Gangsta! Breakfast Bread bowl

Gangsta! Breakfast Breadbowl

This recipe was inspired by a breakfast bowl made by Andrew Zimmerman. My version combines Cuban and Italian flavor.

4 Chiabatta Rolls

3 Tablespoons of Gangsta! Roasted Tomato Pesto

1 Tablespoon Pepper

1 Tablespoon Salt

¼ Cup Milk

6 Eggs

1 Roma Tomato, diced

2-3 Sprigs of basil, sliced into thin strips

Grated Smoked Apple Gruyer cheese, or smoked cheese of your choice

Pre-heat oven to 350

Core the rolls to create a bowl. You can discard the core or crumble and toast for a garnish later.

In a bowl, add the Roasted Tomato Pesto, salt, pepper, milk, and eggs. Whisk until well combined. Gently stir in the basil, 3 Tbsp of cheese.

Put the cored rolls on a baking tray. Place a layer of tomato across the bottom of the bread bowls.  Carefully pour the egg mixture in each bread bowl. The egg mixture should reach the top of each bowl.

Add cheese across the top of the bowl.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Let’s be creative! What other ways can we make these bread bowls? Wifey is thinking smaller rolls to use in a breakfast buffet or topping with bacon bits. 

Comment below if you would like to share your ideas with the Gangsta In Da Kitchen family!

Gangsta! Tortellini with Roasted Tomato Pesto Sauce

Gangsta! Tortellini with Roasted Tomato Pesto Sauce

Here is one of the items we can use my delicious, Gangsta! Roasted Tomato Pesto. I found it especially wonderful on Tortellini, but you can re-imagine using any pasta of your choice.

Sauce

½ Cup of Roasted Tomato Pesto

1 Cup Chicken Broth

2 Ounces of softened Cream Cheese

½ Cup Regular Whipping Cream

Prepare Tortellini according to the package directions.

In a sauce pan, combine the Pesto and chicken broth and stir over medium heat. When the liquids begin to heat up, add the cream cheese. Stir until melted into the sauce. Stir in whipping cream. Turn the

burner to low to keep the sauce warm.

Serve Tortellini with the sauce on top. 

Make it pretty! Add some grated parmesan and a sprig of basil to add interest.

Have you tried my Gangsta! Roasted Tomato Pesto? If so, tell me how you re-imagined it, or creative ways you have used this Pesto. 

Keep it Simple, Keep it Interesting and Keep it from the Heart. Even you can be a

Gangsta In Da Kitchen!

Gangsta! Roasted Tomato Pesto

Gangsta! Roasted Tomato Pesto

Normally when someone says Pesto, we think of the traditional Green Basil and Garlic. This recipe is based on Roasted Tomato and will be utilized in upcoming recipe blogs in different ways. 

This pesto is like a flavor explosion! Whip up a batch, taste it and see where your imagination takes you. I would love to hear how you use my recipes as well as any creative twists you put on them. Feel free to comment here, Google +,Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. I also have a Pinterest if you would like to Pin some Pinteresting Ideas! Search for GangstaInDaKitchen on all platforms and @Cookinglife14 on Twitter.

½ Red Onion

1 C Toasted Pine Nuts

1 C Parmesan cheese grated

5 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

¾ C. Olive or Corn Oil

7.5 Ounce Jar of Roasted Tomato

1 Tbsp. of Salt

1 Tbsp. of Black Pepper

1 Tbsp. of Sugar

1 Tbsp. chopped garlic

¼ C. Roasted Pepper strips

Puree all ingredients until it reaches a Pesto consistency. It is ok if it has a few chunks in it. 

This will be the basis for a sauce with Tortellini and for a breakfast bread bowl.

Come back and check out what I do with this Pesto!

Gangsta! Miami Chicken and Waffles

Gangsta! Miami Chicken and Waffles

Not long ago, I was amazed to find that my family had never had Chicken and Waffles. It is now a family favorite. 

In my quest to "Keep it Simple, Keep it Interesting, and Keep it from the Heart", I decided to put a 'Miami' spin on this dish by adding my wife's favorite new flavor, "Guava". 

