Quick Chicken Rosemary-Garlic Glazed

Rosemary and garlic are the best herbs to use when cooking with chicken. Adding lemon juice and white wine to this dish will make a perfect pan sauce and is very simple to prepare.

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cut into 3 inch lengths
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbs coconut oil
1 tbs butter
1 tsp salt
1 tbs fresh rosemary, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbs sweet radish
1/4 cup olives, sliced
1/2 cup white onions, chopped
1 cup of button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup white wine
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chili flakes

Directions;
In a shallow dish, combine flour,cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Roll the chicken pieces into the flour mixture to coat chicken completely. Shake off any excess flour.

Because rosemary is an hardy herb , I like to use the mortal and pestle to pound this herb into paste along with garlic.
In a large nonstick saute pan, heat oil until hot. Gently place chicken pieces into the hot pan and start browning the chicken. Do not crowd the pan. When the chicken is completely brown, remove the chicken.

 

 

In the same pan, add rosemary- garlic paste, chili flakes and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until fragrant. Add white onions , sweet radish, olives, and mushrooms. Stir and cook for 7 minutes or until mushrooms are wilted.

 Add white wine and lemon juice.

 Cook to reduce the juice and return the browned chicken back to the pan.

Continue to cook the chicken for another 10 minutes. Stir in butter until emulsified. Season with salt, if needed. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

My Hot Pot Soup

Hot pot soup is a common name for a soup served in Asia. Hot pot is not a spicy soup unless it is made hot. Basically, Asians love soup no matter what time of the day. However, the hot pot soup is more often served at family meals. The hot pot broth always comes from meat, seafood, or vegetable stocks, which depends on the mood of cooks who prepare it. My hot pot recipe is a combination of both meat and vegetable-kombu broths. I find this recipe is very healthy to eat, and it can please both meat eaters and strict vegetarians. Using beef for this recipe will be similar to the Sukiyaki hot pot served in Japan. Adding hot chili paste will create a taste like Korean hot pot. Using leaf mustard (long-lived vegetables) in the soup will ensure it being on the table for Chinese New Year's Eve. The main ingredients are any kinds of vegetables and meat. This is a typical Asian hot pot recipe, and cooks can choose salty or sweet sauce whatever is preferable. A lot of famous hot pot soups in restaurants are well known, but the healthiest one is always the one prepared at home.

 Ingredients:
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups vegetable broth
1 chicken breast, thinly sliced
10 mussels, cleaned
One 4 oz salmon fillet
1 cup combination of fresh mushrooms, such as oyster, button, shitake, or enoki
1 tsp salt
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs fresh ginger sliced
1 leaf mustard
1/2 cup Chinese cabbage

Garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro

 Directions:
In a serving pot, add broth, ginger, salt and soy sauce. Bring to a boil.

 

Add chicken and cook for a few minutes (skim off the foam).

 

Add mushrooms and bring both to boil. Cook chicken and mushrooms for 5 minutes.

 Add fish and mussels. Wait until the soup comes to full boil again. Add the rest of the vegetables. Season with more salt or soy sauce, if needed.

Sprinkle with onions and cilantro. Serve in its own pot.

Sweet Raisin Rolls

This sweet raisin rolls recipe uses the Japanese Tangzhong method to create a fluffy texture. The recipe adds raisins to change these rolls into a snack that can be enjoyed anytime of the day, especially as a wonderful breakfast treat when split and toasted. This is yet another sensational champion product of a bread machine with minimal effort.

Ingredients:
Dough:
1/2 cup Tangzhong recipe posted on Feb, 24, 2012
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
3 tbs soft butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
3 cups bread flour
2 tsp active dry yeast
Filling:
1/2 cup raisins soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbs melted butter

Directions:
In a bread machine pan, combine all dough ingredients as listed in the order listed above. Select the dough function and press to start. When the dough is finished, the machine will beep. Remove dough from the machine and place it onto a lightly floured surface. Let dough rest for 5 minutes.

While the dough is resting, remove soaking raisins and squeeze out all excess water. Mix raisins with cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
After resting, roll dough out into a long log and cut dough into 12 pieces.

Divide the raisin mixture into 12 equal round shaped portions. Flatten each piece of dough and place raisins in the middle.

 Shape dough into balls and place, slightly apart, into the baking pan.

Cover with lightly oiled clear film and leave to rise in a warm place for about 40 minutes or until double in size.

The rolls can also be refrigerated for slow rising overnight and brought out to room temperature one hour before baking. Brush rolls evenly with melted butter.
Preheat oven to 350° and bake rolls for 20 to 30 minutes.

