"Shrimp paella!! If you have never been to "Boiling Crab" you must definitely try their food. They do a great spice and oil bliss that they cook their shrimp and other types of seafood in. What I did was take home a pound of shrimp cooked in the "whole shebang" seasoning. I peel the shrimp and make a stock out of the remaining shells and sauce. I cut up the shrimp meat and add sweet potato and tomatoes to some cooked rice. Then, I add the stock and it's nothing but flavor after that. " 

Phillip Yin's Birthday Celebration!!

This was such a fun theme to work with. The idea was a pub-style party with a bar menu.

On the Menu

Slider Burgers: My special ingredient in this item is Chinese Five Spice. Commonly used with other meats, this spice proved to make for an incredible-tasting burger.

     Beef Sliders: Really good blend of onion and garlic with the beef, though the most important thing that still remains to be praised is salt. Well-salted beef can make a world of difference.

     Turkey Sliders: This was the top item on the menu. The turkey burgers not only offer a leaner choice, but when seasoned with the Chinese Five Spice, make a combination that is beyond expectation.

      Toasted Buns, Sweet Pickles, Chili Pepper Aioli

      Cheeses: Jack, Aged Cheddar, Swiss and Havarti

   

     Sauteed Mushrooms were offered as a vegetarian option. First sweated to pull out the mushroom flavor, and then sauteed in a simple butter and white wine combo with some garlic.

Garlic Fries: Simple and easy. Once the fries are cooked, just toss with parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.

Sweet Potato Fries: A popular alternative to regular fries, the sweet potatoes are simply cooked and then salted. Though one thought did come up for the future: tossing them in a combo of salt and pepper, with either a cinnamon and sugar mixture or simply sugar!

Pea Crostini: Unfortunately, there is no picture for this because everyone went through them so fast. Though if you go back to previous posts in my blog, you may find a good picture of this dish.

A great combo for an appetizer that includes peas (frozen or fresh, not canned), garlic, olive oil and salt, blended together in a food processor. Once mixed, add on top of a toasted thin-sliced piece of bread, preferably a rustic French-style bread. One day old works perfectly. And lastly, a cherry tomato halved adds a final acidic splash to pull this appetizer together!

"Probably going down the path of heart attack... But i dont care! Hahaha fried eggs, fried tomato, and avocado in a sandwich with grey poupon mustard. Then fry the outside of the sandwich with butter, similar to a grilled cheese. "

"Show of hands, who doesn't like a mozzarella caprese salad? Especially when its made with 100% buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil and heirloom tomatoes!"

"Goat cheese from Sardinia and goats' milk cheese crusted with grape leaf ash are the two topics of the night. Pairings are cherry preserves, dill pickles, Dijon mustard, capers, and rosemary-garlic blend spread. Bread of choice is a potato rosemary loaf. We have two wines; a 2011 Malbec from Argentina and a 95-point winning table wine. Tasting notes: on top of the bread, the garlic spread and sardinia cheese are a perfect match as they are both strong and profound flavors that rather than clash, actually balance each other out. The great thing about this cheese from Sardinia is that it even stands up to the strong notes in the Dijon mustard! Great together. Capers... maybe not the best addition to this platter, at least for me. The salty flavors of the Sardinian cheese also make a great pairing with the pickles, leading me to believe that this cheese would be perfect in thick slices on a sandwich. Another surprise match is the Malbec and cherry preserves. The preserves are very sweet but can be toned down by the Malbec to a very smooth, natural cherry taste. "

"Usually a picture never gives any credit to the dish. This is one of those dishes. Rigatoni pasta with chicken, tomato and three different cheeses. The chicken was seasoned with oregano, basil and salt & pepper and marinated with an Italian balsamic vinaigrette. The cheese was simply whatever happened to be in the fridge. In this case, I used pepper jack cheese, asiago cheese and pecorino cheese. The great thing about creamy cheese sauces is that the taste depends solely on the amount of each cheese and what cheeses are used. For a garnish, I used parsley and once again, it brought the whole meal together. Another great thing about food is how easily one simple ingredient can complete a dish. "

"Mango Guacamole! So simple and so good. Mango, avocado, lime juice, onion, tomato, salt and pepper and cilantro. " 

"Red pepper sauce, momo special made noodles tossed with some sauteed mushrooms! Basil and grated pecorino are a standard. " 

"Breakfast sandwich. Rustic french style wheat bread, toasted and buttered. Fried eggs, sauteed red onions with sweet potatoes. Feta cheese and grated pecorino romano and sliced avocado!" 

