New Orleans Cooking Experience: Bourbon Pecan Bread Pudding

Y'all this was really one of the simplest and most delicious things we made in our cooking class.  It's the perfect blow-them-away dish at a party with the lowest amount of stress.  Check it.


Materials:
1 loaf French bread (day old -- usually for cheap at bakeries)
5 eggs
1 can condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup roasted pecans
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
pecans to sprinkle on top


Method:
Tear apart the bread into medium-large pieces.  Mix everything together and pour into a greased pan.  Cook at 350 for 45 min.

Then the finale is adding the bourbon sauce to it.
-1 stick butter
-1 cup brown sugar
-1/4 cup bourbon
Melt it all together over low/med heat and pour over the pudding.  Enjoy!

How amazing does that look?!

New Orleans Cooking Experience: Boo's Seafood Gumbo

One thing that we made in our Cajun cooking class -- that I didn't think I'd like -- was this amazing gumbo.  I've never been much for seafood.. but I guess it's because I've 1. never really tried much 2. when I did it wasn't prepared well (or was too "fishy" for my ignorant palette).  Well this was cooked to perfection.

Below, Boo is snapping off the legs from the body of the blue crabs so that when you put them into the stock, the flavor of the crab meat will steep out of it.  Well let's get started with the recipe.

Materials:
The Holy Trinity --> 3 large onions (chopped), 6 celery stalks (chopped), and 1 bell pepper
6 garlic "toes" (cloves)
2 bay leaves
2 lbs fresh shrimp (peeled and deveined)
6 gumbo (blue) crabs --> snapped apart
1 lb fresh (and I mean fresh out of the bayou fresh) crab meat
The Trifecta --> Cayenne, Worcester sauce, and salt
The Amen --> a bunch of parsley and green onions, chopped
Lemon juice from 1 lemon

Method:
1.  Make your roux.
2.  When the roux is a very dark brown, add the garlic and the Holy Trinity.  Cook for 30 minutes.  Add one quart water (or stock), seasonings, cayenne and Worcester sauce (about 5 bloody Mary's worth).  Add the gumbo crabs and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
3.  Add the shrimp and cook for 1o minutes.

4.  Turn off the fire.  Add the crab meat and the Amen.  Let stand for 30 minutes.
5.  Serve with rice, potato salad, and hot French bread.

Some tips she gave us if we wanted to use this for another kind of gumbo:
-For a seafood gumbo, cook the stock for 1 hour, then add the seafood about 5 minutes before
-For a chicken/sausage gumbo -- cook the meat in the stock for the 1 hour.
-Brown the meat (chicken/sausage/fish) first before adding it to the stock.  Catfish works really well in the gumbo.
-The shrimp heads you cut off to use can be frozen and later used to make a seafood stock.

How good does this look?!

Poor and Hungry: Light Pasta with Rosemary

This is so simple and delicious -- I'm going to have to make it more often!

I stopped by Whole Foods on my way home, and they actually had a quality Parmesan Reggiano on sale for a decent price (at least for this most time expensive cheese).  I love the saltiness of the cheese, and the distinct bite it gives a dish.

..and did I mention it's simple?  Yeah. it's that too.

Light Pasta with Rosemary
-Cook the pasta (above I used orecchiette -- organic, not wheat unfortunately)
-Drain it, and put the pasta back in the pot
-Grate the parmesan over top of the pasta -- as much as you like
-Let it melt, stir
-Add pepper and rosemary (and a pad of butter if it's the pasta isn't well coated)

and voilà!

A whole box of pasta lasted me 3 meals (and a snack) -- and it keeps pretty well so you don't have to eat it for every consecutive meal after you make it.  heyohhh!

No Beans about it.

..at least that was my mentality from about birth until my latest trip to San Antonio.  I didn't get much exposure to beans, and when I did.. it looked like this:

 [Picture via Veg*n Cooking and Other Random Musings]

That's not to knock on their version of refriend beans (which actually looks pretty good pre-mash), but this is not really my cup of tea.  I can be somewhat of a texture person when it comes to food.. and this is not the best texture to me.  Maybe it's a mind over matter thing?

