Cooking with Ai

Pulled Pork Omelette w/ Black Bean Corn Salsa and Sweet Ranch Sauce

2013-06-15T16:41:00.000-04:00

Pulled Pork Omelette w/ Black Bean Corn Salsa

and Sweet Ranch Sauce

Anytime you have leftovers from a party, use it to make amazing omelettes! Made this for my middle school girls group sleepover this weekend. I'm totally bragging now, but it was absolutely fantastic!

If you don't own the Presto Extra Large Griddle, you are totally missing out! Instead of making 8 individual omelettes (who knows how long that would take!) I made one gigantic foot and a half by six inch omelette that took me less than five minutes to cook. Afterwards, I simply wiped down the surface with a damp wash cloth and that was all the cleaning I had to do. No pans to wash! One of the best $40 you will spend! Almost all my stir fries and breakfast foods are cooked on this. I use it so much, I just leave it out on our island most of the time.

1) Crack eggs and mix in a bowl. Season with salt, garlic powder, pepper, cumin, chili powder, chopped scallions. Be generous!

2) On a griddle or pan with a little oil/non-stick spray, quickly fry chopped/sliced onions with pulled pork (or whatever leftover meat you have). Add meat (with the yummy juices) into the egg bowl.

3) Wipe griddle. Add a bit more oil and pour egg mixture, spreading evenly. If you're cooking on the griddle, allow mixture to spread into a thin rectangle. When the majority of the omelette has cooked through, use a long and wide spatula to fold the sides towards the center. You can do the same with the tops as well for a perfectly shaped omelette. (Get creative! You can add cheese or avocado right before you fold for more flavor and texture.)

4) Garnish with salsa, cilantro and Sweet Ranch Sauce.

SWEET RANCH SAUCE:

1/4 cup ranch

1/4 cup mayo

1 garlic clove

2 tbsp sugar

cracked black pepper

2-3 tbsp water to thin out.

Blueberry Ricotta Cake

2013-06-11T16:55:00.000-04:00

Blueberry Ricotta Cake

I never really cooked with ricotta cheese. I just assumed it had lots of fat and calories. But actually, it's very similar to cottage cheese, but only more dense, which makes it a perfect candidate for an alternative to cream cheese and other high fat/sugar icing. If you love cream cheese icing, you're gonna love this Blueberry Cake with Ricotta Cheese Icing. Not only does it taste amazing, but the amount of ricotta cheese we use for this cake has 30 grams of protein and way less fat and calories. This was just for me and the boys, so I only used one 10 inch pan. But if you want to make a whole cake with 4-6 layers, just double the recipe and use an extra pan. Keep this refrigerated. It tastes amazing when it's cold. If you want it to taste like regular frosting, just add more sugar.

2 cups flour

4 tsp baking soda

1 stick butter

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3 eggs

1 cup milk or water

3/4 cup frozen blueberries or mixed berry mix (thawed for juice)

1) Preheat oven to 350

2) Grease and flour an 8-10 inch pan.

3) In a mixer, cream softened butter with sugar

4) Add eggs and slowly blend

5) Add salt, baking soda and thawed berries.

6) Add flour ½ cup at a time. Add milk/water in between each addition. Scrape bowl down when needed.

7) Add batter to pan and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven when center is slightly firm and bouncy or when a toothpick through the center comes out clean.

8) Remove the cake from the pan and place in fridge or freezer until chilled.

9) Slice cake into two or three layers with a long knife. I prefer more layers. Makes the cake less dense and allows you to add more filling.

10) Pour chilled ricotta icing on each layer and spread out. You can also scatter more frozen or thawed berries on each layer for added texture and taste.

Icing:

1 1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/3 cup sugar (amount of sugar up to you. If you want it sweeter, add more. If you like it slightly tangy, use 1/4 cup)

Blend ricotta and sugar until smooth. You can also whip a little air into it to make it slightly fluffy. Refrigerate to thicken.

Amazing Father's Day Dinner!

2013-06-11T15:10:00.002-04:00

Chili Beef Tenderloin

Bacon Wrapped Scallops w/ Mango Lime Sauce
Garlic Rice
Orange Scallop Ceviche

Strawberry Salad w/ Candied Pecans

What a great way to tell someone you love how much they are appreciated. There's too much to say about this dinner. It was so good that while I was eating this, I thought of my last days on this earth and what I would eat. And I can tell you without hesitation that this would be it! It has everything I love on one plate...bacon, tender melt-in-your mouth steak, mangoes, seafood, salad, berries and candied pecans. I also made garlic rice to go with this, but I haven't been eating much rice and starch lately. But for my last meal, there will definitely be a nice heap of rich and savory garlic rice on my plate! I made this for an early Father's day dinner for my sweet Dave who always misses it every year due to an annual training for the National Guard. Believe it or not, it's all very simple. Just prep everything in advance and let the tenderloin and scallops be the last thing you cook.

CHILI BEEF TENDERLOIN: I highly recommend getting tenderloin for a special occasion. Dave said it was one of the best beef he's eaten. But it's not cheap, so whatever you end up using will work.

About 2 lbs of beef tenderloin

2-3 cloves pressed garlic

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp paprika

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

salt (a generous sprinkle for each piece of beef)

In a bowl, mix all ingredients. Add beef and marinate if you can. Otherwise, just coat well and proceed to grilling.

GRILLED BACON SCALLOPS W/ MANGO LIME SAUCE:

1 - 1 1/2 lb scallops

1 pack of bacon

olive oil

salt

pepper

garlic powder

1 mango
1 lime (juice and zest)
2 tbsp sugar
1 garlic clove

Peel mango and remove the seed by sliding a knife right up against it. Place mango pieces in a blender with the lime juice, some lime zest, sugar and 1 garlic clove. Puree until smooth.
Place scallops in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, add salt, pepper and garlic powder and toss to coat.
Cut bacon strips in half and wrap around scallops. Thread through skewers to make grilling easier.
Grill on medium/medium high heat for 2-3 minutes each side or until scallops are no longer soft in the center. Be careful not to cook it too long, it will be too chewy.

GARLIC RICE:

5-6 cups of cooked rice

1/2 small onion thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 tbsp garlic powder

salt about 1/2 tbsp to 3/4 tbsp

In a small sauce pot drizzled with olive oil, cook onions and garlic on medium/medium low heat. Cover and allow it to cook until it becomes very soft and mushy. Make sure to stir every couple of minutes to make sure garlic doesn't burn. Once done, place cooked rice in a large mixing bowl. Add onion mix, olive oil, salt and garlic powder and stir to combine.

