tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62186051545033717582012-01-25T11:31:09.978-05:00Let's eat. Let's eat together. Let's Eat@Home. Here are some recipes to help.Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.comBlogger1581100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-22375444712856149302012-01-25T11:28:00.002-05:002012-01-25T11:31:09.986-05:00

By Paul BriandMy wife Jane put this recipe together -- not for her and me, but for her daughter Kelsey and son-in-law Jeremy who had our granddaughter Rylin a few weeks ago.Kelsey and Jeremy are still very much in new-baby mode, trying to get Rylin on a schedule of eating, sleeping, being awake. In the meantime, the new mom and dad’s meals are a bit catch-as-catch-can.So the other day Jane spent

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-3161864113972296092012-01-18T12:44:00.002-05:002012-01-18T12:47:13.278-05:00

By Paul BriandMy wife Jane alerted me to this recipe. As news editor for the Eagle-Tribune in North Andover, Mass., she had edited the copy for a story on healthy recipes that included this one for Ricotta Cheese Crab Tortillas.We love crab, and I was intrigued by the combination of the crabmeat with the ricotta. It isn’t a hot dish, since a cool to room temperature filling is used in a pan

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-37200617240489405692012-01-11T13:22:00.003-05:002012-01-11T13:24:57.974-05:00

By Paul BriandThe shout out for this recipe goes to my stepdaughter Eileen who gave me a cookbook to me for Christmas.The cookbook is a collection of recipes from people associated with the Dominion School for Autism in Richmond, Va., where Eileen recently worked as an aide.This recipe, according to the text, comes from Dorothy Lucy in memory of Aunt Ruby.Layered a bit like a lasagna, this

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-28209473536878201042011-12-21T14:23:00.004-05:002012-01-11T13:25:57.202-05:00

By Zachary PenrodThe pizza pictured here is not my "best" pie, but rather my "fastest" pie.It stemmed from a unanimous, but unforeseen need for pizza. This need arose after a fabulous night of celebrating Sara's birthday with friends, but unfortunately late night pizza is far less available in the suburbs. When the birthday girl wants pizza the birthday girl gets pizza...and so I sprang into

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-79987858729329146962011-12-14T15:55:00.005-05:002011-12-14T16:05:24.782-05:00

By Paul BriandIn the spirit of the season, I wanted to offer up twoarchived links to Christmas cookies recipes that have been in our family for a long, long time.I don't bake, so I leave it to my Mom, my sister Margaret, and my sister Ella to meet the Christmas cookie need each year.Here's a Bird's Nest Cookie recipe from Margaret.And here's a Chocolate Crinkles recipe from Ella.Both originated

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-19069893928082329902011-12-07T11:43:00.001-05:002011-12-07T11:45:34.331-05:00

By Paul BriandOne way or the other, I planned to do a shrimp recipe for this week.And I had two in mind: This Lemon Shrimp On Rice, which came as part of a coupon book from the supermarket where I food shop; and a Puff Pastry-Wrapped Jumbo Shrimp recipe that I found cruising the web.My wife Jane preferred the pastry-wrapped shrimp -- with its garlic and herb spread and bacon and buttery puff

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-43368651248923889092011-11-30T14:39:00.003-05:002011-11-30T14:42:05.078-05:00

By Paul BriandI’m a news hound, and I have a variety of apps on my BlackBerry smartphone and my Apple iPod Touch to browse headlines and read stories.I’m also a recipe hound. And there’s an app for that too: Foodily.I’ve been using the Foodily app on my iPod Touch for a few weeks. Foodily compiles recipes, and, if you see one you like, it connects you to its original source. I recently connected

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-24216529289864883942011-11-16T07:16:00.003-05:002011-11-16T11:55:31.424-05:00

By Paul BriandIt’s a challenge to extract taste while using low-fat ground turkey meat in a recipe.So I liked the idea of this take on the tradition Sloppy Joe recipe, courtesy of a cooking segment on the Today show fearing "Top Chef" judge Padma Lakshmi.It takes the turkey and infuses it with a lot of big taste from the garlic, shallots and bay leaves, and adds some kick with the chili-pepper

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-73606016845395236052011-11-10T10:04:00.003-05:002011-11-16T11:54:31.766-05:00

By Paul BriandA recipe with beer in it? I’m definitely in.Rachel Forrest, the Wine Me, Dine Me food writer for Seacoastonline.com, recently wrote about stout beer and the variety of ways you can use it in cooking.A sauce for steak caught my eye.My wife Jane, who’s not big fan of putting any type of sauce or condiment on steak, liked it, comparing it to a much heartier -- and much better -- than a

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-10686225041021183112011-10-12T08:22:00.002-04:002011-10-12T08:27:14.454-04:00

By Paul BriandThis is a recipe that I’d have to rank as looking better than it actually turned out.I came across the recipe in Sunday’s Parade magazine.The dish comes from Dash Recipes.It gets its name, according to the story behind it, from having an out-of-the-world taste, as in Sputnik, the first satellite ever launched into space, courtesy of the Russians in 1957.By the time all the potatoes

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-14626446253276229582011-10-05T07:25:00.002-04:002011-10-05T07:29:24.136-04:00

By Paul BriandI normally shop for groceries on Monday, so Monday morning I organizemy shopping list around the meals I plan to cook for the week.Some weeks, however, I’m completely unprepared. I go to the store, literally, with a blank slate (in this case an empty shopping list).So I get to the store hoping that something will inspire me.This week it was one of the aptly named “Recipe

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-36369547136471202011-09-28T07:25:00.003-04:002011-09-28T07:30:45.223-04:00

By Paul BriandI love chili. I rank the dish up there with meatloaf as one of my favorite comfort foods and believe, like meatloaf, that you can’t have too many different recipes for it.I have a quick chili that I’ve made for years using jarred salsa -- my so-called Easy Chili.And, over the years, I’ve played with other recipes involving chili, including:Cornbread-Chili CasseroleKielbasa Chili

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-27931136188437805512011-09-14T08:01:00.003-04:002011-09-14T08:01:38.119-04:00

By Paul Briand The question: How to turn a refrigerator full of leftovers into dinner? The answer: Combine the chicken, onion and peppers into a oven-baked dish that came together into something I dubbed Leftover Chicken Tortilla Stack. I was lucky enough to have flour tortillas leftover, some shredded cheese and an avocado that needed using. Here’s how it came together.

