detector (which sounds a lot like a nuclear strike warning) went off and was BLARING! There were NO signs of smoke anywhere and I couldn’t figure out how to disarm it. Im sure it woke the neighbors. Roomie woke up and helped disarm it. This has happened before so I warned Peter that it might go off again for no reason whatsoever. He took my warning and threw the damn thing in the kitchen drawer. 20 minutes later it went off again. I got up, disarmed it and went back to bed. ANOTHER 20 mins later, it went off… This time Peter ran out of his room and stole the batteries to it. It beeps no more. By this time it was 5 am. I couldnt sleep… so why did i MAKE myself? Only to wake up 2 hrs later. Worst sleep ever! I was exhausted. I should have stood up and did some Yoga or something… jeez.
For brekkie today I brought some Vanilla Chobani and a Banana. I only ate the banana. So the yogurt waits for me till tomorrow.

I ran out of Shampoo so at the suggestion of my coworker, i went to LotLess. Its a closeout store of sorts downtown Manhattan and they sell so many things for practically nothing. I went for shampoo and came out with Office Loot! I got Cocoa Via Bars (2 boxes) for $.99! I got the Trident splash for $1.99, Milky Way 100 cal bars for $.99 and the shampoo for $1.99…not pictured: Halls Raspberry Cough drops $.99.

I tasted the Milkway and its mega yum! its a nice size and will go GREAT in my dessert later! (ice cream – duh!) MMM. Milky Ways in Vanilla Ice Cream!

Then i had a square of the 100 Calorie Cocoa Via Bar. It has Blueberries and Almonds in dark chocolate. Its good but I cant have too much of this…its too sweet. But I think it will taste good chopped up in my yogurt or oats. And when I got back I ate my lunch! Turkey and American Cheese, mayo, spicy mustard, and Lettuce. Accompanied by some red seedless grapes and a sliced pear.

And later today, when I have a snack attack I will be reaching for the BBQ PopChips. Nom! Im in the mood for some of that chicken I made over the weekend!

My fruits in my lovely Fit n Fresh pack. I hate my fruit when its too cold. Its not warm but its slightly chilled in the pack. YUM!

The Sandwich. I really like the way the density of the Trader Joe’s White Wheat Bread. Its a thick slice of bread that holds up well when its chilled. Most white breads get thin and soggy, this is chewy and fluffy at the same time.
Last night, pre disagreement, the boy came over for dinner. I had tofu on the brain and this was the easiest thing I could make…

I used soy sauce, chicken bouillon, onion, garlic, broccoli, 2 eggs, and whole wheat capellini. Seasoned with Hot pepper flakes. It was really good.

I overestimated how much we were going to eat. I have leftovers and I might have them for dinner tonight or tomorrow. I have some ideas brewing for dinner…. I have some polenta that i want to cook… I have feta cheese I dont want to forget about….and I have an eggplant that I bought because it was $1. what should i do?

Monday, Monday

Happy Monday! Its freezing! I spent the morning FIGHTING to get out of bed because it was warm under the covers and my floors were ICE Cold! Once I got out of the shower though, I felt better. Nothing like a scalding hot shower to wake you up!
Breakfast today is a plain Chobani with a handful of some Total Cranberry Crunch.

I got a sample of this cereal and knew that this sample size was not enough to enjoy as a bowl of cereal. Its less than 1/4 of a cup! But it made a great addition to my yogurt.

I added a packet of splenda for more sweetness. I would have loved some strawberries but havent seen any worth buying.
Random snacks throughtout the day include a sliced pear and a Fiber One Bar. I usually eat the Fiber One Bar on the way home so I’m not starving after my 1 hr commute.

Lunch is inspired by Missy, who seems to be influencing my grocery list every day with her food pics. I am eating a sandwich for lunch *gasp*.

I started with some of Trader Joes White Wheat Bread and added a tsp of mayo and 2 tsp of the garlic aioli sauce. I topped it with some Romaine Lettuce for crunch.

Then I added two thin slices of deli cheese.

And two slices of deli oven roasted turkey breast.

Put it in a sandwich baggie….

And packed some sea salt and vinager pop chips.

A long time ago, I was a sandwich junkie and bought this uber cool lunch pack from Bed Bath and Beyond. Its a compartment that holds a 3 course lunch. A sandwich, an ice pack, and two small containers for sides like fruit and veggies.

My two compartments have sliced apples and pop chips in them.

The ice pack ensures my sammie stays fresh. (i wrapped the sammie so it doesnt get soggy from the moisture of the ice pack)

And there my sammie sits, in perfect shape. Unsquished and at a safe temperature. To get your cool sandwich keeper click here.

I have quite a few choices for dinner but think I will be having either grilled tofu or grilled pork chops with grilled eggplant and salad. pics to follow of course!

And i’m already thinking about an ice cream sundae for dessert…if i have heat in the apt!

Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Crazy Pic Overload!!!

