Baked Spaghetti

Baked Spaghetti, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

I've been wanting to make a good pot of spaghetti, but seeing as I've never really gone out of my way to make it I decided to look up some recipes.

I use a recipe I found online as my basis, but changed the ingredients to fit my liking better. So here goes:

What you'll need:

- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

- 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

- 1 cup water

- 1/2 cup diced onion

- 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

- 2 cloves garlic, chopped

- 1/4 cup chopped fresh italian parsley leaves

- 1 1/2 teaspoons of seasoning (1/2 cup salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)

- 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt

- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

- 1 pound ground beef

- 1/2 pound italian sausage (I used hot)

- 10 ounces uncooked spaghetti

- 1 cup grated cheddar

- 1 cup grated Monterey Jack

- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (if desired)

- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (if desired)

- Fresh basil (for garnish; if desired)

- Freshly grated parmesan cheese (for garnish; if desired)

What you'll do:

1. In a large pot: mix the tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, onions, peppers, garlic, parsley, seasonings, and sugar.


2. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat and let simmer, covered, for 1 hour.


3. Crumble the ground beef and italian sausage in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until fully cooked, with no pink color remaining.


4. Drain the fat from the meat, and then add the meat to the pot. Simmer for 20 more minutes.


5. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees.


6. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.


7. Cover the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan with sauce.


8. Add a layer of pasta and then 1/2 of each cheese (cheddar and monterey); repeat the layers, ending with the sauce.


9. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.


10. Take casserole out and top with the remaining cheese.


11. Return it to the oven, and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 more minutes.


12. Cut into squares before serving.


13. Garnish with freshly cut basil and parmesan cheese.

Bistec Burrito

Bistec Burrito, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

Since having left my hometown I often find myself craving delicious Mexican food, which seems oddly difficult to find in this area. So sometimes I've just gotta try my best.

My mother makes amazing burritos, and everything put in them is made by her, from scratch (except the tortillas, which she buys at a tortilleria).

So this past weekend I went on a quest to make a similar burrito with my limited cooking skills and funds.

First I found me a Mexican mercado, the kind that I used to go to as a kid. Yelp and craigslist food forum both helped with this task. In case you're near, Mi Pueblo in East Oakland is a good start.

Unfortunately they only had fresh handmade corn tortillas, and I was looking for flour. So I purchased Tia Rosa flour tortillas. Another decent brand would be Guerrero.

I was also looking to buy delicious refried beans since I don't know how to make them yet, and canned just won't do. You want the good ones made with manteca or something similar. Stay away from canned or those made with oil (unless vegetarian) they're just not that good.

But yes, find yourself a decent mercado and you'll get all your needs for cheap. If not, a regular market has everything else.

What you'll need:
- Burrito size flour tortillas

- Bistec marinated with onions, garlic, cayenne, and cilantro (or any other meat will do). About 1 lb for 2 large burritos.

- Refried beans

- Guacamole

- 1 small can enchilada sauce

- 1 cup shredded cheese

What you'll do:
1. Cook the meat in a skillet over medium heat.

2. While the meat is cooking, make the guacamole by crushing diced avocado with a tablespoon of lime juice, 1/2 clove minced garlic, 1 tablespoon minced onion, cilantro, pinch of garlic salt, diced jalapeno (if desired) and regular salt to taste.

3. Take your refried beans and add hot sauce, if desired. Heat them up.

4. Warm up the tortilla on the stove or in the microwave (with a damp paper towel so it doesn't get hard).

5. Once the tortilla is warm, place on a plate and spread a layer of beans, top with meat, guacamole, and cheese.

6. Roll into a burrito. Place burrito on foil lined baking sheet, top with enchilada sauce, and cheese.

7. Place burrito in the oven (heated at 375 degrees) and let it heat up for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

8. Garnish with guacamole, sour cream, or whatever other fixings you like.

By going to a mercado with an in house carniceria and deli I was able to make 2 burritos at under $6 each, with leftovers available.

Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Pie

Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Pie, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

This is a great dessert for potlucks. Though, I prefer to whip it up and keep one in the freezer. It's one of those delicious desserts that you don't have to eat entirely within a few days (though it'll be hard not to!).

What you'll need:


Crust:


- 1 and 1/4 cups crushed pretzels

- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar

- 1/2 cup Butter or margarine; melted

Filling:

- 1 can Sweetened condensed milk; 14 oz.

- 1/4 cup Lime juice

- 2 tb Dark rum

- 2 tb Orange liqueur

- 1 package Strawberries in syrup; 10 oz.

- 1 cup Whipping cream; whipped

What to do:
1. Make the crust first. Start by putting crushed pretzels in a medium bowl.

2. Add sugar and melted butter. And stir until well coated (it'll surprisingly smell delicious!)

3. Press firmly into bottom of 8" (springform) pan (if you want to pop it out to display nicely. If not, a regular pan will do).
4. Chill while you make the filling.

