Give it a try: Kale Chips

I finally got around to making Kale Chips and I have to say, they're surprisingly addictive. Although I do have to mention that if you're the (ahem) gassy-type, I would limit your munching!



They're really easy to make. Just take a bunch of washed/dried kale, cut off white spine and cut leaves into smallish pieces. Divide into two large baking sheets, drizzle a tbs or so of extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with a little bit of salt (maybe 1/2 tsp for each pan - you can always sprinkle more salt afterwards) and bake for 25 minutes in a preheated 365F oven or until the edges brown up and they crisp up. I've had to play around with the time and temp so depending on your oven, you may need to adjust. I like to check mine half way, toss them around a little bit and switch tray positions. I prefer cooling them off for at least 10 minutes before munching away.

They also keep pretty well in a ziplock bag, at least overnight that is (Hillsy usually inhales them, so they've never made it through longer than one night!) Let me know what you think, if you've never had them!

Orzo Salad

My friend Karen suggested I give this recipe Orzo Salad a try. I ended up making it for a little picnic with friends last week. I marinated the chopped onions in the vinaigrette while I prepared the rest of the dish - my attempt to pickle them. I added feta cheese (cubed), it was so freakin good. My only complaint is that the mint didn't do a good enough job at masking the onion breath (next time I might chop up the onions a little smaller as instructed AND soak them in some water prior to the pickling step). I find that soaking helps with the raw-harsh factor.

Served with roasted veggies...

Last Night's Dinner #130: Dinner for One

Here's proof that dinner for one doesn't need to be boring or come from a frozen box!


I was walking around the Farmers Market looking for something to cook for dinner. You can't beat the endless crates of fresh vegetables, all gleaming with color screaming out "me" "me" "pick me!". So I did. I bought a super red NJ tomato, have you ever sniffed a tomato that actually smells like a tomato? Believe me, the tomatoes at my local Key Foods definitely doesn't smell like the ones at the Farmers Market. I also bought a couple of baby eggplants, one yellow zucchini and a sweet Italian pepper. I knew that I would simply slice these up and broil them - wish I had a grill!

Walking towards the end of the market I spotted the fish booth - Mmmmm scallops! So I bought 1/4 pound of scallops (4 to be exact) and I was excited to make dinner.

When I got home I was craving pasta so I thought ... grill the veggies in the broiler with olive oil, pan fry the scallops and make a simple tomato/onion sauce for the pasta.






Presto. Half an hour later...

I was one happy girl.

Last Night's Dinner #126: Swiss Chard

I was walking around the farmer's market on Sunday and spotted bunches of swiss chard. I've never cooked with swiss chard before so I grabbed a bunch and figured I can easily find a couple of recipes online.

Well, I completely forgot about them and spotted them in the bottom of the fridge looking very lonely and a little on the limp side. I wasn't sure if the limp-factor made them inedible, but I wasn't about to throw them out without first giving it a try. So I did some research and found this simple recipe from elise.com. It's pretty similar to the way I like to cook broccoli rabe. Actually minus the butter, it's actually exactly the same.


Would it have been better if my chards were super fresh and not so limp? Probably, but it was definitely edible! For those of you not familiar with this leafy green... it has a little bit of a bitter after taste, but nothing too crazy. It's sort of like spinach but a little more leafy/thicker and substantial. Not too far from broccoli rabe, but not as green and it has a little bit more of a water-crunch to it!

Last Night's Dinner #122: Tangy Potatoes

Sorry for the pork chop repeat but we're testing out a couple of different pork suppliers so I have to cook the chops the same exact way!! However, I did whip up a new side dish inspired by a recent Lidia's Italy episode.

It's actually pretty easy - if you love Diner homefries then you'll love this...

Chop up potatoes into small cubes (you can remove the skin if you prefer it that way). I used (5) new potatoes, but I'm sure it'll work with any kind of potato. Chop up white onions (about 3/4 the amount of potatoes).

Cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil and start browning the onions and potatoes. Season well with salt. You want to keep an eye on this one and stir often so it doesn't burn and stick to the bottom of the pan.

