Lobster Rolls Recipes

Our neighbor Nancy gave us some lobsters last week. I decided to make some lobster rolls out of it. This classic New England lobster rolls, a basic hot dog bun filled with lobster salad. There are no fancy seasonings here; the lobster is showcased of this rolls. It is just a simple mayonnaise dressing with a bit of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked lobster meat – cut into bite size pieces (3 lobsters)
¼ cup low fat mayonnaise
¼ cup finely diced celery
1 spring onion – finely diced
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
A few dash of hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
2 hot dog buns
A few leaves of lettuce

1. Combined all the ingredients except for the buns and lettuce leaves. Mix well.
2. Lightly toast the hot dog buns on a non stick frying pan.
3. Lay some lettuce on the buns and fill it up with the lobster mix. Serve immediately.

Wild Rice Turkey Soup Recipes

Each year we have problem finishing up our 12 pound Thanksgiving turkey. Actually that was the smallest bird I could find from the supermarket. The 3 of us only managed to finish one side of the breast and I have to think of ways to finish them up. I already made some rice porridge with one of the turkey leg and wing, turkey pot pie with the meat, sandwiches with the breast meat and turkey stock from the carcass. This is one of the soups I made from the stock and the leftover meat.

Ingredients:

2 cups of diced cooked turkey meat
2 stalk celery – finely diced
3 carrots – finely diced
1 big onion – finely diced
3 cloves garlic – finely chopped
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp flour
½ cup wild rice
6 cups turkey or chicken stock
1 cup full cream milk or half and half
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat up some olive oil in an 8 quart or large stockpot. Sauté the onion, garlic, celery and carrots for 10 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Sprinkle in the flour and continue to stir for 3 minutes.
2. Add in stock, wild rice and bay leaves. Cover the pot and cook for 45 minutes over medium low heat. Cook until the wild rice hulls split open.
3. When rice is tender add in the turkey meat. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Stir in milk or half and half. Season to taste and allow the soup to simmer for another 10 minute.
4. Serve immediately.

Note: You can replace the turkey meat with chicken and this soup can be freeze up to 3 months.

Hearty Beef and Potato Soup Recipes

This is a hearty autumn and winter soup that will warm your family from the inside out. This beef and potato soup is richly flavored, nutritious but it is also light on calories. I prepared a large pot of this and freeze some of it up so we can have a warm bowl of soup anytime we want it.

Ingredients:

1 pound beef (stew meat) – cut into small cubes
3 carrots – cut into small cubes
3 stalk celery – cut into small cubes
3 potatoes – peel and cut into cubes
1 large onion – finely chopped
2 cloves garlic – chopped
2 bay leaves
1 can of 14 oz chopped tomato
½ cup elbow pasta
6 cups low sodium beef stock
Enough water
Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large pot, heat up 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add in the beef, cook and stirring frequently until well brown. Remove the beef with a slotted spoon and set it aside (you might need to do this in two batch)
2. Add in another tbsp of olive oil if needed; add in onion, garlic, stirring occasionally until translucent. This will take 5 minutes. Add in celery, carrot and stir well. Add in some beef stock. Bring to boil, scraping the bottom of the pot to dislodge any brown Add in the rest of the stock, browned beef, bay leaves, chopped tomatoes and enough water to cover all the ingredients.
3. Bring it up to boil, lower down the heat and let it simmer for 25 minutes. Add in the potatoes and continue to cook, stir occasionally until beef and potatoes are tender. Put in the elbow pasta and add in more water if needed.

Note: You can replace the beef with chicken meat.

Asian Style Ribs Recipes

These are one finger licking ribs. The meat is so tender and juicy that it falls off the bones easily. The sauce is sweet, tangy and with a light hint of 5 spice powder. The secret of cooking this tender ribs is wrap it up in foil and let it cook long and slow in the oven. Normally we will grill it on the BBQ after the baking part but since we already clean up BBQ set so I did it all in the oven. The results are just as good except minus for the smoky flavor.

