tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81204821086751166662024-03-16T02:42:31.271-04:00The Tampa Personal Chef BlogThis is the official blog of Chef Cristian Feher of Tampa Bay Chef Services. You will find articles relating to good food, health, and recipes.Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.comBlogger160125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-75131509001593203012014-12-25T01:16:00.000-05:002014-12-25T01:16:13.375-05:00how to roast beef tenderloin with yorkshire pudding<h2>
<b>How to Trim and Roast Beef Tenderloin with Yorkshire Pudding</b></h2>
<b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b><br />
<b>www.tampabaychef.com</b><br />
<br />
Just in time for the holidays! In these two videos you will learn how to trim and roast a whole beef tenderloin, and you will also learn how to make yorkshire puddings!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/QGLN-gGvkyY" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/PDn0LhWNpKs" width="560"></iframe>
<br />Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-41513946952839184112014-11-07T18:43:00.001-05:002014-11-07T18:45:33.615-05:00Kenmore Elite Digital Countertop Convection Oven Review<span style="color: orange;"><b>Review of the Kenmore Elite Digital Countertop Convection Oven</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfWitfgssXMFga2hYItlmaeNGGX7xZiLKij2oVtSDsEyppJX3b4e9DW1YRsQ2M5MrgMjOOLbBwAVwWgQfdIkPcv_bz-TAvJ1-TmAzRb-eaWEI60V2YMuVt4I6FbsmuChGBn8czPW1pD8/s1600/spin_prod_1121923812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfWitfgssXMFga2hYItlmaeNGGX7xZiLKij2oVtSDsEyppJX3b4e9DW1YRsQ2M5MrgMjOOLbBwAVwWgQfdIkPcv_bz-TAvJ1-TmAzRb-eaWEI60V2YMuVt4I6FbsmuChGBn8czPW1pD8/s1600/spin_prod_1121923812.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Recently I had the pleasure of receiving a countertop convection oven from Kenmore to review. Kenmore is known for quality, and innovative kitchen appliances. So, I was excited to take this oven for as spin.<br />
<br />
The first thing that caught my eye were the sleek, sexy lines - is that possible with a toaster oven? In this case, yes. Kenmore took the time to make this thing look as good as it cooks. The main focal point is the ultra-sharp, bright LED digital display which flashes crisp, blue and orange information (like mode and temperature).<br />
<br />
To test it out, I decided to make three foods that typically end up in the toaster: chicken salad melts, chicken wings, and, because this unit actually comes with a really nice pizza stone, a pizza. They all cooked quickly, did not burn or over-cook, and the pizza cooked really nicely at 450 degrees - crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle.<br />
<br />
Here is how it scored:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Pro's:</b></span><br />
- The quartz heating elements are not only really nice looking, they also heat up very quickly. It took less than 4 minutes for the oven to heat up to 450.<br />
- A fully-functional convection fan inside the oven circulates the hot air around the food, allowing it to cook faster and more efficiently.<br />
- The pizza stone that comes with the unit is great for small and medium sized pizzas. It's thick and heavy as it needs to be to retain heat properly.<br />
- There are several modes to choose from from bake, to broil, to specific modes like pizza and bagels. You can also position the rack 3-different ways in order to best cook your food according to which heating elements you're using (top, bottom, or both).<br />
- The digital timer can be set with a knob, and so can the different function knobs.<br />
- A digital timer is an included function. You can set it easily by rotating the knob.<br />
- You can cook at accurate temperatures by setting the digital thermostat. <br />
- The oven is big enough to cook a 12 inch pizza, but small enough to fit on your kitchen counter comfortably.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Con's</b></span><br />
- I am king of a computer and electronics geek, so the digital menu was easy enough for me to figure out. However, a person who is not good with computers or electronics - like my grandmother - would never be able to figure out how to use this oven. If you can use a smart phone, you can use this oven.<br />
- The metal handle on the door got pretty hot. Which my previous toaster oven did not do. But it was not so bad that I couldn't handle it with a kitchen towel. An insulated acrylic handle would have been better.<br />
<br />
<br />
All in all, not only will this oven out perform most other toaster ovens, but the sheer looks of it is sure to increase the visual value of your kitchen. It's the best-looking toaster oven I've ever had!<br />
<br />
Pick one up online at www.kenmore.com. This would make a great holiday gift for your avid cook!Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-78789270628882758142014-10-14T00:17:00.002-04:002014-10-14T00:26:03.548-04:00the best water filtration system<h2>
<span style="color: orange;"><b>The Truth About Water Filtration Systems</b></span></h2>
<span style="color: orange;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="http://www.five365.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/agua-sucia-en-ebay-por-1-000-dolares.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.five365.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/agua-sucia-en-ebay-por-1-000-dolares.jpg" height="210" width="400" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">I recently had the pleasure of meeting the owner of a company who makes water filtration systems - who actually started making state-of-the-art water filtration systems as a contractor for the Department of Defense. His company has been in place for decades and is on the leading edge of water filtration technology. So, I took the opportunity to pick his brain on the subject of water filtration, and what I learned, changed the way I look at water, and water filtration. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>What is the question? </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">The first question I had about water and water filtration had to do with what is found in our municipal tap water. If you could send a sample of your tap water to a lab for analysis, you would find that there are significant amounts of chemicals, bacteria, and living organisms. And what is most troubling to me, is that our tap water is medicated - there are significant amounts of pharmaceutical drugs and even birth control hormones present. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Every time someone takes an anti-depresant, a heart pill, shoots heroin, crack, cocaine, a sleeping pill or even a birth control pill, they eventually flush it down the toilet. And guess where that goes? Yep. It finds its way back to your tap water. Not to mention factory run off and general chemical pollution.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Our water treatment plants seem to be only somewhat effective in removing harmful bacteria and living organisms from our water by use of chlorine and other such chemicals. But removing drugs from the water is either, not of much interest to them, or the technology (or cost thereof) is just not there yet. Yes, much of those chemicals are filtered from that water, but not nearly enough, in my opinion. So our water is medicated and poisoned. Conspiracy theory? Nope. Anyone can send a sample of their tap water to a lab and see the results for themselves.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">The drugs and poisons are there. In small amounts - yes - but what do you you think the results might be of ingesting a small steady stream of drugs and poisons into your system over a period of months, years and decades? We are not exactly the healthiest people on Earth, and I think it's pretty obvious why - we ingest the most drugs and chemicals. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Would you collect all of the pills from your neighbors, put them in a big candy bowl, mix them up and eat a handful of them? No, or course not. That would be dangerous! Well, you're doing it in small amounts every time you cook with tap water, drink tap water, brush your teeth with tap water, bathe in tap water and swim in tap water.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">So, back to my first question: Is there a filtration system available that effectively eliminates these chemicals from our tap water? Reverse osmosis? Boiling or distilling water? Charcoal filters? Electrolysis? </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">The answer, thankfully, was activated charcoal filters. And I say thankfully, because activated charcoal is cheap, plentiful, and accessible for most people. Apparently, activated charcoal can remove most chemicals and drugs from tap water to a significant degree. You can buy these to fit your sinks, shower heads and even in the form of charcoal filtered sports bottles!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Reverse osmosis does it too, but to a lesser degree than activated charcoal, and it has a big drawback. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">The process of reverse osmosis removes minerals, like calcium and magnesium from water. So, why is this a drawback? Well, your bones and teeth are made of this stuff. And if you fill your body with mineral-devoid water, guess what? It creates an imbalance, and in order to balance itself out, the water will leach calcium and magnesium from your teeth and bones! This can be a big problem which may lead to pretty serious health issues. Distilled water can be harmful too, because it's also mineral-devoid.</span> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Alkaline Water</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">I'm sure most of us who have health-zelous friends have hear all about the wonders of alkaline water, right? For those who haven't, alkaline water is simply water that has had its ph changed from acidic or neutral to basic, by various means.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">So, my question was this: What (if any) benefits are there to drinking alkaline water? And, doesn't that water turn right back to acidic water within a couple of seconds of reaching your stomach (which is full of a very strong hydrochloric acid)? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">The general consensus, which aligned with my own idea about it, is that alkaline water serves very little purpose as a health-increasing agent for the human body. And that it's more of a marketing strategy, than an actual benefit. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Here are some additional interesting facts about alkaline water. Most bacteria and microscopic organisms cannot live in alkaline water. So, by drinking alkaline water, you are more likely to be drinking water that has no living creatures in it. Which is good - you're drinking antiseptic. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">However, your body has a very carefully balanced system which actually uses and needs the help of bacteria and microscopic living creatures. So, if you actually managed to make your body's fluids more alkaline (or more basic) you would actually be killing off the good bacteria, the good fauna and flora which help you do a million different little things inside your body.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">In view of this, it is my opinion that alkaline water is for suckers! So is distilled water, and so is mineral-devoid water from reverse osmosis. You may be doing yourself more harm than good - by the way, some reverse osmosis systems are susceptible to black mold, which is a whole other can of bad-for-you worms. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">The good news is that you can remove most drugs, chemicals, sediment, and organic compounds with a simple charcoal-based water filtration system. In order to remain strictly factual and impartial, I am not going to identify my friend's company or tell you that one brand of charcoal filter is better than another.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br />What I am going to tell you is that they are cheap, and very effective, and if you consume tap water, you should put some charcoal filters between you and it.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-31838619138229466112014-08-29T00:02:00.000-04:002014-08-29T00:02:00.237-04:00How to smoke beef brisket in a pressure cooker<h2>
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">How to Pressure Smoke Beef Brisket</span></span></h2>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">By: Chef Cristian Feher</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">www.tampabaychef.com</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/FlVdIyKSpAM?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Beef brisket is one of the best things you can smoke. The long strands of meat and fat in brisket, when cooked under ideal conditions, melt together and absorb flavors in a special way. It's no wonder brisket is on the top of most people's list when it comes to smoked meats.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">But, let's say that you don't have the time to smoke a beef brisket, or you simply don't have a smoker. Can you do this at home? The answer is most definitely yes - if, you own a pressure cooker, that is. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The cooking process of a pressure cooker tends to drive moisture into the meat. So, when surrounded by liquid smoke and spices, a piece of brisket will pick them up. Now, this isn't going to be as dramatic as the results you would get from using a real wood smoker, but the results are quite nice - a juicy, tender, and pleasantly smokey piece of brisket.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The best part is that you can do this in just one hour! </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Ofcourse, if you have time to let the brisket marinade overnight in the spice and liquid smoke mixture, it will turn out much better when pressure cooked on the next day. But I made this recipe for someone who wants smokey brisket, and they want it now! </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Please watch the video for the recipe.</span></span>Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-81372747129075648262014-07-10T14:34:00.000-04:002014-07-10T14:34:11.362-04:00a really good recipe for alaska halibut<h2>
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Halibut in a Chili Tomato Cream Sauce</b></span></h2>
<span style="color: orange;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BNLX7gI91R9u6if3rZnKT8PxHH1K_zuPUj7FLu5_en0QLmNrO4D6QjSWY8dLsBJAyC8yJnQTFXuiHg2V3RjmjaOle4oPFhwtjuSqxlywUTKk1xTNOQckELkmJNRx1P-dtVn27_wtB-c/s1600/halibut3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BNLX7gI91R9u6if3rZnKT8PxHH1K_zuPUj7FLu5_en0QLmNrO4D6QjSWY8dLsBJAyC8yJnQTFXuiHg2V3RjmjaOle4oPFhwtjuSqxlywUTKk1xTNOQckELkmJNRx1P-dtVn27_wtB-c/s1600/halibut3.jpg" height="271" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">I delivered a private cooking class to a couple of customers that had
recently returned from a trip to Alaska, where they had collectively
caught about four hundred pounds of fresh, Alaskan fish. I was thrilled
when my tip at the end of the night involved several frozen samples of
the fish they had caught: silver salmon, king salmon, ling cod, and two
beautiful halibut fillets.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">I prepared the halibut in this
off-the-cuff-sauce with a couple of thoughts in mind. I wanted a sauce
that was slightly creamy, and slightly spicy with a hint of citrus.
Halibut has a delicate flavor, and while I love flavorful dishes, I
didn't want to over-power it - not completely, anyways.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Recently I
have been making a Thai chili butter sauce which I have found to be a
beautiful base for fish and seafood. The sauce that I made for this
halibut was based roughly on that Thai sauce recipe, with the exception
of wine, and the addition of field tomatoes. Part of what makes this
sauce so good is mixing Asian and Western ingredients together, as in
the chili garlic sauce with wine (or in this case, chicken stock and
lime instead of white wine). Try it! It's quick to make, and I guarantee
this will quickly become one of your favorite fish sauces.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><strong>Yield:</strong></span> <span style="color: #eeeeee;">2 large portions of halibut</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><strong>Ingredients:</strong></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #eeeeee;">2 large halibut fillets (about 1/2 lb each)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #eeeeee;">1 tbsp of Vietnamese chili garlic sauce</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #eeeeee;">1 clove of garlic, minced</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #eeeeee;">1 tbsp of butter</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #eeeeee;">1/2 fresh lime, juice of</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #eeeeee;">1 cup of chicken stock</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #eeeeee;">1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #eeeeee;">1 cup of fresh, diced tomato</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #eeeeee;">sea salt and black pepper to taste</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: orange;"><strong>Instructions:</strong></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Get
all your ingredients prepared before you start cooking. This means,
mincing the garlic, preparing the chicken stock, dicing tomato, etc.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Melt
butter in a hot skillet. Add the chili garlic sauce and minced garlic.
