JB’s Chicken Salad

Posted on December 2, 2010 by tasteofstmu

JB’s Chicken Salad by JB Bolgren
Story and Photo by Oscar Maguregui

JB Bolgren, senior political science major, has prepared a low calorie dish that is easy to make and delicious to eat.

Bolgren has many aspirations. After graduating from St. Mary’s in 2011, he hopes to “attend graduate school and acquire my master’s degree in public administration, and, if there is time, go to culinary school,” he says.

At St. Mary’s, Bolgren is involved with many organizations including Lambda Chi Alpha and the music department.

“I really enjoy the small, close-knit community of St. Mary’s where everybody knows your name,” says Bolgren.

When it comes to cooking, Bolgren’s favorite foods are macaroni and cheese, cheese cake, salad, bread, popcorn, and any and all types of Italian food. He finds that cooking not only is a great way to relieve stress, but also to stay in shape, especially when running around the kitchen trying to find ingredients.

“My favorite chefs are Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagassi. Emeril is great at cooking Italian food and I do love Italian food. As for Bobby Flay, he has good recipes for all around good means,” he says.

One dish that Bolgren enjoys preparing is his salad and chicken because “it is very easy to make, it is delicious, and it is also a great dish to make for people who are on a diet.”

He gives some tips on preparing his dish, saying, “Make sure not to overcook the chicken and, if you are not too fond of onions, don’t overload the pan when you sauté the chicken.”

Ingredients

  • 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 medium white onion
  • 4 cloves of fresh garlic
  • 2 T of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 T of salt
  • 1 T of pepper
  • 1/2 T of garlic powder
  • 1/2 T of onion powder
  • 2 T of Mrs. Dash table blend
  • 1 c of cooking sherry
  • 1 head of romaine lettuce
  • 1 cucumber (sliced)
  • 1 carrot (shredded)
  • 1/4 c of red cabbage
  • 8 cherry tomatoes (halved)
  • 2 T of your favorite dressing

Prep time: 20 minutes. Cooking time: 25 minutes. Serves: 2.

Directions

Pour olive oil into the pan and place heat on high. Once pan is hot, place the chicken breasts on the pan and sear chicken for 2 minutes on high until lightly brown. Add onion, garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and Mrs. Dash blend) and cook for 8 minutes. Reduce to medium heat, add cooking and sherry cook for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for remaining five minutes.

Plating:

Place lettuce around edge of plate and leave center open. Put chicken in center. Place tomatoes and cucumbers around edge of dish; sprinkle carrots and red cabbage over top, then drizzle salad dressing over the dish.

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Jessica’s Shrimp Scampi

Posted on December 2, 2010 by robinjeanjohnson

Jessica’s Shrimp Scampi by Jessica Johnson
Story and Photo by Robin Johnson

Chef Jessica Johnson, graduate industrial engineering student at St. Mary’s University, has made an educational and soon professional career out of a love for numbers, equations and anything and everything having to do with engineering. However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist-or engineer-to solve a hunger problem with one of Johnson’s favorite, and easiest, dishes: Jessica’s Shrimp Scampi.

Besides calculators and crunching numbers, Johnson loves one food above all else: pasta.  “My favorite place to eat pasta is Olive Garden; I’ve been going there ever since I can remember,” says Johnson.

With a childhood of pasta memories and a noted Italian restaurant as her inspiration, Johnson names her shrimp scampi as her favorite dish.

“I really like shrimp and pasta, so I would say it’s the perfect combination of the two. It’s also really easy to make,” Johnson says.

Just as she has recreated her favorite dish out of past delightful experiences at Olive Garden, Johnson plans to recreate her successful education experience and pass her love of math and engineering on to others in the same place it started, St. Mary’s.

“I would like to teach at St. Mary’s because I like the student/teacher ratio because it creates a better learning environment and I can connect more with the students,” says Johnson.

Johnson also likes the personalized atmosphere of her education.

“[My favorite thing about St. Mary’s is] that it’s small, and everybody’s really nice.  It makes me feel like a person and not just a number in the student body” Johnson says.

Johnson has created a formula for her happiness that requires a personalized, pleasant, and sometimes delicious experience in many areas of her life. In her downtime of long division, fractions and differential equations, Johnson enjoys a different type of ‘A’ grade in the form of the sizzling, lemon zesty Jessica’s Shrimp Scampi.

