Being of Mediterranean descent, everything I eat I end up wearing for days after. Not because I am prone to spills, which I am, but because any food made with garlic and/or onions seems to ooze out of every pore. and the same goes for alcohol.

If your significant other would like to take you to your favorite Italian restaurant the night before your big interview to congratulate you, stick to plain pasta with butter. Water, a glass of milk, or a soda should be your drink of choice.

Despite claims made by mouthwash companies trying to sell their products, eliminating food breath with a mint is like putting a band aid on a bullet wound.

If the person doing the hiring asks if you enjoy Shrimp Scampi, chances are that they didn’t discover your favorite dish by reading your Facebook page.

Surefire Way no. 4: no, I Didn’t ask, but … >>

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My teens couldn’t get enough of these croquettes – tangy yet hot and crispy. The recipe is adapted from Three Sisters around the Greek Table by Betty, Eleni and Samantha Bakopoulos. The croquettes are a specialty in taverns on the island of Santorini. they are a little tricky to make, as the batter is soft. You can use an electric skillet to control the temperature of the oil.

1 lb (450 g) tomatoes (3), chopped small

6 green onions (white and green parts), chopped small

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp each: chopped mint, chopped basil

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 cup all-purpose flour + extra for dusting

Vegetable oil for frying

In medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, onions, garlic, mint and basil. Stir in baking powder and salt. Stir in 1 cup flour. (Mixture will be soft but not runny.)

Pour 1 to 2 inches of oil into large skillet. Heat on medium-high until shimmery or until temperature reaches 400F.

Place batter and plate of flour next to stove.

Cook croquettes in batches without overcrowding skillet. To form, coat palms thickly with flour, scoop batter generously with a tablespoon, quickly pat into ball, then flatten slightly before dropping into hot oil. Fry until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Remove with slotted spoon and transfer to platter lined with paper towels.

Star tested by Susan Sampson

My soup splurge was so wonderful that I eagerly moved on to the main buffet items. I chose a tiny sampling of entrees I thought would be good or were interesting to my eyes.

The coconut shrimp was a sweet surprise because unlike the coconut shrimp I’ve had before, this shrimp was not fried but baked in a creamy, coconut-flavored sauce. the sauce had the consistency of biscuit gravy and enough of it glazed each shrimp.

Just as good were the cheese-stuffed mushrooms, although I had no idea what kind of cheese is used. the white cheese is similar in taste to cream cheese with a bit more bite.

The sauteed green beans were crunchy with specks of garlic mixed in. they were good, but I’ve tasted better at other buffets.

The fried rice was a pretty deep yellow with carrots and peas in it. it was OK and similar in taste to the traditional fried rice found at Chinese restaurants.

Buffet City’s lo mein was particularly enjoyable because it was flavorful but not greasy.

Of course, there are all sorts of chicken, beef and pork entrees at Buffet City. I stuck mostly to the chicken dishes. the sweet and sour chicken had a crispy coating and was tender inside. the sweet and sour sauce that accompanied was excellent. also, the love chicken is lovely. they are fried nuggets of chicken in some sort of red sauce. the flavor of it was sweet, and I enjoyed it.

Finally, I tried two pieces of boneless barbecue spare ribs. I licked my lips after downing them.

Buffet City is unique for two key reasons. the first is that it includes crab legs and oysters on the half shell as a part of the dinner buffet, without extra charges. Plus, the buffet items are constantly changing, which can be good or bad depending upon whether they switch an item you like and replace it with an item you don’t like.

I had no such problem. throughout the course of my dinner, which lasted about an hour and a half, various items were changed. the manager, Owen Liu, told me they want to keep the buffet fresh and interesting, hence the constant changing of items. Don’t fret, though. the mainstays that people love including beef and broccoli remain on the buffet throughout dinner.

Of course, Buffet City also has sushi, sashimi, a salad bar (with fruit, shrimp cocktail and even homemade kimchi) and a dessert bar. I didn’t have room for any of those things because I didn’t want the buttons on my pants to pop off.