Fry for about a minute to get the aroma of the chili and garlic. Keep it
moving so that it doesn't burn.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Add the diced tomatoes and cook
for another two minutes. Make sure the skillet is nice and hot, so that
the tomatoes break down and the water that comes off of them evaporates
instead of pooling.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Add the chicken stock, squeeze half a lime
of juice in the pan, and bring to a simmer. Once it's simmering, add the
cream and bring to a simmer.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Add the halibut and cook in the simmering sauce. As the sauce reduces, the fish will cook, absorbing all that wonderful flavor!</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Once
the sauce has reduced, and the fish is cooked through (do not flip fish
over), season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve over Jasmin rice
or garlic mashed potatoes with your side of choice and enjoy!</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="color: orange;"><strong>NOTE:</strong></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Fish is cooked through when it's opaque and you can easily flake it
apart with a fork. In this recipe it only took about 10-12 minutes once
it was simmering in the sauce.</span>Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-29626875841509751732014-06-22T13:38:00.000-04:002014-06-22T13:38:59.902-04:00Jerk Chicken with Brown Sugar and Lime<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Jerk Chicken with Brown Sugar and Lime</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">By: Chef Cristian Feher</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">www.tampabaychef.com</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQEYhyKIqWb4WiNnkpziT5lgAI_ZP9Ge726WuF9_BHX4WQoF08paw4ypvPjicTYD7r-YrtIS5UDFoxnty50fqbHjMsYcVhM39Zhe4wr4-Sklti9UD90ltTfG04PjR3bzUlz07UFZoZK0/s1600/jerk+chicken+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQEYhyKIqWb4WiNnkpziT5lgAI_ZP9Ge726WuF9_BHX4WQoF08paw4ypvPjicTYD7r-YrtIS5UDFoxnty50fqbHjMsYcVhM39Zhe4wr4-Sklti9UD90ltTfG04PjR3bzUlz07UFZoZK0/s1600/jerk+chicken+8.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Whether you’re grilling out, or using the oven, this recipe makes a flavorful, juicy and tender chicken you will not soon forget! I find traditional Jamaican Jerk chicken, delicious, but a little too hot (from the Scotch bonnet peppers). So I skipped the hot peppers, and created this recipe to capture the essence of jerk chicken, with the sweetness of brown sugar and tang of fresh limes! </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For this recipe, you can use pre-mixed jerk seasoning from the grocery store, or you can make your own (recipe below). You can also choose to use bottled lime-juice if you don’t have any fresh limes.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s important that after seasoning the chicken, that you let it sit overnight in the fridge to let the flavors of the spices, sugar, and lime juice soak into the chicken. It will be worth it, I promise!</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If you are going to mix your own jerk seasoning, here is a basic recipe:</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 2 parts white sugar</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 2 parts onion powder</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 1 part dry thyme</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 1 part allspice</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 1 part salt</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 1/2 part turmeric</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 1/2 part cinnamon</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 1/2 part cloves</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 1/2 part dried red pepper flakes</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Main recipe:</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 6 chicken drumsticks (skin on)</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 4 chicken thighs (skin on)</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 1/2 cup brown sugar</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 3 tbsp of jerk seasoning</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 4 tbsp of lime juice</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 4 tbsp Japanese soy sauce</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 2 tbsp of salt</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 2 limes, sliced</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<b><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Instructions:</span></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. Make sure the chicken is completely thawed out. Rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Put in large container, pot, bowl, or whatever you’re going to put it in.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-f400d8a7-c4a5-8400-d488-094bb5cc6c35" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. Coat chicken with jerk seasoning, salt, and brown sugar. Mix well with wooden spoon or your hands.</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. Drizzle the chicken with the lime juice and soy sauce. Mix well with wooden spoon or your hands. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. Place the lime slices over the chicken to infuse it with the essential oils of the lime, cover and refrigerate overnight.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. Grill on the BBQ until done, turning often to avoid burning, or roast at 375 until chicken is browned and cooked through (about 30 to 40 minutes depending on your oven).</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">NOTE: To prevent the sugar on the chicken’s surface from burning in the oven, cover loosely with a sheet of non-stick foil during roasting process.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BASTING: For the last five minutes of grilling the chicken, baste it with 1 tbsp of Japanese soy sauce and 2 tbsp of lime juice.</span></span></span></div>
Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-54600118194066158412014-04-05T20:47:00.001-04:002014-04-05T20:49:43.286-04:00how to cook braised pork tongue Chinese style<h2>
<span style="color: orange;">Pork Tongue! It's what's for dinner.. </span></h2>
<span style="color: orange;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gFmfcIQ94LE" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
This recipe is for those of you that can appreciate the finer cuts in life - the finer cuts meaning: organ meats. Those of us who have ventured to eat the "nasty bits" have been rewarded for our bravery with something much finer and more complex than your average steak.<br />
<br />
This recipe goes back to one my most cherished of Chinese-Canadian foods - braised pork tongue on steamed rice with bok-choi. Easily found at most Chinese BBQ shops. For decades, this dish (along with crispy roast pork belly) has been one of my staples.<br />
<br />
The best way to enjoy this dish was having the meat piled high on a take-out container of steamed white rice, drenched in braising liquid, accompanied by parboiled bok-choi greens, and - although any Chinese person will tell you that it's only for chicken - I love pouring ginger scallion oil over top (recipe included in video).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGF9xRBXPyeOv243pAS_EC8VKf-huApHOJm-yYIhdvd_8K3sghSGA8V6eOGahH3-4re_A2zotDBQXJhUSzCY-K6oitAHdMyKx5A1mF0AndbD4WW5Mgz8vdHRZRS8D6IpnOD7HG1ArwAA/s1600/BBQ+PORK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigGF9xRBXPyeOv243pAS_EC8VKf-huApHOJm-yYIhdvd_8K3sghSGA8V6eOGahH3-4re_A2zotDBQXJhUSzCY-K6oitAHdMyKx5A1mF0AndbD4WW5Mgz8vdHRZRS8D6IpnOD7HG1ArwAA/s1600/BBQ+PORK.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical Chinese BBQ restaurant in Toronto, specializing in BBQ duck, pork, chicken, and braised organ meats.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Now that I live in Tampa Bay (and good Chinese food is non-existent here) I make this dish for myself whenever I come across pork tongues at the restaurant supply store.<br />
<br />
I will provide a list of ingredients below, but for instructions, you are best off watching the video above. So, enjoy! Or as they say in Chinese, <i>Xiǎngshòu!</i><br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b> Ingredients for braised tongue:</b></span><br />
- Pork Tongue<br />
- 1 inch of Ginger<br />
- 3 Star Anise pods<br />
- 1/2 tsp White pepper<br />
- 1/4 cup White Sugar<br />
- 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine<br />
- 4 tbsp Chinese Dark Soy Sauce (mushroom flavored if possible)<br />
- 4 cups +- Beef Stock (mixed from bullion)<br />
- 1/2 tbsp salt<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Ingredients for Ginger Scallion Oil</b></span><br />
- Ginger<br />
- Scallions<br />
- Salt<br />
- Peanut oilTampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-79580870740431334292014-03-11T23:51:00.000-04:002014-03-11T23:52:29.750-04:00how to stir-fry foods properly as in Chinese techniques<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Proper Way to Stir-Fry</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNzDfPA5HsCfapA7tqnRQkmm8VwLTGSljuLa9pxA7e-fLIPI53X3py9eaEd_OgMLusLA-ys_n38DcqckAqWnqGCGpgLpe49NnOwEh63dhaaLu6bSVQSRbO2sX-NZuazR21a2c3M6jqQ80/s1600/42235458992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNzDfPA5HsCfapA7tqnRQkmm8VwLTGSljuLa9pxA7e-fLIPI53X3py9eaEd_OgMLusLA-ys_n38DcqckAqWnqGCGpgLpe49NnOwEh63dhaaLu6bSVQSRbO2sX-NZuazR21a2c3M6jqQ80/s1600/42235458992.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> © The Modernist Cuisine - A hot wok.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
How many times have you tried stir-frying a bunch of vegetables only to find that it tastes nothing like it does when you get it from a Chinese restaurant? If you're reading this article, I think you know what I mean... Why can't you get it right? Why does it turn out soggy? And, what are you missing?<br />
<br />
In this article, I will demystify stir-frying, and get you on the path of hot, crunchy righteousness that will have you stir-frying like an Asian chef.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Lost in Translation</b></span><br />
<br />
In the world of food, there are generally two schools of cooking - Asian and European. The French and Spaniards evolved, codified, and standardized, what is today commonplace "cooking" in the Americas: Pots, pans, stoves, ovens, and chef knives. Your kitchen at home, along with all the cooking stuff you're used to, most likely, can be classified as the European school. In fact, some of you may not realize that any other type of kitchen or cooking style exists.<br />
<br />
The Asian school, however, is different. Their pots are different, their stoves are different, they don't normally use ovens, they don't all have fridges (they buy their food fresh every day), their knives are different, their tools are different, you get the idea. It's a totally different way of looking at and preparing foods. If you're from Asia, parts of the Middle East, or parts of Africa, the Asian way of doing things is probably what you're used to.<br />
<br />
Stir-frying is an Asian method. And when someone tries to do it in a European kitchen, the finished product can end up, well... lost in translation! Vegetables that are supposed to be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, end up soggy. Meats that are supposed to be tender and thin, end up chunky and tough. And sauces that are supposed to be silky and delicate, end up watery and overly-flavored.<br />
<br />
Is it possible to make a proper Asian stir-fry in a European kitchen? The answer is yes, but only if you understand how an Asian chef does it.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Fire, Lots of Fire!</span></b><br />
<br />
The first element to a proper stir-fry is the heat. Lots of heat! Foods are stir-fried over a very hot fire, thus the outside of the food sears, traps in the moisture - which steams the inside of the food. That's how you end up with a crunchy outside and steamed inside. And that's also why you have to constantly stir the food while it's cooking - as in "stir-fry" - otherwise it will burn!<br />
<br />
Asians cook over large fires at very high temperatures. Even poor Asian homes, more often than not, have gas or wood burning stoves which get much hotter than electric stoves. Electric stoves are a North American gadget. They were built in order to take advantage of America's power grid, and because, well, people buy them! They're not better than gas. I often tell my customers, that even the cheapest gas stove, is still better than an electric stove in terms of heat output and pleasure to cook with.<br />
<br />
If you're cooking vegetables under low heat, what ends up happening is all the water cooks out of the vegetables, pools into the bottom of the pot, does not evaporate fast enough, and you end up boiling them in a kind of soup. Hence, that limp, soggy, soy-sauce-flavored-stew you probably end up with. All because you don't have, or didn't use, enough heat. You gotta CRANK UP THE HEAT when you're stir-frying!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">It's Not an Argentinian Steak House!</span></b><br />
<br />
Another difference between the American/Euro people and the Asians, is how they eat and handle meats. And although I could write a whole, very interesting book, on how people eat based on an event that happened 10,000 years ago in the Indo European area of the world, I will keep this brief.<br />
<br />
Much of Europe was forested, and thus Indo Europeans hunted and ate meat as their main diet. And meat continues to be a huge part of our diet. Whereas Asians did not have as many fertile forests, and came to rely on a diet high in grains and plants instead. Meat was, and still is, eaten in much smaller portions when compared to the American/European way of eating. (And this is also why I think different body types are made to eat different foods in different quantities for optimum health... but that would be part of that book I was telling you about).<br />
<br />
An Asian stir-fry consists of thinly sliced, small pieces of meat, many of which have been tenderized before frying (with cornstarch, egg white, and/or protein-busting enzymes like papain). Thus making the meats soft, plump and juicy. You will notice that Asian stir-fries have pieces of cheap meat, that would otherwise be tough. But because they have been chemically tenderized, and sliced really thin, end up being soft, juicy, and enjoyable. And there's not 50Lbs of meat on your plate! It's a small amount compared to the vegetables.<br />
<br />
Now, let's look at the average American stir-fry. You buy a bunch of chicken breasts, steak, pork, whatever. You don't tenderize or marinade them, you cut them into huge chunks, and you boil them in your "veggie stir-fry soup" for like, 15 minutes (which ends up draining the meats of all their moisture and toughens them up like bricks). So you end up with dry chunks of protein leather with a side of limp, soupy vegetables... <br />
<br />
Before stir-frying your meats you want to thinly slice them, and marinade them for 4 to 12 hours in either one of the following: 1. Corn starch. 2. A combo of cornstarch and egg whites with a tiny bit of soy sauce. 3. Sprinkle them with some meat tenderizing powder, like papain and add a little soy sauce. Under some hot fire, this will give you those thin, juicy, tender, flavorful pieces of meat you crave if you've ever had a good stir-fry!<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">The Ying and the Yang</span></b><br />
<br />
Let's say the Ying is the gentle whisper, and the Yang is a blaring rock concert! <br />
<br />
How come my stir-fry tastes nothing like it should? I notice that many people like to flavor their stir-fries with a bunch of soy sauce, so it's overly-salted and way overly-spiced (the Yang), or they make it so bland that there is no taste (the Ying). So, what's the deal? Is there an optimum amount of soy sauce? Is there a balance between the Ying and the Yang?<br />
<br />
Well, what if I told you that soy sauce plays a very small role in stir-fries? In fact, that is what I'm telling you. The most crucial part of a good stir-fry is the sauce. And if you master a good stir-fry sauce, the rest is easy. So, what's in a good stir-fry sauce?<br />
<br />
A good sauce is comprised of a base, flavor enhancers, and a thickener - yes, a thickener so it doesn't turn out like soup!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">The Base</span></b> - is usually a good tasting stock. Chicken stock or beef stock are good. Make them yourself out of bullion so that they taste nice. That liquid stock you buy at the store is garbage - it's so watered-down and weak that goldfish could swim in it. You want to start with a nice flavorful stock. For the average stir-fry for 4 people, let's say you start out with 1 to 2 cups of warm stock (not hot, warm. I'll tell you why in a sec.)<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Flavor Enhancers</span></b> - these are the little ingredients that flavor your stock. They can be all sorts of combinations, but this is my go-to Chinese combination: 2 tbsp of soy sauce, 1/2 tsp of white pepper, 1 to 2 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine or sherry, 1 tsp of vinegar, 1/2 tbsp of sugar or honey, 1/2 tbsp of sesame oil. These are all ingredients you should have on hand if you want to make basic Chinese dishes. Note that Chinese soy sauce and Japanese soy sauce are totally different and should be regarded as such. It's like the difference between Ketchup and BBQ sauce in our world - two different things. Use Chinese soy sauce for this recipe. And if you want to get nit-picky, use 1 tsbp of dark soy sauce and 1 tbsp of light soy sauce.<br />
<br />
You will also want to start out any good stir-fry by frying minced garlic, or minced ginger, or both, in peanut oil. This gives it an additional layer of flavor.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">Thickener</span></b> - that velvety, smooth and silky texture found in most Chinese sauces come from the addition of a starch (not a flour). Most often corn, or tapioca starch. These can be used the same. I use corn starch because that's what I have. Never mix corn starch into a hot liquid. Always into a cold or slightly warm liquid. That way it won't start to thicken until you actually start cooking it. Mix 1.5 tbsp of corn or tapioca starch into the sauce for the stir fry, and now you're ready for something good!<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Wok or Pot?</b></span><br />
<br />
Asians use curved woks, and we use cylindrical pots. And although stir-fries flow smoother in a wok, you can use a skillet - especially a non-stick skillet and still end up with a good stir-fry. I use a wok-shaped skillet with a handle for my stir-fries. It's the best of both worlds!<br />
<br />
Remember that it's not so much the shape of the pot, it's mostly about how hot you can get it, and how much heat the pot will retain when you toss in the food. And I'm not going to get into the whole science of metals, alloys and materials here. Just make sure your cooking vessel gets smoking hot, and you put a lot of firepower under it before you start. Non-stick is a good idea!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">The Order of Things</span></b><br />
<br />
So, here's how you make a good stir-fry. Finally... I know! Follow this order, and you won't go wrong.<br />
<br />
1. Prep all your ingredients and have them on hand BEFORE you start cooking. You should have: the sauce, mixed and ready to go, peanut oil on hand, a hot pot or wok, a little bowl of minced garlic or minced ginger (like 2 tbsp), your veggies all cleaned and chopped up ready to go, your meat separate from the vegetables, and marinated/tenderized. A wooden spoon. <br />
