coconut mango rice pudding

I've been obsessed...I'm talking obsessed with rice pudding lately. As in every night I make myself a heaping bowl of pudding topped with whatever fixings we have at home. Instead of paying the crazy shipping fee to snag some great flavors from Rice to Riches, I decided to be a little ambitious by making some from scratch and adding my own little twist to a classic Rodelle's recipe.

chinese ground pork & eggplant

When you live with 2 boys ground meats are part of our daily dinners.  One meat that is often overlooked is ground pork and when I'm on overload with beef, chicken or turkey I turn to the other white meat.  My go to dish with ground pork, aside from meatloaf, is this chinese ground pork and eggplant dish that is super easy to make.

meatballs & brown gravy noodles

If you haven't noticed based on the recipes I've been posting - my tot loves him some ground beef.  In fact he loves meatloaf specifically and since I can't eat that on the daily I've been experimenting with different variations of meatballs and meatloaves so that I don't get sick of eating it.

spiced hot wine

The other weekend we hit up the County Line Apple Orchard and after surviving light snow flurries (yes this did happen), the only remedy for the cold weather was a nice warm drink.  Don't get me wrong, I sipped on hot apple cider while we were there, but when we got home it was time for a nice warm adult bevvie.  Insert the spiced hot wine.

asian spaghetti & meatballs

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you know that Matt and I recently returned from an amazing vacation in Prague, hence the blogging hiatus.  I had all intentions (seriously I say that on the daily) of sharing this post before I left, but well life happened...it always happens.  Next week will be dedicated to Prague and travel musts, but for now as I battle a mild case of jet lag, there's no better time to share this recipe. I fully intend to prep this meal for my family again over the weekend because yes it is that good. (Insert self pat on back).

oven fried lumpia

I grew up on Filipino food, but I rarely eat it...or crave it.  So when I do, getting that fill is a must.  So last weekend, I rolled up my sleeves and made one of the most common Filipino dishes - Lumpia!  It's absolutely a process to make these suckers, but they're totally worth it.

gluten & egg free (damn good) choco chip cookie bars

Thanks to my friend Dana that manages Paleo Kitchen Stories I decided to see a nutritionist, allergist and internist about my digestive issues.  For many years I did a process of elimination to figure out what was upsetting my stomach, but I followed in Dana's footsteps and decided to see a professional.  Welp - come to find out that all visits brought to my attention things I didn't expect.  Allergic to all melons, kiwis AND bananas (not to mention seasonal allergies), but what's even more shocking is my sensitivity to yeast, rye and egg (whites and yolks).  Yup - eggs!  So all this while I thought I was gluten sensitive, but in reality - it's pretty much everything else that it's mixed with it that I can't eat.  Since these recent findings, I've been having to modify a ton of recipes to avoid  egg (PS - Dana is egg sensitive too so she has a ton of dairy free recipes on her site) and one of my all time favorite desserts I've been making are these chocolate chip cookie bars.  Warning - they're addicting.  Like for serious.

crack pie

Over Easter while many people were planning meals around ham or roasted lamb...I was planning mine around dessert.  I stumbled upon a recipe for the famous Momofoku Milk Bar's Birthday Cake and the baking bug hit me.  While I would have LOVED to make this, the frosting calls for cream cheese and the Mr. will have nothing to do with it.  So, I went with the next best option...Crack Pie!

image via Let Me Eat Cake

chicken meatloaf

"Maaaaaa the meaaaatttloooaaaff!"  Let's be honest, who doesn't love that quote?  More importantly, who doesn't love a good meatloaf?

honey walnut shrimp

When I was in high school I remember weekend nights when friends would sleep over and at around midnight or so my parents would ask if we wanted to go out for Chinese food.  Yep - true story.  So we would meander over to Chinatown in Seattle and sit down for a 2nd dinner.  One of my favorite dishes that we would always order is Honey Walnut Shrimp and I've had a hard time finding any that can come close to the dish we used to order at Honey Court Restaurant in Seattle.

