Fall is now (Beet & Sweet Potato Chips with Rosemary & Garlic Salt)

Beet & Sweet Potato Chips with Rosemary & Garlic Salt

****IT is not healthy but perceived as healthy (But super tasty!!!)****

2 large beets – red, gold or candysriped
2 sweet potatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon very finely minced rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons salt
10 cups vegetable oil

Wash vegetables and dry very well. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine the garlic, rosemary and salt. Set aside.

Warm the oil in a large pot over high heat to 350 degrees F.

Meanwhile, trim 1-inch off the end of each sweet potato.

Using the V-slicer or mandoline, slice the sweet potatoes into very thin slices, about 1/8-inch thick. Trim 1-inch off the root end of the beets.

Fry Vegetables until almost all water is gone or Potato chip consistency

Strain and drain, or place onto a couple layers of paper towels and sprinkle with Rosemary & Garlic Salt.

Serve warm.


Enjoy,


Ryan M. Greer

Hot soup for a torn ACL

This injury cannot keep me down, but I did want some soup with some Kusty bread.


Jalapeno Sweet Potato Soup
By: Ryan M. Greer

2 1/2 - pounds of Sweet Potato's
1 - small onion
5 - slices of Bacon (Pick a nice smoked bacon with bold flavor)
3 - Cloves of garlic
1/2 - Cup of Butter
2 - teaspoons of ground coriander
2 - teaspoons of ground Mexican oregano
2 - teaspoons of sea salt
1 - teaspoon of black pepper
3 - cups of Chicken broth
1/8 - cup of pickled jalapenos, and 1/8 for topping prior to serving
1 - cup of half and half
2-3 cups of Cheddar Jack blend cheese

Peel sweet potato's, then dice into 1/2" cubes and place in large pot, cover with water and boil to soft, but not mushy, drain and set aside. Chop onion, garlic. In a large saute pan melt butter, add onions and garlic. Then add raw bacon and saute until slightly golden brown and onions are translucent. After mixture of onion, garlic and bacon is done, add all ingredients into a crock pot and set to high. Puree 3/4 of the sweet potato's and add 1/4 of the sweet potato's to the crock pot un pureed. In a blender or mixer puree the 3/4 of the sweet potato's, add chicken broth, half and half, and ground coriander and oregano, and add the pickled jalapenos. Add Puree to the crock pot and bring to 165 degrees.

Serve with a good hand full of cheddar jack cheese and top with some more pickled jalapenos and sprinkle some parsley.

I served my soup with a nice day old sourdough bread drizzled with olive oil and heated in the oven at 450 for 4-5min.


Enjoy,

Ryan M. Greer

What I had in my fridg Yummy AP Creamy Fish sauce

Trying to cook with a torn ACL as well as other thing destroyed in my knee has become a challenge. The biggest challenge is getting to the store to buy what I need. So I made some fish tacos last night and tossed together what I had in the fridge. Try it, not too bad in combination with the "what I had in the fridg ingredients salsa"

AP Creamy Fish sauce
By: Ryan M. Greer

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Fat Free plain yogurt
1/2 cup Hellman's Mayo
1 lime juiced
1 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoon fresh dill weed
1-1/2 teaspoon cilantro leaf/Coriander leaf
2 green onion thin sliced
1 package of Splenda
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper

All ingredients mixed in a bowl and serve cold

I would of like to add capers (minced) but was out. But all in all this was not a bad sauce.

Note: This was not a bad sauce in combination with the fish tacos (made with Grouper, thin sliced green cabbage served on a multi-grain tortilla and a side of cucumber and lime wedge). Plus I had also made a "what I had in my Fridg Salsa" that also topped with the Fish sauce.

What I had in my fridge Salsa
By: Ryan M. Greer

Ingredients:

one can diced tomato
1/4 cup diced jalapenos
1/2 + a bit cup Tender Cactus (Nopalitos)
1 lime juiced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro/coriander leaf
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
couple shakes of coarse ground pepper
pinch of sea salt
one green onion

all ingredients "pulsed in my blender/mixer" to keep them slightly chunky.

Cooking on the fly with a torn ACL will be interesting to say the least. But I will have to get used to it.


