Banana Muffins I

1 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup mashed ripe banana

1/4 cup white sugar 1/4 cup sour cream 1 egg 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
2.	Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together banana, sugar, egg and vanilla. Stir in the sour cream. Stir banana mixture into flour until just combined. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.
3.	Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool before serving. For best flavor, place in an airtight container or bag overnight.

Banana Oat Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup white sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg 3/4 cup milk 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup mashed bananas

Directions:

1.	Combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.
2.	In a large bowl, beat the egg lightly. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla. Add the mashed banana, and combine thoroughly. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper bake cups, and divide the batter among them.
3.	Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 18 to 20 minutes.		You can substitutue three tablespoons of mayonaisee for one egg in baking. Or, you can mash half a banana with half teaspoon of baking powder.

Ginger Poached Salmon with Lime Basil Cream

2 limes
6 cups water
1 (4-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped, about 1/4 cup
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
4 (6-ounce) boneless skinless salmon fillets
1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream

Directions

Halve 1 lime and squeeze the juice into a large straight sided skillet or pot with a lid. Add 6 cups water, the squeezed lime halves, ginger, and peppercorns and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes to infuse the water with flavor; reduce heat to lowest setting, carefully slide salmon into the water, cover, and poach until fish is just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon and cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Add about 1/2 cup poaching liquid to the container to keep the fish moist and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, zest the remaining lime and add about 1/2 teaspoon zest to the bowl of a food processor; add the juice from half the lime to the bowl (should be about 1 teaspoon juice). Add the basil leaves, a pinch of salt and a few grinds black pepper and pulse until it begins to turn into a paste. Add the creme fraiche and puree until very smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, plate the cold salmon with a drizzle of lime basil cream over the top.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_389615_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html?oc=linkback

Roasted Corn with Basil Oil

To remove corn kernels from cob carefully stand the cob straight up, holding the tip. Take a knife and cut down removing the kernels. Mix in a couple tablespoons of the basil oil and mix.


Basil Oil:
1/2 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 c fresh basil

In a food processor or blender, combine both ingredients together until the basil is finely chopped.

If you don't have a food processor or blender, simply fine chop the basil and mix it into the oil. Mash it together with a mortar and pestle or press firmly while stirring with a spoon.

Store in a jar or container with a lid. This may be done in advance. Let it sit for at least 1/2-hour to left the flavors marinate together.

Drizzle as little or as much over you favorite dish.

Cold Sesame Noodles

12 ounces angel hair pasta
3 tablespoons dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red chili paste, such as sambal
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons hot water
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
Fresh chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

Cook the noodles in large pot of boiling unsalted water over medium heat until barely tender and still firm. Drain immediately and rinse with cold water until cold. Drain the noodles really well and transfer to a wide bowl; toss with the sesame oil so they don't stick together. Chill.

In a blender combine the peanut oil, ginger, garlic, chili paste, lime juice, brown sugar, peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, and hot water. Blend. Toss the noodles with the peanut sauce until well coated. Serve at room temperature or chilled; garnish with the sesame seeds, green onions, and cilantro.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_27397_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html?oc=linkback

Vietnamese BBQ Pulled Pork Banh Mi

1 baguette (cut into 4 sandwich sized lengths and sliced in half)
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 pound Vietnamese BBQ Pulled Pork (see below)
1/4 cup pickled daikon radish
1/4 cup pickled carrots
1/2 cup cucumber (thinly sliced)
1 large handfull cilantro
2 birds eye chilies (sliced, optional

Vietnamese BBQ Pulled Pork

(makes 4+ servings)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 lime (juice)
2 birds eye chilies (sliced)
1 (3 pound) pork butt

Directions:
1. Heat the sugar in a pan on medium-high heat until it melts, caramelizes and turns a light golden brown.
2. Carefully add the water and heat until the caramel dissolves.
3. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and chilies and simmer to reduce by half, about 6-10 minutes.
4. Put the pork in the slow cooker, pour 1/2 of the 'bbq' sauce over it and cook on low heat for 8 hours.
5. Remove the pork from the slow cooker, let cool and then shred with a pair of forks.
6. Skim the fat from the juices, place them in a sauce pan along with the remaining 'bbq' sauce, simmer to reduce to 1 cup and mix into the shredded pork.

Pulled Pork in a Slow Cooker

Put your roast in the oiled slow cooker and start sprinkling your spices on top of the roast.

