First Dinner...

"Lucy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I decided to make what I like.. so I stopped by the store on the

way home,

Quoted message said:

and was all ready to make my first entire meal sans cookbook. It was

just

Quoted message said:

for hubby and me, the kids ate before I got home. (lucky kids).. I

intended

Quoted message said:

to make:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts sauteed in olive oil, garlic and

those

Quoted message said:

little sweet onions (not green onions and not pearl onions.. i

forget the

Quoted message said:

name)
-fresh baby spinach leaves, sauteed in olive oil with black pepper

(again,

Quoted message said:

this isn't intended to be gourmet, it is just what my tastebuds

like)

Quoted message said:

-steamed cauliflower florets with diced red pepper
-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice

What I actually made, however, was:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts that were raw (yes, raw!) in the

middle,

Quoted message said:

with burned garlic, and little onions. I put plenty of olive oil in

the pan,

Quoted message said:

and yet when I lifted them to turn them over.. I ripped some of the

flesh

Quoted message said:

off, as it stuck to the pan. haha
-spinach leaves, but only one serving. Who knew it would shrink so

much? I

Quoted message said:

am tempted to email the FDA and ask them to require manufacturers to

put on

Quoted message said:

the package: WARNING: Shrinkage does occur, and all the viagra in

the world

Quoted message said:

isn't going to correct this.
-cauliflower florets and stalk, with diced, mushy red pepper. By the

time I

Quoted message said:

cut off all the black spots, there wasn't much left of the

cauliflower, so I

Quoted message said:

added chopped up stalk.
-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice, that actually turned

out

Quoted message said:

great! <gasp>

So.. hubby and I fought over the spinach and asparagus, then flipped

a coin

Quoted message said:

for pizza or chinese. I won.. so it was chinese.

Ok, so bring on all the shame as well as the tips!
lucy 🙂

You may have had the heat too high. Also I wouldn't recommend olive
oil for cooking. Common vegetable (soybean) oil or corn oil is better
for frying or sauteeing. Also, a well seasoned cast iron or a
non-stick coated skillet is what works best for doing this. You may
have been able to save the chicken with a little more time cooking
time. Garlic browns very fast in a frying pan and it is VERY easy to
overcook it. Then it tastes yucky! I know. But mistakes are learning
lessons.

Lucy, I think you are wonderful and courageous. And your dinner doesn't
sound too bad. We all had and sometimes have some cooking experiences that
were not so pleasant. You learn from them. Just keep cooking and we'll all
be looking for your recipes soon.
Elly

"Sam D." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Lucy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I decided to make what I like.. so I stopped by the store on the

way home,

Quoted message said:

and was all ready to make my first entire meal sans cookbook. It was

just

Quoted message said:

for hubby and me, the kids ate before I got home. (lucky kids).. I

intended

Quoted message said:

to make:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts sauteed in olive oil, garlic and

those

Quoted message said:

little sweet onions (not green onions and not pearl onions.. i

forget the

Quoted message said:

name)
-fresh baby spinach leaves, sauteed in olive oil with black pepper

(again,

Quoted message said:

this isn't intended to be gourmet, it is just what my tastebuds

like)

Quoted message said:

-steamed cauliflower florets with diced red pepper
-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice

What I actually made, however, was:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts that were raw (yes, raw!) in the

middle,

Quoted message said:

with burned garlic, and little onions. I put plenty of olive oil in

the pan,

Quoted message said:

and yet when I lifted them to turn them over.. I ripped some of the

flesh

Quoted message said:

off, as it stuck to the pan. haha
-spinach leaves, but only one serving. Who knew it would shrink so

much? I

Quoted message said:

am tempted to email the FDA and ask them to require manufacturers to

put on

Quoted message said:

the package: WARNING: Shrinkage does occur, and all the viagra in

the world

Quoted message said:

isn't going to correct this.
-cauliflower florets and stalk, with diced, mushy red pepper. By the

time I

Quoted message said:

cut off all the black spots, there wasn't much left of the

cauliflower, so I

Quoted message said:

added chopped up stalk.
-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice, that actually turned

out

Quoted message said:

great! <gasp>

So.. hubby and I fought over the spinach and asparagus, then flipped

a coin

Quoted message said:

for pizza or chinese. I won.. so it was chinese.

