Vietnamese Pho Ga (Chicken Noodle) Soup

My girlfriend has an addiction to Vietnamese soup. Not just any Vietnamese soup, but a particular soup that is only at a local store in Calgary. Unfortunately, we live in Lethbridge. So when she gets the craving, I either have to plan a road trip, or find something else that would replace the want.

 I even tried calling the restaurant and begged for the recipe, but it was a no-go. I guess I can't blame them, a recipe this good deserves to be under lock and key.

Unfortunately this week she came down with a nasty cold. I was starting to feel a little sick myself, so I decided to come up with an emergency health saving soup. I had to think back and remember exactly what flavours were involved and try to develop a recipe of my own.

This is my own version of their soup. It's no comparison to the original, but it was very close. Maybe it's just missing the atmosphere, but something isn't quite the same as the one in Calgary. However, it still tastes delicious, and I could feel it start to hammer out those germs!


Pho Ga (Chicken Noodle Soup)

Ginger - 1 tbsp - grated
Garlic - 2 cloves, minced
Lemon Grass - 2 stalks - trimmed and thinly sliced
Onion - 1/2 long thin slices
Salt and Pepper - pinch

Chicken Broth - about 5 cups
Lime Juice - 2 tbsps
Vermicelli Noodles - 1 package (Mine comes with four parts in the package, and I just one of them. Just one roll)
Chicken - 1 cup - pre-cooked

Bean Sprouts - handful
Green Onion - handful - diced

Add some vegetable oil to a large pot or wok and heat over medium high. Add the garlic, ginger and lemon grass and cook for a minute. Add the onion and saute until they soften.  Pour in the chicken broth, the lime juice and the salt and pepper.

Add the pre-cooked chicken and half the Green Onion. Bring to a boil. Add the Vermicelli noodles, then lower to a simmer. Give the soup a stir to mix in the noodles. Serve into bowls, then add a small handful of the Bean sprouts and the remaining green onion.

I also add sriracha hot sauce and some Hoison sauce. The original version comes with a spicy sate sauce, something that I just can't find out how to make! Perhaps one day... If anyone out there knows how to make a good spicy sate sauce, just let me know!

Blueberry Tea

Blueberry Tea doesn't sound very exciting, but it can be. Oh yes, it can be. Its not because I infused tea with freshly caught blueberries, which I didn't. And it isn't because I used some odd herbs and spices to create a wonderful blueberry taste, which I also didn't do. Instead, this tea is the quite simple adding of some common liqueurs to tea which forms a marvelous blueberry flavour. Its more of an "adult" beverage that involves some late night fun and games. Imagine a game of Risk or Charades, with a few snacks and a few drinks. Sometimes a nice hot drink is simple unbeatable. 

This recipe is extremely easy. You have to judge how much of the alcohol you would like. The other fun part is finding a good snack that goes along with it! My mom had bought me a Goat Cheese Baker one year, but I had never had the chance to use it. This just seemed like a perfect opportunity! The key to finding a good matching snack seems to be in finding something that appears to be classy. A plate of nachos and blueberry tea don't go as well together as perhaps some banana bread or artichoke dip. So good luck finding something delicious! 

And don't forget about the favourite cup as well! For those that don't recognize it, its from Cows Creamery, an Icecream shop from Canada's Eastern Coast. Amazing icecream! Every time I go, I have to get a new cup. This is my latest!

For those that didn't read my last post, Foodbuzz is hosting a charity event for Ovarian Cancer Research. In association with Electrolux and Kelly Ripa, Foodbuzz will donate Fifty Dollars for every blog focused around a tea party theme. So this is my second posting. You can donate money yourself at www.kelly-confidential.com 

On Friday, the top nine tea party recipes will appear on www.foodbuzz.com. Hopefully I can make it in! 

Blueberry Tea

Amaretto (Disaronno) -1 oz

Grand Marnier - 1 oz

Orange Pekoe Tea

Mix together the liquors and pour into a favourite tea cup. Add hot water and a tea bag. Stir in the tea until you have the desired strength. Serve, but. remember my warning about giving the liqueurs a trial first. You may want to try half an ounce before using the full shot. 

