Singapore Mei Fun

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Singapore Mei Fun

I love making our favorite Chinese take-out dishes at home. They’re always tastier, healthier, and much easier on the old pocketbook. Jon’s favorite dish to order-out, hands down, would have to be Singapore Mei Fun. Now, I realize this probably isn’t anywhere close to the noodle dishes you’d actually find in Singpore – but let’s be honest, what comes out most Chinese restaurants in this country  actually is authentic? Am I right?

Soft rice noodles, sauteed with all kinds of crispy yet tender vegetables – and a protein if you like, all in a delicious spicy sauce chock full of curry. I’d never had it before her ordered it, he used to be a General Tso’s guy…but switched to this when he was trying to lose a little weight, and years later he’s still never gone back. I’ve almost grown to love it over my beloved lo mein noodles! Our local place always adds a scrambled egg to the stir-fry, which I feel is a great addition as it helps to soak up any extra sauce and flavor, so I added that to my at-home version too.

It turned out really great, and was a fairly quick and easy meal. I just softened the rice noodles while I was prepping the veggies (stuff I had laying around in the fridge and pantry), stirred together the spices with some soy sauce and sesame oil, and stir-fried for a delicious dinner. I sliced up half a pork tenderloin that I had from a meal earlier in the week and added it to the mix, to add a little protein – but shrimp, leftover chicken or beef would also be great. Ff you wanted to make it vegetarian try adding tofu, or even just bulking up the veggies. And by using your favorite soy sauce substitute, it’s easily gluten-free. You can also switch up the spices in a bit – adding more or less Sriracha or red chili flakes to adapt the heat to your liking. We like it pretty spicy, but I realize not all folks do.

This is one I’m definitely glad to be adding to my repertoire, as it’s a favorite of our whole family! 

Singapore Mei Fun

12 oz rice noodles
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
2 tsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup green cabbage, shredded
1 1/2 cup red cabbage, shredded
1 cup leftover pork, chicken or beef – sliced (optional)
1 1/2 cup bean sprouts
4 scallions, sliced

For the sauce:
1 Tbsp hot curry powder (or your favorite curry powder)
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp crushed red chili flakes
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Sriracha
1 tsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced

Soak the noodles according to the package instructions (Usually soak in hot water for 15 minutes). Drain well and set aside in the colander.

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl, stir to combine.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in wok over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and cook, stirring constantly, until the eggs are cooked and scrambled. Remove to a small bowl and set aside.

Add remaining oil to the wok and increase heat to high. Add ginger garlic paste, and stir until fragrant – about 30 seconds. Add the carrot, bell pepper, and cabbages to the wok. Toss using a pair of tons until starting to soften – about 2 minutes.

Add in the rice noodles, sliced meat, bean sprouts, scallions, scrambled eggs, and finally the sauce. Toss well to combine everything and cook for an additional minute.

Serve hot with additional Sriracha and soy sauce, if desired. 

Source: adapted from Messy Kitchen Stories

Brazilian Black Bean & Pork Stew

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Brazilian Black Bean & Pork Stew

We had a considerable amount of snow over the course of the past two weeks, probably the most that the Eastern Shore has seen in quite a few years. Both little ones were home with me, cooped up in the house, for a majority of those days.   Needless to say, comfort food was in order.

I’d had this recipe bookmarked to try since I bought my copy of Slow Cooker Revolution, and would add it to our weekly menu – but it just kept getting pushed back for one reason or another. I finally decided that it would make a great snow day meal, so it finally came together in my crockpot last week – and I’m kicking myself for not getting around to it sooner. I assumed that I wouldn’t really like it…I’m not the biggest kielbasa fan, and it seemed really meaty. Not that I dislike meat, quite the contrary. But, on initial inspection it just didn’t seem like my cup of tea. But, I knew all the little carnivores in this house would adore it. I was right on that count at least, but was wrong in assuming that I wouldn’t love it too!

