Leftovers....

I'm not a big fan of leftovers.  The only foods I really like left over are Chinese (or any Asian cusine) and pasta.  I don't like leftover roasts...ugh...dry meat.  Not really chicken either.  I love to eat leftover Chinese wrapped up in a flour tortilla...the leftover rice is awful...so I wrap it up in a tortilla and it's delicious.  And pasta always seems to taste better the next day...weirdly enough...cold.  Yes, cold.  Right out of the Tupperware.  Oh, and I do like leftover meatloaf. 

However, I do try once in awhile to make something, say on a Sunday, that I can have leftover for Monday and don't have to cook much after work.  So yesterday I decided I needed to use up this applesauce I had from a Christmas recipe I made (and will have to post that because it was fabulous), and while shopping I found a nice little boneless pork loin roast.  The recipe itself was so-so, so I'm not going to post it, but it was basically mixing applesauce with some dijon mustard and honey.  I added a little curry powder because, well, because I like curry.  You pour this mixture over the meat and roast it till it's done.  It was by no means horrible...I ate it, and thought it was ok.  Not a keeper recipe for me though...ahh...I get to throw another clipping out...YAY!  But of course, there were leftovers.  So tonight I cut a few slices, got some of the gooey mixture from the pan I roasted it in, put it in a frying pan, heated it and poured in some chicken broth to make a sauce.  I gotta say, not bad for leftover meat.  I have enough for another night, and even if there was more I wouldn't eat it...like I said, not a big fan of leftovers, especially more than one or two days worth.  I think tomorrow I'll cube it and make some kind of Asian dish with it...over rice. 

I will say it was nice to come home and only have to make a side dish or two.  I made a good old fashioned baked potato because I haven't had one in ages, and I roasted some fresh green beans with garlic, ans sprinkled them with blue cheese coming out of the oven.  Very good!

Hope everyone is ready for Christmas...I'm not, but then again, I never am. 

No time for cookin...

Well so much for my cooking blog..I guess the holidays are not the time to start...I've haven't gotten much quality cook time in this week.  Haven't been eating well either.  Hate weeks like this!  On Sunday I did make a recipe that just didn't come out as good as I'd hoped..Braised Chicken with Carmelized Balsamic and Brown Sugar Glaze.  Sounds yummy, doesn't it?  Now I can cook, and I can follow a recipe, but this is probably one of the worst braises I've tried.  My chicken wasn't very tender and my "glaze" did not caramelize...more like a thin sauce.  Flavor was ok, but just didn't knock my socks off.  I hate it when I make a really good sounding recipe and it doesn't live up to my expectations. 

Now I did have really good sushi for lunch.  From Giant Eagle of all places...they really do have great sushi.  I tried their Hawaiian Roll..spicy tuna...awesome.  Had it yesterday and had some left over for lunch today and wished I'd had more.  I love sushi and I hate it when people say "ewww..I hate sushi"...all they think is raw fish, when so much of it doesn't even have fish in it now, with all the different rolls they have.  And there are certain fishes that I don't like in sushi...texture issues.  So when people say they hate it I wish they would just try some different ones...they would be surprised I think.  Sushi is good food.

Random stuff and cheese

Went Christmas shopping today since I hadn't bought one thing yet.  Not a very promising day, only found two gifts...BUT I did finally find myself some furry boots!  Two gifts for others, one gift for me....sounds like a good plan. 

It will be another Saturday night at home...I gotta get out more..although the older I get and the colder the weather gets the more I want to stay in.  My "friend", lets call him Mr. X  for now, has irritated me once again...however I am not surprised.  Two messages this week and no reply, then I sent a funny text and I get a reply saying I sound angry.  WTF?  It was a funny text, or so I thought.  Whatev.  I use the term friend loosely...sometimes we are and sometimes we're not.  Today I think we are not lol...it changes like the wind. 

No cooking tonight..it's Saturday and that's usually a no-cook night for me.  Weekends I just like to snack on junk food.  Went to the store and bought some good multi grain crackers and a sundried tomato and basil cheese spread...I love crackers and any kind of cheese - chunks, spreads, dips - you name it, I'll eat it.  Love everything from regular old cheddars to blues to goat's....I love it by itself, I love it in things, I love it on things.  I'm a cheese hound for sure. 

Day One: Blogging, Me and Soup

So, last night I watched Julie & Julia and thought, now that's what I'd like to write about...how much I love food.  I love to cook it, I love to eat it, I love to read about it, I love to eat it at restaurants, I love it.  I mean truly LOVE it.  So here I am, since I'm sitting at home today babysitting my chow chow puppy who got fixed yesterday...poor little girl.  Why not?  If no one reads it or finds it interesting, that's ok, it's for me mostly and anyone else who LOVES FOOD.  Thinking I'm going to try out some of my hundreds of recipe clippings that I haven't made yet and recipes from the many cookbooks I have, post the recipes and results here.  Think I'll talk about some favorite restaurants too.  And I'll probably rant a little here and there....gotta get it out somehow, right?

So while I"m here babysitting today, I decided to make a pot of hot soup.  It's a cold day in the 'burgh...like 24 degrees.  Ouch.  This morning I made Mushroom Barley Soup.  It's my own creation from pieces taken of other recipes.  I love it and make it often in winter...it's good soup.  I like it a little hearty..if you don't like your soup so thick, reduce the barley to 1/3 cup.  YUM.

Mushroom Barley Soup

2 tablespoons oil, divided
1 tablespoon butter
4 ounces white button mushrooms
4 ounces baby portabella mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
2 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup barley (not quick cooking)
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

Slice or quarter mushrooms into about 1 inch pieces.

Heat 1 T. oil and butter in soup pot over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, saute for 30 seconds and remove from heat to a bowl and reserve.

Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in same pot over medium high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and saute until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add broth, water and barley. Heat to a low boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes.

Add mushrooms and worcestershire sauce, and simmer partially covered (with the lid slightly off) 20 minutes more.

Adjust seasoning if necessary. If you are using full sodium broth you may not need salt.

Serve hot with good bread!