Hello to all you gentle readers. Silver Blue, Jonathan Everyday, The Wannabe Gourmet…all in one wrapper, John Barker. After a far-too-long sabbatical, I have returned…hoping to share lower fat, taste enhanced recipes with you.
Easy to make meals using regular ingredients. Stress free dishes!
Lots of tasty treats, the perfect end to a meal! (Some even low-fat!)
Bounty from the sea to your plate!
What’s on Jonathan’s mind.
Those items in my kitchen that I simply cannot live without!
Late work day? This “False Alarm Chili” is just the thing to set the night in motion…and take the stress off of you! (N.B. For an alternate chili that uses the traditional kidney beans, see …
Who says you don’t have time to whip up a good, healthy, tasty meal on a weeknight? Making use of shrimp and a few ingredients makes this a winner!
2 lbs 21-30 count shrimp, peeled and …
Red Wine Beef Stew
2 lbs of beef roast (such as London Broil) cut into 1″ cubes
1 lb carrots, cut into coins
1 lb fingerlings (new potatoes), or potatoes cut into a 1″ to 1.5″ cube
2 medium …
Insalata Caprese.
Very easy to make.
Fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella. Slice tomatoes and mozzarella 1/4″ thick, layer in alternate layers on a serving dish. Chiffonade basil (cut into thin strips) and scatter over. True caprese …
Shrimp with Sofrito, Peppers and Manchego
1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
20-24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 red onion, cut into wedges, about 1/4 inch wide
2 sweet red peppers, seeded and cut …
Baked Halibut with sides
Halibut is not a cheap fish — in fact, here where I live, it goes for upwards of $20/lb. However, it’s well worth it, and the ease in preparation makes this most …
Slow Cooker Corned Beef
2-3 lb whole corned beef
2 lb white potatoes, peeled, cubed
1 lb carrots, peeled, cubed
1 lb turnips, peeled, cubed
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 1/2 cp water
This recipe is very simple:
Trim the fat from …
Boiled Custard with Blueberries
2 cups fat-free milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cold water
1 tsp real vanilla extract
2 cups wild blueberries (if frozen, allow to thaw in a colander to prevent …
Gingerbread (sauce recipe below)
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 cup molasses
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup boiling water
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp ground ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cloves
Cream the …
Savory Crab Cake
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
zest and juice of 1 medium lemon
1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1 large egg
1 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 lb fresh crab meat
1 cup panko bread crumps
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 …
Welcome to The Wannabe Gourmet…I’m Jonathan Everyday (or Silver Blue, or John Barker, depending on how you arrived here. LOL!), and I’m here to show that good, healthy cooking doesn’t have to be expensive, time …
Sesame Encrusted Tuna Steaks (served with sautéed Chinese cabbage and brown rice)
3 six-ounce tuna steaks
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil (separated)
2 oz sesame seeds
In a zip-top bag, place tuna steaks. In a bowl, combine …
Coquilles St. Jacques (Scallops au gratin)
1.5 lb bay scallops
2 cups dry white vermouth (or dry white wine)
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp chopped shallots or scallions
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 tbsp quality butter
3 tbsp …
Egads. Where on earth did 2009 slip to? I mean, I know I had a lot going on in my life, but that was no reason to let everyone think that The Wannabe Gourmet had …
Shrimp, Asparagus & Farfalle
Asparagus preparation:
1 lb of Asparagus, trimmed
2 tbsp olive oil
Heat oven to 425F and toss asparagus with olive oil. Place on cookie sheet in a single layer and roast for 15-20 minutes. Remove …
Had my laptop blow up (remember last October when the hard drive went? — well, I didn’t lose anything this time!), my desktop blow up, and had Dell replace both, both with superior machines. The …
Sage and Herbes de Provence Stuffing
1 loaf Herbes de Provence bread
1 tablespoon dried ground sage
2 cups hot chicken stock
1 medium onion, diced
3 ribs of celery, sliced into 1/8″ to 1/4″ slices
2 tablespoon butter, 1 tbsp …
…well, I haven’t managed to update the blog as I had wished. There’s been housing renovations, job issues (fortuantely, not my own, but with others, in this economy), and of course, a lot of cooking …
So, it’s been a while since I’ve posted — there’s been lots going on in my life that has kept me out of the kitchen and away from the blog. 2009 has started with a …
Orange Chocolate Breezes
1 cup fat free half & half
2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup freeze squeezed orange juice
1 4″x1″ orange rind (no pith)
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup Orange Cognac
Place half & half, milk, orange …