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I have a great passion for good food, good wine and good company. And there is no better place in the world that combines those ingredients then Italy.  Italy has to be my favorite country when it comes to food.  I was really hoping to travel there this summer for a cooking vacation, but my dream trip will have to wait… So, I figured if I can’t go to Italy for the summer, than I will bring Italy to my house!  All summer long, I will be sharing with you my food tour through Italy. We will taste the savory flavors from places like Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, Marche, Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Calabria, Sicily, Puglia, and Basilicata.

We’ll be making all kinds of delicious dishes, like Spaghetti alla Carbonara, Pasta made from scratch, simple Marinara sauce, Bolognaise sauce, Crema di Carciofi (Artichoke Cream Sauce), and we’ll also be cooking with meat, fish and game, and, of course, we’ll try our hand at several kinds of traditional pizzas…

So, be sure to check back often…

So, yesterday was Cinco de Mayo.  This is the holiday held on May 5th that commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces.  The 5th of May is also when I commemorate my unlikely victory over the Marlboro Army… See, as of yesterday, I have been a non-smoker for 5 years.  Viva me!

I really love Mexican food. I grew up just 10 miles from the Mexican border, where you can’t go for more than a few blocks without finding a  Mexican restaurant or a taco shop. You could find me many a late night ordering a Carne Asada burrito.   Now I live in the Midwest.  People here often ask me what I miss about living in CA. Well, family is always right there at the top of the list, of course….but, a real close second would have to be authentic Mexican food.

So, in celebration of Mexico’s victory over the French and mine over the Marlboro Army, here is what we had as a victory dinner….

I hope you enjoy…  Home Chef Mark
Recipes for the shredded chicken, refried black beans and grilled corn salsa follow the pictures…

Grilled Corn and Salsa (makes 3 cups):

• 2 ears of corn, husked
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• salt
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 small jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed and finely diced
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

Preparation:
Preheat a grill pan or your. Brush corn with 1 tablespoon of oil and season with salt. Place on grill and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove from grill and let it cool. Then hold the ear of corn upright in a bowl and cut the kernels from the cob. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine.  Let chill for 30min

For the Mexican Black Beans

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 large jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can vegetable  broth
• fresh lime juice
• fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup monterey jack cheese

Preparation:
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.

Add garlic, jalapeno and cumin and sauté 30 seconds.

Add beans and broth and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Coarsely mash beans with potato masher.

Continue boiling until thick, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Mexican Shredded Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2-3lbs of shredded chicken
• 1 (4 ounce) can tomato sauce
• ¼ cup salsa
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:
In a medium sauce pan add chicken breasts and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil; add salsa, seasonings, garlic and chili powder. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 -30minutes.

This sandwich is in the top 3 of sandwiches that I love to make.  I have been hooked on Chicken Cacciatore for as long as I can remember.  This sandwich really hits the spot at lunchtime.  It’s full of flavor, hearty and with  a scoop of garlic mashed potatoes it will definitely hold you till dinner time.

Ingredients:

3 large chicken breast, shredded

1 medium red onions, sliced

1 ounce capers

7 ounces mushrooms, quartered

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

3 ounces sherry wine

3 cups marinara sauce

3 ounces olive oil

1 ounce garlic

Hoaggie Bun

Provolone cheese sliced

Sliced Olives

Directions:

Boil chicken breast till tender, about 40 minutes, allow to cool and then shred.

In a large pan, heat olive oil. Add garlic, onions, and mushrooms. Sauté until onions become tender.

Add capers, oregano, basil, and sherry. Once half the sherry has cooked out, add the marinara sauce.

Add the chicken and reduce by a third.

Add cheese to the hoaggie bun and toast under a broiler
Once toasted fill bun with chicken and top with sliced olives
Serve with favorite side, mine is garlic mashed potatoes or chips and a pepperchini pepper

So, till next time I hope you enjoy my Pulled Chicken Cacciatore Sandwich.