Ahi Tuna Tacos - A Tea Time Challenge

Alright Foodbuzz, I accept your challenge! For the last little while Foodbuzz, in association with Electrolux and Kelly Ripa, have been hosting an event to create the perfect tea party. Every time someone submits a recipe that follows this theme, $50 will be donated to Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Fifty dollars is a fair bit to be donating when your website hosts over 18000 foodies.... so kudos to them! Electrolux will also be donating a dollar for every submitted recipe, so lots of money should be raised!

What do I get out of it? Just the simple chance to appear in the top nine on Foodbuzz's own website (www.foodbuzz.com). On friday, all top nine choices will reflect various tea party recipes. And dont forget that just by writing this post, Foodbuzz donates fifty big ones on my behalf. So how could I not give this a go?

For those that are interested in donating money to this great cause, they can do so at the following link:
http://www.kelly-confidential.com/

And now... onto the challenge.

I know what the typical tea time looks like. Grandma's tables, cookies and scones, maybe even some fancy deviled eggs or cucumber sandwiches. I wanted to think outside of the box.

I only have one actual tea pot. The rest are simple kettles that boil water and remain in the kitchen. Nothing fancy about them! The only one that actually makes appearances on the dinning room table, would be a small Asian tea pot that I "borrowed" from my mother. I decided to base my tea party around that pot.

So I was in obvious need of a good Asian type recipe to serve with my tea.... but what was there? Nothing seemed to fit the tea party theme. I was leaning towards the idea of making Vietnamese Summer Rolls, when I suddenly remembered having Ahi Tuna Tacos a long time ago. I had no idea how to make them, but I did know that I had some ahi tuna in the basement freezer.

So I scoured some food sources, and didn't really find much of anything. So I got a few ideas from one place, and a few from another, used some imagination and before I knew it, I had my very own Ahi Tuna Taco recipe - trial basis.

So here it is. Serve alongside some Green Tea and perhaps some edamame, and you have (what I imagine) is a great Asian Style Tea Party. I loved them, and I hope you will as well!

Ahi Tuna Tacos

Carrots - 1/2 cup, grated
Cucumber - 1/2 cup, grated
Cabbage (Or Iceburg Lettuce) - torn into short strips
Bean Sprouts - a small handful
Green Onion - 3 stalks - diced
Ginger - 1 piece grated (About an inch)

Sugar - 1/2 tbsp
Rice Wine Vinegar - 2 tbsps
Mirin - 1 tbsp (An Asian sweet oil, vegetable oil would work as well))
Lime Juice - 1 tbsp

Ahi Tuna Fillets - 1, shashimi graded

Salt and Pepper

Wonton Wrappers - 6-8

Vegetable Oil - For Frying

In small bowl, grate in the carrots, cucumber and Ginger. Add the cabbage, sprouts and green onion. Top off with the sugar, vinegar, mirin and lime juice. Now when I made this recipe, it was fairly liquidy. So you may want to cut down on the vinegar, mirin and lime juice, or run the whole mixture through a strainer, keeping the dry ingredients. However, you should let it stay in the fridge to soak up the juices before you do anything like that. Keep it in the fridge for about an hour.

Heat some vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. There should be about an inch worth of oil inside of the pan. The ideal temperature should be between 350-375 degrees. I usually set my stove to a seven or eight, but all stoves are different. Once the oil has heated, place the wonton wrappers inside in small batches. Once they have a light golden colour, flip and cook the other side. They should have a nice crispy golden colour to them. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on some paper towel.

Now you can either serve your fish raw (shashimi style) or you can sear it for about 1-2 minutes maximum. I seasoned mine with some salt and pepper and seared it for about a minute. You want it still nice and pink on the inside.


Assemble by placing the wonton on the bottom, then the lime coleslaw, and then a piece of Ahi Tuna on top. Now I couldn't figure out how to get the wonton wrappers to fold like a taco, so I just had them lay flat. When eating, I just folded it together like a sandwich to eat. You can also use two wonton wrappers and form mini sandwiches as well!

