Romantic Valentines Day Ideas

I am going through my blog and found I have 44 unpublished posts since 2013.  I just shared one. But, I also found a post about Valentine’s day. So, I am sharing because Valentine’s day is just around the corner. I am using the cake (above) I made about a week or two ago. 

Flowers and chocolates are the most common buy for men to give to their other half or someone special in their hearts.  What about women?  What can we do for our partner on Valentines Day?  Some might say well, it’s Valentine’s Day! Women are suppose to be wooed all over again.  I hear you.  However, to keep the spark alive, I believe it goes both ways.  I believe both should make each other feel special.  I think women ought to do something for their men as well.  Yes, eating out is the most common thing we can do for our partner, but if you are like us who are on a budget, I plan to have a romantic dinner at home.  Not only you both can relax and not rush through traffic to make it to your reservation, the minute your loved one comes home, you can pull out the chair and have him sit down for a lovely, romantic, elegant dinner at home instead of driving all over again and wait in line to be served.  If you are planning for a romantic dinner at home,  here’s my take on what I’m going to prepare this Valentine’s Day.

HIS AND HERS VALENTINE BREAKFAST

If you prefer something healthy, you can make a small heart charcuterie board adorned with all his/her favorite breakfast. 

Or, an oatmeal served in a heart bowl topped with chopped chocolates.  Or….

PANCAKE HEARTS

If your loved one or someone special is romantic, this breakfast will surely impress him/her.  It will be the “best” part of his/her morning besides coffee. 🙂  You can either make it from scratch or use a cake mix. It’s up to you.

Ingredients:

• Strawberry cake or Red Velvet cake mix 
• egg
• strawberry juice
• oil

Preparation Methods:

Follow the instructions on the box to make the batter.  Heat skillet or electric griddle and lightly coat with oil or butter when hot.  Place the heart shape pancake mold on the skillet. Scoop about less than 1/4 cup of the pancake batter into the heart mold.  Cook until bubbles form. Remove the mold and turn on the other side and cook until brown. Serve warm with strawberry syrup or your favorite syrup.

ROMANTIC DINNER

There is something elegant and sophisticated about serving a tender steak to your loved ones, rib eye steak or tenderloin that is.  Don’t you think?  If your someone special crave for something hearty, steak is always on top of the list even at restaurants.  Most of them would  recommend steak during special holiday like Valentines Day.  They would have  it listed on their “romantic dinner” menu. You can prepare it at home and make it  special, romantic dinning experience he’ll ever have.

Sometimes, it is the best to prepare at home if you want to please your loved one who’s a meat lover.  It’s less expensive.  It’s one way to make it up to him/her after a long, hard day at work.  I am sure it will touch his/her heart and appreciate  your effort.  It will sure help ease his/her exhaustion from a long commute.   A perfect dinner for him would be to serve his favorite food.  You can bring out your lovely china to make it more elegant and have that “restaurant dinning experience” feel to it.

ENTREE

WALNUT AND RASPBERRY STEAK WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

This is my family’s favorite steak recipe. What a way to reminisce the good old days with my husband’s favorite steak recipe and serve it on Valentines Day.  You can grill this on a barbecue grill or in a pan.  Grilling it in a pan will come handy if you don’t own an indoor grill, especially during winter months.

Ingredients:

• 2- 6 ounces servings of Rib Eye Steak or Tenderloin Steak
• 16 ounce bottle of Ken’s Walnut and Raspberry Dressing, reserve 1/3 cup as dipping sauce
•  a handful roasted walnuts and raspberries and cherries
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 2 cups dried Shiitake mushrooms, hydrated
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly cut
• 2 sprigs Italian parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• Romaine lettuce, cut in bite pieces

Preparation Methods:

Season the steak with salt and pepper.  For easy clean up, place steak in a Ziploc bag.  Add the remaining  Walnut and Raspberry dressing.  Marinate the steak at least 4 hours or overnight.  Lay it flat on the refrigerator shelf.   For best result, cook it on a grill, but if you don’t own one, you can grill it in a pan to desired doneness. Garnish with crumbled blue cheese and walnuts. Serve with the reserved dressing to the side.

For the Shiitake Mushrooms,  sauté garlic until lightly brown.  Add the Shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry until the mushrooms are tender. Add the walnuts, dried raspberries,  dried cherries, and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.

If you can’t eat steak like me, you can just have the Shiitake Mushroom Salad with the addition of watercress and bean sprouts sauteed in Sesame oil.  Serve with the Walnut and Raspberry dressing.   Take it from me, the salad was quite refreshing and delicious!

