Cool Cucumber Water

Got this idea from my recent cruise vacation. I stopped into the spa to check out the sauna. Outside the sauna, there were complimentary water jugs filled with lemon water and cucumber water. I thought to myself, what a creative way to use cucumber. Just drink it! It is astoundingly refreshing. Great for when you come back into the house from the hot heat outside.

 The process is so simple and all you need is:
1. Water
2. A Pitcher (preferably with a lid) 
3. 1 Cucumber


The Procedure
1. Peel the cucumber lengthwise leaving some of the skin on. I alternate the peels so that the cucumber has a stripe pattern.
2. Cut the cucumber into slices and place into the pitcher
3. Fill the pitcher with water and place into the fridge so that the cucumber flavors fuse directly into the water. I prefer to leave the pitcher overnight, but if you are in a hurry- a few hours should do just fine. 

Enjoy! As you can see its as easy as 1, 2, 3.  The cucumbers look beautiful floating in the water. Very refreshing and light.

Beth's Best Banana Bread

Wow, say that five times fast! Beth's best banana bread...Beth's best banana bread...Beth's...anyway...

Banana bread is one of those ultimate comfort foods. You can have it for breakfast, for a snack or even for dessert. This bread is extremely fluffy and moist. If there is one thing I can't stand, its dry banana bread. You might as well stuff some sawdust in your mouth with other recipes. My recipe won't lead you to that unfortunate  fate.

The Recipe:
2 eggs
3 very ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick of unsalted butter

Streusel Topping:
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour

The Procedure:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2.  In a large mixing bowl, smash bananas until relatively smooth.
3.  Beat 2 eggs together in a small bowl and pour them into the large bowl with the bananas.
4.  Add sugar, flour, salt, baking soda, and vanilla.
5.  Melt the 1 stick of butter and pour into the bowl.
6.  Mix together thoroughly until you have a smooth batter. 
7. Pour batter into a loaf pan (9x5inch)
8. For the topping: Soften butter (NOT MELT) in microwave for a few seconds (long way: set butter on counter for a couple hours before making recipe)
9. Mix together the softened butter, salt, and flour for the streusel topping with a fork. you should get small lumps and crumbs.
10. Sprinkle this mixture over the entire top of the batter in the loaf pan. 
11. Bake for 1 hour.
12. Let cool slightly and enjoy!

The best part about making this bread is how perfectly IMPERFECT it looks when it comes out of the oven. It puffs, browns, and even may make a few beautiful cracks, just like you would see in a bakery. This bread is a real head- turner for your guests and tastes best when it is warm. 

Chili Lime Butter

This delicious and exotic butter came from a recipe that Tyler Florence created, but as always, I tweaked it.

Chili lime butter is an excellent addition to any Latin, Mexican, or Spanish dish. It is so simple. All you need is some ingredients that you probably already have lying around your kitchen, and of course- a lime.

The Recipe: 

• 1 stick of butter
• 3 or more teaspoons chili powder
• 1 lime zested
• 1/2 of a lime, juiced
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch garlic powder

*Optional: Some minced cilantro

The Procedure:

1. Let your butter soften so that you are able to mash it. You can either let this sit on your counter for several hours, or you can take the short cut like me and microwave it for a few seconds until it is soft.

2. In a small bowl, place your butter in and mash it until it is creamed

3. Add the rest of the ingredients.

4. Mix thoroughly and enjoy.

 So easy!

If you are making corn on the cob, rub the butter all over the corn immediately before serving, or mix in with vegetables or rice. You can even top it on meat or fish, and it would make a fantastic ingredient for southwestern cornbread.

You can store this butter for weeks for infinite delicious recipes.

*This photo is courtesy of the foodchannel.com* 

Stuffed Mushrooms with Sausage

Last Christmas eve in 2011, while spending some good old-fashioned Kravitz family time in Chicago, IL, my relatives and I had a big feast which included these amazing bite sized stuffed mushrooms. The best part is that they tasted just like a sausage pizza. An entire pizza built into 1 mushroom! Cooking this with the family was easy and fun, an everyone helped out a little. Oh, and by the way, they were GONE by the end of the evening :). Delicious.

Recipe:

1 cup grated Parmesan (add more of course if you like)

About 25 button mushrooms

4 Italian sausages, casings cut off

1-2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon garlic

1 80z package cream cheese

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup dry white wine

Olive oil (extra virgin or regular-your choice)

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Saute your sausage and oregano in a large skillet until sausage is browned and thoroughly cooked.