"Simple, easy, done. Sliced wheat bread with a fried egg, sliced tomato, avocado and feta cheese. 5 minutes to make, worth the wait." 

Sometimes leftovers can be used to make the best meals. In this case left over shrimp that was cooked in an amazing variety of sauces and spices was recreated to make a great Risotto that puts a 180 degree spin on previous shrimp risottos. This risotto simply had so much flavor

Chicago, Illinois...known for having a diverse palette of culinary adventures.

This restaurant is definitely one that helps this city keeps its name. XOCO had everything I had expected from the minute I walked in--the loud noises of a bustling kitchen on one side, and patrons eating and talking on the other. The menu was not too complicated, but definitely gave enough reason for any guest to look it over at least twice...simply because they would not be able to make up their mind over the array of choices. Perhaps it was also the nice weather that helped bring the dining experience of this restaurant to its full potential, but there simply isn't a negative thing that I can say about this great downtown corner restaurant.

The menu consisted of dishes primarily from Central America and ventured slightly to the top of South America. The menu consisted of many different varieties of food to suit any type of diet from Vegetarian to Carnivore. They even had Vegan and Gluten Free options. Another area in which the restaurant was doing well was their specials, which were updated not only daily, but weekly as well. While waiting in line, I asked another person, who had mentioned that they came here a lot, what they would recommend. He simply answered, "Anything."

A particular part of the menu at XOCO that I appreciated was their drink menu. It included not only the typical coffee drinks, but also multiple varieties of homemade cocoa drinks and after-meal digestives.

This was a hands down great experience and I will be sure to go back and visit again.

One thing you might want to add is what type of line you were waiting in.
So instead of saying "While waiting in line,..." you can say "While waiting in line to order,..." so that readers have a better idea of how the restaurant is set up (order and pay at the counter vs. waiting for a table and sitting down to order).

Goat Cheese Breakfast Sandwich

Components of the meal:

1. Wisconsin-style cheddar & garlic sliced bread
Butter
Honey Dijon mustard
Goat's milk cheddar cheese
Scrambled eggs
Chives
2. Sauteed Shiitake mushrooms & red onions
3. Peppered turkey meat

This is such a great flavorful dish. The goat cheddar cheese really held my attention throughout the meal. The eggs were cooked until they were just perfect--not too hard and not too soft. I prefer a fluffy, moist scrambled egg that is still soft and juicy (definitely not eggs that are dry).

Chicken Marsala Sandwich with a Cream Sauce

Components:

1. Chicken thigh meat (tends to be more flavorful than other parts of the chicken)
2. Red onions (tends to offer a better flavor to this dish)
3. Shiitake mushrooms
4. Garlic
5. French sheet bread (honestly, I forgot the name of the bread but it is perfect for sandwiches like this; not Ciabatta)

I cook the chicken primarily in a marsala sauce to ensure that it is moist. In another pan, I sautee the mushrooms and onion with some garlic, in butter, of course. Once the chicken is almost done, I take the excess wine in pan and transfer it to the pan with the mushrooms and onions. I then add cream to the pan with the mushrooms and bring the heat to a simmer for a nice, thick sauce. Then I take the chicken and pan fry it to help give it more texture on the outside. I use a small amount of the wine sauce, which gives the chicken that brown texture and can also caramelize with leftover juices or wine. When the chicken is ready, I place it on the bread and add the mushroom mixture over the top with the sauce.

I have no name for this

The main component of the dish is the chicken and sauce.

Ingredients:

Chicken Stock

Tomato Paste

Oregano

Salt & Pepper

Tomato Boullion

Onion

Juice of 1 Lime

Letting the chicken cook on low in the sauce (simmering) helps the flavor develop over time.

The peas and avocado are the side components that help develop the meal. The rice is just a typical component that goes well with everything.

Kitchen Food Basics

There are a few items that should always be in full stock in your kitchen ... well in my kitchen.

