Mashed Cauliflower - You've gotta try this!

More violent crimes around here to report: armed intruder in a woman’s motel room, armed home invasion, armed gas station hold up and a double shooting. What a wonderful place to raise a child…

Besides violent crime, Sh*t-hole of the Earth (Oops, I slipped again… Lawton) also has a bazillion stray dogs. Seriously, it’s like finding pennies on the sidewalk, they are everywhere! We’ve only been here 2 months and have already picked up 2 nursing mommas! Sheesh!

Besides not getting shot and picking up strays, been doing a lot of cooking. A lot of cooking! I’ve tried somewhere in the range of 30 new recipes, most of which I’ve been pretty stoked about. I’ll be posting a few of my favorites here coming up, so keep an eye out.

Most surprising food we’ve enjoyed was mashed cauliflower. I know, right? Ew. CPT Fromage hates the stuff, but one of our weekly dinner guests is on a trendy carb diet, so mashed potatoes were out of the question. I figured if these sucked, no big deal, I’d blame it on his dietary restrictions. Haha. But can I tell you, we LOVED them. We tore through the entire bowl and still wanted more. CPT Fromage has even announced publicly that he prefers them to mashed potatoes. Dying to try them now? Here’s what you do…

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower
2 Tbl heavy cream
1 Tbl butter
2 ounces flaked Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Break down the cauliflower and discard the stem, steam until tender. When you’re done steaming, be sure to let the cauliflower cool for a little while; it helps the texture so you don’t end up with a soggy side dish.

Once the cauliflower has cooled, it’s time to blend it with your remaining ingredients. You’ll want to warm it up again ever so slightly so that the butter and cheese melts in (I know, it seems like a pain, but trust me, you  should let it dry out).

I so badly wished that I had a food processor because it was a… splendid… experience trying to puree with my electric hand mixer. Messy messy! I ordered a food processor the next day to avoid this in the future. All that to say, use a food processor if you have one handy, as I’m sure it’s easier, but if need be, you can mix it without one.

I served mine up with some green onion on top, and if we weren’t watching carbs, probably would have added some sour cream. Let me know what you think and if you make any tasty changes!

Reentering the Blogosphere

Wow. It’s been a while *embarrassed smile*. Yes, I’m still here and doing fine. In fact, so fine I hardly have time to blog! Who would have thought that with LT Fromage away and quitting my job I’d stay so busy? But somehow, I’m busier now than I was when I worked full time and had a husband at home. Hm.

What’s going on in the Fromage household? Well…

We successfully rehomed all of the extra rodents! Well, to be more exact, one died (so sad, she was my favorite) and we ended up keeping 3 that I got too attached to. At any rate, we’re down to 4 mice and 10 rats, which is our maximum capacity (or maybe even a little over the limit…!). All of the other pets are doing well, and more importantly, not procreating.

Lots of girls nights, lunch dates and outings with my Non-Sucky Army Wife Friends. (One of whom just found out her 6-month-old daughter may have leukemia, please keep them in your thoughts and prayers). My mom will be relieved of her duties of phone-friend in about 10 months, but until then she’s always around when I need to hear another person on the other end of the line. (Thanks, Mom!)

I’ve basically stopped cooking. What’s the point in buying groceries, preparing, making, and cleaning up after a meal for one when my favorite Thai restaurant is on speed dial? *A little embarrassed to admit they now know me by name when I call in…* I do miss my kitchen time and I’m looking forward to LT Fromage’s return when we go back to eating home cooked meals every day (among other reasons!).

Lucky me, I’ve been able to talk to LT Fromage via facebook, Skype or the good old telephone nearly every day. Sometimes, for so long we sort of run out of things to talk about! Which is much better than what we anticipated as far as communication goes. (For those wondering, he’s doing well, er, as well as can be expected fighting for our freedom. Please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers) We’re about a sixth of the way through and going strong!

Thanks for the thoughts and concerns, and especially for continuing to check in even when I'm not posting! Y'all are the best *big internet hug to all my readers*

Butterfingers

No, not the tasty candy bar. I am a butter fingers. (But, man, don’t you want some chocolate with a buttery crunch now?)

When LT Fromage and I got married, we didn’t bother registering for china, I would have broken it before we made it to our first anniversary. Just like the coffee pot I broke in a hotel in New York. It was “the most tired I have ever been” (That quote has become infamous in the Fromage household), so tired that I was unable to grip the light and tiny, empty glass pot. After a loud crash, LT Fromage yelled from the shower, “Is everything ok?” to which I replied, “Uhm, yes. There’s just broken glass in the sink… I’m going to head to the lobby for coffee, would you like me to bring you some as well?”

I broke another coffee pot after that; it was LT Fromage’s coffee pot. His fancy-schmancy, 12-cup, with a timer, “I’m a real coffee drinker, look at this baby” coffee pot. He wasn’t home when I dropped it, so I quickly swept up the evidence and put my old, 4-cup “I’m a single lady who doesn’t drink much coffee” brewing system out. Of course, he noticed.* We used my old single lady machine for a while, but when he grew tired to brewing multiple pots over the course of breakfast, we purchased a new, larger coffee pot. Which I haven’t yet broken (Knock on wood) because LT Fromage is now in charge of coffee preparations.

