2 Super Quick Sides

Looking back over my past post on this blog I see that I have been rather quick to talk about main meals. What would a main course be without great sides to go with it? These two side dishes are very common at my house simply because of how quick and easy they are to do. Pair these sides with any of the recipes from my 3 Fastest Entrees Post (http://parkfooddude.blogspot.com/2010/03/3-fastest-entrees-you-will-ever-make.html) , or serve them with your own main course.

Remember how I talked about the amazingness of parchment paper? Here's how it will turn cauliflower, my most detested of veggies, into something awesome.

Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher Salt
Cracked Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a heavy baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut cauliflower into 1.5 - 2 inch pieces and place in large bowl. Add olive oil and salt and pepper to taste (I do 2 heavy pinches of salt and 7-8 turn of the pepper mill). Toss the cauliflower to coat with oil and S&P. Arrange on baking sheet and place in middle rack of the oven. Roast until tender and browned on the edges, about 20-25 minutes, turning halfway. The pieces near the sides will brown more so re-arrange at halfway point. Taste for right amount of S&P and add more if desired. If you like you can add spices before roasting such as coriander, cumin, smoked paprika or chipotle powder but personally I think you should try it without the first time. You will be shocked at how sweet these pieces of cauliflower are!

This next one is so incredibly fast and easy. Can you make rice? Can you melt butter? Great! You are extremely qualified to make this!

Curried Rice

Ingredients

2 cups cooked rice
2 tbsp butter or margarine
2 tbsp finely minced onion
1 to 1.5 tsp medium curry powder (to taste)
Salt
Pepper

Cook 1 cup of rice using whatever method you prefer...stovetop, rice cooker or however you like. As long as you get 2 cups of rice at the end you are golden. Just as rice is done melt the butter in a pan and add the onion. Cook for a few minutes until tender. Stir in curry powder and add a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add butter mixture to the hot rice and stir to combine. You can add many things to your rice at this point. Some suggestions are toasted almond pieces, chopped pimentos or olives, capers or diced roasted peppers.

How easy was that? So go and make these! No excuse for not making easy sides for supper!

Cheers

PFD

Hands Off My Jerky...Turkey!

Normally I would not be talking about a recipe that requires any special equipment but this is an exception. Summer is coming and with it comes all sorts of outdoorsy activities that may require you to pack light. Jerky might be the perfect food for those wanting a source of low fat protein that weighs next to nothing and is virtually indestructible. As long as you keep it dry and as air tight as possible it will keep for a very long time, years actually. But as I said this will require a small purchase of special equipment...a food dehydrator. These are not very expensive, 40 bucks will do ya. And if you have any qualms about shelling out $40 for something just to make jerky think of it this way. Jerky sells in the store for about $30/lb. You can make your own for about $5-6/lb. Pretty easy to figure out just how quickly you could pay for the dehydrator! (I'm pretty sure anyway....I am really bad at math)

Use inside round for best results. The meat is lean and well grained and cheap! Freeze the roast for about an hour. This will make the meat easier to slice. Using your sharpest knife slice the meat as thin as you can. The thinner the better for faster drying. Remove any fat that the can see or your jerky will end up greasy. Marinading the beef strips in a plastic bag in the fridge for at least 3 hours and up to 8 will give you the best flavor results.

Your choices of flavors for jerky are endless. I have made everything from plain hickory smoked flavors to sesame teryaki, sweet thai chili, maple mesquite and honey red hot. I will show you a very basic recipe that you can play with at your leisure.

Marinade

2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion or garlic powder
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon chili flakes if you want some kick!

This marinade will work with 2 to 2.5 pounds of any red meat.

After marinading for 3-8 hours remove meat and place on cooling racks to drain off excess marinade. Place meat in the dehydrator and leave until desired texture is reached. The drier is gets the longer it will keep. Remove from machine and let cool on paper towels before placing in zip top bags for storage. You will have to pay some attention to your dehydrator as some of the have spots that seem to take longer than others. Shift your jerky strips around now and then and remove any pieces that have gotten to the dryness that you like.

So change up the spices! Change up the liquids! I really don't think it's possible to screw this one up! (OK, sure it is but I take absolutely no responsibility for someone who marinades this in cream soda and hot sauce). Let me know if you come up with anything brilliant that I can steal for myself!

Cheers

PFD

The Magic of Parchment Paper

Sometimes a solution to a cooking problem is so simple that you just can't believe it can be so easy. I used to make roasted potatoes or chicken wings in the oven and be very frustrated with the results. Both foods need to be cooked with high heat to achieve that browned outside and tender inside but when done on a baking sheet (or foil covered sheet) the food will stick badly to the sheet and become ruined. The secret to well browned food that doesn't stick, burn or come apart on you is parchment paper. You can get this at any supermarket in the same place you get foil and plastic wrap. DO NOT GET CONFUSED AND USE WAXED PAPER LIKE SOMEONE I KNOW ONCE DID!!! (not sayin' who)

A single layer of parchment paper on the baking sheet will allow you to cook so many foods in your oven. Below is one of my favorite recipes using this parchment paper trick!

Oven Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

6 medium potatoes (russets or reds)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 tsp dried rosemary (or more to taste)
salt and pepper
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut potatoes into 1 inch dice and put into large bowl. Drizzle olive oil over potatoes and add rosemary, large pinch of salt and 5-6 grinds of pepper. Toss well to distribute spices and spread evenly over baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place sheet on middle rack in oven and roast for approx 25 minutes or until browned to taste. If potatoes are not browning as much as you would like give them a little shot of cooking spray. Toss potatoes around to ensure browning on all sides. Give one a taste part way through and add more salt and pepper if desired.

I have a hard time keeping my potato stealing wife from thieving these off the sheet while cooking they are so good. Potatoes can be done as large wedges or even really small as hash browns. If you have a deep fryer that you like to use to make fries you may just throw it away after learning this healthier alternative.

