Thursday, January 19, 2012

Remember me?

I know I have been an awful blogger, but there has been a lot going on. No- I am not going to list everything that I have done this off season to try to convince you that I am not a bum, but I will say I have been awake before noon THREE times this week already!! All kidding aside, I stayed away from blogging since we have been traveling and relaxing. I knew if I blogged about our trips I would want to post pictures and frankly I am tired of my pictures getting ripped off and re-posted on other sites. So, now you get a tame blog about my travels, cooking and wine adventures SANS personal pictures (I might sneak one or two in here and there)

So what have I been up to?

Cooking.. I have fallen back in love with the kitchen- I love to cook, but I get nervous that it wont turn out well and all my hard work will get tossed out- this has happened, and it ruined me! Also, I have strayed away from my culinary love since we travel so much, and I am usually just working with a spatula, a frying pan, a small pot and my blend-tec.  I have bought and re-bought so many kitchen items in all the homes that we have lived at... that I have finally given up! I buy simple items to cook or premade meals from whole foods since I am always cooking for one. (Brandon eats at the ballpark, I don't ignore him.. jerks)

So this brings me to my new obsession:

I got it for Christmas and I have been cooking every meal (that we are home) ever since!



Now, if you follow me on twitter (which you have to, otherwise how do you know about this blog) I have been posting pictures of my meals pretty frequently, BUT last nights meal was so tasty that I have to share the recipe:

Pasta with meat ragu

1 small onion cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 small carrot cut into 1-inch pices
1/2 small celery rib cut into 1-inch pices
3 ounces white mushrooms brushed clean trimmed and broken into pieces
1/2 slice of high quality white bread torn into pieces
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon of whole milk (must use whole)
Salt and pepper
8 ounces 93% lean ground turkey (do not use ground turkey breast or 99% lean, it will be dry and rubbery)
1 (28 ounce) can of whole tomatoes drained,  but saving 1/2 cup of juice
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves
3/4 cup of slightly sweeter white wine (not a dessert wine)
1 table spoon tomato paste
1 package of spaghtti

steps:
Pulse onion, carrot and celery in a food processor to a fine mince about 10 pulses
trasfer to a bowl
pulse mushrooms about 5 pulses and add to same bowl
pulse 1 table spoon of milk, bread 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper until a paste is formed- about 4 pulses
add turkey to processor and pulse with the "paste" about 5 pulses
remove and add to separate bowl
Pulse tomatoes and 1/2 juice until smooth. About 8 pulses and add to a separate bowl
Melt butter in a skillet and add pulsed veggies. Cook until soften and lightly browned. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds.
Stir in processed turkey meat and cook until it is no longer pink. About 4 mins (hint break apart using a wooden spoon). Stir in remaining cup of milk and simmer until milk evaporates and only s clear liquid remains. Stir in wine and let simmer for about 15 min. Stir in tomato paste for about 1 minute. Add processed tomato mixture and simmer until slightly thickened about ten minutes. Salt and pepper to taste
Make paste per directions and on the box and then add sauce to the pasta.. and just like that yummy pasta

I wrote this whole thing out, so ya'll better make this pasta!!

Now I promise that I will blog more, and since the season is starting back up it will be a lot easier for me to do it. So get ready people.. I am back (kinda)








NOW I am off to consume wine.. I need a drink, my father in law is here for 5 days (Hi Pat)