All the components of this snack go amazingly well together. The crispy wonton shell, the sweet lime coleslaw and the savory Ahi Tuna. This one is a definite keeper.

Mom's Mac and Cheese

While cooking, I often like to blast out some tunes. I often sing along uproariously to them as well, much to the chagrin of my girlfriend. Unfortunately for her, some of my favourite bands are on her list of least favourites. Perhaps it's because I play them too regularly? Or maybe my singing really is not the best? Who knows!

However, I do know that this is a list of my favourite near-Irish songs that I played today.

1. Flogging Molly - What's Left of the Flag

2. Real Mackenzies - Mainland


3. Spirit of the West - Home for a Rest

4. Great Big Sea - Night Pat Murphy Died

5. My Chemical Romance - Welcome to the Black Parade

6. U2 - Pride (In the name of love)

7. Stan Rogers - Barrett's Privateers

8. Mumford and Songs - Little Lion Man

9. The Pogues - Love You 'til the End

10. Dropkick Murphys - I'm Shipping up to Boston


There you all go! I hope there might be some music on there that would appeal to someone! They all tend to get me singing away in the kitchen!

Tonight's recipe has absolutely nothing to do with Ireland. I had thought about making a Guinness Onion soup for the evening, but when I got home from work... the last thing that I wanted to do was to make something I hadn't made in awhile. So here is the embarrassingly easy Mac and Cheese recipe from my mother. It was made by her mother, who we believe got it from a Best of Bridge recipe book. You can make it Irish if you'd like... just find some Irish Cheese and add some veggies. Maybe shred on some potato? I'm too tired to give anything new a try!


Mom's Mac and Cheese

Macaroni Noodles - 2 cups
Cheese - grated
Milk
Parsley
Salt and Pepper

Cook 2 cups of the macaroni in boiling salted water until tender. Rinse in cold water.

In a small casserole dish (9x9 works well), place in half the pasta. Cover with cheese. Put on the second half of the pasta. Cover with cheese. Pour milk into the casserole dish until you see it just below the macaroni. Sprinkle on the herbs and spices and pop into the oven. Cook at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. I hope you enjoy it as well!

My mom sometimes put sliced tomatoes on the top when cooking it, and other times some cubed ham inside for a new flavour combination. This time I added some sliced sausage and some leftover roasted red peppers inside. Its such an easy recipe it's really open to interpretation.  Just throw in the mix and it should be as good as gold!  But as my mom said "Not a well rounded nutritional dinner, perhaps, but it is hard to beat the feeling of comfort and family that this dinner provides. So give it a try, Jeff and let me know how it goes" 


 I hope you enjoy it as well!

Irish Beef Stew

I suppose the romantic view of an Irish Stew would be one that is filled with large hunks of beef, fresh local vegetables and a hearty thick gravy. Of course, there must be some beer mixed in just for the recipe to be considered as Irish. There seems to be this stereotypical image of a poor Irish peasant munching away on this hearty wholesome stew in their small house, before heading out to tend their fields.

This irks me as a history major. Ireland was often the victim of droughts and famine. There is a reason why potatoes are linked to the Emerald Isle. Potatoes were cheap to purchase, easier to farm and easy to feed a large group of people. I imagine that the real stew would be a watered down soup with some potatoes and some gristly meat inside for a little bit of nourishment and flavour. 

I don't know very much about Ireland's cuisine today, but I have heard that they try to follow this model of food. Fresh ingredients and lots of local flavour. Ireland has always been on my list of places to go, perhaps one day I'll get a chance to try some out for myself! 

This is my own idea of what a good hearty modern Irish stew would look like. Even if it is a bit stereotypical, these are the flavours that do seem to suit the lore of the Island. And of course, it has to have some potatoes and beer included! 