But then I tried charro beans (frijoles).  Pinto beans cooked with bacon, onions, peppers, and chiles.  They served this in Texas instead of the refried beans at many of the TexMex joints we went to... and it was absolutely delicious.

 [picture via Don Cuevas]

So now that I know the reason I don't eat beans is just in the way they're cooked.. I'm looking forward to trying this new recipe this weekend.  I'm trying to eat healthier nowadays (and JP doesn't eat meat) so this might be the perfect fit for both of us.

Experiment:  Vegetarian Frijoles Borrachos (Drunken Beans) adapted from Aaron Sanchez

Let's try this in the slow cooker!

Materials:
1lb dried pinto beans
3.5 cups of water (or about 2 inches above the beans when placed in the COLD pot)
1 handful of frozen diced white onion
2 scoops of minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1 scoop dried oregano
1 bottle dark beer
Salt/pepper to taste


Method:
In the (cold) crock pot, put the beans + water, and cook on high for 3 hours.
Turn heat to low, add the rest of the ingredients and let it all simmer until you're ready to eat.


Probs not the best meal to cook during the workday, but for the weekends, 3 hours is perfect for running errands.  I'll let ya'll know how it tastes (and looks!).


Do ya'll have any great bean recipes I should try??

Mardi Gras Feast!

In the spirit of Mardi Gras, I decided to have a very New Orleans-type dinner for JP and friends.  On the menu:
-Gumbo
-Blackened Catfish
-Cornbread
-Black beans and rice
-Salad
-and of course -- King Cake

I did the main dishes, both of which (of course) I've never made before.. but I was up for the challenge.

Onto the gumbo: (and I'm sure you can sub shrimp, more hearty veggies for a different/healthier route.. but it is Fat Tuesday, after all.)

[adapted from Gumbo Ya-Ya from Ms. B's Bistro, New Orleans]


Start with a roux.  This is the base for your gumbo, and is essential.  
-heat 2 sticks of butter (1 cup) until it's melted
-add 2 cups of flour (all purpose)
Stir this frequently at about medium heat until it becomes a medium brown in color (I started off too low of a temp, but it'll take about 45 min or so.. find some good tunes and take this time to clean the kitchen while watching the pot -- if you're me that is haha)

-Add onions, peppers, and celery.  (I used the cheapest option for me, flash frozen mixture of all 3 which was labeled for this exact purpose -- adding to a roux).  about 3-4 cups of all total
note, the recipe recommends 1 red bell pepper diced, 1 green pepper diced, 1 medium onion diced, and 1 medium celery stick diced.. but the bag is essentially the same thing.

-Let them simmer on medium for about 5 minutes to soften them up
-Whisk in the chicken stock, and bring it all to a boil
-Add 1 TBL Creole Seasoning, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 1 tsp crushed red pepper, 1 tsp chili pepper, 1 tsp thyme, and a big scoop of garlic
-Lower the temp and let it simmer for about 45 minutes


-In the meantime, take a roasted chicken (whole foods has them for about the same price as reg grocery stores.. but they're organic here!) and pull the meat off it (you'll need about half the chicken, but you can freeze the rest to use in a casserole.. or chicken salad)
-Saute the andouille sausage (about a pound) and discard the oil/fat


-Once it's almost done simmering, add the chicken and sausage for another 15 minutes or so.. and then let it cool down just a bit


I forgot to take a picture of the finished product.. but, I still have leftovers, so I will make sure to snap a pic of that to show ya'll.  It was delicious!


And now for the catfish (and who knew, I'd like catfish?)
[adapted from Gourmet mag]


-Start with about 1 fillet or so per person (in my case, 3; whole foods)
-Combine the following spices:  2 big scoops of paprika (I don't really measure when it comes to meat rubs), 2 good shakes of oregano, same amount of thyme, a dash (or two) of cayenne pepper, a scoop of salt, a scoop of sugar (regular sized spoons used), and a few turns of the black pepper grinder
-Rub it on both sides of the catfish

-Heat (medium) the pan with some butter, add a scoop of garlic and saute that in the pan for about 2-3 minutes.
-Add the fillets and cook on each side for about 4 minutes (or until it gets flaky)

 

-Remove from heat, garnish with lemon.. and it's all done!

