Penne and Meatballs Stuffed with Mozzarella

March 10, 2010 · 47 Comments

Dear World,

I have only a week and a half left before my trip to Shanghai, yet here I am sitting with a muffin top and a pair of love handles.  Why are they called love handles when I feel anything but love about having them?  If anything they cause me stress and much strife when I wear my low rise skinny jeans or that nice body hugging dress that looked good that week when I bought it (before I bought 2 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies) but now looks horrible.  They should honestly rename them “hate handles” because I HATE THEM.

Also, why do pastries give you a muffin top?  My mother was right, you are what you eat.  I am slowly watching  the edge of my stomach hang over the band of my pants — the muffin top effect is full fledged and ready to attack.  Good thing over the years I’ve learned the tricks of the trade like conveniently tucking in the muffin top underneath the pants, or wearing a loose fitting shirt, or better yet one of those “Spanx” thingys that wraps your fat so tight you can barely breathe.

Either way, the stress that I’m causing myself about losing weight is ironically having the opposite effect and making me gain weight.  As Alanis Morisette would say “Isn’t it ironic, don’t you think?”  Yes a little Alanis, except the irony is far from funny.  Every time I go back, my relatives always comment on how “healthy” I look — grabbing my arms as their eyes widen exclaiming “OOOOooo HENG ZHUAN!” or very fit; it’s pretty much a nice way of saying “Man dude, that is one meaty ass arm you got there.”

But then this weekend I had an epiphany.  Life can be much worse than having meaty arms or not being a size nothing, like not ever being able to experience the perfect bowl of Spaghetti and Meatballs.  Now before you stamp crazy across my face, allow me to explain.  Not just ANY spaghetti and meatballs, but the PERFECT spaghetti and meatballs – picture this with me if you will: a trio of meats veal, pork and beef mixed with herbs and spices then seared off to trap in all the delicious juices, then finishing the meatballs off by slowly simmering them in a fresh basil tomato sauce.  What more do you need?  Though the origins are Italian, spaghetti and meatballs have become a comfort food to every American kitchen – and spaghetti and meatballs were my culinary introduction to the American culture.

My mother never made them; I think to this day she doesn’t really like any food outside of Chinese, she finds American food “heavy” so 7 days a week it was always Chinese for dinner.  So you can imagine my excitement when I slept over at a friend’s house in elementary school and her mother invited me over for dinner, FINALLY something NOT CHINESE.  You must realize now, I fully appreciate my upbringing, but at the time I really hated having to eat Chinese food all the time. My only access to “American Food” were those awful school lunches they would serve in the cafeterias, yes that depressing gray looking food that was either too salty or tasteless.  The only exciting days were Fridays when they would serve really nasty mushy pizza, but it was pizza and when you’re 7 that’s totally awesome.

Remember the cartoon Lady and the Tramp?  Remember that scene when the dogs share that plate of spaghetti?  Well while most people were probably concentrating on the developing relationship of the Lady and the Tramp, I was drooling over the cartoon spaghetti and meatballs. AND NOW I was about to experience my very FIRST “American Dinner” and not just any dinner, but a spaghetti and meatball dinner.  And it was beautiful, it was soul satisfying, and even after almost 20 years I still remember it.

I recently had my love for spaghetti and meatballs renewed when I tasted Chef Thomas’ recipe last week.  It was moist, savory and filled your nose with aromatic herbs and spices – I had to close my eyes as I tasted it, to pay respect to the meatball gods because it was FREAKING delicious.  I threw my arms up in amazement and exclaimed – “CHEF YOU GOTTA TELL ME WHAT THE SECRET IS!!!!” And he didn’t want to tell me.  It wasn’t until an intense ninja battle in the kitchen where I finally had to twist Chef’s arm behind his back and threaten to dump him into a gigantic pot of bubbling bisque that he finally said “Milk and bread, MILK AND BREAD!!!!”

Okay. So the ninja battle and the threatening fight didn’t happen, but Chef was gracious enough to share the secret – Milk and Bread folks.  I’ve never had a yummier meatball, it gives the meat a velvety texture that just melts in your mouth and immersed in a homemade tomato sauce with fragrant garlic and herbs, life doesn’t get any better than this.

Now, before yall get your panties in a bunch, the reason why I didn’t do Spaghetti and Meatballs was because…I’m an extremely messy eater.  Every freaking time I eat spaghetti and meatballs I ruin a shirt with spaghetti sauce — it’s inevitable.  So I used penne here instead, less sauce splatterage, no loose noodles dropping onto my shirt, and instead of the art of fork twirling, it’s simple fork stabbing :)   BUT by all means, use spaghetti, just because I am a slob during spaghetti and meatballs doesn’t mean you have to be. To each it’s own I always say!