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-74670198384714386312011-08-17T06:23:00.001-04:002011-08-17T06:25:31.154-04:00

By Paul Briand This is another recipe offering posted on a bulletin board at my health club. It comes via Food.com. It requires medium prep, but cooks up fast and flavorful, particularly with the sauce that combines honey, ginger, chili-garlic sauce, soy sauce and orange juice. Ingredients2 tablespoons honey1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar1 tablespoon reduced-sodium

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-64313357108591098022011-08-10T07:43:00.003-04:002011-08-10T07:45:27.035-04:00

By Paul Briand This comes from my daughter, Elizabeth, who describes this Grilled Pizza as “our new favorite Sunday dinner.” Here’s how she describes how to do it: “We buy the dough from the store, put tin foil with a little olive oil on the grill, put the dough on, flip it, then put whatever toppings you want. “Crunchy and delicious.’

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-13756267629113022352011-08-03T11:14:00.001-04:002011-08-03T11:16:11.120-04:00

By Paul BriandPorco is Italian for pig … as in sweet Italian sausage … as in pigs in a blanket. Got it?You know pigs in a blanket -- those tasty little hot dogs wrapped in baked dough, then dipped in mustard. So good and so not good for you.This variation on that theme takes Italian sausage links and wraps them in either your favorite wrap or burrito. You can fill it with peppers and onions (much

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-38315406634184085592011-07-27T06:50:00.002-04:002011-07-27T06:53:57.205-04:00

By Paul BriandI expect more from a hamburger than just cheese, ketchup, mustard and relish.I want some life, some pizazz, some razzle-dazzle.Not too long ago, the weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal in its cooking and eating section (yes, that Wall Street Journal … it’s come a long way, baby) featured “Burgers To Flip For.”The story included the recipes for a variety of burgers that kick

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-725667349652218042011-07-20T07:36:00.002-04:002011-07-20T07:39:50.030-04:00

By Paul BriandI think my wife Jane was a grizzly bear in a past life. She loves salmon, so anything that I can do with salmon makes me a hero.This recipe was included in a coupon book that I received from the Shaw’s supermarket where I normally shop for groceries.Note: This recipe calls for flipping the salmon. I don’t do that. I grill it skin side down with the grill cover closed. It’s done when

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-83497735724033961682011-07-13T14:45:00.002-04:002011-07-13T14:47:56.984-04:00

By Paul BriandI consider salsa and chips one of the major food groups.This recipe from AARP the Magazine provided me with a tasty salsa that was easy to prepare, if you don’t mind all the slicing and dicing that is necessary.I liked the alchemy of mixing all these ingredients, to the point that it was easy to slip in another ingredient -- in my case some leftover watermelon -- without affecting

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-70092025968826108612011-07-06T06:37:00.002-04:002011-07-06T06:44:15.107-04:00

By Paul BriandI didn’t have to look beyond my refrigerator to find this recipe, specifically the squeeze bottle of French’s Brown Mustard there on the door shelf.It’s a combination marinade/topping for the steak that I also used to cook hamburger sliced Vidalia onions, red peppers and green peppers, all on the grill.Ingredients1 cup balsamic salad dressing1/3 cup French’s Spicy Brown Mustard2

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-13034938550689100792011-06-22T06:53:00.001-04:002011-06-22T06:56:48.086-04:00

By Paul BriandWho wouldn’t want to eat like the president and his family at the White House?But we’re not talking the lavishness of an official State Dinner here.We’re talking about a healthy dinner dish prepared for President Barack Obama and his family by White House Chef Sam Kass.Kass was on NBC’s “Today Show” a few weeks ago to talk about and demonstrate this recipe for White House Turkey

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-80393831130643464872011-06-15T06:50:00.003-04:002011-06-15T06:54:23.332-04:00

By Paul BriandI’m not sure what the best part of this dish was -- having it hot out of the oven the night it was made, or having the leftovers in sandwiches the next day.It was a big hit both times, which speaks to how much we liked this take on good, old fashioned, old reliable meatloaf.This one comes via Food.com, and I liked creating the barbecue sauce essence from scratch.Note: I didn’t need

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-82514240393703301452011-06-08T07:22:00.000-04:002011-06-08T07:25:54.559-04:00

By Paul BriandMy health club is proactive about good health -- as it should be.One of its ideas is a bulletin board of health tips that includes printed out recipes of healthy meals.I liked what I read in this recipe after finishing a workout -- something about the combination of balsamic vinegar and blue cheese.This recipe from all allrecipes.com calls for tilapia. But I substituted it for

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-70426582005934881342011-06-01T07:17:00.000-04:002011-06-01T07:21:53.343-04:00

