Asian Salmon with Brown Rice

I made this dish since I'm trying to eat healthier. One of my friends said he'd quit smoking cigarettes if I get to a certain weight so there should be some healthier recipes coming up. Of course I'll still make desserts and give them away. Sorry for those of you who don't live by me.

This recipe is a whitney klein original. It's great with fish and chicken. Feel free to make white rice instead of brown rice. Another great quick side is cous cous but I'll be making that a different day. Another healthy side dish is stemmed or roasted vegetables.

Tips for buying the Salmon: buy a large fillet and portion the pieces at home. Try to make even portions and cut the fish with long slices all in the same direction, really use the length of the knife cuz you don't want to tear up the fish. Ask the worker at the fish counter to let you smell the fish. It should smell like the sea or like nothing. if it smells fishy, it'll taste fishy and gross. If the worker won't let you smell the fish, go buy some steaks or chicken instead. Ask the worker to also remove all the pin bones. This is a tedious task that I let the experts do.

The best part of this meal is that it's healthy so you can eat more of it!

Salmon Marinade:
1/4-1/3 cup Soy Sauce (if using low sodium add some salt before placing fish under broiler)
1/4 cup teriyaki marinade/sauce
2 tbs. rice vinegar
1/2-1 lime
1 tsp dry thyme
1/4 cup pineapple juice

Directions:
1. combine all ingredients together in a plastic bag and add salmon. Remove as much air as possible and coat fish well with marinade. Place bag into a baking dish so in case the bag punctures or breaks you don't get stuff all over your fridge! Marinate for 2-4 hours.

(2-4 hours later)

Preheat Broiler

1. Spray foil lined sheet pan with pam non-stick spray. Place salmon on to sheet pan. (foil makes clean up super easy so don't forget it!!!)

2. Cook instant brown rice according to package directions. should take 10-15 minuts to cook.

2. While cooking rice, place fish 6 inches under broiler for 6-7 minutes or until flesh looks cooked and bounces back when you touch it lightly. Make sure to rotate pan while cooking for a more even doneness

3. serve a piece of salmon with a good helping of rice and some lime wedges.


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Garlic Shrimp Risotto

This risotto is great to make because it uses pantry/freezer staples and is really filling. It only takes about a half hour and gives a lot of rich flavor for not too much fat.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup arborio rice
4 cups chicken stock
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 large onion, chopped
10-12 shrimp (frozen and thawed or fresh)
1 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs butter
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

serves 2

Directions:
1. Place chicken stock in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer.

2. In another large saute pan add olive oil. Add thinly sliced garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add shrimp to pan and saute 1 minute then flip and cook another minute. Remove shrimp and garlic from pan and set aside.

3. Add butter to pan that shrimp was cooked in and melt. Add onions and a pinch of salt, cook on low heat until translucent.

4. Add rice and a small pinch of salt and allow to cook with butter and onions for 3 minutes. You want rice to brown a little but not burn! try to stir a lot so it won't burn.

5. Add 2 ladelfuls of warm stock to pan. It will bubble violently but don't worry just keep stirring.

6. The trick to a good risotto is to keep adding stock when the rice has absorbed what was already added. Keep stirring! It'll take about 20 minutes to add all the stock. When most of the stock is added start tasting the rice to make sure it's tender and cooked.

7. Once rice is finished, add Parmesan cheese and stir. Then stir in cooked shrimp and garlic.

8. Serve and garnish with snipped chives or parsley and extra cheese.

This meal could be used as a side dish because it tastes good warm as well as at room temp. It is also really filling and can totally pass as a main dish. Want to add some veggies? Here are some suggestions: broccoli, peas, green beans, and artichoke hearts. Once you get the basic idea of risotto feel free to play around with different meats and veggies to create different flavors and textures.

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Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

When I was growing up I hated this meal but now I love it. I don't know why or how but I don't care because I love it. It's great as a family meal and just as good the next day as leftovers. To make sure this meal hits the table with both dishes hot: first make meatloaf and place in oven. 15 minutes into cooking, turn on water for potatoes.

