Cooking with Coley

Bored of your side dishes?  Need a new way to serve veggies? Here’s an easy way to prepare some delicious green beans.

I’ll get right to it.

What you’ll need:

• Green beans, washed with tips trimmed (use as many as you would like)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• Minced garlic; 1 1/2 tbsp per 2 servings of beans (this is one of the few dishes where I use a jar of garlic vs. fresh)

Procedure:

• Add green beans to a pot with enough EVOO as if you were going to  saute them; add just enough water to cover them
• Cook the beans on medium, partially covered (tilted top) until the the water evaporates
• Add 1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic per 2 servings of beans and cook the beans for another 25 minutes (or more) until they are soft and start to brown and crisp (or to your liking)

A shout out to Ryan for teaching me this recipe!

Once upon a time, in a land of culinary bliss, every cooking venture was a success.  Nothing ever burned. Nothing was ever too salty.  Everything was perfect. Unfortunately, I’m not living that fairytale.

And while I’d like to think I’ve mastered some dishes and hit the ball out of the park with some others, that’s not always the case. We all mess up, ok maybe not everyone. I don’t know if Giada messes up or Rocco, but I sure do. I’d like to share some of the dishes over the past year that just didn’t make the cut to be featured on Cooking with Coley. They sure did look pretty though.

Note: no recipes are included, nor will they be until I’ve “conquered” the dish.  Recipes for lackluster dishes would hurt the integrity of the blog.

Lobster and Shrimp Risotto with Asparagus Those of you who watch any cooking competitions like Top Chef know that risotto is one of those uber tricky dishes to get right. I only tried it once, and I fell victim to its level of difficulty. While it was still yummy and my guests enjoyed it (I guess it’s hard not to enjoy fresh lobster and shrimp dishes), the consistency was just off.  This, however,  won’t be my last venture into risotto…

Braised Short Ribs with Garlic Mash Short ribs are one of those meats that I just love.  It’s hard not to order them when I see them on a menu.  Although fatty in nature and not all that healthy, I cannot resist their sweet and savory melt-in-your-mouth appeal.  I was dying to try them at home. Although they were tasty, I rushed the dish and didn’t allow for enough braising time.  As a result, they didn’t fall off the bone.  Next time, I’ll allot more time.

Steak Fajitas Steak Fajitas Nothing really went wrong here.  Steak fajitas were just  boring and the picture didn’t show off any added flair, so I just passed on including this.

The beach. Flip flops. Grilling. Sun. Sam Adams Summer. BBQs. Watermelon. Corn on the cob.  Grilling. A tan. Dresses. The Pool. Oh and did I mention grilling?

I’d be willing to bet, you all have a similar list of why you love summer.  And I’d also be willing to bet that grilling rises to the top of your list as will. And when it comes to grilling, there are so many options! That’s the beauty of it.  Marinades, meats, poultry, fish, rubs, veggies, fruit, pizzas.  It’s hard to decide on what to make, let alone how to season it.  Well I have something new to add to your spice cabinet and make it even harder on you. Sorry.

The Pampered Chef’s Chili Lime Rub is a new favorite in our home. I recently received a sample for review and have become an instant fan.

Pampered Chef boasts, that “the classic combination of chili peppers and tangy lime is perfect for shrimp, chicken, beef, pork or fish.” While I haven’t tried it on anything but steak, I’d be willing to agree.  Serving up a tinge of heat and just enough flavor not to overpower the palate, this rub is bound to taste good on whatever protein you’re lookin’ to spice up.

With no added sugar or preservatives and a conservative $4.50 price tag, I recommend you give The Pampered Chef’s Chili Lime Rub a shot this summer.

What are your favorite seasonings and grilling marinades?

Emulsify. Yuca. Ponzu.  Even as an aspiring cook and self-acclaimed foodie, I often stumble across words or ingredients that are completely foreign to me.  Or even if they do ring a bell, I can’t seem to put my finger on exactly what they mean.

My father recently bought me this fun and educational book that helps people like me and you learn some of that basic and not-so-basic food vocab. 100 Words for Foodies spans the gamut of both cooking and dining — from ingredients to preparation to serving.  I thought pulling one of the words would make for a great Tuesday Tip for the Novice.

While it wasn’t easy to select one word out of a 100, I went with something that’s a basic technique and I’m sure you’ll get use of…

Blanch:

Verb–To scald almonds, tomatoes, peaches, or similar foods in order to loosen the skin. To scald food briefly, as before freezing or as a preliminary stage in preparing a dish.

After scalding in hot water, remove the vegetables and immediately plunge them into cold water to stop them from continuing to cook.

Personal Tip: Blanching will not only help preserve nutrients, but if you use broccoli in a salad or as an appetizer on a veggie tray, blanching will turn it bright green and make it look extra delicious.