Chinese Sausage Fried Brown Rice

Fried rice has always been one of my favorite dishes my mom made as a child. Recently, I decided I was going to try to create my own version! Surprisingly enough, it was easier than I imagined. In fact, it is probably one of the quickest meals I can whip up that's even slightly healthy since I use brown rice, I throw in lots of vegetables, and I sparingly use oils and butter.

Some of my simple fried rice tips to keep your fried rice from getting mushy:

• If time is not a factor, I like to soak my brown rice overnight, cook it in my rice cooker and leave it out to dry overnight before. However, if you are trying to create a last minute meal, you can cook and fry the rice the same day. 
• Cook meats and vegetables in a separate pan and make sure you drain it well before adding them to the rice.
• When adding the meat and vegetables, gently fold them into the rice. DO NOT over stir!

Ingredients

• 2 cups of jasmine brown rice
• Olive oil
• 1 tbsp. of butter
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 package of frozen mixed vegetables
• 1/4 sweet onion, cubed
• 5 green onions, chopped
• 1 bunch of cilantro, minced
• 4 Chinese sausages, cubed
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Soy sauce, to taste (optional)
• Chili paste, to taste (optional)

Directions

• In a large pan over medium high heat, add a small amount of olive oil and butter.
• Once the oil is heated, add the garlic and frozen vegetables and cook till they are warm. About 5 minutes.
• Add the sweet and green onions, cilantro, Chinese sausages, salt and pepper. Cook till vegetables and meat are cooked through and hot. About 6 minutes.
• In a large pot, warm the cooked rice over medium hear. About 5 minutes.
• Add the vegetables, meat, chili paste, soy sauce and gently fold them into the rice till well mixed.

Serve and enjoy!

~Hong

Marinated Tofu

I LOVE TOFU! I could literally eat tofu everyday. It's versatile and comes in several textures including silk, soft, firm and extra firm. Some people have a texture preference, but I love them all! I eat it steamed with a mixture of fish sauce and garlic chili paste, I throw them in soups and stir fries, and stuff them with all sorts of meats and vegetables. The wonderful thing about tofu is it captures the surrounding flavors so spices and marinades are awesome with tofu!

Not too long ago, my sister had a dinner party and she made this wonderful marinaded tofu that I had share with you guys. The list of ingredients seems a little daunting but is really is quite simple.

My block of tofu

Minced garlic and chopped green onions (note that the julienne ginger is missing from this picture).

Rice vinegar, marin, sesame oil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, & black pepper.
Mixed to create a sauce.

Cut the block of tofu into cubes, broil for about 20-30 minutes till the edges start to look toasty.

On medium heat, cook the garlic, ginger, and green onions till fragrant. Stir in the sauce till it starts to simmer. Finally add the tofu.

Allow the tofu to simmer in the sauce, turning the tofu so all sides are marinated.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Marin (sweet rice wine)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1 block of tofu, cubed
• 1 inch knob of ginger, Julienne cut
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 4 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste
• Pepper to taste

Directions

• Combine vinegar, Marin, sesame oil, soy sauce, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes. Set aside.
• Cut tofu into blocks, broil in oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Saute ginger, garlic and green onions till fragrant.
• Add prepared sauce and heat for 5 minutes.
• Add bakes tofu and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

This can be eaten either hot or cold. I like to eat it hot with jasmine brown rice or quinoa. Hope you guys give this a try. If you do, let me know what you think!

~Hong

No Meat-Spicy Asian Noodles

Pasta is one of my favorite dish to make. Lately, I have been looking for dishes that do not include meat. Not to say I am now a vegetarian, but there are days when I am simply not in the mood for meat. This is an easy dish that is full of flavor without a lot of ingredients or prepping and can be whipped up fairly quick.

So let's begin. I started by chopping the green onions and cilantro along with shredding the carrots.

Then I lightly toasted the peanuts over medium heat.

Once the angel hair pasta is cooked, the peanuts toasted and crushed, the sauce created. EVERYTHING gets thrown into the pot with the pasta and mixed!