Irish Beef Stew

Beef Brisket - Bite Size hunks

Flour - 1/2 cup

Garlic - 3 cloves

Onions - 1 small yellow, diced

Mushrooms - large handful, cut bite-sized

Celery - 2 stalks - diced

Carrots - large handful - diced

Potato - 1, bite sized

Stout Beer - 1 1/2 cups

Beef Stock - 1 1/2 cups

Tomato Paste - 6oz

Worcestershire Sauce - 1 tbsp

Honey - 1 tbsp

Thyme - 1 tbsp

Bay Leaf - 1

Salt and Pepper - healthy pinch

Place the meat in the flour and make sure the meat is completely covered. Grease a large frying pan or dutch oven and have on the stove top over medium high heat. Place the meat in and cook until browned. Add the garlic, onions, celery and mushrooms and cook until they start to soften. 

Add the remaining ingredients and give a good stir. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer for at least an hour. If the stew isn't thick enough, mix together some cold water and corn starch and add to the mixture. 

Serve with a nice thick piece of bread to mop up the gravy and your golden! Happy St. Patrick's Day folks!

Spicy Grit Basa

Last night I was invited to attend an exciting dinner event. A friend of mine was entered into a draw and won a free dinner party!  The group that was hosting the event planned on cooking a chicken lasagna, and would discuss the benefits of cooking with fresh and local ingredients. I was really excited! It would be a great opportunity to learn some new strategies and perhaps some areas to get new ingredients from.

So we gathered all together early in the afternoon, ready to learn some things and enjoy some good food. Alas... the gentlemen did not show up when he was supposed to. We decided to give him another hour, due to daylight-savings time. My stomach was going crazy! I hadn't eaten since breakfast as I was told to "bring my appetite". Another hour passed, and then another twenty minutes before we decided to give up. What a disappointment! We decided to go out and enjoy some food, but it just wasn't quite the same. Hopefully they arrange something so I get the chance again! 

Now this particular recipe was a desperation move. It was one of those recipes where you are watching the clock tick later and later but you still have no idea what to eat. I was going to breakdown and make some simple shake-and-bake chicken, but a moment of inspiration occurred. I decided to make something that was similar to the idea, but of my own invention. 

I had leftover grits from my Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Grits recipe and needed to find a use for them. And while they worked out well, I would suggest that cornmeal may be a preferred substitute. The grits were, well, grittier than I had hoped. But they did give some added crunch... the choice is yours!

Spicy Grit Basa

Grits - 1 cup

Red Pepper Flakes - 1 tbsp

Paprika - 1 tbsp

Oregano - 1 tbsp

Garlic Powder - 1/2 tbsp

Lemon Zest - 1/2 tbsp

Salt and Pepper - pinch

Basa Fillets - 2

Mix the first ingredients in a large bag. Give them a toss together. Add the fillets to the bag and give them a toss inside as well until well coated. Place a large greased frying pan over medium to high heat. Add the fish and cook for about 5 minutes a side or until the grit coating is golden brown and the fish is cooked through. 

Served with rice and a nice salad and you have a pretty tasty meal! I don't know about health terms, but I can guess that a good homemade recipe helps beat one that sits in a box for months... 

Deep-Dish Maple Cinnamon French Toast

I actually planned breakfast ahead this year! I had a great group of friends come and visit me for my birthday and they all stayed the night. With ten mouths to feed the next morning, I didn't want to be caught scrambling trying to make some food up at the last minute. Nobody wants to be running around the kitchen trying to cook for that many people...ESPECIALLY the day after their birthday.

So this was a fairly simple breakfast that can be made the day ahead and just kept in the fridge. My one recommendation is that you do not make this dish after cleaning your house for guests. It can be a fairly messy process to create, so save the kitchen cleaning until after your all done.

The one sad part about this dish was my own foolish error. I wanted the top to be a bit more crunchy and browned, so I put the oven on broil while I moved the bacon to a serving dish and to the table. By the time I got back.... the top was a lovely dark black. Sigh, what are the odds? The guy with the food blog managed to burn the top of his breakfast right in front of all his friends! Oh the humanity!

