Guess who's back. Back again.

It may have been quite a while since you have had the glorious opportunity to read my whimsical muses on this lovely blog. I have been in the middle of moving and various other life happenings. I now have a new kitchen and a new place, but still no grill. No matter, lets move on to tonight's dish, something a little more basic. This delicious meal of steak and balsamic vinaigrette dressing with spinach salad.  This will serve about two people, As always the shopping list is as follows;

Read more...

Baked Zitti, I had to do it.

Everyone loves Zitti, and if you don't get out. I love me some good old baked Zitti but rarely make this delicious dish. Set about 45 minutes aside and lets get to work and go shopping

Read more...

Home Made 3 alarm Chili

A staple out here on the range (and by range I mean Dallas) is definitely home made Chili. This process is different for everyone but enjoyed by millions. So grab the gool ol' groceries below and we'll get yall' fixed up.

Crock Pot
1/2 LB ground Sirloin
1/3 LB Beef Chunks (for stew)
2 Turkey Bratwurst Links
1/4 LB Dry Kidney Beans
1/4 LB Dry Pinto Beans
Srirachi Sauce
Chili Seasoning
Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder
1.5 Cups of Tomato sauce
8 oz can of Tomato Paste
Spoon
Pot
Pan
Pasta Strainer

Okay before I continue and before I get an email about NO ONIONS?!?! well I am not a huge fan of onion so I generally replace it with onion powder so lets just move on you will have to trust me. Also as an option you can throw some Jalapenos in the mix to make it even spicier!
Okay first thing is first we need to soak those beans. Fill the crock pot half way with cold water and put the beans in, allow this to soak for 12 HOURS. Yes I said HOURS.
Welcome to the next day, grab those beans and pour them into the strainer and rinse them off (also dump out the water from the crock pot and rinse it out). Now heat up some water in a pot and AFTER it boils slowly add beans so that it keeps boiling. Boil the beans for about 20 minutes then put them in your crock pot.
Set the crock pot to medium heat and move on to the pan and meats. We are going to cook the meats (all at the same time if you want) on medium heat until cooked through. We will also add ALL the spices to the meat at this point EXCEPT the chili seasoning. Make sure to break the sausage and sirloin into bite size pieces. You will have to use best judgments here but its about 1/2 tsp for most of the spices and 1 tbs for onion powder. Once the meat has browned add it to the crock pot, grease and all.
Lets move on to the sauce, pour 1.5 cups of Tomato Sauce into the pot, the whole can of paste, chili seasoning, and a decent squirt of Srirachi sauce (you may also add jalapenos here). Once this is in give it a good stir to mix everything around. At this point feel free to add SMALL amounts of water to get the consistency you want (but good chili isn't soup, it's chili). Allow this to cook on low (with the top on) for about 6-8 hours. Once it is done I recommend chilling it in the fridge for a day then reheating to serve but that is optional. This chili has been voted Greatest Chili in the WORLD by a governing body that does not exist. Enjoy the pictures and the dinner. Ohhhhh and please don't forget the saltines.

Read more...

Pizza Puffs!!

I have been meaning to make this one for a long time but never came across an occasion to make them. I mean I still have no reason to make them but I needed something for lunch today and decided to whip these up. I got the original recipe from noblepig.com and tweaked it just a bit. The shopping list for tonight

1 egg
All purpose flour
Milk
Baking Soda
4 oz mini pepperoni
4 oz mozzarella shredded cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Pizza Sauce (as needed)
Spoon
Whisk
Measuring Cup
Bowl
Non Stick Muffin Pan (or mini muffin pan)
Garlic Salt
Thyme

First preheat the oven to 375 deg then grab the whisk, spoon, bowl, measuring cup, flour, baking soda. Mix 3/4 cup of flour and a 1/4 TSP of baking soda. Then lightly whisk one egg and measure out 3/4 cup of milk then whisk this into the bowl with the flour and baking soda. Once this is mixed add in a dash of garlic salt, thyme, about 1 cup of mini pepperoni, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and about 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese into the bowl. Mix this with a spoon then pour it evenly into whichever muffin pan you choose. Fill the cups about 3/4 full and cook until golden brown (20-25 minutes). Heat up the pizza sauce in a bowl and serve the best pizza ever. Simple, fast, and more flavorful than .....well insert a witty analogy here.

