Fudge Brownie

:) I baked chocolaty brownies for you.

i wish i was a honey pig with a crazy hook

had a wonderful dinner with some friends. we ate at the legendary honey pig in koreatown. they are known for their pork belly. and by god was it delicious. we went to crazy hook after dinner. aka the pirate themed korean bar. they have huge beer dispensers and flavored soju served in intimidating patron bottles. all in all, the night was a success and we went home stuffed and drunk.

Get Your Muscles From Brussels

I know what you're thinking-- I promise, they're not so bad!

In addition to being delicious (if cooked right) Brussel sprouts are REALLY good for you!

Boasting high concentrations in such vitamins as A and C, Brussel sprouts are good for your skin, your immune system, and are cancer fighters!

Give this recipe a shot... Hope you enjoy!

Start with 10-12 Brussel Sprouts Halved and tossed in Olive Oil and Garlic Powder, and about 1/6 of an onion (chopped). I also like to add about 2 tablespoons of apple juice to sweeten.

Place in a small skillet and sautee until the onions start to take on a nice golden color.

You'll know the Brussel Sprouts are done when they turn a brighter shade of green!

I like to cook mine until they have a little bit of a char on them-- gives them a bit of added flavor.

Add a good handful of Golden Raisins, sautee until the raisins warm up, and VOILA!

A great vegetarian option, these guys can be served on their own or paired with a protein dish.

Mine shared a plate with a sweet and spicy Orange-Chili Chicken breast! Yum!

Vegan, Lazy and on a Budget

Hey Friends, for those of you that don't know, being vegan isn't always cheap. When payday is a day away and you just can't spare the dollars on the fresh ingredients usually required to concoct a hot and flavorful vegan meal, you have to use what you've got. After evaluating my mostly sweet options i.e. cereal, pb and j, porridge or a spoonful of grade b maple syrup, I decided to get weird and do my best to make a salty snack size dinner. All you need is a slice (or two if you're feeling really hungry, but shhh... I won't tell anyone) of some mulitgrain wheat bread, a toaster and some vegenaise.

Truth be told, I'm addicted to vegenaise. It provides eggy flavored memories from my life off the vegan train and is just too good when used as a dip for anything from carrot sticks to french fries, as a vital ingredient for mock thousand island or in this case as the star of the show on top of toast.

Simply pop that slice right in the toaster (or your oven on broiler setting for those of us not fortunate enough to own such an appliance of the modern age)...

slather the vegenaise generously and...

VOILA! A delicious dinner for the lazy at heart vegan. Plate it up and slather yourself on the couch while screaming at the idiots not qualified enough to be contestants on Wheel of Fortune (what, like you guys don't do that?)

Lucky for me, even my dog wasn't too keen on sharing my makeshift meal.

Happiness is a Chicken Sandwich

Ok, so here's the deal.

This chicken sandwich is really, really good.

I posit that Happiness may, in fact, have been birthed from this tasty treat.

Try it for yourself.

Follow the instructions below and let me know what you think.

Start with diced yellow onions and a dollop of olive oil in a small skillet. It takes a while for them to brown, so give them a few minutes head start before you put the chicken on.

Give the onions a minute or two and then cover them, turning the heat from high to a mid-range temperature.

Now it is time to start the chicken.

One sandwich requires one chicken breast-- dollop of olive oil in the pan, a little bit on the chicken breast, and a dash of garlic powder will get you on your way.

Give the chicken about 2-3 minutes and then turn it over. At this point, I like to baste it with a bit of chili paste (I use Sriracha... because I'm completely addicted).

Cover the chicken. You should be about 6 minutes in, as far as the onions are concerned. They should be turning a nice brown color, like the ones below:

So, Chicken is on the uncooked side, onions are on the brown side, and it is time to start toasting the bread. I like to toast them diner style, using a pan (rather than a conventional toaster). I use a bit of olive oil to grease the pan and make sure that it is very lightly spread on both sides of the toast.

You can also use butter, if you would prefer. Don't get me wrong-- I love butter. I just don't like the way it makes me look in tight pants. Or the way it makes my pants look tight. Either way...

Continue to turn the chicken, ensuring that it is cooked evenly throughout.

About 8 minutes in, your chicken should be fairly well cooked. It should have a nice golden brown color and there should be no pink inside.

Now is where you turn off the burners.

Add a dollop of Orange Marmalade ( I like Dundee) to the onions and sautee together.

Spread a thin layer of Orange Marmalade on one piece of toast.

Spread a big dollop of Goat Cheese on the other.

Place both pieces of toast back in the pan (just a reminder, burners should be off) and add mixed baby greens to both sides.

Add your onion/marmalade compote...

And slice up your chicken

If you have extra, it is always nice to share with your friends :) They will surely be appreciative!

And just like that, Happiness!! In sandwich form!!

Bon Appetit!

Carnitas Night- Avenue 26ers

it was carnitas night as the avenue 26er's.
i've posted a few pictures for you guys.
hope you enjoy.

my first taco.

freshly fried corn tortillas, sprinkled lightly with salt

all the players in the game.

this entry wouldn't be complete without the star of the show.
the pork shoulder marinated in all its glory for around 24 hours in the slow cooker.