A little know trivia fact about Nathan that I only learned in the last year is that Chicken Parm is his all time favorite dish. Imagine my shock and horror when I realize I have NEVER made this for him or even myself. I mostly think of it as a heavy dish laden with pasta and deep fried chicken. To win some brownie points I decided to embark of a journey for a healthy version of chicken parm to satisfy his food craving and appease my healthy habits in the kitchen. Luckily I didn't have to try too many recipes. The first one worked and I haven't looked back since. 

I joined the craze, I got one of those zoodle makers where you transform veggies into pasta. I feel like I should utilize it more but so far I have one zoodle dish I make over and over again that Nathan will gladly eat which can be a challenge some days. I stole this recipe from Pinterest and it honestly is so quick, is perfect for cast iron skillets and is low carb if that's your thing. If you read my earlier post I made pasta sauce specifically for this dish but you can use jarred sauce, I'm not trying to sound like Ina Garten I swear! (Google Ina Garten Memes and you'll get the reference.) I choose not to cook the zoodles in any way. I let the heat of the chicken and hot sauce "steam" them but feel free to zap them in the microwave. DON"T BOIL THEM like pasta or you will have mush. They don't act like pasta. You can saute them a little bit but remember they are a water packed veggie and must be treated accordingly. 

Healthy Chicken Parm from Pinch of Yum

 
INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons oil
   Coupons
• 4 chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
• 1½ cups DeLallo Creamy Vodka tomato sauce (or any tomato sauce - but that vodka sauce is YUMMY)
• 4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
• 2 zucchinis

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the breadcrumbs, panko, and Parmesan in a shallow dish with the Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Heat the oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium heat.
2. Fry: Cut the chicken breasts into a total of four pieces (for example, if there are two breasts, cut each in half - pound them a little thinner and wider if you want) and dredge the chicken in the breadcrumbs so that they stick all over the surface of the chicken. Add the chicken to the hot skillet and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side. You want the outside to be golden brown - the inside can finish cooking in the oven.
3. Bake: Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Add the sauce and place a slice of mozzarella cheese on top of each piece of chicken. Return to the oven for a few more minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned.
4. Finish: While the chicken finishes, cut the zucchini into thin shreds or use a spiralizer to create zucchini noodles. Serve the chicken and sauce over the raw zucchini noodles and sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley.

NOTES
Before baking, if you have a lot of stray crumbs in the pan, I would suggest removing the chicken, draining out the excess oil and breadcrumbs, and then returning the chicken to the clean pan to avoid a burnt breadcrumb situation in the oven.

Also, if you really want the chicken to stay crispy, heat the sauce separately and add it over everything at the end. The chicken loses a little crispy exterior as it bakes in the sauce - I didn't mind it, but just something to think about if you want the crispy chicken.

Finally, I leave the zucchini noodles raw because otherwise I felt like they got too soggy and watery. When you add the warm chicken and sauce, the noodles will soften but keep just enough crunch to still be appetizing.

Sugar is in EVERYTHING, no wonder I am addicted to it. Since moving to the South I have started to realize that I eat a lot more sugar. When I try turning my life around and eating more wholesome my body and mind sabotage my quest for healthy eating by craving sugar laced treats. I haven't dabbled in the world of sweet tea, that's too dangerous for me, I hear you drink it once and you're hooked.(Similar to rumors I have heard regarding cocaine) Working as a nurse doesn't help either. Managers are bringing in cupcakes for staff meetings, hospital big wigs are sending cookies to congratulate us on our patient survey scores, families are bringing in treats for being such good care takers of their loved ones. I'm SURROUNDED by sugar. I wish I didn't like it but I'm starting to really enjoy the taste of it, I feel so dirty. 

I've been trying to trick my body a little bit by eating more fruit but somedays that just doesn't cut it. I found this recipe for healthier cookies that seem to satisfy my sweet tooth and I feel slightly less guilty for being such a dextrose addict. It's only got 3 ingredients and it takes less than 15 minutes to whip up a batch. I will be the first to say I don't like bananas but these cookies cleverly disguise them and make sure of the brown speckled ones that I hate the most. Bananas are truly a versatile fruit that I should maybe reconsider incorporating into my life. 

