Olive Garden on a Budget!

Many of us enjoy dining out from time to time.  Some of us dine out several times a week or even daily! As for me, however it is far and in between.  I don't miss it so much though, because it can be a costly endeavor.  Aside from cost, there is implementing the quality of the food as well as the people who prepare it.  Some leave quite a bit to be desired in the personal hygiene department and those personal short comings may manifest itself on your plates. That fact in itself is what makes me content dining out at home.  I do this by creating my own spins on popular menu items and preparing them at home. Dining out at home is formidable for many reasons.  First, being cost efficient.  By the time the meals for 4  are ordered and perhaps drinks, maybe dessert, plus tips, we find ourselves spending upwards to the sum of around $65 to $70.  The second benefit to dining at home is you can control the quality of the ingredients.  Third, we can adjust the sodium levels and added fats, and you can always handle a special order item because you already know your family's likes and dislikes beforehand.  Lastly, if you enjoy cooking as I do, it's always fun to duplicate tastes you've experienced out, at home.  By all means, get out and be treated from time to time, and let someone else worry about the prep and cleanup, you deserve it!!  If you enjoy pastas and rich, creamy cheese sauces like you may find at the Olive Garden, then give this easy recipe a try.
Chicken Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo w/ Shaved Carrot
1 1/2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed or cut into thin strips
1 soft chicken bouillon cube
1 lb. fresh or frozen cut broccoli or florets
1 1lb. box fettuccine
1 carrot, shaved with peeler
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
2 tbsp. fresh oregano, roughly chopped
1 jar Alfredo sauce
Olive Oil for drizzling
 SPST (Salt and Pepper to Suit your Taste)
In a medium bowl, place chicken, drizzle with olive oil and toss with fresh oregano.  Let stand for 5 minutes while saute pan heats up.  
Start salted  pasta water for fettuccine.  When ready add pasta and broccoli to same water and cook until pasta is almost al dente, about 8 minutes.  Drain but do not rinse and save about 1/2 c. pasta water to adjust consistency later if needed.
Meanwhile, in a large saute pan over medium high heat, drizzle in a little olive oil and add chicken and bouillon cube.  Cook for about two minutes.  Add all veggies except broccoli and cook until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.  The onions should be translucent as well, about 6 minutes.  
Add pasta and broccoli  to saute pan and toss together.  Add Alfredo sauce and a little of the pasta water and toss with tongs.  Cover with tight fitting lid and turn off heat.  Allow for excess liquid absorption and flavors to marry.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Serve with simple salad and garlic bread or bread sticks.
This version is served family style, but for a more refined restaurant presentation, simply use chicken tenders in place of strips or chunks,and sear on both sides until slightly golden and cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Cook veggies until softened with 2 tbsp. butter in saute pan before adding Alfredo, pasta and broccoli.  Place 3 tenders atop  each 1 1/2 cup serving of the Fettuccine and Broccoli Alfredo. Garnish with fresh herbs and olive oil.  You may also add halved black olives to the pasta for a wonderful brininess and texture.

Holy Flipping Flapjacks Batman, These are Amazing!

Want to kick up the flavor in your everyday pancakes, try this quick and easy flapjack fixer upper!
Buttermilk Cheddar Bacon Pancakes
buttermilk pancake mix
real  bacon pieces
finely shredded mild Cheddar cheese
Mix your desired amount of batter according to directions.  After mixing. fold in bacon pieces and cheese.  Serve with real maple syrup, warmed and fresh fruit!!  Sweet,Salty and Savory!  Delicious!
As a general rule of thumb, use about 1/3 c. cheese and 1/4 c. bacon pieces per 2 cups batter! You can also make Belgian waffles with the same recipe.

South of the Border, Shell Yeah!

With the current power issues, it's good to know that your possibilities are not limited to just hamburgers and hotdogs when cooking on the grill.  For a wonderful deviation from the norm, make some simple, easy and delicious chicken fajitas and tacos.  Using a cast iron skillet really helps with maintaining a constant temperature and achieving a great sear.  Ingredients include a variety of colored peppers, sliced onion and garlic.  Cut the chicken into thin strips and toss with little chili powder, cumin,  Mexican oregano and SPST.  A general rule of thumb for me is about 4 cups of prepped veggies per 1 1/2 lbs. protein.
Drizzle pan with olive oil and when the oil just starts to smoke, add veggies.  After several minutes, add chicken.  When chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, add some fajita seasoning with a little water and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Serve in hard and soft taco shells with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, cilantro and Sriracha chili sauce.  Easy sides include canned refried beans, heated, grilled corn with Chili Lime Butter and Mexican style rice with sofrito (sauteed and simmered tomatoes, peppers, onions, broth and olive oil) which can all be prepared on your grill.  Coronas and sparkling beverages go great before, during and after for for a little refreshing appetite stimulant!!

