Chili con carne / Tacos

In a pot, add:

A dab of butter

Chopped:
A whole bulb of garlic
1 onion
5 jalapeño peppers
Cilantro
2 red cherry peppers
Ground, grain fed, veal

Let brown

Add in:
Red kidney beans (not canned, make them yourself! Canned condiments have nefarious preserving agents/chemicals affecting your hormones - Seriously!!)
1 homemade can of diced tomatoes

Let simmer.

Makes great Tacos as well :) Just pour some in a Taco shell and see!

For Tacos:
Grate some cheese
Add some sour cream
And some guacamole (see below)

Homemade Guacamole:
Chop/mash a few avocados
Add finely chopped garlic
Some Lemon juice
Mix and... Olé!

Enjoy!

Greek Salad

Chop tomatoes
Onions
Jalapeño Peppers (if you like it hot)
Feta cheese
Black olives
Peperoncini peppers
Pepper
Oregano
Olive oil

Prep time: less than 3 minutes

Enjoy!

Penne Arrabiate con Salcicce

I've been sick these last few days, having eaten out. I had Mussels and I believe these were responsible for the bad case of Food Poisoning I had...

Anyways... Here we go:

Penne Arrabiate con Salcicce (Sopressatta - Forte)

(Pasta with a hot tomatoe sauce and hot, Italian [Sopressatta] Sausage)

In a pan...

Add a dab of butter
Some Sopressatta sausage slices
And then toss in the following, finely chopped;
A whole bulb of garlic
Some Cilantro
Half a green pepper
Half a red pepper
3 jalapeño peppers

Let brown and then add;
Fresh organic baby spinach
1 homemade can of diced tomatoes
A splash of red wine

Let simmer for about 1/2 hour, while you cook some pasta

Pour pan's contents on or with pasta (we prefer to mix it all in at home)

Add Romano cheese

Pour yourself a small glass of homemade red wine and then...

Salute!

Enjoy! :)

I love my professional pots!

I know it sounds silly but, here it is anyway: I love my Lagostina Commercial (Professional) pots!

These (on the picture) are just a few from the complete set I own.

I've had them since 2005 and I could never imagine cooking in anything else!

Babouskas - Stuffed Eggplant

This is a Greek Dish

You may add meat and/or Red Wine - or not - your call. Though the following recipe includes meat, the ones we're eating tonight (the ones on the picture) do not.

In bowl:

Empty out eggplants, keep shells
Chop eggplant contents
Chop a handful of olives
Chop 1/2 Red Pepper
Chop 1/2 Green Pepper
Chop 1/2 Yellow Pepper
Chop 1/2 Lemon, including Zest
Add fresh Cilantro

In pan:
Add a dab of Butter
Add whole chopped Garlic Bulb
Add ground Beef or Veal
Add some Cumin
Add Fresh Cilantro
Cook meat
Then...
Add contents of bowl in pan
Add large (Homemade) Tomato Sauce Can
Add fresh organic Spinach

In oven pan:
Put in eggplant shells
Fill shells
Sprinkle with Romano Cheese and fresh cut Chives
Cover

Cook @350 for about 30-45mins.

Serve with Basmatti Rice, Spaghetti or whatever other side dish you prefer.

Enjoy! :)

Dill Cod

Half of the previous recipe for my plate (I'm Vegetarian. The only Animals I eat are Fish so my plate holds Cod instead of Veal Liver. I know there's a better term for Vegetarians who eat Fish but I forget what it is)

In pan, in sequential order:

Garlic with a touch of butter
Cod,
Once Cod is cooked (~6-10 mins)
Add some Table cream
Add a bit of White wine vinegar
Add some Dill
Add Black Pepper
Cook another minute

Here, I waited too long, being busy serving my Family, to turn my Cod over so it fell apart. I lost my patience and just tore it to pieces in the pan.

The presentation is nicer when the piece of fish is whole but... It was my plate and I didn't have time to DILLy-dally so...

Cod with this kind of sauce is deeelish! Try it out for yourself! :)

Enjoy!

