December 23 - Grand Marnier Shrimp

Another way to enjoy shrimp - Grand Marnier Shrimp.



The prawns are simply dusted with cornstarch (as for me, I used pancake mix) and deep fried for two minutes. The Grand Marnier sauce is the complicated part of this recipe. Whatever happens, make sure that you just whisk enough liquid on the mayonnaise to make the perfect sauce.



Grand Marnier Shrimps
Ingredients
8 to 10 prawns (jumbo shrimps)
1/2 cup pancake mix (or cornstarch)
2 cups canola oil for deep frying
For the sauce:
1/2 Grand Marnier cognac
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup mayonnaise
For garnishing:
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup mandarin orange (from the can)
1 cup sweetened walnuts

Cooking Time (45 minutes)
Cook the Grand Marnier in a saucepan for 5 minutes to burn off the alcohol.
Set it aside to cool.
Cook the orange juice in a saucepan and reduce it to a syrup, about 10 minutes.
Set it aside to cool.
Place the prawns and the pancake mix in a bowl.
Shake it gently to mix the prawns and pancake flour together.
In a small deep fryer, cook 3 prawns at a time for two minutes.
In a small bowl, mix the Grand Marnier cognac and orange juice together.
In another bowl, add 1 cup of mayonnaise.
Pour a small portion of the liquid on the mayonnaise and whisk gently.
Pour just enough liquid on the mayonnaise to make a slightly thick sauce.
In a big serving plate, arrange the cooked prawns on top of the garnishings (lettuce, walnuts and mandarin oranges).
Slowly pour the Grand Marnier sauce over the prawns.

November 10 - Filet Mignon Simplified

Serving filet mignon is the classic way of serving an elegant dinner. But it does not need to be complicated. Freshly ground rock salt and pepper does the trick. Using a wok is one sure way of searing the meat the right way, if you are not opting for grilling or broiling.

I served the filet mignon with simply boiled French fingerling potatoes.

The kick came from the stir fried greens (way too exotic for my kids but the teriyaki-style sauce did the trick).

Filet Mignon

Ingredients

8 oz. filet mignon, pieces

freshly ground rock salt and pepper

12 pieces French fingerling potatoes

6 oz. stir fry greens (may contain Swiss Chard, Rapini Mustards, Kohlrabi, Chicory, Kale, Beet Tops, Amaranth, Bok Choi, Spinach), chopped

6 pieces of think bacon, chopped

3 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

3 slices of ginger

Cooking Time (35 minutes)

Pat the meat dry.

Sprinkle a generous amount of freshly ground rock salt and pepper on the meat.

In a large pot, boil the unpeeled potatoes with 2 tsp of salt.

Peel the potatoes before serving.

Meanwhile cook the bacon in a wok.

Set the bacon aside.

Using the oil from the bacon, add the ginger.

Cook the filet mignon in high heat.

Sear the meat on all sides.

For a 1.5" thick meat, sear for 11 minutes for medium rare, 13 minutes for medium and 18 minutes for well done.

Place the filet mignon on serving plates.

Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

In the same wok, cook the greens with the ginger.

Add the soy sauce, vinegar and sugar.

Cook for 10 minutes.

When serving, top the greens with the bacon.

Serve the filet mignon with the potatoes and stir fried greens.

November 4 - Fried Chicken Revisited

Crispy fried chicken is one finger food that needs to be eaten right away to enjoy it. Max's Restaurant became famous with their fried chicken, the Max's fried chicken. What's unique about it is that they use spring chicken and cook the chicken so crispy that you could eat the wing bones.

Most of the chicken here in the U.S are jumbo, so I opted to use Cornish hens since they are about the same size as the ones serve in Max's.



Fried Chicken


Ingredients
2 Cornish hens or spring chickens, less than 1.5 lbs each
1 tbsp freshly ground rock salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, peeled
spring onion (bulb only)
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 ginger, peeled
rosemary springs
48 oz. canola oil for deep frying





Cooking Time (2 hours)
Pat the chickens dry.
Rub the salt and pepper on the chicken.
Mix the garlic, onion, carrot and celery together.
Fill the chicken cavity with the mixture.
Place the chickens and the ginger on a steamer.
Steams the chickens for 30 minutes.
Let the steamed chicken stand for one hour to drain the liquids.
Take out the vegetable mixture out of the chickens.
Heat the oil in a large deep fryer or casserole.

Place the chickens in a single layer.
Fry the chicken for 25 minutes, carefully turning them twice.
Once cooked, let the chickens stand for another 5 minutes before serving.

