RED SNAPPER & SHRIMP FOR THE CAVEMAN

A quick delicious meal of frozen fish and baked broccoli and cauliflower is just 30 minutes away!

Simply fry your choice of fish in a little olive oil. Season the fish with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and fresh lemon juice. Depending on how thick you fish is, cook until the meat flakes apart, usually around 5 to 8 minutes per side for thin pieces.

Bake fresh broccoli and cauliflower buds in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Put a little olive oil in a glass-baking dish, salt, pepper, and garlic powder the vegetables and place in the oven. Oh, and place about 8 frozen shrimp in the same dish for added taste with the fish.

Serve as shown and sprinkle a few of your favorite nuts around the plate.

PALEO DIET COMING ALONG

As I said below, I’ve lost at least 9 pounds and feeling really good. Started walking earnestly today and have a hike planned Wednesday. I’ll probably post pictures either on Flickr or on Mushy’s Moochings.

I ate out Thursday and ordered Hawaiian Steak on A Stick, mushrooms and onions, and creamed spinach. Apparently the little bit of cream and the 2 Killians didn’t bother me.

I ate out Friday and ordered Rudy Tueday’s New Orleans Seafood dish with broccoli, and instead of the potatoes I got their mashed cauliflower. I also had 2 Killians and so far it has affected my loss.

Tonight, I grilled a hamburger steak for my wife and I (after I ran to the store and swapped out the propane tank). It was delicious with sautéed onions and green beans, and some sliced tomatoes. Note I included a few nuts too! I’m beginning to like nuts with everything I eat!

CAVEMAN UPDATE

Working off the "Paleo Diet" plan, I have lost 9 pounds in 7 days! Not bad, and I've had a couple of Killians along the way.

I will be starting back on my hiking trips this week, so check out Mushy's Moochings for photos!

Wish me luck!

I'M A CAVEMAN

If you’ve thought about a new diet (or as I prefer, “way of eating”) for the New Year, check out the caveman diet.

I began what is commonly called “the caveman” or “paleo” diet a few days ago and I think this will be good for me. Already, I feel so much better inside. I don’t have that full, bloated feeling after eating, and my wife likes the fact that I’m not full of gas – which means all my heartburn is gone! And, I’m never hungry!

Basically, it’s anything you can find above ground (which leaves out potatoes and peanuts), is not made of starch (which leaves out corn, pinto beans, breads, and pastas), or made with sugar (which leaves out a lot).

I’m becoming a “hunter-gatherer!”

Mornings I eat a few nuts, a boiled egg, and some kind of fruit (including bananas). I continue to walk and run around a lot, so I stick a baggie of nuts in my pocket, put a bottle of water and an apple or banana in the truck and I’m off. For the evening meal, we cook some kind of meat, add a salad or stir-fry, eat fruit and nuts while watching TV.

My blood pressure was 132/78 this morning at the doctor’s office and she (yes she) was pleased to hear about the diet. She asked one question about calcium and I said I’ll get it from broccoli and other green leafed vegetables. I gave her one of my “blogness cards” and left happy.

I like it because you can eat all the meat you want, nuts, vegetables, and fruit – there are no limits!

It could be right for you too!

CAVEMAN DIET GOING WELL

I know it’s only been 3 days, but I feel better already - no full or bloated feeling or gas! The best part…I haven’t been hungry.

I went to the doctor today and my blood pressure was 132/78, which is good for me! In my pocket was a baggie of nuts just in case I needed them, but I never got hungry.

This morning we munched on the leftover tenderloin (see below) with a boiled egg, an orange, and a handful of nuts.

I returned home from the doctor around noon and it was time for another handful of nuts, a banana, and some leftover hog jowl! Man it was great.

Tonight we fixed a nice mixed green salad with olives and pecans with some homemade honey, apple cider, and honey dressing, and a juicy strip steak cooked medium well on the grill.

It’s going to work folks! I even have a luncheon date tomorrow at a pizza place and it’ll be blackened chicken salad for me – and yes, I will have two beers. Surely a caveman fell into something fermented occasionally!

THE PALEO DIET

You probably won’t see too many carbs on this page for awhile. I decided to start eating like a caveman, but not raw!

