Oscar is brilliant! He is heralded as one of the best cooks in the department and has the street cred to back it up. He has owned a restaurant and has been around the biz his whole life. With his Latin background one could say that I was a touch hesitant to try his take on one of my favorite Italian dishes. I am a traditionalist when it comes to most things; especially Italian. Why change it if it's perfect right? Well, this carbonara isn't traditional, but what it lacks in tradition it makes up in flavor and ingenuity. It's very easy which the cook loves and is delicious which everybody eating it loves! Everybody needs an Oscar in their "cooking life". We bounce ideas off of each other all the time. He cooks and I sous for him; I cook and he sous for me...reminds me of Top Gun, when Viper tells Maverick, "I'll be your wingman anytime." We can't fly F-14's, but we make a hell of a team in the kitchen. Enough babble...the recipe is as follows:
Ingredients:
3 boneless and skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced and then halved
1 pound of good quality pepper bacon sliced into bits
1 pound of penne pasta or fettucine (cooks preference; I like the fettucine, Oscar likes the penne)
3 eggs
16 ounces of heavy cream
1 15 ounce can of black pitted olives, sliced
1 10 ounce jar of Manzanilla, pimento stuffed olives, halved
1 red onion diced fine
10 cloves of garlic chopped fine
12 ounces of a 4 cheese Italian blend
3 tablespoons of granulated garlic, separated
1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes, separated
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook the bacon in a heavy, cast iron skillet, rendering out the fat. Discard the fat but leave the heavy remnants in the bottom of the pan. Remove the bacon and set aside. Add the chopped onion and garlic, one third of the granulated garlic, half of the red pepper flake and salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are translucent and remove from the skillet. Next add the chicken, the rest of the granulated garlic, the rest of the red pepper flake and salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until almost done. ****At this point, in a separate pot cook the pasta until al dente.**** In the original skillet, add back in the onion mixture, all of the cream, both types of olives and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and reduce until thickened. Now is the time for the final seasoning: salt, pepper, red pepper flake and/or granulated garlic. When the sauce has thickened, add the bacon and give it a final stir. In a large bowl add the three eggs and give a slight whisk breaking the yolks. Add the cheese and the hot, already cooked pasta, stirring to coat. Add the chicken mixture and stir until well incorporated. Top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and serve with garlic bread and a good side salad. This will feed 4 big eaters and leave them begging for more.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
The Quick and Easy Pasta
Pasta Pomodoro is the dish that gets requested frequently at the firehouse. It's good, relatively fast for a pasta and good for you! It tastes fresh and will knock your socks off...
Ingredients:
5 spicy Italian sausage links
12 – 15 cloves of garlic minced
½ bottle of dry white wine
¼ cup of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. of rigatoni pasta
1 bunch of fresh basil
10 ripe roma tomatoes diced
1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes
Preparation:
In a large heavy bottomed skillet, saute the sausage links until brown. In the same pan add olive oil and garlic. Saute garlic until light brown, add tomatoes, wine, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Slice sausages on the bias and add to the sauce with the fresh basil and simmer for 5 minutes more. While sauce is simmering, boil water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in another pot and add pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Add parmesan cheese to taste.
****If you want to save some dough, you can substitute fresh roma tomatoes for crushed tomatoes in a can. A 28 ounce can and a 15 ounce can will yield roughly the same amounts.****
Sunday, September 11, 2011
A Day of Rememberance
Remembering What Was Lost
Unfortunately yet still very fortunately, California didn't experience what New York did this day ten years ago. The unfortunate part is that since this did not happen in our backyard it is easy for us to consider it out of sight, out of mind. We didn't get the daily reminder that this abhorrible action took place on our soil, killing thousands of innocent people. Since this is a firefighters blog I would like to say a special note about the brave 343 that perished that fateful day. they went in to those towers knowing at some point that they would not come out. Even doing what I do every day, this selfless act is unconscionable to me. It takes a very special person to be willing to give up their life in hopes to save another...and those 343 did that.
To the remembrance of our fallen heroes not only on that day but in the days to come. My heart goes out to the families that lost loved ones and to the babies that will never know the true extent of how wonderful their parent would have been had they not perished that day.
