New Recipes

Happy November Everyone!!!

I just wanted to keep you all in the mix, about some new and exciting things that will be happening in my kitchen very soon.
I have started working on some new Autumn and Winter recipes.  I plan  to put a creative spin on clove ham, hot chocolate, gingerbread, and caramel apples. It is sure to be a comfort for these cold months ahead. What I would like to do is to give you all a chance to cook with me and ask me questions if you so choose; so I will be attempting to add a segment on this blog called "Cooking In The Kitchen with Ari G."  These will be cooking videos that I will post for you to see a step by step process of the recipes that I am concocting in my kitchen. I am really excited to see where this goes!

A Tour of Italy

The first cuisine that I taught myself to cook was Italian. For some recipes I researched about the ingredients that I would be using in my dishes, and for others I just cooked with my imagination as my guide. Through lots of trial and error, and help from the Master Chef (God) I have been able to create some really delicious Italian dishes. I love everything about Italy; it's culture, it's art, the language, and of course the food.

I want to take you all through a "Tour of Italy" this recipe was inspired by one basic Italian ingredient...basil

I call it...
Basilico Pomodoro Parmigiano Pasta
- This is a warm pasta salad bound together cohesively with basil pesto, sun dried tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese.

Basil Pesto Ingredients:
- fresh basil leaves
- pine nuts or walnuts
- salt and pepper
- Parmesan or Romano cheese

I really like this basil pesto recipe from http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/fresh_basil_pesto/ 

 

Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe 

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Special equipment needed: A food processor Method

1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.
2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

The other ingredients you will need for this dish are:

• 1 1/2  cup Elbow Pasta
• 2 tbs of butter
• 1/2 cup of Sundried Tomatoes
• 3 tbs Parmesan Cheese
• Buffalo Sauce to taste

Let's Get Cooking:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat ( NOTE: drizzle olive oil in it to ensure that the pasta will not stick to the pot)  Once the water comes to a rolling boil, add the pasta to the pot stirring occasionally. The pasta should take approximately 10-12 minutes. When the alotted amount of time has past, quickly drain the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process, put it back into the pot and add to it the 2 tablespoons of butter. Next prepare the basil pesto with the recipe above. Once completed, pour over top of the pasta and heat through over low heat. Then add the sundried tomatoes, 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese and buffalo sauce to taste to the basil pesto pasta. Once the cheese has melted all the way through the dish, plate and serve hot.

Piace Mangiare

Lost in Flavor

I have been asked if I have ever traveled outside of the United States, and my response is "Yes, but not in the traditional sense" I explain that I have traveled around the world in the comfort of my kitchen through flavor. I have been transported to Asia, the Caribbean, the Philippines, Germany, and Italy so far; my next venture will be a "trip" to India.


I am always looking for new ways to expand my pallet and today I got lost in colorful flavors on my pallet.


The Non-Traditional Club Sandwich


2 slices of whole wheat bread
Thinly sliced turkey breast
pepper jack cheese
2  sliced vine ripened tomatoes
roasted red peppers
spinach
jalapeno peppers
red onion slices
mayonnaise


How to prepare:


Take the two pieces of bread and smear mayonnaise on both slices, then add the cheese. Next, cut two slices of one medium tomato, then the spinach, the onion, roasted red peppers and jalapeno peppers to taste. Once the sandwich is made, toast it in a 350 degree oven for about 3-5 minutes on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Or you can heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat NOTE: to check if the pan is hot enough drizzle water in it. If the water evaporates then the skillet is hot enough.Wrap the sandwich in aluminum foil and place in the hot skillet. Press the sandwich down with a another pot or skillet for about a minute and a half to two minutes on each side. Serve Hot and Enjoy

Cooking Tutorials

I have had my blog for about a year now and I have been trying to figure out ways to expand my vision for it. What I would like to do, is post videos of me cooking so that you can see the step by step process of the dishes that I have been inspired to create, and if you so choose, you can follow along with me! I want to hear from you so please comment on my posts. Hope to hear from you all soon :)

