TangySweetFoodLove

Cinco de Mayo: Day 5 - Chile Rellenos

2011-05-05T09:56:00.001-05:00

For the final Cinco de Mayo post I wanted to share a new recipe I tried.

I finally made chile rellenos! After trying them years and years ago, I've finally concocted the dish on my own. The version below is not fried and vegetarian-friendly. Please enjoy!

Chile Rellenos
Serves 4

4 Poblano peppers
2 C. Rice, cooked
1 can of Black beans, drained
1 med Onion, chopped
1 med Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 med Tomato, diced
1 C. of shredded cheese
1 tsp. of Cumin
1 tsp. of Chili powder
1 tsp. of Garlic salt

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a large pot, boil salted water
- Cut a slit down side of each pepper. Remove seeds and rinse out cavity
- Place gutted peppers in boiling water for 7 minutes
- Remove from water and allow to cool...cool enough to handle
- In a skillet, saute onions, bell pepper, cumin, chili powder and garlic salt
- Add tomatoes, black beans, cheese and rice to pan. Mix well
- Take a pepper into one hand and stuff each with the pan mixture
- Place each pepper on a greased sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes
- Serve with a dollop of sour cream

Optional suggestions:
- Roll stuffed peppers in olive oil then cornmeal before baking

Cinco de Mayo: Dish re-post 4

2011-05-04T11:13:00.001-05:00

This is a great recipe for parties and it is great to use instead of your typical tomato-based salsas. Tomatillos look like a green tomato but their smaller, less acidic, and come in a leafy husk. Roasting or boiling is necessary when using this fruit/vegetable. Serve with my Homemade Tortilla Chips or some other plain tortilla chip.

Ryan's Tequila-Tomatillo Salsa
Serves 6

6 Tomatillos, husks removed, quartered and roasted
1 Jalapeno (remove seeds and white pith to reduce heat), roasted or grilled
3 Garlic Cloves, roasted or grilled
Juice of 3 Limes
1 Shot of Tequila
1/2 half of Onion, roasted or grilled
1 Tbl. of Cumin
1 Tbl. of Olive Oil
1 Tbl. of Salt
Water

- Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Use water if necessary to help the mixture blend
- Serve with warm tortilla chips

Sausage, Peppers and Onions over Polenta

2011-05-03T21:24:00.007-05:00

This recipe is a simple dish almost anyone can prepare. It's a simple mix of sauteed sausage, caramelized onions and peppers served over creamy polenta. Enjoy!

Sausage, Peppers and Onions over Polenta
Serves 4

2 Polish Sausage links, sliced crosswise
1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced
1 med Onion, sliced
2 Tbl of Canola oil
1 tsp. of Garlic, minced

-In a large pan, cook sausage slices until browned and cooked thoroughly
-Remove sausage from pan
-Add canola oil, peppers and onions to skillet. Cook slowly over medium-high heat until onions are translucent
-Add garlic and sausage to pan and stir

Creamy Polenta
1 C. of Cornmeal
3 C. of Chicken Stock (or salted Water)

-In a small pot, bring chicken stock to a simmer
-Use a whisk to stir in the cornmeal. This will prevent clumps

Cinco de Mayo: Dish re-post 3

2011-05-03T19:59:00.003-05:00

This recipe will be awesome at any Cinco de Mayo party or any time you want some good slow-roasted pork with a tangy, sweet bite of pickled onions.

Slow roasted pork tacos are delicious. Usually it's a dish I wait to try at a local taco joint but I finally ventured and created my own. It took a lot of time and lot of love but it was worth it. The recipes below show you how to recreate my masterpiece complete with pickled onions and fork-tender pork.

Adobe Roasted Pork Tacos with Pickled Onions
Serves 6

1 Lg Pork Shoulder Roast
1 12 oz. jar of Adobe Paste
3 Tbl. of Salt
Pickled Onions (recipe below)
Corn tortillas
Queso Fresco

- Warm adobe paste in the microwave for 30 seconds until it is somewhat runny
- Rub the paste all over the pork roast
- Sprinkle the salt all over the roast
- Place paste-covered roast in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap
- Allow roast to marinate for several hours or overnight

To cook:
- Preheat oven to 385 degrees
- Place roast in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil
- Bake roast for 3 hours until roast becomes fork tender
- Shred pork apart and serve atop warm corn tortillas and top with pickled onions (recipe below) and crumbled queso fresco

Pickled Onions
Serves 6

2 medium Purple Onions, thinly sliced
1/2 bunch of Cilantro, chopped
1/3 C. of Vinegar, preferably apple cider vinegar
1/3 C. of Sugar
1 tsp. of Salt
1 tsp. of Garlic, crushed

- In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients except the onions and cilantro
- Add onions and cilantro and make sure they are submerged in the liquid
- Refrigerate overnight
- Serve atop roasted pork tacos

Cinco de Mayo: Dish re-post 2

2011-05-02T19:55:00.001-05:00

To continue the festivities, here is a re-post of my Chimichurri Skirt Steak recipe.

This recipe is derived from two sources. First, from my experience of working at the chain, Chili's Bar & Grill and secondly, from an Argentinian steakhouse I went to in Fort Lauderdale a while ago. Chimichurri is a type of 'sauce' used all over Latin America for grilled meats and veggies. It is composed of two of my favorite ingredients, cilantro and lime, and goes well with my version of grilled skirt steak. It also goes well with pork and chicken. You can click on the picture for a closer view.

Skirt Steak and Chimichurri
Serves 2

1/2 Lb. of Skirt Steak
1 Tbl. of Olive Oil
1 Tbl. of Red Wine Vinegar
3 tsp. of Cumin
2 tsp. of Garlic Powder
2 tsp. of Oregano
1 tsp. of Paprika
1 tsp. of Cinnamon

- Sprinkle all of the spices, herb, oil, and vinegar over both sides of skirt steak
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour
- In a large skillet, heat a small amount of canola oil to high
- Cook both sides of skirt steak until desire doneness
(Can also be cooked on a grill or BBQ)

Cilantro chimichurri Sauce

1 Bunch of Fresh Cilantro
3 Cloves of Garlic
Juice of 2 Limes
1 Tbl. of Salt
1 tsp. of Brown Sugar
Olive Oil

- In a blender, place all ingredients and blend well
- Refrigerate for at least an hour
- Serve atop grilled skirt steak...or pork...or chicken

Cinco de Mayo: Dish re-post 1

2011-05-01T19:47:00.000-05:00

This post comes from September 2008. It is one of my favorite dishes. Please enjoy my Cilantro-Lime Chicken recipe.

I finally made one of my signature dishes again. I had planned to share this recipe a while ago but wanted to wait until I had a pictures ready to show the goodness. It is a light, tasty mix of cilantro, lime, and salt. The same base I use for my shrimp ceviche and fruit salsas. If you don't make any other dish from my blog, please make this one. You can click on the picture for a closer view.

Cilantro-Lime Chicken
Serves 2

2 Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless and butterflied
Juice of 2 Limes
3/4 C. of Cilantro, chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
Salt
Pepper
Black Beans and Rice

- In a glass pie dish, place lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and chicken breasts. Make sure chicken breasts are thoroughly covered by mixture
- Marinate for a few hours or overnight
- In a skillet, heat up 2 tablespoons of canola oil
- Take chicken out of marinade and remove excess cilantro leaves
- Place chicken into skillet and cook thoroughly. Slice and serve with black beans and rice

For Cinco de Mayo...

2011-04-30T19:43:00.001-05:00

In the spirit of Americans hijacking another country's holiday, I will be re-posting some of my favorite Mexican-inspired posts for your enjoyment. Please feel free to make these for your next Cinco de Mayo party. Ole!

Spicy Caribbean Pumpkin Soup

2010-11-23T14:07:00.002-06:00

After a long time away here is a post just in time for the Holidays. I recently entered this dish in my office's monthly cookoff...and won Battle: Pumpkin! This soup has a lot of ingredients that all play a vital role in delivering an unexpected flavor punch.

Spicy Caribbean Pumpkin Soup
Serves 6

3 Tbl. Butter
1 Tbl. Oil
½ Red Onion, diced
2 Tbl. Garlic, minced
½ Red bell pepper, diced
2 small Potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tsp. fresh Ginger, minced
1 tsp. of Cumin
1 Tbl. Of Chili Powder
½ tsp. Of Allspice
½ tsp. of ground Cloves
½ tsp. of Nutmeg
½ tsp. of Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp. of Cinnamon
1 tsp. of Curry Powder
1 Tbl. Of Salt
2 tsp. of Pepper
1 can of Pumpkin
1 can of Creamed Corn
1 can of Coconut Milk
½ small can of Pineapple Chunks
¼ C. of Brown Sugar
½ tsp. of Srirachi Chili Sauce
Juice of 1 Lime
1 C. of Chicken Broth

- In large pot, melt butter and oil. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, potatoes. Sauté until translucent
- To pot, add ginger, cumin, chili powder, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, curry powder, salt and pepper until all ingredients are coated
- Now add pumpkin, creamed corn, coconut milk, pineapple chunks, brown sugar, srirachi chili sauce, lime juice and chicken broth
- Cook all ingredients together until it simmers
- Immersion blender method: Remove pot from heat. Insert immersion blender and blend until soup is smooth.
- Traditional blender method: In batches, carefully ladle hot soup into blender, cover hole with dish towel or napkin, blend until smoothed
- Serve with a dollop of sour cream and/or chopped cilantro

Coconut Chicken Curry Soup

2010-04-22T13:36:00.003-05:00

I won my office cooking competition again! This is my third 1st place finish. Add "Battle: Coconut" to the trophy shelf along with "Battle: Salsa" and "Battle: Superbowl Appetizers". See the recipe below as well as the recipe from where it was adapted.

Coconut Chicken Curry Soup
Serves 6

(Adapted from this recipe.)

2 Tbl of Butter
1 Lg Onion, halved and diced
1 Tbl of Garlic, chopped
1 Tbl of Kosher Salt
1 Tbl of Black pepper
1 Tbl of Sugar
2 Tbl of fresh Ginger
1 Lb of Chicken, cubed
1/3 C of Lemongrass (or zest of 2 Lemons)
3 Tbl of Curry Powder
2 Tbl of Soy Sauce
2 Tbl of Fish Sauce (May not be necessary)
1 tsp of Cumin
1 tsp of Cinnamon
3 med Russet Potatoes, peeled and diced
1 Can of Coconut Milk, plus one can of water
2 Cans of Chicken broth
3 Tbl of Sugar
*Optional, Chili peppers, to taste

Directions

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add half of the onion and all the garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until both begin to soften, about 7 minutes. Add the salt, black pepper, sugar, chopped ginger and chicken. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar melts and the onion mixture and chicken begin to brown, about 15 minutes.

Add the remaining onion, lemon grass, curry powder, soy sauce, fish sauce, cumin and cinnamon. Stir. In a large pot, pour contents of skillet and add potatoes, coconut milk, can of water and chicken broth. Cook over medium-low heat and cover. Simmer until the sauce thickens and the chicken is tender. It even tastes better the next day.

My Momma's World Famous Banana Pudding

2010-03-10T12:43:00.000-06:00

FYI, I may get in trouble for publishing this recipe. Enjoy it anyhow...

My Momma's World Famous Banana Pudding
Serves 6

2 packs of Jell-O Instant Banana Pudding
1 small can of Borden Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 C of Whipping Cream
1 C of Whole Milk
30 Nabisco Nilla Wafers
10 Nabisco Nilla Wafers, crushed
1 Banana, sliced
2 C of Whipping Cream, whipped fluffy
1 Tbl of Sugar

- In a bowl, thoroughly mix instant pudding, condensed milk, cream, and milk
- Let pudding set
- In a large bowl, whip cream and sugar until fluffy
- Gently fold pudding into whipped cream
- In a fancy glass dish, start the first layer by placing Nilla wafers along the bottom of the dish
- Pour pudding mixture in another layer
- Place a few slices of banana in the next layer
- Spread some of the crumbled wafers in the next layer
- Place a few wafers vertically against the side of the dish
- Repeat process over again...Pour pudding mixture in another layer
- Place a few slices of banana in the next layer
- Spread some of the crumbled wafers in the next layer
- Place a few wafers vertically against the side of the dish
- Repeat process until you run out of the pudding mixture
- Finish with crumbled wafers and a few banana slices

Marian's Meal

2010-03-08T12:39:00.000-06:00

Sometime last year my friend, Marian, was leaving to start an internship in San Francisco. One request she had before she left was for me to cook for her. I obliged and finally came up with a meal after contemplating a few different ideas. The meal consisted of peppercorn-crusted "aged" sirloin, roasted potato wedges and steamed broccoli. And for dessert, I prepared my mainstay, bananas fosters with french vanilla ice cream.

