Life, Food, and Cooking

Asian-style Potato Salad

2012-10-06T20:18:00.000-07:00

Asian-style Potato Salad is great twist to a common, southern favorite.

Ingredients

1/4 cup of mayo
3 tsp of miso salad dressing
2 tsp of soy sauce
2 tsp of sesame seeds
1 tsp of garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
4 diced green onions
1 tbs of finely chopped fresh cilantro
12 red potatoes

Cooking Instructions

First, boil a large pot of water and place the red potatoes into the pot. Cook the potatoes until soft a on medium heat. Once cooked, remove the potatoes from the pot and all the potatoes to cook in the refrigerator

Next, in a bowl whisk together the mayo, miso dressing, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Depending on your taste for sweet or salty. You could want to add more miso dressing or soy sauce. All the dressing to chill in the refrigerator.

Once the potatoes are cool, dice up into chunks, You can remove the skin from the potatoes if you do not want to eat it. Place all the slice potatoes in a bowl and mix in the dressing. Next, add the cilantro, green onion, and sesame seeds and mix everything together.

All the salad to chill in the refridgerator for a hour before eating.

Next time i make this salad, I believe I will add bacon or vegetarian bacon to add some more texture to the salad. Also, I recommend to toast the seseme seeds because I did not do it when making this recipe. Though, for a Sunday afternoon recipe made as an experiment and on the fly, I think it turned out really well.

Enjoy!

Once the potatoes are cool.

Seitan Fajitas with Cilantro Rice and Pea Guacamole

2012-03-06T21:07:00.000-08:00

Mostly, the beginning of this year I have primarily eaten a vegan diet. I really enjoy eating vegan food and, the additional challenges with creating new recipes. I am surprised by how much my husband enjoys the food too. He is willing to try much more than I thought. In which, make makes me very happy because I can have him try all my new creations.

For people who do not know, seitan is wheat protein. You can buy it in the produce section or vegetarian/vegan section as most grocery stores. It is a bit odd looking and, I can totally understand if someone thinks it does not look appetizing. Though, it is great source of protein. Also, it really takes on the flavor of whatever you are making.

Other day, I was wanting to make something spicy with a bit of a Hispanic flavor. I thought this recipe turned out great. Plus, the sides turned out awesome. The pea guacamole was so much better than I thought it would be. I based it on a recipe I read about in a vegetarian cookbook. This is very low in calories and great way to eliminate the fat typically in guacamole from avocados.

Ingredients for Seitan Fajitas:

1 package of seitan
half of a medium onion
1 bell pepper- any color
5 tsps of taco seasoning
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 lime
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
2 chopped garlic cloves
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

First, slice up the onions, seitan, and bell pepper. Then, chop up the cilantro and garlic.

Next, marinade the seitian in half a lime, olive oil, and 2 tsps of taco seasoning. Add salt and to taste. Allow to marinade for 10 minutes.

Heat up a large stir-fry pan with olive oil on a medium high heat. Toss in the cilantro and garlic. Allow these ingredients to sizzle in the oil for a few minutes. Add the chopped onion and bell pepper. Cook these ingredients for about 7 to 10 minutes to allow for the onions and peppers to caramelize. Reduce the heat to a medium. Add the seitan to saute along with 3 tsps of taco seasoning, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Also, add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cook for another 5 minutes. Be sure to occasionally stir to keep the ingredients from sticking.

Pea Guacamole

Easy and quick recipe. All you need is the following:

Two cups of frozen peas
1/8 of cup of fresh cilantro
2 tbsps of chopped onions- white or yellow
salt
pepper
lime

Procedure

First, cook peas according to the directions on the product bag. Allow to cook for about 10 minutes.

Next, add peas to a bowl and begin to smash to make a paste-like consistency. Add cilantro and onion to the pea smash. Then, add salt and pepper to taste.

Place the pea guacamole in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes. Best to make this prior to the fajitas.

ENJOY!!

The fajitas are best served warm with the pea guacamole at room temperate and the cilantro rice warm. :)

Veganism. A New Year's Resolution.

2011-12-01T20:07:00.001-08:00

For about most of my life, I was a vegan/vegetarian. I never really cared for the taste of meat when I was kid. because of the gristle, the texture, and how it would get stuck in my teeth. My parents pretty much had to force me to eat meat as a kid. They were very unsuccessful.

As I got older, I was always concerned about my diet and eating meat was option I felt was unnecessary. I learned how to maintain a diet and get the essential proteins and vitamins without eating animal products. Mostly, the slaughtering process and the treatment of animals in the food industry was my main reasons to make the change. I was first a vegetarian but, vegetarianism still did not fully support my beliefs. Chickens are treated the worse among all animals in the food industry because these animals have no rights and, I did not feel right eating eggs Also, cows are treated badly for their milk. Even though there are products that say "free range", I am still uncertain how well the animals are treated. The FDA only defines "free range" for animals that have access to the outside so it provides me uncertainty. So, I eventually became a vegan. I would have to say veganism is not an easy life to lead. My family is full of meat eaters who do not plan to change for me. Also, most restaurants do not support this lifestyle choice. I will say I did it and, I did not cheat for many years. I do not think the act of not eating meat, poultry, fish and dairy wasn't difficult. After a while, I felt so much better removing these foods from my diet.

