Artichokes! - An accomplishment!

I am very proud of myself.  I watched an online video of how to prepare an artichoke and cooked them last night.   I sliced them and snipped them like they said and drizzed olive oil and sea salt on them, wrapped them in aluminum foil and baked them at 425 for an hour!   The were cooked perfectly and delicious just like that.   I was very excited how they turned out.  Tonight when I got home, I pulled them apart and used the hearts in a dish of Chicken and artichoke hearts.  The chicken was cooked with onions, roasted red peppers, white wine and chicken broth.  Then it was served over orzo that was mixed with olive oil and the artichokes.   It was delicious!   The only thing was that the recipe called for fresh dill and I used Rosemary instead.   I should have just have left out the herbs altogether and thrown on some parmesan. Spud picked out this recipe from Everyday with Rachel Ray a couple of weeks ago, but he hated it and wouldn't finish it.   I myself thought it was wonderful and can't wait to eat the rest fo lunch tomorrow.  I will have to let the discerning pallates at work give it a taste and tell me what they think.   Tomorrow is baseball night, so it will be dinner out. Spud has been in Culinary Club in school this half year ( are you surprised?) and he is planning to cook for me.   Stay tuned!!!   I am also hoping to hook up with my friend Adrienne again, and maybe put together another amazing meal! 

Motivation???!!!

    Well I guess my life is getting back on track - I have moved an starting to get a handle on life as a single parent,  and getting through the grief.   My passion to cook does not sit right with being a single parent.  Spud is a great eater thank goodness, but he my worst critic.   I miss having someone to cook for who is my biggest fan.  
     Over the weekend, I had some reasons to cook.  I was scheduled to bring food to church, and it was a holiday weekend, so I thought - picnic food!   What is relatively easy and inexpensive to make for a crowd?- Potato Salad!    I invented my own recipe.  I boiled up some red skin potatoes withthe skins on.   When they were done and cool I mixed in Fat free plain yogurt and just enough sour cream to add the flavor.   Then for seasoning, I stirred in a package of Dilly Dip mix that I buy every year at my local Hoboken Art and Music Festival from my friends at Country Herbs.  Country Herbs makes some great dip mixes.  I keep a bunch of packages in my freezer and it keeeps forever and can be used many different creative ways. It was a perfect way to season my Potato Salad - and so easy!
     I brought it to church, shared with my in-laws and fed my office today.
     I was supposed to make Fried Chicken to have with it on Sunday, but my mother-in-law made such a fabulous late lunch ( Shrimp and snow crablegs, and ribs and sliders and salad - and lets not forget the Carvel Ice Cream cake! :- YUM)  that it made so sense to come home and cook.   So since the chicken spent 2 days bathing in butermilk and onions, I had to make it yesterday.   There was enough for a crowd and again it fed my office today.  It is Claritha's Fried Chicken from Gourmet - page 368.  This is one of the first things I ever cooked from my bible - and it was what sold me on the book!   The secret is definitely in the buttermilk and onion.  It is such a simple recipe.
     So after making a pasta dish I am embarrassed to admit I cooked,  tonight I watched a video and learned how to prep an artichoke and now I have it baking at 425 for an hour.   I plan to use it tomorow in a dish.   I'll keep you updated on how it turns out.   Many thanks to my sister-in-law who just helped me realize that at least someone was reading this and kick me back to blogging.   I really enjoy it and need to find the time to spend on it..  I'll write tomorrow to follow up on the artichokes.