good morning...

effortless...

thank you...

so...i'm makin' red sauce for some pasta tonite....was gonna make meatballs to go with it...then...i'm thinkin' maybe hot italian sausage from wynn's...hhhmmm...didn't go with either!!...came up with this...

for my red sauce...nina tomatoes...fresh basil and garlic...white wine...parmesan cheese...extra virgin olive oil...kosher salt...

ok...for my pasta...red onion...green olives...and key west gulf shrimp...

first up...get the pasta water on...now...in the pan...a couple of nice dollops of butter...saute for about 10 to 12 minutes...

next...in go the shrimp...for about a minute and a half...

give 'em a flip...in go the green olives...another minute and a half...

a little red sauce...

pasta's done...give it a toss in the pan...DONE!!

time to eat...

a sprinkle of fresh basil...a little pinot...

a little garlic toast...a few pickled pepper rings...

this was phenomenal!!!...i have never had shrimp with red sauce!...WOW!!...with the subtle red onion...the salty green olive...and the overall coating of butter??...hittin' on all cylinders my friends!!!...

a little buttery...red sauce shrimp...a shred of fresh basil...with a salty green olive...ONE of my favorite bites!!...

good morning...

i'll bring the pom poms and gatorade!!!

in the mood for a little mexican...a little LIGHT and SIMPLE mexican!...on the menu tonite...beans and rice with a pan seared chicken breast rubbed with a few mexican spices!!...

ok...first up...take the beans that were soaked over night...give 'em a rinse...

for my beans...cumin...garlic powder...onion powder...onion...jalapenos...kosher salt...

give your onion and jalapenos a fine chop...

everybody in the pot!...bring it to a boil...then turn it to medium low...give it a strong simmer for about 30 to 35 minutes...

time to prep the chicken...for my seasoning...pretty much the same as the beans...onion powder...garlic powder...cumin...kosher salt...

coat 'em with a little vegetable oil...

a generous couple of pinches of the seasoning...on both sides...now...you want to wait until your beans are cooked before putting the chicken on...they cook fast!...

ok...beans are cooked...give 'em a mash...

add a little of your bean water...as much as you like...give it a taste...add more seasoning if it needs it...

chicken on...beans on the ready...

time to eat...

a little pinot grigio...

a sprinkle of fresh jalapeno...a sprinkle of green onion...



fabuloso!!...now...i normally don't put the onion and jalapeno in the pot to boil with the beans and spices...BUT I DO NOW!!...gave it a bigger flavor!!...the creamy texture...with the fresh jalapeno and green onion?...wonderful!!...



please!...and it was even better that it looks!!...perfectly cooked...beautifully seared...espectacular!!

soooo tender and moist!!....

this menu was a total sleeper!...i actually thought it was a little boring on paper!...the chicken was an after thought...i was really just in the mood for beans and rice!!...what a pleasant surprise!!

very excited...haven't had this in awhile...tonite...sounthern fried chicken sandwiches on homemade biscuits...with a pan fried...bacon brussel sprouts...cold cabbage salad!...

ok...first up...for your southern chicken sandwich...take your chicken breast give it a slight pound...then...take a sharp knife...give it a slice down the length of the breast as to make a pocket...next...take a kosher dill pickle...cut it long way...and stuff as many slices in the pocket as you can!!...

give 'em a nice dust of flour...into the fridge for about a half hour to 45 minutes...

while the chicken is setting...get the biscuits goin'...for your biscuits...

2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoons sugar 
1 tablespoon baking powder 
1 teaspoon salt 
8 tablespoons butter, cubed 
3/4 cup milk


(full steps for making the biscuits posted february 21...2013) 

biscuits in the oven...



chicken on...

time to get my salad together...for my salad...cabbage...romaine lettuce...red onion...brussel sprouts...fresh garlic...and...

almost forgot...bacon!...

ok...in the cast iron skillet...my brussel sprouts which i have sliced in half...slivered garlic and bacon...now what you want to do is mix the bacon to the bottom of the pan because that's what will be cooking and searing the brussel sprouts!...

lookin' good...i actually needed to add a little vegetable oil...there's aalooootta brussel sprouts in there!!...

now...out of the fridge...in your bowl with the cabbage...romaine and red onion...a little extra virgin olive oil...red wine vinegar...kosher salt...cracked black pepper...and

a nice couple of  spoonfuls of the steamin' hot brussel sprouts...give it a mix...

biscuits done...chicken done...salad DONE!!!

time to eat...

a little pinot grigio...

a little excessive mustard...

how's that???...this was MAGNIFICENT!!!...probably one of my favorite salads i've made...you know how i love the contrast of the cold and hot thing!!...i mean...the cold crisp cabbage...the snap of onion...the beautiful warm...seared garlic and brussel sprouts!!!...sooooo gooood!...they steamed the cabbage just enough...but still had a nice crunch!!...wonderful!!...

look at that beautiful biscuit!!...hot out of the oven...soft and buttery...the fried chicken with the warm pickles inside...please...and it just wouldn't be right without the excessive mustard for me ;)!!

ooooh yah!!!...

good morning...

so...i'm a little annoyed to discover that topblogstories.com...who has been frequenting my site under an assumed website...is one of those unsavory sites...yah know...the ones that i can't x the screen out fast enough kind of site...and apparently they hijack blogs???...what??...sooo...let me get this straight...people who like to look at naked people...stream thru a weight loss site...to get to a food blog...to hijack what exactly??...listen...if lookin' at naked people is their thing...fine...mashed potatoes with jerk gravy and pizza are my thing...but THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT MY THING and i don't want it ON or AROUND my blog...so hopefully it will discontinue and i won't have any problems with my blog...because ya gotta see my brussel sprout salad!!...which i will be posting this afternoon!!..

rated g

good morning...

 

the garden is winding down...however...

not for my brussel sprouts!!...the ceaseless gift!!...and still 3 more plants i haven't even started harvesting from!!...which is exciting because i recently learned from watching emeril's florida that the medium to small brussel sprouts were the best picking...i always thought the bigger they were...now i know by feel and tenderness when to pick them!!...it took me a few plants...but i got the brussel sprout pickin' groove down now!!...

on the menu tonite...southern chicken sandwiches on homemade biscuits...with a bacon brussel sprout salad...