Vietnamese Cabbage and Chicken Salad

I came home from work and didn't feel like cooking at all. I was about to order a pizza when I stopped myself. No! I'm going to make something healthy! And I did. This salad is so crisp, flavorful and refreshing. I feel awesome eating it. I found the recipe on Food and Wine and altered it slightly.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3)
3 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed, sliced
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger
2 cups water
1 head green cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds), shredded (about 2 1/2 quarts)
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
3 carrots, grated
2 tbsp red onion, diced
1 cup coarse-chopped mint, basil, cilantro, or dill, or a combination
1 apple, such as Granny Smith or Fuji, cored and thinly sliced

Rub the chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil. In a medium saucepan, combine the jalapeño, ginger, and water. Bring to a simmer, add the chicken, and cover the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the chicken steam for 5 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the saucepan; when they are cool enough to handle, pull them into shreds.
Meanwhile, in a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the cabbage with the vinegar, fish sauce, lime juice, and the remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Toss and let stand for 10 minutes.
Add the carrots, onions, 1/2 cup of the herbs, and the apple to the cabbage mixture. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Serve the salad topped with the chicken and the remaining 1/2 cup herbs. (I mixed mine all up and I topped it with sliced almonds)

Kale Salad with Pecorino and Lemon

Ok, got this recipe here and the photo. Unfortunately, we made and ate our salad too quickly to get a proper photo. My recipe was identical except I added sliced almonds.

Note about Pecorino cheese. It's a sheep's milk cheese related to Parmesan, but stronger and more robust. Parmesan can be substituted in this recipe. But we really prefer the Pecorino - its strong, salty taste balances the meaty flavor and thick texture of the kale.

Ingredients:
1 large bunch kale, washed and trimmed of stems
4 ounces Pecorino Romano, grated
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Roll several kale leaves lengthwise and using the point of a chef's knife, cut away the thick center stem. Discard. Roll the remaining stack of de-veined leaves into a tight cigar shape and slice into thin ribbons.

Toss the shaved kale with the cheese. Whisk the lemon juice and olive oil and pour over the salad. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Let the salad sit at room temperature for an hour before serving.

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

Saw this recipe online and thought it sounded amazing so I thought I'd make it. It came out great! I don't think I let it reduce enough - next time another 10 minutes should do it, but we were hungry! 

Ingredients
5 tablespoons butter (I used fake butter - Can't believe It's Not Butter Light)
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage leaves
5 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 cups apple cider
2/3 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream
Chopped fresh chives (optional)


Preparation
Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, leeks, carrot and celery; sauté until slightly softened, about 15 minutes. Mix in apples, thyme and sage. Add stock and 1 cup cider and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly.

Working in batches, purée soup in blender. Return soup to pan. Boil remaining 1/2 cup cider in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Cool. Place sour cream in small bowl. Whisk in reduced cider. (Soup and cider cream can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)

Bring soup to simmer. Mix in whipping cream. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with cider cream. Top with chives (optional).

Tacos Al Pastor with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Got this recipe from Cooking Light magazine. This was the winner of my taco party. Salsa was amazing. Note: Making this ahead of time is not ideal as reheating dries out the meat.

Ingredients
Pork:
1 chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray 

Salsa:
4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices fresh pineapple
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons thinly sliced red onion
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 jalapeño, thinly sliced

Remaining ingredients:
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
8 lime wedges

Preparation
1. To prepare pork, preheat the grill to high heat.
2. Mince chipotle chile. Combine chipotle and oil in a small bowl; rub evenly over pork. Combine oregano and the next 4 ingredients (through black pepper). Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over pork, and let stand for 30 minutes. Place the pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer registers 145°. Remove pork from grill; let stand 5 minutes. Coarsely chop pork; keep warm.

3. To prepare salsa, place pineapple on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill for 5 minutes on each side. Coarsely chop pineapple, and place in a medium bowl. Add cilantro and next 4 ingredients (through jalapeño); toss to combine.
4. Warm the tortillas according to package directions. Place 2 tortillas on each of 4 plates, and divide pork evenly among tortillas. Top each taco with about 3 tablespoons salsa. Serve with lime wedges.

Nutritional Information: Calories: 305, Fat: 7.1g, Saturated fat: 1.3g, Monounsaturated fat: 3.4g, Polyunsaturated fat: 1.3g, Protein: 26.6g, Carbohydrate: 36.9g, Fiber: 4.7g, Cholesterol: 74mg, Iron: 1.7mg, Sodium: 513mg, Calcium: 51mg.

Garlic-Chipotle Chicken Tacos

Got this from Cooking Light Magazine. It was good but needed a sauce of some kind. 

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 pound chicken cutlet
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 small red bell pepper, quartered
1 small green bell pepper, quartered
1 small Vidalia onion, cut into 1/2-inch rings
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Preparation
1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
2. Combine garlic, chipotle, and 1 tablespoon oil; rub evenly over chicken. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Place on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from grill; keep warm.
3. Combine remaining oil, remaining salt, remaining black pepper, and chili powder in a large bowl. Add bell peppers and onion; toss gently to coat. Place vegetables on grill rack; grill 5 minutes on each side or until soft and charred. Place tortillas on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 30 seconds on each side or until lightly charred. Remove from grill; keep warm.
4. Thinly slice chicken. Divide chicken, bell peppers, and onion among tortillas.


