3/20/13

blog slacking

hey party people!

i have been mad slacking on this blog but i think i have since accumulated enough new interesting stories, recommendations, girl scout fun, home school information, recipes, and new friendly friend stuff lately to start writing again.

look forward to these things in the future:

*a review of the sugar and spice vox box. what is a vox box? you'll just have to wait and see!

*a monthly review of my fantabulous birchbox. what is a birchbox? see above you silly.

*a review of time4learning and time4art as a home school program. a review of homeschooling all around since we are so new to it.

*recipes, duh. would this be my blog without recipes? no!

*girl scout experiences! as a new leader i am loving all of the learning experiences and the new cool moms that i have met.

so that is all for now. i am going to go and get ready for the wednesday school morning, which means studying mainly science. i'll post our schedule and what we have been up to soon.

see ya lovies,

jen

7/7/11

you want potatoes au gratin? you want an amazing cheese sauce base? you got it sucka!



  • i got this crazy thing for my birthday called a mandolin. it's like this insane thing that makes slicing easier than spelling. fo reals.

  • so i decided to whip up some potatoes au gratin cause my cutting skills aren't like, totally faboo. i can cut junk; don't get me wrong, but it takes forever and it isn't exactly uniform.

  • i have not one clue how much these bad boy mandolins cost and nor do i want to but i suggest that anybody that likes to slice stuff should get one. you can even choose the size of what you are slicing on the madolin i got not to mention there is a blade for making crinkle cuts, french fry cuts, and julianne cuts. mad crazy!

  • the cheese sauce in this mofo can be used as a base for chips or you could add all sorts of madness to your au gratin like jalapeno peppers minced or veggies or meat or whatever. bacon, chives and/or green onion would be amazing add ons.


  • whatchoo need:


  • potatoes....depending on the size of your pan you can rock anywhere between 3-4 of um. or more. whatevs.


  • tablespoons butter


  • tablespoons flour


  • cups milk


  • garlic cloves, minced


  • teaspoons salt


  • 1 teaspoon pepper


  • cups shredded cheddar cheese


  • 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded


  • whatchoo do:


  • 1. slice your potatoes and your onion on your crazy mandolin at the 1/4 setting. if you haven't got this wonderous invention then cube your pots and slice your onions. it doesn't bother me any.


  • 2. spray a baking dish or casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. or butter it if you are feeling like you need about 400 additional trips to the gym later.


  • 3. make a layer of sliced potatoes.



  • 4. put onions on top of said layer. DO IT.


  • 5. make another layer of sliced potatoes.



  • 6. make more onions happen on top.


  • 7. put your final layer of sliced potatoes on top of the final layer of onions. if you have a mandolin, this'll take about a mean 5 minutes. if you don't welcome to a good 45.


  • 8. in a sauce pan, melt your butter over about a medium/8 setting. buttttter.


  • 9. add your flour, mixing so it isn't all clumpity and gross.


  • 10. add the milk and garlic. mix again.


  • 11. dump your cheese in. see the future in it's shapes and twirls.


  • 12. season and TASTE TASTE TASTE while stirring. you don't want no bunk au gratin.


  • 13. when the cheese is all melty and the sauce is thick, pour just over top of your potato/onion dish. save anything else for later cause it'll make a mean nacho/chip dip.


  • 14. sprinkle your parm on top.


  • 15. cover with tin foil tightly and bake for an hour and a half. yup, you done have to wait.


  • 16. uncover and let sit for 10-20 minutes to totally thicken. 


  • 17. declare yourself the president of potatoville and start a war with any non-starches. then eat yourself silly in a celebration ceremony.






