Tri-colored Tortellini with Steak & Pizza

This post had been in a draft soo long ago, (circa 11.24 4.24PM) that I decided to post without modifying its dates. -Posted officially on 6.11.2014 3PM EST

The steak was originally cooked on each side for approx. 7 mins/side. Then I let it cook some more by taking it off the heat, then placed in foil. This produced a nice rare throughout, except for the ripe middle (not such a fan here!) and the uneven but medium sides. It was a nice side, albeit meaty taste, for the tortellini.

Out of convenience, I pulled out a bag of frozen tortellini a few hours ago for a simple defrost in the fridge.

Pizza

I originally planned to finish off some fresh mozzarella by making a thin crust pizza, but I had the dough laid out too thick and it became chewy. It was still a comfort though.

An Early Thanksgiving at the Bistro

Academic Bistro

The salad was baby spinach with goat cheese and pecans in a Balsamic vinegar with dried cherries. The cheese wasn't as tangy as I thought, so I was surprised to see flavor pop from the cherries more than anything. As always the balsamic was great on the salad.

Entree consisted of a Great kale stuffing which was dry but that was OK. A not so sweet 'sweet potato (&potatoes) mash with a side of french green beans. And lastly, the king, turkey breast (great skin, slightly too dry) sitting in a ring of rosemary-gravy.

Dessert was a pumpkin cupcake with cream cheese frosting topped with candied ginger & a rich maple sauce.

GUESS TEA TIME'S OVER... ENJOY YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNERS!

best,

Citrus-aid

Unfortunately, I ran out of the raw materials to make the dish.. To give you a hint, it was used in some eggrolls and vegetable stir-fry during the weekend. But, there's still something I want to share, and when your taste buds can't dwindle, get juice!

This recipe should be adjusted accordingly, based on the fruits used and its properties. Add more water to adjust the acidity as well.

Cara Cara Navel, or red (navel) oranges, make some great treats. Except, it did not beat the orange juices in terms of sweetness or flavor. I had to sweeten them up and couldn't resist adding limes. While some say you shouldn't have a double-citrus drink, I think it's quite refreshing. Try it out:

Citrus-aid

A cure for the simplest of dry throats/mouths, asking to be quenched!


Start squeezin'!
1 red navel orange
1/2 juice of lime
1/4 c. water (adjust to preferred acidity levels)
2 tbsp sugar

Slice the fruits, juice, and mix!
You'll need the juicer...

 Fresh citrus fruits too:

As for the skin, save it for zesting!

Et tu, Brute?

A drink so satisfying, it might kill the cold.. Er, cure*

el fin.

Decrypt that Plate Preview + Spice 28

It's been awhile since I last posted so I know my readers at least deserve a treat!

So here's the first series in 'Decrypt that Plate'! The picture below indicates two things: 

1) Something has been making that stamp pattern &

2) What will be my next dish?

Can you figure out what made this stamp? Comment below!

I'll let you in a clue, the item that made this pattern actually won't make an appearance in the next recipe. Instead, this next dish I will be making is something college students can create easily, and makes for a great taste and nutrition with not so much prep work needed! The imprint on the plate is an ingredient for my next post... what do you think it will be?

Spice 28, coming up!; up as of Nov. 19


Spice 28
For Szechuan & Asian fusion, Spice 28 definitely delivered. The menu was not much promising, since I always feel underwhelmed in some asian cuisine spots but the interior/exterior did look inviting, so I decided to celebrate my birthday here. Too bad I booked the reservation for Saturday, as we craved special appetizers, so no Happy Hour there...

We first ordered the Indian Pancake which included curry sauce and some indian flatbread. Although it looked rather flat and pastry-like, it was very chewy and easy to get some nice layers out of the pancake. I do wish it were much bigger as I tore pieces apart to increase the surface area.
(sorry about the quality of these photos, I only had my phone with me)

This other dish, Dan Dan Noodles, was a  mixture of noodles in chili oil, pork, sesame oil, and a peanut taste. Despite being an appetizer, it was very fulfilling and proved to be a delight. Trust me, it's ability to feed 3-4+ people is amazing.