I’m a “hunter-gatherer” for as long as I can make it stick. I read somewhere that you have do something at least 21 days to make it a habit – well, that’s my first goal.

I began Tuesday morning at a plump 240 – my first goal is 20 pounds, but I really just want to feel better. The theory behind the Paleo or “Caveman” way of eating is that man didn’t start living shorter lives until he started growing what he ate. Along with agriculture came flour, meal, and sugar, which begot breads, pastries, and pasta.

It’s going well. I eat a boiled egg, some nuts (anything but peanuts and cashews allowed), and some kind of fruit for breakfast thus far. During the day, my wife and I have carried a banana or apple and a baggy of mixed nuts wherever we went. If we got hungry, we just munched out!

Suppers (that’s southern for dinner) have consisted of fried (olive oil is all that’s allowed) chicken, grilled steak, and tonight this wonderful pork tenderloin with stir-fried vegetable medley. What a fantastic meal, whether your on a diet or not!

It beats Adkins because fruit and nuts are allowed. The other main difference is no dairy products on the Paleolithic – caveman didn’t milk cows, they ate them!

I simply cut up the tenderloin and fried it in olive oil with garlic and hot sauce added. I salted and peppered each side of the meat and dropped it into the hot oil. I took about 20 to 25 minutes, browning the pieces, to cook thoroughly.

Then I dumped in the vegetables and almonds into the same hot oil, salted and peppered it and cooked it for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Wish me luck folks!

CAJUN CHICKEN

This dish is not un-similar to the “stir fry” chicken dishes already posted, but there are 3 different ingredients in this offering that make it slightly unique and tasty.

Cook and set aside Lipton’s New Orleans Style Rice (written prior to caveman diet).

As readers know, I normally start with a hot skillet of olive oil (4 tablespoons) and minced fresh garlic. From there I (for 2 to 3 people) pop in 8 Tyson chicken tenders straight from the freezer. I admit that there is less sizzle and popping if you let the chicken tenders set out for about 1 hour on a double layer of paper-towel in a paper plate to thaw. However, frozen tenders can be put in a hot pan without too much of a problem.

As soon as the tenders have begun to thaw, sprinkle salt, fresh ground pepper, and cayenne pepper on the tenders. As the down-side begins to whiten, turn them and season the reverse side with the same ingredients.

Brown the tenders to your liking and remove from the skillet and place them on paper towel in a paper plate and set aside. After they cool you need to cut them into strips – about 3 strips per tender.

While the tenders are cooling, prepare your vegetables.

- Cut up half a yellow/orange and half a red bell pepper.
- Cut up half a large sweet onion (Vidalia in season)
- Cut up half a package of raw washed and de-stringed green beans
- (pineapple and either cashews or peanuts are optional)

In the skillet with the remaining olive oil and garlic, dump the vegetables. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. If the mixture becomes too dry, spray with cooking spray or add a table spoon of olive oil. Once the mixture is about half cooked (leave as crispy as possible) add 2 tablespoons of stir fry sauce and 2 tablespoons of sesame oil.

Add back in the cooked chicken strips and toss the mixture until completely heated.

Serve with the rice on one side of the plate and a helping of the vegetables and chicken on the other.

As usual, I like a “toddy” or beer as I cook. Tonight it was George Dickel and Diet Coke! George is a southern thing and made of quality in Tullahoma, TN. It’s hard to find in bars or sports bars even in Tennessee, but it’s better than Jack Daniels! Yes, it’s true. You can’t sip Jack straight, but George (the 90 proof) is born to sip slowly with a fine cigar – with or without ice.

Enjoy!

NEW YEAR’S HOT STEW

The Dragons and Knights traditionally get together on any holiday, and some we make up! We try to have different things each year for New Year’s Eve, so this year it was Ms. Mushy’s Hot and Spicy Beef Stew.

Begin by buying the best stew beef and cutting it into small pieces (about a pound and a half per every 4 to 5 people). Heap it all into a large hot pot with a small amount of olive oil, salt and pepper it, and brown well. Meat will not be fully cooked through in this step. Extra boiling and simmering will tenderize and finish cooking the meat.

