The Cook-a-Palooza Experience

Six Ingredient Skillet Beef Chili

2012-02-23T09:10:00.001-05:00

In the first week of March I’m scheduled to visit Wilfred Laurier University (Waterloo, Ontario) to hold a cooking 101 class for graduate students. One of the dishes we’ll be preparing together is Beef Chili.

My bet is many in attendance will already have some experience preparing chili but I often include it because it gives me a chance to cover a lot of cooking skills such as:

setting the proper cooking temperature (instead of cooking everything on maximum temperature)
how to dice an onion quickly
how to seed and chop a bell pepper without the seeds making a mess

and most importantly...

how to save a recipe if it tastes like...it's missing something.

The chili recipe we prepare is great for sharing cooking skills but it probably has more ingredients than most busy students are willing to deal with.

An easier mid-week option would be this Six Ingredient Skillet Beef Chili. There’s no chopping required, you don’t need herbs or spices and it can be made in about 10 minutes!

I made this recipe the other night and was surprised how good it was considering you don't add chili powder! The only thing I would have done differently was use reduced sodium products. By using the regular baked beans and soup my sodium levels probably skyrocketed through the roof!

At the event we’ll be using fourteen different ingredients to prepare the traditional Beef Chili. Now I can also let the students know they can create another tasty version using only six!

Six Ingredient Skillet Beef Chili
Beef chili with baked beans, corn and green chilies
Recipe adapted from: Pillsbury Kids Cookbook

Time it takes: 10 minutes
Makes: 2 Big Bowls or 4 Small Bowls of Chili

½ lb lean ground beef
1 can (10 oz.) tomato soup
1 can (14 oz.) baked beans in tomato sauce
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
1 cup thawed frozen corn
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

In a skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat until brown. Drain excess fat and transfer meat mixture to a medium bowl. Set aside.

Add soup, baked beans, green chilies and corn to skillet. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat until mixture begins to bubble.

Stir in cooked beef. Ladle chili into bowls and sprinkle shredded cheese on top.

Two More Chili Recipes to Try!
Vegetable Chili
Sweet Potato Chili

Tortilla Ice Cream Scoops

2012-02-21T11:55:00.001-05:00

Staying home for Reading Week?

It might not be as big of a bummer as you think.

I recall being in that situation one year at university and remember using the time to kick my fitness plan into high gear. There's so much you can do at home while your friends are having the time of their life at some beautiful...warm...tropical location...

Oops, sorry about that. I'm sure they're having an awful time.

Of course staying home doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have fun and indulge a little. Think of this recipe as a way to do a bit of both.

I saw the idea of putting ice cream in a taco shell in Pillsbury's Kids Cookbook. I opted for the smaller "scoop shaped" tortilla chips after seeing mini ice cream cones served at my niece's birthday party (the cookbook was part of her gift). As you can see, I piggybacked off both ideas with this recipe.

It blows my mind how well the sweet ice cream and chocolate works with the salty tortilla chips! They are small but they deliver more than enough sweetness to keep any sweet tooth extremely happy!

See...staying at home isn't so bad after all!

What's your home based plans for reading week?

Chocolate Chip and Pecan Ice Cream Scoops
Ice cream drizzled with chocolate and topped with pecans in a scoop shaped tortilla chip
Recipe adapted from: Pillsbury Kids Cookbook

Time it takes: 15 minutes

Makes: 12 Scoops

12 scoop shaped tortilla chips
Chocolate chip ice cream (use frozen yogurt for a lower fat version)
¼ cup milk chocolate chips
2 tbsp chopped pecans (or use chopped peanuts or walnuts)

Spoon ½ tbsp of ice cream into each tortilla chip. Place each ice cream filled chip in a cup of a 12-cup muffin pan. Cover with plastic wrap a place in the freezer.

In a small bowl, add the chocolate chips and cook in the microwave on high power for 2 minutes. Remove bowl from microwave. Stir chocolate chips with a spoon until smooth.

Remove ice cream filled tortilla chips from freezer. Use a spoon to drizzle the melted chocolate over each scoop (the chocolate with still be sort of thick so put just enough on the end of a spoon and shake it until streams of chocolate fall off onto the ice cream). Sprinkle chopped pecans on top.

Cover scoops with plastic wrap and store in the freezer again for at least 5 minutes so the chocolate gets hard before eating them.

Be My Valentine 3 Cheese Lasagna Rolls

2012-02-14T11:31:00.001-05:00

I spent many Valentine's Days at university sitting around with my single friends watching movies and playing video games. Even though they were great friends, I would have preferred going on a date on Valentine's Day.

Looking back, I would have done things differently and these 3 Cheese Lasagna Rolls would have fit nicely into my "Be My Valentine" plan which goes like this:

You're living at college or university, it's Valentine's Day and you are without a Valentine.

What if…

instead of starting the day feeling lonely, you begin the day by taking 10 minutes to mix together a few ingredients such as creamy low-fat cottage cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan, dried basil and chopped frozen broccoli.

Then what if…

you spread that mixture on a fresh lasagna noodle...

rolled it up...

and wrapped those Lasagna Rolls in plastic wrap to store in the fridge.

Now what if…

You went to class and found the nerve to ask that certain someone you recently met (who also happens to be single) if they’d be interested in popping by your place later on to try out a new pasta dish you’re working on.

What if that person said…"Yeah sure"!!!

That’s when you…

Book it home after class
Text your single friends and tell them you can’t hang out tonight
Give a BIG "Thank YOU" to little ole Cupid
Pop the Lasagna Rolls in the microwave (don't forget to remove the plastic wrap first)
Get panicky because you have no wine
Thank Cupid again when that certain someone shows up with a bottle of vino.

Even if "parts" of the plan end up being a complete train wreck, at least you’ll still have your delicious pasta dinner!

