Flavor Explosion (A Thai Snack)

The other day I went to the Thai Buddhist temple here in town and had the pleasure of eating this amazing piece of art. The sweet Thai woman that introduced this to me said only a few words, "Eat this like Americans eat potato chips." I was told I had to put the whole leaf and its contents in my mouth and what happened next was amazing. The flavors or fresh lime, raw peanuts, toasted coconut slivers, minced ginger, dried baby shrimp, and a sweet chili sauce exploded like a grand firework show in my mouth. I loved it so much that I ran by the Asian market to see if I could get the ingredients to make it and was lucky enough to find them. The wild betel leaf used is from a vine that grows all over south Asia including India. It is subtle but delicately brings all the amazing flavors together. This was most definitely the highlight of my culinary experience lately. Who would have thought that this simple piece of art would bring the taste buds on a journey to the ends of the universe.

Roasted Pork Loin Burrito

I like to change things up a bit and this dish is no exception. Most people would simply roast the loin with some spices until it was done but I took things to another level. The first step in my process is I rub a mixture of spices into the meat. I use Mexican oregano, cumin, paprika, and a dash of cinnamon. I keep the fat on and on the opposite side I cut small slits into the meat so it will hold more seasoning. I take the loin and sear it in my cast iron skillet on both sides for 2 minutes per side. Now here is the kicker and brings even more flavor. I take the loin and slice it evenly in half. Then I take sweet mini peppers, yellow onion, and garlic and lay them length wise evenly. I place the top half of the loin back on and put a few more yellow onion as a topper. I bake this bad boy on 325 until fall apart tender. When its done take away the veggies, place in a blender, add some of the stock from the bottom of the roasting pan (strain first, no fat chunks allowed) and blend well. Place this liquid back in the cast iron you seared in and reduce until slightly thickened (salt and pepper to taste). Chop your loin up in a bowl and place the broth you created all over the meat. This seems like a lot of steps but in the end the flavor is amazing. Add some spice to it to balance out the sweetness, I used some fresh diced jalapeno.

Chunky Veggie Pasta

Mandi and I have been reducing our intake of animal proteins lately, primarily meat and poultry. We have been whipping up some awesome all veggie dishes and some seafood as well. This dish is packed full of flavor. The tomato sauce is robust, tangy, a tad sweet, and a bit spicy. Just enough spice to awaken the taste buds. Fresh basil is always a big ingredient in my tomato sauce as it adds unbelievable flavor and helps to marry the other aromatics as well. I love chunky sauces because of the textures it brings to the mouth. I also like to keep things as close to fresh as possible. I do not like thin sauces that have no heartiness to them. I served it over some whole wheat angel hair and voila, bon appetit mon ami.

CONTEST! GIVEAWAY!

Whohoo this is our first give away! The prize is a Goody basket! It's baking basket woohoo! The rules and entry are easy!
To Enter:
All you have to do is follow our blog! If you already do, then your already entered!
-You must be a follower by August 1st 2011 11:59 pm lol but seriously!
-ANYONE IN THE U.S. IS ELIGIBLE!

We will announce What's exactly in the basket on that day August 1st. The winner will be chosen at random with my eyes closed finger pointed at the screen! We'll Video tape it it will be fun!

-Winner will be announced August 6th right here on the blog!

**We will give away another basket when we reach 100 followers, so tell your friends!

Zucchini Pasta and Meatballs

So to start off I will never claim to make these awesome meatballs. Paulie O's does them best and I can not have it any other way. They use old world recipes handed down from generation to generation and boy are they yummy.

This dish turned out well, scrumptious. It is light, packed full of flavor, puts a light tingle on the tongue, and makes your toes curl! Thank you Paulie O for making such awesome polpette!

So many of you have asked me for the this recipe so here it is.

Ingredients:
Good quality Italian meatballs- I use Paulie O's Italian Gourmet product as it is superior to anything I can find here in town.
3 medium and long zucchini squash rinsed and pat dried
6 large garlic cloves minced
3 tbsp non-salted butter
1 medium sweet onion
1 small bay leaf
sea salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste
fresh or high quality dried oregano, if using fresh you do not need to use as much, 1/2 sprig of fresh or 2-3 tsp dried, start off with a smaller amount and build up if you need more.
1/2 cup snipped sweet basil- European varieties
6 large or 8 small Roma tomatoes peeled and seeded

1. You will need a special peeler for the noodles. It is a peeler with small teeth across the length of the blade area. Shred squash, rinse, pat dry well.
2. Peel and seed the tomatoes, dice up and set to the side. In a skillet heat 1.5 tbsp butter till it melts. Add onion and let it sweat for about 2 minutes, add garlic, and finish saute until the garlic is lightly golden and fragrant (do not burn the garlic. Next add the tomatoes, bay leaf, salt-pinch, pepper-pinch, and oregano. let simmer for 7 minutes, add meatballs, simmer until meatballs have reached temp. Meatballs must be cooked all the way through. Turn off the heat. Add basil leaf, stir in well, cover and let sit. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. With the remaining butter saute the shredded squash until cooked but not mushy so until al dente. Add a pinch of salt and pepper while you are sauteing. Plate noodles with meatball on top. Spoon sauce on top of the meatballs. Bon Appetit.

Tips:
Do not overcook the garlic, the basil, the noodles, or the meatballs. Do not heat meatballs up in a microwave.

Recent Creations

While I was in the market the other day I noticed something rather interesting and disheartening at the same time. The majority of people I came across had their carts full of prepared and highly processed foods. I am not saying this is bad but it made me think about how much our food culture has changed so much from when our grand parents were young.

There is nothing wrong with your prepared food you buy. Be informed as to whether or not that food will give you a healthy meal. Try to change your mind set that healthy does not mean bland or gross. Healthy food can be so flavorful while giving your body what it needs to maintain itself.

How do you tackle a new menu for you and your family? Cook with ingredients you feel comfortable with and each time you use them change it up a bit every time. Start off with a main ingredient and build the dish from there. Do not get too creative too fast. This is when you will get that mystery dish comin to the table. Relax, have fun, and try new things.

I will give you some examples of recipes that are easy, yummy, and healthy.

Pita, Tortilla, or Naan pizzas- Take what you love on pizza and put it on the bread. Bake them in a preheated 450F oven until the cheese is melted evenly. You can use any topping and any sauce. When using sauces go light so that the pizza does not get soggy. Use a pizza tray or stone it will crisp the bread up quite nicely. If you do not like to chop and slice your local market will have pre-cut items for you. I guarantee this will be healthier and faster than buying one of those expensive chain pies! Make sure you place these guys on the middle rack in the oven. Serve up with a salad.

Another favorite with the family here is Pot Roast
Now there are tons of different ways to make this dish. The way we prepare it gives you an amazing flavor and very tender meat.

Any beef roast will work. I use tri-tip or other sirloin roasts. Take the roast and score the meat lightly. Cover lightly with sea salt, fresh ground black pepper, and a good quality garlic powder. Heat up a skillet on medium-high, preferably cast iron, and add 1.5 tbsp EVOO. Sear both sides of the roast evenly (about 2 minutes per side). Remove and place in a slow cooker. Take 2-3 cups Merlot red wine and poor over roast (you want about 1-2 inches of wine at the bottom, just enough so that it will not evaporate completely while cooking). Slice up a sweet onion and throw it in. Start cooking before you go to work and set on low, when you get home it will be ready and fall apart tender. Serve up with some potatoes and veggies or any other side dish you like.

Here are some dishes we have created recently. We have been super busy in the kitchen whipping up some new ideas or using old ones and changing them up.