HELLO UPDATE AND PIE!

Wow, a month off and it feels good to be back. School is back in session and the married life is going pretty well. If life wasn't so hectic I would have been on here more often but with helping
people move and getting married and preparing for classes, who has the time anymore?


So  ON TO THE  PIE!


Here is a pie that held me through a lot of the summer. BLUE BERRY! Originally I had made this because my father brought home a huge container of blue berries and no one wanted to eat them cause
there was just this ungodly amount of them and I didn't want to throw them out of they spoiled.


2 lb. of Blueberries, washed and drained.

2 Tbsp. Flour

¾ cup sugar (this is really up to you)

1 egg yolk

Juice of one lemon

Zest of one Lemon

1 pinch of cinnamon or cloves or both,its up to you.


And one or two pie crust, either home made or store bought. I rarely have time to make pie crusts so I just get the standard pie crusts in the refrigerated section of your local grocery
store.


Basically just unroll your pie crust and line the bottom of your pie pan and in a separate bowl mix all your ingredients together to form a blueberry mixture, then put it all into your pie crust
and lay the other piece of pie crust on top. Don't worry if it looks like it is mounding over, the blueberries will melt down and break down into a thick yummy syruppy jam of yummy
goodness.


Glad to be back guys!


-Happy Eating.

Grilling Goods #1

So here is a quick and simple Vietnamese style BBQ sauce that you can use to marinade pretty much anything in, whether its shrimp, beef, pork or chicken.

(Make sure whatever meat you use is sliced thin, except for fish)

¼ C Oyster Sauce
1 ½ Tbsp Sugar
½ Tsp Pepper
¼ Tsp Salt
½ Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Lemon Grass

Just place your meat of choice whatever it is in this mixture and marinade over night. When you are ready to cook whether it be a pan or a grill make sure its on high and cook away. The meat should be about ¼ of an inch thick to ½ inch thick at max. This is excellent with rice or cold rice noodles and some vegetables! Give it a  Try ^_^.

Homemade Popsicles to Beat the Summer Heat

With the heat index at 110ºF its no wonder why people are staying inside this summer.. AND ITS STILL HOT! So what can you do? Make some popsicles. I'm sure everyone out there has had at least one popsicle in their life. So why not try making your own? Here are some recipes to help you make it though this horrid heat and help you spend some more time with people you care about. (or a date, its quite fun and delicious!)

Strawberry Mango Banana Popsicles: (Makes about 6 - 8 depending on the mold you use)

½ Cup Strawberries (if you use frozen thaw them out!)
1 Banana (Peeled of course)
½ Cup Mango (Again, if you use frozen, then thaw them out)
6 Tbsp Sugar (I know it sounds like a lot but trust me)
2 Tbsp Honey
1 Pinch Salt
¼ cup water
⅓ cup Heavy Cream (optional)

Place all the ingredients together and BLEND IT INTO A YUMMY LIQUID. Fill your mold up and chill for about a 2-4 hours. (If you decide to use the heavy cream you can always mix one fruit with water and another with heavy cream and then swirl them together! It looks really pretty too just divide the sugar and honey evenly)

Blueberry Pomegranate Popsicles: (Makes 6-8 Depending on your choice of molds)
¾ Cup Blue Berries
1 Cup Pomegranate Juice (not sweetened!)
4 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Honey

Again place, mix, chill, serve! If you want to use cream in this one, you will have to put the blue berries into the heavy cream and mix them together with ½ the sugar and honey. Then mix it with the pomegranate mix and freeze.

Lemon Lime Crush: (Makes 6-8 Depending on your mold)
½ C Lemon Juice(FRESHLY SQUEEZED NOT BOTTLED!)
½ C Lime Juice (FRESHLY SQUEEZED NOT BOTTLED!)
½ C Water
1 Lime or Lemon cut thinly into semi-circles
6 Tbsp Sugar

Blend the ingredients together leaving out the cut fruit, and freeze with a piece of fruit on the side for decoration. DO NOT USE CREAM IN THIS! IT WILL SEPARATE AND GO SOUR ON YOU!

Now for those of you who want a more adult popsicles try these recipes out...

Chocolate Babbling Popsicle: Makes 7-8

1 C Cream
6 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
2 Tbsp Bailey's Irish Cream or Kalua

Mix the cream, cocoa powder and sugar together and set aside. then add in the Irish cream or kalua and put them into the molds first so that it creates a small layer and then add in the chocolate mixture.

Lavender Honey Popsicles: Makes 7-8

Just a forewarning, this one takes a bit more work because this is more of an ice cream base than just a popsicle base.

2 C Cream
½ C Sugar
2 Egg Yolks
¼ Tbsp Lavender
4 Tbsp Honey

Heat the cream and honey together until simmering, DO NOT BOIL! Mean while, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar to make it lighter. Then slowly temper the egg yolks with the now hot cream and make sure you do not curdle the egg yolks! Allow it to cool and you can either put this into a mold or put it in an ice cream machine.

