Baked Orzo with Vegetables

 

Lately, I've been trying to find good vegetarian recipes to make.  Don't get me wrong, I love my chicken, fish, and the occasional piece of beef, but on those occasions where I have to cook for vegetarians, I'd prefer not to have to go and find fake meat in order to make dinner.  So, enter recipes that include pasta, whole grains, and lots of yummy vegetables.  I've got a whole boardful of them on Pinterest just waiting to be made.  But, since there was sale on eggplant, I decided to start with the Baked Orzo with Vegetables.

This recipe is not necessarily the quickest to make, since you have to chop all the veggies and also salt the eggplant, then let it sit for half an hour.  But, I promise that all the work is worth it.  I did make a few changes to the recipe.  For one thing, I had a zucchini sitting in my fridge, so I added that in.  I also left out the celery because I didn't think that it would match with the rest of the flavors in the dish. 

 Then, I cut down on the salt, used water instead of vegetable stock, and used dried oregano since that's what I had.  Finally, instead of mozzarella, I sliced up a couple of Babybel cheeses and put them on top.  As far as I can tell, making these changes didn't diminish the flavor in this dish one bit.

I have to say that this dish impressed me.  Not only is it beautiful to look at, but it's a true pleasure to eat.  The Babybel cheeses were perfect - so wonderfully melty.  And I love that it's healthy.  To up the health factor, next time, I'd probably use whole wheat orzo and add in some spinach and mushrooms too.  You could probably even use some broccoli or cauliflower to mix things up a little.  You can never have too many veggies, at least in my opinion.  With a dish like this, I promise you won't miss your meat.    

Baked Orzo with Vegetables (adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted it from Yotam Ottolenghi)

1 large eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch dice
1 zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch dice
Salt and black pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
5 oz. baby carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, rinsed
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
zest from 1 lemon
2 oz. Babybel cheese, sliced
3 medium tomatoes, diced

Sprinkle your eggplant generously with salt and let it drain in a colander for 30 minutes. I used this time to get the rest of my ingredients ready. After 30 minutes, rinse it well and pat it dry on towels.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil and saute the eggplant and zucchini.  When done, remove from pan and set aside.  Add carrots to remaining oil and cook for 3 minutes before adding onion and garlic. Cook together for 5 more minutes on medium heat. Stir in the orzo and cook for two minutes more. Off the heat, add the oregano, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon table salt, many grinds of black pepper and the water and mix well.

Transfer mixture to an 8×11-inch (about 2 quarts) ovenproof baking dish.  Slice the Babybel cheeses and stick the pieces into the pasta-veggie mixture as desired.  Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, then bake 20 minutes without the foil. (You can increase the ration of foil-on to foil-off time if you don’t like a crunchy pasta lid.) Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes:
1.    The original recipe calls for you to fry the eggplant.  I just used 2 Tbsp. olive oil and sauteed the eggplant.

2.     The original recipe called for 1 tsp. tomato paste, celery, 1/2 c. parmesan cheese, vegetable stock, and fresh oregano.  I left out the tomato paste, celery, and parmesan cheese, used water instead of the vegetable stock, and used dried oregano instead of fresh.

Baked Orzo with Vegetables

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Lately, I've been trying to find good vegetarian recipes to make.  Don't get me wrong, I love my chicken, fish, and the occasional piece of beef, but on those occasions where I have to cook for vegetarians, I'd prefer not to have to go and find fake meat in order to make dinner.  So, enter recipes that include pasta, whole grains, and lots of yummy vegetables.  I've got a whole boardful of them on Pinterest just waiting to be made.  But, since there was sale on eggplant, I decided to start with the Baked Orzo with Vegetables.

This recipe is not necessarily the quickest to make, since you have to chop all the veggies and also salt the eggplant, then let it sit for half an hour.  But, I promise that all the work is worth it.  I did make a few changes to the recipe.  For one thing, I had a zucchini sitting in my fridge, so I added that in.  I also left out the celery because I didn't think that it would match with the rest of the flavors in the dish. 

 Then, I cut down on the salt, used water instead of vegetable stock, and used dried oregano since that's what I had.  Finally, instead of mozzarella, I sliced up a couple of Babybel cheeses and put them on top.  As far as I can tell, making these changes didn't diminish the flavor in this dish one bit.

I have to say that this dish impressed me.  Not only is it beautiful to look at, but it's a true pleasure to eat.  The Babybel cheeses were perfect - so wonderfully melty.  And I love that it's healthy.  To up the health factor, next time, I'd probably use whole wheat orzo and add in some spinach and mushrooms too.  You could probably even use some broccoli or cauliflower to mix things up a little.  You can never have too many veggies, at least in my opinion.  With a dish like this, I promise you won't miss your meat.    

Baked Orzo with Vegetables (adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted it from Yotam Ottolenghi)

1 large eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch dice
1 zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch dice
Salt and black pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
5 oz. baby carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, rinsed
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
zest from 1 lemon
2 oz. Babybel cheese, sliced
3 medium tomatoes, diced

Sprinkle your eggplant generously with salt and let it drain in a colander for 30 minutes. I used this time to get the rest of my ingredients ready. After 30 minutes, rinse it well and pat it dry on towels.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil and saute the eggplant and zucchini.  When done, remove from pan and set aside.  Add carrots to remaining oil and cook for 3 minutes before adding onion and garlic. Cook together for 5 more minutes on medium heat. Stir in the orzo and cook for two minutes more. Off the heat, add the oregano, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon table salt, many grinds of black pepper and the water and mix well.

Transfer mixture to an 8×11-inch (about 2 quarts) ovenproof baking dish.  Slice the Babybel cheeses and stick the pieces into the pasta-veggie mixture as desired.  Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, then bake 20 minutes without the foil. (You can increase the ration of foil-on to foil-off time if you don’t like a crunchy pasta lid.) Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes:
1.    The original recipe calls for you to fry the eggplant.  I just used 2 Tbsp. olive oil and sauteed the eggplant.

2.     The original recipe called for 1 tsp. tomato paste, celery, 1/2 c. parmesan cheese, vegetable stock, and fresh oregano.  I left out the tomato paste, celery, and parmesan cheese, used water instead of the vegetable stock, and used dried oregano instead of fresh.

Barbecue Chicken Sandwich Rolls

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Jessica of The Inquiring Chef.  Do you know that she lives in Thailand?  So lucky!  I absolutely love Thai food and I can only imagine the wonderful access she must have to both the food and the exotic ingredients to make it.

Her blog is filled with yummy recipes that she came up with herself and it was with great joy that I chose to make her Barbecue Chicken Sandwich  Rolls.  In case you didn't know, she grew up in Kansas with some great barbecue so these rolls are part of her personality and I wanted to showcase that.  Besides, I love barbecue myself as well as baking bread, so this recipe was perfect for me.

I had some chicken tenders in my freezer, so I poached those and used them instead of roasted chicken.  I also made my own barbecue sauce instead of using storebought.  In addition, I changed the method of making the rolls a little, but otherwise, kept the recipe the same.

Eating these rolls reminded me of my favorite baked char siu bao (now I totally want to fill them with char siu aka Chinese barbecued pork).  The rolls were super fluffy and soft, slightly sweet, and paired deliciously with the barbecue chicken filling on the inside.  My only regret is that I didn't use more filling in the rolls.  But, even then, my family declared this recipe to be fantastic and they thoroughly enjoyed eating them.  I would love to try these rolls with other fillings in them, the char siu for instance or curried chicken or even sloppy joe filling.  The possibilities are endless.

And, speaking of possibilities, since I'm very much a sweets person, I went ahead and filled some of the buns with leftover chocolate ganache that I had in my fridge.  Voila!  Chocolate filled sweet buns.  Spread them with some raspberry jam and ohhh so good.  So, if you do what I did, you'll have dinner and dessert with one recipe.  Can't beat that.

Thanks Jessica for your delicious recipe.

Barbecue Chicken Sandwich Rolls (adapted from The Inquiring Chef)

3 Tbsp. warm milk (I used yogurt)
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 c. warm water 
2 1/2 Tbsp. sugar (I increased this to 4 Tbsp.)
3 and ¾ cups all-purpose flour (plus about ½ cup extra for shaping the rolls) (I used 1 c. bread flour + 2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour)
1 tsp. salt
2 ½ Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs (separated – 1 for dough and 1 for egg wash)
2 cups shredded and roughly chopped, roasted chicken (I used poached chicken breasts)
½ cup barbecue sauce (can use storebought or your own homemade sauce)

Combine the warm water with the yeast and a pinch of sugar and let sit for 5 min. till foamy.  Combine the yeast mixture with the melted butter, sugar, milk or yogurt, and the egg and mix well.  Add 1 cup of bread flour and the salt and mix well.  Add the rest of the flour and mix well till combined.  Knead the dough as best as you can until it forms a smooth ball.  Put the dough into a well-greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.

Combine the chicken with the barbecue sauce and mix well.     

