Italian Cooking is Easy

Cooking Risotto is like our Relationship with the LORD?

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 01:44:00 +0000

Great question? Or just me spending too much time thinking about things that are way to deeo? In the next two or three days I will post my recipe for Risotto ... and while I am preparing to write this recipe down and taking the pics for this post ... I am thinking about my relationship with the LORD. In order to make a great Risotto you have to be patient and work the flavors into the rice as you cook it. This takes a lot of time and heat. The heat and the moisture make the rice absorb the liquid that surrounds the rice. If you heat the rice up too hot then it will not absorb the liquid because the liquid will evaporate. If you keep the temperature too low then the rice will not absorb any liquid at all and the rice will not cook.

The LORD keeps us over the heat just enough so that we absorb the lesson he is trying to teach us ... he does not turn up the heat too much so we do not burn ... he knows just how high we can handle the heat ... sometimes we are a bit "thick-headed" and the LORD pulls us off the heat until we are ready to learn his lessons. Funny thing is while we are sitting off the stove just waiting for the LORD to deal with us ... we think this is where we are supposed to be ... we think that this is successful for us ... no stress ... no issues ... no challenges ... but when the LORD puts us back over the flame that is when we absorb the "flavors" of life and learn the lessons that the LORD has in mind for us.

So think about it this week ... does the LORD have you over the heat now? Are you ready to absorb the flavors of life? What lesson is he trying to teach you? We will talk Risotto later this week ...

Ciao,
Mark

How Long has it Been?

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Fri, 25 May 2007 02:10:00 +0000

I know ... I can not believe that it has been this long since I have blogged. It is kind of funny that I would even think of this. Last night I went to a soccer practice/tryout for my son Nyan ... he is our 17 year old that we adopted several years ago. So I go to make sure all of the paperwork is taken care of ... well he is a boy and a teenager ... so the likelyhood that he would do it correctly is ... well ... slim at best. So I am filling out paperwork and talking to a very helpful woman with a "shorty" t-shirt on. Obvious from her control of the entire situation that she is in charge even if she does not have the title at the company she is working with. She helps with my paperwork takes my check and does it all with a smile. Great Service ... end of story ... right?

NO ... so tonight my friend Marybeth calls and tells me about a friend of hers that used to love to read my blog. Well it turns out that this firend of Marybeth's also has a t-shirt with "Shorty" on it and was signing up kids at a soccer tryout the night before ... can you believe it I meet in person one of the only people that used to read my blog! It must be a sign for me to keep writing. So this is a start. I will try to keep writing ... and telling you how and what I am cooking.

Take care and thank you for being so patient!

Oh ... Hi Marybeth ... and you too Shorty!

Ciao, Mark

Puffy Pancake

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 13:58:00 +0000

I have got to tell you that one of the most exciting recipes we make for breakfast is the "puffy pancake." Yes, I said exciting, because the kids love the way this looks when it comes out of the oven. This recipe is a regular in my house and very simple as my two boys will make it once a week. It usually will feed 3-4 people assuming that you have two growing boys like I do. I hope that you will take a minute to try it this weekend.

Puffy Pancake

3 tablespoons butter

4 Eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup milk

/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Beat the eggs, milk and vanilla in a large bowl. Then add the flour, sugar and salt and beat well with a wisk. Yes, you are trying to eliminate the lumps. So beat it until it is smooth.

Once the oven has reached temperature put the 13" x 9" glass pan in the oven with the butter in the pan. I like to use butter right out of the refrigerator so that it take a little longer to melt. One of the things we are trying to do here is to get the pan very hot while we melt the butter. Keep and eye on the butter in the pan, once it melts and starts to turn a little brown the pan is ready. At this point slide the pan out of the oven and add the pancake mixture. Return the pan immediately to the oven. Now cook the pancake for about 12-14 minutes. You will see the pancake "PUFF" up along the sides and possible in the middle well over the edge of the pan ... do not worry this is what the kids want to see.

Remove the pancake form the oven and sprinkle with the confectioners sugar. You can serve it plain or with some maple syrup.

Enjoy this one ...

Ciao, Mark

Oprah Show ...

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 17:54:00 +0000

You can see pictures of my family and some of our friends on the Oprah Show!