Ingredients:
1 lb. Ground Beef
2 Slices soft white bread
¼ cup Milk
1 (4 oz.) can Mushrooms (stems and pieces)
1 Egg
Couple of plops of Ketchup
½/ dry pkg of Onion Soup Mix

Preheat oven to 350

1. In a large bowl, beat egg with a fork. Add milk and bread crumbs. Stir to mix.

2. Dump in rest of ingredients and stir to mix well

3. Place mixture into a baking dish and cook for at least 45 minutes.

Mashed Potatoes
3 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped (the smaller the chop the faster they cook but don't make them super tiny either or you'll get mush not mash)
butter
milk
salt and pepper

1. Add potatoes to pan of cold water. Add a good pinch of salt and turn the temp up to make the water boil.

2. After about 20-30 minutes the potatoes should be done. Test for doneness by seeing if they are fork tender. Strain potatoes.

3. Using a masher, combine the potatoes, milk and butter. (Use enough milk to moisten but don't make potatoes runny)

4. Add salt and pepper to taste.

* for a fancy twist on the potatoes: wrap a whole head of garlic (paper on) in tin foil and make a small cup keeping the top open. Pour about a tablespoon olive oil over garlic and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast in the 350 oven for 30 minutes or until cloves are mushy to touch. Take out and allow to cool before squeezing the garlic cloves out of the paper. (pinch top to bottom action like toothpaste tube squeeze) Mash cooked garlic into potatoes will adding milk and butter.

Broccoli Soup

I first made this soup for a Shea Center dinner. The Chef and I made it the day before and asked a co-worker to bring it to the party because there was no room in the refrigerator. The next day our co-worker stomped on the brakes to avoid a car on the way over and our soup went all over her car. We had to remake the soup as quickly as possible since we were already doing so many other dishes. But a lesson is always learned.... it doesn't matter what happens along the way as long as the dish hits the table.

This is a great soup for when your sick (like I am now), for a dinner party, or as a make ahead dish. As long as you like broccoli you'll like this dish because it's simple and easy to make.

Ingredients:
1 Large head of broccoli- cut into florets
about 4 shallots (could use onions but shallots are much better)
1 Tbsp. butter
4-6 cups chicken stock
1 cup or container of creme fraiche. this is the creamy element in the dish (see note)

Directions:
1. Peel and thinly slice shallots. place into a large pan over medium heat with butter. Allow to cook about 15 minutes or until shallots are caramelized.

2. Add broccoli to pan and allow to cook another 4-5 minutes.

3. Add chicken stock to cover about 3/4 of the broccoli. Cover pan and allow to cook 10 to 15 minutes or until broccoli is tender.

4. Remove pan from heat and puree in a blender. (put a dish towel over lid of blender because hot liquids have a tendency to explode in the blender)

5. Return soup to pan and stir in creamy element of soup.

6. Now is a good time to taste. This is the time to season with salt and pepper. Go easy on salt because most chicken stocks are salty.

6. If you want a little extra kick you can add a few dabs of hot sauce or a pinch of paprika or red chili flakes. A little goes a long way!

7. For a nice presentation, put a dollop of the creamy element into each bowl of soup and swirl around in a circular motion with a toothpick.


NOTE: substitutions for creamy element in soup if you don't want to buy or can't find creme fraiche: marscapone cheese, heavy cream, half and half. you can always use a combination of these as well. These will all change the texture and the flavor of the soup slightly but since broccoli is the star, it'll be ok.

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Crescent Cookies

I'm not really sure where this recipe comes from. Well I do know I got it from my mom's recipe binder in the kitchen. But I'm not sure if this comes from my dad's side or mom's side. My Dad told me that his mom (my grandma klein) made them for him. But I also remember where I first tasted one and it was at my Grandpa's (mom's dad, bilek) house on Christmas. So I don't really know but wherever this recipe came from, it's delicious!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb softened butter (2 sticks)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups sifted flour
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or mix or pecans and walnuts)
1 tsp. salt

1. Place nuts into a dry saute pan and roast over very low heat. Make sure the nuts don't burn by keeping them moving. This only takes a few minutes. Once finished roasting, chop finely.

2. Place room temp butter and powdered sugar in a mixer. Combine together until well combined.

3. Add vanilla, flour, nuts, and salt.

4. Mix and refrigerate dough for 15-30 minutes

5. Take a tablespoon amount of dough and shape it into crescent or C shapes. (cold dough is easier to shape into crescents)

6. In pre-heated 350 oven bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until edges of cookies are slightly browned.

7. Allow cookeis to cool off of baking sheet

8. Cover outside of cookies in powdered sugar. Either dip cookie into a bowl of powdered sugar or sift powdered sugar over top.

I really like making these cookies as a holiday cookie. My Dad asks for them all the time which is why I made this batch! So whether it's from my Klein side or my Bilek side, I know that these are delicious cookies that everyone will be asking for in many years to come.

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Pumpkin Pie

Oh pumpkin pie, my favorite pie, how I love you.

Pumpkin pie is one of those things that is really fitting one time of year. So to me pumpkin pie is the signal of fall. Even though canned pumpkin is available all year I find myself only craving pumpkin pie around the start of school and thanksgiving. I love making it because it always seems impressive. I always hear "wow, you made that from scratch?" If your ever looking to impress relatives or friends I suggest giving this recipe a try.

ingredients:

Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (don't get these two mixed up!)
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon cold butter
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Pie Filling
2 eggs
1 can Pumpkin Pie (2 cups or 1 pound)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 2/3 cups evaporated milk or light cream

Directions
Preheat oven to 425

For the Crust
Combine flour and salt into a bowl. Cut in butter thoroughly (use a fork to break butter into flour, aim for pea size chunks. try not to over work) sprinkle in water a little at a time until dough is moistened and dough almost cleans side of bowl. Form dough into a disk and wrap dough in plastic wrap. Allow dough to rest in fridge 30-45 minutes. This will lead to a flaky crust.

After resting, roll out dough on a well floured surface. Make sure it is big enough to cover the pie pan. Place the dough in a buttered 9 inch pie pan and trim edges of extra dough. If there are missing spots go ahead and patch them up with any extra dough. Using a fork poke small holes into the bottom of the crust. For a fancy look crimp the edges of the pie by making impressions with the tines of the fork, going around the pie edge.

For the Filling
Beat eggs slightly with a fork. Beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into prepared pastry lined pan. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake 45 minutes longer. To test doneness insert a toothpick into the center of the pie and make sure it comes out clean. Cool on counter top and then place into fridge for a few hours to chill completely. Best served with whipped cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the same cookies I've been making since I was in elementary school. I first had to make them with my mom since she didn't trust me to do it alone. After a few times I tried making the dough by myself so I could eat some. I threw some of the ingredients I remembered into a bowl like eggs, flour, butter, and sugar then ate the resulting concoction. I can still taste that horribleness in my mouth haha.

Since then I've learned that recipes are important. When it comes to baking you have to get the right ingredients in the right proportion for it to come out right. This particular recipe comes from the back of the nestle toll house semi-sweet chocolate chip bag.




My tips on the recipe:

1. cream the butter, sugars, and vanilla until it is lighter and fluffy
2. sift the dry ingredients for a less dense batter
3. when baking rotate pans halfway through cooking. top to bottom and back to front (no, that's not a rap song haha)
4. Making lots of cookies and have few pans? Put dough onto parchment paper and when one batch is done, switch the parchments but keep the same pan.

This is a great recipe to try when first starting out baking. It teaches you a few of the skills that are needed for more complex desserts.

