Cold Peanut-Noodle Salad Recipe

I found this recipe for Cold Peanut-Noodle Salad by searching for recipes with the ingredient cilantro. I had some leftover from Scallop Ceviche (which I highly recommend) and I could simply not let such flavor go to waste.  The concept sounded delicious and the picture was enticing.  Peanuts?  Yes please.  However, read the ingredients...there is no peanut butter in this dish.  What could possibly be better than peanut butter?  Exactly.  


I made a few changes at the recommendation of the BF.  Instead of buying all the veggies (Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, scallions) he bought a broccoli / cabbage slaw mix from Trader Joe's.  The rationale of this decision being why do all the work, when someone else can do it for you? Everything else about the recipe I followed.


Verdict?  The BF loved it and is taking it for work tomorrow.  He did, however, suggest more salt and possibly peanut butter be added next time.  I couldn't agree more with that suggestion, but overall I was not blown away.  This is so easy to make that if I could find a good "dressing" for the noodles then this could be an fast, quick dinner recipe.  Plus you get lots of fiber from the whole wheat noodles and veggies.  


P.S. The croutons are still amazing.  Why did I ever think to diet when there is so much good food in this world?  


My next mission is to master a copycat to Houston's AMAZING veggie burger.  

Homemade Crouton recipe

If you want to know the nutritional value of this, I have no idear.  All I know is I make awesome croutons.  One of the many good ways to use up old bread.  


Recipe:
- 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil, more if you have a lot of bread
- Any stale bread from baguettes to sandwich bread to English Muffins.  (FYI: stale means old, not moldy.  Through the moldy stuff out!)
- Seasoning to your preference. Some ideas:
     • salt
     • pepper
     • garlic
     • Mrs. Dash
     • Italian seasoning
     • oregano
     • parsley
- Parmesan cheese 


Note: For this batch I used salt, pepper, seasoned salt, oregano


1. Preheat oven to 300
2. Mix olive oil and desired spices in large bowl (Note: bowl should be large enough to hold all pieces of bread with room to mix them)
3. Cut up the bread into bite size pieces 

4. Through all the bread in the oil and mix until the bread has absorbed the oil mixture (Note: many websites tell you to spread the oil on the bread, which may be beneficial if you are trying to shave off calories, but good croutons need to be somewhat saturated in oil.)

5. Spread bread pieces on a baking sheet

6. Bake for 20 minutes and then flip croutons
7. Bake 20 minutes longer and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese for 5 more minutes of cook time (Total: 45 minutes, but more or less depending on width of bread)
8. Let cool and enjoy!


These croutons are good for 2 weeks as long as you keep them in a ziploc bag or other airtight container.  

Beef Wellington

I may not have had any water last night, but never fear.  I was still able to make this mock Ground Beef Wellington with the help of my lovely assistant, aka the boyfriend.

It was pretty damn good.  Only thing I would change is I wouldn't use their suggestion to cover the Wellington in their mushroom sauce.  I would incorporate all the sauce with the meat mixture and then make a mushroom gravy.  Also I would add more mushrooms to the filling.  Once I figure out the best way to make this recipee the most tasty I will update. 

This recipee honestly was so easy and would be great for a nice dinner party.

Recipe here. 

Christmas Eve Dinner

The boyfriend traditionally does not eat meat on Christmas Eve.  Never wanting to be one to break tradition of any sort (unless it has direct harm to myself or my feelings), I wanted to make a meal that would carry on this no meat policy.  The solution was an array of veggie and seafood appetizers, and lots of them.  Unfortunately I did not get good pictures because it was dark and I used an iPhone, but I will try and post better pics at a later time.  

Here is my mother's two dishes.  She made a salmon dip spread and canelli beans in endive.  I will get her recipe upon request.  

I made marinated asparagus, because frankly you need your greens.  I blanch the asparagus in boiling water until they turn bright green (about 3-5 minutes).  Then I cover then in drizzled olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper to taste, and top it off with shaved parmesan-reggiano cheese.  It is delicious and really lives up asparagus.

