Monday’s Bread Bowl: Cold Kimchi Noodle Salad w/ Snap Beans

More Crisp Korean Fare

We revisit an old-favorite in this week’s noodle salad that’s seasoned with Kimchi sauce.  Here’s the recipe:

What you will need: 

1 spatula 
1 large bowl 
10 cups water 

1 medium bowl 
1 colander 
1 stock pot 
1 package bean thread noodles 
At least 1/3 cup sugar or more to taste 
1 (8 oz.) jar kimchi base 
1/3 cup sesame oil 
1lb snap beans 
¼ cup palm white vinegar 

Cooking and Directions:

Heat 6 cups water in stock pot until boiling point then place dried bean thread noodles in large bowl.  Next, pour hot water into bowl with noodles until submerged. Let bean thread noodles soak and soften for 2 to 3 minutes then drain in colander. Return cooked noodles to large bowl.  Set aside.

Pour 4 cups water into stock pot then heat on stove until boiling point.  Add snap beans to pot and soak for 5 minutes then drain.  Split each snap bean length-wise at the center as shown.  Set aside.   

       

Combine kimchi base, sugar, vinegar, and sesame oil in medium bowl.  Add kimchi dressing to noodles and toss well. Finally, stir in snap beans then chill in fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.  

Monday’s Bread Bowl: Ham –N- Cheese Puto w/ Cilantro, Too

Yummy cheese buns

The Mixed Stew satisfies anyone’s cravings for East meets West in this week’s selection.  These puto buns are stuffed with bite-sized pieces of ham, shredded cheese and spicy cilantro.  Here’s the recipe:

What you need:

1 medium-sized bowl

1 metal steamer

5 cups water

2 packages from inside the box of White King brand puto mix (contains two packets inside)

1 cup sugar

10 tspns cooking oil

8 -12 puto molds, (substitute 8 -12 heatproof teacups)

2/3 cup ham, diced small

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

½ cup cilantro, minced

Cooking and Directions:

Fill 3 cups water into double boiler and place on stove at high heat.   Meanwhile, combine ingredients to mix and make puto batter in medium-sized bowl.  Fill molds half-way with batter then sprinkle in pieces of ham, cilantro, and a small portion of cheddar cheese.  Fill molds with more batter to cover ham and other tidbits.  Place molds in steamer to cook for 25 minutes.  Serve immediately or let cool and pack away for later.

Tuesday’s Cupful: Background on Japanese Chopped Salad

Rice crackers instead

You know it has an Asian twist once you bite into cracklin’ rice crackers that have been seasoned with soy sauce.  Meanwhile, iceberg lettuce has the crisp and cool texture that forms the foundation for a satisfying salad.  The Mixed Stew crew also included fresh tangerine pieces for a sweet flavor component.  Forget the same ol’ croutons and try making this yummy and leafy green salad.  Remember that you can substitute the Japanese Rice Crackers with crumbled Ramen noodles.  We recommend Thousand Island Dressing for this dish.      

   

Monday’s Bread Bowl: Japanese Chopped Salad

Lettuce with Asian crunch

The ingredients in this one-of-a kind salad make it a treat with Asian influences to satisfy for your taste buds. Here’s the recipe:

What you will need:

1 large serving bowl w/ lid

1 pair of tongs

1 medium-sized iceberg lettuce, coarsely chopped

2 tangerines, quartered

½ cup rice crackers

1/3 cup dried seaweed aka nori`

1 large tomato, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 tablespoon sesame seed

Preparation and Directions:

Combine lettuce, tangerine quarters, tomato pieces, and seaweed in large serving bowl.  Toss well.  Add rice crackers, seaweed, and sesame seeds.  Serve with thousand-island dressing.   

Wednesday’s Helping: Alternative Ingredients for Very Veggie Eggplant Lasagna

Spice up the layers

Remember that you can different varieties of eggplants to make this dish.  Italian eggplants make for convenient slicing of large round pieces that are more conducive for building lasagna.  Try adding some paprika, red pepper flakes, or even a bit of chili powder for some extra heat.  Try adding fresh basil to the recipe for more minty zest in each bite.  Lastly, we suggest adding shrimp, canned tuna, or canned salmon if you wanna take things in a different direction.  

Tuesday’s Cupful: Background on Very Veggie Eggplant Lasagna

Meatless but yum yum

Slicing into servings of this lasagna means a few yummy tidbits.  The Mixed Stew grilled the eggplants on the stovetop before mixing them into the cheese sauce.  The extra effort, in grilling, adds a lot of smokey flavor that’s unusual in traditional vegetarian lasagna.  Meanwhile, the spinach ensures the leafy green nutrition.  The Mixed Stew crew also sprinkled in Yancey’s aged-cheddar cheese that’s seasoned with Japanese horseradish aka wasabi.

Monday’s Bread Bowl: Very Veggie Eggplant Lasagna

Smokey, Italian, and Cheesey 

There’s actually a smokey flavor infused throughout this unique lasagna thanks to the roasted eggplants. The Mixed Stew also added a hot kick with some shredded wasabi-seasoned cheese.  Here’s the recipe:

What you will need:

1 aluminum baking pan, deep enough for lasagna

1 large skillet

1 cutting board

Non-stick cooking spray

Aluminum foil

3 garlic toes, minced

1 small onion, chopped

1 jar Ragu brand Roasted Garlic Cheese Sauce

2 cups spinach, coarsely chopped

1 lb lasagna noodles, boiled ‘til al dente

4 large eggplants (We used Chinese but feel free to use other varieties.), roasted on stovetop and chopped into bite-sized pieces

2 cups shredded mozzarella

2 cups Ricotta cheese

1 cup Yancey’s Fancy Hot Wasabi Horseradish Cheddar, shredded

Dried Oregano

Olive oil

Salt to taste

Cooking and Directions:

Heat skillet on medium-high heat.  Add olive oil, onion, garlic, and salt.  Let ingredients sautee until onion turns translucent.  Next, pour in eggplant pieces and chopped spinach.  Stir well until mixture cooks through then ad jar of Ragu cheese sauce.  Mix well.  Allow eggplant to reach a mushy and spreadable consistency.  Remove from stove and set aside.

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.  Coat bottom of aluminum pan with cooking spray.  Then spread a layer of eggplant mixture until it fully cover the bottom of the pan.  Layout a layer lasagna noodles over eggplant layer.  Then spread a generous layer of ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and wasabi cheddar over the lasagna noodles.  

Continue building the lasagna bake with alternating layers of cheeses, noodles, and eggplant mixture until finished off with last layer.   Cover lasagna with aluminum foil.  Bake in oven for 1 hour.  Remove foil cover during last 15 minutes of baking time.  Remove lasagna from oven.  Let rest for 15 minutes then serve.         

Wednesday’s Helping: Ingredient Alternatives for Butter Chicken

More than Chicken, too

Remember that you can substitute the chicken in this dish with lamb or even goat if you’re not avoiding red meat.  Conversely, try using firm tofu or cauliflower for a vegan butter curry.  The Mixed Stew added potatoes but you can substitute them with sweet potatoes, yuca, or taro.  Finally, add one or two finely chopped chili peppers to our recipe to really heat things up.      

Wednesday’s Helping: Alternative Ingredients for Red Chicken Wings Adobo

Red with different parts, too

You can take this recipe in different directions.  We suggest chopping in some fresh cilantro, green parsley, or cardamom for a crisper flavor in each bite.  Also, try leaving out the vinegar if you don’t like a tangy or acidic taste. Substitute the chicken wings for skinless chicken breast chunks for a meal with lower calories.  Lastly, use firm tofu –chopped into cubes— if you really wanna go meatless.     

Tuesday’s Cupful: Background on Red Chicken Wings Adobo

Taste from drumette to wingette

Dressing up chicken wing parts to make them succulent takes more than a bit of effort and this recipe gets the job done.  If you’re tired of the ever popular fried wings or buffalo wings, then we tout making our adobo recipe instead.  The Mixed Stew crew cheated – just a bit – this time by incorporating a White King brand seasoning packet for Pancit Bihon.  The tasty addition helps enhance the achiote and chicken flavors with an eye towards authentic Filipino Cuisine.      

Wednesday’s Helping: Healthier Adouille w/ Garbanzos and Gravy

Keep it creamy but light

The Mixed Stew suggests substituting the heavy cream with whole milk, light cream, or plain yogurt to significantly lower the calorie content in each serving.  Also, look out for andouille sausage made with poultry instead of pork.  Lastly, cut out the dairy all-together with 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch diluted in a ½ cup of chicken broth.  The starch, used to thicken the liquid ingredients, will make light gravy that’s still hearty enough to sauce-up the resulting dish.

Tuesday’s Cupful: Background on Adouille and Garbanzo Beans w/ Gravy

Smokey –n- rich together

The Mixed Stew was inspired by the Mediterranean in constructing this dish.  The tomatoes and garbanzo beans provide a veggie combo, more prevalent in Spain and Middle East, of textures that’s also colorful and rich in flavor.  Remember that chick peas are a great source of fiber and plant-produced protein.  Meanwhile, the andouille sausages provide a lot of smokey flavor that’s enhanced with creamy gravy.           

Monday’s Bread Bowl: Grilled Andouille w/ Garbanzo Beans –n- Gravy

Creamed Cajun Sausage

The Mixed Stew offers up a Cajun mix that’s humble yet tasty. Here’s the recipe:

What you will need:

1 cast-iron skillet w/ lid

1 wooden spoon

3 tablespoon cooking oil

½ medium-yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 ½ lb andouille sausage links, cut into 2 to 3 inch pieces

1 (29 oz.) can garbanzos beans aka chick peas

1 bunch baby broccoli 

1 cup cherry tomatoes

½ cup heavy cream

¼ cup water

½ cup milk

Pinch of salt and pepper

Cooking & Directions:

Heat skillet on medium-high heat.  Add cooking oil, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Sautee ingredients until onion turns translucent.  Stir well.  Toss in andouille sausage.  Let sausage sear and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.  Pour in chicken broth and garbanzos.  Return lid.  Lower heat to medium-low.  Let ingredients reach a slow simmer.  Allow ingredients to cook for another 30 minutes.  Remove lid and stir in milk, heavy cream, and cherry tomatoes, and broccoli.  Let veggies and cream cook through then remove skillet from heat. 

      

Tuesday’s Helping: Background on Pork Ribs Adobo w/ Broccoli

Asian fusion…really

This hybrid recipe possesses shades of our Baby Broccoli w/ Cashews dish.  Meanwhile, we also know its adobo-style thanks to the slow cooking time.  The braising works to tenderize the pork ribs’ meat.  Meanwhile, the walnut chunks add some crunchy bite to an otherwise traditional Asian-staple that’s well-known for its spicy sauce.  The Mixed stew crew then threw in a serving of broccoli for extra nutrition.                 

Wednesday’s Helping: Alternative Ingredients for Quicker Seafood Pancake

Seafood in a minute

The Mixed Stew crew recommends buying a frozen seafood mix to make a quickly-made Korean seafood pancake.  Ours even possessed real mussel flesh so look for different mixes.  But what if you can’t find frozen seafood mix?  Try canned shrimp, canned crab meat, or even canned clams (if you don’t mind the extra grit).  Also, make it a combo of seafood ingredients instead of a trio.  Lastly, you could always plan ahead and use seafood left over from a previous meals.

Tuesday’s Cupful: Background on Quicker Korean Pancakes

A quick seafood feast

Yes, the Mixed Stew crew had cravings for succulent seafood.   There’s no sacrifice concerning taste and flavor in this recipe.  Our original rendition requires more chopping and prep work in the kitchen.  We used a frozen seafood pack to greatly decrease the effort in the kitchen.  Remember that traditional Pajeon tend to be heartier and grittier when compared to the more Western omelets.            

Monday’s Bread Bowl: Quicker Korean Pancakes

Grill ‘em and serve ‘em

These are served with an eye towards less preparation time in the kitchen.  Here’s the recipe:

What you will need:

1 metal fork

1 large mixing bowl

1 cast-iron skillet

1 serving plate

1 metal spatula

3 tablespoons cooking oil

1/3 cup green onion, thinly sliced

1 (14 oz.) bag, seafood mix
4 whole eggs, beaten

½ cup water

3 jalapeno peppers, minced

½ cup corn starch

1 cup all-purpose flour

 Pinch of salt and garlic powder

Cooking and Directions:

Combine eggs and water.  Beat with metal fork.  Add seafood mix, onion, jalapeno peppers, and salt.  Gradually add flour and corn starch while mixing.  Work toward a cake-like batter consistency.

Heat skillet on medium-high heat.  Grease pan with cooking oil.  You can make a dozen or so small pancakes or 3 to 4 large ones.  Allow pancakes to reach a golden brown on each side (4 minutes tops).  Serve with a dipping sauce of soy sauce, sesame oil, and sliced green onion.             

Tuesday’s Cupful: Background on Spaghetti Bolognese w/ Spinach

Spinach will do, too

We eased up on the ground beef in this rendition of spaghetti bolognese because of the addition of spinach.  The leafy veggie adds some green nutrition to a traditionally all-meat Italian staple.  Remember that spinach contains several vitamins and lutein, which helps promote healthy eyes.  We recommend using this spaghetti recipe for introducing the little ones to spinach or more spinach in their diet.    

Monday’s Spaghetti Bolognese w/ Spinach

An Unmistakable Pasta and Veggie Combo

The spinach cuts through the meat sauce in this delectable recipe.  Here’s the recipe:

What you will need:

1 large skillet w/ lid

1 wooden spoon

3 tablespoons cooking oil

3 garlic toes, minced

1 (14 oz) pack of spaghetti noodles, cooked al dente

1 medium-sized onion, coarsely chopped

2 lbs ground beef

1 bunch of Spinach, coarsely chopped

1lb seasoned pork sausage

1 (24 oz) store-bought spaghetti sauce

1 (14 oz) diced tomatoes

Pinch of salt and pepper

Cooking and Directions:

Heat skillet on medium-high heat.  Add cooking oil, garlic, and onion.  Sautee ingredients until onion turn translucent.  Crumble in ground beef and pork sausage.  Let meat brown.  Stir well.  Add diced tomatoes to the skillet and cover with lid.  Lower heat to medium and let the ingredients simmer for 20 minutes.  Add jar of spaghetti sauce.  Return lid and let ingredients cook for another 15 minutes.  Stir in spinach.  Let veggies cook through. Stir well then remove from stovetop.  Serve immediately.     

Wednesday’s Helping: Alternate Ingredients for Simple Chicken Salad w/ Cilantro

Cold Chicken Salad Delight

Leftover-fried chicken in a fresh veggie salad cannot be beat in terms of flavor combined with nutrition.  We suggest substituting the cilantro with regular flat leaf parsley or Italian parsley.   Fresh basil is also a great tasting alternative in a pinch.  Coincidentally, use baked chicken instead of fried chicken for less caloric intake per serving.  Eliminate more calories by using skinless chicken breast ensures healthier eating.  If you remove the chicken skin, add crushed pecans or walnuts for a more nutritious crunch.