Falling in Love with Fall

Autumn is one of my favorite seasons. I love the beautiful colors; the reds, greens, yellows, oranges, and even the browns. You know that autumn is here when you feel a subtle nip in the air, and when the leaves make a crunching sound under the soles of your shoes on the pavement. What does that have to do with food? Well, in some way or another, you can incorporate the colors of fall, or the sounds of fall in the way that you create a dish as well. For instance, for lunch today I had chicken salad on wheat bread, spinach, and tomato with a robust tomato based soup; it was a combination of rice, fresh tomatoes, onions, and jalapeno peppers. I painted my pallet with the colors of autumn and incorporated the warmth of the season all through one meal. Be on the look out for more recipes in the next few months; I have been inspired to experiment with color, and flavor to give you a taste of this beautiful season of Fall.

Go Green

 Lately I have been eating a lot of vegetables. I have been exploring the earthy flavors of mushrooms, and spinach, the fresh taste of freshly ripened tomatoes, the crunch of green peppers, and the yummy bitterness of red onions. My imagination is running wild with new ideas for recipes that I can create in the comfort of my kitchen, getting lost in the world of flavor. My hope is that I can create healthy alternatives to the foods that I have grown to love. I invite you to come on this journey with me. Together we can discover and create endless recipes for ourselves and for others. Are you ready?

Food For Thought

Julia Child started cooking because she liked to eat, and because she loved her husband Paul. There was no rhyme or reason to it, she just didn't want to have nothing to do while she and her husband were stationed in France. And look at how successful she became. I feel like we lose sight of that sometimes in the craziness that is our everyday lives. She once said, "Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it." What is that something? For me it's cooking and journalism. What's your something?

         "...nothing is too much trouble if it turns out the way it should."

Back To Basics

Growing up in a generation where everything is so fast paced sometimes makes my head spin. Now a days it is rare that a family sits at a dinner table to eat together and converse about various subjects, or that people get a chance to eat a good home cooked meal. What happened? I'm not sure exactly, but what I do know is that I am so greatful that my family still makes it a point to stay connected. As my older sister and I begin to think about moving out of our parents' house someday and starting our own families, there is such a comfort in knowing that we can always come back and catch up around the table. We ought to take the time to go back to the basics, and rediscover who we are, and I think that one of the best ways to do that is through food. I want to get old family recipes and cook my way through my family's history. It's a new spin on the movie Julie and Julia. I'm not sure where to begin, but I think the best way to start is at the beginning.

Simple Solutions: Part III

I have finished the fast. 10 days with no meat. Was it a challenge? Not really. Could I do it again? Absolutely. I must admit, I have missed eating chicken, and having the option of eating a burger (although I rarely do), but in order for me to be the best me that I can be, I have to balance my diet. I am making a lifestyle choice. I am choosing to eat a vegetarian diet every other month.

Some random thoughts for you:

I have learned to enjoy eating more vegetables.

I have enhanced my cooking skills, by not using meat.

I have learned that flavor, taste and texture do not have to be comprised just because meat is not part of the equation.

Surprisingly, I was just as full just eating vegetables, as I would be had I been eating meat.

My favorite meal that I had while I was on my fast was a whole grain tomato, basil and mozzarella flat bread from Cosi.

Simple Solutions Part II: Hearty Veggie Wrap

I'm on day four of my no meat diet and I'm doing well with it. I'm excited about the possibilities that this will give me. Even though I'm not eating meat, my diet didn't change as much as I thought it would; the only difference is that now I'm eating the right foods, with the right mindset and the right perspective. I've found that I am just as full as I would be if I were eating a cheeseburger or a steak and cheese (yum!!).

The first thing on my menu was starting my day off with prayer.