Ingredients:

3 pound of ribs
1 tsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic – finely chopped
1/4 cup light soy sauce
3 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Spare Ribs sauce
1 large orange juice and zest
½ tsp 5 spice powder
1 tsp pepper
3 tbsp dark brown sugar

1. Clean, trim off excess fat from both side and remove the removed the membrane from the back side of the ribs (Insert a knife under the membrane, then your fingers ,work a section loose, grip it with a paper towel, and peel it off)
2. Combined all the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Pat the ribs dry and season both sides generously with marinates. Set it aside to marinate for at least 4 hours.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree F. Wrap the ribs up with a large piece of aluminum foil. Place the ribs in a large sheet pan and let it bake for 1.5 hours. The ribs should be done and fall off the bone by now and if not let it bake for another half an hour.
4. Open up the foil and pour out all the sauce/juice from the baked ribs into a small saucepan. Skim off the fats if there is any and bring the sauce up to boil it let it thickens. Brush the sauce all over the ribs.
5. Switch the oven to broil, and broil the ribs until caramelize and golden brown. Let it cool down for 15 min before cutting into it.

Note: Keep a close watch on the ribs when you broil them as they get burn pretty quick.

Ground Beef Chili Recipes

The weather here in PA is telling me it’s time for some Chili. For anyone who is not familiar with the cuisine of the Southwestern United States, this stew-like dish called Chili may be a bit puzzling. Yes, it does usually contain green hot peppers as well as chili powder. The Chili has meat in it and it could be ground beef, pork, chicken, or turkey, but Chili can be a vegetarian dish too. You can replace the ground meat with tofu cubes. There are Chili recipes with or without beans, but if you use beans any type of bean will work, including red beans, black beans, white beans, pinto beans, and more. This is an easy, healthy, hearty and inexpensive meal and everyone will love.

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef
1 large onion - chopped
4 cloves garlic – chopped
1 green bell pepper – diced small
1 can 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
1 can red beans – rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 beef stock cube
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne powder
2 tbsp Worstershire sauce
1 -2 cups water
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste

1. Heat up about 2 tbsp olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add in chopped garlic, onions and bell pepper. Cook and stir for 5 minutes. Add in beef, cook and stir until beef is done. If there access
2. Transfer the beef mixture to a heavy stock pot and add in all the remaining ingredients. Add in enough water to cover the meat. Stir thoroughly, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Check seasoning.
3. Serve warm with some corn bread, crackers or bread.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup Recipes

Weather is getting cold and the day is getting shorter. What is it that makes the fall such a beautiful season? Is it the cooler air or the shades of red, yellow, orange and pink coloring the world around you just come to life? And the pumpkins!! Who can miss that? With so many pumpkins all around me I just have to cook something with it. In the cold weather what can be better than a bowl of sweet hearty soup. The different with this soup is that I roasted the pumpkin first. Roasting the pumpkin for the soup encourages the natural sugars to caramelize and enriches its flavor creating a more complex soup.

Ingredients:

1 ½ pound of pumpkin – remove skin, seeds and cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic - whole
1 small onion – peels and cut into chunks
4 cups chicken stocks
Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

Some croutons
Pumpkin seeds or pine nuts
Some chives
Some fresh cream

1. Line a baking pan with some foil. Place the pumpkin chunks, garlic and onion into the pan. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and drizzle it with some olive oil.
2. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree F oven until soft and lightly brown. Put everything in the blender, add in one cup of chicken stock and blend it until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour everything into a heavy saucepan, add in the rest of the chicken stock and bring it up to a boil. Let it simmer for 5 minute. Taste for seasoning and adjust it to your liking.
4. Serve warm with some croutons, pine nuts, chives and drizzle on some heavy cream.

Note: You can make this soup into vegetarian. Just replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock.

Eggs in Purgatory/Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce Recipes

This is something that I learned from an Italian chef a long time ago. He told me that his grandmother used to serve this as a quick, light lunch so that they can all get back to the farm to continue working. I am not sure why such a dramatic name for such a simple Southern Italian Dish. Basically it is just poached eggs in tomato sauce. For this dish I like using over-ripe tomatoes which are plenty during summer. With just a few ingredients you get a healthy robust flavor meal. Remember to get some fresh Italian bread before you make this as you’re going to need it to slop up all the sauce.

Ingredients:

4 large ripe tomatoes (roughly chopped) or a can of 14 oz crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic - chopped
4 eggs
Some fresh basil – julienned
Salt and black pepper to taste

1. Put the olive oil in a skillet large enough to hold the number of eggs you’ll be making. Sauté the garlic until lightly browned over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened to your liking. Add in salt and pepper.
2. Once the sauce is ready, make little wells in the sauce and break in eggs one at a time. Turn down the heat, cover the skillet and let eggs cook until the yolks are to your desired runniness (is there such a word?).
3. Sprinkle in the basil and serve immediately with some crusty bread.

