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?

Being Lazy...

I made this dish because of my kitchen buddy and roommate Brendan. His dad has some great fresh fish in his shop and Brendan was always nice enough to bring me something good. So the night he brought me some tiger shrimp and I was in heaven! They were pretty big and so juicy! I just ran out of Alfredo sauce so I improvised... I made a sauce out of sour cream, spinach, onions, and garlic. Brendan hates white sauces but he loved this one. Have you ever improvised a dish? What was in it?

Random Cake

I am not a big fan of cakes... I know, who doesn't love cake? I got bored one night and decided to make a cake with my roommate Jerry's gf Ruth. This cake came out so good that I had to have three pieces. I had to... like my life depended on that third slice! But it's chocolate cake cut in half filled with funfetti frosting. So kush! What dessert do you hate but haven't really given a chance?

Guys Night!

So I found a recipe for cream cheese dough in a cook book my friend Ian got me one year for Christmas called "Mad Hungry". I love this book! I use it a lot. But yeah... I stuffed these little babies with chicken and homemade sweet and sour sauce. I had a "Guys Night" where we just chilled and watched TV. They are great for parties are little get togethers. What kind of finger foods are you favs to munch on at a get-together?

The Gnocchi Challenge

My neighbor Pujah gave me some left over gnocchi she had made from the box. I had never had this form of gnocchi before so my hopes were high and optimistic. The second I bit into the gnocchi I regretted it. It was so mushy and the sauce was bland. I wanted to slap her for giving me this shit. But I did't, I just offered to make her real gnocchi. I love Italian food, culture, and language. I went to my trusty cooking assistant, Google, and searched what gnocchi was exactly. After finding that it is mostly potato kinda made into a pasta, I was on the roll. It took FOREVER to make the dough, but the sauce was great. So I presented this handmade gnocchi in garlic parm, sauce to her, and she swooned. I love getting it right... Have you ever had a food and hated it? What was it?

For The Love of Sunny

I'm not a vegetarian at all... I just don't eat a lot of things. But my one friend Sunny is a vegetarian. Has been his whole life. I usually make foods with the intent of sharing in mind. But I also use a few meats or seafood in my cooking. So one day I decided to cater to Sunny and make him some good miso. I had a red cabbage left over from my shrimp roll phase (pics coming soon) I cut the cabbage into noodle-like strips and boiled them in a broth made from bean paste and dashi stock. so good :9 If you are vegetarian, what is your fav treats/meals?

Manly Meal

I'm a big man. I need my food to be fulfilling not a tease. I made this dish because it was getting to be Autumn and I was craving some of my Grandma's Beef Stew. Unfortunately she pasted the year before so I was S.O.L. Thank the universe that she taught me how to cook! Brendan and I went out and grabbed some thick steaks (sirloin) and some baby potatoes. The broth for this stew is homemade beef broth and tomato paste. This dish would definitely be a great slow-cooker meal. (Maybe going a repeat/ re-eat this week) You can pour this baby over rice or mash, but it's so chuncky that you could eat it solo! This is a man's stew! But women are welcome to eat as well.  Gotta show love to the ladies ^_^ What's a "manly" food that you eat when you need a man-check? 

It's Okay to be a Fatty Sometimes

We all have those days when all we want is to stuff our faces with the greasiest, cheesiest, slop we can get our chubby hands on. This dish goes out to all my fatties! It is a Hamburger Bun. I adapted this recipe from something similar to my love Kate's recipe for some meat pocket thingy. (Which is delicious and will most likely to be posted on the blog soon.) This is a bread-type dough stuffed with cooked ground beef, cheese, peppers, caramelized onions, and seasoned and BAKED (gotta be a lil healthy lol)  to perfection. I love, love, love, hand-foods. What is one of your fav grab-go foods?

I Tried...

So one night, I tried to be nice to my little sister for a change. I made us some good healthy food. This is oven fried chicken, homemade mash, and broccoli pasta. I thought that this dish was the BOMB! But my butthole little sister Karima tasted it and said that it's "Ard" and that I could have put some more garlic in it. Lol I gotta love her, because I would have dissed her food too! All I'm sayin is that it had to be good, because she finished the entire plate before I could finish mine haha. Who's your biggest "fan"?

