Asian Spaghetti Stir Fry

     

     I really liked this dish but I honestly don't know what to call it. It started as a chow mein recipe but I used lo mein noodles. It kind of came out like an asian spaghetti stir fry so I'm going to call it that. It was a great dish for Brian's meal prep and a great vegetarian option for those who are looking to find some healthier options. 

Ingredients:
10 ounces lo mein noodles 
2 Tbsp. cooking oil
2 cups broccoli florets
2 carrot, cut into circles
2 baby bok choy, cut into wedges
2 Tbsp. vegetarian oyster sauce
2 Tbsp tamari, soy sauce can be used instead
2 Tbsp. Mirin
1 clove garlic, minced
1⁄ 4 cup water
1 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp. ginger, grated
 
Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the lo mein noodles. Cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse the noodles. Set aside.
 
2. While the water comes up to a boil, make the dressing/sauce. Combine the oyster sauce, tamari, rice vinegar, mirin, garlic, ginger, and water. Stir until everything is mixed together and set aside.
 
3. Heat up 2 tsp. cooking oil in a large saute pan or wok. Add in the broccoli and carrots. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 3 minutes until softened. Add 1 Tbsp. of the sauce mix. Make sure the veggies are covered in the sauce. Once they are tender remove to a plate and set aside.
 
4. Heat up 2 tsp. cooking oil in the same pan. Add the bok choy and allow to brown slightly, about 2 minutes on each side. Add 1 Tbsp. of the sauce mix. Make sure the veggies are covered in the cause. Once they are tender remove to a plate and set aside.
 
5. Wipe out the saute pan. Add 1 Tbsp. cooking oil to the pan and the rinsed noodles. Reheat the noodles for about 1-2 minutes. Add the remaining sauce mix and stir until the noodles absorb the sauce. Add the cooked veggies back into the pan and cook for about 1-2 minutes until everything is warm and saucy. Serve warm.

Bacon, Onion, and Gruyere Cheese Dip

This is a great make ahead dip for a party, especially in the winter when you want a warm and hearty dip. You can prep the dip in the baking dish and cover with plastic wrap in the fridge overnight and just warm up right before the party. I suggest serving this with pita chips, bagel chips, or veggie sticks. 

Ingredients:
6 pieces bacon, cooked crispy
1/4 onion, sliced thinly and caramelized
1/2 cup mayonnaise
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
3/4 cup gruyere cheese, shredded, divided
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded, divided
1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish 
Salt, as needed

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon until crispy in a pan. While bacon cooks slowly caramelize the thinly sliced onion with a tsp. of olive oil over medium heat. This will take about 30 minutes to get the onions broken down and golden. 

2. Combine the mayonnaise, cream cheese, black pepper, garlic powder, 1/2 cup gruyere cheese, 1/8 cup parmesan cheese, and horseradish. Stir well to make sure everything is evenly combined. Fold in the onions and bacon. Taste the dip and see if salt is needed. 

3. Place dip in a oven proof dish or ramekin. Cover the dip with the remaining shredded cheese. If making ahead, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge up to 2 days. 

4. To bake - preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Remove the dip from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature while the oven preheats. Bake the dip for 15-20 minutes until it starts to bubble. Turn on the broiler and cook the dip a few minutes more until the top is browned and bubbly. Serve warm with pita chips or bagel chips. (Crackers can work but will most likely break in the dip since it's a pretty thick dip). 

Becky's Cucumber Salad

My mother-in-law Becky makes this side dish at our family gatherings since she knows it's one of my favorites. It's a cucumber salad but it's very different from my normal german version (click here for that recipe). It has a nice creaminess and tang that is a great balance with the freshness of the cucumbers. 

Ingredients:
3-4 Cucumbers, sliced into circles, peel and seeds intact
1 T salt
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. white wine
1/2 tsp. tabasco sauce
4 Tbsp. chives, finely diced 
3 tsp. fresh dill, finely diced
1 tsp. pepper 

Directions:
1. Slice cucumbers into 1/4 inch rounds. Lay out on a tea towel and salt. Allow to sit so the salt pulls out the extra moisture from the cucumbers. Use the towel to soak out any extra moisture. 

2. Combine sour cream, vinegar, white wine, tabasco, chives, dill, and pepper. Stir until combined. 

3. Add cucumber slices to a bowl and add sour cream mixture. Stir so the cucumber slices are evenly coated. Allow to sit in the fridge for 2 hours, better over night, for the flavors to meld. Serve cold. 

Gougeres aka Fancy Cheese Puffs

 

To ring in the New Year my husband, Brian, and I decided to have a quiet night at home after a busy week. This meant lots of time to cook for me! I’ve always wanted to make pate a choux pastry and these gougeres aka fancy cheese puffs were an easy way to try this dough. To make it a bit more fun I tried three different types of cheeses – gruyere, gouda, and brie. The traditional gruyere was by far the best. I also folded in some chopped chives into the dough for a little more flavor and color. These are best served piping hot but you can make the dough and bake them the day before and reheat them with a sprinkle of cheese on top.

 

This recipe is from Alain Ducasse one of the cooking greats and makes about 24 gougeres.