½ Tablespoon sea salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon turmeric

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ Tablespoon ground cumin

½ Tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1 Tablespoon onion powder

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon chili powder

Pour 2 cups of chicken broth around the roast.  I pour the broth around the edge of the slow cooker.  I like leaving as many spices on the top of the roast as possible.  I want the meat to have the flavor not the broth.  My favorite chicken broth is Pacific Foods brand.

Put the lid on the slow cooker.  Set it on high and forget it.

In our slow cooker it took about 4 hours for the pork to be falling off the bone.

Step 9 Pork is Falling Off the Bone

Step 10: Let it cool for awhile.  This is always the bad time in our house, because everyone wants to pick at it.  Pull off as much of the pork as you can and put it in a separate bowl.

Step10 Pulling Pork Off the Bone

Step 11: Discard the bones and any extra fat.

Step 11 Discard bones and Extra Fat

Step 12: Strain broth and save the broth for a later date.

Step 12 Strain broth

Step 13: Put the pulled pork back into the slow cooker.

Step 13 Put Pull Pork Back Into the Slower Cooker

Step 14: Pour barbecue sauce over the pork.  I poured a little more than a bottle onto the pork.  You can also make your own barbecue sauce.  I make my barbecue sauce and freeze it.  We ate too much of it this winter and we ran out.  So for those of us who are too busy right now Bull’s-Eye Sweet & Tangy is the best for the pork.  It is not too sweet like you want on chicken and it is not too smoky which you would use on beef.  It has apple cider vinegar which gives it a sweet and tangy flavor you want with pork.

Basic Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)

Makes ¾ cup
3 tablespoons lime juice (1 fat, thin skin lime)
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup water
2 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
Optional additions:
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
1 or 2 Thai chilis, thinly sliced or 1 teaspoon homemade chili garlic sauce or store bought (tuong ot toi)
1. Make limeade. Combine the lime juice, sugar and water, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Taste and as yourself this question: Does this limeade taste good? Adjust the flavors to balance out the sweet and sour.
2. Finish with fish sauce. Add the fish sauce and any of the optional ingredients. Taste again and adjust the flavors to your liking, balancing out the sour, sweet, salty and spicy. Aim for a bold, forward finish -- perhaps a little stronger than what you'd normally like. This sauce is likely to be used to add final flavor to foods wrapped in lettuce or herbs, which are not salted and therefore need a little lift to heighten the overall eating experience. My mother looks for color to gauge her dipping sauce. When it's a light honey or amber, she knows she's close.
Notes
Advance Preparation - This sauce may be prepared early in the day and left to sit at room temperature.
Variation - Use half lime juice and half Japanese rice vinegar for a less assertive sauce. Some delicately flavored dishes require this.

Vietnamese Restaurant-Style Grilled Lemongrass Pork (Thit Heo Nuong Xa)

Serves 4
1 pound boneless pork shoulder steak, about 1/2 inch thick
Marinade:
11/2 to 2 tablespoons granulated or light brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped shallot or yellow onion
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and finely chopped (3 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon dark (black) soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon oil
1. Cut the pork shoulder steak into pieces about 3 to 4 inches big. Set aside.
2. Put the sugar, garlic, shallot and lemongrass into an electric mini chopper and process to a fine texture. (Or, mince the garlic, shallot, and lemongrass individually, put them into a bowl, and add the sugar.) Add the pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce, and oil and process to combine well. Aim for a relatively smooth texture. The marinade will be chocolate brown. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Add the pork, and turn to coat well. Cover and set aside at room temperature to marinate for 1 hour. Or, refrigerate up to 24 hours, letting the meat sit out at room temperature for 45 minutes to remove some of the chill before grilling.
4. Preheat a grill to medium-high. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes, turning frequently, until cooked through. Nick with a knife to test. Transfer to a plate, loosely cover with foil or an inverted bowl for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Chinese Barbecued Pork (Char Siu)

3 lbs pork shoulder, visible fat trimmed
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsps oyster sauce
2 tbsps ketchup, for color (optional)
1 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsps honey
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine, or rosewater
½ tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp five-spice powder
1-inch piece ginger, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
Maltose, for basting

Cut pork lengthwise into 5-inch thick strips and place the meat in a shallow bowl or casserole pan.  In a small saucepan, combine dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup, sesame oil, honey, cooking wine, white pepper, and five-spice powder, and bring to a simmer.  Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.  Pour mixture over pork, add ginger and garlic slices, and marinate for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator, turning occasionally.
Preheat oven to 375F.  Line roasting pan with aluminum foil.  Remove the pork from the marinade (discard garlic and ginger slices), and place it in the prepared pan.  Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, basting with maltose.  Turn and baste other side, and cook for 30 more minutes, or until the juices run clear.  Place the pan under the broiler, turning and letting the meat char on all sides.  Let the meat rest for 15 minutes before slicing across the grain.  Serve hot with rice or noodles.
*Instead of red food coloring, I used ketchup (which is commonly done in Chinese restaurants on barbecued spare ribs), but it’s fine to omit it.
*Maltose, a sugar syrup made from barley, is traditionally used to give char siu that sticky, shiny coating.  Aside from the flavor, a benefit of using maltose is that it is extremely thick and tacky, so you just have to baste once and it sticks onto the meat.  If you can’t find maltose, you can substitute with honey.  Just make sure you baste the meat more frequently since honey tends to be runny when warmed.

Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork

1 teaspoon vegetable oil 1 (4 pound) pork shoulder roast 1 cup barbeque sauce 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 extra large onion, chopped 2 large cloves garlic, crushed 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme 8 hamburger buns, split 2 tablespoons butter, or as needed

Directions:

1.	Pour the vegetable oil into the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the pork roast into the slow cooker; pour in the barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and chicken broth. Stir in the brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion, garlic, and thyme. Cover and cook on High until the roast shreds easily with a fork, 5 to 6 hours.
2.	Remove the roast from the slow cooker, and shred the meat using two forks. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker, and stir the meat into the juices.
3.	Spread the inside of both halves of hamburger buns with butter. Toast the buns, butter side down, in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Spoon pork into the toasted buns.

Hoisin-Baked Salmon

• 2 (6 ounce) salmon, pieces
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 5 drops dark sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon chili paste (optional) or 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
• 1 -2 teaspoon sesame seeds ( light or black)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place salmon on baking dish or tray.
3. Thin hoisin with a little soy sauce and flavor with a few drops of sesame oil.
4. Stir in chili paste, if desired.
5. Brush or spoon mixture on salmon.
6. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it flakes with a fork.
8. Makes 2 servings.
9. Serve with rice or pasta that has been tossed with a little sesame oil, and steamed green vegetables like broccoli, bok choy or green beans, drizzled with bottled oyster sauce.
10. Post at Gail's Recipe Swap by Karen in Ottawa, would got it from Marlene Parrish, Foodstyles Detroit News.
11.  
12. This recipe worked really well. I used my homemade hoisin sauce, which has extra peanut butter in it. The fat from the fish kinda oozed out but the fish was flavorful and moist.

Cilantro squid or shrimp

In a large bowl, combine a handful or so of chopped cilantro, some minced garlic, the zest and juice of a lime, a tablespoon of fish sauce, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. In vegetable oil, cook a pound of cut up squid (dry squid well first) until they are done, about  two to three minutes, taking care not to overcook. (Or use shrimp and cook for three to four minutes until pink and no longer translucent). Toss the squid with the cilantro mixture. Serve on angel hair pasta, over noodles or rice, alone, or even as part of a salad.

How To Make French Onion Soup

Ingredients
About 2 1/2 pounds yellow, white, or red onions
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Salt
4 cups beef or chicken stock (or vegetable, if you want this to be vegetarian)
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh artisan-style bread, cut in thick slices (optional)
Gruyere or Parmesan cheese (optional)
Tools
Knife and cutting board
Wide, deep skillet OR wide saucepan (should be at least 3 quarts)
Wooden spoon
Oven-safe bowls or mugs (optional)

Instructions

1. Gather your ingredients. You should have about 2 hours until dinner; this soup takes a while to cook.
2. Cut each onion in half lengthwise, then slice into half-moons. Slice these half-moons in half again. (See this video on knife skills and good form for cutting onions.)
3. Scrape all the cut onions into a bowl. You will have at least 6 cups of chopped onions — probably more. Don't worry too much about quantities with this recipe; if you have an extra onion to use up, throw it in!
4. Cut a stick of butter in half, and then into a couple of big pieces.
5. Place your skillet or saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Let the butter melt.
6. After the butter melts and foams up, add the onions. Stir them to coat well with butter, and sprinkled them thoroughly with about a teaspoon of salt.
7. Turn the heat to medium low, and let the onions cook. Let them cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 45 minutes. You can let them cook even longer — an hour and a half will give you deeply caramelized onions! Just let them cook, stirring at times, as you see dark color emerge. After 45 minutes they will look pale mahogany in color, like in this photo. You can let them get even darker if you like — just don't let them burn or get black. Adjust the heat as necessary.
8. As the onions reach a dark brown color, pull out your stock. The most ideal stock to use would be homemade beef stock, but I just had storebought beef broth. You can also use chicken, veal, or vegetable broth. Then, I sprinkled 3 tablespoons of flour to make a sort of rue.
9. Pour in the broth and turn the heat up a little so the soup comes to a boil. Turn the heat down again and let it simmer for at least half an hour — longer, ideally!
10. Simmer until the soup has reduced a bit and is shiny and glazed over the onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately!
Additional Notes:
• This is just a base recipe for onion soup. You can add many other things. I like to add a corner of star anise or a cinnamon stick with the broth, and let those spices flavor the soup. You can also add a little garlic with the onions, or rosemary. You can add wine or brandy with the broth for increased depth of flavor too. But just plain onions, salt, pepper, and broth will still give you a sublime soup, if you cook it long enough.
• If you have oven-safe bowls or mugs, you can fill each with soup, then top with a slice of bread. Sprinkle on Gruyere or Parmesan cheese, and run under the broiler until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasty. Dunk the bread into the soup as you eat.

