Well everyone, one of the most dreaded/most looked forward days of the year is coming up this weekend, depending on which team you are playing for this year. This day, is Valentine’s Day. So today I am going to post a simple menu for Valentine’s Day next Sunday. These recipes are very simple and easy to make. Tomorrow I’m going to post a more advanced menu for anyone who is feeling adventurous :) It’s not that the recipes tomorrow are that much harder than the ones today, they are just more time consuming. Today’s menu is great because it can be paired with red wine, white wine, and best of all, champagne!!! So, here we go!!
Appetizer
Prosciutto wrapped asparagus
Ingredients
- ½ lb prosciutto
- 1 bunch asparagus
- Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- Grated Parmesan (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Trim off the woody ends of the asparagus.
Tip: A quick way to do this is to hold the asparagus by both ends and bend until it snaps. Where the asparagus breaks is usually where the tough, woody end starts. Now just line up the rest of the asparagus with the one you snapped and cut them all at that length
3. Once the asparagus is trimmed, wrap then individually, or in a bundle, with prosciutto, line them on a baking sheet, sprinkle with olive oil, and salt and pepper. Gently roll them in the pan to coat.
4. Roast the asparagus under the prosciutto begins to crisp, usually about 8 minutes. The prosciutto is already cured, so you don’t’ have to worry about it cooking through.
5. Place on a platter and lightly sprinkle with fresh grated Parmesan, if desired, and serve!
Salad
Caramelized Pancetta and Fennel Salad
Ingredients
- 1 bulb fennel, halved and cut into ½ in wedges
- 5 slices pancetta
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 5 oz mixed salad greens
- Red Wine Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, toss together fennel, pancetta, garlic, brown sugar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the ingredients on the baking sheet in a single layer. Cook until the pancetta is crisp and the fennel is caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, place the salad greens, crumbled pancetta, and caramelized fennel. Toss the salad with the Red Wine Vinaigrette and serve immediately.
Red Wine Vinaigrette:
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running gradually blend in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if desired. Yields about ½ cup.
Entrée
Shrimp Scampi with Linguine
Cook Time:25 min Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound linguine
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves
Directions
1. For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it has come to the boil, add a small handful of salt and the linguine. Stir to make sure the pasta separates; cover.
FYI: You do not have to add olive oil to the pasta water. This does not help the pasta to not stick together. Whoever started that cooking rumor wasn’t thinking clearly, since water and oil do not mix, the oil just settles at the bottom and then washes down the sink when you strain the pasta.
2. When the water returns to a boil, cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the pasta is not quite done. Drain the pasta.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper; add them to the pan and cook until they have turned pink, about 2 to 3 minutes max (the shrimp with continue to cook once removed from the pan, and you do not want to serve rubbery dry shrimp, believe me). Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside and keep warm.
5. Add wine and lemon juice to the pan and bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil. When the butter has melted, return the shrimp to the pan along with the parsley and cooked pasta. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a bit more olive oil and serve immediately.
Dessert
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
prep time 20 min
Ingredients
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 ounces white chocolate, chopped
- 1 pound strawberries with stems (about 20), washed and dried very well
Directions
1. Put the semisweet and white chocolates into 2 separate heatproof medium bowls. Fill 2 medium saucepans with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat; set the bowls of chocolate over the water to melt. Stir until smooth. (Alternatively, melt the chocolates in a microwave at half power, for 1 minute, stir and then heat for another minute or until melted.)
2. Once the chocolates are melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries. Dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the dipped strawberries.
3. Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.
2.07.2010
My very own happy place..
It was about this time last year when I was introduced to a place that would change my life forever. Super H Mart, located on Old Denton Road in Carrollton. This place is magnificent to say the least. I am going to post the website, but there isn't much English on it, so just take my word...its worth the drive. Not only to they seem to always have the freshest proteins, produce, and anything else you can think of, the prices are incredibly low! In my fridge at this very moment I have a fillet of salmon, weighing in at 1.32 lbs and only costing me $7.42. Go to a chain grocery store and it will cost at least twice as much! Super H Mart not only serves as a grocery store, but there are about 6 different little cafes that serve made from scratch, fresh foods ranging from sushi to Chinese to Korean (I'm not sure they have any American food, except for the sodas). They also have little novelty stores sprinkled about selling anything from Hello Kitty to Suitcases to shoes. I could spend an entire day at this place.