2. Break up the sausage into very small pieces and transfer into a large bowl (which you will use to mix the other ingredients with)

3. Mix in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the Worcestershire sauce, the garlic (chopped) and cream cheese as well as the egg yolk and a little salt and pepper.

4. Brush a baking dish with olive oil (can use glass, ceramic or even a baking sheet)

5. Next, pour the white wine into a small bowl and dip each mushroom cap into the wine.

6. Fill each mushroom cap with some of the sausage filling

7. Top each filled cap with some more Parmesan cheese

8. Place the filled mushrooms on the baking dish and bake for about 25 minutes OR until mushrooms are soft and browned.

These stuffed mushrooms are memorable and make fantastic hors d'oeuvres. Personally, I like these for the holidays or when you are having a cozy get together. A comfort food in bite size form!

I didn't have a picture of the exact mushrooms that I made at Christmas. HOWEVER, I borrowed a photo from the Pioneer Woman and Pepper Lynn who actually made similar recipes (I give full acknowledgement and credit to the Pioneer Woman and Pepper Lynn for photos). This recipe is courtesy of The Chopping Block, a cooking school in Chicago :)

Grilled Pork Steak with Herb Puree and Grilled Peaches

This recipe is strictly an original from one of the Sous Chef Series classes I taught with Chef Brad at Williams-Sonoma. I know the combination of items for this recipe sound non-traditional, but for some reason, peaches and pork go great together! It also looks beautiful with the bright green herb puree drizzled over the entire dish. Enjoy!

The Recipe:

1 Pork blade steak (2 inches thick- ask your butcher at the grocery ;) )
3 Tablespoons Creole spice (Tony Chachere's is great)
1 1/2 cup- 2 cups honey
2 1/2 teaspoons Aleppo chili powder
OR
combo of 2 teaspoons paprika and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (whatever works best for you)

1 cup plus a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar

4 garlic cloves

handful of parsley (about 1/4 cup)

handful of basil leaves (about 10)

3 scallions

few shaved slices of Ricotta Salata cheese

Keep in mind that you want to have a grill pan as well as food processor/blender for this recipe. An outdoor grill will work just fine too but you may have to adjust the cooking time of the pork steak.

The Procedure:

1. In a large glass dish or bowl, cover the pork steak in creole spice, some salt, and 1/2 cup of the honey. Set Aside

2. Pit the peaches and cut them into halves. Coat them with the aleppo pepper or cayenne/paprika as well as a little salt and 3 Tablespoons olive oil.

3. Bring your grill pan to high heat and coat it with olive oil.

4. Grill peaches, cut side down on the pan until grill marks form (takes about 4 minutes). Flip them and give them another 3-4 minutes. Set aside to let cool in a bowl and toss them with remaining honey and rice vinegar.

5. Wipe your pan and coat with oil again. Bring to medium heat and throw the pork steak on for 20 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine remaining olive oil, garlic, parsley, basil, scallions, and a pinch of salt until pureed. Set aside.

7. After steak is grilled for the 20 minutes, coat it using a brush with the peach marinade. Cook, flip, and continue brushing a few times until the steak is cooked through to medium (middle should be 145 degrees). If you prefer a more done pork steak, no problem- cook it longer.

8. Let the steak rest for a few minutes. Serve pork steak on a nice platter with the peaches. Drizzle your herb puree on top as well as a few slices of the ricotta salata cheese.

This dish is sweet and tangy with a little kick. Who knew pork and peaches were a winning combination? Maybe it's alliteration...foods that start with the same letter can possibly go together! Haha. Enjoy ;D
* I acknowledge Williams-Sonoma Inc. and Chef Michael Gulotta for this recipe*

Old-Fashioned Matzo Ball Soup

I made this recipe based on a combination of Internet searches and my Jewish Bubby's soup recipe. If there is one thing in this world that people love, its traditional comfort foods. Italian food, Greek food, Mexican Food, Jewish Food- what have you- the best of the best is passed down through generations. And the Grandmothers started it all!

What I love about this recipe is that there are no measurements. No whipping out the tablespoons and teaspoons for this recipe. Its all to your liking and all to your personal estimation.