*However, it wasn’t until he went to brew a pot and, thrown off by the small size, used a cup cake paper instead of a coffee filter. Which he would say was my bad, for keeping the cup cake liners nestled inside the coffee filters. Regardless of who was at fault, the coffee maker was filled with sludgey coffee grounds and we learned that a cup cake holder cannot be substituted for a filter.

More unfortunate than the broken coffee pots are the dishes that, at the time they were dropped, held food I had labored over. Ok, so I didn’t actually “labor over” the instant mashed potatoes (Ouch, yes, I am that lazy sometimes. I just hate mashing those darn spuds…). But, right before supper time my Pyrex mixing bowl was in pieces on the floor in a mess of “potatoes” (If you can call them that...). Perhaps the most devastating was the time I spent all afternoon making an aioli sauce for LT Fromage, who had once had it at a professor’s home and was lamenting over how he hadn’t had it since. Dinner time had arrived, the chicken was ready to plate, I reached for the sauce and CRASH. Aioli on the floor and another broken bowl. Damn.

I’ve broken many other dishes prior and since those incidences, thus, the decision to forgo the china and invest in Corelle dishware instead, which don’t break when dropped. Believe me, I’ve tried.

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Congratulations to citymouse for winning the very first Lady Fromage give away! Get in touch with me so I can get your copy of The Rebel Housewife Rules out to you, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

(click her comment to visit her blog)

A consolation prize, to everyone who didn’t win: some yummy festive snacks. Some assembly required. (Pictures of the finished product can be found on this post)

Cranberry, Pistachio, Chocolate Cookies
Yummy to my tummy!

I’m actually not going to share the sugar cookie recipe I used, because it sucked. Use one you know and trust, or, go buy a roll at the grocery store. I promise it will be better than what I ended up with.

Oh so easy from here:

½ cup pistachios
½ cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Bake, and then gobble up with a cold glass of milk!

White Chocolate Peppermint Truffles

Now, you’ll have to bear with me again. I didn’t measure (This is why I cook, not bake)

Melt approximately 1 cup of white chocolate in a double boiler (Don’t have one? No biggie. Boil a small amount of water, and set another pot inside. You’re just keeping this treat off of direct heat).

Add a few crushed candy canes (I used a mortar and pestle, but a rolling pin and ziplock bag works nicely, too) and a half cup (or so...) of mini marshmallows.

Stir continually until the mix has set enough to scoop with a melon baller, shake some red sprinkles and enjoy!

Using the same theme, you can melt milk chocolate and add any of the following:

-Andes mints, sprinkle on imperials and dried mint as a finishing touch.
-Cinnamon and cyan pepper for a bit of bite!
-Orange extract (find it near the vanilla, and many more flavors are available) and zest fresh orange rind over the tops.

I also tried making eggnog truffles, but the ‘nog made them a little too sticky, more like a taffy. I would suggest skipping the liquid (unless you don't mind the mess!) and simply adding all spice to your white chocolate/marshmallow mix if you care to try them (they were pretty freakin’ dee-lish!)

Thanks to everyone who participated in the very first Lady Fromage give away! I had fun, I hope you did too, and we’ll be sure to do this again soon (And no, I don’t mean that the way a guy does after a mediocre date!)

Back in the Saddle Again

After a rough few days, I’m back at work. I prefer to use my sick days when I’m feeling good; D@MN having to use them (plus vacay time! eff!) for when I feel like crap.

In my down time, I did manage to Christmas-fy the Fromage Palace. Or, at least I’m off to a good start! (ETA for the tree is Sunday!)

The stockings are hung on the balcony with care. Except there is some sharing going on. The cats are sharing a big red paw, and all 5 rattinos will find a can of oysters in their community stocking (Otherwise, we’d need a much, much longer balcony!)

The cows are ready for Christmas (Oh, by the way, the dogs ATE ALL OF MY COW COOKIES. And broke my cake display. Notice Erika has a “naughty” stocking with a piece of coal attached.)

My grandfather’s antique box is filled with “snow” covered, cinnamon scented pine cones and LT Fromage’s beer steins are even in the spirt, donning a big red Santa hat.

The doorway is draped with snowflakes and lights,

And once you reach the kitchen, red and white flowers from LT Fromage, next to my Christmas candle sticks set the table for all the yummy snacks like....

White and milk chocolate dipped candy canes and pretzels

Sugar cookies loaded with pistachios, milk chocolate and dried cranberries

Spicy chocolate; white chocolate peppermint; mint chocolate and eggnog candies and truffles piled high on the tabled (and safely removed when we’re away and the dogs are inside!).

Recipes for these goodies to follow. Also, be on the lookout for the very first Lady Fromage give away!