Enjoy!

Food Dude's Big 5

This week's Big 5 is another great one (they're all pretty great though aren't they?). Have you got a book shelf full of cook books you never open? Or are you a blank slate and have not yet been given or bought any cookbooks that you are destined to look through once and then leave to gather dust? Chances are those two categories encompass most of you. Well I am here to save you all! Be amazed by...

The Big 5 Cookbooks You Should Own!

#1---How To Grill by Steven Raichlen

An amazing book on how to get the most out of your BBQ. Including the basics on tools, techniques and easy tips to make your grill work its magic this book has full color, step by step photo instructions that guide you the whole way. If you are like me and need things very well spelled out for you this book is for you. I am currently on my 2nd copy as I wore out my first and I have also given this book several times as a gift. I have probably cooked half of the recipes in this book and I can tell you (as can the people I have cooked for) that this book is the real deal. Pair this one with....

#2--Sauces, Rubs and Marinades by Steven Raichlen

Yeah I know...cheesy to use the same author twice but I am telling you that this book is a must have even if you don't buy the one listed above. 200 recipes of sauces, marinades, flavored butters, bastes and glazes from all over the world to use either with your grilled foods or with anything else. No matter what you are having for supper tonight this book will have something great to slather it in! I probably dig this book out of the cupboard twice a week just for inspiration on what to cook next. Steven Raichlen should be dipped in bronze and hailed as a BBQ deity.

#3--Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten

Those who have been paying attention know of my sweet spot for this former white house employee and her amazing comfort food recipes. While none of the recipes in this book are complicated they will amaze you with their big bright flavors and rich layers of goodness. Make sure you try the Garlic and Herb Tomatoes and the Maple Baked Beans!

#4--Cook with Jaimie by Jaimie Oliver

This thick tome is almost as fun to read as it is to cook with. The light hearted Oliver seems to be with you in the kitchen teaching you how to enjoy your cooking efforts while not getting too serious about the whole affair. A great color photo for each recipe will inspire you to try some of the seemingly stranger recipes in here (try the roasted pork belly with braised fennel!). Also sales of these books go towards Jaimie's Fifteen Foundation where he takes hard done by kids and teaches them to cook and work all over the world.

#5--Betty Crocker's Big Red Cookbook

Currently in its 10th printing the Big Red Book has been helping out kitchens for close to 60 years. While it may not be fancy and full of jaw dropping photos this book is one that you simply cannot do without. It is my go to book for all the things I should remember and yet cannot seem to keep in my head. What temperature to start a roast beef at? What internal temp does the chicken have to get to? How do I carve this ham? All those questions have their answers in there and they are easy to find too. Along with helpful hints like substitutions and an array of conversion tables I will always have a copy of this cookbook in my kitchen.


That's a good base for any cooking library! Tell me what you think and what your favorite recipe book is!

Cheers

PFD

5 courses, 5 recipes Part 5

OK folks, it's time to pay attention. You have wowed your guests with some great food and now you have to knock it out of the park to seal the deal to make a lasting impression. If you fall flat with dessert that's what people will remember. Send them home on a high note with the most classic and indulgent dessert of them all...creme brulee! There are many creme brulee recipes out there and they are all pretty close to the same, except for those no-bake ones. Combining egg yolks and heavy cream into a baked vanilla custard with flamed sugar on top....you will think twice about serving them and maybe just hide in the closet to devour them on your own.

You will need a small kitchen torch to properly brown the sugar on the top of these. You can get this at specialty kitchen store and they are not too expensive. It is also possible to do this under the broiler on your oven but I have found it does not work as well.

Creme Brulee

Ingredients

1 quart heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cup vanilla sugar, divided (regular sugar works just fine)
6 large egg yolks
2 quarts hot water

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving. If you choose to do the oven broil method for the sugar top put the ramekins in the freezer for about 20 minutes to really chill them and the broil until done, while watching them closely.

Serves 6

This is truly one of the most decadent desserts ever created and it will definitely cap your dinner party off beautifully. What more can I say? Go on....go make it!


So that brings our 5 course dinner party to a close. Maybe you will try these recipes out and have a dinner party of your own or maybe you'll just try one or two. Either way please let me know how they turn out for you!

Cheers

PFD

5 courses, 5 recipes Part 4

Hey all! Just ahead lies the main course for our 5 course dinner party and I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Most of you were probably thinking that it would be something like a big roast of beef, a whole BBQed salmon or maybe some kind of smoked duck but NO! This simple yet beautiful main looks so amazing and is so very different that people will be greatly impressed. So get ready for...

Super Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
1/2 pound chorizo sausage
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 red onion, diced
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 cup short-grain rice
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
6 large, fresh poblano chiles or green bell peppers
1 pound shrimp, shelled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup Cheddar, shredded
3/4 cup Jack cheese, shredded

Directions
In a medium saucepan, heat oil and chorizo, cook for 3 minutes. Add peppers, jalapeno, onions and garlic. Cook until translucent, then add rice and cook until all the grains of the rice are coated with oil. Add all liquids and stir over high heat for 3 minutes, cover and reduce heat to low. Check rice for doneness after 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place peppers on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cool, cut top 1/4 of pepper off and remove ribs and seeds.

When rice is finished cooking, fluff with fork and stir in shrimp. Stuff chiles with 1/6 of the rice mixture. Place all the chiles on baking sheet and place into oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, mix cheeses together and cover pepper with cheese. Broil for 3 minutes to melt and brown the cheese.


Voila! This stuffed pepper looks so amazing on the plate your guests will feel bad about cutting into it! Full of rice, shrimp and sausage this is one hearty main. You can really use whatever cheeses you like but I think the cheddar and jack cheeses really pair the best with this. Enjoy!

Next up, our final course.....dessert!

