Leftover Madness turned Lunchtime Delicacy

So you are sitting in your house after just finishing your morning chores, you're tired and hungry and don't want to have to make a big deal for lunch. You could always make a cold cut sandwich, again, but thats so boring and lackluster. It's time to mix it up and have a delicious lunch that is super easy to make, and the best way to do that is to look at the other meals you didn't finish in the fridge.

I had sliced tomatoes sitting in a plastic container from a BLT made over the weekend, some extra Farfalle noodles from my moms Mac N' Cheese, and a few extra chicken breasts from the previous week. As I stood there, I thought, how can I use these seemingly unrelated items and make a meal out of them? Then it hit me, a fall pasta with grilled chicken! A simple, light, meal that won't take more than thirty minutes to prepare and will fill me up until dinner time.

To start, preheat the grill to 300-350 degrees. If your chicken breast has the rib meat attached, go ahead and pull that off. You now have chicken tenders for another meal later in the week! Now, drizzle the chicken in EVOO and sprinkle about a tablespoon of basil and a teaspoon of garlic powder over the top. Allow the meat to sit while the grill preheats to allow the oil to begin to penetrate the breast. Once your grill heats to 300 degrees, place the chicken on the grill, basil side up. with the grill on its Medium-Low setting, allow the chicken to cook on that first side for fifteen minutes. It is important to allow most of the cooking to be done on that first side to allow the basil and garlic flavor to infuse with the meat. After fifteen minutes, gently flip the breast over and allow for ten more minutes of cooking time. After the ten minutes, flip the breast one more time, and gently press down with your spatula. If the juice is flowing clear at this time, remove the chicken from the grill and allow it to rest for about 2 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, there is a lot to get done! At this point you will want to get your Magic Bullet System out, or a basic food processor will work. Put your sliced tomato in along with about a quarter cup of
EVOO, two tablespoons of butter, a teaspoon of garlic salt, and a dash of basil. Blend this all together until you achieve a smooth consistency. Pour the sauce into a medium sized wok, add a quarter cup of water to help thin the sauce a bit, and heat over medium heat until the sauce begins to simmer. Stir the sauce often to keep a "skin" from forming on the top. Once the sauce is heated through, add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste and stir together. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and begin to stir in to coat the pasta thoroughly. Once the pasta is totally coated in the sauce, cover and turn the heat down to low to allow it to simmer, stirring occasionally. The pasta will heat and cook until the chicken is done.

Once the chicken is done place a small "lunch sized" portion of pasta on the plate along with the grilled chicken breast. Since this is lunch, you don't have to worry about serving anything else with this meal; however, if you decide to make this for dinner, serve with a side salad with a light vinaigrette dressing and a chilled glass of Chardonnay.

What you need

1 Sliced tomato

EVOO [Extra Virgin Olive Oil]

Basil

Garlic Powder

Butter

Cooked Pasta [Spaghetti style noodles not recommended]

Chicken

Salt and Pepper

Dining on Flipper!

Well, not really. Dolphin yes, but not the friendly mammalian type that we adore so much and swim with and chirp with and all that amazing fru-fru jazzy stuff. Mahi Mahi, a more acceptable thing to say other than dolphin. It's a hearty white fish that is very versatile in flavor. You can steam it, bake it, grill it, or fry it. The easiest of which being baking or grilling. I have found the best flavor combination is citrus basil. It keeps the light flavor of the fish available while subtly adding notes to it that bounce all around your pallet.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and grab some aluminum foil. Lay out a large enough piece of aluminum foil to hold the entire piece of fish. Sprinkle the juice of half a lemon over the fish and sprinkle about half a tablespoon of basil over that. Take a clove of garlic and peel off the skin. Place four portions of the garlic around the fish and wrap the foil up over it all. Place the foil packets in a baking dish and place in the oven.

The fish will take about 20-30 minutes to cook. While the fish cooks, you can prepare your sides. I ended up cheating today and using some microwave in the bag rice and green beans. They are good, simple, and easy to make. That way you can focus more on a glass of wine or ice cold beer and the people you have invited over.

When the fish has completed cooking, it will be slightly flaky, yet still firm. Cut the Mahi Mahi pieces into smaller steak sizes and serve over rice with the beans on the side. This fish goes best with a crisp white wine like a Chardonnay. With the time you saved on making the sides, you can think of an amazing desert to make for afterwards!

What you need

Mahi Mahi

Rice

Green beans

Lemons, or juice of, half for each piece of fish

Garlic

Basil

The Best Plan of Attack is a Flank Steak

Are you in the mood for a steak but don't want to pay a bunch at a steak house and have your steak come out over cooked, over seasoned, and under flavorful? Well this recipe is for you! Flank steak is a super easy option for families that want a nice meal that is relatively cheap. Paired with a simple vegetable and optional bread the flank steak makes a great well rounded meal for about 5 dollars per person.