Ingredients for Italian Meatballs: (Adapted from Chow)

(makes about 30 meatballs)

  • 2 cups stale bread (I used a baguette), crust removed and torn into large
  • 3/4 cup milk (I used skim but whole can work here too)
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper
  • 4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 pound ground veal
  • 1/2 medium white onion
  • 3 large eggs
  • 6 tablespoon Italian Parsley, cleaned and finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Thyme, finely chopped
  • 6 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano- reggiano
  • 30 1″ cubes of Mozzarella cheese

In a medium sized bowl, place the bread and cover with milk.  Make sure all of the bread is moistened and let soak until the milk has been thoroughly absorbed by all of the bread, about 20 minutes.

Place the garlic, fennel seeds, salt and pepper on a cutting board and finely chop the mixture until it becomes well mixed and paste like.  In a large bowl, place the meats with the fennel mixture and mix until evenly combined.  Add the bread and any remaining milk until it is fully incorporated with the meats.  Add the onion and eggs along with the parsley, thyme and Parmesan and mix thoroughly until combined.

Take about 3-4 tablespoons of meat mixture between your hands and roll into a smooth compact ball, about 2 inches.  Make a hole in the center of the meatball using your thumb, and tuck a cube of mozzarella cheese in the middle.  Roll the ball closed to envelop the cheese, adding more meat if necessary. Set aside and continue to roll out balls until all of the meat mixture is used, will make about 30 meatballs.

In a large pan heat a tablespoon of olive oil or coat with cooking spray over medium-low heat.  Place the meatballs in the pan, leaving about 1/4 inch between each one — this will probably have to be done in a few batches.  Brown each meatball on both sides, making sure it is well browned on each side, about 4 minutes on each side for about 20 minutes.  Transfer the meatballs to a large heavy-bottomed pot or crock pot and set aside.

Ingredients for Tomato Garlic Basil Sauce:

(serves 6)

  • 1 can (14.5 ounce) whole peeled tomatoes
  • 4 roma tomatoes, cleaned and diced
  • 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
  • 3 cups beef stock
  • 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
  • salt pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in large heavy bottomed sauce pan at medium heat.  Once heated, add onions and tomato paste and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and chopped tomatoes and cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Pour in the canned tomatoes, broth, sugar, and half of the basil and bring to a boil, stirring.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes or until thickened.

Once the sauce is a fork consistency, pour over the meatballs and place back on heat.  Bring back to a simmer on medium heat.  Cook uncovered, constantly stirring and allow meatballs to cook through, about 20-30 minutes.  Meanwhile, cook your penne.  Fill a large heavy bottomed pot 3/4 of the way with water, add 2 tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil.  Add 2 cups of dried penne and cook for 8-10 minutes or until el dente (Meaning still firm and almost cooked through).  Immediately strain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.  Place pasta in a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Once meatballs are cooked through add the remaining basil and cheese and remove from heat.  Serve immediately.

When ready to serve, place penne in serving bowls and spoon sauce over noodles and top with 2-3 meatballs.  Serve with fresh basil as garnish and toasted garlic bread if preferred.

Now you can cut this recipe in half if the quantities are too large or you can do what I have done, which is freeze the additional meatballs I didn’t use.  I simply took a quart size bag, laid a piece of cardboard and placed my meatballs on top.  Now you have dinner ready for any day of the week you don’t feel like cooking or if you have unexpected guests coming over.  These also make great appetizers, you can simply roll the meatballs smaller (in bite size portions) and freeze them off the same way.

Price of Items:

  • 1 lb of pork – $5.99
  • 1 lb of veal – $ 7.99
  • 1 lb of beef – $ 5.99
  • 1/2 lb Mozzarella – $3.50
  • 2 cups of dried bread – $.50
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan – $1.25
  • 3 eggs – $1.00
  • 1lb of penne – $1.50
  • 1 can of peeled tomatoes – $1.50
  • 1 can of tomato paste – $.75
  • 4 roma tomatoes – $.67
  • 2 white onions – $.50
  • 1 quart beef stock – $1.99

Total cost per serving: $4.14

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Chocolate Spice Cake with Cranberries and Pecans

March 4, 2010 · 40 Comments

I spent the entire week trying to find the perfect words to celebrate the life of James Neal Blanton.  Unfortunately, my entire post got erased yesterday, yes a n00b mistake, I know.  A million times Collin had told me “Always backup Joy” “You should write your posts in Word first Zhang.” So I guess after the millionth and one time, it finally stuck and NEVER AGAIN will I make the same mistake.

After screaming a string of cuss words and letting out all my frustrations by punching a few pillows (they don’t hurt your hand and they don’t fight back), I realized, maybe this was for the better. I honestly wasn’t entirely happy with what I had written.  So I decided to start over, and go old school with a tablet in one hand and a pen in the other.  I sat outside on a lawn chair, soaking up the sun and waited for the right words to come to me.

Since I was a young child, a common question I’d ask my parents was “What is the purpose of life?  How do we know what our job is?”  My parents would usually reply “You need to work hard and study and do well in school, so you can become a successful person like a doctor or a lawyer.”  And for many many years I truly believed that.