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Side note: The wedding went of without too big a hitch. And this week has been hectic! Haha well, thats life for you. And a reminder that my art exhibition is still up at the Glen Allen Cultural Arts Center in Virginia, so stop on by and take a look if you have a chance. 

This week and next...

Hello Everyone,

Sorry for the lack of posts these past few weeks and for next week as well. I am getting married on Tuesday July 20th! So please give me a little more time. But I do have some posts ready to be posted after these hectic weeks calm down. ^_^ Until then.

Happy Eating!

-Sorian

Summer Frisé Salad

It's hot, you don't want to cook too much, and someone gave you a head of some funky looking lettuce. What to do???

Well, if its ahead of Frisé Lettuce then MAKE A SALAD! All you will need. (serves 4)

4 Strips of Bacon
1 Head of Frisé Lettuce (Cleaned and separated)
¼ Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp Salt
½ Tsp Pepper
½ Carrot Shaved (a vegetable peeler works perfectly for this)
3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tsp Mustard

So to begin, render out the fat from the Bacon and drain it leaving about 1 Tsp to 1 Tablespoon of bacon dripping in the pan. Then, add in the olive oil, salt, pepper, mustard, sugar, and balsamic vinegar. Be careful because balsamic vinegar has a problem of bubbling up violently when added to a hot pan!

Have the lettuce and carrots ready in a bowl and pour the mixture while hot or warm on the Frisé, don't worry, Frisé is a very strong and hearty lettuce so this warm vinaigrette won't do anything but wilt it slightly. Toss so that the bacon, vinaigrette, and the lettuce is mixed evenly and serve it up to EAT!

-Enjoy!

Lavender Lime Chicken

Oh the summer breeze, perfect timing for my lavender to start popping out blossoms of fragrant bliss. Seriously, I've had so much time to work on new recipes and I just threw this one together last summer and never bothered to actually put it on here (mainly because I lost the piece of paper I had written the original recipe on) until today.

Ingredients for Lavender Lime Chicken:

4 Chicken Breasts (halved into butterflies)
8-10 Sprigs of Lavender
¼ Cup Lime Juice
1 Tblspn Lime Zest (about 2 Limes)
½ Cup Sugar
⅔ Cup Water
2 Cups Flour
3 Tsp Salt (divided)
1 Tsp Pepper (devided)
2 Large Eggs
½ Cup Milk/Cream/ Butter Milk
4 Tbs Butter (unsalted!)

Lets begin shall we. First off, pound out the chicken breasts slightly to make them more tender, and then place them into the egg and milk mixture then into the flour/salt/pepper mixture. What you are creating a dredge almost like making a chicken fried steak or a piccata. Once you have finished dredging the chicken let them rest in the fridge so that the flour ect. can stick better to the chicken when you pan fry it.

Ok so while the chicken is resting in the fridge start making your lavender lime sauce. Take the water, lime juice and sugar and bring it to a boil along with 1 tsp of salt and ½ tsp of pepper. Once it is boiling add in the flowering tops of the Lavender. Taste it and adjust accordingly. Once the sauce is near completion turn it off and add in 4 tbs of butter and mix it off the heat until dissolved and set it aside.

Now in a good sized pan on high heat add in 1 or 2 tablespoons of really good olive oil and place in the chicken 1-2 breasts at a time until everyone is golden brown and well done.

Tip: You can turn the oven on to 325ºF to keep the other pieces of chicken warm while you are cooking the next piece making sure you use a wire rack to make sure one side doesn't get soggy.

After all the chicken has been cooked, plate it up and top it with the Lavender Lime sauce and sprinkle on some Lime zest just to give it a bit of a kick at the end.

Enjoy!

Perfectly Roasted Shrimp

Ok there are two things about shrimp you need to know. The "jumbo" "large" "extra large" mean nothing... what you need to learn are the numbers for them. Here is the shrimp
chart... I copied this down from the inventory list at Peking in Mechanicsville, Virginia (Dad's place) The Second thing you need to know about shrimp is... C= Cooked and O= means OVER cooked...
when you cook shrimp... unless they are 51/60 or 61/70... see below.

Name                Shrimp/lbs.                   Average#

Extra Colossal     U/10                                 5
Colossal              U/12                                  9
Colossal              U/15                                 14

Extra Jumbo       16/20                                 18

Jumbo                 21/25                                 23

Extra Large         26/30                                 28

Large                  31/35                                 33

Medium Large    36/40                                 38

Medium              41/50                                 45

Small                  51/60                                 55

Extra Small         61/70                                 65


I only know this because I've worked at several restaurants and my father's Chinese Restaurant for 7 years and counting... but technically I've spent a good number of my childhood years there
too. We used 51/60's for shrimp fried rice, and 21/25 or 16/20 for Orange Shrimp ect.


