One skill that I believe every man should have is cooking. Gone are the days when the women are expected to prepare meals and know how to cook. Gone are the days where men can be too proud and not enter a kitchen to prepare a meal. In our current time, cooking is a skill that must be mastered, by both men and women, but I'll be honest...if a man can cook, women really like that.


On my page I'm going to share some of my favorite recipes. I've gotten recipes from all over; websites, cook books, family recipes, or even a few from my days working in the Service Deli at Costco when things were actually made, and not just "put-together," from scratch.


So I hope you enjoy some of the things that I share. I'll try to link recipes if I get them from somewhere online, or provide any personal recipes to the best of my abilities. So check back every so often for some new things. Or, if you have something that you'd like me to try out, send it to me, and I'll give it a try along with a review.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Scallops with Cherry-Tarragon Sauce


I got this recipe from Whole Food's website. The first time I made this was about a year ago, and it was just so good. However, I had to wait until cherries were back in season.

Serves 4 to 6

The combination of rich sea scallops with sweet and tangy cherries is exceptionally satisfying. Scallops are at their best and most tender with short cooking at very high heat; make sure to have the scallops as dry as possible and your pan so hot that the oil is shimmering--but not smoking--before you add the scallops.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds wild-caught sea scallops 
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 
2 shallots, chopped 
2 tablespoons rice vinegar 
1/2 pound cherries (about 2 cups), pitted and quartered 
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon

Method

Pat scallops dry with paper towels. Sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat until very hot. Add oil and heat until very hot. Add half the scallops and sear, turning once, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer scallops to a platter and cook remaining scallops; cover and keep warm. 

Lower heat to medium and add shallots to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar and cherries. Cover skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until cherries are softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in tarragon, then pour cherry sauce over scallops.



Monday, May 14, 2012

Lasagna Cupcakes

Yes, it has finally arrived, Lasagna Cupcakes. Quick, easy, simple, and impressive.


For all you confused men (and women) out there, here is a recipe that you can do real quick.


What you need:

  • 2 cups marinara sauce
  • 2 lbs. ground beef
  • 36 wonton wrappers
  • 16 ounces shredded mozzarella
  • 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
  • 8 ounces Ricotta cheese
  • (optional) basil for garnish

What you do:
  1. Season the beef with salt and pepper. I also use italian seasoning to give it more flavor, but you don't have too. Brown the beef and drain. Set this aside, you'll need it later.
  2. Preheat the oven to at least 375 degrees (I use 400).
  3. Use a cooking spray on a muffin tin (it's used to make cupcakes).
  4. So now comes the fun part, the layering.
    1. Wonton Skin - place in the tin, and press it down to the bottom.
    2. Parmesan - sprinkle just a bit, followed by
    3. Ricotta - then
    4. Mozzarella
    5. Meat
    6. Marinara
    7. Repeat (quick tip, once you place the next skin on, press down to pack down the bottom layers.
  5. After putting on the final layer of sauce, place about 1 teaspoon of mozzarella and parmesan each on top.
  6. Bake for about 18-20 minutes (edges should be cooked well). Take it out and let cook for 5 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the edge from the tin and remove.
All together this should take more than 35 minutes to complete.