Cheesesteak Bar!!

Looking for a cookout experience with a little flair.  Set up a cheesesteak bar!!!  I created one for our get together yesterday and it was a big hit!!  It's pretty easy and your friends and family will love building their own cheesesteaks to suit their personal tastes.  Throw in a couple of easy appetizers and  side dishes and you have an awesome meal to remember.  I made a simple dip of cheese sauce and Rotel or other tomato and chilies blend heated until bubbling  and served it with plenty of tortilla chips.  I also made a Hawaiian Style roasted wings.  For the cheesesteak bar, I made a master batch with both sliced and chopped steak for texture variance.  I used a very large cast iron skillet to cook the components of the cheesesteak on the grill over charcoal.  It really infuses the veggies and steak with a wonderful smoky flavor. I had both sub and hotdog buns for stuffing.  I added green and orange peppers, sliced onions and mushrooms.  I made the steak extra savory by using Better Than Bouillon in place of salt.  It really adds depth and long simmered flavor especially  to  quick cooking meats.  I also added julienne of pepperoni for more texture and taste.  Arrange all the fixings like lettuce, tomatoes, two types of cheese, dill pickle slices, banana peppers, bread and butter chips, ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise.  Throw in some steamed corn and pasta salad and the rest will take care of itself. For dessert, put out some fresh,water rich fruit like cantaloupes and watermelons.  This is an event definitely for special occasions and small groups because it can get costly, but it is totally worth the expense when you see the smiles on your guests' faces.  

Better than Yo Mamma's Brisket!

Some late afternoon low maintenance grilling yielded quite the tasty spoils.  Two of my sisters have been affected by the widespread power outages, and one of them, Terry brought with her a gorgeous brisket, which I "Grub Rubbed" and smoked/grilled to melt in your mouth perfection.  During the last hour of grilling, I threw on some whole, un-shucked sweet corn and let is steam over the moderately low heat.  I also made a macaroni salad with lots of veggies fresh from my sister Gayle's garden and also from my own.  The smoky grilled items complemented each other well.  Stay tuned if you need a go -to Macaroni Salad recipe.  I have had quite an energy draining day with copious amounts of after -storm brush/debris and a couple of large limbs, one of which fell on my car.  Luckily, there was only minor damage, Thank You Lord! I will share the recipe at hand, but as my bones and joints ache from prior injuries and fatigue, coupled with an enjoyable dinner, I must admit to suffering from an outbreak of the ITIS!!:)  Rest Well Brethren!!

Put a Fork in Me, I'm Done!

Well as most of you know, it's really too damn hot for a lots of cooking and slaving over hot stoves.  We opted for cold sandwiches of turkey and cheese, and bologna and cheese, with chips on the side.  Lots of Good Cold Water!!  My thoughts go out to the home without power and hope that it is restored soon.  I purchased the kids a snow cone machine yesterday and it has been a godsend.  It was a wonderful surprise that they really appreciated.  Maybe some night, when the kids are at bay, I can make some Adult drinks like snow cone margaritas and Malibu and Milk, Yum!!!  Whatever your day brings you, be sure to stay HY-DRATED AND PROTECT YOUR SKIN!!! 

Oh Deer!!

Earlier in the week, I spent the evening 'breaking down' a deer.  It came from a kill that my brother in law made during the season and I skinned and cleaned it myself!!  I broke down most of it then, but I froze one hind and one front leg quarter, until now.  I spent the evening trimming and grinding, bagging and  processing the venison with an antique grinder and my food processor.  I know some of you cringe at the idea, but any chef/exceptional cook must be comfortable in all areas of the art.  It is important to realize that basically, no matter what the animal, cows, pigs, lamb, venison, etc... parts like the loins and roasts and tenderloins would be located in the same place.  The venison was great practice for other animals in the future.  Venison, if you haven't tried it, can be a very delicious protein if done properly.  They provide excellent lean protein and iron.  Venison can however, be very tough and 'wild' tasting, so care must be taken in regard to soaking and tenderizing.  When prepared well, Venison tastes very much like ground beef and can act as a substitution for virtually any dish with ground beef.  If such a substitution should take place, it is important that you inform your consumers as it is the ethical thing to do.
Sometimes stigmas can interfere with someone trying something out of their norm like venison.  The Indians were consuming venison when the Pilgrims arrived. The Indians turned the Pilgrims on to the hotness!! Venison helped save some of our ancestors from starvation.  Amidst the jokes about West Virginia roadkill and Po' folks food, lies a rich history and connection to the earth.  Venison is a sustainable part of wildlife and an inexpensive one at that.  Besides, I'm sure they've taken out a fender, hood, door or windshield or two of yours or someone you know and love.  Quintessentially, it's payback, and everyone knows that it can be  a real B@TCH!:)