OK, I have not said anything in here about this ... but last week my family and our friend were on the Oprah Show. Can you believe it? Neither can I. We were on the show to talk about the adoption of our oldest son, who is from Liberia, West Africa. The story has gotten alot of legs ... with articles in Readers Digest, USA Today, O Magazine and many others. Being on Oprah was a great experience. We got to share our story and how we were asked by GOD to do what we did. When the show was on TV (Jan 29, 2007) they left all the information about GOD in the show! My e-mail has been flooded with people from all over the country wanting to tell us what a great thing we did ... but I have to tell you that ... we are normal and we only did what we were asked. The reality is, that we were not capable, we did not have the moeny and we did not have the room for an adoption ... but with GOD all things are possible ... and now we are a family of five ... or maybe more like 85 ...

I hope you saw the show ... if you did not ... well I may just have an extra copy ...

Thank you for reading,

Mark

Great Cook Book for Kids!!!

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 15:40:00 +0000

My son got the Emeril LaGasse Cook Book, There's a Chef in My Soup, for Christmas this year. It is a cookbook for kids. I was a little suspect about getting a cookebook for kids for him ... not because I do not want him to cook. More because I wanted to make sure that what Dominic was going to be cooking would be edible for the rest of us. This is a MAJOR concern for many of the cookbooks out for kids. Well to my suprise this is a GREAT COOKBOOK!

Dominic has made several of the recipes from this book so far. All ... and I mean ALL of the recipes we have made were great to eat. Dominic enjoyed making them much more than even I had anticipated. So if you are looking for a great cookbook to buy for one of your kids ... I highly recomend this one. If you want to sample on o0f his recipes ... just follow the link below to see his recipe for Emeril's Favorite French Toast Recipe. It is a great breakfast and again, the kids love making it and "treating" Mom & Dad.

http://www.famousfoods.com/emsfavfrento.html

Have a great day ... and enjoy time with your family in the kitchen,

Mark

Beef & Cheese Enchilada's

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 00:02:00 +0000

This is a great recipe for the winter months. It is easy to make and it is VERY easy to make more the one batch. Usually I like to say ... serve with something else ... but not this time ... this one can stand on it's own.

Beef & Cheese Enchilada's

3/4 Pound Ground Beef (Ground Turkey or Chicken work just as well)
2 tablespoons olive oil.
1 medium yellow onion, chopped.
1 clove garlic, crushed

1 large can enchilada sauce (24 ounces)
2 cups rice, cooked.
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed.
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 cups grated mild cheddar cheese
15 - 20 soft corn tortillas

Heat skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and then saute the chopped onions and garlic for about 2 minutes, until tender. Add the ground beef and saute till browned. Remove from heat and drain the fat from the meat. Combine the ground beef, rice, black beans and cilantro. Toss mixture till combined.

Pour about half of a can of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan. Take 4-6 of the tortillas at a time and heat them in the microwave for about 30-45 second until they are warm and easy to roll. Start by laying out one warm tortilla, add about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture and 1 tablespoon of the cheese and then roll up the tortilla and place in the 13 x 9 pan with the seam down. (This will hold the enchilada together.) Repeat this until the pan is filled. Pour the remainder of the enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with sour cream and hot sauce.

Enjoy ...

Is this a special recipe???

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 14:17:00 +0000

Really ... you want to ask ... is this a special recipe? In truth it is not a special recipe. But the meal IS considered special. You see it is not always those special "meals" we make, but, as I have said before, it is who we are inviting to eat with us! So in this recipe we are making Buttermilk Pancakes ... for my kids!

So what makes this recipe special is really the fact that I got help making the pancakes from Sophie and then heard the kids "loving" the pancakes for breakfast. This is the best way to start a day ... with my kids smiles around the table. So take some time to cook with your family ... you will love the memories you are creating.

Buttermilk Pancakes:
(Adapted from The Joy of Cooking)

1 1/2 Cup Flour (not packed)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Put all the dry ingredients in a ziplock plastic bag and then shake it to mix. I use the bag so that I do not have to wash anything and I can save it for the next time I am making pancakes or waffles.

1 1/2 cup butter milk
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all of the wet ingredients in a large bowl with a wisk or a fork. Once the wet ingredients are combined then pour in the mixed dry ingredients and stir until combined. Let the batter stand for about five minutes while you heat up the griddle or pan that you are using. Keep in mind that the heavier the pan the better ... then the pancakes will cook better. Cook on a medium heat so they do not burn. Serve with warm syrup.

Sit with your kids while they are eating and talk about their plans and hopes for the day ...

