Hey all! Sorry for my lack of posts recently, I've been quite busy. I'm busy learning to become a real estate agent and I am helping run two separate businesses (both websites), www.allforlocal.com which you know about, and www.NYStateMLS.com which is just about to launch. Anyway....
Today is Tasty Thursday, and I MUST submit a post on these days because who doesn't look forward to some awesome recipes. Today is a rather simple one, and has its origins in the Far East. Here it goes:
Stir Fry a.k.a. (I got nothing, so we will call it Stir Fry)
Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion diced
1 broccoli floret
2 medium carrots
1 medium pepper (any color)
(The sauce was a recipe given by a friend's mom, so it is not original. My input into the whole recipe makes it my own)
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup white wine
1 tsp ground ginger (fresh if possible)
1 tbsp unbleached flour
1 tsp sugar
1½ cups rice
Salt and Pepper
To begin this, we will mix the sauce. In a bowl take your soy sauce, white wine, ginger, flour, and sugar. Mix this all together with a whisk and put aside. Take some liberties and double the recipe if you like lots of sauce. Add more wine, or more soy sauce if you like either of these flavors. Add more flour if you want it thicker.
Next take your rice and put in 4 quart pot with water about ¾ the way full on high heat. The rice will take about 15-20 minutes to cook. Make sure to stir constantly, or the rice will stick together. Once the rice is up to a boil, add a pinch of salt to the water. Once the rice is tender, drain and put aside. This should be done about the same time your vegetables are complete.
Next take your broccoli, rinse it off, and cut 1-2 inch pieces. Peel your carrots and cut those on an angle about ¼ inch thick each. Put a medium pan on medium high heat. Place the oil into the pan, and after 30 seconds add the garlic. Cook the garlic stirring constantly (or else it will burn) for about 30 seconds more. Add your vegetables and about ¼ cup of water and cover. Let the vegetables steam until they are tender which will take about 5-10 minutes. After this point in time, uncover the vegetables, and add your sauce. Stir the sauce in and mix well. The sauce will eventually caramelize after about 3 minutes. Once this happens, the meal is complete, Place over rice and serve. Serving size: 4-6 adults.
NOTE: For those that enjoy a meat stir fry, take about 1 pound of your pork, beef or chicken, and cut into ¾ inch cubes. Then cook this first in the pan, and about 5 minutes after you begin to cook the meat, add the vegetables and water, and continue with the recipe from there. You can also add any vegetables you like. Mushrooms, water chestnuts, pea pods, peas, whatever you like. Serves about 3. Prep time: 15 mins; Cook time: 30 mins (because of the rice, brown rice takes even longer).
Honestly, the only unique thing about this dish is the sauce. It is a great stir fry sauce, and tastes great on just about anything. Be experimental, after all, the food all ends up in the same place. Enjoy the food!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
On Top of Spaghetti
Tasty Thursday is upon us, and I am proud to announce that I will be making another Italian favorite. Earlier in the week I made this dish in mass quantity, so I will give that recipe. You will have enough food for four for (alliteration much?) three days. On top of spaghetti, all covered with cheese, I lost my poor:
Meatballs in Sauce a.k.a On Top of Spaghetti
Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef
2 lbs. pork
2 cup onions chopped finely
8 garlic cloves chopped finely
3/4 cup red wine
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 1/2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (get a few cups of extra just in case)
1 cup chopped parsley
1 cup Parmigiana cheese
3 eggs
3 slices white bread (I used wheat bread; make sure to soak the bread in water)
S&P (Salt and Pepper)
Olive oil
3 cans tomato sauce
Tender Love and Care
I have said in the past that my dishes are easy, but this one takes the least cooking skill. It requires you to cook your onions and garlic in your olive oil on medium-high heat covered until they are translucent. I made sure they got a little brown (caramelized) to add more flavor to the dish. Once they are done, you can throw all the remaining ingredients (including your Tender Love and Care, very important), except the sauce, into a giant bowl (also the onions and garlic, but make sure not to burn yourself).
Now with a clean hand (get one hand dirty, and keep one clean, I use my right to mix, my left to turn the bowl), mix all those ingredients together squishing them well between your fingers. This may take ten minutes to ensure that everything is mixed completely through. The more time you spend doing this, the better the final product will be. NOTE: You can either cook your meatballs in a pan in batches, or in the oven all at once; I did the latter and they came out juicy and perfect; if you use the oven preheat it to 400 degrees right now. Get a plate or an oven pan ready (depending on your cooking preference).
