A Little of This and A Little of That

I am Asian American. Thus, my taste palette has a little bit of Asian mixed with a little bit of American. Some might find that to be a great thing. "You can cook both American and Asian food," they would say, "That's terrific!"

No, no it's not, and no, I can't. Everything I cook is just that: a little bit of Asian mixed with a little bit of American. When I cook American food, or even Italian or Mexican, whatever dish would have a hint of Asian in it. When I cook Asian food, it would taste a little American. Nothing I cook would ever taste exactly like an American dish or an Asian dish.

It's a little frustrating sometimes. I am learning to accept that part of myself. I am a Traveler. I have no definite home (Read my Traveler Blog).

So, with my Asian-American-ness, I spiced up this favorite Vietnamese shrimp dish.

I call it Spiced Pan Roasted Shrimp.

Spiced Pan Roasted Shrimp




Shrimps
green onion/scallions
butter
old bay seasoning
chili powder
salt
pepper
sugar
fish sauce

1. sprinkle some salt, pepper, old bay seasonings, and chili powder on the shrimps to marinade for about 5-10 mins, longer if you would like.
2. while the shrimps are marinading, sliced up the green onions
3. when the shrimps are done marinading, heat up a pan on high heat and melt the butter
4. add the shrimps, now here, it really depends on your taste, sometimes I like to leave the heat on high and cook the shrimps until it's cooked and there aren't much trace of juices left and then toss in the green onions for about 10-20 seconds.

This time, however, I turned down the heat about half way and let it cook until the shrimp is almost done. Then, I tossed in the green onion and let it cook until the shrimps were all the way cooked.

If anyone really want the original Vietnamese recipe, I can always post it.

I can never cook a traditional Vietnamese dish because I can't. The way I cook is not the same. So, when I crave a traditional Vietnamese dinner, I have to crawl to my aunt's house and eat. They try to teach me, and I try to learn. However, when I cook even when I suppress the creative "what if" urges, it still doesn't taste the same.

It makes me frustrated sometimes. Other times, its not too too bad.

As always, if you're brave enough to try these recipes, tell me how it went. So, Happy Cooking!

A Father's Day Appreciation Post!

I just read a very interesting article on Yahoo news today relating to Father's Day Gifts. This was after I called my own old man to wish him a Happy Father's Day! The interesting part of reading the article wasn't the article but the comments that followed the article.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/life/5-worst-fathers-day-gifts-476536

I glanced past all the rants and ravings from kids and wives. The comments I wanted to read was from all the fathers defending how much they loved the little macaroni picture frames their kids made them and the #1 Dad shirts their kids got them. Most said that all they really wanted was time with their kids and hugs and I love you's.

A few of the comments were vulgar. A few of the comments praised the writer of the post. Some were funny. Most did not like the singing bass fish plaque. A few actually did like them.

Hidden among them were words that brought tears to my eyes. One man wrote that his one rule was no store-bough gift. Even if it was just an X on a piece of paper if they were too busy, that was what he wanted because it told him that they were stressed and were having a hard time still they took 2 seconds out of their day to think about him. One man was even angry at the article for mentioning that homemade gifts were mentioned in the article.

What are your thoughts?

Every year I always folded a piece of paper in half. I drew flowers and squiggly lines and stars. I wrote a few lines and signed "from me". When I did have money to buy gifts, they always accompanied the same folded piece of paper.

I am 23 now. Last year, I was too busy to fold that piece of paper and draw and write. I called him, though. He sounded sad. He sounded sad when I called him and no cards were in his hand. I assured him that one is coming.

Who knows? Maybe mine is just more sentimental than the rest.

My Days Off!

So, I took a break from working, cleaning, and cooking. Basically, everything. The atmosphere around here had been quite tense. To clear the air, I packed my bags moved out of my apartment in Denver and took refuge within my friend and favorite chef's house, Bryan, in Colorado Spring. Well, it's more like his mom's house.

I loved my stay there. Mainly because Bryan and his mom, mostly his mom, had been so hospital. Their pets took to me quite kindly, too. The hyperactive 80lb puppy, Piper, kept charging at and licking me. The bundle of fur that is Phoebe would always plopped in front of me making fur goes everywhere and demanded attention. Mia, well, she just walked around mewing cutely while terrozing all the other pets.

