What's to Eat? Wednesday: Crab Rangoon

I LOVE Crab Rangoons! I can never resist them when I order Chinese. I finally found a recipe that semi replicates what I get at local restaurants. I found a recipe on allrecipes.com and I have to admit that it took a little tweaking to get it right.

The only down side to this recipe is that you have to fry them and that literally scares me to death. If you have ever been burned by hot oil, you know what I mean. I always make Michael fry things for me. I am curious to know if anyone owns one of those Fry Daddies? Do they work? Do you like it? Does the oil still pop up at you? I'd like to know!

Crab Rangoons

Ingredients

1 quart oil for deep frying

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (6 ounce) cans crabmeat, drained and flaked

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons water chestnuts, drained and chopped

2 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped

1 (14 ounce) package wonton wrappers

Directions

In a large, heavy sauce pan heat oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, crabmeat, garlic powder, paprika and water chestnuts. Place approximately 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of wonton wrappers. Moisten wrapper edges with water, fold over the mixture and pinch to seal. In small batches, fry the wontons 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Things I Am Loving

The new crisp breeze in the air.

Getting excited about excursions we are planning for the fall.

Adding little bits of color to my wardrobe and around the house.

Pumpkins.

Finding great deals.

Getting cozy and reading.

The thought of warm and hearty food.

Finally embracing my curly hair.

The return of my favorite shows.

The DVR that allows me to watch them when I please.

The feeling of complete happiness that has returned in my life.

The Story of Yesterday...

As you noticed there was no "What's to Eat? Wednesday" yesterday and that was because....I locked myself out of the house.

I was stuck outside with this guy....

...and about a dozen or more mosquitoes. I now have bites covering my feet and hands and even on the center of my forehead. My blood must be quite delicious because if there is a mosquito in a one mile radius...it will find me.

Oh, what fun. Thankfully the hubs did finally came home to save the day.

In other news.....

Lola also had a rough day yesterday. I've taken her to PetSmart the last 3 times to get her hair done (which costs more than my own haircut btw) and each time she practically runs out of the store when I come to pick her up.

This time I had to drag her in.

She knew after we got past the toy section exactly where she was going and tried with all her might to stop me from taking her to the back of the store where the grooming place is. Once we got there she had runny anxiety poo.

I felt terrible for leaving her.

One of the many things that bother me about grooming at Petsmart is that you have to leave them for 4 hours. It seriously can't take that long!

When I came back she tried to run furiously to the front of the store. Thank goodness for the slippery floors that keep the dogs from getting any traction.

I knew she had to pee.

Every time we leave from the grooming place we get stopped by someone who says "aawwww how cute" and insists on talking to me while my little Lola pees on the floor.

This time I high tailed it out of there.

All was good until the checkout line when the nice lady decided my dog just HAD to have a treat which involved her going to get a bag to refill her diminished supply.

Lola couldn't take it anymore....she didn't even squat...she laid down and peed. So much for the bath.

Next time, she will be going somewhere different. If Petsmart insists on keeping her for 4 hours then they need to take her out to do her business and supply her with water. I can tell when we get home she has had nothing to drink. Anxiety makes her very thirsty. I can't do it to her anymore!

Pig-A-Roo 2009

For the last 9 years, my family has held an annual Pig-A-Roo. It's one of my favorite times of the year and each year there is something a little bit different about it. There are some basic things that always stay the same though...

There's always a pig over the pit. Sometimes it has skin, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it has a head, apparently this year sometimes not (you can thank me later for sparing you of that picture), and sometimes, like last year, people think it's funny to put lipstick on the pig to express their political points of view (my family is politically divided and I won't tell you which side I'm on).

There is always drinking which leads to singing a variety of tunes from the Blues, to old timey songs, to Rock, and country.

There are the people who stay up all night to tend to the pig, the people who camp out at there own risk of being harassed in the middle of the night by the people who are going without sleep, and the people who smartly find their way home to cozy beds.

There apparently will always be this cute little dog who has somehow shown up to our event for the past 2-3 years. No one knows who he belongs to, but apparently he is on our email list and always joins in on the fun.

There is always a variety of weather. Sometimes hot, sometimes freezing. Sometimes it rains and sometimes it's just plain muddy, but no matter what, there will always be a pig roast. Rain or shine we make sure we have an amazing time!

This is your Warning!

I was watching Flipping Out on the DVR last night (which by the way is one of my most favorite shows) and Jeff used a term that I'm now totally in love with. He told his new assistant that he will more than likely emotionally dump on her quite frequently.

I wanted to warn you all that I will also emotionally dump on you guys every now and then as well.

Sometimes I just need to get thoughts out of my head. They may not be on current situations. In fact, more than likely they will be brought on by my reflective thoughts. It's just they way I figure my own life out.

