Category: Personal

Crockpot Recipes, Markethive, Personal

5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese By Fitslowcookerqueen

5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese By Fitslowcookerqueen

Out of all the social media apps I use I think Instagram (username alzibluk) is my favorite. All we are doing is sharing pictures. I have gotten to be friends with people with similar interests. I do not go on Facebook as much as everything is just politics or someone doing something horrific.

 

I started taking pictures of different crockpot recipes when user fitslowcookerqueen found me. She started liking my pictures so I started liking hers. I went to her site where I found “5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese.” I was looking for an easy one and I happen to find it here. Below is her site, ingredient list and her instructions.

http://fitslowcookerqueen.com/slow-cooker-mac-cheese/

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 32 ounces macaroni, uncooked
  • 16 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 4 cups almond milk
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 2 tsp poultry seasoning

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Add all ingredients to the slow cooker.
  • Stir to mix well.
  • Cook HIGH 1-2 hours or LOW 2-3.

 

The only thing I did different was use coconut oil instead of cooking spray. Below is my picture before I turned the power on.

I cooked it on low for 3 hours. I then unplugged my crockpot and let it cool down for a while. It came out a little dryer than it should be but I thoroughly enjoyed the taste.

I will most definitely try this again. I think it is a great base. I see cooking it with mushrooms, bacon, etc. in the future.

 

A few weeks ago I tried a recipe I found called “4 Ingredient Mac & Cheese.” It actually gave me heartburn. Each time I cooked the leftovers I got the heartburn. There was no heartburn associated with the recipe above. I did want to share that experience.

 

I was glad to get away from the brown rice, lentil and quinoa recipes I have been making. Although they are great and healthy, it gets boring week after week. It was great to mix it up.

 

If you have a recipe you would like to share I encourage you to join my group at Markethive. Posting to the group’s blog will get your recipe featured on other sites. I am also pinning recipes I am trying on Pinterest.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
http://alanzibluk.com
e-mail: alan@internetguy.ws

PS: Are you getting enough Fish Oil?

 

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Crockpot Recipes, Markethive, Personal

Slow Cooker Red Lentil Cauliflower Curry

Slow Cooker Red Lentil Cauliflower Curry

I have been experimenting with cauliflower lately as it is so versatile. I do like curry. I did a search for “curry cauliflower crockpot” and found “Slow Cooker Red Lentil Cauliflower Curry” by Erin.

 

Below is the link to her site. This is her recipe. I added a few more cloves of garlic and one avocado to it but that was it. I pretty much put avocado in everything.

http://www.wellplated.com/cauliflower-curry/

 

Below are the ingredients and directions from her site. I just copied and pasted.

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Red Lentils
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 head cauliflower, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 (29 ounce) can tomato puree (not tomato sauce)
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk (use full fat—it’s worth it)
  • Freshly chopped cilantro, for serving
  • Brown rice, cooked quinoa, farro, or similar for serving

Directions:

  1. Place the lentils in the bottom of a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the onions, garlic, cauliflower, ginger, curry paste, salt, turmeric, coriander, cumin, cayenne, and cardamom, then stir to combine.
  2. Pour the tomato puree over the top of the cauliflower and lentils. Refill the tomato puree can halfway with water, then pour it over the top of the slow cooker ingredients so that they are covered with liquid. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours, until the lentils are soft.
  3. Just before serving, stir in the coconut milk. Serve over brown rice, quinoa, or farro, topped with fresh cilantro.

 

Below is the picture before I turned the power on to high.

Below is the picture after 5 hours in the high position. I added this to cooked quinoa.

I am glad my local grocery store carries Bob’s Red Mill Red Lentils. Fooducate gave it a grade of A-.

 

I am a huge cilantro fan. Besides taste, it possesses good amounts of antioxidants, vitamins, essentials oils, etc. Cilantro is our friend.

 

I will make this again as I believe it is healthy.

 

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
http://alanzibluk.com
e-mail: alan@internetguy.ws

PS: Antioxidants are our friends.

 

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Crockpot Recipes, Markethive, Personal

I would actually bring this to a party and/or social gathering

I would actually bring this to a party and/or social gathering
Super Easy Mexican Crockpot Casserole

This is a follow up to my last blog post “Fairly Easy Chickpea, Lentil, Brown Rice & Broccoli Crockpot Casserole” as this week I made “Super Easy Mexican Crockpot Casserole” by Alexis. Below is her recipe which I copied from her website.
INGREDIENTS
  • 1 cup long-grain brown rice
  • 2½ cups vegetable broth
  • 1-15oz can black beans, drained
  • ¾ cup chunky salsa
  • 1 cup frozen corn (I used Trader Joe’s roasted corn)
  • 1 large bell pepper, chopped
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1¼ tsp cumin
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese (or more, to taste)
  • Avocado, for topping
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Place all ingredients except cheese and avocado in a 5-qt crockpot. Cook on high (covered) for about 2½ hours, or until rice is cooked through and most of the liquid is absorbed.
  2. Turn off crock-pot. Stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with diced avocado and more salsa on top.
NOTES
Adapted from my Super Easy Chickpea, Broccoli and Brown Rice Crockpot Casserole
I recently bought measuring spoons and a measuring cup to do these recipes. I did everything listed above. I substituted one 15 oz. package of Fig Food Co. Black Beans instead of a can as it has less sodium. I also used pink Himalayan salt instead of regular salt.

It took me exactly three hours to cooks this in my crockpot. Below is my three hours later picture.

The title of this blog post is “I would actually bring this to a party and/or social gathering.” I am impressed how well it came out. I can see myself bringing this to a Super Bowl or a work place gathering. It would be interesting to hear what others thought of it. I am proud of myself for making this. Below was my lunch this past Monday and it was just recipe alone.

While cooking the recipe I used the leftover vegetable broth and made Quinoa. I don’t want to toss anything away. It cooked well and added the leftover salsa to it. I put this in a separate container and added this to my lunch Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. It was a good combination however I would only feel comfortable sharing with others what I had on Monday.

Next week, a recipe that came with my crockpot. This Sunday I will make Vegetable Curry.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
e-mail: alan@internetguy.ws

 

Al Zibluk

Crockpot Recipes, Markethive, Personal

Crock-Pot Chunky Vegetable Chili

Typically Sundays are the days where I plan out my week. I prefer to make my own lunch instead of going out where I am not always sure what I am getting. There is a certain satisfaction of making something yourself. I should also mention I am saving money by only going out to lunch on Fridays and Saturdays.

My Brother Jack noticed some of the different things I was making and bought me a Crock-Pot. That was the perfect early Christmas present. I like experimenting with Brown Rice, Lentils, Quinoa and Chickpeas as they are all healthy.

This past Sunday I made a recipe that came with the Crock-Pot called “Chunky Vegetable Chili”. The ingredient list and instructions are below.

Chunky Vegetable Chili
2 15 oz. cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn
1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies, undrained
1 carrot, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 cup water

In the Crock-Pot Slow cooker, combine the beans, corn, onion, celery, tomato paste, green chilies, carrot, garlic, chili powder, oregano and salt. Stir in the water. Cover; cook on Low for 5½ to 6 hours, or until the vegetables are tender.

Below is a picture of what it looked like before I turned on the power. I should mention I use Himalayan Pink salt anytime a recipe calls for salt.

The picture below is my “6 hours later” photo. I threw in an avocado in the middle of the cooking time. The recipe didn’t need it but I wanted to use it up and I am a big fan of avocados. I also threw in some shredded cheddar cheese the last ten minutes of it. This made four meals.

As mentioned in this blog post I experiment. During this week I would cut up pieces of eggplant, mushrooms and tomatoes and put them in a saucepan with coconut oil in it. I would cook them on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes. I wanted them cooked. I then added some of the Chunky Vegetable Chili into it for another 5 to 10 minutes.

My favorite combination was adding Sriracha sauce, olives and blue cheese crumbs to it. I was satisfied on a taste bud level of it. It wasn’t the best tasting chili ever but I thought it was pretty good and as I mentioned earlier, it is satisfying making something yourself. Below is a picture of that combination.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
http://alanzibluk.com
e-mail: alan@internetguy.ws

 

Al Zibluk

Personal, Quotes

Keanu Reeves, born September 2, 1964


Keanu Reeves was born on September 2, 1964. I have enjoyed some of his movies. I loved The Matrix movies as well as Bill and Ted’s excellent adventures. He played a really good bad guy in the movie “The Gift”. I thought “Point Break” with the late Patrick Swayze was so awful it was actually brilliant. He has some excellent quotes.




For more September birthday quotes click on the link below….
https://pinterest.com/alzibluk/great-quotes-from-people-born-in-september

I have a “My Two Cents” page on Facebook. Feel free to join and participate. Click here for the link.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Internet Guy
http://www.alantheinternetguy.com
e-mail: alan@alantheinternetguy.com

The Original Internet Guy Website (2004)
http://www.internetguy.ws

Who is Alan Zibluk — http://www.alanzibluk.com

Personal, Restaurant Review

Jalapeno Heaven in Branford, CT Restaurant Review


I am sorry I haven’t done a blog post in a while. Truth be told I am a huge fan of Pinterest in using the social media network in my posts. A few a months ago they changed the way you can share pictures on your website. It took me longer than it should have to figure it out. I wish I could make the pictures bigger, however if click on the widget it will open up a new window and you will see a bigger, better picture. It will also give you a chance to comment on Pinterest. I am warming up to this.