  • jenni's coconut smoothie

    whatchoo need

    *1/2 can of unsweet coconut milk -NOTE- don't put the can in the fridge till after you open it. else it seperates and when you open it you'll all be like "whhhha?"
    *6 large strawberries, tops cut off
    *1 banana
    *1 tablespoon flaxseed (optional)

    All you got to do is dump all the stuff above into a blender. I would recommend that you add the coconut milk a little at a time, that way your smoothie won't be too thin. And also, if you want a super cold smoothie you should use frozen fruits.

    jenni's jus jus sandwich

    are you party people in the mood for something totally yummy and grossly easy? try this one - jenni's jus jus sandwich. it's basically a french dip with my ghetto touches on it. so maybe i should say it's a sarasota dip. or a melbourne dip. or where eva you wanna imagine my crazy ass coming from. 

    warning ya before hand - you need a slow cooker to make this happen. they aren't expensive and betcha you could even find one at a thrift shop if you wanted to. make it work!

    when you are done, throw your hands up and say "jus jus jus jus jus!"

    stuff you need:

    * 2 large white onions. slice um in half then make length wise cuts all down the body of the onion. then slice width wise to end up with not too long strips. easy peasy. or, if you are mad lazy buy them pre-sliced in the produce section.

    * a pint o mushrooms, sliced. white mushrooms are fine as rain.

    * two tablespoons of unsalted butter, divided and cut into quarters

    * 3 -4 lbs boneless bottom round roast. it really just has to be a roast, whatever is on sale.

    * 4 cups water from the purest of springs. just messing, i get my water out of my sink.

    * 1 cup beef broth - optional. you can sub this for an additional cup o water if you want. or if you want to go all beef crazy you could add more beef broth and take out the water. just watch it, you don't want it to get too sailor salty on ya - which it will if you aren't careful.

    * 1/2 cup soy sauce - this ingredient is why more salt isn't happening. soy sauce has mad salt. you could in theory add pepper but i would be sparing. 

    * 1 envelope onion soup mix

    * 3 cloves minced garlic. cause everrrrythang is better with garlic. and you can get this junk pre-minced in the produce section too. like biggie said, "if you don't know, now ya knooooow!"

    * sub rolls. you could use french rolls but that junk is hard. i like martin's unseeded hoagie rolls cause they are soft but not so soft that the jus makes them fall apart (gag). if you have teeth of steel feel free to use the french ones.

    * swiss cheese sliced. i like to cut um into triangles all subway style. you can make the swiss happen shredded if you can find it. shredded swiss doesn't happen up my way.

    what to do:

    1. cut the onions like i DONE TOLD YOU BEFORE. ha ha ha.

    2. put them in the bottom of the slow cooker.

    3. dump the sliced mushrooms into the bottom of the slow cooker as well. mix them with the onions.

    4. take your divided quartered tablespoons of butter delight and scatter them on top of the onion/mushroom mix. 

    5. place your roast on top of the onion/mushroom/butter mess you just made.

    6. take the onion soup mix, garlic, water, broth, soy sauce and whisk it all around in a bowl. you don't have to have a whisker (is this the correct technical name......? prolly not), you could just use a fork till the soup powder isn't all lumpity.

    7. pour the mixed up stuff over your roast.

    8. let that stuff cook on low for 6-9 hours, depending on the doneness you like. i like a little bit rarer of a cut so i would look to take this stuff out around hour 7 or so. the watery junk that'll end up will be your jus so don't stress when you see the liquid rise. you want that to happen.

    9. take the beef out and let it just sit and ponder it's life for about 5 minutes. this'll seal the juices in and also keep it from burning your cute little fingers off when you cut it.

    10. in the meantime when your beef is cold chillin, take a colander and put it over a big bowl. pour the remaining stuff from your crock pot into the colander. this'll separate the onions, garlic, and mushrooms from the jus jus jus. put the onion/mushroom/garlic in another bowl.

    11. slice your beef as thin as you can, against the grain else it'll fall apart. don't fret about uneven pieces or whatever, you aren't getting graded.

    12. place your oven on broil and open your rolls.

    13. put slices of beef, then mushroom/onion/garlic mix, then cheese into your rolls. put them on a cookie sheet.