I wandered around a little bit. Found some pretty interesting trail to walk around and got very lost in the process. It was fun though. The scenery was amazing. I loved it. The lake was cool. There are a lot of people fishing. I asked if there were fish in there. The lake seemed pretty shallow from the shore.

On the night before my birthday, Bryan took me to Downtown Colorado Spring at a place called Phantom. He introduced me to a few of his friends. We played pool and drank a lot beer. It was fun.

All in all, it was a great little getaway. I loved it. Whatever happened there and the people I met, they would all be carved in the sweetest place in my heart. Thanks Bryan! Thanks Donna! For a great time.

Kitchen Re-Stocked!

I got Spicy Pickles today. It was delicious. It is definitely my favorite American chain sandwich place. However, if you're in California, try Lee's Sandwiches. Or if you're in Denver, go down to Federal Blvd and Mississippi and try Ba Le Sandwiches.

Vietnamese sandwiches are the best! Hands down. They are simple, delicious, and uber inexpensive. Mario Batali made a Vietnamese style sandwich on Iron Chef once. It looked delicious.

Very few of Vietnamese food can be made so readily. Most takes days to prepare and make. That's why I don't make them often though I love them so much: wet rolls, egg rolls, phở, etc.

Shopping Spree today!! It's not clothes. It's groceries! I'm so excited. Restocking the kitchen for the first time in a few months. I got curry roux for my spontaneous curry cravings. Furikake for rice balls. Rice vinegar. 20lbs worth of rice. Olive oil, sauces such as hoisin, fish, and soy.



Oh, so many possibilities!!! I am so giddy.




For dinner was stir fry with rice. I haven't had stir fry in so long. Oh yes, I also bought egg noodles. But it's rice tonight. Awesome, delicious, yummy rice.



It's a quick stir fry with baby bok choy, fried tofu, onions, and ginger with hoisin sauce and a little bit of fish sauce. Salt and pepper, of course.

I am fairly satisfied with my kitchen now. So, as always, Happy Cooking!

Budget Cooking 101: Meatloaf! (recipe)

As I have stated before, funds are limited. We barely have enough money for rent. So, money for food is next to non-existent. For the first time in my life, there is absolutely no rice in the house, not even those weird rice they sell at American market. If I have rice, dinner would be very easy. Rice and some sort of vegetable stir fry. See? Yummy meal. Left over rice plus left over meal equal fried rice. See? Equally yummy meal. Without rice though, I'm at lost of what to do. I have two chayote that is going bad because the only thing I know how to make with them is with rice.

With my current situation, I'm glad that it was my mom that taught me how to cook.
That means our cupboards aren't that bare, and I can whip a meal with very little. Again, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing for me as cook.

I've been thinking all day trying to come up with dinner meal plan, as dinner time comes along, I opened the fridge, for the fifth time today, to see what's inside. So, in my fridge are the following: half a pound of ground beef, some celery, some carrots, one slice of bread, 3/4 of an onion, garlic, and ginger.

I came up with two things to make: sloppy joes, but no buns, and meatloaf. So, meatloaf it was.

The way I learned how to cook was through my mom. She would sit and instruct me what to do and I would do it. The first meal i cooked was cabbage and carrot stir fry with pork. Then, I made muffin mixes from boxes. Then, I would scour the cooking books for things to make, but most of the time, my house, being asian, wouldn't have a lot of the ingredients, so I would always have to make do. So, when I cook, I rarely follow recipes too closely. As I grow older, I tend to be more and more creative and instinctive. I would replace things and come up with new ways to make certain things.

So, when ingredients are fewer and fewer. I just need to be more creative. Thus, with this meatloaf. It would be a meatloaf like no other. After just going through the fridge just pulling out what's left of all the ingredients, this is what I came up with. Remember, measurements aren't exact. Just, you know, do what "feels" right.





