Simply Tweaked

This is a little tweak from my coconut and black bean rice, just as good, and just as simple. The only tweaks I made was to add about 3 tablespoons of dill, a can of cannellini beans, and nixed the nutmeg. The coconut milk really rounds out this dish and gives it a depth straight from the Caribbean. The dill gives it a light buttery  herby note while the cannellini beans give it a nice creamy finish. What tweaks can you make to this side dish? Coconut, Dill, and Cannellini Rice Ingredients 1 cup  coconut milk 1 cup Basmati rice 1 can cannellini beans (strained and rinsed) 1 shallot (minced) 1 cup water salt and pepper to taste 3 tablespoons dill  1 tablespoon unsalted butter Instructions 1. Heat a deep pan over medium low heat and melt butter. 2. Add minced shallots and saute until fragrant. 3. Add cup of rice and saute, about two minutes. 4. Add in the rest of the ingredients and put the stove on high and let boil for one minut...

I am known for having random thoughts on a daily basis. I was talking to my sister one Saturday night, bored out of my mind and a thought popped into my head, "I want to make moonshine" I said "Huh? why" she asked, "I don't know I just want to. I think I'll make apple pie moonshine." So I hopped out of bed and went to the grocery because I had absolutely nothing to make moonshine at home. I just knew it needed to have EverClear. So of course while at the store just moseying around I decided that google might help in this situation. I google 'Apple Pie Moonshine' and since I already made the effort to get out of bed and head to the store I definitely wanted to find the easiest recipe I could find. I went over it and saw that the ingredients list was short, which is what I like when it comes to an impromptu cooking session. So as per the list I picked up some apple cider, some apple juice,and cinnamon sticks. As I was about to leave th...

This recipe is fantastic as a side dish to any main course. It's herby, citrusy, and all around delicious. I served this to a friend who has heard of quinoa but has never tried it himself. I found myself at the end of the night giving him step by step instructions on how to recreate it.  I feel it is the lemon juice that really makes this dish pop, the tangy-ness of the lemon coupled with thyme, basil, and parsely really gives you that feeling of freshness. Very healthy and very easy. Let me know what your tweaks are, for me this dish is perfect as is! Fresh Herbed Quinoa Ingredients 2 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken stock 1/4 cup fresh  lemon juice 1 1/2 cups quinoa Dressing: 1/4 cup   extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves 1/4 cup chopped fresh   parsley leaves 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves 2 teaspoons lemon zest Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions For the quinoa ...

This makes for one super easy, not to sweet, gourmet looking cake that will have everyone going for seconds. I decided to make this cake for me and my brothers bi-weekly dinners, he's not much of a sweet tooth any more (this guy would have probably eaten buckets of sugar in the past). So since my brothers new found aversion to everything that is too sweet, I wanted to find a recipe that he and I could both really enjoy (I still partake in all things sugar myself). Lately I have been strapped for time, between running to class and running errands non-stop, I wouldn't be able to find the time for a recipe that called for 1000 steps to perfection. And with just two hours to prep, cut, bake, and cool I couldn't ask for a better recipe.  Now I'm one to stock my pantry and fridge with everything I think I will need, but peaches was not one of them. So I had to rush to the store, sniff and fondle many peaches until I found the right ones for this recipe...

I apologize before hand because this post will not contain pictures of the final product. I have to say that the outcome of this recipe was a happy accident. I made a huge mistake, while grabbing the red wine in my pantry, I accidentally grabbed the red wine vinegar, and added a cup of that instead. Imagine my surprise! I thought I had officially ruined the dish. I quickly searched Google on how to take out the vinegary taste. They had three solutions a) baking soda, b)brown sugar, and c)soy sauce. So in my frenzy I thought HECK! lets try them all. I added and added until I felt the taste of the very strong vinegar was gone. And after stirring away I created something that was surprisingly delicious. I dredged my short ribs in flour and browned them over medium high heat to get a nice crust on them, I made sure not to crowd the man because that can make your meat steam and not sear how you want it to. Make sure your pan is very hot before you put the short ribs on it. On...

This is a super simple, very delicious side dish to any meal, just a handful of ingredients completes this dish and it is ready in minutes.  This recipe calls for a set it but don't forget it approach. You don't want to let the steam go out of this dish for the first five minutes, so don't feel tempted to lift the lid and check on how they are doing. After about the five minute mark check on them, give them a few words of encouragement 'I believe in you!' you know that sort of thing, or just nix that all together and just stir them one last time and cover them back p for the remaining time. If they are the texture you like (I like mines with a little crunch, not mushy) take them out, if not let them go for a few more minutes checking the texture throughout. Enjoy! and let me know what your tweaks are to make this simple side dish even more delicious. Sauteed Carrots   Ingredients 5 carrots (sliced diagonally) two table spoons butter sa...

This will probably be the most fragrant rice you can make with so few ingredients. So simple yet so delicious. Definitely a winner for dinner tonight. Try it out and let me know how it works out, or what your tweaks to this recipe are. Coconut and Black Bean Rice Ingredients 1 cup  coconut milk 1 cup Basmati rice 1 can black beans (strained and rinsed) 1 shallot (minced) 1 cup water salt and pepper to taste 2 dashes nutmeg 1 tablespoon unsalted butter Instructions 1. Heat a deep pan over medium low heat and melt butter. 2. Add minced shallots and saute until fragrant. 3. Add cup of rice and saute, about two minutes. 4. Add in the rest of the ingredients and put the stove on high and let boil for one minute, then reduce until all the water has evaporated.  5. Fluff rice and serve.

This is the perfect sweet yet tart ending to a lovely dinner I made for my brother. When I found the original recipe I cringed at the thought of possibly having to use sweetened condensed milk, as you may know now I am lactose intolerant, so I thought and thought and *ping* a light bulb went off. A perfect way to simply tweak this recipe coconut creme! I made the crust from scratch. About now graham crackers processed until there are no full bits. To that add 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter and process again until well incorporated. Pack the crust evenly into a tart pan, I used a spring form pan, both work well, if you don't mind caramelized edges on your tart then go for it. Place in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, when done let cool and move on to the filling.  Now this recipe calls for fresh limes, and believe you me, the freshness really does make a difference. Now I don't have a fancy shmancy juicer, I have the one where you rotate your citrus until no more...

Now, this dish may sound super fancy, but the steps to complete it are super simple! This is pretty much a layered dish and comes together very quickly and rather beautifully I might add. I needed something to compliment the Salisbury steak I had been craving (I'll also be posting the recipe for that below as well), and of course when I crave something, instead of going out I have to make it myself. With this dish for dinner, even though it is super healthy, you won't be skimping on the flavor. Now a 'Tian' simply put, is a french word meaning a baked vegetable dish where the veggies are cascading down (isn't that a pretty way to put it? So with all of your yummy potatoes, squash, and tomatoes, you just layer them down your baking dish. I  I am getting way ahead of myself. I completely forgot to mention the onions! these loves veggies sit on top of a bed of caramelized onions that you saute and season with salt just until they become a nice golden brown. Wh...