Category: Recipes (Page 18 of 24)

      Awesome turkey sandwich

      March 25, 2011 /

      I posted this on Grub for Guys a while back, and it’s a good choice if you’re watching your waistline and want a good manly sandwich. Check it out!

      You’ve probably read about the health benefits of whole grains, lean meats and healthy monounsaturated fats like those found in nuts, olives and avocados. Since I’m not a doctor or a nutritionist, I can only go by what I read, and I have read enough to know that those foods are good sources of vitamins and healthy nutrients. So what we’ve done here is come up with a sandwich that incorporates all of those things and tastes great too. And it’s pretty simple, provided you don’t wash it down with more than a few beers.

      Ingredients:
      2 slices 100% whole wheat bread (try to avoid the kind with high fructose corn syrup)
      4 oz. sliced lean turkey breast
      2 slices center cut bacon
      2-3 slices lettuce
      Homemade guacamole (recipe below)

      Guacamole:
      1 small or ½ large avocado
      2 Tbsp. salsa
      1 tsp. lime juice
      salt and pepper

      Directions:
      Cook bacon until crisp and set aside. To make guacamole, slice avocado in half and scoop out pulp, removing and discarding the pit as well. Place the pulp in a bowl, mash with a fork and add salsa, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. (you can add chopped onion if you like, but the flavor of raw onion is too strong for me). Spread guacamole on each slice of bread (it will be heaping, but that’s good). Layer turkey, bacon and lettuce on bread and close sandwich. Do not cut in half to retain your inner caveman. Serves 1, so double, triple or quadruple accordingly.

      Food on a Budget, Healthy, Ingredients, Recipes, Your Kitchen

      It’s not not manly to pair cheese with Sledgehammer wine

      March 23, 2011 /

      No, really. I venture to say that when you’re drinking a wine that is called Sledgehammer, no one can call you a girly man. I reviewed this wine on the Bullz-Eye blog a few months back, and they are still in the same vintage–2007. But these folks were kind enough to send me more of this bold and awesome red wine when I told them about Mikey’s Kitchen. So here we are. I mean, I’m not drunk from having slammed two bottles of wine just now. I enjoyed them 1-2 glasses at a time. Okay, maybe three glasses.

      But here is the best part–living in Wisconsin, I’ve become somewhat of a cheese snob. I can’t with a clear conscience munch on store brand or even Cracker Barrel’s most sharp sharpy cheddar. I have to buy my cheese at Brennan’s, a Madison institution and a place that has some of the most kickass cheese around, even for Wisconsin.

      And yeah, I’ve become a snob, but by no means am I an expert on wine and cheese pairing. I do know what I like, however, and what I chose recently at Brennan’s went perfectly with the Zinfandel and Cabernet the folks at Sledgehammer sent me. I paired them with a 5-year cheddar and a butterkase. The cheddar is bold, super-sharp (like Cracker Barrel on steroids), and that means it’s got a natural zing and tang to it — which of course goes perfectly with a bold red wine.

      Butterkase is something I stumbled upon by accident, and I would imagine it would go well with white wine too, since it’s a light colored cheese that could be from either the Swiss or provolone families. But trust me, it’s not wimpy like those cheeses can be in the store–butterkase is soft, but it has this big, giant flavor that hits you after about 15 seconds, and it’s just delicious. Even better, the fact that it’s bold despite being soft and white, is that it too pairs nicely with a bold red wine like Sledgehammer.

      Okay, then. Your wine pairing class for the day is adjourned. But let me say again, it’s not because they sent me free wine. Sledgehammer is one of the best reds I’ve tasted. Heck, even Adam Carolla endorses it! And if you don’t live in Wisconsin, fear not–Brennan’s ships out of state.

