Monday, December 31, 2012

Monday’s Bread Bowl: Kimchi Calamari Stir-fry

The Mixed Stew crew continues to celebrate the Holidays. We hope everyone enjoys a week of yummy repeats. We will be back on January 7 with new and tasty posts.

A seafood delight for the senses

Have you ever tried a kimchi sauce seasoned stir-fry? The Korean sauce isn’t just for pickling Napa cabbage and similar chilled condiments. Calamari (or squid) offers an alternative to more popular stir-fried seafood, such as shrimp. This kimchi dish is best served hot. It’s VERY spicy, so be prepared for a real hit of heat. In fact, if your tolerance for peppers is low, you might want to skip this all together. If you want to tone down the spiciness, use less kimchi sauce (1/2 the bottle). Also, remember that the frozen calamari rings will release liquid in the process of cooking. Here is the recipe:

What you will need:

1 wooden spoon1 frying pan
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 (6.70 oz) Momoya brand kimchi base (available at most Asian supermarkets)
12 oz frozen calamari rings
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
Pinch of salt and pepper
Optional ingredients:
½ cup carrot, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced

Cooking and Directions:


Heat frying pan on medium-high heat. Add oil. Sprinkle in onion. After about 30 seconds, add garlic and keep stirring so the garlic doesn't burn but the onion turns translucent. Next, add calamari, salt, and pepper. Let the calamari cook, which will take several minutes. Next, pour in all kimchi base. Stir well. Finally, remove from heat and place on serving plate. Garnish with minced cilantro. Serve immediately with brown rice or over whole wheat pasta.
Helpful Hint: If you want to add the optional ingredients, throw them in a few minutes before the calamari in the cooking process. They will need the extra time to cook.

Monday, December 24, 2012

On Holiday!

The Mixed Stew crew would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  We will be back on December 31, 2012.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Friday’s Last Spoonful: Food Surf



Candy Cane Madness

Food Surfing will feature fun food links from around the Blogosphere, including leads to hardcover helpers. These recommended links may give you other interesting ideas for making your life taste better. 

This particular Pinterest site features Candy Cane Themed craft ideas from homemade tree decorations to greeting cards.


Look for the fun and elegant ideas, such as the candy cane wreath and candy cane studded candles from Better Homes and Gardens.
  
Lastly, Recipe4Living lists 10 yummy recipes for using leftover candy canes.
 

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Thursday’s Side Dish: Kellogg’s KrAVe Cereal

A dark chocolate dream


We picked up an 11 oz. box of this new chocolate flavored cereal by Kellogg’s.  Expect a core that’s infused with nuggets of sweet chocolate.  Meanwhile, look forward to a yummy outer crust comprised of wholegrain oats and wholegrain rice in every spoonful.  Each serving portion also contains fiber and multivitamins.  We suggest switching you favorite super sweet kids’ cereal for Kellog’s KrAVe.  Retail price should range between $2.99 and $4.29.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Wednesday’s Helping: Other ingredients to pan sear



When pork doesn’t make the cut

This simple and easy dish can be made using chicken thighs or chicken breast pieces if pork is unavailable.  Try lamb steaks that have been diced into cubes.  Also, try yellow-fin tuna, mahi-mahi, or ahi tuna steaks, which are cut into bite-sized pieces.  Wanna go totally meatless?  We suggest sliced eggplant, artichoke wedges, and sliced green tomatoes or diced summer squash pieces.  Lastly, you can make it decadent with shrimp rolled in bacon or scallops.         

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Tuesday’s Cupful: Bringing On More Ooomph



Spice up the porky mix

Go ahead and add paprika or dried pepper flakes to the coating mixture of our pork belly recipe to kick the flavors up a notch.  Otherwise, add a tablespoon of mustard powder, curry powder, or chili powder to give a whole batch a tasty twist.  Wanna crispier crust in the end product?  Add bread crumbs, sesame seeds, or even crushed peanuts to the coating mixture.