Mr. Bijoy Writes

Fried chicken? I love it. Do you love it? I do. This is a recipe I concocted with the help of a friend who asked to be unnamed on the internet. I thought you might like it, so I'm sharing it! What you will need: 1 medium onion, roughly chopped 1 to 2 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs, like tarragon and sage 2 tablespoons tahini or peanut butter 1/4 cup olive oil, more for frying Flour for dredging 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 4 half-breasts Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish Lemon wedges for serving. Ok, so- In a blender or the container of a food processor, combine onion, herbs and tahini. As you purée the mixture, slowly add just enough olive oil through the feed tube to make a thick, smooth paste; do not let it get too thin. Put flour in a shallow bowl. Place chicken in another bowl. Rub puréed mixture over chicken, then dredge each piece in flour. Gently shake off any excess flour, coat again with paste and dredge once more in flour. Heat 1/4 inch olive oil in a ski...

The glass door, framed in old wood, never shuts completely. The Bacardi pours over ice like crystal water over diamonds, flushed with caramel-sweet cola, as I walk to the bar. Two emerald-green wedges of lime rest on the surface of the beverage. I'm quick to squeeze the wedges because the tart, citrus flavor pleases me. Bliss. Pure bliss.

I first had a variation of this dressing in a Chicago eatery. The flavors are very subtle, yet rich, while at the same time light. I know, that may sound a little contradictory, but that’s just how it works out. It took me a while to build a version of this dressing that suited my needs for ease and flavor, but it worked itself out. This works great on a salad but for a fresh twist, warm it up for a few minutes and drizzle it over some halibut or salmon. Ingredients: 10 Heirloom tomatoes 4 tablespoons of sea salt 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon of minced chives 1 tablespoon of minced shallots 1 teaspoon of ground fennel 1 clove of minced garlic Table salt and ground pepper to taste Ok, so: In a blender, puree the tomatoes and the salt until smooth. Strain this puree through cheesecloth, saving the water. In fact, the water that comes through the cheesecloth is...

On a trip to Georgia a few years back I cane across a portabella soup that sparked my interest. I remember walking into this small restaurant and wanting something warm to help ease the crisp night air. This soup looked good, so I ordered it. I tried for months to try and mimic the recipe and it finally came through. I suggest this soup for cooler days as part of a hearty meal. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. What ya need: ¼ cup of unsalted butter 5 chopped leeks (about 3 cups) 1 onion (roughly chopped) 10 ounces of portabella mushrooms (chopped – about 4 cups) ¼ cup of all-purpose flour 3 cups of chicken stock 4 tablespoons of dry sherry 2 cups of Half &Half ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper (or white pepper, your choice) Ok, so: In a big pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and onion and sauté until the onions grow soft. This should take about ten minutes or so. Then add the mushrooms and...

Ok folks, so the holiday season always has people asking me to share recipes. As most of you may know, I'm not much for special recipes and traditions in food that don't revolve around Thanksgiving. But this year, I have a blog!!! So let's do some sharing, shall we? So ask me what you want to know how to cook. Or maybe there's something you want to prepare a little differently. Tell me! Tweet me if you like ( @mrbijoy )! Ok, but today, I'm going to go ahead and just give you one of my classic recipes. Enjoy!!!!! Oh, someone challenged me to make a recipe that was super-easy and super-quick, all in a short, concise manner. Here it is-- Mix 1 teaspoon of ground horseradish with 1/4 cup of sour cream. Throw that on a Triscuit and top with a small piece of smoked salmon. There you go. Easy appetizer. Look what I did there. Two sentences. It tastes great, I promise. Oh, and if you don't like Triscuits, use a kettle-cooked potato chip or a piece of bacon. Yeah, I said...

