Oatmeal Waffles

This morning, I made waffles for breakfast.  I cheated and used pancake/waffle mix, but I didn't quite have enough batter for both Ryan and me to eat.  I ended up grinding some oats to a fine powder using the coffee grinder.  I added the powder to the batter along with a little more milk and oil to give the batter the correct consistency.  I topped my waffles with peanut butter, a little syrup, and strawberries!  This gave the waffles a savory, sweet, and fruity flavor.  They were delicious, but the oats made them a bit more crumbly than I'd like.  However, I think they filled me up better than regular waffles, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to stay full longer.  So I consider them a success...just wish they weren't so crumbly.  Also, now I really want to try some other waffle recipes.

Home-grown

Mmmm!  I love home-grown veggies!  My container garden has been through a lot (including a move to a new state), but it has survived.  I have ONE pepper and lots of tomatoes.  I also have three tiny cucumbers!  My yellow squash has flowered at least three times, but not squash yet.  My zucchini died...as did my radishes and green onion.  My carrots have lots of green leaves showing, but I'm too scared to pull any up yet.  Here are some pictures:

Cucumbers (3 little ones)

Sweet Pepper (only 1)

Tomatoes (multiple cherry and regular-sized ones)

Basil (also in the container: cilantro, parsley, and oregano)

The tomatoes are DELICIOUS!  I can't wait for the green ones to turn red...they're not producing fast enough for me.  Hehe.  :)

Beef and Kale Stew

I was never a fan of stew, but here I am giving it a second chance.  And I'm glad I did.  This has to be the best stew I've ever had.  Other ideas for this stew include adding cremini mushrooms or serving it over cooked quinoa.

Beef and Kale Stew

2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1 T garlic powder
2 t dried thyme
1 t dried rosemary
1 t dried oregano
2 large carrots, slicked
2 large celery stalks
1 lb beef stew meat
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 c beef stock
2 T marsala wine
4 c thinly sliced kale
1 T red wine vinegar
Sea salt (total of about 1 t) and pepper

In a large skillet or pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions, green onions, garlic, and some sea salt; saute for 5 minutes.  Add dried thyme, rosemary, oregano, carrots, and celery; saute for 5 more minutes.  Then add stew meat, and continue to saute for an additional 5 minutes.  Add diced tomatoes, beef stock, and marsala wine; bring to a boil.  Then cover and reduce heat to low or medium-low.  Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the kale, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and cook an additional 5 minutes.

Cooking the veggies!

Rice, Black Bean, and Feta Salad

I really think this recipe could use some red in it--maybe some tomato or red pepper.  Next time.  Still very good.

Rice, Black Bean, and Feta Salad

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1-1/2 c. cooked brown rice
1/2 c. celery, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1/2 c. green onion, diced
3.5 oz crumbled feta cheese
1/2 c. Zesty Italian dressing
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Mix everything together.  Refrigerate for a few hours and enjoy!

Indian Curry

Ryan and I often make Thai curry, but for a change we decided to try out an Indian curry recipe we found in The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook.  Here it is with a few adjustments we made.

Indian Curry

2 t ground cumin
1 t ground coriander
1 t curry powder
1/2 t turmeric
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 T oilve oil
1 medium onion, diced
Sea salt
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
about 30 baby carrots, sliced
1 can coconut milk
1 T tomato paste
4 c thinly sliced kale

MIx cumin, coriander, curry powder, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.  Heat oil in a large skillet.  Saute the onion with a little sea salt for 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic, seasoning mix, and a little sea salt.  Saute for another 2 minutes; then add the chicken.  Saute for another 5 minutes.  Add carrots, coconut milk and tomato paste.  Stir well.  Cover and simmer on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add sliced kale.  Stir well and simmer for 5 more minutes.  Add sea salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

Fish Tacos

Today was the first day I've ever cooked fish in my life.  I've hated all kinds of seafood for the past 10+ years of my life--mostly I hated the smell of fish.  However, a little over a year ago I decided to give it another chance.  It's a slow process because I'm scared of cooking it, which means I only eat it when we dine out (and then I generally see other items on the menu that sound better) or if a friend/relative makes it for me.  Today I decided to face my fears, and I made these fish tacos using tilapia for lunch.  We were going to use halibut, but couldn't find any fresh at the store.

Fish Tacos

1/2 lb fresh tilapia or halibut fillets, skin removed

1 T olive oil

Marinade:
1 lime, juiced, about 2 to 3 tablespoons
1/2 c wheat-free tamari
1 T Mexican seasoning

Other ingredients: 
Whole wheat or corn tortillas
Guacamole
Fire-roasted salsa or spicy fire-roasted salsa
Thinly sliced romaine lettuce
Shredded Mexican cheese

Cut fish into bite-sized pieces.  Place fish into a small bowl, and add lime juice, tamari, and Mexican seasoning.  Marinade for 30-40 minutes.  Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  When oil is hot, saute fish for 5-6 minutes or until fish is cooked through.  Immediately serve fish in a tortilla topped with guacamole, salsa, lettuce, and cheese.  Enjoy!

