Food and Wine Blog

Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks - Recipe Blog

2 medium sized zucchini
2 tablespoon olive
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oil over medium high heat and then cook zucchini, stirring frequently, until zucchini begins to brown and is tender. With a slotted spoon - remove zucchini and place into a bowl. In the same skillet, over high heat, cook the shrimp, lemon-pepper seasoning salt, and salt, stirring until shrimp are opaque throughout, about 5 minutes. Return zucchini to skillet, and toss to heat. Serve immediately.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks - Recipe Blog

Everyone loves this classic appetizer.  Honestly, I’m not a huge seafood fan, but I do enjoy a good baked clam!

2 dozen clams
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 teaspoon parsley or chives
1/4 teaspoon oregano
Salt & pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese
Lemon juice

Scrub clams with a stiff brush under cold water until all grit and dirt is removed.  Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until they become golden.  Open the clams and remove the clams from shell.  Chop up clams very fine, mix with bread crumbs, parsley, salt, pepper and oregano.  Fill the cleaned shells.  Sprinkle with cheese and lemon juice.  Dot with butter and place under a hot broiler for about 5 minutes.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks - Recipe Blog

Believe it or not, I found this recipe in my local grocery stores sale circular.  It came out so good and they had some fresh ripe peaches on sale too!

4 peaches, halved, pits removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 cups of baby arugula
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

Dressing:
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
black pepper, to taste

For the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the olive oil into the vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper.
For the salad, brush peaches with olive oil and grill for 2 minutes on each side.
To serve, place the arugula in a large salad bowl, slick the grilled peaches and add them to the bowl.  Pour in the dressing and toss lightly.  Top with chopped hazelnuts.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks - Recipe Blog

5 pound Roasting chicken
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Paprika, to taste
5 Garlic cloves, minced
1/4 pound Sweet butter
1/2 cup Chicken broth

Season the chicken, inside and out, with salt, pepper and paprika. Spread half of the garlic in the cavity of the chicken and spread the remaining garlic on the outside of the bird. Place the bird in the slow cooker and place a few pats of butter on its breast. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve the garlic butter sauce overe the chicken. Serve with fresh vegetables and white rice.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks - Recipe Blog

18 ounces        Boneless Chicken Breast halves, cut into 1/2″ pieces.
3  tablespoons   Soy Sauce
1  tablespoon    Dry Sherry
1 Medium Onion — cut into wedges
Medium green/sweet and red peppers
1 1/2  cups          Sliced fresh Mushrooms
1      tablespoon    Cooking Oil
1      teaspoon      Grated Ginger root
8      ounces        Can Bamboo Shoots, drained
1/4  cup           Chicken Broth
1      teaspoon      Cornstarch

Put the cut up chicken in a bowl.  Stir in the soy sauce and sherry. Let stand for about 30 minutes. Coat a cold wok or large skillet with non-stick spray; preheat over medium-high heat. Add onion, stir-fry
2 minutes. Add peppers, stir-fry 1 minute. Add mushrooms, stir-fry about 1 minute more or till veggies are crisp-tender. Remove veggies from wok; set aside.
Drain chicken, reserving the marinade. Add oil to wok. Add ginger root; stir-fry 15 seconds. Add half the chicken, stir fry 3-4 minutes till no longer pink. Remove. Stir-fry remaining chicken 3-4 minutes till no longer pink. Return all chicken, veggies, and bamboo shoots to wok; push from center of wok.
Stir broth, cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper into reserved marinade; pou into the wok. Cook and stir till slightly thickened; toss gently to coat chicken mixture. Serve while hot.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks - Recipe Blog

1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, diced
1 pint sour cream
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon onion — grated
3 tablespoons fresh dill — chopped

Mix sour cream, vinegar, salt, cayenne, and grated onion. Stir in chopped dill and diced cucumber. Refrigerate two hours before serving.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks - Recipe Blog

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 cup pecan nuts
1 quart premium quality vanilla ice cream
Maple syrup

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the sugar with the pecans on a baking tray and sprinkle with a little water to make a paste.
Bake in the oven for a couple minutes or until the pecans are toasted and caramelized. Scoop the ice cream into 4 dishes and sprinkle the whole pecans over the top. Then drizzle with a good amount of maple syrup. You can top with whipped cream but this is sweet enough as is!

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks - Recipe Blog

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my hands full lately with work and the normal day-to-day, but the other day I was bored.  I know I’ve been telling you all about my new cookbook and how you can download it for free for a limited time.  I wanted to find another way to get the word out, so I put together a short little video on YouTube.

