The Foodie Within

The perfect sandwich

2012-03-01T12:10:00.002-06:00

The perfect sandwich is different to everyone, but here is one that I made today.

In between two pieces of honey wheat bread that I slathered with creamy miracle whip, I slid a few paper thin slices of granny smith apple, a few sliced of a royal purple onion, 2 slices of black forest ham, some crisp green lettuce, a slice do provolone cheese, and just a few crispy dill pickles, all served with some sour cream and onion chips and a glass of ice cold milk.

Let me know in the comments below, your favorite sandwich.

Cheesy Crab Mac

2012-02-21T09:46:00.001-06:00

New Spin on Mashed Potatoes

2012-02-02T11:57:00.003-06:00

Want to try and spice up those old plain mashed potatoes?

Try this:

Cook your potatoes just like normal but leave the skin on, add butter, milk, S&P and mix... Simple..RIGHT? Mash them up well, I used a hand beater.

Now add a few caramelized onions and garlic powder....I cooked my onions in a little truffle oil to give them a little earthier flavor!

These potatoes were AWESOME!

What do you do differently to your side potatoes!

Want some Truffles?

2012-01-27T13:55:00.000-06:00

Truffle Shortcut

2012-01-20T20:40:00.001-06:00

So I make these extremely easy truffles that everyone love....

So here is the video on how to make them!

ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXAI8S-4eAE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

French Toast

2012-01-11T12:50:00.002-06:00

I was shopping at the place where I work and they had some Pannettone marked down 60% due to it being a seasonal item.

I immediately thought about using it for French toast, the Pannettone that I bought had dark chocolate chips and raisins in it.

Here is what I did:

Ingredients:

Pannettone Slices
1 egg
3 tbsp milk (i used vanilla soy)
1 tsp sugar
butter

in a bowl combine all of the the ingredients except for the bread and butter, in a frying pan add some butter, let the pannettone sit in the custard a few minutes, transfer the soaked slices to the melted butter in the pan, cook on med-low heat, we are just trying to set the custard inside of the bread. Once both sides of the pannettone are slightly brown, transfer to a plate and top with a small pat of butter,

TIP
Serve with maple syrup, honey, or with powdered sugar!

Basic Cookie Recipe

2011-12-15T13:09:00.003-06:00

I use this basic sugar cookie recipe as the base for many different cookies.

Ingredients:

1 egg
2 cups flour
Tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup softened butter

Directions:

Very easy! Mix everything together, let set in fridge for at least one hour before rolling out to 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch and bake @350 10-12 minutes.

Tips
I have added toasted sesame seeds to this dough, I usually just ice with royal icing and let firm up. This is one of the only firm cookies that I like. You could add coconut, or nuts, etc. I am working on 3 variations of this recipe so check back soon! My co-workers should be happy!

Braised Ox Tails

2011-12-05T14:43:00.003-06:00

It is snowing today and I really wanted a warm feel good meal.

So I made Braised Ox Tail Stew...

What you will need:

2 pounds Ox Tails
1 cup pmoegranate wine
3 cups beef broth
4 cups water
1 pound potatoes chopped
3 large carrots chopped
1 cup onion chopped
1 tablespoon balsimic vinegar
2 tablespoons parsley
seasonings (I used garlic powder, onion powder, and red chili flakes)
S&P to taste
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

coat your ox tails in flour, brown them in the olive oil, add the wine and stock to a large heavy pan, add the browned ox tails. Let simmer for 1 hour, then add the water and all of the chopped veggies, seasonings, and vinegar. simmer 3-5 hours until the ox tail meat falls off the bone. enjoy!

Turkey Day is almost here...

2011-11-17T08:58:00.004-06:00

Thanksgiving is almost here so I know everyone is somewhat interested in new recipes and techniques. Below is a link to a few videos that span, stuffing, roasting a turkey, and brining a turkey.

www.youtube.com/user/teejaytoday75

How to Brine a Turkey/Chicken

2011-11-08T21:22:00.005-06:00

What a Brine is:

This is where you piggy back great flavors and seasonings with SALT to penetrate and flavor food, usually vegatables and meats.

Brining works on a cellular level by way of salt molecules wanting to create an equilibrium on either side of a membrane, in this case...poultry skin. As the salt moves in and out of the membrane, seasonings that you add are carried with the salt into the flesh of the meat.

This also creates a more savory and moist piece of meat, (Those Chemistry classes in college finally paid off!)

I recently brined a Chicken and made a video of it...here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCAUb8E6E04&feature=colike

Panda Express for the First Time

2011-10-13T08:34:00.003-05:00

I am still on my training business trip and I got off yesterday before everyone else...so I decided to go and try a place that I have never been before....Panda Express.

I wanted to try a little of everything but the lady behind the counter (Tong) would not let me sample! LOL I got a little Beef and Broccoli, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Orange Chicken, Fried Rice, and Pot Stickers.

The food was pretty good, the beef was tender, the sweet and sour chicken was perfect except I could have used a little more sauce on it!

Overall I would rate it a 6 out of 10, it was tasty and filled me up after a long day of work!

Eating Healthy....What!?!?!?

2011-10-10T07:07:00.004-05:00

I am currently on a business trip and I am trying to eat somewhat healthy on this little trip. So I ate at Chili's yesterday...I ordered the Black Bean Burger with Avocado on a Wheat bun. It was REALLY Good! It came with crispy fried onions, french fries, and ranch dipping sauce.

I ate about half of the burger, fries, and onions. I rate it about a 7 out of 10.
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Another way to eat healthy is to eat nuts and seeds as snacks. Since it is nearly Halloween and a lot of people will have a pumpkin...I decided to roast some pumpkin seeds and video it. With a pumpkin around only $4...it is a cheap snack as well!

