Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Before we take a look at the recipe of these chocolate chip cookies, let me tell you first and foremost that I don't bake. I gotta say that I enjoy cooking more than baking, perhaps because I'm not a sweet tooth. But once in awhile I do bake, for the sake of my children! So yes, today was one of those days. Without further ado, here's the recipe that you may want to keep for years and years to come :)

 

Ingredients:

- 2 cups minus to 2 tbsp Cake flour

- 1 2/3 cup Bread flour

- 1 1/4 tsp  Baking soda

- 1 1/2 tsp  Baking powder

- 1 1/2 tsp  Coarse salt

- 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 butter) Unsalted butter

- 1 1/4 cups Light brown sugar

- 1 cups plus 2 tbsp Granulated sugar

- 2 Large eggs

- 2 tsp  Natural vanilla extract

- 1 1/4 lbs  Bittersweet chocolate at least 60 percent cacao content

- Sea salt for garnish

 

Directions:

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds.

4. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them.

5. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours. 

6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside. 

7. Scoop 6 3 ½ -ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin and enjoy! :)

Sausage, Onion and Fennel Pizza

 

Everyone in my family is crazy about pizzas. We eat pizza like you won't believe, which is why I make it an official pizza day every weekend. I put different toppings each time, depending on the requests from family members. This time, they want sausage and onion on it. I seriously think peppers will be good to add as well, but I added fennel instead, and it tasted awesome. Dig in, y'all!

 

Ingredients:

 

To make pizza dough:

- 3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling

- 1 tsp. sugar

- 1 envelope instant dry yeast

- 2 tsp. salt

- 1 1/2 cups water, 110 degrees F

- 2 tbsp. olive oil, p lus 2 tsp.

 

Toppings:

- 1 lb pork sausage

- 2 tbsp. olive oil

- 1 cup sliced onion

- 1 cup thinly sliced fennel bulb

- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

- 1 cup caramelized onion and roasted garlic tomato pasta sauce

- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

- 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano leaves

 

Directions:

 

1. Combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and combine. While the mixer is running, add the water and 2 tablespoons of the oil and beat until the dough forms into a ball. If the dough is sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a solid ball. If the dough is too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball.

2. Grease a large bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, add the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm area to let it double in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Cover each with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for 10 minutes.

3. Heat oven to 450°F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.

4. In 12-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink; drain. With slotted spoon, remove sausage; set aside. Add oil to drippings in skillet; add onion and fennel. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Remove from heat. Stir in pepper.

5. Unroll dough on cookie sheet. Starting at center, press out dough to 16x13-inch rectangle. Prick crust generously with fork. Bake 5 minutes.

6. Spread pasta sauce over partially baked crust. Top with onion mixture, sausage and cheeses. Bake on lower oven rack 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Sprinkle with oregano.

Purple Cabbage Coleslaw

 

I love coleslaw, and you know what I love even more? A summery, colorful coleslaw! Though it's not Summer yet here, but the weather is getting nicer and the temperature is getting warmer each day; which is why this coleslaw is perfect to accompany your dishes. Without further ado, here's simple steps you can follow to make one yourself.

 

Ingredients:

- 1 large purple cabbage, finely shredded

- 2 large carrots, grated or peeled

- 1 Granny Smith apple, julienned

- 4 tbsp. (Grapeseed, Canola, or Olive) oil

- 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

- 2 tbsp. honey

- Dash of salt & pepper

 

Directions:

1. Prepare vegetables; finely slice cabbage, peel or grate carrots, julienne apple.

2. Place all vegetables in a large mixing bowl.

3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Stir until combined.

4. Lightly toss vinaigrette mixture into fresh vegetables until all are coated.

5. Cover & place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, until flavors marry and salad chills.

6. Enjoy!! 

Spicy Miso Ramen

 

This morning I woke up with a crave for something salty, spicy, and flavorful; and you know what came in mind? Spicy Miso Ramen... yum! I mean, who can ever resist a bowl of this goodness? Unfortunately, I did not have that extra time & patience to make the broth just like they do in Japan, so I adapted a little bit of my own version and call it 'express' ramen. I gotta say, I'm quite satisfied with the result! If you would like to give it a try, feel free to do it.

 

 

Ingredients:

 

SPICY MISO PASTE:

- 1/2cup of white miso paste

- 1/2cup of red miso paste

- 1/3cup of sichuan douban chili paste

- 1 small onion, cut into chunks

- 6 cloves of garlic, smashed

- 2" of ginger, cut into chunks

- 3 tbsp of mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)

- 2 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

- 1 tbsp dashi granules

- 2 tsp of sesame paste (if Asian brands are unavailable, use tahini)

 

 SHOYU SOFT-BOILED EGGS:

- 4 large free-range eggs

- 3tbsp soy sauce

- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar

- 1tbsp water

 

GARLIC AND TOGARASHI OI:

- 2 small shallots, finely minced

- 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

- 1/2 tsp sesame seeds

- 1/4cup vegetable oil

- 2 1/2 tbsp Japanese seven spice (shichimi togarashi)

 

1. TO MAKE THE SPICY MISO PASTE:

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smoothly pureed. You may need to stop and scrape the blender a few times to get it going in the beginning. Transfer the mixture into a pot and set over medium heat. Bring to a low simmer and keep cooking/stirring for another 5 min. Let it cool completely and store in an air-tight container in the fridge until needed.

