Cooking with Trace

Sunday experiments...

2012-02-12T21:00:00.008-07:00

Today was busy, just like every weekend, we had basketball and basketball and then we had some basketball... Actually my wife and I did have a date night, thanks to Grandma for watching the boys Saturday night. We took a few minutes to take a picture or two and the we raced to see "The Vow".. let me just say that Channing Tatum kinda ruins it for every guy in the theatre. It was a good movie and we had a very nice time.

I love where we live.. the views are magnificent and the weather is great 95% of the time.

So on Sunday I wanted to make some thing new... I have been formulating a recipe for a couple of weeks and finally had the time. This is what I made:

Can you guess what it is? Give up? It is a chayote crisp. What the hell is a chayote? It is a mexican squash. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chayote, it is like a vegetable pear. It is crisp and juicy, but there is no sweetness. I have done a couple of things like dicing and adding to soup, last night I fried it like a potato, and I saw in this month's issue of Food Network Magazine, there is a recipe for chayote-jicama salad. My wonderful El Salvadorian friend looked at me like I was going to grow a second head when I told her my idea of the dessert. So I had to give it a try. I peeled, seeded and sliced the chayote in a basic apple slice shape (is that an actual description?), tossed with cinnamon sugar and topped with a simple topping (butter, cinnamon, sugar, old fashioned oats). Baked it at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes and it looked amazing.

The taste was very bland... :( So I added a little pancake syrup and a pinch of salt and that made a big difference. I will add more flavor prior to baking next time.

Now before you get all crazy on me.. there was some indications that it would work. Check out this urban legend.

I like it and will be trying to incorporate the vegetable in more dishes.

Second experiment of the day...

Leftovers part II... my wife made a delicious dinner a couple of nights ago, it was diced pork in a light bbq sauce. I heated the meat in a skillet with the sauce and added a wedge of Weight Watchers Jalapeno cream cheese.

I let the sauce reduce and then spooned on to whole wheat hot dog buns with a slice of slice cheese. Popped them into the broiler and served...

Judging by the speed in which my 13 year hoovered these sammies down.. I am thinking this may be a keeper.

I have some more ideas coming up and I hope you enjoyed these random thoughts...

Now go cook something!

Connect with me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cookingwithtrace

Happy VD! (Valentine's Day)... (from February's edition of The Source)

2012-02-10T08:26:00.003-07:00

Happy VD! (Valentine'sDay)...
Valentine's Day is arriving fast, are you prepared? Do you want to have aromantic dinner but are a little short of cash? What is the solution? Cooksomething!!!!

Cook? Who me???? Yeah you! Trust me a romantic dinner at home with candlelightand soft music can be a very powerful aphrodisiac (if there is such a thing)!

Yes, I am serious, not onlycan you earn serious brownie points, but you can save some cash by staying inand making it a night to remember.

What can I cook? Well thatdepends on you... do you have a signature dish? Do you have a regional stylethat you can improvise with (Italian, Chinese, etc.)? I would recommendsomething light and flavorful, because honestly you do not want to put yourdate into a food coma, if you get my meaning... wink, wink, nudge, nudge...

Here are a couple of ideas toget you started, but you could always search the internet or ask a friend forsuggestions.

Spinach strawberry salad
8 ounces fresh torn spinach or baby spinach
1 1/2 to 2 cups cleaned and sliced strawberries

Image: Carlos Porto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Dressing
1/4 cup Canola oil or other salad oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon strawberry preserves
Pinch of salt and pepper

Preparation:
Toss spinach with sliced strawberries.

Microwave strawberry preservesfor 15-20 seconds and combine with remaining dressing ingredients in a jar witha lid; shake until well blended.

When ready to serve, drizzledressing over the salad and toss lightly.

Simple Roast Chicken (from Real Simple)

1 onion, sliced

1 3 1/2- to 4-poundchicken, giblets removed

1 tablespoon oliveor vegetable oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 1/2 pounds newpotatoes, halved

Preparation:

Heat oven to 450° F. Place the onionin a large roasting pan. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Tuck the wingsunder the chicken and place it on top of the onion. Rub the chicken with 1tablespoon of the oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Scatter the potatoes aroundthe chicken, drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil, and sprinkle with ½teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast, tossing the potatoes once, until athermometer inserted into a thigh registers 165°F, 50 to 60 minutes. Let thechicken rest at least 15 minutes before carving. Serve with the potatoes andonions. http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/simple-roast-chicken-10000001141403/index.html

For dessert, you can use yourimagination! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Now go cook something forsomeone you love. Trace

See this and other recipes atwww.cookingwithtrace.com or email me at cookingwithtrace@gmail.com

Happy New Year!... Resolutions suck!

2012-01-12T15:46:00.002-07:00

Every year people everywhere vow to make changes to theirlives. Everything from bad habits (smoking, cussing, etc.) to desires forimprovements (give to charity more, donate my time, etc.) and I think thatresolving to do something better for you is a great idea. I don’t understandwhy we wait to make those changes. Why not make those changes now?

My wife and I visited a dietician two months ago and madethe decision that we are going to make a change. We did not wait for a specificevent, date, or holiday. We left there with a little more knowledge and a lotof resolution. We are going to figure out how to lose weight, eat a good diet,and teach our boys the tools that they will need to live a long and healthylife. Sounds easy, no? NO!!!

It was/is very difficult everyday we are making decisionsabout what to eat, how much to eat, how many calories it is, how much exercisewe are doing, and what to do the next day.

So my advice for you?

1. Don’t delay, start making changes today! You do not haveto change everything at once, but change something.

2. Evaluate what you are eating. Are you eating enough or tomuch? Visit this website to calculate your BMR http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/(how many calories you burn at rest).

3. Buy a scale and start looking at portion size. Weigh yourfood for awhile, you will be surprised.

Realize that this will take time. You may not see resultsright away. Stick with it and it will be worth the effort.

Here is a low calorie but hearty soup for you to enjoy thiswinter.

ChickenNoodle Soup

Ingredients (Makes12 servings)
1 lb chickenbreasts diced
3 cups chopped celery
3 cups dicedcarrots
5 ounces dicedonions
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 1/2 tsp Herbs de Provence
2 ounces Superior Touch Chicken Base
8 cups water
1 ounce margarine
1 ounce oliveoil
12 ounces Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Extra Wide Noodles

Directions
1. heat olive oil
2. add diced onionssauté until translucent
3. add dicedchicken breasts heat until chicken is no longer pink
4. add spices andvegetables
5. mix chicken basewith water and add to meat and veggies
6. bring to a boiladd margarine
7. add pasta, cookuntil al dente

Cool slightly andserve

(nutritioninformation: approximately 11 ounce (309 grams) bowl of soup only has 241calories)

Letme know if you try this recipe on my website at www.cookingwithtrace.com or on www.facebook.com/cookingwithtrace.

Nowgo cook something healthy!

Pork, Potatoes, and Veggies

2011-12-28T21:41:00.000-07:00

Pork, potatoes, and veggies

10 oz broccoli, cauliflower, & carrots in cheddar cheesesauce

12 oz all natural broccoli cuts

1 lb pork loin (sliced into 4 or 5 chops)

10 oz sweet potato medallions

12 ounce Russet potato cubed

1 ounce olive oil

Spices

Cumin, Garlic, Cinnamon, Salt, Pepper, Paprika, ??

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix your choice of spices together (I used about evenamounts of each of the spices listed above).

Peel and slice the potatoes, toss with olive oil, sprinkle with½ of the spice mixture and spread into an even layer on a cookie sheet (I usedmy stoneware bar pan). Roast for 20 minutes and then turn the potatoes over.Roast for an additional 20 minutes or until done.

Meanwhile cook mixed vegetables together (according topackage directions).

Heat grill pan

Toss pork chops with remainder of the spice mixture, grillto medium well.

Nutrition analysis

Broiled grapefruit… yeah Broiled.. with an “r”

2011-12-18T19:27:00.003-07:00

I have read several blogs lately about the idea of broiledgrapefruit, and it is an intriguing idea. I saw one recipe ranging from simple(cut in half, sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and butter) to decadent (brownsugar, cinnamon, butter, oats, etc…) and while each recipe has its own merits Iwanted something different.

I have never been a traditional grapefruit eater, I do use agrapefruit spoon or knife. I typically peel and eat them like an orange. If itis particularly tart I might sprinkle some sugar on the sections. Howeverlately I have been peeling the fruit with a knife and cutting into sections.This way I can make it portable and fairly easy to eat. Here is a quick videoon how to peel a grapefruit http://youtu.be/1tbf9fGAC10.

So I peeled my fruit and a sliced it into patties (?)

I mixed a pinch of salt with a ½ teaspoon of sugar and about ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon and the sprinkled ontop of the grapefruit. Placed under the broiler for 5-7 minutes.

I really liked the flavor, it was interesting to have a warmcitrus and the little bit of spice was tasty. I think I will double the amountof topping and broil for just a minute or two longer.

Enjoy! Now go broil something!

Send me a note at cookingwithtrace@gmail.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cookingwithtrace

Cranberry Salsa

2011-11-23T17:23:00.001-07:00

I love the fact that my friends know that I dig food. So they send me their ideas, their musings, and most importantly their recipes. This is one of those times.

Brendan sent me a quick note about cranberry salsa. I have never heard of it, and it is such a simple recipe I could not wait to try it.

Ingredients:

1 package fresh cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch green onions
juice from 1 fresh lime
1 4 oz can chopped chilies

Process cranberries in food processor with sugar and lime juice, chop cilantro and onions,

mix everything together and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Of course I couldn't wait 3 hours, so I had a quick bite and it was great. I hope everyone will like it tomorrow.

Now go mix something..

Trace

Elk Egg Rolls... first attempt

2011-11-19T10:01:00.001-07:00

So, I am experimenting with Elk meat and trying to come up with new ideas for a friend with an abundance. I have added the ground meat tacos, eggs, quesadillas, etc. I cooked the steaks and sliced them, diced them, and was thoroughly enjoyed it all.

The meat is tender, mild flavored, and extremely low fat.

