|
|
Welcome to my Web site!
I am very timid in the kitchen. I used to be an awful cook.
I'm learning. Trying to be more domestic. Trying to make one new thing a
week to build some skill in the culinary arts - or just make something
edible. Here's what I've made recently and how it turned out.
 |
Pesto Pinwheels
9/5/03
 |
Ingredients
 |
1 package
refrigerated breadstick dough (I used Pillsbury)
|
|
1/4 cup prepared
pesto sauce
|
|
1/2 cup shredded
mozzarella cheese
|
|
1 Tbs olive oil
|
|
1/2 tsp cracked
black pepper
|
|
|
Heat oven to 375,
unroll dough and separate into strips. Brush each strip with pesto and
sprinkle with cheese. Roll strips into pinwheels. Brush with oil and
sprinkle with pepper. Arrange on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes or
until golden brown. Makes 12 rolls.
|
|
The results: I used a bit much pesto and cheese, completely
ignoring the "brush it on" direction as I don't have said brush. It stuck to
the pan and I wished I'd hit the pan with a spray of Pam. But, 2/3 people
loved it. The third refused to believe it was not spinach and wouldn't try
it.
|
|
|
Flavored butter for
corn on the cob 9/1/03
|
Ingredients
|
1 clove garlic,
minced
|
|
2 tsp dried oregano
|
|
1/2 tsp dried dill
weed
|
|
butter
|
|
|
Add dry ingredients
to softened butter. Store refrigerated.
|
|
The results: I took
this to a barbecue. I substituted Country Crock for butter. The garlic
should have been minced better. 7/8 people liked this. The most repeated
comment was "I never would have thought about doing that."
|
|
|
Pepper Steak 8/24/03
|
Ingredients
|
3 lbs sirloin steak
cut into strips
|
|
2 Tbs vegetable oil
|
|
1 heaping Tbs
minced garlic |
|
1 onion
chopped |
|
1 c
reduced-sodium soy sauce |
|
1 tsp salt |
|
1/2 tsp black
pepper |
|
1/2 tsp ground
ginger |
|
2 tsp sugar |
|
2 green bell
peppers, cored, sliced |
|
1 Tbs
cornstarch |
|
1/4 c cold
water |
|
|
Heat oil in large
skillet, brown steak, sprinkling with garlic. Add steak and pan juices to
crockpot. Add onion, garlic, soy sauce, salt, pepper, ginger, sugar.
|
|
Cook on low 6-8
hours. During last hour, add bell peppers. To thicken sauce, add cornstarch
to water and add in. Serve with white rice. Makes 6 servings.
|
|
The results: This was better than take out. 5/5 people liked
this recipe and it reheated nicely.
|
|
|
Steak with Gravy
8/15/03
|
Ingredients
|
3 lbs round steak
|
|
1/8 tsp garlic
powder
|
|
1/8 tsp ground black
pepper
|
|
1 onion, chopped
|
|
1 10oz can condensed
cream of mushroom soup
|
|
1 package dry onion
soup mix
|
|
3/4 cup water
|
|
1/4 cup flour
|
|
|
Cut steak into
serving sizes, add to crockpot, sprinkling each piece with garlic and
pepper. Add onion, mushroom soup, onion soup mix and water.
|
|
Cook on low 6-8
hours. When done, remove meat from crockpot and measure remaining liquid.
For each cup of liquid, add 2 Tbs flour up to 1/4 cup. Stir well, cook an
additional 4 minutes.
|
|
The results: I used a lot more garlic powder and pepper than
the recipe called for and it wasn't too much. The whole house smelled strong
like onion. I'd use a smaller onion next time. I used bottom round steak
because there was top round and bottom round and bottom round was cheaper. I
made this twice and found that it was more tender if you use the longer
cooking time. I suck at making the gravy. 6/7 people liked this recipe.
|
|
|