Enjoy ... Mark

Happy New Year

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 12:27:00 +0000

OK, I know that I have not been around much lately. I am sorry for that. While I love to cook and I really enjoy telling others about what I am cooking and teaching them easy ways to cook as well, Life has Happened around me! I would love to tell you (if there is anyone left reading this) that I would continue to write on a regular basis ... but I am not sure if I can.

I will make sure that in the next few weeks I am working to make "blogging" easier and more convienent for me ... this way I will blog more often. (is this a Resolution?) So with all that said ... I would like to be the first to say, Happy New Year to all who ready my blog ... thank you for your comments this year ... I look forward to getting back on track with my blog and with you!

Talk to you soon,
Mark

Tacos, Beef or Pork

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 17:18:00 +0000

Tacos, Beef or Pork

5-7 pounds of pork-butt or beef roast. (I usually use the lowest cost roast possible for this recipe ... since we are cooking it in a crockpot it will always come out tender and tasty.)

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
1 small onion chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt (I like to use sea salt)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 can enchalada sauce - 12 oz can

Turn a large crockpot on high. Put the olive oil in the bottom of the crock pot and coat the bottom. Add the garlic and the chopped onions. Mix the cumin, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. You can sprinkle or rub half of the dry mix on half of the roast. Place the roast, seasoned side down, in the crock pot on top of the onions. Sprinkle or rub the remaining dry ingredient mix on the top of the roast. Pour the enchalada sauce in the crock pot on the side of the roast. Now the hard part ... walk away for four to two hours then turn the crock pot down to low. I know the roast is done in four but I usually cook it for over 6 hours. About fifteen minutes before you are going to eat remove the roast and use two forks to shred the roast. You can add some of the liquid back over the shredded roast to keep it moist if you like. We like the meat dry, so we do not add any liquid before the meat hits the table.

We put on the table the following toppings:

Salsa ... homemade sales recipe later this week!
Hot Sauce
Chopped Onions
Flour or Corn Tortillas (that I warm in the oven in aluminum foil)
Preformed Corn Taco Shells (use the preformed shells to make things easier)
Sour Cream
Shredded Cchedder Cheese or Taco Cheese Mixture
Chopped Lettuce
Chopped Fresh Cilantro
Refried Beans (warmed in a heavy pan on the stove)

You get the idea ... these is one of those make it early and enjoy it without much work dinners. Spread everything on the table and let everyone make their own tacos ... this is the most requested dinner in our house ... I hope that it will be in yours as well. Here are some pictures of the last time we made beef tacos.

Ciao, Mark

Penne Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 16:20:00 +0000

Hi Gang! I know ... I am kind of an on again off again blogger at the moment. So I will first start there ... WHY? Well in recent months I have started a new career in sales. I have sold, for over 20 years, Factory Automation Products used in manufacturing companies in the southeast. In March of this year I went to work for a company that sells Office Furniture. This has been, and continues to be, a big adjustment. So at night, when I should be blogging, I am trying to learn what I am supposed to do for a living! As I feel I am becoming more proficient at what I do for a living I will blog more. Wow, that just sounds like a long-winded excuse to me!

Tomatoes

So lets talk about an easy recipe for dinner any night. I made this recipe on Saturday Night when our family got to spend time with Marybeth. (In the photo from left to right it is me, Cindy and Marybeth.) She is a wonderful blogging friend of ours that we can never seem to spend enough time with. Visit Marybeth's Blog here. She does a great job talking about Motherhood, Homeschooling and Life as a strong Christian Woman. Anyway, Marybeth called and asked me to make a recipe from the back of a box of Mueller's Penne Pasta. I have to tell you (and you Marybeth) that I NEVER buy Mueller's Pasta because it is just too Non-Italian to me! Talk about a guy with a complex! Also, no one ever tells me what to bring because they expect me to bring something good! So here Marybeth is inviting us for dinner and telling me what to make with Mueller's Pasta ... the nerve! So I went to the store and bought the pasta and took everything over to Marybeth's house and made it there. I hate eating my words (even if they were under my breath and I was the only one that heard them!) but this recipe is Great Tasting and Easy to make! Take the time to try it this week ... I would bet that you have everything in the house to make it this evening.