Learn that # or U/# because that will get you a better average for your shrimp buying/ spending excursions.


Now.... ON TO THE ROASTING OF THE SHRIMP!


Roasted Shrimp (Great for Cocktails or use in a stir-fry/ fried rice)

1-2lbs 21/25 size shrimp

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

pinch of paprika

4 tablespoons Olive Oil


Make sure your oven is set at a nice and fiery 400ºF. Place the nicely prepared shrimp onto a sheet pan (its easier if they are facing the same way and spaced out evenly to ensure even cooking.)
Then put them in for 9-13 minutes depending on how even your oven is you might want to make sure you turn the sheet pan half way through cooking. But keep an eye on them, the second they turn
into pink C's they are done... I'm often accused of standing by the oven door when roasting shrimp with tongs and a bowl to pull the ones that are done cooking out so that they don't over cook.

Perfectly Roasted Chicken

My perfect Roasted Chicken Breast


This is just a plain roasted chicken breast you can add herbs and spices to your liking later but this goes along with my chicken salad recipe and it makes for a great topping on a nice leafy
green salad as well. ^_^


2 Chicken Breasts and thighs WITH SKIN ON(you can remove it later, after the chicken is cooked, if you don't want to eat it but for the love of the Kitchen Gods KEEP IT ON!)


Salt and pepper the chicken both front and back.


Then flip it over and use seasoning salt or poultry seasoning onto the skin side to
make it crispy and so to flavors will really soak into the meat.


Refrigerate and rub them down with a quick splash of EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil just enough to coat it.


If you are ready to cook add EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil onto the breasts, and rub them down well and send them into a 350ºF oven for 25-30
minutes.


Keep an eye on it!!!!!!


To test for doneness stick a chopstick or something like that into the thickest part of the meat and if the juices run clear then its done. Let it rest for 5-8 minutes before serving. And yes
stick every piece of meat because your oven may be off/ unevenly heated or its thicker than the other pieces... remove as according.


The reason you should leave the skin ON while cooking is to keep the juices and flavor in the meat so it doesn't dry out in the hot oven. If you take that skin off before hand you WILL be sorry and left with a dry dry dry piece of hard meat.

Summer Produce!

Summer is in full swing and the vegetables are ripe for the picking and even better for the eating! So here are some links to my favorite recipes that include summer produce!


Zucchini Pancakes - Ina Garten: This is such an easy and simple recipe, and the zucchini is just delicious! (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/zucchini-pancakes-recipe/index.html)


Meringues with Cassis and Raspberries - Ina Garten: Very quick, very simple, and even more delightful! (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/meringues-with-cassis-and-raspberries-recipe3/index.html)


Beef and Broccoli Salad- Rachel Ray: I know, I'm not a huge fan of her, but give credit where credit is due and this recipe was great! (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/beef-and-broccoli-salad-recipe/index.html)


These links should be working but if not just comment and let me know ^_^ sorry for the inconvenience.

Swiss Chard- The Neelys: Delicious and simple!


Seared Scallops with Pineapple-Cucumber
Salsa- Paula Deen: Really light and refreshing especially in the heat wave we've been having in Virginia.


And a few recipes from me: This is an old post of mine and it goes great with the summer produce!

 Here's the Link. 


Happy Eating! And stay hydrated! 

Raspberry Balsamic Chicken

I've been trying weird flavor combinations since I was really young and I've stumbled on several things that I really love. Fruit, Balsamic Vinegar, and Chicken have been on the top of that list since I've started playing around with flavors heres my recipe for something that isn't a new concept its just one of my favorites to make.

Raspberry Balsamic Chicken:

4 Chicken or Duck Breasts (you can go skinless this time…. or take the skin off after you have cooked them)
1 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
1½ Cups Raspberries (divided)
¾ Cup Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Poultry Seasoning (Its just easier to use this instead of going over everything to make what is essentially the same thing)
1 Lime (Cut into wedges)

First off, wash off the chicken breasts because i've found that a lot of them contain crap from packaging that is slimy so if you don't all ready do so start doing this! Then, place the balsamic vinegar, 1 cup of raspberries (crushed), sugar, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and olive oil into a bowl big enough to hold all 4 pieces of meat and some room for the marinade. Whisk the marinade until it becomes slightly emulsified and then add the breasts in taking care to coat them evenly. Let them marinade overnight (i've just found that this works out the best.

When you are ready to cook them set your oven for 325ºF and arrange the breasts evenly spaced apart on a baking sheet. Let it sit in there for 35 minutes and then start checking on them. Use a knife or a meat thermometer (internal temp should be 165ºF) if the juice that comes out is clear, then you are all good to go, if not, then let it sit in there a bit longer…. DO NOT WANDER OFF AT THIS POINT!