Depending on how many you are feeding, add Spicy Hot V8 juice, a hefty sprinkle of Mrs. Dash’s Extra Spicy Seasoning Blend! Let the mixture and meat boil on medium heat for 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Sauté some mushrooms and onions (if you like onions) and dump into the stew pot!

Then begin adding your favorite vegetables, like diced new potatoes, a can of mixed vegetables, corn, and anything else you like or need to get rid of!

Boil the mixture another 20 or 30 minutes, and then put the pot on small burners/elements and simmer until the party arrived. About 30 minutes before time to eat, mix up your cornbread mixture and bake either in muffin or pone forms. Remember, buttermilk makes the best tasting cornbread!

Serve with large bowls and butter for the cornbread.

For dessert, offer sweet or buttermilk for the remaining cornbread! Now that’s Southern goodness!

BOW-TIE SHRIMP

Rained all day here in East Tennessee and we laid around most of the day watching things from Comcast’s ON DEMAND. Late in the afternoon we began to get hungry, so I went over the inventory.

I found some frozen medium sized shrimp, a jar of Bertolli’s Mushroom Fettuccini, a box of bow-tie pasta, some sun-dried tomatoes, some garlic, an onion, and fixed me a drink of my Christmas present – George Dickel Barrel Select! Man was that Dickel smooth!

I fixed the pasta according to box directions (salted and added a touch of oil to the water), diced a small onion, and put the fettuccini on low heat to simmer.

I then ran cool water over about 24 shrimp, pulled off the tails, and cut them into three pieces each.

Once the pasta was finished, about 10 minutes, drain it and set it aside. Turn on the heat under some olive oil, the sun-dried tomatoes, and the onions. Sauté this mixture until the onions were slightly limp and dumped in the shrimp. I salted the top of the shrimp, and sprinkled in plenty of fresh ground pepper (I recommend lots of pepper).

I did not have bacon or bacon bits, but if you do, add them at this point for more flavor!

When the water from the shrimp boils away, dump the mixture on top of the pasta and then the hot Bertolli!

Mix it up and serve hot! Bread is optional!

This plus a little George will warm you up on a cold rainy day.

I LOVE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

It has been a tradition with us to take our granddaughter Christmas shopping just before Christmas. She is fourteen years old, going on thirty-five! Thus far, her parents give her money to buy them presents. Every year she says the same thing, “It seems strange for you to give me money to buy you presents.” Well, yeah, but until you get a job, that is the way it will stay!

She is, if I do say so myself, a lovely thing with a sweet heart. However, she often misses out on our “reindeer fun” and “boomer” senses of humor. We have tried for the last eight or ten years to get her to relax and have some fun, but it appears we only embarrass her. Take for example today when I met these lovely ladies in Victoria’s Secret (see my other blog). She would not even stand with us for a photo opportunity. Somehow, women, scantily clad was more than see could take, or maybe it was the fact that her Papaw kept trying to pick them up in front of her Granny. The child just does not know how to have fun!

We do have our moments together as a family and I am saddened when I think that we may only have a couple of more years to enjoy this tradition. Soon, she will be running around with friends or worse yet, a horny, pimply faced young man who wants to buy her things other than perfume in Victoria’s Secret!

By the time we made it to Wasabi’s for an early supper, she had calmed down enough that me taking pictures of my plate for my blog did not seem as embarrassing to her. Maybe it was because she had her mouth full!

Anyway, this is my favorite part of the Christmas Season.

LAYER DESSERT

Layer 1:
- 1 cup flower
- 1 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans)
- 1 stick margarine (melted)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
Mix and spread out in a 9X10” baking dish and bake for 20 minutes at 350. I prefer a glass container so everyone can see all the layers. Let it cool when finished.

Layer 2:
- 1 cup Cool Whip
- 8 oz. cream cheese (soft)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Mix and spread over 1st layer when cooled.

Layer 3:
- 1 pkg. chocolate pudding (instant)
- 1 pkg. vanilla pudding (instant)
- 3 ½ cups of milk
Mix as directed on pudding box and spread over the second layer.

Layer 4:
Top with the reminder of the Cool Whip.

Place in the refrigerator until served (best served cold with hot coffee).