KIDS CORNER

If you have children and can’t find a babysitter to babysit them, well, let them join in and serve them the same thing.  Just improvise it by cutting the meat for them.  My children love their steak well-done.  I’ve read that well done meat is tough, dry and flavorless.  Well, not in our home.  Believe me, if you know how to flavor your meat and what kind of meat to serve, you will not end up with a dry, flavorless steak no matter what unless of course it’s burnt to a degree that it isn’t edible. The meat was perfectly cooked, flavorful and very tender.  Served on bed of romaine lettuce and top with sauteed Shiitake mushrooms with Walnut and Raspberry dressing on the side. What a superb dinner!

The finale`!

DESSERT (Save the best for last)

TIRAMISU CUPCAKES ( I made them today 2/11/22)

Having dessert with a glass of champagne is probably the highlight and most romantic in the evening on Valentine’s Day. However, I don’t drink alcohol, so I am just going to serve a non-alcoholic beverage accompanied with our favorite dessert:  Tiramisu. So, that’s what I’m serving for dessert.  It would be a sweet treat for both of us.  You can either make it homemade or store-bought.  It’s entirely up to you.  To make it more romantic, if you want a cake instead of a cupcake, you can cut the tiramisu cake with a heart shape cutter then cover it with chocolate ganache then decorate it.  If your other half is a chocolate and tiramisu lover, I guarantee this will make her/him felt special.   However, mine is not a chocolate lover. So, I settled for Tiramisu Cupcakes. I used my Coffee Cupcake recipe and just whip a heavy cream and mix it with mascarpone cheese and dusted with cocoa powder. Viola! 

And if you are single and has no special someone in your life, don’t worry, you can have a lovely dinner for one!  🙂

A Valentine may love you for a lifetime, but God loved you before you were born and will love you for all eternity.
Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love…with loving kindness I have drawn you. Jeremiah 31:3

That is all for today.  Thank you for stopping by and reading my post.  I hope this post helps and gives you idea on what to prepare for your special someone. I praise GOD for this post and His faithfulness and mercy.  Praying that you will experience the wonderful love of God this Valentine’s Day and always! 

“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

Happy Valentine’s Day in advance!  Until next time. God bless you. 

~Anna

7-Minute Spiced Baked Salmon

Good afternoon!

Just in time for Easter celebration, here’s the salmon recipe I mentioned in my previous post using the marinade for the chicken skewers.   It’s slathered with spiced marinade then baked.  This salmon is super moist and fork tender and it’s out from the oven in just seven minutes. What? Yes, seven minutes. 😀

A friend of a friend mentioned baking salmon in high temperature.  I was intrigued by it and inspired me to try… and she was right.  The result was amazing.

Ingredients:

• 4 servings of wild caught salmon (about 16 oz.)
• chopped cilantro
• tricolor capsicum or bell peppers, cut lengthwise
• Spiced marinade (for the recipe, click  here)
• Sesame oil
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
• Coat the baking dish with baking spray.
• Lightly season salmon with salt and pepper.  Then, slather the salmon with the spiced marinade.  Lightly drizzle with Sesame oil and place in the baking dish.
• Bake uncovered for 7 minutes (See Notes).
• While the salmon is baking, heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• Add the cut capsicum. Cook just until they sweat about 1 minute.  Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.  Remove salmon from the oven and place in a serving platter or you can leave it in the baking dish.  Add the cooked capsicum on top of the salmon and garnish with chopped cilantro.  Serve warm.  Enjoy!

Spiced marinade

slather on the salmon then bake. The more marinade sauce, the better. Oohh…look at all those flavors!

Result: super moist and flaky salmon.

Mm…

Are you hungry yet?

Notes:

• The more marinade sauce you slather on the salmon, the better.
• Be warned that the marinade is spicy.  You can make it mild by adding just a small amount of harissa or chili sauce when making it. Do not omit. I used the marinade for the Chicken Skewers.  Click here for the marinade recipe.
• Oven temperature varies, adjust accordingly.  I cooked the salmon exactly 7 minutes and it was perfect.  It was super moist and flaky.
• If you are not serving the salmon right away, cover with aluminum foil to keep it moist.
• You can squeeze some lemon juice over the salmon, but it was perfect and tasty without it.
• Enjoy! 😀

I hope everyone is enjoying spring.  I know the temperature dropped in some areas.  We are affected too.  I had quite a big surprise when I went out last night without a jacket.  Brrr….

Thanks for visiting again.  If you haven’t Subscribe or Follow, simply click the “Follow” button and you are good to go. You won’t miss any of the latest recipes.  Please be kind and mention my blog or link back to source if you plan to use or share any of my recipes.  Keep warm y’all. 😀

~Anna

Skillet-grilled Spiced Organic Chicken Skewers

Feast your eyes on this crowd pleaser dish  marinated with turmeric and other spices then grilled on a skillet and served over a combination of quinoa and turmeric rice.

Someone forgot to bring out the salad

Summer is just around the corner and will be here before you know it.   Many probably have their grill cleaned up and ready to cook up some delicious barbecue dishes.  Either it’s a tailgating party, backyard barbecue, or just dinner, this dish will surely suffice a hungry appetite.  Mm…

Zesty Seafood Quinoa Pasta

Quinoa pasta with poached salmon flakes, garlic bay shrimp, and kale garnished with grated lemon zest, shaved parmesan cheese and fresh squeezed lemon juice.

Hello!  It’s been an extremely busy week for me, especially this weekend.  So, I’ll leave you with this recipe until I can post more next time.  I promise to visit your blog and answer all your comments then.  Thank you.  🙂

A visit to a doctor gave an answer to my question to why  I rapidly gained back the weight I lost despite eating healthy foods – vitamin and mineral deficiency.   My doctor told me a healthy diet doesn’t mean I’m getting all the nutrients my body needs.  It all depends on how my body absorbs the nutrients.  So, besides taking supplements that the doctor prescribed, I decided to create a recipe combined with all the crucial nutrients for dinner.

I made quinoa pasta with seafood and kale.  This pasta recipe is low in fat and carbohydrates, gluten-free and it’s packed with protein, omega-fatty acids, fiber, Vitamin D, Vitamin Bs (B2, B3, B6, B9, B13), zinc and iodine.  I made two servings ( for M and I) and the kids had theirs without seafood ( because of allergy).

Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. quinoa spaghetti noodles (half of the package)
• 2-3 servings of salmon (12 oz.)
• Weber Zesty lemon and garlic and herbs seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 cup water
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 lemon, cut in half, divided
• 1 cup wild caught fully cooked bay shrimp
• 3 large cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 3  handfuls of baby Kale
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Prepare all ingredients.
2. Cook quinoa pasta according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.
3. In a large deep saute pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil, water, salt, and juice of half lemon. Stir.
4. Season salmon with zesty lemon and herbs seasoning and add to the pan with water mixture.
5. Cover the pan and poached salmon until  opaque about 8-10 minutes.  Break off the salmon flesh using a spatula.  Throw away the skin.
6. In a separate small skillet over medium heat, add the remaining oil when hot.
7. Add the garlic and onions and saute until translucent.  Add the bay shrimp and stir-fry just until heated through.  Add the kale leaves and stir-fry until somewhat wilted. Remove from heat.
8. Add the cooked pasta and kale leaves in the pan with salmon.   Carefully stir until well-combined.  Squeeze the remaining lemon over the top.  Season with more zesty lemon and herbs seasoning (to your taste). Garnish with shaved parmesan cheese and lemon zest.
9. Enjoy with garlic bread or a glass of white wine.  🙂

Note: Quinoa is gluten free, so the pasta breaks off easily, so stir slowly and carefully.

If you like this post or my blog, don’t forget to Subscribe and Follow to get the latest recipes.   There are more original recipes coming your way.  However, please be kind and link back to source when you use or share any of my recipes.  Thank you for stopping by.  Until next time.  Happy Friday! 🙂

©annascuisine.wordpress.com (2014)   Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material herein without expressed and written consent from this blog’s author, Annabelle Bedell, is strictly and completely prohibited.

Turmeric Quinoa

A super easy, healthy, and elegant looking quinoa dish with fresh tricolor tomatoes and cilantro seasoned with citrus and turmeric spice; a spice that produces mood boosting properties.

I’ve been using turmeric in  my cooking even before it became popular.  I didn’t think much of its benefits at that time.  I just love the spiciness and the intense color.  I have a recipe that I made a long time ago that my husband was crazy about.  A friend of mine mentioned turmeric and its benefits and suggested that I should add it in my tea.  I read in “First Magazine” that a teaspoon added to your daily diet will make you feel perkier.  According to Nancy Lonsdorf, M.D., author of The Ageless Woman, turmeric is rich in curcumin, an antioxidant that helps you produce more mood-boosting serotonin and dopamine.  So, I have been using it in my cooking more often now than before.

