MAY CAUSE HUNGER

OMELETTE

I had an adventure the other day. I was thinking about what to eat for dinner and decided that I would cook up an egg for my leftover chinese takeout rice. I stopped at the nearby Mediterranean “market” for eggs, and grabbed some peppers as well. The checkout guy, who I guess is the owner, was skeptical about my dinner plans and suggested I grab a few tomatoes, too. I figured why not and grabbed a few. He rang them up and suddenly asked me if I eat meat. I said yes and he stated that he wanted to experiment on me. Nervously I stood by as he sliced me some familiar looking meat. Mortadella. Then he got me a chunk of feta-like cheese and some lovely olives, and packed them up in a little single serve box.

Then he explained to me how to make an omelette, when to put the mortadella on, and the cheese, and the olives, etc. This is a guy who always asks me if I know what I am buying as if I might be making a horrible misinformed mistake, so it was kinda par for the course.

But when I got home, I couldn’t make anything but the omelette, since he had given me so many things to put into it. So I made it and it was delicious but WAY TOO HUGE (I am horrible at omelettes)

Also, one of my jumbo crazy eggs had two yolks, which has never happened to me! Pretty exciting.

Omelette: eggs, cilantro, garlic, peppers, tomatoes. Near end, add (I think) kalamata olives and some kind of crumbly fetalike cheese, lay slices of mortadella on top and put a lid on it for a minute so it steams in its own juices. Fold and serve. No additional salt.

EMPANADAS (Argentinas, Dulces Cordobesas)

Using my mom’s recipe, which took her YEARS to perfect (although I felt the need to mess with it just a little and add a little green pepper) Dough from scratch, ground-at-home beef, olives, raisins, hard-boiled eggs, onions, green onions.

This is the first time I’ve made empanadas from scratch all by myself (as in not having Will do the filling or using imported dough discs) and they turned out pretty great! I ended up with… lots. Like maybe two dozen? I didn’t count, I should have. We had a friend over with his “roommate” and devoured most of them in one sitting.

It’s a custom in our family (and I think a lot of Argentina?) to eat them with sugar on top. I don’t always succumb, but there is just no other way for me to really enjoy empanadas <3

CHICKEN POT PIES

Based off the recipe found here, but altered.

Didn’t pay attention to the amounts, Made my own crust, put both a bottom and top layer, replaced chicken stock and half and half with cream of chicken and chicken stock, and ADDED PEAS. What kind of pot pie recipe DOESN’T HAVE PEAS?

We ate the big one animal style, just us, forks, and the pie. It was goodddd. I am so happy! I had Will chop the veggies, but then I dropped ALL THE SOUS-VIDE CHICKEN and broke a bowl, so he made emergency chicken and it was good. There are several small pies for leftovers, mmmm.

Pretty proud of this one :D it came together fairly quickly and I didn’t ruin it! (except the floored chicken)

CHEATING PIES (and cheesecake)

I was tempted by the pre-made graham cracker mini pie crusts that were on sale, so I grabbed them and a can of raspberry pie filling, and gave in to the temptation of quick easy cheated pies.

About halfway through them I remembered that I know how to make cheesecake, so I threw some together and tossed it in the crusts too! (it needed more sugar, I was going off less than a whole package of cream cheese and just eyeballed it)

We enjoyed them though! And it WAS superly easy. Next time for sure I am layering cheesecake under the pie filling on all of them, because the one I did that way was awesome.

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

A meld of several online recipes and what I remember of my grandmother’s.

1 cup peanut butter, 2 cups powdered sugar (!!!) 1 tbsp butter.
Mix in mixer until it’s kindof a doughy ball. Go slow at first or else powdered sugar will get everywhere, and scrape down the sides and bottom a few times.
I made half with Rice Krispies and half with coconut from this point. Mix in a good amount of whichever you prefer. Roll into balls, put in freezer or fridge. Melt chocolate, roll them in chocolate, sprinkle with stuff. I had to roll them a half at a time because STICKY.
Melt peanut butter in microwave (30 second, then 15 second intervals) and use fork to drizzle.

TAH DAH!

They are a little more hideous than the cake truffles, but man are they good. Will calls them Stephie Peanut Butter Cups.

DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE TRUFFLES (2)

A few more photos of finished product. I sent a lot of them along with Will for his classmates today, hopefully they get good reviews and then I can give them the recipe!