I’ll be honest, I was bored, and the video doesn’t really say anything more than I’ve already told you, but I do have a question.  What do you think of the background music in this video?  Do you like it?  Hate it?  Can you cook to it?  lol
Until next time, Be well!

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks - Recipe Blog

These are great for summer parties with all the great fruits in season now. Feel free to experiment with different fruit combinations.

1 (9 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
2 firm bananas, sliced
2 peaches, peeled and sliced
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup raspberries
1/2 cup blueberries
2 kiwi, peeled and sliced
2 cups cold milk
1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar

Prepare and bake yellow cake mix according to the package directions using a 9 inch round pan. Cool and then cut into one inch cubes.
In a bowl, mix together the pineapple, bananas, peaches, and half of the strawberries.
In another bowl, whisk milk and the pudding mix for two minutes. Then let stand for about 2 minutes or until it begins to set.
In a mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream until soft peaks begin to form. Add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
In a large trifle bowl, layer half of the cake cubes, then the fruit mixtures and pudding and whipped cream. Repeat the layers to fill the bowl. Garnish with the blueberries, kiwi and remaining strawberries. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours and then serve.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks

You gotta love these!  This recipe comes out just like the ones you love from your local pubs and grills.

6 large Jalapenos
6 slices Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (1/2″ thick)
flour in a shallow dish
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, separated

Place the jalapeno peppers in a bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let stand for about 45 minutes or until they become tender. Leave stems on and slit down one side.  Remove all of the seeds.  Place one slice of cheese inside each pepper, and dust with flour.
Heat the oil in a fryer or heavy skillet.
Beat the egg yolks until they become thick. Then, beat the whites until they form peaks. Fold the yolks into the whites and coat each pepper in the egg mixture.
Fry in hot oil turning once. Cook until golden brown.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks

1 pound boneless Lamb roast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon olive oil

Stir together all of the dry ingredients and rub into lamb. Let stand 15 minutes. Heat oil to medium-hot in a heavy skillet and brown the lamb on all sides. Transfer the lamb to a shallow roasting pan or rack and roast in 350 degrees F oven 35 to 40 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 145 degrees F for medium-rare, 160 degrees F for medium or 170 degrees F for well. When lamb has reached desired doneness, remove from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes. Slice lamb and serve with fresh steamed vegetables and roasted potatoes or rice.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks

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Step up your cooking skills to the next level and impress your family and friends. For more details Click Here.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks - Recipe Blog

I love making this recipe and having a nice dinner out on my back patio.  Make myself some fresh lemonade and I’m happy!

4        Boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 pint    Fresh raspberries
1/2 cup   Red wine vinegar
2 tsp        Dijon mustard
2 tsp fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup   Chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbs        Lemon juice
1/4 tsp   Black pepper, freshly ground
5 cups    washed and trimmed spinach leaves
2       Seedless oranges, sections separated
1/4 cup   Chopped, toasted walnuts

Preheat a charcoal or top-of-stove grill or broiler. Grill chicken 4 inches from heat for 5 minutes on each side. Cool slightly and then slice the chicken thin. Combine raspberries, vinegar, mustard, basil, parsley, lemon juice, and pepper in a food processor or in a blender. Process briefly, by pulsing the processor a couple times, but do not puree completely. Toss spinach with the raspberry mixture. Divide among 4 plates. Arrange grilled chicken slices over spinach. Top with orange slices and toasted walnuts.

Servings: 4

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks

I know, it’s just so easy to grab one of those little packets and a tub of sour cream and have onion dip in a flash.  Did you know it’s not that much harder to make it from scratch.  If you have a party coming up this weekend, I’d definitely try out this recipe for some of the best onion dip you have ever sampled!

2 Tbs            olive oil
1 1/2 cups      diced onions
1/4 tsp      salt
1 1/2 cups      sour cream
3/4 cup      mayonnaise
1/4 tsp      garlic powder
1/4 tsp      freshly-ground white pepper
1/2 tsp      salt

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.  Add onions and salt. Cook the onions until they are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Mix the remaining ingredients, and then add the cooled onions. Refrigerate and mix well before serving.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks

It’s Friday!  Time to party!  Fiesta!!!  I picked up some fresh avocados at the market today.  So that means it’s time for Guacamole!  Why use that pre-made crap when you have all the fresh ingredients at you finger tips?

