COOK WITH SUSAN

Oven Broiled Whole Zucchini

2024-05-18T08:06:00.002-07:00

PLEASE DON'T JUDGE THIS DISH BY THE PICTURE!! I know what you're thinking and NO it wasn't a waste of three zucchini. Visually these zucchini are not going to win any prizes but once you take your first bite. You'll be a believer.

I love zucchini and cook it all the time and have always cut them into my desired shapes before cooking. So when an internet search suggested cooking zucchini whole I was doubtful but very curious. I'm grateful my curiosity out weighed my doubt because these are fantastic!

No more soggy or watery zucchini. Hands down this is the absolute best way to cook zucchini. The exterior gets lightly charred and the interior is creamy and buttery (not from butter but the cooking). Once they are cooked you can cut them into any shape you desire and season them a lot or a little with your favorite oils, butter, herbs or cheese. They would also be a great addition to a salad.

I buttered my zucchini like I would corn on the cob and sprinkled them with salt and pepper. They really didn't need anything more.

Oven Broiled Whole Zucchini

Place oven rack about 6 inches below the heating element.
Preheat broiler for 5 - 10 minutes.
Wash and dry whole zucchini's
Place them on a broiler pan.
Broil for about 10 - 15 minutes (depending on the size), turning the zucchini about every 3 minutes or as needed to evenly lightly char and blister the skin.
When they are cooked brush them with butter or olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Chinese Tomato Egg Stir Fry

2024-04-19T07:23:00.004-07:00

My husband loves these eggs and I love how easy they are to make.

My notes to you...

The reason why I place the seasoning in the bowl before the eggs is so the white pepper doesn't clump.
The 3 egg recipe is the perfect amount for 2 but there are times I need more so, I also put the measurements down for 5-6 eggs.

Chinese Tomato Egg Stir Fry (3 eggs)

For the Sauce

2 medium tomatoes

1 sprig green onions

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. water

For the Eggs

3 large eggs

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. white pepper

1/4 tsp. sesame oil

1/2 tsp. dry sherry

Cut the tomatoes into small dice.
Finely chop green onion.
Place salt, white pepper, sesame oil and dry sherry in a bowl and stir to mix. Crack eggs into the bowl and beat with a fork for about 1 minute to blend; set aside.
Preheat wok or skillet over med-high heat. Then add 1 Tbsp. oil. When the oil moves around the wok easily and shimmers, add eggs; give it a quick scramble (you want the eggs to be soft scrambled) and transfer to a plate.
Add 1 Tbsp. oil to the same wok and turn up the heat to high; add the tomatoes, green onions, sugar and salt and stir fry for about 1 minute. Add water and cook for about 2 more minute to remove some of the liquid and the sauce thickens a little. Then pour sauce over eggs. Serve with rice.

Chinese Tomato Egg Stir Fry (5 - 6 eggs)

For the Sauce

4 medium tomatoes

2 sprigs green onions

2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup water

For the Eggs

5 large eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. white pepper

1/2 tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. dry sherry

Kapiolani Coffee Shop Oxtail Soup

2024-04-13T12:40:00.002-07:00

Ox Tail Soup with grated ginger

My husband loves the ox tail soup at Kapiolani Coffee Shop in Aiea, Hawaii and only gets to eat it when he is visiting his dad. On his last visit he asked me if I could recreate it. After a few tries, he gave me the thumbs up. This is my version of the Kapiolani Coffee Shop Ox Tail Soup.

My notes to you...

The soup broth is so flavorful and if you happen to have leftover broth. Add chicken thighs and opo squash for a second quick meal that's equally delicious.

If you have time, make this a day ahead and let it chill overnight in the fridge. This allows the fat to float to the top and solidify, which makes it easy to remove from the top of the soup.

Kapiolani Coffee Shop Oxtail Soup

3 - 4 pounds oxtails

Soup ingredient

12 cups water

14.5 oz. chicken broth

1 onion cut in half

3 cloves garlic, whole

4 - 5 slices ginger, plus more for grating

2 star anise

1/4 cup soy sauce

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 cup blanched peanuts (optional)

Garnish

green onions, chopped small

cilantro, chopped small

grated ginger

soy sauce

Trim away any extra fat around the oxtails. Place ox tails in a pot and cover with cold tap water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes to remove scum. Drain and rinse with cold tap water.

Place soup ingredients into the pot and bring it to a boil. Add the blanched and rinsed oxtails and bring it back to a boil. Lower heat to a gentle boil and cook covered for 2 – 3 hours or until ox tails are very tender. The meat should be intact on the bone but should fall off when you bite it. Remove the onion and toss it. If adding peanuts; add them in the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with green onions, cilantro and serve with a dish of grated ginger with soy sauce to dip oxtails in.

Pancit Canton and Bihon Combo

2024-04-10T17:12:00.005-07:00

Pancit canton and bihon noodles with rotisserie chicken and scallops

Filipino stir fry noodles were a treat when I was a kid. The only time I would get to eat them was when they would show up at a potluck. They always arrived in a huge disposable aluminum roasting pan loaded with chicken, pork, shrimp and hard boiled egg halves that encircled the noodles. I couldn't get enough of them. It was time to figure out how to remake this dish from my childhood.

When I was growing up people were very secretive about their recipes. Not anymore. The internet has taken the mystery out of many things, making it possible for all of us to cook just about anything we desire. After watching several videos and reading numerous blogs on pancit. I decided to give it a try and what I discovered is that this dish is amazingly simple to make. Most people recommend rehydrating the noodles in water. That's how I have always done it and I didn't know there was another option. Contrary to the majority there was one person who suggested softening the noodles in hot broth. This idea made me curious enough to try it but doubtful that it would work. I was certain that the broth would make the noodles soggy, but it didn't. You would have never guessed that this dry stir fried noodle dish absorbed a whole 14.5 ounce can of chicken broth by it's finished appearance. The noodles were soft, not soggy and a little chewy with loads of flavor. This rehydrating trick is what makes these noodles flavorful with very few ingredients. Pancit is no longer a mystery, at least in this house.

My notes to you...

Cooked rotisserie (dark meat) or boiled leftover chicken make this quick stir fry quicker. I prefer the chicken to be pulled into pieces vs cut into chunks.
I don't always add seafood - I mostly make it with just chicken.
Mixing two noodles together gives the perfect flavor and bite. Bihon (rice) and Canton(wheat). If you only use one type of noodles, it's not the same.
Datu Puti soy sauce is my first choice but Kikkoman will be equally good.

Pancit Canton and Bihon Combo

1/2 pound raw chicken thighs or pork butt, thinly sliced or use about a cup of pre-cooked chicken (rotisserie or boiled)

4-6 - shrimp or scallops

4 ounces Canton (wheat) Noodles (Excellent brand)

4 ounces Bihon (rice) Noodles (Excellent brand)

14.5 oz. chicken broth

1 tsp. fish sauce

1 tsp. soy sauce (Datu Puti brand if possible)

1 tsp. oyster sauce

Big pinch of black pepper

1/4 – 1/2 med. cabbage, chopped into small bite sized pieces

1/2 med. onion, sliced thin

1 med. carrot, sliced into thin strips

Lime wedges to squeeze over after cooked (optional)

Prep The Ingredients;

Soy Sauce, Fish Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Cabbage, Rotisserie Chicken, Onions, Carrots and Scallops.

Prep The Noodles;

Bihon and Canton Noodles

Place the chicken broth, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce and black pepper into a 10 inch frying pan; mix to blend and bring it to a boil. Slowly push the bihon (rice) noodles into the flavored broth to soften. When half the bihon noodles soften, bend them in half so they fit in the pan and flip over to soften the other side.

Once the noodles have softened enough to fit in the pan let them cook for 1 minute.

Then strain the noodles and broth over a bowl. Place the strained broth back into the pan and place the bihon noodles into the bottom of the bowl.

Bring the broth back to a boil, then add the canton noodles. Break noodles if needed to fit in the pan; let cook for 1 minute.

Then strain the canton noodles over the bihon noodles. The bihon noodles will absorb most of the chicken broth and what doesn't get absorbed will be added to the wok with the noodles.

The bihon noodles will absorb most of the broth.

When you are ready to add the noodles to the wok mix the noodles together. The extra liquid will make it easy to toss them together.

Cook the Pancit;

Heat a wok on med-high. Add 1 – 2 Tbsp. oil to coat the bottom and half way up the sides.
Add shrimp or scallops (if using) and let cook for 30 seconds to a minute on each side or until they are just cooked; set aside.
Add raw chicken and/or pork and stir fry for 2 – 4 minutes or until they are cooked through.
If not using shrimp or scallops skip #2 and if using pre-cooked chicken skip #3 and go to #5
Add cabbage, onions and carrots and cook 2 – 3 minutes or until tender.
If adding pre-cooked chicken add it in now along with the shrimp or scallops.
Add both the noodles and any liquid that the noodles didn't absorb. Stir fry together until noodles are tender, 3 - 4 minutes.

Mom's Magic Elixir (Honey, Lemon and Ginger)

2024-03-12T19:34:00.013-07:00

I'm not a doctor. I just pretend to be one to my family. A touch of honey, lemon and ginger is all that it is. A spoonful of this elixir daily can be helpful for general health and allergies. When you have a cough, sore throat or cold season symptoms take a spoon of this elixir throughout your day to give yourself relief. It will surprise you as to how delicious it taste and how it magically sooths.

I met a kind woman at a gathering who brought this magical concoction to share. We chatted for a while but sadly we never exchanged names. I am so grateful to this woman for sharing this with me and now I want to share it with you.

All it took was a taste and I knew I had to get the recipe but there really wasn't a recipe, just a guide. She was so passionate when she spoke about the health benefits of this simple mixture of raw honey, lemon and ginger. Each ingredient is packed with antioxidants and has its own healing powers that make this simple mixture not only healthy but also flavorful. If you can get raw local honey from a beekeeper (no more than 50 miles away) that's the best to help with allergies. If you can't, raw (unpasteurized) honey is the key. Lemons give your body a boost of vitamin C and the ginger is calming for your stomach.

There’s no real recipe to make this. The list below is just a guide. I was told to just place sliced lemons and ginger in a jar and fill it with honey. The amount of ingredients is determined by each person’s individual taste.

I have made gallons of this over the years and when I started I used to slice the lemons and ginger in to circles, as I was told to do. This made it much prettier seeing the lemon rings floating in the jar, but I do it differently now for these reasons. Some lemons have lots of white bitter pith between the zest (the outer most layer of the lemon peel) and the fruit, so I cut away the pith but I do keep the zest for added lemon flavor. I also think that you get more ginger flavor when you julienne the ginger instead of just slicing it. To get the best of both, slice one of the lemons into circles to add to your bottle of elixir.

Side note;

Everyone has a personal preference and this is the way we like our elixir. However, if you don't want bits of lemon and ginger in your spoonful of honey cut the pieces larger. Sort of like choosing orange juice with pulp or no pulp.

Mom’s Magic Elixir

Ingredients	Pint	Quart
Raw Honey (local if possible)	1 cup	2 cups
Fresh Ginger, julienne cut	1 ounce	2 ounces (about 4 inch piece)
Fresh Large Lemons	2 large	4 large

Fill Jar half way up with honey or do the opposite and add the lemon and ginger to the jar first then pour the honey over the lemon and ginger.

Peel the zest off of the lemons with a potato peeler and add to the honey.

Cut off the white bitter pith.

Cut lemon fruit into small pieces or slices.

Remove seeds if needed and add ingredients to the jar as you cut them.

Slice ginger into thin slices. You can keep the pieces larger if you don't want bits in your spoonful of elixir. or...

Cut them into strips (julienne) for a more gingery flavor with bits in every spoonful.

Fill with more honey up to the bottom of the neck of the bottle. Cap it and gently shake the bottle back and forth to blend. Repeat as needed until the mix becomes liquid. Once the honey, lemon and ginger liquify together the amount of ingredients may shrink. Just add more honey to top it off and fill the jar to about 1/4 inch below the rim.

I often leave my jars on the counter for a day and up to a couple of weeks to allow the honey, lemon and ginger to liquify. Some honey's are thicker than others. Once they liquefy I put them in the fridge to keep it longer. I make about 2 - 4 quarts at a time (2 to 3 times a year) so I can share it. I have kept mine in the fridge for up to a year and I think it might even be better than the fresh made. Just a personal preference.

Enjoy.

This is now your family's secret, not so secret Magic Elixir recipe. And don't ask me how I know this... but a spoonful or two also helps if you have a hang over.

Noting goes to waste - after you spoon up all the elixir, make tea or honey water with the ginger and lemon that's left in the jar.

I was told but never knew why we shouldn't give honey to babies under the age of 1 year. So I looked it up for this post and this is what I found.

From the web page at Mayo Clinic

Avoid giving honey — even a tiny taste — to babies under the age of 1 year. Honey can cause a rare but serious gastrointestinal condition (infant botulism) caused by exposure to Clostridium botulinum spores. Bacteria from the spores can grow and multiply in a baby's intestines, producing a dangerous toxin.

Easy Kalua Pig in the Oven

2020-10-21T18:47:00.002-07:00

Kalua pig is the perfect balance of salt & smoke that easily falls into the category of foods that are addictively irresistible - The more you eat, The more you want. Kind of like chips, but not...

I just realized that my ti leaf plant (a gift from my father-in-law) is

25 years old

and from that one cutting it has sprouted hundreds of keiki's (children) lucky me.

Ti Leaves add a subtle grassy flavor to this dish and are well worth adding if available. However, if you don’t have any - the pork will still be delicious.

If you do have access to ti leaves, you can wrap each chunk individually as I did

You can lay them in the bottom of the pan, place your pork on top and then another layer over the pork.
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If you want to wrap each chunk individually this is what I did.

Trim off the stems.

Place the pork on a ti leaf

Wrap it around the pork - you don't need to secure it.

Flip it over and place them in the pan.

They should fit snug. Pour over the broth and cover.

Make sure you completely dissolve the salt before adding the broth to the pork.

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The packets of pork can be left whole and served individually.

Be sure to spoon broth over the packets.

You can shred the whole batch and mix it together with the broth.

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What cut is Carnitas pork?

I’m not quite sure myself, but I can assure you that it’s the best cut for slow cooked pork for shredding or cubing.

In my attempt to find the answer I asked the butcher and he said,

I don’t know - that’s just what we label it as.

Mystery still not solved and that’s why I included a photo and maybe your butcher has a better answer.

Easy Kalua Pig in the oven

5 pounds boneless pork butt or carnitas pork (see note above)

3 cups warm tap water

1 tsp. liquid smoke

2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. granulated garlic

1/4 tsp. white pepper

optional - 1 ti leaf for each chunk of pork (about 6-8)

Place pork pieces in a roasting pan or heavy casserole.

Combine the rest of the ingredients and mix until the salt has dissolved.

Pour liquid over pork and cover with a tight fitting lid or foil.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours, it should be fork tender.

Shred the pork and let it cool in the liquid in the pan.

Notes

If using pork butt, cut the pork into about 6 inch by 3 inch rectangle chunks. This will allow the pork to cook faster and more evenly. However, if you can find what my grocer labels as carnitas pork it will already be in ready to use pieces.
I shred the pork with my hands when it has cooled. But I use a couple of forks to check if its done when it's hot.

It will pull apart with very little resistance.

Taiwanese Spinach

2020-10-04T11:00:00.006-07:00

Taiwanese Spinach

When I stroll through the produce section of my Asian grocery store I often get overwhelmed by the vast selection of Asian greens. They always look so fresh and inviting, but I don’t always know how to cook them. My go to method and recipe has been Chinese White Sauce. However, after bringing home a bunch of Taiwanese spinach which has now become my new favorite. I discoved a new method to cook Asian greens thanks to Nancy at YuCanCook. It’s a quick stir fry in a hot wok that brings out the flavor of the greens without overpowering them. So if you are looking for a quick and easy way to add Asian greens to your meal give this a try.

Gai Lan

The recipe below calls for Taiwanese spinach, but I have used this method with other Asian greens with great success.

Gai Lan – mild and tender.
Gai Choy – Chinese mustard greens, a little bitter in a good way.
Baby Bok Choy – mild and tender.
Shaghai Bok Choy – sweet and tender.
Pea Shoots – sweet and tender.

Taiwanese Spinach – clean, sweet and tender.

Stir Fry Taiwanese Spinach

1 pound Taiwanese Spinach, washed and cut into thirds

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 slice ginger, smashed

1 Tbsp. dry sherry or Chinese cooking wine

1 tsp. sesame oil

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. sugar

Wash spinach, remove root and cut into thirds keeping the stems and leaves separate.
Add 1-2 Tbsp. oil to the wok along with the garlic and ginger. Turn wok on to high and when the garlic and ginger start to sizzle and become fragrant add the stems and cook for about 1 minute.
Add the leaves and cook for about 30 seconds or until they are wilted.
Add sherry, sesame oil, kosher salt and sugar.
Toss and cook for about 30 seconds more then transfer to a serving plate.

NOTES:

For the Taiwanese Spinach - Spinach in general looks like a lot when its fresh, but it shrinks down to nothing when cooked. So be assured that it will all fit in your wok. Cut off the root, but keep the stems they are actually the sweetest part of the Taiwanese spinach.
For the greens that have thick stems, like Gai Lan. – Keep the stems and leaves separate and cut the stems lengthwise so they will cook faster.
For the stem less greens, like Bok Choy’s – you can leave the baby ones whole and cut the larger ones in half or quarters.
Gai Choy - Keep the stems and leaves separate and cut the thicker stems in half lengthwise so they will cook faster. Blanch before stir frying if you want to remove some of the bitterness.
The pea shoots need no prep.

Easy Couscous Salad

2020-09-28T15:43:00.003-07:00

If you love the bright fresh flavors of the Mediterranean this will quickly become one of your new family recipes. It's one of the easiest salads to make and you will feel as if you have been swept away to the Greek Islands or at least your favorite Greek restaurant after the first bite.

What is couscous?

Couscous has the look of coarse cornmeal and the taste of tiny bits of pasta. Its flavor is neutral which makes it very versatile and can be served hot or cold. The box never reads "instant" but it should because it only takes about 5 minutes to prepare.

Easy Couscous Salad

Couscous

1 cup couscous

1 cup water

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Place the water oil and salt in a medium sized sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add couscous, stir and cover. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool to room temperature before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Veggies, Beans and Cheese

1 red or orange bell pepper, diced small

1/4 - 1/2 red or white onion, diced small

1 English cucumber, diced small or 4 Persian cucumbers, if available

1/2 – 1 6oz. can pitted olives, cut in half

8 oz. small tomatoes

1/2 bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley, rough chopped

6-8 oz. crumbled feta cheese

15.5 oz. can garbonzo beans, drained and rinsed (optional)

Dressing

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 – 2 cloves garlic, minced

1. Make the couscous first so it can cool down.

2. Whisk dressing ingredients together in a large bowl.

3. Add the veggies and beans (if using) to the dressing and toss to mix.

4. Add the cooled couscous and toss to mix.

5. Add the feta cheese and toss to mix. Save a little to sprinkle on top.

6. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

My Notes;
· You can rehydrate your couscous in a pot as written above or you can place the couscous, salt and oil in a bowl and pour the hot water over; stir and cover with plastic wrap or a tight fitting lid. This method is handy if you have an electric kettle and it also only takes 5 minutes. It works either way.
· I toss the veggies with the dressing before adding the couscous so that all the veggies are coated with the dressing and I add the feta last so it will stay a little chunky.

Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce (Nuoc Cham)

2020-09-25T07:32:00.004-07:00

What is Nuoc Cham? (pronounced - nook chum)

Nuoc Cham is a simple mixture of water, sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, garlic and chilies. It’s an addictive flavor blast in your mouth of sweet, sour, salty, savory and sometimes spicy. This dipping sauce is commonly served alongside spring rolls, but will quickly become your go to everything sauce/dip when you're craving that Vietnamese flavor.

I found this recipe at Serious Eats and served it with Crispy Skin Slow Roasted Pork, which was FANTASTIC. However, don’t limit this sauce/dip to spring rolls and pork. As I mentioned above, this will become your everything sauce and will give almost anything you add it to a Vietnamese twist.

Spoon it over a fried egg on rice.
Toss it with shredded cabbage and carrots for a quick Asian slaw.
Pour it over noodles.
Toss it will hot or cold vegetables
Use it as a dip for any grilled meat, chicken or fish.

The list of ways to enjoy nuoc cham is endless and you will find yourself reaching for that jar (as I have) trying it on just about everything.

Nuoc Cham - Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce

makes about 2 cups

1 cup hot water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/3 cup fish sauce

2 med, cloves garlic minced

2 small birds eye Thai chili or 1 serrano chili, minced (optional)

Place hot water and sugar in a jar or bowl and mix to dissolve sugar. When sugar is dissolved add lime juice, fish sauce, garlic and chili.

NOTES

I didn't add the chili to this batch (as you can see in the photo) only because I didn't have any and it was still delicious. However, I do recommend adding the chili if available.
The leftover sauce/dip will keep in your fridge in a glass jar or airtight container for 2-3 weeks, possibly longer.

Crispy Skin Slow Roasted Pork

2020-09-19T14:55:00.008-07:00

If you have ever wondered what to do with those bags of pork you see in the grocery store - you have come to the right place. This recipe is one of Kenji’s from Serious Eats and it was everything I had imagined it would be.

Nothing fancy here, just salt, pepper and time. The best way to describe this pork roast is to say that it’s what pork used to taste like. The cooking method brings out the natural porky flavor of the pork and produces a tender and juicy melt in your mouth roast that can be sliced, cubed or shredded which makes it perfect for leftovers.

The prep is almost nonexistent and the roast literally cooks itself in about 10 1/2 hours. What!?, did she say… 10 1/2 hours!? Yup. This may sound like a lot of time (which it is) but it is unattended time.

Here’s the breakdown –

1. Line a rimmed sheet pan with heavy duty foil and parchment paper for easy clean up.

2. Season your roast and let it hang out in the oven for about 8 hours or until fork tender.

3. Let it rest on the counter for about 2 hours.

4. Then return it to the oven for about 20 minutes to crisp up the skin.

Crispy Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder or Butt

1 whole bone-in, skin-on pork shoulder or butt, 8-12 pounds

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 250 degrees (I used my convection setting)

2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty foil and set a wire rack inside. Season pork on all sides liberally with salt and pepper and place on parchment paper (for easy clean up). Transfer to the oven and roast until knife or fork inserted into the side shows very little resistance when twisted, about 8 hours total.

3. Remove pork from oven and tent with foil. Let rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Drain off fat (see note below) to prevent smoking and return the pork to the oven and roast until skin is blistered, rotating a quarter turn every 5 minutes, about 20 minutes total. If your oven is too small (like mine) to turn the whole pan, just turn the roast a quarter turn (a little trickier, but doable). I used 2 tongs like pinchers to help me rotate the roast on the parchment paper. Remove the roast from the oven, tent with foil (the same foil tent you had before) and allow to rest an additional 15 minutes.

NOTES:

Pork Shoulder vs Pork Butt - The original recipe asked for shoulder (because it usually has the skin on which will produce crispier skin) my pork butt had no skin only a fat cap (normal for a butt). I personally prefer the butt which is the upper part of the shoulder (which will produce a less crispy skin) but has a more uniform shape with more marbling (fat equals flavor) which is needed to keep everything juicy, especially when slow roasting or stewing. It truly is a personal preference, ultra crispy skin or ultra juicy meat.

To Prevent Smoking and Splattering - After the resting period drain off pork oil and place a new sheet of foil over the greasy foil or transfer the roast to a new foil lined pan so that the drippings won’t burn in the 500 degree crisping process. I make this point because the grease started to splatter and smoke when I was crisping up the skin.

How long should I cook my roast? - I cooked my 8.34 pound roast for 8 hours and when I inserted a fork into the side there was very little resistance when twisted. If you have smaller or larger roast adjust time accordingly.

Leftovers – remove the bone before you refrigerate the roast and toss it in the freezer for your next batch of broth. The reason for this is that the meat will be soft and pliable which makes it easier to remove the bone at this time. The other reason is that you will now have a boneless roast that will be easy to slice, cube or shred later. The other thing to keep in mind is to only cut or pull away what you plan to eat because the leftovers will keep better if the roast stays as intact as possible.

How to refill McCormick disposable pepper grinders

2020-09-17T09:36:00.002-07:00

Do you have one of these? I actually have two and both were almost empty.

I was frustrated trying to figure out how to get the cap off without destroying it. I twisted, turned, yanked and even tried prying it off without any luck. The thought of tossing out a perfectly good pepper grinder sparked an internet search. One of the searches recommended soaking the cap in hot water for 10 minutes. It seemed reasonable, but I wasn't totally convinced that that was the best method. So I headed down through the comments to see what others thought. Some loved the water method, but many suggested using a blow dryer and that's just what I did.

The experiment was a great success! This is what I did,

Heat the bottom of the cap with your blow dryer on high for about 1 minute, turning the bottle as you heat it. I actually held the bottle in my had while I heated it, but I had to lay it on the table to take the photo.

Then pull it apart. The cap will come right off. You can also use a kitchen towel to get a better grip. If you have any peppercorns still in the bottle do this over the sink or you will have peppercorns flying everywhere. Did that with the first bottle.

Fill the bottle and push the cap back on.

Did you know that the circles on the top of the lid determines how small or large your pepper mill will grind your pepper. To change the grind, lift the red tabs and twist to adjust. The larger the circle = the larger grind.

Watermelon

2020-09-06T14:22:00.008-07:00

Do you love watermelon, but hate cleaning it? Me too!

Whenever I get a watermelon I always cut it in half, clean it and cube it to eat right away. The other half usually goes into the fridge with the rind still on. Seems reasonable, right. Well, the problem is that it reminds me every time I open the fridge that the other half of the watermelon needs my attention and that it's taking up a whole lot of space. But the thought of making a mess again keeps that half in the fridge longer than it needs to be.

My solution to this dilemma was to tackle the whole watermelon at once. A little more work at the start, but worth it.

I cut my watermelon in to quarters and removed all the rind. Then I placed each quarter into a plastic bag. This method doesn't take away the chore of cleaning the watermelon. It just makes it so you only have to do the chore once. And now when you open your fridge, you are happy to see chilled ready to eat watermelon instead of the other half that represents work.

The watermelon stayed fresh in the fridge for a couple of weeks and because they are cut into quarters they are easier to fit in your fridge. The other reason I cut them into quarters instead of chunking it all up is that the quarters stay fresher longer.

My favorite watermelon is the Hermiston Seedless from Hermiston, Oregon. They are firm and sweet and give off very litte water when cutting and storing.

When picking a watermelon - look for one that is a dark green color with a yellow patch on the bottom and is heavier than it appears. I tried thumping, but am not good at recognizing the sound so I stick with visuals and weight. So far I have been lucky with this method.

Another watermelon that I tried this year was the black watermelon. Possibly the best watermelon I ever had. But harder to come by.

What's your favorite watermelon?

I Actually Won!!!

2020-08-30T10:51:00.002-07:00

I was one of the LUCKY 100 people to win a box of Korean Readymade Meals from YouTube Queen Maangchi.

Kam sa ham mi da (thank you)

Maangchi is a true blessing and generously shares and teaches us all how to cook authentic Korean in our home kitchens from scratch. This box was filled with the opposite, ready made foods or as she called it - Emergency Food. I am so excited to try them all!

Below is a video of Maangchi showing us how to enjoy our box. This was incredibly helpful considering most of the packages only had Korean writing on them. So the next time you are in the Asian grocery store and you see one of these ready made Korean meals, you will have a much better understanding (as do I) as to how to take them home and enjoy them.

Easy Cheesecake Pie

2020-08-23T13:48:00.002-07:00

Making a cheesecake in a pie plate and baking it in a low temperature oven makes this one of the easiest, most satisfying and foolproof cheesecakes that you will ever make. It's creamy and silky with just a touch of tang. The hardest part about making this cheesecake pie is waiting for it to cool completely before cutting into it.

