Tag: midnight snacks (Page 5 of 10)

      Creamy pasta with grilled asparagus, black olives & mushrooms

      April 15, 2011 /

      This one is in honor of the Farmer’s Market opening tomorrow in Madison. It does run year-round but is outdoors from mid-April until late October. And it’s freaking awesome. One vegetable that will be sold since we’re in the throes of spring is asparagus. Yes, it makes your pee smell funny, but if you grill it and season with just a bit of salt and pepper, asparagus is one of the tastiest vegetables there is. And it’s very much in season across the country now. So here is a recipe I created to take advantage of in-season asparagus…enjoy!

      Don’t believe everything you read about pasta being bad for you. Sure, the whole-wheat varieties are better for you, because they have more fiber and vitamins. But if you keep your portions reasonable, and add good stuff (i.e. vegetables) like in this recipe, there are far worse things you can eat. We like the kind of pasta that holds sauce for this dish, like a bow tie or the one we used, Barilla* Piccolini (mini fusilli). This is a great, hearty dish that you can either serve to a bunch of hungry guys or to your lady to impress her. Be sure to pair it with a good white wine and some crusty bread for bonus points.

      Ingredients:
      1 16 oz. package pasta (we used Barilla Piccolini)
      ½ bunch asparagus
      2 tbsp. Olive oil, divided
      4 oz. Sliced mushrooms
      ½ cup sliced black olives
      4 tbsp. Light butter or margarine
      ¾ cup fat free half and half
      2 Laughing Cow cheese wedges
      ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
      Salt and pepper to taste

      Directions:
      Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil to keep from sticking and set aside.

      Drizzle remaining 1 tbsp olive oil on asparagus and grill on a preheated grill rack for 3-4 minutes, or until spears begin to lightly char. Cut into 2 inch pieces and set aside.

      Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and sauté mushrooms over medium heat until they begin to soften and lose their water, about 4 minutes. Drain and add the mushrooms and black olives to the asparagus pieces.

      Meanwhile, wipe out the skillet and return to stovetop. Melt butter over medium heat. Add half and half and cheese wedges. Stir constantly, breaking up the cheese with a wooden spoon. When mixture is melted, add Parmesan cheese and stir until just melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add pasta and vegetable mixture to sauce and combine. Heat through and serve. Makes 4-6 servings.

      * If you’re not familiar with Barilla pasta, you owe it to yourself to give it a try. This is not a paid advertisement, but a true testimonial from someone who has been eating only Barilla pasta for the last few years. The regular pasta cooks nicely—even if you overcook it by a few minutes it’s never too soft or mushy. And the Whole Grain or Plus varieties are not grainy at all—rather, they are just slightly heartier than their regular pasta. It’s probably the best store brand you can eat short of homemade pasta.

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

      Quick and easy grilling

      April 10, 2011 /

      Okay, so it’s 82 degrees here in Wisconsin on April 10. Of course, it’s not going to stay that way for long, and a cold front is about to collide with the warm air and created strong storms. Yikes. It’s a windy 82, but then again, true warm weather is not far away, and that means it’ll be time to fire up the grill. Here are some quick and easy grilling recipes I posted on Grub For Guys a few years back…..enjoy!

      Are you tired of grilling steaks (okay maybe that’s a stretch), burgers and hot dogs? Well, here are a few items good for summer grilling that you may or may not have experimented with before. As always, a Corona or two or three is always good for your left hand while your right hand flips the food. Each recipe serves four, or two really hungry guys.

      *Note: A lot of my published recipes don’t exactly fall into the realm of health food, but most commercial marinades are loaded with sugar and high fructose corn syrup. And when you can make your own from scratch as easily as this, then why not do it?

      Tasty Chicken Skewers
      Ingredients
      4 chicken breast halves, cut into one-inch chunks
      ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
      2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
      2 garlic cloves, minced
      1 tsp. dried oregano
      ½ tsp. kosher salt
      ¼ tsp. ground black pepper

      Directions
      Combine all ingredients in a large zip-lock bag and add chicken. Marinate in refrigerator for one hour. Divide chicken chunks between four skewers. Grill over medium-high heat until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

      Oriental Pork Chops
      Ingredients
      4 medium bone-in pork chops
      2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
      2 Tbsp. soy sauce
      2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
      1 garlic clove, minced
      1 tsp. minced ginger (from the jar is fine)
      ¼ tsp. kosher salt
      ¼ tsp. ground black pepper

      Directions
      Combine all marinade ingredients (everything but chops) in a large zip-lock bag and shake to combine. Add chops, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Grill over medium-high heat for about four minutes per side or until pork is no longer pink in the center.

