I had never cooked bison burgers, but I knew that I didn’t want to make just a plain ole’ burger. Bison is not something we usually keep around the house; however, it was something I really wanted to try. I spoke to a few friends about what I should do to really accentuate the flavor of the meat. We talked about several cheeses and different combination of spices. We talked about Havarti, provolone, and feta. Finally, I decided that feta would hold up well and and not overpower the flavor of the bison. I am glad I chose this plan, because, wow, what flavor! Knowing bison had a distinct taste to it, a regular bun would not suffice for this burger. Nope, we broke out the bagels and let them carry the weight of the burger.

Feta-Stuffed Bacon Bison Burger

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Pound Ground Bison

12 Slices Bacon

4 Plain Bagels

1/2 Cup Feta, crumbled

1 Teaspoon each Salt & Pepper

1/2 Red Onion, sliced

1 Tomato, sliced

4 Teaspoons Garlic, minced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. In a bowl mix together meat, 1/4 cup feta, salt and pepper, and divide into 4 equal parts.

3. Cook bacon in microwave or oven until crispy and separate into 4 piles of 3 each.

4. Roll each meat mixture section into a ball and then shape into patties about 3/4 inch thick.

5. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and cook the patties for 6 minutes on each side or until juices run clear and meat is thoroughly cooked.

6. Place bagel halves on cookie sheet in oven and top 1 side of each bagel with 3 slices of bacon, remaining 1/4 cup of feta divided and a teaspoon of minced garlic

7. Warm bagels for 3 minutes in the oven.

8. Place cooked burgers on top of covered bagel add onions tomatoes and favorite condiments (we used mayonnaise).

9. Enjoy!

You know those weekends that run by at 100 miles per hour and then, all of a sudden, it’s Monday? Well, that was certainly my past weekend. I still have family in town, and I am trying to keep up with them as much as possible. We did a big dinner out Friday night. That was a blast!  Then, we did a huge get-together on Saturday, potluck style. With the fast-paced weekend almost over, we went to have a nice breakfast at mom’s house Sunday morning, and then we headed back to our house to veg out. My wife and I chilled out for a few hours before heading to the store to replace a vacuum cleaner that started smoking on the job (due to all the dog hair it ingests, no doubt!). When things finally settled down, I threw together a dinner I thought would be a lot of fun. . . and it ended up awesome.

My Philly Cheese Steak Style Quesadilla went over so well that I thought why not try it with nachos. Man, they were great, and we completely devoured them. It was hot outside, so we grilled them indoors on our stove-top griddle.

Philly Cheese Steak Nachos

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 bag Corn Tortilla Chips

1 Pound Top Sirloin Steak

1/4 Each Red,Yellow & Orange Bell Pepper

1/2 White Onion

1 8 Ounce Block Pepper Jack Cheese

Directions

1. Place grill pan on burners and turn to medium-high heat and turn broiler to high.

2. Shred pepper jack cheese.

3. Slice pepper & onions in thin strips, then cut in half.

4.  Place steak on a hard surface like a plastic cutting board and cover with plastic wrap.

5. Pound Steak until 1/4 inch thick.

6. Place steak and veggies on the griddle and cook steak 3 minutes on each side or until desired doneness.

7. Remove steak from griddle and continue to cook veggies until nicely caramelized another 5 minutes.

8. Let steak sit and breathe while veggies continue cooking then thinly slice and cut into bite-size pieces.

9. Add a handful of chips to each plate and top with veggies and steak pieces.

10. Top with Pepperjack cheese and place under broiler for two minutes until cheese is completely melted and begins to bubble.

11. Enjoy!

My brother and I have always had a fun rivalry going when it comes to cooking. We have very similar palates but with very different tastes. We both still go for the meat-heavy dinners; however, we are each finding ways to branch off and be a bit more adventuresome. My brother Scott is on his 20th year in the United States Marines Corps and is home with us before he and his family are to be stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Scott, his wife, and their three beautiful daughters will get the experience of a lifetime in Japan, enjoying yet another wonderful culture for at least three years. I have always, in some form or fashion, looked up to my brother, but now I am completely jealous! What an awesome experience, especially for the kids. I want to personally thank him for defending my freedoms and yours. It is because of the sacrifices that he and the people he serves with make that allow us to do even simple things that we might take for granted, like writing (or reading) this blog.