By Paul BriandWhen it comes to looking for good recipes to try and write about, my wife Jane is a valued co-conspirator.In part, she knows I’m always on the hunt for something new. But largely, I think, she knows how she benefits with another delish dish on the table.This recipe comes from the Relish magazine her newspaper, the Eagle-Tribue in Massachusetts, puts into Tuesday’s edition once a

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-17599202799810059112011-05-25T07:25:00.000-04:002011-05-25T07:28:51.398-04:00

By Paul BriandSpring is here, though you wouldn’t know it from the very unseasonal spring we’ve been having here in northern New England.But the idea of outdoor grilling was too much of a draw with this recipe, despite the rain and cool temperatures.This salad of steak and spring vegetables comes via the Associated Press.Everything goes on the grill -- the sirloin steak (of course) plus the

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-17100453804516224592011-05-18T07:49:00.000-04:002011-05-18T07:53:02.481-04:00

By Paul BriandMy wife Jane and I love sweet potatoes and all the culinary creations that come from them.For Thanksgiving dinner, for example, my wife makes a sweet potato puff that is a family favorite. (Note to self: Let’s get this recipe published in time for Thanksgiving 2011.)We’re also very big fans of sweet potato fries. As we try to eat with our health and weight in mind, they are a

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-10378043124964751562011-05-04T07:31:00.000-04:002011-05-04T07:34:37.175-04:00

By Paul BriandThis is said to be the most popular restaurant dish in the United Kingdom.And this is a simple recipe, courtesy of the McCormick spice people, who packaged together all the spices needed for this dish as part of their Recipe Inspirations.“Masala” means mixture of spices and that’s exactly what this is -- though I might use a bit of hyperbole and call it an explosion of spices.The

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-11580339582933469742011-04-27T07:07:00.000-04:002011-04-27T07:12:36.953-04:00

By Paul BriandWhat to do with the leftover Easter ham? Well, my mother is taking care of the bone by making a split pea and ham soup. I doled out some leftovers to family, and I still had plenty for this casserole, adapted from a recipe titled (appropriately enough) End of the Line Ham Casserole on AllRecipes.com.The AllRecipe version used a little parmesan cheese -- all of 2 tablespoons. I went

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-1728947886571326072011-04-20T06:25:00.000-04:002011-04-20T06:27:23.837-04:00

By Paul BriandYou can bread pork chops in the usual fashion. How about including French Fried Onions as part of that breading? It creates a crunchy layer that has a burst of flavor, while keeping the pork moist.This recipe can be used with other dishes where you might use bread crumbs -- chicken breasts, for example.Ingredients4 boneless pork chops1 egg¼ quarter cup of milk½ cup Panko bread

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-51208710397470518502011-04-13T09:38:00.000-04:002011-04-13T09:41:00.445-04:00

By Paul BriandThis is a great, simple little salad recipe that will bring the freshness of spring right to your taste buds.It’s light and wonderfully refreshing with the vinaigrette that combines lemon juice, rice vinegar and olive oil.The basis of this salad comes from a recipe I received with store coupons mailed to me by my favorite supermarket.Ingredients1 6 ounce package of spinach leaves1

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-71930635365311304462011-04-06T06:54:00.000-04:002011-04-06T06:57:22.798-04:00

By Paul BriandIf you’re looking for a fish recipe for no-meat Fridays during Lent -- and you’re willing to fork over a few bucks -- here’s sinfully rich dish that combines lobster meat with very cheesy macaroni and cheese.Fresh lobster meat -- picked from a cooked lobster -- isn’t cheap, but it’s oh so good when lightly sauted in butter and lemon then folded into a cheese sauce that combines

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-73641537205476890092011-03-30T07:12:00.000-04:002011-03-30T07:15:50.287-04:00

By Paul BriandEggs for dinner, you bet. Especially when they’re part of a richly flavored, densely packed recipe like this one.It comes courtesy of Rachael Ray. I saw her making it as I was doing a treadmill workout at the gym recently and couldn’t wait to go home, do the shopping, put it together and feast on it.I liked the introduction of chorizo into the mix. Chorizo is a Portuguese-style pork

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-43692068189438629252011-03-23T06:59:00.000-04:002011-03-23T07:03:49.456-04:00

By Paul BriandI appreciate the fact that you can make a mushroom-based sauce for a chicken dish using a good old Campbell’s soup recipe, especially now that the company is introducing low-salt soups into its line.I had good success with Southwest White Chicken Chili using a Campbell recipe.But sometimes it’s just good to create your own creamy mushroom sauce for pan-fried chicken, and I found

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-39641930533151052192011-03-15T06:43:00.000-04:002011-03-15T06:45:38.243-04:00

By Paul BriandAn Irish stew without potatoes is not the oxymoron you might think.We associate Irish food with potatoes, indeed, but this Irish stew recipe -- created in honor of stepdaughter Kelsey Murphy’s birthday this week -- has no potato.Jane -- my wife and Kelsey’s mom -- and I went searching for an Irish stew made with Guinness Stout, and many of the recipes we found don’t have potato.

