13 April, 2011

Caesar Salad, GuyFoods Style

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive or macadamia nut oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
2 strips thick-cut bacon, in small cubes
¼ cup roasted chicken breast, chopped fairly small.
1 brown egg
2 TBSP shredded (not ground) parmesan cheese

3 large leaves of romaine lettuce, cut into strips.
¼ cup goat cheese or feta cheese
¼ cup homemade croutons, small (or store-bought croutons, quartered)
2 TBSP (or so) of creamy Caesar salad dressing.

Heat up a cast iron skillet with the oil. Add bacon. Fry until fairly done and add chopped garlic. When the garlic softens, add the chicken. When the bacon is done, the garlic and chicken will beginning to get brown.
Add one egg and scramble until bacon and garlic is coated. When the egg is pretty well done, add parmesan cheese and remove from the heat.

In the meantime: prepare the lettuce, place in a fairly large bowl. Crumble the goat/feta cheese into the lettuce, and add the croutons. Add dressing and toss. Add egg/bacon/chicken mixture and toss some more.

Serve with a nice amber ale.

04 April, 2011

Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup

Ingredients
• 2 pounds boneless lean beef, cubed
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 6 or 10 cloves of garlic, roasted, added whole to the soup
• 4 TBSP low sodium beef base
• 5 cups water
• 2 potatoes: washed (not peeled) and sliced into ¼"x¼"x 1" chunks.
• 4 stalks celery, chopped into ½" lengths.
• 6 carrots, chopped into ½ lengths.
• 6 green onions, chopped into ¼" lengths
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley (Do NOT get carried away!)
• 1 cup barley
• ½ cup fresh basil, chopped.
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions
1. In a skillet over medium heat, saute the beef in the oil for 5 minutes, or until browned. Stir in the salt, pepper and garlic powder and place seasoned meat in a slow cooker. Deglaze with broth and add to the slow cooker.
2. Add the broth, water, celery, carrots, green onions, parsley and barley. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours, or until the vegetables and barley are tender. Add the thyme just before serving.

02 April, 2011

Homemade Chili Bread

1⅔ tsp active dry yeast
1 pkg Homestyle Creamy Butter Mashed Potatoes
3 cups white flour
2 TBSP white sugar
1½ TBSP gluten
1½ TBSP buttermilk powder
2½ TBSP butter
⅔ tsp garlic salt (the potatoes have salt as well)
1½ cups milk, lukewarm.

Spices:

1 TBSP chili powder
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
⅛ tsp black pepper


Load into bread machine, set the timer, and press go.

Opinion: Looks bright, but is mild. Consider adding some dried tomato and increasing the chili, garlic & pepper components. Don't use too much liquid, or the bread will fall.