For people still following this blog despite but prolonged absence, I've decided to move this to Tumblr and finally started cooking again. Follow me @ brentoboxes.tumblr.com

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

I actually made this long time ago but I didn't realize that I didn't post it until I was looking through some old pictures. This was around the time of our annual holiday potluck with my college friends and I always like to try something new for it. My boyfriend is vegetarian so I wanted to make sure that were was something he could eat at the party. This would be my first attempt at a truly vegetarian dish. 

Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

• 2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
• 2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 cremini mushrooms, halved
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
• 1 cup grated fontina cheese
• 1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.

Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.

Review

First of all, the picture does not do it justice. That is just a terrible photograph and I wish I had a more well-presented picture of this dish. I should have plated it right away and taken a picture. Second of all, there was a slight complication because my boyfriend and I had to go to another holiday party before the one with my friends so the dish was sitting in the oven (turned off) with aluminum foil, which ended up hardening the top layer of the pasta dish and making it taste overcooked. Regardless of the fact, I actually still enjoyed the dish. I loved everything that went into it and I just know if I didn't overcook the top layer then it would have been perfection. But that's okay, first time around I am bound to make mistakes. I will definitely make this again and retake the damn picture to make it look more delicious. 

Basil Pesto Linguine

One day, I was asking my boyfriend what to eat for dinner. I was thinking about some fast food places but he told me that I should cook some basil pesto pasta. I was so damn lazy, but he kept giving me a hard time about how I don't cook anymore and I could save money if I just stopped eating out so often. He was right. I got up and and marched right down to Safeway and picked up some basil pesto ingredients.

Courtesy of foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese (see Cook's Note)

Directions

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.

Boil some linguine for about 9 minutes. Drain the water and stir in the a few spoonfuls of pesto into the pasta until the noodles are coated enough to your liking. Place on a plate and dice some fresh tomatoes to place on top. 

Review

This was the first time I had ever made pesto. And to be honest, I have had pesto maybe only once in my entire life so my technique in making this pasta dish could be a little off and I wouldn't really know the difference. Anyway, this dish is incredibly easy to make. Boil some pasta, throw some pesto ingredients into the food processor, and combine. Nothing at all too complicated. And the dish came out pretty well. My only issue with this was that I think I added too much cheese (I never thought I would ever make that statement). But I just followed the recipe pretty strictly, although looking back at it I think I should have slowly added the cheese until I thought I put enough. Regardless, it was still a tasty dish. Just some lesson learned for the next time I make it.

Thanks

When people tell me they keep up with my blog and that they thoroughly enjoy reading it, I just scream like a little girl on the inside. And on the outside I'm just like, "Oh, cool thanks," in my attempt to be nonchalant.

It has been about 3 years and I feel like I have gotten so far from where I used to be. But I still don't think I am that great. The pictures look amazing, but I argue that I'm just a pretty good photographer. I wish I could be good enough to audition for MasterChef with some conviction. That could happen in this lifetime, who knows. And I still want to take cooking classes but those are always so expensive. One thing I know for sure is that I have developed a love for cooking (washing dishes, on the other hand, not so much).

What matters most, though is that I've grown so much as a home cook and it helps that I have such supportive friends who keep pushing me forward. Sorry this blog entry doesn't have any food pictures or recipes, but I just wanted to thank everyone for reading my blog. All the small gestures of support and compliments keep me motivated and it challenges me to cook even better food.

Golden Tofu Stufffed with Ginger Spice Vegetables

I'm pretty sure I found this recipe on Tumblr but I am not quite sure. I just saw the picture and I thought it looked amazing. On top of that, it sounded wonderfully light and healthy. 

Courtesy of comocomecami.com

Ingredients

• 1 piece firm tofu - cut in half diagonally into 2 triangles
• 1 small cucumber - julienned
• 1 small carrot - julienned
• 1 handful of bean sprout
• 2 Tbs seasame seeds
• 4 Tbs raw honey
• 1/2 Tbs grated ginger

Directions

Cut the tofu and pat it really dry on paper towel. Brown each triangle in a heated pan until golden brown, and set it aside to cool down.