food | buffalo chicken chili

I have an unhealthy obsession with anything buffalo chicken wings and I confessed that openly when I shared with you my buffalo chicken pasta recipe.   Needless to say it was about time I found other ways to re-create that buffalo chicken wing flavor in a way that was easier to eat and that's where my buffalo chicken chili was created.  

roasted squash, pear and apple quinoa

Every year my girlfriends and I host an annual gift exchange dinner.  We each bring a bottle of booze, a gift and a dish to share.  My friends brought fabulous dishes to compliment the main course of pistachio crusted salmon with a cherry sauce and I decided to make a roasted squash, pear and apple quinoa side dish.

food (food) | rao's famous lemon chicken

By no means am I going to take any credit for this delish recipe because obviously I'm not.  However, I will take credit for being smart enough to make it for my family last Sunday and enjoyed every single bite.

So what makes this chicken so famous?  Rao's is a famous restaurant in Harlem, NY that gained popularity not only for their lemon chicken (aka Uncle Vincent's Lemon Chicken on their menu), but their amazing pasta sauces as well.  Rao's which has been featured on many food shows, is an iconic place and getting a table is tough.  So instead of trying to nab a table try this recipe!

food (food) | pf chang's inspired garlic noodles

As much as I love the whole in the wall Chinese restaurants that serve up authentic Hong Kong style chow mein and duck 4 ways - sometimes I crave what the chainwide restaurants serve.  In this case, it's PF Chang's Garlic Noodles.  To curb this craving, I used some items I keep stocked in my pantry (I love when I don't have to shop for food) and whipped up a close enough dish that fooled my taste buds.

Here's what you'll need:

• 2 tbsp garlic chili paste
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp sesame seed oil
• 4 tbs chopped garlic
• Package of chinese noodles or egg noodles (gluten free options include rice or quinoa noodles)

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to packaging.
2. Drain and toss noodles in garlic chili paste.
3. Heat oil in a large pan (preferably a wok) and sautee garlic just before they turn brown (if you over cook the garlic will turn into chips giving it a bitter taste).
4. Add noodles, sugar, and vinegar to garlic oil.
5. Toss noodles until evenly coated with mixture.

I served this up with the Trader Joe's Miso Cod fish (which I highly recommend)!  Enjoy!

food (food) | bulgogi ground beef

Korean food brings back such great memories.  I recall at the early age of 7 or 8 my parents would take us to this wonderful Korean restaurant in Vancouver and I would eat bulgogi with rice in a bento style box garnished with sliced orange wedges.  Growing up we continued to eat at many great Korean restaurants and amazing Korean BBQ places that it has easily become one of my top 5 cuisines.

Sometimes I don't have the luxury of going to a Korean restaurant to enjoy my favorite dish, so I had to do some improv and recreate an easy version of bulgogi meat.  This has quickly become a favorite in our household.  It's quick, easy and requires the bare minimum when it comes to ingredients....trust me you have majority of this stuff in your fridge/pantry.

What you'll need:

• 1 lbs ground beef
• 1 white onion (chopped)
• 4 cloves of garlic (chopped)
• 2 tbsp sesame seed oil (optional: substitute with chili oil)
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• Sesame seeds 
• Sriracha (Optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until they start to look a bit translucent.
2. Brown beef and try to break up the beef into small crumbles.
3. When the beef is about 80% cooked, pour soy sauce and sugar.
4. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes, reduce heat and let meat simmer for another 10 minutes until it thickens.
5. Serve over white rice and garnish with sesame seeds.

Other ways to serve:

• Make your own Korean style bibimbap and top the meat with an over easy egg and sauteed veggies.
• Serve meat in heated corn tortillas and top with kimchee for a Korean style taco.

food (food) | everything frittata

I love the idea of quiches, but I can never eat them and feel good about myself.  They're so decadent and rich that I ultimately feel horrible after eating them.  That's why I love frittatas so much!  I think of frittatas as a baked version of omelettes and there are endless combinations out there, but my secret for making frittata truly one of a kind is...Sazon Goya!