I have a bad habit of slacking off on the weekend, with respect to the blog, and then on Monday I get flustered and go nuts uploading pics and then sorting them out by day.

We are going to go over the weekend as it happened.

FRIDAY
On Friday after work, it was a coworkers birthday so we all headed over to Whiskey Tavern for Happy Hour.

My First Drink was a pitiful Dirty martini. It was too dirty, It was incredibly cloudy and they used the cheap stuff *blech*, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round was a very safe and yummy Vodka Tonic. Thats my “go to” drink when I go out.
This was dinner. I only paid $9 for a Chicken Florentine burger. The fries were perfect. But the chicken was a little tough. A Little spicy mustard and dab of mayo cleared that problem right up!
That is ONE Mamoth Burger! I looked at it and felt overwhelmed because i imagined a $9 meal in the city would be smaller. Quite the bang for my buck! I was hoping to NOT eat this whole thing…

Drinking leads to mindless munching… and I ate that WHOLE thing. Except the napkin of course.
Went home, went to bed because Saturdays I have TAP CLASS!

SATURDAY
Alarm clock went off and I was happy to NOT have a hangover (who the hell wants to bounce around with a hangover)

I made a super healthy breakfast of Oatmeal with cinnamon and walnuts.

And I MUST have my vitamins with all the sickies around!

Looks like Orange Juice. Tastes like crushed Orange Vitamins. I usually put this in Orange Juice but I was all out so i used water. Chug Chug Chug.
I got lost on my way to tap class because our studio moved to a FURTHER part of Queens and Im a Brooklyn Girl. I had to take the bus and I am not good with the bus. So after witnessing a man beatup his girlfriend in Jamaica Queens, being offered weed on Parsons and Archer, someone asking me to marry them at the bus stop and the perv that faced the back of the bus to stare at me I made it to class. Next week Im carrying Pepper Spray. Class went well. We were productive. I, as usual, had tourettes in class; because when i cant nail a combination i curse.
Went home to moms house and freeloaded.

Thanks to Missy and her wraps, I made a Smoked Turkey, Meunster Cheese and Roast pepper wrap.

Wrap-tastic!I was geared up to go to Michael’s 5th anniversary of his 21st Birthday (or 26th Birthday to all the old fogies) and I got so sick all of a sudden. I had a splitting headache and got chills, a fever, and felt really dizzy. My dad took me home and I missed the party! I was so bummed. Later that evening, I ate some chicken fried rice. And then I splurged on a cupcake my bro brought home from work.

Went to bed with an ice pack on my face.

SUNDAY
I felt pretty rotten. Stupid headache. Everything else felt better but I could not open my eyes, the light was sooo bright. And when I moved I hurt like hell. It was definitely a sinus headache. I made some breakfast and realized it was time to go food shopping.
No bread around so i made an egg with some grits. Not exciting at all. But it filled me up. I rummaged through the cabinets and fridge and made my shopping list. I also took out a Beef Tenderloin to defrost for Dinner.

I seasoned a 3 lb tenderloin with some Montreal Steak Seasoning. Its a coarse rub with pepper, garlic, salt, and some other delicious spices. I preheated the oven to 425.

And placed the tenderloin in a baking dish with carrots and potatoes. I covered with foil and cooked for 50 minutes. It was 20 minutes in the oven for every pound of meat.

Next time I will cook for less time. The meat was a little one the chewy side. To accompany the meat, I made some Risotto. I kind of BSed this recipe but what else is new?I took some arborio rice (or med grain rice) and tossed it in some Oil to toast the grains a bit. Once they were a bit toasty, I added two packets of mushroom soup mix from my Ramen Noodles (minus the noodles).and poured three cups of water into the pan. Let it come to a boil and cover. Stir every 5 minutes until the water is absorbed. Some people add 1 cup of water at a time so the rice slowly absorbs the water but Im impatient that way.

Its just about ready in this photo. Remove it from the heat after about 15 minutes and let the remaining liquid absorb into the rice.
Iit should be very moist and as my mom would say it “MUSHY”.
Plate it and serve! After all this cooking, I gave it a taste and was more than happy to serve this to Henry and put mine aside. I still had a headache and wanted something creamy. Was going to make pudding but it would have taken too long and the thought of taking out the mixer made me tired. So I went for the Chobani yogurt that I splurged on today. This one yogurt was $1.99!No complaints. It was tart and sweet and creamy and just what i wanted! YuM!

Henry came over later on, ate dinner and surprised me with dessert.

He rememberd how taken I was with the photo I took last week and bought this to me hoping it would cure my headache.It didnt cure me but it certainly did taste good! it wasnt too sweet and the cake itself was fluffy. polished this slice off with a glass of milk.

I think I am lactose intolerant… After the yogurt and milk I had a tummy ache.

If you’re still reading… thanks and sorry. I hope you feel caught up. Because I need a nap now.