It takes a man like Mr.Blanton to help you realize otherwise.

Kate quickly became one of my closest friends in high school, her warm personality, kind heart and contagious laugh made it easy for me to immediately “click” with her.  Her house was always the place to be on Fridays after school.  It was conveniently right by school but the best part was she always had the coolest parents.  I am always very nervous when I initially meet my friends’ parents, mostly because I am out of control with the volume of my voice and I guess a bit “rambunctious”.  My usual self takes a complete 180 and suddenly I turn very shy and quiet.

However, Kate’s parents always had a genuine, positive and loving energy that made you instantly feel at home as if you were part of the family.  Back then, my own personal family life was tumultuous to say the least, and I always avoided going home because neither of my parents were ever in a good mood.  Every Friday, I would look forward to hanging out at Kate’s (with her parents) because it always seemed to give me a peace of mind no matter what was going on back at home.

Her parents always took the time to greet us and sit down to see how we were doing.  No matter how boring the story, Mr. Blanton always listened attentively with a big smile on his face.  His eyes never held judgment, and were always filled with much comfort and warmth.

I now realize the solace Kate’s family provided me helped me not only keep my sanity during those years but helped me grasp the importance of having an optimistic attitude in life.  It made me recognize that the purpose of life wasnt to become a doctor or a lawyer, but the positive impact, you as an individual, are able to make on other people’s lives.  Only then does your spirit and being live on after you are gone.

When I heard the news of Mr.Blanton being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s or otherwise known as “ALS” I knew the outcome would not be good.  My heart sank and I had trouble understanding why certain people were given such fates.  But Mr.Blanton never questioned it, all he knew was that he had to make the best out of what he had.

One of the last times I saw Mr.Blanton was around last November, the disease had almost taken all mobility in his legs and his speech was impaired. By this time, I had not seen him in over a year.  I was shocked as to what this disease had done to this beautiful man.  However, he soon made me feel foolish for even feeling pity towards him, for he didn’t seem to let his condition phase him at all.  Instead he was eager to show us his new gadget — a fully stocked recliner that could raise and lower you in and out of the chair.  We couldn’t help but laugh and clap, for his excitement and award winning smile was always highly infectious!  And as always, Kate’s parents took the time to sit down and chat, and as always, Mr. Blanton listened with bright eyes and a smile that brimmed from ear to ear.  I felt a sudden pang of nostalgia, missing the same feelings of comfort that always felt so familiar in their home.

For the two and a half years he fought the battle against his condition, I’ve never seen such determination and bravery come from one man.  And not only was it prevalent in him but the entire family as well.  I am unable to express in words the admiration I feel for this family, but I can only hope I will be able to show the same strength, unity and unwavering faith they held during the challenges we encounter through life.

I was nervous about attending the service.  I was never good at saying goodbyes.  As I was driving to the church, I felt like I was in a complete (panicked) daze.  Before walking into the sanctuary, I paused and took a deep breath — “You can do this Joy, don’t flip out” I kept repeating to myself.

Upon sitting down, I took a look at the program that was handed to me and on the very front was a picture of Mr.Blanton’s bright smiling face.  I completely broke down, for I realized that this was it.  He was really gone.  My heart started to race, the blood rushed to my face and I could barely breathe through the choking of tears that poured down my face.

Then, “Amazing Grace” begun, the angelic voices of the choir singers suddenly filled the entire sanctuary with such magnificence.  I closed my eyes, trying to calm my nerves and it was then that I felt it: a blanket of calm and soothing stillness that permeated throughout the entire room.  Immediately I felt my fears erased and replaced with a sense of serenity I have never felt before.

Kate made the perfect speech about her father that left everyone feeling positive and uplifted.  She shared 4 life lessons that her father had taught her and I wanted to share them with you.

Don’t just talk the talk, but walk the walk

Always give second chances.

Stay in touch.

Sing Loudly.

We are all born with the opportunity to change and improve the world.  Mr.Blanton chose to make a positive impact through his service to not only his family and friends but also to his community.  He always strived to help the less fortunate and always made an effort to make a difference in people’s lives.

He has taught me the importance of sharing and spreading happiness to others, to never assume a person’s situation, and to always love with an open heart.  It’s men like Mr.Blanton that makes this world a better place.  Though he may be gone, the impact he has made will live on forever.

May you rest in peace.

James Neal Blanton

(July 17 1935 – February 22 2010)

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Glorious Eats around Houston,TX

February 26, 2010 · 37 Comments

I had a wonderful weekend in Houston last week visiting with my parents.  Collin and I stayed at my dad’s house which was a nice change of scene because we usually stay at my moms.  My stepmom is currently in Phillidelphia where she is working on her surgical residency, she is quite the amazing woman to say the least, but I could tell my dad missed her terribly.  So it felt nice to keep him company and to just have quality time with pops, it had been awhile since we’ve done so.