<br />
2. Put your pot/wok/skillet over something hot (preferably a hot burner) and wait until it smokes. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. And from this point, commit, because there's no walking away!<br />
<br />
3. Add the garlic and/or ginger and start stirring. You want to cook this for a few seconds in the hot oil to set the base flavor. DO NOT BURN IT. As soon as it gets a little golden colored, you go to step 4. If it gets dark brown or black, you burnt it. Toss it in the garbage and start again.<br />
<br />
4. Add the meat, stir, fry, and cook it just long enough for the meat to cook through. It should only take a very short time because you sliced it very thin, right? Remove the meat, put in bowl, set aside. Add more oil, let it get smoking hot again.<br />
<br />
5. Add the vegetables and stir-fry until they are crunchy on the outside and cooked on the inside. Keep stirring and tasting to figure out when they've reached that point. If your stuff is hot enough, you have steam coming off the veggies (not water pooling on the bottom), this shouldn't take longer than 3 to 4 minutes.<br />
<br />
6. Once veggies are cooked, add the meat back in, stir, and add the sauce, stir-stir-stir! Once the sauce gets hot, it will thicken right away. Your job here is to coat all the ingredients in this wonderful sauce! Once that's accomplished, you serve the stir-fry on a platter and enjoy! <br />
<br />
This may seem like a lot to take in, but like driving a car, once you understand all the rules, it's a smooth ride. Happy stir-frying!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-23305078952585146662014-02-19T01:02:00.001-05:002014-02-19T01:03:00.358-05:00How to cook zucchini flowers with garlic<h2>
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Garlic-Fried Zucchini Flowers</span></span></h2>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">By: Chef Cristian Feher</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">www.tampabaychef.com</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/RUUoHHlwwz0" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> The other day I found a little treasure at the local farmers market - a basket of zucchini flowers they had set aside. I jumped on it like (I can't think of a politically correct way to finish that sentence). Needless to say, I bought the whole basket. Zucchini flowers may be available where you live, but here in Tampa they are a rarity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I got these home and thought they would make a good episode on my online food channel, <a href="http://www.foodchaintv.com/" target="_blank">The Hot Skillet</a>, so we shot a video right away using these beautiful, fresh flowers. I didn't want to do the usual - battering them and deep-frying, or stuffing them. That's been done to death! But I thought that stir-frying them Chinese-style with garlic would make a great dish, and I was right! They turned out fantastic! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Here is the recipe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Zucchini flowers</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1 carrot, julienned</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1 red bell pepper, julienned</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">6 cloves of garlic, sliced</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1/4 cup of peanut oil (or <a href="http://www.kelapo.com/">Coconut Oil</a>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1/2 cup of chicken stock</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1 1/2 tsp of corn starch</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1 tsp of sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">salt and pepper to taste</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Instructions:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Wash and drain your zucchini flowers under cold water. Julienne (cut
into thin strips) the carrot and peppers. Slice the garlic. Mix the
sugar and corn starch well with luke-warm, or cold chicken stock (not
hot).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Pre-heat a non-stick wok pan or large skillet and get it nice and hot.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Put oil in pan. When oil starts to smoke, add the garlic and fry for a few seconds. Keep the garlic moving so it doesn’t burn.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Add the vegetables. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Add the chicken stock mixture, toss and stir until all vegetables
are covered by the sauce and are glossy – about another 30 seconds to a
minute.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Serve, sprinkle salt and pepper, and enjoy!</span></li>
</ol>
Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-16550941000178789452014-01-27T22:27:00.001-05:002014-01-27T22:37:12.422-05:00how to make green chef salad recipe<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">How to make a salad bar at home</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7mxfOmMP8Sw3KRIGFUahJxh7Te0VlW4aT0gS6N03EJ-b5boN166M8L2LR_D60cqh-_v1pt-WpSzWBmyNaDW_m_-MhUfF-h8xbIoHmXx9YXAL91NNzNW4FaPf6evkB1VzsXaJsCpbTmE/s1600/salad2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7mxfOmMP8Sw3KRIGFUahJxh7Te0VlW4aT0gS6N03EJ-b5boN166M8L2LR_D60cqh-_v1pt-WpSzWBmyNaDW_m_-MhUfF-h8xbIoHmXx9YXAL91NNzNW4FaPf6evkB1VzsXaJsCpbTmE/s1600/salad2.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My own personal salad bar!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Having your own personal salad bar at home has its perks - primarily, you'll actually eat salad!<br />
<br />
My family's first choice of food at home is not salad - but put us in a restaurant with a salad bar, and watch us go to town! The difference? Variety. It's the spice of life, and it's a selling point to salad. So, I decided to make our own salad bar at home. And guess what? Everyone has been eating salad!<br />
<br />
Try this at home and maybe your family will eat more salad too.<br />
<br />
Before I get to the recipes and descriptions, I'm just going to give you a few pointers on making healthy salads, since the whole point of a salad is to provide your body with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients - not just sugar and water disguised in the shape of salad - you can watch this video here to see what I mean. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaeG1wtfSVw" target="_blank">How to make a healthy salad video</a><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Use dark greens like baby spinach, baby kale, and dark organic salad mix to maximize enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. </li>
<li>Avoid light colored lettuces like iceberg, and romaine, which don't really have any nutritional value.</li>
<li>Avoid store-bought salad dressings that are filled with sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and all sorts of crap that defeat the purpose of eating a salad in the first place.</li>
<li>Make your own salad dressing - it's easy! And it's healthy. </li>
<li>Buy organic vegetables to avoid pesticides and chemicals. But conventional veggies are still MUCH better than not having a salad at all, if that's what you can afford.</li>
<li>Use different colored vegetables to liven up the salad visually (stimulating your appetite), and to pack it with nutrients. </li>
</ul>
Alright, having said all that, here are the loose recipes from my personal salad bar. It may probably take you a couple of hours to prep. But you'll have fresh, interesting salads all week long! And if you replace at least one meal a day with a healthy green salad, you'll notice the difference in how your body feels right away.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Sour Cream Salad Dressing</b></span> This is one of my favorite salad dressings. For this one, you will need a food processor, or at least a hand-blender to mix all the ingredients together. Put the following ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth:<br />
<ul>
<li>8oz sour cream </li>
<li>1 cucumber, peeled and diced</li>
<li>4 cloves of garlic</li>
<li>1/4 cup fresh parsley</li>
<li>2 tbsp of white vinegar</li>
<li>3 tbsp of olive oil</li>
<li>Salt and pepper to taste</li>
</ul>
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Sliced Cucumbers</b></span> will keep in a plastic container filled up with cold water and 3 tbsp of white vinegar. Shake off the excess water when you're ready to put on the salad.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Shredded Beets</b></span> are a great way to add nutrition, natural carbohydrates and color. I used a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Joyce-Chen-51-0662-Saladacco-Spiral/dp/B0000DDVYE" target="_blank">spiral slicer</a> to make beet strands. You can use a vegetable shredder or cheese grater if you don't have a spiral slicer.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Shredded Red Cabbage</b></span> is easy to make with a food processor. Cut the cabbage into wedges that you can fit down the chute of the food processor. Put the shredding wheel on the processor and shred away! You can do it with a cheese grater, or you can just slice it really thin with a chef's knife if that's all you have. Add a little salt, and a few splashes of vinegar to the mixture to keep longer, and to soften the cabbage.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Shredded Carrots</b></span> are full of vitamins, minerals and low-glycemic carbohydrates. You can shred them with a cheese grater, or with the food processor like I did.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Pickled Radishes and Red Onions</b></span> are really easy to make. I buy pre-shredded radishes, combine that with sliced onions in a container and add the brine. To make the brine, I used 1 cup of white vinegar, 2 cups of water, and 1/2 cup of sugar. I warmed it on the stove just enough to melt the sugar into the liquid. You can then, pour the liquid into the container with the vegetables and refrigerate over night. The result is tangy, crispy, sweet radish and onion! And most of the sugar stays in the brine.<br />
<br />
To make <span style="color: orange;"><b>Soy Marinated Mushrooms</b></span>, simply quarter about a dozen large white mushrooms, put them in a pot, splash them with 1/4 cup of Japanese soy sauce, 2 tbsp of Mirin (sweet rice wine), salt and pepper to taste and bring them to a boil. As soon as they boil, take them off the heat and leave them covered for 15 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a container and keep the "mushroom juice" in the pot for the next vegetables.<br />
<br />
To make <span style="color: orange;"><b>Soy Marinated Zucchini</b></span>, simply slice the zucchini, put them in the pot with the mushroom juice, bring to a boil, take off the heat, cover pot and let them sit in there for 15 minutes. Remove them, put them in a plastic container and leave the "mushroom zucchini juice" in there for the next vegetable!<br />
<br />
To make <span style="color: orange;"><b>Soy Marinated Green Italian Beans</b></span>, put fresh or frozen beans in the pot with the mushroom zucchini juice, bring to a boil, take off the heat,
cover pot and let them sit in there for 15 minutes. Remove them, put
them in a plastic container and you're done. With this leftover "mushroom, zucchini, green bean juice", you can even poach other vegetables if you wish. It will just keep on getting tastier with each new vegetable that you add in there.<br />
<br />
To create even more variety and add protein, you can top your salads with:<br />
<ul>
<li>Grilled meats like, chicken, beef steaks, pork, turkey, sausages.</li>
<li>Cold cuts of all kinds.</li>
<li>Sliced cheeses, and creamy cheeses like Boursin.</li>
<li>Steamed fish, salmon salad, tuna salad, grilled fish, shrimp, scallops.</li>
<li>Smoked almonds, nuts, and dried fruit.</li>
<li>Canned fish, and smoked meats are quick, easy and nutritious. </li>
</ul>
<br />
You may think this is a lot of work, but you'll thank yourself after a couple of days of eating really good salads! You may notice that you're not as tired as you used to be, that you can get more done, and you may even lose weight. But the point of this for us, was not weight loss (although it will likely happen), it was to add a tonne of nutrition to our diet. Add to this, our morning <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw_XSt5V8Fc" target="_blank">green smoothies</a>, and we've been flying every day!<br />
<br />
I love that I can add all sorts of grilled meats and seafood to this - being a guy, and a chef, a juicy rib eye steak, butter grilled chicken thigh, or bacon-wrapped scallop, really makes me look forward to eating a nice colorful salad for dinner. And now that I have my <a href="http://www.grillgrate.com/" target="_blank">GrillGrate</a> grill grates, I've been grilling everything!<br />
<br />
My wife and I work-out three to four days a week (since December), and I've noticed how much more energy I've had during our last two workouts - all due to the salads and clean proteins. Well, I'll stop trying to sell you on this personal salad buffet. But you know, me, when I find something I really enjoy, I like to share it with you! <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-60808625353281915992014-01-21T00:23:00.000-05:002014-01-21T00:42:08.272-05:00Best replacement grill grates for BBQ grill<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Pimp My Grill! </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJlVEXUutjO2Dz-_ohdDqMGfFmOxP-kCJ0E9E_L44NZtNdd66ecfvKfNMYUxAfhNLRcbEVkpLDazXKtTBPDlFA9BBCHOzMmXB8-iyUqP8Ls004y1ceGavDglvlwSItx40qS7Qyx0olx4/s1600/IMG_0362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJlVEXUutjO2Dz-_ohdDqMGfFmOxP-kCJ0E9E_L44NZtNdd66ecfvKfNMYUxAfhNLRcbEVkpLDazXKtTBPDlFA9BBCHOzMmXB8-iyUqP8Ls004y1ceGavDglvlwSItx40qS7Qyx0olx4/s1600/IMG_0362.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GrillGrate grill grates over existing cast iron grates.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy43AbXHqdYkrk7AhZ3aVHjdD1y962ZPb5__3p8KCtRoYPmvGZ5W13AhensjZMOmgUv5QCTocR3F24_i_RzF0mZAOMYXks6T-SvqbNC6MNzQ4mRAzl5sN7c085g1kvn5hFpOroPNSPUoU/s1600/IMG_0381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy43AbXHqdYkrk7AhZ3aVHjdD1y962ZPb5__3p8KCtRoYPmvGZ5W13AhensjZMOmgUv5QCTocR3F24_i_RzF0mZAOMYXks6T-SvqbNC6MNzQ4mRAzl5sN7c085g1kvn5hFpOroPNSPUoU/s1600/IMG_0381.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfectly cooked chicken and ribs! Notice the fat held in the channels.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For many of us, the term "grilling out" brings a smile to our faces. What's better than fresh air, good food, and getting back to our primal way of cooking? Well, for one, doing it with less flare-ups and less fuel. <br />
<br />
Whether you are looking to replace your existing BBQ grill, or would like a way to "Soup it Up!", I have a great recommendation for you!<br />
<br />
A few years ago, my wife got me a dual grill - one side charcoal, and the other side propane. I fell in love with this grill righ away. I even coined a name for it, I call it the mullet grill (business in the front, party in the back!) If I'm short on time, I use the propane portion of the grill, and if I have time, I can spend a few hours making a smokey and delicious BBQ using the charcoal side.<br />
<br />
I noticed this winter that the grates (made of cast iron) had started to rust. And the replacement grates were priced too steep to make it a worthwhile replacement. So, in considering getting rid of this grill altogether, I happened to come across <a href="http://www.grillgrate.com/">www.GrillGrate.com</a> This company makes grill grates that fit over your existing grates. Not only can you use these to replace your existing grates, but you can also take these easily from grill to grill, ensuring that they will stay with you for a long time - I like products with this type of versatility. That was my first selling point.<br />
<br />
The other selling points of these hard anodized aluminum grates were a claim that they amplify the heat source (turning your grill into an infrared grill), allow you to use less fuel to create the same heat, have a really long life, resist corrosion, and prevent flare-ups (something everyone has to deal with when grilling out).<br />
<br />
I received the grates two days after ordering them online. Excited to try them, I rushed out to fill my propane tank which had been sitting idle for a few weeks - I just didn't want to use the rusty grates anymore, and although I had done my best to cure them, they still rusted. But, back to the new grates - I made a raspberry balsamic BBQ sauce, picked up chicken and baby back ribs, and put these grates to the test using the propane side of the grill.<br />
<br />
The results were as advertised:<br />
<ul>
<li>I grilled with all three burners on med-low (with the old grates, I used to light one burner on high, and grill the food over the two "off" burners to keep it from burning). I can now use the entire grill surface, at an even heat without burning a lot of fuel.</li>
<li>My favorite aspect of using these were ZERO FLARE-UPS! The fat from the ribs dripped down into the channels of the grates instead of the burners below. It was a pleasure to grill directly on the flame without flares!</li>
<li>Even heat distribution across the entire grill surface.</li>
</ul>
These grates will probably outlast my BBQ grill, and I look forward to using them on any future grill that I buy - I especially foresee using these on a Traeger wood pellet grill that I've had my eye on. But for now, they have not only allowed me to keep the "Mullet Grill", but have actually improved it from its original function. Grilling season has officially re-opened at the Feher household!<br />
<br />
In conclusion, whether your grill grates are falling apart, or you want to have a more enjoyable and efficient grilling experience, I highly recommend the GrillGrate grill grates. I have no affiliation with GrillGrate and have received no compensation for writing this article. When I come across a good product, I like to tell people about it.<br />
<br />
<br />Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-3251276672274120862014-01-03T00:27:00.003-05:002014-01-03T00:27:54.684-05:007 tips for roasting meats<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Roasting Tips</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy2LC0Nmja9UL-Ot8TU9nW75VxeL_40-tbSO4wAACZHojiXxhK7A3Lyvy0JXcjIJnExp0EWNWgf3ROl16aI4nl59B8r31FxpBgDDdLBJ10dSSAOQYdp0PX955HfvrdPQ7FdioS14nkAFg/s1600/CAM00290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy2LC0Nmja9UL-Ot8TU9nW75VxeL_40-tbSO4wAACZHojiXxhK7A3Lyvy0JXcjIJnExp0EWNWgf3ROl16aI4nl59B8r31FxpBgDDdLBJ10dSSAOQYdp0PX955HfvrdPQ7FdioS14nkAFg/s400/CAM00290.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfectly Roasted Beef </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For the carnivore, there is nothing more satisfying and sought after
than a perfectly executed roast. Whether it's beef, lamb, pork, or
poultry, doing it right, makes it taste-tastic! Here are seven tips to
help you make better roasts.<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><b>Always season your roast</b></span>
with salt and pepper. This can be done before, during, or after
roasting. But for the most flavor, letting the salt dissolve into the
meat before roasting, will yield more flavor.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><b>Roast your meat on a rack.</b></span>
If your meat is fatty, place it fat-side-up. That way the fat melts and
runs over, and through the meat, basting it in its own juices. And the
fat that is left over, falls to the bottom of the pan below your meat.
