dipset!!! easy dips 101

pic will post later.....

I think I'm the only person who would spend more than $100 shopping on "FOOD" o ya did I mention it's ON LINE 2??... Yes you heard it right "FOOD!!" And yes I did order it from the Internet.... Please don't judge me,I don't think I have a shopping problem nor a eating disorder...There are people spend more than $100 with in 10 Mins in casinos, and what did they get? NOTHING!!As for me, at least I can enjoy my food after I spent those cold heart cash ummhhahahah!! Introducing "HARRY & DAVID"every time I'm on that site i feel like I'm a fat kid in the candy stores, soo many choices, I wish I can have it all!....if you still can't understand how I feel, let me use another example, every time I'm on that site i felt like I'm in a high class strip club....I wish I can make it rain, I wish my arms are long enough so I can hug all the strip...oops I meant lovely ladies......anyways here's couple things I rcm'd as "MUST HAVE" on their site

• Red Peppers & onions Relish
  
• Royal Riviera pears

Anyways here's today's easy dip!
spinach, red pepper & onions dip

Ingredients

• Red Pepper & onions Relish
  
• philphielldipha cream cheese(spinach and onions flavor)
  

step uno
well, all you gotta do is plate the cream cheese on the plate and top it off with the relish.......easy enough right? It goes great with chips, and even better w/ some fresh breads!!!!

Beer belly or Pork belley???

It's only Mid Sept, but chitown is already getting windy again....o summer why are you leaving so early?Please stay for 1 more month.... But one good thing about mid Sept is - Oktoberfest ale comes out on the shelf again!ummmm hahahah evil wilson says "beer = good". So anyways, Pork belly and Oktoberfest?? How can you say no to them? It's like a match from heaven, just like adam and eve, Ari and Lloyd, Asian and rice. they meant to be with each other >_- anyways here's today's dish-

Oktoberfest braised pork belly
ingredients

• DA MEAT
  
  • Pork belly
    
  • salt
    
  • freshly grind black pepper
    
  • paprika
    
  • cayenne pepper
  
  
• Da sauce
  
  • half bottle of Oktoberfest(don' waste the beer, drink the other half yourself)
    
  • 1/4 cup of soy sauce
    
  • 1/2 tps of Brown sugar
    
  • 1 tps of honey
    
  • shallots chopped
    
  • 2 carrots chopped
    
  • ginger(cut into thin slices, about 2-3 pcs)
    
  • 2 clove of garlic(cut into 1/4, so about 8 pcs)

STEP 1 - Mclovin the pork belly

Cross cut square on the surface of the skin first, then rub the seasoning evenly on the meat. Let the meat sit aside for an hr.
Sear the pork belly(skin face down) till it look turn brown and crispy looking. for those who have a small kitchen or studio apt, MAKE SURE YOU OPEN THE WINDOW or TURN THE FAN ON!!but on the other hand if you want to smell like bacon and grease, be my guest and leave the window close....



STEP 1.5 - You can do 2 things at once

While searing the pork belly, bring a sauce pan on the burner, add bit butter and saute the shallots for 3 mins. Add the carrots and brown sugar into the sauce pan, mix the vegetables and sugar for another 3 mins. Add the ale, soy sauce, honey, ginger and garlic, turn the burner to low, and cover the lid up, let it sit till the sauce starts to boil.

step 2- I have no idea

Pre-heat the oven @ 275f. Pour the sauce in to the pork belly(the skin side face up) or vice versa. Cover the top with Tin-foil, and put it in to the oven for 2 hrs. Make sure your cookware can take high heat. Melting plastic does not go well with pork belly......
PS: While the pork belly in the oven, make sure you take it out every 30 mins, and glaze the meat with the sauce, so the meat won't be too dry after the cooking.

step 3 - I'm bit lazy to type out how to garnish


As title....so see the Pics for your reference......

To prove that I'm a real Asian.....

So some of my friends have been asking "Wilson how come you only write about western food in your blog, we thought you are Asian, what happen to Fried rice, Egg rolls, Crab rangoon and egg fu yang??(I think I should slap them for mentioning those dishes!!!)But the truth is, it's not I hate cooking Asian food, it's just I've ate , cooked, or watched my mom cooking Asian food for most of my life..... why can't I just do something else here......Speaking of my mom, she's coming in Oct!!!! I'm really looking fwd to that !!! But I'm also hoping she wont give me a curfew when she's here ........anyways, today I'm making one of my mom's favorite dish - stir fry rice-glass noddles( o man..she made it soooo many times when i was a kid.....)

