EASY RECIPES AND STUFF

EASY RECIPE

This recipe is meatless and pretty much effortless. But I can tell you there was nothing but smiles at the table.

Recipe serves 4

Ingredients

8 to 10 oz dry Farfalle pasta.

14 pitted Kalamata olives – quartered.

1/3 cup jullienne cut sun dried tomatoes.

1 1/4 cup fat free milk (use cream if you prefer).

2 green onions- cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (and extra for topping).

2 tablespoons butter.

2 tablespoons chopped Italian Parsley (and more for topping).

salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation

Goal is to have the pasta done about the same  time as  the  sauce.

While you slice the various above ingredients heat large pot of water to boil and add the pasta. Bring the  water back to boil and then reduce to light boil and cook for ten minutes or until done.

In a separate pot, melt butter, add green onion and saute briefly.

Add milk, cheese, sun dried tomatoes and olives, salt and pepper and stir as cheese melts. Whisk as it thickens (do this a lot or it could clump or burn).

Drain water from pasta, and to the pasta add parsley and the add the pasta to the white sauce.

On low heat gently fold the pasta into the white sauce.

Plate and garnish with extra cheese and parsley.

Take a bow, and enjoy.

Good Eating and Table Talk,

Roger

Follow me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/EasyRecipesAndStuff   and on Twitter  @easyrecipesrog

 

 

[editor’s note:  The And Stuff story about the Brammo Empulse was not sponsored]

EASY RECIPES

How about a super easy, quick, meal your family will think took all afternoon to prepare?  This is so easy it should be criminal. Sound good?  Here it is, Medallions of Pork Tenderloin with Wine Mushroom Sauce and Egg Noodles.

Recipe serves 4

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 lb pork tenderloin – coat on all sides with seasoned pepper.

1 cup red wine.

1 can cream of mushroom soup.

1 envelope of onion soup powder (like Lipton).

8 oz jar of mushroom stems and pieces – along with juice in jar.

1/2 cup water.

1 bag egg noodles.

conola oil spray.

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Spray conola oil onto oven baking pan and add the pork tenderloin, do not cover.

To a large sauce pan add all other ingredients except egg noodles.  Stir to mix.

Put pork tenderloin in oven for 35 to 40 minutes (need interior temperature of 150 to 160 degrees F).

At same time turn heat on sauce pan to medium.  Bring to slow boil, stir and look out for boil over!  Then reduce heat to low simmer to keep sauce at a slow bubble.   Stir often.  The goal is to reduce the mixture to a nice thick sauce as the tenderloin cooks.  If the sauce gets too thick you can add more water.

With 15 minutes left on the timer bring large pot of water to boil.

When tenderloin is cooked remove from oven, cover with foil, and let if set up while you prepare the egg noodles per package instructions.

When noodles are almost done move tenderloin to cutting board and slice it into nice 1/3 inch or so medallions.

Plate the medallions, noodles, and drizzle wine sauce over both.

Add a vegetable if you want and that’s it you just wowed em!

AND STUFF

Alight already, in the past I have been cool to itty bitty electric cars that can drive around the block a few times before needing to recharge.  Fact is I had to push one back to the electric recharge station once and I was not a happy camper.  Seemed to me they were at worst status symbols and at best toys.  Until now!

How about an awesome electric vehicle that goes 110 mph and can cruise at city speeds for 128 miles.  A car? No.  How about the the Brammo all electric 2014 Empulse motorcycle! http://www.brammo.com/home/

This bad boy looks like a traditional hot racing motorcycle except on closer examination it has a motor from another dimension. The motor has 40kW of power (What? 54hp.  Oh.) and gets 438 MPGe.  You could literally silently ride up the coast for 80 miles combined city/highway miles, find a nice level 2 recharge station and  while eating lunch and sightseeing for 2 hours recharge the battery and head home.

If I had a motorcycle license and a spare 16 g’s the Brammo Empulse would be in my garage.

Good Eating and Table Talk,

Roger Scouton

Follow me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/EasyRecipesAndStuff   and on Twitter  @easyrecipesrog

The first in series Jack Fields and Amber Reyes adventure novel is available at all major e-book retailers.

 

Here are two easy but great meals for super Sunday!

EASY RECIPE

Time to break out the Ninja Cooking System again for my new pulled pork slider easy recipe! This recipe can be cooked in the slow cooker while you attend your child’s sporting event.  When you get home just remove and fork the pork, throw together coleslaw, and Cuban Black Beans and its dinner time.

Serves 6 with lots of leftovers.

