Vitenamese Pho (with Pork)

If you've ever had Pho, you know how good it is and how you crave it at the worst possible time! If you haven't - well, try this recipe! You'll see that this soup is simple and quick. The secret is in the condiments, served on the side, and added to the pho to taste. It's all about the condiments! Next time, I think I'll find a stalk of lemongrass to simmer in the broth.

Ingredients

3 cups chicken broth

3 cups water

2 scallions (green onions)

1 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled

1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon fish sauce

pork tenderloin, cut into thin slices

1 teaspoon red chili paste

Egg noodles (superfine - Asian type)

Rice noodles (rice stick)

Condiments:

Lime wedges

fresh cilantro

fresh thai basil

bean sprouts

fish sauce

soy sauce

sriracha hot sauce

Sambal Oelek (red chili sauce)

In a large stock pot, add the chicken broth, water, scallions, garlic, and fish sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add the sliced pork. Simmer another 15 minutes or until pork is fully cooked.

In a separate pot, cook the noodles and set aside.

Serve the soup with the noodles and add in the condiments to taste.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

After perusing many recipes online for the perfect cream of mushroom soup, I had enough ideas in my head to come up with my own version. Co-worker tested and approved by 4 out of 4 co-workers!

Ingredients

1 container of button mushrooms

1 container of baby portabello mushrooms

1 large "hen of the woods" muishroom*

3 cups of chicken broth/stock

3/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup sherry wine

3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 small white onion, diced

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

olive oil

salt/pepper

Coarsely chop the mushrooms.

Heat a skillet and add approximately 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil**. Add the diced onion to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Sautee the onions until clear, about 5 minutes. Add the diced mushrooms. Sautee the mushrooms until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a stock pot, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk until smooth to form the roux. Allow to cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and stir until the roux is incorporated. Allow to simmer 5 minutes. Add the thyme and sherry wine.

Add the mushrooms/onions to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream. Simmer another 5 minutes. Remove approximately 2 cups of the soup and puree in a blender or food processor. Place the pureed soup back into the pot. This step allows the soup to become thicker while allowing some chunks of mushrooms in the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer 20 minutes and serve.

* You can use any mushrooms you can get your hands on...mix it up!

** I had leftover bacon grease from breakfast so I used it to sautee the onions and mushrooms.

A quickie - Thai Simmer Chicken

So my quickie pantry-raid dinner was pretty darn good.

I wanted to make some chicken that would complement the yellow saffron rice I wad making. I didn't feel like grilling it or baking it...a simmer sauce sounded good. So here's what I did....

Butterfly two skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper. Place a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and brown the chicken on both sides.

Add to the pan:
1 cup (give or take) chicken broth
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons red chili paste
2-3 tablespoons Vidalia onion salad dressing
1 scallion, chopped
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

Simmer (covered) for about 20 minutes. Serve over rice and top with simmer sauce.

Yum!

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

There is a Caribbean restaurant east of Pittsburgh and they have authentic Caribbean food - including Jerk Chicken. They also have something called Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken. The chicken is stewed in veggies and spices and is tender and juicy and loaded with flavor. I have recreated this recipe and served it with a coconut curry rice. Yum!

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
1 whole chicken (about 3lb)
A splash of lime juice
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 onion
3 stalks of scallion
1 hot pepper (ideally scotch bonnet)
1 sweet pepper
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 inch of ginger
3 tomatoes
Oil for frying
3 tablespoons of flour, stirred in to 1/4 cup of water
3 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 3 teaspoons of dried thyme)
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of kitchen bouquet browning sauce
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 teaspoons of creole sesasoning (more if you want it spicy!)
2 cups of water

Wash the chicken with a splash of lime juice. Chop the chicken in to small pieces. Chop the onion, scallion, hot pepper, sweet pepper, garlic and tomatoes in to small pieces, grate the ginger and mix the flour in 1/4 cup of water. Season the chicken by rubbing in salt, pepper, thyme, onion, scallion, hot pepper, sweet pepper, garlic, ginger and tomato. Leave to marinate for one hour.