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-86214135120832483812011-03-09T07:12:00.000-05:002011-03-09T07:15:46.002-05:00

By Paul BriandI’ll go anywhere in search of a good recipe for preparing at home. I traveled recently to England -- OK, more like the British Broadcasting Service and its BBC Good Food web site.This recipe originally called for cod, but I used haddock instead. And I doubled the recipe since something this good deserved to get on our dinner table at least twice this week.Ingredients1 tablespoon

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-37914715699903093252011-03-02T07:44:00.000-05:002011-03-02T07:47:04.187-05:00

By Paul BriandDo you ever pay attention to the coupons the register at the grocery store spits out along with your receipt?Normally, I don’t. They seem like so much litter to me because the coupons are for items I don’t normally buy.But lately my litter stream has included recipes.In one case, there was a recipe for Bacon Broccoli Salad.In another case, there was this recipe for Creamy Chicken

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-24940891670121718862011-02-16T07:56:00.000-05:002011-02-16T07:58:37.703-05:00

By Paul BriandLooking for recipes on your smart phone? There’s an app for that.Lacking inspiration recently, I went searching for a recipe site compatible with web-enabled cell phones.Allrecipes.com, it turns out, has an app for the iPhone -- called a “Dinner Spinner”. You can use it to search by ingredient or by nutrition information.Allrecipes also has a mobile site for phones like the

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-68808315744989081942011-02-02T07:39:00.000-05:002011-02-02T07:41:45.887-05:00

By Paul BriandFull disclosure: This is a rip-off.I borrowed -- stole? -- this idea from Burger King and its Stuffed Steakhouse Burger.But I put a healthy less caloric, less saturated fat spin on this burger that is stuffed with cheddar cheese and jalapeno peppers.Instead of ground beef, I used ground chicken. I used low-fact cheese. And instead of your typical hamburger bun, I used whole wheat,

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-81442402380595660612011-01-26T06:28:00.000-05:002011-02-16T07:59:12.109-05:00

By Paul BriandJust one more chili recipe then I’ll back off this riff I started last week.I stumbled onto this one while reading Parade magazine in my Sunday newspaper. The recipe was part of an ad for Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup.My biggest problem with can of soup recipes is that canned soup has way too much sodium.Campbell’s and others are trying to introduce products with less salt and

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-54507466197090943132011-01-19T06:47:00.000-05:002011-01-19T06:50:21.868-05:00

By Paul BriandCan you have too many recipes for chili?I say no.Chili, for me, is one of those comfort foods I will return to time and again, and in my book it's OK to tweak a favorite recipe or even create a stockpile of different recipes.I think the same is true for spaghetti sauce and for meatloaf.This Italian version on the theme is from one of my tried-and-trues, Rachael Ray.A couple of note

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-80272676469326974592011-01-12T07:21:00.000-05:002011-01-12T07:36:18.772-05:00

By Paul BriandHere's another recipe from Penzeys Spices, which I introduced last week from my recent holiday travels that included a stay in Richmond, VA.This is a very quick, very simple dish that yields a lot of flavor.Ingredients2 6-ounce chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded thin1/2 cup all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon ground pepper1 1/2 teaspoons paprika2 tablespoons olive

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-29530056755802876872011-01-05T07:50:00.000-05:002011-01-05T07:54:12.726-05:00

By Paul BriandAs part of our holiday travels, my wife Jane and I visited Jane's daughter in Richmond, VA, and during a walking tour of one of the neighborhoods we stepped into a Penzeys Spices shop.I hadn't heard of the store, but there are shops throughout the country, according to the web site.What I liked about the store was the aroma. You can imagine that a spice shop would be an assault on

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-88767553142377864932010-12-22T06:09:00.000-05:002010-12-22T06:12:49.935-05:00

By Paul BriandThis is a simple way to add color and taste your Christmas turkey.I call it the Simon & Garfunkel rub because the ingredients used here are parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.Yes, from the S & G 1966 album "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme" and from the song, "Scarborough Fair/Canticle":Are you going to Scarborough Fair?Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,Remember me to one who lives

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-39278056908294608792010-12-15T07:24:00.000-05:002010-12-15T07:27:31.333-05:00

By Paul BriandI picked up this recipe from the Associated Press feed on my Blackberry. The idea here is to create a cheese-stuffed chicken dish that may sound like a diet buster, according to the AP article, but isn't.In fact the nutrition information for this recipe puts a serving at only 296 calories -- hard to believe since it contains three different kinds of cheeses, primarily cheddar and

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-67943457061152758742010-12-01T07:13:00.000-05:002010-12-01T07:16:34.097-05:00

By Paul BriandI happened to catch a recent airing of "The Phantom Gourmet" -- a regional television program that reviews restaurants and talks about good food in New England.The program did a piece on pizza joints with a sidebar about Stromboli. I got inspired then and there to make a Stromboli for my dinner table.A Stromboli is a type of Italian turnover filled with various cheeses, Italian

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-16286415565582095622010-11-24T07:29:00.000-05:002010-11-24T07:45:42.858-05:00

By Paul Briand As promised, I returned to the grocery store aisle to find and try another of the McCormick spices recipes. This one was for Garlic Lime Chicken Fajitas.And, once again, it proved to be an easy and tasty way to get dinner on the table.These new McCormick Recipe Inspirations include pre-measured McCormick spices and herbs and a recipe card that you can remove from the box and add to

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-28175813778118487552010-11-17T07:41:00.000-05:002010-11-17T07:45:17.151-05:00

By Paul BriandWhen you think of pesto, you think of a combination of basil and pine nuts.But pesto, by Genoese definition, means "to pound, to crush." So just about anything that you can pound or crush together can become a pesto sauce.I was inspired by an article about pesto in the Wall Street Journal to try one made from cherry tomatoes and almonds.The article offered a variety of interesting

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-86820345577767979052010-11-10T07:18:00.000-05:002010-11-10T08:34:32.847-05:00

By Paul BriandHere's an at home recipe I brought on the road.The occasion was a family reunion folded around the Air Force at Army football game that occurs at West Point, N.Y., every two years.This year the event attracted about 50 relatives and included lots of eating -- both at the hotel where we all stayed and at our tailgate party that preceded and followed the football game on Saturday.My