5. Now time for the filling. Combine condensed milk, lime juice, rum and orange liqueur.

6. Beat until smooth.

7. Add strawberries, beat at low speed until well-blended.

8. Fold in whipping cream.

9. Pour over crust, freeze 4 - 6 hours or until firm.
10. For easier cutting, let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

I know the pretzels and sugar sound odd, but they make a delicious crust. I never even used to like pretzels! The rum can be substituted with tequila for a margarita flavor. To make it virgin (non-alcohol) you can substitute orange juice.

Taco Dip for Chips

0704091703, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

First, let me just say that I really am working on getting a better camera!

Also, please excuse the bit of dip that is missing as we couldn't wait to dig in!

Growing up my mother made this dish for family BBQ's and I hogged it. I always sat at the table with the entire dish while I gobbled every last bit.

The recipe was originally taken from pampered chef, however, I have done a few things different (in an attempt to make it slightly healthier and spicier).

Keep in mind that you don't have to use chiles or anything spicy if you don't like spice!

What you'll need:
- 1 (16 oz) can refried beans with Tapatio hot sauce mixed in to taste

- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature

- 1 envelope taco seasoning mix

- 2 cloves garlic, pressed

- 2 cups Mexican blend cheese (found in grocery store) or cheddar cheese, shredded

- 1 small can sliced ripe olives

- 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped

- 2 green onions, chopped

- 1 jalapeno or serrano chile sliced

- Fresh cilantro, chopped

- Guacamole

- Tortilla chips (From a Mexican restaurant or carniceria if possible... for best taste)

What to do:
1. Spread the refried beans in a square in a 9-inch square baking dish).

2. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, taco seasoning, and garlic.

3. Mix well with electric mixer.

4. Spread cream cheese mixture on top of refried beans.

5. Sprinkle cheese on top of cream cheese mixture.

6. Sprinkle olives, tomatoes, onions, chile peppers, and cilantro on top.

7. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

8. Serve hot with Tortilla Chips with a dollop of guacamole!

flipped out!

flipped out!, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

I ran across an ad on facebook the other day for Ben & Jerry's new "Flipped Out!"

I was intrigued, it looked really good and seemed to be a great idea.

Well, while at the grocery store earlier this week I decided to walk down to the ice cream freezer to see how much these little guys run. Turns out they were on sale and were about $2.99.

So I decided to give the chocolate chip cookie dough one a try.

I didn't like them and neither did my friend. Actually getting it out of the cup was a little bit of work (read: minimal), and it was messy.

The chocolate oozed downed the sides while we ate our chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream on top of cookie crumbs.

What did it taste like?

Well, chocolate really. I never would have thought I was eating anything with vanilla in it had I not known.

If you're a huge fan of chocolate you may very well like this. The actual size of the "sundaes" were a bit big. We both got extraordinarily full off each our cups, and decided that if we ever have anything like that again we'd better share.

I understand what Ben & Jerry's was going for. A quick sundae at home with minimal to no work involved.

Personally, I think the "sundae" would taste better had the fudge come in a little heatable packet where you can warm it up in the microwave and drizzle it on top for a more realistic tasting sundae.

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

Okay, it's a terrible photo. The ones I took without flash were worse. Michael broke my tripod the other day so I couldn't come up with a decent picture, and I promise you that this cake tastes good.

I ran across this recipe and thought I'd give it a try. I'm pretty confident that it would taste pretty good with other fruits as well such as blackberries and strawberries. I'd contemplated adding blackberries, but others feared it wouldn't taste good.

What you'll need:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
- 1 cup fresh raspberries/1 basket (6 oz.)

What you'll do:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Then beat in vanilla and zest. Add egg and beat well.

4. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Scatter raspberries over top and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar.

5. Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.

6. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert onto a plate.

Enjoy! I didn't try it with whipped cream, but I do imagine it'd be tasty!

Macaroni and Four Cheeses with a Kick

100_0036, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

I've been wanting to try a new macaroni and cheese recipe... something different than the one my mother taught me to whip up.

So for Easter I did it. You can definitely use other cheeses (as these cheeses can be quite costly). I think perhaps I'd use pepperjack to give it more a spicy kick.

So without further ado:

What you'll need:
- 7 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups half and half
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Franks Red Hot Sauce (or however much you'd like to taste). I like mine spicy.
- 8 1/2 ounces grated parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)
- 1.5 pound elbow macaroni
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 4 ounces grated cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces grated fontina cheese
- 4 ounces grated gruyere cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs (onion bread is tasty)
- 1/2 teaspoon Creole Seasoning

What you'll do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a heavy, medium saucepan melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over low heat.

3. Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes.

4. Increase the heat to medium and whisk in the half and half little by little. Cook until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

5. Remove from the heat, season with the salt, pepper, hot sauce and 4 ounces of the grated parmesan. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Cover and set aside.

6. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil over high heat, and add the macaroni.

7. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to a low boil and cook for about 5 minutes, or until macaroni is slightly undercooked.

8. Drain in a colander and return the macaroni to the pot.

9. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the garlic and stir to combine.

10. Add the sauce and stir until well combined. Set aside.

11. Using the remaining tablespoon of butter, grease a 3-quart baking dish or casserole and set aside.

12. In a large bowl combine 4 ounces of the remaining parmesan cheese, cheddar, fontina and gruyere cheeses.

13. Toss to combine.

14. Place one-third of the macaroni in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

15. Top with one-third of the mixed cheeses.

16. Top with another third of the macaroni and another third of the cheese mixture.

17. Repeat with the remaining macaroni and cheese mixture.

18. In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, remaining 1/2 ounce of grated parmesan, and the creole seasoning and toss to combine. Sprinkle this over the top of the macaroni and cheese.

19. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the macaroni and cheese is bubbly and hot and the top is golden brown.

20. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Margarita Fruit Salad

Margarita Fruit Salad, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

I made a version of this last summer, and it was a big hit. I used different fruits, and a different recipe (no alcohol) then (I'll post that one after this current one).

So this year I decided to make a version of this fruit salad using different fruits (that I had on hand), and alcohol. Though, I'm pretty sure most of the alcohol burns off in the boil, as it's not an overwhelming taste.

It's recommended that you let it sit at least four hours in the refrigerator, I kept it in overnight (which didn't make the fruit mushy).

So, for the recipe (as seen in the picture):
** I used these fruits, you could use whatever you'd like**

What you'll need:
Mixed Fruit
- 1 cup blackberries
- 2 mangoes, peeled and diced
- 1 grapefruit, peeled and wedged
- 1 large orange, peeled and wedged
- 2 cups strawberries, hulled and diced

"Sauce"
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar (depending on your taste)
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 6 tablespoons tequila
- 6 teaspoons triple sec
- 3 teaspoons margarita mix or lime juice

Optional
- 1 cup unsweetened toasted coconut flakes

What to do:
1. To make the sauce heat the sugar and orange juice over medium heat in a small saucepan.

2. Stir for a few minutes until sugar dissolves

3. Stir in tequila, triple sec, and margarita mix. Let cool.

4. Once cooled, combine with fruit in a large bowl, cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least four hours.

5. If using coconut, sprinkle on right before serving.

Another idea came up while eating this, a dollop of whipped cream would go wonderfully on this mixture.

It's a great snack for everyday or summertime cool down.

Baconnaise Deviled Eggs

Baconnaise Deviled Eggs, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

Easter away from the family is pretty tough so last year I decided to make my own little feasts for myself (with a Quiche Lorraine).

This year I opted for my egg dish to be Deviled Eggs. For those of you curious, the rest of the Easter menu included Orange Icing Cinnamon Rolls, Four Cheese Macaroni and Cheese, and Margarita Fruit Salad (I'll post more recipes as the day progresses).

Anyway, back to my deviled eggs. Having just bought Baconnaise a few weeks ago I decided to give them a try in my eggs.

They turned out pretty damn good, without an overwhelming taste of bacon.

I hard boiled 9 eggs, peeled, split, and set aside the yolks.

Ingredients needed:
1. Baconnaise
2. Mayonnaise
3. Yellow mustard
4. Peppered Bacon Salt
5. Tabasco
6. Green onions
7. Sweet relish
8. Paprika
9. Salt and Pepper

After the yolks are gathered in one bowl stir in Baconnaise and mayonnaise on a 1:1 ratio until you reach consistency desired.

Squirt in a ribbon of mustard (not too much).

Add tabasco to taste.

Add green onions.

Add a generous amount of bacon salt (it isn't too overwhelming).

Add salt and pepper to taste.

I like to make the filling the night before, as I find this allows the taste of tabasco and green onions to full absorb into the yolks. If you are doing the same, keep the yolks and white separate overnight or they may get funky. Be sure to keep the yolks covered or you can even slip them into a ziploc bag for easy dispensing later (by cutting a corner off the bag).

When you're ready to serve the eggs, spoon the mixture in and sprinkle with paprika.

Enjoy!

Burger King Onion Rings Flavored Snacks

Burger King Onion rings, originally uploaded by mt•MT•Mt.

I've had my eye on the Burger King Flavored Snacks line for awhile, but just couldn't bring myself to paying near $3 for them at Walgreens.

Good news! They were at the local $1 store, so for a buck I just had to give them a try (this was the only flavor they had).

I anticipated a chip similar to my beloved Funyuns, but was a little skeptical about their brown color. Which brings to mind... how am I not put off by the Funyun's yellow color?

Anyway, the BK onion ring snack are smaller and thicker than your average Funyun, and well, they don't really taste like them either. Which is probably a good thing, as they're a unique snack.

Upon first bite I was hit with an onion-y with a hint of sour cream flavor. I didn't like it... or so I thought. With the onion flavor lingering in my mouth I found myself getting up just to try one more, and another, and another.