To the remembrance of our fallen heroes not only on that day but in the days to come. My heart goes out to the families that lost loved ones and to the babies that will never know the true extent of how wonderful their parent would have been had they not perished that day.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Public Service Announcement: Don't Drink and Bake..
It's important to note that I do have Mike's permission to share his latest cooking endeavors in the kitchen. We all know that it's not safe to drink and drive, but how about drinking and cooking? As a firefighter, I can't express enough how many things could wrong in such a scenario, but leave it to Mike to be a multi-tasker. This is new look for Mama's Chocolate Cake...in fact we can all agree this is a new version of the "Not Mama's Chocolate Cake".
Mike would like all of you to know that you shouldn't "Drink and Bake".
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Oscar's Chili Verde
This is hands down the best chili verde that I have ever had! It is smoky, spicy and utterly freakin' delicious! When you have the time to put forth towards it...it will not disappoint. This is my good buddy Oscar's families' recipe that has been passed down through 3 generations. Myabe not 3 generations...but you catch my drift. He has perfected it, and it will make your taste buds sing! The way this recipe is written it is spicy...so those faint at heart...beware.
Ingredients:
Pork shoulder (roughly 4 pounds trimmed) and cut into 1/2" cubes
12 tomatillos
4 jalapenos
2 onions quartered
12-14 cloves of garlic (peeled)
2 pasillas
6 dried chili de arbol
1/2 bunch of cilantro separated
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of ground cumin separated
4 tablespoons of granulated garlic separated
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of chili powder
Directions:
Cut the pork into 1/2" cubes. Trim as much of the fat as possible to keep it low calorie:). Sprinkle the chili powder, half of the granulated garlic and half of the cumin onto the pork. Mix into the pork evenly and put into an oiled, preheated dutch oven to sear. After turning the pork once add the red wine vinegar and continue to cook while you are putting the sauce together. In a separate cast iron skillet, roast the tomatillos, the garlic, onions, jalapenos, pasillas and chili de arbol. You want a good char on the outside of all pieces and you might need to do this in a couple of batches depending on the size of your skillet. Once all vegetables are roasted, place in a blender with the remaining cumin, granulated garlic, 1/4 of the bunch of cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Blend well and add to the dutch oven with about a cup and a half of water; turn the heat down and simmer the meat and sauce, uncovered for at least 2 hours. If you notice that the sauce is too thick add a little more water or place the lid over half of the pot so that less evaporation takes place.
Serve over your favorite rice, with homemade whole pinto beans or in a burrito. Mix it in with scrambled eggs or eat it off of a flip flop...either way I guarantee that you will like it. Remember...this is spicy! If the 4 jalapenos and the chili de arbol scare you a little, reduce both by half; you will still retain the flavor but significantly diminish the heat.
Ingredients:
Pork shoulder (roughly 4 pounds trimmed) and cut into 1/2" cubes
12 tomatillos
4 jalapenos
2 onions quartered
12-14 cloves of garlic (peeled)
2 pasillas
6 dried chili de arbol
1/2 bunch of cilantro separated
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of ground cumin separated
4 tablespoons of granulated garlic separated
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of chili powder
Directions:
Cut the pork into 1/2" cubes. Trim as much of the fat as possible to keep it low calorie:). Sprinkle the chili powder, half of the granulated garlic and half of the cumin onto the pork. Mix into the pork evenly and put into an oiled, preheated dutch oven to sear. After turning the pork once add the red wine vinegar and continue to cook while you are putting the sauce together. In a separate cast iron skillet, roast the tomatillos, the garlic, onions, jalapenos, pasillas and chili de arbol. You want a good char on the outside of all pieces and you might need to do this in a couple of batches depending on the size of your skillet. Once all vegetables are roasted, place in a blender with the remaining cumin, granulated garlic, 1/4 of the bunch of cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Blend well and add to the dutch oven with about a cup and a half of water; turn the heat down and simmer the meat and sauce, uncovered for at least 2 hours. If you notice that the sauce is too thick add a little more water or place the lid over half of the pot so that less evaporation takes place.