Once you notice that it's starting to get some color, lower your heat and sprinkle in some sugar (not too much), mix and cover with a lid. Wait about a minute or so (be careful, sugar will caramelize quite quickly) and add about 2-3 tbs of water to the pan to add some steam and to help along the cooking process.

Once it dries up again, drizzle in some balsamic vinegar and mix it all in. You might have to add more water - if it looks like it's getting too dark and the potatoes aren't cooked yet, just sprinkle in some more water and cover with a lid. Make sure you put enough salt - potatoes are salt-guzzlers and you might think it's too much but go ahead and taste them as you go.

The balsamic vinegar + sugar + salt is a great combo! This would be great with your morning eggs or add some sausage meat and serve with a simple salad for lunch.

Last Night's Dinner #105: Poached Salmon with Herb Tomato Salad

I've never poached fish before so when I saw this recipe, I jumped at the chance to give a try.



Unfortunately, I didn't like it very much. Although, I suspect that the quality of the salmon had a lot to do with it. It tasted really fishy! The herb sauce topping was good but nothing to go nuts over. So I won't bother sharing the recipe for the salmon but I'll post the recipe for the tomatoes - they turned out really good!


Poaching bed: lemon slices, tarragon stems, shallots (add wine/water)


Herb sauce: tarragon, parsley, capers, shallots, honey, olive oil

Good thing I decided to cook an herb tomato salad or I would've went to bed hungry. I love grape tomatoes and can eat them like candy (slight exaggeration). This is a great side dish for the Spring/Summer, it's light, full of flavor and low maintenance.



You'll need:
2 pints of grape tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic chopped
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons each of chopped fresh parsley and basil
salt & pepper

Heat up oil, add garlic and cook for a couple of seconds then add parsley and tomatoes. Season well with salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes start to pop open. Add basil. You can serve this hot or room temperature. You can drizzle extra olive oil prior to serving.

* for extra flavor I added a pinch of dried parsley and basil to the garlic

Last Night's Dinner #101: Orange and Fennel Salad

I once saw Lidia make this on her show and I happen to have some Fennel in the fridge (I was planning to make another dish with it but wasn't in the mood for it) so I decided to try and make it.


I used a mix of regular and blood oranges

Quite simple - just cut up some orange segments (remove membranes and pith), thinly sliced fennel (bulb only), squeeze some fresh lemon and drizzle some good olive oil and you're done. Oh and don't forget to season with some good sea salt and freshly ground pepper. You can also add some of the juice from the oranges.

If you haven't seen it, I posted a how-to on cutting oranges earlier this morning.

Last Night's Dinner #98: Cheesiest Potato Casserole

This doesn't even need an intro, just look at all that yummy melted cheese!

Recipe from Cook's Country
Serves 8 to 10
4 garlic cloves, 1 clove cut in half lengthwise, remaining cloves minced
1 tbs unsalted butter, softened
1 cup shredded gruyére or swiss cheese
1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/8 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes (4 to 5 medium) peeled and sliced as 1/8" thick
4-5 slices of hearty white sandwich bread (Arnold Country or Pepperidge Farm works best), torn into pieces.



Preheat oven to 350 F degress. Adjust oven rack to middle position.

Use cut side of halved garlic to rub sides and bottom of 2-quart shallow baking or gratin dish. Allow garlic in dish to try then coat dish with softened butter. Combine cheeses in a small bowl.

Bring minced garlic, cream, broth, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until liquid reduced to 2 1/2 cups, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and gently stir in potatoes.



Spoon half of potato mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle with half of cheese, add remaining potato mixture, and press with spatula to compact.

Press bread pieces into casserole. Bake 40 minutes.



Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and continue baking until golden and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 20 minutes before serving.

Last Night's Dinner #83: No time to cook salad

We got back from the gym pretty late last night and we were both starving, so we decided to negate all the hard work we did and stopped by a new Pizza shop that just opened by us. We picked up a couple of slices, but I decided to make a filler side dish so that we both didn't end up eating a whole pie.

I love arugula and love it best when served with bresaola, freshly shaved parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Unfortunately, I didn't have any bresaola so I used prosciutto instead.

Last Night's Dinner #82: Cauliflower and Feta Omelet

I found this recipe in the latest issue of Gourmet under the 20 minute meal section. Both Hillsy and I really loved it - surprising, since he supposedly hates cauliflower!