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-42145491124818717232010-11-04T12:54:00.000-04:002010-11-04T12:57:26.900-04:00

By Paul BriandWow, talk about hearty. Take the comfort food of a shepherd's pie and combine it with the comfort food of a good old fashioned baked potato and you've got comfort food squared.This is a Rachael Ray recipe from her new cookbook, "Rachael Ray's Look and Cook."I've said before that I like Ray for her quick, easy, off-the-shelf recipes. They don't require a lot of intricacy and a lot of

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-9542346937736533082010-10-27T07:35:00.000-04:002010-10-27T07:38:43.408-04:00

By Paul BriandThe folks at McCormick, the spice people, have come up with what I think is a great idea for people who are not only spice challenged but meal idea challenged as well.McCormick is now selling what it calls "Recipe Inspirations" -- all-in-one package that includes pre-measured spices, a shopping list and recipe card for a variety of meals.I chose this Quesadilla Casserole because

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-23732286607421965922010-10-20T07:33:00.000-04:002010-10-20T07:34:57.836-04:00

By Paul BriandHere's a good recipe for autumn that captures some of the texture, color and flavor of the season.I like that the squash becomes not only part of the meal but part of the presentation too.Ingredients2 acorn squash, each cut crosswise in half and seeded1 tablespoon olive oil8 ounces of sweet (or hot) Italian sausage (casings removed if buying links)1/2 cup chopped onion1 chopped red

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-68531962136653098602010-10-13T07:19:00.000-04:002010-10-13T07:23:01.707-04:00

Paul BriandSo, after rooting around for a Chicken Soup recipe that I could try to keep my cold at bay, I decided I'd just give it a go on my own.How difficult could it be?Chicken, chicken stock, carrots, celery, spices and some noodles. What could go wrong?Actually, my recipe was going along like gang busters -- great texture, richness of flavor with the help of some shallots and a splash of

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-64485347753225696812010-10-06T08:07:00.000-04:002010-10-13T07:23:45.150-04:00

By Paul BriandFeed a cold, starve a fever. You've heard it. I've heard it.So I should be concentrating on eating this week, given the lousy cold I have.But preparing meals is the least of what I want to do when my head and chest are full of congestion.There's a certain mythology to feeding a cold and starving a fever.Certainly, you can't starve yourself completely if you're trying to fight a

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-54470868897804525282010-09-29T07:12:00.000-04:002010-09-29T07:15:25.538-04:00

By Paul BriandThis is a side dish that has a great ROI -- return on investment. With the investment of little time, the return is huge in terms of flavor.Ingredients28 ounces small Yukon potatoes1 tablespoon cornstarch1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemaryor 2 teaspoons dried rosemary1 teaspoon garlic powder1/8 teaspoon pepper2 tablespoons olive oilDirections1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees;2. Rinse

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-69546273852907073452010-09-22T06:58:00.000-04:002010-09-22T07:01:09.035-04:00

By Paul BriandAs the season turns from summer to autumn, so does some of our cooking emphasis.Stews are on the horizon. Comfort food to warm the chill.This recipe uses a fall staple -- maple syrup -- as the base for a glaze that enlivens a pork dish.This recipe is adapted from one developed by the Boisvert Farm and North Hadley Sugar Shack in Hadley, Mass. I found it in the "Food Lovers' Guide to

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-78716330802996550972010-09-15T07:06:00.000-04:002010-09-15T07:08:48.567-04:00

By Paul BriandBottom line: Was my Orecchiette Mac & Cheese as good as it was at the Fuze Restaurant in Avalon, N.J.?No.It was a noble effort, but the creaminess and texture and combination of flavors in the original far outdid what I was able to replicate at home.To review:My wife Jane and I did some traveling last month and ate a lot of restaurant food. We were particularly taken with the mac

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-58142749264242498442010-09-08T07:36:00.000-04:002010-09-08T07:38:25.403-04:00

By Paul BriandFor the last couple of weeks, wife Jane and I have been on the road, vacating and eating our way through various parts of Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey.Eating good food is a big part of any vacation.We had crab of just about every kind, including a Blue Crab Salsa.Some of what we had was so good I wanted to try to figure out the recipe to create the dish to eat at home.That's my

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-11760916202524264262010-08-18T07:42:00.000-04:002010-08-18T07:47:12.106-04:00

By Paul BriandThis is the third in a series of three articles on dogs and burgers ... specifically new takes on the grilling favorites.We started with Pesto-Parmesan-Topped Burgers, then moved on to Kielbasa Chili Dogs. Today it's back to burgers, but with an Asian influence, courtesy of Martin Yan of "Yan Can Cook" fame.For Yan, this burger recipe is not only about the flavor but also about the

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-75644069623069472010-08-11T07:51:00.000-04:002010-08-11T07:55:04.158-04:00

By Paul BriandThis is the second of three entries about burgers and dogs. Today we'll look at chili dogs, but a new take on the American staple.We still have the chili, but we don't have the dog as you might think. The hot dog here is replaced with kielbasa, a Polish sausage made from beef or turkey or pork. And the hot dog bun is replaced with a roll.The recipe comes from Rachael Ray. I was at

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-24504069567086513242010-08-04T07:37:00.000-04:002010-08-04T07:40:52.469-04:00

By Paul BriandI'm going to go on a burgers and dogs rant for the next few weeks. It's been ideal grilling weather, and I've been looking for new takes on the traditional grilling fare of hot dogs and hamburgers.Today's burger comes from the "Flat Belly Diet for Men" book that I've written about in the past. Making use of the diet's recommendations and using many of the recipes in the book,