Species	Protein %	Fat %	Cholesterol (mg/100g*)	Calories (Kcal/100g*)
Beef (USDA choice)	22.0	6.5	72	180
Beef (USDA standard)	22.7	2.0	69	152
Lamb	20.8	5.7	66	167
Pork	22.3	4.9	71	165
Wild Boar**	28.3	4.38	109	160
Buffalo	21.7	1.9	62	138
Whitetail Deer	23.6	1.4	116	149
Mule Deer	23.7	1.3	107	145
Elk	22.8	.9	67	137

Source: http://www.elkusa.com/Elk_meat_nutrition.html

I asked around and found that a lot of people really like elk compared to other wild game. Several individuals use it in place of beef in all of their recipes.

I wanted to try something new and I had just ran my wonton experiments (wonton wrapped cheesesticks, bananas, apples and cinnamon, etc.) so I thought... egg rolls. Now I have never made really rolled egg rolls or made the mixture to roll. So I was flying blind... but I had ingredients. I had elk steak, I had a bad of pre-shredded coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots, no dressing), I had extra fresh carrot for more low calorie bulk, I had rice wine vinegar, chicken base, wasabi powder, and I had the drive to make something tasty!

So I used the my grill pan to sear the elk to a medium rare and set it aside to rest. I added the slaw veggies to the hot pan with the juice from the elk (mostly water since there is so little fat). As it was cooking down I added 1 teaspoon chicken base (Better than bullion) to a 1 cup of hot water mixed thoroughly and then added 1 tsp wasabi powder (be careful it can be potent).

After it cooks down for a few minutes and cabbage starts to soften, add a tablespoon of rice wine vinegar to the mixture and continue cooking until the veggies look like sauerkraut.

Add the meat back in the mixture and stir to combine.

At this point I let the meat cool (actually I stored it in the refrigerator for a couple of days because of my hectic week).
Follow instructions on egg roll wrappers to fill and roll.

I used the process for baking (brush with olive oil instead of cooking spray). I flipped them over about 10 minutes in to the baking to ensure that they would crisp up on both sides.

I will make them again and I will tweak the recipe a little to make the flavors pop a little, more wasabi, soy sauce, maybe sesame oil... who knows?

Now go cook a wild animal!

Send me a note or leave a comment to let me know what you do! Trace

Waffle Iron obssession?? nah just apples

2011-11-13T11:13:00.001-07:00

So apparently I am a little addicted to my waffle iron, I made cinnamon toast for my youngest son, this morning... and while I was cooking my eggs, I thought... ohh baked apples.

so.... I sliced a small gala apple and sprinkled both sides with cinnamon sugar,

and then I waffled them... (it that a verb?)...

Damn tasty.. quick (about 4 minutes) baked apples...

Let me know if you try it... now go cook something...

2011-11-12T10:02:00.001-07:00

Waffle biscuits?

I saw a post on Pinterest where they waffled canned cinnamon rolls, and I thought I 'can' do that! HA!

See those delicious creations here:

http://ahensnest.com/2011/09/waffled-cinnamon-rolls-recipe.html

I had a can of biscuits in the frig and I grabbed my grandmas old waffle iron (very old and ugly, but I love every burn it gives me), and brushed with a little olive oil. I added four biscuits at a time and gently lowered the lid.

About 2 minutes (or less) I pulled them off.

Drizzled with sugar free syrup, smeared with peanut butter, or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, they are a tasty once in awhile treat.

I remember reading about the Wafflerizer.. http://www.waffleizer.com/ Check out what else you can do and start waffling like a policitian!

Go waffle something!

Cooking Matters Class 10/25/11

2011-10-26T10:15:00.000-06:00

Visiting the Cooking Matters class on Tuesday night was a lot of fun. The energy from the Chef Educator Bob Ballantyne (from the Cowboy and the Rose Catering) was incredible and the students were fun, engaging, and willing to learn. Maran Parry and her assistant Alyssa were involved and instrumental in the education and cooking portions of the evening. The interactive class was so full of information I am still processing all the dishes that were made, talked about, and tasted. Last week the class learned how to roast a chicken and use a meat thermometer. This week they took the leftovers and Chef Bob turned them into a plethora of tasty meals.

The program is all about teaching families and individuals to cook at home. The idea is that if we can take away any fear or lack of knowledge/experience then the participants can manage their budgets and time better, making groceries go further and making healthier choices about their food.

This week Chef Bob made the left over roasted chicken and root vegetables into: Chicken salad, BBQ chicken sandwiches, fried rice, and gave variations to each recipe to make the food stretch and still remain a healthy choice.

Suggestions were made about the chicken salad, "Can I add celery?" "Can I use onions instead of relish?" with the BBQ chicken, he sautéed diced chicken in a little water until it was warm and the water evaporated and then he added two tablespoons of BBQ sauce and served it on whole grain ciabatta roles (from the day old rack at City Market), he made a point to say that if the filling is flavorful and juicy it will liven up the bread it is served on, so it is not a problem to use a "day old" product and that makes it a lot cheaper (8 buns for about $1).

There were discussions about high fructose corn syrup, salt, multi-vitamins and more.

Other recipes were: banana quesadillas, banana fosters, and the coup de grace was an inexpensive frittata with imitation crab meat and veggies.

Chef Bob made a point of letting the class know that you can save leftovers all week and make a fun nutritious frittata on Saturday morning. I was able to contribute one of my ideas about the Egg Muffins (which are like individual frittatas) and the fact you can make each one different.

Each class member left with a new cutting board and the ingredients to make the frittata at home. Next week's class is a tour of the grocery store and how to make a nutritious meal for four people with only $10! I can't wait.

Thanks again Maran for coordinating the classes and hopefully we can get more people involved! They need assistants, shoppers, cooks, chefs, participants. Contact Maran Parry at maran.parry@mesacounty.us or call her at 970-248-6904.

Go cook something!

Trace

CALLING ALL FOOD REVOLUTIONISTS!

2011-10-25T12:03:00.000-06:00

The Mesa County Health Department has a program called Cooking Matters™ and they need your help!

Cooking Matters™ empowers families with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to prepare healthy and affordable meals.

The idea is to bring individuals, parents, or families together with a culinary educator to learn easy ways to plan, purchase, and prepare healthy, tasty, and affordable foods at home.

What a great concept! They help that is needed is volunteers to educate, assist in the class, shop for groceries (couponers please apply!!!), and to get the word out.

Not only will this benefit the current situation in the homes of so many children in the Grand Valley, but imagine the lasting effects if they learn now how to budget, plan, and cook for their children.

If you are interested in being involved please contact Maran Parry at the Mesa County Health Department. Her number is 970-248-6904 and her e-mail: maran.parry@mesacounty.us

Check out Cooking Matters online: http://cookingmatters.org/

Cooking Matters Colorado http://cookingmatters.org/cooking-matters-colorado/

Your help is greatly appreciated!

Now go teach someone to cook! Trace

Ch Ch Ch Chia... Chia drink!

2011-09-22T21:44:00.001-06:00

Wait a minute... you want to drink your chia pet? Ummm no, well ok maybe in a
weird way. Hey have you heard about the new craze sweeping the nation?
Chia seeds are all the rage. They have only been around for a few
thousand years and just now is the American public realizing what they
are and what they can do for you!

Why should I eat/drink/ingest chia seeds?

First off they are fun (they swell and take on whatever liquid you soak
them in, tea, juice, etc.) They are high in antioxidants, fiber, omega 3
and 6, and the list goes on.

Nutritional content for Chia seeds: Serving size 1 ounce (28 grams),
Calories: 137 Fat (total) 9 grams, Carbohydrates 12 grams, Fiber 11
grams, Protein 4 Grams

How should I eat/drink/ingest chia seeds?

Soak them in water and add them to dishes to increase the vitamin
content as well as add low calorie bulk (decreases caloric intake weight
loss),
Let them soak up your favorite iced tea and enjoy like a healthy bubble
tea
Add them to cereal, salads, cookies, etc...

Google the possibilities and you will most likely find versions of
Iskiate, a delicious limeade made with chia. The recipe could not be
simpler.

Iskiate
Ingredients
Juice of 1-2 limes
Water
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Sweetener (agave, stevia, sugar, honey, etc.)

Directions:
Mix the water, lime juice, sweetener together to combine, add ice and
chia seeds. Let rest for 5 minutes and enjoy.

p.s. I heard about this from another local food guy Nick at
http://www.macheesmo.com/. Some of his recipes and ideas have really inspired
me. So, check him out and let him know I sent you over.

I will be posting some more ideas soon, so check out my site at
www.cookingwithtrace.com and in the mean time, go eat some seeds!

Trace

Fuel Glorius Fuel!!! and fries...

2011-09-07T22:27:00.000-06:00

Breaking down food into fuel is a difficult process. Not physically, your body is quite capable of breaking down food and using the components for fuel, the problem is making sure that you always choose the best type of fuel.

Technically there are three fuel components to food.

Protein (animal or vegetable), Carbohydrate (complex and simple sugars, fiber) and Fat (animal or vegetable, saturated or unsaturated).

The body needs all three and is all three are found in nature.

As we look at the food that we find in our local supermarket, we have the responsibility to review what the ingredients are and then we have the problem of determining what food group (Protein, Carb, or Fat) they fall into.

I mean really what the hell is soy lecithin and is it a protein, or a carb? Why do I need it in my food?

What is the answer? Choose foods that have as few ingredients as possible. How many ingredients are in a potato? One! How many ingredients are in the McDonalds fries? Six! (technically more since the vegetable oil that is added to the fries has three ingredients).

McDonalds French Fries:

1. Potatoes,

2. Vegetable oil (canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor [wheat and milk derivatives]*,

3. Citric acid [preservative]),

4. Dextrose,

5. Sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain color),

6. Salt.

Look again, they add vegetable oil to the fries and then they fry them in oil and other chemicals.

Source: http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/nutritionexchange/ingredientslist.pdf

I love McDonalds fries... not only are they easy and quick but they are extremely tasty. However I think I have reached my lifetime limit on sodium acid pyrophosphate... (I am maintaining my color just fine thank you).

My point is food is complex if you are not sure where the food is coming from, and it is somewhat simple if you make it yourself (don't get me started on GMO, Organic, etc.).

