Easy

Scotch BBQ

Scotch BBQ
Serves 1

Sometimes you need to try something new for an occasional cocktail. The successful life is all about making good choices, a topic that is common in my podcast, Make Your Someday Today.

2 ounce blended Scotch (do not use a high-end single malt for this)
1/2 ounce real maple syrup
1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

  1. Add to mixing cup with ice. Shake until cold. Serve in a rocks glass over fresh ice. 
  2. Optional: add 1-2 drops Sriracha or Tabasco sauce.
A strong cocktail, but different than most. Despite the maple syrup, it is not sweet, nor is it tart from the vinegar. They balance, with the syrup lending a soft, almost velvet texture. The liquid smoke adds a little bite. It is quite like drinking the aroma of a good BBQ.

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Make Your Someday Today is a twice-weekly podcast, where we talk to successful people in all walks of life and around the world on Monday, and then on Thursday, I take a specific message from the previous guest and give my “Trevitorial”, where I help you apply that message to your life. The entire purpose of the show is to help all of us overcome our challenges and fears and become the person we want to be, the person we deserve to be.

Nutella Ice Cream

Nutella Ice Cream
Serve 16 (1/2 cup portions)

Watch me prepare this on Fox11 Good Day Wisconsin.

1 pint (500ml) heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup (250g) Nutella, room temp
Ground hazelnuts for garnish

  1. Place mixing bowl in the freezer for several hours.
  2. Pour cream and vanilla in bowl. 
  3. Begin mixing, until the cream starts to foam.
  4. Begin adding Nutella, one spoonful at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
  5. When all Nutella is mixed in, return to freezer. Two hours for soft serve, 4 or more hours for hard ice cream
  6. Top with crushed hazelnuts, toasted coconut, shaved chocolate, or instant coffee.
Nutritional data:
Calories:      330
Fat:            28.2g
Sat fat:       16.6g
Chol:          80mg
Sodium:   31.2mg
Carbs:        16.5g
Fiber:           0.8g
Protein:        2.2g
Variations in place of Nutella (I haven’t tried any of these yet):
Peanut butter
Lemon curd
Banana sauteed in butter and flamed with rum
Cream of cocunut with flaked coconum
After watching me cook, you can listen to me twice a week on my show Make Your Someday Today. You can also find me in iTunes and Stitcher.

Make Your Someday Today is a twice-weekly podcast, where we talk to successful people in all walks of life and around the world on Monday, and then on Thursday, I take a specific message from the previous guest and give my “Trevitorial”, where I help you apply that message to your life. The entire purpose of the show is to help all of us overcome our challenges and fears and become the person we want to be, the person we deserve to be.

Grilled Jalapeno Poppers

Grilled Jalapeno Poppers
Makes 4 servings (4 halves each)
8 jalapenos, halved and seeded
4 tablespoons goat cheese (or low fat cream cheese)
4 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
4 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons minced green onion
1.  Prepare jalapenos. If your hands are sensitive, wear gloves.
2.  Fill each half with approximately 1 tablespoon of the filling.
3.  Preheat the grill.
4.  Place peppers on grill, over direct heat, skin-side down. 
5.  Remove peppers when the skin begins to char.
6.  Serve warm or cold.
Nutritional Data
Calories:           64
Fat:                 3.0g
Sat fat:            1.7g
Chol:             10mg
Sodium:       120mg
Carbs:             5.2g
Fiber:              0.9g

Protein:           4.5g 

Rustic Meal: Sausages, Veggies and Polenta

Rustic Meal

I’m not going to tell you how to make this entire meal, nor the nutritional data for everything. The sausage nutrition will change with every choice, and your choices will change from region to region, from city to city.

Choice is a common topic on my podcast Make Your Someday Today. We are all confronted with challenges, and most are in the form of choices. Planning in advance makes choosing easier.

Your grilled veggies can be altered to your preference. I used baby zucchini, white button mushrooms, an onion, and two red bell peppers. I cut them into similar sizes, tossed them with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and herbs, then grilled them over high direct heat until caramelized.