Healthy Cookies

1 C. Oatmeal
2 smashed bananas
1/4 c. dark chocolate chips

​Mix, scoop and bake at 375 for 10 minutes

I was food shopping and I try to stick with whole foods(not to be confused with the swanky food store). Things that are in their simplest state which meals most processed and convenience foods aren't allowed access into my exclusive kitchen. I was going to make 2 different meals this week that required salsa and tomato pasta sauce. I had the jars of sauce in my hands, reading their ingredients, trying to find the best but cheapest choice when a nagging voice in my head said "Girrrlllll, you can make these for less money than you can buy them, PUT THOSE DOWN!" That voice was right, I was being lazy. Technically I can make a tastier product, more of it for less money than the prepared stuff but I was feeling tired. Being cheap won out this time as I only needed to buy 1 can of plum tomatoes since I had all the other ingredients at home. I was already going to be in the kitchen cooking other things, what's 2 more items?

Typically I NEVER make tomato pasta sauce, I always buy it. How hard can it be to make? I cracked open my JOY of Cooking and found a recipe that looked easy enough. I will tell you right now it did not turn out the way I imagined. For starters I didn't measure anything. I ended up going heavy of the chopped veggies and in end I didn't have enough tomato product to balance it out. Nevertheless I did not freak out. I sacrificed one of my jars of HOMEMADE canned tomatoes (they're practically worth their weight in gold because they taste so delish) and attacked the pot with my immersion blender. You can leave it as smooth or chunky as you like. I needed to pulverize it because I used celery in my veggie base which is on the forbidden list of foods that Nate will not eat. I am hoping that by blending it with other stuff it will disguise it's true nature and I will have successfully tricked Nate into eating celery. MWAHAHAHAHA (Bad Girlfriend of the Year nominee)

It's a hearty tomato and veggie sauce that will work fine on my chicken parm, other pasta dishes and there is leftover for a possible pizza in the near future or I can stick it in the freezer for a rainy day. In the end I spent $1.50 on the canned tomatoes and ended up with way more than what a jar would have given me. It's almost like that children's story "Rock Soup". 

Mom please don't kill me. I needed to make salsa and your recipe is SO DAMN GOOD! I have made this salsa for work functions, Superbowl parties, etc. It's popular and easy to make. One time someone asked for the recipe but I said I couldn't share it because my Mom would be mad. Well I'm sharing it now because people deserve to have this magical Mexican sauce in their own homes. It's like having C.Diff, I can't just keep it in any longer (gross nurse humor) Again I had all the ingredients in my pantry and it makes a whole quart which is way cheaper than the $2.00 I was about to pay for 1/2 c of pico de gallo at the pre-made produce section. It also freezes well. This may be my last post for a bit because I will surely need to join the Witness Protection Program once Mom gets wind of this. I hope I get to choose my new name. I kinda like the ring of Yolanda, very exotic. Am I a stripper or a store clerk, maybe neither. HAHAHAHAHAHA. 

Mom's Garden Salsa

28 oz can of whole tomatoes, drained
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp chopped red onion
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cilantro
1 garlic clove
1 small jalapeno
4 oz chopped green chilis
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin

Throw everything into a food processor and pulse until you like the consistancy. 
Note: I don't measure the cilantro or red onion, it's more like a big chunk of onion and a few handfuls of cilantro. It's whatever you like. Mom sometimes adds spicier peppers for increase the heat of the salsa for Dad or omit the jalapeno for kiddos eating the salsa.


Joy of Cooking Tomato Sauce

2 Tbsp EVOO
1 small onion chopped
1 small carrot chopped
1 celery rib chopped 
2 Tbsp parsley chopped

Add all of this to a pot with EVOO over medium heat. Cook until veggies are soft (15mins) over lowish heat. 

Add 2 cloves garlic chopped
1 Tbsp chopped rosemary, basil, sage or thyme

Stir in 
1.75 lbs ripe tomatoes peeled, seeded and chopped or 28oz canned tomatoes
2 tsp tomato paste
s&p

Simmer for 20 mins and then pulverize.

