Spicy Pickled Eggs

Spicy Pickled Eggs

What to do with all those hard boiled Easter eggs? Of course the standard go-to is Egg Salad and his best friend, the egg salad sandwich. But my favorite is pickled eggs. I like a little heat in mine, so here is my Spicy Pickled Eggs. In a saucepan, bring to boil…1 cup white vinegar1 cup apple cider vinegar2 cups water2 TBSP agave2 TBSP kosher salt1 diced red onion2 diced jalapenos4 cloves of garlic1 TBSP crushed red pepper flakes.2 TBSP dill2 TBSP Beet Powder (optional) You can sub out some water with the liquid and beets from a can of beets if you want classic red pickled beets. I just happened to have some beet powder, so I add that to my mixture. I boiled 18 eggs and peeled them. Place the eggs in containers (Mason jars are perfect for this) and pour...

Causa Rellena (Tuna version)

Causa Rellena  (Tuna version)

After making an egg salad Causa Rellena as a side dish last weekend, I’ve had this meal on my mind. So tonight we prepared a Tuna Salad rolled Causa Rellena. This is a meal I’ve enjoyed at Peruvian restaurants before. I’ve prepared the stacked version before, but this was all new approach tonight. The first step (hours before serving) was to peel and cut up 2 large russet potatoes. Boil these with 3 cloves of garlic for about 30 minutes. Strain. Mix in 1/8 cup olive oil, black pepper, poultry seasoning and 3 tablespoons of Amarillo paste. Use any hot sauce you like to substitute. Squeeze in the juice of a large lime. Smash (I used a hand mixer). Put this in the fridge to cool. The next step was to make a killer tuna salad. We wanted to go heavy...

Greek Fish, Onions and Tomatoes

Greek Fish, Onions and Tomatoes

Tonight I give you Greek Fish with Tomato and Onion. This was served with a Greek Lemon Rice. This recipe is for two, namely me and my sous chef and partner, Saara Przybylek. INGREDIENTS:For The Sauce:1 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil1/2 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced (half moons)4 large garlic cloves, minced1 (12-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes2 teaspoons dried oregano1 pounds white fish filet, such as halibut or cod For The Fish:½ teaspoon dried oreganoteaspoon sweet paprika½ teaspoon ground cumin1 lemons, divided Garnish: ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped In a pot (I love my dutch oven for this) add the oil and onion. Cook down a bit, add the garlic to be fragrant. Add the tomatoes and break up a bit. Put in the oregano and some black pepper....

Don’s Black Bean Burger

Don’s Black Bean Burger

Tonight’s dinner is my Black Bean Burger, it’s what’s for dinner (Saturday night). Served with a wonderful carrot/butternut squash soup created by Saara Przybylek. I’ll let her share her recipe in the comments. This is a wonderful faux-burger that does not lack in a great burger bite, or a satisfying meal. This makes 3-4 burgers. Ingredients 1 can low sodium Bush’s Black Beans – rinsed VERY well and set onto a cookie sheet covered in paper towels for 15 min. to dry 1 egg 1 T all-purpose flour 2 scallions, chopped 3T cilantro (other fresh herbs to taste) 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ t each of cumin and coriander 1 t hot sauce ¼ t each of salt & pepper ¼ cup or ½ oz. of Tortilla chips, chopped to rough meal consistency, I use a bullet....

Muscles Provencales

Muscles Provencales

I was delighted to stumble across muscles in the frozen seafood department at the Food Lion. This opened the doors for one of my favorite meals, Muscles Provencales! This is a flexible seafood meal whose base is a delightful Tomato-Safron base. First, and most important is to make your own seafood stock. I use the shells from about a pound of shrimp. Of course, save the shelled shrimp to toss in later. My seafood Stock:Shells, from shrimp,1 large yellow onion, sliced or chopped1 carrot, roughly sliced or chopped1 celery stalk, roughly sliced or chopped2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)2 sprigs thymeSeveral sprigs parsley1 bay leaf10 to 15 whole peppercorns1 teaspoons salt4 cups of water. Simmer for an hour. 30 minutes would be the minimum. Strain in a fine...

Prime Rib Chili

Prime Rib Chili

Post-Christmas Prime Rib Chili As previously noted, after Thanksgiving, on Friday I always make turkey enchiladas. So I thought…why not make a post Christmas meal, and since I always cook a Standing Rib Roast, I’ll incorporate that. Thus, Prime Rib Chili. I decided to pull back on the heat a bit so the meat could shine…and it did. I sliced off a thick steak after the Christmas meal, and set it aside. The next day I chopped it up to spoon size pieces. The next day I caramelized 1 onion with olive oil on the bottom of my crock pot, set on high. I added a diced yellow bell pepper, let that cook till soft and then added about 4 cloves of minced garlic. I cooked this for a few minutes until the garlic was fragrant. I ground in some fresh black...