      Grilled Shrimp
      Ingredients
      20 raw shrimp, cleaned and de-veined
      cooking spray
      Cajun seasoning
      Salt
      Pepper
      Cayenne pepper

      Directions
      After cleaning shrimp, divide them between four skewers and spray lightly with cooking spray. Then sprinkle spices on both sides. Grill over medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until the shrimp are opaque white in color.

      Sides
      If you really want to get to know your grill, try cooking vegetables or even fruit. Good and easy vegetable choices are thickly sliced zucchini, potatoes, or bell pepper. For fruit, try grilling banana halves (while still in the skin) or peach halves. Be sure to spray any of those modestly and remember that cooking times for these items are generally much quicker than for meats.

      Food on a Budget, Healthy, Ingredients, On the Grille, Recipes, Tailgating, Your Kitchen

      Product review: 3 Musketeers Truffle Crisp Bar

      April 5, 2011 /

      Let me preface this by saying that I didn’t ask for a sample of this from Mars, and that I’m not the type of person who eats candy bars all the time. I do like them, but I know I shouldn’t eat them every day. But the new 3 Musketeers Truffle Crisp Bar caught my eye in Walgreen’s recently. I ate it, and felt like I was going to float. I went to Walgreen’s again today and grabbed another one of these bars–which, by the way, comes two long and skinny bars to a package the way another favorite of mine, Twix, does.

      And again I felt like I was floating. First of all, the 3 Musketeers brand in general is one of light, fluffy nougat which is wrapped in chocolate. It’s always been a lower calorie candy bar because it’s light and airy but still tastes great. The Truffle Crisp is something altogether amazing in a different way–the lighter nougat part is more of a crisp cookie, and on top of that is a fluffy and rich chocolate truffle layer, and the whole thing is covered in milk chocolate.

      I’m not sure why exactly, but the way everything melds together in this bar is nothing short of remarkable. It’s delicious, and, judging by the fact that I went back and bought another one today, it’s also highly addictive.

      Product Reviews

      Peanut butter banana burger (and beer greens)

      April 4, 2011 /

      This was one that I posted last year on Grub for Guys and with grilling season just around the corner, I thought it would be a good time to bring it back out. It’s sort of a tribute to Elvis, but mostly a tribute to those who like peanut butter and burgers and don’t mind trying them together. Enjoy!

      Making a good burger is an art form. There are so many variations now, and so many different meats to use to make burgers, we could spend days talking about them. Well let’s stop talking and start grilling. Here is a unique Elvis-style burger that tasted better than I even expected it to.

      Peanut Butter and Banana Burger
      I’ve come to learn that peanut butter and bananas really do go well together. And while you might think putting them on a burger is weird, think again. The flavors complement each other to create something unique and if I do say, pretty awesome.

      Ingredients
      1 pound ground beef
      4 good hamburger buns, sliced
      Kosher salt
      2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
      ¼ cup finely diced pineapple
      ¼ cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
      2 bananas

      Directions
      Slice bananas in half length-wise and spray or brush with vegetable or canola oil. Grill over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes per side. Cut into 2-3 inch slices. Combine beef with cilantro and pineapple, and form into four patties. Sprinkle with salt, and grill for 3-4 minutes per side or until desired doneness. Toast buns on grill for 30 seconds or so if desired. To assemble, spread 1 Tbsp. peanut butter on both sides (1/2 Tbsp. per side) of buns. Lay banana slices on bottom half and place burger on top of bananas, and bun top over that. Hide the ketchup, because….well, it doesn’t really mix with peanut butter. Serves 4.

      Beer Greens
      Does the thought of making greens like collard greens, turnip greens, kale or chard scare you? It scared me too, but I learned how to do it and to flavor them the way a man should flavor his green vegetables—with beer. This recipe is a good side to any burger or chicken.

      Ingredients
      1 bunch greens, washed and coarsely chopped (kale works best for this recipe)
      1 medium onion, diced
      1-2 garlic cloves, minced
      2 slices deli ham, diced (about 1/3 cup)
      2 Tbsp. olive oil
      1 12 oz. bottle of beer
      Hot sauce to taste
      Kosher salt and pepper to taste

      Directions
      Heat olive oil in large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When you feel the heat if you place your hand about three inches from the pan, add onion and garlic. Sautee until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add ham and continue cooking for about 1 minute. Add greens and stir until they cook down, about 2-3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, then beer. Lower heat to medium-low, and cover. Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add hot sauce to taste and more salt and pepper if necessary, and serve. Serves 4.

      Ingredients, On the Grille, Recipes, Your Kitchen

      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

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