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Kevin's Recipes

In the recipes section, I have mostly recipes I have tried and tested. Make them with confidence - you'll be happy with the results!

INDEX

Watermelon Margarita
Asian Pear Mojito
Kevin's Top Secret Sangria
Fresh Easy Margarita
Lime Chile Chicken
Heather's Portabella Burgers
Pintxos de Higo
Low Fat Mac & Cheese

THESE RECIPES ARE INCOMPLETE AS OF 3/24/2010  I will be finishing them soon!

Kevin's Watermelon Margarita

Nothing says summer like watermelon...In fact, it's probably my favorite thing about summer.  The only thing better than a nice slice of ripe juicy watermelon is a tall glass of watermelon margarita on the rocks.  Delicious.  This recipe takes a bit of preparation, but is pretty easy to make once you have the watermelon puree.

Before you start get a nice ripe seedless watermelon and cut it up into small chunks. 

NOTE: When choosing a watermelon, you want to look for one that does not have bumps or bruises. The melon should be medium to light green, but not yellowing.  The bottom should be yellow/white.  Now, thump it!  You want to tap the watermelon a few times and lsiten to the sound it makes and how it feels.  It should sound like your hand is bouncing off the watermelon. Kind of hollow or drumlike.  Now buy it take it home and WASH IT!  Yes, I know you won't be eating the outside, but wash it.  you're going to have it sitting on your cutting board and you don't want the dirt and pesticides getting all over the delicious fruit inside.  OK- cut the watermelon into chunks, and stick them in a blender.  Puree them until there aren't any chunks left and it's just watermelon juice.

Ingredients:

• 3 parts Fresh Watermelon Puree (more or less to taste)
• 1/2 lime - juiced
• 1/2 part sweetened lime juice
• 1 part Sour Mix
• 2 parts Jose Quervo Gold Tequila
• 1 part Triple Sec

Making the margarita-

In a large shaker, combine the following ingredients, shake and pour into glass without straining. You CAN salt the rims on this drink, but I think salted rims are better left to traditional margaritas. 

VARIATION - Watermelon Cosmo

• 3 parts Vodka
• 1.5 Parts Triple Sec
• Splash Cranberry Juice
• Splash Sweetened Lime Juice
• Splash Sweet & Sour Mix
• 2-3 parts Watermelon Puree

Shake with ice and serve in a chilled martini glass.

Lime Chile Chicken

OK- So I'm a vegitarian, so I don't know first hand how this tastes, but I haven't served it to anyone that hasn't loved it.  This southwestern style chicken is served as a sanwich.  Enjoy this on a bun with cheese & guacamole.  To see the original recipe, check out Kalyn's Kitchen who specializes in low glycemic, low carb, high taste recipes. The best thing about this recipe is that because of the amount of oil in the marinade, it keeps the chicken moist on the grill.  You will NOT have dry chicken with this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup peanut oil or olive oil (I use olive)
• 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 2 tsp chile powder (I use Ancho Chile powder from Penzeys)
• 1 tsp. garlic puree (also called ground garlic)
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  1 tsp. ground cumin (or less if you're not that fond of cumin)
• 2 T Worcestershire sauce
• Guacamole

Instructions:

Combine olive oil, lime juice, chile powder, garlic puree, onion powder cumin and worcestershire sauce in a bowl and whisk together. 

Trim all visible fat and tendons from chicken breast.  Score chicken breast by cutting small slits crosswise down the length of each breast. Add chicken to marinade and let is set in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours, turning occasionally if possible.

Spray grill grate with non-stick spray or wipe with paper towel dipped in olive oil. Preheat gas or charcoal barbecue to medium high. (You can only hold your hand there for 2-3 seconds at that heat.) Put chicken on grill top side down. To get nice grill marks, cook about 4-5 minutes, then rotate 45 degrees and cook 4-5 minutes more on same side. Turn chicken over and cook until it feels firm, but not hard to the touch when you press it with your finger, about 15-20 minutes total cooking time, depending on the exact temperature of your grill.

At the last minute of cooking, you may add cheese to the breasts.  Provolone is  good choice.  Serve chicken on a wheat bun with fresh guacamole on top.  This a great summer dinner complimented well with potatoe salad, and grilled vegetables.

