Easy and Affordable Asian Recipes

Chinese take-out is expensive. I love Chinese food, but last night when I contemplated giving my stove a break and gazed at the take-out menu from our favorite Chinese restaurant I just about lost my appetite. Two entrees (with meat) would have cost more than $20, and that’s not counting a side of noodles or rice. (Nor does it take into account the 15% mandatory gratuity on all take-out orders.) Needless to say, it was pasta ala mom at our house last night. This morning I am still craving Chinese food, but am determined to spend less than $25 to … Continue reading

Recipes for a Simple Saturday Night Dinner

This three-course meal is elegant enough to serve to weekend guests, yet simple enough so that you won’t be slaving away in the kitchen all night. If you aren’t entertaining this weekend, then consider treating your family to this delicious fall meal. Kick off your night with some Raspberry Brie Tarts. They are extremely easy to prepare thanks to pre-made pastry shells. The main entree features fettuccine and shrimp with a lemony twist. Finally, top off your Saturday night with chocolate, coconut, and pecans in a sumptuous 7-Layer dessert. RASPBERRY BRIE TARTS Ingredients: 2 (2.1) ounce packages of frozen mini … Continue reading

Are You Ready for Some Football… FOOD?

The National Football League officially kicked off its 89th season on Thursday night, but today is the day millions of pigskin fans having been waiting all summer for—the first full Sunday of non-stop bone-crunching, heart-stopping, hard-hitting on-the-field action. Given that I live in Wisconsin (not far from legendary Lambeau Field—home of the Green Bay Packers), which was ground zero for the whole Brett Favre saga (the famed quarterback came out of retirement to play for the Packers but ended up getting traded to the New York Jets) needless to say, today is a big day around here. (By the way, … Continue reading

Hot and Spicy Singapore Rice Noodles with Shrimp

In keeping in the Olympic spirit I have been sharing recipes for some popular Chinese dishes. The local Chinese restaurant in my (very small) town came up with the clever idea of passing out recipes to patrons who dine at their eatery during the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Last week my friends took me out for Chinese food to celebrate my birthday and we left the restaurant with a folder full of recipes. Some of them were for familiar dishes and others were for ones that we had never sampled until that night, such as the one below. According to … Continue reading

Mediterranean-Style Rib Eye Steaks and Garlic Butter Shrimp

With summer rapidly drawing to a close many families are putting the finishing touches on their vacations. Sadly, winter marshmallow roasts around the living room fireplace will soon replace the outdoor BBQs that have become an evening staple for some clans. Bidding good-bye to summer is never easy (especially if you live in the Upper Midwest), which is why I like to ease the pain by grilling out as much as possible during these last weeks of August. The following recipes make for delicious Surf ‘n’ Turf meal. The first dish is a Mediterranean-style Ribeye Steak infused with classic flavors … Continue reading

Glorious Grilled Shrimp with Sweet Summer Corn Relish

Declare your independence from your stove this Fourth of July. Fire up the grill and salute Old Glory with this glorious grilled shrimp dish. It does double duty as a hearty appetizer or as a main course paired with couscous or jasmine rice. The recipe also includes a refreshing relish featuring fresh sweet summer corn and bacon. The bacon adds a smoky flavor to the shrimp and the corn gives the dish a welcome crunch. What’s also nice about this recipe is that it can be made in advance so if you are making it to serve at your Fourth … Continue reading

Grilling Up a Fourth of July Feast—Hawaiian Style

I grew up in Hawaii where you don’t need a special occasion to fire up the grill. So you can imagine the smells that emanated from neighborhoods, parks and beaches on holidays like the Fourth of July. It was a virtual grillfest. The aroma of sizzling steaks, ridiculously delicious ribs, and scrumptious shrimp would mix with the island’s salt air and make your mouth water. Sadly, I won’t be home to celebrate Independence Day with my family this year, but that’s not stopping me from making some of my favorite local recipes this holiday weekend. If you are looking to … Continue reading

Ready, Set, Grill—-SHRIMP

The Memorial Day holiday weekend is upon us… time to ditch the oven and fire up the grill. For the past few days I have been guest blogging in FOOD sharing some of my favorite summertime recipes, most of which can easily be prepared in the great outdoors. Over the next couple of days millions of families across the country will dust off their grills, drag them out of their garages where they have been hibernating for the winter, and tear open a package of hot dogs or hamburger meat. Both are tasty and traditional options to throw on the … Continue reading

All About Asparagus

I just got an email from a local farm that we frequent informing me, “It’s that time of year again… Asparagus season.” I love fresh asparagus and this particular farm grows some of the best asparagus I have ever happily devoured. Each year a few weeks prior to the start of strawberry picking season the owner notifies his best customers that his asparagus crop is ready for harvest and we pre-order our supply. For those of you who don’t purchase produce directly from a farm you will soon notice that the price of fresh asparagus will be decreasing at the … Continue reading

Rounding Out Your Mother’s Day Feast—Tropical Shrimp Salad

This week I have been guest blogging in FOOD in an effort to share some of my family’s favorite Mother’s Day recipes with you. I covered the main dish and everyone’s favorite part of a meal—-dessert, so this blog is dedicated to rounding out your Mother’s Day feast. The other dish my father (the self-appointed Mother’s Day chef) made sure was prominently featured on my mom’s big day was her favorite Tropical Shrimp Salad. It’s a simple side dish that packs quite a Hawaiian punch… and not just because we lived in the 50th State. You don’t have to be … Continue reading