recoup mac n' cheese.

so i had a bit of a bike crash the other day. let's just say oil spills and rainy weather don't mix very well. my wrist and leg are a little messed up.
yes, i am fine.
no, nothing is broken.
yes, i am a little sore.
and yes, i am still able to cook and work (sort of).

being a monday, i don't have work (thankfully) so i pilfered whatever fresh produce i have left in the fridge, and grabbed my go-to comfort food, mac and cheese. it's definitely a hodge-podge of sorts, but damn tasty to boot.

nothin' a big bowl of mac n' cheese, a beer and a couple of ibuprofen won't fix...

recoup mac n' cheese:

1 package of annie's mac and cheese (don't judge me because i eat mac and cheese from a box! it's annie's, nuff said.)
1 cup asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 small yellow squash, small diced
handful of fresh baby spinach
1 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper
milk
butter
olive oil

optional garnish:
a beer of choice
400mg ibuprofen*

* disclaimer!!!: not recommended to mix alcohol with pain killers. i am in no way trying to advocate this, i just enjoy having a beer with my meal and that's it.

moving on...

heat up water to boil pasta (per instructions on box). heat another saute pan for your veggies. once heated, add a little oil and add onions, zuccini and asparagus. saute for a couple of minutes and add mushrooms. season with salt and pepper. once cooked, set aside.

once pasta is cooked (drain and return to pan), add a bit of milk, a couple tablespoons of butter and "cheese packet" to pasta. add veg and adjust consistency with milk. add the spinach and tomatoes last and mix well. (you want the spinach to wilt slightly.) add the grated cheese for extra cheesiness and BAM, you're done!

the "i love you mom and dad" asparagus and mushroom frittata.

sooooo, really, really, really sorry for the lack of updates. ( i realize putting up pictures of burns and cuts aren't all that great updates either...)

to catch you up, i'm almost halfway done with my third and final term at school before heading off to my externship. after that, i'm all done.
finished.
fin.
certified culinary school graduate.

but to be even more specific with the current happenings, i am completing the "restaurant" portion of school in which i work lunch service at the school restaurant and then head directly to work to finish my day off working dinner service. 8am to 11pm. i do this 5-6 days a week. nonstop.

nonetheless, i haven't been eating very well on top of the fact that i'm trying to save money to pay for school, rent, bills, etc. i can't afford or even find time to spend money on food. if i don't work, i don't eat.

which brings me to my next point.

my parents are awesome.

after getting off the phone and sharing my sad-sap story with my mom, my parents sent me a little care package with food, coupons and a gift card to go grocery shopping.

tear.

i went shopping for fresh produce last weekend before work, but then realized i work all week and wouldn't be able to use any of it till today (a week later). fortunately, i purchased wisely and cooked up a delicious and hearty breakfast.

thanks mom and dad. 

here is my salute to you. i call it:

the "i love you mom and dad" asparagus and mushroom frittata.
( i used an ovenproof NONSTICK 9in pan)
5 eggs
splash of milk
1 cup asparagus. chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup onion, small diced
1/2 tablespoon fresh herb (i used oregano but would have preferred thyme if i had it on hand)
1/4 cup shredded tillamook sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

preheat oven to 400.  whisk eggs with a splash of milk (couple tablespoons). season with salt and pepper. set aside.

add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to your pan. saute onions and asparagus for a couple minutes, or until they start to get tender. add mushrooms and saute until tender. add oregano and season with salt and pepper. taste and adjust seasonings. add eggs and give the pan a jiggle so the eggs are dispersed evenly. turn the heat down low and let the egg set around the edges. top with shredded cheese. once the edges begin to set, place pan in oven. cook for about 3-4 minutes or until eggs are set. (give it a jiggle. you want a wee bit of a jiggle but not too much). transfer under the broiler for a minute or so until the top gets brown and delicious looking.

remove from oven and slide onto a plate. cut into wedges and enjoy with your choice of hot sauce. (we went with aardvark habanero hot sauce this morning.)

booyah.

p.s. i'll save you the worry and stop putting up pictures of burns and cuts. although, i did just get a cool burn from the 600 degree tandoor oven day before yesterday...