Chocolate Cake recipe, and things that make you wish I was your wife….aka grilled cheeses.

August 26, 2013
Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Bundt cake
Ingredients
·         Duncan Hines moist yellow cake mix (the one that calls for vegetable oil)
·         3 eggs
·         1/3 cup of vegetable oil
·         1 cup water
·         ¾ cup sour cream (I used the daisy light kind, but really doesn’t matter)
·         Package of instant chocolate pudding (use sugar free)
·         Mini chocolate chips (1/2 bag)

 

In a kitchen aid mixer, mix the cake according to the directions on the box, adding the pudding mix (don’t make pudding, just use the powder). After it looks pretty mixed, add in the sour cream and chocolate chips. Bake in a 350 degree oven for at least 45 minutes, testing with a toothpick after that to see if it’s done. Wait at least an hour before flipping it on to a large plate. Once the cake has cooled completely, sift powdered sugar over the top. Eat alone, in the dark, where no one can judge.
And tonight, since Mondays suck so badly, and because my better half is sick, I’ll be making fancy grilled cheeses with three dipping soups: tomato soup, cream of mushroom soup (sans cream), and poblano soup. Don’t you wish your wife was making this for you tonight? She’s probably sitting on the couch right now thinking of ways not to make dinner for you. She’s also probably not as bat sh*t crazy as I am, so I guess you’ll have to count your blessings and appreciate a sane wife/girlfriend rather than a snazzy grilled cheese with dipping soups. Crawdad will have to settle for the latter.  
Fresh veggies for my soups!

gettin fancy….

August 22, 2013

Well, I know I said I was going to post the recipes for the BBQ and the chicken with butternut squash, but I actually don’t really remember what all I did, and didn’t take notes. So, tough shit to the four people who read this blog and wanted the recipe. Now, on the bigger and better things: I got a badass camera. Well. Not so much got as found, but it was at my house, and I’m claiming it.* It’s a canon rebel XT and looks like a total mom camera. So for all of you idiots asking me when I want to pop out a Crawdad, the answer is not now, but at least I have the mom cam to fill in for the time being. Also, I’m not a huge fan of babies, but that is a story for another day, and a few more glasses of cab.

So, tonight I am having a few hoes over for dinner, so I’ve got to be on my A-game. Even though I have an incredibly demanding job where I work in a high stress office from 8-5 (ha), I have managed to waste half my day prepping for the night ahead. For most people, a girls dinner would consist of a light salad, probably something with Quinoa, and fish. Well, the fish in Midland smells weird, and I’m fresh out of quinoa, so I guess the girls will have to settle for:

Starters
-Phyllo wrapped baked brie with a glazed mustard
-Assorted cheeses
-Fresh made bruschetta
Left to right:
Basil from my garden, heirloom tomatoes (the uglier the better),
parmesan, garlic, toasted pine nuts, store bought basil

Dinner
-Toasted orecchiette with fresh pesto (basil from my garden), with Italian sausage
-Hatch chili cheese bread
-Chop salad with a light Greek vinaigrette, diced tomatoes, peppers, peppered salami and shaved parmesan

Close up of the tastiest pesto

Dessert
-Sour cream chocolate chip Bundt cake sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Once I write the recipe down, I will show you how to go from THIS

TO THIS
TO THIS
And a little set up for the dinner tonight…getting fancy with my new camera. Someone will need to teach me some tricks though.
My new garden, with the most awesome gardening partner ever.
PEACe
**I wouldn’t actually steal something as nice as a camera-it’s my husbands. Don’t get me wrong, love a good getaway, but only would steal something dumb like a bouncy ball or magnetic earrings.

I hope everyone gets the Sunday Fear….also, Midland Restaurants

August 20, 2013

One of my biggest pet peeves (besides people who bring more than 2 children to grocery stores and those who ride around grocery stores in the scooters with baskets), is not being able to look up a menu online before I go to a restaurant….I get SEVERE menu anxiety. So bad, in fact, that I have passed my anxiety along to many of my friends (read: 2 friends, since I have about 4). It’s gotten to the point that unless I go to some place like Chili’s, I pretty much consider popping a xanax before dining.

Anyways–my point is, that last weekend, since people were in town visiting, I ventured out to two Midland restaurants–one with a menu online, one without. Neither of them sucked, and I’ve been to both before, so this time, there was no need to roofie myself. (SORRY MOM).

First off, Romie’s Mexican Restaurant–or what Siri would like to pronounce Romeo’s Michigan Ristrant.
Go on a Friday, and get the Viernes. Better yet, go hungover on a Friday, and get the Viernes. Downfall-they don’t serve alcohol, and some of our guests had just gotten off a bumpy flight and were sad not to have a little brewski. Pretty sure we/they made up for it about 30 minutes later. Viernes is some sort of combo plate that has a mini chili relleno, enchilada and chalupas. I actually didn’t really like it, but then again, I don’t like chili rellenos, and all I really wanted was flour tortillas and queso. Their queso is legit, and their salsa rivals Jorge’s. If you don’t know what Jorge’s is, then it rivals your version of MiCocina or Escalantes. If you don’t know what any of those are, then why are you reading my blog–or you live in Odessa. Either way, shoo.

Romie’s Viernes-just get chalupas next time.

Friday night, we went to Venezia, which is the best Italian (besides Maberry Street) you can find. Everything is pretty good, and everything is even better when you are white trash and bring a waterbottle full of Grey Goose and Crystal Light to serve with your noodles. It’s BYOLiquor, and they have a pretty good wine list. If you want to go full fat and unbotton your jeans, get the carbonara. It’s creamy and delish, but would be hard to go out after eating more than a few bites. I got the veggie and shrimp penne, but got chicken instead of shrimp since right now I’m scared of most shrimp that I don’t buy myself. Venezia is great for big groups, but bring cash and then have someone pay all on their cc–it’s just easier.

Penne Mediterranea…$13.95

Sauteed vegetables & shrimp finished with white wine sauce. I got without Shrimp added chicken. I’d do no protein next time. 
Rigatoni Carbonara…$11.95
Pancetta, proscuitto, eggs, parmigiano

A new post coming soon on stuff I’ve cooked, but my Sunday Fear has turned in to Manic Monday, which is now a Terrifying Tuesday, so I am going to try and spin this weekend out of my body, and post my bbq this afternoon. In other news, for my birthday, Crawford got me a raised bed garden. Pilar (aka my hero and husband of the world’s greatest Sylvia) put it together, and now I’ve planted a garden. So now, to add to my list of MANY MANY wonderful assets, I now have a green thumb. I’ve planted a semi-salsa and herb garden with jalepenos, red bell peps, tomatoes, okra, mesclun, rosemary and basil.