You can see me do it here: http://youtu.be/2SWqfDCn860

Kick'n Cornbread

2011-09-27T09:09:00.004-05:00

I made some of the best cornbread the other day and I just wanted to share it with you.. Here is the link for a video :

http://youtu.be/bcHEkd_Q7BI

The only thing that I would have changed is adding more peppers, we like things hot over here!

I took some to work for co-workers to try and they loved it!

Try it and let me know what changes you would make!

Easy Lunch Idea...

2011-09-18T11:11:00.003-05:00

Looking for something easy but good to take for a lunch? Or a great entertaining dish?

What you will need:

Rolls
Onions
Chicken Breast
Cheese
Butter

Cook the Chicken Breast... I like to do this the day before...Put the onions in a pan with a little bit of butter and salt and cook until slightly golden. Cut your rolls in half and put a piece of your favorite cheese on them with some chicken and onions.

I put these chicken sliders into my luch box and take to work...I put the whole thing in the microwave for about 30 seconds until the cheese is nice and gooey!

If you want you can add a few pieces of fresh spinach if you like green stuff on your mini chicken sandwiches.

Enjoy!

Let me know if you make these and any changes that you make!

www.TheFoodieWithin.com

I tried something new...

2011-09-09T12:15:00.002-05:00

I was walking through the meat section of my local megamart and saw something new. Boudain....

Boudain...
A sausage like meat product made from Pork, rice, pork livers and other seasonings, served inside pork intestine. Popular in Louisiana.

I have never had this product so I bought it. When I got home I had no idea on how to prepare..the directions told me to simmer in in water or slowly cook on a grill. I knew that I wanted to prepare it so that I could take it for lunch at work.

I took some pizza dough and added a few leaves of fresh bab spinach, then put the boudain on top of the nest of spinach. I sealed it up in the dough and baked at 350 for 20 minutes. Sliced it kind of thin and at it with a little mustard and ketchup.

The flavor was 'alright' I would have loved a little more liver flavor and it was a little spicy for my taste....and I like spicy.

Guaca...Guaca...Guacamole! OLE!

2011-07-17T21:54:00.002-05:00

Look...I am making Guacamole!

I am thinking about trying out for Food network Star!

http://youtu.be/Ytyti3Dezdg

Salsa

2011-07-13T22:47:00.000-05:00

I made Salsa, and here is the YouTube link

http://youtu.be/EjDf_QR2Uk0

Simple Pecan Candy

2011-06-06T00:40:00.002-05:00

2/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups pecans (halves or pieces)
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan combine the sugars, butter, and vanilla, Cook until the sugar is competely melted and not grainy...add the pecans, coat well and spread out on wax paper, once it is cool, enjoy!

Healthier Pancakes

2011-05-18T09:14:00.003-05:00

It is against the law for pancakes to actually be good for you in my opinion but there are ways to feel less guilty when you make them. Here is my adaptation:

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons Agave Nector (or honey)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
2 - 3 tablespoons oil (sometimes I use melted butter for a richer feel)
2 tablespoons wheat germ
3 tablespoons quick oates
3 tablespoons favorite dried fruit or 1 medium apple chopped finely

Mix the dry ingredients together, then add the other items. DO NOT OVER MIX, hand mix for 30 seconds and walk away for 5 minutes

Heat a skillet on medium heat. When heated, scoop the pancake batter recipe into the frying pan with a large spoon to make individual pancakes about 4 inches across. The pan will probably only take 1 or two pancakes at a time. Cook on one side until the top begins to bubble, then flip over and cook on the other side

Serve with your favorite topping...ie...strawberries and whip cream, honey, syrup, etc...

MMMMM Breakfast of Champs

2011-04-14T15:29:00.005-05:00

Doesn't this look amazing????? Here is what I made: Quiche, Yogurt/Agave Parfait, and Berry Smoothie

The Quiche:

In a small skillet I added some fresh spinach, small potato cubes, and a few small broccoli florets...Saute until tender....In a blender combine 7 eggs and 1/2 cup buttermilk and seasonings of you liking....blend until smooth. In 12 small ramekins divide your potato/broccoli mixture. Then pour in your egg mixture....bake at 350 until middle is firm. I garnished with fresh spinach cut into ribbons.

Parfait:

In a parfait glass layer granola, then Greek yogurt, then honey, then yogurt, then granola, and top with agave nectar.

Smoothie:

In a blender add 1/2 cup fresh pineapple, 1/2 cup fresh mango, 1 cup fresh strawberries, and 4 cups grape juice...Blend until smooth and serve over ice or chilled.

Honey Mustard

2011-04-08T11:41:00.006-05:00

Never Buy Honey Mustard again! You probably have these ingredients in your cupboard! 1/2 cup mayo 2 tbls mustard 1/4 cup honey 2 tbls orange juice S&P Combine all ingredients and enjoy!

Stay Hydrated

2011-03-14T20:54:00.002-05:00

The old wives tale is that you need to have 8 glasses of water per day.....FALSE!

You need 64 ounces of water per day....but you receive water in other forms than liquid!

Some veggies/fruits are nearly all water......

Melons

Citrus

Lettuce

Others

And some other drinks count toward your daily intake of H2O

Teas

Coffees

Sodas (Diet I hope)

Enhanced Waters

Others

The 64 ounce thing is also a misnomer...it depends on your activity level.....a 180 pound man running 3 miles needs more than a 110 receptionist... Hydrate according to what you are doing.

