Babycakes is my mom’s cat; she’s so feisty and . . . well, she just runs the house. I miss her. I miss having a cat in general, but Buppy claims he’s allergic. I secretly think he just dislikes them. Ah, c’est la vie.
I digress. Onto the main topic of discussion today: tuna cakes! Before I decided I was hungry for them one day, I’d never eaten or considered making these little patties of fishy goodness. I’ve come across a lot of recipes for salmon cakes throughout the years, but I’m not huge into canned salmon and wouldn’t waste fresh by turning it into cakes (no offense to those who do!) Then one day, out of nowhere, tuna cakes began calling my name. Actually, it was more of a shout. I had to make some.
I wasn’t all too sure what to put in, but Buppy and I tried to make crab cakes once upon a time (eh, let's not talk about 'em though, ok?) so I just decided to throw together whatever sounded good at the time. And you know what? They were really good! I didn’t measure anything out exactly, as is usual for me, but I guesstimated at the time what I used so I could recreate them whenever I want. Or share the recipe with you.
Tuna cakes
1 can tuna (I prefer and have only tried with water-packed)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. onion, minced
1 Tbsp. celery, minced
½ Tbsp. capers, chopped
1 egg
1/3 c. bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. butter
I emptied the can of tuna into a bowl, added all other ingredients (except the butter, it’s for frying!) and mixed with my hands. I tried to keep the whole thing from turning into mush but still mixed to incorporate everything. I then formed what I had into 3 good-sized patties (as you can see above.) I melted the butter in a non-stick skillet over med.-high heat, let it get good and hot and pan-fried the cakes for a few minutes on each side until they turned as golden as I wanted them. I’d say it was probably 4-5 min. on each side. They were done, I was hungry and they tasted super yummy.
Buppy has yet to try them as I made them on a night when I was home alone. Hopefully I can make them for him soon; I think he’ll like ‘em!
Ah, menu plan Monday. Wow, it's been awhile since I've linked up to I’m an organizing junkie. This week isn't too stressful meal-wise as we have several outings planned that eliminate the need to plan/prepare for a meal. Here we go:
Monday - Ribs in the rotisserie, steamed Old Bay carrots & a green salad (with all sorts of good stuff!)
Tuesday - White chicken chili (found on eatbetteramerica.com) with crusty bread, possible addition of a green salad. The chili will be made Monday night so the flavors really have time to meld by Tuesday night. I'm really diggin' the recipe selection at eat better america!
Wednesday - I'm alone (Buppy's at work) so I'll fend for myself. Most likely it'll be a sandwich or breakfast-for-dinner kind of night.
Thursday - A pretty basic repeat of Wednesday. We'll see if I get any more ambitious to cook something more impressive for myself.
Friday - No plans. We're going to Buppy's mom's house for her annual "New Year's Open House", so that'll cover a late lunch for us. Then Buppy's father, his wife, Buppy's brother's family and our clan are all doing something for dinner. His father wants to go out to eat, so most likely that's what will happen.
Saturday - Lunch will be grilled cheese or tuna fish sandwiches (or leftover chili.) Dinner is going to be Salisbury steak. I've never made it, but I really enjoy it and almost never eat it. Buppy is skeptical as the only time he remembers eating it was when he was a child and it was part of a TV dinner. I have yet to figure out what recipe I plan to use, but I'm hoping to find one that's uber tasty!
Sunday - We're hosting a brunch to celebrate Christmas/Nick's birthday with Buppy's whole family. I plan on making this bagel and cheese bake for sure, and possibly this jiffy fruit salad I found on Hannah’s Hangout. Sounds good, but I'll see what else I can find. I'm looking for recipes that aren't too laden with fatty ingredients --- it'll be after the 1st and eating healthier is becoming a priority. Dinner on Sunday will be at a restaurant in Baltimore called Dionysis; we'll stop there for a relaxing dinner after we see the Nutcracker. I'm psyched!
If anyone has a good recipe (that isn't all too unhealthy) for Salisbury steak, please feel free to share!
Going back to our Thanksgiving meals [again], here is a recipe I tried for the first time for breakfast while our out-of-town guests were here. It was a total success, and something we're thinking of doing again when we host Buppy's family for our make-up-Christmas-and-oldest tike's-birthday brunch on Jan. 3rd. I've never had the opportunity to host a breakfast or brunch before, but am much looking forward to it. I really love breakfast foods for dinner, but they're not something I can ever make for company; it just never seems appropriate. I'm not sure exactly what'll be on the menu for our Christmas brunch on the 3rd, but it's gonna be yummy!