Once your chicken breasts are done let them rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Then just before serving squeeze some lime juice on them as well as place some raspberries with them. Your guests or family will love this recipe, I know mine have, so enjoy and Happy Eating!

Lion's Head (Napa Cabbage with Pork Balls)

紅燒獅子頭： Another dish my mom made, and still makes for me whenever I'm missing Taiwan. Its Stewed Napa Cabbage and Pork Balls. this dish varies by name in China but there are two specific types Northern and Southern. In the north specifically the Beijing area, they are 四喜丸子 (Sixi Wangzi) or "4 Happy Meatballs." They call it Lion's Head because the Pork balls are the head and the napa cabbage is the mane of the lion.

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Pork (If you are using Chicken or Turkey see note at the bottom)
1 Egg
2 Tbs Soy Sauce (Real Soy Sauce)
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Ground White Pepper
2 Tbs Cornstarch
1 Tsp Soy Paste (if you cant find this, add in another teaspoon of soy sauce)
1-2 Tsp Sesame Oil
1 Tsp Fresh Ground Ginger or Finely Chopped Ginger
1/2 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 Napa Cabbage (Cut into 1-2" pieces, discarding the root but keeping the white parts)
1 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Tbs Soy Sauce
1 Tsp Mushroom or Chicken Bouillon

Mix the ingredients together in a size appropriate bowl until the meat is slightly sticky. Let it rest in the fridge for about 20 minutes then place enough oil into a pan to cover a 2" meat ball or you can bake it at 350ºF for 15 minutes. I prefer frying because the Napa Cabbage will take the oily-ness of the dish out and it also makes the pork balls stronger in the stewing process. So once your 2" Pork Balls are golden brown on the outside pull them out and let them drain. Its ok if they are not well done because you will be stewing them later on, just make sure anyone who likes to peck at food doesn't peck at the meat balls while you are preparing the stewing part.

In a soup pot or a deep pan on high heat, add in 2 table spoons of oil (usually i just take it from the frying oil because its all ready hot and ready to go) and add in the white stalky parts of the napa cabbage first so that they cook all the way through. Add a pinch of salt and stir it around lightly and cover for about 5 minutes, this should give it enough time to wilt down so you can add the leafy parts. (You will also notice water at the bottom of the pan at this point, DO NOT THROW IT OUT, all the vitamins are in that water and it delicious!) Next, add in the leafy parts of the napa cabbage and cook it down with the pork balls. Then Add in the chicken stock, soy sauce, mushroom or chicken bouillon and mix well. Simmer on low to medium low for 20 minutes and eat!

Its great buy itself or with a bowl of rice and its actually really light!

Happy Eating!

(For Turkey or Chicken you need to add in more oil so that it doesn't dry out along with another Tsp. of Cornstarch to keep it together in the frying/ baking process)

Taiwanese Style Dumplings (餃子/鍋貼) and Japanese Gyoza (ぎょざ)

Called hundreds of different things all over the world these are delicious pouches of delicious morsels! This is a recipe that I have made (about 200 and still do EVERY MONTH) for my family and friends and they just keep on wanting more. Also this is a recipe derived from my family recipe, as to my mom would kill me if i ever posted that recipe on here HAHA! I also have a Japanese Style Gyoza. So here we go...

Taiwanese Style Dumplings/ Pot Stickers
Double the recipe if you want to make more, this isnt baking its just practicality. This will yield about 25-30 decent sized dumplings.

1 lb ground pork or duck
4 Sprigs of Spring Onions Chopped Fine
2 cups chopped Cabbage
1 Tsp 5 spice Powder
1 Tsp Sesame Oil
1 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp WHITE Pepper (ground of course)
1/2 Tsp Black Pepper (ground as well)
1 Tbs Ginger Ground or Chopped VERY VERY FINE

1 Tbs of Corn starch ONLY if you like the meat inside more smooth... otherwise leave it out... i usually just leave it out cause 1. my hands are covered in raw pork but the time i remember it, 2. It tastes just the same to me, 3. If you add the starch you will need to add an egg.

1 Package of Dumpling Skin (I can't tell you how we make our skins due to the fact that i like i having a head on my shoulders... love you mom! <3)

Start off by adding the pork into a decently sized bowl (glass, metal, ceramic... none of it really matters it just needs to hold everything and be strong). Then add in the ginger, spring onion, 5 spice powder, salt and peppers and mix well until the meat is a bit sticky. Then add in the cabbage and mix it up again with the sesame oil.

