Category Archives: Entrees

Stove Top Chili

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chili, beef, soup, stew, beans

chili, beef, soup, stew, beans

These past few weeks have just been road trip after road trip intertwined with a couple birthday parties, a bittersweet goodbye party, and a wedding. Though seeing friends and family, visiting sights, and dining out are all my favorite things to do, I’m looking forward to a weekend with absolutely zero plans! Call me a shut-in, call me antisocial (screw you, btw), sometimes you just need to do absolutely nothing in order to “recharge” as I like to say, and it seems my low-battery light has been flashing for sometime.

Though it sounds like I may be complaining about the hecticness of life, I’m not. I’m actually quite grateful for all the experiences I’ve had in the past year. Reflecting back, I learned to ride a motorcycle, I entered a triathlon (and signed up for another one next year), I got to to see some great shows (Paul McCartney at Candlestick’s farewell, Ringo Starr, Cirque Du Soleil’s Love, Sound Garden, Louis CK, and Eddie Izzard to name a few), I finished a couple art projects, I’ve travelled quite a bit (granted, though only within the U.S.), and oh hey, I got married to a great guy! So, I can’t complain. With a few inevitable not-so-great life experiences and situations aside, this past year for the most part, has been pretty fantastic I’ll say. But right now, nothing sounds more appealing than to park my lazy ass on the couch next to my husband’s and go on a Netflix binge.

chili, beef, soup, stew, beans

Of course, lazy weekends call for lazy recipes. This chili recipe is literally just throwing things in a pot and walking away; ok, maybe there’s a little more to it than that but there’s really not a whole lot you can do to mess it up – thus the beauty of chili! The ingredient portions are built to my tastes but feel free to adjust them however you like. Want to add more onions? Do it! Want to switch the beef for turkey? Go ahead! Want to add PBR to the mix? I say go for it, you f*#kin hipster!

GridPost_oilcloth

Been a little obsessed with floral oil cloths lately.
Top left: Cajun shrimp from Cha Cha Cha’s in San Francisco
Top right: Ordered a new oil cloth
Bottom left: Homemade caramel pork belly and egg
Bottom right: Sangria margarita from Chacho’s in Downtown San Jose
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Chile Rellenos

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ChileRellenos

Chile Rellenos

Living in California, I am just surrounded by amazing Mexican food everywhere! Whether it’s a taqueria, a fancy cantina, or a push cart down the street, you don’t have look very far to find your favorite dishes.

In fact, one of my favorite dishes is, you guessed it, chile rellenos – peppers stuffed with cheese that’ve been battered and deep fried served with a tangy tomato salsa. The first time I had these were in Woodland, California at Maria’s Cantina. I was told their chile rellenos were amazing – the stuffed peppers I’ve had in the past were always just filled with bland barley and raisins, but I’m always down to try new foods, so I took chance and order it with a side of rice and beans. Needles to say, I was pleasantly surprised. The richness of the jack cheese, the smoky poblano flavor, and the zesty salsa…I had never had anything like it!

Fast-forward a few years, and here I am today, making my own chile rellenos at home. Not going to lie, these peppers are a lot more labor-intensive than I had expected, but it’ll be worth it once you take that first bite. Check out the recipe below! (modified and adapted from All Recipes.

Chile Rellenos

chile rellenos

Ingredients

Yields: 4 stuffed peppers

Stuffed peppers:
4 poblano/pasilla peppers
4 oz of pepper jack cheese, cubed
4 eggs, yolks and whites separated
⅓ cup flour, for batter
½ tsp salt
¼ cup flour, for dredging
1 ½-2 cups oil, for frying

Sauce:
3 tomatoes
1 tbsp vegetable oil
½ onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
½ cup chicken broth
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp pepper
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp hot sauce

Directions

Roasting and stuffing the peppers:
Using a gas burner or torch, carefully roast the peppers on all sides until crisp and blackened. After roasting each pepper, place them into a large bowl covered with a plate or lid allowing the peppers to steam in their own heat. (This part is crucial! The steaming process makes it easier for you to peel off the skin) After the peppers have sat in their own steam for about 15-20 minutes, use a paper towel to rub off the blackened skin. Using a paring knife, make a small T-shaped incision on one side of each pepper, just big enough for you to cut out the seeds and stuff in the cheese. Carefully remove the seeds. I like to leave in some seeds, but just know, the more seeds, the spicier your chile relleno will be. Stuff the pepper with 1 oz of cheese and set aside.

Making the sauce
Puree the tomatoes in a food processor. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, heat the oil, toss in diced onion and brown until slightly translucent, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic for about a minute. Then stir in tomato puree, chicken broth, cumin, oregano, pepper, vinegar, and hot sauce. Simmer until the sauce has thickened, then remove from heat and set aside.

Making the batter
With an electric mixer, whip the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Stir the egg yolks with a fork or whisk. Using a spatula, fold the yolks and ⅓ cup of flour into the whipped egg whites.

Heat the frying oil in a skillet on medium to medium-high, you want it to be in the range of 325 Fahrenheit.

Coating the peppers:
Dredge the peppers in ¼ cup of flour and dip into the egg batter; you may need to used a spoon to evenly cover the pepper.

Frying the peppers:
Place the peppers in the hot oil. (I placed 2 peppers in the pan at a time to prevent overcrowding.) After the first side has reached a golden brown color, about 2-4 minutes, flip the pepper allowing it to brown on the other side. When the peppers are done frying, place them on a few paper towels to soak up the excess oil.

Preparing the plate:
Pour a few spoonfuls of the sauce onto a plate, lay the pepper on top and pour just a bit more sauce over the top. Voila! You’re finished!