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Using lightly floured hands, remove 1/4 of the risen dough and gently roll it into a cylinder, approximately 8 inches long.  (The dough will be quite sticky, but add only as much flour as you need to prevent it from sticking to your hands.)  Using a knife or dough scraper, cut the cylinder of dough into 8 even pieces. Flatten each piece into a circle. Drop one teaspoon of the chicken mixture into the center of each dough circle. Pull the sides of the dough around the filling and twist them together firmly to seal the chicken inside. Place each filled roll, seam-side down on parchement paper.

Let sit until doubled in size, about 30 min.  Preheat oven to 350F.  
 
Brush the top of each roll liberally with a beaten egg.

Bake until the surface of the rolls are golden brown, 18-20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note:  Alternately, you could fill each piece of dough with a teaspoon of chilled chocolate ganache.  







 

Barbecue Chicken Sandwich Rolls

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For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Jessica of The Inquiring Chef.  Do you know that she lives in Thailand?  So lucky!  I absolutely love Thai food and I can only imagine the wonderful access she must have to both the food and the exotic ingredients to make it.

Her blog is filled with yummy recipes that she came up with herself and it was with great joy that I chose to make her Barbecue Chicken Sandwich  Rolls.  In case you didn't know, she grew up in Kansas with some great barbecue so these rolls are part of her personality and I wanted to showcase that.  Besides, I love barbecue myself as well as baking bread, so this recipe was perfect for me.

I had some chicken tenders in my freezer, so I poached those and used them instead of roasted chicken.  I also made my own barbecue sauce instead of using storebought.  In addition, I changed the method of making the rolls a little, but otherwise, kept the recipe the same.

Eating these rolls reminded me of my favorite baked char siu bao (now I totally want to fill them with char siu aka Chinese barbecued pork).  The rolls were super fluffy and soft, slightly sweet, and paired deliciously with the barbecue chicken filling on the inside.  My only regret is that I didn't use more filling in the rolls.  But, even then, my family declared this recipe to be fantastic and they thoroughly enjoyed eating them.  I would love to try these rolls with other fillings in them, the char siu for instance or curried chicken or even sloppy joe filling.  The possibilities are endless.

And, speaking of possibilities, since I'm very much a sweets person, I went ahead and filled some of the buns with leftover chocolate ganache that I had in my fridge.  Voila!  Chocolate filled sweet buns.  Spread them with some raspberry jam and ohhh so good.  So, if you do what I did, you'll have dinner and dessert with one recipe.  Can't beat that.

Thanks Jessica for your delicious recipe.

Barbecue Chicken Sandwich Rolls (adapted from The Inquiring Chef)

3 Tbsp. warm milk (I used yogurt)
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 c. warm water 
2 1/2 Tbsp. sugar (I increased this to 4 Tbsp.)
3 and ¾ cups all-purpose flour (plus about ½ cup extra for shaping the rolls) (I used 1 c. bread flour + 2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour)
1 tsp. salt
2 ½ Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs (separated – 1 for dough and 1 for egg wash)
2 cups shredded and roughly chopped, roasted chicken (I used poached chicken breasts)
½ cup barbecue sauce (can use storebought or your own homemade sauce)

Combine the warm water with the yeast and a pinch of sugar and let sit for 5 min. till foamy.  Combine the yeast mixture with the melted butter, sugar, milk or yogurt, and the egg and mix well.  Add 1 cup of bread flour and the salt and mix well.  Add the rest of the flour and mix well till combined.  Knead the dough as best as you can until it forms a smooth ball.  Put the dough into a well-greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.

Combine the chicken with the barbecue sauce and mix well.     

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Using lightly floured hands, remove 1/4 of the risen dough and gently roll it into a cylinder, approximately 8 inches long.  (The dough will be quite sticky, but add only as much flour as you need to prevent it from sticking to your hands.)  Using a knife or dough scraper, cut the cylinder of dough into 8 even pieces. Flatten each piece into a circle. Drop one teaspoon of the chicken mixture into the center of each dough circle. Pull the sides of the dough around the filling and twist them together firmly to seal the chicken inside. Place each filled roll, seam-side down on parchement paper.

Let sit until doubled in size, about 30 min.  Preheat oven to 350F.  
 
Brush the top of each roll liberally with a beaten egg.

Bake until the surface of the rolls are golden brown, 18-20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note:  Alternately, you could fill each piece of dough with a teaspoon of chilled chocolate ganache.  







 

Spicy Orange Ginger Chicken

Our house has been trying to cook without salt or sodium (or very little of it).  As you can imagine, this is not easy.  It's not like I'm a salt fiend or anything, but, being Japanese, soy sauce is like a staple.  Not to mention, there's sodium in everything - ketchup, mustard, oyster sauce.  Take it all away and the results are usually so bland and tasteless that I'd rather eat anything else (even raw veggies) or starve than eat whatever sodium-free concoction appears on my table.

Well, starving is not an option and one can only live on veggies for so long, so I've been learning to be creative and I search the Internet like crazy.  Tonight, I would have liked to make soy sauce chicken, but, yeah, too much soy sauce equals too much sodium.  That's out.  Then, I came across this recipe on the site, "Moms Who Think."  It called for mostly orange juice, some brown sugar, and only a little soy sauce.  Not only did it sound delicious, but I happened to have a refrigerator bin full of oranges.  Bingo!

I changed the recipe and the method just a little.  With regards to the sauce, I doubled the amount of ginger powder and added some red pepper chili flakes (we like spicy in our house).  Then, instead of baking it all in the oven, I boiled the chicken in the sauce on the stove and thickened it with some cornstarch and water.  My family was very impressed with the way that this turned out.  In fact, we liked it so much, we're making it again for dinner tomorrow.

By the way, if you're wondering about the color of the rice in the picture, it's a mixture of Japanese sticky white rice and Korean black rice.  The black color from the Korean rice seeps into the rice water and turns everything a shade of dark purple.  The black rice also has a nutty flavor that we really enjoy.  Together with the chicken, it was the perfect, tasty meal.  And low-sodium to boot!  Gotta love that.     


Orange Ginger Chicken (adapted from Moms Who Think)

12-15 chicken breast tenderloins, defrosted or frozen
1 1/2 c. freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. low-sodium soy sauce 
2 tsp. ginger powder
1 1/2 tsp. red pepper chili flakes

2 tsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. water

Poach the chicken breast tenders in a saucepan until they're cooked through.  Drain the water and set aside.

Combine the juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger powder, and red pepper flakes and add to the chicken.  Cook on medium-high heat until the sauce is boiling.  Mix the cornstarch with the water and add to the sauce, stirring to combine.  When the sauce is thickened, turn off the heat and enjoy.    

Spicy Orange Ginger Chicken

Posted by admin No comments

Our house has been trying to cook without salt or sodium (or very little of it).  As you can imagine, this is not easy.  It's not like I'm a salt fiend or anything, but, being Japanese, soy sauce is like a staple.  Not to mention, there's sodium in everything - ketchup, mustard, oyster sauce.  Take it all away and the results are usually so bland and tasteless that I'd rather eat anything else (even raw veggies) or starve than eat whatever sodium-free concoction appears on my table.

Well, starving is not an option and one can only live on veggies for so long, so I've been learning to be creative and I search the Internet like crazy.  Tonight, I would have liked to make soy sauce chicken, but, yeah, too much soy sauce equals too much sodium.  That's out.  Then, I came across this recipe on the site, "Moms Who Think."  It called for mostly orange juice, some brown sugar, and only a little soy sauce.  Not only did it sound delicious, but I happened to have a refrigerator bin full of oranges.  Bingo!

I changed the recipe and the method just a little.  With regards to the sauce, I doubled the amount of ginger powder and added some red pepper chili flakes (we like spicy in our house).  Then, instead of baking it all in the oven, I boiled the chicken in the sauce on the stove and thickened it with some cornstarch and water.  My family was very impressed with the way that this turned out.  In fact, we liked it so much, we're making it again for dinner tomorrow.

By the way, if you're wondering about the color of the rice in the picture, it's a mixture of Japanese sticky white rice and Korean black rice.  The black color from the Korean rice seeps into the rice water and turns everything a shade of dark purple.  The black rice also has a nutty flavor that we really enjoy.  Together with the chicken, it was the perfect, tasty meal.  And low-sodium to boot!  Gotta love that.     


Orange Ginger Chicken (adapted from Moms Who Think)

12-15 chicken breast tenderloins, defrosted or frozen
1 1/2 c. freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. low-sodium soy sauce 
2 tsp. ginger powder
1 1/2 tsp. red pepper chili flakes

2 tsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. water

Poach the chicken breast tenders in a saucepan until they're cooked through.  Drain the water and set aside.

Combine the juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger powder, and red pepper flakes and add to the chicken.  Cook on medium-high heat until the sauce is boiling.  Mix the cornstarch with the water and add to the sauce, stirring to combine.  When the sauce is thickened, turn off the heat and enjoy.    

Crock Pot Hungarian Goulash

For this round of the recipe swap, it’s Blogger’s Choice! I was assigned the blog Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks  by Heather Lynne. One of the first recipe swaps I ever participated in I got a recipe from her blog, Baked Garlic Cheddar Grits. At that time, I wasn’t sure at all about grits, but I have to say I have made that dish quite a few times and it’s a favorite. So I was very happy to get to make another recipe from Heather Lynne’s blog. There were so many recipes and I enlisted my husband to help pick.

We decided on making the Crock Pot Hungarian Goulash. I looked forward to being able to come home and have dinner ready! I also really love any goulash/stroganoff dish that is served over noodles. This didn’t call for anything too unusual, so it was very budget conscious. I love paprika, especially the smoked paprika that I bought from Penzey’s Spices, so I thought that would make this dish even better.

This is easy to put together, just put the meat in the crock pot, slice an onion, and stir together some spices. I made it before work and I think it took less than 5 minutes. Mine cooked longer than 8 hours (more like 10) and it was just perfect. I worry that my slow cooker never gets too hot, so I worry about cooking things on high. To thicken the sauce, it worked just fine. My husband and I really liked this, although I think I would add even more paprika next time. This made a fine dinner served over spaetzle. Thanks for the recipe Heather Lynne and thanks to Sarah at Taste of Home Cooking for hosting the recipe swaps!

Crock Pot Hungarian Goulash

2 pounds stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup flour

Noodles

Place the meat in the crock pot and cover with the sliced onion.

In a large bowl, combine the garlic, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, and dry mustard.  Stir in the water, mix well, and pour over the meat in the crock-pot. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (or longer).

About 20 minutes before serving, turn the heat to high.  Dissolve the flour in a small amount of cold water.  Stir into the meat mixture and cook on high for 15 minutes to thicken. Serve over noodles.

Recipe from Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks

Crock Pot Hungarian Goulash

Posted by admin No comments

For this round of the recipe swap, it’s Blogger’s Choice! I was assigned the blog Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks  by Heather Lynne. One of the first recipe swaps I ever participated in I got a recipe from her blog, Baked Garlic Cheddar Grits. At that time, I wasn’t sure at all about grits, but I have to say I have made that dish quite a few times and it’s a favorite. So I was very happy to get to make another recipe from Heather Lynne’s blog. There were so many recipes and I enlisted my husband to help pick.

We decided on making the Crock Pot Hungarian Goulash. I looked forward to being able to come home and have dinner ready! I also really love any goulash/stroganoff dish that is served over noodles. This didn’t call for anything too unusual, so it was very budget conscious. I love paprika, especially the smoked paprika that I bought from Penzey’s Spices, so I thought that would make this dish even better.

This is easy to put together, just put the meat in the crock pot, slice an onion, and stir together some spices. I made it before work and I think it took less than 5 minutes. Mine cooked longer than 8 hours (more like 10) and it was just perfect. I worry that my slow cooker never gets too hot, so I worry about cooking things on high. To thicken the sauce, it worked just fine. My husband and I really liked this, although I think I would add even more paprika next time. This made a fine dinner served over spaetzle. Thanks for the recipe Heather Lynne and thanks to Sarah at Taste of Home Cooking for hosting the recipe swaps!

Crock Pot Hungarian Goulash

2 pounds stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup flour

Noodles

Place the meat in the crock pot and cover with the sliced onion.

In a large bowl, combine the garlic, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, and dry mustard.  Stir in the water, mix well, and pour over the meat in the crock-pot. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (or longer).

About 20 minutes before serving, turn the heat to high.  Dissolve the flour in a small amount of cold water.  Stir into the meat mixture and cook on high for 15 minutes to thicken. Serve over noodles.

Recipe from Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks

My Very First Pizza

I've always wanted to try making my own pizza from scratch. So, when my mom asked what we were going to make for dinner tonight, I figured, what better time than now? Let's do it!

The pizza crust is very much like a basic bread recipe. The only problem I ran into was when it came time to stretch it into shape. I tried pulling it, I tried tossing it, I tried letting gravity stretch it down. And, either way, the dough became too thin and I got holes in it. Finally, my dad suggested just laying it down and slowly pushing out from the middle. Voila! It worked.

For toppings, I just used whatever we had in the fridge, which turned out to be tomatoes, spinach, and onions. I did caramelize the onions though for a little extra flavor. We also didn't have any pizza sauce or the ingredients to make any. But, we did have a jar of spaghetti sauce. I cooked it down to reduce it and make it thicker.


The finished pizzas were delicious and the crust was crisp and chewy, just as it should be. The spaghetti sauce gave it a little different flavor, but we didn't mind one bit. Slice after slice disappeared. G'bye store-bought pizza.


Pizza Crust (King Arthur Flour)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast (I used 1 pkg. yeast)
7/8 to 1 1/8 cups lukewarm water (I used 7/8 cup)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. salt (I decreased this to 1 tsp.)

1) If you're using active dry yeast, dissolve it, with a pinch of sugar, in 2 tablespoons of the lukewarm water. Let the yeast and water sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, until the mixture has bubbled and expanded. If you're using instant yeast, you can skip this step.

2) Combine the dissolved yeast (or the instant yeast) with the remainder of the ingredients. Mix and knead everything together—by hand, mixer or bread machine set on the dough cycle—till you've made a soft, smooth dough. If you're kneading in a stand mixer, it should take 4 to 5 minutes at second speed, and the dough should barely clean the sides of the bowl, perhaps sticking a bit at the bottom. Don't over-knead the dough; it should hold together, but can still look fairly rough on the surface.

3) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow it to rise till it's very puffy. This will take about an hour using instant yeast, or 90 minutes using active dry. If it takes longer, that's OK; just give it some extra time.

4) Decide what size, shape, and thickness of pizza you want to make. This recipe will make one of the following choices:
Two 1/2"-thick 14" round pizzas
Two 3/4"-thick 12" round pizzas;
One 3/4" to 1"-thick 13" x 18" rectangular (Sicilian-style) pizza
One 1 1/2"-thick 9" x 13" rectangular pizza;
One 1"-thick 14" round pizza.

5) Divide the dough in half, for two pizzas; or leave it whole for one pizza.

6) If you're making a rectangular pizza, shape the dough into a rough oval. For a round pizza, shape it into a rough circle. In either case, don't pat it flat; just stretch it briefly into shape. Allow the dough to rest, covered with an overturned bowl or lightly greased plastic wrap, for 15 minutes.

7) Use vegetable oil pan spray to lightly grease the pan(s) of your choice. Drizzle olive oil into the bottom of the pan(s). The pan spray keeps the pizza from sticking; the olive oil gives the crust great flavor and crunch.

8) Place the dough in the prepared pan(s). Press it over the bottom of the pan, stretching it towards the edges. You'll probably get about two-thirds of the way there before the dough starts shrinking back; walk away for 15 minutes. Cover the dough while you're away, so it doesn't dry out.

9) When you come back, you should be able to pat the dough closer to the corners of the pan. Repeat the rest and dough-stretch one more time, if necessary; your goal is to get the dough to fill the pan as fully as possible.

10) Allow the dough to rise, covered, till it's noticeably puffy, about 90 minutes (mine took 30 min.). Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 450°F.

11) Bake the pizza on the lower oven rack till it looks and feels set on top, and is just beginning to brown around the edge of the crust, but is still pale on top. This will take about 8 minutes for thinner crust pizza; about 10 to 12 minutes for medium thickness; and 12 to 14 minutes for thick-crust pizza. If you're baking two pizzas, reverse them in the oven (top to bottom, bottom to top) midway through the baking period.

12) Remove it from the oven, and arrange your toppings of choice on top. Return to the oven, and bake on the upper oven rack for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned, both top and bottom, and the cheese is melted. Check it midway through, and move it to the bottom rack if the top is browning too much, or the bottom not enough.

13) Remove the pizza from the oven, and transfer it from the pan to a rack to cool slightly before serving. For easiest serving, cut with a pair of scissors.

My Very First Pizza

Posted by admin No comments

I've always wanted to try making my own pizza from scratch. So, when my mom asked what we were going to make for dinner tonight, I figured, what better time than now? Let's do it!

The pizza crust is very much like a basic bread recipe. The only problem I ran into was when it came time to stretch it into shape. I tried pulling it, I tried tossing it, I tried letting gravity stretch it down. And, either way, the dough became too thin and I got holes in it. Finally, my dad suggested just laying it down and slowly pushing out from the middle. Voila! It worked.

For toppings, I just used whatever we had in the fridge, which turned out to be tomatoes, spinach, and onions. I did caramelize the onions though for a little extra flavor. We also didn't have any pizza sauce or the ingredients to make any. But, we did have a jar of spaghetti sauce. I cooked it down to reduce it and make it thicker.


The finished pizzas were delicious and the crust was crisp and chewy, just as it should be. The spaghetti sauce gave it a little different flavor, but we didn't mind one bit. Slice after slice disappeared. G'bye store-bought pizza.


Pizza Crust (King Arthur Flour)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast (I used 1 pkg. yeast)
7/8 to 1 1/8 cups lukewarm water (I used 7/8 cup)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. salt (I decreased this to 1 tsp.)

1) If you're using active dry yeast, dissolve it, with a pinch of sugar, in 2 tablespoons of the lukewarm water. Let the yeast and water sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, until the mixture has bubbled and expanded. If you're using instant yeast, you can skip this step.

2) Combine the dissolved yeast (or the instant yeast) with the remainder of the ingredients. Mix and knead everything together—by hand, mixer or bread machine set on the dough cycle—till you've made a soft, smooth dough. If you're kneading in a stand mixer, it should take 4 to 5 minutes at second speed, and the dough should barely clean the sides of the bowl, perhaps sticking a bit at the bottom. Don't over-knead the dough; it should hold together, but can still look fairly rough on the surface.

3) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow it to rise till it's very puffy. This will take about an hour using instant yeast, or 90 minutes using active dry. If it takes longer, that's OK; just give it some extra time.

4) Decide what size, shape, and thickness of pizza you want to make. This recipe will make one of the following choices:
Two 1/2"-thick 14" round pizzas
Two 3/4"-thick 12" round pizzas;
One 3/4" to 1"-thick 13" x 18" rectangular (Sicilian-style) pizza
One 1 1/2"-thick 9" x 13" rectangular pizza;
One 1"-thick 14" round pizza.

5) Divide the dough in half, for two pizzas; or leave it whole for one pizza.

6) If you're making a rectangular pizza, shape the dough into a rough oval. For a round pizza, shape it into a rough circle. In either case, don't pat it flat; just stretch it briefly into shape. Allow the dough to rest, covered with an overturned bowl or lightly greased plastic wrap, for 15 minutes.

7) Use vegetable oil pan spray to lightly grease the pan(s) of your choice. Drizzle olive oil into the bottom of the pan(s). The pan spray keeps the pizza from sticking; the olive oil gives the crust great flavor and crunch.

8) Place the dough in the prepared pan(s). Press it over the bottom of the pan, stretching it towards the edges. You'll probably get about two-thirds of the way there before the dough starts shrinking back; walk away for 15 minutes. Cover the dough while you're away, so it doesn't dry out.

9) When you come back, you should be able to pat the dough closer to the corners of the pan. Repeat the rest and dough-stretch one more time, if necessary; your goal is to get the dough to fill the pan as fully as possible.

10) Allow the dough to rise, covered, till it's noticeably puffy, about 90 minutes (mine took 30 min.). Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 450°F.

11) Bake the pizza on the lower oven rack till it looks and feels set on top, and is just beginning to brown around the edge of the crust, but is still pale on top. This will take about 8 minutes for thinner crust pizza; about 10 to 12 minutes for medium thickness; and 12 to 14 minutes for thick-crust pizza. If you're baking two pizzas, reverse them in the oven (top to bottom, bottom to top) midway through the baking period.

12) Remove it from the oven, and arrange your toppings of choice on top. Return to the oven, and bake on the upper oven rack for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned, both top and bottom, and the cheese is melted. Check it midway through, and move it to the bottom rack if the top is browning too much, or the bottom not enough.

13) Remove the pizza from the oven, and transfer it from the pan to a rack to cool slightly before serving. For easiest serving, cut with a pair of scissors.

Spicy Peach BBQ Sauce Chicken

I can't believe it's almost the end of summer. My biggest lament is that peach season will soon end. Please tell me that you still have peaches in your kitchen. If not, then I hope your nearest grocery store is still having some incredible sale on them. The reason I say this is because once you see this peach BBQ sauce, you're gonna feel the urge to grab any and all peaches you have and make it as soon as possible.



The Hungry Homebody linked this recipe up to my Sweets for a Saturday linky party several weeks ago. The moment I saw it, I knew this was the recipe for me, especially since I had a fridge bin full of ripe, sweet peaches all ready to be used. But, wouldn't you know it. I got all geared up to make this sauce one weekend and then realized that I only had peaches and NONE of the other ingredients. Apparently, my stomach was running ahead of my brain.



Not to worry. This past week, I made sure to put every one of those things on my shopping list and returned home full of anticipation. The sauce is super easy to make since all it requires is throwing everything into a pot and letting it cook down. Naturally, I spiced things up quite a bit with more red pepper flakes, a dose of my beloved sriracha sauce, and some chipotle chili powder. The heat goes really well with the peaches, but if heat's not your thing, you can leave it out and you'll still have a pot of deliciousness.



This sauce blew my tastebuds away. I put some onto chicken breasts and had one divine dinner. I think this would also be fantastic with meatballs (that's the next thing on my menu) and just as good with fish. Now I know why Hungry Homebody made so much of it. You'll definitely want some jars packed away to use throughout the year until peach season comes around again. Speaking of which, I think I'm gonna have to go buy myself a bushel of peaches because I need more of this sauce ASAP.



Spicy Peach BBQ Sauce (adapted from The Hungry Homebody)



4 c. peaches, chopped, pitted, and peeled

2/3 c. red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2/3 c. finely chopped onion

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

3/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. honey

1/2 c. vinegar

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 1/2 tsp. sriracha sauce

1 1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder

1/2 tsp. salt



Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to medium high heat and cook for 25 min. Puree with a handstick blender to your desired consistency.

Spicy Peach BBQ Sauce Chicken

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I can't believe it's almost the end of summer. My biggest lament is that peach season will soon end. Please tell me that you still have peaches in your kitchen. If not, then I hope your nearest grocery store is still having some incredible sale on them. The reason I say this is because once you see this peach BBQ sauce, you're gonna feel the urge to grab any and all peaches you have and make it as soon as possible.



The Hungry Homebody linked this recipe up to my Sweets for a Saturday linky party several weeks ago. The moment I saw it, I knew this was the recipe for me, especially since I had a fridge bin full of ripe, sweet peaches all ready to be used. But, wouldn't you know it. I got all geared up to make this sauce one weekend and then realized that I only had peaches and NONE of the other ingredients. Apparently, my stomach was running ahead of my brain.



Not to worry. This past week, I made sure to put every one of those things on my shopping list and returned home full of anticipation. The sauce is super easy to make since all it requires is throwing everything into a pot and letting it cook down. Naturally, I spiced things up quite a bit with more red pepper flakes, a dose of my beloved sriracha sauce, and some chipotle chili powder. The heat goes really well with the peaches, but if heat's not your thing, you can leave it out and you'll still have a pot of deliciousness.



This sauce blew my tastebuds away. I put some onto chicken breasts and had one divine dinner. I think this would also be fantastic with meatballs (that's the next thing on my menu) and just as good with fish. Now I know why Hungry Homebody made so much of it. You'll definitely want some jars packed away to use throughout the year until peach season comes around again. Speaking of which, I think I'm gonna have to go buy myself a bushel of peaches because I need more of this sauce ASAP.



Spicy Peach BBQ Sauce (adapted from The Hungry Homebody)



4 c. peaches, chopped, pitted, and peeled

2/3 c. red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

2/3 c. finely chopped onion

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

3/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. honey

1/2 c. vinegar

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 1/2 tsp. sriracha sauce

1 1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder

1/2 tsp. salt



Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to medium high heat and cook for 25 min. Puree with a handstick blender to your desired consistency.

Spicy Peanut Butter Meatballs

I love being adventurous during dinnertime. Being able to break away from the tried and true recipes of my childhood and trying something new is always such a delight, especially when the dish turns out to be something really good. This time, I decided to try a recipe that I saw on Alli's site, "Alli n' Son" - Baked Turkey Meatballs with Sweet Peanut Butter Sauce. How's that for a change?!!! I've had meatballs with barbecue sauce, sweet sour sauce, teriyaki sauce, and spaghetti sauce, but never peanut butter sauce (though I have eaten chicken satay before). Her mouthwatering photo gave me all the incentive I needed.



I did adapt the recipe a bit to fit my preferences. To make the sauce lower in calories, I used water instead of the oil (which didn't affect the taste one bit) and I kicked things up with a nice spoonful of sriracha sauce mixed into it. I also doubled the sauce so that I could have enough to let my meatballs and vegetables simmer in it (and believe me, with a sauce as tasty as this, you're gonna want to double it).





The meatballs were awesome! The peanut butter sauce was so delicious and the sriracha added just the right amount of spice to it. I'm so glad that I decided to try something new for dinner because I loved, loved, loved this recipe. This may have been the first time I made this recipe but it for sure won't be the last.



Peanut Butter Meatballs (adapted from Alli n' Son)



1.25 lbs. ground turkey

1 onion, chopped

3/4 tsp. garlic powder

3/4 tsp. ginger powder

dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 egg

1/2 c. breadcrumbs

2-3 Tbsp. chopped green onion



1 green bell pepper, sliced

2 carrots, sliced thinly



For the sauce (this is the doubled amount):

1/2 c. peanut butter

6 Tbsp. sugar

4 Tbsp. soy sauce

7 Tbsp. water (or you can use a combo of sesame oil and vegetable oil like Alli did)

1 1/2 - 2 tsp. sriracha (according to taste)



Combine the ingredients for the meatballs. Form into walnut-sized balls and bake at 350F for about 25 min.



Lightly saute the bell pepper and carrots in a large skillet until they are tender but still crisp. Combine the ingredients for the sauce and add to the vegetables. Add the meatballs and coat with the sauce. Let simmer 10-15 min. until everything is heated through.

Spicy Peanut Butter Meatballs

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I love being adventurous during dinnertime. Being able to break away from the tried and true recipes of my childhood and trying something new is always such a delight, especially when the dish turns out to be something really good. This time, I decided to try a recipe that I saw on Alli's site, "Alli n' Son" - Baked Turkey Meatballs with Sweet Peanut Butter Sauce. How's that for a change?!!! I've had meatballs with barbecue sauce, sweet sour sauce, teriyaki sauce, and spaghetti sauce, but never peanut butter sauce (though I have eaten chicken satay before). Her mouthwatering photo gave me all the incentive I needed.



I did adapt the recipe a bit to fit my preferences. To make the sauce lower in calories, I used water instead of the oil (which didn't affect the taste one bit) and I kicked things up with a nice spoonful of sriracha sauce mixed into it. I also doubled the sauce so that I could have enough to let my meatballs and vegetables simmer in it (and believe me, with a sauce as tasty as this, you're gonna want to double it).





The meatballs were awesome! The peanut butter sauce was so delicious and the sriracha added just the right amount of spice to it. I'm so glad that I decided to try something new for dinner because I loved, loved, loved this recipe. This may have been the first time I made this recipe but it for sure won't be the last.



Peanut Butter Meatballs (adapted from Alli n' Son)



1.25 lbs. ground turkey

1 onion, chopped

3/4 tsp. garlic powder

3/4 tsp. ginger powder

dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 egg

1/2 c. breadcrumbs

2-3 Tbsp. chopped green onion



1 green bell pepper, sliced

2 carrots, sliced thinly



For the sauce (this is the doubled amount):

1/2 c. peanut butter

6 Tbsp. sugar

4 Tbsp. soy sauce

7 Tbsp. water (or you can use a combo of sesame oil and vegetable oil like Alli did)

1 1/2 - 2 tsp. sriracha (according to taste)



Combine the ingredients for the meatballs. Form into walnut-sized balls and bake at 350F for about 25 min.



Lightly saute the bell pepper and carrots in a large skillet until they are tender but still crisp. Combine the ingredients for the sauce and add to the vegetables. Add the meatballs and coat with the sauce. Let simmer 10-15 min. until everything is heated through.

Oyster Sauce Meatballs

I grew up in an Americanized household. Unfortunately, that meant that my sisters and I didn't learn to speak Japanese the way our grandparents could. But, luckily, we still kept the Asian influence in our food. Of course, that meant that our kitchen pantry was usually stocked with 20-pound bags of rice, gallon jugs of soy sauce, and large bottles of oyster sauce. Believe me, we went through a lot of that stuff very quickly.


One of the dishes we enjoyed growing up was an oyster sauce chicken and broccoli dish. One night, however, I didn't have any chicken or broccoli, but I did have ground turkey and some other vegetables. So, I decided to improvise and made Oyster Sauce Meatballs instead. I threw in some carrots and celery too to make it healthy. I was totally pleased with how it all turned out. The flavors melded together deliciously and the red pepper flakes that I added in gave it a nice little kick. This new recipe is going to be a keeper in my book and will make an appearance in my Asian kitchen for years to come.



Oyster Sauce Meatballs (by Lisa of Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

1.25 lb. ground turkey
1 egg
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
salt, pepper
dash garlic powder
1/2 round yellow onion, chopped

2 c. water
1/2 c. oyster sauce (or less if you won't want it that strong)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. ginger powder
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tsp. sugar
freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp. water

2-3 carrots, sliced into thin coins
3 stalks of celery, sliced diagonally

Combine the ingredients for the meatballs. Form the meatballs, then bake at 350F for about 25 min. While the meatballs are baking, combine the ingredients for the sauce in a large pan and set aside.

Saute the carrots and celery in a pan until they are tender but still crunchy, about 3-5 min. Set aside.

Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce. Put the pan over medium heat until the sauce begins to boil. Once it starts to boil, add the cornstarch and water mixture until the sauce reaches your desired thickness. Add the carrots and celery to the meatballs and keep cooking for about 10 min. until everything is heated through. Serve over rice.

This recipe is linked to:
These Chicks Cooked

Oyster Sauce Meatballs

Posted by admin No comments

I grew up in an Americanized household. Unfortunately, that meant that my sisters and I didn't learn to speak Japanese the way our grandparents could. But, luckily, we still kept the Asian influence in our food. Of course, that meant that our kitchen pantry was usually stocked with 20-pound bags of rice, gallon jugs of soy sauce, and large bottles of oyster sauce. Believe me, we went through a lot of that stuff very quickly.


One of the dishes we enjoyed growing up was an oyster sauce chicken and broccoli dish. One night, however, I didn't have any chicken or broccoli, but I did have ground turkey and some other vegetables. So, I decided to improvise and made Oyster Sauce Meatballs instead. I threw in some carrots and celery too to make it healthy. I was totally pleased with how it all turned out. The flavors melded together deliciously and the red pepper flakes that I added in gave it a nice little kick. This new recipe is going to be a keeper in my book and will make an appearance in my Asian kitchen for years to come.



Oyster Sauce Meatballs (by Lisa of Sweet as Sugar Cookies)

1.25 lb. ground turkey
1 egg
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
salt, pepper
dash garlic powder
1/2 round yellow onion, chopped

2 c. water
1/2 c. oyster sauce (or less if you won't want it that strong)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. ginger powder
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tsp. sugar
freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp. water

2-3 carrots, sliced into thin coins
3 stalks of celery, sliced diagonally

Combine the ingredients for the meatballs. Form the meatballs, then bake at 350F for about 25 min. While the meatballs are baking, combine the ingredients for the sauce in a large pan and set aside.

Saute the carrots and celery in a pan until they are tender but still crunchy, about 3-5 min. Set aside.

Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce. Put the pan over medium heat until the sauce begins to boil. Once it starts to boil, add the cornstarch and water mixture until the sauce reaches your desired thickness. Add the carrots and celery to the meatballs and keep cooking for about 10 min. until everything is heated through. Serve over rice.

This recipe is linked to:
These Chicks Cooked

Barbecue Meatballs

When I was a kid, my mom cooked dinner on top of everything else that busy moms do each and every day. Naturally, this meant that she gravitated towards recipes that didn't require a lot of work or time. To our dismay, however, our family's repertoire of such recipes was quite limited. So, chicken in the freezer meant soy sauce chicken or sweet sour chicken. Ground turkey in the freezer led to chili, meatloaf, or barbecue meatballs. You can probably imagine how often each of those dishes appeared on our table. My sisters and I would groan and ask why she couldn't make something else (more laborious) like Korean chicken or lasagna. To which she'd reply that someday when WE did the cooking, we could make what we liked.


Well, that day arrived. Now I'm the one who does a lot of the cooking, either for myself or for my family. And, wouldn't you know, I find myself making the same simple, quick recipes she did, though this time with a lot more appreciation. That's not to say that I don't enjoy the dishes, though. In fact, this barbecue meatball recipe is one of my favorites. It's so easy since all you have to do is make the meatballs, bake them, and then finish them off in a tangy, mouthwatering barbecue sauce. We even like to add some grated carrots and chopped green beans in the meatballs for an added healthiness factor. When they're finished, you can serve them with some mashed potatoes, or, if you're so inclined, put them into some buns and prepare yourself to taste the best meatball sandwiches ever.


Barbecue Meatballs

For the meatballs:
1.25 lb. ground turkey
1/2 round onion, chopped
dash garlic powder
splash of Worcestershire sauce
salt, ground black pepper
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 carrot, grated
1/2 c. green beans, finely chopped

For the sauce:
1 1/2 c. ketchup
2 Tbsp. mustard
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar (white vinegar works well too)

Combine the ingredients for the meatballs and form into balls. Bake at 350F for 25 min. While the meatballs are baking, combine the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan. Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook on medium heat for about 15-20 min. until everything is heated through.

This recipe is linked to:
Made it on Monday
These Chicks Cooked
Recipes I Can't Wait to Try
Whisking Wednesday
Cast Party Wednesday

Barbecue Meatballs

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When I was a kid, my mom cooked dinner on top of everything else that busy moms do each and every day. Naturally, this meant that she gravitated towards recipes that didn't require a lot of work or time. To our dismay, however, our family's repertoire of such recipes was quite limited. So, chicken in the freezer meant soy sauce chicken or sweet sour chicken. Ground turkey in the freezer led to chili, meatloaf, or barbecue meatballs. You can probably imagine how often each of those dishes appeared on our table. My sisters and I would groan and ask why she couldn't make something else (more laborious) like Korean chicken or lasagna. To which she'd reply that someday when WE did the cooking, we could make what we liked.


Well, that day arrived. Now I'm the one who does a lot of the cooking, either for myself or for my family. And, wouldn't you know, I find myself making the same simple, quick recipes she did, though this time with a lot more appreciation. That's not to say that I don't enjoy the dishes, though. In fact, this barbecue meatball recipe is one of my favorites. It's so easy since all you have to do is make the meatballs, bake them, and then finish them off in a tangy, mouthwatering barbecue sauce. We even like to add some grated carrots and chopped green beans in the meatballs for an added healthiness factor. When they're finished, you can serve them with some mashed potatoes, or, if you're so inclined, put them into some buns and prepare yourself to taste the best meatball sandwiches ever.


Barbecue Meatballs

For the meatballs:
1.25 lb. ground turkey
1/2 round onion, chopped
dash garlic powder
splash of Worcestershire sauce
salt, ground black pepper
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 carrot, grated
1/2 c. green beans, finely chopped

For the sauce:
1 1/2 c. ketchup
2 Tbsp. mustard
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar (white vinegar works well too)

Combine the ingredients for the meatballs and form into balls. Bake at 350F for 25 min. While the meatballs are baking, combine the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan. Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook on medium heat for about 15-20 min. until everything is heated through.

This recipe is linked to:
Made it on Monday
These Chicks Cooked
Recipes I Can't Wait to Try
Whisking Wednesday
Cast Party Wednesday

Classic Macaroni and Cheese

As I mentioned before, we had a couple friends staying with us over the holidays and one of them was a vegetarian. Naturally, my family of meat eaters (or rather chicken and fish eaters) began to rack our brains trying to come up with meatless dinners. It was a week of interesting eating, that's for sure. But, through it all, there was one recipe that stood out among the rest - this Classic Macaroni and Cheese. After all, let's face it, creamy, cheesy pasta is something that will please vegetarians and meat eaters alike, no question about it.

Everyone just loved it. Up until now, macaroni and cheese was always something that came out of a box, so mac and cheese made from scratch with real honest-to-goodness cheese was definitely a step up. Constant comments were heard about how good it was and everyone dove for the leftovers the next day. With rave reviews like that, I know I'll be keeping this one in my recipe box.

Classic Macaroni and Cheese (adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen)

Panko topping:
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Panko (in my haste, I didn't measure how much I put in)

Pasta and cheese:
1 lb. elbow macaroni
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
5 c. milk
2 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp. table salt
ground black pepper (I added this, but you can leave it out if you want)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until pasta is tender. Drain and set aside.

Heat 6 Tbsp. butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking until mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color, about 1 min. Gradually whisk in the milk; bring mixture to a boil, whisking constantly (mixture must reach full boil to thicken). Reduce heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened to consistency of heavy cream, about 5 min. Take off of heat and whisk in cheeses and 1 tsp. salt until melted. Add pasta and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is steaming and heated through, about 6 min.

Melt the 3 Tbsp. butter in a pot. Take off of the heat and add the panko, stirring until the panko is coated with the butter. As for the amount of panko, use enough so that the mixture is not too dry and not too greasy.

Transfer mixture to a large casserole dish or 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle evenly with the panko mixture. Broil until crumbs are deep golden brown, 3-5 min., rotating pan if necessary for even browning. Cool about 5 min., then serve.

Note: We've made this more than once. The other time we made this, we used Pepper Jack cheese instead of the Monterey Jack and added in a diced jalapeno pepper (ribs, seeds, and all). It was incredible and deliciously spicy. I think we'll make it this way from now on.

This recipe is linked to:
My Sweet and Savory's Meatless Monday
Just Another Meatless Monday
Midnight Maniac's Meatless Monday

Classic Macaroni and Cheese

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As I mentioned before, we had a couple friends staying with us over the holidays and one of them was a vegetarian. Naturally, my family of meat eaters (or rather chicken and fish eaters) began to rack our brains trying to come up with meatless dinners. It was a week of interesting eating, that's for sure. But, through it all, there was one recipe that stood out among the rest - this Classic Macaroni and Cheese. After all, let's face it, creamy, cheesy pasta is something that will please vegetarians and meat eaters alike, no question about it.

Everyone just loved it. Up until now, macaroni and cheese was always something that came out of a box, so mac and cheese made from scratch with real honest-to-goodness cheese was definitely a step up. Constant comments were heard about how good it was and everyone dove for the leftovers the next day. With rave reviews like that, I know I'll be keeping this one in my recipe box.

Classic Macaroni and Cheese (adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen)

Panko topping:
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Panko (in my haste, I didn't measure how much I put in)

Pasta and cheese:
1 lb. elbow macaroni
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
5 c. milk
2 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp. table salt
ground black pepper (I added this, but you can leave it out if you want)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until pasta is tender. Drain and set aside.

Heat 6 Tbsp. butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour and whisk well to combine. Continue whisking until mixture becomes fragrant and deepens in color, about 1 min. Gradually whisk in the milk; bring mixture to a boil, whisking constantly (mixture must reach full boil to thicken). Reduce heat to medium and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened to consistency of heavy cream, about 5 min. Take off of heat and whisk in cheeses and 1 tsp. salt until melted. Add pasta and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is steaming and heated through, about 6 min.

Melt the 3 Tbsp. butter in a pot. Take off of the heat and add the panko, stirring until the panko is coated with the butter. As for the amount of panko, use enough so that the mixture is not too dry and not too greasy.

Transfer mixture to a large casserole dish or 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle evenly with the panko mixture. Broil until crumbs are deep golden brown, 3-5 min., rotating pan if necessary for even browning. Cool about 5 min., then serve.

Note: We've made this more than once. The other time we made this, we used Pepper Jack cheese instead of the Monterey Jack and added in a diced jalapeno pepper (ribs, seeds, and all). It was incredible and deliciously spicy. I think we'll make it this way from now on.

This recipe is linked to:
My Sweet and Savory's Meatless Monday
Just Another Meatless Monday
Midnight Maniac's Meatless Monday

Cabbage Soup

I used to watch my mother cook when I was a kid. I found out very quickly that she didn't always use recipes. Instead, she would add a pinch of this, a sprinkle of that, and a squirt of something else. Her instruction to me was to pay attention to what she was doing.

Well, I watched, I smelled, I tasted, and yet there's just some things you can't duplicate. Oh, you'll get close and it will taste good, but it just won't taste the same. My mother's spaghetti sauce is one of those things and this cabbage soup is another.

Now, over the years, I've made this recipe, measuring things out just so to try and get it right. At the same time, I've also added in my own flair and adapted my mother's method of throwing in a little of this and a little of that. It's a compromise, the best of both worlds so to speak. While it may not be my mother's, it is still very good.

Cabbage Soup (more or less like my mother's)

3 (8 oz.) cans no-salt added tomato sauce
4 1/2 c. water
2 Tbsp. sugar
garlic powder
squirt of ketchup
splash of Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. all-purpose seasoning (or to taste)
cayenne pepper (to taste)
salt, pepper
6 c. cabbage, thinly sliced

Combine all the ingredients except for the cabbage in a large pot over high heat. Season the soup to your taste. Bring it to a boil, then add in the cabbage. Lower the heat to medium and let the soup simmer for at least 30 min. until the cabbage is cooked through and soft.

This recipe is linked to:
A Prairie Story's "Recipe Swap Thursday"
Vegetarian Foodie Fridays
Family Food Fridays
EKat's Kitchen's "Friday Potluck"
My Sweet and Savory's "Meatless Mondays"

Cabbage Soup

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I used to watch my mother cook when I was a kid. I found out very quickly that she didn't always use recipes. Instead, she would add a pinch of this, a sprinkle of that, and a squirt of something else. Her instruction to me was to pay attention to what she was doing.

Well, I watched, I smelled, I tasted, and yet there's just some things you can't duplicate. Oh, you'll get close and it will taste good, but it just won't taste the same. My mother's spaghetti sauce is one of those things and this cabbage soup is another.

Now, over the years, I've made this recipe, measuring things out just so to try and get it right. At the same time, I've also added in my own flair and adapted my mother's method of throwing in a little of this and a little of that. It's a compromise, the best of both worlds so to speak. While it may not be my mother's, it is still very good.

Cabbage Soup (more or less like my mother's)

3 (8 oz.) cans no-salt added tomato sauce
4 1/2 c. water
2 Tbsp. sugar
garlic powder
squirt of ketchup
splash of Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. all-purpose seasoning (or to taste)
cayenne pepper (to taste)
salt, pepper
6 c. cabbage, thinly sliced

Combine all the ingredients except for the cabbage in a large pot over high heat. Season the soup to your taste. Bring it to a boil, then add in the cabbage. Lower the heat to medium and let the soup simmer for at least 30 min. until the cabbage is cooked through and soft.

This recipe is linked to:
A Prairie Story's "Recipe Swap Thursday"
Vegetarian Foodie Fridays
Family Food Fridays
EKat's Kitchen's "Friday Potluck"
My Sweet and Savory's "Meatless Mondays"

Sukiyaki

No, I'm not talking about the song. I'm talking about THIS type of sukiyaki:

It's one of my absolute favorite dishes. Not only does it taste good, but it's also very healthy what with all the tofu and vegetables in it. You can even add some sauteed chicken to it if you want. I usually do, but since I didn't have any this time, I went without. Even without the chicken, it's still very, very good.

I wouldn't exactly call this a "quick" dinner. It's quick once you start cooking everything, but the prep work takes a while.

First, you need to chop your carrots and onions. The carrots should be chopped into small matchsticks and the onions into half rings. This insures that they'll cook up quicker.

Then, take your Chinese cabbage (also called won bok) and slice off the bottom stem part. Discard it. Start slicing the cabbage straight down. You'll get large rings that will break up by themselves.

Grab your bag of bean thread noodles. You'll need to boil them until they turn clear like glass and are no longer hard.











The tofu (on the left) will need to be drained first, then cut into small cubes. You will also need to make the sauce (in the bowl). The sauce is simple, it's just equal parts of soy sauce and sugar. It uses quite a bit of soy sauce, hence the reason why I have a gallon jug of the stuff. I prefer to use the Aloha brand since it's milder than other brands. If you can find it, I recommend using it. However, other brands will work too. If you find that it's too strong for your taste, you can always add a little water to tone it down. Now that all your ingredients are good to go, you can finally start the cooking process. Yay!

First, add your carrots and onions to the pot (you may need to add a little water to help the cooking process along). Cook them until the carrots are just tender.










Once the carrots and onions are done, add the Chinese cabbage and pour in the sauce. My family likes a lot of Chinese cabbage in our sukiyaki, but feel free to add as much or as little as you want. Cover the pot and let it steam until the cabbage cooks down.








After 5 minutes or so, it should look like this. As you can see, it really shrinks.












At this point, you'll add in your bean thread noodles and the tofu. Taste the sauce. If it's too strong, add a little water until it's to your liking. Hang on, it'll only be a little while longer before the dish is finally . . .









DONE!!!!













But, if you can control your hunger even longer, turn off the heat and let it stand for about 30 min. and it'll look like this. The noodles will become thicker and soak up more of the sauce. Trust me, your patience will be rewarded.









The beauty of this dish is that you can adapt it to your liking. Add some chicken or make it vegetarian. Add more of one vegetable if it's your favorite or add more of another. It's totally up to you. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Sukiyaki

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (optional)
3 carrots, sliced into small matchsticks
1-2 round yellow onions, sliced into half rings
green onions, chopped
mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1 large Chinese cabbage
1 pkg. bean thread noodles
1 (14 oz.) block medium-firm tofu

Sauce:
2 1/2 c. soy sauce
2 1/2 c. sugar

Cut the carrots into small matchsticks. Cut the onions into half rings. Discard the bottom stem portion of the Chinese cabbage and start slicing the cabbage width-wise. Boil the bean thread noodles until they turn clear and are no longer hard. Drain and set aside. Drain the tofu, pat it down with paper towels, and cut into small cubes. Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and whisk till sugar is dissolved.

If using chicken, cut into small pieces and saute in the large pot you're going to use for the sukiyaki. After the chicken is done cooking, add the carrots, onions, and green onions to the chicken in the pot. Add a little water if necessary to keep everything from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook until the carrots are just tender, about 5 min.

Add the Chinese cabbage and mushrooms and pour in your sauce. Cook until the Chinese cabbage has wilted and cooked down, about 5-10 min. Add the tofu and bean thread noodles. Taste the sauce. If it's too strong, add a little water until the taste is to your liking. Cook for a few minutes just until everything is heated through. Serve over rice.

This recipe is linked to: Hope Studios' Tutorial Tuesday

Sukiyaki

Posted by admin No comments

No, I'm not talking about the song. I'm talking about THIS type of sukiyaki:

It's one of my absolute favorite dishes. Not only does it taste good, but it's also very healthy what with all the tofu and vegetables in it. You can even add some sauteed chicken to it if you want. I usually do, but since I didn't have any this time, I went without. Even without the chicken, it's still very, very good.

I wouldn't exactly call this a "quick" dinner. It's quick once you start cooking everything, but the prep work takes a while.

First, you need to chop your carrots and onions. The carrots should be chopped into small matchsticks and the onions into half rings. This insures that they'll cook up quicker.

Then, take your Chinese cabbage (also called won bok) and slice off the bottom stem part. Discard it. Start slicing the cabbage straight down. You'll get large rings that will break up by themselves.

Grab your bag of bean thread noodles. You'll need to boil them until they turn clear like glass and are no longer hard.











The tofu (on the left) will need to be drained first, then cut into small cubes. You will also need to make the sauce (in the bowl). The sauce is simple, it's just equal parts of soy sauce and sugar. It uses quite a bit of soy sauce, hence the reason why I have a gallon jug of the stuff. I prefer to use the Aloha brand since it's milder than other brands. If you can find it, I recommend using it. However, other brands will work too. If you find that it's too strong for your taste, you can always add a little water to tone it down. Now that all your ingredients are good to go, you can finally start the cooking process. Yay!

First, add your carrots and onions to the pot (you may need to add a little water to help the cooking process along). Cook them until the carrots are just tender.










Once the carrots and onions are done, add the Chinese cabbage and pour in the sauce. My family likes a lot of Chinese cabbage in our sukiyaki, but feel free to add as much or as little as you want. Cover the pot and let it steam until the cabbage cooks down.








After 5 minutes or so, it should look like this. As you can see, it really shrinks.












At this point, you'll add in your bean thread noodles and the tofu. Taste the sauce. If it's too strong, add a little water until it's to your liking. Hang on, it'll only be a little while longer before the dish is finally . . .









DONE!!!!













But, if you can control your hunger even longer, turn off the heat and let it stand for about 30 min. and it'll look like this. The noodles will become thicker and soak up more of the sauce. Trust me, your patience will be rewarded.









The beauty of this dish is that you can adapt it to your liking. Add some chicken or make it vegetarian. Add more of one vegetable if it's your favorite or add more of another. It's totally up to you. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Sukiyaki

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (optional)
3 carrots, sliced into small matchsticks
1-2 round yellow onions, sliced into half rings
green onions, chopped
mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1 large Chinese cabbage
1 pkg. bean thread noodles
1 (14 oz.) block medium-firm tofu

Sauce:
2 1/2 c. soy sauce
2 1/2 c. sugar

Cut the carrots into small matchsticks. Cut the onions into half rings. Discard the bottom stem portion of the Chinese cabbage and start slicing the cabbage width-wise. Boil the bean thread noodles until they turn clear and are no longer hard. Drain and set aside. Drain the tofu, pat it down with paper towels, and cut into small cubes. Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and whisk till sugar is dissolved.

If using chicken, cut into small pieces and saute in the large pot you're going to use for the sukiyaki. After the chicken is done cooking, add the carrots, onions, and green onions to the chicken in the pot. Add a little water if necessary to keep everything from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook until the carrots are just tender, about 5 min.

Add the Chinese cabbage and mushrooms and pour in your sauce. Cook until the Chinese cabbage has wilted and cooked down, about 5-10 min. Add the tofu and bean thread noodles. Taste the sauce. If it's too strong, add a little water until the taste is to your liking. Cook for a few minutes just until everything is heated through. Serve over rice.

This recipe is linked to: Hope Studios' Tutorial Tuesday

Not Your Average Salmon

No, that's not barbecue sauce you're seeing on the salmon. It's something much better. This is a loose adaptation of Korean salmon bulgogi. I got the idea from Closet Cooking's website, but I didn't have all the ingredients. So, I decided to change it up a little. The result was a spicy salmon that made my mouth sing. If you're tired of the everyday salmon recipes, I suggest you give this one a try.

Salmon Bulgogi

1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. mirin
salmon fillets

Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a pot and add the salmon fillets. Boil for 30 min. or so until the salmon is cooked through.

Note: You may want to add more sugar if you wish or a little water if it's too salty for your taste. You can also double the sauce as needed depending on how much fish you're cooking.

Not Your Average Salmon

Posted by admin No comments

No, that's not barbecue sauce you're seeing on the salmon. It's something much better. This is a loose adaptation of Korean salmon bulgogi. I got the idea from Closet Cooking's website, but I didn't have all the ingredients. So, I decided to change it up a little. The result was a spicy salmon that made my mouth sing. If you're tired of the everyday salmon recipes, I suggest you give this one a try.

Salmon Bulgogi

1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. mirin
salmon fillets

Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a pot and add the salmon fillets. Boil for 30 min. or so until the salmon is cooked through.

Note: You may want to add more sugar if you wish or a little water if it's too salty for your taste. You can also double the sauce as needed depending on how much fish you're cooking.

Sweet Sour Chicken

Can you tell that I have a lot of chicken in my freezer? Just call this super-quick dinner #3. Again, it's a one-pot, no mess, no fuss kind of meal. It's for that specific reason that we used to eat this a lot when I was a kid. At the time, all I could say was, "What, sweet sour chicken again?" But, things change when you get older and you realize just how much you appreciate those recipes of convenience. So much so that I find myself making this fairly often whenever I have chicken to use up. What do you know? I've turned into my mother.

But, all joking aside, I know you'll love this recipe as much as I've always loved it (*ahem* come to love it, that is). It's perfect with rice and a scoop of macaroni salad (so I'll include the recipe for that as well). Enjoy!

Sweet Sour Chicken

1 1/4 lb. chicken thighs or boneless, skinless chicken tenders (frozen is fine)
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. vinegar
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ginger powder
cornstarch to thicken

Combine all the ingredients except the cornstarch in a pot. Let it come to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let it simmer for 20-30 min. until cooked through. Mix a little cornstarch with water and add to the sauce to thicken to your liking.

Macaroni Salad

1/2 lb. macaroni
2 hard-boiled eggs
onion, chopped
mayonnaise
pickle relish
salt, pepper (to taste)

Cook the macaroni. Put it into a bowl. Grate the hard-boiled eggs and add to the macaroni. Add the chopped onion. Add enough mayonnaise to coat everything and add pickle relish, salt, and pepper to your liking. Stir to combine. Refrigerate until chilled.

Sweet Sour Chicken

Posted by admin No comments

Can you tell that I have a lot of chicken in my freezer? Just call this super-quick dinner #3. Again, it's a one-pot, no mess, no fuss kind of meal. It's for that specific reason that we used to eat this a lot when I was a kid. At the time, all I could say was, "What, sweet sour chicken again?" But, things change when you get older and you realize just how much you appreciate those recipes of convenience. So much so that I find myself making this fairly often whenever I have chicken to use up. What do you know? I've turned into my mother.

But, all joking aside, I know you'll love this recipe as much as I've always loved it (*ahem* come to love it, that is). It's perfect with rice and a scoop of macaroni salad (so I'll include the recipe for that as well). Enjoy!

Sweet Sour Chicken

1 1/4 lb. chicken thighs or boneless, skinless chicken tenders (frozen is fine)
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. vinegar
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ginger powder
cornstarch to thicken

Combine all the ingredients except the cornstarch in a pot. Let it come to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let it simmer for 20-30 min. until cooked through. Mix a little cornstarch with water and add to the sauce to thicken to your liking.

Macaroni Salad

1/2 lb. macaroni
2 hard-boiled eggs
onion, chopped
mayonnaise
pickle relish
salt, pepper (to taste)

Cook the macaroni. Put it into a bowl. Grate the hard-boiled eggs and add to the macaroni. Add the chopped onion. Add enough mayonnaise to coat everything and add pickle relish, salt, and pepper to your liking. Stir to combine. Refrigerate until chilled.

Shoyu Chicken

This is another great recipe for those nights when you want something great to eat but don't have a lot of time to slave over a hot stove. The best part is that it only takes about 30 min. from start to finish and can all be made in one pot. So, no extra dishes. Really, you can't get any easier than that.

All you have to do is combine the sauce ingredients in a pot, throw in some chicken pieces, fresh or frozen (chicken breast tenders or thighs work best) and just let it all boil until it's cooked through. That's it. So easy, even a child could do it. Then, serve it up with some rice and vegetables and you've got a dinner that will be requested time and again.

Shoyu Chicken

boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders or thighs
1 c. soy sauce
1 c. sugar
1/4-1/2 c. water (depending on how strong you want the sauce)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ginger powder (or fresh, sliced ginger)
1 tsp. red chile flakes (optional)
green onions, chopped

Combine the ingredients for the sauce and whisk together in the pot. Add in the chicken pieces. (if needed, double the recipe for the sauce to cover all the chicken). Cook on high heat until it reaches a boil. Then, turn down to medium heat and let it simmer for 20-30 min. until chicken is cooked through.

http://s1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb469/sweetsugarcookies/?action=view¤t=Plumpy2button.jpg



<center><a href="http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://s1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb469/sweetsugarcookies/?action=view¤t=Plumpy2button.jpg" /></a></center>

Shoyu Chicken

Posted by admin No comments

This is another great recipe for those nights when you want something great to eat but don't have a lot of time to slave over a hot stove. The best part is that it only takes about 30 min. from start to finish and can all be made in one pot. So, no extra dishes. Really, you can't get any easier than that.

All you have to do is combine the sauce ingredients in a pot, throw in some chicken pieces, fresh or frozen (chicken breast tenders or thighs work best) and just let it all boil until it's cooked through. That's it. So easy, even a child could do it. Then, serve it up with some rice and vegetables and you've got a dinner that will be requested time and again.

Shoyu Chicken

boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders or thighs
1 c. soy sauce
1 c. sugar
1/4-1/2 c. water (depending on how strong you want the sauce)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ginger powder (or fresh, sliced ginger)
1 tsp. red chile flakes (optional)
green onions, chopped

Combine the ingredients for the sauce and whisk together in the pot. Add in the chicken pieces. (if needed, double the recipe for the sauce to cover all the chicken). Cook on high heat until it reaches a boil. Then, turn down to medium heat and let it simmer for 20-30 min. until chicken is cooked through.

http://s1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb469/sweetsugarcookies/?action=view¤t=Plumpy2button.jpg



<center><a href="http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://s1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb469/sweetsugarcookies/?action=view¤t=Plumpy2button.jpg" /></a></center>

Salmon Misoyaki

This is one of my family's all-time favorite dinner recipes. It comes from Sam Choy's Cookbook, though I can't remember exactly which one it is. However, after making it multiple times, I do have the recipe memorized to a tee.

It is so simple, quick, and easy to make, but it tastes amazing. It's the perfect dish because it works for casual suppers as well as those times when you want to make something that looks fancy and appears elegant (but really only took you 30 min. in the kitchen). As for the ingredients, they can be found in any Asian grocery store. Just mix up the sauce, throw in your salmon fillets (it's alright if they're frozen, they'll just take a little longer to cook), and let the whole thing simmer for 30 minutes until the salmon is cooked through. That's all there is to it. So, now that you know the secret to this "gourmet" meal, I suggest you make it as soon as possible. It'll be a winner.

Salmon Misoyaki (adapted from Sam Choy's cookbook)

2 lb. salmon fillets
1 1/2 c. white miso
1 c. rice vinegar
1/2 c. mirin
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. sugar
fresh ginger, sliced (about 2 in.)

Combine the ingredients for the sauce and whisk until the miso is dissolved. Put the salmon fillets into a pot, cover with the sauce, and cook on high heat until the mixture boils. Once it boils, turn the heat down to medium and let it simmer until the salmon is cooked through (pink and flakes with a fork). Stir occasionally to prevent the salmon from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Serve with rice. Garnish with green onions, if desire.

Salmon Misoyaki

Posted by admin No comments

This is one of my family's all-time favorite dinner recipes. It comes from Sam Choy's Cookbook, though I can't remember exactly which one it is. However, after making it multiple times, I do have the recipe memorized to a tee.

It is so simple, quick, and easy to make, but it tastes amazing. It's the perfect dish because it works for casual suppers as well as those times when you want to make something that looks fancy and appears elegant (but really only took you 30 min. in the kitchen). As for the ingredients, they can be found in any Asian grocery store. Just mix up the sauce, throw in your salmon fillets (it's alright if they're frozen, they'll just take a little longer to cook), and let the whole thing simmer for 30 minutes until the salmon is cooked through. That's all there is to it. So, now that you know the secret to this "gourmet" meal, I suggest you make it as soon as possible. It'll be a winner.

Salmon Misoyaki (adapted from Sam Choy's cookbook)

2 lb. salmon fillets
1 1/2 c. white miso
1 c. rice vinegar
1/2 c. mirin
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. sugar
fresh ginger, sliced (about 2 in.)

Combine the ingredients for the sauce and whisk until the miso is dissolved. Put the salmon fillets into a pot, cover with the sauce, and cook on high heat until the mixture boils. Once it boils, turn the heat down to medium and let it simmer until the salmon is cooked through (pink and flakes with a fork). Stir occasionally to prevent the salmon from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Serve with rice. Garnish with green onions, if desire.

Lower Fat Potato Soup

Okay, I may be all baked out, but I'm not all cooked out. After all, man cannot live on cookies and cake alone. I needed some real food, okay, healthy food to counteract the sweets that are now calling me from the kitchen. So, I made up a big pot of potato soup. It actually came out pretty good and it's something that I would make again. Of course, I'm sure it's not as good as the "real" thing made with cream or made all of milk instead of my watered down version. But, I have to cut corners somewhere, especially if I intend to chase the bowl of soup with one of my cookies or bars.


Lower Fat Potato Soup (adapted from allrecipes.com)

8 c. chicken broth (or 8 c. water + 8 tsp. chicken bouillon)
3 c. skim milk
3 large potatoes, sliced thin and into quarters
1 onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder and/or dill
1 1/3 c. potato flakes

Saute the onion until soft. Add the chicken broth and milk. Add the potatoes, salt, pepper, and seasonings and simmer until potatoes are soft. Add the potato flakes to reach your desired thickness.

If desired, instead of the dill or garlic powder, curry power works well too.

Lower Fat Potato Soup

Posted by admin No comments

Okay, I may be all baked out, but I'm not all cooked out. After all, man cannot live on cookies and cake alone. I needed some real food, okay, healthy food to counteract the sweets that are now calling me from the kitchen. So, I made up a big pot of potato soup. It actually came out pretty good and it's something that I would make again. Of course, I'm sure it's not as good as the "real" thing made with cream or made all of milk instead of my watered down version. But, I have to cut corners somewhere, especially if I intend to chase the bowl of soup with one of my cookies or bars.


Lower Fat Potato Soup (adapted from allrecipes.com)

8 c. chicken broth (or 8 c. water + 8 tsp. chicken bouillon)
3 c. skim milk
3 large potatoes, sliced thin and into quarters
1 onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder and/or dill
1 1/3 c. potato flakes

Saute the onion until soft. Add the chicken broth and milk. Add the potatoes, salt, pepper, and seasonings and simmer until potatoes are soft. Add the potato flakes to reach your desired thickness.

If desired, instead of the dill or garlic powder, curry power works well too.