Hot Cocoa Cookies

As an aspiring chef or baker or whatever I am, I end up making a lot of desserts. And why not? Dessert is as tasty as it is popular, and there are so many to choose from! This time I was in the mood for cookies, since I had yet to post any cookies here in Screw Your Diet. Not just any cookies, though. These cookies are like a cup of rich hot chocolate topped with marshmallows, and they will blow your mind.

Mongolian Style Grilled Porkchops

When it comes to pork products, I mostly tend to stick with what I know best – bacon. This time, however, I decided to grill myself some porkchops. As you can see from some of my previous posts, I’m a particular fan of Asian style rubs and sauces, so when I happened upon a recipe for Mongolian style porkchops and dipping sauce, I knew I had just hit pay dirt. I’ve never been to Mongolia, and have probably never eaten anything authentically Mongolian, so my frame of reference is limited. Sure made for some tasty chops, though!

Mascarpone and Chocolate Ganache Brownies

Brownies are one of those timeless, quintessential dessert items that no household should be without. There are so many different ways to make them that it’s easy to find a recipe to suit almost any taste. I’ve been on a bit of a mascarpone cheese kick lately after discovering how delicious it could be, so I went and found a brownie recipe that would make use of it as well.

I expected a decent batch of brownies out of it, but what I didn’t expect was something so rich, decadent, and almost fudge-like, though not overpoweringly sweet. It may look almost exactly like the chocolate cake I posted previously, but we’re dealing with a whole other class of dessert here.

Smokin’ Scovilles Turkey Chili

The summer time may not be the most ideal time of year to eat chili, but I’ll be damned if that’s ever really stopped me. I’ve been enjoying chili ever since I was a kid, and as I grew older, I wanted it progressively spicier. So with a slab of ground turkey in hand, I set out to make chili for myself, preferably with enough heat to make me sweat while eating it. I’m happy to report my mission was a success. This recipe is not for the faint of heart, but it sure is tasty!

Scottish Farmhouse Eggs

Eggs. You can do about a million things with them. In any quest for breakfast, they’re pretty much an essential ingredient. But instead of poaching, hard boiling, scrambling, etc., I wanted to try something a little different this time. So I scoured the internet and happened upon something interesting – Scottish Farmhouse Eggs. This ridiculously simple recipe makes a great family breakfast or brunch item, and even the most novice of chefs can put it together quickly and easily.

Strawberry and Mascarpone Swiss Roll

For my latest baking adventure, I wanted to try something a little different, and preferably a little easier than a fruit pie. When I stumbled upon a picture of a delicious looking strawberry Swiss roll, however, I knew. It was love at first sight, I didn’t care whether or not it was simpler to make than a pie, I only knew I had to have it.

It called for a couple of ingredients I don’t typically keep on hand, however – mascarpone cheese and Marsala wine – so after a quick trip to the market, I set about the task of creating that glorious dessert you see above. It’s not especially difficult, but it definitely requires a bit of…finesse.

Blackened Ahi Tuna on Stir Fried Buckwheat Soba Noodles

So, let me begin this post by saying I’m not a huge fan of cooked fish these days. I used to love the stuff – salmon, halibut, tilapia, etc., - I loved it all. Over time, however, I grew less fond of cooked fish and more fond of sushi, which, of course, is typically raw. There is one fish, however, that boldly straddles the line between cooked and raw with grace and style. That’s right, I’m talking about tuna.

Tuna is an incredibly versatile fish, and I enjoy it both cooked and raw. What I’ve found recently though, is that tuna is even better seared – cooked on the outside, rare on the inside. Truly the best of both worlds! I’ve seared my fair share of tuna steaks in my time, both ahi and albacore, and I have to say, this is my favorite recipe yet. Try it and I’m sure you’ll agree!

