Could there be a better Anniversary ever?

Time goes by much faster than you can ever imagine.  Last year's Anniversary is still freshly printed in my mind, another one just came by today.

Rob took me to this neighborhood restaurant Fish Market.  I remember we used to go there all the time when we were still dating.  Now that we are so close to it, yet haven't been there for years.  Maybe he wanted to bring some old memory back to our lives. We walked over, strolling Erlan with us.  Walking on the street, I felt so lucky and happy while the evening dusk sun and breeze lightly touching my face.  I inhaled deeply, couldn't help thinking what a lucky mom and wife I am.

So, here we are.  Sitting inside of the restaurant, looking at the food menu, I found out they print their menu everyday, how interesting and unique.  Everything on the menu seemed delicious and we ordered some New England Clam Chowder, Warm Spinach Salad, Misoyaki Glazed Canadian Salmon and Sauteed French Green Beans with Mushrooms, of course with lots of Souredough bread for baby Erlan.  We determined that he is definately his father's son who loves bread and noodle dishes so much.  When we were enjoying our food, there came something magic, a familiar voice and song caught my attention.  OMG! It was YOU'RE IN MY HEART.  Guess what, that was the moment that my dad walked me through the isle, and handed my hand to Rob.  Oh, I felt some joyful tears in my eyes, wishing my parents were here to witness my happiness.

Well, this was my perfect Anniversary, nothing less and nothing more!



I didn't know what day it was
when you walked into the room
I said hello unnoticed
You said goodbye too soon

Breezing through the clientele
spinning yarns that were so lyrical
I really must confess right here
the attraction was purely physical

I took all those habits of yours
that in the beginning were hard to accept
Your fashion sense, Beardsly prints
I put down to experience

The big bosomed lady with the Dutch accent
who tried to change my point of view
Her ad lib lines were well rehearsed
but my heart cried out for you

You're in my heart, you're in my soul
You'll be my breath should I grow old
You are my lover, you're my best friend
You're in my soul
My love for you is immeasurable
My respect for you immense
You're ageless, timeless, lace and fineness
You're beauty and elegance
You're a rhapsody, a comedy
You're a symphony and a play
You're every love song ever written
But honey what do you see in me

You're an essay in glamour
Please pardon the grammar
but you're every schoolboy's dream
You're Celtic, United, but baby I've decided
You're the best team I've ever seen

And there have been many affairs
Many times I've thought to leave
But I bite my lip and turn around
cause you're the warmest thing I've ever found

Some Asian Dishes for the last two weeks

1. Unagi Roll

2. Salmon Roll

3. Chive

4. Spicy Chicken Feet with Onion

5. Lotus Root with Sweet Rice

Rib Eye Stroganoof with Wild Mushrooms on San Francisco Sourdough Toasts

Ingredients:

1 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound shiitake mushroom, cut into 1/4 inch-thick slices
1/8 cup dry white vermouth or dry Sherry
1/8 cup creme fraiche or heavy whipping cream (I used whole milk instead)

3/4 pound rib eye, excess fat trimmed, meat cut against grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices, slices cut crosswise into 3-inch lengths

1 cup thinly sliced shallots

1/2 tablespoon all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon + 1-1/4 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup beef broth

1/4 teaspoon paprika

4 5x3-inch slices bread

1/8 cup sour cream

1 tablesspoons chopped fresh parsley

Process:

1. Melt 1/2 tablespoon  butter with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add sliced wild mushrooms to skillet; sprinkle with coarse kosher salt and pepper and saute until mushrooms realease juices, about 6 minutes.  Increase heat tom medium-high; saute until mushrooms are tender and brown, about 4 minutes longer. Add vermouth to mushrooms and boil until almost evaporated but still moist, scraping up browned bits.  Stir in Creme Fraiche; remove from heat.  Season to taste with coarse kosher salt and pepper.  Cover; set aside.

2. Melt remainning 1/2 tablespoon butter with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in another large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Working in batches, add beef slices to skillet and saute just until brown outside but still pink in center, about 30 seconds per side.  Transfer beef slices to plate; sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper.  Add sliced shallots to same skillet, reduce heat to medium, and saute until golden brown and tender, about 4 minutes.  Stir in flour and 1/2 teaspoon tomato paste.  Add broth and paprika and whisk to blend, scraping up broned bits.  Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.  Season sauce to taste with coarse kosher salt and pepper.  Romove from heat; cover and keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, preheat broiler.  Whisk remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons oil and 1-1/4 tablespoons tomato paste in small bowl to blend.  Arrange bread slices in single layer on rimmed baking sheet.  Brush oil-tomato paste mixture lightly over both sides of bread slices.   Broil bread just until lightly toasted, watching closely to avoid burning, about 1 minute per side.  Arrange sourdough toasts on large platter.

