The Asian American Pantry and another Episode of Not done with that leftover Spaghetti just yet !!!

There are certain Asian ingredients that I keep in the house at all times, they are so versatile and when I am in the market' if I see some fresh Bok Choy that looks crisp and clean I grab it!

My Asian pantry....(These are from the regular market so don't get you knickers in a twist!)

In the Fridge always on hand:

Wasabi Paste in the tube / I also save extra Wasabi from the Sushi takeout

Low Sodium Soy Sauce

Thai Fish sauce

Pre-Minced and fresh Ginger

Oyster sauce

Mirin

Sesame Oil

Hoisen sauce

Thai Sweet and or Hot Chili Sauce

Teryiaki Sauce and or Glaze

Wonton and or Egg roll Wrappers

Specialty Produce:

Bok Choy

Napa Cabbage

Snow or Sugar Snap Peas

Bean Sprouts

Prepackaged Stir Fry Veggies

Cole Slaw Mix

I could go on but you get the picture let's not get nuts!

In the pantry cabinet:

Chinese 5 Spice powder

Powdered Ginger

Toasted Sesame Seeds White and or Black

Mung Bean Thread or Rice Noodles and I always have Regular Pasta Noodles

Rice Wine Vinegar

Nori/Toasted Seaweed for Rolls

What I have pictured above is such a go to dinner...It does involve other pantry items.I always keep raw peeled and deveined frozen shrimp, scallops, chicken, or steak in the freezer. I always have scallions, mushrooms, cucumbers, carrots, onions, chicken or beef stock/broth, etc. on hand.

This can be made Kosher, just do veggies, chicken or beef!

Let's get cookin'! Serves 1-2 people

In a pre-heated 450 degree Toaster Oven put

4-6 Large Frozen Raw Peeled Deveined Shrimp

4-6 Large Frozen Scallops

Place on a foil lined toaster oven tray and cook for 1o minutes till Shrimp is pink and a little curled and Scallops are tender

Remove from oven and set aside

2 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock

1 to 1 1/2 Tsps Pre-Minced or Grated Fresh Ginger

1/4 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1/2 to a Tsp of Wasabi Paste depending on your heat preference

1 Tbls Oyster Sauce

2 Tbls of Honey

1 Tsp Fish Sauce

1 Tsp Sesame oil

2 Finely chopped Scallions green and white parts

1/4 to 1/2 LB of the noodles of your choice, I even use Angel Hair

Green parts of a large Bok Choy

Add any other veggies you like...sliced mushrooms, thin sliced carrots, thin sliced zucchini, Napa cabbage, etc.

Except for the Shrimp and the Scallops bring all items to a boil.

****If you are using fresh Noodles break them and boil till tender...if you are using leftover Noodles boil for 3 minutes

Then add Shrimp and Scallops simmer for another 2-3 minutes

****If using Chicken, I would use cooked

****If using Steak I would use Raw sliced thin and simmer for 15 Minutes without noodles, then add noodles****see Noodle note above!

This post was so long I'm Naming this dish The Great Wall of China Soup!

Fast Chicken, Left Over Pasta Side Dish, Spinach Bake with Leftover Garlic Bread Croutons

Michael really enjoyed this dinner...you can mix and match any of these dishes, they are easy and fast. The pasta is leftover thin spaghetti, but it's the cooking method that makes it special.
The spinach bake is a little invention of my own and everyone loved it, I made a crouton topping from leftover garlic bread. This bake can even be made ahead and served at room temp.. The chicken is so quick it will be a real go to...very flavorful without a long marinade time. Even the leftovers can be leftovers...in this economy every little bit helps. This is really a pantry dinner...most things you should have on hand.

First things first...lets get the chicken going...

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Kosher Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

Granulated Garlic

Onion Powder

Paprika

Grill Cooking spray

Pre-heat grill to 400

Dry Chicken very thoroughly on both sides

Brush both sides with the Oil

Salt and Pepper Chicken

Next sprinkle Granulated Garlic, Onion Powder, and Paprika in that order

Spray one side of Chicken with Grill Spray, lay this side down on direct heat

You will be cooking this chicken 3-4 minutes per side depending how thick the Breasts are, Remember you can always use a Meat Thermometer to check for doneness

When you are ready to turn, spray the other side carefully as not to flare the flame in your face

When the Chicken is done let it rest for 5 minutes...it will be so juicy!

Ok Popeye time for spinach!