Penne Pasta with Tomatoes & Basil

1 Pound Penne Pasta, Cooked (Yes, use Mueller's)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Clove Garlic, smashed and chopped
2 1/2 Cup Diced Tomatoes (Or 1 Can 24 oz Drained Diced Tomatoes)
1 Can, 12 oz chicken Stock (I use low sodium and low fat products)
1/2 cup shopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

Prepare the pasta as directed, drain and rinse with cold water. Do not pour olive oil over it to prevent it from stick as this makes it hard for the flavor of the sauce you are using to infuse into the pasta. Heat a large skillet to medium high heat, add the olive oil and then saute the garlic for about 45-60 seconds. Add the tomatoes and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes. Now add the chicken broth and bring the sauce to a boil. Simmer for about 3-5 minutes and then add the chopped basil and salt and pepper to taste. (How much salt and pepper ... like I said you need to taste the sauce at this point with a spoon or a piece of bread.) Now add the cooked pasta and toss until it is coated with the sauce. Serve the pasta with the grated Romano cheese on the side so your guests can add what they would like.

Enjoy this dish with Family and Friends ... Ciao, Mark, Cindy and Marybeth and CURT!

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 11:52:00 +0000

Well, I am not a finalist for the Build-A-Better-Burger contest this year. I still think there are a few burgers this year that are worth making. Visit the recipes for this years finalists in the link below.

As for me and my burger ... well this one deserves to be re-written. I will try to post a version of this burger later this weekend. For now ... enjoy cooking with your families.

Build-A-Better-Burger Finalists

Build-A-Better-Burger Contest

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 01:45:00 +0000

I am not really sure why I think I will get picked for this years contest. Maybe it is because my wife has asked me to make this burger recipe at least four times this summer. Maybe it is because everyone outside of my family that I let try the burger requested it a second time. Maybe it is because the morening after I make the burger my wife has one for breakfast. these are all good signs. So I think that my hopes have been raised. The real question is if I wrote the recipe so it reads as good as it tastes? Only time will tell. I will post the recipe next week if I am not one of the finalists that is picked. In the mean time just look at the picture and see if you can taste it with your eyes.

Ciao,
Mark

Our Friends ... and O Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 14:36:00 +0000

I am sorry but this one has nothing to do with food. I wanted to share some phots and a story about my family and some of our friends. We, some time ago, adopted a son from Liberia. this story has been in the news and on the TV several times. This past weekend we posed for a photo shoot for O Magazine. You can see the story and some of the photos here ... just thought I would share ... or should I say brag!

If you want to read the story from the Charlotte Observer and view additional photos follow this link: Charlotte Observer Story

Ciao,
Mark

Broccoli Sauted with Garlic and Olive Oil

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 16:41:00 +0000

This is a great side dish that gives a different flavor to broccoli! Maybe, like ours, your kids might even eat broccoli if it is prepared this way. Serve this with a crusty loaf of Italian Bread as you will want to use the bread to dip into the olive oil.

1 Head Fresh Broccoli
4 Cloves Fresh Garlic
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon Sea SaltSalt
Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Start by washing and then trimming the broccoli so you have stems about 2 inches long with he tops on each stem. Set the broccoli aside. Smash & chop the garlic cloves. You can use a garlic press if you like but I like the smash/chop method. Check out my reasons here ... Garlic - Smash & Chop. Now heat up a large frying pan that has a cover over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot add the olive oil and the garlic. Let the garlic saute for about 1 minute while stirring. Do not let the garlic pieces sit in the oil without stirring as they will burn. Now add the broccoli. Stir the broccoli around to coat with the olive oil. Add the sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Cover and cook for 4 minutes. Test to see if the broccoli is done by poking a fork in a stem, if the fork goes in with a little resistance then it is done. You can also test it by just tasting one of the pieces of broccoli like I do. Put the broccoli on a serving dish and pour the remaining olive oil over the top. You can also sprinkle a little fresh Romano Cheese over the top when you serve it.

This dish can also make part of a great vegetarian dinner. Serve the broccoli with a nice salad, some Italian Bread and of course a bottle of Red Wine.

Ciao,
Mark

Recipe Index

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 03:11:00 +0000

I have now added the DESERT's to the index! Life is short ... EAT DESERT FIRST!

Ciao,
Mark

OK, I am sort of back on line. I have actually been working for the past few days to make things a bit easier for someone who has never been on my blog to find a recipe. Over on the right hand side of the screen you can see a RECIPE INDEX. By clicking on this link you will be taken to an index of all of my recipes.

