http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/Tue, 21 May 2013 03:31:54 +0000en-USSquarespace V5 Site Server v5.13.157 (http://www.squarespace.com)bbq porkporkpork sandwichpot roastsandwichesChef LaneTue, 21 May 2013 03:21:46 +0000http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/2013/5/20/pork-pot-roast.html1310764:15392202:33736565As we ease our way into the summer months many of us start thinking about eating healthy again. We take off the winter and spring jackets, don the shorts and tank tops, and eventually the swim suits. I tell everyone that losing weight and eating healthy does not have to be painful, or taste bland. It just takes a bit of creativity and thought. This is one of my girlfriends favorite recipes I have made because it is essentially healthy, not too filling and it is quite delicious. In this instance I put the shredded roast on Kaiser rolls with a quick healthy BBQ sauce, but it is delicious on its own.]]>http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-33736565.xmlberriesberryhoneyhoney buttersaladsummer saladChef LaneTue, 30 Apr 2013 14:59:27 +0000http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/2013/4/30/summer-salad-with-honey-butter.html1310764:15392202:33519512I started thinking about the first recipe I ever posted which was a berry salad with honey lime vinaigrette. It was about this time of the year also, so I thought it would be befitting if I did a better version of that salad. Usually the main ingredient for each of my recipe posts are from my Leather Bound Recipe Book, but with this post it is actually a smaller part. This salad is still a healthy option like the original, with some tasty twists. Perfect for this time of the year. Fresh, juicy mangos, tart blueberries, and just ripe strawberries with candied pecans, and of course my favorite part: Honey butter with walnut bread. Start the summer fresh]]>http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-33519512.xmlchef recipedinner recipegnudiitalian dinnerpastaricottaChef LaneMon, 15 Apr 2013 18:14:21 +0000http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/2013/4/15/gnudi-with-pomodoro.html1310764:15392202:33389840Very rarely do I have dinner parties. It is a combination of working all the time, cooking for a living, and above all still being young! This past week both of my parents were informed that they had won the Charles C. Keller Excellence Award for Corporate Philanthropy for their 20 plus years of giving to Washington County charities and non-profit organizations, so of course I had to honor this prestigious award with a home cooked meal. The downside to this, other than cooking on my day off, is that every single person invited had different food allergies and diet requirements. That eliminated red meat, fish, shellfish and pork and if I am trying to impress anyone I do not necessarily make chicken. So the only option I had left was pasta, but who honestly wants to do a plain pasta dish for a congratulatory dinner?]]>http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-33389840.xmlperuviansteak recipestirfryChef LaneMon, 08 Apr 2013 04:43:27 +0000http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/2013/4/8/lomo-saltado-steak-potato.html1310764:15392202:33265516In previous recipes I have talked about how I like to branch out from what I have learned over the years. Much of my learning has been mainly in European American cuisine, which pushed me towards Mediterranean, then on to New American. Since Lent is over, I wanted to do red meat. Oh the glory of red meat!]]>http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-33265516.xmlasian chickenasian recipechef recipechef recipesorange chickenChef LaneTue, 19 Mar 2013 06:12:03 +0000http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/2013/3/19/orange-chicken.html1310764:15392202:33080316If you have read my posts in the past you probably have noticed that I do not do many Asian style dishes. The reason is I tried following a recipe once for beef and broccoli and completely failed, thus asserting my understanding of my inability to follow recipes. This time I decided to follow my gut and work with what I had on hand. Lucky for me that included dried orange peel. This orange chicken recipe is healthier than the battered chicken you would get from many other recipes, and the flavor is much better.]]