Thanksgiving: Asparagus w/Rice

Alright everyone who checks this blog out, it's Thanksgiving time. This is an American holiday that is no stranger to gluttony and American Football. I have a few things I'll be posting up here between now and then (this upcoming Thursday) to be cooked for this grand event.

Ingredients:
1 lb Asparagus
1/3 stick Butter
Olive Oil
Rice
Italian Herb Mix
Sea Salt
Ground Black Pepper
Turmeric Powder
Ancho Chile Powder
Sweet Smoked Paprika
Teriyaki Sauce

To start off with, I went for the Butter. I cut it into slivers and put them in a large saucepan with the heat set to MEDIUM.

Once they started to melt, I added in a pinch of all the spices but the Italian Herb Mix.

Mmmm...tasty. Now put in the Asparagus.

Mix it around to cover it with the buttery spice conglomeration.

Drizzle in a little bit of Olive Oil to make sure there is no chance of burning once the Butter becomes scarce.

Now, the Rice was made in my rice cooker. 1 cup Rice to 1.5 cups Water. The instructional manual says 1.25 cups Water but I find that it leaves the Rice too sticky and not as good as it could be, so a little more was needed.

Once both are cooked to completion, just dish the Rice into a bowl and add the Asparagus on top with a sprinkle of Italian Herb Mix. I also drizzled some Teriyaki Sauce on top for fun. Enjoy.

Eggs in a Boat 2.0

Alright, so I have made this once before and decided a second attempt at it was warranted. This time I changed up the recipe a little bit as to include what I had on hand.

Ingredients:
1 loaf French Bread
Shredded Asiago, Gruyere, Quatro Fromaggio Cheese
Parmesan/Romano Cheese
7 Eggs
1/2 cup Scallions, sliced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
1 Orange Bell Pepper, diced
Italian Herb Mix
Ground Black Pepper
Sea Salt

I'll skip the normal get your ingredients together picture since we always do that. I'll just get to the good part...the ingredients ready to go pictures! Here's the egg mixture and diced up Bell Peppers and Scallions. Turn your oven to 400 degrees BAKE.

And the loaf of French Bread, where I have the center scooped out somewhat. Make sure not to breach the sides, as the egg mixture will drain out and cause trouble. I accidentally did this on one part so I wrapped it in tin foil. I think I'll do this every time from here on out.

Now I poured the eggs in first.

I added most of the diced Bell Peppers and Scallions. They sink in quite readily.

I topped that with a solid dusting of each cheese. I also added a pinch or two of the Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper.

Topped with whatever is left over of the diced Bell Peppers and Scallions. Also, add in a few pinches of the Italian Herb Mix.

Now put it in the oven for about 10 minutes. I checked at 10 minutes and then decided to let it bake some more so the eggs were not as runny as the first time I made this. So another 15 minutes. Then I took it out and this is what it looked like.

After giving it a little bit to cool down, I took it out of the tin foil and cut it up to serve. Enjoy.

Root Vegetable Soup

Due to the cooler weather this past weekend, I feel that soup season is officially upon us. The first result of that decision was the Chef's Beef Stew I posted about yesterday. This recipe is what happens when I have free time and am very hungry, so enjoy the aftermath.

Ingredients:
1 Sweet Potato
4 Parsnips
5 Russet Potatoes
2 White Onions
3 Shallots
1/2 stick of Butter
Italian Herb Mix
Ground Black Pepper
Sea Salt

I started with the Shallots and White Onions.

I diced them up decently small. I also started a pot of water boiling with a beef bullion cube in it.

Now, I used the 1/2 stick of Butter and cut into several pieces and put in a large saucepan with the heat on at MEDIUM. Which of course I then dumped the diced up Shallots and White Onions in.

Once in, stir to make sure the Butter gets mixed around with the White Onions and Shallots. I kept the heat at MEDIUM to give me enough time to dice up the rest of the ingredients needed.

So I got the Sweet Potato, Russet Potatoes, and Parsnips out. I took 2 Sweet Potatoes out at first but once I started dicing everything up I decided that only 1 was needed. Sweet Potatoes do tend to be overpowering when coupled with regular Potatoes after all.

Once those were all diced up, I added those to the saucepan. The Onions and Shallots should have caramelized by now, but if not you should wait until they do to add the root vegetables.

Now add in about 1/2 the 'freshly made' beef stock. I would say about a 1/2 cup to 1 cup's worth. I didn't measure, so it's just a rough estimate.

I stirred it up and added some spices. I added in 2 pinches of Sea Salt coupled with a light sprinkling of the Ground Black Pepper. Quantity wise, about a 2:1 ratio of Ground Black Pepper to Sea Salt. Topped it all off with almost a 1/4 cup of Italian Herb Mix. The mix it all together and add the rest of the beef stock.