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-5330458621703930082010-07-28T07:32:00.000-04:002010-07-28T07:36:32.544-04:00

By Paul BriandThe idea here is for a portable meal -- to take on a picnic, take to the beach, take outside on the porch.It also smacks of summer, clean and sweet, enhanced by the dried cherries.We've had this straight up and we've had it as a wrap.One diversion we made from the original recipe, which we found in Relish magazine, was to replace grilled chicken with a roasted chicken from the

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-60148108985590185042010-07-21T06:38:00.000-04:002010-07-21T06:40:20.198-04:00

By Paul BriandIt's not often that you'd describe something you ate as refreshing. Satisfying, certainly. But refreshing?Yet that was the case the other evening when we sat down to eat after an afternoon in the summer heat at a Boston Red Sox - Texas Rangers baseball game in Fenway Park.My sister Margaret served a Caprese Salad that was refreshing in its burst of tomato, mozzarella and fresh

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-18656535539311958262010-07-14T07:24:00.000-04:002010-07-14T07:26:22.109-04:00

By Paul BriandSo, what do you do when you have just about six ounces of whiskey left in your bottle of Jack Daniel's?Any sane man or woman would drink it. I made barbecue sauce. All was not lost ... I used four ounces in the recipe and drank the remaining two over ice while I made the sauce.I used the barbecue sauce first on some grilled chicken then used the rest on some ribs.You can definitely

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-57573135671369901052010-07-07T07:15:00.000-04:002010-07-07T07:18:26.252-04:00

By Paul BriandThis struck me as an odd collection for a salad. Fennel? Barbecue sauce?I was especially struck by the fennel, a strong herb that has the taste of anise (think licorice). I was worried that the fennel would be overwhelming but it was absorbed nicely into the dish.I found the recipe while cruising through stories from the Associated Press, which described it as " a rich, but not

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-24696899483574759102010-06-30T07:06:00.000-04:002010-06-30T07:09:32.296-04:00

By Paul BriandIf you know Maryland crab cakes, you know Old Bay.At any seafood restaurant in Maryland you'll find Old Bay seasoning on the table. It's as ubiquitous as a salt and pepper shaker.Old Bay is a combination of seasons and herbs used to enhance seafood, and I tried an online recipe from the Old Bay website for its own style of crab cakes.According to the website, "this is the original

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-21761412115679351312010-06-16T07:31:00.000-04:002010-06-16T07:34:26.388-04:00

By Paul BriandWhile visiting my sister Ella and her husband Tom not too long ago, I was at their kitchen table browsing the "Super Suppers Cookbook 2" by Judie Byrd. I figured this recipe for shrimp and mustard sauce would be a keeper, especially for my wife Jane, because it combined two of her favorites: shrimp and mustard.Ingredients2 tablespoons olive oil36 shrimp (for ease, I use pre-cooked

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-31370463113907027772010-06-09T08:43:00.000-04:002010-06-09T08:45:54.647-04:00

By Paul BriandCelebrity chef Bobby Flay loves to grill and will grill anything and everything as part of his recipes.His cookbook -- "Bobby Flay's Grill It!" -- was a Father's Day gift last year and is the source of this week's recipe as we get more deeply into the outdoor grilling season (at least here in northern New England).This recipe leans heavily on corn charred on the grill and shrimp,

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-84183185675180157792010-06-02T06:46:00.000-04:002010-06-02T06:50:17.092-04:00

By Paul BriandI volunteered to make a pasta salad for a family Memorial Day barbecue before knowing just what kind of pasta salad I wanted to do.Then it struck me that I'd been riffing lately on my love for grilled vegetables, so decided on a pasta salad that combined a variety of grilled vegetables, penne pasta, and balsamic vinaigrette.There's no real trick to this, just a willingness to grill

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-22178175087466706892010-05-26T08:48:00.000-04:002010-05-26T08:51:05.083-04:00

By Paul BriandWhen you think of using a breading mixture in your recipes, rethink what you're thinking: Think panko.Panko is a flaky bread crumb used a lot in Asian cooking. Since it's made without the bread crusts, it has a lighter almost airier texture to it.I found this recipe on the back of the box of some panko bread crumbs I picked up at the market.Ingredients4 boneless pork loin chops2

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-4703528880841775192010-05-12T10:37:00.000-04:002010-05-12T10:39:17.613-04:00

By Paul BriandThis is more about technique, and less about a recipe. It's an alternative to sautéing as way to prepare peppers and onions for addition to your spaghetti sauce and chili or as a topping or side dish.Don't get me wrong, I love to sauté fresh vegetables using a bit of olive oil, then using them as part of a red sauce or chili. But, if you have the time, grilling the vegetables then

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-45396744683749246912010-05-05T07:14:00.000-04:002010-05-05T07:17:17.195-04:00

By Paul BriandIf you are a recipe hound as I am, you clip or print out your finds and toss them into a book or binder.Then, in search of inspiration for a meal, you go digging through your recipe book like an archeologist digging through layers of sand.I went digging the other day and found this recipe for a Rachel Ray Mexican Lasagna. It was one I hadn't made, dating back to October 2009 when I

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-29005794430069355352010-04-28T11:49:00.000-04:002010-04-28T11:51:46.276-04:00

By Paul BriandA stew without stewing -- that's essentially what this recipe is all about by replacing stew beef with chicken.This gives you the heartiness of the stew, which you'll still appreciate on some of these cool spring evenings (at least here in the Northeast), without it taking all that long to get on the table.I found this recipe on the Associated Press news site, and it noted that the

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-2295715736874694812010-04-21T06:17:00.000-04:002010-04-21T06:21:23.723-04:00