But the polenta requires a recipe and instructions. I’ve made mistakes with polenta; there is a secret.

Jalapeno-Cheddar Polenta
Serves 10+

4 cups liquid (I used 2 bottles beer–24 ounces, or three cups + 1 cup water)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup regular polenta (not quick cooking)
1/2 cup diced onion
1 (or more) diced jalapeno
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese.

  1. Bring liquid to a rolling boil. 
  2. Add onion and jalapeno. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. Turn the heat up and bring back to a rolling boil.
  4. SLOWLY and STEADILY add the polenta, stirring constantly. (This is where I made earlier mistakes. I just dumped it in. Don’t do that!) When you are finished adding the polenta, reduce heat to medium.
  5. Let boil for 3-5 minutes, stirring once a minute, or until desire consistency.
  6. Lay out a 3 foot sheet of waxed paper. Spray with cooking spray.
  7. Pour polenta over wax paper. Spread to approximately 1/2 inch thickness. Let cool 30-60 minutes.
  8. Using a round biscuit cutter or other device, cut into circles. (Or cut into squares.)
  9. At this point, they are ready to fry for immediate service, or refrigerate for later use.
  10. If you are going to immediately serve them, preheat a non-stick skillet over med-high heat.
  11. Spray with cooking spray. Lay cut polenta cakes into the skillet (or griddle) and cook until beginning to brown, 1-3 minutes. 
  12. Flip and cook the other side.
  13. Serve immediately with butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, applesauce or sour cream.
Nutritional data:
Calories:         99
Fat:               1.9g
Sat fat:          1.2g
Chol:          5.9mg
Sodium:    96.3mg
Carbs:         12.5g
Fiber:            0.5g
Protein:         2.6g
Make Your Someday Today is a twice-weekly podcast, where we talk to successful people in all walks of life and around the world on Monday, and then on Thursday, I take a specific message from the previous guest and give my “Trevitorial”, where I help you apply that message to your life. The entire purpose of the show is to help all of us overcome our challenges and fears and become the person we want to be, the person we deserve to be.

Creme Brulee–a Delicious, Yet Low Calorie Version!

Creme Brulee
Serves 6

This is a lower fat, lower calorie version of the classic creme brulee, but it still has the requisite caramelized sugar crust.

4 large eggs
1 1/2 cup (12 ounce/360ml) evaporated 2% milk
1/3 cup Splenda (or you can use table sugar, if you want)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 teaspoons brown sugar, divided.

  1. Preheat oven to 325F
  2. Whisk first four ingredients ingredients together.
  3. Pour mixture evenly into six 6 ounce (180ml) ramekins. Place ramekins into a 9×13 baking dish. Pour boiling water carefully into the dish to a 1 inch depth (or halfway up the sides of the ramekins.) NOTE: I poured the water into the dish, to about 1/2 inch, then carefully placed the ramekins into the water. To me, it seemed easier and less likely to have a problem.)
  4. Bake 30-35 minutes or until gently set in the center (It will be “wiggly” but not soft.)
  5. Remove to wire rack and cool for 10 minutes, then refrigerate several hours (overnight is better.)
  6. The next day, you have two options. A) Preheat boiler, sprinkle 1 teaspoon brown sugar evenly over each, and place under broiler, 4-6 inches from heat, until caramelized. This is 5-6 minutes, but watch carefully. B) Sprinkle with brown sugar and use a small propane torch to brown the sugar (faster and less likely to burn.) 
  7. Return to fridge for 5-10 minutes so the sugar crystallizes.
Nutritional data:
Calories:       124
Fat:              4.2g
Sat fat:         1.1g
Chol:     134.7mg
Sodium: 117.5mg
Carbs:          11g
Fiber:             0g
Protein:          8g

If you listen to podcasts, and like what I have had to say here, go to my show Make Your Someday Today. When you go there, stop at the main page and move from Trevor’s Team to the Varsity Squad by signing up with your name and email.

