I Like Eating

Eric’s Simple Rotini And Pineapple Pasta Salad

Mon, 25 May 2009 02:59:55 +0000

Here is a quick recipe that appeared to be a hit at today’s Sunday cookout. It is a simple Rotini Pasta Salad and the bowl was cleaned. Takes about 15 minutes to make and chill in refrigerator overnight.

2 lbs of Tri Color Rotini Pasta
8 oz of Kraft Honey Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing & Marinade
1 20 oz can of Dole Pineapple Slices in Juice (not syrup)
1.5 cups of crushed Walnuts
1.5 cups of Raisins
1 individual pack of Splenda

Bring rotini pasta to a boil for approximately 7 minutes or until tender. Strain and rinse in cold water until pasta is cool. Pour pasta into large mixing bowl and add 8 oz of Kraft Honey Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing and mix thoroughly. Slice pineapple rings into 1/8 chunks and add to pasta. Pour half of remaining pineapple juice into pasta (do not use pineapple in syrup). Add crushed walnuts and raisis and mix pasta salad thoroughly. Add more honey dijon vinaigrette to taste. Sprinke 1 individual pack of Splenda into pasta salad and mix. Place salad into a fesh serving bowl and serve or chill overnight in refrigerator.

I used the Splenda to cut down on some of the “tangy” taste and it seemed to be just the right amount.

I have decided to keep this recipe as the bowl was cleaned out in no time. Enjoy and modify as you like.

Have a great day…………….eric

Tri Color Rotini Pasta and Pineapple Salad

Barbecue Festivals and Barbecue Competitions

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:00:56 +0000

If you are into barbecue and you are ready to plan your spring and summer roadtrips then take a look at BBQ-Festivals.com. There is a huge listing of barbecue festivals and cookoffs from coast to coast. In addition to bbq events there is a wealth of other information from the world of barbecue including a growing list of restaurants, sauces, grills and smokers and much more.

So break out the map and find out where the barbecue compeitions and festivals are for 2009 and hit the road.

Interview With Chef Matt Sigel of Hell’s Kitchen With The Last Bite

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 18:54:04 +0000

Ron over at “The Last Bite” did an exclusive interview with Chef Matt Sigel of Hell’s Kitchen season four. This is a great interview and some good insight on Matt and the show itself.

Here is a treat for all you Hell’s Kitchen fans! We recently had the opportunity to speak with Chef Matt Sigel of season four. While Chef Matt may have not won the prize of the executive chef position at London West, he did provide fans with a whole lot of entertainment.

The Last Bite wanted to know more about Chef Matt, what got him interested in cooking, and where his passion for the culinary arts comes from. Of course we threw in a few questions about Hell’s Kitchen and Chef Gordon Ramsey:

Read the entire interview at The Last Bite

Jim Neely’s Interstate Barbecue Memphis TN

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:12:04 +0000

Here are some photos from a recent 545 mile round trip from Kentucky to Memphis to eat some great bbq at Jim Neely’s Interstate Barbecue in Memphis TN

West Virginia Hot Dogs

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:14:04 +0000

New York and Chicago are know for their hot dogs. No doubt they are good. However………… Have you ever had a West Virginia Hot Dog? West Virginians are passionate about their hot dogs and rightfully so. They are simple but out of this world. They don’t have peppers or sauerkraut or relish but they have a taste that leaves you wanting more and more. In fact most people who eat a West Virginia hot dog usually wind up hurting themselves by eating way to many. I have seen people sit down and order a dozen at a time. My personal best is 7 at one sitting. What is the secret ingrediant? It is a beanless chili sauce. Don’t ask for a recipe because most people don’t have one. There are a lot of variations of this sauce but at the same time they have a taste that is the same. Does that make sense. Recipes have been handed down from generation to generation and most West Virginians hold tight to that secret. God forbid an outsider gets hold of a recipe and tries to mass produce it and screw it up.

The basic makeup of a West Virginia hotdog is the same. As I said it is the slight variations of the chile sauce that sets them apart and keeps them the same at the same time.

First you put your hotdog in the bun then a thin line of mustard. Next comes a generous helping of chili sauce followed by finely chopped onions. Thats it. Nothing more. Purists like just chile sauce by itself (thats me).

There are numerous websites dedicated to the West Virginia Hot Dog and some are listed here:

My mother is 74 and makes great West Virginia Hot Dogs…….here is a photo of one I had the other day with a big bite out of it. She still won’t give me her recipe. She says she doesn’t have one. She says she learned from her mother when she was a little girl. Maybe some day I will get it. For now I have to expirement on my own and I have not been successful. However I have a friend from around Beckly West Virginia who has…. he calls his sauce Woofies. More on that later.

Foodzie.com For Gourmet Foods

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:02:35 +0000

I came across this website today and l believe we are going to become good friends. Foodzie.com is a specialty gourmet online food store that offers some top notch products from small producers. There are 8 categories on the front page including:

Breads, Cereals & Grains
Cheese
Chocolate & Confections
Coffee & Tea
Meat & Seafood
Oil, Vinegar & Pantry
Preserves, Honey & Syrups
Snacks

Unlike a lot of e-commerce sites, the shopping cart system at Foodzie.com is easy to understand and easy to use. Like I said before, Foodzie.com and I are going to become well acquainted with one another.

Baptist Buffet - Eating At Its Best

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:34:18 +0000

I have a very good friend named Cecil (check out his blog Gods Green Fields) who loves to eat as much as I do. Cecil is a big believer in what he calls the “Baptist Buffet”. He is of the belief that there not many eating experiences better than a good old fashioned church dinner or buffet. I have to agree (putting that whole gluttonly thing aside for a while).

This is for you Cecil….. not a true Baptist Buffet, this is an Interdenominational Buffet, but the spirit is still there.

A Few Dessert Photos From Thanksgiving

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 04:22:27 +0000

This time of year is always super busy and I am a couple days behind on my postings. Here are a few pictures of some goodies made over the Thanksgiving weekend. Will post complete recipes for each one in a couple of days. Enjoy!

Paula’s Sugar Free Apple Pie

Paula’s German Upside Down Chocolate Cake

Paula’s Pumpkin Roll

Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 01:43:07 +0000

Whenever we want something quick but really good we like to throw some boneless chicken breasts on the grill with a honey mustard coating. This is a simple recipe that has a great taste and is very easy to make.

Mix

1 Cup of Hellmann’s Mayonnaise
1/4 Cup of mustard
2 Tbsp of honey
2 Tsp of apple cider vinegar
1/2 Cup chopped green onion
Set aside half of mixture to use when chicken is served

Grill

Grill 5 medium to large chicken breasts brushing each side with honey mustard mix until done.

Serve

Serve grilled chicken with remaining honey mustard sauce used as dipping sauce or pour over cooked chicken breasts before being served.

Cheesecake Factory Alpharetta Georgia

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:44:33 +0000

From a recent trip to Atlanta. This was originally posted on another blog of mine.

We decided to eat at the Cheesecake Factory this evening in Alpharetta. WOW…what a great meal. The weather today has been perfect so we opted to eat outside……. I had a side salad which was absolutely huge……..the biggest side salad I have ever had. For my main course I had their CLASSIC BURGER A Gigantic Old-Fashioned Chop House Hamburger served with a Slice of Grilled Red Onion, Lettuce, Tomato and Fries. It was excellent ….. It was also huge…. I couldn’t finish it which is rare for me. The waitress we had was spot on and I give her a big thumbs up. Overall our eating experience was very very good and I highly recommend them for a great meal. Total tab for two was $59.00 and that was with a 9 dollar long island iced tea and a 4 dollar beer.