This way the bottom of your roast is not 'boiling' in the drippings, but
roasting uniformly on the rack.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><b>Do not sear.</b></span>
Yes, many chefs sear their roasts before roasting, believing that this
will somehow transform the outside of the roast into a water-proof
bladder. Searing does not keep in the juices. Your roast will be nicely
browned without searing it.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><b>Do not add water.</b></span>
If you roast your meat at a constant temperature, the drippings should
not burn. If your temperature cannot be kept constant, you may want to
add a little water to the drippings.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><b>Do not cover a roast.</b></span> Technically, if you cover the pot, your meat will steam, thus you will be making a "pot roast".</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><b>Turn a boneless roast</b></span> once or twice during the roasting process to ensure a more even roast.</li>
<li><span style="color: orange;"><b>Roasting low and slow</b> </span>(325 to 350) will reduce shrinkage and increase flavor, juiciness and tenderness. And, isn't that what roasting is all about?</li>
</ol>
<br />Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-49841583698706451582013-12-14T19:16:00.001-05:002013-12-14T19:30:04.502-05:00How to brew a perfect cup of coffee<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: large;">What you need to know about coffee</span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: small;">By: Chef Cristian Feher</span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: small;">www.tampabaychef.com</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTrkbtUmJQwa7IRlvLaa1tWmtcsDtJlvWGbau2_QpX-cjWtlqLIYnzeso2sjvE_QLEVVmgndBi8tP2AYbECRNrW9RV8YbC2NfvvwrbAIaGCurNPAM3GNApEVB0dZXzStvJjDE2IvgfO0/s1600/coffee+cup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTrkbtUmJQwa7IRlvLaa1tWmtcsDtJlvWGbau2_QpX-cjWtlqLIYnzeso2sjvE_QLEVVmgndBi8tP2AYbECRNrW9RV8YbC2NfvvwrbAIaGCurNPAM3GNApEVB0dZXzStvJjDE2IvgfO0/s400/coffee+cup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
To many people, coffee is the essence of life. Whether you drink it to start your day, to beat that afternoon bout of narcolepsy, or to finish a great meal, coffee is a part of our lives. But what is coffee, and what do you need to know about coffee? What makes good and bad coffee? Here's what you need to know.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Coffee is a stimulant</b></span> - actually, the caffeine inside coffee is a stimulant. "Yeah? Tell me something I don't know!" You might say.<br />
<br />
Well, I mention it because of this fact: Most drugs work the same way (caffeine is a drug). A little bit of drug X has a stimulating effect, but a little more of that same drug X has the effect of a tranquilizer, and an even larger doze of drug X can even kill you. But we're talking about caffeine, so let's just focus on it as an upper and a downer - you're not going to die from drinking coffee.<br />
<br />
A little coffee [caffeine] will act as an "upper". It will add itself to your endocrine system and speed you up! But, if you drink too much of it, you will get to a point where that caffeine will actually start acting as a "downer". It will make you even more tired than you were before you started drinking coffee. The amount will vary by your body size and tolerance for caffeine, but it will act this way.<br />
<br />
So, that's the first thing you should know. Too much coffee will tranquilize you.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Equipment is important</b></span>. What you brew your coffee with can be the deciding factor between a good cup, and a bad cup of coffee. You also need to know about time, temperature, and water.<br />
<br />
You have to use a CLEAN COFFEE POT. You see, every batch of coffee you make, leaves a layer of oil in the coffee pot. If you don't properly clean out this oil with a degreaser (dish soap), your next batch of coffee will suck. The rancid oil left behind will ruin your next batch. Even a little spot of oily coffee residue can ruin your entire next batch. This is why an instant coffee machine, like a Keurig, is better than a traditional coffee pot. (I am not paid by Keurig and have no promotional relationship with them).<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Use fresh coffee</b></span>. Ground coffee has a limited shelf-life as soon as it's introduced to oxygen. It will only last 2 to 3 weeks before the oils start to go rancid - and that's when it's kept in a cold, dry place with a tight lid. So, either, buy small batches, or grind your own coffee. Again, K-cups (as in Keurig cups) are vacuum sealed to keep the ground coffee fresh right up until you brew it. Your local coffee shop also (probably) grinds their coffee daily. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Use filtered, bottled water</b></span>. Tap water contains a cocktail of chemicals, resins, bacteria, and even metals that will affect the taste of the coffee. Only a neutral water from a bottle or filter will let your coffee shine through.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Temperature makes the difference</b></span>. Coffee should be brewed between 195 and 203 degrees F. Above that, and you burn the coffee, making it bitter. Below that, you don't extract the essentials of the bean, and it turns out watery and bland. Again, a Keurig machine, and other high-end coffee makers keep this constant temperature for you while brewing. Or, you can do this yourself with a thermometer and a French-press.<br />
<br />
Brewing time should not exceed 8 minutes - after this, you burn your coffee. Letting your coffee sit on a warming plate (as in most office coffee machines) burns the coffee and gives it a nasty taste. You should throw coffee out that is older than an hour - or make iced coffee drinks with it (as McDonalds and other fast food places do). <br />
<br />
In keeping all these things in mind, you can now brew a perfect cup of coffee! What you put in it at this point is up to you. Milk, sugar, cream, flavoring agents - these are all good and will vary person-to-person. But the main point is that you know what makes good and bad coffee, and how much of it serves your purpose. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-67636400630889030372013-12-04T00:32:00.004-05:002013-12-04T00:32:34.935-05:00How to cook for guests during the holidays<h2>
<span style="color: orange;">Coping and Cooking for the Holidays</span></h2>
<span style="color: orange;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6R3no6LifM_OoDk5ltSAdGrukw6mEzqwN8ZKx2zWL0Jp1tjhCmFg9DCiNg9ojdapaJpyhrao9rnbmu-i44RRwbiSDr8rSsEEb-XTYbBuceMvvPupBwcE8y9PE-tgfTIedOtKwUoMXsic/s1600/holiday+cooking+crazy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6R3no6LifM_OoDk5ltSAdGrukw6mEzqwN8ZKx2zWL0Jp1tjhCmFg9DCiNg9ojdapaJpyhrao9rnbmu-i44RRwbiSDr8rSsEEb-XTYbBuceMvvPupBwcE8y9PE-tgfTIedOtKwUoMXsic/s400/holiday+cooking+crazy.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div>
<br />
Yes, it's true that the holidays are, indeed, the most wonderful time of the year. Yes, it's the hap-happiest season, with those holiday greeting and gay happy meetings. There'll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting, and caroling out in the snow (or guitar by a palm tree if you live in Florida). But if you're the one in charge of feeding everyone... it can be just plain stressful.<br />
<br />
Having fed thousands of spirited, hungry people in my life, here are some tips which will bring a little joy and sanity into your hectic routine of feeding your holiday army! And maybe this year, not only will they sing songs about you, but you won't have to cry into a bottle of wine when it's all over.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>1. Hire a personal chef to do it all for you!</b></span> But, if you'd still rather do it yourself, please proceed to number 2 on the list.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>2. How much is too much?</b></span> Quantities are very important. It can seem like a guessing game when you're trying to figure out how much food you should make. And God forbid, you run out of food! Your mother-in-law will never let you forget it. But don't panic. Just follow these guidelines:<br />
<ul>
<li>Plan to serve 7 pieces of hors d'oeuvres per person if you're going to serve dinner right after. But if it's during the day, and your guests won't be eating a main meal any time soon, plan 10 to 12 hors d'oeuvres per person. If you're not feeding them a main meal at all, make 12 to 14 pieces of hors d'oeuvres per person.</li>
<li>Older people tend to eat less than younger people. Teenagers eat like monsters.</li>
<li>Prepare 6oz (raw weight) of meat per person.</li>
<li>Prepare 1Lb (raw weight) of turkey per person.</li>
<li>Prepare 1 chicken breast per person.</li>
<li>Prepare 5 to 6oz of seafood (like shrimp, squid, scallop) per person.</li>
<li>Each lobster should be about 1.5 to 2 Lbs each.</li>
<li>Prepare 8 to 12oz fish fillets per person.</li>
<li>Prepare 4oz of potatoes, salad, vegetables, rice, or pasta per person.</li>
</ul>
<span style="color: orange;"><b>3. Timing is everything!</b></span> So, you've got all your groceries sitting there, and it's time to cook it all. This is the point where most people, not knowing what to cook first, want to run away to China and never look back. After all, dad can re-mary, and the kids can find a new mom, right?<br />
<br />
The way to tackle this in a calm and collected fashion is to make a list of all of your food items, and put the estimated cooking time next to each item. For example, it might take you 30 minutes to cook mashed potatoes, 3 hours to roast a turkey, and 1 hour to peel, cut, and cook veggies. So, you just start with the longest time first and work your way down this way:<br />
<ul>
<li>Start with the turkey, because that takes the longest (3 hours)</li>
<li>Then, prepare the veggies (1 hour)</li>
<li>Then, make the mashed potatoes (30 minutes)</li>
<li>Start cooking <i>X</i> plus 1 hour before you serve the meal. X=the time it takes for the longest dish to cook - in this case, it's 3 hours for the turkey. So if dinner is at 6pm, start cooking at 2pm.</li>
<li>It helps greatly to prepare all of your ingredients the day before. This means, chopping, dicing, slicing, defrosting, etc. </li>
</ul>
Once an item is cooked, you can keep it warm by putting a lid on the pot, putting it into a sealed plastic container (which you can microwave when it comes to time to serve), or putting the food into a tin foil pan with lid, which can be thrown in the oven at 400 degrees, 10 minutes before serving to heat it back up.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: orange;">4. Clean as you go!</span> </b>There is nothing worse than finishing a big cooking session, only to realize that your kitchen is an absolute mess. Every single pot, cutting board, and cooking utensil in your kitchen is now perched on top of each other forming a perilous tower of terror above your sink! Again, to keep from running away to China, clean as you go. When you're finished using something, clean it, put it on the drying rack, then back where it goes. Trust me, you will be very happy when you're cooking is all done, and your kitchen is actually clean! <br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>5. Don't ask - tell.</b></span> And while this philosophy can be applied to many aspects of life, I am talking about menu planning. Instead of taking requests from your family and/or guests, YOU decide what the menu is, and you tell THEM. This way you are in control, and you don't volunteer to prepare a menu that, a. you don't know how to make, or b. would take you 15 hours to prepare if you had seven hands! Make your own menu with dishes that YOU know YOU can cook, and dinner will be a success! The holidays are not a time for experimenting with new dishes or taking requests - especially when you are cooking for a large group of people.<br />
<br />
Next time you have a rainy weekend in August, is the perfect time to try out new experimental recipes for the holidays. <br />
<br />
I hope these tips will help you to actually enjoy entertaining this holiday season! Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanza, and if you celebrate Festivus, may your feats of strength smite your opponents by the pole! Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-75424915736005411612013-10-29T18:00:00.001-04:002013-11-02T12:09:26.379-04:00Walking for health and fitness<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: orange;"><b>Walking, the universal solver of problems</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com </b></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVv6SfDSDX189A6FiRiew7NP4OHXuHrPxG-Bl8C4XI1ku06ujAygpMd_bO6slpIElmDiGluhDq1TQSEHcRyDEQW7Lgsyy-dkmB0jr9K7sAhMEcZZaBG_8ksmvVGS0p2uhh8bfOsQ1OKHU/s1600/gwalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVv6SfDSDX189A6FiRiew7NP4OHXuHrPxG-Bl8C4XI1ku06ujAygpMd_bO6slpIElmDiGluhDq1TQSEHcRyDEQW7Lgsyy-dkmB0jr9K7sAhMEcZZaBG_8ksmvVGS0p2uhh8bfOsQ1OKHU/s640/gwalk.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
I thought about this article while going for a nice walk today.<br />
<br />
I was really tired. I had been up since 6am doing maintenance on all my websites, not to mention menu planning for all my customers this week. Needless to say, by 4pm I was feeling pretty tired. So I decided to get some fresh air and go for a nice walk. 30 minutes into the walk, I started to feel pretty good - life started to come back into me. I didn't feel tired anymore. I realized that I hadn't gone for a nice walk in quite a while. And up until recently, walking had been one of my favorite activities.<br />
<br />
I started thinking about walking while I was walking. And I could see how walking is the solver of all problems.<br />
<br />
If you need to get some place, you can walk there. If you need to get some fresh air, you can go for a walk. If your job sucks, you can walk out. Wrongfully imprisoned? Getting to walk free would feel pretty good. Tired? Don't take a nap. Go for a walk. It will re-energize you. Are you sick? Do you have a headache? Cold or flu? (I've actually done this before with a 50% success rate [I probably didn't walk far enough the other 50% of the time]) walk until you feel better, even if it's a 5 hour walk. Having a fight with your spouse? Go for a walk to cool off. First snow of the year? Perfect time to bundle up and go for a walk. Depressed? Forget pills. Walk - keep walking until you feel better. Turn off your cell phone and just walk.<br />
<br />
Walk through a new city. Walk by the house you grew up in. Walk to the store or the bank. Walk on the beach. Walk on a dewy field early in the morning. Walk in a shopping mall. Walk to a restaurant and work up a hunger. Walk with your kids. Walk your dog. Feeling spicy? Walk through a dangerous part of town - but remember, keep one hand in your pocket, talk to yourself, and look like you own the place.<br />
<br />
In 1941 Slawomir Rawicz, a Polish army lieutenant imprisoned in a Siberian POW camp, claims to have walked out. He said, "F this." And simply started walking South through the snowy forests. Since the guards never imagined that anyone could survive in the freezing conditions, they didn't bother to put up walls or fences. He was joined by six inmates, and together, they walked over 4000 miles through the Gobi dessert, Tibet, the Himalayas, and eventually made it to British India in the winter of 1942.<br />
<br />
Forest Gump had enough with life and walked for 3 years, 2 months, 14 days and 16 hours.Then he said, "My mama always said you've got to put the past behind you before you can move on." (that's kind of how I remember it, anyways). Anyone feel like shrimp?<br />
<br />
I was once the chef on a wooden tall ship. It was a horrible gig. I hated every second of being on that ship, and to make a long story short, I walked off the ship when it docked in northern Poland in a city called Gdynia. I too, simply walked. I walked along the beach, over bridges, by factories and along train tracks until finding a security check post where the guys were nice enough to call me a taxi to get me to the closest airport. That was one of the nicest walks I've ever taken. It was just me against the world, in a foreign country, with $200 in my pocket, a sweaty chef uniform and my video camera. But I recall how alive I felt. And if I could do it all over again, I would.<br />