I did, however, walk over and take a peek into the ice cream freezer showcasing six different hand-dipped flavors – mint chocolate chip, chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, peanut butter cup and cookies and cream.

The only thing Chinese buffet lovers might miss is a Mongolian bar. yet, the absence of it should not deter any connoisseur of Chinese food from taking a trip to Buffet City.

It’s a city that satisfies.

1. COOK olive oil, spinach, onion and garlic in large skillet for 5 minutes.
2. Reducei heat to low and cook for 10 minutes; add basil.
3. TOSS spinach mixture and half the Parmesani cheese with cooked linguine; season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. top with remaining cheese.

Recipe for a Curry that Combines Chicken with Lentils

Feb 11, 2010Azharul Islam

This recipe will give you the opportunity to reproduce the delicious taste of lentils when added to a curry. the recipe serves 3-4 people.

Chicken Dansak in 30 minutes

You will need:

• 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 pint water
• 2 cups Lentil
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon of Chili powder
• 2 green Chillies, finely chopped
• 450g Chicken Breast cut into small pieces
• 1 large Onion, sliced into fine wedges
• 2 fresh Garlic cloves, minced
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of Garam Masala
• Pinch of ground Fenugreek
• 2 tablespoons of Lemon juice, either freshly squeezed or from a bottle
• A small handful of finely chopped Coriander

1. Wash the Chicken and slice them into small pieces.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large, deep frying pan, add the Onions, keeping a low heat, wait 5 minutes for the onions to start melting.
3. Increase the heat to a medium level and wait for the Onions to become slightly golden in colour. then add the Salt, Chili Powder, Turmeric, chopped green Chillies and the Garam Masala and stir them into the onions. Continue cooking for 5 minutes stirring frequently.
4. Add the Lentils.
5. Increase the heat and add the Chicken breast with the Fenugreek and the Garlic and stir for 5 minutes.
6. Add the pint of water and put in the Lemon juice and half of the Coriander and then bring to the boil for 5 minutes and then reduce the heat, cooking the curry for 15 minutes.
7. Skim off any excess oil and sprinkle in the remaining coriander and serve the dish with a bowl of rice or Nan bread . Enjoy!

Turn it into a Chicken Dansak Balti

This Chicken Dansak can be turned into a Chicken Dansak Balti just by adding the following steps.

1. Add an extra teaspoon of Chili Powder.
2. Cut up 1 green pepper, sliced length ways and add in with Onions at the beginning.
3. Add a few extra drops of Lemon.
4. Get two sizzler dishes, heat them on top of the hob for about 40 seconds. when you have done this take the Chicken Dansak out of the pan and add to the sizzler dishes. Quickly sprinkle on the coriander and serve.

Also note that if you do not get the sizzling when you put the Dansak into the sizzler dish then it means the dishes are not hot enough. In this situation leave the curry simmering in the sizzler dishes while still on the hob and then add a few drops of lemon juice. This should get it sizzling.

You can also add different vegetables such as a Potatoes or Tomatoes to create different tastes.

Broccoli Pasta Recipe, as Easy at it Gets and very good Indeed!

Feb 9, 2010Malina de Carlo

This pasta recipe was born out of lazy winter night – a night of little time, little supplies and great hunger.

In fact, this is a fairly common recipe with near infinite variations, but the basic ingredients are always the same and the difference is only in the final touches.

Here, you will find it both in its creamy and in its spicy varieties, but this is a recipe that allows for personal interpretation when in comes to its final flavouring.

It is really as quick and easy as it sounds, and it’s a great, stress-free dish for those who don’t feel like spending too much time on the stove, but still want delicious, healthy food.