Today's recipe is simple

French fries

1 medium russet potato washed and dried

Olive oil

Salt

The ingredients and the process are simple.

Prick the potato about 10 times on all sides (I use a thin paring knife to peirce all the way through)

Place potato on microwave safe plate and cook for 5 minutes on high.

While the potato is cooling off, heat a skillet with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, when it is hot, it will shimmer. You do not want it to smoke.

When the potato is cool slice into 3 or 4 lengths, and then cut into fry shape. Add the potatos to the hot oil in a single layer not touching each other. Turn the fries with tongs to ensure golden brown deliciousness has reached all sides. Drain and lightly salt, wait just a few minutes (to cool) and enjoy.

Now go cook something!

Trace
email me at cookingwithtrace@gmail.com with your comments or suggestions!

Image: artemisphoto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Zucchini pickles- success

2011-08-02T19:35:00.001-06:00

Lotsa zucchini + innovation = zucchini pickles.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Egg Muffins, no really muffins!

2011-07-19T15:17:00.001-06:00

Egg Muffins

Adapted from the Primal Blueprint cookbook by Mark Sisson.

These are good ol’ Colorado egg muffins, notice there is no Scottish influence in the name. These are quick fast food when you are making them and if you freeze them they make a great snack/meal anytime.

Easy you say? How easy? Mix together a bunch of stuff and back it. Simple, no?

Ok seriously. I wanted to do some investment cooking for meals to take to work this week and I wanted it to be healthy. So I grabbed eggs, leftover steamed veggies, bacon bits, cheese and a few other items to make these beautiful and tasty treats.

I told you they were pretty…

Egg Muffins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

6 eggs beaten

¼ cup milk

½ cup shredded cheese

Leftover veggies, meat, etc.

Salt and pepper to taste

Beat eggs and milk until light yellow, add in all additional ingredients. Ladle into oiled muffin cups (I love my stoneware muffin pan) and bake for about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly and remove from pan. Enjoy!

Let me know what you think by commenting or visiting me on Facebook!

Now go cook something!

Trace

Mesa County Public Library 2011 Edible Book Contest

2011-07-10T13:45:00.000-06:00

What the HECK is an edible book?

I had the same question! Turns out it is food that represents a book or story.

We had 7 amazing creative entries in the first edible book contest at the Mesa County Public Library on Saturday July 9, 2011.

I was asked to be a judge along with Mande Gableson from Ava Sweet Cakes and we had a great time reviewing all the entrants and determining who we thought was best in all the different categories.

Speaking of categories, here they are:

Best pun intended- these should make you laugh

Most book like- these should look exactly like the cover or represent the cover very closely

Most appetizing- these should make you hungry

Most creative- most original, artistic, or most design oriented

Here are the entries:

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets By Alex and Adam Chavez

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by Victoria Chavez

Aladdin by Lyndi Cates

Who Moved My Cheese by Nancy MacDonald

God Save The Sweet Potato Queen by Janet Alcon

Life of PI by Linda Ciavonne

The Two Towers by Linda Ciavonne

See what I mean, fun but not easy.


Perplexed Trace

The coordinator for the event was Betsey Dick from the Mesa County Public Library and the idea is to increase interaction with books and the library.

Here are the judges and Betsey:

There were several winners and I might post there names after I come down from the sugar coma!!

Now go ~~cook~~ read something!

Trace

Food ADD (Attention Defi... ohh look a pizza)

2011-07-06T22:41:00.000-06:00

Food ADD

Sometimes I get strange ideas about food. I think about strange combinations of flavors and textures, or mixing things together that don’t seem to be a match (i.e. black bean brownies). I am not saying I am original, I’m just saying that I have foodie ‘ADD’. I hear about someone’s favorites dish and my mind goes crazy thinking of ways to make it different, or better, or whatever. Some people look at this as an insult to their recipe and therefore I keep my mouth shut, but my head goes nuts, or bananas, or fruit loops… I think you get the picture.

I am not an extreme food kind of guy, I like interesting stuff, but I cannot get behind some of the nasty things people eat to be different. I can eat Rocky Mountain Oysters, but I cannot eat horse semen, even if it tastes like custard (google “Hoihoi tatea”). I can eat some interesting things like pork rinds, but I cannot stomach the idea of pickled pigs feet or chitlins. I think that we will all eventually be eating some form of insect on a daily basis, but I am not starting until I have to, so no grubs, fried ants, or cockroaches for me, yet.

What does all this mean? It means that we can always be a little daring and try new things without turning into Andrew Zimmern. Well unless you want to shave your head and look like a relative of Uncle Fester…

My strange concoction this month is a blend sweet and tangy. I made Apple Butter BBQ sauce for pork chops. It was very delicious with seasoned roasted vegetables and pureed cannellini beans.

1 lbs pork loin chops

½ cup bottles bbq sauce divided

½ cup apple butter divided

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

½ Liquid smoke sauce

¾ cup Chicken stock

1 tbsp Butter

Salt/pepper

Season pork chops with salt and pepper and set aside. Combine ¼ cup bbq sauce with ¼ cup apple butter, mix in Worcestershire and smoke sauce with about ½ cup of water. Stir to combine. Add pork chops to ziptop bag and pour in marinade. Let rest in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Prepare pan for broiler, when meat has been marinated, drain and discard marinade. Place pork chops on broiler pan and broil for approximately 5 minutes per side (depending on thickness). In a sauce pan combine remaining ingredients and heat to a gentle boil until thickened. Serve pork chops sliced thinly with additional apple butter bbq sauce.

Let me know what you think of the recipe by emailing me at cookingwithtrace@gmail.com or visit my website at www.cookingwithtrace.com. Now go cook something.

Leftovers!!!!

2011-07-06T22:39:00.000-06:00

Leftovers

There is no food in the house!! What can I eat??? Why don’t you love me anymore??? These are all phrases I have unfortunately heard because of lack of prepackaged foods. I always respond with “well let me see what I can make” and then the quest begins! What do I have in the fridge? Leftovers? Why the hell would anyone want to eat leftovers?

Cuz they are awesome! Leftover veggies, a random pork chop, ½ a baked potato, etc. We have the technology we can rebuild a meal and it will be better than before (insert bionic music here). There are so many options when it comes to being resourceful in the kitchen.

Hash (the food not the opiate) is really just ingredients chopped up and added together, cooked until crispy and served. What could be simpler? It makes a great meal for any time of day.

Frittata (sounds impressive, no?) A frittata is a cross between an open faced omelet and a crust less quiche. You can add just about anything to eggs and cheese and it will turn out pretty damn good.

Open faced sandwiches, sloppy joes, quesadillas, burritos (they do not have to have a Mexican theme, we like PB&J rolled up in a whole wheat tortilla), all of these ideas can be improved upon and made to be your own specialty!

Leftover hash!

Leftover broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, peppers, etc.

Leftover baked potato or 1 small raw potato per person.

Leftover protein – Ham, steak, hamburgers, pork chops, chicken (boneless)

Olive oil

Salt, pepper, hot sauce (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat skillet with a little olive oil

Dice or rough chop all ingredients to about the same size. **** If the potato is raw dice it first and add to hot skillet (be careful) to brown first.

When potato is crisp I add the rest of the ingredients and toss together to mix. Let the mixture cook turning a few times to ensure that all pieces has been allowed to heat through and become golden brown and delicious.

Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Serve piping hot maybe with a little shredded cheese on top.

Now for a closing rant: We have become as a society, one that changes the word associated with something to make it more appealing, examples: Used car=pre-owned vehicle (really, they owned it but it wasn’t used?), used furniture =previously loved furniture (ewwww no thanks), etc. I say we call them leftovers and embrace our frugality and innovation.

Now go cook something!

Easy No-Hands Chicken!!

2011-05-08T17:35:00.000-06:00

I talk about food all the time… there are people in my life that wish that wasn’t true and there are others that at least appear to be interested in what I have to say. I am constantly thinking about new ways to make food appeal to my family, to ensure I take into account everyone’s allergies, and to make it healthy. I grew up with good food, my southern family always made amazing dishes, fried chicken, creamed corn, cornbread, chess pie… and my western family brought their depression era recipes to the table with dishes like crumbs, Salisbury steak, homemade pudding, and peanut butter chocolate cake. Is it no wonder I have always been a big guy. So in order to carry those food traditions forward for my children and to ensure they don’t end up overweight or with other health issues, I feel it is important to make real food and make it delicious. Maybe it is a subconscious thought process that is always in the back of my head or maybe I am just weird, but I am always thinking about I can do with food.

This leads me to write and try to document some of what I am doing and it also leads me to find economical, healthy ways to feed my family in a way that will allow them to enjoy real food, slow food, and healthful food. Oh and I want to make it easy, that is not so much to ask, right? I hope not. My hope is that every person, family, couple, group tries to make the transition away from the garbage we normally put into our bodies and realize that you can eat better and it does not have to be time consuming or expensive.

Eating healthy is expensive and it takes too much time, quite a few people tell me that there is no time in their day and they do not have the money to buy groceries to make meals. I say nay nay.. I do think it takes practice and I think it will take some additional effort at first. You have to plan ahead and you have to make a decision that you are going to be better to your body and your family’s bodies.

Cheep Chicken… (get it cheep, cheep?) Anyway I love my chicken and the versatility of this excellent protein source is endless. Yes it is expensive to buy the breasts, the tenderloins, etc., but there are several ways to stretch your dollar.

Chicken legs are typically around $1 per pound and are quick to cook and kids love the idea of meat on a stick, chicken quarters are even less I bought a package this week for 79 cents per pound, and then whole chickens are around a $1 to $1.50 per pound.

Dark meat? Really? Yes, I know everyone has a preference and there are people that will tell you that dark meat has more fat then white meat, and that is true, but you can’t tell me that a roasted chicken thigh has nearly the same amount of fat as fast food hamburger.

I used to be scared of cooking chicken, I was worried that I would not cook it enough and it would make us sick, or I would cook it too much and it would be tasteless and dry. Now I think I have stumbled the fool proof way to cook juicy delicious chicken and it is extremely easy.