They're addicting, and I believe, way more tastier than a Funyun.

And no, I probably still wouldn't pay $3 a bag.

Anyone ever try their ketchup and fries one? I'll have to keep an eye out for if/when those go on sale!

(Note: Thank you to mt*MT*mt for use of their wonderful photo).

Homemade Chorizo Pizza

Homemade Chorizo Pizza, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

Lately we've been relying on Round Table Pizza for our pizza needs. In knowing that we haven't made pizza in awhile, and how fun team work could be sometimes in such a creative endeavor like this we headed to the grocery store on a Saturday night.

We're so hip.

We used a boboli crust for time's sake (the original style). We decided that we wanted to try Mexican style chorizo pizza. In going with the Mexican theme we also chose fresh jalapenos, onions, cilantro, and a Mexican four cheese blend.

You must cook the chorizo separately! Be sure to brown it in a frying pan. We chose to cook it until it was fairly well cooked to ensure that it would get a crispiness to it in the oven. After finishing cooking it we placed the cooked chorizo on a paper towel to sop of some of the grease (so the pizza wouldn't be too greasy).

We threw on a four cheese spaghetti sauce from Classico, layered on the cheese (and boy, do I mean LAYERED). Then it was time for onions and chorizo followed by jalapenos and cilantro.

Bake per baking instructions on pizza crust. Topped with red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese.

Delish!

I found that the pizza was best 2 days later when I took into school for lunch. It seemed as if all the flavors melted together wonderfully.

J&D's Foods: Bacon Salt, Baconnaise, Bacon Lip Balm

J&D's Foods.All Products.Bacon Salt, Baconnaise, Bacon Lip Balm.005, originally uploaded by baconsalt4you.

I can't remember how I first heard of Baconnaise or Bacon Salt, but I'd been dying to try either one.

It may have been facebook ads or woot.com or something of the sort.

Anyway, I finally found bacon salt at my local super market. I purchased the original and peppered, as they were both on sale. As soon as I paid for my products I ripped open the tops and well, stuck my finger in.

Yummm, tastes like seasoned salt really. I've been impressed enough to add it to my turkey sandwiches and popcorn.

Impressed enough that I looked EVERYWHERE for baconnaise until I realized that unless I lived in another state I'd be stuck paying an arm and leg for it through the internet.

And that I did.

I HAD to try it, and the excuse of using it for deviled eggs on Easter only made me order it.

It was expensive... including shipping the thing was like $12! For a jar of mayonnaise!

So I got it, and what did I do? Yep.

Stuck my finger in immediately. The baconnaise is definitely better than the salt and tastes more like bacon than its salt counterpart.

The night it came in the mail I put it in a homemade cheeseburger, and I'd have to say that last bite of bread that had burger juice on it with baconnaise was the best.

Today I used it in equal parts to regular mayonnaise for an egg salad sandwich.

Yum!

I suggest you guys try it out, but you might want to wait til you run across a promotion so that it's not so expensive through the internet.

Pastrami Rueben from Memphis Minnie's

Pastrami Rueben, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

My work recently relocated down the street from from Memphis Minnies (Lower Haight) from the Mission. I'll admit that at first I was pretty bummed about not being able to chomp down on delicious burritos for lunch anymore. But not so bummed now that I've found this place.

I was craving some fries and walked past this place. I glanced at the menu and couldn't help myself... it smelled so darn good!

The guy behind the counter talked me into trying their pastrami rueben sandwich. He promised it was the best sandwich in the city so I tried it with a side of fries.

That sandwich was tasty. The meat was nice and moist they were generous with the cheese. The fries were outstanding. They were crisp and spicy.

My main disappointment ended up with really thin watery bbq sauce, however, it was spicy (good).

I'm interested to try their mac and cheese and cornbread. I also noticed that they had a fried peach pie. Yum?

We'll see!

7-Select Kettle Style Chips: Fiery Habanero

7-Select Kettle Style Chips: Fiery Habanero, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

Whenever I go do laundry I find myself wandering across the street to 7-eleven for a Twix bar or Reese's peanut butter cup. Unfortunately, this lent I gave up sugar, so no candy for me.

I perused the chips and found that 7-eleven now has their own line of chips (7 Select), kettle style chips to be exact.

I opted for to try them, as they're something new and were a tad bit cheaper than its frito-lay competitors.

They had all the usual flavors and I debated between Fiery Habanero or Jalapeno.

Fiery Habanero won.

The bag was pretty full (I felt more full than some other bags of chips I've recently purchased). The chips were typical of kettle style chips, nice and thick and not too cooked.

The chips were spicy, and considering how well I can handle my heat I'm going to suggest that if spicy gets to you to make sure you have water on hand.

One chip won't be too spicy, but chip after chip does build up.

I was pretty satisfied with the flavor, quality, and price of the chips and will most likely purchase these in the future unless I was something totally different like Funyuns or Sun Chips.