We will be using a basic box mix for the waffles and adding some 'Gangsta' flair.

 Don't forget to view my videos on YouTube! Like and Subscribe. Leave a comment or a question, I can't wait to interact with you!

Gangsta In Da Kitchen

Ingredients:

Box waffle mix

Block of Guava Paste

6-8 Boneless, Skinless Chicken thighs

3 cups of Panko Bread Crumbs

3 cups of Flour

8 eggs

1/3 Cup Milk or buttermilk

4 Tbsp Water

Juice of 1/2 an orange

2 tbsp orange zest 

1/2 cup Water

2 cups of Milk for the Guava mix

Salt & Pepper to taste

Set up three bowls as a breading station. Add to the first bowl, the flour with Salt & pepper. Add to the second bowl, 8 eggs whipped with 4 Tbsp of water and 1/3 cups of milk. In the third bowl, add the panko bread crumbs. 

Cover the thighs in the flour mixture, then the egg, then the panko bread crumbs. Remember, life will be easier if you keep one hand for dry ingredients and the other for wet :)

Cook this in a deep fryer until golden brown. If you don't have a deep fryer, heat about an inch of oil in a large sauce pan and cook them in there until golden brown. 

Drain on a paper towel, then place in an oven safe pan and keep warm in the oven.

In a small sauce pan, melt half of the Guava Paste with 1/2 Cup of water, orange juice and 2 tbsp of Orange Zest. Add 2 cups of milk and mix until well incorporated. Use this milk to replace the liquid in the waffle mix instructions. You will most likely have left over guava milk, which you could drink if you wanted to.

Prepare the waffle mix, using the guava milk as the replacement liquid. Prepare the waffles on the waffle iron. 

Plate the waffle and top with the chicken. You can use your favorite syrup or mustard syrup.

Mustard syrup - Mix 1 tbsp dijon mustard, 2 tbsp orange juice, 5-10 dashes of hot sauce and syrup.

Hope you enjoy my 'Miami' version of Chicken and Waffles!

Gangsta! Red Velvet Tres Leche for Independence Day

Gangsta! Red Velvet Tres Leche for Independence Day

It's the 4th of July in the United States. This year we are doing a pot luck event and my wife suggested that I make a Red Velvet Tres Leche. She and her mom love this cake and I did it up Gangsta Style for the holiday!

This is a 'semi' homemade cake so we will use a box cake mix as the base and make it Gangsta-fied!

Ingredients

1 box of Red Velvet Cake Mix (I used Betty Crocker)

(prepare cake mix based on box instructions)

1 softened cream cheese block

 1 Can of Cream Cheese Frosting

1 each carton of Strawberries and Blueberries

1 Bag of Unsweetened Coconut flakes

Tres Leche Mix

1 Cup of half & half

1 Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 Can of Evaporated Milk

1 tbsp of Vanilla Extract

First we will prepare the Tres Leches mix so it can cool in the fridge while you make the cake. 

Add all ingredients- half & half, evaporated milk, condensed milk and vanilla extract to the blender. Blend until the milks look well incorporated and put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Prepare the Red Velvet Cake Mix following the instructions on the box, however, you will add the block of the softened cream cheese and mix for at least 15 minutes. Add twenty minutes baking time to the time listed on the box to accommodate this addition. Cake is ready when you put a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool for at least two hours.

With a fork poke the cake all over to allow extra space for the delicious milk to soak in. Pour the Tres Leche Mix all over the cake, cover with foil, and set in the fridge over night or at least six hours.

In the morning,  spread room temperature frosting across the top. Then sprinkle with coconut flakes. Decorate to your heart's desire with strawberries and blueberries. Keep in the fridge until party time!

Gangsta! Caldo Gallego

Caldo Gallego

This is a wonderfully easy soup based on Galician Soup which originates in Galicia, Spain. This is my family's 'Cuban' version with a twist - The Garcia Wedding Soup.