October 23 - Kare-kare for Dinner

Kare-kare is the Filipino version of beef stew with peanut sauce. It is popularly cooked with oxtail meat and beef tripes, but for the faint of heart, beef short ribs is a perfect substitute.

This stew is cooked bland and served with sauteed shrimp paste on the side. If it is more convenient for you, you could also mix the shrimp paste in the peanut sauce when cooking.

Kare-kare
Ingredients

6 pieces of beef short ribs, about 1.5 lbs

4 cups of water

3 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 medium size onion, thinly sliced

1 lb green beans

3 Japanese eggplants, sliced

3 bunches of baby bokchoy

3 tbsp shrimp paste

4 tbsp Smucker's Natural peanut butter (no salt added)

Cooking Time (95 minutes)

In a big casserole, cook the beef short ribs with 4 cups of water for an hour, or until tender.

Set the beef short ribs aside and save the beef broth.

In another casserole, heat the olive oil and saute the garlic.

Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes.

Add the shrimp paste and the peanut butter and mix well.

Add the beef broth.

Add the meat.

Add the green beans and eggplants.

After 10 minutes, add the bokchoy.

Cook until the vegetables are tender.

Serve warm with white rice.

October 3 - Frutti de Mare Over Pasta

Being a seafood lover, Frutti de Mare is one of my favorites. You can pretty much include any kind of seafood, but for me, there should be shrimps, mussels, clams and squid. You can use your favorite marinara sauce or a simple can of chopped tomatoes. Chopped pancetta adds a distinct flavor to the dish.

Frutti de Mare Over Pasta
Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Vidalia sweet onion, minced

4 oz pancetta, chopped

10 oz. sliced fresh button mushroom

1 red bell pepper, minced

28 oz can of chopped tomatoes or bottle of marinara sauce

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano

1/2 cup red wine

4 jumbo tiger shrimps, peeled and deveined

4 squid, cleaned and sliced

1 dozen clams

1 lb mussels

1 package of fettuccine

4 tbsp butter

Cooking Time (40 minutes)

Heat the olive oil in a large pan or wok.

Saute the garlic, then the onions for 5 minutes.

Add the pancetta and brown for 5 minutes.

Add the red bell pepper, mushroom, and chopped tomatoes (or marinara sauce).

Add the basil, parsley and oregano.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Let the sauce cook for 10 minutes.

Add the clams and let it cook for 5 minutes.

Then add the mussels, shrimps and squid.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta.

Once cooked, mix the pasta with butter.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the pasta in a big serving plate.

Take out the clams, mussels and shrimps from the sauce.

Carefully pour the sauce over the pasta.

Arrange the shrimps and shells on top.

September 21 - Beer Braised Pork Chops

Beer braised pork chops is another easy yet delicious way of serving pork chops.

Pork chop is not a favorite meat cut for me. It tends to be hard than tender. When trying this dish, use the center cut with the bone in. It's all meat but really tender.

Rub the meat with salt and pepper then set aside for at least 15 minutes. In this way, the meat is tastier when browned.

Preparing the crispy fried apples and onions is a bit tricky and took much of the cooking effort. But the kids love the apples and the onions a lot that it was worth all the cooking hassle.

Beer Braised Pork Chops

Ingredients

4 pieces pork chops, bone in

2 tbsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

4 tbsp olive oil

1 bottle of beer

4 Gala apples, peeled, cored and each apple cut into 4 rings

1 large Vidalia sweet onion, cut into long strings

3 cups flour

4 eggs, whisked

3 cups bread crumbs

oil for deep frying

Cooking Time (1 hour)

Rub the meat with salt and pepper.

Heat the 4 tbsp olive oil in a large shallow pan.

Brown the pork chops, 5 minutes on each side.

Pour 1 bottle of beer in a large baking dish.

Place the chops in a single layer.

Bake for 45 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

In the meantime, prepare the crispy fried apples and onion.

Heat enough amount of oil in a deep fryer, about 2 inches deep.

Place the flour in one bowl.

Place the whisked eggs in another bowl.

Place the bread crumbs in a third bowl.

Dip each apple ring in the flour, then egg, then bread crumbs.

Fry 4 apple rings at a time for about 4 minutes.

Fry the onion strings as well.

Once the meat is done, pour the drippings in a frying pan.

Add 4 tbsp of flour and whisk together to make the gravy.

September 20 - Classic Shepherd's Pie

I was looking for a classic Australian dish, and came across with Shepherd's Pie. For some reason, my husband did not like the Shepherd's Pie he tried in England.

But surprisingly he liked my version of Shepherd's Pie. And the kids loved it!

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients
6 large Yukon potatoes
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp melted butter
3 tbsp olive oil
3 large shallots, minced
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 large red bell pepper
3 lbs ground beef
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 tbsp flour
1/2 cup water


Cooking Time (110 minutes)
Boil the potatoes in a large casserole for an hour.
After 30 minutes, start cooking the meat.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan or wok.
Add the shallots, celery, carrot and pepper and saute for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the ground beef and Worcestershire sauce together, taking out the lumps.
Add the ground meat in the pan.
Cook for about 15 minutes.
Add salt and pepper.
In a small cup, whisk the flour and 1/2 cup water together.
Add the flour mixture to the meat.
Mix and cook for another 5 minutes.
Peel the potatoes.
Add 3 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup milk.
Mash the potatoes.
Place the meat in a large baking dish.
Top with mashed potato.
Brush the melted butter on top.
Bake the casserole for 20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Then broil the casserole for 10 minutes until the top is slightly browned.

September 17 - Bitterballen

My husband is off to Netherlands and here I am trying out the bitterballen. Bitterballen is a Dutch typical appetizer that is prepared like croquettes but shaped like a ball. They were originally served with bittertje, a small glass of Dutch jenever, that's why is called "bitter ball".

The main thing he told me when preparing bitterballen is not to use ground meat. It is not a meatball. For this, I used beef chuck pot roast.

It is also a ragout, meaning you can use any leftover meat. Since I did not have any leftovers, I made my own boiled beef first before making the bitterballen.

It is typically served with mustard, or any dip of your liking.

Since I am serving bitterballen as church snacks, I increased the portions 4 times as much, about 70 pieces of bitterballen. If you are just serving to a small group, then 2 cups of shredded beef should be fine.

It is also good to prepare bitterballen ahead of time and store them in the freezer.



Bitterballen

Ingredients:
4 lbs beef chuck pot roast
1/4 cup salt
1 tbsp peppercorn
1 cup or 2 sticks butter
4 cups flour
8 cups broth
4 packets unflavored gelatin (1 oz)
5 tbsp parsley flakes
2 tbsp nutmeg
juice from 1 fresh lemon

4 eggs, yolk and white separated
1 cup milk
bread crumbs
flour
oil for deep frying

Preparation Time (overnight)
Place the beef chuck pot roast in a big casserole.
Add the salt and peppercorn.
Add enough water to cover the meat, about 10 cups.
Let it cook in low heat for 4 hours until the meat is really tender.
Strain the broth and set aside.
Shred the beef using two forks.
Chop the shredded beef as well.
In a large pot, melt the butter in medium heat.
Add the flour and mix it to make a roux.
After 10 minutes, slowly add 8 cups of the beef broth.
Mix it thoroughly for 5 minutes.
Add the gelatin and mix it well.
Add the parsley, lemon and nutmeg.
Mix 8 cups of the shredded beef.
Mix it thoroughly for another 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat.
Add the egg yolks and milk.
Transfer the mixture in a large shallow pan.
Cool it in the refrigerator for 5 hours or overnight to make it firm.


Cooking Time (1 hour)
Heat enough oil in a deep fryer.
Place 2 cups of flour in a bowl.
Place the egg whites with 3 tbsp oil in another bowl.
Place 2 cups of bread crumbs in a third bowl.
Using a tablespoon or ice cream scoop, scoop enough mixture to make a 1.5 inch ball.
Dip it in the flour, then in the egg whites mixture, then in the bread crumbs.
Make at least 5 balls before frying them together in the deep fryer.
Fry them for at least 5 minutes.
Serve warm with mustard.

September 7 - African Meat Stew With Peanut Butter

African beef stew with peanut butter is popularly known as Maffe. It is a basic African stew with ground peanuts (or creamy peanut butter). You can pretty much use any meat, like pork, goat meat or chicken.

The sauce has a subtle sweet taste that the kids enjoyed. I used the Jif Chunky Peanut Butter so the soup has chunky bits of peanuts.

