BoWorkwear

WOW. I still remember this blog!

So much has happened since 2012, but one of the best things I can tell you is that I started my own line of eco-friendly aprons.

BoWorkwear is a design driven eco-friendly uniform company.
Our mission is to disrupt the uniform business with beautifully designed workwear made from organic and recycled fabrics, that are better for the planet.

Uniforms w/in the hospitality industries are often made from conventional fabric, dyed with toxic dyes, stain repellents and are often cleaned with toxic solvents.

For chefs and restaurants in particular there seemed to be a disconnect between caring about the food they sourced and served (organic, local, sustainable) and the uniforms their staff wore.

We believe beautifully designed eco-friendly uniforms that are in alignment with your core beliefs presents a powerful opportunity for your brand’s story.

We believe it’s more than just a uniform.

Spread the word! We launch our website on March 1st. In the meantime, sign up for our newsletter for updates, special events, and features of cool AF peeps.

A behind-the-scenes video from our Vday X CNY shoot. It's year of the dog and Shy, the resident Shiba Inu knows it!

Beef Shanks Braised in An Onion Broth

This past week has been a devastating week for so many New Yorkers and New Jersey residents. Hurricane Sandy came and went, leaving a whole lot of damage. It broke my heart when I saw so many people without homes, and the death toll kept raising. 

I decided I needed to do something more than donate money, so I chose to volunteer at a shelter where I could easily catch a working subway line. The only thing about volunteering is that it really saddens me and it drains me. I know this from past experiences and I want to stay strong for those in need. Today, I decided to cook. I mean really cook. It calms me, and I love the aroma of cooking that permeates throughout my apartment. It's comforting, especially when it's cold outside.  I found this recipe by Food Wishes. Chef John is very thorough in explaining, so the cooking part was easy. I have to warn you though, it needs to sit on the stove for 3-4 hours so be prepared. 

This is what mine turned out to look like: 

I think it's worth the wait. The recipe calls for very easy ingredients. He used polenta and I used homemade mashed potatoes. I also used less beef and more veggies, but that's really your call. I'm a veggie freak. Below is his recipe, or you can click on his website and check out his other great recipes. 

Recipe from Foodwishes.com 

Ingredients: 
Ingredients:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 beef shanks (about 1 1/2-inch thick)
3 large onions
1 bay leave
6 springs thyme
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 sprigs rosemary
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 cups beef broth
chives to garnish

Panko Drumsticks and Spinach & Carrot Salad

I've been so busy that I haven't really been able to post, but I think this one is great. It's economical, quick and easy. I got the drumstick recipe from Eating Well , except that I used Panko instead of bread crumbs. The sauce is awesome. It is Greek yogurt with honey mustard and honey. Really good.

As for the spinach salad, it was so easy. It consists of red wine vinegar, brown sugar, and olive oil. I got this recipe from Food.com. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Pan Fried Rib Eye Steak with Tomatoes, Red Onions, Garlic

I was feeling like a good steak dinner today. When I made this I loved it so much that I thought I'd share:

Tomatoes, Red Onion, Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Chopped Grape Tomatoes
1/4 Cup Minced Red Onion
1 Clove Minced Garlic
1 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

Combine red onion, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil in bowl. Let it sit for a few minutes so the onions and garlic can sit for a bit. Then add salt, pepper, tomatoes to the mix. While this is sitting...

Let's cook the steak.

Ingredients
1 10 oz Rib Eye Steak
1 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

In a medium saucepan, preheat to medium heat. While the pan is heating, pierce the steak with a fork a few times and add salt and pepper. Once the pan is hot, add the steak to the pan and let it cook on each side for 5 minutes, or until it is slightly pink on the inside. I like mine medium well, so you may want to cook each side more or less depending on how you like your steak. It also depends on how hot your range gets and what pan you use. Mine is nonstick, but I think a stainless steel pan would make the perfect consistency. Once it is done, put it on your plate and add the tomato sauce. It's that easy!

I made a side of roasted broccoli to go with my steak. I found a great recipe for this on foodnetwork. Click here for the recipe.

