Where I'm coming from...

Typically my "Where I'm coming from" segment or post consists of restaurants I've been to recently that I recommend. Well this whole blog is a "Where I'm coming from" and it's not so much about restaurants as it is about where I've been for the passed few months while this blog has been sitting here, neglected.

I've been a little busy lately, for a few reasons, but mainly because of this:

...and this:



I vaguely remember posting something about getting a job at Sullivan's Metropolitan Grill back in July, but I'm honestly too lazy to take a look back at my former posts. I had been working full-time (40 or more hours a week) there with wonderful people. As tiring as it is, I love my job. From July of 2011 on, being a garde manger kept me pretty busy. Then, in October my darling fiance and I had our reality shaken like a toddler shakes a snow globe. We discovered that I was pregnant. It's a long story that I've told many times and may one day tell again; but not here and not now. Suffice it to say that I did not know I was pregnant until late in my third trimester. I'm not proud of that fact. I feel rather foolish, actually. However, regardless of all that *could* have happened with not knowing, what actually transpired was this: Our families pulled together in a time of shock and need to help us get to that day. November 1st, 2011 at 4:52 am, as Charlie held my hand, I gave birth to a beautiful and healthy baby boy who we named Calvin Logan. He's now two months old, still healthy, and still beautiful. Our situation wasn't/isn't ideal by any means, but I wouldn't change a damn thing.

As you can probably guess and hopefully understand, I haven't had a lot of time for writing recipes and being creative in the kitchen. I'm just now getting to the point where I can find the time to cook whole meals again. Recently I made a beautifully roasted chicken with yellow rice, veggies, and cornbread. I then used the left over pulled chicken to make sandwiches with a rosemary and garlic aoli. And yes, my first attempt at making the aoli failed miserably. I don't know what it is with me and emulsified sauces, but the first time never seems to work. Maybe I should make that a New Year's resolution; Make an emulsified sauce correctly the first time. We'll see. Oh! I was VERY fortunate to be able to get some baking in during the holidays. So my culinary adventures haven't gone completely by the wayside.

When I found out I was pregnant, I had to take leave from Sullivan's almost immediately. I think I worked for a week after my first ultrasound and doctor's appointment, but then had to go on bed rest after the second doctor's appointment. And now, 9 weeks later, I think we've worked out a schedule and I'll be returning to work on the weekends. At this point, moving forward in my career just doesn't seem quite as important. So I'm not diving head first back into working full-time. We can't afford the child care, I don't want to miss anything with Calvin, and being a full-time mom trumps being a full-time salad bitch. But I have to be honest with myself. I'm looking forward to getting back in a kitchen. And when Cal gets a bit older, I'll be able to move ahead and maybe become a great chef some day.

So there's that. That's where I'm coming from. I'm coming from working hard to make a career for myself and I'm coming from a sudden, new life of parenting. I've missed writing and I'd like to pick it back up again. I make no promises, but I'll try. I often find myself with plenty to say and no one (other than the baby) to say it to. For a while this blog may become more about life rather than food, but that's okay. In a few more months, I'll have exciting stories to share about my attempts to make homemade baby food. Then there will be the post about how crazy and ambitious I was and maybe making my own baby food wasn't such a great idea. But then again, maybe not.

A new year, a new life, and the same old me.

Thanks for reading. I'm glad I got the chance to tell you all what I've been up to. And if you don't see me post for a while, poke me about it. Sometimes I need a little reminder.

<3 Elle

To those of you still making Hamburger Helper...

...just stop it! Stop it right now! You'll get cancer and die. Well, maybe not. But there are unpronounceable words in that stuff! Why would you want to eat that?

I know a topic like this isn't very "gourmet", but I had this epiphany when I was flying around like a mad woman trying to come up with something to make my fiance for dinner. I was running late (as usual) and had about 30 minutes to cook something, put it in a container, and send him on his way to work (3rd shift). I thought about burgers or some kind of pasta dish, because he enjoys both. And then the little light bulb in my head came on and I combined the ideas. It turned out to be my version of Hamburger Helper, which tastes way better and could possibly be slightly healthier. Healthier in the sense that you won't get cancer from the preservatives and weird chemicals. By eating my version, you may just have a heart attack. That's easier to come back from than cancer, obviously.*

Anyway, this is a quick meal that I was able to put together in just under 20 minutes. Add a salad or some sauteed veggies for a side dish to lessen the guilt factor.

Elle's [non-cancer causing] Hamburger Helper
1 bag of egg noodles (extra-wide)
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pint cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Boil the egg noodles in salty water until al dente; drain and set aside. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef on medium heat until just cooked through (do not over cook). Strain off any excess fat if necessary. With the skillet set to medium-high, add the cream to the ground beef. When the cream starts to bubble add the spices and stir thoroughly. Then, add the cheese. Continuously stir the mixture until the cheese has melted to make a creamy sauce. Turn the heat off and add in the parsley last.

Ta-da! Dinner :)

I added some frozen peas before I added the cream. You can add any kind of frozen vegetable if you so desire. Charlie just happened to ask for peas. You can also adjust the seasonings and spices as you see fit. Adding some chili powder and ground cumin along with the garlic powder will yield a more "taco" flavored version. Using ground turkey or chicken would be a good alternative to the ground beef, too. As always, I encourage you to play around with the spices and ingredients to suit your tastes.

Now, put down the box of sodium and preservatives and eat something really yummy instead!

*Just as an aside, I know that cancer and heart attacks aren't funny. Luckily, sarcasm can be hilarious. And in my own little world, I'm a hilarious, sarcastic person who happens to be a fabulous chef.