The flank steak is super easy to cook! Start your grill and bring the temperature up to between 350-375. While the grill is heating season the steak with McCormicks Montreal Steak Seasoning liberally on both sides. Place the steak on the grill and let it cook with the lid closed for five minutes on the first side. [NoProTip: Don't flip the steak more than once, allow most cooking to be done on the first side. This helps the steak hold on to vital juices!] After five minutes, flip the steak and allow it to cook for about two to three more minutes. [This will bring the steak to a Medium Rare state, which is how I like it, if you like your meat to be medium cook for five minutes after flipping, medium well six minutes pre-flip and five minutes after the flip and well done, well just go back to the store and get beef jerky cause that should be illegal] Once the meat has finished cooking, set aside for a minimum of five minutes to allow the juices to settle in the meat and the fibrous tissues to loosen up.

Before preparing your meat, you will want to start on the side dish that accompanies it. A dish that I just learned of, thanks to Pinterest, is a Brussels Sprouts, Sweet Potato and Bacon mixture. I'm not going to lie, before I made this I was pretty skeptical about it, but I will be cooking this again! Pre-heat your oven to 400 first of all, then start out by chopping two large sweet potatoes into chunks, you can decide the size of each chunk, and cutting the sprouts in half. Liberally coat a baking sheet with EVOO and set aside. With your sprouts and potatoes cut up, place them in a large bowl and drizzle EVOO over the top. Sprinkle some thyme, roughly a tablespoon, and some salt and pepper to taste over that. Mix that thoroughly with your hands, extra virgin olive oil is the best moisturizer you will ever find, and scatter evenly on to the baking sheet. Bake the mixture for 20-25 minutes, until you can easily put a fork through the potato pieces. While that is baking, fry up about five pieces of bacon to a crispy level and set aside on a paper-towel to cool. Once the vegetables are done, place them in the serving bowl and crumble the bacon over top. Mix it all together again prior to serving.

After the steak has rested, and you can not skip that part, slice it into small strips on about a 45 degree angle. Serve on the plate with the steak presented to show the inside of the meat, allowing the diner to admire the deep reds and see the juices, juxtaposed to the greens and yellows of the vegetables. If you decided to add a bread portion, that is best served in a basket on the table so that each diner may grab as they please. Serve this with meal with a Merlot or Chianti, these wines will bring out the bold flavor of the steak and assist in tasting the smokey notes of the seasoning!

What you need

Flank Steak [NoProTip: Flank Steak will shrink quite a bit during cooking]

McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning

2 Sweet Potatoes

16 oz bag of Brussels Sprouts

Bacon

Rosemary

EVOO

Salt and Pepper

Review of the "Magic Bullet" System

Whoa! I can not begin to say how impressed I am with this product! I have had my Magic Bullet for four years now and it was well worth the money spent! I have made many things from soups to sauce, milkshakes to smoothies, and even butters and juices!

The product comes with the base, which houses the electrical motors that turn the blade, cups of differing sizes to place the ingredients into, colored rims that you can screw on the tops to protect your mouth from the screw ridges and to help label which cup is yours, and two blades! The two different blades is what really makes this product great. With a regular blender, you only get one blade choice. Now you may have different buttons as to how fast or slow the blade spins, but you only have one option! With the Magic Bullet you can change out the blades to fit your needs of the product! You can perfectly shred cheese or smoothly blend anything with just a few taps on the top.

If you are looking to buy a blender I highly recommend the Magic Bullet system! It is compact compared to other blenders and easily stores in your cabinets! Also, all the parts are dishwasher safe and super easy to clean!

This is a product that every NoProKitchen should have! I'm NoProChef but you can definitely take my word for it!

Check it out HERE!

"Slap Yo Mama Good" Pork Loin

Pork Loin. The most versatile pork meats. You can smoke it, grill it, bake it, fry it. However you want to cook it you can. I like to bake it at low temperatures for a good amount of time to allow all the flavors to seep into the meat and fill each bite with wonders! Well, I guess more like garlic and Italian herbs. Yep, you guessed it! The "Holy Trinity" gets used again in this recipe, which, I mean really, why wouldn't you?

To start off set your oven to preheat to 350. While its heating up grab your loin, the pork loin that is, and season it up. [NoProTip: Season the side of the loin that doesn't have the wall of fat on it, the flavors will absorb more easily!] First drizzle some EVOO over the top, then I like to put the "Holy Trinity" [basil, oregano, thyme] and a little garlic salt on it. I use about a tablespoon of each. After you have seasoned it up, let your loin have a spa day! Give it a good massage, making sure those seasonings really get in to the meat, try working out all those tension knots the butchers put in there when they cut off the slab of meat! After it has been relaxed by a nice massage, its time to rest in the sauna, a.k.a. the oven. The pork really needs to relax so it's going to sit in there for at least an hour, maybe even an hour and a half. The best way to check if the pork is cooked is to simply cut all the way through the middle and take a peak. [Don't worry about the look of the pork because you are going to be slicing it when its done] If you feel the pork isn't quite done, still a little slimy pink in the middle, cook longer at ten minute intervals until the internal temperature is 145 degrees.