 

Ingredients

• 1 box angel hair pasta
• 1/2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup sesame oil
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 4 tbsp red pepper flakes or to taste
• 3/4 cup organic honey
• 1 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup green onion, chopped
• 4 medium carrots, grated
• 1/4 cup peanuts, toasted & coarsely grounded
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

• Cook the angel hair pasta as directed, drain and place back into the pot.
• On medium heat, toast the peanuts for about 10 minutes stirring constantly. remove and crush till peanuts are coarse.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the sesame oil and add the minced garlic. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes.
• Add the soy sauce, pepper flakes, and honey. Stir continuously on low heat for about 4 minutes.
• Place the pot with the pasta on low heat. Add green onions, carrots, cilantro, peanuts along with the sauce and mix till all ingredients are combined well.
• Pasta can be served hot or refrigerate and serve cold.

 I hope you guys give this recipe a try and let me know who it turns out! Enjoy!

~Hong

Petite Apple Pie Patries

I truly do believe the best things come in small packages! Not just because I am petite myself, I am not even 5 feet tall, but when I'm cooking it creates perfect little portions that help me to not overindulge. It does take a little more than time, but it's worth it! Today, I have a petite apple pie pastries that is very easy to make and fairly quick to whip up. My favorite part of this recipe is the crispy, flaky crust. It is to die for!

So let's begin.

Flour, salt, apple cider vinegar, and milk.
Formed into a ball, covered with saran wrap and refrigerate.

Fuji apples peeled, cored, cut into 1/2 inch rings.

Place one slice of apple in the middle of a 6 inch circle dough. Sprinkle with dark brown sugar mix. Crimp edges over apple, note that you actually wan to cover more of the apple than shown above.
Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes or till apple is tender and crust is golden brown.

Ingredients:

    Pie Crust

• 2 cups of flour 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter, cubed
• 1 Tbsp apple cidar vinegar
• 1 cup of milk
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

    Pie Filling

• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 3 tsp cinnamon (depends on your taste)
• 5 Tbsp butter, divided
• 2 Fuji apples, cored, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch thick rings
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until flour is crumbly, then sprinkle with apple cider vinegar. Gradually add milk and fold with a fork until dough forms a ball. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for about 30-40 minutes. 
• Remove from refrigerate and allow dough to sit at room temperature for an additional 10-15 minutes. I find this helps with making the dough easier to handle.
• In another bowl, combine dark brown sugar, flour and cinnamon, Cut in 2 Tbsp butter till crumbly.
• In another small bowl, melt the remaining 3 Tbsp of butter.
• Once dough is ready, shape into 6-inch circles and brush with melted butter. Place an apple ring in the center and sprinkle about 1 Tbsp of brown sugar/flour/cinnamon mixture over apple. Fold and crimp edges of dough over apple rings, avoid covering the center. Brush with melting butter again and lightly sprinkle with granulated sugar.
• Bake at 375 degrees on a parchment lined baking sheet for 30-35 minutes or until apples are tender and the crust is golden. Yields: 10 petite pastries.

I like to serve my petite pastries warm with vanilla ice cream. They toast up nice and crispy for several days afterwards! Hope you guys give this a try and let me know how they turn out! Enjoy!

~Hong

Spicy Lamb & Roasted Butternut Squash

One of my favorite meal to make is lamb. Cooked properly, the meat is lean yet tender and succulent.

Ingredients:

• 6 lamb chops
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 4 tsp honey mustard
• 1 medium lemon, juice extracted
• 2 tbsp ground fresh chili paste (depending on level of your preferred spiciness)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp butter

Directions:

• Mix garlic, worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, honey mustard, lemon juice, chili paste, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
• Place the lamb chops in a large ziploc bag along with the mix. 
• Toss to evenly coat the lamb chops.
• Refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 3 hours. For best flavor, allow to marinate for 24-48 hours.
• Remove the lamb meat off of the bone, cutting into 1 inch cubes.
• Using a pan large enough to allow the meat to be cooked in a single layer, drizzle will olive oil and add butter.
• Place over medium-high heat, cook meat, stirring frequently for about 10-12 minutes or till cooked to desire temperature.