He made me his specialty, “tang yuan” which is a glutinous rice ball filled with a sweet center, usually with black sesame paste (which he did in this case) and then made some ramen noodles sauteed with spinach and red chili paste. I definitely had dessert first :) !  Though my mom was the main cook of the family back then, my dad has always been adventurous in the kitchen. Granted not all of his attempts were successful, he always approached each venture with much gumption, which I admire because fear should never be an emotion when cooking.

My stepdad was also in town from Guangdong, where he is currently the assistant dean at Shantou University Medical College.  The last time I saw him was back in October,  so it was nice to spend time with him as well.  It is also a hoot to watch my mother and stepdad interact with each other — they both have to speak (broken) English to each other because my mother speaks Mandarin and my stepdad speaks Cantonese.  Despite the language barrier, their love for each other is undeniable –they both light up when they are around each other and especially my mother, bubbling over with happiness.

She’s a pretty lil lady ain’t she? :)   William was gracious enough to invite all of us and my cousin Yin-yin and James to Dong Thang (located on 6968 Wilcrest Dr Ste A, Houston, TX. Tel: 281-776-0068.) for a belated new year’s celebration!

We each got to pick a dish, I chose the Eggplant Chicken Salted Fish Hot Pot — which was absolutely delicious, but I’ll get to that later, let’s start at the beginning shall we?  We started the meal with a delicious fish and crabmeat egg drop soup.  I loved the consistency of the smooth silky texture, and the way the delicate meats of the fish and crabmeat swim together in harmony with whisps of egg.

We also ordered Stirfry Beef and Chinese Broccoli, Fried Salt and Pepper Squid, and Sauteed Fish Head.  The beef was extremely tender and the broccoli was nice and crunchy, I really hate overcooked veggies.  The squid was good and the fish head, I thought it tasted “fishy”.  Okay bad adjective to describe a fish dish…let’s just say it wasn’t my favorite dish in the world, a little too traditional for me O_O (But mama loved it).

Before I go on, I’d like my readers to please note the boss lady aka mom in the collage above.  Whenever we order at restaurants, my mother gets down to business.  She will whip out the good ole reading glasses and immediately begins to study the menu.  As a result, I have become the same way.  When it comes to ordering food, I will scan the menu at least 2 times, then go back to my top 3 favorites and then it’s a slow process of elimination from there.

Now for the uber glorious dishes: Fried Lobster with Ginger and Scallion, my Eggplant Chicken Salted Fish Hot Pot, and Breaded Scallop in Garlic Sauce.    The lobster was succulent just like last time.  I love that they bread it in cornstarch so once they stirfry it with the ginger and scallion the sauce becomes nice and gooey.  The lobsters itself were smaller than last time, but maybe other than that the dish was superb.  My eggplant hot pot was quite delicious too, though Salted Fish is a very acquired taste I absolutely love it for its intense umami qualities.  The scallops were cooked nicely but I thought the flavors of the dish were forgettable, the lobster dish outshines it by far!

All in all, dinner was delicious and absolutely wonderful.  I always enjoy having family styled dinners together, a quality in my culture that I have always loved and appreciated.  Not only do you get to eat tons and tons of different types of dishes, but it’s nice to have a sit down meal with family where you can take your time to converse and catch up, drink tea and enjoy each other’s company together.

We talked about William’s time in Shantou and we discussed our plans for me and Collin’s upcoming trip to Shanghai as well as future wedding plans (In Puerto Vallarta) for 2011!!  I’ve also been slowly teaching Collin some basic Chinese like “How much?” or “Hello.  Thank you.  Please.” and in case any ladies try to hit on him while I’m not around “You smell bad, go away” and “No thank you, goodbye”  See, even if Collin got lost I have full confidence he could find his way home with all the (useful) Chinese lessons I’ve been teaching him :) .

Btw, if you haven’t noticed by now, this is probably the longest post I’ve ever done.  Which is probably why it took me 4 days to write/edit it.  But I had so much to share!! I just couldn’t help myself so thank you for hanging in there.  On Sunday morning I had lunch with my best friend Courtney, whom I’ve been friends with since middle school!  Though we do not see each other as often as we like (She a slave to law school, I a slave to…eating?), everytime we get together it always seems like we pick up right where we left off.  She recommended a cute place called “Dry Creek” located in the Heights of Houston (544 Yale St. Hou. Tx 77007 Tel: 713-426-2313) at the cross street of Yale and 6th.

I really loved the set up of this place, which is housed in a refurbished 1930’s gas station (how cool is that???).  For those of you who have heard of Onion Creek Cafe, Dry Creek is actually the sister cafe to that restaurant.  Upon walking in, you instantly felt at home with the laid back setting of metal tables and wooden chairs, a nice mom and pop place if you will.

We decided to sit outside though it was cloudy, it felt really nice outside, plus I couldn’t pass up the cute picnic tables (and lighting).  Started the meal off with a hot cup of joe, which they serve in various kinds of mugs that you would probably find…you guessed it, at home.  Like I said, the character of this place was too cute for words.  I meticulously studied all the items (which I already looked over once at home) and finally decided on the epitome of Southern comfort — Crab Cakes with Cheesy Grits.  MMMMM HMMM that’s right, can I get a hallelujah!!