The last few years, I have not maintained this type of diet. I stopped for a bit while living in Denver because it became difficult while working in a office with a group who always wanted potlucks like every week, and I just love new foods. Then, when I moved back home to Texas, I wanted to be vegan again. My mom was very willing to take on the vegan lifestyle. At home, she really did support me and ate the right foods. So, for about 6 months, I was vegan again. Then, after meeting my husband (who I love dearly), I went to the dark side. lol. He pretty much lives to eat meat and loves a good steak. I started eating foods I had not eaten in years. I even have tried meat that I would not even dare to try years ago, such as, rabbit, kangaroo, elk, venison, duck, and goat. He never forced me to change. I just did because I enjoyed just trying new foods and wanted to let loose for a bit regarding my previous diet.

Now, I am in dilemma because I want to start not eating meat again. I do not want to take in toxins or processed foods. I want to eat a more clean, raw food diet. I pretty much alone in this decision because nobody I know is vegan or a vegetarian. You really need support to make a decision like this. Your family has to change for you because you cannot just eat whatever anymore. Additionally, it cost more financially. You tend to have to go to the store more because you have to cook more. Fast food or restaurants are no longer options except for just eating salads.

I want to start making/eating more vegan food again and, at the beginning of the year try to not eat meat or dairy anymore. Though, I do not want to eat soy products either. I hate the Monsanto company and do not want to ingest anything made by them. I will rely only on grains, rice, beans, fruits, and vegetables for all my nutrition. This is going to be a huge change for me but, I really great change for my diet. I know I will feel better and have more energy. My health I feel is the worse it has ever been in the last couple of years. Only I can change myself for the better. I think it is for the best to make changes that are necessary for my health. I know I will live healthier this way. AND you do not have to eat meat to be healthy. I have read and read about this. I really do not want to get beef over this decision. LOL. I love puns.
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I plan to blog my experience and recipes. I hope to get feedback from people and possible words of wisdom from other vegans/vegetarians to learn new things along my journey.

Thanks for reading!!

Mini Breakfast Sliders

2011-11-06T05:10:00.000-08:00

I love making quick egg sandwiches in the morning for breakfast. They are fast to make and healthy. I made mini slider egg sandwiches one morning because I wanted to make something easy and different. These little sandwiches are great to eat on-the-go or even at night when you want a breakfast treat. This recipe serves one person. Though, you can easily increase it to serve multiple people.

Mini breakfast sliders. Yum!

Ingredients

two spinach leaves
mayonnaise or miracle whip
one egg
two slider rolls
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Toast slider rolls in a oven on 375 degrees till the bread is slightly brown. Do not let the bread toast too long in the oven because the bread can easily burn. I recommend only toasting the bread for a minute.

Next, cook one egg. I prefer to cook eggs quickly in a microwave for sandwiches to save time. First, spray a cereal-size bowl with cooking spray. Crack open one egg and whisk it in the same bowl. Cook the egg for a minute and a half in the microwave. Check on the egg and be sure the egg is fully cooked and not runny. If the egg is still runny, cook the egg for another half a minute.

Finally, prepare your sandwiches. First, add as much mayonnaise or miracle whip to the slider rolls. Then, add one spinach leave to each roll. Remove the egg from the bowl and cut into four pieces. Place two pieces onto each slider. Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy your meal with a hot cup of coffee or juice.

Split Pea Soup

2011-10-23T15:23:00.000-07:00

The beginning of fall is one of my favorite times of the year. The falling of leaves, change of weather, and rainy days is a nice change from the horrible Texas heat. I love the chilly days with the crispness of the cool air on your skin and covering up with a sweatshirt. During this time of year, I love to cook different types of soup. It is so comforting to enjoy warm soup on a chilly day.

I found a great farmer's market in Plano, TX other day that sold tons of dry beans. I bought some dry split peas to make split pea soup. Split pea soup is one of my favorite types of soup. The split pea soup I made had carrots, onions, and piece of hams. It was soooo yummy and, I want to share my recipe.

Ingredients

1/3 pound of chopped ham steak
1/2 large chopped red onion
32 ounces of chicken broth
32 ounces of water
3 pounds of split peas
ground pepper to taste
2 chopped large carrots

Begin by chopping the carrots and onions. Saute these vegetables in a little olive oil for a few minutes.

Then, add the water, broth, split peas, and ham. Bring to a boil. Then reduce to a medium heat and allow it to cook for 2 and half hours. Check on it every 20 to 30 minutes while it is cooking to stir the soup. Enjoy the soup warm with croutons or toasted bread.

Homemade Salsa

2011-08-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

Since I was a little kid, I have gone to a local Mexican food restaurant called Marcados. The salsa at this restaurant is amazing. They make it like a 'stew' and serve it warm. Recently, I have tried recreating this recipe. I know I am on the right track but, the recipe needs a ton of work. Though, this a a great, warm salsa to serve with any hispanic/mexican meal at home. I usually will make a small batch to go with a meal. This recipe will be enough for 4 people.

Ingredients

Three small vine ripe tomatoes
1/3 cup of cilantro
2 tbsp of tomato paste
1/3 cup of water
1/8 cup of chopped cilantro
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp of onion powder
salt to taste

First, begin my blanching the tomatoes. Allow the tomatoes to cook in boiling water for about five minutes. Remove the tomatoes from the water to cool. Then, take the skin off the tomatoes. Chop the tomatoes and place in a sauce pan along with the other ingredients. Cook the salsa by first bringing it to a boil on the stove then turn down the heat to a simmer. Allow the salsa to cook for a hour. Add salt to the salsa to taste and any more of the other seasonings if necessary.

Enjoy!

Cheese GALORE Vegetarian Enchiladas

2011-08-14T16:20:00.000-07:00

These enchiladas are filled with vegan ground with sharp cheddar topped with a cheese sauce with more sharp cheddar along the top. This recipe is CHEESE extreme and packed with flavor. Anyone who has ever tried my enchiladas has said they are the BEST. If you are looking for a Mexican recipe to have at your next meal, this is definately one to try.

