Life In The Kitchen With Rachel

I think I'll stick with my cheese curds

2009-09-04T15:43:00.003-05:00

I love the state fair! I love going to look at the photos, see the baby animals and eat... Lots! Iowa has some pretty crazy fried things and things on a stick, but I think Texas beat us this year.

Check out this video on Fox News.

So, would you try it? What are your favorite fair foods?

Mine are cheese curds, thee chocolate chip cookies and lemonade.

A Sunday Meal

2009-08-29T16:52:00.006-05:00

I wish this post was about my awesome husband and brother-in-law helping my mommy make rolls. FYI this photo was taken over three years ago. This post is dedicated to a crock-pot and a lovely Sunday meal.

Oh the memories of Sunday afternoons growing up. The wonderful meal awaiting us when we got home from church- roast and mashed potatoes. Usually when I start to crave something, I just have to have it; which is the exact reason for this post.

I have decided to try and just use my point and shoot for this blog. When I try to take good food photos I get too wrapped up in photos rather than food. I am no pioneer woman.

My biggest tip, which I learned from the mother, is to brown your roasts. YOU MUST!

So, season your meat (I am using beef) with salt- pepper- garlic. I like to use Steak Seasoning- it's fast and easy.

Get a pan nice and hot with oil and brown the heck out of it. Brown every side until it has a nice color to it.

That's about right.

Add some beef broth to the pan and scrape up all of the wonderful flavor from the bottom.

Add your desired veggies to the crock pot and make the meat happy. Cook on low or high, whatever you have time for.

For me, roast must be served with mashed potatoes. Cut in fourths and add to a pot of water. Bring them to a boil and once they come to a boil turn to low and cook for 12 minutes. They will be perfect.

Make some corn, because corn completes this meal.

This is all you need, well plus the juice from the pot, to make stellar gravy. Now, I have come to the realization that my gravy will never surpass my mothers. I always either make it too thick or not thick enough.

In this case, it was too thick. I added a bit too much cornstarch and it was a little off tasting.

The meat needs a good five minute rest before it hits the plate.

I might have to make this again tomorrow. Make the potatoes lovely by mixing them with milk, a lot of butter, sour cream and garlic.

And you have a meal to make you so full. Seriously, after eating this I told Brian that I haven't felt that full in a long time. It was a good thing.

Just like I have my own cooking show.

I would be saying

"It hits the spot and it's like being home again."

Comment if you want more tips. Happy cooking!

Sweet Corn

2009-08-09T12:15:00.003-05:00

Iowa sweet corn is one of my weaknesses! I have loved it since a child & even recall loosing a tooth while eating a piece. Oh the memories!!

Although this child is probably not eating peaches and cream Iowa sweet corn, she is so happy!

I haven't taken a picture of myself eating corn and thought this girl was too gorgeous to not post about.

So, with that said, I am going to give you my one sweet corn tip.

Put a little bit of sugar in your boiling water before you add your corn.

I learned this from The New Best Recipe Cookbook, which has become my cooking bible.

If I know the corn is good, meaning I bought it directly from the farmer, I will add about a teaspoon to a tablespoon. If I bought it from the grocery store I will add a 1-2 tablespoons.

Give it a whirl. I have yet to have bad corn this year.

I believe sweet corn goes best with a BLT.

Save yourself some time, money and your house smelling like bacon for days and buy the pre-made stuff.

(One time we made bacon in our apartment and my husband had to take a shower in the middle of the night because he could still smell bacon on himself)

I know, I know you are buying bacon in a box, it bugged me at first too. But, it tastes fine and is so easy, we use Oscar Meyer.

Grab a gorgeous tomato from a farmer, your garden or the produce man at the store and enjoy!

Cheers to BLTs and SWEET Iowa sweet corn.

Eat Well & Live Well.

Thats all for this post for this Wanna-Be-Chef.

Loves!

Fried Ravioli

2009-08-04T19:24:00.002-05:00

Giada, from the food network, knows her Italian! I saw this the other day and could not wait to try it! I am so glad I saw that episode- we have a new favorite easy Italian dinner.

This recipe is courtesy of Food Network adapted by me.

Ingredients

Olive or vegetable oil, for frying
Buttermilk
Italian-style bread crumbs- I used Progresso
1 box store-bought cheese ravioli (about 24 ravioli) I used Buitoni
1 jar store bought marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce
Parmesan Cheese

Directions

Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F.

While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip ravioli in buttermilk to coat completely. Allow the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge ravioli in the bread crumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet, and continue with the remaining ravioli.

When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain.

Sprinkle the fried ravioli with Parmesan and serve with a bowl of warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

They were so good, easy and cheap!! Enjoy please!

Eat well and be happy!

Green Bean Casserole- No Cans Used!

2009-07-29T16:13:00.000-05:00

Welcome!

