Lobster Truffle Mac And Cheese

We usually focus on eating healthy during the week so when the weekend is near we start planning what decadent and scrumptious meal we will devour. And what would be better than a delicious Mac and cheese? Well, an extra delicious truffle Gouda and Lobster mac and cheese!

Impress your friends at your next lunch or brunch gathering with this delicious recipe that takes everyone’s favorite comfort food and elevates it.

Ingredients

1 box of your favorite pasta (macaroni or similar preferably)

1/2 cup of shredded truffle Gouda cheese (we use a great one from Whole Foods)

1 1/2 cups lobster meat (fresh or you can find good frozen lobster meat at your grocery store)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 sour cream

1/2 breadcrumbs

*Bechamel sauce – 1 1/4 warm milk, 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp flour. – on medium heat cook butter and flour continuously whisking for 5 minutes. Add warm milk and whisk until You combined and has a creamy consistency. You can double or triple the bechamel sauce according to the amount of pasta.

Directions

Cook pasta as per box directions

Add the sour cream, lobster chunks, heavy cream and shredded cheese to the bechamel sauce. Whisk all ingredients together until combined into the most decadent cheese sauce!

In the same pot where you cooked the pasta and after draining the water mix the cheese sauce and pasta until uniformly mixed.

Pour into the baking dish. Add extra cheese and bread crumbs on top.

Bake for 20 minutes at 375 until golden brown.

Serve and enjoy!

Okonomiyaki Pasta

Okonomiyaki is a delicious Japanese savory pancake and one of my favorite snacks. Full of delicious, cabbage, bacon and sometimes octopus or squid. I decided to bring all those flavors into a fun pasta dish that will definitely excite your taste buds and would be a great addition to your dinner options!

Ingredients

2 cups of roughly chopped cabbage

1 pack of thick cut bacon cut into one inch pieces

1 bunch green onion

1 box of bucatini pasta

1 cup of frozen squid or octopus pieces

Japanese Mayo (kewpie)

Okonomi Sauce

Bonito Flakes

Directions

In a non stick pan cook bacon until crispy and set aside.

In the same pan (empty excess bacon fat and leave around half a cup) sauté octopus or squid until cooked throughout. Add cabbage and cook until cabbage cooks and browns. About 2 minutes.

Boil pasta per box instructions. I prefer 7 minutes with bucatini for the perfect al dente pasta.

Once pasta is drained, add half a cup of the okono sauce, squid, bacon and cabbage. Mix throughout.

Serve in a bowl and top with a drizzle of kewpie mayo, okono sauce and chopped green onion. If you have furikake in your pantry (as you should) sprinkle some on top as well for an extra layer of delicious umami flavor! Enjoy!

Paleo Cardamom Biscotti and Crunchy Quinoa Hu ChocoDrizzle

We were sent Hu Kitchen dark chocolate bars so we decided to make these easy and delicious biscottis using their dark chocolate to drizzle them and make them extra delicious! I can tell you right now their products are delicious, perfect for baking, snacking and sharing. These biscottis came out so scrumptious and flavorful you wouldn’t think they’re healthier and better for you!

Ingredients

2 Large Eggs

1/2 cup raw honey

1/2 cup butter (softened)

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 cups almond flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/4 coconut flour

1 Hu Kitchen Dark Chocolate Bar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer add eggs, honey, butter and vanilla and stir until blended. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt cardamom. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until ingredients are combined.

Remove the dough from the bowl and separate into equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball and place on oiled baking sheet.

Form each ball into a 1in high loaf. Bake for 20 minutes or until light brown.

Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 250°. Allow the loaves to cool for 15 minutes, then slice them into half inch pieces. place slices on baking sheet and bale for another 20 minutes.

Remove from oven.

Melt chocolate bar in microwave for 30 seconds. (*You can add a teaspoon of coconut oil to make the melted chocolate smoother.)

With a spoon drizzle melted chocolate freely over the biscottis.

Let cool and enjoy!

Lemon Butter Mushroom Pasta

Growing up I hated mushrooms but I have learned to appreciate them as an adult and Im absolutely obsessed now. This mushroom recipe with a mustard butter sauce and the brightness of fresh lemon juice will become one of your favorite easy “go to” recipes to impress friends.

