Vietnamese Sweet Beef

For those of you who have not tried Vietnamese cuisine you are missing out on somethin very special. It is light, hearty, with flavors that are amazing.

This is my version of a Vietnamese Sweet Lemon Grass Beef

Ingredients:
1. 3 Red bell pepper
2. 2 large diced garlic cloves
3. 2 diced shallots
4. 1 tbsp diced ginger
5. 3 tbsp diced lemon grass (if you freeze before hand it will diced up very well)
6. 1-2 lbs of beef flank steak cut into thin strips and tenderized
7. 3 tbsp fish sauce
8. 3 tbsp honey (do not use clove honey)
9. Jasmine rice
10. 1/4 cup diced fresh cilantro

Prepare steak by tenderizing with meat hammer. Brown steak and add spices and veggies. Do not overcook, just enough time for the bell peppers to cook all the way 15-20 minutes. Add fish sauce while cooking steak and veggies. Reduce until there is a small amount of liquid at the bottom. Add the honey and reduce until the honey liquid mixture is somewhat thicker. Honey has quite a bit of moisture in it so make sure you cook off as much as you can. Keep on medium heat to prevent the sugars in the honey from burning. While you are cooking the beef put some rice into a rice cooker and cook. When you are done with the beef the rice will be done or almost done.

There should be a good balance of sweet and salty with a hint of lemon grass. Sea salt may be needed but the fish sauce usually already as enough sodium in it.

Enjoy!

Massaman Curry Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken breast cut thinly
5 White Potatoes
4-8 Tbsp Massaman Curry (Use recipe on this page)
Mixed veggies
2 cans coconut milk
2 cups Jasmine Rice Cooked

Cook chicken and mixed veggies together until chicken is well cooked and slightly golden. Add Massaman curry paste to desired strength mix with coconut milk and allow to simmer altogether for about 10 minutes. Boil potatoes until semi done add to curry and finish cooking on medium heat covered for 25 minutes or until potatoes are done. Put on top of rice and eat away!

Salsa Chicken and Rice

Now this is a hearty meal and it is full of flavor.

Ingredients:

1. Use recipe for home made salsa on this page 1 cup or more per breast depending on how much salsa you like. I like it full of salsa.
2. Boneless, skinless chicken breast
3. Badia Sazon Tropical seasoning no msg!
4. White rice

Place thawed chicken in oiled baking dish and add salsa. Bake on 350 for 30-40 minutes depending on your oven. Serve with hot rice. Easy and tasty!

Pizza Dough

Not my recipe but it is a quick and easy way to make some decent dough! This is Carrabba's recipe

Makes one 10 to 12 inch (25 to 30 cm) round pizza or
One 15½ x 10½ inch (39 x 26 cm) rectangle pizza

Ingredients
½ teaspoon dry yeast
¾ cups water (100° F) (38° C)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour

Method
1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast into ¼ of the water. Let it sit for 10 minutes to dissolve. Stir in the oil and salt.

2. Add ½ cup of flour to start and mix thoroughly. Now start adding more water and flour, alternating and mixing well after each addition. Once you've added all the water and flour, a sticky dough should be forming.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. It should still be slightly sticky.

4. Place the ball of dough into a large bowl, lightly coated with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1-1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size. (You can easily double this recipe-just increase the rising time to 2 hours.)

5. Punch the dough down and be careful not to knead it any further as you want the dough to be relaxed and easy to work with. If you have doubled the recipe by increasing the rising time, divide the dough into 2 balls after you have punched it down, and freeze one of the balls.

6. If you're using a pizza stone: To shape the dough, sprinkle a generous amount of flour over the surface of a pizza paddle, or alternatively you can get a ½ inch (1.5 cm) flexible piece of board from the hardware store and cut into about a 14 x 14 inch (35 x 35 cm) square. Lightly flour a wooden work surface and place dough on work surface. Flour your hands, start from the center of the dough, and begin to shape, using a patting and stretching combination, until you achieve a 10-12 inch (25 cm) round (depending on how thin or thick you want it). It does not have to be perfectly round! Transfer dough to the pizza paddle and begin to add toppings.

7. If you are using a pizza pan, brush the bottom with a little olive oil first and then start from the center of the dough, using a patting and stretching combination until you reach the edges. You may need to gently pull and stretch some parts to reach the edges.

Uses:
You are now ready to make your favorite pizza.