Here is the recipe for Grandma's Old-Fashion Traditional Comfortable Matzo Ball Soup. (serves ~5)

Ingredients:

Chicken Stock
Water
One entire chicken or various divided chicken parts (thigh,drumsticks,wings,etc)
Yellow Onion
Carrots
Celery
Chicken Bullion powder or cubes (optional)
Bay Leaf (I suggest 2)
Handful Fresh Parsley
Salt
Pepper

For Matzo Balls :
1. Matzo Meal Mix (Manischewitz is the best!)
2. Eggs (depends on package but usually just 2)
3. Vegetable Oil

Seems so simple right? Here comes the hard part

Procedure:

1. If you are using a whole chicken, cut and divide the pieces (save breasts for other recipes). Place pieces inside a large stock pot.
2. Fill the stock pot about 3/4 of the way up with 50% chicken stock and 50% water
3. Bring liquid and chicken to a boil and reduce to a moderate simmer.

4. Slice carrots, celery ( either in direct slices or diagonal for a decorative look)
5. Take onion and slice in half. Slice halves into halves and slice into thin pieces.

6. Add carrots, celery, and onion to the pot
7. Add bay leaves and salt & pepper to taste ( at this point you may add bouillon if you like)

8. Let simmer for 3 hours. At 1 1/2 hours, chop parsley and add to pot.

*Note: Periodically skim off fat from surface of liquid*

9. Remove chicken parts to a cutting board and shred with 2 forks into desired size pieces and add back into pot.

NEXT: here is how to make the matzo balls!

Combine the eggs, vegetable oil, and matzo mix according to the package. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Wet hands and form mixture into ball shapes. Bring your soup to a boil again, and add the matzo balls. Reduce to a simmer and cover tightly for 20 minutes. You will see how much they plump!

*Note: shape the matzo balls into relatively small spheres (about 1- 1 1/2 inch). They will plump up! However, if you want bigger balls (haha) make them to the size you prefer. You may just have to cook them a few more minutes.*

FINALLY: Your soup is ready! Some people drain the soup completely leaving broth and matzo balls. However, I like all the chicken and veggies in there- It gives the soup soul.


This is a recipe that takes most of your afternoon, but this is also the type of recipe that people remember and pass on forever. I know I love it, and I hope you do too. It is comfort food at its finest or as some say- Jewish Penicillin. Try getting someone to make this when you are sick; it supposedly has cold fighting properties.

Another great aspect of this recipe is that you can use any leftover chicken, vegetables, and liquid to make a yummy chicken stock to use in other recipes. Here's what I got out of it:

The Best Minestrone Soup!

This recipe is courtesy of the Williams-Sonoma Cooking at Home Cookbook. However, as usual, I changed the original recipe quite a bit. Haha. This soup is excellent at any time of the year, but I feel like it's best in the Fall and Winter-time. It warms your bones ever so much, but you don't get that feeling of being overstuffed with the fat from a heavy soup. I am all for heavy soups, don't get me wrong, but this one is great for a healthier option. Plus, who doesn't love a classic Italian soup like this?

The Recipe:

3/4 -1 cup canned cannellini beans
1 yellow onion
1 garlic clove
1 large carrot
1 big handful of shredded cabbage (I bought pre-bagged shredded cabbage)
2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 cup chicken broth or stock
4 cups Vegetable stock
1 14oz can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup dry ditalini or small pasta
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 medium handful fresh parsley
salt and pepper

Grated Parmesan Cheese for topping

The Procedure:

1. First, finely chop the onion and garlic and set aside.
2. Warm the olive oil in a large deep pot (stock pot)
3. Saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes, until translucent. Meanwhile, finely chop the carrot and set your handful of shredded cabbage aside.
4. Add the chicken broth/stock and vegetable stock into the pot.
5. Add the canned diced tomatoes.
6. Add the carrots, cabbage, dried basil, oregano, sugar, bay leaf and fresh (chopped)parsley
7. Cover the soup partially and simmer until the vegetables are tender-soft(25-30 mins).
8. Add the dried pasta, cannellini beans, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper (quite a lot salt).
10. Simmer for another 15 minutes or so. This will cook the pasta and allow flavors to fully infuse into the soup.
11. Ladle into bowls and top with a good hunk of grated parmesan cheese and some parsley to give it a pop of color.
12. Enjoy!

Grad School

Hey folks!

Sorry for the delay in posts! I just got into Grad School and now have some time to write on here again using my new kitchen. :D

-Beth

Thanksgiving Sides Cooking Class!

