Tag Archives: Stir Fry

Shrimp-tastic Entrees

While the price of milk and bread has skyrocketed in the past six months, the cost of shrimp has gone down in most places. Experts say it’s simply a matter of supply and demand. I’m allergic to shrimp, though I wish that wasn’t the case, given that my local grocer has reduced the price of the popular seafood so dramatically, it’s hard not to be tempted to buy. I may not be able to gorge on shrimp like others, but growing up in Hawaii I’ve had multiple opportunities to cook them up at family gatherings. The following are some of … Continue reading →

Go Asian Tonight

With the economy tanking my family (like many across the country) has been forced to cut back on the number of meals we eat out. In fact, these days, save for the occasional Happy Meal (which is purchased only in dire situations), we really don’t frequent restaurants at all. However, this doesn’t mean that we’ve completely eliminated restaurant-type foods; it just means that I’ve had to get more creative in the kitchen. Being from Hawaii (and of Japanese descent) it stands to reason that I crave Asian food more than any other type of cuisine. Consequently, I have a collected … Continue reading →

Beef Up Dinner with These Simple Recipes

If you are looking for a way to beef up your dinner menu without breaking the bank, then consider the following easy to make recipes. Both can be prepared in less than an hour (minus the cook time), but taste like you’ve spent all day slaving away in a kitchen to create. MEXICAN BEEF WRAPS WITH TOMATO CORN RELISH Ingredients: 1 boneless beef chuck shoulder pot roast or bottom round rump roast (3 to 3 1/2 pounds) 1 medium onion, cut into quarters 3 cloves garlic, peeled 3/4 cup water 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 jars (16 ounces … Continue reading →

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 →

Making an Edible Bird’s Nest

Much has been made of the most recognizable Olympic venue in Beijing, China. The eye-catching National Stadium, or “Bird’s Nest” was home to the memorable opening ceremony and it is currently housing the track and field events along with men’s soccer. In addition, this Sunday the Bird’s Nest will host the 2008 Olympic closing ceremonies. According to the building’s designer, the hollowed complex allows in maximum sunshine in an effort to make spectators feel like they are in a forest. The designer also noted that the bowl shape was designed specifically to help the audience focus on the bottom center … Continue reading →

That’s a Wrap… for Turkey and Veggies

July is more than half way over and for most moms the dog days of summer were supposed to bring with them a break from the chaos that comes from chauffeuring kids from school to soccer, piano lessons, karate, and dance. But if your life is anything like mine then you have likely found that summer’s hot and humid days just mean you have shifted your schedule to accommodate swimming, t-ball, golf and playdates. But relief is on the way. If your days of dining on the run are far from over then you might find the following recipes quite … Continue reading →

Easy Mother’s Day Meals-—Steak Stir Fry and Berry Parfaits

As I continue my guest blogging countdown to Mother’s Day I would be remiss not to include my sister-in-law’s favorite recipes. After all, she did serve as the inspiration for this series. Her husband (my brother) is not exactly the world’s greatest cook, but as a firefighter he is responsible for preparing at least one dinner a week for the guys at the station. (She jokes that he cooks more for his fellow firefighters than he does for her.) Consequently, his culinary skills are not that shabby. The following recipes are evidence of this fact. The first one is a … Continue reading →

Stir-fry Basics

We all know that stir-fry is a healthy way to eat, right? Plus it just tastes so good. To go along with my blog on stir-fry tips, here is a step-by-step of how to stir-fry. 1. Start with a wok or an electric skillet. I prefer the wok, but I haven’t been able to find an electric one since mine broke and so I’m making due with a skillet for the time being. 2. Select your meats and your vegetables. Slice, dice, and chop them all as finely as you can, putting them in separate piles or bowls before moving … Continue reading →

Tips for Great Stir-fry

I married a man who likes to go vegetarian in the summer. I didn’t really know what I was getting into –it makes for unusual meals at the Pinkston house. With experimentation, though, we’ve come up with some solutions, and we’ve found that we really enjoy stir-fry. Here is a list of tips that may help make your stir-fry creations better than ever: 1. Use fresh ginger and garlic. Ginger powder and garlic powder/salt just don’t give the same flavor. Be sure to sauté them first before you add anything else. 2. The fresher the meat, the better. I prefer … Continue reading →

Easy Stir-Fry Dinner

Tonight I whipped up a yummy and easy/quick dinner. I didn’t have a recipe but I knew just what I wanted: veggies, meat, and garlic bread. From the grocery store I bought a small package of stir-fry beef which I kept in the fridge for a few days until I used it tonight. For the vegetables, I only used two of them. I sliced up a fresh yellow onion and opened up a package of frozen sugar snap peas. Although the package told me to boil water to cook the peas, I didn’t follow the directions. Instead I heated up … Continue reading →