Asian Pear Mojito

An absolue must have for summer. This mojito is flavorful and refreshing on a hot summer day. This drink comliments the pool perfectly!

This recipe was borrowed from PF Changs.  It may not be exactly the same, but it's pretty darn close.  You need fresh mint...so if you're reading this in the spring time, do yourself a favor and plant some mint so you have a supply all summer long - just be sure you plant it in a pot!  Mint will take over your entire yard.  you'll also need a muddler. (a stick you can get at kitchen stores or crate and barrel used for smashing things in the bottom of a glass.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Bacardi Limon
• 1 oz Sour Apple Pucker
• splash Pinapple Juice
• 6 Fresh mint leaves (more if they're small)
• 3 Lime wedges (from a lime cut into 8 wedges)
• 1/2 tsp or so of powdered sugar
• Sparkling water / seltzer / soda water

Instructions:

in the bottom of a shaker glass, put 3 lime wedges, mint leaves and powdered sugar.  Muddle the three ingredients to juice the limes and bruise the mint leaves releasing their flavor. Add Bicardi Limon, Apple Pucker and pineapple juice.  Shake to mix, and pour into a glass with a generous amount of ice.  Top off with soda water and stir slightly with a spoon.

Kevin's Top Secret Sangria!

Sangria is a fruity wine made from a dry red that is flavored with fresh fruits, liquors and other goodness. In my opinion, a good sangria has to sit for at least 6 hours before drinking. What makes my sangria so different from other sangria recipes? Well, IT'S THE BEST! Modesty isn't one of my big points. But really - Just about everyone loves my sangria...even people who don't usually care for sangria. So-ready for my sangria recipe!?!?!? Well....here it is.

Ingredients:

• 2 x 750ml bottles of red wine (start with a dryer wine.  (I like Cabernet Savignon)
• 1 Unwaxed Apple (diced into small cubes)
• 1 Orange (Diced into small cubes)
• 1 Lemon sliced into thin rounds
• small splash of orange juice
• 3 shots of triplesec
• 1/2 cup vodka (I use E&J)
• any other fruit you may want, chopped up.

Let is soak for at least 5 hours.  Pour in a glass over ice, and top off with a splash of club soda.

Disclaimer: OK- you should have guessed I'd never publish my SECRET sangria recipe online for everyone to see. No, this is not my recipe, but is a recipe you should enjoy.  It will be almost as good as mine.  ;-)

Fresh Easy Margarita

This is a very easy recipe for a fresh margarita.  There are only 3 ingredients.  It also uses Agave Nectar which is a natural sweetener made from the Agave catcus.  It has a low glycemic index, so it doesn't spike your blood sugar levels like other sweeteners.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 shot Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
• 1.5 to 2 shots Tequila (I use Jose Quervo Gold)
• Agave Nectar to taste (usually about 3/4 of a shot)

Shake ingredients with crushed ice to combine and pour unstrained into salt rimmed glass.

Heather's Portabella Burger

I'm not generally a big fan of mushrooms. I don't love their texture, they freqntly have a dirty taste, and i don't really care for the idea that I'm eating the sexual reproductive organs of a fungus. (sorry-but it's the truth!)  That said, I was quite reluctant to try my sister-in-law's Portabella burgers she was kind enough to make for one of our family events.  Well, I'm glad I tried them.  To this day, they are still on my list if "favorite things I've ever eaten."  Thanks to heather for this great recipe.

Note:  For those meat eaters out there, don't turn your back on this just because it's not a real burger.  The way this is prepared, it has PLENTY of flavor, and because it's a Portabella mushroom, it almost seems as if you're eating a steak burger.  Give it a chance-You'll be glad you did.

Ingredients:

• Large Portabella Mushroom Caps - Stemmed & Gills Removed (I find this recipe is enough marinde for abou 2 large mushrooms)
• 3tbs Balsamic Vinigare
• 1TBSP Olive oil
• 1tsp Minced fresh garlic
• ½ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup crumble blue or gorgonzola cheese.  (gorgonzola is not as pungent-our prefered cheese)
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2tbs light mayo (optional - we use a bit of low fat ranch instead)
• whole wheat buns

Instructions:

In a small bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, pepper, salt, & worcestershire sauce.  Whisk together.  Place mushwoom caps in a shallow dish.  Baste marinade onto caps, flip caps and baste other side.  pour the rest of the marinade into the dish and refrigerate for 1 hour, turning and recoating mushrooms occasionally.