Zucchini Fritters Recipes

Summer is here and so is zucchini. You can see zucchini everywhere and they are really cheap too. There are so many different ways to eat a zucchini and I have had it stir-fried , cooked vegetable curry and make into zucchini pancakes . My neighbor Nancy gave me a few of it and I have been contemplating for a few days on what to make out of it. Carlos is not a fan of Zucchini and if I cook with it I will always end up eating it all by myself but this fritters totally changes his mind about zucchini. He absolutely loves it. The fritters were crispy on the edge with a delicate soft center. This is a very simple recipe that comes together relatively quickly.



Ingredients:

1 Ib of zucchini, grated
2 eggs
2 cloves garlic – finely chopped
2 shallots – finely sliced
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup flour
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp chili flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place grated zucchini in a tea towel and squeeze to remove the liquid; discard liquid.
2. In a large mixing bowl whisk egg. Add zucchini, garlic, shallots, flour, and panko, chili flakes and parmesan cheese. Mix until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat a bit of vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan. Drop about 2 tbsp of batter into the frying pan; flatten it lightly with a spatula.
4. Pan fried fritters on each side for about 4-5 minutes, until browned. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain the oil. Serve warm or at room temperature with some marinara sauce.

Pizza Cups Recipes

I received some cheese sample from Marcus of Ile De France and Carlos absolutely loved it. I didn’t nickname his Cheese Monster for nothing. He just loves his cheeses. I am actually pretty familiar with Ile De France cheeses as I am able to get from the supermarkets here but if you can’t you can always get in online. Ile de France Cheese has been importing gourmet French brie, goat cheese and camembert since 1936. They were the first importer of French brie to the United States. The company uses the Ile de France name to promote Ile de France brand cheeses as well as other types of gourmet-quality French cheese that are sold under different labels and owned by the same parent company.



Besides eating the cheeses with fresh fruits and crackers I used some of the Brie cheese to make these Pizza Cups. I just love the gooey and oozy brie when they just came out of the oven. They are simply divine. What a great alternative to the usual mozzarella cheese.

Pizza dough ingredients:

1 packet/7 gram dry yeast
¾ cups of warm water – about 110 degree F
2 cups + 2 tbsp of bread flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar

For Filling:

1 cup of cooked chicken (I used leftover roast chicken)
1/4 cup olives – sliced small
½ small onion – cut into small cubes
1 cup marinara sauce

Pepper to taste
½ cup grated cheddar
Some sliced Brie for topping
Some sliced basil for garnish

1. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let it stand about 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. In a large bowl combined the flour, olive oil and salt. Stir in the yeast mixture into the flour mixture. Knead it into smooth dough. (you might need to add another 2 tbsp of flour to it). Cover and let it rise to double in volume.
3. In the meantime, combined cooked chicken, olives, onions, cheddar, pepper and marinara sauce in a mixing bowl. Mix well.
4. Get ready a muffin pan. Greased with some melted butter. In a working table, dust with some flour. Roll out the pizza dough and cut out the dough to fit into your muffin pan.
5. Fill it up with the fillings, and top it with a slice of brie. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven until the pizza cups are bubbly and brown. Garnish it with some basil. Let the pizza cups cool down a bit on the muffin pan before removing it. Serve warm or at room temperature.

P/s You can replace the cooked chicken with any type of protein and so is the cheese.

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara Recipes

There are so many varieties of carbonara that it is hard to sort them out. Typically carbonara is made with pancetta (Italian bacon), egg yolks, and parmesan cheese mixed in spaghetti. In the US, sometimes cream is used in this pasta recipe, but this is not typical in Italy. I like to make this pasta dish when I ran out of idea of what to prepare for dinner. All you need is just a few ingredients to pull off this rich, cheesy and satisfying meal.

