Tomatillo Chicken

I love making one pot meal during Winter time.  It is fast and easy, perfect for a weeknight meal.

Ingredients
*2 pounds tomatillos (husks removed), washed and halved
*1 tablespoon vegetable oil
*1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds), cut into 10 pieces (wings reserved for another use)
*Coarse salt and ground pepper
*2 jalapenos, chopped
*1/2 medium white onion, chopped
*3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
*1 can (15 ounces) hominy (optional), drained
*1/4 cup chopped fresh, cilantro

Directions

1. In a food processor, puree tomatillos; set aside. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pot, skin side down. Cook until browned on one side, 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add jalapenos and onion to pot and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatillo puree and hominy, if using; season with salt and pepper. Nestle chicken, skin side up, in sauce. Cover pot; simmer until chicken is cooked through, 22 to 25 minutes. Stir in cilantro; season with salt and pepper.

Slow cook beef short ribs

Mr. S's parents are in town. To be able to impress them with food and be able to entertain them at the same time, I chose to cook a meal with the slow cooker.  Digging through my freezer, I saw some beef ribs from the quarter grass fed cow share I got from last year.  From my experience, thick cut short ribs taste the best when they are cook in the slow cooker.

*My freezer after picking up the quarter grass-fed cow.

Ingredients

*1/3 cup flour 

*1 teaspoon salt 

*1/4 teaspoon pepper 

*2 1/2 lbs boneless beef short ribs 

*1 cup homemade beef broth 

*3/4 cup apple cider vinegar 

*3/4 cup organic brown sugar 

*1/4 cup chili sauce 

*2 tablespoons organic katsup 

*2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce 

*2 tablespoons minced garlic 

*1 teaspoon chili powder 

*1 cup chopped organic onion 

Directions: 

1) Put flour, salt and pepper in a bag. Add ribs and shake to coat. Brown ribs in a large skillet. 

2) In a small bowl, whisk the rest of the ingredients.  Place ribs and chopped onion in the slow cooker and pour sauce over ribs. Cover and cook on low for 9 hours or high for 5 hours.

3) When done, pour sauce in a sauce pan then skim the fat and simmer to a thick sauce. Serve ribs with thicken sauce. Enjoy!

Zucchini bread

My co-worker Kiwi G gave me a gaint zucchini for zucchini bread.  As you know, small to medium size zucchini is good for salads or saute, but if the zucchini gets too big, it won't taste as good, so you use them for bread. 

**Recipe yield 2 loafs

Ingredients
*3 1/4 cup organic whole wheat flour
*1 1/2 teaspoon salt
*2 teaspoon baking soda
*1 teaspoon nutmeg 
*1 teaspoon cinnamon
*1/2 cup organic butter, melted
*1 cup raw honey
*4 farm fresh eggs
*1/3 cup water
*2 cup zucchini, puree
*1 teaspoon lemon juice
*1 cup organic walnut
*1 cup organic dried cranberry

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan, and set aside. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and cinnamon in a medium bowl, and set aside.
2) In a large bowl, using a electric mixer to combine melted butter, honey, eggs, water, zucchini, lemon juice and mix until combined. Add the reserved flour mixture, and mix on low speed until well incorporated, about 10 seconds. Stir in walnuts and dried cranberry.
3) Pour batter into buttered pans. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan on a wire rack. Invert bread to unmold; reinvert, and let cool completely on rack.

Whole wheat walnut banana bread with honey and coconut oil

A couple days ago I have made a banana bread with all natural ingredients, using honey instead of sugar, and butter instead of oil. Tonight, I made a little twist, I used coconut oil and the banana bread still tasted very good.  Mr. S cannot taste any difference, but I think I could taste the deliciousness of coconut in the bread. Yum!!!