In creating this refreshing dish with the splash of lemon, Johnson has some extra credit tips for its preparation.

In boiling the linguine, she suggests eating one of the noodles before draining and adding them to the dish to make sure they are completely cooked as well as pouring a cap full of vegetable oil to the water to help it boil faster before adding the linguine.

The mathematical guru notes the easiest way to zest a lemon is to use a cheese grater and to flip the shrimp over frequently while sautéing for even pinkness.

Whether it’s solving equations or appetites, Chef Jessica Johnson always cooks up the right solution.

Ingredients

  • Vegetable oil
  • 1 T kosher salt plus 1 1/2 tsp
  • 3/4 lb linguine
  • 3 T unsalted butter
  • 2 1/2 T good olive oil
  • 1 1/2 Tminced garlic (4 cloves)
  • 1 lb large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 c chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/2 lemon, zest grated
  • 1/4 c freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
  • 1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds

Directions
Pour one cap full of vegetable oil and a pinch of salt to water for quicker boiling time, add linguine to boiling water and boil for 7 to 10 minutes, remove from heat and drain. While the pasta is boiling, melt the unsalted better and add olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and carefully sauté for 1 minute. Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and sauté shrimp for 5 minutes until they start to pink, stirring frequently. Remove shrimp from heat and add the parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice and toss until well blended. Add linguine to zesty shrimp and toss until well blended. Serve and enjoy. Serves: 3  Prep Time: 15 min

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Tropical Pineapple Cupcakes with Citrus Cream Frosting

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Denice Hernandez

Tropical Pineapple Cupcakes with Citrus Cream Frosting
Story and Photo by Denice Hernandez

A genuine love for food, a sweet tooth and a curious desire to try new desserts is all it takes to turn an ordinary chef into a cupcake fanatic.

Ari Rivera graduated from St. Mary’s University with a bachelor’s degree in English-communication arts, and is currently pursuing her second degree in forensic science.

“I would like to get into serology, pathology, or even research. I would really like to get into that and open up a bakery later in life,” she says.

From an early age, Rivera began exploring the world of baking with her mother and sister, and her love for oven treats has been growing ever since.

“I remember my favorite being pecan pie. My mom had me make it every thanksgiving since I was 12 I think,” she says. “My mom showed me different recipes and my sister has always been supportive of my cupcake love.”

In fact, Rivera’s recently perfected dish, tropical pineapple cupcakes with citrus cream frosting, was created from a recipe she selected from a cupcake book given to her by her sister.
Rivera brought baking back into her life after being inspired by a feature film she saw some years ago.

“My passion for baking was left on the back burner for a really long time, until 2007 when I watched Stranger than Fiction. I loved Maggie Gyllenhaal’s character and I realized, I definitely want to own a bakery like her one day,” says the aspiring pastry chef.

Although cupcakes and science seem to be worlds apart, Rivera says baking is a scientific process.

“It is scientific—the way chemicals, ingredients and flavors come together,” she says. Getting proportions right is often the most challenging part of the baking process, she added.

According to Rivera, the best part of a cupcake is, simply, the cake.

“So many times a cupcake is merely used as a vehicle for frosting that is often too sweet,” she says. “I prefer to focus on the quality of the cake in moisture and flavor and having frosting that tastes like more than just sugar.”

Spicy Asian foods are also a favorite of the cupcake chef.

Rivera says she enjoys the nurturing and feminine aspects of baking, but she also loves the art of making a mess.

The cupcake enthusiast admits to a couple of kitchen blunders in the past.

“I have spilled more mixes than I would like to admit,” the pastry chef says with a grin.

“I have even dropped completed pies outside. It was not funny at the time, but now I can look back and laugh.”

Rivera encourages beginners to have a sense of humor when learning how to bake, and most importantly, dare to experiment.

“You have to try new things all the time if you are going broaden your horizons. Take a recipe and give it a twist, you might be surprised!”

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

  • 2 slices canned pineapple in juice
  • 6 tsp butter
  • 3/8 c superfine sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 5/8 c self-rising flour
  • 1 T pineapple juice

Frosting:

  • 2 T butter
  • 3/8 c cream cheese
  • 1 c confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tsp lemon or lime juice

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Directions
First, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place twelve cupcake papers in a muffin pan. Then, finely chop pineapple slices and set aside. In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar and beat together until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in the egg. Add the flour to the mix and, using a large metal spoon, fold all the ingredients in the mix. Next, fold in the pineapple and pineapple juice. Finally, Spoon the batter into the paper cases. While cupcakes are baking, prepare the frosting. Mix the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Then sift confectioners’ sugar into the mix and beat it all together; gradually beat in the juice from the lemon. Let the cupcakes cool before applying frosting. Once frosted, store cupcakes in refrigerator and serve cool.

