Self-explanatory:
1 Tbl butter
1 Tbl flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheese (preferably pepper jack)
Melt butter in pot, whisk in flour. Then, slowly whisk in milk so there are no clumps (mixture will thicken, however), take off heat and stir in cheese until melted.
Dip everything in this: veggies, pretzel chips, bread, fruit, your finger, etc.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Breakfast Tacos for the Pack!
I love when people cheer for a sports team, doesn't matter which one, and people ask them, "why are you cheering for blah blah blah team?" just because they aren't from there or the answer isn't obvious. Does it matter? I will cheer for whatever heck team I feel like. Case in point: my parents lived in Milwaukee for 6 years and for those of you that don't know Wisconsin culture, if you live in Wisconsin, you are a die-hard Packers fan. Period. No if, ands, or buts about it. I ALWAYS cheer for the Lions, however, when playoff season rolls around, I often adopt Indy or the Packers, because my beloved Lions can't seem to make the playoffs. I feel it's completely acceptable for me to have my regular season team, AND a playoff season team.
I used to live in Indianapolis, and similar to Wisconsin culture, Indy fans are infectious! You can't help but fall in love with the team and the fans when you live there. I was lucky enough to go to a Monday night game there, the last season they had the old stadium, and it was so awesome! So loud! And so so cold. I've also loved the Packers since my parents lived there, but have never been fortunate enough to go to a game. We actually had the opportunity to go a couple of years ago, during the playoffs, to Lambeau field, in Brett Favre's last season as a Packer, and opted out. Why? I have absolutely no idea, and I still kick myself to this day. But I still hope to make it to Lambeau some day.
Anyway, so I had my Brett Favre Packer's jersey on, and I wish I could have count the number of times people asked me, "why are you cheering for the Packers?". Granted, I do live in Southern California where football isn't quite the way of life that it is in the midwest, but if anyone should be more tolerant of fans of teams from everywhere, it should be us. Southern Cal doesn't have a pro football team so team devotion is usually a hodge-podge of teams from all over. But, I simply respond politely with, "don't worry about it". Ha!
I made these breakfast tacos yesterday before starting to set up for the superbowl party, and they are delicious. And fortunately for me, they are made with ingredients that I usually have in my fridge already. Don't be worried about how filling they are, as they are deceptively light.
Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 3
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 3
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 3
Breakfast Tacos
4 strips of bacon
4 eggs, beaten
8 mini-taco size tortillas, or 2 burrito size, cut into quarters
4 white or brown mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup of fresh spinach, chopped
1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped
shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 Tbl butter
Salsa (optional)
Sour Cream (optional)
In fry pan, cook bacon. In small saute pan, heat half of the Tbl of butter. Add the mushrooms, onions, and spinach and saute. In additional pan, scramble eggs. Arrange tacos with eggs, mushroom/onion/spinach mixture, crumbled bacon, then top with cheese. Serve with salsa and sour cream (if desired).
I'm sure there are more steps in here that I could have spelled out better. But if you don't know how to A) scramble eggs, B) cook bacon, C) arrange concept of a "taco", then we have bigger problems than I imagined.
The keys to making these a success, in my book, :
- the mushroom/onion/spinach mixture is a must, and butter is the best to saute in
- don't make the tacos too big, we don't want burritos, we want tacos, small, that you can eat in 3-4 bites
- the salsa and sour cream are essentials, for me, because I like bolder/zesty flavors
- if you don't eat bacon, add chopped up deli-turkey to the mushroom/onion/spinach saute as your meat
Hope you enjoy~!
I used to live in Indianapolis, and similar to Wisconsin culture, Indy fans are infectious! You can't help but fall in love with the team and the fans when you live there. I was lucky enough to go to a Monday night game there, the last season they had the old stadium, and it was so awesome! So loud! And so so cold. I've also loved the Packers since my parents lived there, but have never been fortunate enough to go to a game. We actually had the opportunity to go a couple of years ago, during the playoffs, to Lambeau field, in Brett Favre's last season as a Packer, and opted out. Why? I have absolutely no idea, and I still kick myself to this day. But I still hope to make it to Lambeau some day.
Anyway, so I had my Brett Favre Packer's jersey on, and I wish I could have count the number of times people asked me, "why are you cheering for the Packers?". Granted, I do live in Southern California where football isn't quite the way of life that it is in the midwest, but if anyone should be more tolerant of fans of teams from everywhere, it should be us. Southern Cal doesn't have a pro football team so team devotion is usually a hodge-podge of teams from all over. But, I simply respond politely with, "don't worry about it". Ha!
