tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34537512212299148612011-07-07T14:36:30.968-07:00© 2009-2010 jennifer cookjenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.comBlogger181100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-77619204891053107342010-07-22T05:00:00.000-07:002010-07-22T05:00:05.545-07:00

photo by jocelyn larsen take your right hand and cover up both the seltzer water and the glass-with-ice in this picture.  got it?  yes?  okay, we're just making the secret weapon of stuff sitting on the left of the picture.  why, pray tell, would i not just take my own picture?  because i don't want to--yep. :)  and jocelyn's was just so well composed, i am fearful of my extremely yellow-hued

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-4590050494440016202010-07-15T05:00:00.000-07:002010-07-17T09:06:59.058-07:00

sesame noodles.  i don't know why, but this recipe just reached out and grabbed me.  it was actually the first thing i made with my new-found tasty ingredient of sesame oil.  and oh, did it deliver.  this would be wonderful served with chicken, beef, or even a roasted pork chop.  it is good on it's own, but definitely designed as a "side", since it doesn't have a good source of protein. below

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-45065599661051609022010-07-08T05:00:00.000-07:002010-07-08T05:00:03.517-07:00

chicken enchiladas in my repertoire came from the combination of a collection of random ingredients plus the desire for something hot from the oven.  so with my over-abundance of canned tomatoes (they grow so fast!), i set out to make homemade enchiladas. i didn't take process pictures of this one, so i'll bypass the commentary and head straight to the recipe.  enjoy! shredded chicken

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-56447801456234287072010-07-02T05:00:00.000-07:002010-07-02T14:36:45.242-07:00

broccoli beefphoto by ree drummond of pioneerwoman.com if there is chinese food to be ordered, broccoli beef or sweet and sour chicken are my A#1 top orders.  and if i can get them in a dinner combo, i am a very happy girl! i have shied away from trying to make broccoli beef myself because...well...at first i wanted it to be this magical thing i only ordered at a restaurant.  and then it was

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-31754442439828058922010-06-25T05:00:00.000-07:002010-07-02T14:35:44.505-07:00

lemon blueberry sour cream muffins photo by shanniebananie once again i come to you without camera--so a huge thank you to the photo from the original recipe contributor.  if you're a fan of allrecipes.com, check out tastykitchen.com .  tastykitchen is still in the infancy, so there are a good number of recipes, but precious few reviews.  (for those of you new to these recipe compilation sites,

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-57866418249601271942010-06-19T13:39:00.000-07:002010-07-02T14:36:25.560-07:00

Chicken Cashew Lettuce Wraps photo by missamy soooo, after moving, i have yet to unearth my camera.  it is here---somewhere---so i'm borrowing the picture from the original recipe :) if you are a fan of a particular chain chinese food restaurant's lettuce wraps, these are for you!  so incredibly tasty and really rather easy to make.  the recipe below reflects my adaptations to the original posted

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-40417946764255524172010-05-24T07:00:00.000-07:002010-06-10T06:41:08.308-07:00

amendment: this recipe simply does not work.  i tried it again, following the directions, and i still ended up with extremely mushy bread (i even almost burnt it because i forgot about it in the oven).  sad, sad.  i think there's just too much liquid---maybe halfing the sour cream and halfing the butter would fix it--but, frankly, i'm not up for a third go-around.  my apologies! ~~~~ ah, the

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-25125699621189695732010-05-17T07:00:00.001-07:002010-05-17T07:00:04.061-07:00

this lovely picture of green deliciousness does not do justice to the goodness available to you.  in this second edition of what to do with random ingredients, we combine two seemingly disparate ingredients: greek yogurt and avocado. greek yogurt has a tang kinda-sorta-but-not-really like sour cream.  the big difference is that greek yogurt has a great deal of protein in it.  in fact, a serving

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-65864456031320966722010-05-10T07:00:00.001-07:002010-05-10T07:00:05.966-07:00

as the adventures in cupboard cleaning continues, stumbling upon three packages of graham crackers and a 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips brings the obvious recipe of peanut butter cup-type bars...mmm, just like those terrible (wonderful) candy cups, this made-at-home recipe rivals it closely. take one package of graham crackers and beat the tar out of them with a rolling pin--you may want to