Ingredients
*1 1/4 cup organic whole wheat flour
*1/2 cup organic oat
*1/3 cup organic flaxseed
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon baking powder
*1/3 teaspoon nutmeg
*2 farm fresh eggs
*3 over ripe banana, mashed
*1/2 cup organic coconut oil, melted
*1/2 cup raw honey
*1/2 teaspoon vanilla
*1 cup chopped organic walnut

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan, and set aside. Whisk together the flour, oat, flaxseed, salt, baking powder and nutmeg in a medium bowl, and set aside.
2) In a large bowl, using a electric mixer to combine eggs, banana, melted cocount oil , honey, vanilla, and mix until combined. Add the reserved flour mixture, and mix on low speed until well incorporated, about 10 seconds. Stir in walnuts.
3) Pour batter into buttered pan. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan on a wire rack. Invert bread to unmold; reinvert, and let cool completely on rack.

Whole wheat honey banana bread with walnut

Homemade banana bread is the best breakfast and dessert.  This time, I tried to use all natural ingredients and the result was impressive! 

Ingredients
*1 1/4 cup organic whole wheat flour
*1/2 cup organic oat
*1/3 cup flaxseed
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon baking powder
*1/4 teaspoon baking soda
*1/3 teaspoon cinnamon
*2 farm fresh eggs
*3 over ripe banana, mashed
*1/2 cup organic butter, melted
*1/2 cup raw honey
*1/2 teaspoon vanilla
*1 cup chopped organic walnut

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan, and set aside. Whisk together the flours, oat, flaxseed, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a medium bowl, and set aside.
2) In a large bowl, using a electric mixer to combine eggs, banana, melted butter, honey, and vanilla, and mix until combined. Add the reserved flour mixture, and mix on low speed until well incorporated, about 10 seconds. Stir in walnuts.
3) Pour batter into buttered pan. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan on a wire rack. Invert bread to unmold; reinvert, and let cool completely on rack.

Curry fishball

If you have been to Hong Kong, you will know how much Hong-Kongese like their curry fish balls, because they are EVERYWHERE!  A while ago, a friend posted this curry fishball recipe on Facebook and immediately a lot of my friends started to make them. Thanks BuBu ma to share this recipe with us!

Ingredients
*2 tablespoon EVOO
*1/3 cup garlic, minced
*1/3 cup dry onion
*1/2 bottle Lee Kum Kee Curry Sauce
*~20 fishballs
*1 tablespoon Ning Chi Spicy pot sauce(add more if you like spicy)

Directions
1) Put EVOO to a medium size pot in low-medium heat, add in garlic and dry onion.  Stir fry until you smell the aroma comes out from the garlic and onion and they turn slightly brown, about 3-4 minutes.
2) Add in curry sauce and stir fry for 2 minutes. Turn up the heat to high, add in fishball and enough water to cover the fishballs. When it is boiling, add spicy pot sauce. Cook for about 10-15mintues, serve warm.

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Country Ribs

It is summer now and I try not to stay in the kitchen for too long to cook so the heat won't get to me.  A lot of times people think cooking with slow cooker is only for Winter meals. But this recipe is so easy and quick that you only need to stay in the kitchen for minutes and a warm meal is ready for you!

Ingredients

*1/2 cup ketchup

*1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

*1/2 cup cider vinegar

*1 tablespoon mustard powder

*1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

*Coarse salt and ground pepper

*4 pounds country-style pork ribs, separated into single ribs

Directions 
1 In slow cooker, whisk together ketchup, sugar, vinegar, mustard powder, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2) Add ribs to slow cooker, and toss with sauce. Arrange ribs, bone side up, in a single row. Cover; cook on high, 6 hours (or on low, 10 hours).
3) Simmer cooking sauce until thicken. Serve ribs with thicken sauce. 

Chocolate Beet Cakes with Sweet Greek Yogurt

I just started to eat beets about a year ago. I remember I got beets from the farm share and didn't know what to do with them. I usually try a new vegetable by cooking them into something so the vegetable flavor won't be too strong by itself. After looking at all the beets recipes, I decided to try using beets to make cakes and it was delicious! Even Mr. S loved it. Now, I would eat beets on salads and anything with beets.  I made red valvet cake by using beets instead of food coloring.  This time, I added some chocolate in the cake and it is as delicious as the original beet cake. 