This recipe is something you can really play with and add whatever kind of meat [sausage, bacon, ham --- or go meatless!], cheese or bagel you have on hand. I modified the recipe slightly and it was great. Buppy's father really seemed to enjoy! I also love the fact that I can make this the night before and let Buppy bake it in the morning [more sleepy time for me!] Hmmmm . . . now I just have to figure out what ingredients I want to use next weekend.
Bagel & Cheese Bake
Adapted from allrecipes.com1/2 lb. bacon, diced1/2 c. chopped onion3 everything bagels1 c. shredded Swiss cheese12 eggs, beaten2 c. milk1/4 tsp. pepper1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheeseCook the bacon and onion in a large, deep skillet over med.-high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside. Slice each bagel into 4 thin slices. Arrange 6 bagel slices in the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Cover with the bacon and onion mixture, followed by the Swiss cheese. Top with remaining bagel slices. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the bagel layers. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 400F; uncover the chilled bagel dish and bake in the preheated oven 25-30 minutes or until eggs are firm. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve warm. Yield: 12 servings.Enjoy!Update: I'm linking this to Life as Mom’s Ultimate Recipe Swap for this week's egg dish edition [March 18, 2010]. This is a fantastic egg dish, but for even more ideas, visit her site!
While Buppy and I didn't really have a traditional Christmas meal, we sure did Thanksgiving up right this year. I haven't had time to blog about it since then, but here I am with some time on my hands and a great mushroom corn casserole recipe to share.
The original recipe came from my "Winning Recipes from Taste of Home" cookbook I received as a Christmas gift from my mom in 2007. I modified it a little by leaving out the green pepper and just substituting more mushrooms for them. Neither Buppy nor myself really care for peppers, so it was an obvious choice. I was worried my sister wouldn't really care for it as it calls for Swiss cheese; little did I know she now enjoys it (she used to hate it when we were younger.) This was a great accompaniment to our rotisserie turkey breast and cheesy potatoes. Mushroom Corn CasseroleAdapted from "Winning Recipes from Taste of Home"Submitted by Mary Jones, Cumberland, Maine1/3 c. finely chopped onion3 Tbsp. butter, divided1/4 c. all-purpose flour1 can (14 3/4 oz.) cream-style corn1/2 tsp. salt1/8 tsp. pepper1 pkg. (3 oz.) cream cheese, cubed1 can (15 1/4 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained1 c. chopped fresh mushrooms1/2 c. shredded Swiss cheese1 c. bread crumbsIn a saucepan, saute mushrooms and onion in 1 Tbsp. butter until tender. Stir in the flour, cream corn, salt and pepper until blended. Add cream cheese; stir until melted. Stir in whole kernel corn and Swiss cheese. Transfer to a greased 1 1/2 qt. baking dish. Melt remaining butter. Sprinkle bread crumbs over corn mixture and drizzle melted butter over top. Bake, uncovered, at 400F for 20-25 min. or until heated through. Yield: 4-6 servings.Enjoy!
My how time flies. Christmas '09 is now a thing of the past, if only by a day. Buppy and I seriously enjoyed our trip up to NYC Christmas Eve. We left our house around 4pm and arrived in The City around 8:30pm. The hotel was easy enough to find and we were lucky enough to find a parking garage almost directly across the street. After our quick check-in, we headed out to find Asian Fusion, our dinner pick from restaurant.com. We were surprised at how packed the restaurant was, but that doesn't say much considering how tiny the place was. The sushi was affordable (especially with our gift certificate!), beautiful and very delish. My salmon was my favorite (from my order) and had such fantastic texture. My favorite from Buppy's order? Both! His were really, really tasty! 
After dinner, we decided to find the Rockefeller Tree. We knew we weren't staying very far from it, so it was just a matter of locating the appropriate block. We found some cute decorations along the way, as well as some crazily decorated vehicles. I didn't know that Radio City Music Hall has their own tree (which turns colors), but we ran across that on our trek too. One of the most holiday-ish sites we found was directly across from Rockefeller; the Saks Fifth Ave. building had giant snowflakes all across the side that lit up along with Carol of the Bells.
And then there it was, the main reason I wanted to venture to The City for Christmas --- Rockefeller Tree! I can't even describe to you the feeling of seeing that tree in person. Most people, my family included, don't understand the big deal, but it's just something I've always wanted to see up close and in person. It didn't disappoint. We didn't get in line to skate on the rink below the tree; I'm sure it would have taken us 2+ hours to get through the line! I'm ok with that though, since I saw what I came there for.
