Living on my own has been a great way to force me to learn how to cook. I spent my entire high school life as a vegetarian, so I never learned how to cook meat. Since I moved into my apartment I’ve explored the internet looking for exciting things to cook, thinking of foods to cook that aren’t pasta related. With a student budget in mind and a fondness for produce and meat, I’ve attempted to craft delicious meals out of what I can find on sale or in China Town. My first big success stories were delicious sesame asparagus with perfectly cooked tri tip steak and incredible vegetarian coconut curry made with my boyfriend, Brian. Now that I have a blog I decided I should keep track of recipes and cooking success stories. Here are two more.
Chicken Pot Pie! I got this recipe from my mother who found it in “Real Simple Magazine.” She knew that chicken pot pie was one of my favorite foods, and probably also assumed I’d struggle trying to make it from a complex and time consuming recipe. This pot pie was fairly inexpensive, very easy to make and low in fat and calories. All good things in my book. The recipe is intended to feed six people, so Brian and I ate it for several days. It microwaved very well, always a big bonus. These are the ingredients and directions: 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 onions, chopped, 4 carrots, diced, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup dry white wine, 2 cups 1 percent milk, 1 10-ounce package frozen peas, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, kosher salt and black pepper. 1 9-inch store-bought piecrust, thawed if frozen. We also used one potato and instead of using white wine we borrowed some of our roommates red wine. We used the Betty Crocker pie crust. All you need to make it is water.
Directions:
1) Heat oven to 400° F. Cook the chicken in a pot of simmering water until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes; let cool, then shred.
2) Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook, stir-ring, until they begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes (do not let them darken).
3) Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and simmer until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
4) Stir in the chicken, peas, thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Transfer to a shallow 1 1/2- to 2-quart baking dish.
5) Lay the crust on top, pressing to seal. Cut several vents in the crust. Place the pot pie on a baking sheet and bake until bubbling and the crust is golden, 30 to 35 minutes.
I also found a guacamole reciple that I adore. I’ve always made guacamole and I’ve made it as many ways as you can count — with salsa, with hot sauce, without tomatos, with guacamole mix. Usually it’s just not quite right. It just never tastes like it does at the taquerias or restaurants and I can’t ever figure out why. Determined to make the PERFECT guacamole I explored the internet. Then I found avacado.org, the California avacado website. They have an entire section of their website devoted to guacamole recipes called”Guacamole Central.” From there you can find a whole variety of recipes — guacamole autentico, classic guacamole, cajun guacamole, south of the border guacamole. Even a California guacamole with goat cheese and pine nuts. They have a feature that lets you plug in the amount of people you’re cooking for and it adjusts the ingredients to suit your party. To make mine I mix the autentico and the classic.
To make guacamole for two here is my recipe:
1) Slice up one quarter of tomato (I usually use hot house, but in the summer I’ll try with heirloom) and onion (personal preference with onion comes in big time here, but I usually slice up about a handfull).
2) Mash up the avacado meet with a fork in a bowl with lime juice (I squeeze in a quarter of a lime) and a little bit of garlic (you know, to taste).
3) Mix in the tomato and onion. Add in sliced fresh cilantro to taste. Sprinkle in cumin (the secret ingredient!) and salt.
4) Add some hot sauce or peppers if you like it spicy and it’s ready to serve! I like to serve mine with quesadilla. Nice and golden brown.
Keep checking for more recipes in the near future!
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