I am a sucker for homemade things so when I thought about green bean casserole at Thanksgiving I thought- I could totally make that from scratch!

I grabbed my cooking bible- The New Best Recipe- and was set.
I was in love! So different from what I was used to, but wonderful.
The sauce was so fresh and creamy and the beans had a great slight crisp to them.

Most of my meals are planned while I am walking around the grocery store. This time I waned to make steaks for the husband and needed something fun to go along. So, I made the casserole.

It takes maybe a half hour from start to finish, including all of the chopping.

I am new at this whole cooking and photographing thing. It was not easy!! I think I am going to have to take only pretty photos of the finish product and snapshots of the process.

So, here is the casserole.

I will post the exact recipe later.

Along with our beans we had loaded mashed potatoes and steak.

Mushrooms- recipe actually calls for cremini but I used button
Fresh green beans with ends trimmed

small red onions
use any onions you have or shallots

Coat onions with flour-salt and pepper Fry onions until a light golden brown being sure not to burn them
Set aside on a paper towel and wipe out skillet

Brown mushrooms for about 8 minutes
Heat the butter over medium heat-when foaming subsides add onions and cook until the edges brown
Add 1 T flour and garlic

Add beans and bay leaves
Add cream and chicken broth- stir

Cover and cook until the beans are partly tender, but still crisp in center- about 4 minutes.

Add mushrooms to beans and cook uncovered until beans are tender- about 4 minutes.
Remove bay leaves, season with salt and pepper if needed and top with onions

Green Beans are happier with fried onions on top!

Mashed potatoes filled with goodness!!
Want to make perfect mashed potatoes?! Here is what you need to do.....
Peal and cut potatoes into chunks
Add to a pot of water
Cover and turn stove to med-high
Once the water starts to BOIL turn your burner to low/simmer and cook for 12 minutes
Drain and set back on stove for 2 minutes to dry

That is all there is to it- they will be perfect every time!

The potatoes new lovers. I don't measure with these- I just throw in and it works. So, weather you want tons of flavor or just a little you are in charge.

I usually mash my potatoes in the mixer, but for this meal I needed to do them as quick as possible. I threw in all the ingredients at once and mashed away. If you don't have a masher like this- get one they are awesome- it was only a few bucks at the store.

The beans complete with the fried onions-I'm drooling now

Pictures don't really do it justice. It was so good!

Cooking a meal like this is so rewarding!!

Brian and I sat down to eat and we each had a few bites and sighed

What did you have for dinner tonight?
I'm going out with my in-laws

Back Then......

2009-07-27T22:24:00.000-05:00

First of all these are all backwards- I will figure out how to load them in the correct order for next time.

This past weekend we went to Living History Farms while we had family in town. It was a lot of fun and I loved going around seeing how "cooking" would have been back then.

So, here is a post dedicated to what my cooking life would have been like "back then"

Much different from my KitchenAid! I did use one like this that was my Grandma's during college though.

I would have had chickens- I do wish this part was true. I would have been sad when I killed them and cooked them though.

I would dry my own spices and store them in this deal.

I could rely on cookbooks- in the 1900s

Nothing bad about home grown tomatoes!!

Not so sure about keeping eggs in the cabinet.....

I would have to make someone else do this job. Could you imagine turning this with your hand?!! Makes me quite thankful for my automatic one :D

I could handle this.

I remember in third-grade we churned our own butter at school and it was so fun. I am a bit to comfortable with just going to the fridge to get butter today.

My stove would have looked like this if I was a lady in the 1900s. However... I am sure I would have been dressed a little more covered.

Now we go way back to 1700s- 1800s didn't get uploaded.
My tools would have been scarce! I

Food would be cooked over an open fire. I would have probably caught myself on fire. Back then they dried all of their food so they always made soups to rehydrate it.

So, needless to say I am happy to live now :D I would love to go back and live for a few days though. I will be posting within the next few days a really great dinner that Brian and I had!

Please just leave a quick comment to just let me know that I have readers. Thanks!!!

Chicken Tacos

2009-07-01T01:01:00.000-05:00

Here is a video from Nicole's Christmas gift.

Hope you enjoy- they are wonderful! No recipe for these, just throw in what you like.

The First Video

2009-06-14T23:25:00.000-05:00

I made cooking videos for my sister in law for Christmas and this is my introduction to that, just so you aren't freaked out when I start taking to "you". That you is my wonderful sister in law Nicole- see Blog.

I do recommend the book The New Best Recipe. It will change your life :D

Now for the video..... Also, I am giving up all pride in posting videos on here. Here is to Jesus humbling me :D

Here We Go!!!

2009-06-14T21:16:00.000-05:00

Here is to my love of food!

I hope to update at least every other day!

Keep checking back for new and exciting updates!

Looking forward to sharing with you my love!