MAMA HAN'S favorite dish-
BBQ pork stir fry rice-glass noodles

Ingredients

• Rice-glass noddles
  
• Red onions(chopped)
  
• Shiitake Mushrooms (chopped)
  
• BBQ pork - You can find them at major Chinese restaurants
  
• Broccoli (chopped)
  
• Soy sauce
  
• XO paste ( it's a paste made with scallops, hot chili pepper, and shiitake mushroom, can be sub for hot chili paste)
  
• chicken broth
  
• salt and pepper

Step 1: Oodles of Noddles

Boil a pot of water, with pinch of salt. And toss the noddles in once the water start to boil. By adding salt, it will give noddles bit extra flavor. drain the water out once noddle is about 80% done.



Step 2: stirrrrr fry

dazzle some EVOO in a wok, toss the red onions in once the wok heat up, then the broccoli , shiitake mushrooms and pork, pinch of salt n pepper for taste. Add bit more EVOO, and toss the noddles in the wok, code the noddles evenly with other ingredients, and then add chicken broth and cover the wok up till most the liquid are gone.Add the chili paste(xo paste), soy-sauce and salt/peppers for the final taste.

LogO!!!!!!!

All I gotta to say is getting old Sucks a big time, I can't believe I'm 26 already and will be in 30s in 4 years...bit scary just to think about that.... but I guess this year my bday is soooo important, everyone in the states got a day off lol(Sept 07 2009= labor day !!!!)so you are very welcome everyone!!! Anyways took some pics for the blog this weekend!! quite excited about them!!! all I gotta do now is write a html code for the Blog's background........(it's gonna be sooo much of work...god damn it !!!) But it would be a nice project for me to do during my 9-6 job hahahah!!! Special thanks to Louis Huang for helping out w/ his awesome camera n mad skills, and also special thanks to Deanna for pouring an awesome latte!!

LogO #1

LogO #2

The cafe'

The Barista:Deanna(she's behind the espresso machine)

Hope you all like the pic!!! happy trails guys !!! and see ya soon

How do you like them apples???

First I want to say thank you all for the support! Esp my Friends and families whom helped me to spread the words out!!!And second I really appreciate everyone whom spent their times to take a look at my blog!!!If one day I open a real restaurant you all get a VIP card !!! O wait does that mean I'll have to give out 500+ VIPs....damn!!!!maybe it's not a good idea for me to open a restaurant.... Anyways Here's today's special:

Pinot, dijon marinated Salmon serve with Rosemary Apple

(YES!!! APPLE!!!)
lovely Julie Lao(she's currently looking for freinds please contact me for further details >_-) ====>
(PS the Fish is dedicate to her, It's a really really easy & simple recipe, you won't even need to turn the stove on!But somehow I think she'll still be too lazy to try to make it....)

Ingredients :

• Sleeping with The Fish
  
  
  
  • Salmon Fillet - 2 pcs
    
  • dazzle of EVOO
    
  • 4 Table Spoon Dijon Mustard
    
  • 1/4 cup of Pinot Grigio
    
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
    
  • Pinch of lemon zest
    
  • Salt & Pepper
    

• How you like them Apples??
  
  
  
  • 1 whole sweet apple(cut into slices)
    
  • Fresh Rosemary(DO NOT USE THE STEM!!)
    
  • Butter
    
  • 1/4 cup Smirnoff apple vodka.( or other white wine)
    
  • salt & pepper

Step 1 -Sleeping W/ da fish
You might be thinking "Wait a second, I thought we suppose to use fillet why does the pic looks like a strip???" Well here's the answer " Wilson is broke as hell, so he can only afford the salmon strip instead of fillet.......but ideally fillet is a better fit for this dish." Anyways let us start the marinate. Mix EVOO, Dijon Mustard, Pinot Grigio and lemon juice in a bowl, season it with salt and pepper with own preference. Place the fish on a shallow dish and spread the marinate evenly on the fish, cover the fish up and let it sit for 30 mins to a hr. Tick Tack Tick Tack ...... times up!! Pre-heat the oven and then set it to 300 F. Place the fish into the oven, since I hate overcook salmon I would say you should only leave the fish in about 20-25 mins. Whooooray DONE!!! EASY ENOUGH right?

Step 2-How you like them Apples??
Cut apple into slices( about 1.5 inch thick)set them aside and chopped up the rosemary finely for the later use. Melt butter in a saute pan, and throw the apples in make sure code them with the butter evenly, set fire to med and toss chopped rosemary in and cover the lid for 5 mins. then add liquor, cook till fork tender and season it with salt(to own preference).



Step 3 - The Final Touch
I'm a Virgo therefore I'm pretty annal bout certain stuff, plating is definitely one of them. I'll do the plating even when I'm the only one eating ...ha, as far as I concern visual definitely will help the taste bud, anyways, see pic for the final touch!!!

I'm bacccccck!!!!

Hello world!!! I guess it's just like Manny said " I'm baaaaaaaaacckkkk!!!!" But there are 2 differences here, 1st I didn't shoot steroid!!-_-, and 2nd I don't think my hair can grow as long as his, even through I really really want to! Think about this: AZN w/ dreadlocks!!!! how dope that will be???? Anyways, it's been a long time since I post something(foodmakesmehappy makes fun of my 3 posts in 6 months.....) So i figure it's time to start posting again, and I promise I'll do my best squeeze new recipes out of my brain... and I'll post more frequently too, please come back often and check us out !!!