The Rare and Exotic Breakfast

I never eat breakfast, but this day I pulled an all nighter with my friend/unofficial roommate, Arjun. I was so hungry after all the studying that was being done the previous night. The only thing I had in the kitchen was leftover funnel cake batter and eggs. My friend Edric had just given me some chocolate chips. So I thinned out the batter and tossed in some chocolate, and BOOM, Awesome Pancakes! And we are growing men, so we need our protein! Cheese omelets on the side, you know! What are some breakfast favs of yours?

Being Cheap... Again

I learned this recipe a few years ago. I had just gotten my first cool cell phone and my parents wanted me to pay the bill myself. So I tried to get a job, but what company would hire an inexperienced 15 year old? I also loved funnel cakes and carnival time. But the cakes that were sold at this events were always way over priced! I looked around online and found out that it cost about 8 cents to make 1 funnel cake. I lost my mind! Funnel Cakes are made of everyday kitchen supplies. I whipped up a batch of these bad-boys and people couldn't stop buying them! I was charging half what the locals did so I was in higher demand. The kids on my street were throwing their moneyz at me. What's your favorite carnival food?

Crazy Kitchen Mess

One night early in the Winter Term at Drexel, I was craving a little pizza. But I didn't have the funds to buy a large pie, and in this neighborhood all the toppings had pork in it! So I decided to work with what I already had in the fridge. I figured that pizza dough and biscuit dough is basically the same... right?... ok. But, yeah. I hadn't rolled dough in years, so I made a gigantic mess in my suite's kitchen! I knew my roommates were going to be quietly pissed at me lol. So I made two large pizzas with turkey sausage and black olives! The loved it and didn't yell at me about the flour coating the kitchen haha. I love strange pizza toppings! What's one f your favs?

Flu Food

Yes everyone, it's that time of the year again. The time when you get the sniffles and the head colds. The Winter. I made this little guy one night my roommate Brendan and I were feeling cozy on my awesome couches. Had had a shit-ton of orzo left over from the night before so I made soup. I had a whole small chick in the freezer for some reason (rarely cook whole birds... I'm intimidated by them ]: ) I rosted and then boiled the hell out of that chicken! The broth was nice and rich. I just threw in all the vegies I had leftover into the pot. And to add more flavor to the over all dish, I boiled the orzo in the broth. This soup was so warm and peppery, my grandmother would be proud, but also angry because my soup was just as good as hers! Chicken Soup is one of my fav sick-time foods. Just goes so well with tea and giant blankets. What is a food you like to eat when feeling ill?

Rittenhouse Melon

I found this cool character lying on the ground inside of Rittenhouse Square. I have no idea whom may have carved it, but I would like to tell them that its awesome! Have you ever stumbled upon a cool item? What was it and where?

PB Cupcake Brownies Son!

These bad-boys were a product of boredom. As is most of the desserts I make. So my friend/lovely wife, Kate comes over one night with brownie mix. I was so bored and fat that I was down to eat anything sweet. We eventually forgot about the brownies, and she went home for the night. Soon after Kate left, another of my friends came over and she was hungry. I had no food in the fridge! So I turned my hopes to Kate's brownie mix. I got my Sara Lee on that night! I mixed the brownies with some nuts and poured the batter into a cupcake pan. (I REALLY NEED TO GET A BAKING PAN...) I started baking the brownie mini cakes, and instantly got bored again. So I was like "Lets spice these jawns up a notch!" So I grabbed the confectioner sugar out of the cabinet, and started making a butter-cream icing. I didn't realize at the time, that I was adding too much butter to the mix. The icing was great but it was like sweet butter spread. I had to save it! I grabbed some peanut butter and honey and went to work. Somehow the icing came out to be so creamy and smooth. The combination of the brownie and the PB icing made this wonderful accident! What accidents are you proud of?

Cheesecake Goodness

If there is one dessert I could not live without, it'd have to be Cheesecake! I love making cheesecakes. And fun fact: Cheesecake is not actually a cake, it is more of a custard pie. (Partially why I have it in a pie tin) But yeah... My friends and I got together one night and had some drinks. We were all super hungry and really drunk, so I decided that I should make a treat for the group. I bragged about being able to make a cheesecake blind-folded, so in essence, that's what I did. I am not sure how I got it to look so good, but hey, I'm not complaining! Now for me, the graham cracker crust is a must have, but recently I have gotten a slew of people dissin the crust man! What do prefer and why?

