Monthly Archives: April 2010

Vegetables

Peppers And Eggs

Seven Large Eggs Beaten

A Large Red Bell Pepper Cut Into Strips

1/4 Cup Diced Spanish Onion

Two Garlic Cloves Minced

1/2 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

A Teaspoon Of Sea Salt

A Tablespoon Of Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Into a 12 -14 inch non-stick saute pan, add the olive oil, cut red peppers, crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper, and the sea salt. Cook on medium low heat for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the diced onion to the saute pan. Stir to incorporate the onion with the peppers.

Add the minced garlic to the beaten eggs and whisk until blended. 

Add the eggs to the saute pan spreading them out evenly. Turn the heat up to medium high. Without stirring, cook the eggs until the edges begin to set.

After the edges of the egg mixture have set, place the saute pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until the eggs are cooked. The top of the egg mixture should be firm to the touch.

Pasta

Fettucine With Ricotta Cheese And Spinach

Fettucine with Ricotta Cheese and Spinach

Another name for this dish is “inside out ravioli”. You can substitute bow tie pasta for the fettucine. Add chopped broccoli to the pasta pot during the last five minutes of cooking time for added flavor and substance.

18 Ounces Of Baby Spinach

1 1/2 Cups Of Whole Milk Or Part Skim Ricotta Cheese

1 1/2 Pounds Fettucine Pasta

Two Garlic Cloves Minced

1/4 Teaspoon Of Ground Nutmeg

1/4 Teaspoon Of Ground Black Pepper

1/4 Teaspoon Of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Four Tablespoons Of Grated Romano Cheese

Two Teaspoons Of Sea Salt

1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Basil

1/2 Cup Of Pasta Cooking Water

Cook the fettucine pasta according to the package instructions in a pot of salted water.  Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

Into a large sauce pan, add the olive oil, the sea salt, garlic, ground black pepper, and the crushed red pepper flakes. Cook on medium heat for one minute. Add the spinach 6 ounces at a time and cook on medium heat until all of the spinach has wilted down. Add the basil, ricotta cheese, nutmeg and the Romano cheese. Stir to incorporate all of the ingredients.  Turn the heat down to low and simmer this spinach and cheese mixture for 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally until the cheese thickens slightly.

Add the fettucine and the reserved pasta water to the spinach and cheese mixture. Cook for 3 minutes on medium heat stirring frequently until the pasta gets coated with the sauce. Taste and add more black pepper, red pepper, sea salt, and/or Romano cheese if desired.

Sauces and Dressings

Puttanesca Sauce

Puttanesca Sauce

This spicy, rich tomato sauce can be made in 40 minutes.

Two Garlic Cloves Minced

Two Tablespoons Of Diced Spanish Onion

A Tablespoon Of Anchovy Paste

A Teaspoon Of Crushed Red Pepper

3/4 Cup Of Kalamata Olives Pitted And Cut In Half

Two Tablespoons Of Capers

Six Ounces Of Tomato Paste

28 Ounces Of San Marzano Tomatoes Hand Crushed With Can Juice

Two Tablespoons Of Chopped Italian Parsley

A Teaspoon Of Sea Salt

Two Tablespoons Of Olive Oil

Into a sauce pan, add the olive oil, crushed red papper flakes, anchovy paste, and the sea salt. Cook on medium high heat for one minute stirring frequently. Add the onions and garlic. Cook for an additional minute stirring frequently. Add the olives and capers. Cook for one minute stirring frequently. Add the tomato paste. Cook for one minute stirring frequently. Add the crushed tomatoes and can juice. Stir to incorporate all of the ingredients.  Lower the heat to low and simmer with the lid on the pan about 3/4 of the way for 40 minutes.

After 40 minutes, taste and add more sea salt and/or crushed red pepper flakes if desired. Add the chopped parsley and stir to incorporate.

Serve over your favorite pasta or as a dipping sauce for fried mozzarella sticks, seafood, or eggplant.

