Because it is summer and I have a little bit more time, I have been spending some of it in the kitchen, trying to cook new things. I have gone through all of my cookbooks and dug up over a dozen new recipes, some of which I have already tried; all of which have been a success. I am realizing that it is totally fun to cook something new and watch how it turns out. Waaaay more fun than cooking the same things week after week.
But. I have been doing a lot with chicken, and can anyone please answer me this question:
What the CRAP are these white tube-like things that run through each piece (shown above)? They are soooo hard to cut through. Even a Cutco knife struggles to do the job, and sometimes I get so frustrated that I end up ripping them out with my hands. Are they veins? Tendons? Whatever they are, they are GROSS! This almost makes me want to become a vegetarian. Almost.
Anyway, here is what happened to this particular chicken after I cut it:
1.) Steamed it in chicken broth
2.) Let it cool
3.) Cooked up some shell noodles and peas
4.) Added some shredded carrots and chopped celery
5.) Mixed all of the above with mayo, a dash of mustard, and a squirt of lemon juice
6.) Mix, mix, mix…
The result = freaking awesome chicken salad
The other dinners so far on my list (which I do not have pictures of, sorry!); all successes though:
**Ham and spaetzle
**Cheeseburger pie
**Cheesy chicken strips
**Spaghetti pie
**Santa Fe stew (like chili)
**Spaghetti pie
Still to come:
**Broccoli cheese chicken (tonight!)
**Pizza casserole
**Chicken marsala
**Homemade macaroni and cheese
**Meatloaf
(These are the ones I have the ingredients for… there are like 6 more still marked in the cookbook)…
I think my cooking style is very Hungarian… I love stews and casseroles, as you can see. Anything with noodles and a ton of sauce and vegetables is good with me!
Lastly, I will leave you with this beauty: Christina and the Giant Peach
I found it at Acme and took it into the department, where my colleagues and I made some very interesting comparisons with it!