So don't be alarmed by the attached picture... as it truly doesn't resemble how this meal should actually look. In reality, this meal is amazing. A nice blend of flavours, quick to cook both the day before and the day after, and delicious to taste. I'll have to make it again and provide a better looking picture to go along with it!

I originally got this recipe from the cookbook  Blog Aid : Recipes for Haiti, a cookbook that was created by several food bloggers that donated its proceeds to Haiti's earthquake victims. The original post was from the blog Under the High Chair, which I suggest you go check out immediately! It's a great blog and has tons of tasty recipes! But don't just take my word for it! Give this recipe a shot! That is... unless the picture really did frighten you off!


Deep-Dish Maple Cinnamon French Toast

Cream Cheese - 1 (8oz) package
Butter - 4 tbsps
Maple Syrup - 6 tbsps
Cinnamon - 1/2 tsp
French Loaf or Italian Bread - 1, sliced into about 16 slices

Raspberries - 1 cup
Light Cream - 200ml
Eggs - 4
Maple Syrup - 2 tbsps
Salt - pinch

Now before I get started, remember I was cooking this sucker for about 10 people. This is the doubled recipe, which I served in my 9x13 casserole dish. If you want a more reasonable sized family portion, take the first five ingredients and cut it directly in half (which was the original recipe). I kept the last part the same however, but it works either way!

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, butter and maple syrup until they are all mixed and creamy. Add the cinnamon and mix well.

Lay out the slices of bread and spoon on all of the cream cheese mixture onto half the slices.  Place the other half of the bread on top to form sandwiches. Cut these sandwiches into bite sized pieces. Each sandwich should make about nine chunks. (I told you this was going to be messy! Don't worry about getting the filling just right, it will spill no matter what!)

Transfer the bread to the greased casserole dish and spread out evenly. Top with raspberries (Or the fruit of your choice, blue berries were the original). Make sure you place the fruit around evenly and into the cracks left by the bread. .

In the same bowl as you mixed the cream cheese mixture in, add the eggs and beat lightly. Add the remaining ingredients and mix together. Pour this mixture over top of the bread. Now with a clean hand, press down on the bread until the egg mixture comes up through the cracks. Do so until all the bread has been pressed. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge over night.

In the morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for about 35-45 minutes until puffy and brown. Cover with foil if the bread is brown before the eggs have set. Serve warm with maple syrup and some more fresh fruit. I also like adding a spoonful of ham and a bit of yogurt, but that's just me. Enjoy!

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Today is my birthday, my actual birthday! I am at the official quarter of a century mark... the glorious and terrifying twenty-fifth year of my life. I miss the times of Lego building, the first time I saw Star Wars, snow ball battles in the backyard... oh the memories. I almost feel sorry for my parents, having to watching someone so young get so so so very old now. Ah poor poor parents. 

 As a food nut, I of course wanted to have an event based around something scrumptious. So I planned a bit of an appetizer potluck to have with some friends. They all brought some great tasty items to munch on! Some plantations baked with mozzarella cheese and cayenne pepper, some Brie bites, mozzarella sticks, bean dips and guacamole... it was a potluck of champions! And of course, all the food definitely helped me stop purchasing food at the bar later that evening. A double benefit!

My own contribution to this shindig was a Jalapeño Popper Dip that I came across once at Annie's Eats food blog. My own recipe doesn't really differ at all from hers, why mess with a good thing? However, you cant always add some veggies like some diced up green or red peppers thrown in. For those that are worried about this recipe being too spicy, fear not! This dip has some kick and some tang, but nothing that will make your eyes water. Even my girlfriend who isn't a big fan of spicy dishes, didn't find it that hot! 

This dish probably would have been picked clean if there weren't so many other delicious food items around the table. It will definitely be on my list for some sport events or group meals. I can't wait to mess around with it as well! This is in no way healthy for you, but that's probably what makes it so delicious.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Cream Cheese  - 2 packages (8oz. each)

Mayonnaise - 1 cup

Green Chilies - 1 (4oz) tin

Jalapeños - diced - 1 (4oz) tin

Mozzarella Cheese - 1 Cup shredded

Panko Bread Crumbs - 1/2 Cup

Parmesan Cheese - 1/2 cup grated

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the Cream Cheese, Mayo, Green Chilies, Jalapeños and Mozzarella Cheese in a medium sized bowl and mix together. It always helps if the cream cheese is warmed to room temperature to help it mix in easier. 