While the pork is resting in the sauna, you can prepare your sides! The pork is a great source of protein so you'll want to round off the meal with a yummy, yet semi healthy, starch and a vegetable. I like broccoli and sweet potato fries! I have to admit, Ore Ida has the best sweet potato fries I've had outside of a restaurant! All they need is a dash of salt over the top and they are perfect! The bag says to cook them at 400 for about 20 minutes, but that temp would cook the outside of your pork too fast and dry it out, so we don't want to cook them at that temp. Leave the oven at 350 but cook the fries for 30 minutes. This way all your parts of the dish will be perfectly cooked and done at relatively the same time.

For the broccoli, all you have to do is boil some water. If you are using fresh broccoli, good for you! That means you have bought it recently and planned out your meals and now exactly what your going to cook and when you're going to cook it! However, if you live in the real world with an ever changing life schedule that is pretty unpredictable, frozen broccoli works just as good! Once the water is boiling, place the broccoli in the water for five to ten minutes or until the outside of the broccoli begins to feel tender to a forks prodding. Drain the water and place off to the side until the rest of the items are done. Don't cook the broccoli too early though, you don't want it to turn cold.

Once the pork is done, place it onto a cutting bored and slice it into thin slices. Two pieces is usually a good portion size, unless you can slice it deli thin. Add a serving of the sweet potato fries and broccoli and serve!

This meal is perfect for a Sunday dinner where you have time to let the meat cook for a while and absorb all the wonderful flavors! Pair this with a crisp Chardonnay and you will be very pleased!

What you need

Pork Loin

Garlic Salt

Herb "Holy Trinity"

EVOO

Sweet Potato Fries [Ore Ida Steak are the best!]

Broccoli

Cilantro Lime Chicken and Mexican Rice

This dish is simple, delicious, and relatively healthy, for those of you for which that matters. Also, you will most likely have some mexican rice left over so you can use it for future meals! It is perfect for a summer day where you want something a little lighter but yet very flavorful! The lime on the chicken mixed with the cilantro gives a light, earthy flavor while the rice has a little kick to bring everything together.

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees and place the chicken breasts in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, put one cup of rice and two cups of water in a medium sauce pan. Mix in a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, a tablespoon of Cayenne pepper powder, a tablespoon of Chili powder, and a tablespoon of Cilantro. Bring the mixture up to a boil over high heat. Once the mixture is boiling, lower the temperature to medium and cover allowing to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally with a fork.

While the rice and chicken are cooking, combine in a large bowl one can of sweet corn [NoProTip: They have canned corn that has red and green peppers already mixed in, thats what I used!], one can of black beans, one can of soy beans [I know they aren't "mexican" per se, but I love them and wanted to use them, you won't regret it!], and finally half a cup of diced tomatoes. Mix all that together in the bowl and set to the side.

When your 25 minute timer goes off for your chicken, pull it out of the oven. Drizzle lime juice over the top, half a lime for each breast, and sprinkle cilantro over that. Place the chicken back into the oven for another 10 minutes to help the lime juice soak in and completely cook the chicken through.

When the rice has fully cooked the liquid out, mix in the corn mixture into the rice, cover and let sit until the chicken is finished cooking. The heat of the rice will heat up all the other added ingredients. An optional step is to add some lime juice to the rice mixture, that depends on your preference towards lime juice of course.

Once the chicken is done, put a portion of the rice mixture on the plate and place the chicken breast on the top edge of the rice. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the top to help bring out the flavor of the cilantro and the lime.

This meal goes great with a Mexican cerveza like Corona or a sweet white wine.

What you need

Chicken

White rice

Lime, about 2-3 [or buy lime juice, works just as well]

Sweet corn

Black beans

Soy beans

Cilantro

Cayenne pepper powder

Chili Powder

EVOO

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Mini Burger Sliders

When on vacation, you may be tired of eating out three times a day every day. I mean, lets be real, that's too expensive! And, your condo that you're renting out has a full size kitchen with every pot or pan or dish you could ever need! And not to mention that awesome gas grill that is just sitting there on the patio, it probably hasn't been used in over a year! Well, it's time to fire it up and create a dinner that will be perfect for the kiddos that are tired from the beach or pool or shopping all day!

Mini burger sliders are really simple. Start with prime ground chuck, a pound is usually a good amount for a family of four, but hey, you may have some eaters! Put the meat in a large mixing bowl and prepare to season the meat to add amazing flavor! Now, McCormick has some awesome "Grill Mates" season mixes that work great! However, if you don't want to buy a season that you feel is only meant for one purpose and you don't do that purpose very often, just get some salt and pepper, paprika, and garlic. Those are pretty basic seasoning to put in your meat.

Go ahead and turn on that grill before you start seasoning your meat so that it can start heating up. I always have the grill heat up on high and then I turn the heat down to medium right before I use it. If you are using a coal grill then good luck! Those things have never cooperated for me!