I dont drink enough, and I know it...every morning I have a glass of water and some type of juice...usually have a Monster for Lunch...then one or two glasses of water before I go to bed....My goal this week is to add another glass of water while I am at work....Baby Steps

My tip....Before I leave in the morning, I will put my water in a travel containor (no plastic bottles for me) but I will use mostly ice, that way when I am ready for it...it will still be cold and I am not inconvenienced to walk across the building to the fridge to get my water....

New Diet!!!! yay....

2011-01-23T17:07:00.002-06:00

Okay, you caught me, not really a new diet, I started this diet at the first of December 2010. It started with a 10 day herbal cleanse, ...lost 7 pounds....then it was a pill and shake program....up until today I have lost a total of 13 pounds and have not changed anything except having a shake every other day for either breakfast or lunch.

Starting today I am adding a little something different, I saw the book, 400 calorie meals. I bought it yesterday and have been reading it all day...I am going to add this to my plan and see if I can speed up the results...Spring and Summer are just around the corner and I want to look nice for it.

Here is an example of one of the meals that I am making for dinner tomorrow.

Spinach and Potato Salad

1 1/2 cups baby spinach
3 fingerling potatoes
3 cherry tomatoes
2 raspberries
1 tsp whole grain mustard
3 tsp olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Boil the potatoes in water just until fork tender, let cool.

Dressing, in blender (I used a coffee grinder due to the small amount) add the raspberries, mustard, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar, blend until smooth. Mix everything together and enjoy...!

My meal plan for tomorrow looks like this.

Breakfast.. 7AM..meal replacement smoothie with 3 strawberries and 1/2 banana blended in.
Brunch...11AM...Spinach and Potato Salad
Late lunch ....2PM...Black Bean Burrito
Dinner...6PM...Bacon and Spinach Salad
Dessert...7PM...1 scoop chocolate fat free frozen yogurt.

Mexican Food Videos

2010-12-28T16:26:00.000-06:00

I am uploading 2 videos on youtube today

One is on how to make Refried Beans and one on how I make Beef Enchiladas.

http://www.youtube.com/user/cokkadudledue

*TIP* on the beef enchiladas I added a little flax seed and Wheat germ to the beef to make it a tiny bit healthier, I also used leftover steak as the beef, I just processed it in a food processor!

Turkey Salad

2010-12-16T22:46:00.004-06:00

I made this the Day after Thanksgiving and took it to work...

2 cups chopped turkey (chicken)
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green olives
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup Miracle Whip
1/3 cup Helmans Mayo
S&P
Cayenne to taste

Mix everything in bowl and serve with crackers

My turkey was a honey brined turkey, so it had a sweet note to it that played well with the almonds.

Eating Great on Business Trips

2010-11-07T12:01:00.005-06:00

Last Saturday and Sunday I traveled to San Antonio to visit some friends, we decided to eat at some of the places where "Man vs Food" showcased. Here is a link...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR7Y0rT9lo0

We ate at Chunky's were my friends Boyfriend attempted to eat the Four Horseman Burger, he failed! But it was hilarious. In the video they talk about the Island burger, that is what I had, it had pineapple on it. It was Great!

Sunday morning for Breakfast we had to go try the Cinnamon roll. Here is a pic of ours.

The cinnamon roll was AMAZING!

I got back into town late Sunday night and had to leave for a business trip monday morning to Odessa, Tx. We ate and drank at many different places. One of my rules is to eat at places that are not back home.

We ate at a hibachi grill, I had the Calamari Steaks, they were scrumptious, they gave us so much food that we could not eat it all. Here is a pic of the chef preparing our food.

We also ate at a hole in the wall mexican food place the last day that we were there, and it was by FAR the best place, we asked a few locals where to eat at. The place was called Mamasitas.

So, when you are traveling, ask locals where to eat, use the internet to see reviews and most of all, Have Fun!

Pumpkin Soup

2010-10-11T15:01:00.005-05:00

I was tired of always trying different Butternut Squash soup or Pumpkin soup and it tasting like a wet pumpkin pie...This is what I came up with.

Ingredients:

Small Pumpkin

1/2 Onion

3 Baby Carrots

1 Tbsp Sour Cream

1 1/2 C Chicken Stock

Olive Oil

S&P

Directions:

Clean your pumpkin and quarter it (leave the skin on). Place the Pumpkin, Onion, and Carrots on a roasting pan, coat with Olive Oil and S&P. Roast at 310 degrees for about 30 minutes. Take from oven and let cool.

Once cool, scrape the meat of the pumpkin into a blender, add all of the other ingredients. Blend until smooth and serve.

I serve mine with Saltines and a few homemade croutons and Sour Cream on top.

Ain't Nuthin' but a Chikin Wing.

2010-10-04T14:40:00.004-05:00

Apricot Honey Chicken Wings!

I was wanting something different than a regular ole chicken wing with BBQ sauce or Buffalo Sauce... Here is what I came up with.

Ingredients:

24 Wings (just bake them off in the oven)

1/2 cup onion chopped finely

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup Apricot Preserves

1/3 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce

S&P to taste

*optional* Cayenne Pepper

2 Tbsp Butter

Directions:

In a large pan add the butter and onions, cook until the onions are soft... Add everything else except the wings and saute until the mixture is nice and thick (about 4 minutes) add the wings in and coat them well...serve..

*I know the pic is bad, I took it with my phone...I used Pineapple leaves as the garnish (Use what you have!)

BlueBerry Scones

2010-09-15T09:16:00.003-05:00

I was noticing that at the place where I work people were paying $3 for a scone that was NOT freshly baked. I wanted to see if I could beat their scones. Here is what I came up with.