Chef Brad and I taught a fabulous cooking class at Williams-Sonoma. We cooked a variety of dishes focusing on Thanksgiving sides and everything turned out great! We also had a wonderful audience. Thank you to everyone that attended. We hope to see you at future classes. Check out the dishes we made! I will post the recipes as well.

Moroccan Couscous Salad

One morning, I woke up from a strange dream about going to Epcot Center in Disneyworld Orlando, FL. Whenever I think of Epcot, I always think of food because you get an opportunity "eat around the world" so to speak. Basically you can eat Japanese, Mexican, and German food in the same day. Who would have thought? I particularly remember how much I loved the food in "Moroccan world", especially their couscous salad. For those who do not know what couscous is, it is a Middle Eastern dish using a type of wheat called Semolina. Couscous is a staple food in Morroco and comes as tiny round, pasta-like granules. After the dream, I went searching for a recipe that was close to the one I had at Epcot, and was successful! I mean, I would drive to Orlando to get it, but its 2 hours away, I'd have to buy a ticket into the park, then pay for gas, and probably have to stop and ride the troll ride in Norway.... This is just easier lol. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this dish turned out to be so similar to the one at the park and was absolutely delicious. So without further adieu, here is the recipe!

The recipe:

Moroccan Couscous Salad

1/3 red onion

1 clove garlic

Some red bell pepper (about a half)

Some green bell pepper (about a half)

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of cinnamon

1/2 cup Regular olive oil plus a little for sauteing

1/4 cup raisins (optional)

1/3 cup chickpeas

1/2 cup orange juice

Instant couscous ( I would suggest using about 1 cup)

Some fresh parsely

water

salt and pepper

The procedure:

Before you do anything, cook your instant couscous in a small pot with the directions on the back of the box. It is important to take the couscous off the heat after the water comes to a slight boil. Then you just let is sit with the couscous and after about 5 minutes, Baddabing! you have couscous ready to go .

1 Chop red onion, red pepper, green pepper, put into a bowl and set aside.

2. Chop garlic finely and set aside

3. Heat a little olive oil in your pan and saute onion and peppers until translucent on medium-high heat.

4. Add garlic and saute for a 1-2 minutes.

3. Add cinnamon and nutmeg. This is really to your own taste. I added just a pinch of each.

4. Lower heat to medium. Add the 1/2 cup of olive oil, the raisins, chickpeas, orange juice, salt and pepper. Let this cook through and reduce slightly to intensify the citrus flavor. If heat is too high, you may lower it to your desire.

5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the couscous with the pan mixture.

6. Chop the fresh parsely and add it to the bowl.

7. Mix thoroughly to coat the couscous.

8. Finally, refrigerate the couscous. To me, it's best eaten cold, but its still delicious warm.

9. Enjoy!

Notice how wonderful your kitchen smells from everything sauteing together? A little hint of cinnamon. A little hint of orange. I little hint of pepper. The unlikely combination of flavors creates a Middle Eastern masterpiece that is slightly sweet and fresh. Hope you all like it. Leave me some comments!

Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken Fried Rice

For people who enjoy "Asian American Food", fried rice is a must! We have all had it at one point, but I sat down and asked myself a very important question. How can I make fried rice at home and still make it taste like it came right out of Benihana's or the Chinese takeout place down the street? After a little research, I found multiple recipes that claimed to have the best recipe for fried rice. So, naturally, I combined them all to make my own version! Its amazingly simple to cook and has WOW results.

The Recipe:

Serves 3

2-3 Cups White Rice, *cook your rice beforehand and put it in the fridge for a half hour to chill. This is the SECRET to making good fried rice.

3 Eggs

Few stalks of Green Onion

1 small Yellow Onion

1-2 Carrots

4 Cloves of Garlic (or more, depends upon how garlicy you like it!)

2 Chicken breasts (boiled, grilled, roasted, what have you)

Few Tablespoons of Butter

Soy Sauce

Sesame Seeds

Vegetable Oil

Cooking Spray

Salt

Pepper

The Procedure:

1. Cook rice ahead of time and chill in fridge for half hour. (steamed or boiled instant rice is fine)

2. Whisk eggs together in a bowl until blended

3. Spray cooking spray into a frying pan and set heat to medium/medium-high.

4. Add whisked eggs to pan. Let cook through and fold over to make an omelet. Flip a couple of times to ensure even cooking. Remove omelet to a plate and set aside.