Hand off Chicken Quarters

4 lbs washed chicken quarters

Salt

Pepper

Spices

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Prepare a cooking vessel, (I have used cookie sheets with a rack, and I have used 9x13 stoneware pans) by lining it with foil for easy cleanup.

Place chicken in pan on rack and season liberally with your choice of spices and herbs (I like the Montreal steak seasoning)

Place in over for 1 hour (set a timer) after one hour reduce temperature to 300 degrees and set timer for another hour. After the second hour turn off the oven and let the chicken rest for about 30 minutes. Now the chicken is ready. I have cut off the legs for the kids and deboned the thighs (your choice on the skin, remove or include). I use the meat in omelets, chicken salads, tacos, burritos, etc.

I realize that two and a half hours is a long time, but I typically put the chicken in the oven while I am cooking dinner and after dinner and family time I take a moment to prepare the meat for future meals. I have heard this called investment cooking and I think that the investment is in your health. No go cook something.

See my other ramblings at www.cookingwithtrace.com

Trace

Cook with your kids! Article from April edition of Your Valley Source

2011-04-05T10:28:00.000-06:00

A long long time ago... I can still remember when the onions used to

make me cry... ok so they still make me cry, but I can chop them faster

now, and it is an excellent excuse to get some emotion out without

looking like a big cry baby...

Do you remember when you started to cook? It could have been the first

time you got up too late in the dorms and the dining hall was closed, so

you scavenged a ramen pack, some seasonings, and leftover veggies from

Chinese food, or what about the first time you made a meal for someone?

Family, friends, romantic interest? What about as a child, did you ever

make pancakes for your family? Or scrambled eggs?

I think that we have forgotten as a nation that we need to teach and

inspire our children to be better than we are. I am in awe daily as I

watch my boys grow and change. I try to listen to their perspectives

and there are times that they are influencing me more than I am

influencing them, and I am ok with that.

So what does that have to do with food? I am so glad you asked.

My son came home on Sunday and asked if he could have chicken salad, I said

that would be great let me know when lunch was ready. Yahoo... my boy

was in the kitchen, he was making decisions about what kind of food to

have and he picked an easy dish that could be healthy. I helped him

pick out the ingredients and stood back to let him work his magic (I

point this out, because I am kind of a control freak in the kitchen, so

this was a milestone that I am letting him steer the boat). However he

lost his mojo, he was unsure how to pull the chicken off the bone, and

how to chop it up, what ingredients, what spices, etc. He was at a loss

for a simple chicken salad. I on the other hand have to staple my mouth

shut on the possibilities of making a chicken salad, do we want apples,

grapes, pecans, walnuts, celery, pickles...happy happy joy joy... I

digress.

My point is that we can let the kids make decisions, strike the path,

and then we may have to push them along the path that they have chosen.

I could have taken over and made the salad, I could have bossed him

around until he was frustrated with the process and decided it was not

worth it... but I hesitated and I listened to what he was asking and

took my cue from him. He lost steam because he was overwhelmed, so I

helped him break it down. "What do you like in a chicken salad?" "What

don't you like in it?" Slowly, together we worked through this

construction process, a little mayo? Ok, pickles? Yes, please! Salt,

pepper, and it was done. Now a few ingredients has transformed into a

healthy and tasty dish.

These little decisions everyday shape our lives and the ones around us.

Take the time to mentor, teach, and most importantly listen to the

children around you, you might be surprised at what you can learn from

them.

Nicolas' Chicken Salad

2 cups boneless chicken chopped, (rotisserie, baked, canned)

Mayo, mustard, salt, pepper, pickles, apples, celery, grapes, nuts,

leeks, onions, etc.

You can make you salad any way you like it. After all it is your

salad... Now go cook something!

White bean pb&j protein bars

2011-03-20T09:47:00.000-06:00

Howdy Pardners! It's me again... and as usual I am up to weirdness. This time I thought I would try to make my own protein bars. I eat a lot of protein because of my diabetes. I am type II and I could be better at controlling my sugar but I do try to maintain a good diet with less sugar.

Sugar is a curious thing, of course every knows that there is sugar in candy, cakes, fruit, soda, etc.. but it surprised me to learn that all carbohydrates are a form of sugar, some digest quickly (simple sugars), some digest slowly (complex carbohydrates), and some do not digest at all (fiber).

My opinion is that the more natural you can make your food, the better your body will process it. So I experiment with different ideas and do research to try and find different ways to make foods that I will like that I can be proud of.

I am very proud of these bars. The only questionable ingredient is the extract, and it is a small amount. Everything else is good for you on their own and even better when you combine them.

Feel free to experiment with this recipe and let me know how it works out... I also have some ideas for next time I make them.

White Bean Peanut Butter and Jelly Protein Bars

1 15 oz can white kidney beans
1 cup peanut butter
2 tsp raspberry extract
1 cup oat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups rolled oats

Pulverize 1 cup oats set aside
Add 1 15oz can white beans (drained) and 1 cup peanut butter to food processor blend until smooth.
Add extract, water, wheat germ, pulverized oats, 1 cup whole oats. Process until a dough is formed.

Knead remaining oats into the dough.

Form into 6x 8 rectangle wrap in plastic wrap and flatten to desired thickness.

Let rest several hours or overnight then cut into 16 2 oz bars. Wrap individually and store in refrigerator or freezer.

Ideas for next time:
Dried strawberries (chopped)
Chopped nuts
Coconut (unsweetened) shredded

Different extracts?
Roll into 1 oz balls and roll in chopped nuts or coconut
Dip in chocolate
Maybe bake them for a short time?

I hope you enjoy these delicious treats and now go cook something!

Trace

Black Bean Brownies - yes, I said black beans....

2011-02-16T21:44:00.001-07:00

So I saw this article on Fooducate's Facebook page and I thought brownies with no guilt? uhhh ok! I did not add the chocolate chips partially because I wanted to lower the sugar content and partially because I did not have any :)

If you are not aware of Fooducate here is your chance to learn! I don't always agree with their opinions but I think they have a good handle on presenting the truth about everything that they review. So check them out at http://www.fooducate.com/ or on Facebook, or if you are really cool, download the app for your phone!

Here is the recipe:

Black Bean Brownies
http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2011/02/14/show-your-valentine-some-love-with-beans/

Ingredients:

1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained very well
3 eggs
3 Tbsp canola oil
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed or ¾ cup white granulated sugar
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided (I did not add)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray an 8” x 8” baking pan with cooking spray.
In food processor, process black beans until smooth.
Add the eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract, and sugar, and process until smooth.
Add ½ of the chocolate chips, and pulse a few times or stir, so that the chips are mixed in.
Transfer the batter to the baking pan, and sprinkle the remaining chips on top of the brownies.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
Enjoy with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream!

Without the chocolate chips...

Go cook something!

Cooking for the future.....

2011-02-04T16:16:00.001-07:00

Cooking for the future...

Sounds pretty cool right? Nah... I am just talking about cooking a big recipe and then freezing it for later. You can find all types of recipes on the web for all types of food. You can cook hamburger in advance and freeze it in whatever portion size you would prefer, need a quick meal (spaghetti, tacos, chili, etc.) just pull out a bag of frozen but already cooked meat. You can make whole lasagnas, casseroles, or even cakes (unfrosted) and freeze for a later date. Whether you need a quick meal or want to take a meal to sick friend, the freezer is your friend.

With that mind now let's talk waffles! I made a double batch of waffles this weekend and was able to freeze a gallon size zipper bag with waffley goodness! What do you do with waffles from the freezer? Pop them into a toaster or the oven and then you can top them with anything. Yes Virginia you can make your own frozen waffles!

Here is a recipe I adapted from www.allrecipes.com

Easy Waffles

Ingredients

2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions

Preheat waffle iron. Beat eggs in large bowl with hand beater until fluffy (I used a whisk). Beat in flour, milk, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, salt and vanilla, just until smooth.

**I thought the batter was too runny, so I added about ½ cup of flour more, you could substitute maple syrup for the sugar or for a lower calorie count use splenda. There are other flavored extracts, lemon, almond, even peanut butter extract, the point is make it fun and make it yours.**

Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour ½ cup to ¾ cup of the mix onto hot waffle iron, depending on the size. This is the time to add nuts, or chocolate chips, bacon, etc. Close the waffle iron and cook until golden brown. The trick to knowing when they are done is to wait until there is no more steam coming out of the waffle, but your machine may vary. Serve the waffles hot, with butter, syrup, fresh fruit, whipped cream, or all of the above!

So make a double batch and then you can do this with the leftovers:
waffle breakfast sandwiches, spread peanut butter & sprinkle cinnamon, cream cheese and a dash of homemade jam, make a waffle grilled cheese. The possibilities are endless.

As a last note, check out www.waffleizer.com/ for out of the box ideas for your new friend the waffle iron.

Go cook something!
Trace

www.cookingwithtrace.com

2011-01-16T20:23:00.000-07:00

I have found the apex of porkdom! Bacon Jam... apparently there a company in Texas that makes this delicacy, but I had never heard of it, until I found "NotQuiteNigella" (www.notquitenigella.com). She made a comment about bacon jam and I was hooked. I looked at the recipe and thought I can do this.

It is time consuming, 2 hours, and the worst part is waiting and anticipating the results. So now for the results. I love it!

For lunch today I made meatloaf muffins, carrots, and mashed potatoes and on top of the decadent sourcream mashers I put a spoonful of the fine swine jam. It was so delicious. Both my wife and I thought that the jam would be great on baked potatoes, but on mashed potatoes it was amazing.

I sent a tweet to the wonderful NotQuiteNigella and told her that I made it, and we talked about other uses, I think that there will be a peanut butter and bacon sandwich in my future! Viva Las Puercos! P.S. If you want to follow me on twitter go to http://twitter.com/#!/tracehillman

Here is the link to the recipe I found, and if you read the whole blog, there is a link to another recipe that might be interesting (bacon, coffee, chocolate, ancho chiles): http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/10/08/bacon-jam-your-wildest-dreams-come-true/

I followed the recipe (make the jump, click the link) exactly, but I am already thinking about ideas to work in next time:

more onions and garlic
using pork belly instead of bacon (or trying to find a better bacon)
using a chili
cinnamon

Try this and let me know what you think!