ORANGE SCALLOP CEVICHE Recipe
STRAWBERRY SALAD W/ CANDIED PECANS Recipe

Strawberry Salad w/ Candied Pecans

2013-06-11T15:00:00.003-04:00

Strawberry Salad w/ Candied Pecans & Berry Vinaigrette

This is one of my favorite salads. So easy and so amazing! You can also try feta and cranberries with this or add watermelon as well. An unbelievably delicious summer salad!

mixed greens

onions

strawberry slices

CANDIED PECANS:

1/2 cup pecans

2 tbsp melted butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

pinch of salt

mix butter, brown sugar and salt together in a small bowl until it's completely blended.
heat mixture in a non-stick pan and constantly stir. Once it begins to bubble and caramelize add pecans and coat evenly. Remove from heat and place on a baking sheet or plate to cool.

BERRY VINAIGRETTE: mix all ingredients together

1 - 1 1/2 cup frozen berries (thawed, with juice)

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

Orange Scallop Ceviche

2013-06-11T13:34:00.001-04:00

Orange Scallop Ceviche

I really really like this dish. It's delicious, healthy and so refreshing. This is great with steak and garlic rice!!! Yum! (Recipe coming up!)

ORANGE SCALLOP CEVICHE:

about 1/2 lb of scallops

1 large orange (juiced)

1 lime (juiced)

1 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves

crushed red pepper

1 large orange (cut in between the membrane and use the meat of the orange only.)

1/2 cup grape tomatoes (halved)
1/3 cup sliced onions (very thin)

chopped cilantro for garnish

Rinse and drain scallops.
Using a sharp knife, slice each scallop horizontally to give about three 1/4 inch slices.
Place scallops, orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper in a glass or ceramic casserole dish. Stir well to coat and cover the scallops in the acidic mix. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Half way through, stir and place orange slices, onions and tomatoes on top just so it will be chilled by the time you're ready to eat.
When you're ready to serve, stir another time and garnish with cilantro and some black pepper.

Grilled Clams with Ginger Lime Dipping Sauce

2013-05-31T23:19:00.002-04:00

Grilled Clams w/ Ginger Lime Dipping Sauce

As much as I love to cook, I always love whipping up ridiculously easy meals that taste really amazing. There are only three easy steps: 1) Make the sauce 2) Microwave the corn and 3) Grill the clams. I had leftover mango carrot salad from last night's dinner and this, with the corn, made fantastic side dishes! If you're feeding kids, you can cut it into bite size pieces to make it easier for them to eat. ENJOY!

GINGER LIME DIPPING SAUCE:

1/3 cup Ai's Awesome Fish Sauce Dressing
1 lime (juiced)
2 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 -3/4 tbsp grated ginger
pinch of salt
cracked black pepper
(optional) thai dried chili pepper flakes

The sauce is the hardest thing you will have to do! After that, just microwave 2-3 ears of corn (in husks) for 6-9 minutes (depending on microwave). While the corn is cooking, grill the clams on high heat until they open up. That's it!

Hoisin Jerk Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2013-05-30T21:15:00.000-04:00

Hoisin Jerk Chicken Lettuce Wraps

(w/ julienne mango, carrots, red cabbage, mint, cilantro, jalapeno, crushed peanuts and fish sauce dressing)

This is definitely my kind of dish...loads of fresh veggies with flavorful meat! There was so much going on with the amazing flavors and textures that you do not miss the starch one bit. As I was bringing everything out, I got a couple of wow's from the boys. It really is a pretty presentation dinner! And did I mention so yummy!? This also makes a great party platter. You can cook this in advance and let guests make their own wraps. Easy and saves you a lot of time too.

HOISIN JERK CHICKEN:

2-2 1/2 lbs chicken breast (diced)

olive oil

4 tbsp hoisin sauce

1/2 tbsp each of cumin, paprika, all spice, cinnamon

1 tbsp onion powder

3-4 garlic cloves (minced/pressed)

1/2 -1 tbsp grated ginger

1 small onion (sliced)

1/4 cup scallions (chopped)

salt to taste

Heat olive oil in skillet to medium high. Add onions and stir for 30 seconds. Add chicken along with the rest of the ingredients and stir to blend seasonings. When chicken is fully cooked, remove from heat and allow to sit for a couple minutes.

WRAPS:

green leaf lettuce

mango (firm and not too ripe)

1 large carrot

mint

cilantro

red cabbage (shredded)

lime wedges (squeeze on wraps or add to fish sauce dressing)

jalapeno slices (optional)

crushed peanuts

Peel the mango and carrot. Use a mandolin slicer to make 1/8th inch slices. If you don't have a slicer, just do your best to slice it as thin as you possibly can. Then stack the slices and cut lengthwise to make julienne strips. Do the same with the carrots. (If you don't have a mandolin slicer, I highly recommend it especially over the summer when it's easy to eat fresh veggies. Not to mention it is a huge time saver!)

FISH SAUCE DRESSING: Recipe

Place all veggies on a platter. It will look so pretty!

Apple Cinnamon Ribs, Honey Mustard Potato Salad, Ginger Bacon Beans, Pineapple Slaw

2013-05-30T16:56:00.000-04:00

Apple Cinnamon Ribs

Honey Mustard Potato Salad w/ Roasted Pecans

Ginger Bacon Beans

Pineapple Jalapeno Slaw

I made this for Memorial Day, and not only did everything turn out great, but all the flavors complimented each other so well. The apples in the ribs with the honey mustard pecans in the potato salad and the ginger in the beans with the pineapple in the slaw! Try this for your next cookout!

APPLE CINNAMON RIBS

2 racks of ribs (spare or baby back)

Marinade:

2 apples (remove core)
2 cups white vinegar
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp all spice
10 garlic cloves

Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Chop the apples a bit to make blending easier.
Pour mixture on top of ribs and marinate overnight. (I actually marinated for 2 days! Well worth it!)
You can grill or smoke this. If you're grilling, make sure to use indirect heat to cook the ribs on low for 3 or so hours. You can also cover with foil and bake this in the oven on 275-295 for a couple of hours.
Prior to cooking, sprinkle both sides with salt.
During cooking, keep brushing the ribs with the marinade. You won't want to waste any of it! Also, if you have extra marinade leftover, you can do what I did the next day and use it to marinate some chicken breasts.