Serve over your favorite rice, with homemade whole pinto beans or in a burrito. Mix it in with scrambled eggs or eat it off of a flip flop...either way I guarantee that you will like it. Remember...this is spicy! If the 4 jalapenos and the chili de arbol scare you a little, reduce both by half; you will still retain the flavor but significantly diminish the heat.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Time Change for the State Fair
http://www.bigfun.org/
The cooking time for the Fire House Chef Competition is at 1:30 p.m., not 2p.m. I'll be cooking with a fellow firefighter from Lodi. Don't worry ladies, my twin brother Mike will be there with our awesome nieces and nephew to support our efforts.
Hope to see you there!!
The cooking time for the Fire House Chef Competition is at 1:30 p.m., not 2p.m. I'll be cooking with a fellow firefighter from Lodi. Don't worry ladies, my twin brother Mike will be there with our awesome nieces and nephew to support our efforts.
Hope to see you there!!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Good Morning Sacramento Segment Video
In case you missed Mike coining the phrases "sexy food" and "food-gasm"!
Food-gasm
Thank you to the amazing morning crew at Good Day Sacramento for having us on this morning. With Mike's help we discovered we want our food to be sexy! We had a great time getting to cook for the cast and are thankful for the chance to plug The Mama Bear Foundation.
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Pancetta Wrapped Salmon Bites
1 1/4 lb of fresh, skinless salmon filets
2 packages of precut pancetta (about 20 slices)
Cut salmon fillets into 1 1/4 inch pieces.
Wrap a piece of thinly sliced pancetta around each salmon bite.
Dunk in chimichurri sauce and enjoy your "food-gasm".
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Salmon Bites with Chimichurri Sauce
1 1/4 lb of fresh, skinless salmon filets
2 packages of precut pancetta (about 20 slices)
Cut salmon fillets into 1 1/4 inch pieces.
Wrap a piece of thinly sliced pancetta around each salmon bite.
On a preheated, cast iron skillet place each pancetta wrapped bite, flap side down.
Sear on all sides until pancetta is cooked.
Dunk in chimichurri sauce and enjoy your "food-gasm".
Chimichurri Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
l cup (packed) parsley
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Zest of 1/2 of a lemon
l cup (packed) parsley
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Zest of 1/2 of a lemon
Juice from 1 lemon
Put all the ingredients in the blender and blend until everything is mixed together. The sauce is best if it has a chance to sit in the refrigerator for several hours. Stir well before serving.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
The Missing Link
I would put a picture of our little brother on this page, but I don't actually have a current picture of him...go figure!!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
I'm not just passionate about cooking
Cooking isn't the only thing that my family does together. Together we have created a foundation to support families who are affected by cancer.We are always appreciate of any press that the foundation gets.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
The Healthy Aioli
Whenever possible, I like to make things a little healthier. We are bombarded daily with gut busting additives and sodium and fat laden foods. One way that I like to navigate through the cess pool is to make the things that I won't eat because they have mayo in them and add different things to make them not only edible to me, but much friendlier to the waistline. One I came up with the other day was my version of a chipotle aioli. I try to use spices whenever possible to avoid fat and salt...try it and get creative.
Ingredients:
2 whole chipotle peppers
3 to 4 teaspoons of adobo sauce from the chipotle peppers
8 oz. of low fat plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon each of: paprika, chili powder, granulated garlic, cumin, black pepper and sugar
Directions:
Dice the peppers as fine as possible (if the consistency is still too rough for you add to a blender or food processor). Add peppers, yogurt and spices to a bowl and mix until incorporated. Add the 3 teaspoons of the adobo sauce and mix. Add the fourth teaspoon if the color isn't to your liking or you would like it a touch hotter. Just add the fourth:) it won't kill you.
This sauce is a great substitute for anything you would put mayo on; burgers, sandwiches, wraps, eat it by the spoonful or whatever suits your fancy. Good luck and enjoy!!!!
