February 3, 2012

Potato and Cheddar Soup -  ( Metronomy The Look )

Ingredients:  

475 ml water

310 g peeled and cubed red potatoes

45 g melted butter

1 small onion, chopped

25 g all-purpose flour salt and pepper to taste

710 ml milk

2 g white sugar

115 g shredded Cheddar cheese

115 g diced ham

How To:

1) Using a medium sized stock pot bring water to a boil, add potatoes and cook until tender. Drain reserving 1 cup liquid.

2) Stir in butter, onion and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Gradually stir in potatoes, reserved liquid, milk, sugar, cheese, and ham. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

Enjoy!


September 19, 2011

Mango & Chicken Salad - ( Childish Gambino - Bonfire )

Ingredients:

2 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 bay leaf

225 g asparagus, ends trimmed

2 mangos, peeled and sliced

Butter or Bibb lettuce for garnish

15 g chopped pecans

Mango Chutney Vinaigrette:

50 g mango chutney, chopped

15 ml canola oil

15 ml sherry vinegar

15 ml soy sauce

How to:

1) Place chicken breasts in a large skillet. Pour enough water to almost cover, add bay leaf. Cover; simmer over medium-low heat until cooked, about 30 minutes. Drain. Cool 30 minutes. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or until cold.

2) Steam asparagus until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Cool in a colander under cold running water. Drain well. Cut asparagus on the diagonal at 1 1/2 inch intervals. Slice chicken into 1/4 inch thick slices. On a lettuce-lined serving plate, arrange chicken slices, asparagus and mango slices.

3) To prepare vinaigrette: whisk the chutney, canola oil, vinegar and soy sauce in a small bowl.

4) Drizzle dressing over salad and sprinkle with chopped pecans.


September 15, 2011

Lemon Chicken Soup - ( James Blake - Not Long Now )

Ingredients  

2835 ml chicken broth

700 g chopped cooked chicken breast

185 g uncooked white rice

3 lemons, juiced

1 bunch spinach, rinsed and chopped

2 large carrots, chopped black

pepper to taste

How To:

1) In a large pot over medium heat, combine chicken broth, cooked chicken, rice, lemon juice, spinach, carrots and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until rice and greens are tender, 20 minutes.

September 13, 2011

Basil Pesto - ( Frank Ocean - Dying For Your Love )

Ingredients

45 g baby spinach leaves

30 g fresh basil leaves

70 g toasted pine nuts

40 g grated Parmesan cheese

4 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered

4 g kosher salt

1 g freshly ground black pepper

15 ml fresh lemon juice

1 g lemon zest

120 ml extra-virgin olive oil

How To:

1) Blend the spinach, basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a food processor until nearly smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Drizzle the remaining olive oil into the mixture while processing until smooth. 

September 8, 2011

Whole Grain Waffles - ( The Kooks - Is It Me )

Ingredients

2 eggs, beaten

415 ml skim milk

60 ml canola oil

60 ml unsweetened applesauce

5 ml vanilla extract

90 g whole wheat pastry flour

55 g flax seed meal

30 g wheat germ

30 g all-purpose flour

15 g baking powder

10 g sugar

2 g salt

How To:

1) In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Beat in whole wheat pastry flour, flax seed meal, wheat germ, all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until batter is smooth.

2) Preheat a waffle iron, and coat with cooking spray. Pour batter into waffle iron in batches, and cook until crisp and golden brown.


September 7, 2011

Caramel Popcorn - The Field - Then It’s White )

Ingredients

225 g butter

440 g brown sugar

120 ml corn syrup

6 g salt

2 g baking soda

5 ml vanilla extract

220 g popped popcorn

How To:

1) Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place popcorn in a very large bowl.

2) In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.

3) Place in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

September 6, 2011

Italian Pepper Steak - (Bon Iver - Beth/Rest (Solo Piano Version)

Ingredients

 2 g Italian seasoning, divided

3 g salt, divided

1 g pepper, divided

455 g boneless beef sirloin steak, fat trimmed

1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned

119 g sweet yellow pepper, julienned

110 g onion, julienned

6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

15 ml olive oil

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

5 ml balsamic vinegar

How To:

1) In a small bowl, combine 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Rub mixture over both sides of steak; set aside.

2) In a large nonstick skillet, saute the peppers, onion and garlic in oil until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in the tomatoes and remaining Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in vinegar; keep warm.