Read more...

Teriyaki Marinated Chicken with Orange Glaze

Have you ever opened the pantry and fridge and just though "what the heck can I put together", well this was one of those days for me and my lady so we put our heads together and came up with this little concoction. The shopping list tonight

All purpose flour
Orange Juice
Granulated Sugar
1 lb boneless/skinless chicken breast
Louisiana Supreme Teriyaki sauce (or your favorite type)
Large zip lock bag
Skillet
Whisk
Baking pan
Measuring spoon/cup

This recipe is pretty easy but will take a good eye and concentration to make the orange sauce. Start by putting the chicken in the bags with about 1 cup of teriyaki sauce and let it marinate for at least 5 hours. Next pre-heat the oven to 400deg and place the chicken (out of the bag) into the pan. Let this cook until white all the way through (about 20-30 minutes). Next (after the chicken has cooked for about 10 minutes) take the whisk, pan, sugar, OJ, flour and measuring spoon. Once you have grabbed all of these heat the pan on medium heat. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of OJ, now slowly add the flour 1 tbs at a time while whisking the mixture. You will probably use about 5 tbs of flour and after you have added the 5 tbs of flour whisk until the mixture has the consistency of cinnamon roll glaze. Take it off the heat as soon as that is achieved and add the 2 tbs of sugar while whisking it in SOFTLY. Once it is whisked in the chicken should be done and you can plate the main course and add the sauce on top and enjoy a fabulous meal for fabulous people. I recommend for a side to heat up green beans in a pan with honey on top until they are cooked well. Enjoy the dinner and the pics!

Read more...

Chunky Mango Avacado Fish Tacos and Corn

This here dish was a pleasant surprise.  I saw something on the food network with a guy who made mango salsa so I took it and did what I do. I didn't catch his recipe but I figure mine is always better. Serves about three The shopping list for this is as follows

Flour Tortillas
1 Mango
1 Avocado
1 Carrot
1/2 cup of Orange Juice
Salt and Pepper
Pan for cooking fish
Jalapenos (pre sliced in a jar)
Water (as needed)
1 lb Tilapia (Fresh)
Knife
Peeler
Blender
Aluminum Foil
2 ears of fresh Corn
Paprika and Seasoning Salt
Butter
Bowl and Spoon
Butter

Whew that was a long list. The corn takes about 20 minutes to cook so I recommend doing it first. Pre heat the oven to 400deg. Peel the husk from the corn and then the silk (little hairs)by rubbing the corn with a wet paper towel or by hand. Once the corn is clean cut 2 pieces of aluminum foil long enough to wrap each ear up tight. Place each ear on the tin foil, then by hand rub each ear down with a generous amount of butter. Sprinkle the paprika and seasoning salt around the corn and the spicier you want it the more sprinkles you will need to make. Wrap this up tight and set it in the oven (in a pan or not) for 15-20 minutes.

Now that the corn is cooking take the mango and cut it how it is depicted below (slice off 4 sides, leaving the center, then score the mango in a cross pattern. After doing this you should be able to just pull off the little squares into a bowl). Place all that mango in the bowl then slice the carrot into thin slices (or if that is to difficult just chop it into little pieces) and add it to the bowl. Next take a few slices of jalapeno (the more you add the spicier the dish) and chop them very fine and add it to the mixture. Next take the avocado and slice it long ways until you hit the "nut" in the middle then cut in a circular motion around it to split the avocado in two halves. Scoop out the "nut" and put the avocado in the blender (after peeling the skin) until it makes a paste (pictured below: you may need to add small amount of water if the avocado is too dry). Add a couple of tbs of this to the bowl and set it aside. Take your fish and place it in the pan for cooking with the 1/2 cup of OJ. Set the oven back down to 375 deg (the corn should be done by now) sprinkle salt and pepper to the top of the fish for flavor and bake it for approx. 12-15 minutes. When the fish is done set it on a plate and cut it into tiny pieces (pictured), heat up the tortillas in the microwave, then finally put the fish inside with the mango salsa and enjoy. This dish is so very tasty and you can even mix it up by cooking the mango salsa in a skillet before serving. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I enjoyed making it.

