Hey Momma, I'm Hungry!

Hello there! I hope that you have stumbled your way through the majority of the week and are now getting prepared for that wonderful thing called a weekend. Mother's Day is on Sunday - and I work. Not excited at all. Yesterday, I had a wonderful day off. I took DJ to school, got some Starbucks, and bought the materials to make a mail organizer.

 It came out looking awesome and I had all the mail sorted in ten minutes flat. I was excited. So excited that I decided to continue the DIY festivities with some homemade pasta. Attachments for my Kitchenaid were my Christmas present this past year - but I didn't open them until April. There's really nothing like homemade pasta. It's just so very satisfying. This bolognese can be made in advance and heated up, so let's get started with this delicious, homemade sauce. 

Ryan's Bolognese Sauce
Source: Pioneer Woman

Heat 1/2 cup of olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 cup grated carrots and 1 diced onion. Cook several minutes, stirring occassionally. 

Add 1 pound of ground beef and 1 tablespoon of italian seasoning. Cook until meat has browned and seasoning is evenly distributed. 

To the beef mixture, add 6 ounces of tomato paste, 5 minced cloves of garlic, 1 cup of red wine, and 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce. Deglaze by scraping the bottom of the pan. 

Add two 28 ounce cans of whole tomatoes and 1 cup of milk. Just do it, trust me. 

Then, be a total bad ass and break your spoon smashing the tomatoes. True story.

Allow to simmer anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Off to the fridge it goes - a sauce prepped in advance and waiting to be eaten with a homemade or boxed pasta of choice. It's delicious either way! 

Quick Recap: 
- Heat 1/2 cup of olive oil over medium heat. 
- Add 1 1/2 cup of carrots and 1 onion, stir often until tender. 
- Add 1 pound ground beef and 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning. Stir until brown and combined. 
- Add 6 ounces tomato pasta, 5 minced garlic cloves, 1 cup of red wine, and 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce. 
- Add 2 28 ounce cans of whole tomatoes and 1 cup of milk. 
- Simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Enjoy!

Posted by Hey Momma, I'm Hungry! at 5:32 AM | 0 comments | Email This BlogThis! Share to X Share to Facebook |

It's nice having some earlier hours lately. It allows me to get dinner on the table and be able to actually eat it too! I was particularly psyched about this recipe that was a random selection because nothing on the menu plan sounded good. And I lacked motivation. And I love caramel. 

This recipe is completely able to be prepped in advance, so let's get started:

Caramel Chicken
Source: AllRecipes

• Whisk together the following ingredients: 
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/3 cup oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  
• Heat a pan on high heat with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add chicken and 1/3 cup of the brown sugar mixture. Cook, stirring often for 6-7 minutes, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  
• Pour remainder of brown sugar mixture to pan and cook until chicken is cooked through and sauce has reduced. 

Bubbling sauce is a very good thing! That's deliciousness happening!

• Stir in 2 seeded and diced jalapeno peppers, 1 chopped bunch of green onions, and 1/2 cup of almonds. Cook until heated through, 2-3 minutes. Serve over rice. 

Posted by Hey Momma, I'm Hungry! at 10:24 AM | 0 comments | Email This BlogThis! Share to X Share to Facebook |

Happy Friday! This is my only day off this weekend - so I'm taking full advantage of it.

See...told you I'm taking full advantage. The new Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappucino at Starbucks. Yes, please.

I consider it a reward for a very good dentist appointment. You have no idea how scared I was to go in. I hadn't been to the dentist in...well, enough of a time frame for me to be too embarrassed to type. Only one filling needs redone. You could have knocked me over with a feather.

 

Proof that I sat outside the dentist office for quite some time and just stared at the door.

 

Speaking of Starbucks, I love their app! I had a great opportunity to meet up with Maria last weekend for some coffee and bridal talk. We were there for three hours.

 

It's so wonderful to hear Maria talk about her plans for the start of her life with her fiance. It's amazing to see my sister so happy. Long story short, someone from her past popped into the Starbucks we were at and there was a very long, drawn out conversation about her flighty goals for life. Maria has grown into such a strong, confident woman with an incredible sense of direction that puts me to shame. I am so incredibly proud to be her sister.

 

Warm, sunny days mean sunglasses and short sleeves. I asked to take his picture. In true GQ model style, he pulled down the glasses and looked at the camera at the perfect time.

 

This is not the last that you will hear from me today. I have a kick butt recipe to share with you a bit later on!

Posted by Hey Momma, I'm Hungry! at 7:20 AM | 0 comments | Email This BlogThis! Share to X Share to Facebook |

Life is crazy. Schedules are busy. I look back on the times when I taught, was done with work at a decent hour on a consistent basis, and was able to spend the time making meals from beginning to end. Not the case anymore. Often times, I'm working well into the evening, but dinner still needs to be made. So how does dinner not consist of steady take out? With a little advanced planning and prep work. 

This idea is crazy. Completely coo-coo for Coco Puffs. But this is what helps get dinner on the table on the nights that I work late. I've never seen anything like this on another blog. If this new way of blogging life for me helps just one other person get a meal on the table instead of take-out, then I consider it a win. It's worth a shot. 