The flavors were out of this world. Everything blended together perfectly when cooked, creating a symphony of meaty goodness in one pot. The pork and kielbasa were tender, but still retained their shape and texture. And the beans – oh my word, those beans! Absolutely perfectly cooked – nice and creamy, just the way I like them. I served over a bed of cilantro-lime rice, and topped with some sliced avocado and the Brazilian hot sauce they suggest in the book. It kind of reminded me of pico de gallo…but with the addition of green bell pepper, white wine vinegar, and extra-virgin olive oil – it definitely added more layers of complexity.

It made a large batch, so we enjoyed it for dinner one night – and I stuck the other half in the freezer for a quick meal one night when I’m not feeling like cooking. Which, I must admit – is getting more and more often as the due date for baby boy #3 approaches. It’s good to know that such a hearty and comforting meal is just a thaw out and re-heat away!

Brazilian Black Bean & Pork Stew

6 oz bacon (6 slices), chopped
3 onions, minced
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 cup water
4 cups chicken broth
1 pound dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
1 pound kielbasa sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick
2 bay leaves
1 (3 pound) boneless pork loin roast, cut into 1-inch chunks
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper

For Brazilian Hot Sauce:
2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
2 onions, minced
1 green pepper, minced
2 jalapenos, minced
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp cilantro, minced
1 tsp kosher salt

Toss pork chunks with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper in large bowl. Set aside.

Cook bacon in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Place pork chunks into skillet with rendered bacon fat, cook for about 4 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Remove and set aside.

Add onions to the pan with the drippings and cook for 4 minutes, until starting to soften. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and coriander and cook until tomato paste is starting to brown – about 5 more minutes. Stir in water, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.

Stir broth, beans, kielbasa, pork, bacon, and bay leaves into the slow cooker. Cover and cook until pork is tender – 9 to 11 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.

To make the hot sauce, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Let sauce stand and room temperature until flavors melt, about 30 minuntes. Hot sauce can be refrigerated in air-tight container for up to 3 days. Makes about 3 cups.

Discard bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with Brazilian Hot Sauce.

Source: adapted from Slow Cooker Revolution

Perfect Chocolate Brownies

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Perfect Chocolate Brownies

Ladies and Gentleman, my quest has finally ended. After searching for years to find the perfect brownie recipe, my journey can finally come to a close. These are it. Brownies don’t get any better than this. Rich and dense, chocolaty and fudgey, yet still slightly cakey.

I came across the recipe, titled “Supernatural Brownies”, on The Splendid Table’s website. I love NPR, but especially this program – which I always try to catch on the radio in my kitchen on Sunday mornings before heading to the grocery store for my weekly stock-up. I love hearing the stories from folks all over the country (even the world!) and hearing what the host has to say and suggest. This was the first recipe I’ve actually made from the show, and after the success of these babies, I cannot wait to try more!

They are so perfect, you’d swear they are from a box. That perfect shiny, flaky crust on top? I’ve never been able to attain that with any brownies I’ve made at home before. I’m ashamed to admit that I pretty much ate the whole pan while we were cooped up inside during the snow storm. I had some help from our boys, but their consumption was minimal compared to mine!

It’s safe to say that I’ll never return to a box mix again, where these were so absolutely delicious and easy to bring together. The only complaint I received was from Jon, who was griping that I didn’t include nuts – so next time around I’ll probably add some walnuts to the mix to make him happy.  I’m so thankful to finally have found such a delicious from-scratch brownie recipe! Give it a try, I know you’ll find them perfect in every way too. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Perfect Chocolate Brownies

16 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup roughly chopped walnuts (optional)

Preaheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 13×9 inch pan with foil and butter or spray with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.

Combine butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a double boiler. Stir occasionally until melted.

Whisk eggs together in a large bowl, then whisk in salt, sugars, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate and butter mixture, then fold in flour.

