Thai Beef Salad

Back when we had two incomes and zero kids we ate out at least once a week.  One of our favorite places was a bring your own wine thai place.  Bring your own wine, people. It was pretty pricey and definitely not kid friendly, so we haven't been back in uh TWO YEARS.

Despite our long absence, we knew the moment we tasted this dish we had created a perfect replica of Eye of the Tiger salad. Spicy beef salad with extra spicy dressing.

Also, how are my pictures are getting worse and worse?

Thai Beef Salad

Adapted from Shutterbean

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 12 ounce flank steak
• 1 head lettuce, wash and torn
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup mint, chopped
• 1/4 cup basil, chopped
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

Combine soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and garlic in a baking dish big enough to fit the steak in.  Add steak and flip it to coat in the marinade. Marinate for 15 minutes.

Prepare the rest of the ingredients in a large salad bowl.

Heat a light layer of oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook about 4 minutes on each side.  Add any marinade that left in the baking dish. Cook until done to your desired done-ness. Move steak to the cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice against the grain. Serve on top of the salad with the below salad dressing.

For the dressing:

• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ginger, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Combine!

8/22/2017 update: made a double batch of marinated meat and frozen half. It was wonderful, just had to cut up the vegetables and make a dressing.  Next time: make a double batch of dressing and freeze half too!

Coconut Curry Cod

This is one of those 'the uglier it is, the tastier' foods.  It would have helped a little if I remembered the cilantro. All in all this took like 30 minutes to make and most of that was hands off in the oven. AND the leftovers were even better.  When ya got it, ya got it, and coconut curry cod has it.

Coconut Curry Cod
Serves 4
Adapted from Simply Whisked

• 4 individual cod fillets
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 cups (or one can) coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons curry paste (I'm using 3 teaspoons next time)
• fresh cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Salt and pepper the cod fillets.

Heat coconut milk, ginger, and curry paste over medium high heat in a small pot.  Whisk until smooth.  Pour a thin layer of sauce in a baking dish. Place the seasoned fish on top (don't worry if it breaks up).  Then pour the rest of the sauce on top of the fish.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Serve over rice with a big portion of the sauce. Top with cilantro.

Homemade Refried Beans

Despite being called refried beans, these are barely even fried once. Barely.  They are also half-mexican approved. So there's that.

Refried Beans

Adapted from Whats Gaby Cooking

• 2 1/2 cups dry pinto beans
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup water
• salt
• cheese for serving

Rinse the beans in water and remove any rocks/dirt.  In a large pot, add beans and cover with plenty of water.  Like 4 inches above the beans. Bring the water to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 2 1/2 hours. Drain.

In a large skillet, heat up the olive oil and saute the onion and all of the seasonings.  Add the drained beans and 1 cup of water.

Blend with an immersion blender until desired consistency.  Season with salt and serve with shredded cheese.

Cauliflower Cheddar Tots

These are like tater tots...but a lot of work.  Am I selling it yet?  They definitely get bonus points for being cheesy and come with Henry's seal of approval. 

Cauliflower Cheddar Tots

Adapted from I am a food blog

• 12 ounces cauliflower
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
• 2/3 cups cheddar, grated
• 1/2 cup panko
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Boil the cauliflower for 4 minutes then drain to an ice bath. Drain well, pat dry, and chop finely.

Mix all the ingredients together. Scoop tater tot size spoonfuls of the mix, shape into tater tot form and place on parchment paper.

 Bake until crispy turning halfway through (about 20 minutes).  Then broil for 5 minutes to ensure golden browness. Enjoy with ketchup.

Sloppy Joe's with Homemade Hamburger Buns

It isn't a coincidence that there are no cake or cookie recipes on this blog.  I am not a baker.  Know this before going into the recipe below. The buns came out pretty dense. Like a hybrid between biscuits and breads. 

When I make something from scratch that I usually buy from the store and it doesn't come out like the store bought item, it always makes me think: what if my home-made item is how it's supposed to taste.  Like everything used to be homemade, bread was usually homemade. Then these factories and stores started making the bread.  People bought the bread and thought "hey, this isn't as good as my dense homemade buns, but it's so much easier to buy these light airy buns so I shall continue to purchase these goods instead of making them". 

A couple of generations later, we are used to the light and airy buns.  We love the light and airy buns and that is how a bun should be to us.  So we try to make it from home, get back to our roots, and we end up with this dense bun that feels off.  But the dense buns were originally right(!) and the factories were just wrong for so long that they became the new right!

Or you know...I just kneaded it too long...or not long enough. I'll do some googlin'.

Sloppy Joe's

Adapted from Everything Emily Eats

Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound ground beef/turkey
• cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Buns and cheddar cheese for serving

In a medium skillet melt butter and add the meat.  Throw in a couple of shakes of cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and onion powder. Break apart the meat as it browns. Once brown remove the meat to a plate.