Salt and pepper squid recipe

Ingredients

Five-spice mix
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp celery powder
1 tbsp chicken stock powder
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp five-spice powder

Squid
500 g fresh whole squid (1 lb)
2 tbsp self-raising flour
vegetable oil
cornflour
4 spring onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red chilli, chopped
½ tbsp rice wine

View conversion table

Preparation

Combine the ingredients for the five-spice mix and set aside.

Clean the squid by pulling the tentacles from the body. Wash out the tube and remove the clear ‘backbone’. Peel off the skin if desired. Cut the tentacles from the head and discard the head. Cut the tube into triangles, which helps the squid to curl during cooking.

In a bowl, mix the self-raising flour with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and a little water to make a paste. Add the squid pieces and tentacles and coat well. Sprinkle and toss with enough cornflour until the pieces are dry.

Heat enough vegetable oil in a wok for deep-frying. Add the squid in batches and cook until golden and crisp. Remove with a wire basket or slotted spoon. When all the squid is cooked, drain most of the oil from the wok.

Add the spring onions, garlic and chilli to the wok. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until aromatic. Return the squid to the wok, add 2–3 teaspoons of five-spice mix and toss well. Add the rice wine, toss and serve immediately.

SBS cook’s notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55–60 g, unless specified.

http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipe/48/salt_and_pepper_squid

How To Salt Cure Salmon (Lox) at Home

Fresh salmon (at least 1 pound, cut into two equal pieces)
1/4 cup brown sugar (per pound of fish)
2 tablespoons kosher salt (per pound of fish)
1 tablespoon smoked salt (per pound of fish)
1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper (per pound of fish)
Equipment
1 large glass bowl
1 small glass bowl
1 dinner plate
Plastic Wrap
Knife
Needle nose pliers (potentially)

Instructions

1. Combine Salt Cure Ingredients
The process starts by mixing the two salts (you can use just kosher if you wish), pepper and sugar in a small bowl or zip top bag. Combine thoroughly and make sure that the sugar is evenly distributed amongst the salt granules.
2. Check For Pin Bones
Even though your local butcher or fish monger should have de-scaled and removed all the pin bones from your fish before receiving it, that doesn't mean there won't still be a few left. Run your finger along the fillet to make sure they're all gone! Use needle nose pliers (clean ones please) to remove any stragglers.
3. Lay Out Plastic
There aren't many times we tell you to use plastic wrap around these parts, but this is one of them. Lay out two lengths side by side and slightly overlapping on your countertop, at least 3 feet in length.

