Accidental Gourmet

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Wow! I'm impressed with myself. I don't cook and I just made the most delicious dinner I've ever had!

So check it out: 1 pan (wok) dinner

1 Green Pepper
1 Orange Pepper
1 Yellow Pepper
1 Red Pepper
1 Vadalia Onion
1/2 lb. thin cut boneless chicken cutlets
Rice Vinegar
edit to add: Some celery salt and black pepper (just a dash)

Chopped up the peppers to about cigarette thickness. I don't cut onions so I just took chunks off, probably used about a 3rd of it. Cut up the chicken into strips. Threw it in the wok, dumped about 3 tbs. of the rice vinegar and cooked over med. heat for about 15 min.

Wow - its so tasty. Try it!
Jen

Arianna Frances

[SkiD_PL8 0]

Bonus points for cooking without a recipe, it seems it is more and more becoming a lost art.

Greenie in training.

[kelel01 1]

Mmmmm . . . sounds good. (That just made me think of Dumb and Dumber.)

But seriously, I have got to get a wok, but I guess I can use a regular old skillet-dealy.

Thanks for the tip!

Kelly

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Bonus points for cooking without a recipe

Dude, you have no idea. Me + cooking is about the same as Me + skiing. They just don't go together. I'm waiting for the headline "Hell freezes over" to pop on the news

Thanks for the props - I may actually try this cooking thing again

Jen

Arianna Frances

[dterrick 0]

Noice, Jen... you're well on your way .... for some of us, cooking is more than just a "survival skill". Food should be fun - and the "rules and recipes" are just a good start to keep you from Horrible Disasters when you're trying more complex stuff.

Use hot italian sausage, balsamic vinegar, and pasta and now your meal is Italian rather than asian.

Use pork or beef marinated in soya sauce, some fresh crushed garlic and grated ginger and you have another variation. Or, go to Chinatown (or the import section of your local supermarket) and buy some sauces. What's a couple bucks? If you HATE the sauce, you throw it away. If you like it, then you have a new "recipe".

The only worthy rule to food is "it should look good, smell good, taste good, and not kill you". I've been exposed to a lot of different foods from different lands ... you have no idea what you'll wind up liking or how you might make it your own. You may even be the next "foodTV celebrity chef" without knowing it. Keep it up.


..oh ya, I forgot the Other Rule: ingredients should be the same colour as when you first put them in the fridge, and unless it's live seafood it shouldn't be moving when you take it out of the fridge
Bon appetittttttttt

Dave

Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

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Use hot italian sausage, balsamic vinegar, and pasta and now your meal is Italian rather than asian.

::Drool:: that sounds yummy. Do you cook the pasta before or after you add it or even seperately from the 'pan foods'? What about using the stuff in jars rather than fresh for the garlic and ginger?

Sauces... ya, I can do sauces. This is fun, I'll be doing it more (gosh, I sound like I'm 7 years old instead of 25 ).

Thanks for the advice!

Jen

Arianna Frances

[dterrick 0]

Have I created a monster(ette)

I do my pasta separately (cook till slightly under-done, then drain and rinse) and then toss it into the main course. your supermarket will have chopped garlic in a jar -perfectly good substitute. Ginger is best bought fresh and used within a couple of weeks - you can shred it with your cheese grater or just chop it very fine ('real' stuff is powerful).

Sauces are lots of fun, too. The easiest way is to start with a decent jar and then modify it to your tastes. For Italian, I'd bring the sauce to a simmer in a pot and then adds some fresh 'shrooms and onion and (more) garlic, basil, oregano, etc.... the next thing you know you'll have a little herb garden of your own because the stuff is addictive! Advanced lessons available upon request.

..and what's wrong with being excited and sounding like you're 7 again? That feeling is a major reason I still skydive, but being a true adrenaline junkie (ask me about alpine skiing, 4-season mountain biking, or 130 mph sports car racing) I'm always looking for more...

... except when I'm being all 'Zen' on a golf course.

Dave

If "variety is the spice of life" then what's this stuff we put on our food???

Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

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Well Dave,

You've got me thinking! I'll have to take a trip to the store this week and see what I can come up with. The herb garden actually sounds like a great idea! I have a coworker who is constantly bringing stuff in and always telling me I can have some of her plants to start my own. I may have to take her up on that!

Thanks again!

Jen

Arianna Frances

[Fast 0]

I like to dig around in the cupboards and just kinda mix and match till I find something that tastes good.

I cook for just me mostly so if its crappy I just eat ramen. If its good I commit it to memory for next time.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

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Good idea, I'll think I'll try the same.

hehe I'll shock the ppl I know, I can hear their disbelief now


Jen

Arianna Frances

[skycat 0]

Ohhh...I played this game tonight.

1 package of ground turkey
bottle of chardonay (I like StoneStreet)
Basil
Thyme
salt & pepper
Cayenne pepper
honey
butter
noodles
Italian cheese
Olive Oil

Cook noodles per package instructions.

In an oven safe pan brown meat, add spices to taste. While cooking add Chardonay (I think I used a cup in total) make sure it cooks into the meat. After meat is cooked add honey and 2 tbl spoons of butter.

Mix in noodles, add more thyme, honey, and butter and stir. Then mix in some olive oil to coat everything (doesn't take much).

Cover everything in cheese and put under the broiler for 3 min.

Pour Chardonay in wine glasses and serve.

yummy.....

btw...sorry, I rarely measure I just add until it tastes right. But my rule of thumb is if you are going to serve wine with dinner or if you are going to cook with wine make sure it's the same wine you are going to drink or some how add it to the food it brings the flavors together.

Fly it like you stole it!