The salty-tangy feta goes so well with the nutty tender bites of cauliflower. If you have 30 minutes, you've got to give this one a go.

You'll need:
5 large eggs
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cauliflower, cut into 1-inch wide florets (about 3 cups)
1 garlic clove, minces
1/2 cup crumbled feta (2 oz)
1/4 cup packed flat parsley leaves (remove tough stems but leaves should be left whole)

Step 1. Beat eggs with 1/4 teaspoon salt.



Step 2. Heat oil in a heavy non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until you notice a strong olive scent, then sauté cauliflower until browned and tender (5 - 9 mins). Reduce heat, then add garlic, 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper and sauté for 1 minute.



Step 3. Pour eggs over cauliflower. Lift the edges (see image) to allow uncooked egg to run underneath.



Shake the skillet to loosen the omelet - after 4 or 5 minutes slide it out onto a large plate.



Put skillet over omelet and firmly hold the plate and skillet together (use pot holders), then invert omelet back into skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Slide out onto plate and sprinkle feta and parsley on top.



Perfect with a simple salad. I served it with an arugula and beet salad, dressed with lemon juice, salt and olive oil.

Last Night's Dinner #79: Wannabe Buccatini All’ Amatriciana

Lidia's Italy is one of my favorite cooking shows - her recipes are always so "simple yet complex". Last night's dinner was inspired by Lidia's Buccatini All’ Amatriciana, a Roman classic. It's "inspired" because I didn't have pancetta, guanciale or the right pasta needed to make the dish. Instead I used bacon and thick spaghetti.


a)wilt b)cook three ingredients separately c)mix it all together and add crushed red pepper flakes and salt

The techniques used on the show were a little different...
On the show, she used about 1/2 cup of water to wilt the onions before adding the olive oil. Once the water evaporated, the oil was added to the pan and the onions continued to cook. She also kept the three main ingredients apart until the bacon fat was rendered, then mixed it all up. I used a good amount of crushed red pepper - it's suppose to have a decent kick!


Make sure to save 1/2- 1 cup of the pasta water. Transfer cooked pasta and reserved water into the saucepan.

I also didn't pass the tomatoes through a food mill. I simply separated the tomatoes from the juice, sliced them into strips then added it (with juice) to the pan along with the bacon and onions.


Shut of the heat and add Pecorino Romano, mix well.

I also made a quick antipasti - Prosciutto wrapped asparagus.



I tossed the asparagus with olive oil, sliced shallots, freshly ground pepper and a little bit of salt. Baked it for about 10 minutes then wrapped 3 or 4 with a slice of prosciutto.

Last Night's Dinner #55: Sopas (Chicken Noodle Soup)

Ooops I lied, one more for the road...



It sounds like the weather is about to dip down to winter levels by this weekend. So what can be better than a nice hot bowl of chicken noodle soup?

This recipe is pretty flexible and the quantities can be adjusted according to your taste. Elbow pasta is traditionally used but I prefer to use small pasta shells. You can also use whole milk, half and half, evaporated milk or heavy cream - I just don't recommend 2% or skim. Again, you can adjust how much cream to add - obviously, the more the better!!

Serves 2
You'll need:
1/4 onion finely chopped
1 clove of garlic finely chopped
1/4 head cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, peeled and chopped into 1/4" rounds
1/2 stick of celery, chopped
1/4 whole red bell pepper, chopped
1 pint of half and half
2 to 3 cups of small pasta shells
1 tbs of oil
salt, patis and black pepper to taste

Homemade Broth:
1 chicken breast (skinless, bone-in)
4 to 5 cups chicken broth, low sodium
1 carrot cut in half
1/2 stick of celery
1/2 onion
3 cloves of garlic (whole and skin on)
1 tsp of kosher salt (more or less to taste)
dash of pepper



step 1. Add all of the ingredients under "Home-made Broth" in a large pot and cook on high until it boils. Once it boils, lower the heat and simmer for approx 30-40 mins. Just make sure your heat is low enough or keep the lid slightly off the pot so it doesn't boil over. Remove chicken and allow to cool. Set aside. You can get rid of the boiled veggies. Save the broth. If the broth is cloudy, go ahead and strain it through a sieve. My broth was still cloudy after I strained it, so I strained it again using a coffee filter + sieve, which did the trick. It should be nice and clear. Set aside.