Ingredients 

*1 cup whole wheat flour 

*2/3 cup cocoa powder 

*1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

*1/2 teaspoon baking soda

*1/8 teaspoon fine salt

*3 large farm eggs

*1 1/4 cups sugar 

*1 cup canola oil

* 1/2 pound organic red beets, boiled, peeled, finely grated

*1/2 cup yogurt

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line an 18-muffin tin with foil cups.

2) Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in one bowl

and the remaining ingredients in another. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Fill each muffin cup half full with the mixture.

3) Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a mini-cake

comes out clean and the mini-cakes start to pull away from the sides of the tin. Cool before serving. Add sweet Greek yogurt(See below for recipe) on top of the cake.

 

Sweet Greek Yogurt:

Ingredients 

*2 cups unsweetened Greek yogurt

*1/4 cup honey

 Directions

1) Combine yogurt and honey in a mixing bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon so they are just combined. Serve with beet cakes.

Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

Lately I have been craving Southern food.  Partially because of the Seattle Met- Hot Breakfast Spots issue which wrote about chicken and waffles, partially because I tried Bitterroot's cheesy grits and participial because of my friend, Miss K made shrimp and grits one time and I fell in love with them.  It took me a while to find grits at the grocery store and finally I found Bob's Red Mill corn grits at QFC.

Cheesy Grits:

Ingredients

*1 cup grits

*1 1/2 teaspoons salt

*2 large egg

*1/2 stick butter, cut up

*1 1/2 Cheddar cheese

*2 gloves garlic, finely chopped

*Dash of cayenne pepper

Direction

1) Preheat the oven to 350F

2) In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups water to a boil. Slowly whisk in the grits and salt. Whisk constantly for 1 minute. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for 5 mins, or until the grits are thick and creamy.

3) In a small bowl, lightly beat eggs. Take about 1 tablespoon of the hot cooked grits and whisk it into the eggs. Stir the warmed eggs back into the pan of grits and stir well to combine. Stir in the butter, cheese, garlic, and cayenne pepper.

4) Spoon the mixture into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes. Top with extra grated cheese in the last 5 minutes of baking.

Shrimp:

Ingredients 

*1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined 

*1 teaspoon oil

*1 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts  

*1 large garlic clove, minced

*4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice  

*2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 

Direction

1) Rinse the shrimp and pat dry. 

2) Heat saucepan and add oil. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and saute over medium heat just until they turn pink, about 3 minutes. Immediately add the lemon juice, parsley, and green onions. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Falafel with Avocado Spread

Eating falafel always reminds me of the trip through Egypt and Jordan that Mr. S and I took a while ago. This recipe is a healthier version of traditional falafel which I pan fried instead of deep fried.  But don't worry, it still tastes as delicious!

Ingredients
 Patties: 

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained 

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese 

1/4 cup finely crushed baked tortilla chips (about 3/4 ounce) 

2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions 
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro 

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin 

1 large egg white 

1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil

Spread: 

1/4 cup mashed peeled avocado 

2 tablespoons finely chopped tomato 

1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion 

2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream 

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

Direction:

1. To prepare patties, place pinto beans in a medium bowl; partially mash with a fork. Add cheese and next 5 ingredients (through egg white); stir until well combined. Shape bean mixture into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) oval patties.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until patties are browned and thoroughly heated.
3. To prepare spread, combine avocado and next 5 ingredients (through salt), stirring well. 
4. You can place the spread and falafel in pita bread or any bread that you prefer.

Sticky Rice Roll (Chi Fan)

There are a couple of Shanghai breakfast places only a few block away from where I grew up.  They mainly serve Chi Fan, which is sticky rice roll with soy milk all day long.  After talking with some Chinese friends, I found out that making sticky rice roll is very easy.