Preparing Cheese Sauce

Begin by making a queso sauce. This is similar to making a queso dip. I actually make a ton extra to have extra with my enchiladas or to eat with chips before the meal. First, cut up about 1/2 cup of white onion. Then saute the onion is a large pot with a little olive oil. Then add 32 ounces of hot sauce. Allow it to come to a boil on medium high heat.

Then, reduce the heat and add 32 ounces of velveeta chopped in small cubes. Do not increase the heat and stir constantly to prevent the cheese from sticking. Then, add 1/8 cup of cilantro and 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning. Continue to cook until the cheese is completed melted. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Preparing Enchilada Filling

Make the enchilada by first chopping up 1/2 a cup of white onion. Saute the onion with little olive oil in a large pan for a few minutes. Next, add the vegan ground (12 ounce package) along with 1 or more tablespoons of olive oil. It is fine to add the ground when it is frozen. Allow to the veggie ground to cook for three minutes. Pour in one can of rotel tomatoes. Do remove some of the excess juice before adding the tomatoes to the ground. Season with a 1/8 cup of cilantro, 3 tablespoons of taco seasoning, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Continue to cook the filling for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste. If needed, add more taco seasoning and garlic if you would like more. Once done, set to the side to cool before making the enchiladas.

Preparing Enchiladas

You can use flour or corn tortillas to make the enchiladas. I prefer to use flour. Fill each tortilla with a scoop of meat along with 2 to 3 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Roll up each tortilla and place in a large casserole dish. Then recipe will easily make 10 enchiladas

Cover the top as much queso sauce as you choose. There will be a ton extra. But, this is great as a left over. Add shredded sharp cheddar cheese all over the top. About 2 cups will over the top of the enchiladas. Place the enchiladas into a 375 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Serve the enchiladas warm topped with extra queso and salsa. Enjoy!!

Ingredients

Enchilada Cheese Sauce

32 ounces of velveeta- mexican, regular, or 2% milk
32 ounces of salsa- any brand
1/8 cup of cilantro
1 tbsp of taco seasoning
1/2 cup of white onion

Filling

3 cups of shredded sharp cheese
12 oz of vegan ground
1 can of rotel tomatoes- mild, original or hot
1/8 cup of cilantro
3 tbsps of taco seasoning
1 tsp of garlic powder
1/2 cup of white onion
salt to taste

Asian Bok Choy Pork Wraps with Fried Rice

2011-08-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

This recipe is inspired by my love for Asian flavors. The recipe is a stir-fry spicy ground pork to eat with fresh bok choy leaves. Also, it is complimented with a side of fried rice to eat with the wraps. This recipe will serve four people.

Bok Choy Asian Wraps with Fried Rice

Ingredients

Bok Choy Asian Pork Wraps

1 pound of bok choy
1 pound of ground pork
2 tbsps garlic chili sauce
salt to taste if you want it
4 cloves of fresh garlic- crushed
1/2 chopped large white onion
2 tsps of sesame oil
1/8 cup of cilantro

Fried Rice

2 cups of white or brown cooked rice
2 scrambled eggs
2 tbsps of sesame oil
1/2 chopped large white onion
3 tbsps of soy sauce
2 tsp of garlic powder

Preparation

Bok Choy Wraps

Clean the bok choy by cutting off the stems and washing the leaves off with water. Let the leaves sit in the refrigerator to chill until the pork filling is ready. Then, heat up two teaspoons of sesame oil in a wok. Then, add the chopped onion and crushed garlic to the oil to saute for 3 minutes. Then, add the ground pork, garlic chili sauce, and cilantro. Cook until the pork is done. Remove the excess fat from the pork. Check the meat and add salt if needed. Continue to heat the pork on the stove on simmer until you are ready to serve the wraps. Serve the pork with the fresh boy choy.

Fried Rice

First, scramble two eggs and set to the side to cool. Then, add the chopped onion to a wok with two tablespoons of sesame oil and saute for two minutes. Now, add the two cups of cooked rice and saute for 5 minutes on a high heat with the onions. Season the rice with the soy sauce and garlic powder and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Finally, mix in the scrambled eggs and cook for another minute. Serve on the side with the Bok Choy Asian Wraps.

Enjoy the wraps with soy sauce on the side as a dip along with the fried rice. Bon appetit!

Asian-flavored Sockeye Salmon with Cucumber Corn Salad

2011-08-10T18:57:00.000-07:00

This is a very refreshing summer recipe that will satisfy your craving for salmon. It is light, healthy, and low in calories. The recipe will easily serve two people.

Ingredients

Sockeye Salmon

1 large sockeye salmon fillet
3 tbsps of soy sauce
1 1/2 tsps of honey
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
1/4 tsp of salt (or enough to rub on filet)
1 tsp of red pepper flakes
1 tsp of sesame oil
1 tsp of rice wine vinegar
1 and 1/2 tbsps of cilantro

Cucumber Corn Salad

1 cup of fresh cooked corn
1 cup of chopped cucumber
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of ground black pepper
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of rice wine vinegar
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tsp of dill
1 tsp of parsley

Preparation of Sockeye Salmon

Make a marinade by whisking together soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil. Place the fillet of salmon in a deep container. Rub the fillet with salt. Pour the marinade mixture along the top. Then, cover the top of the fillet with red pepper flakes. Allow the fish to marinade for an hour in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 375. Cut up half a small onion and cover the bottom of a casserole dish with 1 tbsp of cilantro. Place the marinaded fillet over the veggies. Then pour the marinade along the top. Cover the fillet with 1/2 tbsp of cilantro. Place the salmon in the oven to cook in a covered dish for 25 minutes.