Peppercorn-crusted "Aged" Sirloin
Serves 2

2 Sirloin Steaks, at room temperature
3 Tbl of Peppercorns, crushed
1 Tbl of Kosher Salt
1 Tbl of Olive Oil
1 tsp of Garlic powder
2 Tbl of Canola Oil

- Preheat oven to 200 degrees
- Mix peppercorns, salt, and garlic powder
- Pour olive oil over steaks
- Season steaks with peppercorn mixture
- Place seasoned steaks on a baking sheet with a raised rack
- "Age" the steaks in the 200 degree oven for 20 minutes
- Heat a large skillet or griddle pan to high and pour in canola oil
- Sear "aged" steaks in heated skillet on both sides until desired doneness. I recommend medium.

Roasted Potato Wedges
Serves 2

2 large Russet Potatoes, cut into wedges with skin on
2 Tbl of Lawry's Seasoning Salt
1 Tbl of Oregano
1 Tbl of Canola Oil

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- In a large bowl, place potato wedges and pour canola oil on top
- Pour in seasoning salt and oregano and mix well
- Place wedges on baking sheet with a raised rack
- Bake wedges in 375 degree oven for 25 minutes until wedges are fork tender

Quick Steamed Broccoli
Serves 2

2 large Broccoli Spears
2 Tbl of Butter
1 Tbl of Lawry's Seasoning Salt

- In a sandwich bag, place broccoli spears with butter and seasoning salt
- Place bagged spears in microwave for 1-1/2 minutes
- Carefully remove bag from microwave and move melted butter and salt around to coat spears
- Serve with steak and potatoes

Stuffed Shells

2010-03-02T12:55:00.004-06:00

I recently made this dish for a friend of mine after she wanted a vegetarian meal. So three-cheese stuffed shells and sauteed spinach and mushrooms was the night's menu.

Three-Cheese Stuffed Shells
Serves 4

8 large Pasta Shells
1 C of Ricotta Cheese
1/2 C of shredded Mozzarella
1/4 C of grated Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp of Garlic Powder
1 tsp of Basil
2 C of Marinara Sauce
1/2 C of shredded Mozzarella
2 Tbl of grated Parmesan cheese

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Boil of large pot of water
- Place pasta shells in boiling water for 5 minutes
- Remove shells from boiling water and allow to cool slightly
- In a bowl, mix the cheeses, garlic powder, and basil
- In a baking pan pour a small amount of marinara sauce in the bottom
- In one hand, hold a pasta shell with open end facing up
- In the other hand, take a spoonful of the cheese mixture and place into the shell
- Placed stuffed shell open side down in the marinara-sauced pan
- Repeat process by filling the rest of the shells until pan is full
- Pour the remaining marinara sauce evenly over the top of the shells
- Spread mozzarella and parmesan over top
- Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake in oven for 20 minutes
- Turn on oven broiler 3 minutes to brown cheese and serve

Adobe-Roasted Pork Tacos with Pickled Onions

2010-01-02T09:09:00.000-06:00

Slow roasted pork tacos are delicious. Usually it's a dish I wait to try at a local taco joint but I finally ventured and created my own. It took a lot of time and lot of love but it was worth it. The recipes below show you how to recreate my masterpiece complete with pickled onions and fork-tender pork.

Adobe Roasted Pork Tacos with Pickled Onions
Serves 6

1 Lg Pork Shoulder roast
1 12 oz. jar of Adobe Paste
3 Tbl. of Salt
Pickled Onions (recipe below)
Corn tortillas
Queso Fresco

- Warm adobe paste in the microwave for 30 seconds until it is somewhat runny
- Rub the paste all over the pork roast
- Sprinkle the salt all over the roast
- Place paste-covered roast in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap
- Allow roast to marinate for several hours or overnight

To cook:
- Preheat oven to 385 degrees
- Place roast in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil
- Bake roast for 3 hours until roast becomes fork tender
- Shred pork apart and serve atop warm corn tortillas and top with pickled onions (recipe below) and crumbled queso fresco

Pickled Onions
Serves 6

2 medium Purple Onions, thinly sliced
1/2 bunch of Cilantro, chopped
1/3 C. of Vinegar, preferably apple cider vinegar
1/3 C. of Sugar
1 tsp. of Salt
1 tsp. of Garlic, crushed

- In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients except the onions and cilantro
- Add onions and cilantro and make sure they are submerged in the liquid
- Refrigerate overnight
- Serve atop roasted pork tacos

Appetizers for New Year's Eve and Super Bowl

2009-12-28T16:22:00.000-06:00

It's the time of year for some delicious appetizer-heavy parties. Below are some ideas for you to use. Enjoy!

3-cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

Raspberry-chipotle Cream Cheese Dip

Quesadillas

Roasted Potato Wedges

Mango Salsa

Black Bean Salsa

Guacamole

Q Yummus Hummus

Sweet Potato Fries

Bacon-wrapped Shrimp Skewers

Tequila-lime Chicken Wings

Feta-stuffed Meatballs

Holiday recipe ideas

2009-12-23T16:04:00.002-06:00

Faithful readers, I wanted to re-hash some of the Holiday ideas I threw out last year for your viewing pleasure. Please feel free to use these recipes at your gatherings this season.

Holiday Ham

Holiday Ham Glaze

TSFL Roasted Turkey

TSFL Roasted Turkey Brine

TSFL Cranberry Sauce

TSFL Sweet potatoes

Cilantro Pesto Mashed Potatoes

Six-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

Green Beans with Rendered Bacon

Nicole's Fried Twinkie

2009-11-26T16:54:00.000-06:00

Below is a pic of Nicole's fried twinkie from the Fried Twinkie Cookoff. Her version has a cookie crumb crust on it and was served with a raspberry jam.

The Fried Twinkie Cook-off

2009-11-24T10:05:00.001-06:00

Another competition. For some reason people feel the need to challenge me with my culinary skills. I may be due to the fact that I usually lose the cooking competitions I enter. My friend, Nicole, and I went to a local street festival here in Chicago and tried fried twinkies for the first time. I always thought of fried twinkies as a thing of legend. Something you see at a state fair in the South on Food Network. I jumped at the opportunity to have this heart-attack-waiting-to-happen-treat.

Spoiler alert: Fried twinkies taste like an extra sweet, greasy pancakes. I knew that I could make a better version. One less greasy, less batter, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and a nice raspberry sauce to boot. Nicole decided that she could make one better than me. Thus the Great Fried Twinkie Cookoff was borne. The result? We decided it was a draw. We borrowed each other's ingredients, we were not very skilled at frying goop, and the sugar made everything taste good. See my (approximate) recipe below.

Beer Battered Fried Twinkie with Chocolate Rum Nut Sauce (Q)

Serves 4

2 Twinkies, frozen

2 C. of All-purpose flour

1 bottle of beer

1/2 C. of sugar

1 Tbl. of Cinnamon

Vegetable Oil

- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, beer, sugar, and cinnamon

- In a 3-inch deep pan or pot, pour in vegetable oil

- Heat oil to med-high

- Dip frozen twinkies into batter and place in hot oil

- Flip twinkie over after 2 minutes and finish frying other side for another 2 minutes

- Place on a paper towel-covered plate and let drain

- Serve with Chocolate Rum Nut Sauce

Chocolate Rum Nut Sauce

2 bars of Ghirardelli chocolate

1 finger of Rum

2 Tbl. of Brown Sugar

2 Tbl. of Pecans, chopped

1 Tbl. of Butter

- Melt all ingredients in a small saucepan

- Serve atop fried twinkies

My First Victory!!!!

2009-11-21T11:45:00.001-06:00

I forgot to publish my first cooking competition win. After failing many times to make women cry...through my cooking, I finally triumphed! It was a salsa competition and my mango salsa took first prize by a long shot. I posted the recipe in an earlier post (here) but you can see the recipe below.

Mango Salsa
Serves 10 (as an appetizer)

3-4 Mangoes, peeled and diced
1 medium Purple Onion, chopped
1 medium Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 medium Tomato, diced
1/2 medium Cucumber, peeled and diced
1 Tbl. of Garlic, minced
1 tsp. of Jalapeno, seeded and minced
5 Tbl. of Cilantro, chopped
Juice of 3 to 5 limes
Dash of Cumin
Dash of Chili Powder
Salt to taste
Sugar, if needed to balance the acid of the lime juice

- Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl
- Refrigerate overnight if possible

Suggested Uses:
- Serve with tortilla chips as a dip
- Serve atop black bean burgers like my co-worker, Tracy
- Serve atop grilled foods like fish and chicken

Beer Butter Button Mushrooms

2009-10-01T13:58:00.001-05:00

At a recent potluck I wanted to bring something vegetarian and different than what I've made before. I've been on a 'cooking with beer' kick for a few weeks. And mushrooms always give a nice beefiness to a dish and caramelized onions are always a crowd-pleaser. The dish came out well but as a meatatarian it would have been delicious on a nice, juicy steak.

Beer Butter Button Mushrooms
Serves 4

1 carton of Button Mushrooms, quartered
1 large of Vidalia Onion, sliced
2 Tbl. of Butter
1 tsp. of chopped Garlic
1 (12 oz.) bottle of beer
Salt, to taste

- In a large skillet, slowly melt butter
- Add garlic and onions to melted butter. Cook slowly until onions become translucent and begin to brown
- Add mushrooms and saute slowly
- As mushrooms begin to become tender, pour in beer and let it reduce
- Serve as a side.........or atop a juicy steak

More Falafel Pics

2009-09-25T22:47:00.002-05:00

Falafel with Tsaziki Sauce

2009-09-23T05:50:00.002-05:00

I finally made falafel. It's been on my cooking to do list for awhile. Granted it was from a box and all I had to do was mix it with water. But I bought the mix from an ethnic grocery store so it makes it ok. It was a mix of spices, dried garbanzo beans, and dried fava beans. The tsaziki sauce was store bought as well. But I did do the frying. The end product was a falafel ball that was crunchy on the outside and soft & fluffy on the inside. The tsaziki sauce was a nice addition. It was cool and refreshing with a little zing. On top of a warm pita and topped with fresh tomato slices, it was a meal to remember.

Ryan's Red Lentils Pancakes

2009-09-20T11:18:00.000-05:00

My buddy, Ryan, recently made a dish he adapted from his cousin using red lentils that was a surprisingly good dish. The lentils were ground into a flour and mixed with other ingredients to make a nice savory pancake. His version creates a thin, dense pancake that has layers of flavor in every bite. Given its simplicity and punch of flavor, I am definitely adding it to my repertoire. Check out the recipe and pic below.

Ryan's Red Lentil Pancakes

Serves 2

2 C. of dry Red Lentils
2 Tbl. of Olive Oil
2 tsp. of Garam Masala
3/4 C. of Water, more as necessary
1 tsp. of Salt

- Place lentils into a food processor or blender. Grind lentils until they become like a reddish flour
- In a bowl, combine lentil flour, olive oil, garam masala, water and salt. Thoroughly combine mixture until it is the consistency of a thick soup
- Heat a griddle or skillet with a little oil in the bottom
- Slowly pour the lentil batter onto griddle and cook until browned on each side
- Serve with a cool raita (Indian yogurt mixture)

3-Cheese, Chorizo and Beer Dip

2009-09-15T13:57:00.001-05:00

Here is another losing dish I created for a cookoff. I knew if I incorporated cheese, pork and beer into a dish I would win....not so. People thought my dish had a sweetness to it which I think confused their taste buds. I thought it had layers of flavor and a richness not found in the competition. The one part of my dip that I wish i could change was the use of Velveeta. That "cheese" has such a plastic taste but I knew the trans fat in it would keep it from turning into a brick. The other ingredients worked really well in the dish but my co-worker's tastebuds didn't appreciate it as much as I did. Hopefully you will enjoy it much more than they did.

