Pho (Vietnamese Beef Soup) Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 pounds of beef shin with bones or 2 - medium oxtails, cut up.
• 1 medium onion, unpeeled
• 5 slices fresh ginger
• 1 piece star anise
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of Chinese fish sauce
• 1 bundle medium Chinese Vermicelli
• Boiling water
• 1/2 pound leftover cooked sirloin (or beef tenderloin or eye chuck), thinly sliced
• 3 scallions, chopped
• Fresh cilantro sprigs
• Pepper
• Fresh chiles, sliced

Directions

1. Boil beef (with bones) or oxtails in 3 quarts cold water.  Skim off foam and fat. Cover and simmer for 4 hours.
2. Broil onion until flesh is soft, turning often. Peel. Add onion, ginger, anise, salt, and fish sauce to beef broth just before it has finished simmering.
3. Also just before beef broth finishes simmering, drop vermicelli into a pot of boiling water. Cook 8 minutes, remove from water, rinse in cold water, and drain. Divide vermicelli into three equal portions and place in 3 individual serving bowls.
4. Divide beef into 3 equal portions and place on top of vermicelli in the bowls. Garnish each bowl with scallions and 2 or 3 fresh cilantro sprigs.
5. Strain broth, reserving beef and flavorings. Pour one cup broth over contents of each bowl. Sprinkle with pepper and chiles. Serve immediately. 
6. Reserved beef, flavourings, and extra broth can be eaten separately.

Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of Oil
• 1 Egg, slightly beaten
• 2  tablespoon of Oil
• 1 cup of Chicken, finely diced
• 1 md Onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup of Water chestnuts, finely
• -diced
• 1/2 cup of Bamboo shoots, finely diced
• 1/2 cup of Celery, finely diced
• 1 cup of Fresh bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup of Frozen peas 
• 1/2 cup of Sliced mushrooms
• 4 cup of Cooked rice
• Soya sauce
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions

1. Cut up and prepare all ingredients. Reserve.
2. Heat wok up with 1 tablespoon oil and fry egg into a thin sheet.  Remove to plate and reserve.
3. Add 2 tablespoons more oil to wok. Heat until smoking. Stir fry chicken and onion together until cooked. (If leftover meat is used, just heat through.) Add bean sprouts, peas, celery. Stir and cook 2 minutes with wok covered. Uncover wok, add all the rest of the vegetables. Stir fry and cook covered for 2 additional minutes. Add cooked rice, season with salt, pepper, soya sauce. Reduce heat to medium. Take your turner and break up clumps of rice as finely as possible. Make sure rice takes up soya sauce and does not remain white. Keep stir-frying until all rice is broken up and heated through. Shut heat off. Cut up sheet of egg into small pieces and stir into rice, or remove rice to serving platter and garnish with egg slivers.

NOTE: Leftover rice makes a better fried rice. If using leftover rice, place rice in sieve and rinse with hot water from the tap. Pork, beef or shrimps (cooked or uncooked) may be substituted for above chicken.

Chicken Chow Mein Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 cups of chicken broth
• 2 cups of diced celery
• 1 cup of diced onion
• 1 cup of chopped cabbage (boo chou if available)
• 2 tablespoons of peanut oil
• 1 1/2 cups of sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups of fresh bean sprouts
• 2 tablespoon of dark molasses
• 1 tablespoon ofSoy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 To 5 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 1 pound of cooked, boned chicken, torn-into bite-size shreds
• 1 can chow mein noodles

Directions

1. In a saucepan, bring the chicken broth to simmer. Add the celery, onion, and cabbage. Simmer, stiring occasionally, until the celery is soft.
2. Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet or wok. Saute the mushrooms until they begin to soften. Add the bean sprouts; cook and stir until they are soft. Use a slotted spoon to place the celery, onion, and cabbage in the skillet. Add the molasses and soy sauce. Stir and cook, adding enough broth to keep it moist and loose.
3. Melt the butter in a small pan over medium-high heat.  Cook the eggs until firm, with minimal stirring. You want an “egg pancake”. Remove the eggs from the pan, season to taste, and slice into thin strips.
4. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining chicken broth. Stir into the vegetables in the wok, and stir as the mixture thickens. Add torn chicken and heat through.
5. To serve, put a layer of chow mien noodles on each plate and heap with the chicken and vegetable mixture. Top with the shreds of eggs.

[ Sun Plus, The Baltimore Sun; Aug 28, 1990 ]

Steak Marinade Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, and garlic in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Dark Stout Marinade Recipe

Here’s a perfect marinade for your favourite steak or pork cut:

Ingredients:

• 1 can/bottle of dark stout 
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
• Dash of Tabasco sauce
• 2 to 5 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 4 to 7 cloves minced garlic
• 4 to 5 scallions, chopped fine
• Dash each of white & black pepper
• 1 to 3 tsp ginger powder
• 1 to 3 tsp dried mustard

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients in bowl and marinate meat overnight in refrigerator.

How to grill the perfect steak

Over at the cabin blog, Jordon posts some advice on how to grill up the perfect steak.

Mason Jar Drink Dispenser

A great Mother's Day gift from Indigo!

Have plenty of cold refreshments on hand for all your guests with our lovely glass dispenser. Its clear glass shows off iced teas, punches or even bright lemon slices in iced water to pretty effect. Best of all, guests can serve themselves, leaving you with one less thing to do! For use with cold liquids only. Hand-wash. 253 oz. capacity, 12” high

Coleslaw Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) bag coleslaw mix
• 2 tablespoons diced onion
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions

1. Combine the coleslaw mix and onion in a large bowl.
2. Whisk together the salad dressing, vegetable oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, and poppy seeds in a medium bowl; blend thoroughly. Pour dressing mixture over coleslaw mix and toss to coat. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Cheddar Butter Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese, at room temperature, (3 oz)
• 3 drops of hot pepper sauce
• Salt to taste

Directions

• In a blender or food processer fitted with metal blade, combine all ingredients. Scraping container often, processs until almost smooth.
• Cheese will retain some texture. Spoon into small serving dish. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes before serving. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Variation

• Substitute 3/4 cup (3 oz) shredded Swiss cheese or 1/4 cup (1 oz) crumbled Roquefort or Blue cheese for the cheddar cheese. Add 1 teaspoom crumbled
• dried herbs.

Apple Butter Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 quarts Unsweetened Applesauce
• 2 pounds Granulated Sugar
• 1 pound Brown Sugar
• 3/4 cup Apple Cider
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon Allspice
• 3/4 teaspoon Cloves
• 3 teaspoons Cinnamon

Directions

1. The thicker skinned, late Summer and Fall apples produce a grainier texture that’s best for applesauce.
2. Stir applesauce, sugars, and cider together and cook in a slow oven (325 deg F.) for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Add spices. Return to oven and cook 1 hour more. Apple butter requires long, slow cooking. (Can also be made in a crockpot.)

Three-Cheese Skillet Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients

• 43 ounces canned whole peeled plum tomatoes (from a 28-ounce can and a 15-ounce can)
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese, room temperature
• 1 box (12 ounces) no-boil lasagna noodles
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, shredded
• 1/4 cup grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, pulse tomatoes until coarsely pureed. In a large deep skillet, bring tomatoes, garlic, and oil to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce to a simmer and cook on medium until thickened, about 12 minutes (you should have 5 cups marinara sauce).
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together egg yolk, ricotta, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
• Carefully pour sauce into a heatproof bowl and return 3/4 cup to skillet; spread sauce evenly. Add a single layer of noodles, breaking them up to fit. Top with half the ricotta mixture, spreading evenly. Follow with a second layer of noodles, then 1 1/2 cups marinara. Add a third layer of noodles, then remaining ricotta mixture. Follow with a final noodle layer, then remaining sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella and pecorino over top.
• Bake lasagna until golden and bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

15 Kitchen Time Savers

Martha Stewart has 15 ideas and tips that will save you a lot of time in the kitchen.  It's a good thing.

Horseradish Mustard Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dry mustard, preferably imported
• 1/2 cup hot tap water
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon bottled hot grated horseradish
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
• 6 whole black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar, or pinch of ground black pepper
• 2 whole allspice berries, crushed in a mortar, or small pinch ground allspice
• A little dry white wine, or additional white wine vinegar if needed

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together dry mustard and hot water until smooth. Let sit, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring twice as it sits.
2. Place wine vinegar or rice vinegar, salt, horseradish, garlic, sugar, peppercorns, and allspice in a food processor or heavy-duty blender. Process until garlic and horseradish are pureed. Extract liquid by pressing through cheesecloth or a very fine strainer. Discard solids.
3. Add the spice liquid to the mustard in the top of a double-boiler. Stir constantly while cooking, about 5 minutes. It should thicken up. Remove from heat and let cool. It will thicken up even more as it cools.
4. Taste and add more of the bottled horseradish to suit your tastes. If it is too thick, add a few drops of white wine or wine vinegar.
5. Seal horseradish mustard in an airtight jar and refrigerate.

Yield: about 1/2 cup

Horseradish Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup peeled and cubed horseradish root
• 3/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In an electric food processor or blender, process horseradish root, vinegar, sugar and salt. 
2. Carefully remove the cover of the processor or blender, keeping your face away from the container.
3. Cover and store the horseradish in the refrigerator.

Shrimp with Coconut Rice Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried Chinese mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
• 6 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 fresh green chile pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1/2 cup fish stock
• 1 3/4 cups coconut milk
• 12 ounces cooked shelled shrimp
• 6 sprigs fresh Thai basil

Directions

1. Place the mushrooms in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and set aside to soak for 30 minutes.  Drain, then cut off and discard the stalks and slice the caps.
2. Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the scallions, coconut, and chile peppers for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned.  Add the mushrooms and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the rice and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, then add the stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and add the coconut milk.  Let simmer for 10-15 minutes, unit the rice is tender.  Stir in the shrimp and basil.  Stir in the shrimp and basil, heat through and serve.