Chile Rellenos

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Enchiladas Made Easy

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Enchiladas

Enchiladas

I love seeing color in my food. You know, they say you eat with your eyes first. I mean, just look at those vibrant green avocado slices, or that rich red sauce covered under that bed of pale yellow and white cheeses! It’s like a kaleidoscope of color, textures, and flavors! And believe me, these enchiladas are both bursting with color and flavor!

Enchiladas2 copy1_small

Ok, so these enchiladas are by no means authentic, but they’re still tasty none the less. If you’re just looking for a quick and dirty fix to satisfy your enchilada craving, then look no further. I made these in less than an hour with plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day.

GridPost_sushi

Top left: Homemade sushi. Made my and my husbands favorite sushi dishes/rolls.
Top right: Napoleon from Rick’s dessert diner in Midtown Sac. My first time there – will be going back for sure!
Bottom left: Took a pic of the Sac bridge while walking Bailey
Bottom right: Had lunch in San Jose with the family and ordered the com tam.
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Bulgogi

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Bulgogi

Bulgogi

Today I’d like to talk briefly about the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon. You know when you learn of something new and then all the sudden, you see it everywhere? That’s the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon. And that’s exactly what happened when I was introduced to this delicious type of Korean barbecued meat by a friend about 2 years ago. I had never heard of Bulgogi before then and now it’s everywhere! I’ve seen Bulgogi in tacos, burritos, and even hamburgers (proof). I can’t help but wonder if it’s always been around, and I’m just noticing it, or if it’s one of those food trends that come and go. Either way, it’s delicious and I’m so glad I didn’t go through life not knowing what Bulgogi is.

Bulgogi
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Ahi Tuna Salad with Soy Ginger Reduction & Wasabi Aioli

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Ahi Tuna

Ahi Tuna
Hi all! I apologize for being MIA and not posting as much lately. Life’s been a bit hectic, in a good way, trust me!

Let’s see, where to start?

Flora Ad Contest Design Cream

I entered a “Design Our Ad” contest from Flora for a chance to win $10,000. I’m in 5th place so far. I already know what I’d do with the money if I won: half would go towards the wedding and the other half would go towards a down payment on a new home! Here’s dreaming…If you could take a moment to VOTE for me, I would be eternally grateful! Voting is done by going to the page and using the social media buttons (below the design ad) to like it on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+. Here’s the link–>

http://www.floressencecream.com/portfolio/entry-69-votes-0/
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Fried Rice Mac and Cheese

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Fried Rice Mac And Cheese

Fried Rice Mac And Cheese

Today’s recipe: grown up mac and cheese with an Asian twist!

Think fried rice meets mac and cheese.

Weird? Maybe. Delicious? You bet!
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Sriracha Drumsticks

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SrirachaDrumsticks

Sriracha Drumsticks
I’ve been suffering from this intolerable cold on and off again for the past 2 months! Just when I start to feel better, this cold sucks me back in. Needless to say, I’ve been an utter mess. Jonah’s been super sweet caring for me. The other week he set up the vaporizer for me, stocked the fridge with yummy soup, and encouraged me to veg out in front of the TV all day. I slept, watched the entire first season of Downton Abbey, slept some more, ate soup, and slept again. The next day, I was cured! All symptoms were gone! “Thank Lord Grantham”, I thought. But…I spoke too soon. Not even a week later, the dreaded symptoms had returned. Yesterday, I ran a fever of 100.2F. Can you say “FML”? It’s as if my immune system decided to go on furlough for 2 months. I’m willing to do anything to finally be rid of this cold! Which brings me to today’s recipe.
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Banh Mi Thit Nuong – Lemongrass Pork Sandwich

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Banh Mi Thit Nuong

Banh Mi Thit Nuong
When people hear of Vietnamese street food, they automatically think of banh mi. Although it’s known to be essentially “fast food”, I’m glad to see this sandwich style making its way into both upscale restaurants and food trucks alike in this nation.

Banh mi is simply translated as “sandwich”. So, what makes a banh mi sandwich different from others? The answer is in the toppings! Rather than your boring lettuce-tomato-onion topping in your plain Jane sandwich, imagine biting into crisp cilantro, cucumbers, pickled carrots and daikon, fresh serrano peppers, and pate!
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Bacon and Beer Banh Xeo

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Beer Bacon Banh Xeo

Beer Bacon Banh Xeo

Bacon, beer, and banh xeo, a trifecta of all that is wonderful in this world! Banh xeo is my all time favorite dish! Not one of my favorite dishes, my favorite dish! I’m suddenly flooded with fond memories of my mom and I cooking these up, filling the kitchen with the smell of turmeric, drowning out sounds with the sizzling skillet, watching the pale yellow batter transform into a crispy and yet tender golden crepe. Once you’ve tried this Vietnamese specialty, you’ll wonder how you’ve gone through life without it.
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Eggs and Soy Sauce…It’s an Asian Thing

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Eggs Soy Sauce

Eggs Soy Sauce
For 2 months in 2006, I lived in Nha Trang, a beach front town in South Vietnam where my mom currently resides. It’s a beautiful and somewhat touristy town with delicious food. One of my favorite parts of the day was waking up in the morning and deciding which street food vendor I would try next. Unlike most urban American street vendors, where you have your standard pretzel, hot dog, or falafel carts, the vendors in Vietnam serve a smorgasbord of different dishes. On one corner, you can treat yourself to beef noodle soup. If you go down a block, you can gorge on savory sizzling crepes. Kitty corner from that vendor, you can indulge in a brothy seafood soup.
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