Healthy Lemon Chicken Dish

I am attempting to be healthy, and wanted to see how I could use less salt. I made this meal tonight and liked it so much I had to share.

I'm not going to get into detail about the veggies and the couscous, b/c you just steam or boil the veggies until they are soft enough but not so soft it loses its crispness.
2 heads of organic broccoli (stems cut off)
1 head of cauliflower (stems cut off)
2 tablespoons Agave Nectar
2 tablespoons cooking wine (I used the Japanese one shown in the picture)
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
Boil or steam your veggies, and toss it with the nectar, lemon juice and cooking wine. That's it.

As for the couscous, it's self explanatory. Just follow the box directions and you're set.

Now the chicken.
1 package organic chicken breast (3-4 pcs)
1tablespoon roughly chopped parsley
ground pepper
1 medium sized lemon

Preheat oven 450 degrees. Add chicken to a baking dish. Grease it if needed. Squirt the lemon onto the chicken until lemon has no more lemon juice. Add pepper on top of the chicken along with the parsley. Bake for 20 minutes. Voila. You've got a really healthy meal with barely any salt. The key is to not indulge. Just a handful of couscous and veggies, small piece of chicken and you're set. Add more lemon before serving if you'd like!

Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower, Parmesan and Lemon

Happy New Year everyone!
I am starting the new year with a good long run, kirtan, yoga and meditation. So to continue my efforts with having a fresh mind, it would be good to have some good, healthy food in the system.

Over the holidays, I made roasted broccoli from a recipe I found on Food Network. It was so good, except that I had added a little too much salt.

Recently, I was at Trader Joe's, thinking about the same dish. Instead of buying stalks of broccoli, I decided to get a bag of cauliflower and broccoli. Well, I must say it turned out well.

Serving size: 2

Ingredients:
1 12 oz. Bag of Broccoli and Cauliflower Duet from Trader Joe's (pre-washed)
1/4 Lemon
1/2 Cup Parmesan Reggiano
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

Directions: 
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Add foil to the baking pan and add broccoli and cauliflower. Drizzle olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  Toss to coat evenly and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

Try to turn over the florets, they should be a little browned which is okay. This is what brings out the roasted flavor. Keep them close together, and add a layer of cheese and slide it back into the oven. The cheese should melt nicely, adding a crisp to the top of the florets, about 10 minutes.

Drizzle with lemon and transfer to a serving dish with a spoon or spatula.

Trader Joe's Butternut Squash Triangoli with Sauteed Mushrooms

We live in a day and age where sometimes we just don't have time to make things from scratch. I don't, at least and if I do, it takes hours of preparation.

I went to Trader Joe's and one of the items I found were these Butternut Squash Triangoli Pasta. It comes in the package pictured below. Sorry, I emptied it out already before I took the photo. I also bought a 10 oz package of sliced white mushrooms, and it was SO EASY to make and SO GOOD. I tell ya, I really liked it.

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients: 

Trader Joe's Butternut Squash Triangoli
10 oz Package of Sliced White Mushrooms
1T Olive Oil
1T White Cooking Wine
2T Non Salted Butter
2t Kosher Salt
2-3t Ground Pepper
Fresh Parmesan



Directions: 
For the mushrooms, turn range on to medium heat. Use a medium sized nonstick pan and add butter. When the butter melts, throw the mushrooms into the pan and stir constantly until mushrooms are evenly coated with butter. Keep stirring, then add white wine, salt and pepper. Sautee for about 5 minutes then turn stove off and move mushrooms to a plate. Do not clean the pan.

Follow the directions on the package for the Triangoli. When they are ready to go, drain then transfer Triangoli to the saucepan. Give it a good coat of the butter that is left in the pan and add the olive oil. Add parmesan and stir this in (optional). When transferring it to a serving plate, add the mushrooms on top or on the side. Add more parmesan and pepper.

Okay, it doesn't look that tasty with mushrooms on top of it, but it is really good! 

Corn with Sriracha

I got this recipe from my friends Erin and Mark who hosted a UT Football party at their place. It was so good that I made it for a brunch that I had. It was the highlight of the brunch, so if it succeeded at two parties, then hopefully it will do well at your party!

Corn With Sriracha 

Ingredients: 
1/2 Cup Mayonnaise
1/4 Cup Chopped Parsley
16 oz Bag of Frozen Corn (Erin and Mark used fresh grilled corn)
1/4 Cup Parmesan + a little more for topping
1 Tablespoon Sriracha

Directions:
Thaw out the corn by following the instructions on the bag. Throw it in a mixing bowl and toss it with the mayonnaise, parmesan, sriracha and lastly, the parsley. Add about a handful of parmesan on top. Finished! Yes, it's that easy.

What I'm making for Sunday dinner...

Braised pork shoulder with creamy polenta. Not sure how it tastes yet...it's just making my apartment smell amazing. Click on the link below for the recipe

Braised Pork Recipe 

Turkey Sausage and Broccoli with Quinoa Pasta

When I first heard about quinoa, I thought that it must be difficult to make. I've heard great things about it, like it contains essential amino acids, high in iron, gluten-free. So I was at a normal supermarket yesterday, and had decided to make my favorite pasta. When I was looking at the noodles, lo and behold, they had quinoa. The brand I used was "Ancient Quinoa Harvest", and the ingredients consist of organic corn flour, organic quinoa flour, dried organic spinach, dried organic beet and/or organic red bell pepper. The best part? Though slightly more than regular pasta, it was $2.50 for an 8oz. box. Uh... yeah. That's a keeper for me. This is a no nonsense, straight forward, healthy, and really tasty dish. It's definitely going to be a staple of mine. If it's not for you, then stick with pasta. It's still going to be tasty.

Ingredients:
1 8oz box quinoa-corn blend "Garden Pagodas" pasta (or replace with regular pasta such as fusilli)
1.25lbs sweet Italian-style turkey sausage, casings removed
2 stalks organic broccoli, cut into little pieces and stalks discarded
3 teaspoons dried and crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
2 large cloves garlic, diced
1 Tablespoon olive oil


Bring a little more than 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add broccoli, and let it boil for 3 minutes. Remove broccoli and put it in a large bowl of ice water, save the water in the pot. Bring it to a boil for the pasta and follow directions on the box.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add turkey sausage. Crush the sausage with a spoon until it is broken up and no longer red. About 12 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and stir. Drain broccoli, add to skillet and stir. Add pasta, stir and coat with juices. Stir in parmesan and serve immediately.

Okay, I also want to add how much I spent at Associated Supermarket in Fort Greene, Brooklyn
1 box 8oz quinoa-corn blend noodles - $2.50
1.25lbs sweet italian sausage - $4.50
2 stalks of broccoli - $2.99
Fresh parmasan -$2.99
Red pepper flakes - I bought this a couple of years ago
Garlic - I had from other dishes
Olive Oil - I had in my pantry
Total: $12.98 to make about 4 servings. Maybe a little more than 4. Yup. That works for me.

Jeena’s Indian Stewed Green Beans and Tomatoes

I am totally into Indian food and feel fortunate to have my first experience of it with my very good friend Jeena.  She is from Kerala, which is known as "God's Own Country". From what I hear from many friends who have visited, there is truth to this saying. It is full of lush greenery, nature, waterfalls, canals, beaches. Ayurvedic medicine and massages are popular in this area, which fits well since it is a traditional method to restore balance in one's body. 

So...since this is a cooking blog and not Lonely Planet, here is a wonderful dish by Jeena. You can find similar recipes, but this is her own specialty, pulled from her roots. You can pair this with so many things. I think I'm going to make this along with Japanese curry, one of my winter staples. 

Set aside the following spices, together into a small ramekin or dish:

1 tsp coriander powder

¼ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp cumin seeds (use mortar and pestle to grind into a rough powder)

2 tbsp canola oil

¼ tsp mustard seeds

1 inch piece of grated or finely minced fresh ginger

2-3 tbsp diced red onion

10 fresh curry leaves, crush them in your hands to release flavors

4 cloves  garlic, crushed&chopped

about 50 green beans, cut into inch pieces

20 grape tomatoes, cut lengthwise in half

½ tsp salt (add more or less, according to taste)

1.Heat the oil on high just until it starts to smoke and add mustard seeds and then turn the heat to medium.