Better than sitting at your place (or your friend's house) hungry and lonely...don't you think?

Be My Valentine 3 Cheese Lasagna Rolls

Makes 8 Lasagna Rolls

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: under 5 minutes

8 fresh lasagna noodles (or 8 cooked lasagna noodles)
1 egg
2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried oregano (or dried basil)
1½ cups frozen broccoli (or spinach), thawed and chopped
Store bought pasta sauce

In a bowl, combine egg, cottage cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, oregano and chopped broccoli. Mix well.

Spread each lasagna noodle with equal amounts of cheese broccoli mixture (leave some space at the end). Roll lasagna noodles. Wrap each with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

To cook, remove plastic wrap from roll, place lasagna rolls on a plate, cover with a damp paper towel and cook on high in the microwave for 1 minute.

Spread your favorite store bought pasta sauce on top of each roll and cook for 20 to 30 seconds more in the microwave or until sauce is heated through. Serve!

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Chocolate (Healthy Ingredient) Mousse

2012-02-07T08:09:00.001-05:00

I'm hesitant to tell you the main ingredient in this Chocolate Mousse because I have a feeling you might say "yuck"!

Maybe it's best to just gaze at the picture and imagine how it would taste without knowing what's in it.

Hmmm...I see the flaw in my thinking here. If you don't know what's in it, how are you going make it to see how it tastes? Sort of defeats the entire purpose of having a food blog.

Glad I got that sorted out.

If you really need to know (which I just figured out, all on my own, that you do) instead of using cream, you thicken this mousse with the goodness of avocado. Did you say "yuck"?

If you've never tried an avocado before, you should know that it does not taste much like anything on its own. In fact I don't know how people eat them straight up.

However avocados have a way of taking on the flavor of other ingredients. This is what makes them great in fruit smoothies, amazing in dips and awesome in chocolate mousse. They also happen to be one of the healthiest fruits you can eat!

Besides not using cream, I also dialed down the sweetness (again probably not a great selling point for a chocolate mousse recipe). The bright spot here is you can easily adjust the sweetness by simply adding more sugar to suit your sweet tooth.

Top with light whipped cream and chocolate shavings and you have yourself a sweet tasting dessert that only takes a few minutes to prepare and isn’t full of empty calories.

What do you think? Worth a try...avocados and all?

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Nutritious avocados thicken up this chocolate mousse topped with light whipped cream

Makes 2 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: nada
Total Time: 5 minutes

2 medium ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and mashed
¼ cup chocolate milk
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Light whipped cream
Chocolate shavings

In a large bowl, combine avocado, chocolate milk, cocoa powder, sugar, vanilla and salt. Whisk until smooth.

Chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving. Top with light whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Tequila Lime Guacamole

2012-02-03T14:41:00.000-05:00

I saw the idea for this recipe here and was excited about trying something similar!

So I peeled, pitted and mashed a couple of these.

Squeezed the juice out of this.

and dug out a bottle of this.

Tequila and I don't generally get along, but when I mixed it with the avocado, lime juice and a few other choice ingredients, I said...

"Holy guacamole that's good!!!"

I posted a video about how to make it.

Shared the recipe below...

And no doubt will be dipping Tortilla chips in this delicious guacamole while watching the Super Bowl!

Tequila Lime Guacamole
Tequila rounds out the flavors of this avocado, tomato and hot pepper guacamole

Makes a batch for 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: nada
Total Time: 10 minutes

2 avocados, peeled, pitted and mashed
1 tomato, seeded and diced
2 tbsp hot pickled peppers, chopped
1 tbsp minced red onion
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tsp tequila
salt and pepper

In a bowl combine, mashed avocado, tomato, peppers, onion, lime juice, cilantro, tequila, salt and pepper. Mix to combine.

Serve with tortilla chips!

Big Game Bacon Onion Garlic Dip

2012-02-01T09:36:00.003-05:00

What's Super Bowl without GOOD FOOD?

That's right...NOTHING!

The big game isn't ONLY about ordering pizza and wings. That's regular season game stuff.

Super Bowl is about bringing your "A" game when it comes to the food.

Maybe that means cooking and keeping a close eye on your "HOLY MOLY" chili all day as it simmers in the pot so it's perfect for when the game starts. Or maybe it means turning a blind eye to the fact that it's forty below outside and braving the elements anyways in your New York Giants jammies to grill some awesome ribs!

As for the dip, you can whip up a fresh batch of this Bacon Onion Garlic Dip. Save the store bought chip dip in the plastic tub for the preseason.

Surround this creamy dip with veggies (yes I said veggies) and chips and you're set for the pre-game show!

This dip isn't fancy schmancy (that's what makes it perfect for a football game) but it's damn good! The picture below will give you a sense about how much I liked it. It was taken about 10 minutes after I took the photo at the top.

The Giants and Patriots will be bringing their "A" game...how about you?

Or will you even be watching the big game?

Big Game Bacon Onion Garlic Dip
A creamy dip with bits of bacon and a hint of garlic and onion

Apparently the recipe below makes enough for one person. Double or triple the recipe if you're having friends over for the game.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

4 slices bacon
1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
1/3 cup light sour cream
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion salt (or you can use onion powder)

Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Chop into small bits.

In a bowl, mix together mayo, sour cream, cheese, garlic powder and onion salt. Stir in half the chopped bacon. Sprinkle remaining bacon bits on top. Serve with cut fresh vegetables and chips.

If you're looking for more food ideas for the Big Game, I'll be sending newsletter subscribers a collection of Super Bowl recipe ideas this Friday. Subscribe to get your copy!

Beef Stew, Homemade Pizza and Omelettes - A Look Back on the Cooking Week

2012-01-29T11:30:00.001-05:00

This week reminded me to never underestimate the power of leftovers. They definitely saved my butt from hitting the fast food joints.