4. Place Fish On Plastic & Apply Salt Mixture
You'll want to place your fish on your plastic side by side. Cover each piece of fish (don't forget the sides) completely with the salt and sugar mixture. The goal is to be able to flip the two pieces on top of each other while they rest. So leave an inch or so spacing between and don't worry about applying the mixture to the skin side.
5. Fold & Wrap
Fold the two halves of fish on top of each other, flesh sides together. You might have a little mixture fall from the fish and that's ok. You'll want to wrap the plastic around the fish to keep all the salt and sugar mixture in, but you don't want to wrap it too tight. What's too tight, well that part is up to you. You want the juices to escape as the salt works it's magic, so wrap it up, but don't suffocate it.
6. Assemble Your Bowls
Take a large glass bowl (you can use plastic, but it will forever be your fish bowl after that) and turn a small glass bowl upside down in the center of it. Next place your fish on top of the smaller bowl.
7. Add A Plate & Wrap It Up
Although the juices will naturally flow from the fish once the mixture starts to do it's thing, it is a huge (huge) help to apply a little pressure. One of the easiest ways to do this is to simply lay a plate over the top of the fish. Place your plate on the fish and then cover the large bowl with an additional layer of plastic wrap. This will keep the fish smells down in your fridge and you won't even know it's there.
8. Drain & Flip (optional)
Your fish will stay in the fridge for 5 days. Hey, no one said being thrifty was fast! Each day you can remove the plate, flip the plastic wrapped fish and replace the plate. It will help keep your fish more level which can help it slice nicer, but more often than not, we find ourselves skipping this step.
9. Rinse, Rinse, Rinse
Once your 5 days come to a close, it's time to rinse your fish. Our makeshift kitchen is a little low on light, so our apologies on not having a photo of this above, but you literally just rinse your fish. Rinse off all the salt and sugar from it's skin and flesh side. (note: You can rinse it again later after cutting if it's still too salty)
10. Slice and Enjoy!
With your longest, thinnest blade, slice layers off the top of your fish. Apply them to the vessel of your choice, if that's a bagel, awesome, but you can also try cucumber, eggs or just eat it as is!
Further Notes On The Project
• The smoked salt used in this project is purely subjective. You can find all sorts of different flavors and strengths of this product. Remember less is more when using a smoked salt for the first time so your fish doesn't end up tasking like a grill grate!
• The thicker the fish the better. Take the time to find the best quality fish in your area. Sure you can find half a fish for $5 at your local Walmart, but a big thick salmon fillet from a quality grocer will always provide tastier results as there's physically more flesh to take on the ingredients you're applying.
• The flesh of the fish will turn more vibrant and slightly darker in color as the water leeches out and the days go by. It will also get thick and the texture will change drastically. Don't freak out, that's a good (and tasty) thing!
• The total cost for this project is usually 1/4 of the price of store bought Lox and you can have it everyday for breakfast instead of just once a week or even less often!

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-salt-cure-lox-at-home-f-141049

Instead of smoked salt, I added equal parts of five spice powder

Kalbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs)

3/4 cup soy sauce 3/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup water 1 garlic clove, minced

2 green onions, chopped 1 tablespoon Asian (toasted) sesame oil 2 pounds Korean-style short ribs (beef chuck flanken, cut 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick across bones)

This is a great recipe. I used only half the recipe for 1 pound. I marinated overnight and used 1/8 inch thick ribs that I found at the Asian market. Previously, I used Publix flanken cut that was cut 1/2 inch thick. I also throw these into the toaster oven for 20-25 minutes.

1.	In a bowl, stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, garlic, green onions, and sesame oil until the sugar has dissolved.
2.	Place the ribs in a large plastic zipper bag. Pour the marinade over the ribs, squeeze out all the air, and refrigerate the bag for 3 hours to overnight.
3.	Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate. Remove the ribs from the bag, shake off the excess marinade, and discard the marinade. Grill the ribs on the preheated grill until the meat is still pink but not bloody nearest the bone, 5 to 7 minutes per side.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken, skin removed
1/2 cup diced celery
1/3 cup diced carrot
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise with olive oil
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
Pinch of paprika
Freshly ground pepper
6 whole-wheat sourdough rolls, split and toasted Lettuce and tomato, for topping

Directions

Combine the chicken, celery, carrot, red onion, mayonnaise, mustard, celery salt, granulated garlic, paprika and 1 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Mix until combined.

Serve the chicken salad on the toasted rolls with lettuce and tomato.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/chicken-salad-sandwiches-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Vietnamese Baguette Recipe (Banh Mi Tay)