I feel the need to emotionally dump on you because I need to get the thoughts out of my system. All of the sudden I will have a thought that just needs to be written/typed out because once it happens...it's gone.

I'd like to have a place to look back and remember and reflect again and my blog is the logical place to do it.

Most of the time the thoughts aren't completely developed and might not even make sense especially since I most likely won't be giving you a back story. Let's face it - back stories are just too long and complicated for the the most part. So please bear with me and forgive me for emotionally dumping.

What's to Eat? Wednesday: Crispy Chicken and Rice Casserole

I have to admit that chicken is not my favorite meat, but I love a good chicken casserole. I have several in my repertoire and they always bring me a sense of comfort when I eat them. The recipe I'm about to share is a new addition and one that I'm bringing to a friend who just had a baby because it is a good freezable option!

Crispy Chicken and Rice Casserole

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice (I used wild rice for extra flavor)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (Get the canned chicken for casseroles, so much easier)
2 (10 1/2-ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained (I also always chop these)
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained (I doubled the mushrooms)
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup crushed cornflakes cereal (I used plain potato chips)
Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Cook rice according to package directions. Stir together cooked rice and next 10 ingredients in a bowl. Spoon into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with cereal.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Garnish, if desired.

Note: Freeze casserole up to 1 month, if desired. Thaw casserole in refrigerator overnight. Bake, covered with aluminum foil, at 350° for 45 minutes. Remove foil, and bake 15 minutes more or until thoroughly heated. (Do not top with chips until you are ready to bake so they don't become soggy.)

(It's better than it looks!)

Typically I half this for me and my husband because it really does go a long way! I added my personal notes about the recipe in smaller font. It's scrumptious - you should try it!

Recipe from http://www.myrecipes.com/

Book Review Time!

I am sad to say that I have only read two more books since the last time that I did a book review which was in July. I have one more book to go then I have finished up all the books I have on hand. No worries though...there are more on their way to my doorstep! Just in time for football season (I read...I hate football).

Both of the books I read were set during WWII, which is one of the most interesting time periods in history in my opinion. The first one is one that I have been wanting to read for a very long time, Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. To be honest I was more captivated by the authors story and the circumstances of how the book came about than the actual book itself in the beginning. Irene Nemirovsky was of Jewish decent and was in the midst of writing this book when she was captured by German soldiers and sent to her death at a concentration camp. The manuscript was found by her daughters some 60 years later.

She never got the chance to complete the book and you can tell there are some unfinished story lines within the book. Thankfully at the end they actually translate her notes on the book which gives you an idea of where she was going with the ending. The book was wonderful even in it's unfinished form. It tells the story of several different families in France and there trials and experiences when the Germans began their occupation. It is intriguing and it told a side of the story of WWII that I had never really heard much about before. Check it out!


The next book I read was Atonement by Ian McEwan. To be honest I started this book forever ago and couldn't really finish it. To me there were some very slow parts especially in the beginning. However, once I got through that first part and really got into the storyline I started enjoying it a bit more. As previously mentioned, it is also set during WWII and the story details what happens after a very imaginative 13 year old tells a lie. Her lie catapults a serious of events that change the lives of almost everyone around her. Most excitingly, I can now see the movie!



As always, I would love to know your book picks! For me my next task is reading Ayn Rand's We the Living and Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol.

Individuality

All of our lives we try to fit into groups. Whether it's a political group, a sports team, a cliche at school or even at work for that matter, we all want to fit in. We all feel the need to share interests with someone. What is it about a collective group that makes us feel so....comfortable?

I think people are scared to be them selves - to be that true individual. Yes, we might share certain interests or beliefs with another, but when you get down to the nitty gritty none of us are exactly alike.

There is something about the whole "grouping" thing that makes it uncomfortable to show your true self. Will you be cast out because you disagree on something or because your personality is just a little different?

Isn't it our individuality that really makes people like us?

You are liked because you are you. A you that no one else can be. Each person has a uniqueness about them that makes them interesting. Why is it that people are so uncomfortable to show their true selves?

Things that are on My Nerves

• Flies and gnats that insist on buzzing around my kitchen
• The look of auducity when you ask for ketchup at a drive through
• Shopping carts left in parking spaces
• When the drive through lady hands you your bag of food while telling a co-worker that she hopes no one gets what she has
• Running into people at the grocery store that you really didn't want to see
• Getting ketchup that has sticky ketchup residue all over it
• My broken straightner
• Only getting two packets of ketchup for a large fry
• Rain that only comes on weekends that you plan to camp out
• Getting 15 packets for a small fry
• Never getting enough done during the day

What's to Eat? Wednesday: One of the Best Meals I've Ever Made

Yep. I have to be honest. The recipe I'm about to share is about one of the best I've ever made. Just ask the husband. He ate it for like a week straight. It makes a lot by the by, but you will not get tired of left overs. In fact, I made this last week and he's requesting for it again already. I'm going to have to deny him of it though for now. I'd like to keep it special!

