Bread & Yellow Alu (Potato) Croquettes

Potato Croquettes

In what now seems to be a distant and past life, I was fortunate to be mentored by a gourmet cook who taught me a lot of what I know today about feeding my family. Mum was a huge influence throughout my life but when I left home, the coaching continued as I grew up and had a family of my own.

Yellow Alu

The basis for this appetizer is the leftover Yellow Alu I made yesterday.  Replacing the potatoes with spiced ground lamb creates a delicious non-vegetarian croquette. I like to use Japanese panko crumbs to roll these in because they remain crisp and absorb little to no oil. 

Cucumbers & Jalapenos Pickled in Balsamic Vinegar

Pickled Cucumbers & Jalapenos

The pickled cucumbers served in Vietnamese restaurants taste so good because of their sweet & sour flavour. It's easy to make at home with minimal fuss. These taste great on hamburgers or along with with biryani or fried rice. Salting the cucumber slices before soaking in vinegar keeps them nice and crisp. I made the pickled cucumbers first and had a lot of pickling juices left after eating the cucumbers, so added sliced jalapeno peppers to the brine. Once the heat from the peppers seep into the brine, it can be sprinkled on just about anything for a sweet, tart and spicy tang. The sliced peppers can also be eaten if you can handle the heat.

Pickled Cucumbers

Ingredients:

1 English seedless cucumber, sliced & tossed with salt

4 Tbsp. white balsamic or plain vinegar

4 Tbsp. sugar or Splenda or half sugar half Splenda

1 tsp. finely ground chili flakes

Directions:

1. Do not peel the cucumber.
2. Toss cucumber slices with salt and leave in sieve to drain overnight in fridge.
3. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
4. Chill in fridge overnight before serving.

After the cucumbers are eaten, slice jalapeno peppers into the remaining marinade for a sweet chili pickle. Allow the peppers to marinate for at least 2 days for the flavors to develop fully and store in the refrigerator.

Fresh Spring Rolls Stuffed with Chicken Salad

Fresh Rolls with Chicken Salad

These fresh rolls are so versatile, quick and easy that, for right now, I'm hooked on them! The chicken salad was actually made for sandwiches. However, the rice paper was begging to be used and we had 3 heads of romaine lettuce in the refrigerator, and this was much quicker than toasting bread, etc.

Huevos Con Queso - Microwaved Eggs with Hot Peppers & Cheese

Microwaved Eggs with Hot Peppers & Cheese

The best dishes are created when one is ravenous. Lunch was late today because I had only myself to cater to. Earlier in the day, a Pinterest post caught my eye - 12 Ways to Cook Eggs in the Microwave. I've done that before with great success, so when my stomach began to growl, I raided the fridge and came up with this heartwarming and oh-so satisfying one-dish meal.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

salt & pepper to taste

1 wheat tortilla

1 cup left-over chicken fajitas or taco meat (optional)

1 handful cilantro, minced

1 green onion, minced

1 green chili, minced

2 Tbsp. grated cheese

Directions:

1. Break eggs into a microwave-safe dish and beat well with salt & pepper.
2. Tear tortilla into pieces and top with remaining ingredients, except cheese.
3. Mix everything together and microwave on high for 2-1/2 minutes. 
4. Sprinkle with cheese & microwave for another 30 seconds until eggs set.

Serve for lunch with fruit or salad for a hearty meal. Notice I didn't use any butter or oil so it's fat-free.

Burmese Sour & Spicy Shrimp & Potato Stew

Burmese Sour & Spicy Shrimp & Potato Stew

This stew is ideal for those days when there is not much time to put dinner on the table. The shrimp takes some time to peel, de-vein and stir-fry, but after that's done, it's a matter of putting all the other ingredients into a skillet at the same time and simmering until the gravy is reduced and oil resurfaces. The shrimp is added at the end and it's done! For variety, substitute shrimp with fish fillets, hard boiled eggs sliced in half or chicken thighs. Add chicken thighs along with potatoes at the start of the cooking process. Eggs and fish may be pan-fried like the shrimp and added back into the stew at the end. I've made this with baked fish, ground chicken and meatballs.

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Today being Thursday, is GrandBoy’s day. GrandBoy #2 who is 5 years old, will be visiting us and preparing something appealing for him is a big concern. I thought of individual chicken pot pies, but the thought of fiddling with puff pastry and individual bowls of stuff was pretty daunting. Here is the result of simplifying the entire process – a casserole of chicken pot pie ingredients topped with cracker crumbs.  Hope he likes it!