Thai-ish Soup AKA "Oh no, a bunch of random things are getting ready to expire!"

2 quarts chicken broth
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb skinless boneless chicken
1 12oz bag Bird's Eye Steamfresh vegetables
1 10oz box Tasy Bite Thai lime pilaf
2 cans coconut milk
9 oz spinach, chopped roughly
Crushed red pepper flakes
Salt
Pepper

Steam the chicken and microwave the vegetables. Meanwhile, bring the broth to a boil and add the onion and garlic. Add crushed red pepper flakes - a few dashes for a little spice, or a bunch of dashes for a lot of spice. When chicken is cooked, chop it into small, bitesize pieces and add to the broth along with the vegetables and the rice. Turn off heat and add coconut milk and spinach. Salt and pepper to taste.

Source - My basement and my brain.

Hot Dog Stew

I suppose I will start this blog off with one of my most well-known and beloved recipes--it tastes way better than it looks. You can pick and choose what vegetables you want in the stew--there are MANY versions of this out there. We have also recently added edamame to our version of the stew--luckily, you can buy it pre-shelled.

(Note: I always at LEAST double this)

Ingredients:
1 package of hot dogs (8)
2 T oil (usually vegetable or canola)
2 large cloves garlic
2 medium potatoes*
4 large carrots*
1 giant can tomato juice (the 46 oz one--can be cheap)
Spices to taste (see below)
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 cube beef bouillon
1 bag frozen broccoli (14 oz) (don't buy a cheap one--they SUCK)
1 can corn (15 1/4 oz.)
SPICES (these are what I use; you can make up your own!)
Summer Savory
Nature's Seasoning (also known as JACK'S MAGIC SPICE)
Onion powder
Celery powder

Get yourself a big ol' pot and put it on the stove; turn the stove on (somewhere between medium and high). Put the oil and press the garlic into the big ol' pot. Scrub & peel potatoes & carrots; add to big ol' pot**, stirring every now and again (if they begin to stick or burn, add more oil). Cut up the hot dogs into bite-sized pieces (smaller than 1/2 inch thick); add to big ol' pot. Once the potatoes and carrots are very soft, add the tomato juice, bouillon(s?), and spices. Stiiiiiir. Once this is hot, add the broccoli; cover the big ol' pot and let it cook until the broccoli is sufficiently soft***. Add the corn! Once the corn is hot, EAT. A LOT. (Actually, the longer you let it simmer, the better it is--but usually I can't wait to eat it once I spent all that time making it)


*These are approximate--I eyeball the ingredients to be approximately equal to the amount of hot dogs; amounts can obviously be adjusted if you like more or less of any ingredient.
**Mom likes to put the hot dogs in first, so they brown and plump.
***This is different for everyone, it seems...some people like the broccoli a little al dente; I like it falling off the fork.

Source: Weight Watchers, I think?

Spreadin' the Spice

Also, I have just gotten myself an account over at MyRecipes.com as "SpicePigJack"; it looks like a really good place to check out new recipes to try. There's also "allrecipes.com" and "recipezaar", but I liked the look of myrecipes best.


PS - Much thanks to Adam for his help with the hat in the graphic. :)

Delicious Chocolate (Template)

Ingredients:
1 bowl
8 oz. H20
2-3 chunks of Lush Magic Chocolate
Head of hair

This is something like what the recipes should look like; the more uniform, the less confusion. Not to say that this is exactly what everyone must do...only that it's my suggestion. If you have ideas to add, let me know, and we'll change it until it's something that everyone likes. Hooray!

Source: Lush (http://usa.lush.com/)

Da Rulz:

1) Thou shalt not post what thou hast not tasted with thine own tongue.
2) Thou shalt not forget to tag thine posts.
3) Thou shalt not be stingy with photos of thine fare. (640 x 640 works perfectly)
4) Thou shalt not deny thine sources their proper due.