Remember to follow me on Twitter for up to the minute, life shattering updates like “if I hear one more Taylor Swift song I'm going to shoot myself. Just putting that out there." Or the new Question of the day; today’s being: What part of the gingerbread man do you eat first? (Gini, get your mind out of the gutter! *wink wink*)

Livin’ the Dream

Some years ago, I purchased a cow shaped cookie cutter. If you don’t know it by now, I love cows. However, I don’t love cookies as much as I do cows, at least not sugar cookies (the only ones that really hold their shape. I tried making cow chocolate chip cookies…. Fail.) But last night, my dream became reality, we finally made cow cookies (and I didn’t burn the house down in the process!)!

I rolled out the dough, cut lots of little bovines and baked away until their little toes turned golden brown. Once they cooled, we iced. I even bought black decorating icing and those fancy little tips (which didn’t fit, by the way; we ended up squirting icing into sandwich bags and cutting the corner off. Resourcefulness: just one of my many gifts.) I even went so far as to buy little pearl sprinkles for eyes. Hardcore? Maybe; but I’ve been waiting for this day for quite some time.

LT Fromage decorated his cows with red and green spots, since he was in a festive mood (er, I was hogging the black icing).

Santa’s not the only one who likes cookies and milk, so when LT Fromage finished his snack we poured some leftover milk into a cat-sized mug for Toby, who sat on the cow rug and helped finish off dad’s drink. Before we finished up, we carefully made 5 dime-sized cookies for the rats (The Ladies). The dogs didn’t get to partake in the festivities. Sorry, guys.

Giant snowflakes and tiny twinkle lights are hanging and the garland, nativity and stockings will soon emerge too. Best of all? LT Fromage suggested we go pick out our tree… THIS WEEKEND. Shocked? You should be! This comes from the man who grew up in a family who was getting their pine on Christmas-freakin’-eve! I, the polar opposite, erected my fake greenery as early as November 1st when I was a single lady. I thought this gesture was a peace offering since I slept on the couch the night before, but in fact, it’s due to his work schedule; this being the only weekend we can go unless we want to pick up a scraggly tree a few days before the holiday. Whatever the reason, we get the tree this weekend, and I can’t wait!

And finally,

I started Twittering. Yeah, they got me. Be sure to follow me (on the side bar to your right) so you can get updates on my super exciting life every time anything semi-awesome happens. C’mon, you know you want to!

Host First Thanksgiving as LT and Lady Fromage: Check!

(Unattempted as of yet, but they look quite yummy! Check them out here!)

Phew! It’s over.

We actually had a great time, and I have to mention (rub in) again how lucky LT Fromage and I are to have in laws we love, who love each other! The food was great, the company even better, and by a miracle of God (or it might have been my momma) the house was sparkling clean when everyone left!

However, the stress of so much company, more cooking than we normally do in a month, constant entertaining and 3 dead car batteries (each family experienced it at different times, his, mine and ours) spread over the week has us a little on edge now. When I say a little on edge, I mean I slept on the couch last night. (Lesson learned: When LT Fromage is burnt out, he wants to be left alone, which conflicts with my need to draw close again. Ah, the discoveries of a young marriage. See, L, we aren’t perfect all the time!)

With thanksgiving out of the way, it’s time to start prepping for the most spectacular time of the year…. Christmas!

Stay tuned for cookie recipes (It’s true, I’m going to try my hand at baking once more!), darling home décor ideas and wish lists (listen up, Santa! Or blog readers in a giving mood!) In the mean time, be sure to check out Shutterfly, where you can score 50 free personalized Holiday greeting cards, with your photo! They also offer mugs, calendars and more. LT Fromage and I are totally doing it this year. Especially since we get them for free. Free is good. It means saving more money for the mega-electric bill we’ll get in January thanks to all the lights I’ll be attaching to the house.

D@MN it Feels Good to be a Gangsta

One night in December, after an evening of pizza, Wii and lots of drinking with our couple friends S & J (My best Non Sucky Army Wife friend), we met “Gangsta Gangst”, J’s alter ego.
We had a lot of laughs at his “gangsta name”, because J is not, in fact, a “gansta”, not even close. He wears sweaters and watches Food Network. LT Fromage also wears sweaters and we're also Food Network junkies, so the 4 of us can discuss the Iron Chefs for hours. It’s no surprise that we’ve become such good friends. Try as we might, none of us are quite gangtas, though.

I began to feel jealous, if fellow sweater-wearing, Food Networking-watching, early-bedtimer , J could have a Gangsta name, why couldn’t I? LT Fromage said he would work on it.
A few days later, driving home from a Monday night date (We try to get some good Margaritas….er, I mean Mexican food, on Mondays), it came to him. “I’ve got it!” he said, “Lady Fromage.” Of course!

I love, LOVE, loooovvvveeeee cheese. LT Fromage claims that if I was an animal, I would be a mouse. (Although a good friend once suggested badger… Aw, that’s mean. Oh, and then those boys MOO’d at me, so maybe a cow, also... But I digress).