Scrape the seasoning off the chicken and fry in the oil until the chicken is sealed (about 5 minutes). Remove the chicken and drain off the oil. Melt the butter in the saucepan and fry the onion, scallion, hot pepper, sweet pepper, garlic, tomatoes and thyme for three minutes Add the water, soy sauce and browning and simmer for five minutes. Stir the flour/water mixture in to the stew then add the chicken. Simmer for five minutes, occasionally stirring gently.

Watergate Salad...or one of my favorite desserts

I had thought the name for Watergate salad came from the obvious Watergate scandal in the 70's - and maybe it did - but there doesn't seem to be any proof of that. This dessert actually came out in 1975 when Kraft first made the Pistachio instant pudding mix. Another name for this dessert is Hawaiian Surprise. I think I like that name better, although, there isn't much about it that's Hawaiian except that it does have pineapple in it.

I was hoping this dessert was made back in the 50's or 60's as the color and consistency of this dessert really looks like something out of the Atomic Age. Either way, it's retro....and fabulous!

Ingredients:
1 16oz tub of Cool Whip
2 boxes of Pistachio instant pudding mix
1/3 bag of multi-colored (fruit-flavored) mini marshmallows


1/2 can of pineapple tidbits, drained
1/2 jar of maraschino cherries, drained and cut in halves.
1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a large bowl, fold the pudding mix into the Cool Whip until the pudding mix has been incorporated. Fold in the remaining ingredients. Chill and serve.

You can really alter the ingredients and add whatever you like or have on hand...but this is the classic.

Seared Salmon with Apricot and Sweet Chili Sauce

I am wanting to eat more fish, but can't always go out for it. Cooking fish, now, is a different story...for me anyway. I was brave and bought myself a salmon filet. Here's what I did with it, and I must say, it was delicious!

Ingredients
1 Salmon Filet
Lemon-infused olive oil
salt/pepper

For the glaze:
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 tablespoon sweet red chili sauce
1/2 cup of pinot grigio (or other dry/semi-dry white wine)

In a skillet, heat the olive oil. Sprinkle the filet with salt and pepper. When the skillet is hot, place the filet into the skillet and sear on both sides and then allow filet to cook through. About 4 minutes per side.

In a small saucepan, add the wine, apricot preserves, and chili sauce. Whisk together and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Serve glaze on top of the salmon filet.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

I debated at first calling this soup since I ended up serving it over mashed potatoes, but technically, it is a soup. I searched all over the internet for recipes and could only find ones that had sugar or brown sugar in them. I do not understand this ingredient at all. Sugar? Stuffed pepper soup? No thanks. I know how to make stuffed peppers - so the soup can't be much different than that.

So, here we go. This is my own recipe. Is it good? Well, let's just say, none of it went to waste!

Most of the recipes make enough soup to feed an army. This recipe makes about 5-6 quarts.

2 bell peppers, diced
1 pound lean ground meat
1 quart of chicken stock or beef broth (I used homemade chicken stock)
1 quart of tomato juice
3/4 cup tomato paste
1 shallot, diced
1/3 cup of brown rice, uncooked
salt/pepper
olive oil

Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil in a soup pot. Add the diced shallot and ground beef and cook until the meat is browned. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the stock/broth, tomato juice, and tomato paste. Simmer until the tomato paste has been incorporated into the soup.

Add the diced bell peppers and simmer about 10 minutes. Add the uncooked brown rice and simmer until the rice is tender, approximately 30-40 minutes. The rice will thicken the soup and you can continue to simmer the soup until it's thick enough for your liking. I made mine pretty thick since I was going to spoon it over mashed potatoes.

Salt and pepper to taste.

PW's Bolognase Sauce

Another rave for a recipe from Pioneer Woman. Actually, this is a recipe created by her friend, Pastor Ryan, but it was posted on her site.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/05/ryans-bolognese-sauce/



I took this photo with my cell phone so it doesn't really show all of the yummy goodness. PW has a ton of pictures on her site. This was really easy to make and the flavor was outstanding! This is definitely going on my regular rotation!

