Simple Aioli

Simple and easy aioli - just combine lemon, mustard, and garlic with mayonnaise for one easy peasy aioli.

Whipped Garlic Butter

Ever want garlic bread, but don't want to go out and buy some? Just make your own whipped garlic butter and slather it on as thickly (or thinly) as you desire! Also great for adding more flavor when cooking.

Curry Chicken

Coconut milk, simmered into a complex curry with tomatoes, then served with seared chicken over brown rice for one scrumptious curry chicken.

Tom Yum

Tom Yum Noodle Soup - a Thai style hot and sour soup with shrimp, tomatoes, and shiitake mushrooms.

Ginger Tofu

I had some tofu leftover, and I needed another side, but looking around I didn't have too much else. What to do? Maybe something like a stir-fry? But I wanted something crispier, so I opted for pan frying. If you're in a rush, you can serve these tofu sticks with a sauce (like me). But if you marinate the tofu beforehand, you'll get more flavor penetration. Either way works - just depends on your preferences. This gingery tofu is so simple you can go from raw materials to the table in 15 minutes! Just cut, cook, pour on some sauce, and you'll have some flavorful crispy, gingery tofu sticks!

What's your favorite way to enjoy tofu?

Ginger Tofu

by CJ Huang

Flavorful, gingery tofu sticks with a tender inside and a crispy exterior.

Prep time: 5 minutes + optional marinating time
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes + optional marinating time
Yield: 4 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
	1 pound			tofu, cut into sticks	Mine were about 3/4 x 3/4 x 3 inches.
		1/2 tablespoon		ginger, powdered, minced, or grated
		1 teaspoon		sesame oil
			2 cloves	garlic, minced
		1 tablespoon		soy sauce
		1 teaspoon		corn starch	optional

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Combine all materials, making sure to cover tofu in sauce. Marinate if desired.
	3. Pan fry tofu sticks until outside crispy.

Linking to: Inspire Me Monday, Wine'd Down Wednesday, Your Whims Wednesday, Homestead Blog Hop, Party in Your PJs, Full Plate Thursday, Farm Fresh Tuesday, Reader Tip Tuesday, Making a Home, Artsy Fartsy Party, Thursday Favorite Things, BFF Open House, Friendship Friday, Meal Plan Monday, Saturday Sparks, Handmade and Otherwise, Fiesta Friday, Inspire Me Monday, What's for Dinner?, Over the Moon, Inspire Me Monday, Hearth and Soul, Tuesdays at Our Home, Artsy Fartsy Party, Thursday Favorite Things

Burger and Veggies Foil Pack

Layer some chopped veggies on top of a beef patty and wrap it in foil to make some burger and veggie foil packs.

Creamy Potato Leek Soup

A simple and creamy (dairy-free) potato leek soup. A hearty, flavorful soup.

Tater Skins

Melty cheesy goodness topped with green onions and crumbled bacon in a potato skin.

Feta Avocado Dip

Try this feta avocado dip - creamy and spicy with just the slightest tang.

Sweet Potato Sausage and Kale Casserole

Savory sausage cooked up with sweet potatoes and tomatoes, then combined with kale.

Garlic Parmesan Swirl Biscuits

Another of my Five Friday Finds, this time from Good Cheap Eats. These biscuits are slightly similar to the Garlicky Cheddar Biscuits - just switch the cheddar for some parmesan and add a swirl! I love these types of recipes, where it looks like it took time and effort, but really, it didn't. Don't you?

We ate these swirl biscuits for breakfast, but you could just as easily serve them as a side to Little Lasagnas. In fact, if you served these biscuits with the Little Lasagnas, you'd be well on your way to starting a muffin tin meal! Wouldn't that be fun?

Whenever I eat something with a swirl like these biscuits (or Hua Juan, for example), I always like to peel it apart and especially taste the fillings/texture of the inside. Tell me I'm not the only one?