Stir-fried Tempeh

Years ago, Pk introduced Ryan to tempeh (see Tempeh).  For the past 6 months, Ryan keeps bringing it up.  I looked at probably 6 or 7 different grocery stores before I finally found some.  I used a recipe from The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook with a few alterations.  I really liked the stir-fry, but the tempeh turned out very strong.  I actually marinated mine for about 45 minutes, and I think that was a little long. The flavor was really good though.

Stir-fried Tempeh:

one 8oz package tempeh
3 T balsamic vinegar
2 T tamari (or soy sauce)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 t Italian seasoning
1 t paprika

2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped into large pieces
1 medium zucchini, chopped into chunks
about 20 baby carrots, chopped in half
1 c artichoke hearts
1 c chopped roma tomatoes
1 c chopped parsley
1/2 c chopped basil

3 c cooked brown rice


Cut the tempeh into bite-sized cubes and place in a bowl.  Add the balsamic vinegar, tamari, garlic, Italian seasoning, and paprika.  Marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add tempeh; cook for 5-10 minutes, turning frequently.  Remove tempah from pan and place in a bowl; set aside.  Add onions and carrots to the skillet.  Saute for a few minutes.  Then add the zucchini.  Stir-fry until vegetables are slightly tender.  Add the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, parsley, basil, and cooked tempeh.  Stir-fry until everything is heated through, 2-5 minutes.  Serve over brown rice.

Olive Oil Fries

These fries were so good I almost forgot to take a picture of them.  Ryan and I ate them with baked chicken marinated in Lowry's Caribbean Jerk Marinade.  We used new potatoes, but you can also use russet or sweet potatoes for these fries.

Olive Oil Fries:

• 2 large new potatoes
• 1/8 c. olive oil
• 1/4 t sea salt
• 1/2 t turmeric 
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1/2 T paprika
• Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Scrub potatoes; then slice them into strips or wedges.  Place them in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with olive oil and seasonings; toss to coat.  Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a cookie sheet.  Bake until golden and fork tender, 30-40 minutes.  Flip potatoes half-way through.

Tempeh

Get ready, vegetarians (and meat-lovers that are looking for ONE alternative meal)!  I'm making tempeh in the very near future!!!  I want to pre-thank Pk for introducing Ryan to tempeh.  However, if this turns out a disaster, I'm blaming him.

Jalapeno Cheddar Turkey Burgers

As usual, I was craving burgers tonight.  Hadn't had one in over a week.  Ryan and I decided to go with turkey to be a bit healthier.  Then we thought adding some spice would be good...unfortunately the jalapeno we bought was really mild.  But the burgers were still yummy in my tummy!!  I forgot to take a picture of my burger all made up, so I'll try to get one of the leftover tomorrow.

Jalapeno Cheddar Turkey Burgers
Patties:

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 1/2 c. shredded cheddar
• Spices--use best judgement:
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• smoked paprika
• chili powder
• sea salt
• pepper

Other Ingredients:

• 4 whole wheat buns
• condiments (ketchup, BBQ, mustard, etc)
• fixings (pickles, lettuce, tomato, etc)

To make the patties, combine all of the patty ingredients.  Divide meat mixture into four balls.  Press each ball into a patty.  Grill until cooked through.  Place on a bun and top with your favorite condiments and burger fixings.  

Vegetarian Lasagna

This one goes out to my vegetarian readers.  Just like the meaty lasagna, it's inspired by Gayle's recipe.  The basic ingredients are the same; however, this version is meatless and the sauce is made from scratch (we usually use a pre-made spaghetti sauce).

Vegetarian Lasagna

15 whole wheat lasagna noodles

1 (24 oz) container cottage cheese

1 (8 oz) bag shredded mozzarella cheese

1 (4 oz) bag of shredded Parmesan cheese

Tomato Sauce:

1 T olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, chopped

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 t. sea salt

1/2 t. crushed red pepper

1/2 c scotch 

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

6 oz water

2 green onions, sliced

1-2 T fresh basil, diced

5 cloves garlic, minced

To make the tomato sauce, heat the oil in a large skillet.  Once hot, saute the onion, bell pepper, and zucchini with sea salt and crushed red peppers for 2 minutes.  Add the scotch and diced tomatoes.  Simmer for 2 minutes.  Then add the tomato sauce, paste, and water.  Simmer for another 2 minutes.  Finally add the green onions, basil, and garlic.  Simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease the bottom and sides of a 9"x13" cake pan.  Spread a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom of the pan.  Start the first layer by placing a layer of lasagna noodles (5 noodles) on the sauce.  Spread cottage cheese on noodles.  Cover the cottage cheese with the tomato sauce.  Sprinkle some mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the sauce.  Repeat the layering process twice, for a total of three layers.

Once all three layers are made, bake the lasagna in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a fork can easily pierce through the noodles.  Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.   

Lasagna

A year or so ago, Ryan's mom, Gayle, gave us a simple lasagna recipe.  We liked it so much that we use it as a foundation any time we make lasagna.  We usually end up adding or altering ingredients.  The following recipe is one of our alterations. 