Once you think you are finished mixing, take about 1.5 oz. (enough for a meatball with 1.5 inches diameter) and roll it between your hands. If you can successfully roll it, the meatball stays together, and it doesn't immediately flatten when put on the dish/oven pan, it is ready to be cooked. If the meatball flattens immediately, you need to add more breadcrumbs 1/2 cup at a time until it maintains its ball shape when put down. If the meatball seems too dry, add a little bit of water, but I doubt this will happen (I made sure to write in a bit less breadcrumbs because it is better to add breadcrumbs than water for perfect meatballs).
Oven: Now if your oven is ready, lay out all your meatballs (1.5 inch diameter) in the oven pan and put it in the oven. After about ten to fifteen minutes flip each meatball upside down (make sure the bottom is brown). After another ten to fifteen minutes in the oven, cut one of your meatballs open and make sure the inside is cooked (a little pink is OK, because you will be putting them in the sauce and they will cook some more).
Stove top: You can fit as many meatballs in the pan as necessary on medium-high heat. Cook these and flip them after they get brown on the bottom. This should take about 7 minutes on each side. Make sure your meatballs are cooked on the inside by cutting one open (again, a little pink is OK). Do this with all your meatballs until they are all cooked.
Once cooked, put your sauce into a pot, and add your cooked meatballs. Let this cook on medium high heat until the sauce is boiling, then you are ready to eat!
Serve with spaghetti! Or you can put on a grinder roll with cheese (I like provolone). You can also take the sauce and crushed meatballs and make a meat sauce. It really is up to you.
This recipe makes about 40 1.5 inch diameter meatballs. Feel free to make bigger or small meatballs, but the cooking time will then vary. Prep time: 25 mins; Cook time: 30-40 mins.
I hope you enjoy these meatballs. They really taste excellent. Since this is such a dish (i.e. a meat mixture), feel free to play with the ingredients. You can add more parm cheese, a cup of cheddar instead, ground turkey instead of beef, sausage instead of pork, soy sauce, a little bit of ketchup, some unique spices, play with the recipe, make it into a meatloaf instead of meatballs, just make it your own!
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy this fantastic meal. It truly makes anybody happy and will last for a while, get some Tupperware. Let your kids mix the meatballs. Have fun! Happy Tasty Thursday!
Meatballs in Sauce a.k.a On Top of Spaghetti
Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef
2 lbs. pork
2 cup onions chopped finely
8 garlic cloves chopped finely
3/4 cup red wine
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 1/2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (get a few cups of extra just in case)
1 cup chopped parsley
1 cup Parmigiana cheese
3 eggs
3 slices white bread (I used wheat bread; make sure to soak the bread in water)
S&P (Salt and Pepper)
Olive oil
3 cans tomato sauce
Tender Love and Care
I have said in the past that my dishes are easy, but this one takes the least cooking skill. It requires you to cook your onions and garlic in your olive oil on medium-high heat covered until they are translucent. I made sure they got a little brown (caramelized) to add more flavor to the dish. Once they are done, you can throw all the remaining ingredients (including your Tender Love and Care, very important), except the sauce, into a giant bowl (also the onions and garlic, but make sure not to burn yourself).
Now with a clean hand (get one hand dirty, and keep one clean, I use my right to mix, my left to turn the bowl), mix all those ingredients together squishing them well between your fingers. This may take ten minutes to ensure that everything is mixed completely through. The more time you spend doing this, the better the final product will be. NOTE: You can either cook your meatballs in a pan in batches, or in the oven all at once; I did the latter and they came out juicy and perfect; if you use the oven preheat it to 400 degrees right now. Get a plate or an oven pan ready (depending on your cooking preference).
Once you think you are finished mixing, take about 1.5 oz. (enough for a meatball with 1.5 inches diameter) and roll it between your hands. If you can successfully roll it, the meatball stays together, and it doesn't immediately flatten when put on the dish/oven pan, it is ready to be cooked. If the meatball flattens immediately, you need to add more breadcrumbs 1/2 cup at a time until it maintains its ball shape when put down. If the meatball seems too dry, add a little bit of water, but I doubt this will happen (I made sure to write in a bit less breadcrumbs because it is better to add breadcrumbs than water for perfect meatballs).
Oven: Now if your oven is ready, lay out all your meatballs (1.5 inch diameter) in the oven pan and put it in the oven. After about ten to fifteen minutes flip each meatball upside down (make sure the bottom is brown). After another ten to fifteen minutes in the oven, cut one of your meatballs open and make sure the inside is cooked (a little pink is OK, because you will be putting them in the sauce and they will cook some more).