Someone asked me to write this post/recipe. Someone that I, for one, had no idea read this blog. So, it inspired me to take a second, as asked by said 'someone', and talk about aphrodisiacs and food. Technically, an aphrodisiac is something that increases sexual desire or drive. Also, there are a LOT of false aphrodisiacs. Many that aren't necessarily "false" can kill you. I don't know about you, but I really don't want to die in a situation that can't be told to my great aunt or my mother. I believe in only one science-based thought on aphrodisiacs: Oysters Oysters are great. Friggin great. Let's talk about oysters scientifically, of course, as well as sexually, duh. Oysters are high in zinc, which is necessary to properly produce sperm. Yeah, I went there. They are also high in D-aspartic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartate, which is thought to increase testosterone, therefore increasing libido. Sex food, yes . So let's get to the grit of it all. ...

Just because you may be on some restricted diet, doesn't mean that you're no longer entitled to good food and happy thoughts during this Thanksgiving season! So, here's a recipe that's not only gluten-free, but also vegan. You may have seen this recipe somewhere before. It's either because it's not really that unique, or because I've created this specific variation for a client. Pecan-Rolled Sweet Potato Balls 4 big sweet potatoes 2 tablespoons vegan "butter" 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg 1 pinch fresh ground cinnamon 3 tablespoons real maple syrup 1 tablespoon orange juice cooking spray (Pam works just fine!) 1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted and crushed Ok, so: Clean the sweet potatoes of any excess dirt. Then bake them at 350°F for an hour or until soft. Once soft, set aside until cool enough to handle. When cool, cut the potatoes lengthwise, in half, and scoop the flesh out of the skin into a mixing bowl. Toss the skins in ...

Thanksgiving, being one of my favorite holidays, revolves around food. Yeah, there's the whole "giving thanks" stuff, but the food is definitely a focus of the holiday. So this month, I'm gonna hit you with Thanksgiving-based recipes and posts. So today let's talk about brining your turkey. Brining allows for a deterioration of proteins to a point at which the meat is juicer, more tender, and more flavorful. It should be noted, however, that if you are going to use turkey drippings in a gravy, adding extra salt will not be necessary. Ok, so you're going to need the following - 2 gallons cold water 1 1/2 cups fine salt 3 tablespoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon ground black pepper 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 1/3 cup brown sugar Then, find a container large enough to hold your turkey and all these ingredients. Also, it should be noted that...

Much of my childhood was riddled with trips from St. Louis to suburban Chicago. Every once in a while, my cousins would take me into the city to see sights and hang out, maybe even go to a Cubs game or a White Sox game. I've done the sights, I've done the shopping. However, almost tragically, I haven't eaten everywhere I want to eat in Chicago. I haven't and I will no longer stand for it! So here's my proposition to anyone willing to join. I want you to join me in some eating. All over the Chicagoland area. I want to try Chicago-style pizza that I actually like. I want to eat at Blackbird, Silver Palm, Chicago Chop House, The Signature Room at the 95th, to name a few. You wanna come? I want you to come. I might even pay.

I love Thanksgiving. No, really. It's my favorite holiday. Growing up Hindu (not staunchly practicing), we didn't really do Christmas. This erks me only because I hear stories of my older cousins going to my parents house in Elmhurst, IL, to have Christmas together, open presents, eat, and so forth. All of this, before my birth. Continuing on, not being Christian, we never did Easter. To add, living in St. Louis in the late 80's didn't have many perks as an Indian. There were a handful of Indian families from all over India, each with their own traditions, making it terribly difficult to really forge a true celebration for Indian or Hindu holidays. All I had was Thanksgiving. Everyone we knew would get together on Thanksgiving and eat. This only got better after my cousins, on my father's side, decided that we should do a Thanksgiving of our own. November, though often cold, became one of my favorite months of the year. I'd be in LA or Chicago enjoying a beautif...

