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Frijole Joe is a good friend of mine. Whether its drinking cervezas and watching the hot babes on Telemundo, or sitting down with his enormous family, we always seem to have a good time. Joe is passionate about cooking, and so whenever he suggests I try something new he’s come up with, I rarely hesitate. This offering is really great.
MFO 3 Crack open some Patron and kick back, this is one’s easy!
Rice is a totally diverse, and adaptable dish. It’s no wonder that people have cultivated and eaten rice for many centuries. While never the star, rice can be added to so many recipes, that we felt it is necessary to address this lowly grain.
I like brown rice for a couple of reasons. First, it’s a great substitution for potatoes. Which, if you’re diabetic, like I am, you still want the starchy side dish, but know darn well that taters are pretty much a no-no. The starches (sugars) in brown rice are more slowly absorbed in the blood, helping to prevent the nasty spiking of blood sugars.
The second reason I like brown rice is for the nutritional value. White rice is devoid of a lot of the nutrients brown rice retains. I guess some marketing genius thought that white rice looks better on a plate. Unfortunatly, while it looks nice, it’s not the best option- remember, we want to eat WELL, and sometimes that means going against the GRAIN! (Get it?)
There are a few varieties of rice easily found in your supermarket. Basmati rice is great in Indian (India, not Native American) dishes. Long grain, or “dirty rice” is nice in Creole and Mexican dishes, while brown rice is very nice in Asian and Mexican dishes.
You can dress rice up by preparing it differently. Instead of water, cook it in chicken or turkey stock. Try adding a variety of “foreign” spices (think curries), or traditional American spices. Steamers are also a very good way to prepare rice. It’s a traditional Chinese method, and very effective for not only keeping the rice from becoming dry, but helping it to retain its’ nutritional value.
Don’t be afraid to try different styles and flavors in your rice dishes. These versatile grains are easy to make, satisfying and wholesome.
I had a bunch of leftovers again. Sometimes I just can’t do the same thing two nights in a row, so I try variations. Today, I had about a half pound of spaghetti, but I try to not leave the noodles “sauced” in the fridge, since it always seems to me that the noodles get mushy. So, what to do with a half pound of cooked, unsauced spaghetti?
This will work for any number of situations- whether you’re just hungry, you’ve got a “special” friend over, or you just don’t want to be confronted with some kind of science experiment gone awry in two weeks.
Why “No thanks, I’m stuffed.”? Well, probably because this recipe will indeed make you full- after only one pepper. But, if you’re a 350 lb. lineman for the Bears, you could eat two. One time, I ate three, but then didn’t want to see, think about, or smell any kind of food for the next two days.
M.F.O. 7 You’ll need that same Bears lineman to help scrub the pots and baking dish, but given the less than stellar performance of the Bears this year, there’s probably a good chance this particular lineman is out of work, anyway, so he might be willing to lend a hand.
Uncle Jeff asked me to include this. I didn’t want to, but he then insisted. So, as a concession to the family, I told him I would. Everyone smiled and clapped when he finished reciting this- everyone except me.
I ‘m kind of embarrassed to even include this in our serious cooking journal, but I really don’t want Uncle Jeff to fill my car with shaving cream again.
It’s with a heavy heart, and a frightened soul that I present to you, “Uncle Jeff’s Mess.”
I was born hungry. That’s why I’m a 400 lb. man, trapped inside a thin man’s body. Oh sure, I used to be thin and in shape, but somewhere along the line, I found this ever- widening hole inside of me, that all the booze and meaningless flings with crazy, drunken nymphos couldn’t fill.
I turned to the only friend who would never forsake me… What? Are you for real? I’m totally screwing around here, and you wanted a “Lifetime” story? Here’s an idea: Let’s grab our collective manhood, quit watching “Oprah” and “Dr. Phil”, and get cooking!
Chili and macaroni have been coupled together for a long time, but not quite like this.
Oranges are good. Cinnamon is good. Put them together with my second favorite breakfast item, (omelets are first) and you’ve got yourself a good ol’ fashioned party in your mouth!
I learned this recipe from Uncle Jeff, who for some reason, first tried to make an early morning cocktail with the ingredients found here. Yes, he even included the bread in the blender, citing some need to save precious time and electricity in the morning. Right.
So, I removed the ample amounts of Vodka he had called for, and adapted this for home cooking. Enjoy!
M.F.O. 6 1/2 : If you don’t do this quite right, you’ll have a nasty burned on mess in the bottom of your pan/casserole. Fire fighters have no sense of humor at four o’ clock in the morning.
Everyone thinks they have the ultimate cheeseburger, but I really do! Ever since diner food became popular in the 1950′s, there has been a never ending battle for burger supremacy. My waistline will attest to that. However, I’m tired of the same old mystery meat, flat, boring lump of greasy, flavorless, soulless industrial waste we’ve been fed.
This recipe came into being after I looked in the freezer and found I had some half consumed packages of meat sitting there. Daphne and I sat down and concocted this super tasty burger. Yes, this is one burger I wouldn’t be afraid to let my dog eat.
MFO: 7 . Greasy, tasty goodness comes in many forms, but this one will leave you wanting more. As the dog will affirm. By the way, these burgers are big, so stay hungry, my friends!
Ah, stuffing- the quintessential Turkey Day treat. But what do you do when all you have is Stove Top? Quit complaining and get to work! This is one excellent dish I developed while looking to beef up a rather lame stuffing recipe. In my humble estimation, I think this one blows every other recipe for stuffing away. But don’t just take my word for it- try it, you’ll like it! Or else.
MFO: 7 Not for the namby pamby. However, if done right, so good.
I love macaroni and cheese. The flavor, texture, and heartiness makes me remember being a little kid again. Although I was never really a “little” kid. Those bullies in Mrs. Horn’s class used to call me “Bigfoot”, and “Tubby”. It wasn’t my fault- I had a glandular problem.
MFO: 5 You can’t make an omelet without breaking some eggs, and you can’t make this comfort food staple without making a mess.
Anyway, this recipe is really good for throwing together when you have limited time, and a big appetite.