Ingredients:

*2  Fried bread sticks/crullers (油炸鬼)

*2 cup glutinous rice, uncooked

*1 bag preserved vegetable (炸菜)

*1 cup pork floss (肉鬆)

Left pickled vegetable \Right pork floss, also called dried shredded cooked pork 

Directions:

1) Soak the glutinous rice overnight.  Cook the drained, soaked glutinous rice in a rice cooker after adding water 3 cups of water. 

2) Place a piece of plastic wrap on a working surface. Spread 1 cup of cooked rice on the plastic wrap and form a rectangular shape. Use your wet fingers or a wooden spoon to spread the rice. Put 1/2 fried bread sticks on the rice towards the middle.  Spread 2 tablespoons of pork floss along the bread sticks, as well as the preserved vegetable. 

3) Life the plastic wrap from the end nearest to you and roll against you to form a cylindrical roll. Tuck in all the ingredients inside the rice roll. Cut the roll into half or third, serve warm.

Chicken with Cornmeal Dumplings

Cornmeal dumplings was surprisingly tasty. This dish is very easy to make despite a long ingredient list.

Ingredients

*3 tablespoons unsalted butter

*5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces

*Coarse salt and ground pepper

*1/2 bunch scallions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

*1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced medium

*2 celery stalks, diced medium

*2 medium carrots, diced medium

*1 teaspoon dried thyme

*1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

*2 bottles pilsner or another light- or medium-bodied lager (12 ounces each)

*1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes

*1 to 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar 

*2/3 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

*1/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal

*1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

*1 teaspoon sugar

*1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

*1 tablespoon unsalted butter

*1/2 cup buttermilk

 

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper, add to pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons butter, scallions, bell pepper, celery, and carrots to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions and celery are soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in thyme and flour and season with salt and pepper; cook 1 minute. Return chicken to pot and whisk in beer. With your hands, roughly tear tomatoes and add to pot along with juices. Bring to a rapid simmer and cook, uncovered, 30 minutes. Season to taste with vinegar. 
2. To make the dumpling, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Using your fingers, work in butter until small crumbs form. Stir in buttermilk. Set a side.
3. Back to the chicken. Reduce heat to a medium simmer and drop dough by rounded tablespoons on top of stew. Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes.

Shrimp Jambalaya

Lately, I have found a lot of new Southern food restaurant opened up in Seattle.  I can see why people like Southern food, they are delicious and mostly comfort food.  Jambalaya will be a good example, rice with a delicious sauce, perfect for cold days!

 

Ingredients 

*1 tablespoon canola oil 

*6 ounces andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick pieces 

*1 medium onion, diced 

*1 bell pepper, cubbed

*3 celery stalks, diced 

*2 garlic cloves, minced 

*Coarse salt and ground pepper 

*2 teaspoons paprika 

*8 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped 

*1 cup long-grain white rice 

*1 pound medium shrimp (about 30), peeled, deveined, and tails removed 

*1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in paprika; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add tomatoes, rice, and 3 cups water to skillet; cover, and simmer over medium heat until rice is cooked and has absorbed all water, about 15 minutes.
3. Add shrimp to skillet, and cook, covered, until shrimp are opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper, as desired. Serve hot, garnished with scallions.

Black Bean Burgers with Mango Salsa

I am a big meat eater, but this black bean burger was so easy to make and very delicious.  I got the ciabatta bread for the burger for a twist.  If you want to make a mini-version, you can also use dinner rolls.

Ingredients

*2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 

*3/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, divided

*3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese 

*1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) 

*2 teaspoons ground cumin 

*1 teaspoon dried oregano 

*1/2 teaspoon sea salt 

*1/2 medium jalapeño pepper, finely chopped 

*2 large egg whites 

*Cooking spray

*1 1/4 cups chopped peeled mango (about 1 medium)

*3 tablespoons chopped shallots

*1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

*1 avocado, peeled and chopped 

*1 garlic clove, minced

*6 ciabatta bread, lightly toasted
*6 green leaf lettuce leaves

Direction

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Place black beans in a medium bowl; mash with a fork. Stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro and the next 7 ingredients (through egg whites). Shape bean mixture into 6 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Arrange patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, carefully turning once.