 

2. TO MAKE THE SHOYU SOFT-BOILED EGGS:

Gently place the eggs in a small pot and fill it with water until the eggs are covered by 1" and bring the water to a bare simmer on medium-high heat, then immediately lower the heat down to low (only enough heat to keep it at a bare simmer/or if you want to be anal, 212ºF/100ºC). The second the water reached the right temperature, set the timer at 4:30 min. Gently move the eggs around a few times during cooking. Once the timer goes off, immediately transfer the eggs into cold water and leave them to cool completely. Combine soy sauce, dark brown sugar and water in a small sauce pot. Warm up the mixture just enough to melt the sugar, then set aside. Peel the eggs then submerge them in the soy sauce-mixture. Turning them occasionally while marinating for 2~3 hours.

 

3. TO MAKE THE GARLIC & TOGARASHI OIL:

  Combine minced shallots, minced garlic, sesame seeds, salt and vegetable oil in a small pot and set over low heat. Slowly cook/stir until the garlics are crispy and lightly browned, approx 5~6 min. Turn off the heat and add the Japanese chili powder/togarashi. Give the mixture a stir and let it sit for a few hours or overnight.

 

 

Ingredients for Spicy Miso Ramen:

- 7.7ounces (220 grams) of fatty ground pork

- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

- 1 tbsp dried shitake mushrooms

- 2 cups of unsalted chicken or pork stock

- 1 cup of unsweetened, unflavoured soy milk (Asian brands preferred but if unavailable, American brands is ok, too)

- 1/2cup + 1/4 cup of spicy miso paste

- 2 servings of fresh ramen noodles

- 4 tbsp finely diced scallions

- 1 sheet of nori/Japanese sushi seaweed, cut into rectangular sheets

Directions:

1.  Rinse the dried shitake mushrooms to get rid of any sand/dirt. Finely chop them and set aside (without soaking). In a large soup pot, heat up 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil on high heat and start browning the fatty ground pork with ground black pepper. Once the pork has broken up, browned, and released its fat, add 1/4 cup of the spicy miso paste and cook for another min until fragrant. Add the chopped shitake, unsalted stock and unsweetened soy milk and bring to a simmer. Place 1/2 cup spicy miso paste on top of a very fine sieve. Lower the sieve half-way into the simmering soup and use a spoon to slowly dissolve the paste into the soup (it may seem very thick and troublesome in the beginning but be patient, it’ll dissolve eventually). You’d be surprised at how much “solids” within the paste will remain on top of the sieve, which if dumped directly into the soup, will make the soup very thick and “sauce-like”.

 

2. Discard the “solids” in the sieve and let the soup simmer for another 5 min. If the soup tastes quite salty at this point, that is correct. It’s Japanese ramen… It is salty. Cook the fresh ramen noodles according to package instructions, and drain well. Divide the noodles into two large bowl and ladle the soup on top (you may have a bit more than needed). For each serving, place 1 shoyu egg (cut into half), 2 tbsp of finely diced scallions, 3 rectangular nori sheets, and 2 tsp of garlic and togarashi oil. Slurp away! 

Honey Mustard Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders

 

 

I have a love and hate relationship with bacon, I gotta tell you it's my ultimate guilty pleasure! The fat, the grease, the crunch, and all that just makes everything seem better! Honestly, anything is good with bacon, but these chicken tenders are my children's favorite. If you are as crazy as I am about bacon, you should definitely try making these.

 

Ingredients:

- 1 lb chicken tenders

- 1 lb bacon

- ½ cup honey

- 2 tsp spicy mustard powder or ¼ cup prepared mustard

- ½ tsp garlic powder

- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

- salt and fresh cracked pepper

 

 

Directions:

1. Whisk together the honey, mustard, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and rice wine vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Marinade the chicken tenders in half of the honey mustard for 30 minutes.

3. Remove chicken from marinade and wrap each piece with bacon. Place on a jelly roll sheet. Brush with the honey mustard marinade, crack pepper over each piece and bake for 10-12 minutes on 375.

4. After 10-12 minutes, flip each chicken over and brush again with the honey mustard. Bake another 10-12 minutes, until bacon is brown and crisp



Cheong Fun (Rice Noodle Rolls with Shrimp)

 

Today I'm in the mood for some tasty Har Cheong Fun (Rice Noodle Rolls with Prawns), don't ask me why I just am. You usually can get these at any Chinese restaurant that serves Dim Sum, however, I decided to make my own. If you're feeling like cooking today, maybe you should try this at home yourself!

