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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Sex-er-cise time!

Check out this article from Fitness Magazine online! I bet you wouldn't mind giving any of these workouts a try....;)

Sex Positions That Double as Exercise
No matter how much your partner pleads, you can't substitute time in the sack for time on the treadmill. However, certain sex positions do work a woman's muscle groups -- some so much, in fact, that you might not be able to make it to the gym the next day.
http://t.meredith.ly/6xMoH6Z

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Shrimp and Potato Bravas!!!!



The first time I had this spanish dish was in Melbourne, Australia at a restaurant called Robert Burns of all places. I was an instant fan of it's intensely robust flavor and aroma and immediately begged the chef for the recipe. He politely declined because it was a family secret so I was left to do some tasty guess work and after visiting the restaurant 3 times I was finally able to figure out what this delicious red sauce was made up of.

Making it the first time was pretty hard work and involved A LOT of ingredients but I've created an easier at-home recipe and you seriously couldn't tell the difference!

Potatoes

1 lb baby red potatoes
3 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbs minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Cut potatoes into fours, leave skins on. Toss in all ingredients and pour into a baking dish. Bake at 425 for about 30-40 mins or until fork tender.

Shrimp and Bravas Sauce

1 lb peeled raw large shrimp(leave tails on)
5 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs minced garlic
1 1/2 c jarred tomato pasta sauce(like Prego or Bertolli)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil. Once hot, add garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds then add shrimp.  Flip shrimp with a spatula continuously for about 1 minute then add tomato sauce and red pepper flakes and stir. Turn heat to low and let simmer for about 3-4 mins.

Now pour sauce and shrimps on top of the roasted potatoes and serve!













Monday, February 25, 2013

One Meaty Meatless Burger!

First off, let me state clearly,
I AM BY NO MEANS A VEGETARIAN/VEGAN PERSON. I'm definitely not against it either but I know that hesitation myself and fellow carnivores have when we see or hear the word 'meatless'. It seems unappetizing, non-filling, and just plain boring. 

Having so many vegetarian friends, I've been exposed to all kinds of meatless options when we go out to eat. And I'm not a huge fan of anything tofu but I have come to like a good veggie burger. So many restaurants nowadays offer their own house-made version which is so much better than when every place only had those awful freezer packaged garden burger patties. I've had some really good ones but wanted to try my hand at my own recipe and I'm not gonna lie....it's pretty damn magical!


 The Sexy Veggie Burger



1/2 c dry red lentils

1 c canned black beans rinsed

1 1/2 c cooked quinoa

1/2 c fresh or frozen corn
1/2 chopped red onion
1 Tbs garlic minced
1/4 c grated carrot

1/3 c chopped parsley
1 1/2 Tbs A1 sauce
1 c panko
2 tsp smoked salt(or seasoning salt)
1 egg
2 egg whites
pepper to taste

-Rinse lentils and place in 1 1/2 cups water in a pot and bring to a boil. Stir, cover, then simmer on low heat for about 25 mins or till tender then let cool. Meanwhile, take corn, onion, garlic and carrots and sauté in 1 Tbs of any cooking oil till slightly browned then let cool. 
-In a food processor or blender, pulse black beans, lentils, sauteed mix, parsley and A1 till well blended but not liquified. About 5 pulses.
-Make sure blended mixture is not hot then add the quinoa, panko, egg/egg whites and salt&pepper. 
-Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Must be firm in order to make patties.
-Form palm sized patties and grill in a large greased pan or griddle for about 3 mins each side. Do not put on BBQ grill, they will burn!
-Slap them on a bun, add condiments and eat up!

Friday, February 15, 2013

Cooking with Truffle. A Touch of Class.

As you may have noticed by now, I AM OBSESSED WITH TRUFFLE!!!

I hadn't tried it till about 3 years ago in a truffle mac and cheese, yum....but I've been an addict ever since. If I see anything containing truffle on a menu, I will have it. I know, it's an expensive habit but it's better than being hooked on cocaine or pills right?! Anyway, drug jokes aside, truffle adds such a special touch to any dish and now that it's easily available to everyone, I strongly suggest you try it at home too!

I know that when most people think of truffle they imagine going to some fancy french market and paying thousands of dollars for these precious nuggets and that's quite intimidating. Though that can be the scenario when purchasing truffles, there are now ways of bringing it to your own home cooking. I use this black truffle oil and black truffle salt. Both can be found at World Market, Sur La Table or Amazon.com for around $15-$20 each. 

The oil is good for drizzling on pastas, salads or anything creamy and the salt I use to season anything like roasted veggies, eggs, or chicken and fish dishes. The key is to add either truffle infusion at the last stage of cooking or onto a finished dish. Cooking the truffle for too long will decrease the strength of it's flavor. A good trick for using the truffle salt is to not use regular salt in the dish at any point of cooking and then sprinkle a generous amount of the truffle salt onto the finished product. 

Now get ready to impress because anything with that aromatic, earthy, deep truffle taste is like no other. Any regular everyday meal can now be a five star dining experience. Bon Appetite! 


Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Valentines Day Dinner Made With Love





                             Special Dinner for Two....


Everyone loves a good Surf and Turf, especially when it comes to special occasions. It's the most popular dish ordered at your favorite steakhouse because it really is the best of both worlds! Though it is nice to get all dolled up and be wined and dined at some fancy schmancy restaurant for Valentines Day, I have a better idea.


 Stay in with the one you love and treat them to a most amazing dinner they will never forget. Just think of how happy you'll both be scarfing down every morsel in your pjs at home with a bottle of red....or bubbly, oh yeahhhh.....best V-Day ever. 

My Special Steak Marinade

                       

4 T. Olive Oil
2 T. Worcestershire Sauce
2 T. Balsamic Vinegar
1 T. Dijon Mustard
1 T. Soy Sauce
2 t. Lawry's Seasoning Salt
1 t. Cracked Pepper
1 t. Smoked Salt(optional)

Whisk all ingredients together and coat steaks in mixture. Let steaks marinade for about 4-6 hours before grilling, pan frying or broiling. I used NY strip steaks but any cut will do.


Butter Poached Lobster Tails

Fresh lobster tails(1 per person)            
3 sticks of butter
2 cloves garlic minced
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
Lemon wedges for taste

Cut tails in half lengthwise with kitchen shears keeping shell on and rinse under cold water to get rid of any shell debris. Bring a large pot of water to boil or if you have a steaming pot, bring that to a boil. Boil or steam the tails for about 3-4 minutes then remove from pot and set aside.








Once cool enough you can pull the meat from the shell, leaving it attached to the tip of the tail. In a medium saucepan on medium low heat, slowly melt the butter one tablespoon at a time till all melted down. Stir in garlic and parsley and let steep for a minute. Now turn heat to low and place each lobster tail half, meat side down, into the butter sauce and let poach for about 5 minutes. Just before serving, squeeze a generous amount of fresh lemon juice over all lobster tails. Enjoy!








Easy Brown Rice Risotto w/Mushrooms, peas, and asparagus 








2 boil in a bag sacs of brown rice cooked    
3-4 c. chicken stock
1 c. sliced brown mushrooms
1 c. chopped asparagus(half inch pieces)
1/2 fresh or frozen peas
1 shallot
3 T. butter
1/3 c. whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan or truffle salt or oil optional

In a large skillet, sauté mushrooms and shallot in 1tablespoon of oil till soft. Add butter to pan and once it's melted, add the asparagus and peas. Cook on medium, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes. Pour in whipping cream and one cup of the stock and stir well. Add the cooked brown rice and mix all together. Now stir slowly but constantly for about 10-12 minutes, adding 1 cup of the chicken stock every four minutes. The risotto will start to look creamier. Add salt and pepper a pinch at a time till preferred taste. Finish the dish with a drizzle of truffle oil or pinch of truffle salt if you have it but trust me it is just fine without!