Look at how gorgeous this dish is.  This would be a great accompaniment of Chicken Cutlets with Tahini sauce to serve at parties. Beautiful!

Let’s make it.

Please note the chicken stock I used  only had 140 g of sodium per cup.  If you are using a chicken stock that is higher than 140 g, then adjust the seasoning.

For the Quinoa

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa (red and white)
• 2 cups Wegman’s organic chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric spice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil (I used extra virgin olive oil)

Directions:

1. Combine quinoa, chicken broth, chicken bouillon, turmeric  and butter or olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat.
2. Cover and bring to a boil until almost all the liquid is absorbed about 15 minutes.
3. Turn heat to very low setting and let it cook until the remaining liquid is absorbed about 11 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and let stand.  Meanwhile make the tomato mixture.

Tomato mixture:

Ingredients:

• 10 cherry tomatoes (or more), halves
• 1/4 cup chopped or chiffonade cilantro
• 1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
• pinch of salt
• dash of black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine tomatoes, cilantro and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in a small bowl.
2. Season with a pinch of salt and a dash of black pepper.
3. Toss to combine, set aside.

Scoop the quinoa from the pan and place in a medium serving bowl.  Drain the tomato mixture.  Add to the bowl with quinoa.  Mix and enjoy.

Below is a turmeric quinoa made on a different date.  I added different tomatoes and avocado.   It was tasty.  Squeeze lime over it.  Mix and enjoy.

Just in case you are wondering, this photo was taken with a flash. Big difference compared to the photos above taken with natural light.

UPDATE:  MARCH 14, 2014

To show you just how elegant this dish is along with the Baked Chicken Cutlet with Tahini Sauce, here’s a picture taken with natural light just recently.  My guests loved them, especially the Spring Salad with chicken cutlet and Tahini sauce.  I agree.  They were very delicious!

Turmeric Quinoa, Spring Salad with Baked Chicken Cutlet in Tahini Sauce, Dark Chocolate Truffles, and Fresh Organic Carrot Juice.

If you like this post or my blog, don’t forget to Subscribe and Follow to get the latest recipes.   There are more original recipes coming your way.  However, please be kind and link back to source when you use or share any of my recipes.  Thank you for stopping by.  Until next time.  Have a fantastic weekend!

©annascuisine.wordpress.com (2014)   Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material herein without expressed and written consent from this blog’s author, Annabelle Bedell, is strictly and completely prohibited.

Baked Chicken Cutlets with Tahini Sauce (Part 1)

Sauce Recipe Adapted from Curls and Carrots.

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Hello everyone!  I hope you are having a lovely, romantic, and adventurous day.  It’s Valentine’s Day after all.

I was waiting to make this dish before I complete and publish this post.  Finally, here it is.  This dish was prepared using my adaptation to this incredible, out of this world sauce from Curls And Carrots using tahini  instead of peanut butter.  I added and omitted some of the ingredients to cater to my children’s need.  It came out as amazing and delicious.

The owner of Curls and Carrots blog is Shanna K. Ward , a talented, kind and generous, versatile blogger, a mother of two adorable children, a friend and my PRCCSS (Pesto, Rice, Cinnamon, Cardamom Soul Sister). We call each other this because of our love of PRCC.

I browsed through her amazing blog one day and stumbled upon this unbelievably delicious and versatile recipe.  It took me a while to blog about it because when I made and tasted the sauce, holy guacamole!  I wanted to try it with different dishes.  My mind was racing.  I knew then that this sauce is good with anything.  It’s a keeper.  It made  my list of “favorite recipes”.

I tried it as a dip, dressing, and coating for crusted salmon and tilapia.  It was even tasty with beef and chicken, especially using it as a barbecue sauce.  Remember the famous Satay sauce?  I can proudly say that this sauce is the best replacement.  It blows satay sauce out of the water.  But of course, people who have come to love satay sauce will completely disagree, but I dare them to make and try this sauce.  I call it the perfect, ultimate sauce.  You grill the chicken over a charcoal grill and slather it with this sauce  and you are in for a treat.  Oh, Shanna Ward, thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!  It got me from first taste.  I am hooked.  The sauce is robust and the ingredients work amazingly well together .  I can’t get enough of this sauce.  That’s why I said Part 1 is because I will show you just how versatile this sauce is.

Readers and followers, you should visit her blog and browse through it. You might stumble upon a recipe you can’t leave the site without like I did.  I was planning to cook chicken for dinner and it was a good reason to try the sauce.  And I’m glad I did because I was able to modify it using tahini because of my children’s allergy to peanut.  I was so happy  I didn’t have to cook three different meals for last night’s dinner.

TAHINI SAUCE  

(Note:  You can make this ahead of time and place in the refrigerator until ready to use)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup tahini
• 2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
•  1/8 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/8 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• zest of whole lemon
• zest of whole lime
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ginger, chopped
• three dashes of ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (only add if you are using this recipe as a barbecue sauce)

Note:  If you are using peanut butter instead of Tahini, click here.

Preparation Methods:

• Combine all the ingredients in a food processor.  Process for 5 minutes; set aside.  Make the chicken cutlet.

FOR THE CHICKEN CUTLET

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

• 6 pieces of organic chicken thighs (or chicken breast. See note below)
• 3 eggs, scrambled or 1 cup of buttermilk (I used the buttermilk for obvious reason)
• 1 cup Japanese Panko crumbs
• 1 cup Parmesan and Romano croutons or croutons of your choice, pounded into fine crumbs
• ground black pepper

Preparation Methods:

• Spray a 9.5 inch x 13.5 glass baking dish with grilling spray; set aside.
• Combine Panko crumbs and the Romano and Parmesan crumbs in a medium bowl.  Mix to combine; set aside.
• Place the scrambled eggs or buttermilk in a 2 inch deep dish; set aside.
• Wash the chicken and pat dry.  Season with ground black pepper.
• Dip in scrambled eggs or buttermilk then to the panko mixture.  Or you can lightly coat the chicken with the Tahini sauce then dip in Panko crumb mixture.  This will make the chicken moist. Place in the prepared baking dish.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes depending on your oven.  Do not open the oven while baking as heat will escape and requires more time to cook the chicken.  Only check when it’s closer to 30 minutes cooking time if you must.
• Serve with your favorite salad, pasta, couscous recipe, quinoa, and fried or steamed white or brown rice. Top with the Tahini sauce and more to the side as desired.

Note:  If you are using chicken breast, pound the chicken with mallet first before dipping it in the egg or buttermilk mixture.   Make the necessary adjustment to cooking time since chicken breast takes longer to cook than thighs.  Also, cooking time varies depending on your oven.

If you like this post, don’t forget to Subscribe or Follow to get the latest recipe.  Thank you.

Have a fabulous day everyone!   May you have a romantic evening since it’s Valentines Day!

~Anna B.

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©annascuisine.wordpress.com (2014)   Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material herein without expressed and written consent from this blog’s author, Annabelle Bedell, is strictly and completely prohibited.

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Stir-fry Beef Four Ways

Looking for new recipes to try?  Here are some stir-fry beef recipes I’ve made  for my family over the years made with only two elements to flavor the dish.  Surprise!  Yes! Two!

STIR-FRY BEEF WITH VEGETABLES

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Ingredients:

• 1 lb. beef chuck or brisket or any type of beef of your choice, cut thinly across the grain
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• half of small onions, chopped
• 1/2 of large yellow bell pepper or 2 baby yellow bell peppers, sliced lengthwise
• 1/2 of large red bell pepper or 2 baby red bell peppers, sliced lengthwise
• 1/2 of large orange bell peppers or 2 baby orange bell peppers, sliced lengthwise
• 2 handfuls of snow peas
• 2 fl. cups broccoli florets, cut in small bite pieces
• dark soy sauce and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon flour or more
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

This recipe was prepared years ago, so you might want to use your own sense of taste to flavor this recipe using only a tablespoon of soy sauce at a time  until you achieve the flavor you want and ground black pepper.  Yes, these are the two elements used to flavor this dish.

Heat a skillet with a lid over medium heat and coat with oil when hot.  Add garlic and onions and saute until garlic turns brown and onions are translucent.  Add the meat.  Stir-fry until meat is no longer pink.  Turn the heat to medium-low.  Cover the skillet and let the meat sweat.   The sweat from the meat will be the sauce.  You can add a little bit of water if you want that much sauce.  Cook until tender.  Add the soy sauce and ground black pepper according to your taste.  Stir and cover again and let all the flavors blend.  The flavor depends on the type of soy sauce you use.  Of all the soy sauce I’ve tried, Silver Swan soy sauce (available at any Asian store)  is the best in my opinion.  It’s not too salty and has that unique soy flavor I love so much.  I tried using other brand, but it didn’t taste the same.  All of them were very salty unless you add sugar to lessen the saltiness or use a low-sodium soy sauce, which is not very useful when you want dark soy sauce without adding sugar to the recipe.

