Oh My Cod.

Since I'm unemployed, I'm trying to conserve money.  This is tricky because I have a pretty good shopping habit.  I've been doing pretty well all things considered.  I've been trying to use up frozen and pantry foods and avoid running to the store for just a few things.  This meal was made from all things I had in the house already, and it turned out to be very yummy.  Especially the Cod!  The rice is just one of those 90 second heat and serve bags, and the green beans were just canned green beans cooked with some chopped onion and real bacon bits I had in the fridge.

Crispy Crunchy Cod

2 cod filets (I used frozen filets that I thawed)
1 egg
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tbs dry ranch dressing mix
1/4 cup crushed Ritz Crackers
vegetable oil

Pre-heat oven to 400.  On the stove top, heat just enough oil to cover the bottom of a skillet over medium-high heat.  Mix the bread crumbs, ranch mix, and crushed crackers in a shallow dish.  Wisk the egg and pour on another shallow dish.  Dip the filets until covered in the egg and then coat with the dry mix.  Pan fry on both sides until brown, just a minute or so on each side.   If your filets are thick, like mine were, bake them in the oven until finished through. (I baked at 400 for about 5 additional minutes)

Homemade Tartar Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbs sweet pickle relish
salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and allow to chill in the fridge until serving.

Aunt Marge's Delicious Tomatoes...and other stories.

Wow, it has been about two weeks since I last posted a recipe.  Who knew unemployment would keep me so busy?  I have been going non-stop, thank goodness I don't have a "real job" to tie me down!  I've gotten the chance to assist at my old sorority as school gets ready to begin and although it has been hard work, it has been very rewarding.  I've also been hitting the gym as much as possible to start pre-training (yeah, I need to train to train) for a mini-marathon next year. 

Last night I made Blake a nice home cooked meal complete with leftovers for tonight, since I knew I'd be in Bloomington at the Alpha Delta Pi house today.  PLITS!

The most important part of this recipe involves Aunt Marge's Tomatoes.  If you don't have an Aunt Marge who grows the most delicious tomatoes this side of the Mississippi, then I don't know what to tell you.  I guess you better scout out the farmer's market, but even then, I doubt they will come close.  Anyway, once you have procured the ripest, reddest, and most delicious tomatoes, then you may proceed.

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with Roasted Tomatoes

4 large tomatoes (Aunt Marge's is possible)  ;)
1 box Fettuccine Noodles
1 jar Alfredo sauce
fresh basil (or frozen cubes of basil, which are very handy!)
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 small onion, diced
1 lb chicken breast cutlets, sliced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
olive oil

Step 1 - Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice tomatoes into rounds and place on greased baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Roast for 1 hour.

Step 2 - Cook fettuccine noodles as directed.

Step 3 - In a large skillet on medium-high heat, cook onion, mushrooms, and chicken until chicken is no longer pink.  Add the Alfredo sauce, roasted tomatoes, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and fresh basil.  Heat through.

Toss the pasta and sauce together and top with some fresh shaved Parmesan cheese.  Voila!

Now go hug your Aunt Marge.

Ma! the Meatloaf!!!

If there is anything better than cooking a yummy dinner, it is watching a funny movie.  If you don't understand the title of this blog, then you must go watch the movie Wedding Crashers before you can proceed with reading.

Ok, good, now that we're all on the same page, I shall commence with the meatloaf!

I've never been a big fan of meat in loaf form.  Or really anything that isn't bread, in loaf form.  But Blake requested meatloaf, so being the gracious non-breadwinner of the relationship, I will cook just about anything asked of me.

Alongside the meatloaf, I roasted some haricot verts and mushrooms in the oven.  I also reached in the Betty Crocker's bag-o-tricks and made some instant "loaded" mashed potatoes by tossing some crumpled bacon and shredded cheddar on top.

Ma! the Meatloaf!

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

garlic powder to taste

6 slices white bread, cut into cubes

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

3 tablespoons yellow mustard, divided

1/2 cup ketchup, divided

3 tablespoons brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix ground beef, onion, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix in bread, milk, egg, 2 tablespoons mustard and 1/4 cup ketchup.

Press the meat mixture into a 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a small bowl, stir together remaining mustard, ketchup and brown sugar; pour on top of the meat loaf.

Bake in preheated oven for 2 hours.

recipe from Allrecipes.com

My psychic but fuzzy visions...and Pulled Pork of course!

I had no idea that when I created this blog earlier in the week and named it Crista's Fresh Start, that it was so prophetic.

On Tuesday, my job of over five years came to an end.  Of course the immediate response was shock and awe.  My company was a wonderful company to work for and it was a crushing experience to be told I no longer had a position. Many of my co-workers and the sales reps I supported and reached out and told me what a great asset I was and that I will be missed, and this makes me feel much better.

Alas, hind sight is 20/20.  While I loved my job, it was very much dead-end. I had often thought about trying something new or even going back to school.  This forces me to step out of my comfort zone and do just that. 

In the mean time, I will take at least a few days to enjoy the "real house-wives of Indianapolis" lifestyle.  Yeah, I know I'm not a wife, or a housewife, but neither was Bethany Frankel and look where she is now! 

So as I enjoyed my first day of as a lady-of-leisure, I whipped out the crock pot and made some delicious dinner.  Without further ado, I give you...

Delicious Pulled Pork

5 lb. Pork Shoulder
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup of water

Mix spices together and rub over the pork roast.  Place roast in a 5-6 qt. crock pot and add the cup of water.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5.

Blake likes his with slaw and bbq sauce on top!  I like it just as it is.  There is no wrong way to eat this delicious meat!

Sweet Broccoli Slaw

My aunt Verlena makes a very tasty salad involving broccoli and cauliflower.  Her delicious salad is the inspiration for this recipe.

It is perfect for a quick side dish and takes less than 5 minutes to make.  I made it with ingredients I had on hand, but you can certainly change it up based on what you have in the fridge.

1 bag of broccoli slaw mix
1 cup mayo
1 TBS splenda (or sugar)
1 TBS apple cider vinegar
2 TBS freshly grated parmesean
1/4 cup bacon pieces
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Mix everything together and voila!

Hi, I'm Crista and I'm a Ranch-a-holic.

I love grilling out in the summer.  However, since Blake and I both arrived home in the midst of a monsoon, the grill was off limits tonight.

Did that stop the awesomeness that are the burgers that Blake makes?  Of course not!  When I walked in to the kitchen he was already pattying the ground beef that had been mixed with the secret ingredient.

Dry Ranch Dressing powder.  It's like a piece of heaven in dehydrated powdered form.

This recipe is quite simple.

2 TBS of dry Ranch Dressing Mix
1 lb of ground beef

Mix.  Grill.  Eat.  Yummmm!

A Fresh Start...

Once upon a time...
I had a food blog.  I updated it frequently and loved to cook.  I cooked at home almost daily and posted anything that turned out semi-decent. 

Then life happened.  There were lots of changes, both positive and negative, and my posts became few and far between.  Well blogging world, I'm back! 

I will be moving stuff from my old blog over occasionally, so if something looks familiar, that is probably why.

Get excited!