Ok, so bring on all the shame as well as the tips!
lucy 🙂

You may have had the heat too high. Also I wouldn't recommend olive
oil for cooking. Common vegetable (soybean) oil or corn oil is better
for frying or sauteeing. Also, a well seasoned cast iron or a
non-stick coated skillet is what works best for doing this. You may
have been able to save the chicken with a little more time cooking
time. Garlic browns very fast in a frying pan and it is VERY easy to
overcook it. Then it tastes yucky! I know. But mistakes are learning
lessons.

"Lucy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I decided to make what I like.. so I stopped by the store on the way

home,

Quoted message said:

and was all ready to make my first entire meal sans cookbook. It was just
for hubby and me, the kids ate before I got home. (lucky kids).. I

intended

Quoted message said:

to make:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts sauteed in olive oil, garlic and those
little sweet onions (not green onions and not pearl onions.. i forget the
name)
-fresh baby spinach leaves, sauteed in olive oil with black pepper (again,
this isn't intended to be gourmet, it is just what my tastebuds like)
-steamed cauliflower florets with diced red pepper
-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice

What I actually made, however, was:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts that were raw (yes, raw!) in the

middle,

Quoted message said:

with burned garlic, and little onions. I put plenty of olive oil in the

pan,

Quoted message said:

and yet when I lifted them to turn them over.. I ripped some of the flesh
off, as it stuck to the pan. haha
-spinach leaves, but only one serving. Who knew it would shrink so much? I
am tempted to email the FDA and ask them to require manufacturers to put

on

Quoted message said:

the package: WARNING: Shrinkage does occur, and all the viagra in the

world

Quoted message said:

isn't going to correct this.
-cauliflower florets and stalk, with diced, mushy red pepper. By the time

I

Quoted message said:

cut off all the black spots, there wasn't much left of the cauliflower, so

I

Quoted message said:

added chopped up stalk.
-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice, that actually turned out
great! <gasp>

So.. hubby and I fought over the spinach and asparagus, then flipped a

coin

Quoted message said:

for pizza or chinese. I won.. so it was chinese.

Ok, so bring on all the shame as well as the tips!
lucy 🙂

Lucy,
Good for you! The results aren't as important as your willingness to try,
and try again. At least in the beginning! lol
About the chicken: with chicken, and pretty much most meats, you will find
that if you use it straight out of the fridge it will stick way worse than
if you set it out on the counter for 10 or 15 minutes before you cook. It
also helps if you pound them out slightly, so that they're an even
thickness. When you think they're done, press your index finger into one. It
should be firm, but not hard.
Garlic burns fast, so unless you're braising (adding liquid) don't add it in
the beginning. The little onions...are you talking about scallions?
Say it with me....greens shrink! ;-)
Veggies are a very subjective thing. For example, when I'm having dinner at
my mom's, and we're serving green beans, I will take my portion out of the
pan about 5 minutes before she shuts it off. I prefer a bit of crispness in
most all veggies. The butter and lemon were a great idea for the asparagus!
I love that combination. I also like to add a little fresh rosemary to the
pan, and maybe some pine nuts.
For another night, you could try pounding out the breasts to about 1/3 inch
thick. They'll cook quickly and evenly. Season some flour with salt &
pepper, and lightly dredge the breasts. Heat your pan over med-high heat and
add 2 tbsp of butter and 2 of olive oil. Sauté the chicken until golden on
each side (about 5-7 minutes total) and remove to a baking pan. Top each
breast with a couple sage leaves, a slice of prosciutto and a slice of
provolone cheese. To the skillet add 1 thinly sliced onion, and about 1/4
cup of minced garlic. Sauté for 1 minute and add 4 sage leaves (or 1 tbsp
rubbed sage), and 1/2 cup each white wine and chicken stock. (Go ahead and
buy some Pacific chicken broth at the store for this). Simmer until onions
are tender and then pour over the breasts. Pop into a 350*f oven for 10
minutes. Serve with linguini tossed with olive oil, butter, parmesan, and
black pepper. You can also serve some green beans, asparagus, or zucchini.
It's really easy, and impresses about anyone who tastes it.