Ingredients:

4 lbs boneless pork shoulder

1 large onion sliced into thin rounds

1 C chicken stock (canned)

1 C coke

3/4 C BBQ sauce

2 cloves garlic – minced

1 Tbsp chipotle sauce

1 tsp chili pwder

1/2 tsp liquid smoke

1/2 tsp dried cumin

1/2 tsp salt

dash pepper

12 Slider buns

For Coleslaw:

1 ten oz  package of pre-shreded cabbage

1 carrot cleaned and sliced into small thin juliennes

3 green onions – sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine and mix coleslaw mixture and then add 1/8 cup Italian dressing.

Mix and refrigerate.

For Cuban Beans:

Make a real hard bean recipe or buy a can of Cuban Black Beans.

Pulled Pork Preparation:

In your Ninja Cooking system (or in fry pan) add 1 Tbsp olive oil and saute onions.

Add pork to Ninja (or add pork and onions to slow cooker)

In mixing bowl add all other ingredients and stir to mix.

Add contents of mixing bowl to pork and onions pouring it over the pork. Lift the pork up to get mixture underneath.

Turn Ninja onto to slow cooker – low heat  and figure out something to do for the next 7 hours.

When you plate the dish, place heaping amount of pork on each slider and top with a little coleslaw. Add coleslaw and beans to plate, and you;re ready for a great family meal!

BUT WAIT THERE IS ANOTHER KILLER EASY RECIPE

EASY RECIPE

Shrimp Street Tacos:  This is so simple and really a fun time.

Ingredients: Serves 4 people

1lb Shrimp (peeled and deveined) use a medium to large size shrimp
Corn tortillas (min. 2 per person)
1 head lettuce
1 Onion
1to 2 ripe tomatoes
4 Avocados
Cilantro
4 Limes
Sour Cream (light sour cream is fine for the calorie watchers)
Cheese (your choice, but we used medium sharp cheddar)
Old Bay seasoning (2 tbsp)
Cumin seasoning  (1/2 tbsp)
Cayenne seasoning (1/2-1 tsp)  This stuff brings the heat!
Olive oil
1-2 cans your choice black or refried beans (this will be your side)
Salsa of your choice
Tortilla chips
Corona and/or Tequila (c’mon do both, this is fun Mexican food!)

Pre Prep – this is important don’t skip!

• Put out bowl of chips and salsa.
• Open fridge, pass beers out to all friends.  You are now well on your way!
• We are going to now make guacamole while every one enjoys a beer and some talking.
• Take 3 avocados, salsa, cilantro and 1 lime.
• Mix, mash, crush, avocados in a bowl.  Add salsa to your liking, recommend 3-5 tablespoons.  Squeeze fresh lime into bowl. Finely chop 1 tbsp of cilantro add to bowl.  Mix all together and serve.  Everyone is now smiling and loving you!
• Open fridge, pass out another round of beers if needed (yes, it’s needed )

Taco Prep:                        

Shrimp:

• Cut shrimp into little cubes about 1/2 inch and drop into bowl
• Add seasoning and sprinkle with olive oil.
• Mix and set aside

Taco Fillings:
Get several bowls out.  We are going to prep all the taco fillings.  Go ahead and prep more than you think you’ll need.  This will be served buffet style so we want people to not be shy about filling up their tacos.

• Finely chop onion, tomatoes, lettuce, 1 avocado (small cubes), cilantro and grated cheese (1-2 cups). Slice limes

• Set all into individual bowls

Tortilla Prep:
Each tortilla needs to have a sprinkling of olive oil.  This keeps them from sticking to the pan as you fry them, but also helps give a slight crunch and golden brown look.  Follow my steps to achieve this goal and it’s a fairly low cal/grease technique.  You want a slight coating on both sides.  Not dripping, but coated.

• Sprinkle/drizzle oil over tortilla.  Then grab another “dry” tortilla and rub them together spreading oil onto both tortillas.
• Repeat

Cook time:

It’s all about to happen really fast here, your guest should have a fresh beer and a guacamole grin or you must have missed a step somewhere.

• Pre heat one large pan/skillet (high heat)
• Pre heat one medium pan/skillet (medium high heat)

• Open beans, put into pot on low to simmer

• In large pan/skillet over high heat fry tortillas.  The idea is to give each side a nice golden brown.  You know it’s close when the tortilla starts to visibly bubble up.  Flip as needed.  When cooked, place on plate and cover.

• Add shrimp to medium pan.  Cook for about 4 minutes or until pink.  These guys cook fast!

Presentation:

• You are going to put this out buffet style.  The idea is to recreate theBaja streetvendor feel.  Everyone grabs a plate, tortilla, and goes down the line filling their tacos as they wish.  You may want to lead the creative process by serving at least one plate to the cutest girl/guy of your liking.  This will score you points and show everyone how it’s done : )
• Have a tequila toast and enjoy!

Good Eating and Table Talk,

Roger Scouton

Follow me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/EasyRecipesAndStuff   and on Twitter  @easyrecipesrog

The first in series Jack Fields and Amber Reyes adventure novel is available at all major e-book retailers.