With the meat in the bowl, sprinkle even amounts of the paprika and garlic over the meat, about a half a tablespoon of each for a pound of meat. Then add the salt and pepper to taste, depends on how salty/peppery you like things. I always say, "It is O.K. to add more salt or pepper at the table, but all other seasoning must be cooked in!" Once the seasoning is sprinkled in, portion the meat out into small, slider sized, patties on a plate.

After you have formed all the patties, preheat the oven to 425 degrees to prepare for your side to go in. I have chosen to make some "Tater-Tots" for my side today, but choose whatever happens to be your families favorite! Ore-Ida makes the best "Tater-Tots" in my opinion, so that is the ones I will be using! The instructions as how to make those are on the side of the bag and that is the best option. When seasoning them after cooking, do a light coating of salt and allow each person to add salt as the please.

Once your grill is preheated to a high temperature, turn the heat down to medium and place the slider patties on the grill. Close the lid and let them sit over the heat for no more than five minutes. Once five minutes has passed, head back out there and flip the burgers. [NoProTip: Flipping the patties more than once will unnecessarily drain the meat of essential juices and you will end up with dry meat! Allow most of the cooking to be done on the first side!] After the burgers have been flipped for two to three minutes, remove them from the grill.

Let the burgers rest for about five minutes to allow the juices inside the meat to settle and for all the flavors to truly flower! While the meat is settling, turn off the grill and throw on your mini burger buns to allow them to lightly toast. Don't leave them on too long or they may burn, the five minute resting time should be perfect!

The best cheese for theses is a hearty cheese like Swiss or Havarti, however; you can use whichever cheese is your favorite!

Plate this with two slider on each plate with a serving of the "Tater-Tots", or whichever side you chose to go with. Don't forget to offer lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup, mayonnaise, or mustard as toppings for your diners. I like to enjoy this meal with a nice cold beer or a glass of iced sweet tea!

What you need

Prime ground chuck

Mini burger buns

Side of your choice [Tater-Tots]

Paprika

Garlic

Salt and Pepper

Cheese [Swiss or Havarti]

Burger condiments [optional]

McCormick "Grill Mates" [optional]

Vacation!!!

So, just to make you a little jealous, I am currently at my parents house at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. It is a beautiful time, at least today! I plan on getting some nice sun rays and going home with a darker complexion! Check out the cocktails page for some awesome vacation drink ideas to come soon!

Smothered Chicken and Rice

Chicken is great! So are mushrooms, and cheese! Why not combine them? Smothered chicken is an easy way to make a simple chicken breast into something amazing, and its super easy! Its perfect for those nights where you are tired from the kids running around all day because its been raining and you've been trapped in the home and you want to simply kill them, but instead you will cook something that is simple and delicious. Or say you only have a toaster oven and electric hot plate in your college dorm, its still easy!

Start with preheating your oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken breast in your baking dish and drizzle with EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Bake the chicken for thirty minutes or until the juices run clear.

While the chicken is cooking, you can start on your rice. A good rule of thumb to follow when making rice is 1 cup of rice needs 2 cups of water. 1 cup of rice yields a good serving of rice too! Enough for two or three people. Rinse your rice three times under cold water before cooking it. This helps take any harmful pesticides off of it as well as wash off a layer of starch that can cause the rice to be too sticky. This step is optional but makes for better rice. Place the rice and water in a pot and season with salt and drizzle in a little EVOO to help keep the rice from sticking to the pot. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and lower down to a simmer over medium heat. If you are using an electric oven, you may need to use two burners so the heat transfer can go quicker. Cover the rice tightly and and let it simmer for about 15 minutes until all the water is cooked out. After the water has cooked out of the pot, fluff the rice with a fork and let it sit, covered, for at least five minutes. This helps the heat and water transfer to fully penetrate the rice.

While the rice is cooking, put your sliced and cleaned mushrooms in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Drizzle EVOO over the mushrooms and allow them to cook down for about 10 minutes.

When the chicken is done cooking, take it out of the oven and top with the sauteed mushrooms. With the mushrooms on top of the chicken, place a piece of provolone, or swiss, cheese and place back in the oven under the broiler until the cheese is fully melted.

Plate this with a good helping of rice on the plate and put one smothered chicken breast on top of the rice. Sprinkle a little basil over the top to add a little more flavor, and color. Serve with a nice chilled glass of a sweet white wine, or your favorite beer.

What you need

Chicken Breast

Rice

Extra Virgin Olive Oil [EVOO]

Salt and Pepper

Mushrooms

Cheese [provolone or swiss]

Basil

Social Stuffs

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Flappy Jacks

Have you ever had a craving so bad you would do anything to settle it? Has that craving ever been for fluffy, buttery, pancakes but you're out of Bisquick or Jiffy mix? No worries, scratch made flapjacks are super easy to make!

Start out with three quarters a cup of milk and add two tablespoons of white vinegar. Allow that to "sour" for five minutes. This is a perfect substitute for buttermilk, I never use the full half gallon you have to buy at the store. While that is souring, combine a cup of all purpose flour in a large bowl with two tablespoons of sugar, a teaspoon of salt, and a teaspoon of baking powder.