Stove top: You can fit as many meatballs in the pan as necessary on medium-high heat. Cook these and flip them after they get brown on the bottom. This should take about 7 minutes on each side. Make sure your meatballs are cooked on the inside by cutting one open (again, a little pink is OK). Do this with all your meatballs until they are all cooked.
Once cooked, put your sauce into a pot, and add your cooked meatballs. Let this cook on medium high heat until the sauce is boiling, then you are ready to eat!
Serve with spaghetti! Or you can put on a grinder roll with cheese (I like provolone). You can also take the sauce and crushed meatballs and make a meat sauce. It really is up to you.
This recipe makes about 40 1.5 inch diameter meatballs. Feel free to make bigger or small meatballs, but the cooking time will then vary. Prep time: 25 mins; Cook time: 30-40 mins.
I hope you enjoy these meatballs. They really taste excellent. Since this is such a dish (i.e. a meat mixture), feel free to play with the ingredients. You can add more parm cheese, a cup of cheddar instead, ground turkey instead of beef, sausage instead of pork, soy sauce, a little bit of ketchup, some unique spices, play with the recipe, make it into a meatloaf instead of meatballs, just make it your own!
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy this fantastic meal. It truly makes anybody happy and will last for a while, get some Tupperware. Let your kids mix the meatballs. Have fun! Happy Tasty Thursday!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Stuffed and Juicy
Well, it is that day again (even though it is nighttime). The one, the only, TASTY THURSDAYS! Today I have a special one for you. It isn't based on any particular heritage, but it can make any novice seem like a pro! The final presentation is so sexy, and yet it is a very easy meal to make. Well, here goes, and enjoy:
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin a.k.a. Stuffed and Juicy
Ingredients
5 lb. Pork Tenderloin
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp sage
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salted butter
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium pepper chopped finely (any color)
4 cloves of garlic (the more the better)
1 tomato chopped
2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (fresh is better)
4 tbsp water
Salt and pepper
2 feet of string
Step one
We will begin with the preparation of the pork itself (the hardest part depending on your knife skills). Three hours before serving, take your pork tenderloin, and cut off the extra fat on the outside of the meat with a sharp boning knife, or just a sharp butcher’s knife (this is optional, when using pork tenderloin you can get away with trimming fat because it is such a tender meat). Don’t cut yourself while doing this. When you have cut off the desired amount of fat, place the tenderloin lengthwise, and start butter-flying the pork by cutting an incision the length of the meat (about 3/4 of an inch from the cutting board). Then cut the meat about ¾’’ thick and unroll it as you cut, until you have a flat piece of meat. Once the meat is completely cut, you can tenderize it using plastic wrap or a Hefty bag on top, with a tenderizer or a rolling pin. Either way, bang on it until it is the desired thickness. Now, seasoning needs to be done.
Step two
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp sage
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp oregano
Begin by taking the olive oil and spreading it over both sides of the meat. Then take the first four spices mix them together, and then place them on what will eventually be the outside of the pork roast. The last of the spices go on the inside of the pork roast. Allow this meat to sit a few hours to allow the spices to penetrate the meat and get all juicy and nice. Meanwhile we will prepare the stuffing:
Step three
1 tbsp salted butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium pepper chopped finely (any color)
4 cloves of garlic (the more the better)
1 tomato chopped
2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (fresh is better)
4 tbsp water
Salt and pepper
2 feet of string
To create the stuffing, begin by getting a medium sized pan on medium high heat, and add the oil and butter. Once the butter melts add the onions and peppers. Cook these about 5 minutes or until they are tender and translucent. Next add the garlic and continue to cook for 2 more minutes, before adding the tomato. After 5 more minutes, take the pan off the heat, and add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and water. Stir this continuously until everything is well mixed. If the stuffing is too dry, make sure to add extra water. Be careful not to overdo the amount of water that is added, any more than half a cup might be unnecessary.
Put it All Together
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Now lay out the pork, and place stuffing in the middle of it in a layer about one inch thick. Start rolling the pork so the side looks like a spiral. Once this is complete, tie the pork with string three times to make sure it does not open in the oven (honestly, the string is unnecessary, but it will definitely make the pork stay together better, but again, not necessary). Place in an oven pan, and then in the oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Once this time has elapsed, spread more olive oil over the top, and cook at 325 degrees for another 30 minutes, or until the inside temperature of the roast is 165 degrees. Once this is complete, let the meat sit for 5 minutes, then slice one inch thick pieces and serve. Enjoy! Depending on the size of the pork, it should serve four to six people. Prep time: 15-20 mins; Cook time: Approx 1 hour.