I will still continue to post based on what I am making but every recipe that I post will end up in the index so it will be easier to find it later. I hope this will make my blog a bit more friendly and easy to use. Thank you all for being patient.

Ciao,
Mark

The Crazy Tomato, Johnson City, TN

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 03:30:00 +0000

If you are ever in Johnson City, TN you should try to visit a restaurant called Crazy Tomato. This is a wonderful little Italian restaurant that serves pizza, pasta, salads, subs and so much more. The restaurant can be found at:

203 Princeton Rd
Johnson City, TN 37601
(423) 283-0211

It is just a little place where you can order everything form Pizza to Pasta to Subs. The owner of this little place is Leo Dian. I had the opportunity to enjoy the Monicotti Florentine. It was fabulous. The portions were superb but more important it was the best monicotti since ... well since I made it myself. It had the right amount of ricotta cheese flavored with spinach, garlic and mushrooms. It was served on a piping hot plate with just the right amount of sauce on the plate and then mozzarella cheese melted, browned slightly to make it taste even better, on top. Of all the places I would have thought I would find Great Italian food ... Johnson City, TN would have been one of the last. So if you are ever in the neighborhood stop by and enjoy a great meal with Leo at a great price. Please make sure you tell Leo that Mark said Ciao!

Ciao,
Mark

Great Quote

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 19:27:00 +0000

Yesterday, while watching, Feasting on Asphalt on the Food Network, I saw a quote fly across the screen. I think it went something like this ...

Determine who you are eating or drinking with, before you determine what and where you are going to eat or drink.

... This sounds like a great philosophy to me. More than that, I think it also shows my deeper thoughts on cooking. I do not necessarily cook because of the food but more because of who shows up at our table to eat. The time spent at the table eating, talking, laughing and sometimes crying is precious to me. I feel connect to those that I am blessed to have at my table and the way of showing my gratitude for that time is be me cooking for them.

So, what does it mean? I am a simple guy so I think it means that we spend time cooking so we can show others how much they mean to us and how much we value them in our lives. So next time you are cooking think about how you would miss the people you are cooking for IF they were not in your life.

Ciao,
Mark

Italian Style Baked Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 16:35:00 +0000

This is a Quick Recipe for Chicken Thighs or Chicken Breasts. There are a few things I like about this recipe. This is an easy recipe as there are only four steps to completion, Mix, Coat, Sprinkle and Cook. This recipe is low cost because a package of 5 or 6 boneless chicken thighs is usually under $5.00. The chicken tastes great, at least according to my family. Once you have cooked the chicken thighs you can freeze them for future use. Finally, and for me this is a key, you can use these chicken thighs as a starter for other recipes. In the next week I will post two additional recipes that use the cooked chicken thighs from this recipe as a base.

Italian Style Baked Chicken

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1.5 pound boneless chicken thighs (this is about 5 or 6 thighs)
1/2 cup Italian Style Breadcrumbs

pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Use a jelly roll pan for baking these chicken thighs. (What is a Jelly Roll Pan ... it is a cookie sheet with sides. Usually 12 inches x 9 inches x 1 inch high.) I suggest a light spray of PAM or some non-stick spray.

Mix the Mayonnaise, Parmesan Cheese, Salt and Pepper in a small bowl. Lay the chicken thighs out on a piece of aluminum foil. Take the mayonnaise mixture and brush half of the mixture on one side of the chicken thighs. Take half of the Italian breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the mayonnaise coated chicken thighs. Turn the chicken thighs, one at a time, on to the lightly greased Jelly Roll Pan with the breadcrumb side down. Spread the rest of the mayonnaise on the second side of the chicken thighs. Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs on the chicken thighs. Place in the oven and let bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes until the chicken is done.

When is it DONE? It is done when you poke the chicken thigh with a fork and the juices run "clear". You can go further and use an instant read thermometer. When the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 170 to 180 degrees F the USDA says your chicken is done. (If you are inviting the USDA to eat with you let me know.) Remember that the meat (any meat for that matter) will continue to cook when you pull it out of the oven so make sure you pull it out of the oven a about 5 degrees early. What do I do? I cook the chicken thighs for 20 minutes and then poke one of them and watch the juice run out ... if it is clear I pull them out of the oven.

This is a great recipe that should go from start to finish in about 30 to 40 minutes. I usually serve this with rice and a salad. So, once I put the chicken in the oven I put some rice on the stove. Then I start my salad. This will put the completion of all three items at about the same time.

