Sauteed Squash

Simply a delicious, natural, and fast way to put some veggies into a meal! The squash has a natural sweetness to it that makes it a great complement to almost any meal. Makes sure to pick squash that is firm, thin (less seeds) and unblemished or bruised.

Sauteed Squash
Serves 4

2 yellow squash, cubed
2 zucchini, cubed
2 plum tomatoes, cubed
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 heavy pinch oregano

1. In a saute pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil.
2. Add the garlic and immediately reduce heat to medium. Allow garlic to infuse the oil until fragrant.
3. Add the squash, zucchini, and tomatoes. Stir to incorporate with the oil, then cover. Cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Uncover and add the oregano and a couple heavy pinches of salt.
5. Cook until tender.

Mustard Maple Pork Chops

While mustard and maple syrup may sound like an odd combination, if you're a lover of honey mustard, the recipe will definitely hit a sweet spot for you! The pork chops don't taste overly mustardy or mapley - they really just taste savory and a little hint of sweet. Its a strong and fantastic flavor that really complements the pork well. And trust me, these chops went faster than hotcakes!

Mustard Maple Pork Chops
5 pork chops (bone in for me)
3 tbsp maple syrup
3 tbsp american mustard
4 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp sesame oil

1. The night before, whisk together all ingredients in a casserole dish. Dip the pork chops to coat evenly, then arrange flat in the dish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
2. When ready to cook, rotate the pork chops in the marinade to re-coat all surfaces.
3. Heat 1 tbsp canola oil in a skillet or large frying pan. Make sure the oil is very very hot. When you drop a little marinade in the pan, it should hiss and spit.
4. Place the pork chops in the pan with the bones toward the center.  Cook for about 3-5 minutes, until you see the marinade caramelize and char a little. Turn over and sear.
5. If you have pork chops that are 1 inch thick or more, preheat your oven to 350. When you've finished searing all sides of the chops, place them in the oven to finish cooking the centers. I was able to just pan sear and cook the chops through.
6. After the pork chops are cooked through, allow them to rest on a plate for 5 minutes before serving.
7. If you would like extra sauce, deglaze the pan with a little cooking wine, and scrape out any inedible char. Pour in any leftover marinade and boil. Once it boils, turn it down to a simmer and reduce until thick enough to coat a spoon.

All American Dinner Party

Last night Perry and I had two friends over for a double-date-dinner-party! We ate, chatted, practiced some kung fu, and watched some Pixar. Can't ask for more!

When brainstorming for a menu, Perry's sole request was "STUFFING." The resulting meal ended up being:
Mustard Maple Pork Chops
Sausage & Leek Stuffing
Sauteed Squash
Almond Ginger Egg Custard

Recipes will follow shortly! <3

Masala Broccoli Potato and Lentil Soup

Soup, I love thee - let me count the ways:

• You're warm and comforting
• You're ridiculously easy to make
• You take me (and my ingredients) as we are, and don't require fancy things
• You usually are very considerate of my waistline

Today's soup was born out of a splendid buy at the Chinese supermarket, which offers quick sales. That is, certain items are discounted due to being overripe, bruised, etc, for cheap and fast consumption. Usually that means I get a lot of one thing that needs to be cooked ASAP but will last me a week, like my garlic eggplant. This time it was 5 crowns of broccoli!

This soup is vegetarian and can easily be made vegan. It has a great savory undertone from the spices, but they're not overwhelming - its just enough to give the soup a je ne sais quoi.

Masala Broccoli Potato and Lentil Soup
6 servings, about 1 hour for all prep

1 onion
6 cloves garlic
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp curry
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp black pepper
4 crowns broccoli (you can use stems too, just peel off the tough outer
layer at the bottom)
4 medium potatoes
3 ribs celery
2 carrots
6 leaves napa cabbage (I had it on hand and it had to go!)
1 tbsp salt
1 1/2 cup milk (again, had to go)

1. Prep all ingredients by chopping them all into rough 1 inch cubes. Garlic should be minced.
2. In a smaller pot, fill with 4-6 cups water and set to boil.
3. Heat a large pot on the stove. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Since there is next to no fat in the ingredients, you can be liberal with the olive oil.
4. Saute the onions until translucent. Lower heat to medium low, then add the garlic, curry, masala, and tomato paste. Roast until fragrant.
5. Add potatoes and celery to the onions and garlic, tossing them to incorporate with the spiced olive oil. If the pan becomes too dry, add 1/2 cup of the hot water you have set to boil.
6. Add remaining vegetables and 1/2 cup hot water. Cover and steam/simmer for 10 minutes, until broccoli is tender.
7. Add the milk and remaining hot water to just barely cover the vegetables. 
8. Add salt to taste.
9. Serve as is with chunks or use an immersion blender to puree. Serve with crusty bread.

Baked Sweet Potato with Banana

Nothing says autumn like the smel of warm cinnamon wafting out of the kitchen after coming in from a nippy day. I love whipping up this easy side dish to get the oven going. Also makes a great breakfast!

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Banana
Serves 4 as sides

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1 inch pieces
1 ripe banana cut in one inch pieces (feel free to substitute for apples or pears)
1/4 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1/4 inch grated ginger
1.5 tsp cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 generous squirt of honey
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup slivered almonds to top

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Prep the sweet potatoes, banana, and cranberries. Toss into a glass baking dish, preferably one with a cover. I used a 9 inch round glass dish with 2 inch sides.
3. Top with the brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, ginger, and honey. Stir to incorporate.
4. Add 1/4 cup water
5. Cover with aluminum foil or the cover.
6. Bake for 30 minutes.
7. Stir contents to re-incorporate the sugars. Covering the baking dish should have made the sweet potatoes cook mostly through.
8. Top with the almonds and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes.
9. Cool for 5 minutes prior to serving.

Sweet Potato and Apple Mash

This recipe takes some pretty homey ingredients and makes a filling and sweet side dish! It goes great for Thanksgiving, as a side for pork chops, or for me, a hot breakfast when I'm sick of oatmeal. Because the ingredients are already sweet as is, you shouldn't need to add a ton of sugar to make the dish sing. And once you figure out how easy it is, you'll be making apple sauce and mashed sweet potatoes all the time!

Sweet Potato and Apple Mash
makes 4 side portions

2 small-medium sweet potatoes
1 golden delicious apple
1/4 inch ginger, grated
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
1/3 stick of butter (Optional, apologies in advance for your arteries)
generous squeeze honey

1. Wash and peel sweet potatoes and apple. You don't have to be perfect - leaving a bit of skin on is okay for fiber and nutrition, but try to get like 90% of it. (I like leaving a bit of apple skin especially for texture, but if you do so, it has to be chopped fine.) Cut sweet potatoes into 1.5 inch chunks. Core apple and cut into 6-8 slices.
2. Heat a nonstick pot (stainless steel for me) and add sweet potatoes. Add 1/4 cup water or apple juice and the coin of ginger. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. 
3. Stir the sweet potatoes and add more water if you notice the bottom of the pot is dry. Add the apple slices on top and cover again. Come back in another 10 minutes.
4. Hopefully by now you're starting to see the sweet potato soften. Go ahead and add the brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, and honey. If you'd like the mix to be spicier, add ground ginger. Mix well and continue to simmer with the pot lid off. 
5. As the sweet potato softens, mash it with a fork. The apple should have cooked down the apple sauce already. Mash the two together. As more sweet potato cooks and the mixture becomes thick and difficult to work with, add the butter a tea spoon at a time. The mixture will become much smoother.
6. Season and add butter to the consistency you like. I like mine mostly smooth, but its totally your preference.
7. To make it more fancy, sprinkle some toasted nuts over the top, or mini marshmallows.

Pumpkin Chicken Curry

'Tis the season for autumn vegetables - namely squash! I wanted something light, a little sweet, yet savory. I wanted fall in a bowl - and TADA!

Pumpkin Chicken Curry
Serves 4, about 1 hour

5 cloves garlic

1 red onion roughly chopped

1 tomato roughly chopped

1/2 of an inch of ginger, peeled

3/4 lb chicken diced. (I had 3 chicken thighs, meat cut off the bone)

1.5 lbs of diced pumpkin (fresh plz, not canned) or butternut squash. Should be peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

2 large carrots, cut into slices or half moons

1 red pepper, chopped into 1 inch squares

1/4 cup cream, half and half, or coconut milk

1. Toss the first four ingredients into a food processor, and pulse until you have a salsa consistency - small chunks, mostly broken down into a puree.
2. On medium high heat, add a teaspoon of vegetable or olive oil to a medium sized pot.  Sear the chicken bones, then the chicken meat. When almost cooked through, remove from the pot. Set chicken aside.
3. Pour in the puree from the food processor. Cook on medium heat until you have reduced the water content by half and have a thin paste.
4. Add the pumpkin or squash and the carrots. Cover and simmer for about 5-10 minutes until almost fork tender.
5. Add the red pepper, cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Add 1/4 cup half and half, cream, or coconut milk.
7. Serve over rice, topped with cilantro.

Mango Pudding with Basil Lime Whipped Cream

Mango pudding is one of my nostalgia foods. It reminds me of church picnics and Dixie cups. It recalls memories of Hong Kong and dims sum over Victoria Harbor. Its cheerful color and tropical flavor never fails to put a smile on my face or impress friends. The smooth silky consistency and rich mango burst of flavor make this one of my favorite desserts.

And it is deceptively easy to make! And if the mango wasn't good enough, I also have a special whipped cream that will put you right over the edge. This is quite possibly the best thing I've ever made.

Mango Pudding
Serves 8, 20 minutes active cooking

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup room temperature water
1 cup hot water
2 1/2 cups mango puree (I buy a can from the Indian grocery for about $2 for about 25 oz)
1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
1 tablespoon lime juice

1. Set up a baking tray with 8 ramekins/molds/cups. Each should have capacity for about 6 oz. Clear a shelf in the refrigerator.
2. Heat the 1 cup of water.
3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, preferably with a spout for pouring, add sugar, salt, and gelatin. Add 1/2 cup room temperature water and whisk to incorporate for a minute.
4. Add the hot water to melt the sugar and gelatin. Whisk until the sugar dissolves and gelatin is a little frothy. 
5. Add mango, heavy cream, and lime juice and stir to combine.
6. Pour into the ramekins in equal servings
7. Refrigerate for approximately 2 hours. Serve cold.

Basil Lime Whipped Cream
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest
4 basil leaves, minced

1. Zest the lime into a small sturdy mixing bowl. 
2. Add the minced basil leaves and sugar. With a fork or spoon, grind sugar into the zest and basil to release the essential oils and blend the flavors. You should have green sugar!
3. Add the whipping cream. With a hand mixer, slowly beat the sugar and cream mixture. You can slowly increase the speed as long as you're not going to splash yourself!
4. Whip the mix for about 5 minutes until you have soft peaks. The cream will actually increase in volume because of the air, so don't worry if you don't think you have enough!
5. Serve 1 tablespoon on top of mango pudding.

Japanese Dinner Party

The art of the dinner party is beginning to be lost due to convenience, but its one art that I'm hoping to revive little by little. Nothing beats home made food served with love and care and good conversation. I recently entertained a coworker and his wife for dinner. They're on secondment from the Tokyo office for a few years and I was looking for the right pan-Asian menu to complement the homemade Japanese food that they would be bringing. (Homemade Japanese food! Exciting!!) Although I didn't know until that evening what they would bring, I knew I had a general theme for Perry and I to work around.

The Menu (links to recipes):

• Sesame Shrimp
• Tofu Soup with Chinese Mushrooms
• Short Ribs (Perry's contribution)
• Okonomiyaki (Hiroko)
• Potato Ham Croquettes (Hiroko)
• Tamagoyaki Egg Omelet (Hiroko) make sure you turn on closed cations in English!
• Mango Pudding with Basil Lime Cream

The photos:

Okonomiyaki

Short Ribs

Settlers!

   

As I get time on my hands I'll try to add additional recipes and such. The party was so much fun and I really enjoyed trying a little bit of homemade Japanese food!

Beer Can Chicken

Beer Can Chicken. Do I have to say anything more to capture any man's attention? Not only does it include meat and alcohol, this dish is deceptively easy to make, incredibly moist, and flavorful.

Beer Can Chicken

Serves 2-4

1 3-5 lb whole chicken
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp pepper
1/4 tsp Cumin, poultry seasoning, garlic powder or sprig rosemary- optional and to taste
1 stalk celery

1. Move the oven rack to the lowest setting as the chicken will be very "tall." Preheat the oven to 350. Take out a baking dish where the chicken can stand comfortably in.
2. Mix the salt, pepper, and any other dry spices in a small bowl.
3. Dice the celery into chunks.
4. Remove anything from the cavity of the chicken. Remove excess fat from neck and bottom and discard.
5. Dipping your fingers into the spice mix, generously cover the inside cavity and outer skin of the chicken with the spice mixture.
6. Take the celery and pack a handful in the inside cavity. If you have fresh herbs, you'd stuff them in here.
7. Wash the can of beer. Open it and drink half.
8. Stuff the beer can up the cavity of the chicken and stand the chicken up in the baking dish, so that it "sits" on the can. The weight of the beer in the can will help stabilze the chicken.
9. Fold the wing tips back so that they don't burn. (Think about it like this - its the equivalent of taking your right hand and touching your right shoulderblade)
10. Arrange the skin on the top so that it doesn't leave any of the meat exposed. If you don't have enough skin, try to cover with some celery or tin foil.
11. Optional - dice potatoes and toss in bottom of baking dish with extra celery for a quick and easy side. Sprinkle with excess salt/pepper. Stir the vegetables halfway through the cooking process.
12. Bake for about 1 hour for a 3 lb chicken, and 1.5 hours for a 5 lb chicken. (Obviously test to make sure its done and cooked through!)
13. Let the chicken "rest" for 10-15 minutes after removing from the oven. Carefully lift the chicken off the beer can and serve.