Next: Hearty Veggie Wrap

What You'll Need:
 diced mushrooms
 chopped green onions
1 medium diced tomato
1 medium green pepper
 chopped fresh spinach
2 tsps of garlic salt
2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
egg whites
pack of tortillas
1 tbs of unsalted butter


Let's Get Cooking!

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and drizzle the olive oil into the pan. Once heated, saute the mushrooms, spinach, green pepper, tomato, and green onions. Add the garlic salt next and mix in with the vegetables then pour in the egg whites and mix again until the egg whites are cooked all the way through. After the vegetables and egg whites are cooked keep on low heat.  Use another non-stick pan and melt the butter, then place the tortilla until it gets lightly golden on each side then remove and put on a plate and start to put the wrap together. Add the egg white mixture into the center of the tortilla then fold the tortilla horizontally first, then vertically and tuck the sides in. Eat and Enjoy

Bon Appetit!

Simple Solutions Part I

As a Christian, I have come to understand that my body is a temple for the Lord Jesus Christ, it is not my own. With this understanding in the forefront of my mind, I realize that I need to treat my body as such. In order for me to live a healthy life, and not be just another statistic of African-American women, I have to start making smart, and simple solutions for myself. Loosing weight doesn't mean going on crash diets, or overdoing it at the gym. It's a choice. It is finding a balance between eating correctly and maintaining  your body physically through exercise of physical activity. I used to think that I was fat all the time and I was disgusted with what I saw when I looked in the mirror, but my mindset was that I thought it would be to hard to change. Now that I'm older and more knowledgeable about health risks, and healthy living I am more determined to be the healthiest that I can be, both spiritually and physically. I will feed my spirit with the Word of God, and I will tone my body with exercise, and feed my body with the right foods. This combination is bound to work because the Lord is the first thing on my menu. When I put Him first, He's leading me and I steadily follow Him in the right direction.
I am challenging myself to 10 days with no meat starting today. It was a little scary for me at first but then I thought to myself, no meat doesn't mean no flavor right? I can still have all of the flavors that I enjoy and have grown accustomed to, in a new way.

This is going to be a series of blog posts of my 10 day journey with a no meat diet. If all goes well, I'll make another blog that is devoted solely to healthy living and healthy eating from a Christian's perspective

Summer Sensation

The kitchen is my blank canvas,  the food that I cook is my inspiration, and the spices in my cupboard are my pallet and the finished product is a work of art! I cook with chicken a lot because it's easy and there are so many ways to cook, and season it. I had an idea and I ran with it. Stuffed chicken breasts are normally a more upscale dish, and they can be stuffed with anything. Tonight was no exception. Here is the recipe...

Stuffed Chicken Breast
Serving Size: 4
Note: You can easily make this meal for more people

Perfect Partner: Jasmine Rice

What You'll Need
4  boneless and skinless chicken breasts
1 bag of  fresh spinach
2 large tomatoes
1 medium sized onion
1 cup of mozzerella cheese
2 tsp of salt
1 tbs of oregano
2 tsps of pepper
1 1/2 tbs of minced garlic
olive oil

The Prep:
Wash spinach under cold water
Dice tomatoes and season with 1 tablespoon of oregano, 2 tsps of salt and 2 tsps of pepper. Mix together in a bowl

Here's what you'll have to do:

Slit an opening into each of the chicken breasts,  lightly coat the meat with olive oil then season with season salt, pepper, and garlic salt.  Drizzle olive oil in a non-stick or cast iron pan over medium heat. When the pan is heated place the chicken breast in the pan and lightly brown then remove them and place on a baking sheet. Lightly coat a non stick pan with olive oil and add the rinsed spinach to the pan along with the tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 tsp of pepper, and 1 1/2 tsp of garlic salt. When the spinach mixture reduces remove from the skillet and place in a bowl.  Next, lightly soften the diced onions over medium heat, and add to the diced tomatoes. Preheat oven to 350 degree. Create an assembly line starting with the tomato-onion mixture, then the spinach, and lastly the cheese stuff each chicken breast and wrap kitchen twine to keep the mixture inside the breast while it cooks. Put the chicken into the pre heated oven and let it cook for an hour checking periodically. When the allotted time has past eat and enjoy! Serve Hot

