Recipe Column
I have enjoyed cooking for over 20 years and have stumbled across many recipes and ideas that I have incorporated into my own kitchen. Many of these
thoughts and ingredient lists reside only in my mind and as I age, I am finding it harder to remember where in my mental filing cabinet I may have stored a
particular piece of information.
I have created this blog as a space to get these recipes stored permanantly and to share them with anyone interested in cooking as well as share interesting
recipes from others, cooking tips and techniques, and anything to do with the culinary pursuit.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Grilled Portobello Mushroom Caps
Looking for a different "burger" to try the next time you fire up your grill? Try this alternative; a portobello "burger" that is one of the easiest items you will ever prepare. Ingredients - 4 large portobello mushroom caps
- Bottle of Italian salad dressing
- 4 Slices of Provolone cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Gently clean the portobello mushroom caps.
- Place top down on your grill over medium heat.
- Pour Italian dressing into the gills of the mushroom until filled.
- Flip after 5 minutes.
- Salt and pepper top of mushroom cap.
- Flip back over after 3 minutes.
- Place cheese over mushroom and serve as soon as cheese is melted.
These portobello mushrooms can be served on a bun, chopped up over a salad, or simply eaten with a knife and fork.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Fresh Vegetable Salad
This is an easy salad to make with delicious fresh vegetables that will please almost any palate. The colors of all the vegetables make this a beautiful salad to look at and the dressing adds a nice zing to the veggies. Ingredients - 1 medium carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 seeded red pepper
- 1 seeded green pepper
- 1 small cored red cabbage
- 1 handful of alfalfa sprouts
- 1 tbsp crushed garlic
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp hot chili sauce
- Cut the carrot, celery, peppers and cabbage into fine matchsticks.
- Put all vegetables in a large bowl and add the alfalfa sprouts.
- In a small bowl, mix the garlic, vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce and chili sauce.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat.
- Serve and enjoy.
This should serve about 4 people as a nice side or 2 if you want to make a meal of this tasty dish.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Hot Sauce
Writing up just a quick entry this morning before heading out, but I wanted to link to one of my favorite products in the world: Huey Fong Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce If you do not yet have a bottle of this in your kitchen, by all means, please do yourself and your food a favor and pick one up. Great heat, great flavor, an all around great hot sauce!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Creamy Bean Soup
This creamy soup is a breeze to make and is a nice thing to "whip up" when you get home and are looking for something quick, warm, and delicious. Ingredients - 16oz can of butter beans
- 1 small diced vidalia onion
- 1 crushed garlic clove
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2/3 cup of vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup of milk
- salt and pepper to taste
- Melt butter in a large saucepan.
- Add onion and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the can of butter beans including liquid and the vegetable stock.
- Bring to a boil then lower temperature and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and using a potato masher, thoroughly mash the beans.
- (or use a food processor if a completely smooth texture is desired.)
- Return to low heat and simmer for 10 additional minutes.
- Stir in milk, add any handy herbs for color/flavor and salt and pepper to taste.
In under 30 minutes you have a great tasting soup for two that may have taken you 5 minutes or so of actual 'work' time.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Giada De Laurentiis' Broccoli Puree
One of my favorite cooking shows on television is the Food Network's Everyday Italian, featuring Giada De Laurentiis. Giada brings her professional training from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and mixes it with her Italian upbringing to help bring some wonderful cooking ideas to the small screen while looking incredible at the same time. One of her recent shows featured a recipe that is both very simple, and very tasty: Giada De Laurentiis' Broccoli PureeAfter you try this recipe, you may never eat mashed potatoes the same way again.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Martin Yan's Chinatown Cooking
Martin Yan has been a staple on PBS for many years and I always enjoy watching him and have picked up a few of his cookbooks along the way. Martin Yan's Chinatown Cooking takes you into Chinatown to learn about recipes, techniques and some of the subtle touches used to help create fabulous dishes like the amazing "Sweet-and-Spicy Garlic Shrimp". I would highly recommend picking up this book for your recipe library. Mr. Yan brings his many years of cooking experience to help you to create and enjoy some delicious Chinese cuisine. Bring a bit of Martin Yan home to your kitchen.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Hearty Broccoli and Rotini
This is a hearty pasta with the added flavor of broccoli and cheese. Perfect for a quick meal that will fill you up and keep you going. Ingredients - 1 lb rotini
- 1 lb fresh broccoli florets
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 small red onion
- salt and pepper to taste
- In a large saucepan, boil the rotini 8-10 minutes until almost desired consistency.
- Add broccoli and continue cooking 2 additional minutes, stirring frequently.
- Drain and return to pan to low heat.
- Add milk, cheese and butter in 1 tbsp pieces.
- Stir over low heat until thoroughly mixed with butter and cheese melted
- salt and pepper to taste and serve.
This is super simple to do and makes a great meal for about 4 people. The butter, cheese and milk combine to form a dairy trifecta of flavor.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
A Simple Potato Side
You can make this simple side dish anytime and enjoy some spuds with your buds. Ingredients - 1 lb small red potatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 small red onion
- salt and pepper to taste
- Boil the potatoes for 12-15 minutes until they are tender to your fork.
- Drain and cut into cubes.
- Finely dice your onion and combine with potato cubes.
- Drizzle your potatoes and onions with oil and balsamic vinegar.
- salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.
This is a very easy recipe to whip up and may become one of your favorites like it is mine.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Homemade Tomato Soup
As an alternative to opening a can of tomato soup for your next cheese sandwich, give this homemade version a try and see if you don't enjoy it a little bit more. Ingredients - 1 lb of chopped ripe tomatoes
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cups of vegetable stock
- 1/3 cup of milk
- 1 tbsp diced basil leaves
- pinch of sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.
- Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.
- Add vegetable stock, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and puree until smooth.
- Pour soup through a strainer to remove solids.
- Return strained soup to heat, add milk, sugar, and basil.
- Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Serve and enjoy.
This recipe will make about 2 servings. Add a toasted cheese sandwich or some garlic bread and enjoy a homemade tomato soup dinner.
Copyright © 2007 RecipeColumn.com
|
