http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/ Sharing what I like to eat and drink! en-us Copyright 2015, John Mark Osborne jmo@philosophyofcooking.com (John Mark Osborne) http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/Logo_295x298.png http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/ 295 298 My entire family, including my extended family, absolutely love this dish. Even if you crave red meat like I do, this meal will fill you up and satisfy your desires while leaving you feeling light. Yes, this dish makes you feel good about yourself but doesn't skimp on flavor! From the asian inspired sauce to the nori strips to the green onions, there is no lack of flavor in this dish. Just try it once and I'm sure you'll agree it's one of the best fish dishes you ever made at home. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/salmon-bowl-9 Fri, 3 Jun 2016 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/salmon-bowl-9 I love salted cashews. I can eat a whole can in front of the television if I don't pay attention. But sometimes I like a change as I'm sure all of you do. With a few simple ingredients and an hour of your time, you can transform these humble cashews into a mouth watering, sweet and spicy snack food to which your family will become addicted. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/honey-chipotle-cashews-62 Thu, 12 May 2016 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/honey-chipotle-cashews-62 I make croutons all the time now. I love to eat crusty La Brea brand bread but those tapered ends don't work well for sandwiches or even a piece of toast. So, I freeze the bread ends till I have enough to make crunchy, garlicky, herby, oily croutons. Stale or even fresh bread is fine too! I usually make too much and end up snacking on them cause they're so good! http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/croutons-59 Tue, 15 Mar 2016 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/croutons-59 Caeser salads are remarkably easy to make. I love the zing of the fresh lemon, the saltiness of the anchovy and the spiciness of the fresh garlic. This dressing really packs a punch that will wake up your ordinary weekday dinner meals. My wife always does a little dance of joy when I make this dressing so hopefully it will become a classic in your household! http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/caeser-salad-60 Tue, 15 Mar 2016 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/caeser-salad-60 Parmesan crisps add an elegance to any dish including salads, burgers or soup but don't require a ton of effort. Just pour, cook and cool. You can even eat them as a snack like my wife does. How I lived without these crispy delights is beyond me. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/parmesan-crisps-61 Tue, 15 Mar 2016 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/parmesan-crisps-61 I keep a bottle of homemade balsamic vinaigrette in the fridge at all times. It's one of the most versatile salad dressings, pairing sweet and sour with just about any kind of salad. But, it's also very versatile, and can be used as a marinade for meats and vegetables. Learning how to make your own fresh vinaigrettes is not difficult and they are so much better than store bought dressings loaded with the cheapest ingredients. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/balsamic-vinaigrette-15 Tue, 1 Mar 2016 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/balsamic-vinaigrette-15 Fried chicken is such an easy to prepare, yet satisfying meal. My parents roots are from the south and I just plain like fried foods. Yum, yum, yummy! This recipe has been passed down from my Great Grandmother Webb. She ate fried chicken every day cause she had a farm during the depression. In fact, she ate fried chicken for breakfast, lunch and dinner. To say she was a master at cooking fried chicken is an understatement. Of course, her chicken was super fresh, having been butchered just before frying. I've had to tweak her recipe to optimize results with store bought chicken but I've stayed true to her batterless recipe. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/fried-chicken-14 Wed, 17 Feb 2016 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/fried-chicken-14 I fiddled around a lot with the ingredients in this sausage recipe but it was worth the effort. Now it's a classic in my household. A little spicy but not too hot. What you really get is a flavor explosion of balanced jalapeño, cilantro, green onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder and, of course, chicken. And that's what I like best about these sausages. The chicken flavor is not masked but elevated by the supporting cast of ingredients. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/jalapeno-chicken-sausage-56 Tue, 2 Feb 2016 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/jalapeno-chicken-sausage-56 There's nothing quite like fresh ginger tea for a sore throat. My Mom taught me how to make it and I have been drinking it quite frequently the last week or so. I'm finally feeling good enough to blog so here's my simple recipe for ginger tea. It's not gonna cure your sore throat but it's certainly better for you than those chemicals they put in throat lozenges and other cold/flu medicines. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/fresh-ginger-tea-55 Tue, 26 Jan 2016 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/fresh-ginger-tea-55 Some call it a "toad in a hole" but Wikipedia lists many more designations like "hole in one", "egg in a basket", "gashouse eggs" and "spit in the ocean". Whatever you call this classic breakfast dish, you can't deny it's crispy, buttery bread and that yolky egg in the middle... it doesn't get better than this! Sure, I have a fascination with eggs if you look at my other posts but the egg is one of those versatile proteins and tastes so good just by itself or with a few added ingredients. Here is just another preparation method to keep the humble egg fresh. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/toad-in-a-hole-54 Fri, 15 Jan 2016 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/toad-in-a-hole-54 I first had a kimchi burger about ten years ago. I can still remember chomping on that burger with just a bun... no ketchup, no mayonnaise, no lettuce and no tomato. It was that good. Okay, I had two burgers, lol. I couldn't help myself. I have since created my own version, much with less sugar than most recipes. I'm not a big fan of sugar except for balancing the acidity of tomatoes in spaghetti sauce or fostering bark creation on slow roasted ribs. Kimchi burgers also need sugar to balance the acidic nature of the fermented cabbage but I felt other recipes simply contained too much. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/kimchi-burgers-52 Fri, 8 Jan 2016 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/kimchi-burgers-52 Ribeye caps are hard to find these days since consumers have moved towards leaner cuts of meat. What a shame! My local supermarket butcher tells me the caps get removed before they arrive at his store. Thank goodness for Costco! They have educated me on this long lost cut of meat. The cap is the the part of the ribeye steak that stretches from the bone and halfway around to the fat cap. It's the most flavorful and tenderest part of the cow... hands down. It's also the most expensive part but well worth the splurge. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/rib-eye-caps-50 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/rib-eye-caps-50 Who doesn't love a classic BLT? That crispy bacon, ripe tomato and fresh iceberg lettuce are making my mouth drool right now. And don't forget the copious amounts of mayonnaise that set this BLT off onto a whole 'nother level. With all that tasty oil and fat, it really needs something to cut it. That's why this recipe is about marinading the tomatoes in vinegar and then stacking the components intelligently to achieve the highest return of taste. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/blt-and-a-49 Thu, 10 Dec 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/blt-and-a-49 Simmering on low for hours, collard greens take planning and patience. But, the results are well worth the wait! Part of the time is for tenderizing this leathery leaf but long a simmer also allow the greens to absorb the flavors of pork, chicken stock, garlic, onions and vinegar. What you end up with is a harmonized dish with depth of flavor that's hard to get when cooking quickly. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/collard-greens-48 Sat, 5 Dec 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/collard-greens-48 This is a turkey burger mixed with a deconstructed pesto, not the kind you put over noodles. Nothing is blended. No green burgers here. But more than that, you get a different flavor with whole pine nuts and chopped basil rather than a puree. Deconstructing the pesto allows you to taste each ingredient individually in the burger, almost creating an entirely different flavor. Plus, I didn't want green burgers lol. This burger turned out so well I decided to share it with everyone who is looking for different ways to enjoy turkey. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/pesto-turkey-burgers-47 Tue, 24 Nov 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/pesto-turkey-burgers-47 I have a small obsession with eggs. Fried eggs, poached eggs, scrambled, hard boiled, etc. They are one of the most satisfying foods in the world, all by themselves. It's essential to have good techniques for all egg cooking methods and soft boiled eggs are no exception. I like mine peeled and broken over buttered toast with salt and fresh ground pepper but raise your aristocratic pinky and eat them in an egg cup if you like. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/soft-boiled-eggs-45 Wed, 18 Nov 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/soft-boiled-eggs-45 One day I was hungry for lunch and had some leftover chicken breasts. Next thing I saw in the fridge was calamata olives. So I thought, why not make a chicken salad sandwich with Greek flavors?!? I pulled out pepperoncinis next. My wife loves them so we always have a couple bottles on hand. I also found some feta cheese I hadn't completely used on another recipe. A little mayonnaise, some diced red onion and a pinch of oregano and I had myself a surprise winner. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/greek-chicken-salad-44 Thu, 12 Nov 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/greek-chicken-salad-44 I started making ground beef tacos mixed with chopped vegetables as a way to keep my son healthy. What kid likes veggies, right? After so many years now, I can't live without the greenery in my tacos. My recipe has also matured over the years. I used to take a Taco Bell seasoning pack and bump it up with extra chili powder and other spices. I have also substituted beef with turkey, replaced the store bought seasonings with my own concoction and even deep fry corn tortillas to make my own shells. If I could make the sour cream topping I would, lol. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/turkey-tacos-42 Sat, 7 Nov 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/turkey-tacos-42 I first tasted a hickory smoked burger at a gastro pub with my friend Stephen. I was instantly inspired to create my own smoked burger. I'm pretty sure the pub used liquid smoke but I just can't take shortcuts, especially when I have a smoker in my backyard. This burger emphasizes the incredible taste of hickory with supporting ingredients that compliment the smoke, not compete with it. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/hickory-burgers-40 Mon, 2 Nov 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/hickory-burgers-40 Caramelized onions will bump your burger up a notch with the deep roasted sweetness that comes from slow cooking. Add bacon and now you have sweet and salty harmoniously working together to heighten your burger to insane levels never achieved previously in your culinary career. Must be hard, right? Caramelized onions might take an hour or so to complete but patience is a better work describing the process. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/caramelized-onions-41 Mon, 2 Nov 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/caramelized-onions-41 My brother Matthew taught me how to make these fried eggs and they have become a household favorite. I make them all the time because I always have parmesan cheese in the fridge and oregano in the spice cabinet. They aren't much more difficult than normal fried eggs but they have so much more depth with the nutty taste of parmesan and the aromatic flavor of an herb like oregano. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/greek-eggs-39 Mon, 26 Oct 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/greek-eggs-39 One day I was removing the skin from some chicken thighs to add to a soup. I was just about to throw it away when I remembered an article in bon appétit about frying chicken skins, so I gave it a try. Wow... are they sinfully good. I can't believe I've been throwing them away all these years. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/chicken-skin-chips-38 Fri, 23 Oct 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/chicken-skin-chips-38 Fresh off the plane in Maui and starving, we stopped at a roach coach on the side of the road called Geste Shrimp. Turned out to be the best meal I had my entire trip even beating out the famed Mama's Fish House. Those deep fried shrimp with their shells intact added a taste of the sea to the spicy pineapple sauce that surprised me. I couldn't stop eating the shrimp, shells and the rice that soaked up the sauce. I got back to California and couldn't stop thinking about them so I reverse engineered them to the excitement of my entire family. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/geste-shrimp-35 Sun, 18 Oct 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/geste-shrimp-35 My wife Aida taught me how to make this Filipino dish with leftover Jasmine rice and heaps of garlic. I instantly fell in love with it! It's great by itself, almost like fried rice, or as a side dish but with more pizzaz than plain rice. And who doesn't like garlic fried to perfection, right? If you are nodding you're head then Filipino food is for you! http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/garlic-rice-37 Sat, 17 Oct 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/garlic-rice-37 These crunchy cheesy puffed parmesan snacks are so easy to make and so tasty, it's going to be hard to keep cheese stocked in your fridge. A minute or two in the microwave and a couple minutes to cool and that's it! You can make them with any hard aged cheese. I used Pecorino Romano but I'd be interested what other people try. Just leave a comment below. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/parmesan-puffs-33 Fri, 9 Oct 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/parmesan-puffs-33 Chef Ramsay wouldn't touch these fried eggs with a ten foot pole but I absolutely love them. I think Andrew Zimmern says it best when he talks about mouth feel. I love the crispy crunch the edge of the egg gets when cooked at a higher temperature. French prepared eggs definitely have a place in fine cuisine but when you just want a quick weekday breakfast, crispy is the way to go. Placed atop buttered toast to absorb the runny yolk, I could eat these fried eggs every day for breakfast. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/crispy-fried-eggs-32 Sun, 4 Oct 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/crispy-fried-eggs-32 My stepfather taught me how to make these enchiladas. It's his mother's recipe and man is it good! I've tweaked it a little over the years by adding Fire Roasted Green Chiles but other than that, it's essentially the same. I could literally eat an entire casserole dish of these rolled up spicy, cheesy bundles of traditional Mexican flavor. Add some refried beans and rice and you have a complete meal that will fill up your family for sure! http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/enchilada-casserole-24 Thu, 1 Oct 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/enchilada-casserole-24 I love braised short ribs. Taking a tough piece of meat and cooking it to tender perfection so the meat just barely falls off the bone is an act of love. Then there's the decadent sauce that's been flavored by the beef, red wine, onions, celery, carrots, garlic and herbs. Top it off with some mashed potatoes and you have a hit at your next dinner party. I say dinner party because this dish is easy to make ahead of time so you aren't running around with your head cut off when your guests arrive. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/red-wine-short-ribs-28 Sun, 27 Sep 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/red-wine-short-ribs-28 So light and fluffy but, at the same time, sinfully tasty. Potatoes are one of my favorite foods. They take on the flavor of whatever is mixed with them. They are like a blank canvas waiting for a work of art. So, when I make mashed potatoes, I like to go all the way with flavor. With roasted garlic, butter and cream, these are no diet potatoes. If you are on a diet, don't try this mash as you may be making it every day this week, lol. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/roasted-garlic-mash-29 Sun, 27 Sep 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/roasted-garlic-mash-29 In the early 1950s, the tri-tip cut from the bottom sirloin was often used for stews, sliced into steaks or ground. Not until Bob Shutz, a butcher in Santa Maria, experimented with this cut did it gain popularity. Now there are so many variations of the Santa Maria dry rub, it's hard to determine the original recipe but I always say variety is the spice of life The key of any good Santa Maria rub is salt, pepper and granulated garlic. What you add in addition to this foundational mixture is really up to your own personal taste buds. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/santa-maria-tri-tip-25 Thu, 24 Sep 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/santa-maria-tri-tip-25 The first time I made these chicken wings, I ate the entire two pounds by myself. The combination of the three types of lemon seasoning is what makes them stand out from other lemon pepper wings. If you just use dry lemon pepper seasoning from a bottle, they just don't taste as vibrant and fresh. The same is true if you just use lemon zest and lemon juice... the wings don't taste as artificially tangy and zippy. Combining all three flavors really makes these wings amazing. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/lemon-pepper-wings-26 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/lemon-pepper-wings-26 How could just salt and pepper season pork sufficiently to make your mouth water? That's what I said to my wife when she suggested this basic seasoning approach for baby back ribs. She insisted it was the way they often season their pork in the Philippines so I relented and gave it a try. She said to massage the salt and pepper into the meat so I did for a few minutes. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/salt-and-pepper-ribs-23 Mon, 14 Sep 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/salt-and-pepper-ribs-23 These little pizzas bring back fond memories of my childhood in Lucas Valley. I remember Mrs. Denglar making these once and I never forgot them. I must have been 8 years old but the memory is as clear as yesterday. Years later I recreated them and have been surprising people with this simple but satisfying cheesy delight. It contains so many of my favorite foods... black olives, mayonnaise, scallions, cheese and bread. What more could you ask for? http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/denglar-treats-13 Thu, 10 Sep 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/denglar-treats-13 My wife asked me to make these and after a little grumbling, I set out to do the best job I could. I mean what could be so great about dehydrated zucchinni chips, right? But that's what she wanted so I started thinking how to best make them. I experimented with lots of toppings but finally settled on simple. The sweetness of zucchini is concentrated when it is dehydrated. With a little salt and pepper, you have a surprisingly tasty and healthy snack. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/zucchini-chips-22 Mon, 7 Sep 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/zucchini-chips-22 No matter how good a meal is, you don't want to eat it three days in a row. I'm always searching for ways to use leftovers in different dishes to breath new life into them. While you can use any leftover protein with this dish, it was designed around reusing the flap meat in my Tangy Steak Fajitas recipe. But you could use leftover chicken or pork. If you discover some great combination, leave a comment below. I'm always looking for new ideas! http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/nacho-bites-20 Thu, 3 Sep 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/nacho-bites-20 This is really a marinade for carne asada but we like it so much, we often eat it with grilled onions, peppers, avocado and cheese in a flour tortilla like you would a fajita. I have used the marinade in this recipe for so many dishes like pork ribs, beef ribs and tri-tip. If you like a tangy, lip-smacking flavor on your meats, you'll love this marinade. My wife is Filipina and they use a lot of vinegar in their cooking so this is like an americanized taste of home. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/tangy-steak-fajitas-11 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/tangy-steak-fajitas-11 I absolutely love my Guacamole Del Rio recipe but it's better suited as a dip than a condiment. It has a very aggressive spice, onion and garlic flavor that could overpower a dish where you just want creamy avocado flavor. This guacamole goes will with tacos, burritos, tostadas or just about any Mexican food you might be making. You could even spread it on a sandwich :) http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/guacamole-topper-21 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/guacamole-topper-21 Who doesn't love a crispy piece of bacon. Trouble is, it curls up in a pan and doesn't cook evenly. Direct heat really isn't the best choice for cooking bacon anyhow. An oven does a much better job at evenly heating from all sides. My wife is the official bacon tester in the house and she approves of this technique. Bacon comes out beautifully flat and crispy from end to end every time. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/perfect-bacon-18 Thu, 27 Aug 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/perfect-bacon-18 There is nothing like a rack of beef back ribs, slow cooked in a smoker with hickory chunks for five or six hours. It's a long time to wait but patience has it's rewards. That beautiful crunchy bark is nothing like the crust created when cooked at higher temperatures. When bitten into, the crunchy exterior reveals a tender and juicy inner meat that falls off the bone with little effort. If that sounds good to you then go by a smoker. I recommend the inexpensive and very easy to use WSM or Weber Smokey Mountain. There is an 18 and 22 inch version. I recommend the later so you can easily fit more and larger cuts of meat into the cavity. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/big-beef-back-ribs-16 Tue, 25 Aug 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/big-beef-back-ribs-16 I have used this rub on chicken, pork, beef and even smoked nuts, all with great results. It's delicious, as my friend Steven would say. I've spent several years tweaking it and am sure I will continue to experiment with it. I'm pretty happy with the taste at the moment but I am a perfectionist and believe anything can be improved. Bringing it to the next level may just require a change in amount or an extra ingredient. You never know which is why I keep experimenting. For example, the latest two ingredient changes were adding thyme and tripling the pepper. Made a big difference, especially with beef ribs. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/all-purpose-dry-rub-17 Mon, 24 Aug 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/all-purpose-dry-rub-17 This is one of my son's favorite dishes. He eats it hot out of the dehydrator, room temperature, cold and even mixed with rice. It's quite addictive with it's combination of savory, sweet and my combination of peppers. You'll never buy beef jerky at the supermarket ever again! All you get is over-processed meat that has lost all freshness. This jerky will tickle your senses with it's freshness! http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/hearty-beef-jerky-10 Fri, 14 Aug 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/hearty-beef-jerky-10 Chipotle in adobo are smoked jalapeños that have been canned with tomato sauce, vinegar, garlic and other spices. Think of them as a party in a can. Chipotle chilis in adobo are one of those go to methods to enhance the flavor of any dish. It falls in the same realm, for me, as prepared horseradish, Dijon mustard, capers, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and many other other flavor enhancing food products that are too numerous to list here. Not as many people think of chipotle in adobo because it's hot. But it also has tons of flavor to go with the heat that can pick up any dish. I guess what I'm trying to say is, chipotle peppers go perfect with chili because people expect chili to have a little heat. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/three-bean-chipotle-chili-8 Sun, 9 Aug 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/three-bean-chipotle-chili-8 I smoke my own salmon so I'm always looking for different ways to combine it with dishes other than salads or pasta. Don't get me wrong, I love smoked salmon over a spicy arugula salad or a pasta with creamy garlic alfredo sauce. Insert drool here lol. The difference with this dish is salmon is the star. The rich smokey flavor of smoked salmon is mellowed with cream cheese and sour cream but also enhanced with capers, green onions and a plethora of other tasty ingredients to create an appetizer your guests will gobble up. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/hot-smoked-salmon-spread-7 Tue, 28 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/hot-smoked-salmon-spread-7 I started preparing guacamole when I was 18 years old. My recipe is based on ingredients my mother, Gretchen Del Rio, taught me how to combine so eloquently. I love guacamole so much, it has become my signature dish. Over the years I have made a great number of changes to the original recipe but two ingredients remain the secrets to this unbelievably good guacamole recipe, which I'll talk about later. If you try any recipe from my blog, make it this special guacamole concoction I have been perfecting for three decades. http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/guacamole-del-rio-6 Mon, 27 Jul 2015 12:00:00 GMT http://www.philosophyofcooking.com/guacamole-del-rio-6