Greek Steak

What you will need:

Steak I have used Ribeye and New York Strip. We have had best results with the thin cut steaks approx 1/2" thick, the thicker steaks tend to take away from all the other flavors that are in this recipe.

Half a lemon per steak being cooked

3/4 cup to 1 cup Pitted Kalamata Olives roughly chopped (these are a bear to chop so you will need a sharp knife)

4 oz.Crumbled Feta cheese

Olive oil

Dry or fresh basil

Preparation:

Marinade mix olive oil and basil. if using dry basil  I would guess I use about 2 tsp. of dry basil and a 1/4 cup of oil.

Marinate steaks in olive oil basil mix for about a 1/2 hour.  Remove steaks from marinade and pour marinade into a large frying pan. Make sure the pan is large enough for there to be space between the steaks.  If the steaks are to close to one another they will not fry up as well.  If you don't have a large enough pan fry the steaks seperately.  It is ok to make more of the olive oil basil mix if needed. Heat oil and pan fry the steaks to desired doneness (remember steaks will continue to cook for about 5 to 10 minutes once they have been removed from the pan)  Allow steaks to rest for that 5 to 10 minutes.

While steaks are marinating mix chopped olives and feta cheese, mix well to get a uniform olive and cheese mixture.

Once steaks are done resting, smother the steaks with olive and feta cheese mixture and squeeze half a lemon over each steak and serve. Make sure to watch for the lemon seeds they like to snuggle into the cheese mixture and hide and then it is one ugly bite for your unlucky diner.

This meal goes great with a rice pilaf and a steamed vegetable. 

Your first bite of steak will be a flavor explosion and you might even think what the hell is this, but give it another bite and another and soon it will be gone and you will be wondering if Greek steak would be ok to have for dinner two nights in a row.  Corinne after her first bite was not sure if she was a fan, but she is a trooper and took another bite and then another and now we find ourselves craving Greek steaks.

Make sure your sides are low on the flavor side there is so much flavor in the steak you don't want to overload your senses. Thank you Corinne.

This will yield approximately 3 to 4 8oz. steaks.

Pictured with white rice and steamed carrot medley.

Spanish Rice goes great with the Fish Tostadas

What you will need:

2 1/2 cups of rice
2 cups water
2 beef bullion cubes
1 Can of stewed diced tomatoes
1 Can of corn drained
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Cumin (you might have noticed this is one of my favorite seasonings)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper


Preparation:

In a saute pan add about 2 tbs. of olive oil and heat.  Add rice to hot oil and stir it around for a bit, once some of the rice begins to brown slightly add the can of diced tomatoes and stir.  The pan is going to be angry at this time so be careful not to get splashed by hot oil or tomato bits, add water and allow things to settle down.  Once water is boiling reduce to simmer.  Add drained corn, garlic and onion powder(season to taste or replace with the real stuff a 1/4 onion chopped and 2 garlic cloves chopped), add approx 1/2 a tsp. of cumin.  Unwrap bullion cubes and with your thumb and fingers crush them into a powder and add to the pan stir, cover and let simmer stirring occasionally. Taste the broth after is has had some time to mingle with all the flavors in the pan and then add salt and pepper to your taste. Taste the rice as it appears to be getting done and make sure the crunch is gone, if your water is low and the rice is still crunchy add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water.  If the opposite happens and your rice is done and there is still an excess amount of water in the pan uncover and let water evaporate, again stirring occasionally.  The rice will want to stick to the pan if you don' keep an eye on it.

Fish Tostadas (A bit involved but well worth your efforts)

What you will need:

5 to 6 Talapia (or like fish) fillets

Corn Tortillas

2- 15oz cans Great Northern Beans (Navy Beans) Drained and Rinsed

2 to 3 Fresh Jalapenos Diced (depending on how spicy your pallet is and the quality of the jalapenos in your area)

2 cloves garlic minced

1 medium yellow or white onion diced

1/2 head cabbage cut into strips about an 1/8" wide

2 large limes or lemons ( I have tried both lemon and lime I prefer the lemon but you be the judge you might like Lime better)