It is always a running joke with our family when we all get together who will actually do the cooking. I leave it to him most time, mainly because I don’t want him to feel bad when my food is better than his. Even though we could both learn from each other, this meal was amazing. It definitely has the Manly Housewife seal of approval! I’m glad to share it with you. The seasonings were perfect and the meat flawlessly cooked, tender and juicy. The salad with the cilantro was such and exciting twist that I am working on other salads I can add this ingredient to and add some unique, new flavor. This is a meal that will not disappoint.

Scott’s Spiced Pork Steak

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 8-oz Pork Steaks

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Smokey Mesquite Seasoning

1 Tablespoon Garlic Salt

Salad with a Twist

Serves 6

Ingredients

4 Cups Green Leaf Lettuce

1 Carrot, shredded

1/2 Bunch of Cilantro, top snipped

4 Button Mushrooms, sliced

Croutons (optional)

Salad Dressing of Choice

Directions

1. In a Ziploc bag or marinade dish, combine steaks, olive oil, mesquite seasoning and garlic salt.
2. Mix well and marinade for at least 4 hours (8 would be preferred).
3. Before dinner, prepare salad, combining all ingredients in a large bowl and serve with dressing of choice.
4. To cook meat, fire up the grill. You know the grill is at the right temperature when you can hold your hand no longer that 2 seconds 2 inches from the grill.
5. Caution: it is gonna flare up, but you want the high heat to sear the meat.
6. Cook steaks 7 minutes both sides or until juices run clear.
7. Let stand for 10 minutes covered with foil to let juices redistribute throughout steak, then they’re ready to serve.
8. Enjoy!

Sometimes you just feel like mixing and matching ideas, just to see what will work or not. While trying to stay with the more healthy eating idea, I came up with the Cobb Salad Sandwich. It made sense to me. I enjoy a Cobb salad, as long as I can choose my own dressing (no Bleu Cheese, thank you). The flavors of this sandwich meld well together, making each bite like a circus of fun. I also thought that since Cobb salads sometime have croutons, why not throw it on a good sourdough bread. My wife and I had fun eating this, and we are now looking for other crazy salad ideas that might make equally good sandwiches. Any ideas? Also, in the picture below, you will see my attempt at deep-fried avocado. Let’s just say that is still a work in progress. . . .

Cobb Salad Sandwich

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 Slices Fresh-Baked Sourdough Bread (Yum!)

1 Cup Spring Salad Mix

1 Avocado, peeled and sliced

1 Tomato, sliced

1 Hard-Boiled Egg, sliced

4 Slices of Bacon

1/4 Red Onion, thinly sliced

2 Large Button Mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 Slices Havarti Cheese

Dressing of Choice (we used a homemade Ranch-style dressing)

Directions

1. Lay sourdough bread slices out on serving plates.
2. Hard boil egg and cook bacon.
3. To hard boil an egg place it in a pan with cold water that is 1 inch higher than the egg.
4. Rapidly bring egg to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Top bread slices with lettuce, bacon, cheese, avocado, tomato, bacon, onion, mushrooms, and boiled egg slices.
6. Add dressing of choice, cover with second slice of bread.
7. Enjoy!

Here is another ATTEMPT-to-eat healthy recipe that just went wrong. Well, at least I tried. . . but I just couldn’t resist jazzing the flavors up just a bit. I am quickly realizing how fast the metabolism slows down as you age. I don’t mind getting older; in fact, I’m looking forward to looking “distinguished” and “mature” (as long as I can actually pull that off). I am finding myself in a constant battle against of going bald and becoming overweight. I have, jokingly, told friends and family, “I can let myself go now. I have a beautiful wife already; why do I need to do anything?” Deep down, or maybe a little closer to the surface, I know I really need to get it under control now, because it’s only going to be more difficult from here.

A lot of times, I start my cooking out with good intentions, but, as my mind begins to buzz with eat step of the meal preparation, the flavors I love seem to take over. Take for instance this dinner. I started to make a simple chicken salad using healthier ingredients and this wonderful olive oil from the Grapevine Olive Oil Company, which is a new establishment located on Main Street in downtown Grapevine. What a brilliant place! They have been open for less than a month, and their website is still in development, but the place is well worth a visit in person. They have an olive oil tasting room, and, just like a wine tasting room, this is a place you simply can not pass by. Back to my attempted healthy recipe. . . I began to pull out all the healthy stuff, like the mixed lettuce, tomatoes, and onions and then IT just happened. . . while opening one of my refrigerator doors, I saw a bacon package. This unopened bacon, with all it’s delicious potential, began to call my name!  I knew at that moment, my healthy recipe was in trouble. Right next to the bacon, the creamy, thick-sliced Havarti cheese joined in the seduction. It was over from there, right like a scene out of Ratatouille, the pictures and colors were swirling in my head, and Smothered Chicken Salad was born! The good thing about this recipe is I was ate salad; the bad thing about it was that it ended up covered in bacon and cheese.