Chicken Tacos

One of the first things I wanted to learn to cook were chicken tacos with secret sauce. Rocio Cabuto (most people know her as Chio) was my babysitter and this was one of my favorite dishes she made. I would request it for birthdays because I loved it. I'm glad I can make it for myself and friends now whenever I want.

You can make tacos from any type of meat. It's a great way to use up leftovers. When Chio made them she would boil chicken in salted water (it should taste like the ocean, so salty!) She added a onion cut into quarters and let the chicken cook for an hour to an hour and a half in simmering water.

When I'm in a rush and want to make tacos I buy a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store. They tend to be cheap and are always good. You can get two meals from the chicken by serving first just the chicken pieces like thighs and breasts. Then peel off the meat from the rest of the chicken to use for tacos.

Some great sides for the tacos are cheese, sliced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, refried beans, salsa and guacomole. My favorite side is onions marinated in lime. All you have to do is slice an onion thinly then place in a container with lots of lime juice - usually two limes to a medium onion. Allow them to marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours for full flavor.

I'm sorry I can't share my secret sauce with everyone but then it wouldn't be a secret. You'll just have to come to my house and have some tacos with me and try to figure it out for yourself!

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There's Nothing Like A Good Pan

This is my first cast iron skillet. I've wanted one since I started high school but it just never happened. I always new that I could cook great steaks on it and even bake in it but I never got one. I've had just about every other pot, pan, spatula, strainer and even dumpling cutter that I've ever needed, except for this one pan.

But now, I have this pan. And I couldn't be happier. Whenever you buy a new cast iron anything you need to cure it. If you cure it right, it can last a lifetime. And it's easy!
1. preheat oven to 250 degrees
2. lube up your pan with bacon fat
3. bake pan for 15 minutes.
4. remove pan and pour out any extra grease and then bake for another 2 hours

This process just means that you need to eat a good amount of bacon which for me is never a problem. There's been lots of bacon and eggs with carmelized onion and fried egg sandwiches.

I'm very excited to have my own kitchen for the first time. I can put things anywhere I want and stock up any food and spices. It's just so cool to get to make all the decisions. I've been following one of Alton Brown's (food network chef) rules: there's only one uni-tasker in the kitchen and it's the fire extinguisher. This just means that I don't buy silly specialty tools that I can only use to make one meal. (only exception to this might be a dumpling cutter but I think I can get creative with it and find another purpose).

As most cooks know, there's nothing like a good pan. Or a good kitchen for that matter. And I can't wait to use my good kitchen to make some delicious new food!

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Explanation of What I'm Trying to do Here

My friend Pauline (shout out hey girl! haha) suggested to me that I should blog about the food I cook. I thought this was a great idea because it would be fun to use this as a journal/ learning tool and keep track of some cool recipes I make. First off I want to say that I've never seen julie and julia which apparently does this same thing. Any similarities are totally coincidental.

Cooking has been a passion of mine since I was in 6th grade. We were required to learn a skill over 4 months then make a presentation on what we learned. I choose cooking and haven't stopped since. I love making homey food like beef stew and meatloaf but I also enjoy making more refined dishes like salmon with beur-blanc sauce. I'm hoping this blog will give me a chance to expand into more types of food. I can't wait to try making my family's traditional roast duck for the first time (coming soon in the winter months). If anyone decides to follow this I would love suggestions for new things to cook.

A little something about me in case you don't know me (and if you don't sorry you won't get to taste my food). I'm 20 years old and in my junior of college at Loyola Marymount University. Besides cooking, I like to read and watch movies and I love hockey. Go Ducks! I love to share the food I make with my friends cuz lets face it, I'll eat it all if I don't give it away. So I'll be trying to balance school, hockey games, and homework with this new blog but since I have to cook to survive, I don't think it'll be too hard. There's one nice thing about my hobby: there's a room built into every house for it. I love taking it on the road and making food for people who don't normally eat a home cooked meal. I'll just have to remember to bring a camera with me so I can show off my creations to everyone on here.

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