Enjoy,

Ryan M. Greer

Taste of Chicago 2010

I have decided to go to the Taste of Chicago 2010 this year.

Dates/Location: June 25th - July 4th in or around Grant Park.

I am going not to just go to the Taste of Chicago, but more of research and inspiration to open my own Restaurant in Denver, CO. The next big step but something that has always been in my future. More to come on this topic along with some idea for my concept and dishes.



Ryan M. Greer

Escargot Bourguignon w/ Truffle Oil Infused Portabella Mushrooms

Escargot Bourguignon w/ Truffle Oil Infused Portabella Mushrooms
By: Ryan M. Greer

Ingredients:
14 - 16 oz of Periwinkle/Escargot meat
1/2 cup Minced Portabella Mushrooms
1 oz of White Truffle Oil
Tbsp. Minced Shallots
Tbsp. Minced Garlic
1/4 cup Fresh Minced Parsley
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1/8 tsp. White Pepper
1/4 cup Pinot Noir or white wine
1/2 cup of Softened Sweet unsalted European Butter or regular unsalted Butter

Preparation & Cooking:
Mince Portabella and place in a sealable container with all above ingredients except Butter for one hour. Cover and place in refrigerator. After One hour fold in softened Butter.

Preheat oven to 425.
I like to cook this dish in a mini muffin pan. (But if you prefer to stuff shells for presentation that can be fun) The mini muffin pan version is perfect for bit size portions. Place meat in the bottom of each mini muffin pan section and cover meat with about a 3/4 tsp of mix. Cook for 10 minutes and serve.

Serve with some crusty bread or some toast points.

enjoy,

Ryan M. Greer

It is Fall & lets eat some bread

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Nut Bread
By: Ryan M. Greer

Ingredients:
3-1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
2 tsp Soda
1-1/2 tsp Sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
2/3 cup shortening (Lard good for the winter...mmm, mmm...)
2 cups Sugar
4 Eggs
1 (16 oz) can of pumpkin
2/3 cup Water
2/3 chopped pecans or walnuts

Prep & Baking:
Combine 1st 6 ingredients; set aside. Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one is added. Add Pumpkin and mix well. Then add dry ingredients to creamed mixture (alternate with water, Mix well) Add Pecans or Walnuts.

Spoon into two greased and floured 9x5x3" loaf pans; Bake @ 300degrees for 1-1/2 hours.



Enjoy,

Ryan M. Greer

Hot stuff & BBQ Sauce

I ate wings last night at a local restaurant (not naming) and while eating them I thought, “these are just hot, no flavor, just hot” So this made me what to blog a bit about “Hot Stuff” and “BBQ sauce”. Again we are just hitting fall season, football season and plenty of grilling weather left before it is way to cold to step onto the porch and fire up that grill. These are 2 recipes that where my Grandma Greer’s that I have modified slightly. “Hot Stuff” is that perfect thing to add to food: baste, marinade or shake on to any meal. “Hot stuff” is for that friend that is always complaining, “it’s just not hot enough!” The 2nd recipe is just a great BBQ sauce to add to chicken or ribs.

Hot Stuff
By: Ryan M. Greer & Grandma Greer

Ingredients:
2 bottles ketchup
2 Lemons
3T. Sugar
1T. Sea Salt
1T. Pepper
2 bottles of Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 small can pineapple juice
2oz Dry mustard (Colman’s Mustard)
1oz Cayenne pepper
½ Gal of white vinegar
½ bottle of Tabasco sauce (about 2-3oz)

Prep:
Mix all ingredients in a pot and let simmer for 2hours on med-low heat
Put in bottles and seal, this does not need to be refrigerated after sealed but to be safe toss it in the refrigerator.



BBQ Sauce
By: Ryan M. Greer & Grandma Greer

Ingredients:
2 bottles ketchup
2 lemons
2 T. sugar (I like brown for this sauce)
1 T. sea salt
1oz of cayenne pepper
2 bottles of Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 small can of pineapple juice
½ jar of mustard (around 6oz)

Prep:
Let simmer on med-low temp, do not boil for about 15-20 minutes.


Enjoy,

Ryan M.Greer