 

Ingredients:

 

- 150 grams rice flour

- 3 tbsp wheat starch

- 2 tbsp tapioca starch

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil

- 200 ml cold water

- 300 ml hot (boiling) water

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 20 to 30 fresh prawns or large shrimp, peeled and deveined

- sweet soy sauce (Chinese rock sugar simple syrup mixed with soy sauce to taste and diluted with water if desired)

 

 

Directions:

 

1. Whisk together the rice flour, wheat starch, tapioca starch and salt in a large bowl.  Stir in the cold water and mix well.  Then stir in the hot water and mix well.  Add the oil and stir well until you have a smooth, thin batter.  Let the batter rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.

2. Set up your steaming equipment.  I set a rack in a wok of water.  Bring the water to a boil over high heat.  Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of cold water that’s large enough to put your pan in – this will be the cold water bath.  Then lightly grease as many non stick, round cake pans as you own (I use 9 inch round pans).  When the water is boiling, ladle enough batter into your cake pan to spread a thin layer across the bottom that reaches the edges of the pan.  Place the pan on the rack, cover the wok with the lid, and steam for 3 minutes over high heat.  Scatter 2 or 3 prawns in the pan and steam for 2 more minutes.  Do not overcook the prawns. 

3. Remove the tray from the steamer and set it in the cold water bath.  While it’s cooling, pour the batter into the next prepared pan and repeat this process.  You may need to re-grease your pans between uses.  When the steamed rice noodle is cool enough to handle, run a rubber spatula around the pan to release the edges of the rice noodle.  Then gently peel the rice noodle from the pan as you fold it over itself a few times to get a flat roll. 

4. Set the flat roll aside on a clean plate and tuck in the ends.  Repeat the process until you have used up all of the batter.  Pour sweet soy sauce over the rolls and serve warm.



Seafood & French Beans With XO Sauce

 

As much as I love spending a lot of time in the kitchen cooking all kinds of dishes, there are just some busy days when I have to come up with something really quick & simple so I can do all the house chores in time. Well, today is one of those days. So without further ado, this is a really simple dish that I could fix in less than 15 minutes.. Served with steamed jasmine rice, my tummy is happy.

 

Ingredients:

- 200g French beans, cut into half

- 200g large shrimp, peeled & deveined

- 150g bay scallops

- 4 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 heaping tbsp. XO sauce

- 2 tbsp. Shao Xing Wine

 

Directions:

1. Heat up a saucepan till very hot. Add 1 heaping tbsp. of XO sauce, with the oil in it and all. Stir fry for about 30 seconds till fragrant.

2. Add the minced garlic, stir fry until fragrant.

3. Add the French beans, cook till they start to turn to a darker green.

4. Add the Shao Xing wine and continue to stir fry. When the beans are 70% cooked, add the shrimp & scallops.

5. Toss well together in the saucepan, and then cover and let it simmer for about 30 seconds.

6. When the shrimp has turned pink and the beans have turned a dark green shade & softened, the dish is done. Garnish with sliced chili & serve with steamed white rice. 



Kimchi-Bokkeumbap (Kimchi Fried Rice)

 

Kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean side dish made of vegetables with a variety seasonings. For some people, it may take some time to actually enjoy it due to its strong flavors. It's sour and spicy, but it's really, really good. So today I was in the mood for some Kimchi and finally decided to make this Kimchi-Bokkeumbap (Kimchi Fried Rice).. and man it took me right back to that moment when I was in Seoul many years ago. Now while I'm walking down the memory lane over here, why don't you give this a try and let me know if you like it!

 

Ingredients:

- 3 bowls steamed rice

- 1 cup chopped kimchi

- 1/4 cup kimchi juice

- 1/4 cup water

- 3 tbsp. Gochujang

- 3 tsp sesame oil

- 1 tsp vegetable oil

- 1 green onion, chopped

- 1 tbsp. roasted sesame seeds

- 1 sheet of roasted seaweed, shredded

- Fried eggs, sunny side up

 

Directions:

1.   Heat up a pan. Add the vegetable oil.

2. Add the kimchi and stir fry for 1 minute.

3. Add rice, kimchi juice, water, and Gochujang. Stir all the ingredients together for about 7 minutes with a wooden spoon.

4. Add sesame oil and remove from the heat.

5. Sprinkle with chopped green onion, roasted gim, and sesame seeds. Serve with fried eggs.



Takoyaki

 

Takoyaki is a famous Japanese snack in the shape of little round balls containing pieces of octopus; and it is my absolute favorite! The Japanese normally use octopus, but if you are not a big fan of it, you can also substitute it with veggies, cheese, or anything you like... choices are endless! 