MMmm just thinking about the flaky morsels of crab meat enveloped in a crispy cornmeal crust is making me drool uncontrollably all over my keyboard, okay not literally but if I could produce that much mucus it’d definitely happen.  The crab cakes come with two eggs any style (I picked over easy, but it was a bit hard), english muffin, and last but not least…cheesy grits.  O-M-G, after eating this meal I’ve decided that crab cakes and cheesy grits should always belong together like pork and beans or carrot and peas, both not as good as crab cakes and grits but you get the idea!

Collin ordered Bagel and Lox which was quite deeerricious as well, I like the addition of the capers and the consistency of the bagel was just right.  Not the best bagel and lox I’ve had but definitely not too shabby either.

It was nice to catch up with Courtney and Dave (her boyfriend) and we laughed over stories of Collin’s first trip overseas to bad neighbor stories to Dave’s secret love for “curling” in the Winter Olympics.  At times I laughed (and talked) too loud and realized everyone outside (and probably inside too…) could hear my boisterous voice, maybe Collin is right, maybe I am making myself deaf.  But I couldn’t help it! It’s hard to contain my excitement when I am hanging out with the people I love :) .

So I saved the best part for last.  I would like to invite you guys to witness the magic of my mother’s cooking.  A private insider’s look of the woman who inspired it all — Mrs. Jingyu Zou.  I am glad she doesn’t know how to use the internet because frankly she would kill me for posting pictures of her that has not been granted the “Mama Zou seal of approval”.  But I had to share this with you guys because she is the reason for why I have my deep rooted passion for food.

The most important element in my mother’s magic is the “Almighty Wok”.  She has always told me — “Xin xin ah, you make Chinese food you MUST have wok! Taste better and you cook outside so less messy at home.”  And it’s true, the wok really is the most important element in Chinese cuisine — the intense roaring fire heats up the oil at a much higher temperature than you can ever reach with a regular household burner.  In order to achieve that nice smokey flavor along with perfectly cooked ingredients, the temperature of the oil is essential.

The second element in my mother’s magic: fresh ingredients.  She shops with much precision whenever she goes to the stores, picking only the freshest and quality ingredients — pictured above are fresh water chestnuts, baby pea shoots, lily flower, black fungus, and bean curd.  For those of you who are not familiar with these ingredients you are probably reading on with horror…black fungus??? lily flower??? One sounds deadly and the other, a bouquet.

I assure you that all of these ingredients are delicious.  Black fungus, though tasteless has an unique slippery and rubbery texture that adds an unexpected twist in any dish.  The lily flower has a natural sweetness and the texture is reminiscent of spinach but more resilient, without any floral taste to it at all.

Is your mouth watering yet?  Stay with me… The last element in my mother’s magic is the seasoning.  I am not sure how to explain this one, maybe this part is her “secret”.  Her flavors for her dishes are always on point, never too salty never too sweet — perfect to the tee.  She always tells me “As you cook, you must taste! Always taste!”  I definitely had no problem being her personal taster for the first 18 years of my life but she is right.  Always taste, and then adjust to what you think would be the most appealing flavor to whoever you are serving.

Stir fry cabbage with bean curd, lily flower egg and black fungus — a wonderful vegetarian dish that would satisfy any palette/tummy.  She also made “spoiled Collin” one of his favorite dishes — Pork with Garlic Sauce.   She always makes sure Collin is taken care of whenever he comes down to visit “Xin xin ah, ask Caahleen what he want to eat! I cook for him.” Sometimes she almost takes better care of him than me…:(!  He loves it though, soaking up any reigning moment he can get because let’s face it, I am always the champion :) .

This is actually one of my favorite dishes too — this spicy and slightly sweet and tart dish is phenomenal.  My mother opted for fresh waterchest nuts (trust me they are 1000 times better than the canned), garlic, red chile paste, red chiles, black fungus and pork.  I love the smell of the garlic and chiles sauteeing in the hot oil, it instantly awakens your senses.  Once it’s done cooking she likes to garnish it with a little bit of cilantro, green onion can be used here as well.

GLOOOOOOORIOUS!!!!!  I think now you guys can understand why I may be slightly “snotty” when it comes to Chinese food — Pei Wei just really doesn’t do it for me.  Imagine eating like this ALL THE TIME when you were a kid, I mean it was ridiculous.  When I left for college, it was quite the rude awakening.  No more mama’s magical food, just scary looking dorm food, nasty fast food and greasy gross everything else (I gained 30 lbs in college).  Sad Panda :(

My mother always made sure I was well fed.  Even when she was swamped at work, trying to manage her hair salon, working 12 hour shifts almost every night, she always made sure I had dinner on the table waiting for me.  I would come home and find not one dish, or even two dishes but always three — which is why for the longest time I thought she was magic.