Pinch Crushed Red Pepper

1/4 tsp. Black Pepper ( I usually pour about a dime size circle in my hand of pepper and that's what I add, I assume it would be close to a 1/4 tsp)

1/2 tsp. Cumin ( again I pour into my hand this one I pour about or just bigger than a nickle size circle)

1 1/2 cups of white wine (doesn't have to be expensive stuff here but it does need to be drinkable I mean you’re only taking a little out of the bottle the rest goes to the cook)

Preparation:

Thaw and rinse fish, cut into bite size chunks (1 1/2 " x 1 1/2" is a good size)

In a small bowl mix Cumin, Crushed red pepper, black pepper, minced garlic, 3 to 4 tbs. of olive oil and the juice from 1 and half of the lime or lemon (keep the left over half we will be using that in a minute) Mix well and pour over fish .  Marinade for approx. 30 minutes, any longer and the fish will start to cook in the lime juice. 

Put cabbage strips in a bowl season lightly with black pepper and squeeze the other half of the lemon or lime over the cabbage and let sit.

In a sauté pan heat about 1 to 1 1/2 tbs. of olive oil and add onion.  Sauté onion for about 5 minutes and add Jalapenos cook for another 5 minutes or so and then add beans and wine.  Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes stirring occasionally.  When wine is almost completely reduced you’re going get out your trusty potato masher and you are going to mash the beans a little. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

When you are about half way through your bean mix put the fish in the broiler.  You can grill the fish as well.  I have tried it both ways grilling is a bit more tedious and I have always gotten better results by broiling the fish. Broil the fish till it is a nice golden color and the edges are crispy.  Make sure to rotate the pan the fish is on.  For some reason all broilers I have ever used cook really uneven.  So rotate the pan to assure all the fish is getting nice and crispy.  Use caution though broilers go from not done to over done real quick.

In a frying pan put enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan and heat on medium.  Once oil is hot, start frying your corn tortillas flipping from side to side.  As they are frying season lightly with salt or not it is up to you.  Fry tortillas to a crispy golden brown. Place on a plate to allow excess oil to drain.  Placing a paper towel on the plate will absorb the oil and make clean up easier.

Now to make you Fish Tostada:

Using a spoon smear your fried tortilla with the bean mix, spread it out evenly to the edges of the tortilla, with your fingers or a fork place several pieces( depending on size of fish I usually put 5 to 6 pieces) of fish on the bean paste and tortilla mix and top with cabbage.

Should yeild about 7 to 8 tostadas.

Baked Potato Casserole

Ever been to Dickie's? If you haven't you need to get there, great food.  They have a Baked Potato Casserole that is just too good.  With the being said and my love of a challenge I created my own version of it.

What you will need:

8 to 10 med. to large Potatoes, depending on time I have substituted instant mashed potatoes as well and it was just as good.
8 oz. block of Medium or Sharp Cheddar Cheese
16 oz.Sour Cream
Milk
Butter
1- 16oz.  package Bacon (we use turkey bacon cause it is better for you but with the other ingredients it is more the idea that it is better for you it just makes not feel as guilty)
Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Fry bacon and allow to cool then crumble into small pieces.

If you are using real potatoes, prepare them as you would if you were making mashed potatoes.  If using instant I usually make 8 servings which will fill a 13 x 9 casserole dish (follow instructions on box)

Once potatoes are done, drained and mashed add half a stick(or a full stick your choice) of butter and about a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk.  Mix thoroughly.

Add bacon crumbles, sour cream, salt and pepper (to taste) and mix again.

While you are doing all this find that lucky person who is good at grating cheese and have them grate the entire 8 oz. block.

Take a couple of handfuls of cheese and mix into potato mixture and pour into casserole dish smooth out to even thickness.   Cover the potatoes with the remaing cheese.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 1/2 an hour or until hot throughout and cheese on top is melted.

Excellent side dish, typically this is the first empty dish at the BBQ pot lucks.

Found some fish in the freezer!