PS I don't like the Korean host from top chef master, thank god Padma is back for top chef Vegas(she's soooo HOT!!! If Turtle can land Meadow Soprano, who knows maybe I'll get my chance to date Padma Lakshmi )

and PS PS top chef master winner : Rick Bayless's restaurant is in CHI!!! More on that in the future!!!

Reopen meal No. Uno -

Chive Mushrooms Risotto

Cake with Cream Tomato

Puree'

Step 1 :

I'll show u how to make white sauce.....giggity giggity o ya!!!
I'll prob.have to work on the title.......!!-_-
There are lot of ways to make white sauce but i don't feel like to type it all out. The quickest and the simplest way is get some Alfredo sauce from grocery store and add more stuff into it. As for this dish, I'll say add mushrooms + chives + parmigiana cheese and some chicken stock!

Step 2 :

Cakes anyone???

pre-heat the oven @ 250F. Then mix the parmigiano cheese/eggs, the white sauce, and the rice together, put the mixer in the fridge for at least two hrs. After the mixture is chill start to dived it into patties or meatballs size(up to personal preference) and bread them w/ the panko bread crumbs.
Deep fry them till the crust become golden color(usually about 2-3 Mins). put them aside and let the grease drain out a bit(or use paper tower pad it on the surface to get rid of grease) stick the cake in to the over for 15-20 Mins, make sure you don't put the cakes in the oven too long, other wise the rice will become dry.

Step 3 :

Tomato + garlic kills vampires!!!

Heat up sauce pan with butter, saute garlic and onions, add salt and pepper for taste. Add tomato in once onions turn yellow, turn the stove to low heat and cover it up for 10 Mins. Add red wine and chicken stock and continue to cover the lid till the sauce to boil. Add cream once the liquid vaporize bout 1/2 and turn off the fire and let it cool down for bout 5 Mins. The tomato should be pretty soft by now, you can use a blender to puree it. or use potato masher to get chunkier taste.

Step 4 :

The finishing touch

see pics, and use chive to garnish.

MEAL 8 : apple/ blueberry Bread Pudding, w/ butter poached pears

k so 2 blogs in 1 week, that's a first, but thanks to Louis, i got those awesome pics!!! anyways, this should be a quick one since i really don't' know what to write, plus i feel bit sick........Meal 8 is the first sweet treat form Latte & cig. so hopefully u'll like it!!! PS. to cindy, i did not use any EXPENSIVE ingredients this time!!!!

Ingredients:

Apple filling(quick way)
* 2 apples( skined n cut into pcs)
* whole cinnamon stick
* 2 tbl spoon brown sugar
* nutmug
* pinch of salt
* 1/2 cup of apple juice
* 1/4 cup of water

Bread Pudding
* 1 1/2 loaf of Italian Bread (cut into pcs)
* 3 eggs
* 1/2 cups of milk
* 1/4 cups of heavy cream
* 1/4 cups of heavy whipping cream
* 1/3 cups of Amaretto(if you want to get drunk u can add more)
* 3/4 cups of Brown sugar
* 1/2 cup of sugar
* pinch of salt
* 2 drops of vanilla extract.
* hand full of blue berries(if you want, you can change into chocolate chips)

Poached pears
* butter
* Brown sugar
* vanilla extract
* 1/2 of pears cut in to 1/8" slices

STEP 1 - Remember the time when the apple dropped on Newton's head??

Cut apples in to sq. pcs. Mix apple juice, water, brown sugar, cinnamon stick, salt, and nut mug in a cup. Throw the apples into the cups and stick it into microwave on high for 8 mins.

STEP 2 - the good stuff


Pre-heat the oven in 400f. Mix brown sugar, sugar and salt together, then whisk eggs, milk , cream, whipping cream, vanilla extract and Amaretto together in a big bowl. Add the sugar mix into the bowl and whisk it for another 5 mins. Toss the blue berry in and give it a quick whisk, and then put the bread into the mixture to let the bread soak the mixture. Get a baking dish and transfer half of the bread into it, then add the apple fillings on top, and top it off with the remaining bread. transfer the baking dish into the oven and let it bake for bout 25 mins.

Step 3- PP (poached pears!!!!)


Melt the butter in the skillet add brown sugar, vanilla extract whisk for a little bit, make sure that the ingredients are mix together. Turn the fire into the med heat, add the pears and let it poached evenly for both side.

STEP 4- Bread Pudding Assssssssmble?

Get the Bread pudding out of the oven and get a pc out of it, n add the poach pears on top, it's a really sweet dish so I rcm'd milk or black coffee w/ this sweet treat, k enough of this typing......I'm gonna get fat..........