Say Cheese~~~ cake! :D

Hi guys!

Happy Thanksgiving!! Because it's thanksgiving, it's a day when everyone is thankful for something! However! I am always thankful for everything daily! Here are some that I am thankful for!

I am thankful for a wonderful family that God has provided me with!
I am thankful for JM, IH, JK, HK, JC, JL! My favorite people alive! You guys truly encourage me in so many ways with words of encouragement or just buying me food! ;) I will always thank God for such great friends like you!
I am thankful for FOOD! All the goodness God has created for me to eat and eat and eat!
I can go on  and on with all the thanks!! but! I would like to give my thanks by sharing one of my favorite food I love to make! (or bake :) )

Last night, I decided to make some cheesecake! Hopefully it turned out great! but here is a picture for all of you guys to enjoy! :) If you want the recipe, you know the drill! Have a very happy thanksgiving everyone! God bless! :)

Cheesecake!

Chocolate marbled new york style cheesecake

New York style cheese cake

I.C.A.
Ms. Piggy.

Week 12 into my cooking class!

WEEK 12!! which means, one more week until we are done cooking!

Well this week, I got sick so I couldn't go :( so some pictures are from classmates and some are from online :) This week, we cooked with seafood. I heard all the food turned out great! I can't wait for next week's food!

Our group cooked Risotto with Sole. Sounds delicious! Let's see some pictures and the recipe! Try it at home :) Enjoy!

I.C.A. 

Ms. Piggy.

RISOTTO WITH SOLE

INGREDIENTS:

1                            Stick of unsalted butter

1.5 lbs                    Sole fillets

to taste                   Salt

to taste                   Ground black pepper

2 Cups                   Bottle clam broth

1                            Small onion, finely shopped

2 Cups                   Arborio Rice

1 Cup                     Frozen baby peas, thawed

2 Tbsp                    Fresh chives, snipped

2 Tbsp                    Fresh parsley, finely chopped

PROCEDURE:

1) In a skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Season the fillets with salt and pepper, and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until just white throughout, about 5 minutes. Transfer the fish to a plate and break it up into 1 inch chunks.

2) In a saucepan, mix the clam broth with 5 cups of water. Bring to a simmer and keep warm. In another saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the onion and cook over low to moderate heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook well until coated with butter, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup of the warm broth and cover over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time and stirring constantly until nearly absorbed between additions. The risotto is done when the rice is al dente and suspended in a thick, creamy sauce, about 20 minutes total. Season with salt and pepper

3) Add the peas and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the risotto and cook until the peas are warmed through and the butter is melted. Remove from the heat. Gently fold in the chives and parsley along with the fish and any accumulated fish juices.

Salmon in Lemon Brodetto With Pea Puree

Steamed Scallion Ginger Fish Fillets with Bok Choy

Fritto Misto with Italian Tartar Sauce

Indian Coconut Curry

Risotto with Sole

Week 11 Into Cooking Class

Hi guys!

Ahh.. the month of November. My favorite month of the year! (I wonder why.. :P ) Well! Of course, it's Thanksgiving month, which means lots of love and family time and.... FOOD!  :) Yes! Lots and Lots of food :)
I am looking forward for all the great food and family and friends time. It's going to be so exciting!

This week, we made lots of great dishes like the Spicy Chicken Cacciatore, Thai Chicken Soup, Orzo soup, Gumbo, and Chicken and bean stew! Once again, we are dealing with poultry! Sadly, the next two weeks will be our last two weeks cooking in the class since the semester is almost over! :( But, I am very much looking forward to cooking seafood the following two weeks!

Our group made the Spicy Chicken Cacciatore! It was, delicious! I have to say that my two favorite were the cacciatore and the gumbo! I. Love. Gumbo! I was so happy that we got to make gumbo and actually eat it in class!! :D

Here is the recipe for the Spicy Chicken Cacciatore along with the pictures! Enjoy!!

I.C.A.
Ms. Piggy.

SPICY CHICKEN CACCIATORE


INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp                           Olive Oil
8                                    Boneless chicken thighs (3 lbs)
to taste                           Salt
to taste                           Ground Black Pepper
1                                    Medium Onion, thinly sliced
1                                    Red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2                                    Pickled hot peppers, thinly sliced
3                                    Garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 Cup                          Red Wine
1 1/2Cup                        Chicken Stock
1 lb                                 Ripe plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp                             Chopped flat-leaf parsley

PROCEDURE:
1) In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, and add the chicken to the skillet, skin side down. Cook over moderately high heat, turning once until lightly browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

2) Add onion, bell pepper, pickled peppers, and garlic and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, until nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes.

3) Add the chicken stock and tomatoes to the skillet and season lightly with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling in the vegetables skin side up, and bring to a simmer. Cover partially and cook over moderate heat for 30 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce is reduced by half. Sprinkle with the parsley.