Smothered Chicken Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Olive Oil for cooking

Salt & Pepper

1/4 Red Onion

1 Tomato, thinly sliced

4 Slices Thick-Cut Bacon

1/2 Cup Sliced Button Mushrooms

2 Slices Thick-Cut Havarti Cheese

Spring Mix Salad Leaves

Mushroom & Sage Olive Oil (we used oil from Grapevine Olive Oil Company) for Dressing

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with salt & pepper.
3. Cook bacon in microwave, oven, or skillet until crispy.
4. In a skillet sear both sides of the chicken breast (about 3 minutes both sides).
5. Place skillet into preheated oven for 10 minutes or until juices run clear.
6. Remove chicken from oven and top with in this order bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions & cheese.
7. Place topped chicken back in the oven for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

To Serve

1. Place a handful of lettuce on both serving plates.
2. Sprinkle mushroom & sage olive oil over lettuce.
3. Top with smothered chicken stack.
4. Enjoy!

This meal is a lot healthier than most of my dishes. My wife told me that this was simply one of her favorite things I’ve made.

Wow! This past Saturday evening, some friends, my wife, and I experienced an exemplary evening of the Manly Housewife’s credo of “good food and good friends,” and you may now add to that “great wine!” All the group being nearby residents, we took a short little trip out to a quiet little winery called LightCatcher, just outside the community of Lakeside, that we had been hearing good reviews about. It was truly one of the best dining experiences we have had in the last couple of months. In these ever-increasing days of the busy, always-on-the-run lifestyles we lead, it’s a rarity when you just slow down and MAKE the time to just discover a new-to-you local establishment and spend some quality time with some of your best friends. This night was such a night.

As you enter the doors to the winery, you are immediately surrounded by a comfortably elegant tasting room and gift shop, filled with unique wine corks, wine-inspired memorabilia, and all the accompaniments of excellent wine. A delightfully jolly gentleman named Terry welcomed us to the winery from behind the tasting bar and made all of us feel instantly at ease. All the winery’s available wines can be taste-tasted for between $2 to $3 each (some for 3 for $5). Some of the people in our group are not avid wine drinkers, and Terry, also owner and host of the establishment, was wonderful at expertly and thoroughly explaining the different wines offered and assisting in the selection of wines that matched each person’s unique taste preferences (e.g., “sweet,” “dry,” and even “crisp,” as one of our group requested of him).  Each of us in our group of friends sampled 3 different wines and found ones to fit our palates. Here are the wines that we taste tested:

Donnie & Elizabeth

1. 2008 Jackrabbit Merlot – “Fruit forward and spicy,” according to the menu description; however, this was our least favorite of our trio. We felt it would be decent with a steak but not just as a good sipping wine.
2. 2008 Texas Roads Remuda Red – “Softer, easy drinking blend of Cabernet Sauvingnon and Merlot.” We enjoyed this wine very much and felt it would be great for sipping while enjoying a good book.
3. 2005 LightCatcher Cabernet Sauvignon – “Deep plum, raspberry, cherry, raisin, oak, and spice.” This is an amazing wine, our favorite of the three we tested. We liked it so much, we ordered a bottle to enjoy with dinner. The complex flavors blended well and could be enjoyed as a sipping wine or during a bubble bath. My wife’s first impression of this was, “This wine is doing something good to my tongue!”

Marci & Donna

1. 2008 Happy Cat Semi-Sweet White Wine – “Tropically fruity blend that is floral and pretty.” This was their least favorite wine (probably more about the name association alone, due to Marci’s dislike of house cats LOL!).  Both sweet wine lovers, this wine would probably be fine for someone with a more “evolved” palate, but for new wine enthusiasts it was a bit too dry.
2. 2008 Texas Kiss Rose’ – “Cranberry, watermelon, red raspberry” – Both agreed this was the favorite wine, and this was the one they ordered to drink with dinner.
3. Happy Dog Sweet Red – “Delicious Cherry, Blackberry & Spice”  This was also positively received by both. This is a great, sweet, light-tasting table wine that goes well with a spicy dinner.

