Glass Noodle Japchae

Glass noodles are kind of cool, because they aren't noodles at all. They're made from mung bean thread, so they're actually vegetables! I actually just threw this together using meat marinated for Bulgogi, and then realized it much resembles Korean Japchae.. minus the mushrooms. The hub loved it and voted YES for including it in our monthly rotation. I'm not claiming it is authentic Japchae, but is the result of what I had in the kitchen...
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 bundle glass noodles (250g)
3/4 lb thinly sliced beef
4 leaves of kale, ribbed and julienned
1 onion, julienned
1 zucchini, sliced thinly
1 Tbsp sesame oil
Marinade:
2 Tbsp soy sauce (or GF alternative)
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 asian pear, peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Directions:
1. Mix the marinade ingredients together and marinate the beef for 20 minutes.
2. Soak the noodles in hot water for 5-10 minutes (until almost tender) and set aside.
3. In a wok or heavy based pan, heat 1 Tbsp sesame oil and stir fry the onion and zucchini until golden.
4. Add the meat with marinade as well as the kale. Cook through while stirring about 10 minutes. Taste the beef and make sure it is cooked. Adjust the seasoning.
5. Add the glass noodles and stir fry until noodles are tender (approx 5 minutes)

Serve and eat with chopsticks to get the maximum pleasure out of it!
I added red pepper flakes to my plate because I love da heat.
I can't wait to buy more of these noodles. They don't get mushy like rice noodles do and they certainly make me feel like I'm eating healthy without the hub feeling like I'm imposing "health food" on him!

Nepalese Chicken Tarkari

This one blew me out of the water. Really really!
I got this one from the Amateur Gourmet who got it from Feeding the Dragon and this authentic untweeked recipe is just what makes it so wonderful. It tasted as if some old village woman in Nepal cooked it for me as I was passing through her village. Luckily I already had everything on hand.
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (find some! they're good for you!)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 dried red chiles, seeded and minced (I used 1 tbsp red chili paste for lack of red chilies)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• Handful of fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups cooked basmati rice, for serving

Instructions

1. Wearing rubber kitchen gloves so the turmeric doesn’t stain your hands (I did not do this and my hands are fine), rub the turmeric black pepper, and salt all over the chicken and let marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 30 minutes.
2. In a small skillet over medium heat, dry-roast the mustard seeds for a few seconds, or until they are fragrant, and then remove from the skillet and repeat with the fenugreek seeds. Be careful not to burn the spices. Combine the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds in a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder and grind into a coarse powder.
3. Heat the oil in a wok or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, ground spice mixture, cumin, chiles, and bay leaves and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add the onion and saute for about 6 minutes, or until slightly translucent. Drop in the marinated chicken and stir-fry for 4 minutes, then add the stock and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat and simmer gently for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and serve with the rice.

*WARNING*
It has been 1 week since I made this, and the house STILL smells like curry. Not unpleasant, but good to know.

Mussels n Fries

...Always a hit.
2 kg of fresh mussels for €4.50? Where do I sign!!!
This time I poured a glass of champagne into the mix.. because I was thinking of my homies <3
A French classic. Mussels and Fries.

Mexican Orzo

Here was my dilemma:
I want mexican
I have no access to beans or tortillas today
I want something different
I'm hungry NOW
Bam.. Mexican Bagos
Eric loved this one.
Serves 3
Ingredients:
250g Bagos (Orzo)
Meat off 1 leftover chicken leg
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp EVOO
1 tbsp leftover tomato sauce (or 1 chopped tomato)
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
3 cups chicken stock
juice from 1/2 lemon
Garnish:
cilantro
shredded swiss
dollop sour cream
salsa
Directions:
1. Sautée the onion and bell pepper in the EVOO until translucent.
2. Add the spices, lemon juice and tomato sauce and let cook 1 more minute.
3. Add all the rest, bring to a boil, and let simmer until bagos are tender (about 15 minutes.

Serve with the desired garnish and be happy you satisfied your craving!

Baked Pork Chops

Ingredients:

4 Pork Chops

3/4 tsp Garlic Powder

3/4 tsp salt

2 eggs, beaten

2 tbls flour

1 1/3 cups seasoned bread crumbs

2 tbls EVOO

1 can cream of mush soup

3 tbls white whine

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 350

2. Rinse Pork Chops. Pat Dry and season with garlic powder and salt. Dredge Pork Chops in Flour, Dip in Egg, and coat with Bread Crumbs

3. Heat Oil in Skillet over medium heat. Fry Pork Chops for 5 mins on each side. Transfer to baking dish, cover with foil.