Budget Meatloaf Number 2

A few stalks of celery
half an onion
four cloves of garlic
half a pound of ground beef
breadcrumbs
1 tbs baking powder
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp molasses
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tbs butter

-preheat oven to 375 degrees
-mince the onion and garlic in a food processor
-saute the onion and garlic with butter for a couple minutes
-chopped up the celery - i like to add a lot of the leafy part
-mix in well the ground beef, baking powder, bread crumbs into with the celery
-add the rest of the ingredients
-grease baking pan
-shape mixture into loaf - i made a bed of chopped celery sticks and onion rings to add a little something and i greased the pan with sesame oil
- bake for 35-40 mins

I think this meal wasn't too bad. For a side dish I blanched some carrots, saute up some garlic in oil and add about a couple of tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese and a pinch of key lime peel, and mixed them together.

It was pretty good.

As always, Happy Eating!

Curry Cups!

With my current situation, unemployed and without any funds, cooking has been a challenge. I am torn excitement and frustration. With limited ingredients, I am forced to be more creative with the things I make. Also, with limited ingredients, I get frustrated because I can't just go in a make something quick.

I am always running out of meat and veggies. My cupboards are getting more and more roomy. Everything I make, I have to make it from scratch. It's getting harder and harder to come up with meals idea let alone quick meals ideas. I'm always running out or completely out of something. The only thing that seems to be consistent flour and water. Even then, the flour is getting low.

Anyway, one gloomy Sunday morning, I stood in front of the fridge staring, again. A care-package came in from Michael's mom. In it were some peanut butter, bean soup bags, and a few instant curry package. I wanted curry -yes, even for breakfast...although it was already past noon. However, there were nothing to eat with the curry. I was a little sad and annoyed, again. Then, Michael had the idea of making a curry-bread with the pre-made Pillsbury dough I still had in my fridge.

*DING* While I was staring at the dough and the muffin tray, which just happened to be there - My kitchen seriously needs cleaning. An idea popped into my head. This is what came out of it.




That's right. Curry Cups. I cut out the dough. Pressed it into the muffin cups and then pour the curry into it and baked it. It turned out pretty delicious. It's pretty cute. I think when my situation turns better and I can have company over for dinner. I will make these again. They make great little appetizer. What do you think?

Madeleine Muffins!

If anyone of you are a fan of French pastries, you will know of Madeleine cakes. They are more of a cookie than a cake, but it's debatable. Some people also call French butter cakes or French lemon butter cookies. Madeleines are shell/scallop shaped cookie with a crispy outside a soft inside, like most French cookies. These little cookies are a French tradition, a French favorites. They are like the chocolate chips cookies of America, the tea and crumpet of England. A batch of Madeleines and a cup of tea. There's really nothing better.


I have been wanting these since I was reminded of them during the movie Transporter - Great movie btw. Then, I got the cravings. I needed those soft buttery cookies with a hint of lemony taste. There were a few obstacles in my way. Money's a little tight lately. Milk, butter, and eggs were of sort supply. Also, there was the fact that I needed to work my head off. Rent and bills do not pay themselves. My cravings just grew and grew.

In a desperate attempt, I tried to find an eggless recipe. I have butter and I can always subsitute milk for tea. Tea gives the Madeleines a better fragrance anyway.

When I was scrounging around for recipes and ingredients, Peter proposed to go grocery shopping since he had extra money. No one could tell how ecstatic I was. An hour and a few bags of groceries later, there were salmon steaming in the oven and Madeleines on a plate.

My last obstacle was the mold. I did not have the shell shaped mold. But, my cravings got the better of me. Therefore, I took all the ingredients that make a Madeleine a Madeleine, tweaked it to make it into a muffin. Here is the result.

They have the crusty outside, the soft inside, the lemony and buttery taste. The only thing missing was that it wasn't sweet enough. Consider this though, Madeleine usually are dust with sugar. I thought maybe next time I will make a little sugary glazed to brush on top. Or just add a little more sugar.

Madeleine Muffins

1 c all purpose flour
1/8 c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 egg
1/2 c milk
1/4 cup tea
4 tbs butter
1 tsp vanilla


Preheat oven to 400F
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together.
Melt butter.
Mix well butter, milk, tea, vanilla, and egg into the flour mixture
Use a whisk to whisk the batter into a good consistency
Pour into muffin pan and bake for 15 - 22 mins