Easy Pumpkin Muffins

If you know anything about Kelly and I, you know we're suckers for pumpkin goodies. Pumpkin spice latte's, pumpkin loaves, pumpkin cheesecake - you name it, we want it. Its almost a shame that pumpkin is an autumn-only food.

Today's post celebrates pumpkin season in the spirit of my recent breakfast goods kick. When you Google "pumpkin muffins," the first result isn't the Food Network or Recipes.com. Its a food blog called "Smitten Kitchen" Of course, I modified the recipe, adding a few other fall ingredients.

Pumpkin Muffins

Adapted from the American club, in Kohler, Wisconsin via Gourmet Magazine via Smitten Kitchen

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15 ounce can)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon clove

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped cranberries

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon to top

1. Put oven in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter muffin tins.
2. Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, spices, 1 1/4 cups sugar, ginger, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth. Add walnuts and cranberries. Then whisk in flour and baking powder until just combined.
3. Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl.
4. Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about three-fourths full). 
5. Sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. 
6. Bake until puffed and golden brown and wooden pick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Cool in pan on a rack five minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Yields about 12-18 muffins. Sorry no pictures - I ate them too quickly!

Quick Plum Granola Cobbler

I tried another batch of granola bars today and had a ton of little granola scraps at the bottom of the dish. Of course I could just enjoy as crumbly and delish as is - but why not have some fun and enjoy some extra vitamins too? Its quick, easy, and makes a super fast warm breakfast or low fat dessert.

Quick Plum Granola Cobbler
Serves 1, 10 min

1 plum diced
2 tablespoons granola
3 tablespoons milk

1. In a little bowl or dish, layer in diced plum. 
2. Top with granola from leftover granola bars scraps.
3. Spoon milk over the mixture
4. Microwave 1 minute
5. Devour

Would be excellent with peach or apple, berries or pineapple - really just go crazy.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

What do you give at engagement parties? While most cases I'd fall to a bottle of wine, in this case, the couple didn't drink often. So what to do?

The future bride mentioned a penchant for chocolate chips. The party was happening at brunch - so what better than homemade muffins?

I followed the recipe on Food.com which got really good reviews, and actually argued the recipe called for too MANY chocolate chips! Like. And it was fast. I would totally make them again.

Nigella Lawson's Granola Bars

I hate mornings. I loathe getting up, forcing myself away from the comforts of my soft bed, and stabbing myself in the eye with a mascara wand due to fatigue. I can understand "seize the day" and "the early bird gets the worm" but I'd rather work past midnight than be at the office at 8 am. Its just so painful for me!

The very negative side effect of hating mornings is that I tend to skip breakfast. Often. In my haste to be on time and make that conference call, I completely forget to put any food in my stomach. Or worse, I'll just eat a cookie instead of something healthy.

Which leads me to this post about granola bars. Why buy a box of rock hard oat bars with nasty raisins, when I can make mine custom to what I like to eat, and just a smidge of sweetness? Why settle for processed food when I can enjoy a little homemade TLC? I sifted through many recipes before I settled on Nigella Lawson's Breakfast Bars - too many recipes called for a ton of butter, things like flax seeds, or maple syrup - none of which I really wanted in my breakfast or in my tiny kitchen.

I substituted sliced almonds instead of peanuts and used a mix of salted pumpkin seeds and sesame. I really liked the taste and texture of the mix. I found the recipe was a bit too sweet - even though it doesn't call for extra sugar, the condensed milk and sweetened coconut was a little much. The bars also had a duplicitous texture - the top was quite dry and the bottom was very moist. Baking it at a low temperature seemed only to allow the condensed milk to sink to the bottom rather than incorporate everything together. As I removed the bars from the pan, they tended to crumble a little, and I had to break out some sushi rolling skills to make sure they stayed in little bars.

I do really like how they taste and it was super easy to make. Supposedly they store well (and actually get better over time) so we'll see how the bars in my desk vs my freezer fare over the next week and if the texture improves. If I make this again, I would probably soak the oats in some water first, drain them, and then use 2/3rds of the condensed milk. Additional cons are the lack of health benefits in condensed milk (I'm estimating the calorie count for this bar at around 170 but with a hefty amount of saturated fat) and the cost - a Nature Valley bar retails at 59 cents a bar but the ingredients for my bar cost 50 cents each - what about labor?

But the important thing is - will I like them enough to make sure I always eat breakfast?

Baked Egg in Tomato Stew

I made my hearty tomato stew last week and I really really enjoyed it. When the weekend rolled around though, I didn't feel like making anything new. Lucky for me, my leftover turned out to be the base for a perfect baked egg!

Baked Egg in Tomato Stew
Serves 1

1/3 cup Tomato Stew
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Turn the oven on to 350 degrees.
2. In a ramekin or small oven safe casserole dish, spoon most of the tomato stew and reserve a two spoons.
3. Press an indent in the middle of the stew and crack the egg in. Season egg with salt and pepper.
4. Spoon the remaining stew over the top to cover the exposed egg whites.
5. Bake uncovered for 12-15 minutes until whites are cooked through.
6. Optional: Top with a mozzarella stick. Serve with toast or potatoes.

Clean dish! <3

Tomato Stew

Tomato Stew with Shrimp
Serves 4

3 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
16 oz can pureed tomatoes
1 cup collard greens, sliced in ribbons
1 red and 1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp basil
1.5 tsp oregano
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
5 frozen pre-cooked shrimp per person
Cilantro, fresh basil, parmesan, or mozzarella to top

1. Prep onion and garlic as directed.
2. Heat a pot over medium heat with the olive oil. When hot, add onion and garlic. Sautee until onion is translucent.
3. Pour in tomatoes and reduce heat to medium low. Then prep other ingredients while tomato puree begins to reduce.
4. Add all other vegetables and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 20 min. (In the meantime, you can make some pasta or rice to serve your stew with).
5. Add the shrimp and stir into stew. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
6. Serve immediately.