To accompany the lamb, I made roasted butternut squash and jasmine brown rice. I bought the butternut squash, pre-cut and cubed from Costco. Then I roasted them as I roast any vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of pre-cut and cubed butternut squash
• Olive oil
• Salt 
• Pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• With butternut squash spread in a single layer, place in oven and roast for 10 minutes.
• Toss and roast for an additional 10 minutes.

Hope you guys give this a try and let me know how they turn out!

Enjoy!

~Hong

Crock Pot Pork Chop & Roasted Green Beans

Crock Pot Pork Chops & Roasted Green Beans

I love cooking with my crock pot! The majority of the ingredients get thrown into a one pot meal, which makes for easy clean up. Plus, the house gets filled with the aroma of yummy food cooking all day long. We had some pork chops in the freezer and green beans in the refrigerator so we decided to make a crock pot pork chop with roasted green beans.

Ingredients:

• 6 pork chops
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 can of chicken and rice soup
• 3 tsp dry mustard
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Salt 
• 1/2 tbsp fresh ground black pepper 
• 2 tbsp of ground fresh chili paste (or to desire of spiciness)
• Olive oil

Directions:

• Combine flour, salt, dry mustard, and garlic.
• Coat pork chops in the mix and brown in a skillet with a little bit of olive oil on medium-high heat. About 4-5 minutes on each side.
• Place pork chops, ground fresh chili paste, and chicken and rice soup into the crock pot.
• Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

Crock Pot Pork Chops

For the roasted green beans:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of green bean, trimmed and laid out to dry
• 5 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese
• Olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Place green beans, garlic, salt and pepper in sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Toss to evenly coat.
• Spread green beans out in a single layer and place in oven.
• Roast for 10 minutes, lightly toss green beans. Roast for an additional 5 minutes.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Roasted Green Beans

This is really a simply, yet delicious meal to create. The pork was very tender and juicy with a nice kick while the roasted green beans were crispy. I served them with jasmine brown rice, but they would go well with really anything or just on their own together. I hope you give these recipes a try and let me know how they turn out!

Enjoy!

~Hong

Chorizo, Bacon, Spinach, Potatoes Breakfast Mix

I was watching an episode of Giada at Home the other day as I cooked.  I didn't have all the ingredients for her Salami, Bacon Hash so we substituted several items and we created our own version.

5 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
Set aside to dry
Once dry, on medium high heat and a little bit of olive oil, cook till golden and crispy. Stir frequently for about 30 minutes.

6 stripes of bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Cook bacon till brown and crispy

5 cups of spinach, 2 tsp of nutmeg, 2 tbsp of chili paste, and ground chorizo

1/3 cup of ground chorizo, formed into 1/2 inch balls

1 green bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 1 medium sweet onion chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
Fresh ground black pepper to taste

 On medium high heat, cook bell peppers, onion, and garlic
Once vegetables are soft, add spinach, nutmeg, chili paste, and chorizo

Stir in potatoes and bacon
create 4 holes to crack the eggs in the spaces

 Cover and cook

Ingredients:

• 6 slices of bacon, but into 1/2 inch pieces
• 5 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup ground chorizo formed into 1/2 inch balls
• 5 cups of fresh spinach
• 1 tbsp chili paste or to taste
• 2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 4 eggs at room temperature
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

 Directions:

• Pre-heat oven 400 degree F.
• Cook bacon over medium-high heat till crispy, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. About 15 minutes.
• Add the russet potato cubes to the bacon grease, add a pinch of salt and pepper and cook till golden and crispy. Stir frequently. About 30 minutes. Spread potatoes in a single layer onto a greased cook sheet and place in oven at 400 degree F for an additional 15 minutes. We found this really made the potatoes crispy and less greasy.
• While the potatoes are in the oven, add oil, salt, and pepper to your pan. Combine onion, bell peppers and cook till soft. About 5 minutes.
• Add spinach, chorizo, nutmeg, garlic chili paste and cook till spinach are slightly wilted. About 2 minutes.
• Gently fold in bacon and potatoes.
• Push mix aside to create 4 holes.
• Break an egg into each space.
• Cover and cook till eggs are as desire. About 5 minutes.

Eat!

I would recommend watching the eggs cook. As you may notice in the pictures, we over cooked ours so the yolk was not as runny as we like. Still, it was very delicious! Hope you give this a try, enjoy!

~Hong