Real Meatballs and Spaghetti

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Vegetable oil
Olive oil

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.

I promise you will love this. The only thing I changed was that I doubled the ground pork and didn't use the veal simply because I couldn't find it. I have honestly never had veal before so I couldn't tell you whether it would be better with or without it.

Hope you all enjoy. You can thank Ina Garten again for another fantabulous meal! The garlic bread she recommends is also wonderful. Click here for the recipe.

A Letter of Advice

Dear You/Me,

I feel the need to write you/me (okay I'm not very good at this 3rd person thing) a letter of advice because I see you/me heading down that slippery slope of sleepless nights and heavy thoughts.

There is no need to create things to worry about by analyzing every little detail of your life over and over again until everything is a confusing mess. You don't need to constantly be going over all the old stuff just because there is currently no crazy, mind blowing catastrophe going on in your life. It's okay. Sometimes life is uneventful and it's totally cool.

Also, there is no need to try to predict every little thing that is going to happen in the future. Whatever happens next will catch you off guard anyways and you will be just as unprepared. When are you going to realize that you are not in control? Just let go...you never know you might be pleasantly surprised.

I think you have too much time on your hands and need to get out of the house. Maybe finding a job would be a good idea. Why can't you just figure out what you want to do? Even third graders know what they want to do. You need to get off your behind and find a job or at least a project soon before the long and dreary winter comes. The last thing we need is the winter blues.

Good luck.

Sincerely,
You/Me...better known as The Crazy Lady

P.S. I've been reading your blog and I see a common theme....you have control issues and a problem with over analyzing things. Fix it. You'll be happy...happier.

What's to Eat? Wednesday: Chocolate Graham Cracker Cupcake with Toasted Marshmallow

If you don't know this already Martha Stewart's website has some wonderful cupcake recipes! Another big plus is they have video clips of how to make them. How helpful is that??? I tried out 2 of them (both of which were delicious) and decided to share this one first. It seriously tastes like a s'more. Try it, you won't regret it!

Chocolate Graham Cracker Cupcake with Toasted Marshmallow

Chocolate Graham Cracker Cupcakes

2¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

½ cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 20 squares)

⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Toasted Marshmallow

8 large egg whites

2 cups sugar

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Graham Cracker Cupcakes

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.

2.Sift 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix ingredients together on low speed.

3.In a large bowl, mix together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and continue mixing on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add boiling water and stir to combine; set cake batter aside.

4.Place graham cracker crumbs, remaining ¼ cup sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl; stir until well combined.

5.Place 1 tablespoon graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Use the bottom of a small glass to pack crumbs into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Reserve remaining graham cracker mixture for topping.

6.Place 2 teaspoons chocolate in each muffin cup. Transfer muffin tins to oven and bake until the edges of the graham cracker mixture is golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and fill each muffin cup three-quarters full with cake batter. Sprinkle each with remaining chocolate and graham cracker mixture. Return to oven and bake, rotating pans halfway through baking, until tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer muffin tins to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely.

7.Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a large plain round or French tip (such as Ateco #867 or Ateco #809). Pipe frosting in a spiral motion on each cupcake. Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet. Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown the frosting, taking care not to burn the cupcake liners. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container, up to 2 days.

Toasted Marshmallow

1.Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.

2.Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.

Yields: 2 dozen

My husband's favorite part with the kitchen torch that I needed to go along with this recipe. You can buy one fairly cheap at Bed Bath and Beyond. It is actually a creme burlee kit which includes the torch and 4 ramekins for $19. You can purchase the Butane that's about a $1 or $2 at Wal-Mart.

Just Some Things I Have My Eye On...

I made out a list of the essential things I need for fall. Due to my new budget, I need to be a little more selective in the things I purchase. It's actually quite challenging and fun. A little less buyers remorse as well! That's always a good thing. So anyways...on to the things I need to be looking for good deals on.

1. Boots - I am in desperate need of some new ankle/mid calf boots in both black and brown.








Don't you just love these? They aren't budget friendly (or not that I've found yet) but they are to die for....Steve Madden - Elivate







2. Colorful Tops - I pretty much only have white, brown, black, and grey. How drab is that?




Top from Gap



3. Fun Flats - I need some fun shoes to spice up my existing drab wardrobe.






Maybe some color?








Maybe some animal print?








Or perhaps some metallic?

All shoes shown from Target - very budget friendly indeed! Maybe I can have them all, hehe.





4. Lightweight Scarf - I have heavy ones that I never wear. I need some more functional scarves.







Scarf from Old Navy - Certainly budget friendly!



5. A Dressy Brown Coat - I only have a casual brown peacoat. It's time for something a little more dressy.









Still looking for deals on this one - Coat from Victoria Secret

So tell me - what are your best deal finding secrets???