Alberto & Veronica

1. 2008 Texas Roads Hummingbird – “Sauvignon Blanc, round and smooth with the flavors of apple, pear, and butterscotch.”
2. 2007 LightCatcher Bobcat – “Syrah/Mouverdre/CabFranc blend, light bodied and fruity.”  This bottle was chosen for dinner and enjoyed down to the last drop!
3. 2008 Texas Kiss Rose’ (reviewed above and high ranking by our group).

After the tasting, we were escorted into the the cool, candlelit  bistro, aging-barrel room to enjoy dinner. The wines we ordered were delivered to the table. We slowly savored our wine and sampled the available trays of Greek olives, served in warmed rosemary and orange- infused olive oil, which were utterly delicious! LightCatcher offers and ever changing menu, based on the current wines available and taking in-season produce into consideration. Glancing over the menu, we all found selections that appealed to each one of us: the carnivore (me), the fish lover (my wife), the comfort-food traditionalists, the risk taker, and the almost vegetarian. . .

Even though LightCatcher offers an eloquent setting and tranquil atmosphere (not one screaming child in the place!), dishes are served family style and, as our varying first courses arrived, we felt comfortable passing them around the table so everyone could share. Listed below are the appetizers we enjoyed and shared:

Warm French Brie. Roasted garlic, shallots, butter served with toasted focaccia (This was delectable and artfully prepared; it was probably the only appetizer that was completely finished. Everyone wanted another bite of this one.)

Warm Spinach Artichoke Spread, served with toasted pita wedges. (Good, but unremarkably unique.)

Texas 1015 Onion Rings with a smoked paprika aioli sauce. (This dipping sauce my wife an I loved; others did not care for it.)

Zorba Flatbread – Fresh Spinach, mozzarella, blue cheese, pine nuts, and lemon (As delicious as this was, the overabundance of gooey, melted cheese was a bit overpowering; it was much like a lemon-tasting, deep-dish pizza.)

LightCatcher offers a slate of Second Course options, which include some wonderful-sounding salads, incorporating dried fruits, nuts, seeds, and cheeses, but we all elected to pass on this course and head directly to the main courses. Again, we all tried to order different selections, not to be a pain in the fanny to our server, but so that we would have the opportunity to share with our dining companions and get a better over-all review of the menu offerings. We were not disappointed by our selections, featured in the pictures below:

Chargrilled Marinated Flank Steak, lemon gouda orzo, sauteed’ cherub tomatoes and a grilled half peach. (This was the most perfectly prepared flank steak I have ever had; although I, sheepishly, admit to not touching my pasta or veggies.)

Andouille-Stuffed Roasted Chicken, Boursin-jalapeno-chipolte grits served with tempura green beans. (This was a meal meant for, and enjoyed by, a queen! Wow! What robust, smoky flavors! Many of us kept nabbing “green bean French fries” from this plate while its “owner” was occupied.)

Grilled Salmon with asparagus cream sauce, peas, roasted fingerling potatoes, cucumber and shallots. (I am not the biggest fan of salmon but for the sake of review, my wife MADE me try this dish. This particular salmon was perfectly prepared, firm fleshed and tasted fresh out of the ocean. I would order this for myself when we go back!)

Chicken Fried, Thin-Cut Beef Ribeye Steak served with mashers, garlic cream gravy, broccolini and carrots. (One of our dedicated carnivores ordered this and his only comment was “freakin’ awesome!” This is high praise coming from this particular individual who tends toward a critical review on anything resembling Chicken Fried Steak, since he’s had it in some of the best restaurants in Texas. This dish looked and smelled wonderful and had even the almost-vegetarian at our table wishing she would have ordered that!)

Chargrilled Hand-Cut Beef Tenderloin 8-oz Fillet served with Mashers, roasted sweet onion with butter sauce. (Meat was superior quality and butter-soft, perfectly cooked and gone in minutes from all the sharing that went on!)

The main courses were simply brilliant, each in its own right. How the small  kitchen staff delivered such diverse selections so masterfully prepared in such a quick time left us all impressed and astounded.  Most of us had almost finished our wines when the call came for desserts. Almost just like Texas Hold ‘Em, we were all, save one, in!