 

Ingredients:

 

- 3.5 - 5 oz (100 - 145g) pre-boiled octopus

- 1/4 cup (4g) katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) and more for garnish

- 1 cup (5.3 oz/150g) all-purpose flour

- 2 tsp. baking powder

- 1 tsp konbucha (or 1/2 tsp. salt)

- 2 large eggs

- 1 tsp. soy sauce

- 1 2/3 cup dashi stock

- 1/2 cup finely chopped green onion

- 1/3 cup Tenkasu (tempura scraps)

- Dried green seaweed (Aonori) for garnish

- Pickled ginger for garnish

- Takoyaki sauce or Tonkatsu sauce

- Japanese mayonnaise

 

Directions:

 

1. Cut octopus into bite size pieces

2. Grind katsuobushi (bonito flakes) into fine powder.

3. Add dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and konbucha/salt) in a large mixing bowl. Whisk a few times to combine all together.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and soy sauce together.

5. Add egg mixture to the dry ingredients, and then slowly add dashi stock while you whisk all together.

6. Heat the takoyaki pan over medium to medium high heat (on my stove, it’s medium high). Using a brush, generously oil the takoyaki pan including the raise parts in between bowls.

7. When you see smoke coming rising from the pan, pour the batter to fill the bowls. It’s okay for the batter to slightly overflow the holes. If you have a measuring cup with a handle, pour the batter in the measuring cup first so that it’s easier to pour. After you fill the holes, set timer for 3 minutes.

8. Add 1-3 octopus pieces (depends on the size of octopus – I put 2-3 pieces) in each hole and sprinkle on the green onion.

9. Then sprinkle tenkasu and powdered katsuobushi.

10. After 3 minutes or so, when the bottom of the balls has hardened, break the connected batter in between each bowl with takoyaki picks (or skewers). Then turn each piece a 180 degree, stuffing in the edges as you are turning. The batter flows out from the inside of each bowl and creates the other side of the takoyaki ball. After you finish flipping, set timer for 4 minutes.

11. Keep turning constantly so each piece will have nice round shape and will be evenly browned.

12. Transfer takoyaki balls onto a plate and pour takoyaki sauce, mayonnaise. Finish off with sprinkling green dried seaweed and katsuobushi. Serve immediately (but be careful – inside is VERY hot!).



Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) Beef Noodle Stir Fry

It's been really gloomy and raining here in Jersey. At times like these, I would usually go for a bowl of hot and spicy soup... but not today, I had been craving some stir fry noodles! Not that I haven't had noodles in a long time, I just can never get enough of them! So here's the noodle dish that I fixed today. You can practically use any kind of dried noodles you have on hands and if you can't find Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan), baby Bok Choy will work well too. So go ahead give it a try, I think you may just like it! 

Ingredients:

- 3 tablespoons soy sauce

- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce

- 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, sake or dry white wine

- 1 tablespoon sugar

- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch or cornstarch

- 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

- 1 pound beef sirloin, thinly sliced

- 1 pound fresh or 10 ounces dried noodles

- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

- 3 large garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped

- 1.25 cups chicken or vegetable stock

- 1 pound Chinese broccoli or regular common broccoli, cut into bite-size chunks or florets

- Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon each soy sauce, oyster sauce and rice wine. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until completely dissolved. Stir in the tapioca starch and continue stirring until smooth. Add the sesame oil and beef, and mix well. Marinate for 20 minutes. Drain and discard the excess marinade.

- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles until 1 minute shy of done and drain. (We'll finish cooking the noodles at the end)

- Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a skillet or wok over high heat and stir-fry the garlic until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the beef and stir-fry until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and when hot, add the Chinese broccoli, stir frying so that the oil coats the Chinese broccoli. Pour in the 1/4 cup of the stock, turn the heat to medium-low and cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook the Chinese broccoli until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the Chinese broccoli to the same plate.

- Add the remaining cup of stock and the remaining 2 tablespoons each of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and rice wine to the same skillet and bring to a boil over high heat.

- Add the noodles and cook until the liquid has almost completely evaporated, leaving the noodles lightly moistened,2 to 3 minutes. Return the beef and broccoli to the skillet and toss to mix the ingredients thoroughly. Season with pepper to taste and serve.

Croque-Madame

It may sound so foreign, however, a Croque-Madame is basically a ham and cheese sandwich. Originated in French, it actually is served as a quick snack; but I made this for breakfast instead. It's truly scrumptious and filling, just perfect to start my day! 

Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 heaping tablespoon flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 6 oz. Gruyere, grated
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- Pinch fresh-grated nutmeg
- 6 slices whole wheat bread
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 9 thin slices of Black Forest ham
- Canola oil
- 3 eggs

Directions:

- Preheat broiler.