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Spaghetti

Posted on December 1, 2010 by emilyscruggs

Spaghetti by Analicia Perez
Videography and Production by Emily Scruggs

St. Mary’s University student Analicia Perez prepares a spaghetti dinner and reflects on her love of cooking.

Ingredients

  • bay leaves
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • hamburger meat
  • tomato sauce
  • spaghetti noodles
  • mushrooms
  • onions
  • bell peppers
  • garlic

Directions

Chop onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and garlic finely. Boil water, sprinkling in a pinch of salt. Saute chopped vegetables in olive oil. Saute meat, breaking up all chunks. Put noodles in boiling water to soften. Add meat and sauteed vegetables to pot of tomato sauce and let mixture heat up. Add bay leaves to sauce mixture. When noodles are soft, drain in strainer and place in bowl or on plate. Pour sauce over noodles. Serve in the company of bread and salad.

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Tortilla Chips and Queso

Posted on December 1, 2010 by tasteofstmu

Tortilla Chips and Queso by Mireya Mata
Videography and Production by William Oulvey

In this video, watch and listen as Mireya Mata, alumna of St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, shows us how to make Tortilla Chips and Queso without using animal products. You can make this dish yourself by using the following recipe:

Ingredients for Tortilla Chips

  • 12 corn tortillas
  • Non-stick spray
  • Sea salt (optional)

Directions

Spread the tortilla wedges in a single layer on the sheet. Spray tortillas lightly with non-stick spray. Bake tortillas until lightly brown, approximately 10-12 minutes (watch carefully as ovens vary). Sprinkle with salt if desired. Repeat steps for the remaining 6 tortillas.

Ingredients for Vegan Queso (Cheese)

  • 2 tablespoons shallots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup red or yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • ¼ cup carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1/3 cup onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup of water
  • ¼ cup raw cashews
  • ¼ cup vegan butter (Earth Balance)
  • 1-2 teaspoons sea salt to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 can Rotel (Diced tomatoes and green chilies)

Note: You will not use the whole can just add enough to desired amount of spiciness!

Directions

In a saucepan, add shallots, potatoes, carrots, onions and water and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. In a blender, process the cashews, salt, garlic, vegan butter, mustard and lemon juice. Add softened vegetables and the cooking water to the blender and process until smooth. Add as much Rotel as you like depending on how spicy you like it. Start with 2 tablespoons and increase to desired amount. Serve with baked tortilla chips for Chips and Queso or add toppings such as refried beans, Smart Ground (vegan ground beef), tomatoes, guacamole, Tofutti Sour Cream, black olives etc. for nachos.

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Vegan Pancakes

Posted on December 1, 2010 by tasteofstmu

Vegan Pancakes by Avery Saenz
Videography and Production by Matthew Rodriguez

Avery Saenz, a senior communications arts student at St. Mary’s University, cooks a lot of her meals with easier recipes. However, she doesn’t use eggs or milk for her meals, not even pancakes because she follows a vegan lifestyle.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1 tbsp of sugar
  • 1/8 tsp of salt
  • 1 cup of soy milk
  • 2 tbsp of vegetable oil

Directions

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl until well-mixed. Mix in the soy milk and oil and beat together until batter is smooth. Drop 1/4 cup of batter at a time onto a hot-oiled griddle, or well-greased frying pan over medium high heat. When bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake, at approximately 3 minutes, flip  and cook the other side for another two minutes.

