Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Sunday
A Grill-Off Against The Wife #SteakOver
When it comes to cooking in the kitchen of my home it is an undisputed fact that my wife reigns supreme. And this isn't because she spends all her time in the kitchen. In fact as a Senior Marketing Manager at her company she has been spending the majority of her time checking emails on her phone. Cooking is just something she likes to do. It soothes her and she is a foodie. She spends a good amount of time on Pinterest making the food she likes to pin.
When it comes to the grill it is presumed that I am king in my castle, but that's primarily because I'm the only one who uses it. At family gatherings, parties we throw and just dinner when we want barbecue, she seasons and I fire it up on the grill.
The Challenge
Heading into the weekend, I wondered if we went head to head who would come out on top. I posed the challenge and of course, she was game. With the rainy weekend ahead of us, getting company over would be impossible so I selected the best of all possible impartial judges: my self-indulged, eating food by the package seventeen year-old son. If it's food, he eats it. If the food is good, he eats all of it before any of us get a chance.
Since we haven't had red meat in a while I opted for our barbecue challenge meat to be Walmart's new USDA Choice Premium Steaks, specifically, a lean looking pair of New York Strip steaks. Our recipes are as following:
Steak A - The Wife's Lime-Chile Rub:
- a pinch of salt and pepper
- a pinch of cayenne powder
- a pinch of chili powder
- lime juice
- butter
The steak was massaged with lime juice, followed by the seasonings and the butter and thrown on the grill for twelve minutes, six minutes each side.
Steak B - E.Payne's Basic Dry Rub:
When it comes to tentpole items, like coffee, hot dogs and steak I don't believe in fanciful I believe in keeping it simple and memorable.
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 1 teaspoon of pepper
- 1 teaspoon of steak seasoning (generic anywhere and everywhere)
- 1 teaspoon of Mediterranean sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
- 1/2 lemon
- olive oil cooking spray
The steak was rubbed down with the lemon, then the seasonings and the steak were dumped into a gallon-size storage bag and then it was shaken (think Shake and Bake - if you're from that generation) until the seasonings are evenly coated on the steak. After removing the steak from the bag, lightly spray it with olive oil cooking spray on both sides and put on the grill for fifteen minutes (7-8 minutes each side).
The Results
Pictured below from left to right, are Steak A and Steak B. Before sitting down to dinner our son was called from the man cave where he was playing video games and asked to test each. He liked Steak A, but he LOVED Steak B and declared it the winner, citing its crispiness and explosion of flavor with smoke as the reasons for his picking it the winner. Personally, I believe that by not massaging the meat doing the "shake and bake" my steak preserved its original shape and consistency allowing the fire to benefit from the fat that dripped onto it.
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| Steak A (l); The Champion (r) |
I did a little happy dance in the kitchen. My wife smiled briefly in her best effort of sportsmanship and then told us all to get out of her kitchen. After belting out Accapella rendition of Queen's "We Are The Champions" I finished doing my share of cooking. The steaks as well as the rest of the food that had been prepared for the evening were divvied up appropriately and we enjoyed our meal around the table on a rainy Saturday night.
About Walmart USDA Choice Premium Steaks - Just in time for early grilling season and Memorial Day, Walmart is helping shoppers take their grilling up a notch with its top-quality selection of delicious, juicy and tender USDA Choice Premium Beef available in a variety of cuts. Only one in five steaks is good enough to call Walmart Choice Premium Beef, which has been approved by the USDA for quality. For more recipes, tips and to find a store near you, visit www.walmart.com/steak.
Attend A Steak-Over Challenge In Your Town
Local firefighters from eight different cities will compete in the Wal-Mart Steak-Over Challenge presented by Kingsford® Charcoal, Dr. Pepper® and A.1.® steak sauce to determine who has the best steak-grilling chops in town.
Shoppers who attend will have the chance to join in the festivities, taste test Wal-Mart USDA Choice Premium steaks, sample Dr. Pepper and A.1. steak sauce for free, and cast their vote for best steak.
The firefighter finalist from each city will compete on behalf of their station for a $20,000 grand prize in Los Angeles, the week of May 20.
What is your favorite way to grill a steak?
Are you ready to experience Walmart’s Steak-Over for yourself? Find out why you should choose your steaks at Walmart here. We shared our winning grilling tip - now tell us yours!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Walmart. The opinions and text are all mine.
Monday
Entertain at Home With Pinterest: Mondays With Michelle
Happy Monday foodie friends!
Big, BIG things happening in my house the last few weeks months. My partner is publishing her first book and her Book Release Party is coming up this Saturday. You can imagine what our week looks like. Not to mention that I am also catering the event. Needless to say, the event will be amazing (and yummy of course), so please join us if you are local, we'd love to have you all there to help us celebrate!
