Vegetable Stir Fry

Do you ever wonder what you are going to have as a side dish for steak, fish, or pork?  Before I left my house yesterday to go to work, I peeked into my refrigerator to see what I have to cook for dinner...frozen swordfish from Trader Joe's, an onion, and red bell pepper. Hmmm...I feel like having vegetable stir fry with the swordfish. On the way to home from work, I picked up additional ingredients, namely one zucchini, eggplant, and Thai basil.

You can use any vegetables (for example, broccoli, bok choy, carrots, etc.) that you have left in your refrigerator it will still be delicious.  You may add tofu to this vegetable stir fry if you prefer.

Here's a couple of quick tips: 1) Have the quinoa or rice cooking at least 45 minutes prior to preparing the stir fry.  2) Just right before you're about to cook, heat both pans at the same time (one for the stir fry and the other for the meat of your choice).

Vegetable Stir Fry

Total Time: 20

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Yield: 5-6 Serving

Level: Easy 

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 clove of garlic dices
• 1 medium onion slice 
• 1 bell pepper slice
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce  
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
•  10-12 leaves of basil (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in onions and garlic for 3 minutes.
2. Add bell peppers and zucchinis then stir
3. Stir in hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame and basil.
4. Mix well and let it cook for 5 to 8 minute. (cook longer if you like your vegetable softer).
5. Remove pan from heat. Sever it with anything from grilling, bake, or pan sear. 

Vegetable Stir Fry With Fish On Top

      



















Enjoy your dinner!

- Machana

Cake Balls

This past Sunday, I had a little mishap while driving to my cooking class to learn the techniques on how to decorate cupcakes and make cake balls. As I was driving to my class I heard my car started making unfamiliar loud noises. I thought perhaps I had a flat tire.  Being cautious, I pulled over on 85 South going towards Buckhead. I was so relieved that it was a Sunday and not Monday morning otherwise traffic would have been a nightmare.  Fortunately, after checking my car, I did not have a flat. I got back into my car and continued driving. Darn it! There's that noise again.  Since I was pretty close to my destination, I kept driving until I made it there.

Once I had parked the car, I got out and did an inspection.  I could smell the strong scent of burnt rubber and also saw the water leaking from the A/C (I think). After further investigation, I saw a piece of black plastic that covers the bottom of the car hanging underneath the hood.  Aha! The noise that was coming from my car the car as well as the awful smell was from the plastic rubbing against the road. Happy to say after calling my husband Jonathan, all I have to do is replace the cover underneath the hood. Hooray!

Despite the incident, I'm happy that I was able to learn how make these delicious little cake balls.  I wanted to share them with you. By the way, they were a hit with my friends, sisters,  and of course, my Jonathan. I can't wait for you to try them.

Before starting, have your favorite flavored cake baked, cooled, and ready. The recipe below is for cream cheese icing and dipping. The directions will walk you through how to put everything together.

Cake Balls

Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins

Prep: 1 hour

Cook: 15 mins

Yield: Up to 35 cake balls

Level: Middle

Ingredients: 

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, brought to room temperature
• 1 sticks unsalted butter (8 tablespoons), brought to room temperature
• 3 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

• The following ingredients will be used for dipping the cake balls into and will make 1/2 white chocolate and 1/2 semisweet chocolate. If you prefer one chocolate over the other, then make sure to double the amount of the particular ingredient. 
• 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons zero-tran fat solid vegetable shortening (1 tablespoon for each 8 ounces of chocolate)

Directions:

1. Place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment about 1 minute. Low speed add sugar slowly, then add vanilla extract on high speed until fluffy (set aside).
2. Crumble the cake into fine crumbs, discarding any hard edges. Place the cake crumbs in a large mixing bowl - you should have 4 cups of crumbs. Spoon the icing into the bowl and mix gently with a spatula or very clean hands. Note: You may not need all of the icing depending on the moisture content of the cake crumbs. The crumbs and icing should be evenly mixed, but gently so as not to compact the crumbs anymore than necessary.
3. Using a measuring tablespoon to scoop out the cake mixture for each cake ball, then lightly roll between the palms of your hands to form round balls. The balls should hold their shape well and be solid, but handle gently. Place the cake balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Cover with plastic wrap place in refrigerator until chilled for at least 1 hour.
4. Place the white chocolate and 1 tablespoon of the vegetable shortening in the top of a double boiler; set aside. Fill the bottom portion of the double boiler one-fourth full with hot water; place over high heat and bring to the boil. As soon as the boils, remove the pot from the heat; place the upper portion of the double boiler containing the chocolate on top of the hot water. Stir occasionally while the chocolate and vegetable shortening melt, then stir until smooth.*
5. Remove half of cake balls from the refrigerator. Use a wooded skewer to dip each of these balls into the melted white chocolate. As you dip each, pause, holding the dipped cake ball over the bowl of melted chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into bowl.
6. Place the chocolate-coated cake balls onto parchment-lined baking sheet. If the chocolate in the dipping bowl starts to thicken (set) while coating the cake balls, reheat over the double boiler as needed. reserved any remaining melted white chocolate.
7. Use a wooded skewer to dip or roll cake balls into your favorite color sugars.
8. Repeat step 4, 5, and 6 using semisweet chocolate to coat the remaining cake balls.
9. Allow the chocolate to set, then serve or store in an airtight container at a cool room temperature. The cake balls will keep for up to three days. Do Not Refrigerate, or the chocolate will sweat.

