Busy Nights Real Food
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
A new summer favorite
I have heard a lot about grilled pizza. And so I decided it was time to give it a whirl. I started by making dough. You may notice in the recipe that it says 3 Tablespoons of yeast, that was mistyped, I used 2 packets so if you use the jar, do an equivalent, about 3 teaspoons I think. I don't know why I was so afraid of making pizza dough from scratch. It really is so easy and tastes so good. Well, I made 2 pizzas, one for me and one for Funkbobito. I went with olive oil, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, your typical margherita. Funkbobito had pepperoni. 
We rolled out the dough, preheated the grill to medium, oiled up the grates and threw on the crusts. After about 5 or 7 minutes (we have gas, so easier to control the heat here), we pulled off the crusts, flipped them over and put all our toppings on. We dropped the heat on the grill to medium-low and put the pizzas back on. This time we closed the lid and checked every couple of minutes until the bottom was nicely golden. It only took about 5 minutes tops. The results were great. Sorry there were not pictures of the pies whole, we just couldn't wait to cut into them and give em a try. If you have a grill, this is definely a must try meal. ¶ 7:17 PM 3 comments
We rolled out the dough, preheated the grill to medium, oiled up the grates and threw on the crusts. After about 5 or 7 minutes (we have gas, so easier to control the heat here), we pulled off the crusts, flipped them over and put all our toppings on. We dropped the heat on the grill to medium-low and put the pizzas back on. This time we closed the lid and checked every couple of minutes until the bottom was nicely golden. It only took about 5 minutes tops. The results were great. Sorry there were not pictures of the pies whole, we just couldn't wait to cut into them and give em a try. If you have a grill, this is definely a must try meal. ¶ 7:17 PM 3 comments
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Before and After
Before
After
Well, we loved it and thats all there is to say.
Well, before I wrote this post I was worried about posting my first meal in a long time. But after its all done, it went alright. And you all really have to try that pork, its fantastic. ¶ 7:06 PM 4 comments
Who doesn't love the before and after pictures on your favorite talk show. I know I always do. So here is the Punky version
Before
Simply steamed with a quartered lemon. Served with a bit of melted lemon butter. So good.
After
Well, we loved it and thats all there is to say.
Before
Awesome, amazing, super yummy Apricot-Mustard Grilled Pork Tenderloin from the Char-Broil website. It was so tender, and moist. This will be made again and again.
After
Well, even though my attempt at mashed potatoes were a bit runny, Funkbobito and I had no problem finsihing them off. I flavored the potatoes with butter, sour cream, milk, Asiago cheese and garlic powder, and salt and pepper of course.
Before
Almost 3 years ago I cut off all my hair and then decided to see how long it would take to grow out. Several times since then I thought I would cut it all off again, but really wanted long hair when I got married. So here is how long it got in 3 years (it was pretty short before)
Awesome, amazing, super yummy Apricot-Mustard Grilled Pork Tenderloin from the Char-Broil website. It was so tender, and moist. This will be made again and again.
After
Well, even though my attempt at mashed potatoes were a bit runny, Funkbobito and I had no problem finsihing them off. I flavored the potatoes with butter, sour cream, milk, Asiago cheese and garlic powder, and salt and pepper of course.
Before
Almost 3 years ago I cut off all my hair and then decided to see how long it would take to grow out. Several times since then I thought I would cut it all off again, but really wanted long hair when I got married. So here is how long it got in 3 years (it was pretty short before)
After
I love that it is all gone. Without losing all my anonymity, I based the style off this picture.
So excited that it is gone and that I don't have to put it in a ponytail tomorrow.
I love that it is all gone. Without losing all my anonymity, I based the style off this picture.
So excited that it is gone and that I don't have to put it in a ponytail tomorrow.
Well, before I wrote this post I was worried about posting my first meal in a long time. But after its all done, it went alright. And you all really have to try that pork, its fantastic. ¶ 7:06 PM 4 comments
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Back on the horse
Well, after way too long without a focus on cooking, its a little weird to get back into it. My motivation to try something new is pretty low. But I think it is growing, and I am just about ready to get back on the horse. I have magazines and cookbooks galore to cook out of, and a day off tomorrow that I may have to whip something up.
While in Mexico there was really only one thing I really wanted to bring home, a bottle of pure vanilla extract. Well, I brought home 2, a clear and dark, and I can't wait to choose a recipe to try them in. I had a picture to post, but my internet isn't letting me open that tab, so you get to visualize it all on your own.