    14. place into your oven until cheese melts. it won't take too long, so watch it.

    15. pour jus into an appropriate sized bowl for dipping.

    16. consume mass quanities or serve mass quanities. either way you are going to look BRILLIANT.

    stink AKA steakkkk

    so there is this mad southern chick that makes mad good food named chef blyth beck. she had a reality show that i learned crazy dirty south skills off of but it got cancelled. tear!

    it didn't go away before i learned to make her steaks though. confetti! like these better than any stinking marinade mess i've done before. enjoy!

    2 servings....wow, i got loose with servings. how fancy of me.

    stuff you'll need:

    * 2 steaks about 1-1/2 inches thick. don't matter what kind. be careful if you get bone in steak though cause those things cook faster for whatever reason. i think that bone in is more flavorful and i like um better even though they are a tad harder to eat.

    **off note - room temp steaks are the easiest to cook. let your steaks sit and chill before you cook**

    * 2 tablespoons olive oil

    * 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

    * salt to taste

    * pepper to taste

    what to do:

    1. pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.

    2. pour olive oil into a large skillet that'll hold the two steaks.

    3. pre-heat the skillet on about 8 or 9 on the top of the stove.

    4. salt and pepper the steaks. i like to have a nice amount of pepper and just a lil amount of salt. i am totally not going to pretend that i know what level of salt you like cause it varies from person to person.

    5. sear the steaks in the skillets on both sides. make sure you get a good deep brown that isn't burnt. you can do this by flipping them often and watching what is happening.

    6. take your butter and rub the divided amounts on both steaks.

    7. stick your skillet into the oven. if you have plastic or rubber handles you will have to wrap them in tin foil so they will not burn.

    8. take your steak out in 6-8 minutes depending on the doneness you like.

    9. be impressed with yourself cause you should be, you steak master you!

    11/21/09

    fiesta! viva italian!

    jenni's veggie fajtias

    i still make meaty meat meals for my family. it doesn't gross me out or anything, i do it cause it ain't right to force my people to eat stuff that they just aren't into.

    that doesn't mean that i'm not jealous of some food that they get to eat. one of which are tacos. i make the greatest tacos on the planet and i used to eat a jazillion of them and it totally sucks when it's taco night and i'm drooling at the smell.

    finally i got fed up and made up a new recipe just for me. so bah hamburger eaters, stay away from these, they are mine!

    stuff:

    * 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
    * 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    * 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    * 1 teaspoon chili powder
    * 2 garlic cloves minced
    * 1 teaspoon salt
    * 1 teaspoon pepper
    * 1 teaspoon sugar
    * 1 tablespoon cumin
    * 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
    * 1 pint mushrooms
    * 1 yellow summer squash chopped
    * 1 green bell pepper chopped
    * 1 red bell pepper chopped
    * 1/2 spanish onion chopped
    * 1/2 purple/red onion chopped
    * fajita wraps
    * optional toppings: salsa, yellow cheese shredded, fresh chopped tomatoes

    1. chop up all your stuff and put into a bowl. brainless, huh? pretend your a veggie serial killer.
    2. put all seasonings, garlic, herbs, and oil into the bowl and stir. again pretty brainless. zombie like, even.
    3. let the bowl sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes but not more than 24 hours, else the stuff will be mushy gushy and gross!
    4. heat a pan or a wok at medium high heat.
    5. pour all of your stuff in and stir with a spoon until cooked. what is cooked you ask? when the mushrooms aren't white inside and your squash isn't snotty but warm and firm.
    6. spoon into the fajitas and top with whateva you like. eat like a mofo.

    i don't like to work brucshetta

    dude, this is the mad lazy way of making a brucshetta like treat.

    stuff:

    * 2 pieces of bread. i use wheat or 7 grain but whatevs. i pre-toast the bread sometimes to make sure that crunchiness happens.
    * 4 slices of non-mealy tomatoes. roma, if you can. if i do roma, i generally chop them as opposed to slicing. usually i find that the firm tomatoes aren't mealy but i'm not a tomato scientist or wizard or anything so whatever works for ya.
    * 2 splashes of balsamic vingarette
    * salt
    * pepper
    * dried garlic or garlic oil. garlic oil sounds fancy, doesn't it? really, secretly, it doesn't have to be fancy. you can put 3 tablespoons oil (evoo suggested) into a bowl and add about a tablespoon of minced garlic and then microwave for 30 seconds. after it's all said and done - garlic oil. whoot whoot.

