Vietnamese Grilled Pork Chops recipe

Besides the weather, do you know what else I miss about California? Asian food/restaurants/stores! I used to eat at this Vietnamese restaurant and I ordered the same thing every time! Ok, there was one time that I picked up a pho to-go because it was a chilly night at work. Anyways, there isn't a Vietnamese restaurant around here where we live at right now and I was craving that pork chop so I made my own. Oh, how I wish I had do chua, slices of tomatoes and cucumber, some soup, and that fish sauce vinaigrette.. that would have completed my Vietnamese meal at home! I also wish I had grilled the pork chops over open flame like at the restaurant.

Printable Recipe

Vietnamese Grilled Pork Chops

ingredients:
• 4 ribeye center cut pork chops, thin sliced & bone-in
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 Fresno chili pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 lemongrass
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (Dynasty)
• 2 tbsp grapeseed oil (or any neutral oil such as canola)
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 tbsp water

instructions:
1)  Put the pork chops in a zip top bag and set aside.
2)  To prepare the lemongrass, cut off the root end and the green tops. Remove the outer layers (usually 2) until you get a nice tube. Using a mallet (or something similar) whack the tube a few times to loosen up the fibers, then finely chop.
3)  In a food processor, add shallot, Fresno chili, garlic, and lemongrass; process until finely chopped, scraping down the sides in between. Transfer to a bowl.
4)  In the same bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Pour this marinade over the pork chops and massage it into the meat. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as you can then seal it. Set the bag on a plate and let marinate in the fridge overnight, turning the bag occasionally.
5)  Take the bag out of the fridge to let the pork come to room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.
6)  Place a grill pan over medium heat. At the first sight of smoke, add 2 pork chops in the pan making sure they are not touching each other. Grill for 3 minutes, undisturbed. Flip the pork chops and grill the other side for 2 minutes, undisturbed. Repeat grilling process for the rest of the pork chops.
7)  Serve with rice and do chua (pickled daikon and carrots). Enjoy!

Caramelized Onions recipe

Caramelized onions are so versatile! You see them in burgers, on top of meats, in omelettes! Some cook the onions low and slow for a long time, but not me. "Ain't nobody got time for that!" only because we weren't having anything special for dinner that night I made this. We only had hotdogs, as seen in the pictures below hehe!

Printable Recipe

Caramelized Onions

ingredients:
• 1 large Vidalia onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp hot pepperoncini juice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire
• ¼ tsp kosher salt

instructions:
1)  Heat butter and oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add onions and sugar, toss to coat the onions with butter and oil. Spread the onions in an even layer. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes and spreading the onions in an even layer every time.
2)  After 20 minutes of cooking, add the rest of the ingredients; stir and spread the onions in an even layer once again. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
3)  Serve with steaks, as an ingredient in braising, or as a sandwich topping. Serve it however you like!

Pictured:
○ Potato buns, grilled Nathan's Hot Dogs, caramelized onions, and sliced hot pepperoncinis.

Sopas recipe

Sopas is the Philippines' version of chicken noodle soup, roughly translated as Creamy Chicken Macaroni Soup. It is traditionally made with elbow macaroni, but I honestly think that egg noodles tastes better in this dish and adding bacon adds a hint of a little something-something that no one who knows what Sopas tastes like expects. Plus, if there is one thing I know about my cooking style, it is that I am not traditional at all.

For my fellow Filipinos out there, now that it's colder outside, you know you want a bowl or two of this soup!