By Paul BriandI love baseball parks, particularly Fenway Park, home of my beloved (if currently tortured) Red Sox.And when the occasion presents itself I'll attend games at other ball parks, and sampling the food is always part of the experience. You find these days that the fare extends beyond hot dogs or peanuts and Cracker Jacks.This recipe for Baja-Battered Fish Tacos came from a story that

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-83374102407776294442010-04-14T07:31:00.000-04:002010-04-14T07:34:04.262-04:00

By Paul BriandWhat interested me about this recipe was that it was a mac and cheese recipe that de-emphasizes the cheese ... big time.In fact, the foundation on which this recipe is made is not cheese at all -- it's the pumpkin or squash puree.I found this recipe while trolling the Associated Press app on my BlackBerry.And reading a mac and cheese recipe that wasn't really cheesy captured my

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-24483436678392993352010-04-07T06:43:00.000-04:002010-04-07T06:45:21.388-04:00

By Paul BriandDo you use canned soup to cook?I don't, so I was a little surprised recently to read a Wall Street Journal article that noted:79.5 million households in the U.S. have Campbell's condensed soup in their pantries at any given time;350 million cans of Campbell's cream-of-mushroom soup are sold each year;Between 85 and 95 percent of the cream-of-mushroom soup sales are used for

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-63060321933872638242010-03-31T08:33:00.000-04:002010-03-31T08:34:54.710-04:00

By Paul BriandI thought this was a brilliant idea -- combining the staples of a chili dinner (chili and cornbread) into one dish.I saw the recipe in the March 21 issue of Parade magazine in my Sunday newspaper and wanted to give it a try.It was easy to create, though I think I used a slightly larger casserole dish than what was called for, which meant that my cornbread layer over the top was a

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-12725697695983180222010-03-24T12:03:00.000-04:002010-03-24T12:06:04.984-04:00

By Paul BriandI prepared this corned beef dish for St. Patrick's Day. At least that was the hope. The cooking time, given as two and a half hours in the recipe, was closer to three and a half hours. It was late, we were starved, and we pulled a frozen pizza from the refrigerator and had that as our Paddy Day traditional fare.The recipe came from the Meat House, a regional butcher with a regular

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-60005847352152483142010-03-17T08:09:00.000-04:002010-03-17T08:14:29.705-04:00

By Paul BriandI know, I know. I've been doing a lot of chicken lately. I promise to move onto something else next week.This particular chicken recipe comes from the Associated Press and I found the combination of the pineapple/orange juice with the jalapenos/cilantro pretty interesting ... kind of a fusion thing going on here.Ingredients4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds)1/4

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-75117865306178711482010-03-10T06:49:00.000-05:002010-03-10T06:50:34.772-05:00

By Paul BriandIt's back to the reality of home cooking after a week in Florida eating some exquisite seafood. Grouper. Red snapper. Mahi-mahi. Swordfish. It was a delightful smorgasbord of fresh fish.But coming home means coming back to eating at home and I found this week's recipe from Bobby Flay -- one of my favorites -- in a recent issue of Parade Magazine.Some notes on this dish: I

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-60599378106816081702010-02-24T07:03:00.000-05:002010-02-24T07:06:22.743-05:00

By Paul BriandHere's the last, at least for now, of some recipes from the "Flat Belly Diet! For Men," which I've been using less as a diet regimen and more as a guideline for ways to eat better and, with proper attention to exercise, lose some weight.So far, so good: I've shed five pounds over a stretch of about two weeks that included several days of fat belly eating and drinking with family

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-63896631911159624852010-02-10T07:23:00.000-05:002010-02-10T07:25:57.866-05:00

By Paul BriandItalian Sausage Skillet with Caramelized Onions, Tomatoes and PeppersHere's one more recipe from the "Flat Belly! Diet for Men" that I've been playing with for a couple of weeks, with some success. Without being on the diet, but eating some of what the diet recommends I've managed to lose a few pounds.I have to confess to a Fat Belly diet the day of the Super Bowl, which impeded

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-45417478262973115802010-02-03T06:39:00.000-05:002010-02-03T06:41:58.048-05:00

By Paul BriandContinuing from last week's exploration of recipes in a new diet that I'm testing out, this quesadilla recipe caught my interest.I liked what the new book "Flat Belly Diet! For Men" did with the shrimp in this recipe, draping it with onion, mushroom and cheese -- how can you have a quesadilla recipe without cheese?Yet it still falls within the Flat Belly parameters of not going

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-19971990107268905372010-01-27T07:58:00.000-05:002010-01-27T08:00:50.719-05:00

By Paul BriandI'm testing some recipes in a new diet book entitled "Flat Belly Diet! for Men."I haven't given myself over to this diet just yet. I've been reading the book, assessing whether I can adapt my life to this diet or whether the diet takes over my life in my attempt to lose a few pounds around the middle.The former I can live with, the latter not so much.What intrigues me about the diet

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-19103914331837735322010-01-20T06:45:00.000-05:002010-01-20T06:47:44.440-05:00

By Paul BriandA piece about Patty Melts on a morning news program recently gave me a hankering to try my hand at my own version of the dish that basically combines a burger with a grilled cheese sandwich.You can use just about anything to make a Patty Melt in terms of meat, kind of cheese, and type of bread.My Turkey Patty Melt involved some spiced up ground turkey burgers along with lots of

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-88026928901005344702010-01-13T20:25:00.000-05:002010-01-13T20:27:03.476-05:00

