Greatest Invention To Date...

I forgot my camera.... But I've finally perfected it. It's weird that I even enjoy this food. It's basically a not so gross version of congee. Those who know me, will remember the sight/smell of chinese congee makes me want to hurl. When I created this, I was thinking risotto, hence why I call it MISOtto. Day old rice, some water or stock, hit it up with some veggies (spinich, seaweed, whatever you got) add in some tofu or imitation crab might be yummy... Once it starts to boil, throw in a spoonful of miso for flavor and stir until it becomes the consistency of risotto. Add in half a teaspoon of flavored oil (seasme, tomatoe, olive whatever) it's so good. Not as soupie as congee...more like risotto...but asian style. MISOTTO!!!!!!!! Shoot, I won't even add a picture. It looks like baby food sick. But it's tasty. Fuck you. I live and eat arone. HARMPH!!!

Chicken Pot Pie

I just love using ramekins. Daniel loves pot pie. Hail to phyllo dough. For the win.

Instant Pudding Jello

Ginger juice + warm milk + sugar = instant Hong Kong dessert. Gingermilk was ridiculously easy to make and so silky and delicious!!! I want to try it with eggnog!

Fall Arrival

Crisp leaves, cold nights, squash... fall is here!! To celebrate, I made some butternut squash soup and shared with a friend. Super creamy and delicious. Great texture, but the cream I added really filled us both up. I think next time I'll stick with the soy milk. I <3>

Beef. It's what's for ... brunch?

I don't make steak enough. There could be cuts of steak in my stir-frys or maybe in my mid-week curries... But I'm talking about a slab of unadulterated meat. (ok only slightly adulterated with some house seasoning). And that's probably why I am constantly failing. Taste wise, it was on the mark. But UGHHH, I have got to learn some temperature control!! I wanted it the meat be cooked through, but I don't want it to be cooked too well. That was piece of beef was select AND THIS IS STEAK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE!!! Next time, I need to be more aware of my timing when it's still over the fire. There was no waste of steak (oh yea...busting out the rhymes yo...bitch bitch mutha waaaaaa) I still ate it. On a positive note, my slaw was good. Red cabbage and a secret ame salad dressing. I'm all about throwing random things into the mix. Salsa in your salad dressing???? Don't balk until you try it. I dedicate this post to J-ho. Thanks for getting me back on the posting train bra.

Basil put to good use!

What to do with all that basil. Make pizza with eggplant, tomato, regular, and smoked mozzerlla. YUMMY!!!



You saw the before...and this is the after goodness.





Go team TEAM. *t & ame arranged oh so perfectly*

Cold Plate

"dong pun" which translates into "cold plate" is a favorite Chinese appetizers of mine. They're usually simple marinated or preserved vegetables which are served cold; incredibly light and refreshing during these Texas summers. The tofu dong pun is incredibly healthy as it was easy and quick to prepare. Just ask IRON TYLER my new taste tester recruit (he's actually handier in the kitchen than me). This one goes out to you buddy!

TOFU SALAD:

1/2 brick of baked tofu (sliced thin)
1/4 cup - chopped fresh cilantro
tblspoon - sesame oil
tblspoon - rice vinegar
tblspoon - soy sauce

~ optional
tsp - sarachi
tsp - toasted sesame seeds
S & P

Mix well and eat ... or just come on over.

It's a Classic

It's Beef and Broccoli, the classic Chinese American dish!! I went a little gung-ho on the sesame seeds. But that's how I like it!! So you haters can suck it. The broccoli was perfect (not the over cooked yellow turds that some restaurants dare serve). The beef was a little too salty and I will not have to sear so much the next time. But it was still good!

Keeping it Simple

My mommy and daddy came to visit me this weekend, and they brought with them some backyard fresh tomatoes!!! They had to leave me before lunch time, so they couldn't help me eat this yummy and simple pasta dish. Garden tomatoes, apartment deck grown basil a little bit of this and that.... topped it all off with a little good olive oil. Ooooh so fragrant and fresh! I'm feeling healthy today. Maybe I will get a couple slices of cheesecake at the cheesecake sale at the cheesecake factory this cheeseday....Wednesday.

Eating Leftovers

My weekend trip to A-tx left me with a 1/4 link of Rudy's famous jalapeno sausage. It's been calling me since Sunday. So have potatoes and eggs. As you all know, I cook and eat alone most of the time. It's a lot easier on the dishwasher (also me) if I can combine ALL food groups into one convenient and delicious package. Whatever moved me to try it, but I thought a prototype souffle would do just the trick to house the sausage, egg, and potato (plus corn, peas, onions, and chives). Wham bam...30 minutes later. Wow...this is my first attempt at souffle? It's so pretty...and GOOD?! All right enough tooting my own horn.