Garlic Parmesan Swirl Biscuits

by CJ Huang

Mingling the flavors of garlic and Parmesan in a mouthwatering swirl biscuit.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Yield: 12 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
		2 cups		flour	I used half whole wheat and half white.
		1 teaspoon		salt
		1 tablespoon		baking powder
		1/4 cup		butter
		3/4 cup		milk
		2 teaspoons		garlic powder
		3 tablespoons		Parmesan cheese, grated
				Garlic Parsley Butter, melted	optional

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder, and then cut in butter until homogeneous.
	3. Mix in milk until dough forms, and then roll out in a rectangle.
	4. Sprinkle garlic powder and Parmesan cheese on top, making sure not to forget the edges.
	5. Roll up dough and pinch to seal.
	6. Cut dough into 12 pieces, about an inch wide.
	7. Place each piece in a greased muffin tin and bake until golden brown and delicious, about 15 minutes.
	8. (optional) Brush Garlic Parsley Butter on top of each biscuit.

Hint: Try cutting each biscuit apart with dental floss. It's a lot cleaner and neater than a knife (at least for me)! Plus, you get perfectly round biscuits. Just slide the floss under your roll, where you would cut, bring the two ends up, cross, and pull. That's it!

Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks

Since I had made some flatbread pizza, I started thinking about breadsticks. Breadsticks always seem to go quickly and they're so tasty! I had made some cheesy peppered breadsticks before, but this time, I wanted something like a less greasy version of the traditional garlicky breadsticks you can get when you order pizza. I have to say, these breadsticks definitely qualified, and, they were tastier too! These breadsticks finished in almost no time at all, especially since I used some of the instant flour mix. I opted to twist the breadsticks so that they would look nicer, but it's certainly optional. If you wanted to bring the twisted ones to a party or gathering, you certainly don't have to tell anyone there how quick and easy these breadsticks were to make!

Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks

by CJ Huang

Quick and easy breadsticks - a tastier and less greasy version of the traditional breadsticks.

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
		2 cups		instant flour mix	Or Bisquick
		1/2 cup		water
		1 teaspoon		pepper
		1 tablespoon		garlic
				red pepper flakes	optional
				cheese, grated	I used Romano.

Methods:

1. Combine instant flour mix and water.
2. Add in black pepper, red pepper flakes, cheese, and garlic.
3. Mix well and roll dough out to about a half inch thickness.
4. Cut into strips about 1 inch across to make breadsticks. At this point, I opted to twist them a bit. You could do the same thing to make them look "fancier" without much extra work!

Taquitos

These flavorful and cheesy taquitos make an amazing on the go snack or meal. Almost like a taco burrito!

Bruschetta

Chopped tomatoes and onion, mixed with basil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and Parmesan cheese, then piled onto a toasted slice of Italian bread for serving.

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Make your own slow cooker BBQ chicken on a bed of sweet potatoes for some delectable and flavorful sweet potatoes. A main dish and a side in one!

Sofritas

I'd heard about sofritas before, and even tried them at Chipotle, but I always thought it'd be some complex and time consuming recipe beyond what I'd be willing or able to make at home. Then I thought about it some more, and going through some of the flavors, it seemed like you could simply scramble tofu in an adobo tomato sauce. Not too difficult at all! Part of the trick is to use really firm tofu. I've gotten the best results with an extra firm "restaurant" style tofu. I'm not sure what makes a tofu "restaurant" style, but I find it easier to work with than the regular extra firm. I'm even gotten away with just draining really well and not pressing the tofu, my least favorite part of working with tofu. So with the time I saved not needing to press the tofu, I used pan frying it before cooking it in an adobo tomato sauce. Pan frying first is an optional step, although pan frying it first will result in a different texture compared to just cooking the tofu in sauce. Any way you make it, you're sure to enjoy these richly flavorful, spicy, and savory sofritas!

What's your favorite type of tofu to use? Why do you like it?