Pasta with Broccoli Ingredients (for 3 people):

• 250g of Pasta (of your choice, although Spaghetti, Penne and Fusilli work particularly well)
• 3 medium-sized Broccoli florets
• 2 Garlic cloves
• Extra Vigin Olive Oil
• Coarse Sea Salt
• Freshly ground Peper
• (for the chilly version) 1 red chilly, deseeded
• (for the creamy version) half a glass of Milk, or Soy Milk, or Single Cream for a more indulgent dish
• Parmesan Cheese, grated

How to Cook Pasta with Broccoli:

1. Put a large pan of cold, salted water on the hob on a high heat, and bring to the boil.
2. While you wait, chop the broccoli florets into smaller parts, and place aside.
3. Peel the garlic cloves, and set aside.
4. When the water boils, pour your pasta in, and check the indicated cooking time. For tips on how to cook perfect pasta, click here; and remember, make sure to have salted the water adequately.
5. At around 6 minutes to the end of the pasta’s cooking time, pour the chopped broccoli in the pasta’s pan, and let it boil together.
6. While the pasta and broccoli cook, heat a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan on a low fire, and place the garlic cloves in it. Keep the fire low, so the garlic will have time to flavour the oil, and ideally the garlic will be golden by the time the pasta is ready (if it’s not, just turn off the heat and reheat on a high fire as soon as the pasta is ready)
7. When the time is up, taste the pasta to make sure it’s al dente, and pour it and the broccoli in a sieve-like colander. By now, the broccoli will have ‘dismembered’ into smaller parts – it’s part of the recipe, not to worry!
8. Pour the drained pasta and broccoli in the frying pan with the hot oil and the garlic, and toss it on a low fire for a minute, until the pasta is coated with oil.
9. Turn off the heat, remove the garlic cloves, and plate the pasta.
10. Add a dash if pepper and a generous amount of grated Parmesan cheese, and you’re ready to go.

Spicy Pasta Sauce with Broccoli

For the spicy version, the recipe is basically the same, but with the addition of a red chilly, deseeded and chopped into fine slices.

1. Follow the instructions for the normal Pasta with Broccoli (above), and at 6. make sure to add one more tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, and the chopped chilly with the garlic. Again, heat the oil, garlic and chilly on a low heat, so that the chilly and garlic will really infuse the oil with flavour.
2. Proceed as normal, but add less Parmesan cheese than you normally would, or it will cover the spicyness of the chilly.
3. Of course, you can add as many chillies as you like!

Creamy Pasta Sauce with Broccoli

Again, proceed as the normal Pasta with Broccoli (above) with the only addition of the milk (or the cream) to the pan when you mix the pasta and broccoli with the oil and garlic ( point 8. in the recipe at the top of the page) .

1. Drain the pasta and broccoli one minute earlier than you’d usually do.
2. Pour the pasta and broccoli in the large frying pan where you’ve been heating the oil and the peeled garlic.
3. Toss the pasta until it’s covered in oil
4. Keeping a low fire, pour in the milk (or cream) in the pan, and stir until the milk has partially evaporated, and has reached a creamy texture.
5. Turn off the heat, plate the pasta, and add abundant Parmesan cheese.

Buon Appetito!

Today is Super Bowl XLIV, and in case you don’t understand Roman Numerals that translates to funny commercials, good food and the Saints dominating Peyton Manning. well, the last is more of a hopeful thought than a direct translation, but hey, a girl can dream. here are just a few recipes from Food Network to try out at your football fiesta this year:

Buffalo Wings

Ingredients:

12 whole chicken wings (about 3 pounds)

3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 small clove garlic, minced

Directions:

Place a 6-quart saucepan, with a steamer basket and 1 inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil.

Remove the tips of the wings and discard or save for making stock. Use kitchen shears or a knife to separate the wings at the joint. Place the wings in the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam 10 minutes. Remove the wings from the basket and carefully pat dry. Lay out the wings on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator to dry, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the paper towels on the pan and replace with parchment paper. Roast on the middle rack of the oven, about 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook 20 to 30 more minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown.