Note:
1. Pizza dough freezes well and is great to have on hand. Freeze one and use the other for the pizza you are making.

2. To freeze the dough, wrap the ball of dough in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag, or wrap with aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to 6 months.

3. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight and then remove from the plastic bag or foil, and bring to room temperature in an oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap. When it is at the point of beginning to rise again, it is ready for making pizza according to the recipe.

Awesome Home Made Feta Pizza

So let me say that pizza is something that really is hard to get right. For those who like commercialized pizza please make note that you are eating scientific concoctions developed to taste good. I for one love to go to a pizza house where they make everything fresh, even their mushrooms, so many use the canned crap! What I love the most is trying new combinations of flavors and ingredients at home. So this next recipe is easy and very tasty.

Ingredients:

1. Home made pizza dough 1lb recipes can very but find one easy to make and will compliment the ingredients you will use. I will include another recipe for a simple dough you can make you can not find one.
2. Prego or any other prepared sauce you may like. When we have more energy I will make my home made sauce which I will include a recipe for that as well. 1-2tbsp
3. 1 1/2 cup mozzerella, 1/2 sharp white cheddar, 1/4 cup rommano or parmessan or feta (we chose feta this time around)
4. Black slices olives canned or fresh if you can find them
5. 1/3 cup onion, 1/3 cup red bell pepper
6. Pepperonni or meats of your liking
7. 2 tbsp butter
8. 2 pinches garlic powder
9. 1 pinch of italian seasoning

Shape dough into pizza dish and bake for 10 minutes in preheated 350 degree oven. Take dough out add sauce, keep edges for crust, add cheeses, veggies, and meats. Bake for 15-25 minutes until cheese is golden. While baking in a small bowl add melted butter, garlic, and italian seasoning, mix well. Pull out pizza and while hot spread with spoon butter garlic around the crust and let cool 5 minutes. Eat it up!

Notes: The fresher the ingredients the better the taste!

Home Made Thai Curry Pastes

Thai Red Curry Paste- Nam Phrik Kaeng Daeng

1 Tblsp coriander seeds, roasted until brown
2 cardamon pods, roasted until brown
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp salt
10 big dried red chilies, seeds removed and soaked in water for at least 10 minutes and then finely chopped
1 tsp (5 grams) galangal, skin removed, chopped
2 tsp (5 grams) lemongrass, lower third only, chopped
1 tsp (5 grams) kaffir lime peel, chopped
1 Tblsp (10 grams) coriander root, chopped
3 Tblsp (15 grams) shallots, chopped
3 Tblsp (15 grams) garlic, crushed
1 tsp (5 grams) Thai shrimp paste
10 small fresh red chili peppers (prik kee noo)

Put the coriander seeds, cardamon pods and black peppercorns in a granite mortar and grind into a powder with a pestle. Add the rest of the ingredients and pound using a pestle for about 10 minutes until the paste is smooth. All the ingredients for the paste can also be put into a blender and liquidized. If the paste is too dry, you may need to add a bit of water

Fresh Zesty Salsa

Something simple to add to the list, only a few ingredients and not much time at all to prepare.

Ingredients:
1. Three Roma Tomatoes
2. 1 can diced italian spiced tomatoes
3. One hand full of fresh cilantro vary amount depending on the strength you want the flavor.
4. Three diced garlic cloves
5. 1 teaspoon seasalt
5. hot pepper of your choice or none at all
6. hand full of onions
7. two pinches cane sugar

Put all ingredients into a food processor or good blender, chop the ingredients up do not puree, salsa is chunky, not the crap Americans call the good stuff where it is tomato sauce not salsa!

Blend well on chop until cilantro is fully mixed in

Place entire blended contents on the stove, medium high, and bring to a low bubble, cook for about 10 minutes, take off stove and place in container in the refrigerator, wait till next day, all flavors will have mixed well, enjoy!

Pho an hoa Restaurant

Pho an hoa Restaurant
2730 W WATERS AVE TAMPA, FL 33614
813-490-9157

So we love Vietnamese cuisine but it is very hard to find a place that really has some great food. I use to frequent a place called Pho Quyen however when we moved back here this once favorite of mine disappointed me greatly. The food was not fresh, the pho was on the cold side, and a host of other issues. I was in need of good viet cuisine and the other day we drove by this place and thought we would stop in to try it. This is not a fancy eatery but the aromas coming from the kitchen would say otherwise.