BREAKFAST IN PARADISE

Just returned from Key West where we had a real feast. Our primary objective seemed to be to have a beer in every bar there, which is impossible (See Mushy’s Moochings for a round up of the most popular watering holes!).

Here were had a very relaxing breakfast at the Westin Key West Restaurant and watched the latest cruise ship passengers disembark. This spot, just south of Mallory Square, is a very lovely spot with a view of the Gulf, and in the evening, enjoy a spectacular view of the sunset with your meal.

The meal is simply a baked potato smothered with scrambled eggs, cheese, bell peppers, mushrooms, and fresh green onions - with bacon, fresh orange juice, whole-wheat toast, and fruit on the side. This one stayed with me until mid-afternoon.

OVEN BAKED RIBS

Got no grill? No problem!

RIBS:
Rub the ribs (both sides) in garlic powder, salt, and black pepper – then pour on and rub in your favorite barbeque sauce as I did these. Pour a can of beer, some kind you don’t like, in for moisture. Bake in a throwaway aluminum pan for 3.5 hours on between 350 and 400 degrees.

Set the time for one hour each time, take the ribs out, and brush on more sauce, and maybe a little honey.

I you don’t want to bake that long, boil the ribs in enough beer to cover them for 1 hour, then bake for another hour or until the meat comes off the bone the way you like it.

Serve with potato salad, baked beans, and beer rolls!

POTATO SALAD:
Boil 4 or 5 medium sized potatoes until a fork will easily slip into them through the skin. Let the potatoes cool, peel them, and cut them into bite size chunks.

Boil two egg to well done – about 5 to 6 minutes. Let them cool, or run cold water over them, peel, and cut into small pieces (whites and yellows).

Dice up 2 or 3 carrots.

Now, mix all the ingredients into a large bowl. Dab in 2 or 3 tablespoons of Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise as needed for moisture and taste. Plop in 1 or 2 tablespoons of sweet pickle relish. Add salt and black pepper to taste. MIX! Then put it into the refrigerator to cool until ready to be eaten.

BAKED BEANS:
Pour a large can of baked beans (I used Bush’s Country Style) into an oven safe glass bowl. On top of th beans add one diced onion, 2 or 3e tablespoons of ketchup, and 1 or 2 tablespoons of mustard, and about 3 heaping tablespoons of brown sugar – MIX!

Bake in the oven at 400 degrees only long enough for the onions to cook completely.

BEER MUFFINS:
In a medium bowl, fill about halfway with Bisquick Pancake Mix and add 2 tablespoons of sugar, and then add beer until the mixture is just moist enough to pour out of a spoon but is still thick. Spray cooking oil or baker’s spray in a muffin pan that has about 12 slots. Fill the holes about half way.

Place the muffin pan in an oven heated to about 350 degrees and cook for 12 to 15 minutes. The muffins will be brown on the bottom before the top shows, so test the muffins by flipping on over after the time expires. Cook longer if needed.

Put all this on the table and get out of the way!

A nice pink Chablis went well with these, but most anything will!

BONEFISH GRILL - TURKEY CREEK

We celebrated my sister-in-law’s 55th birthday this evening at Knoxville’s second Bonefish Grill. We began the meal for our table of six with 2 of their best “starters” – Bang Bang Shrimp (Tender, crispy shrimp tossed in a creamy, spicy sauce.) and Mussels Josephine (Prince Edward Island Mussels sautéed with tomatoes, garlic, basil and lemon wine sauce.).

We finished off with market fresh fish grilled over an oak-burning grill. It was all yummy!

And yes, I can handle the chopsticks!

MAC & CHEESE - PLUS SOME

My wife fixed some macaroni and cheese this afternoon and then asked me what else I wanted with it. I told her to give me about 25 minutes!

This was my sly way of spicy up the dish and giving me time to enjoy a bottle of cold Killian while I cooked!

I first fried my usual chicken tenders in olive oil and (say it with me) garlic! On top of the mixture I added my favorite hot sauce. Once the tenders have thawed slightly on one side (yes, you don’t have to thaw them first), flip them and add salt and pepper. Do the same to the other side when thawed enough to hold the seasoning, allowing the seasoned side to begin to brown. Continue turning them until blackening occurs to your liking, and then remove from the skillet and place on a paper towel.