Ingredients:

½ packet of Spaghetti or pasta of your choice
4 slices of pancetta (you can substitute it with bacon) – cute into cubes
2 cloves garlic – smashed
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 egg yolks
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat a bit of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat; cook the pancetta along with the garlic until the pancetta is brown and crispy. Discard the garlic and add in the black pepper and stirring occasionally until fragrant.
2. Transfer the pancetta mixture into a big bowl and let it cool down a bit. Stir in the cheese and egg yolks. Mix until well combined and set it aside.
3. Meanwhile bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta until al-dente. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water.
4. Drain the pasta and toss it right into the eggs mixture. Toss till combined adding the pasta water a bit at a time to create a creamy sauce. Taste for seasonings.
5. Serve immediately.

Note: I didn’t add any salt to this dish as with the pancetta and parmesan cheese the pasta is salty enough. Since I have some roasted tomatoes I garnished the pasta with it.

Turkey Pasties Recipes

Pasties are very popular throughout Cornwall, Devon, Wales, North East England, other parts of the United Kingdom, Ireland and Brittany. The traditional pasty is filled with beef, sliced potato, turnip and onion. The wonderful aspect about pasties is that you can use any kind of fillings from meat and potatoes to cheese and vegetables. I made these pasties with my leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. Since I have leftovers roasted potatoes and gravy I add to it too.

Pastry:

2 1/2 cup flour
1 1/4 sticks/10 tbsp cold butter (cut into bits)
1 tsp of salt
4-5 tbsp. water

1. In a food processor combine flour, butter and salt. Pulse the ingredients until well combined and slowly add water, one tablespoon at a time to form dough.
2. Remove the dough and lightly knead to form a ball. Let the dough rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Filling:
2 cups cut roast turkey
1 cup of roasted potato
½ cup of gravy
¼ cup or cut olives
½ tsp pepper

1. Combine all the filling ingredients in bowl and set it aside.
2. Divide the dough into 6-7 pieces, and roll the dough into circle on a lightly floured surface to about ¼” thick.
3. Put ¼ cup of the filling into the center of the pastry. Moisten the edges with some water, fold into half and crimp to seal.
4. Place on a lined baking sheet and brush lightly with egg wash. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree F oven until golden brown.

Baked Crunchy Chicken Bites Recipes

These home-made chicken bites taste so much nicer than the store bought nuggets and you know exactly what’s in them – that there are no unwanted preservatives or ingredients. It is oven baked and much healthier than the fried ones. I am sure adults’ or kids will love them. You can serve it with honey mustard, ranch dressing or marinara sauce.

Ingredients:

2 pcs chicken breast
1/2 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp of paprika
Marinara sauce or ranch dressing - optional

Coating:

1 egg white
1 ½ cup whole wheat cornflakes
2 tbsp white sesame seeds
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp chopped parsley

1. Remove the skin and fat of the chicken breast. Cut into 1 1/2 “cubes. Marinate the meat with salt, pepper, garlic and paprika for an hour.
2. In the food processor blend the cornflakes into fine crumbs. Remove and add in the chopped parsley, sesame seeds and parmesan cheese. Mix well and set it aside.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degree F. Line a baking pan with some aluminum foil. Drizzle it with a bit of olive oil and set it aside.
4. Mix the egg white into the marinated chicken. Coat the chicken pieces with the cornflakes. Line the chicken on the baking pan, drizzle it with a bit of olive oil and bake it for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature with some sauce of your choice.

Baked Pasta Casserole Recipes

I was cleaning up my pantry the other day and notice that there are so many different types of leftover pasta (a handful of each) and the boxes are taking too much space in my pantry. I have to find ways to use it all up. Since I am into one dish meal nowadays I decided to make this pasta casserole with whatever I have in my pantry and fridge. Baked pasta is a great dish for any buffet party or a lunch and dinner at home. It is always good to serve it with a fresh salad.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of small dry pasta – I used ziti, penne and small shell pasta
1 can of tuna – packed in water
2 tomatoes – cut into 1/2” cubes
8 oz artichoke hearts – drain water and halve
1 onion – cut small
3 cloves garlic – chopped
1 1/2 cup of grated cheese – any type
1 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
2 eggs – beaten
Some chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside.
2. In a large skillet, add in 2 tbsp of olive oil, sauté the onions and garlic until fragrant and lightly brown. Add in the flour. Stir well for 30 second and add in the milk. Continue to stir until the milk thickens and comes up to a boil.
3. Add in one cup of the grated cheese, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Once the cheese melted turn off the heat. Add in the tomato, artichoke hearts, tuna, cooked pasta and eggs. Stir gently to combine.
4. Spoon the mixture into a casserole dish, sprinkle the balance grated cheese on top and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and the top brown. Serve warm.

