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

Tofu Taco

Tacos are so delicious and so fattening at the same time.  So I substituted dried tofu for half the meat, and it turned out great.  It’s tasty and I don’t need to worry about calories if I eat more than two of these!!!

A Ingredients

Ground pork             ¼ cup

Groun beef                ¼ cup

Dried tofu, chopped    2 cups

Garlic, minced             2 teaspoon

Soy sauce                     2 teaspoon

Ground cumin           ½ teaspoon

Ground coriander       ½ teaspoon

Salt and pepper to taste

B Ingredients

Corn tortilla               1 dozen

Shredded lettuce         2 cups

Tomato, chopped        1 cup

Avocado, chopped      ½ cup

Salsa                             ½ cup

Directions:

1. Heat an frying pan, add both ground meat and the chopped dried tofu, stir in pan to mix. If the ground meats don’t provide enough oil, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to pan.  When the meats are half done, add the chopped garlic to pan.  When everything’s cooked, add the rest of the A Ingredients. Remove from pan to a serving bowl. 

2. Heat up the corn tortilla by place the tortilla in a heated dry frying pan, place in towel to keep warm. 

3. Take a corn tortilla, add one tablespoon of tofu meat sauce, add some shredded lettuce, chopped tomato and avocado, then top with salsa to serve. 

Serving: 2-3

Pesto Mascarpone Sauce

I went to Angelo’s and Vinci’s in Fullerton, CA for one of my good friend’s birthday celebration.  The restaurant was nicely decorated with all kinds of Italian decorations including the elevated ceiling.  They even have Venetian clowns on a wire across the room, certainly sets a festive mood.  I ordered “Romeo and Juliet” from their specialty menu.  This dish has two kinds of ravioli, Mezzaluna and Tortellini, in a pesto cream sauce.  It was extremely flavorful.  I’d certainly go back again!!!

Ingredients

Bacon, cut into chunks               ¼ cup

All purpose flour                         1 teaspoon

Pesto sauce                                 ¼ cup

Mascarpone cream cheese          ¼ cup

Milk                                              1 cup

Water                                          ½ cup

Salt and pepper to taste        

Directions

1. Heat up a sauce pan, place the bacon chunks to sauté, until most of the fat is out.  Place a paper towel into the frying pan to absorb most of the oil, then add the flour into the bacon to cook, around 1-2 more minutes.

2. Then add the pesto sauce and mascarpone cheese, stir to blend, then slowly stir in the milk and water.  Don’t add the liquid too fast or else it will be separated. 

3. Add salt and ground black pepper to taste, then scoop sauce over cooked ravioli or pasta.  Can also be served with additional meat and vegetables.  The Ravioli dish pictured above has chopped roasted chicken breast, buttered Brussels sprouts, fresh chopped tomato, and herbed cheese sprinkle. 

Serving: 2-4

Romeo and Juliet

Japanese Edamame

                   

I used to pack these in little snack zip lock bags to work for lunch.  It’s also the perfect convenient snacks.  Don’t even need to wash hands afterwards!!  =)

Um…since my friend Patricia made the mistake of swallowing the whole thing down.  Let me just add a note of how to eat it.  Pick up one of these edamame, suck the beans out, and discard the furry carcass. 

A Ingredients

Frozen Edamame         1 package

B Ingredients

Water                        6-7 cups

Salt                               1 teaspoon

Star anise                   3-4 pieces

Directions:

1. Measure all B ingredients into a medium sauce pan, add A ingredients after boiling, make sure hot water covers all the edamame. 

2. When the water boils again, cook an additional 2-3 minutes, drain and serve. 

Serving: 4 cups

Confetti Fried Rice

My cooking is influenced by my dad a lot.  His dishes are always really colorful and crisp.  On top of that, my dad makes the best fried rice.  My family tradition is to have a glass of warm sweetened milk with these fried rice.  It’s so good together. 

A Ingredients

Olive oil                                 ¼ cup

Eggs                                        3 heads

Bacon bits                               1 tablespoon

Sausage, chopped                    1 piece

Persian cucumber, chopped    ¼ cup

Tomato, chopped                    ¼ cup
Steamed rice                         4-5 cups            

Frozen sweet peas                   ¼ cup

Chopped Scallion                    ½ cup

B Ingredients

Hondashi                     ¼ teaspoon

Lemon pepper              ½ teaspoon

Ground white pepper    ¼ teaspoon

Salt                                   to taste

Directions:

1. Heat up the olive oil in a wok, add the eggs when the oil is hot enough. Using chopsticks cook the eggs in a circular motion inside the wok, after the eggs are form, add the chopped sausage and bacon bits to wok.  Cook until fragrant, then add the chopped Persian cucumber and tomato to wok, cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, then add the white rice to wok, stir with a spatula. 

. How does one determine if the fried rice is good? Cook until the rice bounces up and down and almost out of the wok, add the frozen sweet peas, chopped scallion, and B ingredients, stir to blend, then place the lid on for about 2 minutes, scoop into serving bowl. 

3. It’s optional to add some chili oil to the fried rice to add a bit of heat!!

Serving: 4