When LT Fromage is away, most of my suppers consist of an array of cheeses (I always keep a minimum 6 selections stocked in the fridge at all times), jellies and jams, crackers and breads. Pair that with a bottle, er, glass of wine and I’m in heaven. Our older cat, Garrett also loves cheese, so when LT Fromage is not home, Gare and I can be found indulging on delectable dairy products together while we watch trashy MTV reality shows. (LT Fromage does not delight in cheese to the extent that I do; he prefers meals that are slightly more… diverse and substantial. He also doesn’t enjoy trashy MTV specials. His loss)

On a recent drive home from St. Louis LT Fromage took me to The Cheese Store. This is exactly what it sounds like. That is, Heaven.

I limited myself to 5 cheeses; however I sampled each and every one in the store (some more than once) My final purchases:

*Havarti with Dill (LT Fromage's favorite)
*White Cheddar with Onion and Garlic
*Cajun Cheddar Curds
*Smoked Mozzarella Curds
*White and Orange Cheddar Curds

Other favorites:

*Goat cheese. Plain ol’ is my favorite, but it’s also delicious with herbs and other add-ins.
*Gorgonzola. I make a fab-u-lous sauce to go over steak (or Portabella mushrooms, for me), and I always buy an extra tub so I can snack on the tasty chunks while I cook.
*White Queso. Pretty dee-lish, when you get it at an authentic Mexican restaurant!
*Brie. I even named a pet rat this, once. If ever you have an opportunity to eat baked brie, try it! I promise you’ll eat every last bite!
*Swiss. One word, Fondue.
*Smoked Gouda. O.M.G…. Oh, yes, yes yes!
I’m also a sucker for- this is embarrassing – Velveeta. Sorry, I can’t help it. Heat it up with a can of Rotell, you’ll love it too.

And there you have it. The backstory of my cheesy name. Now you know, and knowing is all the power (*wink *wink, LT Fromage!).

Duct Tape, Pork Chops and other Nifty Things

So I realize that the last few posts have been about childhood toys, cartoon characters and reality televesion. Next thing you know, I’ll be blogging about Justin Beiber. Just kidding. I won’t go that far.

But I do owe you a grown up post, filled with useful information and nifty things you can take away with you (because I’m not all-that enough to do give aways just yet).

Here you go, some free advice. Things I’ve learned and will now pass on to you, loyal readers. Now don’t say I never gave you anything!

Duct tape works well to patch pants from the inside when they begin thinning from your fat thighs rubbing together. Be aware, though, that it will soon begin sticking to said fat thighs, which is quite uncomfortable, and will need to be gently tugged away from the skin, which can be awkward in social settings. Another layer of duct tape fixes this problem, but not for long. Lesson learned: This is not a permanent solution. Buy some new jeans, thunder thighs.

I can substitute vinegar for the cleaner in my Hoover Floor Mate. It’s way cheaper and works just as well, if not better. Plus it’s green, which I feel good saying. Since I don’t actually do many “green things” It is my favorite color though, so that should count for something.

A mixture of half Red Wine Vinegar and half White Wine Vinegar can be used in place of Apple Cider Vinegar when cooking. I don’t know how it would do in the Hoover though.

Pork Chops are a very good substitute for steak, and much less expensive; even than a less than stellar cut of beef. This sounds good to me, because A) I like to save money, and B) I don’t care as much for pigs as I do cows, and will likely feel less terrible about serving them on a plate. I made some piggies for LT Fromage last week and he loved them. (Mouth watering yet? Here you go!)

Apple Ginger Pork Chops
Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri (Who totally rocks)

Ingredients
4 pork chops, double cut, center cut, bone in
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup sliced (1/4-inch) yellow onions
2 cups cored and sliced (1/4-inch) Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons butter

Directions
In a resealable plastic bag, add the chops, apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large saute pan heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil to almost smoking, then add pork chops, shaking off excess marinade. Brown on both sides, then place on a sheet pan and put in the oven for 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 135 degrees F.

In the same saute pan deglaze with wine then add onions, apples and raisins and cook until apples are soft and onions are translucent. Add butter salt and pepper, to taste, and keep warm.
Remove chops from oven and add to the apple mixture. Serve hot.

Notes From Lady Fromage:

I didn’t buy bone in chops; I couldn’t find them so I got a thick cut instead.

I subbed my above mixture for the Apple Cider Vinegar because I didn’t have any.

Also, who has fresh ginger around? I used powdered instead, but not as much obviously. Those would have been some gingery pieces of pork!

I didn’t have raisins so I used dried dates (Why we have those and not raisins I don’t know…).

I used Lime Juice because we didn’t have any lemons. A citrus is a citrus.

I clearly need to restock my kitchen. Now we don't even have anymore dried dates.

Lastly, I marinated for more like 12 hours, because how can 30 minutes do anything?

100 Things

I’m speechless (Not really. I’m never speechless), this is my 100th post. In honor of this mile stone, here are 100 things. Not really related things, funny or impressive things, but 100 things none the less.