 

Additions:

Cornbread, from Scotty

 

Black beans and rice, from JP

Salad from JV and wine/spirits from Taj (not pictured).


And the King Cake was delicious.. even the 2nd time around!  Can't wait to do it again next year in NOLA!

Experimenting with Balsamic

I don't know what it is about it, but I am obsessed with it. After reading a few of my essential foodie blogs and having them mention this staple of mine.. I started getting a craving for it.

So here's my Balsamic Vin Experiment:

Purpose -- I needed to eat some healthy protein AND have green on my plate.. all while having some balsamic throughout. Love love the stuff.

Materials:
1lb frozen chicken cutlets (found in the freezer -- months old, but still good!)
1 fresh medium yellow onion
Minced garlic (canned)
Salad -- the iceberg, romaine mixes tend to last longer in the fridge than the spring mix..
Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Oregano
Salt/Pepper

Method:
Balsamic Onions
Chop up the onions into large chunks and put them in a ziploc bag.
Add a good heaping portion of balsamic vinegar -- enough to cover
A few scoops of minced garlic
Marinate it in the fridge for about 45 minutes.
About 20 minutes before you want to cook them.. take them out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 450F.
Pour everything that is in the bag into a non-stick pan.
Bake them for about 20-25 minutes until they're tender with a fork (if they start browning quick, just put some foil on it).

Balsamic Chicken
Defrost the chicken for a bit (not all the way since you're going to marinate them).
Put them in a ziploc bag.
Add some balsamic vinegar, a few scoops of garlic, oregano, salt/pepper..
Marinate for about 20-30 minutes. Since some of it will still be kinda frozen, you can just leave it out on the counter and it will finish thawing while it marinates.
I used my cast iron grill pan and pulled out the chicken pieces from the marinade and grilled them at medium heat for about 10 minutes or so until they were done. (If you pour the marinade on the grill pan, it makes for a really hard clean up on the cast iron.. esp since you can't/shouldn't use soap.)

Salad
Easy. A handful or two of salad plus the dressing.

This may seem like a little balsamic overload to some of ya'll.. but I was craving it. on everything.

and this was really delicious and super simple. It was perfect marinating time too, so I could set it up and then go walk Cooper!
salt/pepper

Poor and Hungry Experiment with Chorizo

So this isn't a surprise to a lot of ya'll, but I am a meat-eater. Most of what I eat is beige. I'm trying to do better, but this week is not one of them. I'm poor and want something to fill my belly without being incredibly unhealthy.

What I came up with was straight out of freezer leftovers. I absolutely adore my little slowcooker, and Monday morning I was hit with some inspiration while trying to hunt down some waffles from the freezer. Here's what it was:

Materials:
-1 lb frozen chorizo -- bulk. from last years CSA (I miss all the fresh meat straight off the farm)
-a few handfuls of frozen sweet roasted corn (Trader Joe's has some banging version)
-a few handfuls of mexican cheese
-a cup and another quick pour of milk
-frozen onions chopped (in the frozen food section -- these are CHEAP and quick)
-salt/pepper as you like it

Method:
-warm up the CrockPot (warm food goes in a warm crockpot, cold foods in a cold one.. important!)
-brown the chorizo (defrost first in my case) and add to the pot
-saute the onions and add to the pot
-add the rest of it and cook on low for about 8 hours (or on high if you want it in about 3 or 4 hours)

What's great about it? Besides being meaty? It's a very versatile addition to different foods.


I could eat breakfast burritos for every meal. Eggs are cheap, and I adore salsa. Just add the chorizo dish to the eggs while you're cooking it (if you add it to the tacos separately, it gets messy. trust.), warm the tortillas, add salsa.. and voila!