A great dumpling sauce for these are:

2 Tbs Soy Sauce
1 Tbs Sesame Oil
1 Tsp Sa Cha Sauce
1/2 Tsp Black Vinegar
1 Tsp Sugar

Gyoza Time! What you will need:

1 lb. Ground Pork (No substitutes, sorry)
1 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce (Japanese, preferably but the taste wont differ too much if you use something else)
1 Tbs ground Ginger
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp White Ground Pepper
1 Tsp Tonkatsu Sauce (if you dont have this skip it)
2 Tbs Soy Sauce (again... REAL soy sauce.... look at the friggin lable)
1/2 Onion Finely Chopped
1 Carrot Grated
2 Tbs Vegetable Oil/ Sesame Oil

Basically just like the Taiwanese Dumplings, mix it all together, wrap, freeze or cook and eat!

Note: I tend to make Gyoza thinner and longer so you will need about 1/2 the filling of a typical dumpling.


Make sure you have your dumpling skins ready and take about... a heaping teaspoon or two of meat into the middle of the dumpling skins, (Make sure you have put water on half of the edge of the dumpling skin or else it will not seal and they will break when they boil/ pan fry.) and fold over the dry edge to the wet edge. You can make a ton of these and freeze them up on a tray then separate them into baggies and take them out when you need to or feel the urge to have dumplings.

Gyoza taste GREAT with Bulldog Company's Tonkatsu Sauce (seriously the best brand i've tasted so far)

Enjoy!

PS------ I will be making a video of this from start to finish on my youtube account in the next few weeks so be on the look out for it. My youtube is in the contacts page. :)

HAPPY EATING!

おこのみやき(Okonomiyaki)

Okonomiyaki- Okonomi, meaning "whatever you like" and Yaki as in "grilled". So basically its a savory pancake (typically savory) filled with whatever you like. The only good memory of my grandma, mom and me together (mom's mom before the marrow cancer hit) was us making Okonomiyaki in her house in Taiwan or Japan together. Some how that 70 year old woman with bone marrow cancer was able to hold me and cook at the same time just to make sure i knew exactly how it was done. I never forgot that recipe, and i still make it today.... not every week though, maybe once a month if that. But when i do, my family and friends usually somehow manage to come over and get a piece or two.

So here is the basic ingredient list for how i make it, seeing has some things are really hard to obtain in Virginia VS other places.

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Bonito Stock/ Hondashi/ Bonito Dashii (if its powdered please make 1 cup of it in liquid form)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
about 8 Pieces of Beef, Chicken, Lamb, Pork sliced VERY Thinly
1 Egg if you can get your hands on Yamaimo 山芋 or Nagaimo (specifically) ながいも (Click for more details), its honestly all the same, otherwise use 2 eggs.
Tempura Scraps (I sometimes substitute Furikake for this depending on what i have left over) but if you    don't have any of these on hand, feel free to use Panko bread crumbs, or coarsely smashed PLAIN croutons, no need for other weird flavors to be mixed in with really asian flavors, its not good.... just trust me on that one.
Yamaimo (If you have it) 1/2 cup grated, yes it will be sticky and slippery.
8-10 Shrimps cooked and halved
Octopus chunks (if you have it, its not really necessary i just like it)
1 Tablespoon of Baking Powder (this will give it a bit of a rise when you make it)
1/2 a cabbage head coarsely chopped into ribbons
2 sprigs of spring onion cut into 1" pieces

Japanese Mayonnaise (Yes, you need it, it will NOT taste right without it)
Okonomiyaki Sauce or Tonkatsu Sauce (which is what i use, Bull Dog is the brand name and its delicious)

Get all of your dry ingredients together: Flower, Baking Powder, Salt and Pepper together and loosely mix it together, then add in the dashii stock, egg(s), grated Yamaimo and mix until all the flower pockets are gone, but dont over mix. Then gently toss in the cabbage, shrimp, spring onion, any cooked meat at this point. Once you have that done, go ahead and fire up a pan or a griddle to medium high heat. Place some vegetable oil into the pan once its hot and place the meat down. Once one side of the meat is cooked flip it over and place on about 2 cups of the okonomiyaki mix and cook until it starts to become golden brown on the underside. At this point the meat should be fully cooked and also attached to the okonomiyaki mix, if not dont worry. Flip it as best as you can, i've just gotten used to flipping big pancakes so its pretty easy for me, but you can always just slip a plate over the pan flip it and then push it back on (unless you are cooking on a griddle, but keep practicing your flips, you will get it one day!)

Cook until the other side is golden brown and then BEFORE you take it out of the pan, top it off with some chopped spring onions, Japanese Mayonnaise, and Tonkatsu Sauce.

This is just the traditional way i've always had it. I play around depending on my leftovers to make something new here and there so please give it a try and let me know what you think. Happy Eating!

Honey Mustard Chicken with Brie

I went to Mimi's Restaurant with my husband's family last year and had some delicious chicken and brie. And i was thinking to myself how could i improve on it.... well it took me 8 tries (most of the m spinning into something else, which will be posted soon) and i finally found one that works. I hope you guys enjoy it!



Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts (Bone in and Skin on, you can remove it later but keep them on for now)
4 Tbs Honey
4.5 Tbs Dijion Mustard
2 Tbs Salt
1/2 Tbs Pepper
1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (GOOD OLIVE OIL!)
8 Slices Good Brie


First off: Marinade the chicken breasts with the salt, pepper, dijion and honey. Then when the chicken and the mixture is all set cover it with the olive oil to keep it moist when it bakes. The reason you add the oil after you have coated the chicken with the honey mustard mix is because if you add the oil first, then the chicken breasts will not absorb the flavors as well. So, mixture first, then the oil and let it sit in the fridge overnight or for at least 2 hours.


Once you are ready to cook turn the oven on and set it to 350ºF. Place the chicken on a baking sheet and place 2 slices of the brie on it and bake it for 35-45 minutes (depending on your oven. Once its complete take the oil from the chicken and you can sauté some vegetables in it (its delicious) i recommend asparagus or broccolini (the bitterness from the two goes great) also a nice frisé salad would work well with this too!

Enjoy it! ^_^

Hydration Creations

The importance of having your body... as many of you know, the human body needs 1 Gallon of water, per day. Here are some quick tips to keep getting water into your body.
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Fruit Juice Popsicles: Just take your favorite juice and pour it into a mold with a popsicle stick.

Not a big fan of water? Why not add some frozen berries to your water bottle? Or tea bags, they work just the same and you actually get more uses out of them. Also, with tea and berries you are getting an antioxidant boost.
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Another great way to hydrate yourself is to make a Cucumber Carrot Facial Mask:

All you will need:
1 Cucumber (Diced)
1-2 Carrots (Depending on the size diced)
2 Tbs Honey
2 Tbs Olive Oil
3 Cups Plain Yogurt

Blend it all together and apply to your face, the mixture shouldn't be watery, but almost pasty, if it is watery, just add a few tablespoons of flour or corn starch to it and mix it up. Anyway, apply it to your face for 10 minutes and it wash it off with cool water. This mask will brighten up your face, and awaken your tired eyes, for any of those who like to go out on the weekends ;)
Any way, i hope these tips have helped! Stay hydrated!
-Sorian

You can also turn tea into a really great ice facial... here is a Link to Michelle Phan's video: Link Here

Fruity Fruity Fire

Not getting enough fruit into your diet huh.... ever tried grilling them? Or pan frying them? How about roasting them? Really none of these at all? And no, overly sugary pies DO NOT COUNT!

Try these recipes out and see if you like them. I also have some tips included in here to help you or your picky kids try some more fruit too ^_^... It worked on my nephew so its worth giving as shot.

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Recipe 1: Grilled Pineapple Smore's

I'm sure you all know how to put together smores, so i am not even going to bother explaining that part. I will say though add in one slice of grilled pine apple cut about 1/4" thick to the smores will make it delightful and not as rich as a normal smore.... (i ended up having 5 before the night was over) This is a recipe i saw on some food network challenge so i can't take credit for it, but its totally worth trying out if you have picky kids at home.

Recipe 2: Grilled Peaches in a Honey Clove Sauce or 5 Spice Sauce

So depending on whether or not you like spice in your food, you may or may not like this recipe. Specifically the more holiday like scents and spices. So here we go:

Halve 4 or 5 Peaches and coat them with honey and sprinkle them with 5 spice or ground cloves and some sugar. Grill them until the peaches are golden brown and caramelized. Serve it up with some ice cream or some toasted nuts and granola and enjoy it!

Recipe 3: Grilled Mango and Shrimp

Not only is this recipe delicious but its incredibly healthy for you!

Take about 1lb of jumbo shrimp, clean them off, peel them, devein them ect. Then, take a piece of cubed mango and then add a shrimp, repeat until there is 1-1 1/2" left on the end of the skewer. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper and grill it up until the mango get caramelized, and the shrimp is well done.

Recipe 4: Grilled Banana's with Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce

First of all DO NOT PEEL THE BANANAS! Cut a slit into them so they do not burst open while they are on the grill but other than that leave them be! And grill them until the peel is a nice charred black and the banana is nice and soft inside. Take them out and place them in the bowl of ice cream. (Vanilla, Chocolate, and Strawberry have been the best so far)

For the Chocolate Sauce, basically, melt 2 Cups of chocolate in a double boiler, making sure that the top bowl or skillet is not touching the water. This is to make sure that the chocolate doesn't burn. Once the chocolate is almost completely melted add in 1 cup of cream and a tablespoon of milk and vanilla extract. Stir and add in a tablespoon of coffee or a teaspoon of instant espresso. Put a spoonful or two onto the ice cream and bananas and eat up.