<br />
When I was in my 20's I went to live in Margarita Island. I smoked cigarettes, ate like a beast, and lost 25 pounds in 10 weeks. I attribute it to the fact that every day I would walk. I would walk to the supermarket, the bank, the beach, and I would hike. I would hike for hours in no particular direction. Mostly just following the coast line. Or I would walk by the banana plantations to the next town. I once walked up along a jagged, rocky shoreline with low-lying cliffs. And as I was shimmying across a rock wall to get to the next path on top of the other rock wall, I looked at the crashing surf and the rocks about 50 feet below me and thought to myself, 'If I fall down there and break my leg, no one knows I'm here, and by the time someone finds me, I'll be long dead. And if I try to swim to the nearest beach with a bloody leg, I'll be a shark's dinner." Also, I was wearing flip-flops. So I turned around and walked back home.<br />
<br />
I belive the human body was made for walking. And this world, whether it consists of exotic places, or just your own neighborhood, is meant to be walked. The next time you're feeling tired, bored, sick, or just not-quite as healthy as you'd like to be, go for a walk. And if you can't find motivation, just think of all the money you'll save on doctor bills, therapy, weight loss product, gas, and vacations.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-9786640987012034142013-10-09T17:58:00.000-04:002013-10-10T09:27:26.527-04:00vegetarian recipes for carnivores<span style="color: orange;"><b>The Vegetarian's Dilemma</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span><br />
<br />
Yesterday I wrote a really preachy article about the
classification of the way we eat foods... And when I read it again this morning,
it put me back to sleep! So I decided to re-write it to keep it light and
informative.
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Vegetarian’s Dilemma is basically this – how do I have
my food and eat it too – how can I eat tasty, energizing, nourishing food that
actually tastes good and is good for me?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In this article I'd like to mention that there’s more
wrong with processed carbohydrates like pasta, bread, flour, and sugar, than
there is with meat. Your body is made of meat (not celery sticks), so unless
your religion dictates otherwise, you should include animal protein in your
diet – with veggies on the side!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here are some ways in which I help customers swap out the
bad stuff for the good stuff.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Sugar</b></span> – the best way to avoid the effects of processed sugar
is to avoid it altogether. Duh! Obviously, right? A lot of sugar sneaks in through
our condiments. Ketchup is a big one, so is BBQ sauce. Try making your own ketchup
using some natural honey by mixing 2 cans of tomato paste, ½ cup of white
vinegar, 5 tbsp of honey, 1 tbsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, ¼ tsp of
all-spice, 2 tsp of sea salt, 2 cups of water.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To make it into BBQ sauce, you can add a few squirts of your
favorite hot sauce, and 2 tbsp of molasses (which adds vitamins and minerals)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Mashed Potato and White Rice</b></span> are great side dishes, but they
turn into blood sugar very quickly and are high in calories. For healthy
dieters, I always substitute these things with garlic mashed cauliflower. Some
people actually like it better than mashed potato<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- it actually tastes pretty good, and is very
low-carb, and low-calorie. It goes great on the side of a steak!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Simply wash and cut up a head of cauliflower, boil it in
salted water for about 20 minutes until it’s soft. Drain, mix with butter,
salt, pepper and 3 minced garlic cloves, and mash like regular mashed potato.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Pasta</b></span> is probably America’s favorite starch, next only to
bread. Again, this is a high sugar food that you may want to avoid or eat less
often.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I recommend Dreamfields low-carb pasta. It’s found in the
pasta section of your grocery store. It looks, tastes and feels like regular
pasta, but it’s made in such a way that your body cannot really absorb many of
the carbs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you’re really trying to avoid pasta altogether, spaghetti
squash (although it tastes nothing like pasta) does shred into spaghetti-like
strands, and when mixed with sautéed onion, garlic, tomato, herbs and sea-salt,
makes a really enjoyable dish!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
stick a whole spaghetti squash in the oven at 450 in a baking dish until it browns on both, top and bottom. Take out
of oven. Cut in half, remove seeds, and shred the strands with a fork. Sautee
with the veggies I mentioned above, or with your own tomato sauce. You can even
twirl it like spaghetti with your fork!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope you enjoy these little substitutions. And remember that a healthy diet should provide you with energy and furnish your body with the materials needed to build and repair your tissues and organs - animal protein, vegetables, and a very small amount of carbohydrates are ideal.</div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]--><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-41330638499750050792013-09-23T23:45:00.001-04:002013-09-23T23:48:32.187-04:00Paleo diet pizza recipe<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Paleo Pizza Recipe</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MOfw2tOLPognVnR9b9EfukhXSTeUXNCBi_qXGpC8_zpheelqXMrUUimuvLW8Zs2gQ6rizYba-uUyTMUnBeQPYc1Z4mmieYsIfRxgRBB1dx5Bz02DRU0ubBL-8GwVODWBEePFL-qKXLM/s1600/Paleo+Pizza_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4MOfw2tOLPognVnR9b9EfukhXSTeUXNCBi_qXGpC8_zpheelqXMrUUimuvLW8Zs2gQ6rizYba-uUyTMUnBeQPYc1Z4mmieYsIfRxgRBB1dx5Bz02DRU0ubBL-8GwVODWBEePFL-qKXLM/s400/Paleo+Pizza_small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
If you've never heard the term "Paleo", you may be wondering what
this recipe is all about. The "Paleo", or Paleolithic Diet, is is a
modern eating plan based on an ancient diet of wild plants and animals
that various people habitually consumed during the Paleolithic era—a period of about 2.5 million years which ended around 10,000 years ago with the development of
and grain-based diets. It's basically a diet free of processed foods.<br />
<br />
With this recipe I'll show you how to
make a gluten-free, low-carb, Paleo pizza using a meat crust, fresh
vegetables and whole milk mozzarella. You can find the recipe below. You can also watch this recipe on the latest episode of <a href="http://www.foodchaintv.com/category/watch-food-chain-tv-episodes-online/hot-skillet-cristian-feher/" target="_blank">The Hot Skillet</a> on <a href="http://www.foodchaintv.com/" target="_blank">Food Chain TV</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>How to make Paleo Pizza</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Yields:</b></span> 8 servings<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Ingredients:</b> </span><br />
<br />
- 1 Lb of Ground Beef (grass-fed, organic)<br />
<ul>
<li>- 1 Lb of Ground Pork<br />- 1/2 Cup chopped parsley, fresh<br />- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme<br />- 5 cloves of garlic, minced<br />- 1 egg<br />- 1/3 cup of Almond Flour<br />- Salt and pepper to taste<br />- 15oz can of organic tomato puree<br />- 1 lb of whole milk mozzarella cheese<br />- Assorted vegetables for topping</li>
</ul>
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Instructions:</b></span><br />
<ol>
<li>Prepare all of your ingredients and put them in plates and/or containers ready to use. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. </li>
<li>To
mix the "crust", mix the ground pork, ground beef, minced garlic,
minced thyme, minced parsley, almond flour, one egg, and salt to taste.<br data-mce-bogus="1" /> Mix well by hand. </li>
<li>Transfer the meat "crust" to a non-stick baking sheet and spread out thin (1/2 inch thick layer).</li>
<li>Season the tomato puree with sea salt and pepper to taste.</li>
<li>Spred a layer of tomato puree on top of the meat "crust". </li>
<li>Top the "crust" with chopped vegetables of choice, such as: mushrooms, peppers, squash, etc.</li>
<li>Sprinkle a pound of shredded mozzarella cheese over the pizza.</li>
<li>Roast in oven at 450 for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through. Enjoy!</li>
</ol>
Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-69657390890661236892013-09-16T23:03:00.004-04:002013-09-17T00:15:14.865-04:00How to make pot roast in one hour!<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: orange;"><b>How to Make Pot Roast in One Hour</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><a href="http://www.tampabaychef.com/"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></a></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhHqGDkdIHfbt9-Vv3QDvLgCjca6w0H12EGPWpBqzBs2RKJJ4ehqeaEti9kCODUR-yPoniO2e7IBagM2xjTAFKvyraamowgUVfajiwuLOnPHD4tOfqVBJYXAKWmqyIzt2GDqhGB9RvC4/s1600/CAM01558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhHqGDkdIHfbt9-Vv3QDvLgCjca6w0H12EGPWpBqzBs2RKJJ4ehqeaEti9kCODUR-yPoniO2e7IBagM2xjTAFKvyraamowgUVfajiwuLOnPHD4tOfqVBJYXAKWmqyIzt2GDqhGB9RvC4/s1600/CAM01558.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef pot roast in one hour!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Pot roast is one of my favorite home-style comfort foods. Fork tender beef that falls apart as you pick it up, nestled in a bowl with creamy red potatoes, aromatic carrots and a thin, flavorful stock. The only bad thing about pot roast is how long it takes to make. The usual method involves either cooking it for several hours in a Dutch oven, or waiting 6 or more hours for your crock pot to break down the beef. Well, the wait is over! With my method, you can have fork-tender pot roast in one hour, with the help of a pressure cooker.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPNlka4bY8qjYV_jNy9SSBWYsnnfHryay9rbWoE-dVR5FqzIF_vkpFc3SEhBN5UP6yuUzc4c-CcWsBqZ3lav6aLZho_VnDaPIPi9lESXn4boKZb-PSdxdnY4BgAsxlKx8Jm2Fes5LwXc/s1600/CAM01540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRPNlka4bY8qjYV_jNy9SSBWYsnnfHryay9rbWoE-dVR5FqzIF_vkpFc3SEhBN5UP6yuUzc4c-CcWsBqZ3lav6aLZho_VnDaPIPi9lESXn4boKZb-PSdxdnY4BgAsxlKx8Jm2Fes5LwXc/s1600/CAM01540.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Conventional pressure cookers require a little know-how and supervision so that the pressure valve doesn't pop and spray hot food all over your kitchen. I believe that this is what turns a lot of people off from owning or using one. What I recommend is to start out with an electric pressure cooker that has a timer, seven-way safety functions, and regulates its own heat. I use a Cuisinart electric pressure cooker for recipes like this. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliY7GN5GCCFMt2Rlt7gh4u9PI6z3OWwZ-awGyUyeLGIiZ2KRp3ZH03RnfXo8mrAAOGIoCBDzLJk5JdnOjVixyjjVPQCFgcu8dVaiv1vAYHe-JkruDEe6FB9fPM0e-DEC0LFwcnIljO4k/s1600/CAM01542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliY7GN5GCCFMt2Rlt7gh4u9PI6z3OWwZ-awGyUyeLGIiZ2KRp3ZH03RnfXo8mrAAOGIoCBDzLJk5JdnOjVixyjjVPQCFgcu8dVaiv1vAYHe-JkruDEe6FB9fPM0e-DEC0LFwcnIljO4k/s1600/CAM01542.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef Chuck Roast</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcNEmTMfAGR9SrSkPVqGXrgL1qvIRPdvQ7OJn992YTYPF38TXtVFLYzQvh4GuwoeLYvVQry4CZbX5smk8EFw35UJYz8nWksx-FSgVX6y9_N1Bu_URrJ6xPsiVvQVZaGKALVmGOu_3p9g/s1600/CAM01547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEcNEmTMfAGR9SrSkPVqGXrgL1qvIRPdvQ7OJn992YTYPF38TXtVFLYzQvh4GuwoeLYvVQry4CZbX5smk8EFw35UJYz8nWksx-FSgVX6y9_N1Bu_URrJ6xPsiVvQVZaGKALVmGOu_3p9g/s1600/CAM01547.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Notice the nice fat marbling on a beef chuck roast!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For pot roasts, I like to use shoulder chuck roasts because they're tough enough to keep together, and fatty enough to be moist and tender at the end of the cooking process. And fortunately, it's a cheap cut of meat. A basic rule of meat cookery, fortunately, is that the harder it is to cook, the cheaper it costs.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Yields:</b></span> 4 servings<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span><br />
- 2 lb beef chuck roast<br />
- 1 large onion<br />
- 3 celery ribs <br />
- 8 carrots, peeled <br />
- 6-8 red potatoes, whole<br />
- 3 cloves of garlic<br />
- Flavorful beef stock made from bullion<br />
- Salt and pepper to taste<br />
- Olive oil<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Instructions:</b></span><br />
<br />
1. Dice the onion, cut the carrots and celery into large chunks and mince the garlic.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZGS6dink5fX7BoHejA79QD9jphNT3r_Lu8BegIIE4WqpCFuwjDj4G5W1WA1LH5WZXcjeiukB76EhtSMDOJFHAyJwg4zzSeOGvTWwg8GwqGOhgoaLLCwN1_waZDpXp_cD1AsFYLDeBsE/s1600/CAM01538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoZGS6dink5fX7BoHejA79QD9jphNT3r_Lu8BegIIE4WqpCFuwjDj4G5W1WA1LH5WZXcjeiukB76EhtSMDOJFHAyJwg4zzSeOGvTWwg8GwqGOhgoaLLCwN1_waZDpXp_cD1AsFYLDeBsE/s1600/CAM01538.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sauteeing the carrots, garlic and onions.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
2. With a little olive oil and the lid off, use the pressure cooker in "sautee" mode and cook the onions until they are translucent. Then add the carrots,celery, and garlic.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvt5QsGRQ4zc4M_tCzUN0OydOeBy8u-PXYeIB8C17IYnDP6ZIDg0KJij-wiyosWLViHlxn7-4_A06g9dvTgMfqyoIq136cQ9fwV_XTeIlLOySsixJKtRCsGdzNiPF4uZ7TOXYv8UzugU/s1600/CAM01546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvt5QsGRQ4zc4M_tCzUN0OydOeBy8u-PXYeIB8C17IYnDP6ZIDg0KJij-wiyosWLViHlxn7-4_A06g9dvTgMfqyoIq136cQ9fwV_XTeIlLOySsixJKtRCsGdzNiPF4uZ7TOXYv8UzugU/s1600/CAM01546.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut roast into smaller pieces.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
3. If your piece of beef is large, cut it into three large chunks and put on top of the vegetables in the pressure cooker.<br />
<br />
4. Put the potatoes on top of the beef.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCwE2zliLs9SdfDAo08u7U2Xlamg7XjJ1Xo1Gd4rzMnNLPmsITBgj_V8d8tAq2VfqBPYLBixnJoMHCjfLmmy25UmszCqq3MUTeowpKCim8l0_1eQnfDEfI7E__AvOeyKnAzsWlXP6oGu0/s1600/CAM01543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCwE2zliLs9SdfDAo08u7U2Xlamg7XjJ1Xo1Gd4rzMnNLPmsITBgj_V8d8tAq2VfqBPYLBixnJoMHCjfLmmy25UmszCqq3MUTeowpKCim8l0_1eQnfDEfI7E__AvOeyKnAzsWlXP6oGu0/s1600/CAM01543.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef stock made from bullion</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigvZ2Sc0QoQ1Tk997cMLQrLDKodfvPzLhKmrn2c38FR78ZiQJ6Dkx1sEpKqPDsCVfo6SpucWnMUFAj-eJg7CBXiOoWXQpe2Goq1f5X2vfzc5a5Ctq89VO4lqMyCq49Vy0geWTKluzN6g/s1600/CAM01548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigvZ2Sc0QoQ1Tk997cMLQrLDKodfvPzLhKmrn2c38FR78ZiQJ6Dkx1sEpKqPDsCVfo6SpucWnMUFAj-eJg7CBXiOoWXQpe2Goq1f5X2vfzc5a5Ctq89VO4lqMyCq49Vy0geWTKluzN6g/s1600/CAM01548.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Put beef on top of vegeteables.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz98qrTstcHVVr5PRaRSt44XR6KNLXX3r8EGAm9ooPB-5ZqPnkG1pdKR2fvzJ_mxM-TgzMRDm69wVOV1vVErStLm9zk3cQJ5qqexBFvYTghaWl0sxvE04efoecQDfCIma-DL4r4JlU6NU/s1600/CAM01550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz98qrTstcHVVr5PRaRSt44XR6KNLXX3r8EGAm9ooPB-5ZqPnkG1pdKR2fvzJ_mxM-TgzMRDm69wVOV1vVErStLm9zk3cQJ5qqexBFvYTghaWl0sxvE04efoecQDfCIma-DL4r4JlU6NU/s1600/CAM01550.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Put potatoes on top of beef.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
5. Add enough beef stock to just barely cover the beef.<br />
<br />
6. Put the lid on and set the pressure cooker to cook the dish for 1 hour on high pressure.<br />
<br />