- Make the Bechamel sauce: melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and cook, about two minutes. Whisk in the milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup of the Gruyere and Parmesan mixture. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

- On a parchment-covered baking sheet, arrange three slices of bread. Spread with mustard and top with ham. Top with remaining Gruyere mixture. Melt under the broiler, approximately 2 minutes. Top with second slice of bread, top with Bechamel. Broil again, 3-4 minutes or until sauce is brown and bubbly.

- Meanwhile, fry the eggs in canola oil in a skillet over medium heat, until the whites are cooked, but the yolks are runny, about 3 minutes. Place eggs on top of sandwiches and serve immediately.

XO Sauce Noodles

I grew up eating lots and lots of noodles. I never got tired eating of it, in fact, they have become my most favorites! There are so many different kinds of delicious noodle dish out there but today, I'd like to share with you a version of Zha Jiang Mian (Chinese fried meat sauce noodles) that is quite versatile.. You can pick your own favorite type of noodle, vegetables, meat, and yet, it will still taste heavenly. All you need is a good jar of XO sauce and you're in good hands! So give it a try, and let me know what you think :)

Ingredients:

- 200 grams minced pork (can be substituted with chicken)

- 1 tbsp cooking oil

- 5 shallots, peeled & finely chopped

- 2 slices ginger, minced

- 4 cloves garlic, minced

- 6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stalks removed; diced

- 1/2 cup water

- 50 grams baby bok choy (xiao bai cai, 小白菜)

- 50 grams bean sprouts

- 4 servings Udon noodles (can be substituted with any kind of noodles you like)

- 1 tbsp chopped green onions

Marinade (A):

- 3 tbsp XO Sauce

- 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce

- 1 tsp hoisin sauce

- 1 tsp Chinese wine (Hua Tiao/Shao Xing)

- 1/2 tbsp corn starch

- 1 tsp sesame oil

- a few dashes white pepper powder to taste

- 1/2 tsp sugar

Directions:

1. In a bowl, marinade minced meat with (A) for 10 minutes.

2. Heat oil in wok and add shallots & ginger; stir-fry until shallots are softened and fragrant. Add minced garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.

3. Add diced mushrooms and marinated meat. Stir fry until the meat is cooked on the surface, breaking the mince to smaller pieces using a frying turner/spatula.

4. Add 1/2 cup water, simmer on low heat with lid on for about 5 minutes, or until the meat sauce liquid is reduced. Set aside the cooked minced meat topping.

5. In a pot of water with some cooking oil added, blanch baby boy choy and bean sprouts for about 20 seconds, followed by noodles according to timing indicated on packaging. Set aside.

6. Toss 1 serving of noodles with about 3 tbsp of meat sauce, adding some water used to cook the noodles to help bind the ingredients together if the noodles are too dry.

7. Transfer meat noodles to serving dish and top with blanched greens and green onions. Serve with a side condiment of XO sauce.

Tuna Melts with Avocado

The secret to this delicious tuna melts is there's no secret! You know how they say that sometimes, less is more. Well I find it kind of true, because all you need to fix this is some good Swiss cheese, canned Albacore tuna, avocados and cherry tomatoes on hands... and voilà! Healthy and oh-so-good.

Ingredients:

- 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil 

- 2 tbsp thinly sliced shallots

- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

- 1/4 tsp black pepper

- 1/8 tsp salt 

- 1 (6-ounce) can solid white tuna in water, drained and flaked 

- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 

- 1 avocado 

- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered 

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- 1/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese 

- 2 (6-ounce) pieces French bread, halved lengthwise and toasted 

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well to coat. Place juice in a small bowl. Peel, seed, and chop avocado. Add avocado to juice; toss. Add avocado mixture and tomatoes to tuna mixture; toss well to combine. Sprinkle cheese evenly over cut sides of bread, and broil for 3 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Place 1 bread slice, cheese side up, on each of 4 plates, and divide tuna mixture evenly among bread slices.

Deep-Fried Macaroni & Cheese Balls

Deep fried Mac and Cheese Balls are legendary in the world of deep fried. I mean, they are really, really THAT good. You can pop it in your mouth as it is, or dip it with Marinara sauce; either way, you won't be disappointed. And you know what's even better? They can be served as appetizers, after school snacks, or even main entree.. You pick!

 Ingredients:

- 1 pound (one box) large elbow macaroni

- 3 tablespoons butter

- 2 cups whole milk heated and warmed

- 2 tablespoons flour

- 1/2lb. grated sharp cheddar cheese

- 1/2lb. smoked Gouda cheese (grated)

- 1/2lb. shredded Italian blend cheese — Fresh Parmesan, Asiago, Romano, Mozzarella, Provolone cheese

- salt/pepper, to taste

- 3 eggs

- 3 tbsp milk

- 1 box Panko bread crumbs

Directions:

Slightly under-cook your elbow macaroni according to directions. Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.