Read more...

Fried Chicken with jalapeno with a dash of sexy.

I got the idea for this one while browsing some food sites and like always made it easier, cheaper, and better. Cooks about 1lb of chicken.
Shopping list for tonight

2 -3 cups of veg oil (depends on your pot)
Pot for deep frying
Slotted Spoon or tongs
2 tbs corn starch
5 tbs fall purpose flour
Jalapeno juice (the kind from the can)
Paprika
Salt
Pepper
1 lb(ish) of chicken
Whisk
Bowl
3 egg whites
Plate and paper towels.

Pre heat the oil in the pot to around 350 deg(my stove goes to 10 and I had it on 6). Take the bowl and whisk the egg whites, flour, starch, jalapeno juice, paprika, salt, and pepper until it looks like smooth pancake batter. Slice the chicken into strips and then set it into the batter and coat thoroughly. Take the tong or spoon and set the chicken into the pot PLEASE DO NOT BURN YOUR SELF wait until the outside is crispy golden brown then place on a plate with paper towels to soak the grease up. I highly recommend trying to cook one piece first and if you cut it open and the inside is pink but the outside is golden, turn the heat down a bit before cooking more. Cook some sweet potato fries to make this an awesome and easy dinner for all.

Read more...

Easy Hasselback Potato

This one is easy and good for a lunch or a side for dinner. This Swedish dish takes its name from Hasselbacken, the Stockholm restaurant where it was first served with much praise. This one is easy but like with all potatoes the cook time is long. Shopping list for easy hasselbacks is

2 large russet potatoes
1 good paring knife
Pan for baking
Bowl
2 tbs butter
Garlic salt
Bread Crumbs
Parmesan Cheese
Olive Oil
Optional :sour cream and chives
Potato Peeler

Preheat the oven to 425deg first off, then get the two russet potatoes and peel them(some people soak them in an 'ice bath', a mixture of ice and water, but for this its not necessary). Next we will need to do some knife work on the russets. I cut the ends of the potato off and then (with the potato standing on the flat end) slice the length of the potato to make a flat bottom. Once you have this flat bottom and flat ends on the potato, take your knife and cut slices into the potato about 3/4 deep and about 1/4 inch wide (see pic). Now place the two russets into the pan and LIGHTLY drizzle the olive oil on the top, 1 tbs butter for each potato and a dash of garlic salt on each. Let this bake for 50 minutes. While it is baking take a small bowl and mix 1tbs bread crumbs and 1tbs Parmesan cheese, after 50 minutes take the potatoes out and sprinkle this mixture onto the top then bake for 10 more minutes. That's it. Now feel free to add the sour cream and chives if you want and enjoy the pics from my crappy camera (I promise one day I'll get a good one).

Read more...

Double fried CAT FISH!

Okay lets not even pretend fried catfish isn't the best ever. I'm done talking, in fact, lets get our shopping list up:

Fresh Filleted Cat Fish (about 1lb or whatever you fancy)
Vegetable Oil (about 6 cups or so)
Cat Fish Fry Powder (about 5 oz)
Paprika
Cooking Thermometer
Pot
Bowl
Slotted Spoon
Large Zip Lock Bag
Plate with napkins (to soak up the excess oil)

PLEASE PLEASE be VERY careful when working with oil. Set you burner to the hottest setting and heat  the oil to 365 deg. While that is heating up grab the bowl and put about 2 oz of the powder in there. Then take the cat fish and cut it into long pieces (like in the pic below). Rinse them with cold water and then coat them in the powder from the bowl and a dash of paprika. Place the fish in the oil, using the slotted spoon to set the fish in there, cook until it is golden brown (or read the package of the powder and follow directions). While this is cooking grab the large zip lock bag and fill it with about 3 oz of the powder. When the fish is golden brown scoop the pieces out and put them into the bag. Zip the bag up and shake well so that all the fish is covered again in the powder. Set the pieces back into the oil for about 1-2 minutes (or until the fresh powder is golden brown). Scoop the fish back out and set on the plate with napkins to soak up the grease. While these cool heat up those fresh veggies for a side, put some tartar sauce down and prepare to be in fish heaven. Pictures are pretty so here ya go.

Read more...