Kumquat Mojito

by on May 23, 2013

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It’s summer. Where I live, that means multiple consecutive weeks of 100+ degree heat. It means overworked air conditioners, being out of town as much as possible, and ice cold drinks. And of the legion of refreshing alcoholic beverages clamoring for your attention, may I humbly suggest you try this one? It’s incredible. A friend gave me the recipe, and it’s amazing. Subtle kumquat muddled with refreshing mint and a background of white rum? How can that be anything but awesome? So give it a try and treat yourself to this incredible summer drink.

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Garlicky Green Beans

by on May 20, 2013

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After the incredibly rich (and tasty!) brown butter snickerdoodles I last posted, I’m sure you all want something healthy this time. After the insane amount of ribs and birthday cake I ate on Saturday night, I DEFINITELY need something healthy. So you’re all getting a quick, easy, and quite tasty side dish I made last week. It’s an Eating Well recipe, changed up a bit for my personal tastes. Some lemon for a little tang, some basil for flavor, and, of course, more garlic. Though I don’t think anyone who follows this blog is at ALL surprised by me adding more garlic to something. One day, I swear I’ll create garlic infused garlic stuffed with garlic, wrapped in bacon.

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Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

by on May 17, 2013

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How can you make a snickerdoodle better? Well, by adding browned butter! Browning is the secret to making almost anything better. Toasting spices, searing meat, getting out a cool little hand torch for the top of a creme brulee, caramelization and maillard reaction add tons of flavor. So when I saw the idea of browning the butter when making these snickerdoodles, I HAD to try them. And they were definitely worth trying. And trying again. That little plate of cookies didn’t last long, I’m afraid.

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Sweet Peas, Asparagus, and Shells Alfredo

by on May 14, 2013

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Today’s recipe is a great spring pasta recipe. It includes asparagus, peas, mint, and lemon. You can throw all kinds of other vegetables in it, as well. Some diced carrots, cucumbers, green beans, or leeks would go great in this dish as well. Get whole grain shells, add some cooked chicken or tuna in for a protein… this dish is extremely adaptable, plus it’s almost a one-pot meal. Pot-and-a-colander meal? Is that a thing?

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Chili-Spiced Asparagus

by on May 11, 2013

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This is a recipe I cooked as a side to a quick dinner last night, and it’s both simple and fantastic. The basic idea of it is cooking the asparagus in a skillet with a little water, which cooks off, and finishing it with a little chili powder, garlic, vinegar, and salt. It’s a very basic recipe, and extremely open to adaption and variation. Want to add some more spice? Throw in a little cayenne as well, or a squirt of sriracha. Want to give it an asian flare? Toss in some soy sauce and ginger instead of chili powder and salt. Going for a Mexican theme? Grab a little taco seasoning, maybe a little cumin. Decide that it’s just a little TOO healthy? Throw in some crumbled bacon and maybe a little cheese. Mmm bacon…

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Banh-Mi

by on May 7, 2013

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It’s Technique Tuesday again, and today we’re going to talk about marinating. There are many ways to flavor meats before cooking (marinating, brining, injecting, and rubs), and all have different purposes. Brining, for example, adds moisture by trapping moisture in the meat. Marinates, on the other hand, are a mixture of an acid (vinegar, citrus, wine) and a base (oil, yogurt, honey) that imparts strong flavors. Since marinates don’t penetrate deep into the meat the way a brine does, it works best on thin or already cut meats, shellfish, and vegetables. That’s why we cut the pork loin into 1/2 inch wide pieces before marinating, though we’ll cut it thinner after we cook it. The marinate which flavors the banh-mi is fantastic, though you can vary it to your tastes. Extra garlic? Always. Throw in some chili paste, sriracha, or gochujang for spice? Definitely. Change it up a bit, and let me know how it works for you all.

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Strawberry Orange Margarita

by on May 4, 2013

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It’s almost Cinco de Mayo, strawberries are everywhere, it’s over 90 degrees outside… yes, it’s definitely time for strawberry margaritas. This year, I’ve been on a bit of a muddled drink kick. And who can blame me? You get to eat alcohol-infused fruit at the end of your drink. It’s kind of like dessert, with a kick.

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Basil Pea Crostini with Tomato and Prosciutto

by on May 2, 2013

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I’m sure everyone is familiar with trying to use up something before it goes bad. Things get a little more interesting when said item is a basil-pea puree. Tasty, definitely, but a little odd to create something with. So I had the idea of putting it over crostini with tomatoes, prosciutto, and some Italian herbs. Turns out that it was a pretty good idea! If you don’t want to make the basil-pea puree for this dish, feel free to leave it off. Prosciutto tomato crostini are still pretty good, or you could add cheese. A layer of pecorino-romano would add a nice salty flavor, or throw some fresh mozarella between the tomato and prosciutto. It’s up to you… I promise not to judge. Unless you put anchovies on there. Ick.

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Roasted Strawberry Balsamic Salad

by on April 30, 2013

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Tomorrow is National Salad Day, so I wanted to post a fabulous salad for everyone to try. It came about because of a sale at the grocery store… and my need for strawberries for strawberry margaritas. My desire for tequila-infused strawberries lead to a really great salad dressing recipe… who would have guessed? Maybe next, a bacon craving will lead to a healthy whole grain casserole… [click to continue…]

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Spicy Korean Chex Mix

by on April 30, 2013

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I first made this rather odd combination for a Superbowl party. I was making Korean bbq short rib tacos, and had leftover bbq sauce so decided to try it on some Chex mix, to make a spicy, Asian-style snack for the game. It doesn’t have the intial “wow” of other appetizers, but then you realize you just… can’t… stop… eating it! So here it is, and I wish you better luck than I have at stopping.

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Warning: there will be deliriously unhealthy food here. There will be wholesome, nurturing cooking here. There will most definitely be crazy ideas, harebrained schemes, and madness. Continue at your own peril.

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