Preparation of Corn Cucumber Salad

Add the chopped corn and cucumber in a bowl. Add as much salt and pepper as desired. In a separate bowl, mix together a dressing of rice wine vinegar, olive oil, dill, parsley, and cayenne pepper. Pour the dressing over the veggies and stir together. Allow the salad to marinade in the refrigerator for a hour.

Serve the salmon warm on a bed of brown or white rice with the corn cucumber salad along the side. This is a great meal to eat at lunch or dinner. Enjoy!

Spaghetti with Spicy Bell Pepper Sauce

2011-08-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

This is a really simple recipe that you can make in 30 minutes at home. I made this last night for dinner with ingredients I had at home, and I thought it was good enough to share with everyone. The recipe serves two people.

Ingredients

Spaghetti with Spicy Bell Pepper Sauce

2 Italian sausages- mild or hot
2 servings of spaghetti
1 package of frozen three pepper and onion blend
2 tbsps of tomato paste
2 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp of red chili flakes
2 tsps of Italian seasoning
1 tbsp to spaghetti water and salt to taste to sauce

Preparation

First cook two servings of spaghetti in a large pot of water with 1 tbsp of salt. Once done, set to the side and keep the water. Slice up sausages. Cook the sausages in a large pan on the stove for two minutes with a little olive oil on a medium heat to brown the sausage.

Cooking sausage in a pan and browning the sides of all the pieces

Then, add the frozen three pepper and onion veggie blend. Reduce the temperature to a medium heat and cook covered for five minutes.

The package of frown veggies I used.

Add tomato paste, garlic powder, salt, red chili flakes, and Italian seasoning. Then, stir the ingredients with three full ladles of spaghetti water. Cover again to cook for five minutes on a medium heat.

Cooking the sauce

Then, add the cooked spaghetti and, allow it to cook for another two minutes uncovered.

Adding the spaghetti. Turn off and allow to cool to get sauce a little thicker.

Serve warm and sprinkle fresh Parmesan cheese over the pasta. This is a perfect dish to make after a long day when you want something comforting to eat. Enjoy! :0)

Conch with White Sauce and Spaghetti

2011-08-09T20:41:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl, my grannie had a sea shell in her window like the one in the picture. I was always fascinated by sea shells as a little kid because of all the colors and shapes. I loved this particular shell because it was large and so pretty. I would always hold it up to my ear believing I would hear the sound of the ocean.

When I was older, I realized that marine gastropod molluscs was the name of the species that lived in this shell in my freshmen biology class. But, I did not realize the common term was "conch" until years later. My mom returned from a trip from Florida and told me she tried conch. I looked it up and read about the popularity of eating conch as fritters.

Other day at Super H-mart, an Asian grocery store, and, I found conch for sale. A lady was cooking it on site and providing samples. I just thought it was fantastic. I decided to buy it and try making conch at home. I am not sure where else you can find conch. I am sure it is a harder to find for purchase in certain areas. If you are in the Dallas area, H-mart is probably the best place to go. Otherwise, you would have to ask someone in a seafood department where you can purchase it if you are wanting to create this recipe.

The texture of conch is a little chewy and is similar to octopus. I think it is a required taste but, I love it. I did some research on how to cook the conch. Due to the chewy texture, you either have to cook the conch quickly or cook it a really long time. I chose to cook it a long time. The recipe is totally my creation. For something I created with an unfamiliar ingredient, I think it turned out really well.

My recipe for conch

Conch with Pepper White Sauce and Spaghetti

The recipe is very simple. Though, it takes about 1 to 2 hours to prepare. Great recipe to make on a weekend to have something special and show off a bit. This recipe will create three servings.

Ingredients

1/2 pound of conch
1 tbsp of black pepper seeds
1 1/2 tsp of ground pepper
3 tbsps of unsalted butter
1 cup of whole milk
2 tbsp of flour
1/4 tsp of salt for cooking conch and salt to taste inn sauce
1 tbsp of Italian seasoning
2 cups of chicken broth
2 cups of water
three servings of spaghetti

Preparation

First, prepare the conch by rinsing the conch with water. Then, use a meat tenderizer to tenderize the conch a by hitting it on a cutting board. In a separate pan, add chicken broth, water, 1 tsp of pepper, and 1/4 tsp of salt and bring to a boil. Add conch to the boiling broth/water mixture. Then, reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and cook the conch for a hour.

Once the conch is done, remove it from the broth/water mixture and chop up. Keep the broth from the conch. Begin cooking three servings of spaghetti. Then, make a white sauce by first melting butter in a warm pan. Then, add the milk, bring it to a boil, and reduce the heat to a medium temperature. Add the flour and whisk to blend. Add the black pepper seeds, 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper, Italian seasoning, and salt to taste. Cook for five minutes to thicken the sauce. Add a ladle full of the broth from the conch and the cooked spaghetti. Allow everything to cook together for 5 minutes on a simmer. Add the chopped conch and heat everything up for a minute on a medium heat.

Serve warm with Parmesan cheese and your favorite glass of white wine. Also, I recommend eating a salad along the side. I ate my with my strawberry, feta cheese, and spinach salad. The recipe is on my blog. Enjoy!

Spinach, Strawberry, and Feta Cheese Salad.

2011-08-08T10:02:00.000-07:00

This salad is a delicious summer recipe. It is refreshing, light, and healthy. Also, it use some of my favorite summer foods. This recipe will make three servings.

