Tag! You’re It!

Mandy of Home with Mandy  tagged me!  I’m supposed to share 7 weird/random facts about myself so here goes:

1. I have a weird interest in vampires.  I love Underworld and Underworld: Evolution.  I also have a huge obsession with the Twilight books and movie.  I read the 4 books in about one week and though I’ve only see the movie once, I’m dying to see it like 15 million times.  I’m just really fascinated by vampires.

2.  I’m a really picky eater.  Although I try new things on my blog, the recipes are often a huge step out of my comfort zone.  When I go to restaurants I always get the same things and I’m really averse to trying new things unless I’m doing the cooking.  I’m getting better, but there are still times when I just want a plain old cheeseburger or chicken tenders.

3. Speaking of cheeseburgers, I only like ketchup on my cheeseburgers.  If I have to, I can eat the toppings like mustard, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, etc, but I really prefer just ketchup.

4. I don’t like scary/suspense/horror movies.  I can’t watch them and refuse to do so.  They keep me up at night and I can’t stop thinking about them no matter what.  Even if I watch an episdoe of CSI where the plot is about an intruder or something, I can’t go to bed iwthout first checking all the rooms, closets, and showers to be sure no one is there.  I’m a total wimp when it comes to the scary stuff.

5. I love office supplies.  Post it notes, highlighters, labels, file folders, paperclips… you name it.  I love them.  I could go nuts in Office Max.  I think it’s because I like to organize things and make them look nice, but it’s still strange.

6. I can’t swim.  I never really learned how.  It’s not like I don’t know what to do in a  pool or the ocean or whatever, but I was never on the swim team or anything like that… I probably couldn’t rescue anyone.

7. I’ve never broken a bone.  The only thing I’ve been to the hospital for is to have my tonsils removed.  My brother and sister have both been rushed to the ER and gotten stitches, but not me.  No broken bones and no stitches… I’m pretty cautious.

So now I’m supposed to tag 7 others:

 

• Cooking is Medicine
• Sweet Savory Southern
• Cooking This and That
• Joelen’s Culinary Adventures
• Loves To Eat
• Lime In The Coconut
• …and a cookie for dessert

Four Foods on Friday (58)

#1. Does your family usually eat meals in the kitchen or somewhere else? Our apartment kitchen is not big enough to be eat-in. We have a small table that sits near the kitchen, but we usually end up eating at the coffee table. I can’t wait to have a real kitchen/dining table!

#2. Who usually does the dishes in your house? Whoever does not cook, does the dishes. Sometimes we tag-team them 😉

#3. What’s your favorite small appliance or tool in the kitchen? I really love my food processor. It has two buttons: pulse and chop. It makes quick work of so many tasks — fabulous.

#4. This one’s for my son. Share a recipe for chili. I think I’ve shared this before, but it’s the only one I’ve got. Here you go!

Four Foods On Friday #57

I hope everyone is enjoying the post-Thanksgiving meals… Thanksgiving leftovers are about the only leftovers I actually enjoy. (I admit to being a leftovers snob. Sue me.).

As I said yesterday, I’m driving all over the state of Virginia just because I love traveling on the holidays – oh wait that’s a lie. But the answers to these Four Foods On Friday questions are all true 🙂 Enjoy.

#1. What’s your favorite carbonated beverage?

I LOVE COKE. Regular coke only. Not Diet, not Coke Zero, or Cherry Coke. Regular Coca-Cola Classic. I can’t even convey in words how much I love coke. If I see a commercial or a billboard I automatically want one. Sometimes I just like a sip or two and the first sip is always the best. It kinda burns on the way down. Man, I want one right now…

#2. What’s your favorite spicy food?

Hmm, I’m kinda picky about spicy foods. I guess salsa?

#3. How do you handle hot dishes? Oven mitt, pot holder, towel?

Normally a an oven mitt, but if it’s like a hot lid or something on the stove top, I usually go for the towel.
#4. Ice cream. How do you like yours?

My favorite ice cream ever is Chocolate Fudge Brownie from Ben & Jerry’s. But I also love just plain old vanilla ice cream with loads of chocolate syrup on top. Gosh I want some ice cream now too!

Four Foods On Friday (56)

#1. What’s the worst tasting food you’ve ever eaten?

It’s a toss up between brussels sprouts and beets.

#2. Share a funny or embarrassing story about a meal you’re made.

I was making tacos and trying to be fancy with seasoning. Instead of using the package of taco seasoning, I decided to use cumin. I had only used cumin once before and I had a recipe to follow. This time I was on my own to judge how much should go in. So I seasoned and served… Do you remember those steak sauce commercials where people would point to parts of their mouth and throat and say “it gets you right here… and here” and they meant it in a good way? Well, my husband and I would have been grabbing our throats saying “it gets you right here” in a bad way. Our eyes were watering and our throats were on fire… WAY too much cumin. Way. Too. Much.

I also heard from an older friend that when she was first married, she started trying her skills in the kitchen. A recipe called for a clove of garlic and she put in what she thought was a clove of garlic. Turns out she mistook a bulb of garlic for a clove and had put the entire bulb of garlic into the dish. Tragic.

#3. What food do you burn or have problems cooking most often?

Anything that has to be pan fried or seared. I can’t do it without burning it or I end up with a piece of meat that’s too thick to fully cook. I’m working on it…

#4. Name two foods you’ll be eating on this Thanksgiving.

Mashed potatoes & green beans!

Four Foods on Friday (54) & Pasta with No-Cook Tomato Sauce

#1. Name a food you like that uses a red sauce or anything red in it.

Lasagna!

#2. Name a food you like with whipped cream in it or on it.

Does strawberries with whipped cream count? Ohhh, that makes me want some right now.

#3. Name a food you like with blueberry in it.

Blueberry muffins!

#4. Share a recipe for pasta or dessert or a beverage.

I’m excited to share this recipe, because it’s so fresh and quick. WH loved it. I was so surprised. The flavors are perfect together (obviously) and taste so fresh and light. We also got to use our new restaurant style cheese grater 😀

Pasta with No-Cook Tomato Sauce

Serves 2 or 3

Stuff you need:

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 lb. pasta
• 1 lb. tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1/2 c. fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
• parm for serving

What to do with that stuff:

1. In a cup, put the crushed garlic in the olive oil so the flavors can infuse.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
3. Cook pasta about 11 minutes.
4. Reserve 1/2 c. of pasta water and drain pasta.
5. In a large bowl, crush the tomatoes with your hands & season with salt & pepper.
6. Remove the garlic from the olive oil and discard.
7. Add the oil, butter, and lemon peel to the tomatoes.
8. Add the pasta and toss, adding a splash of the pasta water if you need to thin the sauce.
9. Add the basil and season with salt and pepper.
10. Serve with parm.

Source [11], September 2008