Don't forget to watch me make Caldo Gallego on YouTube:

Gangsta Caldo Gallego 

Ingredients:

4 cups of chicken stock
2 cups of water
4 links of Spanish Chorizo links sliced into rounds 
3 strips of thick cut bacon cut into small dices
3 cans of Cannellini Beans
2 cups of kale 
1 white onion. chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic,chopped
1 box of a small pasta
Salt to taste ( optional ) 

In your large soup pan, cook the Chorizo slices for a few minutes with the bacon. A pool of melted fat will form as it cooks. 

Add the onion, and bell pepper to the meat and cook until the onion become clear. Add the garlic.

Add the 3 cans of beans and stir into the meat and vegetable mixture. You want the beans to pick up the flavors of what is in the pan. 

Pour in the chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil.

After the liquid has begun to boil, add the box of pasta. Cook until pasta is tender. 

Add the Kale to the pot and cook until wilted. 

Enjoy!

Gangsta! Chocolate Espresso Ice Cream Cake

                                           Gangsta! Chocolate Espresso Ice Cream Cake

This May marks the second year married to my beautiful hard-working wife. We decided to have family over to celebrate 2 years as husband and wife. I wanted to make a special dessert and decided on a chocolate coffee ice cream cake. It celebrates foods my wife, my daughter, and I love.

I did have a little trouble finding the chocolate covered espresso beans as they were out at our local grocery store. We found them in the bulk section of the Fresh Market. It was a plus to find them there because I could purchase exactly the amount I needed and saved some change. If you cannot find them, Malted Chocolate Covered milk balls will do fine, I even used them with the beans!

With this recipe I am using a box cake and improving it. It's amazing what a little creativity can do to improve everyday food items. Depending on the cake mix you select, you may need other ingredients such as eggs or oil, please check the box.

For best results, make the cake and freeze it the day before you need it. And a spring form pan also makes creating this delicious beauty much easier.

Ingredients

1 box of Duncan Hines chocolate cake mix or German chocolate cake mix
15-20 chocolate covered espresso beans
1/2  cup chocolate covered malt balls (such as Whoppers), chopped in half
2 shots of espresso coffee
2 shots of your favorite rum
2 containers of your favorite chocolate or vanilla frosting
Small bag of chopped Walnuts
1 large bar of Hershey's chocolate (frozen so you can make chocolate shavings)

Our first step will be to prepare the cake, using the directions on the box. You will replace 1/4 cup of liquid with the two espresso shots. Bake according to package directions and cool.

While the cake is cooling you will want to soften your ice cream. After the cake has cooled to the touch, you will cut the cake through the middle to make two layers. Put the bottom layer back into the spring form pan. Add the ice cream on top of that layer, then place the top layer. Freeze for 24 hours.
 
Remember this cake is a semi home made cake it could take longer to firm up amd you will prepare your cake for frosting.

Ready to decorate! Blend the rum into your frosting. You will put a thin layer of frosting at first, then freeze it again for 6 hours, then place your second layer of  frosting.

Use the Walnuts, Whoppers, Espresso beans and shaved chocolate to decorate the cake. Put it back in the freezer until ready to serve. Let the cake thaw a few minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

*According to www.convertunits.com , there are 8 shots per cup. Therefore, if you need 2 shots and you don't have a shot glass, use 1/4 cup

Gangsta! Pork Chop Sandwiches with Cole Slaw

Gangsta! Pork Chop Sandwiches with Cole Slaw

Watch me in action on my Youtube Channel

Gangsta In Da Kitchen!

3 eggs
1 container of Panko Bread Crumbs
Hamburger Buns or Rolls of your Choice
6-8 Boneless Pork Chop


Gangsta! Cole Slaw
Gangsta! Guave BBQ sauce

Prepare the pork by placing them one by one in a large plastic bag and pound until they are about 1/2 inch thick.

Prepare a breaking station -

Station 1 - Flour, Salt & Pepper to taste    
Station 2 - Milk and eggs mixed
Station 3 - Bread Crumbs

Evenly flour the chop on both sides, dip in egg wash and then into the bread crumbs. 

