food

Memorial Day Banana Daiquiri

Fri, 28 May 2010 19:18:34 +0100

Drink Recipe Ingredients:

.75 oz. Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum
.5 oz. crème de banana liqueur
1.25 oz. sweet and sour mix
1 cup(s) crushed ice
1 slice(s) lemon

Drink Recipe Preparation:

Add Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, crème de banana, sweet and sour mix, crushed ice, and ripe banana in a blender.
Blend until smooth and pour into glass.
Garnish with cherry and lemon.

**Be safe this holiday weekend! Don't drink and drive!**

Healthy Rainbow Shrimp Pasta

Thu, 27 May 2010 17:10:26 +0100

Ingredients:

1 pound whole wheat linguini
1 pound peeled, de veined shrimp (tail off)
1/2 yellow pepper, julienned (thinly sliced)
5 sundried tomatoes sliced (in oil)
2 tablespoons jarred sundried tomato oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
¼ cup of your favorite reasonably priced white wine
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

PREP:

Boil water and cook linguini.

On med/high heat, sauté garlic in sundried tomato oil with the sliced peppers.

Once peppers are soft, add shrimp, sundried tomatoes, white wine, and linguini with some of the reserved pasta water (to bind and make creamy).

Cook on med/high until shrimp are cooked. Add fresh herbs, sprinkle crushed red pepper, Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste

Receipe courtesy of www.bethenny.com

White Gummy Bear Shot

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:41:10 +0100

1/2 ounce Raspberry Vodka
1/2 ounce Peach Schnapps
1 ounce Sweet & Sour Mix
1 splash Lemon Lime Soda

Shake together vodka, schnapps and sweet&sour mix with moderate ice. Pour into a shot glasses, top with a splash of lemon-lime soda and serve

Black-Pepper Crusted Tuna with Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 18:35:17 +0100

Yes, this is the tuna I actually made!
This picture is fantastic as photographed by the extraordinary Cassie D!!

I contributed this recipe to a magazine that I have been interning for called Su Voz Latina. I invite you all to check out their website at SuVozLatina.com and click HERE to check out a step-by-step video featuring the lovely Jessica (of TheRestIsJustIcing.com and Editor of Su Voz Latina) and myself.

Black Pepper Crusted Tuna

4, 4-6oz. Tuna steaks (if frozen, thaw first)
1/2-3/4 cup cracked black peppercorns
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Squeeze the juice from the lemon over all four tuna steaks.
Coat each side of the tuna in the peppercorns, eave the edges uncoated.
Heat a large, non-stick skillet (lightly-coated with your preferred cooking spray) over medium-high heat.
Place the tuna in the skillet. You definitely want to hear the sizzle. This lets you know that the tuna is searing properly and ensures that the peppercorns will stick to the tuna.
For slight rareness, cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. (depending on your preference of doneness, you can leave it on each side for more or less time)

Black-Bean and Corn Salsa

2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans of corn, drained and rinsed
2 bell peppers, diced
2 avocados, diced
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
1 jalapeño, diced (optional)
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup of lime juice
1/4 cup of olive oil
To Taste: salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper and granulated garlic

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix. Use the cumin and cayenne pepper sparingly as the can overpower the mix.
Once combined, let the salsa sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This allows time for all the flavors to mesh together.

To Serve: Place one tuna steak (one per serving) atop a bed of the salsa. Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!

Tip: If you have leftover black-bean and corn salsa, use it as a dip with some Wheat Thins, Triscuits or tortilla chips.

-Farzad
farzad@themensfashionblog.com

The Big Game: Miami Style

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:36:16 +0100

The Super Bowl is this Sunday. If you are having a party, why not make it Miami themed with these great recipes!

Starters:

Plantain Chips

3 large Plantains
Oil for frying
Kosher Salt

In a heavy based pot heat vegetable oil over medium heat to 375 degrees F.

slice plantains into chips. Fry the plantains in small batches until crisp and golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Season with salt immediately. Serve with Guacamole.

Mango Salsa and Tortilla Chips

1 mango, peeled and diced
1/2 cup peeled, diced cucumber
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno
1/3 cup diced red onion
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
Salt and pepper

Combine the mango, cucumber, jalapeno, red onion, lime juice and cilantro leaves and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

The Main Event

The Miami Burger ( Courtesy of The Food Network)

1 pound ground chuck (80 percent lean) or ground turkey (90 percent lean)
Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons canola Oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 cloves roasted garlic, mashed
4 hamburger buns, split
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
8 thin slices Swiss Cheese
4 thin slices smoked ham
2 dill pickles, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (about 6 ounces each). Form each portion loosely into a 3/4-inch-thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper. Cook burgers.

Combine the mayonnaise and roasted garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread both sides of each bun with the mayonnaise and the mustard. Place a slice of cheese on each bun bottom, place a burger on top, and then top the burger with a slice of ham, another slice of cheese, and some pickle slices. Cover with the bun tops.

Cook the burgers on a sandwich press or wrap the burgers in aluminum foil and cook in a hot skillet over high heat (put a heavy skillet on top of the burgers to press them) until golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

Fried Pineapple

1 Pineapple

Slice pineapple and sprinkle salt on both sides and grill.

