Saturday, August 6, 2011

Good Food

   Last night I hosted another Girls' Game Night, which would explain my absence from the blogging universe yesterday.  It was a well-needed get-together with a group of hilarious ladies that I truly enjoy spending time with.  These gatherings remind me that I'm not alone in this crazy military lifestyle.  And I must say, there's nothing like a night full of turkey basters and corn dogs sitting in Santa's soggy lap to make you feel like you're not alone ;-)

   On that note, perhaps I should move on to what I know you all came here for:  recipes!  Yes, I've guessed your true motives at last! Muahahahaha!!!!

  Sorry, sometimes I can't control the voices.

  As I said, recipes!  I have two for y'all tonight. 

  The first is Buffalo Chicken Wraps. 

  I found these babies on that same blog I seem to be obsessed with lately, Taste and Tell.  They were super yummy, and very easy to make.  Although, next time I'll have to double everything because I was only able to make 8 of these wraps, even though I swear I followed her recipe to a T.

   Well here it is (unaltered):

egg roll wrappers

1/2 – 2/3 cup hot sauce

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

1 cup cole slaw (dry)

1 cup cooked, shredded chicken

Preheat the oven to 400F.
In a bowl, mix together the chicken and the hot sauce.
Lay one egg roll wrapper on your work surface. Place 1 tablespoon of the slaw on a diagonal at the bottom right of the egg roll wrapper. Place 2 tablespoons of the chicken on, followed by 1 tablespoon of blue cheese.

To fold: Fold the bottom corner over the filling. Fold in the bottom left, followed by the right, so it now looks like an envelope. Roll the wrap, but leave the top corner open. Dip your fingers in a small bowl of water and wet the edges of the open corner. Fold the corner over the eggroll. The water will help to seal the eggroll wrapper to itself.
Repeat with the remaining rolls. Place the rolls on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Spray the rolls with non-stick cooking spray. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
These were so very good and filling too.  We had them with a side of cole slaw and ranch for dipping.  Monkey approved.


   As good as these were, they weren't hitting the spot.  You see, I've been having a craving for La Madeline's tomato basil soup.  I remember many days just hanging out with my high school bffs, eating a half chicken salad sandwich with a cup of their soup.  Those were good times.  Since I have yet to find a La Madeline's around this area, I decided to skim foodgawker to see if I could find a recipe.  To this day I haven't been let down by that sight, so here it is, the recipe that is so simple and yummy it's going to replace noodles as my go-to comfort food.  (It's probably better for me too.)
Mine's a bit different from the original because I was improvising with what I had.
1 can (400 g) diced tomatoes
1 can water (use empty tomato can)
1 large onion, chopped
3 TBS minced garlic
2 tsp dark brown sugar
2 TBS heavy cream
A few splashes of Worcestershire sauce
salt
pepper
basil leaves (I didn't have fresh ones, so I used dried)
Saute onions until soft and translucent. 

Add garlic and fry until fragrant. Pour in canned tomaotes, water, sugar and bring to boil. 

Leave this to simmer for about 10 mins. Then blend...

 until smooth 

Stir in Worcestershire sauce and cream. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.


Lastly, stir in basil leaves.


 

Enjoy!
  
   Have you ever seen Ratatouille?   If not I'm about to ruin the ending for you.  There's a part at the end where this big-time critic is about to taste the chef's food, and it's the moment of truth.  He takes that first bite, and everything around him disappears.  He's rushed back to childhood, and the smell from his mother's version of the same recipe come rushing towards him.  That's how this was.  I took a bite of that soup, and I was 17 again, hanging out with my best friends, laughing and cutting up.  I remembered taking my boyfriend (now husband) there before combing the bookstore conveniently placed next door.  La Madeline's soon became "our place".  We'd go there every chance we got.  I can't wait until he comes home again so I can make this for him. 
   Perhaps that's why I love food so much.  Just like a song can take you back 10 years to a simpler time, so can the taste of really good food.  "Good food brings people together from all walks of life, and it puts little smiles on their faces and warms them up inside."


Why, yes, I did just quote a Disney movie.  

And it was epic :-P

1 comment:

  1. Okay, little miss "hearing voices." You've been talking to my husband waaaaaay too much if you're hearing voices, too. O_o It's okay, though, now we can start that club we always talked about. Only now it can be the "we hear voices in our head and they sometimes argue with us" club. :-p

    Love the picture of Monkey with the ranch all over her lips. For a minute I thought it was a pacifier and I thought I was going to have to fuss at you. You're cooler than that, though! :-D

    Next time you come to the area, you absolutely have to let me know ahead of time so we can hang out! No excuses! I miss you and your little Monkey. :-) So does, Jaime, by the way.

    Also, one of these days, I'll try one of these recipes that I skim through. I just can't handle the thought of that poor little chicken staring at me while I cook his cousin! o_O

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