Place the mixture in a large oven-proof bowl and smooth out. A 9x9 bowl should do fine. 

In a small separate bowl add the breadcrumbs and Parmesan and blend together. Sprinkle over the top of the cream cheese mixture. Place in the oven and cook for about 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve with baguette's, vegetables, crackers or chips! 

 

Mexican Lasagna - Vegetarian style

I found this tasty looking recipe online along time ago but have either never had the ingredients or wasn't really in the mood. I was tearing the pantries apart, searching through cookbooks and looking over my collection of online recipes. By the time I actually settled on making this particular recipe, it was already well into the night. Luckily, this one is actually a fairly straightforward and easy recipe to cook. It does have a lot of prep time into cutting vegetables, but other than that it's fairly easy going.

Now I'm not really a straight vegetarian kind of guy, I normally prefer a little bit of meat within my meals. When it comes down to an eggplant or a steak, the answer is always a steak. But never a steak on its own. Its only really a fantastic meal when you combine it with a tasty veggie like a baked potato... I may have just found what I need to cook next! 

Sorry for the diversion... but it is related! I had started this meal, getting all the veggies diced and sliced, when I looked at the next part of the instructions. And suddenly, there was a need for ground beef. This wasn't something I had been counting on or expecting, and as it was already late at night, I decided to simply go with the vegetable concept. It turns out, the artichokes I added and the tortilla's mixed in do an excellent job of making up for the lack of a meaty substance! However, feel free to add beef, chicken, shrimp... whatever your heart desires if you make this for yourself. This recipe is definitely open to experimentation. I also didn't have any black beans in the house, but that would make an excellent addition as well! In any case, I hope you enjoy!

I found this original here, at Let's Dish. Feel free to take a look at this site as well. It has some very tasty recipes and ideas! 

Mexican Lasagna

Rice - 2 cups cooked

Olive Oil - 2 tbsps

Garlic - 2 cloves minced

Onion - 1 diced

Tomato's - 2 diced

Crushed Tomato's - 1 14oz can

Tomato Paste - 8oz tin

Roasted Red Pepper - 1 diced

Green Pepper - 1 diced

Mushrooms - 5-6 diced

Artichoke Hearts - 5-6 bite size pieces

Corn - about 2/3 cup

Cumin - 1 tbsp

Paprika - 1 tbsp

Chili Powder - 1 tbsp

Tortilla's - 1 package 

Mozzarella Cheese 

Salsa - 1/2 cup

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil at about a medium temperature. Add the Garlic, Onions and Mushrooms and cook until tender. Stir in the rest of the vegetables and the spices. Let cook for about 5-7 minutes, then add the pre-cooked rice and mix all together. 

Grease a 9x13 casserole dish. Now you can either tear your tortilla's into strips or keep them together. I kept the bottom one and top one whole and shredded the rest for the middle lair, but the choice is yours. I kept the bottom one whole as I figured it would help hold the sauce inside, but you may want to try it your own way. 

Regardless, place a layer or tortilla's across the bottom of the pan, about a third of the package. Spoon a portion of the tomato/rice mixture into the tortilla's and spread out. Add mozzarella cheese until its well covered. Then add another layer of the tortilla's, then spread the rest of the tomato mixture and more cheese on top. Add your final layer of the tortilla's. I drizzled a little salsa on top just for some added flavour, then topped with some more cheese. 

This thing has enough vegetables in it to keep you healthy and lean for awhile! I didn't even think of meat except when I realized that it wasn't even needed in this dish. Perhaps I'm a vegetarian in disguise? NAH! But still, its a delicious recipe that I will definitely be cooking again. I hope you give it a try!