What you will need:

You will need fish (of course) I used Talapia,1/2 onion, 4 tbs. olive oil,3 tbs. soy sauce, 2 tbs. lime juice (fresh or the little green plastic one we all have for mixing drinks), 1 tsp. oregano,1/2 tsp. cumin,three heaping tbs. flour,1/2 tsp. black pepper and 1/2 tsp. paprika.  (All the above measurements are approximations at best, I am really more of a dump and go type cook) 

Preperation:

Thaw fish, rinse and put in a bowl or caserol dish deep enough for it to mairnate.

Mix olive oil, soysauce, lime juice, oregano and cumin in a small bowl, mix well with a wisk or some other stirring type device. When throughly mixed pour over fish.  Marinate fish for 30 to 45 minutes, do not leave in marinade to long as the lime juice will start to cook the fish.

While fish is marinating cut onion into 1/4" slices. Pour olive oil in your favorite frying pan, add onion to oil and saute till it is the consistancy of say an onion ring softness(olive oil should be between 1/8" to 1/4" deep inthe bottom of the pan).  Some of the onion will start blacken on the edges it is ok, makes them taste better.  I should know I really don't like onion.  Well raw onion anyway.

While onion is cooking mix flour black pepper and paprika on a plate.

When onion is done remove it from the frying pan and set aside (do not discard onion).

Take your fish and dredge it through the flour mix, get a good coating on both sides and then place in same frying pan you cooked the onion in. You want to plan this so after the onion is removed from the pan you do not have to turn the heat off on the oil. Keep the oil at a medium heat so as not to scorch your fish. Cook fish for 5 to 7 minutes on each side maybe less maybe more depending on size of filet. Remove cooked fish from the pan place on a plate and allow excess oil to drain.

Remember the onions we cooked place several slices over the fish and serve.

Serve with rice or fresh veggies the side is up to you.

The above measurements made 5 pieces of fish. I know fried foods are not great for us but we are using olive oil and onion is good for the heart!

Here it is!

At the constant urging of my wife Corinne (she calls it scooching) and a few friends I have decided to start a place where I can share my recipes I have created over the years. I enjoy cooking, it is what I do to relax.  Most people get flustered when cooking for a large group, I on the other hand willingly take the challenge and with a few cold beers in the fridge and the right ingredients the kitchen becomes mine.  Don't get me wrong I do enjoy company in the kitchen while I'm cooking but don't be surprised if you end up doing stuff like peeling garlic or grating cheese, I am not afraid to delegate out a few tasks.  Especially the ones I hate like peeling garlic and grating cheese.  Corinne on the other hand is an awesome cheese grater and garlic peeler.  But as she is helping I always make sure her wine glass is full and she gets to taste test the food before it is served.  In our house I am the cook an Corinne is the baker.  Corinne can make some awesome cookies, cakes you name it if has sugar in it Corinne has got it covered.

I have been interested in cooking for as long as I can remember.  As a kid I would do things like put pepperoni on a ham sandwich with a little provolone, and really feel accomplished like I had just invented the wheel.  By the way that is a pretty good sandwich, throw it in the micro wave for a few minutes and lunch.  When my mom allowed me to start using the stove I mastered scrambled eggs.  I made scrambled eggs with cheese, ham, hot dogs what ever i could find in the fridge was going in those eggs.  A particular favorite back then was scrambled eggs with cayenne pepper.  I picked up the basics of cooking from watching my family as I was growing up.  Now I am addicted to the food network and like shows.  I am not your typical follow the recipe type cook.  I kind of create as I go, but once I hit on something really good I make a mental note of it, but unfortunately the mental notes tend to get a bit mixed up.  Which brings us to this blog.  I have on occasion or Corinne often will post pictures of dinner on face book and friends inevitably ask how I made that or they want the recipe.  Well here you go I will be posting some pretty tasty dishes for you to share with your family and friends.

A few things to consider when cooking,YOU are your worst critic, if you don't like it chances are no one will like it.  I will often use the term Season to taste, if someone likes it a bit hotter they can add pepper at the dinner table.

* A special note to my smoking friends.  As a smoker I know for a fact our taste buds are dulled by the smoking and we tend to over season foods because we can't get that full taste affect.  But seasoning the food to our taste will chase others off.

So without further adieu please try any of the recipes I have posted.  If you have any questions please feel free to ask, I will be more than happy to help in anyway.