African Peanut Butter Beef Stew

Ingredients
2 cups water
2 Knorr beef bullion
1 cup Jif chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large Vidalia (sweet) onion, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 lbs beef chuck, cut for stew
2 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3 medium sized carrots, cut 1" thick
2 green bell pepper, cut in 1" squares
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
3 bay leaves


Cooking Time (2 hours)
In a small pot, boil 2 cups of water and melt together the beef bullion and peanut butter.
Set aside.
In a large casserole, heat the olive oil in medium heat.
Saute the garlic and onion for 5 minutes.
Season the beef with salt and pepper.
Add the beef and cook for about 20 minutes, in high heat.
Note that since the beef will produce a lot of liquid, the beef will not get browned.
Add the peanut butter mixture.
Add the tomatoes, carrots, green bell pepper, thyme and bay leaves.
Mix well.
Simmer the stew for 90 minutes or until the meat is tender.
Serve warm with white rice.

September 2 - Stuffed Roasted Aubergines

Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables. My kids are beginning to like it too, since I served the ratatouille for dinner.

My friends and I were served with sumptuous Vietnamese dishes with European flair when we had dinner at Le Colonial. We ordered Aubergines for appetizer. These are eggplants stuffed with crab and shrimp served with shallot frites and nuoc cham.

I would have loved to serve the same thing at home. But since my kids are not fond of crabs yet, I stuffed the aubergines with ground beef instead.

My husband enjoyed the dish, especially the shallot frites, that gave the kick to the dish.

Stuffed Roasted Aubergines

Ingredients

6 European eggplants, halved

olive oil

salt and pepper

3 shallots, thinly sliced

2 lbs ground beef chuck

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

Cooking Time (75 minutes)

Lay the halved eggplants in a large baking pan.

Drizzle 1/2 cup of olive olive.

Season with salt and pepper.

Bake in the oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cook the shallot frites.

Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a large frying pan.

Fry the shallots for about 10 minutes, but be careful not to burn them.

Set the fried shallots in a plate with paper towel to absorb excess oil.

After an hour, cook the ground beef.

The ground beef chuck will have enough fats so you do not need to add oil for cooking.

After 10 minutes, add the chopped garlic.

Season with salt and pepper.

Carefully scoop the flesh out of each half eggplant.

Mix the eggplant flesh with the ground beef.

Cook for another 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat.

Fold in the fresh parsley and tomatoes.

When serving, place 3 tbsp of cooked ground beef in each half eggplant skin.

Serve with shallots frites.

August 31 - Serving Pan Fried Flounder with Broccoli Slaw

I am pleased that my kids are appreciating more fish dishes than before. Also, they have added zucchini and eggplant as favorite veggies besides broccoli.

So tonight, I served pan fried flounder and broccoli slaw. I have not prepared the usual cabbage slaw at home but surprisingly, they did not shy away from the broccoli slaw. Secret ingredients must be the bacon bits and sugar :)

Pan Fried Flounder and Broccoli Slaw

Ingredients

for the Pan Fried Flounder:

6 7oz. flounder fillet

salt and pepper

1 cup milk

2 cups flour

1 lemon, thinly sliced

butter for frying

for the Broccoli Slaw:

2 packages of Dole Broccoli Slaw

5 bacon slices

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

Cooking Time (1 hour)

Lay the flounder fillets in a large baking pan.

Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Let it stand for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the broccoli slaw.

Chop the 5 pieces of bacon.

Fry the bacon bits in a large frying pan.

In a big salad bowl, mix together the broccoli slaw, brown sugar, mayonnaise, olive oil and bacon.

Start cooking the flounder.

Place the milk in a shallow bowl.

Place the flour in a big plate.

Dredge each flounder fillet in milk, then in flour.

You may use butter or the oil from the bacon to fry the flounder.

Cook each side until it's golden brown.

Serve the fish with rice and slaw.

You may add a lemon slice on top of the fish for garnishing.

August 30 - Caribbean-Style Pineapple Marinade for Steaks

Here is a healthier option to the usual BBQ marinade of soy sauce and brown sugar - pineapple marinade.

I tried it initially with Flanken-style beef short ribs to bring it to a church banquet. That 4 pound was gone in no time.

I went back to the supermarket to buy some beef chuck steaks to serve the same dish at home.

Do take time to marinade the steaks, at least overnight. You can bake it for an hour at low heat, about 250 degrees Fahrenheit, or simmer it in a shallow pan for the same amount of time.


Steaks with Pineapple Marinade
Ingredients
4 lbs Beef Chuck Center Cut Steak Bone-in
2 cups 100% pineapple juice
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced

Preparation Time:
Place the steaks in a large shallow baking pan.
Add the rest of the ingredients, pineapple juice, salt, pepper and garlic.
Marinate the steaks overnight.