So I work the late shift tonight so I am eating a sandwich and my HUSBAND (still so weird to say) will get to fend for himself at home. Hopefully a night like this will really inspire some great dishes on Thursday. ¶ 7:09 AM 2 comments
While in Mexico there was really only one thing I really wanted to bring home, a bottle of pure vanilla extract. Well, I brought home 2, a clear and dark, and I can't wait to choose a recipe to try them in. I had a picture to post, but my internet isn't letting me open that tab, so you get to visualize it all on your own.
So I work the late shift tonight so I am eating a sandwich and my HUSBAND (still so weird to say) will get to fend for himself at home. Hopefully a night like this will really inspire some great dishes on Thursday. ¶ 7:09 AM 2 comments
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Finding what you're looking for
I'm not sure if anyone still swings back by here, but I thought I would pop back in. Just in case anyone was missing the puns, corny jokes, cooking disasters, and all around mediocracy that is my blog. So where, you may want to know, has Punky been all this time? Why has she abandoned her little piece of land in cyberspace? The answer is so simple its silly, you may even chuckle at how ridiculously simple it really is...I've been really freakin busy.
Last June, Funkbobito popped the question, and after 4.5 years of very patiently waiting (and constant hinting) of course I said yes. So began the journey that is wedding planning. Next time I do this, I will hire someone else to do it all (and no, I don't really plan on there being a next time). Well, after hours and hours of picking colors, flowers, dresses, fonts, table cloths, etc, etc, etc, I wasn't much up for cooking, and being that this is a cooking blog, I thought you all would rather not hear the details of frozen pizza, take-out, and my beloved Kraft mac and cheese.
In November, I followed my life long dream to work a crappy job and accepted a promotion at work, I'm a supervisor now. No really, I like my job, it just isn't at all what I thought I would be doing and definitely not in the field I was hoping to work in. Oh well, you gotta survive right? My schedule got much more irregular and once again, cooking suffered. It was no longer something I did for fun, I now did it because I was tired, wanted to be off my feet sooner than later, and really didn't care what I ate. Enter canned soup, salad bars, and lots of eggs.
Well, all this craziness had to wind down at some point, and it finally did. On April 22, Funkbobito and I finally got hitched. He was definitely what I'd been looking for. The wedding was great and I can't believe I pulled it all off. Our photographer has a blog that has a few sample pics on it. What a fun day, can't wait to see all our proofs. Then it was off to Mexico for our honeymoon. Now that was fun. Our resort was gourmet all inclusive so the food was spectacular. Yummy.
On a sad note. About a month before the wedding, my sweet Gidget passed away. She had been sick for about a week and was showing improvement. I was going to take her in to the vet so he could check her and her heart gave out right before we were leaving the house. She was my sweetie for 16.5 years and I miss her everyday. Its still weird, over a month later to come home and her not be here. But Funkbobito and I are hoping to get a puppy sometime this summer.
Well that's about all I've got, hopefully there is still someone out there. ¶ 3:11 AM 5 comments
Last June, Funkbobito popped the question, and after 4.5 years of very patiently waiting (and constant hinting) of course I said yes. So began the journey that is wedding planning. Next time I do this, I will hire someone else to do it all (and no, I don't really plan on there being a next time). Well, after hours and hours of picking colors, flowers, dresses, fonts, table cloths, etc, etc, etc, I wasn't much up for cooking, and being that this is a cooking blog, I thought you all would rather not hear the details of frozen pizza, take-out, and my beloved Kraft mac and cheese.
In November, I followed my life long dream to work a crappy job and accepted a promotion at work, I'm a supervisor now. No really, I like my job, it just isn't at all what I thought I would be doing and definitely not in the field I was hoping to work in. Oh well, you gotta survive right? My schedule got much more irregular and once again, cooking suffered. It was no longer something I did for fun, I now did it because I was tired, wanted to be off my feet sooner than later, and really didn't care what I ate. Enter canned soup, salad bars, and lots of eggs.
Well, all this craziness had to wind down at some point, and it finally did. On April 22, Funkbobito and I finally got hitched. He was definitely what I'd been looking for. The wedding was great and I can't believe I pulled it all off. Our photographer has a blog that has a few sample pics on it. What a fun day, can't wait to see all our proofs. Then it was off to Mexico for our honeymoon. Now that was fun. Our resort was gourmet all inclusive so the food was spectacular. Yummy.
On a sad note. About a month before the wedding, my sweet Gidget passed away. She had been sick for about a week and was showing improvement. I was going to take her in to the vet so he could check her and her heart gave out right before we were leaving the house. She was my sweetie for 16.5 years and I miss her everyday. Its still weird, over a month later to come home and her not be here. But Funkbobito and I are hoping to get a puppy sometime this summer.
Well that's about all I've got, hopefully there is still someone out there. ¶ 3:11 AM 5 comments