Ingredients:
2 whole chipotle peppers
3 to 4 teaspoons of adobo sauce from the chipotle peppers
8 oz. of low fat plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon each of: paprika, chili powder, granulated garlic, cumin, black pepper and sugar
Directions:
Dice the peppers as fine as possible (if the consistency is still too rough for you add to a blender or food processor). Add peppers, yogurt and spices to a bowl and mix until incorporated. Add the 3 teaspoons of the adobo sauce and mix. Add the fourth teaspoon if the color isn't to your liking or you would like it a touch hotter. Just add the fourth:) it won't kill you.
This sauce is a great substitute for anything you would put mayo on; burgers, sandwiches, wraps, eat it by the spoonful or whatever suits your fancy. Good luck and enjoy!!!!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Grandma's Apple Cake
Grandma's Apple Cake
Ingredients:
2 cups of sugar
1 cube of butter
2 eggs
2 cups of flour
2 teaspoons of baking soda
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
½ teaspoon of nutmeg
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 pinch of salt
4 cups of slice apples
Preparation:
Cream sugar and butter; blend in eggs until smooth. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; mix well. Add apples and vanilla and pour into a greased 9” by 13” pan. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 35-45 minutes. Let cool and serve.
New York Here We Come!!
Ok, so maybe we haven't been given our own show just yet, but here is to dreaming big! My biggest fan, has set up a Facebook page to see if we can't get some interest from some t.v producer. I'm sure some entertaining video footage will find its way to our blog at some point.
Zap It Ratings
If you enjoyed our episode on 24 Hour Restaurant Battle then check out Zap2It and rate the show.
We're on Wikipedia!!
It's insane to think how the internet has changed the "15 minutes of fame". Our episode is listed on wikipedia..who would've guessed!!
Taking a break from the kitchen
24 Hour Restaurant Battle Re-Airing
We've had several people ask about when our episode will re-air. On the Food Network website, it says the episode will re-air June 28th at 11:00 pm ET/PT time and June 29th at 2:00 am ET/PT. So set your DVR and check Mike and I out this week.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Review My Food Network Recipe
This original recipe of mine is what I'm most famous for at the fire house. I guess that would make it one of my signature dishes. Click on the title of my blog and you will be directed to the Food Network website where you can download the receipe so that you can try it and rate it!!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
California State Fair...Here We Come
Brothers are notoriously competitive. Twin brothers are even worse. My twin would always try to turn everything into a competition growing up. "Let's see who can sink the longest basket. Let's see who can throw the farthest. Let's see who can run the fastest." That competitive nature still transcends most things in our daily interactions and seems to seep into my life at the firehouse.
As you may have read in a previous blog...the Lodi Fire team, which consisted of Captain Mike Harden and myself, took second place at last year's State Fair, "Firehouse Chefs Competition". With my competitive nature taking over I was severely dissatisfied with last years second place...I consider second place; the first loser. Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on myself since that happened to be my first ever cooking competition, but I couldnt' help the feeling of leaving there empty handed. All in all we didn't do that bad, but there were a few tweaks that could have been made that would have given us the minuscule three points that we needed to eclipse first place. This year those will not be overlooked...I promise that!
The main thing is that we worked well as a team, especially since my teammate and I had never cooked together before. This year however, I feel that the stakes have been slightly raised with my recent appearance on the Food Network, and I sit here and hope that I will be able to match up to this years competition and make dishes worthy enough of the "Golden Bear" (the prize awarded to the first place team). Our first and foremost goal is to dethrone the two year reigning champs from Woodland who have proven to be very worthy competitors. Second is that we take the golden bear and a blue ribbon back to Lodi where it should reside at Station 1 for a long while if I have any say in it.
Bottom line is that team Lodi is coming prepared and looking very forward to this years competition. I know it will be a hard fight, but as long as the victor that is chosen is: worthy, deserving, formidable...and us, then everything will be just fine!:)
As you may have read in a previous blog...the Lodi Fire team, which consisted of Captain Mike Harden and myself, took second place at last year's State Fair, "Firehouse Chefs Competition". With my competitive nature taking over I was severely dissatisfied with last years second place...I consider second place; the first loser. Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on myself since that happened to be my first ever cooking competition, but I couldnt' help the feeling of leaving there empty handed. All in all we didn't do that bad, but there were a few tweaks that could have been made that would have given us the minuscule three points that we needed to eclipse first place. This year those will not be overlooked...I promise that!
