Bits Of Dust

Archive for May, 2008

It still has a long way to go, but it just might make it.

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What do you get when you mix grilled chicken, cheese and some green onions with a flour tortilla?

Chicken Quesadillas of course.

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We were surprised today when the kids ran in carrying the first tomato of spring.

We just planted the tomato plants about three weeks ago. I had no idea I would be eating garden fresh tomatoes so soon.. YUM!

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Last night, the chef in training, aka our middle son, decided he was going to make a “creation” for dinner. We decided to let him have the run of the kitchen, and this is what he made.

“Shrimp And Noodle Thyme”

Ingredients:

1 lb fettuccini noodles
1/2 lb shrimp
2 sticks butter
2 tbsp minced garlic
1tsp crushed thyme
dash pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

Preparation:

In a small saucepan, add the butter, garlic, thyme, and pepper. Heat on low heat to melt the butter and infuse the garlic flavor into it. While the butter is melting, peel and devein shrimp (he made me do this). Also bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Place the fettuccini noodles into the pot of water, and begin heating a large skillet (we use cast iron) to a medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot add the olive oil, then add the shrimp. Cook the shrimp for a few minutes on each side.

When the noodles are done, drain them and return them to the pot. Strain the butter mixture and pour the butter over the noodles. Mix well. Serve them in a large pasta serving dish topped with the shrimp.

He served his dish with some mixed vegetables and everyone, including picky eater #3, ate their entire dinner. It was sort of like fettuccini alfredo, without the alfredo. In fact, he told me when he started cooking it that he wanted the butter to taste like “garlic bread”. Sure enough, it did.

Sorry, no pictures. We were 3/4 of the way through the meal before we remembered the camera.

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This is one of my favorite, and fastest, recipes.

Ingredients:

One Haas avocado
Two spring onions
One Roma tomato
dash garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

Dice onions and tomatoes. The smaller the better.
Remove skin and seed from avocado, any way you want, just toss the avocado (in big chunks if you want) into the bowl.
Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Smash the avocado with the spoon as you mix it. If you want a chunkier guacamole, don’t mash so much, if you want it smooth and mushy, smash the heck out of the thing. This time I made it somewhat in-between because I ate the whole bowl with some fresh warm tortilla chips for lunch.

Serve with chips, taquitos, or whatever else you want to serve it with.

I suppose you could add a jalapeno pepper or some other spicy object if you so desired. Me? I like a nice mild, creamy, guacamole. It helps cool down all the other spicy things I eat.

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Yesterday, Robyn Lee posted Mario Batali’s “Grilled Artichokes” recipe at Serious Eats.

Artichokes are one of my all-time favorite foods. If I had to choose just three foods and I could not eat any other foods but those three, ever again, I would choose avocados, crab, and artichokes. I would be happy for the rest of my days.

I really need to pick up Mario’s new book. I think it would make a fine addition to the two others I have on the island in the kitchen.

Thanks to Robyn, in addition to ribs, hamburgers and hot dogs, I will be grilling a few artichokes as well. I can’t resist new artichoke recipes.

I wonder if they have an “Artichokes Anonymous” meeting anywhere near me.

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Ingredients:

2 lb. Beef Chuck
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sliced onion
1 clove garlic
3/4 cup catsup (we use homemade)
2 tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
2 tsp Paprika
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
dash red pepper
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup water
egg noodles (really good if you use homemade)

Preparation:

Cook beef in shortening until it is brown and caramelized. Add onions and garlic and cook until the onions are transparent. Add remaining items (except the noodles) and mix thoroughly. If you are using store bought noodles you can add them at this time, otherwise don’t add the noodles until the last 2-3 minutes of cooking. Cook goulash until the sauce reduces and the meat is tender. Add extra water if the sauce gets too thick.

This is one of the most delicious recipes in my wife’s arsenal. Try it, you’ll like it. Just make sure you get beef that is tender or will be once it is cooked.

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Wow, you guys are a lively bunch. Either everyone stopped reading this blog completely, or you are all stumped on this very obvious dish. I sure hope you all didn’t stop reading.

Anyway, here is another photo clue:

Well? What is it?

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This evening, I was able to talk the wife into making one of my favorite dishes. Can you tell what it is?

Leave your answer in the comments, and I will post the recipe tomorrow.

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On Thursday, Chef John posted a recipe for chicken wings that are oven fried.

I love my chicken wings, and I thought there was no way to make “oven fried” wings taste like they were fried. I was wrong. That’s why he is the Chef and I am the dad who aspires to cook well.

I followed his recipe to the letter (as far as the wings themselves went) and they came out excellent. When it came to making the glaze, I chose to use some honey bbq sauce, mixed with some Frank’s Red Hot. It made for a deliciously sweet and spicy combination.

The kids loved them, the wife loved them, and we’ll be having the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Sorry, I didn’t get any photos, but they look exactly like Chef John’s only they had lots of bite marks in them.

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