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Pasta Sauce

Posted on December 1, 2010 by tasteofstmu

Pasta Sauce by Jason Todd
Videography and Production by Erica Leal

Check out the interview I had with Jason Todd, a St. Mary’s Law alumnus. He explains his passion for cooking as well as the story behind his Pasta Sauce.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup of olive oil
  • 8 cloves of garlic
  • 3 29-oz cans of tomato sauce
  • 1 6-oz can of tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon of basil
  • 1.5 teaspoon of oregano
  • .5 teaspoon of cayenne
  • 1 cup of Parmesan
  • ¼ teaspoon of baking soda

Directions
Add ½ cup olive oil and 8 cloves of garlic to large pan. Cook garlic until it is light brown. If it becomes burnt start over as it will change the taste of the sauce drastically. Add 3 29-ounce cans of tomato sauce and 1 six-ounce can tomato paste to garlic and oil mixture. Stir to combine. Taste to get idea of how it should taste at this point. Add 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1½ teaspoon dried oregano, and ½ teaspoon cayenne to sauce. Stir to combine. Taste to get idea of how it should taste at this point. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to allow sauce to simmer. Cover with splashguard (a screen that covers the top of the pot). Cook for approximately 1 to 1½ hours. The sauce should reduce by almost ¼ and a skin/sheen will form on top. Taste to get idea of how it should taste at this point. Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Add ¼ teaspoon baking soda and stir. Sauce will foam as the acid in the tomatoes is released. This is essential for the sauce. Taste to get idea of how it should taste at this point. Add salt and pepper to taste. Eat with pasta and great bread.

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Dolmades

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Chrystalla Georghiou

Domaldes by Costas and Jane Georghiou
Videography and Production by Chrystalla Georghiou

Costas and Jane Georghiou are parents to Chrystalla Georghiou who is a student at St. Mary’s. Each one of them has learned to cook through watching and helping their parents and grandparents. Both consider cooking to be something that can hold a family together.

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lbs of ground meat (can be any meat, we used 1 lb lamb and 1.5 lbs bison)
  • 40-50 fresh grape leaves or 1 jar grape leaves
  • 1 medium onion
  • ½ cup rice
  • 2 lemons
  • Mint
  • Parsley
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Olive oil
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 can crashed tomatoes
  • 1 cube vegetable or chicken bouillon (Maggi preferred)

Directions

Chop the onion, tomato and parsley. Mix the meat, rice, chopped onion, tomato and parsley in a mixing bowl. Add salt, pepper, mint, juice from one lemon and little olive oil. Mix ingredients by hand until ingredients are well mixed.

On a flat plate, place leaves flat, one at a time and put some of the mixture on it. Roll part of leaves around the meat and place in pot keeping each dolma tight to each other. Put some leaves flat at bottom of pan before placing completed dolmades in pot.

After all meat is used, add a can of crashed tomatoes to pot and some water but avoid covering with dolmades with water. Dissolve the bouillon in warm water and add to pot. Add the juice of the second lemon and some more olive oil. Place a plate in the pot to keep dolmades from lifting when cooking. Cover and cook on low heat for 45 minutes. Leave sitting in pot for 1 hour before serving.

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Turtle Brownies

Posted on December 1, 2010 by tasteofstmu

Turtle Brownies by Bianca Martinez
Videography and Production by Loriann Garses

Bianca Martinez is a senior at St. Mary’s University and will be graduating in May. She learned to cook at a very young age by watching and helping her mom in the kitchen. Bianca’s favorite thing to make is Ghiradelli Turtle Brownies.

Ingredients

  • 1 box (18.5  ounces) Ghirardelli Brownie Mix, Caramel Turtle
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine brownie mix, water, oil and egg in a large mixing bowl and stir at medium speed until well blended. Lightly grease the bottom of an 8×8 pan, then pour brownie mix into the pan. Take the pouch of caramel topping and squeeze caramel on to the top of the brownie mix in 5 horizontal rows. Then take a knife and pull the end of the knife vertically across the 5 previous horizontal rows. Bake brownies at 350 degrees for 38-42 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes before eating.

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Chicken Tacos

Posted on December 1, 2010 by dreneediaz

Chicken Tacos by Valerie Mancias
Videography and Production by Darlene Diaz

Valerie Mancias had continued the tradition of making her moms chicken tacos by sharing them with her best friends. These easy to make, mouth watering tacos are an easy, fast and enjoyable meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 rotisserie pre-made chicken
  • 1 Roma tomato
  • 1 yellow onion
  • several limes
  • corn tortillas

Directions

Peel the chicken and shred it into tiny pieces getting rid of he skin of the chicken. Squeeze lime juice on the chicken once it is shredded so that it soaks up the lime juice. Meanwhile preheat the skillet and sauté the onions. After one minute add the tomato and chicken. Combine all ingredients in the skillet for approximately 5 minutes then serve onve tortillas have been heated.

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