7. Once the cooking is done, and the pressure has settled for a few minutes, let the steam out through the pressure valve (by following the pressure cooker instruction manual). Remove the vegetables and beef into a bowl or holding pot. Season the remaining liquid in the pressure cooker with salt and pepper to taste. <br />
<br />
8. Serve the beef, potatoes, and carrots in soup bowls with some of the beef liquid and enjoy!<br />
<br />Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-83460609104947619342013-09-08T22:00:00.003-04:002013-09-08T22:33:40.134-04:00How to make deep dish pizza<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>How to Make Deep-Dish Pizza</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGt0Sn5j201O7_ZvRx52RIlEILQ-wAENZpg3VM5fFobw7U4F-XzZl4w4J7-IzTMR1YmgA4fmKFGR1f8YsosyGfofjgf8axpclnyGfcf-1LFES2-pB9xlaJI7j2Nuyt-4NpPy0SNE-wThI/s1600/Deep+Dish+Pizza3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGt0Sn5j201O7_ZvRx52RIlEILQ-wAENZpg3VM5fFobw7U4F-XzZl4w4J7-IzTMR1YmgA4fmKFGR1f8YsosyGfofjgf8axpclnyGfcf-1LFES2-pB9xlaJI7j2Nuyt-4NpPy0SNE-wThI/s400/Deep+Dish+Pizza3.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Deep dish pizza is an American favorite. If you have ever waited 45 minutes at Pizza Uno on a windy Chicago day, you know it was worth every minute! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Some say deep-dish is the best kind of pizza there is. Others claim it's not pizza at all. I've even heard it described as a "casserole", which I suppose, is technically correct. But everyone can agree, that a deep-dish Chicago-style pizza is something you have to experience.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A traditional deep-dish pizza has two endearing qualities: it's thick as heck, and it's partly fried. You see, in order to get that dough really nice and crispy, you have to bake it in a well-oiled cast iron skillet. The cheese and fillings are baked into the fried dough shell. You can also sprinkle the crust with cornmeal to give it another dimension of crispiness, but it's not always necessary. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Below is my recipe for deep dish pizza.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Equipment:</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- A cash iron skillet or shallow casserole.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- An oven capable of baking at 400 degrees.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Ingredients:</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- 1 ball of store-bought pizza dough (or you can make your own)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- 1 Lb Italian shredded cheese blend (with mozzarella)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Your favorite tomato sauce</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Cashew basil pesto (recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Wek2I9g3nPq_wGze5Ms96T4Jy1GG7vLz7A7LYHBJmvY/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Chopped cooked sausage, or diced ham</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- 1 diced red pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Sliced black olives</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Chopped white mushrooms</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Instructions:</span></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pgY2Tp-WrTSJ1Bf10KjhWOf5A45NFd2-yuKQ7Q9nF5dgJF5l8PG6KXmn6iGU3oWpruFRviLTXTmiuEdxeLYHcwEyYZglRmgBVpNzxEICn8vjugctKdJzQUWUgdLFS9xp3UqCp3yXCd8/s1600/Deep+Dish+Pizza2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pgY2Tp-WrTSJ1Bf10KjhWOf5A45NFd2-yuKQ7Q9nF5dgJF5l8PG6KXmn6iGU3oWpruFRviLTXTmiuEdxeLYHcwEyYZglRmgBVpNzxEICn8vjugctKdJzQUWUgdLFS9xp3UqCp3yXCd8/s400/Deep+Dish+Pizza2.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> 1. Heat your oven to 400 bake (I used 400 convection bake)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">2. Roll out your pizza dough, or shape it by hand, or toss it in the air! As long as you can get a flat disc of pizza dough, 2 to 3 inches wider than the skillet, you're good.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">3. Swirl some olive oil on the bottom of the pan and rub it into the sides with your hands or a brush. How much olive oil? Three swirls around the skillet should do it! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">4. place the dough on the skillet. I like to make sure that I carefully tuck the pizza dough into it, and then I let an inch or two hang over the sides.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">5. Spread some cashew basil pesto on the bottom and sides of the pizza.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">6. Spread a generous amount of sauce on the bottom and sides of the pizza.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">7. In a bowl, combine half the cheese, the sausage/ham, olives, peppers, and mushrooms. Mix them up, mix in some tomato sauce 1/2 to 1 cup. Pour into the pizza. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Pinch the remaining dough to make a ring around the inside of the skillet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">8. Bake at 400 for 45 minutes - In my oven, since it's a pretty nice <a href="http://www.kenmore.com/kenmore-elite-30inch-freestanding-electric-range-w/p-02297513000P?prdNo=4&blockNo=4&blockType=G4" target="_blank">Kenmore convection oven</a>, it only took 30 minutes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">9. Enjoy with an ice-cold beer or Coke! Also, you will need some hungry friends. I can eat like a champion, but have never been able to finish off a deep dish pizza by myself. </span><br />
<br />
<br />Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-90267700902954934742013-09-04T22:25:00.001-04:002013-09-04T22:27:07.098-04:00best way to cook vegetables<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">How to Eat Your Vegetables</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">By: Chef Cristian Feher</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">www.tampabaychef.com</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0JqiJ3HJ5I0LFA2tGEdhbtFFqiggl76XXQg1Og6Z1n4Vv8xjPYG98MKTjZaWyZ6xLvtVCyejSom9GWn913GitVXvC7Ylwe8Vy0N2WZB28uLeI0YEntO0tRFrzQ4zcxMa8pAmoVv34Z0/s1600/Kelapo_Roast_Veggies3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0JqiJ3HJ5I0LFA2tGEdhbtFFqiggl76XXQg1Og6Z1n4Vv8xjPYG98MKTjZaWyZ6xLvtVCyejSom9GWn913GitVXvC7Ylwe8Vy0N2WZB28uLeI0YEntO0tRFrzQ4zcxMa8pAmoVv34Z0/s400/Kelapo_Roast_Veggies3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">© Cristian Feher 2012 - Coconut Oil Roasted Vegetables</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The title of this article may seem a bit childish, but what I want to do here is break down why we need vegetables in the first place, and explain how the different forms of vegetables compare. This may change the way you eat vegetables, and for some of you, it may actually tempt you to eat more!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Why do you need vegetables?</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">According to your mom, you have to eat your vegetables. But did she ever tell you why? Is it simply because starving children in Africa don't have any? Or, is there more to it? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Put simply, vegetables provide you with four things: vitamins, enzymes, minerals and fiber. These are things your body needs in order to be healthy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: orange;"><b>Vitamins and enzymes</b></span> are the molecular tools and raw materials that your body (which is a big chemical laboratory) uses to make, burn, build, and destroy other chemicals and compounds. Look at your body as a big factory. In one end goes in the raw materials, and at the other end you get a finished product. If a car factory is missing their weekly shipment of metal, for example, the factory shuts down. If they don't get their weekly shipment of screw drivers and wrenches (enzymes), they can't put the metal pieces together. I hope you get the analogy here. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: orange;">Minerals</span> </b>help to build and replenish bones. They also help to carry nerve impulses (electrolytes), and do a host of other things.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: orange;"><b>Fiber</b></span> is also very important, and a lot of people do not get enough of it. Besides keeping you regular by helping to push soft foods through your digestive system, fiber also has another very important function. Fiber absorbs liquid - a lot of liquid! And in the case of the human body, some of the liquids that fiber absorbs are toxins. You can get rid of excess water and toxins by eating a lot of vegetable fiber. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Is there a proper way to eat vegetables?</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Well yes, and there are also different ways you can get them. I'll give you some examples below. But the first thing that you should know is that over-cooking can destroy those vitamins and enzymes. So, slightly cooked, or raw vegetables, will give you vitamins, enzymes, fiber and minerals. Whereas, veggies cooked all the way through will only provide you with minerals and fiber. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Canned Vegetables</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">They are overly cooked at the factory inside of the can at high heat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Vitamins?</b> Vit C, Vit A, Thiamine, Riboflavin destroyed. B-12 may be destroyed if it came in contact with iron or copper at the factory.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Enzymes?</b> I don't think any are left.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Fiber?</b> Yes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Minerals?</b> Yes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Frozen Vegetables</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Frozen vegetables, when thawed, have relatively the same vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fiber as fresh raw vegetables. The trick is not to over-cook them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Vitamins?</b> Yes, except for vitamin C which goes first when heated.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Enzymes?</b> Some.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Fiber?</b> Yes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Minerals?</b> Yes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Raw Vegetables</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Washed in cold water and served without heating. Can be cut, diced, sliced, etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Vitamins?</b> Yes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Enzymes?</b> Yes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Fiber?</b> Yes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Minerals?</b> Yes.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Fresh, Cooked Vegetables</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I generally blanch (quickly boil in salted water) my vegetables for no more than about 1 to 2 minutes. Green vegetables, like broccoli, will turn bright green after a few seconds in boiling water. This is a chemical reaction inside the vegetable that tells you to stop cooking them at this point. They are best eaten at this bright green point with most vitamins and enzymes intact, or cooled under cold water to stop the cooking process and stored. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Vitamins?</b> Most are retained.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Ezymes?</b> Some are retained.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Fiber?</b> Yes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Minerals?</b> Yes.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">You can blanch, fry, sear, broil, roast and grill many different types of vegetables. Just remember to do it for a short period of time so that the internal temperature of the vegetable doesn't get too hot. As a general rule of thumb, if the vegetables are still crunchy they will have much more nutritional value than if they have been cooked soft. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-57659936045183504882013-08-04T23:08:00.005-04:002013-08-05T21:44:59.631-04:00Gluten free how to avoid wheat<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>So you're allergic to wheat...</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.beerfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/wheat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.beerfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/wheat.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So you're allergic to wheat... Sucks to you. But if it makes you feel any better, there are thousands of people who share your pain. Me included (I still eat it, though). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Have you ever felt really tired, gained weight, suffered skin problems, or had digestive issues after eating foods with wheat in them? If your answer is yes, then you may be allergic to wheat - to be more exact, you're probably allergic to a protein found in wheat which is called "gluten". Gluten is that thing in wheat which makes foods gummy, elastic, and gives pastas and breads that unique springy texture. Not to mention that it's a binder - without it, your foods would crumble instead of stick together.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My Theory on Wheat/Gluten Allergies</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://responsiveuniverse.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/string-theory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://responsiveuniverse.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/string-theory.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I'm not a scientist in the scholarly sense, but I do practice science. Which is to say, that I make observations, and then align what was observed to explain or solve problems - science. So here is my theory and observations on my own wheat/gluten allergy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Observations:</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1. When I eat products containing wheat in North America (Canada and the US), I feel certain allergic reactions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">2. When I eat products containing wheat in South American countries like Venezuela, and Argentina I do not feel any allergic reactions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">3. Venezuela gets 95% of their wheat from Canada and the US. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Theory:</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.namamillers.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/how-flour-milled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="http://www.namamillers.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/how-flour-milled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My initial theory was that there was something wrong with North American grown wheat. However, since finding out that I've been eating that same North American wheat in South America, that theory had to be false. But, there still remains the observation that when i eat that same wheat in South America, I am not feeling the effects of a "gluten allergy", which brings about the following theory.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.scientific.net/AMR.608-609.392/preview.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.scientific.net/AMR.608-609.392/preview.gif" width="282" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There must be something that is added to the wheat here in the US or Canada, or it undergoes some sort of process (which is not done or added to that wheat in South America). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So it may not necessarily be that the wheat or gluten grown here causes allergies, but that something is done to that wheat while it's becoming flour that makes us allergic to it. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Chemical additives? Molecular change? Stripping of nutrients? I'm not sure. But the fact remains that there is a factor present which makes me have a reaction after eating it if it has been processed here in the good ol' US of A. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Solution:</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A theory is as good as it solves a problem, and it doesn't have to be better than that. So my solution is simply to avoid wheat, make my own pastas from scratch using wheat flours not processed in North America, or eat wheat only when I'm traveling.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">How to avoid wheat and have your cake too</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://media3.onsugar.com/files/2013/02/07/5/192/1922729/36b5c67564eab4cb_stk78777cor.preview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://media3.onsugar.com/files/2013/02/07/5/192/1922729/36b5c67564eab4cb_stk78777cor.preview.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I understand that many of you are not chefs, and have better things to do in life than to experiment with foreign flours. So here is a simple guide that will help you make wheat-free substitutions that will permit you to still enjoy eating. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Although nothing truly replaces the exact taste, consistency and texture of wheat, here are some things which come close enough. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Pasta</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.tinkyada.com/images/Re03_01.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://www.tinkyada.com/images/Re03_01.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This is probably the wheat product that you will miss the most. And although nothing comes close to a nice plate of <i>al dente</i> pasta, you can still enjoy your favorite pasta sauces with brown rice pasta. Tinkyada is a good brand, and is pretty satisfying. Unlike the delicate rice noodles you might make for Asian dishes, Tinkyada pasta is made with pasta lovers in mind - it's coarser, thicker and more closely resembles wheat pasta.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There are also pastas made of corn and quinoa out there. But I think they suck. Stick to brown rice pastas, especially Tinkyada brand. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Gravies and Sauces</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://berkshiregirl.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/bobs-white-rice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://berkshiregirl.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/bobs-white-rice.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In the culinary world there are many things which you can use to thicken sauces. But not many of them come close to the creamy consistency that wheat flour (with gluten) gives you. I could write a whole article on all the different thickeners used in cooking - but I'd rather you book me for a private lesson ;)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I will give you a couple, though. You can thicken sauces, gravies and soups by whisking in a quickly-made slurry of white rice flour and water (to the consistency of toothpaste). The key is to make the slurry right before you add it. If you make it ahead of time, the rice will absorb all the water in the slurry and will not thicken your soup or sauces as well. Do this in small batches, and bring to a simmer each time, and you will achieve the perfect thickness. Remember that rice slurry will thicken more and more over the first few minutes, so don't over-do it and end up with an overly thick paste!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Another great thickener is egg yolks (the yellow part of the egg), and you if you mix egg yolks with heavy whipping cream (good for sauces) it's called a "liaison".Whisk these in very quickly so that you can get thickening, and not scrambled eggs! It's an art, but it's a great way to enjouy quality gluten-free dishes once you master it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Breads </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.glutenfreebirmingham.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/udis1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.glutenfreebirmingham.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/udis1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Nowadays, with the growing awareness of gluten allergies, there are companies out there that have worked very hard to come up with gluten-free breads that are actually satisfying and come close to the consistency of the real deal. Udi's is one of them. They sell sandwich bread, muffins, bagels, burger buns, hot dog buns, and other gluten-free baked goods which are actually pretty enjoyable. I find mine in the freezer section of my grocery store. Your store may carry them fresh. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Sweet Breads</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://detoxinista.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/DSC08907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://detoxinista.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/DSC08907.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Not willing to give up carrot loafs or banana bread? I don't blame you. However, I recently worked with Dr. Kellyann Petrucci, a leader in the Paleo Diet movement, and we came up with a really good recipe for banana nut bread made with almond flour, eggs, and coconut oil. Although it was high in calories, it was gluten-free, rich, moist, thick and delicious! Email me for the recipe at tampabaychef@gmail.com</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Pizza</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I hear that Udi's also makes good gluten-free pizza crusts. So those are probably worth checking out.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Breakfast</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">There are many gluten free cereals, like Rice Crispies and Rice Chex. Pamela's gluten free pancakes are also quite good. And a hearty three-egg omelet stuffed with sausage, peppers, tomato, mushrooms, onions and cheese has always been gluten-free! I also enjoy sliced turkey, cheese and a nice fruit bowl with chopped mint. Breakfast is probably the easiest of all meals to rid of gluten. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Do you have your own gluten-free alternatives? Email them to me! I'm always happy to hear from my readers. Or post a comment below. tampabaychef@gmail.com</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-53828928277039216292013-07-15T21:20:00.001-04:002013-07-21T20:01:42.441-04:00Avocado Dessert Recipes<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Healthy It Up with Avocados!</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZd8PenDTxRPiL8ri9-DXwZfNs_P6W6uguwjkCuJyJD7tbfLdcrafc_MUKytcKpkslIHwSVY_mLrWtO_bx5gDMFeESsPFTFK1eMi0IynoChz5YfHGuGz1wUpHFvVMJ_QAmkNnpm-TGVMI/s1600/cooking-avocado.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZd8PenDTxRPiL8ri9-DXwZfNs_P6W6uguwjkCuJyJD7tbfLdcrafc_MUKytcKpkslIHwSVY_mLrWtO_bx5gDMFeESsPFTFK1eMi0IynoChz5YfHGuGz1wUpHFvVMJ_QAmkNnpm-TGVMI/s640/cooking-avocado.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_g75orMbJ8" target="_blank">Click here to watch the video.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It seems that when I need ripe avocados, they're nowhere to be found. And when I don't, they're everywhere. Are you bored of making guacamole? Don't know what else to make with avocados? Keep reading, because these recipes might surprise you! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />What is an avocado? Is it a fruit, or a vegetable? That doesn't really matter. What matters is that it's a little bundle of vegetable fat - but it's healthy fat! Which means that you can add it to other fatty dishes to lower the calories. They will also add a layer of taste and color which will delight your palate. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Avocado Tiramisu Recipe:</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwjcmYrXFEMOnRINZzePyHUSlkP32Cvz1LAlUNY4TED_LYzYpLh8f161cIB8qkUBl6V7iWFjqT_tRFX4G0nA8a4RUZS8SaAOU7Vy57NmhAFFKbQIJzSKUJOip9WxdrIeMG7TnZvKVW0U/s1600/avocado_tiramisu1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwjcmYrXFEMOnRINZzePyHUSlkP32Cvz1LAlUNY4TED_LYzYpLh8f161cIB8qkUBl6V7iWFjqT_tRFX4G0nA8a4RUZS8SaAOU7Vy57NmhAFFKbQIJzSKUJOip9WxdrIeMG7TnZvKVW0U/s640/avocado_tiramisu1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">If I have ever provided you with my private dining services, it's likely that you've had my cream cheese tiramisu. My customers love it! So, in thinking, "What dessert can I improve with avocado?" This one came to mind. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I was able to add color and depth of flavor, and shave 400 calories off this recipe by using avocados. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- 6oz Whipped cream cheese</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- 3/4 cup of sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- 2 avocados, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- 3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- 1/2 tbsp of vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- 2 lady finger cookies</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Cocoa powder for garnish</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Instructions:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, avocados, vanilla extract and whipping cream. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">2. With an electric mixer, mix all the ingredients until you have a smooth, thick mousse (it may take anywhere from 3 to 7 minutes of mixing to do this)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">3. Place two lady finger cookies in a bowl or martini glass, add a couple of dollops of the mousse mixture on top of the lady fingers, and sprinkle some cocoa powder for garnish. Enjoy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Avocado Milkshake Recipe:</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Ut6_8-xC1q0mNATQtYeTf0khuvGEZgQ65fOicpmOt4uHygaAT5mtz9jRstFZW-FyOcyjJbPlG_JA1sX7D1nZC8idiGkXcxl-MdDSW9rE39YKv6sy7eBbbFSf8nPZm11VzCzPR1Xi5vQ/s1600/avocado_shake3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Ut6_8-xC1q0mNATQtYeTf0khuvGEZgQ65fOicpmOt4uHygaAT5mtz9jRstFZW-FyOcyjJbPlG_JA1sX7D1nZC8idiGkXcxl-MdDSW9rE39YKv6sy7eBbbFSf8nPZm11VzCzPR1Xi5vQ/s640/avocado_shake3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This is a very popular recipe in Vietnamese and Phillipino restaurants - but since the Tampa bay area is seriously lacking in good Asian cuisine, it has probably come as a shock to you! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I would also like to mention that I was able to shave off 270 calories off the regular milkshake recipe. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- 2 avocados, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- 2 cups of French vanilla ice cream</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- 1/2 cup of sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- 1 cup of whole milk (or milk substitute)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Whipped cream</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Instructions:</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1. Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor, and make a shake! Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream. Enjoy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Avocado Soup Recipe:</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3aHErQAiORz68qCQg1DMayn_L5D8wKKqKbhuGAldhY-b_l6roeGLMsKQPwIrr3Cc_DKcV0QfiX5JaH30HcxhNKESUmSRx7TwalxQa1z5ZFM0YTIDqmLOnY-V51byeJG-eMHvo9sT1PLw/s1600/avocado_soup1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3aHErQAiORz68qCQg1DMayn_L5D8wKKqKbhuGAldhY-b_l6roeGLMsKQPwIrr3Cc_DKcV0QfiX5JaH30HcxhNKESUmSRx7TwalxQa1z5ZFM0YTIDqmLOnY-V51byeJG-eMHvo9sT1PLw/s640/avocado_soup1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Not all of these recipes are dessert recipes. You can also make a really smooth, velvety soup with avocados. I like to make this when I offer my customers my Mexican cooking class, along with ribeye steak burritos, roast corn salsa, salsa verde, spicy pico de gallo, and... well, you get the idea. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-7fe41cb6-e506-f480-06d8-29f837e5abc2" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ingredients:</span></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 4 avocados (ripe hass avocados)</span></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 1 cup of diced onion</span></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 1/2 cup of heavy cream (optional)</span></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 2 to 3 cups of chicken stock (or just enough to cover the avacados)</span></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 3 cloves of garlic minced</span></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 1/2 tbsp of diced jalapeño pepper</span></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- 1 lemon</span></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- fresh chopped cilantro</span></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- sour cream</span></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- salt and pepper</span></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- olive oil</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Equipment:</span></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Immersion blender, or regular blender</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Instructions:</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. Cook the diced onions in a medium sauce pot with a little olive oil for about 7 minutes until the onions start to become translucent.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. Add the avocado flesh, jalapeño pepper, and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. Add hot chicken stock and cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Puree with the immersion blender until velvety smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender - go buy one! But if you can't, just put the soup in a blender and blend until smooth.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. Serve with a pinch of fresh cilantro, a spoonful of sour cream and you can squeeze some fresh lemon juice to kick up the taste!</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, go out there and squeeze yourself some ripe avocados, and make yourself a healthy treat - well, healthy-ER! </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-28567916382573925582013-06-29T22:54:00.000-04:002013-06-29T23:02:59.169-04:00paleo diet sauces and recipes<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Paleo Diet Sauces</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8PIXCn5AfZ9n-58UR3LOqr7NhqklLjwUquKQHgTeUzn6Xvu4RUV2wUXA1QBlPp_SrjEMs4Y5-jz-0ldPBwDCa2qTx6MELXzNvhWQfu72yE0swF7bbJI33GsZl9-_U04ZfEgdkLUV5e0/s1408/Paleo+Sauces+Text+Medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8PIXCn5AfZ9n-58UR3LOqr7NhqklLjwUquKQHgTeUzn6Xvu4RUV2wUXA1QBlPp_SrjEMs4Y5-jz-0ldPBwDCa2qTx6MELXzNvhWQfu72yE0swF7bbJI33GsZl9-_U04ZfEgdkLUV5e0/s640/Paleo+Sauces+Text+Medium.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
You've probably heard about the Paleo Diet. The premise is that you should eat like Man did thousands of years ago when we were hunter-gatherers. Which basically means that you avoid things that weren't around back then: refined sugar, grain products (like wheat, corn, flour, oats, etc), preservatives, and anything made in a factory. What's left is organic meats, fish, fowl, vegetables, herbs and fruits. You also avoid dairy, and legumes like peanuts and beans.<br />
<br />
Yes, it might sound a little strict, but the customers that I have helped with this diet seem to do pretty good on it if they are willing to stick to it. You won't get to eat a cheeseburger and fries, but you can have grilled grass-fed steaks, fish, chicken wings, stir-fries and a lot of really good, healthy foods.<br />
<br />
I recently worked with a Paleo expert. <a href="http://www.drkellyann.com/" target="_blank">Dr. Kellyann Petrucci</a> is the author of several books on the diet, including Living Peleo for Dummies. While working with Dr. Petrucci I had a chance to take a closer look into the Paleo Diet and was even compelled to try it myself. And not entirely for the food - the results were what most impressed me. <br />