In keeping with the idea of party food, check out my Party Food board on Pinterest. Here's a little peak at what you will find....
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| Individual Crudites |
What is your go to party food dish?
Don't forget to visit my Foodie blog for more recipes, food tips and other foodie fun.
See you back here on Monday, March 11th.... Thanks for reading!
Thoughts? Please, let me know in the Facebook or Disqus comment sections below.
We can also talk about it on Twitter at @EPayneTheDad.
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Mondays with Michelle: Valentine's Day
Happy Monday all!
Valentine's day is just a few days away, and at this point it's a little too late to make reservations somewhere. Don't worry though, you are in luck! There is nothing more romantic and sexy than cooking for your partner, so why not whip up a yummy meal for two? I shared some wonderful recipes from my anniversary last year that are perfect for this Love holiday. Take a look below...
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Pamper your Partner with scallops and lobster... it's delish. I promise. Of course there are a million other sexy dishes you could try as well, but the bottom line is that it is the thought that counts and the love that is put into it! Enjoy the holiday!
What are your plans for Valentine's Day? Share your comments below!
Don't forget to visit my Foodie blog for more recipes, food tips and other foodie fun.
See you back here on Monday, February 25th.... Thanks for reading!
Thoughts? Please, let me know in the Facebook or Disqus comment sections below.
We can also talk about it on Twitter at @EPayneTheDad.
Prefer Facebook instead? Please Like the Facebook Page if you haven't already.
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Wednesday
Marcus Samuelsson Cooks - Wordless Wednesday
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Thoughts? Please, let me know in the Facebook or Disqus comment sections below.
We can also talk about it on Twitter at @EPayneTheDad.
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Kids,
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Monday
Mondays With Michelle: DIY Foodie Projects
Happy Monday Foodie Friends!
I don't know about you, but I love a good Do-it-yourself project, especially ones that bring some extra yumminess to your kitchen (and save you some $)! And although it's a little early to be thinking about the holiday season, these two DIY projects also make for wonderful gifts for your foodie friends and family.
Homemade extracts...
When is the last time you bought any kind of extract? It's expensive! Especially the good stuff. So for the cost of a bottle of vodka and some fruit/coffee/almonds or whatever flavor you like, you can have a ton of homemade flavored extracts for a fraction of the cost. Besides the cost, the possibly of flavors are limitless. The 2 pictured are grapefruit and lime. It is very simple to make, all you need is...
- Your favorite Vodka
- Your flavor of choice
- Mason Jar
Infused Olive Oil....
This garlic infused olive oil is super easy to make, just add fresh garlic cloves (the more the merrier) and
some of your favorite dried spices (I used parsley and red pepper flakes) to
your favorite olive oil and you've got delish homemade garlicy olive oil! The dispenser is decorative and inexpensive, you can find them at Target, Ikea and Wal-Mart. I keep mine on the counter near the stove because I am constantly using it... and it's pretty to look at! Again, infused oil is much more expensive when you purchase it... make it yourself, you control the ingredients and you save some money!
What DIY foodie goodies do you keep on hand? Post your comments below!
Don't forget to visit my Foodie Blog for more recipes, food tips and other foodie fun.
See you back here on Monday, October 1st... Thanks for reading!
Thanks for reading! Follow me on Twitter at @EPayneTheDad.
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Mondays With Michelle: Happy Labor Day!
Happy Labor Day, Foodie Friends!
The Labor day holiday signals the winding down of summer and the last of the barbecues for the season (unfortunately). So I thought I'd share with you a couple of yummy dishes that have popped up around the web to help you end your summer right... and let's face it, every holiday is better with some delicious food!
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| Delsih Tomato-Mozzarella Salad with Pesto; Grilled Steak with Charmoula; and Peach Cobbler for dessert! (Williams-Sonoma) |
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| If you want to keep it more traditional, try these amazing Sweet Tea Ribs with Lemony Potato Salad. (food network) |
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| How fun are these refreshing "Adult Beverage" Cantaloupe and Campari Pops! (Cooking Channel) |
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| Can't have a Labor day shindig without great drinks! Try this Mango Mint Limeade...Yum! (Food52) |
What is your favorite end of summer dish/treat? Post your comments below!
Don't forget to visit my Foodie Blog for more recipes, food tips and other foodie fun.
See you back here on Monday, September 17th... Thanks for reading!
Thanks for reading! Follow @EPayneTheDad for all Makes Me Wanna Holler - Man, Dad, Husband updates.
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Tuesday
Mondays With Michelle: Date Night for 2
Happy Monday Foodie Friends!
My partner and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary last month and instead of going out to a restaurant and blowing both of our paychecks, I decided to sneak home early and surprise her with a fancy, scrumptious seafood extravaganza dinner on the patio for the two of us. I managed to get some pretty good pictures so thought I should share, because everyone can use a little date night trick or two!