I made these breakfast tacos yesterday before starting to set up for the superbowl party, and they are delicious. And fortunately for me, they are made with ingredients that I usually have in my fridge already. Don't be worried about how filling they are, as they are deceptively light.
Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 3
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 3
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 3
Breakfast Tacos
4 strips of bacon
4 eggs, beaten
8 mini-taco size tortillas, or 2 burrito size, cut into quarters
4 white or brown mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup of fresh spinach, chopped
1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped
shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 Tbl butter
Salsa (optional)
Sour Cream (optional)
In fry pan, cook bacon. In small saute pan, heat half of the Tbl of butter. Add the mushrooms, onions, and spinach and saute. In additional pan, scramble eggs. Arrange tacos with eggs, mushroom/onion/spinach mixture, crumbled bacon, then top with cheese. Serve with salsa and sour cream (if desired).
I'm sure there are more steps in here that I could have spelled out better. But if you don't know how to A) scramble eggs, B) cook bacon, C) arrange concept of a "taco", then we have bigger problems than I imagined.
The keys to making these a success, in my book, :
- the mushroom/onion/spinach mixture is a must, and butter is the best to saute in
- don't make the tacos too big, we don't want burritos, we want tacos, small, that you can eat in 3-4 bites
- the salsa and sour cream are essentials, for me, because I like bolder/zesty flavors
- if you don't eat bacon, add chopped up deli-turkey to the mushroom/onion/spinach saute as your meat
Hope you enjoy~!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Southwestern Salmon Bowl
So I bought a Nook from Barnes and Nobles a year or so ago after they first came out (it's an eReader for those of you who live in a cave), and I've been extremely happy with it. It's great for travel, especially, because if you can read more than one book on a trip, it was a pain to carry 2-3 books in a carry-on or luggage. Now I can have as many books as I please and it takes up very little room. I've been reading on this thing for a while and the books you can buy are way cheaper than hard covers, and still cheaper than paperbacks.
It's been a while since I have purchased a cook-book, but there was one I wanted today so I went to B&N and got it (cook books are not great on the eReader, in my opinion), and a book for my hubby, and a magazine. Well, silly me had forgotten what it was like to pay full prices for books! Holy moly! Even with my B&N membership, which gives you 10%, it was like $40!! For two books! Ridiculous.
So, the cookbook I bought is all about simple food, but good food, and it was kind of the inspiration for our meal last night. The recipe is for 2 people.
Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 0
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 2
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 3
Southwestern Salmon Bowl
1 cup white rice
2 pieces of salmon (individual portions)
1 can black beans
1/2 small can of whole kernel corn
1/2 small zucchini, sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 in pieces
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 in pieces
1 slice of red onion, 1 in thick, then cut into 1/2 in pieces
5-6 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 of carrot, sliced thin
1 small can diced green chilis
3 limes
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbl olive oil
Salsa
Salt/Pepper
Toppings (optional): hot sauce, sour cream
Add minced garlic, juice from 2 limes, and olive oil to ziploc bag with salmon in it. Mix it all up and let marinate in fridge for 30 min or so. Cook rice as indicated. While salmon is marinating and rice cooking, heat black beans in small pan on stove. In large fry, heat remaining Tbl of olive oil over medium heat. Add all veggies and corn, season with salt and pepper to taste, and start sauteing veggies. While they are cooking, add a Tbl of salsa 2-3 times along with some lime juice, continually stirring into veggies. Heat separate small fry pan over medium heat. Add salmon and cook in pan 8-10 minutes, turning once in middle. Serve in bowl with rice on bottom, then beans, then veggies, then salmon. Top with additional salsa (and sour cream and hot sauce is desired).
This is a pretty simple dish, and very full of veggies, which I love. You can even omit the salmon, and just make a veggie bowl! And if you are so inclined, try a more intricate marinade on the fish. Or buy one of those Lawry's 30 minute marinades they have at grocery store (Tequilla-Lime one is good for this, or the Caribbean Jerk).
Easy. Breezy.
It's been a while since I have purchased a cook-book, but there was one I wanted today so I went to B&N and got it (cook books are not great on the eReader, in my opinion), and a book for my hubby, and a magazine. Well, silly me had forgotten what it was like to pay full prices for books! Holy moly! Even with my B&N membership, which gives you 10%, it was like $40!! For two books! Ridiculous.
So, the cookbook I bought is all about simple food, but good food, and it was kind of the inspiration for our meal last night. The recipe is for 2 people.
Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 0
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 2
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 3
Southwestern Salmon Bowl
1 cup white rice
2 pieces of salmon (individual portions)
1 can black beans
1/2 small can of whole kernel corn
1/2 small zucchini, sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 in pieces
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 in pieces
1 slice of red onion, 1 in thick, then cut into 1/2 in pieces
5-6 mushrooms, sliced
1/2 of carrot, sliced thin
1 small can diced green chilis
3 limes
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbl olive oil
Salsa
Salt/Pepper
Toppings (optional): hot sauce, sour cream
Add minced garlic, juice from 2 limes, and olive oil to ziploc bag with salmon in it. Mix it all up and let marinate in fridge for 30 min or so. Cook rice as indicated. While salmon is marinating and rice cooking, heat black beans in small pan on stove. In large fry, heat remaining Tbl of olive oil over medium heat. Add all veggies and corn, season with salt and pepper to taste, and start sauteing veggies. While they are cooking, add a Tbl of salsa 2-3 times along with some lime juice, continually stirring into veggies. Heat separate small fry pan over medium heat. Add salmon and cook in pan 8-10 minutes, turning once in middle. Serve in bowl with rice on bottom, then beans, then veggies, then salmon. Top with additional salsa (and sour cream and hot sauce is desired).
This is a pretty simple dish, and very full of veggies, which I love. You can even omit the salmon, and just make a veggie bowl! And if you are so inclined, try a more intricate marinade on the fish. Or buy one of those Lawry's 30 minute marinades they have at grocery store (Tequilla-Lime one is good for this, or the Caribbean Jerk).
Easy. Breezy.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Greek Culinary Adventures: Part 1
I miss the days when I could sleep sleep sleep and sleep some more. Seems lately that during the week I can't sleep past 7:30am, even when I want to. I know some of you would dream of sleeping in until 7:30am, but I have a strange work schedule sometimes which keeps me working until 10pm (last night), and able to not work until 9-10am (rarely). Even on the weekends, when I can sleep in, 8:30am is when my body tells me it's time to get crackin'.
I don't know why I have been craving Greek food recently, but I can't get enough. So I started doing some research for ideas for Greek dishes and came across something interesting. James had this dish in Santorini at a restaurant called Ochre, called something or other "saganaki". I was googling saganaki and came across a shrimp saganaki dish on foodtv.com. I looked at who the recipe was submitted by, and it was none other than Captain Ted Stathis! He was the Captain on the catamaran boat trip we did on our honeymoon!
Apparently, Giada De Laurentiis did an episode in Santorini and one of the features was Captain Ted and Santorini Sailing. Random!
Captain Ted and his crew were soooo amazing! We did a 6 hour sunset cruise on his boat with like 4 other couples. Sailed, snorkeled, swam, and ate amazing food that I have been craving ever since.
If you ever make it to Santorini, call up Captain Ted at Santorini Sailing (www.santorinisailing.com) and book a trip. It was the highlight of our Greece adventure. (Here's a couple pics of us with Captain Ted and the amazing food!)
Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 4 but the cheese could be omitted if 100% life and death necessary
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 6, if you try the Ouzo part, 3 otherwise
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 3
Captain Ted's Shrimp Saganaki
1 Tbl olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small onion, chopped
16 medium shrimp, shell on (or 20-24 small shrimp)
Salt/Pepper
Dried Oregano
Dried chili flakes or crushed red pepper flakes
1.5 oz Ouzo
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 small can (16 oz or less) crush tomatoes
1 tsp olive paste
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 lemon, sliced
Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in saute pan. Add garlic and onions and saute until soft, but not brown. Add shrimp and season with salt, pepper, oregano, and chili flakes, all to taste. Once shrimp about done, remove pan from heat and carefully add Ouzo (will catch on fire so do with caution- or omit). Return to stove and simmer for another minute, then add wine to pan and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove shrimp from pan with slotted spoon, and place shrimp on dish to cool slightly. When shrimp are cool enough to handle, peel shells off. Add crushed tomatoes (not necessarily whole can) and olive paste to pan, and simmer for about 4-5 minutes. Return the peeled shrimp to the pan, and toss to coat in the sauce. Then sprinkle the feta cheese over the top of the contents of the pan, and force to melt by pushing down with the back of the spoon/spatula. Serve with sliced lemon as garnish.