Ingredients

1/2 pd of fresh chopped spinach
4 oz of feta cheese
1/2 pd of chopped strawberries
1 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsps of balsamic vinegar
1 small lemon

Preparation

First, clean and chop the spinach and strawberries. Put these two ingredients into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together balsamic vinegar and olive oil to make the dressing. Add and the dressing to the spinach and strawberries. Mix together with the feta cheese. Lastly, squeeze the juice out of small lemon and pour it along the top of the salad. Stir all the everything together. Allow the salad to sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Easy Huevos Rancheros

2011-08-08T09:13:00.000-07:00

I love spicy eggs for breakfast. This recipe is a simple way to make huevos rancheros at home. My recipe makes one large breakfast.

Ingredients

Huevos Rancheros. My breakfast.

2 eggs
1/8 cup of fresh chopped tomato
1/8 cup of chopped white onion
1 or more tbsps of roasted, pickled, or fresh chopped jalapeno peppers
1/8 cup of water
1 tbsp of tomato paste
1 tsp of garlic powder
1/4 tsp of salt, or as much as needed
1 tbsp of fresh cilantro
1/8 cup of mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Ranchero Sauce

First, add chopped tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos to a warm non-stick skillet with a bit of olive oil on medium high heat. Allow everything to saute for two minutes. Then, add the water, tomato paste, garlic powder, salt, and cilantro. Continue to cook for five to seven minutes or until the water and tomato paste form a thick sauce.

Adding eggs

Once the sauce is thicker, make a opening in the center and add two eggs unbeaten as shown in the picture. Place in a preheated 400 degree oven for 5 minutes.

Adding cheese

Then, add mozzarella cheese along the top. Place pan back in the oven for a 3 more minutes if you want your eggs soft/runny or continue to cook for 10 minutes for a hard yolk.

Serve warm with a corn tortilla and garnished with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!!

Hawaiian Burgers with Avocado Spread

2011-08-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

This is a older recipe of mine I made a while back. But, I love it and would love to make it again. The recipe does require a bit of prepping but turns out delicious. Great to make during the summer time. This recipe will make 4 hamburgers

Ingredients

Delicious!

1 pound of ground beef
4 hamburger buns or Hawaiian bread buns
3 tbsp of teriyaki sauce
one small red onion- 1/4 cup chopped and the remainder sliced
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
add salt to taste
1 tbsp of garlic powder
1 tbsp of soy sauce
one fresh pineapple- 1/4 cup chopped and four slices for each burger
1 small avocado
1/8 cup of sour cream
1/8 cup of mayonnaise
slices of lettuce
gruyere cheese

Preparation

First, open up ground beef and put in a bowl. Mix in 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, 1 tsp of salt, 1 tbsp of garlic powder, 1/4 cup of chopped red onion, 1/4 cup of pineapple, 3 tbsps of teriyaki sauce, and 1 tbsp of soy sauce. Mix all the ingredients together. Add more bread crumbs if the mixture is really moist. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for a hour.

Next, make a avocado spread for the hamburgers by smashing up a small avocado with a 1/8 cup of sour cream and 1/8 cup of mayonnaise . Add salt to taste. Put in the fridge until ready to serve the hamburgers.

Heat up a grill pan or outside grill. Form ground beef mixture into four large patties. Grill patties as long as you prefer depending on well you want the meat cooked. Add slices of gruyere cheese on the top of the patties when nearly cooked to melt the cheese. Grill the slices of pineapple. In another pan, saute the slices of red onion with a little olive oil. Heat up or toast hamburger buns for a few minutes.

Serve burgers by putting avocado spread on each slice of bread. Place patties on the bread topped with grilled pineapple, red onion, and a piece of lettuce. Serve with your favorite side. I enjoyed mine with mango pineapple salad and oven fries. Bon Appetit!

My Morning with Egg Scramble

2011-08-06T07:39:00.000-07:00

I woke up extremely early. My cats are screaming and wanting inside to annoy me for food at sunrise. Those bastards. But, what's new. I was trying to keep them quiet to let my husband sleep some more because he went to bed at 4 and had to be up and ready to leave at 7:30. So, I tried to back to sleep on the couch. The cats are pawing at me for about an hour and, I am trying to ignoring them. Of course, I never got back to sleep. Tired...

Then, my husband's alarm goes off and, he is up getting ready. I am helping him get some breakfast. I feed the cats and the dog.

YAY! Time for some peace… I have the house to myself. I just wanted some quiet.

Well, I begin by making coffee. Then, I decide I want to make some eggs with onions, tomatoes, and some sausage. I am starving. I begin prepping the ingredients for my breakfast. I enjoy cooking so I am in a happy spot. As I am cooking, I begin thinking about major events that are going to happen soon in my life. Two major events are that I am starting student teaching and, I am graduating in December. I am really excited about graduation for sure. But, student teaching… I am scared about it. Student teaching is either when you learn you love teaching or when you learn you hate it. I hope I enjoy it. The teacher I am working with is really nice and, the school is really nice too. Those are some positives. Still I am stressed.

Anyways, I finish making my egg scramble. I am ready to sit down to enjoy it. I am envisioning quietness while I am cruising the web, reading the news, playing on facebook, and whatever else. I just want some me time.

I set my breakfast on the arm of the couch. My dog jumps up on the couch too to sit with me. But, he knocks over my plate and, my breakfast is all over the carpet. He runs over and starts to eat all of it! WTF! I am pissed. My dark side appears and, I am screaming for him to get away. I am furious with the situation. The cats are crying to go outside because they know I am crazy when I am mad. I swear! My breakfast is on the carpet and, my dog has just enjoyed a second meal. I have not even had one. I still do have coffee. At least! Sigh... Still hungry. Grr..