Makes two 15-inch loaves, each about 14 ounces
1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast, Fleishman brand preferred, or fast-rise yeast, SAF brand preferred
1/2 plus 1 cup warm water (105-115°F)
3 1/2 cups low-protein, unbleached all-purpose flour, Gold Medal or Pillsbury brand preferred, plus extra for shaping the loaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Special equipment: Large capacity food processor; a double (15-inch long) dark, nonstick French bread pan; a razor blade or very sharp knife; plastic dough scraper; plastic spray bottle.
1. Put the yeast in a small bowl and add the 1/2 cup water. Set aside for 2 to 3 minutes to soften the yeast. (It will look kind of blotchy as the granules break down. It may also get a bit foamy too.)
2. Meanwhile, outfit the food processor with the regular chopping blade to make the dough. Put the flour, salt and sugar into the food processor.
3. Return your attention to the yeast. Use a whisk or spoon to gently combine the yeast and water well. Pour in the 1 cup of water and gently whisk or stir again to combine. With the feed tube removed, start the food processor. Slowly pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture in processor, blending just until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from side of processor bowl, about 1 minute.
4. Replace the feed tube and let the dough rise until it nearly fills the bowl, about 1 hour. Pulse 1 or 2 times to slightly deflate the dough. Let the dough rise again and deflate. Let the dough rise one more time. You're shooting for 3 risings. As you progress, each one will take less time.
5. Flour your work surface and hands with about 1 tablespoon of flour. Detach the processor bowl from the machine. Holding the bowl upside down above your work surface, turn the very soft and sticky dough out onto your work surface, taking care to notice where the blade is in the blob of dough. (The dough scraper is handy for removing the dough from the walls of the processor bowl.) Remove the blade from the dough. Gently rotate the dough on your work surface so it is lightly covered by flour and does not stick. Use the dough scraper to divide the dough in half, setting one half off to the side. (If it's unwieldy, use the scraper to move it around the work surface, lest the dough stick to your fingers!)
6. To shape each baguette, use lightly floured hands to gently press one half of dough into an 8- by 5-inch rectangle or football shape. It should feel lofty and soft. The dough should naturally stretch lengthwise in one particular direction. Think of that as the grain of the dough. You want to shape the loaf along the grain of the dough to promote a big rise.
Fold the top third down and the bottom third up as if you were folding a very wide and narrow business letter. Gently seal the edges by pressing with your fingers or the palm of your hand. The result should look like a fat log. (If you have a rectangle of sorts, you can repeat the folding and pinch the edges to seal to create a log.) Your aim is to coil the dough so that when it's baking, it will spring and burst open beautifully. Try to keep as much of the air in the dough as possible without breaking the skin.
Turn the log over (seam side down) and start rolling the log back and forth (have your hands flat facing downward) to elongate and stretch it into a 15-inch-long thick rope that's 2 to 2 1/2 inches wide. Try not to stop for long lest the dough sticks to your work surface. The dough should be very soft and easily yield to your motions. Pick up the dough with both hands and place seam side down in the cradle of one of the bread pans. Repeat with the remaining half of dough.
7. Loosely cover the loaves with a dish towel to prevent the dough from drying and inhibiting rising in the oven. Set aside in a warm draft-free place for 30 minutes, or until just shy of double the original size.
8. Meanwhile, put a large roasting pan with 1 inch of hot water in it on bottom of gas oven or on lowest rack of electric oven. Position the oven rack in upper third of oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
9. When the loaves have risen enough, they're ready for baking. Fill the spray bottle part way with water. Use a razor or sharp knife to make 4 or 5 shallow diagonal slashes down length of each log. The cuts should run the length of the log, be about 4 inches long each, and ¼ to 1/2 inch deep. Angle the razor or knife at about 30 degrees. Mist the loaves with 4 to 6 sprays of water.
10. Slide the pan into the oven onto the upper 3rd rack and bake for 20 minutes. After baking for 3 minutes, mist the loaves. Repeat the misting after baking for another 3 minutes. Then, let the loaves bake. At the 15-minute mark, you may rotate the pan for even browning. At the 20-minute mark, gently turn (you may have to pry it free just a tad) the loaves bottom side up in the pan to promote even crisping and browning. Bake for about 5 minutes, during which you can even rotate the loaves so that the sides brown and crisp too, or until the loaves are crisp all over. The browning happens quickly at this stage so carefully monitor the loaves to prevent burning.
Transfer each loaf to a rack to cool. The bread is wonderful warm after having cooled for about 30 minutes. They'll remain at their best for about 6 hours after baking and can be reheated in the oven. Store overnight in a thick paper bag. To freeze for up to 2 months, wrap in a double layer of plastic wrap; defrost at room temperature and reheat in a 350F oven for about 10 minutes to refresh and crisp.

http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2007/05/vietnamese_bagu.html

Carrot Kohlrabi Slaw

• 2 bulbs kohlrabi
• 4 carrots
• 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. whole grain or Dijon-style mustard
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Peel kohlrabi and carrots. Be sure to cut off all of the tough outer peel of the kohlrabi. Set them aside.
2. In a salad bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, and salt until well blended. Add pepper, if you like.
3. Using the large holes on a standing grater or a mandoline set up for fine julienne, grate the kohlrabis and the carrots into the salad bowl. Toss everything together until the kohlrabi and carrot are evenly coated with the dressing. Taste and add more salt or pepper, if you'd like.

Vietnamese pork belly and pickled mustard greens canh/soup

Recipe type: soup, canh

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Prep time:  20 mins

Cook time:  1 hour

Total time:  1 hour 20 mins

Serves: 4

 

This two-part recipe contains a sub-recipe for a naturally fermented mustard green pickle. This recipe yields much more pickle than you need. Keep the extras for braised Vietnamese dishes with rice.