Ingredients:

2 C Flour
1/2 C Sugar
1/2 t cream of tartar
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 stick of butter
1/4 C dried Blueberries
1/2 C Sr Cream
1 large egg
2 T grape juice

First you need to rehydrate the Blueberries, place the blueberries in a bowl with the grape juice and microwave for about 45 seconds, set aside...turn oven on to 365

Sift together all of the dry ingredients...mix in the butter until the mixture looks like cornmeal, mix in everything else including the blueberries....pat out until about 3/4 inch think and cut into 8 slices, place on baking sheet and bake at 365 degrees until lightly golden brown.

TIP* Make them look great, sprinkle with a little sugar just before baking.

Try New Things

2010-09-08T16:01:00.001-05:00

Today I was really craving a hamburger... I didnt have any hamburger buns and didnt want to drive the 2 blocks to the store and buy them...So I thought all hope was lost. Then I opened the fridge and saw them...I had Croissants! I shaped them into bun shapes, sprinkled them with S&P and a little parm cheese, and baked them. They tasted awesome as buns!

Pepper Dip

2010-08-14T15:48:00.003-05:00

My mother was asking me for some jalepeno pepper dip...I've never made it before and she can only remember it from a party 20 years ago...Here is what I came up with....

1 8 oz package cream cheese (softened)
2 tablespoons bread & Butter jalepenos (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 tablesspoons onion (finely chopped)

S&P to taste
(i also added a pinch of garlic powder)

Mix everything in a bowl well, let set in fridge for at least 1 hour before serving on toast, crackers, or veggies...

she liked it..I liked it..

Sometimes it just doesnt work

2010-07-29T18:32:00.002-05:00

I want people to not be scared to experiment in the kitchen...Sometimes my stuff doesnt work either...but I get ideas on what might work next time.

2 examples today...one worked and one didnt!

Today I wanted potato salad but I didnt want to wait 30 minutes to cook a single potato..so I put it in the microwave for 3 minutes...blended it with other potato salad ingredients and it worked perfectly....

Then later a neighbor brought over a whole mess of squash....so I started thinking...could I fry these like potato chips...I tried...didnt work well enough...I ruined a squash but I learned that if I want to try this again...I will have to cut the squash and put them in a food dehydrator for a few hours to remove excess moisture before frying them....

How I Lost 8 pounds in 3 days without Exercise

2010-07-28T10:43:00.003-05:00

My aunt wanted to start this 3 day diet...I decided I would try it along with her. It is basically a meal plan but you might already have most of the items in your cupboard or can buy them cheaply at the store. I did not exercise while I was on this diet. I also made a few substitutions to the plan...here is what I did.

8 pounds is 3% of my body weight!

Day 1

Breakfast

A small glass of orange juice with extra pulp
Cup of Black Coffee with one package Truvia
Slice of White Toast with 1 TBSP crunchy peanut butter spread on top.

Lunch

2.5 ounce package of Tuna packed in water with some mustard and 1/2 cup shredded lettuce mixed in
Slice of White Toast
Glass of water
Small container of fruit yogurt

Dinner

Piece of LEAN meat about the size of a deck of playing cards (I had STEAK!)
1 Cup of steamed Green Beans (I seasoned mine with garlic and soy sauce)
1 Cup Steamed Carrots (I made a glaze for mine...*recipe below)

Dessert

An apple

*The glaze for my carrots...2 teaspoons honey, 1/4 cup water, 1 teaspoon soy sauce....cook in pan with a small amount of cornstarch to thicken it. Toss in cooked carrots.

DAY 2

Breakfast

cup of black coffee with Truvia
One scrambled egg placed on top of a slice of toast (I added picante and a jalapeno)
one apple

Lunch

One Tuna Steak (about 6 ounces) with Vinaigrette...Recipe Below*
Slice of Toast with 1 teaspoon Olive Oil and sprinkle of garlic powder
Glass of Water

Dinner

2 hot dogs without the bun (I dipped mine in 1 TBSP ketchup)
1 steamed artichoke
1/2 cup steamed carrots

Dessert

banana

*Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons Olive Oil, 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice..1 teaspoon whole mustard. S&P to taste

DAY 3

Breakfast

Small apple
small glass of Orange Juice with extra pulp
Piece of Toast

Lunch

Piece of Toast with Egg Scramble* recipe below
Water
Small apple

Dinner

2.5 ounce package of Tuna in water (I used mustard)
2 cups steamed okra
Water

Dessert

1 cup Cantaloupe

Egg Scramble
teaspoon chopped jalapeno...one egg...picante sauce...slice of American Cheese....Scramble everything in a pan and top on your toast.

A few Tips...You can have all of the mustard that you want..I used it to moisten the tuna. Instead of carrots ONE day...substitute Broccoli or cauliflower...use 5 crackers instead of toast.
If you find yourself getting hungry throughout the day...have a cracker and a glass of water....have a piece of sugar free hard candy....I was only hungry the first day... I took my lunch to work most of the time...to keep the apple from turning brown I used a Tablespoon of Orange Juice in the container. Drink as much water as you want...I also used vitamin water when I started to get tired of the blandness of regular water.

please consult your DR before starting any diet. print this off and let them look at the menu!

Food Brings Back Childhood Memories

2010-06-27T13:29:00.003-05:00

When I was growing up, during the summer my mother would make us lunch on her days off from work. Normally lunch always consisted of some form of leftovers from the day before. The thing I remember the most is Grilled Cheese and Potato Salad. My taste have changed since I was a child but I still crave my mothers Potato Salad with a Grilled Cheese. Below is the recipe for my childhood and the grown-up version I make for myself now.

Old Fashioned Grilled Cheese

2 slices white bread
2 slices American Cheese
Butter

Assemble the sandwich with the cheese in the middle, slather butter on the top and bottom of the bread. Place in pan on the stove and brown the bread...that's it! Yum.