Sofritas

by CJ Huang

Enjoy sofritas at home! Simply braise tofu in a smoky adobo sauce for some richly flavorful, spicy, and savory sofritas. It's easier than you might think!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
572 grams	20.25 ounces		3 blocks	tofu, drained	I used an extra firm Restaurant style tofu.
98 grams	3.5 ounces		1/2	onion, diced
		1 tablespoon		cilantro
113 grams	4 ounces	1/2 cup	1 small can	green chiles	You could also use roasted poblano peppers.
		1/2 teaspoon		cumin
		1/2 tablespoon		oregano
		2 tablespoons		tomato paste
		2 tablespoons		soy sauce
		1/2 teaspoon		pepper
		4 tablespoons		adobo sauce	I used about half actual sauce and half pureed peppers from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
		1 tablespoon		apple cider vinegar
		1 tablespoon	3 cloves	garlic, minced
		1/2 cup		vegetable broth

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Form sauce by combining all materials except tofu.
	3. Wrap tofu in some cloth, and put between two cutting boards, adding a small weight to the top of the stack to press tofu. (Optional - I skipped this step since I used the extra firm Restaurant style tofu.)
	4. Cut tofu into quarters, and pan fry until sides crisp. (Optional - I only pan fried the two sides with a larger surface area and not all six sides.)
	5. Add sauce from Step 2 and scramble tofu.
	6. Continue to scramble tofu until desired size reached, fragrant, and sauce reduced to desired consistency.

Shared with: Tasty Tuesday, Wednesday Showcase, Wonderful Wednesday, What's Cookin' Wednesday, Creative Ways, Thursday Favorite Things, Freedom Friday, Throwback Thursday, Foodie FriDIY, Bloggers' Pit Stop, Pinworthy Projects, Saucy Saturday, Happiness is Homemade, What's for Dinner?, Sustainable Sunday, Nifty Thrifty Sunday, Over the Moon, Melt in Your Mouth, What'd You Do This Weekend?, Turn It Up Tuesday

MaPo Tofu

We'd gotten a box of tofu (the 6 pound box, that is), so I needed to find a way to use it all before it turned into Stinky Tofu. I'd already made several versions of my usual tofu sticks, and James kept requesting MaPo Tofu. So MaPo Tofu it is! MaPo Tofu is originally from the Szechuan (although I think the current spelling is Sichuan) province of China. It's got tofu (obviously) cooked in a fiery and intensely spicy sauce flavored with fermented black beans, chili, and Sichuan peppercorns.

Those Sichuan peppercorns! They're actually not tooooooo spicy. However, after eating some, you'll start to feel a spicy numbing sensation (mala - 麻辣 in Chinese) in your mouth. This hot spiciness and numbing spiciness combo characterizes Sichuan cuisine.

MaPo Tofu will sometimes contain ground pork as additional flavor, and you could add a bit if you'd like. I didn't because I didn't think of it until too late. And then, it was, well - too late. You may notice a few ingredients you don't normally keep on hand - Sichuan peppercorns and fermented black beans. Both are available at Asian groceries or some better stocked groceries, and I am noticing the Sichuan peppercorns more frequently. Sometimes they're labelled as pink peppercorns.

I know I always hate buying a bunch of stuff I'll only use once, but once you've made this MaPo Tofu, you'll definitely want more. You could also make Pink Peppercorn Hot Chocolate with the Sichuan peppercorns, and the fermented black beans work wonderfully as a flavoring for lots of different stir fries. One of my favorites is a bitter melon stir fry.

Do you prefer things more on the spicy side or the mild side?

MaPo Tofu

by CJ Huang

A popular Sichuan dish - you'll want to prepare your tastebuds for this bracingly spicy MaPo Tofu flavored with fermented black beans, garlic, ginger, and Sichuan (pink) peppercorns.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
	1 pound			tofu, cubed
		2/3 cup		chicken stock
		1/4 cup		oil	I used olive oil. You could also use hot pepper oil for some additional heat!
		1.5 tablespoons		chili pepper flakes
		3 tablespoons		ginger, grated
		3 tablespoons		garlic, minced
		2 tablespoons		fermented black beans, rinsed
		1.5 teaspoons		corn starch
		4 tablespoons		green onions, sliced

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Heat Sichuan peppercorns and chili pepper flakes in oil until fragrant.
	3. Stir in ginger.
	4. Mix in garlic, cooking until fragrant.
	5. Add in fermented black beans.
	6. Toss in tofu, making sure it's cooked in the sauce.
	7. Mix corn starch into chicken stock, then pour mixture into pot, simmering until thickened.
	8. Throw in green onions, cooking until just wilted. Serve over rice and garnish with additional green onions if desired.