5. Mince yellow and green onion, garlic, and carrots. Cut egg in very small pieces as well.

6. In large skillet over medium/ medium-high heat, pour in a couple Tablespoons of vegetable oil.

7.Saute yellow and green onions, carrots, and garlic until translucent and fragrant.

8. Add your cooked rice and eggs to the skillet and make sure to mix thoroughly.

9. Add as much soy sauce as you like. I put a fairly good amount in until rice looks light brown.

10. Add Butter and let melt through. I usually make a little hole in the center of the rice to help the melting process.

11. Add sesame seeds and mix.

10. Let rice cook for 5-10 minutes over medium heat. The best technique is to flatten the rice in the skillet, let saute for a few minutes, then mix, flatten rice again, and cook for a another few minutes until desired doneness.

11. Top with extra sesame seeds and green onions for a beautiful look and fresh tasting garnish.

12. Enjoy!

I tasted this, and I think the garlic and green onion really make the dish. To me, it tastes right of Benihana's, who are well known for their fried rice.

Hope you like it, and let me know your thoughts!

Spicy Caramelized Shrimp with Lemongrass, Ginger, and Chiles

Spicy Caramelized Shrimp with Lemongrass and Ginger

I made this fantastic recipe with Chef Brad for our latest Sous Chef Series Class at Williams-Sonoma. The original version comes from a recipe at the Slanted Door restaurant along San Francisco Bay in California, which serves gourmet Vietnamese fusion dishes. However, Brad and I put our own twist on it, as we do with most recipes.

We went to a few good Asian markets around town to get the ingredients, which was an adventure in itself! In one of the markets, the owner even had to go into her secret freezer in the back of the store to retrieve the Thai chiles that we needed. Those suckers are hot! For shrimp lovers, this dish is fragrant and flavorful. The lemongrass, ginger, and garlic soften in the pan and diffuse through the shrimp and caramelized sauce making your kitchen smell unbelievable.

For the ingredients in which you may have to go to an Asian market to buy, I've made a small list for you to make it easy.

1. Thai chiles- these are small and come in yellow, orange, green, or red. The recipe calls for only 2-3 of them, but they definitely give the dish a kick.

2. Lemongrass- long, firm, grassy-like stalk (green at top, white on bottom)

3. Palm Sugar- this comes in a small plastic jar or it can come solid (breaks apart).
4. Fish sauce- probably one of the worst concoctions you will ever smell. Trust me I know it is intimidating,but this ingredient is very common in Asian cooking and chances are, you have had it before! When all is said and done, it really helps the dish come together.


5. Ginger- I am pretty sure you can find ginger at any local grocery. However, just in case, Asian markets always have an abundance of it.

The Recipe:

Makes about 4 servings

20 Medium-Large Shrimp, peeled and devained
1 pound Palm Sugar
3/4 cup Fish Sauce
2-3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 Shallots
2-3 Thai Chiles
1/4 cup Lemongrass
2-3 Garlic cloves
1 Hunk of Ginger (maybe 2-3 Tablespoons worth. You will cut julienne the ginger)
1/4 cup chicken stock

Steamed White Rice to serve on the side

The Procedure:

Before completing anything, cook your rice AND have it warmed and ready at the end for serving.

1. Whack lemongrass with something heavy like a rolling pin or large book to make it easy to chop. Then slice lemongrass into rings (as you would a green onion) starting from the white bottom portion. Discard the first few chops until you reach the fleshy part. The fleshy part is what you want. Set aside when you collect approx. 1/4 cup.

2. Chop ginger into matchsticks, mince garlic, and slice shallots thin. Set aside.

3. Spoon palm sugar into medium sauce pan and let melt until bubbling.

4. Add fish sauce and stir thoroughly until it comes to a boil.

5. Take off heat and set aside.

6. In large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat.

7. Add shallots and chiles and let saute for 1 minute

8. Add lemongrass, ginger, and garlic and cook for another minute or two

9. Add chicken stock, soy sauce, and as much caramelized sauce as you like (I used about 1/3 cup)

10. Add shrimp, toss to coat, and let cook through for about 5 minutes or until plump and pink.

11. Serve immediately over white rice

12. Enjoy!

Note: You will have quite a bit of the caramelized fish sauce/palm sugar mixture left over. If you want to cut down the fish sauce and palm sugar when cooking it, then feel free to do so.

Dumpling Day!

