Yummy Ka-bobs!

I think Ka-bobs are something that a man can do! Everyone claims that a man excels on the grill!! I do my best, but I'm not Bobby Flay! That is somebody that can cook!! These are some great kabobs... it was my first attempt and I'm extremely happy with the outcome! Plus it's a healthy meal for your family which we as Americans seem to be lacking a lot of.

What you'll need:

Marinade:

I doubled this recipe and put half in one bowl for veggies and half in another for chicken

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce (you can also use low sodium if you like)
1 shallot (I always use shallots because I don't have onions or garlic and it's the best of both worlds)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to your taste)

4 chicken breasts
bell peppers (I used one of each red, yellow, orange)
Onions (I didn't use any because my father in law is allergic)
2 Zucchini

1. Mix all ingredients for the marinade together in two bowls

2. Slice the veggies: bell peppers into 1 inch pieces and zucchini in 3/4 inch slices

3. Mix marinade and veggies together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate over night

4. Perform same procedure as with the veggies.

5. Alternate veggies on skewers and do the same with chicken.
(I cook the veggies and chicken separately)
(Also make sure to soak the skewers before using if they are wooden)


6. Grill the kabobs for about 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken juices run clear

7. Meanwhile heat the vegetable marinade in a saucepan to pour over
(Use the vegetable marinade because chicken marinade may contain salmonella)

These are fantastic! I really did love them. I made some rice on the side and I put the chicken and veggies on top of the rice and then topped with the heated up marinade! Everyone seemed to love it or maybe everyone was just being nice!

Banana Bread

I wish that I had a great story about how banana bread is awesome, and I made it when I was a little kid or how I took it to an old grandma while she was sick, but no.... just a boring little banana bread that actually turned out quite delicious. I have always felt that I'm a better baker than a cook... so this is more of my thang! Well here is what you will need for this recipe

3 ripe bananas (brown like you want to throw them away)
1/2 cup butter softened (room temperature)
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup sour cream (the absolute key!!!)
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl

2. Mash bananas with a fork

3. Cream butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla together in a mixer
4. Mix in dry ingredients adding a little at a time.

5. With a rubber spatula fold in sour cream and bananas

6. Pour mixture into a greased bread pan

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour OR until a toothpick comes out clean

This turned out wonderful!!! I really was shocked that I could make something like this. Cut off a slice and serve it with some butter on it! Wow... I guess my grandpa in law used to put a slice of cheese on it. I didn't dare go that far even though I'm passionate about cheese!! Best dishes my friends, and please leave your comments!

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Also, this week I'm joining a blog party... it's my second of the sort, and I hope it goes well. I hope everyone that is here will enjoy the bread, and other recipes! I love your comments long or short, funny or even angry haha. For other people's awesome blogs go here...... A Soft Place to Land.

Spaghetti

Spaghetti... I must be on an Italian fix?! Well as far as spaghetti goes we haven't been best friends for a long time. Well, never for that fact. I have always preferred pesto over spaghetti sauce, and I probably always will. Liking pesto more it has set me on a mission to cook spaghetti sauce, and make it great so that I will actually eat it. I loved this recipe, and guess what!! It only cost 5 dollars to put dinner on the table tonight... that was dinner for myself, my lovely wife, and my mother in law.

What you'll need:

1 can tomato sauce roasted garlic flavor
1 can tomato sauce garlic, oregano, basil
1 small can tomato paste
1 shallot (I'm hooked on shallots because of the great flavor they have!!)
1 small can mushrooms
5 dashes Cholula Pepper Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (put as much as you would prefer in it)
1/2 lb pasta of your choice
2 tbsp olive oil or butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Bring a pot of water to boil

2. Chop Shallots

3. Cook pasta over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until Al Dente

4. Saute shallots and mushrooms together until onions are translucent

5. Pour both cans of tomato sauce, and about 1/4 of tomato paste in.
6. Mix until well combined, add more paste to desired thickness.
7. Bring sauce to a boil and reduce heat to med/low and simmer for about 10 mins

8. Serve and enjoy!!!!

I thought this recipe was great, and I will definitely make this again. This is what it looks like pictures above... who wouldn't want to eat that? I sure did and well.... I did!!! Please read, and comment what you think.

Macaroni and Cheese

When I was 10 years old the first thing that I ever cooked was Macaroni and Cheese. Now given it was Kraft Macaroni and Cheese with that great orange sauce, but I thought the first post would be great if it was Macaroni and Cheese, but a lot more kicked up you know a "modern" version. I looked at a lot of recipes, and then decided on what I wanted to do. So here it is..... Macaroni and Cheese.... my way...

1 lb penne pasta (or any pasta that you would like)
2 cups Cheddar Cheese (I prefer Tillamook Medium Cheddar, but most recommend sharp)
1 cup sharper cheese (I used an irish cheese, and I will get back to you on the name)
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot chopped
4 cups milk/heavy cream (I used 3 cups milk and 1 of cream)
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Set temperature to high to boil water

2.Once water comes to a boil cook pasta for 8-10 minutes or until Al Dente

3. Chop Shallots

4. Grate Cheeses

5. In 2 tbsp of oil cook shallots until they begin to caramelize, remove from pan.

6. Put in 2 tbsp butter, and 2 tbsp flour to form a roux7. Once roux is formed pour shallots back in and slowly whisk in milk/cream, and then mix in cheese.

8. When the sauce is thick and creamy pour pasta in and toss.

9. Empty the contents of the pan into a 13x9 pan

10. Spread cheese over the top and bake at 350 for 30 minutes

11. Remove from Oven

12. Serve!!!

This dish was great!! If you like your macaroni and cheese a little bit more saucy I wouldn't recommend baking it. The consistency was a lot thicker, but delicious. I found that the shallots really added an amazing flavor to it. Please comment, and let me know what you think!!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This post I'm also putting on Hooked on Houses blog partaaaay! As I'm sure you could tell I'm hooked on cooking right now, and always for that matter. More to come soon, as I'm already working on my next post... check back soon for updates.

The Inagural Post

Well here it is the first of many to come, my blog. I wouldn't say that it's a dream or anything like that, but I have always been passionate about cooking. Now, I said passionate not great at it or a prodigy of any sorts. I love cooking though, and I have been passionate about it since I was a kid. On Saturday mornings I would watch cooking shows instead of cartoons.

What am I doing? I'm taking you and myself on a cooking journey. It's going to be like an online cooking journal of recipes and stories from my life to help you hopefully in turn cook for your family too. This is not going to be food ment for the 5 star restaurants in New York or Los Angeles. This is going to be food for the average American with ingredients that you most likely already have in your pantry. I hope that I can learn a ton from this experience, and hopefully you will learn just as much! That is my hope.... so let the fun begin, and thanks for reading.