Welcome To America!

Like I said earlier, I am a student at Drexel University. I live on campus even though I am from the area. But I digress. This year I got a new roommate. He is a transfer student from Brazil. His name is Lucas and he is mad smart! I asked him what are some things that Brazil has but America doesn't and vice-versa. He said a couple of things, but the one that almost gave me a heart attack was apple pie. He told me that his friends that came to America before him, said that he cannot leave without having apple pie. So I, being the kind person I'd like to believe I am, offered to make him a pie and even give him my recipe. He was thrilled! We gathered ingredients all week. Once we got everything together, it was time to school him in the kitchen. Note: When you're cooking with Nathan, you will be COOKING, not WATCHING. I gave him task like cutting apples and rolling dough. Everything was made from scratch. I could tell he was a bit in over his head, but I didn't care. He wanted to learn! I forgot I didn't have a pie pan before we finished all the components, so I put these bad-boys into a cupcake pan. They were so good! Lucas loved his homemade  Apple Pocket-Pies! Is there a food you want to try? What is it? How do you think it would taste?

Berry Brunch

So I occasionally eat breakfast or brunch. Not because I hate breakfast, but because I am too lazy in the morning to cook food! The day before I decided to be a good person, I went to the grocery store and bought a bunch of yummy fruits. I was craving bananas, and strawberries. I got up and cut a banana, some strawberries, tossed in a few blackberries, and topped with shredded almond. And you can't have brunch without tea! I was sipping on a cup of black and green tea with honey and lemon. So kush! What is your lazy meal?

Chicken Parm w Garlic Bread

10/2012

This dish was inspired by a crazy dinner I had with two of my closest friends. Shanise, Renee, and I would always go to T. G. I. Friday's whenever we had a free weekend (any money). I am an extremely picky eater, but I was tired of always getting a burger or chicken fingers. So I decided to be "adventurous" and order something new. I ended up getting the driest chicken I have ever eaten on op of over-cooked linguine. I was not pleased, to say the least. So I took a challenge and said "I could make better food than this shit!" So that's what I did. Later that week I went shopping for some good ingredients and threw down. The chicken was so tender, I didn't need a knife to cut it. And the homemade sauces were absolutely divine! (love that word lol) This dish has become one of my "go-to" moves when trying to impress a date or company. What food have you had out at a place that you feel like you could do better? 

Chinese Donuts w/ Salted Chocolate

7/2012

So the story behind these little devils starts with a move to a new neighborhood. After my grandmother passed, everyone was in a sullen mood. So I knew that we needed some cheering up. I remembered that my cousins and I, would always scrap up a dollar to go to the local Asian restaurant to get a handful of the softest donuts. The ones we got in the past were deep-fried and rolled in sugar. I decided to add my own taste to them. (My taste is usually chocolate btw...) After i tasted a couple with only the swirl I realized that they were just sweet morsels not yummy deserts. So to balance out the extreme sweet, I added a sprinkle of sea salt flakes. It was like a trip down memory lane. The taste of sweet chocolate clouds. Definitely one of my favorite memories, and a comforting feeling to ease the soul. Are there any comfort food that you like to eat when you're down?

Hello All!

Hey guys and girls, my name is Nathan H. I am a student of Drexel University in Philadelphia. I major in business law and minor in music. But I have a third passion... Cooking! I love cooking! Growing up in a big family house, food was a language and a way to show love. I put a great amount of pride and family in my cooking. All dishes are inspired by times in my life and experiences shared with friends and family. I make all foods (besides cookies... they never come out right for some reason.). But anyway, I will be blogging photos and stories for my foods and also uploading the yummy treats I find along the way. I welcome all feedback and I'm willing to give any recipes that you like! I also am game for taking suggestions for your fav foods that you would like to see my take on. The only rules I have is, no pork, and PLUR! So watch out for what I am cooking next. And remember: Always add salt!  ^_^