TikTok Ramen

Source: Adapted from Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

5 packages ramen (discard the seasoning packet) (I just discovered you can buy a big bag of just the noodles at our local Ocean Mart, which is brilliant!)

3 1/2 Tablespoons butter

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 rounded Tablespoons brown sugar

5 Tablespoons soy sauce

5 Tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

2 green onions, sliced

6 eggs

Everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the ramen noodles for 2-3 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.

Whisk together the ginger, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and chili sauce and set aside.

While the water is boiling and the noodles are cooking, melt the butter in a tiny saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is bubbly, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the the soy sauce mixture. Cook until bubbly (about 1 minute). 

Add to the noodles and stir to coat completely. Add green onions.

In a large skillet or frying pan (or you could even just push the noodles to the side of the big pot and do it in there if you don't want to dirty another pan), fry or scramble the eggs the way you like them.

Divide the noodles among 4 bowls. Top with egg(s). Sprinkle with Everything seasoning or sesame seeds.

Notes:

This is the other Asian-inspired noodle recipe we love and make often (and my notes on a card in my binder are unreadable, thus my finally posting it here for posterity). No, I have no idea why it's called TikTok Ramen (I've never been on TikTok), but I do know it's easy, quick and delicious! It's definitely one that the kids request whenever I ask for ideas for the dinner plan. I have tweaked it above from the original recipe to make the amount that we like and will eat. (Sometimes we have a bit left over, but usually this is juuust right for the four of us - two kids, two adults.) But you can adapt it as you see fit!

Thai Peanut Noodles

Source: Adapted from Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup peanut butter (can use either creamy or crunchy)

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (I tend to go higher with Lee Kum Kee brand, and lower with Huy Fong brand)

1 1/2 Tablespoon honey

1/3 cup soy sauce (maybe a splash more if needed)

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

16 oz linguine rice noodles

2-3 green onions, chopped

1/2 lime, wedged

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup peanuts, chopped

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions.

As the noodles are cooking, chop garlic, green onions, cilantro and peanuts and set aside.

To prepare the sauce, in a saucepan mix broth, peanut butter, chili garlic sauce, honey, ginger and minced garlic. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until the peanut butter melts and the ingredients are combined. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes, until slightly thickened. The sauce will thicken as it stands.

When the noodles are cooked, drain and return to the pot. Add sauce, green onions, cilantro and peanuts and gently toss with tongs to coat noodles and distribute toppings.

Serve with lime wedges. If it sits for a bit before serving and gets too thick, just add a splash of broth or hot water to loosen it up. (Also helpful when reheating the leftovers.)

Notes:

This has been a go-to recipe for our family for years. Sam even requested it for a birthday dinner with grandparents back in the day (I think back then we served it with cooked cubed chicken, but normally we keep it meatless, which I like to have in the dinner rotation). I've tweaked ingredients and amounts according to what I like, and I have those jotted down on a splashed and running scratch paper in my recipe binder. Today I decided it was high time to get it posted on the ol' blog so I can remember my version and someone else can make it, too. Wow, it's been a while, but I think I'll be back soon with another asian noodle recipe that is in the same state of hard-to-read-ness in my file as this. Stay tuned!

Shrimp and Veggie Coconut Curry

Source: adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:

for the shrimp marinade:

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (I usually just do a pinch)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined (sometimes I do half chicken and half shrimp if I don't have quite enough shrimp or I want more meat - I don't marinate the chicken when I do that, I just dice it, season it with salt, pepper and ginger powder, and saute it in some olive oil before everything else, then set aside till the sauce is ready)

for the sauce:

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 medium red or yellow onion, finely chopped

Veggies of your choice to fill your pot (I use my 8 quart soup pot when I make this, and I just eyeball it to make up for the meat if I'm leaving it out, and even if I'm leaving it in, I like to have lots of veggies) some delicious ideas:

    chopped cauliflower

    diced potatoes

    sliced carrots

    chopped zucchini

    peeled and chopped eggplant

    diced sweet potatoes

    diced bell pepper

1 teaspoon ground pepper

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced

2 teaspoons ground coriander

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced or stewed tomatoes, undrained (I use Italian style and it's yummy)