Cheeseburger Night!

0307091857, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

So I had some left over ground beef from Costco and was craving some burgers. The original plan was just to eat the patty with some cheese, but when I went to the grocery store things got out of control.

I bought some onion hamburger buns, some cheddar cheese, baby spinach, and an avocado.

Made two burgers with onions chopped inside... The one pictured was about .80 lbs! My more lady like burger was about 1/4 pound. It was topped with cheddar and havarti cheeses.

Toasted the bun, slapped on very minimal mayo, some yellow mustard, spinach, zesty pickles, and about a quarter of the avocado.

Yummy goodness.

Potato Hamburger-Meat Soup

Potato Hamburger-Meat Soup, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

My mom made this while I was growing up, and since I moved away from home I find myself craving all sorts of things that she used to cook. It used to be our "rainy day" meal, which we didn't have very often seeing as we lived in the desert that is Los Angeles.

So now that I live away from home I decided to carry on the tradition, and make this my new rainy day meal... which poses a problem, since it's been a bit of rain everyday for the past month.

What you'll need:
* 1-1 1/2 lb ground beef (good beef - sirloin not too much fat content)

* 1/2 med onion sliced

* 2 lg/ 3 med russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick

* 2 cloves garlic minced

* 1 can tomato sauce (15 oz.)

* 2 cans chicken broth (about 28 oz.)

* 2 cans pinto beans

* Dried oregano

What You'll Do:

1. Brown meat (Season with garlic salt, salt & pepper).
2. While cooking meat, add garlic and onion.

3. When all redness from meat has disappeared, add potatoes.

4. Add tomato sauce and chicken broth and water (about 8 to 10 cups, depending on how much juice you want).

5. Turn up heat, to boiling, taste and season with salt, cover and boil about 20 mins.

6. When potatoes are soft that blade of knife enters easily. Add dried oregano, pinching leaves, and beans.

7. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 5-10 mins more. Also taste again and season accordingly.

8. Garnish with lemon wedges, chopped cilantro, crushed red chilie pepper.

I also made some parmesan toast with some fresh sourdough bread that was starting to get a bit stale. For that, simply spread some butter, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and salt and toast in toaster oven for a few minutes. (It's great for dipping in the soup!)

Russell Stover Raspberry Whip Egg

Russell Stover Raspberry Whip Egg, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

Having a Walgreens right next to your BART stop is not good. I keep buying candies to try that look good. I don't even really like candy! But for some reason I've been developing quite the sweet tooth.

I found the Russell Stover Raspberry Whip Egg and bought it to enjoy the day before Lent (I'll be giving up sugar).

Granted, Russell Stover does not make the best candies in the world, and I find their chocolate usually not that great. Yet, I'll gladly buy their dark chocolate products. And I'll most definitely buy any product that has raspberry AND dark chocolate.

The egg was pretty good. The dark chocolate wasn't bad (but what do you expect from a $0.49 candy?). The raspberry whip inside was delicious. It was soft and melted once it hit your tongue, however there were some little hard bits of something inside. I'm not sure what they were. They weren't so hard they hurt the teeth, it was just something odd that you didn't expect when eating a "whip."

I've taken a gander at the Russell Stover site, and see that they're making "Giant Smores Bars" now. They're basically a big chocolate covered marshmallow (creme?) sandwiched in graham cracker. Anyone try these yet?

Chocolate Mousse Bear-Shaped Peeps

choclate bear peeps, originally uploaded by I'm Kind of a Big Deal.

I've been a fan of Peeps ever since I was a little kid. It was the one thing that was guaranteed to be in my Easter basket. I was always saddened by the fact that they came out but once a year.

Well, in recent years they began making them in other holiday shapes for the numerous holidays throughout the year. This year I spied some little brown marshmallow bears. Despite the fact that they're chocolate mousse flavored, I gave in.

Don't I always give in?

Opening the package was like opening a box of Cocoa Puffs or bringing a chocolate milkshake toward your mouth... yes, the smell of chocolate was surprisingly strong.

The texture's the same as all the previous peeps, the main difference is that the marshmallow itself is chocolate flavored. Eating just one taste like you've been drinking a chocolate milkshake.

In the end, I'd rather stick with the original Peeps but keep in mind I'm not the world's biggest fan of chocolate. If you're a chocolate lover than I'm pretty sure you'll be loving these as well.

(Thanks to I'm Kind of a Big Deal for the picture since my phone picture was too terrible to post).

Valentine's Day Dinner

Lasagna, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

(Excuse the poor quality of the cell phone pictures. I've decided I'll start using a real digital camera from now on)

The quick and easy Valentine's Day dinner this year consisted of lasagna, garlic bread, red wine, and fruit tarts for dessert.

In case you weren't aware they now sell lasagna pasta noodles that need no prior boiling before layering a baking. Thus, making life easier and dinner is more quickly made.