Seafood Noodle Soup (Hu tieu Do Bien)

I created this recipe to be a close adaptation of a popular dish sold in Vietnam called "hu tieu Saigon" or” hu tieu tom thit". The difference is the broth, which I prepare using chicken and kombu broth instead of pork bones for a healthier choice. Cooking should always be fun and creative; therefore, I am always finding a way to create a recipe that is much easier for beginner cooks, such as me. I am very pleased with this recipe, and so should you!

Ingredients:
6 cups chicken broth
4 cups kombu broth*
1/4 cup dried shrimp
2 oz dried squid (the white one sold at most Korean markets)
Two 8 oz salmon or tuna (your choice)
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 lb. mussels, scallops or crabs
1/2 lb. fish paste, homemade or store-bought
1 tbs fish sauce
1 tsp salt
Poaching liquid:
3 cloves garlic, sliced
White onions, cut into wedges
1 tsp whole black pepper
1 cup good white wine
1 cup water
1 tsp salt

Serve with:
2 lbs. rice noodles (banh pho tuoi) or yellow egg noodles (mi tuoi)
Bok choy, Enoki mushrooms or king oyster mushrooms (your choice of mushrooms)
White onions, thinly sliced
Green onions and cilantro, chopped
Crispy-fried shallots (recipe follows)

Directions:
Combine dried shrimp, squid, and chicken broth in a soup pot and bring to simmer. Let the broth simmers for 20 minutes to enhance the flavor of both shrimp and squid. Do not let the broth go to boil. Drain the broth and save the dried shrimp if you want to add in to the serving bowl later. Add the kombu stock to the chicken stock and return both of the stocks to the soup pot. Bring the broth to a boil and let simmer. Season with salt and fish sauce, and the broth is ready to serve. Add all of the mushrooms into the broth (just 5 minutes before serving time).
Meanwhile, in a deep skillet, combine the poaching liquid ingredients and bring to boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and let the poaching liquid simmer for 5 minutes. Gently add fish into the skillet and let poach for 6 minutes. Remove fish and add mussels and shrimp. Poach for 3 minutes or until shrimp turns pink and the mussels are cooked.

To serve:
Bring 3 quarts of water to boil in a pot. Divide the noodles for each serving in the strainer and dip the strainer in the boiling water for 2 seconds, if using fresh noodles. Shake off the excess water and place the noodles into a serving bowl. Drop some of the bok choy into the strainer and dip into the boiling water for 2 minutes. Divide the vegetables, fish, and shrimp and slice fried fish cake and mussels for each serving and place them on top of the noodles. Top with white onions, green onions, and cilantro. Ladle the broth and some mushrooms over the soup bowl. Sprinkle with crispy-fried shallots.

To make crispy-fried shallots:
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
Heat the oil in a small saucepan until hot. Add the shallots and fry over low heat until crispy and brown (about 6 to 7 minutes). Use a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Reserve the oil for another use or recipe. The crispy-fried shallots can be stored up to 1 month in a covered jar it room temperature.

To make Kombu broth:
Clean a 5" x 5" kombu or kelp with wet paper towel. In a soup pot, add 5 cups of water and soak kombu for 30 minutes. Place the soup pot with the soaked kombu and slowly bring to boil. Turn off the heat and remove the kombu.

Vietnamese Crab Noodles Soup (Bun rieu)

In Vietnam, crab noodle soup, Bun rieu, uses a dark brown crab found in the rice fields, which are pulled out of the mud with a stick. My sister and I had a wonderful time as kids helping my mom to catch these crabs for our dinner. All parts of the paddy field crabs are used, including the residue, skimmed from the top of the soup during the slow cooking process, which becomes a thick, savory crab cake that is added to the soup. However, while the living in America, paddy field crabs will no longer be considered as a necessary ingredient to prepare this wonderful, delicious soup. My recipe's version of Bun rieu can be easily prepared with blue crabs or another kind of crabs available at supermarkets. The soup will have a slightly different taste, but it is very delicious either way.

