Deconstructed Tuna Roll

Deconstructed tuna roll with a Sriracha ginger soy.

No recipe. Just fresh and simple ingredients.

Thai Basil Black Pepper Chicken

Thai Basil Black Pepper Chicken

I have a problem with not finishing off ingredients that I buy to make specific dishes, so I challenged myself to create a dish using the ingredients that I already had in my kitchen. So, here's my take on a classic Thai street food dish- Basil Chicken! It's traditionally served with a fried egg, so that's the story behind that seemingly random pairing.

This dish includes about 8-10 crushed cloves of garlic, 4 hot peppers, and nearly a tablespoon of black pepper, so needless to say it's flavorful and SPICY. 

THAI BASIL BLACK PEPPER CHICKEN
(Makes about 3-4 servings)

Ingredients

• 4 large chicken breasts, sliced thinly across the grain, excess water dried off (IMPORTANT!)
• 8-10 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped
• 4 hot peppers
• 10 sprigs of Thai basil, leaves plucked
• 4 tbsp. of Golden Mountain Seasoning Sauce* (or other dark soy sauce if unable to locate)
• 4 tbsp. of sweet soy sauce* (this is a thick, very sweet soy sauce)
• 3 tbsp. of oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp. of fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. of freshly ground pepper
• 4 tbsp. of oil, canola or peanut, separated
• 1/2 tsp. of white pepper salt
• 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder
• Steamed jasmine rice for serving
• 1 egg for frying, served as a side

Ecuadorean-style Ceviche

I didn't create this recipe, but I wanted to share. The only thing I do differently is that I don't rinse the fish and replace the lime juice with fresh lime juice because the juicing process takes so long- it still tastes great when this step is skipped. So good... and healthy!

Find it here.

Drunken Noodles

I tried this following the recipe nearly exactly since it was my first time cooking this dish, but wound up tweaking it a little. I did spice it up a little and give it just a tad more color by adding about two teaspoons of hot chili oil to the wok once the ingredients had been combined. I also used Golden Mountain sauce for the dark soy sauce, as I found it was highly recommended while researching methods to make this dish. Golden Mountain sauce and Sweet Soy sauce can be found at Asian-International supermarkets, so check for one in your area before buying something at a standard chain grocery store. You'll really want to use these speciality soy sauces, because regular soy sauce (such as Kikoman) will not bring the dish to its proper flavor. Lastly, I doubled the sauce and used three eggs instead of two.

I also added some hot chili oil to individual servings. SO GOOD. The basil really sets this dish off, so don't be afraid to add as much as you please!

To view the original recipe, click here. Enjoy!

Not Your Average Burger

The Tomato Bacon Burger

Angus beef patty, topped with a sweet and savory tomato bacon jam, cheddar cheese, and a fried egg, served on a toasted onion bun with Sriracha mayo.

*FAINTS*

Shrimp & Gravy over Garlic Parmesan Mashed Red Potatoes

Fish Tostadas with Maduro (Fried Sweet Plantain) & Cilantro-Lime Relish

I just whipped this up with ingredients I already had in the kitchen. I'd suggest topping with a crema, but I didn't have any ingredients to make it, so I went without. 

YUMMA! 

Chili Ginger Shrimp with Chives

WARNING:

This dish is not for the faint of heart, namely those with a low tolerance for spicy food. It's insanely spicy, but oh so good, so much so that I made it twice in a row.

I drew inspiration for this recipe from a meal that I had at my favorite Chinese restaurant which featured chives and from Thai cooking (cue the fish sauce and Sriracha). All of the ingredients used in the recipe can be found at your local grocery store in the international and produce aisles. And the best part is that including produce prep, it takes no longer than 30 mins to make! Just pair with jasmine rice and bon appétit!


CHILI GINGER SHRIMP WITH CHIVES
(Makes about 2-3 servings)

Ingredients

• 12 oz. large or jumbo shrimp, thawed, peeled & tail on
• 1/2 tsp. red cayenne pepper 
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. white sugar
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tsp. sesame oil, separated (1 added to marinade, 1 used to stir fry) 
• 1 tbsp. Sriracha sauce
• 4 bunches of scallions (green onion), finely chopped, white part discarded
• 2 serrano peppers, finely chopped with seeds (3-4 Thai chili peppers can be used instead)  
• 2 tbsp. ginger root, minced 
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• Handful of chives, roughly chopped

Directions

Wash shrimp thoroughly to ensure that it is completely thawed (if previously frozen) and de-vein, if preferred. Prepare produce. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients EXCEPT garlic, chives, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Mix well and allow the shrimp to sit in the marinade for 15 minutes. 

In a wok or a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of sesame oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant and slightly browned. Add shrimp-marinade mixture and cook for 5-7 minutes or until shrimp is pink and cooked through, moving shrimp frequently.

Once shrimp is cooked, remove from heat. Add chives and stir a few times to incorporate throughout. Serve over jasmine rice.

ENJOY! 

Don't let the odd smell of this sauce fool you if you've never used it before. It gives Asian dishes a great flavor!

Be sure to mix the shrimp well in the marinade!

Serve & Enjoy! 

Pesto Chicken and Spinach Pita

I had leftover pita from a fattoush salad that I had made during the week and was craving something with a Mediterranean flair, so I came up with this quick recipe. When I say it was SO good, that's likely an understatement-- I made enough for two sandwiches and before I knew it, I had eaten both in one sitting. (Shh).

The ingredients are pretty simple, but combine together to create a great can't-get-enough flavor. And it's *relatively* healthy as well! (I say *relatively* because I didn't actually measure the calories aside from the 150 calorie slice of pita, but nothing's fried or breaded, so that counts for something, right?)

PESTO CHICKEN AND SPINACH PITA

(Makes about 3-4 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts 
• 3 tbsp. basil pesto 
• 2 tbsp. olive oil 
• 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced 
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped 
• 2 cups of baby spinach
• Handful fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning (more or less, to taste)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder 
• 1 tsp. dried (chopped) mint leaves 
• 1 jar of sundried tomatoes in olive oil (will use approx. 4-6, roughly chopped)
• 1 package of fat free feta cheese (for topping)
• 1 package of pita (whole grain, wheat or original) 

Directions 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 

After washing and patting dry chicken breasts, using a large knife, cut into bite-sized pieces, about 1-inch chunks. Season chicken with lemon pepper seasoning, dried mint leaves, garlic powder, and onion powder. Set aside.

Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, add garlic and onions and sautee for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add chicken pieces and continue to cook over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, or until cooked through. In the meantime, rub a little olive oil over each slice of pita that you plan to use and place in the oven on a baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes, flipping once halfway through, and remove from oven.

Once chicken is cooked through, reduce heat to medium and add 3 tbsp. of pesto. Mix thoroughly to ensure that all chicken pieces are covered in pesto. Once you are satisfied with the chicken's coating, add in the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes and cook until the spinach has wilted, about 3-5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and sprinkle with fresh parsley. 

While pita slices are still warm, add chicken and vegetables to each and top with feta cheese. ENJOY!