Tag: @freshgratedparm


Feb
2015

Breakfast In Bed!

categories: Breakfast, Recipes

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There are so few surprises in life. For the majority of us, Valentine’s Day will bring the expected- a romantic card, sweet smelling flowers, delectable chocolates, maybe some jewels!! Ok, maybe jewels if it’s a big year.
The ultimate form of pampering with an unexpected exciting element of surprise is breakfast in bed!

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Breakfast in bed does not need to be a complicated breakfast recipe. Nope, it can be as simple as a quick egg and toast served on a TV tray!
With a few simple details, your sweetie’s surprise Valentine’s Day breakfast in bed will be perfect! Let’s get started!

First Shhhhhhh! It’s a surprise!
Be sneaky! Get up early and start cooking. Prep your tray, serving items, and glassware the night before. Store it in a closet or under the table overnight!

Create an amazing presentation with color!

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•Prepare a beautiful bowl of fresh fruit.
•Garnish the plate with parsley.
•Serve a bright fruit juice.

Get fancy!

•Serve breakfast in bed on your china.
•Add a soft texture with a linen napkin.
•Add a valentine, flower, or personalized note to the tray.

Here are 3 quick and easy breakfast basics …

#1 Eggs!!

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Butter a hot pan with a pat of butter. It will sizzle.
Crack eggs onto pan.
Flip when white becomes opaque.
Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Add Parmesan cheese, Sriracha, salt and pepper.
Lay the eggs on toasted bread atop a bed of greens and veggies!

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#2 French Toast!!
Panettone French Toast
Eggnog French Toast

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#3 Pancakes!!
Banana Bread Pancakes

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Remember, serve your valentine breakfast in bed because it is a gift from the heart, homemade with love, and most importantly, totally unexpected!

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Enjoy!
Ciao!


Nov
2014

Quinoa and BlackEyed Pea Tacos!

categories: Dinner, Healthy Living, Recipes
Quinoa and BlackEyed Pea Tacos!
Quinoa and BlackEyed Pea Tacos!

Because our Sunday dinners are usually packed with pasta, sausage and meatballs, and desserts, a healthy Meatless Monday is always welcomed by all. Very often it comes in the form of Mexican cuisine.

Beans, vegetables, quinoa or rice, seasoned, cooked, and wrapped in a small tortilla. The tortilla is portion control at its finest. The ingredients are a healthy start to the week ahead.

The Quinoa and BlackEyed pea tacos can be filled with black beans, a rice, or any of your favorite taco veggies. Experiment! Use the recipe as a guide and make a healthy and delicious meal! Enjoy!

Quinoa and BlackEyed Pea Tacos
Makes 10 tacos
Ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked rinsed quinoa
1 cup water
1 tbsp. Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 small onion finely chopped
1 cup corn
1 cup blackeyed peas
2 tbsp. Taco seasoning
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 cup curly kale, chopped
Salt/ Pepper to taste
Sriracha (optional)
10 tortilla shells

Directions:

Warm oil in a medium deep frying pan.

Add garlic and onions and cook until softened.

Meanwhile add 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cup water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook on low until water is absorbed.

Add all ingredients to frying pan except kale and tomato and stir.

Don't you just love all of the colors! Add bell peppers, jalapeños, habaneros, black beans, or any of your favorites!
Don’t you just love all of the colors! Add bell peppers, jalapeños, habaneros, black beans, or any of your favorites!

Cook until heated through approximately 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes and kale and stir.

Serve in warmed tortilla shells. For a spicy kick add Sriracha!

Enjoy!
Enjoy!

Ciao!


Oct
2014

Pittsburgh Food Truck Finale: On Board The Mac and Gold Truck!!

categories: Around Pittsburgh, Restaurant Review

“The Mac & Gold Truck” sounds like plain old mac and cheese served through a window in a city that bleeds black and gold, right?

Mac & Gold in the Black & Gold!
Mac & Gold in the Black & Gold!