** I added a spash of wine while cooking the veggies and in addition to basil I added 1/2 tsp of crushed red peppers**

I love to food shop. I wish it was a legit job. I would be like the CEO of food shopping. Typically I would shop for 7 days worth of meals but have started shopping for 3-4 days at a time. I think i'm wasting less and being more efficient in the kitchen and saving money. I have not done any data analysis of this statement, just go with my flow and follow me. I shop at a variety of stores in my town. We have like 3 Food Lions, 2 Ingles, 1 BiLo, Walmart and Aldi. There are a ton of options and that's only in this town, 30 minutes down the road I also have access to a Publix AND Target. I like to mix things up and depending on what I am buying I will shop at more than one store. This week I was feeling tired and decided to go to the big store where they have everything because there was a sale on eggs and chicken sausage. It's been a few weeks since I've been there but it's pretty popular. Lots of High School students have their first jobs there as cashiers and it's the ONLY place within 25 miles of a real Starbucks (Not that I get anything there, I'm not that fancy) Last time I went there I grumbled a little bit because the bagger put my milk, all my canned goods and a 12 pack of seltzer in the same bag. IT WAS SO HEAVY. If you bring your own grocery bags to the store it's like a challenge to see how much they can cram into one bag. If you don't bring your own bag they will put 2-3 items in each bag and you leave with like 500 plastic bags for 10 items. WAY OVERKILL. I have to wonder what kind of training these baggers are getting, it's obvious they don't have any common sense. So I went out and bought stuff for 3-4 days of meals. Delicate things like bananas, eggs and an apple fritter (which surprisingly contains NO APPLE, so confused) and sturdy things like canned goods, liter of seltzer and then random treats. I brought 3 reuseable bags which I thought might be overkill but whatever doesn't get used will be fine. Imagine my shock and horror when I finish cashing out and see that ALL OF MY FOOD IS IN ONE BAG! What the hell?!? I brought THREE bags! When I put my food on the conveyor belt I like to group my food by species. Produce, dairy, meats, canned goods, random. THANK GOODNESS I put all the canned goods and heavy stuff on the belt first and the eggs and bananas on last or else I would have scrambled eggs in my car right now. I was fuming as I walked up the stairs to my apartment because I had to use 2 hands to carry the behemouth bag upstairs. I actually weighed it at a whopping 28.3 lbs (minus the fritter I scarfed on the way home) I don't know if I will return to this store again. I won't say which shop it was but it rhymes with Pringles. 

After spending the past 5 days in the City of Brotherly Love we returned from our lover's trip to an empty fridge and the looming doom of reality less than 24 hours away. I needed to prepare to work the next 3 days in a row and detox from all the Philly treats we had. Luckily I had pre-made a grocery shopping list and game plan, sometimes that's the part that takes the longest. Often I get people who are amazed at my meal prepping skills (I am kind of a big deal) But it is really very manageable if you are motivated and organized. I was able to make 3 days worth of food for myself, do some meal prep for Nate and cook dinner in 2 hours. #AMAZING

So what the heck fuels a nurse for 3 days of hard labor? I'll tell you it isn't coffee or cigarettes. 

-breakfast salads
-tortellini salad
-cottage cheese and chopped veggies
-latkes, tinned fish and asparagus
-berries and yogurt
-potstickers and steamed veggies

Some of these don't need explanation or recipes but let me say that some of the time savers I rely on are frozen foods. I'm not talking about Pizza Bites and Hungry Man* tv dinners. I keep my freezer stocked with frozen veggies (they're frozen at the peak of freshness and pretty tasty) frozen berries, chicken, fish, TJ potstickers, broth, tater tots and onion rings (you have to have fun sometimes and Nathan can't live without them) It takes 2 minutes to throw frozen broccoli and potstickers in a container and throw a splash of asian sauce on it. Healthy dinner, Voila! 
* How come they don't make Hungry Woman TV dinners? Maybe because they would consist of wine, ice cream, french fries and some whoop @ss. Or worse, veggies and steamed brown rice. HAHAHAHA

What I will divulge is the top secret recipes for breakfast salads and the tortellini salad I ate this week. I think I have talked about breakfast salads before. Heather got me started on them after she started making them. People don't associate vegetables or salads with breakfast but you can eat savory treats for breakfast or pancakes for dinner, duh! I love salads for any meal but for the breakfast variety I enjoy a soft boiled egg a top my greens. This week my breakfast salads consisted of chopped ham, scallions, sprouts, sliced up a cheese stick and chopped bell peppers on top of arugula with a delicious soft boiled egg. To be honest I don't even put dressing on it. I bathe the greens in hot sauce and use the goopy egg yolk as my make do dressing.

The tortellini salad is a recent recipe from Cooking Light. It has all elements of a salad that holds up as a meal of it's own: veggies, carb, and protein. 