Cooking Time (75 minutes)
Cover the baking pan with a foil.
Bake the steaks (marinade included) for about 45 minutes at 250 degrees.
Uncover the pan and let it bake for another 15 minutes.
Grill the steak for 6 minutes on each side to give it some brown color.
Serve with sauteed vegetables and rice.

August 27 - A Special Way to Serve Cod

While dining in Delmonico's, I had a wonderful serving of Pan Roasted Cod with Tomato Leek Fondue. Since cod is my husband's favorite fish, I dared myself to prepare it at home.

The dish was served with tomato leek fondue and spaghetti squash. The tomato leek fondue, for me, was the main driver of the dish. The spaghetti squash has a subtle and sweet taste. I used a non-stick frying pan to cook the fish since cod is very soft and can easily break.

Pan Roasted Cod

Ingredients:

for Pan Roasted Cod:

6 cod fillet, about 2.5 lbs

salt and pepper

olive oil for frying

for Tomato Leek Fondue:

15 0z tomato sauce

1 tbsp salt

pepper

3 cups leek (the white portion of the leek, thinly sliced)

1 cup milk

capers and black olives for garnishing

for Spaghetti Squash:

1 spaghetti squash

olive oil

salt

pepper

grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking Time (90 minutes)

Start with the spaghetti squash.

Cut it in half (lengthwise).

Scrape the seeds and the "stringy" stuff out.

Drizzle with olive, salt and pepper.

Put the halves together.

Bake in the oven for an hour at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

After 30 minutes, start preparing the fondue.

In a pot, heat the olive oil.

Saute the leek for 5 minutes.

Add the tomato sauce, salt and pepper.

Let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Add 1 cup of milk.

Blend the sauce to make a puree.

Keep it warm while preparing the pan roasted cod.

Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan.

Pan fry each cod fillet, on both sides.

Cook it until slightly crisp.

When serving, add Parmesan cheese on the spaghetti squash.

Place a big scoop of spaghetti squash on a plate.

Place a cod fillet on top of the squash.

Pour some tomato leek fondue over the fish.

Garnish with capers and chopped black olives.

August 25 - Ratatouille for the Kids

Ratatouille is one my kids' favorite movies. It's about a rat improvising these seemingly delicious dishes. Of course, the kids wonder if that ratatouille tasted really good just as the food critic claimed it to be.

In my first attempt to prepare ratatouille, it looked good but tasted dry. I hesitated to include eggplants since my kids, at that time, were not familiar with it.


This time, my dish was warmly welcomed (and consumed) by my kids. Yes, I included the eggplant, which added the toasty taste of the dish. I made a good tomato sauce as a base for my ratatouille, which the kids liked as well.

Ratatouille



Ingredients
For the sauce:
1 small can of tomato paste
1 cup water
1 large sweet onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp salt
pepper
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano leaves
1/4 cup olive oil

For the vegetables:
2 green zucchini, thinly sliced
1 Italian eggplant, cut lengthwise in 4 portions and thinly sliced
8 red plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced



Cooking Time (70 minutes)
Heat the olive oil in a wok.
Saute the garlic, then the onion.
Add the tomato paste, 1 cup water, thyme, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
Let it cook for 30 minutes in low heat.
Carefully blend the sauce into a puree.
Pour the tomato sauce in a large baking pan.
Arrange the zucchini, eggplant and tomato alternately in a single layer.
Place the thin slices of green bell pepper on top.
Cover the pan with a parchment paper.
Bake the ratatouille for 40 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

August 24 - Stuffed Pork Cutlets Served with Beer Sauerkraut and Dumplings

One colleague noticed that I only have one Austrian dish in my recipe blogs. So he offered to share his collection of Austrian recipes. The combination of pork cutlets, sauerkraut and dumplings was interesting enough for my kids.

The stuffed pork cutlet came out tasty. Make sure that you take the time to marinade the pork with salt, pepper and garlic.

Same thing with the beer sauerkraut, I gave it an hour to simmer. It is not the usual sour tasting cabbage. The caraway is optional, although I think, it gave the disk the wonderful aroma.

My son liked the dumplings. I used the sweet Vidalia onion and fresh parsley to give this recipe a kick.


