chicken lettuce wraps

Ahhh blogs.  Apparently they are not exempt to the dynamics of human personality.  I was reading recently about a huge uproar caused by some bloggers believing that others are "stealing their recipes" and posting it straight on their blogs...with a small "adapted by" line.  Can very many people really claim to have created a recipe in its entirety?  Most recipes out there are usually an adaptation at the least and even if we think we've created a new one, well, someone else has probably tried those twists too. I really don't get the drama.  I could see the frustration with creating a unique and popular concept and having others post it without linking back to to your site. That's just courtesy.   And if we've used another blog to find a recipe, then followed the recipe precisely and decided to post it, I'd agree that a link back to the original poster is appropriate.   I think adaptations outside of changing the vanilla from 1 tsp to 1.5 tsps, are indeed adaptations though, and pretty fair in the recipe world.

Let's take for instance a recipe that I found in my Food Network magazine for a version of PF Chang's lettuce wraps.  I'd clipped the recipe and finally got around to making it.  Of course, I made adaptations.  I cut a the oyster sauce in half, changed the veggies, added some honey to the sauce, cut the cornstarch,  etc.  I was going to say this recipe was an adaptation of the FN recipe...I think that's pretty fair.  Then I went back on my blog and saw that aside from the oyster sauce, these wraps are more similar to the lettuce wraps I posted a few years ago with the most atrocious photo.  So really, would it be an adaptation of my recipe?  Where did I get the idea for that recipe?  Did FN adapt my recipe for their magazine?  Can you see in that last question the ridiculousness of claiming that a recipe is stolen?  And really, don't most food bloggers blog to share recipes? That's just my two cents. 

Chicken lettuce wraps are pretty phenomenal even if the recipe is stolen from 13th century Mongol tribes.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

adapted from: who knows

Ingredients

For the Chicken:
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, diced

For the Stir-Fry Sauce:
1 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tbsp honey

For the Stir-Fry:
2 tablespoons peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced peeled ginger
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 cup shredded carrots

Small lettuce leaves, for serving

Soy sauce and sweet chili sauce

Directions

1. Prepare the chicken: Dice chicken and toss with sherry Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
2. Make the stir-fry sauce: Whisk 1/3 cup water, the oyster, hoisin and soy sauces,  then whisk in the cornstarch until dissolved.
3. Make the stir-fry: Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add  in the garlic, ginger and jalapeno and  then add  stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the carrots and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the stir-fry sauce  and cook 1 minute.
4. Serve chicken with lettuce leaves and soy sauce and or sweet chili sauce for dipping.

Sloppy Lentils

I used to make sloppy joes with crumbled tofu.  Sounds a bit weird but my meat loving friends actually really loved it...in the end it's all about the sauce and the comfort of the squishy but slighly toasted bun.  Last year a friend recommended I try the recipe with lentils....and I've been hooked ever since.  I don't think I've made the tofu version since.  This recipe is quick and easy to throw together and at $1.20 for a bag of lentils, you get some pretty phenomenal protein punch for next to nothing. 

You can serve these up nacho style as well. I once offered to make my BIL any dinner he wanted when I was staying with them for a few weeks in April.  He asked for taco joes which is a dish his mom made-- a combination taco, sloppy joe served on Doritos with cheese...kind of like a big nacho.  I made myself lentil sloppy joes and served it up on tortilla chips with grated cheese and diced onion and have to say it was a thing of beauty.  

Sloppy Lentils

1 cup chopped onion
1-2 diced jalapenos (optional)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup lentils, rinsed
2 1/2 cups water
1/2-1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon mustard powder
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tbsp worcestershire (optional--leave out for a vegan version)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 hamburger buns, split

Directions
1. In a medium saucepan combine lentils, onions, jalapeno and garlic and mix well. Add ketchup, tomato paste, water, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire (if using), brown sugar, Bring to bubbling, then reduce heat, and cover.
3. Cook for about 30 mins, stirring regularly, adding more water if needed until lentils are cooked but still hold their shape.  Season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve on toasted buns.
Serves 4

Cookbook #75 Mesa Grill and Ranch Style Eggs Tostada

Mmmm...Mesa Grill...love those southwestern flavors.  I came home from my sister's bday brunch at Mesa Grill thinking about all of the phenomenal sounding recipes on the menu.  It took me a good 2 weeks to remember I had a Mesa Grill cookbook.  That is danger in having entirely way too many of them.