Cheers

PFD

5 Courses, 5 Recipes Part 3

It's salad time! I know some of you are thinking "Yay. Salad. I'll skip this one and wait for tomorrow's recipe." Don't. Try thinking of salads as more than your basic lettuce and tomato combinations and see how different they can be while adding a special touch to your dinners. This salad really tested my belief in that since I never really liked to eat beets. But what a salad! Perfectly balanced flavor and amazing color that will definitelty impress your guests. This salad is one of Jaimie Oliver's who is as great a cook as he is boyishly handsome (errrrrr...remind me to edit that part out before I publish).

Do not put this salad together too early as the beet coloring will bleed into the other ingredients and it won't look as nice. Have everything cut before hand and assemble minutes before serving.

Beet Salad with Feta and Pear

Ingredients

4 medium sized beets, washed and peeled
3 ripe pears peeled and cored (make sure they are not too ripe...you want crunchy)
7 oz feta cheese
A few leaves of fresh mint
Handful of sunflower seeds (optional)
Salt and Pepper
Lemon Oil Dressing (recipe below)

Cut your beets and pears into thin matchsticks with a good sharp knife or mandolin. Crumble feta cheese into small bits. When ready to assemble salad combine the beet and pear and dress with Lemon Oil dressing:


Dressing

Juice of one fresh lemon
10 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Mix dressing ingredients vigorously and taste for seasoning.

Divide dressed beets and pears onto 4 small plates and top with crumbled feta. Add sunflower seeds if using and sprinkle small mint leaves on top.

Serves 4


Done! Easy huh? I have complete confidence that you can pull this off without match sticking your fingers too. Once you see that salads can be made from just about anything you'll have a massive salad aresenal to wow people with. Enjoy!

Next up.....The Mighty Main Course!

Cheers

PFD

5 courses, 5 recipes Part 2

The Soup Course

Part 2 of our 5 course meal is soup. A co-worker of mine brought me some of this soup a few years ago when I was at home sick. He spends quite a bit of time ach year in Jamaica and he loves to cook recipes with Jamaican origins. It didn't really help me get back on my feet. Rather it made me want to stay home longer in hopes he would bring more soup! This soup is easy to make and ridiculously flavorful. Bump up the jalapeno or scotch bonnets as you see fit.

Jamaican Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

1 small Hubbard squash or 1/2 small pumpkin, cubed
1 medium yam, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 scotch bonnet pepper or one jalapeno, sliced
1 pear, peeled and cored
2 medium carrots, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp curry powder
2 tbsp cream of coconut
1 tbsp nutmeg, or to taste
1 tbsp olive oil

Heat oil in large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, pepper, curry powder and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add squash, carrots, yam and chicken broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender. Stir in pear and cream of coconut. Simmer 5 more minutes. Let cool and add nutmeg. Puree soup in blender or food processor until smooth. If soup is too thick add more chicken broth or a little bit of milk. Reheat and serve with a small dollop of herbed sour cream (sour cream mixed with fresh chopped basil)on top.

Serves 6

This soup is a hit. It can actually be served as a cold soup for a luncheon as well.
Make sure to have something cool on hand for people to enjoy with this if you bump up the pepper factor.

Our 5 course dinner is coming together nicely! Come back tomorrow for one of the most interesting salads you will ever try!

Cheers

PFD

5 courses, 5 recipes Part 1

Hey all. I realise that I have been slacking mightily lately and that you have been logging in every 5 minutes for the last 2 weeks checking for a new PFD post. I have let you down. I am sorry. It will never happen again. (Okay, let's face it, it probably will but this is free for you and work for me so deal with it!).

I have decided to reward all your patience with 5 recipes this week. Combine them together and they would spell one kickass 5 course dinner party you could throw and impress your pals with. There will be recipes for an appetizer, soup, salad, main course and dessert. Nice huh? Am I forgiven yet?

First up.....the appetizer!

This is a truly simple and extremely delicious avocado and shrimp salad served on endive spears. It looks fantastic and the colors really pop. Best part of it is how easy it is to tinker with and still keep it very tasty.

Shrimp and Avocado Salad Boats

Ingredients
2 ripe avocados, mashed
1/3 lb cooked shrimp, de-veined and shelled and roughly chopped
1 lemon
2-3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 bell pepper finely minced
1 clove garlic finely minced
3 green onions, finely diced, green part only
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (must be smoked...regular will not taste nearly as good)
Tabasco sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 endive



In a large bowl mash the avocado and add the chopped shrimp. Roll the lemon on a hard surface to loosen the juices and squeeze (catch those seeds!) over the avocado and shrimp. Add the mayo and stir to combine. Add the garlic and green onion and stir again. Add the paprika and a few dashes of Tabasco sauce. (more if you like it spicy). Stir together and taste. Add salt and pepper as needed and more mayo if you would like it creamier. It should be creamy tasting with a fairly strong smoky flavor from the paprika and a little bite at the end from the Tabasco. Now is the time to play with this recipe spice-wise if you want to.

Remove the couple outer leaves from the endive and discard. Keep peeling leaves off but save any that are nice and firm. These will be the "boats" that your salad will be stuffed in. Using a small spoon fill the endive leaves with the salad until mostly full. If you run out of endive this salad is great on a crusty roll or french bread. Top the boats with the minced red pepper. Chill for an hour, covered and serve. Serves 6 as an appetizer or 4 as a light lunch.


So there is part 1 of your amazing dinner party line-up. Try this out and let me know what you think.

Cheers!

PFD

Food Dude's Big 5

Hey all! This weeks Big 5 helps you to get out of a rut and try something new. Stop being afraid of new ingredients and give something exotic a shot. If it doesn't turn out or doesn't turn your crank then make a bowl of soup and try something else next time. Fortune favors the bold and a bold sense of culinary adventure is rewarded many times over. Here is my Big 5...Foods You Probably Haven't Cooked With....But Should!


