Cheese Abuse!

Oh no! With everything else in my place, another food item has been wasted. Why I can never finish anything before the expiration date is beyond me. Too much eating out?! Not enough cooking? Too much pre-made food? *sigh*

The worst happened today when I wasted a bag of cheese! Note to self, don't buy the jumbo bag of shredded cheese. Ate nearly 3/4 of the bag and then when I wanted it most yesterday (to sprinkle on top of broccoli)... there was a big fuzzy smiley face greeting me. Darn you mold! So instead of using shredded cheese... I put american singles cheese.

I used up the last of my singles cheese and this morning, I realize I have nothing to make my grilled cheese! Oh no!

Next best bet... peanut butter wheat toast shall suffice!

=)

Oodles of Noodles

I made lasagna this weekend! Filled up the 9 x 13 pan and turn around to see that I still have literally half the box of noodles left! Did I just not pack the noodles in right? Not enough layers? But, if I add more layers, my pan will overflow! The math just does not add up.... hmmm.

At any rate, my lasagna was good! Definitely not like daddy-o made it, but it will do. Next time I shall add olives. This time around I was too lazy to cut them; so I decided easy solution will be to buy sliced olives next time ;) Simple tricks of the trade or just a sign of a lazy cook hehe.

Now, what do I do with the leftover cooked lasagna noodles??? That is the question... hmmm.
Perhaps next time, I should prepare enough to make 2 pans of lasagna!!!!

I can never have enough lasagna! mmmm yummy!
=)

A Simple Revelation

The other day, I mentioned that I can eat a grilled cheese sandwich everyday! This is no joke! Pretty much every morning, I make myself a grilled cheese sandwich, lightly buttered and oh so delicious!

I have started a quest to find the perfect cheese for a grilled cheese sandwich. However only this morning did I realize, that not only is it about the cheese.... BUT also the BREAD! I must find the perfect match. So far with wheat bread, I have sliced off the list -- Provolone, Swiss, Gouda and Kraft American Singles. The search continues.... with the many different types of cheeses and breads, I will have a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches to eat! But, I don't mind!

Aside from the bread revelation, I thought I would take it on step further and pair it with a soup! Of course, we all know that grilled cheese and tomato soup is a winning combo, BUT I'm sure that there are other soups that may go better depending on the type of grilled cheese sandwich it is.... ah huh... hence my revelation(s)!

Wish me luck in my quest!
Once I find all the answers, I shall open my grilled cheese sandwich restaurant!

=)

Tough Choices

I'm sure you have your favorite restaurants that you frequently visit. And what do you order when you visit your favorite restaurant? Most times the same thing you do every time, right? Or is that just me? Either way, I find it hard to sway from my normal order which I know fulfills me far and beyond tummy satisfaction. Every time I think about changing it up, but at the last minute, I stick with my gut and order the same ol same ol.

There are the very RARE times that I do venture out of my comfort bubble and try something new... which is what I did today. While it was very good, the satisfaction, just was not the same as my usual order. Now I crave my regular dish! Shall I go back tomorrow or next week and get it?! That is a must!

Always get the dish you know you'll love. Satisfaction guaranteed and a happy tummy!

=)

Cheesey Goodness

Who doesn't love cheese?! Even lactose intolerant people like cheese. String cheese, block cheese, sliced cheese, shredded cheese it makes the world go round!

American, swiss, gouda, harvarti, mozarella, fontina, pepperjack and the list goes on and on! Take your pick; I never get tired of the wonderful world of cheese!

Add cheese to pasta, eggs, crackers and it will make the dish that much more delightful.
Every morning I start my day with a GRILLED CHEESE!

=)

Day 2: Poke

I am not a big fan of poke, unless it is imitation crab poke or any other poke that is cooked! Raw fish is a no no for me. However, I did find out what I can do with leftover poke..... make FRIED RICE!!!!

Shrimp poke turned kimchi shrimp fried rice is oh so delish! Plus the poke gives it a little kick and I like spicy! Add some egg and green onions and you're good to go! A yummy meal ready in 10 minutes. I highly recommend trying it if you ever have leftover poke!

Fried rice is always a winner in my book! =)

What's good for your heart?!

Beans Beans "they're good for your heart!" ... the more you eat the more you fart, the more you fart, the better you feel... so what?! eat beans with every meal!!!!

I don't know about you, but I *heart* beans! But for some reason, I find a large number of guys do not care for beans. No bean black beans. No kidney beans. No bean chili. Now, is it really chili without beans?!?!? I think not!

Beans are good for you, so I highly recommend eating them!!!
=)

Quick & Easy

Now I understand the hardships of "growing up" and "fending for myself". When I was living at home, dinner would be cooked and ready to serve when I got home from work. Spoiled?! YES. (My daddy's the bestest). But now that I got my own place... it is I that has to prepare my own meals! After a long day at work, all I want is for the food to magically appear like before, but of course it doesn't.

So... when I'm lazy and need a quick fix (which is almost every night), what is the solution?!?! BOTTLED PASTA SAUCE! It works wonders.. boil the noodles, throw in some veggies, mushooms and pour the sauce on! Works miracles and tastes good too! Add some extra cheese on top and finish with a beer or glass of wine! Can't go wrong.

Thank you bottled pasta sauce for existing!
You make food appear... quickly!
=)

Hate it, then Love it

Why is it that you might hate eating something as a kid, but when you're older you really enjoy it. My dad never liked fish as a kid, but now he's always eating it. I hated when mom would make me eat oatmeal as a kid, but now I love it. I can remember when she wouldn't let me leave until I finished all my oatmeal. All the gagging in the world, wouldn't let me off the hook. I had to eat it all. Now though, it's not a problem.

Why oh why do our taste buds change like that? Then there are still some foods that you hated when you were younger and still hate to this day! Why? It makes no sense!

Hate it, love it, whatevers.. food makes the world go round! Let your taste buds do the talkin'
=)

How old is too old?!

I have the hardest time figuring out whether or not the food is still good. Take for instance last night.. I forgot to put away my cheese pizza. I woke up and it is still patiently waiting in the toaster to be put away. Is it still good?! Or will staying out all night make the cheese funky and upset my tummy?

Yogurt, how long after it expires is it still good? Because let me tell you, a whole box of yogurt from Costco is hard to finish by oneself, especially if you do not check the expiration date before you buy it. And only after you buy it, do you realize that it expires in 2 weeks!!! Still good a week later, right?

Milk, rice, etc... never can figure it out. Of course everyone says to smell it, which I do, but sometimes it is still hard to tell. Which means, it must be edible, right!?

Anyways, you better believe it... I have a stomach made of steel! =)

Stinky BO

I have a monthly dinner with my 2 foodie friends; each time we take turns picking a new restaurant. This past week we tried The Counter, a burger joint where you can customize your burger - from patty, sauce and toppings! Quite problematic for the indecisive, like me! Took me awhile to figure out which 4 toppings I wanted... do I want tomatoes or organic mixed greens or pickles or roasted red peppers or jalapenos or grilled onions and the list goes on! Don't even get me started on the sauce options because that was just as long, if not longer, than the toppings list!

In the end, I finally customized my burger and it was delish! =) A side order cheesey fries to complete my dinner.... which would have been perfect... if only the person next to us did not have BO! The smell of someone stink next to you, while you try to enjoy a perfect burger is torturous! You cannot inhale or you will taste the body odor on your burger! I shall say, this was probably the fastest we finished our meal...

Besides that little encounter, it was yet again a perfect monthly dinner with my 2 best foodie pals =) next month is my turn to pick a restaurant!