This is a picture of Seared Scallops with Garlic Parsley Butter (click here for recipe) was personally my favorite dish of the evening.  It was very easy to make and was definitely 5 stars worthy.  It was categorized as an appetizer, but despite getting huge succulent scallops, this easily could have been an elegant entree.  And the yukon gold potato puree that accompanies it is literally easy, delicious mashed potatoes.  

This is a picture of all the other dishes we ate.  

• Sizzling Sherry Shrimp with Garlic - Very easy to make.  Use some crusty bread to soup up the oil and garlic sauce.  4/5 stars (Click here for recipe)
• Absolutely Amazing Ahi - An OMG it was amazing!  We purchased sushi grade ahi and despite forgetting the cucumbers, this recipe was out of this world! 5/5 stars. If others didn't see you making this dish, they would think it was purchased at a fancy Japanese restaurant.  (Click here for recipe) 
• Jalapeno Popper Wontons - My poppers definitely did not come out like the picture in the recipe, but they were delicious and the dad could not get enough of them.  Neither could I.  This was my first time deep frying and I used an electric fry pan.  Easiest dish of the night and 4/5 stars alone 4.5/5 with the sweet chili dipping sauce.  (Click here for recipe)

Did you really think I wouldn't make a dessert?  Puhlease.  I made the Malt Shop Ice Cream Pie on the 23rd and put the finishing touches together on Christmas Eve.  This was to ensure that the ice cream pie would in fact become a solid entity.  And oh boy did it.  Easier than I thought and everyone had seconds.  (Click here for recipe)  

The boyfriend stated it was the best Christmas Eve meal he has ever had.  Anything for the birthday boy!  

Anthony Bourdain's Mushroom Soup

Anthony Bourdain's mushroom soup from his Les Halles Cookbook is something I definitely have to rave about.  It's easy to prepare,  even easier to make, and tastes 5 star worthy.  The most grueling chore of this soup is slicing the onions. 

Even though Anthony Bourdain is food god, I use a suggestion from Kalyn's Kitchen and add dried mushrooms, reconstituted in water.  My personal choice is chanterelles, but since mushrooms can get expensive go with what you can afford.  (I buy about 1 oz. or more depending on the audience.)

So if you are going to try making Bourdain's delicious soup I highly recommend following everything he says, but reconstituting the mushrooms first and then throwing the dried mushrooms in with the chicken stock.  I've had the soup both ways, and the later is even more superb, if you can imagine that.  Thank you Kalyn!  And don't forget lot's of salt and pepper.  You need the salt to balance the sweetness of the sherry.  (And I'm a salt-a-phobe.)

Anthony Bourdain's Mushroom Soup

Kalyn's Kitchen Double Mushroom Soup (Inspired by Bourdain) 

Bacon Mac with Green Onions

Yield: 6 Servings (approximately 1 cup)

Side note: Prep everything in advance. Once the pasta begins boiling start the sauce.  The milk takes longer than anticipated to boil

Ingredients:

• 3 1/4  teaspoons  salt, divided
• 12  ounces  whole wheat penne pasta
• 4  teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2  cups  skim milk, divided
• 2  cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided (I like the New Zealand Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese from Trader Joe's)
  
• 1/4  cup  sliced green onions or Chives
  
• 1  teaspoon  hot sauce (the spicer, the better)
  
• 1/4  teaspoon  pepper
• 2  slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Cooking spray

 The How To:

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Bring 6 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add pasta; cook 8 minutes or until al dente; drain.

3. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add 1 cup milk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until it cools to 155°. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, onions, hot sauce, pepper, and bacon; stir. Add pasta; toss. Spoon into a 2-quart broiler-safe dish coated with cooking spray; top with 1/2 cup cheese. Broil 7 minutes.

Side note: Since I forgot to put the chives in during set 3 we blended them in the magic bullet with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese that needed to be grated.  This made like cream cheese like consistency that was delicious and that I put on chunks of the pasta concoction to be broiled.  The finished product will not be green on top if you follow the above directions. 

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.  

- Harriet Van Horne