Home Chef, Mark Stroginis

This Grilled Shrimp Scampi Recipe is so easy to prepare and it’s healthier than most scampi’s. You will be tempted to serve it all the time.

So, fire up your grill good and hot and put a large pot of water on and get ready to have healthy Grilled Shrimp Scampi with Whole Wheat Linguine.

I would say this recipe serves four.

I hope you enjoy

Recipe after the photos:

Ingredients

• 1 pound whole wheat linguine
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 large shallot, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, diced
• Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
• 1 pound large shrimp
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

Directions

For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it has come to the boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt and the linguini. Stir to make sure the pasta separates; cover. When the water returns to a boil, cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the pasta is not quite done. Drain the pasta reserving 1 cup of water.

While the grill is heating up combine all the above ingredients except for the linguine.

Let the shrimp soak in for just a few minutes, because the acid will make the shrimp tough.

Pour the shrimp on to the hot grill pan or grill wok and turn a few times over the next 8 to 10 minutes depending how hot your grill is. They are done once they turn pink.

Add the shrimp to the pan with the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a bit more olive oil and serve immediately.

 

During the weekend snow storm, we decided to have a Pizza Party at InDadsKitchen. We pulled out some of Curious Chef ’s kid friendly kitchen tools and invited our friends Beau and Emma over to make some personal pan pizzas with Garrett.

The right tools make cooking really fun.  Curious Chef  tools are kid friendly. While they are fun and colorful, these are real kitchen tools and not toys. The company offers so many kitchen products that cover all areas of the kitchen: Utensils & Gadgets Mixing & Measuring Cutlery & Cutting Boards Cookie Cutters Cooking Apparel

OK, on to the pizzas… Garrett was in charge of making the dough.  The measuring spoon set had non-slip grips and worked really well to stir in the yeast, not just measure it.  All the kids liked using the rolling pin to make just the right size pizza dough.  Beau said it was “neat that the dough doesn’t stick.”  Emma thought it was much easier to roll out the dough than try and do it by hand and the rolling pin was just her size.

I love the idea of the kids having tools that are designed especially for them. Most kitchen equipment and tools are for adults to use and the kids end up watching mom or dad do all the fun stuff in the kitchen.  I met the Curious Chef recently at the International Home + Housewares Show and got to see firsthand their full product line.  I was so impressed with all the new items they have available. I think my most favorite item they carry is the 3 Quart Mixing Bowl Set.  Even thought the rolling pin was made for children, I really enjoyed using the rolling pin… it works so well for personal size pizza.

Thank you to the great staff at Curious Chef: Megan, Christi, and Micah.You guys rock!  Curious Chef products really do stir the creative and curious side of children.
To shop retail Click or to shop online Click

Bloom Baking Co. really does seem to have the best {flour} in Kansas City….

While visiting the Kansas City River Market yesterday, my wife and I came across a brand new bakery—come to find out they had only been open for four days.  Owners Stephen Zaragoza and Janet M. O’Toole warmly greeted us as we stood staring into the bakery cases like a couple of small children.  Janet took the time to descibe to us what each item was in the cases and under the glass domes.  They offer items like apple tarts, peanut butter crunch bars, lemon cake, cream filled horns, scones and many other sweet pastrys.  They bake their breads and croissants daily and even offer a great selection of cookies—like iced oatmeal!

I was immediately drawn to the cranberry scones.  The scone feels so dense and heavy sitting in your hand, but it was heavenly light and flaky when I bit into it.  Owner Steve said that they also have Bing cherry scones that are really delicious. I hope it’s Bing cherry day next time I’m there!  Robin chose the cream-filled horn. Talk about melt in your mouth.  The cool part about the Bloom Co’s horn is it’s coated on the inside with chocolate—Robin said, “look, it’s like a drum stick cone, but way better” and the cream filling was outrageously rich and delicious.

