Happy Monday!  Hope you had a good weekend.  I wanted to share with you a simple side dish that can replace your normal run of the mill grains such as rice or pasta.  I find, for me anyway we tend to get in a rut of only choosing rice and pasta as our grains.  I am trying to keep an open mind and use grains such as quinoa, bulgar, and barley.  They are very simple to cook and absorb any flavor you throw at them.

For today’s post, I started with barley and follow the directions and boiled them in plain water.  Then I added some sauteed mushrooms and corn, a little bit of butter and a hint of red wine.  I let that reduce down before adding it into the cooked barley.  Results were delicious and I must say, simple to make.

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Pot Barley
• 1 Cup Frozen Corn
• 1 Cup Mushrooms
• 1/4 Red wine
• 1 Tbsp. Butter
• Zest of 1/2 Lemon
• Salt and Pepper

Method

1. In a medium sauce pan, follow the instructions on the barley and cook accordingly.
2. In a larger pan, start by adding 1/2 Tbsp. butter and saute the mushrooms with salt and pepper.   Once cooked down, about 4 minutes add the red wine and reduce.  After most of the wine has evaporated add the corn.
3. Continue to saute the corn so that it starts to brown.
4. Set aside when cooked to your liking
5. In the barley, once all the water is evaporated, stir in the remaining butter, lemon zest.
6. Now add the mushroom and corn mixture.  Toss gently and incorporate.  test for flavor adjusting if needed.
7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip:  Using alternative grains throughout the week will prevent boredom at the dining table.  Something we all should aim for to keep our food interesting. 

Monday is upon us.  Another busy week in the hopper.  I will pop back in on Wednesday for something else to eat.  I hope you have a great start to your week.

Take care

zesty

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Happy Halloween!!  Sorry for the rush in the day but i have 17 things to do this morning and only about 45 minutes to do it.  Including getting my costume on for work.  Depending how I look I may share a photo or two on Wednesday!

OK OK – the weekend is over and it is back to the normal weekday grind.

On Sunday morning I had some time to prepare lunch as the rest of the gang was out.  I knew I wanted something simple cause we had to be on the move shortly after 1:00 so I came up with a simple pasta dish.  Mrs. Zesty loves pasta and mushrooms - so what better way to use up some mushrooms than kick them up a notch with both some heat and some noodles.  As I was looking around the fridge and pantry, I noticed some white wine that was begging to be finished as well as some fresh arugula and some button mushrooms.

My mind was made up and we were good to go.

Ingredients

• 1 handful Fettuccine
• 10 -12 Mushrooms ( chopped)
• 1 Tsp. Red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 12 Grape tomatoes
• 1/2 Cup white wine
• 1 Cup Arugula
• 2 Tbsp. Butter
• 1 Tsp. Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Parmesan cheese

Method

1. Bring water to a boil in a sauce pan; salt and add pasta.  Cook according to directions and drain.
2. In a large pan, turn on medium heat and olive oil and half the butter.  Add mushrooms and begin to cook down – 4-5 minutes
3. Season with salt and pepper, add red pepper flakes and cumin.  Cook another 3 minutes
4. Add tomatoes and cook for about 5 more minutes.
5. With heat still on medium, toss in the white wine and cook down for 1 minute.  Add remaining pat of butter and stir.
6. Toss in the arugula and let wilt for 2 minutes.
7. Add cooked drained pasta and toss gently.  Shred Parmesan cheese before serving.
8. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: For the sauce, if you are finding it too dry, add a little bit of the reserved pasta water before draining down the sink.  This will bring a nice starchy salty flavor to the sauce and give it a nice balance.

OK there you have it.  A simple yet rich dish great for a Sunday lunch or any meal throughout the week.  Nothing special but a nice hearty dish to serve with a hunk of homemade bread and a tall glass of mil to battle the heat.  I hope you have a super Monday and I will see you in 48 hours.

Take care

zesty

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Hitting you up wit a re post today as I am away from home for today and the weekend.

Some things will never change.  I will continue to cook fun, easy and idiot proof recipes for you to “hopefully” enjoy and document them along the way with pictures to aide in your at home preparation.  I think today will not disappoint.  What do you get when you take roasted mushrooms with Parmesan cheese, pan seared chicken breasts with balsamic and orange reduction, fresh spinach and some whole wheat pasta?

Answer = YUM

This dish was actually quite tasty and as I was evaluating it last night – the one thing I would alter was the amount of sauce.  I had very little as it reduced so much so in the ingredients below I will display what I did but you may want to increase the amounts if you are a sauce lover.