Bon appetit

Simple and Flavorful

One of the most wonderful things about cooking is that you have the freedom to create whatever you'd like in the comfort of your own kitchen. Each ingredient is an expression of your unique style and taste. I like cooking all types of dishes, but my favorite thing to cook is Italian cuisine. Over the years I have fallen in love with the authentic herbs such as parsley, oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary, the art, the history, the culture, and the flavor of Italy. So, in my kitchen I like to take Italian inspired dishes, and put a twist on them to make them more complementary to my style of cooking.

Today, I was inspired to create a meal that was simple, full of flavor, and healthy to eat and came up with this dish:

Piccola Farfalle (Little Butterflies)

What you'll need:
Farfalle Pasta
1 medium sized  (red or yellow) onion
2 tbs of Italian seasoning
2 tbs of (dried or fresh) parsley
2 tbs of dried red crushed pepper
2 tsp of black pepper
1 tsp of salt
1 block of extra sharp cheddar cheese
2 tbs of  unsalted butter
1 bag of fresh spinach
3 tbs Classico brand mushroom and ripe olives pasta sauce

Directions:

What you want to do first is bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil. Note: Be sure to drizzle some extra virgin olive oil in the pot of water as well to make sure that the pasta doesn't stick to the pot. Once the water comes to a rolling boil, pour the box of farfalle pasta into the pot. Allow the pasta to cook for approximately 8-10 minutes or until tender. When the allotted time for the pasta is complete, drain the pasta, while running cold water over top of it to stop the pasta from cooking. Once drained, return the pasta to the pot. To the pasta add the salt and pepper along with one tablespoon of the butter over a low heat. Continue by adding the parsley,Italian seasoning, and red crushed peppers. Stir these ingredients first to make sure all of the pasta is coated. To this add the pasta sauce. Note: This is not a spaghetti dish what you are looking for here is a light pasta sauce coating over the faralle noodles. Add the roughly chopped onion to the mix, along with the spinach and shaved extra sharp cheddar to go over top of the pasta. Stir the mixture again, and allow the cheese to melt completely. Serve hot.

This meal is simple, but full of vibrant flavors, plus a little bit of kick, and it's super easy to make.

Bon Appetit

Foodography: Culinary Creations continued

Hello All!!

I'm sorry that I haven't posted anything in a while. I haven't had my computer for the past month. Looks like we have a lot to catch up on. Do you remember when I told you that I was taking a photography class and that my final portfolio was going to be food? Well, my most recent assignment was an opened assignment, simply meaning that I could take pictures of anything that I wanted to. Of course, I took this delicious opportunity to try to redeem myself from the last picture of food that I took. The experience was spectacular. I arranged my ordinary lunches and dinners from my school's cafeteria, and made them beautiful and camera ready. I was so proud of the work that I had done, and when I developed the film in the dark room, they came out so well!! I chose a picture of cantaloupe as the piece that I was going to get critiqued and graded and to my surprise, my teacher loved it so much that I got a 91% !! I was ecstatic!!! Then to top everything off, my teacher taught the class a technique on how to add color to black and white photography (this is something that I have always wanted to do) and by using that technique it has taken my overall photography to the next level. I'm so excited to see what my portfolio is going to look like! If all goes well, then I will be showing it to a food magazine in the near future.

A Savory Twist on a Chicken Dish

Boy oh Boy do I have an amazing dish for you to try. I'm so excited to share this recipe with you all.
This is a savory dinner that is really light in carbs and full in flavor.