When you first walk in, you are immediately overwhelmed. There are people everywhere, like little ants with shopping carts. The produce section is what you run into first. Its unbelievable. They sell fruits and vegetables there that I have never even heard of, and the items I have heard of seems to be on steroids. Ever seen a one pound pear? No? Well go to Super H Mart and they sell them for a dollar, as well as their strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. I was used to buying a pound of strawberries for $5.99, but not at this place. Once you weave your way up and down the produce rows, you hit the protein section, which seems to go on forever. 50 different types of fresh lay on ice behind glass, while about 10 other kinds of fish are swimming around in fish tanks (including shark sometimes). The have an aisle about 20 yards long full of freshly packed fish, as well as squids, clams, mussels and lobsters. Across the way are the meats, which actually I have never looked through because I am always so enthralled by the fish. Once you make your way through that section you run into the frozen foods followed by 12 aisles of packaged foods. Most everything is in Korean, I'm not even joking. Yes they have little 8 foot long sections of foods from other parts of the world, but that not why you go...you go for the Korean items. Scatter through the market are employees preparing fresh dumplings, Boboa Teas, and even steaming fresh snow crab for sampling.
Yesterday I introduced a friend (and hopeful upcoming foodie) to Super H. Within about 5 minutes I can say, with almost certainty, that they became a believer. After walking around the store picking up various items for about an hour, we stopped and ate at one of the little cafes. All the menu items at the cafes are served with white rice and some type of miso soup. My favorite thing to order is Kimchi Fried Rice. What is Kimchi you ask? I'll post a little something about the food at the end of the post.
For dinner last night I prepared seared tuna (around $13 for about a lb that served 2 people) along with fried rice. I really can't take any credit for the fried rice because I had my friend make it, I just boiled the rice :) Anyways, it was an all around delicious meal that we estimated cost about $20 for the two of us. If you had gone out to eat the same meal at a restaurant, it would have been anywhere from $20-$35 a plate depending on the restaurant.
The little pile between the tuna and the rice is squid salad that I bought from Super H...one of my favs.
Hard to see the vibrant pink color because I took this with my iphone, but you don't want to cook a piece of tuna this fresh anymore than searing for a couple minutes on each side...the color was beautiful
Here's a little history behind kimchi-
"The word kimchi has 2 possible origins. Some people believe that it evolved from the native Korean words ji or jimchae (meaning vegetables soaked in salted water), then later changed its pronunciation to timchae or dimchae, then to jimchi, and finally kimchi Another possible origin is as a Korean pronunciation of the Chinese character Ham-tse or Kam-tse (meaning processed with salted water or pickle vegetables).
The earliest recorded account of kimchi is found in the Book of Si-Kyong (a collection of Chinese poetry that was written between 2,600 and 3,000 years ago). It contains a stanza which says, "a cucumber has grown on the bank of the field, and pickle it for worshiping ancestor." This worship was wishing longevity and happiness.Kimjang (Kimchi-making) usually started in late October or early November and lasted for 2 or 3 days with help from many people. The number of cabbages prepared depended on the number of household members, usually between 100 and 200 cabbages. Considering the number of cabbages and amount of preparation for Kimjang, it was not a job for just 1 or 2 persons. People considered it as a major annual event, so close relatives, several neighbor housewives, and a few strong men all pitched in and worked together. People who participated in Kimjang helped wash cabbages, prepared materials, and stuffed ingredients inside each cabbage leaf."