Let it come to a boil and then turn the heat down to just a bit below MEDIUM.

I let it cook for about 30 minutes, or until each of the ingredients were thoroughly cooked and feel soft.

Now you take a food processor or blender (I used a blender) and proceed to puree it like you're getting paid to. Then serve. Enjoy.

Chef's Original: Mixed up Breakfast

As some of you may know, I like to have my lunch and or breakfast for work cooked up the day before. This is generally done because I hate actually cooking right after I wake up since I know I'll probably burn and or cut myself. So I do it the night before. Tomorrow I needed a breakfast and this is the delicious result.

Ingredients:
1 lb White Button Mushrooms
7 XL Eggs
2 Green Bell Peppers
3 Anaheim Peppers
1 cup diced Scallions
Couscous (2 cups Couscous, 3 cups Water)
1.5 cup Pearl Barley
Salt
Ground Black Pepper
1/4 stick Butter
Lime Juice
Teriyaki Sauce
Soy Sauce
Olive Oil
Archer Farms Asian-Inspired Sweet Chile "wing sauce"
Italian Herb Mix
Shredded Asiago Cheese
Shredded Gruyere Cheese

Alright, I did do this kind of in stages. I began with starting my Couscous in my Rice Cooker. If you do not have one of these, I highly suggest picking one up! Once I got the Couscous going, I put the Pearl Barley in a small sauce pot with 4 cups of Water. I turned the heat to MEDIUM. I also diced up the Peppers and Mushrooms.

In a large saucepan I put in about 2/3 cup of Archer Farms Asian-Inspired Sweet Chile "wing sauce". To this I added 2 decent squeezes of the Lime Juice bottle, a good 1/4 cup or so worth of the Soy and Teriyaki Sauces. Turn the heat to MEDIUM.

Once this begins to boil, I threw in the diced Mushrooms. I moved them around to get some of the mixture on each one.

Now about 3 minutes later, I added in a dusting of Black Pepper and Sea Salt. Mix some more.

After about 2 more minutes, the Mushrooms should be done. Check by taste testing and make sure it's cooled when tasting. When done, place in a mixing bowl and put to the side.

I cleaned out the large saucepan and put it back on the stovetop where I left the burner at MEDIUM. It will sizzle with the water on the bottom. I threw in the diced Peppers and a good dollop of Olive Oil. Mix.

I then added some Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper to the mix. I want to say a good dusting, maybe a dash less. Mix.

Once that's done, which should be about 3 minutes total, put in a mixing bowl.

Eggs time. I whisked the 7 Eggs together first. Using the same saucepan, cleaned out again, I put in the Butter. Once that was mostly melted, I added in the whisked Eggs.

Right away I added in the Scallions. I put in about a 1/4 cup's worth. I also added a good amount of both Cheeses listed above.

You should know how to cook eggs, so follow that plan. Look, they're done!

Now just plate how you want. I plated them differently. One way was with the Mushrooms and served on a Tortilla with a dash of Italian Herb Mix. The second way was on the Couscous.

Chef's Original: Spiced Okra Onion Soup

This was just sort of thrown together after work today when I got home. I heard some amazing news about an issue in my life and decided that I would cook to celebrate. Well this is the result.

Ingredients:
12 Okra
4 Scallions
9 Boiler Onions
1/2 stick Butter
1 cup Sherry
1/2 cup Lime Juice
1/4 cup Teriyaki Sauce
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Ground Black Pepper
Ground Turmeric
Sea Salt
Fennel Powder
Fenugreek Powder
Paprika
Italian Herb Mix
Shredded Asiago Cheese

Alright, I began by gathering some of my ingredients. I don't say all because some just happened to be in arms reach and found their way into this recipe.

Next I threw the Butter into the large saucepan I use for almost everything.

I chopped up the white portions of the Scallions. I then chopped the Boiler Onions in half. Now, this is where I turned the heat to MEDIUM for the Butter.

Once the Butter was mostly melted, I added in the spices. Just a heavy pinch or two of each and maybe a little more Ground Black Pepper than that. Then I tossed in the Scallions and Boiler Onions.

Mix them up!

Once they were going strong, I sliced up the Okra and threw that into the saucepan. Stir.

Once the Boiler Onions are noticeably soft and caramelized everything should be done so turn the heat off.

I chose to plate this dish in a new bowl I picked up the other day and decorate the edging on it with some hot sauce making a pattern. I topped it off with a sprinkle of Italian Herb Mix and Shredded Asiago Cheese. Enjoy.