Tortellini, Chicken and Arugula Salad- Cooking Light

• 1 (9-oz.) pkg. refrigerated cheese tortellini (such as Buitoni), cooked according to pkg. directions. I used dried and it worked fine
• 8 ounces skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups baby arugula
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced shallot; I substituted scallions
• 3/4 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved (about 1/4 cup)
• Frozen artichoke hearts (optional, I added them and loved it)

​

1. Place tortellini and chicken in a large bowl.
2. Combine garlic and salt on a cutting board. Mash with the side of a knife to form a paste. Place in a small bowl. Add oil, rind, juice, sugar, and pepper; stir with a whisk.
3. Add 2 tablespoons dressing to tortellini and chicken; toss to coat. Gently fold in arugula, shallot, and remaining dressing. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan cheese.

While Katrina and I were on our road trip we ate a lot of food but our best meal was on our last night. I was so fried from vacation and decision making that I told Katrina that she could pick whatever she wanted to for dinner, just direct me there and we will eat. While she was searching the internet for a spot to eat  in Phoenix (she was searching while we were enjoying the pool deck of our hotel) she accidentally selected "Fine dining" when I think she was trying to omit that from her food search.

We almost didn't eat at El Fuego. When we got there I was honestly a little hangry. I spent the greater part of  7 hours out at the pool, my Budlight Chelada buzz had worn off , I had changed into my evening flight clothes in a public restroom and was just a few hours away from solo girl time (We spent a little too much one on one time together for 7 days) When we arrived we went to the host stand to request a table. We didn't realize the establishment was slight upscale and they must have looked at us like we didn't belong. It was like when you're on vacay in some place like New York City and you feel the urge to walk into a Louis Vuitton or Coach store because it looks cool but then you see the security guards and your second thought is "They probably know I can't afford any of this stuff, it's practically a museum in there". That is a tiny bit of what I felt. It wasn't the Russian Tea Room but it wasn't KFC either. There were plenty of empty table and the lack luster  host guy told me it would be a 15 minute wait. I said fine and gave him my name while we walked to an out of the way area. THERE WERE PLENTY OF EMPTY TABLES! While we were waiting we saw 2 other couples go to the hostess stand, ask for tables and get seated immediately. I started to get steamed. I thought I was going to have a Betty Hunt moment. After 20 mins I marched over to the hostess stand and said slightly heatedly, "Any chance our table is ready" and we were seated immediately.

​My only regret is when they asked if we had a seat preference I said "surprise us" and so they sat us right at a table directly in front of the stage where the local jazz band was about to start. We were so close to the band I could see the lead guys nose hairs (okay, maybe not that close). We couldn't talk for most of the meal because it was so loud. Luckily the food made up for everything. One of my favorite side dishes we had were chipotle cheddar mashed sweet potatoes. I rarely make sweet potatoes at home but was inspired to make these when I got home. I altered them slightly, left out the cheddar and added a bit of maple syrup. I love to buy chipotle peppers in adobe sauce but I don't like chopping up the peppers, it's messy and time consuming. Instead when I open a can I immediately stick it in a mason jar and pulverize it with my stick blender. I use that paste in EVERYTHING. It's smoky and spicy and goes great on tacos, marinades, mixed with ranch dressing, added to jam chicken (that's another post) and so many more things I haven't even tried yet. Mexican flavor power house. 


Chipotle maple smashed taters

2 sweet taters
1 tbsp chipotle pepper paste
1 tbsp VT gold aka Maple syrup
1 tbsp butter
s&p

I'm lazy sometimes and just stab the taters to death with a fork and zap them in the microwave for 7 minutes. Cook then however you like, roasted, boiled, steamed, etc. Mash and add the rest of ingredients. Gobble up. Would probably be a great side for Thanksgiving too!

Nate and I often watch PBS for 2 reasons: One, it's got great programming and two, we don't have cable. It's more of a lifestyle choice, you wouldn't understand unless you experienced it yourself. #hipsterwannabe. Just kidding, we don't have cable because it's much cheaper to suppliment with netflix/hulu/amazonprime and free antenna TV. We honestly don't even watch that much with the exception of hangover days in bed, in the evening with dinner and football games. On nights that we're home together (when I'm not saving lives as a nurse) We watch Cooks' Country/America's Test kitchen (They both seem like the same show, I don't know the difference.) and before it comes on there is usually a rotation of other cooking shows. One of our growing favorites is Lidia's Italian.  She makes appealing meals and get's us warmed up for Chris Kimball. She's like an opening act/pre-game/fluffer for America's Test Kitchen. At the end of each show she says something that sounds like "Tutti Fruitti A majari!" With a lot of gusto. My one semester of Italian is failing me now but I think she's saying something like "Let's all eat!" It makes us giggle and we reference it when we are out, like a weird inside joke. 

