Friday's Last Spoonful: Food Surf

Taro for two or more

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. The Mixed Stew crew likes hunting through cookbooks for a good recipe or three.

Yummly provides a number of recipes for preparing this root with sweet notions.  The Taro Ice Cream and Taro Coconut Tapioca Dessert are just starters.

Ever tried Poi?  This is a Hawaiian mainstay that’s a healthy starch dish.  NPR provides a cultural snapshot.

Lastly, Kau Kau Kitchen provides a truly Hawaiian perspective on taro and some rustic but traditional recipes.  

Thursday’s Side Dish: Crispy Taro Cookies

These are vegetarian

Look for the dark purple when trying to hunt these down in H-Mart or Lotte Plaza.  Crispy Taro Cookies –Yam Biscuits- by The CookiesCottage are a yummy and healthier option compared against regular potato chips.  This food product is made in Malaysia.  Expect to pay $ 3.00 and up for a 180 gram package.  Serve these with regular chip dips for a change.  They’re also a very crunchy substitute for French fries so go ahead and serve ‘em with that hamburger or veggie burger.  Vegans should love this snack, too.       

Wednesday’s Helping: Healthy Oven-Fry Chicken w/ Stuffing

A Twist on Oven Fried  

Yes, this dish has the right combination of crispy crust and a gooey cheese filling to boot.  The treatment helps the chicken breast from drying out during the cooking process.  What are other flavor selections for this preparation?  Combine shredded Monterey Jack (or American), take out the fancy Parmesan, with diced chives for a change.  Also, try mixing Mozarella cheese with chopped olives and shredded spinach.  Spice up these fillings with a sprinkle or two of paprika, chili powder, or red pepper flakes.  Remember that the mayonnaise can be substituted for sour cream in a pinch.    

Tuesday’s Cupful: Oven-Fried w/ something extra

Melted Parm Burst

The Mixed Stew crew was inspired by this Hellman’s Parmesan Crusted Chicken recipe but we made a few adjustments.  If you and your family usually don’t like chicken breast meat, then try this recipe for a change.  The melted Parmesan cheese makes for additional delectable taste.  Meanwhile, the golden and crunchy crust also helps to seals in the fillets’ natural flavors.

     

Monday’s Bread Bowl: Oven Fried Parmesan Romano Chicken Breast Fillets

Crispy and Cheesy Chicken

The Parmesan/Romano cheeses greatly enhance the juiciness of the chicken breast.  Here’s the recipe:

What you will need:

1 metal baking sheet

1 small mixing bowl

1 wire rack

4 to 6 large chicken breast, skinless

Cooking Oil spray

2/3 cup mayonnaise

2/3 Parmesan/ Romano Cheeses

 ¾ cup green onion, thinly sliced

1 cup bread crumbs

Pinch of salt and pepper

Cooking & Directions:

Preheat oven at 425 degrees.  Combine onion, cheese, and mayonnaise in bowl.  Mix well then set aside.  Make a clean cut lengthwise along the center of each chicken breast fillet. Place the cut fillets on the wire rack with the wire rack on the baking sheet.   Gently press, as much or as little, a portion of the cheese mixture into the crevice of each chicken fillet.  Slather rest of mixture over the surface area of the chicken breasts.  Sprinkle, evenly, bread crumbs over smothered fillets.  Spray crust gently with cooking oil.  Place baking pan sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes.  Lastly, remove cooked chicken from oven.  Let fillets rest for 10 minutes before serving.       

Friday's Last Spoonful: Food Surf

Valentine’s Day Round-up

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. The Mixed Stew crew likes hunting through cookbooks for a good recipe or three.

Cute Food For Kids? has fifty Valentine’s Day treats that you can use to ensure fun occurs on that day we devote to romance.

If you consult Pinterest, the assortment of lovely images and recipes will have your tastebuds craving sweethearts.  The Cinnamon Red Hots Shortbread Cookies and Valentine’s Souffle look absolutely YUM!

Last but not least—red tricycle has some savory recipes that center on celebrating Valentine’s Day.  Go ahead and take a glimpse.