Lasagna:

What you'll need:

- 1 box of Barilla no bake lasagne noodles

- 1 lb of lean ground sirloin

- 1 spicy italian sausage

- 15 oz. Ricotta cheese

- 4 cups shredded Mozarella

- 1/2 cup grated parmesan

- 2 eggs

- 2 jars of marinara sauce or italian baking sauce or preferred pasta sauce

To do:

- Preheat oven to 375

- Open casing of italian sausage, squeeze out meat and brown with ground sirloin. Drain.

- In large mixing bowl beat 2 eggs, mix in ricotta, 2 cups of mozzarella, and parmesan.

- In 9 x 13 x 3 inch baking dish spread 1 cup of pasta sauce along the bottom.

- Layer 4 pastas, overlapping across bottom layer of sauce.

- Spread 1/3 of ricotta cheese mixture, 1/2 of the meat, and 1/2 cup of pasta sauce across the pasta layer.

- Layer another 4 pastas across the mixture.

- Spread another 1/3 of ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup of pasta sauce.

- Layer an additional 3 pastas across the mixture.

- Spread remaining ricotta cheese mixture, remaining meat, and 1/2 cup of pasta sauce on top of noodles

- Layer the last 4 pastas

- Spread remaining sauce, and remaining 2 cups of mozzarella.

Note: If using a 9 x 13 x 2 dish, adjust layers so that there are 3 layers instead of 4 to avoid boiling over.

- Bake at 375 degrees covered with foil for 50 - 60 minutes, until cheese is melted.

- Uncover, lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake an addition 5 - 10 minutes, until cheese is thoroughly melted with browned edges.

Garlic Bread:

What you'll need:
- 1 sourdough baguette, halved lengthwise

- 5 large cloves garlic, halved

- 5 tablespoons olive oil

- 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

To Do:

- Preheat the oven to 350

- Cut the baguette halves into thirds for 6 large pieces of bread.

- Rub each piece with garlic and brush with olive oil.

- Sprinkle with cheese.

- Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

For dessert, bite sized fruit tarts were purchased at Andronico's super markets, but such treats may be purchased at local bakeries and grocery stores. We had also purchased a mini lemon cheesecake, but were too full to dig in!

Red wine served was Teusner Shiraz Riebke '06.

Side note: For my lasagna I used an italian sausage pasta sauce mixed with a roasted garlic pasta sauce.

Burger Shots?

Burger Shots?, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

I found this ad in a BART station the other day. I love fast food, but it's one of those things that I limit myself on nowadays. As a kid I knew nothing about nutrition and all that jazz.

Anyway, Burger King has been luring me in as of late with those Angry Whopper commercials of the farmer whipping the onions. I love spicy, and Angry Whopper promises to deliver some major heat... but my major doubt of it actually doing so has kept me from going in and devouring that like 900 calorie goodness.

Has anyone had this? Is it good? Is it really as spicy as they promise?

And now, they're luring me in with "Burger Shots" which I'm assuming are "sliders"/White Castle sized burgers. That ad sure makes them look good, at least better than White Castle's burgers.

Note: I'm sorry East Coast, but I like a little more flavor in my burgers.

I'm thinking I'm going to have to give in soon and take a trip down there to try all their new gimmicky products.

Now, has anyone had these too? How are they?

Easy to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs, originally uploaded by sunnyd1225.

People have asked me how I've made hard-boiled eggs that are so easy to peel that they slip right out with one crack. They've been curious how the egg yolks are a wonderfully brilliant yellow color, so much so that it's a shame to mush it into egg salad sandwiches.

First off, the fresher the eggs the more bold the yellow of the yolk will be after boiling, and the easier they will be to peel. Don't get me wrong though, I still use fairly old eggs for egg salad goodness.

Most people will tell you to make sure the eggs are room temperature before boiling. From my understanding this is to avoid cracks in the egg after they're submerged into boiling water. I never do that.

I'll let a pot of water start simmering and place the eggs in straight out of the refrigerator. Then I let them boil, a high, rolling boil for about 10 - 15 minutes. I generally wait the 15 minutes to ensure they're boiled thoroughly.

Now, what I have found is the most important part in an easy peel egg can be done two different ways:

1. Once the boiling has ended, remove the pot from the stove and run under cold water. Immediately place the eggs in an ice cold water bath (bowl) and place in the refrigerator if you'll be saving them for later. Yes, keep them stored in a bowl full of cold water for however many days you have left over eggs.

2. If you're in a rush and want them now for some reason then remove them from the boiling water and place in the freezer for a few minutes. Then take eggs out one at a time as you crack them and slip them out of the shell. Becareful though, because the eggs will still be fairly warm, if not hot to the touch. So don't hold on to them for too long or too tightly.

If you happen to be interested in what I put in my egg salad here goes (all mashed and mixed in with a fork):
- Just enough mayo to moisten and let the egg stick together

- A drizzle of yellow mustard

- Salt and Pepper to taste

- Diced pickles

- Red pepper flakes.