Beef Fajitas
Source: Pioneer Woman

First thing to prep for the recipe is the marinade for the beef and vegetables.
For the marinade: 
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup lime juice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar

Combine all of the ingredients together and divide between two dishes. 

In the first dish, add the flank steak and turn to coat. Cover and allow to marinade until ready to use. The longer the meat soaks in the marinade, the more flavorful it will be. It's perfect for being made in advance. 

In the second dish, add one sliced onion, one sliced green pepper, and one sliced yellow pepper. Feel free to add a sliced red pepper, I just didn't have any in my fridge. Now, here comes the interesting part. This is where my work ends. 

If I were home, I would refrigerate everything that was prepped to be used later and wouldn't have to worry about the details of finishing off the dish. Since I'm not the one cooking, I have found the best method to be quick, simple notes in sequential order. 

So when ready to make the fajitas, follow these simple steps to get the job done: 

Step One: Drizzle oil in pan over medium-high heat. I should also say that it is understood that drizzle is one turn of the pan. 

Step Two: Place vegetables in pan and cook for a few minutes until cooked but still firm and have browned slightly. Put the peppers on a serving plate and keep warm. 

Step Three: Drizzle more oil in the pan and crank the heat up to high. 

Step Four: Add steak to pan, cooking for 2 minutes per side. Allow steak to rest for 5 minutes after cooking to allow the juices to distribute before cutting and serving. 

And there you have it - exactly how I get dinner on the table with a little advanced planning and some thoughtful prep work. Good dinners, put simply. 

Posted by Hey Momma, I'm Hungry! at 5:11 AM | 0 comments | Email This BlogThis! Share to X Share to Facebook |

Posted by Hey Momma, I'm Hungry! at 5:54 AM | 0 comments | Email This BlogThis! Share to X Share to Facebook |

Every time I went into the refrigerator, there they were - leeks. Staring at me. Saying, "Please. Use us." I had bought a bunch of them for a different recipe that only called for one. So, lonely they sat in the produce bin until I was looking for inspiration for dinner one evening and finally answered their call. 

I hit Google and this was the first recipe that popped up, and for good reason. It's chicken, leeks, shallots, garlic, chicken stock, and wine. Yum. Add it with the fact that prep work is easy and it cooks for an hour, getting nice and delicious while you do laundry, cleaning, or picking up toys. 

I adapted this recipe slightly from the chop and drop that it originally was to build a little more flavor. More flavor is always a good thing. This chicken was gobbled up. I served it over rice, but mashed potatoes would be wonderful as well. Anything to sop up the crazy-delicious sauce. This Momma was tickled pink when this pot was cleaned out. 

Braised Chicken and Leeks
slightly adapted from Saturday Nights

Ingredients

5 pieces of chicken thighs
3 - 4 leeks, cut into two-inch pieces and halved
8 shallots, diced
Head of garlic, cloves separated and skins removed
3/4 cup of dry white wine
1 cup of chicken stock 
1 tbsp of fresh thyme 
Olive oil
Salt and pepper 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, drizzle olive oil in bottom of pan. Saute shallots and leeks for approximately 5 minutes to develop color and release flavor. Remove from pan, set aside. 

Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Add to Dutch oven skin side down, cooking for 10 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set aside. 

Add wine and chicken stock to Dutch oven. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spoon or spatula. Add thyme, garlic cloves, and sauteed shallots and leeks. Bring to a boil, then add chicken to the mixture. 

Place into Dutch oven and cook uncovered for 1 hour. 

Serve with garlic bread. Enjoy! 

Posted by Hey Momma, I'm Hungry! at 5:31 AM | 1 comments | Email This BlogThis! Share to X Share to Facebook |

Ok, so the time out is a little delayed this week. I blame a crazy yo-yo schedule. I've been working like crazy. I average eleven miles of walking a shift, so my knees always let me know when it's close to a day off. 

A temperature that does not contain a 2, 3, or 4 in the tens place? Sweet. 

I guess sometimes you just have to give and take. Those white dots are hail. 

On Monday, I had my six month evaluation at my current job. Karen and I started the same day. We decided to celebrate our anniversary. I felt that a card, cute tote bag, chocolate, and lottery tickets were a fitting and cute little gift. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful co-worker and friend. 

This is a pie that I did not make, it's actually a peanut butter pie from the patient line at my work. However, I am responsible for the whipped cream and drizzles. I was quite proud. 

DJ was awfully quiet as I was cleaning one day. I found him in the kitchen helping me cook. Yeah, that's the container of sugar - and some of it in his hair. At least he wanted to help momma in the kitchen!

For some strange reason that is completely foreign to me, I am all about cute little dresses. It's a first - ever. These are two Vera Wang dresses from Kohls that I am looking forward to adding to my wardrobe in the very near future. 

Posted by Hey Momma, I'm Hungry! at 4:56 AM | 0 comments | Email This BlogThis! Share to X Share to Facebook |