EQ’s own Grover Arnold, munching on a taco

Each week I’m running a recipe contest on Amys Table.com. This week I’m looking for the best taco recipes. Send me your best taco recipe using Certified Angus Beef brand beef for a chance to win 4 seats (worth $24)0 in A Cinco de Mayo celebration at EQ, The Cooking School at The Party Source. Certified Angus Beef ® brand Chef Michael Ollier will show you how to prepare the  best beef recipes for Cinco de Mayo and beyond.  You and 3 friends  will come to EQ  and join Chef Michael as he prepares:

Jalapeño Beef Poppers with [Read more →]

Asian Peanut Broccoli Salad

Gingered Chicken and Almond Stir-Fry

Thai Shrimp Burgers on Garlic Noodles

Asian Honey Sesame Chicken

Cooking authentic Asian food at home is easy as long as you have the right ingredients on hand.

Soy sauce is a familiar Asian ingredient. It’s dark and salty and made from fermented soybeans and roasted wheat or barley. While we tend to use a single, multi-purpose soy sauce in the US, in China and Japan there are a wide variety of soy sauces available- from light and runny to dark and thick. The lighter soy sauces are usually saltier than the darker ones. If salt content concerns you, you can find low sodium soy sauces, too.
Sesame oil is an important ingredient in Asian cuisine. You can find both light and dark Sesame oil. Asian sesame oil is the darker variety and it’s used to flavor lots of dishes. You’ll be impressed by what even a small amount does to make your dish taste authentic.
If you’re not familiar with Fish sauce , it may sound a little strange but once you try it you’ll see it adds great depth of flavor to Asian dishes. It’s made from salted, fermented fish and has, as you can imagine, a strong, salty flavor. It’s sometimes flavored with chiles or sugar, too. Fish sauce is used a lot like soy sauce.
Chili Paste is made from fermented Fava Beans, chiles and sometimes garlic, which is called Chili Paste with Garlic.
If you keep these items in your pantry, it’s easy to make dishes like Asian Peanut Broccoli Salad, Gingered Chicken and Almond Stir Fry, Thai Shrimp Burgers on Garlic Noodles and Asian Honey Sesame Chicken. You can find lots more Asian recipes and cooking tips atCrisco.com

How do you make simple foods sensational? Great presentation creates a sense of excitement and expectation, creating balance and contrast without overwhelming the food.

Combine color, texture, shape, simplicity and height.   Crispy, crunchy, creamy– combine these elements for exciting texture. Add it with Dole Salads, fruits and vegetables.

Make sure the garnish “belongs” to the dish, like a sprig of rosemary on lamb or lemon slices on fish.

Think of the plate as picture frame and present food artfully inside it.  Don’t overcrowd – try to leave some empty spaces.

As a rule of thumb, the more complicated the dish, the simpler the garnish.

These elements come together to make even a humble  cheeseburger a work of art.

Baby Mushroom Bacon Cheese Burgers with Field Greens
Prep: 20 min.
Cook: 10 min.
Makes: 12 servings

1-1/4 pounds ground beef
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 small (silver dollar size) soft buns, cut in half, toasted
Mayonnaise to taste
3/4 cup DOLE® Field Greens [Read more →]

Tortilla Lasagna

Dinner time is an important time to bond as a family and build memories that will last a lifetime. Certified Angus Beef brand ground beef is a great ingredient for family meals- it’s nutritious, versatile and kid -friendly.

Here’s a delicious lasagna recipe with a Mexican twist. Make a hearty filling using ground beef, taco seasoning and salsa. Instead of lasagna noodles, use corn tortillas. Instead of pasta sauce, pour over some enchilada sauce kicked up with the zing of green chiles. Top it all off with pepper Jack cheese. Your family will love this familiar dish- and you’ll feel great about serving it. You can find more family friendly beef recipes, and cooking tips at Certified Angus Beef.com

Growing vegetables is so popular and one of the easiest things to grow are peppers. There are more than 200 varieties from nearly a foot long to a tiny 1/4-inch peewee. Their heat varies, too. From barely warm to scorching hot, it’s the capsaicin that makes chiles fiery. A general rule is the smaller the pepper, the hotter it is. Removing the seeds and veins is the only way to reduce the heat.
Scotch Bonnet are the hottest.
Serrano peppers may be tiny but they pack big heat.
Jalapenos range from barely warm to very hot, depending on the age and time of year they’re harvested. Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked Jalapenos.
Poblanos have medium heat. Ancho chiles are dried Poblanos.
Sweet Bell Peppers are much more mild mannered and usually start out bright green. Red bell peppers are simply vine-ripened green bell peppers that have been allowed to ripen longer. They’re very sweet.
Whether hot or mild, choose peppers that are firm, with shiny skin. Here’s some bell pepper inspiration. You can find these recipes and lots more cooking tips at Crisco.com

Chicken Stuffed Bell Peppers [Read more →]

Thanks Foodista!

Did you know that in Gaelic, the word whiskey means water of life? Even if you aren’t Irish, St Patrick’s Day is the day to act like you are and that means celebrating with an Irish menu.  Nothing beats a classic Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner. If you’ve ever prepared it, maybe you boiled the corned beef. You should try roasting it instead! Roasted low and slow, your corned beef will be so tender and [Read more →]

Tortilla Lasagna

As Moms, we’re used to caring for and comforting our families- whether making an ow-ie all better with a kiss or giving a pep talk after a hard day at school or making sure we sit down to dinner together for good meals with healthy ingredients. Dinner time is an important time to bond as a family and build memories that will last a lifetime. Certified Angus Beef brand ground beef is a great ingredient for family meals- its lean, versatile and kid friendly. One of the best things you can do for your family  is to prepare a family friendly meal featuring a favorite comfort food- like lasagna. Here’s a delicious lasagna with a Mexican twist- Make a hearty filling using lean ground beef, taco seasoning and salsa. Instead of lasagna noodles, use corn tortillas. Instead of pasta sauce, pour over some enchilada sauce kicked up with the zing of green chiles. Top it all off with Pepper jack cheese. Your family will love this familiar dish- and you’ll feel great about serving it. You can find more family friendly beef recipes, and cooking tips at Certified Angus Beef.com

Yum, yum Bumble Bee! I received so many awesome recipes, it was hard to choose! In the end, Michael Schiaparelli’s Gourmet Italian-Style Tuna Melt won the $250 cash prize. Check out the recipes from the other finalists, too! Thanks for entering!

Gourmet, Italian-Style Tuna Melt
by Michael Schiaparelli

Ingredients
2 (5-ounce) cans Bumble Bee ‘Prime Fillet’ Solid Light Tuna packed in Olive Oil
1 small shallot, finely minced [Read more →]

When you’re looking for inspiration for week night family meals, grab a pound of Certified Angus Beef Brand ground chuck. Ground chuck is economical, family-friendly and the basis for all kinds of simple, satisfying meals. I like to brown ground chuck  and freeze it in meal size packages  for  tacos, casseroles and pasta sauces.    I have a great recipe for you: Manicotti Beef Florentine. Start by browning Certified Angus Beef Brand ground chuck. Add frozen choppped spinach that’s been thawed and well drained, plus some Italian seasoning and ricotta cheese. Use this mixture to fill manicotti shells. Top with your favorite spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese and bake until bubbly and heated through. Save yourself time by making a double batch of Manicotti Beef Florentine. Toss one in the freezer for another night. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did. You can find more family friendly recipes plus lots of cooking tips at Certified Angus Beef.com