While working on my last entry in the blog, I received a phone call from one of the waitresses at a Japanese Hibachi restaurant that my family and I have attended for about 17 years. She had heard of my San Francisco Dim Sum adventure in Chinatown and how I was slightly disappointed in the dumplings I had tried. She claimed be a great cook with authentic Chinese recipes, particularly when making Dim Sum dumplings. So, she invited me over for a taste! Of course I was eager to drive over. Dumplings? Homemade? Heck yea!

The dumplings were fantastic and better than anything that I had in Chinatown. She had made pork and vegetable potstickers made with a Chinese leek that you can only purchase at Asian markets. She also made fluffy pork and mushroom buns using...surprisingly...Pillsbury biscuit dough! These were my favorite. Like biting into little clouds on the outside and savory Asian porkness on the inside. Everything was delicious. She also made her own dumpling dipping sauce, spicy chili sauce, and her own beef jerky (all fabulous).

So generous and kind, Cathy fed me dumplings until I was bursting at the seams! The foodie lesson learned that day? You don't always have to go far to get great, authentic cultural food.

Here are the pictures from that day:

Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Sauce, Garlic Roasted Potatoes and Spring Green Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

This dish is a culinary explosion. Not only are the flavors incredibly vibrant, but the colors are as well. The Chimichurri sauce produces a beautiful emerald color great for your presentation. For those who are thinking that I just made up the name of this sauce (sounds more like a type of crazy latin dance), Chimichurri is a green or red sauce that can be commonly found in Argentinian cooking. Its incredibly fresh tasting and can range in spiciness. The garlic roasted potatoes are rich, tender and complimentary to the other items. This dish is guaranteed to result in zero leftovers and ain't your typical meat and potatoes. Enjoy!

The Recipes:

Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce, Garlic Roasted Potatoes and Spring Greens with Cilantro dressing

For the Rub:

1 piece flank steak

1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

kosher salt

black pepper

* For two steaks, double recipe for the rub.

The Procedure:

1.Rub steak(s) with all rub ingredients

2. Grill to desired doneness.

3. Cover with foil and let rest for 5-10 minutes.

4. Pour chimi churri sauce over steaks when serving

For the Chimichurri Sauce:

6 garlic cloves

1-2 cups cilantro

1-2 cups parsley

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (add more if you like)

The Procedure:

1. Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth. Add more or less ingredients to own taste.

2. Pour over grilled steaks or use as a dipping sauce.

For the potatoes:

These are the most delicious potatoes I have ever tasted and they are also the easiest potatoes I have ever made. Get your microwave out for this one. This recipe is a potato cheat sheet.

Bunch of small red potatoes (6-9)

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 tsp seasoned salt

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp dried parsley flakes

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

The Procedure:

1.Cut up potatoes into quarters.

2. Place potatoes in a microwave safe dish, preferably 2 qt. Set aside.

3. Place remaining ingredients into a small mixing bowl and whisk together

4. Pour whisked ingredients over potatoes and mix to coat evenly.

5. Microwave uncovered for 8-11 minutes or until potatoes are soft.

6. Serve

I know what you are thinking. How much simpler could this recipe get?!

For the Salad:

Spring greens ( bagged salad is perfectly fine)

1 cup fresh cilantro

1 Tbsp honey

1/4 cup canola oil

juice of 1 lime

2-3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

The Procedure:

1.Rinse spring greens, dry and set aside.

2.Simply combine ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk together. Refrigerate if desired.

3. Pour over spring greens.

* This salad tastes great with grape tomatoes and sliced pea pods.

California Trip!

Giant ice cream from Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory
San Fran View from Coit Tower
A fat bear who shares my interests
Dim Sum at Great Eastern Restaurant in Chinatown
Dim Sum menu. Just point,write down the quantity you want, and bam! Lunch. :)
Chinatown. Beautiful lanterns
The freshest San Francisco crabs early in the morning at Fisherman's Warf
Chinatown takeout shop
Chicken foot dim sum! Very interesting. The taste wasn't bad at all but rubbery texture and little feet bones made this slightly unappetizing.
Napa Valley Hess Winery. Eat some fine cheeses and enjoy some wine under these beautiful vine canopies.
Chardonnay
Yosemite National Park

Sausage and Peppers with Beer and Cilantro

If there is one recipe that people ask me to cook again and again for them- its this one. Sausage and Peppers is a well known Italian dish. Who doesn't love it? However, this version kicks the ass of quintessential sausage and peppers recipes. The best part about this dish is the sauce. Soak it up with some nice french bread and you will see why. So tonight, mix up your grandmothers's traditional recipe with this one and see what you think. Enjoy!

