Better late than never - 4 recipes

So, a little delay in rating/reviewing ends up with a backup of recipes. I truly love to cook - and I learn more about my own style as I cook more. One thing I have learned - I really have to have all my ingredients out and measured before I start cooking (the French term is mise en place). If I start cooking and try to be preparing ingredients at the same time, I burn the food and/or forget to add ingredients. It might take longer to put things together before, but it's necessary for good food for me.

I also have to learn more about the quirks of my stove and oven. Medium-high on my stove seems to be hotter than the recipes use - or it may be that in trying to prep as I go I let the pan heat too high. It's definitely a learning process - but what learning process ends up with such a great result? As for my oven, it definitely heats high - I've melted a bowl on top of the stove just from having the oven preheated! It also makes me realize - I need to re-org my kitchen to put something that won't be affected by heat in the cabinet above the stove.

Okay - recipes. First is Curried Chicken Wraps, from Eating Well Spring 2003. I've been in the mood for sandwiches - and especially for pitas - so when I found pitas made by Thomas' in the grocery store, I needed something to fill them. I had a chicken breast in the freezer, so I finally got to try out this recipe, which I had had on my list of things to cook. And the result? The chicken definitely worked with the pita, the recipe was quick to put together, and the grapes definitely added a unique twist. The down side? I felt like there was a texture missing - I'm looking to add in a crunch, maybe from shredded red cabbage, if I make it again. I might also switch in raisins for the grapes - I'm more likely to have them on hand, and I don't feel that the grape flavor came through so much that it couldn't be substituted out.

Second is a recipe I made the same night as the pitas - Fresh Cucumber and Kiwi Relish, a recipe conceived on the Cooking Light BB - . It was a salad that came together quickly with fresh flavors, and might be nice served with hamburgers in the summer. It could use a little more color, though - both the cucumber and kiwi are green, maybe something red or purple could add some interest - strawberries, grapes, raspberries? Definitely a good base to work with.

Third was a recipe I didn't like quite as well as the first two. I've always said that I wanted to have more fish in my diet, since it is good for you. I've always been a little jumpy about working with fish though - it's expensive, and I have ruined some meat before in cooking, so I would hate to ruin something I spent a good amount of money on. So I decided to try Fish with Herbs and Lime. This recipe was a good recipe to begin with - although I did not love the result, it gave me a new fish I liked. The fish in the recipe is cod - not a fish I believe I have ever had before. The fish came out very tender - very nice texture. Unfortunately, there was not much flavor to it - the recipe has the fish baking with a tomato/herb mix on top, and it really didn't get much flavor into the actual fish - the flavors did not meld. I did like the taste of the fish - mild and not overly fishy - but it didn't really have an overwhelming flavor.

Last and not least, a recipe to use up the second half of the cucumber left from the relish. Some of the recipes for the June/July 2005 Eating Well have been posted on the web, so I quartered the recipe for Japanese Cucumber salad - . The picture with the recipe shows very thin slices of cucumber - I probably could have gotten them that thin with my food processor, but I was too lazy to pull it out for a half cucumber. So although my slices weren't as thin, I did feel I got a good sense of the recipe. The flavors are very similar to the relish I made before, and if I was to choose one, I'd go with the relish, because it has a more varied texture.

I'm only posting the Curried Chicken - the other 2 I liked are linked to.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Curried Chicken Wraps

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 small jalapeno peppers
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon rice wine
1/2 teaspoon salt -- or to taste
freshly ground black pepper -- to taste
8 ounces seedless grapes -- red, washed, dried, and halved
4 whole wheat pita breads

Cut chicken into 1/4-inch thick slices. Turn slices on their side and cut into 1/4-inch strips.

Heat a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and tilt pan to coat it evenly. Add scallions, ginger, orange zest and jalapeno. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add chicken; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add curry powder, rice wine, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until chicken is browned and no longer pink in the center, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add grapes; toss to mix.

To serve, spoon about 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture into each pita.

Source:
"EW Spring 2003"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 363 Calories; 7g Fat (16.4% calories from fat); 33g Protein; 43g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 66mg Cholesterol; 687mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Just a bad time, culinary-wise

So for the past week and a half I was too lazy to cook - went on vacation, came back, and was going away again, so I told myself that there wasn't time to cook. Ha! More like laziness. But now I'm back - feeling fat from vacation food and sodium-packed frozen dinners, ready for the cooking challenges ahead. Unfortunately, I didn't start back very well.