kimberly

Lucy said:

I decided to make what I like.. so I stopped by the store on the way
home, and was all ready to make my first entire meal sans cookbook.
It was just for hubby and me, the kids ate before I got home. (lucky
kids).. I intended to make:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts sauteed in olive oil, garlic and
those little sweet onions (not green onions and not pearl onions.. i
forget the name)
-fresh baby spinach leaves, sauteed in olive oil with black pepper
(again, this isn't intended to be gourmet, it is just what my
tastebuds like)
-steamed cauliflower florets with diced red pepper
-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice

What I actually made, however, was:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts that were raw (yes, raw!) in the
middle, with burned garlic, and little onions. I put plenty of olive
oil in the pan, and yet when I lifted them to turn them over.. I
ripped some of the flesh off, as it stuck to the pan. haha
-spinach leaves, but only one serving. Who knew it would shrink so
much? I am tempted to email the FDA and ask them to require
manufacturers to put on the package: WARNING: Shrinkage does occur,
and all the viagra in the world isn't going to correct this.
-cauliflower florets and stalk, with diced, mushy red pepper. By the
time I cut off all the black spots, there wasn't much left of the
cauliflower, so I added chopped up stalk.
-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice, that actually turned
out great! <gasp>

So.. hubby and I fought over the spinach and asparagus, then flipped
a coin for pizza or chinese. I won.. so it was chinese.

Ok, so bring on all the shame as well as the tips!
lucy 🙂

I loved that story! ROFL. I've made some incredibly horrible meals in the
past too, Lucy. I think your pan was too hot, causing the garlic to burn
and the outsides of the chicken to brown before the inside got a chance to
warm up. <g> In all honesty, chicken can be a tricky thing when you sautee
it in a pan.

I make an easy chicken courdon (sp?) bleu where I take a boneless skinless
chicken breast, pound it flat then place ham and swiss cheese on half of the
top, fold it over and bread it, but even though I've made it about 20 times,
I sometimes *still* don't get it done enough in the center.

Any kind of greens shrink to less than half of what they were all fluffy and
fresh in the package. Many veggies do, actually. Broccoli shrinks,
cauliflower shrinks, mushrooms (not a veggie) shrink. Buy extra and even
though you fill your steamer to the brim, you'll be amazed at how much it
goes down. And if you accidentally put in too much, the bonus is LEFTOVERS!
(Leftover spinach is great in an omelette!)

Great job on the asparagus! I like butter and lemon on mine too. What I've
also done in the past, after I lightly steam the asparagus is put it in a
baking dish (with butter and lemon) and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of
that and add a light sprinkle of breadcrumbs; then broil 'til the
breadcrumbs turn a light brown. It's just for a little change of pace and
it's SOOOOO good.

Good luck with further cooking adventures and let us know how it all turns
out!

kili

hi lucy! I loved your story - lol at the spinach needing viagra! I
agree, the pan was probably too hot for the chicken - its needs to be
cooked gently! Also, either throw the garlic in later or fry it, take
it out and then add it again later!

Jane
www.embracingwomenshealth.com

LAZY Lucy said:

I decided to make what I like.. so I stopped by the store on the way

home,

Quoted message said:

and was all ready to make my first entire meal sans cookbook. It was just
for hubby and me, the kids ate before I got home. (lucky kids).. I

intended

Quoted message said:

to make:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts sauteed in olive oil, garlic and those
little sweet onions (not green onions and not pearl onions.. i forget the
name)
-fresh baby spinach leaves, sauteed in olive oil with black pepper (again,
this isn't intended to be gourmet, it is just what my tastebuds like)
-steamed cauliflower florets with diced red pepper
-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice

What I actually made, however, was:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts that were raw (yes, raw!) in the

middle,

Quoted message said:

with burned garlic, and little onions. I put plenty of olive oil in the

pan,

Quoted message said:

and yet when I lifted them to turn them over.. I ripped some of the flesh
off, as it stuck to the pan. haha
-spinach leaves, but only one serving. Who knew it would shrink so much? I
am tempted to email the FDA and ask them to require manufacturers to put

on

Quoted message said:

the package: WARNING: Shrinkage does occur, and all the viagra in the

world

Quoted message said:

isn't going to correct this.
-cauliflower florets and stalk, with diced, mushy red pepper. By the time

I

Quoted message said:

cut off all the black spots, there wasn't much left of the cauliflower, so

I

Quoted message said:

added chopped up stalk.
-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice, that actually turned out
great! <gasp>

So.. hubby and I fought over the spinach and asparagus, then flipped a

coin

Quoted message said:

for pizza or chinese. I won.. so it was chinese.

Ok, so bring on all the shame as well as the tips!
lucy 🙂

Now why am I not surprised that your cooking skills are little better than
your Usenet posting habits?

--
Best
Greg

-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice, that actually turned
out
great! <gasp>

Lucy,
If you cook once a week, and come up with one good new recipe each
time, after a year, you'll have 52 good recipes. Also, since the
spinach worked except for amount, you really got two good ones.

The chicken was probably closer than you think. Brown it on high
at first, but turn it down and let it simmer after you turn it. It only
takes a couple minutes to brown, so be careful. Then as soon as you
flip it, turn it down. If the pan is even moderately heavy, it will
hold enough heat to do the job. Also, I'm not sure what you mean by
plenty of oil, but you shouldn't need much. You can always add more if
needed, but you can't take it out. One thing that can help it to use
smaller pieces. The presentation isn't as nice as whole breasts, but it
is far easier to cook evenly.

Dean G.

"Gregory Morrow"
<[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Now why am I not surprised that your cooking skills are little

better than

Quoted message said:

your Usenet posting habits?

Maybe it was not so wise for some people here to have encouraged a
novice cook to start out by winging it without following recipes.

When I was in the business of repairing office machines, I loved
people who would do something similar to this. They were the ones who
would need service immediately after buying a machine they knew little
or nothing about and could not be bothered with following an
instruction manual.

"Lucy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Lucy, first of all, as other have already said - good for you for trying
this! It isn't going to all turn out great the first time, but then, that's
the whole idea, right - to learn? Sounds like the asparagus and
spinach were just fine, so it's just the chicken that needs a little work.
Two out of three isn't bad at all!

Now...

Quoted message said:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts that were raw (yes, raw!) in the

middle,

Quoted message said:

with burned garlic, and little onions. I put plenty of olive oil in the

pan,

Quoted message said:

and yet when I lifted them to turn them over.. I ripped some of the flesh
off, as it stuck to the pan. haha

You've already heard from others that this sounds like a case of
a too-hot pan, so I won't repeat that. Here again is where a
thermometer, at least initially, may be of some help (at least so that
you don't take chicken off the heat while still raw in the middle), but
eventually this will get to be one of those times when you really won't
find much use for the thermometer. Garlic is also a bit tricky, as it
DOES burn easily - and even when it doesn't burn, garlic changes
its flavor when cooked, so you may want to change the order of
things or at least add to it.

What I'd recommend for something like this is to start with the
olive oil (or whatever oil you like, really) over medium heat, and
adding minced garlic, onions, shallots, etc. first. Should the
garlic burn right away, the oil is definitely too hot - remember,
MEDIUM heat. What should happen is that these items will
sizzle a bit and start to release a very nice aroma; the onions
will turn soft and translucent. This should only take a couple of
minutes, tops. At this point, add the chicken breasts (seasoned,
right?) and keep an eye on things. Make sure nothing is sticking
- you can shake the pan a bit, or lift the chicken a little bit to
make sure. Flip the meat as needed to get it to cook nice
and evenly, browning both sides as you like.

Now, one more thing re the garlic - adding garlic up front like
this, and letting it cook with the chicken the whole time, generally
does NOT give you much in the way of what you might think
of as "garlic flavor". As garlic cooks, it gets sweet and nutty,
as opposed to staying "hot"; if you want the sharper "fresh
garlic" flavor AND the more subtle cooked garlic taste, then
you can just add a bit more minced garlic at the end, just before
you remove the chicken from the heat.