Cut the tenders into bit size pieces and set aside.

I then cut up a whole green and red bell pepper in to ½ to ¼ inch pieces, sprayed them with olive oil or canola spray, salted and peppered them and tossed them into the left over olive oil where the tenders were fried. Once they began to fry well, I dumped the chicken pieces back into the skillet and tossed the mixture for another 3 or 4 minutes then dumped it on top of the mac and cheese, stir, add two tables spoons of sour cream, stir some more, and serve.

The hot and spiced chicken gives the concoction a great warm feeling on a cold rainy day.

WINGS UP - BEER FLAT

After a 5.6 mile hike today my posse and I stopped in to the new Spicy Wings joint in Lenoir City, Tennessee. We had high hopes for this restaurant/sports bar, because it is closer than Bailey's in Knoxville.

We began with chips and dip, but the dip was too cold and sweet! Chips weren't too bad though.

Then we ordered a draft of Bass and Dos Equis, from their selection of 20 - both were very flat, but cold.

We finished the meal of wings and a chicken sandwich with iced tea in a fruit jar!

The hot BBQ wings were very good, done, and tender, but the sandwich was less than exciting.

However, since we judge our spots with the temperature and taste of the draft beer, it's back to Bailey's next trip.

LOBSTER FEST

Our recent travels to New England to be a "leaf peeper" for 8 days was a wonderful food fest which culminated the last evening in Hyannis, MA with a lobster fit for a king or queen! The pictures say it all!

THREE WAY SCALLOPS

The wife and I just completed an 8 day, planes, boats, buses, and trains (lots of trains) tour of New England. As they say there, we were "leaf peepas!"

This wonderful bacon wrapped, fried, and broiled scallop and rice dish from Legal Sea Food on Park Square in Boston was terrific. Had we not had the lobster at Cape Cod, on the last night of the trip (soon to be posted), this would have clearly been the stand out dish!

Read more about the "leaf peeper" trip at Mushy's Moochings!

SASSY & SWEET PORK CHOPS

It was football time again in Tennessee and we invited my daughter and son-in-law over for pre-game tailgate feast!

The main dish was butterflied pork chops. I began by letting them sit for about an hour with a light coating of olive oil, pork chop seasoning, and minced garlic.

During this time my wife prepared her famous potato salad and baked beans. She also unrolled some canned rolls and allowed them to warm and rise.

I decided to grill the chops on medium heat. I black peppered each chop on each side before placing them on the grill. I did not salt the chops until the side had been against the heat for about 15 minutes. I then turned them and salted the browned side. Each side was against the flame for a total of 25 minutes. The meat was tender, juicy, and done through.

I served the plate with the butterfly chop in the middle of the plate, potato salad on one side, and baked beans on the other. On one wing of the chop I placed a tablespoon of Harry & David’s Sweet Mango Chutney, and on the other a tablespoon of Harry & David’s Apple and Vidalia Onion Relish.

It is hard to say which I enjoyed the most. Suffice it to say, either is a good choice to sweeten up your pork!

APPLEWOOD FARMS LUNCHEON

My wife and I took my mom to Applewood Farms today so she could make Thanksgiving reservations for her, her brother, and sister-in-law. If you’re not on the books, you don’t get in on Thanksgiving! Most any other time you can walk right in!

The bargaining chip she used to lure me away from the computer was homemade fried apple pies and ice cream – it worked. There are members of our family that drive from Florence, AL all the way to Pigeon Forge, TN (home of Dollywood!) just for Applewood pie and ice cream. While it was delicious, I’m not sure I’d drive that far just for a taste.

I had the fried chicken livers (When you’re going to eat pie and ice cream, you might as well eat something fried too!), sawmill gravy, macaroni and cheese, and coleslaw. The meal comes with biscuits, apple-fritters sprinkled in powder sugar, and great tea.

I am getting a bit lazy about cooking myself lately, but thought you might enjoy seeing the meal anyway.

The Applewood grounds are quite beautiful, surrounded by apple orchards, and a mountain stream. We spent some time walking off the meal in their craft and candy shops.