Add in the onion and bell pepper to the skillet. Cook until soft then add the garlic. Cook a minute more then add the meat back to the pan. Combine and cook for another 5 minutes.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients, combine well. Taste, adjust, then let simmer for 15-20 more minutes.  Everything should be well combined and will thicken up. 

Serve with cheddar cheese between buns.

Brioche Burger Buns

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Makes 8 buns

• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 large eggs, divided
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• sesame seeds

In a glass measuring cup, combine water and milk. Microwave for 30 seconds until warm. Then add yeast and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes and it should get foamy.

In a large bowl or kitchen stand mixer bowl, whisk flours and salt.  Add butter and rub into flour with your fingers. Stir in yeast mixture and one beaten egg and combine until dough forms (I did this with the stand mixture).

Knead the dough on a clean and floured service for 8 minutes.  The sticky the dough, the less tough the buns will be so don't add flour while kneading.

Shape the dough into a ball, return to bowl, and cover with plastic wrap.  Keep in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours until dough has doubled. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 8 balls and place on parchment paper 3 inches apartment.  Spray plastic wrap with nonstick spray and cover buns.  Keep in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours so buns can rise.

Set a large shallow pan of water on the oven floor. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F with the rack in the center.  Beat an egg, and 1 tablespoon of water and brush on top of the buns.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake, turning baking sheet halfway through baking, until tops are golden brown (about 15 minutes). Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Redbean Chili and Corn muffins

Apparently I need a little more self confidence. Sometimes I prepare up to three new recipes for a meal but usually only one (if that) is deemed blog-worthy. Today's dinner had two blog-worthy foods that even 'go together' in a meal and I didn't get a picture of them together. So I present to you red bean chili and (scroll down a little) sour cream corn muffins aka the best cornbread I have ever made.

Red bean Chili

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

I learned the hard way that saving some money and buying chili powder from the international section is not only shaking your hand with the devil but licking him. Damn that stuff is hot. Don't do this, it will waste at least two pounds of turkey before you realize your damnable mistakes.

• 2 pounds ground turkey/beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can beef broth
• 1/3 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
• 14.5 ounce canned tomatoes
• 2 15.5 ounce canned kidney beans, drained
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Brown ground turkey in a large pot (with lid) over medium high heat.  Add the chopped onion and cook until clear. 

Add garlic and cook for another minute.  Add the broth and scrape up any browned bits at the bottom. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, cocoa, and tomatoes.  Simmer on medium-low heat for 10 minutes 

Add the beans, salt, and vinegar. Stir and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.  

Taste, adjust, and serve with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and corn muffins.

Sour Cream Corn Muffins

Adapted from Eggton

Makes 6 giant muffins

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray

In a medium bowl whisk together all the 'wet' ingredients.  In large bowl whisk the dry ingredients.

Pour the wet ingredients in the dry ingredient bowl and stir until combined.

Pour batter into muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Serve hot with butter (because what's a little more fat after that ingredient list).

Homemade Hummus Crusted Chicken and Squash

Hummus is easier than it looks to make...if you have a food processor...with all of the food processing parts.  I am missing my food processing blade which (of course) is the only part they don't sell on the cuisinart website.  The only thing more annoying than missing the blade is my inability to remember my missing blade (not where it is, just the fact that it's missing). I have everything prepped and loaded then I realize... so I try the immersion blender, regular blender, and finally my mini food processor... in mini batches.

Man I have a lot of blending appliances...and dirty dishes.

Homemade Hummus
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup tahini paste (found with the peanut butter)
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2  cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup reserved chickpea cooking water

Soak the chickpeas overnight with a ton of water. These things easily double. Drain.

In a pot saute the chickpeas and baking soda for 3 minutes.  Then fill the pot with plenty of water and a couple of pinches of salt. Boil for 40 minutes or until the chickpeas are tender (can be squashed with two fingers).

Reserve 1/4 cup of the water then drain the chickpeas. "Peel" the chickpeas by pinching the insides out and into a food processor. Discard the 'skins'.  

Blend the chickpeas for about a minute until smooth-ish. Add the tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, and salt and blend until pureed. Taste, taste, taste! If it has too much of a smokey/earthy taste add more lemon juice.

Add water one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.

Transfer to a bowl and let rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Next time: sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, paprika, fancy olive oil - the possibilities are truly endless.

Hummus Crusted Chicken and Squash

Adapted from Gimme Some Oven

• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 yellow squash, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 cup hummus
• 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Spray a large baking dish with non-stick spray.

Place zucchini, squash, and onion into the baking dish.  Drizzle with olive oil and toss.

Pat down the chicken to dry and place on top of the squash.  Salt and pepper the chicken then cover each breast with hummus.

Squeeze one lemon over the dish. Thinly sliced the other lemon and place around the chicken. Sprinkle the dish with smoked paprika.

Bake for 30 minutes. Serve!

Thai Corn Coconut Soup

We have very hearty dinners in this house. Steven comes home hangry and we eat the minute he gets in because the last thing I need is two whiney boys.  I realize we eat a lot but I just can't grasp how some of these food bloggers survive on their 'meals'.  We had Thai Corn Coconut Soup tonight while it was really good we both thought "okay now what".  This probably explain why my pants are so tight and I have to do squats every morning to stretch them out.

