Rosemary Lamb Chops with Pomegranate Glaze served with Minted Pea Risotto

Season 8 lamb chops with salt and pepper, the add to marinade of chopped rosemary, orange zest, olive oil, garlic. Grill to preferred doneness.

To make the lamb glaze: Reduce pomegranate juice, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar with rosemary sprig. Add whole grain mustard, pepper, salt once the sauce reduce by about half.

For the risotto: Steep lots of fresh mint leaves (dried thoroughly) in warmed mild oil. Saute onions (without bringing color to the onions), then add rice. Toast for a bit the add stock to rice, stirring occasionally. Once about halfway done, add a big sprig of mint into the pan. Right before the rice is done, add pea puree. Serve and spoon mint oil over rice. Variations: use chopped mint instead of making the oil. May add Parmesan for richness.

Chicken, Coconut and Sweet Potato Stew

• 2.5 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, skinned (or a package of boneless, skinless)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 inches ginger, sliced
• 4-6 cloves garlic
• 1 TBSP paprika
• 1 TBSP curry powder or 1 tsp each of cumin, coriander, tumeric
• 15 oz diced tomatoes
• 1-8.5 ounce carton coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, cubed into big chunks
• Fish sauce to taste

1.  Brown chicken for 4-5 minutes.  Remove from pot.

2. Add more oil as needed and cook onions till soft.  Add ginger and cook for a bit, then stir in garlic.

3. Add spices and let bloom.

4. Stir in tomatoes, coconut milk and broth.  Season with fish sauce.

5. Re-introduce the chicken and its juices

6. Let simmer until thickened.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

• 2 lbs. bone-in skinless chicken thighs or drumsticks (I used 3 chicken legs)
• 1 can diced tomato
• 1 TBSP ground cumin
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder or 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp. sea salt

1. Stir spices and tomato in the slow cooker. Add chicken and spoon sauce over chicken.
2. Cook on high for 5 hours, then shred chicken.
3. Serve with warmed tortilla, avocado, fresh salsa/tomato and cheese

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken Thighs

INGREDIENTS

• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon oil for browning
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 TBSP soy sauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 TBSP orange juice
• 1 TBSP orange zest
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and chopped cilantro for garnish
• 2 tablespoons green onions sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat the oil in a pan over high heat. Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper on both sides. 
• Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side until deep golden brown. 
• Add the chicken to the slow cooker.
• NOTE: you can skip the browning process if you prefer and simply season the thighs with salt and pepper then add them to the slow cooker.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, ketchup, soy sauce, honey and sesame oil. Pour the sauce over the chicken thighs.
• Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours.
• In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the slow cooker.
• Cook for 1 more hour or until sauce has just thickened. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions, then serve.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (2 Versions)

The Sweeter Version: A clean unadulterated oatmeal flavor. Crisp edges and chewy center

Makes 16-20 big cookies

• 2 sticks softened butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 3 cup oatmeal
• 1 1/2 cups raisins

1. With a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars X 2 minutes
2. Add the eggs
3. Sift the dry ingredients together, then add to the egg mixture.
4. Stir in oatmeal and raisin by hand
5. Roll into 2 TBSP balls
6. Bake at 350 degrees X 22 minutes. Reduce time for smaller cookies

The Brown Butter Version: Lower sugar version

Makes 18 big cookies

• 4 TBSP browned butter
• 3/4 cups (5.25 oz) brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (3.5 oz) sugar
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 egg + 1 yolk
• 1 cup (5 oz) flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3 cups (9 oz) oatmeal
• 1/2 cup raisins

1. Beat the butter, sugars and oil
2. Add eggs
3. Sift the dry ingredients, then add to egg mixture
4. Stir in oatmeal and raisins
5. Roll into 3 TBSP balls, then press into 2 1/2 inch round
6. Bake at 375 degrees X 8 minutes

Thai Chicken Rice

One of my favorite dishes to get from the hawker stalls when I visited my family in Penang! I don’t know why it has taken me so long to try it at home! The sauce is slightly different than what they make in Penang, but I sadly can’t remember what it taste like. This sauce is Thai-inspired. I had trouble finding the right soybean paste, but the thick Chinese version I found was pretty close. It just needed to be thinned out a bit.

