Buttery Green Beans

This is a classic traditional Thanksgiving dish on the American tables.  I recently found out this dish helps digesting a big meal with all the fiber it provides.  Plus, I didn’t gain a pound after this big Thanksgiving meal, must have been it. 

Two days before Thanksgiving, my brother John John and I stood in front of the green bean counter at Sprouts picking out the perfect green beans with the curly tail still intacked.  On the day we cook, my mom snipped all the curly tails off.  We were just speechless.  There goes all our hard work!!!  

 

Ingredients

Green beans, washed, trimmed            3 lbs

Ice bath                                                   enough

Salt                                                       ½ teaspoon

Butter                                                    2 tablespoon

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

 

1. Heat up a pot of boiling water, blanch the green beans, around 3 minutes until crisp tender, drain immediately and let cool in an ice bath.  When the temperature is down, drain the beans from the ice water, and toss with salt a bit. 

2. Heat up the butter in a sauté pan, sauté the green beans in the sauté pan for around 2 minutes to coat the butter, taste one and add more salt and pepper as needed. 

Servings: 8

Pasta Da Vinci

My good friend Jason made me a mango margarita upon my request on facebook.  “Ask and ye shall receive.”  He said.  So this week, he asked:

Jason: Well, you do make a mean pasta.

Bella: Which mean pasta?

Jason: Pasta Da Vinci.

So I made a nice dinner for Jason and his Nana, now my adopted Nana.  Everyone had such a good time gathering around the table, eating family style.  When I was cooking, the whole house smelt so amazing, it smelt like home, that or caramelized onion.  For dessert, I had made some Rugelach cookies the night before.  We barely had enough for everyone because Nana had been snacking all day.  She claimed that she ate no more than 2 at a time, but you look down and she stole two Rugelach in each hand.  It’s so nice to have people appreciate the food I make.  It feels amazing!!!  (^_−)−☆

Ingredients

Olive oil                                  ¼ cup

Onion, shredded                      1 head

Chicken breast, sliced          250 g

Cimini mushroom, sliced         4 cups

Minced garlic                            1 tablespoon

Madeira wine                            1 cup

Mascarpone cheese                  ½ cup

Penne, cooked to al dente         1 package (5-6 cups)

Salt and black pepper                   to taste

Shredded Parmesan                  ¼ cup

Minced parsley                          1 tablespoon

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan, add the shredded onion to caramelize, around 12-15 minutes until color turn brown, drain and reserve in a bowl. 

2. In the same sauté pan, add the chicken breast, cook until medium, add the mushroom slices and minced garlic to sauté, then add the caramelized onion back to pan, sauté for an additional minute, then add the Madeira wine, reduce to half, add the Mascarpone cheese.  If the pan is too dry, add a bit of pasta water to think it out, salt and pepper to taste. 

3. Stir in the cooked penne pasta until color is absorbed, add the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. 

4. Serve individually, or family style in a big serving bowl, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and minced parsley. 

Serving: 6

Pantry Miso Soup

Miso soup never failed me.  I can always count on it to please a crowd, or just a single man.  And all the ingredients are right there in my pantry!!!  Researches have shown that the Japanese live longer because they consume lots of soy beans in their diet.  Although…the soy beans we purchase in this country are all genetically modified.  Don’t know how healthy that is.  You’ll should check out the movie “Food, Inc.“  Sure did makes a carnivore like me want to turn vegetarian.  Whenever the weather is right, a bowl of hot miso soup can always bring warmth to my heart, especially in this cold and lonely winter.  Autumn and winter are the perfect seasons for all kinds of hearty soups.  Stay tuned!!

Ingredients

Olive oil                                      1 tablespoon

Dried anchovies                         ¼ cup
Miso paste                                  ¾ cup
Seaweed,qumbu,cut,soaked       ½ cup     
Water                                           8 cups
Sugar                                           1 tablespoon
Silken tofu, big chunks                1 piece
Chopped scallion                         2 tablespoon

Directions:

1. Heat up a stock pot, add the olive oil to pot, when the oil is hot, add the anchovies, cook till fragrant, around 3 minutes. 

2. Add the miso to pan and sauté for a couple of minutes, slowly stir in the water, make sure each additional is well melted before adding more water. 
3. Add the soaked seaweed, bring to a boil and continue cooking for 8-10 minutes, add the sugar and stir to melt, then carefully add the chunk tofu, bring to a boil again and cook for an additional 3 minutes, remove from heat. 
4. Serve with chopped scallion sprinkled on top. 

Servings: 4