4. Add beef slices and any accomulated juices to shallot mixture in skillet; bring to simmer, stirring occasionally, then stir in sour cream.  Remove from heat.  Season to taste with coarse slat and pepper.  Rewarm mushroom mixture over medium heat.

5. Divide beef mixutre among toasts, then top each with mushrooom micture.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Macaroni Salad

A few tips to keep your less expensive cut beef tender and juicy

If I could cook my Chuck Beef Roast very tender, should Sirloin or any other better cut beef receive excellent results as well? Cook's Illustrated considers Sirloin Top Butt/Tip Roast to be the poor man's Prime Rib. Slow roasting is how companies like Boar's Head and Thumann's prepare their deli meats ....usually for 8-10 hours @215-225*. Depending on the shape of your (2lb) roast, I would suggest checking the temperature at around two hours for your desired doneness.


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In a sense, I am like many others, trying to find new ways to cook inexpensive cuts of meat and have them come out tender...the problem is I like my meat medium-rare, so traditionally it's difficult to do so with cheaper cuts......no longer, so I have found out.

In the last couple of years, I have been slow roasting my meats....beef, pork and turkey, at low temperatures between 225-275*. A few years back I read an article in cooks Illustrated that tested different kinds of roasts cooked at varying degrees of temperature from 225-500*...It was determined that 225* was the best for moist and tender roast.....my experimentation has confirmed this to be true and now it is my preferred method for roasting meats...especially for Prime Rib Roasts. I have also had excellent results with the following beef cuts as well:

Hanger Steak

Tri-Tip, Flap, or Newport roast
Chuck Roast , Blade/Underblade
Top Butt Sirloin

I usually purchase my meats in wholesale packaging....but when there is a sale at the store, I request the in-store butchers to cut my roasts a minimum of two inches, but I prefer 2.5-3.0 inches thick.

I marinade is simple soy sauce, fresh cracked pepper, garlic and oil for at least 12 hours, 24 hours for better results.......Remove from the refrigerator and let sit close to room temperature.....using a heavy duty foil to wrap it tightly and placing it in a shallow pan in the oven or placing on a wire rack and cookie sheet pan....roast @ 225* for three hours, not opening the door once. I brown on the broil setting at the end of the roasting period. A perfect medium-rare, tender with excellent beefy flavor......this is for the larger, thicker cut. I would suggest 2 hours roasting time for smaller, thinner cuts.

I am now a fan of the cheaper cuts.....just not in pot roasts or crock pot cooking.

Some Dishes Made this Week.

1. Real Texas Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb lean beef

1 lb breakfast sausage

6 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

1 large white onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves (minced)
3/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano (dry)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons masa harina flour or cornmeal
16 ounces water
1/2 cup warm water

Directions:

1. The sausage used for this recipe is pork country style like Jimmy Dean or Owens roll etcetera.

2. Brown meat together in a large 12 inch skillet and drain well. For even lower fat rinse meat with hot water, drain and place back in skillet.

3. Stir in 16 ounces of water.
4. Add all ingredients except cayenne pepper and masa.
5. Simmer 30 minutes.

6. Add cayenne pepper (you can always add more later).

7. Mix masa and ½ cup warm water. Add to chili and stir well.

8. Simmer 20 minutes. You can simmer for hours if you want, just stir every 30 minutes.

9. Chow down.

10. This is great by itself or to make nachos, top cheese enchiladas, frito pie, quite good rolled in a flour tortilla with cheddar etc -- .

 

2. Chilled Spicy Cucumber & Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

3 pounds of Tomato, seeded and diced

8 ounces of diced green peppers

1.5 pound of cucumbers

4 crushed garlic cloves

4 each jalapeno peppers

4 ounces of red wine vingegar

4 ounces of olive oil

2 table spoon of salt

1 table spoon black pepper

Garnish: 1 table spoon of each, small diced tomatoes, green peppers and cucumbers

Direction:

1. combine all ingredients, cover and refrigerate overnight

2. Puree all and press through a strainer (adjust salt and pepper if neccessary)

3. Chill the soup again, add garnish and serve. (Yield 2 quarts)

 

3. Beef Stew

                                                             4. Onion and Tomato Baked Salmon

                                 5. Chinese Bok Choy                                      6. Fried Yellow Fish

7. Husband and Wife Dish

8. Black Bone Chicken Soup