This is good as a side dish or even by itself for a quick lunch. And it'll clear your sinuses out in no time!
Hot Pasta
1 c. mini penne pasta
2 T. olive oil
Small teeny-weeny pinch each of:
Red pepper flakes
Garlic & Pepper Medley (or black peppercorns ground up)
Garlic Powder
Boil the pasta until tender. Drain. Stir in olive oil and spices.
It's really quick and easy!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
The Monkey House
Hi everyone! I hope you're enjoying your rainy thunderstormy Tuesday if you're reading from Indiana. I got drenched today going out to get some lunch. I'm taking a little break from packing to update and share something fun and off-topic from what I usually blog about.
I'm a sucker for old, historic homes. I've always said if I'm going to blow money and buy a really nice house, I want something older and historical. IMO, a lot of these new luxury houses you see popping up look EXACTLY a like. There's nothing unique about them! Watch HGTV...even the interiors in a lot of those places look a like! Why would you want to spend a million bucks on a house that looks like every other house in the neighborhood. What's fun about that?
This is one of two historic houses in Columbus (Indiana) that I'm just obsessed with. We actually used to live across the street from it. And supposedly these people used to have pet monkeys, so I always referred to this place as "The Monkey House." I still call it that.
The house was built in 1910. The exterior is made of limestone and apparently the walls are 16 inches thick. I just love how it looks from the outside. If you're interested in a good read and want to learn more about the history of the home, here's a blog link from the Columbus Historical Society about the place.
http://columbushomestour.blogspot.com/2008/09/1910-washington-street.html
When we went on the homes tour, I'll admit, it was VERY disappointing. You see this sprawling mansion on the outside and inside it needs A LOT of work. The carpet looks bad as does the wallpaper. And the kitchen looks like something from 1930. It was pretty bad. And he bathrooms definitely need updating! And aside from everything cosmetic, I'm sure there's a lot of other things that need work. It probably needs new wiring as well.
But as you can see in the pictures, the walnut woodwork is just gorgeous and I'm sure if you fixed it up, you'd have a gorgeous home with a neat history! But, my mom would have to disagree. She hates the Monkey House! Hehehe.
I'm a sucker for old, historic homes. I've always said if I'm going to blow money and buy a really nice house, I want something older and historical. IMO, a lot of these new luxury houses you see popping up look EXACTLY a like. There's nothing unique about them! Watch HGTV...even the interiors in a lot of those places look a like! Why would you want to spend a million bucks on a house that looks like every other house in the neighborhood. What's fun about that?
This is one of two historic houses in Columbus (Indiana) that I'm just obsessed with. We actually used to live across the street from it. And supposedly these people used to have pet monkeys, so I always referred to this place as "The Monkey House." I still call it that.
The house was built in 1910. The exterior is made of limestone and apparently the walls are 16 inches thick. I just love how it looks from the outside. If you're interested in a good read and want to learn more about the history of the home, here's a blog link from the Columbus Historical Society about the place.
http://columbushomestour.blogspot.com/2008/09/1910-washington-street.html
When we went on the homes tour, I'll admit, it was VERY disappointing. You see this sprawling mansion on the outside and inside it needs A LOT of work. The carpet looks bad as does the wallpaper. And the kitchen looks like something from 1930. It was pretty bad. And he bathrooms definitely need updating! And aside from everything cosmetic, I'm sure there's a lot of other things that need work. It probably needs new wiring as well.
But as you can see in the pictures, the walnut woodwork is just gorgeous and I'm sure if you fixed it up, you'd have a gorgeous home with a neat history! But, my mom would have to disagree. She hates the Monkey House! Hehehe.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Cheddar Bay Biscuits
OK...I know some of my readers on here are international so let me explain this.
Here in the States we have a seafood chain called Red Lobster and they serve these biscuits that are really good. They're called Cheddar Bay Biscuits.
I found this recipe online and switched a few things and cut it down to make 8 servings. Enjoy! It really does taste like the real deal thing!
Cheddar Bay Biscuits
1 3/4 c. Jiffy Baking Mix
1/4 c. + 1/8 c. cold milk
2 T. cold butter
1/8 t. garlic powder
1/2. cup grated cheddar cheese
To brush on top:
2 T. melted butter
2 t. dried chives
1/8 t. garlic powder
Preheat oven to 400.
