By the Cookbooks

   I am a fan of stuffed portobellos. You can take them wherever you want based on the filling. I did a pepper and chickpea stuffing earlier in this blog, and this portobello goes in a completely different direction. Ingredients    7 tbs of olive oil    2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled    1 5 ounce box of baby kale    1 tsp of kosher salt    Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes    1 cup cooked quinoa    1 cup fine dried bread crumbs    1/2 cup of grated Grana Padano    1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts    6 portobello mushrooms, scraped gills and remove stems    1/2 cup of dry wine    1/2 cup of chicken stock    4 ounces of goat cheese, cut into slices Directions    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.    In a large skillet, heat 2 tbs of oil and add garlic.    When garlic starts to brown add kale, 1/4 tsp of s...

   I'm at a point  where I want to try a recipe or 2 that introduces new flavors or ingredients I have never cooked myself. Horseradish is an ingredient I don't think has ever made its way to a kitchen I have ever used. The rest of the recipe are items I have used in the past or on a regular basis. Ingredients    1 tsp of salt    2 fresh bay leaves    4 medium zucchinis    1 large red onion, thickly sliced    1 1/4 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breast    2 tbs of jarred horesradish    3 tbs of red wine vinegar    1/4 cup of olive oil    2 hard boiled eggs, cut into wedges Directions    Bring to a boil a pot big enough to hold zucchini, onion and chicken.    Add bay leaves and salt liberally.    When the water is boiling, add zucchini and red onion.    Simmer until zucchini is tender.    Add chicken and continue t...

   In the summer, I like to try new pasta salads. They can last for a few days, and you can add your own spin on it. Ingredients    1 tsp of salt    1 lb of green beans, trimmed    1 lb of cavatappi    2 pints of cherry tomatoes, halved    1 lb of small mozzarella balls    1 cup of basil    1 cup of parsley    2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into chunks    1/2 cup of toasted almonds    2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled    2 tbs of red wine vinegar    1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil Directions     Salad       Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.       Add green beans and cook for 6 to 7 minutes.       Remove beans with a spider, and put in ice water bath.       Drain and pat dry, cut into thirds.       Put pasta in boiling water and cook until a...

  I tend to buy cheaper cuts of steak, and its nice to have a recipe that doesn't call for a lot of attention to the steak. Ingredients     2 red bell peppers, seeded cut in rounds     2 yellow bell peppers, seeded cut in rounds     1 large onion, cut in rounds     2 steaks, this recipe calls for ribeye     4 tbs of butter     Montreal seasoning Directions    Position one rack in the center and another on the highest level.    Preheat the broiler on high.    Arrange peppers and onions on pan.    Lay steaks on top.    Place 1 tbs of butter on each steak and sprinkle seasoning.    Place pan on the center rack for 3 to 4 minutes.    Use metal tongs, add rest of butter and sprinkle more seasoning on it.    Broil on the center rack for 3 to 4 minutes, if not brown enough, put on top rack for a minute. Changes I Made!   ...

    Recipes for one is the hardest thing to find! I always have leftovers, which is great most of the time, but for breakfast foods, a lot of them don't hold. Ingredients    1 egg    1/2 cup of milk    1/3 cup of all-purpose flour    Dash of salt    1 tbs of vegetable oil Directions    In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, flour and salt.    Heat skillet on high heat, and add oil when pan is very hot.    Add 1/3 of the batter and swirl in the pan, flipping once edges brown.   Serve immediately. Changes I Made!     This is for a cast iron, but it works well in just about any pan. This recipe is from Cast Iron Nation.