3. Combine remaining 1/4 cup cilantro, mango, and the next 4 ingredients (through minced garlic) in a medium bowl. Place a patty on bottom half of each hamburger bun; top each with 1 lettuce leaf, 1/3 cup salsa, and top half of bun.

Grass fed rib steak with mushroom vodka cream sauce

If you get grass fed steak, remember the cooking time is always less than normal steak due to the lower fat content. I found this recipe from Healthy Green Kitchen. The vodka cream sauce enhanced the flavor of the steak and the perfect cooking time makes the steak very juicy.




Steak:
Ingredients
*1 rib-eye steak, preferably grass-fed
*olive oil
*coarse sea salt

Direction
1) Preheat gas grill to medium-high (or prepare charcoal grill for cooking over moderate direct heat).
2) Pat steak dry. Rub with olive oil and then season both sides with course salt.
3) Grill steak for approximately 4-6 minutes on each side, until thermometer registers about 120°F for rare (fyi I never check the temperature).
4) Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 5-10 minutes, tented with foil, before slicing (the internal temperature will rise a few degrees while steak stands). Serve with vodka cream sauce.

Vodka Cream Sauce
*3 tablespoons organic butter, divided
*1 small onion, peeled and chopped
*1 cup clean organic button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
*1/2 cup organic chicken stock, preferably homemade
*course sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
*1/4 cup vodka
*1/4 cup raw or organic cream (or whole milk)

Preparation:
1) Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, 3-4 minutes.
2) Add mushrooms and cook for another minute or two.
3) Remove pan from heat and pour in the vodka.
4) Return pan to heat and allow flame to burn off the alcohol, if desired.
5) Add stock to pan. Bring to a boil and cook for 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6) Turn heat to low and whisk in the remaining one tablespoon of butter and the cream.
7)Keep at a simmer until ready to serve, adding a little additional stock or cream to thin it out or thicken it, if necessary.

Homemade caesar dressing

Mr.S and I love Caesar salad. We have it almost every night at dinner. This homemade recipe is very delicious and creamy, and definitely no preservatives!



Ingredients
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 egg yolk
2 anchovy filets
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed

Directions
Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth

Pre-Valentine's celebration + restaurant reviews: Fonté Café & Wine Bar, Wild Ginger and BlueBird Microcreamery

Mr. S and I decided to celebrate Valentine's day with exploring around Seattle. First stop at Seattle Art Museum (SAM).

We went the GAUGUIN POLYNESIA exhibition at SAM. We really enjoyed it. The Paul Gauguin paintings that were shown at the exhibition are mostly from 1887-1903 when Gauguin went to Tahiti. It also included some sculptures and antiques from Tahiti, the Marquesas Islands and New Zealand. 




Later, we went to a Polynesian dance performance at SAM.




Across from SAM, there is Fonté Café & Wine Bar. The smell of coffee was all over the restaurant and the coffee list was pretty long.  I got Aztec Mocha(Latte with chocolate, cayenne, cinnamon, and black pepper) and Mr. S ordered a Fresh Press with Yemen Mocca Sanani coffee. It was nice to spent some time to talk about Gauguin.
Review:
Aztec Mocha- Similar to Mexcian chocolate; Spicy; Great drink for a cold relaxing evening.
Yemen Mocca Sanani- Strong; Bold; Thick; Flavorful; Unsweetened Chocolate.




