Sourdough recipe to try

https://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/sourdough-bread

Soooo want to try this.

Too bad I don't have an ice-cream maker :(

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/guinness-ice-cream-with-chocolate-covered-pretzels

Must try this salad this week...

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/kale-and-brussels-sprout-salad?mbid=nl_03112015_Daily&CNDID=22008065&spMailingID=11702526&spUserID=NzI5NzIyNjAxMTcS1&spJobID=463559609&spReportId=NDYzNTU5NjA5S0

Ham, Green Onion, and Mushroom Frittata

I based this on another recipe here.

Ingredients:

8 eggs

8oz pepper jack cheese

2 green onions

1 clove garlic

6oz ham chopped

4oz mushrooms, sliced and steeped in white wine and thyme

1T butter

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In advance, prepare the mushrooms by sautéing oyster of shiitake mushrooms lightly in butter, maybe two minutes. Cover in white wine and add sprigs of thyme and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove herbs and drain off liquid. Return pan to heat and sauté to remove excess liquid.

Preheat oven to 325

Scramble the eggs, dice the cheese and add to the scrambled eggs. I use pepper jack but any soft white cheese works. The more you add the more creamy the final product is. 8oz as it is here is a bit light. 

Add a Tablespoon of butter to a medium size, non-stick, oven safe sauté pan. Sauté the onions, garlic, mushrooms and ham over medium heat just until onions get soft and garlic becomes aromatic. 

Pour the egg and cheese over the mixture and stir in. Once thoroughly combined, place entire pan into the oven.

bake for 25 minutes or until top begins to brown.

Remove and let cool. 

Serve warm or cut up and freeze portions for microwaving later as I have...

2015 is for the caveman.

New year, new diet! Today, I start the Paleo diet with full effort. I know it is already the 3rd but I was traveling on the 1st and recovering from travel on the 2nd, so Today is the day that I am able to give my full attention to a new (and exciting) diet. Back in the latter portion of 2014, I began reading about this Paleo thing and there is something about it that I really like. Maybe it is the excuse to eat meat and vegetables but after reading The Paleo Diet by Cordain I am convinced to atlas give it a try. I have been trying to cut processed foods out of my diet for months to no avail using restrictive dieting (none of this, none of that) without replacing it with anything exciting and have failed miserably. Paleo allows me to restrict the processed foods without going hungry and without giving them up completely, while also allowing me to expand my knowledge and experience with fruits and vegetables.

The basic tenets of the diet are that you can eat as much lean animal protein (pasture raised or wild caught), vegetables, fruits and nuts as you like. You can also eat dairy and drink wine in small portions (these are debatable as far as being truly Paleo since our ancestors didn't have access to wine or dairy). This is easier to write than do. Most of my meals have to be planned since grains and sugar dominate almost all available fast food sources. At work I am limited to the salad bar if I forget my lunch and just try to go to a fast food restaurant and order just meat and veggies.

With that in mind, I began preparing meals for the week. Today I prepared a frittata for my breakfasts, a ranch style dip for snacking on celery, carrots and daikon, and tonight I will grill chicken breasts to make a chicken salad for lunches (with lettuce and other veggies I will purchase from the salad bar). During the rest of the week I will have to make dinners at home and will try to post if anything new or interesting comes of it...