Mr. Bijoy Writes

Need something tasty and a little decadent for dinner? How about if I throw "easy" into that description? How about I add the added benefit of a nice crab-load for your crazy workout days? Sound good? Oh, I got you - What ya need: 1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice 2/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2/3 cup of olive oil 1- 1lb package of pasta, whichever sort you prefer, cooked 1/4 cup of water from the pasta you cooked fresh basil for garnish Ok, so: Grab a large bowl and mix together everything but the pasta and the pasta water. Whisk it together until everything is well incorporated. Now, add the spaghetti and the pasta water. Mix all of this together and you’re done! Oh and, you can garnish this with freshly chopped basil and fresh lemon zest.

So last night I had a short conversation with a few twitter folks ( @tobyamidor , @dee22ann , & @MelissaTraubRD ) about mac & cheese. So, from that conversation, here is a recipe for a healthier mac & cheese, for both deliciousness and happiness!  What ya need: 1 1/4 cups of raw cashews 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast 2 teaspoons of onion powder 1 teaspoon of kosher sea salt 1 1/2 teaspoons of garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon of ground Tellicherry black pepper 3 cups of almond milk 3 tablespoons of quality cornstarch 1/4 cup of cold-pressed olive oil (you can use palm oil here as well) 1/4 cup of light white miso (yellow miso works, but I prefer the white varietal) 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice 16 ounces of cooked pasta (I like rotini, but you can use whatever you want. Just not bowtie, don't be irresponsible) Ok, so: In a food processor or powerful blender (I use my Vita-mix) grind the cashews with the nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, garlic ...

Sometimes, you just need a super-easy recipe around the holidays. Big food holidays and all the prep required to put on such a show makes for delicious, easy meals like this to be truly appreciated, both by the people eating, and the people making the meal. I hope you enjoy! What ya need: 1 pound of quality orzo 1/2 pound of coarsely chopped sliced Serrano ham (2 cups) 1/2 pound of mild goat cheese, crumbled 5 scallions, thinly sliced Ok, so: Preheat your oven to the broiler setting. Grab a 3-quart oven-safe, preferably flameproof, baking dish. Most of these are about 2 inches deep. That's what you want. In a pot, cook orzo in salted water until al dente. Drain the water, reserving about 3/4 cup for later. In a bowl, toss the hot orzo with the remaining ingredients, reserved cooking water, and any salt and pepper you may want to add until the cheese is melted.Transfer this to your greased baking dish and broil until lightly browned. Thi...

For many a century, cheese has been a tasty addition to many dishes. As Wisconsin has grown to be the heartland for American cheese, many Wisconsin recipes have come forth to create an especially cheesy cuisine. I learned how to make this soup on a short tour of Wisconsin. It’s an easy and quick crowd pleaser that works as a rich side soup for any occasion. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of butter 1 ½ teaspoons of salt 1/3 cup of chopped celery ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper 1/3 cup of chopped onions 4 cups of diced peeled potatoes 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese 3 cups of chicken broth 2 cups of milk 1 dash of paprika Ok, so: In a big pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Saute the celery and onion in the butter until the celery gives and the onions are tender. Add in the potatoes and the broth then let this simmer for about 12 minutes, covered, or until the potatoes are tender. In small batches, puree this potato mixture in a blender or food processor. Return this ...

I had some cheese straws in Alabama during the holidays once. It's cheese. In a snack. Come on. Make these. (Got this recipe from my friend Mrs. L) What ya need: 1 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated and softened 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon salt Ok, so: Heat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a food processor, pulse together cheese and butter until well combined. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse and pulse until you have a paste-like dough. Now get a icing bag with a star tip and put the dough into the bag. Pipe the dough into even strips on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake these for about 10-15 minutes until the cheese stops sizzling. At that point, remove the straws from the oven and let them cool completely. Store them in an airtight container. Tasty stuff right here.

So some folks put cheese on their broccoli. A lot of people put cheese on macaroni. Why not put it all together? Ok, so this idea came from a conversation I had last night, the mac & cheese part, not the broccoli. I just happen to like broccoli. Judge me, if you like. Also, I had a friend supply me with this one. 1 small winter (butternut, acorn) peeled, seeded and cut into small chunks olive oil 1 bunch of basil, stems removed 2 slices good brown bread, stale or dried out in the oven 1/2 a small head of broccoli roughly chopped 4 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream 1.75 cups grated white cheddar cheese 1.75 cups grated gruyere cheese a large handful of yellow cherry tomatoes 3 cups macaroni elbows Ok, so: Preheat your oven to 400ºF with a rack in the middle. Then get a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Now arrange the squash on a large baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper on the squash. Then bake for about 25 minutes until nice and gold...

So people always ask me if I know of a better alternative to store-bought pesto. I think it's a dumb question because "homemade" seems like the logical answer, and it is the logical answer. More so, you can alter your pesto to you, or your family's, tastes. So, here we go! Ingredients 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Ok, so: Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more. Then slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated...

It's eatin-outside season! Fire up the grill, get that lemonade just right, make sure that beer is cold and the charcoal hot, and get to eatin! But an entire meal can't be sustained ONLY on the grill. Wait, yeah it can, but it can be a serious pain in the ass. So, today I've decided I'd give you a recipe for dip. Chili and cheese dip. A hot dip, so you don't have to worry about it being outside. Sound good? Ok, let's go! What ya need: 15 oz. of chili (you can make your own or go canned, it's all up to you) 16 oz of cream cheese, softened (that's 2 standard 8oz packages) 2 cups of finely grated sharp cheddar cheese 3 finely chopped green onions Ok, so: Get your oven going at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grab a saucepan and heat your chili at medium to medium-low heat (so it doesn't overcook) until warm. That should take about 5 minutes. Then grab a medium-sized (1.5 qt) casserole dish. Take your cream cheese and press a layer down onto the bott...

For many a century, cheese has been a tasty addition to many dishes. As Wisconsin has grown to be the heartland for American cheese, many Wisconsin recipes have come forth to create an especially cheesy cuisine. I learned how to make this soup on a short tour of Wisconsin. It’s an easy and quick crowd pleaser that works as a rich side soup for any occasion. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of butter 1 ½ teaspoons of salt 1/3 cup of chopped celery ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper 1/3 cup of chopped onions 4 cups of diced peeled potatoes 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese 3 cups of chicken broth 2 cups of milk 1 dash of paprika Ok, so: In a big pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Saute the celery and onion in the butter until the celery gives and the onions are tender. Add in the potatoes and the broth then let this simmer for about 12 minutes, covered, or until the potatoes are tender. In small batches, puree t...