Later, we had dinner at Wild Ginger. We have heard about this place a lot but have never been there. The restaurant has two floors and all the staff were very nice. They offered small plates options from the main course menu.
Review:
Wild Ginger Fragrant Duck- They serve the duck with steamed buns, lettuce, cilantro and plum sauce. It tasted like Peking duck, except the duck skin wasn't crispy and the skin was spiced with cinnamon and star anise. A very tasty dish.
Thai Passion Tofu- Fried tofu and eggplant stir fried and tasted like lemongrass. I just started eating eggplant and this dish definitely brings the flavor of eggplant to another level. Mr. S and I really like it.
Pad Thai- We were a little disappointed on this dish. Mr. S thinks it needed more peanut flavor, I think it needed some coconut milk. The texture was good except the flavor.



We saved room for dessert later. We went to BlueBird Microcreamery on Greenwood. They just opened up a few months ago. The decor is simple and the ice cream are unique. We got a scoop of peanut butter and a scoop of Remlinger Farm four berry in a waffle cone. The ice cream tasted pretty good, probably we will go back some time in the near future.

Chicken sausage and shrimp Paella

Cold weather makes me lazy, therefore, one pot meal is the best choice for weeknight dinners. This recipe is written for using white rice.  I usually get brown rice, so the cooking time is longer.  My trick for making a fast meal is to cook the rice before hand, so you will only need to add the cooked rice at the end to mix with the sauce. That can save you a lot of time!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 (12 ounces) chicken sausage, sliced in 1/2-inch rounds

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes

2 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Directions

1) In a heavy 12-inch saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp until just pink on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes (do not overcook). Transfer to a plate.

2) Add remaining tablespoon oil and sausage to pan; cook over medium-high heat until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and rice; cook, stirring to coat, until rice is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.

3) Stir in paprika, turmeric, tomatoes, and broth, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.

4) Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, and cook until rice is tender and has absorbed almost all liquid, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in peas; cook 1 minute. Stir in cooked shrimp; serve immediately.

Wine-Braised Chicken

The picture might not look so good, but this dish was very tasty and delicious.  With the short cooking time, the chicken was surprisingly tender and flavorful.  A very easy meal to make for weeknights.

Ingredients

3 fresh thyme sprigs

5 flat-leaf parsley sprigs

1 bay leaf

3 slices bacon, cut into pieces

12 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (about 4 pounds total)

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 large onion, chopped

6 medium carrots, sliced crosswise on the diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups dry red wine, such as a Pinot Noir or French Burgundy

1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth

Directions

1) Using cotton kitchen twine, tie thyme, parsley, and bay leaf into a bundle; set aside.

2) Heat a Dutch oven or 5-quart heavy pot with a lid over medium-low. Add bacon; cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain (leave bacon fat in pot).

3) Raise heat to medium-high. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Working in three batches to avoid crowding, brown chicken about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; set aside.

4) Add onion, carrots, and garlic to pot. Cook until onion softens, about 4 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and flour; cook 1 minute.

5) Add wine, broth, chicken, and herb bundle. Bring to a boil; cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes; uncover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard herb bundle; stir in bacon.

Chicken and Vegetable Stew

The chicken was amazingly delicious when cooking in tomato juice! I just love cooking with lots of vegetables in one dish.

Ingredients

*8 skinless chicken drumsticks

*Coarse salt and ground pepper

*2 tablespoons vegetable oil

*1 large yellow onion, diced large

*1 large carrot, diced large

*1 large celery stalk, diced large

*3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

*1 large russet potato, diced large

*1 pound collard greens, stems removed, leaves torn

*1 large can (48 ounces) vegetable juice

*2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

*2 teaspoons white vinegar

Directions

1) Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. In a 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Cook chicken until brown on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to pot; cook until onion softens, 3 minutes. Add potato and collard greens; cook until greens begin to wilt, 3 minutes.

2) Return chicken to pot; add vegetable juice and Worcestershire. Bring to a boil; reduce to a medium simmer, partially cover, and cook until chicken is separating from the bone and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in vinegar just before serving.

