what's been cooking

so i've been trying lots of new recipes lately.  i'm getting pretty comfortable in the kitchen.  basically i use the recipes as guidelines and tailor it to my tastes.

SO what have i cooked lately:

*chili uno-dos-tres

*curry in a hurry

*grilled sandwich-this was surprisingly delicious.  i kind-of expected it to just be a sandwich.  the dijon mustard made it.  (although now i have to find something else to use that mustard with...)

*easy pot-o-chili-this one had hot peppers in it.  i learned in mexico that if you take the seeds out of the peppers they won't be as hot.  i definitely left the seeds in.  i like spicy food.  i actually wish i added more peppers.

*chinese fried rice

*potato skillet hash-this was my second favorite.  delicious.

*when mom & dad came in december (i think) mom & karen made me spinach balls (mmmm... yummy) and left the stuffing stuff and i realized when i was reaching the bottom of my food that i still had it.  so stuffing was in order. =)

so usually i go shopping and then use all my food before i grocery shop again.  it takes a little planning, but when i get down to the last of my food one might say you don't have any food here.  which may be true.  but i don't waste anything.  and that's how i like it.

*polenta with mushroom gravy-this was my favorite (and super easy) so i'm going to share this recipe... so that's at the bottom.

i actually really liked all of them.  i only wouldn't make curry in a hurry again.

corn bread-i made corn bread a few times lately, but always differently.  i now add more and more wheat flour and less and less sugar and butter.  i usually stick with the recipe for the amount of corn meal though.  elena (one of my co-workers) and i keep comparing what each of us do.  (she likes to make corn bread too.)

then i found this biscuit recipe.  like cornbread, i've made a lot of modifications to this recipe.  i definitely don't use that much butter anymore.  but it's super easy and i like it.  

and stir fry is always my fall back meal.  don't know what i'm cooking tonight?  stir fry it is.

since i'm on the topic of recipes.  in the spirit of girl scout cookie season, someone else told me about this recipe.  if you make it, let me know how it goes.  it might be a little too complicated for me.  cookies aren't really that important to me.

fun fact:  peanut butter

so many of you know about my pickiness with peanut butter.  i have a rule i go by when shopping for peanut butter.  2 or less ingredients.  1 ingredient is best, obviously:  peanuts.  many people are turned off by the fact that the oil separates from the thick part, but if you're not a fan of stirring, i have an easier way.  while the peanut butter is at room temperature just turn over the jar and let it sit awhile.  it'll do the stirring for you.

polenta with mushroom gravy

this recipe is a two-part process, but it's straightforward and uncomplicated.  make a lick-your-plate meal in 15 minutes

Polenta

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 1/2 cups water

Gravy

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (about 4 large)

1 tablespoon flour

2/3 cup water, or white wine, or red wine

1 tablespoon soy sauce

pepper

1. In a 1-quart microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the cornmeal and water.  Cook in the microwave on High for 3 minutes.  Whisk carefully (mixture will be hot); return the mixture to the microwave and cook 1 minute on High or until the polenta is thick and creamy.  Remove from the microwave, and let the polenta rest while you cook the gravy.

2.  Heat the oil in a small skillet on medium or medium-low heat.  Sauté the onion and thyme for 6 minutes; stir occasionally.  Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté on medium heat until the mushrooms soften, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes.  If the skillet becomes dry before the mushrooms are soft, add 1 tablespoon of water and continue cooking.

3.  When the mushrooms are soft, add the flour and stir for a moment; then add the water and soy sauce.  Simmer on medium-high, stirring until the sauce thickens, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Remove from the heat.

4.  Serve the polenta topped with gravy.  Pepper to taste.

NOTE:  This gravy is delicious ladled on mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.  If you choose to use water rather than wine, add 1 clove of finely chopped garlic when you add the mushrooms.  Believe it or not, the water makes as tasty a gravy as the wine; they're just different.

Makes two servings