Peach Bread Pudding with Warm Sangria Better Sauce

Peach Cobbler with very homemade crust and fresh peaches

Key Lime Pie with Mango Sorbet and Toasted Macadamia-Nut Britttle 

In conclusion of this Out ‘n About with The Manly Housewife Gang, all I can say is that we have definitely found a new hometown favorite in the LightCatcher Winery! There wasn’t a moment of our time there that we didn’t feel comfortable and happy and indulged. Every single one of the staff was professional, courteous and extremely proficient at his or her respective job.  The LightCatcher wines are stellar and far and away more than we expected to discover in our own backyard. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, with a touch of elegance and grandeur that makes one feel special for the evening. We will definitely be returning for one of their Sunday night jazz sessions. LightCatcher Winery & Bistro gets the seal approval from the entire Manly Housewife Team!

Please be sure to check out their website at http://www.lightcatcher.com/ and see their Facebook Page.

They are located close to Azle, Texas outside of Fort Worth.
6925 Confederate Park Road, Fort Worth, TX 76108

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, my wife and I attended Carrabba’s Tastemaker Event in Plano, Texas, on Saturday. The entire event was a fantastic experience for us! When we received the initial invite from Foodbuzz to attended this event, we were both excited for the opportunity to meet some new people and sample some, hopefully good, Italian cuisine. We were not disappointed. The people we met were immensely interesting, talented, and fun, and the food and atmosphere were amazingly wonderful.

During the event, we learned a lot of inside information about Carrabba’s, from all about how they prepare meals to their service protocol. My wife and I both have worked in a large-chain restaurant (which is where we met), and, we, therefore, try and avoid any chain restaurants as much as possible, preferring freshly prepared meals and not those that come from premixed bags poured into pans and just warmed up for serving. It was refreshing to discover that most all of Carrabba’s dishes were made from scratch, including the pasta, which we were told had a two-hour shelf life. After two hours, the pasta is no longer permitted to be served to the public, and a new homemade batch is prepared, keeping each pasta dish always at the peak of freshness and flavor.

When we arrived at the event, we were met at the door by a pleasant host and Josh Goldschmidt, the proprietor of this location. Both greeted us with a handshake and offered us beverages. Being in unsure waters if we could drink-drink or just enjoy tea and water, I asked for a glass of water. (I quickly learned a little bit later that we were welcome to drink-drink, too!) We were seated with several fellow food bloggers, with whom we were quickly exchanging friendly introductions and respective blog information. Let me tell ya, what a great way to meet people with the same passion about food as yourself. Our new friends were all delightful and loved to talk about food. We all certainly did not run out of topics to discuss!

Josh explained to us that we would be observing a cooking demonstration and then be served lunch. We were escorted over to the cooks’ station, where we were introduced to the gentleman who would guide us through the steps to prepare the Carraba’s pesto sauce.

Now, you blog regulars know me and how I enjoy a great adult beverage with any meal. I mean, come on! Good food and good drinks just go hand-in-hand. It was during the pesto demonstration that Josh made my. . . uh, OUR. . . day and asked the magic question, “May I get anyone some Blackberry Sangria?” I thought about that for about 30 seconds (there was a pause in the demonstration, because my wife and I and the other food bloggers lost our concentration at the mere mention of that yummy-sounding Blackberry Sangria). Let me tell you, coming from my bartender background and the love of a good drink, I do not say this lightly. . . if you get the chance to eat at a Carrabba’s near you, absolutely do not pass up on the chance to get their Blackberry Sangria. Hands down, this is the best sangria my wife and I have ever had!

I am not going to lie, I, shamelessly, asked (okay, BEGGED) Josh several times for this recipe. It was light and fruity, yet not as thick and heavy as are some wine-fruit juices blends. It was also not too overpowered with the use of super-sweet syrups and sugars. It was a perfect blend of all elements in a high-quality sangria, and I would put it up against any ordinary sangria recipe out there, including my own. Josh never gave in to divulge the recipe but laughed and joked about it with us all afternoon. Trust me, though, this is a must-have if you go to Carraba’s.

After the interesting and informative pesto demonstration, we were led to our table, neatly set up with personalized menus, showing each of us were we were to sit. The staff continued to fill our glasses with wine and sangria as we perused menu selections. They started us of with a delicious Bruschetta Con Pesto, which is a grilled bread topped with fresh pesto, tomatoes, basil, and Ricotta Salata cheese. It was served warm and had that great crunch with every bite. It was perfectly and expertly prepared.