I am very resistent to the idea of a salad as the main course in a meal. Yes, I know that with dressing a salad can have just as many calories as a chicken dinner - that makes it worse, because it just doesn't have the same substantial feeling.

But then there are salads that are based around beans - I thought that maybe I could trick myself with one of those. So, I decided to try a recipe from CL - Black Bean Salad with Lime-Cumin Dressing. I love black beans and I love cumin - so should be a winner, right? Unfortunately, I forgot I don't do well with raw red onions - and this recipe had almost a half cup of them for 2 servings. Took 3 bites, and was too nauseus to finish the rest.

Oh well.

Bev's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I don't eat sweets much - don't keep them around the house. This week, though, I was in a sweets mood - Chocolate Decadence Friday - Bev's Chocolate Chip Cookies Sunday night. The cookies are an Eating Well recipe, made with whole wheat flour and oatmeal, and the oil is canola, so at least that's good. The cookies were excellent - definitely a repeat. But only if I can handle it - I ate 4 cookies Sunday, and a half dozen Monday.

Given that I'm out of control this week - I don't think I'll be cooking. It's a short week for me - so I'm getting away for a clean slate before I come back with a fresh perspective.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Bev's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 30 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter -- softened
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease two baking sheets.

Grind oats in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a bowl and stir in flour, soda, and salt. Beat butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add sugars, oil, egg, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Stir in chips. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until cookies are firm around the edges and golden on top.

Source:
"EW Spring 2004"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 107 Calories; 6g Fat (47.0% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 11mg Cholesterol; 61mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Chocolate Decadence

I have a weakness for chocolate. Whenever I go out to dinner, and am provided with a dessert menu, I will inevitably go for the richest chocolate thing they have. Luckily for my waist, though, I limit my own chocolate cooking.

This past Friday, I walked in to work after having been up at 4 a.m. trying to do some damage control for a work process. I knew my day would be bad. I also knew I had planned on baking muffins that night. Cocoa muffins - but at the end of the day, I knew that wouldn't be enough. I needed chocolate. So, I searched out a Cooking Light recipe that others on the Cooking Light board had recommended. It looked simple, and only made 4 servings, which was a true benefit. Of course, once I made it, I ate two servings. Oh boy - was it good. It's a definite repeat - but not too often!


* Exported from MasterCook *

Chocolate Decadence

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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11 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup skim milk
2 2/3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate -- chopped
5 tablespoons unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg white
8 teaspoons semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly coat 4 (2-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray, and sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon sugar into each of the ramekins, shaking and turning to coat. Set prepared ramekins aside.

Combine 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, milk, and cocoa in a small saucepan, stirring well with a whisk. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 30 seconds or until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add the butter and 1/2 ounce unsweetened chocolate. Stir until the chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool chocolate mixture 10 minutes.

Add flour, vanilla, salt, and egg white to chocolate mixture, stirring with a whisk just until blended. Spoon 2 tablespoons chocolate mixture into each prepared ramekin, and top each with 2 teaspoons chocolate chips. Divide the remaining chocolate mixture evenly among ramekins, spreading to cover the chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until barely set. Cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto dessert plates. Serve warm.

Source:
"CL 12/03"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 279 Calories; 9g Fat (26.9% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 49g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 12mg Cholesterol; 92mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 1/2 Fat; 2 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Hot Chocolate

So, it's finally spring. The weather is turning nice - this weekend is the peak of the cherry blossoms. It's time to finally put away the fuzzy sweaters, get the winter coats to the cleaners - then why I am making hot chocolate? Simple - I need the calcium. I cannot stand milk - so I always look for ways to hide it.

Tonight's recipe came from the Essential Eating Well Cookbook. Took 5 minutes to put together - and it was more flavorful than the packaged mixes, that are full of god-knows-what.

Repeat? Probably - when winter weather comes around. But since the heat is coming - it's back to smoothies.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Hot Chocolate

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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2 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup skim milk -- divided
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch ground cinnamon

Mix sugar, cocoa and 2 tablespoons cold milk in a mug until smooth. Heat the remaining milk in a small saucepan on the stovetop or in a 2-cup glass measure in the microwave until steaming hot but not boiling. Stir in the cocoa mixture and vanilla.