Veal Liver

In Wok:
2 Red onions
1/2 Green Pepper
1/2 Red Pepper
1/2 Lemon, with zest
Splash of Red Wine
Drop of olive oil

In pan:
Grain-fed Veal Liver

In Microwave:
Basmati Rice, with lemon juice (instead of Salt), a drop of olive Oil, and Cumin, topped with fresh-cut chives when cooked.

Put rice in a small bowl/glass, fill to rim and tip bowl/glass over in plate, to make rice more decorative/appetizing :)

Serve with anything else you wish: I added tomatoes.

Simple, Fast and healthy :)

Beef Roast

Beef Roast can be made in numerous ways.

I didn't really feel like cooking today so this recipe took all of five minutes to put together: I made it up on the fly.

Potatoes at bottom of pan.
Beef on top
Carrots all around
Onions all around
Pickled Hot Eggplants all around
Inject beef with serynge containing pickled hot eggplants oil
Red Wine
Sprinkle with Oregano
Cover
Oven @375
Forget about it for a few hours

Gallopita - Final Results

It slightly overcooked because I failed to account for the fact I wasn't there to take it out of the oven immediately when the timer shut the oven off - the oven's warmth, after it shut off, kept cooking the gallopita.

It's still delicious but my Family prefers it when it is a golden colour as opposed to this darker brown, on top.

Well, here you have it anyway - The final result :)

These could be cut in much smaller pieces (its presentation would actually look a lot prettier cut in smaller pieces) but I live with Ogres and I'll be really lucky to find a few crumbs when I wake up tomorrow morning as my Family really loves this Holiday Treat.

You could also add crushed pistacchio nuts, along with the almonds on top, for extra flavour. I didn't have any on hand last night.

Enjoy! :)

Gallopita

Gallopita

(Greek Milk Pie - a sort of hard Flan - Delicious!!)

In a pot, stir in:

1 Liter of Milk
1 1/2 cup of sugar (I only put 1 cup)
1 Cup of Semoulina
A dab of butter

Bring to ebullition while constantly stiring.

Put aside and let cool

Once cooled;

Add 5 whole eggs
Add essence of choice (Greeks use Vanilla, I use Almond Extract)

Bake @350 for 1 hour

Sprinkle with Cinnamon (I sprinkle mine with crushed slivered almonds instead)

Let cool overnight.

Next morning: Cut as you would brownies.

Enjoy! :)

I'll post a pretty picture of it tomorrow, once it's cut and ready to serve :)

I just put it in the oven now, timer on, and must leave for Dinner. We've been invited out to Dinner by a Friend tonight.

Have a wonderful evening, Everyone :)

Traditional HOMEMADE Italian Pizza

Tonight-a, we eat-a da Pizz-a!

For those of you who don't already know it; I'm 1/4 Italian, 1/4 Dutch, 1/4 French and 1/4 Swiss but... I grew up TOTALLY Italian! I also speak a mother-load of languages though, sadly, not a single one properly - LOL!!

This recipe is an original and traditional Italian pizza dough recipe, passed down a few generations.

Let it be my own Blood's Gift to you all for New Year's Day :)

Andiamo!

First, find a glass and pour in some-a fiiiine-a Red-a home-a made-a wine-a! :)

Then slap in an 'ambiance' CD...

 C'è la luna, mezzo...

And THEN:

Get two bowls out

In the first bowl, add:

1/2 glass hot water

2 envelopes of Fleishmann's "Active Dry Yeast" (Traditional)

1 teaspoon of Sugar

In-a da second bowl;

6 cups of flour

Annnnd... A bit of Salt

Wait 5-10 minutes,

...sing along with-a da Musica and-a then pour yourself some more-a wine-a :)

Pronto?

Ok...

Now, empty the first bowl into the second one (the one with flour)

Add 2 glasses of hot water

1/2 glass of Extra-virgin Olive Oil

Mix

Cover with a clean dishcloth and Let it all rest for ~ 2 hours.

(We Italians, we like-a to nap-a!)

Once 2 hours have gone by and the dough has risen, dig in and start-a singing again as you start spreading 1/4 of the obtained dough to make-a da pizza :)

Garnish at will

If you want to try something different (typically Italian) add a bit of olive oil instead of tomatoe sauce and add nothing else but Rosemary and freshly ground Pepper on the pizza.