You can also do this with strawberries but i suggest putting them onto a skewer first.

Take care that no water gets into the chocolate before the cream is added or else your chocolate might crystalize and trust me. Its a lot of work to save it.

Roasted Chicken with a Sweet Kick

Roasted Chicken with Apples:

Ahhh yes, the classic chicken... dried, overly chewy, tough, and almost inedible and flavorless. Yeah... if you are worried about making sad and sorry chicken then please try this recipe.

For the Chicken itself:
1 WHOLE CHICKEN (YEAH BABY)

2 Tblspn Honey with 1 Tablespoon of Vinegar mixed with 1 cup of water (that has been heated to a boiling point)
1 Tblspn regular honey
1 Spring Onion Smashed and Chopped
1 Table spoon 5 spice Powder mixed with Black Pepper Corns and 2 Tablespoons of salt and toast it until you can smell the pepper. (Yes Whole Peppercorns)
2 Grannysmith Apples (skinned and cored)

Ok, clean out the chicken: guts, gizzards and all. Then, spice up the exterior of the chicken by rubbing it with the scallions/ spring onion, and the salt/5 spice/ and pepper corn mixture. Then Use the honey vinegar mixture (while it is still boiling hot) and scald the chicken's skin to make it tighten up. This will not only create a very crispy skin but also seal in the juices. Afterwards, stuff with the remaining scallions, and the salt mixture rubbing it down well on the inside and let it rest up in the fridge for an hour or overnight. Once you are ready to cook preheat the oven to 350ºF, cut up the granny smith apple into wedges and stuff them into the chicken and cook. breast side down first for 30 minutes. Then, flip it over and cook for an additional 30-40 minutes with the breast side up. Let it rest for 5-7 minutes before serving.

Enjoy, I really loved testing this recipe out and I had ALOT of leftovers so i'm sure there will be a leftover's blog coming up soon.
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In unrelated news, I am getting married which is why the post for the past few weeks have been very sparing, no worries, i will be back to my full 2 blogs a week in 2 weeks. I will still be posting things here and there so keep a look out!

Happy Eating everyone!

-Sorian

Its Pronounced MO-HO not Mojo

Flavorless chicken and tough pork, all wonderful things to ruin dinner with. Its completely avoidable, just marinate some of the meats (and even vegetables) before you cook them to make them jump with flavor.
For some delicious Mojo Pork (or chicken or beef or fish...)
2 Cups of Lime Juice
1 Tblspn. Salt
1/2 Tblspn. Pepper
(You can add chili pepper flakes or hot peppers too)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (1 1/2 Tblspn. dried)
1 Cup Olive Oil
(Mango Juice/ Nectar is GREAT for this too! 1/2 Cup)

Place your meat of choice into a container with the marinade and leave it in the fridge overnight. ^_^

GRILLING TIME

Its summer, the time to fire up the grill and start grilling!

Here are some helpful tips to some good grilling.

Lamb- Keep it flavorful and moist and medium rare or just below well done.

Marinades and Rubs: Lavender, Rosemary, Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil, Ginger, Salt, Pepper, Spring Onions, Soy Sauce, and some Red Wine and marinate Over night.

Beef- Simple is key, and medium rare is best.

Marinades and Rubs: Salt & Pepper (thats all ready enough seriously but if you want more...) Sea Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Dill Seeds, Onion Powder

Chicken- Freshen it up with some herbs, and NEVER over cook.

Marinade: Tarragon, White Wine, Salt, Pepper, Lime Juice, LOTS AND LOTS OF OLIVE OIL (Marinade Over Night)

Shrimp- Be careful not to over cook, and use citrusy marinades.

Marinade: Lime Juice, Pineapple Juice, Salt, Pepper, Cilantro, Olive Oil

Image thanks to: kitchendaily.com ^_^

Thai Curry Sauce and Broiled Cod

Ah yes, the notorious Thai Curry. It can be spicy as all get up or mild and sweet like a freshly picked Peach. Still, most people don't know how to make this AMAZING sauce.... and it goes great on just about anything really. Seriously give it a try!


For the Thai Curry Sauce:


1 Can of Coconut MILK!!!!! (DONT YOU DARE USE COCONUT CREAM!)
2 Tblspn. Curry Powder
1/2-3/4 C. Cream
1 Tsp. Tumerac
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 Pieces of thickly cut Ginger (about 1" all around and 1/8" thick)
2 Tblspn. Oil (Canola or Soy preferably)


OK, lets begin. First, add the oil to a nicely heated pan and sautee the ginger until it is golden brown and aromatic. Then put in the can of coconut MILK, and make sure you have shaken it up well first. Then add in the curry powder, the tumerac, salt and pepper. Once this comes to a boil, add in the cream and bring it back up to a boil and taste. Adjust seasonings to your liking and serve on top of or stir-fryed with just about any thing.