Ingredients

Pickled greens (makes waaay more than you need for this canh/soup)

• Large head of Asian mustard greens (gai choy), thoroughly washed and sliced into 2-inch-wide strips
• 3 liters of water (3/4 gallons of water)
• ¼ white vinegar
• ¼ cup salt
• ½ cup sugar

The canh/soup

• 2 cups pickled mustard greens
• 3 tablespoons light cooking oil
• ½ lb pork belly or pork spareribs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 5 red Thai chilis
• 3 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce
• ⅓ cup of water
• Salt to taste

Directions

Pickled mustard greens

1. Preheat oven to the lowest setting (that may or may not be the “warming” setting). Spread your greens out on a sheet pan and let it dry out in the oven as you prepare the brine.
2. The brine: In a soup pot, add water, salt, and sugar. Bring it to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the salt. Let the brine cool until warmish (or to room temperature).
3. After the water has cool, in a wide-mouthed, lidded, and large container, add your dried greens. Pour the brine over the greens until they are fully submerged. Sometimes, you need to add a small plate in the container to push down the greens into the water.
4. The pickle will be ready after two to three days at room temperature. Taste a little bit of the greens each day until it’s sour enough to your liking. Store the greens in the refrigerator once it’s sour enough to discourage additional souring.
5. Greens can be stored for up to a month!

Putting it all together, canh/soup

1. Add oil to the bottom of a sauce pot over medium high heat. Add in pork and brown the meat for about five minutes.
2. Add water and fish sauce to a sauce pot and bring to a boil before lowering heat to a simmer and lid the pot, letting the pork braise for forty minutes to an hour.
3. After braising, add in the mustard greens and chilis. The greens with leech out a lot of water, creating a meaty, sour soup.
4. Taste and add salt to taste.
5. Serve family-style, with lots of jasmine white rice!
6. Leftover soup will store in the fridge for maybe five days.

Bobby Deen's Baked Chicken With Dijon and Lime

Ingredients

1 (3 1/2 lb) chicken, cut into 8 pieces

3 tbs Dijon mustard

1 tbs mayo

1 garlic clove, minced

Finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime

3/4 tsp pepper

Salt to taste

Parsley to garnish, chopped

Cooking Directions

Preheat the oven to 400.
Rinse the chicken and pat dry.
In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, mayo, garlic, lime zest and juice and pepper.
Season the chicken generously with salt.
Pour the mustard-mayo mixture over the chicken, tossing well to coat.
In a large baking pan, arrange the chicken in a single layer. Bake until it is cooked through; breasts take about 30 minutes and legs will need 5 to 10 minutes more.
Serve the chicken with pan juices drizzled over top and garnished with chopped parsley.

This is a horrible recipe; I was excited because I didn't have time for marinating. It really needed flavor on the inside. The outside was delicious.

Chinese White Cut Chicken (Bái Qie Ji)

SND Note: Traditionally, the chicken is cut Chinese style with the meat on the bone.

Ingredients

• 4-5 pound broiler-fryer chicken
• 5 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 ounce fresh ginger (thumb-sized piece for poaching)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 quarts ice water
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons green scallions, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons ginger, finely shredded
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

1. Remove any excess fat from the chicken. Rub chicken with 2 teaspoons of salt, then rinse under cold water and place onto a rack to drain.
2. In a large stock pot, bring about 3 quarts water, ginger, garlic and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil over high heat. Slowly add the chicken, breast-side up. Add more boiling water if necessary to cover the chicken completely. Return water to a boil and boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes, removing any scum on the surface. Cover pot, turn off heat and let the chicken sit for 20 minutes.
3. Uncover the pot and return to a boil for 3-4 minutes. Carefully remove from pot and place the chicken in a colander in the sink. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of thigh. Thermometer should read 170°F. (Return to pot and simmer for a few more minutes if internal temperature is under 170°F.) Slowly pour ice water over the chicken in the colander. Transfer chicken to cutting board and rub it with sesame oil. Allow chicken to cool before chopping the chicken with a meat cleaver. Reserve chicken broth for future use.
4. Place scallions, ginger and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a small heatproof bowl. In a small skillet or saucepan, heat vegetable oil over high heat until very hot, but not smoking. Carefully, pour the oil over scallion mixture. The oil will make a crackling sound and may splatter when it hits the scallion mixture. Serve the chicken warm or room temperature with scallion-ginger sauce.

