Steve

Shrimp Linguini

Apr 132021

— Shrimp Linguini —

THIS RECIPE IS BASICALLY SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH PASTA.

“Scampi,” by the way, is the plural of “scampo” an Italian word for a type of shrimp, so, as many a dining-table wit will tell you, “shrimp scampi” is redundant.

This is easy to prepare and open to tweaking. Consider increasing the garlic and/or lemon juice. Leave out the bell pepper, Add a few handfuls of fresh spinach, a large tomato diced, or even a can of anchovies drained and chopped.

You might replace the parmesan cheese with a couple of tablespoons of bacon bits. Coat the shrimp with Old Bay seasoning before adding it to the skillet. Use your imagination.

Be sure to taste-test the wine a few times while preparing this dish. I suggest a New Zealand sauvignon blanc.

You’ll need:

1 lb. linguini

4 tbs butter

4 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

¼ red onion, diced

¼ red, yellow, or orange bell pepper slivered

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1½ tsp salt

4 oz dry white wine

4 tsp of lemon juice

2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup chopped parsley leaves (optional)

A pinch or two of red pepper flakes (optional)

Black pepper to taste

Do this:

Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pot.

While waiting for the water to boil, place the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Keep warm.

Add the salt and the linguini to the boiling water. Stir immediately to stop the pasta from clumping.

Bring the water back to boil then lower the heat and simmer for 4-6 minutes or until done—the only way to tell is to sample a little.

When the pasta is done, pour it into a colander to drain.

Add the shrimp to the skillet. Stir fry until the shrimp is pink, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the wine, lemon juice, capers, remaining butter, olive oil and drained linguini to the pan and gently toss to coat the pasta. Drizzle more olive oil over the mixture if needed.

Dish onto individual plates, sprinkle with the parmesan cheese, parsley, and ground black pepper and serve.

This makes six servings. If there aren’t six of you, refrigerate the remainder to be warmed up another day.

————-

Servings 6 525 calories each Satisfaction factor: 99

Tap here to download a PDF of this recipe.

Chocolate-Banana Mousse

Happy Endings, Recipes, Snacks No Responses »

Feb 032021

Chocolate-Banana Mousse

Click here to download a PDF of this recipe.

People eat bananas. Monkeys don’t.
At least not in the wild.
The bananas you find in the supermarket have been cultivated for human consumption. Bananas are harvested green, refrigerated, and, quite often, transported thousands of miles. Upon arrival in the destination country, they are placed in special, air-tight rooms and gassed.
Yep, gassed.
Ethylene gas is induced into the room to ripen the fruit. Without that step, the fruit would never fully ripen before becoming rotten.
Bananas are a good source of potassium, vitamins B6 and C, and antioxidants. They also provide a healthy amount of fiber which helps to increase their Sexy Beast Diet satisfaction factor.
Try this recipe to impress and delight the love in your life. (Kids love it, too.)

You’ll need:
4 medium ripe bananas
1¼ tbsp sugar (or the equivalent in your favorite artificial sweetener)
1½ tbsp cacao powder
12 fresh raspberries

Do this:
Using a blender or food processor, puree the bananas with the sugar and cacao powder until smooth.
Chill in the refrigerator from 30 minutes to overnight. Spoon into individual servings.
Garnish with raspberries and serve.

Doc Holliday’s Cowboy Caviar

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Jun 242020

Doc Holliday’s Cowboy Caviar

Tap here to download a PDF of the recipe.

When Southern gentleman John Henry “Doc” Holliday wasn’t shooting it out with bad guys, quaffing Arizona rotgut, or carousing with wild women, he was stirring up a mess of cowboy caviar.

BTW, I have it on good authority this is his original recipe. (You can trust me on that…I’m your huckleberry.)

You’ll need:
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chipotle or another chili powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper
4 tbsp. your choice of vinegar (white wine, red wine, or apple)
¼ cup lime juice (optional, but adds verve)
½ cup olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced (use two if you’re feeling daring.)
2 medium-size ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped
1 large red onion, diced
1 15-oz. can blackeye peas
1 15-oz. can black beans
16 oz. frozen corn

Do this:
Whip the spices, olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice together in a small bowl.
Place everything else in a large bowl. Pour the spice-oil-vinegar-lime juice mixture over the top and gently toss to coat. Chill or serve immediately.
This will keep in the refrigerator for at least a week.
Holliday’s caviar works as an entrée, side dish, snack, or salsa.

Servings:
As salsa: 40. 88 calories each
As a snack: 22. 100 calories each
As a side dish: 8. 250 calories each
As an entrée: 6. 325 calories each
Satisfaction factor: 88

Tater Tot-Topped Chicken Pot Pie

Entree, Recipes No Responses »

Jun 242020

Tater Tot-Topped Chicken Pot Pie

Click on the photo to download a PDF of this recipe.

