Category: Cooking

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Stir fry Noodles and Chicken


I had two bundles of udon noodles pre made in the fridge and decided to make something tonight with them. Basic Stir fry noodles with shrimp and chicken. 

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined (I didn’t use the shrimp)
  • 1/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced
  • 2 1/2 cups chopped Napa cabbage
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 large jalapeños, diced
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 7 ounces enoki mushrooms
  • 4 ounces oyster mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup dried wood ear mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and drained
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons NAM PRIK PAO (THAI CHILI PASTE
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Thai Fish Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 18 ounces frozen precooked udon noodles, thawed
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • scallions, for garnish, chopped

Notes / Directions

  1. In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil. Add the shrimp and stir-fry over moderately high heat until curled, 2 minutes; transfer to a plate. 
  2. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the skillet. Add the chicken and stir-fry until white throughout, 3 minutes; transfer to the plate with the shrimp.
  3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the jalapeños, cabbage, onion, carrot and the mushrooms and stir-fry for 4 minutes. Add the stock, soy sauce, sesame oil, shrimp and chicken; remove from the heat.
  4. Meanwhile, cook the udon in a pot of boiling salted water for 1 minute. Drain and add to the skillet. Stir-fry over high heat until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with scallions and serve.

As far as mushrooms go, I have found that mushrooms can totally change the flavor of a dish. Choosing the right mushrooms is a point of personal preference and mood. That being said, experiment a bit.

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Feta Salsa Recipe


I was making some carnitas tacos the other night and decided to make a complimentary salsa for them.  I decided to add feta to my base this time. I use a 2 cup Pyrex glass bowl, which is perfect for two people (a I eat most of it). The flavors went very well with the smoked Carnitas tacos. 

Ingredients:

  • Half of a small white onion, chopped
  • 1 large jalapeño, chopped (include seed for any kind of heat)
  • 1 roma tomato, chopped
  • Handful of chopped Cilantro 
  • Palm full of crumbled Feta cheese
  • 3 scallions (green onions), sliced thin. 
  • 1/4 – 1/2 lime, freshly squeezed 

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in bowl, squeeze lime juice all over mixture and let sit, covered,  for at least an hour or more before using. 

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Thai Spicy Noodles, Pork, And Seafood Salad

Source: Heath McConnell
Servings: 2 servings

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

100 grams glass noodles, dried 

100 grams ground pork, minced 

2 small squid, sliced into rings 

6-10 prawns, uncooked, peeled and deveined 

1 large shallot, sliced lengthwise 

handfull cilantro, chopped coarse 

1 cup chinese celery, cut into 1/2″ length pieces 

1 tomatoes, sliced 

2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce 

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 

1-1/2 teaspoon packed light brown sugar 

4 bird’s eye chilies-red, chopped 

1-1/2 teaspoon pickled garlic juice 

3/4 cup cashews (1/4 pound), crushed 

Notes / Directions

Soak the glass noodles in a bowl of water for 10 minutes, or follow directions. Drain, cut, set aside. 
Cook the pork in a pan of boiling water for 1-2 minutes until cooked, then drain and set aside. 

Cook the squid in a pan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes until cooked, then drain and set aside. 

Cook the prawns in a pan of boiling water for 1-2 minutes until the shrimp change color, then drain and set aside. 

To make the spicy sauce, mix the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, chilies, and pickled garlic juice together in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved, set aside. 

Cook the noodles in a pan of boiling water for 1-2 minutes until soft and cooked. Drain and rinse in cold water and drain again. Transfer to a bowl, add shrimp (prawns), squid, pork, onion, cilantro, celery, tomato, and the sauce and mix well. Sprinkle with the cashews and serve. 

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Largemouth Bass and Noodles

Largemouth Bass And Noodles

Makes: 2 servings

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1-2 pinches crushed red pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 shallot, sliced fine

2 fillet largemouth Bass, decent size

2 eggs, lightly beaten

8 ounces rice noodles

1 cup bean sprouts

1 cup cashews

1 Jalapeño, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/2 to 1 cup mushrooms (flavors vary, so choose wisely!)

Notes / Directions

Mix lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and crushed red pepper until sugar is dissolved. set aside.  

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wok over high heat. Add garlic, shallots, cashews, and fish chunks. Cook until fish if opaque. Add 2 lightly scrambled (pre-cooked) eggs.

Turn heat to low and add sauce then noodles. Toss until well mixed. Add bean sprouts. Toss well.  

Garnish with jalapeño, scallions, and cilantro.  

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Coconut Serrano Shrimp Sauce/Soup on Rice Noodle 


It’s a cross between a soup and a noodle dish, but definitely needs a bowl. 

It’s been FOREVER since I’ve made shrimp at home for the kids. Today I decided to make them some. 

Serves: 4

Time: 30min
Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of shrimp (I used 71/90), deveined and tails removed 
  • 1 Tbls chopped garlic
  • 2 Lrg green onions sliced (4 if regular size)
  • 2 Lrg Serrano Chilies, chopped (seeds included)
  • 1 Tbls Cilantro, chopped 
  • Dash of lime
  • Brown sugar (I used a palm size amount)
  • 1 Tbls butter
  • Rice noodles

Directions:

  • Boil enough water to cover noodles and soak them for 20 minutes. 
  • Sauté the garlic and shrimp
  • Add can of coconut milk, brown sugar, green onions, chilies and cilantro
  • Bring back to a boil and stir 1 minute
  • Place noodles in bowls and ladle shrimp and sauce over noodles 
  • Serve

This could make a wonderful soup with the shrimp and some crab added. Your choice. 
Enjoy. 

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Bacon wrapped Jalapeño Poppers Recipe

  
  I came home hungry the other night and needed to make something fairly quick before heading out to a movie. I looked in the fridge and found seven jalapeños. I decided I was going to try my hand at making jalapeño poppers! 

I pulled the jalapeños out and looked for some cream cheese and other usual ingredients. I found none. So, with the clock ticking, I grabbed some jalapeño Feta (I bought a 5 pound bag last week), some pre-grated Cotija cheese, and the remains of a block of cheddar cheese.  

  • First, I preheat the oven to 400.
  • I then cut the jalapeños in half, lengthwise, and spooned out the ribs and seeds. 
  • I put equal parts of the three cheeses in a glass bowl and slowly heated to just before melting. 
  • Take a spoon and mix the cheeses together. It turned into a ball that resembled really soft dough. 
  • Fill each jalapeño halve with the cheese mixture. 

At this point, when I went to put the cheeses back in the fridge, I noticed some thick-sliced bacon. Yum!!! I decided to wrap them. 

  • I took pieces of bacon, cut them in thirds, and used each piece to wrap a jalapeño. 
  • Next, place a wire rack over the top of a 9×13 backing pan (to catch the bacon drippings) and put in the oven until the bacon is crispy. 
  • Let cool and serve. 

I love chilies! There are so many types of chilies, all with different flavors and different levels of heat. Experiment with other types and see what you come up with. 

  

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    Heath McConnell’s Pulled Pork

    This is a savory Dutch oven recipe with bite! Itypically refrain from having a pulled pork sandwiches herder in Oregon because I like the pork to have some bite. So, I finally decided to make it myself. 

      
    Ingredients:

    • 3-4 pound pork loin
    • SPG (salt, pepper, and garlic)
    • 6 Jalapeños, diced
    • 2 Radishes, diced
    • BBQ sauce
    • Tapitio 

    Directions:

    Take the pork loin and sear it over an open fire (or in a large, hot skillet). Do not let it start cooking. It is 20 degrees out and we have freezing rain, so I used the hot skillet method, however, I recommend using the grill.  

     Next, throw the meat in a 12 quart Dutch oven, cover with SPG, 40 ounces of your beloved BBQ sauce, Tapitio, and the diced Jalapeños and radishes. Cook at 350 degrees for about 6 hours. 

      
    When the pork is tender enough to shred easily, Remove it and place on a kitchen tray, baking pan or leave in Dutch oven and shred. Mix it all together and cook another hour.  

     When done, place on rolls and serve with a pickle and a side of veggies and fries or mashed potatoes. 

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    Cherry Tomato Spinich Marinade Chicken Bacon Tacos

      
    Prep Time: 1 hr
    Notes / Directions

    1. Combine cherry tomatoes, green onions, garlic, chilies and spinach in a food processor and purée. 
    2. Cover diced chicken with sauce and marinade an hour or two. 
    3. Take three pieces of thick cut bacon and use scissors to cut one inch pieces into skillet. Cook over med high heat till almost cooked. 
    4. Add the marinated chicken to the bacon and cook for a while. 
    5. Add 1 tbsp corn starch. 
    6. Mix and cook a bit. 
    7. Finely grate Cotijas cheese over chicken and bacon and cook mixture till nicely brown and lightly crispy. 
    8. Serve in corn tortillas topped with shredded cabbage and grated cheddar cheese. 
    9. Serve.