Mr. S Birthday Feast 2012- Maple-Gingerbread Pots de Crème

After a nice dinner, of course we would have a nice dessert. This is my first time making a cream buree type dessert, and it is quite challenging to make. My biggest challenge was the center wasn't solid after baking for 1 hour in the water bath. I let it cook a little longer and then let it cool down. The center became more solid after it cooled down. I am planning to make this again and definitely will report on my progress.


Ingredients
*1/2 cup maple syrup
*2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
*2 large egg yolks
*1 3/4 cups half-and-half
*1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
*Dash of salt
*Dash of ground nutmeg
*Dash of ground cloves, optional
*2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
*1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
3. Combine half-and-half and remaining ingredients in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until mixture reaches 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Gradually add hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Reduce temperature to medium, and cook until mixture thickens slightly (about 2 minutes), stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Divide mixture evenly among 8 (4-ounce) ramekins or custard cups. Place ramekins in a 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 300° for 1 hour or until center barely moves when ramekins are touched. Remove the ramekins from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill 4 hours.

Mr. S Birthday Feast 2012- Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash

Instead of roasting the butternut squash or turning it into soup. I decided to make it in risotto. If you have saffron at home, this is be the perfect chance to add saffron to bring out the overall flavor of the dish.


Ingredients
*1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
*2 tablespoons olive oil
*salt and freshly ground black pepper
*6 cups homemade chicken stock
*6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
*2 ounces pancetta, diced
*1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
*1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
*1/2 cup dry white wine
*1 teaspoon saffron threads
*1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.
4. In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan cheese. Mix well and serve.

Tarragon Aioli

I made this dipping sauce for the crab cakes that I made for Mr. S's birthday feast. This sauce can also be used with dipping fries or chicken fingers.

Ingredients
*2 large eggs
*3 cloves peeled garlic
*1/3 cup lemon juice
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1 cup vegetable oil
*1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
*1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon
*1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
*lemon juice to taste
*salt to taste

Directions
1. Combine 2 large egg yolks, 3 peeled cloves garlic, 1/3 cup lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender; whirl until mixture is smooth. With machine running, gradually pour in 1 cup vegetable oil (such as peanut) and 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (or use all olive oil) in a slow, steady stream, whirling until mixture is thick and smooth, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, and more lemon juice and salt to taste.

Mr. S Birthday Feast 2012- Crab Cakes with Tarragon Aioli

The main course of the feast was crab cakes. Since the crab mixture needed time to marinate, I made it the day before and pan fried them right before serving them. I think this is the reason the crab cakes were very flavorful and delicious.



Crab cakes:
Ingredients
*2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
*1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
*1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
*1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
*1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
*1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
*1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
*1 large egg
*1/3 cup panko
*1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
*1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
*Tarragon Aioli

Directions
1. To prepare crab cakes, combine first 8 ingredients. Add panko and crab, tossing gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. Fill a 1/3-cup dry measuring cup with crab mixture. Invert onto work surface; gently pat into a 3/4-inch-thick patty. Repeat procedure with remaining crab mixture, forming 8 cakes.
3. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 crab cakes to pan; cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Carefully turn cakes; cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden and crab cakes are thoroughly heated. Remove cakes from pan; keep warm. Wipe pan dry with paper towels. Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 4 crab cakes.
4. Serve crab cakes with tarragon aioli.

Mr. S Birthday Feast 2012- Chicken-Orzo Soup

Since I have limited time to make the meal, I decided to make a very easy and hearty soup- Chicken Orzo Soup! It only took me 20 minutes to make and most of the time was spent prepping the ingredients.


Ingredients
*4 cups homemade chicken broth, divided
*1/2 cup uncooked orzo
*2 teaspoons olive oil
*2/3 cup coarsely chopped carrot
*1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
*1/2 cup chopped onion
*3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
*1 1/4 cups water
*3 fresh parsley sprigs
*1 fresh thyme sprig
*4 cups fresh baby spinach
*1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Bring 1 3/4 cups broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add orzo; cook 10 minutes or until done. Drain.
2. While orzo cooks, heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add carrot, celery, onion, and chicken; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining 2 1/4 cups broth, 1 1/4 cups water, parsley, and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Discard herb sprigs. Add orzo, spinach, juice, salt, and pepper; simmer 1 minute.