3) Place steak on a broiler pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Broil 4-6 in. from the heat for 4-8 minutes on each side or until the meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145 degrees F; medium, 160 degrees F; well-done, 170 degrees F). Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing; serve with vegetable mixture

September 5, 2011

Big Soft Ginger Cookies - ( St. Vincent - Cruel )

Ingredients

280 g all-purpose flour

4 g ground ginger

5 g baking soda

2 g ground cinnamon

1 g ground cloves

2 g salt

165 g margarine, softened

200 g white sugar

1 egg

15 ml water

60 ml molasses

25 g white sugar

How To:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

2) In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.

3) Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.


September 4, 2011

Deer and Bacon Burgers - ( Mr Hudson - Instant Messenger )

Ingredients

6 slices hickory-smoked bacon

225 g ground venison

225 g

4 hamburger buns, split

How To:

1) Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate.

2) Combine ground venison and ground beef in a bowl. Divide into 4 balls, and flatten into patties.

3) Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Place the burgers in the heated skillet and sprinkle each burger with salt, black pepper, a dash of beer, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Flip the burgers once a brown crust has formed on the bottom, about 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle the cooked side of the burgers with the salt, pepper, beer, and Worcestershire. Cook burgers another 5 to 10 minutes for well done. Top each patty with bacon and serve on hamburger buns. 


September 4, 2011

Mushroom Risotto - ( James Vincent Mc Morrow - Higher Love )

Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth, divided

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 shallots, diced

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white winesea salt to tastefreshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons finely chopped chives

4 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

How To:

1) In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.

2) Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.

3) Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.

4) Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and

parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 


August 14, 2011

Bacon Wrapped Smokies - (The Shins - Sleeping Lessons (RAC Mix)

Ingredients  

455 g sliced bacon, cut into thirds

1 (14 ounce) package beef cocktail wieners

165 g brown sugar, or to taste

How To:

1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

2) Refrigerate 2/3 of the bacon until needed. It is easier to wrap the wieners with cold bacon. Wrap each cocktail wiener with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle brown sugar generously over all.

3) Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until the sugar is bubbly. To serve, place the wieners in a slow cooker and keep on the low setting. 


August 4, 2011

Grilled Filet Mignon with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce - (Aloe Blacc - Billie Jean) 

Ingredients: -Dinner for 4

 950 ml heavy cream

85 g crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

15 g grated Parmesan cheese

5 g salt

2 g ground black pepper

0.4 g ground nutmeg  

4 (8 ounce) fillets beef tenderloin

1 g lemon pepper

1 g garlic powder

1 g onion powder

salt and ground black pepper to taste

12 slices thick sliced bacon, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

How To:

1) Pour heavy cream into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer until the cream has reduced by half, stirring occasionally, about an hour. Remove from heat and whisk in the Gorgonzola cheese and Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, until the cheese has melted.

2) Season the beef tenderloin with lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate.

3) Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.

4) Cook the steaks until they start to firm, and are reddish-pink and juicy in the center, 3 to 5 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 130 degrees F (54 degrees C). Remove the steaks from the grill and tent with foil to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve each steak with the Gorgonzola sauce and top with crumbled bacon and chopped green onion.


August 4, 2011

Nachos Supreme - (Hoodie Allen - Song For An Actress)

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 (1.12 ounce) package Taco Seasoning Mix

1 (10.75 ounce) can Tomato Soup

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups uncooked instant white rice

Thick & Chunky Salsa Shredded Cheddar cheeseShredded lettuce Tortilla chips.

How To:

1) Cook beef and taco seasoning in skillet until browned. Pour off fat. Add soup, water and rice. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 5 min. or until done.

1) Top with salsa, cheese and lettuce. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.


August 3, 2011

Chili con Carne II - (Feist - The Water)

Ingredients

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large onions, chopped

1 chile pepper, chopped

5 cloves garlic, chopped

2 pounds lean ground beef

3 (14.5 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 cinnamon sticks

6 whole cloves

2 (15.25 ounce) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

How To:

1) Directions  In a medium sized stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute onion, chile pepper and garlic until soft. Add ground beef: cook and stir until meat is browned.

2) Pour in tomatoes with liquid, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

3) Stir in kidney beans, and cook another 15 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks before serving. 



August 1, 2011

Fluffy Pancakes - (The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition)


Ingredients:

3/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

2 tablespoons butter, meltedcooking spray

How to:

1) Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to “sour”.

2) Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into “soured” milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.

3) Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.