Nem Nuong (Pork)

Nem Nuong
1 lb ground pork
1 t garlic salt
3 t sugar
2 t honey
Mix salt n sugar together
Pour into ground pork then add honey
Line grilling pan with foil and grease pan with a little oil
Then shape pork into sausage shape (oval)
Bake @375 for 15 minutes


Glazed:
1/3 C water
4 T honey
Glaze the pork .. Brush it .. Pour out dripping
Glaze with the honey glazed .. Grill for 8 minutes .. Put on broil!! Watch oven
Broiled for about 45 seconds ;)

Dipping sauce:
2/3 C hoisin sauce
1/3 C water
3 t sugar
2 cloves garlic
1 T tapioca or cornstarch
Top with crushed peanut n srirache


Green onion mixture: EVOo n green onion (microwave for about 2 minutes
Top pork (nem Nuong) with green onion and crush peanuts

I like to cut my pork (nem Nuong) and toll it in my spring roll
Or put on top of vermicelli noodles with lots of veggies and fish sauce

Enjoy!!

Mini ham muffin cup

12 slice of thinly sliced ham
12 eggs
Salt
Pepper
Cooking spray (Pam)
** cheese ( depending on what kind of eggs you make...if u make a small omelette)
**green onion or bell pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 350

Direction:
1.Spray your muffin pan with some cooking spray
2. Line each muffin cup with a piece of ham.. Work it in until u get a little cup shape
3.Scramble your eggs .. Sprinkle some salt and pepper (if u like u can add some sliced green onion...bell pepper etc)
4. Pour the egg mixture into the prepare ham cup about 3/4 ways up because it will fluff up
5. Sprinkle each with cheese (I used Mexican blend)
**** if u want the sunny side up then crack 1 egg into each muffin cup .. Then sprinkle with a little salt n pepper
Bake for 15-20 minutes... Depending on your oven and if you like your eggs still runny
Once it's done take a big tablespoon and scoop it out .. I found this method to be the easiest without breaking the muffin cup

Serve it up with some toast or grits

ENJOY!!

Mini sliders

Ingredients:
2 lbs of ground meat
1 onion-- diced into very small pieces (my kids will eat it if they don't see it.. So I practically chop it very fine)
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
2 t garlic powder
2 t dried ranch dressing
1 t Tony Chachere's
Pepper

Mix all the seasoning and chopped onion into ground meat. Work the seasoning into the meat but...Don't over mix. Now make small patties and put on a greases baking sheet and bake @ 400 for 30-45 minutes. Depending on how big your patties are.
Right before I take out the oven I lay my cheese on top of each patty so the cheese can melt ;)

Serve with bacon or avocado or blue cheese
** I also serve mines with pickle/tomato/red onion/jalapeño

Enjoy!!!

Egg and cheese quesadilla

4 eggs beaten
1 T oil or butter
1/2 C mix cheese ( I used Mexican because that was what I had)
1/4 t Tony Chachere's ( or salt)
Pepper
2 10in flour tortilla

*** a plate the same size as your frying pan***
(Beat eggs and mix in your Tony and cracked pepper)

Oil your non stick 10in frying pan.. Try to use a frying pan the same size or a little bigger than your tortilla. Pour in your beaten egg and swirl egg mixture around to cover your frying pan. Turn heat to medium low.
Once the egg is cook.. Pour in half your cheese mix and put 1 tortilla on top of the egg mixture and take your plate put on top of the pan and flip the egg/tortilla over onto the plate ( be careful because the pan is hot) Next slide the tortilla/egg back into the frying pan (tortilla side down... so it can cook..about 1-2 minutes) Next pour in the rest of your cheese mixture and put the other tortilla on top and once again take the plate and put on top of the tortilla and flip the pan over... Slide the other side of the tortilla onto the frying pan... So the other side can get lightly brown.
Be careful because it cook really fast and you don't want to burn your tortilla.
Take pan off heat and slide quesadilla onto your plate and cut into wedges. Serve with a side of bacon or sausage

We like ours with bacon and avocado and tomato slices
Enjoy!!

Ham, Eggs, Cheese Biscuit casserole

1 can of flaky biscuit-- I used the Grand honey flaky ones

Ingredients:
1 C diced ham
1 C milk
3 eggs
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t Tony
Pepper
1/2 C Mexican cheese
*** optional sliced green onions ( my kids don't like green onions) so I omitted this

Preheat oven to 350

Mix all your ingredients together well..
Pour into a grease casserole pan... I used a 9x9 square deep dish pan

Next take your biscuit and cut into 4 and lay on top of the egg mixture .. I rolled the biscuit around a little so all sides are wet.. Then I just layered it on top in a single layer.