Ingredients

• 2 Boneless Chicken breasts ( sliced)
• 2 Cups Whole button mushrooms
• 2 Large handfuls of spinach
• 1/4 Cup Orange Juice
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
• Parmesan Cheese
• 2 Cups Whole Wheat Penne Pasta

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cook pasta according to directions
3. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange mushrooms on sheet



4. Coat with one tablespoon of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and some Parmesan cheese; toss to coat evenly
5. Roast for 20 minutes turning occasionally





6. In a saute pan, turn to medium heat and begin to cook the chicken with the remaining tablespoon of oil.  Once the chicken begins to brown toss in the roasted mushrooms, orange juice, remaining balsamic and let reduce for 4 minutes



7. Add spinach and cook until spinach is wilted





8. Add noodles, mix thoroughly and dress with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.





9. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: For me this tip is all about balance.  Use the balsamic and orange juice to balance themselves but be sure you have enough sauce.  This was my only mistake in this dish.  I feel it would have been even better with more sauce.

Tell me what you think of this recipe, what other recipes you would like to see, whether you would like to participate by doing a zesty post or if you just like stopping in here each day to check things out.

I am wide open and very flexible and there is nothing I will not answer.  Have yourself a great Friday and weekend!

Take care

zesty

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It’s Victoria Day in Canada.  That means three things:

No work.

Yard work.

Blog work.

I am off today and spending time with the family, Mrs Zesty just returned home last night after being gone for 5 days.  She ran the 1/2 marathon in Halifax and did a great job.  Today we are trying to stay ahead of the yard work and get the grass cut, make some decisions on the walkway as well as organize the garage and prep for the flower beds.  The weather has been so terrible the garden has not been planted yet.

I do have to catch up on some blog work at some point but may wait until later on today.

I am starving.  I was unsure what to make for breakfast as I normally have oatmeal but today I wanted to switch it up a little bit and hit you with an omelet.

I just sauteed some bacon until it rendered down, then added a little onion and a whole lotta mushrooms.  I cooked them down and seasoned with salt and pepper until they were almost cooked.  I added 4 scrambled eggs and let go until the eggs set up.  I finished it with fresh basil.

What a nice treat.

ENJOY!

I hope you have a great start to the week and I will talk to you on Wednesday.

Take care

zesty

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Welcome to 2011.  I hope you had a wonderful new year celebration with your family and friends.  As I sit here in the dining room preparing this post and I look back on the holidays…. I feel like I have gained 10 lbs – oh wait maybe I actually did.  The amount of food and drink consumed this year was appalling – but nonetheless a fact.

I need to apologize before we go any further as NYE festivities got a little sloppy ( and I don’t mean Sloppy Joe’ s) for zest and I didn’t take any pictures.  The food from what I can remember was amazing as per usual and there are a couple of dishes that stand out.  Thanks to the amazing zesty in law for putting on an amazing party and taking some pictures.

The menu was quite elaborate and included shrimp, trout, quail, mushrooms, brie bake, homemade tomato paste with goat and mozzarella cheese as a spread, of course homemade pizza, fresh ravioli, sticky date pudding

Stuffed Mushrooms

These mushrooms were stuffed with capers, anchovies, cumin, mushroom stems, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese…. Totally Delicious!!!

Prosciutto Wrapped Quail

I somewhat remember eating this and I did enjoy it…. the salty crunch on the Prosciutto was a nice balance with the Quail.

So a new year is upon us, and normally we go ahead and make some resolutions and promises to ourselves.  I have been keeping mine fairly quiet but I do want to try a few things that I have not yet completed.  I would like to try some vegan recipes, use agave nectar, eat more oatmeal and do some more exercise.  Yes a year full of excitement is in store for zest.  Tell me what are going to do this year.

I have some more fun recipes to share with you over the next couple of weeks that I have experimented with over the holidays.  Stay tuned and have a great start to the new year.

Take care

zesty.

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Hello from Charleston, West Virginia.  Yesterday was a busy day in Mississippi and right after the client meetings I drove back from Tupelo to Birmingham Alabama to fly out of this morning.  The flight times just worked out a little better from Birmingham than Memphis. Right after the client meetings we decided to take a quick drive down the road to Elvis’ old house where he grew up and visit there for a few minutes.  Very fun and I even picked up a couple of souvenirs.

I am dying to share this recipe with you since last Thursday, not because it is stellar and earth shattering but simply due to the fact that it tasted amazing and was super easy to prepare.  I really love quesadillas and have featured a couple of my favorites in the past:  Super Simple Stunning Quesadillas and  Chicken Asparagus Pesto Quesadillas.

This recipe is up there with flavor and simplicity.

Ingredients

• Bbq Chicken
• Whole Wheat Tortilla
• Red peppers
• Basil
• Monterrey Jack and Cheddar cheese (shredded)
• Bacon
• Mushrooms

Method

1. Cook off bbq chicken, bacon and mushrooms and set aside.  ( you can use left overs if you have them as well )













2. Line up the tortilla and start assembling the filling



3. Add all the ingredients and finish with a good layer of cheese on the top to help the top tortilla to stick.





4. Grill over medium heat – moving as needed to achieve a nice golden brown color.  Gently press on the outside of the quesadilla to force the edges to connect from the cheese.
5. Flip over and repeat the process.
6. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: If using mushrooms in quesadillas, I feel it is crucial to cook them down to remove the water from the mushrooms.  Otherwise they will make your tortilla soggy and cause it not to crisp.

I am hanging here in Charleston for a couple of days so let me know if you guys know of good places to eat here and I will be sure to check them out.  Have a superb Wednesday and I will talk to you back at home on Friday.

Take care

zesty

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Happy Monday and Happy Belated birthday to my US neighbors. This week is action packed on the zesty front with 7 blog consulting gigs to finish, work work, zesty cooking, soccer and some chores outside to stay on top of before I am on vacation next week.  Did I tell you we rented a 36′ camper trailer next week to hang out by the water and do nothing but play, relax and eat?  I am pretty excited to say the least.

Do you ever feel that you want to get take out because you are lazy and do not want to wait for lunch or supper?  I have that feeling sometimes but I often revert and hold off my cravings with a dish like this one below.  It is super easy, tasty and really takes all of 15 minutes to make.  You could not even drive out , order and take it back home in 15 minutes.  Next time you are on the fence for wanting take out – give this dish a try.

There is not shortage of flavor, with fresh lemon zest and rich hoisin sauce.

Ingredients

• 2-3 cups Penne pasta
• Handful of baby spinach
• 1 Head of broccoli
• 1 Cup chopped button mushrooms
• Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp.  Soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp.  Hoisin sauce
• 1 Lemon ( juice and zest )
• 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 Garlic clove ( chopped )
• 1 Tsp. thyme

Method

1. Cook pasta according to directions
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat add olive oil, mushrooms and begin to cook down and add the garlic and thyme.
3. Now toss in the broccoli and begin to brown ( about 2 minutes )
4. Combine soy sauce, hoisin sauce, lemon juice and zest in a bowl and mix together.  Pour into mushroom and broccoli mixture.
5. Add spinach and cooked pasta and stir to mix thoroughly.
6. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve it up.
7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: To avoid the broccoli getting soggy, keep the heat on, constantly stir and avoid over crowding the pan.  Over crowding will cause it to steam and quickly become soggy.

Now this dish is nothing over the top but it is a great dish for a quick meal and another way to easily clean out your fridge before grocery day.  I so despise throwing out food from the fridge so dishes like these aide in that by throwing in some vegetables that may be on the verge of breaking down.

Let’s kick start this busy week with a bang!  I hope you have a fantastic Monday and I will be back with a “very special” post on Wednesday.

Take care

zesty

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Ok, where do I start.  The New Years eve gala was nothing short of amazing.  When you see the food line up I think you will agree.  On top of all the food the night included some adult beverages, some funny board games ( FART and Apple to Apples ) as well as some great music and even some dancing.  I will not delve to far into the dancing aspect of the evening.

For these toasts, I listed the ingredients and method for each of the three flavors.  You will also see in the pictures that there was a 4th toast which was called Fig and Balsamic.  This was a pre-made spread from the superstore so I didn’t include it in the post.  It was quite tasty nonetheless.

Roasted Onions

• 1 or 2 Onions ( sliced)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1Tbsp. butter
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 Tsp Rosemary, thyme, oregano

Method

1. Slowly brown onions in butter and olive oil.
2. Season with salt and pepper as well as those herbs desired.
3. Dried and fresh herbs can be used but the more delicate herbs should be added near the end of the cooking time.
4. Total time will probably be over 30 minutes as this avoid the onions burning.
5. Little attention is required during this time.

Sauteed Mushrooms

• Mix of mushroom types sliced, Portabella and Shitake were used. Quantities depend on how much is desired.
• Butter
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

Method

• Brown in heated pan that has butter and oil added to melt.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook until mushrooms brown and reduce in size

Roasted Red Pepper and Cheese

• 2 Red Bell Pepper
• 5 Oz soft goat cheese
• 1 Tsp. minced shallot
• Salt and Pepper

Method

1. Roast peppers until skin is blackened and place in paper bag to steam. This will make peeling the skin easy.
2. The peppers can be roasted on grill, over a gas burner or through broiling.
3. Dice the peppers once cooled and peeled.
4. Mix with the remaining ingredients and allow flavors to blend.