Now I come to realize her magic was really just her love and dedication as a mother.  Granted I still do not understand how she found the time to do what she did, she always made sure it was done.  No matter how busy, every day I would come home literally with food on the table — wrapped up perfectly, sometimes labeled and always delicious.

Also, with the dishes she made me, there were never repeats — unbelievable, I know.  This is the reason why I always say “Food is Love” because it was always my mother’s way of saying, “Hey I love you, and I am thinking about you all the time.” amidst her busy hectic schedule.  I rarely ever saw her, I would always leave for school before she got up in the morning and she wouldn’t come home til after 9:00pm.

She never ceased to amaze me to what lengths she’d go to make sure I was well taken care of.  I consider myself to be very fortunate and as a result I now cook for the same reason.  I cook because I love, I cook because it is my way of saying — hey I am thinking about you and hopefully this food will bring you comfort.  This way of thinking always ensures that I will cook to the best of my ability, because there is nothing else more important than taking care of the ones I love.

Wow guys, now that’s a lot of love.  Maybe I got a little mushy there so I am taking a Layla break.  Layla tagged along with us to Houston and before I move on I’d like to rewind to a story.  During the initial meeting of my mother and Layla, the first thing she immediately said was “Why you pick black dog? You cannot even see her face, so scary like ghost!” But ghosts are white mom… “Oooooh nooo, I do not like this dog, she look mean!”

Little did she know, Layla is probably one of the coolest dogs I know and after the 3rd or 4th time of my mom meeting her, she fell in love.  Now when she sees Layla she gets excited and in a very LOUD (and happy) voice she will greet her: “LAAAAAYLAAAH LAYLAH LAYLAH!! HI HI HI *cooing high pitched noises*”  Not only that, my mother will jump around with Layla outside and then say “Oh…Layla she very strong! I jump and she jump and push me, I almost fall back!” Mom, I don’t think that’s a good idea to do that.  “OH SHE IS GOOD GIRL! SO FUNNY…dui bu dui Layla? LAaaaayla!”

She then will proceed to feed Layla some “treats” and as she is feeding Layla she will pet her whispering softly “Layla guai, Layla good girl” Guai meaning obedient or good.  And whenever I say “Layla loves her grandma!!” my mother immediately will say “WHO IS WHO’S GRANDMA?! HOW COME YOU CALL MOMMY GRANDMA I DONT THINK SO!” Hahaha ooooh mommy, you really are the best.

I will be returning to Houston this weekend, unfortunately one of my dear friends’ father has passed away.  I would like to write a tribute to him upon my return for he was a great man, a loving man and truly a man with a heart of gold.  The world will be a sadder place without him but the footprints that he has left behind as a result of his beautiful heart and soul will last forever.  Immortality is best achieved through the good deeds and positive effects that you make on others.

See you guys when I get back and thank you for sticking through this post for this long, you guys are great :) !

→ 37 CommentsCategories: Chinese · Entree · Vegetarian

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Fried Egg and Shaved Parmesan

February 22, 2010 · 36 Comments

It was really nice seeing my parents this weekend in Houston, I had felt a little homesick since finding out that my mother has decided to retire and will move back to China in the next couple of years.  Though it is hard to imagine life without my mother right next to me, we all have to grow up sometime…right? I had quite the adverse reaction when I first heard the news, which she conveniently told me during my lunch break at work of all places (that’s how my mom rolls, abruptly).

With tears (and snot, lots of it) streaming down my face, my bosses  thought something horrible had happened.  Which at the time, it really did feel terrible.  I seldom cry in front of anyone, but because the news was completely unforeseen, I felt as if someone punched me in the stomach and knocked the wind out of me.  I know it sounds cliche, but my mother is one of my very best friends.  I love her to pieces, even when she has her what I’d like to call her “crazy asian mom moments”,  it is so hard to imagine life without her being right beside me.  She has always been my rock and the older I become, the more I come to understand (and appreciate) the difficulties of being a good mother.

But I understand this is something she has to do and I completely respect her decision.  Sooner or later this was going to happen and maybe this reality check was exactly what I needed to push me to work harder than ever before.  I appreciate both of my parents for moving to the United States to provide me with a better future and can’t even begin to wrap my brain around the numerous sacrifices they must have made to ensure that their child will have a better life and future than they did.

Though I have picked a career route that my parents may not deem to be “practical” the more I come to think about it, the happier I am with my decision. I couldn’t possibly imagine myself doing anything else.  Food has always been my passion, for many reasons which I will save for another time.  I had a friend ask me this weekend “So what is the purpose of your blog?  What do you think will come from it?”  The reason why I spend so much time on each post is because I know my efforts will be appreciated, sometimes in the most unexpected ways.  My purpose is to solely provide a place for everyone to enjoy, whether you use my recipes is not my main concern, but the fact that this place provides you a momentary (and hopefully visually appealing) break from this busy hectic schedule we call life.

I’ve always appreciated the importance of art and music for this very reason — it is able to provide us with a form of escape even on our crappiest days.  Whether its blasting your favorite love song that tugs at your heart strings or looking at an awe inspiring painting that brings you to a different world, ultimately it provides us with happiness that otherwise would be lost.  So to my dear readers, I thank you guys for reading/looking at my blog, you all are the inspiration for why I started to write this blog and you guys continue to be my drive to keep this bad boy going.  I think happiness is best enjoyed when it is shared, don’t you? :)

I would also like to thank Eggland’s Best for providing the eggs for this dish.  When I went home this weekend, I found out my mother uses your eggs as well!  Anyways, even before I volunteered to be a tastemaker for their product, I have always bought their eggs.  Their eggs are not only lower in cholesterol than your average egg but somehow they magically pack all of these healthy vitamins along with it too!  Because they feed their hens with all natural and all vegetarian feed and they never use antibiotics or hormones, this ensures that the quality of the egg is always fantastic.  So thank you Eggland’s Best for providing me with a carton of your awesome and delicious eggs!

For this salad, I decided to roast some vegetables and topped it off with a fried egg and freshly shaved Parmasean.  I always fry my egg over easy, but it is important that you always use fresh eggs if you are going to cook them this way.  I really love the way the runny yolk pairs with the cheese and field greens and nothing beats the flavor of a roasted red bell pepper.

To roast a red bell pepper it is quite easy.    You can either broil all four sides in your oven or blacken them on a skillet as I have shown above.  Once you’ve browned all four sides, place it in a bowl and cover with saran wrap.  This will help you remove the outer skin of the pepper easiest.  Once the pepper cools, simply peel off the outer skin and discard the stem and seeds.

Ingredients for Roasted Vegetable Salad with Fried Egg and Shaved Parmesan:

(serves 2)

  • 1 Portobello Mushroom, stem removed
  • 1/2 lb Asparagus, ends trimmed off (about 1″)
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper, roasted (see instructions above) and cut into strips
  • 1 Tomato, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup Mixed Field Greens
  • 1 cup Arugula
  • 1/2 cup Spinach
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence, or Basil (dried)
  • 1 teaspoon oil or cooking spray
  • 2 Eggs
  • Parmesan cheese, shaved for garnish
  • salt pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a large baking sheet coat the asparagus with the 2 tablespoons of oil along with the garlic and dried herbs.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until tender.

Heat an iron skillet on medium high heat and spray with cooking spray.  Sear the portobello mushroom, about 3 min on each side and place in the oven with the asparagus until tender.

Meanwhile, mix your greens in a large bowl with salt and pepper and place the tomato slices on each plate.  Heat a medium saucepan on medium heat with 1 teaspoon of oil or cooking spray.  Cooking one egg at a time, crack an egg onto the pan once heated.  Cook until the whites are almost solidified, about 3-4 minutes, and carefully flip the egg over using either a spatula or the magic flick of the wrist (I do not recommend using magic if you have no tried it before) and finish cooking on the other side, about 1 minute.  Repeat with other egg.

Take your roasted vegetables from the oven and cut the asparagus 3 ways and thinly slice the portobellos and bell pepper.  Place vegetables over the greens and top with the fried egg.  Garnish with the shaved Parmesan, placing as much as you prefer.  Serve immediately.

Price of Items:

  • 1 Portobello Mushroom – $1.50
  • 1/2 lb Asparagus – $ 1.50
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper – $1.00
  • 1 Tomato – $0.33
  • 3 cup Mixed Greens – $1.10
  • 2 Eggs – $0.67
  • Parmesan cheese – $0.50

Cost Per Serving: $3.30

→ 36 CommentsCategories: Easy · Entree · Healthy · Low Fat · Salads
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Warm Medjool Dates Stuffed with Goat Cheese served with a Strawberry Cucumber Salsa

February 17, 2010 · 46 Comments

It is crazy how fast time is flying by this year, in a blink of an eye February is already half way gone.  In a month I will be flying to Shanghai with Collin, where he will meet my grandmother for the very first time.

My mother has been sending her photos of us which my grandmother keeps next to her chair so she is able to look through them everyday.  As much as I’d like to see my grandmother every year, it has been over 5 years since I’ve last seen her.  Since living in America I have only visited twice and seen her a total of three times.

She is the only grandparent I have left, being 92 this will probably be one of the last times I see her.  It makes me sad that I was never able to spend as much time with my grandparents as I would’ve liked.  Though I know all of them loved me dearly, a big part of me feels guilty because I was never able to return the favor.  I try to send cards, art projects and pictures whenever possible but a lot of times I feel it’s just not enough.

I attribute my constant happy attitude to the overwhelming amount of love that I received when I lived in China.  My parents would tell me all my grandparents would almost argue over who would hold me next, and being the youngest one of the family it was natural for everyone to spoil fat little round me.  Yet I don’t remember any of it.