Go cook something!

Cooking with Trace

Cooking is not difficult! - Latest article from The Source www.yvsource.com

2011-01-08T09:12:00.001-07:00

I hear all the time about people that do not have time to cook, or do not have the ability/talent/skill to cook and I say hogwash!

Rachael Ray has nothing on me! 30 minute meals are the norm in my house and I don’t need a recipe. Think about what your family likes and try to expand a little each week, and processed food is not the answer!

Here is a quick meal for less and $3 per person, you could expand this easy with a few more ingredients and stretch your budget even more.

Tacos and Taco Salad

1 lb ground beef, or turkey, or chicken, or vegetarian

½ packet taco seasoning*

2 tbls ketchup

2 tbls water

4 oz shredded cheese

Beans – refried, black, pintos, white kidney, etc (find what works for you)

Lettuce, tomato, onions, avocado, ?

Cook meat in skillet until there is no pink, drain. Add taco seasoning, ketchup and water. Stir to combine and simmer for a few minutes to thicken.

At this point you could make a taco salad by spooning seasoned meat on to a bed of lettuce with tomatoes, cheese, salsa, or you could fill taco shells and layer with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese

You can have the beans as a side dish or on top of the salad heated or unheated. You have the power to eat healthy and fulfilling.

* taco seasoning is several spices mixed together, chile powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, be daring try to make your own and leave out all the unnecessary chemicals and additives.

Eating healthy is too expensive??

Recipe cost analysis

1 lb ground beef 80% lean $3.00

1/2 packet taco seasoning $0.50 (a package is typically $1, and this will be used for 2 meals)

2 tbls ketchup $0.25

Package of taco shells $2.00

Head of lettuce $1.00

Can of beans $1.00

1 tomato $1.00 (next summer grow your own)

4 oz shredded cheese $1.50 (package of 8 oz is typically $3 on sale)

Total -----------------------

$10.25

This recipe is feeding a minimum of 4 people and equals less than $2.60 per person. You could continue to cut costs by shopping smart, using coupons, discount programs, grocery liquidators, etc.

Other ideas are:

Pork chops and pasta with a spinach apple salad

Microwave chicken fajitas with easy guacamole

Oven fried pork tenders and buttered veggies with pasta

All simple recipes that take very little time to plan and make.

Pork loin is less than $3 per pound, and it is very versatile. I have the butcher at the grocery store slice it into 1/2 chops, they are boneless, lower fat, and full of flavor.

Pork Chops and pasta with a spinach apple salad

4 4 oz pork loin chops

salt and pepper to taste

1 lb pasta (your choice)

1 bag spinach

1 medium apple (fuji, gala, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees line a baking sheet with aluminum foil

Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper, place on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Boil 8 cups of salted water, cook pasta according to directions. Drain pasta add 2 tbls of butter and season with salt and pepper.

Clean spinach and add to a large bowl, wash and thinly slice apple and add to spinach. Serve with dressing of your choice.

Cost analysis:

1 lb pork loin $3.00 (bought in bulk pack)

1 lb pasta $1.00

1 bag spinach $2.50

1 apple $0.75

Salt/pepper/butter $0.75

Total $8.00

$8.00 divided by 4 people is $2 per serving

Microwave chicken fajitas with easy guacamole

Ingredients:

3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1-2 Bell Peppers (red and green)

1 large Onion

1 small lime or ½ lime

2 Tblsp Taco seasoning

6-inch Flour Tortillas

Toppings:

Guacamole

Salsa

Sour Cream

Shredded Cheese

Slice the bell peppers and the onion. Put onions and bell peppers in the bottom of the deep covered baking dish (microwaveable), sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon of taco seasoning. Add the raw chicken on top of the peppers and onions (leave a little space between the chicken breasts), squeeze lime over the chicken and then sprinkle with the other tablespoon of taco seasoning. Cover with the lid and microwave for 15 minutes.

When the chicken is done (cut into a piece or check with a pocket thermometer to make sure it is done), cut it up in the baker using the kitchen shears. Put on tortillas and enjoy! (this recipe was adapted from the Pampered Chef)

Easy Guacamole:

2 ripe avocados

Salt/pepper

Lemon juice

Salsa

Mash avocados and add juice of one lemon, and about ¾ cup of salsa mix well, add salt and pepper to taste.

Oven fried pork tenders and buttered veggies with pasta

1 lb pork loin chops sliced into 1 inch strips

2 tbls honey mustard

2 tbls water

1 cup bread crumbs (I prefer panko)

1 lb pasta

1 bag frozen vegetables

Butter, salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Combine mustard and water set aside, season bread crumbs with salt and pepper.

Dip pork tenders in honey mustard sauce and then into bread crumbs covering completely, please on foil lined cookie sheet repeat with remaining tenders. Bake for 15 minutes

Bring 8 cups of salted water to a boil cook pasta according to directions except that when the pasta water is boiling again add the frozen vegetables. When pasta is done, drain with veggies and add butter, salt, and pepper to taste.

Serve tenders with pasta and veggies and maybe a little honey mustard for dipping.

Check out my blog www.cookingwithtrace.com for more cost saving recipes or send me a note at cookingwithtrace@gmail.com

Go cook something!

Fried Green Tomatoes, for Esther!

2011-01-05T06:24:00.000-07:00

Fried Green Tomatoes!

I am not sure that these would be the same as the ones served at the Whistle Stop Café, but I thought they were pretty tasty. Esther, this one is for you!

Being born and partially raised in Northern Alabama, I thought it surprising that I had never had fried green tomatoes, so after last summer’s late harvest, I thought what the heck. I know how to fry something (I did mention I am from Alabama, it is a prerequisite to leave the maternity ward), and I had all the tools on hand.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Dilled Sour cream

Green tomatoes (2-3 inches around very firm)

Flour

Salt

Pepper

Cayenne

Egg

Panko bread crumbs (in the supermarket bread crumb aisle)

Oil

Slice the tomatoes about 1/3 to ½ inch thick.

Mix enough flour for dredging with salt, pepper, and cayenne (this is your preference, I like it to bite back, so I may use more cayenne than you!)

In a separate bowl beat one egg for about every 2 tomatoes (depending on their size) with 1 tbls of water.

Dredge tomato in flour mixture, then coat in egg wash and then press into bread crumbs on both sides

Set aside to rest, when you have prepared all tomato slices, heat pan and then add about 1 tbls of oil.

Fry tomatoes on medium heat until GB&D (golden brown and delicious) serve with dilled sour cream, and maybe some hot sauce.

Dilled sour cream,

½ cup sour cream

1 tbls dry dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Make this in advance of cooking the tomatoes , so that the flavors have a chance to meld together.

Help me with a recipe, please????

2011-01-03T17:04:00.001-07:00

So I had this idea for a potato casserole, and j think that it turned out, well ok but not great. So I am asking for suggestions because I think this could be amazing, but I not sure which direction to go. Please comment here (not anonymously please) or on my Cooking with Trace Facebook page. Thanks in advance!

Potato casserole
5 thinly sliced potaoes
Meat (could be chicken or pork, or ????)
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
Salt / pepper

In 9x13 Oiled pan place 2 layers of potatoes then 1 layer of pork or chicken then onions then 2 layers of potatoes.
Season with salt and pepper. Take a piece of aluminum foil in tip of casserole and press down firmly

Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes uncover and bake for 15 minutes longer.

Serve with BBQ sauce.

www.cookingwithtrace.com

Olive Garden's chicken gnocchi soup from Copykat recipes

2011-01-02T20:57:00.000-07:00

So we love the Olive Garden... but we usually make it out the door with a tab of $25 including tip! How can we do that you ask? Are you only feeding one person? no, and no! We, my family of four, enjoy the all you can eat soup. There are several kinds to choose from and the cost is about $5 per person. We typically drink water anyway, so unless we order an appetizer or a dessert, we are cheap, or thrifty, however you want to think about it.

Our favorites are the Zuppa Toscana, and the Chicken and Gnocchi (my oldest mixes the two together). We have made the Zuppa before so I googled a recipe for the Chicken and Gnocchi. Copykat.com is someone that I have been following and when they came up on the search I knew it was the one to try.

The recipe is surprisingly easy, and I am sure you could use leftovers for some of the ingredients. Give this soup a try and then next time, add more veggies, or a different kind of protien... let me know how it turns out!

P.S. I found the gnocchi in the dried pasta section of my supermarket.

Here is the recipe from www.copykat.com

Yield: 8 servings.
1 cup chicken breasts, cooked and diced (you can use a rotisserie chicken)
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 quart half and half
1 14 ounce can chicken broth
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup carrots, finely shredded
1 cup onion, finely diced
1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin oil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon parsley
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese – optional
1 pound potato gnocchi – can buy this in the gourmet section of many supermarkets
Sauté the onion, celery, and garlic in the butter and olive oil, over medium heat when the onion becomes translucent, add the flour, and make a roux, let the butter and flour mixture cook for about a minute before adding 1 quart of half and half.
Cook gnocchi according to package directions.
Into the roux add in the carrots and chicken. Once the mixture becomes thick add the chicken broth. Once the mixture thickens again, add the cooked gnocchi, spinach, and seasonings, simmer until soup is heated through.
Comments about this recipe: You can add more chicken if you like. While you could use left over cooked chicken breasts, I really think using the rotisserie chicken that are found in many grocery stores is the best way to get the optimal flavor of this soup. If you want to make the soup lower calorie you can use milk instead of half and half. Half and Half, does taste better, and it also reheats better than milk does.

A big thanks to Stephanie Manley at www.copykat.com, this was a great recipe!

www.cookingwithtrace.com

Leftovers? Yes please!

2010-12-31T18:34:00.001-07:00

Leftovers, yes please! Ham and potato pancakes

Leftover mashed potatoes and ham? Make them into yummy potato pancakes and please the whole family!

Of course it is never plain with me, but the beauty of cooking at home is doing it your way, so make the recipe your way and then experiment!