1 can coconut milk, light or regular

1 cup - 1 can chicken broth, to cover veggies (if they aren't covered by the coconut milk alone)

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Hot cooked rice for serving, if desired

Directions:

For the simple shrimp marinade, toss the shrimp with the salt, pepper, cayenne and lemon juice in a resealable large bag or in a bowl. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat until rippling and hot. (If using chicken instead of/in addition to shrimp, saute the diced chicken breast and then remove to a bowl, leaving as much oil and juice in the pot as possible). Add the onion and whatever other veggies your heart desires and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the pepper, ginger, salt, garlic, coriander, turmeric and curry powder. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture is very fragrant and the onion is soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the undrained tomatoes to the pot and cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, for about 1 minute. Add the coconut milk and broth (if needed to cover the veggies), stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer covered till the veggies are soft. Add the shrimp and any accumulated juices from the marinade (and/or if you're using chicken in addition/instead, add it now).

Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the shrimp are curled, lightly pink and cooked through, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the cilantro (I forgot the cilantro last time! and I usually just serve it as a garnish). Serve over hot, cooked rice, if desired. (And don't forget the naan - it's the main reason I make curry in the first place!)

Notes:

Wow! It's been a long time since I've posted a recipe on the ol' Bistro! But when I made this curry for Sunday dinner and both my mom and Gregg's mom asked for the recipe, I knew it was time to get it up for posterity. I started with Mel's recipe, but if you click on her link you'll see that I have made this one my own by throwing all the veggies I can think of into the pot. I love the variety. But if you don't, you can leave them out. If you do add lots of veggies, and thus add more broth, then you'll end up with a TON of curry and you'll probably be eating it every single day for lunch for a week. Which is not a bad thing, but if you hate that idea, then maybe somehow only do half. (Good luck!) Enjoy! It's delicious!

Elsässer Hackfleisch

233 / 5000

Translation results40 g bacon

A family favorite for as long as I can remember. The first thing I cook when the weather gets colder and something my mom makes whenever I come home from long travels. 

40g bacon
20g butter
400g ground beef
2 onions 
1 glass of red wine 
3 tablespoons of tomato paste 
Salt, pepper 
1 pinch of grated thyme 
300 g sauerkraut (Hengstenberg Mildessa is nice)
30 g grated parmesan cheese 
20 g butter/sour cream 
Sides: Salt potatoes with melted butter

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400F.

2. Dice the bacon and onions. Heat the bacon in a large pan. Add the butter. Then mix in the ground beef and onions while stirring. Roast for 10 minutes. 

3. Deglaze with red wine. Stir in tomato paste—season with salt, pepper, and thyme.

4. Grease the baking dish well. Pour in half of the beef mixture. Spread the sauerkraut on top.

Spread the remaining beef mixture, grated cheese and, the butter / sour cream in flakes on top.

5. Place in the preheated oven on the middle rack and bake for 45 minutes.

Caramel Brownies

Source:  My friend, Gina Dansie

Ingredients:

• 1 box German chocolate cake mix
• 2 bags (11 oz each) caramels, unwrapped
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk, divided in half
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease and flour a 9-13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together cake mix and 1/3 cup of the evaporated milk. Add melted butter and mix together. Mixture will be thick.
3. Divide dough in half and press one half into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until just slightly set, about 7-8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, melt the caramels and remaining evaporated milk in the microwave. Stir occasionally, until caramels have melted and mixture is totally smooth. 
5. Sprinkle the first brownie layer with chocolate chips, then pour the caramel mixture over it, making sure it’s evenly spread out. 
6. Piece remaining brownie dough on top of the caramel layer. Bake for 15-18 minutes, then let brownies come to room temperature. Cover and chill in refrigerator for several hours to set caramel layer.