Funny thing is, I adored this cookbook for the first few months--I  used it nonstop.  How I forgot it was in my library is beyond me, especially after visiting Mesa Grill at Caesars. When I remembered, I skipped (okay I don't skip, but why is that we stop skipping and galloping as adults?) over to the bookshelf, pulled it off the shelf and flipped expectantly through the pages to see if anything sounded similar to the current menu items.  Know what?  Mesa Grill apparently does not radically change their menu a lot because there were tons of recipes that I'd seen on the menu, that I could now try at home.  I'm definitely not complaining here because I had the hardest time deciding what to order when I was there.  I wanted to try a little of everything....Queso Fundido,  Blue Corn Waffle, Scrambled Eggs Chilaquiles. All of these, or some variation are in the cookbook.  I wish I could write some indepth and profound cookbook review here, but really, it can all be summed up with, "I love this cookbook...again."

When we were at Mesa Grill I finally decided upon the Ranch Style Eggs Tostada.  Remember how I mentioned in that post that I didn't get a good shot?  Well, I'll share the bad shot just so you can see how clever Mesa Grill really is.  Crispy tortilla, scrambled eggs, cheese and the most outstanding chili sauce...

I was a bit dubious on whether the cookbook had the real recipe.  The restaurant sauce was a bit fiery, but also had a bit of sweetness.  It was definitely worth trying at least.

I substituted 1 tbsp of Chipotle powder because I didn't have the pasilla powder that the cookbook called for.  And here's where I'll share the most profound cooking info ever.  If a recipe calls for a 15 oz can of tomatoes (or 15 oz can of anything really) and you only happen to have a 28oz can, you don't actually have to tear your pantry apart for a 15 oz can or become sad at the anticipation of making a grocery store run for one ingredient.  You can actually open the big can and use less.  You would think that is obvious, but it took me a good hour of scouring and cleaning my pantry out and almost getting dressed for the store, to realize this. 

Some would say this onion and chili powder concoction looks a bit scary, but for those who appreciate a fiery pepper, this screams yummy heat.

A bit of red wine, and the tomatoes...

And you have the deliciousness that is the tomato chili sauce.  The cookbook calls for finely dicing the ingredients, but I opted for a regular dice and an immersion blender to make a less chunky sauce.  I swear I couldn't live without that stick blender.

The sauce is probably the major force in this recipe since all of the other parts are just your standard scrambled cheesy eggs or fried tortilla.  I added some mushrooms to my pan before adding the scrambled egg.  I'm sure Mr. Flay thought long and hard about not adding any veggies or other items to this dish.  I thought long and hard about what I would do with the mushrooms in my fridge quickly moving towards the inedible stage. 

I may have gotten a bit carried away with the sauce, but it was pretty darned tasty.  It had that sweet hint that the restaurant sauce had too.  The best thing is that you can make this sauce the day before and your Saturday morning breakfast or brunch comes together in no time at all.

Ranch Style Eggs Tostada

adapted from Mesa Grill by Bobby Flay

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup dry red wine
2 1/2 cups canned plum tomatoes and their juices, pureed until smooth and strained
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder
2 tablespoons honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
4 flour tortillas
8 eggs
2 tsp butter
shredded cheddar
avocados (opt)

Directions

1. To make tomato chili sauce, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the wine and cook for additional 10 mins.
3. Add the tomatoes, water, ancho chili,  chipotle chili, honey and cook over medium-high heat until the sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally, about 20 to 30 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the lime juice just before removing from the heat. Sauce can be made the day before and refrigerated overnight.
5. Heat frying pan with a few tbsp of olive oil, enough to coat bottom or pan.  Fry tortilla in pan about 30 seconds on each side.  Remove and drain on paper towel.  Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding more oil if needed.
6. Crack eggs into bowl, add a few tbsp of water and scramble well with fork.
7. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add the butter to the pan, melt and swirl to coat pan.
8. Add eggs and gently scramble until cooked through
9. Place one tortilla on each plate, top with eggs and cheese and tomato chili sauce.  Garnish with sour cream and/or avocado if desired.

