Finally Enery to Cook Dinner!

So I woke up this morning around 7:30 am (I know late!) hit the gym for about 2 hours then went to class. Only one class today, so it wasn't too bad at all. I had a bit more energy to cook.... well more not hung over or too tired haha...... today more so I prepared dinner when I got home which is homemade manicotti. YUM!

A bit about the recipe. I made this recipe up sometime last year. After quite a few variations of manicotti I finally came up with the best recipe after tweaking and twisting a few others. Over all I really enjoy this recipe. I add any sort of left over meats or veggies I have to the filling, and use a cream sauce or any other type of sauce I have leftover in my fridge. A few month ago I used salsa with surprisingly good results. My Mom loves the version with chicken and alfredo sauce.

Shells before baking







Shells
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 beaten egg
1/2 teaspoon salt


1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, blending and stirring until you have a smooth batter.
2. Place a small 13 cm (or 6 inch) dry non-stick skillet over moderate heat.
3. Ladle out 1/4 cup batter into the heated pan, and swirl to cover the bottom.
4. The crepe should set almost instantly.
5. As soon as the edges begin to dry and pull away from the pan, remove the crepe (this can be done with the fingers) and turn it over allowing the other side to cook quickly.
6. You can freeze all the leftover shells you don't use. Just zap in the microwave for a bit when you need it.

Before going in the oven

Manicotti


1 1/2 cups pasta sauce (divided)
1 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup moz. cheese shredded
1/4 cup parm. cheese grated
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon italian seasoning or garlic powder
4 cannelloni tubes
1/2 cup cooked chicken shredded (if you want it, or any other cooked meat)

1. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in a small lightly greased casserole dish.
2. Combine all cheeses and eggs (and optional seasoning) in a bowl.
3. Place in manicotti shells; roll up shells and place seem side down into the casserole dish.
4. Pour remaining sauce on top.
5. Bake at 350°F for about 30 to 40 minutes, covered with foil.
6. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese if you like and return to oven for about 5 more minutes.





After coming out of the ovenEase of execution: 6/10 (if making the shells yourself)
Taste: 9/10
Health: 5/10

Too Tired to Cook Dinner

So I was still too just urghhhhhhhh feeling to cook anything last night that took an honest effort. It was rainy and just blah so I went tanning to make my self feel less hung over and gloomy. When that didn't the trick I made a great spicy salad for dinner.

This is a favorite meal for my Mom. I always want to cook fancy meals for my Mom and flex my culinary muscles.... but when I ask what she wants for dinner she normally says "how about a salad". That (of course) results in me ignoring her requests of a simple salad and cooking something difficult and painful to make. Then (of course) through the entire dinner my Mom will complain about how she just wanted something simple blah blah blah.... and I am left angry that she did not appreciate my dinner I cooked....

This is why my Mom likes my hung over days. It results in her getting her simple salads.

Mom you win tonight, but tomorrow I swear it will be something you can not pronounce!!!

Onto the recipe. I first starting making this recipe one night a few years ago after my Mom brought home this salad from when she went out to lunch. She claimed it was THE BEST salad she ever had. The cocky person that I am set out to re create it. And alas this salad was born!

Southwestern Salad

1 boneless skinless cooked chicken breasts
1 cup cooked corn
1/4-1/2 cup any cheese (I skipped this yesterday on mine but my mom used it on hers)
3 cups lettuce (or more, not really exact amounts needed on this part)
salsa (to taste)
1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup drained beans, your favorite
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips (I used homemade baked whole wheat tortilla chips and a bit less)
1 Tomato chopped
low fat ranch dressing

1. Poach chicken then shred.
2. Mix cooked corn and chicken in a bowl with taco seasoning mix (using more less to suit your needs).
3. Divide lettuce, beans, tomato, corn and chicken mixture among two bowls.
4. Top with salsa cheese and crushed chips.
5. Top with ranch dressing if you please.