Falafel

We'd recently gone to a Mediterranean restaurant, and Bobert went crazy over their falafel. I thought I'd make him some baked falafel since he loved it so much and chickpeas have such a dense nutrient profile - with lots of protein, fiber, folate, and minerals. Bobert relished this baked falafel, and he kept asking for more, especially when he saw us eating it too. Little guy does not like getting left out! Bobert scarfed these falafel plain, and we enjoyed dipping these falafel in some tahini dip. Either way's yummy! :)

What's your favorite way to enjoy falafel?

Falafel

by CJ Huang

Chickpeas, cooked and then processed with garlic, onions, and many delectable herbs, formed into patties, and then baked into flavorful falafel.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Yield: 30 patties, approximately 1/6 cup each

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
781 grams	27.675 ounces			chickpeas, cooked and drained	approximately 2 cups (12.75 ounces, 361 grams) dried chickpeas
30 grams	1 ounce	1 cup		parsley
414 grams	14.675 ounces		4	onions, diced
		4 teaspoons	4 cloves	garlic, minced
		1 teaspoon		cumin
		1 teaspoon		cilantro
		1 teaspoon		pepper
		1 teaspoon		salt
		1 teaspoon		chili pepper flakes
		1 teaspoon		baking powder

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Pulse together all materials until a homogeneous, coarse paste forms.
	3. Form into patties, then bake at 350F for 15 minutes. Serve with Tahini Dip.

Coconut Crusted Eggplant

With the sales on eggplant lately, I'd purchased another one. Eggplant's a vegetable I struggle with, honestly. I've made some tasty dishes with it, but for every tasty dish I've shared, there's lots of flops behind the scenes. However, we've enjoyed the crispness of this coconut crusted eggplant. The coconut flour really gave the eggplant a tropical flair, and the seasonings gave the eggplant just the right amount of flavor. Then baking crisped it all up even more. Next time, I want to try using coconut shreds instead since I'm thinking it'll result in an even crispier coating. I also used the usual eggplant (not sure what kind they are), and I'm thinking maybe using something with a small diameter, like a Chinese eggplant might make this snack or side more fun. :)

What are your thoughts on eggplant - love it, tolerate it, hate it?

Coconut Crusted Eggplant

by CJ Huang

Eggplant, dipped in an Asian-inspired sauce, then dredged in coconut flour and baked into crispy coconut crusted eggplant medallions.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
			1	eggplant
55 grams	2 ounces	1/4 cup		olive oil
		1 tablespoon		sesame oil
		1 tablespoon		apple cider vinegar
		1/2 teaspoon		garlic powder
		1/2 teaspoon		onion powder
		1 tablespoon		soy sauce
		1/2 teaspoon		black pepper
90 grams	3.25 ounces	10 tablespoons		coconut flour

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Combine soy sauce, oils, vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
	3. Thinly slice eggplant. I sliced mine about 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick.
	4. Dip each eggplant slice in mixture from Step 2.
	5. Cover each eggplant slice in coconut flour, and knock off any excess.
	6. Bake at 400F for 15 minutes on each side.

Shared with: Wednesday Showcase, Wonderful Wednesday, What's Cookin' Wednesday, Creative Ways, Thursday Favorite Things, Freedom Friday, Throwback Thursday, Foodie FriDIY, Pinworthy Projects, Bloggers Pit Stop, Happiness is Homemade, What's for Dinner?, Sustainable Sunday, Nifty Thrifty Sunday, Over the Moon, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, What'd You Do This Weekend?