#1--Fennel
Sold fresh in your grocery store's produce department this leafy topped bulb is sometimes labelled as "anise". Its crisp licorice taste lends great depth to salads, stuffings and even hot cooked dishes. The bulb section has a small hard core that has to be removed but once done there is a baseball sized piece that is very easy to work with. And the leafy fronds at the end of the stalks can be chopped fine for sauces or garnishes. One of my favorite uses is to dice it fine with apples and roast them in same pan as a whole pork loin.

#2--Shark
Yes shark! I told you this was going to be an exotic list! I first tried shark a few years ago when we were selling it at the Safeway fresh fish department and I really enjoy this meat. It does not have an overly fishy taste to it and once cooked the texture of the meat is almost like a slightly rare pork chop than a flaky fish. So easy to prepare its a very quick meal. Here is my favorite way to do it. Heat pan to med-high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Coat your shark steaks with sesame seeds and add to hot pan. Cook until sesame seeds are golden brown and fish is cooked halfway (you'll be able to see the cooking done on the side of the steak). Turn over and cook other side same way. Watch them carefully because if your sesame seeds burn it can taint the meat. Serve with a lemon herb sauce or even hoisin sauce.

#3--Capers
Capers are the unripened buds of the Capparis plant and are usually sold brined in small jars. They pack a wallop of flavor and add a sharp briney taste to many Mediterranean type dishes. They also enhance many other flavors which is one reason I put it in my somewhat famous cream cheese spread (no I am not posting that recipe just yet...) Try adding a tablespoon worth of chopped capers to a serving of plain linguine, then a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil for a very authentic Mediterranean dish.

#4--Duck
I don't know why more people don't try duck. It's rich and flavorful and its high fat content (OK, maybe that's the reason) gives its skin an amazing crispiness that is hard to beat. Try making a couple of duck breasts for dinner. You will have to scored the skin side of the breast with a sharp knife in a criss-cross pattern to cook off some of the fat. Cook them in a pan on the stove top like you would chicken breasts and then remove when done. Remove all but a tablespoon or two of the fat and add two big spoonfuls of orange or apricot preserves and a half teaspoon of freshly grated ginger. Stir over low heat until you have a well blended and flavorful sauce.

#5--Fresh Chilies
Even if you are not a fan of really spicy food your cooking can benefit from the addition of one of many different chili peppers out there. From jalapeno to birds eye to habanero there are a multitude of them ranging from mild to scalp scorching. Find one that best suits your tastes and start with a little and work your way to the limit of your comfort. Add chilies to pasta sauces, soups, salad dressing...anything really! Have you ever flipped through a Jaimie Oliver cookbook? That bloke tosses a chili in more than 50% of his recipes and it seems to me that he knows a thing or two about cooking!


Another Big 5 in the books! I have fixed the setting on the blog so you can leave a comment without registering. Leave me some feedback and definitely let me know if you try any of these for the first time!

Cheers

PFD

POOF! No Eyebrows! (But yummy dessert!)

One thing I don't do a lot of is making desserts. I tend to really focus on appetizers, mains and side dishes and then do something fairly simple or (gasp) store bought for dessert. But after watching a show about using alcohol when cooking I was intrigued at the idea of pouring some booze into a pan and setting it on fire! I knew of two recipes that called for such a technique...cherries jubilee and bananas foster. Cherries I don't really care for so bananas foster it is! And what a simple recipe! Butter and brown sugar combine quickly to make a great caramel sauce. Throw in your bananas, add your rum and touch with a flame! POOF! NO EYEBROWS! After putting yourself out the flame dies off and you are left with a sauce infused with all the richness of rum flavors minus the harsh burn of the alcohol. I served this over a slice of awesome pound cake my wife made (thank you sweetie) and topped it with vanilla bean ice cream. A little extra caramel on the ice cream and it was ready to go. I put a plate of it in front of my mother in-law who I have never known to eat too much dessert. Her eyes bulged and she asked if this was just for her! A few minutes later I looked over and she was scraping the caramel from her empty plate. She almost sounded guilty when she said "I just couldn't stop!"

Use the best quality rum you can get for this as the premium ingredients will make a difference in flavoring your sauce. I used Brugal, a fantastic rum from the Dominican Republic but something like Appleton's Extra would do nicely.

For safety's sake have your kitchen fire extinguisher handy.

Bananas Foster

Ingredients
1/2 unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 bananas peeled, halved, and cut lengthwise
1/4 cup dark rum

Directions
In a large skillet, melt butter. Using a wooden spoon, add brown sugar and stir together until caramel is formed. Add the bananas and cook until caramelized on both sides, over medium-high heat. Move pan off heat, add the rum and return to the stove. Light rum with long lighter. Stand back when ignited and flambe the bananas. Be careful a flame will shoot up above the pan. Let flame die down and the alcohol cook out. Serve bananas over vanilla ice cream and/or a slice of pound cake.


How easy is that? Not only will people love this recipe but they will also be ridiculously impressed as you touch off a small fireball in your kitchen! And don't worry, eyebrows are really only for decoration anyway! :)~

Cheers

PFD

Food Dude's Big 5

OK, this week's Big 5 is going to be light and fluffy and not really all that helpful to you. Yeah? What are you going to do about it? It's my blog so I get to decide what I put on it. So there.

As someone who likes to try new things and keep an open mind as far as foods and flavors go I still have a few things that I just won't eat. And I have good reasons for them too. So here it is folks, this week's Big 5....Foods I Hate.


1--Raisins
You know where raisins belong? IN BAKING...that's where. Cinnamon buns, cookies, muffins and maybe even an evil fruit cake is where a raisin should be. I don't like raisins dropped into salads, stuffed in a pork roast or braised along with my lamb.