Here is what you'll need for my all time favorite frittata:

• 6 eggs
• 2 pieces of cooked chopped bacon 
• 3 slices of cubed ham
• 1 cup of cheddar cheese (or whatever you have available in your fridge)
• 2 tbps of milk
• 1 packet of Sazon Goya
• 1/3 chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 chopped tomato

Directions:

• Preheat oven at 375 degrees
• Grease a round pie tin
• Place all ingredients into a glass bowl and whisk until mixed evenly
• Pour mixture into pie tin and bake for 30 - 35 minutes until egg is no longer runny
• Cool for 10 minutes and cut into pie slices
• Serve as is or garnish with a dollop of sour cream and salsa

food (food) | easy sriracha fried rice

When I say that this recipe is easy, I can't emphasize more on the word "easy".  This recipe does involve some Trader Joe's specific items, but no worries if you don't have any of them - I'll include the modifications.  I probably make this dish at least once a week because on days when I'm running late from work, this can be whipped up in less than 20 minutes.

 

Here's what you'll need:

• 2 bags of Trader Joe's Frozen Jasmine Rice (Substitute: 4 cups of pre-made white rice)
• 1 container of Trader Joe's Healthy 8 Chopped Veggie Mix (Substitute: 1 bag of frozen peas/carrots combo or 2 cups mixture of your preferred chopped vegetables)
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup of Sriracha sauce
• Salt
• Pepper
• 4 tbsp of vegetable oil

Directions:

• Microwave the 2 bags of fried rice or cook 4 cups of white rice.  Set aside and cool.  
• In a large pan, heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil and saute the vegetables.  Salt and pepper vegetables lightly (1/2 tbsp) and cook until tender.
• While vegetables are cooking, beat eggs in a separate bowl.
• Add white rice to pan and remaining 2 tbsp of vegetable oil.
• Fold gently with sauteed vegetables.
• Lightly salt rice/vegetable mixture and cook for another 2 - 3 minutes.
• Push rice to one side of the pan and add eggs to the other end.  
• Scramble eggs on the other side of pan, making sure not to mix the rice with egg too early.
• Once the eggs look firm and close to being done, start folding the egg into the rice.
• Add Sriracha and mix until all rice is evenly coated.

This rice is great on its own or serve with Trader Joe's marinated Bulgogi meat.  Add any protein such as chicken, Chinese sausage or shrimp to make the dish more hearty.  Enjoy!

food (food) | roasted elephant garlic bread

Growing up in Bellevue, WA there was a chain restaurant called Cucina! Cucina! that we frequently made a trip to...not only as a child, but as a teenager and college student.  Prices were reasonable, food was good and it was always easy to get a seat.  While their food was your typical Italian fare, what resonated with me to this day is their garlic bread aka the Toscano on their menu.  It is a loaf of warm bread served with butter and roasted elephant garlic (served in the bulbs) that you could easily spread onto each slice.  Since we don't have a Cucina! Cucina! in Chicago, I've learned to re-create this favorite side dish and enjoy it like I used to in the restaurant.

Here's what you'll need:

• One large bulb of elephant garlic
• Olive oil
• 1 large loaf of bread (I like to use an Italian loaf or French bread - something that has a nice crunchy crust, but soft gooey inside)
• Salt
• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions:

• Pre-heat your oven at 425 degrees
• While the oven is heating, cut the end of your garlic bulb enough so that the ends off of each bulb are exposed. Be sure to keep the thin layer of skin is still on the garlic.
• Coat the garlic bulb in olive oil and place in a piece of foil (large enough to wrap it all around) 
• Sprinkle a small amount of salt over the exposed end of the garlic
• Fold foil until garlic is completely wrapped
• Place in over for 30 - 35 minutes (use a fork/knife to check if the garlic is done - it should be tender when you pierce it)
• While garlic is cooking, slice bread into thick slices
• When garlic is done scoop out each garlic bulb and place in a small bowl with the butter and a pinch of salt. Mash with a masher or fork until it turns into a paste. 
• Place each bread slice onto a large baking pan and drizzle each piece with olive oil. Spread the garlic paste on each slice evenly.
• Place in oven for 5 minutes just enough to toast the exterior and serve.
• OPTIONAL: Before placing bread in oven, sprinkle each slice with grater parmesan, pecorino or romano cheese.

