Why I've been MIA and the Cupcake Recipe You'll Want as a Main Dish

My lovelies, I  have missed talking to you. I was supposed to get my computer back last week, but problems came up and I honestly don't know when I'll be back online. Instead I'm having to go to my grandparents house and use their internet connection. This is backwards. Shouldn't my grandparents be coming to me for their technology problems and not the other way around? 

A lot has happened since we last spoke. For instance I've started baking. I've never really been much of a baker. This isn't because I can't bake, I just don't like being precise with my cooking. I hardly ever measure when I'm cooking. I think of cooking as an art and baking as a science. I hate science. I have, however discovered that I'm some sort of odd biscotti queen and I rock at making muffins from scratch. Another thing that happened is that my Facebook profile was banned for three weeks by a woman that found our Unwed Housewife Facebook page to be unfunny. Basically, the woman didn't find sarcasm and irony to be humorous, therefore she got her granny panties in a bunch and reported a picture in the group. Boo to you! Because of her reporting and my lack of an internet connection from which I could make an alternate profile and set it to admin, I was forced to leave the page and blog on a hiatus, but never fear. We're baaaaaaack, and I have a whole arsenal of foodie awesomeness awaiting.

I also have new addiction problem and I need help goal; to turn everything I can into a cupcake. It started off with meatloaf cupcakes which are essentially just meatballs covered in mashed potatoes. That left me wondering, if you can turn meatloaf into cupcakes, what other savory foods can be cupcakerized? I then Googled savory cupcakes and a Pandora's Box of savory cuteness was opened. My latest cupcake venture was a Taco Tuesday Twist on boring tacos. They were a huge hit and adorable at the same time. They were also incredibly simple to make.

Taco Cupcakes    makes 24

2 lbs ground beef

1 can refried beans

2 c Cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese

12 oz package of Nasoya Wonton Wrappers

two packs of taco seasoning

sour cream, diced tomato, lettuce, green onion and assorted toppings

2- 12 count muffin tins

Preheat oven to 350*F.

Brown beef in a large skillet and follow directions on taco seasoning packet. Set aside

If preferred, heat beans in a separate pan. (Optional)

Place one sheet of wonton in a greased cupcake tin.

Place a dollop of beans on top of wonton followed by about a tbs of beef, a tsp of cheese, another  wonton wrapper, another tbs of beef and top it with another tsp of cheese.

Repeat in that order until both tins are full.

Place tins in oven for 20-30 minutes or until wrappers are crisp.

Top with a dollop of sour cream and your choice of taco toppings.

Serve with Spanish rice and beans,

Pinkies Up, Fancy Pants or How I Took Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguingnon Recipe and Made it Something Simple

I know I've posted a lot of budget meals and super simple dishes, but that isn't the complete range of my cooking abilities. I also enjoy cooking foods from other cultures and more complicated recipes. 

When you're unemployed you have to fill your time with something or else you will indeed end up going crazy. I chose to fill that time with teaching myself how to cook through all of Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in one year. 


Oh wait, that's that other blog. You know, the one people actually read and that spawned a movie featuring a somewhat unattractive Amy Adams doing her best stuck up lesbian elf impression. Sorry if that offended anyone. I have nothing against elves and what they choose to do behind closed workshop doors is their business, not mine. 

 

Holy pointed ears, upturned nose and femullet, Batman!  

While I may not be Julie, I did learn to cook some of my best French recipes from Julia Child. Boeuf Bourguingnon is my absolute favorite French dish. I did do something blasphemous though. I changed a few things up to make it easier and tastier, but I do that with everything  and since when has God damn blasphemy stopped me before? Plus, it's not like Julia is going to rise from the grave to kill me because I add a little extra thyme to my bouquet garni and don't make things more complicated by braising this and cooking that separately. Trust me, it tastes the same if you do it the lazy way.    

Oh, Wth! You never let me down, Google.

For those of you that aren't aware of what Boeuf Bourguingnon is, it's an amazing cross between a pot roast and a stew with vegetables, herbs and chunks of red wine marinated beef. Basically, it's heaven in one pot. It may sound complicated but the hardest part is in chopping and prepping for an overnight marinade. The rest is just roasting for three hours and making a gravy from wine and beef drippings. Don't be overwhelmed. There are 44 steps in the original, but I've simplified this to the point of you needing a second bottle of wine to drink for the other 34 steps.