On Saturday April 27, 2013 I had the opportunity to take my girlfriend and best friend Catherine L. Keoghan to Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, Connecticut. I wanted to take her somewhere special afterwards and I could not have thought of a better place than Jalapeno Heaven in Branford, CT.

Jalapeno Heaven’s address is 40 N. Main Street; Branford, CT 06405. Their phone number is (203) 481-6759. It is Route 1 and their picture from the outside is below.



Besides giving a review, I want to give my readers a chance to learn more. It is always good to have more than one opinion when you want to dine out.

Jalapeno Heaven
Yelp Reviews
Trip Advisor Reviews

I admit I judge a large part of Mexican Restaurants on the quality of their chips and salsa. Picture of theirs is below, I love the green salsa. I would be satisfied just to eat that alone all day.



Catherine, aka The Cat had the vegetable chimichanga. I recall her saying she really liked it. A picture of that meal is below. If The Cat would like to add any other comments I will invite her to do so on Pinterest. We are being interactive here.



I got the Heaven Combo. A picture of my dish is below. I forgot to mention I am not a fan of sour cream. It was very easy to scoop it off my dish. I enjoyed my dish immensely.




Jalapeno Heaven is in a house. Some people don’t care for this but we enjoyed the coziness. Ellen our server did an excellent job in making us feel comfortable. We are all different but I seriously think Jalapeno Heaven is a great place to bring a date.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me. Feel free to share (or like) anything I have done on Pinterest with others and feel free to follow me.

Follow Me on Pinterest

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Internet Guy
http://www.alantheinternetguy.com
e-mail: alan@alantheinternetguy.com

The Original Internet Guy Website (2004)
http://www.internetguy.ws

Who is Alan Zibluk — http://www.alanzibluk.com

Personal, Restaurant Review

Rudy’s Restaurant and Bar in New Haven, CT Restaurant Review


I previously mentioned in a blog post on how I read an article in New Haven Living about the 20 best burgers in the New Haven Connecticut area. Reading it gave me the motivation to start writing restaurant reviews. I thought it would be fun to check out these places and give my two cents. Click here to read that New Haven Living article best hamburger.

Prime 16 Tap House + Burgers was the first restaurant featured in the article that I reviewed. Today I do my second with Rudy’s Restaurant and Bar. Although Rudy’s was established in 1934 and has always been popular, they were forced to relocate a few years ago. The original Rudy’s was classified as a “dive bar”, this new Rudy’s is more upscale. The new address is 1227 Chapel St, New Haven, CT 06511. They are on the corner of Chapel St and Howe St. Below is a picture of the new location.

Besides giving a review, I want to give my readers a chance to learn more. It is always good to have more than one opinion when you want to dine out.

Rudy’s Restaurant and Bar
Yelp Reviews
Trip Advisor Reviews (note they have the old address listed)

I ordered the New Haven Burger which is listed as “8oz, / Swiss cheese / Bacon / West Coast Sauce / House Pickles / Bibb Lettuce / Grilled Onion” on their menu. I also had a choice of ketchup. I got the Curry Ketchup which is listed as “Tomato Purée/ Sugar/ Herb Vinegar/ Curry”. Below is a picture of my meal.


I have to say my burger was really good. In comparing it to Prime 16, I have to give the edge to Prime 16. If I was rating the burgers, I would give Prime 16 a solid 9, I would give Rudy’s an 8.85. The French Fries here were better than the ones I had at Prime 16. Anna Liffey’s still has the best French Fries in the Downtown New Haven Connecticut area, I think Rudy’s has the second. I did notice Rudy’s was just a little pricier than the other places I have reviewed. Not a complaint as much as it is an observation.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me. Feel free to share (or like) anything I have done on Pinterest with others and feel free to follow me.

Follow Me on Pinterest

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Internet Guy
http://www.alantheinternetguy.com
e-mail: alan@alantheinternetguy.com

The Original Internet Guy Website (2004)
http://www.internetguy.ws

Who is Alan Zibluk — http://www.alanzibluk.com

Personal, Restaurant Review

Anna Liffey’s in New Haven, CT Restaurant Review


I have two favorite places in downtown New Haven for dining. One is the recent blog post review Zinc, the other is Anna Liffey’s. Both places have very different clientele. I would never go into Zinc wearing a T-shirt with sneakers on. It just would not be right for the atmosphere. I would do this for Anna Liffey’s. In fact I am uncomfortable in Anna Liffey’s wearing a tie.



When you open the door you will see a stairwell. I usually eat downstairs. Below is what you see when you open the door.



Besides giving a review, I want to give my readers a chance to learn more. It is always good to have more than one opinion when you want to dine out.

Anna Liffey’s
Yelp Reviews
Trip Advisor Reviews

I had the Portabella Mushroom on Ciabatta Bread. It is listed on the menu as “Grilled Portabella Mushroom with Roasted Red Peppers and Goat Cheese on Ciabetta Bread served with Irish Fries.” The picutre of my meal is below.