Lasagna

• 1 lb Ground Beef, Turkey, Pork, or Sausage
• Garlic, Sea Salt, and Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 Small Onion
• 1 Jar Prego Sauce (preferably the Roasted Red Pepper variety)
• 2 Shots Scotch, Whiskey, or Bourbon
• 2/3 Red Pepper
• 15 Whole Wheat Lasagna noodles
• 24 oz Cottage Cheese
• 2 c Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 1/2 to 1 c Parmesan Cheese

Brown ground meat in a large skillet.  Season with garlic, sea salt, and pepper to taste.  Add onion when almost fully cooked.  After meat is fully cooked, add Prego, liquor, and red pepper.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9"x13" pan with cooking spray.  Spoon some of the meat mixture into the pan.  Add three layers of noodles, cottage cheese, meat mixture, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese (in that order).  Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a fork can easily pierce through noodles.  Top with more Parmesan Cheese, if desired.  Cool for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Great Divide

Went hiking in Golden Gate Canyon State Park today. It was beautiful, even though we had to deal with intermittent light rain. We'll post pictures soon.

On the way back, we tried to stop by Golden City Brewery, "the second largest brewery in Golden." They stop serving at 6:30pm every day, so we missed the boat. Onward to Great Divide in downtown Denver.

We hadn't been to the Great Divide taproom since November. Besides the usual suspects, they had Rumble IPA and Smoked Baltic Porter. The porter was pretty much perfect. Similar to O'Fallon's Smoked Porter without invoking bacon, and balanced enough to drink more than one. Of course, I only drank one and then moved onto the Rumble IPA. This is easily one of my favorite beers. If you've heard me bullshit about beer, you know that I'm all about balance. I really don't care for the over the top west coast IPAs, nor do I care much for one-dimensional (I'm looking at you, Shiner Bock) darker beers. Rumble IPA is wood-aged, 7.1% ABV, balanced bliss. Snag some, if you can find it. We picked up a six pack on our way out of the brewery.

Now, if we can only make it to Golden City on time..

Hop-ricot

Support your local brewery. Or breweries. Seriously. You'll never know what kind of delicious beer you're missing out on until you find and then visit them.

Our new home is very close to Dry Dock Brewing Company in Aurora, CO. Dry Dock won "Small Brewing Company of the Year" at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival. They've also won "Best Brewpub" the past three years from the local ABC affiliate, which is quite a feat given the number and quality of brewpubs in the area. Of course, when I think of a brewpub, I think of a restaurant that brews beer. There's no kitchen at Dry Dock. There is popcorn, and you're welcome to bring your own food.

The real star is the beer. I have much respect for any brewery that has a Double IPA included in their year-round ("home fleet") lineup. Especially when it's a damn tasty Double IPA. They also tap a Firkin keg every Friday afternoon. From what I gather, it's usually one of their regular beers with a twist. Today's Firkin is called Hop-ricot and is half IPA, half Apricot Blonde. It was fantastic. Hazy peach color with a hop bite on the front and apricot finish. Sort of like a kicked up Magic Hat #9.

So far I've really enjoyed the Pale, IPA, Double IPA, and ESB from Dry Dock. I look forward to trying the rest of their beers. What's brewing in your neighborhood?

Sunny Quinoa Salad

I love the quinoa salads found in The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook, but I decided that it was time for me to make up my own quinoa salad.  Here's how I made it:

Sunny Quinoa Salad

1 c. quinoa
1-3/4 c. water
pinch of sea salt

4 green onions, sliced
1 c. chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/2 red pepper diced
1-1/2 ears of corn, cooked, corn cut from the cob
1 c. canned black beans

Dressing:
1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 T extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 t. sea salt

Topping:
Raw sunflower seeds
Olive Oil
Sea salt

1. Prepare quinoa:
Rinse the dry quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under warm running water. Place quinoa in a medium sauce pan with the water and sea salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. While the quinoa is cooking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the additional ingredients (green onions, cilantro, jalapeno, red pepper, corn, and black beans). Once the oven is preheated, roast raw sunflower seeds in a cake or pie pan with a little olive oil and sea salt for about 10 minutes, stirring once. Remove pot of quinoa from the stove and let cool.

3. Once the quinoa is cool, transfer to a bowl with a lid. Add the green onions, cilantro, jalapeno, red pepper, corn, and black beans to it.

4. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a separate small bowl. Pour over the quinoa and vegetables. Toss salad together.

5. To serve, spoon salad on a plate or bowl and top with the roasted sunflower seeds. The salad can also be chilled for later use. I recommend adding the sunflower seeds right before you serve it so they don't get soggy.

Cilantro Black Beans

A month or so ago, my sister made some black beans with cilantro to go with her absolutely delicious sour cream chicken enchiladas.  They were delicious, so I asked her for the recipe.  I used her recipe, except I also added a green onion to the beans.  Here's how you make it:

Cilantro Black Beans

2 (15.5 oz) cans of black beans
1/2 t sugar
1/2 t chili powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t cumin
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
1 green onion, sliced

Place all ingredients in a medium sauce pan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  These beans go great with enchiladas or grilled chicken.

Chicken Basil Pizza

Over a year and a half ago, Ryan bought a bread machine.  Since he bought it, we had only used it three times.  So today we decided to use it for the 4th time and make some pizza crust with it.  The pizza we made turned out amazing!  Here it is:

Chicken Basil Pizza

Crust--made in a bread machine:

• 1 c. plus 2 T water
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 t. dried Italian herbs
• 1 t. sugar
• 1 t. sea salt
• 2-1/2 t active dry yeast

Place all ingredients in bread pan in the oder listed.  Select the dough cycle on bread machine, and start machine.

Move oven rack to lowest position.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease two cookie sheets.  Divide dough in half.  Pat each half into a 12" circle on cookie sheet with floured fingers.  Bake dough for 10 minutes.

While dough is baking make chicken and sauce.

Chicken:
Heat 1 T olive oil in skillet.  Season chicken with Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper.  Cook chicken in skillet until done.

Sauce:

• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 T fresh oregano
• 1 T fresh basil
• 1/2 t. crushed red pepper
• 1 t. Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Mix all sauce ingredients together in a skillet or small sauce pan.  Heat through.

Build the Pizza:
When dough is done baking, take it out of oven.  Spread olive oil on the crust.  Then spread the sauce.  Sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese.  Top with your favorite toppings, or use ours:

• Sliced tomatoes
• Diced red, yellow, or orange peppers
• Diced onions
• Sliced black olives
• Chicken
• Fresh basil
• Fresh mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Sea Salt
• Pepper

Place the pizza directly on the oven rack.  Bake for an additional 10-12 minutes.  Enjoy with a glass of wine.  

Spicy Fire-Roasted Salsa

For those who need a little more spice in your salsa, Ryan has created the spicy version of Fire-Roasted Salsa.

Spicy Fire-Roasted Salsa

• 6 Roma Tomatoes
• 1 Jalapeno pepper
• 1 Anaheim pepper
• 1 Poblano  pepper
• 1 Onion
• Cilantro (handful or to taste)

Heat grill.  Cut off the stem/top of the peppers.  Quarter the onion; poke toothpicks through to keep layers in tack.  Place everything but cilantro on the grill over high heat.  Grill peppers, onion, and tomatoes until skin is charred.  Peel skin off of the anaheim and poblano peppers.  Place peppers (including all seeds) and onion in a a food processor, and pulse a few times.  Add the tomatoes and cilantro in.  Pulse to desired consistency (we like ours a bit chunky).

Tabbouleh

Feel free to add ingredients or take some out.

Tabbouleh:

• 2 cups bulgur
• 3 cups boiling water
• 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small can sliced black olives
• 1/2 bunch of parsley, chopped
• 1/2 bunch green onions, sliced
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1/2 large cucumber, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 jalapeno

Dressing:

• 1/4 c lemon juice
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 t sea salt
• 1/8 t ground black pepper

Soak bulgur in boiling water until water is fully absorbed (about 30 minutes).  Combine all salad ingredients.  In a separate bowl, whisk dressing ingredients together.  Pour dressing over salad.  Chill and serve.

Breakfast Burritos

This past weekend, Ryan and I went camping with some friends.  Naturally, we had a blast!  When I go camping, I like to cook everything on the campfire.  I always think breakfast is a little bit of a challenge to cook on a fire; therefore, I decided to make some breakfast burritos ahead of time that we could then just heat up on the fire in the mornings.  I used Mr. Dell's frozen hash browns because the only ingredient in them is potatoes! 

Breakfast Burritos: 

1 or 2 Green Bell peppers, chopped
1 lb Sausage
1 bag Mr Dell's frozen hash browns
10 Grade A Large Eggs
12-16 Burrito-Sized Flour Tortillas
12-16 Slices American Cheese

Sea Salt and Pepper

1 T Olive Oil

Cooking Spray

Aluminum Foil, torn into large squares

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 9"x13" pan with cooking spray.  Dump hash browns into pan; drizzle 1 T of olive oil over hash browns.  Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.  Bake for 40 minutes, flipping once.  While hash browns are baking, cook sausage on the stove in a large skillet.  Place cooked sausage in a large bowl.  Scramble eggs in the same skillet.  Add cooked eggs and green bell pepper to the large bowl.  When hash browns are finished cooking, add them as well.  Mix thoroughly.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Heat tortillas in the microwave about 30 seconds.  Place a tortilla on a square of foil.  Add a slice of cheese.  Spoon sausage/egg mixture onto the tortilla.  Wrap like a burrito; then wrap foil around burrito.  Bake in 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.  Serve with salsa, if desired. 

You can freeze these, and eat them later.  When you're ready to eat them, take them out and let them thaw.  Then bake in oven or toaster oven until warm throughout.  If you bring them camping, cook over warm coals on campfire until warm throughout. 