For some great and simple broiled/ baked Cod you will need

4 Pieces of Cod
Salt & Pepper
4 Pads of butter
1/4 C. Olive Oil
4 Pinches of Tumerac
4 Pinches of Paprika

and A large baking sheet/ pan

Line your pan with either parchment paper or aluminum foil (not necessary but I am not one for scrubbing pans when there is company around.) Then add the olive oil and coat the bottom evenly. Place the 4 pieces of fish down on the pan and sprinkle salt, pepper, tumerac, paprika over the tops of them. Then Place the butter pads on top and send them into a 400º oven for 15-20 minutes per inch thick. Most of the Cod i get is precut into 1 1/2 inch pieces and i haven't seen them much bigger or smaller than that so I am going to assume that its safe to say about 20-25 minutes.

Once it reaches 20 minutes keep checking it because you do not want your Cod to over cook. I can guarantee you that you will not like dry fish ESPECIALLY Cod.

Once it's done, take it out and cover it with aluminum foil (heres the trick if you used foil to line your pan: just pull the foil over it and wrap it up.) So that the fish has about 5 minutes to rest. Then SERVE AND ENJOY!

-Happy Cooking and Good Luck!

Red Skin Potatoes withThyme and Cheddar

Red Skin Potatoes withThyme and Cheddar : Probably one of the best things, i've thrown together this week. It was so fast and simple and I was in need of trying to get rid of a 20lb bag of potatoes (thanks to the Asian parents buying from Costco.) Anyway, the thyme, cheddar, and butter bring out the red potatoes rich and smooth starchy flavor out so well. This is a dish you must try, and its great if you are in a pinch!

You will need:

8-10 Small Red Skin Potatoes

2 Cups Cheddar Cheese

2 Tblspns. Butter

2 Tblspns. Thyme

1 Tblspn. Parsley

1 Pinch of Paprika

So first off, wash of those potatoes really well and slice them into halves. Place them into boiling water and let them cook until fork tender. Then, melt the butter in a nice large sautee pan and place the potatoes in cut side down until brown, add in the thyme and the parsley at this point. When all the potatoes look golden brown take them out and place them onto a nice serving/ baking dish and cover them with the cheese and the pinch of paprika. (If the cheddar doesn't melt you can always throw it into the oven for a few minutes or into the microwave)

Enjoy! ^_^ This recipe Serves 4 Appx. Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Saffron Rice withHerbs : This was something I created because my family decided to throw Barley into the brown rice we had and I'm not a big fan of it. It was some whole grain mixture.... needless to say I ended up making my own rice.

Ingredients list:

6 Cups LONG GRAIN RICE COOKED (Yes you have to use long grain rice for this recipe, sorry) (I am going to assume that you know how to cook rice, if not please leave a comment or message me and I will make a video of how to make rice.

*Cook 1 Teaspoon of Saffron with the Rice*

3 Tblspns. Chopped Fresh Parsley

1/4 Tsp. Turmeric

Salt and Pepper to taste

Basically, just fluff the rice up with a fork and add in all the ingredients. This recipe seriously couldn't be any easier. Fast and simple, enjoy! I love using the sauce from the Red Wine Chicken on here too. ^_^

Red Wine Chicken

Red Wine Chicken : So this was a recipe that i ended up developing because i felt like having Coq au Vin but i didn't feel like waiting 4 hours for it to cook traditionally.

You need 4-8 Pieces of Chicken Bone In

2 Cups Red Wine (Merlot or Cabernet-Savigon)

2 Cups Port

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 Tblspn. Chopped fresh Rosemary or Dried

1 Tblspn. Chopped fresh Parsley

3 Tblspn. Good Olive Oil

2 Tblspn. Butter (unsalted)

2 Tblspn. Worcestershire Sauce

1 pinch Paprika

1 Cup Chicken stock

First, get your pan nice and hot and make sure that its slightly deep. A nice deep sauce pan works great for this. Add in the olive oil and put in the chicken, its ok if you dont season it with salt and pepper first because we want the chicken to soak into the chicken. Once the chicken is in and browned on both sides.

Then add in both the red wine and the port and let the alcohol simmer out a little bit, then immediately add in the rosemary and the parsley. You want the alcohol to bring out the rosemary and parsley and rehydrate them a little bit. Also, at this time, add in the chicken stock, salt, pepper, paprika, and worcestershire sauce. Cover and cook for 20 minutes until chicken is tender and cooked. Once the chicken is cooked add in the 2 pads of butter to give the sauce a nice gloss.

I love making this dish because its homey and very comforting. Its great for a rainy day or a cold winter nights dinner. Please enjoy!

Recipe Serves 4-8 Approximate Cooking Time: 30 Minutes