Tips:

• Shrimp does not need to cook long. Shrimp should be added for the portion meant too be eaten today and not saved for tomorrow!
• Cut acidity by adding more sugar or olive oil.
• Would be great with a spicy sausage rather than shrimp, which should be cooked at the beginning with the onion.

Hiyayakko! Cold Tofu with Scallions

Quick, cool, and fresh! Hiyayakko is a cold Japanese tofu appetizer which literally takes only a minute or two to make. Ideally, its made with fresh tofu - I'm just going with the soft kind in the plastic box from Chinatown :) Feel free to mix up the seasonings and experiment!

Hiyayakko - Cold Tofu Salad
Serves one as a small entree or two as an appetizer

1/4th of a tofu block, soft or silken preferred (makes 6 2x2 inch slices)
1.5 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp grated ginger
dash of sriracha or paprika
1 scallion/green onion, white only, thinly sliced
sesame seeds

1. Drain and slice tofu and scallions.
2. Mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and sriracha in a small dish. Spoon over the tofu.
3. Top with scallions and sesame seeds. TADA!

Breakfast Egg Burger

Weekend mornings are always such a treat. You get to wake up late, see the sun, and enjoy a leisurely breakfast rather than scarf down the fastest thing available. Today's recipe uses my old breakfast standbys - egg, spinach, mushroom, and bacon - and develops it into a new portable food that is sure to please.

Breakfast Egg Burger
Serves 1

1/2 strip (1 tablespoon) of diced bacon
One handful frozen chopped spinach
3 mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg, beaten
1 bagel thin, or 2 slices thick toast

Optional condiments: Guacamole, sriracha, mayo, hollandaise, ketchup

1. Prep ingredients as directed.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick pan. Saute garlic until fragrant, then the bacon.
3. When bacon has rendered fat and is mostly cooked, add spinach and mushroom. 
4. When spinach and mushroom have released most of their water and is fully cooked, heap into a patty sized pile in the pan. If you have one, take a metallic round cookie cutter or mold and place around the patty. Lower the heat to medium low.
5. Pour about 1/3rd of the scrambled egg into the mold, or in the middle of the vegetable heap. Scrape any escaping egg back into the heap. Repeat and add another 1/3rd of the egg.
6. When the egg is mostly solid, take a spatula and flip the whole thing over. Poke a hole in the middle of the heap and add the last of the egg. When set, flip one more time until egg is fully cooked.
7. Toast the bagel, top with condiments, lettuce, tomato, whatever, and consume.

Caprese Salad

Caprese Salad is a tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad, drizzled usually with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The only thing that makes this salad amazing is the quality of your ingredients. Today's is extra special because most of my items were free! My friend/coworker grows tomatoes (and everyone knows New Jersey tomatoes are the BEST), the basil was fresh from the plant I just bought, and the greens and olive oil were from a free sample Barilla is marketing for in NYC.

Asian Cucumber Salad

Cucumber salad is a great no frills side dish for hot summer days. I think it goes best with spicy and saucy foods (like yesterday's garlic eggplant or a plate of ribs).

Today's recipe is borrowed from A Sweet Pea Chef, who added sesame seeds, grated ginger, and rice wine vinegar to spice up a typical cucumber salad. She has a ton of great photos and recipes on her site - you should totally check it out!

I opted to replace the rice wine vinegar for cider vinegar (simply because I have one and not the other. I'm a terrible Asian, don't judge. haha). They have very different flavors, so I used a bit less than she does. I also added a teaspoon of sesame oil but forgot to sprinkle the sesame seeds for the photo... but you get the idea.

Garlic Eggplant

Garlic Eggplant is one of my staple Chinese dishes. I order it when I try new Chinese take out joints and my family makes it often for dinner. I love the texture, the rich flavors, and the versatility - this dish can be made with or without meat for the vegetarians.

I prefer using Chinese eggplant, which is long, narrow, and has less seeds. The narrow shape helps the eggplant hold its texture better in the dish. When you chop the eggplant, slice in half lengthwise, then make half moon shapes. Or, "roll cut" to get wedges. You can substitute for Italian eggplant, which is your typical bulb shaped kind, which you would cube instead. Today I also added a zucchini because I had an extra guest coming and I had to beef up my dish in a snap!

Now, when you order it at a restaurant, they flash fry the eggplant first, then top it with sauce. This helps the eggplant retain its shape and bright purple color - bit obviously adds extra oil. My version is more of a vegetable stew, rather than a stir fry, so the ingredients all mush together. Its the looks vs calories debate. I choose to top with fresh herbs and plate creatively in lieu of frying.

Garlic Eggplant
Serves 4

3 Chinese eggplant, chopped into 1-1.5 inch wedges/semi circles
1 red pepper, chopped into 1 inch squares
2 plum tomatoes, diced
7 cloves garlic, chopped fine
4 thin coins ginger
1 pound ground pork (optional)
1 tsp tomato paste
1 large pinch red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar (brown or white is fine)
1.5 tsp cornstarch (mix with water to make a slurry)
1 tablespoon oyster or hoisin sauce (optional. I substituted saamjang and more sugar today)
3 scallions, sliced fine
3 sprigs cilantro (optional)
Salt, pepper and cayenne to taste

1. Prep all ingredients as specified
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saute pan or wok.
3. Saute the ginger, then garlic in the pan. Add the tomato paste and red chili flakes and the pork, if you're using it.
4. When the pork is mostly cooked, add the soy sauce, eggplant, red pepper, and tomatoes. If the pan is really dry when you add the eggplant, add 1/4 cup of water or cooking wine to help the eggplant start cooking. Cover.
5. Stir the eggplant ever 3-5 minutes. Add a teaspoon of salt (to taste). The eggplant will start to let out a lot of water and soften. Make a well in the pan and add the sugar and oyster sauce. Stir well to incorporate.
6. When the eggplant is thoroughly cooked (it should be mushy!) add the whites of the scallion. Create another well in the pan and stir in the cornstarch slurry a teaspoon at a time. Continue to add the slurry to "wet" spots in the pan until you achieve your desired sauciness.
7. Serve over rice and top with scallion greens and cilantro.

Korean Zucchini Pasta

My mother has recently become obsessed with our new local supermarket - H-Mart. Its a large Korean supermarket chain and we love exploring the different ingredients, sampling their innovative products, and bringing new things home to eat. (Our instant noodle collection has tripled.)

Today's dinner incorporates a new ingredient: Ssamjang. It is fermented soybean paste (like miso) mixed with a red pepper paste that is mildly spicy but carries a huge flavor punch (called gochujang, which would come in a red box.)