Nutritional Information: Calories: 312, Fat: 9.8g, Saturated fat: 0.9g, Monounsaturated fat: 4.8g, Polyunsaturated fat: 2.8g, Protein: 29.5g, Carbohydrate: 27.8g, Fiber: 4g, Cholesterol: 66mg, Iron: 1.4mg, Sodium: 533mg, Calcium: 60mg

Mexican Grilled Corn

Street vendors across Mexico sell this style of roasted or grilled corn—topped with mayonnaise, chili powder and cheese. You can serve the unadorned corn on a platter with small bowls of the sauce, cheese and lime on the side so everyone can make their own. This recipe makes 4 servings. It's the bomb. Our friend tonight said, "This is the best corn I've ever had."

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon paprika powder
4 ears corn, husked
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 lime, quartered

PREPARATION
Preheat grill to medium-high.
Combine mayonnaise and yogurt in a small bowl.
Grill corn, turning occasionally, until marked and tender, 8 to 12 minutes total. Spread each ear with 1 tablespoon of the sauce and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan and paprika. Serve with lime wedges.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 98 calories; 3 g fat ( 1 g sat , 0 g mono ); 2 mg cholesterol; 16 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 3 g protein; 4 g fiber; 108 mg sodium; 19 mg potassium.

Brown Rice Stuffed Peppers

I used to eat these growing up and as a kid, I hated the pepper part. Now, I love it all. I used brown rice and extra lean beef to make it better for you. These are around 300 calories per pepper. Awesome!

Ingredients
5 to 6 medium green peppers
3/4 cup uncooked brown rice
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 c low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste

Directions
Remove tops and seeds from peppers. In a large kettle, bring water to boil; cook peppers for 5 minutes. Remove and drain. Cook rice according to package directions.
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the tomato sauce, herbs, salt and pepper; cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in rice. Remove from the heat. Spoon rice mixture into peppers. Place in a shallow ungreased baking dish or casserole. Top with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 15-20 minutes. Yield: 5-6 servings.

Meatpacking Uncorked

 As we roamed the streets of the meatpacking district last night, we got to have sips of wine and tasty snacks along the way! Why? It was The Cooking Channel's "Uncorked" event. This gem was from Aselina: Tomato panna cotta with olive granada and fresh basil. Also not pictured here (cause I ate it too fast) was a Pepper-crusted prime NY strip on foie gras biscuits from STK.

 5 Ninth was serving Wild mushroom toast with brie and roasted garlic aioli.

 From Macelleria: Mortadella with pistachios, cacciatorini, grana padano and focaccia bread.

Gorilla Cheese NY: Classic American melt with bacon and tomato. Also not pictured cause it slipped my mind was a braised pork shoulder slider from Bakehouse.

Calz

I grew up near a Calz. I have always thought their wings to be the best. Recently I had them again. The verdict? They are still the best. I love these wings for their simplicity: crispy skin, hot sauce, blue cheese. 20 pieces for less than $20 - with delivery fees. For your next football game, call a Calz for wings.

Halloween Banana Supreme Cupcakes

These came out super cute and super delicious. I love baking for Halloween. When I took them out of the baking pan I thought they were not cooked all the way. They just needed to sit a minute. The real banana weighs them down. P to the S, the decorations came from Marshalls. 

Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 4 small)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions
In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Alternate frosting with chocolate and vanilla frosting. (I colored my vanilla to be orange - DUH!)

Donovan's Pub

On one of my recent apt searches in Queens, we stopped at Donovan's Pub for dinner afterwords. I was let down by my shady broker, but I wasn't let down by this place. First, let me just say this place is SUPER CUTE. It's a very authentic Irish pub. The decor reminds me of something I'd see in a little town in Ireland. Our waitress was saucy with a thick accent, but charming as well. She made a point to tell us that they make frozen drinks because their bartenders aren't lazy. How awesome is that? This place is known for their burgers, so I had to try one. It's been rated Best Burger by dozens of places including Time Out Magazine. The verdict? It's pretty good. It reminded me of the burger I had at Peter Luger - a big ball of quality greasy meat, but this was better because it had toppings. Also, the fries were good. I think they are authentic to pub fries in Ireland, but they reminded me of home fries. Such a cute place. If I move to Woodside, I'll be back...I need to try their Shepard's Pie!

The Smith

 We had a brunch date last Saturday and we decided to try some place new so we hit up The Smith located on 3rd Ave between 10th and 11th. Curtis had the Country Breakfast: cheddar grits, grilled ham steak, biscuit, and gravy. He said the grits and the biscuit were okay. He was disappointed in the ham steak though. The ham steak was no steak at all - it was deli meat that they threw on the griddle. Maybe it could have been good if it wasn't $16. But seriously. $16? Should've gone to Alias.

Now - onto my burger. I wasn't in the mood for breakfast so I went for the Burger Deluxe: special sauce, cheddar, bacon, the works. Sounded promising. Big problem with this burger - it's impossible to eat. The roll is not soft so when you bite into it half your burger comes out the other end. I ended up eating it with a fork. As far as taste goes, it was okay. I've had better. Oh, but I can't fail to discuss the fries. AWFUL. It was like they took what was left over of an old bag of frozen fries with freezer burn and dumped them on my plate. Somehow they were cold by the time they got to me and they all stuck together like a big clump. A french fry nest of gross. Eat your hearts out NYU kids. I won't be coming back here, ever.