Chicken Pesto Pizza

Cowabunga!  

Every time I eat pizza, I remember growing up watching the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (aka best show and movie ever!).  The toys have really gone down in quality though.  :(  This specific pizza might be a little exotic for the Turtles, but I bet they'd still devour it!

Chicken Pesto Pizza

• Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
• Pesto Sauce
• Parmesan Cheese
• Fresh Parsley
• Fresh Cilantro
• Fresh Chives
• Dried Oregano
• Pepper and Salt
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Grilled Chicken Breast (marinated with Lawry's Tuscan Sun-Dried Tomato Marinade) 
• Grilled Red Peppers
• Red Onion
• Tomatoes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Build pizza by adding ingredients in the order they are listed.  Sprinkle a little bit of Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese on the top.  Place pizza directly on over rack.  Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.  Alternatively, grill the pizza.  :)  Is it obvious that Ryan and I LOVE grilling?  Thanks, Dad, for the awesome charcoal grill/birthday gift!
I also think some spinach or grilled squash could be good on this pizza.

Buffalo Sweat Roast

First off, I would like to thank Tallgrass Brewing Co. for having amazing beers to not only drink, but to also cook with.  Ironically, I was browsing their website today, and noticed that Tallgrass even has a section called Cooking with Tallgrass Beer.  Buffalo Sweat Roast is not from their website (there is a roast recipe on the site), but something I made up.  Because it's been a couple of weeks since I actually cooked this baby, the recipe below might not be completely accurate.  I can't remember what size of roast I used, but if I had to guess I would say somewhere between 2 and 5 lbs.  The roasting pot I used is one of my favorite kitchen purchases because it can be used on top of the stove or in the oven!

Buffalo Sweat Roast

• 2 T Olive Oil
• 4 or 5 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary
• 3 or 4 Sprigs of Thyme
• 1 Beef Roast
• About 20 Baby Carrots
• 2 Russet Potatoes
• 1 Medium Onion
• 6 to 8 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Bottle of Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat Stout
• Pepper
• Sea Salt 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Heat olive oil, two sprigs of rosemary, and two sprigs of thyme in a roasting pan on the stove (medium heat).  Once oil is hot, place raw roast in pan.  Sear for about 5 minutes on all sides.  Remove from heat.  Add the rest of the rosemary and thyme, carrots, potatoes, onion, garlic, pepper, and Buffalo Sweat to pan.  Add salt, if desired (we didn't add any because I flat out forgot to put it in).  Cook for 3 to 5 hours, or until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees.  Immediately take roast out of juices and sprinkle with sea salt.  Also take out the onions, carrots and potatoes.  Strain juices and make into a gravy, if desired (if you didn't add salt before, you will definitely need to add some to the gravy).

Ultimate Grilled Quesadilla

Mexican food - mmmm!  One of my favorite genres.  I like to eat it at least once a week.  Hahah.  I generally succeed at that.  :)  Ryan and I made these grilled quesadillas the same night he made the Fire-Roasted Salsa.  To the right is a picture of how he arranged everything on our awesome charcoal grill!  I love cooking on charcoal grills.  I think they are easier to control than gas grills, but maybe I just don't have enough practice with gas.  The quesadillas were a bit messy.  We probably shouldn't have put the salsa inside of the tortilla, which is why I listed it as a topping below instead.  When we were grilling them, it kept dripping down into the coals.  Lesson learned.

Ultimate Grilled Quesadilla

• Chicken
• Silva's Taco Spice
• Salt and Pepper
• Onion
• Red Pepper
• Cheese
• Flour Tortillas (try wheat ones)

Toppings:

• Fire-Roasted Salsa
• Sour Cream
• Guacamole
• Pickled or Fresh Jalapenos

Heat grill.  Season chicken with Silva's Taco Spice, salt, and pepper.  Cut red pepper and onion into quarters.  Stick a toothpick through each onion quarter to help hold in tack.  Grill chicken until no longer pink inside.  Grill onion and red pepper until tender.  Cut pepper into slices.  Sprinkle half of the tortilla with Silva's Taco Spice and cheese.  Top with chicken, onion, and peppers.  Place on grill; cook for a few minutes on both sides until crispy.  Serve with Fire-Roasted Salsa, Sour Cream, Guacamole, and Pickled or Fresh Jalapenos.  

Parmesan Turkey Burgers and Yellow Squash

My sister made these burgers for the first time years ago.  I never even thought about making burgers out of other ground meat (besides ground beef) until she had me try these.  The recipe is quite basic, but feel free to try adding or substituting other ingredients to it.  Different toppings also can add new and exciting flavors.  Ryan and I are constantly making up "new" burgers.  We love experimenting.  For a base, we switch between ground beef, turkey, chicken, or pork.