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/culture/kimchi/kimchi.cfm
www.hmart.com
View Larger Map
When you first walk in, you are immediately overwhelmed. There are people everywhere, like little ants with shopping carts. The produce section is what you run into first. Its unbelievable. They sell fruits and vegetables there that I have never even heard of, and the items I have heard of seems to be on steroids. Ever seen a one pound pear? No? Well go to Super H Mart and they sell them for a dollar, as well as their strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. I was used to buying a pound of strawberries for $5.99, but not at this place. Once you weave your way up and down the produce rows, you hit the protein section, which seems to go on forever. 50 different types of fresh lay on ice behind glass, while about 10 other kinds of fish are swimming around in fish tanks (including shark sometimes). The have an aisle about 20 yards long full of freshly packed fish, as well as squids, clams, mussels and lobsters. Across the way are the meats, which actually I have never looked through because I am always so enthralled by the fish. Once you make your way through that section you run into the frozen foods followed by 12 aisles of packaged foods. Most everything is in Korean, I'm not even joking. Yes they have little 8 foot long sections of foods from other parts of the world, but that not why you go...you go for the Korean items. Scatter through the market are employees preparing fresh dumplings, Boboa Teas, and even steaming fresh snow crab for sampling.
Yesterday I introduced a friend (and hopeful upcoming foodie) to Super H. Within about 5 minutes I can say, with almost certainty, that they became a believer. After walking around the store picking up various items for about an hour, we stopped and ate at one of the little cafes. All the menu items at the cafes are served with white rice and some type of miso soup. My favorite thing to order is Kimchi Fried Rice. What is Kimchi you ask? I'll post a little something about the food at the end of the post.
For dinner last night I prepared seared tuna (around $13 for about a lb that served 2 people) along with fried rice. I really can't take any credit for the fried rice because I had my friend make it, I just boiled the rice :) Anyways, it was an all around delicious meal that we estimated cost about $20 for the two of us. If you had gone out to eat the same meal at a restaurant, it would have been anywhere from $20-$35 a plate depending on the restaurant.
The little pile between the tuna and the rice is squid salad that I bought from Super H...one of my favs.
Hard to see the vibrant pink color because I took this with my iphone, but you don't want to cook a piece of tuna this fresh anymore than searing for a couple minutes on each side...the color was beautiful
Here's a little history behind kimchi-
"The word kimchi has 2 possible origins. Some people believe that it evolved from the native Korean words ji or jimchae (meaning vegetables soaked in salted water), then later changed its pronunciation to timchae or dimchae, then to jimchi, and finally kimchi Another possible origin is as a Korean pronunciation of the Chinese character Ham-tse or Kam-tse (meaning processed with salted water or pickle vegetables).
The earliest recorded account of kimchi is found in the Book of Si-Kyong (a collection of Chinese poetry that was written between 2,600 and 3,000 years ago). It contains a stanza which says, "a cucumber has grown on the bank of the field, and pickle it for worshiping ancestor." This worship was wishing longevity and happiness.Kimjang (Kimchi-making) usually started in late October or early November and lasted for 2 or 3 days with help from many people. The number of cabbages prepared depended on the number of household members, usually between 100 and 200 cabbages. Considering the number of cabbages and amount of preparation for Kimjang, it was not a job for just 1 or 2 persons. People considered it as a major annual event, so close relatives, several neighbor housewives, and a few strong men all pitched in and worked together. People who participated in Kimjang helped wash cabbages, prepared materials, and stuffed ingredients inside each cabbage leaf."
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/culture/kimchi/kimchi.cfm
www.hmart.com
View Larger Map
2.06.2010
Note to self as well as readers...
As soon as I save some money, I am buying new plates and maybe even upgrading my camera so that the food looks as mouthwatering on camera as it does in person...These iPhone pictures and brown plates are not doing the food justice...
2.05.2010
It happened again!
Yesterday was a great day at work because another person decided to cook for me! Well, it was for our office, but she was most excited to share with me (at least I like to think so). My coworker, also a culinary grad, prepared two sushi dishes; one for people who like sushi, and the other for those who don't (more of a turkey, salami and pastrami pinwheel). One of the lessons we were taught in school was that we had to learn how to prepare food for the masses. Not everyone is going to like the same things that you like, and as a restaurant chef, you have to find the balance between the two (something that I did not really like, hence why I do not really ever want to work in a kitchen again). My coworker remembered that lesson as she surprised us with our sushi. Some people just are not as adventurous of eaters as others (a shame really), so she went the extra step and made the pinwheels so that everyone would feel included. The dishes were beautiful!! She even took the time to plate them in a fun way (something that I really need to practice). The first picture is of the California rolls with pineapple (YUM) and the next is of the pinwheels.