By Paul BriandFried Rice is one of my favorite cravings. There are times when I just have to have ... have to have, mind you ... some take Chinese take-out. And the collection of take-out food always includes Fried Rice.But I haven't found the perfect take-out Fried Rice, so I did some research and tried my hand at my own.This involves cooking the rice in advance to allow it to cool: It makes it

Paul Briandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15021826189172445255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6218605154503371758.post-26362209585961417982010-01-06T07:44:00.000-05:002010-01-06T07:50:44.070-05:00

By Paul BriandIf you watch the movie "Julie & Julia", as my wife Jane and I did the other night, you come away with a hankering for Beef Bourguignon.The movie is based on two true stories: Of Julia Childs's rise from diplomat wife to renowned cook, and of Julie Powell who decided in 2002 to cook each of Childs's recipes in her cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and blog about it.One

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By Paul BriandI've been assigned an appetizer for our Christmas Day dinner and am bringing the shrimp cocktail.But instead of the usual cocktail sauce, which I'll also bring, I wanted to offer an alternative dipping sauce.Here's one I found at Cooks.com:The yield for this recipe is about a half cup of dipping sauce, which is probably enough for a dozen shrimp. So make adjustments as necessary

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By Paul BriandEvery family should have a Sloppy Joe recipe on hand, and we as a society can do oh so much better than the canned stuff we find on the store shelf.I like this recipe because it takes all of 15 minutes and can feed a small horde.It comes courtesy of the Food Network.A couple of points: This recipe seeks to be more healthful by calling for low-salt or no-salt ingredients, and there

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By Paul BriandI like bourbon. My wife Jane likes salmon. Marry the two and you've got a great-tasting, easy-to-make meal.The recipe is basically for a marinade that ultimately becomes the glaze for the salmon.I came upon the recipe in a round-about way. It originated from Cooking Light magazine and was posted on MyRecipes.com. I saw a reference to it on one of the Twitter postings for someone I

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By Paul BriandIf you have turkey still leftover in the freezer from Thanksgiving. And if you want another take on a turkey tetrazini recipe for those leftovers, here's the one that's been in our family forever.Come to think of it, I think the Pilgrims themselves used this recipe after their feast with Massasoit.My take on this recipe includes more cheese than originally called for, I use half and

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By Paul BriandHere's a simple fusion recipe for you: The taste of tacos fused with the heartiness of lasagna.Getting this lasagna onto the table first requires the assembling of a variety of ingredients from the market and deciding what garnishes you want to add to the dish.Ingredients1 pound of ground beef1 package of taco seasoning mix1 bottle of beer (or a cup of water)4 soft tortillas that

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By Paul BriandGrowing up, my Mom frequently exposed our family to some of the food from the Eastern Europe branches of her family tree, especially around Easter, when she would make paska, a traditional Polish egg bread.But we never explored the culinary side of my Dad's French-Canadian upbringing. So I was pleased to find in a recent issue of the American Automobile Association magazine a recipe

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By Paul BriandThis recipe came from a visit my wife Jane made to New York state for a girls' weekend with her three daughters. One of the daughters, Reilly, is a student at Ithaca College, so Jane, daughter Kelsey and daughter Eileen made arrangements to travel to Ithaca for a weekend of touring wineries and sightseeing and visiting.Jane picked up a little brochure with information about apples,

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By Paul BriandThis recipe has been kicking around in my sister Margaret's recipe book for many years, and it's a family favorite.And I'm being literal when I use the term "kicking around" because an important part of this recipe is a topping that adds some real kick to the stew. The topping is sour cream based and includes cayenne pepper -- the more cayenne the heartier the kick.Ingredients(For

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Editor's note: This recipe comes from my son, David, who has both skill and imagination in the kitchen.By David BriandI was recruited to prepare appetizers for a surprise birthday party with a Roaring 20s theme. Based on the theme, I decided to prepare one meat and one meatless appetizer, both of which would use alcohol in the recipe in celebration of the decade of Prohibition and bootlegging. I

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By Paul BriandIf you watch Rachael Ray on the Food Channel or on her own syndicated show, you know that she can whip up a meal in 30 minutes or less. She's built a cooking career on her 30-minute meals, in fact.So I decided this week to put Ray to the test with her recipe for Salmon Burgers with Caesar Slaw.From start to finish, I had this meal on the table in 45 minutes. To be fair, however, I

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By Paul BriandFirst off, when the directions say to use large skillet, use a very large skillet.My 12-inch skillet was barely large enough to fit all the ingredients for this all-encompassing dish that is perfect for these crisp fall evenings.The stirring part that described below meant a fair amount of spillage, but in the end this recipe from my local Shaw's supermarket was very satisfying.My

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By Paul BriandFaced with entertaining my wife, my daughter, my son, my stepdaughter, and my step son-in-law for dinner this week, this one came about solely by inspiration fueled by desperation.I needed something that could easily feed a lot of people (pasta is usually a good bet there) but that had some bulk, some taste and some flair.I basically pieced this one together as I shopped, choosing

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By Paul BriandMy plants are starting to pop with the brilliant red of what I hope is a plentiful crop of beefsteak ??? and cherry tomatoes.I didn't have such a great year with my tomatoes last season, so I'm looking forward to a bumper crop this year.Which begs the question: With a bumper crop of tomatoes, what should I do with them?That's where I'd like your help. I'd like you to send me recipes

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By Paul BriandThis week I managed to come up with a recipe that combined two of my wife Jane's favorite foods -- potatoes (she's Irish) and salmon (she must also be part Grizzly Bear).The original recipe I found did something cruel to prepare the salmon: It recommended microwaving it. Ewww.I gave it the full grill treatment, because I liked having that teeny bit of crunch to the fish.The other

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