Forget making the reservations…you can have your own date night, right in the comfort of your own home! Just watch and I’ll show you how!

Date Night Special (1 of 2) from Darius Williams on Vimeo.

Date Night Special (Part 2 of 2) from Darius Williams on Vimeo.

Mar 26, 2009

Again…another quick one – you should TOTALLY try it. Simple, easy, healthy, and super delicious.

Lemon Chicken Pasta

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of frozen green peas
½ cup of minced onion
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
¼ cup of olive oil
½ teaspoon of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
½ pound of whole grain pasta, cooked and drained
1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest
¼ cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice
Shaved parmesan cheese (for garnish)
chopped parsley

Season chicken breasts liberally with salt and pepper. Sear in a heavy bottom skillet on both sides until done. Once drained and cooled, cube chicken. In the same skillet add oil, onion, garlic, and peas. Add in lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add cooked chicken and toss with pasta. Garnish with grated cheese and chopped parsley.

Mar 26, 2009

So, here’s my creativity at work. I’m thinking what would a modern Italian party look like and how would the food taste?

Well, I came up with the following:
Chicken Parmesan Bites: Chicken meatballs that are stuffed with cheese and breaded, then deep fried, then placed in a sweet tomato basil sauce and topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

Caramelized Beef in Pastry Triangles: Caramelized rib eye strips with onions and pepper that get seasoned with tons of Italian herbs. The cooled mixture gets folded into puff pastry triangles then is baked until golden brown. I took balsamic that was infused with pomegranate and reduced it by half…and I used that as a drizzle!

Crispy Potato Wedges with a Lemon Garlic Aioli: Russet potatoes get a wash and get cut into wedges, seasoned with Kosher salt, pepper, and olive oil. They roast on a sheet until golden brown. Then I make a homemade aioli and infuse it with the zest and juice of a lemon and roasted garlic.

3 Minute Bruschetta: Simple and easy with Vidalia onions, canned sweet tomatoes, fresh basil and a few other things make this worth while.

Why no real recipes? Well, this menu will be featured on Season 2 of Everyday Cookin. So, you’ll be able to see it there – lol.

Mar 26, 2009

Another quick one. This is what happens when you’ve had a long day at the office and just want to come home and eat something…quickly.

1 cup of Pancetta
2 tablespoons of minced shallots
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
2 tablespoons of chopped basil
1 cup of heavy cream
1 teaspoon of olive oil
½ pound of cooked linguini
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of pepper
½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Over medium heat, sauté pancetta in olive oil. When almost done add in garlic and shallots. Cook until garlic is soft and shallots are translucent. Add in cream, basil, and cream and once it comes to a boil, reduce heat to low. Add cheese and season with salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Toss in pasta and garnish with more grated cheese and a chopped of basil.

Mar 26, 2009

Do you think anyone could pass up crispy well seasoned fish nuggets on a crispy tortilla with a compound sour cream and pico de gallo?!?! Um, certainly not me. These are a great addition to any party menu – one bite and you’re spell bound. And yes, I did say spell bound – lol.

Fish Tacos
- Any white fish (I used tilapia) cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon of each (ground cumin, coriander, black pepper, salt, and garlic powder)
- 1 cup of corn meal
- oil for frying
- corn tortillas
- a good Latino inspired cheese (I used Chihuahua cheese)
- tons of pico de gallo (combine chopped tomatoes, cilantro, onion, garlic, chiles, lime zest, lime juice, a touch of sugar, salt, and balsamic vinegar)
- chipotle sour cream (combine sour cream and minced chipotle peppers)

Marinate the fish in the spices. Coat with the corn meal and fry at 375 degrees (medium high heat) until golden brown. Toast corn tortillas in the oven until crispy. Top tortilla with fish, cheese, pico de gallo, chipotle sour cream, and a sqeeze of lime.