It's not too often that people from my generation really take a moment to give thanks, or to truly understand that It could really be a lot worse. The latter, for those that may not be of religious mind. The course of the past few weeks has been a rather daunting one for me. I cannot, with fortitude, say that I have been in any place of real and true state of elation. However, a song I recently heard brought much of this in perspective. Here's part of one of the verses: Its so funny how we think we got it rough when there are babies who got mommas hooked on drugs and this depression got folks losing they homes they spent they whole life saving for I guess I'm just saying that I felt the need to tell the world thanks for having my back through everything. I've got some of the finest friends a gentleman could ask to call his friends. Thanks folks. *Oh yeah, the song is "It Coulda Been Worse" by Lyfe Jennings

Stole this idea from my homeslice from here . So the idea, which I stole from Kim, sounded like fun. I've done Top 10 Song lists before and I've never really been able to encompass everything I like together into one coherent list. So I'm going to fail again, but at least I can share some fun music with you! Also, these are in no particular order. 1-"Don't Gotta Go Home" - DMX feat. Monica 2-"In The Ghetto" - Elvis Presley 3-"Emotional" - Carl Thomas 4-"Tere Bulla" - DJ APS 5-"Groovin Tonight" - St. Lunatics feat. Brian McKnight 6-"Cops Up" - Lyfe Jennings 7-"I'm Shipping Up To Boston" - Dropkick Murphy's 8-"Ernie's Jam" - The Isley Brothers 9-"Volare" - Dean Martin 10-"Summertime" - DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince This list doesn't really do my musical tastes full justice, but it works! Have a good one people!

Every few seasons, I have a great football weekend. For those that may not know, I grew up a UCLA Bruin fan, and no, the reasoning behind it is unabashedly simple. That's another blog post though. I also cheer for the St. Louis Rams and the Purdue Boilermakers. Now, if you have any knowledge of the football legacy of either of these teams, the past few years have been absolutely horrid for me. However, once every few seasons, I have a great football weekend. I like to call that weekend my "autumn weekend affair". This past weekend, I had my "autumn weekend affair". I didn't expect it. It began with the Purdue game. Purdue failed miserably. I saw no silver lining to the weekend at that point. I threw on a neutral colored polo and headed to my favorite watering hole for a sip. I had planned to meet a few friends from undergrad there to mourn our losses. That's when things got interesting... UCLA, my beloved Bruins, came out victorious to No.7-ranked Texas,...

Every once in a while an organization, teacher, or professor of some sort asks me to come speak in a class or meeting. I've done so at numerous universities and two conferences. What do I talk about, you ask? I talk about working, getting a job, preparing properly for an interview, and food. The last one, though dissimilar to the others, is kind of my job, so it's a given. Today, I thought I'd share some stuff with you. It's not easy getting a job in today's economy. Let's face it, it's even difficult to get an interview. But when you get that interview, are you ready for it? I want you to be equipped with a few tips so you nail it. 1-Turn off that cell phone. Don't be the guy/gal that loses a job because your friends text you about grabbing a beer later that evening. I know it's a no-brainer, but it happens. Trust me. 2-When your interviewer(s) introduces his/herself, remember that name. Do not forget your interviewer's name. For one, it's r...

You should probably know, I smoke cigars and tell people what I like and don't like. This is my opinion. Take it as such, I don't pontificate as an expert, just as an enthusiast. To begin I should explain the lack of picture for this cigar. I forgot. I'll tell you what it looks like though! The band is at the foot, black with “5150” embossed in an old gold Gothic typeface. It's simple, and that's why I like it. On to the cigar. The Esteban Carreras 5150 is a Corojo wrapped in Ecuadorian grown Sumatra, with Nicaraguan fillers and binder. The overall construction is just a hair from amazing. A few spots along the cigar looked as if the wrapper wasn't just right. Appearance-wise, it was beautiful. A slight mottled color with a wrapper devoid of veins or bulges made the 5150 something that really looked, well, real. By that, I mean that it didn't look perfect, but that allowed for a very true to life, non-manufactured, non-gussied-up look, which I really...

Ok, so as some of you may know, I've changed how I'm doing things online. I've killed my company's twitter account and renamed it (@mrbijoywrites) to be an account that revolves around what this blog will hopefully turn into over the next few weeks/months. I spend a lot of my free time staying on top of new, cool things that happen in the world around me. The simple things make life worth living, but the finer/cooler/awesome things make living worth, well, living. I, in no way, am trying to push any sort of luxury-based blog on you. That's not me. I have no quantifiable reason to be stuck-up. Alright, I guess I'll tell you about what I intend to write about. I intend to keep the tagline you see up at the top of the page very much alive. I intend to write about whatever I want to write about that particular day. However, I intend to make it more about the fun stuff. For example, I intend to write about awesome people, nifty gadgets, beautiful places, fun events, ...

Yeah, I'm back. Whuddup. Ok, so I have another drink recipe for you! I know there have been quite a few of these lately, but I've been on the road and such! I promise something awesome soon! For now, have a Sloe Gin Fizz! 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1-1/2 ounce sloe gin (it's not hard to find, ask your local retailer!) 1 teaspoon powdered sugar (regular, non-powdered, is fine as well) tonic water Ok, so: Mix everything but the tonic water in a boston shaker until your arm hurts a little (please don't actually hurt your arm. Seriously, don't). Pour mixture into a ball glass and top it with tonic water. Garnish this sucker with a lime wedge and you're done. Easy, tasty, happy. Boom.

Sorry folks, I've been a bit busy and, therefore, unable to write. To add, I recently moved to a new apartment, leaving me with no internet for the better part of a week. Let me tell ya, that sucks! Trying to work from home without internet is like trying to make a gourmet meal with cardboard and ketchup. Not really gonna work. Regardless, I really do have a lot to catch up on and I have chosen, with no animosity, to wait a little longer before I compose a proper post for all of you. I hope things are going well for you and life is happy! Take care my friends!

Hey, so I'm a bit busy right now, so why don't you check out some of my friends. They have great blogs. Much cooler than my blog. Carol's Prints Noodles and Waffles The Publication Follies of Alexandra Shostak All three of these wonderful ladies are cool people and talented at what they do. Ok, bye!

When I was younger I remember getting the day off from school for Casmir Pulaski day. He seemed like a pretty cool dude, though I never really delved into why we got a day off in his honor. That's besides the point on this post... Let's make a Pulaski! You will need: 2 ounces Bourbon 1 ounce Maraschino liqueur 1/4 ounce sweet vermouth 1/2 ounce Amaro Ok, so: Pour everything into the bottom of a Boston shaker. Add a bit of ice and stir. Don't shake it, you'll bruise the flavor profile of the ingredients. Strain it into a short glass or a martini glass. Serve cold. Again: (Disclaimer: drink responsibly. remember to hydrate when outdoors in the heat for extended periods of time. please don't drink and drive)

It's summer, it's warm, it's awesome. So how about a drink? C'mon, I know you want one... What if I told you it had watermelon and tequila? There's that smile! Watermelon Margaritas Stuff you're gonna need, per drink: 1-1/2 oz. Patron Silver tequila 1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice 1 oz. orange juice 1 tbs. agave nectar 5 cubes of watermelon, 1/2 inch 1 small watermelon wedge Ok, so: In a cocktail shaker, muddle the watermelon with the agave nectar. Add ice, Padron, lime juice and orange juice to the shaker. Shake for about 15 seconds. Strain in to a short glass over ice. Top with the watermelon wedge. Well that was easy... (Disclaimer: drink responsibly. remember to hydrate when outdoors in the heat for extended periods of time. please don't drink and drive)

Ok, people talk about style and fashion all the time. Men who adhere to even the slightest code of appearance may sometimes be questioned of the status of their sexuality. That’s a load of crap. I’m not one that parades in the finest of something or really even puts too much into my “style”, or whatever it is that you wish to call it. However, there are a few things I think every man should at least know. Wether to adhere to these little nuggets or not to adhere to them is entirely up to the man. My father once told me style is dynamic, much like people, so find what works. Ok, so on to these little nuggets of happiness: -Suits will always be cooler than sport jackets. -If you don’t own a suit, buy one. Navy, black, or dark gray, as a solid color. -If your suit isn’t comfortable, you will suffer. Purchase accordingly. -Find a good tailor. Just trust me on this one. -Own at least three ties. If they are three whimsical ties, buy three that aren’t. -Throw away your seersucker suit, Matlo...

Random question: Would you like to see more recipes, rants, pictures, random thoughts, or something completely different here on my blog?

Ok, so you likely don't know what I do for a living. To be honest, I often have trouble truly explaining it. My friend John calls me a "time-traveling venture capitalist". It could be true, right? At least it sounds fun. But really, for the most part, I cook. Better yet, I design things for people to cook. Not always, but it's part of my "job". So here's a really easy steak recipe for you, from me, with love, and a high five. Sherry Steak * Nonstick spray coating * 2 beef tenderloin steaks cut 1/2 inch thick and trimmed of fat * 2 tablespoons dry sherry * 1/8 teaspoon salt * 1/8 teaspoon cracked pepper * 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon crushed * Fresh chives or parsley sprigs Ok, so: Spray a cold 8-inch skillet with nonstick spray coating then heat skillet over medium high heat. Add steaks and cook for 3 minutes on each side then transfer steak to a serving platter. Carefully add sherry to the skillet then add salt, pepper and tar...

Ladies and gentlemen, I love to eat. It's a lot of fun. However, it saddens me when the Summer season brings about a crappy burger. Hamburger recipes are immense in number, and that's totally ok with me. But, please don't try and experiment if you don't know some basics. I don't claim to be the world's best hamburger grill-master extraordinaire, but allow me to give you a simple, easy burger recipe. What you’ll need: 1 lb. of lean ground beef 2 tablespoons of melted, unsalted butter 1/2 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon of seasoning salt Ok, so: In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the salt. After the butter and Worcestershire sauce have been well incorporated into the meat, roll the beef into small balls. The size of the ball can vary dependent on how large you would like your burgers to be. Using a cleaned mayonnaise jar lid, sprayed with cooking spray, press the balls into patties. Use the inside of the jar lid, pressing do...

June, 2007, was a strange month for me. I was in a place, both emotionally and physically, different than I had been in before. I took a class that Summer that asked me to write poems and stories, more so, to learn the craft of doing so. I cannot say I was ever that astute to such things, but I tried. So, before I delve into a blog post being crafted for later this week, I'll leave you with an old poem.... The tan fingers wrapped firmly around a silver, ridged flask as a child clinging to his mother. The cerulean silk kerchief peering from the satin-lined breast pocket of a tatty dinner jacket draped carelessly in stupor over a sun-bleached wicker chair. The hush crackle of a Duke Ellington record spinning heavy notes through the torn screen door. The sequential taps of leather shoes meandering to the olive sofa a resting place for hazy dejection.

Just had to get this off my chest today.... I often hear people in conversations speaking about how much they enjoy all sorts of music. I guess that's fair. It's possible, but, I'm quite sure, very unlikely. Do you really like everything? Really? You sir, in the black jeans, white tee, beret and purple scarf! Do you enjoy the musical intricacies of Biz Markie or The Fat Boys? I like many kinds of music. I'm not telling a lie. However, I don't like all kinds of music. I appreciate the talent of a "death metal" drummer, but I don't like "death metal". So sue me. I gave it a shot, and didn't like it. If we're playing with most modern rock styles, give me some Nightwish or Sonata Arctica, and I'm down. Okay, now that I've pushed that aside, the real point I want to get to is the eternal question thrown around in almost every music-based conversation - "What is real music?" Here's my answer- Who cares? No, really. I...

Hey there friends and the such! Things have been a bit busy, but a new post will definitely be here early next week! Until then, have a great 4th of July weekend and take care! Also, try your utmost to be safe and at least moderately responsible...

I like salmon. I think it is one of the best fish to eat out there. It's just really good. So in continuing with my "every few blog posts is a recipe" trend, I give you a different twist on salmon. The prep time isn't nearly as short as my previous recipes, but I think you're ready. I believe in you. Baked Basil Pistachio Salmon Stuff you need: 3- 2oz Salmon fillets 1/4cup Pistachio nuts, shelled 3 cloves of garlic, peeled 3 bunches of basil, cleaned and stemmed 3/4cup of butter, softened at room temperature 1 small lime 1cup dry white wine Salt & Pepper to taste Ok , so: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a food processor, puree the pistachios, basil and garlic. Once well pureed, add the juice of one lime and the butter. Let this blend into a well-incorporated, smooth mixture. Put this mixture into a bowl and throw it in the freezer. Now, use some non-stick cooking spray to coat a medium (9 x 13) baking dish well. You can use butter if you would...

Don't get me wrong, I don't consider myself a talented photographer, or even someone who takes photography that seriously. I just like to take pictures. If I could strap my Nikon to my head and not look like a complete idiot, I would. There would be many, many pictures... But to the point, I take pictures for fun. I play with lenses, effects, and settings like a four year old who just learned that you can do almost anything with LEGOs. So here's some pictures I took the other day while walking around Purdue.

In mid-April I was asked by two of my friends to cater their receptions for their art shows. For the second of two shows I made some pita chips that were seasoned in a Mediterranean and middle eastern spice. They were made to be a simple medium for the many dips, spreads, and tartlets that I had also crafted for the occasion. However, people that night asked about the pita chips. For that matter, some people still ask about them. The most common question being, "How do you make those?" It's easy, trust me. Here's how: Ingredients: 6 pocket pitas 1/4-3/8 cup olive oil (NOT extra virgin) 1 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoononion powder 1/8 teaspoon sage 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt Ok, so: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the pitas in half. Then separate the pitas along the pocket, effectively creating 12 semicircles. Thoroughly mix the oil and spices in a bowl. Be sure that all of the spices are well incorporated. With a basting brus...

About two years ago I decided that I would take one of my musical endeavors and share it with the world. I sat down at my keyboard and my beat mixer and mastered one of my slowest, relaxed pieces of music to what I thought would be musical perfection. I bought a distribution company and published my song to iTunes. Yeah, I'm serious. Look it up. It's called "Lounge". "Lounge" was supposed to give me some form of inspiration to continue this musical enterprise towards a full album, or at least an admirably-sized EP. Alas, it never happened. Lately, this simple, and temporary, failure has come to mean more to me. I'm not accustomed to giving up on things so easily. I have spent quite a few years pondering the future of this album, even writing at least forty five new songs. None of which have been completed. Only "Lounge" ever got through the mastering process, and I'm not sure if it was really ready for release. Part of me really wants to ma...

Well, I guess the most appropriate of beginnings to my blog would be a recipe. I cook, and often get paid to do so. It's a pretty nice gig. So, from the cookbook that I've been meaning to get around to for about six years, I give you the recipe for Mama Love's Sunday Oysters - A good friend of mine had a habit for touting his mother’s oyster bake as the finest in the world. Being obviously very skeptical, I decided to investigate this claim when his mother so very graciously invited me to Sunday Dinner at her St. Louis home. As soon as I took my first bite, I had to know what went in to making this incredible dish! When she told me how easy it was, I staggered in astonishment. I recommend this to anyone trying their hand at seafood, as it is simple and rewarding. Ingredients: 1 15.5 oz. can of Oysters 1 standard size can of French Friend Onions 1/4 cup of light cream 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons of sweet cr...