    * fresh or dried basil
    * optional: mozzarella cheese shredded/parmesan cheese


    1. put your oven on broil. be aware that this setting is a blazing inferno of heat that comes from the top of the oven as opposed from the bottom.
    2. put your bread on a cookie sheet. top it with the sliced and/or chopped tomatoes.
    3. massage the tomatoes with the vingarette and the oil. tell them that your totally committed and will love them forever.
    4. put your seasonings on top of the tomatoes evenly.
    5. top with your cheeses, if that's how you roll.
    6.  place into oven for about 3-5 minutes. 
    7. take out and don't share. why should you? 


    added bonus info: if you really want to be punk rock, replace your bread with garlic bread. holy goodness, we are cooking now, yo.

    10/5/09

    pizza, wondering thoughts, recipes, randomness... :)

    i haven't been quite cut out for veganism. too many rules - especially when it comes to pizza. i've never been a person that was good with rules so it doesn't really surprise me that i can't seem to commit to reading labels like a mad woman, pouring over ingredients.

    but really, i wish i wasn't so grossly in love with pizza.

    but alas - i cannot deny my relationship with the great italian pie. the crust, the cheese, the tomato sauce, mushrooms, sliced tomatoes....especially new york style.

    new york style pizza takes me on a trip back to melbourne where i'm at bizarro's, eating huge slices that taste awesome - sitting on a wooden bench, eating food made by angry men shouting at each other. sand might fly into my share, but it didn't matter cause it wasn't just about the food, but it was about a weird bonding thing between a bunch of friends that escaped off to the beach even though we were wearing clothes that didn't quite suggest that we should be there, armed with attitudes that totally didn't match the touristas or the local trendy bathing suit clad crowd that made the beach a general haunt.

    on the other hand, bizzaro's reminds me of my career. visiting melbourne for corporate meetings. sitting with jess, my assistant or whomever was with me at the time - eating quick slices peppered with dried garlic, praying not to run into anyone that would look at my suit and give me the eye. avoiding the mall, or any places where people might look at me like a girl in costume and giggle, knowing that it might be just that....a costume. it didn't matter, as long as i got a taste.

    pizza also reminds me of chicago with my dad. him taking me to gino's east side, getting deep dish. he didn't have to take me anywhere, which is what made it all the more amazing. seeing the art museums, the culture. me taking pictures of the graffitti on mailboxes, talking to locals that seemed so much cooler than me. i loved the dirty grit of this city, it reminded me of detroit - even before the recession.

    me in saint louis with kris. water drips on the bar below. sleeping in her bed, after being drunk in the snow, peeing behind a dumpster, making angels with her in the white powder. feeling like i've been beaten by a bat, eating out of a pizza box in the morning after she left for work - feeling full yet hollow because i knew that after my trip things would turn pretty empty.

    friday pizza days with my current family. happy that we are together and eating something that means so much to me. it's strange how it means that much to me.

    pizza really means a whole lot to me emotionally. it's weird, i know.

    but really, it's too bad. i guess dairy isn't leaving me for now, although casey's roomie erin has suggested veggie slices to replace my cheese with. i'm going to try that here soon. i think; though, that it might have milk based ingredients because i believe i've seen it before and didn't buy it just for that reason.

    i still heart salad and i eat it for my breakfast just about everyday. i have also found that sweetbay supermarket has the best prices on portabella mushroom caps in bulk. $3.99 per pound, and a pound of mushroom caps equals a whole lot, yo.