My list of 100 things.

1. My highest score in solitaire is 735. Which is the highest possible score. NBD
2. I can reach 97 WPM with 97% accuracy
3. I can hold my breath for 1:14
4. Jolly Ranchers always give me hiccups
5. I love grilled cheese sandwiches with sliced jalapeños
6. Or onion and tomato
7. Or dipped in ranch dressing
8. Pretty much anything can be dipped in ranch dressing for that matter
9. I was home schooled until my senior year of high school
10. When I was a little girl, I had an imaginary friend, a horse named Acorn
11. I broke my left ring finger in high school and set it myself, it still bothers me when it’s cold out
12. I love Splenda
13. I add red pepper to hot chocolate, it’s so yummy
14. I’m terrified of earth worms
15. When I was little, I killed a butterfly in a jar using a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol, even though my mom pleaded with me not to
16. I’ve had a stereo stolen from my car and my house broken into twice
17. I worked in an animal shelter where I had to euthanize peoples unwanted pets, I quit working there when I realized I had stopped feeling sad about them dying
18. Ringo is my favorite Beatle
19. I carry 3 types of anxiety medications at all times
20. I starred in the spring musical my senior year in high school (Once Upon A Mattress)
21. I was awarded “Most Improved Dancer” by the cast
22. My favorite color is green
23. I have prosopagnosa (face blindness)
24. I burp when I yawn
25. I read really, really fast
26. I’m not sure if I believe in ghosts, but I am sure that if they’re real, there are some in my house
27. My favorite number is 27
28. I always tip at least 20%
29. I have giant feet, some of my shoes are size 10 ½ wide
30. I had to buy men’s hiking boots because they don’t make women’s that fit me
31. I can’t hike anymore because of patella femoral syndrome in my right knee
32. I love cemeteries, I find them peaceful not creepy
33. However, I do have an abnormal fascination with death
34. I love the old Window’s Entertainment Pack with Chip’s Challenge, Rodent’s Revenge and Tetris
35. I hate the number 35
36. I bruise very easily. I’m afraid most people think LT Fromage must beat me at home
37. When I was little, I had a crush on the Nickelodeon cartoon character Doug
38. My favorite Starbucks drink is the pumpkin spice frappuccino, but when it’s out of season I order a caramel frappuccino with a half cream base
39. I have a paw print tattoo behind my right ear, in memory of all of my pets I’ve lost and the ones I’ve had to put down because there was no room left for another unwanted animal
40. I can fall asleep anywhere, any time. My parents used to think I had narcolepsy
41. I’m the oldest of 4 children, 2 of whom my parents adopted. I love my family so much
42. LT Fromage and I laugh all the time. I’ve never seen a couple who laughs so much and can be so silly, except maybe on TV
43. Last New Year’s Eve I caught our kitchen on fire making breakfast. The fire department had to come put it out
44. We now own a fire extinguisher
45. I love tanks and have a small collection of 1/144 scale miniatures
46. My favorite tank is the Stingray, but it was never mass produced
47. I’ve only been on public transportation once in my life and I was terrified
48. The Office is my favorite TV show
49. I’m also recently lovin’ Arrested Development
50. LT Fromage and I went to Sicily, Italy for our honeymoon, which was amazing except…
51. Our luggage was lost in Rome, so we didn’t have our things for the first day
52. Also, the water was out 50% of the time, so we only showered every other day
53. And we ended up sleeping on separate couches because the bed was so uncomfortable
54. I’m terrified of stopped school busses
55. I dated a guy who went to Annapolis, later married a man who graduated from West Point but was never involved with anyone from the Air Force Academy, despite living only an hour away, while the other schools are on the east coast
56. If while walking, an object is between me and my companion, I have to repeat the phrase “bread and butter” until we are no longer separated
57. I get nosebleeds when I’m nervous
58. I got two nosebleeds on our wedding day (one about 5 minutes before walking down the aisle. In my white dress. The second at the reception immediately before pictures)
59. I had nosebleeds all the time when we started getting frisky, which is a pretty good mood killer
60. I love diet Pepsi, but usually buy Sam’s Club brand diet soda. I won’t touch diet Coke with a 10 foot pole
61. Generations ago, my family owned the Coca Cola company
62. I once stole an Obama sign from a deli window and am guilty of removing an Obama bumper sticker in a parking lot on at least one occasion
63. I didn’t grow out of stuffed animals like my mom predicted I would. I still sleep with “Sir Loin”, a cow LT Fromage gave me for our first Christmas (He had no idea when he bought that cow that he’d be sleeping with it 3 years later)
64. I once ripped the seat of my pants dancing with my friend at a gay club
65. I also ripped the seat of my pants at a county fair while showing my dog
66. My current favorite pair of jeans are wearing thin in the bottom, so to prevent another rip I’ve duct taped them on the inside
67. I live by the phrase “If you can’t duck it, chuck it” (except sometimes I use another work that rhymes with duck)
68. The song “The Reason” by Hoopastank makes my ears hurt, much the same as nails on a chalk board does. Only worse
69. So does the sound of the new Sun Chips bag
70. I don’t believe in the territories
71. I also don’t believe in umami
72. I once cut off my own skin tag with nail clippers
73. I can’t swim
74. I had no idea it would be so hard to think of 100 things. Eff, what was I thinking?
75. My favorite color is green
76. I was raised Protestant, but converted a few years ago to Roman Catholic
77. I got to stay in a Monastery when I was in New York for LT Fromage’s graduation
78. At the present time LT Fromage and I own 2 dogs, 2 cats, 4 rats and a frog
79. Our older cat can sit, speak and roll over, the younger can speak and sit up to beg
80. I own and can shoot, disassemble, clean and reassemble my own gun (Ruger SR9c)
81. T-Rex is my favorite dinosaur
82. If it was socially acceptable, I would totally hole up in the house and never come out. Except to pick up an order of green curry (to go, of course) once in a while
83. I have to sleep with one leg out of the covers
84. I love stadium nachos and M&Ms. Yes, together
85. Blue M&Ms are my favorite, even though I think the Red M&M on the commercials is the best
86. My current favorite commercial is the Geico “Bird in the Hand” one
87. Or maybe the Skittles Tube Sock
88. Or the shake weight, because that is too crazy funny, and not on purpose
89. My birthday sometimes falls on national donut day, which is great, because I love donuts
90. I also love cheese, anything to do with cheese, and also green curry
91. I’ve read my favorite book, Life of Pi at least a dozen times
92. I basically live in my “Nothing Tips Like A Cow” hooded sweater
93. I’ve got a space heater with a remote, it’s set up so that I can turn it on to heat the bathroom before I even get out of bed in the morning
94. I’m a die-hard Colorado Rockies fan
95. I love cooking
96. But I can’t bake and always end up frustrated when I try
97. I live for Christmas and, before I was married, would bring out my (artificial) tree on November 1st
98. Now we wait until the first day of Advent and buy a real tree
99. I love antique stores
100. I hate funnel cake