Mr. S Birthday Feast 2012- Tuna Poke

First Course of the feast is Tuna Poke. This is our favorite appetizer at all time and it is very easy to make. The most important thing is to get very fresh sushi grade tuna and marinate it at least an hour to 2 before serve.


Ingredients
*1/4 cup chopped green onions
*1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
*1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
*1 1/2 teaspoons peanut oil
*1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
*1/2 pound sushi-grade tuna, cut into (1/2-inch) cubes
*1 garlic clove, minced
*3 piece wonton wrap


Directions
1. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a medium glass bowl. Cover and chill 2 hours.
2. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a sauce pan. Cut wonton wrap into 1/2. Drop wonton wrap one by one in hot oil for around 30 seconds on each side or until golden. Serve crispy wonton wrap with Tuna Poke.

Mr. S Birthday Feast 2012

It's another year of Mr. S Birthday Feast. Every year, I would make a multiple courses meal to celebrate Mr. S's birthday. Click here to see Mr. S Birthday Feast 2011.

Menu for Mr. S Birthday Feast 2012:
Tuna Poke
Chicken-Orzo Soup
Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash
Crab Cakes with Tarragon Aioli
Maple-Gingerbread Pots de Crème

Mr. S's birthday was on a Wednesday, so I spent around 1 hour the night before to prep some of the food, including roasting the butternut squash, marinate the crab cake and making the tarragon aioli. Then I spent around 2 1/2 to 3 hours on Wednesday to prepare the meal.

Spicy Coconut Chicken Casserole

I like cooking with coconut milk. They enhance the flavor of all dishes and they are very nutritious.  The flavor of this dish is amazing and it is a good weeknight dinner option.

Ingredients

*1 tablespoon olive oil

*4 whole chicken legs (about 3 pounds total)

*Coarse salt and ground pepper

*1 can (14.5 ounces) light coconut milk

*1 1/2 cups canned reduced-sodium chicken broth

*1 to 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste

*1 cup jasmine rice

*2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), cut into 1-inch pieces

*8 ounces green beans (stem ends removed), cut into 1-inch lengths

*1/2 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Directions

1) In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in two batches, cook chicken until browned, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate.

2) To pot, add coconut milk, broth, 1/2 cup water, and curry paste; bring to a boil, and stir in rice. Add chicken (with any juices), arranging pieces in a single layer. Cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, without stirring, until rice is almost tender, 15 minutes.

3) Scatter bell peppers and green beans on top of chicken mixture; cover, and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Chinese Style Pork Jerky

Some of my Chinese friends were talking about homemade pork jerky.  The Chinese jerky is soft and juicy while American jerky is hard and dry!  Outside of using pork, you can find beef, chicken and boar jerky.  The best place to get Chinese jerky is from Macau.  I am challenging myself for some homemade jerky to comfort my homesick. Ingredients *1 pound ground pork  *4 tablespoon sugar *1 tablespoon honey + 1 tablespoon honey (for basting) *1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce *1 tablespoon rose cooking wine (optional, will taste different without) *1/3 teaspoon salt *pinch black pepper *pinch white pepper Directions 1) Put all the ingredients in a medium size bowl, except 1 tablespoon of honey for basting, stir them quickly for about 4-5 minutes.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least half an hour. 2) Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.  Prepare basting sauce with mixing 1 tablespoon of honey with 1 teaspoon of warm water. 3) Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter top, then put 1/3 of ground pork on the wrap, finally place another piece of plastic wrap on top of the pork. Roll the pork into 2mm thick.  Transfer the pork to a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes each side. Baste the pork with honey water. Increase heat of the oven to 350 degrees F, bake for 8 minutes each side. Cool down on rack. Cut into bite size.

Recipe from here