In a big saucepan, melt your butter.

Once it melts, slowly whisk in your flour – stirring out the lumps.

Add the milk into the mixture. Cook on medium heat for about 4 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Remove from heat and slowly add all of the freshly grated cheeses.

Stir well until it is melted and smooth.

In a large glass pan, fold in the macaroni and mix well with the cheese sauce.

Season with salt and pepper.

Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Then shape the cold mac and cheese into balls. Mine are pretty large but you could make them bite-size too.

Place the balls on a cookie sheet lined with foil in the freezer for about 45 minutes.

Compress the balls to make them firmer and tighter and put them back in the freezer.

In a small bowl, whisk your 3 eggs and your 3 tablespoons of milk. Set aside.

In another bowl, place your Panko bread crumbs and set aside. 

Heat your oil in a pan or fryer.

One by one, take your mac and cheese balls and dip them in the egg mixture – then roll them in the Panko bread crumbs.

Coat each ball really good and fry them in the oil.

They will be a crispy light brown when they are done. Set on a paper towel to drain the oil.

Top with some freshly grated cheese. Serve with marinara sauce. 

Tuna & Mac Salad

I can't wait for Spring to come! Though I quite enjoyed the snow and all, I think by this time of the year I'm so ready for sunshiny days & warmer temperature; which also explains why I came up with this Tuna & Mac Salad. I've been thinking about picnics at the park with the family, eating this delicious yet simple dish! It doesn't take so much time to prepare and it definitely fits the budget as well... I say it's perfect! 

Ingredients:

- Salt & pepper to taste

- 1 lb elbow macaroni

- 3 ribs celery, finely chopped

- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion

- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

- 1 carrot, grated

- 1 12 oz can tuna in water, drained

- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp reduced-fat mayonnaise

- 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt

- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again.

2. While pasta is cooking, combine celery, onion, parsley, carrot and tuna in a large bowl. Add cooled macaroni and toss to combine. In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, yogurt and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and whisk. Pour over pasta and toss until well coated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mapo Tofu (Mabo Dou Fu)

Nothing satisfies my hunger than spicy food. I may sound crazy, but the spicier it gets, the better I feel! So today I made myself this delicious tasteful Mapo Tofu. Originated from a province in China called Szechuan, this dish is very popular and loved by many. I improvised a little bit and added some Shiitake mushrooms because they are my favorite, and of course, lots and lots of chilis! If you are up for some heat in your food, you should give this a try.

Ingredients:

- 1 block silken tofu (19 oz box)

-  1/4 lb ground pork

- 4 dried Shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes then chopped

- 3 tbsp Szechuan spicy bean paste (辣豆瓣酱)

- 2 tbsp chili powder

- 2 tbsp cooking oil

- 3 tbsp chili oil

- 1 tbsp Szechuan peppercorns (roasted and ground to powder)

- 1 tbsp light soy sauce

- 1 tsp fermented black beans (rinsed and pounded)

- 2 stalks of leeks or scallions, sliced

- 2 cloves garlic, chopped

- 1/2 cup water

- Salt to taste

Directions:

Cut the tofu into small pieces, drain the water from the tofu and set aside. Heat up a wok and pour in the cooking oil and chili oil. Add the chopped garlic, ground pork, chopped shiitake mushrooms, spicy bean paste and stir-fry until the pork is half-done. Then add in chili powder, soy sauce, fermented black beans and stir-fry until aromatic. Add in the tofu and water; stir gently to blend the tofu (don’t break them) well with the sauce. Lower the heat and simmer for about 3-5 mins or until the sauce thickens. Add in the roasted Szechuan peppercorn powder and sliced scallions. Gently stir and blend well. Dish out and serve hot with steamed jasmine rice.

Spicy Miso Ramen

Though Spring is actually only two weeks away, the state where I live in is still pretty much blanketed with snow. The temperature has dropped again, especially today, so you know what I like to do to stay warm? Drink hot tea and eat a nice big bowl of piping hot delicious Spicy Miso Ramen! It's good for my heart & soul; I could literally eat this everyday! Now the one that I made today is really simple, but if you like more toppings, feel free to add pork slices, pickled bamboo shoots, etc to this recipe. Itadakimasu!

Ingredients:

- Fresh Ramen noodles (for two people)

- 4 cups water

- 4 tbsp white miso paste

- 4 tsp S&B La Yu or preferred chili oil

- 1/2 tsp hondashi

- 2 hard-boiled eggs

- 1/2 can corn kernels (15 oz can)

- 1 narutomaki (Japanese fish cake with a pink swirl)

- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds (pound with mortar & pestle until fine)

- Light soy sauce to taste (optional)

- Some seasoned roasted seaweed, cut into thin strips

Directions:

Bring the water to boil and then add in the hondashi, eggs, and finely ground sesame seeds. Bring the soup base to boil and reduce to 3.5 cups. Add in the miso paste, stir with a ladle of chopsticks until well dissolved. Add in the chili oil and light soy sauce to taste (optional).