Korean Zucchini Pasta
Serves 1

1/2 cup dry pasta (I used macaroni!)
1 zucchini cut into 1 cm cubes
1 small carrot cut into slices or cubes
2 cloves garlic sliced
1 coin ginger
1/2 red onion
1.5 tsp ssamjang
1 tsp ketchup
1 sprig of cilantro, minced
1 poached egg

1. Prepare pasta to directions. Make it al dente. Drain and allow to cool.
2. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan. When hot, cook the ginger, onion and garlic until fragrant.
3. Add the carrots, zucchini, ssamjang, and ketchup. Saute until zucchini is tender and flavors have incorporated.
4. Poach an egg.
5. Add the pasta into the saute pan and allow it to pick up the flavors on the bottom of the pan. 
6. Top with cilantro and serve in a bowl. Top with the poached egg. Mix vigorously and consume.

Mushroom Chicken Fajitas

My dear friend Steve loves mushrooms and avocados. In a dish that I hoped would please him, I combined the two for a hearty, flavorful, and fun meal. Its not hard - the toughest part is getting the fajita flavors just right, which requires a mix of every red spice you own.

Mushroom Chicken Fajitas
Serves 3, about 30-40 minutes

Filling:
3 large portabella mushrooms or one large tray button mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 large chicken breast, diced
1 red pepper, sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 small onion sliced
1 jalapeno, without ribs or seeds, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
pinch red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
1 generous squirt ketchup (for sugar)
pinch cayenne (taste it first!)
2 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tsp water in a slurry

Toppings:
4 leaves romaine lettuce, sliced into thin ribbons
2 small plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 lime
1 avocado, diced or mashed
1/2 cup - 3/4 cup cheese (I used mozz but cheddar would be yum)
4 sprigs cilantro, minced stems, leaves roughly chopped

1. Prep all your ingredients as specified
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a saute pan or skillet. When hot and shimmery, add the garlic and onions. Add the chicken when fragrant.
3. Add all spices except the cornstarch.
4. When chicken is mostly cooked, add the red pepper. Wait another minute or two and add the mushrooms. You'll see lots of water collect from the veggies, which is normal -that's what the cornstarch is for.
5. Stir the cornstarch slurry to make sure its even. Create a well in your fajita filling - move the chicken and veggies away from the middle of the pan so you see all the water at the bottom. Add a few teaspoons  and mix thoroughly at a time, until water is absorbed into a thicker sauce and there is no more pooling.
6. Warm your tortillas (filling should be enough for 8-10 medium tortillas). 
7. Serve filling in the warmed tortillas, cover with desired toppings, and consume rapidamente!

Strawberry Cilantro Vinaigrette

Because I'm a single young adult, paying off exorbitant college loans while working ridiculous hours, I have opted for financial reasons to live in an apartment that cannot support air conditioning. It is my penance for choosing instead to eat socially and travelling three to five weeks of the year. Oh how I suffer so.

Therefore, it is preferable to eat meals that require little to no interaction with heated instruments. Tonight was a lovely garden salad, with pear, tomato, carrot, mozzarella, almonds and a hard boiled egg. Anyone can make a salad - toss fresh ingredients into bite sized pieces. The piece de resistance, however, is the dressing.

In lieu of pouring on processed salad dressing purchased from aisle 8, I tend to make my own. Why? Because I make my salad dressing fresh and unique to the salad of the day. It keeps the preservatives out and the novelty constant. And making dressing is surprisingly easy. The only equipment you need is a jar with a screw top lid. Add all ingredients, shake vigorously, and pour.


Strawberry Cilantro Vinaigrette
1.5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp strawberry jam or preserves
2 tsp cilantro leaves, minced finely
2 tsp olive oil
1 squirt mustard (probably 1/2 a tsp)

Add more jam, or honey for more sweetness. Add more vinegar for more of a bite.

Scallion Pancakes

A staple Chinese snack, often eaten at dim sum, is the green onion pancake, or scallion pancake. The origins of the humble pancake are rather uncertain, but the sweet and salty crunch make this an undeniable treat! The method is very similar to making parathas, which is an Indian style flatbread. Basically, the key to the bread is creating many layers to add air, dimension, and texture. With parathas, you would do this by rolling out a circle, coating the top in oil, then crimping the dough like a paper fan (before you unravel it). With the scallions, we roll the dough into a flat circle, add the sesame oil and scallions, then roll the circle together.

Thanks to the following blogs, who have great pictures and helped me formulate my recipe! Live2Cook, Tigers and Strawberries, and Appetite for China. I totally recommend visiting one or a few of them because they've photographed the rolling and folding process so you can do it too!


Scallion Pancakes makes 15 4-inch pancakes
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup HOT water
3 large scallions, chopped finely. Try to get scallions with much more green than white. Although the whites are useable, they do not impart as sweet a flavor as the green.
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sesame oil (or vegetable oil)
1 tbsp vegetable oil for frying

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add the hot water in slowly - a few tablespoons at a time. Mix slowly with a spatula (its hot water - using your hands is not a bright idea) until all water is incorporated and you have a ball of dough. 
2. Knead well until smooth (I had a lot of uneven flour). Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and allow to rest for one hour. Make sure you push the plastic wrap or towel right up to the dough so a skin doesn't form. The heat will allow the dough to rise and continue smoothing out.
3. When the dough is finished resting, cut off a ping pong sized ball of dough. Roll between your palms into a ball and place on your baking mat. Dab a drop of sesame oil onto the top of the ball and brush a little onto your rolling pin. Roll out the dough into a thin circle (about 4-5 inches).
4. Brush the top of the circle with sesame oil - just a mere layer, you don't need a lot.
5. Sprinkle scallions over the top into a thin layer.
6. Roll the circle up into a rope, then coil into a flat jelly roll, or cinnamon roll.
7. Flatten with your palm and brush the top of the coil with a tiny bit more sesame oil.
8. Roll the coil out into a 4 inch circle. It should not be thinker than 1/4th of an inch.
9. Place on plastic wrap or waxed paper, cover, and keep rolling!
10. To cook, heat 1 tbsp oil in a nonstick pan. When hot, reduce heat to medium, and place the pancakes in the pan, but make sure they aren't touching. Make sure to wiggle them a little so you're sure they don't stick.
11. When the edges become translucent, go ahead and flip them over. They should develop nice brown toasty spots on either side.
12. Serve with soy sauce mixed with a little bit of sriracha and sesame seeds! Or make a sandwich with egg in the middle. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Rice Pudding

I know, I know - its much too early in the year for pumpkin related foods! But if you know anything about me, I cannot resist pumpkin goodies! So it was quite serendipitous when this past weekend I enjoyed some pumpkin ice cream and came across this recipe from AllRecipes.com!

Obviously I adapted it - I didn't want to use the oven given the weather and I only had half a can of pumpkin left in the freezer. And I also have an undying hatred for raisins, so those are replaced by dried cranberries.

