Ellie New Cat and Things That Don't Go Well On Chicken

[thistlechaser]

Cream of (something) soup is generally a winner to top a chicken breast with. Cream of chicken has the right number of carbs to have with a meal, so that's been my go-to soup. While picking up more, I eyed the other options.

Cream of Potato soup. Hmmm. Chicken + potato = Sunday night dinner, right? Maybe so, but the soup was a poor match. On its own, the soup was surprisingly good. (I worried it might be god awful.) I ate the chunks of potato out of it. But the soup with the chicken was just wrong. Somehow the texture was horribly terribly scary awful.

Have I mentioned how tired I am of chicken breasts? I've lost track of how many months I've been eating them now, with only two ways I know how to make them. lokyst suggested I try garam masala spices, so that's the next thing I'm attempting, likely Monday night.

In Ellie news, I can't believe I've had her her almost a year now. She came home with me on February 26th 2011. It's even more surprising that she's still making progress (or maybe I should word that 'it's even more surprising that a year later there's still progress to be made').

Over the last couple days she's turned a really big corner. I've been thinking about how to describe it, but I haven't come up with a better way than this: She's finally seeing me. She looks at me and sees me. She meets my eyes and sees me, not just sees a horrible cat-eating monster.

While she still doesn't like being picked up, she likes being held. When I hold her to my shoulder, she puts her head against mine and purrs. It's such a wonderful thing.

I know this will sound awful, but I still don't feel love for her. I'm not blaming her, but it's hard to feel a connection with something that doesn't look at you and expects you to hurt it. It's only now with her starting to see me that I'm starting to feel more, feel a connection. I'm really, really happy I do. I'd like her to become more than just "a nice cat I happen to live with because no one else wanted".

Comments

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

That book sounds exactly like what I need! I have no idea what goes with what (spices and stuff). So when I figure out something that works, I stick with it.

Why don't you like vegetables?

Because it feels like I have plants in my mouth. :/ The texture drives me crazy! Cooked a lot, cooked a little, raw, it just feels wrong. I can make my own tomato sauce and that's okay, so "hidden" veggies work for me.

Chicken breast is great. It's VERSATILE. But you are stuck in a rut. How do you usually cook it?

Usually I stick it in the oven at 350 for some amount of time (35-50 minutes, depending on how big it is). I think I'm overcooking them, but I worry lots about undercooked chicken.

[nicenewra.livejournal.com]

That book sounds exactly like what I need! I have no idea what goes with what (spices and stuff).

It's the best "cookbook" (really, it's a manual) I've ever spent money on (although in more traditional cookbooks, if you can get ahold of Chef Michael Smith's 'The Best of Chef at Home' I highly recommend it, too). It puts the power for flavour decisions and spices in your hands, with guidance that really helps you to understand on your own how they all work together.

Because it feels like I have plants in my mouth. :/ The texture drives me crazy! Cooked a lot, cooked a little, raw

Hrm. Okay. I mean, every vegetable has different textures, and then depending on how you cook them, that changes too. What are you cooking, and how? There's gotta be something out there you'll enjoy. For example, the only way I really enjoy carrots is if I slice em into discs, parboil, then sautee with butter and honey.

Have you tried roasting veggies? Honestly, roasting asparagus (with sesame oil, salt & pepper, and then a squeeze of lemon at the end) changed my die-hard asparagus-hating husband into a fan of the veggie. Realistically, you can roast ANYTHING after tossing it in olive oil, salt & pepper (potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, green beans, it doesn't matter), and it'll have a great flavour. Give it a try.

Or figure out flavour profiles you like. I went through this crazy "omg everything must be Asian flavoured" kick, and I was eating cucumbers tossed with ginger, lime, honey, sesame oil, and salt/pepper like they were going out of style. Right now my daughter and I chow down on raw bell peppers dipped in balsamic all the time.

Usually I stick it in the oven at 350 for some amount of time (35-50 minutes, depending on how big it is). I think I'm overcooking them, but I worry lots about undercooked chicken.

You are, but I do too. Buy a meat thermometer! They're like $10 at Ikea. This is another one of those things that'll change how you cook, because you learn as you go along using it.

God I hope I don't sound preachy. I'm sorry. I just get REALLY fuckin' excited about cooking.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Sorry for the delayed reply, was RPing and couldn't get away.

I totally forgot about roasting vegetables! I've eaten green beans and kale that way, and I liked both. They didn't seem like vegetables at all. I should get more things to try roasting!

I have a meat thermometer, but it seems to have stopped working. Everything got really overcooked before it would reach the range it was supposed to be in. I really should buy a new one, they're not that expensive...

Thanks for the advice! :D