low fat enchiladas

Ingredients:

Enchilada Filling:

8 low carb burrito sized tortillas
2 chicken breasts, lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, cooked and chopped
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup non-fat sour cream
1/2 cup medium spicy salsa
1/2 cup shredded low-fat 4 Mexican cheese

Enchilada Sauce:

3/4 cup medium spicy salsa
1/4 cup non-fat sour cream
1/4 cup shredded low-fat 4 Mexican cheese

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Spray a 9×13 inch-baking dish with non-stick spray
3. In a nonstick skillet, spray with non-stick spray, add onion and peppers, lightly season with salt and pepper, cook until onions are golden brown
4. In a large bowl, mix veggies with cup sour cream, chicken, and cheese and salsa
5. Spread 1/4 cup chicken mixture in the middle of each tortilla and roll into a small burrito. Place seam down into baking dish
6. In a small bowl, mix remaining salsa, sour cream, and cheese, spread over the top of the enchiladas
7. Place foil over dish and bake for 20 minutes

honey-ginger chicken

It’s important to get a good char on the chicken, I suggest grilling over coals or extreme high heat on a gas grill.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons honey
1 pound chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks

Directions:

1. Whisk all of the ingredients except chicken
2. Place in a zip top bag and add chicken, marinate for at least 4 hours ( overnight is best)
3. Place chicken on skewers
4. Grill over high heat, serve over rice with grilled pineapple<

couscous with pistachio-lemon vinaigrette

I loved this, my wife gave it a meh. This vinaigrette would also be awesome over pork or as a salad dressing.

Adapted from Cooking Light magazine
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons pistachio, ground
2 tablespoons Parmesan, grated
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup uncooked couscous

Directions:
1. In a large bowl whisk together all of the ingredients except couscous and chicken stock
2. Meanwhile, in a small pot, bring chicken stock to a boil
3. Once boiling, add couscous, cover and remove from heat
4. After five minute, remove lid and fluff couscous with a fork
5. Add couscous to vinaigrette and evenly coat
6. Serve warm or cold

asian coleslaw

Now that you’ve found your paradise

This is your Kingdom to command

You can go outside and polish your car

Or sit by the fire in your Shangri-la

Here is your reward for working so hard

Gone are the lavatories in the back yard

Gone are the days when you dreamed of that car

You just want to sit in your Shangri-la

“Shangri-la” by the Kinks

Its finally warm outside! Now, go forth and have a party.  Serve this at the aforementioned barbecue…

This is one of the rare occurrences that I like to use the crushed ginger and garlic from the jar, it works for this recipe.

Ingredients:

Veggies for slaw:

1 green cabbage, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
½ red cabbage, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
2 cups of carrots, shredded
8 green onions, thinly sliced, green part only
½ cup of cilantro, chopped

For dressing:

6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons crushed ginger
11/2 tablespoons crushed garlic
2 teaspoons Sriracha hot sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Place the prepared vegetables in a large bowl
2. Whisk ingredients for the dressing together, add to the vegetables
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours

bul

I got a gal, named Sue,

She knows just what to do

I’ve been to the east, I’ve been to the west,

But she’s the gal

That I love the best

“Tutti Frutti” by Little Richard

This drink went over pretty well at my Memorial Day partay. It’s great for warm summer days or whatever you call this crap weather we’ve been experiencing in the Bay Area.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 limes, halved and juiced
2 Red Stripe beers
2 ginger beers

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a pitcher, serve over ice

mint julep

The Tennessee stud was long and learn

The color of the sun and his were green

He had the nerve and he had the blood

And there never was a hoss like the Tennessee stud

“Tennessee Stud” by Doc Watson

Its derby day, time to have a julep and watch the horsies! Simple syrup is equal parts water and sugar heated in a small pot until combined and then cooled. To make the crushed ice, place 1 cup of cubed ice in a tea towel, wrap it up and beat it senseless with a wooden spoon.

Ingredients:

2 oz. bourbon
½ oz. simple syrup
6 mint leaves plus more for garnish
Crushed ice

Directions:

1. Place bourbon, syrup and mint leaves at the bottom of a Tom Collins glass, muddle with the handle end of a wooden spoon (or a muddler fancy pants)
2. Add crushed ice and stir
3. Garnish with mint

pasta carbonara

Mathematically turning the page

Unequivocally showing my age

I’m practically center stage

Undeniably earning your wage

Well maybe I’ll put my love on ice

And teach myself, maybe that’ll be nice, yeah

“Black Math” by The White Stripes

Bacon, bacon, bacon, I love bacon! Use a broad noodle that can really soak up all of that great sauce.

Ingredients:

3/4 pound fettucini pasta
2 eggs, kept at room temperature
4 oz. fresh parmesan, grated with microplane
8 oz bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
4 oz. mushrooms, cut into 1/8 inch slices
Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine eggs and cheese, mix with a fork
2. In a medium pan, add oil, cook over medium heat
3. Add bacon and cook until dark brown and crispy
4. Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds
5. Add mushrooms and wine, cook until liquid is reduced by half
6. Meanwhile, cook pasta in lightly salted water, drain and add to egg/cheese mixture, stir
7. Mix in mushroom/bacon mixture into egg/cheese mixture
8. Season with salt and pepper

pork rinds

Yeah when you call my name

I salivate like a Pavlov dog

Yeah when you lay me out

My heart is bumpin’ louder than a big bass drum, alright

“Bitch” by The Rolling Stones

When getting a whole pork belly from a butcher, usually the skin is still on.  In order to make bacon the skin must be trimmed off.  In the past, I have just tossed the skin but this time I decided to make some pork rinds. No need for seasoning after, the brine was salty enough.

Ingredients:

Pork skin, cut into 2 inch rectangles
1 gallon water plus more
¼ cup salt
½ red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons black pepper corns
3 bay leaves

Directions:

1. In a large pot, bring all of the ingredients to a boil, reduce to simmer, cook for two hours, replenish the water about half way through back to its original level
2. Place pork skin on a wire rack and place in the refrigerator over night
3. Heat deep fryer to 375 F
4. Fry pork skin until dark golden brown about 8-10 minutes
5. Let cool on paper towel and eat

spiced almonds

Sometimes I think I’m gonna lose my mine

But it don’t look like I ever do

I’ve loved so many people everywhere I went

Some too much, and others not enough

“Another Man’s Done Gone” by Billy Bragg and Wilco

Some spiced nuts to watch the end of the Masters. While it does kinda suck to scrape the caramelized sugar off the baking sheet, it is worth it.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon water
1 egg white
1 pound unsalted almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 F
2. Combine water and egg white in a large bowl whisk until foamy
3. Add almonds to egg foam and stir to make sure all almonds are evenly coated, place in colander and rest for 5 minutes
4. Combine the sugar and all of the spices in a large bowl add almonds and toss until evenly coated
5. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray, spread almonds in one layer over sheet
6. Bake for 15 minutes, stir the almonds and reduce the heat to 275 F
7. Bake for 40 more minutes, stirring every 10 minutes
8. Remove from oven and break apart any clusters

curried egg salad

Peggy Day stole my poor heart away

Turned my skies to blue from gray

Love to spend the night with Peggy Day

“Peggy Day” by Bob Dylan

What to do with those eggs that you now know how to boil?

Makes four sandwiches or wraps

Ingredients:

6 hard boiled eggs, cut in half
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon madras curry powder
1/2-1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (to taste)
2 teaspoons yellow mustard (hot dog mustard, not dry)
About 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Mash all of the ingredients with a fork