I promise to keep your email private, and never spam you. I may send you messages of importance, but no more than one a week. And as a Varsity Squad member, when I release products and events, you will receive huge discounts. Thanks!

A Brandy MYST

A Brandy MYST
Serves 1

2 ounces brandy (or whisky, if that is your preference)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (ideally, cherry-infused, like that from Fat Louie’s Olive Oil Company, Egg Harbor, Wisconsin.)
A few fresh basil leaves

  1. Place basil leaves in a mixing glass, muddle (crush) to release the aroma.
  2. Add sugar, vinegar, brandy, and a handful of ice.
  3. Shake vigorously until cold (30 seconds).
  4. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
This is incredible. Tart from the vinegar….yet slightly sweet from the brown sugar….yet savory from the basil….and mellow from the brandy.
Oh, the name Brandy MYST was suggested by a few friends, making this the signature cocktail of my Make Your Someday Today podcast. When you go there, stop at the main page and move from Trevor’s Team to the Varsity Squad by signing up with your name and email.
I promise to keep your email private, and never spam you. I may send you messages of importance, but no more than one a week. And as a Varsity Squad member, when I release products and events, you will receive huge discounts. Thanks!

Angel Hair Pasta and Fried Eggs

Angel Hair Pasta and Fried Eggs
Basic Instructions, you can vary as you wish:
  1. Boil pasta.
  2. While pasta boils, saute mashed garlic in olive oil until fragrant. Toss in panko, let the crumbs toast a bit. Remove to a bowl, grate parmesan on top, mix in.
  3. Return the pan to stove, add more olive oil and mashed garlic.
  4. Drain pasta, add to pan with olive oil and garlic. Toss to coat.
  5. While that continues to cook, place second skillet over medium heat, and spray with cooking spray. Carefully crack 1-2 eggs into it. Cover. Let cook over medium until the whites get firm. (You can add 1 tablepoon water to help steam.)
  6. Place pasta on dish, toss with panko, and gently slide eggs on top.

Delicious Foods!

There are some foods that are just needed. Comfort foods. Foods from your childhood. These are foods that rarely get mentioned in trendy food magazines, but never go away from the shelves in your local store. And they never will.

They are the “processed” foods of convenience. In this case, “processed” means (I think) chopped, formed and canned. Regardless, this food will stay fresh on you pantry shelf for a long time, until that cold and dreary day, when you need a bite of childhood memories.

When I was growing up, we ate Spam. Not all the time, but often enough. Sometimes it was sliced and fried at breakfast, sometimes sliced and made into a cold sandwich. But my favorite way of eating it is to slice it, lay in on a hamburger bun, top with a slice of onion, and then add a second bit of yellow processed comfort food, Velveeta.

It must be Velveeta, not real cheese. Nothing else melts and browns the same.

This will last for a long time in your pantry!
Processed food marriage of perfection.
Broil for about 5 minutes, or until it gets soft and browned.
I sort of don’t want to do this part, but I need to keep the pattern.
Nutritional data for 1 portion (as above with 2 ounces of Spam and 1 ounce Velveeta):
Calories:        348
Fat:                 22g
Sat fat:            10g
Chol:            65mg
Sodium:    1401mg
Carb:           21.9g
Fiber:             4.3g
Protein:        16.2g

Another unique food is Vegemite. Those of us of a certain age will immediately start thinking about a certain “Men at Work” song from the mid-80’s. Vegemite is an Australian food, a by-product of the brewing industry. It is essentially a yeast paste, with some malt extract for flavor. And salt. A lot of salt.

Never confuse this with Nutella!

I find it to be a food that you will either love or hate. I fall into the “love” category. I prefer to toast an English muffin, butter it, and then spread a bit (1/2 teaspoon) of the paste on each half.