The meals I made are ones I would whole heartedly recommend to put into your rotation if you’re strapped for time.

Here’s how the cooking week went down.

Monday: Slow Cooker Beef Stew

On the weekend I cooked the largest batch of beef stew I have ever made (it was borderline ridiculous). It covered Monday’s meal as well as Wednesday's. I also had it for lunch a couple times. Sometimes making WAY too much food pays off BIG TIME! The Beef Stew recipe I used was one I shared in my newsletter not long ago.

Tuesday: Homemade Pizza

Technically it’s not entirely homemade because I don’t make my own dough…I buy it fresh from the grocery store. I used to struggle with stretching the dough but learned if you let it come to room temperature (before stretching) it’s becomes very cooperative and easy to work with.

Once you get past that obstacle, homemade pizza is economical and I always find it fun to make! Here's a post on how I sometimes make mine. In that blog post I used a whole wheat crust and I no longer do that because I find it too heavy.

Wednesday: Round 2 on the Beef Stew

Thursday: Cheese and Green Onion Omelette

2 eggs + shredded cheese + chopped green onions + salt and pepper + 1 tbsp of water (whisk in a bowl and cook in a skillet) = One Hell of a Fast Good Meal!
(In case you’re wondering, the water steams the eggs while they cook and makes the omelette nice and fluffy.)

If you’re cooking at college or university, omelettes should definitely be part of your cooking rotation because they are a cinch to make.

Friday: Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

This is delish! My wife made a large batch of it earlier in the week and thankfully there was still some leftovers on Friday to pair with grilled cheese sandwiches! Here's the recipe if you would like to give it a go.

No Fast Food this Week! Hurray!!!

If you want see what's planned for the upcoming week, you’ll find a picture of my menu plan on the Cookapalooza Facebook Page!

I hope you have an amazing week ahead! Feel free to comment, tweet me or Facebook me and let me know any meal ideas you would like covered in the future!

Perfect Scrambled Eggs - 2 Minute Cooking Tip Video

2012-01-26T09:41:00.000-05:00

Scrambled eggs could be one of the easiest dishes to make but it has taken me years of trial and error to find a way to consistently get them moist and fluffy.

I've posted these scrambled egg tips on this blog in the past and thought it was time to share them in a video format.

It's all part of my secret mission to rid this world of runny and dried out scrambled eggs FOREVER!!!

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Top 10 Easy Recipes for College Students

2012-01-24T12:15:00.001-05:00

My college and university cooking event season has begun for the second semester so I figured it would be a good time to do a top 10 list of the easiest college recipes I've posted on this blog.

One thing I notice from my events is students have bigger priorities than cooking and often end up preparing (or buying) the same foods over and over again.

If you're stuck in a college cooking rut, here's 10 easy student-friendly recipes that'll get you out of it!

1. Mango Avocado Smoothie

3 ingredients...that's it!!!. The frozen mango and pineapple juice supply the sweetness and the avocado makes it nice and thick! Bonus: Avocado happens to be one of the healthiest fruits you can eat.

2. Apple Pancakes - Video

This is the quickest and easiest method I've ever seen how to make pancakes from scratch. No measuring spoon, measuring cup or recipe required.

3. Grilled Ham and Swiss

Grilled cheese connoisseurs...I have something for you!!!

4. Taco-roni

This quick approachable recipe was sent to me from the folks at Chef Boyardee. It has college cooking written all over it!

5. Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Baked beans slowly cooked with chopped green bell peppers and onions in a sweet barbecue sauce. Oh yeah...it's good!

6. Epic 3 Cheese Nacho Dip - Video

Bring this to share at residence movie night or make it for your intramural team or study group.They'll never forget you! Great with tortilla chips or rolled up in a flour tortilla.

7. English Muffin Mini Pizza

This was my favorite thing to make when I was living off campus at university!

8. Salami and Cheese Salad

Healthy, super easy to prepare and absolutely delicious...what more could you want?

9. Super Healing Chicken Noodle Soup

For those times when your cough gets so nasty it scares other students away.

10. Late Night Student Snacks

3 recipes you can whip up quickly and avoid the same ole snacks that come in a wrapper.

Your turn....what do you regularly make while living at college or university?

Chicken Dishes Dominate the Week - Meal Plan #2 Review

2012-01-22T09:36:00.001-05:00

I felt like week #1 was a good start to this weekly meal plan experiment I'm doing. I hope by sharing what I posted on my kitchen blackboard also gave you some recipe ideas and inspiration to set your own weekly plan.

I wanted to do EVEN better on week #2!

Here's the meal plan I posted last Sunday on the Cookapalooza Facebook page.

Here's how things went.

Monday: My Mom's Minestrone Soup

The week started off GREAT as my mom sent over some of her amazing Minestrone Soup! It was sort of spooky since I had Soup and Sandwiches on my meal plan. Weird eh? This soup is absolutely delicious! The funny thing is, I never ask my mom for this recipe. I think it's because I always want it to be "Mom's" soup and it wouldn't be the same if I started making it myself.

Tuesday: Chicken and Vegetable Pita Pockets

The plan on the kitchen blackboard was to make Veggie Pockets. They turned into Chicken and Vegetable Pockets because I had some leftover chicken to use up. These were tasty! I've shared the recipe below in case you want to use your leftover chicken up in a different way.

Take a bag of frozen veggies (stir-fry variety), toss them in a skillet. Cook over medium high heat.
Once veggies have thawed toss in leftover chicken. Cook and stir for a few minutes to warm the chicken.
In a bowl, mix together 1/3 low-fat cup mayo, 1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream, 1 tbsp grated Parmesan and a 1/4 tsp each dried dill, garlic powder and ground black pepper.
Take a pita (with a pocket), cut in half. Spoon some of the sauce inside and then fill the pita with the veggie and chicken mixture.