      Healthy, Product Reviews, Recipes, Your Kitchen

      Steak and Potatoes 2

      March 21, 2011 /

      Spring is here, and oddly enough, it’s even warm enough here in Wisconsin to fire up the grill. In my case, our grill was destroyed, knocked over by the blizzard of 2011 in early February, so we have to buy a new one. So until then, we have to use an indoor grill pan, which really is not the same thing but does the job in a pinch. But I digress. What follows are a couple of recipes that are perfect for this time of year–it’s cold enough outside where you don’t mind firing up the oven, and therefore making my twice baked potatoes. But it’s definitely warm enough to grill outside with a light jacket. Well, unless you live in Arizona or Texas or Florida. Anyway, here are those recipes that I published on Bullz-Eye’s Grub for Guys a couple years back:

      Flank Steak with Grilled Tomato Salsa/Twice Baked Potatoes
      We started this series with a basic grilled steak, baked potato and grilled asparagus. Now, we’re back with a couple of recipes that take seriously a dude’s craving for red meat and white potatoes, with a bit more difficulty than the first recipes we gave you. After all, you should be an intermediate chef by now, right? Anyway, grilling season is year-round in some places, such as here in Tennessee. So let’s get to it……

      Flank Steak with Grilled Tomato Salsa
      Ingredients:
      1 flank steak, 1.5 pounds or so
      6-8 small plum tomatoes
      1 thick slice onion
      Cooking spray
      1 Tbsp. olive oil
      2 tsp. Red wine vinegar
      ½ tsp. sugar
      Kosher salt and pepper to taste

      Directions:
      Preheat your grill or grill pan. Sprinkle steak on both sides with salt and pepper and set aside. Spray the tomatoes and onion slice with cooking spray, salt and pepper. Grill over medium high heat, turning a few times (try hard to keep that onion together!). Once they become tender and slightly charred, remove from grill. Put steak on grill while you make salsa. When tomatoes have cooled slightly, cut off the stem end. Place tomatoes, onion, olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper to taste in a blender and pulse a few times until it resembles a chunky salsa. Meanwhile, grill steak for about 4-5 minutes per side for medium (a little less if you like it rare-medium rare, a little more if you like it well done). Let steak rest on a platter for about 5 minutes before slicing into ¼ inch strips on the diagonal. Serve with the salsa on the side. Serves 3-4

      Twice Baked Potatoes
      Ingredients:
      2 large baking potatoes (Idaho is best)
      ¼ cup milk (skim or low fat is fine but whole milk is best)
      ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
      2-3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
      ½ tsp. salt
      ¼ tsp. pepper
      Snipped or dried chives (optional)

      Directions:
      Preheat your oven or toasted oven to 450 degrees. Rinse and scrub dirt off of potatoes, pat dry, then pierce a few times with a fork before placing in the oven. Roast, turning once, for one hour. (Once again, I have to advise against microwaved potatoes or foil-wrapped….you want a crispy skin, don’t you?) When cool enough to handle, cut the potatoes in half, and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Put the skins back in the oven to brown for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add the milk, butter, cheese, salt, pepper and optional chives to the potato flesh. If the mixture appears too dry, add a few more drops of milk or shreds of cheese. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins and bake for another 15 minutes or until brown on top and warmed through. Serves 4, or 2 hungry dudes.

      Healthy, Ingredients, On the Grille, Recipes, Tailgating, Your Kitchen

      Countdown to St. Patrick’s Day–corned beef reuben

      March 15, 2011 /

      We ran this last year on Bullz-Eye.com’s Grub for Guys and the time is upon us–St. Patrick’s Day. Yesterday I posted my Top 5 things you should eat on St. Patrick’s Day, and this sandwich was included in that.

      Here is the reuben recipe, but it should only be a part of your personal menu over the next few days to soak up that green beer……

      A good Reuben sandwich is one of the great things about leftover corned beef. It also doesn’t necessarily require leftover corned beef, as you’ll find out in the following recipe. The only thing we do suggest is that you should budget a lot of calories for this one. Either way, this is a satisfying, filling sandwich, perfect for lunch or dinner this time of year. And oh yeah, it goes great with beer.