Easy Cheesecake Pie

Crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 Tbsp. sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

Filling

1 pound cream cheese (2-8oz.blocks), at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

Pinch kosher salt

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 large eggs

Topping

1 cup sour cream

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Crust – Mix the graham crackers, sugar and melted butter in a bowl with a fork until all the butter has been absorbed. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a deep dish pie pan. I use a soup spoon, others like to use the bottom of a glass. Keep in the fridge while you make the batter.

If you don’t have a deep dish pie pan a regular size pie pan will also work, you just won’t have the extra crumb to decorate the top edge.

Filling – Mix the sugar, cornstarch and salt together to blend. Add cream cheese and mix in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium low until the mixture is creamy. Scrape down the beater and the sides of the bowl. Add the sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla and mix until creamy. Scrape down the beater and sides of the bowl; add one egg at a time with the mixer on low and mix until eggs are incorporated and batter in creamy. Scrape down the beater and sides of the bowl and mix a few times by hand to make sure batter is mixed well. Pour it into the pie crust and spread out evenly. You are correct, I did write scrape down the beater and sides of the bowl 3 times. That's how important it is 😃

Bake - in a 300 degree oven for 1 hour on middle rack.

Topping – mix topping ingredients together and spread over top of baked cheesecake. Bake for another 10-12 min. to allow the topping to set.

Edging (optional)– if you use a deep dish pie plate there will be crust exposed at the top that you can gently push with your fingers or a butter knife on to the edge of the pie to make it look more decorative. Do this after it comes out of the oven.

COOLING (not optional) – allow to cool at room temperature for at least an hour and chill for a minimum of 4 hours (overnight is best) before cutting. It will be worth the wait.

Blueberry Sauce Recipe

Kono's Beefy Brown Gravy

2020-08-20T09:33:00.003-07:00

This quick and easy recipe taste like slow roasted pan dripping gravy.

The rich flavor comes from the Knorr Roasted Beef Base, so keep your eye out for it when you are shopping. I’m sure there is a comparable substitute out there, but I have not bothered to look because this stuff works great!

The recipe makes about 9 cups, which may seem like a lot… but we are talking gravy. Have you ever heard someone complain about having too much gravy!?!

If you are not up for the full batch of gravy, I wrote a 1/2 batch recipe at the bottom. As a bonus, this gravy freezes well.

Kono’s Beefy Brown Gravy

Makes about 9 cups

1 med onion, chopped small (about 2 cups)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1/2 cup oil

1/3 cup ketchup

2 Tbsp. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce (my fav)

3 Tbsp. Knorr Roasted Beef Base

1 cup flour

2 cans Swansons Chicken Broth, 33% less sodium (14.5 oz)

2 cans water, use the broth cans

Saute onions and garlic in the butter and oil over med-high heat until soft and translucent (about 5 -8 min).

Add the ketchup, L& P and Beef Base, stir to mix.

Add flour to make a roux.

Add chicken broth and water. Stir with a whisk to remove any lumps.

Bring to a boil while stirring, so it won’t stick to the bottom of the pot.

Lower heat and let simmer for 5 min. stirring occasionally.

YOUR GRAVY IS READY!

However… if you have an

immersion blender

(everyone should-best kitchen helper ever)

Give your gravy a whirl for silky smooth gravy.

1/2 Batch

Kono’s Beefy Brown Gravy

Makes about 4 1/2 cups

1/2 med onion, chopped small (about 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)

1/4 cup oil

1Tbs. + 2 tsp. ketchup

1 Tbsp. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce (my fav)

1 1/2 Tbsp. Knorr Beef Base

1/2 cup flour

1 cans Swansons Chicken Broth, 33% less sodium (14.5 oz)

1 cans water, use the broth can

Grandma Helen’s White Takuwan

2020-07-20T07:35:00.004-07:00

This simple pickled turnip takes very little to make and can be enjoyed the very next day.

All it needs is 3 pantry ingredients; Sugar, Kosher Salt and White Vinegar.

The flavor is clean and crisp and will keep fresh in the fridge for at least a month or more.

I have a chart below for different amounts. I usually make only 1 quart at a time which is the perfect amount for my husband and I.

Grandma Helen’s White Takuwan

Makes about	3 quarts	2 quarts	1 quart
Japanese Daikon about 10-12” long	3	2	1
Sugar	1 1/2 cups	3/4 cup	6 Tbsp.
Kosher Salt	3 Tbs.	4 1/2 tsp.	2 1/4 tsp.
White Vinegar	3/4 cup	6 Tbsp.	3 Tbsp.

Peel daikon, cut off tip ends and discard. Slice into 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick circles. Place in a glass jar or air tight container.
Mix sugar, kosher salt and white vinegar together until completely dissolved and pour over daikon slices.
Keep in the fridge.
This will be ready to enjoy the next day.

Halal Cart Style Chicken and Rice

2020-05-07T18:02:00.004-07:00

Halal Cart Style Chicken and Rice

My daughter told me that she was making Halal Cart Style Chicken and Rice for dinner and I said… I’m in! Pass on the recipe!

With everything that’s happening in NYC and the world right now – it’s important to cook foods that have the ability to stir up feelings of comfort and happy memories. Halal Cart Chicken and Rice is one of those foods for me – which is kind of like a mini flavor vacation!

The inspiration for the chicken and rice recipe is from Serious Eats and the white sauce is from Burnt My Fingers. I did cut the recipe in half and found it to worked perfectly for my family of 2. And because my husband proclaimed this to be a KEEPER. I felt it was necessary to document it so I could repeat it.

You might think about skipping it, but don't.

Iceberg lettuce and tomatoes are an important addition.

My notes to you:

I used skin on chicken and cooked them skin side down first and the skin got deliciously crispy.
You don't need to add oil to the pan if you use skin on chicken.
If you don't have turmeric,skip it. Your rice will be white instead of yellow,but it will still be very tasty.

A cast iron skillet is perfect for cooking this chicken.

Halal Cart Style Chicken and Rice

For the CHICKEN

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Chicken Marinade

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. ground coriander

2 cloves garlic, rough chop

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 tsp. Kosher salt

1/4 tsp. Black pepper

Mix marinade ingredients together and marinate chicken with HALF the marinade, about 2 Tbsp. – for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. It won’t seem like enough marinade for the chicken but it is. Reserve the other half of the marinade to toss with your cooked chicken later – this step adds a lot of flavor.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels if needed. Season with kosher salt and pepper, going heavy on the pepper.

Heat about 1-2 Tbsp.oil in a cast iron or steel skillet over med-high heat until it is lightly smoking. Add the chicken pieces and cook without disturbing until they are lightly browned on the first side, about 4 minutes. Flip chicken and reduce the heat to medium and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 6 minutes.

Let chicken cool for about 15 minutes, or until it is cool enough to handle; then rough chop into 1/2 to 1/4 inch chunks. Place in a bowl and toss with the other 1/2 of the marinade. Cover loosely with plastic and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

To Serve

Return the entire contents of the bowl to the same skillet (that has the crusty bits of deliciousness stuck to the bottom) and cook over med-high heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.

Place chicken over rice and squirt with white sauce.