Ingredients:
Broth:
10 cups chicken broth
1 lb. fresh crab meat
1/2 lb. shrimp, deveined and shelled
1/2 lb. ground chicken or pork
1/4 cup dried shrimp
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp shrimp paste (optional)
5 shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs fish sauce
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp black pepper
4 large tomatoes, quartered
One 6 oz. can crab paste (optional)
2 tsp chili powder
3 tbs oil

Served with:
2 lbs rice noodles (cooked as the package directs)
1 lb. of firm tofu, cut into small squares
4 scallions, separated and cut the white section into 2 inch lengths, the green part sliced
2 lemons, cut into wedges
4 fresh chili peppers, thinly sliced
Sliced white onions, chopped cilantro, chopped green onions
Vietnamese vegetables plate (dia rau song)

Directions:
Heat frying pan with oil. Fry bean curd squares until golden brown. Set aside.
Soak the dried shrimp in 1 cup of warm water for 1 hour . Drain and reserve the soaking liquid.
In a food processor, process the dried shrimp and fresh shrimp until very fine.
In a large bowl, combine shrimp, ground meat, crab meat, crab paste (if using), half the shallots, half the garlic, shrimp paste, black peppers, sugar, fish sauce, salt and beaten eggs until well mixed. Refrigerate for a few hours.
In a large soup pot, heat oil and sauté the remaining shallots and garlic until fragrant. Add chili powder, half of the tomatoes, and a sprinkled 1/2 tsp of sugar (this secret addition helps the tomato retained its color). Fry for one or 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and reserved soaking liquid from the dried shrimp. Bring the broth to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Slice the crab meat mixture gently into the simmering broth. Cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let the crab meat form its shape for 1 hour or until the mixture slightly firms and floats on the surface. Bring the soup to a gentle boil again. Season with salt and fish sauce, if needed. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add the remaining tomatoes and fried tofu. Cook for another 15 minutes.

To serve:
Place the rice noodles in the bottom of a serving bowl. Distribute the fried tofu, a few tomatoes, crab meat, white onions, green onions and cilantro. Ladle the crab soup onto the noodles and serve with Vietnamese vegetables plate.

The Secret Recipe for Chocolate-Peanut Cookies

I think this recipe is the best combination of oatmeal, peanut butter and chocolate chips for great cookies.

Ingredients:
Dry ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup semi-chocolate chips
Wet ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease two baking sheets.
In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, except the chocolate chips. Set aside.
In another medium bowl, cream together white sugar, brown sugar and butter until smooth. Beat in egg, peanut butter, and vanilla until well blended. Beat in the dry ingredients until moistened. Mix in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
Using a tablespoon, drop mixture onto a prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven until the edges start to brown.

 

Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Remove the cookies and set them onto the wire racks and let completely cool before storing in a cookie jar.

Split Pea Soup with Chicken

What a treat when this hearty healthy soup is waiting at home rafter a long day at work. Feel free to use bacon for this recipe, but chicken is my choice for a healthy version, which is truly delicious.

Ingredients:
1 cup dried split pea, washed and drained
1 chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 tbs fresh thyme
1 tbs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups chicken broth or water

Directions:
In a 3 to 4 quart slow cooker, mix all the ingredients. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours or until chicken and vegetables are tender. Place 2 cups of soup in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the blended soup back into the crockpot, or you can blend the whole soup until smooth. I like my soup half chunky. Sprinkle some cheddar cheese (your choice) on top.

 

Grilled Mahi Mahi and Cherry Tomatoes Salsa

Mahi Mahi is a firm fish and great either grilled on charcoal, on cast iron over a stovetop, or in the oven. The cherry tomatoes salsa is served on the side to pick up and enhance the sweet flavors of the orange juice in the marinade. My friends love it, and even the pickiest eaters will agree.

Ingredients:
Two 8 oz Mahi Mahi fillets
Marinade:
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 tsp honey
1 tbs fresh oregano, chopped
1 tbs fresh basil, chopped
1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
Cherry tomatoes salsa:
1 cup cherry tomatoes, each cut in half
1 cup English cucumber, cut into cubes
1 scallion, sliced
1 tbs lime juice
2 tbs Italian dressing
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
 
Directions:
Combine the marinade ingredients in a container and refrigerate before ready to use.
Place Mahi Mahi in a Ziploc and pour the marinade into the fish. Let fish marinate in the refrigerator no more than 30 minutes. You might not use all the marinade, but it can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days.
Remove fish from marinade and brush each fillet all over with 1 tbs oil to prevent
sticking while grilling. Place the grill pan over medium high heat. Place fish into the pan. Let fish cook undisturbed for 3 minutes on each side. Remove and garnish with cilantro and serve with cherry tomatoes salsa.