Mix the soy sauce, honey, grated ginger, and sesame seeds in a small bowl and add the julienned cucumber, carrots, and sprouts. Cut a slit on the tofu, and create a pocket with a small spoon. Stuff some of the vegetables into it and enjoy it with the remaining marinated vegetables.

Review

When I first saw this recipe, I thought it had so much potential. However, my execution was really off. The biggest problem with it was the tofu. I could not brown them to the crisp that I wanted them to be. And on top of that, I did not slit the tofu well enough. There was just too much tofu with each bite and it didn't taste right. The last thing was the vegetables, which came out just decent. They came out really soggy and something just wasn't right about the marinade. I didn't necessarily think it was disgusting, but I was not particularly impressed with the dish at all. I will have to make a second attempt to try to redeem this.

Sinigang (Filipino Tamarind Soup)

I suck at cooking Filipino food, mostly because I hardly try to cook these dishes. Even though I grew up eating so much Filipino food from my dad who is an amazing cook, I didn't pick up any of it from him. I did try cook Chicken Adobo a couple years ago but it was terrible. I know, how the hell do I screw up Adobo? I have no idea.

Courtesy of food.com

Ingredients

• 3 lbs beef ribs, cut one bone per slice
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 packet sinigang tamarind soup mix
• 14 cups water
• 1 bok choy, chopped in 1 to 2 inch slices
• 1 daikon radish, chopped in thin round slices
• 1 small tomato, chopped fine
• 2 small potatoes, chopped in large chunks
• Salt

Directions

Saute garlic, onions, and ribs in a pan. Cook until ribs are brown. In separate large pot add water, sinigang tamarind soup packet to taste. Add enough to get the level of sourness to your taste. Add the tomato and the ribs and cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes and then add the potatoes cook for another 10 minutes. Add the daikon and the bok choy and cook  for about 10 more minutes.

Serve with over or with rice or by itself.

Review

This reminds me of some good home-cooked sinigang, just like how my dad used to make it. One of my favorite recipes is actually one from Toppings Too in Union City because it tastes perfectly home-cooked, unlike the ones at Gerry's Grill or Tribu (which are also in Union City). I actually used brown rice because that's all I had, which wasn't as weird as I thought it would be. Everything was cooked almost as I wanted. The only thing was that it wasn't as sour as I wanted it to be and the potatoes were undercooked but it was still delicious. This marks my first attempt at Filipino food for this blog. Next on my list: Kare-Kare, which is a Filipino oxtail soup with vegetables and peanut butter sauce. One of my favorites!

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

I saw a picture of these on prettyfood.tumblr.com. I've never really roasted potatoes like this before so I wanted to try it out.

Courtesy of megkat.com

Ingredients

• 3-4 medium red potatoes, cut into small wedges
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• Sea salt to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Wash and dry the potatoes then cut each potato in half length wise, then cut each half into 4 or 5 wedges, then cut those wedges in half.

In a small bowl, combine the parmesan, garlic salt, and paprika and set aside. Next, toss the potatoes and oil together in a mixing bowl then add the bowl of cheese and seasonings and stir to coat. Dump onto a cookie sheet and arrange in a single layer.

Bake for about 25 minutes then remove from oven and turn over all the potatoes. It takes a few minutes but it is SO worth the time.

Put them back in the oven for another 10 or 15 minutes until they’re sufficiently crispy and divine. Season with sea salt if needed.

Review

MMMMM these were so crispy and cheesy delicious. Although they came out a little saltier than I hoped, I loved every crunch of these potatoes. I love eating potatoes with ketchup and tabasco so I dipped each bite into that. I think these potatoes are a great complement to any dish whether it is steak, hamburger, roasted chicken, and the list goes on. I don't think I would change anything about this dish. They are amazing the way they are.

Almond Danish Swirls

I'm such a failure. This is the third post that I forgot to post at the time when I cooked it. It's funny that my updates to this blog are so sporadic. You can tell I really try to make an effort to update and you get a whole bunch of recipes and then it dies out for a whole year. Anyway, here are some simple danish swirls that were made for the breakfast club at work again.