Chicken and stock:

• 1/2 uncut chicken. Trim the fatty pockets and some skin to render for the rice
• 1/2 onion
• few springs of cilantro
• enough water to submerge the chicken, you may also use a bit of chicken broth
• salt

Place the chicken into the cold water, bring the water to a boil, then let simmer till the chicken is done (20 minutes). Remove the chicken and allow the broth to cool. Season to taste. Should be just lightly salted.

Sauce:

• 1 scoop of Chinese soybean paste or a few TBSPs of Thai soybean paste (Chinese version is more concentrated and saltier)
• small amounts of dark soy sauce and regular soy sauce
• sugar and vinegar to taste
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced and pounded
• 1″ knob of ginger, minced and pounded
• Red chilies, finely minced
• water to meet the right consistency

1. Start with the soybean paste and add water to create a thin sauce consistency (like soy sauce)
2. Gradually add the soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Use a light hand
3. Add sugar and vinegar to taste to get a good balance of both sweet and sour
4. Stir in the ginger and garlic and chileis

Rice

• 3 cups of Jasmine Rice, rinsed well. Could use a bit of Glutinous rice to improve the texture. The sweet rice needs to soak overnight)
• 2 TBSP minced garlic
• 2 TBSP minced ginger
• 3 TBSP rendered chicken fat (Take the fat and put in a cold pan with a little oil. Turn to medium low, careful not to burn or smoke the oil)
• Enough chicken stock for the rice cooker

1. In a wide bottomed skillet, fry the ginger and garlic in the chicken fat on medium. Do not brown. Cook for about 2 minutes.
2. Add the rice, turn up the heat and fry for about 2 minutes.
3. Pop the rice into the rice cooker and fill with chicken stock up till the line for 3 cups of rice.

Serving:

Plate a bit of rice on a plate. Top the rice with sliced chicken. Serve the sauce on the side. Te left over stock can be served with the dish as well.

Gail’s Citrus Olive Oil Cake with Marscapone Whipped Cream Frosting

My friend brought over the absolutely stunning and delicious cake for CNY. Had to ask for the recipe. Although she used two different citrus infused olive oils and skin of home grown oranges, hopefully, the result will just as good with a light olive oil. I’ll just have to remember to do it during citrus season. This cake apparently sinks in the middle and get better with time, so could be make ahead of time. This makes one-layer. Double the recipe for a two layer cake.

• 1 1/2 cups (195g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 cups (380g) sugar
• 2 tsp orange zest
• 2/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 2/3 cup olive oil

1. Butter a springform or 9-inch cake pan. If using a cake pan, line the bottom with greased parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients
3. With an electric mixer, beat the eggs, then gradually add the sugar, beating until thick and pale yellow. Beat in the orange zest till well combine
4. In a measuring cup, combine the orange juice and oil.
5. Add the dry ingredients and the oil to the egg mixture, alternating and in thirds.
6. Bake at 375 degrees. Check after 30 minutes and cover if it’s browning too quickly. Should bake for about 50 minutes.
7. Try opening the oven and leaving the cake in there to minimize the falling.
8. Let cool and top with powdered sugar or the frosting below

Marscapone and Whipped Cream Frosting (for 1 layer)

• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2-4 TBSP cup powdered sugar
• 4 oz marcapone cheese
• few TBSPs of citrus curd or jam
• orange zest

Doctored TJ’s Cake Mix-Raspberry

One box of vanilla cake mix probably would be been just enough to make a two-layer 6-inch cake. Made this cake for V’s first birthday cake. I was intrigued by this cake mix because the ingredient list is very similar to a homemade cake and not full of artificial ingredients and stabilizers. This would be great with fresh raspberries and whipped cream frosting

• One box of TJ’s vanilla cake mix
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 bag of TJ’s freeze dried raspberries
• 1/2 cup of whole milk raspberry or whole milk Greek yogurt or plain sour cream
• 1 stick melted butter
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 eggs

1. Pulse raspberries in a food processor to make a fine powder. Let soak in the milk.
2. Beat in eggs, oil, butter and yogurt into the milk. Then add cake mix.
3. Pour into pans and bake at 350 degrees until the center is done