Here is the 2nd volume of my fabulous food finds. Yes, I am supposed to be on "a path to healthy living" aka "diet", but my stomach has been wandering...
Black Forest Cake from Safeway. I know, it sounds silly. But wait until you try it. Two scrumptious thick layers of dark chocolate cake, with a layer of whipped cream and cherries in the center. To top it off, more whipped cream covers the outside, and then, yes there's more, a layer of dark chocolate curls. For a store bought cake, it takes the cake. Pardon the pun... Just go get a cake. Slice it. Eat it. Enough said.
London Fog Tea Latte, from Starbucks. This is Andy's favorite, and thanks to a very chatty employee from there, we now know how to make them at home. Thank you "Jane Doe", you have now decreased Starbucks sales, and may prevent them from opening a location right across the street from you. Good on ya! Go get one, try it, and call me. I'll give ya the secrets. So good. And simple. Did I mention good?
Potatoes and glass noodles at Koryo Korean BBQ. They have these places in alot of food courts. The potatoes are fried, then sauced in some form of sweet creamy garlic dressing. The glass noodles look scary at first, but set your fears aside. Seriously. They are amazing. Enough said. Oh, and a tip? The jumbo combo? The name says it all. They give you 3 meats, 2 scoops of rice, and 4 side dishes. Yes, we order it every time. Yes, I ask "why did we order the jumbo" every time. No, I will not change my order the next time. Go enjoy, the staff is wicked, and the food is seriously amazing.
Any of the dim sum items at Fortune Foods. It's on Centre St., in a strip mall, close to the registry and a gas station. Find a phone book, google it, map it and love it. The owner is a family friend, and may seem rude as she is short with people, but she gets busy. Really busy. They roll ALOT of food out of there. Try the BBQ pork rice rolls, she'll try to sell you on them anyway. Her spring rolls are the best, not too greasy. You can dine in, if you can find a table--there are only 7. Or just get take out from the hot trays, or check her menu. She also has loads of frozen stuff--her wontons and dumplings are delish!
So there you have it kids, fabulous foods are everywhere. And the hunt shall continue...
I'm almost caught up! Kept tonight's sunday supper fairly simple, but still delicious. Made my own Crusted Dill Salmon with Stuffed Potatoes and carrots. So incredibly tasty and easy. The salmon and the taters cook at the same time, making it even easier to put it all together.
Crusted Dill Salmon 4 salmon fillets 2/3 cup light miracle whip 1/2 tsp. onion powder 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. dried dill weed dash each salt and pepper 1 dill pickle, finely chopped 2 tsp. dill pickle juice 2/3 cup bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 400F. Place salmon fillets in greased 9X13" baking pan.
Mix miracle whip, spices, pickle and juice in bowl. Spread on flesh side of fillets. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on each fillet.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked. Broil for 5 minutes or until bread crumbs are light brown. Makes 4 generous servings.
My Fave Stuffed Potatoes 4 bakers potatoes, scrubbed, dried, and pricked with a fork 1/4 cup light sour cream 1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped 1/2 cup grated old cheddar
Prepare potatoes. I put them on a paper towel lined plate, and cook them in the microwave for 10-13 minutes, on high.
Slice in half, and scoop out flesh, leaving a layer in the shell. Combine potatoes with remaining ingredients. Fill shells and place on baking sheet.
Bake at 400F for 15 to 20 minutes, then broil for 5 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired. Makes 4-8 servings.
Note: Before baking, these can be wrapped in foil and frozen for later use.
So here is part 2 of Volume 2. The best part of our Thai dinner, and it wasn't even Thai. I made Norwegian Riskrim (rice pudding). My parents had made it for dessert at Christmas, so I snagged the recipe. It's a bit time consuming to make, but the end result is fantastic. So, the phrase "good things come to those who wait", is definitely true for this recipe.
Norwegian Riskrim 3/4 cup rice 1 tsp. salt 4 cups milk 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. almond extract 1/2 pint whipping cream, whipped and sweetened with 2 Tbsp. icing sugar 1/2 cup chopped almonds
Raspberries, strawberries or lingonberries with liquid, for serving (optional)
Cook rice and salt in milk over double boiler, over low to medium heat (usually a 3-4), until rice is soft and mixture is thick. This usually takes 1 1/2 hours. Stir about every 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat, and add sugar and extract. Chill completely. Add the chopped almonds. Stir in whipped cream. Serve with fruit, if desired. Makes 4 generous servings...
So, decided it was time for some Thai food, and to bring some spice to our Sunday supper. So I created a Thai menu of Thai Peanut Chicken (slow cooker)-may seem strange to mix salsa and peanut butter, but it's sooo good, Pad Thai noodles and a not-so-Thai dessert of Norwegian Riskrim (rice pudding)--that is in the next entry. So incredibly good, and not overly spicy. "Thai" it, you'll like it! Yep, it's corny...
Thai Peanut Chicken 8 chicken thighs, skin removed 3/4 cup hot salsa (you can use mild or medium) 1/4 cup peanut butter 2 Tbsp. lime juice 1 Tbsp. soy sauce or fish sauce 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger (can use dried) 1/4 cup chopped peanuts 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
Place chicken in 3 1/2 to 6 quart slow cooker. Mix remaining ingredients except peanuts and cilantro; pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 9 hours, until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from cooker, using slotted spoon; place on platter.
Remove fat from sauce. Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro.
Makes 4 servings.
Pad Thai Noodles(from Eat, Shrink and Be Merry) 3 Tbsp. each lime juice and Asian fish sauce (be sure to use the fish sauce--it makes it so good) 4 Tbsp. sweet chili garlic sauce 1 Tbsp. each grated ginger and soy sauce 1 tsp. seasame oil 8 oz. rice stick noodles (superstore has good Thai ones) 2 tsp. vegetable oil 1/2 cup very thinly sliced onions (white or red) 2 tsp. minced garlic 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced 2 cups bean sprouts 1/2 cup chopped green onions 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts
Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, chili sauce, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside.
Place rice noodles in a large bowl and pour boiling water over top. Let soak 7 minutes. Drain.
While noodles are soaking, heat oil in a large non-stick wok or pan. Add onions and garlic. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until onions are tender, about 2 minutes. Add red pepper and cook 2 more minutes, stirring often. Add reserved sauce, noodles, bean sprouts, green onions and cilantro. Toss and cook until mixture is hot, about 1 minute. Add peanuts and toss again. Serve immediately.
Makes 6 servings. Note: You can add shrimp and/or tofu.
Time to get caught up. Here is the first official version of Sunday night supper. It turned out fantastic. I served it with mashed taters, carrots and peas. So tasty, and the leftovers are awesome for beef dips or hot beef sammies.
Caramelized Onion Pot Roast
4 lb.Beef boneless chuck roast (can use other cuts)
1 Tbsp.Vegetable oil
1 tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Pepper
6 medium onions, sliced
1 ½ cupsbeef broth
¾ cupbeer (Guiness works well)
2 Tbsp. Packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. Cider vinegar
2-4 Tbsp.flour
Trim excess fat from beef. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium high heat. Cook beef in oil about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place onions in 3 ½ to 6 quart slow cooker. Place beef on onions.
Mix remaining ingredients; pour over beef and onions. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8 to 10 hours, or until beef is tender. (You can put it on high for 2-3 hours, then to low)
Remove beef and onions from cooker. Cut beef into slices. Keep warm. Strain sauce into saucepan, over medium heat. Mix flour and water, and slowly add to sauce to thicken. Serve with beef.
Don't despair, there are more fabulous food finds, recipes, and raves coming soon. Things are hectic lately, but will be back on Sunday to start a new series of entries. Get excited! Jump up and down! Sunday night suppers are making a comeback! I started these up last Sunday night, making Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions, Smashed Taters, Veggies, and Popovers! So yummy! Will post the recipes after Sunday's entry. See ya soon and happy eating!
Here is the official first edition of Fabulous Food Finds. Basically, it is to rave about some of the fantastic food finds that I have encountered! Let me know what you think!
Gourmet hot dogs from Le Chien Chaud. The owners, Bob and Jane, are fantastic people. They have become adopted Grandparents for Liam! Be sure to check out their monthly feature dog--they have some awesome creations. Definitely recommend the Ukranian-a hot dog topped with mashed taters, onions, bacon and sour cream. They also have the Canadian-plain, but they have an amazing toppings cart, with a pepper relish. Yum-o! Be sure to check out their wall of photos, and look for Liam's picture, right next to the famous hot dog costume.
Amazing bruschetta and sub buns from Lina's Italian Market. Their deli is great too-excellent selection of meats, cheeses, salads, and a cafe. Their sub buns are $0.49 each, and so tasty. I put a garlic spread on, with mortadella, genoa, jarlsberg cheese, bruschetta and baby romaine. So good!
Nutty mac whites from Purdy's. A perfect combination of salty macadamia nuts, covered in gooey caramel and drizzled with white chocolate. They are addictive!
Last but not least. Cabbage rolls fromSunterra Market. They have a super meaty filling, and a cunky, zesty marinara sauce. Fantastic!
Hope you all enjoyed the first edition of Fabulous Food Finds! Let me know what you think, and feel free to post your fave food finds! Cheers and happy eating!