Courtesy of Paula Dean

Ingredients

Swirls

• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds, chopped fine
• 2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon water

Glaze

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 4 teaspoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  

Directions

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, almond extract, and sugar until fluffy. Fold half of the chopped almonds into the cream cheese mixture. Separate 1 can of dough and assemble into 4 rectangles. Firmly press the perforations to seal. Press or roll each piece of dough to form a 7 by 4-inch rectangle, and spread each with about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese filling to within 1/4-inch of the edges. Starting at the short end, roll each rectangle tightly into a cylinder. Repeat with the other can of dough and remaining filling.

Place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 350  F while the rolls are chilling.

Remove from the refrigerator and cut each roll into 4 slices. Place 1/2-inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. In a small bowl, combine the egg white with 1 teaspoon water. Brush over the swirls. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped almonds. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until light brown.

While the swirls are baking, combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Cool the swirls for 3 minutes on wire racks placed over a sheet of waxed paper. Drizzle the icing over the warm swirls.

Review

So simple and sweet! And I just love almond flavored foods and drinks, like almond milk tea or almond ice cream. This was the cheapest dish I have made for my breakfast club. I've gone all out before with dishes like Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce and they have gotten pretty expensive to serve 20 people. But this was so easy to make and it fed the club pretty well. Sometimes great things don't have to be extravagant, right?

S'more Baked Oatmeal

Again, another post that I forgot put up when I first cooked the dish. But before I had made this, I was waiting for the perfect moment to make it. We have this breakfast club at work and I wanted to impress my coworkers with something different. So this is what I made.

Courtesy of une-deuxsenses.blogspot.com

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups regular rolled oats
• 1/2 cup steel cut oats
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar (or more to your taste)
• 2 cups milk
• 2/3 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• Mini Marshmallows
• 1 large bar Hershey's chocolate bar, broken into pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a baking dish, set aside. In a large bowl combine the oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar. In another bowl, combine the milk, applesauce and oil. Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix to combine. Place mixture into a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently stir the mixture, then fold in the fruit, if desired. Bake for another 20 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Spoon one serving, about 1/2 a cup, into a small bowl. Top with desired amount of mini marshmallows and chocolate pieces. Using a blow torch, toast the marshmallows until browned. If you don't have a torch, set your oven to broil and broil for 5 - 8 minutes or until marshmallows are nice and toasty.

Review

Wow, what a great way to spin oatmeal. I haven't eaten oatmeal since I was maybe 10 years old when my mom would make instant oatmeal for breakfast. I wasn't the biggest fan so that's why I don't eat it anymore. But this was a different story. S'more-inspired dishes seem to always turn out well. I saw a recipe for s'more french toast! What the hell, right? Sounds delicious! I loved this dish because of its creativity and it tasted really good. I ended up broiling the marshmallows a little longer than expected and that's why they are so brown-topped, but it turned out well regardless. 

Caribbean Chicken Wings

I actually made these for Fourth of July last week but I just realized I never posted it! I wanted to make wings and I wanted something more unique and I found a picture of these wings and I knew I had to make them.

Courtesy of Sunny Anderson

Ingredients

• 1 habanero, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons fennel seed
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons allspice
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 7 pounds chicken wings

Directions

In a food processor, blend together all the ingredients but the chicken until smooth. Reserve 1 cup of marinade. Place chicken wings into a large resealable plastic bag and pour remaining marinade over them. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator 4 to 6 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet trays with parchment. Remove chicken from bag and place on the baking sheets. Bake 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan bring reserved marinade to a boil. Reduce by 1/3 until it thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove chicken from oven. Brush chicken with the glaze. Raise the heat to 400 degrees F and cook chicken until cooked through, another 20 minutes.

Review

The flavors were delicious on the skin but the meat was not bursting with flavor like I had expected, but I think that was my fault because I didn't have the time to marinate them for 4-6 hours. Instead, I had less than 2 hours because I forgot to wake up early to prepare the marinade. But regardless, it was still a hit with the party and the wings went fast. I loved them because they were sweet, tangy, and spicy all in one and I wouldn't want to have it any other way with these wings. I appreciate different takes on traditional foods and this is definitely one of them.