We wandered around looking at different buildings and sites for awhile after that, then ended up at one of the few places open to warm up: Applebee's. We had a cocktail or 2 there (At the staggering price of $62 for 4 drinks total, no food. Can you say OUCH?) and then headed back to the hotel.
Christmas day consisted of lunch at Carnegie Deli (can you say "wow" to their Reuben?!?!), walking the fashion district (the Juicy store had tigers on their model's heads!), roaming Bryant Park and just taking in The City. We found a fabulous little shop in Bryant Park where we got Buppy some hot choco. He said it was $5 and well worth it --- he called it "liquid gold" in his mouth!
While I would have enjoyed being with my family for the holidays, especially since they were all home together in Wisco and I didn't get to see them last year for the holidays, this was a close 2nd to "most enjoyable holiday." And with my discount from working at a hotel, a quite affordable holiday as well! Happy holidays '09!
Good thing I had some leftover carrots after making this soup; the kids just came inside to get one for Buppy's snowman's nose!
Back on topic though. I was perusing through blogs yesterday (something I just don't have enough time for these days) and I happened upon a recipe for Italian vegetable beef soup on Aggie’s Kitchen. She has some really great looking recipes, and since it's been a snowy, blustery weekend, I thought this soup would be just the ticket. Plus, I had some extra veggies in the fridge that I needed to use up. I made some changes to the recipes, but overall the concept is still the same. It's good, although to suite my personal tastes, next time I'd add a few less veggies. I like veggies and all, but this soup has lots! But hey, I don't feel guilty eating it at least. Buppy and I plan to have this for dinner with some nice crusty bread and a little Parmesan sprinkled on top.
Italian Veggie Beef Soup
Adapted from Aggie’s Kitchen
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 zucchinis, quartered & chopped
1 yellow squash, quartered & chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
3/4 of a large onion, chopped
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 tsp. each dried basil, dried oregano & dried thyme
1 heaping tsp. minced garlic
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic & oregano
6 c. beef broth
1 lb. beef stew meat, cubed
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Salt & pepper, to taste
Rinse cubed stew meat in water and pat dry (I forgot this step today). Shake in a large Ziploc bag with just enough flour to lightly coat the meat. Heat a large skillet to med-high heat, add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and let it come up to temp. Add the meat, turning pieces occasional, until nicely browned on all sides. It's not overly important to cook the meat thoroughly since it'll be added to the soup and can finish cooking in the liquid.
In the remaining olive oil, saute zucchini, squash, carrot & onion until tender (approx. 10-12 min.). Add seasonings, tomatoes, garlic, corn & broth. Heat to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the cooked stew meat and simmer for approximately 30 min., or until all veggies are cooked to your liking. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with Parmesan cheese if you'd like.
Aggie’s recipe calls for small cooked pasta as an optional addition, which I haven't decided about yet. I'm not sure what we have in the cupboards, so I'll have to check that out at dinner time. It already reminds me of minestrone, and the addition of pasta will only make it more so. This is a good, healthy, warming soup.
While it saddens me a little, the performance of the Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker scheduled for tomorrow that Buppy & I have tickets for has been postponed until January 3rd. I'm so glad I checked their website instead of just assuming "the show will go on." Although we were looking forward to the show and a private dinner afterwards, it's safer to stay close to home and bake, cook, play outside, wrap presents, etc.
January 3rd will now become a much more hectic day as that's when we rescheduled our Christmas/Nick's birthday party celebration since we couldn't do it today due to the weather. We're now going to tell his family (since we're hosting again) that we'd like to do brunch or lunch rather than something later as we now have other plans for that evening. I'd hate for them to feel like we're rushing them or throwing them out, but at the same time, we're not going to miss out on the ballet performance. I'm sure everything will turn out alright . . . that is, if Mother Nature doesn't throw another curve ball our way (since this is the 2nd time we've had to reschedule Nick's birthday.) As Buppy said, "The poor kid'll never turn 5!" While the show has been postponed, it only gives me more to look forward to the weekend of New Year's. And the weekend after that? Our hotel holiday party, and significant others are invited! We're going to have a killer menu, awesome DJ, drinks, gifts and loads of fun! I'm lovin' it!
Thank goodness it's Saturday. It's been a rather long week at the hotel and I'm glad to finally have a break. Meteorologists are predicting 1'-2' of snow for us here in MD, which is pretty much unheard of for us. We were supposed to be celebrating Christmas down at Buppy's mom's house in VA today, but we canceled that yesterday. So today will bring baking cookies, a fire in the fireplace, possibly playing in the snow (it's 21F here now but according to weather.com, it feels like 9F), wrapping presents and enjoying what Mother Nature is throwing our way.