(Please take note of the cucumber peel lattice as well as the pickled sushi!!))
(Please take note of the cucumber peel lattice as well as the pickled sushi!!))
2.04.2010
Ask and you shall receive!
So I was just talking about how long it had been since someone prepared a meal for me. Well, last night I was able to enjoy just that. A friend prepared salmon and sweet potato fries for dinner, just for me! I am not kidding when I say that I cannot remember the last time someone cooked for me (besides my parents or my friends parents). It was great! The salmon had a Cajun rub that created a great crust as it was broiled. It was cooked perfectly (I like my salmon rare). The sweet potato fries were also very enjoyable! For someone who does not really care for sweet potatoes, I definitely cleaned my plate. As I was eating the fries I was trying to pinpoint why I don't like sweet potatoes, because it seems that everyone else I know does. The conclusion I came to was simplicity. The reason I liked these fries was that they were seasoned with salt and pepper, that's it. I don't need all the nuts and marshmallows and brown sugar, etc. I just want to enjoy the actual taste of the food. I understand that you must season foods, but when you start adding all the extras, it just seems to mask the original flavor of that item, the flavor that gives the food its own identity. Its like ordering Iced Tea and pouring 12 packets of sugar into it. Why not just order sugar water?! I never put sugar in my teas or coffees. I actually enjoy the flavors by themselves. I wish I had taken a picture of the meal, but I'm not sure I had mentioned this new little project, so I didn't want to seem weird by busting out the camera at the table.
Anyways, back to the meal. Being a gracious guest, I brought a salad to accompany the meal. Very simple, and I think very tasty (my friend agreed but you never really know if people are telling you the truth or lying to make you feel better). Spinach greens, toasted walnuts, bleu cheese crumbles, crispy turkey bacon, dried cranberries and sliced strawberries. I made a strawberry vinaigrette as well. Vinaigrettes are so simple and quick to make. All you need are the main flavors of the dressing, i.e. strawberries and sugar in this case, then vinegar and olive oil (at a 1:2 ratio), a little salt and pepper and a blender (or a whisk if your hard core). That's its. You can make them as thick or as thin as you'd like, just by adding too or lessening the olive oil.
Another great thing about the meal was that we sat at the table and talked. Growing up we always ate dinner at the table, until my parents divorced. I'm not saying that we never ate at the table after that, but we definitely did not eat at it every night anymore, even though my mom always prepared delicious homemade meals (we rarely ate out, which is how I hope to raise my children). Now-a-days the dinner table is your lap and the conversion is with the TV. Even when friends are over everyone seems to migrate to the kitchen and dinner table during the meals preparation, but then the plates are taken into the living room. I'm an old school kind of gal, and I enjoy a great meal, great bottle of wine, and great conversion...all things that I got last night. Food is something that should bring people closer together. Try and make it a point to eat at the table with friends, family, whomever, at least once a week. If you want to be daring, turn the TV off as well, and just listen to each other and enjoy the food and the time that you are able to spend with one another.
Anyways, back to the meal. Being a gracious guest, I brought a salad to accompany the meal. Very simple, and I think very tasty (my friend agreed but you never really know if people are telling you the truth or lying to make you feel better). Spinach greens, toasted walnuts, bleu cheese crumbles, crispy turkey bacon, dried cranberries and sliced strawberries. I made a strawberry vinaigrette as well. Vinaigrettes are so simple and quick to make. All you need are the main flavors of the dressing, i.e. strawberries and sugar in this case, then vinegar and olive oil (at a 1:2 ratio), a little salt and pepper and a blender (or a whisk if your hard core). That's its. You can make them as thick or as thin as you'd like, just by adding too or lessening the olive oil.
Another great thing about the meal was that we sat at the table and talked. Growing up we always ate dinner at the table, until my parents divorced. I'm not saying that we never ate at the table after that, but we definitely did not eat at it every night anymore, even though my mom always prepared delicious homemade meals (we rarely ate out, which is how I hope to raise my children). Now-a-days the dinner table is your lap and the conversion is with the TV. Even when friends are over everyone seems to migrate to the kitchen and dinner table during the meals preparation, but then the plates are taken into the living room. I'm an old school kind of gal, and I enjoy a great meal, great bottle of wine, and great conversion...all things that I got last night. Food is something that should bring people closer together. Try and make it a point to eat at the table with friends, family, whomever, at least once a week. If you want to be daring, turn the TV off as well, and just listen to each other and enjoy the food and the time that you are able to spend with one another.
