Bleach night

We get together with 2 of our good friends once a week for dinner and TV. It started with our love for this anime series Bleach. I was never really a huge anime fan but there are a few I like. Then my husband introduced me to Bleach and it's now one of my favorite show (www.bleach7.com).

Well, this past Sunday, we had our friends over as it's our turn to cook. Most everything was store bought. We started with some Antipasto -- Mozzerella cheese, stuffed olives, roasted peppers, Italian spicy cipola and artichok.



Then I heated up one of my favorite Campbell Select Mushroom soup and drizzled truffle oil. Yum!



For the main entree, I baked Butternut Squash Lasagna that I bought from Wholefoods market. It's by a local brand called Red Ribbons. They were giving out samples at the market and it was delicious. The sauce was key to the dish. I have seen a few receipes for Butternut Squash Lasagna so I think I might try one of them and compare. More on that later...



- Mina

Saturday Dinner

We usually go out to dinner on the weekend but I decided to make dinner instead. I found this interesting seasoning for pork ribs -- Honey Garlic Glaze -- so I thought I would try it out. It turned out great. I had to fry the pork ribs in about 1 tbsp of oil and then add the glaze sauce after the ribs are done. For the side dish, I decided to stir-fry some lotus roots. It's one of my favorite dish that my mom makes. A little oil, salt, red chilli pepper (it's better with fresh chilli but I forgot to buy them), soy sauce and drizzle a little sesame seed oil. Very simple but tasty side. Instead of just steam rice, I decided to add 1 tbsp of the Hainanese Chicken rice sauce that I bought from our local asian market. It comes in a glass jar. Really handy if you want something more flavor. I should do this more often. I love to cook but during a busy season, I just get too tired.



I also made herbal soup with a couple of the remaining ribs, puff tofu and mushroom. Inspired by Rae's previous posting. :)



- Mina

Affogato Al Caffe

Who knew such a simple combination would create such a heavenly taste? Affogato Al Caffe is a shot of expresso poured over a couple scoops of vanilla gelato. I first heard of this Italian dessert on the bonappetit.com blog. It sounded interesting enough, so when the waiter at Cube (615 N La Brea Ave., Los Angeles) recommended it, I was sold. And it did not disappoint. The slight bitterness of the expresso complements the mild sweetness of the ice cream. It's the first time I've seen it on a restaurant menu but it seems easy enough to make at home.

--Ray

steaming hot soup

Since I'm still just a beginner, I'm not opposed to using pre-made mixes. Right now, my goal is to re-create some good home cooking, even if it means "cheating" a little. Tonight, I made a big pot of bak kuh teh with some pre-packed herbs. All I did was add the pork ribs, some mushrooms, and dried tofu. It was highly satisfying on a cold night.

--Ray

Knives

I have a really crappy knife that my aunt bought me almost 6 years ago. It's a dull and uninspired piece of metal. The other ones in my kitchen are from Ikea. *bleh* Many people have told me that having a good knife makes a huge difference in cooking. Feeling hopeful, I went on a knife-hunting quest to the closest Sur La Table. The options are overwhelming and I went away even more confused. Do I need a 10-inch or an 8-inch? Is a santoku really necessary? And where on earth would I store the one with the lethal length of a Samurai sword?

Today, I sought the advice of two very experience (and kind) co-workers who gave me the following advice:

1. Ask a store employee to show you the knives
2. Be sure to pick one that feels good in your hand, and make sure it's not too long (harder to control)
3. Find one that rocks a bit when you move it up and down, and that the blade doesn't lie flat.

The two they recommended are:



Furi Pro 11-Piece Knife Block Ultra Set



Shun Ken Onion Chef's Knife

--Ray

Gyoza

Cooking is a learning experience for me. Someday, I hope to be as good as my grandma or mom. In the meantime, there are a few dishes I'm actually good at. Gyoza is one of them. It's an easy, tasty treat. But beware of the dragon breath afterwards!

Recipe:
1 pound ground pork
1/2 pound shrimp, chopped
3 spring onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
A dash of soy sauce
A little sesame seed oil
1 packet gyoza skin
Water

Mix first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Place desired portion of pork mixture in the middle of gyoza skin. Dab the edge of the gyoza skin with a little water, Fold and pleat. Heat skillet with vegetable oil. Place gyoza on one side fry until skin is golden brown. Flip over and fry for a couple more minutes. Once the other side is also crispy, pour 1/4 cup water in the skillet and cover. Turn heat to low and cook for about 5 more minutes. Serve with rice and dipping sauce.

Dipping sauce:
Mix minced garlic with some soy sauce.

--Ray

Groceries

Last night, I went grocery shopping with my lovely grandmother at the Ranch 99 chinese market. The goal of the trip was to stock up my pantry. Boy, am I excited to start recreating childhood comfort food with these goodies!