3-Cheese Chorizo and Beer Dip

Serves 10

1 large Pkg. of Velveeta, cubed

1 pkg. of Cream Cheese, cubed

1 pkg. of shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 bottle of Corona beer

1/4 C. of Chorizo sausage

1 Jalapeno, seeded and diced

1/2 of Purple Onion, diced

1/2 of Red Bell Pepper

1 clove of Garlic, minced

1 tsp. of Cumin

1 tsp. of Chili Powder

dash of Cinnamon

- In a small saute pan, cook chorizo sausage until done

- Add jalapeno, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute until they are translucent

- In a large non-stick saucepan, slowly simmer all ingredients together

- Allow all cheese to completely melt and flavors to meld

- Pour into a serving bowl and top with chopped green onions or cilantro

- Serve warm with tortilla chips or pretzels

Sore loser

2009-09-12T11:04:00.000-05:00

I am convinced that I am just not made for food competitions. I have lost all four battles I have entered and a little piece of my ego goes with it especially since cooking is such an important part of who I am. The first was the Super Bowl chili cookoff, the second was the Macaroni and Cheese cookoff, the third was the Iron Chef battle and the fourth was the Dip Off at work. Four competitors entered but only one would be the victor. I unhappily placed fourth. The winning dishes in cardinal order are as followed: Lauren's Raspberry and Cheese dip, Heather's Buffalo Chicken dip, Tchicaya's 4-supposed-to-be-7-layer dip, and Q's 3-cheese, Chorizo and Beer dip. Lauren's dip featured two ingredients, hot (hot as in spicy, not temperature) raspberry jam and borsin cheese with chives. (Similar to my Raspberry-Chipotle Cream Cheese dip but of course I think mine is better) She spread the cheese on the bottom of the serving dish and poured the hot raspberry jam over top. The dip was served with toasted sesame crackers. Heather's dip was a warm concoction of cubed chicken breast, blue cheese, hot sauce and other ingredients. The dipping utensils were tortilla chips and celery stalks. Tchicaya's dip was a traditional 7-layer Texmex dip...olives, tomatoes, sour cream, cheddar cheese, lettuce, refried beans served with tortilla chips. I will redeem a little bit of my ego and have a separate post featuring my recipe complete with pictures.

Elote!!!

2009-09-07T11:03:00.001-05:00

Finally! Finally! I've had elote! I've seen it for years on TV and finally I took the opportunity to dig into this Mexican treat. The wonderful thing about Chicago is the abundance of cuisines from around the world available all around the city. I happen to live in a Latin neighborhood that features street vendors who sell helado de coco, fresh mango slices, and elote. For those of you who don't know what elote is, it is a dish composed corn on the cob, mayonnaise, butter, parmesan cheese, lime juice and chili powder. The mayo and butter act like glue to hold the parmesan cheese and chili powder as well as giving the dish a nice richness and flavor. The version I had was served in a cup. The street vendor cut the kernels from the cob and put them in a cup and put all of the accoutrements on top. I had the pleasure of stirring all of the goodness together. The sweetness of the corn, the richness of the mayo, the creamy butter, the salty parmesan cheese, the tangy lime juice and spicy chili powder all come together to create a party in my mouth. Try it for yourself.

Elote
Serves 2

2 Corn Cobs, salted, buttered and grilled
4 Tbl. of Mayonnaise
Juice of 1 Lime
2 Tbl. of Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp. of Chili Powder

- Squeeze lime juice over corn cob
- Spread mayo over entire corn cob
- Sprinkle parmesan cheese over corn cob
- Sprinkle chili powder over corn cob and enjoy!

Polenta with Chorizo

2009-08-20T15:14:00.000-05:00

This is another one of those accidental dishes. A recipe borne from a paltry pantry. I was lazy and didn't make it to the grocery store but I dd have cornmeal in the cupboard and chorizo in the kitchen. In earlier posts I discussed polenta and chorizo. But this dish combines the two together. Creamy polenta with little explosions of chorizo make this dish easy, simple and tasty.

Polenta with Chorizo

Serves 4

1 C of Cornmeal

4 C of Water

1 Tbl of Butter

1 tsp of Salt

3/4 of Chorizo, cooked

- In a pot, pour in cornmeal, water, butter and salt

- Boil mixture for 15 minutes and stir often. Add additional water as necessary to ensure the polenta develops a smooth consistency

- After polenta is no longer gritty, add in cooked chorizo and stir

- Top with sliced scallions for color and flavor

Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Rice and Beans

2009-08-17T10:14:00.001-05:00

The following recipe utilizes the flavorful spice mixture, jerk seasoning a.k.a. jerk spice. It is a blend of smoky, spicy, savory and sweet. The rice and beans variation comes from an old roommate. The coconut milk in the rice tempers the heat of the chicken as well as bringing a tropical taste to the dish. Enjoy!

Jerk Chicken

4 Chicken Breasts

3 Tbl of Jerk Seasoning

1 Tbl of Vegetable Oil

1 tsp of Salt

- Combine jerk seasoning, oil, and salt

- Rub mixture over all sides of chicken breasts

- Allow chicken to marinate for 2 to 4 hrs

- On a hot grill, place chicken breasts and cook until done

- Serve with Rice and Beans

Jamaican Rice and Beans

2 C of Rice

1 can of Coconut Milk

1 C of Water

1 Tbl of Salt

1 can of Red Kidney Beans, drained

- In a pot, add rice, coconut milk, water and salt

- Boil rice until done

- Add in drained, canned beans and thoroughly mix beans and rice together

- Serve with Jerk Chicken

Great Ingredient: Jerk Seasoning

2009-08-15T14:59:00.000-05:00

From the Caribbean, comes a spicy, flavorful and aromatic blend of peppers, spices and herbs. This Jamaican concoction has a preservative effect and features some of the hottest peppers on the planet, Scotch bonnet peppers. The other ingredients make this spice rub full of flavor. In addition to the Scotch bonnet peppers, jerk seasoning also includes allspice, cloves, cinnamon, scallions, nutmeg, thyme and garlic. I have seen it in a dry form as well as a wet form. This mixture is very useful on proteins such as chicken, fish, beef, pork or goat. I have personally never made my own jerk seasoning blend but I will tone down the amount of heat and focus on the more flavorful ingredients. If you want to try jerk seasoning in your kitchen you can pick up a jar of the wet version at World Market in the food section. If you prefer the dry version, many grocery stores carry bottles in the spice aisle.

In the coming days I will post my use of this spice mixture on chicken as well as another Caribbean dish, rice and beans.

Orzo with Mediterranean-style Spinach

2009-06-10T10:39:00.000-05:00

Recently, I used a pasta shape that I've only used once before. It worked well with this dish. This is a delicious recipe that relies heavily on ingredients found in Mediterranean foods. It uses tart sun-dried tomatoes, tangy artichoke hearts, earthy spinach, sweet caramelized onions, garlicky garlic, and creamy cream. Also, it is vegetarian friendly. You can click on the picture for a closer view.

Orzo with Mediterranean-style Spinach

Serves 4

4 C. of fresh Spinach (or 1 package of frozen, chopped Spinach, thawed and drained)

1/2 Onion, chopped

1 clove of Garlic, chopped

3 Tbl. of Sun-dried Tomatoes, thinly sliced

3 Tbl. of Artichoke Hearts, roughly chopped

1 small carton of Heavy Cream

1 Tbl. of Butter

Salt, to taste

1 Lb. of Orzo, cooked and drained

- In a skillet, melt butter and saute onions and garlic

- Add spinach, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. Stir and heat thoroughly

- Pour in heavy cream and simmer for 2 minutes

- Serve atop orzo

My Recipe To Do List

2009-06-06T10:01:00.002-05:00

As a devoted foodie and all around food enthusiast, I have a running list of recipes that I want to make myself one day. I recently finally completed my first risotto but I have a list that I have yet to complete. For those of you familiar with my blog may be surprised by some of the recipes but I have not personally made any of the dishes below. Below are recipes I have had at friend's houses, restaurants, etc but I am itching to try it for myself. Once I do I am sure you will see it on this blog.

- Sushi
- Corn cob with Cojita cheese and paprika
- Falafel
- Pad Thai
- Paella
- Carnitas de Puerco
- Pierogies
- Gnocchi
- Baby back ribs
- Naan bread
- Chicken Tangine

Mushroom Risotto: Variations

2009-06-03T09:51:00.000-05:00

In an earlier post I published my mushroom risotto recipe. It is a simple yet delicious dish that is a sure crowd pleaser. Below are two variations, and notes to accompany that recipe.

- Instead of mushrooms, subsitute another vegetable like grilled asparagus or zucchini

- For the meatatarians, add grilled chicken breast and use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth OR beef broth and grilled steak

Mushroom Risotto

2009-05-31T21:25:00.009-05:00

I finally made risotto. Risotto has been on my recipes-to-cook list ever since Paolo, the Italian exchange student, made it in my German host mother's kitchen years ago. The recipe below is simple but requires time and attention. It is a perfect dish to make for someone special, like I did. And it is completely vegetarian. You can click on the pics for a closer view.

Mushroom Risotto
Serves 4

2 C. of Risotto
1/2 Onion, chopped
3 cloves of Garlic, chopped
1 package of Baby Portabello Mushrooms, sliced and cooked
1 C. of White Wine
1 Tbl. of Butter
2 Tbl. of Olive Oil
3 Tbl. of Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbl of Italian Parsley, chopped
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Lots of Vegetable Broth

- In a large skillet, melt butter and oil over med-high heat
- Add onions and garlic. Brown in skillet
- Add risotto and slightly brown
- Slowly add in enough broth to cover rice
- Allow rice to simmer and absorb broth
- Again, slowly add in enough broth to cover rice
- Allow rice to simmer and absorb broth
- Again, slowly add in enough broth to cover rice
- Allow rice to simmer and absorb broth
- Add wine and allow rice to absorb liquid
- Continue process until rice is starchy, creamy and fully cooked
- Add cheese, mushrooms, salt, and pepper
- Slowly fold in new ingredients and simmer for a few minutes
- Serve immediately and top with chopped parsley

Chicken Curry: pics

2009-05-21T11:13:00.005-05:00

Here are delicious pics of my Chicken Curry I made a few weeks ago for some friends. You can find the recipe here. You can click on the pics for a closer view.

My Perfect Roasted Chicken pics

2009-04-25T11:52:00.005-05:00

I finally have some pics of my perfect roasted chicken recipe. I recently made the dish again and captured the bounty on 'film'. You can click on the pics for a closer view.

My Chicago Restaurant Reviews: Yelp.com

2009-04-25T11:49:00.002-05:00

Many people ask me what my favorite restaurants around Chicago are and want to know where my restaurant reviews are located. I review area restaurants on Yelp.com and have reviewed over a 100 spots around town from upscale to dives. Look for the Yelp box on the middle left side of the screen. Enjoy!

French Toast-inspired Tres Leches with Cinnamon-Orange-Chile Chocolate Sauce

2009-04-01T08:12:00.001-05:00

The name may seem like a mouthful but if you make this dish you will want a mouthful. This was my final dish in the now infamous Iron Chef battle a few weeks ago. It was an original dessert that I developed while I was in the grocery store shopping for the battle. It is a sweet dessert with a spicy finish. As the name implies, it is a variation of the Cuban dessert, Tres Leches, with a French Toast twist. I decided to incorporate the secret ingredient, peppers and chilies, with a spicy arbol chili powder. This dish is one the best tastiest and most crowd-pleasing recipes I have ever cooked.

French Toast-inspired Tres Leches with Cinnamon-Orange-Chile Chocolate Sauce

Serves 5

1 Sara Lee pound cake
1 Egg, scrambled
1 C. of Evaporated Milk
1/2 C. of Whole Milk
2 Tbl. of Sugar
1 Tbl. of Cinnamon
1 tsp. of Arbol Chile Powder
1/2 tsp. of Salt

- In a shallow dish, whisk all ingredients except the pound cake
- Slice the pound cake into 3/4-inch thick slices
- Heat a pat of butter in a med-high skillet
- Dip a slice of pound cake in the egg mixture and flip
- Place dredged slice into pan and brown on both sides
- Remove from pan and top with Cinnamon-Orange-Chile Chocolate Sauce

Cinnamon-Orange-Chile Chocolate Sauce

1 16 oz. Goya Chocolate Bar, broken into small pieces
1/2 C. of Evaporated Milk
The Zest and Juice of 1 Orange
1/4 C. of Sugar
1/4 C. of Whole Milk
1 Tbl. of Cinnamon
1 Tbl. of Arbol Chile Powder

- In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes
- Serve atop French Toast-inspired Tres Leches

Photo provided by Marian Wang

Honey Jalapeno Pork Loin

2009-03-30T08:56:00.000-05:00

This dish was my second course in my Iron Chef battle. It was inspired by a dish I saw on a menu at a Cuban-Mexican restaurant, Cafe 28, I went to here in Chicago. I've never tried it there or anywhere but this is my interpretation.