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

Large pinch of coarse salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 large eggs

3 1/2 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese (1 cup), plus more for sprinkling

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg

1 Tbsp. minced chives

 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk, butter, and salt; bring to a boil. Add the flour and stir it in with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms; stir over low heat until it dries out and pulls away from the side of the pan, about 2 minutes.

3. Scrape the dough into the bowl of a stand mixer; let cool for 1 minute. Beat the eggs into the dough, one at a time, beating thoroughly between each one. Add the cheese, chives, pepper and nutmeg.

4. Using a 1 inch ice cream scoop, scoop mounds of the dough onto the parchment lined sheet leaving about 2 inches between each mound. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 22 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.

Serve hot, or let cool and refrigerate. Reheat in a 350°F oven until piping hot.

Zucchini Boats with Pork Sausage - Z - Alphabet Challenge

This is the final post of my alphabet challenge! I'm very proud of myself for sticking with this for 26 weeks. There were some new favorites and some disasters but that's the fun of cooking, even if it tastes awful you learned something for the next time. For anyone who actually read these posts - thanks! I pretty much do this for myself but I hope you were entertained with some of my creative dishes.

Ingredients:

3 Zucchini, ends trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
1 lb pork sausage, casings removed
3 Tbsp. panko bread crumbs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1/4 shredded mozzarella
6 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

 

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 350.

2. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Gently scoop out the seeds into a bowl making sure the outer skin stay intact. Place empty zucchini boats on a sheet tray.

3. To the bowl with zucchini add the pork sausage, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and mozzarella. Combine with hands until you have a uniform mixture.

4. Divide the pork mixture into 6 equal sections. Add the pork to the zucchini boats. Top with a spoonful of marinara sauce so the pork is covered.

5. Cover the zucchini with foil and bake about 40 minutes or until the pork is cooked through (about 165 using a thermometer).

6. Once the pork is cooked and the zucchini is slightly softened, top each zucchini boat with a Tbsp. of grated parmesan cheese. Cook uncovered for 5 more minutes until the parmesan is browned on top. Remove from oven and serve warm!

Yogurt Raita and Naan Bread - Y - Alphabet Challange

Thank goodness this Y dish came out better than X. I utilized the yogurt in both the raita sauce and the naan bread. This is a great side dish to any kebab or skewer but I made this with lamb lollipops. There's something special about making bread from scratch and serving it warm that really impresses your eaters. The best part - the raita can be made a day in advance so all you have to do is whip up the bread and you're ready to go!

Ingredients:
Raita Yogurt Sauce
3 cups plain full fat Greek yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated
1/2 cup fresh mint, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

 
Naan Bread
1/2 cup lukewarm water (about 105-110 degrees)
2 tsp. sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup plain full fat Greek yogurt
Vegetable oil for cooking

 

Directions: 

Raita Yogurt Sauce:

1. Take grated cucumber and place in a clean linen dish towel. Squeeze out as much moisture from the cucumber as possible.

2. Add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you want the sauce to be spicy you can leave the seeds in the jalapeno. I like to make this ahead of time so all of the flavors can meld, even better if it sits over night.

Naan Bread:

1. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, combine lukewarm water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast on top and let sit until frothy, about 8 minutes. 

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add yeast mixture and yogurt and use a rubber spatula to combine. Once a shaggy dough starts to form, dump onto a clean work surface and knead with your hands until a smooth dough forms. If the dough is sticky, add a bit more flour. Transfer to a clean bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 

3. On a floured surface, divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each out into a 7” circle. Keep dough covered with a clean kitchen towel so it does not dry out while you are frying the naan.

4.  In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Working one at a time, cook dough until blistered and dark golden in spots, about 3 minutes per side. Adjust heat and add more oil as needed. Store cooked naan in a clean kitchen linen towel to keep warm. Serve warm with the raita sauce!

Wolfgang Puck's Chinois Chicken Salad

I tried this dish recently at the Wolfgang Puck restaurant in the MGM Las Vegas. My husband ordered it and I ended up eating most of it since it was so good! The dish had so many complex flavors and textures that ended up balancing out. Highly recommend this dish.  

Ingredients: 
Dressing:
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup low sodium sauce
1 egg yolk
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. chopped pickled ginger
1 Tbsp. chili oil
1 Tbsp. sesame paste (or tahini)
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup peanut oil

Salad:
2 lbs chicken breasts, cooked + sliced thin
5 cups Napa cabbage, julienned
4 cups mixed greens
1 head radicchio, julienned
2 carrots, julienned
2 cups wonton strips
1/3 cup toasted cashews, chopped
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
 
Directions:

For Dressing:
1. In a blender, combine everything except the peanut oil, until smooth.

2. Slowly drizzle in the peanut oil while the blender is running. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your palate.

For Salad:
1. Transfer the chicken, cabbage, mixed greens, radicchio, and carrots to a large bowl. Add half of the dressing to the salad and toss to coat. Taste and add more dressing if you like, a little at a time.

2. To plate the salad add the tossed lettuce mix on the plate. Top with the wonton strips, cashews, and sesame seeds.