If you are freezing the chicken after you bake it. Then place the chicken thighs on a cookie sheet in the freezer for at least 8 hours. Remove the chicken thighs and put them in a Zip-Lock Freezer Bag and return them to the freezer. When you need to serve them you only need to heat them up in the oven at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes.

Ciao Mark

I Love Saturday's

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 20:35:00 +0000

I get to sit in front of the Food Network and wathc all day long. Today three or four of us sat and wathced Alton Brown for about 2 hours. I say three or four because our oldest (the teenager) would only peak from the other room ... so as to not watch and enjoy what Dad would watch. What was amazing to me is how much my kids know already ... we have worked so much in the kitchen together that it is actually rubbing off. But we also learned a lot ... I think we will be making wontons this week and most likely we will be making several other things that Alton was talking about.

My point in this post. Hang with your family ... if you can do it in the kitchen all the better ... but hang with your family and enjoy one another.

Ciao,
Mark

Dreams and Passions

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 02:15:00 +0000

I was watching the movie The Rookie the other night. I love that movie. It has such a great statement about our dreams and how important it is for us to follow our dreams and even more than that I think the movie teaches us that it is necessary ... no we are required ... to use the gifts that the good LORD has provided to us. The star of the movie is a gifted pitcher who is over 30 years old when he goes after his dream with his gift. All the odds are against him because of his age and his responsibilities ... but his gift is so great that he succeeds. One of the lines in the movies goes like this ...

it is ok to do what you want to do until it is time to do what you were meant to do

... when the line is spoken to Jimmy Morris (played by Dennis Quaid) his Father is trying to say that it is time for him to give up on his dream ... I actually hear the opposite ... Pitching was what Jimmy Morris was meant to do and now it was time for him to do it!

So I ask you, are you doing what you are meant to do? Are you using your gifts? Are you teaching your kids how important it is to follow your dreams? Think about how the LORD has given you a gift and think about how he wants to bless others by using that gift.

Enjoy the weekend and remember to use your GIFT!

Ciao,
Mark

Contest Time Again ...

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 01:52:00 +0000

OK, many of you who know me know that I enter a cooking contest for cheese burgers every year. Every year Sutter Home puts on the Build-A-Better-Burger contest. It is time for that contest again. So I have been experimenting with ingredients for use in a GREAT BURGER ... I have tried gorgonzola, avacado, olives (several different kinds), grilled onions, carmalized onions, peppers and many many others that I care not tell you right now! I am afraid that you might enter the contest and beat me!

If you love a great burger you should try the web site for Build-A-Better-Burger and download some of the winning recipes from the last ten years here:

Build-A-Better-Burger

Something about this years recipe is special. I have never seen Cindy quite so excited about one of my burger recipes. So wish me luck ... and if you are lucky maybe you will be invited over to the house for a burger!

Ciao,
Mark

Dinner for 100

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 18:38:00 +0000

Is this a good idea? For the longest time my friends and family have said, "You need to open a Restaurant," but it just has not been in the cards. I love our weekends with my wife and our family and I could never see giving that up to work in Restaurants again. Last night I was talking to a friend of mine about his passion for food. Then I thought we could do a one night restaurant. We thought it might be a good idea to put on a big 7-course dinner for a group of people at a large house in Charlotte. We could charge a big price and then use the money to go to a charity. It sounded like so much fun that I have been thinking about it ever since our conversation. I like the idea ... maybe we will have to take this one further.

Ciao,
Mark

Garlic ... what to use and why?

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 01:00:00 +0000

I know that many of us do not have enough time on our hands and because of this an entire industry has developed for fast convenient food. The convenience of prepared or partially prepared foods is all around us. You can make instant anything, rice, oatmeal, pudding or even baby back ribs. We can buy precooked and chopped chicken in the meat department of your local grocery store. A bag of salad from Dole Fresh Vegetables is available that includes lettuce chopped and washed; (most of the time?) dried fruits, croutons and dressing … just pour it all in a bowl and mix. This has all happened because we do not have enough time to cook when we get home from work.

As a result of all this need for convenience foods we have seen many new ways to bring garlic to our kitchens. You can by garlic fresh in bulbs. Pre-chopped and bottled in olive oil, cloves separated, pealed and frozen and of course you can buy it as garlic powder and garlic salt.

So the question is this, when do we use what? For the most part I only use three different types of garlic in my house.

