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Monthly Archives: September 2016
Tonight’s dinner is a dish I tweaked for my daughters. In 2000, we visited a Seattle Italian restaurant and my oldest daughter ordered this dish. Unfortunately, the dish just did not make the grade – it was overpowered by smoked salmon. But I loved the concept, so I created my own recipe. After a few trials, I thought I had a solid winner and surprised my daughters with it during one of their visits. Of course, as you can imagine, they were not amused… but I asked them to trust me. They did and a favorite was born! This recipe became one of their most requested meals. I have made this recipe for myself, for friends, and for guests ever since. And now I want…
Today it is just a picture post… cheesy over easy eggs, hash browns, and bacon…
Here it is, another week off and running. Feeling the end of summer and wishing I was on vacation somewhere tropical (like Maui!), I decided to bring the islands to me via Loco Moco. I have seen many different recipes and this one is something of a conglomeration that I enjoy. Are you ready to get started? Loco Moco Ingredients: 1 ground beef patty 1 egg 1 pkg brown gravy mix 1 cup of water 1/2 onion, sliced 1 7oz can mushrooms (stems and pieces) or 3 oz fresh mushrooms, halved and sliced 1 tsp garlic, minced 1 tbsp Spicy Teriyaki Tabasco sauce 1 tsp vegetable oil 1 tbsp butter, divided your favorite burger seasoning salt and pepper for egg 1 cup of cooked rice Preparation: Heat…
Now that we have a delicious Bolognese sauce, it’s time to make something with it. It would be delicious with any pasta by itself, but I think Sunday deserves something just a little more special – Baked Rigatoni! Baked Rigatoni Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups of dried rigatoni (approximately 1/3 of a 1lb box) 1/3 cup of shredded Italian cheese (Romano, Parmesan, Asiago, Provolone, etc) 1/3 cup of mozzarella, divided into 1 tsp nuggets 1/4 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade Canola oil spray Preparation: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray canola oil in a small glassware baking dish (approximately 3 cups in size) to prevent sticking and ease clean-up. Prepare the rigatoni per the package instructions, approximately…
I thought today was a great day to make a Sunday gravy and a Bolognese sounded tasty. Don’t be daunted by the amount of ingredients and what appears to be substantial effort; it really is quite easy to prepare. Also this recipe allows me to work in some of the ingredients I have used recently so I reduce waste. I will be using the remainder of the country bacon from the Chuckwagon Chili, the cherry/grape tomatoes, mozzarella cigieline, and fresh basin used in the Caprese Poppers, and the remaining half onion and green pepper from the Sweet and Sour Chicken. So if menu planning doesn’t work out, resort to improvisation! Bolognese Sauce Ingredients: 6 oz ground beef 3 oz diced bacon or pancetta…
Ahhh… it is the typical end of the work week and today I really do not want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. And sometimes I just do not want to go out – I just want to chill out, but I have to eat. This meal is easy, provided you have the ‘special’ ingredients of the sauce and chunk pineapple. The rest is typical pantry and vegetable crisper fare. So, let’s indulge on a nice relaxing Friday night with a tasty meal without having to order take out, delivery or even leave the house! Sweet and Sour Chicken Ingredients: 1 chicken breast, cut into 3/4 x 1 inch strips 1/2 red pepper, cut into 3/4 inch…
A prawn cocktail is super easy; you can buy it ready to eat from the store, you can buy cooked shrimp and make your own, you can steam your own prawns and make you own cocktail sauce OR any combination possible! Here I steam the prawns and make a Thai inspired cocktail sauce. Be forewarned, the cocktail sauce has a little heat, but is not overpowering or overwhelming. Prawns with Thai inspired Cocktail Sauce Ingredients: 12 prawns (16-20 or 26-30 per pound) 1/3 cup spicy banana sauce 1 1/2 tsp ginger, grated 1 1/2 tsp lemongrass, puree 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice 1/2 tsp Thai basil, chopped Preparation: Place the sauce ingredients into a small bowl and mix well. Allow to…
Here’s a perfect snack/salad/appetizer for one or many… Mini Caprese Salads on a toothpick! Caprese Salads Poppers Ingredients: Mozzarella Ciliegine (cherry sized mozzarella) Cherry Tomatoes Basil Olive Oil Balsamic Vinegar (or Balsamic Glaze) Fresh cracked black pepper Preparation: Wash the tomatoes in cold running water. Skewer the mozzarella and tomatoes with toothpicks. Chiffonade the basil and spread over the tomato/mozzarella, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic, and fresh cracked black pepper.  …
Tonight, I just wasn’t feeling super hungry. I couldn’t see myself cooking a nice meal and not enjoy it, so I opted to make a few simple appetizers for dinner. The beauty is that these appetizers are also great for intimate dinners or parties. Coming up… Caprese Salad Poppers and Prawns with Thai-inspired Cocktail Sauce…
Have you ever thought about cooking something based on a concept? Well, that is where this recipe comes from. One day I was watching an old Western movie (I think it was Red River with John Wayne) and during a scene at the chuckwagon, I thought about what the cook would have available to make a dinner for the cowboys. Thinking they would not be able to use many fresh ingredients, I began to formulate a recipe from what may be available on a chuckwagon – dry beans, dried chilis, dried or preserved meats, dried herbs, etc. Now… I will admit I did not research this topic at all. There may actually be a website or book that contains a list of what a chuckwagon carried and…