Grilling Pizza and Buying Guns

Goals for this week:

Grill a pizza. I stumbled across this technique and can’t wait to try it! I think I’ll top it with alfredo sauce, sautéed spinach and garlic and chicken (Only on LT Fromage’s side!)

Make coca cola ribs in the crock pot. Friday is supposed to be rainy and cool, what a great day to come home to a warm supper that will leave left over’s for the weekend!

Order as many deployment prep books as I can find. Check! Done!

Buy a gun. Headed to the shop/range after work this afternoon to go over my short list one last time before I take one home.

Do the Fort Riley Ghost Tour. Boo!

Watch The Memory Keeper’s Daughter. I got it on Netflix weeks ago and haven’t started it yet, but I loved the book and hope I enjoy the movie, too.

Make some more of the yummy peaches we had for breakfast a few weeks ago (Really easy, half the peaches, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with sugar. Cover in an easy crumb topping made of butter, brown sugar and flour and bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes)

Spend some time with my neighbor, and good friend, S, who’s hubby just deployed.

Make an effort to really enjoy every moment this week. The weather is perfect (it’s still fall here, winter is creeping up, though!) and LT Fromage is home. What’s not to enjoy?

Anyone have any goals for this week?

Beer Cheese Soup

As requested....

Beer Cheese Soup
(Makes about 4 servings)

Ingredients:

½ white onion, diced
½ stick butter
2 cloves minced garlic
1 can vegetable (or chicken) broth
1 can cream of celery
1 bottle of beer (ale or stout - I used 90 Shilling)
½ large package of Velveeta (about 10 oz)
16 oz of shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon paprika
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Sautee the diced onions in butter, add the garlic, broth, cream of celery and beer. Cut the Velveeta into chunks and add along with cheddar cheese. Stir until melted then add Worcestershire, liquid smoke, paprika and pepper (all spices are as needed – taste along the way).

Enjoy!!

Toby the Meerkat

What a beautiful fall day it is here! I hope everyone is enjoying this same weather, wherever you may be.

I had a crisp apple for lunch today in the park, a squirrel and a yellow butterfly for company. A wasp came by, but luckily he didn’t stay long. It’s so nice to enjoy some time outside with a good book (see the side bar for what I’m reading now), even if it is just an hour.

LT Fromage is away (again, as we’ve come to be used to, thankfully it’s only 3 days this time) so tonight will be nothing more than frozen pizza while I watch a few hours of Teen Mom, but I’m looking forward to cooking later this week. I’ve enjoyed our recent trips, but have been looking forward to eating at home again. Last night I was dreaming of the big, fluffy pieces of stuffed French toast I’ll make on Saturday (If you’ve never had stuffed French toast, it’s a must try!). I can’t wait for this weekend, to make beer cheese or maybe broccoli cheese soup and sourdough bread (with the help of my handy bread maker, since baking is not my strong point!), beef stew and bourbon peach cobbler. Soon, I’ll be able to pick up fresh apple and cherry ciders on my way home from work, I can’t wait!