2.01.2010
What is Mood??
Mood, as defined by Webster's Dictionary, is as follows:
noun-1 : a conscious state of mind or predominant emotion : feeling; also : the expression of mood especially in art or literature
2 archaic : a fit of anger : rage
3 a : a prevailing attitude : disposition b : a receptive state of mind predisposing to action c : a distinctive atmosphere or context : aura
Think about how much your mood affects your day to day life. If you are in a bad mood, everything seems to be going wrong...you feel like you just can't catch a break. When you're in a bad mood, what is it that you most often crave? In my life, its junk food, i.e. chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream or dark chocolate. I usually don't feel like cooking or preparing anything, and I just want to lay around and gorge on the two aforementioned foods. However, when I'm in a good mood, the one thing that I crave the most is champagne, and I always indulge myself. Everyday is worth celebrating, and I'm definitely not opposing to a glass of champagne whenever I feel like it. Of course, I save the expensive stuff for the real celebrating, but nothing caps off the end of my day like a glass of Cristalino (introduced to me by one of my best friends). Not only is it good, its cheap, usually $7.99 at most liquor stores.
Good moods usually equal good meals. Tonight for example, I am going to make seared scallops on a bed of spring lettuce with Lemon Tarragon Vinaigrette because I'm happy. As I type I am drinking a glass of champagne with some Cassis liquor, C'est Magnifique!! On the days your in a bad mood, you have no one to blame but yourself. YOU control your mood, so let food help!! If I were to make seared scallops with spring mix and champagne when I was in a bad mood, I would most undoubtedly become in a great mood! How could this meal not make someone happy :)
Seared Scallops, goat cheese, balsamic glazed new potatoes, turkey bacon, and lemon tarragon vinaigrette. I had planned to add walnuts and red onion, but I was out of both!
Cooking shouldn't be a chore, it should be mood enhancing, fun and delicious experience. Think of how your food could alter others moods?!? Let's use Valentine's Day as an example, because don't forget...it's just around the corner. Forget the tacky heart shaped boxes of chocolate, and even the flowers that will die within the week...make dinner for the one you love (or the one you hope to start loving in the future ;) ). As cheesy and lame as a candlelit dinner can be, it can also put that special someone in just the right mood. On top of that, it's also a money saver! Going out to eat on Valentine's Day = menu items with extremely inflated prices...add in drinks, valet, flowers, chocolate, etc. and it's an easy $200 if you do it right. Cut that in half and make it extra personal and romantic by staying in. I'm serious, if someone cooked me dinner on Valentine's they'd be set. It shows you care and that you are putting an effort into that person and the way you feel, even if its just friendly...it matters.
I'm thinking about posting a couple of easy, economically friendly, and, dare I say, senusal recipes for Valentine's Day if anyone is interested.
noun-1 : a conscious state of mind or predominant emotion : feeling; also : the expression of mood especially in art or literature
2 archaic : a fit of anger : rage
3 a : a prevailing attitude : disposition b : a receptive state of mind predisposing to action c : a distinctive atmosphere or context : aura
Think about how much your mood affects your day to day life. If you are in a bad mood, everything seems to be going wrong...you feel like you just can't catch a break. When you're in a bad mood, what is it that you most often crave? In my life, its junk food, i.e. chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream or dark chocolate. I usually don't feel like cooking or preparing anything, and I just want to lay around and gorge on the two aforementioned foods. However, when I'm in a good mood, the one thing that I crave the most is champagne, and I always indulge myself. Everyday is worth celebrating, and I'm definitely not opposing to a glass of champagne whenever I feel like it. Of course, I save the expensive stuff for the real celebrating, but nothing caps off the end of my day like a glass of Cristalino (introduced to me by one of my best friends). Not only is it good, its cheap, usually $7.99 at most liquor stores.