4 cups leftover mashed potatoes (mine were russet with skin on and roasted garlic cloves added in)
2 cups chopped leftover ham
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used colby jack)
Splash of milk or cream (I had 1/2 & 1/2)
Flour for dredging with salt and pepper
Garlic sour cream for topping

Add mashed potatoes to large bowl, mix in ham, cheese, milk and stir to combine.

Spoon ping pong size balls of the mixture and roll into balls.

Roll into seasoned flour and flatten.

Fry in a nonstick skillet with a little oil.

Add mashed roasted garlic, sea salt, and sour cream, stir to combine. Top with freshly grated pepper.

Season with salt and enjoy!

www.cookingwithtrace.com

Snack!!!

2010-12-29T15:04:00.001-07:00

Black forest rye+natural peanut butter+homemade raspberry/peach jam= wow!

www.cookingwithtrace.com

Maple Cashew Mini-tarts... Decadence!

2010-11-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

I recently signed up again as a Pampered Chef Consultant and thought it would be helpful to test a recipe to get back in the groove. I chose Maple Cashew Mini-tarts. The idea of salty, creamy cashews with real maple syrup sounded too good to be true.

The recipe is easy and quick, however I am not usually a baker, so although they look good, the promotional picture looks so much better.

I shopped around for the best deal on maples syrup and actually bought some at Wal-Mart, 12 oz for about $7, so not bad, but if I am going to make more I would definitely go to Vitamin Cottage and pick up the 32 oz bottle for $17.

I hope you enjoy it and I hope you let me know if you give it a try!

Pampered Chef Maple Cashew Mini-tarts

Ingredients
1 cup (250 mL) salted cashews
2 eggs
1/2 cup (125 mL) packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (125mL) pure maple syrup (do not use maple-flavored pancake syrup), divided
1 tbsp (15mL) butter, melted
1 tsp (5mL) Double Strength Vanilla
1 pkg (15oz/350mL) refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts), softened according to package directions
Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Coarsely chop cashews with Food Chopper. In Classic Batter Bowl, combine eggs, brown sugar, 1/3 cup (75 mL) of the maple syrup, butter and vanilla. Whisk with Stainless Whisk until smooth. Stir cashews into egg mixture; set aside.
Unroll one pie crust onto Pastry Mat. Using wide end of clear Food Chopper collar, cut out six pastry circles. (Circles will measure 33/4 in./9.5 cm. Discard remaining dough.) Pinch edges of circles inward at 1/2-in. (1-cm) intervals, creating ruffled shells. Place shells intoMuffin Pan wells; repeat with remaining pie crust.
Stir cashew mixture until combined; pour evenly into shells until two-thirds full. Bake 18-21 minutes or until shells are golden brown. Remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack; cool completely. Brush tops of tarts with remaining maple syrup.

Yield: 12 mini-tarts
Nutrients per serving: (1 mini-tart): Calories 270, Total Fat 14 g, Saturated Fat 4.5 g, Cholesterol 40 mg, Carbohydrate 33 g, Protein 4 g, Sodium 160 mg, Fiber 0 g
Cook’s Tips: To create pastry shells with the prettiest fluted edges, it’s best to shape them before placing them into the Muffin Pan. After shaping each shell, immediately place it into the pan well.
A mixed nut blend that does not contain peanuts can be substituted for the cashews, if desired.
Serve these pretty tarts in place of pecan pie for the holidays.
© 2010 The Pampered Chef used under license.

Email me at cookingwithtrace@gmail.com

Go cook something!

Trace
www.cookingwithtrace.com

Turkey day!

2010-11-25T12:52:00.001-07:00

Woo hoo it is turkey day! Happy thanksgiving from cookingwithtrace.com and the family.

I hope your holiday us filled with family and food.

Here are some pics from our festivities!

Check out my new domain!

www.cookingwithtrace.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

Location:Lois St,Clifton,United States

Oats - not just for breakfast anymore!

2010-11-01T09:12:00.003-06:00

Oats - not just for breakfast anymore!

I am always trying to find ways to improve the diet of my family, and often I am thanked with sneers and turned up noses, but I persevere. I remember hating things that my dad tried to feed me and now I like most of them. So I continue to add them to the menu and maybe they stick now and maybe they stick later.

It is official, you can ask anyone who is around me, I am obsessed with oats. Note that I did not say oatmeal. I am not buying that whole “Quaker oats are good for you” junk and I sure as hell am not buying flavored/colored instant oats. If that it your thing, good for you, but I would be willing to bet that you have not had real rolled oats cooked properly with amazing flavor possibilities.

My oats are better than yours, just sayin’.

This idea came upon me when reading about a savory oat recipe from Mark Bittman, he suggested oats with soy sauce and scallions, now while I have not been able to bring my self to add soy sauce, i have found a few other ingredients that may seem just as strange.
My first foray is listed on my blog (www.cookingwithtrace.blogspot.com) and it is a recipe for savory oats that include honey and chili sauce. They can be eaten as a side dish or for breakfast, lunch, etc. The ingredients and instructions are listed below.

In the meantime, if you are interested here are some ideas for other taste combinations:
Peanut butter and bananas
Peanut butter and coconut (unsweetened)
Chili-honey sauce
Cinnamon
Apple and cinnamon (substitute half of the water for apple juice)
Chicken and vegetables (use chicken broth instead of water and add cooked chicken, with your choice of vegetables)

Savory Oats, well almost!
1 cup rolled thick cut oats
1 cup water
2 tbls honey
2 tbls chili sauce (found in the Asian food section)
pinch of salt
butter

Bring the salted water to a rolling boil, add oats and return to boil for approximately 1-2 minutes (I like them al dente). Remove to bowl and stir in butter, mix chili sauce and honey together (makes a delicious dipping sauce as well) drizzle over your oats, and enjoy.

My next experiement is:
Coffee oatmeal (instead of water cook the oats in coffee, add sweetener and cream/milk).

Caffeinated oats... now that has to be a winning idea!

Go cook something.

Trace

www.cookingwithtrace.blogspot.com or find me on facebook (search for cooking with trace)

Savory oats.. well almost

2010-10-17T21:24:00.000-06:00

I have been thinking about the idea of making oatmeal that is not sweetened. Oats are a grain and if you actually purchase them as they were intended (rolled not instant) then you can really see this versatile grain.

So the idea came up when I read about Mark Bittman's Savory Oatmeal with Scallions and Soy Sauce (http://tiny.cc/qjcwj) as soon as I finished the article my mind was racing with ideas on how to make oatmeal less breakfastly.

Today I decided to try one of my ideas, I had some Chili sauce and honey mixed together from the night before and I had recently purchased whole rolled oats from Vitamin Cottage so I plunged into the unknown.

(side note, I cannot stand mushy oatmeal, sticky oatmeal, old or cold oatmeal, etc. My oatmeal needs to be warm, and the grains have to be al dente.)

Here is what I did:

2 cups of water (I will reduce this for the next time possibly 1 1/2 cups)
2 pinches of kosher salt
1 cup rolled oats
1 tbls chili-honey sauce

Bring the water and a pinch of salt to a rolling boil, add oats and turn off the flame. Stir a a couple of times until until oats have reached the desired consistency.

Serve oats with the salt, and chili sauce and a pat of butter, enjoy.

I would love to hear from anyone who is brave enough to try this.. it does not have to be breakfast, maybe it is a side dish or a quick lunch.

As I am working on my writing, I am attempting to make my food photos more enticing, drop me a note to let me know what you think.

in the meantime Eat!

Trace
www.cookingwithtrace.blogspot.com

The perfect baked potatoes

2010-10-17T21:06:00.000-06:00

The perfect baked potato!

With a little preparation and a few ingredients you can make the tastiest baked potatoes at home. My wife loves the potatoes at Texas Roadhouse, and therefore I took it upon myself to try to duplicate.

The main thing about these potatoes would be the salty exterior and secondly the fluffy interior. To ensure that the flavor is matched we would have to visit the restaurant for research purposes… just kidding.

My wife had a scrapbooking event to attend today so we assembled the ingredients and made the tasty taters for her to take with her.

A quick note about potatoes from www.idahopotato.com

A 5 ounce potato has no fat, cholesterol, or sodium. There are only 26 grams of carbohydrates (2 fiber and only 1 sugar) and it even has a couple grams of protein.

So again moderation is the key and of course be careful what you top it with.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients:

Oil

Kosher salt

Several small/medium potatoes

A baking dish

After washing and drying your potatoes roll them in oil and salt

Add them to the baking dish

I like to use my Pampered Chef fluted stoneware baker, the sides allow the heat to cook the potatoes evenly.

Bake at 350 for 90 minutes and then let cool for about 20 minutes. The outside is crispy and salty while the inside is fluffy. Add butter, sour cream, bacon bits, chives, etc. Enjoy

Viva la unfrosted cake!

2010-10-15T09:26:00.001-06:00

Old age and frosting...

When I announced that my birthday cake was going to be frosting free, you would have thought that I committed an act of culinary sacrilege. My thought was that if you break it down we are smearing fat+sugar+food coloring on to a slab or flour, eggs, sugar. Do we really need to sweeten cake? Don’t get me wrong, I love frosting, as a matter of fact the main reason for me to want to not have it on my birthday cake is because I would not be able to stay out of it. I was certain that there was a better choice, and my friends eventually came around.

I wanted to make my own cake but the clock/calendar was not cooperating. I wanted something unique and artistic, maybe a flavored cake. So I made a few phone calls, several local bakeries, everyone had the same thing to offer, white, yellow, chocolate, carrot, and spice. One local bakery had a zucchini cake and also an Italian cream flavor (which we will keep in mind for another time, yum), did you know that almost all supermarkets will sell you an unfrosted cake for about one third less than a frosted cake? This would not include Safeway, all of their cakes come frosted some their “commissary” in Denver. One of my last calls was to City Market (a Kroger subsidiary) and I asked the same old questions, what flavors do you have besides the standards, can I purchase it without fat smeared all over it, etc. Suddenly the clouds opened up and the person on the other end said “we do have an almond poppy seed flavor”... angels started singing, taste buds starting tingling, and I am pretty sure there was some salivating. Almond poppy seed? that screams flavor and uniqueness. Almost immediately I started thinking of how I would make this into a celebration treat.

