Bourbon Chicken

I had a craving for Bourbon Chicken one night - you know, the kind that the sellers in the food court try to cram down your throat entice you with. 

I have to say, the dish I made looked very similar to the mall-type bourbon chickens, but my sauce was thicker and it tastes so much better. Mall bourbon chickens are very sweet, but this dish is a nice balance of sweet and savory. So yummy! (Even better as leftovers!)


What you need: 

1 pound boneless chicken thigh
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 stalks of green onions
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
5 garlic cloves
2 tablespoon canola oil


What to do: 

Wash the chicken thighs, pat dry and cut into bite-size pieces. 

Chop the green onions and place in a bowl along with the soy sauce, vinegar, bourbon, brown sugar, powdered ginger and garlic cloves. Whisk to distribute ingredients evenly. Set aside.

Heat the wok with peanut oil over high heat. Saute the chicken pieces for about 2 minutes or until lightly brown.

Add the liquid mixture to the wok, let boil then reduce heat to mediu. Cook uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until liquid is reduced to a glaze and chicken os cooked through. Serve with hot rice.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Don't have bourbon? Substitute with juice or vanilla extract. Check measurements here.
2. If using fresh ginger, use about 1/2 tablespoon. Saute it with chicken.
3. As always, cleanliness is important since we are dealing with poultry. Wash your hands!
4. If the bourbon taste is too strong for you, cut it in half.

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Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffin

I am not a baker. Most of the goods I bake are semi-homemade, meaning it is from a box and I just tweak it. I like it that way because baking is an "exact science "- and most of my cooking are just eye-balling ingredients. Hubby is the "pastry chef" in the family.

In this recipe, I used banana-nut muffin mix and added chocolate morsels to it. I was thinking of making banana-chocolate chip bread, but since my loaf pan was MIA (missing in action), I made jumbo muffins instead. I also added a bit of banana extract to bring out more flavor. It was delicious and best eaten while warm.


What you need: 
 
1 box banana-nut muffin mix
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon banana extract


What to do: 

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Lightly spray muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.

Place water, oil, eggs, and full box muffin mix in medium bowl. Add chocolate chips and banana extract. Stir until moistened.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin  pan, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes. To test if the muffins are done, insert a toothpick directly in it, and if it comes out clean, your muffins are ready!


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. The cake mix had a bit of walnut in it, so you can add more walnut if you like the nutty taste.
2. If making regular-sized (cupcake-sized) muffins, bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
3. Skip the banana extract and use real mashed bananas! (It might change the consistency of the muffin, though)

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Steamed Eggs with Ground Pork

I was inspired to make this dish from an old childhood memory. I remember my mother making this for us, and young as we were, my brother and I thought it looked weird, but we ate it anyway. And it was delicious. (Hubby thought it looked like meatloaf with egg!)

Looking back, I realized that this recipe is a somewhat crude form of quiche, but of course, a few years ago, I didn't even know that the word "quiche" exists. I feel that this is more Oriental than French though... maybe Chinese? Next time I make it, I would probably pair it with congee. 



What you need: 

3/4 pound ground pork
6 eggs
about 6 to 8 pieces dried shiitake mushrooms
3 stalks green onion
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon rice wine
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon canola oil
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon beef broth
dash of white pepper   


What to do: 

Put about 2 cups of water in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for at least 2 minutes. Soak dried mushrooms in the hot water for about 5 minutes. Remove from water and slice the caps in small pieces.

Heat wok over medium-high and add canola oil. Saute garlic for about 30 seconds, then add ground pork. Cook until brown. Season with soy sauce and oyster sauce. Mix well, remove from heat and set aside.

In a deep oven-safe bowl, beat eggs and add rice wine, sugar, beef broth, green onions and ground pork. Stir to distribute ingredients evenly. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and steam for 45 minutes, or until eggs are set. Season with white pepper.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Use ground beef instead of pork.
2. It is natural for the meat to settle when you steam the mixture. You would also find some water/broth on the bottom of the bowl.
3. Not a fan of dried mushroom? Skip it!
4. You can also use regular black pepper. I used white so it wouldn't show on the surface.
5. I feel like I used a lot of meat. Next time, I will cut the amount of meat in half to give it a more "quiche-ish" texture.

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BBQ Pulled Pork Fried Rice

Leftovers galore!!! We had a lot of leftover BBQ pulled pork from Sonny's and I thought I'd spice up my rice with it. It was delicious - so delicious that I couldn't stop eating it! This fusion of Western ingredients with oriental cooking turned out to be one of the best versions of fried rice I have ever had! 


What you need: 

1 1/2 to 2 cups of cooked rice
1 cup cooked pulled pork
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 small carrots, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced coarsely
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce 


What to do: 

Heat canola oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Saute the garlic for about 30 seconds, then add the carrots and cook for about a minute. Add the rice, corn kernels, peas, pulled pork, and barbecue sauce. Stir well to evenly distribute the sauce.  Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through. Serve hot.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Refrigerated cooked rice is always best to use because they are not as sticky as freshly-cooked rice.
2. Make sure veggies are cut at least the same sizes for even cooking.
3. Need a recipe for pulled pork? Click here. 

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Worker Bee

A bee on my Wisteria flowers. 

I risked life and limb to take that picture. Those bees (there were more than one flying around) were HUGE - about as big as my thumb! After a couple of shots, the bee flew to my direction so I scampered away! ;-)

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Cola-Marinated Beef

A trip to a local breakfast diner inspired me to make this dish. I ordered their Sirloin Tips and Eggs and it was delicious! There was a certain sweet undertone that I couldn't quite figure out so I brazenly asked the server what the ingredients of the dish were (yeah, I was THAT interested). The (not so) secret ingredient was cola - he said that the meat was marinated in it. Of course, the little light bulb in my head went off, and as we headed out of the diner, I was already thinking of how I could re-create that dish. 

I scoured the web for many recipes (I even looked at the Top Secret Restaurant Recipes cookbook) and tried to imagine a hundred different combinations. I ended up with this, and though it didn't taste exactly like what I had in the diner, hubby and I still enjoyed it nonetheless. I have to say, though, it was better as a left-over as the flavors had more time to infuse and really make this dish so yummy.


What you need:

1/2 pound top round steak
8 cloves of garlic (crushed), divided
1/2 Vidalia onion, sliced
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 can soda (I used Coca-Cola)


What to do:

Slice beef in thin strips. In a bowl, combine beef strips, soda, and 3 cloves of garlic. Seal tightly with plastic wrap and marinate overnight in the fridge.

Place a wok or pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and butter. Saute the remaining garlic and onion for about a minute. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Put in the marinated beef and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Season with oyster sauce and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until beef is tender. Serve with fried eggs.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. It does not have to be top round steak - use any cut if beef! Just make sure it is tender.
2. If the taste of soda is too strong for you, add about 1/4 cup beef broth or water.
3. Serve with noodles! Yummy!
4. No need to save the marinade - if done correctly, the beef will be juicy when you cook it!

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Bacon-Maple Bar

They don't look very pretty, but they're so delish!

This was another accidental dish as Hubby was just munching on some cashews and realized that they were too salty, so he made cashew butter instead. We already have a recipe of cashew butter here, but the one we made today turned out to be different (cashew too salty) so we tweaked it. 

I trust Hubby when it comes to anything sweet (that is his forte), as sugar is the main staple in his diet. I am still trying to convince him that sugar is not an actual food group (or if it is, don't tell him!).

We countered the saltiness of the cashew nuts by adding maple syrup (and wildflower honey) to the crushed nuts. And because of the maple syrup, hubby thought it would go well with bacon or any other breakfast-related items. Hence, the Bacon-Maple Bar was born. ;-)

I didn't want to partake at first, as it didn't look so appetizing to me, but one bite and I was hooked! It was really delicious - the saltiness of the bacon, nuttiness of the cashew, and the deep sweetness of the drizzled maple syrup was just wonderful! This is breakfast and dessert rolled into one!


What you need:

2 cups roasted cashew nuts (salted)
3 tablespoons wildflower honey
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/3 cup peanut oil
3 strips (or more) of cooked bacon


What to do: 

Start by heating the honey in a microwave-safe bowl for about 15 seconds. This is so the honey would be a bit runny and easier to mix in. After heating, add in the peanut oil and set aside.

Place the cashew nuts in the food processor, cover, and pulse for about 5 to 10 seconds. Continue doing so, while slowly drizzling the oil-honey mixture. Process until it is smooth. Add more peanut oil if it seems thick.

Slather on top of cooked bacon and drizzle with more maple syrup. Enjoy!



Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Taste would depend on a lot of factors. If using unsalted roasted nuts, add about a teaspoon of salt. Tweak honey/syrup amount according to your preference.
2. We used real maple syrup. Not sure how artificial maple syrups would taste.
3. Less is more. Start with a little bit, mix it, taste it. Tweak, and continue until desired taste is acquired.

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Beef Stroganoff

I love the versatility of Beef Stroganoff - you can use it with practically any type of pasta, and the ingredients are very simple. It is always a "go-to" dish when I am running out of ideas and pressed for time. I tried to make it "healthier" by using whole wheat pasta, but I felt like I offset the healthy effect of the grain by using heavy cream. It tasted good, though, so no complaints!


What you need: 

1/2 pound skirt steak
8 oz whole wheat egg noodles
4 cloves of garlic, coarsely minced
1/4 of a Vidalia onion, sliced
1/2 cup beef broth
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 can (6 oz) button mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper, to taste
dash of dried basil
1 teaspoon corn starch


What to do: 

In a pot, boil beef in lightly salted water for about an hour, or until tender. Save the broth. 

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain.

Heat a pan over medium-high and add butter. Saute the garlic and onion in the hot butter for a minute, then add the beef and mushroom. Continue cooking for about 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and pour in broth and 1/4 cup heavy cream.

Meanwhile, dilute the cornstarch in the remaining heavy cream. Mix well. Add mixture to the pot and stir. Season with salt, pepper and basil. Cook for at least 2 more minutes, or until sauce thickens to desired consistency. Ladle sauce on top of prepared noodles. Enjoy!


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Use any type of pasta you have! (I noticed that whole wheat pasta tends to be more dry.)
2. Double the amount if using fresh (chopped) basil.
3. Substitute heavy cream with condensed cream of mushroom soup. It will be thicker, though, so you might have to skip the cornstarch.

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Ginger-Glazed Mahi-Mahi

Did you know that "mahi mahi" is a Hawaiian word meaning "very strong"? The fish itself is known as dolphinfish, but it is not related to dolphin the mammal. I really don't care much about its kins (or lack thereof), all I know was that it was delicious in this dish! 

This recipe was generously adapted from this post. I halved the recipe since I only had two fillets (original recipe called for four). I also tweaked it a bit to suit our preference.


What you need:

2 pcs mahi-mahi fillets
1/2 tablespoon wildflower honey
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated
1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste


What to do:

In a bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic, and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Mix well. Season the mahi-mahi fillets with salt and pepper and place them in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from the bowl, reserve the marinade. Fry fish for 4-6 minutes on each side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fillets to a serving platter and keep warm.

Pour the reserved marinade into a saucepan and heat over medium until the mixture reduces to a glaze consistency. Spoon glaze over fish and serve imemdiately.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks:

1. I used wildflower honey because I like the deep sweetness. Feel free to use regular or clover honey if wildflower is not available.
2. Reduce the amount of ginger if it is too strong for you.
3. Too hot? Lessen the cayenne pepper, or skip it altogether.
4. You can use any other white or firm-fleshed fish in this recipe.

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Shamrock

Since I am still feeling the vibe of St. Patrick's Day, I thought I'd post this for you.

When I first saw these growing in our backyard, I thought they were clovers and spent one too many hours trying to look for a lucky four-leafed one. In one patch, however, I saw some flowers sprouting and did some research.

I found out that these shamrock-shaped plants are called Redwood Sorrel (Oxalis Oregana). No wonder I couldn't find a four-leafed one - they were not clovers! Something interesting I learned, though, is that these plants are edible although a bit acidic in taste. I am not one to try - I'll take their word for it!

Clovers - NOT!

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