The Original Parmesan Turkey Burgers
Makes 4 turkey burgers

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 T chopped fresh chives
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1/8 t salt
• 4 hamburger buns
• Red onion rings

Heat grill for direct heat.  Mix together the turkey, Parmesan cheese, chives, pepper, and salt.  Shape into 4 patties, about 1/2 inch thick.  Grill patties for about 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, or until no longer pink in the center. Grill onion rings, if desired.  Serve patties on buns with onion rings.  Add extra toppings, if desired.  Be creative.  The first night Ryan and I ate these we added BBQ, tomatoes, and pickles to them (pictured above).  The second night, we just added Fire-Roasted Salsa to them, which made them pretty much the best turkey burger I've ever had!

Whenever we grill burgers, we like to also grill some vegetables to go with the main entree.  The day we made the turkey burgers, we grilled up some yellow squash.

Grilled Yellow Squash

• 1 yellow squash, cut in half length-wise
• Pepper
• Lawry's Seasoned Salt

Sprinkle pepper and seasons salt on squash.  Grill flesh side down until tender.  Flip over and grill for one more minute.

Fire-Roasted Salsa

Seriously, some of the best salsa I've ever tasted!  Delicious when it's still a little warm from the grilling.  Also delicious after it's been chilled.  Make it and enjoy it!  The first night we ate this salsa, we put it on Ultimate Grilled Quesadillas.  The second night, we used it as a topping on Parmesan Turkey Burgers.

(Pictured with guacamole and pickled Jalapenos)

Fire-Roasted Salsa

• 4 Roma Tomatoes
• 1 Jalapeno pepper
• 2 Anaheim pepper
• 2/3 Onion (any variety) 
• Cilantro (handful or to taste)

Heat grill.  Slice open and seed the Anaheim peppers.  Slice the top off the Jalapeno. Quarter the onion; poke toothpicks through to keep layers in tack.  Place everything but cilantro on the grill over high heat.  Grill Anaheims skin side down until skin is charred. Grill the Jalapeno, onion, and tomatoes until charred on all sides.  Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to desired consistency (we like ours a bit chunky).

Sangria

Mmmmm...thank you, Ryan, for making this! :)  Delicious!

Sangria

• 2 lemons, cut into slices
• 2 oranges, cut into slices
• 1-2 oz pineapple juice
• 1 oz lime juice
• 2 bottles of Rojo Mojo Shiraz (or other red wine)
• 4 T sugar
• 4 shots of brandy
• Ginger ale

Note: When you are slicing the fruits, discard the seeds, if possible.

In a pitcher, squeeze most of the juice out of the lemons and oranges.  Pour in the pineapple and lime juices.  Pour one bottle of wine over the fruit and juices.  Stir well.  Pour the other bottle of wine in the pitcher, and stir again.  Pour in the sugar and brandy.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.  Let set in fridge for at least a couple hours (best overnight).  To server, mix wine with ginger ale to taste.

Rosemary Red Sauce on Pasta

The following recipe was created by H.  He made me edit it.  Sadly, I forgot to take a picture of my plate before gobbling it up, so all I got was a picture of the next day's lunch.  Sorry, it's not as presentable as I'd like, but at least you can kind of see what it looked like.  Vicky (aka - the reason this blog exists) recently informed me that she is a visual person and really likes the pictures, so I'm trying a bit harder.  :)  Please pretend this meal is on a silver platter with rosemary springs decorating the edges...or something pretty like that.

Rosemary Red Sauce on Pasta:

• 1 to 2 T Olive Oil
• 1/4 Onion (any variety), chopped
• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
• about 1.5 sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped. (equivalent to 1.5 tablespoons)
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes
• 2 or 3 Garlic Cloves
• 1 t Fresh Ginger, minced (optional)
• 1 T Red Pepper Flakes (use less if you don't like spicy food)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 Zucchini, sliced
• 1 T Sun-dried Tomatos in olive oil
• Whole Wheat Pasta, try Penne Rigate or Rotini, prepared
• Fresh Parmesan

Heat 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick pan on medium-low heat.  While oil is heating, chop the onion, red pepper, and rosemary.  Sauté for a couple of minutes.  Add the garlic and ginger. Sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Add the diced tomatoes and stir.  Crank up the heat to medium.

Add some salt and pepper. Somebody once said it was a good idea to season at each stage of cooking. Also, add the red pepper flakes if you like it spicy.  

Let the sauce cook for 3-5 minutes.  While the sauce is cooking, slice the zucchini.  Place all your zucchini slices on top of the tomato mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Let them cook/steam for about 2 minutes, then flip them over.  Sprinkle this side lightly with salt and pepper.  They'll need to cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until tender.  

Once the zucchini is done, you're finished.  Serve on the pasta; add a little Parmesan.  Enjoy!

Fresh Garlic Facts

I found this information about fresh garlic on Recipe Zaar.  I thought it was helpful, so I'm sharing it with you.
Spice: garlic 

Season: available year-round

How to select: Choose firm, plump bulbs with dry skins. Avoid soft or shriveled cloves and garlic stored in the refrigerated section of the produce department.

How to store: Store fresh garlic in an open container in a cool, dark place. Unbroken bulbs can be stored up to 8 weeks. Once broken from the bulb, individual cloves will keep 3-10 days.