Honey Jalapeno Pork Loin

Serves 6

1 Pork Loin Roast

2 Tbl. of Brown Sugar

1 Tbl. of Chili Powder

1 Tbl. of Cumin

1 Tbl. of Garlic Powder

1 tsp. of Cinnamon

1 tsp. of Arbol Chili Powder

Salt, to taste

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees

- Combine all spices and rub over all sides of pork roast

- In an oven-safe skillet, sear all sides of the roast in hot oil

- Place skillet into oven and cook for 30 minutes

- Remove roast from oven and let the meat 'rest' for 5-10 minutes

- Slice roast across the grain and serve with Honey Jalapeno Sauce

Honey Jalapeno Sauce

1 C. of Honey

1 Jalapeno, sliced

1/2 C. of Water

- In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes to let the heat of the jalapenos distribute throughout the sauce

- Pour a small amount of sauce over top of sliced roast

Iron Chef details...

2009-03-28T15:31:00.002-05:00

Some of my faithful readers (all 2 of them...thanks Jen and Kevin) are asking about the infamous Iron Chef competition I participated in recently. Well, here is the rundown:

The Genesis: People in my bible study group found out I like to cook. Someone mentioned that me and another girl in my group should have an Iron Chef battle and I agreed.
The Competitor: Anna, a girl from my bible study group who is a great cook...and an avid reader of TangySweetFoodLove. ;-)
The Chairman: Her husband, Chris. (No worries. He was not allowed to vote.)
The Judges: About 10 mutual friends
Kitchen Stadium: My neighbors across the hall have an almost identical kitchen to mine. I cooked in my kitchen. Anna cooked in my neighbor's kitchen. Note: A special thanks to Angela and Ellen for donating their kitchen.
The Secret Ingredient: We made a list of seven possible secret ingredients to choose from. The day of the battle, the Chairman randomly pulled one of the ingredients out of a hat. Peppers and Chilies were the chosen one. The other possibilities were bacon, sausage, eggs, cheese, mushrooms, and beer.
The Battle: After we each learned the secret ingredient we set a budget of $50 and went shopping and met at my house to battle. We had to prepare 3 courses with an hour for each course. I did a starter, entree, and dessert. Anna's theme was breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The Scoring: One of our friends, Sora, went to Food Network's website and printed out customized Iron Chef scoring sheets.
The Food:
Q - Roasted Pepper Chili with Jalapeno-Cheese Cornbread Muffin with Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream, Honey Jalapeno Pork Loin with Cheese Polenta, and French Toast-inspired Tres Leches with Cinnamon-Orange-Chili Chocolate Sauce.
Anna - Breakfast Frittata with Bell Peppers, Onions and Bacon atop Sourdough Bread, Sausage burger with Chipotle Mayo and Sweet Potato Fries, Cheese-Stuffed Jalapenos wrapped in Bacon, and a fourth dish, Stuffed Bell Peppers.
The Result: 127 (Q) to 131 (Anna)
The Winner: Anna

Jalapeno-Cheddar Corn Bread and Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream

2009-03-25T01:13:00.000-05:00

These recipes are great complements to the Roasted Pepper Chili recipe I published earlier. This is not a made-from-scratch recipe so it is easy for anyone to make. A box of Jif Cornbread and a tub of sour cream are the big helpers in this dish.

Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread
Serves 8

1 box of Jif Cornbread
1 Egg
1/2 C. of shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 C. of Milk
2 Tbl. of Butter
1 Jalapeno, de-seeded and diced

- Preheat oven according to instructions on box
- Spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray
- In a large bowl combine all ingredients until well mixed
- Pour batter into each muffin shell
- Bake according to instructions on box

Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream

1 C. of Sour Cream
Juice of Lime
1 Tbl. of Cilantro, chopped

- Mix all ingredients and serve atop chili and cornbread
- Also goes well with fish tacos or grilled flank steak

Roasted Pepper Chili

2009-03-24T00:31:00.000-05:00

My first course in my "Peppers and Chilies" Iron Chef competition was Chili with fire roasted peppers. It was served atop a Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread Muffin with a dollop of Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream. The dish was awesome and a crowd favorite, even my competitor enjoyed it. Roasting your peppers brings out the flavors in the peppers and imparts a smokiness to the pepper. Fire roasting instructions are at the end of the recipe. You can click on the picture for a closer view of the peppers and chilies.

Roasted Pepper Chili

Serves 8

1 Poblano Pepper, roasted and peeled

1 Green Bell Pepper, roasted and peeled

1 Red Bell Pepper, roasted and peeled

1 Jalapeno Pepper, roasted and peeled

All peppers de-seeded and diced

1 Tomato, diced

2 cloves of Garlic, minced

1 Purple Onion, diced

1 large can of Diced Tomatoes

1 can of Tomato Sauce

1 can of Black Beans

1 can of Kidney Beans

1/4 C. of Brown Sugar

1/2 C. of Chorizo Sausage

4 Tbl. of Chili Powder

3 Tbl. of Cumin

Salt, to taste

Canola oil

- In a large pot, pour in one tablespoon of canola oil. Add onions, garlic and chorizo to pot, cook until softened

- Add roasted peppers, cumin and chili powder to pot and allow flavors to combine

- Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, black beans, kidney beans, and brown sugar

- Simmer all ingredients for 20 minutes

- Serve atop a Jalapeno-Cheddar Cornbread Muffin and top with a dollop of Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream

How to roast peppers and chilies

- Using a gas stove, place raw, whole peppers and chilies over a medium flame

- Roast all sides of the pepper until the skin blisters ad blackens

- Place the pepper in a plastic bag and seal it. The heat will steam off the blistered skin

- Remove pepper from bag and peel off skin

- Cut pepper in half and remove seeds and white ribs to remove the majority of the heat

- Dice peppers for chili

My First Iron Chef Competition

2009-03-22T12:17:00.002-05:00

After years of watching the original Iron Chef and Iron Chef: America, I finally got a chance to participate in my own Iron Chef-style battle. The build-up was weeks in the making along with excessive trash talking and high hopes. The battle took place a few weeks ago...and alas I lost. The secret ingredient was Peppers and Chilies. The battle entailed three courses. And we used the Food Network scorecards. My opponent was a fierce competitor. In the coming days I will slowly reveal my recipes of defeat.

French Bread French Toast with Blueberry Compote

2009-03-16T06:28:00.000-05:00

This is a personal creation of mine that has to be my second favorite dessert after Bananas Fosters. I'm not a big fan of sweets or a fan of making desserts but this dish was an absolute knockout and an instant crowd pleaser. On top of all that it is easy and requires very few ingredients.

French Bread French Toast with Blueberry Compote
Serves 4

French Toast
loaf of French Bread, sliced into 1" pieces
2 Eggs
1/2 C. of heavy cream
2 Tbl. of Sugar
1 tsp. of Cinnamon
2 drops of Vanilla extract
Butter

- In a shallow bowl, whisk eggs, cream, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract together
- In a large skillet, melt butter
- Taking a slice of French bread, dip it into the egg mixture and flip
- Shake off excess and place in skillet and brown on each side
- Serve with French vanilla ice cream and Blueberry Compote

Blueberry Compote
Serves 4

1/2 pint of fresh Blueberries (or frozen)
1/2 C. of Water
1/2 C. of Sugar
2 Tbl. of White Wine or Lemon Juice
1 tsp. of Cinnamon

- In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes
- Serve atop French bread French Toast and French vanilla ice cream

Rob's Mom's Roasted Dijon Potatoes

2009-03-12T06:55:00.001-05:00

This recipe is an adaptation from one of my college roommate's family recipe. It combines the taste of the earthy potatoes and sharp tang of Dijon mustard. This is another simple yet tasty dish. It pairs well with any type of roasted meat.

Rob's Mom's Roasted Dijon Potatoes

Serves 6

8 Red Potatoes, cut into small wedge shapes

3 Tbl. of Dijon Mustard

1 clove of Garlic, minced

1 Tbl. of Herbes de Provence

2 tsp. of Salt

1 tsp. of Black Pepper

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees

- In a large bowl, Combine all ingredients and ensure all potatoes are coated with mustard and herbs

- Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray and spread mustard-coasted potatoes around

- Bake potatoes for 30 minutes until they are fork tender

- Serve with roasted meat and enjoy

Balsamic Vinaigrette over Mixed Greens

2009-03-08T06:03:00.000-05:00

This recipe is pretty self-explanatory. It is my version of a balsamic vinaigrette useful for all types of lettuce-based salads. This dressing could also be poured over a Caprese salad of sliced tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, and basil leaves.

Balsamic Vinaigrette over Mixed Greens

Serves 4

1 C. of Balsamic Vinegar

1 C. of Brown Sugar

1 Tbl. of Herbes de Provence

1/2 clove of Garlic

1 tsp. of Black Pepper

Salt, to taste

Salad

Mixed Greens

1 Tomato, sliced

Chopped nuts

- In a blender combine all ingredients and blend well

- Pour over salad and serve

French Onion Soup

2009-03-04T05:18:00.000-06:00

Such a simple and delicious soup. Comforting for all occasions and easy enough for the amateur to make. Here is a simple recipe for French Onion Soup. You can click on the picture for a closer view.

French Onion Soup

Serves 6

6 medium Onions, sliced

1 Tbl. of Sugar

1/4 C. of Butter

1 Tbl. of Flour

1 C. of dry White Wine

4 C. of Beef Broth

loaf of French Bread, sliced into 1" pieces

6 Tbl. of Parmesan Cheese, shredded

6 slices of Swiss Cheese

- In a large pot, slowly melt the butter and add sugar and onions

- Slowly cook onions until they are softened and become translucent, about 25 minutes

- Sprinkle flour into pot and mix thoroughly

- Slowly add in white wine and stir

- Slowly add beef broth and simmer for 20 minutes

- Place 6 ovenproof bowls on a cookie sheet and turn oven on 'broil'

- Ladle soup into ovenproof serving bowls

- Place a slice of French bread on top of each bowl of soup

- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese and lay a slice of Swiss cheese on top of bread slice

- Place cookie sheet of bowls under the broiler until cheese bubbles and browns

- Serve immediately and enjoy

Comforting Cabbage

2009-03-02T09:43:00.000-06:00

Cabbage has to be one the least expensive vegetables out there. You can get a whole head for 69 cents at your local grocery store. The crunchy texture and natural sweetness lends itself well to many different types of dishes. My parents usually cook theirs in some bacon grease and let it stew down into a nice dish. This recipe is a straightforward and a little healthier but still maintains the great attributes of the cabbage. You can click on the picture for a closer view.

Simple Cabbage

Serves 4

1 head of Cabbage, cut into shreds

1/2 of Onion, sliced

2 Tbl. of Vinegar

1 Tbl of Sugar

1 tsp. Anise Seeds

1 tsp. of Paprika

Salt, to taste

Canola oil

- In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoon of canola oil

- Add shredded cabbage and sliced onions. Stir and let veggies brown

- Cover and let cabbage reduce in size

- Add remaining ingredients and allow to cook for 20 minutes

- Serve with Yummy Meatloaf

Yummy Meatloaf

2009-02-28T13:26:00.013-06:00

Classic comfort food dish made zesty with Kansas City-style barbeque sauce.

Yummy Meatloaf
Serves 4

1 Lb. of 80/20 Ground Beef
1/4 C. of Onions, diced
1/8 C. of Bell Pepper
1/8 C. of Bread Crumbs
1 Egg, whisked
3 Tbl. of BBQ Sauce
1 Tbl. of Seasoning Salt
1 tsp. of Oregano
1 tsp. of Basil
1 tsp. of Thyme
1/4 C. of BBQ Sauce

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except ground beef and second portion of BBQ sauce
- Add ground beef to bowl
- Coat a small cookie sheet with a nonstick spray
- Take beef mixture and place on cookie sheet
- Form the beef mixture into a loaf shape with your hands
- Using a brush, apply the second portion of BBQ sauce to the entire top of the loaf
- Bake loaf for 35 minutes until thoroughly cooked

Serving Suggestions:
- Serve with cabbage or mashed potatoes and peas. Cabbage recipe to follow in the coming days.

Elena Ruz: 'She ain't no ordinary sandwich'

2009-02-08T15:48:00.001-06:00

Elena Ruz is a delicious Cuban sandwich I've had at a great restaurant in Florida. It is a great combination of tangy cream cheese, sweet strawberry jam, smoky turkey, and toasted bread. It is a simple dish that is sure to surprise and delight the masses...or you.

Elena Ruz Sandwich
Serves 2

10 oz. of deli sliced Turkey
2 Tbl. of Cream Cheese
2 Tbl. of Strawberry Jam
4 slices of French Bread
Butter

- Arrange all ingredients on kitchen counter
- For each sandwich: On one bread slice, spread 1 tablespoon of cream cheese. On other bread slice, spread 1 tablespoon of strawberry jam
- Heat a large skillet
- Place a pat of butter in pan and coat bottom of pan
- Place one slice of bread with cream cheese and one slice of strawberry jam, bottom side down in the melted butter
- Add 5 oz. of sliced turkey to one of the bread slices
- Cook until bread is browned and toasted
- Remove slices from pan and sandwich together
- Cut in half and enjoy
- Serve with Sweet Potato Fries

Suggestion:
- A George Foreman grill or panini press could be used to make this sandwich in half the time. Sandwich ingredients together in grill/press and cook until cream cheese is softened and bread is toasted

My Perfect Roasted Chicken

2009-01-25T16:35:00.004-06:00

I have always enjoyed a good roasted chicken but I have never felt like the chicken turned out how I expected. I've tried orange segments, oven racks, low temperature, high temperature, lemon wedges, poultry seasoning, oven racks, strange spices, tying the limbs, etc. But I am proud to report that I made the best roasted chicken I have ever had. As you will recall from a previous post I am a big fan of Herbes de Provence. This herb blend has an ability to infuse such flavor to so many dishes and roasted chicken is no exception. The recipe below uses very few ingredients and kitchen gear. Below is the process I took to create the prettiest, juiciest, and most flavorful roasted chicken of my life.

Perfect Roast Chicken
Serves 4

1 whole Chicken
1/2 C. of Herbes de Provence
2 Tbl. of Garlic Powder
1 Tbl. of Salt
1 Tbl. of Black Pepper
1 tsp. of Olive Oil
Salt, to taste

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Thoroughly wash chicken in cold water
- In a small bowl, combine Herbes de Provence, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and oil
- Spray a large cast iron skillet with nonstick spray
- Using your fingers, separate the skin of the chicken from the flesh to make "herb pockets"
- Grabbing heaping portions of the herb mixture stuff them into the "herb pockets", the interior cavity of the chicken, and all over the skin
- Sprinkle salt over the outside of the chicken
- Place the chicken, breast-side down, in the cast iron skillet
- Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes
- After 50 minutes, flip the chicken over and bake another 20 minutes with the breast side up
- Remove from oven and allow chicken to rest for 5 to 10 minutes
- Carve accordingly and enjoy

Serving Suggestions:
- Serve with my Green Beans with Rendered Bacon and Six-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

Tequila-Lime Chicken Wings pics

2009-01-03T11:14:00.003-06:00

Tequila-Lime Chicken Wings

2009-01-02T14:54:00.003-06:00

I recently had the opportunity to go to a New Year's Eve party and take along some tasty morsels of my creation. I've never made this dish before but I know that is a culmination of the cookbooks I've read, the restaurants I've been to and the cooking shows I've watched. It was a hit and no wings remained at the end of the night. This recipe is a much healthier alternative to deep frying the wings as well. These wings are boiled then baked. Pics to follow within the next couple of days. Please enjoy this sticky, sweet, tangy dish...

Tequila-Lime Chicken Wings
Serves 10

2 Lbs. of Chicken Wings

Tequila-Lime Sauce

1/4 C. of Jose Cuervo Tequila
1 C. of Brown Sugar
1 Tbl. of minced Garlic
Juice of 2 Limes
Dash of Cumin, Chili Powder, and Cinnamon
1 tsp. of Soy Sauce
1 tsp. of Salt and Pepper
Chopped Cilantro, for garnish

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- In a large pot, boil 1/2 gallon of water
- Place raw chicken wings into boiling water and cover
- Boil wings for 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and remove from pot
- On a greased cookie sheet, lay out wings evenly spaced apart
- Bake wings for 10 to 20 minutes, until crispy

Sauce Preparation
- In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients except cilantro
- Stir and slowly simmer until sauce thickens
- Pour sauce into a large, wide-rimmed bowl for wing tossing

- Place cooked wings in bowl with sauce and toss to coat
- Sprinkle chopped cilantro over top and enjoy

Six-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

2008-12-21T16:19:00.005-06:00

Here are the pics of my decadent Six-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese. You can click of the pics to see a closer view.

Six-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

Six-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

2008-12-21T15:41:00.011-06:00

Recently I had the privilege to lose another cooking battle. No offense to the winner but I defeated myself. I did my usual task of trying too hard and doing too much. I lost by one point due to some minor mistakes on my part. Needed more butter and salt...and less macaroni noodles. As anyone who knows anything about comfort food is that it requires generous portions of the things that aren't good for you in large amounts. Fat, sodium, starch, etc. This recipe contained smoked gouda, aged white cheddar, colby, parmesan and few other heart-clogging ingredients plus crunchy panko bread crumbs on top. Previously I posted my mother's macaroni and cheese recipe but below is my redux version. Please enjoy my 6-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese! (additional amounts of butter and salt included and reduced amounts of macaroni noodles are found in the recipe below)

Six-Cheese Macaroni and Cheese
Serves 15

1-1/2 Lbs. of Macaroni noodles, cooked al dente
1/2 C. of Milk
1 pint of Heavy Cream
1 stick of Butter
1 tub of Ricotta Cheese
1/2 Lb. of Aged White Cheddar, shredded
2 Tbl. of grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Lb. of Colby Cheese
1 package of Cream Cheese
1/4 Lb. of Smoked Gouda
3 tsp. of Salt
1 tsp. of White Pepper
2 whole Eggs

Topping
1/2 C. of Panko Bread Crumbs
1/4 C. of grated Parmesan Cheese

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a large saucepan, combine milk, cream, butter, all cheeses, salt and pepper
- Warm thoroughly to melt all cheeses together but do not boil the mixture as the cream will separate
- In a large casserole dish, place cooked macaroni noodles and pour warm cheese mixture over top
- Whip the eggs in a small bowl and mix in to the casserole dish
- Ensure all noodles are covered with the mixture
- Mix panko bread crumbs and parmesan cheese and spread over top of casserole
- Bake for 25 minutes until casserole firms up and bread crumbs are browned

A new tag "appetizer"

2008-12-19T11:56:00.002-06:00

Just in time for the holidays I have applied a new tag to all of the relevant posts for appetizers. Just click on the tag "appetizer" at the end of a post or on the side menu of the blog and all of the appetizer-related blogs will appear. Enjoy.

Easy Potato Wedges with Basil Pesto Mayo

2008-12-12T12:27:00.000-06:00

Easy Potato Wedges with Basil Pesto Mayo

Serves 4

3 medium Russet Potatoes

2 Tbl. of Season Salt

2 Tbl. of Canola Oil

1/2 C. of store-bought Basil Pesto

1/4 C. of Mayonnaise

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees

- Wash potatoes and slice into wedges lengthwise

- In a large bowl, coat potato wedges with season salt and oil

- On a sprayed baking sheet, spread seasoned potato wedges around

- Bake wedges for 30 minutes

- In a small bowl, mix basil pesto and mayo together

- Serve wedges with basil pesto mayo

Great Green Beans with Rendered Bacon and Onions

2008-12-10T11:12:00.001-06:00

I recently cooked some delicious green beans the other day that I think you will enjoy. In the tradition of Southern cooking I took perfectly good vegetables and cooked them in pork fat. My mother's pork fat of choice for the longest time was fatback. She now uses smoked turkey wings. This recipe uses your typical smoked bacon you find at any grocery. (Fatback is at every grocery store too. It's next to the hams, etc) The bacon fat imparts a great flavor and a little extra cholesterol and calories. Enjoy in moderation!

Great Green Beans with Rendered Bacon and Onions

Serves 8

2 Lbs. of fresh Green Beans, washed & ends trimmed

2 strips of Bacon, cut into small bits
1/2 Onion, thinly sliced lengthwise

Salt, to taste

- In a large pot, bring 2 cups of salted water to a boil

- Add green beans to pot and boil for 5 to 7 minutes

- Remove green beans from boiling water and place in a bowl of ice water to preserve texture and color

- In a large saute pan, render bacon until thoroughly cooked but not crispy

- Add thinly sliced onions and saute until translucent

- Add blanched green beans to pan and toss thoroughly

- Cover and cook for another 5 minutes and serve

A New Tag: "Picture"

2008-12-09T14:09:00.000-06:00

For your viewing pleasure, I have added a new tag at the end of certain posts. I have had a lot of people comment on the pictures on my blog and how much they enjoy them. So in an effort to allow you to see the many images I have uploaded, I have tagged all posts with a picture with the tag "picture". Just click on the tag and all posts with a picture with be shown.

Holiday Ham Glaze

2008-12-08T08:02:00.000-06:00

As an accompaniment to the TangySweetFoodLove Holiday Ham recipe, I wanted to provide the delicious glaze to top this creation. It utilizes the same elements that were used to bake the Holiday Ham. Let this simmer, serve and Enjoy!

Holiday Ham Glaze: TangySweetFoodLove-style

Serves 8

3/4 C. of Brown Sugar

1/3 C. of Crushed Pineapple and its Juice

3 Tbl. of Soy Sauce

2 Tbl. of minced Onion

- In a small saucepan, place all ingredients

- Stir well

- Simmer over a low flame for 15 to 20 minutes

- Glaze should thicken similar to a syrup

Holiday Ham? Yes, please!

2008-12-07T13:48:00.006-06:00

In the spirit of the season, I am posting my Holiday Ham recipe. It is the epitome of TangySweetFoodLove. There is a nice blend of tang, sweetness, and saltiness. Please enjoy the goodness with you and yours. You can click on the pictures to see a closer view.

Holiday Ham: TangySweetFoodLove-style

Serves 8

1 4-Lb. Cured Ham

1/2 C. of Brown Sugar

3 Tbl. of Soy Sauce

3 Pineapple Rings

Approx. 10 of Whole Cloves

- Preheat oven to 365 degrees

- Place ham in a casserole dish

- Score the top 1/3-inch deep with a knife in a criss-cross pattern

- Place a whole clove at each "x" score

- Place pineapple rings around the top of ham

- Sprinkle brown sugar and soy sauce over top

- Bake 'dressed' ham in oven for 40 minutes until ingredients on top are caramelized

- Slice and enjoy

TexMex Turkey Pasta

2008-11-28T20:03:00.000-06:00

Here is a delicious alternative for leftover Thanksgiving turkey. It has a Southwest slant that has a little spice and smoke.

TexMex Turkey Pasta
Serves 6

3 C. of chopped Turkey meat
3/4 C. of Table Cream, Sour Cream or Greek-style Yogurt
1/2 C. of Chorizo
1/2 of medium Onion, chopped
1/2 of Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 small can of chopped Green Chilies
1 Lb. of Penne or Rotini pasta, cooked al dente
Chopped cilantro for garnish, flavor, and visual appeal

- In a large skillet, heat up 1 tablespoon of corn oil
- Add onion and bell pepper to pan and saute until browned
- Add chorizo to pan and cook thoroughly (do NOT drain off orange-colored grease; fat = flavor)
- Add turkey meat and green chilies and heat thoroughly
- Add cream and mix. Turn off heat
- Add cooked pasta to pan and stir
- Serve and enjoy

Turkey Curry Sandwiches

2008-11-28T14:54:00.004-06:00

Now that everyone has stuffed themselves with all the Thanksgiving goodies, here is a a recipe to help gobble the rest of the turkey up. It is a variation on a recipe that was posted earlier, Fred's Spicy Curry Chicken Salad. This recipe is a hybrid of that recipe and a recipe I learned while at worked at a Sweet Tomatoes restaurant while I was in college.

Thanksgiving Turkey Curry Salad
for Sandwiches and Crackers

Serves 4

2 C. of chopped Thanksgiving turkey meat, white and dark
3/4 C. of Mayonnaise
2 Tbl. of sliced Water Chestnuts
2 Tbl. of Raisins
2 Tbl. of sliced Green Onions
1 Tbl. of Mustard
1 Tbl. of Curry
1 tsp. of Cumin
1 tsp. of Ginger, ground
1/2 tsp. of Cinnamon

- In a large bowl, thoroughly combine everything except the turkey
- Add chopped turkey meat to bowl mixture
- Refrigerate for an hour or so
- Serve on sandwiches or with crackers

Sweet & Savory Sweet Potatoes

2008-11-26T09:55:00.000-06:00

Here's a dish that would be a good complement to the TSFL Ultimate Turkey. It is a spin on a sweet potato dish. It combines the sweetness of the sweet potato with smoky, spicy, and sweet spices.

