BBQ Galore

Hope you all had a wonderful Independence Day.  In the States, it’s the “official” BBQ day.  So, here we go.  A recap of what we had to celebrate 4th of July with family and friends.



What’s a celebration without some bubbly?  Plus, the person who “man the grill” needed a chilled drink too, especially with the hot weather.  It was nice to add a few frozen blueberries to keep it super cold.



On the menu, we had baby back ribs, citrus marinated chicken wings and chicken drumsticks.  We also had some shrimps and sweet onions skewers marinated with olive oil and thyme.
 


BBQ shrimps are the best when you’re hungry, they were done in just a few minutes. 



Of course we needed more veggies.  I used to roast asparagus in the oven and thought they were good.  After trying these grilled version, I can totally start the grill just for them!  They were so flavorful!  The grilling really enhance their natural sweetness and added a lovely charcoal flavor at the same time.  These asparagus were really tender, yet still had a great crunch to them.  nom, nom, nom….



Corn was another wonderful item to BBQ.  These were particular sweet and juicy.  I had some crimini mushrooms wrapped in foil too, but they were all gone before I had a chance to take pictures.



The chicken wings are my favorite items to BBQ as well (I really have that many favorites!)  With a coat of honey at the end, they are out-of-this-world-succulent.  Yes, wings are a little messy to eat, but totally worth it because they are finger licking good.



I totally forgot to take a closed up shot for the chicken drumsticks, the wings are too distracting!  LOL.  The drumsticks were juicy and flavorful with a hint of smoky flavor.  Not bad at all.



By the time the baby back ribs were done, I was quite full already.  But, still can’t help but to cut myself a piece or two. 




For dessert, we had Nutella Macarons, Mixed Berries Sorbet with Meyer Lemon and Basil, and lots of ice cream!  We’ll have another BBQ party coming up soon to celebrate baby girl’s birthday.  Can’t wait to enjoy more BBQ goodness with my family and friends.

This post is linked to:

Full Plate Thursday
Sweets For Saturday

Broccoli-Beef and Shiitake Mushroom Rice Noodle

Just realized I haven’t post that many Asian or Chinese dishes on my blog.  You might see all kinds of breads, cookies, and desserts here.  But trust me, those are not what we normally consume everyday, although I have no problem with that at all…LOL.  On average, at least five out of seven days a week, I cook a traditional Chinese dinner, which includes steam rice and 1 to 2 main dishes that contains meat (or seafood) and vegetables.  I tend to make more simple dishes on the weekdays and perhaps make the more time consuming ones over the weekends.  Nevertheless, it’s still not a simple task to cook up 2 different dishes every night, let alone came up with new dishes to cook every day.



Thanks to my son, our dinner menu has been changed quite a bit lately!  He is a big time noodle lover, really, any kind of noodles.  Whenever I serve noodle instead of rice for lunch or dinner, he sits down quietly and finishes his plate in no time.  So, we’ve been eating noodles and pastas more often, well, a lot more often lately!  Happy kids, happy parents, why not?!  :)  Now, this Broccoli-Beef and Shiitake Mushroom Rice Noodle is one of the most requested dish in the house, beside spaghetti with meat balls and pink sauce.  It’s easy to make, delicious and very flavorful.  Of course, I have no problem cooking this, any day of the week.  Simply change up the protein and veggies and you got a whole new dish!  I used beef and ham here for the protein, you can substitute with shrimp, chicken, pork, squid or eggs.  Besides broccoli, you can use spinach, asparagus, carrots, enokitake mushroom, snow peas or bak choy for the veggies.  Why this dish is so delicious?  The secret is in the shiitake mushroom sauce and the noodle base seasonings.  Of course, I’ll include the recipe for you below.  After you try this recipe yourself, please kindly let me know how you like it.  :)  Once you’ve tried this recipe, maybe that would change up the dinner menu at your home, too.   

                                          **Giveaway**

Canadian Beef is sponsoring a wonderful giveaway at Kitchen Play. Simply recreate any one recipe from this month’s Progressive Party, post about the experience on your blog and provide a link to your post on Kitchen Play to enter.  All qualifying bloggers in each course will be entered to win $100 (6 prizes total).  This contest is open through February 28, 2011. Please review the complete contest rules before entering. Good luck!

I recreated the Thai-Inspired Beef and Vegetable Soup with Rice Noodles into my Broccoli-Beef and Shiitake Mushroom Rice Noodle.  Since I don’t think my son can stand the heat from the Thai chili,  this would be a more kids’ friendly version for him. 
 

                          

Broccoli-Beef and Shiitake Mushroom Rice Noodle:

Main Ingredients:
1 (14 ounce) package rice noodle
1/2 pound beef flanks, cut across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices, then julienne to 2-inch long pieces
1 cup cooked ham, cut into thin strips
1 pound broccoli florets
10 pieces dried shiitake mushrooms, soak in hot water for at least 2 hours or over night
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons fish sauce (I used the brand called 3 Crabs Fish Sauce, it’s the best flavor fish sauce out there.)
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
5 green onions, cut into 2-inch long pieces

Beef Marinate Ingredients:
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Shiitake Mushrooms Marinate Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
pinch of grounded white pepper

In a large stockpot, bring water to boil and blanch broccoli for a few minutes until crisp-tender.  Remove broccoli with a slotted spoon, set aside.  In the same pot, add the rice noodle and cook to el dente (check package instructions). Drain well and return noodles back to the pod.  Off the heat, add the fish sauce and sesame oil, mix well until all noodles are coated with seasonings.  Taste the noodle to check seasoning, add more fish sauce to suit your taste. 

Add the beef strips with the beef marinate ingredients and mix well, set aside.
Wash the re-hydrated mushrooms and squeeze out excess liquid.  Cut into 1/8-inch strips.  Mix mushrooms with mushroom marinate ingredients.  In a medium sauce pan on medium-high heat, add mushroom and sauté for 1 minute.  Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Turn heat to low and cover with a lid to simmer.  Stir occasionally to prevent mushrooms from sticking to the bottom of the pot.  Cook until 1/4 cup of liquid remains. 

Meanwhile, heat a sauté pan on medium-high heat.  Add a teaspoon of oil and sauté the beef strips until cooked through.  Remove from heat and add them into the broccoli.  In the same pan, sauté the ham for a few minutes until edges are slightly brown.  Remove from heat and add to the broccoli mixture.

Heat the pot of noodle on low, add broccoli-meat mixture to the pod, add mushrooms and all liquid/sauce into the noodle.  Stir and mix all ingredients together until noodle heated through.  Off the heat, mix in the green onion.  Serve warm.



This recipe is linked to:
Hearth and Soul Hope
Slight Indulgent Tuesday
Tuesday at the Table
Real Food Wednesday
Gluten-Free Wednesdays

Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg and Shaved Parmesan Cheese

What are your new year resolutions for 2011?  Is getting on a diet one of them?  If it is, that’s really too bad because “diet” is not on my dictionary list.  I’m pretty sure visiting my blog and looking at all kinds of mouth-watering food won’t help either.  Honestly, I love food too much to ever get on a diet (and yes, I always eat for 2 even when I’m not pregnant, according to my husband).  Plus, dieting never works for me.  If I lose 2 pounds this month, I’ll surely gain back 4 pounds the following month.  So, what’s the point?     

Anyhow, eating more healthy is definitely one of my New Year Resolutions.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not ready to give up my cheesecakes or dark chocolates just yet.   You’ll still see posts and recipes with cakes and desserts on this blog.  Of course, I do taste test on all my finished products (and sometimes, taste tests during the cooking process) before posting recipes here just to make sure the dishes taste excellent!  To me, moderation is the key to a healthy diet.  Eating 1 particular food group too much or cutting a particular category entirely from your diet never sounds right to me.  I always like to eat a well balanced diet and I DO count my calories intake (and to me, fluffy cakes contain ZERO calories).  Unfortunately, I usually lost count on my 5th visit to the cookie jar before mid-afternoon, so go figure.  Sometimes, I purposely eat a lighter brunch so I can have a bigger piece of cake for my afternoon tea.  (hm….somehow that doesn’t sound right at all!  LOL)   



This is one of my favorite light weekend brunch, Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg and Shaved Parmesan Cheese.  You can serve it with a piece of toast on the side for dipping if you like.  I love the runny yolk on my asparagus, it’s beautiful and delicious!  I made this dish with this Egg Poacher Set, which I received as a Christmas Gift this past year!  It’s now one of my favorite kitchen gadget.  It is so easy to use and produce perfect poached eggs every single time!  The non-stick coating does wonder and made clean-up a breeze.  If you don’t have an egg poacher, simply poach your eggs with a small non-stick saucepan with a few drops of vinegar added to the water.  They’ll come out perfect.  (Please see additional tips and recipe from this post below.)          

                                                                     

                                    **GIVEAWAY**

The American Egg Board is giving a year’s worth of eggs (valued at around $100) to six lucky food bloggers. This is your opportunity to prove that food bloggers are the new media by helping to break this story! To qualify to win, you can do one of two things (or both, separately, if want to increase your chances of winning). You can:

1. Write and publish an original post which provides a favorite breakfast recipe that uses eggs and includes mentions and links to Kitchen Play and the American Egg Board.
2. Venture into the world of food journalism by writing and publishing an original post discussing the new study which shows that eggs are lower in cholesterol, and how this news affects the way you cook with eggs. Posts must include mentions and links to Kitchen Play and the American Egg Board. For more information about this study, click here. To speak with a representative of the AEB, send Kitchen Play an email via the Contact page and we will refer you to the appropriate person.
3. This contest is open to US residents only.

Once your post (or posts) is published, leave a link to it in the comments section below. The contest is open until midnight, February 28, 2011. Winners will be chosen at random.

                                      

This recipe is linked to:
Recipes I can't wait to try
Full Plate Thursday
Thrilling Thursday Linky Party
Foodie Friday
Try it Tuesday
Saturday Swap




Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg and Shaved Parmesan Cheese:

Servings: 2

1/2 pound asparagus, washed and tripped off the tough ends
2 large eggs
a small block of parmesan cheese for shaving
olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly grounded pepper
a few drops of white wine vinegar (it helps the egg to hold its shape)

Preheat oven 425F. Place the asparagus on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil then toss to coat the asparagus completely.  Spread the asparagus in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for 15 minutes or until crisp-tender.

**Note: the asparagus I use were quite thin, if you use thicker ones, roasting time might be longer** Meanwhile, prepare the eggs.  Use a pan that is at least 3-inches deep so there is enough water to cover the eggs.  Bring water to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. 

Crack each egg into a small bowl.  Slip eggs carefully into the simmering water. With a spoon, gently nudge the egg whites closer to their yolks. Immediately cover with a lid and turn off the heat. Set a timer for exactly 3 minutes for medium-firm yolks. Adjust the time up or down for runnier or firmer yolks.

When ready, remove eggs from water with slotted spoon.  Place on top of asparagus. Sprinkle with pepper and a few shaves of parmesan cheese.

Salmon and Garden Vegetable Farfalle (Bow Tie Pasta)

Recently, some of my girlfriends (who are also moms) shared with me that they are struggling to put veggies into their kids’ diet.  Let’s just say, I’m very fortunate that both of my kids love vegetables (and seafood, isn’t that weird?)  In this post, I just want to share this delicious recipe with you all that you can “trick” your kids into eating more veggies.  This Salmon and Garden Vegetable Farfalle not only tastes good, it's also healthy.  For example, salmon provides your body with a great sauce of omega 3 fatty acid, which is essential for kid’s brain development.  (Read more Omega 3 health benefits from here) 



Kids are very simple, they like to eat delicious food (who doesn’t?).  So, besides making a dish delicious (and nutritious), make it fun, and make it colorful.  Also, get your kids involved in the cooking process.  That would certainly makes a difference.   This dish is so simple to prepare that your kids can definitely help out in some of the steps.  So, what are you waiting for?  Let’s get cooking!





Salmon and Garden Vegetable Farfalle (Bow Tie Pasta):

Servings: 6

16 ounces mini Farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
1 Onion, diced
16 ounces Salmon, cut into bite-size pieces
1 (14.5oz) Can Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano
1 Cup Fresh Mini Heirloom Tomatoes (or any cherry tomatoes)
1/2 Cup Sweet Corn Kernels, frozen or can
1 Cup Asparagus, diced (save a few tips for garnish)
1 Teaspoon Dry Dill
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
2 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain pasta, and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of olive oil, sauté salmon for a minute, then add the canned and fresh tomatoes, sweet corn and asparagus until warm through.

Add pasta and reserved onion into the pan. Toss, and continue to add the reserved pasta water a little at a time, to create a thin sauce that coats the farfalle (you may not need all the water). Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream until well combined. Sprinkle dill on top and garnish with asparagus tips. Serve and enjoy.



This Recipe is linked to:

Sharing Sister Sunday
Family Fresh Cooking
This week's Craving

Roasted Asparagus and Shrimp Salad

Summer is almost coming to an end, almost.  I’m still enjoying the hot weather before I have to re-arrange my closet (and my kids’) again.  Packing up the summer clothes and digging out the sweaters and jackets... the thoughts of them give me headache when thinking about it.  Instead, let me enjoy a plate of refreshing salad and wash it all down with a passion fruit ice tea.  I’ve been having salad for dinner quite often lately, at least 4 time a week, hoping to offset the sugar intake from the first half of the year.  Hahaha….does it work that way?  Probably not, but it makes me feel good, both physically and mentally, when I’m eating healthy.



The Roasted Asparagus and Shrimp Salad is one of my favorite.  It's flavorful and satisfying!  Not to mention that it is also very figure friendly and nutritious.  I always make my own salad dressings so they match perfectly with the ingredients.  Besides, I think the "store shelf" dressings are just too greasy…. with ingredients that are difficult to pronounce!  When it’s super simple to make your own, why pay more for the preservative or whatever they put into that bottle?!

With a salad this yummy, who wants summer to end so soon!?



Roasted Asparagus and Shrimp Salad:

Servings: 2

Salad Greens or Mesclun Mix for 2 people
8 Pieces of Shrimps (21 to 24-count)
1 Small Bunch of thin Asparagus
1 Small Handful of Grape Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil, chiffonade
1 Tablespoon Oregano, chiffonade
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 Teaspoons Honey
2 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, plus more for roasting
Kosher Salt and Freshly ground Black Pepper
Parmesan Cheese Shaves for Garnish

Preheat oven 400 degrees F. 

Wash salad greens and tomatoes, drain in a salad spinner.  Wash and pad dry the asparagus and shrimps.  Trim off last 3 inches of asparagus and discard (or use them for soup base in other recipes). Cut asparagus in thirds.  Place them on baking sheets lined with foil.  Use a piece of foil to make a small container (fold up all sides) for the shrimps and place next to the asparagus on the baking sheet.  Drizzle olive oil on asparagus and shrimps, sprinkle kosher salt and pepper evenly on top.  Roast asparagus for 15 minutes and take out the shrimps after 7 minutes.  

In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, honey, vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper.  While whisking, slowly add the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified. 

Place the salad greens, basil and oregano in a medium bowl and add enough dressing to moisten.  Arrange on plates, top with shrimps, asparagus and a few shaves of parmesan cheese.  Serve immediately.