I don't cook a lot of Italian food, it doesn't really appeal to me because all I can think of is spaghetti and meatballs. I've been trying to broaden my horizens and get over my carbohydrate fears. It's the 90's version of fat, don't eat it or you will get fat. Stay away from butter and eat only processed non-fat food to stay slim. What a crock of horse poo. Healthy fats in moderation are part of a balanced diet. Notice the key word "balanced". You can still eat butter. Just don't eat an entire stick of it as a snack (even if it is low carb) You need fat in your diet to feed your brain. The same goes with carbs, healthy whole grains in moderation are part of a balanced diet (it's what I keep telling myself). 

When I was home last fall I was feeling inspired by Paleo recipes when my bestie Sarah showed me the Paleo cook book Nom Nom Paleo. It's a beautiful cookbook. There are pictures of nearly all the recipes and some funny comic strips related to Paleo eating. I hate cookbooks that are all words and no pictures. The pictures are usually what inspire me to make the recipe. One of Sarah's favorite recipes is Eggs in Purgatory. It's one of the main reasons I bought the book. I have made it multiple times and Nate even eats it too (SCORE!)

It's jam packed with veggies and flavor. It's is basically a meaty Italian tomato based sauce that you crack some eggs into at the end, stick in the oven till the whites are cooked and then chow time! I like to cook just enough so that my egg yolks are still goopy. You can dunk slices of hearty bread in it, mix with pasta, serve over zoodles or my favorite is to eat it with parmesan grits. It's a savory breakfast or hearty lunch/brunch/dinner. You can eat it anytime. 

Nate and I are preparing to leave in a few days for the City of Brotherly Love (where our love first blossomed) and I am trying to not buy any groceries and eat whatever I can make with random stuff in the fridge. My freezer is a little stuffed as well as my pantry, so I have been motivated to eat through some of our staples to save money for future cheese steaks, korean fried chicken and beer. That's when I realized I could make some of this incredible meat sauce based on what I found kicking around. This is a loose recipe where you can add or omit any of the items to your liking. I did a bit of a deconstructed version. I made soft boiled eggs separately and used up some leftover multi grain oatmeal from last week as my hearty base. I did all of this while rocking out to ABBA, a favorite group that Sarah and I also enjoy. 

Eggs in Purgatory Inspired by Nom Nom Paleo

1/2 lbs ground pork/sausage/beef/turkey (I used pork)
Jar of pasta sauce or a can of pureed tomatoes (I used 1/2 a jar of homemade tomato soup)
Chopped veggies such as
-onion
-garlic
-zucchini
-finely diced carrot
-bell peppers
-mushrooms
sprinkle of crushed red peppers
Eggs in some form


I browned my meat in a pan over medium heat. I then "bloomed" some crushed red pepper in the rendered pork fat. Add your diced veggies and cook for a few minutes until things become a little soft (not cooked to death or mushy, think AL DENTE). Pour your tomato product of choice over veggie and meat mixture. Simmer for 10-20 minutes and enjoy!

If you're interested in hearing a tale of heartache and my obsession with Miley Cyrus 3 years ago you should check out the recently posted "Parallel Life" on 1/29/2014. Sometimes I can be so dramatic.

While meal prepping I like to create ethnic "themed" meals. I think I also get this from Mom. This is one of those instances where I can't color outside of the lines. Nathan will make suggestions or recommendations for meals/dinner/embellishments and is always perplexed when I turn him down. He wants to put mozzarella cheese on tacos or eat tater tots with pasta. YOU CAN'T MIX THOSE THINGS TOGETHER! THEY DON'T GO, GAWWWWWD! Kitchen control freak anyone? (crickets chirp)

I was digging though my recipe box for some Mama Socha themed meals and settled on Greek. I made meatballs, tzatziki, hummus to go with a bunch of olives and pita I had to use up. After making everything I soon realized I would be eating the majority of the feast. Nate's not a huge fan of olives, he's watching his carb intake, the meatballs heavily feature dill and there's no way I can hide all the cucumber in the tzatziki. More for me!