      Ingredients:
      2 slices rye bread
      1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
      1-2 Tbsp. prepared Thousand Island dressing (or make your own by mixing mayo, ketchup and sweet relish)
      ¼ cup prepared cole slaw
      2 thin slices Swiss cheese
      1/8 pound or 2-3 slices deli corned beef
      Cooking spray

      Directions:
      Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Meanwhile, assemble the sandwich. Spread the butter or margarine on the outside of the two slices of bread, and the Thousand Island dressing on the inside of each slice. Put the cole slaw on one slice of the bread, and then top with a slice of Swiss. Put the other slice of cheese on the other slice of bread and top with the corned beef, and then put the two sides of the sandwich together. Gently ease the sandwich into the skillet, and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the bread becomes brown and crispy. Flip the sandwich and cook another 2 minutes or until that side browns. You might want to cover the sandwich while cooking to make sure the cheese melts evenly. Slice and serve. Serves 1, but you can easily multiply this out to make more….and trust me, you might want to eat more than one.

      Ingredients, Recipes, Your Kitchen

      5 things you should eat on St. Patrick’s Day

      March 14, 2011 /

      It creeps up quickly, the start of spring does. And with it, comes a hint of warmth in the air, NCAA March Madness, South by Southwest, and of course, St. Patrick’s Day. And while we all like a good pint of Guiness or other beer of choice on this Irish-inspired holiday, it also brings to mind a few choice food items. Well, it does in my mind, and this is a food blog, so let’s talk about the 5 things you should eat on St. Patrick’s Day:

      1. Corned beef and cabbage–Well, duh. But we have to mention it, because it’s the gold standard of St. Patty’s Day fare. And it’s really simple, assuming you work from home or have a few hours to let it simmer. Here is a basic corned beef and cabbage recipe from Food Network, but you will likely find the same premise for cooking corned beef anywhere on the Web.

      Chef Jim2. Variations of corned beef and cabbage–This would include the classic Reuben sandwich, and I posted a recipe for a grilled version on Bullz-Eye.com’s Grub for Guys last year. I also posted related recipes right here on Mikey’s Kitchen the last few days for Braised Cabbage with Guinness, and for Corned Beef Meatballs.

      3. Irish Stew–There are so many great Irish stew recipes out there, so here is a link that will help you narrow your search down a bit, and one that includes different variations on this classic dish. I should mention, however, that traditional Irish stew is made with lamb. That said, here is my own recipe for beef stew with beer that can aptly pass for the real thing, especially after you’ve downed a few.

      Chef Jim4. Bangers and mash–Okay, full disclosure. I’m Irish and I’ve never tasted bangers and mash. I’ve had sausage, and I’ve had mashed potatoes, but have never had them together. I know, shoot me. But anyway, this is an assignment for a future column here–both to have bangers and mash, and also to try cooking it. Meanwhile, here is a super easy version you can try at home.

      5. Irish soda bread–This is a malty bread with raisins, and for whatever reason, always tastes best on St. Patty’s Day or a few days before. Make sure to slather it with some real butter and wash down with a pint of your favore beer, or some Irish coffee. You can try making your own, or just try any bakery or even grocery store this time of year.

      Yeah, I know. I didn’t include Shepherd’s Pie. I could have squeezed it in if I made corned beef and cabbage and variations 1 and 1a. But then I thought about it–I don’t recall shepherd’s pie being a St. Patty’s Day specialty, so I’m going to make the executive decision to not include it here. Well, unless you’re curious about it and want to try it. Until then, I will vow to make shepherd’s pie some time soon on this site. Fair enough?

      Until then, enjoy St. Patrick’s Day and please, as they say, enjoy responsibly. That’s a fancy way for saying that if you’ve tossed back a few, don’t get behind the wheel. Of course, eating any of the above to soak up the alcohol is always a good thing. Enjoy!

      Ingredients, On the Grille, Recipes, Your Kitchen

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