Anyway, I took a picture of my first made breakfast. I did eat a bite and, it was pretty tasty. I guess.. I will try again. At this point, I think heading to a breakfast place is the best choice. I am starving and yet again my journey for my breakfast is still a journey...

What could have been a delicious breakfast. :(

The egg scramble was easy to make. Slice up some onion, tomato, and a little sausage or whatever meat you want. Bacon would have been better. Put a little olive oil in a pan. Put the meat in the pan to brown a bit once the pan is hot. Add the veggies. Let the veggies cook a few minutes. Then, beat up two eggs and add those to the pan. Allow the eggs to cook and scramble everything together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Everyone, I hope you enjoy your morning and, it is better than mine.

Baked White Fish with Kale

2011-08-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

Baked white fish with kale is a super easy recipe. This recipe is healthy, low-calorie, low-carb, and very tasty. The recipe will serve two people.

Ingredients

My lunch! Yummy.

2 large pieces of frozen white fish- swai or tilapia is the best.
3 cups of fresh kale
3 tbsps of olive oil
1 1/2 tbsps of Italian seasoning
1/2 tsps of red pepper flakes
1 tsps of pepper
4 tbsps of red wine vinegar
2 tsp of salt

Preparation

Fresh Kale

First, clean the kale by removing the long stems and keeping only the leaves. Wash all the leaves off with cold water to remove any dirt. Chop the kale into bite size pieces and set to the side.

Kale in self-made aluminium bowl

Next, make a bowl with aluminium. (As shown in the picture to the left.) Put all the kale into the aluminium made bowl. Cover the kale evenly with with 4 tbsps red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp of italian seasoning, 1 tsp of salt, 2 tsp of black pepper, and 2 tbsps of olive oil.

Seasoned Frozen Swai Fillets

Then, take the the frozen fillets. Rub each with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and 1/2 tsp of salt. Then, lay the fillets over the kale as shown in the picture. Then, sprinkle the tops of the fillets with 1/2 tsp of red pepper and 1/2 tbsp of Italian season. Add more salt and/or red pepper if desired.

*I do only recommend using frozen fillets because it turns out better from my experience.*

Fish in the oven ready to cook!

Cover the top with more aluminium foil and make sure there are no holes to allow for the fish and kale to stem in the oven. Put the fish in the oven for 30 minutes to a hour at 375 degrees. The cooking time will depend on the size of each frozen fillet. So, check after 30 minutes. Cook until each fillet is white and flaky.

Enjoy! The recipe is best served warm with a glass of white wine and piece of your favorite bread.

Herb and Garlic Baked Chicken

2011-08-03T15:02:00.000-07:00

Oven baked chicken is one of my favorite recipes to make at home. It is healthy, yummy, and easy to cook. I will describe to you step-by-step how to make oven baked chicken. This recipe will easily serve 4 people.

Ingredients

Oven baked chicken with potatoes and carrots. My lunch today. :)

1 whole chicken- about 2 to 3 pounds.
6 small red potatoes
3 large carrots
1 tbsp of fresh thyme
1 tbsp of fresh rosemary
6 cloves of garlic
2 tsp of kosher salt
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
Olive oil

Preparation

First make roasted garlic by placing peeled garlic cloves into a small ovenproof dish. Cook in the oven covered with about a tsp of olive oil at 400 degrees for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the garlic is soft. Set aside to cool.

Then, remove the raw chicken from any wrapping and rinse the chicken off with running water. Remove the gizzard, heart, and neck from inside the chicken. Once the chicken is clean, place the chicken in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Be sure to wash your hands and any surfaces the chicken has touched to prevent the spread of salmonella.

Raw chicken ready to go into the oven.

Next, crush up the fresh thyme and rosemary in a mortar and pestle with kosher salt and about 2 tsp of olive oil. Make sure to remove all the stems from the herbs. Crush the herbs until a mushy consistency is made. Now, rub the cooked cloves of garlic and the herbs all over the chicken. Then, slice up your potatoes and carrots into large size pieces. Place the veggies around the chicken. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken and veggies. Pour about a tbsp or so of olive oil over your raw veggies and chicken.

Chicken is cooked and ready to enter my belly. Delicious!

Cover the the chicken in the casserole dish with aluminum foil and put the chicken into a 375 degree preheated oven for two hours. Then, uncover the chicken and broil the chicken for about 5 minutes to brown the skin. Before broiling, you can rub butter on the skin to help make the chicken skin crispy. (This is optional.)

Serve the chicken warm with the veggies on the side. Enjoy!

Okra Potato Fritters

2011-08-02T17:50:00.000-07:00

Okra potato fritters are delicious and unique way to make okra. This recipe is my new twist on southern fried okra. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Okra Potato Fritters

1/2 pound of okra
2 eggs
1 cup of milk
1 cup of flour
1 cup of white corn meal
1 tbsp of cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tbsp of chipolte seasoning (optional)
2 tbsp of season salt
1 tbsp and 1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of black pepper
1 large russet potato- graded

Preparation

First, slice the okra long wise into strips like french fries. Put the okra in a container and cover with water with 1 tbsp of salt. Allow the okra to soak for about a hour in the refrigerator. After a hour, pour off the water and rince with water again to remove the slimey coat off the okra.

Next, beat two eggs in one bowl and add a cup of milk. Then, add 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of pepper. Then, in another bowl add flour and corn meal. Mix together with 1 tbsp of season salt. Lastly, place the graded potato in a bowl and season with 1 tbsp of season salt along with the optional cayenne pepper and chipotle seasoning to make the batter spicy.

Finally, heat up vegetable oil in a large skillet. Fill the pan you use half way with oil. Heat the oil on medium high heat. Then, batter the okra by soaking the okra in the egg mixture, coat with the flour/corn meal, and cover with the shredded potatoes. Fry the okra on each side until the potatoes turn a medium brown.

