It's food!: Mexican Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad

It's food!: Mexican Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad: "Ingredients: Salad: 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks 2 tbsp. canola or other vegetable oil 1 tbsp. ground corian..."

I had this at a potluck and it was surprisingly yummy. Didn't think this was going to taste good because of the combination.

SING CHOW MAI FUN (SINGAPORE FRIED RICE NOODLES/星洲炒米粉)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
8 dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms
12 ounces of fine dry rice vermicelli (Wai Wai brand recommended)
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and sliced thin
1 cup bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
8 green onions, root end trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound char siu (Chinese barbecued pork), cut into matchsticks
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons oyster sauce

FOR SAUCE:

3 tablespoons Madras (hot) curry powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 cup chicken broth
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons granlulated sugar
2 teaspoons hot chili paste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

METHOD:

1) If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak them in hot water for half an hour. Drain, then cut off the stems. Slice the mushrooms thinly.
2) Put the rice vermicelli in a large bowl and soak in enough hot water to cover, until the noodles are soft (about 8 to 10 minutes). Drain noodles and set aside.
3) Start by heating up 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the curry powder, the ginger, and the minced garlic, and saute until fragrant. Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, sugar, and chili paste. Stir to combine and then cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
4) Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large wok over high heat. Add in the remaining garlic and ginger, and stir-fry until the garlic starts to become golden. Add in the celery, onion, pepper, sprouts, green onions, and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 3 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften. Set the vegetables aside in a bowl.
5) Heat the last 2 tablespoons of oil in the wok over high heat. Add in the shrimp and stir-fry until they start to turn pink on both sides. Add the char siu and toss to combine.
6) Add in the noodles and the vegetables. Pour on the sauce and also add the oyster sauce. Mix the ingredients thoroughly to coat all the noodles and incorporate all the vegetables.
7) Serve hot.

Mee Goreng (Malaysian Spicy Fried Noodles)

Fresh Chinese egg noodles, chili sauce, dark soy, oyster sauce, shao hsing wine and fried shallots are available at Asian markets. Serves 5-6 as part of a family-style meal, 3-4 as a main dish.
INGREDIENTS:

2 cups fresh Chinese egg noodles
2 Tbsp chili sauce (Sriracha), or more to taste
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp oyster sauce
3 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup mung bean sprouts, rinsed
1/2 cup shredded cabbage
1/4 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (or leftover shredded cooked chicken)
2 Tbsp shao hsing wine
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 Tbsp scallions, sliced
2 Tbsp fried shallots (available packaged at Asian markets)

METHOD:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles for 30 seconds, drain, and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine chili sauce, dark soy, sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, oyster sauce and ketchup. Stir to combine, and set aside.

In a large wok (at least 12 inches in diameter) preheated over high heat, add the oil. Crack the eggs into the wok, stir vigorously until the eggs are lightly scrambled and just set, then add the garlic, noodles, bean sprouts, cabbage, shrimp, chicken, and 3/4 cup water. Stir-fry continuously until noodles are cooked, 3-5 minutes (depending on the heat of your wok), making sure to also cook the chicken and shrimp. Add chili sauce mixture, and keep stirring until well combined. The noodles should begin to get a bit drier (no liquid left in the bottom of the wok). Add shao hsing wine and white pepper, stir to combine, and remove from heat. Garnish with scallions and fried shallots.

Mashed Butternut Squash

I found this in Shape magazine while I was waiting at Dallas airport.

Whole Foods frozen butternut squash
apple butter

boil and mash the butternut squash. add apple butter and mix.

Honey Curry Chicken

skinless chicken breasts (6-8) or chicken tenders (2.5-3 lb)
¼ c. butter or margarine
½ c. honey
¼ c. prepared mustard
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. salt

Place chicken in greased casserole dish. Melt butter in a pot on stove. Add other ingredients to pot and mix well, warm only, no need to boil. Pour mixture over chicken. Place in oven, bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear. Garnish with sautéed mushrooms (in butter, with salt and pepper) if desired. I like to serve it with rice.

Potato and Green Bean Salad

Servings: 10 • Size: 9 oz • Time: 15 minutes • Points: 3.25 ww points

7 large new potatoes, peeled
1 lb string beans beans, ends trimmed
1 2.8 oz can sliced olives, drained
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 scallions, chopped
kosher salt and fresh pepper

Cook potatoes in a large pot of salted water. In another pot, cover string beans with water and boil until string beans are cooked. Run under cold water to prevent them from overcooking. When the potatoes are done, drain and slice in large chunks.In a large bowl, combine balsamic, oil, salt and pepper. Add potatoes green beans, scallions and olives. Mix will and serve room temperature.