The main thing is that we worked well as a team, especially since my teammate and I had never cooked together before. This year however, I feel that the stakes have been slightly raised with my recent appearance on the Food Network, and I sit here and hope that I will be able to match up to this years competition and make dishes worthy enough of the "Golden Bear" (the prize awarded to the first place team). Our first and foremost goal is to dethrone the two year reigning champs from Woodland who have proven to be very worthy competitors. Second is that we take the golden bear and a blue ribbon back to Lodi where it should reside at Station 1 for a long while if I have any say in it.
Bottom line is that team Lodi is coming prepared and looking very forward to this years competition. I know it will be a hard fight, but as long as the victor that is chosen is: worthy, deserving, formidable...and us, then everything will be just fine!:)
CPF Fire Vision has been a huge support!!
The California Professional Firefighter' Fire Vision has been a huge support of The Mama Bear Foundation. They did a follow up segment about the show and highlighted the foundation. It's been an amazing experience meeting people who have been affected by cancer and knowing that we are on our way to helping them.
If you're interested in other stories about fire fighters, including other fire house cooks, check out www.cpf.org.
For my pork and chutney that was featured on the show, just log onto the foodnetwork.com.
If you're interested in other stories about fire fighters, including other fire house cooks, check out www.cpf.org.
For my pork and chutney that was featured on the show, just log onto the foodnetwork.com.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Hosts With the Most
Quote of the day: "I love cooking with wine... sometimes I even put it in the food!"
Anyone close to my twin brother Kris and I know we just hosted one of the most EPIC events of our entire lives! I have experienced 2 live child births, 9/11, the Giants winning the World Series and the OJ Trial and whether those events were seen as brilliant, remarkable, tragic or down right awful... they cannot compare to what we just experienced on Thursday night, June 16th.
Kris and I were invited to participate on a tv show on the Food Network back in February. For those that know me, you know it is almost impossible to escape my presence without me telling you an extremely long winded story pertaining to some event in my life, whether positive, negative, embarrassing or just down right hysterical... it's almost unavoidable. The amazing part of this night was of the 100+ people in attendance, only a small percentage knew what was about to take place.
Not only did Kris and I appear on a National Television Show... not only did Kris cut his thumb and perfom a pole dance routine unlike any ever executed in the history of pole dancing... not only did we both cry like two 5 year old girls with bee stings when forced to talk about our Mom.... but we got along and acted as teammates for an entire 3 day span of time translating into an entire 1-Hour episode on TV!!! There is physical proof that we were depicted as being a cohesive unit. We were shown as two individuals, more different than the sun and the moon, being presented as representing a united front. We were two polar opposites shown as the perfect balance between tall and short, right and wrong, front and back (of the house), and we proved to all of the critics that when you put OUR MINDS TOGETHER... it is truly a force to be reckoned with!
We played hosts to a large gathering of family, co-workers, free-loaders and friends and I can honestly say I feel we were the HOSTS WITH THE MOST. Where else can one attend a free event and get so much entertainment in such a small amount of time? You cant buy drama like that at the Roxy Movie Theaters downtown! There was laughing, crying, bleeding, cheering, prizes, drinks and a bonding experience not seen in the better part of a decade!
For me personally, this was hands down the best event of 2011 and I can only hope to host many more events such as this...as I play one of the Hosts with the Most.
Anyone close to my twin brother Kris and I know we just hosted one of the most EPIC events of our entire lives! I have experienced 2 live child births, 9/11, the Giants winning the World Series and the OJ Trial and whether those events were seen as brilliant, remarkable, tragic or down right awful... they cannot compare to what we just experienced on Thursday night, June 16th.
Kris and I were invited to participate on a tv show on the Food Network back in February. For those that know me, you know it is almost impossible to escape my presence without me telling you an extremely long winded story pertaining to some event in my life, whether positive, negative, embarrassing or just down right hysterical... it's almost unavoidable. The amazing part of this night was of the 100+ people in attendance, only a small percentage knew what was about to take place.