Note: If you can’t find artichoke hearts you can always replace it with green peas, blanched vegetables like asparagus or broccoli.

Baked Cheesy Chicken Rice Recipes

During winter I like making meals using the oven as this way I am able to warm up the kitchen at the same time. This baked rice is a great one dish meal as it is fuss free and with very few ingredients which I have it in my fridge and pantry all the time. Nothing is more comforting than digging into this cheesy baked rice in our cold winter weather

Ingredients:

3 cups of cooked rice
4 tbsp cream of mushroom soup
¾ cup of water
2 shallots or ½ onions – sliced thinly
3 cloves of garlic – chopped
1 chicken breast – cut into small cubes and marinate with some salt and pepper
1 cup of broccoli florets
1 cup of small cube carrots
¾ cup of green peas
½ cup cubes cheddar
½ cup grated Swiss cheese
A few slices of mozzarella cheese
Some chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a medium saucepan bring some water to boil. Blanch carrots and broccoli florets for 20 second. Drain and set it aside. In a bowl mix the mushroom soup with 3/4 cup of water and set it aside.
2. In a deep frying pan heat up about 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add in shallots and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant and lightly brown. Add in the chicken and stir-fry until it changes color.
3. Add in the mushroom soup mixture and bring it up to boil. Turn off the heat and add in cheddar and stir until melted. Add in chili flakes, salt and pepper.
4. Next add in blanched broccoli, carrots and green peas. Stir well. Lastly put in the rice and stir until well mixed. Check seasonings.
5. Put the rice mixture into a casserole dish. Top it with Swiss cheese and lastly mozzarella cheese.
6. Baked in a pre-heated 400 degree F oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese topping brown. Serve warm.

Herb Roasted Chicken with Honey Glazed Recipes

Carlos and I love roast chicken. I like it for the reason that I don’t have to cook the next day as we can have the leftover chicken for sandwich. Roast chicken may seem complicated but it is actually a pretty fast and easy dinner to prepare. All you have to do is season the chicken well and put it in the oven for about an hour 15 minutes (depend on the size of your chicken) the dinner is done. The result is classic, elegant, comforting, and delicious! It also fills your house with a wonderfully satisfying aroma.

Ingredients:

1 (2-3 pound) roasting chicken
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 sprig fresh thyme – finely chopped
3 sprig fresh rosemary – finely chopped
1 lemon, halved
4 cloves garlic – finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tbsp of honey
Some vegetables like potatoes, carrots, onions, peppers

1. Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. For today I roast it butterfly style. To do so, remove the back bones of the chicken with a kitchen scissors. Open the chicken up, and flatten it a bit with your hand.
2. Combined the salt, pepper, garlic, chopped thyme and rosemary together. Rub it all over the chicken. Set it aside to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
3. Before roasting brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with a bit salt and pepper.
4. Place all the cut vegetables in a roasting pan. Toss with some salt, pepper and drizzle it with some olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
5. Roast the chicken for an hour – 1 hour 30 minutes (depend on the size of the chicken) or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. 10 minutes before the chicken is done, warm the honey in the microwave for 20 second and brush it all over the chicken.
6. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

Fettuccine with Saffron Shrimp Recipes

This is a really fabulous meal that not only fast to prepare but delicious. By the time you are done boiling the pasta the sauce is done. Doesn’t that sound like a plan for a tasty and sophisticated meal?

Ingredients:

½ box of fettuccine pasta
½ pound of shrimp – shelled and devein
2 shallots – sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic – finely chopped
1 cup white wine or chicken stock
1 cup of milk
1 tbsp flour
4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp snipped fresh chives
A few threads of Saffron – soak in 1/4 cup of hot water
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the fettuccine pasta till al dente.
2. In a sauté pan, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil. Sauté shallots and garlic over medium heat until fragrant and lightly brown. Add in the shrimps. Stir until the shrimp changes to light pink color.
3. Sprinkle in the flour, stir and cook for a minute. Add in the white wine or chicken stock. Stir well and bring it up to a boil and sauce thicken. Add in the milk and saffron liquid.
4. Once the sauce is boiling, add in parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste.
5. Drain the pasta and toss into the sauce, stir well. Dish out, garnish with some chives and serve warm.