Tender White Cabbage with Salt Pork ~

White cabbage is a more tender version of green cabbage.  If you have an Asian grocer near you, you can easily find it there.  If not, you can certainly use green cabbage here.  Just cook it longer.  If you can't find salt pork, you can use bacon as well.

This is a delicious side dish on a cold winter's night.

1 small head of white cabbage, cored and sliced thinly.
3 slices of salt pork, diced.
salt
freshly ground black pepper

In a large saute pan, on stove top, turn burner on medium high heat.  Add oil and salt pork.  Saute about 5-7 minutes until pork renders, stirring.  Remove salt pork and add sliced cabbage.  Toss the cabbage until it's coated and shiny.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper and cook on medium low for about 10 minutes, or until cabbbage starts to wilt.  Cover and turn heat off.  Let sit on stove top for about 10 minutes.  Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the salt pork.

Traditional Miso Soup ~

My friend's mother grew up in Japan and this is how she serves Miso soup.  Traditionally, the rice is served on the side as in my picture.  My friend adds soup to her rice, that is the way she likes to eat it.

It's a simple, yet beautiful soup.  Very light and delicious too.  Any way you want to try it, you'll enjoy it. 

Miso soup:

4 cups of water
1 cup of chopped cabbage
1 inch rectangle soft tofu (not silken)
1 T. Miso paste
1 tsp. dashi powder
1 scallion, chopped
cooked rice

Bring water to boil, add miso paste and cabbage.  Let simmer for about 10 minutes, until cabbage is tender.  Add dashi powder, stir and turn heat to low.  Add tofu and let simmer for 4 minutes on low.  Serve with rice and scallion.

Oh, the way I eat it is to just add the rice to the soup after it's cooked.  Anyway you serve it, it's delicious. 

Enjoy ~

Boston's Chinatown ~

I live about 7 miles north of Boston, but hardly ever go in town. Most of us avoid it because of the traffic, crowds and construction.
But, there are times and places that just cannot be missed. And Chinatown to me is one of those wonderful, little places tucked away in the heart of the City. A city, almost of it's own. I love the entrance to this part of town.

I had a mission this early morning too. I wanted to get to a bakery that makes Bahn Mi sandwiches. If you haven't heard of them, google them. They are Vietnamese sandwiches, made with meat, pickled vegetables and a lovely pate like dressing on a crispy baguette that is heavenly. And while waiting in the bakery I picked up some other delicious treats too.

Here we are heading over the Zakim Bridge, which leads directly into Boston. It was early in the morning and on a Saturday, so NO traffic whatsoever!

Oh, did I mention parking?  Well, usually it's a problem.  High
costs and lots of driving around to find a lot or garage.  We were hoping to park on the street and we had plenty to choose from.  Our mission for this visit, was to get a Bahn Mi sandwich.

We parked on Beach Street, right near this little bakery , Mei Sum that makes wonderful sweet and savory treats.  And being adventurous, I tried a few things I had no idea about.  My report is, all of the things I tried tasted excellent.  But, there is a language barrier, but don't let that stop you. The cost is fairly inexpensive and the pastries and food are wonderful.  I wasn't disappointed in anything.

While we were waiting for our sandwiches to be made, here are a couple of things that I saw.  These are fresh Bean Buns, ready for the oven.

Sticky rice, wrapped in Banana leaves.  I believe in the center there was taro, but I can't be sure.  The lovely ladies at the counter do speak English, but not fluently.  I believe this is a Holiday specialty though.

These next pictures are of the bakery case, lovely and inexpensive pastries.  I plan on trying different ones each time I visit.  We got the Coconut Snowballs today.  I wish I had enough in my budget and waistline to try one of everything.  ;)

 

 

 

 

And now for the big moment, our sandwiches.

 

Here is the Vegetable Bahn Mi:

 

 

And the Beef Bahn Mi, and this was heavenly.  Sweet, savory and just melted in my mouth.  Love the pickled veggies with cilantro and jalapeno.... super yum!

 

 

 While we were waiting for our sandwiches, a man was standing and eating a delicious looking bun.   He had a label on his jacket that said something in English, so I asked what it was.  He said it was a Beef Bun and that it was good.  So, I ordered one of those to take home for the next day's lunch.  At .90 cents, how could I go wrong?

 

Here's what I cut into the next day for my lunch.  It was fabulous, a sweet bun and tangy barbequed beef.

 

 

 

I loved my little visit into Chinatown and my friends and I discussed coming in for the day soon.  I agree, but think it's best to wait until Spring.  Can't wait....

