Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Wanting to Know you Wens.


what's your go-to recipe that's easy to make? i stress easy because i'm not exactly skilled in the kitchen.

now that we're on our own for the first time, one of my new years resolutions was "attempt to cook."

{it's a shame i was too lazy to learn because my momma is an amazing cook!}

so my lovies, please do share and i'll be ever so thankful (and so will my husband's tummy!)



P.S.! i'm thinking next week we'll bring back the virtual dates-- inspired by this giveaway my dear friend Kat is having (you still have time to enter!) let's show off beautiful you in red lipstick! i used to wear it more often and i think it'll be another resolution i'll add to this new year.

even if you don't wear it often, borrow a girlfriend's and snap me a photo to micaela.maxham[at]gmail.com and i'll show fire engine you off next week right here on my dolce vita.

*please include your blog link!

26 comments:

Erin said...

Quiche is my easy, go-to recipe. :-) Serve it with a salad or fresh veggies as a light dinner, or keep it in the fridge for a quick brekkie.

1- 9" unbaked pie shell
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
pinch of garlic powder
pinch of red pepper flakes
shredded cheese
desired fill (meat and veggies)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line pie plate with pie shell. Sprinkle cheese and desired filling into pie shell. I recommend first sauting any vegetables that you're adding in order to draw some of the water out of them. And, obviously, cook all meat first.

Beat eggs, add half-and-half, salt, pepper and any other seasonings (garlic and red pepper flakes). Pour mixture over filling in pie shell.

Bake for 35-45 minutes OR 25-30 minutes if using a convection oven. Quiche is done when a knife in the center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Hello Again Vintage said...

I'm not exactly the best cook either, but foodnetwork.com has tons of easy recipes.

kimbirdy said...

well what do you know, i just posted a recipe for my favorite breakfast today! it's how to make protein pancakes (no flour). they're ridiculously easy, really fast and SOOO delicious!

here: http://fillyourwell.blogspot.com/2011/01/protein-pancakes.html

Erin {pughs' news} said...

I have just the recipe! I'll email it to you this afternoon, after I get Alan's ice cream cake made! It's for spinach & ricotta canelloni... deeeelicious!

Kitty said...

Dearest Micaela,

I'm not a good cook either but I did just read an amazing book that inspired me so. It's called A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table by Molly Wizenberg. It is filled with easy recipes and motivation to cook. I'm having Dan read it so maybe he can do the cooking. I am so bad.

Dearie,
Here's to The Year of The Fire Engine. I am so excited about all the Fire Engine things ahead. I can't wait to see your readers sporting their favorite shade of red lipstick. My Daddy said to always wear a little bit of red.

love you,
Kitty

Unknown said...

You can always go with Kitchen helper! Chicken or tuna, recipe right in the box...15 minites to prepare!

oh gosh! Don't ask me that I am a low very low make up kinda girl! red?? I need to try it one day right??

Claire Kiefer said...

1. I agree with Erin that quiche is the easiest thing in the world.
2. My minestrone (I posted a recipe on my blog at some point, I'm sure it's easy to find if you click the "recipe" tag) is probably my go-to recipe in the winter. Easy and yummy and healthy.
3. Also easy (but less healthy)--make some rice (I always use brown, and if you use a rice cooker you can't screw it up), saute broccoli in olive oil, add broccoli to rice, add tons of cheese. :) Cheddar is the most delish I think.
4. Or sometimes I make a pot of cous cous, saute asparagus (chopped), onions (diced), and a little garlic, add that to cous cous, and add shaved parmesan or asiago cheese.
5. Always have Knorr vegetable bouillon cubes on hand. I use them in pretty much everything. When you make rice or cous cous or quinoa, one cube thrown into the pot makes it taste so much better.

We can talk recipes anytime! I rarely use actual recipes but I can give you some ideas. And you can always use allrecipes.com or epicurious.com which are great!

xoxoxo

Unknown said...

k i'm posting my failproof roast chicken recipe this friday or saturday. so that'll be my contribution to this post.

but really i want to thank you for your SWEET comment!! and i'm so happy for you and your hubby :)

Catherine said...

My go-to recipe is a quick curry, as I LOVE spicy food and it's so healthy and quick!

Stir fry onions, add ginger, garlic, chilli and curry powder, then add all your veggies. Add a tin of tomatoes, a tin of chick peas and a tin of coconut milk and simmer until the veggies are tender!

Jen said...

I guess my true go-to is pasta, but I know you're looking for a recipe, so my next one would be my mother's meatloaf (which has received rave reviews from the friends I've cooked it for). Plus, I almost always have the ingredients to make it on hand:
1 egg
1 packet Lipton's onion soup
1 lb. ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey, whatever you want)
3/4 cup breadcrumbs (I use Progresso's Italian mix)
Optional: any random veggies you have lying around like carrots or spinach, finely chopped

1. Mix all ingredients well
2. Shape into a loaf (or whatever shape floats your boat)
3. Place in a pan or glass cookware
4. Cook in oven at 350 degrees for one hour (I find turkey cooks faster, usually about 45 min)

I serve it with whatever I have: rice, potatoes, frozen veggies, salad... and sometimes I'll even make gravy for it.

Good luck! I hope you do some posts on your kitchen adventures!