Let me know how they turned out. 

Enjoy!

Machana

Spicy Thai Papaya Salad (aka "Som Thom")

Good afternoon everyone. What a beautiful day today is!  There is so much to do, so little time.  My sister decided to come over to walk up 39 flights of stairs.  We went up to the top and back down.  You might think we are crazy but we went back up again.  Needless to say we ended taking the elevator down.  

By now it was lunch time and we were starving. I rummaged through refrigerator and to my delight a green papaya was sitting there staring at me. Now I know what I'm going to make for lunch - spicy papaya salad.  I served it as a side dish to my left over grilled swordfish and brown rice.  Thank goodness I always keep at least one papaya, tomatoes, limes in the refrigerator in case I have a craving for something spicy.

Spicy papaya salad goes well with fish, bake chicken, or ribs and the best part is you can make it as spicy as you like (or not). This is a good get-together meal with friends.

Spicy Thai Papaya Salad, aka, "Som Thom" 

Total Time: 8 mins

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 3 mins

Yield: 4 to 5 serving

Level: Easy 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of julienne green papaya
• 1 clove of garlic 
• 3 Thai chili peppers (use less or more depending on your liking)
• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce 
• 1 tablespoon of fresh squeeze lime juice 
• 1 teaspoon of sugar or honey
• 1 teaspoon of shrimp paste (optional)
• 1 medium tomato sliced
• Lettuce or cabbage (optional)

Directions:

1.  Wash the lettuce or cabbage and let them sit out to dry (if you are planning on having them with the papaya salad). 
2. Place the garlic and Thai chili peppers in the mortar and smash them together with the pestal.
3. Place the julienned green papaya, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, shrimp paste and tomato into the mortar.
4. Gently mix the ingredients in the mortar well using the pestal and a spoon.
5. Serve with rice and/or as lettuce/cabbage wraps.

Enjoy!

- Machana

Thai Chicken Salad ("Larb Kai")

Good Tuesday morning! This past Sunday night,  I had made a great Thai chicken salad, aka "Larb Kai".  What I've enjoyed the most is spending time with my sister in preparing this delicious dish. This dish was enjoyed by my husband, sister, and girl friend. Of course, my husband ate the most and is my biggest fan.

Let me know how you like it.
 

Thai Chicken Salad, aka, "Larb Kai"

Total Time: 15 mins
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 5 mins

Yield: 4 Servings

Level: Easy


Ingredients:

• 2 cups of chopped rotisserie chicken (discard the skin)
• 1 teaspoon of fish sauce or 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoon of fresh squeeze lime juice 
• 1 teaspoon of ground chili pepper
• 1 teaspoon of roasted ground rice (optional)
• 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro (optional)   
• 1/4 cup of chopped green onions (optional)
• 1/2 onion thinly sliced (white, yellow, or red)  
• Lettuce or cabbage (optional)
• Jasmine rice (brown or white) (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook the rice first so it will be ready by the time you are done (if you are planning on having them with the chicken salad).
2. Wash the lettuce or cabbage and let them sit out to dry (if you are planning on having them with the chicken salad). 
3. Place the chopped rotisserie chicken in a mixing bowl.
4. Add the fish sauce,  lime juice, ground chili pepper, and roasted ground rice to the chicken and mix thoroughly.
5. Toss in the chopped cilantro, chopped green onions, and onion
6. Serve with rice and/or as lettuce/cabbage wraps.

Enjoy!

- Machana

Welcome to "Cooking with Machana"

Machana

Welcome to my blog "Cooking with Machana". I feel life is about spending quality time with good friends and families while enjoying great conversations, laughters, and delicious food together. I look forward to sharing many of my favorite recipes with you and hope they will become yours as well.

Please check back soon for delicious recipes. Please feel free to contact me at machana2012@gmail.com with any suggestions or questions.

Eat well and be happy,

Machana