>http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-33080316.xmlblanched vegetableschef blogchef recipecinnamon recipescold dinnernutmeg recipessweet carrotsChef LaneSat, 09 Feb 2013 06:04:27 +0000http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/2013/2/9/sweet-blanched-carrots-in-a-maple-glaze.html1310764:15392202:32770801Every once in a while I will stumble upon a dish I have never seen before, so instead of spending countless hours discovering a process I just ask the Chef. Luckily enough the Chef from this restaurant was glad to share his recipe with me, which of course I tweaked to make my own. Originally, the Chef sweet blanched these and chilled them on a cold plate to seal in the flavor and moisture. Of course I do not own a cold plate, and I couldn’t stop at one process. I am regretful that I did not take more pictures, but this was a last minute choice to include here, and I was too hungry to wait! These were a favorite of mine on one of my trips down south. Enjoy!]]>http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-32770801.xmlchef blogchef paellachef recipechorizo recipepaellaricerice recipespanish dishChef LaneSun, 20 Jan 2013 18:24:42 +0000http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/2013/1/20/chorizo-chicken-paella.html1310764:15392202:32600611Some of my fondest memories of my early restaurant experience come from working for a Chef about 8 years ago. Almost every day before the start of dinner he would cook the entire staff dinner. Some times it would be chicken fingers, some times it would be panko crusted tiger shrimp. It all depended on the previous days business, but one of my favorites was his paella. The only issue with his paella was that it was full of shell fish, and my entire family is allergic to it so when I made it at home of course no one could eat it. This is my alteration to a traditional Venetian dish for everyone to enjoy.]]>http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-32600611.xmlchef blogdessert recipedonutfried doughfunny blogitalian dessertitalian donutitallian recipestruffoliChef LaneSat, 12 Jan 2013 03:08:45 +0000http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/2013/1/11/struffoli.html1310764:15392202:32531636Wednesday was my girlfriend’s birthday. 23 is not a rough age, but she was not looking forward to it in any way so I had to come up with a way to at least make it happy. What better way than with dessert? She had plans with her girlfriends after work for dinner, so my plan to woo her with my delicious cuisine was slightly infringed upon, but you cannot go wrong with dessert. She is always the dessert maker at home, so I wanted to give her a break.]]>http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-32531636.xmlbutternut squashchef blogchef recipechef recipessoupsoup recipessquashsquash soupChef LaneThu, 13 Dec 2012 15:24:23 +0000http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/2012/12/13/creamy-butternut-squash-soup.html1310764:15392202:32026432Overtime I feel my culinary skills have developed along with my palate. I have been able to create new and interesting culinary creations while adapting some traditional techniques with some of my own thrown in there. I am not trying to come across as conceded, but I hope that I have been able to grow and learn over time. Certain times I find myself perusing my culinary manuals trying to spark some sort of creation. Motivation? Inspiration? Whatever it may be, I was challenged when I found a butternut squash soup that I just had to make my own recipe for.]]>http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-32026432.xmlbraciolechef braciolechef recipeitalianitalian braciolered saucesteak recipeChef LaneSat, 01 Dec 2012 05:51:28 +0000http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/2012/12/1/braciole-with-flank-steak-spinach.html1310764:15392202:31535548Coming from an Italian family I have tried many different types of dishes sitting in my great-grandmothers kitchen growing up. The smell of her tomato sauce she made every Sunday filling every room of that old farm house, or the sight of her meatballs that were almost the size of my head (or so I thought at that age). As far back as I can remember, I tasted everything she ever made in that kitchen. That was the only beauty of them not having much money. Everything was picked from their garden, and the meat came from the farm animals my grandfather would butcher. Out of all of those recipes, I never once heard the term braciole pass my ears. I couldn’t even tell you why as my grandfather remembers her making it all the time. When he and I sat down one day discussing all his memories of his mother’s cooking, he mentioned her braciole. Honestly, I had no idea what he was talking about even though I have heard the term before. Once he explained it to me, I had to come up with my own. Stuffed steak simmered in white wine and tomato sauce? It sounded like a masterpiece and I needed it in my belly. Hopefully I did Grandma Ellie proud.]]>http://www.leatherboundrecipes.com/blog/rss-comments-entry-31535548.xml