Maddy said...

you can never go wrong with some kind of good cheese (goat, brie, etc.) and pasta! even add things like veggies and bacon! mmmmmmm or fish... or chicken... the list goes on...

to make a good cheese sauce just make sure you reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water and throw it in the pot when you add the cheese to the pasta. it helps it stick :)

also stir fry is delicious and easy!! make rice in one pot, fry up some veggies in oil and soy sauce in another. crack an egg in a new skillet, scramble it around, then add rice and more soy sauce and toss!

I do these a lot :) haha

Faiza said...

i am a big fan of my crockpot and love to make a low fat chili and then eat it on it's own, with a baked potato, stuffed in a red pepper, with rice, with nachos....

you will need:
- chicken, i prefer it boneless and skinless for chili (can be frozen) or ground beef or ground chicken
- can of mixed beans or beans of your choice
- jar of salsa
- frozen corn

1. line the bottom of your crockpot with the frozen chicken if using ground beef/chicken, you need to brown it first
2. pour the can of mixed beans over it
3. pour the salsa over that
4. pour the corn over that

cook on low for at least 5 hours. you can cook it up to 8 and it'll be fine. or cook on high for 3 hours.

stir it all up and DEVOUR it.

add your favourite cheese if you want.

it is so easy!!

Alyssa said...

I cannot remember if you are vegetarian or not... but since you are a Texan, i think not.
Tacos. They are our go to meal each week! you just have to brown the mince and throw in a packet of flavour stuff that comes with the taco shells.
chop the tomato, lettuce and cheese and you're done!!
{i add heaps of bbq sauce when cooking the meat because i kinda love it... but its a personal thing :)}

Lauryn said...

What an adorable picture for this post!

One of my favorite easy go-to recipes is this recipe for stuffed shells from Kraft. It's simple, easy, fast and delicious!

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/cheesy-stuffed-shells-91437.aspx

Tillie said...

best virtual date ever! Im getting on it now!

and im going to send you something! So ill need your new address, yes ma'am! <3

BeccaKemp said...

My easy recipe is on it's way to your emailbox!

sheba said...

my go-to comfort food meal is spaghetti bolognese, but my *impress you with my fancy but easy recipe* is pork tenderloin in a soy sauce/molasses glaze encrusted with pecans...it's delish and makes everyone think i'm some sort of goddess in the kitchen, which i'm definitely not! i'll have to email you the recipe later b/c i don't know it offhand.

Gracie said...

Err...I'm not a great cook either. So I couldn't really tell you any easy recipes. I need to learn more though so I'm interested to see :)

Cassie said...

Oh I have to say my go-to is for pork encroute. Let me know if you want the recipe dear girl.

I really have the urge to cook at the minute, must be because I am on a strict diet and can't - typical!!

Hope you are having a great first week in your new little home.
xx

Cassie said...

PS: As I pressed publish on that comment I realised I was a silly girl - you are a veggie, so probably pork isn't the best idea! Sorry
xx

Micaela said...

these are ALL YUMMY and so helpful! thank you lovies!!! and cassie, you're fine because most things i can MAKE vegetarian ;) and those that i can't, my husband isn't a vegetarian so it works :) you're too sweet!

Erin {pughs' news} said...

Sorry M... I was feeling like crap last night and went to bed before emailing you the recipe! Now I'm at work and I'm afraid I don't know it 100% off the top of my head. Will send this evening, I promise! It's really tasty, and vegetarian.

I also have a veg/chickpea curry recipe I think you'll enjoy. Will send that too!

Kisses,
E xo

Sarah said...

This photo reminded me of my other favourite celebrity kitchen photo, this one of Paul Newman: http://img.listal.com/image/463865/600full-paul-newman.jpg I want to restage this photo with my husband-to-be, I just love it so much. Love your blog, too!

Sarah

http://sadiedesigns.blogspot.com

CarrieMarie said...

My go-to is pasta. I can't eat it as much as I used to (boo!) but every once in awhile... The secret of course is in the sauce.

Start out w/ Ragu Chunky Garden Mushroom & Green Pepper pasta sauce. Add cream cheese, basil, pepper, a splash of milk and cinnamon. Yes, cinnamon.

It's DELICIOUS! : ) And vegetarian. lol Of course, I also add meatballs sometimes.

Unknown said...

nice to hear from you today on my bloggy :)

i missed this post of yours or i would have told ya.....soup is the easiest thing to make, like ever. you can buy boxes of veggie stock at the store (i always have atleast 5 in my kitchen) and whip it up with whatever you have in the fridge for veggies. i sauteed carrots, onions, celery and garlic the other night, then added 1 cup of brown rice, 2 handfuls of spinach and about a box and a half of broth and called it dinner. and it was good :)

if you ever need any cooking help, i am your girl!

and you should know that i am now thinking about trying some hot momma lipstick. either red or that NARS gloss that you have!

Lauren Nicole said...

as simple as i can give you is probably spagetti! haha you know me, i'm more of a baker. but this is actually my favorite way to eat pasta.

1/2 package of pasta (i like linguine)
1 bottle of vodka sauce
1 bottle of three cheese spag. sauce
pinch of salt, pepper
fresh mozzarella

cook the pasta until it's al dente, strain and set aside. have the two pasta sauces cooking in the same pot on medium as you've been boiling the pasta, on continuous stirring. plate the pasta, then some sauce. give a heaping pinch of both salt and pepper on top (it makes it so much more yummy, really!) and then add a slice of fresh mozzarella on top.

;]

<3 <3 <3

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