Caprese Salad with Peaches

I know, a recipe for caprese salad is hardly the newest concept out there, and it's so easy, no recipe is really needed.  However, last week on a trip to Whole Foods to grab some lunch, I came across a different twist on the caprese salad--the addition of fresh apricots.  That combination of fresh mozarella, tomatoes, basil and sweet apricots was quite possibly the perfect flavor combination.  Of course, I had to give it a try at home with some super fresh peaches I picked up at the farmer's market. The sweetness of fruit paired with the creaminess of the mozarella, the tartness of the balsalmic reduction,  the bite of freshly ground pepper, the bit of freshly sprinkled sea salt and the clean fresh taste of basil....definitely a fan.  Don't forget a bit of olive oil drizzled over the top.

For balsalmic reduction, you just boil a bottle of balsalmic vinegar down to about 1/4 of it's original volume or until it's a thick sweet and slightly tart syrup...about 15 minutes on medium high.  It keeps in the fridge for months.

Puppy Party

When you don't have kids to plan fun parties for, you have puppy birthdays.  No apologies here, it's just what you do.  What might be sad is that between dog day care, dog parks and dog events,  I've spent a lot more energy ensuring that Brooklyn is well socialized, than I have myself.  In the end though, no one wants a crazy unsocialized dog right?   Crazy maybe, but never unsocialized.

So with all of Brooklyn's new friends, how could I not celebrate her birthday...she's a one year old peanut now.  Oh I'm so weepy.  I think she had a good first birthday.

A little playtime with her peeps...

A little inappropriate behavior that no puppy or human parent ever wants to witness....

A little puppy pouting because someone didn't want to have her picture taken....

And of course some cake.  Or really meatloaf in this case.  I called a few dog bakeries but no one made wheat free cakes.  I found some recipes using rice flour, but in the end I realized that birthday cake would really be for my benefit--Brooklyn hates biscuits and other cookie like treats.  Eats cat poo, but dramatically spits out biscuits...it's so (not) endearing really.

Birthday girls should get the kind of cake they want, even if they are bratty and will not want to take a picture with it. 

And of course lots of presents, because you're only one once. All this has me fearing that if I were a mother, I'd be an overindulgent one. 

Puppy Birthday Meatloaf Cake

1 lb ground beef

1/2 lb baby carrots cooked, pureed and cooled

1 egg

1/4 cup rice flour (or bread crumbs, oats or other binder)

3 large potatoes

1/2 cup cottage cheese

Preheat oven to 400 and grease a 6 inch cake pan

Combine ground beef, carrots, egg and rice flour.   Press into pan

Bake for 30 mins and allow to cool.

For "frosting":

Peel potatoes and cut into thirds

Boil on med heat for 20 mins or until fork tender

Add cottage cheese, and mash together until creamy.  You may need to add water or milk. 

Rainbow Cake

Have you heard of "baby cakes?"  Instead of finding out the gender of baby at the doctor's office, some mothers are opting to have the Dr. write down the baby's gender and seal it in an envelope.  The mother delivers the envelope to a baker who makes either a pink or blue cake and frosts it.  The parents find out the gender of the baby after slicing into the cake. I'm thinking another occasion for cake is just genius.

When my sister gushed over the idea, I thought it might be fun to make her a cake with a surprise.  With no babies on the horizon, I thought her birthday might be the perfect occasion to whip up the Rainbow cake I've been admiring for ages.  You would think a grown woman would could resist rainbows. I blame Pinterest for my recent rainbow addiction.  I really do. 