Good moods usually equal good meals. Tonight for example, I am going to make seared scallops on a bed of spring lettuce with Lemon Tarragon Vinaigrette because I'm happy. As I type I am drinking a glass of champagne with some Cassis liquor, C'est Magnifique!! On the days your in a bad mood, you have no one to blame but yourself. YOU control your mood, so let food help!! If I were to make seared scallops with spring mix and champagne when I was in a bad mood, I would most undoubtedly become in a great mood! How could this meal not make someone happy :)
Seared Scallops, goat cheese, balsamic glazed new potatoes, turkey bacon, and lemon tarragon vinaigrette. I had planned to add walnuts and red onion, but I was out of both!
Cooking shouldn't be a chore, it should be mood enhancing, fun and delicious experience. Think of how your food could alter others moods?!? Let's use Valentine's Day as an example, because don't forget...it's just around the corner. Forget the tacky heart shaped boxes of chocolate, and even the flowers that will die within the week...make dinner for the one you love (or the one you hope to start loving in the future ;) ). As cheesy and lame as a candlelit dinner can be, it can also put that special someone in just the right mood. On top of that, it's also a money saver! Going out to eat on Valentine's Day = menu items with extremely inflated prices...add in drinks, valet, flowers, chocolate, etc. and it's an easy $200 if you do it right. Cut that in half and make it extra personal and romantic by staying in. I'm serious, if someone cooked me dinner on Valentine's they'd be set. It shows you care and that you are putting an effort into that person and the way you feel, even if its just friendly...it matters.
I'm thinking about posting a couple of easy, economically friendly, and, dare I say, senusal recipes for Valentine's Day if anyone is interested.
1.31.2010
Day One
I've been pushing around the idea of starting a food blog for a while now, but I wasn't sure how I would format it and if anyone, more importantly, would read it. This is definitely going to be experimental at first, and I will probably only allow a few people to view it until I get it the way I want. I have received great response to postings of my creation on Facebook, so I'm sure the critics won't be too harsh. The Mood for Food came to me because I pretty much cook based on the mood that I am in that day. For example, its currently 33 degrees outside and has been cold all weekend, so what do I have on the stove right now...Eleven Bean Stew. A cold, crisp, refreshing salad just doesn't seem to fit the mood of the day. Even if you have never thought about it, cooking is all about your mood.
Take time to think about a meal you have made (or even eaten at a restaurant) in the past couple days...what made you choose to create or eat that item? One of the obstacles that I faced in culinary school was being told what I had to make. I definitely loved every minute of it, but when its July in Texas and your cooking a Roast and baking Apple Pie, it begins to wear on you. I rarely cooked when I was in school...after cooking for 5 hours in the morning, I just wanted to relax. It has only been recently that I have really gotten in to creating dishes again. Sometimes I go all out and make everything from scratch, but more often than not, I cheat a little. Just because you can make sausage from scratch, or pie crust even, doesn't mean that you want to do it every time you are in the mood for that item. You do not always have to cook to impress. Take it from me, if you cook at all for anyone, that will be impressive enough.
I'm going to try and post a dish a day that I have either made, or maybe even a dish that I order at a restaurant (or something that a friend prepares if I'm so lucky ;)). I may not post all of the recipes, because cooking should reflect who you are, and how you interpret it. A recipe is just a guideline, you do not have to stress over getting every single measurement and ingredient right (except maybe for pastry and dessert, but I will rarely be making any of those). The response to the items will dictact the recipes that I post. This blog is something that I am doing for myself, kin d of like an online food diary of sorts. Cooking should be fun, adventurous, experimental, delicious and hopefully, at least sometimes, healthy. So what if you mess up, you can either throw away or eat the evidence before anyone knows (again, more often than not, if you mess up, people usually won't even notice). I am going to attach photos of some of my recent food creations and adventures, just to get started. With each picture I will explain the "mood" I was in, and even the people that I shared the meal with.
This was the first time I ever made my Mediterranean Lamburger. This is my very own recipe that I created after my mom returned from Greece. Mediterranean food is probably my favorite kind of food to cook (besides cajun). The ingredients are fresh, simple, and very healthy. I have made this burger for a select few, and I am still working on the kind of bread I use for the buns. I think, even though I dread it, that I may have to come up with a recipe for my own bread so it can be just the way I want it (don't get me wrong I love baking, but if any of you have seen my kitchen you know why its such a pain).