Boeuf Bourguingnon

• 3 lbs stewing beef or 1 roast cut into bite size chunks
• 1 bottle of full bodied red wine (Chianti, Burgandy, Pinot Noir, Bordeaux)
• 1 carton beef stock
• 1/2 c flour
• 1 large bag of carrots, cut into chunks
• 1 whole bag of celery, cut into chunks
• 1/2 bunch of parsley
• 12 sprigs of thyme
• 2 large yellow onions, chopped
• 3 bay leaves, 2 whole and 1 crushed
• bacon, cooked and crumbled with grease reserved
• 1/3 c butter
• fresh mushrooms, sliced (you can use as many mushrooms as you'd like)
• Salt, pepper, garlic to taste
• 6"x6" piece of cheesecloth plus a long strip of cheesecloth

1. Take a medium sized square of cheesecloth and place parsley, thyme and 2 whole bay leaves in center. Gather all corners together and tie with the strip of cloth. Congratulations, you've just made a bouquet garni.

2. In a large roasting pan or deep oven safe dish, mix together wine, broth, all vegetables EXCEPT mushrooms, crushed bay leaf, seasonings and bacon grease. Add in beef chunks and bouquet garni then cover and place in fridge to marinate overnight.

3. The next day preheat the oven to 350*F.

4. Fish out beef chunks and pat dry. Brown beef in large skillet. Immediately dredge in flour and place in the oven on a baking sheet for 5 minutes.

5. Return beef to wine marinade and vegetables. Mix well and place in oven for 3 hours. In the last 30 minutes stir in mushrooms.

6. Once finished, strain gravy through a colander into another pot.

7. Place meat and veggies back in oven with crumbled bacon mixed in.

8. Put the gravy pot over medium heat with 1 cup of water and bring to a boil while whisking. Reduce until gravy coats the back of spoon. If it does not thicken, add 1 tbs of corn starch to warm water in a jar with a lid, shake vigorously then pour into gravy.

9. Remove vegetables and beef from oven and either pour gravy over them and mix or control how much gravy you use by pouring it over each individual serving.

10. Serve on top of egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

Now that wasn't very hard, was it? That's what she said. 

Oh, c'mon! You were thinking it too.

So the week has started and you're feeling like a lazy S.O.B

Never fear! The Unwed Housewife has the solution.

I love to cook, but sometimes I want fast food that I can still make at home and not have to stare into the face of a greasy temperamental teenager that has already lost all lust for life. For those days I have simple meals that I fancy up and make look a lot more complicated than they really are. The trick? Options and attention to detail.

On Saturday I made Baked Potato Soup and bought a sub sandwich from Walmart. I sliced the sub and arranged it on a platter. I also cut up a variety of toppings for the soup and veggies for the sandwich then arranged them on the table. My family went crazy for that.

On Sunday I made a super simple supper staple; Spaghetti Bolognaise. What made that seem more special than usual is that I set up a salad bar with a variety of toppings. It's perfect for lazy days or days where it's too hot and you don't want to be in an even hotter kitchen.

Then there's those days that are kind of in between. Days situated between grand meals like Beouf Bourguingnon and Shrimp Boils. Days where you want something hearty and filling but still kind of light. Those days are dedicated to pot pies and cobblers.

"Cobbler," you ask?

Yes, Chicken Cobbler. It's fast, cheap and easy. Like your mom, but less sinewy.

I rarely add captions to my recipe pictures, but does this not look like a drawing?

Chicken Cobbler         Serves 6

• 4 chicken leg quarters, boiled and shredded
• 1 package Pillsbury Pie Crusts
• 1 Family Size 26 oz can of Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 small 11 oz can of cream of potato soup
• 1 regular 12 oz bag frozen peas and carrots
• 1/2 c milk
• salt, pepper and garlic to taste

Preheat oven to 375*F.

Take a 9x13" dish and line it with one sleeve of pie crust.

Mix all other ingredients together in a large bowl.

Pour into dough lined pan.

Unroll the other sleeve of pie crust.

Cut into 1/2 inch thick strips and weave on top of mixture.

Place in oven until crust is golden brown.
Serve with salad or mashed potatoes.