Stuffed Pork Cutlet
Ingredients
Stuffed Pork Cutlets:
6 pork cutlets or steaks (about 2" by 6, about 1/2 inch thick)
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
6 fresh sausages link (take out the skin)
olive oil
Beer Sauerkraut:
1 head cabbage, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 cup or bottle of beer
Dumplings:
6 mini brioche rolls, crumbled
2 eggs
1 cup milk
olive oil
salt
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Cooking Time (1 hour)
Season the pork steaks with garlic, salt and pepper.
Set aside for 45 minutes.
Cook the beer sauerkraut.
Heat the olive oil in a wok and saute the onions.
Add the beer and the cabbage.
Season with salt, pepper and caraway seeds.
Simmer the cabbage for 1 hour.
Prepare the dumplings.
Mix all the ingredients for the dumplings.
Divide the mixture into 9 portions.
Using a plastic wrap, wrap a portion and shape it into a ball.
Microwave the dumplings for at least 3 minutes.
Cook the stuffed pork cutlets.
Stuff each cutlet with a portion of the sausage filling.
Fold the cutlet into half.
You can use a panini grill to cook the cutlet for 10 minutes.
Or you can fry the cutlets on both sides using a shallow pan.

July 12 - Summertime Potato Salad

This potato salad is very light to the pallet and perfect side dish to any grilled meat or fish.

I used Yukon potatoes so they do not get mushy when boiled. The boiled eggs gave the creamy consistency when added with mayonnaise.

Then adding chopped fresh onions, celery stalks, carrots and green bell pepper give the crunchy and summery texture to the salad.

Summertime Potato Salad

Ingredients

8 Yukon potatoes, boiled with skin on

4 boiled eggs

11 fl. oz mayonnaise (preferably smoked bacon mayonnaise)

dash of salt and pepper

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 cup chopped fresh celery stalks

1 cup chopped fresh carrots

1/2 cup minced Vidalia onion

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

Preparation Time (15 minutes)

Peel the boiled potatoes and cut them into small cubes.

Place the potatoes is a big bowl.

Chop the boiled eggs and add them to the potatoes.

Add the mayonnaise, salt, pepper and brown sugar.

Add the onions, carrots, celery and green bell pepper.

Mix together.

Serve with any grilled meat or fish.

July 11 - Corn and Black Bean Salad

The bad thing about summer holidays would be the tempting servings of hot dogs, funnel cakes, curly fries, ice cream, and more ice cream.

So when it's time to mellow down, this corn and black bean salad takes the guilt away. Serve it on top of fresh greens and any grilled meat.

Corn and Black Bean Salad

Ingredients

5 ears of fresh corn

19 oz can of black beans

1 large Vidalia onion, minced

1 red bell pepper, minced

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

any fresh greens (lettuce, arugula, spinach)

olive oil

Preparation/Cooking Time (1 hour)

Boil the fresh corn for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a wok.

Saute the onions for 3 minutes.

Add the beans, salt and pepper and cook for another 3 minutes.

Transfer the beans in a big bowl.

Add the minced red bell pepper.

Add some chopped fresh basil.

Once the corn are cooked, heat the grill and grill the corn for 15 minutes.

Shuck the corn kernels and add it to the bean mixture.

When ready to serve, serve it on top of fresh greens.

Serve it with any grilled meat.

July 9 - Honey Glazed Grilled Shrimp

You know that summer is here when I grill most of the time for our dinner. Here is another instant hit for my family, honey glazed grilled shrimps.


Even when serving it with grilled vegetables like asparagus, Portobello mushroom and onions, there is still enough tummy space for dessert.

Honey Glazed Grilled Shrimp

Ingredients
25 counts jumbo Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 fresh lemon, squeezed
salt and pepper
olive oil
2 tbsp creamed honey
5 bamboo sticks
For the grilled vegetables:
25 fresh asparagus stalks
2 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 large Vidalia onion, cut in half horizontally

Preparation/Cooking Time (30 minutes)
Arrange the shrimps in a plate in a single layer.
Drizzle with lemon juice.
Dash some salt and pepper.
Spread 2 tbsp creamed honey.
Then drizzle some olive oil.
Let it stand for 15 minutes.
On another large plate, arrange the vegetables.
Dash some salt and pepper.
Then drizzle some olive oil, as well.
Heat the grill.
Place 5 shrimps on each bamboo stick.
Arrange the shrimps and vegetables on the grill.
Grill for 5 minutes on each side.

July 8 - Brioche Crusted Halibut

I noticed that if I only serve fish as the main dish (meaning not serving any meat dish with it), the kids will most likely finish their fish serving.

Tonight, I decided to prepare Brioche Crusted Halibut. It was an alternative to brioche crusted loup de mer which I had the pleasure of eating at Cafe Boulud. Loup de mer is Mediterranean sea bass or Branzino. I have learned to love Branzino. The meat is so tender and sweet. But rarely do I see Branzino fillets being sold in the market.

