Shrimp Scampi

Estimated Calorie Count: 450-550

What you will need: 1 serving of shrimp, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 3 tablespoons butter, 1 diced tomato, splash of white wine

1 saute pan, 1 knife, 1 cutting board, 1 bowl
1. Melt butter in saute pan. add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic.

2. Add shrimp. Make sure that the shells are off and deveined. You can use precooked shrimp, but raw shrimp will get more flavor. Add splash of white wine and diced tomato. Let it all cook together.
                -I added a dash of lemon herb spice to give it more of the lemon flavor 

3. For pasta, I used RAMEN NOODLES! Its already portioned. Cook it in the microwave for 3.5  minutes.  They actually do sell single portioned pasta , which probably has a lot less calories, but I couldn't find it.

4. Toss the cooked ramen noodles in with the shrimp mixture. Let the noodles heat back up. they do get cold pretty quickly.

I added half of an avocado on top just because its so delicious

Finally!! - Chicken Chardonnay

A few months ago, I had a doctors appointment. She told me that I was overweight and needed to lose about 20 pounds. I kind of just laughed and asked her "where?!" Yeah, I have a rear end that's on the bigger side, but I wasn't sad about it. I met the most perfect man ever because of that rear end. Haha. Plus, at other appointments she said that I might have breast cancer and cervical cancer, and those weren't true. Yes, I did get a lump removed from my breast, but it was benign and I just wanted it gone because it was in an uncomfortable spot. So I shook it off and went to Taco Bell. I went home that day and told my parents. I told them that out of spite for my doctor, I'm going to lose the 20 pounds and that when I go back in May she's going to tell me how sickly I look. A few years ago, I was down to the weight were she said I should be. Almost everyone I know, including my mom, thought that I was on drugs.

I woke up one morning feeling like complete crap. Not the "I'm getting sick" crap, but the "wow, I feel like a baby elephant" crap and I knew I wasn't due for my period yet. So I went to the gym. It turned out that I felt great after going. So after the gym and I bought myself some healthy food. Everything was going well..for those 2 days that I was off.

Then I realized my main problem. Work!! But isn't that everyone else's problem too? I'm a cook. I worked for a BBQ place and all the food was delicious. Why the hell would I want a salad when I have pulled pork, brisket, smoked chicken wings, and French fries!? Because I was getting fat!! That's why I would want a salad! It turned out it was a lot easier than I thought, until I got sick of eating salads and said "screw it!" Then after work, I would stop at price chopper, pick up some sushi, and head to Phil's. Sushi is good, but like salads, theres only so much sushi a girl can eat. But hey! Somehow I managed to lose 5 pounds! Great!

I ended up leaving that job, and going back to my old job at On Tap in Latham. Phil and I broke up about a month ago and I went through every girls "deep depression" and just stopped eating normal food. Snacks, when I would get some sort of appetite. I worked so much that no one really notice that I wasn't eating. I even forgot that I wasn't eating. I would go to bed and try to remember what I ate that day and thought "well, I had some coffee this morning and a couple of fries at work." I realized that I'm way better than that and have finally snapped out of it.

I also realized that I still don't want to eat at work. Its all bar food; burgers, fries, chicken wings, etc. So I came up with my idea Cooking For One. I work night, while the rest of my family works during the day. By the time I get out of work, about 90% of places are closed besides Wendy's and Taco Bell. I can't eat sushi everyday. I did lose 5 more pounds, but not the correct way.

Now that my sappy story is finally over. Tonight was the first night of Cooking For One.


CHICKEN CHARDONNAY
Estimated Calorie Count : 400

I probably totally made up the name, but it sounds delicious, doesn't it?

What do you need?

Butter, 1-2 Chicken breasts, flour, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, mushrooms, tomato, chardonnay wine (chilled or room temperature), chicken stock, heavy cream or half and half, and parmesan cheese.

1 pan, 1 knife, 1 pair of tongs OR spatula, 1 cutting board, 2 paper plates

I even took pictures!!

1. You want to flour the chicken. Add a little salt and pepper to the flour to give it some flavor. Using a paper plate will keep from wasting flour. Plus, less dishes!!

2. Melt a small amount of butter in a sauté pan. Melt it on low/medium to keep the butter from burning. Make sure the butter is starting to sizzle before adding the chicken. Add 1teaspoon of minced garlic. Cook the chicken about 2 minutes on one side. While the chicken is cooking slice and dice your tomatoes and mushrooms!! 

3. Flip the chicken, cook for another 2 minutes and then add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Sauté all of it together for a couple more minutes.

4. Add about 1 tablespoon of chicken broth and let it all cook together for a few minutes.

5. Increase heat to high. Add about 1/2 cup of wine. It can be Chardonnay or any kind of dry white wine. Let the wine reduce 1/3. The alcohol will cook out of the wine.

6. Reduce heat down to low. Add 2 tablespoon of half and half (or heavy cream). Along with 3 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese. 

7. Let the sauce reduce and thicken.

While the sauce is thickening, those 3 dishes that you have. WASH THEM!!!!

 When the dishes are done, your food will be too!!

Personally, I added a side of asparagus. After I plated the chicken, I left a little sauce in the pan. With a little bit of water added just to thin out the sauce a little, I sauteed the asparagus for about 5 minutes. Cooked, but still crunchy!

And since I'm not trying to impress myself, its all on a lovely paper plate!!