We were greeted with friendly service and water was waiting for us. For an appetizer we ordered some wonton soup and let me say that this was by far the best I have had here in Tampa. It was fresh, the broth homemade, the wontons perfectly crafted (not just a glob of flour and meat), and fresh veggies added. We looked over the menu and decided what we wanted and we ordered Banh hoi heo ga hoac bo nuong and Bun heo nuong cha gio (beef with steamed vermicelli rollup, and vermicelli with chicken substituted). When these dishes came out the aroma was just amazing. As we poured the fish sauce of the dishes we were met with some amazing flavors. If you like fresh, good portions, and lower costs, Vietnamese and this places food I recommend to anyone wanting to escape their normal American diet.

The only drawback was that they included a certain plant called Diep Ca with our plate of fresh veggies. This green leaf is not for the faint of heart and smells much like a strong fish! I did not care for it neither did Mandi. The flavors were working together and then a dose of this plant which we did not know made us cringe. Definately an aquired tasted.

Total Bill $24.00
4.0 out of 5 stars

Lee House Chinese Restaurant

This place is not much to look at on the outside or inside, however do not be fooled. We went to this place wanting to try their Dim Sum and traditional Chinese cuisine. It has been very hard to find any place here in the Tampa area or elsewhere that will please your pallet. Let me make it clear I hate americanized chinese food, it is greasy, full of carbs, and is messed up more times than not.

We were greeted with smiling faces and as we sat down we were tended to promply. If you are the type for fancy places do not go here, you will be disappointed, but you are in the mood for close to authentic chinese we recommend this place. The Dim Sum was fresh, and very tasty. We ordered steamed buns, shrimp and rice noodle, beef and rice noodle, and egg roll. Like I said all was fresh, tasted great, and the price was not overwhelming. We ordered some beef and Chinese brocolli in a brown garlic sauce and let me say that this was my favorite. For those of you who like General Tso's and other bastardized dishes they have those as well.

Others have reviewed this place and say that the buffet is not good. All I have to say is I have never eaten an Asian buffet that really was amazing! For those of you who think you have I am sorry to say that Asian buffets are not anything I would call fine food.

Total Bill $24.00
3.5 our of 5 stars

Just as a side note, for a place to get a 5 it must be something great, this being said any of our reviews that give 3 stars or more are worth the time, anything 4 stars and above is just great, and 5 stars is unforgettably amazing!

Blush Sauce With A Twist and Mandi's Salad with Homemade Croutons

Ingredients:

1. 12 Whole Roma Tomatoes
2. 2 lbs thawed chicken breast thinly sliced
3. 2 Minced Garlic Cloves
4. Hand full of yellow onion diced
5. 6 Mini bella mushrooms diced
6. 1/8 cup sugar
7. 1 Orange Bell Pepper
8. Litehouse freeze-dried italian herb blend (Very fresh, closest I have come to fresh herbs without them picked right from the plant)
9. 3 pinches of sea salt
10. Olive Oil
11. Lite cream
12. Feta and provolone cheese
13. Multi Grain Linguine pasta
14. Sriracha hot sauce 15-20 small drops to add some tongue tingle

First start with blanching the tomatoes so that you can remove the skin easily. To do this place them in boiling water just enough to cover them. Let cook for 30-40 seconds until skin starts to bubble and color lightens. Remove and place in cold water then peal and remove core.

Chop your veggies and both the veggies and spices to the tomatoes with some olive oil coating the sauce pan. Set some bell pepper off to the side. Make sure the tomatoes are cut into smaller chunks before adding the rest of the ingredients. Cook on medium high heat until the tomatoes have fully softened. Keep it chunky or smash the tomatoes up a bit its up to you and add the drops of hot sauce. Reduce heat and add the lite cream and chesses. Let simmer until the cheeses are melted into the sauce. Be careful not to overheat or you will burn the milk contents. Reduce until desired thickness is achieved. Set to low heat to keep warm but not cooking.

Saute the thinly sliced chicken breast in some olive oil. Take the left over bell pepper and add to chicken when it is golden with a slightly crisp texture. Add to sauce and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Serve with al dente linguine multigrain noodles. Bon Appetit

Mandi's crisp salad

Ingredients:
1. 2 1/2 cups of mixed lettuce
2. 1/8 cup orange bell pepper
3. 1/8 cup gouda
4. Home made croutons

Mix all ingredients

Home made croutons

Ingredients:

1. Day old hard baguette
2. 3/4 butter maybe more to make sure even coating of the bread
3. Lithouse Italian seasoning

Cut baguette into 1/2 thick slices then cut into fours
Melt butter in sauce pan and add seasoning
Add bread cubes
Make sure all cubes are covered in butter
Put coated cubes on cookie sheet
Bake in preheated 400 degree oven about 6-10 minutes or until golden brown
Add to salad

Notes: Do not over cook the sauce or over bake the bread cubes

Pannarano Pizzeria Napoletana

Our first review of an eatery so bare with us....

