Chicken and Rice Noodle Soup

Hungry and trying to avoid eating out or having food delivered, I rummaged around in the kitchen to see what I can create without using up the ingredients that I had already planned to use for other recipes/meals. 

 It is a wonder when a tight budget makes us resourceful.

   

Ingredients:

Rice Noodles about 1/4 of med sized bag 

2 pieces Cut chicken thighs (bite size)

1 box Pho soup bouillon

1 1/2 tbsp Better Than Bouillon (optional) 

2 liters water

1/2 Chopped Onion

Salt and Pepper (according to taste)

Chopped Cabbage/Greens (optional)

Garlic Chips (optional)  

 

Instructions:

1. Soak rice noodles per package directions

2. Saute Onions on medium heat until tender 
3. Add chicken, salt and pepper, Pho bouillons and Better Than Chicken soup base. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
4. Add water and Rice Noodles, cover and bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes, keep pot covered.
6. Prepare soup toppings (optional), I used coleslaw cabbage from a bag and Garlic Chips from my recent trip to the Philippines (you can make your own, or buy in asian stores)
7. Ladle in Bowls, top with cabbage and garlic chips and serve hot. 

accidentally pointed my camera directly on top of the pot, steamy lens!

  

  

 Enjoy! 

Eggs in Toast

Andrew prepared eggs in toast and I fell in love! He said he got the idea for this dish from the movie Moonstruck.

It is now one of my favorite breakfasts to make since it's easy and delicious. 

 

I cooked it for my 6 year old niece while visiting FL and her eyes got all bright 

and excited when I told her she can dip the little piece of bread(from the cut bread) in the egg yolk.
  

Kids...I felt like I was the greatest thing 
in the world just by serving her this dish.

Apparently there are a lot of names for this recipe and it's easy and common enough that 
I feel I don't need to write down the
ingredients and instructions on how to make it.

 

Just make sure you get butter on both sides of the toast to make it crisp.  I also like to put a small dab of butter with the egg sometimes and a little bit of salt too.

I usually have this dish with a side salad of tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil (there will be no "e.v.o.o." in this kitchen!), grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.

 

Turkey-Parsley "chinese" Pancakes and Dipping Sauce

I woke up at 5:45 am yesterday craving for Scallion Pancakes often served for breakfast in Chinese restaurants.  

 Full Kee is the closest I've found to an authentic Chinese restaurant in RVA but I doubt they would be open early in the morning or that they'll have scallion pancakes on their menu.

 Snow was still on the ground (pretty!) and too cold to venture outside for scallions so I just used ingredients I thought would work for these type of pancakes. 

 I came up with Turkey breast and Parsley pancakes.  

I used part of this recipe Pan-Fried Chinese Pancake for the pancake ingredients and a YouTube video by danrt50 for Chinese Green Onion Pancakes for some techniques on how to properly knead, stuff, and fold the pancake. 

I don't usually use precise measurements for ingredients so I just poured water, salt, and flour in a bowl.
I don't recommend doing this if you have no experience in making dough.  I also used sesame oil and olive oil to brush the dough with since I don't use shortening or peanut oil.

Other Chinese pancake videos I scanned didn't use the same techniques as danrt50's video so that made me confident enough that the pancakes don't have to be perfectly shaped and that there really is no right or wrong way to make them. 

Just make sure the dough is moist and smooth...
 sort of like Play-Doh and not too dry that the surface cracks when dough is shaped into a ball.

I did learn something new with danrt50's folding technique on video minute 12:50, thanks!

 Here's my own recipe for the dipping sauce 
which is also great as a marinade or  salad dressing:

1 clove Crushed Garlic

Vinegar (any kind will do)

Soy sauce/Ponzu sauce

Sesame oil
Sugar (optional)
Chilli (optional)

water/chicken broth to thin the mixture

Mix it all together and adjust depending on taste.

Enjoy!