Welcome to The Mechanic Cooks

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At the pub with a pint

Hello and welcome to The Mechanic Cooks.

Yes, I am a mechanic I’ve been a heavy truck mechanic for 30+ years. However a few years ago I caught the cooking bug, in fact, the whole family did. We started to enjoy cooking, trying new recipes, modifying existing ones, and just basically playing with food to try new flavors and textures. And hence The Mechanic Cooks was born.

Air Fryer Chicken Drumettes
Air Fryer Chicken Drumettes
Cheesy Tangy Turkey Burgers
Cheesy Tangy Turkey Burgers
Roasted Vegetables
Roasted Vegetables
Authentic Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Authentic Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Spicy Shrimp and Cheesy Grits
Spicy Shrimp and Cheesy Grits
Flaky Creamy Leftover Pot Pie
Flaky Creamy Leftover Pot Pie
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During the great pandemic of 2020 (I believe this is how it will be remembered) we all cooked more, we obviously couldn’t go out to eat, so the food we cooked had to be more exiting. We had to replace the dinners out. Some food stuffs were hard to find, so we had to make do with what we could get. Most of what was available was food that required preparation. It turns out, this was a good thing. Our diets need to move away from processed foods. We need to add fresh fruits and fresh vegetables. Fast food has become too important in our lives. In the half hour you’ll spend in line at a fast food joint, or waiting for a food delivery there is enough time to put together a healthy hearty dinner that will impress the rest of the family.

Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew (Masoor Dal)
Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew (Masoor Dal)
Curried Lentils with Coconut Milk
Curried Lentils with Coconut Milk
Curried Chicken Thighs
Curried Chicken Thighs

I love Indian food. The colors and the spices are just so comforting. The whole house has that certain aroma. When most people think curry, they think hot and spicy, well that isn’t always the case. The spice level of curry is regional dependent, some are hot and some are not. Spice levels get adjusted.…

Slow Cooker Curried Turkey Thighs
Slow Cooker Curried Turkey Thighs
Chickpea and Lentil Coconut Curry (Chickpea Dahl)
Chickpea and Lentil Coconut Curry (Chickpea Dahl)
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For thousands of years, man has been in the business of producing and processing food for consumption. Whether it animal or plant based, it would be eaten. Sometimes raw, sometimes cooked. Thousands of years ago, when we lived in caves, we would request the “Animal Gods” to give us food to eat. To respect these Gods, we utilized everything; meat, hide and bone. As we shifted to an agrarian lifestyle we included grains and fruits. we learned to store the food in granaries and process meat to stay stable for an extended period of time. we learned that we could produce food in one place and transport it to another where it would be needed.

Baked Eggplant Casserole
Baked Eggplant Casserole
Ridiculously Good Scratch Chicken Parmesan
Ridiculously Good Scratch Chicken Parmesan
Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp Scampi
Italian Sausage in Rustic Marinara Sauce
Italian Sausage in Rustic Marinara Sauce
Savory Baked Ziti
Savory Baked Ziti
Italian Sausage Stuffed Shells
Italian Sausage Stuffed Shells
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The Roman, Greeks and Phoenicians were in the business of food transport. They were also great wine producers and would ship their wines around their known world. Wine is a great addition to any meal. Red, white or rose, and a hundred different flavors and styles, you can pair it with pretty much any meal

Mirepoix: The Building Block for the Best Soups and Stews
Mirepoix: The Building Block for the Best Soups and Stews
Thickeners, the Cure for Soupy Stews and Thin Soups
Thickeners, the Cure for Soupy Stews and Thin Soups
Garlic
Garlic
Cast Iron. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Cast Iron. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates
Lentils
Lentils
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Food is the great equalizer, no matter who you are, King or pauper, you have to eat. There are recipes that involve expensive components and recipes that have less expensive ingredients. But both of those dishes are wholesome and flavorful. In the recipes I’ve collected here, you’ll see that good food isn’t necessarily expensive and as long as you’re willing to put in a little work you’ll create some really good healthy and hearty dishes

Spicy Shrimp Tacos
Spicy Shrimp Tacos
Carnitas
Carnitas
Roasted Corn with Peppers and Chilis
Roasted Corn with Peppers and Chilis
Farofa (Cassava Flour, Bacon and Calabrese)
Farofa (Cassava Flour, Bacon and Calabrese)
Latin Style Sausage and Beans
Latin Style Sausage and Beans
Mojo Braised Pork Shoulder
Mojo Braised Pork Shoulder
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My culinary tastes are somewhat eclectic. Some of the recipes are challenging and some are easy, but they all taste good. The different dishes come from all over the world, different spices and ingredients creating different flavors and aromas. Also, as I’ve grown older, and I have had to focus more on my diet than I did years ago, have realized the importance of healthy. I have a number of Indian recipes (please follow this link for those). These are lentil based. lentils are a healthy and hearty. Indian food is colorful and flavorful, simple and easy to prepare.

Italian Sausage Hoagie
Italian Sausage Hoagie
Turkey Sloppy Joe’s
Turkey Sloppy Joe’s
Teriyaki Chicken and Broccoli
Teriyaki Chicken and Broccoli
Baked Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
Baked Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
Hearty Turkey Chili
Hearty Turkey Chili
Tortellini with Tomato and Wine
Tortellini with Tomato and Wine
Baked Salmon Cakes
Baked Salmon Cakes
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A diet that is solely based on healthy food, well, to me, is slightly boring. I’m sure this will raise a few eyebrows, but moderation is the key. As an example, Chorizo stuffed poblano peppers are really good. Find them here in my Mexican food section here . And who doesn’t like Italian food, my mothers side of the family is Italian, go here to my Italian food section. And, here in the USA there is such a variety of delicious food that we can cook, so follow this link for some of those. Some of these dishes are healthy, and some, well, are not, so moderation and balance is the key

One thing I have figured out with cooking, slow is better. Take the time to build the flavors, allow time for the flavors to develop and mingle. An example would be with a squash soup. I roast the squash first, it adds a depth of flavor you don’t get with boiling it. When I cook ribs, I cook them for 6 hours. You can’t rush good food

Skillet Banana Bread
Skillet Banana Bread
Easy Sweet Potato Pie
Easy Sweet Potato Pie
Sweet potato cheese doggie treats
Sweet potato cheese doggie treats
Chicken and Brown Rice Doggie Snacks
Chicken and Brown Rice Doggie Snacks
Bone Broth
Bone Broth
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I also like to cook from scratch where I can. I’m on a low sodium diet. By making from scratch I can control the ingredient list. And to be honest, I take pride in what I cook and serve to my family. I want it to be healthy, hearty and cost effective, my time cooking is the love I put in it.

Sautéed Salmon Spread
Sautéed Salmon Spread
Radish and Cucumber Salad with Citrus Dressing
Radish and Cucumber Salad with Citrus Dressing
Savory Black Beans
Savory Black Beans
Oven Baked Yuca Fries
Oven Baked Yuca Fries
Roasted Vegetables
Roasted Vegetables
Classic Canadian Poutine
Classic Canadian Poutine
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When it come to the actual mechanics (interesting choice of words) of cooking, I have a section of tips and tricks, please follow this link. Just some thoughts and ideas I have come across to help in the kitchen

So, welcome to the mechanic cooks, please take the opportunity to look over the recipes I have collected here. Cook them, they’re all good, if its on here, we have cooked and eaten it. And please leave feedback. if you like it, well, good. If you don’t like it, well, offer suggestions or ingredient substitutes, that’s how we all improve

Thank you, and enjoy

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