3                  ripe Hass avocados, pitted and peeled
2 Tbs           fresh lime juice
1/4 cup       sour cream
1/4 tsp       ground cumin
3-4 dashes Tabasco sauce
Salt, to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
3                 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded, and cut into 1/4″ dice
1/4 cup      diced (1/4″) red onion
1/4 cup      chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Coarsely mash the avocados in a bowl with the lime juice. Stir in all the remaining ingredients.  Enjoy!

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks

This recipe puts a simple twist on the classic green bean casserole recipe.

8 oz            fresh green beans, cut lengthwise
1           can mushroom pieces, drained
1/2 cup      chopped onions
2           cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup            cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups      milk
3/4 cup      Bisquick baking mix
3           eggs
1 tsp            salt
1/4 tsp      pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Grease a 10″ pie plate.
Place beans and 1″ of salted water in a pot and heat to boiling. Cook uncovered 5 minutes. Cover and cook until tender, 5 to 10 minutes; drain.
Mix beans, mushrooms, onion, garlic and cheese in plate.
Beat remaining ingredients until smooth.
Pour into pie plate.
Bake until knife inserted between center and edge comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
Cool 5 minutes.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks

Many of you have contacted me and asked what happened to my free cookbook offer.  It was down for a couple of months, but I am glad to announce that it is back.

I recently put together a new cookbook featuring over 100 recipes called, “You Can’t Beat Home Cooking“. I plan to start selling this e-book, but for a limited time, I will be giving the e-book away for FREE to anyone who joins my recipe newsletter. If you haven’t already signed up for my free recipe newsletter, now is a great time!  Tell your friends!

>SIGN UP HERE<

Here is a list of recipes that are included in the cookbook download:

Apple Flake Crunch
Apple Pie with Candied Crust
Artichoke Pasta Salad
Artichoke Soup
Asian Chicken Salad
Bacon Vinaigrette With Grilled Radicchio
Baked Crab Spring Rolls Read the rest of this entry »

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks

The wonderful crew over at Country Bob’s sent me a sample of their All Purpose Sauce, so this weekend I put it to the test.  I would say that the sauce is similar to A1 sauce.  So for the test, I prepared two different dishes.  On Saturday, I made my famous sausage and peppers for my girlfriends graduation party.  I added a bit of the sauce to my regular recipe and I must admit it added a very nice flavor.  I received tons of compliments on my sausage and peppers at the party.  Next, on Sunday I made boneless grilled chicken breasts.  I grilled the chicken for about a minute on each side and then brushed some of the sauce onto the chicken and continued to cook until it was done.  The chicken came out nice and moist and full of flavor.  A few of my family members are not fans of sauces that contain liquid smoke and Country Bob’s does not contain any smoke flavoring.   So far I am very happy with Country Bob’s sauce!  I have a feeling this will be my go-to ingredient for many summer barbecues!

With this all-purpose sauce, you can grill, cook, and marinate with it, also add it in your soups, stews, and baked beans.  I can’t wait to make a nice thick burger seasoned with this sauce!  On the Country Bob’s website, you can find a bunch of mouth watering recipes that their sause tastes great in.  You can order their sauce directly on their website, but I do recommend that you ask your local grocery store to start carrying this product.  And let me fill you in on a little known secret…if you sign up for their free newsletter, they will send you a FREE bottle of All-Purpose sauce.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks

I was at a graduation party this weekend and someone made this simple appetizer using different colored peppers.  This is a great recipe for any party and it couldn’t be easier to prepare!

1/2 green pepper
1/2 sweet red pepper
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 orange pepper
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons chopped ripe olives
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Cut each pepper half into 10 pieces.  Place the skin side down in an ungreased ovenproof skillet.  Sprinkle with cheese, olives and pepper flakes.  Broil 3-4 inches from the heat for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and peppes are crisp-tender.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks

1 each Greeen, Red, and yellow bell peppers, cut in strips
1 Onion, sliced
2 Carrots, cut into strips
1 stalk Celery, sliced on an angle
1 bunch Broccoli, cut into bite sizes
4 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 Tbs. McCormick Montreal Chicken seasoning
1/2 tsp. Chili powder
1/2 cup Fresh cilantro, chopped
3 Tbs. Oil
2 Tbs. Cornstartch
1/2 cup Water
6 Fresh flour tortillas

Heat oil and 1/4 cup water, and saute the garlic, celery, and carrots
until slightly tender. Add peppers, onions, seasoning, chili powder, and cilantro, then continue to saute until peppers are tender, and then add the broccoli. Mix the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup water, and pour over vegetable mixture and cook until thickened. Place mixture in your hot flour tortilla, roll, and serve.