Sweet & Savory Sweet Potatoes
Serves 6

6 Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
3 Tbl. of Butter
3 Tbl. of Brown Sugar
1 tsp. of Garlic Powder
1 tsp. of Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. of Cumin
1/2 tsp. of Chili Powder
1/2 tsp. of Orange Zest
2 tsp. of Salt

- Boil sweet potatoes in salted boiling water until soft
- Remove and drain from water and place in large bowl
- Thoroughly combine all ingredients with sweet potatoes
- Serve with the TangySweetFoodLove Ultimate Turkey

Cilantro Pesto Mashed Potatoes

2008-11-25T18:02:00.000-06:00

This is a great variation on the typical mash. It uses a traditional mashed potato recipe and adds a little twist of TangySweetFoodLove.

Cilantro-Infused Mashed Potatoes
Serves 10

Mashed Potato "Base"
1 5-Lb. bag of Russet Potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 C. of Whole Milk
1 C. of Sour Cream
3 Tbl. of Butter
Salt, to taste

- Boil potatoes in large pot of salted boiling water until fork tender
- Drain potatoes from water and place in large bowl for mashing
- Add milk, sour cream, butter, and salt
- Using a masher, mash all ingredients together until desired consistency

Cilantro Infusion
1/2 bunch of fresh Cilantro
2 Garlic Cloves
2 stalks of Green Onions
1/4 C. of roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Olive oil, enough to emulsify
Salt, to taste

- In a blender, place all ingredients in except salt and olive oil
- Blend ingredients and slowly pour in olive oil to emulsify
- Add salt to taste at end
- Swirl this mixture into mashed potato "base" after mashed potatoes are in the desired serving dish

Instead of Cranberry Sauce....

2008-11-25T12:38:00.000-06:00

...try Guava Pepper Sauce. This is a recipe that goes well white meats like chicken, turkey, and pork. It substitutes well because of the tartness of the guava paste and adds a little kick from the pepper jelly. Guava paste is a Latin grocery product that can be found in the Ethnic food aisle. It usually comes in a block form and it is firm to the touch. My friend, Doug, from Miami usually spread some of saltine crackers. Pepper Jelly can be found in the jelly/jam/marmalade aisle, probably on the top shelf with the lesser used jellies like mint jelly, etc. This recipe combines the tart guava paste with spicy pepper jelly. Enjoy!

Guava Pepper Sauce
Serves 10

1 block of Guava Paste
1/4 C. of Pepper Jelly
2 Tbl. of Honey
1 tsp. of Orange Zest
Salt, to taste

- Combine all ingredients in a bowl
- Serve over sliced TangySweetFoodLove turkey

TangySweetFoodLove's Ultimate Turkey

2008-11-24T15:59:00.000-06:00

Below is how I would cook my turkey if I was cooking a Thanksgiving bird. It is a definite shift from the traditional seasonings of sage, rosemary and thyme. There are a lot of ingredients here that will give the bird some tang, tart and spice. Enjoy!

TangySweetFoodLove's Ultimate Turkey
Serves 10

15 Lb. Turkey, brined in TSFL's Turkey Brine
1 Stick of Butter, slightly softened
2 Tbl. of Cumin
2 Tbl. of Chili Powder
2 Tbl. of Garlic Powder
2 Tbl. of Orange Zest
2 Tbl. of Salt
1 Tbl. of Pepper
1 tsp. of Ground Cloves
1 tsp. of Ground Ginger
1 tsp. of Paprika
1 tsp. of Cinnamon

- In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine all ingredients except the turkey
- Using your hand slowly rub the butter-spice mixture underneath and on top of the turkey's skin
- Place turkey in a cover baking pan
- Bake according to package instructions
- Baste turkey occasionally with the tangy sweet goodness that oozes out
- In the last 30 minutes of cooking, remove baking lid and increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees to help skin to crisp
- In the last 5 to 10 minutes, turn on broiler to finish the crisping

TangySweetFoodLove Turkey Brine

2008-11-24T06:49:00.000-06:00

I am finding out more and more about brining chickens and turkeys. I have yet to brine a bird myself but I've seen it done enoguh times to come up with a TangySweetFoodLove version. FYI, brining is a procedure done before roasting your bird that helps keep the bird juicy. Please enjoy!

TangySweetFoodLove Turkey Brine
For a 15 lb. Turkey

2 C. of Kosher Salt
1 C. of Sugar
1/2 C. of Brown Sugar
1 Head of Garlic
1 Orange, sliced thinly
3 Bay Leaves
1 tsp. of Allspice
1/2 tsp. of Cumin
1/2 tsp. of Chili Powder
Dash of Red Pepper flakes
Enough cold water to cover bird

- In a large pot, Combine all of the ingredients
- Stir until salt and sugar dissolve
- Add bird and let sit in brine overnight

Be on the lookout for my TangySweetFoodLove Turkey recipe!

TangySweetFoodLove Thanksgiving Ideas

2008-11-23T18:33:00.004-06:00

Given that the season is upon us, I wanted to impart some variations to your traditional Thanksgiving recipes in the coming days. Some of these recipes I have never tried but have imagined in my head. My "imaginations" come from a mishmash of my own abilities, cookbooks I've read, friends' recipes, and the boob tube. I hope you enjoy the TangySweetFoodLove Thanksgiving.

Chicken Tikka Masala

2008-11-14T11:56:00.000-06:00

In an earlier post I published my recipe for Chicken Tikka, a classic Indian dish. Chicken Tikka Masala is my preferred dish when I visit an Indian restaurant. It is chunks of chicken in a rich reddish-orange sauce that is smoky, spicy, fragrant, and delicious. The following recipe is for Chicken Tikka Masala. FYI, ‘masala’ means ‘sauce’, which is why this version is slightly different.

Chicken Tikka Masala
Serves 4

2 large Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless and cubed
½ C. of minced Onions
1 Tbl. of Ginger Garlic Paste
Salt, to taste

Sauce
3/4 C. of Greek-style Yogurt
1/2 C. of Coconut Milk
2 Tbl. Of Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp. of Turmeric powder
1 tsp. of Cumin
1 tsp. of Paprika
1/2 tsp. of Garam Masala
1 tsp. of Salt
1 tsp. of Pepper

- Heat a skillet with a little oil
- Place chicken, onions, ginger garlic paste and salt in skillet. Cook until chicken is almost thoroughly cooked
- Add sauce to pan and simmer for 15 minutes
- Serve with my infamous Cinnamon-Cilantro Basmati Rice

More Chicken Tikka pics...

2008-11-13T16:05:00.005-06:00

Chicken Tikka You can click on pics for a closer view.

Chicken Tikka

2008-11-13T09:58:00.001-06:00

Chicken Tikka is a classic Indian dish that is my failsafe anytime I go to an Indian restaurant. If I am not feeling adventurous, I know I can always pick this dish. It is a succulent dish featuring bone-in chicken pieces marinated in a yogurt sauce full of Indian spices. You can click on the pics for a closer view.

Chicken Tikka
Serves 4

1 Chicken, cut up into pieces
1 C. of Greek-style Yogurt
2 Tbl. Of Ginger Garlic Paste
2 tsp. of Turmeric powder
1 tsp. of Cumin
1 tsp. of Paprika
½ tsp. of Garam Masala
1 tsp. of Pepper
1 tsp. of Salt

- In a large non-metallic bowl, combine all ingredients except salt
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours
- Heat oven to 375-degrees
- Place marinated chicken in a greased baking pan
- Bake for 45 minutes until chicken is done
- Serve with my infamous Cinnamon-Cilantro Basmati Rice

Great ingredient: Ginger Garlic Paste

2008-11-12T15:05:00.002-06:00

Add this to your refrigerator now. I repeat. Add Garlic Ginger Paste to your refrigerator now! This is a must for delicious Indian and works great in Chinese, Thai and other Asian dishes as well. It is a mixture of minced ginger, minced garlic, oil, and sometimes minced onions. It comes in a jar and can be purchased from an Indian grocery store and maybe an Asian one too. I use it in any dish that needs ginger and garlic…which is just about every Asian-inspired dish I make. Some of the most popular Indian dishes featuring meat use this ingredient in the marinades. It’s versatile enough to use in marinades, sauces, dressings, and in sauté dishes. Be on the lookout for a dish utilizing this wonderful ingredient in the coming days.

Cilantro-Lime Chicken Variation

2008-11-08T09:43:00.005-06:00

Recently I posted my recipe for Cilantro-lime Chicken. Below are soem pics of a variations of that recipe. Follow the recipe in the original post but this one has diced tomatoes added. The tomatoes help create a nice sauce that is great to spoon over rice or pasta. You can click on the pic for a larger view.

Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Tomatoes

Beer Garlic Chicken

2008-11-02T21:39:00.001-06:00

This is a dish I always wanted to make. It is one of those dishes you see on Food Network in one form or another. Below is my take of beer soaked meat.

Beer Garlic Chicken
Serves 4

4 Chicken breasts, boneless, skinless & butterflied
1 bottle of your favorite Beer
1 Tbl. of Garlic, minced
1 tsp. of Cumin
1 tsp. of Chili Powder
1 tsp. of Paprika
1/2 tsp. of Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. of Salt
1/2 tsp. of Pepper

- In a large bowl, place all ingredients inside
- Cover and place bowl in refrigerator for a few hours
- Remove chicken from marinade
- Place chicken on a heated grill and cook on both sides until done
- Serve with my Daddy's Baked Beans

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Variations

2008-10-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

There are endless variations of the classic Grilled Cheese sandwich. Below are just a few of them.

1. Classic: White bread + American cheese
2. Wisconsin: White bread + Cheddar Cheese
3. Italiano: Sliced Italian bread + Mozzarella + Provolone + Parmesan + fresh Basil
4. Californian: Wheat bread + sliced Tomato + Swiss + Cream Cheese + Avocado
5. Mediterrean: Sliced Italian bread + Sun-dried Tomatoes + fresh Basil + Provolone + Feta
6. Death by Cheese: White bread + Swiss + Cheddar + American + Provolone

The Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich

2008-10-29T07:38:00.000-05:00

Part of the universal deliciousness of pizza, this recipe is the childhood favorite, the Grilled Cheese sandwich. Below is the classic rendition with all of its crunchy, gooey, salty, soft, and warm goodness. Enjoy...

Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Serves 1

2 slices of Bread
2 slices of American Cheese
1 pat of Butter

- Heat a large skillet to medium-high, place the pat of butter in it and move it around until fully melted and pan is coated
- Lay the slices of bread in the melted butter
- Lay a slice of cheese on each slice of bread
- Wait until cheese softens then, using a spatula, place bread slices together
- Remove from pan and cut in half
- Serve with tomato soup

Notes:
- To help soften the cheese, place a lid on pan after you lay the cheese on the bread
- If making multiple sandwiches, turn off the pan after the first sandwich because the pan will overheat and burn the bread and butter of the next sandwich

Universal deliciousness

2008-10-27T19:12:00.003-05:00

Quick! Think of one of the most popular foods in all of the Westernized world! If you guessed pizza then you are probably right. I think there is something fundamentally foolproof about soft, warm dough and melted cheese. Pizza's warm dough, gooey cheese and tangy tomato sauce...you can't beat that with a stick. I am still amazed how this simple dish can satisfy the most fickle of crowds. There must be something magical about this Italian dish. From Italy to France, Argentina to Japan, and Australia to Canada, pizza is a wonderfood. Thin, deep dish, pan, hand tossed, you choose. And don't forget foods with the similar composition of carbs and cheese: macaroni and cheese, nachos, calzones, grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese and crackers, ravioli, bagels and cream cheese, quesadillas, etc.

Chicken Curry Variations

2008-10-24T09:09:00.000-05:00

Here are a list of suggested variations for my Chicken Curry recipe.

1. Marinate the chicken in the yogurt mixture of curry powder, cinnamon, cumin, and minced garlic for for few hours in the refrigerator. Cooked the chicken on a skewer over hot coals. Or in a skillet. Or in the oven. No sauce will be produced but the chicken will be thoroughly flavored and tenderized by the acids in the yogurt.
2. Use the Greek-style yogurt in Suggestion number #1 above.
3. Use sour cream in Suggestion number #1 above.
4. Use Greek-style yogurt instead of the fat-free peach yogurt in the previous recipe.
5. Use sour cream instead of the fat-free peach yogurt in the previous recipe.