This dish is actually super simple. The only things you may not have are olive paste and Ouzo (like a Greek vodka but way stronger). Olive paste can be found usually in your grocery store's "international" aisle, under the Mediterranean section. I was very excited to try the flambe with Ouzo part, but was unable to get my hands on Ouzo before making dinner, as they didn't have at my little corner liquor store as I thought, so had to live without. Contrary to popular belief, I don't have a full bar on hand at my house, complete with liquor from around the world. I suppose if you had 151 at your house instead, you could use that?? I just did without because I had to but you do what you like. Also, cooking the shrimp with the shells on was a new experience for me in a pan, but it was great in that it encapsulated all the yumminess from the onion and garlic and seasonings under the shell while the shrimp cooked.
In regards to the tomatoes, I added the whole can, and felt it was too much, so eye ball it and see what consistency of sauce you like. This tomato sauce concoction basically tastes like a Greek version of a spaghetti sauce, and I loved it. The only thing it was lacking for me, that maybe it was supposed to lack, was some sort of sweetness or acidity (in our spaghetti sauce usually have sugar or honey or pineapple)....but like I said, maybe this sauce wasn't supposed to have that. Anyway, that's why I added the sliced lemon garnish, so if you need it, you can squeeze a little lemon out on it.
I don't know why I have been craving Greek food recently, but I can't get enough. So I started doing some research for ideas for Greek dishes and came across something interesting. James had this dish in Santorini at a restaurant called Ochre, called something or other "saganaki". I was googling saganaki and came across a shrimp saganaki dish on foodtv.com. I looked at who the recipe was submitted by, and it was none other than Captain Ted Stathis! He was the Captain on the catamaran boat trip we did on our honeymoon!
Apparently, Giada De Laurentiis did an episode in Santorini and one of the features was Captain Ted and Santorini Sailing. Random!
Captain Ted and his crew were soooo amazing! We did a 6 hour sunset cruise on his boat with like 4 other couples. Sailed, snorkeled, swam, and ate amazing food that I have been craving ever since.
If you ever make it to Santorini, call up Captain Ted at Santorini Sailing (www.santorinisailing.com) and book a trip. It was the highlight of our Greece adventure. (Here's a couple pics of us with Captain Ted and the amazing food!)
Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 4 but the cheese could be omitted if 100% life and death necessary
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 6, if you try the Ouzo part, 3 otherwise
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 3
Captain Ted's Shrimp Saganaki
1 Tbl olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small onion, chopped
16 medium shrimp, shell on (or 20-24 small shrimp)
Salt/Pepper
Dried Oregano
Dried chili flakes or crushed red pepper flakes
1.5 oz Ouzo
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 small can (16 oz or less) crush tomatoes
1 tsp olive paste
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 lemon, sliced
Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in saute pan. Add garlic and onions and saute until soft, but not brown. Add shrimp and season with salt, pepper, oregano, and chili flakes, all to taste. Once shrimp about done, remove pan from heat and carefully add Ouzo (will catch on fire so do with caution- or omit). Return to stove and simmer for another minute, then add wine to pan and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove shrimp from pan with slotted spoon, and place shrimp on dish to cool slightly. When shrimp are cool enough to handle, peel shells off. Add crushed tomatoes (not necessarily whole can) and olive paste to pan, and simmer for about 4-5 minutes. Return the peeled shrimp to the pan, and toss to coat in the sauce. Then sprinkle the feta cheese over the top of the contents of the pan, and force to melt by pushing down with the back of the spoon/spatula. Serve with sliced lemon as garnish.
This dish is actually super simple. The only things you may not have are olive paste and Ouzo (like a Greek vodka but way stronger). Olive paste can be found usually in your grocery store's "international" aisle, under the Mediterranean section. I was very excited to try the flambe with Ouzo part, but was unable to get my hands on Ouzo before making dinner, as they didn't have at my little corner liquor store as I thought, so had to live without. Contrary to popular belief, I don't have a full bar on hand at my house, complete with liquor from around the world. I suppose if you had 151 at your house instead, you could use that?? I just did without because I had to but you do what you like. Also, cooking the shrimp with the shells on was a new experience for me in a pan, but it was great in that it encapsulated all the yumminess from the onion and garlic and seasonings under the shell while the shrimp cooked.
In regards to the tomatoes, I added the whole can, and felt it was too much, so eye ball it and see what consistency of sauce you like. This tomato sauce concoction basically tastes like a Greek version of a spaghetti sauce, and I loved it. The only thing it was lacking for me, that maybe it was supposed to lack, was some sort of sweetness or acidity (in our spaghetti sauce usually have sugar or honey or pineapple)....but like I said, maybe this sauce wasn't supposed to have that. Anyway, that's why I added the sliced lemon garnish, so if you need it, you can squeeze a little lemon out on it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)