Besides the fall weather and yummy warm foods, a few other things that I’ve been enjoying…

Arrested Development. Have I mentioned before that Netflix + a bluray player = awesome? It does. We just started season 2 and I think it’s tied with the Office for best show ever (Oh yeah, and Teen Mom).

Sweet potato fries dipped in mayonnaise and BLTs with baby spinach (with “fakin’ bacon” on mine, of course!). I don’t know how we both forgot about BLTs, but neither of us had thought of them in years until recently, now, we eat them on Sunday afternoons, yum.

Green curry. Yup, I’m still pretty much obsessed. We tried a place in Kansas City that got great reviews, but I still say nobody beats our little place here in The Little Apple. I think before LT Fromage accepts orders to another post, we’ll have to scout out the Thai restaurants before making any decisions… At least I finally know how to make it at home.

Our cats, Garrett and Toby. Gary already knows sit, speak and roll over so we’re working on beg. Toby can stand up like a little meerkat and it’s one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen, his balance is unbelievable. Next we’ll take on speak.

(They could be brothers! Tobes even has the same stripes)

“Smoke A Little Smoke” by Eric Church, “Walking Away” with Zak Brown Band featuring Allen Jackson and Deirks Bentley’s entire new album “Up on the Ridge”; also, “If I Die Young” by Band Perry and “Just By Being You” from Steel Magnolia.

Klondike Bars. Like BLTs, another long forgotten treat. The perfect dessert.

Lamebook.com, regretsy.com, awkwardfamilyphotos.com and awkwardfamilypetphotos.com.

Enjoy the fall weather, before winter sneaks up on us! And make some stuffed French toast this weekend, you won’t be sorry!

Lady Fromage Does Not Bake

During the first 6 months or so of married life, I’m not sure that I once served LT Fromage the same menu twice. I know that for some it’s a chore, but I love to cook.

When I resumed working full time, we talked about how we would restructure our lives to adjust to the decreased time for housework; frozen food was a suggestion that was submitted and quickly shot down. Exotic and new cuisine is now reserved for the weekends when I have more time, but during the week I love to come home, put on my cow print apron and begin gourmet burgers or a new recipe for breaded meatballs to go over homemade pasta (made on the weekend and then frozen for later) with a fresh capresea salad. Pizza with barbeque sauce, sautéed red onion and grilled chicken (We also love this one from Busy Bee Lauren) shows up every few weeks and green curry makes a weekly appearance, since I learned the secret.

Our weekends are filled with Thai, Indian, Italian, Southern or whatever other flavors I’m craving. Saturday morning breakfast is always so big we never even plan for lunch; instead we eat until the “food coma” hits, and then nap it away on the couch.

LT Fromage and I are always on the hunt for new places to eat, new things to try and new shows to tune into on Food Network. Currently, we’re watching a lot of Iron Chef America and Chopped, with some Best Thing I Ever Ate and Dinners, Drive Ins and Dives thrown in. I couldn’t believe it when LT Fromage announced the other night that he didn’t like watching baking shows because “That doesn’t take any skill”

HA!

I can make Paneer, (even my own cheese). I make fresh pasta. Thai curry? No problem. But baking? Way out of my league.

There were the rolls that wouldn’t rise; my mom walked me through her infamous recipe step by step, but instead of soft, fluffy dinner rolls, we had gooey lumps with supper. Next I made the rolls that rose too much; I thought we were in some kind of dinner-bread horror film when I saw them, they were at least the size of soft balls! A few weeks ago I bought an “easy” box of Red Velvet cake hoping it would be as simple as described, but it began crumbling as soon as I finished icing it. It looked so pathetic with huge chunks of cake and gooey icing sliding down onto the plate! I was supposed to take it as desert to a lunch, but opted to pick up a frozen Key Lime pie instead. Things were going surprisingly well when I started making these brownies last week, that is, until I broke a wooden spoon in the batter and ended up with so many little pieces we had to throw them out (We did try a bite, and they were AMAZING!... minus the spoon. Whatevs). I won’t even mention the time I caught our kitchen on fire.

I tip my hat to you, bakers. I envy you and your ability to make dough rise and present a beautiful finshed product (and keep splinters out of your friends’ and families’ mouths.) I’m going to keep practicing; I’ll be making these this weekend!

I'm Still Here

I wish I had something entertaining to share as an explanation for my absence, but frankly I don’t. I’m just too busy, or too lazy, or not committed enough to this blog. At least I’m honest :-)

It’s just the normal chaos around the Fromage house: work, school, LT Fromage’s work, sick pets* and trying to keep up with housework, bills and our (slowly diminishing) social lives.

*One of our cats, Toby, has suddenly started peeing everywhere, because God knows I needed another fun situation since we finally got rid of the fleas. Until we get this straightened out (which may be a while because it involves finding a new vet since our old is an @$$ hole) Tobes is staying in the dogs’ kennel when we can’t watch him. There’s nothing like starting your morning before 5AM scrubbing the kennel and vacuuming litter! Hooray!