This dish is a bit different than what I am used to cooking, but the spiral pieces look really awesome on a plate. Your guests will be telling you to make this every week. You can make a gravy to go with this dish, but I don't really make gravies that often, so I will not suggest any recipes. The meat is tender enough that extra sauce on top will be excessive (in my opinion).
Thanks again for reading, and in this case, indulging. This dish is a fantastic one, and I hope all enjoy it.
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin a.k.a. Stuffed and Juicy
Ingredients
5 lb. Pork Tenderloin
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp sage
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salted butter
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium pepper chopped finely (any color)
4 cloves of garlic (the more the better)
1 tomato chopped
2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (fresh is better)
4 tbsp water
Salt and pepper
2 feet of string
Step one
We will begin with the preparation of the pork itself (the hardest part depending on your knife skills). Three hours before serving, take your pork tenderloin, and cut off the extra fat on the outside of the meat with a sharp boning knife, or just a sharp butcher’s knife (this is optional, when using pork tenderloin you can get away with trimming fat because it is such a tender meat). Don’t cut yourself while doing this. When you have cut off the desired amount of fat, place the tenderloin lengthwise, and start butter-flying the pork by cutting an incision the length of the meat (about 3/4 of an inch from the cutting board). Then cut the meat about ¾’’ thick and unroll it as you cut, until you have a flat piece of meat. Once the meat is completely cut, you can tenderize it using plastic wrap or a Hefty bag on top, with a tenderizer or a rolling pin. Either way, bang on it until it is the desired thickness. Now, seasoning needs to be done.
Step two
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp sage
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp oregano
Begin by taking the olive oil and spreading it over both sides of the meat. Then take the first four spices mix them together, and then place them on what will eventually be the outside of the pork roast. The last of the spices go on the inside of the pork roast. Allow this meat to sit a few hours to allow the spices to penetrate the meat and get all juicy and nice. Meanwhile we will prepare the stuffing:
Step three
1 tbsp salted butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium pepper chopped finely (any color)
4 cloves of garlic (the more the better)
1 tomato chopped
2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (fresh is better)
4 tbsp water
Salt and pepper
2 feet of string
To create the stuffing, begin by getting a medium sized pan on medium high heat, and add the oil and butter. Once the butter melts add the onions and peppers. Cook these about 5 minutes or until they are tender and translucent. Next add the garlic and continue to cook for 2 more minutes, before adding the tomato. After 5 more minutes, take the pan off the heat, and add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and water. Stir this continuously until everything is well mixed. If the stuffing is too dry, make sure to add extra water. Be careful not to overdo the amount of water that is added, any more than half a cup might be unnecessary.
Put it All Together
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Now lay out the pork, and place stuffing in the middle of it in a layer about one inch thick. Start rolling the pork so the side looks like a spiral. Once this is complete, tie the pork with string three times to make sure it does not open in the oven (honestly, the string is unnecessary, but it will definitely make the pork stay together better, but again, not necessary). Place in an oven pan, and then in the oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Once this time has elapsed, spread more olive oil over the top, and cook at 325 degrees for another 30 minutes, or until the inside temperature of the roast is 165 degrees. Once this is complete, let the meat sit for 5 minutes, then slice one inch thick pieces and serve. Enjoy! Depending on the size of the pork, it should serve four to six people. Prep time: 15-20 mins; Cook time: Approx 1 hour.
This dish is a bit different than what I am used to cooking, but the spiral pieces look really awesome on a plate. Your guests will be telling you to make this every week. You can make a gravy to go with this dish, but I don't really make gravies that often, so I will not suggest any recipes. The meat is tender enough that extra sauce on top will be excessive (in my opinion).
Thanks again for reading, and in this case, indulging. This dish is a fantastic one, and I hope all enjoy it.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Tuna Can Taste Great!
Fish. I love a limited variety of fish. Salmon and Tuna, that's about it. Every once in a while I will eat shrimp, depending on how it is cooked. This may be detrimental to my health because fish contains a great deal of nutrients that are essential to body. Omega fatty acids, also classified as Essential Fatty Acids, are fats that are necessary to get from food, because our bodies cannot synthesize them. Omega 3 and Omega 6 are the two families of "EFAs". Omega 3 is fortunately found in both salmon and tuna (albacore). Omega 6 on the other hand can be found in many types of oils derived from seeds or nuts such as walnut oil, sunflower oil, or many types of seeds.