<br />
As a personal chef, one of my jobs is to help my customers by preparing foods for their diets. Over the years I have tried almost all of them. And I can tell you that most of them were a huge failure for one main reason - the food sucked! (Atkins was OK, because I got to eat tonnes of sausage, cheese, and bacon, but I eventually felt kind of sick all the time.)<br />
<br />
Now, this is the part where you're expecting me to tell you how awesome Paeleo food is, right? Well I'm not going to say it's better than a cheeseburger, a plate of pasta, a seafood paella, or osso bucco. But I will tell you that after a week, I am still interested. Which says a lot.<br />
<br />
My first complaint about most diets is lack flavor, variety, and satisfaction. So I thought, "If I am going to give this way of eating a try, I have to make it taste good." So I came up with three main sauces (all conforming to paleo guidelines) which I used to flavor and cook my protein and vegetables. At any given time over the past week, I have used one or several of these sauces over meat, fish, fowl, mixed into a plate of vegetables, or added to a very hearty salad with the addition of apple cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. It was all very good!<br />
<br />
Below are the sauce recipes. Having a food processor is essential to making these, by the way. So, you finally have an excuse to buy one! And if you can't afford one, go on Craigslist.com, or your local thrift store and pick up a used one for next to nothing.<br />
<br />
<b>French Tomato Salsa</b><br />
<br />
This is a variation of Pico de Gallo. But instead of using cilantro, I am using a more French herb - parsley. This is the easiest out of all the three sauces to make. This is a raw sauce and should last 4-5 days in your fridge in a container with a lid. However, if you would like it to last longer - say, a week or two, you can bring it to a simmer for 5 minutes, cool, and then put it in the fridge. You can also add a little bit of cayenne pepper, hot peppers of your liking, or dried red chilies if you would like the sauce to be spicy.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
- 3 ripe field tomatoes, diced<br />
- 3 cloves of fresh garlic<br />
- 1/3 cup of fresh, clean, parsley<br />
- Plenty of Celtic or Mediterranean sea salt to taste<br />
- Black pepper to taste<br />
<br />
<b>Instructions:</b><br />
<br />
1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a puree consistency is reached. Adjust salt and pepper before taking it out of the food processor.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Eggplant Basil Pesto</b><br />
<br />
I wanted to make regular pesto using chashews, but I wanted to avoid the calories from the nuts. So, I used eggplant as the "filler" in this simple, yet tasty, pesto. You can also use green zuccini as the "filler" too if you wish.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
- 1 eggplant, peeled, and diced<br />
- 3 handfuls of fresh, clean basil leaves<br />
- 1 handful of fresh parsley<br />
- 4 cloves of fresh garlic<br />
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil<br />
- Celtic sea salt and black pepper to taste<br />
<br />
<b>Instructions:</b><br />
<br />
1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and puree. Make sure you adjust the salt and pepper before removing from the food processor.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Bell Pepper Chimichurri</b><br />
<br />
A "Chimichurri" is an Argentinian sauce that goes on grilled meats. It's herby, flavorful, and fresh, and is one of my favorite condiments for meats, fowl and fish - it also happens to conform to the paleo way of eating! You can make it with any color bell peppers (the sauce will be different colors), and you can make it spicy by adding your favorite hot pepper.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
- 2 red bell peppers, diced<br />
- 3 cloves of garlic<br />
- 1/2 cup of fresh basil<br />
- 1/2 cup of fresh parsley<br />
- 1/2 tbsp of dried oregano<br />
- Celtic sea salt and black pepper to taste<br />
- Extra virgin olive oil<br />
<br />
<b>Instructions:</b><br />
<br />
1. Put all ingredients, except for the olive oil, in the food processor and mince the ingredients.<br />
<br />
2. Transfer ingredients into a container. Fill with olive oil until the oil covers the ingredients. Adjust salt and pepper (stir it well every time you taste).<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
With these three sauces, you will be able to enjoy grilled meats, roast meats, pan-fried meat, and all your vegetables and salads while you lose weight and improve your health with the Paleo way of eating. There are MANY combinations that you can make with these. This should keep you from getting bored with healthy eating for a couple of weeks. Keep visiting this blog as I update the Paleo sauces, seasonings and fresh ideas as I, myself, get bored along the way!<br />
<br />
And don't forget, that our ancestors did not sit around watching tv, using computers, or driving cars. You should always combine diet with exercise for best results. Food is just fuel, after all. Until next time!<br />
<br />
Disclaimer: Always consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise regime. This article includes my personal opinions and views and should not be construed as medical advice. Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-37527401527296317652013-06-05T23:10:00.003-04:002013-06-05T23:10:47.059-04:00Delicious Ways to Cool Off This Summer<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Delicious Ways to Cool Off This Summer</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>By: Chef Cristian Feher</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>www.tampabaychef.com</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUNZlQJVx5om_uRsaCDbr01hcUJX0Ptd1NVujYKKQqJ7g-9kr5VHknYRjC2muXOYhNyvfJkbCejgNbX7WBBtO-RJgNJxpnGFuNIBe6tWaKG2lZSo9IT83fxkuTKszfo4jTXAr6GUgnwnb/s1600/ice+cream+truck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUNZlQJVx5om_uRsaCDbr01hcUJX0Ptd1NVujYKKQqJ7g-9kr5VHknYRjC2muXOYhNyvfJkbCejgNbX7WBBtO-RJgNJxpnGFuNIBe6tWaKG2lZSo9IT83fxkuTKszfo4jTXAr6GUgnwnb/s400/ice+cream+truck.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">It's Florida. It's June. It's hot! Did you ever wonder how people lived in Florida before air conditioning? Just imagine, during the 1920's, 30's and even the 40's, what the inside of your house would feel like on a day like today. 90 degrees and 70% relative humidity. Your sheets would stick to you, the house would smell like mildew, and you'd be covered in a perpetual layer of sweat. I suppose the human body can get used to anything.. But with heat like this, it's just hard to fathom. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Aside from the technological marvel that is your air conditioning unit, here are some delicious ideas to keep you cool.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Ditch the ice cubes!</b></span> <span style="color: #eeeeee;">There are tastier ways to cool your drinks. Have you tried berries? Adding frozen berries to your drink not only cools it off, but adds a subtle layer of flavor. I love club soda with frozen berries! I also really like to put frozen watermelon cubes in my club soda, the taste is fantastic. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Alcoholic beverages can also benefit from the frosty addition of frozen fruits. Try putting frozen citrus quarters in your mug of beer. Or frozen grapes in your wine and champagne. One of my favorites is beer with frozen blueberries.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Hydrate!</b></span> <span style="color: #eeeeee;">Air conditioners work on the law of evaporation, and so does your body. When your sweat evaporates, it cools you. That's why you feel hot and sticky on a very humid day - because the air has so much water in it that your sweat can't really evaporate very quickly and you stay hot. Damn, I got scientific, didn't I. The point is that you need to have lots of water in order to have lots of sweat in order to cool off quickly.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Melons; like watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew (just to name a few) are made up mostly of water. In fact, fruits and vegetables have a much, much higher water content than carbohydrates and protein. So, the thing to do on a hot day is to load up on fruits, vegetables and salads. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">To make a really simple fruit salad, cut up your favorite fruits into a bowl - I like to use pineapple, grapes, watermelon and berries - add some fresh chopped mint for a cool, refreshing flavor, and if you're feeling festive, you can even add a little liqueur like coconut rum or Drambuie. </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br />A fresh salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and zucchini will ensure that you're munching on the veggies with the highest water content. Add to that salt and citrus juice and you've created a hydrating salad with electrolytes!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: orange;"><b>Hot spice is cool!</b></span> <span style="color: #eeeeee;">Spicy food cools you off. I'm sure you may be thinking that the last thing you want to eat on a hot day is a spicy bowl of chili, curry, or a spicy Mexican burrito. And I agree. However, the reason those foods would raise your body temperature is not because they have hot peppers in them, it's because they're fatty, oily, and rich. Fat is fuel. And your body is a furnace. If you add fat to the furnace, it heats up. Simple.</span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Hot peppers make you sweat, and sweat cools you off, if you mix that hot spice with foods low in fat and carbohydrates. Mixing hot peppers, hot sauce, or cayenne into foods like salads, veggie and meat stir-fries, light soups, and cold soups (like gazpacho), will cool you off. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">One of my favorite summer cool-off dishes is spicy seafood ceviche. Also, spicy sushi (if not loaded with oily, sugary sauces) would fit the bill. A dish of assorted raw sashimi with hot chilies would be under this category as well. And if you want to keep it simple, even a shrimp cocktail with horseradish and a little ketchup, and a cucumber salad on the side will be a refreshing snack on a hot summer day. Just remember to make is spicy and cut the fat, and you've created an air conditioned meal! </span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;">Do you have your own food ideas for keeping cool in hot weather? If so, I'd love to hear them. You can always drop me a line at tampabaychef@gmail.com.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8120482108675116666.post-77004544102779791772013-06-05T17:59:00.002-04:002013-06-05T18:02:13.240-04:00Pasta Stuffed Peppers Recipe<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Pasta Stuffed Peppers</span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">By: Chef Cristian Feher</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">www.tampabaychef.com</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMYCyKDnwcLAxBou8oPVeH9X0nrjm-HtSpKj3CwGM79A0SqGIvKB_iJBuE_XTLuInUOVAE_-W-JAFC_BWv005RPojTzei5AgzIAaCmwdo1GyOZtyI2FRb0OXl4kkyHBm4qnipOzuN0JU/s1600/CAM01300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMYCyKDnwcLAxBou8oPVeH9X0nrjm-HtSpKj3CwGM79A0SqGIvKB_iJBuE_XTLuInUOVAE_-W-JAFC_BWv005RPojTzei5AgzIAaCmwdo1GyOZtyI2FRb0OXl4kkyHBm4qnipOzuN0JU/s400/CAM01300.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This is one of those recipes you want to make on a lazy Sunday afternoon - I did this in a rush on Tuesday - but I'm thinking about how much time the average person has during the week, and how fast they can cook. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This is one of my household favorites. Everyone here can agree that stuffing peppers with pasta is a very good thing!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">If you have tomato sauce and cream sauce already made, putting this recipe together will be much faster. If you have to make it from scratch, it may take you a little longer - that's why I suggested making it when you have some time. Although the recipe turns out best when using freshly prepared sauces, you can technically buy pre-made sauces at the store. It will still be good, but not nearly as good as the original recipe. You can also tweak the sauces by adding cooked bacon pieces to the tomato sauce, or adding basil pesto to the cream sauce.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">Note that in this recipe, I used spaghetti pasta because I didn't have angel hair. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">You will need four basic things for this recipe:</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">1. Tomato Sauce (recipe <a href="http://tampabaychef.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-to-make-tomato-sauce-from-scratch.html" target="_blank">here</a>)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">2. Cream Sauce (recipe <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/14DSiDHo34nr8k74UyLR9XdQfR3GTt1DAu72nnL6AzF8/edit?usp=sharing&authkey=CMrwwe8F" target="_blank">here</a>)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">3. Angel hair Pasta (vermicelli)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;">4. Red bell peppers and shredded Parmesan cheese</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: orange;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Putting it all together:</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: orange;"><b>Step 1:</b></span> <span style="color: #eeeeee;"> Cut a circular hole along the top of the pepper and twist out the stem with the heart. Turn up-side-down and tap out the seeds. You should end up with a hollow pepper, perfect for stuffing. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: orange;"><b>Step 2:</b></span> <span style="color: #eeeeee;">Make some angel hair pasta, drain it, run it under cold water and drain again to stop the cooking process. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3DQRlYsRwkjLgpxGVJYP-meH5la47ZaahlUG9RlxwGNsNrGwZU5hFVhdx4utajmPnQ8gPYWePjeJJcUbYpaXJToCUghjhKdL7VzWPQYa-tNbBWTN5GT8SaTrTjZ5OQ4G8SFjUvPRqFc/s1600/CAM01287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3DQRlYsRwkjLgpxGVJYP-meH5la47ZaahlUG9RlxwGNsNrGwZU5hFVhdx4utajmPnQ8gPYWePjeJJcUbYpaXJToCUghjhKdL7VzWPQYa-tNbBWTN5GT8SaTrTjZ5OQ4G8SFjUvPRqFc/s400/CAM01287.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: orange;"><b>Step 3:</b></span> <span style="color: #eeeeee;">Mix the angel hair pasta with the cream sauce and stuff each pepper with as much angel hair pasta as you can fit in there.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0WE_w2YsMIAtQn0GIuwzearfHInB1yGrklNPkT68XQMjwXAa64ItZiyTovJz7oq-PLxK9UIhdY5xUFP9efBtvnCPt-b8FFZrsZatFVxeLROw_FYipc7gJoZ1RQ4pxvXPUmU7-khFdnE/s1600/CAM01291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0WE_w2YsMIAtQn0GIuwzearfHInB1yGrklNPkT68XQMjwXAa64ItZiyTovJz7oq-PLxK9UIhdY5xUFP9efBtvnCPt-b8FFZrsZatFVxeLROw_FYipc7gJoZ1RQ4pxvXPUmU7-khFdnE/s400/CAM01291.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: orange;"><b>Step 4:</b></span> <span style="color: #eeeeee;">Put the stuffed peppers in a baking pan with a couple of inches of tomato sauce on the bottom.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5cP3LbmAcWJfGGisJ1QaY9KgYIS-9HTWethpdI-ovEapFyhcdGaYfvG6gnCqRE0yFLuJ8-6SDgf_yXm5qItryKOKr-iuXItyKIoXj5vtPp9YuG3J_8ZT5anOeyowFruN69-b_olYH3U/s1600/CAM01294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5cP3LbmAcWJfGGisJ1QaY9KgYIS-9HTWethpdI-ovEapFyhcdGaYfvG6gnCqRE0yFLuJ8-6SDgf_yXm5qItryKOKr-iuXItyKIoXj5vtPp9YuG3J_8ZT5anOeyowFruN69-b_olYH3U/s400/CAM01294.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: orange;"><b>Step 5:</b></span> <span style="color: #eeeeee;">Sprinkle the top of each pepper with Parmesan Cheese.</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: orange;"><b>Step 6:</b></span> <span style="color: #eeeeee;">Bake at 375 for one hour. If half way through baking, the cheese is starting to burn, put a piece of non-stick aluminum foil over the baking dish.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
Tampa_Bay_Personal_Chefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03599360358907825801noreply@blogger.com0