In the still of the night... - The Gay Gourmet!

Apologies all around that your fearless Gay Gourmet!™ has been missing in action over the past week! When I found out Uncle Sam wants to suck the lint out of my already empty pockets I had to bump up the work/prostitution hours to pay him on time!

Note: If you're thinking about becoming an NYC Artist or have a kid that wants to come to NY to do theatre, save all your pennies and then some for tax season or convince them to go to med school!!

Anywho, as I've been working like a mad man I've been pondering and thinking about this blog a lot...and you're gonna see a lot of changes, hopefully, over the next month so bear with me and feel free to let me know what you like and don't!!

ONWARD AND UPWARD!!

So over the past week of being overly busy with every last aspect of my working life I had very little time to cook and truth be told the last thing I wanted to do was come home to cook. BUT WHAT'S A BOY (who has to keep up appearances since he is single & taking applications) TO DO IF HE WANTS TO STAY SKINNY & HOT?!?! cook! Cook!! COOK HONEY!!!

One of my healthy & easy go to meals is Turkey Burgers with Baked Sweet Potato Fries! Watch and learn!

And awaaaaay we gooo!!





Grab two nice sized Sweet potatoes & preheat oven to 375





Julienne them into fry like shapes!





on an aluminum lined baking sheet lay them flat in one layer. Drizzle and toss lightly with olive oil.




Salt & Pepper (for added kick try cinnamon or red pepper flakes too!)
Throw in the oven for about 35 to 40 mins till crispy!

Told you it was easy...NEXT!!!



Grab about a pound and a half of ground turkey (99% lean is what I like)





grab and chop a nice handful of cilantro (I'm a little bewildered by the fact that some don't like cilantro & if this is you, you can substitute parsley and/or rosemary & sage)





Next throw in a nice heaping tablespoon of pureed garlic (it can also be grated or chopped, 5 or 6 cloves will do)





Salt & pepper





Knead, massage and hand mix (Get Down & dirty folks!! Don't you get any ideas...gross)





Grab about a small palm-full and form into patty..







heat grill pan over medium heat& lightly grease using some nonstick spray (Smart Balance now makes one! Get your Omega 3's in a spray can!) or a tsp of EVOO!

drop patty or patties in pan for about 6 to 8 mins and then flip!






top with some sharp cheddar tomato & my Pineapple Guac and you are ready to go!!

Deliciously Living,

Michael Muñoz
The Gay Gourmet!™

©2011 Michael Muñoz

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

* 2 Medium/large Sweet Potatoes
* 1 TBS Olive Oil
* Salt & Pepper (Cinnamon or Red Pepper Flakes if you choose!)

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Wash & Julienne Sweet potatoes
3. On a baking sheet lay fries in a single layer and lightly toss in Olive Oil
4. Salt & pepper (Feel Free to throw on a little cinnamon or red pepper flakes for some extra spice)
5. Bake for 35 to 40 mins till crisp!


Sassy & Simple Turkey Burgers

* 1.5 lbs 99% lean Ground Turkey
* 1/2 cup chopped Cilantro (or parsley, or rosemary & sage)
* 1 TBS Chopped garlic
* Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese (optional)
* Pineapple Guac(optional)
* Salt & Pepper

1. Combine cilantro, garlic & salt & pepper with ground turkey.
2. Incorporate with hands and form patties
3. Heat grill pan or skillet over medium heat& lightly grease using some nonstick spray (Smart Balance now makes one! Get your Omega 3's in a spray can!) or a tsp of EVOO!
4. cook for 6 to 8 mins each side
5. top with cheese, guac and serve with fries!

Holy Guacamole!!! - The Gay Gourmet!™

80% of this weekend was fairly quiet for me and if you have any sense of who I am by now, I'm a mover & shaker! I rarely do quiet! But I needed it...a little recharge of the ol' bat'ries! So you could imagine by Sunday night I was goin' a little crazy!

Well it just so happened that on Friday (right before I bumped into Ms. Chita Rivera on the Street!! Holy Guacamole Indeed!) I hit the jackpot at my local fruit market. Avocados, jalepeños, pineapples (although not really in season) all sorts of things! SO I certainly bought a little of everything.

Today's blog is in honor of Mother Nature being a Spring tease and in hopes of invoking some beautiful warm weather!

Ladies & Gentlemen introducing

The Siren of all Guacamole's - Ms. Ferocia Avocado! (aka Pineapple Jalepeño Guac.)

I love that I just gave my Guacamole a Drag name but seriously... She seems sweet at first but she'll get you in the end! (Don't you get any ideas!)

Her Needs...


*3 Hass Avocados (those are the small ones that look like they have crocodile skin)
*5 Jalepeños seeded de-ribbed & chopped
*1 medium Poblano Pepper
*3/4 cup Fresh Pineapple cubed into small pieces
*1 small red onion
*the Juice of 1 lime
*1/2 cup freshly chopped Cilantro
*1 tsp Olive Oil + a drop more for roasting the poblano
*Kosher Salt & fresh cracked Pepper


A note about avocados. There are large green one and small green ones. I personally don't feel as if there is a difference as I grew up eating both. I personally am partial to the large ones (Don't you get any ideas!) What it comes down to is that you want to make sure that they are ripe. If they are rock hard put them in a brown bag or in the cupboard for a couple days and they should soften up nicely. Too soft is no good!

A note about the pineapple... If you are using a piece of a fresh pineapple they can be fairly juicy and I would suggest that after you cut it that you throw it in a strainer and let it drain out for like 15 mins. Reserve the liquid and make pineapple margaritas! It's totes* a win win situation!

Her Demands...

1. On a baking sheet take Poblano pepper and lightly rub with olive oil and lightly salt. On a small sheet of aluminum place pineapple next to Poblano and throw under the broiler until they start to char! About 8 to 10 mins. Watch carefully Everyone's oven is different!

2. Once a little charred remove from oven and let cool completely. Cut Poblano in half and scoop out the seeds and chop! (remember when working with peppers to wash your hands thoroughly and not to touch your face as the heat can transfer...YIKES!)

3. Peel avocados by cutting in half, removing the seed and then scooping out with a spoon into a med/large bowl. With a potato masher or a fork mash till chunky. You don't want it too smooth and creamy.

4. Add onions, jalepeños, pineapple, poblano & cilantro to the mashed avocado and mix

5. Add Olive oil & lime juice. Mix.

6. Season with salt & pepper to taste. (I like a lot of pepper)

*(Totes = Totally... like duh! Sometimes my inner valley girl comes out)


And there you have it folks a little warm weather invocation! Put it on a chip, some Arnold's Whole Wheat Sandwhich thins (that was for you Weight Watchers) Your egg whites in the morning or anything else you so! She a mean temptress she is!


Till next time my little pop'ems!


Deliciously Living,

Michael Muñoz

The Gay Gourmet!™


©2011 Michael Muñoz