Tofu

Stuffed puffy fried tofu

Soft tofu with meat and enoki mushrooms

I'm always amazed at all the different tofu products that are out there.  There is at least three different types of "plain" tofu - soft, medium, firm.  There are many different types of fried tofu - dense, puffy, and of course, stinky.  There is also soft tofu pudding, which is one of my favorite desserts.  I love the endless combinations you can do with tofu - there are ton of traditional ways to cook it - add it in soup, make mapo tofu, or be creative and come up with your own dish!

Chicken Adobo

 

I never really understood what Chicken Adobo was all about, until Joe's Aunty made it.  I was completely hooked - I loved the intense flavor with a twang.  This recipe still doesn't taste exactly like her version, but it's still pretty tasty.

Crispy Parmesan Drumsticks

It might be hard to believe, but I actually prefer this chicken to actual fried chicken.  These crispy chicken drumsticks have all the crunch and seasoning of fried chicken, without the grease, and you don't get the nagging guilt that usually follows after you polish off a couple pieces of fried chicken.  I like using chicken wings as well, just remember to cook them on a separate pan than the drumsticks, because the wings get done sooner. 

Pasta Salad

I loved making this pasta salad recipe from Ina Garten.  I got lazy and only followed the roasted vegetables and orzo part, and added baked chicken breast.  It still turned out to be delicious, without the feta cheese or pine nuts.  I did put 1-2 tsp of Italian Seasoning in the vinagrette to make up for the lack of fresh herbs.

This salad came together because of the things I had in the fridge.  We had grape tomatoes on hand, and baked chicken from this leftover marinade. I made a quick balsamic vinaigrette and tossed everything together.  Delicious!

Asian Salmon

Here's one of my favorite marinades for salmon by Ina Garten.  It also works great on chicken as well.  There are a ton of "Asian" marinades out there, but I find this one uses the least amount of ingredients and the Asian (soy sauce) flavor comes out really well.  The recipe calls for grilling the salmon, but I ended up just baking it.  Depending on the size of the salmon fillet, bake at 375 degrees for 10-14 minutes.

Congee

The ultimate chinese comfort food.  I used 12 cups of water and 2 cups of rice for this consistency,.  Bring to boil the water and rice, and then simmer on low for about 30-40 minutes.  I also added two pork neck bones in for flavor.  I have pork neck bones in my freezer, and I prep it by boiling it in hot water for about 5 minutes to get rid of any impurities, before I store it in the freezer.

Stir constantly - that's probably the hardest thing to do with congee - you always have to keep an eye on it.  I tossed in bits of fish fillet  (marinated in soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch) toward the last 15 minutes of cooking time.

Pan Fried Salmon

I like pan frying salmon because it's a lot faster than baking.  Just pan fry about 3-4 minutes on each side to get it nice and crisp on the sides.  I like putting a little olive oil and a generous sprinkling of Italian Seasoning and salt and pepper on both sides.

Stir Fry

I've been watching my mom stir fry all my life, and it has only been recently that I truly understand the art of stir frying.  I finally realized that by browning the meat first, and then stir frying the vegetables, you are using the vegetables to scrape up the flavors from the meat and the high heat helps trap the flavors within the vegetables.  I used to go through the motions, but often at times, I would never have enough patience to wait for a well heated wok, or I would cook too much at one time, thereby, never allowing the vegetables and the meat to cook within their own space and to brown appropriately.

I came to appreciate this process more when a friend of mine lent me a book by Grace Young, called the The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen.  Her website is a great entry way into stir fry recipes, but don't miss out on this amazing book, where there is an amazing catalog of traditional chinese recipes, that I never thought I would see encapsulated in English.  She spent a great deal of time jotting this wisdom down from her parents along with her extended family.  In explaining her family's idiosyncrasies, I've learned to understand why my parents, always, without exception, insist on picking out the the freshest meat, vegetables,etc (they want the best for the family, and they take great pride in being able to buy the best).

Once you figure out the principle of stir fry, the possibilities are endless.  Most vegetables (non-leafy works best except for bok choy) combined with any kind of meat makes for a different dish of flavor and texture.

Baby bok choy with pork

Mushroom, celery, and beef slices

broccoli and beef slices

Stuffed Mushrooms- Chinese style

This recipe is a little more time intensive, but it's worth it.  The stuffed mushrooms are browned and then get juicy when they are cooked in a little chicken broth and the sauce is then thickened.

Recipe from Enjoy Chinese Cuisine by Judy Lew

1 ½ lbs of fresh mushrooms (about 24 medium)

Filling:

½ lb lean ground pork
¼ lb fresh prawns (shelled, deveined, rinsed and chopped)
4 water chestnuts, chopped
2 T chopped bamboo shoots
1 t minced ginger root (optional)
1 t soy sauce
1 t rice wine
½ t salt
¼ t white pepper
1 T cornstarch

1 T oil
1 T mirin or sherry
1 T oyster sauce
2 t soy sauce
½ cup soup stock
Some cornstarch and water for thickening
1 green onion, chopped.