I tried using my new Cuisinart griddler for faster cooking, but I discovered that the bread burnt easily. So my advice is to go the regular way which is roasting the brioche crusted fish in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.


Brioche Crusted Halibut


Ingredients
1.5 lb Halibut fillet, cut in 4 servings
French Bread Baguette, cut in the same size as the fish fillet
1 fresh lemon, squeezed
salt and pepper
olive oil
For the grilled vegetables:
red and green peppers
zucchini
yellow squash
1 large onion
For the rice and red beans:
8 cups cooked Basmati rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Spanish onion, minced
1 can small red beans
1 tsp turmeric
salt and pepper




Preparation/Cooking Time (40 minutes)
Season the fish fillets with lemon, salt and pepper.
Let it marinate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the rice with red beans.
Heat 5 tbsp olive oil in a wok.
Saute the garlic, then the onion.
Add the red beans and the rice.
Season with turmeric, salt and pepper.
Let it warm in low setting while grilling the vegetables and fish.
Heat the grill.
Toss some olive oil on the vegetables.
Grill the vegetables, 5 minutes on each side.
If you are cooking the fish in the oven, heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a shallow pan, pour some olive oil.
Arrange the fish fillets in a single layer.
Drizzle some olive oil on the bread slices.
Neatly place slice on each fish fillet.
Cook the fish for 10 minutes or until the bread is browned.
If you are cooking the fish in a contact grill (i.e. Cuisinart), arrange the fish in a single layer, topped with a bread slice on top of each fish fillet.
Close the griddler.
Bake for 10 minutes until the bread is browned and crispy.
Serve the fish immediately with grilled vegetables and rice.

July 6 - Beef Picadillo

It's heatwave week once again in the East Coast. Kids just started their summer camps and the ACs were not working in the gyms. There were no kids in the park. My kids opted to hang out in the public library where they have the comfort of air-conditioned rooms.

S0 it's time for another comfort food, beef picadillo. It's one of my favorites growing up, and a specialty of my Papa. But this following recipe is more Cuban-style. Seasonings include the classic oregano, parsley and basil. Zap it with minced Spanish olives and a dash of cumin.

My kids ate it with tortilla wrap while I had mine with white rice.

Beef Picadillo

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef sirloin

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Spanish red onion, minced

3 large Yukon potatoes, small cubes

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

4 colossal Spanish olives, minced

3 tbsp salt

1 tsp parsley flakes

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tsp cumin

12 oz tomato paste

5 tbsp olive oil

Cooking Time (45 minutes)

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven pan.

Add the garlic.

Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes.

Mix the ground beef with the garlic and onion and let it cook for 10 minutes.

Add the salt.

Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the peppers.

Add the tomato paste.

If you prefer to make a thinner sauce, you may 1/2 cup of water.

Season with oregano, parsley, basil and cumin.

Before serving, add the minced olives.

Serve with white rice or warm tortilla wraps.

July 3 - Glaze It For Dinner

Still trying to persuade my kids to eat more fish (besides fish sticks and fish and chips).

This glazed salmon dish fared well on the dining table. Served with glazed nectarines, the salmon was a welcomed treat.

I also tried the same glazed recipe with hangar steak and served it on top of sauteed green beans with onions.

Glazed Salmon, Hangar Steak and Nectarines

Ingredients
2 lbs salmon fillet

3 pcs beef hangar steak

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 lemons, freshly squeezed

1 tbsp dill weed

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

For the glazed nectarines:

4 nectarines (cored and sliced)

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp olive oil

For the sauteed green beans:

3 tbsp olive oil

2 lbs green beans

1 large onion minced

Preparation Time (30 mins)

Mix the brown sugar, olive oil, lemon juice, dill weed, salt, pepper.

Set aside half of the mixture.

Pour the sugar mixture on the salmon and hangar steaks.

Let it marinate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute the green beans.

In a wok, heat 3 tbsp olive oil.

Saute the minced onions.

Add the green beans and cook for 15 minutes, covered.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve it on big, shallow platter.

For the next 10 minutes, grill the glazed nectarines.

Turn the nectarines once.

Arrange them on a big, shallow platter, too.

On the same grill, place the hangar steaks and salmon, with skin side down.

Turn the hangar steaks once in a while.

Grill them for 10 minutes.

Serve the salmon with the nectarines.

Slice the steaks and arrange them on top of the beans.

As for the remaining sugar mixture, heat it in the microwave for two minutes.