To froth the hot chocolate, whirl a whisk in it by rubbing your hands back and forth. Pour it back into the mug and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Source:
"The Essential Eating Well Cookbook"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 202 Calories; 1g Fat (5.9% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 4mg Cholesterol; 128mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Non-Fat Milk; 0 Fat; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0

Cucumbers Vinaigrette

I'm a baker by nature. Since I can't bake all the time, I am training myself to be a cook. And in training myself to be a cook, I usually focus first and foremost on main dishes - side dishes are easy to put together - usually a simple steamed green veggie or spinach/tomato salad. It's only since I challenged myself to cook more that I started looking more at side dishes.

Earlier this week I knew I would have a space on my cooking calendar for Wednesday, and didn't want to make a main dish - freezer is getting a little full. I picked up Moosewood Low-Fat Favorites, and found Cucumber Vinaigrette. Rushing the seasons a bit I know, but I was a little sick of my regular sides. I had everything else - picked up a cucumber, and mixed everything together in less than 5. And let me tell you - it tasted like it took longer. Wonderful flavors - definitely an excellent side. Definitely a repeat for the summer when the cucumbers really come into their own.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Cucumbers Vinaigrette

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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2 medium cucumbers -- peeled
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
ground black pepper -- to taste

Slice the cucumbers crosswise into 1/8- to 1/4-inch rounds.

Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, and mustard in a serving bowl. Toss with the sliced cucumbers and add pepper to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

Source:
"Moosewood Low-Fat Favorites"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 47 Calories; trace Fat (4.3% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 270mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0

Dressings: Italian Tomato Basil/Low-Fat Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

I'm not much on salad dressing - most of the time, all I do is use balsamic vinegar over baby spinach, sometimes with mushrooms, grape tomatoes and/or artichoke hearts. Bottled dressings are usually full of fat or if they are low-fat are full of ingredients that I don't think I'd want in my body. Balsamic vinegar is getting a little old - so I'm searching somewhat for something different. But - not extraordinarily full of fat.

I've done another Moosewood dressing before - Low-Fat Honey Dijon Vinaigrette. It was average - but after a while, the garlic heaviness got a little too much to me. If I was to make it again, I'd probably roast the garlic differently - and make less.

So tonight Italian Tomato Basil Dressing - actually, I made it last night, but didn't want to judge it without giving it time to chill and blend. I tried it tonight over re-heated steamed broccoli. It is somewhat sweet - which is interesting, given there are no sweeteners in it. It may be I need to get a better quality balsamic vinegar - I know a lot of them are excessively sweet. The sun-dried tomato halves I used were smoked, which gives the dressing a smoky smell, but doesn't really translate into the taste, which might have made the dressing better. This might be a repeat - probably halving the recipe, and using a sharper balsamic vinegar.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Low-fat Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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2 heads garlic -- roasted
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 cup apple juice -- or water
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil -- optional

Squeeze the paste from the heads of roasted garlic into a blender, taking care not to let any skins slip in. Add the honey, mustard, vinegar, water or apple juice, salt, pepper, and, if using, the oil. Whirl until the dressing is smooth and creamy. Add more salt to taste.

Keeps in refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

Source:
"Moosewood Daily Special"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 51 Calories; 3g Fat (56.3% calories from fat); trace Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 67mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


* Exported from MasterCook *

Italian Tomato Basil Dressing

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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6 sun-dried tomato halves
1 tomato -- coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove -- minced or pressed
1/4 cup chopped basil -- loosely packed
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt -- or to taste

Cover the sun-dried tomatoes with boiling water in a heatproof bowl and set aside. Combine the chopped fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, 1/4 cup of water, vinegar, and salt in a blender or food processor. When the sun-dried tomatoes have softened, drain and add them to the other ingredients and puree the mixture until smooth. Covered and refrigerated, this dressing will keep for about a week.

Source:
"Moosewood Low-Fat Favorites"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 84 Calories; 1g Fat (8.8% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 924mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Anchorage Country Store Whole Wheat Bread

I don't think there is a person in the world who doesn't love the smell of baking bread. It's something so wonderful and earthy - and it defines a baker, to me at least.

I'm working on my bread technique - but there is unfortunately a patience and timing factor that I must master. It can take time to bake a loaf of bread - 2 risings + cook time. That's fine with me - but what sneaks up on me is the fact that the time to rise may be longer than the recipe says - so it's hard for me to take a look and not see it be done when the recipe says it is.

As I said, baking bread smells wonderful - almost transcendent. So there is nothing better to make on a rainy, windy Sunday afternoon. The recipe I made today was taken from Southern Living - not a magazine I subscribe to, but I found the recipe from a search through AOL's cooking area. I made a 1/2 batch of the recipe - it halved easily, and came together nicely. The bread rose nicely, smelled heavenly, but was unfortunately slightly salty for my taste. It also had the problem of a slightly too chewy crust - it's something I have to work on. It's lovely as the base of a ham and cheese sandwich - and may act as the fresh breadcrumbs for a salmon cakes recipe down the road.