Quoted message said:

-spinach leaves, but only one serving. Who knew it would shrink so much? I
am tempted to email the FDA and ask them to require manufacturers to put

on

Quoted message said:

the package: WARNING: Shrinkage does occur, and all the viagra in the

world

Quoted message said:

isn't going to correct this.

ROTFL...

Yes, spinach is amazing stuff in this regard. A huge pile of
fresh spinach shrinks to virtually nothing, and quickly; it's also
one of those things that's very easy to overcook. When steaming
spinach or cooking it in oil or whatever, it's good to do that
just before you're ready to serve the meal - put the spinach
onto the heat, and then it's ready pretty much as soon as it's
wilted. If you're sauteeing it in olive oil, as you did (and by the
way, it sounds great - cooking to your tastebuds is just fine!),
it's roughly "add the spinach, turn to coat with the oil, hey it's
DONE!".

Bob M.

Lucy wrote in message ...

Quoted message said:

I decided to make what I like.. so I stopped by the store on the way home,
and was all ready to make my first entire meal sans cookbook. It was just
for hubby and me, the kids ate before I got home. (lucky kids).. I intended
to make:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts sauteed in olive oil, garlic and those
little sweet onions (not green onions and not pearl onions.. i forget the
name)
-fresh baby spinach leaves, sauteed in olive oil with black pepper (again,
this isn't intended to be gourmet, it is just what my tastebuds like)
-steamed cauliflower florets with diced red pepper
-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice

What I actually made, however, was:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts that were raw (yes, raw!) in the middle,
with burned garlic, and little onions. I put plenty of olive oil in the

pan,

Quoted message said:

and yet when I lifted them to turn them over.. I ripped some of the flesh
off, as it stuck to the pan. haha

you have to get the pan really hot to saute meat like that. it helps to have
cookware that is not non-stick.

Quoted message said:

-spinach leaves, but only one serving. Who knew it would shrink so much? I
am tempted to email the FDA and ask them to require manufacturers to put on
the package: WARNING: Shrinkage does occur, and all the viagra in the world
isn't going to correct this.
-cauliflower florets and stalk, with diced, mushy red pepper. By the time I
cut off all the black spots, there wasn't much left of the cauliflower, so

I

Quoted message said:

added chopped up stalk.
-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice, that actually turned out
great! <gasp>

So.. hubby and I fought over the spinach and asparagus, then flipped a coin
for pizza or chinese. I won.. so it was chinese.

Ok, so bring on all the shame as well as the tips!
lucy 🙂

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"Sam D." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Gregory Morrow"
<[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Now why am I not surprised that your cooking skills are little

better than

Quoted message said:

your Usenet posting habits?

Maybe it was not so wise for some people here to have encouraged a
novice cook to start out by winging it without following recipes.

When I was in the business of repairing office machines, I loved
people who would do something similar to this. They were the ones who
would need service immediately after buying a machine they knew little
or nothing about and could not be bothered with following an
instruction manual.

Sam,
Guilty as charged.. heh.
lucy, owner of way way too many computers she's messed up.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice, that actually turned
out
great! <gasp>

Lucy,
If you cook once a week, and come up with one good new recipe each
time, after a year, you'll have 52 good recipes. Also, since the
spinach worked except for amount, you really got two good ones.

The chicken was probably closer than you think. Brown it on high
at first, but turn it down and let it simmer after you turn it. It only
takes a couple minutes to brown, so be careful. Then as soon as you
flip it, turn it down. If the pan is even moderately heavy, it will
hold enough heat to do the job. Also, I'm not sure what you mean by
plenty of oil, but you shouldn't need much. You can always add more if
needed, but you can't take it out. One thing that can help it to use
smaller pieces. The presentation isn't as nice as whole breasts, but it
is far easier to cook evenly.

Dean G.

