Cooking
Summer vacation starts early here, and Alex was getting bored.
This meant it was time for a trip to the big used book store.
So, he and Matt stopped in one day, coming home with a huge stack of thick books (Arabian Nights, Richard Burton translation, among them).
They also grabbed a copy of Asian Wraps: Deliciously Easy Hand-Held Bundles to Stuff, Wrap and Relish by Nina Simonds for me.
We're all fans of Asian flavors here, so it wasn't an entirely altruistic gesture on Matt's part.
The book saw its debut tonight, with the Vietnamese Chicken Salad.
Thin rice noodles are topped with shredded chicken (for Matt, we used some of the hickory- & pecan-smoked chicken we'd made last night, while Alex and I used the soy delight nuggets from Earth Fare, pan-fried in a splash of olive oil), grated carrot, peanuts, mint and (replacing the we-think-it-tastes-like-dish-soap cilantro) basil. That then gets a Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce poured over (lime juice, crushed red pepper flakes sugar, minced garlic,nam pla soy sauce and grated carrot.
Easily eaten in Boston lettuce leaves or from a bowl (we did both), it's a good combo of bright, fresh flavors and crunch. The dressing really ties it all together. Both guys are taking leftovers for lunch and we're already looking forward to trying more recipes. You've gotta love those used book stores.
- Perfect Peanut Sauce Recipe
Peanut sauce is better than 31 flavors of ice cream. Ok, that sounds completely ridiculous, but how many things are as versatile as peanut sauce? What else can you think of that perfectly complements raw or cooked vegetables, chicken, beef or shrimp...
- Summer Rolls:recipe
When I first started eating Vietnamese food I was impressed with how often fresh uncooked herbs were used when compared to other Asian cuisines. And the quantity! Fresh herbs are used almost like salad instead of seasoning. Once when Lee and I were eating...
- Cambodian Chicken & Rice Soup For Souper Sundays
, I like the cooler temperatures a lot more than Matt. My feeling is that you can add more layers to get warm, but when it's hot you can only take off so much to get cool! There's another, and more recent, reason I like this time of the year:...
- 14, Not Including Vietnam. They Never Declared It.
Once again...points if you can place that quote! Something new for me; Vietnamese food. Matt's a big fan of Southeast Asian cuisine, but I'm still a novice (and a bit reluctant). So, I decided to put together a whole meal, and see how it went....
- I'm Back!
Yes, I am here. With things to blog about. First up; a really fast and easy recipe from Rachel Ray, Thai Glazed Chicken Lettuce Wraps. I'm not kidding. Once everything is chopped, which is often the case with Asian food, it was mere minutes from...
Cooking
Worth the $5.75
Summer vacation starts early here, and Alex was getting bored.
This meant it was time for a trip to the big used book store.
So, he and Matt stopped in one day, coming home with a huge stack of thick books (Arabian Nights, Richard Burton translation, among them).
They also grabbed a copy of Asian Wraps: Deliciously Easy Hand-Held Bundles to Stuff, Wrap and Relish by Nina Simonds for me.
We're all fans of Asian flavors here, so it wasn't an entirely altruistic gesture on Matt's part.
The book saw its debut tonight, with the Vietnamese Chicken Salad.
Thin rice noodles are topped with shredded chicken (for Matt, we used some of the hickory- & pecan-smoked chicken we'd made last night, while Alex and I used the soy delight nuggets from Earth Fare, pan-fried in a splash of olive oil), grated carrot, peanuts, mint and (replacing the we-think-it-tastes-like-dish-soap cilantro) basil. That then gets a Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce poured over (lime juice, crushed red pepper flakes sugar, minced garlic,
Easily eaten in Boston lettuce leaves or from a bowl (we did both), it's a good combo of bright, fresh flavors and crunch. The dressing really ties it all together. Both guys are taking leftovers for lunch and we're already looking forward to trying more recipes. You've gotta love those used book stores.
- Perfect Peanut Sauce Recipe
Peanut sauce is better than 31 flavors of ice cream. Ok, that sounds completely ridiculous, but how many things are as versatile as peanut sauce? What else can you think of that perfectly complements raw or cooked vegetables, chicken, beef or shrimp...
- Summer Rolls:recipe
When I first started eating Vietnamese food I was impressed with how often fresh uncooked herbs were used when compared to other Asian cuisines. And the quantity! Fresh herbs are used almost like salad instead of seasoning. Once when Lee and I were eating...
- Cambodian Chicken & Rice Soup For Souper Sundays
, I like the cooler temperatures a lot more than Matt. My feeling is that you can add more layers to get warm, but when it's hot you can only take off so much to get cool! There's another, and more recent, reason I like this time of the year:...
- 14, Not Including Vietnam. They Never Declared It.
Once again...points if you can place that quote! Something new for me; Vietnamese food. Matt's a big fan of Southeast Asian cuisine, but I'm still a novice (and a bit reluctant). So, I decided to put together a whole meal, and see how it went....
- I'm Back!
Yes, I am here. With things to blog about. First up; a really fast and easy recipe from Rachel Ray, Thai Glazed Chicken Lettuce Wraps. I'm not kidding. Once everything is chopped, which is often the case with Asian food, it was mere minutes from...