Fettuccine Alfredo

This recipe is not for the faint of heart, literally! It's rich, creamy, cheesy, and decadent. But - if you want fettucine alfredo, this is how it has to be done. No skimping here!

1 lb fettuccine
1/2 cup butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 cups light cream or half and half
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon pepper
pinch of salt

Cook the fettuccine pasta according to package directions.

Melt the butter in a skillet and lightly saute the garlic. Do not brown the garlic. Add the cream/half and half mixture and bring to a simmer. Add the cheese and allow to melt. Add salt and pepper. Mix with the cooked (and drained) pasta.

I also topped mine with a grilled chicken breast. It was perfect!

Dungeness Crab

When we lived in Philly, Josh's love for seafood was born. One of our friends introduced us to a little place called The Clam Tavern. It's such a great place. It's hidden away so well in a little neighborhood in Clifton Heights and has that quaint "crab shack" feel. Don't let the looks fool you though, the food is amazing! The steaks are juicy and tender and the seafood is fresh. Plus, on Wednesday nights, it's all-you-can-eat Dungeness Crab.

We just don't have a restaurant like that here in Pittsburgh. It's really sad. It's even more sad that to get semi-decent seafood, you have to dress up and pay an arm and a leg to get small portions and bad service.

What we do have is Wholey's Fish Market. What Wholey's doesn't have 99% of the time is Dungeness Crab....but they had it last Saturday. My heart nearly stopped. I bought 4 of 'em. Believe me, that was more than enough for the 2 of us.

Dungeness Crab
4 Dungeness Crabs
1 bottle of beer Old Bay Seasoning lemon wedges melted butter
Fill a large stock pot about 3/4 of the way full with water. Add the beer and several tablespoons of Old Bay Seasoning. Bring the water to a boil.
Add the crabs
Boil for approximately 20 minutes.
Remove crabs from pot and clean.

What I did was:
Cut the crabs in half - right down the middle.
Remove the upper and lower shells, gills, and "mustard" (this is the yellow-green stuff inside the cavity of the crab.)

Once the crabs are cleaned - place into a large bowl and sprinkle with Old Bay Seasoning.
Serve with lemon wedges and melted butter.

Skillet Corn Bread

Homemade cornbread is so easy! Plus you can adjust it to how you like it...sweeter..not as sweet...it's up to you. I flipped the cornbread over before taking this shot.


2 cups cornmeal (I used Masa Harina)
1/2 cup A/P flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons oil
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 small can of corn or creamed corn

Preheat oven and cast iron skillet to 400°F. Pour 1/4 cup oil into skillet when hot. Once the oil has coated the pan, pour out the excess oil.

Put all dry ingredients into a bowl.

Mix all wet ingredients together and then very gently stir into the dry. Don't be concerned with lumps. DO NOT overmix.

Pour immediately into very hot skillet. Then place back into oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Fried Calamari - Yes, you can do it!

Don't you just love fried calamari? It seems so exotic...like you can only get it in a restaurant and pay $10 for a small appetizer plate of it. Well...let me tell you, this stuff is cheap. I only paid $4 for a pound of 'tubes and tentacles'. Mmm....I just love the tentacles. They are so crispy.

Ingredients & Instructions
1 pound of fresh squid
1 cup of all purpose flour
5-6 tablespoons of creole seasoning
salt/pepper
lemon wedges
vegetable oil (for frying)

Cut the squid tubes into rings. Cut off any cartilage that may be on the tentacles.
Mix the flour, salt, pepper, and creole seasoning.
Toss the squid into the flour mix and shake off excess.
Heat the oil to about 325 degrees.
Fry the squid for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
Let cool on a paper towel-lined plate.
Squeeze a bit of lemon on top of the calamari.
Serve with marinara sauce.

Ok. Stop panicking! Yes...this is what it looks like right out of the container. Think of the first time you ever handled raw chicken. Gross, right? But now, it's no big deal.

The tubes are whole and the tentacles are separated from the tube. Some of my tentacles had some cartilage attached to them and I just cut that off and got rid of it. Just slice up the tubes so you have little rings.

Toss the rings and tentacles in the flour mixture and fry. That's it! Just like frying veggies!