Blanch the ramen noodles in a pot of boiling water until they are cooked. Rinse with cold running water, drain, and set aside.

In a serving bowl, add the noodles and then topped with the hard-boiled egg (sliced into half), narutomaki, and corn kernels. Pour the miso soup into the bowl and add the roasted seaweeds. Serve immediately.

Coq Au Vin

Hearty Coq Au Vin sounds exotic, foreign and fancy, but it really is French comfort food. Using chicken thighs and a bottle of reasonably priced burgundy, this budget-wise dish is perfect for those who are busy and don't have much time to spend in the kitchen. Once you master this, you won't need to find any nearby French restaurant anymore. Why, simply cook this, enjoy the meal and the oohs and aahs.. Bon appétit!

Ingredients:

- 4 slices of bacon

- 3 tbsp butter

- 3 lbs chicken thighs

- 1/2 lb fresh button mushrooms (I love Baby Bella)

- 3 cup Burgundy wine

- 24 oz frozen pearl onions

- 3 medium sliced carrots

- 2 bay leaves

- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried

- 2 garlic cloves, sliced

- 1 tbsp tomato paste

- Salt & pepper to taste

- 3 tbsp corn starch

- 1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Cut bacon into small pieces (1" is fine)

2. Cook bacon in a large skillet. (I personally love a cast iron for this) Remove bacon and set aside.

3. Add butter to bacon fat, and once melted, brown the chicken thighs in the skillet. Remove the thighs when they are golden brown.

4. Add fresh button mushrooms to skillet and lightly brown them. Remove mushrooms and place in slow cooker.

5. Place chicken thighs, bacon, garlic, pearl onions, and sliced carrots in the slow cooker.

6. Deglaze the skillet with burgundy scraping the skillet bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen all the tasty brown bits of goodness. If you are concerned about the alcohol content allow the wine to come to a simmer to evaporate the alcohol, and also replace half of the wine with chicken stock.

7. Pour the liquid from skillet into slow cooker.

8. Add bay leaves, thyme and tomato paste. If using fresh thyme create a string tied bundle with the bay leaves so they can easily be removed before serving.

9. Cook on high for 7-8 hours on low.

10. To thicken sauce, remove vegetables and meat to serving dish and keep warm. Discard herb bundle. Mix cornstarch and cold water in small bowl till cornstarch dissolves. Turn slow cooker to High and add cornstarch mixture stirring till it thickens the sauce. Pour sauce over chicken and veggies and serve.

Soba Noodle Soup with Tempura Shrimp

When it's cold out, the best way to beat the freezing temperature is to have a bowl of piping hot soup. There are, of course, a lot of delicious soup out there to eat, but Soba Noodle Soup with Tempura Shrimp has been on my mind lately, so I decided to fix it for dinner... and voilà! Garnished with sliced scallions, served with Narutomaki (Japanese Fishcake) & hard boiled eggs, this soup is an absolute winner.

Serves: 2 people

Ingredients:

- Soba noodles (2 rolls)

- 8 pieces of Narutomaki (Japanese fishcake) 

- 1 scallion, sliced

Dashi:

- 4 1/2 cup water

- 1/4 cup loosely packed kezurikatsuo (shaved bonito)

- 3" piece of dried dashi kombu

- 2 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 tbsp mirin

- 2 tsp sugar

- Salt to taste

Shrimp Tempura (Makes 12 pieces):

- 12 large shrimp

- 1 egg

- 1 cup all purpose flour

- 1 cup iced water

- Vegetable oil for frying

- Flour for dusting

Directions:

For the dashi, bring the water to a boil in a pot. Once it boils, turn the heat down to maintain a gentle simmer (boiling makes the stock cloudy). Put the dry bonito flakes into a disposable soup bag and tie the top. Drop the satchel in the water along with the kombu. Let this steep for about 30 minutes, then discard the soup bag. Add the seasonings to make the soup base.

For the shrimp, remove heads and shells from shrimp without removing tails. Devein the shrimps. Make two or three incisions on the stomach side of the shrimp to straighten them. Lightly press the back of shrimp to straighten. Remove the dirt from the tails of shrimp, using a knife. Dry shrimps on paper towels. Beat an egg in a bowl. Add ice water in the bowl. Add sifted flour in the bowl and mix lightly. Heat the oil to 340-350 degrees F. Lightly flour shrimp. Pick the tail and dip shrimp in the tempura batter. Immediately deep-fry the shrimp until crisp.

Boil a large pot of water and boil the soba for the length of time specified on the package. When they’re done, rinse them under cold water and set aside.

Transfer the soba into two bowls, top them with narutomaki, hard-boiled eggs, tempura shrimp, and scallions. Pour the dashi broth over everything, serve immediately. If you like an extra color and kick, you can serve the soba with shichimi togarashi (Japanese 7 spice chili flakes).

Cabbage Rolls

A cabbage roll is a comfort food of the Balkans, Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe, as well as West Asia. It's basically a dish of cooked cabbage leaves wrapped around a variety of fillings. The one that I made here is the one they usually make in Eastern Europe; served with a dollop of sour cream, this meal is simply satisfying!

Ingredients:

- 12 large cabbage leaves

- 1 cup cooked white rice

- 1 egg, beaten

- 1/4 cup milk

- 1/4 cup minced onion

- 1 lb extra-lean ground beef

- 1 1/4 tsp salt

- 1 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

- 1 (8oz) can tomato sauce

- 1 tbsp brown sugar

- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil cabbage leaves 2 minutes; drain.

2. In large bowl, combine 1 cup cooked rice, egg, milk, onion, ground beef, salt, and pepper. Place about 1/4 cup of meat mixture in center of each cabbage leaf, and roll up, tucking in ends. Place rolls in slow cooker.

3. In a small bowl, mix together tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over cabbage rolls.

4. Cover, and cook on Low 8 to 9 hours.

5. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Char Siu Bao (Chinese BBQ Pork In A Bun)

If you're familiar with Chinese food, then you'll recognize Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork Belly). There are so many ways to eat it; You can eat it with rice, ramen, in a bun, on a piece of bread, or simply munch it as it is.. Whichever way you pick, you can never get enough of this famous pork dish! 

Today I'd like to share with you how to make Char Siu Bao (you serve it in buns). You can fix this the easy way, which means you get the Char Siu Sauce (Lee Kum Kee is the best in my humble opinion) and ready-to-eat steamed buns that are available at most Asian grocery stores; Or the not-so-easy way, which means you will need quite a bit of time to make this from scratch. What I'm gonna show you is the one that I made literally from scratch... Now we're talking, let's do this, folks!

Ingredients:

- 1 lb Skinless pork belly, cut into 2 long strips

- 2 tbsp Finely chopped garlic

- Scallions, thinly sliced

For Char Siu Sauce:

- 2 pcs Chinese fermented red bean curd 

- 1 tbsp Maltose (can be substituted to honey)

- 1 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine

- 1 tbsp Soy sauce

- 1 tbsp Oyster sauce

- 1 tsp dark & thick soy sauce

- 1 tsp five-spice powder 

- 1/4 tsp white pepper powder

- 3 1/2 oz (100gr or 8 1/2 tbsp) sugar

For the buns:

- 1 envelope (1 1/2 tsp) active dry yeast

- 3/4 cup warm water, plus more as needed

- 2 tbsp plus a pinch sugar, divided

- 2 tbp neutral flavored oil such as grapeseed, sunflower seed, or safflower, plus more for oiling the bowl

- 2 tsp baking powder

- 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 oz) all-purpose flour

Directions to make the pork:

1. Get a big bowl, mix all the Char Siu Sauce ingredients, add the garlic and pork belly and marinate overnight in the fridge.

2. The next day, heat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

3. Place the pork belly on a wire rack and bake for 15 minutes.

4. Removed from oven and turn the pork belly over, brush the remaining Char Siu sauce over and place the pork belly back in the oven for another 15 minutes or until cooked. The Char Siu will look dark in color, it’s normal.

5. Slice the Char Siu into thin and bite-size pieces.

Directions to make the buns:

1. In a glass measuring cup with a spout, combine the ¾ cup warm water, yeast, and pinch of sugar. Stir to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes or so, until the mixture is frothy. Stir in 2 tablespoons oil,

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, Cuisinart, or a large bowl and mix to combine. With the mixer running (or while stirring by hand) add the yeast mixture in a slow, steady stream, mixing until the dough comes together in a ragged ball. The dough should hold together and be a bit sticky to the touch. If needed, add an additional 1 to 4 teaspoons of warm water while mixing. Turn the dough out onto a board and knead by hand 3 or 4 times to form a nice, smooth ball.

3. Oil a large bowl and place the dough in it, turning once to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the dough. Set in a warm place, such as on your kitchen countertop, and let rise for 1 hour, during which time it should at least double in size.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and split it into to 2 roughly equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a log and, using a knife, cut each log into 8 roughly equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and then, using a rolling pin, roll each into an oval about 3 inches wide by 4 ½ inches long and ¼-inch thick. Fold each oval in half to make a semi-circle. Set each bun on a small square of parchment paper.

5. To cook the buns, place them in a steamer basket (Don’t crowd the basket as the buns will puff up as they cook and will stick together if they are too close. You may need to cook them in several batches. If you have stacking bamboo baskets, you can stack 3 baskets at a time.) Set the steamer over boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes.

6. Serve the buns with the meat and sliced scallions to garnish.