Savory Entrees

Hey guys,
  
      My name is Doctor Bubbles and I am the Short One's husband. I have always found the kitchen to be relaxing and place to take out one's frustration. Don't believe me, and think the kitchen is a scary place, then let me give you some advice. Cut the pink apron strings and lose the egg timer, cooking is scary and that is what makes it fun and exciting. What is life without some adventure, boring at best. So, men, if you are reading this blog to learn some recipes that your woman will love, get ready for adventure. And women, if you are reading this to find some recipes for your manly man, you know how hairy cooking new things can get.
  
     My philosophy on cooking is all natural, fresh ingredients, simplistic cooking methods, and a little lagniappe added to each recipe. Lagniappe, as my cajun friends taught me, simply means a little some extra; an extra pinch of salt, a bit more lemon juice or sugar, or perhaps a few minutes here or there on cooking time. Cooking, like life, is an adventure, and no two people will the same dish the same twice; so why do we try to cookie cut our dishes to fit a recipe? The most important thing when learn to make recipes for your recipes is to know their tastes, and that is where lagniappe comes in, and in a home with food allergies, this is doubly important.
    
      This paragraph is for the men, especially the ones looking for a romantic edge. Guys, the kitchen can be a confusing place, and if you have no experience in the kitchen, I am here to help. The first thing you need to know is if you don't know what to use as far as pots and pans and knives and gadgets, make it work and keep it simple. Pots and pans are simple, if you are cooking liquids, you use a pot of some kind, if you are searing meats or sauteing vegetables, use a skillet, or if you are frying anything in low levels of oil, use a short-lipped pan. Gadgets are fun, and can make cooking more fun or easier, but there is nothing you cannot do with a knife or some other common kitchen item. Knives are tricky, and you may not know the difference between parring, santoku, bread, carving, fileting, and steak knives, but the simple way to look at knives are wide or narrow, long or short, and serrated or not serrated. If you have a question about what knife to use, just understand three simple rules;
     1. If you are slicing meat or chopping vegetables, use a wide, long, non-serrated blade for best results.
     2. If you are using a knife to peel vegetables or section fruits, a thin, short, non-serrated blade.
     3. Only use a serrated edge if you are cutting bread or are carving meats like turkey, or ham.
Finally, understand that just about anything in a kitchen can be used for something other than its intended use, examples include using a knife to crush garlic, or using a glass as a cookie cutter. This fits with the way we men do things, flexible and utilitarian.

     I hope you find these recipes to follow fun, fanatastic, and most of all tasty. I will try to have my wife, who is a better photographer, include photos in these posts so you can see the way things turn out, and maybe some in-progress shots. Best of luck in the kitchen guys, and always remember the following phrase: If it can be cooked, it can be eaten and enjoyed.