Makes 4-6 servings

http://sundaynitedinner.com/chinese-white-cut-chicken/

Korean BBQ Short Ribs (Gal-Bi)

3/4 cup soy sauce 3/4 cup water 3 tablespoons white vinegar 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons white sugar 1 tablespoon black pepper

2 tablespoons sesame oil 1/4 cup minced garlic 1/2 large onion, minced 3 pounds Korean-style short ribs (beef chuck flanken, cut 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick across bones)

Directions:

1.	Pour soy sauce, water, and vinegar into a large, non-metallic bowl. Whisk in brown sugar, white sugar, pepper, sesame oil, garlic, and onion until the sugars have dissolved. Submerge the ribs in this marinade, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 7 to 12 hours; the longer, the better.
2.	Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.
3.	Remove ribs from the marinade, shake off excess, and discard the marinade. Cook on preheated grill until the meat is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes per side.

Grilled Five Spice Chicken

1 (5 pound) whole chicken, cut in half 1/2 lime, juiced 1 tablespoon fish sauce 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder 2 teaspoons hot chile paste (such as sambal oelek)   1. Score the skin side of each piece of chicken 2 to 3 times, about 1/8 inch deep. 2. Whisk together the the juice of 1/2 lime, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, garlic, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, Chinese five-spice powder, 2 teaspoons hot chile paste, ginger, and soy sauce in a bowl. Pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, coat evenly with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 6 hours. 3. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate. 4. Remove chicken halves from the bag and transfer to a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Pat chicken pieces dry with more paper towels. Reserve marinade mixture in a small bowl. 5. Whisk together the 1/3 cup rice vinegar, juice of 1/2 lime, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon hot chile paste in a small bowl. Set aside. 6. Grill chicken, skin-side down, on the preheated grill for 2 minutes. Turn each piece, brush with reserved marinade mixture, and move to indirect heat. 7. Grill, brushing with glaze and turning ever 10-15 minutes, until well-browned and meat is no longer pink in the center, about 45 minutes total. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). 8. Drizzle vinegar lime juice mixture over the chicken and serve.

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 1 teaspoon soy sauce   1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar 1/2 lime, juiced 1 teaspoon fish sauce 1 teaspoon hot chile paste (such as sambal oelek)

Festive golden five-spice chicken

• 8 chicken thighs and 8 drumsticks, skin on
• 3 spring onions, shredded, to finish

For the marinade

• 4 tbsp groundnut oil
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• finger-length piece fresh root ginger, grated
• 4 tbsp Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
• 4 tbsp light soy sauce
• 4 tbsp clear honey
• 4 tsp five spice powder

Method

1. Whisk together the marinade ingredients, put the chicken into a dish, then pour over the marinade, mixing to coat. Cover, then chill for at least 20 mins, or up to a day if you have time.
2. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4, and lift the chicken out of the marinade into a roasting tin. Roast for 40 mins, pour over the remaining marinade, then cook for a further 30 mins until golden and sticky. Sprinkle with the spring onion, then serve.
3.  http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9106/festive-golden-fivespice-chicken 
4.  
5. I definitely shortened cooking time total to 30 min and used the grill off grease to roast more squash. This marinade is neither salty nor sticky.

Imitation Crab Salad

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) packages imitation crabmeat
• 2 green onions, also called spring onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup celery, chopped, use the middle, tender ribs with tops
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon dill weed
• 1 teaspoon horseradish, prepared
• 2 -3 cups salad greens
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Cut crab into bite-sized pieces.
2. Combine the crab with the onions, celery, lemon juice, mayonnaise, dill weed and horseradish; mix well.
3. Place the salad greens on 2 plates for large portions and 3 plates for small portions.
4. Divide crab mixture among the plates; sprinkle with the parsley.
5. Place lemon wedges on plate.
6. Serve.

Jalapeño Cilantro Hummus

Ingredients

1. 1 15.5oz can of low sodium Garbanzo Beans (reserve the juice from the can)
2. 1 clove of garlic
3. 1 handful of fresh cilantro
4. 1 jalapeño, seeded (be careful not to touch it and wash your hands after)
5. Juice of 1/2 a lemon or 2 tbsp of juice
6. 1 tsp. ground cumin
7. 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

1. In a food processor add garlic and jalapeno and process until diced up. Add remaining ingredients and blend until all mixed well and a smooth consistency. Add 1 tablespoon of reserved juice at a time if it's hard to mix. I used about 1/4 cup of juice.
2. You may need to add salt & pepper to your tasting.
3. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Notes

Calories per two tablespoons: 28.5, Fat: .03, Cholesterol: 0, Sodium: 36, Potassium: 6.5, Carbs: 5, Fiber: 1.5, Sugar: .03, Protein; 1.5