Quick Kabobs, Corn on the Cob, and Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 corn on the cob
• Salt and pepper
• Butter
• Lettuce
• Cherry tomatoes
• Green pepper
• Mushrooms
• Onion
• Salad Dressing (I used Asian Ginger)
• 2 pre-prepped chicken kabobs, marinated
• 2 pre-prepped beef kabobs, marinated

What to do:

1. Heat up the charcoal. 
2. Meanwhile, remove the strings and husks then add salt, pepper, and butter onto the corn and wrap in foil.  Set aside.
3. Put the kabobs and corn on the grill.  The beef will be ready first, about 8-10 minutes.  The chicken next, after about 15 minutes.  And the corn last, 25-30 minutes depending on how golden you want it.  Keep them warm under foil until all the food is done.
4. While everything is cooking, prep the salad.  Clean the lettuce and spin it so that it's not wilted.  Chop up the onion, mushrooms, green pepper, and cherry tomatoes.  Mix it all together and toss it.  Add the dressing and mix it up.  Serve it in bowls on the table.  

Enjoy!

Savory Shrimp Curry w/Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup long grain rice
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• Salt
• 3 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium white onion, quartered
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 2 inch piece ginger, peeled
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 3 fresh tomatoes
• 2 serrano chile peppers, halved (remove seeds for less heat)
• 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and devined
• 1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

What to do:

1. Combine the rice, 1 1/3 cups water, 1 tsp curry powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tbsp oil in a saucepan.  Cover and cook over medium-low heat, about 15 minutes.  Keep warm.
2. Chop the onion in a food processor, set aside.  Mince the garlic and ginger in the processor and set aside.  Puree the tomatoes with 1/2 cup water.
3. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a deep skillet on medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook until golden-about 12 minutes. Add the garlic-ginger mix, chiles, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp curry powder and stir-fry until slightly browned-3 minutes. Add the tomato puree and simmer until thickened-8 minutes.  Add the shrimp, cover and cook over medium-low heat until shrimp are done (3-4 minutes).  Remove from heat and stir in yogurt and half the cilantro.  Serve with the rice and top with remaining cilantro.

Enjoy!

Recipe: inspired by Food Network Book

Smoothies on the Go!

We've been super busy latetely so last night I made a smoothie for dinner and it was delish!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of mixed berries (frozen or fresh)
• 1 cup of raspberry/cranberry juice (or another juice if you don't like this one)
• 1 cup of plain low fat yogurt
• 2 tbsp sugar

What to do:

1. Add ingredients to the blender and mix until smooth.  If it's too thick just add a little water
2. Enjoy!

Comfort Food for the Soul: Bacon and Ham Risotto

I am currently having a rough week and really needed to let loose.  Cooking for me is extremely therapeutic and helps me relax.  I came up with this lovely and tasty risotto comfort food combo this afternoon.  Let me know what you think. :)

Ingredients:

• 3 slices bacon
• 3 small pieces of ham
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup risotto (arborrio rice)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 ounces of bella mushrooms, stems removed and diced
• Salt and pepper
• 1 quart of beef broth (you won't use all of it but pretty close to it)
• 1 cup of shredded pepper jack cheese
• Parsley, a few sprigs for decoration
• EVOO, 2-3 tbsp

What to do:

1. In a medium sauce pan add the EVOO and heat at medium high.  Add the arborrio, onion, bacon, ham, mushrooms, and butter.  Stir continuously until browned.  Browning is important here-you want to get tons of flavor out of the bacon, ham, and onion here. I browned mine for about 10-15 minutes.
2. Now add beef broth, about 1 cup at a time until dissolved.  Then continue to add another cup until the arborrio stops absorbing it. Taste test to make sure the arborrio is tender.  If not, be patient, and keep adding more beef broth until it dissolves.  Stir constantly or it will burn on the bottom. 
3. Once the arborrio is nice and tender, please remove from the heat.  Please add the pepper jack cheese and stir in until creamy and smooth.  
4. Serve in shallow bowls and place 1-2 sprigs on top for decoration. 

Enjoy!

Recipe from: Holly

What Gets Your Taste Buds Going?

What kind of recipes do you prefer?

• New and adventurous
• Quick and easy
• Robust and flavorful
• Decorative and bright

I always like to hear from my fans.   Please feel free to comment and share your ideas!  :)

Happy feasting! 

One of my favorite restaurants in the city is the Slanted Door.  The picture below is from our last meal there:

Chicken Picatta and Lemon Risotto!

Ingredients

• 2 lemons
• 4 chicken breasts, sliced in half so they're thin
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp capers
• 1 cup italian breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp flour
• Pepper
• 1 cup marsala wine
• 1 cup arborrio (risotto)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 onion
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

What to do

1. Chop the onion and heat the onion, butter, and arborrio in a medium sauce pan.  Lightly brown them.  
2. Add 1 cup of beef broth and bring to a boil.  Add more broth as it heats through until it's done absorbing. 
3. Meanwhile, heat some EVOO in a frying pan.  Now dredge the chicken breasts in eggs (stir them up in one bowl) and then the flour and italian breadcrumbs mixed together in a second bowl.  Place each chicken breast in the frying pan.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes per side until browned on each side and done. 
4. When chicken is done, place on a plate to the side and cover with foil.  Continue cooking the remaining chicken breasts and do the same when done.  
5. Once the chicken is done, keep the chicken brownings in the pan for flavor and add 1 cup of marsala wine, the juice of 1 lemon, and 1 tbsp capers.  This serves as the sauce for your chicken.  Serve with 1-2 tbsp of sauce for each chicken breast.
6. Once the arborrio is done absorbing beef broth (usually about 1 quart of beef broth on average, cooking for 20 minutes), add the juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, and stir together.  Remove from heat.

Serve it up and enjoy!

Recipe from Holly, my specialty!

Scrumptuous Flank Steak with Salsa Verde :)

Ingredients

• 1 pound of flank steak
• Salt and pepper
• 2-3 tomatoes
• 2 cups fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1/2 lemon, zest and juice
• 1/3 cup EVOO, plus some for the grill
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard

What to do

1. Place parsley, capers, EVOO, lemon zest and juice, dijon mustard, and garlic in food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Heat up grill (I used an inside grill pan) to high and coat lightly with EVOO.  Season the steak with salt and pepper.  Place steak on grill and cook until medium rare (2 minutes per side if thin, 4 minutes per side for thicker steak). 
3. Remove from pan and serve with sauce and sliced tomatoes topped with salt and pepper.  

This is pretty healthy and tasty! Enjoy!

Recipe from Food Network cookbook.