Once you have all chops breaded put in the fridge covered for a least 4 hours no more the 6 hours.

You can deep fry or pan fry like in my show just make sure it's golden brown.

To make the sandwich you add the chop on top of the bread then the slaw and top off with the BBQ sauce.

Gangsta! Cole Slaw

 Gangsta! Cole Slaw

1 bag of Cole Slaw mix
1/3 a cup of regular vinegar
1/3 cup of butter milk
1/3 cup regular milk
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of salt

Mix vinegar, butter milk and regular milk, sugar, and salt.
Mix well until  sugar dissolves.
Then add to Cole slaw.
Mix well.
Refrigerate at least 6 hours up to 24 for best results.

Gangsta! Candied Pecan and Pear Salad

Gangsta! Candied Pecan and Pear Salad

Watch me make this delish salad on YouTube!

Candied Pecan Pear Salad

1/2 Cup of Pecan Halves

2 tsp Vegetable Oil

1/4 Tsp Salt

1/4 Cup of Pure Maple Syrup

Mixed Salad Greens of your choice
1 Ripe Pear, thinly sliced into bite size pieces

3 Tbsp of Olive Oil

2 Tsp of Redwine Vinegar

In a pan, heat the vegetable oil. Add Pecan Halves, salt and the maple syrup. Stir so that pecan halves are nicely coated. Allow the maple syrup to reduce, then remove pecans to cool.

In a cup, mix the Olive Oil and Red wine Vinegar. Pour the bag of washed greens in a bowl and toss with the Oil and Vinegar Mix. Top with pears and pecans.

Gangsta! Potato & Kale Enchilada Stacker

Gangsta! Potato & Kale Enchilada Stacker

Watch me make this Vegan Inspired Dish on my YouTube channel:

Gangsta Potato Kale Enchilada Stacker

1 Package Corn Tortillas
1 Can of your Favorite Enchilada Sauce (or homemade)
1 Lb of Potatoes (Yukon Gold) - should be a Waxy Variety - Peeled and cubed
1/2 Lb of Kale, washed, trimmed, and finely chopped

3 TBSP Olive Oil
1 TBSP chopped Garlic
1/2 TSP Ground Cumin
1/4 C. of Vegetable Stock
Optional - 1/2 C of Cheddar Cheese or Mozarella

Boil potatoes until fork tender and drain.
In a pan, sautee the Kale until slightly wilted

Put 3/4 of the potatoes in a bowl with the Vegetable stock and mash well. Add the remaining potatoes and mash coarsely. Add the Kale and mix.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a frying pan with Olive Oil. While it is heating, add a small amount of Enchilada sauce to the bottom of your baking pan. Pour some of the sauce into a bowl. Dip one tortilla at a time on both sides and pan fry lightly.

This is where you will begin stacking your ingredients. One layer of tortilla, layer of potato mixture, another layer of tortilla, until you have used up the potato mixture. Pour any remaining enchilada sauce over the top. If you are using cheese, put a generous layer of cheese across the top. 

Cover and Bake stacker for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Gangsta! Stuffed Shells

Gangsta! Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

1/2 of soften cream cheese

1/2 cup of marscapone cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning

One box of large shells cooked to box instructions

1/2 a cup of mozzarella cheese, (for topping not filling)

1 jar of Tomato Sauce, preferred Garlic and onions

 Preheat oven to 325.

Mix cheese, except for mozzarella, with herbs and let it sit for 20 minute while you are cooking the shells. 

Pour 1 Cup of Tomato Sauce to the bottom of your baking pan. Stuff the shells with the cheese mixture and arrange in your pan. Add 1 to 2 cups of sauce on top,  then sprinkle the mozzarella.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minute then take the cover off and bake for 15 minute more.

Gangsta! Marinade for my Smoked & Grilled Chicken

Gangsta! Marinade

In my Youtube episode - Smoking and Grillin'- I promised the recipe for the marinade I used. Please remember to check out my videos and subscribe so you can be notified every time I upload a video with a new delicious dish for you to try at home. Just look at that sexy, sexy chicken.

