Category Archives: Kid Friendly
Udon Noodles with Sausage and Shrimp
- 1 pound udon noodles, prepared according to package directions
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 3 sausage links, casings off and crumbled (I used Korean style sausages)
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- ½ pound shrimp, deveined and cleaned
- Salt
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
Mix all the ingredients for the sauce and keep aside.
Heat a wok like saucepan with the peanut oil. Add the crumbled sausage and sauté on medium high heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the udon noodles and sauce. Bring to a boil and add the shrimp. Mix well, cook for another 2 to 3 minutes till the shrimp is cooked through, adjust the seasonings and serve.
Cauliflower and Sausage Pasta with Pesto
- 1 cauliflower head, cut into florets
- Olive oil
- Salt
- 2 to 3 sausage, crumbled
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- ½ pound cooked pasta with 1 cup pasta water spared
Transfer the cauliflower florets to a lined cookie sheet. Drizzle salt and olive oil. Roast under a hot broiler till all sides are golden brown- about 10 minutes on each side. Take out and keep aside.
Pesto
- 1 full cup fresh basil
- 1 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup pistachios
- 2 anchovy fillets
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
- Juice of half a lemon
- Salt
Add the garlic and pistachios to a food processor. Pulse till chopped. Add the basil, anchovy fillets, start pulsing and drizzle the olive oil and proxess till a smooth sauce is formed. Take out of the processor, add the cheese, lemon juice and salt to taste. Keep aside.
Heat a wide frying pan and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the crumbled sausage and sauté on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt and sauté for another 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and ½ cup of the pasta water. Add the pesto, mix well and check for seasonings. Add more pasta water if necessary. Serve warm.
Roasted Pesto Chicken Pizza
What do you do with leftover roast chicken and cauliflower??? Well, you make individual, homemade pizzas, of course!
- One large pizza dough from a pizzeria cut into four pieces
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
Preheat convection oven (preferred) to 450 degrees F.
Take one piece and form into a round ball and using some of the all-purpose flour roll into a 9-inch circle. Keep aside. Repeat with the other three pieces.
- 1 cup fresh tomato sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
Spread the tomato sauce on each rolled out pizza dough. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly and keep aside.
- 1 cup leftover roast chicken, potatoes and cauliflower- cut into small pieces
- Salt
- Pepper
Add a quarter cup of the roast chicken mixture on top of each pizza and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Sesame Glazed Chicken
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Toast the peppercorns in a cast iron skillet on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Take out and cool and grind in a spice grinder. Keep aside.
- 2 medium shallots, ends cut off
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon extra light olive oil
- Salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the shallots and garlic cloves on a piece of aluminum foil. Add the oil and salt, wrap well and roast for about half an hour. Let cool and keep aside.
- 1½ pound chicken breast cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon sweet chili garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Marinate the chicken pieces in the chili garlic sauce, tamari and sesame seeds. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
Glaze
- ½ cup oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup apple cider
Add the oyster sauce, tamari, rice vinegar and apple cider to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes till the sauce gets thick. Add the roasted shallots and garlic. Mix well and blend till smooth. Check for seasonings and keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 1/3 cup green onions, chopped
Heat a large saucepan and add the oil. Brown the chicken pieces in 2 to 3 batches, browning both sides. Take the pieces out and keep aside.
Add the glaze in the saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the chicken pieces and simmer till the chicken is cooked through- about 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.
Roasted Pesto Chicken with Potatoes and Cauliflower
- 4 full chicken legs (skin off)
- 1 pound small yellow potatoes (skin off)
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- ½ cup fresh or store bought pesto
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Preheat a 350 degrees F.
Line a large baking pan with aluminum foil.
Place the cauliflower florets and potatoes to the bottom of the pan. Add half of the pesto, salt, pepper and one tablespoon of the olive oil. Mix well with your fingers. Place the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables. Add the rest of the pesto and olive oil. Rub all over the chicken. Add salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for an hour. Change the setting to high broil and brown for 5 to 10 minutes till the chicken and the potatoes turn golden brown. Serve with crusty bread.
Fettuccine with Scallops and Garlic
I served this delicious pasta dish with some yummy asparagus, simply cooked with some olive oil and salt… very springy!!
- ½ pound fresh fettuccine
- Salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 10 large scallops, cleaned
- ½ cup clam juice
- Juice and zest of one lemon
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package label and reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain and keep aside.
In the meantime, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the scallops on both sides about 30 seconds each. Take out and keep aside, let cool and slice each scallop into 3 to 4 slices. Reheat the pan on medium heat and add the garlic, red pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for about a minute. Add the clam juice, lemon zest and juice. Add the pasta and the pasta water. Add the scallops and parsley, toss to coat and cook for another minute or two until the scallops have warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil before serving.
Chicken Adobo
I love trying different cuisines- this is my first time trying this Filipino classic.. of course, I put my own spin on it. It’s yummy!
- 4 to 5 chicken thighs with skin and bone in
- ½ cup white vinegar
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 6 to 8 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 3 to 4 scallions, chopped
Place the soy sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, peppercorns and orange juice in a large sauté pan. Place the chicken thighs, skin side down. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat and then cover and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Uncover the pan and increase the heat to high and return the sauce to boil while turning the chicken occasionally and basting at the same time. Take the chicken out after about 3 to 4 minutes and add the cornstarch. Bring to a boil and let the sauce thicken. Check for seasonings and turn the heat off.
Let the chicken pieces cool, take the skin off and take all the meat off the bone with a fork. Return the shredded chicken to the sauce, check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro and scallions.