HONEY POTATO SALAD W/ ROASTED PECANS

2 1/2-3 lbs potatoes (peeled, any type)

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

2 cups chopped celery

3 garlic cloves (minced or pressed)

1 cup honey

1 cup mustard

1/4 cup vinegar

salt according to taste

Garnish:

1/2 -1 cup roasted pecans (bake 350 for 8-10 minutes or toast on a skillet stirring frequently)

chopped scallions for

Cut potatoes in half to allow them to cook faster. Boil water in a large pot. Add potatoes and allow them to cook until soft but not falling apart. While the potatoes are cooking you can prep the rest of the ingredients. Once the potatoes are done, drain, rinse and place in a large bowl. Add all the ingredients except for the pecans and scallions and gently fold everything together. Refrigerate until chilled. Garnish with roasted pecans and scallions when you're ready to serve.

GINGER BACON BEANS

1 lb bag of small red beans (yes, the ones you actually have to cook! I also like to put some black beans in there to have some contrast and make it look prettier for the camera :)

4-5 strips of bacon (chopped into1 inch pieces)

1 1/2 medium onion

1 tbsp grated ginger

1/2 tbsp cumin

2-3 garlic cloves (minced/pressed)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
salt according to taste

Boil the beans on medium until they are cooked but firm. Test 2-3 beans before you remove from heat. Drain and rinse.
In a large skillet, caramelize the bacon and onions by cooking on medium high heat with minimal stirring. The longer you wait to stir, the more it will caramelize. Wait about one minute before you stir. This should take 10-15 minutes.
Once bacon and onions are done, add the beans and remaining ingredients. Stir, cover and cook on low for another 30 minutes or so.

PINEAPPLE JALAPENO SLAW

The reason I absolutely love my no-mayo summer slaw is because it's brainless, nutritious and so very delicious.(I should write food jingles!) There's no end to how creative you can get with slaw. No need to measure. Just throw everything together. (There we go with another jingle!)

1/2 head of green cabbage (shredded)

1-2 carrots sliced into thin match sticks (or you can use shredded carrots)

2 cups fresh pineapple (chopped)

1-2 jalapeno (diced)

1 medium tomato

cilantro

Dressing: (This is more than enough, I just like to make extra and use for salad dressing)

1 lime (juice)

3/4 cup vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

Make dressing and combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate until you are ready to eat. Garnish with lots of chopped cilantro. If you have kids, you can make one with just pineapple and another with the jalapeno.

Mexican Bacon Bruschetta

2013-05-18T07:54:00.000-04:00

Mexican Bacon Bruschetta

Every Friday at my house I get to host GLO, a middle school girls group where we cook, eat, and pray. (Sounds like a great movie title doesn't it?) As adults, we clearly don't pray enough. I just want these girls to know God is a BIG God and He works in a BIG way in their lives. So this Friday Emma wanted Mexican. Ayanna wanted Italian. So they got both! It turned out amazing! The girls were so proud to know that they were going to be featured on my blog! They are actually pretty amazing cooks! I'll have to share some of their recipes from our own Iron Chef competitions! This is extremely easy to make. There's no need for measuring. You just sprinkle the spices on to everything. If you're having a party, you can make the toppings ahead of time and just grill the bread right before everyone arrives.

INGREDIENTS:

Italian bread (sliced about 1 inch thick or less)

olive oil

garlic

salt

bacon

feta

one large onion (sliced)

tomatoes (chopped)

fresh corn

cilantro

cumin

chili powder

garlic powder

about 3 cups of marinara or spaghetti sauce

Cook one ear of corn in the microwave for 3-4 minutes. When done, allow to cool and remove the kernels by slicing the corn vertically with a knife. Set aside.

Cook the bacon. Drain. Chop into bite sized squares and set aside.

Pour out most of the grease and wipe off the bacon residue and add sliced onions to caramelize. Cook on medium high heat. Don't stir too much. It caramelizes when you leave it alone. When it is almost done, add fresh garlic, bacon, cumin, chili, and a pinch of salt . Stir for 30 seconds to a minute to combine all flavors.

Brush bread slices with olive oil, sprinkle a little bit of salt on both sides. Grill for 1 minute or so until you get nice grill marks and it's crispy on the outside but still soft on the inside. Place bread on a baking tray and rub one or both sides with smashed garlic cloves. I do both since we love garlic in our house.

Heat up marinara/spaghetti sauce. If you can't get enough of cumin, like me, you can also add cumin to this as well.

Now you're ready to assemble. Just top bruschetta with all your toppings (bacon, onions, feta, tomatoes, corn, sauce) and garnish with chopped cilantro.

cutie pies!

Honey Mint Chicken w/ Coconut Basmati, Corn Salsa & Sriracha Soy

2013-05-17T07:22:00.000-04:00

Honey Mint Chicken w/ Coconut Basmati, Corn Salsa & Sriracha Soy

An AMAZING meal! That's all I have to say! The measurements are actually for two meals for our family. If you don't feel like making that much just divide everything in half. This is definitely how I prefer to eat...layers upon layers of flavors! The key ingredient here is fresh mint, and lots of it.

COCONUT BASMATI:

sweetened shredded coconut

canned coconut milk

basmati rice

Cook rice in a rice cooker, so it will cook while you are prepping the chicken. When finished, sprinkle with 1/2 to 1/3 cup of shredded coconut, salt, and toss. You can also stir in about 1/4 cup of coconut milk for an even bolder coconut flavor.

HONEY MINT CHICKEN:

5 to 5 1/2 lbs of chicken (I just buy one whole tray at Walmart)

MARINADE:

2 cups fresh mint (you can include stems, it will be pureed)

7-10 fresh garlic cloves

2 limes (juice and zest)

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup honey

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp chili powder

Allow chicken to marinate at least 15 minutes, the longer the better. Grill on medium high for 20-25 minutes. During grilling, you can dip the chicken back into the leftover marinade and place back on the grill. Just give marinade time to cook off. You don't want to waste any of it, trust me!

CORN SALSA:

2 ears of corn

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1 cup chopped onions

1/4 cup vinegar or juice from 1 lime

tiny pinch of salt

chopped cilantro

In a microwave, cook corn (with husks) for 5-6 minutes. Once cooled, slice vertically to remove corn. Toss with the rest of the ingredients.

SRIRACHA SOY DRESSING:

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp sriracha (you can add 1 or 2 and see how spicy it is for you)

Put everything together. Pour sauce on top and garnish with some chopped fresh mint! I also like to add some sliced red cabbage for extra texture and nutrition (it's so good for you!) The family doesn't seem to mind when it's placed between a whole lot of yumminess! Give it a try!