After the milk has sat for five minutes, add one egg and two tablespoons of melted butter and whisk together. Slowly mix in the milk mixture to the dry mixture until all the lumps are out and the it is well mixed.

Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Pour about a quarter cups worth into the skillet at a time. Cook the pancakes on the first side until the top begins to bubble. Flip the pancakes quickly, but with care, and cook the under side until golden brown.

When plating the pancakes, put a piece of butter between each cake to help with the delicious butter flavor! Drizzle some maple syrup over the top and serve with a cold glass of milk!

What you need

1 cup AP flour

Sugar

Salt

Baking powder

Milk

White vinegar

1 Egg

Butter

Maple Syrup

Family Traditions

So my family doesn't have very many traditions, we don't even have Christmas routines! I am totally O.K. with that too. But one tradition we do have is Carbonara! It is amazing! It is my mothers specialty dish, one that she makes almost every time me and my sister visit. I have started making it myself whenever I begin to feel a little homesick or just have a mad craving for an amazing pasta dish. It's pretty simple to make, as I have learned.

Start with a large pot of boiling water. Put a pound of spaghetti noodles in it and season with salt to taste. Allow those to simmer until tender. While the noodles are cooking put in your serving bowl a quarter cup of heavy cream, a quarter cup of butter, a cup of parmesan cheese, and four eggs. Stir all that together, breaking the yolks, until well mixed.

After mixing together the sauce, fry up a pound of bacon. I recommend using the real stuff here, like the got it from the butcher and its wrapped in paper real stuff! You want the bacon to be crispy but not burnt. Once you have fried the bacon, allow the grease to drain onto a paper towel and break the pieces up into smaller bite size pieces.

Once the noodles are al dente, drain the water and place the noodles in your serving bowl over your egg and cream mixture. Mix the noodles with the sauce, the heat of the noodles will cook the eggs gently, not causing them to scramble. Once the noodles are fully coated in sauce and all the butter has melted, add the crumbled bacon on top. Mix it all together a few more times to evenly distribute the bacon.

Place a large serving in the middle of each plate and top with a small serving of extra parmesan cheese. The dish is best served with some garlic bread and a light garden salad!

This meal is great for someone that wants to serve a lot of people with a simple meal that will impress the socks off of everyone! Serve with a nice sweet white wine or a big glass of sweet tea.

What you need

1 Lbs spaghetti noodles

Heavy Cream

Butter

1 Lbs real bacon

4 Eggs

Parmesan Cheese [shredded]

salt

[Garlic bread and garden greens optional]

The Great American BBQ

For all you international readers out there, today is the U.S.A's birthday! Well, the day that is commonly believed to be America's birthday. [August 2nd is believed to be the day the declaration was actually signed {which just so happens to be the best day of the year already!}] On this day, however, we decide to eat copious amounts of American food and set off explosions in the sky! We love loud noises and fatty foods... 'Merica!

BBQ, or Bar-B-Q, is an american tradition that reflects the States in a delicious, meaty way. BBQ is different all over the states ranging from dry rubs that specialize in spices and herbs to bring flavor to the meat while others use sauces flavored with molasses and a variety of cinnamons and brown sugars and spices, some even with whiskey! The sauces vary even more from vinegar based to mustard based to tomato based. My favorite is tomato based sauce flavored with whiskey! That's whiskey, with an E, true american Tennessee whiskey!

The meat most often associated with BBQ is pork. Pig is all around settled to be the American BBQ meat! Pulled, sliced, or roasted on a spit! I live in the southeastern states and down here pulled pork reigns supreme!

Pulled pork is great for sandwiches or even just on its own as a heaping pile of sauced up meat! First, you'll want to season your pork shoulder, or but, with paprika, brown sugar, salt, and garlic powder. When cooking your pork a good time frame is an hour pound in a 300 degree oven. The internal temperature should read 170 degrees when it is done. The meat should be basically falling apart when it's done.

When the meat is done, place it on a cutting bored and begin to pull the meat apart with a fork. This is how it becomes "pulled" pork! Once all the pork has been pulled, cover in your favorite BBQ sauce and mix the meat up so it is fully coated in sauce.

Traditional sides vary with pulled pork. I chose to go with macaroni and cheese, green beans, and of course Kings Hawaiian Rolls. You can't have a proper BBQ without Kings Hawaiian Rolls!

Macaroni and cheese is pretty simple. Boil some elbow macaroni according to package directions. While it is cooking, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a large sauce pan over, medium heat, melt half a cup of butter. Add half a cup of all purpose flour, a teaspoon of salt, and half a teaspoon of pepper. Once all that is mixed together, gradually add four cups of milk, bring to a boil and stir until smooth and thick. After that add four cups of shredded cheddar cheese and stir until it is all melted. Mix the cheese mixture into the noodles and scoop into a baking dish. Top the macaroni with crushed crackers for a nice crunchy topping. Let it bake for about thirty minutes.