Comments:  

These brownies are ridiculously good.  I texted my friend Gina so many times to text me the recipe, then I kept forgetting to write it down.  So, it is now saved here for your and my brownie baking pleasure!

Buttery Pull Apart Bundt Bread

Source:  Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:

•  1 cup warm water
•  1/4 cup granulated sugar
•  1 tablespoon instant yeast (see note for active dry yeast)
•  1 large egg
•  1 tablespoon oil
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (see note for whole wheat)
•  8 tablespoons butter, melted (I use salted)

Instructions:

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (you can make this by hand, too) add the warm water, sugar, yeast, egg, oil, salt, and 2 cups of flour.
2. Mix until combined - it's ok if it is a little lumpy. With the mixer running, continue to gradually add flour until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and forms a ball that is soft but not overly sticky. Knead for 2-3 minutes. Cover the top of the bowl, and let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes. It should puff slightly.
3. Pour half (4 tablespoons) of the melted butter evenly in the bottom of a bundt pan (if you don't have a bundt pan, you can use loaf pans).
4. On a lightly floured or greased countertop, press or roll the dough into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle, about 12X10 inches. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into 24 semi-equal squares.
5. Grab one square at a time, dip the bottom of the square in the butter in the pan and layer the squares against each other (kind of like a trail of dominoes that has fallen over on each other). See pictures in the post for a visual. All 24 squares should fit in a layer around the bottom of the pan. Lift and rearrange the squares, if needed, to fit them all in.
6. Cover the bundt pan and let the dough rise until noticeably puffy, 45-60 minutes. After the dough has risen, pour the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over and around the top of the bread.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
8. Bake the bread for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top and baked through. Remove the pan from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before turning out onto a plate or platter (lay the plate upside down over the bundt pan and holding onto both the plate and pan at the same time, flip it over so the bread falls out onto the plate).
9. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes:

• Yeast: to substitute active dry yeast, use increase the amount to 1 1/4 tablespoons and dissolve the yeast in 3-4 tablespoons water, letting it rest until the mixture is bubbly and foamy. Use in the recipe as directed.
• Flour: I've successfully made this bread with half whole wheat flour/half all-purpose flour. I haven't tried it with bread flour (should work great) or 100% whole wheat flour.

Comments:  

This bread is ridiculous.  And easy.  And addictive.  I don't even know what else to say.  (Well, besides mentioning that it's baked in butter.)  We have easily made it 10+ times since Mel posted it in September.  I've made more homemade bread the last month than I have the rest of my life combined.  

Sheet Pan Fajitas

Source: Our Best Bites

Ingredients:
1.5 – 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and sliced
1 large onion, sliced
2 large bell peppers (or 3 small/med ones), sliced
3–4 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
handful of cilantro
1 lime
optional for serving: sour cream, guacamole/avocado, tortillas, rice and beans, etc

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Have a large sheet pan ready (cover with foil or parchment for easy clean-up).

In a small bowl mix salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano and garlic powder.  Place sliced chicken, onions, and peppers in an extra large mixing bowl.  Drizzle on oil and seasonings. Toss to coat.

Spread chicken and pepper mixture out evenly on baking sheet and place in oven.  Bake for 20-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.  If desired, place under broiler for a quick minute to brown.

Remove from oven and if desired, sprinkle cilantro over everything and give it a big squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Serve with tortillas and traditional fixings, or over a bed of salad or veggies or rice and beans, etc.

Notes:
I made these the week they were posted back in January and have not made another fajita recipe since (even our beloved and much-made fajitas that I posted here many many moons ago).  I doubled the recipe to feed all the Blanchards in North Carolina this summer, and in that case, we ended up cooking it all in a couple of giant frying pans on the stove.  It worked fine that way, too, but I just love the hands off ease of the sheet pan meal.  This one is so flavorful, so easy and so quick I don't think you'll ever need another fajita recipe again!

Frying pan style - you do what ya gotta
do when cooking in a stranger's kitchen.
;)