Not only did Kris and I appear on a National Television Show... not only did Kris cut his thumb and perfom a pole dance routine unlike any ever executed in the history of pole dancing... not only did we both cry like two 5 year old girls with bee stings when forced to talk about our Mom.... but we got along and acted as teammates for an entire 3 day span of time translating into an entire 1-Hour episode on TV!!! There is physical proof that we were depicted as being a cohesive unit. We were shown as two individuals, more different than the sun and the moon, being presented as representing a united front. We were two polar opposites shown as the perfect balance between tall and short, right and wrong, front and back (of the house), and we proved to all of the critics that when you put OUR MINDS TOGETHER... it is truly a force to be reckoned with!
We played hosts to a large gathering of family, co-workers, free-loaders and friends and I can honestly say I feel we were the HOSTS WITH THE MOST. Where else can one attend a free event and get so much entertainment in such a small amount of time? You cant buy drama like that at the Roxy Movie Theaters downtown! There was laughing, crying, bleeding, cheering, prizes, drinks and a bonding experience not seen in the better part of a decade!
For me personally, this was hands down the best event of 2011 and I can only hope to host many more events such as this...as I play one of the Hosts with the Most.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
My Uncle Donnie and I love to cook together and share new recipes!! Whether it's offering cooking advice, being my sous chef or helping our foundation put on an event, I know that I can always count on him in and out of the kitchen. My aunt PJ is always a huge support and I appreciate all of their help.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
I appreciate all of the support!
The Mama Bear Foundation is something near and dear to our family. Loosing our matriarch, Patti Graves to cancer 6 years ago has altered our lives for ever. We are determined to take our experience and support the families affected by cancer.
http://www.themamabearfoundation.org/
http://www.themamabearfoundation.org/
Friday, June 17, 2011
How about this for a cliche...
Winner, winner chicken dinner!! Thanks to all of you that have watched and even rewatched the show! Mike and I had a blast and the experience was unforgettable. We feel lucky to have gotten to compete against Sierp and Jeff. They are amazing guys and what the show doesn't illustrate is what a great time we had with them over the three days of filming.
I will post more about my experience of being on the show later.
I will post more about my experience of being on the show later.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
It's Getting Hot in Here
"It's getting hot in here", ...so take off all your clothes. I think somone should write a song about that! I appreciate that this article highlighted the monetary piece of making dinner at the firehouse and how the budget issues have an impact on what we cook. Most people don't know that we pay for our own meals and that cost can add up really fast.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Kole Slaw
Kris' Kole Slaw
As with all of my recipes I always put an nontraditional spin in the things I cook. Since, I can't stand mayonnaise (it's bad for you), I substituted the mayo for plain yogurt. I use this "kole slaw" as a side for my pulled pork sandwiches, as well as my pulled pork ravioli.
Ingredients:
½ cup of sour cream
¼ cup of plain yogurt
¼ cup of Dijon mustard
¼ cup of packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of buttermilk
2 teaspoons of celery salt
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of cayenne
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
½ head of green cabbage
½ head of red cabbage
1 green bell pepper chopped fine
2 carrots peeled and shredded
½ cup of grated yellow onion
¼ cup of fresh minced parsley
Preparation:
In a bowl, combine sour cream, yogurt, mustard, sugar vinegar, buttermilk, salts, pepper, cayenne and pepper flakes; whisk well to dissolve the sugar. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Toss with the dressing until evenly coated and adjust seasoning to taste. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill slightly before serving.
As with all of my recipes I always put an nontraditional spin in the things I cook. Since, I can't stand mayonnaise (it's bad for you), I substituted the mayo for plain yogurt. I use this "kole slaw" as a side for my pulled pork sandwiches, as well as my pulled pork ravioli.