Homemade Pierogies

I love homemade pierogies. Unfortunately, I don't get them very often and came to the harsh reality that if I want them, I have to make them myself. It's really not hard at all, but it's rather time-consuming. It definitely helps to have a curious husband who wants to help out.

1 large egg
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 cup milk
1 cup water
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
5 pounds (about 10 medium) baking potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 ounces cheddar cheese (about 1/2 cup) grated
6 ounces cream cheese
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper


Make the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk egg. Add sour cream, and whisk until smooth. Add milk and water, and whisk until combined. Slowly add about 3 cups flour, and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and work in about 1 cup flour as you knead. Use a plastic scraper to lift dough as it will stick to the counter before flour is worked in. Continue kneading for 8 to 10 minutes, working in another 1/2 cup flour. The dough should be elastic in texture and no longer sticky. Be careful not to add too much flour, as this will toughen dough. Place dough in a lightly floured bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let rest while you prepare filling.

Make the filling: Place potatoes in a large pot, and cover with cold water. Add salt. Place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Cook until fork-tender. Drain and mash with a potato masher. Add 8 tablespoons melted butter and the cheeses, and continue to mash until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

On a floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/8-inch thick. Using a glass or a cookie cutter measuring 2 1/2 inches in diameter, cut out as many circles as possible. Gather dough scraps together, roll them out again, and continue cutting.
Lay a dry, clean towel on work surface; set aside. Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each dough circle. Holding a circle in your hand, fold dough over filling, and pinch the edges, forming a well-sealed crescent; transfer to a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Continue this process until all dough circles are filled.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Place pierogi in boiling water in batches. They will sink to the bottom of the pot and then rise to the top. Once they rise, let them cook for about a minute more. Meanwhile, In a small saucepan, cook remaining butter over medium-high heat until nut-brown in color, about 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and drizzle butter onto a serving platter, leaving any burned sediment behind. Remove pierogi from pot, and transfer to platter to prevent sticking. Serve immediately.

Now, I have a 2" biscuit cutter...which makes petite pierogies. This was not my intention at first, but they are perfectly bite-sized. I would recommend a 3" cutter for 'normal' sized pierogies.


Since they are so small, I used a teaspoon to measure the filling and then formed it into balls. Just fold the dough in half and seal with a fork.

Here they are in all their cuteness...ready for the freezer. I freeze them like this and then transfer them to a freezer bag when they are frozen through.

Josh had the brilliant idea to add some bacon that we had leftover from breakfast to the potato-cheese filling. Let me say, oh my god! What a great idea! With a little sour cream they were similar to stuffed potato skins. Yum!

I'm a reasonable gal, and I'll share my pieroghies with you...on one condition...you come to my house to eat them. They're like the Holy Grail...they can't cross the 'seal' (aka...my doorway).

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

This was another appetizer I made for the NYE party. I think I could eat the entire bowl of it!

1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) package of 1/3 fat cream cheese
1/2 cup of sour cream (fat free)
1 can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 box of frozen, chopped spinach (defrosted and towel-dried)
1 cup of mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
3 cloves of garlic, minced
salt/pepper

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and transfer to an 8x8 casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

I then transferred it to a small crock pot to keep warm.

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip

I made this as one of our New Year's Eve Party appetizers and it was a huge hit! This is my recipe and I added a bit more hot sauce than the usual recipe.

Ingredients
2 (10 ounce) cans chicken

2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese
1 cup hot sauce (I use Frank's)
1 cup ranch dressing
2 cups cheddar cheese

2 loaves baguette

Directions
Drain canned chicken and put in medium sauce pan.
Add hot sauce and cook on medium until heated throughout. My personal favorite is Frank's hot sauce.
Add cream cheese and stir until blended thoroughly.
Add ranch dressing and mix.
Add 1-1/2 cups of cheddar cheese and heat for a few minutes until mixed and melted.
Pour the dip into the crock pot and sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on the top. Keep heated on low.
I serve on baguette that has been sliced and toasted. However, it is also tasty on corn chips or celery sticks.