In 1953, Sexy Beast Elvis Presley recorded his first song, “My Happiness,” Professor Alfred Kinsley published his landmark work Sexual Behavior in the Human Female, and Tater Tots were invented.

The world has never been the same since.

This filling dish can be baked in the high-sided skillet it is assembled in but the presentation is more spectacular if you use two single-serving, oven-safe bowls to bake it in instead.

You’ll need:
1½ tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
¼ medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
½ large stalk celery, chopped
2 tsp. garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, diced
1 tbsp. dried thyme or 2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves cut up.
1¼ cup chicken broth
1½ tbsp. cornstarch (flour can be substituted bu
1¼ cups (about 8 ounces) diced skinless chicken breast
¾ cup frozen peas
22 mini or 12 regular size, frozen tater tots

Do this:
Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large, high-sided, oven-safe skillet, heat oil over a medium heat, add onion, carrot, celery, and spices. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Whisk the cornstarch into the chicken broth.

Pour the chicken broth-cornstarch mixture the into the skillet, bring to a simmer. Cook about 5 minutes more, until slightly thickened. Stir in the chicken and peas and simmer 2 minutes more.

If you are going to use individual serving bowls, scoop half the pot pie mixture into each. Whether you use two bowls or the one skillet, arrange the frozen Tater Tots in a circular pattern over the mixture.

Bake until the Tater Tots are golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Check at 35 minutes.

Servings: 2 400 calories each
Satisfaction factor: 99

Stuffed Tomatoes

Recipes, Sides No Responses »

Dec 292019

Stuffed Tomatoes

You Like Tomato, I Like Tomahto…

You like potato and I like potahto
You like tomato and I like tomahto
Potato, potahto, Tomato, tomahto.
Let’s call the whole thing off
—Or not.

Here’s a recipe Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong could agree on…

Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients
4 firm, ripe, large tomatoes
1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar (I prefer balsamic wine vinegar.)
¼ of a medium onion, minced
¼ tsp salt (or to taste)
¼ tsp black pepper (or to taste)
1 small or half of a medium unpeeled cucumber, diced
1½ ounces (about ¼ cup) crumbled feta cheese (herbed or plain)
1 cup cooked, chilled, quinoa (Use leftover quinoa from another meal if you have it.)
4 sprigs of parsley (optional)

Directions
Cut the tops off the tomatoes. Scoop out and chop the insides.
Put the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and onion in a large bowl and whisk with a fork.
Add the cucumber, cheese, quinoa, and chopped tomato and gently toss to mix.
Spoon a quarter of this mixture into each tomato shell.
If you’re trying to impress someone, top each with a sprig of parsley.

These can be assembled in advance and refrigerated for an hour or two before serving.
Substitute any cooked, chilled rice for the quinoa, if you like.

Serves: 4
Calories: 150
Satisfaction factor: 86

Still a Starter after Nearly a Dozen Years

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Sep 032019

Still a Starter after
Nearly a Dozen Years

On March 13, 2019, Cameron Wake, five-time Pro Bowl player, signed a three-year, $23 million contract with the Tennessee Titans. That alone is pretty spectacular. But what makes it even more spectacular is that Wake, who definitely qualifies as a Sexy Beast, was 37 years old at the time—ancient for an NFL player, even more so for a defensive end.

And what does Wake attribute his ability to stay fit and healthy? A lifestyle commitment.

“It’s a decision you have to make to say, ‘I decide to do this and give up that,’” Wake was quoted in an Associated Press article as saying.

Wake avoids fried foods, processed foods, candy, chips, and cheese. Instead he focuses his diet on lean meats and vegetables. One of his favorite dishes is tuna fish with sunflower seeds.

And, I imagine, he gets plenty of exercise.

“I’m going to choose long term over the here and now, delayed gratification, all those things,” Wake said. Sounds like he read The Sexy Beast Diet doesn’t it?

Grilled Halibut, Greek Style

Entree, Recipes No Responses »

Jul 282019

Grilled Halibut, Greek Style

Why did the vegan go deep-sea fishing?
Just for the halibut.

There are legions of Greek-style halibut recipes, each claiming to be the authentic one. This is one of the simplest and best. Garnish your plates with a few kalamata olives and grilled tomato halves if you like.

You’ll need:

4 halibut fillets (approximately 6 ounces each)

Marinade
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced, or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped, or ¾ teaspoon of dried parsley
2 teaspoons fresh oregano finely chopped or ¾ teaspoon of dried oregano (If you can find fresh “Greek” oregano all the better.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Do this:

Combine olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper in a large zip-top bag. Massage the bag to mix the marinade.