2. After the mustard seeds stop sputtering, sauté the ginger, onions and curry leaves.

3. When you see the onions soften, add the garlic and sauté for a minute (make sure not to brown the garlic).

4. Add the coriander, turmeric and cumin and mix for about a minute, just to release the flavors (make sure the spices don’t brown or burn).

5. Add the green beans, tomatoes and stir for a couple of minute, blending everything together. Turn the heat back up to high.

6. Lastly, add 1 cup of water and salt. Mash the tomatoes to release its flesh and boil for about 10 minutes.

Reduce the thickness of the gravy to your liking, making sure the beans don’t get mushy. Enjoy!

Chicken Lo Mein with Bean Sprouts and Green Onions

I feel so honored to have these recipes from Nick Lee's father, who once owned Chinese restaurants in Houston before retiring. He made a series of dishes for his daughter, Chef Christina Lee, who has asked him to instruct classes at Central Market in Austin, where she teaches. Nick, the son and brother of Christina, put together the recipes, video footage (in Cantonese, but language of food is universal) and photos. He sent me the recipes so I can keep them forever. I am passing along the information and let me know if you try this!

Chicken Marinade:

8 ounce thinly sliced Chicken Breast

3 teaspoon Corn Starch

6 teaspoon Water

3 teaspoon Oil

Mix the Chicken, Corn Starch and water thoroughly first then add the oil last. Set aside.

Prepare the noodles:

Precook 8 ounce Fettuccine noodles per the instruction on the package. Once cooked, mix in 1 teaspoon oil and mix thoroughly (using hand works the best, but wear gloves). Let the noodles cool for 30 minutes. **You want to precook and cool the noodles so they will firm up, the oil is so they won’t stick together. It’ll make sense later.**

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon oil (stir fry the noodles)

2 teaspoon oil (stir fry the chicken)

½ clove of garlic, minced

1 cup shredded Shitake Mushrooms

1 cup Bean Sprouts

1 Green Onion cut into 1 inch lengths

Dash of Ground White Pepper, optional

1 ½ teaspoon Soy Sauce (Light)

2 teaspoon Soy Sauce (Dark)

1 teaspoon Oyster Sauce

Frying time:

Heat a non stick wok with 2 teaspoon of oil on high heat. Wait for the shimmer then add the chicken. Cook evenly for about a minute. Set aside.

Add 1 teaspoon oil into the heated wok and add the minced garlic and Shitake Mushrooms. Stir fry for a minute to sweat the mushrooms.

Add the cooled Fettuccine noodles into the wok and stir fry for 2 minutes or until heated through.

Next add the bean sprouts, green onions, Soy sauce & Oyster sauce mixture. Now you can add a dash of ground white pepper if desired, no biggie. Mix well for an even coverage.

Add the chicken back into the wok and stir fry for another minute.

That’s that.

**salt to taste or use soy sauce**

***5 servings***

Migas!

I love making this for brunch. I first learned how to make migas from my friend Tara almost 10 years ago, and never forgot how to make it.You've gotta have an appetizer to your migas, so I made chips and guacamole. You will definitely continue eating this with your migas.


                                                                                 ingredients:
                                                                                 Serving Size: Makes 4

Chips
4 flour tortillas cut into triangles, like a pizza (I use organic tortillas)
1/2 cup olive oil


Guacamole
2 Haas Avacodos
1 big clove or 2 small cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lime
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 cup tomatoes, diced + 1 Tablespoon for topping, diced
2 Tablespoons red onion, minced




Migas
5 large eggs (I use organic eggs)
1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 white onion, minced
1 big clove or 2 small cloves garlic, minced
1  medium sized tomato, diced
2 handfuls of tortilla chips (I use hint of lime Tostitos)
1 jalapeno
1/8 cup salsa
1 15.5oz Goya black beans (drain before using)
4 slices monterey jack or pepper jack cheese
7 or 8 tortillas (flour, corn, wheat or multi-grain all work)
1/2 lime


Instructions:


Chips

Heat a medium sized, nonstick pan on medium high. Pour olive oil. When it heats up, add tortilla slices so that it is covered in oil. Fry about 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove and place on a plate covered with paper towels. Keep pouring olive oil if it runs low. You need to be sure to cover the tortillas. It does not have to be fully covered, but as long as it is not burning, you're okay.

Guacamole

Cut open the avocados into halves. Remove the seed and the skin. Place avocados into a medium size bowl and begin mashing it with a wooden spoon, masher, or whatever big spoon you have. You can mash it as big or as little as you'd like, depending on your preference on the texture. I like mine with chunks of avocado. Add the garlic and onion. Mix and continue mashing. Squeeze lime as you mash. Once you have the consistency you like, add tomatoes and stir. Do not mash. Add salt, stir, and there it is! Garnish with a few pieces of tomato. 

Migas

There should be some oil left from the skillet you made the chips in. If there is too much, take it out or leave it and just skip the butter. If you only have a little bit left, then turn on the stove to medium high and let it heat up. While the skillet is heating, crack the eggs into a medium size mixing bowl and whisk. Discard the shells. Once skillet is hot, add butter. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic and onions. Sautée for a minute, or until garlic and onions are fragrant.  Gently pour the eggs into the skillet. Turn to medium heat and let it cook for about a minute before stirring the eggs. Then begin mixing the eggs with the onions and garlic until eggs are almost cooked. While stirring, add cheese one at a time. Fold in the cheese while stirring. Add jalapeno and continue to stir. Add black beans and stir. Add tomatoes and stir. Squeeze in the lime, add salsa and continue stirring. Lastly, crumble the chips in your hand and add them to the eggs. Stir only a handful of times and do it gently. Turn off heat and set aside.

Heat up the tortillas by adding a wet paper towel on top and microwave of about 15 seconds. For this method, you want to heat then eat one at a time. You can also heat tortillas by throwing them on the gas range, one at a time, for a few seconds on each side. When serving, just add a tortilla on the side, along with the eggs and the guacamole. When eating, scoop some eggs and guacamole into the tortilla. Do not add too much or it will overflow when you roll it up. Finished! 

Shredded Pork With Snow Cabbage and Bamboo Shoot Noodle Soup

I feel so honored to have these recipes from Nick Lee's father, who once owned Chinese restaurants in Houston before retiring. his daughter, Chef Christina Lee, has asked him to instruct classes at Central Market in Austin, where she teaches. Nick, the son and brother of Christina, put together the recipes, video footage (see below in Cantonese, but language of food is universal) and photos. He sent me the recipes so I can keep them forever. I am passing along the information and let me know if you try this!

Pork marinade:

8 ounce shredded pork

4 teaspoon corn starch

3 teaspoon water

2 teaspoon oil

Mix the pork, corn starch and water together first then add the oil last. Set aside.

Ingredients:

8 ounce Vermicelli noodles (cook as directed per instruction on the package).

1 box of 32 ounce Central Market Organic Free Range Chicken Broth.

1 can (14 ounce) Companion brand Snow Cabbage & Bamboo Shoot (Asian market).

Prepare the soup:

Bring 1 medium sauce pan, with 1 ½ quart of water to a boil. Stir in the marinated pork and shut off the heat.  Poach the pork for 15 minutes and set aside.

In another sauce pan, bring the Chicken broth to a boil, stir in the Snow Cabbage & Bamboo Shoots. Let it come to a boil and turn off the heat. Now you can add the pork into the broth cabbage mixture.

Plating:

Divide the Vermicelli into bowls and ladle the soup mixture on the noodles.

FIN

**salt to taste or add soy sauce**

***8 servings***

Mandarin version. Check out his t-shirt. It rocks. 

More detailed version in Cantonese

Stir Fried Beef With Flat Rice Noodles

I feel so honored to have these recipes from Nick Lee's father, who once owned Chinese restaurants in Houston before retiring. He made a series of dishes for his daughter, Chef Christina Lee, who has asked him to instruct classes at Central Market in Austin, where she teaches. Nick, the son and brother of Christina, put together the recipes, video footage (in Cantonese, but language of food is universal) and photos. He sent me the recipes so I can keep them forever. I am passing along the information and let me know if you try this!

Stir Fried Beef With Flat Rice Noodles

Beef marinade:

4 ounce sliced beef

2 teaspoon corn starch

2 teaspoon water

1 teaspoon oil

Mix the beef, corn starch and water together first then add oil last. Set aside.

Ingredients:

1 pound Flat Rice Noodles (Asian Market, this noodle is not in the refrigerated section).

1 ½ teaspoon Soy Sauce (Light)

2 teaspoon Soy Sauce (Dark)

1 teaspoon Oyster Sauce

Dash of Ground White Pepper (Optional).

1 cup Bean Sprout

1 Green Onion, cut to 1 inch length.

2 teaspoon oil (to stir fry the beef)

1 teaspoon oil (to stir fry the noodles)

Cooking:

Non-stick wok works best. Add 2 teaspoon oil on high heat until you see it shimmer. Stir fry the marinated beef until done, about 2 minutes. Set aside for later.

Noodle time:

Heat the 1 teaspoon oil in the wok and add the 1 pound flat rice noodles. Toss / mix to heat thoroughly, about 2 minutes. Add the dark and light soy sauce along with the oyster sauce to the noodles and mix well to get an even coat. Now add the bean sprouts and green onion and stir fry for about a minute. Finally add the marinated beef back in the mix and stir fry for another minute.

DONE

**salt to taste, or add soy sauce**

***4 servings***

Fluffy Coucous

Since I've started making tagine on a fairly regular basis, I've also started making couscous regularly. When I was in a Moroccan restaurant in Paris, the chef would bring the couscous fresh out of the kitchen and fluff it right beside your table before serving...since then, I realized that fluffiness is a sign of good couscous. I found this blog online and it's a few extra steps but it's worth it.

Fluffy Couscous
Serves 6
Vegetarian and Vegan
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

• 3 c. couscous
• 4.5 c. boiling water
• 1 t. salt
• 1 T. olive oil...drizzling on extra before serving is yummy.

Add the salt and oil to boiling water. Spread couscous evenly in the bottom of a large casserole so that it is in as thin a layer as possible. Add the water and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Wait until all the water is absorbed (about 15 minutes), then fluff with a fork. Enjoy!

Olive Oil Cake! Mmmmmm....

So one of my favorite coffee shops in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn is Cafe Peddlar. Their Stumptown coffee is amazing and their olive oil cake is the perfect accompaniment. It's owned by the Frankies--of Frankie's 457--restaurant extraordinaire where my Frankie and I had our wedding reception. So without further ado, here is their lovely olive oil cake recipe. This cake is great for breakfast or a snack at tea time.

Frankie's 457 Olive Oil Bundt Cake

5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt (do not skimp on this one!)

Preheat the oven to 325° and butter and flour a 10-cup bundt pan. In a bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar and orange zest at medium-high speed until smooth. Gradually beat in the olive oil until creamy, about 2 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the cake flour with the baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating on medium speed between additions.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for 1 hour, but do check it at 45 minutes as mine was done then. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack. Let the cake cool completely before cutting into slices and serving. This cake freezes well and is very tasty sliced and toasted for breakfast the next day (if you have any leftovers).

Ground Beef w/ Star Anise, Carrots and Celery paired w/Brown Rice & Kale Cooked in Beef Stock

Okay, so I don't know what to name this so it's a loooong title.
I was inspired by Katie's dishes (my neighbor's girlfriend) that she made on Sunday, so I wanted to try my own version. Her dish had spunk, so immediately I thought of Star Anise. It's usually put in Chinese dishes and soups, but I wanted to experiment. So glad I did. Makes 4 servings:

Brown Rice & Kale Cooked In Beef Stock

Ingredients:
4 cups water
1 cup brown rice (rinse in strainer under cold water until it is clear)
4 beef bouillon cubes
3 cups of chopped kale (unstemmed and dried)

Cooking instructions:
In a pot, add water and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, add bouillon cubes. Let is dissolve, stir then add brown rice. Stir rice once. Bring heat to medium heat, and cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 30 minutes, turn off heat and pour rice in a strainer over the sink. Let rice strain for 10 seconds. Add rice back to the pot, but not on the heat. Immediately add kale, and cover rice tightly for 10 minutes to let it steam. I had to cover with aluminum foil first before covering with the lid because it was not tight enough. After 10 minutes, remove lid and fluff. While the rice is cooking, go ahead and begin preparing the ground beef.

Ground Beef w/ Star Anise, Carrots and Celery

Ingredients:                                                            
1 peeled and chopped carrot
2 chopped celery sticks
1 lb ground beef
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 T brown sugar
1/2 cup water
2 T worcestershire sauce
1 star anise (I bought the organic kind)
1 t olive oil
2 t pepper

In a medium nonstick pan, turn heat to medium high. When pan is hot,  add ground beef. Break it up with a spatula and add 1 clove of the minced garlic and 1T worcestershire sauce. Continue breaking up the beef until brown. Turn off heat. Drain beef and set it aside.

Add about a teaspoon of olive oil to the nonstick pan and turn on heat to medium. When pan is hot, add the other clove of minced garlic and stir. Once you smell the garlic, add the carrots and celery. Add 1/2 cup water and let it simmer. Add the star anise to the water so the flavor distributes throughout the water and into the vegetables. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until water is pretty much gone. Add ground beef and stir/mix for another couple of minutes. Add 1T worcestershire sauce and pepper, stir and turn off heat.

Slow Cookin' Spare Ribs with Zucchini

All I have to say is wow. When I took a bite into the rib, I couldn't get enough. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and I am so glad I did. The only thing I added to the slow cooker is zucchini. I am someone who always has to have vegetables, so I wanted to see how it would turn out. Darn good. That's all I have to say. 


Since Hurricane Irene is on her way, I also wanted to make brown rice in case our electricity went out. It's perishable, but I feel okay eating rice that's not refrigerated. Well, I'm glad I paired it with my slow cookin' spare ribs and zucchini. It balanced perfectly. 


Here is the recipe from Allrecipe.com. Just add one chopped zucchini (chop it kind of thick because it becomes very soft) 

Ingredients 

• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 pounds pork spareribs
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional)
• 1/4 cup cold water (optional)

Directions

1. Place ribs in a large stock pot, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook for 15 minutes.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix together soup, onion, garlic, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Remove ribs from water, and transfer to a slow cooker. Pour sauce over ribs.
3. Cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours, or until ribs are tender.
4. If sauce is too thin when cooking time is done, drain sauce from ribs, and pour into a sauce pan. Combine 1 teaspoon cornstarch with a small amount of cold water, stir into sauce, and bring sauce to boil. Cook until sauce has reached desired thickness.

You know how to make rice, right? I hope so, because I use a rice cooker. You can always follow the instructions in the recipe Spiced Ground Beef Mixed With Vegetables on how to make brown rice.

Whole Wheat Flour Banana Bread

Hurricane Irene is on the way, so I ended up cooking and baking since our subways and buses are shut down and it is raining.

I had the ingredients for banana bread, so I decided to bake that. It is so easy to make and it's so good. You can add chopped nuts, or chocolate chips but I didn't have those on hand so I didn't add. Also, though I used Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, you can use All Purpose White Flour and it will do its job.

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Melted Real Butter Unsalted
2 Eggs
3 Mashed Very Ripe Bananas
Pinch of Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 3/4 Cup Flour (All Purpose or Organic Whole Wheat Pastry Flour)

Preheat slow oven 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix in order given. pour into a greased baking dish (at least 4x8) with a spatula. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes.

Fresh from the oven!