Recipe #87 - Keto Mac & Cheese

 Yes, you can make a version of mac and cheese and still be in the keto range of diet.

1 head cauliflower, trimmed and broken into bite size pieces

1 Tbsp. olive oil 

6 oz. Kaizen fusilli keto pasta

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 tsp garlic salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Toss the cauliflower bites with the olive oil in a large bowl and put on a small sheet tray lined with foil. Put in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. 

Put liquid dairy ingredients in a large saucepan and bring up to 150 degrees, then add the cheeses. Whisk until the cheese is fully melted.

Meanwhile, roast the cauliflower for another 10 minutes or so until it's fully roasted and soft. Cook the pasta until done and drain it, saving the pasta water by 1/2 cup.

In a large bowl, combine the caulifllower, pasta and sauce, adding pasta water as needed to smooth out the sauce.

Pour the mixture into a baking dish that's been treated with cooking spray. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes; check the interior temp to make sure it's 165 degrees.

In Praise of Great Films - The Films of Quentin Tarantino

 Quentin Tarantino has been a writer and director of some of the most notable films over the past third of a century, for which he's won two Oscars and nominated for six more.

In this author's opinion, he's one of the most talented people to make a mark on cinema during that time. Starting with Pulp Fiction, and most recently Once Upon a Time in ... in Hollywood, his scripts and direction have been spot-on and very unique.

Reservoir Dogs was raw and vicious and hard to watch for some, but it was also very clever in its character development and plot. It marked a very strong debut for a writer/director who would go on to a remarkable career.

Then there was Pulp Fiction, which was hailed as one of the best movies of 1994.  Which it was! The non-linear plot, the fantastic cast, the intricate script were all fantastic. I've watched it many times over the years and regard it as one of the best films of its type ever. Only thing is, what type of film is it, really?

Tarantion's Kill Bill movies were adored by many, just not by me. That doesn't mean they weren't well done, just that I'm not into martial arts flicks.

Then came Inglorious Bastards, a triumph for Tarantino, Pitt and a then-unknown Christoph Waltz (who won an Oscar for the role). Extremely well written and directed, and notable for how they altered history by having Hitler gunned down in a movie theater lobby.

The Hateful Eight is, sad to say, the one Tarantino movie I still haven't seen. I'll get to it, I promise!

That brings us to Once Upon a Time ...  in Hollywood. Upon multiple viewings, I now think this is my favorite Tarantino flick yet. Why? Several reasons. It's a great script, has wonderful performances from some of the most talented people in movies, and its production design is first rate. But also consider the small and intimate scenes that reverberate big-time. The scene with Leonardo DiCaprio and Julia Butters is amazing, as well as the bit with Brad Pitt and Margaret Qualley. And as with Inglorious Basterds, Tarantino subverts history by altering it when the heroes from the movie prevent the Manson Family murders by slaughtering the Manson freaks themselves.

Overall, I consider Quentin Tarantino one of my favorite filmmakers of all time. 

Recipe #86 - Keto Cheddar Biscuits

 Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. melted butter

2 Tbsp. sour cream

2 beaten eggs

1 cup almond flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Combine butter; sour cream and eggs in a bowl. Combine almond flour, baking powder, salt and cheese in a separate bowl. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together and mix well. Scoop 1/4 cup amounts onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake for 12-14 minutes.

Recipe #85 - Keto Sheet Pan Jambalaya

 6 ounces vegetarian spicy sausage, diced

1 yellow onion, peeled and diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. cajun or creole seasoning

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 lb. cauliflower rice

Salt and pepper

8 ounces thawed shrimp

2 Tbsp. melted butter

Toss the veggie sausage, onions and peppers in oil and seasoning and spread on a sheet tray lined with foil or parchment paper. Roast in the oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and toss with tomato paste and cauliflower rice and bake in the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and spread shrimp across the top and drizzle with melted butter. Put back in oven and cook for 5-10 minutes more until shrimp are just cooked through. 

Recipe #84 - Green Shakshuka

 We've experimented with shakshuka recipes over the years, and this one is a winner.

2 lb. tomatillos

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 tsp ground cumin

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and pith removed and chopped

1 poblano pepper, roughly chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

6 eggs

1/2 cup cotija or other Mexican cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

Put tomatillos, onion and peppers on a sheet tray and broil in the oven for about 10 minutes until blistered and soft. Put in a blender or food processor  and buzz up until smooth

Put the blended mixture in a saute pan along with garlic, herbs and spices and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Make indentations with a rounded spoon and crack eggs into the craters. Cover the pan and simmer for approximately 6 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.

Serve with sour cream, cheese, fresh cilantro leaves and sprinkled latin spices as desired. Serve with warm pita or tortillas.

Recipe #83 - Cauliflower Pizza Crust

We've been doing the keto thing for about 4-5 years now, and this is a recipe that fits perfectly with that diet. Mark got this recipe from co-worker Jaime Atkinson (scribbled on a sticky note, no less), so full credit to her!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups cauliflower rice (we get ours usually in 1# bags at Costco)

2 cups shredded mozzarella

2 whole eggs

PROCEDURE:

Preheat oven to 350. 

Cut parchment paper to line a large round pizza pan or sheet tray.

Fluff cauliflower and cheese in a large bowl and make a crater in the middle. Break eggs into crater and beat. Fold eggs and cauliflower/cheese mixture together. Press mix down on parchment paper , closing any gaps and pressing to the edges of the pan.

Bake for 15 minutes. Flip and bake for another 15 minutes for a crispier crust. Let cool for 15 minutes before dressing for pizza.  Go light on the sauce.

Check Out "Practically Absurd"

 Back in the mid-1980's, Mark DuMond dabbled in comedy ... big time. In 1986, he co-produced, co-wrote and co-starred in a weekly comedy show (The Mr. Mike Show) that came on immediately after Saturday Night Live on the NBC affiliate station in Anchorage, Alaska (KTUU).

After that, the team that did the Mr. Mike Show put together a pilot comedy show that we called "Practically Absurd." No, it never went anywhere as a thing, but we just got it put online. Check it out on YouTube.