Blackberry Cupcakes

Cupcakes are sweet and easy to make, simple to decorate, and perfect for any occasion. Making cupcakes is also an event that can get the children involved. They are certainly the simplest of all cakes to make, but once carefully decorated, they can become a center piece for any celebration. Please join me to make these simple blackberry cupcakes with easy frosting.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tps baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter softened
1/4 cup chia seeds gel (for each 1 tsp of chia seeds, add with 1/4 cup water)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup fresh blackberries
Icing:
1 1/2 cups  confectioner's sugar
3 tbs sour cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Put paper liners into a 12 cup muffin pan.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/4 tsp salt into a mixing bowl.
Using an electric mixer, in another large mixing bowl, beat eggs, butter, chia seeds gel and sugar. Add flour mixture and vanilla. Beat together until smooth. Stir in blackberries. Spoon the batter into the paper liners (3/4 full). Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch.

To make the icing, sift the confectioner's sugar into a bowl and stir in the sour cream. Spoon a little of the icing on top of each cupcake.

Napa Cabbage Roll with Fish Paste

Every cuisine has its own recipe for cabbage rolls. My recipe for Napa cabbage rolls with fish paste is one of my proudest creations. It achieved both taste and a healthy eating choice.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. fish paste (homemade or store-bought)
12 Napa cabbage leaves
1 shallot, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 scallion, chopped
1 tbs cooking wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 1/2 tbs cornstarch

Directions:
Parboil cabbage until soft. Remove and drain.

If stem is thick, cut lengthwise to make it pliable to roll. Make lengthwise cuts every 1/2 inch (see accompanying photo).

In a mixing bowl, combine fish paste, shallots, garlic, ginger, scallion, salt, black pepper and cooking wine. Mix well.
On the working surface, sprinkle cornstarch on each cabbage leaf. Crosswise place 1 tbs of fish paste at one end.

Roll up leaf to enclose filling (see accompanying photo). Follow the same procedure for all leaves.

Place the rolls on heatproof dish and steam over medium heat for 12 minutes and then remove.
In a saucepan over medium heat, add stock, soy sauce and cornstarch. Stir. Bring to boil. Cook for 2 minutes. Add sesame oil and pour over cabbage rolls. Serve. Sprinkle with extra chopped green onions.

Potato Chicken Gumbo

I created this healthy gumbo for a quickfix meal. A crock pot does all the work, and I will get all the compliments.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts and thighs, cut into bite size pieces
2 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into 3 inch chunks
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs flour
2 tbs butter
1 tsp molasses
1 tbs Creole seasoning (recipe follows below)
1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup diced green pepper
2 cups chicken broth

Directions:
In a saucepan, heat 1 tbs oil until hot. Add chicken and brown all sides and add 1 tsp molasses.

 Place browned chicken on the bottom of a 4 qt. crock pot.

 

In the same saucepan, heat the remaining oil. Stir in onions, garlic, celery, green pepper. Cook until the vegetables are wilted (about 2 minutes), Add Creole seasoning.

 Remove the vegetables and place in the crock pot on top of the chicken.

Place potatoes on top of the vegetables

 

In the same sauce pan, add 2 tbs butter (wait until the butter is foaming). Add flour and turn the heat down. Stir the flour and butter until turn brown.

Add chicken broth into pan. Stir and cook until thickened.

Pour the thickened broth into the crock pot and turn crock pot setting to low for 4 to 5 hours or high for 3 hours.

Re-season again with salt, if needed before serving. This gumbo can be eaten alone or on top of cooked rice.

Creole seasoning:
2 tbs paprika
1 tbs salt
1 tbs cayenne pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil

Mix all together and store in air tight container. It yield about 1/3 cup.

Fish with Tomatoes, Capers and Olives

The cherry tomatoes, capers and olives in this recipe are used in this traditional recipe from Spain, French region. We can enjoy this healthy dish right from our kitchen. This meal can be turned into a romantic dinner for two with a glass of chilled Chardonnay.

Ingredients:
Two 6 oz tilapia or sea bass
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp chili flakes
1 cup cherry tomatoes, each cut in half
2 tbs fresh chopped tarragon
1 tbs capers, roughly chopped
1/4 cup rough chopped green olives
1 tbs fresh chopped parsley

Directions:
Sprinkle some salt and pepper and 1/4 tsp of olive oil onto both sides of the fish.

In a medium sauté pan over medium high heat, add 1 tsp of olive oil and then pan fry the fish for 2 minutes on each side. Carefully remove fish, and cover fish with tin foil to keep warm.
In the same pan, heat 1 tbs of oil. Add onions and garlic. Sauté' for 2 minutes.

Add white wine and cook until wine is reduced by half (about 2 minutes).

Add tomatoes, capers, green olives, tarragon and chili flakes and cook for 3 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and spoon sauce over fish. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parley and serve.