The Blue Iguana Cafe

Bacon and Cheese Fritatta

2011-09-08T06:22:00.000-07:00

A fritatta is sort of an omelet. This dish gives the cook a chance to be creative because you can add
whatever you have in the kitchen. Veggies, seafood, meat, cheeses, etc. The recipe below is but a blue print. You may omit or add items according to your tastes. Enjoy!

Ingredients

6 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, butter, salt and pepper. Pour into a greased 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with onions, bacon and cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Dinner in Ten Minutes : Ramen Noodle Stirfry

2011-09-05T01:54:00.000-07:00

This recipe can be made using whatever leftover meats you have in the fridge, or you may opt to use only the vegetables. To add an extra zing, you may top the finished dish with cubed pineapples.

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 packets of Ramen noodles
1 cup frozen vegetables
(Optional) Left over Cooked chicken, shrimps, or sausage slices
Dash of low sodium soy sauce
Small can pineapple chunks, optional

Preparation:

1. Put the Ramen noodles into a pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Drain well.

2. Over medium heat, add one tablespoon Canola oil to skillet. Let oil get hot, then add the Ramen noodles, vegetables and chicken, shrimp or sausage slices, if desired.

3. Sprinkle one seasoning packet, and soy sauce over the top of the mixture. Cook until the vegetables are warm.

4. Plate. Top with pineapples and serve.

Wonton Soup

2011-08-29T09:08:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 bunch green onions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, divided
6 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 egg
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (16 ounce) package wonton wrappers
8 cups chicken broth
16 uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
1 medium head bok choy, torn into 2-inch pieces
16 snow peas
1 dash soy sauce, or to taste (optional)
1 dash sesame oil, to taste (optional)
Directions
1. Dice the green onions, and set aside all but 1 tablespoon. Slice the mushrooms, and set aside all but 1 tablespoon. Finely chop the 1 tablespoon of green onions and 1 tablespoon of sliced mushrooms, and place in a bowl with the ground pork, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, egg, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Stir to thoroughly mix the pork filling.
2. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the pork filling onto the center of each wonton wrapper. Use your finger or a pastry brush to lightly moisten the edges of the wonton wrappers with water. Fold one corner of the wrapper over the filling onto the opposite corner to form a triangle. Press the edges together to seal. Moisten the two long ends of the triangle, fold them together, and press them firmly to seal.
3. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Drop the wontons, one by one, into the broth, and let them cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until they float to the surface. Reduce heat to a simmer, and gently stir in the shrimp, bok choy, and reserved sliced mushrooms. Let the soup simmer 2 more minutes, until the shrimp turn pink, and then drop in the snow pea pods. Garnish with the remaining green onions and a dash of soy sauce and sesame oil, and serve immediately.

2011-08-29T08:20:00.000-07:00

I have always loved to cook. It is my passion. I have cooked in restaurants for the past fifteen years. I was inspired to try the recipe below, in part by my mother. I noticed that for a while now, she has added sweet potatoes, instead of white potatoes with her roasted meats. I was browsing a cook book and came across this recipe. It is a great choice for a Sunday dinner. The lime and sweet potatoes work really well together. The sweet potatoes can be peeled or skin left on. The recipe comes from the book: Greatest Ever Thai Cookbook. I added an onion to this recipe, because the flavor goes well against the sweet potatoes. Cook. Experiment. Eat. Enjoy.

Roasted Lime Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic, 2 finely chopped and 2 bruised but left whole

Small bunch coriander (cilantro), with roots, coarsely chopped
1 large white onion
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 in piece fresh turmeric
1 roasting chicken, about 3 1/4 pounds
1 lime, cut in half
4 medium/large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thick wedges
1¼ cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tbsp soy sauce
Salt and ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 375ºF
Calculate the cooking time for the chicken, allowing 20 minutes per pound plus 20 minutes.
Using a mortar and pestle or food processor, grind the chopped garlic, coriander, 2 tsp salt and turmeric to a paste.
Place the chicken in a roasting pan and smear it with the paste.
Squeeze the lime juice over and place the lime halves, onion, and garlic cloves in the cavity.
Cover with foil and roast in the oven.
Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and par-boil the sweet potatoes for 10-15 minutes, until just tender.
Drain well and place them around the chicken in the roasting pan.
Baste with the cooking juices and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Replace the foil and return the chicken to the oven.
About 20 minutes before the end of cooking, remove the foil and baste the chicken.
Turn the sweet potatoes over.
At the end of the calculated roasting time, check that the chicken is cooked.
Lift it out of the roasting pan, tip it so that all the juices collected in the cavity drain into the pan, then place the bird on a carving board.
Cover it with tented foil and leave it to rest before carving.
Transfer the sweet potatoes to a serving dish and keep them hot in the oven while you make the gravy.
Pour away the oil from the roasting pan but keep the juices.
Place the roasting pan on top of the stove and heat until the juices are bubbling.
Pour in the stock.
Bring the mixture to the boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and scraping the base of the pan to incorporate the residue.
Stir in the soy sauce and check the seasoning before straining the gravy into a jug (pitcher).
Serve it with the carved meat and the sweet potatoes.