So, overall rating - 6. Repeat? Maybe - but the search for the perfect sandwich bread continues.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Anchorage Country Store Whole Wheat Bread

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 32 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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4 cups whole wheat flour -- divided
1/2 cup skim dry milk
1 tablespoon salt
2 (1/4-ounce) packets active dry yeast
3 cups water -- divided
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups unbleached flour -- 2 to 3

Beat 3 cups whole wheat flour, dry milk powder, salt, and yeast at low speed with a heavy-duty electric mixer until combined.

Bring 2 cups water to a boil over medium heat; add honey and butter, stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat, and stir in 1 cup cold water. (Mixture will register about 120°.)

Add honey mixture to flour mixture, beating at low speed 1 minute. Increase speed to medium, and beat 2 more minutes. Gradually add remaining wheat flour and enough all-purpose flour to make a soft dough.

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down, and divide into 2 equal portions. Roll each portion into a 15- x 10-inch rectangle. Roll each up jellyroll fashion, beginning with short end. Fold ends under, and place each, seam side down, in a 9- x 5-inch loafpan.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes, shielding with aluminum foil after 25 minutes to prevent excessive browning.

Source:
"Southern Living 11/00"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 119 Calories; 1g Fat (7.5% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 2mg Cholesterol; 212mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 0 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Italian Sausage Soup

For a nice Sunday lunch, I made Italian Sausage Soup - a Cooking Light recipe. It's a very simple, very soothing light lunch. It's very similar to another Weight Watcher's recipe that is a favorite of mine - Provencal Fish Stew. I think I love both recipes because they include some of my favorite ingredients - tomatoes, beans, and spinach. I might mod the fish version to add the spinach - I like getting the extra color in. Although when I was making the Sausage soup today, I accidentally forgot to add the spinach. Oops! Well, I added it to my serving, and will add in when re-heating the leftovers.

The original version of the sausage soup called for pasta - but I preferred to sub in white beans, which I love. The original version of the fish stew called for plain tomatoes, but I prefer using the spiced tomatoes. Either way - both are very warming, very soothing soups.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Italian Sausage Soup

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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8 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage link
2 cups low-sodium defatted chicken broth
14 1/2 ounces diced tomatoes -- with oregano, basil & garlic
14 1/2 ounces canned cannelini beans -- rinsed and drained
2 cups spinach leaves -- baby
4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage to pan, and cook about 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain; return to pan.

Add broth, tomatoes, and beans to pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until beans are heated through. Remove from heat; stir in spinach until wilted. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

Source:
"CL 07/04"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 224 Calories; 8g Fat (30.0% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 21g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 52mg Cholesterol; 977mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0


* Exported from MasterCook *

Provencal Fish Stew

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Soups/Stews

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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15 ounces low-sodium defatted chicken broth
1 large onion -- chopped
15 ounces canned cannelini beans -- rinsed and drained
6 ounces tuna in water, canned -- drained and flaked
15 ounces canned tomatoes -- diced, undrained
1/2 teaspoon salt -- with tomato, basil, and oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat 1/4 cup of chicken broth in a medium pot. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add beans, tuna, and tomatoes; stir in remaining broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in salt pepper; simmer for 1 minute more.

Source:
"WW Recipe Search"

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 169 Calories; 1g Fat (4.9% calories from fat); 18g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 13mg Cholesterol; 1063mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fat.

NOTES : 3 points

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Out to dinner

So - out to dinner tonight w/ a very nice guy. Nothing fancy - just Longhorn. Something I miss in my own cooking - red meat. I guess I am kind of afraid of red meat at home.

See, I'm a baker by nature. I think it appeals to me because I like logical progressions, and stability. You preheat the oven, mix everything up, and you get what you get. My problem is, I like having an exact time for things - when a recipe says 5 minutes, I like to depend on the 5 minutes. So, when a recipe tells me to cook onions for 5 minutes, I want to cook them for 5 minutes - and am a little disconcerted when they look done in 3. It's something I'm learning to cope with.

And that leads to red meat - I am 99% sure the problem I would have at home is that I would overcook the meat. It's not that I can't afford the meat - it's just that I'm afraid of setting off the smoke detector - which I've already done once cooking chicken.

So what did I have for dinner? Baby back ribs - and fries. Yum.