After the okra is cooked, let the okra cool on a paper towel for a few minutes to remove any extra oil before serving. Enjoy the okra with your favorite southern meal.

Spanish Breakfast Frittata

2011-08-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

This is a perfect and easy breakfast or brunch recipe. The recipe will make two servings. Bake portions in individual dishes to create personal serving sizes. The recipe is easy to reheat the next day.

Ingredients

1/8 cup of cilantro
2 brown eggs
1/8 cup of fresh tomatoes
1 tbsp of cream cheese
2 tbsp of graded pecorino romano
1/8 cup of white onion
A pinch of salt
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp of olive
1 chili pepper (optional)

Preparation

First, chop the onions, tomatoes, and garlic into small pieces. Then, warm up on a a skillet with 1 tbsp of olive oil on a high heat. Next, add the sliced vegetables, cilantro, and garlic. Allow the ingredients to saute for 4 minutes on a medium heat. Then, add two beaten eggs, cream cheese, and pecorino romano. Blend the everything together and add salt. Allow the eggs to slightly cook for about 2 minutes. Split the egg mixture into two separate oven proof dishes. Place the dishes into a 375 degree preheated oven for 10 minutes. Serve the frittata warm garnished with pecorino romano. Season with more salt if needed.

Enjoy!

Insects are Friends. Not Food

2011-07-30T15:38:00.000-07:00

Lately, I have keep having several horrible encounters with insects in my home. My cats and dog are always bringing in insects from my backyard to play with or eat. Specifically, other day, I was letting some of my cats in from the backyard. Suddenly, I turned to see my cat, Lulu, sitting on my stove with a grasshopper. WTF! I swear Lulu is my problem child. I am yelling "eat it or kill it". Of course, she jumps off the stove and leaves me to deal with the creature. I get out my broom and decide to battle the insect to its death. The grasshopper is jumping around my kitchen as I am waving around the broom. Finally, I smashed the insect and, it is dead. I sweep the corpse off onto the floor and give it back to Lulu. She looks at the dead grasshopper with a snobby expression and nonchalantly walks away as if the insect is not good enough for her now. Pssh.. Rude..

All these insect incidents led me to begin thinking about people who eat insects. So, I began looking up recipes using insects for my own amusement. As I was reading some, I stumbled upon one I had to share. This recipe cracked me up.

Popcorn Crunch

Here's an easy treat to prepare and take to the drive-in movie. The kids will love it.

Roasted insects. Perfect snack.:)

Ingredients

3 quarts of popcorn, popped
1/2 cup of honey
1 cup of dry roasted insects, chopped
1/2 cup of melted butter

Preparation

Blend the butter and honey together in a saucepan and heat gently. Mix the popcorn with the insects and pour the butter-honey mixture over it. Mix well. Spread on a cookie sheet in a thin layer. Bake at 350° 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp. Break into bite-sized pieces.

You can find this one and several more on this site:

http://www.faculty.de.gcsu.edu/~cbader/ghprecwithinsects.html

My review

Kids love to play with insects. So, next time your child brings home bugs for pets, use this opportunity to your advantage. Serve these tasty critters to them during your next movie night. I'm sure you kid/s will be overjoyed with this salty, sugary surprise.

Kidding. But... SERIOUSLY.. are these people for real. Um.. I do not think a kid will eat this.

Are you hungry yet.? Yummy

Overall, I think eating bugs is disgusting. I love Andrew Zimmern on Bizarre Foods, but I will let him to continue to to eat insects for my enjoyment because I am not living out a man vs.wild moment in my backyard. I think a grocery store can provide a perfect selection of fresh meats and produce for me to use in my next meal.

Just remember. Insects are Friends. Not Food.

P.S. No insects were eaten during the making of his blog.

My Ox Tail Experience

2011-07-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

I was very hesitant about trying this meat. I am not the hugest meat eater. After bring a vegan/vegetarian for several years, I am wanting to try foods that I did not eat before because I think it is important to try everything at least once.

Ox Tail

Well, today I learned I actually like the taste of ox tail. The meat taste similar to roast The main issue I had was not cooking the meat long enough. It is a very fatty and tough. For those trying this for the first time, cook the ox tail in a slow cooker for several hours because it will turn out much better.

I am going to share my recipe. I think the ingredients I used to season the ox tail are great. It provided the ox tail a great flavor.

My Recipe for Ox Tail

My lunch. Ox tail with red beans and rice.

Ingredients

2 lb of ox tail
1 tbsp of fresh thyme
2 tsp of kosher salt
1 tsp of olive oil
4 cloves of fresh garlic
2 tsp of truffle oil

Preparation

Crushing my herbs in my mortar and pestle

First, I recommend to marinate the ox tail for an hour. Put the kosher salt, thyme, and olive oil into a mortar and pestle. Grind up the ingredient and rub on the seasonings on the meat. Then, rub on the crushed garlic on to the ox tail. Allow the meat to marinate in the refrigerator for an hour.

Marinated ox tail

Preheat the oven at 375 degree. Put the ox tail in oven proof dish. Add truffle oil along the top and cover the dish. I cooked the ox tail for an hour in the oven. This is where I went wrong. I recommend cooking the ox tail for two to three hours at 325 degrees. Or, I think another great suggestion is to put the meat into a slow cooker for 4 hours with a cup of beef broth.

I plan to continue trying to make this again and better next time. A twitter follower recommend for me to make Osso Bucco. I think I will try to take on this challenge. If you are brave and want to try something different, I think you should try making ox tail.