It's also really to use as a meat sauce. In the morning, I cooked a good amount of (whole wheat) spaghetti, scoop a few spoonfuls of the chorizo on top in your take-to-work container and add a sloshing of pasta sauce (bonus for tomato chunks).. and you've got a quick and delicious lunch at work.

So far, I've had 2 breakfast burrito dinners and 2 meatsauce pasta lunches.. and I barely spent anything. Cheap. Delicious.

Conclusion? This dish is a winner. And I'm having burritos for dinner.. heyohhh.

Poor and Hungry.

This probably describes the majority of my friends at this stage in our lives. We want to eat healthy, we're broke, and we're always starving. Us in a nutshell when it comes to nourishment.

Earlier in the year, when it came to the days when I could barely afford to feed my dog, I'd stick to the basics. (I tend to be a little bourgeois when it comes to Coop -- Iam's organic is the way to go, even though my dad insists the Sam's Club (Costco, same thing) "Old Yeller" food is just fine. This coming from the man who used to buy his jeans at Sam's Club.. err.)

PB&J. Chef Boyardee. Cereal. Those were staples of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The meals of a 10-year-old. Since the habits I get now are the majority of the ones I will keep for the rest of my life, I need to start eating like a grown-up. Even though I'm living off a research tech's paycheck (poor, thanks Duke).

Here's something even the hippies like S$ can try (no microwaving!):

Experiment: Turkey Tacos

These are a snap, and the majority of it you can buy in larger quantities and keep in the fridge. On my way home from work, I swung by Whole Foods and picked up some ground turkey (cheap!). Dark meat is more flavorful, but the white meat is a little leaner. It's all pretty lean to begin with, so I splurged on calories. If you're making a lot to eat as leftovers, try half dark and half white.

Then pick up the avocados and use them the SAME day. Here's my mistake below. I was so stoked for fresh guacamole, and then saw this: Gross. They rot so fast.

And onto the good stuff:
About 10 minutes before you begin, set the oven to warm and put some tortillas between 2 oven safe plates. This way, they'll warm without drying out. If they're stiff (as sometimes the whole foods ones are), add a sprinkle of water.

Brown the turkey, add some taco seasoning from the packet (99 cents -- and you don't have to use it all), and remove any of the grease from it once you're done.

Then, since I found out I love corn (I wasn't much of a veggie eater as a kid), I added a few handfuls of the frozen Trader Joe's roasted corn to the mix. Let that warm up, and then we're all done!

Assemble as you wish -- cheese, salsa, beans? Delicious. Easy. Cheap. Check to all.


And a good wine pairing:


What's the difference between a pink wine and a rose? Pink is a combo of red and white wines. Rose is a result of the process -- they keep the skins on the grapes (done in red wines) for only part of the wine making process, then they remove them in later steps (done in the beginning for white wines typically) producing the pink color. Who knew? (via the lesson I learned at whole foods.)

Favorite Foodie

Mark Bittman -- the NY Times foodie, and writer for Bitten -- has a writing style and taste for food I can dig. Here's some of my favorites:

The Versatility of Corn


Variations on Crabcakes


A Potato Salad of a Different Color
Other foodie blogs that I've found that I love:

Culinate -- recent post about the perfect tailgating wine (!)

Young and Hungry -- based out of DC, where they do have some good local places to eat (irrelevent to me.. for now), but also good commentary and recipes un-DC-related

The Easiest Cobbler You Will Ever Make

PROMISE. I did it while drinking wine, and you know how hazardous that is for me. This is simple as well, cobbler (yes. dork.).. After visiting my Granddad Hall and Grandma Ginny for lunch (always a treat -- bbq!), they sent me off in style with a big bag of apples and peaches. It seems every time they go to the farmer's market, they come back with buckets of fresh finds. Love it. Since peaches have a fairly quick expiration date, I decided to go ahead and make this cobbler before it was too late.

Materials:
Peaches -- I used 5, but it coulda been better with about double that.
1.5 cups of flour (all purpose)
1.5 cups of sugar
1.5 sticks of butter
that's it!