Credit for photo: Sunnyd1225

Homemade Buffalo Burger

Homemade Buffalo Burger, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

(Sorry for the extremely blurry picture, as I've been having to use my cell phone camera until I find my actual camera).

I've been craving buffalo burgers for about a month now. I asked around on Yelp! about the best place to grab a buffalo burger, and received numerous responses.

Problem is, I need to cut back on spending $$$.

So, I headed to Whole Foods and grabbed 4 buffalo patties for about $7 and some brioche rolls for about $3.

The patties were lightly seasoned and pan cooked. My final burger contained mustard with a touch of mayonnaise, spinach, a slice of tomato (from tomato on the vine), and pickles.

'Twas quite tasty, and ultimately way less expensive than had I gone to a restaurant.

... Now, for that glass of wine.

Chicken and Green Chile Chilaquiles

Chicken and Green Chile Chilaquiles, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

I used to not like this dish when I was a picky kid. On chilaquiles night my mom always made me my own plate of nachos.

However, when I moved away from home I found myself craving this dish that I hadn't had in about 13 years. I promptly called my mom for the recipe, and made it the following weekend. It's now one of my boyfriend's favorite dishes. The left overs last a few days so if you're looking for a meal to stretch a bit, you've got one here.

What you'll need:

1. Authentic tortilla chips meaning NOT grocery store bought ones like mission or tostitos. Try visiting a carniceria or a Mexican restaurant that makes their chips there.

Yelp! forums or the craigslist food forum might be a useful tool in locating them if you're having trouble. They helped me find some in my area.

2. 1 can of green enchilada sauce

3. About 2 cups of shredded cheese. I usually use cheddar and monterey jack.

4. 2 chicken breasts

5. Jalapenos (optional)

6. Cilantro (optional)

Of course you can tailor this recipe to your likings such as more or less chicken, variation of meat, other chiles, etc.

What you'll do:

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Cut chicken into strips and boil in water seasoned with onion powder and garlic for about 8 minutes or until slightly cooked (you'll be putting it in the oven later).

3. Drain chicken and shred.

4. In a medium sauce pan warm enchilada sauce on low heat.

5. In a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish lay tortilla chips on the bottom to form first layer, then follow with half the shredded chicken, cheese, cilantro, jalapenos, drizzle some enchilada sauce, and any other ingredients you've chosen to add.

6. Add a second layer of chips and repeat the previous process. You might want to put a little more sauce on top than you did the first layer since there's more ingredients to absorb it.

7. Cover with foil and place in the oven for about 20 minutes

8. After about 20 minutes, lower the temp to 350 uncover the dish (becareful of the steam!), and cook for an additional 20 - 30 minutes. Basically until cheese is melted and chips on edges are showing signs of slight burn.

9. I try and cut it with a sharp knife using a spatula to lift the food out. The first serving's like a pie serving always a bit of a mess!

10. You might want to add some more enchilada sauce (if you have any left over).

Quiche

Quiche, originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

(Pardon the not so good picture, as it was taken with a cell phone camera.)

I thought I'd share a recipe for Quiche Lorraine. It's a dish my mother always made on Easter while I was growing up, and as I spent last Easter away from home I made it for myself.

A quiche is a baked dish usually consisting of eggs and cream as the main ingredients. You might hear a lot of men saying they won't eat anything named "quiche," but yes people, real men do eat quiche.

What you'll need:

- 9" deep dish pastry shell

- 12 slices bacon (about 1/2 lb)

- 1 cup shredded swiss cheese

- 1/3 cup minced onion

- 4 eggs

- 2 cups whipping cream

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon sugar

- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne red pepper

Making the dish:

1. Pre-Heat oven to 425.

2. Fry bacon strips crisp. Once they are cooked drain them. I place them on a paper towel on a plate to pat dry. Crumble the bacon.

3. Sprinkle bacon, onion & cheese into pastry pie shell.

4. Beat eggs slightly, and then beat in remaining ingredients.

5. Pour cream mixture into pie pan.

6. Place on a cookie sheet in case of spillage in the oven.

7. Place in over and bake for 15 minutes.

8. Reduce oven temp to 300 and bake 30 minutes (I usually bake for 45 minutes) until knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean.

9. Let stand 10 mins. before cutting.

Zapp's Spicy Creole Tomato Flavored Potato Chips

Tomato Flavored Potato Chips, originally uploaded by G. J. Charlet III.

I found these while perusing the chips section at a Walgreens near my work.

The picture of the tabasco sauce on the front of bag caught my eye.

Anything that looks like it might have a trickle of spice intrigues me. Besides, I just saw a thing about Zapp's chips on the Unwrapped show on the Food Network. Prior to then I'd never heard of them.

The day after my purchase as I sat down to eat my turkey sandwich I slowly opened the bag of chips. A strong scent of vinegar hit my nostrils, and I was a bit unsure.

I took the first bite. And I was still unsure.

They're pretty vinegary, sort of sweet tasting, and barely spicy.