step 2. Once the chicken has cooled, shred and set aside.

step 3. Heat up a tablespoon of oil and sautée onion, garlic, carrots, celery, cabbage and peppers. Add a dash of patis. Cook until onions are translucent. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Add broth. Taste and season accordingly - add patis, salt, pepper as needed. Boil until carrots are just about tender.

step 4. Add 2 to 3 cups of shell pasta (depending on how much pasta you want). It should take 6 to 8 minutes to cook, follow box instructions.

step 5. At this point, you can add the half and half. If you mix it in, make sure that you stir as you add the milk. You don't want it to clot up. I prefer to put the milk in the serving bowls so each person can control how much they want. I use a 50/50 milk to broth ratio. So I pour the milk in each bowl, top it with chicken and a mixture of veggies (this quickly brings the temperature of the milk up) then I scoop in some broth and mix.

I love this stuff, it reminds me of my childhood - specifically having to stay indoors during the rainy season and visiting my aunt Ruth (back in the Philippines).

Last Night's Dinner #53: Shrimp in Coconut Milk with Calabaza and Okra

Here's my take on another Filipino classic Ginataang Kalabasa.
Ginataang [ghee-nah-tah-ahng] Kalabasa is traditionally made with calabaza (kalabasa in Tagalog - one of the major languages spoken in the Philippines), sitaw (longbeans), pork belly, shrimp, shrimp paste and coconut milk. There are plenty of recipes out there if you're interested in cooking the more traditional version.



I wouldn't say I went too far off from the classic, but I did add my own twist. I love this dish and will definitely be cooking it again and perhaps trying it with other types of meat. I think the sauce would make an excellent base for a fish stew.

Shrimp in Coconut Milk with Calabaza and Okra
Prep: 20 mins
Total: 35 mins
Difficulty: Easy
Serves 2



You'll need:
1/4 of an onion, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and sliced lengthwise. You want it big enough so you can remove the pieces before serving
2 strips of thick bacon or 1/4 lb of pork belly, cut into 1" pieces
1/2 tomato, cut into cubes
2 tsp THAI KITCHEN roasted red chili paste*
12 shrimps in shell, peeled, cleaned and deveined (save shells)
10 okras, cut into 1" pieces
1 1/2 lbs. of Calabaza, cut into 1" cubes
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp canola or vegetable oil
Patis (fish sauce), salt and pepper to taste

*If you can't find roasted red chili paste, you can attempt to make your own but it requires a lot of additional ingredients. I was able to find it at Whole Foods.





step 1. Clean shrimps and save shells for broth. I wrote a separate post on how to clean and prepare shrimp.
step 2. Make broth. Take shrimp shells and boil with 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth with 1 tsp of kosher salt and a dash of black pepper. Set aside.



step 3. Heat up oil in a medium size pot. Add onions, garlic, ginger and a dash of salt. Cook for a couple of minutes until translucent. Add the thick bacon/pork belly. Add the tomatoes once you notice that the garlic is starting to brown. Add the grilled chili paste and mix well.
step 4. Add in shrimp and a dash of patis/fish-sauce. Cook for a couple of minutes, don't fully cook the shrimps. You just want the flavors in the pot to be quickly absorbed by the shrimps. Fish out the shrimps and set aside.
step 5. Add calabaza and okra and add another dash of patis and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes.
step 6. Pour in broth and scrape the bottom of the pan and loosen browned bits at the bottom of the pan.
step 7. Add 3/4 cup of coconut milk (reserve 1/4 c for later) and mix well. Lower the heat and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until the calabaza is fork tender. **Some folks probably boil the calabaza separately prior to adding it.



step 8. Add shrimps back and pour the remaining coconut milk over the shrimps and carefully mix. Cook for three or four minutes or until the shrimps are fully cooked. Taste and check the seasoning. You may want to add another dash of fish sauce or more chili paste for more heat - depends on your taste buds!
step 9. Fish out ginger pieces and serve with rice.