So this is great soup...for a side, or an appetizer, or bring it to a soup party (those exist, right?), but don't try to exist on Thai Corn Coconut Soup alone. 

P.S. I'm not a complete idiot and realized we would need more food about ten minutes before dinner.  I attempted baked cream cheese wontons and failed miserably...apparently there is more than just cream cheese in those things. Misleading.

Thai Corn Coconut Soup
Serves 3
Adapted from Shutterbean

• glug of olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon red curry paste
• 3 cups of corn, shucked and divided
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 15 ounce can coconut milk
• fresh lime juice
• cilantro, basil, jalapeno, fish sauce, sriracha all optional for serving

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot.  Add onions and garlic, cook until translucent and you can smell the garlic.  Mix in the red curry paste.  Add 2 cups of the corn, all of the chicken stock and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove from heat, immersion blend the heck of it until smooth, then return to heat.  Add in the rest of the corn (1 cup) and cook until corn is tender. Add lime, salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve with cilantro, basil, jalapeno, fish sauce, or sriracha. Or make it a 'suicide' and throw them all in.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower and Cheese Ssauce

Ohh the McFarling's got fancy.  I roasted up a whole head of cauliflower and not only was it beautiful, and it was cooked perfectly but... it took an hour and half. We even took it to the next level with some cheese sauce, because heaven forbid it should get too healthy.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Adapted from nom nom paleo

• 1 whole cauliflower head
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and place the rack in the middle.  Trim all the leaves off the cauliflower and cut and remove the stem but keep the head intact.

Wash and pat cauliflower dry.  Drizzle and rub olive oil all over the cauliflower. Then sprinkle with salt. All over.  Turn the cauliflower upside and make sure olive oil and salt are up there too.

Place in a cast iron skillet and cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for an hour. The top should be golden brown and the cauliflower should be tender.  Carve and serve.

Cheese Sauce

Adapted from Eggton

Makes two cups

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• sprinkle of nutmeg
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar, grated

Melt the butter in a pot.  Turn off the heat and stir in the flour, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.  I used 1/2 tablespoon of salt and couple of grinds of pepper.

Turn the heat to low.  Add milk 1/2 cup at a time.  Stir until well blended before adding the next half cup.  Stir constantly until the sauce thickens and smooths (it took me over 5 minutes for it to thicken and I turned the heat up a little bit bc hurryup).

Add cheese and stir until smoother.  Remove from heat and serve immediately.  Reheat if it gets clumpy.

Really good with vegetables, apples, and chips.

Memphis Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Apparently in Memphis, one of the many places I have never been, they put cole slaw on their barbeque sandwiches, instead of next to the sandwich.  I opted for both because this is the best damn coleslaw I have ever made.  I like to think the homemade mayonnaise had something to do with it.

Memphis Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Adapted from: Simply whisked

For the pulled pork:

• 1 pork shoulder
• 1 bottle of root beer
• 1 bottle barbecue sauce

Place pork shoulder in a slower cooker and pour the root beer over the pork. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Remove the pork and discard the root beer. Pull the pork, return to slow cooker along with the bottle of barbeque sauce. Stir until well combined. Cook on high for 30 minutes. Serve in hamburger buns with the cole slaw.

For the coleslaw:  

Whisk:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3/4 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon water
• 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon grated onion
• 1 teaspoon celery salt

Add:

• 1 bag of shredded coleslaw mix
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/4 cup grated carrot

Whisk the first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl to make the dressing.

Combine the last three ingredients in a large bowl. Add as much dressing as desired and stir to coat. Let sit for 30 minutes before serving.

Chipotle Chicken Salad with Homemade Mayonnaise

At breakfast we plan lunch. At lunch we plan dinner. And a dinner, we do a quick overview of all the food we get to eat the next day. The circle of meal planning. My favorite dinners are tomorrow's lunches. There is something special about meals that are even better the next day. Spaghettis, vegetable soups, and chicken salads.

Chipotle Chicken Salad with Homemade Mayonnaise
Adapted from Paleomg and Martha Stewart

• 1 pound chicken, cooked, cooled, and diced
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
• adobo sauce from a can of chipotle in adobo sauce
• garlic powder

Mix the chicken, celery, and onion in a medium bowl.

In a tall container add egg yolk, dijon mustard, and lemon juice. Pulse with an immersion blender until well combined.  Run the immersion blender while pouring in the vegetable oil in a steady stream. Continue running the blender until thick mayonnaise is formed - it took me like 10 seconds. 

Dip a spatula in a can of 'chipotles in adobo sauce' and mix into the mayo.  Do a little bit at a time and only add more after tasting. It gets very spicy very fast.

Mix chipotle mayo with the chicken, celery, and onion to desired consistency. Mix in a little garlic powder and refrigerate.  We served with lettuce in a tortilla with guacamole.