How to prepare: Crushed, chopped, pressed, pureed, minced or roasted

Matches well with: beans, beef, beets, cabbage, chicken, eggplant, fish, lamb, lentils, mushrooms, pasta, pork, potatoes, rice, shellfish, spinach, tomatoes, zucchini

Substitutions: 1 clove = 1 teaspoon chopped garlic = 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic = 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder = 1/2 teaspoon garlic flakes = 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic = 1/2 teaspoon garlic juice

Egg Hotdog

I know what you're thinking--that sounds disgusting!  But this was something I grew up eating, and I loved it!  It was a Coughlan family breakfast tradition.  My brother was also known for eating it as a midnight snack.  As a child, my mom would only buy the turkey hotdogs.  Eventually she decided it was okay for us to eat pork, but honestly, I prefer the turkey dogs.  The original recipe is only eggs and a hotdog sliced up.  But for this platter, I changed it up a bit...

A little backstory on the face plate.  My old roommate, Lindsay, gave me the plate for Christmas.  Pretty much the best gift ever!  I forget to use him most of the time, but it's always a blast to make up new faces when I do remember.  :)  Thanks, Lindsay!  Maybe some day my imaginary children will use it.  For more information on the face plate and other fun products, please visit Fred and Friends.

Egg Hotdog

• 2 eggs
• 1 turkey dog
• grated cheese
• smoked paprika
• salt
• pepper

Turn burner on medium-low.  Spray a small skillet with a non-stick cooking spray.  Cut the turkey dog into slices.  Place slices in skillet.  Let cook for a minute or two.  While the turkey dog is cooking, crack eggs into a bowl.  Scramble.  Add salt and pepper.  Pour eggs over turkey dog slices in skillet.  Cook until eggs are almost done.  Sprinkle with cheese and smoked paprika.  After eggs are cooked, place strategically on a face plate.  If you don't have a face plate, use eggs to make a face on a regular plate.

It's me. I'm the hamburger.

Ryan sent me a link today.  With it, he stated, "I saw it, and thought of you."  Here's the link.

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

This zucchini bread makes a great dessert for a steak dinner!  It also goes great with greek yogurt and blueberries for breakfast.  Still not satisfied?  Since this recipe makes two loaves, why not try it for a Californian-themed Pot Luck at work?  Basically, zucchini bread can be eaten anytime of the day.  Give it a shot! 

Whole Wheat Zucchini Bread

• 1 c all-purpose flour
• 2 c whole wheat flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 2 t cinnamon
• 3/4 c oil
• 1-1/2 c sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 t vanilla
• 2 zucchini, grated (about 3 cups)
• 1 c chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a bowl.  In a large bowl cream the oil and sugar together.  Beat in the eggs, vanilla, zucchini, and walnuts.  Then gradually beat in the dry ingredients.

Grease and flour two bread pans.  Pour half of the batter into each pan.  Cook for 1 hour.

Black Bean Hummus

Got bored using chick peas all the time...

Black Bean Hummus:

1 T fresh garlic, minced
1 15oz can black beans, drained and reserved liquid
2 T reserved black bean liquid
2 T lemon (or lime) juice
1-1/2 T tahini
3/4 t ground cumin
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground red pepper
1/4 t smoked paprika
1 T olive oil

Put all ingredients in a food processor.  Process until smooth.  Add additional black bean liquid and seasonings to taste.

Tabouleh

Tabouleh (in this picture, it's the salad stuff in the back) is the side dish I made to go along with Sufflaqe when Jess and David came to visit.  This particular recipe makes enough for 8 entree servings...not sure why I made the full batch since there was only 4 of us eating it as a side.  However, I actually liked having the leftovers for lunches since the flavors intermix even more each day.  In the future though, I'll probably make a smaller batch, especially since it's usually only Ryan and me.

Tabouleh:

• 2-1/4 c water
• 1-1/2 c bulger
• 1 medium bunch of fresh parsley
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1/4 of a red onion
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 small jalapeno
• 1 glove garlic
• 1/2 c fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 2 T olive oil
• 1-1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t pepper 

Measure bulger into a large bowl.  In a sauce pan bring water to a boil.  Once water begins to boil, pour over bulger.  Let bulger soak for 30 minutes to an hour, or until all water is absorbed.  While bulger is soaking, mince parsley leaves (they don't really have to be too small).  Set aside in a medium bowl.  For the next part, a food processor works great, but you can also just use a knife.  Dice tomatoes, red onion, and cucumber; add to the bowl of parsley.  Finely mince the jalapeno and garlic clove; place in a small bowl.  Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to the small bowl.  Check to see if all of the water in the bulger is absorbed.  If so, stir in the parsley, and vegetables as if you were making a salad.  Pour the dressing (lemon juice mixture) over the salad.  Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving so that the flavors can blend.  Also try adding chopped fresh spinach, feta cheese, red pepper, or olives.

• 
  

The Fast Food of Albania

The European country of Albania holds a special spot in my heart.  In high school, I spent a spring break in Albania.  Although I experienced some culture shock in the beginning of my visit, I soon fell in love with the country--the people, the landscape, the climate, and the food.

While there, I had the opportunity to try some authentic Albanian fast food called Sufllage (aka Greek Souvlaki--meat and vegetables grilled or rotisseried on a skewer).  Ever since I had Sufllage, I've been trying to find a recipe for it.  Of course there was one problem with my search; I wasn't sure how to spell it.  It was only recently that I finally got the spelling correct, and I was then able to find some more information on what exactly is in Sufllaqe.  All I could remember was that it was a pita stuffed full of meat, veggies, some sauce, and French fries.  So, when my friends, Jess and David, came to visit and wanted to cook some Middle Eastern and/or Mediterranean food, what did I suggest?  A knockoff of Sufllaqe, of course!  :)  Here's how we made it:

American Style Chicken Sufllaqe:

Place Chicken, French Fries, Tzatziki, Green Peppers, Hummus, and Feta Cheese in a Pita and enjoy!  You can also add other vegetables such as cucumber, onion, lettuce, or tomato (we were a little short-handed on veggies).

To make the chicken:

• 1 T chopped fresh garlic
• 1 t oregano
• 1 t thyme
• 1 t parsley
• 1 T fresh lemon juice
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
• 1.75 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breast

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the chicken.  Stir until well mixed.  Pour into a plastic baggie.  Drop chicken into bag.  Marinate for at least 30 minutes.  This is where we cheated; for this to be true sufllaqe, you're supposed to cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and skewer.  Then cook them either in a rotisserie or on the grill.  We did not do this.  Instead we preheated an electric grill, place the whole breast on the grates.  Grilled the chickens until cooked; then we sliced them into centimeter-wide strips.  Either way will work, but remember that Sufllage (Albanian) means Souvlaki (Greek) or meat grilled on a skewer.

To make the Tzatziki:

• 1 small cucumber, diced
• 2 T freshly chopped dill leaves
• 1 small container of Greek yogurt (7-or-8oz - we found this in the organic section at the store)
• 2 t lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.  If you want the tzatiki sauce to be a bit more spicy, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of hot sauce (we didn't do this).

To make the Hummus:

4 garlic cloves

2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved

1-1/2 t kosker salt

6 T fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

2 T water or liquid from the chickpeas

In a food processor, pulse garlic until minced.  Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and process until the hummus is smooth and pureed.  Serve either chilled or at room temperature.  For variation add 1/3 c tahini (sesame paste) or up to 8 dashes of hot sauce (for spicier hummus).

For me, this homemade Sufllaqe was one of the best entrées I've had in a while.  I can't wait to make it again. I'm also considering making the chicken to put on salads or eat alone.  Some other traditional Albanian fast food dishes include: Byrek (Turkish Burek), Pice (Italian Pizza), and Qofte (Turkish Kofte).  From what I have read, Byrek is similar to a meat pie made with flaky phyllo dough and filled with meat, spinach, and/or cheese.  Then it is fried.  The Pice I had when I was in Albania was topped with tomato disks and mozzarella cheese.  I recreated it once, but the tomatoes in Albania taste completely different than American tomatoes.  Needless to say, it was better in Albania.  Lastly, Qofte is basically the European meatloaf.  It is made from minced or ground meat (usually lamb) and spices.

Black Bean Burgers

Many restaurants in Kansas City take pride in being vegetarian friendly.  I think that's really cool, and I'm not even a vegetarian.  In fact, steak is one of my all time favorite foods.  :)  Of course, I'm also very picky about how my steak is cooked, but I won't get into that here.

Back to the point, one day I ran into a blog called Guilty Kitchen.  With that kind of a name, why wouldn't I start following it?  The second day I start following it a Black Bean Burgers post shows up.  Although not a vegetarian, I had been wanting to try a veggie burger for about 6 months prior.  But I could never bring myself to order one at a restaurant in KC (mostly I was scared of the plain avocado on them).  Then I would see one of the beef hamburger descriptions, and go for it instead.  But when I saw the post on Guilty Kitchen, I decided to give it a chance.  Due to lack or dislike of an ingredient, I changed it up a bit.  Below is my version of Guilty Kitchen's Black Bean Burgers.

Chris's Black Bean Burgers (makes 4 burgers):

• 1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, chopped 
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 small red onion, diced
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• Salt and pepper 
• 4 slices of pepper jack cheese
• Large lettuce leaves (Romaine, Green leaf)
• Guacamole
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 4 buns, halved
• Sliced red onion
• 12 dill pickle slices

In a food processor, pulse half of drained beans, cilantro, garlic, red onion, and egg until mixed throughly.  Pour into a large bowl.  Add the rest of the beans, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper.  Stir; then form it into four patties.  If the mixture is too runny either chill for a while or add more bread crumbs.  Chill the patties for about 10 minutes.  Preheat grill.  Grill patties about 10 minutes on both sides.  When patties are about 1 minute from being done, melt a slice of pepper jack cheese on top.  Toast bun, if desired.  Serve patties on buns with guacamole, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickles.