I attended a wedding of a nephew who married a girl from Mexico. Her mother cooked a big dinner for the whole family. Here are two things I wanted to blog about so
I won't forget how to make them. Both are toppings for tacos. They are simple to make
1. SPICY ONIONS
Thinly slice red onions. Thinly slice habanero peppers. (Use gloves). Add salt to taste, and squeeze lime juice over the top. Let marinate before serving.
2. TANGY RADISHES
Slice radishes. Mix some lime juice with chickem boullion powder. Pour over radishes and let marinate.
Monday, August 24, 2015
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Refried Beans
Here in China it is difficult to find refried beans, and almost impossible to find dry pinto beans. We have been using red kidney beans in most of our recipes. But we have had to go to a store that sells imported food to buy refried beans, so we decided to make them ourselves. We made a large quantity, so I just divided up the rest in ziplock bags and froze it. Then over the next couple of weeks, whenever I needed refried beans, I just pulled out a bag. It tasted just as good as it did the first day I made it! I think from now on, even after I return to America, I'm going to make my own refried beans, and freeze them.
This recipe is simple, and I don't have exact quantities. You can vary it according to your taste. But trust me, you can't do too much wrong if you follow this recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
Dry beans (pinto, kidney, or black)
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
milk
oil or shortening
STEP 1
Soak beans in water over night. You should make sure they are covered with at least 3 inches of water. I would suggest using at least a pound of beans.
STEP 2
Drain the beans and put in a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer at a low boil for about 2 hours until beans are soft. Make sure they are soft! If they are older beans, they might take longer. Or, you could also cook them for about an hour in a pressure cooker. (Once the pressure lid starts to "whistle", reduce heat. When they are done, let them cool for about 20 minutes before opening the lid. If you try to open it right away, you could get scalded, or they might explode.)
STEP 3
In a separate pan, heat about 2 TBL of oil or shortening. Add the onion, and cook until softened and golden brown. Add the garlic the last couple of minutes. Add the beans, and begin to mash with a potato masher. I add a little water at this point just to keep the pan from getting too dry. My husband adds oil, but I don't like that much fat in my beans.
STEP 4
When the beans are mashed well, and have thickened up, add a little milk. That little bit of creaminess really helps the texture. Season to taste.
When the beans have cooled, you can bag up the leftovers in freezer bags to be used another day!
This recipe is simple, and I don't have exact quantities. You can vary it according to your taste. But trust me, you can't do too much wrong if you follow this recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
Dry beans (pinto, kidney, or black)
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
milk
oil or shortening
STEP 1
Soak beans in water over night. You should make sure they are covered with at least 3 inches of water. I would suggest using at least a pound of beans.
STEP 2
Drain the beans and put in a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer at a low boil for about 2 hours until beans are soft. Make sure they are soft! If they are older beans, they might take longer. Or, you could also cook them for about an hour in a pressure cooker. (Once the pressure lid starts to "whistle", reduce heat. When they are done, let them cool for about 20 minutes before opening the lid. If you try to open it right away, you could get scalded, or they might explode.)
STEP 3
In a separate pan, heat about 2 TBL of oil or shortening. Add the onion, and cook until softened and golden brown. Add the garlic the last couple of minutes. Add the beans, and begin to mash with a potato masher. I add a little water at this point just to keep the pan from getting too dry. My husband adds oil, but I don't like that much fat in my beans.
STEP 4
When the beans are mashed well, and have thickened up, add a little milk. That little bit of creaminess really helps the texture. Season to taste.
When the beans have cooled, you can bag up the leftovers in freezer bags to be used another day!
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Snow Peas With Mushrooms
This is a simple Chinese dish with very few ingredients, but it tastes good!
Fresh Snow Peas--about 3 cups (Wash them, and remove the stem and stringy part.)
Fresh mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced --about 2 cups
Two cloves of garlic, minced
Combine the following:
3 TB oyster flavor sauce
2 tsp light soy sauce
Salt to taste
Heat a wok and add 2-4 tablespoons of oil. Cook the mushrooms until they start to soften, stir frying constantly. Add more oil if the pan gets too dry. Add the peas and stir fry for a few minutes. You want the peas to still have some crunch to them when you eat them, so don't overcook. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds or so. Add the soy sauce mixture and stir fry until the vegetables are evenly coated, and the sauce has had a chance to heat up. Serve while hot! If you aren't going to eat right away, I recommend you keep it in an oven safe dish in the oven on warm.
Fresh Snow Peas--about 3 cups (Wash them, and remove the stem and stringy part.)
Fresh mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced --about 2 cups
Two cloves of garlic, minced
Combine the following:
3 TB oyster flavor sauce
2 tsp light soy sauce
Salt to taste
Heat a wok and add 2-4 tablespoons of oil. Cook the mushrooms until they start to soften, stir frying constantly. Add more oil if the pan gets too dry. Add the peas and stir fry for a few minutes. You want the peas to still have some crunch to them when you eat them, so don't overcook. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds or so. Add the soy sauce mixture and stir fry until the vegetables are evenly coated, and the sauce has had a chance to heat up. Serve while hot! If you aren't going to eat right away, I recommend you keep it in an oven safe dish in the oven on warm.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Polenta Casserole
I had never eaten polenta much before I made this casserole. I bought some polenta, and needed to find a way to use it, so I decided to think of it like I would any other mexican food. I think it turned out really good!
INGREDIENTS:
Polenta (Mine comes in a box with two bags inside. One bag uses 4 cups of water. So adjust your amount so that you use enough to use 4 cups of water.)
1 can refried beans
About 2 cups grated cheese (I used cheddar, but you could use a white cheese too)
1/2 pound of ground beef or pork
2 cans of diced tomatoes (I can't buy canned tomatoes, so I just cut up about 3 cups of tomatoes and sautee)
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup of chopped onion
2 or 3 chopped hot chili peppers
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cumin
Chicken bouillion cube or powder--to taste
1 cup water
DIRECTIONS:
Brown meat in a frying pan. When meat is almost browned, add the garlic, onion and peppers. Saute until they are soft. Add the tomatoes. If you are using fresh tomatoes, saute until they are broken down and soft. Canned tomatoes just need to be heated through. Add the chili powder, paprika, and cumin. Mix well. Add water and chicken bouillion. Let simmer
In another pan, cook the polenta according to the package directions. Mine says to cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. I don't have that much strength, so I probably only cook it 3 minutes, but it seems fine. :) Spread the polenta in a 9X13 pan. Spread the refried beans on top. Next layer the cheese on top of the beans. Pour the hot meat mixture over the cheese. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
I like to serve this with some pickled cucumbers and possibly a little pickled onion. To pickle them, I make a dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. You can add a little fresh chopped garlic and some dried basil if you want. Beat this mixture until it thickens slightly. Then pour it over the vegetables and serve.
INGREDIENTS:
Polenta (Mine comes in a box with two bags inside. One bag uses 4 cups of water. So adjust your amount so that you use enough to use 4 cups of water.)
1 can refried beans
About 2 cups grated cheese (I used cheddar, but you could use a white cheese too)
1/2 pound of ground beef or pork
2 cans of diced tomatoes (I can't buy canned tomatoes, so I just cut up about 3 cups of tomatoes and sautee)
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup of chopped onion
2 or 3 chopped hot chili peppers
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cumin
Chicken bouillion cube or powder--to taste
1 cup water
DIRECTIONS:
Brown meat in a frying pan. When meat is almost browned, add the garlic, onion and peppers. Saute until they are soft. Add the tomatoes. If you are using fresh tomatoes, saute until they are broken down and soft. Canned tomatoes just need to be heated through. Add the chili powder, paprika, and cumin. Mix well. Add water and chicken bouillion. Let simmer
In another pan, cook the polenta according to the package directions. Mine says to cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. I don't have that much strength, so I probably only cook it 3 minutes, but it seems fine. :) Spread the polenta in a 9X13 pan. Spread the refried beans on top. Next layer the cheese on top of the beans. Pour the hot meat mixture over the cheese. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
I like to serve this with some pickled cucumbers and possibly a little pickled onion. To pickle them, I make a dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. You can add a little fresh chopped garlic and some dried basil if you want. Beat this mixture until it thickens slightly. Then pour it over the vegetables and serve.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Two Chinese Dishes
Since coming to China, I've been experimenting a little with chinese cooking. I will freely admit that I'm not the best chinese cuisine cook. I love to eat chinese food, but I can't quite get the knack of cooking it. But these two dishes have turned out pretty well, so I wanted to record them so that I remember how to cook them. :)
Squash, Chicken and Bell Peppers
1 squash cut in quarter size pieces. Total of about 1 1/2 cups. (I use a squash that is popular here that is like the Mexican squash, or Italian grey that is sold in the U.S.)
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast cut in cubes
1 Bell pepper cut in cube size pieces
2 cloves of garlic crushed and chopped
Combine the following:
2 TB oyster flavor sauce
2 TB chili garlic paste
2 TB light soy sauce
Salt to taste
Heat a wok or other pan until hot, then add about 3 TB cooking oil. Add the chicken and stir fry until cooked through. Add the squash and bell peppers and continue to stir fry until tender. Add the garlic and stir fry another minute. Then add the sauces and stir fry another minute or so. Serve hot!
Beef, Mushrooms and Peas
1 small beef steak cut in domino sized pieces
1 Cup of fresh mushrooms sliced (I have used different kinds of mushrooms, they are all good) :)
11/2 cups of fresh snow peas
2 cloves of garlic peeled, crushed, and chopped
Salt to taste
Combine the following:
3 TB oyster flavor sauce
2 TB light soy sauce
Heat wok or other pan. When hot, add about 3 TB of cooking oil. Add the beef and stir fry for a minute or so, or until it is almost cooked through. Add the mushrooms and continue to stir fry for another few minutes, or until the mushrooms become tender. Add the peas and garlic and stir fry until the peas are tender. Add the sauce, and stir fry another minute until sauce is hot and the food is coated. Serve hot with rice.
Squash, Chicken and Bell Peppers
1 squash cut in quarter size pieces. Total of about 1 1/2 cups. (I use a squash that is popular here that is like the Mexican squash, or Italian grey that is sold in the U.S.)
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast cut in cubes
1 Bell pepper cut in cube size pieces
2 cloves of garlic crushed and chopped
Combine the following:
2 TB oyster flavor sauce
2 TB chili garlic paste
2 TB light soy sauce
Salt to taste
Heat a wok or other pan until hot, then add about 3 TB cooking oil. Add the chicken and stir fry until cooked through. Add the squash and bell peppers and continue to stir fry until tender. Add the garlic and stir fry another minute. Then add the sauces and stir fry another minute or so. Serve hot!
Beef, Mushrooms and Peas
1 small beef steak cut in domino sized pieces
1 Cup of fresh mushrooms sliced (I have used different kinds of mushrooms, they are all good) :)
11/2 cups of fresh snow peas
2 cloves of garlic peeled, crushed, and chopped
Salt to taste
Combine the following:
3 TB oyster flavor sauce
2 TB light soy sauce
Heat wok or other pan. When hot, add about 3 TB of cooking oil. Add the beef and stir fry for a minute or so, or until it is almost cooked through. Add the mushrooms and continue to stir fry for another few minutes, or until the mushrooms become tender. Add the peas and garlic and stir fry until the peas are tender. Add the sauce, and stir fry another minute until sauce is hot and the food is coated. Serve hot with rice.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Cooking Chinese
I've lately come up with a couple of chinese food recipes that are winners. I'll post both here.
Zuchinni, Bell Peppers, and Chicken
1 medium Italian grey squash (or zuchinni if you can't find the Italian grey) sliced an halved.
1 chicken breast cut in cubes
1 bell pepper cut in cubes
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 TB chili garlic paste
2 TB oyster flavor sauce
1 TB light soy sauce
Heat a wok or other pan until hot, and add a couple of TB of oil. Stir fry the chicken until just cooked through. Add the zuchinni and cook another couple of minutes, stirring constantly. Add the peppers and cook until tender. Add the garlic and stir fry another minute or so. Combine the sauces and pour over the mixture. Stir fry until the ingredients are well coated, and the sauce is hot and bubbly.
Beef, Mushrooms, and Snow Peas with Oyster Flavor Sauce
1 small piece of beef (steak or roast) thinly sliced "domino" sized
1 C thinly sliced mushrooms (I use shitake)
1 C (or more) of snow peas
2 cloves garlic minced
2 TB oyster flavor sauce
2 TB light soy sauce
Heat a wok or other pan, and add about 2 TB oil. Stir fry the beef until almost cooked through. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender. Then add the peas and cook another couple of minutes. Add the garlic and stir fry for another minute. Combine sauces and add to pan. Stir fry until the meat and vegetables are coated and the sauce is hot and bubbly.
Note: If your sauces ever seem too runny, you can mix a little corn starch in water and add a little bit at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Make sure you stir constantly while adding the corn starch. Also keep in mind that sauces tend to thicken as they cool, so don't add too much corn starch.
Zuchinni, Bell Peppers, and Chicken
1 medium Italian grey squash (or zuchinni if you can't find the Italian grey) sliced an halved.
1 chicken breast cut in cubes
1 bell pepper cut in cubes
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 TB chili garlic paste
2 TB oyster flavor sauce
1 TB light soy sauce
Heat a wok or other pan until hot, and add a couple of TB of oil. Stir fry the chicken until just cooked through. Add the zuchinni and cook another couple of minutes, stirring constantly. Add the peppers and cook until tender. Add the garlic and stir fry another minute or so. Combine the sauces and pour over the mixture. Stir fry until the ingredients are well coated, and the sauce is hot and bubbly.
