Eggs...incredible, but not easy...

I love a good egg salad. It sounds gross, but that lovely, creamy, tasty spread on a good piece of bread... Now that's what I'm talking about!

I decided that a good meal for lunch all week would be egg salad. It's easy to make a big batch of egg salad, or so I thought...

First of all, I had to answer the first question in how to prepare egg salad. How in the heck do you boil an egg? Sad I know, but oh so true. Why would I know that? I don't eat hard boiled eggs... I think they are gross when not in egg salad form, but as a stand alone food, no thank you! I of course went to my first source of information, my Mom. She was unable to direct me in a way that uses any form of concrete tasks, so I then turned to the internet. Sorry Erin, you have a gas stove so your directions might differ, or so I thought...

There are many many many answers to this question online. Some I feel are performed in steps that coincide with your nightly TV watching schedule. Boil eggs for 30 mins. Soak in an ice bath for 30 mins. Crack eggs and resoak in ice bath for 30 mins. Seriously? I chose the one that best suited my schedule tonight, of eating dinner and watching 24 at 9! I got the eggs to a boil. Took them off the heat and covered them for 12 mins. I then scooped them into an ice bath. Then annoyed Joe for a few mins, then tackled the worst part of it all. Cracking the eggs AND only taking shell off. Somone needs to make a tool that makes this easier. Seriously. People would buy it in a second. Deviled eggs, would be brillant! Easter eggs would not be dismantled in such a harsh way. If I cared this much about eggs, I'd try to take on this task, but something tells me my mind will wander before I remember this was how I was gonna make the big bucks!

A few eggs less (some didn't survive my cracking ideas!) I then began the part I had been waiting for, the mashing!! This is my favorite tool ever. You get to mash stuff that's it's sole purpose. How fun is that! Then you get to play mad scientist. I added dijon mustard, mayo, salt, pepper, and of course, relish!! It tasted good at the time, but the real test is when it's on that yummy sourdough bread I got to accompany it!!

Can't wait!! And Joe can't wait til the house no longer smells like those incredible edible eggs!

Happy Day and Happy Eating!!

Lisa

My Dinner Kicked Your Dinner's Butt!!

This week was a weird one. We had sandwiches for dinner all week. I jazzed mine up with a little pimento cheese alongside my ham!! DELICIOUS!!! So, tonight I kinda felt like I should make a meal of noteworthy proportions!!

I decided on making Wild Mushroom Ragout (minus the polenta this recipe calls for) with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes tossed in EVOO, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. I got this roasted potato recipe from my good friend Cassie who Wow's me with her culinary skills every time I visit! I felt the best compliment to this dinner would be a nice piece of steak!

I got the quarted Roasted Fingerling Potatoes tossed in the EVOO, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, and onto a sheet pan and in the oven at 375 degrees. This usually takes about an hour, but you know they are done when they start to crisp up! YUM!! I definitely suggest getting Yukon Gold fingerling potatoes if you can. That nutty flavor adds another dimension to the flavor of the potatoes.

I then started on the Wild Mushroom Ragout. I cut the recipe down by about a third (thanks for doing the math for me Erin!) since it was just a side dish and not a main course atop polenta. This has to be one of the easiest ways I have ever prepared mushrooms, and by far the tastiest. I usually cook mushrooms alongside onion and sautee them in either EVOO or lately, butter, with a little bit of Worchestshire sauce and some salt and pepper. NEVER AGAIN! Sorry Joe, but this recipe is way too easy and yummy to pass up! I have also had it made for me served with the polenta and that is also quite the satisfying meal!

Joe, took the reigns on the cooking of the steak. We are kinda lazy when it comes to getting the barbecue out, so he said he'd cook the steaks on the stove. I saw him coat the steaks with some salt and pepper, montreal steak seasoning, and not sure if there was anything else. I also saw him put butter in the pan and a little worchestshire sauce, and then from there, I was more worried about what I was cooking to see how he made the steaks taste like heaven. I always ask for my steak medium rare, and well don't always get that result. Today, I don't know what tricks he pulled on those steaks, but they were perfectly cooked and some of the best tasting steak I've ever had at home! I'm pretty sure next time, I'll have him prepare steak the same way... I don't mind us being lazy if it produces such yummy results!