Fill upp-a your glass of wine again (you like-a my wine-a, hey? I makitta myself-a!) and-a then...

Cook for ~12-15 minutes @450 degrees.

Left-over dough - this recipe makes 4 Large pizzas - can keep in the fridge for 2 days, in a bowl (covered with a humid dishtowel) or in a plastic baggie - Your call! I use the dishtowel as I feel there's already far too much plastic NOT wasting away in our environment.

Enjoy!

Salute è Buon Capo d'Anno a tutti!
("Cheers & Happy New Year to all")

Lamb Chops - Presentation

I'm out of cherry tomatoes and Parsley :(

This is what it all looks like when pulled together.

Bon appétit!

I don't eat meat, being a vegetarian but... I sure remember how good these taste :)

Happy New Year Everyone

Glazed Carrots

Never boil your vegetables. You lose vitamins when you do.

Get yourself a Professional set of pots and pans where you'll be supplied with a bain-marie and steamer, as depicted below: where the pot containing the carrots, once covered, goes on top on the one containing water (which will boil and cook your veggies via steam, allowing your veggies to retain all their vitamins)

If you must boil your veggies, keep the water to make a soup or a base with it. That way, you optimize you nutrient intake :)

Ok... On to Glazed Carrots:

Steam your carrots until tender.

Then, in a frying pan, add a dab of butter.

Once the butter melts, add a bit of brown sugar and grate in a wee bit of nutmeg and some fresh cinnamon (not too much! Cinnamon is an overpowering spice - Just as if you were adding salt when you really shouldn't. Follow me? *grin)

Add in your carrots. Swirl these around in the pan, until the melted brown sugar glazes them all. Serve!

Glaze your carrots at the very last minute when preparing a meal so your carrots are still hot when you serve them as a side dish.

That's it! - Enjoy!

Lamb Chops

Prep time: 5 mins
Cooking time: ~1 - 1.5hrs @ 325
Meal for 2 Men: 6 lambchops

Take 2 baking potatoes, slice thinly and put at bottom of pan.

Put lamb chops on top of potatoes.

Take a whole garlic bulb. Chop finely. Add on top of lamb chops.

Take lemon. Chop finely, INCLUDING zest. Add on top of lamb chops.

Surround with fresh, organic baby spinach.

Add a touch of oil (I use only Extra-virgin Olive Oil).

Add Red wine (as much as you want. I never measure stuff. I cook by instinct)

Sprinkle with oregano.

Cover and forgetaboutit for about an hour. Time your oven for an hour at first. Check. If not yet done. Add another 15 mins, and so on.

I never time my oven. Food tells my nose when it's ready. Like I said, I cook by instinct :)

Serve with a fresh garden salad and some veggies of your choice.

Oh and... Don't forget the candles for your table and a good bottle of red wine.

Enjoy! :)

Lemon/Rosemary Potatoes

Easy and quick!

Take two large baking potatoes

Brush them well. (I keep the skin on: extra vitamins)

Slice thinly.

Put at bottom of an oven pan.

Take left over lemons you saved. (We saved some used up ones from last night's oysters and today's Fettine Pannatte) Chop these finely, including zest! Add on top of potatoes.

Next, take a whole garlic bulb. Chop finely. Add on top of potatoes.

Then, take 1/2 a jalapeño pepper. Chop finely. Add to potatoes.

Sprinkle with oil (I always uae extra-virgin Olive Oil).

Add Rosemary.

Put in oven, at 350-375, depending on your stove.

Preparation: 5 minutes - I chop fast, my Dad was a French Chef and he taught me how to use knives - and not just for cooking, so don't piss me off - LOL!! }:)

Cooking time: About 30 minutes

Enjoy! :)

Fettine Pannatte

I was out of cherry tomatoes and parsley so I decorated this plate with capers and peperoncini peppers.

This Italian dish is served ONLY during the Holidays in my household, because it is a fried food - Something I don't want my Husband to feast on too often. It's a dish my Husband and his Twin look forward to all year.