Pumpkin Rice Pudding  Serves 8
about an hour and a half

Pudding:
1 qt water
1 cup Arborio rice
4 cups milk (2% in my case)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1/3 sugar (to taste. I think I added a smidge more)
1 can pumpkin puree (not filling. And I used half a can because that's all I had!)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground clove

Topping:
1/2 cup minced dried cranberries
1/2 cup slivered almonds
cinnamon to dust

1. Boil the water. When its rolling, add the rice, reduce heat to medium low, and cook for 7 minutes - the rice should be cooked about 3/4th of the way through. Drain well.
2. Boil the milk on medium high heat. Add the vanilla, salt, and rice, then reduce the heat to medium low. Let the mixture simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring often. 
3. Add the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, clove, and ginger. Reduce heat to low. Continue to stir frequently. Simmer for another 30 min or until the mixture has reached the desired consistency. 
4. All pudding to cool and set before serving. Spoon into bowls and sprinkle cranberry almond mixture to top.

Spinach-Ricotta Gnocchi with Sun Dried Tomato

While browsing for vegetarian friendly dinners, I happened upon this delectable recipe through Country Living. Being me though, I opted to tweak the recipe based upon the comments and what I had in my fridge. This recipe does take a good amount of work - however the results are REALLY worth it!

Spinach-Ricotta Gnocchi with Sun Dried Tomato
Serves 8?

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed of all excess water
2 sun dried tomatoes, minced
1 cup grated parmesan
15 oz ricotta cheese
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/3 cup flour

1. Squeeze all the water out of the spinach. Seriously - as much as you can. And then some. Drain the ricotta if it has begun to separate as well. You want the ingredients to be as dry as possible or the pasta will be mushy.
2. Chop the spinach to make sure the pieces are very small. Mince the sun.dried tomato.
3. Add the ingredients one at a time in a large bowl. Mix the spinach, tomato, and parmesan first to make sure all the semi wet ingredients blend well before continuing. Then continue with the ricotta, eggs, yolks, and seasoning. Add the flour last. Mix well until you have a very soft dough.
4. Flour your work surface liberally. Take a ball of dough and roll into a 1/2 inch rope. Add more flour as needed as the dough is very sticky. Cut the rope into inch long pieces and try to be consistent.
5. Boil salt water and drop the gnocchi in. Boil for 4 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon. 
6. Serve with fresh basil, olive oil, or eat as is (which is what I did tonight!)
7. To keep leftover, freeze in a single layer with copious amounts of extra flour. I found that the dough actually will soak up additional flour coatings and the gnocchi will stick into a big lump if you're not careful!

Escarole with Chickpeas

I picked up escarole from my grocery, largely because it was the only leafy green that was on sale. I had seen it on menus and in things before, but had never cooked with it personally.

I borrowed the recipe from "Ezra Pound Cake" which I found through Foodgawker. It combines the leafy and slightly bitter escarole with raisins and caramelized onions. I replaced the raisins with dried cranberries.

I'd definitely make this again. The chickpeas and cranberries really complemented the greens well and made it a hearty dish.

Mango Smoothie

Mango mango mangoes! Mangos are definitely one of my favorite fruits. So when I saw them on sale, I definitely bought too many - and they were all ripe. So hence today's recipe, which combines mangos and other fruits into a delectable smoothie (or shake, depending how you think about it).

Mango Smoothie
Yields 4 cups - 2 large servings

2 ripe mangoes
2/3 banana
1 apple
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsweetened yogurt
Optional: 3 tablespoons vanilla ice cream (it had to be eaten - it was getting all crystallized. So sue me.)

1. Peel the banana, core and cut your apple into large chunks. Toss into the trusty blender and pulse a few times.
2. Peel and dice the mango - this will be messy. Toss into blender with the yogurt, milk, and maybe the ice cream. Blend until smooth.
3. For a thinner shake, use more milk. For a thicker shake, use more ice cream, ice, or less ripe mango.
4. Enjoy!

Zucchini "Pasta"

Zucchini is a really versatile vegetable. I love its texture and its light sweetness and you can use it for practically anything. I've incorporated zucchini into stir fry, crudités (as in raw), tempura fried, as stuffing for peppers, and its often used in baking. The zucchini fruit is low in calories (approximately 15 food calories per 100 g fresh zucchini) and contains useful amounts of folate, potassium, manganese, and vitamin A. 


Zucchini pasta actually does not include ANY pasta. Instead, the zucchini is julienned into thin strips and cooked quickly so that the zucchini obtains the flexibility and texture of spaghetti. Technically, this is a more difficult dish - especially if you don't have a mandolin - and will require really good knife skills. Or, you can cheat and use a vegetable peeler. Note that the recipe can easily be made gluten free by omitting the homemade croutons.

Zucchini "Pasta"
Makes 2 side dish sized portions


1 zucchini
1 tomato
1/2 red onion (or 4 inches of leek for me)
Olive oil
1 mozzarella stick
2 slices white bread
Handful walnuts

1. Prep ingredients. Mince garlic. Slice onion (leek) into thin strips. Julienne the zucchini into linguine sized strips. Dice tomatoes and a mozz stick. Dice bread (think croutons) and chop walnuts. To make the zucchini and leek uniform in size, take a vegetable peeler and make long even strokes. This way, you get even lengthwise slices, which you can slice into narrower strips on a cutting board. This works great with leeks, carrots, and other fibrous vegetable. This cannot be done with the onion, however, as they have too much water.
2. Turn saute pan to medium heat. Add a teaspoon of butter. Toast bread and walnuts until crunchy and fragrant. Sprinkle with salt and oregano.
3. Remove croutons and walnuts from pan, allow to cool on a plate lined with a paper towel. Try to avoid eating them all while cooking zucchini.
4. In same pan, add a teaspoon and a half olive oil. Saute garlic and onion/leek. 
5. Allow to cook until translucent, then add tomatos and zucchini. Cook until zucchini is soft. Immediately remove from heat and plate (the zucchini will continue to cook). Top with diced mozzarella, croutons, and walnuts.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta (Ratatouille Version)

I love roasted vegetables, but I'm not a fan of waiting forever or using the oven for just one purpose. So I like to make this recipe when I'm baking or toasting and maximize my home's utility. This pasta dish is super easy and you can literally forget about it in the oven, which makes it almost fool proof!