Coconut Pudding

2 quarts coconut milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pineapple, peeled, cored and diced small

Add coconut milk and sugar to a large saucepot and stir over medium heat until sugar and salt is dissolved. Pulse pineapple in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Add the pineapple to the pot and cook, stirring often until the pineapple is integrated into the mixture. Make a slurry in a separate small bowl by gradually whisking 1/2 cup water into the cornstarch. Whisk slurry into mixture in pot and allow to reduce and thicken until it is the consistency of yogurt. Transfer to serving dishes and chill.

Zoinks! It's Like the Scooby Snack Shot!

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:54:40 +0100

1/2 oz Malibu® coconut rum
1/2 oz creme de bananes
1/2 oz Midori® melon liqueur
1/2 oz pineapple juice
1 1/2 oz whipped cream

Pour rum, creme de banane, melon liqueur and pineapple juice into a stainless steel shaker over ice. Add whipped cream, and shake; until well mixed and sufficiently chilled. Strain into an old-fashioned glass and shoot

Serve in: Old-Fashioned Glass or Shot Glass

Macaroni and Cheese with Potato Chip Crust

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:41:57 +0100

This isn't your mom's store bought boxed mac and cheese! This recipe comes from pauladeen.com and was truly awesome!

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk, warm
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Dash salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dash hot sauce
Dash Worcestershire sauce
3 cups shredded Cheddar
1 pound cavatappi pasta, cooked al dente
1 cup crushed potato chips
5 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for topping

Directions

Heat oven to 350 to 375 degrees F.

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large saucepot over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in the warmed milk and bring to a boil, continue to whisk constantly. The mixture will thicken as the heat increases. Continue to stir while adding the dry mustard, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, pepper, hot sauce and Worcestershire. Stir in the 3 cups of Cheddar until it melts.

Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and add to a 3 quart casserole dish.

Sprinkle the chips (I used black cracked pepper for extra spice), bacon and Parmesan on top and bake for 35 minutes.

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 50 min
Difficulty: Easy

Drink of the Week.

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:55:14 +0100

This weeks drink is a shot that I had the pleasure of enjoying at Oasis Lounge on Saturday night in Downtown EP. If you're in town, I HIGHLY recommend you stop by to visit Collin (who is now General Manager...CONGRATS!!!) and check out this great spot for drinks, food and socializing. Also, this Friday from 8-10pm, amazing cover band The Vibe will be playing at Oasis Lounge.

The Pumpkin Pie Shot

- 1/2 shot Kahlua

-1/2 shot Baileys

-Top off with small amount of tequila

-Light the tequila and sprinkle with cinnamon. Stand back cuz the sparks will fly!

-Once the flame is out, enjoy the shot!!

**While the picture above resembles the Pumpkin Pie Shot, it is not an actual representation. It is a layered shot and this is the closest looking pic I could find.

-Farzad

farzad@themensfashionblog.com

Spiced Up Pumpkin Seeds.

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:58:18 +0100

The harvest season is always filled with fun decor and hearty vegetables, most of which are pumpkins. Pumpkins are to be seen everywhere from house to house. Some pumpkins are carved for Halloween, others are just to signify harvest time and Thanksgiving. So what do you do with that old pumpkin you have sitting at your front door? The perfect solution is to use it, not toss it. Use the seeds. Pumpkin seeds are a very good source of the minerals like zinc, phosphorus, magnesium and manganese along with being a good source of protein. In men, pumpkin seeds maintain good prostate health and strengthen bones. So take a deeper look at these delicious and very healthy treats and follow these simple instuctions for a great snack.

Spiced Up Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

fresh pumpkin seeds, rinsed and dried
spray oil
sea salt
cayenne pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread seeds over foil and spray with oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Stir with spatula and spread seeds evenly across sheet.
Toast seeds until golden brown, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes.

Try pairing this recipe with Dogfish Head's "Pumpkin Ale" for an even better harvest experience. A full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar.

Got questions or comments? Email me!

-Matt
matt@themensfashionblog.com

The Ice Jacket

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:41:11 +0100

In the simplest of terms, the Ice Jacket allows you to freeze the outside of a liquor bottle for both presentation purposes and service purposes. Instead of a cold liquor bottle from the freezer, you’d have a bottle with a thick layer of ice formed around the outside. The Ice Jacket would be perfect for times when you’re hosting a party and need to leave the liquor on a counter for guests, or even for those times when you’re bringing the beverages to a party.

Set up is easy, simply place a bottle of your favorite libation on the Ice Jacket’s Base-Grip, slip on the Sleeve and close the Clips to create a water-tight seal. Next, fill the assembly to the indicated level, insert the Plug and place overnight within the freezer. Retrieve assembly from freezer, release the Clips, and allow to stand briefly before removing the Sleeve. Behold your bottle encased in ice and featuring themes limited only by your imagination.

The Ice Jacket is fun, authentic and easy to use. Historically, many types of liquor have been enjoyed at the coldest possible temperatures; drinkability increases as temperature drops. Not only does the Ice Jacket keep the content of a bottle from warming once it has been removed from the freezer, it eliminates the need for ice cubes within your beverage. Each time the freezing process is executed a one-of-a-kind presentation is created. The Ice Jacket provides a unique centerpiece for seasonal and theme-specific events.

For more information on The Ice Jacket or to order one, visit their web site at http://www.icejacket.com/.

Got questions or comments? Email me!

-Matt
matt@themensfashionblog.com