Fresh Spring Rolls

These were super fun and easy to make and the salad is just like what you get in most Sushi restaurants. Yum! Nicole also had special Japanese deserts for us that were bite sized and delish!

Fresh Rolls

Spring roll skin (in the Asian aisle of Safeway, not the refrigerated section)

Mandarin oranges

1 carrot

Sweet Chili sauce-  

Hoisin sauce -

Cilantro

yellow and red bell pepper

1.5 lb ground turkey  

Peanut Sauce

            3 ounces roasted, salted peanuts

            2 tablespoons canola oil

            1 tablespoon Asian (toasted) sesame oil

            1 teaspoon hot chili oil

            2 tablespoons soy sauce

            4 teaspoons fresh lime juice

            1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste

            1 teaspoon Asian chili garlic sauce, or to taste

            Food processor (does anyone have a portable food processor they can bring..if not we can try my blender)

Directions

1.              Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.              Pour the peanuts onto a dry baking sheet in a single layer, and break the whole nuts apart into halves. Toast the peanuts until they are fragrant and slightly darker in color, 7 to 10 minutes, watching carefully so they don't burn.

3.              Remove peanuts from the oven, let cool, and place in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse 2 or 3 times to chop them finely, then add the canola oil, toasted sesame oil, hot chili oil, soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chili garlic sauce. Process until the mixture is a fine paste with a little texture of chopped peanuts, not a totally smooth paste. The sauce should look a little grainy.

Asian Cucumber Salad

            1/3 cup distilled white vinegar

            1/3 cup white sugar

            1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

            1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

            1/2 teaspoon salt

            2 pounds cucumbers - halved, seeded, and sliced -

            1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

            2 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped -

            2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

            2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint -

            1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts

Directions

1.              Whisk together the vinegar, sugar, coriander, red pepper flakes, and salt in a salad bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the cucumbers, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and chopped mint, and toss to coat with dressing. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to blend the flavors.  (We’ll start with this but I think we’ll be fine if it doesn’t chill for the whole hour).

2.              Before serving, toss again with chopped peanuts, and garnish with sprigs of fresh mint.

Grillin' Outside

For this day we went to the Fremont Farmer's Market and got all of our supplies. It was a lovely day and grilling outside on Nicole's rooftop veranda just made the day! If it says (market) next to it that item was purchased at the market that very day!

Baked Apples

• 1/2 cup apple cider (market)
• 2 tablespoons honey (market) -
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 4 medium or 3 large grannie smith apples (market)

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus 

• 10 spears fresh asparagus, trimmed (market)
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 5 bacon strips, halved lengthwise (market) - 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. Stir asparagus and grape tomatoes into the garlic and drizzle with lemon juice. Continue to cook and stir until asparagus are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Wrap 3 asparagus spears with 1 slice of bacon. Repeat with remaining asparagus and bacon, making 4 bundles. Arrange wrapped asparagus on a baking sheet.
5. Scatter cooked grape tomatoes around the wrapped asparagus.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, then scatter Taleggio cheese atop asparagus; return baking sheet to the oven.
7. Continue baking until bacon is crisp, 5 to 7 minutes more.

BBQ Sauce & Market Chicken

• 2 cups ketchup
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cups red wine vinegar -
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses (does anybody have or know where to get this?) -
• 4 teaspoons hickory-flavored liquid smoke (does anybody have or know where to get this?) -
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder -
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 
• 1 teaspoon paprika -
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed -
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• Chicken (market) -

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, mix together the ketchup, tomato sauce, brown sugar, wine vinegar, molasses, liquid smoke and butter. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, celery seed, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper.
2. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for up to 20 minutes. For thicker sauce, simmer longer, and for thinner, less time is needed. Sauce can also be thinned using a bit of water if necessary. Brush sauce onto any kind of meat during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Grilled Zucchini with secret spice

•  Zucchini
• Amy's secret spice mix (still secret to this day!)

 We did in fact set the chicken on fire...the last photo is very lovingly titled "Uh Guys..."

I think we also didn't make the asparagus but make stuffed onions but I can't find that recipe. It was glorious thought...

Steak Dinner (ingredients only no directions)

So every so often I didn't get the recipes for the meals, only the ingredients, and this was one of those times. I have some photos, but I think you can figure out the rest just by reading and common sense. I think this one was a five ingredient meal but I can't remember!

Walnut and Goat Cheese Bruschetta

 

   ·        1/2 cup walnut pieces   

   ·        4 thick slices of walnut bread   

   ·        1/2 cup French dressing   

   ·        200g/7 ounces chevre or other semi soft goat cheese    

Steak with Warm Tomato Salsa

 

   ·        4 steaks about 1/2 inch thick   

   ·        6 large plum tomatoes   

   ·        4 scallions   

   ·        4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar   

  

Asparagus with Lemon Sauce

 

   ·        1.5 pounds asparagus tied in a bundle (anyone have cooking string?)    I will bring the asparagus and some cooking string

    ·        1 tablespoon cornstarch   

    ·        2 egg yolks   

   ·        juice of 1.5 lemons   

 

   Side 2

 

 Fennel Potato and Garlic Mash

 

   ·        1.2 pounds potatoes cut into chunks   

   ·        2 large fennel bulbs   

   ·        6 tablespoons garlic flavored olive oil   

   ·        1/2 to 2/3 cup milk or light cream   

  

  Baked Ricotta Cakes with Red Sauce

  

   ·        generous 1 cup ricotta cheese    

   ·        2 egg whites beaten   

   ·        4 tablespoons scented honey   

   ·        4 cups mixed fresh or frozen fruit (strawberries/raspberries and

   cherries)