While the mac n' cheese is baking you can make your green beans, this may be the easiest part of the entire meal! Take a can of your favorite style of green beans, I prefer Italian cut, and pour the contents into a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring the beans up to a boil and add salt and pepper to taste.

When the macaroni is finished, plate with a portion of each and don't forget your Kings Hawaiian Rolls! This plate is best served with a true american Whiskey!

What you need

Pork Shoulder or Butt
Macaroni noodles
Cheddar Cheese [shredded or you can shred your own]
BBQ sauce
Milk
Butter
Crackers
Green Beans
AP Flour
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Brown Sugar
Garlic Powder

USA, USA, USA!!!

Happy Independence Day everybody!!! Are you having a fourth of July get together or going to one or just want to celebrate with your family or not doing anything at all but want something to help make you feel patriotic? Then this is the perfect dessert for you! An Independence Day Trifle.

This can be made rather quickly the night before or the day of or the day after, if you forgot it was in the middle of the week this year. Grab your favorite brand of vanilla pudding and make some! I'd say about two packages worth. Let the pudding set over night and become nice and firm. Once the pudding has set, prepare your beautiful trifle dish, that you may have used once in your life, by putting a layer of pound cake fingers on the bottom. Top those with a layer of pudding and then a layer of sliced strawberries. On top of the strawberries you are going to put a small layer of pudding and then more fingers and then more pudding and strawberries. Repeat this process until you are about an inch from the top.

For the topping you will want to put a layer of whipped cream. Cool Whip would work, but making your own is so much better and very June Cleaver of you! To make your own combine 2 cups of heavy whipping cream with half a cup of white sugar. Beat the mixture until the cream forms stiff peaks. However, don't beat it too much or the cream will start to separate and you will have a watery mess that is not pleasant.

Top the last layer with the whipped cream. This should fill the trifle dish or even go slightly higher than the edge of the dish. On top of the whipped cream take blueberries and place them along the top. You can do fun designs here like putting circles or stars or chevron stripes across the top. Once the trifle is done, place it in the fridge for a few hours to fully chill and stiffen up.

Serve after delicious hot dogs and hamburgers have been consumed with your favorite beer. Happy 'Murica Day!!!

What you need

2 Packages Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix

Sliced Strawberries

Blueberries

Heavy Whipping Cream

Sugar

Pound Cake Fingers

Juicy Chicken Italiano

Have you ever baked chicken only for it to be dry, or chewy, or just unappetizing in general? Well, there are several ways to combat that. The best way is with a marinade! Just like the Purple Chicken recipe I posted earlier, marinades can completely change the flavor of chicken. However, marinades don't have to be as complicated as the one used there!

The easiest way to ensure your chicken is juicy and delicious is with a little bit of EVOO. If you want delicious and moist chicken you should make my "Juicy Chicken Italiano." It may change the way you view chicken for the rest of your life! But, don't worry, thats O.K.!

Place the chicken breasts in a large Ziploc and drizzle in a generous portion of EVOO. Top that with the Holy Herb Trinity [basil, thyme, oregano] and seal the bag while pushing as much air out as possible. Shake the bag up to evenly distribute the marinade over the pieces of chicken. Place the chicken into the refrigerator for a minimum of four hours while the EVOO penetrates into the meat.

After allowing the chicken to rest in the marinade for four hours, remove the chicken from the fridge. Place the chicken into a baking dish that is lightly greased. When the chicken is in the baking dish, take some fresh rosemary leaves and scatter them over the chicken. Place the chicken into a preheated oven at 400 degrees. Cook the chicken for thirty minutes, or until the juices run clear.

When I was looking through my fridge, pantry, and freezer for something to have as a side, I found mashed sweet potatoes! That sounds perfect!!! Now, these sweet potatoes were already mashed, and mixed, and deliciously prepared. But, here's how to make them from scratch! Bring a large pot of salted water up to a boil while you peel 4-5 large sweet potatoes and cut them into quarters. Once the water is boiling place the potatoes into the boiling water for fifteen minutes, or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes and place them into a large bowl with half a stick of butter, half a cup of cream and half a teaspoon of cinnamon. Mash the potatoes together with the ingredients until you have reached the consistency that you prefer.

After the chicken is cooked thoroughly, remove from oven. Place the chicken on to a cutting board and out of the baking dish to allow oils and juices to settle while you plate a serving of sweet potatoes. Once the chicken has rested for a few minutes, place the whole breast  on the plate opposite the potatoes.

This meal is a great option for families that are looking for something simple and delicious to cook and it pairs well with a sweet white wine, like Pinot Grigio!

What you need

Chicken

EVOO [Extra Virgin Olive Oil]

Holy Herb Trinity [basil, thyme, oregano]
Rosemary

Sweet Potatoes

Salt

Butter

Cream

Cinnamon

Potato masher [optional]

Tomato Soup Thats Mmmm, mmmmm Better Than Campbell's

So there are a TON of tomato soup recipes out there that call for a lot of unhealthy things like cream, butter, and over salted chicken stocks. Its just too much! I prefer my tomato soup to be simple and about the tomato, what a concept right?!? I truly believe that my tomato soup is better than any soup out on the market, granted that's my opinion, but now you can try it to!