Dean,
Thank you for the help. Ya.. I figured the flame was too high.. but it was
still pretty low. So.. maybe I should have added water or something?
The thickness of the pan I used was 18/10, so I'm not sure if that
constitutes thick or thin, for a cooking pan. <?>
As for oil.. I didn't measure.. I went around the pan about three times, in
a circle.. with extra virgin olive oil. Someone else suggested pounding them
flat, which would prolly work too. They were pretty thick. At least now I
know..
Thanks again!
lucy 🙂

"Bob Myers" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Lucy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Lucy, first of all, as other have already said - good for you for trying
this! It isn't going to all turn out great the first time, but then,
that's
the whole idea, right - to learn? Sounds like the asparagus and
spinach were just fine, so it's just the chicken that needs a little work.
Two out of three isn't bad at all!

Now...

Quoted message said:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts that were raw (yes, raw!) in the

middle,

Quoted message said:

with burned garlic, and little onions. I put plenty of olive oil in the

pan,

Quoted message said:

and yet when I lifted them to turn them over.. I ripped some of the flesh
off, as it stuck to the pan. haha

You've already heard from others that this sounds like a case of
a too-hot pan, so I won't repeat that. Here again is where a
thermometer, at least initially, may be of some help (at least so that
you don't take chicken off the heat while still raw in the middle), but
eventually this will get to be one of those times when you really won't
find much use for the thermometer. Garlic is also a bit tricky, as it
DOES burn easily - and even when it doesn't burn, garlic changes
its flavor when cooked, so you may want to change the order of
things or at least add to it.

Bob.. Thanks. Ya, the garlic was really gross! heh..

Quoted message said:

What I'd recommend for something like this is to start with the
olive oil (or whatever oil you like, really) over medium heat, and
adding minced garlic, onions, shallots, etc. first. Should the
garlic burn right away, the oil is definitely too hot - remember,
MEDIUM heat. What should happen is that these items will
sizzle a bit and start to release a very nice aroma; the onions
will turn soft and translucent. This should only take a couple of
minutes, tops. At this point, add the chicken breasts (seasoned,
right?) and keep an eye on things. Make sure nothing is sticking
- you can shake the pan a bit, or lift the chicken a little bit to
make sure. Flip the meat as needed to get it to cook nice
and evenly, browning both sides as you like.

My stove is gas, and the flame was pretty low.. I think I'll get it
eventually thru trial and error.. (but the trials and the errors really bug
me!) ..
seasoned? I keep my seasonings in the salt shaker <grin>
Nah, I'm kidding, although I haven't had to explain that to you 🙂
I have seasonings.. but didn't know what would taste good on the chicken, so
I left it plain. Glad I didn't waste any now.. as the dog got the chicken
breasts. How do you do chicken breasts?

Quoted message said:

Now, one more thing re the garlic - adding garlic up front like
this, and letting it cook with the chicken the whole time, generally
does NOT give you much in the way of what you might think
of as "garlic flavor". As garlic cooks, it gets sweet and nutty,
as opposed to staying "hot"; if you want the sharper "fresh
garlic" flavor AND the more subtle cooked garlic taste, then
you can just add a bit more minced garlic at the end, just before
you remove the chicken from the heat.

Quoted message said:

-spinach leaves, but only one serving. Who knew it would shrink so much?
I
am tempted to email the FDA and ask them to require manufacturers to put

on

Quoted message said:

the package: WARNING: Shrinkage does occur, and all the viagra in the

world

Quoted message said:

isn't going to correct this.

ROTFL...

Yes, spinach is amazing stuff in this regard. A huge pile of
fresh spinach shrinks to virtually nothing, and quickly; it's also
one of those things that's very easy to overcook. When steaming
spinach or cooking it in oil or whatever, it's good to do that
just before you're ready to serve the meal - put the spinach
onto the heat, and then it's ready pretty much as soon as it's
wilted. If you're sauteeing it in olive oil, as you did (and by the
way, it sounds great - cooking to your tastebuds is just fine!),
it's roughly "add the spinach, turn to coat with the oil, hey it's
DONE!".