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-83060388180196288712010-05-06T14:40:00.000-07:002010-05-06T14:43:51.088-07:00

the adventure in cupboard cleaning launches with this post.  aren't you excited to see how to use the random assortment of odds and ends that seem to accumulate in the back of cupboards, freezers, and fridges? why would i be motived to do such a thing?  well, it's simple: i am moving in a month and though the move is just across town, i still do not want to pack the odd accumulation of strange

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-64535273606644229142010-03-24T18:59:00.000-07:002010-03-24T19:57:25.753-07:00

i could look into why this is called shepherd's pie. or not. let's go with not.the craving hit for something comfort-foodish. combine that with the ongoing deficiency of vegetables in my world AND the fact that many of my pots were in the dishwasher. and now you have this post. few dishes were dirtied in the creation of this meal.it's tasty, it's comforty, it only uses dirties three

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-45210095630585255522010-02-27T19:55:00.000-08:002010-02-27T20:06:59.180-08:00

i saw this title on another food blog and my heart lept. i didn't read the entry, because my own ideas were percolating...but something about that title caused me to stop and reflect...why do i cook?because the act of creation is freeing,relaxing,empowering.because taking thingsthat by themselvesare one thing,and bringing them togetherto make something elseamazes me every time.the eggs i

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-33938354892731161562009-12-05T17:15:00.001-08:002009-12-05T17:26:49.792-08:00

i never really liked pecans growing up. maybe it was my child's palate. maybe it was my disdain for odd things in my baked goods (nuts and raisins are members of the "odd things" family). hard to say why. and even now, a plain pecan is nothing to write home about, much less grab a handful and curl up on the couch for a snack.but these....ooooooh, these. they are amazing chopped up on a salad

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-70803421997865429792009-11-24T20:50:00.000-08:002009-11-24T21:28:54.273-08:00

hello, allow me to introduce myself. i am your new best friend.oh beautiful pomegranate seeds...so tasty, so delicious, soooooo difficult to obtain! whether creating a staining mess or beating the tar out of the peel whilst flinging juice everywhere--is it really worth it? how much stain remover must one buy when one just wants the sweet nectar of a pomegranate?i tell you, NONE! here, my dear

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-13223284793245057032009-10-31T18:13:00.000-07:002009-10-31T18:40:01.915-07:00

ah, squash. i used to wrinkle my nose and shake my head as my mom pulled the roasted squash from the oven as part of dinner. now, as an adult, i recognize it's tastiness--and it's healthy too! you just can't beat that.and though the butternut squash and sausage combo may give you the same reaction i had to squash in childhood, trust me, this is a keeper! now, i have made this with italian

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-73838659872163948772009-10-17T10:44:00.000-07:002009-10-21T18:54:23.745-07:00

over time, you will notice my obsession with warehouse shopping results in some interesting pantry-cleaning cooking adventures.such is this recipe. first, if you ever, EVER take fresh spinach (not that i bought the three pound bag for $3 or anything, nooooo) and try to wilt it and freeze it, chop it first before the steaming begins...else you will wind up with long strands of spinachy goodness

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-1833387854134161782009-10-17T10:23:00.000-07:002009-10-17T11:14:37.601-07:00

i admit it. i am obsessed with my local warehouse store. my shopping cart and i, flit around, perusing the aisles of way-too-much-for-my-household packages. but i just cannot resist two things: a good deal and great food.which brings us to my recent purchase. i just couldn't pass up spending less than three dollars for a ginormous (gigantic + enormous = ginormous) can of already crushed

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3453751221229914861.post-7856679280530884702009-10-09T19:43:00.000-07:002009-10-17T11:15:29.498-07:00

oh, the coveting.oh, the drooling.i regularly click in to several different food blogs to see what's cooking in others' kitchens. and oh, did this one catch my eye.14 layers of vanilla cake,draped in chocolate ganache.14 layers!i had to try it.i had to go on this quest,learning the joy (or pain?) of making such a masterpiece.it was glorious! and so imposing, with its drizzly goodness i had to

jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055673457493727172noreply@blogger.com3