Vegetables

Easy Oven Potato Fries

Six Yukon Gold Potatoes Washed With The Skins Left On Cut Into Wedges About One Inch Thick And Two Inches Long

A Tablespoon Of Paprika

Two Teaspoons Of Red Cayenne Pepper

Three Teaspoons Of Sea Salt

Four Tablespoons Of Olive Oil

Into a large mixing bowl, add the cut potatoes and the olive oil. Mix thoroughly to coat each potato wedge with the olive oil. Add the paprika, red cayenne pepper, and the sea salt. Mix to coat all of the potato wedges with the dried spices.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Spread the potaotes out evenly on the baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake the potatoes for 1 and 1/2 hours or until they are golden brown.

Poultry

Grilled Turkey Burgers

Two Pounds Of Ground Turkey Breast

3/4 Cup Of Panko Breadcrumbs

A Tablespoon Of Ketchup

A Tablespoon Of A1 Steak Sauce

Two Teaspoons Of Worcestershire Sauce

Two Teaspoons Of Dijon Mustard

A Teaspoon Of Tabasco Sauce

1/2 Teaspoon Of Red Cayenne Pepper

A Teaspoon Of Onion Powder

A Teaspoon Of Garlic Powder

Two Teaspoons Of Sea Salt

Two Teaspoons Of Paprika

Add all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, mix until well blended.

Form the turkey meat mixture into 1/4 pound patties. Refrigerate the burgers for at least one hour.

Cook the burgers on a hot gas or charcoal grill for 6-7 minutes on each side turning only once. The burgers are cooked when the centers of the patties are firm to the touch. 

Serve on kaiser rolls with your favorite condiments.

Soups and Stews

Chili Con Carne

Two Pounds Of Ground Beef (Preferably 85% Meat 15% Fat)

A Twelve Ounce Can Of Tomato Paste

3/4 Cup Of Diced Spanish Onions

A Diced Jalapeno Pepper (With Ribs And Seeds)

Two Garlic Cloves Minced

A 15 Ounce Can Of Black Beans

Three Cups Of Chicken Stock

Three Tablespoons Of Chili Powder

A Teaspoon Of Red Cayenne Pepper

A Teaspoon Of Paprika

1/2 Teaspoon Of Dried Oregano

1/2 Teaspoon Of Ground Cinnamon

A Teaspoon Of Ground Cumin

Two Teaspoons Of Sea Salt

Two Tablespoons Of Canola Oil

Into A Dutch oven, add the canola oil and the ground beef. Cook on medium heat stirring frequently until the meat is browned. When the meat is browned, push the ground beef to the side of the pot. Add the onions, jalapeno pepper, and garlic. Cook for three minutes. Stir the vegetables and the meat together to combine all of these ingredients. Add the chili powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, oregano, cinnamon, cumin, and sea salt to the Dutch oven. Stir well to combine the dried spices with the meat mixture. Cook for one minute. Add the tomato paste. Stir to incorporate the tomato paste with the ground beef and the vegetables. Cook for an additional minute. Add the chicken stock and the black beans. Stir to incorporate all of the ingedients in the pot.

Cover halfway and simmer for thirty minutes stirring occasionally. Taste and add more sea salt and/or cayenne pepper if desired. Serve with grated cheddar cheese and/or sour cream.

Seafood

Grilled Seafood Tacos

10 Corn Or Flour Tortillas

5 Wooden Or Metal Skewers

A Pound Of Cleaned And Deveined Shrimp

Two Tilapia Or Red Snapper Filets

A Tablespoon Of Coarsely Chopped Red Onions

A Tablespoon Of Coarsely Chopped Scallions

A Peeled Garlic Clove Cut In Half

A Tablespoon Of Coarsely Chopped Fresh Cilantro

The Juice Of 1/2 Lime

A Teaspoon Of Chile Powder

A Teaspoon Of Cumin

A Teaspoon Of Dried Oregano

A Teaspoon Of Red Cayenne Pepper

1 1/2 Teaspoons Of Sea Salt

Two Tablespoons Of Canola Oil

Two Large Food Storage Bags

Into a mixing bowl, add the red onions, scallions, garlic, cilantro, the lime juice, chile powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, sea salt and the canola oil. Whisk until well blended.

