Category Archives: Recipes

Nate’s collection of awesome recipes. Mostly involving meat.

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July 30, 2014

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Appetizers, Salads, Sides, Veggies

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Strawberry Fields Salad

Strawberry Fields Salad

I haven’t been doing my part in our joint blog so Nate coerced me in writing this one or else he wasn’t going to post anymore. 😛 Nate and I threw an intimate dinner and game night about a week ago so I’m deciding to share a small piece of what chef Nate had prepared. Today, I will be presenting a super easy quick recipe that is perfect for summer. It’s a strawberry balsamic salad with feta cheese. I’ve actually been eating this salad for several days since it was so yummy (mostly because I can’t cook). It’s really great for lunch or as an addition to a main course.

Main Salad Ingredients

  • Spring Mix
  • Walnuts
  • Strawberries
  • Feta Cheese

Salad Dressing Ingredients

  • Lemon
  • 1/2 cup EVOO
  • 1 tbsp Strawberry Balsamic
  • Pinch of Salt
  • Dash of Pepper

Recipe

  • To make the salad dressing, mix all the ingredients listed above in a small bowl.
  • Cut the lemon and squeeze the juice into the dressing. Mix well.
  • Slice the strawberries thinly for the salad
  • Mix the spring mix, strawberries, and walnuts together
  • Now add the strawberry balsamic dressing to the salad
  • Add fresh feta cheese as desired

That was pretty easy right? I don’t even think I needed the steps for the recipe. The feta cheese wasn’t too overpowering since it was balanced well by the sweetness of the strawberries. Overall, it was an awesome start to the meal and was our only veggie for that night. Bon appetit! 🙂

 

 

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July 17, 2014

Posted under

Fish, Pasta & Noodles, Recipes

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Shrimp Scampi Linguine

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Today was an easy going day. I left work early, took a nap, and decided to make a pasta for dinner. Shrimp was on my mind, so the obvious choice was to make a shrimp scampi. I really like shrimp scampi, but weirdly, I have never ordered it at a restaurant, nor have I ever made it before. I guess that is because my mom loves shrimp scampi and it’s almost a 100% guarantee that she will order it, which would allow me to finish her meal or at least steal some when we go out. But today I made it for the first time, but definitely not the last. Oh, and I got the recipe courtesy of the Food Network.

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Ingredients

  • 1 lb pasta (I used linguine)
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 4 tbsp EVOO
  • 2 shallots, finely diced (I used red onions since I already had some)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Pinch red pepper flakes,to taste
  • 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used a Pino Grigio)
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

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Directions

  • Salt and boil pasta, then drain
  • Melt 2 tbsp butter in 2 tbsp EVOO in a large skillet or saucepan over med-high heat
  • Saute shallots (onions), garlic, and pepper flakes until the onions are cooked through
  • Salt and pepper the shrimp
  • Add the shrimp to the pan and cook until pink/orange, then remove the shrimp
  • Add the wine and lemon juice, bring to a boil
  • Add 2 tbsp EVOO and melt 2 tbsp butter into the liquid
  • Add the shrimp, parsley, and pasta to the mix
  • Add salt and pepper and mix thoroughly
  • Eat it!

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The recipe online also says to drizzle some EVOO on top at the end, but I found this to be unnecessary since there was plenty of oil before that, so I didn’t add any.  This recipe was a lot simpler and quicker than I thought it would be, which is pretty awesome, because it was pretty delicious. Add some parmesan cheese and top it with some parsley and that’s it. Hope you enjoy it too.

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July 16, 2014

Posted under

Meat, Recipes

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Roasted Chicken Leg

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Hi everyone. It’s been about a month since the last post now. I have been on vacation for the past month, visiting Berlin, Paris, Bangkok, Siem Riep, and Phuket. That obviously means I have not been cooking, but maybe I will post some food pictures from my travels later. Anyways, today was the first time I have cooked since being back, and I decided to roast some chicken leg quarters because they were on sale at the market (when you are gone for a month, you come back to an empty fridge). It was a simple recipe that did not require a lot of ingredients, which was well suited to my current situation. So here goes.

Ingredients

  • Chicken leg quarters (or any part of a chicken skin on I suppose)
  • Seasoned salt
  • Garlic Salt
  • Thyme
  • Rosemary
  • Pepper
  • Paprika
  • Olive Oil

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Directions

  • Wash and pat dry the quarters
  • Cut off the excess fat
  • Separate the skin from the meat, but leaving it still attached
  • Mix the seasoned salt, garlic salt, rosemary, thyme, pepper, and paprika together in a small bowl
  • Brush the inside meat and the outside skin of the chicken with olive oil
  • Lightly rub the seasoning mix onto the chicken (both inside the skin on the meat, as well as the outside of the chicken quarters)
  • Place onto a foiled baking pan (make sure to space them out so they cook properly)
  • Bake for 45 min at 350 degrees and then at 425 degrees for the next 15 minutes (total 1 hour)
  • Enjoy

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I paired the chicken with a light mixed salad for a relatively easy and light meal. The skin came out slightly crispy, which is how I like it and the meat was still tender and juicy. It was probably a little too salty, so in the future I would definitely use less salt. But other than that it was a good and pretty hearty meal.

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June 9, 2014

Posted under

Pasta & Noodles, Recipes, Salads

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Somen Salad

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Today was really hot, so I decided to make a salad for lunch. Now when I say salad, don’t think lettuce with this one. This is more of a “pasta salad” with somen noodles, a really thin Japanese noodle. I got this recipe from my mom because I loved it as a kid growing up. She always loathed making it because of all the cutting, but did it anyways because she knew how much I liked it. The recipe itself is super easy, its just slightly labor intensive when it comes to adding stuff, due to chopping and julienning. But if you have a peeler that juliennes like I do, then its pretty quick. I should get my mom one so that she can keep making this for me lol. Anyways, here it is.

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Ingredients

  • 5 tbsp Rice Vinegar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Dash of ground ginger
  • 5-8 slices of deli ham, chopped (or some other kind of meat)
  • 2 eggs, fried, chopped
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 1 Cucumber, julienned
  • ~1 lb of somen noodles (the package I bought was 14oz)

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Instructions

  • Mix the vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and ginger in a bowl and refrigerate
  • Boil the somen noodles until cooked (be aware, they cook fast), and then rinse with cold water (you want the noodles to be fairly cold when you eat)
  • Fry the 2 eggs
  • Chop/julienne the cucumbers, eggs, green onions, and ham
  • Add them to the noodles, pour the sauce over it, mix, and enjoy!

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June 8, 2014

Posted under

Appetizers, Appetizers, Fish, Recipes

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Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

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Tonight I decided to make some shrimp lettuce wraps in order to use some left over vegetables from other meals.  I got the recipe from the Food Network and pretty much followed it all the way. This is a simple, tasty, and light dish, which makes for a good appetizer. I just wish they photographed better, but maybe the photography fail lies with me. Either way, here goes.

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Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 lb medium fresh shrimp, chopped and deveined
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 green onions, diced
  • 5 oz water chestnuts, drained and chopped
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce, cored, cut in 1/2

Instructions

  • In a bowl, mix the lime juice, 2 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, ginger, and garlic
  • Add the shrimp and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 min (I ended up doing all of this in a ziploc bag. Less dishes)
  • In a pan, heat 1 tbsp oil over med-high heat and then add the bell peppers, green onions, and water chestnuts stirring occasionally
  • Add the shrimp and the marinade and cook thoroughly until the shrimp are pink (~3 min)
  • Stir in the last 1tbsp of soy sauce
  • Spoon into the lettuce leaves and enjoy (I used a slotted spoon because the mix can get very watery and messy)
Before Shrimp

Before Shrimp

With Shrimp

With Shrimp

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Overall, it was pretty good and I would definitely make it again. Hope you like it too!

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June 4, 2014

Posted under

Appetizers, Fish, Recipes

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17 Comments

Hawaiian Poke Salad with Wonton Chips

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So last week Jenn asks me if I have ever had Poke Salad. Being Asian and a sushi/sashimi lover, I thought that was a weird question, because of course I have. And my awesome reaction was “Yeah, hasn’t everyone?”. Apparently not….awkward… Anyways, she said she wanted to try it, and I told her to order it whenever she goes out again. But then we figured it would be better if I just made it and we put it up on here, so here it is.

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Ingredients

  • Ahi Tuna (1-2lbs)
  • 3 Green Onions chopped
  • 1 White/Red Onion julienned
  • 1/4 tsp Fresh Ginger grated
  • 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
  • 1 tsp Sesame Oil
  • Chili Flakes to taste
  • Wonton Skins (thick)

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Instructions

  • Cut the Ahi into small cubes (1/2 inch), put in bowl, and refrigerate for ~30 min
  • Mix the onions, green onions, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili flakes in a bowl
  • Refrigerate the mix for ~30 min
  • Deep fry the wonton skins until crisp and golden brown
  • Take the 2 bowls out of the refrigerator and mix the tuna into the sauce
  • Serve with the fried wonton skins

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I topped it with a seaweed salad I got from a local Asian market for color.

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June 3, 2014

Posted under

Pasta & Noodles, Recipes

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12 Comments

Roasted Tomato Spaghetti

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So I was trolling Yahoo! Food and came across this recipe for a slow roasted tomato sauce. With nothing better to make, I decided to try it. I realized half way through that I had no meat to pair with it, and was super close to running to the market to pick up something, but ended up doing something more unbelievable…leaving it a vegetarian meal. Both proud and disappointed at the same time, this meal was decent, but not what I expected. I followed the recipe exactly, but it ended up being a little too sweet for my taste (maybe less balsamic next time), or adding meat (the salt from meat would probably even it out).

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Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs cherry tomatoes
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1/2 cup EVOO
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoons packed light-brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt

Instructions

  • Mix tomatoes and garlic in a baking dish
  • Mix EVOO, balsamic, thyme, brown sugar, and salt in a bowl
  • Pour mix over the tomatoes
  • Bake at 325 degrees for about an hour

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So after they were baked/roasted, I honestly did not know what to do with them. I tried to break the tomatoes and mix them to make a sauce, but while the tomatoes broke, the skins didn’t really reduce. So I ended up putting a few of the tomatoes in the food processor and pulsing it a bit to make a sauce that I could mix with my spaghetti. Overall, it was like I said earlier – not what I expected, but I would definitely try it again with a few adjustments.

 

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May 29, 2014

Posted under

Recipes, Salads

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Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Salad

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So with such heavy meals in the recent past, I opted to go for something on the lighter side – a salad. But, being me, I can’t eat lettuce and call it a day. I had to add some kind of protein, so for this salad, I went with shrimp. I made a cilantro-lime vinaigrette, so it seemed to make sense to also have cilantro-lime shrimp.

Vinaigrette Dressing (completely made up and based in no actual recipe):

  •  1/2 cup EVOO
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • Pinch of salt
  • Dash of pepper
  • Some finely chopped cilantro
  • Mix them all together in a bowl and viola

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Shrimp Marinade (also made up)

  • 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
  • Juice of 2-3 limes
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp EVOO
  • 3 cloves of minced garlic
  • Salt and pepper
  • Pinch of chili flakes
  • Finely chopped cilantro
Broiled over baking pan
up close

Instructions:

  • Mix the marinade and coat the shrimp evenly
  • Let the shrimp rest in the marinade for about 30 minutes
  • Skewer the shrimp and grill for a few minutes on each side (I don’t have a good grill for this, so I laid the skewers across a baking pan and put them in the broiler for about 8 minutes)

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Salad:

  • You can make your salad however you wish.  I used a spring mix and added grape tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and avocados
  • Add some dressing and toss lightly (Don’t put in too much dressing at first because it can become oily)
  • Add the shrimp and enjoy
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May 28, 2014

Posted under

Dessert, Recipes

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Vanilla Souffle

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So to finish our anniversary meal, I made a vanilla souffle for dessert.  I’ve tried making a souffle once before, but it didn’t turn out so well, so I thought I would try giving it another shot.  I found an easier recipe to follow from Eugenie Kitchen. This one turned out pretty well I think. At the very least it was a lot better than my previous attempt.

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Ingredients

  • 4 ramekins
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 1/2 cup hot milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp  sugar
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • pinch of salt
  • extra butter and sugar for ramekins

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Instructions

  • Prepare the Ramekins – brush the ramekins with room temp/slightly melted butter and then coat with sugar (pouring out any excess)
  • In a sauce pan on medium heat, melt the butter and add the flour (cook and stir for ~1 minute)
  • Remove the pan and stir in the hot milk
  • Put the pan back on the stove and bring to a boil, stirring often
  • Remove from heat and add the 2 egg yolks individually, stirring to combine
  • Transfer the sauce to a bowl
  • To make the meringue, whisk the egg whites in a bowl until you get firm peaks
  • Add the sugar slowly, while continuing to whisk
  • Add about one third of the meringue into the earlier sauce and whisk thoroughly
  •  Pour all sauce into meringue and whisk until combined
  • Spoon the mix into the ramekins and run a finger around the rim of the ramekins to help them rise straight
  • Bake at 390 degrees for about 15 minutes and serve immediately
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May 26, 2014

Posted under

Fish, Food Discoveries, Recipes

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Halibut with Lemon Butter

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So like I said yesterday, I would also post the halibut I made for Jenn for our anniversary. It was a halibut filet on a bed of wilted spinach and tomatoes.  It was topped with lemon butter and surrounded with fried shallots.  I got the recipe from here.

Ingredients and instructions for Lemon Butter:

  • Mix 1/2 stick room temp butter with 1tbsp lemon juice
  • Add a little salt, pepper, and lemon zest

Ingredients for halibut:

  • 1/4 cup EVOO
  • 2 tbsp of lemon juice (I just squeezed a 1/2 lemon though)
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic minced/smashed
  • Shallots cut into rings

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Instructions

  • Mix the EVOO, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic
  • Marinate and coat the halibut and let stand for 15 minutes
  • On med-high heat add EVOO to a saucepan and fry the shallots until crisp
  • In a skillet on med-high heat, take the halibut from the marinade and sear on both sides for ~3 minutes
  • Plate the halibut (I put it on a bed of spinach and tomatoes) and top with lemon butter
  • Surround with shallots and dig in!