4. Bake for 1 hr. While baking, combine cream of mush soup, milk and white wine in medium bowl. After they pork has baked for one hour, top with soup mixture. Replace foil and cook for additional 30 mins.

Magret de Canard (Duck Breast) with Caramelized Turnips

When the sweet old lady at the supermarket explained to us the difference between supermarket heavy cream and farm heavy cream, we dropped the cream and bought this beautiful duck breast from her counter. I had no idea how wonderfully this lovely piece of red poultry would pair with turnips. The secret is to caramelize them in the fat that the duck leaves behind. This is not icky, it is the good, flavorful type of fat (that you don't eat everyday anyway). Here you can actually buy jars of duck or goose fat for cooking. Isn't that crazy? If this sweet old lady hadn't explained to me how to cook it, I would have been missing out big time on some flavaaaaaa.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 Duck breast with skin
1 Tbsp dried thyme
salt/fresh pepper
1 lb (about 8) turnips, peeled and quartered
2 Tbsp basalmic vinegar
1 tsp sugar
Directions:
1. Steam the turnips until just tender. How? I used my steamer basket in my pressure cooker and cooked under pressure for 5 minutes. If you do not have a steamer or pressure cooker, the real directions are to boil for 20 minutes or so. I prefer to steam when I can because it preserves the nutrients in the item being cooked. Set aside.
2. Make criss-cross cuts on the skin of the duck breast. Rub some thyme, salt, and fresh ground pepper on both sides.
3. Place the duck breast skin side down in a frying pan and cook on high heat for 7 minutes.
Turn over and cook for 4 minutes. (This will have it nice and pink in the center. If you prefer more cooking, go ahead.)
Remove the breast and set aside, but keep warm.
4. The frying pan should have some lovely bubbling duck fat in it. Place the quartered turnips in this goodness and cook until golden with the sugar. Deglaze with the basalmic vinegar.
Cut the cooked duck breast in half and serve and be happy that the husband didn't notice they weren't potatoes!

This was just lovely. Next time I see Magret on sale, I will definately buy it. It is way worth a meal on saturday night at a restaurant.

Veggie Minestrone.. Remix!

Can't get enough of this soup. I don't know how I managed to make it exactly for 2. That never happens.
I made it all veggie (except for the broth) and added these fun noodles, Ditali Rigati. They are perfect for soups.
Here's my ingredient list this time around:
3 Tbsp EVOO
1 Onion, chopped
1 Zucchini, cubed
1 Yellow Bell, cubed
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 cube frozen spinach
1 Tbsp spaghetti sauce
1 Tbsp basalmic vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 bouillon cube of beef broth (or veggie if you're going all out)
1 good handful of Ditali Rigati pasta (or whatever you're into)
5 cups water
toppings:
shredded swiss
grated parmesan
fresh chopped basil
fresh ground pepper
red pepper flakes

I think I'm going to be using basalmic vinegar more in my cooking. It gives everything a little kick.

Double Blueberry Muffins

Here is the original recipe. Just wanted to share some pics of our recent muffin sesh. =)

Chicken Athena

Easy Weekday Meal Alert!

1 lb chix, cut into cubes

1 tbls olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 jar marinated artichokes in olive oil

1/4 tsp rosemary

1/3 cup feta cheese

In large skillet, brown chx in oil over medium heat; add onion and cook two minutes. Stir in tomatoes, marinade from artichoke and rosemary; cook over medium for 15 - 20 minutes - until sauce thickens, stir frequently. Stir in Artichokes; heat through. Top with Feta. Garnish with parsley. Boom.

Bacon Wrapped Dates

Ingredients: (to make 18)

Grated Parmesan Cheese - 1/4 lb

Cream Cheese - Room Temp - 2tbls

Dates - Pitted - 18

Bacon - Cut Crosswise into 3 pieces - 6 slices

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 400*. Combine Parm Cheese and Cream Cheese. Mix until Smooth.

Slice each date to make pocket and spread 1 tsp of cheese filling into each date. 

Wrap a piece of bacon around each date. Secure with toothpick.

Cook for 15 minutes.