Grill portabellas over medium heat for about 4 minutes on the first side, then 3 minutes on the other.  you want them to be sft, but nor crubly.  Near the last two minutes, baste the caps with a bit more balsamic, and Worcestershire sauce.  The add a bit of BBQ sauce if you'd like and top it off with some blue or goronzola cheese.  Serve on a whole wheat bun with tomatoe. ENJOY!

NOTE:  Do NOT cook your mushrooms too long.  They will get rubbery!  EW!  No one likes a rubbery mushroom!

Pintxos de Higo (Fig Tapas)

So, in reality, there is actually no fig in this dish. I got the idea from LaBodega, one of the best restaurants in Kansas City. It is an amazing Tapas Bar, with the best happy hour in town (half price tapas and sangria) and the food is absolutely amazing.

The way they serve their dish is a piece of toasted bread topped with roasted red peppers, goat cheese, and a fig coulis.  It's delicious.  I wasn't too keen on making a fig coulis, so I went to the organic section of our supermarket to find a premade alternative. Since I couldn't find any fig sauces, I ended up getting a Rasperry Pecan Jam to use as a substitute.  The results were amazing!  Maybe even better than the fig. (and probably healthier since there wasn't any butter in it)

Ingredients:

• French Bagette
• SIMPLIFY Rasperry Pecan Jam
• Goat Cheese
• Roasted Red Pepper

Instructions:

1. Slice the bagette on a diagonal into slices about 1/4-1/3" thick.  In the oven, broil them on a cookie sheet at second to top rack for between 45 seconds and 2 minutes (until they just start to get golden)  WATCH THEM CLOSE- THEY WILL BURN FAST.
2. Spread a generous modest amount of goat cheese on the toasted bread.
3. Top goat cheese with a small spoonful of the Rasberry Jam
4. Place a thin slice of roasted pepper on top

That's it!  Quick, Easy, and delicious.... Lay them out nicely on a nice plate or platter and you'll have your guests ew-ing and ahh-ing.

Low-Fat Mac & Cheese

This low fat Mac & Cheese is to die for!  if you're trying to watch fat intake, but still want to enjoy a delicious mac & cheese, this is the recipe for you.  It's from America's Test Kitchen Episode: "Lighter Family Favorites."  One thing to watch out for with this one- It doesn't store well.  you want to eat it within a while of it being made, or pasta will absorb the cheese sauce and it will end up being dry.

In their instructions, they warn not to be tempted to use either preshredded or non-fat cheddar cheese.  Use freshly shredded cheeses.  For the best results, use a lowfat cheddar cheese that is sold in block form and has half the calories of regular cheese. (They like Cabot brand)

Serves 5
Salt
3/8 pound elbow macaroni (about 2 cups)
1 (12-ounce) can 2 percent reduced-fat evaporated milk
2/3 cup low-fat milk (2 percent)
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder or celery salt (optional)
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons cornstarch
8 ounces 50 percent light cheddar cheese , grated (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup frozen peas (I don't use these)

1. Bring 2 1/2 quarts water to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and the macaroni; cook until the pasta is completely cooked and tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta and leave it in the colander; set aside.

2. Add the evaporated milk, 1/2 cup of the 2 percent milk, mustard, garlic powder (if using), cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the now-empty saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Whisk the cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup milk together, then whisk it into the simmering mixture. Continue to simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce has thickened and is smooth, about 2 minutes.

3. Off the heat, gradually whisk in the cheddar until melted and smooth. Stir in the peas, and macaroni, and let the macaroni and cheese sit off the heat until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 5 minutes, before serving.

PER SERVING:(when there's bacon in it)
Cal 390 ; Fat 10 g; Sat fat 6 g; Chol 45 mg; Carb 49 g; Protein 28 g; Fiber 3 g; Sodium 880 mg

FOUR CHEESE MAC & CHEESE

Without Missing a beat, we move on to the alternative Mac & Cheese.  Inspired Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, I made Rusty a Mac & Cheese with four cheeses - Fontina, Asagio, Extra Sharp White Cheddar, and Fresh Parmagian.  Both of these Mac & Cheese recipes are delicious, but this recipe has a more pungent flavor than the lower fat alternative.  As pictured above, I made both of the Mac & Cheese recipes at once, and placed them in an oven safe dish divided by tin foil, and viola - we had a beautiful dish with your choice of pasta.