Two servers proceeded to take our orders, as all the food bloggers continued to get to know each other and share information on what we do and hope to do with our blogs. It as truly fascinating to experience all the different ethnicities and the styles of cooking that were represented at this table. To me, the most amusing common denominator was the overwhelming, consistent distaste for chain-style restaurants. We all laughed and joked that had it not been for this event, we probably would not have tried Carrabba’s on our own, due to our assumption that it was just your average chain restaurant. However, we all agreed that not visiting one of the Carraba’s restaurants would have proved to have been a bigger mistake.

Our next course consisted of  a salad or soup of our choice. Me, not being the soup kind of guy, and my wife thinking it was too hot for soup, we both jumped into the cool, fresh salads. She chose the Mediterranean and I had the Caesar salad. Both were good salads and tasted so refreshing on a hot Texas summer afternoon. (Soups offered were a Sicilian Chicken, Minestrone, or Sausage/Lentil.)

From there came the main course, which we had three to chose from. I selected Tag Pic Pac, a pasta dish served with shrimp, crushed tomatoes, garlic, basil and olive oil. My wife, the pasta lover in the family, enjoyed the Rigatoni Campagnolo, which included pasta smothered in a fennel sausage and pepper sauce and topped with a nice goat cheese. Both dinners where delightful, and choosing two separate dishes allowed us to sample each others’ meal. (You know you always want to know if the person you’re dining with got the better dish than you! You KNOW you do!)

Tag Pic Pac with Shrimp

Fresh angelhair pasta tossed with crushed tomatoes, garlic, basil, and extra virgin olive oil, topped with garlic shrimp

Rigatoni Campagnolo

Large tubular pasta tossed withe Italian fennel sausage, roasted red bell peppers and pomodoro, topped with a medallion of Caprino goat cheese

All in all, this was spectacular event with some fascinating people and extraordinary food. We all discussed getting together for another Foodbuzz event. My wife and I both look forward to that. We would like to thank Foodbuzz and Carraba’s for collaborating and hosting this event. Also please check out the other food bloggers’ that sites that attended this Foodbuzz Carraba’s event. They were a  were an entertaining group, and I am sure that their blogs are just the same.

Just Food Snobs

My Simple Food

Dinner and Conversation

Cookie Loves Eating

Sweet N Spicy Comforts

Also check out Carraba’s Facebook Page and website

One last thank you to Josh Goldschimdt and his team at Carrabba’s Italian Grill. Thank you for the superb hospitality and delectable food.

The Manly Housewife

Here is another one of my favorite quick dinners. I came up with this after visiting several different Mongolian restaurants and realized I could adapt this easily to a a fun dinner. To me, a Mongolian barbecue is more like a fun stir-fry but with incredible flavors. It’s very versatile and could even be made vegetarian, most likely (although, I would not have a clue as to how to go about making vegetarian). With this style dish, you can fix a family-style batch or make individual dishes for each family member, mixing and matching each person’s favorite ingredients. The key is to stack the flavors at the right time to ensure that the the meal gets a clean finish and all the meats are cooked properly. In most Mongolian restaurants they cook their barbecue on a round, flat-top grill (which I will have someday); however, at home, I cook it all in a wok. This is definitely a meal recipe for the amateur and could be easily spiced up by a pro. Dig in have fun and make some killer combinations.

Easy Mongolian Barbecue

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Chicken Breast

1/2 Pound Smoked Sausage Links, sliced 1/4-inch thick

1/2 Pound Deveined and Shelled Shrimp, tails removed

1 Large Clove Garlic

1/2 White Onion, diced

1 Bag Frozen Broccoli

1 Bag Frozen Rice or Equivalent Prepared Rice

1.5 Cups Favorite Homemade or Bottled Barbecue Sauce

Hot Sauce, to taste

Soy Sauce, to taste

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Add oil to wok and set to medium-high heat.
2. Sprinkle chicken breast with salt & pepper and cut into bite size pieces; add to wok and cook 5 minutes until chicken is no longer pink, stirring to evenly cook.
3. Cook broccoli & rice according to directions on their bags (I used microwave-steamer packages for this).
4. Add shrimp, onion, and sausage to wok and continue to stir fry for 3 minutes.
5. Add cooked broccoli and rice and cook for additional3 minutes.
6. Add garlic, barbecue sauce, hot sauce, soy sauce, and stir until heated through.
7. Serve in bowls with chop sticks.
8. Enjoy!