The answer is FRUIT SALSA! My wife had mentioned that as an alternative to cake in the planning stages (Mango Salsa Sundaes is a wonderful Pampered Chef recipe). So after a brief Facebook survey, I determined that you could put anything into a salsa and it would still turn out pretty good, but the key ingredients that kept popping up were, Strawberries, peaches, kiwi and bananas. My oldest son has an allergy to bananas, so they are out, but what about the rest?

Here is what I can up with:

4 lb frozen Strawberries (partially thawed)
10 kiwi (peeled, in chunks)
2 32 oz cans of peaches in juice (not syrup) reserve juice from one can
2 cans crushed pineapple in juice
2 bottles of mandarin oranges in juice
1 vanilla bean
1/4 cup sugar

Place the strawberries and peaches in a large bowl and mix/chop them until you have a salsa consistency, add the chunks of kiwi and the crushed pineapple.

Split and scrape vanilla bean into sauce pan, add sugar and juice from peaches, heat and stir to combine. Once cooled add to salsa and mix together.

Layer the mandarin oranges on top and we are done!

We served the unfrosted cake with fruit salsa and whipped cream, it was a hit, I even was thanks by my friends daughter because she cannot eat frosting and was ecstatic to come to a party and be able to eat the cake!

The point is make it delicious, make it adventurous, make it original! Leave the frosting alone! Viva la unfrosted cake....

Trace

cookingwithtrace.blogspot.com

How now brown cow! Latest article from Your Valley Source

2010-10-13T09:10:00.001-06:00

How now brown cow?
Does it seem conceivable that once upon a time most of our everyday junk
food was actually made at home? I remember the first time I saw my grandma
make pudding from scratch, no box, no Bill Cosby, just ingredients and
(cheesy alert) love.
Can you think of a time when you made a cake from scratch, or your own
potato chips? You can do it! Anything you want from popsicles to candy bars
can be made in the home kitchen, it will take time, it will take a little
gumption, but it can be done.
Let's start with something easy, delicious, and somewhat nutritious.
Chocolate milk! It bothers me that you can find low fat chocolate milk in
every direction from cows to soybeans, but you can't find any low sugar
creamy caramel colored goodness.
Why do I care? A couple of reasons, first off they serve the sugary stuff in
school to get kids to drink milk, but I believe if you make a nutritious
product and then fill it full of bad things then what is the point.
Secondly, it is a cool refreshing drink that is full of vitamins, protein,
and good carbohydrates. There is even a movement right now that is
supporting chocolate milk as a post workout recovery drink.
So now that I have your attention I am going to throw another wrench in the
works, what about chocolate milk for adults?
The nutritional content of 1% white milk is as follows: 1 serving (8 ounces)
100 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 12 carbohydrates (all of which are sugar)
and 8 grams of protein. There are 4 grams of sugar per teaspoon, so a
regular glass of white milk has 3 teaspoons of sugar. Now when you add in
the chocolate syrup you add typically another 3 teaspoons of sugar for a
total of 6 teaspoons or 1 fluid ounce of sugar. Would you add that much
sugar to any other drink?
So what is the solution? I have fallen in love with stevia. Stevia is a
natural substance that is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar and it is
carbohydrate free. I recently purchased pure stevia powder at a little shop
on 7th and Main streets in Grand Junction, Orrs Trading Company. The pure
powder can be purchased by the ounce (and by our calculations 1 ounce of
stevia at 300X will sweeten a lot of stuff) and then added to your choice of
items. If you go by there you can pick up a lot of other bulk herbs, spices
and teas all at reasonable prices. Tell Deborah I said hi!
A quick note about the new surge of stevia products in the grocery store,
check to see what they are mixed with, since the stevia is so much stronger
it has to be typically cut with inulin, or maltodextrin, or some other
"harmless" additive.

Stevia semi-sweet chocolate milk

2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 oz warm water
1/2 teaspoon pure stevia powder
Add cocoa to water and stir until combined. Once you have slurry add the
stevia and mix to combine. Stevia takes a few minutes to "bloom" so I would
suggest waiting about 5 minutes before tasting a little of the chocolate,
you can add more stevia is needed, but I like mine a less sweet. It will
still seem bitter, but trust me added to the milk it will be very tasty.

To make the chocolate milk add about 1 teaspoon of the paste to 8 to 10
ounces of ice cold milk and stir to combine. Enjoy anytime and I'll bet it
would even be good warmed up this winter. If you are adventurous you might
add some chile powder for a kick.
For other ideas and recipes visit my blog as
www.cookingwithtrace.blogspot.com

cookingwithtrace.blogspot.com

A burger fit for the (Greek) gods...

2010-09-27T20:14:00.000-06:00

A burger fit for the (Greek) gods...

After perusing the incredible cars on Main street in Grand Junction and getting our ooo-pah from baklava at the Greek festival on Saturday, we decided that Red Robin would be in order. Good food, decent kids menu, and the prices are not bad. The kids both ordered pizza from the kids menu (I know, pizza in a burger joint, crazy right?), my wife ordered her staple BBQ bacon cheeseburger (with Swiss cheese) and I ordered the Mt. Olympus burger (we did go to the Greek festival).

The place was busy because of homecoming at one of the local high schools, but the bottomless fries and drinks kept us going until the food arrived. Everyone was very happy with their choice and dug in right away. I looked at my burger and was a little intimidated. Here was a couple of brilliant ideas melded together an oregano seasoned burger covered in creamy spinach and artichoke dip, feta cheese, BACON (yes the capitalization is intentional) bits, served with garlic mayo, lettuce, and tomatoes, on ciabatta bun.

As the parent of a tweenager, I have the right to say OMG! That burger was so delicious. The seasoned meat had just a bit of pink in the middle and the multitude of flavors came together in a symphony of unique delicioucity! The bun was soft and light but still strong enough to hold the burger together until the last bites, the spinach and artichoke dip was cool and fresh, not like the cheesy dips that I am used to, this was similar to French onion dip but bright and tasty without being overpowering.

Side note, for almost 13 years my wife and I have had a unique restaurant game, I try to have her taste my food in an attempt to broaden her palette and have her try new things, and usually she declines. There are the few times she does try and even rarer that she is excited for that new dish. When she does like the new food, she tries (and usually succeeds) in participating in food piracy and I end up eating what she ordered because I am so excited that she likes something new. On this occasion I asked her if she wanted a bite and to my surprise she was delighted in the experience. She pulled out the puppy dog eyes and pouted out the lip and asked if we could trade. Unfortunately for her the answer was as resounding NO! In our marriage I am usually the one to give in and hand over my food, but not this time baby!

In the end I stood my ground and did not share my burger, which I could have afforded because they are on special for only $6.99. Of course they do have all kinds of salads at Red Robin, but seriously folks… have you tried the burger?

Here is a quick spinach and artichoke dip recipe from: http://www.greatpartyrecipes.com/spinachdiprecipes.html

(Cold) Spinach Dip

1 cup chopped cooked spinach (1 10 oz. frozen pkg.)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
6 green onions, chopped
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, finely chopped

Add 1 cup chopped artichoke hearts to the recipe above.

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons pepper
Salt to taste

· Squeeze the spinach dry and pat it down with paper towels.

· In a medium bowl stir together all ingredients until well combined.

· Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

(This recipe can be prepared in a food processor and/or a day ahead with great results.)

· Serve chilled with sour dough bread and raw vegetable dippers like turnip slices and red pepper strips. Or serve in a scooped-out sour dough bread bowl, if desired, and save the scooped-out bread for dippers.

· Makes about 3 cups.

EAT!

Spices and Carnitas...

2010-09-19T21:34:00.000-06:00

Spices, Spices, and Spices

Soooo you know how I like to keep it natural most of the time, right? I found this great little store on main street, Orrs Trading Company next to the Avalon Theater. At first it looks like a bead and novelty shop, but if you walk past the interesting trinkets in the back you can buy bulk herbs, spices, and teas. I was actually compared to kid in a candy store! I bought paprika, granulated garlic, dried basil, pure dried stevia (more on that later), spirulina, and a tea mixture. The Deborah was working in the store and she was wonderful to talk with and very helpful. There are also tons of other non food things to shop for, beads, leather, bones, arrows, jewelry, etc. If you haven’t been to Orrs I recommend you get there quick.

What did I make with my purchases? Pork Carnitas… nuff said.

Pork Carnitas (adapted from http://www.itsfordinner.com/recipe/pork-carnitas)

Pork

3-4 pounds of boneless pork shoulder (may be called Boston butt) or 4-5lbs of bone-in pork shoulder

Spice rub

Note: This amount of spice works well for the amount of meat we normally use (3-4lbs), but it's a simple ratio so simply scale it for your amount of meat

1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp chile powder
1 tsp garlic powder

Braising liquid

3/4 cup no sugar added apple juice
Water to cover (for our pan that's usually about 2 cups)

Technique

Heat a dutch oven or other heavy bottomed oven-ready lidded pan over medium high heat with just enough vegetable oil (or lard if you have it) to cover the bottom .
Pre-heat oven to 300ºF
Cut pork into 1-2" cubes, trimming large sections of fat off (we need fat for the flavor, so just cut off any real large pieces). Toss pork pieces with spice rub.
Brown the cubed pork well in the dutch oven, going in batches so there is only one layer of meat at a time.
Introduce all of the meat back to the pan and cover with water until it's nearly submerged.
Bring to a simmer, cover, and place in the oven. Cook covered for two hours.
After letting the pork cool for a few minutes work through with your hands to separate and discard any fat or gristle pieces that hadn't melted in the braise. Tear the meat into smaller pieces. I used my handy dandy Pampered Chef Mix N Chop (very cool for ground beef and several other applications).
Turn your broiler on to high and place a rack towards the top
Toss the now shredded pork with some of the reduced braising liquid (that should have boiled down significantly by now) and spread in a single layer on a sheet pan.
Broil the pork for approximately five minutes per side until the outside begins to caramelize

Serve with tortillas and salsa verde (recipe to come later), beans would have been nice but we did not get past the meat!

Orrs Trading Company

Beads, Native American products and a variety of teas.