2--Cottage Cheese
I have eaten cottage cheese once in my life and never, ever again with it cross my lips. The taste, the texture and the smell. All reasons why I can't stand this "food". It's something that should be left for babies to choke down while they wait for teeth to arrive and save them eating horrible mush such as this.

3--Shake N Bake
This is where my food "snobbery" comes in. C'mon people really? Bread crumbs and seasoning salt mixed together for $3? I once heard two ladies in a grocery aisle talking about all the fabulous dishes they made with Shake N Bake and I wanted to run them over with a cart. Buy some bread crumbs and experiment with adding spices and seasonings to it if you really want to dredge your chicken in something. End mini-rant.

4--Vegetable Juice
This one is simple. It tastes yucky. You want vegetables? Eat them. And who ever came up with the idea of putting clam juice into tomato juice should be locked up forever. Are you one of those people that pour part of a beer into this stuff? Shame on you if you are!

5--Cloves
The one spice you will not find in my spice pantry. I do not like the taste and I especially do not like it when one gets missed by the strainer and you end up crunching it between your teeth. Makes me gag. Quite often you can substitute allspice where you would use cloves anyway so I am able to get by without them.


So that's it for this week's Big 5. I am sure that anyone reading this has foods they don't like as well. List em! Post them so we can all see your culinary avoidance's. Or hammer away at me for picking on Shake N Bake. Leave me a comment.

Cheers

PFD

The 3 Fastest Entrees You Will Ever Make

I have a letter from a friend of mine that I would like to share.

Sarah Jane from Edmonton writes:
"Hey Food Dude I really need your help! Lately my husband has been acting strangely. All he seems to want to do is watch the Home and Garden channel and yesterday I caught him wearing eyeliner. Oh, and I am pretty sure he is stealing my underwear. What should I do?"

Well SJ, I can only tell you that men crave excitement and new things. So I am fairly confident that trying these super fast and delicious entrees will cure that wacko hubby of your of his sick predilections in a jiffy!

The concept of these three dishes is simple. Season and sear your chosen protein then add flavorful liquid and spices to make a tasty sauce. Whether you are wanting chicken, fish or pork they can all be quick and easy.

Maple Balsamic Salmon

Ingredients

4 6oz skin on salmon fillets
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

Combine vinegar, syrup, thyme and 1 1/2 tbsp water in a small bowl and set aside. Heat 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Season salmon fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. When oil is heated place salmon flesh side down and sear for 4-5 minutes. Turn salmon over and cook until skin is crisp, about another 4-5 minutes. Remove salmon from skillet and add vinegar mixture. Simmer in skillet for 1-2 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring once or twice. Pour sauce over salmon while still warm.


Lemon-Honey Tarragon Chicken

Ingredients

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 lemons
3-4 tbsp honey
1 tbsp fresh chopped tarragon or 1/2 tbsp dried tarragon
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

Roll lemons on hard surface to loosen juices. Slice in half and over a small bowl squeeze juice through your fingers to catch any seeds. Add honey and tarragon to lemon juice. Taste and add more honey to taste. Set aside. Heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Liberally season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan and sear for about 7-8 minutes each side. Remove chicken from pan and cover loosely with foil. Add lemon/honey mixture to pan and simmer for 3 minutes. Turn heat to low and add chicken back to pan. Toss to coat with sauce and leave until chicken is thoroughly coated and sauce has been a little sticky. Remove chicken from pan and serve immediately.


Pork Chops with Mustard Cream Sauce

Ingredients

4 pork loin chops, bone in preferred, 3/4 inch thick
1/2 cup cream
2 tbsp whole grain mustard
1 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

Let pork chops come to room temperature. This will keep them from curling up on the edges when added to heat. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Add pork chops to pan and cook each side 7-8 minutes until golden brown. Check for desired doneness and remove chops to large plate and cover with foil. Reduce heat to low. Add mustard, cream and thyme to pan and combine, stirring to make a smooth sauce. Sauce will begin to thicken immediately. Cook for about 2 minutes stirring frequently. Add juices from plate of chops to sauce for more flavor. Pour warm sauce over chops and serve.



Man was that fast! Not a difficult recipe in that trio and all of them made in one pan in under twenty minutes. These have become so popular at my house that at least one of those dishes gets cooked once a week.

So there ya go Sarah Jane. Hopefully these fast and exciting dishes will get your hubby back on the right track and your underwear back in the right drawer!

Cheers

Park Food Dude

Food Dude's Big 5

This week's Big 5 is a wake up call for cooks out there. Things could be so much easier and running smoothly in your kitchen if you only had the right tools. Sure your kitchen has all the very basics and true enough you can get by with the basics. BUT....why not make things easier on yourself? A few simple and usually inexpensive tools will make your cooking easier and dare I say...better? Here are my Big 5 of Things Your Kitchen Doesn't Have But Definitely Needs!


1--One Good Sharp Knife
If you don't have at least one quality knife in your kitchen then log off and go and buy one RIGHT FREAKIN' NOW! Not only will a quality knife make a difference in your cooking I can tell you from experience that a good knife makes you feel like a better cook. Your confidence will rise when you hold a well made cutting tool in your hand and prep ingredients like a pro. This is the only Big 5 item here that will cost you a bit. This is definitely a case of getting what you pay for. Most kitchens have themselves a block of knives that are knock off of good knife companies. Blocks that contain 20 knives and cost sixty bucks. Fine, keep those around for the bread slicing and steak cutting. I recommend getting a 6-8 inch chef's knife. Get something from Henckels or Wustof. (I have the Henckels Twin 4 Star II knives and think they are great) You are looking at a cost of 70 dollars or more. Make sure you get to hold and feel the knife before you buy it.

2--Mortar and Pestle
Here's a very useful little gadget for grinding up whole spices, turning garlic and herbs into a paste or making a delicious compound butter. This stoneware bowl (mortar) and handheld grinding device (pestle) come in a wide range of sizes, stone types and designs. They are as cheap or expensive as you like depending on your tastes. I have a very simple one from Stokes that cost around 10 bucks. I like this tool better than an electric spice grinder simply for its wider range of use. Try putting any wet ingredients into your electric grinder and see what happens.* I use mine frequently to pound rosemary into tiny pieces then add some whole garlic cloves and finally some butter. Whole mixture goes into mashes potatoes or onto french bread.(*Food Dude assumes no liability for any fool that puts wet ingredients into an electric grinder)

3--Meat Thermometer
This one should be a no brainer but I am always surprised by how many people do not have one of these in their kitchens. Have you ever eaten dry turkey? Or under cooked turkey? Not good is it? So many people cook a turkey and wreck for this simple reason: They read the label and see how much it weighs. They consult their cook book and roast the bird for the appropriate minutes per pound and it comes out terrible. The reason? The cooking times in cook books are approximates and can vary depending on your oven, size of bird and how well you may have thawed the darn thing. Or you bought one of those "pops when its done!" birds. (DON'T!) The ONLY way to accurately determine whether your bird is cooked is to have a meat thermometer inserted into the bird, thickest part of the thigh not touching bones. You insert before cooking and take out only after your meat has rested. This goes for all cuts of meat, not just turkey. Make sure you know the difference between oven safe thermometers and instant read thermometers. Instant read cannot stand the constant heat of an oven. Get one of these or I am never coming over for Thanksgiving.

4--Microplane
Yes I know you have one of those big metal box graters in your cupboard but go and get yourself a microplane too. It is perfect for grating small things like whole nutmeg or garlic cloves. Its great for shaving Parmesan, ginger and chocolate and works far better than those zester/peeler combos for zesting citrus. The best part of it is your finger tips take far less of a beating on this thing that your box grater.

5--Tongs
Last but not least, tongs. Mine are probably used daily and rightly so. Excellent for turning meats without the piercing tines of a fork (You never do this do you?). Great for transferring food from skillets to roasting pans as well. I especially use mine to avoid food contamination. When working with raw chicken my hands never touch it. I do all my prep work with one set of tongs and then toss in the sink. You can deal with raw meat all day and never have to wash your hands if you have enough tongs around. Get ones that suit you best, maybe a variety. Some heavy metal ones, some with plastic tips and some with silicon ends. Use them! And don't ever let me see you turn meat with a fork!

There you go kids. Another Big 5 in the books. Got your own Big 5 kitchen gadgets you can't live without? Leave me a comment below.

Cheers

Park Food Dude

Review! The Kitchen Buffet & Bistro

Recently, I took my wife to the River Cree Resort and Casino in Edmonton for the weekend to celebrate her birthday. Yes. I know I am an amazing and thoughtful husband but that is really not the point of this posting. What is the point is the review of one of the restaurants located within the resort...The Kitchen Buffet Bistro. Now I have never formally reviewed a restaurant before so bear with me.

We dined at The Kitchen Buffet Bistro three times that weekend (breakfast buffet was included with both nights of our visit). Twice for breakfast and once for dinner. I'll review these meals separately.

Breakfast: While I am not normally a guy who has a big breakfast everyday I could definitely get behind a spread like this. Omelets cooked how you like, eggs scrambled fresh, waffles cooked on demand,two kinds of bacon, sausage, fresh fruit, pastries, fresh baked muffins...its all there. Both my wife and I had more than our fair share and groaned our way back to the hotel room where we contemplated a nap. Try having them make your scrambled eggs with a big portion of the smoked salmon! Plain scrambled eggs will seem boring after those! I would definitely recommend the breakfast buffet for anyone visiting the hotel.

Dinner: We went on Saturday night which is the theme of "River Cree" for the buffet. Not exactly sure what that entails but the buffet menu highlights consisted of crab legs, mussels, shrimp and then....generous amounts of Chinese food?? Whatever...I ate lots. The mussels and shrimp were nice and fresh and I had no complaints here. One thing that was a disappointment was that the crab legs offered were very small and really not worth the time it took to pry the meat from the shells. They solved that problem by running out which is one way to deal with it. Luckily for me I am a bigger fan of mussels than I am of crab but if you had paid your money hoping to glut yourself on big crab legs you would definitely have a right to be choked. I look forward to trying the other themed buffets nights. (Wed nights...BBQ....drool....)

The service was excellent. We were never wanting for drink refills or to have empty plates taken away. The hostess cruised the dining room floor asking how you were and if there was anything they could do. Top notch.

The dining room itself it lovely and despite its size seemed comfortable and homey. I do however find it almost a touch over crowded. Almost as if there are about 5-6 tables to many on each side of the dining area. If you find yourself sitting in a booth you'd be fine but at a table you might find another patron hovering near the edge of your personal space.

So a couple minor complaints is all I could find wrong with The Kitchen Buffet Bistro. Not too bad in my books. Go and visit the River Cree Resort and try it out and tell me what you think!

Cheers

Park Food Dude

Food Dude's Big 5

This weeks "Big 5" deals with something very near and dear to my heart...The Food Network. That channel has gotten me through some tough times. When my son was eleven months old I took a month off work to be with him and many sleepless hours at night were spent watching cooks and chefs that could cheer me up and keep me awake with creative and fun foods. My son would sleep on my chest and I would watch my favorite shows on TFN. It was a beautiful thing!

Aside from being an entertaining way to waste time TFN can really teach and inspire you to greater culinary heights. I for one learn far better from watching someone do something right in front of me. I am not great at deciphering different techniques from reading cookbook instructions which is why I benefit so much from seeing it done on TV.

I am not big on the food/cooking based reality shows. Although they can be entertaining and you can occasionally glean a recipe or two from them there is too much focus on the "entertainment" aspect of the show. That is not to say I don't like some of them, but I sure would rather learn a little something rather than hear Ramsay call someone a f*%#ing donkey one more time.