Serve with Salsa, sour cream and guacamole.  Sometimes I also add rice in the burrito to make it a little more filling.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks

Bring on all the sweet tooths!  This recipe takes the classic brownie to another level.

Cheesecake Topping

8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon cake flour

Brownie Batter

1 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

To Make Cheesecake Topping:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil an 8-by-11 1/2-inch baking pan or coat it with nonstick cooking spray. Dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Set aside.

2. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in sugar and vanilla until very smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in egg, followed by egg white; beat 2 to 3 minutes to thoroughly blend. Add 1 tablespoon flour and, with the mixer on low speed, beat just until blended. Set aside.

To Make Brownie Batter:

1. In a small bowl, whisk flour, cocoa and salt. In a large bowl, beat brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, egg, egg whites, and vanilla on high speed until smooth, making sure no lumps of brown sugar remain. Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed just until blended.

2. Set aside 1/2 cup of the brownie batter. Transfer the remaining brownie batter to the prepared pan, spreading it into the comers and smoothing the surface. Carefully pour the reserved cheesecake topping onto the batter and spread it evenly to the edges. Dot the cheesecake layer with the remaining brownie batter. Without disturbing the brownie layer, swirl the cheesecake layer with a table knife.

3. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, just until the top is set Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting. Makes 16 cheesecake brownies.

220 calories per brownie: 4 grams protein, 7 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat), 34 grams carbohydrate; 155 mg sodium; 37 mg cholesterol; 0 grams fiber
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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks

1       Large sweet yellow onion
1/2 tsp   Salt
1       egg
1/4 tsp   Thyme
2 tsp        vegetable oil
1/4 tsp   Black pepper
1/2 cup   Dry bread crumbs
1/8 tsp.  Cayenne pepper, more or less to taste
1 tsp     cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp   Paprika

Cut onion into 1/2 inch thick slices. Separate slices into rings, leaving 2 layers of onion in each ring.
In a small bowl, beat egg and oil together.
In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, and spices; mix well.
Dip onion rings into egg, then dredge in seasoned bread crumbs to coat. Fry the rings in hot oil.  Drain well on paper towels and enjoy. For a healthier version, bake these in the oven.

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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks

Here is a pretty simple pasta dish that always goes over well in my house. I like preparing this when my local grocery has some nice looking skinny asparagus.

2 lbs asparagus
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 lb angel hair or spaghetti

Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot for cooking the pasta. Cut off the tough ends from the asparagus spears. Cut the spears in half lengthwise (thicker spears should be quartered), then slice them on the bias into 1-inch pieces. Steam the asparagus until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Set the cooked asparagus aside.

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs and toast evenly, shaking the pan occasionally to redistribute the crumbs, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Do not let the bread crumbs burn. Set the toasted bread crumbs aside.

Heat the oil in the empty skillet. Add the garlic and saute‚ over medium heat for about 2 minutes, be careful not to burn the garlic. Stir in the parsley, lemon juice, and salt and cook for 30 seconds. Add the asparagus to the pan and mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary with salt and pepper.

While preparing the sauce, cook and drain the pasta, do not rinse. Toss the hot pasta with the asparagus sauce and the toasted bread crumbs. Mix well and transfer portions to warm pasta bowls. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.
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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks

Once you try this recipe you will be in love!  These ribs just fall right off the bone.  Feel free to experiment with different kinds of barbecue sauce.  This is my favorite combination.

8 pounds of pork baby back ribs
68 ounce bottle of Sweet Baby Rays Barbecue Sauce
45 ounce bottle of KC Masterpiece Original Barbecue Sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
1 large sweet onion, sliced

In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the ribs.  Trim the ribs if necessary.
Place the ribs in a large foil pan.  I use the disposable kind for easy cleanup.  Spread the barbecue sauce mixture over the top of the ribs.  Roast the ribs at 425 degrees F for 45 minutes.  Then, turn the heat down to 275 degrees F and cook for 4 more hours.  Next, turn the heat up to 350 degrees and cook for about 2 hours more or until the ribs are cooked through.  Don’t turn the ribs while they cook.  You will know they are ready when the meat just falls right off the bone.
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Submitted by Chef Tom Cooks

Someone was asking me for a Thai style sauce for some summer barbecues and kabobs…

You will need:

3 jars sweet and sour sauce (about 3 cups)
6 tablespoons snipped fresh basil
5 teaspoons wasabi powder
5 teaspoons minced garlic

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Cover and chill for later use.

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