Ingredients

3 cups of your favorite mushrooms (sliced). *I used a mix of shiitake, baby bella and oyster mushrooms.

3 tbsp butter

4 large finely chopped garlic cloves

Olive Oil

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

Salt

Pepper

Chopped Fresh Parsley

1 large lemon

Directions

In a medium heat large pan add butter, garlic and olive oil. Stir until garlic starts to get translucent but without burning. If you see garlic starting to brown lower heat to avoid garlic getting bitter.

Add mushrooms to pan and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or u til mushrooms start browning and getting tender.

In a small bowl whisk together lemon juice and Dijon mustard. Pour into the pan and mix together with mushrooms.

Boil your favorite pasta per packaging instructions. Drain and mix in a large bowl with mushrooms lemon sauce.

Add fresh parsley right before serving along with your favorite parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Vietnamese Steak Salad

It’s officially summer so it’s nice to take a break from heavy foods and go for something lighter and refreshing. So here’s a super easy, flavorful and refreshing recipe to add to your summer pool party that will make you stand out! Tender steak marinated in Vietnamese flavors, crunchy cucumber and bright and sweet tomatoes all come together along with thin glass noodles.

Ingredients

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 large lime

2 medium size tomatoes (quartered)

1 large cucumber (peeled and cut into bite size pieces.)

1 handful of fresh mint

Salt

1 medium red cerrano pepper (sliced thin)

1 pack of glass noodles

*Steak Marinade

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp brown sugar

Directions

Grill the marinated steaks to your meat temperature preference. I prefer medium well for this particular recipe.

Put them aside to cool off.

Cook glass noodles per packaging instructions. Drains and place in refrigerator to cool.

In a large bowl mix soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar and lime juice. Whisk all ingredients.

Once steak has cooled off cut thin slices and add to bowl.

Add cucumber, tomatoes and noodles, sliced pepper and fresh mint.

Mix until all ingredients combined evenly.

Serve chilled and enjoy!

Ginger Scallion Meatballs with Soba Noodles

Soba noodles are a Japanese noodle made of buckwheat. I wasn’t really familiar with it prior to going to Japan but we had them there one night and really liked the flavor and texture.

For the meatballls recipe I used similar ingredients as in my Asian mini burgers simply because with just a few ingredients you will achieve delicious flavors.

Ingredients

16oz fresh ground spicy pork sausage

16oz lean ground beef

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 tbsp garlic chili sauce

1/2 cup minced scallions/green onion

1 large egg

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Meatballs Instructions

In a large bowl combine beef, pork, ginger, garlic chili sauce, minced green onion and egg.

Roll up meatballs into 1 inch diameter

Brown meatballs in a pan on medium heat

Transfer them to an oven safe tray and put in oven at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes

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1 box of soba noodles (8oz)

1 bunch of fresh cilantro roughly chopped

1 bunch of green onion cut into 1in pieces

1 cup shredded carrots

5oz sliced shiitake mushrooms

Sauce Ingredients – 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup sesame oil, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, I tbsp garlic chili sauce. *Whisk together and set aside.

Directions

Using the same pan where you brown the meatballs. Sauté mushrooms until tender and browned.

Add shredded carrots and green onions.

Return meatballs to pan.

Add cooked soba noodles and sauce.

Mix together with tongs.

Add fresh cilantro and serve in large bowl.

*This recipe is also delicious served chilled.

Japanese Mentaiko Pasta

Mentaiko is a popular late night “drunk” food in Japan consisting mainly of roe, noodles and butter. In our version we added a couple of extra toppings to make it extra special and to give it more layers of flavor. Also by adding crispy quinoa to the dish you’ll get a delicious crunch with every bite that goes perfectly with the creaminess of this delicious dish.

Ingredients

1 5oz packet of defrosted spicy pollack row – You can find this at your local asian market. (Also you can use plain pollack roe but it won’t have as much flavor.)

1 lb box of pasta noodle: spaghetti, linguini, ramen or bucatini. *We prefer the bucatini which is a hollow spaghetti and holds more of the sauce.

4 large shiso leaves – You can find them at your local asian market.

6 tbsp Unsalted Butter

1 tbs Soy Sauce

Toppings

In general the above list of ingredients are the classic recipe. But why not make it your own with your favorite toppings?! Below are some of our favorites.

