See Dick Cook: A Culinary Voyage for the Average Man (8 page)

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, being sure to thoroughly combine. This is best done old school Dick, using your hands,

Spray a 9' x 5' loaf pan and place the hamburger in, shaping to fill the pan. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread additional chili sauce over top of meatloaf, ensuring to cover the top of the loaf. Place back in oven and broil on low for 10 minutes. Keep an eye on this Dick to make sure it doesn't start to burn.

Remove from oven and drain off any excess fat by tilting the corner of the pan over the sink or a drip can. Let stand for ten minutes and then slice and serve!

Servings: 4

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Easy

Oven Temperature: 350°F

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour and 40 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Dicks Tips

I'm going to do you a big fave here Dick and caution you about the perils of cutting and seeding jalapeno peppers. Wash your hands. And when you're done that, wash
your hands again. Do not put your hands or fingers anywhere that may cause you...discomfort, prior to washing your hands. You've been warned.

Jerk-Off Chicken

If jerk isn't the worst thing you've been called this week try a stay-cation in the islands with this Jamaican inspired recipe. And remember Dick...you're not a jerk, you're just a guy.

Procedure

Throw all of the spices into a small bowl Dick - using an airtight container with a lid will keep the leftover spice mixture for next time.

Rinse your chicken legs with water and pat dry with a paper towel.

Rub a thin layer of olive oil all over the legs.

Rub your spice mixture all over the legs, making sure that you evenly coat them.

Spark up the barbecue to medium heat and roast these babies nice and slow so we don't burn the seasoning. This should take about 25 - 30 minutes.

About a minute before you remove the legs from the barbecue, squeeze your lime juice all over the legs.

Place the legs on a serving tray and sprinkle with your chopped cilantro. No problem Mon.

Servings: 6

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Easy

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Dicks Tips

You want to stick to the grill for this one Dick but you can throw this in the oven if you're stuck at about 375° F for an hour or so. If you're a big fan of the rub, you can always double up the recipe, store in an airtight container and it will keep for the next time you want to escape jerk status.

Let Her Down Easy Eggplant Parmesan

If you're going to be a heart breaker balance it off with some food that's good for the ticker as well. The eggplant and tomato sauce will be chock-full of antioxidants and a nice glass of red wine will boost your health and your mood.

Procedure

Wash and slice your eggplants. Lightly salt the rounds and lay out on a paper towel for 1 - 2 hours.

Heat up your Six Month Mari-Me-Nara sauce in a medium sauce pan, and simmer to keep warm.

Preheat oven to 400° F and spray two baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray.

Place your flour in a separate shallow dish.

Beat your egg in small bowl.

Combine your bread crumbs and a half cup of parmesan cheese in a shallow dish.

Now get your work station ready Dick and place the flour, egg and bread crumb bowls beside each other in that order.

Pat your eggplant slices with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.

Dip your eggplant rounds one at a time into the flour, then egg, then bread crumb mixture.

Spread out on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, flipping rounds over half way through. They should be lightly browned when done.

Remove from oven and allow to cool off until you can easily handle them. Reduce oven temperature to 350° F.

Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray then spread 1 cup of your sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.

Place your eggplants along the bottom of the baking dish in a single layer. Cover this with half of the remaining sauce then sprinkle with half the mozzarella and half the parmesan cheese. Repeat this step for the second layer.

Sprinkle the top layer of cheese with your Herbes de Provence and bake at 350° F for 25 - 30 minutes or until the top is bubbly and a little bit browned.

Servings: 8

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Moderately difficult

Oven Temperature: 350°F

Preparation Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Inactive Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 3 hours and 30 minutes

Dicks Tips

If you're wondering why the hell you have to leave your eggplants out for two hours with some salt on them, it’s so you can draw some of the moisture out Dick. Otherwise your eggplant may turn out soggy and we don't want that. You don't need to peel these either.

If you need your meat Dick brown up some low-fat turkey sausage and throw it into your sauce. Let's try to keep this one on the healthy side.

One Crazy Taco

Try this for a Cinco de Mayo dinner Dick. A snappy alternative to your typical taco, this one calls for fish instead of hamburger and is served with some homemade sauce with some zing.

Procedure

In a small bowl or dish, mix together sour cream and mayo. Cut your lime in half and squeeze the juice of each half into the sour cream and mayo, then mix in. Next add the Herbes de Provence, chipotle pepper, hot sauce and cilantro. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or more to allow the flavours to blend.

Now, chop up your vegetables and place each in a small bowl for fixings for your tacos, along with your cheese. Once these are ready, set aside or throw them on the table.

Season each side of your tilapia fillets with some Cajun seasoning and salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan on medium-high heat. Pan-fry each fillet approximately five minutes per side, or until white and flaky. Remove from heat.

Slice your fish into thin strips and pile on a plate.

Stack your tortilla shells on a large plate and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Split the tortillas and re-stack them, then zap them for another 30 seconds in the microwave.

Place all the ingredients, including the sauce on the table and allow your guests to stuff their tacos as they so choose.

Throw some hot sauce on the table too for those of your guests that like a little more zing.

Servings: 6

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Easy

Preparation Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Dicks Tips

Okay Dick, I've called for Tilapia in this recipe, but catfish or any other white, flaky fish would cut the mustard as well.

Dick Factor: To really add some festive flare, serve your tacos with some margaritas and do it up Mexican style.

ShishkaDicks

These Kabob's are one of my most requested recipes Dick. What separates the wheat from the chaff here is the addition of bacon and Halloom cheese which knocks these out of the park.

Procedure

Combine your chicken cubes and marinade in a small dish and allow to sit refrigerated for an hour or more.

Chop and prepare your cheese, peppers and onion. Wash your mushrooms and pat dry.

Assemble all of your kabob ingredients together and using your 12" skewers begin threading all of your ingredients. I would suggest you start with a mushroom at the base then equally thread the rest. You should have at least two pieces of Halloom cheese, three pieces of chicken and two pieces of bacon per kabob. The rest will be peppers and onion.

Lightly sprinkle the kabob's with Season salt and Celery salt.

Heat the barbecue to medium-low for this one Dick. You'll need to grill the kabobs slow enough to cook the chicken without charring your vegetables or melting your cheese to the point it falls off.

Place the kabobs directly on the grill and flip every few minutes to cook evenly throughout. This should take about 30 - 40 minutes or until your chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Remove from heat and serve with Dick’s Tzatziki Sauce for dipping.

Servings: 4

Yield: 12

Dick’s Difficulty Gauge: Easy

Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Inactive Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes