Soy Sauce Chicken

From Tanya Eats

Soy sauce chicken. Its name denotes this is a simple meal that is anything but simple...well, except in preparation. Its simplicity in preparation is ridiculous and its intricate flavors are equally ridiculous. And that, my friends, is fabulous! Soy sauce chicken is Cantonese in origins...see yu gai is what our family calls it...my father's side, so in Toishan (Toy-san) you'd say see yu gai. You have now learned almost half of my Chinese vocabulary.

See the lovely star anise above? Well, if you haven't used or tried it before, go out and get yourself some! You can get a good-sized bag of these puppies pretty cheap at your local Asian/International market. They're sweet licorice-ish flavor is an integral part of this dish. You cannot...CANNOT make it without. Well, at least my version.

From Tanya Eats

Another fun ingredient our family uses...rock sugar. See the boulders sticking out in the soy sauce soupy goodness? You need them. I guess you could use brown sugar, but I was raised using these bad boys and will stick to them. Plus, I just remember my paternal grandma giving my sister and I little pieces of these to eat when we were kids. I've continued that tradition with my little rugrats.

Alrighty, enough babbling...

Soy Sauce Chicken (Li-Lee style)

• 1bunch of Spring Onions, cut into 3-4 inch pieces
• Ginger (a good 3-inch piece or so), sliced and smashed
• Star Anise, anywhere from 3-4 pieces (like my mama) or a good handful (like me)
• Rock Sugar, 1 box (typically 14.1 oz.)
• Soy Sauce, 1.5 cups or more (I usually do enough to submerge the chicken, but you could do more or less. If doing less, flip chicken over during braising process)
• 2 T. Oil
• Chicken pieces
• Sherry, optional
• Freshly ground black pepper

To start, heat about 2 tablespoons of oil up in a stockpot. Throw in spring onions and ginger. Allow to get fragrant and watch to make sure they don't burn. Pour in soy sauce, proceeding with caution since you are adding a liquid to hot oil. Add the star anise and rock sugar. Let simmer for 10 minutes or so while you prep the chicken. Make sure all that good rock sugary goodness is dissolved too.

At this point, trim away excess fat from the chicken. I'm not sure if I'd recommend removing the skin since the meat might get too salty. But, definitely trim away any excess fat since that all melts into the pot and makes for one greasy soupy mess. My maternal grandfather (who just celebrated his 99th birthday and who studied with chefs in Hong Kong) likes to rub the chicken with sherry first to enhance the brown color the chicken gets in this dish. I do it when I remember. The final photo is reflective of chicken not rub in sherry....since I didn't remember about the sherry-rubbing until I started writing this. I definitely do it when I remember...'cause my grandpa did it.

Throw the chicken into the pool of wonderful sweet savory soy saucy goodness. Season with some fresh ground pepper.

From Tanya Eats

Bring the pot to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Serve with rice and veggies and you've made an authentic Chinese (Cantonese, if you need the specific region) dish!

Congrats!

From Tanya Eats

Edamame Hummus

We finally have a Trader Joe's in the area and it opened up last Friday. Unfortunately, I missed the grand opening since I was in the SUV with my hubby & 4 kids (2 human & 2 canine) speeding up I-95, trying desperately to NOT MISS the birth of my sister's (Kim) first child, "our baby" (as she is affectionately known in our own little pod) Talia's grand entrance.

Did I make it? You bet I did! With an hour to spare before pushing, my hubby dropped me off at the hospital and took the kiddies home to grandma (who was already at the hospital). Our baby came in an hour and a half later and we couldn't be more thrilled!!! She is GORGEOUS and a GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD baby!!! We're missing her already.

Anyhoo...Jaron and I went to TJ's today, only to find they didn't have Sean's uber-fave edamame hummus (introduced to us by our lovely Kim). So, in honor of my awesome hubby who got off the sub and drove us up to DC in the nick of time...homemade edamame hummus. Which, I dare say, might be better than TJs and definitely healthier!

Tan's Edamame Hummus

1 cup shelled edamame (I used TJ's shelled edamame which yields an oz. more than a cup)

1/2 cup silken tofu

1/4 cup lemon juice, plus more for taste

1 large garlic clove

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more till desired consistency

Salt, to taste

Optional ingredients: cumin, cilantro, parsley, white pepper, curry powder, roasted red pepper, basil, etc.

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor except salt (I used a Vita-mix). Taste and add salt to desired taste. Add more lemon juice or olive oil, if needed.

Serve with crudite, pita crackers, or whatever...but ENJOY!!!

Taco Lasagna

Tacos were always a family favorite of our's growing up. However, prepping for tacos takes some time and that's something I don't always have. So, last night I threw together my quick version of a non-taco-taco....and came up with my taco lasagna. Obviously, it's not a new dish...I first tasted it when we babysat some kids waaaay back when. This was just a easy, fun, & tasty way to have our tacos & put some veggies in our kids.

Even though I'm all about things from scratch...when it comes to taco seasoning, I ALWAYS use El Paso Taco Seasoning...it's just that good.

Besides this being an uber-easy meal to throw together, I had the pleasure of looking out my kitchen window and seeing these in my backyard:

Tan's Taco Lasagna
Ground meat (I use a combo of turkey & lean beef)
1 medium or large onion, chopped
4-6 cloves of garlic, chopped (more or less depending on your garlic preference)
2 cans of beans, your preference (I used black & dk. red kidneys), drained and rinse
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1-1½ cups frozen corn
1 packet taco seasoning, preferably El Paso
1 T. Adobo seasoning

1 can green chiles
1 can sliced black olives
Green Onions, chopped
Corn tortillas
Shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar & Sargento's reduced fat Mexican cheese blend)
Olive oil

Toppings: Pico de gallo, sour cream (or if you're in our house, plain yogurt), green onions, chopped jalapeno peppers, chopped cilantro, Tabasco sauce, etc.

*note: I didn't use these ingredients, but they would be mighty tasty in the dish

1. Brown the meat in a large pan (if using a nonstick pan, use a bit of olive oil) & season with pepper (not salt since the taco & adobo seasonings are salty enough). When meat is almost completely brown, add about 1 T. of olive oil and onions. Saute until onions are translucent. Add adobo seasoning & garlic. Add packet of taco seasoning and water (the amount called for on the packet). Throw in beans. Let cook until liquid has reduced. Add tomatoes (and chiles and olives if using) and cook until liquid has pretty much cooked away. Turn off heat and throw in corn.

2. Preheat over to 350°F.

3. In a baking dish (I used glass), grease the bottom of the dish with olive oil. Layer the bottom of the dish with a single layer of corn tortillas. Add meat mixture and top with a light layer of cheese (or more if desired). Add tortillas. Repeat until meat mixture is finished. Top with another layer of tortillas and a thicker layer of cheese.

4. Tent with foil by folding a piece of foil in half, then opening it up and placing it over the dish...thereby having the foil not touch any part of the lasagna but still is protecting the cheese from burning during the cooking process.

5. Bake for about 30-40 minutes. Remove foil and add chopped scallions and bake for another 10 minutes or place under broiler until cheese is nice and bubbly.

6. Serve with assorted toppings or eat it plain...and ENJOY!!

Helloooooooooo Nurse...Snickerdoodle Muffins!!!

While checking out the newest posts on my fave food blogs, Em (aka The Repressed Pastry Chef) had posted about these snickerdoodle muffins. She pretty much had me at "snickerdoodle". The original recipe is from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody. How can you resist the cinnamony goodness of snickerdoodles...let alone in cake form???

I tried it and our family fell in L-O-V-E...or "lurve" if you're Celine Dion. I kicked up the cinnamon & vanilla (of course). I only added cinnamon to the batter on the second try since initially I wanted to see how it would taste with no cinnamon in the batter...which was tough for me since we're cinnamonaholics. Definitely delish with or without cinnamon in the batter. The original recipe was very buttery and crazy moist. I wanted to try to trim down the butter and cut out half a stick on the second try. It still was very moist, but did not stay as moist as long as the original recipe's results had. I also didn't have sour cream and used yogurt. So, below is, I guess, my lower-fat/cal recipe for these delicious & addictive muffins. Try the original or mine...either way...TRY IT!!

Anyhoo...thank you Em for posting this recipe...my own muffin top thanks you...it's back to elasticized pants for me.

Snickerdoodle Muffins

adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

1½ sticks unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

3 T. vanilla

2 eggs

¾ t. baking soda

¾ t. baking powder

¾ t. cream of tarter

¾ t. freshly grated nutmeg

½ t. cinnamon

1 and ¼ cup plain yogurt

2 and ¼ cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar and 3 TBSP cinnamon mixed together for rolling

1.Cream the butter and sugar until soft about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the vanilla. Add in the eggs one at a time and mix until each is incorporated.

2.In a separate, mix together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder and cream of tarter.

3.Add the flour mixture and the yogurt alternately to the egg-butter mixture in the additions. Start with the flour and end with the flour (ie. flour, mix, yogurt, mix, flour, mix). Scrape the bowl occasionally.

4. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out muffin batter one at a time and drop into a shallow bowl filled with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Roll the muffin around in the mixture until it is covered completely in cinnamon sugar. Place muffin into a greased muffin tin.. Depending on the size of your tins, you should get about 12 to 18 muffins.

Bake them for approx. 20-22 minutes in a 350°F oven or until they are golden brown.

Tanya's Garlic Tomato Herbed Pasta & Lemon Garlic Herbed Chicken

I started cooking at a young age. My parents motto was that we'd learn how to cook by helping them out. Being cynical, even at a young age, I thought it was just a ploy for them to employ free child labor. JK. Kinda. ;o) BUT, of course, they were right. I learned how to cook from my parents and grandparents and anyone else we helped out in the kitchen.


In high school, I came up with this pasta dish. The original recipe was all butter (mainly because Mom didn't buy olive oil at that point)...and now has morphed into a more health-conscious dish that is all olive oil. In between the metamorphosis, I started using half butter/half olive oil. But, alas, heart healthy extra virgin olive oil is all I use now...which incidentally, helps your body absorb the lycopene from the tomatoes. Scizzore!



The chicken recipe I got is inspired by *gasp* Rachel Ray! This recipe is great since you can vary which flavors you'd like to have for that meal. My constant is the garlic & lemon...of course. BUT, I'll use capers or rosemary for the variants. Any herbs would be yummy with this recipe. I dredge the chicken, giving the final product a nice sauce to use. Use more wine for more sauce.

The best thing about both...SUPER SIMPLE and quick!!! Plus, you can serve both of these dishes together. If not and for some odd reason you have leftovers of the chicken, you can combine the leftovers with plain pasta to create this:

From Tanya Eats

Tan's Garlic Tomato Herbed Pasta

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6-8 cloves of garlic, minced

Herbs of choice (Italian, Herbs de Provence, Oregano, Rosemary, Basil, etc.)

~2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced

White wine (optional)

Lemon (optional)

Salt & Pepper

Crushed Red Pepper (optional)

Pasta of choice (long pastas work better...I used Barilla Plus pasta for it's yumminess & healthfulness)

Boil salted water for pasta. Unless you're not good at multitasking, then this can wait till after the sauce is simmering.

In a large pan, heat oil, garlic, & herbs over medium heat. Heat until garlic is heated through, but not brown (brown garlic = icky). Turn heat up to high and add tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then turn down heat. Allow to simmer until the tomatoes have disintegrated slightly. Season with salt & pepper. You may want to thin out sauce with white wine OR wait until combined with pasta and add pasta water to desire consistency.

Before tossing with pasta, add a healthy squeeze of lemon, if desired. Slicing lemons and adding to sauce work beautifully as well. Add drained pasta and toss.

Tan's Lemon Garlic Herbed Chicken
Chicken Breasts (I use boneless, skinless)

6-10 cloves garlic, smashed

1 lemon, sliced

3/4 cup white wine (or more if more sauce is desired)

Flour, for dredging

Salt & pepper

McCormick Montreal Chicken Grill Seasoning (optional...I often forget to use it)

Herbs of choice (fresh or dried)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Season chicken breasts with salt & pepper. If using grill seasoning, tone down salt usage as the grill seasoning is salty. Dredge in flour and set aside.

Heat oil up on high in oven-safe frying pan. Add chicken breasts and allow to brown on each side. Add garlic & herbs. Add lemon slices, giving a few a good queeze before adding to pan. Place pan in oven.

Bake about 5 minutes. Add white wine and cook an additional 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Spoon sauce over breasts before serving.

Serve over rice or pasta and ENJOY!

Coconutty Celebration

Mama Lee's birthday was last month and we went up to DC to celebrate her hot cougarness. I got hit by this wallop of a cold...definitely the worst one this year but not as bad as last year's flu. I also shared the love with my sister. What makes that even better is that the poor thing is 8 months preggers. I'm the world's best sister....ever.

Anyhoo...I had seen this cake on Bobby Flay's "Throwdown" show last summer and it screamed "MAMA LEE". My mom loves, loves, LOVES coconut cake!!! I totally wanted to make it for her and was really looking forward to making it...until I got hit with this cold. It was bad news bears after that.

Still...my mom only has one birthday a year...well, actually, girlfriend has TWO birthdays a year...thanks to my granddaddy not reporting her birth until the day after (I'm not sure how birth recordings work in Honduras, but my mom's legal birthday is the day AFTER her actual birth date). So, I was praying that even though I couldn't make most of it down here before heading up to DC, I still could work on it when I got there.

I was still sick...really sick. Besides the boo hoo hoo for me, I was more concern about baking a petri dish full of my germy goodness for the family and infecting them all. Luckily, I was washing and sanitizing myself all throughout and I think Kim got sick after one of the kids kissed me on the lips and then kissed her on the lips. SORRY SISTEE!!!

Anyhoo...the cake turned out fabulous despite me being out of my element. The custard could've been better...but that was my fault...hooray for tiny baby clumps! Not! I switched it up and did two layers of the coconut cream and one layer of the custard. I also did a lightly sweetened whipped cream for the frosting instead of the buttercream. My mom prefers whipped cream frostings and I knew the cake was already going to be too sweet with the buttercream.

The final product...delicate, not cavity-inducing, coconutty goodness. I'm relieved to find out my cake-making skills are getting better. Baking is so much harder than cooking...but the end results are worth it!

Click here for Bobby Flay's Toasted Coconut Cake with Coconut Filling and Coconut Buttercream.

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

From The Lee-Espiritu Fam