Pannarano Pizzeria Napoletana
8830 N. Himes Ave
Tampa, Florida 33614
http://www.pannarano.com/menu.htm

When we first walked in we were greeted with a smiling face from the guy behind the counter who was hand tossing some dough. As we glanced around to get the lay of the land we saw another worker cutting fresh meats and placing them in the cooler. The smell from the pizza oven was fresh and robust. We sat down and were brought some drinks and took sometime to look over the menu. The prices seemed very reasonable so we decided to order. We ordered a set of mozzarella sticks, some fries, and a half and half pizza (margarita/madonna). The mozzarella sticks came out and were fresh, we asked if they were hand made and sure enough they hand make every stick. Then the fries came and were fresh, crisp, and very interesting. They had a breading like nothing I have ever had but they were the best fries we had ever eaten. After these starters we moved onto our pizza, fresh from the oven, with aromas that made our mouths water. We bit into the margarita first and the flavor gave our taste buds a nice tingle. Then the madonna which was robust, strongly aromatic, and packed with flavor. Both kinds of pizza were awesome in the taste category but with two very different colors of flavor.

We highly recommend this place for there pizza and we will keep you posted as to other items we try.

Total Bill: $28.00

Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars

We will have pictures of our next sampling

Shane's Robusto Lasagne and Mandi's Mouth Watering Toasted Baguette

Robusto Lasagne
Ingredients:

1. Lasagne noodles Qnt 12-16 (do not buy low quality noodles)
2. Ground Bison
3. Our homemade spaghetti sauce with mushroom and green bell pepper (recipe will arrive soon)
4. Whole milk ricotta cheese, extra creamy
5. Good quality shredded mozzarella
6. Fresh Oregano
7. Fresh Rosemary
8. Fresh Basil
10. Olive oil
12. Sea Salt

Prep:

Thaw the ground bison and brown in a small amount of olive oil. As you are browning add your fresh diced herbs and three pinches of salt. Be sure to not over cook the bison. Bison does not cook like beef and is done faster. Do not over brown or the bison will dry out and the flavor will be diluted. Once done drain any excess liquid and place off to the side.

Boil your lasagne noodles slightly under cooked. The noodle should not be totally cooked all the way through. Drain set aside

In the pot you used to boil the noodles mix the bison, spaghetti sauce mushroom/ green bell pepper, and the whole milk ricotta cheese. Make sure this mix is somewhat thick not runny. Do not add water to the sauce. Set to the side

You can use any decent sized casserole dish, spray down with some cooking oil, lay 4 noodles on the bottom, then take your sauce mix and lay a quarter inch thick layer over the four bottom noodles. Repeat until you reach the top layer which you should have a small amount of sauce left to spread over the top noodles. Cover entire surface with shredded mozzarella. Bake on 350 until cheese is golden not golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes and dig in!

Mouth Watering Toasted Baguette
Ingredients:

1. Baguette slices, any kind, something with light flavor
2. Olive Oil
3. Gouda Cheese Aged 3 years
4. Fresh Rosemary
5. Fresh Black Pepper

Using your oven or toaster oven lightly brush olive oil on both sides, add the spices, lightly toast on both sides, and add your Gouda cheese. Compliments the lasagne perfectly.

Notes:

Bison is hard to find and can be more expensive than you are use to. But it is worth every penny. The flavor is a tad sweeter than beef. The best part of it all is that its healthier for you. It beets beef hands down in the nutrition category. If you can not get bison please spend the extra money and buy grass fed beef.

Do not overcook the bison, Do not add water to the sauce, Do not over cook the dish only until top layer of cheese is golden

You may get a standard sauce and add fresh mushrooms and bell pepper as I do. The taste of fresher ingredients makes a difference!

Also use fresh breads, oils, and cheeses

For cheeses if you want the best flavor you will need to get an imported cheese that agrees with your tastes. Some cheeses are not very good to eat straight but are great to cook with.