On a side note, my pets enjoyed eating some of the leftover ox tail and bones. Must be good if the animals are fighting to get to try it. :)

Benny obediently awaiting for his share.

Mr. Pigglesworth is eating his share.

Curry Chicken Stir-Fry

2011-07-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

Curry Chicken Stir-fry is a delicous and simple recipe to make for lunch or dinner. The recipe will take about a hour to prepare and cook. Serves 3 people.

Ingredients

Spicy Curry Chicken Stir-Fry

1/2 small red onion
2 large chicken breasts
Chili Peppers (optional and add as much as you want)
1 tbsp of curry powder
1 tsp of cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tsps of turmeric
1 large red potato
1/4 cup of cilantro
4 cloves of garlic
1/8 cup of broth -beef or chicken

Preparation

Preparing the potatoes

First, cut up one large red potato into medium size chunks. I always leave on the skin for extra nutritional value but, it is optional. Place the potatoes into a microwavable dish and season with salt. Cook the potatoes in the microwave until the potatoes are soft. Will take approximately 7 minutes.

Fresh ingredients. Yummy!

Preparing the stir fry

While the potatoes are cooking, chop the chicken, red onion, chilies, and garlic. Heat up a stir-fry pan on a high heat and add the olive oil and garlic. Then, add the other ingredients once the garlic begins to sizzle. Add the curry powder, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Allow everything to saute for about 5 minutes on a medium high heat.

After 5 minutes, add the potatoes. Then, add a bit more olive oil to the stir fry to help the potatoes to brown. Continue to cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes more. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer and add 1/8 cup of broth to the pan. Cover the the stir-fry and allow to cook for about 10 minutes. The broth will help soften any potatoes still chewy.

After ten minutes, salt and pepper the stir-fry for taste. Serve the stir-fry with rice and a favorite vegetable. I served mine with pan fried eggplant. Also, I garnished my stir-fry with cilantro and a fried quail egg for additional flavor. Enjoy!

My Encounter with Andrew Zimmern from Bizarre Foods

2011-07-27T06:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a huge day for my blog. In the afternoon, I noticed a lot of people were looking at it. I did not realize to later that night Andrew Zimmern placed a messaged I asked him to retweet on his twitter page. I think this is really awesome. http://twitter.com/#!/andrewzimmern It is still showing up for now!

If you are not familiar with his show, Bizarre foods, you should watch it on the Travel Channel. He visits different countries throughout the world and eats a "bizarre" food most Americans would not consume. I watch it because I love to see how food is cultural important to different places in the world. Though, I must admit, you need a strong stomach at times when seeing him eat some of the foods he tries. Check out his site for more information. http://www.andrewzimmern.com/

Thanks again, Andrew Zimmern. I am really excited about all the attention my blog is getting due to you posting my tweet.

I hope everyone will continue to follow my blog. I plan to add a new recipe today.

Wildjenno is me on twitter. This is a copy of his twitter page to show my tweet. :)

WTF!!! My breakfast journey stilll continues... Why??!!

2011-07-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

So... since my last post, my pets have not learned. I guess they do not follow my blog.. Well.. that is unfortunate, sneaky, and RUDE!

Anyways, again I am awakened, early in the morning. I am miserable wishing for these creatures to die. Do these emotions change? Well, maybe during the day once I have reached sanity with caffeine. But, at sunrise, when the moon has barely hidden itselt, hell no. Pets are awaiting for their breakfast. These animals seem to think that annoyingly bothering with their attention, cries, and cuteness will cause me to suddenly open these cans of food and place it in a bowl at the crack of dawn. Well, no.. .I do not care... Maybe if they brought me coffee, I would change my mind.

Again. the daily struggle of humans vs. cats happens again. My lovely husband somehow sleeps through all this. Why is this? Not sure. I want to push him out of the bed and throw pillows at him. Why does he not wake up?! Grr... (hubby, if are reading this, I deserve flowers for all this pet sitting lol)

My pets continue to bother me in bed as I try to go back to sleep. I have let the dog out because he is too noisy in his kennel. The cats are on the bed trying their best to act nonchalant, in their own way, but seem like they are trying to compete in the Olympics by using my head for hurdle jumping to get my attention. By this time, my dog is sprawled out in the middle of the bed, stealing my covers, and laying on his back with his legs in the air. He is farting too...gross. His farts smell as bad as a garbage dump that intoxicate me like mustard gas as I try to sleep. I continue to remove animals and push them off the bed in hopes to snooze a few more minutes.

Well, as always, food is served to the pets, and I am still sleepy. Will I get sleep? Will I get my 5 star breakfast? Who will ever know? The journey still continues till next time... These pets always win. Well, so they think the will HAHAHA...

Its time for coffee.....

Anyways, I plan to get to back to basics today. Conjuring up thoughts for a new recipe. Key ingredients chicken, potatoes, eggplant, curry powder, and spice. I will post up a new recipe tomorrow. :)

My Benny and Our Love For Apples

2011-07-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

Food always has been my love and passion. I love to cook for other people and share my recipes . In my opinion, food is just a cultural accepted symbol for socializing and making people feel better. People are always happiest with a full belly. :)

Benny, my puppy, and I bonded over eating apples together. Sharing apples is turned into our special time. As soon as he hears the crunch of an apple, he is sitting at my feet or beside me waiting for his share. Food really has been the one way to connect to my puppy. I love this little guy.

Any time, I am cooking in the kitchen, he patiently waits on the floor. He hopes for a piece of food will drop that he can eat. This sneaky guy always seems to convince me to share what I am making with him.

This my story of food and my puppy. Some of my loves in the world. :)

Benny is my dog

Apple lover to the core

We share together