An Old Favorite Done at Home

Hey all! I'm sorry I haven't posted anything in about a week. I have been pretty busy on co-op. But I just came down with a cold! So I have more free time lol. But you know, everyone loves a good egg roll now and again. But if you are like me, you loved them any time, and any where! As I have said before, I love, love, love, hand foods! Brendan and I got together one night and I "persuaded" him to eat unhealthily. (LOL) But I started with the wanton wraps. They were a LOT more simple than I had planned. Flour, water, and egg. But I had NO IDEA what the eff was in an egg roll... So I put my photographic memory to good use and found out that the insides had shrimp, and carrot, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out what made up the bulk of this yummy treat. But suddenly, I had remembered that the inside looked similar to the fried cabbage my mom and grandma used to make when I was at home. I shredded up some a butt-ton of cabbage (I figured that they would shrivel like spinach... not so much.) I grated some carrots and diced some shrimp. I sauteed those things up in some mirin, rice wine, and a dash of salt and pepper, and topped it off with a couple of eggs when the bulk was cooked through and slightly wilted. The hardest part was to fill the wraps. If you try this recipe, please, PLEASE work quickly! And do NOT let them touch each other before frying. The sauce on the side is a homemade, sweet and spicy sauce. Because spicy is the best, and sweet is just awesome! I will be posting the sauce's recipe later on. 

Try to Be Healthy

This is a dish that I made last night. I know the picture is a bit blurry. I'm looking to get a better camera... But this is coconut salmon on top of a garlic lemon sauteed cabbage. My friend Alex from CAPA requested one of my healthier recipes to be post on my Facebook wall as well as my blog. Congrats on Being First Alex!!!The recipe is as follows.

Ingredients
Salmon
-Two 4oz Salmon Cuts
-1 cup Fresh Coconut WATER
-2 tblsp Honey
-1/2 tsp Chili Powder
-1/2 tsp Dill
-1/2 tsp Celery Seed
-3 Cloves Garlic
-1/4 cup Coconut Flakes
- 1/2 Lemon (sliced)
-Salt and Pepper to taste

Cabbage "Salad"
-3 Large Cabbage Leaves
-2 cloves garlic
-1/2 lemon (juice)
-Salt and Pepper to taste
-Sliced Cucumber (About a Cup)

Process
Preheat oven at 400' F
Lightly Oil A broil Sheet w/ PAM or use non-stick foil
While you wait for the oven to heat, marinate salmon in mix of the herbs and coconut. (CAN BE DONE BEFORE HAND)
Cook for 15 minutes on top wrack on BROIL.
While the fish is cooking, chop the cabbage and put it in small pot with all herbs and lemon juice and rind.
Cook until tender.
Cabbage should be nice and limp at the same time as the fish.
Take fish out of broiler and, place on top of cabbage and add cucumber slices as you see fit.
ENJOY!!! ^_^

Magifico!

One night I was feeling ambitious and decided to make an awesome new dish! This is my Mussel Magnifico. I got some giant mussels from the grocery store, I steamed some for a treat before this dish settled in my head. I knew that I had tried to make something like this with my little sister a few months back. I grabbed some random ingredients from the cabinet and tossed the cold mussels in the pot. The sauce is a good blend of chinese rice wine, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and some red pepper. The dish was extraordinary! My kitchen partner, Brendan (lol) loved the dish. Even though Brendan was not a fan of the mussel, he loved this dish. And even recommended it once! lol This dish is best with pasta, but I found that it is also great with bread. You can removed the meat from the shells if you want to. But I like the look of it on better... What is your favorite "throw-together" type dish?

This is how I wanna Go...

These bad boys were inspired by my Aunt Keema. I remember when I was younger she would make all of my cousins and myself, brownies and cookies. But occasionally her and my grandmother, Mam, would get some cinnamon rolls going. My cousins Toddy and Malika would "help" make them but in reality, we were just there to eat the scraps and be first in line for the finished product lol! Anyway, I was sitting in my dorm talking with Brendan and I started to miss home. I was going to go out and buy some cinnamon rolls, but it was late, and I'm much too lazy for that. I got up all the ingredients and threw together some yummy buns. These things are so good, but so bad for you. Definitely a once-in-a-while dessert. What are some sinfully delicious goodies you guys like?

The Best House Guest

This past Summer term, I had a house guest for a few days. She's my friend Ashley or as she says "wifey no.2" Long story short she stayed in my suite with me because she was missed placed for a week. All I'm saying is that she can stay anytime... She'd bring me yummy cheesecake, pizza, and cooking ingredients! One night I decided to actually cook and reward her for being such a great guest. I taught her how to make these yummy yummy kebabs. We cut some chucks of red onion, green pepper and tomato. I marinated the shrimp on a homemade red wine vinegar and herbs mix that I usually use for grilling shrimp. But we ended up baking them because it was like 11pm and freezing outside. In the words of the famous Sweet Brown, ain't no body got time fo dat! We threw some sweet potato fries on there and added a bit of spice. We later learned that the fries came pre-spiced... so I whipped up a creamy sauce for the fries to alleviate some of the fire. I went with a honey mustard sauce. So kush! This dish was surprisingly filling to be sort of light... What would you like on your custom kebab?

Drunken Baking

Needless to say, but I LOVE desserts! One morning after a night of partying with one of my best friends, Renee, I stumbled home with an empty stomach and was craving something sweet. That morning I came up with a yummy hand treat, Banana Cheesecake Cupcakes with Caramel sauce. I don't remember how I managed to make all of these babies in that condition. But these treats were mouth-watering, sweet, and creamy. I had so many leftover after Renee and I had our fill. Luckily they will keep in the freezer for about a week. Taste like a banana iced cream! What is your fav after party-nights treat?

So Spice!

This dish was the first that I made in college! I was up late one night with the Sexy Awesome Dragons. (The name of my friend group in college. thnx Ian) But I finally gave into Ian and used the cookbook he got me. I liked the recipe for the Shrimp Scampi. I started making the dish and I tasted it halfway through and it was bland as hell. I hate bland food! So I kicked it up a notch and added my own favorite seasonings. This was the day that I learned that no matter what I put in my food, it will always be a little spice in the background after you taste it. What's your signature flavor?