So here it is folks the Food Dude's Big 5 Food Network Shows you SHOULD be watching!

#1--Good Eats
Alton Brown is one of the most entertaining hosts on the network. This show is part science and food background that provides solid foundation for cooking techniques on recipes simple and complex. I record all these and go to them frequently for tips. If you only watch one show from my Big 5 it should be this one.
#2--Jaimie At Home
Probably one of the most passionate chefs in the world. His efforts to make the UK skinny are almost ridiculously ambitious and yet he may just pull it off. This show combines a bit of garden growing and cooking with very fresh ingredients. Its hard not to be pulled in by Jaimie's childlike enthusiasm for his trade.
#3--The Barefoot Contessa
I used to laugh when I watched this show because it seemed like every recipe began with a pound of butter, some whipping cream and mayonnaise. But you know what? WHO CARES! Ina Garten is probably one of the best at whipping up great comfort food that anyone can pull off. Sure its not going to make the Heart and Stroke Foundation happy but I'll tell you this....if I was around 40 years ago I would have married this woman for her cooking alone. (sorry Colleen)
#4--License To Grill
A brilliant show on BBQing that usually only runs during the summer here in Canada. Host Robert Rainford is a solid entertainer and shows many recipes exclusively done on the grill. I have greatly expanded my BBQ repertoire by watching this one.
#5--Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
While definitely fluffier than the other shows listed I just can't resist watching this show. Host Guy Fieri cruises the towns of the USA and tours the little out of the way type places that serve up some amazing food. While you may not learn a lot from watching this one (although I have used some of the shows to tweak a few of my recipes) you will see some incredibly interesting places to eat that may come in handy if you do any kind of travelling. This is one show you DO NOT want to watch if you are hungry.

So that's it. Those are the shows that have me constantly tuning into The Food Network. Check these shows out and tell me what you think. Or better yet, post a comment with your own Food Network Big 5.

Cheers

Park Food Dude

Chicken + India = GOOD!

Its easy to be intimidated by Indian cooking. By North American standards the food can seem strange. Strong flavors and strange ingredients that are hard to spell and pronounce! But once you get your mind past the different tastes, Indian food is an amazing experience that can have new flavors and ideas become staples in your kitchen.

I think best way to introduce your family to Indian cooking is to buy the pre-made sauces from grocery stores. They come in a wide variety of flavors and are not too expensive. I once asked an Indian fellow who worked with me at a grocery store how authentic these sauces were. He picked one up and read the ingredients. Aside from the preservatives, he said, it was pretty close. So browse through the Indian sauces and pick a couple that you like. Once you have a favorite or two, look for a recipe to make that sauce from scratch. You'll find these sauces not that difficult to make and the best part is be able to tweak the recipe to suit your tastes. Below are recipes for two favorite Indian chicken dishes...butter chicken and chicken korma.


Chicken Korma

INGREDIENTS
2.5 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup safflower oil
1/4 cup butter
6 medium yellow onions, diced fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 Tbs ginger, freshly grated
2 tsp ground cardamom
5 bay leaves
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp coriander (ground)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
1 tbsp medium curry powder (or more to taste)
8 oz plain yogurt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup coconut milk (sweetened)

Directions: Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces and set aside. In a big fry pan that has a lid, heat the butter and oil over med-high heat, then sauté the onions and garlic for about 10 minutes, until slightly browned. Add the ginger, bay leaves, and salt.Sauté until the onions are nice and brown, about 5 more minutes. Mix the coriander and red pepper with the yogurt. Add the yogurt to the fry pan, stirring as you pour. When the yogurt is cooked, add the chicken pieces and brown them. Add 1/2 cup water, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and turn off the heat. Let it sit a few minutes to let the flavors come together. Take out the bay leaves. Serve with rice and naan bread. Serves 4.


Butter Chicken

INGREDIENTS
For the seasoning:
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Sauce:
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained of juices
3 pounds boneless skin chicken pieces (thigh, breast..etc) into 1 1/2 by 1/2-inch chunks
400g frozen peas (optional)
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:Stir the spice blend ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. Brown chicken pieces in large non-stick skillet with 1tbsp oil until cooked about halfway. Remove chicken. Melt the butter into skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the pieces just begin to turn gold. Add the garlic, tomato paste and spice blend, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and stir will. Add the chicken pieces, spoon the sauce over the top and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is flavorful, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently. Add cream to the sauce. If adding peas run hot water over them to thaw and add to pan. Continue simmering until peas are heated through. Serve with naan bread, pita or basmati rice. Serves 6.


See? Not so tough is it? And the best thing is how delicious they taste. Even my 3 year old gobbles down these Indian chicken dishes!

Enjoy

Park Food Dude

Mary Had A Little Lamb.....And He Went To Morocco

A lot of people cringe and snub their noses when they think about eating lamb. Maybe its because of the heavier, gamey taste that can come from some cuts. Or maybe its because they are cute, cuddly looking little creatures. Time to put both of those ideas to bed. Fact #1--Lamb has a stronger taste and needs to be paired with stronger flavors to help carry it. Fact #2--Lambs are actually evil little creatures that kick, bite and would probably kill you for the spare change in your pocket if they knew how. One actually stole my car yesterday. Both reasons are a good idea to have lamb for supper.

As I said before lamb needs big flavors to properly accompany its own strong taste. Classically lamb goes with mint jelly or garlic and rosemary or herbes de provence but I really like the rubs and marinades that originate in Africa. Charmoula is a Moroccan herb sauce that combines several regional ideas into one flavor packed punch and is a great partner for lamb. One of the best things about Charmoula is that it works very well as a marinade, baste and table sauce.