While the chicken is roasting, melt the butter in a small bowl with the garlic. Pour this along with the hot sauce and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a bowl large enough to hold all of the chicken and stir to combine. Remove the wings from the oven, transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve warm.

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Potato Skins

Ingredients:

6 small baking potatoes

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 teaspoons seasoned salt

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

4 strips cooked, crumbled bacon

3/4 cup Daisy Brand Sour Cream

2 teaspoons snipped fresh chives

Directions:

Lightly grease outside of potatoes, cut small slit in top and bake at 425 degrees F for 45 minute or until soft. let stand until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out cooked potato, leaving a very thin layer of potato. (Save cooked potato for mashed potatoes or hash browns.)

Brush outside and inside of skins with melted butter. Sprinkle inside with steak seasoning and Parmesan cheese.

Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes or until crisp and bubbly.

Fill with cheddar cheese and bacon. Bake 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of chives.

Variation: Twice Baked Potato Fingers Bake 3 large (about 5-inch) potatoes for 1 hour; cool. cut in half lengthwise, and then lengthwise in half again, making 12 long fingers. Scoop out and proceed as above.

If all else fails, give Wingzone a call– they deliver! And tune into the game– Kickoff is at 6:25 p.m. on CBS.

If you enjoy making authentic Mexican food recipes and eating traditional Mexican foods, refried beans is an example of a classic Mexican dish.

A lot of authentic Mexican food recipes feature refried beans as a side dish and beans are high in protein and other nutrients. This bean dish are a traditional Mexican recipe but also popular in Tex Mex cuisine.

This dish, known as “frijoles refritos” in Mexico, is traditionally prepared using pinto beans but you can use red or black beans if you prefer. you need to soak the raw beans overnight and then drain and mash them, perhaps with a little broth for a runnier consistency.

This bean paste is then fried with lard and seasoned with Mexican spices and salt. Saute some onion and garlic before you add the bean paste for a delicious flavor.

How Refried Beans got their Name

In English, “re-” before a word means to do something over again, like in reorder or redo. In Spanish, it means “well” or “very,” so “refritos” actually means well fried and not twice fried like the name in English would suggest.

How to Serve Refried Beans

These beans can be served as a main course or a side dish. They can also be used to make bean burritos or bean chimichangas.

You can use them to make a dip for corn tortilla chips or nachos or as part of a seven layer dip recipe or a seven layer Mexican salad recipe.

An Authentic Mexican Recipe for Refried Beans

You can make them dry or soupy, depending on your personal taste. Make them wetter by adding more bean juice to the mixture as it cooks and keep them drier by using a slotted spoon to transfer the bean mixture to the oil. The longer you cook them, the softer, and sweeter they get.

To give the refried beans a different flavor, you can fry some onion, salt pork, garlic, or Mexican sausage in the oil before you add the beans. This amount of refried beans will feel between four and ten people, depending whether you are serving it as a side dish or a main course.

You can omit the chilies from this recipe if you are not keen on a spicy flavor, or you can use chili powder or chili paste instead of the fresh chilies if that is easier.

Delicious and Easy Refried Beans

You will need:

• 2 1/4 lbs pinto beans or black beans, cooked
• Wax chilies or guero chilies
• 10 tablespoons oil

How to make it:

Toast the chilies over a low flame or on a griddle until the skin starts to blister, then chop them finely. Heat a skillet over a high heat until it is very hot, then add the oil and beans. Let the beans simmer in the oil for about five minutes, stirring often, then mash them with a potato masher. Add the chilies and serve immediately.

1. Heat the garlic in the olive oil until golden, then remove from the heat & add the basil.
2. The basil should wilt in the hot oil & go bright green & glossy.
3. Cook the pasta until *al dente* then drain.
4. Tossi with the garlic, basil mixture.
5. Add the grated lime & the lime juice.
6. Seasoni with salt & pepper, or cayenne & serve immediately.
7. Marlena spieler, “200+ vegetarian pasta recipes.