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 45 minutes, until top has formed a shiny crust and batter is moderately firm.

Cool in pan on wire rack for at least 1 hour before cutting.

Store in airtight container for up to 3 days. 

Adapted from Chocolate: From Simple Cookies to Extravagant Showstoppers by Nick Malgieri via The Splendid Table

Tequila-Braised Short Rib Enchiladas

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Tequila-Braised Short Rib Enchiladas

 A couple of weeks ago my friend Josie shared a recipe for a tequila-braised short rib enchilada. I was immediately sold. I made it for dinner one night last week, and my boys haven’t been able to stop talking about it since then! I know they’ll be on the menu again sooner rather than later, which is always a sure sign of a winning recipe.

Short ribs are braised in a bath of tequila and beef stock, with some onions and a poblano pepper tossed in to bring a little extra flavor to the party. I used boneless short ribs, because that’s what I had in the freezer – but bone in would be fine as well. The flavor of the beef after 3 hours in the oven was unparalleled to anything I’ve had grace my kitchen before, and I’m not just saying that. This will most definitely be my go-to  “barbacoa-style” beef for any Mexican dishes I make from here on out – tacos, burritos, quesadillas…you name it! Perfectly flavored and seasoned, it was just out of this world. Plus it’s a relatively hands-off dish, just browning the beef in a pan followed by softening of the onions and pepper, then a slow cook in the oven. I love those kinds of meals!

Once the beef was done I rolled it up in corn tortillas with a mixture of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, topped with a quick homemade enchilada sauce and some more cheese, and baked to a melty, bubbly goodness. I think we all agree that these took the crown for favorite enchilada in our house, taking the position from my infamous chicken enchiladas. Which, really says something, you guys. Served with a simple Spanish rice, this was a filling and delicious meal that the whole family could get behind. I just you know your family will enjoy it as much as we did!

Tequila-Braised Short Rib Enchiladas

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 1/2 – 3 lbs beef short ribs (6-8)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, chopped
1 large poblano pepper, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 cup tequila (this isn’t the place for Patron, folks!)
3/4 cup beef broth
2 cups enchilada sauce
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, divided
12-15 corn tortillas

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Season both sides of the short ribs liberally with salt and pepper. Cook the short ribs 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they are browned – working in batches if necessary. Remove to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining short ribs.

Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the oil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the onions and poblano with 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the pot. Cover and cook until they are softened but not browned, 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, chili powder and cumin. Cook about 1 minute longer, until the mixture is fragrant.

Pour in the tequila as well as the beef broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Return the short ribs, along with any juices that have accumulated onto the plate, into the sauce. Remove from heat, cover, and transfer to the oven.

Cook the short ribs 2 1/2 – 3 hours, or until they are very tender and the meat easily separates with a fork. Remove the meat from the sauce, and transfer them to a plate too cool. Once cool enough to handle, shred beef with two forks (discarding bones and visible fat) and place in bowl.

Pour the remaining braising liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup. Press down on any solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Allow to cool slightly, then use a large spoon to skim as much fat off the top as possible. Add this to the prepared enchilada sauce, mix to combine. Add the strained solids to the bowl with the shredded beef and toss to combine.

Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees, and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.

Stack the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave about 1 minute, or until the tortillas are soft and pliable.

Combine 1 cup of cheddar and 1 cup of Jack cheese in a small bowl and toss to combine.

To assemble the enchiladas, add a scant 1/4 cup of the beef and a small handful of the cheese mixture onto each tortilla, and roll tightly. Arrange the enchiladas in a single layer in the prepared baking dish, seam side-down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.

Lightly brush the tops of the enchiladas with vegetable oil, and bake 7 minutes, or until the tortillas begin to brown. Remove from the oven and pour enchilada sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, cover the dish with foil, and return to the oven.

Bake 20 minutes, remove the foil, and bake for 5 more minutes to melt the cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Source: adapted from Pink Parsley