Mixed Fruit Pie

Pie. Who doesn't love a good pie? Fruit, pumpkin, buttermilk, pecan - you name it, and if it's contained within a pie crust, I'll eat it. I decided it was time to take on the daunting task of creating a pie of my own, having never attempted to make one before now. After rummaging through the cabinets and the fridge, I decided on mixed fruit, since that's what I happened to have laying around. I made it work, and you can, too, so check out the recipe down below.

Spicy Beef Bulgogi

For dinner tonight, I thought I'd try something a little different. With a 2 pound flank steak in hand, I set myself to the task of locating something delicious to do with it - preferably something I'd never tried before. What I found was beef bulgogi, a Korean dish that CNN Go named as #23 on their list of the world's top 50 most delicious foods.

Intrigued as I am by most things involving beef, bulgogi seemed like the right choice. I served it on a bed of sticky rice and a bit of greenery, and I'm happy to report that it is, in fact, quite delicious, so here's how I made mine.

Easy, Light, Chocolate Cake

So I know this blog is called Screw Your Diet, but I did say that at least every once and a while, I would post something relatively healthy. I don't know how often that will actually happen, or if there will even be any regularity to the healthier stuff, but I'm sure I'll come up with a plan at some point.

Anyway, for my first healthy-ish recipe here on SYD, I've chosen a light and moist, almost spongy chocolate cake with a cream cheese based frosting. I mean, it's still a chocolate cake, but it's not particularly rich and won't fill you up the way something like cinnamon sugar pull apart bread might do. The original recipe called for espresso powder, making this a mocha cake, but seeing as how I didn't have any on hand, it's just chocolate.

Spaghetti Bread

Happy father's day, everyone. While I don't have children of my own, I thought I'd share a recipe today that kids and parents alike are sure to enjoy - it's called spaghetti bread, and if you think that picture is blowing your mind, just wait till you taste it! It's a unique and interesting concoction that can be enjoyed on its own as the main course, or as a side dish to something like steak or meatballs. It's a relatively tricky recipe, but well worth the effort, I assure you! You'll never look at spaghetti or garlic bread the same way again.

Spicy Cheddar Beer Bread

Beer bread is one of the first recipes I tried when I started getting familiar with cooking and baking. It's simple to make, ridiculously tasty, and works well both on its own and as a sandwich bread. It's also the second best use for beer that I know of! As the name implies, it's also fairly spicy, but not in a way that overpowers the flavor of the bread. One thing you'll soon notice is that I love spicy foods, so I'll give pretty much everything an extra kick when I can.

Crispy Shrimp Tacos and Peach Salsa

For dinner tonight, I turned to the ocean's most reliable and endlessly versatile crustacean - shrimp! I knew seafood would be the meal of choice tonight, and in my search for meal ideas I happened upon a recipe for crispy shrimp tacos. And what a recipe it turned out to be, let me tell you! The shrimp was spicy and crispy, just the way I like it, and topped with a homemade peach salsa, and cilantro, to really seal the deal. I know you want to try them yourself, so here's how to make them.

Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread

As this blog is titled Screw Your Diet, I figured I'd want to set a precedent for this nice and early. So to get things started, I've got a recipe for the delicious Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart bread you see above. Sometimes referred to as Monkey Bread and resembling a sweet, sugary Shar-Pei, it's actually fairly easy to put together so long as you have the time and patience to let your dough rise a bit. Head on past the page break to get the recipe, or just continue to ogle the picture. Your choice!

Welcome to Screw Your Diet

Hello everyone, and welcome to my brand new food blog, Screw Your Diet. I'm fairly new to cooking, though I've discovered I have sort of a natural eye for picking good recipes and putting them together the right way on the first attempt, so I've made this blog to document my successes and even my failures.

I'll be making at least semi-regular updates showcasing the food I've been making as well as including recipes. As the blog title suggests, most of this is going to be food that would throw off all but the most forgiving of diet plans, but I'll likely throw in something healthy every now and then. So stay tuned, subscribe, and get hungry!