While coming up with the title for the post I goggled "Greek sayings" I didn't choose to use one because they were mostly too long and there were too many funny ones. Here are a few of my favs.
- A Greek doesn’t say “I have no idea what’s going on”…she says “I’ve lost my eggs and baskets” (ἐχω χἀσει τα αυγἀ και τα καλἀθια).
-In Greece, a situation doesn’t just “get out of hand”…it turns into “a whore’s fencepost” (της πουτἀνας το κἀγκελο).
-A Greek isn’t just “doing nothing”…he’s “swatting flies” (βαρἀει μὐγες).
 -A Greek house isn’t just “messy”…it’s a “brothel” (μπουρδἐλο).
 -Greeks aren’t just “exhausted”…they are “in pieces” (κομμἀτια).
-A Greek person isn’t just “high and mighty” or a “diva”…she is “astride a reed” (ἐχει καβαλἠσει καλἀμι).
-A Greek person doesn’t just “cheat on you”…he “puts horns on you” (σε κερατὠνει).
-A Greek is not told to “go jump in a lake”…he is told to “go see if the boats are moving” (πἠγαινε να δεἰς αν κουνιοὐντε οι βἀρκες).
-Greeks don’t just “get into a fight”…they “become yarn balls” (γἰναμε μαλλιἀ κουβἀρια).
-A Greek isn’t just “fit”…she is “slices” (φἐτες).
 -A Greek doesn’t get “beat up”…he “eats wood” (τρὠει ξὐλο).

Greek Meatballs and tzatziki



Meatballs:
1 lb of ground beef (I used turkey, you could use pork, go crazy)
1/2 finely chopped onion
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1 egg
dill chopped
S&P

Mix together, it will be a wet, shaggy mess. Roll them out and stick them in a 350 degree oven for 30 mins.

Tzatziki

pint of greek yogurt
1/4 c. EVOO
2 cloves garlic minced
1 peeled cucumber diced
dill
S&P

Mix and eat

Last summer I went to a sushi making class and there were some real Asian Foodie nerds (I mean that in the nicest way) who were bragging about their extra fancy Japanese rice cookers and all the cool features it had. I didn't even own a rice cooker but was convinced in this class that even a cheap $20 dollar Wal-Mart rice cooker was going to change my Asian cooking life.

I used to ridicule my sister Heather when she received her first rice cooker as a gift. Don't you have a saucepot? What's next, you're going to buy a quesadilla maker? A cake pop machine? What a waste of metal! Now I am singing a different tune. Sorry Heather, you were right this one time.

I initially thought that I should invest in something that was going to last for a while and so I started doing my research. HOLY COW do people fork over a lot of yen for a fancy rice cooker, like hundreds of dollars which must be like a million yen (I'll need to check a converter) So I decided to go with the most affordable option with the best reviews on Amazon and waited patiently for 2 business days while it traveled to my doorstep. While I anxiously awaited it's arrival I went on Pinterest and just searched "Rice Cooker recipes". Lo and behold you can make so much more than rice in these wonder machines.
There's a gazillion grains you can stick in there, steam the heck out of veggies and meats and don't get me started on the delish looking bakery delights. I was dreaming of all the light, airy, Japanese cakes I would make Nate.

Then reality set in, if I made all these cakes someone would need to eat them and I can guarantee that I would devour at least 1/2 of all these cakes. *** Remember, I need to put on a wedding dress in the near future and not look like an albino stuffed sausage. So those recipes are on the backburner for after the wedding. (He can't get rid of me then, mwahahahahah)***

I have made some good things so far with this magical multi tasking machine. What I really enjoy making recently is a multi grain oatmeal. Oatmeal doesn't get all the credit it deserves sometimes. It's not just for breakfast, you can eat it any meal of the day and my favorite uses for it are the savory kinds. I was inspired by my sister Melissa and often pour chili and cheese over it for a quick lunch. Another favorite it to make it into a savory breakfast bowl with a soft cooked egg, cheese, scallions and diced ham. I had a hankering for something sweet and decided to top mine with chopped pecans (the nuts of the south), maple syrup (northern gold) and a diced banana. This batch makes enough for Nate and I to nibble on for a few meals. I even got extra fancy and used the steaming basket that comes with the rice cooker and steamed some apple chunks while the oatmeal cooked. DOUBLE TASKING QUEEN!!!! If you have room in your kitchen I would recommend taking one of these bad boys for a spin or just borrow your friends and try it out. You can thank me later by treating me to an alcoholic beverage in the near future.

Multigrain Oatmeal

1 cup steel oats
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup millet or bulger, quinoa, etc
3 1/2 cups water
pinch of salt

Throw everything in rice cooker and press "cook white rice" If you don't have a magical rice machine you can adapt this to stove top. I don't know how, just get on the Google as Nate's Dad says (about searching for anything on the internet.) I'm too busy planning my future Japanese cakes. HAHAHAHA