Slice baguette to about 1/2 inch thick. Grill on one side, or drizzle olive oil over parchment paper lined pan and place toasts on the paper. Add toppings and again drizzle with olive oil and bake in 350 F oven.

The bottoms will toast and crust from the olive oil, and the parchment will prevent sticking.

The first of quite a few great dishes to remember 2009. Stay tuned for some more great recipes that you can make for you and your family.

Take care

zesty

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Happy Friday!  Sorry for the delay in posting.  I actually never had time to write last night as we were at the house until 11:00pm prepping the upstairs for the painter today.  Progress is moving along and things are starting to take shape.  We picked out some plumbing fixtures today which are in stock… whoo hooo.  We seem to be struggling on lighting fixtures but hopefully we can find something we like soon.

On to the food

Take a look at this dish… first glance you may think it is a little odd which may be true but I like to call this – the fridge leftovers plus some eggs.  I had some left over potatoes, corn and mushrooms in the fridge and I was not sure what to do with it.

As you know I really hate throwing out perfectly good food so this is what I came up with.

Ingredients

• Mushrooms
• Corn
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Large Potato ( cooked and cubed)
• 1 Tbsp. Butter
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Add butter to a saute pan and heat to medium heat
2. Add mushrooms and begin to brown ( about 3 minutes )
3. Toss in potatoes and cook for 6 minutes; stir in leftover corn and mix thoroughly.
4. Create two hallow areas in the pan to crack the eggs.
5. Cover pan and let the eggs cook for about 4 minutes.
6. Remove and plate



7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Never waste food!  That is my tip.  Just try making crazy dishes like this one and see what you like.

Alright – I have to run to a meeting and figure out some house stuff.

To Do List

• Meet with the railing people
• Pick out some lighting… please
• Order the quarter -round molding
• Confirm cabinet arrival on Monday

Hope you have a great day!

Take care

zesty

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Ever crave a good old fashion cheeseburger?  Well this kid craves them all the time.  I know it is not great for you but listen to this… How about some extra lean ground beef, a whole wheat bun, mushrooms, onions (if you like them), dash of mustard, and a splash of ketchup.  Oh wait – you can’t forget the cheese.

For my cheeseburger, I play a little game called “Hide the cheese”.  I can hear you saying “Oh dear, this zesty guy is crazy”.  Well that is partially true but hear me out.  I like to put the cheese inside the burger when I mix it.  For this I cut the old cheddar cheese up in little cubes and add it to the beef mixture. By doing so, it ensures the beef to be juicy and gooey and embed the flavor in every bite.

I went ahead and paired the burger with some savory potato wedges, some sweet potato chunks and a simple salad. They were a huge hit as always.Follow along below and check out the process.  Pretty simple but fun and let me know what you think of the zesty tip today.

Ingredients

• 2 Lbs Extra Lean Ground Beef
• 2 Eggs
• Black Pepper
• Button Mushrooms
• Onions
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• Cheddar Cheese

Method

1. Prepare the ground beef in a large mixing bowl





2. Preheat grill to medium high heat
3. Add eggs and pepper too beef and mix well.
4. Cut cheese  into small chunks and add to beef



5. Using your hands, incorporate the cheese into the beef



6. Form the patties to the size of your liking ( I prefer to have them a larger circumference and a thinner height)



7. Place patties onto a plate and press your thumb in the center of the burger making a slight indentation



8. Clean your grill as it is reheating.
9. Place the burgers on the grill and do not move them until a nice crust is formed.  You can do a half turn for grill marks if that tickles your fancy.





10. In a frying pan, over medium heat add olive oil and saute the onions until translucent.



11. Add mushrooms and continue cooking down until golden brown.





12. Turn the burgers over, add your favorite barbecue sauce if so desired and continue cooking until no longer pink



13. Remove from heat and let rest.
14. Assemble the burger to your liking.





15. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: To prevent the burger from puffing up in the center as it cooks, I press down in the center.  Also another great tip is too not add sauce to your burgers to early. It will just burn as most sauces have sugar in them.

So I guess that wraps up the “Zesty Ultimate Cheeseburger”.  This was a really fun post to do and I hope you enjoy it!  If you have any questions, do not hesitate to send me an email.  Have a great Thursday and I will see you with a weekday wrap up tomorrow.
Take care

zesty

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