"Fettine Pannatte" (Breaded veal scallops.)

Very easy to make.
(For 5 scallops)

STEP 1

Take three plates

Plate 1. Beat 1 egg, add spices of choice. I only add pepper and lemon juice (to replace salt)

Plate 2. Add romano cheese with oregano

Plate 3. Add homemade breadcrumbs (store-bought ones have nasty chemicals)

STEP 2

Take scallops out, one by one and tenderize these by smashing/flattening them as much as possible, using a tenderizing hammer.

STEP 3

Put 1/4 inch of oil of choice in pan (I use extra-virgin olive oil). Set fire to high. (Do not leave unattended)

STEP 4

Take each scallop and dip it in plates 1, 2, then 3 and then drop in pan when oil is hot enough.

Turn over ONLY ONCE in pan until golden. (They cook quickly so don't get distracted)

STEP 5

Put cooked scallops in a plate, on top of scott towels, to absorb/take as much oil away from the scallops as possible.

Sponge these off gently with scott towel before placing them in presentation plateau.

Serve with Lemons and anything else that is tangy; cherry tomatoes, hot peppers, capers, whatever!

Enjoy! :)

Happy Holidays!

Hmmm... Oysters!

I just polished off this plate of Malpeque oysters. That's riiight, all by myself, mouhaha!! :)

Who's jealous? :)

Smoked Salmon Entrée

RECIPES FROM MY KITCHEN

All recipes below are made from scratch (and they don't necessarily take that much longer to prepare either. Invest in your Family's health: Forget about canned & pre-fabbed crap), with fresh, ORGANIC condiments.

Also, DECORATE each meal's plate however you can (I'll try to show you how with each recipe but your own imagination should be used as it's YOUR Love that'll make the difference in the meals you prepare). Also (important!): add candles to the Dinner table EVERY night as every day you are alive should be celebrated.

The recipes below are coming soon as I've a chance to populate these categories... Should be ready before New Year's Eve, schedule allowing

THINGS YOU'LL NEED TO HAVE IN YOUR KITCHEN AT ALL TIMES

(Note: to grow your own herbs, remember to NEVER water them outright as you would a houseplant. Instead, spray them with water, daily. Use a fine mist setting on spray bottle)

• A GOOD Knife (Invest here!)
• A Pro Set of Pots & Pans (Seriously)
• Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate
• Basil (a spice Fresh)
• Bread Crumbs (Homemade)
• Candles (important, for EVERY Dinner)
• Chives (a spice/herb Fresh)
• Cilantro (a spice Fresh/Frozen)
• Cinnamon (Fresh)
• Cranberries (Fresh/Dried)
• Cumin (a spice)
• Curcuma (a spice)
• Dill (a spice Fresh/Frozen)
• Estragon (a spice Fresh/Frozen)
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• Feta (Goat) Cheese
• Figs (Fresh/Dried)
• Flax Seeds
• Garlic (Fresh only, no pre-cut crap)
• Harrissa (Arabic hot pepper cream)
• Hot Sauce (Chinese)
• Lemons (Fresh)
• Mandarines
• Nutmeg (Fresh)
• Orange Water ( Find in Arabic stores)
• Oregano (a spice Fresh/Dried)
• Paprika (a spice)
• Parsley (a spice Fresh)
• Pepper (a spice: not pre-ground)
• Pine Nuts
• 4-Pepper (a spice: not pre-ground)
• Raisins (Dried)
• Romano Cheese
• Sesame Seeds
• Slivered Almonds
• Sun-dried Tomatoes
• Vanilla buds (Fresh)

DOUGHS

• Bread

• Foccaccia (Italian)

• Pasta

• Pizza

HORS-D'OEUVRES

• Brie aux noix et canneberges (French)

• Carrot Salad (Moroccan)

• Chick Pea Salad (Moroccan)

• Devilled Eggs (Canadian)

• Mango Salad

• Oven-Roasted Peppers

• Penguin Eggs (Decorative: made with hard boiled eggs [body], toothpicks, black olives, [head and wings], carrots [feet and nose] sitting atop Blue Jello and crushed ice)

• Shrimp Cocktail, with hot dip, served individually, in tiny 1 ounce cups, on a platter.

