I've been cooking!

A LOT since we moved into our house.

Not sure what the hell that is about, but I enjoy it. When we were in the townhouse? I stayed away from cooking anything that required me to do more than open a box and throw some ingredients together and pop in the oven. Simple. Just like me.

My dad has always cooked. My mom? Well, we appreciate her efforts but enjoy eating food that isn’t “cooked on high ‘til done.” She can cook though, just not everything. But that’s ok.

Apparently? I can actually cook. Follow instructions. OR make things from scratch. It's like a whole new world....one in which I make things people actually eat!

Anyway, this month I’ve made dinner some. We haven’t actually cooked as often as we would like because we’ve been a little busy and also? We’ve had plenty of easy shit to make (i.e. sandwiches, awesome mother-in-law made chicken salad and matzo ball soup, spaghetti). I think I threw together a pasta dish a few weeks ago – but it was jar sauce and box noodles. I would like the Kitchen Aid attachment so I can make my own pasta because I’d be all over making some for real homemade ravioli. I made some Sloppy Joes for us and the neighbors one night. It was supposed to be enchiladas, and Steve went to the store to pick up some things we needed, and sadly? We didn’t actually have tortillas like we thought we did. So I had defrosted meat and some sloppy joe mix. It was easy and SO yum. Haven’t had those in years.

So my notable meal for this month was just last week. I actually got bamboozled into this because Steve got home later than I did and we’d never have eaten if we had waited on him to get home, but it was ok because I ENJOYED making the entire meal.

I made Cornish Game Hens! There were veggies and rice along with it. But those? Totally frozen and bagged. Whatever, the tiny chickens – all me! And SUPER easy. All I had to do was rub them down with butter (lots of butter, makes for good skin and it’s my favorite part really). Then I seasoned them with a little garlic powder, onion powder, and some Emeril’s Essence (if that’s a line of seasoning well then I don’t actually know what I put on because I didn’t actually look at the label so basically “to taste” or “to whatever the hell you’ve got in the cupboard”). They cooked at 350 for about an hour.

And for real? They were full of juicy goodness. And the skin? PERFECTION. I don’t have a picture of my plate because we actually cut them up into portions (not my idea folks). And by “we” cut them, I totally mean I cut them. Because Steve-o? Not so good with the cutting of anything in the chicken family. I on the other hand? The practically non-cook? Can totally cut up a chicken like it is my job (it is not my actual job though). AND? I totally guessed at how to do it one day and I did not end up man-handling the bird. I still don’t really know how I guessed, but I suppose it was a little bit of common sense. Though, the only part I eat? The breast. So not really sure I figured it all out…but anyway… I still have some trouble with the wings/legs but they mostly come off intact. Sometimes the meat just falls right off the bone so it’s not that I can’t cut it it’s just that I make such a juicy bird that the meat can’t hold on.

I’m going to try to compile some actual recipes so that I can share them with you. I have a TON in books (like actual books and also “books” of ones I got off the internet that sounded good) but they’re in boxes. In our basement. So I’ll probably find those after the basement is all done. But I’d like to actually start broadening my culinary horizons and as long as the food is good I’ll share it with you. Don’t worry, I won’t be sharing the crappy dishes I’m sure to come across! (but have no fear, this won’t turn in to a cooking blog because that? Totally laughable for me)