The cut I like best for the grill is a butterflied leg. Butterflying removes the heavy leg bone from the meat and leaves you with a 'open book' looking piece of meat. This increases the surface area of the meat which leads to more flavor penetration when marinading as well as more area to grill a tasty crust onto. You can buy boneless legs of lamb or have a butcher butterfly it for you if you dont know how to remove the leg bone yourself. Once you lay it out on your board make sure it lies as flat as possible. Use a good sharp knife to make more cuts into the meat along the line of the missing bone to make sure it lies flat.

*Prepare your Charmoula sauce as follows:
1/2 cups chopped parsley
1/2 chopped cilantro
3 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons water

Combine parsley, cilantro and garlic in a food processor and finely chop. Add salt, spices, juice, oil and water and process into a fine puree. Add more salt and lemon juice to taste as this sauce should be highly seasoned. This sauce tastes best when used within a few hours of making so if using it as a marinade and a table sauce you may want enough for a double batch.

Makes about 1 cup.

Reserve a small amount of the marinade for basting. Rub the marinade into the lamb with your hands and seal into a plastic bag, squezzing out as much air as you can. Marinade your lamb in the fridge for at least 2hours and up to 8 hours.

Heat your grill to medium high heat. Oil your grill. Place lamb fat side down and grill for 10-15 per side (med-rare). Lamb has a high fat content so watch for burning and flare ups. Move to a cooler part of the grill if it starts to burn. You want a lightly charred crust to form on the outside of the meat. During the last 5 minutes of grilling on each side brush on some of the reserved marinade. Your lamb has reached med-rare when it reads 145 degrees. Transfer to cutting board loosely cover with foil. Let meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing thinly on an angle. Serve with slightly warmed Charmoula sauce. This lamb goes great with grilled squashes, coucous, rice pilaf or bulgar wheat salad.

Try this out and see what you think. I gaurantee you that lambs will no longer be just cute and cuddly in your eyes!

Cheers

Park Food Dude

*Charmoula recipe courtesy of the BBQ god Steven Raichlen

Food Dude's Big 5

Every week on Food Dude I will be doing a `Big 5` posting. The topic will vary but always be food or kitchen oriented. Suggestions for `Big 5` always welcome.

This Weeks Big 5....

You can only have 5 ingredients in your kitchen...what would (or should!) they be?

When I first thought of this topic 4 ingredients came to mind very very quickly and I think most cooks would agree....Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil and Garlic. With those 4 things alone a decent cook can transform just about any type of food into culinary delights. So what would the 5th one be? Its a wild card and I bet almost no 2 cooks would come up with the same 5th ingredient. But I will unveil mine and let you all bask in the brilliance that is my choice...

#1--Salt
#2--Pepper
#3--Olive Oil
#4--Garlic
#5--WHOLE GRAIN MUSTARD!!!!

Strange choice? Not to me. Think about it. Whole grain style mustard is one of the tastiest things you can add for punch and flavor. It is extremely versatile and pairs well with all meats as well as several fish dishes. With it (and even with just the other 4 BIG ingredients) you can create meat rubs, marinades and basic vinaigrette's. Not long ago I did a nice standing rib roast that was seasoned with nothing but those Big 5. Roast was liberally seasoned with salt and pepper. Slivers of garlic inserted at intervals around the roast. Olive oil rubbed all over and whole grain mustard smeared over the cap.

I dare anyone to come up with another Big 5. C'mon, I double dog dare ya.

Cheers

BBQ Chicken

For the last 6 months or so I have been on a serious BBQ chicken jag. At least twice a week, and sometimes three, I am firing up the propane monster and slapping poultry onto the grill. Almost exclusively I am grilling bone in, skin on, chicken thighs. Thighs are, in my opinion, the perfect cut of chicken for the BBQ. A nice mix of dark meat along with ample fat and a thick bone inside leads to flavorful, juicy chicken. Thighs are the choice of BBQ champions that cruise the USA competing in those huge BBQ contests. As a bonus, chicken thighs are one of your least expensive cuts of chicken you can buy. Grilling is simple...1) Preheat on high 2)Oil grill 3)sear chicken on both sides 4) lower heat to medium and grill another 20-25 minutes until chicken reads 180 degrees.

Now is where the fun begins. Your chicken is a blank slate and begging for you to hammer it with some flavor before you take it off the grill. Sauce. Sauce is what your chicken wants now! 5 minutes before your chicken come off the grill is the time to add your sauce. Coat liberally with sauce and lower the lid of your grill. The time it spends on the grill after you sauce it will let the sauce adhere to the chicken nicely before it comes off.

Your choices are endless when it comes to sauce. Your favorite bottled or homemade bbq sauce is a nice choice. Or come up with some newer flavors like the one I used tonight. Thinking of a nice wing sauce I tried recently I mixed equal amounts of honey with Sriracha, a beautiful Thai hot sauce. The result was a tongue tingling slightly sweet punch that I will definitely be doing again. The heat from the grill tamed the heat from the sauce just enough that I was able to eat a whole thigh without taking a swig of beer but left the sauce with enough bite to satisfy my need for heat.


Hit me with your comments or bbq chicken sauce ideas!

Cheers

Park Food Dude

Hello!

Allow me to introduce myself. I am a 35 year old guy from Sherwood Park, Alberta Canada. I started cooking when I was quite young and taught myself through trial and error how to make a wide array of dishes. While fishing and the outdoors are my biggest hobby I find myself around the house so much now with two young children that cooking has become my "stay at home" hobby. I am obsessed with The Food Network and am constantly recording shows to scrutinize later. My collection of cook books grows almost weekly as does my pile of cooking magazines. I work in the grocery business and am surrounded by food and ingredients all day long so my brain is constantly churning with new ideas about food.

This blog will mostly be a running journal about the things I cook, new recipes I try and my general thoughts about food in today's world but I will also try and make things interesting with polls and Q&A.

Please feel free to make any comments and questions.

Thanks

Park Food Dude