Bloom Baking Co. uses several local products in their bakery from the flour which is milled in Kansas to the flavored lemonades and root beer.  You can also find hand made desert stands and they even have eco-friendly market bags that would be great to use while shopping at the River Market. 

I promise you that once you stop in you’ll be a return customer….I know my wife and I are!!!

Bloom Baking Co.
15 East 3rd
Kansas City, MO, 64106

Phone:(816) 283-8437

Wish your TV could help you lose weight?  Here’s how your Tivo or your cable company’s DVR box can help.  We have a DVR that I think is really cool because it helps us do other things and not worry about rushing home to see American Idol or who got a red rose this week.  That means no excuses to walk, play a round of basketball, or stay off the couch.  Once we do find the time to sit down and watch the show, we can fast forward past the contestants’ last chance to re-sing the songs that got them voted off. (Like they’re going to do better with a lump in their throats and tears…Right?)  But, more importantly, we can also fast forward through the commercials.  Prime time TV seems to have tons of food commercials, so if you fast forward through them your kids are less likely to turn to you and say, “Mommy/Daddy, I want another snack.”

A 2004 study by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation in Menlo Park, California, found that TV advertising greatly contributed to unhealthy food choices in children. Your kid sees an average of 40,000 ads annually, so record programs and fast-forward through the commercials whenever possible.

So, am I saying to run out and invest in a Tivo or DVR?  You bet I am!  This makes a lot of sense and anything to help our kid’s battle with weight I’m all for it. Let me know… what you think?

Red potatoes make a delicious side dish for almost any meal. They cook up quickly and their thin skins stay tender and add a rustic taste to the dish.  Recipe follows the pictures:

  

Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

Serving Size  : 4    
 
  Amount  Measure       Ingredient
——–  ————  ——————————–
 5                       small uncooked red potatoes
1 tsp                 olive oil
1/2  tsp           garlic powder
1/4 cup(s)     fat-free sour cream
1/3 cup(s)     fat-free skim milk
1/8  tsp           table salt, or to taste
1/8  tsp           black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
 1    tsp            minced parsley

Pre-heat your oven to 400
Place potatoes in medium size bowl and coat with oil
Place potatoes on a baking sheet and back till fork tender. About 45 minutes

Add sour cream, milk and chives to pan; mix until combined. Mash mixture
with a potato masher until smooth (or leave some lumps if desired); season
to taste with salt and pepper.
Garnish with parsley 
Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.
                   – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

Italian Sausage Peppers and Pasta, oh my…. 
While at my Weight Watchers meeting today not only did I lose some weight, (yay me!!!) but I found an awesome Italian recipe.  I love the idea of having Italian food made healthy, and this dish has it all spicy sausage, red wine and fire-roasted tomatoes. 
Recipe follows the pictures

 

Is it soup weather where you live? Or is it sunny and 75 degrees outside?  Well, it’s been snowing off and on all day here and the tempature is going to drop to below zero tonight. 
Soup weather!!! 
Tonight I made Baked Potato Soup topped with Cheese and crisp Capocollo.

 

 

 

Recipe Follows The Pictures:

Baked Potato Soup
4 large baking potatoes
5 slices bacon
1/2 cup butter
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups milk
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups (6-ounces) grated cheddar cheese, divided*
5 thinly sliced capocollo

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Scrub potatoes well and prick several times with fork; bake approximately 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool. When cool, cut in half lengthwise and peel and dice into medium size cubes and set aside. Discard skins.

Cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving drippings, crumble, and set aside.

In a large soup pot over low heat, add reserved bacon dripping and butter. Add onion and saute approximately 4 to 5 minutes until soft. Stir in flour until well combined; cook for several minutes, but do not let brown. Gradually add milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add potato pulp, salt, pepper, crumbled bacon, and 1 cup cheese. Stir and cook until cheese is melted. Add extra milk, if necessary, for desired thickness.

To serve, use individual soup bowls garnished with a pinch of cheese and diced capocollo