Ingredients:
½ cup of sour cream
¼ cup of plain yogurt
¼ cup of Dijon mustard
¼ cup of packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of buttermilk
2 teaspoons of celery salt
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of cayenne
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
½ head of green cabbage
½ head of red cabbage
1 green bell pepper chopped fine
2 carrots peeled and shredded
½ cup of grated yellow onion
¼ cup of fresh minced parsley
Preparation:
In a bowl, combine sour cream, yogurt, mustard, sugar vinegar, buttermilk, salts, pepper, cayenne and pepper flakes; whisk well to dissolve the sugar. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Toss with the dressing until evenly coated and adjust seasoning to taste. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill slightly before serving.
Chicken Curry
This recipe for came from an adaption from my brother Mike's Chicken Curry. It's amazing over rice but also makes a great appetizer when you use the filling as a tostada topping.
Chicken Curry
Chicken Curry
Ingredients:
-6 tablespoons EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
-4 Chicken Breasts OR 6 boneless, skinless thighs
-1 small yellow onion, diced.
-1 small jalapeno, 1 serrano pepper both finely chopped
-6 to 8 tablespoons Madras Curry Powder
-4 tablespoons Cayenne
-2 teaspoons Cumin
-1 teaspoon chili powder
-2 to 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
-1 tablespoon of fresh ginger
-1/3 of a bunch of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
-1/4 cup to ½ cup of heavy cream
-1 or 2 doll ups of cream cheese or plain yogurt
This recipe is for 4 regular size breasts or about 6-8 boneless, skinless thighs or a combo of the two. Add additional ingredients if adding additional chicken. Dice meat in small, fine pieces. I like to slice them when still partially frozen. In a Dutch oven, put in about 2-3 tablespoons of Olive Oil. Once hot, add chicken. I like to season at each stage so take about 3 tablespoons of Hot Curry- My favorite is called a Madras Curry Powder. Also put in about another half teaspoon of cayenne, salt, pepper and ½ teaspoon of chili powder and another ½ teaspoon of cumin. Once chicken is about 90% cooked….(only about 5 - 7 minutes), remove from dutch oven and place in a bowl. Drain chicken fat but do not wash out- that’s all flavor!! Pour in 3 more tablespoons of Olive Oil. Once hot add diced onion and peppers. Add in 3 more tablespoons of curry powder, 1 – 2 teaspoons of cayenne, ½ - 1 teaspoon of cumin and stir. After about 2-3 minutes, add in garlic and ginger. After about another 2-3 minutes of stirring, add chicken back in to mixture. Another 2-3 minutes later, add in cream and cream cheese. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently until mixture is well blended and sauce is thick but still creamy. Stir in cilantro and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve with Nan bread or tortillas and serve over basmati rice. Note: when cooking rice, put about 4 Bay Leaves and 5 or 6 Cloves in rice. Remove cloves and leaves before plating.
CPF Fire Vision
I'm not even sure what I would owe for making it in the CPF Fire Vision publication! I'll keep you posted.
Support from our local paper
I don't know if I'm going to be able to live this one down!!! It's tradition that if you make the paper you owe everyone at the firehouse ice cream!! The shear amount that I'll owe for this article is mind-boggling!!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Real-Eats
An interesting article about the show, 24 Hour Restaurant Battle. Mike and I are featured in the photographs.
Pork and Cranberry Chutney
My twin brother Mike and I are on an episode of 24 Hour Restaurant Battle. Follow the link to the episode to download the recipe for my version of a pork with a cranberry chutney.
Cook with Passion
To cook or not to cook...that is the question! With the schedules that we keep who has the time to cook these days? With the price of gas making the cost of food steadily increase and McDonald's able to give you a grease laden Big Mac meal (Super-Sized even) for less than the cost of a gallon of gas; I ask, "what are we supposed to do?" We need to eat, and I know that I am not the only one concerned with how they look naked, so can we really afford to ingest a caloric mother load that is going to reside on our hips for days to come? More than likely the adults in the household have jobs that ask them to be there until 5pm or after, (some of which require our significant others to put in 20 or so more hours a week then they get paid for) and who would be willing to trust a teenager with the evening's fare; likely to consist of macaroni and cheese from a box, served with a side of eloquently bronzed tater tots...