New Version Grilled Cheese

2 slices of Wheat Bread
1 slice of American Cheese
1 slice of Muenster Cheese
Butter
Olive Oil
Cayenne Pepper
Garlic Powder
S&P

Prepare the sandwich just as before...but in the pan pour 1 tsp of olive oil, heat.....sprinkle top of buttered sandwich with just a touch of cayenne, garlic powder and S&P. Grill till golden!

Somehow now that I am older, a half of Avacado and a few olives make it on the plate with the grilled Sandwich and PotatoSalad. I also put the slightest hint of drizzle of honey on the potato salad now. My mouth is watering just thinking of this......Thank God for Mothers!

Nominate Me Please!

2010-06-15T19:39:00.001-05:00

Please visit http://tj.mtv.com/open-nomination/ and nominate me for MTV Twitter Jockey just type in @ThomasJowers to nominate me...Thanks

Zest up your Mayo

2010-06-10T10:46:00.004-05:00

Having people come over and you want to impress them....try dressing up your mayonnaise. Below are a few tips to dress up your mayo....choose one that fits with other parts of your meal. If you are having Mexican food, try the avacado, having italian, try the roasted red pepper...etc.....

Avacado Mayo

1 c. Mayo
1 large avacado
1/8 t cumin
S&P to taste

Put everything into a food processor and blend until smooth

Roasted Red Pepper Mayo

1 c. Mayo
1/4 c. roasted red peppers
1 t fresh parsley
S&P to taste

Southwest Mayo

1 c. Mayo
2 t grill seasoning
2 t Worcester (spelling?) Sauce
S&P to taste

Cumin

2010-06-03T12:09:00.001-05:00

Cumin is the second most popular spice in the world after black pepperCumin seeds are used as a spice for their distinctive aroma, popular in Indian, Pakistani, North African, Middle Eastern, Sri Lankan, Cuban, Northern Mexican cuisines, and the Western Chinese cuisines of Sichuan and Xinjiang. Cumin can be found in some Dutch cheeses such as Leyden cheese, and in some traditional breads from France. It is commonly used in traditional Brazilian cuisine. Cumin can be an ingredient in (often Texan or Mexican-style) Chili powder, and is found in achiote blends, adobos, sofrito, garam masala, curry powder, and bahaarat.

Cumin can be used ground or as whole seeds, as it draws out their natural sweetnesses. It is traditionally added to chili, curries, and other Middle-Eastern, Indian, Cuban and Tex-Mex foods. Cumin has also been used on meat in addition to other common seasonings. Though used infrequently in Mexican dishes, the spice is common in Tex-Mex cuisine. It is extensively used in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent. Cumin was also used heavily in ancient Roman cuisine. Cumin is typically used in Mediterranean cooking from Spanish, Italian and Middle Eastern cuisine. It helps to add an earthy and warming feeling to cooking making it a staple in certain stews and soups.

I took the above directly from wikipedia.org....please visit wikipedia if you want to learn more about cumin and other spices.

Psuedo-Cocktail

2010-05-27T10:55:00.003-05:00

Okay I was just in the kitchen looking for something for lunch and decided to make an oyster mushroom risotto...well I am waiting for the mushroom to rehydrate in some beef stock...whole recipe to come later..

I decided to make myself a little drink/cocktail

I was going to just have a glass of grape juice when I noticed something else in my fridge.

I saw a bottle of Grape Raspberry Zero Vitamin Water....and some Fresh Cherries...and a bottle of Vanilla Rum

I filled a short glass with crushed ice...filled it nearly to the top with the vitamin water, added two crushed cherries...and MAYBE a teaspoon of the rum...VOILA! Done.

It is refreshing (it is already 85 degrees here) and maybe actually good for you.

I called it a Psuedo-Cocktail because there is only about a teaspoon of Rum in it. This would also be great with a little mint muddled into it! Yum....

Portion Control

2010-05-14T11:31:00.002-05:00

Yeah well... I am dieting AGAIN...

I am doing a popular shake routine and have lost 6 pounds in 6 days! I am learning a lot about food that I thought I would share with you.

The very first thing I reminded myself is that people eat with their eyes first. So I bought some smaller plates. (the square white ones that you see in every food magazine) If the food looks like a larger portion compared to the size of the plate, I tend to feel more full when I finish my plate. Thus, I am eating less.

Snack throughout the day. I am eating or having a shake 6 times a day! Yeah 6 TIMES a day. I am never hungry though out the day now. I bought those little 100 calorie snack packs and they are a perfect little snack to fend off hunger pains.

The plan I am on requires me to eat a meal that is 500 calories. I can fit a lot of food in for under 500 calories. I can have a salad, soup, and sandwich....or a salad and a serving of a casserole etc.... The key is that I usually always have a small salad and I try to have at least a tiny portion of dessert!

I am having cravings though...I want my beloved Taco Bueno....I will be checking their website for nutritional ratings later today to see if I make something on their menu a meal!

I am also saving lots of money from my diet, visit my Finance Blog to read how. www.ABuckADayBlog.com

Dippity Dip

2010-05-06T15:47:00.002-05:00

So lately I have been trying recipes with frozen peas. I am kinda addicted to them as of lately.
Here is a simple dip that I have tried (and enjoyed) on pizza, saltines, chicken wings, and veggies.

1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sr cream
1-2 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese
1-2 Tbsp crumbled gorganzola cheese
1/3 cup frozen peas

In a small pan put your frozen peas and let them cook for a few minutes, just to let them heat through......now combine everything and eat!

TIP...I smash a few of the peas with a fork before I mix them in! Yummy!