Location:	639 Main Street, Suite B

, Grand Junction, CO 970-241-1126

STEAK!!! Latest article from Your Valley Source

2010-09-08T21:29:00.000-06:00

What's for dinner?
So I am not Sam Elliott, and I am never going to have the six pack abs of Matthew McConaughey, but I still think Beef! It's what's for dinner! Whether it is a juicy cheeseburger, a Sunday after church pot roast or a big ass hunk of beast on the grill, it is alright with me.
Not only is steak a universal high class meal and the staple of grill masters everywhere, but there are so many choices, Rib eye, T-Bone, Top Loin, Skirt, rare, medium, burnt, seasoning, marinades, aging, broiling, roasting, frying, grilling, even the infamous TarTar.
Ok, so what steak is right for you? It depends on your needs. Personally I like a nice juicy rib eye grilled to medium rare with a little salt and pepper because great meat should stand on it own (insert your favorite dirty joke here).

Grilled Rib eye Steak with summer vegetables

Prep steak: 1 inch rib eye per person removed from refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes. Sprinkle with coarse ground salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Prep veggies: Prepare 1 small zucchini and ½ bell pepper (I like red, or orange) per person,
You can slice the zukes and peppers in half or you can chunk them up and add them to a grill basket either way toss with a little oil before cooking

Prep grill: Preheat grill (charcoal or gas) until the heat is medium high, oil grates with a paper towel and tongs.

Place steak at a 45 degree angle on the hot part of the grill and wait 2 minutes then turn steak 45 degrees (do not flip the steak as this will create grill marks like a pro) wait another two minutes and then flip.

At this point you can add your veggies to the grill and when the steak has cook 7-8 minutes total remove and let rest while the veggies finish.

When the veggies have reached the level of doneness you prefer (I like a little char on mine) remove and toss with a pinch of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.

Now you have created a great meal full of healthy proteins, vegetables but most importantly you got to play with fire!

www.cookingwithtrace.blogspot.com

Pancakes from a can? Yes siree bob!

2010-07-27T18:46:00.001-06:00

Sounds bad right? But it is not!

I picked up a can of Batter Blaster (unfortunate name) and decided to give it a try.

In a word, tasty! It comes out of the can like soft whipped cream and spreads slightly in the pan. Wait for the bubbles to flip. I was impressed with the taste, texture, and the ease of preparation (ha ha). Even the kids and the wife liked them.

So food from a can? It can't be good for you, can it? Well the ingredient list is actually pretty good.

I don't care about the word organic right now. Meaning, I am not convinced that organic is any better than the others, but if the ingredients are decent then I am happy. There is a lack of chemical additions and that makes me happy.

Last meal.... In the south, Froglegs?

2010-07-27T18:45:00.002-06:00

So what would a trip to the south be without eating something really weird? Ok so how 'bout the bottom half of an amphibian?

As my last meal before leaving Kentucky I decided to give frog legs a try. RJ's cafe in Kevil, KY serves up real country cooking with a personal touch. The frog leg dinner was $9.99 and it included four sets of legs, fries, coleslaw, and hushpuppies. It was a lot of food but I managed to make my way through it.

So…. “What’s it like?” Delicious, the meat is very similar to alligator tail and could be described as a cross between chicken and pork for texture. The appearance is different because it looks like the frog was chopped in half and then fried but if you can get past the mooning frogs you are in for a treat.

If you have the chance to order frog legs at a restaurant, I would recommend it but in the mean time if you are adventurous at home you can order them on the most wonderful Al Gore invention, the world wide web. While you are online check out other adventures on my blog at www.cookingwithtrace.blogspot.com and leave me a message about the most adventurous meal you have ever eaten!
FROG LEGS
5 or 6 frog legs
1 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
Pepper
2 eggs
Wash frog legs. Put to side. Beat eggs. Add salt and pepper. Get frog legs and roll in eggs, then put in flour and put in skillet and cook at medium heat until brown.

Be adventurous and enjoy food.

Eating the south a little at a time, part II

2010-07-06T06:48:00.000-06:00

Eating the south a little at a time.

The Waffle House restaurants in the south are an institution. The food is
good (even if you are sober), but you do have to be in the mood for good
food made fresh and right in front of you. You can order steaks, burgers,
chicken, eggs anyway you like and of course waffles either with pecans or
without (do you say pea-can or pea-con? That is the tried and true method of
spotting a Yankee). Even with bottomless coffee and cheap waffles, I think
the hashbrowns are what draw people in.
How do you take your browns?
Regular - round
Scattered - on the grill
Smothered - sautéed onions
Covered - melted cheese
Chunked - grilled hickory smoked ham
Diced - grilled tomatoes
Peppered - spicy jalapeno peppers
Capped - grilled button mushrooms
Topped - Bert's chili
Country - sausage gravy
Or the "Works" with all the above, I am certain that your cardiologist would
not recommend the "Works" or most of the rest of the menu at The Waffle
House.
Personally I am scattered, smothered, covered, and chunked kinda guy, but
that would have to be the only thing I order, because it is a full meal by
itself.
Whether you are ending the night or starting the day you can find food,
coffee, and a little nostalgia at The Waffle House. Don't forget to check
the jukebox for Waffle House songs, and be daring, try the grits, you just
might like them.
My next adventure in the wonderful state of Kentucky is to actually have a
piece of fried chicken, there is a KFC in town but that would not be the
same, would it? I will report back if I can find a true Kentucky Fried
Chicken. Until then, I will be dreaming of red eye gravy, turnip greens,
black eyed peas, and of course grits.
For my other adventures in southern food check out my blog at
www.cookingwithtrace.blogspot.com or email me at cookingwithtrace@gmail.com.

Gourmet Paducah-- Cynthia's Ristorante

2010-06-27T06:40:00.000-06:00

For all my foodies out there, please check out Cynthia's Ristorante in beautiful downtown Paducah. The restaraunt was quiet and charming the service was wonderful and the food incredible.

For starters:

Grilled Fresh Mozzarella Salad wrapped in Prosciutto and Romaine Lettuce finished with a Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette

This was a tangy interesting way to start the meal, in almost napoleon style, tomato, mozzarella, and prosciutto were layered together and wrapped in romaine, grilled, placed a grilled piece of ciabatta and then a sweet and sour sun dried tomato vinaigrette to finish. Very delicious!

For the main course: I wanted the Duck Risotto but they were out, so I turned to my old friend the pig,

Pork Tenderloin - Wrapped in Apple Wood Smoked Bacon and Oak Grilled, Finished with a Port Wine Plum Reduction and Gran Marnier Carmelized Onions, Served with pan seared zucchini and yellow squash and a twice baked potato.

The pork was perfectly cooked and the bacon added a nice salty finish, the squash was just right, warm and tasty with out being over cooked and the potato was unique.

For dessert:
Homemade shortbread with a berry pastry cream and fresh strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries to garnish.

If you have the chance to visit I would recommend this restaurant!
http://www.cynthiasristorante.com/

Don't forget to check out my article in "The Source"

Eating the south part 1 - Paducah, KY

2010-06-09T13:38:00.000-06:00

Eating The South! Part 1
The "burger bar" in Kevil, KY for lunch.
My order was a double hamburger with fries and slaw and a side of fried pickles. Not exactly health food, but I am excited for down home roadside food.

The lady in the building said she would "holler" at me when it was ready. Waiting.... Waiting.... Waiting...fresh food takes awhile. I met a nice man waiting for his catfish which he insists I come back for, maybe after the treadmill.

So far the road food has not been real road foodish. We have been cooking in the hotel room, eating out was the first night and we went to Texas Roadhouse, which is good but uniform. I am hoping our trip to Alabama this weekend brings some exciting things besides family and rockets (Huntsville, Alabama is my hometown and it is "rocket city, USA"). I am hoping for BBQ, Waffle House, and something weird to eat. Who knows?

By the way the burger was huge and fresh, the fried pickles were great as well!

Don't forget to eat y'all! From Paducah, KY... Trace

cookingwithtrace.blogspot.com

Location:Metropolis Lake Rd,West Paducah,United States

Out to eat?

2010-06-07T06:16:00.000-06:00

I love to go out to eat! I mean who doesn’t? The atmosphere, the socialization, the delicious food that is nothing like you can make at home, right? Wrong! You have the ability to create great tasting, quick meals that can compare to restaurant food with less sodium, more nutrition, and even better a few more coins left the in the pocket.

Besides the nutritional and monetary benefits of eating at home you can also bring your family and friends together to enjoy camaraderie and fellowship.

So break out your pots and pans and your imagination and let’s get started.

What do you like? Fish, beef, chicken, vegetarian? Sweet, spicy, sweet and spicy, sweet and sour? Lots of different veggies, one vegetable, none? Noodles, rice, etc. You can do anything you like and make it healthy and fun. Make any number of combinations to please almost everyone.

Mongolian Grill

1 lb flank steak

Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery, bell peppers, etc.

Pineapple, Water chestnuts, mandarin oranges, etc.

Brown rice (there are a couple of tricks)

Sauce: Sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic, peanut butter, pineapple juice, be creative…

Slice the meat into bite-sized pieces (against the grain) and marinate for about 15 minutes in a mixture of soy sauce, minced garlic, and water. This is a quick process to add another layer of flavor.

While the meat is marinating work on the vegetables, chop the veggies into bite sized pieces and blanch in boiling water.

Now we are ready to Wok and roll…. Heat a large round bottomed skillet with a couple of tablespoons of oil. When the oil is very hot but not smoking add the meat in batches and cook to almost done. Remove meat from pan and reheat. Add veggies and cook quickly until crisp tender. Add meat, veggies, fruit, water chestnuts, and toss to combine.

Serve over brown rice (either made in the oven or I use the frozen brown rice from the local market)

For the sauce you can mix any number of items together to make a delicious addition. I like sesame oil, soy sauce, pineapple rum sauce, water, and garlic blended together.

Other sauces:

Peanut butter + soy sauce+ wasabi powder+ water= peanut sauce

Peaches (pureed) +soy sauce+ peach nectar= peach sauce

More to come...

Location:Coleman Crossing Cir,Paducah,United States