I wanted to give a recipe today, because I made this particular one out of tuna last night, and I think it is simple, easy, and full of nutrients. It can also be applied in different ways, in this case it will be as a tuna melt.
Not-So-Tuna Melts
Ingredients:
1 can albacore tuna in water
1 celery stalk (~8 inches)
1/2 small red onion
Handful of mixed "greens"
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tsp. Essence of Emeril
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 oz. your favorite meltable cheese; or 1 tbsp. parmigiana/Romano cheese
In a sink, drain your tuna, and add to a medium sized bowl. Add your mayo and spice to the tuna.
On a cutting board, chop your red onion (small pieces, the smaller, they less your breath will smell), cut your "greens" finely, and cut your celery stalk lengthwise 3 or 4 times, then chop. Add all these ingredients (which should be comparable sizes) to the tuna, and mix with a fork. Use the fork to mince the pieces of tuna until they are string-like, this will ensure that the whole dish is mixed well, and that you don't have pieces of tuna that are disproportionate.
Pre-heat your oven (or toaster oven) to 400 degrees. Spoon the tuna mixture onto your slices of bread (toast them if you wish) and then put your meltable cheese on top (if you decide to use parm or Romano, put it on after the melt has cooked). Put your tuna slices into the oven and let them cook for about 8 minutes or until your cheese is melted (again, parm or Romano will be added when it comes out of the oven). Once this is done, eat and enjoy! This meal is meant for one person, but definitely can be spread across more than 2 slices of bread. I believe it is possible to make about 6 slices our of it, but I like it all on top of two. This all takes about 20 minutes to complete, or less.
You can put any type of cheese on top, it is completely up to you. You can eat is as a sandwich, or as just a salad. What I like most about this particular way of making tuna salad is that it does not rely on a lot of tuna (tuna is very high in mercury, each serving of tuna has double the required amount of mercury you need on a daily basis; limit your intake of tuna to twice per week and even less if you eat lots of fish). This dish also had a lot of color, which distinguishes is greatly from many of the tuna salads I have seen. I like getting my vegetables in this manner, because they balance well with the tuna. I hope you enjoy this easy dish. It is quick to make, and doesn't really require any energy if you opt out of cooking it in the oven. Enjoy!
I wanted to give a recipe today, because I made this particular one out of tuna last night, and I think it is simple, easy, and full of nutrients. It can also be applied in different ways, in this case it will be as a tuna melt.
Not-So-Tuna Melts
Ingredients:
1 can albacore tuna in water
1 celery stalk (~8 inches)
1/2 small red onion
Handful of mixed "greens"
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tsp. Essence of Emeril
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 oz. your favorite meltable cheese; or 1 tbsp. parmigiana/Romano cheese
In a sink, drain your tuna, and add to a medium sized bowl. Add your mayo and spice to the tuna.
On a cutting board, chop your red onion (small pieces, the smaller, they less your breath will smell), cut your "greens" finely, and cut your celery stalk lengthwise 3 or 4 times, then chop. Add all these ingredients (which should be comparable sizes) to the tuna, and mix with a fork. Use the fork to mince the pieces of tuna until they are string-like, this will ensure that the whole dish is mixed well, and that you don't have pieces of tuna that are disproportionate.
Pre-heat your oven (or toaster oven) to 400 degrees. Spoon the tuna mixture onto your slices of bread (toast them if you wish) and then put your meltable cheese on top (if you decide to use parm or Romano, put it on after the melt has cooked). Put your tuna slices into the oven and let them cook for about 8 minutes or until your cheese is melted (again, parm or Romano will be added when it comes out of the oven). Once this is done, eat and enjoy! This meal is meant for one person, but definitely can be spread across more than 2 slices of bread. I believe it is possible to make about 6 slices our of it, but I like it all on top of two. This all takes about 20 minutes to complete, or less.
You can put any type of cheese on top, it is completely up to you. You can eat is as a sandwich, or as just a salad. What I like most about this particular way of making tuna salad is that it does not rely on a lot of tuna (tuna is very high in mercury, each serving of tuna has double the required amount of mercury you need on a daily basis; limit your intake of tuna to twice per week and even less if you eat lots of fish). This dish also had a lot of color, which distinguishes is greatly from many of the tuna salads I have seen. I like getting my vegetables in this manner, because they balance well with the tuna. I hope you enjoy this easy dish. It is quick to make, and doesn't really require any energy if you opt out of cooking it in the oven. Enjoy!
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