I'm Back!

After a 2+ year hiatus, I've decided to resume this blog as something to do post-graduate life. I'll be blogging hopefully for the next 2 years as I work in a research job until medical school. So this week, I'll be traveling around the world with my cooking!

Orzo with seafood on top

I've been really into new types of pasta lately. My new favorite type is orzo, which is a rice shaped pasta. 

1 cup orzo

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup peccorino romano 

3 and 1/2 tablespoons fresh basi

2 garlic cloves chopped

a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes in juice

1/2 cup of white wine

2 teaspoons of oregano

1 tablespoon fresh parsley 

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Feta cheese to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush 11x7-inch glass baking dish with oil. Cook the orzo according to the package directions. Drain well and return orzo to same pot. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the peccorino romano cheese, and 2 tablespoons basil; stir to blend. Arrange orzo mixture in prepared dish.

Add enough olive oil to the pan to coat it. Add garlic and sauté over low heat for a minute. Add tomatoes with

juice;cook 1 minute. Stir in wine, oregano, crushed red pepper, and remaining  basil. Simmer uncovered for about 10

minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper; and spoon over orzo. Bake orzo until heated through, about 10

minutes. Sprinkle with  feta cheese and serve 

(the pictures won't upload, sorry :(  )

Slightly Spicy Potatoes

I always have the same side dishes with my dinners: rice, mashed and fried potatoes. After many years of becoming bored with having the same side dishes, I started to think of alternatives. This is my new favorite.

Recipe:

6 medium size white potatoes (red would also be good, I only had white in my house yesterday thought)

2.5-3 tablespoons olive oil (enough to fully coat the potatoes)

2 cloves garlic chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme 

3 teaspoons fresh parsley

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

3/4 teaspoon dried dill

Preheat oven to 470 degrees Fahrenheit. Put everything into a large bowl and mix together until the potatoes are evenly coated. Evenly distribute on a pan coated with aluminum foil (to prevent sticking). Cook 25-30 minutes, turning the potatoes halfway through cooking. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Grilled Pineapple and Mango Pico de Gallo

One of my favorite ways to add flavor to a meal is with a salsa or pico de gallo. I had mango salsa for the first time a couple of years ago at a restaurant and a pineapple pico de gallo this past summer. Yesterday, my mom was grilling and put some pineapple slices on the grill. We had some leftover mango from the night before, so I had the idea to make a grilled pineapple and mango pico de gallo.

1/2 - 3/4 cups of grilled pineapple (cut into tidbit size)
1/2 cup mango
1/2 of a medium size jalapeno
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup red onion
1/4 cup cherry or grape tomatoes (optional)

Cut everything into small chunks and mix together in a bowl.

Great addition to a chicken or fish dish!

Triple Chocolate Brownies

After I came back from the gym today, I was craving something sweet but not processed. My entire family loves brownies, so I figured it would be the perfect treat to make. 

Recipe:

1/2 cup melted margarine 

1 cup of white sugar

1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour (white, all-purpose, but I'm sure wheat could be substituted)

1/3 cup Hershey's cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips (my favorite is Ghirardelli) 

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

1.) Mix the sugar, margarine and vanilla extract together. 

2.) Mix the flour, cocoa and baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl. 

3.) Add eggs to the wet mixture (sugar, margarine and vanilla)

4.) Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix thoroughly 

5.) Add the chocolate chips to the mixture and mix well

6.) Put into an oiled or sprayed 8 x 8 pan

7.) Cook at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes

Not the prettiest brownies, but they are delish!!