I Need Something New for Dinner

As the chief cook in our house, I usually make the executive decision as to what’s for dinner.  It used to be easier.  When our children were small, they ate what was put in front of them, with just a few exceptions.  

Raiding-Your-Vegetable-Bin Stir-Fry

Yesterday was a super-busy day, and by 5 pm I still hadn’t figured out what we would be having for dinner.  I thought about the package of chicken tenders in the freezer.  Boring!  Then I looked in the vegetable bin and saw bok choy, onions, mushrooms, an orange bell pepper and garlic.  What more did I need? 

How Much Meat Is Too Much?

I remember the rare occasions when my family would eat out.  If we were traveling, my father would always pull up to a Howard Johnson’s and order Veal Parmesan.  It was almost like he was a taste-tester, going from restaurant to restaurant, making sure the food was identical.

When we were at home, though, he switched his eating-out preference to Roast Prime Rib of Beef. That’s a cut of meat we all loved, and on those rare occasions when we ate out that’s what we all ordered. 

Looking back, I can’t believe how much meat arrived on my plate and how little remained when the wait staff took my plate away.  Today 1 slice of prime rib would probably serve 4 people at my house.

Question for Mom

I recently bought a 5-pound bag of short-grain white rice and cooked some for dinner.  It turned out incredibly sticky.  What am I doing wrong? –Nevin G

Short-grain rice is covered in starch, which causes it to be sticky after it’s cooked.  Some stickiness is good if you’re using chopsticks.  But too much stickiness is unappetizing.  Here’s a solution.

Fill a large pot with water and begin heating over high heat.

While it is coming to a boil, take 1 cup of the raw rice, put it in a sieve and run cold water over it to wash away some of the starch.  Continue until the water runs clear.

When the large pot of water begins to boil, toss in the rice and cook for about 15 minutes uncovered.  Test to see if it has softened enough.  If yes, drain the rice, put it in a bowl and serve.  If it is too chewy, cook another minute or two and test again.  Drain and serve.

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I Can Make That Too: Honey Shrimp in Mom’s Kitchen vs. the Restaurant Version

Mom's Honey Shrimp

Until I ate some Honey Shrimp at Pho Show in Redondo Beach, CA, it never occurred to me to combine these two ingredients.  They work surprisingly well together.  And here I thought the best match-up with shrimp was cocktail sauce!

That’s because of my Western Pennsylvania childhood.  The only times I ever had shrimp was at restaurants, and they were always served as Shrimp Cocktail.  How ignorant I was.

Bok Choy: What Is It and How Do I Cook It?

Baby Bok Choy

The first time I saw bok choy in the produce department, I thought it was a new kind of celery.  One end had thick white stems attached to a base and the other end had big leaves.  Since I was tired of my usual beans, broccoli, spinach and asparagus, I bought a large bok choy so I could try it out.  Here’s what I learned:

Ingredients Hiding in Plain Sight

Right now my refrigerator is stuffed with food that doesn’t quite add up to dinner: a slice of mushroom pizza, at least one cup of cottage cheese, a huge pan of rice left over from a business meeting, some mushrooms, 2 bell peppers + the usual block of cheddar cheese and several dozen eggs.

I really should pop out to the store or find something in my freezer, but I want to clear out the fridge shelves first.  What can I make from these ingredients?  Click on the links below for the three recipes.

The Szechuan Peppercorn: What Is it and How Do I Cook with It?

 

The Szechuan (also spelled Sichuan) peppercorn is a spice popular in many Asian countries, particularly China.  Rather than simply being hot, this peppercorn has a spicy, more exotic flavor than black peppercorns. It is not related to the pepper family.  Reddish brown, it is actually a dried berry husk from the Chinese prickly ash bush.  Because it can cause your mouth to tingle, use it sparingly.

Turning Leftovers into New Dishes

Chinese Fried Rice

I feel guilty if I throw away leftovers—unless they have a suspicious green tinge.  Luckily I don’t mind eating the same thing a few nights in a row.  I feel like I’m on kitchen vacation.

Unfortunately, Bart doesn’t share this view.  If he liked what I made originally, he will drum up some enthusiasm when he sees it on his plate on Day #2.  But there’s no way he will eagerly lap it up on Day #3.

Sesame Oil: What Is It and How Do I Cook with It?

Sesame oil is sold in small bottles and is used mainly for flavoring.  Be careful if you use it for frying because it can burn easily. 

The oil is pressed from roasted sesame seeds and is usually a golden color, although I have seen a brown version.  It’s popular in Asian cooking.  Add a few drops of sesame oil just before you serve a stir-fry or tofu dish, and you will be surprised how much it improves the taste with its unique nutty flavor.

Is Asparagus Your Enemy?

I never imagined vegetables could be considered evil until I heard a 12-year-old say, “Asparagus is my enemy.”  A food fight was brewing at my dinner table until a portion of salad took the place of the offending vegetable.