Lillie's dish was a Pineapple Fried Rice, and just as you'd expect it had the typical fried rice smoky aroma. Perhaps they were smoking up some flavors in one of their woks? It was still refreshing as there were chicken, pineapple-infused rice, raisins, onion, and cashews (as I recall). I appreciated the smokiness with pineapples' tropic flavors as it was comforting to chow down.

Shelley's dish (left) is actually the Drunken Noodles. As my friends and I were trying to find the origin of this dish, we realized that it probably known for being greasy and the substitute for the Micky D's I hear everyone gets. Despite the sloppiness, it was flavorful and savory--from the green peppers to the onions. With all that soft noodle, I'll bet anyone can chow down.

I never went out to just buy salad... It's just so simple to make but also hard to finish the whole platter. Usually it's a hit-or-miss depending on dressing, as is the case with cream-ladened caesar salads. As I just finished Masterchef Junior and after seeing Dara cook up some Ahi Tuna, I was ready for sushi. No worries though, this Tuna Avocado salad was just the perfect ending. With spicy mayo aioli and bite-sized greens (spinach, etc) which were, when mixed, had the right amount of yuzu dressing. In addition, the tuna provided a wealth of chewiness and protein to keep you satisfied. It reminded me of eating sushi rolls.

Although we were so full, we knew we had to share at least a dessert. Here's the Coppa Strawberries & Caramel-- which was a vanilla ice cream layered with strawberry jam, caramel, and topped with sliced almonds. In the presentation, I'm not sure why the whipped cream was on the plate which was a hassle to just scoop/dip and top. Otherwise, the jam was very delicious with a strong, authentic smell of strawberries. It really looked pretty and tasted great, if only the scooping out ice cream from the fluted cup wasn't so difficult. It was cold, but it's something I'd come out for again.

Overall, Spice 28 is a place which would fit most college students' budgets on a good Friday Saturday night. The amount came to approx. $20/per person (tip & tax included) as we shared appetizers and sampled on this dessert. It's strange spending so little and not having to fret about splitting the bill, but it was a wonderful night and not quite costly to hangout at. Feel free to splurge because you deserve it!

Strangelove's + Review

The other night's dinner at Strangelove's was pretty good. Even though this new brewery would make a great after-work hangout, its food were promising for a casual dinner with friends and family.



To start off, we ordered 2 appetizers. One of the appetizers was Fried Green Tomatoes.. I thought that it was all on a cracker, until the bottom started breaking apart. Careful, it's fragile. If you're thinking of giving yourself a treat, go ahead, because it's the creamier version of bruschetta!

You can tell this was more than a delight to eat... Both flavors and, colors just pop!

Above: Some chunks of crab, cucumbers, tomatoes drenched in dressing.

We also got a Russian kale salad, choke full of kale leaves, pecans, farro, beets, and soybeans-- all drenched in a sumac dressing. It was the best salad I've had to date, and I'd probably re-create it in the future. Overall, it was nutty--plenty of pecans and farro to give a texture that'd make you rethink salads.

On to entrees--I guess I must've been starving. I was eyeing the grilled chicken on the menu and just telling the waiter, "I'd like to have that medium-rare..." Of course, that alarmed everyone at my table, and as my cousin put it, 'I couldn't escape "burger mode".' I eventually got the Strangelove burger, which had goat cheese!

Later in the car, my brother was reminding me why Chef Ramsey wouldn't eat or serve raw chicken. In fact, one of the kids in Master Chef Junior didn't finish cooking the chicken (or was it duck?) and he failed the challenge. :( What a waste of cooking time--efforts and goods!

A closer look at the Strangelove burger shows a nice aioli on top of a deluxe shiny bun, with fried green tomato and a plump beef pattey. The bacon BBQ sauce and goat cheese was sandwiched somewhere but I never found it. Even though I thought anything goat was tangy and flavor-deteriorating, the flavors melded well together. In all, it was very satisfying and I'd definitely aim for these over any TGIF burger, any day!

If you're looking for a nice side, the mirliton coleslaw was a great addition! Refreshing, yet looking good, even without typical fries/yukon gold chips on the side. The chips were, btw, very thick and kettle-chip style. Restaurant-made chips were perfectly crunchy, although a bit golden.

Above left: Mirliton. Source: mirlitons.org 

Mirliton is actually a squash and tender enough that it works for the slaw. The mirliton coleslaw was tangy, with a tinge of lime, yet wasn't intimidating as I thought. With a typical coleslaw base (cabbage, carrot, etc) I probably would not have noticed the slaw was any different.

