What to do with Rice Noodles – Part 2

So I had to use up the last of my rice noodles and some chicken I had defrosted. So I decided to make Asian Chicken Noodle Soup. I wanted to make the sort of soup you get at Noodle Houses. I just love those sort of soups in the really big asian soup bowls that you slurp the noodles down with chopsticks.

I just sort of threw this one together as I did last time so the measurements are just estimates. Also, make sure to thinly slice up the chicken breast to ensure it cooks up quickly. Next time I will mess around with adding various other asian spices and veggies to this one when I have more time. I would have loved to use Enoki mushrooms if I could find them, but unfortunately my supermarket does not stock them. Feel free to add what veggies you like and mess around with the measurements to suit your tastes. Very healthy, filling and delicious!

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut up into thin slices
8 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup (4 oz) of thin rice noodles
3/4 cup (6oz) of baby corn
6 green onions (green parts cut into 1 inch pieces, white parts cut into 1/4 inch pieces)
1 cup of bean sprouts
1 teaspoon of ground ginger

Directions:

Bring the 8 cups of chicken broth to a boil.

Throw in chicken, rice noodles, baby corn, green onions (reserving a couple tablespoons for garnish), bean sprouts and ground ginger.

Simmer for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (no pink).

Ladle into bowls and put remaining green onions on top. Eat with a chopstick if preferred along with a spoon.

Serves 2-4 depending on how big your bowls are.

Now for some music…

I don’t have much to review today but I did buy a couple more albums off of iTunes this weekend. One of them was Kate Havnevik – Melankton. This album isn’t that new. It came out in 2005 but I’ve heard a lot of her stuff on Grey’s Anatomy and finally got around to buying it. She reminds me of Bjork a bit. Her voice and songs are so lush. Here is a video of one of my favorite songs. Its called “Unlike Me”

What to do with Rice Noodles – Part 1

So I’m leaving to go back to the States next week and need to use up what’s in my pantry and fridge/freezer. Rice noodles happen to be one of those things, along with some frozen tiger prawns. So I decided to throw together a stir fry. I have to admit, I almost didn’t post this on my blog cause I didn’t really like it. It was okay but nothing special. But then I ate the leftovers the next day and ate it all up! I loved it! Maybe it needed some time for the flavors to meld together. Who knows?

Just so you know, I’ve estimated the measurements to the best of my ability since I wasn’t following a recipe. Also feel free to throw in whatever veggies you have on hand. Also you can easily make this vegetarian by omitting the prawns and chicken bouillon.

Shrimp Stir Fry with Rice Noodles

Ingredients:

1/4 cup (2 oz) rice noodles
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
3-4 green onions (cut into 1 inch pieces on a diagonal)
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 cup of bean sprouts
1/2 pound of cooked tiger prawns (or medium or large shrimp)
tablespoon of soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
teaspoon of chicken bouillon
teaspoon of ground ginger
tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds (optional)
tablespoon of vegetable oil

Directions:

Soak the rice noodles in warm water for about 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok on medium high heat.

Add garlic, green onion (reserve about a tablespoon for garnish), onion, bean sprouts, pepper, rice noodles, soy sauce, ground ginger, and chicken bouillon.

Mix together well and saute for about 5 minutes if you like you’re veggies slightly more crunchy or ten minutes if you like them a bit softer.

Add the prawns until heated through. Mix in sesame seeds if using.

Put in a noodle bowl or on a plate and garnish with reserved green onions and coriander (cilantro) if you have some on hand.

Stay tuned for “What to do the Rice Noodles Part 2″…

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Ok no clever title for this blog entry. I’m just not feeling very witty at the moment. It happens believe it or not! lol

Anyway, I finally reached that moment in my life that when I had leftover, overly ripe bananas, I actually made something with them instead of throwing them out like I usually do. And man, have I been missing out all these years! I pledge from this day forward to always use up my old bananas and make them into something yummy.

I’m not sure who this Aunt Mary is, but whoever she is, she sure knows how to make a banana bread!

Aunt Mary’s Banana-Chocolate Chip Bread
Source:Allrecipes

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening (I used butter)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 bananas, mashed (I used 3 since thats how many I had and it seemed silly to use 2 and throw out the other one)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice*

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream sugar and shortening (butter). Beat in eggs, vanilla, pumpkin spice and bananas until thoroughly blended.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spoon into a greased 9-in.x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60-70 minutes or until the bread tests done with a wooden pick.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

*I added this to the recipe as I thought I would use it up and thought it would go great with this bread. Pumpkin pie spice consists of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. If you don’t have it, a combination of whichever of these spices you have on hand will be fine.

So somehow I ran across this band online called Paramore. For all I know they’re super famous and on MTV like a million times a day but I don’t have a tv and don’t listen to the radio so I have no clue. But I found that I couldn’t get their music out of my head…

I’m not usually into pop-punk stuff. I like my 70’s, 80’s and even early 90’s punk. None of this ridiculously clean, overly compressed, overly processed recordings you get nowadays. But man, this song is so darn catchy that I had to buy their album off of iTunes just so I could stop watching the video on youtube lol

They’re front woman Hayley has an amazing voice (and amazing hair!) and apparently her live singing sounds just like it does on the recording.

Check out Misery Business, the song I can’t seem to get out of my head…

Steak and Potatoes (Twice baked that is…)

Hope everyone had a Great New Year! I know I did, playing drunken twister with friends. I’m sure there’s blackmail photos of that floating around the web somewhere…oh well.

I’ve finally gotten around to posting a dinner I made last week of a nice beef fillet and twice baked potatoes. I’ve been busy getting ready to move back to the States so there probably won’t be loads of creative posts going on here for a little while.

Anyway, I got a couple recipe suggestions for twice baked potatoes from some Nesties and combined two recipes from The Cooking Fiend and MikelovesJen (Not sure if you have a blog, I didn’t put it in my saved recipe so if you do, please let me know and I’ll correct this!). If you prefer, you can use ranch dressing instead of the sour cream. I would have tried this but didn’t have any.

Twice Baked Potatoes
Source: a combination of The Cooking Fiend and MikelovesJen

Ingredients:

4 baking potatoes
8 strips of bacon, cooked and cut into small pieces
1 cup of cheddar and gruyere
1/2 cup of sour cream
3-4 green onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degree F. Scrub potatoes and then prick with a fork a few times. Bake in the oven for about an hour.

Remove from oven and let cool for a bit. Slice in half and scoop out the insides into a medium mixing bowl being careful not to push through the skin and leaving enough potato so that the skin doesn’t become floppy.

Add bacon, green onions, sour cream and cheese (reserving a few tablespoons). Mix together and then mash until desired consistency. I like mine to be pretty creamy.

With a spoon, carefully refill potato skins with potato mixture. Sprinkle each potato with salt and pepper and remaining cheese.

Bake for another 10-15 minutes until cheese is slightly crispy.

For the steaks, I just rub a little olive oil, salt and pepper into the steak, then brown each side for 5 minutes. Transfer to a preheated 400 degree F oven and cook for about 5 minutes for medium. Cook a little bit longer if you prefer a more well done steak or less than if you prefer a more rare steak.

Now for some electro/synth-pop goodness…

Its Chromeo!

I just bought their new album Fancy Footwork off of iTunes and can’t stop listening to it. It has helped me get through my post-holiday workouts at the gym lately. I highly recommend it if you want to invite your friends round for a dance off.