The roasted vegetable pasta can be served hot or cold. Since there is no sauce, there shouldn't be any worry about overly soggy pasta. Mix and match your favorite vegetables and toss in fresh herbs as desired.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta (Ratatouille Version)
Serves 3 entree portions, up to 6 side portions
Cook time: 2 hours (really you're only working 30 min)

1 small eggplant
1 zucchini
2 red peppers
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
Teaspoon dried basil (or several large leaves of fresh)
Half teaspoon dried oregano
Half teaspoon paprika
Teaspoon salt (add more to taste)
2.5 cups dry elbow or bow tie pasta
Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Optional: mozzarella cubes, sage, diced onion, fresh tomato, mushrooms, etc

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with the rack in the middle.
2. Wash and prep the vegetables. Cut the eggplant and zucchini into 3/4 inch cubes. Slice red peppers into 2 inch long strips. Basically, keep things around the same size as your pasta. Crush and rough chop the garlic.
3. Toss the vegetables and garlic into a glass baking dish. Slowly drizzle two tablespoons olive oil over the vegetables, then season the vegetables with the basil, oregano, paprika, and salt. Mix. Drizzle with more oil until all vegetables are coated evenly. Try to keep all the vegetables in a spread out, thin layer in the pan. Scrape vegetables away from the sides of the dish.
4. Roast the vegetables for 40 minutes. Take out the vegetables, stir the mixture, pat down into a thin layer, and continue baking for 20 minutes, until all vegetables are tender. (I needed a smidge more baking time than this, so do tweak as you see fit)
5. While the vegetables finish roasting, prepare pasta as per instructions. (Usually, 2 quarts water to boil with a teaspoon of salt. Toss in pasta, stir, and cook until al dente, or cooked through with some chew still in it). Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking process. Toss to avoid it sticking together.
6. In a large serving dish, spread drained pasta. Add the vegetable mix (including any residual olive oil/veggie matter) to the pasta and mix well. The olive oil in the veggies should keep the pasta from sticking to itself.
7. Add a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, mix, and taste. Tweak seasonings as you see fit.
8. Add mozzarella, parmesan, or whatever you like! Serve hot or cooled.

Pear and Walnut Brown Rice

Today's post is inspired by... cafeteria food! Last week they had this awesome wild rice with pecans and apple - it was fresh, just a pinch sweet, and had a great richness because of the nuts. It reminds me a little of stuffing, but cleaner and completely vegetarian. I've decided to adapt it for my kitchen and I bet you'll love it too!

Pear and Walnut Brown Rice
Makes about 3 side servings

1 cup brown rice
2 cups water (or as otherwise directed by the instructions for your rice)
1 pear, washed and diced into cm cubes, skin on
2 handfuls crushed walnuts (so they're smaller than the pear cubes)
1 handful dried cranberries

1. Prepare your rice as per the package. Mine says take 1 cup rice to two cups water and boil, then immediately turn down to a simmer. Mine cooked in about 15 minutes (because I let it boil a bit too long - oops!).
2. While the rice is simmering and the water is mostly evaporated and absorbed, toss the dried cranberries on top. 
3. Dice the pear. Heat up a separate skillet and toast the walnuts a smidge. (a teaspoon of oil in a hot skillet, toss in nuts, turn and coat in the pan on medium heat. Toast until fragrant)
4. When the rice is done, add the pear and stir to incorporate. Serve and top with walnuts. (If you add the walnuts in too early, they won't be crunchy later!)

Enjoy!

Spinach Quiche

A few weeks back I reaaaaaaaaaaally wanted to make chicken pot pie. So I bought pie crust and all the ingredients and made a really awesome filling! Then I went to preheat the oven and... it was dead. Suanne was sad. Really really sad.

So then the oven got fixed, but Suanne had gone through all the chicken stew. So what to do with the pie crust?

Spinach Quiche
Makes 3 small servings


Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, made into paste
2 sundried tomatoes, minced
6 mushrooms, cut into cubes
1 1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach
Dried basil, oregano, salt
1 mozzarella stick, shredded and chopped
1 roll pie crust (Pillsbury for me!)
3 jumbo eggs
1/4 cup milk
dash sriracha

1. Heat tablespoon olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add garlic and dried tomatoes. (Optional: add sausage or bacon here)
2. Reduce heat to medium after garlic is fragrant. Add frozen spinach. When mostly defrosted and loose, add mushrooms, basil, oregano. Cook on medium heat until the majority of water has evaporated (or you get runny quiche). In the meantime...
3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Move the rack to the middle of the oven.
4. Prepare your ramekins (the ceramic dishes you see souffle come in?). I used three 3-inch-wide ramekins which were about 3.5 inches deep. Use wider and shallower ramekins for easier cooking! Take the pie crust and divide into 3 equal triangles. Trim the triangles to create a crust for each ramekin. Pinch and remove crust as needed to flatten crusts flush to the sides.
5. Crack your eggs into a bowl and beat. Add the 1/4 cup milk and dash of sriracha. Mix well.
6. If necessary, season the filling with salt and pepper. Don't be afraid to add a little more salt - the egg will soak up a lot of it.
7. Spoon filling into the pie-crust ramekins (don't pack it down). Mix in shredded cheese.
8. Pour egg mixture into the ramekins - fill just enough to cover the filling. Do not fill all the way to the top - the egg expands and may overflow! 
9. Take a deep baking dish and place the ramekins in. Add water into the baking dish until the water is a) halfway up the baking dish or b) halfway up the sides of the ramekins (whichever comes first). Adding water to the dish helps the ramekins distribute heat, prevents messy spills from quiche volcanoes, as well as keeps the baking dish from warping in the oven.
10. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until a chopstick/toothpick inserted through the middle comes out clean and not goopy with uncooked egg. If using a wider/shallower ramekin, try lowering the heat to 400 degrees and bake for 15 and check frequently.
11. Remove from the oven and let cool. Be really really careful removing the baking dish from the oven - please don't spill boiling water over yourself. If you're paranoid, let the whole thing cool in the oven.

Clam and Cabbage Soup

Chinese people have a communal meal called "huo guo" (hot pot) or "dai been loh" which is basically a lot of people sitting around a soup pot. The take turns tossing things in and taking them out and trying them with various sauces. Its not very exciting culinary-wise, but its very satisfying socially.

Today's dinner was borne of a conversation about hot pot. I was nostalgic and wanted to make my own hot pot for one (with maybe some leftovers).