Amazing foods

2010-05-03T20:15:00.002-05:00

I recently took a day-trip to San Antonio and had some fantastic food and some that just plain made us sick.

The first meal was at SeaWorld where I had a the fried fish sandwich and my friends had the fajitas. They loved the fajitas and the fish sandwich was alright. Nothing to write home about, but I hungry.

Dinner that night was at the Hard Rock Cafe. OMG the triple premium margarita there is to die for! I had 2 before the appetizer got there! We had Chips and Salsa as an appetizer and they sucked. The chips were stale and the salsa was nasty. My friends and I each ordered a different hamburger. One friend had the Red, White, and Blue Burger...She loved it but it was too big or her to finish. My other friend had the SOB burger, she also loved it, it was spicey and she was unable to finish it. I had the Granny Smith and Onion Burger....OMG it was AMAZING! I would rate it a 9! It was Great..... Hard Rock was worth the 3 hour drive alone!

The next morning we decided to eat breakfast at the hotel (long story) but since it was a hot breakfast we thought it would be perfect. We all ordered the Sausage El Burrito. They were horrible, The eggs in the burrito had the mouth texture of plastic, the burrito only had two pieces of sausage the size of marbles in it, and the tortilla was old. YUCK! The bottled orange juice was the best part of the meal. My two friends both were a little queasy on the ride home from those burritos.

Egg Salad Changed Up!

2010-04-09T10:50:00.003-05:00

I only crave Egg Salad about 3 times a year. I will NOT eat egg salad unless I see it made simply because I want to see it made fresh! I tried this new idea that might make we want this delicious dish more than every 3 months.

2 Whole Boiled Eggs
1 Avacado
1 TBSP Sour Cream
2 TBSP Mayo
2 pieces of Crusty Toasted Bread
2 TSP relish
2 TBSP chopped onion
S & P

In a Food Processor add everything except the bread and pulse till smooth. Smear onto your toast and enjoy. SUPER SIMPLE and yummy!

TIP Change it up even more, I put cayenne pepper and cumin on mine, gave it a kick and a little smokey flavor.

TIP Lighten it up a bit, remove the yolks from the eggs, use light mayo and sour cream.

TIP Want a lighter onion flavor, use chives instead of the onion !

Pina Colada Cake

2010-04-02T11:47:00.002-05:00

I made this cake for my co-workers and they seemed to like it! Plus it is really simple. This is a two layer cake so you can use one cake mix and divide it, but I used two and made a really big one.

Cake
2 Pineapple Upside Down Cake mixes
1 Can of Cream of Coconut
1 Can of Minced Pineapple
1/4 cup Chopped Strawberries
1/4 cup Granola
Rum Optional

Frosting
Egg Whites
Pineapple Juice
Sugar
vanilla
Cream of TarTar

Prepare the two cake mixes per the directions on the box BUT reserve 2 of the egg whites for the frosting. Add 3 tablespoons of the Cream of Coconut. Drain the Pineapple and add it to the cake mix. Keep the juice. Add the Granola and the Strawberries to the mix. Bake at 350 until cake is done. Let cake come to Room temperature. Remove from cake pan and put on cookie sheet. Now smother the cake with the rest of the Cream of Coconut and the rum. The Cake will absorb ALL of the liquid.

In a saucepan on medium heat add the pineapple juice that you reserved, add an EQUAL amount of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Let reduce for a few minutes. While sugar/juice mixture is dissolving/reducing beat eggwhites with 1/2 teaspoon Cream of TarTar until you get hard peaks. Add the HOT Sugar/Juice mixture to the eggwhites while they are beating! Quickly apply to your cake before the egg whites set.

This cake will need to be kept refrigerated if you dont think it will be eaten in a day. I decorated mine by sprinkling extra granola on top.

The Food Critic in Me

2010-03-20T19:31:00.002-05:00

I use a scale of 1-10 with 10 being "I would walk across a desert just to smell it again" and a 1 being "get it away from me!'

I recently took a trip to vegas with some guest and we ate at some great and not-so great places.

The first day

We arrived at our hotel (Luxor) and ate at Nathan's Fast Food Restaurant. Me and one of my guest had The Philly Cheese Steak with Fries and my other guest had Chicken Strips and Fries.

I would rate the Philly Cheese Steak and Fries as a 6 and the Chicken Strips were really dry so I would rate them as a 4. Both were about $10 each.

Later we had dinner at the Pyramid Cafe inside the Luxor. I ordered the Chicken Parmesian, one guest ordered and Hamburger and Fries, and one ordered the daily special, a Chicken Fried Steak.

My Chicken Parmesian was great, even though the said that the sauce was made of Roasted Red Peppers, I could not taste the peppers, just tomatoes. I would rate it a 7.

The Hamburger had a stale bun but the meat was wonderful. I would also rate it at a 7.

The Chicken Fried Steak was the weak point for us. I was breaded with bread crumbs instead of flour, but the mashed potatoes that it came with were outstanding. We would rate it a 6.

2nd Day

We decided to go downtown to see what was going on. We decided to try the Breakfast Buffet at The Golden Nugget. It was wonderful, my favorite was the French Toast. It seemed to be made of potatoe bread and topped with macerated strawberries. I rate the french toast as a 8.

For Dinner we decided to go to the Seafood Buffet at The Rio. OMG, this was by far my favorite spot for food of the whole trip. I had great lobster, fresh oysters, sushi (my personal fave), and all of the other seafood you can think of. It was a little pricey at $40 per person. IMHO it is still well worth it! I rate the entire buffet as a 8.