Wednesday: Grilled Jerk Chicken

I had prepared the marinade for this Jerk Chicken on the weekend and was waiting for the weather to warm so I could get outside and grill. Wednesday served up a balmy 5 degrees celsius and that was warm enough grilling weather for me.

I can't tell you how many people have asked me for this recipe. I think it's because it's sweeter than your typical Jerk Chicken and not nearly as spicy. It's also one of my favorite dishes! As for the recipe, well you'll find that on page 71 of The Cook-a-Palooza Experience Cookbook. Hey, I can't give away all my secrets! ; )

Thursday: Spaghettini and Salad

I had a beer league hockey game at 7 pm and needed something quick for dinner. I cooked some spaghettini (thinner than spaghetti), warmed the leftover pasta sauce I had in the freezer and made a healthy lettuce, cucumber and tomato salad. Not on the meal plan. Not fancy...but good!

Friday: Mickey Dee's Southwest Chicken and Fries

Yeah, my meal plan sort of fell apart on Friday. At least what I ordered was slightly healthier than a Big Mac...that's what I'm telling myself.

Move over week #2. It's on to Week #3!!!!

If you want see what I have planned, you’ll find a picture on my menu plan on the Cookapalooza Facebook page this Sunday!

I hope you have an amazing week ahead! Feel free to tweet me or contact me on Facebook to let me know how YOUR meal plan is going for the week!

Video: 3 Cheese Jalapeño Garlic Bread for Super Bowl Sunday

2012-01-19T14:25:00.000-05:00

After watching some NFL playoff games this past weekend I started to think about SUPER BOWL and the foods I love to eat while watching the game. Garlic bread came to mind!

I had some Jalapeño Havarti cheese in the fridge and thought it would be REALLY good on garlic bread.

It was Awe...(no not again!). I mean Absolutely Delicious!!!

I went a little "AWESOME" crazy in the video (I counted 5)...got excited about this garlic bread! It happens!

The recipe below is for making it in a toaster oven. If using an oven, double the recipe because this garlic bread will disappear fast!

3 Cheese Jalapeño Garlic Bread

Sliced baguette topped with garlic paste and three types of cheese

Makes: a dozen individual slices

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

2 tbsp low fat mayonnaise

1 tbsp softened butter

1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

¼ tsp garlic powder

½ French baguette, sliced diagonally in half

½ cup shredded marble Cheddar cheese
½ cup shredded Jalapeño Havarti cheese
¼ cup chopped green onions (or use sliced pickled jalapeños for extra heat)

In a small bowl whisk together mayo, butter, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder.

Spread equal amounts of the mayo garlic mixture evenly over baguette slices. Top each slice with equal amounts of marble Cheddar cheese and Jalapeño Havarti. Sprinkle green onions on top.

Place on a baking sheet and bake in a 425º F toaster oven (or oven) until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Cut into individual slices and serve.

2 Other Super Bowl Snack Ideas

Epic 3 Cheese Nacho Dip

English Muffin Mini Pizzas

Pork Chow Mein Stir-Fry Wraps

2012-01-17T08:52:00.000-05:00

Let me ask you this?

Do you ALWAYS serve your stir-fries on rice?

That's what I usually do.

But not this time! Oh no...I wasn't about to pull out another pot and cook rice. Instead I served my pork stir-fry on a whole wheat flour tortilla and then added some crunchy toppings before wrapping it up.

For these Pork Chow Mein Stir-Fry Wraps I opted to top them with crunchy chow mein noodles. Bean sprouts, peanuts or sliced raw veggies would also be good options. The only drawback to using the chow mein noodles (at least for me) is I tend to eat a quarter of the bag before they even make it on the wrap.

I had some fun making this dish trying to look all professional flipping the pork and bell peppers in the wok by shaking the handle (my technique still needs some work as some of it ended up on the kitchen floor).

I loved how this saucy stir-fry tasted in the wrap and I didn't miss the rice (or cleaning the extra pot) one bit!

Pork Chow Mein Stir-Fry Wraps

Pork and bell pepper stir-fry topped with crunchy chow mein noodles and wrapped in a flour tortilla

Makes: 4 wraps

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp honey (use granulated sugar as a substitute)

2 tsp rice wine vinegar (use lemon juice or white vinegar as a substitute)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger or ¼ tsp ground ginger

4 pork loin chops, thinly sliced

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp cooking oil (I used peanut oil. Canola or vegetable oil will also work)

1 red or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced

¼ cup chopped green onions

4 flour whole wheat tortillas

Crunchy chow mein noodles (usually found in the international aisle of the grocery store)

In a small bowl whisk together soy sauce, honey, vinegar, garlic and ginger. Set aside. In a separate bowl toss pork with cornstarch. A two spoonfuls of soy sauce mixture to pork and toss again.

In a non-stick wok or large non-stick skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add pork. Cook a stir until pork browns and is cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add bell peppers to wok. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Return cooked pork to wok. Add green onions and stir in remaining sauce. Toss pork and peppers in sauce and remove from heat.

Spoon equal amounts of pork stir-fry on flour tortillas. Top with chow mein noodles and wrap.

2 Other Stir Fry Ideas

Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry

Spicy Peanut Pork and Noodles

Meal Plan #1 - Week in Review

2012-01-14T12:25:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday, on the Cookapalooza facebook page, I posted a picture of my weekly meal plan which I write on my kitchen blackboard.

I started doing this because for 2012 I’ve hopped on the “eat healthier” bandwagon. It's to help with my training for a local triathlon later this year. It’s also part of my 3 Big Cooking Moves for 2012 which I’ll be sharing in this upcoming week’s Cook-a-Palooza Newsletter.

Committing myself to posting my meal plan every week is a way to help me achieve my goals and also provide you with some meal planning inspiration and recipe ideas. I find there's nothing worse than starting the week not knowing what to make. It just adds extra stress, more trips to the grocery store and more money spent on takeout. Who needs that?

Here’s how week #1 went.

Monday: Omelette Quesadillas
These were a hit! It’s a simple omelette recipe, topped with salsa and cheese. The omelette is then folded in a whole wheat flour tortilla which you toast lightly in the skillet. It takes 10 minutes (start to finish) and you end up with one bad ass Quesadilla. I would share more...but I've said too much already. I'm adding this one to the e-cookbook!

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Beef Chili

I cooked this on the weekend, to have at least one weeknight meal already prepared. The recipe was decent but cooking ground beef in a slow cooker (from its raw form) is not a great idea.

The meat turned into this gross mushy texture and it was missing the wonderful flavor you get from browning the meat in the skillet. Yeah…won’t be cooking my chili this way again.

Wednesday: Vegetable Pockets

That's what was planned...somehow the kids and I ended up at Harvey’s Hamburgers. Whoops!

Thursday: Veggie Spaghettini

Spaghettini (a thinner version of spaghetti) is my new favorite pasta! For this dish you don’t cook the sauce. Instead you blend it together in a blender then add it to the warm pasta. I’m going to share this recipe in the newsletter as it's the type of recipe that fits in with those big cooking moves I referred to earlier.

Friday: Pork Peanut Stir-Fry Wraps

These were excellent!!! I ended up using crunchy chow mein noodles instead of peanuts. I’ll post the recipe and share the detail this upcoming Tuesday.

Four out of five…not too shabby for my first week!

Time to move forward to WEEK #2!!!!
If you want see what I have planned, you’ll find a picture on my menu plan on the Cookapalooza Facebook page this Sunday!

Video: Jamie Oliver's Easy Method to Making Fluffy Apple Pancakes From Scratch

2012-01-12T14:53:00.002-05:00

My first Cook-a-Palooza College of Cooking Knowledge video post of 2012!

I'm excited about this because it took some time to figure out how to re-jig how I was doing cooking videos in 2011 and make them...um... easier to "digest" (I'm trying to be nice to myself here).

In the video I share a Jamie Oliver technique on how to make pancakes from scratch without using a measuring spoon, measuring cup or recipe.

The idea is very cool!

Once you know how to do it, you'll never have to look up how to make pancakes again!

P.S - Love to hear what you think...Cheers!

Creamy Cucumber Salad: A Summer Side Dish and Healthy Winter Snack

2012-01-10T08:30:00.000-05:00

Creamy cucumber salad makes me think of summer barbecues. Since those types of feasts are still many months away, I figured this summer side dish could also pose as a healthy winter snack.

Hey, it's easy to make and much more exciting than munching on plain English cucumber slices.

A common ingredient in cucumber salad is fresh or dried dill and that could pose a problem if you're cooking at college, university or just starting your collection of herbs and spices. One way to get around this herb obstacle is to use chopped pickles and a couple teaspoons of pickle juice from the jar.

Interesting side note on the pickle juice...

I read that cyclists are drinking pickle juice to help them recover faster from long rides? Crazy bastards. Although...I shouldn't say that because I might start drinking the stuff too if this triathlon training I'm doing really starts to hurt.

Anyway, for this recipe the pickle juice is used to add a touch of sourness. The chopped pickle provides the flavor of dill and also boosts the CrUnCH factor.

You'll notice the first step in the recipe is to salt the cucumber and let it sit for 30 minutes in a strainer. The purpose of this is to help prevent the salad from getting watery when you store it in the refrigerator. However, if you're planning to eat it right away (like I did), salt the cucumber for flavor and don't sweat letting it sit for the entire 30 minutes.

Using fresh or even dried dill would definitely make this salad taste even better. If that's not an option, try this dill pickle and pickle juice substitution. The flavor of dill is more subtle but it works. I certainly didn't mind the substitution as I devoured these creamy cucumbers in one sitting.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

Cubed English cucumber tossed with chopped pickle and light creamy dressing

Makes: 1 big serving or a couple smaller ones

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: None (30 minutes to salt cucumber)
Total Time: 40 minutes (if storing in the refrigerator)

1 large English cucumber (unpeeled), cut into cubes
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup light mayonnaise
¼ cup low-fat sour cream
1 large pickle, chopped
2 tsp pickle juice (from jar)
1 tsp sugar

Freshly ground black pepper

Place cucumber in a colander or strainer and sprinkle with salt. Place over a bowl and let stand to drain for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make dressing, in a medium bowl combine mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle, pickle juice and sugar. Mix well.

In a serving bowl, toss cucumber with dressing to coat. Season with black pepper.

2 Other Cucumber Snack Ideas

Crunchy Cucumber Ricotta Salsa

Let's Shout Pickled Cucumbers

Mango Pineapple Avocado Smoothie - Cheers to a Healthy New Year!

2012-01-03T09:12:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

I hope you were able to take time and recharge your batteries over the holidays so you have bounds of energy to carry out your big plans in 2012!

Over the holidays I set some goals of my own. Here are just a few:

For this blog: Over the last week I was jotting down recipe ideas like crazy! Haven't a clue how they will taste but I'm looking forward to testing them and sharing the winners with you!

For Newsletter and Facebook Subscribers: Looking back at 2011 I feel like I've let you down. In 2012 I’ll be doing WAY more for you. You kindly subscribed and deserve more.

For College and University Students: I have a new e-cookbook for you that’s focused on making your college cooking experience not totally suck. It'll be ready very soon! I'm also planning to visit more colleges and universities this year to cook with both new students and those who will be graduating in the spring and getting ready to start the next leg of their adventure in life.

As for myself, I'll be training for a local sprint triathlon taking place in June. I didn't train an ounce over the holidays (and ate way too many sweets) so I’m off to a slow start.

My biggest struggle with eating healthy is choosing smart snacks.

When I'm hungry I often reach for junk food so my plan is to blend more fruit smoothies and avoid the roller coaster ride I experience from eating sweets. This Mango Pineapple Avocado Smoothie only requires 3 ingredients so it's quick and easy to pull together.

The mango and pineapple juice provide lots of sweetness and the avocado makes it nice and thick! The bonus is avocado happens to be one of the healthiest fruits you can eat as they have been proven to help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol. That should help reduce the suffering through the run portion of my triathlon (at least that's what I'm telling myself).

Cheers and here's to a fantastic food-filled and healthy 2012!

Mango Pineapple Avocado Smoothie
A thick and healthy avocado, mango and pineapple smoothie

Makes: 1 smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: none

Total Time: 5 minutes

1½ cups pineapple juice
¾ cup frozen mango
½ avocado, pitted and peeled

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Other Smoothie Ideas
Chocolate Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie
Apple-Cinnamon Smoothie
Peaches and Cream Smoothie

Blueberry French Toast Casserole for the Holidays!

2011-12-22T12:24:00.001-05:00

As you may already know from reading this blog, I have a place near and dear to my heart (and stomach) for breakfast. Over the holidays I can’t think of anything better than having breakfast aromas fill the house in the morning!

I'm not a high energy morning person, so when I do prepare breakfast that involves more than pouring cereal into a bowl, I lean towards recipes that require little use of my half asleep brain. That’s half the reason why I was drawn to this French Toast Casserole recipe. It doesn't require much alertness in the morning because you prepare it the night before.

In the morning, you just place it in the oven.

The original recipe came from my wife's friend (who I hope doesn't mind me sharing it). She made it for a party and my wife raved about how good it was! That's the other half of the reason why I was drawn to it (if you're keeping track).

I wanted to prepare this recipe in a smaller dish than the original recipe called for, so I made some notes in my recipe notebook.

I ended up baking it in an 8x8 baking dish instead of the larger 9x13 dish. If you're planning to make this casserole for a larger group (that’s what I’ll be doing on New Year’s morning), use the 9x13 dish and double the recipe provided below. Also if you're using the larger size dish, it's not necessary to cube the bread, you can use full slices.

It’s excellent topped with Greek yogurt (I’m addicted to this stuff ever since I learned how to make it at home) and maple syrup. It’s sort of sweet on its own so you may want to consider going easy on the syrup.

I don’t think I’ll have a chance to post again over the holidays so I want to wish you a VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!

Thank you so much for being part of Cook-a-Palooza in 2011! I’ve been jotting down recipe ideas in my notebook for the New Year so I hope you'll swing by again in 2012 to check them out, share your comments and give em a try!
See ya soon! - Brent

Blueberry French Toast Casserole

Cubes of cinnamon French toast baked in a casserole with fresh blueberries

Makes: 3 to 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes (prepared the night before)
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

¼ cup brown sugar

½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp butter, melted
6 slices (slightly stale bread) cut up into cubes
½ cup milk
2 eggs
Pinch of salt
½ cup fresh blueberries

In a large bowl combine sugar, cinnamon and butter. Add bread cubes and toss to coat. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs and salt.

Spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Add half the bread cubes and spread across the bottom of dish. Top with blueberries. Cover blueberries with remaining bread cubes. Pour milk mixture over top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bake in a 350F oven for 20 minutes.

Make Your Own Greek Yogurt (on the cheap)

2011-12-16T09:25:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week I shared a Citrus Fruit Salad recipe and topped it with Greek yogurt.

Greek yogurt, which is actually drained yogurt, has a rich creamy texture similar to full fat sour cream. Its slightly bitter flavor works really well as a healthy topping on sweet fresh fruit, waffles, or fruit filled crepes (mmm...crepes!).

The drawback is Greek yogurt can be expensive and your local grocery store may not even stock it. No worries…as promised here’s a step by step on how you can make your own Greek yogurt on the cheap.

Step 1: Purchase a quart of 1% plain yogurt. This quart cost me $1.99. The same size Greek Yogurt was $4.39

Step 2: Line a colander with cheesecloth. I don’t have cheesecloth so I use a cotton tea towel that’s loosely woven and made of a fairly thin material. If the tea towel is too thick it'll soak up the water instead of letting it drain through...it still works. Make sure the tea towel is 100% cotton as some synthetic materials are not food safe. Pour the yogurt into the cloth.

Step 3: Place the colander in a large bowl and let the yogurt drain overnight in the refrigerator.

Your smooth and creamy Greek yogurt will be waiting for you in the morning! Sweeten it with a little sugar or enjoy it as is and use as a topping.

Cranberry Citrus Fruit Salad

2011-12-13T10:32:00.002-05:00

What’s your FAVORITE meal of the day?

Breakfast? Lunch? Dinner?

I’m a big breakfast person and one thing I love to have with it is fresh fruit salad!

When I was living at home or returning to my parents place during Christmas break (while at university) I’d be one happy camper when my mom would make a big bowl of it! It’s been months since I’ve made fruit salad for myself so I thought it was about time to get some fruit in a bowl and mix it together.

For this Cranberry Citrus Fruit Salad I combined grapefruit, tangerines, chopped pineapple and dried cranberries. I was originally going to use sliced bananas instead of cranberries but nixed that idea. The cranberries add extra color, their bitterness works well with the sweet fruit and I like their chewy texture.

For a topping I used Greek yogurt and man was it good!!!

Greek yogurt has this amazing creamy texture which works really well as a topping. The only drawback is it’s expensive. Recently I learned how to make my own (on the cheap) using plain 1% yogurt. It’s really easy to do. In my next post I share how you can make your own as well.

If you don’t have Greek yogurt, don’t sweat it. This fruit salad tastes just fine on its own!

Cooking Song Suggestion: I sort of killed the experience of making this fruit salad by listening to the boring radio. A better option would have been listening to my favorite Christmas tune "Mele Kalikimaka" by Bing Crosby. I first heard this song watching the movie Christmas Vacation and have loved it ever since!

Mele Kalikimaka by Bing Crosby on Grooveshark

Cranberry Citrus Fruit Salad

Grapefruit, tangerines, pineapple and dried cranberries in a sweet fruit salad

Makes: 3 to 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: Nada
Total Time: 10 minutes

1 grapefruit, peeled and sections cut into thirds

2 tangerines, peeled and sections cut into thirds
2 cups chopped pineapple
¼ cupped dried cranberries
¼ cup apple juice
1 tbsp honey

Greek yogurt
Extra dried cranberries

In a medium bowl, combine grapefruit, tangerines, pineapple and cranberries (add the juice you get from the grapefruit).

Stir in apple juice and honey.

Serve in a small bowl and top with Greek yogurt and extra dried cranberries.

Gift Card Giveaway Winners!!!

2011-12-09T10:08:00.002-05:00

I would like to thank all of you who took the time to check out the first draft of my e-cookbook called College and University Cooking 101. I appreciate it very much!

However only Courtney Schram and Jennifer Milne shared their thoughts via email and that's how you got entered into the draw.

Courtney and Jennifer...you both will be receiving a $25 Gift Card of your choice!

Congratulations to you both!

Chocolate Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie - Picking a Fight with Overeating and Stress

2011-12-08T09:35:00.000-05:00

I’ve been reading a book called Chef MD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine by John La Puma, M.D. and Rebecca Powell Marx. What I’ve found really interesting, is how you can trick your stomach into thinking it's full and curb your urge to chow down on large quantities of food (especially when you're stressed).

Drinking smoothies is one way you can fool your stomach.

According to the authors, the thick liquid of a smoothie helps expand the stomach which dupes it into thinking it is full. That’s something a thinner liquid such as water or juice can’t do for you.

Keep in mind eating solid food will keep you feeling full for a longer period of time. However on days when you’re in a rush in the morning, a smoothie such as this 3 ingredient Chocolate Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie can fill the void for at least a few hours.

By far my favorite thing about making smoothies is it requires zero thinking. That's extra comforting when you have a lot on your mind like exams or overall holiday stress.

Another way to bust the stress is to simply breathe.

No, I don’t mean the short shallow breathes required to keep you kicking around on this planet with the rest of us. I’m talking deep deep breathes created by exhaling all the air out of your lungs. It’s very relaxing!

I thought of a couple song suggestions that’ll remind you to exhale while blending your breakfast smoothie.

Song Suggestions:

The first is “Breathe” by Prodigy. Go with this song if you like to get super pumped in the morning! I love the lyrics “breathe the pressure…come play my game, I’ll test ya”. Them's fighting words. They dare you to inhale all the pressure and then “kick ass” on whatever is testing you and causing stress!
Prodigy - Breathe by Prodigy - Breathe on Grooveshark

“Just Breathe” by Pearl Jam is a better choice if you prefer to combat stress by surrounding yourself with a more calming atmosphere.
Just Breathe by Pearl Jam on Grooveshark

How do you deal with stress? Energizing music? Calming sounds? Deep breathing? Talking to a friend? Punching out a pillow? Would love to hear your comments.

Chocolate Strawberry Breakfast Smoothie
Chocolate milk, strawberries and almond flavored tofu in a thick smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: nada
Total Time: 5 minutes

1 cup chocolate milk
½ cup almond flavored tofu (you can also use plain tofu or a banana)
Big handful of frozen or fresh strawberries

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.
(Add in 1 tbsp of liquid honey for a sweeter smoothie)

Other Breakfast Smoothie Ideas:

Apple Cinnamon Smoothie
Strawberry Almond Smoothie
Smoothies Made Simple (Video)

Roll-up Your Nacho Dip and Survive Your Final Exams

2011-12-06T10:02:00.001-05:00

Term papers, assignments and final exams.

I recall a time when I was in that situation. I was really bad for leaving things until the last minute and often found myself in survival mode. I’d start searching for the easiest path to passing my finals. Not a great strategy but it did pay off once.

In my second year some friends and I "happened upon" the final exam to one of our courses. It was from the year before but we learned the professor was lazy (just like us) and didn’t change his exam questions. We all aced it.

I know...I know...that's no way to approach finals.

Although it was the calmest I ever was going into an exam.

Obviously I'm not the best source for proper studying habits. I noticed Isa over at Community College Success is much more knowledgeable than me on this topic and has some smart tips on how to ace your finals.

However this time of year isn't only about studying. It's also about eating right so you don't get sick or cause your brain to go into slow chug mode because you've been surviving on Cheetos, free pizza and candy bars.

A better snack option would be the low-fat Nacho Dip recipe I shared in my last post. The only issue is it's kind of addictive and you might end up wolfing it all down in one sitting.

I was thinking a better option might be to roll-up the dip in flour tortillas. That way you can make a bunch of these Nacho Dip Roll-Ups and store them in your fridge. Eat a whole one when you need a quick bite or slice them into smaller pieces for an easy snack and get on with the important stuff.

Song Suggestions:
Alright I have a couple "survivor" inspired songs here for you. Think of them as confidence boosting music to have playing in the background while making these roll-ups and studying for exams.

"Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor. This is for you Rocky Balboa types or for those who like that music "montage" feel while studying. They played this song in an episode of Big Bang Theory where Sheldon and Raj are trying to figure out an equation. Too funny!
Eye Of The Tiger by Survivor on Grooveshark

For the strong confident young lady, "Survivor" by Destiny's Child. Imagine you have the confidence of Beyoncé in a music video and nothing can stop you from acing your exams! You go girl!
Survivor by Destiny's Child on Grooveshark

Nacho Dip Roll-ups

Low-fat nacho dip rolled in a flour tortilla and sliced into individual servings

Makes: 8 to 10 roll-ups that you can eat as is or slice into smaller snacks

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: nada
Total Time: 15 minutes

1 carton (16 oz / 500 g) low-fat cottage cheese
1 package (8 oz / 250 g) light cream cheese, softened
1 cup (packed) shredded old cheddar cheese (4 oz / 113 g)¾ cup chunky-style medium salsa
¼ cup chopped green onions
8 to 10 flour tortillas

In a medium bowl, combine cottage cheese and cream cheese. Mix well. Gently stir in cheddar cheese, salsa and green onions.

Lay out tortillas. Spread cheese mixture evenly across each tortilla. Roll up tortillas.

Lightly dampen 8 to 10 sheets of paper towel (depending on how many you make). Wrap each tortilla roll in one. Refrigerate.

Just before serving, remove paper towel and slice into 1-inch pieces.

More study snack ideas for you.
Three "Mildly Healthy" Late Night Study Snacks
Salami and Cheese Salad
Toaster Oven Study Snacks - Video

Epic 3 Cheese Nacho Dip - Cook-a-Palooza College of Cooking Knowledge (#13)

2011-11-24T08:13:00.001-05:00

We often prepare this Nacho Dip at my college and university cooking events because it's easy, decently healthy (light cheese, lettuce, tomatoes) and I know it's "epic" because it disappears very quickly when the students get to sample the food we make!

At those events, I suggest to the group that an easy way to expand your social (and dating) network is to be the person who brings this nacho dip to the party, movie night or study session. I'm not overstating things when I say...you will be loved!!!

In this week's video I share how make it.

I also want to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to all of you in the U.S....enjoy your turkey!

New e-Cookbook for College and University Students and Three $25 Gift Cards to Give Away

2011-11-22T10:50:00.057-05:00

The semester is coming to an end which means it's crunch-time for you college and university students faced with final exams.

The key to acing exams is keeping your energy levels up. In my first year I made the mistake of relying on coffee to keep me going. I turned into this blabbering idiot (I had never consumed that much coffee before) and I'm not entirely sure how I made it through exams without crashing.

There is a better way.

You can prevent your energy (and mood) from going on a roller coaster ride during exams, simply by feeding your brain and body healthy food. It's a much better approach than relying on coffee, energy drinks and sugary snacks.

If you’re on a meal plan, YOU’RE SET! Just fill your tray with the healthy options available to you. I've visited a number of campuses over the last couple years and noticed most are working hard to feed you well.

If you’re preparing your OWN meals, I've recently posted recipes you and your friends (who also have to cook) can use to fuel your brain with healthy food during exams.

To give you some background, over the last year I’ve been putting together an e-cookbook for students. The recipes are based on feedback I've received from students who have attended my cooking events.

Students have told me they want:

1. Healthy meals that take under 30 minutes to make
2. Recipes with budget-friendly ingredients
3. LOTS of ingredient substitution ideas because they don't stock a lot of food.

I created the recipes based on these 3 themes and also added one other important feature...

Since many students are still learning how to cook, they're not fully aware of some of the tips and tricks they can use to speed up the process. To address this, with each recipe there's a link to a cooking video that shares cooking skills like the ones I teach at my events.

That way EVEN if you’re a new cook, you can make the recipes and make them FAST!

The e-cookbook is called Cook-a-Palooza’s Starving Student Guide to: College and University Cooking 101. It'll be ready in January 2012.

In the meantime I’ve posted a sample of this e-cookbook online. The sample includes 3 quick and easy recipes you (and your friends) can whip up during this busy time.

The sample is free and there is no requirement to submit any personal information. To view the recipes you can either click the title page you see in the sidebar or follow this link to cookapalooza.com

Alright, I've done my part to keep you eating healthy and staying energized during your exams. Now you just have to study. What's your best study tip?

Answer 3 Quick Questions About this Sample for a Chance to Win 1 of 3 $25 Gift Cards!

I'm gathering feedback on the sample to find out how it can best serve your cooking needs as a student. I've posted 3 quick questions about the sample and if you share your responses you’ll have a shot at WINNING 1 of 3 $25.00 Gift Cards I'm giving away.

The BEST part is if you win, you get to decide what kind of gift card you get! It could be for music, movies, clothes, groceries, electronics or maybe even donate the money to your favourite charity. It's up to you!

Check out the sample for details on how to enter. The winner will be announced on December 9th, 2011. Don't miss out!

Easy Pork and Vegetable Stir-Fry (How to Make) - Cook-a-Palooza College of Cooking Knowledge (#12)

2011-11-17T10:06:00.002-05:00

This Pork and Vegetable Stir-Fry episode is for my all-time favorite cooking show host Stephen Yan who started a small Canadian cooking show in the '80s called "Wok with Yan" (ignore my claim in the video where I say the show began in the '70s...totally wrong on that one). His show became so popular that he ended up on shows like Letterman, Good Morning America and Regis and Kelly.

What I loved about him was he would crack jokes the whole time he was preparing the food. I also loved his cooking aprons. There was a different "wok pun" on them for each show. The classic one was "Wok the Heck" and there were others like "Over Wok, Under Pay".

He provided tons of cooking inspiration for me growing up and I've always admired his approach to cooking. I'm trying to follow in his footsteps to keep it healthy and fun...let me know how I do ; ).

Links Mentioned:

How to dice a bell pepper quickly without a mess

College & University Cooking 101 - Free Sample

Wok with Yan Cooking Video