Green Onion

Crispy Quinoa – *Recipe Below

Soft Boiled Egg

Pickled Radishes

Nori

Sautéed Mushrooms

Salmon Roe

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

2. While waiting for the water to boil. In a separate small pan melt butter on medium/high heat and cook until slightly brown. Remove from heat.

3. Remove pollack roe lobes from the package. Cut each lobe in half and squeeze out the pollack roe into a large bowl (Use bowl large enough to mix pasta in). Add soy sauce to roe.

4. Add melted brown butter to the roe.

5. Once water is boiling add pasta and cook to preference or package recommended time for “al dente”.

6. With a pair of tongs transfer pasta to the bowl of roe and butter mixture. Add a 1/4 to 1/3 cup of pasta water to help create the sauce. Mix pasta and sauce until all combined.

Serve in a bowl and top with your favorite toppings! Eat up!

*Crispy Quinoa

For the crispy quinoa its best to use cooked quinoa that has been cooled in the fridge for six to eight hours. This allows for some of the moisture to evaporate.

Ingredients

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups water

2 tbs melted butter

Directions

Cook 1 cup of quinoa per package instructions. Place in fridge for six hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a bowl mix the quinoa with the melted butter.

On a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper spread quinoa evenly and place in the oven for five minutes. Check occasionally and mix quinoa to make sure doesn’t burn and gets evenly toasted. Re-spread and cook for another three minutes until evenly toasted. Remove and let cool.

 

 

Korean Rice Cakes with Pork

Im an equal opportunity lover when it comes to food. But asian food has a special place in my heart. The freshness of ingredients, the incredible flavors and variations of cooking techniques has always intrigued me and really have helped me broaden my palate.

My new favorites are “tteok” or korean rice cakes. These gooey and delicious nuggets of goodness are made of various grain flours including glutinous rice which gives them the amazing texture I love.

We have made a traditional recipe which we found too spicy (even for me!) due to the amount of gochujang (hot korean pepper paste) used. So I came up this with recipe which still uses gochujang but on a delicious and not painful heat level.

Ingredients

1 lb pork loin or boneless pork country ribs (frozen)

2 tbsp gochujan paste

3 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 cup chopped green onion

2 tbsp sugar

4 minced garlic cloves

2 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 cup korean cooking syrup (optional)

1/4 cup cooking oil

1/2 cup water

1 pack of korean rice cakes (You can find them at your local asian store. Some places make them fresh.)

Directions

*Separate rice cakes individually and soak in cold water.

Carefully slice frozen pork into very thin slices. (Easier to slice using cerated knife.)

Combine sesame seed oil, soy sauce, garlic and gochujang paste.

Mix into pork slices and let it marinate for 30 minutes.

On a cast iron grill pan cook pork on high so it gets a nice carameliation. If you down have a cat iron skillet to grill pan use regular pan. Just make sure you cook on high heat to achieve a nice sear. Once cooked put aside.

Heat pan to medium high and add the cooking oil and korean cooking  syrup.

Add rice cakes and sauté for 2 minutes. Add cooked pork, green onion and water and continue stiring for another 3 to 6 minutes until you see a nice glaze and all ingredients are combined. Serve and eat right away to enjoy the delicious texture of the rice cakes.

Optional – You can add extra green onions or furikake to top dish. Also you can add sliced korean fish cakes to the recipe for another later of flavor. 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

White Chocolate Lucky Charms Cookies

You know when you were a kid and had Lucky Charms cereal for breakfast and loved those delicious and colorful marshmallows? Well you will love this recipe because it features them in all their delicious and colorful glory!

As a kid I’d eat them all at the end as a reward for eating the not as fun rest of the cereal.

Ingredients

2 sticks of butter softened

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup lucky charms marshmallows

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F

Combine butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

Mix all dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, salt and add to the butter and sugar mix.

Transfer cookie dough to mixing bowl and add the marshmallows mixing carefully so they don’t break apart.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper and apply non stick spray.

Scoop 1 tbsp of dough into a ball. I used a small rice cream scoop to make them all the same size.

Place on baking sheet spacing them 1 1/2 inches or so from each other.

Bake for 20 minutes but you could do 15 minutes if you prefer them softer.