Elephant garlic is so mild compared to regular garlic and doesn't leave you with breath that would scare friends away.  This bread is something I always make when Matt makes his family's spaghetti recipe and is truly the perfect side dish to compliment any Italian meal.

food (food) | baby reds & green bean salad

I'm so lucky to have a baby that eats everything, but he is picky in his own way.  He eats based on the color of his food.  With any typical meal, he eats the bright, vibrant food first, then leaves the dull colored items for last (this is mostly protein) even though he loves it all just the same.  Needless to say we have no problems with getting him to eat his veggies.  Since summer is around the corner and warm weather is upon us, I'm so excited to put together light salads for the family to eat.  When I decided to serve Salisbury steak the other night, I wanted to pair it with a light, but hearty cold salad to compliment it.  Since Liam loves green beans and we had baby reds on hand I decided to whip up this great salad.

Here is what you'll need:

• 1 bag of baby red potatoes
• 1 bag of trimmed green beans
• 12 radishes (cleaned and thinly sliced)
• 4 stalks of chopped green onions
• 1 diced red bell pepper
• 4 tbsp of olive oil
• Salt
• Course ground pepper
• 2 tbsp of garlic powder
• 2 tbsp of onion powder
• Juice from 1 lemon

Directions:

• In a large pot, boil water and cook the bag of baby reds until tender (around 15 minutes)
• In another pot, boil water and cook green beans until softened but still a little crisp.  If you buy a bag of cleaned/trimmed green beans you can usually cook the beans in the bag.  I usually do it for about 3 minutes.
• Let green beans and potatoes cool in the fridge for about 10 minutes.  When they are cooled, cut green beans to 1 inch in size and quarter the baby reds
• In a large bowl toss radishes, green onions, baby reds, green beans, red bell pepper, olive oil and lemon juice.
• Season with garlic powder, onion powder, ground pepper and salt.
• Place in fridge and cool until the salad is ready to eat.

food (food) | moroccan lamb stew

I'm sure you've heard my spiele in a previous post about how much every person (even those who don't like to cook) should invest in a slow cooker/crock pot.  You can even buy one for super cheap and what you'll find is that it quickly becomes the most used kitchen appliance.  A few weeks ago I had a random craving for moroccon lamb stew.  Now have I ever had it?  No. However, the flavor profiles that I was imagining in my head made it seem delicious. So, alas I put together what I thought should go into the recipe and it turned out to be everything I imagined and more.

So what' you'll need...

• 2.5 lbs of lamb stew meat
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• 1 tbsp of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of cayenne 
• 1/2 tsp of ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp of all spice
• 1 cup of tomato sauce
• 1 large sweet potato cubed
• 1 chopped onion
• 4 carrots cubed
• 3 parsnips cubed
• Salt (1 tbps, but more if needed)
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 15 dried apricots

Directions:

1. Peel and chop the onions, carrots, potato and parsnip then set aside.
2. In a large pan, heat 2 tbsp of butter.  Brown each piece of stew meat and place into the crock pot.
3. Add all remaining ingredients into the crock pot and mix all together.  
4. Cook on low heat for 6 - 8 hours or on high heat for 4 - 6 hours.

This dish is super hearty, but light at the same time.  What makes it great is all the sweetness from the raisins and dried apricot bring the flavor to a whole other level.  With all the wonderful vegetables in there it's great to eat on it's on or over a bed of saffron rice, cous cous or quinoa.

Enjoy!