Ease of execution: 10/10
Taste: 10/10
Health: 9/10 (when I don't use cheese and use baked chips)

Late Night and Early Morning = No Energy for Making Lunch

Dinner yesterday was pretty quick and light since I was going to a friends apartment around 6 o'clock. So I kept it simple with just Tilapia With a Crispy Coating for One. It is kinda funny that I love fish so much now. My Father was the person who did all the cooking in my house and he HATED fish. I mean once I tried broiling fish in the oven for dinner before he died last year and he lit scented candles to mask the scent and complained all night about how I "stunk up" his kitchen! But since he has passed I have taken a major liking to fish. I bet you right now he is looking down and cursing that fact that I am preparing fish in HIS kitchen haha!! Sorry Dad, fish does taste pretty dang good!

So about this recipe. I came up with this recipe about 2 years ago when I wanted a very crispy crunchy coating on my fish without the frying.... and so this recipe was born!

Tilapia With a Crispy Coating for One

1 (6 ounce) tilapia fillet

1 egg beaten I used egg beaters with a bit for cornstarch mixed in it
1/2 cup breadcrumbs seasoned I used whole wheat homemade breadcrumbs

1. Pat fish dry then place in beaten egg, then in breadcrumbs, then back in eggs, then back in bread crumbs.
2. place in a 450 degree oven for 5 minutes, flip fish over and cook for 5 more minutes.

Ease of execution: 10/10

Taste: 9/10

Health: 9/10

So I had quite night last night as you can tell by the picture (luckily I got out of being in them haha) and had to get up pretty darn early this morning and worked out a few hours ago as well.... so I was in no mood to cook anything that took an honest effort..... plus I have an obsene amount of school work to do.... but we're not gonna go there just yet....

Anyways on the the recipe. This is one of my favorite things to do with left over pasta. I took the lo mein from yesterday's lunch and morphed them into these awesome muffins. I came up with this recipe last year when I was playing around in the kitchen, and I have been making them ever since!

Left over (Or Not) Pasta Muffins

4 1/2 cups cooked pasta cut into about 2 inch strands (tossed in your favorite sauce)
4 eggs I used egg beaters
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
Italian and garlic powder to taste if you please
1/4-1/2 cup finely diced cooked meat I used veggies this time

1. Grease 12 muffin tins and preheat over to 425°F.
2. Mix eggs cheese and optional ingredients in a large bowl, Then stir in pasta.
3. Scoop pasta into muffin tins and bake for about 8-10 minutes OR until set.
4. Let cool for a few minutes then remove from tins and enjoy or once cooled put in plastic bags and freeze. When ready to eat take out of bag and heat in microwave until heated.

Ease of execution: 9/10

Taste: 9/10

Health: 7/10

My First Post!

Just want to get the ball rolling! I have been lurking in the blog shadows for quite some time now but just finally decided to come out of the wood work and start blogging too.



This blog is mainly going to be my random recipes that I come up with out of left over ingredients I find scattered around my house, and of course ratings of each recipe on different criteria.



Sooooo first up is Left Over Lo Mein!



I made this last night for dinner. I normally make this recipe when I have pasta and other assorted veggies and meats left over. This pasta dish goes great with almost anything I think and tastes even better the next day cold packed in a lunch.

And sorry about the fuzzy picture, this was the best I could get before my family ate it!



Left Over Lo Mein


2 cups left over cooked pasta (I use ramen a lot)
4 tablespoons left over cooked carrots in slices)
4 tablespoons left over cooked peas
1 egg scrambled (Ijust used egg whites this time)
1/2 cup chopped cooked chicken/any other
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
5 tablespoons chicken broth


Directions
1. Combine everything but pasta on stove top and heat until bubbling.
2. add pasta and serve.







Boy that was hard!



Ease of execution: 10/10

Taste: 9/10

Health: 8/10 (but if you use miracle noodles and can be healthier)