I start with canned tomatoes, they are already diced and you don't have to deal with all that mess! Empty the canned, diced tomatoes into a blender, I use a Magic Bullet because, well, its awesome!
Puree the tomatoes until they are smooth and, well, pureed... In the Magic Bullet it should only be about ten seconds or so. Once they are pureed, put the mixture into a small sauce pan over medium heat.

When the soup is on the stove, grab the holy trinity of herbs; basil, oregano, and thyme. Put a few dashes of each herb into the soup and allow it to simmer together. While the soup is simmering add a few pinches of salt and pepper to taste. The soup shouldn't need to simmer more than five minutes to be heated all the way through.

Once the soup is fully heated, pour it into your favorite soup bowl and enjoy! [Hopefully with some of my Grilled Cheese Dippers!]

What you Need

Canned, diced tomatoes

Blender [Magic Bullet if you're cool]

Herb Trinity [basil, oregano, thyme]

Salt N' Pepper

Grilled Cheese Dippers

Don't you just love the combination of grilled cheese and tomato soup? Especially on a crisp cool day, or even just a day you don't want to leave the house! Well I do as well, but dipping a square sandwich into a round bowl is not the easiest thing to do. I usually eating the sandwich and soup separately and not getting to enjoy the magical flavor combination! Well not any more! This tip is so easy, I can't believe I didn't think of it as a child ...

Take your favorite type of loaf bread and cut the crusts off. I'm using a honey wheat bread because it is still healthy with a little sweet flavor. Next, flatten out the bread with a rolling pin, bottom of a clean skillet, or take out some frustration and use your hand and the counter [it can be pretty therapeutic]. Once the bread is flattened, take a cheese of your choice and place it on top of the bread. At this point you will want to get a skillet on the oven over medium heat. Put about a tablespoon or so of butter in the pan and let it melt down. While the butter is melting, roll up your cheese and bread combos into neat rolls. They're kind of like Swiss Cake Rolls, but cheesier!

Once the butter has melted, place the rolls in the skillet seam side down. Press firmly on the top of the rolls with a spatula, may want to use the dreaded metal spatula [the plastic ones tend to break when letting out frustrations]. Once the rolls are flattened out, throw the tomato soup into a small sauce pan over medium high heat.

Now, this next step is completely up to you, however, I can't just be happy with a simple tomato soup out of a Campbell's can. I have to spice it up! So, to my tomato soup, I like to add a few dashes of salt and pepper as well as a few dashes of basil, thyme, and oregano. These herbs add an extra layer of flavor that I believe canned tomato soup is missing, but, it's up to you!

Once the soup is on, flip the dippers over to brown the other side. You want them to be a perfect golden brown on each side. No more than 2 or 3 minutes on each side should be plenty of time to brown up! [don't forget to check your soup with a little stir!]

Once all your dippers are golden brown and the cheese is melty take them out of the skillet and arrange them on the plate in a "Pick-Up-Sticks" sort of stack. Stirring the soup one last time, to make sure it is heated all the way through, transfer the soup into your favorite soup bowl.

Turn on Sex and the City, Gilmore Girls, Mad Men, or my favorite 30 Rock, and enjoy the ease of a great, relaxing meal!

What you need

Loaf bread [4-6 slices]

Cheese [your favorite for grilled cheeses]

Butter

Tomato soup [Try my recipe!]

Basil

Thyme

Oregano

Salt

Pepper

Purple chicken!?!

Yeah... Purple chicken! It makes a great show for dinner and pairs well with a nice kale salad, or some other kind of healthy stuff. Now I know you're asking, "Why the hell is it PURPLE!?!" and I'll tell ya! Just wait!

But not too long, it's wine... Red wine. A marinade of sorts. I made it a few nights ago... But it sure looks awesome!!! I made the marinade out of wine I opened a few weeks ago, can't drink it, might as well cook with it! And I know the worries, people say use wine to cook a few days after opening, but weeks are fine to. Now I highly recommend against drinking said wine, unless you are wanting a horrible tasting ipecac type liquid to painfully slide down your throat. Always remember, the taste of wine changes after cooking, it gets sweeter, more mild, more delicate.

I chose a few things that seemed to pair well. At least they smelled good. I don't measure so I can't tell you exactly how much I added but this isn't baking, use your judgment.  It's easy too, I just threw it all in a large Tupperware container, put a lid on it and put it in the fridge. With homemade marinades, I have learned it is best to make them and let them rest for a day or so to allow time for all the flavored to fully marry. And being in the plastic container you can easily mix with a few shakes!