Beef, Mushrooms, and Snow Peas with Oyster Flavor Sauce
1 small piece of beef (steak or roast) thinly sliced "domino" sized
1 C thinly sliced mushrooms (I use shitake)
1 C (or more) of snow peas
2 cloves garlic minced
2 TB oyster flavor sauce
2 TB light soy sauce
Heat a wok or other pan, and add about 2 TB oil. Stir fry the beef until almost cooked through. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender. Then add the peas and cook another couple of minutes. Add the garlic and stir fry for another minute. Combine sauces and add to pan. Stir fry until the meat and vegetables are coated and the sauce is hot and bubbly.
Note: If your sauces ever seem too runny, you can mix a little corn starch in water and add a little bit at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Make sure you stir constantly while adding the corn starch. Also keep in mind that sauces tend to thicken as they cool, so don't add too much corn starch.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Chinese Cucumber Salad
I wasn't sure of the right translation for the name of this dish. Chinese do not eat salad as we know it, unless they are trying to cook American food. In fact, they often use lettuce in soup. But this dish is simple, and is a fresh, crunchy addition to any chinese meal. I'm kind of a lazy cook, and don't always use exact amounts. I'm going to estimate for this recipe.
One cucumber, sliced
About 2 TB soy sauce
About 2 TB vinegar (fragrant chinese is best, but you can use white wine)
2 cloves of garlic peeled, mashed and chopped
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. sesame oil
Put sliced cucumber in a bowl. Mix all other ingredients and whisk until it is emulsified. Pour over cucumbers. Serve cold.
One cucumber, sliced
About 2 TB soy sauce
About 2 TB vinegar (fragrant chinese is best, but you can use white wine)
2 cloves of garlic peeled, mashed and chopped
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. sesame oil
Put sliced cucumber in a bowl. Mix all other ingredients and whisk until it is emulsified. Pour over cucumbers. Serve cold.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Cream Pie Heaven
I've made a lot of pies throughout my life, but for some reason never made cream pies from scratch. I always cheated and used instant pudding. But recently I decided that needed to change, and I have been learning to make cream pies. I have been using the "Lionhouse" recipe book, and the pies have been turning out heavenly!
I first made a lemon cream pie, and a coconut cream pie for Easter. I know the lemon sounds divine, which it was, but the coconut cream was my favorite. Last week I decided to make another coconut cream pie, and a chocolate cream pie. I still think the coconut cream pie was my favorite, but the chocolate was sinfully good! I think next I'm going to make a banana cream pie.
Because of copyright issues, I'm not going to put the recipes here. But seriously, you should google a recipe and try it. The recipe from the Lionhouse uses just the egg yolks. I saved the whites to use in an omelette the next day. It is a little tricky to temper the eggs, but it's not too hard. And then you have to stir..... a lot. It takes a little while for the mixture to thicken, but it eventually does.
If you need a pie crust recipe, try this one that I posted years ago. The key to a good pie crust is to use ice water when making it. I saw one chef that used cold fruit juice to add a little sugar to the gluten mixture. But I just use water, and my pie crusts turn out good.
Although I"m not sharing a cream pie recipe in this post, I just really want to encourage you to try one. You will never go back to instant pudding again. The only really bad thing about cream pies is that you will want to eat a lot! :)
I first made a lemon cream pie, and a coconut cream pie for Easter. I know the lemon sounds divine, which it was, but the coconut cream was my favorite. Last week I decided to make another coconut cream pie, and a chocolate cream pie. I still think the coconut cream pie was my favorite, but the chocolate was sinfully good! I think next I'm going to make a banana cream pie.
Because of copyright issues, I'm not going to put the recipes here. But seriously, you should google a recipe and try it. The recipe from the Lionhouse uses just the egg yolks. I saved the whites to use in an omelette the next day. It is a little tricky to temper the eggs, but it's not too hard. And then you have to stir..... a lot. It takes a little while for the mixture to thicken, but it eventually does.
If you need a pie crust recipe, try this one that I posted years ago. The key to a good pie crust is to use ice water when making it. I saw one chef that used cold fruit juice to add a little sugar to the gluten mixture. But I just use water, and my pie crusts turn out good.
Although I"m not sharing a cream pie recipe in this post, I just really want to encourage you to try one. You will never go back to instant pudding again. The only really bad thing about cream pies is that you will want to eat a lot! :)
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Chinchilla Delight Makeover
Some years ago I saw a cooking show on television that showed a good breakfast treat. Take a flour tortilla, and put some cut bananas in it. Put in some chocolate chips, then fold it like a burrito. Butter both sides and fry it (first flap side down). When it is golden brown on both sides, remove it from the pan and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
I don't know what the chef called this, but my kids called it "Chinchilla delight". I had pet chinchillas at the time, and I guess they thought it was weird food. I knew their palette, and knew they wouldn't like the bananas, so I used peanut butter and chocolate chips as the filling. They liked this version.
This morning I had an idea and decided to vary my recipe. It was a BIG hit! I cut up an apple in small chunks, and sauteed it in a little bit of butter. When the apple became softer, I added about 1/3 cup of brown sugar and about 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. I cooked that for a little bit longer to try to carmelize it a little. I used this as the filling for my chinchilla delight. My kids likened it to the apple pies you get at McDonald's. :) Try it, you will like it!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Easy Cake For One Person
Some friends just told me about this recipe, and made some for me to try. It's pretty good! It's not something I would feed to guests, but if you are craving something sweet, this is really simple.
INGREDIENTS:
1 angel food cake mix
1 cake mix: your favorite flavor
Mix the two cake mixes, and store in an airtight container. You could substitute brownie mix for the second cake mix. If you do, decrease the water to 2-3 tsp.
Mix:
1/4 C of the combined cake mix
3 TB water
Microwave in a bowl on high for 1 minute.
Oila! Instant one serving cake!
My friends used lemon cake mix, and topped it with some lemon curd. Yum!
INGREDIENTS:
1 angel food cake mix
1 cake mix: your favorite flavor
Mix the two cake mixes, and store in an airtight container. You could substitute brownie mix for the second cake mix. If you do, decrease the water to 2-3 tsp.
Mix:
1/4 C of the combined cake mix
3 TB water
Microwave in a bowl on high for 1 minute.
Oila! Instant one serving cake!
My friends used lemon cake mix, and topped it with some lemon curd. Yum!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Chow Mein
The name "Chow Mein" means "Stir-fried noodle). It's kind of a deceptive name, because the noodles must be boiled and dried first. The "Frugal Gourmet" used to actually blow his with an electric fan to dry them. :) I just boil them as directed on the package, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process, and let stand in the collander for a few minutes. I like to buy a chinese brand of noodle because the flavor and texture are better, but you could use plain old spaghetti noodles. That's good too. Here is how I make chow mein. It probably is different from how the chinese make it, but it tastes good to me. :P
STEP 1:
Cut up the following ingredients in strips:
--1 chicken breast
--1 bell pepper
--about 1/2 head of cabbage (nappa cabbage tastes good) You could substitute broccoli, but if you use broccoli, add it to the pan last, and only cook it until it is slightly tender.
--1 onion
MIX WITH:
--Crush and chop: 3-4 cloves of garlic
STEP 2:
COOKING SAUCE 1
Mix the following to make a cooking sauce:
--1/4 to 1/3 cup of soy sauce (less if it is dark)
--3 TB hot chili garlic sauce (or hot chili bean) This can be bought in chinese grocery stores, and some supermarkets.
--About 3 TB water
--1 tsp corn starch.
STEP 3:
COOKING SAUCE 2
Mix the following:
About 1/4 C of light soy sauce
About 2 TB sesame oil
STEP 4:
Heat your wok until it is HOT. Add about 1/4 C vegetable oil. Add onions and bell peppers and stir fry for just a couple of minutes. Add the chicken. Stir fry until the chicken is no longer pink. Add the cabbage, and stir fry until it wilts. Add garlic, and cook another minute. Reduce heat to medium, and add the cooking sauce, and cook until it slightly thickens. Pour this vegetable/meat mixture in to a bowl and set aside.
STEP 5:
Rinse out the wok. (Some chinese cooks say not to do this, but I don't like burned soy sauce) Re-heat the wok until HOT. Add about another 1/4 cup of vegetable oil. Add noodles. Stir fry for a couple of minutes. Add "Cooking sauce 2" to the noodles, and stir until well coated.
STEP 6:
Return vegetable/meat mixture to the wok. Stir fry until the meat/vegetable mixture is well distributed. Serve!
STEP 1:
Cut up the following ingredients in strips:
--1 chicken breast
--1 bell pepper
--about 1/2 head of cabbage (nappa cabbage tastes good) You could substitute broccoli, but if you use broccoli, add it to the pan last, and only cook it until it is slightly tender.
--1 onion
MIX WITH:
--Crush and chop: 3-4 cloves of garlic
STEP 2:
COOKING SAUCE 1
Mix the following to make a cooking sauce:
--1/4 to 1/3 cup of soy sauce (less if it is dark)
--3 TB hot chili garlic sauce (or hot chili bean) This can be bought in chinese grocery stores, and some supermarkets.
--About 3 TB water
--1 tsp corn starch.
STEP 3:
COOKING SAUCE 2
Mix the following:
About 1/4 C of light soy sauce
About 2 TB sesame oil
STEP 4:
Heat your wok until it is HOT. Add about 1/4 C vegetable oil. Add onions and bell peppers and stir fry for just a couple of minutes. Add the chicken. Stir fry until the chicken is no longer pink. Add the cabbage, and stir fry until it wilts. Add garlic, and cook another minute. Reduce heat to medium, and add the cooking sauce, and cook until it slightly thickens. Pour this vegetable/meat mixture in to a bowl and set aside.
STEP 5:
Rinse out the wok. (Some chinese cooks say not to do this, but I don't like burned soy sauce) Re-heat the wok until HOT. Add about another 1/4 cup of vegetable oil. Add noodles. Stir fry for a couple of minutes. Add "Cooking sauce 2" to the noodles, and stir until well coated.
STEP 6:
Return vegetable/meat mixture to the wok. Stir fry until the meat/vegetable mixture is well distributed. Serve!
Salisbury Steak
I had never made Salisbury steak before, and the only time I have ever eaten it was in a frozen dinner. I knew the real thing had to be better than the frozen. This recipe did not disappoint me. I got this recipe off of "All Recipes.com", but as usual, I had to tweak a few of the ingredients. I didn't have any French onion soup, so instead I used some beef soup base mixed with dried onions. I added a little more worcestershire sauce than they called for, mainly because I like it. :) I served it with mashed potatoes and stir fried green beans with mushrooms and garlic. YUM! Here is the Allrecipe.com recipe:
Ingredients
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
Directions
In a large bowl, mix together 1/3 cup condensed French onion soup with ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt and black pepper. Shape into 6 oval patties.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown both sides of patties. Pour off excess fat.
In a small bowl, blend flour and remaining soup until smooth. Mix in ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce and mustard powder. Pour over meat in skillet. Cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 440 | Total Fat: 32.3g | Cholesterol: 132mg
Ingredients
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
Directions
In a large bowl, mix together 1/3 cup condensed French onion soup with ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt and black pepper. Shape into 6 oval patties.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown both sides of patties. Pour off excess fat.
In a small bowl, blend flour and remaining soup until smooth. Mix in ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce and mustard powder. Pour over meat in skillet. Cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 440 | Total Fat: 32.3g | Cholesterol: 132mg
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Martha Stewart's Quinoa and Turkey patties in Pita with Tahini Sauce
Annual Recipes 2005
- YieldServes 6
Ingredients
- 1 cup white quinoa
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 12 ounces ground dark-meat turkey
- 1/4 teaspoon plus 1 pinch ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon plus 1 pinch ground cumin
- Pinch of crushed red-pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- Vegetable-oil cooking spray
- 6 lettuce leaves, torn into large pieces
- 1 English (hothouse) cucumber (10 ounces), thinly sliced into rounds
- 1 small red onion, cut into thin half-moons
- 6 pita breads
Directions
Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a fine sieve; drain. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa; return to a boil. Stir quinoa; cover, and reduce heat. Simmer until quinoa is tender but still chewy, about 15 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork; let cool.
Meanwhile, process garlic, tahini, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup cold water in a food processor until smooth. If necessary, thin with water until pourable. Transfer dressing to a small bowl; cover. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Put turkey, spices, mint, scallions, and salt in a clean bowl of the food processor; pulse until a smooth paste forms. Add quinoa; process until mixture clumps around the blade, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. With dampened hands, roll about 2 tablespoons quinoa mixture into a ball; flatten slightly, and set aside on a plate. Repeat with remaining mixture to make 24 patties total.
Heat a dry large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat until hot. Working in batches, lightly coat both sides of patties with cooking spray. Cook patties in skillet, turning once, until cooked through, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer patties to a clean plate, and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
Divide lettuce, cucumber, and red onion among pita breads; top each with 4 quinoa patties. Drizzle each sandwich with 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon tahini dressing, and fold pitas over filling.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Sweet Chili Chicken
One of my most memorable meals was one I had in a restaurant in SLC, Utah. Looking back, it really was a simple recipe, but it was new to me and blew my socks off! I have recreated it, and love it.
Chicken breasts (I like to cut them in long strips, so we don't necessarily each eat a whole breast)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup chili sauce. I use the asian kind
Saute chicken breast in olive oil until cooked through. Mix the honey and chili sauce and pour over the chicken. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove the lid and cook until the sauce is reduced to a gravy type consistency. Pour the sauce over the chicken when you serve it. This sounds simple, but it is so good, and I think you could experiment with different kinds of chili sauce.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Mom's Other Enchilada Recipe
I just figured out why my siblings recipe for enchiladas seemed different from what my mother taught me. She did teach me the ground beef recipe below, but she used to always make turkey enchiladas. When my siblings talked about chicken enchilada, it didn't ring a bell in my head. But now I remember what Mom used to make. This was our standard "after thanksgiving" meal. This recipe is very forgiving, so if you don't use the exact amounts, it will still turn out good. :)
Ingredients:
About 4 cups of cut up cooked turkey
corn tortillas
cream of mushroom soup
cream of celery soup (or cream of chicken)
1 can diced green chilis
About 1 cup milk
About 1/2 Cup sour cream.
grated cheese.
For this recipe, you don't need to roll up enchiladas.
Mix the soups, green chilis, milk, and sour cream in a bowl. Spread some in the bottom of the pan to keep the food from sticking.
Layer the bottom of the pan with corn tortillas. You may need to break some in half. You only need them one layer thick.
Layer on about 2 cups of the turkey, and about a 1 1/2 cups of grated cheese.
Pour 1/3 of the soup mixture over the top.
Lay another layer of corn tortillas, and then the last 2 cups of turkey and about 1 1/2 cups of grated cheese.
Pour another 1/3 of the soup mixture on top.
Lay one last layer of corn tortillas on top. Top with another 1 1/2 cups of grated cheese. Pour remaining 1/3 of soup mixture over the top.
Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Layer one last layer
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Mom's Enchiladas
I got this recipe from my mother, but come to find out my siblings got a different one! :) If I use chicken in the recipe, I use one similar to the one they use. But if I am using ground beef, I like this one.
corn tortillas...I use about 15 for a 9X13 pan
About 1/2 pound of ground beef
One onion chopped
grated cheese
1 can tomato soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
about 1/2 to 1 C enchilada sauce
Heat some oil in a pan, and dip tortillas in the hot oil, on both sides. You don't really want to cook them, just let them heat up for a few seconds. This makes it so that you can roll them without them breaking. Drain on a paper towel.
Brown ground beef and onions. Drain the grease.
Mix soups and enchilada sauce. Put about a 1/2 C of the sauce mixure in the bottom of the 9x13 pan. This helps the enchiladas not to stick. Take one corn tortilla and put in some of the ground beef/ onion mixture. Add some grated cheese. Roll up and place crease side down in the pan on top of the small amount of sauce. Repeat with other tortillas. Layer more grated cheese on top of the enchiladas. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top. Bake 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Food Review: Turkey Products
Lately I've tried several turkey products:
Ground turkey
Turkey pepperoni
I think I will never go back to buying regular pepperoni again! There is so much less fat in the turkey pepperoni, and to me it tasted exactly like normal pepperoni. My kids gobbled down the pizza without even noticing a difference in taste. I'm sold on it!
Turkey Bacon
My experience with the pepperoni was so good that I decided to try turkey bacon. BLEH! Never again! What is wrong with turkey bacon? Let me count the ways:
--It doesn't crisp up. I like crisp bacon!
--It is very low fat, but the fat was so low that it kind of burned on the pan.
--It doesn't taste like bacon! In fact, it tastes gross to me. We ate it in a BLT sandwich, and it was okay in that because there were other things to mask the flavor. But when I ate a piece by itself, it tasted like fried bologna to me. Blech...I hate friend bologna.
--The only redeeming factor of turkey bacon is that it is cheaper than regular bacon.
Have you tried any other turkey products that you liked?
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Stir Fry
My brother "Mr. Giggles" has been asking me to write some tips for making stir fry. This is a difficult assignment for me, because my definition of "stir fry" is probably different from that of most people. Most people I know cut up all kinds of vegetables, and stir fry them with some soy sauce. That is their definition of "stir fry". You have to think of the words "stir fry" not as a recipe, but as a form of cooking. Asking for how to do stir fry is like asking how to make casserole. There are as many different recipes for stir fry as their are vegetables and meat combinations. But there are some basics to chinese cooking that can help you get started.
First of all I would suggest getting some good recipes. One of my favorite cook books was given to me by one of my missionary companions. It is written in both chinese and english. But I also have a "Sunset" chinese cook book that I like. Martin Yan has some good cook books as well.
Here are some ingredients that I always like to have around for chinese cooking:
--Fresh garlic (the bottle kind tastes sour)
--Fresh ginger (but I actually don't mind the bottle ginger)
--Soy sauce (both light and dark)
--Chinese fragrant vinegar. This is a brown vinegar, not the rice wine kind.
--Sesame oil
--Oyster flavor sauce
--Hoisin sauce
--Black bean and chili sauce
--Chili and garlic sauce
--Chinese dried noodles
First of all I would suggest getting some good recipes. One of my favorite cook books was given to me by one of my missionary companions. It is written in both chinese and english. But I also have a "Sunset" chinese cook book that I like. Martin Yan has some good cook books as well.
Here are some ingredients that I always like to have around for chinese cooking:
--Fresh garlic (the bottle kind tastes sour)
--Fresh ginger (but I actually don't mind the bottle ginger)
--Soy sauce (both light and dark)
--Chinese fragrant vinegar. This is a brown vinegar, not the rice wine kind.
--Sesame oil
--Oyster flavor sauce
--Hoisin sauce
--Black bean and chili sauce
--Chili and garlic sauce
--Chinese dried noodles
One thing to keep in mind when doing chinese cooking is that the chinese like to have similar shapes to the food they cook together. I don't really follow this for this most part, except if I am cooking noodles. When I cook noodles, I like to cut my vegetables and meat in long strips to mirror the length of the noodles. So if you were to make fried rice, you would want to cube the vegetables and meat in small pieces.
Let me give you two quick simple recipes that we eat often.
Green Beans and Chicken
I buy quite a bit of fresh green beans for this dish because my family loves them. Wash them and cut off the ends.
1 Chicken breast cubed
Crush about 3 cloves of garlic
Soy Sauce
Let me give you two quick simple recipes that we eat often.
Green Beans and Chicken
I buy quite a bit of fresh green beans for this dish because my family loves them. Wash them and cut off the ends.
1 Chicken breast cubed
Crush about 3 cloves of garlic
Soy Sauce
Salt to taste
Heat a wok, or other frying pan until hot. Add about 3 tablespoons. cooking oil. Stir fry the chicken until done. Remove from the pan. Add about 3 more TB. cooking oil. Cook the green beans until tender. I usually have to add a little water as I'm cooking to prevent them from burning. You could use oil instead, but I try to be healthy. ;) When the beans are about done, return the chicken to the pan. Add the garlic, and about 2 TB soy sauce. My family loves this!
Heat a wok, or other frying pan until hot. Add about 3 tablespoons. cooking oil. Stir fry the chicken until done. Remove from the pan. Add about 3 more TB. cooking oil. Cook the green beans until tender. I usually have to add a little water as I'm cooking to prevent them from burning. You could use oil instead, but I try to be healthy. ;) When the beans are about done, return the chicken to the pan. Add the garlic, and about 2 TB soy sauce. My family loves this!
Garlic Cauliflower
Cauliflower cut in florets
1 chicken breast cubed.
4-5 cloves of garlic crushed
white pepper
Salt to taste
Heat wok til it's hot. Add about 3 TB cooking oil. Cook the chicken and remove from the pan. Add more oil and cook the cauliflower. Cauliflower tends to soak up the oil, so if it starts to get too dry in the pan, I usually add a little water or broth if I have it. When it is almost tender, add the chicken back to the pan. Add the white pepper, and garlic. Add tiny amounts of water as needed to keep it from burning. You can also vary this recipe by adding a small amount of soy sauce. (like 2 TB) When the cauliflower is tender it is done.
I'll try to add more recipes as I can, but most "greens" can be cooked with just oil, garlic and salt. Good luck!
Sandwich cake
Today I went to a baby shower, and they served this special sandwich. I'm not giving an exact recipe, but you will get the idea.
The person who made it said that she goes to a bakery to get the bread, and asks them to slice it lengthwise instead of in regular slices. Lay one layer of the bread on a plate. Spread on a layer of egg salad. Lay another layer of bread on top of the egg salad. Spread on a layer of tuna salad. Lay another layer of bread on top of the tuna salad. Spread a layer of deviled ham. Put one last layer of bread on top of the deviled ham.
Next soften some cream cheese and beat it until soft. This woman added some food coloring to make it festive. Spread the cream cheese over the top and sides of the sandwich. It will look like icing on a cake. Chill for at least an hour, then slice. It was fun to have because we all thought it was a layer cake at first! :)
The person who made it said that she goes to a bakery to get the bread, and asks them to slice it lengthwise instead of in regular slices. Lay one layer of the bread on a plate. Spread on a layer of egg salad. Lay another layer of bread on top of the egg salad. Spread on a layer of tuna salad. Lay another layer of bread on top of the tuna salad. Spread a layer of deviled ham. Put one last layer of bread on top of the deviled ham.
Next soften some cream cheese and beat it until soft. This woman added some food coloring to make it festive. Spread the cream cheese over the top and sides of the sandwich. It will look like icing on a cake. Chill for at least an hour, then slice. It was fun to have because we all thought it was a layer cake at first! :)
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Pesto Potatoes
I was trying to come up with a good potato recipe to go with our dinner one night and I threw this one together. I had gotten some pesto at a good price, and had it on hand. I think it turned out really good.
INGREDIENTS:
Red potatoes (one per person)
1/4 C olive oil
3 tablespoons of pesto
1 tablespoon fresh chopped garlic
sea salt
Wash and quarter the potatoes. Place in a baking dish.
In a separate bowl, add pesto, garlic, and olive oil. Blend well and pour over potatoes. Stir well so that all of the potatoes are coated. Sprinkle with sea salt. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 350 degrees about one hour until done.
Note: sea salt really does give a different flavor to the dish. If you don't normally use it, try it!
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