Here's the plated version with a little spicy tomato chili sauce...more commonly known as SARACHI. It's an amazing combination. Don't believe me? Well NO SOUFFLE FOR YOU!

Saucy~

*gasp* I'm actually including a recipe for a quick noodle sauce. I don't think I've read anything else, although I'm sure it exists seeing as how I can't possibly be that innovative.

I always keep a jar of miso in my fridge. It's healthy and can be made into soup or a healthy flavor boost. This sauce came to be after a craving for cold sesame noodles. Now... there was a time back in college when I worshipped food groups falling under the category of nuke and eat within 5 minutes. And the particular flavor and texture of the sauce I was craving came in plastic package of specialty ramen. It was thick, sweet, and sour. I figured it would be in the family of peanut sauces. Since I had no peanuts or peanut butter, I grabbed the closest thing that vaguely resembled the texture of peanut butter, and that was my jar of miso. Added some soy, sesame oil, and balsamic vinegar to the miso. Stirred and...something with a similar consistency to my packaged sauce of memory appeared before me. Luckily, it tasted just as good if not better.

I usually just pour the sauce over some chilled noodles (ramen, somen, soba - doesn't matter. It'll taste just as good with spaghetti) But i could easily see this sauce in a stirfry. But that's as easy as it gets folks. It took me longer to type this post than to make the sauce, cook my noodles, and eat.

Sweet and Tart Sesame Sauce

1 tablespoon of miso (doesn't matter what kind, I use red)
1 teaspoon of vinegar (doesn't matter what kind, I use balsamic)
2 teaspoon of dark toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon of mustard (doesn't matter what kind, I use honey dijon)
dash of soy
pinch of pepper
1/4 teaspoon of sarachi (optional)

combine all ingredients in no particular order, stir until everything is combined and sauce like. On a side note, the miso could probably be substituted with peanut butter and still taste just as good.


My final product looks like this. I add green onions, toasted black sesame seeds, and pickled garlic (pickled garlic is totally an acquired taste. Took my mother YEARS to even get me near the jar. Add with extreme-eme-eme cation)

PEAS SOUPE

I never actually liked pea soup until one very cold vacation day in Alaska. There I was on the deck, high freezing wind blowing in my face looking around at the beautiful icebergs refusing to surrendur to the warm envoirnmental controlled cruise boat interior. And there it was... a station passing out ham and pea soup. It looked to warm...albiet a little bit like baby food throwup. I figured it would be more like my own survivalman adventure, but it would keep me warm for another 30 mintues, and I was staying outside dammit! So I took the plunge: spoon into green goop, green goop into mouth! The experience was a little like falling in love actually. I've never tried to make it before, but I think this first go at pea soup was more than successful. I added a little carrot and onion to the peas just to mix it up. I don't think I will add carrot next time. It added a delightful sweetness, but the texture was all wrong. I made a vegan version, even though I know it would have tasted oodles better with some bacon and heavy cream mixed in. I guess I substituted the cream for soymilk and the bacon for carrots? This vegan version was still delicious, but definitely not the same thing as the full on bad for you fats version. Oh well...the sacrifices we make to live healthier lives.

My FAVORITE dessert!

Last week I made creme brulee for the boy, but mainly for me. It was so good!!! It's amazing to me that something made out of cream, sugar, vanilla, and egg yolks could be so heavenly. I thought I would have to spend a fortune on things like ramekins and torches, but the ramekins ended up costing $8 and I used a wind resistant candle lighter to make the sugar crust. Thrifty and economical I am.

Bachelorette Dinner

So, I must confess that something like this is usually what I eat for dinner since it's quick to prepare, complete nutrition, and I love all the foods. You really can't beat kimchee, perfect over medium eggs, and bowl of rice! The flies still aren't leaving me alone. I've started pouring bleach down the drain (as suggested by my mother) and ended up ruining one of my favorite gray beaters. Well...at least it looks intentional now, but I can never wear it to work again! DAMN YOU FLIES!

Pasta Rampage

It's been pasta almost all week! I'm still loving it. I marinated some chicken last night in honey dijon mustard, basalmic vineager, olive oil, and S&P. I love mustard, and after watching 'Unwrapped' on the food network which shot a segment at a mustard museum, I was inspired to create something with mustard. Fired up the cast iron grill, and grilled the chicken. Tossed my last few strands of fettucini with garlic, shallots, and basil with lots of olive oil. YUM. Flies are still a problem, but I may have a solution. Thanks Jason! :)

Shoo fly! DON'T BOTHER ME!

Not that I've been hit with a non-cooking spur. But most nights I'm eating kimchee and noodles or other less glamorous/bachelorette type foods.

This will be a story of my night in preparation to the actual dinner part. It is an epic and gruesome struggle. Be forewarned...

After 3 days of store bought tomato sauce and pasta (well I added other things to change it up each day), I decided I would eat pasta for dinner again. Since all the jar sauce was all used up, pasta salad it was! Some left of tortillas, granted by the freezer, made some sweet vessels for the salad.

My apartment is not centrally heated or cooled. Hi window AC unit. Hi old fashioned space heater (seriously, my mom saw it and went "Well I haven't seen one of those in 20 years!!!) Talk about old school! This yields a very slight fruit fly problem every now and then. Maybe once a week I will smash two or three. Anyway, I made amends with Oliver, my darling pet hedgehog, and he's taken up residence in my larger closet. *shock TWO closets in a studio?! Yes it is possible. AND HARDWOOD FLOORS BITCH* Because of the lack in central air, I was concerned that my fly problem would go haywire like the time it did when I didn't take out the trash for 3 days. My trashcan can fit about 5 days worth of trash, but my tolerance for flies is much much shorter. It's been about a week since Oliver moved in, and the flies were...a LITTLE worse, but not full blown out terrible like the 3 days of collected garbage. So, I figure we were good.

Fast forward to dinner. I boiled up some wheat spirals and some corn. Then cut up a bit of red onion and some leaf lettuce (well it *is* pasta SALAD). Onto the dressing. A little bit of mustard, mayo, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and mix. *mix, mix, mix WHOA FLY* Little bitty annoying and pesky tiny fruit fly. So i put the bowl down...and wait for a moment to strike. A science experiment in highschool taught me that one fly...could make...MILLIONS (okay more like thousands...hundreds) Seeing one land, I show no mercy. *CLAP* Since they're too small for fly swatters I have to assassinate with my bare hands. After washing my hands I spot two more millimeters away from my dressing. Waving them away I quickly dress my waiting and naked salad and wisely cover it with a screen. Set the bowl down to attract the vermin. HOLY FUCK. Out of no where ...a swarm of these little bugs are zooming every which way landing on the bowl with remnants of the dressing, trying to get through the screen to my salad, crawling around the lid of my vinegar. GROSS!!!

As a master fly killer, a title which I earned the sophomore year of college. Thank you roommate who didn't through away your fruit peels. I've had past experience with fruit flies, if you couldn't figure that out. (hint: they like to land on mirrors)

After 10 minutes elapse, I am hungry, my hands are pained from all the clapping and smashing, there are about 14 victims in tissue paper coffins sitting in the trashcan, and still the battle is not over. After cursing Oliver and his poo for causing my woe, I bring out the big guns. Hellooooo lemon scented RAID. I make a new match of dressing to lure them in and they come like moths to a fire. In minutes there are about 8 flies that have collected for their doom. BLAST!! A massacre. I stand victorious, until I notice a a few more that were more attracted to my mixing spoon in the sink. A quick blast execution, and I decide if there are anymore, I will deal with them later, because they have delayed my dinner long enough!

Quickly I nuke and toast my tortillas, distribute the pasta salad amongst them, and feast. It is so delicious...

Beer is not one of the ingredients

My boss lady is awesome. One of those factors of awesomeness is that we have happy hour on her at the work place A LOT. I'm famished upon coming home, even with 4 beers in my belly. Thank GOD there was some marinated beef in my fridge. Whipped up some fettuccine and tomato sauce. Grilled the beef. DINNER. Man that was tasty. I just hope it wasn't the alcohol or the hunger talking.

Introduction

Well, since I am by no means a stove master, this is the next best title (think serf...next step...lordship). Such is a mere chronicling of my rise to CULINARY GODLINESS!!!!! There will be many a obstacle, but I am ready to do some damage.

And here is where the magic happens. I'm just trying to make it on my own in my little studio apartment that was blessed with a decent kitchen. I usually only cook for myself, so my meals are simple; keepin' it real.

I learned to cook through observation and experimentation. It all started with watching my parents who are both stellar chefs. I do like to peruse the isles of a farmer's market. But I usually stick to what's on sale and fresh at my neighborhood grocery store (remember the studio apartment part?). I'm not too keen on actual written instructions, and everything I make is just based on whatever I could afford to pick up at the store. For starters... these are a few of the more memorable dishes I made and ate this week:




Mashed sweet potatoes with bacon and a turkey, onion, and mushroom omlette.








Steamed egg with mushroom and fishcake with rice and garlic bak choi.









Sarachi and miso veggie fried rice












Steamed shrimp paste tofu





Sorry for the crappy photos. They will get better. I promise.