THAT is where I screwed up. Oh man, Bob.. lol
I dumped the bag of spinach in there, and kept stirring.. and I'd go off and
do something else, and come back and stir.. and stir.. and watched it
disappear right before my eyes. Kinda like watching Fabio morph into Barney
Fife or something..
I'm going to gear up and try again this weekend sometime.. Thanks!
lucy 🙂

"Saerah" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Lucy wrote in message ...

Quoted message said:

I decided to make what I like.. so I stopped by the store on the way
home,
and was all ready to make my first entire meal sans cookbook. It was just
for hubby and me, the kids ate before I got home. (lucky kids).. I
intended
to make:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts sauteed in olive oil, garlic and those
little sweet onions (not green onions and not pearl onions.. i forget the
name)
-fresh baby spinach leaves, sauteed in olive oil with black pepper (again,
this isn't intended to be gourmet, it is just what my tastebuds like)
-steamed cauliflower florets with diced red pepper
-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice

What I actually made, however, was:

-boneless skinless chicken breasts that were raw (yes, raw!) in the
middle,
with burned garlic, and little onions. I put plenty of olive oil in the

pan,

Quoted message said:

and yet when I lifted them to turn them over.. I ripped some of the flesh
off, as it stuck to the pan. haha

you have to get the pan really hot to saute meat like that. it helps to
have
cookware that is not non-stick.

Thanks, Saerah.. (Is middle posting allowed?) LOL (kidding!)
I actually did the chicken breasts in a pan that wasn't teflon.. stainless
steel.
I was thinking I should have used teflon, but you're saying I shouldn't? The
trick is getting the pan hotter?
Should I add liquid or something besides olive oil next time?
I had chicken breast once that was, imo, to die for.. didn't have a lot of
stuff on it.. hint of garlic and onion, and a very light, clear sauce.. I
was trying to duplicate it. heh
lucy

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

-spinach leaves, but only one serving. Who knew it would shrink so much? I
am tempted to email the FDA and ask them to require manufacturers to put
on
the package: WARNING: Shrinkage does occur, and all the viagra in the
world
isn't going to correct this.
-cauliflower florets and stalk, with diced, mushy red pepper. By the time
I
cut off all the black spots, there wasn't much left of the cauliflower, so

I

Quoted message said:

added chopped up stalk.
-steamed asparagus with butter and lemon juice, that actually turned out
great! <gasp>

So.. hubby and I fought over the spinach and asparagus, then flipped a
coin
for pizza or chinese. I won.. so it was chinese.

Ok, so bring on all the shame as well as the tips!
lucy 🙂

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Lucy said:

I'm going to gear up and try again this weekend sometime.. Thanks!
lucy 🙂

Lucy, I am going to recommend another book for you.

Learning to Cook With Marion Cunningham.

She got the inspiration for this book, from her classes on teaching
adults how to cook. I find it very readable, and the instructions are
incredibly clear.
The recipes are great as well.

Christine

"Christine Dabney" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Lucy said:

I'm going to gear up and try again this weekend sometime.. Thanks!
lucy 🙂

Lucy, I am going to recommend another book for you.

Learning to Cook With Marion Cunningham.

She got the inspiration for this book, from her classes on teaching
adults how to cook. I find it very readable, and the instructions are
incredibly clear.
The recipes are great as well.

Christine

Christine,
Thanks! I'll get it. I tried to find another one at Barnes and Noble and
couldn't.. so I'm going to just look for this one on good ole amazon.com..
tomorrow. bedtime for bonzo soon.
lucy 🙂

What did she do wrong?

Lucy said:

"Sam D." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Gregory Morrow"
<[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Now why am I not surprised that your cooking skills are little
better than your Usenet posting habits?

Maybe it was not so wise for some people here to have encouraged a
novice cook to start out by winging it without following recipes.

When I was in the business of repairing office machines, I loved
people who would do something similar to this. They were the ones who
would need service immediately after buying a machine they knew
little or nothing about and could not be bothered with following an
instruction manual.

Sam,
Guilty as charged.. heh.
lucy, owner of way way too many computers she's messed up.

God, I'd be a millionaire then, if I lived by you, Lucy. LOL. I fix
computers for a living. :~)

kili

Aida Lott said:

What did she do wrong?

She was born.

--
Best
Greg