Spicy Chicken Cacciatore just out of the oven

Spicy Chicken Cacciatore finished product!

Top view :)

Corn Bread!

mm Corn Bread

Escarole and orzo soup with turkey Parmesan meatballs

Orzo soup!

Green Chile chicken and Pink Bean Stew

Another view! 

Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo

I love gumbo..

Thai Chicken Soup

Thai Chicken Soup

Did someone say Cornbread Muffins?

Muffins. Especially cornbread muffins.... with real corn! Came home from work out and decided that I wanted to eat cornbread! One big one was too much, so I made cornbread muffins! :) These are so good... turned out great! I used the Marie Calendar corn bread mix!

3 cups of the corn bread mix
1 can of corn! (with juice)
a little over 3/4 cups of water (i like it not too dry)


Here are some pictures!

ENJOY!

I.C.A.
Ms. Piggy.

Finished product

In the oven!

Week 10 into my cooking class!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

It's Monday and here we are again with all the delicious food we made in my cooking class! This week, we learned about poultry, different ways we cook poultry and learned the different ways of cooking flying birds and just ground birds!

Our group made Chicken with Escarole, apples, and potatoes! Also a French dish! Our dish actually came out really good! We thought we did a poor job in the beginning when we had to sear the chicken, but our final product came out really good! Here is the recipe for it! At any time, if you guys want me to send you guys other recipes that the other groups have made (look at the pictures), I will gladly post them up or email you guys! :D

Enjoy!


CHICKEN WITH ESCAROLE, APPLES, AND POTATOES


INGREDIENTS:
12 oz                                          Small new red potatoes
4                                                 8 oz chicken boneless chicken breast with skin (we used chicken thigh)
to taste                                        salt
to taste                                        ground black pepper
as needed                                   Olive oil, for pan-frying chicken
5 Tbsp                                        Unsalted butter
2                                                 Semi-tart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into eights (Empire/Fuji/Macoun)
1                                                 Garlic clove, smashed and peeled
1 lb                                             Escarole, leaves torn
1/2 Cup                                       White wine

PROCEDURE:


1. Heat oven to 250F
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain and place on a plate in a single layer to cool.
3. When potatoes are just cool enough to handle, flatten each one slightly by gently pressing on it with a hand. Set aside.
4. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, in batches if necessary, and cook until skin is golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet pan, cover with foil, and place in the oven.
5. Drain oil from skillet, return to medium-high heat, and add 2 tablespoons of butter. add only as many apples as will fit in a single layer and cook, turning apples as they brown, until golden on all sides, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining apples.
6. Once finished with apples, add 2 more tablespoons of butter to skillet. Add only as many potatoes as will fit in a single layer in skillet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook over medium to high heat, turning once, until potatoes are warmed through and golden, about 2 minutes, per side. Repeat with remaining potatoes, set aside.
7. Add garlic and escarole as you can fit into skillet, increase heat to high, and cook, stirring, until escarole starts to wilt and you can add no more, about 1 minutes. Add remaining escarole and cook until wilted. Add wine and cook until escarole is tender and wine is slightly reduced. Add apples and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. remove from heat.
8. Remove chicken from oven and pour any juices from the pan into skillet with escarole and apples. Stir to combine.
9. Plate with potatoes as a base, then top escarole / apple mixture, and chicken. Reduce juices left in a skillet, mount with cold butter, to make a sauce. Pour sauce over chicken.

I.C.A.
Ms. Piggy.

Chicken with Escarole, apples, and potatoes

Our Plating dish!

Buffalo Wings one of the classmates made! It was really good!

Chopped salad with grapes and mint!

Yum!

Chinese Chicken Salad!

mmM~

Chicken Kebabs with Oregano Garlic Marinade and Bastami Rice!

The sauce, chicken kebab, and bastami rice!

yum~

Pasta and Chicken Alfredo!

My Plate. 

ALWAYS SO MUCH FOOD!!!! XD

WEEK 9 INTO COOKING CLASS

Week 9 into my cooking class!! Which means... there is only 4 more weeks of actual cooking! It's been great so far, cooking, trying out new things, learning more about different things related to food, meat, vegetables, etc. I might actually end up taking another cooking class next semester!

Well! This week, our group made Shortcut Pork Casoulet which is actually a french dish! It's kind of like a casserole and it actually turned out really good! Everyone loved it (at least our group did) and I would recommend all of you to make this at home as well! Enjoy!