Add the fish filets and the shrimp to the mixing bowl. Toss to coat the fish and the shrimp with the marinade. Add the fish, shrimp, and the marinade to the food storage bags. Refrigerate the fish and the shrimp for one hour.

Pat the fish and the shrimp with a paper towel to remove any excess marinade. Place the shrimp on skewers. Grill the fish and the shrimp on a hot gas or charcoal grill for about seven minutes on each side turning only one time. When cooked, the fish should be white in color and firm to the touch. The shrimp should be pink in color.

Cut the fish into strips. Remove the shrimp from the skewers. Serve in tortillas with your favorite condiments such as guacamole and/or tomato salsa.

Poultry

Grilled Marinated Chicken Breasts

Four Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

A Clove Of Minced Garlic

A Whole Lemon

1/2 Cup Of Olive Oil

Two Sprigs Of Fresh Thyme

Two Sprigs Of Fresh Italian Parsley

1/2 Teaspoon Of Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Of Ground Black Pepper

Into a large plastic storage bag, add the garlic, the juice of the lemon, the olive oil, the thyme, the parsley, the sea salt, and the pepper. Place the chicken breasts in the bag and shake the bag to coat the chicken breasts with the lemon, olive oil, and the herb mixture. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Place the chicken breasts on a hot gas or charcoal grill. Cook for 8-10 minutes on each side or until no longer pink in the middle turning only once.  Let the chicken sit covered loosely with aluminum foil for 10 minutes before carving.

Pork and Lamb

Grilled Lamb Chops With Yellow Mustard And Olive Oil

8 Loin Lamb Chops

Two Tablespoons Of Garlic Powder

6 Ounces Of Yellow Mustard

6 Ounces of Olive Oil

Using a fork, pierce the lamb chops in several places on each chop. Place the lamb chops in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the lamb chops on both sides with the garlic powder. Whisk together the mustard and olive oil in a seperate bowl until smooth and well blended. Pour the mustard and olive oil mixture over the lamb chops in the large mixing bowl. Using your hands, rub the mustard and olive oil mixture all over the meat. Refrigerate the lamb chops for two hours. Let the meat sit out at room temperature at least thirty minutes before cooking on the grill.

Place the lamb chops on a hot charcoal or gas grill. Cook for 8-10  minutes on each side turning the lamb chops only once.  Cook until an internal temperature of 135 degrees is attained. Let the chops sit for at least 10 minutes covered loosely with aluminum foil before serving.

Rice

Oven Rice

1 1/2 Cups Of Arborio Rice

3 1/4 Cups Of Chicken Stock

Roughly Two Tablespoons Of Spanish Chorizo Sausage (With The Outer Skin Removed)

One Large Tomato Diced

One Roasted Red Bell Pepper Diced

Two Garlic Cloves Minced

1/2 Cup Of Diced Spanish Onion

A Teaspoon Of Paprika

A Teaspoon Of Dried Oregano

1/4 Teaspoon Of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1 1/2 Teaspoons Of Sea Salt

A Tablespoon Of Chopped Fresh Italian Parsley

Into a Dutch oven, add the olive oil and the chorizo sausage. Cook the sausage on low heat for five minutes. Remove the sausage onto a paper towel to drain. After the sausage has cooled, dice it into 1/4 inch cubes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add the tomato,  roasted red bell pepper, garlic, onion, paprika, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and the parsley to the hot olive oil. Turn the heat up to medium high. Cook while stirring frequently for 10 minutes.  Add the rice. Mix well so that the rice gets coated with the olive oil, vegetables, and the spices. Add the chicken stock. Stir once to incorporate all of the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil and cover.

Place the covered pot into the pre-heated oven.  Cook for 40 minutes until the rice is cooked through.

Garnish with the crispy chorizo sausage and serve.