Amidst the daily struggle to stay above water, here are the highlights:

The crusade is over, I finally figured out the secret to a delicious green curry! No joking around here, it tastes exactly like the dish I so love to order at our local Thai restaurant! Want the secret?

THIS CAN! Yup. All that work, hours spent chopping, dicing, and bent over the mortar and pestle (aka “the squisher”) and all I had to do was open a freakin’ can. At first I was outraged that it should be so… simple? Unauthentic? But guess what? It takes me 25 minutes to make this at home now, which means I can have it EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK (If you think I’m exaggerating… I’m not.). Plus, it’s really cheap – 99 cents for a can of paste, which is good for about 3 servings, and total up the other ingredients (Coconut milk, veggies and tofu), you’re looking at about $3 a serving, which is much easier on the bank account than the $13 I was shelling out before. The other great thing? Now that I’ve mastered the green curry, I can branch out and experiment with some other recipes from my curry book!

The primary culprit in my lack of spare time is school, but all my time is paying off; I’m cruisin’ right through my Medical Transcription training. I’m about 40% complete, maintaining an A, which is great because our entire life seems up in the air right now with news that LT Fromage may in fact be deploying.

Things we are unsure about since yesterday: Our plans for the holidays, our upcoming Vegas trip, where LT Fromage and myself will be working in 2011, and where we will be living in 2011.

The New Year will be bringing our family a lot of changes; we just don’t know what they are yet!

Today’s Post Brought to you by the Letter S

School Busses

School is back in session! This means I’m back to avoiding school busses. I wish I could express just how stressed those yellow busses make me when they stop. In high school, one of my friends got a ticket for not stopping for the bus. She was in the far oncoming lane and didn’t know she was required to stop way over there, the cop watching the situation was familiar with the law though and she almost lost her license. Since then I’ve had a terrible anxiety surrounding school busses. It’s silly, really, since I know what to do when I see a stopped school bus, but still, I avoid them at all costs.

Squisher

LT Fromage bought me a “Curries of the World” cookbook a few weeks ago, and to go with it, a beautiful mortar and pestle. Sometimes, when I’m reeaallly excited I lose the ability to recall the appropriate words for things, and this gift made me very, very excited! “Mortar and pestle” just wouldn’t come out, but “Squisher” did. I’ve been using my Squisher every few days, experimenting with different recipes for green curry. It’s not quite where I want it just yet, but I’m getting closer with every batch! Yum!

Steak

While I could drown myself in green curry, LT Fromage prefers a little variety in his diet, Top Sirloin has been on sale and he swares that mine is the best steak he’s ever had! When I’m not making curry, I’m cooking LT’s favorite meal:

Steak

LT Fromage prefers Top Sirloin, but I’m sure a similar cut can be substituted.

Pat the steak dry with a paper towel and bring to almost room temperature. While your steak is sitting out, preheat your oven to 325 degrees F and place an oven-safe skillet on a burner over medium-high heat (Cast iron is great, I use my grilling pan)

Take your dry, room temperature steak and rub with olive oil, liberally apply salt and pepper to both sides. Add a small amount of olive oil to your hot skillet and in goes the steak! Sear on both sides, the time it takes will depend on the steak you chose and how hot your skillet got, just remember, you only need to sear it, not cook it!

Once seared, place a few pats of butter on your steak and place the skillet in your preheated oven. Again, cooking times will vary depending on your chosen cut and preferred finished temperature.

This next step is oh so important!

A few minutes prior to being “done” take your steak out of the oven and cover it for about 5 minutes, this step is key to a juicy steak. Don’t worry, your steak will finish cooking while it’s covered.

This steak is so tender and juicy that LT Fromage usually eats it as-is, but if he’s in the mood for a little something extra, I’ll whip up a Gorgonzola sauce.

Gorgonzola Sauce

Dice a shallots, or about 1/8 of a white onion, add to a sauce pan with a tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Once the shallots or onions become tender, add 1 cup of heavy cream, simmer until reduced by half then add ¼ lb of Gorgonzola cheese (yuuummmm), stir until melted and add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

This sauce is yummy over steak (or so I’m told), grilled portabella mushrooms (My steak alternative) and mashed potatoes. I may or may not eat this up with a spoon…. it’s that yummy!
Lastly, we eat a lot of asparagus in the Fromage household (Thus, we often have skinky pee…), my favorite way to prepare it is so easy!

Roasted Asparagus

Wash asparagus and remove lower portion (If you’ve never done this before, it’s really simple – bend them 1-2 inches from the bottom, the yucky part will snap right off). Add the asparagus, in a single layer, to a backing pan, drizzle with olive oil and add salt and freshly ground pepper. Pop in the oven at 425 degress F for about 15 minutes. I usually shake the pan up once or twice during roasting, to make sure everyone is getting coated and cooked equally :-)

Enjoy! If I ever get the green curry down, I’ll share the recipe for that, too!