Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Moons over My Hammy

Technically Mondays are Brad's night to cook. Brad ACTUALLY cooks about 1 out of every 10 Mondays. Two Mondays ago he made Chicken Picatta. It was delicious. It is disturbing that we stock all of the ingredients one needs to make Chicken Picatta, but we do. Last Monday I think he had frozen pizza. I was dining at the delicious Emperor's Palace for family Girl's Night. Yesterday was a prime example of what normally happens on Monday, though...

Sometime on Sunday, I receive a text inquiring as to what I want for supper the following night. Sometimes I suggest something, sometimes I mention a particular product that needs to be used, sometimes I say something utterly brilliant and helpful, like "dunno." Around 3 pm on Monday, I usually get this text: "I am uninspired." When I arrive home 1-6 hours later, depending on what I have going on, either *I* cook something, or we go out. How did this play out this week? On Sunday afternoon, I got a text. "What do you want me to make you for dinner tomorrow?" I responded, "Biscuits and gravy, because I already have the sausage thawed." At 2 pm on Monday, I got a text. "You might have to help me make the gravy." My response. "You don't know how to make gravy?" Wait for it... Wait for it... "Not if it isn't premade."

I guess I am making dinner.

I didn't feel good, though. I got home and just wanted to lounge on the sofa. I did, too, successfully. I kept saying I would make dinner, but I didn't, and I didn't. Then, a Denny's commercial came on TV. The Original Grand Slam breakfast for $3.99. "Do you want to go to Denny's?" Brad asked, "I'll drive." SOLD.

Unfortunately, though, the $3.99 Grand Slam is only available Monday - Friday, 6 am - 4 pm. I got the Moons Over My Hammy.... mostly because I like to say Moons Over My Hammy. Brad got the Lumberjack Breakfast. I ate his pancakes.

Brad might not ever cook on "his night," but I'm not perfect either. This first photo is of my entertainment center. Notice the matching Christmas Ornament Trees on either side of the candle holder? Yeah. I forgot to take them down when I finally took down my Christmas decorations the first week in FEBRUARY. Now, almost April, the ornament trees remain firmly planted atop the entertainment center. I figure I'll take them down before my in-laws get here for my wedding... in June. Hopefully by that point we will also have removed the dead Christmas tree from the side of the house. I am sure my neighbors have called into some morning radio show to complain about us.

We still needed to use the sausage, though, so we had biscuits and gravy tonight.

Biscuits
2 1/4 cup Bisquick baking mix
2/3 cup 2% milk

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Mix together mix and milk until thoroughly combined. Spread 1/2 cup Bisquick on a clean dry surface. Place dough in the middle. Knead dough 20 times. Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut biscuits out of dough. Place biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until golden brown. (This recipe is also on the side of the box. You really don't need me to tell you what it is...)

Sausage Gravy
1 pound sausage
1/4 cup flour
2 cups 2% milk
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large skillet on medium heat, saute sausage until cooked throughout. Crumble. Add flour, and stir until sausage and flour are combined. Add milk. Increase heat to medium-high. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cook over medium high heat until sauce thickens. Reduce heat to low until ready to serve.

Hash Brown Casserole
1 medium onion, chopped
Olive oil
1 stick butter or margarine
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
2 pounds frozen hash browns, thawed
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a small skillet on medium heat, saute onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until onion begins to brown. Meanwhile, melt butter or margarine in a large bowl. Stir in sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, pepper, salts and cheddar cheese. Add onions. Add hash browns and mix well.
Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spread mixture into pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Here is a picture of the biscuits and gravy, along with hash brown casserole, and some mediocre scrambled eggs. How does one make a mediocre scrambled egg? Beats me. I did what I always do, but this time they seemed bland. Also, it is a good darned thing my plates are colorful, because that is the most "yellow" meal ever. It needs something green, or perhaps orange.

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