 

 



 



 

Austrian Raspberry Shortbread ~

I love shortbread and this recipe is even lighter than any I have tried before.  After you make the shortbread, you roll it into  four long snake like logs and freeze it overnight.  Then when you want to bake a batch of them, you feed each log through the feed tube of your food processor to grate it.  This process makes the shortbread as light and airy.  You can use any flavor preserve you prefer, it doesn't need to be raspberry.  They are fabulous with apricot as well.  The recipe originated from Gale Gand, who is a wonderful pastry chef.  She was on the Food Network briefly and I used to  enjoy her show.

Prep the dough up to a month before and leave them in the freezer if you wish.  This makes a delicious and easy bar for the Holiday season or just any day you want a little treat.

Enjoy ~

Ingredients

• 1 pound (4 sticks) butter softened at room temperature
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raspberry jam, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until soft and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and mix well.

 

In a medium bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter/egg yolk mixture and mix just until incorporated and the dough starts to come together. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and form into 2 balls. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and freeze at least 2 hours or overnight, or as long as a month.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove 1 ball of dough from the freezer and coarsely grate the frozen dough into the bottom of a 9 by 12-inch baking pan or a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Make sure the surface is covered evenly with shreds of dough. With a spoon or spatula, spread the jam over the surface, to within 1/2-inch of the edge all the way around. Remove the remaining dough from the freezer and coarsely grate it over the entire surface. Bake until light golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. As soon as the shortbread comes out of the oven, dust with confectioners' sugar. Cool on a wire rack, then cut in the pan with a serrated knife.

     

 

Chocolate Dipped Macaroons ~

It's that time of year again, lots of baking around the house. 

I love anything with coconut in it, and add dark chocolate and it's a double yum for me.  These cookies are so good, it's almost dangerous to have in the house.  Mine went from the cooling rack into the freezer, just to make sure their safety for the Holidays.

And just so you know, these cookies are super easy to make.  One important criteria when I bake.  Enjoy ~



Adapted from Closet Cooking - my changes are marked with an *


Ingredients:
3 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup of sugar
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
*1/8 tsp. kosher salt
2 ounces dark chocolate (shaved)* I used 6 ounces and melted it with a teaspoon of grapeseed oil in the microwave



Directions:
1. Mix the egg whites, vanilla, sugar, salt and coconut in a bowl.
2. Spoon the batter onto a parchment paper lined baking pan with 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons of batter per cookie.
3. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until lightly golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.4. Let cool for 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a double boiler and dip the macaroons in the chocolate or drizzle the chocolate on the macaroons.  Place dipped cookies on a baking rack and refrigerate to store.  They also freeze wonderfully.


Christmas tree 2012. 

Organic Red Quinoa ~ Trader Joe's

I really love this product, it reaches all of my expectations.
Delicious, easy to make and low fat.  How great is that?  Well not that all of my recipes are low fat.  In fact, very few of them really are low fat.  But, quinoa is one of my go to sides when I want to keep down the calorie count and enjoy my meal. 

Trader Joe's Organic Red Quinoa is sold on the dry goods shelf.  Is there really a dry goods shelf any longer?  ;)   I must be dating myself.  Anyway, the directions say to add 1 cup of dried, rinsed quinoa to 2 cups of water.  I add a teaspoon of butter and a teaspoon of salt.  I also cut down on the water and only put in 1&1/2 cups.  Bring to a boil, place a lid on the pan and turn it to low.  It may say medium low, but either will do.  If after 15-20 minutes you have extra water in the pan just drain it and let sit on the stove with the burner turned off for about 15 minuts.  I added 2 stalks of fresh green onion and a quarter cup of chopped, fresh cilantro.  It's delicious, just yummy! 

Oh, I have no affliation with Trader Joe's either.  I am just a consumer who likes a good product and thought I'd share this one.

Give it a try and enjoy ~

There are a few things I like about Winter ~

Roasting vegetables...  Endless possibilites and so easy.  Did I say delicious too?  Well, they are very.  The vegetables get carmelized, tender and sweet. 

Only 3 ingredients too.

Salt, pepper and olive oil.  Just be sure to have them about the same size in your roasting pan.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Farenheit.  Toss with salt, pepper and olive oil.  Place in the oven for 15 minutes.  Take the vegetables out of the oven and turn them over.  Place back in the oven for 15 minutes more.

And you get deliciousness every time.  See?  Oh how I adore fennel and potatoes together.... yum ~

 

Chinese broccoli... the leaves get nice and crispy too.

You can roast any vegetable you want or like, but the smaller the vegetable the less time in the oven.  Asparagus is about 10 minutes on one side and about 5 minutes on the second.  So adjust your time and you'll have perfectly easy and delicious vegetables. 

Yup, I like some things about Winter.....