Bake for 30 minutes or until top of biscuit is golden brown

I serve mines with more bacon (I diced it up and sprinkle on top)
Garnish with sliced green onions or tomato

Enjoy!!!

Taco Salad

My kids didn't have school today because they had their spring festival this past weekend. Which means I can't make it to the grocery store and my errands are very limited. Therefore I need to make all my meals quick and easy...so when I am press for time and need to make something quick for the kids... I usually make tacos...
Ground meat and a bottle of salsa ;)



Ingredients:
2 lb of ground meat
1 T garlic powder
1 t Tony Chachere
1 small onion diced
2 T Taco Seasoning

Saute meat with 2 T of olive oil and onion on medium heat in a large sauté pan ... Next add all your seasoning and cook for about 20 minutes then add in a huge jar of pace chunky mild picayune salsa. I like to use the salsa because it has all of your veggies in it.. Bell pepper.. Tomato..etc. Cook for another 10 minutes. My kids like to make taco salad.. Crush up the taco shell.. layer of meat then cheese!!


*Serve taco with diced tomato, Mexican cheese, shredded lettuce, sour cream, salsa and I love to add jalapeño to my taco for that extra kick.

*** you can also serve it up with a side of guacamole *** recipe also on blog

Today I wanted to make something fun for the kids and keep them entertained so I let them help me make these tortilla bowls.

***How I made my taco bowl (shell)
I took a flour tortilla and put it in a cake pan n fold it into a mold.. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes until its nice and crispy.

Ga Xao Xa (Lemongrass Chicken)

Whenever we go to an asian (Vietnamese) restaurant I always order the lemongrass chicken (ga xao xa ot) if its on the menu. I love this dish especially if its spicy and sweet with a very strong lemongrass taste... yummy

ingredients:
4 piece of thigh (cube and deboned.... I like thigh because its more juicy)
8 T fish sauce
3 T sugar ... If you like it sweet.. Add another teaspoon
3 t chili
2 T lemon grass (I like to use the white part... Diced)
2 t garlic minced
*****1/2 C coconut juice .. If you don't have coconut juice (coco roco) add water

Marinate chicken cube in sauce for at least 1 hr in refrigerator.

In a sauté pan put a little 2 T olive oil and 1 t minced garlic and 1 t chopped lemongrass... Sauté up until nice and fragrant ... Keep an eye on it because you don't want it to burn. Pour in your marinated chicken with sauce. Cook on medium heat until chicken is cook about 20 minutes.. Next add 1/2 C coconut juice or water then cook for another 10 minutes
Garnish with sliced white onion or green onion.
Serve with rice
*** if you like it more spicy.. Add more chili.. I add about 4 t of chili because we like it spicy
ENJOY!!

Banana Nut Muffin

Ingredients:

(recipe from a friend) 

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon table salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt
1 1/2 cups finely diced bananas (about 4 small)
3/4 cup chopped walnut

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line muffin cups with muffin liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon and salt----set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and light brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Beat in one-half of dry ingredients. Beat in one-third of yogurt. Beat in remaining dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with yogurt, until incorporated. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in bananas and walnuts.
4. Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups. Bake until muffin tops are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time. Set on wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from tin and serve warm.

ENJOY :)

Banh Xeo

Batter:
1 bag  Rice Flour
1 bag of Banh Xeo mix (crepe mix..sold @ Asian market..some comes with the tumeric package but I like to add more to give the batter more color)
1 can Coconut Milk
5 Cups Water
1 bottle of beer 
2 T turmeric powder 
6 Scallions cut into thin rings



Filling:
36 Medium prawns/shrimps, peeled and deveined ...cut into pieces 
2 lbs of pork shoulder thinly sliced 

1 Large Yellow Onion, thinly sliced

1 package of marinate (char sui package--this makes the meat/shrimp mixture red and has a yummy taste) 


For the crepe:

8 Cups Bean Sprouts
vegetable Oil ---for the crepe


Accompaniments:

Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Man)
Green Leaf Lettuce
basil
cilantro
thinly sliced cucumber




DIRECTIONS:
Combine the batter ingredients in a bowl and stir until well blended. Set aside.

Heat 2 Tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Toss in the prawns, pork meat and onions. Give it a quick stir and add in a pinch of  salt and pepper and add the package of char sui....Sauté until the prawns turn pink and meat is cooked. Set aside.

Whisk the batter well and heat a non-stick or crepe pan (10 inches in diameter) over medium to low heat. Add 1 Tbsp of the oil and ladle about 1 cup of the batter and tilt to evenly coat the surface. The key to getting it crispy is the low and slow cook. Cover with a lid...cook for about 2 minutes..then uncover and check crepe..

When the crepe begins to feel firm... top one side of the crepe with some prawn/meat mixture and bean sprouts. Fold the crepe in half and reduce the heat to low. Cover with lid...make sure to wipe the lid occasionally because it will hold water and can cause the crepe to be soggy... Continue to cook the crepe for another 2 minutes.

Gently remove the crepe to a serving plate. Repeat with remaining batter and ingredients to make crepes.

Serve the crepes with lettuce/herbs/cucumber  and dipping sauce.

ENJOY!!! 

Storing LETTUCE

I got these great containers from Bed Bath & Beyond.. They are the OXO containers...and everyone knows how much I LOVE OXO ;)

Fill your sink up with water and throw in your lettuce.. Next I throw away all the rotten ones. Take them out and lay them on a dry dish towel. Once they are ALL DRIED. I put them in my OXO container.
I lay 1 sheet of paper towel on the bottom then lay all my lettuce in the container.
Then I lay 1 more piece of paper towel on top ... Close the lid and store in your refrigerator. Every time I need to make a salad or sandwich ... I just grab what I need and replace the paper towel back on top. If your paper towel is damp ... Replace it with another dry sheet. My lettuce have lasted more than 2 weeks in this container before.

Spring Roll with Nem Nuong

When I am planning my meals for the week ...I try to make food that are in the same group or use the same ingredients for the week so that I only have to buy a few items but make multi meals with them and they don't go to waste. Last night dinner we had Banh Xeo (Asian crepe) filed with pork and shrimp and eaten with lots of lettuce, cucumber and bean sprouts and lots of herbs. And dip with NUOC MAN (fish sauce).
So today I used the extra piece of pork (boiled it) that I had bought and the other 2 lbs of shrimp (boiled). I used the nuoc man (fish sauce ) and all the lettuce, cucumber, bean sprout and herbs (cilantro, basil and mint leafs).
Spring Roll:
Rice paper (wrapper)
Vermiculite noodles
Lettuce
Cilantro
Basil
Mint
Bean sprout
Cucumber (sliced thinly)
Boiled pork (thinly sliced)
Boiled shrimp (peel and devein and slit in half)
Nem Nuong (I baked it for 45 minutes then sliced thinly and garnish with dried onions and crush peanuts)
Dipping sauce (nuoc man)

ENJOY!!!

Pandan Waffle

Ingredients:

1 egg beaten

¾ cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon butter

½ teaspoon pandan extract

¼ cup rice flour

½ cup all purpose flour

4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

Oil/spray for greasing waffle iron

Directions:

Preheat waffle iron – medium (on my waffle machine its at level 3).

In a small bowl, beat egg with a whisk. Coconut milk, shake can well before opening, then stir well before measuring. Add coconut milk, butter and pandan to the bowl. Mix well.

In a larger, separate bowl, mix the flours, sugar, baking powder sugar and salt. Stir to combine. Incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, folding until incorporated and smooth; do not over-mix.

When the waffle iron is hot, lightly oil the top/bottom waffle grids. Spoon batter into the center of each quadrant of the waffle iron. Close the lid and cook until slightly golden and crisp. 

(Note:  if you plan to reheat waffles later, slightly undercook initially, and reheat in the waffle iron or toaster.)

 ENJOY!!

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup butter (softened)

1 large egg

2 1/2 cup all purpose flour 

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp  salt

2 cup of semi sweet chocolate ( I used the toll house brand) 

1 cup of chopped walnut (optional) 

Preheat oven to 375

In a mixing bowl ...cream together your sugars, butter and eggs until fully incorporated then add in your flour, salt and baking soda. Then add in your chocolate chip and lightly mix ( at this point you can add in your walnuts if you prefer...my ids doesn't like nuts so I usually make a separate batch with nuts for hubby and myself ) 

On a baking sheet  lined with parchment paper or a silpat..drop a little ice cream scoop of cookie dough about 2 in apart. Bake for 10 minutes. Take out of oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes in cookie sheet then transfer to a cooling rack. 

Teriyaki and Honey Salmon

1/2 C teriyaki sauce
1/4 C honey
1 tsp garlic powder
1 TBS of olive oil
1 tsp of Tony (optional)
Chopped green onion
Pepper

**Mix teriyaki and honey together ...set aside
Grease Salmon then sprinkle with garlic powder, Tony and pepper

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes then take out and pour teriyaki/honey sauce over and bake for another 15 minutes
Garnish with green onion
Serve with jasmine rice or eat with a spring mix salad
Enjoy!!