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Category: Recipes
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.  …
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…
Yeah… I could have made these from scratch, but when you have Jiffy Cornbread Muffin Mix in the pantry, why not use it! I make these muffins per the box instructions, except I add honey and jalapeno Tabasco sauce. Here is the scoop on these slightly sweet with slight heat cornbread mini-muffins. Honey and Jalapeno Cornbread Mini-Muffins Ingredients: 1 box Jiffy cornbread muffin mix 1 egg 1/3 cup milk 2 tsp honey 2 tsp jalepeno Tabasco sauce (the Green one) Preparation: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the muffin tin with grease, non-stick spray, or use paper cups. In a large bowl, whisk the ingredients together making sure to not over-mix. Some lumps are fine. Let stand for 3 – 4…
Tonight I decided to enjoy the grill like many people do on this long Labor Day weekend. I decided to go with grilled steak and prawns on a bed of orzo and grilled corn on the cob. But let’s face it, it needs to be kicked up a bit. So… the steak is grilled with Montreal Seasoning, the prawns marinaded in orange, ginger and garlic then grilled with the marinade as a glaze, the orzo has red pepper, shallots, and garlic, and the corn on the cob is buttered and seasoned with shichimi togarishi. For this dinner, I am going to create dedicated posts for each part (main, side one and side two.). Are you ready to get cooking? Surf and Turf Ingredients: 8 oz…
Orzo is funny… I think it is one of those overlooked pastas because most people see it in soups. Yet, it is versatile, like in this simple accompaniment to many main dishes (steak, chicken, salmon, etc). So let’s get to making some orzo and appreciate this under-utilized pasta! Red Pepper and Shallot Orzo Ingredients: 1/2 cup of orzo 4 cups of water 1/2 tsp salt 1/3 cup red pepper, diced 1 small/medium shallot, diced 1 1/2 tsp olive oil 1 tsp butter fresh cracked pepper to taste Preparation: In a medium stock pot, boil the 4 cups of water and add the salt. Add the orzo and stir, then cook uncovered stirring occasionally for 9 minutes before draining. In…
Well, I’ll admit it, this recipe is just too easy. So here goes… Grilled Togarishi Corn on the Cob Ingredients: 1 Corn on the cob, shucked and silk removed 1 tbsp of salted butter 2 tsp togarishi Preparation: Coat the corn with the butter and then sprinkle the togarishi all around the cob. Place on a large foil rectangle and fold the end in. Pinch the remaining foil evenly and roll/fold it down to make a tight package. Place on a medium heat grill and rotate every 5 minutes. Overall cooking time will be about 25 – 30 minutes. For the browned aspect, leave the on each side a few minutes longer (or place in a hotter section of the grill). Unroll and unwrap…
Tonight, let’s have some fun with rice flakes. I don’t know many people that do not enjoy pad see ew, pad kee mao, drunken noodles, etc but I also don’t know many people that cook with rice flakes so they can enjoy these type of meals at home. Well, we are going to change that with this recipe! Asparagus Beef with Rice Flakes Ingredients: 6 oz thin sliced beef, sliced into strips 1/2 lb asparagus spears, cut into 1 inch sections 1 carrot, peeled and sliced on a bias 1 stalk celery, cut on bias 1/2 red pepper (diced or sliced, your preference) 2 tsp garlic, minced 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil togarishi shichimi 4 oz rice flakes white…
I know… a chicken dinner can be boring. Or bland. Or both. Let me show you one way to simply reinvigorate this dinner staple. Pan Seared Chicken Breast on Cheesy Browned Butter Farfalle with Sauteed Balsamic Brussel Sprouts Ingredients: 1 boneless and skinless chicken breast Drizzle of olive oil 1 1/2 cups brussel sprouts, cleaned and halved 1 cup of farfalle pasta 4 cups of water 1 1/2 tbsp Rosemary Garlic Seasoning 1/2 cup shredded 3 cheese mix (Asiago, Parmesan, Romano) 4 tsp olive oil, divided 4 tsp butter, divided 4 tbsp dry vermouth, divided 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp chopped parsley salt and pepper to taste Preparation: In a medium saucepan, heat water to boiling for the pasta. Lightly coat the chicken…