Food Brings Back Childhood Memories

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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!