3rd Day

We were leaving this day so we decided to eat the MORE Buffet at the Luxor. It was wonderful! One thing we all got on our plate was Beef Strogenoff. It was tender and savory, I would rate it as a 7.
The best part of the whole buffet was the dessert bar. I went crazy. All the desserts were in tiny little 'shooter' bowls. I grabbed a strawberry whipped tart, taramisou, chocolate mousse, and caramel flan. All were wonderful! I would rate the dessert bar a 9 EASY!.

OMG = Oh My Gosh
IMHO = In My Honest Opinion

At the airport on the way home I stopped at Starbucks and had a Java Chip Frap with Whipped Cream, It hit the spot and was wonderful. I rate it a 6.

Bacon and Onion Dip

2010-02-16T21:08:00.003-06:00

This is a quick dip to make but gets better if it sits in the fridge for about an hour before serving.

1 tablespoon Bacon Bits
3 tablespoons chopped onions
1/2 cup mayo
1 cup Sour Cream
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a saucepan add butter and onions, when onions begin to turn translucent add the bacon bits, let bacon bits soak up most of the butter (about 1 minute) mix everything together and let stand in fridge for 1 hour for best results. Serve with Chips or your favorite veggies. Yum!

Tarter Sauce

2010-02-11T11:08:00.004-06:00

I made this recipe about 20 minutes ago to go with some Salmon that I pan seared.

Ingredients:

1/2 c Mayonnaise
2 TBSP Sweet Pickle Relish
2 TBSP Finely Chopped Onion (I prefer red onion)
1 TBSP Fresh Lemon Juice
Salt & Pepper to taste.

Combine all ingredients in bowl and serve alongside your fish dish.

TIP
Use this as a dip for veggies, just add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and a teaspoon of soy sauce.

TIP
Some people like to add a teaspoon of fresh finely chopped Dill to the Tarted Sauce when serving with fish. I sometimes use Parsley.

Leftover Mashed Potatoes

2010-02-02T21:55:00.004-06:00

Poor Man's Gnocci

This is a great little trick for using leftover mashed potatoes or baked potatoes.

In a bowl make sure that your potatoes are mashed very well (I used approx 2 cups of leftover potatoes) add 1 egg and mix well. Add any type of seasonings you prefer. I added approx 1/4 cup flour to the mixture to tighten it up to a dough. Yours may take more/less flour due to the moisture in your potatoes and the egg. In salted boiling water add teaspoon size dumpling to the water and wait 30 seconds after they float. Remove them and pat dry on a paper towel. You can sauce them with Pesto or Alfredo Sauce and Serve.

My Lunch Today

2010-01-09T10:49:00.002-06:00

It is a New Year, I have a New Job, and I want a new Me. I plan on making a trip to Las Vegas this year and I want to lose weight so I will better about myself. Here is the lunch I made for myself today.

1 cup dried bowtie pasta
1 cup fresh spinach chopped finely
2 tablespoons roasted bell peppers chopped finely (from a jar)
2 teaspoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh chopped garlic
2 teaspoons lemon juice
S and P to taste

Cook your pasta according to directions on package and set aside. In a small skillet add olive oil and saute your spinach and garlic for about 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and S&P. Wait about 1 minute so the lemon juice can begin to concentrate. Add the bell peppers and butter and continue sauteing for about another 2 minutes. Pour over your cooked pasta and taste for seasoning before putting in container to take to work. Viola, simple and great tasting and HEALTHY!

Beef Heart Stew

2009-11-11T13:15:00.003-06:00

I made this stew using a portion of the beef heart that I had purchased. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup beef heart (chopped in small cubes)
1/4 cup flour
4 beef bullion cubes
8 cups water
1 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup frozen corn
1 cup chopped potato
1 small onion diced small
2 garlic cloves diced small
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
S&P to taste

Directions

Take the beef heart and lightly dredge in the flour. In pan on the stove, add the oil and butter and add the beef. Let brown on all sides. Add half of the water and the 4 bullion cubes, let simmer for 1 hour on low heat, (this helps tenderize the meat) Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until carrots and potatoes are fork tender.

If you prefer a thicker stew, you can add a mixture of 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water to the stew, bring to a boil and serve.

If you want to make this a little more upscale, you can replace 1/2 cup of the water with red wine.

I served this with crushed whole wheat crackers in a bottom of a bowl and poured the stew over the top, the juices trickle down and soak into the crackers. YUM!

Unlikely Foods

2009-11-05T10:36:00.002-06:00

Okay, so I was walking through my favorite grocery store one day after work and decided that I was going to try different foods and write about them. Here is what I bought.

Beef liver
Beef Kidney
Black Pudding
Chicken Liver
Irish Bacon
Lemon Curd
Irish Toffee
Beef Heart

I have to admit that I have had Beef and Chicken Liver before and I realy like them, but I have never had Kidney before. It tasted like liver and gizzard mixed together. I will NEVER buy another kidney, but some people like it. The Black Pudding or Blood Sausage was interesting, at first I didnt know what to think, but the more I ate of it the better it got. It has an odd spice to it that I dont associate with sausage. It does not taste like blood. Irish bacon is pretty good, it reminded me of Canadian Bacon, it is not smoked like American Bacon. I cooked the Irish Bacon and added it to a homemade hamburger. MMMMMMM. The Lemon Curd was really tart but was perfect on some crackers, toast, and cookies. The Irish Toffee just tasted like candy, nothing special or different. I have yet to cook the Beef Heart but I am thinking about a stew or something. Let me know if you want me to try something new or different!

New Foods

2009-10-30T11:34:00.001-05:00

Every now and then I go through an experimental phase where I wonder through supermarkets and specialty food markets grabbing things I have never tried. I have been doing this all week and am looking forward to blogging about it. I have a few items left that I havent tried so please check back soon...