Tim Tassone’s Mac & Gold truck is anything but traditional and Pittsburghers can’t get enough. What makes Tassone’s mac different? Well, everything!

Simple Truck, Simple Idea, with an unexpected twist. When I visited Tim and Athena at a Greentree office park, I never expected a made-to-order fresh mac and cheese for every order. Sounds like a ton of work!

I totally expected to see rows of pre- made mac and cheese covered in foil. Not a pan and some cooked pasta!
I totally expected to see rows of pre- made mac covered in foil. Not a guy, a pan, and some pasta!

Tassone says it’s all in the name of delivering a phenomenal product to his customers with minimal waste, of course.

A mortgage industry casualty turned chef, Tim Tassone entered the food truck boom with an appetite for success and a unique enough menu to acheive it.  The Mac and Gold truck’s most popular menu item is the lobster mac. Often requested by event staff and customers, Tassone uses real lobster claw meat and tops it with his signature brown butter breadcrumbs. The creamy, light cheese is a farmer’s cheese blend and the succulent bites of lobster keep you searching for more.

The very popular Lobster Mac!
The very popular Lobster Mac!

The rosemary garlic fries…incredibly addicting and absolutely necessary. I forgot to take a photo and ate the entire serving in minutes!

Create your own mac with add- ins and toppings! Check out this menu!

Bacon, chicken, pork, asparagus, prosciutto, pea, jalapeño, smoky BBQ seitan with carmelized onions!!! Ever think of adding these to your mac? Tim Tassone's originality and creativity is unmatched!
Bacon, chicken, pork, asparagus, prosciutto, pea, jalapeño, smoky BBQ seitan with carmelized onions!!! Ever think of adding these to your mac? Tim Tessone’s originality and creativity is unmatched!
I tried a prosciutto, spinach, and shiitake mushrooms- wow!
I tried a prosciutto, spinach, and shiitake mushrooms- wow!

Can we discuss food truck functionality? If you are worried about messy mac and doing a balancing act, you are wrong! Everything is in one perfect box with a lid!
Look for The Mac & Gold Truck! Tell Tim and Athena I sent you!
Enjoy!

Ciao!

The Mac & Gold Truck

@macandgoldtruck


Jul
2014

Easy Summer Grilling- BBQ Baby Back Ribs and Grilled Asparagus!

categories: Dinner, Grill, Recipes, Recognition

Cook quick, easy, healthy and delicious meals for your family on the grill all summer long! All you need is a great marinade or BBQ sauce recipe and a side dish! Here is one of my favorites this summer! (I have served this meal more than 4 times already!!)

Amazing ribs! It's all in the sauce!
Amazing ribs! It’s all in the sauce!

BBQ Baby Back Ribs
Inspired by Mario Batali’s Kicka$$ BBQ sauce -My way!
Makes 3 cups

Ingredients:
1 medium onion
6 garlic gloves, finely chopped
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. molasses
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. Tabasco or hot sauce (I used Sriracha)

Here is my edit:
2 cups of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce instead of ketchup
1 cup of orange juice instead of lemon juice
No molasses
4 tbsp. brown sugar
Sriracha instead of Tabasco

Put everything into a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil.

Simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool. Keep sealed and refrigerated for up to one week!

Use this sauce to marinate ribs overnight.

Heat grill to 350 degrees.

Place ribs on grill and coat with sauce.

Grill for 8 mins. and flip, coating with sauce again.

Cook for an additional 5 mins. or until juices run clear.

Don't forget to top with fresh grated parmesan!
Don’t forget to top with fresh grated parmesan!

Grilled Asparagus:

Cut hard bottom inch off of asparagus.

Add 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese salt, pepper, and asparagus to a Ziploc bag.

Grill asparagus on a grill vegetable tray or on aluminum foil.

Cook until the asparagus can be poked with a fork, but is still crisp!

Enjoy!
Ciao!