Tuna Nicoise. This is probably one of my best friends favorite dish I have ever made her, so much so that it was her birthday gift from me one year, as well as her going away meal a couple weeks ago. I am in love with the salad. I love every ingredient in it. Fresh seared Tuna, Mozzarella, olives, asparagus, tomatoes, eggs, mixed greens and the vinagirette. This was a different take on the traditional nicoise because the market was lacking on vegetables that met my standard, but like I said, its all about interpretation.
Asian marinated grilled Trout, grilled asparagus and herbed brown rice. Clean, healthy, and delicious. Believe it or not I grilled this on an indoor grill. This meal took 10 minutes to make, no lie. If you just put the trout in the marinade in the morning before work, all you have to do is heat up the grill, grill the fish and asparagus at the same time about 4 minutes a side, while at the same time making 5 minute rice on the stove with whatever herbs and spices you want. The next time you tell yourself that you got fast food bc you didnt' have time, think about this dish...10 minutes and you're ready to eat. :)
Take time to think about a meal you have made (or even eaten at a restaurant) in the past couple days...what made you choose to create or eat that item? One of the obstacles that I faced in culinary school was being told what I had to make. I definitely loved every minute of it, but when its July in Texas and your cooking a Roast and baking Apple Pie, it begins to wear on you. I rarely cooked when I was in school...after cooking for 5 hours in the morning, I just wanted to relax. It has only been recently that I have really gotten in to creating dishes again. Sometimes I go all out and make everything from scratch, but more often than not, I cheat a little. Just because you can make sausage from scratch, or pie crust even, doesn't mean that you want to do it every time you are in the mood for that item. You do not always have to cook to impress. Take it from me, if you cook at all for anyone, that will be impressive enough.
I'm going to try and post a dish a day that I have either made, or maybe even a dish that I order at a restaurant (or something that a friend prepares if I'm so lucky ;)). I may not post all of the recipes, because cooking should reflect who you are, and how you interpret it. A recipe is just a guideline, you do not have to stress over getting every single measurement and ingredient right (except maybe for pastry and dessert, but I will rarely be making any of those). The response to the items will dictact the recipes that I post. This blog is something that I am doing for myself, kin d of like an online food diary of sorts. Cooking should be fun, adventurous, experimental, delicious and hopefully, at least sometimes, healthy. So what if you mess up, you can either throw away or eat the evidence before anyone knows (again, more often than not, if you mess up, people usually won't even notice). I am going to attach photos of some of my recent food creations and adventures, just to get started. With each picture I will explain the "mood" I was in, and even the people that I shared the meal with.
This was the first time I ever made my Mediterranean Lamburger. This is my very own recipe that I created after my mom returned from Greece. Mediterranean food is probably my favorite kind of food to cook (besides cajun). The ingredients are fresh, simple, and very healthy. I have made this burger for a select few, and I am still working on the kind of bread I use for the buns. I think, even though I dread it, that I may have to come up with a recipe for my own bread so it can be just the way I want it (don't get me wrong I love baking, but if any of you have seen my kitchen you know why its such a pain).
Tuna Nicoise. This is probably one of my best friends favorite dish I have ever made her, so much so that it was her birthday gift from me one year, as well as her going away meal a couple weeks ago. I am in love with the salad. I love every ingredient in it. Fresh seared Tuna, Mozzarella, olives, asparagus, tomatoes, eggs, mixed greens and the vinagirette. This was a different take on the traditional nicoise because the market was lacking on vegetables that met my standard, but like I said, its all about interpretation.
Asian marinated grilled Trout, grilled asparagus and herbed brown rice. Clean, healthy, and delicious. Believe it or not I grilled this on an indoor grill. This meal took 10 minutes to make, no lie. If you just put the trout in the marinade in the morning before work, all you have to do is heat up the grill, grill the fish and asparagus at the same time about 4 minutes a side, while at the same time making 5 minute rice on the stove with whatever herbs and spices you want. The next time you tell yourself that you got fast food bc you didnt' have time, think about this dish...10 minutes and you're ready to eat. :)
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