I mentioned in a previous blog post how I am on a quest to find the best hamburger in the New Haven Connecticut area. I have yet to try the hamburger here as I love this sandwich that much. I discovered it during lent. I have tried similar plates at other restaurants and no one comes close to comparing. The French Fries here are my absolute favorite. I do tell people that Anna Liffey’s has the best French Fries. If I child again I would just get a plate of it.

In 2011 my friend Cat was visiting from Ireland. She loves this place. Anyway I was meeting her for dinner one Tuesday night and while waiting for her I met a nice couple. They were kind enough to offer me one of their “Spicy Chicken Egg Rolls.” It was fantastic. My friend Cat ordered the “Irish Style Vegetable Curry.” I finished it for her and that was also great. There is a good reason why Anna Liffey’s is one of my favorite restaurants in New Haven. I have yet to have a bad meal here.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me. Feel free to share (or like) anything I have done on Pinterest with others and feel free to follow me.

Follow Me on Pinterest

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Internet Guy
http://www.alantheinternetguy.com
e-mail: alan@alantheinternetguy.com

The Original Internet Guy Website (2004)
http://www.internetguy.ws

Who is Alan Zibluk — http://www.alanzibluk.com

Humor, Netflix Streaming, Personal

Fun on Pinterest with Thought Provoking Quotes


Although I did make these pins for Pinterest, the intellectual property is not mine. I searched the web for both pictures and the exact quote. I pasted the pictures into PowerPoint and then edited them down to size with Gimp 2. It only took me a few minutes to do them. It was fun for me to do while taking a mental break.

The Robert Evans quote I heard on a documentary about him. He has had many different relationships with people over the years and I feel has a good grasp of society. His quote has helped me understand people better. I do have a few people in my life who truly believe the world revolves around them. Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of South Park had a great line in episode “Fishsticks” (Season 13, Episode 5), “your ego is so big that you subconsciously remember things incorrectly to make yourself feel more important.” This episode is available on Netflix Streaming.



My second picture is the toast Elaine Benes made on “Seinfeld” just before her disastrous public dancing spectacle. Some people just can’t dance.



My last pin is from a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode. Data the Android wants to understand human behavior better and gets involved in a romantic relationship. He asked different crew members their advice and get very different but real answers. Captain Picard’s response I thought was the best. The episode is also available on Netflix Streaming (Season 4 Episode 25).




If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me. Feel free to share (or like) anything I have done on Pinterest with others and feel free to follow me.

Follow Me on Pinterest

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Internet Guy
http://www.alantheinternetguy.com
e-mail: alan@alantheinternetguy.com

The Original Internet Guy Website (2004)
http://www.internetguy.ws

Who is Alan Zibluk — http://www.alanzibluk.com

Personal, Restaurant Review

Prime 16 Tap House + Burgers in New Haven, CT Restaurant Review


I mentioned in an earlier blog post how I am on the quest to find the best hamburger. I want to share the article that got me interested in doing this and also my restaurant reviews. A picture of the magazine cover is below, click here to read the article.



This week’s adventure brought me to Prime 16 Tap House + Burgers which is featured in the article above. Their address is 172 Temple Street, New Haven CT 06510. Below is a picture of the outside of the building.



Besides giving a review, I want to give my readers a chance to learn more. It is always good to have more than one opinion when you want to dine out.

Prime 16 Tap House + Burgers
Yelp Reviews
Trip Advisor Reviews

I had the Firehouse Burger. It is described on their menu as “hand formed beef patty stuffed with roasted jalapenos, onion, fire roasted pepper and garlic topped with pepper jack cheese. Romaine Lettuce, sliced tomato with a side of Sriracha mayo.” The picture of my Firehouse Burger is below.



This is my third hamburger review and this is a superior burger compared to the other two places. I am sorry Cask Republic. I am sorry Crush Sports Café. The hamburger and French here were just better. There is a reason why Prime 16 is featured in the article.

Prime 16 is also known for being a beer place. Most people I talk to like this. My one complaint is I like to have a Guinness with my hamburger and Guinness is one beer they do not have. It is a shame. My servers were not as friendly as the other two places mentioned here.

Although Prime 16 does have the better burger, if I am in downtown New Haven I think would rather go to The Cask Republic over this place. Tim the bartender knows my name and he gives me a Guinness with my hamburger.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me. Feel free to share (or like) anything I have done on Pinterest with others and feel free to follow me.

Follow Me on Pinterest

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Internet Guy
http://www.alantheinternetguy.com
e-mail: alan@alantheinternetguy.com

The Original Internet Guy Website (2004)
http://www.internetguy.ws

Who is Alan Zibluk — http://www.alanzibluk.com