Method:
Preheat the oven to 35o
Combine the flour, sugar, and (softened! not melted) butter in a big bowl. Stir it until it gets to wear if you grab it with your hand, it sticks together. It'll still be kinda crumbly.. no bigs.
With the butter wrapper, grease the inside of the pan (9x9 works best).
Cut up the peaches into medium sized pieces and put it in the pan.
Take handfuls of your "cobbler dough" and put it on top of the peaches.
Put it in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the top is a light golden brown.

It tastes like a sugar cookie with peaches -- so delicious.. and simple as anything. Gourmet-ish made easy.

Homemade Pizza!

I adore fresh pizza -- esp that of Brixx and all those fire pizza ovens. I attempted to make my own pizza the other night, and it turned out quite well. The only problem that I had was that I preheated the pizza stone (that's what you're supposed to do, right?) but then I made my pizza on one of my thin cutting boards.. transferring the pizza to the hot stone became quite a task. I ended up folding it in on itself.. then relaying it as best as I could without burning myself (if you know me, you know I did not succeed).

But anyways.. here's how it went:

Materials:
Trader Joes Pesto Pizza Dough (real cheap -- like $1.99)
Pizza sauce (also TJ's)
Fresh basil -- from my "garden"
Diced tomatoes (from the can)
Mozzerella cheese

Method:
Baked at 450 degrees C for about 8 minutes until the crust was nice and done.

It was delicious -- and super easy once I got it on the stone (no final picture, as it looked less than artistic, however it tasted divine).

Healthy snacks at work?

Constantly at work, I find myself fighting off hunger pangs. Usually I don't give in.. until enough is enough, and I raid the lab in the other wing's candy drawer. It's a complete covert operation, and usually it's only semi-sweet Korean candies left over from last holiday season (shameful, I know).. so it's finally time for me to have legit snacks on hand that will give me an energy boost with being healthier than a candybar (we've all been there). Here's some delicious treats I've found so far.. yum.

Hot Peppered Candied Walnuts {Eat Make Read}


Caramel Popcorn {The Kitchn}



Milk and Honey Peanut Butter Balls {The Kitchn}

As you can tell.. I have a bit of a sweet tooth. But if savory is your thing, then here are a few ideas:

Homemade Potato Chips with Rosemary {The Kitchn}


Crunchy Granola Bars {The Kitchn}


Spicy Oven-Roasted Chickpeas {The Kitchn}

Blueberries!

I love fresh blueberries! Ever since I was a kid, my mom used to make blueberry muffins with fresh blueberries.. and I've been hooked ever since. I found this recipe from The Kitchn, and modified it slightly.

Blueberry Oat Bread

Materials:
2 large handfuls of fresh blueberries, washed and dried
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats -- this is the only kind you can use for the texture
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup 2% milk (they used buttermilk, but this is one ingredient I forgot.. but it worked this way too)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 325°. Grease one loaf pan.

Toss the berries with 1/4 cup of flour -- this will keep the berries from sinking in the batter.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining flour, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. In separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the liquids to the dry ingredients and stir gently until you see no more dry flour. Fold the blueberries into the batter.

Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake for about 60 minutes, rotating the pan partway through. The loaf is done when the top is puffed and dry, and when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes before unmolding. Allow it to cool completely before slicing.

This recipe is super easy, and tastes delicious! It's even better in the morning with some peanut butter on it!

Chicken Tacos!

There's something about tacos that are always delicious -- chicken, steak, or eggs.. always good. And simple. At Trader Joe's yesterday I racked up with a ton of groceries, including a pack of pre-chipotle marinated chicken and corn. In ATL, I had the delicious chicken tacos with roasted corn and lime mayo. In the attempt at recreating this treat (with grilled chicken instead of fried), here's how it went:

Materials:
Raw Chicken strips -- marinated or not
Sweet corn on the cob (fresh from the farmers market!)
Spoonful of light mayo
Handful of mexican blend cheese (cojito is delicious, but expensive, so this will do)
Salsa (mild for wimps)
Tortillas


Method:
In between 2 plates (oven safe), put the tortillas in the oven at the lowest temp (usually 200 degrees F). This'll keep them soft and warm.

