Gingerbread Bread Pudding

 

 

Made this fantastic dessert for Christmas dinner. This by far is now one of my favorite bread pudding recipes. The flavor of almost perfect gingerbread incorporated in the delicate and filling bread pudding is the perfect combination. I found this recipe online but altered it slightly. Top it with a vanilla sugar icing drizzle and you have yourself a little piece of heaven. Gingerbread Bread Pudding.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf French bread cut into cubes
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 5 eggs
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1tsp ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp all spice
• 2 tsp vanilla
• Milk
• Powder sugar

1. Cut bread into cubes and let sit overnight out to harden up.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Mix together the milk, eggs, sugar, molasses, spices, and 1 tsp vanilla in a large bowel.
4. Place bread cubes in another bowel and pour the milk mixture over. Let sit for roughly 15 minutes.
5. Pour bread mixture into a 9 x 13 greased baking pan and bake in oven for 50 minutes until the center no longer jiggles.
6. Take some milk, powdered sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla and mix together to create a smooth pourable icing.
7. Remove bread pudding from oven, slice, and serve with the vanilla icing drizzled on top.



This bread pudding was so delicious that everyone in the house loved it and asked for seconds.  Definitely give this one a try.



Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 4+

Chicken Chow Mein

     Quick, minimal work, and full of flavor, this chow mein recipe will more than likely become one of your go-to dinners when craving that certain something. The term "Chow Mein" simple translates into stir fried noodle. Much better than any takeout you can get, this dish is inspired by one of my favorite Chinese chefs and from her cookbook; Ching-He Huang. Here is my Chicken Chow Mein.

 

Ingredients:

• 4oz yellow wheat noodles (I used udon)
• 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast
• Soy sauce
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 tsp sriracha or chili sauce
• 1 tbs corn starch
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 red bell pepper thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup green onion diced
• 1/2 cup snow peas
• Sesame oil
• 1 tsp fresh diced ginger

 

1. Cook noodles in boiling water as directed. Drain and set aside.

 

2. Slice chicken into thin strips

 

3. Toss chicken in a bowl with five-spice powder, sriracha, and cornstarch. Let sit.

 

4. In a large wok over high heat pour in the vegetable oil and toss in the chicken. Continue to stir until almost cooked through.

 

5. Toss in the bell pepper, snow peas, and ginger. Stir and saute for roughly 1 minute

 

6. Pour in some soy sauce and a dash or two of sesame oil.

 

7. Stir in the noodles and let them saute and get slightly crisp on a few edges.

 

8. Toss in green onion and serve.

 

     This dish was so delicious. The interesting combination of flavors from the five-spice powder with the chicken and fresh vegetables all came together well with the noodles that were perfectly tender with a little bite.

 

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: under 5 minutes
Serves: 1-2

Slow Cooker Asian Pork Ribs

Slow Cooker Asian Ribs

     I was walking through my local grocery store and looking for something quick and easy to make.  I came across the meat department and saw that the butcher had Country Pork Ribs on sale.  You know the ones, the cuts of pork from the rib end side of the loin with no bone. Typically they hold a lot of meat on them and are usually very affordable.  I grabbed a pack of seven and thought to myself that they would be great with a homemade Asian inspired sauce and slow cooked in my Crockpot. What could be easier?  Make the sauce the night before and right before work toss into the Crockpot the ribs and pour in the sauce, place the lid on it, and go to work.  Once I return home dinner would be ready and all I would need to do is cook some side of rice and a vegetable. The pork was extremely tender, juicy, and packed with tons of flavor.  I will definitely be making this again and adding it to my list of repeat dishes.  Give it a try: Slow Cooked Asian Pork Ribs

Ingredients:

• 7 country style cut pork ribs
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbs chili paste
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tsp diced ginger
• 1 tbs oyster sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 clove diced garlic
• 1 tbs rice wine

     Combine all ingredients minus the ribs in a bowl and stir together until dissolved and combined.  Place all ribs into a crock pot until packed in. Pour the liquid mixture over the ribs and turn the crock pot on low.  Allow to cook for roughly 7 hours.  You will be completely amazed out how well these ribs just fall apart. The juice is almost completely absorbed and what isn't makes a great drizzle over some nice rice. The citrus combined with the Asian flavors complement each other. The ribs are sweet, salty, and flavorful.  You will definitely make this again and again. It's so easy, just throw it all in before you go to work and when you come home it is all ready to consume. Serves 2-4.

Asian Style Soda Can Roast Chicken--??



Asian Soda Can Chicken

 



     The title seems a bit confusing, right? What is this Asian Soda Can Chicken thing?  Well it was something I came up with in my mind.  I thought, "I've heard of beer can chicken, but why not soda can with some accompanying spices?" I took what I thought would be good flavors to add to chicken: orange zest, ginger, garlic, and soy.  Add in the flavor of a soda and I have to admit a good tasty chicken appeared. The prep for this meal was quick and easy.  The only thing that took the longest was the cooking time.  Once this was done and I had cut into it I was amazed out how juicy this chicken was.  It had the subtle flavors of the orange, ginger, and garlic.  Nothing was too overpowering.  Delicious! Asian Style Soda Chicken.

 

Ingredients:

• 5.5 lb chicken
• 1/2 12oz can of soda
• Zest of 1 mandarin
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 tbs minced ginger
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• Black pepper
• Soy sauce

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. First I take the chicken and separate the skin from the breast and thighs of the chicken.  In a small bowl I combine the mandarin zest, garlic, ginger, cayenne, and some black pepper.  Rub the ingredients all over underneath the skin.  I then take and pour out half of the can of soda.  Place the soda can down in the middle of a Dutch Oven. Carefully take the chicken and place it on top of the soda can.  At this point the chicken will appear to be sitting down in the pot.  Take some soy sauce and generously rub it all over the outside of the entire chicken.  Do as much as you can.  Cover the Dutch oven with a tented tin foil and place in the oven. Roast for 1 hour.  Remove and rub more soy sauce over the chicken.  Roast for another 1 hour until a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh reaches 180 F.  Let rest and serve up. This chicken was so moist and delicious.  The small hints of the mandarin, garlic, ginger, and spicy pepper really gave this chicken a wonderful flavor but not overpowering. The soy sauce allowed this chicken to brown perfectly. Serves about 4-5 people.

 

 

Thai Ginger Chicken (Gai Pad King)

 



     So on another Thai food kick.  This time Thai Ginger Chicken or Gai Pad King.  Another favorite on any Thai food restaurant menu.  One that simplifies the great tastes of Thai cuisine: ginger, mushrooms, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and soy.  Serve over a little jasmine rice and you have yourself one of the tastiest Thai dishes out there.  Such a good dish that not only exemplifies the flavor of ginger but also serves as a health benefit because of its addition. To make this dish interesting you have to cut the fresh ginger into little matchsticks like they do in the restaurants.  Take your time and concentrate on cutting the fresh ginger this way.  This dish serves about 2-3, however if you are like me you can eat it all.  Thai Ginger Chicken or Gai Pad King. 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 1/2 tbs ginger diced into sticks
• Handful shredded carrots
• Handful fresh mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic diced
• 2 tbs soy
• 2 tbs oyster sauce
• 2 tbs fish sauce
• 1 tbs sugar
• Rice

 

     In a hot wok with a little vegetable oil, dice up chicken and sauté until cooked through.  Remove the chicken and sit aside.  In same wok toss in the shredded carrots, mushrooms, garlic, and ginger and sauté.  Pour in the soy, oyster, and fish sauces, and the sugar and incorporate.  Place the chicken back in, toss around until the sauce has coated everything and the mixture has thickened.  Serve over some fresh Jasmine rice.  Serves 2.  Such a quick and flavorful Thai dish.  Fantastic.

 

Pork Lo Mein

Pork Lo Mein

     On another Asian kick and thought about going back to Chinese.  My friends at foodies+ are to blame right now for my obsession, lol. I decided to go back to a traditional takeout item; Lo Mein.  I thought; why not do pork lo mein with some traditional flavors you would hope to find in a good takeout lo mein.  I thought about what makes a good lo mein.  The noodles, the vegetables; like cabbage, mushrooms, and a good sauce. So here goes, my version of Pork Lo Mein

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb pork tenderloin
• 1 package lo mein noodles
• 1/4 white onion cut into strips
• 1 tsp of minced ginger
• 1 small zucchini cut into strips
• 1/4 cup stripped cut cabbage
• 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 tbs sugar
• 1 tbs starch
• 5 tbs soy
• 3 tbs oyster
• 2 tbs sesame oil
• 1 tbs rice vinegar

     First cut up your pork tenderloin into thin strips.  Mix in a tbs of starch and 1/2 tbs of sugar.  Marinate with 1 tbs of soy for about half an hour. Meanwhile cook the lo mein noodles as directed and drain.  In a large wok over medium heat toss in the pork and cook until done.  Toss in the ginger, zucchini, cabbage, and mushrooms and sauté until cooked through.  Pour in 4 tbs of soy, 3 tbs of oyster, 2 tbs of sesame oil, and 1 tbs of rice wine vinegar.  Pour over the lo mein noodles, incorporate, and serve immediately.  Serves 2-4 in about an hour.

 

Thai Drunken Noodles or (Pad Kee Mao)

Thai Drunken Noodles

 

      I have actually had this dish before in a Thai restaurant and loved it.  This is another traditional street food dish that I've been told is easily found in Thailand.  This dish has become one of my favorites.  I don't know why it is called Drunken Noodles.  I researched and the actual translation of Pad Kee Mao is "Shit Drunk Noodle".  There are many stories as to why it is called this.  Some say it's because the combination of ingredients awaken your pores and allows you to sweat out your toxins from a long nights of drinking.  (Trust me, I can see this as a reason).  Another source states that the dish is called this because the ingredients are "sauced" themselves.  Finally, I've heard that it is called Drunken Noodles because it was a favorite of drunks during the night as a great source of protein after drinking before heading to bed.  Whatever it is, it is a spectacular dish.  As a bachelor I can truthfully say that after a night of drinking and debauchery, this dish is a great body fueller. The combination of spicy from the chilies to sweetness from the mixture of the sauces and sugar are tasty.  The freshness of the vegetables and hint of basil and ginger are wonderful.  I love this dish.  I mean, I truly love this dish.  It awakens all your senses.  I could smell this dish throughout my house before tasting it.  Once tasting it, all my tastes buds came alive within my mouth.  The sweet, the sour, the hot, and the cold, all together.  Serves 2 with some leftovers.

Thai Drunken Noodles

 

Ingredients:

• Sirloin steak, (cut into thin strips)
• Thai rice noodles
• 1/2 red bell pepper chopped
• 1 cup broccoli
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 chili diced
• Fresh basil diced
• 1 clove garlic diced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger diced
• 2 tbs fish sauce
• 2 tbs oyster sauce
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 2 tbs rice wine
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• handful diced green onion

     Take the rice noodles and place them in a bowl.  Pour boiling water over them and let them soak until they become tender.  They require no cooking.  Drain and sat aside.  In a large wok over medium heat drizzle in a little vegetable oil.  Once hot enough, sauté the cut steak until nice and brown.  Remove from wok and sat aside.  toss in bell pepper, broccoli, chili, and tomatoes and sauté until nice and tender.  Next add in the garlic, basil, and ginger and sauté until fragrant.  Next combine all the sauces and pour into the wok.  Add the sugar and mix in.  Simmer and toss in the drained noodles.  Stir fry for a couple minutes and toss in the green onion.  Serve immediately.