Follow the basic directions for the LowFat Mac & Cheese, but subsitute heavy cream for the condensed milk, add 2 TBSP of butter, and instead of 8oz reduced fat cheddar, user the following.

• 1/2 cup freshly shredded Asagio Cheese
• 1 1/4 cups extra sharp white cheddar
• 1/4 cup Parmigan Cheese
• 1/2 cup Fontina Cheese.

We also added 4 pieces of morning star vegitarian Bacon, chopped and 3 "Smart Deli" slices of ham, chopped.

Linda Hovick's Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes with
Sour Cream
Cheese (cheddar)
Grape tomatoes (CUT SMALL)
BASIL – Chopped
Onion-optional

FRESH BLUE MARGARITA

I just tried this on  whim the other day and it turned out really good.

• 1 fresh lime, juiced
• 4 count tequila
• 2 count blue curacau
• splash Orange Juice
• Squirt Agave Necatar

Shake all ingredients over ice, strain into salt rimmed glass with crushed ice.

Meditarian Pasta & Goat Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 Box whole wheat pasta (linguini is perfect)
• 1 box Grape Tomatoes
• 12 or so fresh basil leaves - Chopped Medium
• 2 handfulls Baby Spinach Leaves
• Calamata Olives - 2 dozen or so
• 3 cloves garlic - Minced
• 1/8 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Cook whole wheat pasta to medium firmness. 

While Pasta is cooking, heat a very generous (1/2 - 1 cup) portion of olive oil over medium heat.  Add garlic & RedPepper flakes.  Saute for a minute or so.  Add Oilives, & 1/8 tsp of onion powder.  Simmer over medium heat, covered, for about 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes, and fresh basil.  Simmer medium-low for about 5 minutes, or until tomatoes and olives are soft.

Strain pasta, and put back in empty pot.  Mix all ingredients into pasta, along with crumbles of goat cheese.  Toss well - add extra olive oil if needed.  Let cool, and serve as a room temperature or cold salad.

VEGAN Cashew Pimiento Cheez Sauce

I was at my friend Olivia's house while her friend Ashley was making us an amazing vegan dinner.  Part of the dinner was this cheese sauce that we had over mini bowtie pasta.  Though I didn't agree that it tasted EXACTLY like a cheese sauce, it was very very good.  Thanks Ashley for this wonderful recipe.

From: Vegan Vittles, Jo Stepaniak

This sauce is a snap to make and og-so-luscious.  Use it to top grains, baked corn chips, baked potatoes, all your favorite veggies, and, of course macaroni. It's even great a a dipping sauce.

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1/2 cup raw cashews

1/4 cup drained pimientos or roasted bell peppers (skin & seeds removed)

1-1/4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/8 cup nutritional yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp dry mustard

1/8 tsp garlic powder

2 red peppers, top removed & ribs & seeds remover for serving suace.

Makes about 1-1/2 cups

Combine all the ingredients in a blend and process until completely smooth and no orange flecks remain. Pour into  medium saucepan and place over medium heat.  Cook, stirring almost constantly for 18-20 minutes, or until the sauce is very thick, smooth & creamy.  Stored ina  covered container in the refrigerator, letfover sauce will keep for 5-7 days.

Notes: this sauce will thicken when chilled.  The cold sauce makes a delicious spread for crackers or chips, or it can be used as a sandwich filling. If you want to reheat the sauce, warm it gently over low heat.  It will thin out a nit as it warms.  If you prefer, you can replace the pimientos with 1/4 cup well cooked carrots.

Roasted garlic and Zuccini Baba-ganoush

Vanilla Cashew Cream Sauce

2 cups raw cashews (soak overnight for better use)

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 - 1/4 cup maple syrup (real maple syrup)

pinch salt

water to cover cashews

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth (7 minutes in regular blender)

Good with apples as a snack.  At Olivia's, we had it on strawberries and it was incredible!