Baby Red Potato Salad

Servings: 6 • Size: 3/4 cups • Time: 15 minutes • Calories: 108 • Points: 2 ww points
4 cups baby red potatoes, cut in small pieces
1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
3 scallions, diced
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise
salt and fresh pepper

Boil potatoes in salted water until soft, approx 10 minutes. Drain and let cool.While the potatoes are boiling, combine red onion, green pepper, mustard, olive oil, vinegar and mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and let the flavors marinade while the potatoes cook. Once the potatoes are done and cool, mix into the bowl and add scallions and additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fiesta Chicken Pasta Salad

1 pkg Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch dip mix
½ c. oil
½ c. vinegar

1 lb cooked, shredded chicken (about 1 ½ to 2 breasts)

3/4 box garden rotini
1 can black beans
1 can black olives, halved
2 -3 tomatoes, chopped
Frozen corn

Mix dressing mix, oil, and vinegar in small bowl and set aside. Combine chicken, cooked pasta, beans, olives, and tomatoes in large bowl. Add dressing and frozen corn about 20 minutes before serving. Be sure to toss again just before serving, as the dressing will seep to the bottom.

Garlic Chicken with Bow Tie Pasta

1 Tb olive oil

1 lb boneless/skinless chicken breast, sliced crosswise

1 tsp salt

1 Tb olive oil

6-8 cloves garlic, crushed (1 rounded Tb)

1/2 lb mushrooms, quartered

1/2 c green onions, sliced

3/4 c red or orange sweet peppers

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (undrained)

1/2 c chicken broth

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/2 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups dry bow tie pasta - cook as directed

1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped (may use fresh parsley)

parmesan cheese, grated

1. Fry chicken in oil over medium heat until done. Sprinkle with salt and remove from skillet. Keep warm.

2.Cook garlic in oil until golden. Add mushrooms, green onions and peppers - cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, red pepper, cornstarch and salt. Heat to boiling then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Combine chicken, hot mixture, pasta and cilantro. Sprinkle with fresh parmesan to your liking and enjoy!

*Use less crushed red pepper to make it mild. Also, I add the peppers when I have them on hand - zucchini and squash are delicious too. You can omit the chicken as well for a healthy, vegetarian dish.

Jalapeño Shrimp Pasta

12 oz frozen, uncooked shrimp in shells
6 - 8 oz dried linguine
2 Tb olive oil
1 or 2 fresh jalapeño chili peppers, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 c. chopped ripe tomatoes (sometimes I add a bit more)
½ c. finely shredded parmesan cheese

Thaw shrimp, if frozen, according to package directions (run water over them for a couple minutes). Peel and devein shrimp. (Deveining shrimp is completely for aesthetic reasons, and in this recipe I can’t see the vein once it’s cooked, so I highly recommend skipping that step!) Cook linguine. In large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add jalapeños, garlic, salt, and pepper; cook and stir one minute. Add shrimp; cook about 3 minutes more or until shrimp turns opaque. Stir in tomatoes; heat through. (Add a little more salt to taste.) Drain linguine; toss with shrimp mixture. Top with Parmesan cheese.
Variation: Add 3 Tb chopped fresh basil instead of the chili peppers. (I haven’t given this variation a try, so let me know if you try it and like it!)

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

Again, from another's blog and thought looks good.

2 Packages reduced sodium Stuffing mix

1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp pepper

3/4 lb sliced deli ham, cut into 1 inch stips
1 cup swiss cheese shredded

2 cups cheddar cheese shredded

2 cups cooked chicken ( I used shredded--but I think cubed would be better)

Prepare stuffing mixes according to directions on box. Meanwhile in a bowl, combine soup and milk. Put chicken in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with pepper. Layer with ham, swiss cheese and 1 cups of cheddar cheese, soup mixture ans stuffing. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. At this point you can freeze. Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer.

Rumbi Island Easy Mango Chicken and Rice

From another website and I thought it looked good.

• 4-5 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups mango salsa
• Cumin to taste
• Lemon Pepper to taste

Put chicken breasts in crock pot. Add spices. Cover and cook chicken until tender. Shred chicken on a plate and return to crock pot. Save juices in separate bowl.

Add corn, beans and salsa. More salsa can be added to taste. If mixture seems dry, add some of reserved juices.

Serve over coconut jasmine rice for that Rumbi Island Grill taste. Garnish with cilantro or parsely, if desired.

*You could use regular salsa for a Mexican taste and serve over regular rice or tortilla chips.

Chicken Corn Chowder

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 medium bell pepper (I prefer red for color), finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped, seeds and membrane removed (do not omit)
1/4 Cup thinly sliced or chopped ham or canadian bacon
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 14 oz cans chicken broth
3 Tablespoons flour
3 ears of fresh corn kernels (I usually end up using frozen corn)
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 oz softened cream cheese
1 Cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute celery, bell pepper, onion and jalapeno until softened. Stir in garlic and ham; cook for another 3 minutes. Whisk the broth with the flour in a large bowl then stir into soup. Stir in corn and chicken. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat. Whisk together the cream cheese and milk in a large bowl until smooth. Stir into soup along with the salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Simmer until ready to serve.

Triple Berry Coffeecake

2 cups flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

2 cups fresh or frozen berries**

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup butter

1. Grease 9x9x2 inch or 8x8x2 inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium bowl combine the 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the 3/4 cup sugar and beat on med-high until light and fluffy. Add egg, beat well. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to beaten egg mixture, beating until smooth after each addition.

3. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with berries. In another bowl combine the 1/2 cup flour, the 1/2 cup sugar, and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; sprinkle over berries. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 9 servings.

**Raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. The triple berry mix at Costco is great when you don't have fresh berries.

Pita Chip Pizza

10 ounces Stacy’s Simply Naked or Stacy’s Parmesan, Garlic & Herb Pita Chips
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced or grated
4 tablespoons prepared pesto
2 to 3 roasted red peppers, sliced

Preheat oven broiler.
Slightly crush chips on a baking sheet.
Sprinkle pesto evenly over the surface.
Cover surface with mozzarella.
Arrange roasted red pepper strips evenly over the surface.
(May add optional ingredients such as green olives, onions, etc.)

Broil for just a couple of minutes, or until cheese is just starting to bubble. You want the chips to remain crispy! Cut into squares and serve immediately.

(8 - 12 servings)

Southwestern Black Bean Salad

Servings: 12 • Size: 1/2 cup • Prep Time: 10 minutes • Calories: 106 • Points: 2.5

1 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
9 oz frozen corn, thawed
1 tomato, chopped
1 small hass avocado, diced
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1 lime, juice of
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp cilantro
salt and fresh pepper

Combine beans, corn, tomato, onion, scallion, cilantro, salt and pepper. Mix with lime juice and olive oil. Marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes. Add avocado before serving.

Ja-Jang-Myun (Korean Black Bean Paste Noodle)

Ingredients:
1/4 pound chicken / pork
1 medium onions -- chopped
1 medium zucchini -- chopped
1 cup cha jang (black bean paste, not sauce!)*
oil or shortening
1-2 cups chicken broth or water
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon water
fresh chinese noodles -- cooked

*Look for this at a Chinese or a Korean Market. No substitutes!

Directions:
1. Cut the chicken into small pieces.
2. In a wok, over high heat, stir fry the onion and zucchini. Depending on
the size of the wok, you might have to do it in batches. Remove and set aside.
3. Stir fry the chicken till it is cooked, approximately 1 - 2 minutes. Add the vegetables and mix.
4. Add the chicken broth. Bring it to a boil.
5. While waiting for it to boil, heat the shortening or oil in another pan. The amount varies, depending upon the amount of the black bean paste, but don't be too stingy with the oil. Dump the paste in the wok, stirring quickly to avoid burning. Stir for approximately 2 -3 minutes.
6. Add the stir fried paste to the vegetable and chicken mix.
7. Mix the corn starch and water. Add it to the wok and stir til thickened and bubbly.
8. Serve immediately over cooked noodles.
9. Add sliced cucumber and egg to garnish.

Cookie Dough Truffles

adapted from Taste of Home

½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional, I did not add them)
1 ½ pounds semisweet chocolate candy coating, chopped

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla; mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts, if using. Shape into 1-inch balls; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Loosely cover and freeze for 1-2 hours or until firm. (The dough softens quickly at room temperature so it works best if they are frozen, not just chilled in the refrigerator.)

In a microwave safe bowl, melt candy coating, stirring often until smooth. Dip balls in coating; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. If desired, melt remaining candy coating and drizzle over candies. Store in refrigerator. Yield: 5 ½ dozen.

WW Daily Target Points

To figure out how many points you are allowed each day answer these questions and add your score:

1. Gender:
Female- score 2
Male- score 8
A nursing mom- score 12

2. How old are you?
17-26- score 4
27-37- score 3
38-47- score 2
48-58- score 1
over 58- score 0

3. What do you weigh?
Enter the first two digits of your weight in pounds.
(for example, if you weight 199, you will add 19 to your score)

4. How tall are you?
Under 5’1- score 0
5’1-5’10- score 1
Over 5’10- score 2

5. How do you spend most of your day?
Sitting down? score 0
Occasionally sitting? score 2
Walking most of the time? score 4
Doing physically hard work most of the time? score 6

Now add them all together and that’s your daily total.

You are allowed an additional 35 points per week, if you wish to use them. You must use all your points each day in order to lose weight.

Salty Soy Milk Soup (xian dou jiang)

The other nite my brother called and asked about how to make salty soy milk soup. I was surprised because it's not his thing. It's more of my type of Taiwanese food. I really do miss it especially when eaten with the fried doughnut/sticks. I can't wait to go home and go to the really good northern Chinese restaurant with all the good breakfast.

Ingredients:

• plain soy milk (not sugared). Use the real kind that comes from a soy milk shop, not the super filtered kind made by Silk
• rice vinegar
• pickled mustard greens (available at Chinese or Japanese supermarket)
• sesame oil
• chili oil
• soy sauce
• something salty (e.g. Chinese bbq sauce, dried shrimp, or fried shallots)
• salt & white pepper

Place all ingredients except for soy milk into a bowl that is the single-serving sized; the quantities should be determined by the individual's taste. Lightly mix.

Warm enough soy milk for 1 serving in a pot on the stove until just boiling. Carefully spoon the soy milk into the bowl. If desired, top the soup with a few sliced of Chinese donut. Serve immediately.