Onions
I don't really think there is much need for explanation other then onions simply make

everything better. Sauteing at the beginning adds a great flavor to kick off the meal.
Garlic

Garlic goes hand in hand with onions and adds depth to the meal. Caution should always be used however, because to much garlic can lead to issues later on.
Olive oil

A great many uses for this item. I don't think much explanation needs to be given when it

comes to the use of this except for the fact that it can be expensive and I tend to see

people use olive oil in situations when a cheaper oil can be used.
Vegetable oil

Vegetable oil is one substitute for olive oil that is at a cheaper cost. This is a better use if

frying food rather then olive oil.
Rice

Rice goes with any thing, in every culture. (period)
Tomato Paste

Sauces and soups are two very common and important components of a meal, and tomato

paste is very commonly used in both of them. By simply having a few small cans lying

around the house can bring your meal up to the next level.

Butter

I could go on for days about this ingredient, but I won't, so I will sum it up with one simple

thing. Three main ingredients in French cooking; 1. Butter 2. Butter 3. Butter.
Salt & Pepper

Probably one of the most basic ingredients around. As long as you are using Salt & Pepper

it's safe to say you are off to a good start. Remember though that it should be used with

caution. To much cannot necessarily be fixed, however not enough can typically be fixed

every time.
(dried) Oregano

Another simple ingredient that provides good flavor without any extra additives.
(dried) Basil

Same as Oregano. Though this ingredient is commonly used in both it's dry form and fresh

form. I put down dried simply cause it will last longer.
Flour

Flour is the base ingredient for so many things that I would be surprised not to see it in a

kitchen. Bread, noodles, sauces; so many things. Bread and noodles obviously require it

however sauces can be thickened with just a little flour to help attain that consistency that

you may have been looking for.
Eggs

Eggs, just like flour have a limitless amount of possibilities. A simple egg can be cooked so

many ways by itself. There are also so many types of meals: stir fry's, burger patties,

noodles, burgers themselves, appetizers, etc.

Everything else beyond these ingredients are typically best if bought fresh during the week or weekend before.

Pasta in 45 minutes

This is one of those dishes that is reason to never walk down the frozen food section again. Home made pasta from start to finish in 45 minutes Max! The sauce was a spin off of a simple pomodoro sauce with the addition of a few extra things that happened to be in the kitchen. My cooking also leans on the factor of what is in my kitchen at the time. Not having much to some people can seem to be frustrating, because you feel like you need a lot to make something great. However fewer ingredients and the time to put them together properly can be just the boundaries you need to make something great. Mushrooms can add a great flavor to pasta dishes therefore starting off by sauteing them to release the flavor with the onions and garlic at the beginning is a good start. Then continuing with the typical ingredients to make your base sauce, tomato paste, salt & pepper, oregano, bay leaf, thyme and water you already have a great start. The last addition was a half glass of wine that just so happened to be in the kitchen already opened. Typically I don't like to open wine just to cook with it, unless I bought a small bottle, or it will be included with the meal. However left over wine from the day or days before should never be dumped out. It simply can be added to most any dish.

Break down of time frame:

- Start Dough

- let sit, then

- start sauce, get simmering. Stirring occasionally

- Start pot of water boiling

- then dough is ready

- roll out and cut into pasta noodles

- Hang out rack

- Water starts boiling

- Salt and oil, then drop pasta

- minutes later, add some pasta water to sauce and stir

- then add noodles, let simmer for another minute or two turning pasta into sauce

- plate and done!

Lemon Honey Chicken with Broccoli and Sabzi Rice

Definitely a fusion meal. The chicken I got from an asian Lemon Honey chicken recipe, the rice is Persian and the Broccoli is simply Broccoli and I love it.

The Chicken recipe was altered a bit to attain a moist juicy chicken on the inside while having a pan fried out shell and soaking in the overall flavor of the Lemon and Honey. This is a little difficult and requires some practice because normally when pan frying chicken the inside can dry out quickly, however cooking in a bit of chicken stock then draining and pan frying adding a little stock can help give this end result. The rice is typically eaten with Fish in persian culture however can be adapted to many kinds of meats. To pair the broccoli with the rest of the dish, steaming and then mixing with some lemon zest brings a good flavor while maintaining all the natural flavors of Broccoli.

Pizza!!!

Maybe it's not the perfect looking pizza, but the taste and mouth watering effect stills holds true. I made a couple batches of dough this night however this was the only one I managed to take a picture of. This one was, Mozzarella, Asiago, Parmesan, Buffalo Mozzarella, Basil leaves and dried Oregano. Plain, Simple, Traditional and none compare.