Here is what I whipped up...
My partner and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary last month and instead of going out to a restaurant and blowing both of our paychecks, I decided to sneak home early and surprise her with a fancy, scrumptious seafood extravaganza dinner on the patio for the two of us. I managed to get some pretty good pictures so thought I should share, because everyone can use a little date night trick or two!
Here is what I whipped up...
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| Seared Scallops, Mango Jalapeno Puree and Roasted Tomatoes. |
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Mondays With Michelle,
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Monday
Mondays with Michelle: Arroz Con Pollo
Here's another "In case you missed" it from my Foodie Blog. This one is about preparing a healthier version of one of my favorite Puerto Rican dishes Arroz Con Pollo... enjoy!
Tonight's plan for dinner is one of my childhood favs, Arroz con Pollo (chicken with rice). I picked up some chicken legs the other day (since they were on sale at Kroger) with this dish in mind. I've experimented with this fav a ton, I've made it in the traditional one-pot fashion, I've tried half rice cooker/half stove top, I've added pigeon peas (yum), I've tried a more Spanish style and cooked it in the oven... like I said, I've experimented a ton and it has all be delicious.With my recent weight loss efforts I decided that I would change this recipe a little bit to make it as figure friendly as possible. In order to do that, I decided to use brown rice instead of white rice. Keep in mind this changes the dish quite a bit because the texture of brown rice is different than white rice, but that doesn't mean that it can't be just a flavorful.
The recipe is listed below, but before you get to that here is a step by step via some photo's I took during the process, check it out...
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| Season the chicken with Michelle's Essence |
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Healthy Eating,
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Monday's with Michelle: TGIM?
Happy Monday good people, I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! I've got another "in case you missed it" today.... I posted this last week on my Foodie Blog and it is alllllll about Potatoes. Yes. Potatoes, the most beloved starch on planet earth. Well, at least at my house. In case you are wondering, "Why all the repeats?" Well, I am training for my first Half Marathon and we are down to crunch time, so all I have time to do is run, stretch, eat clean and drink water... and sleep and work too. That being said I'll be re-posting some of my favorite and most popular posts over the next few weeks as I continue to prepare for those 13.1 miles. Wish me luck! Now on to the Potatoes!!
Kartoffeln. Patatas. Aardappelen. ΠΑΤΑΤΕΣ. pommes de terre.
POTATOES!
They are awesome in any language.
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Rosemary Potatoes
Mondays with Michelle: 30 Minute Meal - Chicken Fajita Tacos
In case you missed it... here is my latest "Midweek Healthy Eats" post featured on Space and Silence...
When it comes to eating healthy, there always some excuse. "It's more expensive"... "It takes too much time to prepare".... "I'm too tired after work to come home and find something healthy to eat". The list of excuses can go on and I've been guilty of it too. The reality is, you can eat healthy and you can do it quickly and for a reasonable cost. To prove it, I'm going to walk you through a yummy recipe and break down the cost and time...
Chicken Fajita Tacos in 30 minutes or less for $15 or less:
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Mondays with Michelle: Happy Valentine's Day!
Valentine's Day quite often revolves around food... chocolates, lavish dinners and other sweet treats. If you aren't taking your loved one out for a night on the town, dinner for two at home is always a wonderful way to celebrate the love holiday. Spend some time in the kitchen and cook together... and maybe even enjoy a nice bottle of wine (or two) while you are preparing it. *wink*
Here are a few, great dinner menus to try this valentine's day:
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Recipes
Mondays with Michelle: 30-Minute Meal
In case you missed it.... here is another great, quick go to meal that I posted on my foodie blog a couple of weeks ago. You can have it whipped up for your family in 30 minutes or less and it is a well rounded healthy meal that everyone will love... Enjoy!
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| Shrimp, brown rice, black beans and broccoli |
Instead of just listing the recipes (or lack there of), I'm going to try something new and give you a step by step on how to get this meal to your dinner table in 30 minutes or less.
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Cooking Shrimp,
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Tuesday
Mondays (Tuesday) with Michelle: Junk food Fix...the Clean version!
Pizza is one of my favorite splurge junk food fixes, as it is for a lot of you I'm sure. What if you could make a super yummy, non-cardboard tasting version of it? And even better a CLEAN version?
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| Homemade yummy CLEAN Pizza sizzling in the oven |
First you have to start with the crust:
Read more about:
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Mondays With Michelle,
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Sunday
Mondays with Michelle: Holiday Cookies!
Welcome to Mondays with Michelle! With Christmas right around the corner, I thought today would be the perfect day to share my favorite holiday cookie recipe.