Lately, I have been putting in a lot of time with all the work I do and have not cooked as much as I like. On my way home after yet another long day, I called my beautiful wife to ask if she wouldn’t mind whipping something together for dinner. The conversation played out as it always does: I say, “Can you make dinner?” To which she replies,  “What do you want me to make?” I say, “Whatever you want.” And then she says what she always says,  “I don’t know what I want.” What’s funny is that we have that same conversation any time we go out to eat. To be fair, it’s true that my wife doesn’t cook often; however, whenever she does, it always comes out wonderful and yet it’s usually a type of fare I tend to stay away from. Given free reign, she will most likely make some sort of pasta dish since I don’t cook pasta often and because she loves it. Last night she did a brilliant job of putting together a wonderful, hearty meal, and here it is for your pleasure.

Simple Linguini & Meatballs

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Bag Italian-Style Meatballs

1 Jar Home-made Tomato Sauce or Store-Bought Equivalent

1 Tsp Oregano

1 Tsp Onion Powder

1 Tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 Pound Fresh Mushrooms

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 package Linquini Pasta

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to directions on package (ensure that you salt the water); when pasta is done, transfer to a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
2. In a large skillet over medium high heat cook the meatballs according to package directions (Usually about 8 to 10 minutes).
3. Add jar of tomato sauce to meatballs.
4. Spice it up with oregano, onion powder, garlic powder and salt & pepper.
5. Serve over cooked pasta and with garlic bread.
6. Enjoy!

As a kid growing up, I remember always having teas in our house. Mom would always have a cleaned-out an milk jug filled with fresh-brewed tea. There was nothing fancy about our tea; we loved the individual packets that you’d put in water and boil in the microwave. We drank it by the gallon, without sugar, mind you (we were not a sweet tea family).

During high school, I got my first real dose of a true sweet tea. My buddy Louis’ mom makes the best sweet tea in the world. I’m not kidding either; this stuff was addicting and probably had more sugar in it than an ice cream factory. To this day when we all get together at Louis’ folks house, we go through gallons of that sweet tea.

After I got married, my wife’s mother introduced me to a more sophisticated style of tea. A lot of time it was still in the packets but with more unique blends and flavors. Most nights, she enjoys a nice cup of warm tea or even an afternoon tea and has learned to appreciate their calming effects.

Through all these experiences, nothing prepared me for what my wife and I found this weekend. We found “Tea Nirvana,” or Teavana, actually. Teavana is a shop we stumbled upon while visiting the Galleria Mall in Dallas, Texas. Walking through the doors was like stepping into an enlightened bliss. You quickly become immersed in the tantalizing smells and aromas, and it is truly a wonderful, sensory experience.

While walking through the store, we where greeting by one of the best sale people I have ever encountered. She was great at explaining about the various different teas and showing us their amazing tea sets. She brought several tea samples for us to try and also helped make sure we walked out of there with some great tea. I wish I could remember her name, because I would have loved to put it in this post. With the tea we got, we went home to enjoy a blissful afternoon of tea.

Here is the tea we got that we enjoyed in tea set my wife had been given by her mother. Its a beautiful Korean tea set that a friend had acquired for her mother while traveling in Korea.

White Ayurvedic Chai & Samurai Chai Mate

You would not believe the smell when you open the container of this tea. A unique feature of these containers is that they seal shut, keeping your tea fresh between uses and helping it stay flavorful and fresh longer. It one of those things better seen than explained, but it is very useful.  We were told by our wonderful sales person that the teas we had sampled were not sweetened with regular sugar, but they where actually sweetened with German rock sugar. German rock sugar is pure, unprocessed sugar crystals.  They make the tea extra wonderful tasting.

German Rock Sugar

Teavana’s unprocessed German rock sugar simply adds a touch of sweetness without changing the taste of the tea.

White Ayurvedic Chai & Samurai Chai Mate in Korean Teapot

This tea is positively delightful and would be great any time of year, but it’s best especially in the colder months. It was amazing how the teas combined to make a great cinnamon-flavored tea. Every time you open the canister, the tea fragrance fills the room. I highly recommend this blend.

Teavana believes in giving back to the world community where their teas are grown, so  they donate 1% of all profits to CARE . CARE is  a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty.

You can follow them on Facebook here or find their website here. Make sure you check out their Tea of the Month club. We are and will most likely be getting into the 12-month plan.