COMING SOON!

Browning Biscuits

2009-10-21T10:10:00.003-05:00

All the cooks and chefs on TV always tell you to brush egg, cream, butter, or something else on the top of biscuits or other pastries that you bake to get that pretty sheen. So I decided to test a few of the most common and let you know what works the best

I used 10 canned biscuits and applied the following toppings

Plain (3)
Egg(2)
Egg with water (1)
Water (1)
Egg with Cream (1)
Cream (1)
Butter (1)

Can you guess which one was the most delicious looking when it came out the of the oven?

The plain ones were golden brown but not shiny, the Egg ones were very nicely golden and shiny, Egg with water was a dull brown, water was just beginning to brown, Egg with Cream was golden brown and shiny, the one with just cream on it was dull brown, and the butter one was just beginning to brown.

There was a 2-way tie for the winner, Egg & Egg with Cream, but for practical reasons, EGG is the Winner!!!!!

Word of Caution: Items out of the oven are HOTHOTHOT!!! As I was taking these biscuits out of the oven I didn't notice that my oven mitt had a small hole in the thumb, so my thumb starting burning so instinctively grabbed the wire part of the baking stone with my other had, that burned so I slapped it and it landed on my arm. I now have a "Nike" Checked brand burned into my arm.

Almond & Apricot Cookies

2009-10-21T09:58:00.004-05:00

These are a great little cookie and they take icing really well!

Cookie Ingredients

1 & 1/4 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Crisco
2 Eggs
1/4 Cup Corn Syrup
1 tbsp Vanilla
3 Cups Flour
3/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Apricot Preserves
1/2 Cup Slices Almonds

Add all of the ingredients into a stand mixer except for the almonds and apricots, mix until everything is well incorporated. Add the Almonds and Preserves and mix by hand so you don't break the almonds up. Spoon onto a GREASED baking sheet and bake 8-10 minutes at 350 until lightly golden.
'
Frosting

1 tsp honey
1 tsp apricot preserves
1 tbsp hot water
2 cups powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients and decorate your cookies!

TIPS.. make sure you grease the cookie sheet because the preserves will make the cookies stick. The frosting can be thinned with more water and cookies can just be dipped if preferred. If you dont want your cookies to spread out as much when they cook, form the cookies into "balls" and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes before baking.

Sour Cream & Chive Omelet

2009-08-31T23:57:00.003-05:00

I am in the middle of a popular low carb diet so many of my upcoming recipes will be GREAT but low carb too!

Ingredients:

3 Eggs

1 TBSP Sour Cream

1 TBSP Chopped Chives

2 TBSP Parmasean Cheese

1 TBSP Olive Oil

S&P to taste

Directions

In a bowl combine the Sour Cream, eggs, and chives in a bowl. Heat the olive oil in a pan on the stove, add the egg mixture. When the eggs begin to set up add the cheese and perform a trifold with the egg. Serve. *Garnish, I garnished mine with a small amount of sour cream and chopped chives. If you want more sour cream, add it as a filling with the cheese! Enjoy!

The Pantry in a Pinch

2009-08-18T19:06:00.003-05:00

I wanted to make a great and people pleasing appetizer but without using ANY fresh ingredients! I made a variation on Hummus and I like, and my 2 little brothers even like it, (3 and 4 years)

Normal Hummus requires tahini, lemon juice, and fresh garlic. Below is my version and I used only items that were in the pantry. (Buy these items for your pantry and have them in the case of unexpected company.)

1 can of low sodium chickpeas (drained 15 ounces)

1/4 jar of roasted red peppers in water (drained, about 3 ounces)

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 tsp dried lemon zest

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Whole Wheat Crackers to eat it with.

This was so easy to make and tasted pretty good! Just put everything (except the crackers) in a food processer and blend until smooth. That's it! Spoon into a bowl and serve with the crackers. For added flair put a small drizzle of olive oil on top and sprinkle with chopped parsley and fresh cracked black pepper! Enjoy!

Shrimp Scampi

2009-05-04T00:36:00.003-05:00

This is a very easy recipe and makes any person look like a 4 star chef.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic (shaved extra thin)
1/2 stick butter
1 tablespoon parsly (chopped)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound shrimp (shell off)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Optional Lemon Wedges

Method:

Like I said, this is extremely easy. Pre heat your oven to 350. In a shallow oven proof dish arrange your shrimp so that there is a single even layer. Arrange the shaved garlic evenly over the shrimp. Cut the butter into small pieces and evenly distribute over the shrimp and garlic. Also pour the olive oil over the shrimp. Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper. Put the shrimp into the oven for 12 minutes or just until they turn pink. Take the shrimp out of the oven and sprinkle with the parsley. Let the Shrimp set in the pan for carry over cooking. Serve warm with the lemon wedges.

Pico de Gallo

2009-04-19T18:52:00.003-05:00

This is an extremely easy recipe for a great condiment for any southwestern meal or it is great with corn chips.

Ingredients:

1 Medium Onion (I prefer red onions)

2 Large Tomatoes

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Cilantro

1 Clove Garlic Finely minced

1/2 of a Lime (juiced)

S & P to taste

Like I said this is a real simple recipe. Finely chop the Onion, Tomatoes, and Cilantro and mix in a bowl. Add the lime juice and the garlic, add preferred amount of S&P.

*TIP* Raw garlic can be over whelming for some. To help tame it, put the garlin in a pan on the stove with 2 tablespoons olive oil. After 5 minutes take the garlic out, chop it up and add to your Pico de Gallo. Don't throw out that olive oil, use it just as you would regular olive oil to add a great yet subtle taste of garlic to other dishes!