Poached just because

I have never poached an egg before, but figured I should give it a try after seeing enough people do it. The result is definitely nicer and healthier then frying the egg. The outcome result as you can see is pretty manageable as well, meaning that the egg yolk does not flow everywhere very easily but is still runny.

Buttered toast with avocado and Lemon & Pepper seasoning on top, then the poached eggs with Sweet potatoes on the side and some bell pepper. The only piece that was missing was some kind of sauce. I wanted to do a Hollandaise Sauce but didn't have everything required to make it. Next time.

Breakfast Omelette

Such an amazing omelet, that I just couldn't think of a name.

• 3 eggs
• Parmesan & Mozzarella cheese
• Avocado
• Sweet potato
• Basil leaves
• Orange Bell Pepper
• Pesto sauce

Simply amazing.

Quesadillas

Three different Quesadillas.

Top Left: Pesto, Asiago, Parmesan, Cheddar Melange and Mozzarella cheeses. Yellow Bell Pepper, Mushroom, onion, cherry tomatoes and Oregano and Fresh Basil.

The Pesto is what definitely made this one special. As a simple spread it brings another taste besides the cheese that leaves your taste buds running around to the next best thing.

Front Middle: Asiago, Parmesan, Cheddar Melange and Mozzarella cheeses. Yellow Bell Pepper, Mushroom, Cherry tomato and Oregano and Fresh Basil.

This cheese combination is definitely very nice. Plenty of flavors that do not over power the vegetables. The Oregano is a great addition as a dried herb, because it holds its own ground amongst a combination of such profound flavors.

Back Right: Asiago, Parmesan, Cheddar Melange, Blue Cheese and Mozzarella cheeses. Yellow Bell Pepper and Mushroom.

This one stood out with help by the blue cheese. Blue cheese seems to bring a salivation to the mouth in preparation for that particular taste that cannot be duplicated. The Blue cheese also threw in that extra factor that keeps it standing out from the rest.

All three were so good.

Italian Omellete... plus some

Such a great combination of ingredients. Starting off with fried sweet potato, and garlic sauteed mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, pesto sauce, basil and spinach and mozzarella cheese. The end result was great. The sweet potato especially, stands out holding its own and offering a great natural sweet taste to the savory dish.

A Vegetarian Breakfast Mess!

We will start from the bottom:

-Garlic Cheddar sliced bread, toasted with butter

-Fried egg with italian parsley

-Red sliced onions (raw)

-Sauteed Pink Oyster Mushrooms & Regular Oyster Mushrooms

-Sauteed spinach

-Sweet Carrot Ribbons

-Avocado

-Grilled Tomato

As far as a vegetarian is concerned, its pretty good and has everything, though I can see where meat eaters we need the addition Bacon or Sliced Sausage

Oatmeal

Oatmeal can be done so many more ways then what is on the back of the package.

Here are a couple that I like to use:

1. Oatmeal, water, butter and peanut butter

2. Oatmeal, 1/2 amount of milk, 1/2 amount of cream, butter, a cinnamon stick and a little brown or white sugar

3. Plain & Simple: Oatmeal, water, butter and brown sugar

Some other things to add that are always good are Raisins or Craisins.

My New Work Station!!

It is complete! My new work station in the Kitchen came together rather well and I couldn't be more happy.

Sunny Side over Guac!

First I am going to name Ulpan Rinat for this great idea. I must say, as a simple breakfast, that took ZERO time to make and tasted even better, I will definitely be making this more often. What you can see; Half an Avocado with a fried Egg, sunnyside up, resting on top with a slice of Vine Ripe Tomato and Cilantro. What you can't see is the indent of the Avocado where the Pit was underneath the egg is filled with Cholula sauce and a little more Cilantro. Also the Grated Pecorino Cheese, Salt & Pepper that were cooked in with the Egg.

End result, a dish that is light, easy to make and tastes great!

Thanksgiving #2

The second time I am trying a Thanksgiving turkey. Definitely tasted better then it looks. I did an herb rub on the turkey and underneath the skin. I made stuffing and cooked it from the inside of the turkey, first lining the turkey with Cheese Cloth and then stuffing the Turkey. This way you can simply pull out the stuffing a lot easier. In the end it turned out really good, and was a success.