If the corn husks are still attached to the corn, begin grilling it with a grill pan (or the George Foreman works just as good). Mine were already removed, so I wrapped it in foil. Grill it until the kernels are bright yellow and the husks are brown.

On medium heat, begin grilling the chicken. I added some mexican spices to keep it tasty. Once the chicken is done, remove it from heat.

When the corn is fully cooked, take a knife and cut off the kernels. Add the dollop of mayo (if you have a lime, add some juice to it), and the cheese. Mix well.

Combine the chicken strips, corn mixture, and salsa to the tortillas, and voila! Off the chain.

Popcorn without microwaving?

After being friends with S$ for many, many years.. her personal policy of not using the microwave (she's a hippie in this way) has started to rub off on me. I love popcorn, and peanut butter even more. This recipe looks delicious, and I can't wait to try it. Plus, buying popcorn kernals by bulk is a great way to save a little bit of money! {Found on The Kitchn}

Materials:
1/4 cup popcorn kernels
Vegetable oil
Fine salt
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter (should be free of added sugar)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

Prepare a clean paper shopping bag or oversized mixing bowl. Heat a large heavy pan over medium heat and film the bottom with vegetable oil. Add the popcorn, shake to distribute, then put a lid on the pan. Leave a small crack for steam to escape. When the popcorn starts popping, shake vigorously to make sure the kernels pop evenly. When the popping slows, take the pan off the heat.

Pour the popcorn into the paper bag or bowl to cool, being careful to leave any unpopped kernels in the pan. Coated with peanut butter caramel, the unpopped kernels are a serious tooth hazard. Lightly salt the popcorn to taste.

Mix the honey and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for a couple minutes, then remove from the heat and add the peanut butter. Stir vigorously until all the peanut butter is melted, then mix in the vanilla.

Immediately pour the peanut butter caramel over the popcorn and stir with a long-handled wooden spoon until it's all coated. Once it's mixed you can put it in a serving bowl. Cover tightly after it's cooled.

Frittatas!

Frittatas are one of the easiest and most delicious meals you can make. Today, I made a sausage frittata.. yum.

Materials:
Smoked sausage/kielbasa
Herbs -- dried thyme, garlic/herbs blend, whatever you want
6 eggs (but you could probably use 8)
Large spoonful of diced tomatoes
Method:
Slice the sausage and saute in minimal oil (the sausage has a lot of natural oil anyways, so one small pour will do).
Add whatever herbs you like -- this time I used thyme and a garlic/herb blend.
After the sausage start to brown, add the eggs (whisked), and the spoonful of diced tomatoes (really just for color).
Mix in the skillet, then put in the oven on broil for 4 minutes.
Pull the skillet out when the top is slightly brown. Let it sit for another minute or two, then cut and eat!

What's great it that it keeps well.. and you can eat it for breakfast too. Sometimes cereal gets a little old, and warming this up will be delicious in the morning. I love how versatile eggs are!

Aunt Judy's Cheesy Chicken Bake

This is one of my favorite recipes -- a classic. My Aunt Judy's Cheesy Chicken Bake. I'm feeling a little under the weather lately, so this was exactly what I needed. Here's the recipe:

Materials:
1 rotisserie chicken -- fully cooked
1 can of chicken soup
Minute Rice (if it's not minute rice, they won't cook properly in the casserole, and you'll have crunchies in it. trust.)
Milk (skim works, hippies)
Cheddar cheese -- sharp is the best
Ritz crackers

Method:
Take the full chicken, and take all the meat off the bones. Rotisserie is very flavorful, and any grocery store kind works great.

In the casserole dish, pile the meat in, and add the can of soup. With the same can, measure a can full of rice, and a can of milk. Add a few (or many) handfuls of cheese. Then crumble a whole sleeve of ritz crackers and put it in the dish as well. I used wheat ritz, or you could try low sodium as well if you want to be healthier.