Teryaki Chicken with Steamed Broccoli

Prep:
3 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts cut into thick chunks
Light Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresh Ginger
Large Onion
Sherreded Carrots
The marinade:
1/2 cup of  Kikkoman brand teryaki sauce
1 1/2 tsp of caynne pepper
1 tsp of white pepper
2 tsp of white granulated sugar
l juice of a tangerine
2 tsps of garlic powder
1/2 tsp of black pepper
Wisk together
Directions:
Pour the marinade into a zip lock bag and add the chunks of chicken. Make sure that the chicken is fully and evenly coated. Refidgerate the bag of chicken for 4 hours periodically shaking the bag to recoat the chicken. At the 4 hour mark, put your non-stick skillet on a low heat and coat it with light extra virgin olive oil. While waiting for the oil to heat up, begin to take out the chicken and pat off any extra marinade with a paper towel. Place the chicken into the skillet and let it cook. When the chicken is cooked through, place them on a plate. Roughly chop 1 large onion and saute it in the pan. Add the shredded carrots, and grate a little fresh ginger right over the top. Once the onions and shredded carrots become semi-translusent add the chicken back in the pan an cover over low heat.

Perfect Partner:
Then all you do is steam fresh broccoli  and plate.

Eat and Enjoy!!

Foodography: Culinary Creations

I told you all that I had a photography project coming up and that my focus was going to be food. Well, I tried to take my first picture yesterday evening. I had whole wheat penne pasta with marinara sauce, sauteed mushrooms, green, red, and yellow bell peppers and onions with sausage. To make my bowl look pretty for the picture I garnished it with roughly chopped spinach. Get this...just as I was about to snap my delicious looking masterpiece of a meal, my camera didn't take the shot. I was very sad to say the least. Nevertheless, the pasta was wonderful. If there is anything  that I have learned in my few short weeks of being a photographer, it's to be patient with yourself, and that practice makes perfect. So, this afternoon I tried again. I had my advisor look at my camera and see if she could figure out what I was doing wrong. I thought she would be the best person to go to because she was a photography major when she was in college (what are the chances of that? Lol) Within seconds, she fixed the problem and then I went to work. I'm totally in my element when it comes to food, and if I can capture the beauty of it like I desire to with this project, then I have succeeded. I started  off with 24 pictures and now I'm down to my last 18. I don't know what the outcome will be, but I'll just keep stirring up new ideas, one photo at a time.

Food For Thought Part 2

I am taking a photography class this semester, and my teacher gave my class and me our next assignment. We are working with film photography so we have to use a whole role of film by next Wednesday. He said that we could take pictures of anything...Can you guess what my focus will be for this assignment?

...Food of Course!! What I would like to do take pictures of plateware, silverware, and different dishes that I will create. Using black and white photography I plan to capture the beauty of the food on the plate and strategically place everything so that each time I snap a shot, I capture a masterpiece.

I sure hope we get to keep these pictures, because I want to put them in my portfolio.

Cantaloupe Craze

The weather is getting warmer because spring is around the corner. So I started thinking about fun and healthy dishes that are pleasing to the eye and tasty to eat. I don't know about you, but when spring comes around I think of bright colors and refreshing tastes. Now, cantaloupe has always been one of my favorite fruits. the bright orange color and the sweet juice is very refreshing. I also enjoy eating raspberry sorbet. So why not make it the best of both worlds?
I have a few ideas on fun, healthy, colorful dishes: Check 'em out

Cantaloupe kabobs:
The tools
Skewers
Melon Baller
The Fruit:
 1 large Cantaloupe
1 1/2 pounds of Strawberries
Directions: cut the cantaloupe in half and scoop out all of the seeds. Then with the melon baller, begin making little balls and place in the fridge. Next, wash the strawberries well, and cut of the leaves off, proceed to cut in half. Unless strawberries are already sweet enough to your liking, rinse, pat dry and put them in a bowl. Pour approximately 2 1/2 tablespoons of white sugar over top of the strawberries, cover and put in the fridge. When the allotted time has past, begin constructing the fruit kabobs starting with the cantaloupe and then the strawberry slices.
* If you want to get really creative get a Styrofoam ball cut it in half and place the finished fruit kabobs inside to make a fruit bouquet.

Cantaloupe Bowls:
Why waste good china, when you can make an edible bowl?
All you need is...
- 1 medium sized Cantaloupe
- 1 pint of Raspberry Sorbet
- Whipped Cream
- Mint leaf
Directions:
Cut the Cantaloupe in half, and scoop out the seeds. Let the sorbet sit out until soft. Proceed to pour the raspberry sorbet into the cantaloupe bowl. Garnish with a large swirl of whipped cream and a mint leaf.

Enjoy!

Chili Snow Day (continued)

Well now all of my plans have changed because of the snow storm. It's snowing so hard the only thing that you can see, are sheets of white. Can you imagine? So because I am officially snowed in, I'm not sure if I'll be able to get my hot bowl of chili with all the fixings (sour cream, cheese, jalapenos peppers and a splash of hot sauce added to taste) with a grill cheese sandwich on Texas toast. Instead I have frozen Bagel Bites, not really a good alternative solution I know. Depending on if my friends go to dinner or not, Bagel Bites will have to suffice.


Word of advice:
If you really want something, but there is an obstacle in your way, push through because you're goal will be so much better when you finally reach it.

The Culinary Chronicles: The Business

So guess what I have...

Well, you don't really have to guess, I'll tell you. Thanks to my Dad, I now have business cards for my blog! I told you guys when I first started this culinary expedition, that this blog would serve as a networking forum. My hope is that one day a food magazine writer, or editor will read it. But until then, I'll just keep Stirring Up New Ideas...One Recipe at a Time.

"Bon Appetit"

Dear Readers...

Wow, I just checked the stats of my blog and I do have fans! Oh I'm so excited. I have a readers in the U.S, from Germany and even one from Malaysia. At least now I know that I'm not just throwing my thoughts into a great big void. So too my readers, I want to thank you. I appreciate that you all are taking an interest in my work. Please comment. I want to know what you think about my recipes. Have you tried them? Do you have any recipes that you want me to try? Let me know!

Chili Snow Day

Well, I'm snowed in for the day. The President of the school cancelled all classes for today. Good thing too, because I went to bed at 3 AM, only to hear my alarm go off at  at 6:15, and have classes from 9-2:50. On top of everything, my dorm doesn't have hot water, and the heat in my room is fickle. Sometimes it's hot, and other times I'm freezing. So I changed my whole schedule around. I went to the cafeteria and got a bowl of hot chicken noodle soup and a buffalo chicken wheat wrap with spinach, a little mayo, two scoops of rice, onions, roasted red peppers and fresh green peppers. I know it sounds like a lot of random ingredients, but when you bite into it, it's like a flavor party in your mouth. Yum! I'm spending my snow day curled up in bed with my teddy bears, Toffee and Chestnut watching movies. My movie line up is Julie and Julia, No Reservations, and my Love Comes Softly Saga. I think I'll have a small bowl of Chili for dinner, but we'll see.

Food For Thought

Do you want to know what inspired me to create this blog? The movie Julie and Julia Lol. I really wanted to put the recipes that I have created somewhere for people to see, and my hope was that they would try them and tell me what they think. Just like Julie! She says in the movie, "I have thoughts..." And I am always coming up with new recipes to try, so I thought I could create a blog too.

"Bon Appetit"

Blood Orange Frenzy!

I have a new culinary obession, blood oranges! Orange on the outside and a rich dark red on the inside. They are so beautiful. I'm inspired to cook with them now, I just don't know where to start. Any ideas?

I'm thinking about chicken ala orange with a twist. I want to marinade the chicken in blood orange juice and other seasonings, hopefully the meat with be stained with the beautiful red color, and then plate it on raw kale greens. I don't know what do you guys think?