My Mama, a legend in her own right, was a phenom when it came to using leftovers or items from the pantry to create a meal fit for a King that could easily provide sustenance for a family of four. The staples in the house consisted of pasta, cheese, cream of mushroom soup and a protein of sorts, which singularly may sound dull and lifeless; but when put together, with love (that is the secret to all good tasting meals) turned into a symphony of flavors yet to be replicated!
This is my challenge to all of you faithful readers of The Jogger Chronicles: at least 1 night a month, try to cook from the things that you have left yourself in the pantry. It is okay to assemble a casserole or throw everything except the kitchen sink into a tortilla and call it a burrito, just make sure that you use leftovers or already purchased pantry items. When making a trip to the store sounds like the worst idea on the planet, and you couldn't stand the thought of wasting 1,500 calories on fast food, utilize what you have to create a masterpiece! I personally try to do this every two weeks or so, and I will do my best to give ideas or recipes that I have done in the past to get the creative juices flowing. The plan this week was to be as healthy as possible...including zero salt used in the recipe! The other night between the fridge and the pantry I had:
fresh spinach (about 4 cups)
1 green bell pepper (finely diced)
1 onion (cut in half and sliced thin)
6 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 can of garbanzo beans (no salt added)
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons of olive oil
In a pan I heated the olive oil and sauteed the onion, bell pepper, garlic and crushed red pepper flake until the onions were translucent (about 5 minutes). I added the vinegar and the spinach, and cooked until the spinach wilted. Lastly I added the chickpeas and cooked until they were heated through. Toss with Parmesan cheese if so desired...
I was very hesitant when I was putting all of this together, very unsure of how it would taste and scared to serve it to others. It turned out way better than I had anticipated and really the only fat in it was from the olive oil...and that's good fat. Not every meal or side dish that I put together with leftovers or from the pantry is figure friendly, but if I have the chance to make it good and good for you then that it forever the goal.
Stay tuned for more random ramblings from this guy...and remember that if you are going to bother with making food from scratch; make sure to do it with love...it makes all of the difference in the world!!!!
My Mama, a legend in her own right, was a phenom when it came to using leftovers or items from the pantry to create a meal fit for a King that could easily provide sustenance for a family of four. The staples in the house consisted of pasta, cheese, cream of mushroom soup and a protein of sorts, which singularly may sound dull and lifeless; but when put together, with love (that is the secret to all good tasting meals) turned into a symphony of flavors yet to be replicated!
This is my challenge to all of you faithful readers of The Jogger Chronicles: at least 1 night a month, try to cook from the things that you have left yourself in the pantry. It is okay to assemble a casserole or throw everything except the kitchen sink into a tortilla and call it a burrito, just make sure that you use leftovers or already purchased pantry items. When making a trip to the store sounds like the worst idea on the planet, and you couldn't stand the thought of wasting 1,500 calories on fast food, utilize what you have to create a masterpiece! I personally try to do this every two weeks or so, and I will do my best to give ideas or recipes that I have done in the past to get the creative juices flowing. The plan this week was to be as healthy as possible...including zero salt used in the recipe! The other night between the fridge and the pantry I had:
fresh spinach (about 4 cups)
1 green bell pepper (finely diced)
1 onion (cut in half and sliced thin)
6 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 can of garbanzo beans (no salt added)
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons of olive oil
In a pan I heated the olive oil and sauteed the onion, bell pepper, garlic and crushed red pepper flake until the onions were translucent (about 5 minutes). I added the vinegar and the spinach, and cooked until the spinach wilted. Lastly I added the chickpeas and cooked until they were heated through. Toss with Parmesan cheese if so desired...
I was very hesitant when I was putting all of this together, very unsure of how it would taste and scared to serve it to others. It turned out way better than I had anticipated and really the only fat in it was from the olive oil...and that's good fat. Not every meal or side dish that I put together with leftovers or from the pantry is figure friendly, but if I have the chance to make it good and good for you then that it forever the goal.
Stay tuned for more random ramblings from this guy...and remember that if you are going to bother with making food from scratch; make sure to do it with love...it makes all of the difference in the world!!!!
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