For the RICE

1 Tbsp. butter

1/4 tsp. turmeric

1/8 tsp. ground cumin

3/4 cup Basmati or long grain rice

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Melt the butter over medium heat in a pot that is about 3 times larger than the amount of rice and water, about 1-1/2 qts. Add the turmeric and cumin and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the rice and stir to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover; cook for 15 minutes undisturbed. Remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes.

WHITE SAUCE

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 tsp. white vinegar

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 tsp. water

Mix ingredients together and drizzle or squirt over chicken and rice.

Kono’s Hawaiian Macaroni Potato Salad

2020-04-24T07:02:00.003-07:00

There is nothing neutral about Hawaiian Macaroni Salad. You either love it (can’t get enough) or hate it (won’t touch it) and it usually isn’t eaten alone, it’s meant to clean your palate.

I know that I shouldn’t put mayonnaise laced dressing and clean your palate together in the same sentence-but it’s true!

Most Hawaiian macaroni salads add straight mayonnaise, salt, pepper and sometimes… a pinch of sugar – I’m not a fan, but I know that many are. What I am a fan of is my husband’s dressing.

Kono’s macaroni salad dressing is flavorful, yet subtle (as it should be) adding a pinch of this and a splash of that. His mystery ingredient is essential – yet, unless told – completely undetectable.

Macaroni salad is intended as an accompaniment to the Plate Lunch –

So if you need something to go with your macaroni salad. How about...

Beef Stew

Hamburger Steak

Chili

Adobo

Curry

ShoyuChicken

the list is endless.

My notes to you…

The trick to making Hawaiian macaroni salad is first to have an awesome dressing and second, to add the dressing in two stages.

Always overcook your macaroni when making a cold salad. Cook for 2 -3 minutes more than the package recommends. This keeps the pasta soft and ready to absorb the dressing and don’t worry… it won’t get mushy. I cook mine for 11 min.

Make the dressing in a 4 c. measuring cup – add milk first (to the 1 cup line), then add mayonnaise (to the 3 cup line), then the rest of the ingredients. Measuring this way makes it so you don’t have to pull out your small measuring cups for the mayonnaise. I prefer whole milk, but use what suits your taste.

Kono’s dressing works well with any type of pasta or potato salad. One of my variations is Potato Spaghetti salad – substitute the macaroni for spaghetti (broken into 2-3 inch pieces) and be sure to add the hard boiled eggs. This is one of my family's favs.

I use different potatoes for different results and often a combo depending on what I have.

Red Skins - waxy/will hold its shape

Russets - creamy/will turn into mash if over cooked

Yukon Gold – is what a red skin and russet would be if they were one potato

If you’re wondering what the mystery ingredient is… its Worcestershire. I prefer L&P, but use what suits your taste.

Because my family keeps shrinking my recipes do too. At the bottom of the post I have a 1/2 Batch Recipe that is the perfect size for my husband and I.

1st Dress - looks to wet, but it's not.

2nd Dress - sticky enough to scoop.

Kono’s Hawaiian Potato Mac Salad

1/2 pound elbow macaroni (2 cups) – cook for 11 min.

2 med. potatoes, cubed small – cook for 7 min.

1/2 cup frozen peas, rinsed under hot tap water to thaw

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped small (optional)

DRESSING

Makes 3 cups of dressing

2 cups mayonnaise

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. white pepper

1/4 tsp. Worcestershire

Make dressing and refrigerate for an hour, overnight is best (the dressing will thicken and smooth out as it chills). See note for measuring.

Cook eggs if using. See my post on cooking hard boiled eggs

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook potatoes for about 7 min. or until cooked through. Scoop out potatoes out with a slotted spoon and set aside. To the same pot add macaroni and cook for 11 min. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Place drained macaroni, potatoes, peas and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add 2 cups of dressing and mix to blend. (It will look like way too much dressing, but it’s not) Cover and let sit in the fridge for at least an hour, overnight is best.

After the mac salad has had a chance to chill out, It will have absorbed most of the dressing and look dry. Add the last cup of dressing to the macaroni and mix to blend.

If you leave out the potatoes and/or eggs, hold back some of the dressing on the second dress or your salad will be too wet.

1/2 Batch

Kono’s Hawaiian Potato Mac Salad

1 cup macaroni (cook for 11 min. in boiling water)

1 med potato, cubed small (cook for 7 min. in boiling water)

1/4 cup frozen peas, rinsed under hot tap water to thaw

1 hard boiled egg (optional)

DRESSING

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup milk

1/4 tsp. sugar

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. white pepper

1/8 tsp. Worcestershire

See instructions on full recipe.

Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

2020-02-01T09:54:00.008-08:00

Taking the mystery out of hot and sour soup has been life changing - at least in the soup making department.

I’ve been reading, testing and tasting my way though recipes - old and new. The recipe that stood out and is what I used as a guide is from The Woks of Life, which is a wealth of information when cooking Chinese.

This soup takes a little bit of prep – depending on how many ingredients you decide to add, but it’s not difficult to make. Actually, it’s a very quick soup to cook and reheats well, so leftovers are a plus.

My notes to you…

· The HOT comes from the white pepper mostly/some from the chili garlic and the SOUR from the vinegar. Adjust those ingredients to your desired taste and as I always suggest, make it as written first before adjusting.

· I add bean threads (long rice) to my soup to give it a little more body. This is optional, but highly recommended and the way that my husband likes it. So sometimes I add it and other times I don’t.

· I’m not a fan of bamboo shoots and always seem to have leftovers that I end up tossing out. So I leave them out of my soup and that’s why I tagged it as an optional ingredient on the recipe.

· To quickly rehydrate dried shitake mushrooms, cover with a cup of boiled hot water and place another smaller bowl on top to keep it submerged. The black fungus rehydrates quickly in cold water.

· My main focus when I made up this recipe was to get the broth right and to shrink the recipe to an amount that made sense for my husband and I. With that said; this recipe will double easily. If you decide to double, use only 3 eggs.

· You can leave the pork out and make it a vegetarian soup – it will still be tasty.

· This soup is healing for your stomach/digestion because of the addition of ginger, fungus and vinegar.

Dried and Rehydrated -Shitake, Fungus and Bean Threads

Tofu, Pork, Shitake, Ginger, Fungus and Bean Threads.

Hot and Sour Soup

4 cups Chinese chicken stock (I use the broth that I have after cooking a steamed chicken)

Or – and this is probably more often used;

14oz. can of Swansons 33% less sodium Chicken Broth

2 1/4 cup water (use the shitake soaking water as part of this)

PORK

1/2 pound of ground pork

1 Tbsp. water

2 tsp. oil

1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced

2 Tbsp. green onions, finely chopped

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. cornstarch

DRY ingredients

3 Shitake Mushrooms, rehydrated and julienned

1 rounded Tbsp. Black Fungus (wood ear), rehydrated; rough chop

1/2 oz. bean threads, cut into 1-in pieces (optional)

WET ingredients

1/2 block med-firm or firm Tofu (8oz.), cut into 2-inch long 1/4-inch thick strips

1/2 cup Bamboo Shoots, julienned (optional)

SEASONING

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. sugar

3/4 tsp. white pepper

1 tsp. mushroom soy sauce

2 tsp. Kikkoman soy sauce

1/2 tsp. sesame oil

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 tsp. chili garlic sauce

THICKEN/Finish

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup water

2 eggs, beaten

2-3 sprigs green onions, finely cut for garnish

PREP

1. Soak the dry ingredients in about 1 cup of tap water in separate bowls; the shitake will take the most time to rehydrate – see note to quickly rehydrate.

2. Place the pork in a bowl and add ingredients listed under PORK and mix to blend; set aside.

3. When dry ingredients are rehydrated, cut both DRY and WET ingredients as written above.

4. Beat eggs; set aside.

5. Mix cornstarch and water; set aside.

6. Gather all your seasoning ingredients and place them with the rest of your prepped ingredients next to your pot along with your measuring spoons.

LET’S COOK

1. Heat a pot or wok over med-high heat.

2. Add about 1 Tbsp. oil and swirl to coat bottom of pot/wok. Brown pork and cook until no longer pink.

3. Add Shitake mushrooms, black fungus and (if adding) bean threads and bamboo shoots. Mix with pork and cook for about 1 min.

4. Pour in chicken stock; stir scraping bottom to release anything that has stuck.

5. Add seasoning ingredients; stir and bring to a boil.

6. Add tofu and bring back to a boil.

7. Stir cornstarch and water to make sure it is mixed well. Slowly pour into soup while stirring to thicken.

8. Bring soup back to a boil, remove from the heat and pour a thin stream of the egg into the soup while slowly stirring in a circular motion.

9. Garnish with green onions.

The Best Baba Ganoush

2020-01-29T07:38:00.000-08:00

Baba Ganoush is a simple Middle Eastern dip that every eggplant lover needs to try and this is the best Baba Ganoush that I have eaten. It’s chunky and meaty, yet creamy with a clean fresh taste.

My Notes to you…

The original recipe (thank you Kenji) has you char the skin of the eggplant in the broiler before baking to add a smoky flavor - So I charred on my first attempt, but I didn’t feel that it added to the flavor enough to justify the extra effort. I just bake my eggplants whole without the extra step, but wanted you to know that charring is an option.
Make sure you drain the excess moisture from the eggplant or your dip will be watery. So don’t skip this step.
The fork and knife method requires a bit of muscle, but for me the meaty texture that I achieve is worth it. However, if you would like yours creamy, without the lumps – pulse the ingredients in a food processor until you get your desired consistency. You want the flesh mashed, but not pulverized to give your baba ganoush a meatier texture.
Trader Joes has the best taste and priced tahini.
This will hold well in the fridge for about 4 days – if it last that long.
Baba Ganoush is also an excellent spread when making veggie sandwiches.

Sometimes all we need to cook is one eggplant and other times we need to make more.

General Rule for each Eggplant

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp. tahini

1 Tbsp. olive oil (more to drizzle on top)

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Baba Ganoush

2 large eggplants

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (about 1 large)

2 Tbsp. Tahini

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling

1 tsp. kosher salt

1. Bake eggplant whole on a sheet pan covered with foil in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour. It’s better to have the eggplant over-cooked, than under cooked. Flip them with a tong, being careful not to pierce the skin about halfway in to the cooking.

2. Take eggplant out of the oven and let eggplants sit for about 15-20 minutes or until they are cool enough to handle. Pluck off the stem and the skin should peel off easily.

3. Place eggplant flesh in a colander and let drain for 15 min. to remove excess moisture.

4. Mix garlic, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil and salt in a bowl.

5. Rough chop drained eggplant and add to the bowl. Mix and mash with a fork until the eggplant absorbs all the sauce.

6. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle more olive oil. Serve with pita.

Taegu - Spicy Korean Seasoned Cuttlefish

2020-01-26T10:18:00.000-08:00

Taegu is Hawaii’s version of Spicy Korean Seasoned Cuttlefish.

This recipe is a mild version of Taegu that is perfect for my husband. If you prefer it spicier add more Korean pepper paste (gochujang) and/or Korean pepper powder (gochugaru). Taste the sauce as you are making it and adjust according to your taste.

Taegu (seasoned cuttlefish)

6 – 8 oz. shredded cuttlefish

SAUCE

3 Tbsp. Honey or Corn Syrup

1 Tbsp. Korean Red Pepper Paste (gochujang)

2 Tbsp. Sesame Oil

1 tsp. Paprika

1/2 tsp. Korean Red Pepper Flakes/Powder (gochugaru)

1 Tbsp. Fish Sauce

1 Tbsp. Toasted Sesame Seeds

Soak cuttlefish in cold tap water, just enough to cover for 15 minutes to soften if it has become hard and dry. If your cuttlefish is soft and tender - there is no reason to soak it. And if you soak - squeeze out the extra moisture before mixing with the sauce.

Mix together sauce ingredients and mix with the shredded cuttlefish.

Refrigerate.

This will keep fresh in your refrigerator for 2-3 weeks or longer if kept in an airtight container.

Natashas Beef Stroganoff

2020-01-19T07:58:00.000-08:00

Beef Stroganoff

This is a restaurant quality recipe!

I love how quick and easy it is to make, so much so, that I cooked it two days in a row. Which got me thinking... this is actually two recipes in one.

If you stop before adding the creams – you will have cooked up a delicious Beef and Mushroom dish in rich brown sauce instead of stroganoff. Both options will make for a quick meal that will surely satisfy.

Beef and Mushrooms in a Rich Brown Sauce

Creamy Beef Stroganoff

I found this recipe at Natashas Kitchen. It was my first visit, but it won’t be my last. She has a beautiful blog with how to videos that will empower you to make her recipes. I did tweak the recipe to my liking the second time I made it. I encourage you to do the same when you cook this dish the second time.

My favorite beef broth in a can is Swansons and beef base is Knorr

My Notes to You…

· Noodles- use 8oz. if you want it saucy or 12oz. if you want it less saucy - but still saucy (I use 12oz.) Also, cook your noodles 1 minute less than the suggested time.

· Meat- Sirloin is an excellent choice that cooks up tender and is affordable, just make sure to cut against the grain when slicing to assure tenderness. Tenderloin is a special occasion cut and if you can find tenderloin chunks (random pieces of the trim) they will be about half the price. However, I would not buy tenderloin steak to slice up for this dish, it’s just too expensive.

· Sauce- you can add the Worcestershire, Dijon, salt and pepper to the beef broth so you don’t need to measure when cooking.

· Mushrooms- I prefer the white mushrooms to the brown, because they are more tender when cooked.

Beef Stroganoff

1 pound sirloin steak, sliced thin across the grain

1-2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 med. onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pound white mushrooms, sliced thick

1 1/2 Tbsp. flour

1 1/2 cups beef broth

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup sour cream

8 to 12 oz. uncooked egg noodles – cooked 1 minute less than suggested on the package (about 4-5 min.)

· Spread sliced meat out on the cutting board or plate in a single layer and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. You only need to do this on one side.

· Place a large skillet or dutch oven over med-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and when the pan is very hot, add half of the beef slices in a single layer and cook for 1 min. per side without stirring. COOK UNTIL JUST BROWNED. Remove beef from the pan to a bowl (don’t cover) and repeat with the other half of the beef, adding more oil if needed.