The Recipe: serves 4-5

2 Tablespoons Regular Olive Oil

4-8 Italian Sausage links

2 Red Bell Peppers

2 Green Peppers

1 Large Red Onion

3 or more Garlic Cloves

1 1/2 Bottles of beer (no light beer)

1 6oz Can Tomato Paste (use more if you use more sausage)

Few Shakes Dried Oregano

3 or more Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro

2 or more Tablespoons Hot Sauce (Crystal, Franks)

Salt

Pepper

Parmesan cheese

1.Cut red and green peppers into thin strips

2.Cut red onion in half and cut into thin half rings

3.Chop garlic finely and set peppers, onion and garlic aside.

4.Heat the olive oil in a large pan/skillet and bring to medium heat

5. Add the sausages and brown on all sides.

6.Transfer sausages to a plate and cover with foil. Set aside.

7.Take pan off the heat and pour in 1 bottle of beer. Scrape up brown bits on bottom with a wooden spoon.

8.Place pan back onto heat (medium) and add red and green peppers, onion, and garlic

9.Add a tomato paste and coat everything with spoon

10.Add oregano, hot sauce, and cilantro (add as much as you like, all to your own taste)

11.Cover pan for 15 minutes, lower heat to medium-low and stir every few minutes until ingredients cook down.

12.Cut sausages into coin like slices

13.Add sausages and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

*Add more beer if sauce is too thick.

14.Serve immediately!

* Best served with Parmesan cheese on top

See, I told you it was good ;-)

The cilantro and beer really create a shockingly delicious combination with traditional Italian ingredients. The secret to this dish is to use good beer i.e leave Bud Light behind for this one. When you are drinking, be my guest. However, when you are cooking, it is a different ball game. I personally use beer that is a little more full-bodied such as a lager, but choose what you like. Remember, the amount of ingredients that you use should be to your own personal taste. If you like more garlic add more garlic. If you like it spicy add more hot sauce, use hot sausages, or add cayenne pepper.

Sauted Penne Pasta with Grape Tomatoes and Garlic

This recipe is one of my own and is a fantastic, quick pasta dish for lunch or dinner. It is rich in flavor, of course, yet relatively healthy. I make this dish just about every week, no joke. The great thing about it is that you can change the amounts of ingredients to your liking, and it will still come out delicious. Its definitely a "this and that" kind of dish.

Sauted Penne Pasta with Grape Tomatoes and Garlic:

The Recipe:

Penne pasta or any small pasta like fusilli, bowtie, wheels, rigatoni, etc.

1 1/2 Tbsp Regular Olive Oil

1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

About a cup of grape tomatoes

1/2 yellow onion

3-5 garlic cloves

1/2 lemon

Block of cheese to shave. Romano or Parmesan.

1 tsp Balsamic vinegar

A few shakes of dried basil, or a few shreds of fresh basil

A pinch of cayenne pepper

Kosher Salt

Pepper

OPTIONAL- 1-2 Tbsp Butter

The Procedure:

1. Boil water in a medium pasta pot and cook pasta until al dente, then drain and set aside. Cook your pasta while completing the rest of the recipe. This will save time.

*secret: salt your pasta and add a little olive oil to prevent it from foaming over.

2. Slice onions and garlic thin and half the tomatoes. Set aside.

3. In a medium size nonstick frying pan, pour in the regular olive oil and heat to medium-high heat.

* secret: you can tell when the oil is hot enough if you see "waves" in the bottom of the pan or by testing a few drops of water in the pan to see if it sizzles.

4. Add the onions and tomatoes and season with Kosher Salt, then the reduce heat to medium-low.

5. Cover the pan for about 2-3 minutes and stir.

6. Once onions are translucent and tomatoes are soft and puckered, squish the back of the tomatoes with a large wooden spoon until the juices come out. This creates a sort of sauce.

7. OPTIONAL STEP- add butter

8. Add the garlic and stir to coat pieces

9. Cover the pan for about another 2 minutes and stir.

10. Take your half lemon, and drizzle the juices into the pan. Add as much as you like. I usually find 1 good, hard squeeze to be enough.

11. Add the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and cooked pasta to the pan.

12. Add basil, cayenne pepper, season with salt and pepper, and stir to coat everything.

13. Cover for 2 minutes and serve immediately.

Shave as much cheese as you like onto top of pasta and Enjoy!