Mix it all up with a large spoon, top with more cheese -- add salt and pepper as you wish. Bake for about 35 min at 350 degrees F, or until it looks done (cheese melted, smells delicious, etc).
I know it looks all beige-y and yellow.. and sometimes the best foods are. This one is super simple and the perfect comfort food. I feel better already..

Mother Goose's HoneyBun Cupcakes

The medical students in the basement labs are leaving for the year -- and to send them off right, we are having a mini-dessert party... and I've decided to bring RSJ's wonderful mother's (Mother Goose) honeybun cake to the party. I've adjusted it a bit.. and made them into cupcakes so their friendlier for a larger crowd. It's delicious and super easy.

Here's how it goes:

Materials --
1 box yellow cake mix
8 oz sour cream (small tub)
1/2 cup water
4 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
3TBSP cinnamon

Method --
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the cake mix, sour cream, water, eggs, and oil all together.. blend well.
The easiest way to fill cupcake cups is to pour all the batter in a large ziploc bag.. then cut off one of the corners (very small incision) and slowly squeeze out the batter into each cup.

The best part of this recipe comes from combining the brown sugar and cinnamon.. mix with a fork for easiest results.

Then add the mixture to the tops of all the cupcakes.. and put a dollop more of batter on top of the cinnamon/sugar.. mix around in each cup.

Bake at 350 for about 17 minutes for cupcakes (30-40 min for cakes). Once they're cool.. I iced them with either strawberry or chocolate frosting with some chunky crystal sprinkles.


Results? They taste as good as they look. Trust. Some of them did seem a tad less fluffy for cupcakes than I would have hoped.. perhaps it was all the oil. Next time I'll def cut down on the oil.. or add some applesauce instead. It's bound to be a hit tomorrow for sure.

In other exciting news.. I got an interview for one of my dream medical schools! Case Western! Its in about a month and a week.. so I have a little amount of time to prepare. Very excited!

Cook when I'm exhausted?

No way. But.. it does get me thinking about some things I can do when I'm too tired to cook, without eating two bowls of cereal (like today) or fast food (like other days).

(courtesy of)

Meatloaf:
Make a ton of it.. then cut it up before you freeze it (slicing up a giant slab of frozen meat is obnoxious).. then nuke it (or if you're SH, put it in the oven haha), add some swiss cheese.. and it's a home cooked meal in a flash.
My go to recipe
Materials --
Tomato Relish:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 onion finely diced
2 large spoonfuls of minced garlic (using the canned kind is the easiest, and still fresh)
2 bay leaves (take these out before you finish cooking)
2 bell peppers, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup (handful) of diced italian parsley
1 bottle (12 oz) of ketchup
2 seconds pour of worcestershire sauce
ground salt and black pepper

Meatloaf:
4 slices of white bread, edges removed
Enough milk to cover the bread in a bowl (about 1/4 cup)
1.5 lbs ground beef
1 lb ground pork
2 eggs
3 sprigs fresh thyme
salt/pepper
4 slices of bacon (or if I'm making this at home.. a half-full pound.. yum)

Method:
Preheat oven 350 degrees
Coat skillet with oil over medium heat -- saute the onion, garlic, and bay leaves to create a base flavor.
Add the peppers.. let them soften
Add the tomatoes
After about a minute, add the parsley, ketchup and worcestershire, salt/pepper
Simmer relish for about 5 minutes
Remove from heat, and let it chill out

Place bread in a bowl, soak in the milk.
Squeeze the milk out of the bread..

Pile all the meat in the bowl, add the milky bread.
Combine the thyme, half of the tomato relish, and eggs to the meat -- and mix it up with your hands.

Once you've got it all combined.. form it into a long log (the descriptions here are terrible, I know) on a broiling pan (shallow.. the bacon lets off a lot of grease), lightly oiled (although if you use a lot of bacon, it won't really matter)
Pile on the bacon.. and cook it for an hour to an hour and a half (the bacon will tell you how much you'll need to cook it... a meat thermometer doesn't hurt).

Any additional relish you can pile on the meatloaf before you cook it, or after it's done cooking.

Adapted from Tyler Florence