Overall, I'd definitely come back, as prices were reasonably cheap and had fun twists on traditional diner/bar style food. Would you omit having fried foods to savor a similar experience?

Slightly Kicking Chicken Nuggets

Does anyone remember these?

Well, a reader recently requested this, and I admit, although it wasn't my own, I'll let you know of my modifications to this. I did find three recipes to which I ended up merging. Here's my recent knowledge of these secretly spiked up nuggets! I'll stop talking, grab your shovels and get ready to form these nuggets!

Slightly Kicking Nuggets

(modified from a post from SparkPeople and research)
Makes about 25 pieces.
Prep time: 10-20 mins
Cook time: 30 mins

4-6 chicken breast fillets (dep. on size)
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. Oregano
1/4 tsp. Onion powder
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1/4-1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
2 Eggs, beaten
1 C. of Flour (I used Self-rising, which was saltier, and mixed ~1/4 C. Whole Wheat flour)
1 slice of bread, toasted and crumbled

Grab out your food processor and blend these chicken breast well. (Alternatively, pulse for 5-10 seconds for a chewy, slightly crumbled feel and skip to breading) When they're ground up well, season to taste. Then, refrigerate or freeze. Meanwhile, prepare the breading by combining flours and spices in a large bowl/plate. Crack and whisk eggs in a separate smaller bowl.

Prepare a pot (or pan, if you're pan-frying!) and fill with oil and start heating it up. You can use as much oil as you'd like, but note that while you can fry so many nuggets, you'd have to wait longer for it to heat up. Although baking is a healthier alternative,

Now take out the nuggets mixture and prepare to shape! I made them into round balls, akin to a munchkin, but next time, I'd round them and flatten to make it easier to eat. It's finger food, after all!

Breading time! I used flour, but feel free to experiment with Panko crumbs, corn flakes, or even Cap'n Crunch! Yep, apparently, Chicken Crunch can be found at Florida Planet Hollywood! I triple quadruple-coated-- doing batches off egg-flour-egg-flour or flour-egg-flour-egg. Since the flour (+bread crumbs) was a light coating, it would amount to much calories as compared to Corn Flakes. The many layers kept it crispy and served as a barrier from oil. If you're searching for a heavier crunch, you might want to replace the flours for cereal.

Once the oil is hot, pop them in and cook for about a minimum of 15-20 mins. I would recommend checking the temperature, but if not, make sure it's golden brown before slicing in for a sample!

I can't wait to see your twists on this. Again, I'd probably pulse less if I don't want a dense nugget!

An intro to much ado about food + Homemade Nuggets!

Today really marks an adventure of food, foraging for the organics, to living with eco-sustainability.

In this blog, I'll be sharing my local eats (as fast as my camera can snatch it before food reaches my mouth!) In addition, there will be plenty of exploring pertinent issues about health and delicious dishes to be inspired by! As I learn to cook with more healthful and sustainable ingredients, I hope you all in turn try something new. So come have a seat by Healthy Foraging!


I know I haven't had much posts but here's one to celebrate the opening! This is a snack/dish I made in the summer.

That day, I was craving some chicken nuggets (the ones from McDonald's are so good and so bad for you!!) but I remembered someone had a similar recipe to re-creating this dish. I decided to give it a go as after watching King Corn, who wants the corn-saturated meats?! So, I grabbed the help of my lovely siblings, and made . . .

Chicken nuggets!

To make these nuggets, click here for my recipe post!

 The recipe, which was slightly modified, made about 25 round nuggets.

Note, this was a very sticky batter and I had to grab spoons and plenty of gloves to forget the messy clean up. Made from chicken breast and all the ingredients you'll always find in your house!

Here's an up close image of the spices :)

It did take a bit of time just to shape and create these balls. I also decided to double and triple coat in both flour and egg mixture. I did make a couple of varieties but ended up seeing similar taste except in outside coating. Next time? I'll go make a katsu-crunch to go!

I've always had trouble keeping the spices as intense as can be. Does anyone know of ways to make the flavors potent but not causing any burning before the "crumb" is cooked?

Grab them while it's hot!

 ♥