Garlic Powder
Peeled-Frozen Garlic Cloves
Fresh Garlic.

I use the garlic powder when I am cooking roasts and seasoning meats before going in the oven or on the grill. I use a lot of the frozen garlic cloves when I am making quick sauces and maybe garlic bread. The frozen/peeled garlic has lost some of its bravado because once it has been peeled it starts to loose flavor. So it works well when I do not want to overpower a recipe.

Most of the garlic I use is fresh. I keep a head or two of garlic in a jar in the refrigerator with a top that has a few holes punched in it. (Similar to what you might do if you wanted to keep bugs in a jar.) The holes let the garlic breathe and it stays fresh longer. I keep it in the refrigerator so it will peel easier. When I am using fresh garlic I peel the cloves, smash it with the side of a French knife and then chop the smashed garlic into a fine chop. This spreads out the flavor in a recipe and also takes out aggressions for the chef!

As far as using the garlic salt I usually do not because then I am not in control of the amount of salt being used in the recipe. I have used the garlic in a jar on occasion but I think I have a problem with using a prepared food like this that will contain preservatives. It tastes ok but it always seems to have a chemical smell to it when I use it to cook.

So that is my dissertation on Garlic. I hope it has helped.

Ciao, Mark

Dominic .... You are My Hero!

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 15:42:00 +0000

I want to just say to Dominic that you are really my HERO! I was so proud to be your Dad the other night when you received the Christian Athlete Award from the YMCA. All season long you were an example to everyone on the team and the coaches of a great team player. You are becoming a great example of what a Man should be in the eyes of the LORD. You have made me so proud and I also know you have put a smile on our LORD's face by your attitude and effort at swim team. I Love you, Dad.

Making Sauce ... a Guide

noreply@blogger.com (MarktheChef) — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 01:45:00 +0000

OK, this is a difficult post. There really is not a recipe for my sauce at the moment. For those of you in New Jersey I think you might call it Gravy, but in my family in Buffalo we always called tomato sauce ... sauce.

For the most part I make sauce because I love to eat pasta and because I love the time and effort that is put into making it. In my mind that is what cooking is really all about ... LOVE ... when you take the time to cook or bake you are showing LOVE for those who will enjoy what you have made. In the case of making sauce everyone new I was going to make it because we had to make lasagna for another family. In order to make lasagna I have to start with a pot of homemade sauce. Sophie and Dominic wanted to help me cook. So we made it a family affair.

I have talked about the steps of making sauce below ... please remember that this is not a recipe but a guide to how to make sauce.

First I make the meatballs. I mix ground beef, ground pork, romano cheese, crushed garlic, diced onions, breadcrumbs, raw eggs and salt and pepper. We mix everything together in a bowl and then form the meatballs.

We fry Italian Sausage in olive oil until they are cooked in a large skillet. Then we fry the meatballs in the same oil until they are just cooked. In addition I sometimes use pork ribs, or beef ribs or stew beef or any other cut of beef or pork that is small enough as a cut to add a few bites to a person's plate.

Then I take the skillet and drain the oil. Then I de-glaze the pan using 2 cups of red wine and a small can of tomato paste. I pour all of this off into a large pot. Then I put into the pot a large can of tomato puree, two large cans of crushed tomatoes and a large can of chopped tomatoes. I add about a large can of water then I add all of the meat to the sauce and add 4-6 cloves of fresh garlic and salt and pepper to taste. I bring the pot to a boil and then turn the heat to very low. I cook this pot for about two to three hours. Then I add 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil. Then continue to cook the sauce for an additional hour.

Normally when we are making sauce it will be used the next day ... not the day we are making it. So why not serve it the day you make it you ask? Tomato sauce needs to mellow. By putting the pot of sauce in the refrigerator for a day and then reheating it the flavors of the sauce will be both mellow and complex. Tomato sauce when you are making it fresh can be tart. Many people will add sugar to the sauce to take away the tartness of the tomatoes. By taking the time to cook the sauce, then refrigerate it and then retains it you will build a mellowness into the sauce rather than forcing it into the sauce with sugar. This process will also make the meat more tender by allowing the sauce to get to the core of the meatballs and the other beef and pork in the sauce.

I know that this is not an easy one. But you have to believe me that there is very little that will get your family to eat and compliment as much as a home made pot of sauce. Serve the sauce over your favorite pasta or ravioli then serve it with a crusty Italian bread and some great red wine.

Ciao, Mark