I think I may have become addicted. Bite after bite I enjoyed them more. Heck I found myself on Zapp's web site trying to order more. Seems as if they're a limited edition... they appear to have a different limited edition flavor each month.

They're addicting. Which is amazing because they're essentially salt and vinegar kettle style chips with a hint of tomato and spice.

(Credit to G. J. Charlet III for the photo).

PopChips

PopChips, originally uploaded by ilikegranola.com.

So I work at a rehab facility that serves its employees the same lunches and snacks as the clients.

It really bothers me to see how poorly these clients are being fed, but I do suppose that in being addicts they've eaten worse during periods of their lives.

If I had the money, cooking talents, and a different degree I'd love to open up a business that caters to such facilities and clientele. The food I would provide them would be healthier and taste good.

Anyway, I'm straying from my original post intention:

PopChips

I received the Sea Salt ones as a snack one day at my work. They don't appear to be listed on their website so I don't know if they're a test market item or what.

I was pretty excited about these because the appear to be healthy. At least healthier than the other foods provided. But do they taste good?

NO!

I eagerly opened the bag and immediately sniffed its contents. I have a pretty good sniffer, which I think influences my love for food some. Anyway, they smelled similar to cardboard or perhaps even eucharist wafers you'd get at church. Blech!

Then I tasted them. The amount of salt on the cardboard "chip" was ridiculous. The bag says that there's only 180 mg of sodium, but I call B.S. There was a faint taste of corn behind the predominantly salty and oily tastes.

I found them to be so horrible that I immediately throw the bag away. That's not good. In fact, I don't think I've ever met a chip I didn't like. Heck, there's not much food that I meet that I don't like.

I don't recommend these. Don't waste your money. If you got them free maybe you should try them out.

(Credit to:ilikegranola.com for use of the picture through their flickr.)

Wolferman's English Muffins

English muffin, originally uploaded by stu_spivack.

I received a catalog from Wolferman's a bit before the holidays.

I'm not quite sure why.

Needless to say I got sucked in and decided to purchase some Pumpkin Spice english muffins for my sister. They're pretty expensive, and the more you buy the "cheaper" they get.

So I bought more.

I purchased some for my sister and myself. My purchase included: pumpkin spice, maine blueberry, cranberry citrus, cherries jubilee, original, sourdough, apple orchard, cinnamon and raisin, and chocolate chip.

I freezed most of mine except for the sourdough and apple orchard.

My first tasting was of the sourdough english muffins which were rather large and fluffy. Biting into them with a thin layer of butter was absolutely wonderful. Way better than Thomas'!

I was a bit disappointed with the flavored ones I've tried thus far: apple orchard, cranberry citrus, and pumpkin spice. They all smelled really good, but their flavors just weren't strong enough. However, a tiny bit of jam does help those flavors come out.

I'm not sure I'd buy the flavored ones again, but most definitely the sourdough and original... there's just no going back to Thomas' now.

(Thanks to stu_spivack for the picture).

Chocolatier Blue.

Chocolatier Blue., originally uploaded by _e.t.

An article in the Chronicle a few months back alerted me to this place a few blocks away.

As always, I yelped my opinion:


"... The four I had/have were/are passion fruit caramel, espresso, lemon, and grapefruit. I put the past and present tenses because we've been eating them slowly to savor their tastes.


As soon as I got home I ate the lemon which was pretty darn good. My choice of lemon came from the recommendations of other yelpers.


The passion fruit one... well, let me try it now...


Mmmm... pretty good. At the first bite I thought "mer. too much caramel" (I don't care for caramel too much). But when you let it rest on your tongue and melt the passion fruit flavor comes through and blends wonderfully with the chocolate and caramel.


As for the other two, I don't have an opinion yet as I've yet to try them. But based on the previously eaten chocolates I'm guessing they're not going to be bad at all!"

Thanks to _e.t. for the use of their beautiful photo.

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He'Brew Origin Pomegranate Ale

He'Brew Origin Pomegranate Ale,
originally uploaded by predictablyhungry.

While at Andronico's earlier this week, I did my usual run through the beer aisle keeping my fingers crossed that Two Rivers Cider finally have decided to bottle their Pomegranate Cider... but as usual, I had no such luck.

However!

I did find He'Brew Origin Pomegranate Ale. It's an imperial ale brewed with the "juice of 10,000 luscious pomgranates."

Now, I've never heard nor considered using the words luscious and pomegranate in the same sentence, but it couldn't be that bad. Right? I mean, I like ale and I like pomegranates so I shouldn't be complaining.

The ale is 8% alcohol and has a rosy-amber tinge to it, and smelled well, a lot like ale. Prior to taking the first sip I'd read reviews that it tasted like strawberry or raspberry syrup, but I did not find that the case.

I can't say that it tasted much like pomegranates, but I had no complaints. It was good, and I'd drink it again if I ever come across the $6 the larger than average bottle cost me.