I grew up making these cookies every year with my Mom and Grandma and I still make them today. It is a traditional German Christmas cookie called, Butterplätzchen or Butter cookies. The dough is very simple to make and the actual creating and decorating of the cookies is very kid friendly, so get your kids involved too... I'm sure they will love to be your helpers!
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| (photo from www.gofeminin.de) |
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Mondays With Michelle,
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Monday
Monday's with Michelle: Gumbo!
Welcome to Monday's with Michelle!
This time of year everyone is always so busy. Seems like evenings are spent Christmas shopping, or party planning and weekends are spent doing the same, in addition to making dishes for holiday potlucks and gatherings. That being said, regular dinner planning tends to turn into, "what drive-thru are we going to." This is where one of my favorite dishes comes in, Gumbo! It's perfect for this chilly weather and you can make a big batch and have leftovers for days! Cheers to leftovers! Check out my gumbo recipe below....
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| Michelle's Gumbo topped with brown rice and green onions! |
Read more about:
Holiday Recipes,
Mondays With Michelle,
Recipes,
Soups
Mondays With Michelle: Dinner Favorites
Welcome back to Monday's with Michelle! This past week has been super crazy busy for me. With work, recovering from the holiday and other projects, I thought this would be the perfect time to share another one of my favorite go to dinner meals: Feta stuffed Turkey burger and garlic-y Green Beans, check out the details below:
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Burger Recipes,
Cooking With Feta,
Garlic,
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Sunday
Mondays With Michelle: Thanksgiving Recovery
Welcome to Monday's with Michelle! I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving. I certainly did! I cooked up a storm (and we are finally rid of all the leftovers), you can check out all the dishes I cooked up over on my Thanksgiving post on my Foodie Blog.
I don't know about you, but after the traditional thanksgiving food induced coma, the last thing I want to eat is another heavy meal. So, today I thought I would share a delicious, light fall salad.
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| Delicious fall salad |
This is a really simple, quick salad with spinach, arugula, candied walnuts, dried cranberry, goat cheese, onions and homemade balsamic vinaigrette. I love the bite of the the arugula mixed in with the sweetness of the walnuts and cranberries, and you can always add some grilled chicken if you are missing the meat. It really is yummy. The homemade dressing is super easy to make as well, check out the recipe below.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ shallot diced
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- a few pinches White Spice
Instructions:
- Whisk vinegar and mustard in a small bowl.
- Add in diced shallot and a few pinches of White Spice
- Whisk oil in a slow steady stream until fully incorporated
- Taste and and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Enjoy over your salad or even use as a marinade!
I hope you enjoy this delicious salad! What 'recovery' foods do you eat after the holiday's? Post your comments below. Have a wonderful week. See you next Monday!
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Monday
Mondays With Michelle: Holiday Belly Stuffers
Welcome to Monday's with Michelle! With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought this would be the perfect time to get into some yummy seasonal dishes! I want to take a few traditional side dishes and show you some great ideas that I have found to kick them up a little.
First things first, what is a Thanksgiving without Stuffing? Well, depending on where you are from, you may call it Dressing, but it is more or less the same thing. (Of course that is up for debate too.) There are cornbread versions, meat filled versions, Oyster filled versions and the old fashioned traditional day old bread version. Check out a few of these versions below.
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Lifestyle,
Mondays With Michelle,
Recipes,
Thanksgiving
Mondays With Michelle: Homemade Chicken Stock
Just In Time For Dinner!
I hope you all enjoyed that extra hour of sleep this morning courtesy of Daylight savings time. "Fall back" also means winter is right around the corner. I actually enjoy the cold weather that winter brings, the layers of clothes, boots and fun scarves, but my favorite thing about the season is nice hearty, body warming soups and stews.
Soup and stews can be super easy to make and you and can add so many different layers of flavors by just switching up your ingredients. You can buy stock in the carton and jus add veggies and meat or seafood or you can go a step further and make your own stock and build from there.
Today, I want to start with the basics and share a simple recipe for homemade chicken stock. I've also listed 3 of my favorite soups and stews to get you started.
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Chicken Recipes,
Lifestyle,
Mondays With Michelle,
Recipes,
Soups
Monday's With Michelle: Must-Have Spices for the Kitchen
Happy Halloween! I hope you didn’t gorge yourselves too much with your Halloween treats this weekend. If so, back away slowly from the candy and let’s get to some foodie fun…
A few weeks ago I shared a few insider tips on my Foodie Blog for two of my favorite homemade seasoning mixtures. Sure you can buy the pre-mixed spices, but if you read the ingredient list on the back you will see that you already have most of the items in your pantry. When you create your own mixture you have more control over the flavors, and it’s more cost effective. You can make multiple batches and finally clean out your spice rack.
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Mondays With Michelle,
Recipes,
Spices
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