SHORTCUT PORK CASOULET 


INGREDIENTS:


1 lb                                Dried great northern beans
5                                    Bacon slices, coarsely chopped
3.5 lbs                            Boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1 to 1/5 inch pieces
1 lb                                 Kielbasa, cut into 3/4 inch thick slices
2.5 Cups                         Finely diced onion
1 cup                              Sliced celery
1 cup                              Sliced peeled carrots
4                                     Large garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp                            Dried thyme
2 Cups                            Canned low-salt chicken broth
1                                     14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
2 Tbsp                             Tomato paste
1/2 Cup                           White wine
2 Cups                             Coarse Fresh breadcrumbs made from French bread
1/2 Cup                            Grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp                              Olive Oil
1                                       Small red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 "thick rounds
as needed                          Fresh parsely, chopped.

I.C.A.
Ms. Piggy.

Our Shortcut Pork Casoulet

It was very delicious

We had left over french baguette so we just baked the rest!

Spaghettie All'Amatriciana

Yum!

Roasted Pork Loin with Herbs and ratatouille

yummy~

Roasted soy with Herbs and Ratatouille

It was delicious!

Spring Rolls

Spring Rolls with Fish Sauce

Crispy Spring Rolls

Crispy Spring Rolls!

Smokey Pork Pappardelle

Smokey Pork Pappardelle!

My Plate! It's always so full and busy with so much food!!! :D

Week 8 into my Cooking Class!

Hello Hello!

Time is flying by so fast!  It's already week 8 into my cooking class! Couple more weeks and we are done with the semester. I always look forward to my Monday class.. why? I have my cooking class on Mondays!

Well, this week, we learned about Beef! Which means, we cooked lots of food that has BEEF as it's main ingredient! (YES!) We had short ribs, steak in lettuce rolls, shepherd's pie, skirt steak, and grilled beef tenderloin! I will be posting up what our group was in charge of right below here, along with pictures of all the food we made!

Our group was in charge of making the Short Ribs with Tomatoes, Olives, and Gremolata with Polenta! (mouthful, I know!) It was such a great dish! This is a MUST TRY AT HOME dish! :) Enjoy!!

Like always, if you want to know the recipes of any of the food we made in our cooking class, shoot me an email with the name of the food and I will gladly post that up! :)

SHORT RIBS WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES AND GREMOLATA WITH POLENTA


INGREDIENTS:


6 lbs                                           Short Ribs
1/2 Cups                                    All-Purpose Flour
2 Tbsp                                       Olive Oil
3 Tbsp                                        Unsalted Butter
2                                                 Medium Onion, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1                                                 Small Carrot, finely diced
1                                                 Celery Rib, finely diced
2                                                 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
1 Cup                                          White Wine
1 Cup                                           Beef Broth
1                                                  28 oz can whole plum tomatoes with juice, coarsely chopped
1 Cup                                           Kalamata Olives, pitted and halved
1 1/2 Tsp                                     Fresh Thyme, chopped
2                                                  Flat-leaf parsely sprigs
1                                                  Turkish Bay Leaf
2                                                  Strips of lemon zest, cut into fine julienne
1 Tsp                                            Salt, or to taste
1/2 Tsp                                        Ground black pepper, or to tase

FOR GREMOLATA:
3 Tbsp                                         Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsely
1                                                  Garlic Clove, finely minced
1 Tsp                                           Finely grated lemon zest

FOR POLENTA:
4 Cups                                        Water
to taste                                        Salt
1 Cup                                          Medium-grain yellow polenta
4 Tbsp                                         Butter
1 Cup                                          Cream Cheese

PROCEDURE:


FOR MEAT:
1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Pat dry short ribs and season with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, make sure to shake off excess flour, and seared in a oil/butter combination in a skillet until evenly browned. Do meat in batches, and transfer to a plate.
3. Then once meat is seared, pour off searing fat from skillet, and add remaining butter.
4. Add Sweet onions, carrot, celery, and garlic, and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring.
6. Arrange short ribs in a pot in 1 layer and return to a simmer.
7. Cover pot and braise short ribs in  middle rack of oven until very tender, about 2.5 hours.

FOR GREMOLATA:
1. Stir together gremolata ingredients in a small bowl.

FOR POLENTA:
1. Heat water lightly seasoned with salt to a boil over high heat, about 5 minutes.
2. Quickly whisk in the polenta until fully incorporated.
3. Lower the heat to a low simmer, add the butter and allow the polenta to cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
4. Finish by stirring in the cream cheese and salt to taste.



I.C.A.
Ms. Piggy.

Final Product of the Short Ribs with Tomatoes, Olives and Gremolata with Polenta

In process of making the Short Ribs

Short Ribs. Short Ribs. Short Ribs.

Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Asparagus and Roasted Red Onion Vinaigrette

Shepherd's Pie

This was my favorite! :)

Deliciousness...

Grilled Garlic-Marinated Skirt Steak with Lime!

Same as above!

Steak in Lettuce Rolls

Short Ribs with Gremolata and Polenta!

Same as above

My Plate!

close up! :) Everything was so delicious!