Printable Recipe

Sopas

For the Sopas
ingredients:
• 1 to 1.25 lbs chicken breasts, boneless & skinless (1-2 pieces)
• 2 thick cut bacon strips, cut in half crosswise
• 32 oz chicken stock (Kitchen Basics)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• half of an onion, diced
• ½ cup carrots, cut to half moons
• ½ cup celery, cut to 'c'
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¾ tsp kosher salt, divided use
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided use + more for garnish
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (Dynasty)
• 12 oz can Carnation Evaporated Milk, shaken well before use

instructions:
1)  In a pot, arrange chicken in a single layer and add bacon. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes.
2)  Transfer chicken and bacon to a plate to cool. Skim scum off the stock and wipe the sides of the pot with a damp paper towel if needed; reserve chicken stock. Dice the bacon. While waiting for the chicken to cool, start boiling water for the noodles.
3)  Melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, and bacon. Cook for 4 minutes, tossing frequently to avoid browning. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute. Off the heat and set aside.
4)  Dice half of the chicken and shred the rest; set aside.
5)  Bring the chicken stock to a boil over medium-high heat with the lid on. Once boiling, take the lid off and reduce heat to low. Add chicken, vegetables, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, fish sauce, and evaporated milk; give it a good stir. Add the noodles, stir again, and continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
◘ note: A skin may form on the top, simply stir it back into the soup.
6)  Ladle a serving in a bowl and garnish with a few grinds of black pepper.

For the Noodle
ingredients:
• 3 cups wide or extra wide egg noodles
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• water

instructions:
1)  Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add salt and noodles, give it a stir. Cook to al dente according to package directions. Drain noodles and add into the soup mixture.
    

Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe

My kid used to say "Mommy, I like pasta!" but now he says "Mommy, I want more spaghetti and meat!" He really loves pasta; any kind I make is always a hit. The Italian in him comes out every time I tell him we're having pasta for dinner! Like father, like son.

Printable Recipe

Spaghetti and Meatballs

For the Meatballs
ingredients:
• 1 lb ground beef
• ½ lb ground hot Italian sausage
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1/3 cup Italian/seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper
• ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, freshly grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• quarter of an onion, finely diced
• 2 tbsp Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• non-stick spray

instructions:
1)  Line a sheet pan with foil for easy clean up, then spray with non-stick spray.
2)  Put the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Mix everything with your hands just enough to combine. Do not overmix.
3)  Using a small cookie scoop (2 tsp), scoop out 2 scoops of the meat mixture and put it in your hand. Lightly roll to combine the mixture into a ball, then place meatball on the sheet pan. Repeat this process for the rest of the meat mixture.
◘ note: Makes 28-30 meatballs.
4)  Loosely cover the sheet pan with foil and place the pan on the bottom shelf of your fridge. Let meatballs rest for 1 hour.
5)  Take the meatballs out of the fridge and remove the foil cover. Preheat oven to 375° F.
6)  When oven comes up to proper temperature, bake meatballs for 20 minutes.
7)  Add baked meatballs to the sauce.

For the Sauce
ingredients:
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup red wine
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 28 oz can crushed tomato
• 28 oz can tomato puree
• 1 cup water, divided use
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp thyme, chopped
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated

instructions:
1)  Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook just until onions start to brown, about 6 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2)  Add red wine and increase the heat to high. Let it bubble up for 3 minutes.
3)  Add tomato paste, stir for 30 seconds. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato puree. Pour half cup of water into each of the tomato cans and swirl to clean out the cans; add this tomato-water into the pot.
4)  Add bay leaf, dried basil, dried oregano, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, sugar, and Parmigiano-Reggiano; give it a good stir. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring and scarping the bottom and sides of the pot every 10-15 minutes.
5)  Discard bay leaf. Add meatballs to the sauce, give it a stir and make sure the meatballs are submerged in the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.
6)  Serve on top of spaghetti.

For the Pasta
ingredients:
• 1 (16 oz/1 lb) box spaghetti
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• water
• freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese for serving
• Italian flat-leaf parsley or fresh basil

instructions:
1)  Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add salt and pasta, give it  a stir. Cook to al dente according to package directions. Drain pasta.
2)  Add a serving of pasta in a bowl or dish, add sauce and meatballs on top, and a sprinkling of cheese. Finish with a garnish of parsley leaves or chopped parsley, or basil leaves or basil chiffonade.
    