Clam and Cabbage soup
Serves one

5 live clams (I love clams, I bought manila today)
6 leaves napa cabbage (its light green and oval in shape. Sweet and soft in soup. Bok choy is also great)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 generous coin ginger
1 clove garlic smashed
1 pinch red chili pepper flakes
1 scallion, sliced thinly in coins (cilantro or parsley are also great)
Optional:
1 serving noodles (egg noodles for me but vermicelli is great for this!)
3 ounces cubed tofu for extra meatiness
Spinach or watercress if you want extra green

1. 30 minutes in advance, brush the clam shells under running water to remove sand. Then soak the clams in cold water to allow the clams to open up and you to get any extra sand out of the inside.
2. Meanwhile, take out two pots - one for the soup, and one to just steam the clams. (The clam pot should be wider rather than tall as we want the clams to sit in a single layer.) Place the chicken broth in one and bring to a simmer as you prep other ingredients.
3. Wash and chop your napa into 1 inch slices, cut the coin of ginger, smash the garlic, and slice the scallion.
4. Toss in the garlic and the napa into the pot and let it all simmer.
5. Take the other pot and toss in 1/2 a cup of water. (Personally I'm using beer, you can also use white wine). Add the garlic and red chili and bring to a simmer. Place the clams in a single layer and cover.
6. Come back in 2 minutes and see if they have opened. If not, cover and give it another minute. If the clams don't open on their own, don't force it open - it may be dead and full of sand!!
7. Shake the clams in the remaining water/alcohol to remove any remaining sand. Transfer the open clams to the soup pot. Take the residual clam brine and pour through a coffee filter into another bowl. Add as desired to soup stock. (I promise its delish!)
8. Top with scallion, add salt and pepper as desired. Serve.

Mushroom and Leek Risotto

 

After a long year of working, I rewarded myself with a vacation to Italy. There are so many things about Italy that I loved. The architecture. The walkable cities. The cadence of the language. 

And of course! The food.

My family decided to book apartments in Italy rather than get hotels. That way, we would be 1) saving lots of money, but also 2) always accessible to hot water for tea. (Hey. We're Chinese. That's what we do.) My family vacations are also never complete without a visit to the local supermarket - we bring home interesting finds and make dinner family style! One of my favorite dishes in Italy happened to be risotto. (Hey, we're Chinese. We like rice.) The earthy mushrooms and the springy leeks give this dish a lot of flavor - but keeps it light if you just want it as a side dish. It can be made entirely vegetarian if you like and makes fantastic leftovers.

Mushroom and Leek Risotto

serves 2 entree sized portions or 3-4 sides

1 leek (Remove tough part of greens, slice in half vertically, wash, and then slice thinly into half coins.)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced (Dried porcinis are awesome! Make sure you soak them in hot water first if you're using dried and drain)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons pancetta/speck/diced bacon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup arborio rice (cannot be substituted for any other kind of rice)
3 cups chicken/veggie broth (or water if you are really in a bind)
salt and pepper to taste
parsley (optional)

1. Heat a non-stick saute pan and the olive oil.
2. Heat the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer while you continue to cook everything else.
3. When hot, add the pancetta/bacon - as usual, we're adding the bacon to give the risotto richness and a savory flavor. Totally optional, but totally worth it IMO.
4. When cooked through and almost crisp, add the garlic.
5. When garlic is fragrant, add the leeks and saute. 
6. When leeks are sweated (they're shiny, and turning a pretty green), add the mushrooms. Saute.
7. When mushrooms have cooked down slightly, add the rice and saute with the ingredients. Saute the rice for about five minutes, but keep the ingredients moving. Things may start to stick from this point forward.
8. Turn the meat down to medium low. Add three or four ladles of the simmering chicken stock to almost cover the ingredients. If the stock is cold, it will hinder the cooking process. The rice will slowly soak up all the stock and soften. Stir the pan frequently to make sure the rice is not sticking.
9. As the stock is absorbed, continue adding stock two ladles at a time - making sure that the bottom of the pan is never dry. Continue this process for 15 to 20 minutes. You will have to babysit this dish to make sure that the rice doesn't stick and cooks evenly. You'll know the rice is done when it is translucent and soft. 
10. Turn the heat down to low and let the rice cook out any residual water. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If desired, top with Parmesan reggiano or in my case, a shredded mozzarella stick. Serve immediately.

Sweet Roasted Pecans

I've been on a big pecan kick lately: Several weeks ago, our family in Oklahoma sent my mom several pounds of freshly picked nuts from a relative's pecan orchard. (Yum!) So my awesome mom passed along quite a large portion to me and I've been experimenting with them. I first made this recipe a few weeks ago, but it turned out so good that I've made it several times since.

** Note: The main flavor in this recipe comes from garam masala, which is an Indian spice blend. I found it in my local Indian supermarket, but you can also order it online or substitute cinnamon to taste. I found this site which does a good job of explaining both what garam masala is and how to use it.

Sweet Roasted Pecans

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs. butter
• 1.5 tbs. honey
• 1/2 tbs. vanilla extract
  
• 2 cups (approx.) pecans
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala
• Kosher salt, to taste (I think I used just a few heavy pinches.)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
   
2. Melt butter in a large, microwave-safe bowl.
3. Using a spatula, mix the honey and vanilla into the melted butter. (Hint: Use a silicone spatula, as this will get a bit sticky.)
4. Add the pecans to the bowl and toss to coat thoroughly.
5. Sprinkle the spices over the nuts, then toss again to coat.
6. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a foil-lined sheet pan and place in oven for 7 - 10 minutes. **Don't walk away from them; check them often. You'll be able to smell when they're done.**
7. Remove the tray to a cooling rack and use the spatula to move the pecans around so they don't stick to the foil.
8. Let them cool for a few minutes. You can eat them cold, but they're super-amazing when they're still warm!
   

Spinach Egg Drop Soup

Greetings food friends!

I recently made a giant pot of chicken stock, and you know what that means! Soup. Lots and lots of soup!

Today's soup takes one of my favorite brunch foods and turns into into a flavorful, yet light soup. Other than the requisite chicken stock, it also uses bacon to give the broth some OOMPH!

Spinach Egg Drop Soup
Makes two cups. Serves one really hungry Suanne. 20 minutes


1 tablespoon diced bacon (mine was frozen)
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 1/2 cups frozen chopped spinach
1/4 cup sliced leeks (optional. Added because I had them around)
3/4 cup chicken stock
water
2 eggs, beaten
 salt, to taste

1. Take a non-stick soup pot and place on high heat. If your pan needs it, add a teaspoon of oil - mine is stainless steel so I didn't bother
2. When hot, toss in bacon and cook until fat is rendered and you get yummy brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
3. Add garlic and leeks (or other fresh veggies) and cook for a minute until mostly cooked through. Make sure to take the opportunity to scrape off the brown bacon bits.
4. Add frozen spinach and chicken stock. If you have chicken parts/veggies in your chicken stock, feel free to add it too.
5. Add enough water to cover, which should bring the liquid level to 2 cups (my pot has it conveniently labeled on the side.)
6. Bring the soup up to a low boil. Push the solid contents of the soup to the middle. Pour the egg, tablespoon by tablespoon into the boiling stock. The trick to egg drop soup is to pour slowly into hot water so the egg cooks quickly. Don't stir immediately, wait 20 seconds before drawing your ladle around.
7. Salt to taste. Enjoy!