Cooking Spray

3 packages of Frozen Chopped Spinach Defrosted

Kosher Salt

1 Egg White

4 Tbls of Grated Parmesan Cheese

3 Tbls of Bacon Bits Real or Imitation

1/2 Cup of Garlic Croutons or cubed leftover Garlic Bread

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Spray an 8x8 baker with cooking spray

In a clean kitchen towel put the Spinach and squeeze all the liquid out, get it as dry as you can

Place the Spinach in a bowl

Add Egg White and 3 of the 4 Tbls of Cheese, using a fork mix vigorously

Spread Spinach mixture in baker

Sprinkle Cheese and Bacon bits on top

Add Croutons

Spray top with Cooking spray

Bake for 15- 20 minutes

Soooo delish! Bet the kids like it!

Spaghetti Redo

We will wing it with measurements on this one because we use leftover components and it is really a method not so much a recipe

Spaghetti

Your favorite Sauce (leftover or fresh)

Your favorite Grated Cheese

Any other add ins you want like Garlic, Olives, Herbs, Meats, you get the idea

In a saucepan pour Sauce, (The ratio should be 2 parts Sauce to one Part spaghetti)

Heat the Sauce on medium till simmering

Add pasta

Stir

Add Cheese and any add ins

Keep stirring till almost all the Sauce is absorbed

Serve...so good...the Pasta takes in all the flavor...this can be a main dish as well!

Easy Breezy Shrimp

This is not only an easy recipe, but the marinade is good for any fish, chicken, or meat. The shrimp that I have pictured here are from Costco and they are large...they are probably 16-20 shrimp per pound or less...these are great for the grill because you don't need to go through the process of skewering them. I like to leave the tail on for presentation and a cute little handle.
They are great for a main meal or to serve as an Hors d'Oeuvres
This is a quick marinade because of the salt content, just about 30 minutes.
Here we go...
1 (1 1/2 to 2 pounds )Package of Costco Fresh Shrimp Split & Deveined or any fresh shrimp
4 Tbls of Olive Oil
Pinch of Fresh Ground Pepper
1 heaping Tsp of pre-minced Ginger
2 Garlic Cloves smashed
1 Tsp of Thai Fish Sauce
1/4 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
2 Tbls of Oyster sauce
1 Tbls of Honey
Pre-Heat Grill 350-400 degrees
Peel Shrimp leave tail on.
Put all shrimp in a ziplock bag.
In a bowl whisk the rest of the ingredients together, pour on the shrimp, zip the bag, and shake to coat the shrimp.
Try to get as much air out of the bag and put in fridge for 3o minutes
Put shrimp on the grill and cook about 2 minutes on each side or till shrimp is opaque and pink.
Do not over cook.
Plate up and enjoy!

Super Bowl Challenged? Try Pizza Roll & Chili!

This is a great combo to add to your Superbowl Menu! Also, go to the archives in this blog for other great football snacks.

Let's first tackle the Pizza Roll. As in many of my recipes, this is more about method than ingredients...you can use any of your favorite fillings. With my Roll I decided to go traditional,(This is Football after all!) but that's not to say that you can't use tomato, goat cheese, & pesto! Chi-Chi POO POO!
Remember that you will be grazing for hours...pre-pre-game, pre-game, game, post game...you get the picture. Most of my recipes for football snacks can be eaten room temp or can be kept warm & served from (you ready?!), the slow cooker!!!

Let's kick off with the Pizza Roll:

Prepare a baking sheet with foil sprayed with Cooking Spray.

1 Tube of Pillsbury Thin Crust Pizza Dough.

1/4 cup of Marinara Sauce

1 Tbls Classico Sundried Tomato Pesto

1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella

2 Tbls Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/4 LB Very Thinly Sliced Wide Diameter Pepperoni (Get this done at the deli counter)

Olive oil for brushing on dough

Preheat oven to 425

Open Dough tube and carefully spread dough out on the baking sheet long way left to right.

Stretch it out a little bit.

Brush dough with Olive Oil.

In a small bowl mix Marinara and Pesto well and spoon all over dough leaving 1/2 border all around. Use the back of the spoon to spread it around.

On the 2/3 nearest you, spread the Cheeses.

Lay the Pepperoni all over reserving about 5 slices for the top.

Starting with the long side nearest you start rolling.

Once you have reached the end put seam side down and tuck under ends so it doesn't ooze during the baking process.

Brush the roll all over with Oil.