Baked Barbecue Beef Back Ribs recipe

"Low and slow is the way to go." Very true when it comes to these beef ribs! Remember that Baked Barbecue Pork Ribs recipe? The spice rub I made for that is sugar-based so I would recommend a bbq sauce that is smoky but not vinegary because the pork ribs are already tossed in apple cider vinegar. For these beef ribs though, I recommend a bbq sauce that is sweet or fruity, and maybe spicy if you like because the spice rub is paprika-based and not very spicy at all. Just giving you guys ideas in case you don't have the exact same bbq sauce I use.

Printable Recipe

Baked Barbecue Beef Back Ribs

For the Spice Rub
ingredients:
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp chipotle chile pepper (McCormick)
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

instructions:
1)  Add the all the ingredients in an airtight container and shake to mix. Add some of this rub in an empty spice shaker to prevent food contamination. Save the rest of the rub in the airtight container.
◘ note: Enough spice rub for another batch of 4-5 lbs beef ribs.

For the Beef
ingredients:
• 4 to 5 lbs beef back ribs
• ¼ cup Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet 'n Spicy BBQ sauce

instructions:
1)  Remove the silver skin from the ribs. Place the ribs in a roasting pan.
2)  Using the spice shaker, generously sprinkle the spice rub all over the ribs. Make sure to season all sides. Tightly cover the pan with foil and let it sit out on the kitchen counter while you preheat the oven to 225° F.
3)  When oven comes up to proper temperature, bake the ribs (still covered with foil) for 3 hours and 30 minutes.
4)  Take the pan out of the oven and remove the foil. Raise the oven temperature to 400° F. Meanwhile, baste the ribs with the pan drippings in a dabbing motion. Then, brush bbq sauce all over the ribs. Bake for 15 minutes.
5)  Leave ribs in the pan and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
   

Lemony Garlic and Herb Shrimp recipe

I've been extremely busy this month, and on top of that I ended up with sunburn! When all the events for September were over and done with, we drove down to downtown Chicago to have a family day. We parked at Navy Pier, walked all the way to Skydeck, and walked back to Navy Pier for sightseeing before heading back home. It was a really nice day, so nice that you need some sunscreen if you're gonna be out in the sun for a long time! I already knew I have sensitivity to sunscreen; I get rashes wherever it was applied! But it was either deal with rashes for a couple of weeks or skin cancer! So I let out a huge sigh and sprayed sunscreen on my arms but some of the mist got on the right side of my neck and a little on my forehead. Sure enough, the next day, wherever sunscreen touched my skin became red and started to itch just a bit. Just fantastic, we still had an event to go to that night! The following day, it was full on rashes with itch to torture my poor self! And I still got a little bit of sunburn on my left shoulder! Anyways, I'm just ranting. I'm glad I'm better now. Now let's cook us some shrimp!

Printable Recipe

Lemony Garlic and Herb Shrimp

ingredients:
• 1½ lbs large shrimp, peeled & deveined (16-20 or 21-30 ct/lb)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp ground white paper
• 1 stick unsalted butter, divided use & half of it cubed
• 1 shallot, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper
• ¼ cup white wine (chardonnay: medium-dry to dry)
• 1 lemon, zest & juiced (¼ cup)
• 2 tbsp chives, chopped
• 1 tbsp Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• ½ tsp thyme leaves
• freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese for serving

instructions:
1)  Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add shrimp and season with salt and white pepper. Toss shrimp around just until they start to turn pink, about 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate and set aside.
2)  In the same pan still over medium heat, add half stick of butter, shallot, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Cook until the butter is completely melted, about 3 minutes. Stir often to prevent garlic from burning.
3)  Pour in white wine, let bubble up for 30 seconds, then add lemon juice and zest. Let the sauce reduce until it thickens slightly, about 4-5 minutes.
4)  Turn the heat down to low. Add the shrimp back into the pan along with any juices accumulated on the plate, chives, parsley, thyme, and cubed butter. Toss everything around until the butter is melted, about 1 minute.
5)  Serve with grated Pecorino Romano, if desired. Serve as an appetizer, or main entree with rice or pasta.