Chicken Curry with Cinnamon-Cilantro Rice

2008-10-22T10:12:00.001-05:00

This is my recipe for Chicken Curry. It is adapted from a recipe I used from my Betty Crocker cookbook years ago. The first time I made it, it was for a German friend and her British boyfriend who knew a thing or two about good curry. The recipe called for sour cream but all I had was fat-free peach yogurt. I used it instead and the dish came out wonderful. Here is the recipe that I have used ever since. The Cinnamon-Cilantro Rice is a dish I thunk up (yes, thunk up) for a vegetarian friend I was trying to impress. She was impressed but nothing came of us. :(

Chicken Curry with Cinnamon-Cilantro Rice
Serves 4

2 large Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless & cubed
1 medium Onion, sliced
1 clove of Garlic, minced
1 C. of fat-free Peach Yogurt
2 Tbl. of Curry Powder
1 tsp. of Cumin
1 tsp. of Ginger
1 tsp. of Cinnamon
Salt, to taste

- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil and saute chicken breasts until thoroughly browned
- Remove chicken from pan and set aside
- Add onions and garlic and cook until softened
- In a small bowl, mix together yogurt, curry, cinnamon and salt
- Add chicken and yogurt mixture to the pan
- Let mixture slowly simmer to allow flavor to penetrate chicken
- Serve over Cinnamon-Cilantro Rice

Cinnamon-Cilantro Rice
Serves 4

1 C. of Basmati Rice
2 C. of Water
2 tsp. of Cinnamon
Salt, to taste
1 Tbl. of Cilantro, minced

- Boil rice, water, cinnamon and salt together until rice is cooked
- After rice is cooked, add in minced cilantro and stir
- Serve with Chicken Curry

Curry Powder

2008-10-20T15:56:00.001-05:00

This is one of my favorite ingredients. It is composed of a mixture of various herbs and spices that creates an aromatic and smoky potion. Curry powder is originally attributed to India but has a footprint in Jamaican as well. Rumored to have been created by British sailors leaving India, it contains a blend of coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, garlic, fennel seed, cinnamon, clove, mustard seed, green cardamom, black cardamom, mace, nutmeg, red pepper, long pepper, and/or black pepper. I have personally never made my own curry powder. I usually buy a jar from World Market or my local grocery store. It is yellowish in color, probably from the turmeric, and can be used many different ways. I prefer using it with chicken, lamb, and chickpeas. Jamaicans use it with goat, chicken, etc. Indians use it with chicken, lamb, chickpeas, lentils, rice, potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, etc. I encourage everyone to buy a bottle and find some recipes to experiment with. In the coming days I will post my recipe for Chicken Curry with Cinnamon-Cilantro Rice.

Flank Steak

2008-10-15T10:38:00.000-05:00

The following is a recipe I always consider when entertaining friends. It uses a cut of beef that I favor along with skirt steak. Flank steak is an economical cut of meat that serves more for less. It is a fibrous, sinewy piece of meat that requires a little longer cooking than a normal steak. Flank steak can be found in the Latin dish, Ropa Vieja, which I believe translates "ragged ropes." That dish is on my to do list of recipes I want to try at home. You can click on the picture to get a closer view.

Flank Steak

Serves 4

1 Lb. of Flank Steak

1 Tbl. of Cumin

1 Tbl. of Garlic Powder

1 tsp. of Paprika

1 tsp. of Cinnamon

1 tsp. of Pepper

Juice of 1 Lime

Olive oil

Salt, to taste

- Mix all spices, except salt, and lime juice

- Spread spice mixture liberally on both sides of the meat

- Refrigerate for about an hour

- Let seasoned flank steak come up to room temperature

- In a oven-safe skillet, heat up olive oil to high

- Sprinkle salt liberally over both sides of flank steak

- Place steak into hot pan and brown on both sides

- Place skillet in 350 degree oven for 25 minutes

- Remove steak from skillet and let rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes

- Slice steak across the grain and serve

Smoked Gouda Polenta

2008-10-13T12:55:00.000-05:00

Short education lesson: Polenta (pronouced: poh-lin-tah) is an Italian dish made from cornmeal. It is cooked in a similar fashion as grits, also made from corn. Polenta is yellow and smoother than grits and has a much richer flavor. I have had it cooked in a solid fashion and fried, grilled, and traditionally boiled until creamy. My version is a traditionally prepared version made with chicken broth and smoked Gouda cheese. It pairs well with my Bacon-wrapped Shrimp for a twist on the Southern classic, Shrimp and grits.

Smoked Gouda Polenta
Serves 4

2 C. of Yellow Cornmeal
1 can of Chicken Broth
1 Tbl. of Butter
1/4 C. of Smoked Gouda cheese, shredded

- In a saucepan, bring the chicken broth and butter to a boil
- Add cornmeal to boiling broth and stir well to remove any clumps
- Add water as needed as mixture thickens. I prefer my polenta creamy
- After polenta reaches the desired consistency, add Gouda cheese and stir
- Serve with Bacon-wrapped Shrimp

Suggested Variations:
There are an endless amount of variations but here are a few to consider
- Use shredded Cheddar instead of Gouda
- Add sliced scallions
- Add chorizo

Soul Food Recipe: Southern Potato Salad

2008-10-04T09:11:00.000-05:00

Add this recipe to the growing list of Soul Food recipes found on this blog. A classically simple dish with mass appeal tailor-made for BBQs nationwide.

Southern Potato Salad
Serves 6

4 large Russet Potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Boiled Eggs, peeled and chopped
1/2 C. of Mayonnaise, yellowish and chunky
3 Tbl. of Onions, grated
3 Tbl. of Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 Tbl. of Lawry's Season Salt
1 tsp. of Garlic Powder
Pepper, to taste

- In a large pot of boiling water, boil potato cubes until fork tender
- Drain potatoes from water and allow to cool slightly
- In a large bowl, mix together eggs, mayonnaise, onions, green bell pepper, season salt, garlic powder, and pepper
- Add potatoes to bowl and thoroughly combine
- Refrigerate potato salad until it is completely chilled
- Serve with some Southern hot sauce and the some fried chicken

Q-riffic Couscous

2008-10-02T12:55:00.000-05:00

Couscous is a wonderful Mediterranean dish that is a perfect complement to dishes such as Chicken Curry and Lamb Chops. It is a light starch that can be cooked a million different ways similar to rice or pasta. Below is a great recipe that offers the eater a salty, tangy, and sweet concoction. Bon Appetit!

Q-riffic Couscous
Serves 4

2 C. of Couscous
1-1/2 C. of Chicken Broth (instead of water)
2 Tbl. of Onion, minced
2 Tbl. of Carrots, shredded
2 Tbl. of Raisins
1/2 tsp. of Cumin
1/2 tsp. of Garlic Powder
Salt, to taste

Note: The measurements may be off so adjust the amount of chicken broth according to couscous package directions.

- In a saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil
- In a large bowl, pour in couscous, onion, carrots, raisins, cumin, and garlic powder
- Pour boiling broth into bowl and allow couscous to cook and raisins to plump
- Fluff mixture with a fork after liquid is absorbed
- Serve with Freddy's Smoky Lamb Chops

Freddy's Smoky Lamb Chops

2008-09-30T19:15:00.004-05:00

Below is a recipe for my buddy Fred's Smoky Lamb Chops. It combines a nice blend of earthy and smoky spices that accent the natural flavor of the lamb. Enjoy, compliments of Freddy. You can click on the picture for a closer view.

Freddy's Smoky Lamb Chops
Serves 4

8 Lamb Chops
1 tsp. of Cumin
1 tsp. of Curry
1 tsp. of Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. of Cinnamon
1 Tbl. of Salt
Olive Oil

- In a small bowl combine all spices
- In a shallow dish, place lamb chops and drizzle olive oil over top
- Sprinkle spice mixture on both sides of lamb chops
- Grill lamb chops over medium-high heat until desired doneness and enjoy

Serving Suggestions:
- Serve with my delicious couscous recipe to follow later this week

Guacamole: A Classic Done Q-Style

2008-09-26T10:34:00.002-05:00

I am a fan of some good guacamole. I tend to like mine a little tangier than other and enjoy the nice freshness that some chopped cilantro adds to the mix. As an added bonus, avocado tips are at the end of the post. Please enjoy my version of guacamole.

Guacamole: Q-style
Serves 4

3 ripe Haas Avocados (the small, dark, bumpy kind)
Juice of 2 Limes
1/2 of Red Onion, diced
1 Roma Tomato, diced
3 Tbl. of Cilantro, chopped
2 Tbl. of Sour Cream
1 Tbl. of Garlic, minced
1 to 2 Tbls. of Salt
Dash of Cumin
Dash of Chili Powder

- Thoroughly combine all ingredients in a large bowl except the avocados
- Add the diced avocado to the rest of the ingredients and refrigerate. Cover with plastic wrap and make sure the plastic wrap touches the guacamole so that no air is touching the guacamole.
- Serve with tortilla chips

Avocado Tips
- When buying an avocado, make sure the fruit is not too firm. When you give it a light squeeze it should give a little.
- To cut an avocado, hold the fruit on a cutting board and use a long knife to cut around the large, circular pit in the middle. Twist the two halves in opposite directions and pull the sides apart. To remove the pit, hold the fruit in one hand and with the knife slightly tap the blade into the pit and twist.
- Avocados turn brown quickly and need an antioxidant to keep them from oxidizing. Apply lime juice or lemon juice to cut avocados to keep them from browning.

Daddy's Baked Beans

2008-09-24T10:27:00.001-05:00

If you loved Bush's Baked Beans then you'll love my Daddy's baked beans. They are sweet, smoky, tangy and delicious. Here's his version.

Daddy's Baked Beans
Serves 4

1 or 2 large cans of Van Camps Pork 'n' Beans
1/2 of Onion, diced
2 strips of Bacon
1/4 C. of BBQ Sauce
1/4 C. of Brown Sugar
1 stalk of Green Onion, sliced
1 Tbl. of Hot Sauce

Oven Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a baking dish, place all ingredients and mix thoroughly
- Bake in oven for 30 minutes until sauce is bubbly and starting to form a crust around the edges

Stovetop Directions
- In a large skillet, cook bacon until browned but not crispy
- Add diced onion to pan and saute until soft
- Add beans, bbq sauce, brown sugar, green onion, and hot sauce to pan
- Cook until sauce thickens and beans are warmed thoroughly

Recipe Recap: Part Deux

2008-09-22T10:21:00.000-05:00

Back in June I posted a Recipe Recap of all of the recipes I posted on my blog since its inception in April. Now I am posted another recap to remind my readers of the Tangy Sweet Food Love we have enjoyed since then. And remember, you can always click on the tag, "recipe", at the end of any recipe or on the bottom left side of the screen to see all of the recipes on the site.

Recipe Recap: Part Deux

Bacon-wrapped Shrimp Skewers
Q-Yummus Hummus
Ground Meat Pita
Ryan's Tequila-Tomatillo Salsa
Homemade Tortilla Chips
Q-licious Chicken, Shrooms, Onion, and Wine
Greek Salad
Q-Mojo de Puerco
Cinnamon Rolls
Cold Asian Noodle Salad
Seared Tuna with Poblano-Chorizo Cream
Door Sauces: Dips when you need 'em
My Daddy's Saturday Morning Scramble
Chicken with Asian Peanut Sauce
Fried Chicken
Collard Greens
Macaroni and Cheese
Ryan's Summer Pasta
Q's Version of Ryan's Summer Pasta
Q-riffic Enchiladas
My "Award-Winning" Chili
Chicken Tacos: One Version
Feta-stuffed Meatballs
My Phyllo Dough Adventure
Cilantro-Lime Chicken
Fred's Spicy Curry Chicken Salad
Traditional Chicken Salad
Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Drunken Chicken
Chicken Cordon Bleu

One Thousand. 1000.

2008-09-20T22:18:00.002-05:00

I am proud to announce that TangySweetFoodLove has reached 1000 visitors, and counting, since July. (I do not know how many visitors I had before then.) I wanted to take the time and thank you all for stopping by and enjoying this food experience with me. I hope I will continue to post the things that will keep you coming back again and again.