Lay the rest of the Pepperoni on the roll as in picture and sprinkle some Parm on top.

Pop in the oven and bake for about 17 minutes or till golden brown.

Let it cool, it will be easier to slice.

Slice and arrange on a platter...they won't last!

You are sure to score a TD with my Fajita Seasoned Chili-SLOW COOKER DISH

1 Package of Turkey Sausage casing removed.

1-2 LB Lean Ground Beef

Salt

Pepper

1 Package of Fajita Seasoning

1 15oz Can of Dark Red Kidney Beans with can liquid

1 15oz Can of Light Kidney Beans with can liquid

1 15oz Can of Canelli Beans with can liquid

4 Tbls of Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 Tsp Dried Oregano

2 Tbls of Tomato Paste

2 Tbls of Minced Garlic

Lets begin the play:

In a hot saute pan brown and break-up the Turkey Sausage. Drain set aside.

Now brown and break-up the Beef. season with Salt and Pepper. Drain.

(No need to salt and pepper sausage it is already seasoned.)

Set cooker on low for 5 hours.

Put all ingredients in cooker and give a good stir, taking care not to smash beans.

To serve leave the Cooker on Warm Setting.

On a tray next to cooker have a ladle with bowls and condiments.

The condiments I serve are:

Hot Sauce

Chopped Onions

Good Quality Shredded Cheddar

Hot Pepper Flakes

Finely Minced Jalapenos

Do your favorites and I promise you will score a Touch down!!!

Too Busy To Cook...Fear NOT it's Chicken In A Pot!!!

This is another slow cooker wonder! Set it in the morning and by the time everyone gets home it is a done deal! The chicken will be falling off the bone...if you choose to eat the skin - a quick trick is to take the chicken out of the cooker, place it on a baking sheet and broil for 5 minutes till crispy and just serve it from the baking sheet. I will also tell you at what step to prepare it the night before.
There is also a healthy way to serve this very juicy chicken...when it is ready the skin comes right off...remove the meat from the bones serve it over veggies or your favorite starch.
You can also make this chicken just for picking off the meat...it makes a great chicken salad, fajita filling, lettuce wrap, or spring roll...go chicken crazy!
Ok, here we go,
1 Roasting Chicken (your choice of brand)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
2 Tbls of Pre-Minced Garlic
(or Any seasonings that you like)
1 Large Onion sliced into rings
Clean your chicken, pull out the bag with the neck, giblets, liver, and you can throw these out.
DRY CHICKEN! Very important! This will allow your seasonings to stick.
Season your chicken...no need to add extra fat like butter or oil.
Lay the chicken on top of the onions in the cooker.
***You may stop here,throw the cooker insert in the fridge overnight and just put it on in the morning...or continue and start the cooker.
Set the cooker on low 7-8 hours.
It will create its own cooking liquid, don't use the liquid when it's done... this is the natural fat cooked off the bird. Discard onions, they were just to add sweetness.
Have fun with your chicken, it's very comforting, inexpensive,and very versatile.

OOOPS!

My darling spouse just pointed out to me that on my last post you all would think I had a football party with 120 pcs of sushi and did not invite any of my friends....lol! These pictures are from archives that I keep of my entertaining and were from Alexis' preprom....So no worries... I didn't have a party without my friends, nor did Michael and I consume 120 pcs of sushi!

He will hate this picture...I think it's cute...this is what helmut head looks like after a few days in the motorcycle saddle!

Love ya!

Buy it...Arrange it...be a Superstar!

This is such a great idea for football parties or any entertaining...My local market has a sushi station, (I'm sure these exist all over the country), and they have something called a snack pack. It is a combo of plain salmon & tuna rolls. 120 pcs cost me $40.00 ... it feeds alot of people and is always the first thing to go. I take them out of the package and arrange them as shown . I premix the soy sauce and wasabi and place the sauce dish in the middle of the platter. You can really get creative with presentation, but in this case I went with simple. Since my beloved Dolphins are not in the playoffs, I am going with the Steelers...SHHH! I have always been a fan of theirs...Maybe next year! Enjoy!

The Easiest Dinner On Earth! Do It Extra Healthy or Do It Regular Strength.