Now that I’m older, and with only one grandparent remaining, I’ve come to realize that this trip will probably be the most important one of my life.  I left when I was a 2 year old baby and this time I am coming back as a young adult.  I have so many questions that I want to ask my grandmother, about our family history, about the life lessons she’s learned, and perhaps any embarrassing stories about my mother that I later can pull out and chuckle at her about. :)

But most importantly I want to give my grandmother a good impression, to show her that I am confident in myself and my abilities as well as introducing her to the love of my life.  She has adored Collin since the first day she laid eyes on his picture, telling my mom that “He is a Hollywood movie star.”  I’ve been racking my brain as to what I should buy her from here that she could enjoy in China, but nothing seems good enough.  What could a 92 year old woman need?

So with one month remaining before the big trip, I am beginning to freak out a little bit.  It starts with the little things, like not being 100 lbs like all the other girls in Shanghai to bigger things like What can I do to express all of my gratitude and love to my grandmother?  Especially with my mother not coming with us, I even question the level of my Chinese.  What if my Chinese is so shoddy that they can’t understand me?

I push these pestering questions to the back of my head and try not to worry about things that I am unable to control or simply just too minuscule to matter.  I should just concentrate on the present.

And presently I am enjoying eating healthy this year.  My meat consumption has been cut down tremendously, however because I have a pretty active workout regimen at times I feel myself getting tired.  Do any vegetarians out there have any tips as to what good foods will provide energy and give me the protein my body needs after an intense workout?

I found this salad to be pretty satisfying, I love the combination of sweet and savory so this was the perfect combination for me.  I found these beautiful Medjool dates at a local Mediterranean market and found an interesting recipe the other week in Nancy Oakes’ Boulevard cookbook.  Warm Medjool Dates Stuffed with Goat Cheese, the title itself made my mouth water.


I made the dates by her recipe and made the salsa and salad on my own.  If you’re interested in obtaining the original recipe just shoot me an e-mail and I can send it to you.  I thought the strawberries meshed well with the dates while the cucumbers and pecans added a nice crunch.  I brightened the salsa with some fresh lemon juice that paired well with the goat cheese.  Though a peculiar combination, the flavors were quite delightful :)

For my greens I chose Mesclun, Spinach and Arugula, all are pretty mild in flavor except for Arugula, which packs a peppery earthy kick that I really enjoy.

To toast the pecans, preheat the oven to 350F.  Put the pecans in a small baking pan and toast for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly browned.  Remove from the oven and place in a bowl, set aside.

Ingredients for Warm Medjool Dates Stuffed with Goat Cheese:

(serves 2)

  • 8 Medjool Dates
  • 2 ounces of goat cheese
  • 1 cup Mesclun
  • 1 cup Arugula
  • 1 cup Spinach

From Boulevard:

For the Dates – Make a lengthwise slit in each date and pull out the pit.  Roughly divide the goat  cheese into 12 pieces, stuff into the dates, and press them closed.  Place, seam side down, on a small sheet pan or baking pan.  Set aside or refrigerate until ready to serve.  Just before serving, heat the dates in a 350F oven for 1 to 2 minutes, or until warm.  (I placed mine in for 7 minutes until the goat cheese was browned)


Ingredients for Strawberry Cucumber Salsa:

  • 4 strawberries, husked and small diced
  • 1/8 cup celery, small diced
  • 1/8 cup cucumber, small diced
  • 1/4 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • salt to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and taste with salt.  Set aside until ready to serve.

To serve the salad, toss the mixed greens in a little lemon juice if desired, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place in a mound on a plate and place the salsa ontop.  Place 4 warm dates on each plate and serve immediately.

Starting from this post, I will be listing the price per serving of each meal I make.  This wonderful idea actually came from my friend Karen, who is a tax analyst by the way (this made me chuckle) and I thought it was a great way to not only show people how inexpensive it can be eat well but it can finally convince all my friends that cooking at home is SO MUCH CHEAPER than eating out all the time (and much more cleaner might I add)!

Price of items:

  • 4 strawberries – $1.00
  • 1/4 cup pecans – $0.75
  • 1 celery stalk – $0.15
  • 1/4 cucumber – $0.25
  • 8 medjool dates – $1.50
  • 2 ounces goat cheese – $2.00
  • 3 cups Mixed Greens – $1.10

Cost per Serving: $3.38

WOW!!! In the words of Borat “VERRRY NIIICE, I LIIIKE” Thank you Karen for the fabulous idea.  I think this way I am actually able to show readers and friends how inexpensive it is to cook at home as well as eating healthy. My biggest tip would be to look through your local grocery ads to see what produce is on sale and in season, that way you get optimal quality ingredients at a good price.

I will be heading off to Houston this weekend to visit my parents as well as to pick up our visas for China (yipee!!).  Hope everyone has a great week and I’ll be back on Monday hopefully with fun food adventures in Houston.

→ 46 CommentsCategories: Appetizer · Easy · Entree · Healthy · Salads · Vegetarian
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