· In the same skillet add 2 Tbsp. butter, chopped onions then garlic (in that order so the garlic won’t burn) and cook for about 1 min. scraping up anything that stuck to the pan. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 min. or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the onions and mushrooms are soft and lightly browned.

· Add 1 1/2 Tbsp. flour to the pan and stir into the mushrooms until absorbed (about 1 min.)

· Pour in the beef broth, Worcestershire, Dijon, kosher salt and pepper; stir till thickened.

· Add cream and simmer for 1-2 min.

· Add beef with any accumulated juices to the pan and simmer until beef is heated through.

· Remove from heat, stir in about 2-3 Tbsp of the sauce to the sour cream to temper it so it won’t curdle. Then add it to the pan and stir to mix.

· Toss with cooked egg noodles.

Dave’s Slow Cooker Roast Chicken

2020-01-13T18:40:00.003-08:00

My friend Dave loves his slow cooker and this is one of his no fail recipes for flavorful fall off the bone chicken that needs very little attention from start to finish.

Being the minimalist cook that I am, I must admit that I was a bit intimidated by the list of 10 herbs and spices that made up the seasoning mix. But after a closer look at the ingredient list I realized that I had 9 of the 10 ingredients already in my spice drawer. The spice that was absent was the savory and I swapped it out with sage because that’s what I had and it worked perfectly.

Dave and I cooked this together in his slow cooker and it was DELICIOUS. However, I wanted to get a brown crispy skin so I cooked mine in the oven and I was quite happy with the results.

Dave’s Slow Cooker Roast Chicken

1 Roasting Chicken, about 5 pounds

Seasoning Mix

1 Tbsp. Kosher salt

2 tsp. paprika

1 1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. savory or sage

Stuffing – this can be done a day ahead

2 Tbsp. Butter

2 cups onion, chopped

1 cup green bell pepper, chopped

3 Tbsp. seasoning mix

GRAVY

1/4 cup flour

1 cup or more chicken stock

~ OR ~

BEANS, side dish

4 cups of cooked beans or 2 cans (pinto, kidney, navy or a combo)

1 1/2 cups chicken broth or 1 can (14 oz)

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine seasoning mix.

Melt butter over med-high heat in a skillet. When butter starts to sizzle add chopped onions and peppers and cook for a couple of min. or until fragrant. Add 3 Tbsp. seasoning mix and cook until onions are golden brown; cool.

Stuff chicken cavity with cooled vegetables. Sprinkle outside of chicken with remaining seasoning mix and rub in well.

~ if adding beans – place the beans on the bottom of the slow cooker with chicken broth.

Place chicken in the slow cooker, cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.

Empty stuffing and juices into saucepan. Whisk in flour and 1 cup of stock. Cook over high heat until thickened. Add more stock to thin gravy if preferred.

Optional – Place chicken under the broiler to brown the skin.

~ You don’t need to thicken the beans. Just empty the stuffing on to the beans and mix. They are fantastic!

I prefer my oven to my slow cooker.

So here are instructions if you want to cook your chicken in the oven;

Follow the same instructions above, but put the ingredients in a Dutch oven or large casserole and COVER with lid or foil.

Roast COVERED in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

UNCOVER and turn up heat to 450 degrees for about 30 min. or until the skin is golden brown. Baste chicken with pan drippings halfway through the browning.

Chinese Pork Cutlet in Tomato Sauce

2020-01-09T14:44:00.001-08:00

This is a special one wok recipe from Grandma Helen and one of grandpa’s favs. The sauce tastes like a savory ketchup gravy and would work well with chicken also.

My husband cooked this tonight with thin bone in pork chops (about 1/4-inch) and it is a KEEPER!

*If you use bone in pork chops. Cut a small slit through the curved edge (opposite side of the bone) so it won’t curl when it cooks.

Chinese Pork Cutlet in Tomato Sauce

3/4 pound pork cutlets (about 2) thinly sliced (about 1/8 inch)

1 cup onion, sliced thin into half rings

1 small hot red pepper, finely shredded or a Serrano – seeds removed

Marinade

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. dry sherry

Sauce

1/2 cup water

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. Japanese rice vinegar

1 1/2 Tbsp. ketchup

1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch

** 1/2 Tbsp. = 1 1/2 tsp.

Pound pork cutlets with mallet to tenderize and mix with marinate to coat evenly.

Mix sauce ingredients together and set aside.

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a preheated wok over med-high heat. Fry pork cutlets until cooked through (about 1 ½ min. per side) Remove from wok and set aside.

Add 1 Tbsp. oil to the wok. Stir fry onion and hot pepper until fragrant.

Stir sauce to dissolve cornstarch then add to the wok and heat till bubbly.

Return cutlet to the wok and turn over a few times in the sauce.

Serve with rice.

Japanese Chicken Curry Stew

2020-01-09T11:02:00.002-08:00

Japanese Golden Curry Sauce Mix is a meal saver. I try to always have a box in my pantry for a quick hearty meal. You can have a pot of chicken curry stew on the table in about 30 min. This is a must have pantry item for a fast satisfying meal.

My notes to you…

· There will be 2 packs of curry roux in the box, each will break into 4 squares and make about 3 cups of sauce. I buy mild sauce so I have the option to keep it mild or spice it up. I have not tried the spicy version.

· The apple adds a nice background sweetness and I highly suggest you add it. However, if you don’t have and apple around - just skip it.

· Make just the sauce for pouring over rice, noodles, shrimp or my son K.C.’s favorite – KATSU!

· I like to cut my chicken, carrots and potatoes into smaller than bite sized pieces so you can have one piece of each in every bite. The other plus is that it will cook faster.

Japanese Chicken Curry Stew

2 pounds chicken (I used 4 thighs and 1 breast)

1 med onion, chopped small

1 clove garlic, minced

1 med Serrano chili, minced with seeds removed

½ med apple, grated

5 cups water

2 med carrots, diced

2 med potatoes, diced

1 box Golden Curry Sauce Mix (7.8 oz.), broken into pieces

· Heat pot over med-high heat; add 2 Tbsp. oil and stir fry chicken until no longer pink.

· Add onions, garlic and Serrano and cook for about 5 min. or until soft and fragrant.

· Add water, potatoes and carrots and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until chicken and vegetables are cooked (about 12-15 min.).

· Remove pot from heat and add curry pieces; stir until pieces are completely melted

· Return to heat and simmer for about 3- 5 min, stirring constantly so it won’t stick and burn.

· Serve over hot rice or noodles.

JUST THE SAUCE

Japanese Golden Curry Sauce

1 box Golden Curry Sauce Mix (7.8 oz.), broken into pieces

1 med onion, diced small

1 clove garlic, minced

1 med serrano chili, minced – seeds removed- leave the seeds if you want it spicy

½ med apple, grated

6 cups water

Heat a pot over med-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp. oil and sauté onions, garlic and serrano chili until soft. Add water and apple; bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and add curry roux squares. Stir to dissolve. Place pot back on the heat and simmer for about 5 min. or until the sauce thickens.