We Have moved

Hello everyone!! Just a little note to inform everyone that we have moved to a new site. It's much better at the new place, so don't be shy and come on over!! You will LOVE IT. It's much easier to use.

http://www.pantryblogger.net/

Thank You
Paulie

100th Post and Thank You

Post number 100!!  That’s a lot of posts.  As I sit here and write number 100, I have to look back at how far this little blog has come.  When I started writing a blog I thought it was going to be easy…boy was I wrong.  I thought I would just go to blogger.com and simply design a blog and start writing, and that’s what I did.  Then I started doing research, a lot of research.  I started reading other food blogs and came to the quick conclusion that I had my work cut out for me.  There are thousands of really great blogs out there.

When I started blogging I was just providing recipes with no pictures (big mistake).  Every other food blog out there had pictures, so I quickly started photographing my work.  Then I noticed that the others bloggers had great writing skills, and I’m still trying to improve mine to this day.  I do this by reading around 25-30 other blogs and carving out more time to read books.  Aside from taking an English class I think this is the best & most economical way to improve my skills. For your sake and mine I hope its working!!

Social Media; I can’t imagine how the bloggers promoted their blogs back in the days before Twitter & Facebook, remember those?  Then I learned that blogging is about community, your greatest assets are other bloggers.  If you start commenting on their blogs they will show you the love back.  It’s a great system of “what goes around comes around”.

Big changes are coming soon.  For the last month I have been working with a great web designer.  We are making some amazing changes to the blog; life will be much easier for you.  I think the new site looks in creditable and has great functionally.  I will be looking forward to all of your feedback.

Finally I would like to thank everyone who has been following along.  I have made many new friends and have enjoyed interacting with all of you.  I hope you are all enjoying this as much as I am.  To my wife, family and friends thank you for supporting me through this journey.  It’s been great fun and I hope you are all enjoying the food I’ve been cooking for you over the last six months. Thanks for letting me experiment all the new food on you.

From the bottom of my heart THANK YOU!

Thank You

Paulie

Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed Mushrooms

Yay for fungi!!  I love them, always so easy with loads of flavor.  I can’t remember this first time I had these delicious little treats, but I do know I have loved them for a long time.  I use to have to prep four cases a day at a little place call Maggianos Little Italy; this is back when there was only one, the original.  Now it’s a huge restaurant group, with places all over the country.

I had the pleasure of working there for 2 years all in the kitchen, and I have to say it was one of the toughest jobs I have had.  When we did prep there it was always by the case…multiple cases.  I would start the morning off by prepping lettuce; Iceberg and Romaine four cases of each, that’s 192 heads of lettuce every day!  Followed by the mushrooms and the rest of the prep list not a second to spare in this restaurant.

Maggianos was my greatest cooking experience, a well-oiled machine that took no prisoners.  You had to work hard there or get out of the way.  It taught me everything about kitchen organization, rotation of products, speed and quality.  Not to mention honing my cooking skills to a higher level.  Sorry folks, rambled on here a bit just a little glimpse into the cooking life of Paulie.

Ingredients

Baby Portobello Mushrooms- 20 ounces (stems removed)

Olive oil- 3 tbsp.

Salt & pepper- to taste

Crushed red peppers- 1 tsp. (optional)

Parmesan Cheese- 1 cup (fresh grated)

Butter- 2 sticks 8 ounces (melted)

Panko bread crumbs- 1 cup

Nutmeg- 1 tsp.

Parsley- 1 tbsp. + some for garnish

Method to the Madness

1)      Pre-heat the oven to 400. In a large mixing bowl add the mushrooms, olive oil, red peppers and salt & pepper, mix well. Careful they break easy.

2)      Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until browned and tender. While the mushrooms are baking, in another mixing bowl add the butter, bread crumbs, Parmesan, nutmeg and parsley season with salt & pepper mix well, set aside.

3)      Remove the mushrooms for the oven and let cool to the touch. Stuff the mushrooms with the bread crumb mixture and return to the oven. Bake for another 10 minutes and serve hot. This recipe can be made in advance, just refrigerate after stuffing and increase your cooking time when ready, 15-20 minutes. They should be golden brown on top when ready.

4)      ENJOY!!

P.S. Big changes are coming soon to the Pantry Blogger website, stay tuned!

Stuffed Mushrooms

Chicken Quesadilla and Queso Fundido

Chicken Quesadilla

Queso Fundido

Hello everyone, today I’m going to post 2 recipes because I love ya, and it’s time Super Bowl Sunday!!  This is the easiest recipe you will ever find for Queso Fundido.  Now I know what you’re thinking; “I thought he said he was going to lay of the Mexican Cuisine for awhile”.  Well I just could not resist. Besides these are really Americanized Mexican dishes, and it’s the Super Bowl, and they are easy & delicious!

So cheers to the Super Bowl, may your favorite team win.  And let’s all have a great time with family and friends!

Ingredients for the Queso Fundido

Chorizo- 15 ounces

Chihuahua Cheese- 2 cups

Method to the Madness

1)      Preheat the oven to 400, add an oven-proof 10 inch sauté pan and heat up the pan for 5 minutes. Add the Chihuahua and bake for 10 minutes. In another sauté pan, while the cheese is melting cook the chorizo until done, about 10 minute. When the chorizo is done cooking add it to the cheese and bake for another 5 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips and tortillas, corn or flour will do. Serve the cheese right in the sauté pan.

2)      ENJOY!!

Ingredients for the Quesadilla

Chicken- 3 Breasts (5 ounces each)

Olive oil- 2 tbsp

Butter- 2 tbsp

Blackened seasoning- 3 tbsp

Chihuahua cheese- 2 cups

Green onions- ½ cup + some for garnish

Tortillas- 4 (flour, large)

Sour cream- ½ cup for garnish

Salsa- ½ cup for dipping

Method

1)      Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Sprinkle the chicken with the seasoning, add to the sauté pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove from heat and let cool. Chop the chicken, small dice.

2)      In a griddle or a large (12 inch) sauté pan heat the butter over medium heat. Add one tortilla and spread ½ cheese, green onions and ½ of the chicken over it. Melt cheese for 2 minutes and top with another tortilla. Flip, cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Cut into triangles and top with the sour cream and salsa. Garnish with some green onions.

3)      Repeat step two for your other quesadilla.

4)      ENJOY!!

Link for two great Salsa's

http://www.pantryblogger.com/2011/01/two-salsas-for-price-of-one-post.html