1.  Wash and dry the mushrooms.  Gently break off stems and reserve for another use.
2.  Combine all filling ingredients
3.  Stuff mushroom, use about 1 ½ t for each mushroom.
4.  Heat a skillet and add oil.  Lightly brown mushrooms, meat side down over medium heat.
5.  Turn mushrooms over and cook tops for about 1 min.
6.  Add mirin, oyster sauce, soy sauce and soup stock.  
7.  Cover, bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Thicken with cornstarch and water mixture.  Add green onions.

Dirty Rice

My first taste of dirty rice came from a Zatarains Box and boy was it good.  In a quest to lower the amount of sodium and processed foods that we eat, I've found that it's also pretty easy to make dirty rice from scratch.  I followed this recipe loosely and once I get the meat and veggies done, I just scoop it on top of hot rice.  I love the flavors and colors that the little red and yellow peppers add to the dish.  You can even make your own cajun seasoning if you have enough random spices in the house (like me!).

Kimchi Fried Rice

This is one of the easiest fried rice dishes you can make - all you need is garlic, onions, kimchi and an egg, and of course, day old rice!  I think the green onion is optional.  It is so easy to whip up and it is so tasty!  Here's the recipe.

Salads

Getting my husband to eat more vegetables has been a fun challenge of mine.  Flavorful dressings and salads with more than just lettuce have helped me meet the challenge.  Here's a link to the dressing that Joe especially likes.

I love adding chickpeas, olives, and roasted peppers to the salad for added protein and texture.  I usually broil the peppers for about 15 minutes and then dump into a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap.  After another 15 minutes, I peel off the skin and then cut up into pieces.

I also like making the meat interesting.  This is chicken marinated with Thai seasonings from this recipe.  Joe ate this salad very quickly!

Simple Roast Chicken

 

If my smoke alarm didn't go off every time I roasted chicken in the oven, I would definitely make this recipe more often!!  The crispy skin is to die for and the meat is moist.  I used the simple method of roast chicken by Thomas Keller (salt and pepper chicken roasted at high heat).  If this picture of a chicken looks funny to you, it's because I've attacked the wings - my favorite part of the chicken.

asian flavored turkey meatballs

All the flavors that I love about chinese food - soy sauce, sesame oil, and cilantro - all meld together so nicely within the meatball.  I sneak tofu in this recipe to make it a little more healthy and to help us eat a little less meat.  I used this recipe as a guide, but I didn't put in the milk or breadcrumbs, and stuck with using only ground turkey. 

Roasted Pepper Chili

Stove top chili - before picture

Stove top chili - after picture

I am a big fan of chili because it's a sneaky way of getting my husband to eat beans, and veggies.  This is a combination of two different recipes.  I really like the addition of roasted peppers - it really gives the chili a nice sweetness.  It's really fun to make because once you prep all the veggies, and brown the meat, you can throw it all together and let it cook and simmer today.  I like cooking it on the crockpot as well as the stove.

Here's a recipe that is similar to the one I use.  I do add red peppers that I broil under the broiler for 15 minutes, and then let rest for 15 minutes in a covered bowl, before peeling the skin and chopping it up.

Slow cooker chili - before picture

Slow cooker chili - after picture

Pita Pizzas

This is one of the easiest dinners that I've ever made - total time - 15 minutes.  The pitas gets nice and crispy once you bake the pizzas for 10-12 minutes.  Throw on pasta or tomato sauce, cheese, and ham (or any meat lying around like sausage, chicken, etc).  I'm planning to do a turkey, artichoke, and olives one next week.  The possibilities are endless.  Joe is a huge fan!

Here's the recipe link 

Mushroom Risotto

I love cooking risotto - stirring the rice round and round is so relaxing and calming.  The combination of mushroom, parsley (I used cilantro), white wine, and parmesan cheese in this recipe is so good.  The mushrooms had to be sauteed separately and they were able to brown b/c they were not crowded in this pan (it totally makes a difference!)

This is what the risotto looks about half way, as I stir patiently, waiting for the rice to soak more and more stock.  The below is close to done, and ready for the parmesan cheese and butter to be stirred in, and then it turns into a velvety and soft risotto!

risotto with mushrooms

serves 3-4

⅓ cup dried wild mushrooms, preferably porcini (I used shiitake)
6 oz fresh mushrooms or 12 oz if doubling recipe
juice of ½ lemon
6 T butter
2 T finely chopped parsley
3 ¾ cups vegetable stock
2 T oilve oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1.5 cups risotto rice
½ cup try white wine
3 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper


1. place dried mushrooms in 1.5 cups warm water.  soak for a least 40 min.                                          filter water through sieve and reserve.
2.  wipe and slice mushrooms.
3. in heavy frying pan, melt a third of the butter.  stir in fresh sliced mushrooms and cook over moderate heat until they release their juices and begin to brown.  Stir in parsley, cook for 30 seconds more and remove to a side dish.
4. place stock in a saucepan, and add mushroom water.  heat broth to a simmer.
5.  heat another third of the butter with olive oil in the same pan the mushrooms were cooked in.  stir in the onion and cook until it is soft and golden.  add the rice, stirring for 1-2 minutes to coat it with the oils in the pan.  Add the soaked and sauteed mushrooms and mix well.
6.  pour in the wine, raise the heat slightly, and cook over moderate heat until it evaporates.
7.  add one small ladleful of the hot broth.
8.  over moderate heat, cook until broth is absorbed.
9.  add a little more broth and stir until rice dries out again.
10.  continue until 20 minutes, taste the rice.  add salt and pepper
11.  continue cooking until rice is tender, but firm to the bite.
12.  total cooking time maybe 20-35 minutes, if you run out of broth, use hot water.
13.  remove risotto pan from heat.  stir in remaining butter and parmesan.  let rest for 3-4 min before serving.

(from Best-Ever Vegetarian, Linda Fraser)

3 cup chicken

This dish became an instant favorite when I tried it for the first time at Facing East in Bellevue.  A dish that hits your nose and taste buds at the same time - the sesame oil, wine, soy sauce, as well as basil, combine to create an fragant aroma that is just hard to resist.  When I had spotted this dish in a recipe book that a friend had given me, I was so happy to see that this dish is within my reach, and actually fairly simple!

All the ingredients that you need:

Fry up the chicken, and cover, and bam!, you have yourself 3 cup chicken.

3 cup chicken  (serves 2)
(From "Chinese Rice and Noodles," author Su-Huei Huang)


1 ⅓ lbs chicken or chicken thighs
4 T sesame oil

12 slices ginger root
6 dried chili peppers

4 T each - cooking wine, soy sauce
½ cup water
½ T sugar

1 bunch of packaged bean threads
1 cup basil

2 cup cooked rice

1.  Wash chicken and pat dry.  Cut into pieces.  Soak the bean threads in water until soft; drain.
2.  Heat 4 T sesame oil, stir fry ginger and chili over low heat until ginger turns a golden color.
3.  Turn heat to high and fry chicken for 5 minutes, until both sides are golden brown.
4.  Add cooking wine, soy sauce, water, sugar in that order.
5.  Bring to a boil.
6.  Cover and cook over medium heat 15 minutes; stir occasionally during cooking.
7.  Add bean threads and basil, and stir fry until liquid is almost evaporated.  Serve with rice.

Chicken Braised in Garlic and White Wine

Braised short ribs is the big thing these days, but I found a cheaper alternative.  This dish uses the same concept of browning the meat, then throwing in veggies and wine/stock to simmer with the meat. 

Here's the recipe from Real Simple magazine.  If you end up trying the recipe, let me know what you think!  I tried the recipe with chicken breast cutlets and it worked, but I think the bones in the chicken thighs make for a more flavorful sauce.

2 tsp dried oregano
kosher salt and pepper

8 small chicken thighs (or 1.5 pounds of chicken)

¾ cup all purpose flour
2 T olive oil

3 small yellow onions, quartered
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 jarred hot cherry peppers, seeded and roughly chopped

3 T of the brine

1 cup dry white wine
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

In a small bowl, combine oregano, ¾ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, season with the spice mixture and dredge in the flour.  

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and brown the chicken, 4 minutes per side.
Transfer to a plate.

Add the onions to the pot and cook until golden, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cherry peppers and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Add the pepper brine, wine, and broth, and bring to a boil.
Return the chicken to the pot and bring to a simmer.
Cook, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Braised Short Ribs

My cousin made short ribs for us and demonstrated her mad cooking skillz.  She first browned the short ribs on both sides, and then sauteed the vegetables in the oil.

Red wine, rosemary, bay leaf, peppercorn, beef stock and tomato paste were added to the vegetables.

The finished product - the bones fell off without effort and the juices were reduced by half to make the sauce.

Here's the recipe, per my cousin's friend.

Short ribs

Season short ribs w. salt and pepper

Brown short ribs on high head until brown (don’t need to cook).

 Remove and set aside.

Toss in: garlic (cloves), onions, celery, carrots (not for eating..although you may).
Sauté lightly. (5-7 min)

Stir in 2tbs of tomato paste and a bit of flour.

Keep stirring.

Add some sprigs of rosemary & thyme, black peppercorns. 2 bay leaf.

Pour in 1.5-2 cups of red wine. (port?)

Let wine reduce by ½ or 1/3

Pour beef stock in, enough to cover short ribs.

Cover and put into oven at 375

Cook for about 2 hours?

Set ribs aside.

Strain the broth into a pan. Reduce liquid by a half (thick enough to coat the back of a spoon)

Put ribs back to warm them up.

Serve with potatoes and veges.