Dogg's Cookin With Gas

Hi my name’s Chris and I like to cook.

*HI CHRIS…*

Ok now that the introductions are over let’s get down to business. The first order of business is for me to tell you that I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing here as this is only the second blog article I’ve ever written. I suppose that puts me on level ground with most people when it comes to what my blog is about: cooking. By that I mean that the majority of people that I speak or message with about cooking seem to be more or less in the dark about it as if it is some great mystery. It is not. Cooking is easy and a lot of fun.

I know I said the introductions were over but before I get into cooking any further I think I should tell you all a bit about myself. Outside of being a fairly large man at 6’3” and 225 pounds who can grow an epic Viking beard, I do not stand out in a crowd. I’m an average Joe who pays a mortgage, has a beautiful wife, two cats and a dog. I change my own oil, go camping with friends and love to sit on my patio or deck having a drink in the evening. I’ve never received any formal training in cooking and what I know is through trial and error and my cooking messiah: Food Network.

Now I assume many of you are wondering why or how a manly man such as myself got into what many wrongly consider to be a womanly activity. The answer to that is twofold. Firstly, as a large man I enjoy eating and needed to be able to make food I could stomach. Secondly, and MUCH more importantly, I learned at an early age that women love a man who can cook. Seriously, all the young guys out there should write that down. Being able to cook is a very fast way into a woman;s… uh… heart. That all being said, cooking is not a womanly activity at all so leave your sexism at the door since I am all that is man :)

So where to start? I suppose the best place to start is at the beginning which is determining what you want to make. My best suggestion to you if you want to learn is to go outside of your comfort zone a little bit at a time. Making Easy-Mac 4 nights a week isn’t going to give you any skills or impress anyone. That being said, don’t jump from the Easy-Mac to attempting a seven course gourmet meal either. Work your way up slowly but still challenge yourself. I personally am a pasta fiend so my initial attempts were things like chicken parmesan, lasagna and seafood linguine. I can assure you that as I learned I plated up some less than gourmet food, but I learned what to do and what not to do as I made my mistakes. Next time you’re thinking Easy-Mac, whip up a goulash instead. Remember that the internet is your friend and millions of recipes and tips are literally at your fingertips at all times.

I’m not quite sure how to end this thing so I’m going end each blog entry with one of my personal recipes. Write 'em down, give 'em a try.

Tequila-Lime Enchiladas

Ingredients:

3 Chicken Breasts Cubed                       ½ Red Bell Pepper Finely Chopped

1 Med Onion Finely Chopped                1/3 Cup Tequila

1/3 Cup Lime Juice                                1 Tbsp Oregano

½ Cup Banana Peppers Chopped           ½ Tsp Parsley

2 Cloves Garlic Crushed                        1 Jar Salsa

Cheddar Cheese                                     10 Large Tortillas

1 Cup Fresh Mushrooms Chopped

Directions:

1. Put chicken, red pepper, banana peppers and garlic in large sealable plastic bag. Combine tequila, lime juice, oregano and parsley in a bowl and add to bag. Press out air and seal. Marinade together for 4 hours in refrigerator.
2. Cook chicken in large pan until done. Add remainder of contents of the marinade bag, onion and mushrooms. Simmer together until liquid is reduced.
3. Put mixture into tortillas, fold and place in lasagna pan.
4. Pour salsa over top and sprinkle cheddar cheese over that.
5. Bake at 350 F for about ½ hour.

Enjoy…