Pineapple Stuffed Tilapia

2013-05-15T16:18:00.000-04:00

Pineapple Stuffed Tilapia

I sincerely apologize for taking so long to post recipes! Having a baby, moving and going back to school has kept me extremely and insanely busy. But the good news is I am finally back in upload mode and even better, I have a tremendous backlog of recipes for you guys! Here's one I made last night. If you haven't tried whole fish (bones and all) you are seriously missing out. I can't say enough about how juicy, rich and moist it is when you cook fish while it's still on the bones. It's so amazing that two out of the three fish you see in this pic was devoured by moi within a matter of minutes!!! I didn't even bother with my sides (Bacon Pineapple Fried Sticky Rice and Honey Lime Slaw). That should tell you how good it is!

Unless you're in an Asian grocery store, where pretty much all fish are sold whole, finding whole fish isn't as easy in regular grocery stores. I have found the two places that consistently carry whole tilapia is Sam's club or Walmart. It's already cleaned and ready to cook. So here's what you need:

INGREDIENTS:

whole tilapia (1 per person)

lemongrass (1 stalk, grated or smashed then rubbed on fish, can also use the stalks to stuff)

ginger (1 tbsp grated)

garlic (about 1 small clove per fish, minced/pressed)

lime (grate zest and juice)

fresh pineapple 1- 1 1/2 cup chopped (Sorry, if you really want the wow factor, no canned stuff here.)

salt, garlic powder

basil, mint, cilantro, crushed peanuts, Thai chili flakes

Ai's Awesome Fish Sauce

roasting rack with baking tray on the bottom

Thaw, drain and dry fish

Cut two diagonal slits on each side of the fish

Rub fish with garlic, ginger, lemongrass, lime zest and lime juice. Feel free to stuff it inside the slits.

Season both sides with moderate salt and garlic powder. (Can also add Thai chili flakes if you're not cooking for kids.)

Stuff insides and slits with pineapple chunks.

Spray roasting rack with non stick spray and add place fish on top. You can also add more pineapple on top.

Place rack in the middle of your oven and bake at 500 for about 25 minutes. Extra large fish add 10 or so minutes.

Remove fish and allow it to sit for a few minutes.

Remove fish with a thin metal spatula and place on a platter. Top with chopped basil, mint, cilantro, peanuts, chili flakes and fish sauce.

Just make sure you remove the bones as you eat. The slits you cut should help you pull the meat off easier without pulling on the bones. This goes great with rice noodles, rice paper rolls, lettuce wraps or sticky rice. Add fresh greens, cucumbers, carrots and pour fish sauce dressing on top and devour!

Fish Sauce Vinaigrette

2013-05-15T15:46:00.002-04:00

Fish Sauce Vinaigrette

My girlfriend Huong, introduced me to vinegar in fish sauce and I have been using it in every sauce I make ever since. This sauce has the perfect combination of every flavor. You can use it in traditional Vietnamese dishes or get creative and add this to a Jamaican jerk marinade (which is absolutely fantastic by the way!)

Combine all ingredients and stir until sugar dissolves. This will last you a while. Pour it in an empty wine bottle for an easy dressing or marinade on the spot!

1 cup concentrated fish sauce

1 1/4 cup vinegar

1 cup water (you can add another 1/2 cup if you don't want it as strong)

2 cups sugar

Peanut Lemongrass Chicken

2011-08-22T20:46:00.002-04:00

Peanut Lemongrass Chicken

7-8 skinless chicken thighs
¾ cup fish sauce dressing (recipe below)
¼ cup peanut butter
4-5 garlic cloves (grated)
1 lemongrass stalk (grated or chopped)
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
juice from ½ lime

FISH SAUCE DRESSING: (This will last you a while.)

1 Cup Fish Sauce
1 1/4 Cup Vinegar
1 Cup Water
2 Cups Sugar

Put everything together and stir until sugar dissolves. I mix this in a liquid measuring cup with a spout and then just pour into an empty glass bottle.

CHICKEN:

1) whisk all ingredients together and add to chicken. Allow time to marinate if you can.

2) Grill medium high for 5-7 minutes then reduce heat to medium for another 20-25 minutes.

SCALLION OIL (to drizzle on top):

1-2 stalks of chopped scallions
2-3 tbsp olive oil/oil

Bring oil to a boil in a small sauce pan, add scallions and stir for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

You can serve this with a rice salad: rice, greens, fresh slaw, fish sauce dressing and crushed peanuts. Or stir fry some rice noodles with garlic and scallions. Whatever you eat this with make sure you don't leave out cilantro, peanuts and fish sauce dressing.

Seafood Curry

2011-08-19T21:25:00.002-04:00

Seafood Curry

Anytime there’s a football game, you can guarantee there will be food in the Garner home. I asked Dave what he wanted for the Skins game tonight and surprisingly he was craving curry! Well, you don’t have to twist my arm! Any type of curry is extremely simple and takes no more than 15-20 minutes to prep/cook. It’s even easier if you eat it with rice. Just put the rice in the cooker and have it ready when the curry is done.

2 tilapia fillets (about 8 oz)
1 dozen shrimp
8 oz salmon
1 onion (medium slices)
4 garlic cloves (minced/grated)
1 red pepper (sliced)
1 whole lemongrass stalk (2-3 inch diagonal slices)
¼ cup chopped basil
⅓ cup green curry paste (1/4 if you want a milder broth)
½ cup coconut milk (I use Thai Kitchen avail. most grocers. No preservatives)
1 cup whole milk
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sugar

GARNISH:

julienne cucumbers
bean sprouts
basil
crushed peanuts
Sweet Fish Sauce (1 Cup Fish Sauce, 1 1/4 Cup Vinegar, 1 Cup Water , 2 Cups Sugar)

1) Slice tilapia and salmon into 1 inch cubes or strips. Don’t slice too small or it will fall apart while cooking.

2) Mix the curry paste with the coconut milk, milk, fish sauce and sugar. Set aside.

3) Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet on 80% high. When hot, add onion, garlic, red pepper, lemongrass and seafood. Sear the seafood for about 15 seconds and stir. Do not over stir.

4) Add curry mix and basil to the skillet. Cover and reduce heat to medium low to simmer and allow seafood to finish cooking.

TO SERVE:

Pour over rice, rice noodles or pho noodles and add a generous amount of cucumbers, beans sprouts, crushed peanuts and fresh basil. Also keep some sweet fish sauce dressing on the side to drizzle on top! All you Thai lovers out there should just eat with your eyes closed it’s so good!

Creamy Seafood Saute w/ Basil Tomato Sauce & French Garlic Bread

2011-08-18T20:31:00.003-04:00

Creamy Seafood Saute w/ Basil Tomato Sauce
& French Garlic Bread

Made this for the boys for lunch today. It’s actually very easy and simple to make. I have to admit, everything was very good, but the garlic bread just kicked butt! Maybe it was because I haven't had any in forever. No butter. I just used olive oil and fresh garlic of course. You can use it to mop up leftover sauce too!

SEAFOOD SAUTE

3-4 cups frozen seafood mix (get ours from Sam’s Club)
3 garlic cloves minced/grated
½ onion (diced)
3 tsp salt or to taste
½ tbsp garlic powder
¼ cup red wine
⅛ cup cream or whole milk
⅛ cup vinegar

BASIL TOMATO SAUCE

1 whole onion (diced)
2-3 carrots (diced)
1 red pepper (diced)
4-5 Roma tomatoes
4 garlic cloves (minced/grated)
¼ cup sugar
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
⅓ cup chopped basil leaves
6 ½ cups tomato sauce

GARLIC BREAD

1 loaf french bread
olive oil
2 garlic cloves
garlic powder
salt
Italian seasoning

1) GARLIC BREAD: Preheat oven to 350. Slice bread in half lengthwise. Grate and spread garlic on both halves. Then generously drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle on salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Place on 2nd highest rack in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until crispy on the outside and soft and warm on the inside. (Very little work, yet divinely delicious!)

2) TOMATO SAUCE: Heat olive oil on medium high/high heat in an extra large skillet or pan. Stir in garlic, onion, carrots, red pepper and tomatoes. Add enough oil to prevent garlic from burning. Reduce heat and continue to stir veggies until they are soft. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil then simmer until you are ready to plate.

3) SEAFOOD: Add olive oil, garlic and onions to a skillet. Stir for 30 seconds then add frozen seafood and cook until juices are released. Add the rest of the ingredients along with ½ cup of tomato sauce and simmer for a few more minutes.

To serve, toss pasta with tomato sauce, place in a bowl then spoon seafood on top. Garnish with basil slivers, crushed red peppers and Parmesan cheese.

**Start the pasta first and have it cooking while you work on the rest of the meal.

Grilled Lobster w/ Muenster Mash, Stir Fried Veggies & Watercress Salad

2011-08-17T15:33:00.000-04:00

Grilled Lobster w/ Muenster Mash, Stir Fried Veggies & Watercress Salad

Here’s a nice dinner we made during our stay in Hilton Head, SC. While there may seem to be a lot of components to this dish, it’s really simple to make. You can do the sauces first just to get them out of the way. I like to grill the lobster and boil the potatoes at the same time, since it takes the longest time to cook. Meanwhile, you can chop and saute the red peppers and onions for the mash. When you do this often, you can have 2-3 things going at once. But if you’re not comfortable with this, you can just follow the list in order. Have fun making this!

WATERCRESS SALAD

1 bunch or bag of watercress
1 tomato (diced)
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup vinegar
⅛ cup olive oil
crushed red pepper or black pepper

Make the sauce and chill until you are ready to eat. When you are ready to plate, toss with watercress and tomatoes. Place this on top of the lobster as an edible garnish.

TOMATO WHITE WINE DIPPING SAUCE:

1 tomato (diced)
½ onion (diced)
1-2 garlic cloves (grated)
⅓ cup white wine
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup olive oil
crushed red pepper
basil slivers

Mix white wine, vinegar, olive oil with sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Heat ⅛ cup olive oil in a skillet to 80% high. Add tomato, and onion. Stir to blend with the oil and leave it alone for 1 minute or so to allow the tomato and onion to caramelize. Add the garlic during the last minute of cooking. Remove from heat. When cooled, combine with the white wine mix and add basil and crushed red pepper according to your preference.

MUENSTER MASH:

red potatoes (about 3-4 per person)
1 onion (diced)
1 red pepper (diced)
3 garlic cloves (grated)
½ tbsp garlic powder
milk (add enough to bring the mashed potatoes to the right consistency)
4 slices of muenster cheese (The best cheese ever!!! It’s like mozzarella & swiss combined!)
olive oil
salt

Bring water in a large pot to boil. Add a couple tbsp of salt and potatoes then cover. Cook long enough for it to feel extremely tender (almost mushy) when you insert a fork. While the potatoes are cooking, chop onions and red peppers and saute with 1 tsp salt, olive oil, garlic powder and garlic until soft. When the potatoes are done, drain and return to pot. Using a masher or a metal spatula, mash the potatoes according to your desired preference. (We like ours mainly smooth with some lumps.) Add the red pepper, onions, milk , some salt and stir. Finally, add cheese and stir to melt.

LOBSTERS:

Rinse and pat dry lobster tails. Coat with olive oil and grill on medium high for the first few minutes then medium for the remainder of the time. It should take about 20-25 minutes depending on the weight. Let it sit for a few minutes before you plate. Use a pair of kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut a slit lengthwise down the body to make it easier to pry open the lobster. If you don’t want to get your hands dirty during the meal, you can remove the meat prior to plating.

STIR FRIED VEGGIES:

green beans
red peppers
onions
1 garlic clove (grated)
salt
olive oil

Heat olive oil in skillet on medium high. Add veggies, garlic and salt and stir fry for 5-8 minutes until cooked but still crispy.

(can also use snap peas, mushrooms, zucchini, squash)

Cinna-tella Belgian Waffles w/ Berry Syrup

2011-08-17T15:31:00.000-04:00

Cinna-tella Belgian Waffles w/ Berry Syrup

Nutella + Cinnamon + Belgian Waffle = Big Smiley Face! We were all smiles in the Garner house this morning! This is an insanely easy breakfast. I don’t think it even took me 15 minutes.

(Makes 2 large Belgian Waffles)

2 eggs
1 cup milk
4 tbsp Nutella
3 tbsp sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 tsp cinnamon

BERRY SYRUP:

1 cup frozen berries (blueberry, blackberry, raspberry)
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp vinegar

1) Whisk eggs, milk, Nutella, and sugar in a mixing bowl.
2) Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and stir until well blended.
3) Add batter to heated waffle maker.
4) Place berries, sugar and vinegar in a glass bowl and microwave for 1 -1 ½ minute.

This is superb as a dessert as well! Just add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with berry syrup!

Kung Pao Spring Rolls (Vegetarian)

2011-08-02T11:14:00.000-04:00

Kung Pao Spring Rolls (Vegetarian)

SPRING ROLLS:

1 pack of rice paper wraps
shredded red/green cabbage
thin red pepper strips
cilantro
edamame
1 pack of extra firm tofu (marinate with hoisin or sweet chili spring roll sauce)
mixed greens or green leaf lettuce

KUNG PAO SAUCE:

½ cup hoisin
¼ cup sesame oil
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup water
3-4 scallion stalks (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
½-1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp crushed red pepper

1) TOFU: Drain and pat dry tofu. Cut horizontally into ¼ -⅓ of an inch slices. Pat dry again. Sprinkle with salt and marinate with chopped scallions, minced garlic and either a hoisin or sweet chili sauce. Add oil to a non-stick pan and pan fry on medium high until the tofu caramelizes on both sides. Allow to cool then slice into strips.

2) SAUCE: Add a couple tbsps of olive oil to a non-stick pan and heat on medium high. Add garlic, ginger and scallions and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the remainder of the ingredients and stir until completely blended. Remove from heat to cool. You can also add crushed peanuts to the sauce. It adds great texture and flavor.

3) SPRING ROLLS: Combine all the greens into one large bowl. Fill a large pot or bowl with water to dip the rice paper in. Quickly wet the rice paper in the bowl and shake off excess water. Place it on a chopping board or clean counter. Add a small handful of greens, strips of tofu and edamame to the side nearest you and start rolling away from you. When you’re half way through the wrap, fold the left and right sides in and finish rolling.

Blueberry French Toast Bagel

2011-07-29T12:13:00.002-04:00

Blueberry French Toast Bagel

2 blueberry bagels (can also use plain or whole wheat)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/8 cup sugar in eggs
pinch of salt
1/8 cup sugar (for egg mixture)
1/8 cup sugar (for blueberries)
1/2 cup blueberries

1) Preheat oven to 375. Separate the bagels and poke holes on both the inside and outside with a fork.

2) In a shallow baking dish mix the eggs, milk, ⅛ cup sugar and a pinch of salt. Add the bagels to the mixture. Flip constantly and soak while the oven is preheating.

3) Spray non-stick or add oil to a skillet and heat on medium high. Briefly fry both sides of the bagels and place in baking dish.

4) In a bowl, coat the blueberries with ⅛ cup of sugar and place on top of bagels. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

(I think Liem nominated me for Mommy of The Year with this one! Isn't that what life's all about? Enjoy!)

Jerk Chicken w/ Peach Chutney & Jalapeno Corn Slaw

2011-07-21T10:50:00.001-04:00

Jerk Chicken w/ Peach Chutney & Jalapeno Corn Slaw

JERK CHICKEN

approx. 3.5 lbs split chicken breasts
1 tbsp olive oil
½ lime (juice)
1 jalapeno (sliced or diced- You can omit if you have kids or substitute w/ 2-3 tsp cayenne)
¼ cup cilantro (chopped)
4 garlic cloves (finely minced, preferably grated)
½ - 1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp salt
1 ½ tbsp Italian seasoning (oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil)
½ tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp cloves
½ tsp cinnamon

PEACH CHUTNEY

2 very ripe peaches (skin peeled)
1/2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
¼ cup tomatoes (diced)
½ tsp crushed red peppers

JALAPENO CORN SLAW

4 corn cobs (cooked)
2-3 cups of green & red cabbage (mandolin sliced)
cilantro (roughly chopped)
1 tomato (diced)
1-2 stalks of scallions (chopped)
1-2 jalapenos (sliced or diced-2 if you like it spicy!)
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup white vinegar
⅛ cup olive oil
pinch of salt

1) CHICKEN: Add wet ingredients to chicken. Combine all dry ingredients and add to chicken. Rub Rub and Rub! Try to get access to every surface. If you find a flap or pocket between the rib bones and the breast, rub there as well. If you’re in a rush, you can get straight to cooking the chicken. If not, allow chicken to sit for a couple to a few hours.

To cook chicken, preheat oven to 325. Add some oil to a pan and heat on medium high. When the pan is hot, add chicken skin side down and sear for 1-2 minutes on each side. Do not sear chicken until the oven is ready. If you have a piece of chicken that is noticeably larger than the others, you can cook it in the pan another minute or so to allow even cooking. Bake chicken for 35-40 minutes depending on size. Loosely cover chicken with foil for 5-10 minutes after you take it out. If you baked for 40 minutes, tent for only 5 minutes. The longer you bake the chicken, the less time you tent.

2) CHUTNEY: While chicken is baking, cut the peaches in half and peel off skin. You can only do this if the peaches are really ripe (it can even be almost mushy). If you can’t, just use a pairing knife. Cut the peaches into small cubes. Add just a tad of olive oil or non-stick spray to a sauce pan on medium high heat and add all ingredients. Stir, then reduce heat and alllow to simmer for a few minutes until peaches soften and juices are released. Set aside to cool.

3) SLAW: While the chicken is in the oven and the chutney is simmering you can prep your slaw ingredients. (I absolutely love overlap cooking!! It makes gourmet meals during the week possible!) Cook the corn cobs whichever way you’d like. Just don’t boil them. I like to pop them in the microwave with the husks and everything on for 7-8 minutes. Just rotate and flip them around half way through to make sure they cook evenly. Allow the corn to cool before slicing and combining with the other ingredients. Place corn, cabbage, jalapenos, cilantro, scallions, and tomatoes in a large bowl. In a small bowl, add olive oil, vinegar, sugar, a pinch of salt and mix. Refrigerate both bowls until the chicken has finished cooking. When you’re ready to eat, pour the dressing into the bowl and stir.

NOTES:

-I like to remove the bones and slice the chicken into ½ inch slices. It’s so tender when you eat it this way. Leftovers taste even better!

-You can tailor the spiciness according to your tolerance. If you have kids but love to eat spicy foods like me, you can have a side of pickled jalapenos to add to everything. That way everyone is happy! To make pickled jalapenos, just add a 1:1 ratio of vinegar to sugar and placed sliced or diced jalapenos in the juice and refrigerate. Just keep adding jalapenos and replenishing the juice. The longer you keep it, the spicier it gets!!

-Vegetarians: Substitute chicken with black beans, avocado, and pan-seared plantains.

Summer Chicken Chili w/ Creamy Tomato Sauce

2011-07-21T10:41:00.002-04:00

Summer Chicken Chili w/ Creamy Tomato Sauce

What do you do when you feel like chili but it’s too hot outside? Have beans? Have veggies? Have chicken? Make summer chili!!

CHICKEN:

3.5 lbs of split chicken breasts
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp olive oil

BEAN SALAD:

3-4 cups cooked red beans
3-4 celery stalks (rough chopped)
3 green peppers (rough chopped)
½ large onion (rough chopped)
1 cup grape tomatoes (cut in half)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
cilantro (chopped)
2 tsp salt

TOMATO SAUCE:

½- ¾ cup grape tomatoes
½ onion (diced)
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup sugar
pinch of salt

1) CHICKEN: Add all ingredients to chicken and marinate until you’re ready to cook.

To cook chicken, preheat oven to 325. Add some oil to a pan and heat on medium high. When the pan is hot, add chicken skin side down and sear for 1-2 minutes on each side. Do not sear chicken until the oven is ready. If you have a piece of chicken that is noticeably larger than the others, you can cook it in the pan another minute or so to allow even cooking. Bake chicken for 35-40 minutes depending on size. Remove chicken and cover with foil. When the chicken has cooled, peel off the bones and cut into large cubes.

2) BEAN SALAD: I prefer cooking my own beans instead of buying them canned. Once you cook your own beans, it’s kind of hard to buy canned. The texture is completely different. Cooking them yourself really doesn’t take that much time, as long as you are overlapping it with other tasks. So if you’re going to marinate the chicken for a while, you can cook your beans during this time. If you plan on cooking your chicken right away, you can do this step first. Therefore, while the beans are simmering, you can prep the chicken.

Add 2 cups of dried beans to a large pot along with 1 tbsp each of salt and garlic powder. Fill with water up to ¾ full and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 15 or so minutes until the beans are soft but not mushy. Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.

Quickly stir fry green peppers, celery, onions, garlic, and tomatoes with olive oil on medium high heat for a couple of minutes. Add this to your beans, toss and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

3) TOMATO SAUCE: Saute tomatoes and onions with olive oil until tomatoes are soft. In a blender, add tomatoes, onions and the rest of the ingredients (except cilantro) and puree until smooth. Add cilantro and pour into a bowl.

To serve, combine all ingredients and toss.

NOTES:

- This also pairs great with whole wheat penne pasta. Just double the sauce so you’ll have some to drizzle on the pasta too.

-Vegetarians: Substitute chicken with avocados or grilled tofu (cube extra firm tofu, toss with olive oil, salt and grill).

Salmon Satay Skewers w/ Napa Salad & Thai Cucumber Sauce

2011-07-12T14:03:00.002-04:00

Salmon Satay Skewers w/ Napa Salad

& Thai Cucumber Sauce

Here's another recipe at your request and will also be found in Summer Body Salads. This is bold, flavorful and refreshing at the same time! Enjoy!

P.S. Please don't be mad at me if your six pack comes back!

SALAD: Sliced Napa Cabbage, Red & Green Cabbage, Tomatoes, Bamboo Shoots, Snow Peas, 2 Red Peppers, 1 Large Onion, 1 Lime

SALMON MARINADE:

1/2 cup coconut milk (shake/stir before adding)
2 tbsp curry powder
4 garlic cloves minced or grated
1 tbs garlic powder
3/4 - 1 tsp salt
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tsp red curry paste
2 tsp galangal powder

THAI CUCUMBER SAUCE: (Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to eat.)

1/4 cup minced cucumber (peeled and pitted)
1/4 cup crushed peanuts
1/8 cup minced onions
1/2 tbsp crushed red pepper
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tbsp chopped basil
3/4-1 cup fish sauce vinaigrette
1 tbsp vinegar

Preheat oven to 350. Then bake snow peas for 8 minutes.

Cube 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. of salmon and add to marinade. If you're in a rush, you can grill this right away. But it's best if you leave this for one hour to a few hours to allow the salmon time to really soak in the spices. While salmon is marinating, prep your salad and sauce.

Preheat grill to medium and skewer salmon cubes alternating with cubes of red peppers and onions. Place skewers on greased grill and grill for about 3-5 minutes per side.

Let the salmon sit for a couple of minutes before plating on top of salad.

Garnish with extra cilantro, basil, crushed peanuts and lime wedges.

Notes:

Any type of rice will also taste great with this dish (brown, white or sticky).

Spinach Crab Cakes w/ Strawberry Asparagus Salad

2011-07-12T13:12:00.001-04:00

Spinach Crab Cakes w/ Strawberry Asparagus Salad

I LOVE salads and I LOVE seafood. In the summer, that's pretty much all I eat. This is probably one of the cleanest crab cakes you will ever eat! No butter or cream added! Even the egg yolk from the egg is tossed out. And trust me, you won't miss any of it! This along with many other healthy and delicious recipes will be featured in Summer Body Salads, one of my e-cookbooks I am working on at the moment to help you cut out the carbs and starch and still get your eat on!

Salad: spinach, spring mix, asparagus, fresh strawberries, roasted pecans, feta

Crab Cakes

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp basil
2 tsp old bay
1 egg white
1 heaping handful of spinach, coursely chopped
1/2 red pepper (sliced into slivers with mandolin)
1 lb Lump Crab Meat

Makes 4 Crab Cakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (If you don't already have pecans that are already roasted, you can place them on a baking sheet and into the oven while it is preheating. Just set the timer for 12 minutes. You can also place them in the microwave for 1 minute towards the end. This is a great alternative when you are short on time. Obviously oven roasted pecans are better.)

In a mixing bowl, mix all ingredients except for the crab meat. Then gently fold the meat into the mixture. You want to do a good enough job incorporating the meat without mashing it up. Spray a baking sheet with a non-stick spray. To form the crab cakes, find a small plastic or metal bowl that will allow you to pack about one cup of meat into it. You should be able to make 4 heaping crab cakes from this. Since we're not using any cream, mayo or melted butter which adds a great amount of stickiness (and also calories), don't be afraid to really pack it in. Once packed, quickly flip your bowl onto the baking sheet and remove the bowl without disturbing your crab lump. It's ok if you mess up a few times. Just repack and try it again. Bake crab cakes for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop off approximately one inch off the bottoms of the asparagus. Then cut them in half and place in boiling water for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. During this time, place 2-3 cups of ice in a mixing bowl and fill it with water. When the color changes from pale green to deep green, you can remove the asparagus with a strainer or strain the pot, then immediately place it into the ice bath. Once it is chilled, drain and set aside.

Prepare the dressing while the asparagus is in the ice bath. Once the crab cakes are done, let them sit for a couple of minutes while you plate your salad.

Boil the asparagus for 1 1/2-2 minutes. Drain. Then place in an ice bath until chilled. Drain again and set aside in a colander.

Combine all salad ingredients and finally, place crab cakes on top!

Blackberry Wine Vinaigrette

1/2 cup Manischewitz blackberry wine (In most grocery stores. Can also substitute blackberry juice)
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
red pepper flakes
Italian seasoning/oregano
Kirkland Organic No Salt Seasoning (you can omit or substitute with any all purpose spice blend)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pecan & Coconut Nutella Cookies

2011-07-11T17:47:00.002-04:00

Hello my dear friends! I'm sorry for the lack of yummy posts. I assure you there is no slacking on my end! I'm currently working on multiple e cookbooks for Amazon Kindle and Kindle apps while chasing a curious and active 18 month old around the house. In fact, the pic for this one was cropped of tiny fingers reaching over to grab one of the cookies screaming to be eaten! I feel so blessed to be where I'm at in life right now and really want to share as much of who I am with whoever needs my help, advice or ideas on food and cooking.

As requested, here are the recipes for my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pecan and Coconut Nutella cookies. By the way, I will always do my best to post any requested recipe while I'm working on the cookbooks. You will just have to be a tad patient!

Plain Cookie Dough Batter- I always like to make different types of cookies at one time. Instead of doing the same steps multiple times, I just make one super large cookie dough batter that I split up and add different ingredients to. Makes it possible to make multiple types of cookies in one sitting! It's great when you have cookie monsters in your home who are each craving a different type of cookie! If this is too much for you, you can cut all the measurements in half.

4 1/2 cup white or fine wheat flour (like King Arthur's)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
4 sticks softened butter

Yields 5 cups of dough and approximately 4 dozen cookies.

In an electric mixer, cream the butter with sugar, salt, and baking soda. Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time alternating with one cup of flour. Scrape the bowl with a spatula as needed. Divide the batter in half by removing 2 1/2 cups of dough.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Preheat oven to 375.

2 1/2 cups plain cookie dough
1 1/2 cup regular oatmeal (for softer, less dense cookies, use 1/2 to 3/4 cup)
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup pecans

In an electric mixer, add oatmeal, chocolate chips, and pecans to the cookie dough and stir until well mixed. Use an ice cream scoop to transfer dough on to a greased baking sheet. (I like to use a metal spatula and slightly pat the top of each mound to flatten it a bit since the oatmeal stiffens the dough.) Bake for 12-13 minutes depending on your oven type and how crispy or soft you like your cookies.

Coconut Nutella Cookies

2 1/2 cups plain cookie dough
3/4 cup Nutella spread
1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened) (you can add another 1/4 cup if you really really love coconut)

Preheat oven to 375.

In an electric mixer, add the Nutella to the plain cookie dough and stir at medium low speed until completely mixed. Add the shredded coconut and slowly stir until just barely mixed so you don't pack the coconut into the dough. Use an ice cream scoop to transfer dough onto a greased baking sheet.

Keep the dough in round mounds with at least 1 1/2 inches of space. They will spread out quickly while baking, which will give the cookies a light crispy texture.

Bake for approximately 12 minutes.

Notes:

1) You can use whole wheat flour and double the fiber without anyone noticing the difference.

2) No more boring sugar cookies to give as gifts! Be creative! To your plain cookie dough batter, you can try adding chopped apples, butterscotch and pecans or grated carrots, walnuts and white chocolate chips!!

Mango Sticky Rice

2010-08-22T14:05:00.003-04:00

Mango Sticky Rice

Sorry I've been MIA for a while. Started catering weekly dinners for my girlfriend and her friends and it took some time to organize the menu (of course you know I had to take pics of all the dishes too). But I'm back with a dessert recipe that will make you fall in love with mangoes and sticky rice if you're not already.

Next to Vietnamese, Thai food would have to be my second favorite food to cook. They really know what they're doing with the sticky rice and coconut milk. Coconut milk has a magical way of making ordinary foods taste super extraordinary. Like ice tea? Add coconut milk. Like curry? Add coconut milk. Like ice cream? Add coconut milk. Like sticky rice? Add coconut milk. And that's exactly what we've done here with this Mango Sticky Rice dessert.

Don't even think of making this without a sticky rice steamer. I've tried using a rice cooker and it turns out mushy. You have to be dead on with how much water you put in it and since sticky rice is not cheap, I'd rather do it the right way the first time. You can find steamers at most Asian stores and also Ai's Kitchen Store They're ridiculously inexpensive too.

Ingredients:

3 Cups Sticky Rice (much cheaper and more available at Asian stores)
2 Cans Coconut Milk (Stick to Asian brands. ChaoKoh is the best. No Goya.)
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Ripe Mangoes
Sesame Seeds
Shredded Coconut

STEP 1: Place the rice in a large mixing bowl and fill it with water. Soak for 1 hour.

STEP 2: Fill the steamer pot with water about 2 inches high. Hold your bamboo steamer basket over the sink and pour the rice with the water into it. You will be using it as a strainer. Then place the basket on top of the pot. Just make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the basket or else you will be cooking instead of steaming. Cover the basket and steam for about 30 minutes. Your rice is done when it turns translucent. If you still see white on the ends of the grains, keep steaming for a few more minutes.

STEP 3: While the rice is steaming you can prep the mangoes and coconut sauce. Peel, cut and slice mangoes lengthwise. (How to cut a mango.) If you're making this for a party, you can place slices on a plate/platter and fan it out in a pretty layout.

STEP 4: Place coconut milk and sugar in a pot and heat for a couple of minutes, just enough to dissolve sugar. Set aside.

STEP 5: Combine rice with approximately 3/4 of the coconut mixture, blend with a spoon. It's hard to go wrong with this step. Even if you put too much coconut milk, the rice will absorb it once it sets. Place rice in a rectangular pan. The larger the pan, the thinner the rice will be. I like mine to be between 3/4 -1 inch thick. Let the rice cool and set. Once it's cooled, sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds.

STEP 6: To serve, just cut the rice like you would a brownie pan. Drizzle some coconut sauce on the plate, then place rice on top of it. Add mangoes either on top or to the side, then garnish with shredded coconut and coconut sauce.