    so, i'm going to give a recipe for the sandwich that i've put together with those mushrooms and also leave you all with a recipe for pork chops that the family has been enjoying lately. you have to have a deep fryer or a deep frying pan for the pork chops though, and trust me - it's worth it. as long as you have clear arteries that is. it isn't a meal for the weak, much like the most of my pseudo southern cooking. of course, both recipes are easy cause i don't like overcomplicated messes.

    lazy portabella afternoon sandwich


    stuff:

    2 slices toasted whole wheat bread

    1 portabella mushroom cap

    1 tablespoon olive oil

    1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

    1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce **note: be aware that this sauce may contain anchovies. if your hardcore vegetarian or vegan, substitute with soy sauce. it'll be saltier though, so make sure that you don't vomit salt all over your mushroom cause it'll be a SALT EXPLOSION!"**

    salt to taste

    pepper to taste

    garlic powder to taste

    1 slice of red/purple onion

    1 pinch sugar

    1 slice tomato

    1 piece of lettuce, iceburg

    1 slice swiss cheese or vegan cheese that resembles swiss cheese. **note: let me know if you've got a good substitute cause i ain't tasted one yet.**

    what to do:

    1. decide if you really want to brave the gills of your portabella mushroom. gills are the brown/blackish thingies that live underneath the mushroom. if you are like me and are sorta grossed out by the thought of eating anything gillish, you'll take a spoon and gently scrape the "gills" (shudder) out from under the mushroom. just be careful, as you can damage the mushroom and hack off pieces by not taking your time.

    2. wash your cap. i mean, who rides dirty - rigggght? if your cap has a stem, cut it off. if your female, have secret glee about it. hee hee.

    3. heat your oil in a small frying pan on medium high heat (8).

    4. throw that mofo in there. splash half of your balsamic vinegar and your worcestershire/soy sauce on your cap. same with your seasonings.

    5. cook for about a minute or so. flip your mushroom and repeat #4 on the other side.

    6. toast your bread slacker. and cut your onion, tomato, and lettuce. i see you. do it.

    7. when your mushroom isn't mushy but seems to give a bit - sprinkle the top with a bit of sugar and also sprinkle a bit of the liquid coming off of it with sugar. the reason being is that your about to put your onion into the side of the pan and sugar will carmalize your onion so it's not so sharp.

    8. throw in your onion. don't fry until mushy. mushy onions are grosso!

    9. when onions aren't stiff but not mushy place on top of the mushroom. use tongs. tongs rock.

    10. if your a cheese eatin mofo, place your swiss cheese on top of the onions/mushrooms. this obviously will be the top. cover for 3-5 minutes. this will melt the cheese and soften the portabella further.

    11. use your tongs. stack your mushroom/onion/cheese on top of the bread. add lettuce, tomato, other piece of bread.

    12. eat in front of your husband. make noises to make him/her jealous cause it is THAT GOOD.

    13. thank me. totally. i deserve it.

    deep fried pork chops that'll kill you eventually but your family will love you regardless


    stuff:


    fry daddy or deep frying pan filled to limit

    veggie oil

    5 one inch pork chops

    1 cup flour

    1 tablespoon garlic powder

    1/2 tablespoon cumin powder

    1/2 tablespoon paprika powder

    1 sprinkle dried basil

    1/2 cup milk

    1 egg

    salt to taste

    pepper to taste

    what to do:

    1. heat your veggie oil in cooking source until about 375.

    2. in the meantime, put flour and seasonings together. mix with fork.

    3. mix egg and milk together.

    4. dip pork chop into egg/milk mix and let excess drain off. coat in flour mix.

    5. put into cooker and fry in oil until both sides are golden brown.

    6. let rest on paper towels so that eaters aren't burdened with extra oil.

    7. sigh and hope for the best. you have more than likely killed a loved one.