Knockoff Loco Moco

Good evening!

I have another easy recipe for everyone.  When we had to come up with dinners for the week, the idea of Loco Moco was mentioned.  Instead of doing it all completely from scratch (which isn't a difficult recipe, either), I thought we could take one shortcut and use prepared burgers.  WHAT?!  Yes, we used prepared (frozen) burger patties.  Let me tell you that the results were spectacular.  My boyfriend ate up his food so fast that I don't think he stopped to breathe.  

The traditional Loco Moco consists of four main components: white rice, a hamburger patty, brown gravy and a fried egg.  While the version I made this evening isn't traditional, I think it still delivered.  Another shortcut you can do is use a packaged mix for brown gravy.

Ingredients:

*Cooked white rice

*Two prepared hamburger patties (I used turkey patties)

*3 tbsp butter

*3 tbsp flour

*1 1/2 cups chicken broth/stock

*1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

*1 1/2 tsp oyster sauce

*1 tsp Worchestershire sauce

*freshly-cracked black pepper

*two eggs

*cooking spray (or oil)

There will be several things going on at once, but I recommend starting the rice first and have that cooking while you do the remainder of the recipe.

For the burger patties, heat the oven, and bake the patties according to package directions.  Prior to placing the burgers in the oven, I like to season both sides of my patty with black pepper and cayenne.

For the gravy (while the rice and burgers are cooking), first heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.  Toss in the butter, and whisk occasionally until it melts. Then gently pour in the flour while whisking the melted butter.  Keep whisking until the flour and butter are incorporated. You will then cook the butter-flour mixture (whisking often so as to not let it burn) until it turns a medium-brown color.  It will begin to smell a bit nutty.  Once you reach the desired color, carefully pour in the broth/stock, while whisking.  Continue whisking until most (if not all) the lumps are gone.  Mine still had a few remaining.  

Next, add the soy sauce, oyster sauce and Worchestershire sauce and whisk together.  Add some freshly-cracked black pepper to taste and continue cooking while it heats to a bubble.  You should notice (as you whisk) the gravy becoming thicker.  The gravy shouldn't have a rolling boil, just a few bubbles to indicate it is hot enough to turn into the consistency we need.  Because a (normal) whisk doesn't hit everywhere on the sides and bottom of a pan, I also use a (silicone) spatula to get into those "hard-to-reach" places.  Once I am satisfied with the consistency, I will then  turn off the heat and move the pan to a cool burner to rest while I make the eggs.

For the eggs, make them as your heart desires.  I am not a fan of sunny side up eggs, so I did mine over-medium.  I also use cooking spray, as opposed to oil, because I find that the egg will end up being a little too greasy for my taste if I cook the egg in oil.  I will add black pepper to the egg once I add it to the pan for some additional flavor.  

For the assembly, add a couple scoops of cooked white rice to a plate.  Top the rice with your burger patty.  Pour on a couple ladles of gravy over the rice and burger.  Finally, top it all with your cooked egg.

You are done and ready to eat!

Please let me know how you like the recipe and what your variations are!  

Remember to enjoy food and enjoy life. 

Penne with Zucchini, Bell Peppers and Turkey Brats

Good evening, my readers! 

After a long hiatus, I am back!  I am back to pursue my passion of cooking and baking!!

Since my last post back in early 2013, my partner and I moved to Chicago, and we LOVE it here!  Living in the city is awesome.  

We recently moved into a new apartment but stayed in the same neighborhood, and for the first time, I have a gas stove.  I have to say that I like it.

Anyway, on to the recipe!

Tonight, I made whole grain penne with roasted zucchini and bell peppers, turkey bratwursts and topped with feta.  

Ingredients:

*One 13.25 oz box of whole grain penne (or any small-shaped pasta of your choice)

*3-4 medium-sized bell peppers (I used one each of red, orange, yellow and green)

*3 zucchini

*One package of bratwursts (I used a six-pack of turkey bratwursts)

*Olive or grapeseed oil

*5-6 cloves of garlic, minced

*Red pepper flakes

*Salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

*Feta

Begin by preheating the oven to 425° F.

Set out two baking sheets, so that they are ready for the vegetables.  

Rinse and dry the bell peppers.  Chop up the peppers into small strips, discarding the stems, seeds and a bit of the bottoms and removing most (if not all) of the white membrane.  Place the peppers onto one of the baking sheets.

Rinse and dry the zucchini.  Cut off the stem and some of the bottom of each zucchini, and then cut them into fourths length-wise and then slice the pieces into smaller pieces.  Place the zucchini onto the other baking sheet.  

To the two baking sheets with vegetables, evenly distribute the minced garlic.  Sprinkle on salt and pepper, to taste.  Add some red pepper flakes (to taste) for some heat.  Pour a little bit of olive or grapeseed oil onto the vegetables (don't drown them).  With your hands, mix the vegetables, garlic, oil and seasonings to evenly coat the vegetables with everything.  If you think the vegetables need more oil, add some.  It is easier to add more than to remove it.  Make sure the vegetables are in even layers on the baking sheets.  You want the vegetables to roast, not steam.  

Once the vegetables are ready, place the baking sheets in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, turning the vegetables with a turner or tongs every 10 minutes.

If you are using two racks for the vegetables, switch up the placement of the baking sheets when you turn the vegetables.  For instance, if the zucchini was on the upper rack for the first ten minutes, place it on the lower rack for the next ten minutes and put the bell peppers on the upper rack.  If your oven doesn't have two racks (like mine), then roast one of the vegetables first (for the full 25-30 minutes) and then roast the other.  Once the second batch is done, scrape the vegetables from the first batch  onto the second batch's baking sheet to do a sort of reheating.

Meanwhile, boil water in a pot, add some salt to the boiling water and cook the pasta according to the package directions.  Drain the pasta (don't rinse) and return it to the same pot.

Cook the bratwursts on the stovetop or in the microwave according to package directions.  Cut the bratwursts up into bite-sized pieces.

In the pot with the noodles, scrape the vegetables in and then add the bratwurst pieces.  Mix together.  

To serve, spoon the mixture into bowls, top with feta (to taste) and some additional red pepper flakes.

Let me know how you like it!!!

Thank you for reading, and until next time, enjoy food and enjoy life.