One of cookies I plan to bake today are called Mom's Island Treasures. I'm not sure where I found this recipe, but I made it for the first time about a month ago and they were a huge hit at work. I'll bake them today and plan to mail them out with the care package that's headed to my family in Wisco on Monday.
Mom's Island Treasures
1 2/3 c. all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
7/8 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. white sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. milk chocolate chips (I'm subbing butterscotch today)
1 c. flake coconut
1 c. chopped pecans (I'm subbing walnuts because I more on hand today)
Preheat oven to 375F. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Beat in the egg, then stir in the vanilla. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients. Mix in the chocolate chips, coconut and pecans. Roll dough into 1" balls and place the cookies 2" apart on un-greased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 min. in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 2 min. before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
On a quick side note, I'm chilling the dough in the fridge today after mixing it up so it's easier to work with and sticks to my hands less. We'll see how this works.
I'm so happy that I make sure to keep all sorts of baking supplies on hand so I can whip up whatever treats I want while I'm snowed in. Our house is going to smell wonderful in about half an hour! Enjoy!
Update: I decided to search the web for Mom's Island Treasure so I could give credit where credit is due, and I found the one and only recipe on allrecipes.com. According to their website, the recipe is from Angie Lov. You can view it here: allrecipes.com. Thanks Angie --- they're delicious!
Commission is a wonderful thing. This is the first career move I've made where I earn commission, and while 2% doesn't sound like a lot, I learned in November that it can add up if I work hard at booking events. As I said in my previous post, I earned 5x what I was predicted to earn for my first month, which means I booked a helluva (dip? cheese?) lot more events than anyone expected. And while I'm assuming that some months will be leaner than others, I've decided to take all of my commission and put it into a separate savings account, which I plan only to touch in case of an emergency. I've given myself a reasonable goal to reach by the end of 2010. Since I've seen how greedy Uncle Sam can be, I'm only counting what I actually see on my paycheck, not the amount I actually earn before taxes. It should be an interesting journey to watch my status bar climb each month. I haven't figured out what I'll do with the money eventually, but it'll be nice to have a tidy little sum to play with. Outdoor hot tub? Vacations? Motorcycle? We'll see!
While I'm aware of the fact that "neglection" (the title) is not a real word (at least I don't think it is...), it's still what's been going on with this poor, poor blog of mine. I'm trying to change that, but it's difficult when I'm a part-time mom, part-time girlfriend (I love you Buppy, but I just mean that you're not home all the time!) and now full-time lover of my job.
Things have definitely changed since this job landed in my lap. I cook less, and have less time at night to spend with Buppy. But the rewards are fulfilling, and I wouldn't change much. Well, perhaps just to have more time in a day, but then I'd just be busier, longer. November was the first month I earned commission (my first full month with the company), and it was such an ego boost to earn 5x more than predicted at the beginning of the month. I managed to snag a wedding the day after Christmas, which will (of course) help my figures for this month. And I've booked 2 holiday parties for January --- on the same day! That will be a challenge, but with the right staff, I'm confident in our abilities.
This coming Sunday, the 20th, we have tickets to see the Nutcracker ballet at the Lyric Opera House in Baltimore. We'll grab a gift certificate from restaurant.com (I love that website!), have dinner and enjoy the show. Buppy managed to get us a super good deal on tickets, which makes it all the better. Great entertainment without costing us a fortune!
I'm not going to be able to head back to Wisco to see my family and friends this year for the holidays, but I had the amazing idea to head up to NYC on Christmas Eve. The kids will go to their mom's at 3:30pm, and Buppy and I will head straight up to The City, roughly 4 hours away. Because I work in a hotel, we're going to be staying in a suite in Times Square for the low, low price of $59. Parking will be a little costly, but well worth it for a $59 room rate! And we're only half a mile from Rockefeller Center at this particular hotel, which is the main attraction for this trip. I've always wanted to see the tree live and in person. I'm psyched! I also plan to find a knock off Coach bag for a dear friend of mine who's never made it up that way. Don't worry Sunshine --- I'll find you something amazing!
Our 2 trees are up (1 being strictly a fire tree), Christmas is being celebrated at Buppy's mom's house this Saturday, the Nutcracker on Sunday, work 3 days, then up to NYC. What a great holiday season!
Babycakes is my mom’s cat; she’s so feisty and . . . well, she just runs the house. I miss her. I miss having a cat in general, but Buppy claims he’s allergic. I secretly think he just dislikes them. Ah, c’est la vie.
Tuna cakes