Can't wait to see what we cook up next!!

Tomorrow, will be a whole new day of CRAFTING!!! I can't wait to share all of my creations!! I saw a new technique (or at least new to me) of faux pleating, and I can't wait to try it on cards and layouts!! I'm thinking tomorrow I might do a one page layout for each of my girls!!! I've got some ideas and I'm ready to put them on paper!

Oh, yeah... More to come on Sophie's crate training... Day one ended in a fat nose, and Day 2 started with a vet appt to address said fat nose!! We can do this!!

Happy Day!!

Lisa

Crate Training 101

First rule in anything is if at first you don't succeed, try, try, again! That is how my day is going today. Sophie has had her last accident in the house today. I can't for the life of me figure out why she is peeing in my house when I'm not home. She goes to the bathroom no less than 2 times before I leave on ANY given day!

When she was new to our house about 4 months ago, we attempted crate training for this very reason. She was reluctant to go in the crate for anyone other than me! That posed a big problem since Joe leaves after me every day and if he can't get her in the crate then it just won't work.

Attempt one may have been flawed for many reasons. She hadn't yet learned to trust Joe. Now she will follow him anywhere. Another issue may have been location. I put the crate up in the downstairs bedroom thinking she could have privacy and not have Kahlua rubbing it in her face that she wasn't in a crate. Sophie freaked out.

Dad mentioned to me, how when Kahlua was in a crate it was always in a central location where she could go in an out of it at anytime when we were home, and actually preferred it at times for naps! For this attempt at crate training it's set-up in the living room which is very central to all parts of our house. I think this might work.

She was first in it when I was home and wandering about, putting the Christmas tree away (yes like 2 weeks after Christmas, I know!!) and cleaning up her mess. She barked at first but eventually laid down and relaxed. I then let her out and immediately took her outside so she understood that when you leave the crate you go right outside and pee!! She did really well and was relatively calm!

I then got Joe to try to get her to go in the crate, and I think with a treat upon entry she will go quite willingly!! I'm thankful for that! Tomorrow will be her first time spent in there with me and Joe gone from the house, so we'll see how that goes. She has been wandering in and out of it most of the night, laying down and getting back up, so hopefully it can become her safe spot!!!

I'll let you know how her first time alone in the crate goes along with how the Chicken and Dumplings recipe I'm super excited to try goes!!

Happy Day!

Lisa

Risotto, my 2nd love!!

It was probably an accident that I first tried Risotto. It doesn't sound like something I would like. It is a main dish with items mixed in. That is a big risk for a non-risk taking eater. I'm ever thankful for that first taste of Risotto. It's creamy, cheesy, wine infused state it by far the most heavenly thing I've ever eaten.



Tonight I tried a new recipe involving... Risotto. I make Drunken Risotto with Sausage and Spinach! This recipe came courtesy of the Rachel Ray magazine! Shocker, but made my year's subscription SUPER worth it!!

I think my hardest part was cooking the sausage. First of all I couldn't find loose sausage, so I had to open regular sausages... Not my idea of fun! That skin is not meant to be removed, nor seen. I also apparently heated the pan too hot because I began being attacked by grease splatters. OUCH!

It was so much fun to cook! I'm really a fan of watching the Risotto grow with each ladle of liquid added. I feel like a real chef! It really an amazing feeling. I think everyone should make at least one Risotto in their life!

The best part about eating it though, it certainly the taste. All of the flavors are finished off in the end with butter and Romano cheese! Wow that is just tastes like heaven!

Joe, my loving husband, was kind enough to try the Risotto I made tonight and unfortunately he was not a fan, though fortunately for me that just means I got to finish off his bowl and I have plenty of leftovers for lunch tomorrow! I'm already counting down the hours til I get to eat lunch tomorrow.

I realize this might make me sound like a crazy person who is in love with a dish that isn't sure if it's Rice or Pasta, but believe me it's such a rewarding dish I can't even explain it! The power you feel making it and the amazing flavors YOU created, THAT's worth talking about!


Happy Day and Happy Eating!


Lisa