Thursday’s Side Dish: Kellogg’s Special K Pastry Crisps

A lighter treat

Are you a lover of Pop Tarts?  Then you’ll like Kellogg’sSpecial K Pastry Crisps.  We bought a 4.4 oz box of 10 pastry crisps for $ 2.99 at Safeway.  Look for fantastic flavors, such as Cookies & Crème, Berry Streusel, Chocolatey Delight, Brown Sugar Cinnamon, and Chocolatey Caramel.   These “pastry crisps”   are a healthier and more nutritious alternative to many fat-laden snacks.  Each serving adds up to a mere 100 calories.  So, we recommend this new product if you have a sweet tooth but need to watch your waistline.

Wednesday’s Helping: Spicier Buttery Pork Chops

More intense flavors

What can make our recipe really pop?  The Mixed Stew crew suggests adding a dash of paprika, chili powder, or even red pepper flakes to heat things up.  Meanwhile, add a sprinkle or two of cumin, curry powder, or coriander to add a depth of flavor that’s not the usual pork chop taste.  Remember that choy sum, napa cabbage, and even cut brussell sprouts can substitute for the cabbage.  Lastly, add sliced mushrooms, sliced zucchini, and julienned eggplant can add more flavor and texture to the sweet onion and gravy.       

Tuesday's Cupful: Creamy sauce in a Jiffy

Creamy and packed with zing

Bored with your usual fried pork chops recipe?  The Mixed Stew dabbled with this recipe from 671 GUAM RECIPES.  In fact, we made it less complicated by leaving out the celery and carrots.  Meanwhile, we used a whole yellow onion, which helps to sweeten every bite of the end product.  Ranch dressing provides a thick and creamy flavor component.  The savory ingredients wind up smothered in a light brown and gravy-like sauce.  Remember not to overcook the pork chops to prevent a dry outcome. 

Monday’s Bread Bowl: Pan Fried Smothered Pork Chops w/ Sweet Onions

Savory with sweet on top

This recipe tickled our fancy with the juicy pork chops, which end up in a rick gravy-like sauce and topped with sweet fried onion.

What you will need:

1 cast-iron skillet

1 pair of tongs

1 serving dish

3 tablespoons cooking oil

1 yellow onion, sliced into rings

6 pork chops

½ cabbage head, sliced into strips

2/3 cup ranch dressing

1 garlic toe, sliced

Pinch of salt and pepper

Cooking and Directions:

Heat pan at medium-high heat.  Season pork chops with salt and pepper.  Add cooling oil to pan.  Carefully placed pork chops into heated pan.  Brown chops on both sides (6 – 8 minutes).  Remove cooked chops.  Leave pan on medium-high heat.  Throw down onion, veggie, and cabbage.  Let them sautee.  Add ranch dressing to veggies right before they’re done cooking and toss well.  Let veggies cook through in sauce.  Finally, pour creamed veggies over pork chops.  Serve immediately. 

Friday’s Last Spoonful: Food Surf

Cookbooks a wonder

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. The Mixed Stew crew likes hunting through cookbooks for a good recipe or three.

The Mixed Stew Crew recommends The MAC + CHEESE Cookbook by Allison Arevallo and Erin Wade for all lovers of this cheesy and rich mainstay.  What makes it special?  Try the Dungeness Crab Mac and Sriracha Mac recipes that are one-of-a kind.

The folks at AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN have released an updated edition of their TV Show Cookbook.  It’s a lengthy and heavy cookbook that’s filled with yummy dish.  Simple recipes, like the Roast Salted Turkey and Enchiladas Verde, are bound to make anyone’s mouth water.  

Finally, we like Phyllis Good’s FIX-IT and FORGET-IT with over 250 tasty and worthwhile recipes, such as Pork Chop & Rice Bake and Savory Cranberry Chicken.

Thursday's Side Dish: Duncan Hines Chocolate Lover's Cup

Duncan Hines Chocolate Lover’s Cupcake

As a treat for the holidays, The Mixed Stew crew prepared these super chocalatey cupcakes.  The box says “DECADENT.”  We have to say that the Duncan Hines folks do not disappoint.   The Mixed Stew crew experienced some fun with the decorating and frosting process.  Pardon us if our cupcakes do not look as aesthetically pleasing as the images on the outside of box.  This special line of cupcakes is reasonably marked at $ 2.50. + so shop around for the best price.  The company also makes Strawberry Cheesecake, Red Velvet, and Pumpkin Spice.      

Wednesday’s Helping: Leave out the Broccoli

Try some tofu, too

We recommend adding chopped bell pepper, diced chilies, or even a dash of dried red pepper flakes to this stir-fry to give it more gusto.  If you don’t like broccoli, we suggest diced baby corn, snow peas, or baby bok choy.  Add cubed tofu bits, sliced eggplant, and chopped mushrooms for more texture and oomph.  Lastly, substitute the splash of soy sauce for fish sauce or Worcestershire sauce.    

   

Tuesday’s Cupful: Tocino for Stir-fry

Cured right to fry, too

Yes, Filipino Tocino makes a solid paring with pieces of broccoli in our original recipe.  The key is to ensure that the pork is cut small enough as well as cooked until done.  The pre-seasoned pork cuts can be somewhat leathery, which is normal when cooking with Tocino.  You can make this a staple dish in your house; otherwise, use Tocino in a pinch instead of regular pork, chicken, or beef cuts.           

Monday’s Bread Bowl: Pork Tocino and Broccoli Stir-Fry

A set that works well together

The Mixed Stew thinks it has another hit on its hands with this dish.  Here’s the recipe:

What you will need:

1 wok

1 wooden spoon

 2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 lb pork tocino, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 yellow onion, julienned slice

1 lb broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 garlic toe, sliced small

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Pinch of salt and pepper

Cooking and Directions:

Heat wok on medium-high heat for 2 – 3 minutes then add garlic and onion.  Sautee until onion change color then add meat.  Stir well with wooden spoon.  Let tocino cook through until dry.  Add broccoli and soy sauce.  Allow ingredients to absorb flavors.  Remove ingredients from wok once veggies are cooked to your desired tenderness.  Serve immediately.      

Thursday’s Side Dish: Wang’s Crispy Sea Snack

Catch a seafood wasabi

Get cravings for sushi flavors but don’t know how to roll ‘em?  The Mixed Stew recommends Wang’s seasoned and dried seaweed with Wasabi.  Yes, this snack item is spiked with real Wasabi.  Best of all – it comes conveniently packaged in 1 gram bags.  The Mixed Stew crew bought 4 packages for $ 4.99 at H-Mart.  Also, look for this product at Lotte Plaza.  If you’ve never had it, we suggest that you enjoy Wang’s “Crispy Sea Snack/ Wasabi” with an ice cold beverage since the hit of Wasabi, in every crisp piece, is very palpable.         

Wednesday’s Helping: Turkey Times Two

Cream the fowl (and bones)

A thick and creamy broth makes this soup very appealing on cold, wet, or rainy days.  If you want stronger flavors, we suggest preserving the carcass (aka bones).  Then add it while making the broth.  THIS WILL HELP IMPROVE FLAVORS.  Just make sure to remove the carcass before completing the cooking process to prevent serving unsightly bowls of turkey soup.  You can also adjust this recipe for leftover chicken, too.   Meanwhile, the half-n-half can be substituted with evaporated milk or whole cream in a pinch.

Tuesday’s Cupful: Turkey and Bacon in the Mix

A soup to fowl over

The flavors of roasted turkey permeate this dish with assistance from the fried bacon bits’ renderings.  The Mixed Stew tweaked this recipe from Food.com to create our comfort food soup that’s also a lighter stew.  We thought Brussels sprouts would make a neat change from the usual vegetable medley of peas, carrots, and even corn.  Serve this soup with garlic toast wedges, corn bread squares, or herb-seasoned croutons to give it extra yummy appeal.   

Monday's Bread Bowl: Cream of Turkey & Brussels Sprouts

A chunky and satisfying cream soup

This soup is a great alternative to clam chowder or corn soup.  Each spoonful is studded with flavorful turkey bits and diced Brussels sprouts.  Here’s the recipe:

What you will need:

1 large stock pot w/ lid

1 wooden spoon

2 bacon strips, sliced small

1 ½ - 2 cups leftover (cooked) turkey meat, deboned and coarsely chopped

1 yellow onion, diced small

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups Brussels sprouts, quartered

½ cup celery, chopped

1 -2 large potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 cups water

1 cup half-n-half

 1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon flour

Pinch of salt and black pepper

Cooking and Directions:

Heat pot on medium-high heat for 3 minutes.  Toss in bacon, celery, garlic, and onion.  Let ingredients sautee until onion turn translucent.  Add turkey meat and cook long enough to render out turkey juices.  Pour in water.  Add potatoes.  Cover with lid.  Let ingredients reach boiling point then lower heat to medium-low.  Allow pot’s ingredients to simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.  Then gradually stir in flour to thicken the soup.  Pour in milk and half-n-half then return lid.  Let ingredients heat through then stir in Brussels sprouts.  Let ingredients slowly simmer for another 15 – 20 minutes so the sprouts can become tender.  Serve hot.      

Friday's Last Spoonful: Spam Musubi

The Mixed Stew crew ends the year with a review of some of the best of 2013.  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Post from August 12, 2013

Done up from scratch

This is a real treat for the thousands of Hawaiians and Guamanians who grew up enjoying it.  You just need a more delicate hand when making these.

What you will need:

1 musubi mold

1 baking spatula

1 metal spoon

Plastic wrap

Wax paper

3 cups cold water

1 medium-sized bowl

3 cups sushi rice

2 eggs fried, omelet style

1 can spam sliced thin, fried to your liking

Dried seaweed strips for sushi aka Nori

Preparation and Directions:

Collect all ingredients before building (or rolling) individual specimens.  Clean then soak masubi mold in medium-sized bowl that’s filled with cold water.  Pullout and place wax paper over preparation area.  Take mold from water and place on wax paper.  Next, assemble layers of Spam musubi between layers seaweed as shown then press clean and remove built musubi from mold. First rice, then egg, then spam then rice again.  Repeat process to makes several Spam musubi.  Wrap musubi in plastic wrap to keep them fresh until eating time.  Spam musubi should keep for up to 2 days at the longest.    

Thursday's Side Dish: Sweet Pear Upside Down Cake

The Mixed Stew crew ends the year with a review of some of the best of 2013.  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Post originally from May 13, 2013

A yummy and dense pear cake

The Mixed Stew crew decided to try and make this upside down yellow cake and really liked the results.  Here’s the recipe. 

What you will need:

1 baking spatula

1 (9 inch) round cake pan with deep sides

1 medium bowl

1 standing mixer w/ bowl

10 tbspns butter (1 ¼ whole stick), softened

3 - 4 pears cored and sliced thin

1 ½ cup flour

½ cup brown sugar

½ tspn salt

½ cup milk

1 ½ tspn baking powder

1 tspn cinnamon

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

½ tspn vanilla

Cooking and Directions:

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.  Grease bottom and all sides of cake pan with 2 tbspns butter.  Pour brown sugar on bottom of pan.  Spread brown sugar evenly.  Arrange and pile pear slices evenly on top of brown sugar layer.  Next, combine baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in medium-sized bowl.  Set aside.  Cream sugar and rest of butter in mixer until light and fluffy then add the eggs and vanilla until mixed well.  Now, add milk and flour to the batter in alternating intervals until ingredients run out.  Toss in cinnamon mixture and incorporate well.  Pour and spread the finished cake batter evenly over the pears.  Bake for 45 minutes to an hour.  Sides of cake will pull away from edge of pan while baking.  Pull out done cake and let it rest for 30 minutes.  Then quickly and carefully invert on to a serving plate.    

Happy New Year!

It's 2014!  Best wishes to everyone for the New Year. ; )