The Beauty of the Philly Cheesesteak

2008-09-19T14:32:00.000-05:00

The American classic, The Philly Cheesesteak, is a food wonderment that cannot be ignored. It's standing in the annals of American Food Hall of Fame is well-deserved. From the toasted roll, to the thinly sliced steak, sauteed onions and melted cheese. I have never been to Philly to try an "authentic" Philly Cheesesteak but I have had some note-worthy renditions. I savored the sauteed onions, caramelized over high heat to bring out their natural sweetness. I delighted in the gooey cheese providing the necessary texture, salt, and tang. I adored the sliced steak set in a warm, toasted bun. This is dining satisfaction. Behold the beauty of the Philly Cheesesteak!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2008-09-15T08:26:00.004-05:00

This dish is a French classic that delivers delicious layers of chicken, ham, and cheese. My version is a rolled version instead of the typical stuffed version normally found with this recipe. This recipe can be modified so that an endless amount of things are stuffed into the center of the chicken breasts. Some suggestions follow the recipe below. I utilize flaky panko bread crumbs to give this dish a crunchy exterior. You can click on the pics for a closer view.

Chicken Cordon Bleu
Serves 2

2 Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless, & butterflied
4 thin slices of Ham
2 slices of Swiss Cheese
1 C. of Panko bread crumbs
1 Egg
Water
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap
- Using the smooth side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan, gently pound out the breasts until the meat is thin (Use a down and outward stroke so that you do not tear the meat)
- After desired thinness is achieved, remove the top sheet of plastic wrap
- Lay two pieces of ham and one slice of Swiss cheese onto each chicken breast
- Using the bottom piece of plastic wrap, gently roll the chicken breast into a roll
- In a shallow pie pan, beat one egg and a few tablespoons of water
- In another shallow pie pan, pour in the panko bread crumbs, salt, and pepper
- Remove rolled chicken breast from plastic wrap and place in the egg-wash pie pan
- Remove from egg-wash pie pan and place into seasoned bread crumb pie pan
- Place crumb-covered chicken breasts into a greased pie pan and bake in oven for 45 minutes
- Serve with haricots vert (or long green beans) and scalloped potatoes

Suggested Variations:
- Instead of ham and Swiss cheese, stuff breasts with: herbs and butter, ham and cheddar, feta cheese and sun dried tomatoes, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese, etc.

Great Ingredient: Panko Bread Crumbs

2008-09-14T10:20:00.001-05:00

Another great ingredient to try in your own kitchen is panko breadcrumbs. They originate from Japan and work much better than the typical breadcrumbs used in American kitchens. They come in flake form and ensure that your pan-friend or oven-fried dishes remain crunchy, light, and tasty. Panko breadcrumbs can be found in the baking aisle at the grocery store near the bland American-style ones. My Fish Taco recipe uses panko bread crumbs to impart a crunchy exterior to the fish. Another recipe utilizing this great ingredient will be coming in the following days.

My Top Five Favorite Ingredients

2008-09-13T08:03:00.002-05:00

My Top Five Favorite Ingredients...and why.

1. Cumin. This spice gives a great smokey and earthy flavor to a multitude of Latin and Indian dishes. I mostly use it as a powder from a jar. It is perfect in marinade, dressings, and seasonings. Plus, it reminds me of the tacos my Momma used to make when I was a kid.

2. Garlic. Garlic is one of the most universally used ingredients known to man. It imparts a richness and level of depth not found with many other ingredients. Whether it is Asian, Cajun, African, Creole, German, French, Latin or Italian, you are sure to find the breath-killer, garlic.

3. Cilantro. Cilantro, cilantro, cilantro...oh how I love thee! Some say it has a soapy taste. I say it has the taste of a fresh springtime morning. Cilantro imparts a citrus-ey freshness to a Thai, Indian and Latin dishes. It is an herb I never tire of and works well will chicken, shrimp, beef, and pork.

4. Ginger. The smell of ginger instantly reminds me of great American-style Chinese food. (I don't care how that sounds) It is a tasty ingredient that I use fresh or in powder form. It is perfect for Thai and Chinese cooking. It has a blend of earthy, sweet, and tangy. Pretty much every Chinese or Thai dish I cook has ginger in it.

5. Limes. Me and this fruit have had a lot of fun together. You can notice a lot of the recipes on this blog contain a lot of limes. Its acidic tart, citrus-ey freshness, and sweet-yet-sour juice lighten any dish I am preparing. I also love using them because they always provide a balance to the saltiness, sweetness, or acidicity of a dish. Used in Thai, Indian and Mexican cooking alike, it is one of those ingredients you can never run out of ways to use.

Drunken Chicken via Chinatown

2008-09-12T21:48:00.003-05:00

I recently ventured to one of my favorite TangySweetFoodLove hotspots, an ethnic grocery store. During a recent visit to Chinatown Chicago, I picked up a bottle of Drunken Chicken Marinade to try at home. The ingredients sounded familiar and I was able to imagine what the future dish would taste like. It is a fairly simple sauce that I am sure I can re-create the next time I ever wanted to make this dish. But due to the lackluster "wow" factor of the final dish, I will probably make a hybrid of the stuff I had in the bottle. FYI, the ingredients are water, rice wine, soy sauce, sugar and MSG. You can click on the picture for a closer view.

Drunken Chicken
Serves 2

2 Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless & butterflied
Enough Drunken Chicken Marinade to cover the breasts

- Refrigerate marinating chicken breasts for a couple of hours
- Remove breasts from marinade and grill or saute until chicken is done

Skirt Steak with Chimichurri: It's Q-riffic!

2008-09-11T11:51:00.002-05:00

This recipe is derived from two sources. First, from my experience of working at the chain, Chili's Bar & Grill and secondly, from an Argentinian steakhouse I went to in Fort Lauderdale a while ago. Chimichurri is a type of 'sauce' used all over Latin America for grilled meats and veggies. It is composed of two of my favorite ingredients, cilantro and lime, and goes well with my version of grilled skirt steak. It also goes well with pork and chicken. You can click on the picture for a closer view.

Skirt Steak and Chimichurri
Serves 2

1/2 Lb. of Skirt Steak
1 Tbl. of Olive Oil
1 Tbl. of Red Wine Vinegar
3 tsp. of Cumin
2 tsp. of Garlic Powder
2 tsp. of Oregano
1 tsp. of Paprika
1 tsp. of Cinnamon

- Sprinkle all of the spices, herb, oil, and vinegar over both sides of skirt steak
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour
- In a large skillet, heat a small amount of canola oil to high
- Cook both sides of skirt steak until desire doneness
(Can also be cooked on a grill or BBQ)

Chimichurri Sauce

1 Bunch of Fresh Cilantro
3 Cloves of Garlic
Juice of 2 Limes
1 Tbl. of Salt
1 tsp. of Brown Sugar
Olive Oil

- In a blender, place all ingredients and blend well
- Refrigerate for at least an hour
- Serve atop grilled skirt steak...or pork...or chicken

Great Ingredient: Skirt Steak

2008-09-09T14:22:00.001-05:00

Skirt steak is another great ingredient to add to your cooking repertoire. It is a cut of beef carved near the ribs of the cow. It is generally used for fajitas and contains the right mix of fat for a juicy meal. Skirt steak typically also has a good amount of connective tissue that lends well to an acidic marinade. The acid in the marinade helps weaken the connective tissue. Skirt steak is a great cut to cook medium-rare to medium and works well on the grill or hot skillet. When in your grocer's meat cooler look for a long, thin, marbled strip of beef. It should run you about $5 for a small portion(2 servings) and $10 for a more sizable portion (4 servings). Be on the lookout for a delicious skirt steak recipe in the coming days.

Traditional Chicken Salad: Traditionally Good. Traditionally Delicious.

2008-09-08T14:21:00.002-05:00

Below is the recipe for my Momma's Chicken Salad. Good stuff.

My Momma's Chicken Salad
Serves 4

1 baked Chicken (or Grocery store Rotisserie Chicken)
1-1/2 C. of Mayo
1 C. of Purple Seedless Grapes, sliced in half
1/2 C. of Walnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 C. of Purple Onions, chopped
1/4 C. of Celery, chopped
1 Tbl. of Celery Salt
1 Tbl. of Mustard, Dijon or Yellow
Pepper, to taste

- De-bone chicken, cut meat into small cubes
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl
- Refrigerate overnight, or a few hours, and serve

Fred's Spicy Curry Chicken Salad

2008-09-07T08:06:00.003-05:00

Freddy, a buddy of mine, recently concocted a version of chicken salad I had to put on my blog. It was a spicy melange of chicken, grapes, peppers, chilies, and curry. Enjoy with caution.

Fred's Spicy Curry Chicken Salad

Serves 4

1 baked Chicken (or a Grocery Store Rotisserie Chicken)

2 C. of Mayo

3/4 C. of Seedless Purple Grapes, sliced in half

1/2 C. of Purple Onions, finely chopped

1/4 C. of Cilantro, chopped

1 Tbl. of Curry Powder

1 Tbl. Thai Chili Powder

1 clove of Garlic, minced

Salt, to taste

Assorted hot peppers and chilies, de-seeded and finely chopped (Try jalapeno, habanero, etc)

- De-bone baked chicken. Cut meat into small cubes

- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and refrigerate overnight

- Use chicken salad to make sandwiches or eat with crackers

Cilantro-Lime Chicken

2008-09-05T08:34:00.000-05:00

I finally made one of my signature dishes again. I had planned to share this recipe a while ago but wanted to wait until I had a pictures ready to show the goodness. It is a light, tasty mix of cilantro, lime, and salt. The same base I use for my shrimp ceviche and fruit salsas. If you don't make any other dish from my blog, please make this one. You can click on the picture for a closer view.

Cilantro-Lime Chicken
Serves 2

2 Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless and butterflied
Juice of 2 Limes
3/4 C. of Cilantro, chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
Salt
Pepper
Black Beans and Rice

- In a glass pie dish, place lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and chicken breasts. Make sure chicken breasts are thoroughly covered by mixture
- Marinate for a few hours or overnight
- In a skillet, heat up 2 tablespoons of canola oil
- Take chicken out of marinade and remove excess cilantro leaves
- Place chicken into skillet and cook thoroughly. Slice and serve with black beans and rice

Onions & Garlic: Marriage Made in Food Heaven

2008-09-02T09:54:00.000-05:00

If you want to know the common thread to great savory dishes around the world - besides salt - look no further than onions and garlic. Whether you go to the low country of South Carolina, USA or Bangkok, Thailand, SE Asia, you will find this heavenly food marriage being used to begin the greatest of dishes. Take note, Latin, Italian, Asian, Soul Food, German, French, and African fare heavily use the goodness of onions and garlic. They are the quintessential food building block the world over. Just the aroma of sauteed onions and garlic signal a great meal is on the way. So let's keep this marriage together and happy. Use them. Love them. Enjoy them.

My Phyllo Dough Adventure

2008-09-01T14:19:00.002-05:00

Recently I tried a new food item that I always wanted to experiment with. After years of having baklava and other Mediterranean and Eastern European goodies I finally purchased some phyllo dough. It comes in thin sheets that you layer to create a buttery, flaky sweet or savory pastry. I experimented with a spinach and cheese dish. Unfortunately I didn't realize how much butter was actually necessary to re-create the pastries I have had before. As you can see from the picture the phyllo dough was too dry and brittle. Not to self: expect to use a lot of butter if using phyllo dough. The recipe that follows is a tasty filling of spinach, cheese, and sun dried tomatoes. You can click on the picture to see a closer view.

Spinach and Cheese Phyllo Pastry

Serves 4

6 sheets of #7 Phyllo Dough

3 C. of Fresh Spinach, chopped (or 1 C. of Frozen Chopped Spinach)

1/2 C. of Cream Cheese

1/4 C. of Onions, finely diced

1/4 C. of Sun dried Tomatoes, finely diced

2 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1 tsp. of Herbes de Provence

Salt and Pepper

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees

- In a skillet, heat one tablespoon of oil

- Add onions, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. Saute until tender

- Add spinach and cream cheese to skillet. Turn off heat

- Thoroughly butter a cookie sheet

- Lay a sheet of phyllo dough onto cookie sheet

- Brush melted butter onto half of the top dough sheet. Repeat with 5 more layers

- Add spinach cheese mixture to middle and fold the unbuttered halves over the top of the mixture

- Brush melted butter on each half of the layer that are folded over top

- Bake phyllo dough stuffed spinach cheese roll thing in oven for 25 minutes until dough is cooked

- Remove from oven and let cool. Cut into triangles and serve