Well, I don't know what came over me. I prepared the Chicken Lasagna for tonight. That meant cooking the frozen chicken breasts, chopping the onions and mushrooms, making the hollandaise sauce, cooking the lasagna whole wheat noodles, adding the basil (which I don't have and used thyme instead), pepper and oregano, and then layering it as the recipe directed.
This recipe is from the Saltscapes magazine, Jan/Feb 2011, Vol. 12. No. 1, p. 61. I made it for the first time on 13 Feb. I really enjoyed it.
Here are some things I learned with the second try:
1. When I followed the directions for making the hollandaise sauce, it thickened within minutes. That was wonderful. Last time I assumed certain things and neglected to read everything, and it took over 20 minutes for the sauce to thicken. It certainly was not like that today. Hooray for the skills of reading and following directions. It was soooo easy!!!! in the end!!!
2. The chicken breasts shriveled up like wrinkled skin. I am not sure why they did this. They even did this when I thawed them. That is a puzzle I am hoping to solve.
3. I used Kraft packaged 4 Cheese Italiano shredded provolone, mozzarella, Parmesan, and emmental cheeses. Maybe next time I will use the sliced mozzarella and Parmesan as it calls for in the recipe.
4. I am using bottled asparagus from Peru. That's the first time. I cut them into thirds. The recipe says that while fresh is the best, canned or bottled are already cooked. Next time I hope to get asparagus closer to home.
5. I found that the cooking process was shorter. I spent less than 40 minutes getting the food ready for entry into the dish. The clean up will take a bit longer of course.
Now, I have a bunch of bake ware and cook ware to wash.
On p. 60 of the same magazine is a chocolate cake recipe I have been meaning to make. I just might do it after I clean up in the kitchen. It's simple and looks delicious.
I will say now there is no secret to being inspired to cook and bake. When my energy level goes up, I feel like I can do anything and conquer anything I try. Life is amazing. The human body is amazing. Love is amazing, too.
This recipe is from the Saltscapes magazine, Jan/Feb 2011, Vol. 12. No. 1, p. 61. I made it for the first time on 13 Feb. I really enjoyed it.
Here are some things I learned with the second try:
1. When I followed the directions for making the hollandaise sauce, it thickened within minutes. That was wonderful. Last time I assumed certain things and neglected to read everything, and it took over 20 minutes for the sauce to thicken. It certainly was not like that today. Hooray for the skills of reading and following directions. It was soooo easy!!!! in the end!!!
2. The chicken breasts shriveled up like wrinkled skin. I am not sure why they did this. They even did this when I thawed them. That is a puzzle I am hoping to solve.
3. I used Kraft packaged 4 Cheese Italiano shredded provolone, mozzarella, Parmesan, and emmental cheeses. Maybe next time I will use the sliced mozzarella and Parmesan as it calls for in the recipe.
4. I am using bottled asparagus from Peru. That's the first time. I cut them into thirds. The recipe says that while fresh is the best, canned or bottled are already cooked. Next time I hope to get asparagus closer to home.
5. I found that the cooking process was shorter. I spent less than 40 minutes getting the food ready for entry into the dish. The clean up will take a bit longer of course.
Now, I have a bunch of bake ware and cook ware to wash.
On p. 60 of the same magazine is a chocolate cake recipe I have been meaning to make. I just might do it after I clean up in the kitchen. It's simple and looks delicious.
I will say now there is no secret to being inspired to cook and bake. When my energy level goes up, I feel like I can do anything and conquer anything I try. Life is amazing. The human body is amazing. Love is amazing, too.
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