• Smoked Salmon
In a plate, put, in order;
One or two lettuce leaves
Smoked salmon
Red onion
Capers
Powder with fresh-cut chives
A drop of extra-virgin Olive Oil
Fresh Pepper
Serve

• Veggie Platter, with sour cream dip

FISH / SEAFOOD

• Aneth Cod (French)

• Moules Belges (Belgian)

• Morrocan Salmon (Morrocan)

• Vanilla/Pepper Tilapia (French)

MEATS

Beef

• Babouskas (Greek) stuffed eggplants

• Chili con carne (Mexican)

• Christmas Balls (Italian) Stuffed Olives

• Palette (Quebecois)

• Tacos (Thought I'd forget those, you Taco Ogre? LOL!!)

Lamb

• Lamb Chops (Greek)

Veal

• Fettine Pannate (Italian)

• Osso Bucco (Italian)

POULTRY

Chicken

• Chicken Cacciatore (Italian)

• Coq Au Vin (French)

• Lemon/Rosemary Chicken (Greek)

• Olive Chicken (Morrocan)

• Peanut Butter Chicken (African)

Duck

• Canard à l'Orange (French)

BREAKFAST

• Apple/Sour Cream Pancakes (French)

• Crèpes Suzette (French)

• French Toasts (French)

• Orange Water Pancakes (Morrocan)

• V-Eggs (Vic's Breakfast)

SIDE DISHES

• Basmatti Rice (with a panoply of ways to prepare/present it)

• Carrot Salad (Morrocan)

• Garlic Peas (Italian)

• Glazed Carrots

• Lemon Potatoes (Greek)

• Mango Salad

• Spinach & Mushroom Salad

• Sweet Potatoes with nutmeg & cinnamon

SOUPS & POTAGES (ALL FROM SCRATCH)

• Beef Barley Soup

• Carrot/Potatoe Soup - a type of Parmentier

• Crème de broccoli

• Crème de champignons

• Chicken Soup

DESSERTS (ALL FROM SCRATCH)

• Apple Pie

• Banana Flambé

• Choux à la crème (French) Cream Puffs

• Fruit Salad

• Gallopita (Greek)

• Sorbets (Lemon, Lime, Orange, etc)

HOMEMADE BABY FOOD (Natural, no chemicals or preservatives)

HOMEMADE CANNING/NATURAL PRESERVES INSTRUCTIONS

• Jams

• Ketchups

• Tomato Sauce

OTHER CONDIMENTS

• Homemade Mayonnaise

• Various sauces

(More, much more, to come soon)

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Example of Will Power/Dream Realization

I once worked for a company where, at the end of a dimly lit, narrow hallway, one always met with a closed door, that of the company VP's office.

Asking around, I found out this man had closed his office door one day, a few years before I started working there, and he'd isolated himself in there since and, his being an important figure in the company, no one there dared disturb him.

My open-door/open-jacket management philosophy had met its match in this Man and so, each morning, I'd go from office to office, down the long hallway and say good morning to everyone and, each time, I'd knock on the VP's office door, say good morning and then ask him: "Should I leave this door opened or closed?" upon leaving.

Everyone in the office thought me to be out of my mind, out for Professional Suicide, at the time. Many, meaning well and having my best interests at heart, had repeatedly suggested I stop this behaviour.

However, I've never been one to give up and, once my mind's set on something, I bite down on it ad mordicus until it yields to MY Will and so, unruffled, I continued.

This went on for well over a year, EVERY DAY until, one morning (possibly due to sheer exasperation with me - LOL!!) the VP told me to leave his door opened.

The following day, as well as all those which then followed, a light punched through the previously dark, narrow hallway as the door at the end of it, the door to the VP's office, an office with large windows, remained opened.

Said VP and I having become and remained great, lifelong friends since, confided something to me one day, years later:

The day he'd initially shut his office door was the day following the night he'd lost a Son to Suicide.

Moral of this Real-Life example?

Hang on tight to your dreams/ideas, these could well come to benefit more than just your own person someday :)

Go get'em!

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