Incredibly savory, this really is delicious. For some people.
Sometimes I add a fried egg on top.
I’m just going to give nutritional data for the Vegemite, since it is more of an ingredient than a stand-alone food.
Nutritional data (per 1 teaspoon)
Calories:      10
Fat:              0g
Sat fat          0g:
Chol:            0g
Sodium: 160mg
Carbs:       0.8g
Fiber:           0g
Protein:         2g
On the upside, beside a TON of flavor, it also provides a LOT of B vitamins.  If you are curious, the only place I’ve found Vegemite is on Amazon.
These were some of the foods that my most recent podcast guest, Brian Dunning, talked about. You can hear the entire show here (in iTunes) or here (in Stitcher) or directly from my website.

Make Your Someday Today is a twice-weekly podcast, where we talk to successful people in all walks of life and around the world on Monday, and then on Thursday, I take a specific message from the previous guest and give my “Trevitorial”, where I help you apply that message to your life. The entire purpose of the show is to help all of us overcome our challenges and fears and become the person we want to be, the person we deserve to be.

Another Fun Day Cooking on TV

I was asked to cook on Green Bay’s WLUK Fox11’s “Good Day, Wisconsin!” this morning. I already told you that I was going to make Baked Eggs with Spinach and Feta, and a variety of Crepes on an earlier post.

I also promised to include links so that people who do not live in wonderful northeast Wisconsin can watch me if they want. I am a man of my word.

Here is the link to the Crepes segment. (The Baked Eggs segment isn’t linked.)

I will possibly be going back on in a couple months. Does anyone have any suggested recipes? I need them to be relatively quick to prepare, and appeal to a wide range of people.

Drop me a line with your ideas below. They do not need to come from my blog, but if they are not already on the blog, I will need a recipe or good idea of how it is prepared. I always make everything in advance to work out any kinks (and there are always a few kinks.)

A few stills that I took:

Almost ready for the crepes segment.
Baked Eggs are still in the oven.
Crepes ingredients. Brad Stillmank’s Wisco Disco adds just the right flavors!
Thank you to Emily Deem, Doug Higgins and the entire crew at WLUK Fox11 for the invitation and the warm reception. Everyone made me feel at ease and very welcome. That weekend crew is awesome! The fun interaction that you see on TV isn’t just for the camera. It is real! 

Uh-oh Smoothies

What happens when the winter chill gets COLD!

A few weeks ago, the air temps in northeast Wisconsin were subfreezing for a few weeks, and then dove down to subzero Fahrenheit numbers and stayed there for 61 continuous hours. Then they warmed back up to subfreezing temps! Woo-hooo!

Many people use a garage fridge to store beverages. You know, things like milk and soda. (And maybe beer.) In addition to beverages, we keep use our garage fridge to store produce, just to save space in the kitchen fridge. We eat a LOT of vegetables and fruits. This gives us the space to prepare several meals at once to make future dinners faster and easier.

(Tip: Frozen clementines and spinach are edible, but not beautifully presentable. When the clementines thaw, their internal texture is a little soggy. The spinach is as limp as if cooked. Like I said, edible…but not pretty.)

But I am a frugal person. What can I do with those food items that are good to eat but not “normal?”

Clementine and Spinach Smoothies!

Serves 2

3 ounces (by weight) Baby Spinach
3 clementines, peeled
1 scoop of protein powder
1 packet of Crystal Light (orange flavor)
1 cup water
1 cup ice (hard to see in that bowl)

  1. Place everything in your blender. I use a Ninja Master Prep.
  2. Blend until smooth (hence the name!)
  3. Pour and enjoy.
  4. Don’t drink too fast. Smoothies will cause ice cream headaches, too.
Each mug holds about 24 ounce (720ml)
Nutritional data:
Calories:      138
Fat:               1g
Sat fat:        0.3g
Chol:         19mg
Sodium:  74.2mg
Carb:         16.9g
Fiber:          2.9g
Protein:     17.2g
Obviously, the options are almost unlimited. Different fruits, different greens, different powders. Use what you have on hand.
What is your preferred combination of fruits and greens in a smoothie?
Give us your ideas below!