Cut butter into baking mix with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cheddar, milk, and garlic powder. Mix until combined. But don't over mix it! (If you over mix it, the gluten in the dough will break down and you'll end up with tough biscuits!) Just mix it until everything is nicely moistened.
Drop by 1/4 cup-fulls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 15-17 minutes.
When biscuits have about 2 minutes left, brush with the melted butter mixture.
Here in the States we have a seafood chain called Red Lobster and they serve these biscuits that are really good. They're called Cheddar Bay Biscuits.
I found this recipe online and switched a few things and cut it down to make 8 servings. Enjoy! It really does taste like the real deal thing!
Cheddar Bay Biscuits
1 3/4 c. Jiffy Baking Mix
1/4 c. + 1/8 c. cold milk
2 T. cold butter
1/8 t. garlic powder
1/2. cup grated cheddar cheese
To brush on top:
2 T. melted butter
2 t. dried chives
1/8 t. garlic powder
Preheat oven to 400.
Cut butter into baking mix with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cheddar, milk, and garlic powder. Mix until combined. But don't over mix it! (If you over mix it, the gluten in the dough will break down and you'll end up with tough biscuits!) Just mix it until everything is nicely moistened.
Drop by 1/4 cup-fulls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 15-17 minutes.
When biscuits have about 2 minutes left, brush with the melted butter mixture.
From Ryan
Hey everybody! Hope you all are having a great summer. One of my favorite things to do during the summer is grilling! In fact any season is good for grilling for me, but summer is the most enjoyable (rather than shivering in the snow while flipping burgers). (Ok...this is Meghan and I'm going to interject here and tell you that Ryan will for real actually stand outside and shiver and grill food.)
Anyway, here is a great summer evening dinner that I really enjoy. It is pretty easy to prepare but does require a little forethought. This meal was inspired by Chef Adam Perry Lange but I added and subtracted ingredients to make it a bit more practical. So without further adieu, here is my french inspired Steak and Midwestern BBQ side dishes.
For the Steak:
I chose an 8-10 ounce Sirloin for the actual meat. It was previously frozen and was allowed to thaw 24 hours in the refrigerator.
While the grill is warming up, season the steak with fresh ground pepper and sea salt. Just a few pinches on either side. Once you feel that there is enough seasoning, lightly coat the meat with canola or vegetable oil. Its important to rub the meat down with the oil after seasoning otherwise it wont lock in the flavor correctly. Also do not use olive oil for this portion, only use canola or vegetable oil, olive oil wont burn off properly and will kind of smolder on the meat. After this the meat is ready to cook.
Use non-stick cooking spray on the grill before applying your meat to grill. Once the meat is grilling try to avoid flipping the meat too much. It should only be flipped every few minutes. Depending on the grill try to cook around medium heat. Also every time you flip the meat, season the meat with more pinches of sea salt and ground pepper
While the meat is grilling, prepare the final seasoning for the steak. Use a cutting board and combine chopped Italian parsley, lemon zest, garlic salt, fresh ground pepper, and sea salt. Finish off the mixture with about 2 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil.
Once the meat is cooked to rare to medium (depending on preference) take the meat off the grill and place it on the cutting board with the seasoning mixture. Flip the meat around to make sure the meat is coated nicely with the seasoned mixture. Then place the meat on the grill for another minute or two a side to set the flavor in.* I did this process twice, then cooked it over the hottest place on the grill to caramalize the mixture. Just be careful not to burn the outside of the meat.*
Once the meat is cooked to the desired preference, it needs to cool for a few minutes then it is ready to serve.
For the Corn:
I chose bi-color corn on the cob. A few hours before cooking, soak the ear of corn in cold water. I usually let it soak until right before cooking. This will allow it to hold plenty of moisture when cooking.
Before cooking, remove most of the outer husk of the ear of corn, I usually leave 1-2 layers left. Then also peel back the husk and remove the silk. Once the ear is cleaned up with a little bit of husk left, either leave wet or apply some butter.
Now put the corn on the grill under low to medium heat. While it is grilling apply some “Mrs. Dash Original” seasoning to the corn within the husks to give it a “peppery” smoked taste.
Cook the ear of corn for about 15 minutes constantly turning the ear every 2 minutes or so to prevent it from getting to dry or burnt.
For the baked beans:
2 cans of Van Camps pork and beans
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 tbsp of mustard
2 tbsp of ketchup
2 tbsp of hickory BBQ sauce
cooked pieces of bacon or bacon bits
Preheat the oven to 325F degrees
Place all of the ingredients in to larger Pyrex bowl and thoroughly mix together. Cover and place onto the middle rack and bake for 45 minutes.
Apply everything to plate and serve. As for a nice summer beverage to match for this meal, I would recommend an India Pale Ale (such as Red Hook's Long Hammer) or a Ryan's Limey Rum and Coke (as seen on this blog!).
Hope you enjoy this meal as much as I do!
-Ryan
Anyway, here is a great summer evening dinner that I really enjoy. It is pretty easy to prepare but does require a little forethought. This meal was inspired by Chef Adam Perry Lange but I added and subtracted ingredients to make it a bit more practical. So without further adieu, here is my french inspired Steak and Midwestern BBQ side dishes.
For the Steak:
I chose an 8-10 ounce Sirloin for the actual meat. It was previously frozen and was allowed to thaw 24 hours in the refrigerator.
While the grill is warming up, season the steak with fresh ground pepper and sea salt. Just a few pinches on either side. Once you feel that there is enough seasoning, lightly coat the meat with canola or vegetable oil. Its important to rub the meat down with the oil after seasoning otherwise it wont lock in the flavor correctly. Also do not use olive oil for this portion, only use canola or vegetable oil, olive oil wont burn off properly and will kind of smolder on the meat. After this the meat is ready to cook.
Use non-stick cooking spray on the grill before applying your meat to grill. Once the meat is grilling try to avoid flipping the meat too much. It should only be flipped every few minutes. Depending on the grill try to cook around medium heat. Also every time you flip the meat, season the meat with more pinches of sea salt and ground pepper
While the meat is grilling, prepare the final seasoning for the steak. Use a cutting board and combine chopped Italian parsley, lemon zest, garlic salt, fresh ground pepper, and sea salt. Finish off the mixture with about 2 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil.
Once the meat is cooked to rare to medium (depending on preference) take the meat off the grill and place it on the cutting board with the seasoning mixture. Flip the meat around to make sure the meat is coated nicely with the seasoned mixture. Then place the meat on the grill for another minute or two a side to set the flavor in.* I did this process twice, then cooked it over the hottest place on the grill to caramalize the mixture. Just be careful not to burn the outside of the meat.*
Once the meat is cooked to the desired preference, it needs to cool for a few minutes then it is ready to serve.
For the Corn:
I chose bi-color corn on the cob. A few hours before cooking, soak the ear of corn in cold water. I usually let it soak until right before cooking. This will allow it to hold plenty of moisture when cooking.
Before cooking, remove most of the outer husk of the ear of corn, I usually leave 1-2 layers left. Then also peel back the husk and remove the silk. Once the ear is cleaned up with a little bit of husk left, either leave wet or apply some butter.
Now put the corn on the grill under low to medium heat. While it is grilling apply some “Mrs. Dash Original” seasoning to the corn within the husks to give it a “peppery” smoked taste.
Cook the ear of corn for about 15 minutes constantly turning the ear every 2 minutes or so to prevent it from getting to dry or burnt.
For the baked beans:
2 cans of Van Camps pork and beans
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 tbsp of mustard
2 tbsp of ketchup
2 tbsp of hickory BBQ sauce
cooked pieces of bacon or bacon bits
Preheat the oven to 325F degrees
Place all of the ingredients in to larger Pyrex bowl and thoroughly mix together. Cover and place onto the middle rack and bake for 45 minutes.
Apply everything to plate and serve. As for a nice summer beverage to match for this meal, I would recommend an India Pale Ale (such as Red Hook's Long Hammer) or a Ryan's Limey Rum and Coke (as seen on this blog!).
Hope you enjoy this meal as much as I do!
-Ryan
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