 

Mix the following ingredients together in a sauce pan

1 gallon of water

2 cups of sugar 

1/2 tablespoon of salt 

1/3 tablespoon of Jalapeno, ground

3 tablespoon of Paprika

Bring the mixture to a boil in a sauce pan. 

After it reaches a boil, cool it down with ice. 

Place your chicken in a large bowl and pour mixture over it. 

Cover with foil.

Allow to marinate overnight. 

Gangsta! Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding

Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding

Delicious Bread Pudding can be made from many types of breads resulting in a great amount of tasty recipes from sweet to savory. All it takes is a little imagination. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts are the base of this Bread Pudding. You can make this from any glazed doughnut, this brand just has a lovely texture.

 Ingredients:
1 box of 12 Doughnuts - cut each doughnut into 4 pieces
1 whole Apple peeled, cored. and diced
1 can of diced Pineapple
1 cup of dried Cranberries
1 tablespoon of Vanilla
1 cup of Cream
1cup of Unsweetened Condensed Milk
1 can of Condensed Milk
6 Eggs

Preheat oven to 350

In one bowl mix the vanilla, the milks, and eggs. Mix in the fruit and the doughnuts.  Mash them a bit and leave it on the counter for 30 minutes. Add it to a baking pan an bake it 40 to 60 minute and until top is golden brown

Gangsta! Fajita Steak Dinner with Savory Bread Pudding

Fajita Steak Dinner with Savory Bread Pudding

The Gangsta is Back! Sadly over the last month, the Gangsta family has battled a most horrible flu virus and we are just getting back into the swing of things. I am working on several new ideas, some of which will be exclusively for this blog, so Stay Tuned!

I saw my wife make a face when I told her I was going to make a Savory Bread Pudding. She was open to the idea, but concerned about what's that gonna taste like. She was pleasantly surprised when she tasted this delicious side dish - similar to a stuffing with the slightly crispy fajita steaks. The whole family gave it a thumbs UP!

Our return video is available now on our YouTube Channel. Click the link below to watch me make a version this fantastic Dish.

Gangsta! Fajita Steak Dinner with Savory Bread Pudding

For the Fajita Steaks:

1 Package of Fajita Steaks

1 each of green, yellow and red bell peppers, sliced

1/2 cup of Beef Stock or Beef Bouillon

1 TBSP of chopped garlic

1 Onion sliced or chopped

1-2 cups of Broccoli Rabe or Kale (stems removed and rough chopped)

1/3 Cup Red Wine Vinegar

Corn Starch

For Bread Pudding:

6 Eggs

1 Cup of Milk

1 Cup of Whipping Cream or Half & Half

1 Cup Manchego Cheese, grated

1 Cup Gruyer Cheese, grated

1 tsp each of Sage, Oregano and powdered garlic

3 Cups of Cubed Bread of your choice

We will start with the Bread Pudding first as it take longer to prepare:

Pre-heat the oven to350 degrees

In a bowl, mix all the eggs, milk, and cream

In another bowl, place the cubed bread, and toss in the herbs and cheese

Add the liquid mixture to the bread mixture, and combine by gently tossing the ingredients with your hands or a spoon.

Let the mixture stand for 30 minutes to absorb all the yummy goodness

Put mixture in a 4x4 pan and bake for an hour.

 

For the Steaks:

Lightly coat the fajita steaks in Corn Starch. This will give the steaks its crispy coating.

Pan fry until browned

Remove Steaks from the pan and use same pan to sautee the peppers, onion, and chopped garlic. When the onions are slightly translucent, add the broccoli rabe or kale to the pan for about 5 minutes and sautee with the red wine vinegar and beef stock

Add the steak back to the pan for a few minutes to warm.

Plate and enjoy!

On my video I used only green peppers, but multiple colored peppers will liven up your dish.

You can also alter the types of cheese to your own taste. Use your imagination, and feel free to experiment. I hope you enjoy this recipe. 

Keep it simple, Keep it interesting, and always keep it from the heart, and even you, can be a Gangsta in Da Kitchen!