“You bitches are going DOWN. I got this.”

Please post your score in the comments. You can’t do worse than my mom who only filled in number 7.

Secondly, I would like to report that being Funemployed has allowed me more time to be domestic and I’m loving it. Last week, I made chili and cornbread for 7 adults and 5 kids and everyone claimed to enjoy it! Also last week, we had another couple and their lovely child over for dinner and I made a sundried tomato-chevre-sausage pasta recipe that involved reducing a sauce that also turned out great. And yesterday, I made these cupcakes for a friend’s birthday who loves chocolate and peanut butter:

Some of you more cooking-capable types may be thinking, big whoop, but I rarely cook for guests. We usually just go out when we have company, you know? And what we cook for ourselves is hardly ever appropriate for guests. I mean, it might be, but if you were serving whatever it is to guests, you would also need a side vegetable or some nice bread or something, and if it’s just us, we skip the veggie and split a bagel. Anyway, I’m loving having more time to be able to enjoy cooking instead of viewing it as a chore. Tonight is our second birth class and I signed up to bring treats this week. I’m about to go make Swistle’s Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins. Will wonders never cease?

Pumpkin is my medium.

There are few culinary things that I do well, but pumpkin seeds are my specialty. The pumpkin patch experience is preferred, but in town, Tacoma Boys is great. (Let’s pause and appreciate what a magical produce and specialty foods wonderland we have in Tacoma Boys. If you haven’t been lately, you should definitely go check it out.)

Right. The Recipe. Here goes:

Step 1:

Harvest the seeds. You don’t have to to be super diligent about removing all of the guts. They add flavor.

Step 2:

Saute in butter over medium heat.

How much butter you ask? Well, as I mentioned before, cooking is not exactly one of my skills in general, plus, any exact measurement would change depending on how many seeds you have. These were the seeds from 3 medium sized pumpkins and I used about 1/3 to 1/2 of a stick of butter. (mmmmm…. butter.)

Notice the bits of guts still in there. It’s okay!

Step 2:

Add salt, pepper, Johnny’s Seasoning, and garlic salt.

How much you ask? Again, this all depends on the amount of seeds. Also, pumpkin seeds are quite “grainy” if you know what I mean. In my opinion, they need a LOT of seasoning. With each spice, I usually thickly cover the top of the seeds and then mix it all up.

After you add all the spices, leave them on for about 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally until they look like this:

Step 3:

Cover a cookie sheet with foil, transfer seeds from the frying pan, and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes. Carve your pumpkin now. You’ll be a few minutes behind the others so all the tools you need will be available.

When they’re done, they look like this:

Step 4:

Enjoy! Collect compliments! Eat them while admiring your masterpiece.

We order a lot of Thai and a lot of pizza. We eat out way too often. If we stay in, we usually have sandwiches or snack supper, like brie and bread or chips and salsa. Pathetic, really.

Well, look out. I have turned over a new leaf and it’s all thanks to Ms. Rachel Ray and her 30 Minute Meals.

my new best friend
Originally uploaded by picture_ho.

I looked through the book, found 4 recipes I thought I could handle, and went to the store and bought everything I needed. Cooking is actually fun when you have a plan and all the stuff!

Check this out. A site rarely seen in my kitchen: Food! Made from ingredients!

kitchen in use
Originally uploaded by picture_ho.

Tonight I made Three Bean Chili and it kicked ass. I am SO proud of myself! Poor SB. He only had to be married to me for 6 years before I made him dinner.

Three Bean Chili

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 serrano or jalepeno pepper, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can refried beans
1 can black beans
1 can red kidney beans
1 big can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1/2 can of beer
6 shakes tobasco
2 tbs dark chili powder
1 tbs cumin
a handful of cilantro, chopped

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a deep pot. Add peppers, onion, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes to soften and sweeten the vegetables. Add all other ingredients*. Bring chili to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until ready to serve or for atleast 10 minutes. (I simmered for an hour, because I am such a good cook. And I had shit to do.)

* I added 3 chicken breasts, chopped. I cooked them seperately with just a little olive oil and Johnny’s, and added them here.

kick ass chili
Originally uploaded by picture_ho.