Anyway, add all the vegetables and stir-fry just until all vegetables are cooked halfway through.  You might need to cover the skillet for the veggies to cook evenly.  Make sure the meat is tender before adding the vegetables.  Then, sprinkle with flour and stir-fry until all flour is dissolved and well combined.  The sauce will thickens as it cooks in just a few seconds.  Use your judgement.  If the sauce is watery, add more flour until you achieve the consistency you prefer.  Turn off the heat immediately.  Serve warm over quinoa, couscous, pasta of your choice, steamed white, wild or brown rice.

You can try using salt and pepper if you don’t like soy sauce, but it wouldn’t taste the same of course.  Please be reminded that heat do varies depending on your stove.  Make the necessary adjustments.

STIR-FRY BEEF WITH BROCCOLI AND PEPPERS

I served this dish many times over the years and the most recent was on New Year’s Eve.  We had  a potluck gathering at our residence to welcome 2014.  I heard nothing but great compliments.  Everyone loved it.

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For the ingredients, just omit the garlic and add broccoli florets, cut in bite pieces; sliced red bell peppers; and sliced onions.   The sauce varies depending on how much meat you are cooking.  The more meat, the more sauce it creates, so you might need to add extra tablespoon of all-purpose flour at a time to thickens the sauce according to your preference.  Please be reminded that only add the rest of the ingredients when the meat is tender.

BEEF WITH ONIONS

This is the root of all these.  It started when we relocated to Chicago from Hawaii.  We dined at a Chinese restaurant near we lived.  We ordered Mongolian beef also known as Beef with onions. It was tasty, but it was made with so much onions.  It should have been called Onions with Beef instead of the other way around.  It inspired me to make my own at home and I have been making it ever since.

This was in demand in my catering years.  One of the most sought after recipes by my friends and consumers.  A friend of mine tried one at a Chinese restaurant here in Virginia and I was told that my version is better.   Again, use the same technique mentioned above for the meat until tender then add the sliced sweet onions, green onions cut about an inch and a half, soy sauce and ground black pepper.  Make sure you add the onions only when the meat is tender.  Don’t overcook the onions.  A good variation is to use pork instead of beef.  It’s very delicious as well.   A friend of mine tried using pork meat and she said it was gobbled up because it was really good.  You should try it too. You can also use chicken, if you wish.  To have a tender meat and  flavorful result, your cooking techniques have something to do with it.

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STIR-FRY BEEF WITH ASPARAGUS

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This is the fourth ways of cooking up stir-fry beef.  The preparation methods are the same.  Just add the asparagus when the meat is tender.  Cover and let the steam cook the asparagus.  Use the same technique mentioned above to cook the beef.  No sweat.

There you have it.    Note all the techniques used herein and use them in your cooking.  You can use any vegetables you prefer and make simple, delicious recipes for your family and friends, such as green beans, bitter melons, etc.  The possibilities are endless.  How easy is that?

Have a great day everyone!

Note:  If any of these recipes inspire you to use as a guide to create your own, please be considerate and credit annascuisine.wordpress.com. and provide a link back to the original recipe.  Thank you.

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©annascuisine.wordpress.com (2014)   Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material herein without expressed and written consent from this blog’s author, Annabelle Bedell, is strictly and completely prohibited.

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Walnut And Raspberry Steak With Garlic Shiitake Mushrooms

Besides lobster, there is something distinctive about serving steak for your loved ones, especially on special occasion, such as birthdays, Valentines Day, and Father’s Day.  Don’t you think?  If someone crave for a hearty meal, cooking up steak is probably on top of the list. The same goes with upscale restaurants.  Most of them  recommend steak and have it listed on their “romantic dinner” menu along with seafood items on Valentines Day.

Speaking of Valentines Day, it’s just around the corner.  What are you planning to do?  Are you planning to serve a romantic dinner at home or are you dinning out?

Planning a romantic dinner at home is a lot of work and a difficult task to some people, but it’s easier than you think.  I’ve done it  many times. You can plan ahead of time to prevent unpleasant surprises.   You can bring out your lovely china to make it classy, the best champagne you can afford to set the mood, and  light up some candles for luxurious, relaxing ambiance.  Oh, don’t forget the flowers. 🙂

To those who are dinning at home, here’s an original steak recipe of mine that you might be interested in serving.  It’s tender, juicy and flavorful.  A tenderloin marinated with walnut and raspberry dressing pan-grilled and topped with crumbled blue cheese and roasted walnuts (which I forgot to add) served with sauteed garlic Shiitake mushrooms on bed of romaine lettuce.  Delicious!

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For best results, grill the steak on a gas or charcoal grill.  However, if you prefer grilling it in a pan, no problem.  The only thing lacking is the infused smoke flavor, but it would still be delicious.

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Ingredients:

• 2 -6 oz. Rib Eye Steak or Tenderloin Steak
• 1/2 cup Ken’s Walnut and Raspberry Dressing plus more for the salad
• roasted walnuts and dried (or fresh, coarsely chopped) raspberries and cherries
• 3 cups dried Shiitake mushrooms, soaked in warm water
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly cut
• Italian parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• Romaine lettuce, cut in bite pieces
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Sesame oil
• crumbled blue cheese and roasted walnuts for garnish

Preparation Methods:

Season the steak with salt and pepper.  For easy clean up, place steak in a Ziploc bag.  Add the Walnut and Raspberry dressing.  Marinate the steak at least 4 hours or overnight.  Lay it flat on the refrigerator shelf.   Let it stand for 15 minutes before grilling.  Grill it on a gas grill or a pan to desired doneness. Garnish with crumbled blue cheese and walnuts.

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For the Shiitake Mushrooms,  drain and squeeze water out of the Shiitake mushrooms.  Set aside.  Saute garlic in Sesame and olive oil over medium heat until lightly brown.  Add the Shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry until the mushrooms are tender.  Add the walnuts (I did add it here), dried raspberries,  dried cherries, and parsley.  Stir-fry until heated through.  Season with salt and pepper.

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If you want, you can add the romaine lettuce to make a Shiitake Mushroom Salad.   You can also add watercress and bean sprouts sauteed in Sesame oil until somewhat wilted.   Layer and arrange romaine lettuce, wilted watercress and bean sprouts, then sauteed Shiitake mushrooms.  Drizzle with Walnut and Raspberry dressing.   You can also add fresh raspberries if you prefer.   Take it from me, the salad was quite refreshing and so delicious!

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KIDS CORNER

If you have children and can’t find a babysitter  for them, well, let them join in and serve them the same thing.  However, you might need to make some changes to the ambiance.  Just improvise and unleash your creativity.

My children love their steak well-done and sliced.  I’ve read that well done meat is tough, dry and flavorless.  Well, not in our house.  Believe me, if you know how to flavor the steak and what kind or part of meat to serve, you will not end up with a dry, flavorless steak no matter what unless of course it’s burnt to a degree that it isn’t edible.  The steak was perfectly cooked just the way they like it;  flavorful, juicy, and very tender.  Served on bed of romaine lettuce and top with sauteed garlic Shiitake mushrooms with Walnut and Raspberry dressing on the side.  If your children have allergies to tree nuts, just omit the nuts.   What a superb dinner!  Don’t you agree?

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You can also cook the steak in a slow cooker using the walnut and raspberry dressing as the sauce to cook the meat.  Season with salt and pepper.  I am sure it would be delicious.  I’m going to try it next time and update this post with a picture.

Well, what’s a romantic dinner without dessert right?  I will show you next time what I recommend.  Thanks for following.  Have a blessed day!

Note:  If any of these recipes inspire you to use as a guide in creating your own, please be considerate and credit annascuisine.wordpress.com.  Thank you.

©annascuisine.wordpress.com (2014)   Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material herein without expressed and written consent from this blog’s author, Annabelle Bedell, is strictly and completely prohibited.

Baked Turkey Slider Patties

Note:   If  this recipe or the variations mentioned herein inspire you to use as a guide to create your own, please be considerate and credit annascuisine.wordpress.com.  Thank you!

Here’s a perfect party food, especially tailgating or barbecue that’s lighter than beef hamburger sliders.  They are delicious, healthier, and easy to prepare.

I remember a time when we had leftover turkey from Thanksgiving.  I stir-fried the turkey with garlic and herbs such as fresh sage. It was incredibly delicious.  Sage is an excellent herb complement to turkey as well as thyme.  Both are important  elements in this delicious recipe.

We don’t own a grill at the moment, so I opted for baking these sliders.  I love baking food lately simply because it involves minimal attention.  I just pop them in the oven, put the timer on and done!  However, you can grill or pan-grill these sliders if you prefer.  They’re delicious either way. These are perfect portions for children and adult alike who are on a “portion control” diet; an important concept when you are trying to lose weight.

Ingredients:

• Ground turkey breast (20 oz./ 1.25 lbs.)
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/8 cup sage, chiffonade
• 1/2 cup onions, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon thyme, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon Paprika (optional)
• red pepper flakes (optional)
• ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Sesame oil

Some people don’t like paprika or spicy food, so you can omit them if you prefer.  For juicy sliders, do not overcook the patties.

Preparation Methods:

• Place the ground turkey in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
• Heat skillet over medium heat and coat with 2 tablespoons olive oil when hot.
• Add the garlic and onions and saute until garlic turn brown and onions are translucent.  Add sage and thyme and cook just until fragrant. Remove from heat.
• Add into the bowl with turkey along with the red pepper flakes and mix to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.
• Portion the mixture into small patties about 2 tablespoonfuls each.
•  Place them on a baking dish coated with baking spray.  Lightly drizzle each patties with Sesame oil.
• Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes depending on your oven.
• Serve on small buns, ciabatta, or focacia with all your favorite toppings or additions such as a slice of tomato, cheese, thinly sliced onions rings, lettuce and barbecue sauce or ketchup.

VARIATIONS:

You can also use this recipe for turkey meatballs appetizer, for  spaghetti or any pasta dish, or turkey balls sandwiches.

Enjoy!

©annascuisine.wordpress.com (2014)   Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material herein without expressed and written consent from this blog’s author, Annabelle Bedell, is strictly and completely prohibited.

Zesty Parmesan Crusted Oven Fried Chicken

These chicken drumsticks looked like they were deep fried; crispy on the outside and tender and moist on the inside.  These babies were coated with parmesan coating mixture then baked crisp to perfection.    A great recipe for people who like the crispiness of deep fried chicken without all the oil or guilty feeling.   The great thing about these chicken drumsticks?  They are easy to prepare and with minimal clean up.  Prepare them, bake them and forget about them for at least an hour or so.  All you need to do afterwards is to wash the baking dish. That’s it!  How easy is that?

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This recipe has been one of my family’s favorite dinner chicken recipe for many years.  Thanks to my dearest friend, Juliet Shirey for the inspiration.   The coating was a store bought.  But, instead of using an already prepared coating from a box, I decided to make my own and I have been using it ever since.   When my family opt for something fried, I try to compensate by making them something a bit lighter than the deep fried chicken; oven fried chicken that is.  I haven’t made this in a while, so tonight is the night.

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My son, Justin anticipated the chicken with great enthusiasm and was so happy when it was finally cooked.  Look at how moist the chicken is. The meat was so tender  it literally fell off the bone when you bite it.

I hesitated cooking all the 11 pieces of chicken because I didn’t want to have leftovers, but my mistake.  Justin wanted more and I made just enough for all of us.  So, I ended up cooking the other five pieces and I was quite surprised when my son waited for an hour and a half minutes (the chicken drumsticks were larger than the first batch) to have his seconds without any complaints.

Ingredients:

• 6 – 11 pieces of chicken drumsticks, chicken wings, or thighs**
• 1 1/2 cup unbromated, unbleached white flour
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons Weber Zesty Lemon Seasoning
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons regular paprika or smoked paprika (optional)
• salt
• extra virgin olive oil

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Preparation Methods:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• For easy cleanup, combine flour, parmesan cheese, zesty lemon seasoning, paprika, and black pepper in a large Ziploc bag.  Shake to incorporate. Set aside.
• Wash the chicken thoroughly.   Lightly season with kosher salt then add two pieces of chicken at a time to the flour mixture in the Ziploc bag.
• Coat well with the flour mixture then place in a glass baking dish lightly coated with Pam’s “grilling” oil spray.
• Drizzle each chicken with olive oil.
• Bake for one hour and twenty minutes or to your desired crispiness depending on your oven.
•  Serve with ketchup as dipping sauce. Believe me, ketchup is a very good complement for the oven fried chicken. Simple but great and tasty combination.  Just try it. 🙂

**Note:   Chicken wings cook faster than the drumsticks and thighs.  Please adjust cooking time accordingly. You can double or triple the recipe called for a larger crowd.    Bon Appetit!

VARIATIONS:

You can add chopped, fresh or dried rosemary in the flour mixture or garlic powder.

©annascuisine.wordpress.com (2013-2014)   Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material herein without expressed and written consent from this blog’s author, Annabelle Bedell, is strictly and completely prohibited.