Pour it over the steaks and salmon.

June 15 - Creamy Basil and Tomato Pasta

It's always a choice between marinara sauce and creamy Alfredo sauce. But today, it's a crossover of these two wonderful pasta sauces - creamy basil and tomato.

For a livelier taste, use freshly chopped tomatoes and basil.

Creamy Basil and Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 lb jumbo shrimps, peeled and deveined

salt

freshly ground pepper

5 cloves garlic, minced

medium onion, minced

5 ripe vine tomatoes, chopped

1 cup milk

4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

10 fresh basil leaves, chopped

16 oz pasta noodles, preferably angel hair or spaghetti

Cooking Time (30 minutes)

Cook the pasta as instructed (about 8 minutes).

In a wok or big saucepan, heat 4 tbsp olive oil.

Fry the shrimps for 5 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Set the shrimps aside.

Saute the garlic, then the onions in the same pan.

After 5 minutes, add the chopped tomatoes and saute for another 5 minutes.

Add the pasta.

Add the milk, 2 tbsp salt, 1 tsp pepper and 4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese.

Before serving, add the fresh basil and 2 tbsp olive oil.

Top the pasta with the cooked shrimp.

June 14 - A Delectable Mushroom Sauce for Steaks And Salmon

Creating mushroom sauce without the use of Campbell's cream of mushroom is a challenge.

Kids do not like a strong mushroom taste. So when preparing the sauce with thinly sliced fresh button mushroom, I tried not to overcook the mushroom.

It's great with filet mignon and salmon, as well.

Salmon with Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients
3 Alaskan King Salmon filet (0.4 oz each)
or 3 Filet Mignon steaks (0.4 oz each)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, minced
10 oz fresh button mushrooms, thinly sliced
dash of pepper
1 cup water
2 tbsp brown sugar
8 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp flour
olive oil for cooking



Cooking Time (15 minutes)
Heat up an iron griddle on high heat.
Place 3 tbsp olive oil.
Cook the filet mignon and/or salmon for 7 minutes on each side.
In a medium size saucepan, heat 3 tbsp olive oil.
Saute the garlic and onion for 5 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and saute for another 5 minutes.
Mix the flour, soy sauce and brown sugar with 1 cup of water.
Pour it on the mushroom and stir consistently until the sauce is thick.
Add a dash of freshly ground pepper to taste.
Serve over filet mignon and/or salmon filet.

May 22 - A Birthday Cake for Harry

It is always a delight to bake a birthday cake. My husband always gets one for his birthday. He loves cakes especially one with a thick, white sugar frosting.

But this year, I became more adventurous and baked a strawberry gelatin cake with custard filling.

Strawberry Gelatin Cake with Custard

Ingredients

For the cake:

Duncan French vanilla cake mix

eggs

vegetable oil

For the custard filling:

3/4 cup brown sugar

4 tbsp flour

2 cups milk

5 egg yolks

For the Strawberry gelatin:

2 envelopes Strawberry Jello

2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup cold water

20 fresh strawberries, thinly sliced

Cooking Time

Bake the cake as directed using a 10" spring form round cake pan.

In a small pot, mix all the ingredients for the custard filling.

Bring it gently to a boil.

Stir constantly until it thickens.

Remove from the heat and let it cool.

In another small pot, boil 2 cups of water.

Pour the Jello and stir until it has completely dissolved.

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 cup of cold water.

Chill the gelatin in the refrigerator.

Spread the custard filling evenly on top of the white cake.

Arrange the fresh strawberries in a single layer on top of the custard filling.

Once the gelatin is cold enough, pour it gently on top of the fresh strawberries.

Chill the cake in the refrigerator until the gelatin is firm.

May 1 - Muffins for Breakfast

This is the first breakfast that I have dared to serve muffins. I shy away from baking cupcakes and cakes.

This muffin recipe though (except the brown sugar), looks healthy enough, so I gave it a try.

The kids loved it. They want to have muffins for breakfast again!


Strawberry Banana Nut Muffin


Ingredients
1 cup strawberries, chopped
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 ripe banana, sliced
2 large eggs
8 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts



Preparation and Cooking Time (45 minutes)
Mix together 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup strawberries in a large bowl.
Add the banana, lemon juice, eggs and olive oil.
Using a handheld blender, puree the fruit mixture.
Add the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and mix together.
Fold in the chopped walnuts and 2 tbsp brown sugar.
Pour the mixture equally in a muffin/cupcake tin lined with muffin liners.
Baked for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.