Wordless Wednesday - Revisiting Thanksgiving 2008

Buppy Cooks Comfort Food

First though, we shall start with a movie review. One of my new coworkers and I get along rather well and seem to have a similar taste in movies. We decided to trade a few that we were shocked the other hadn't seen; I lent him Team America and he borrowed me House of 1,000 Corpses (we'll call this one HC) as well as Fierce Creatures (FC). HC was awful. Horrible. As in, almost 2 hours of my life that I'll never get back. FC was better, although still not something I'd watch again. He assumed I'd enjoy HC since it came out (and supposedly explains) The Devil's Rejects, which I love. I didn't. It doesn't. Don't do it. Period.

Now, onto better topics . . .

Because my hours at my new job are quite different from what I'd been working almost since I moved to MD, meals are different now as well. I don't get home until 7:10pm or so on weeknights, later if I get caught up with something at work. Because of this, Buppy usually feeds the kids before I get home, then he and I eat together after they've gone to bed. I've told him he can make the meal and I'll just reheat it when I get home (so that all 3 of them can have dinner together) but he chooses to wait for me. How sweet! This past week he and the kids were all pretty sick, so Wed. night I picked up some hot & sour soup for Buppy and I (as well as a few egg rolls). It was the first time I'd had that kind of soup and it was good; I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but I did. And man, they make some bangin' egg rolls at that Chinese place too!
Thursday night Buppy made Shepard's Pie, which is something I've never made but he's really good at. Granted it's a pretty simple recipe to throw together, but he makes it just right. Friday night was a chicken-broccoli braid, but that will be blogged about at another time. Super tasty too!

Buppy's Shepard's Pie

1 lb. ground beef or turkey (we use turkey now as it's healthier)
1 packet Lipton Beefy Mushroom soup mix
1 jar Heinz mushroom gravy
Corn (as much as you'd like)
Potatoes (enough to make as thick a layer on top as you'd like)
Shredded cheese (whatever kind you like)

So here's what Buppy tells me he does: He peels and chops up some spuds, then boils them to make mashed potatoes. While they're cooking, he browns (or whatever color ground turkey turns when it cooks) the ground meat with the soup mix in a large skillet on the stovetop. If using beef, he then drains off the fat; this step is not necessary if using ground turkey as there is nothing to drain off. From here he mixes in the gravy. He pours the meat/soup/gravy into a large casserole dish, then layers on the corn (as well as any other veggies I might let him add.) I think it'd be swell with some sauteed mushrooms and onions, but that's not how Buppy does it. I think he'd put green beans in, but I vetoed them on Thursday. I wasn't feeling bean-y enough that day. Anyway, at this point the potatoes should be tender, so he drains them and mashes 'em up with some butter (margarine, actually) and whatever other stuff he wants to add. This week he made them garlic mashers; yum! He heaps the potatoes on top of the corn layer in the casserole dish, then throws on some shredded cheese and pops it into the oven. I'm guessing he bakes it at about 350F for half an hour. After all, he's really just making sure everything is nice and hot and the cheese melts. We like to broil it for a few minutes after the half hour is up to get the cheese a nice golden color. I'm so glad he can (and likes to) cook!

I was too busy eating to remember to take a picture. I'm such a bad dog.

I got the idea to try and make this as a vegetarian dish too, using a variety of mushrooms instead of meat and adding in some chopped onion (I love onion!) too. When I make it happen, I'll post how it goes. Doesn't that sounds like a delish vegetarian dish!?!

Note: I'm linking this up to Life as Mom’s Ultimate Recipe Swap for January 13th, 2011; it's about how we make it easier for our families to swallow veggies. Not hard, 'cause I love veggies, but check out her website for more great ideas.

Movie Review: The Orphan

Well, lets just say I'm glad I didn't waste the money to go and see it in a theater like I'd wanted to.

While not a bad movie, it just didn't live up to it's hype. My ex-coworker had told me how good it was, how I should make a point to hit the theater before it was gone to see it. To that I say, "meh." It was ok. I don't plan to buy it. Was it worth the $1 at Redbox? Sure.

Wordless Wednesday

Mini-Vacation is Coming Up (and a dip recipe!)

Buppy and I get to have our 2nd mini-vacay soon, on Monday. The week of the 19th, he went to Ocean City for a work conference and I met him there Wed. night after work; we got to spend Wed. night, Thurs. and part of Friday soaking up OC. It's off season now mind you, but it was still fun to see the sights and the ocean. It'd been too long since I'd seen the ocean!Come Monday, we'll be driving up to NYC for the Iron Skillet competition. Buppy does some part time teaching work for a friend of his and that organization's biggest fund raiser is Monday night. They pit well known NYC restaurant chefs against NYC firehouse chefs and my favorite restaurant (Carmine's) is competing. Plus they thow in some booze, and since it's high dolla, we all get pretty for the night. Now if only I can find a dress . . . tomorrow! Nothing like waiting until the last minute to hunt one down. I searched today, but everything I found screamed 'prom' or 'homecoming', and that's not exactly the message I'm looking to convey. I need something classy, something elegant; unfortunately it's not the time of year where stores have a lot in stock. Well, wish me luck!

On another (and completely unrelated) note, I came across a recipe today for a dip that I've made several times that is stellar. Not healthy by any stretch of the imagination, but really good. I took it to my holiday Christmas party at work last year and had several people come up to me to tell me how much their entire table enjoyed it. I promised I'd email out the recipe, but forgot. It happens, whatever. Yeah, about 3 weeks later I was asked again if I could email it out. I guess when something is that tasty, you don't forget it. This time, I delivered.

From what I can tell, this recipe appears to be a spin off of a Hidden Valley one. I can't remember where I found it, as I was in that "who cares where you get a recipe, why bother to write it down" phase. Sorry! But it's simple, quick and great with crackers and/or veggies.

Bacon & Cheddar Dip

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
½ c. milk
½ c. mayo or Miracle Whip
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
8 oz. cream cheese
1/3 c. bacon bits

Combine first 5 ingredients and fold in the bacon. Refrigerate at least 2 hrs. before serving; best if let set over night to develop flavors.

Hope you enjoy it as much as Buppy, my coworkers and I have!

*Update: I'm linking up to Life as Mom's Ultimate Recipe Swap for this week, Feb. 4th, 2010, and the theme is "Superbowl or Other Party Food." I can't wait to see what others contribute; I love party foods! Stop on over to check it out!