So we have licked our wounds and come to the conclusion that the Dolphins really did well this year and there is hope for next year.
Now let's get back to a little cookin'...still trying to get ya'll to purchase a slow cooker, those of you that haven't yet, you know who you are!
This dish is the express lane for busy people...the great thing about it is that the cooker makes the meatballs and sauce taste not only homemade, but like you've been cooking all day and from scratch. The meatballs really melt in your mouth.
The recipe is more a method then amounts and type of pasta and meat.
The healthy version can be made with broken up premade turkey sausage, or fresh turkey meatballs & whole wheat pasta.
The regular full strength version is made with any type of your favorite frozen meatballs and your favorite pasta.
* Use frozen meat for a shorter cooking time
** If you decide to use any fresh made meat whether it's turkey meatballs, pork, or beef you can have an all day cook in the cooker.
Fresh meat cooking time is 7 hours on low setting
Frozen eat cooking time is 4 hours on low setting
The Recipe
Make your pasta ahead of time, I use a pound.
Any amount of Meatballs or Sausages that you like
1 Jar of your favorite Sauce, I use a good quality Marinara
1/4 of the pasta jar filled with Water
*you can add any extra garlic or spices
In your slow cooker add the Sauce, Water, Meatballs, and any garlic or spices.
Remember Fresh Meat 7 hours on low or Frozen 4 hours on low
When the cooking is done if your pasta is hot put it in the cooker stir it all around & serve, if your pasta is cold put it in the cooker stir it all around turn it to high for about 10 minutes till pasta is heated through...
Enjoy!

No Football Snack...Dolphins Lost...Maybe Next Year.

Guy Food! Dolphins AFC East Champs!

New Year...New Look!

I hope you like my new blog colors...I'm still trying to figure out how to use this medium. I've always been one those people that has a very short fuse when it comes to figuring out anything that has to do with the computer. If I can't figure things out, I start fantasizing about putting the laptop on the driveway and running it over with the car! (I'm alot like my Dad that way!) So... what I do is walk away from it till I'm ready to figure it out or till I'm ready to call for help. Thank goodness my daughter is not only beautiful, but a computer geek too! (She's gonna kill me!)

We are so excited about the Miami Dolphins especially after last season's 1-15 horror!

I've got a great football munchies for this weekend...Wings and Sausages... Don't Panic...we're talkin' baked!

Wing Planks and Drumettes (OK, you know we're talkin' chicken right?)

For those of you that are not familiar with this delicacy, there is a difference between a Whole Wing vs a Plank, & Drumette vs a Drumstick.

The Drumette is a section of the wing. A Drumstick is the leg and is much larger. For this dish we want the Drumette.

Now, Drumettes & Planks are not sold in my market all the time, so I buy the full Wing and cut off the wing tip (discard this), then cut off the Drumette and you will have the 2 pcs you want, the Plank & the Drumette.

This is all very easy and you may get lucky and find them already done or ask your butcher to do it for you. This is also a very inexpensive dish. You can apply the same method from this recipe and use BBQ Sauce too.

Let's use the amount of 20 Planks and 20 Drumettes divide them into 2 mixed bunches for the 2 marinades. You will also need Cooking Spray.

Teryiaki Marinade

Both Marinades can marinate all day!

(All of the Asian products mentioned are in the regular supermarket in the ethnic food aisle)

1 Tbls Fresh Grated Ginger or Dry

1/3 Cup Soy sauce

1 Tbls Garlic powder

1/4 Cup Teryiaki sauce

2 Tbls Honey

2 Tbls Oyster sauce

Put all ingredients in large Zip Lock bag & mush (highly techincal culinary term) it all around to combine then add the chicken and mush more to coat.

Hot Sauce Marinade

1/2 Cup your favorite hot wing sauce, I use Frank's Hot Wing Sauce

Put hot sauce in the bag add chicken mush to coat.

When you are ready to bake preheat your oven to 400

Remove chicken from bag with tongs (you want the least amount of liquid possible)

Use a different foil lined baking tray for each flavor. Spray with Cooking Spray.

Bake them till very crispy and brown...about 25 -35 minutes depending on your oven.

I serve them with Blue Cheese dressing and Celery Stalks just like the local wing place.

The Baked Sausage

Use your favorite Sausage...Turkey, Beef, Pork, Sweet, Mild, or, Hot (They usually come 5-6 per package)

Preheat oven to 400

Spray a foil lined baking sheet

Liberally drizzle Sausages with Olive Oil

Rub 1 Tbls of pre-minced Garlic with the oil all over the Sausages

Turn about half way through cooking

Bake 20 minutes or till golden and crispy.

GO FINS!