Fried Chicken Wings

I bought all my gifts like 2 1/2 weeks ago and decided to buy myself a mini deep fryer for $34, I've been wanting one for a few years now and I honestly didn't think I once hinted to anyone that I did. Well turns out apparently I complain about not having a deep fryer every time I watch something get fried on Food Network LOL. I never actually thought I voiced my wishes so often, well someone got me a BIG deep fryer for Christmas. I don't know what it looks like or who its coming from but when I told my dad he hollered "YOU CAN'T BUY THAT FOR CHRISTMAS" at me and had a bug eyed look and was slack jawed. LOL!!!! Then later when I told my mom over the phone she says  "I'm not naming names, its someone your related to" Uuuhhhh Either grandparents or dad I'm betting on... I dunno I'm leaning towards DAD. Plus I have a huge suspicion that this would be a gift he could use too, by coming over and having Fish and chips for dinner with us. Just sayin'!

Sugar cookies with royal icing

Oooh how I love a good sugar cookie! But I am picky about them I hate it when there is too much frosting and the cookie is too sweet. Yes I know, SUGAR COOKIE. It's supposed to be sweet but I like mine a bit mellow and more tasty. As in vanilla bean tasty.

Apple Juice Marinated Pork Shoulder

So I was just goofing off with this recipe and it came out great, I was genuinely  surprised! When I cook or bake I always take pictures but sometimes I don't write them down because I don't see them being good enough to put up here. Like the side of cous cous and vegetables on the dish. I need to seriously re do that and change the amounts I used. I thought the pork was gonna suck and the cous cous rock so I wrote down the cous cous recipe : / Figures... I still know what I put in and certain ammounts of items.

Edamame dip with bacon bits

HOLY COW can you tell how much this was a success?! Here is the proof from Jon himself

Greedy man : ) He was shoveling this in his mouth lol.

Grandma's hamburger soup

 

Gram actually calls this the poor man's soup lol but that doesn't sound very nice. But it really is very simple delishious soup and most homes have the main ingredients on hand already so there is no need to go out and buy an ingredient that you are missing. Plus the ingredients are all very cheap at the market so its affordable, tasty, inventive and a one pot meal.

Roasted tomatoes and Mushrooms

So why tomatoes and mushrooms you ask? Well Jon HATES them, which means more tasty morsels for me : D Haha! Now that I read that, it seems like I'm being a selfish little food whore but what can I say.... I love my vegetables and so does Jon! So that means if I want some tasty veggies for myself I have to make them with veggies he doesn't like. Luckily I love all veggies. This is what was on hand.

Twice Cooked Pork Belly

I fell in love with this recipe from my favorite Australian food blogger Almost Bourdain. I fell in love with it when I saw it, I kinda drooled. Young's Oriental store sells thinly sliced pork belly and Ribeye (from cheap cuts to expensive cut,s its a nice option.) So I went out on a limb and assumed they may slice the meat there at their store because they do a lot of home made cooking of fish, sushi, rice cakes, and korean side dishes that they sell daily. Figured they might save on expenses and do the slicing themselves too. Well they do! I asked and I recieved  2 lbs of delicious frozen pork belly! Well the first time I made it, 2lbs of this amazing but fatty dish didn't last 12 hours in the house. Only my tiny slice of heaven that I hid before Jon came home ;) I had a feeling it was going to go fast. So this was my second time with it and I perfected MY version of the recipe.

You'll notice the huge globs of green onions on my finished product picture. This was Jon, I went to take a photo and he was like "Wuh wuh wait! Here let me make it look nice before you take a photo!" LOL I left it that way, I didn't want to say "No it looks crappy, like a 7 yr old did it," to a 29 yr old man hahahaha! 

My vegetable/herb garden

So I thought I would make a random quick post and show you my tomato plant and herbs. Im going to attempt to try and grow my tomato plant all winter its got like 4 green tomatos and one red left (I can't believe I still have one and it's November 22!)

 

With Honey hanging out in the warm sun

 I have parsley, english Thyme, sage and chives in this section in my kitchen window I have a big pot of rosemary that's alive and strong at 2 1/2 years!

And.... a pot of risotto staying cold outside haha!

Update: plucked that little red sucker today and bake him/her in the oven with some s&p, Italian seasoning and a little Parmesan cheese

Rice cakes with a sweet/spicy sauce

I was browsing around for something yummy, easy and Asian last night and stumbled upon a recipe for stir fried rice cake in a spicy sauce. I was going to Young's Oriental Store in Newark, DE, near our apartment, today so I thought I would give this a whirl, I know its not things you would have on hand normally but based on where I live (DelaWHERE?) I think most people could get the ingredients at a local Asian grocery store.

Salmon with mustard and onions

So the other day I had just one salmon fillet left in my freezer, so I let it defrost for a day in the fridge.I pre heated the oven to 400 F and pulled out some parchment (about one arm length) and put it on my baking sheet. I placed the salmon on top and this is what I did...