When its been a day or two, two max, pull the marinade and meat out in the am. I recommend chicken but this 'nade works with steak too. Place the meat in a large plastic zipper bag and pour the 'nade over the top. I also like to add an onion for flavor, I use yellow onions. Add this the day of so its not too pungent! Place the bag in the fridge for 4-8 hours, or until you can't wait any longer and you're ready to cook. The longer the meat rests the better the shade of purple it turns! 

Once the meat has time to rest in the marinade; preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat the bottom of a baking dish with extra virgin olive oil and place the chicken in the dish. Place the chicken in the oven and cook for 30-45 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, lets work on our side dish! This meal pairs well with any vegetable, like most things, but I'm going to make a light kale salad with it. I enjoy making kale salads because it's not a typical salad. I buy my kale frozen because kale is bitter unless cooked and frozen is cheeper. Place the frozen kale in a medium sauté pan over medium high heat. cover and let steam and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Once the kale has fully cooked down I like to drizzle a little balsamic vinaigrette over the top. I am using a pomegranate flavored balsamic vinaigrette, but any will do.

Now, back to the chicken, you won't be able to do a standard check to see if the chicken is done because the juices will always run purple. So, after 30 minutes, cut a small sliver in the middle of the thickest piece and pull open enough to see in. If it looks smooth and rubbery, place it back in the oven. If it looks like done chicken should look then "HOORAH!" it's time to plate!!!

Plating this is pretty fun! Take the chicken out of the baking dish and place it onto a cutting board. Slice the chicken into thin pieces and allow the juices to settle before placing on the plate. While the juices settle in the chicken, place a serving of kale directly in the middle of the plate. After letting the chicken rest for a minute or two, place the chicken slices around the kale center piece. This will show off the purple color of the chicken with a nice dark green background.

Pair with your favorite white wine and enjoy!

What you need

2-3 Chicken breasts [depending on how many people you're serving]

Day to week old red wine [hopefully you enjoyed at least one glass of it]

Garlic paste

Lemon juice

Salt

Yellow Onion

Frozen kale

Balsamic vinaigrette [flavored or not, your choice]

Lobster Ravioli ... Oh la la!!!

Yeah! Lobster Ravioli! Classy shit huh? Well before you expect me to teach you how to make noodles and stuff them and ravioli and all that, don't. Remember, I'm not a professional ...

BUT! Publix had a two for one special on some semi-made lobster ravioli! So all I have to do is boil it and its ready to go, technically. But I cant just do that! I have to make it my own with my own sauces and blends of seasonings. Also, I'm going to put some awesome super healthy asparagus with it!

I've been told before that asparagus is a difficult vegetable to cook... I was shocked when I heard this. It's one of my favorites to cook because of the ease! All you have to do is cut of about an inch from the bottom, place it in a skillet with some water over medium heat, cover, and steam. I like to add a little salt for flavoring. I've also added butter but that takes away some of the "healthiness" of the asparagus. It doesn't take long. You really only need to steam it for about ten minutes or so, just until they bend a little without breaking.

The ravioli is pretty simple to cook. Boil a pot of water over high heat. The pot size depends on how much ravioli you're making, but remember you can't boil in too much water. Once the water is boiling then put the ravioli in and season with salt. Bring back to a boil and boil and lower the temp to medium high for about five minutes or until the ravioli are tender. When the ravioli are done pour them in a strainer to drain all the water. Cool the pot down with cold water, dump out the cold water, and replace the ravioli in the pot if you're not planning on using a serving dish. If you are putting the ravioli in a serving dish then just throw that pot in the sink!

The sauce I used was pretty basic. I had a jar of marinara sauce in the pantry that needed to be used. I poured that into a small sauce pot to heat it up. I added a few dashes of basil, about a teaspoon of mashed garlic, and some cheese. I prefer a cheese like parmesan or mozzarella, but all I had was white cheddar. It worked though, the goal of adding cheese to a marinara sauce is to give it an extra level of flavor and the creamy texture. I added about half a cup of shredded cheese, but I have yet to find an amount of cheese that was too much.

The sauce should be used rather conservatively. You don't want the flavor of the sauce to over power the flavor of the ingredients inside the ravioli pouches. The best thing to do, if you're not using a serving dish, is to place five or six ravioli pouches on a plate and drizzle a small amount of sauce over the top. The ravioli are still traumatized by almost drowning in the pot and don't want to have to relive that experience on the plate! If you are using a serving plate you should do ravioli and sauce in layers, do a layer of ravioli and a layer of sauce and repeat. Be gentle, the pouches are fragile and you don't want all those delicious insides to go spilling out.

Plating is pretty simple. The ravioli are already on there so now you just need to add the asparagus. Take a few stalks and place them opposite the ravioli. Make sure all the juices are drained off the asparagus because asparagus water doesn't do great things to other parts of your meal. Once its all plated you can present the beautifully colored meal to your fellow diners, or Instagram if you dine alone!

Pair with your favorite red wine and enjoy!

What You Need

Store bought lobster ravioli [any brand will work]

Basic marinara sauce

Dried basil

Garlic Paste

White cheese [preferably mozzarella or parmesan]

Fresh asparagus

Salt