Have to throw a little love for Mesa Grill.  I took my sister to brunch at the Mesa Grill in Caesar's Palace and it was outstanding, phenomenal, delicious, spicy and just outright YUM.  I really wish my photos had turned out so that I could share with you the delight that is Ranch Style Eggs with a crispy flour tortilla and ancho chile sauce.  It was one of the best meals I've ordered in ages, and that's not just because I secretly root for Bobby Flay on many Throwdown episodes.  Any place that advocates a margarita with your brunch and brings a bread basket full of little coffee cakes, blue corn muffins, green chili puffs and cookies is not too shabby in my book.  Definitely worth a trip if you are in town.

You would think that with that enormous breakfast, we wouldn't have room for cake, but after we got home, we perservered.  We are just that dedicated.  I used Whisk Kids' Super Epic Rainbow Cake recipe and followed it pretty closely except  that I substituted almond extract  for the vanilla and lemon in both the cake and the frosting, I only made the one batch (9 egg white recipe) of frosting and then covered the cake in coconut.

I have to admit that despite the shocking amounts of food coloring required, I absolutely loved making this cake. I love those vibrant colors.  It wasn't as difficult or time consuming as it appears at first--the frosting might be the most time consuming part.  The cake recipe makes enough for all six layers.  I have three 9inch cake pans so was able to bake these in just two rounds, and they are so thin that they only take 15 mins to bake. 

And even with all of those colors popping everywhere, when you cover it with all of that creamy meringue buttercream, the colors are perfectly hidden, just waiting there patiently to surprise everyone with that first cut. It's such a fun surprise too, even when your sister guesses it's a rainbow with the first knife slice just by seeing a bit of red crumb at the top and a bit of purple crumb at the bottom.  We are a RoyGBiv kind of family.

Happy Birthday dear sister!

Cooking on a Salt Block

Have you seen these salt blocks? I once had dinner at a restaurant where they brought us a 500 degree salt rock and we were able to sear our fresh ahi right at the table.  It was fun and delish and quite fascinating.  I've resisted the temptation of the $70 salt slab, but when I saw that World Market carries them for only $20, I grabbed it without second thought.  Even better is when it's on sale  and then you apply your World Market Explorer coupon.  The only thing better than a $20 salt block is a $10 one. 

This is going to take a bit of experimentation it turns out.  I don't think I got it quite right the first time.  I started out with some flank steak marinated in a soy ginger marinade overnight.

Even after slowly heating the salt over 40 minutes, I don't think it was hot enough. Or I overloaded the slab...the steak was more steaming in it's juices than searing. Not the most successful first try, but we'll just heat it up a bit longer next time.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake pops

Okay, not really cake pops.  I tried sticking them on a stick but they looked a little odd so they became cake bites. 

I've learned that cake pops have strong appeal to the young and the young at heart.  And I also learned they need not be intricate or fancy--kids LOVE them regardless of how simple you decide to go, which makes them a perfect fast homemade treat to bring when you receive a last minute BBQ invite that you can't quite squirrel out of.  Not that I know anything about that.

One cake mix made per box instructions (I used red velvet because, well, it was Memorial Day) cooled and crumbled,and 2/3 of container frosting mixed in.  Let cool for 2 hours in fridge, scoop with mini cookie scoop, roll into balls, insert sticks and refrigerate for 30 minutes more.  When ready to dip, just melt candy melts, dip and sprinkle and stick into a block of styrofoam to allow to harden.  Serve it up in a cute little pail from the $1 section at Target. I add a few of the decorative rocks to the bottom to weight the bucket down (very important), a bit of styrofoam in the middle to stick the pops into and then tissue paper on top. It couldn't be easier, and all the kids at the BBQ will think you are way cool.  Because, well, you are. 

For the strawberry ones, you just shape the cake like strawberries instead of balls and refrigerate for 30 mins.  Dip bottom 3/4 in melted red candy melts, refrigerate until hardened (about 5-10 mins).  Dip top 1/4 in green candy melts, using toothpick to pull some down randomly onto the red and refrigerate until hardened. If you want chocolate covered strawberries, melt some dark chocolate candy melts and dip the lower strawberries in the chocolate. I used dk chocolate candy melts because it was easier than tempering real chocolate, but if you like tempering chocolate, it would be phenomenal with the cake.