Add the fillets one at a time and carefully coat each piece with the marinade.

Place all the fillets back in the bag and place the bag in the refrigerator for an hour. (Okay to leave it in longer.)

Preheat your grill and oil it. (Oil a grill by bunching up a paper towel dipping it in the oil and, using long tongs or an oven mitt, carefully wipe the paper down the grate. Olive oil or canola oil work well for this.)

Place the fillets on the hot, oiled grill. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes without moving the fish then carefully flip the fillets and grill another 4 to 5 minutes. The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork and is opaque all the way through.

Move the fillets onto a pre-warmed dish and, if not serving them immediately, place them in an oven warmed to about 200 degrees.

Serves: 4 Calories: 190 Satisfaction factor: 88

Recipe courtesy Neil Fernbaugh
Photo by Malidate Van from Pexels

Dieting Advice Parallels Writing Advice: “Get Another Wife, Live-in Lover, Roommate.”

Ramblings No Responses »

Jan 072018

Dieting Advice Parallels Writing Advice:“Get Another Wife, Live-in Lover, Roommate.”

Hmmm, maybe I do need a new husband.

In my friend Jim Frey’s excellent guide How to Write a Damn Good Novel, II, (start reading it here) he tells of a woman at one of his workshops who complained she didn’t have time to write:

I suggested she quit her job.

She smiled sheepishly and said she couldn’t do that. They had a big mortgage and her husband liked to travel, so they were making payments on a Winnebago. Her husband would kill her, she said, if she quit her job.

I said she should get another husband.

She blinked with astonishment. She said I was kidding, of course.

I was not kidding, I said. There are a lot of husbands out there—find one who will support your writing.

She walked away, muttering that I was a lunatic.

I may be, but that doesn’t change the facts. You can’t become a writer if you surround yourself with no-sayers. And if your spouse or live-in lover or roommate is not supporting you, you will have to change either their minds or your living arrangements.

Your ship won’t make much headway dragging an anchor.

How does Jim’s advice apply to dieting? If you need to ask….

How Else Do You Explain Scotch Whiskey?

Ramblings No Responses »

Oct 092012

How Else Do You Explain
Scotch Whiskey?

Even the best Scotch only has about 64 calories per ounce. But it’s really easy to overdo the whiskey thing. Be safe if you decide to drink.

There is an interesting phenomenon at work when we begin to eat or drink something regularly, we begin to like it.

Over the millenniums man has developed a taste for everything from insects to acorns. Why? Because these foods were available.

Eventually those who ate them regularly came to actually prefer them. Insects are still considered a delicacy in parts of the world and acorns, well, acorns didn’t actually make the cut, but you get the point.

You’ll find this eat-it-prefer-it phenomenon will happen automatically as you move to eating only healthy foods.

Who to Believe? Celebrity Doctors or the American Heart Association?

Ramblings No Responses »

Jun 142012

Who to Believe? Celebrity Doctors or
the American Heart Association?

Studies show that chronic inflammation can be a causative factor in heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.

But how does your diet come into play?

Best-selling author Dr. Andrew Weil’s website states, “Most people consume an excess of omega-6 fatty acids from which the body synthesizes hormones that promote inflammation.”

The website of TV celebrity Dr. Oz follows suit: “If you’ve got too much omega-6, inflammation wins.”

Both suggest limiting your intake of omega-6 fatty acids. These fatty acids are found in sunflower and other vegetable oils.

The problem is studies don’t show that omega-6 increases inflammation. And it might even help you stay healthy.

According to William Harris of the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, avoiding omega-6 vegetable oils isn’t called for: “First, the body converts so little of the omega-6’s linoleic acid into arachidonic acid [the fatty acid that is said to cause inflammation] that its levels don’t budge. And second, the body converts arachidonic acid into both pro- and anti-inflammatory compounds, so it can’t be pigeonholed as one or the other.”

In a 10-week Swedish study of people who got 15 percent of their calories either from butter (saturated fat) or from sunflower oil (omega-6), neither group showed a rise in inflammation or in arachidonic acid.

On the other hand, those eating the omega-6 diet had less liver fat suggesting that their insulin was working better.

Three years ago, due to this and similar studies, the American Heart Association cautioned consumers not to cut back on oils containing omega-6.

But wait, there’s more. According to Harris, “Eating less omega-6 fats is more likely to increase than decrease the risk of heart disease” because omega-6 fats lower the LDL or ‘bad” cholesterol.

So you decide. Scientists and the American Heart Association or celebrity doctors?

Note: My source for this blog is the June 2012 Nutrition Action Healthletter. A thin, valuable newsletter published 10 times a year.

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