Tag Archives: recipes

Easy Peach Cobbler Recipe

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Peach Cobbler - sweet and tart, warm and gooey dessert.

Peach Cobbler – sweet and tart, warm and gooey dessert.

Summer is officially over. But I had a huge bowl of ripe peaches left coupled with a mean sweet tooth. And, fruit is healthy after all, right? I am trying to cut back on sugar and carbs (cut back being the keyword here). So, I took a very easy traditional Peach Cobbler recipe, and just substituted some other ingredients I had on hand and used less of the ‘bad’ stuff. I used Rice Flour instead of regular flour to make it gluten free.

 

Peach Cobbler mixing everything in one bowl. Easy!

Peach Cobbler mixing everything in one bowl. Easy!

The best part about this recipe is that you really don’t need to measure anything. Just put in what looks good to you, and bake. It’s that easy. And, it’s always delicious, especially topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

 

  • 3-4 Cups Peach pieces (peeled and sliced, no pit. Use frozen if you’d like).
  • 1/2- 1 Cup Flour (I used Sweet Rice Flour to keep this gluten free. Substitute any flour you’d like).
  • Handful of Oatmeal
  • 1/2 – 1 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 1-2 teaspoons Lemon Zest (optional but gives it a great flavor).
  • Handful of Raisins (optional)
  • 1-2 teaspoons Cinnamon
  • Handful of Walnuts (optional of course).
  • 2 – 4 Tablespoons Butter (cut into cubes).

 

Cover the peaches. Bake. Done.

Mix all the ingredients together. Bake. Done!

Mix all of the ingredients in one bowl.

 

Put into a casserole dish and bake at 350-375 degrees F until browning and bubbly. 

 

Serve topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. 

 

Chinese Cold Spicy Sesame Noodles – a la Shorty Tang’s recipe

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Pasta like Spaghetti can be used instead of the Noodles in most recipes.

Pasta like Spaghetti can be used instead of Chinese Noodles or Soba in many recipes.

There’s a restaurant in Manhattan Beach that serves a great spicy sesame noodle recipe topped with peanuts that I was seriously craving the other night. When I worked at Cheesecake Factory, we had a similar dish called the Peking Salad although I don’t believe it is on the menu any longer. As I pondered how to recreate either of the sweet, salty, nutty, tangy noodle dishes, I wondered if there were an authentic, original version for Spicy Cold Sesame Noodles. 

 

After some research, I learned that there is actually a guy named Tang Win Fat, nick-named Shorty Tang who legend has it, is responsible for the first cold, sesame noodle

Shorty Tang gets credit for inventing the Cold Spicy Noodle Recipe

Shorty Tang was a well known New York restauranteur who invented the Chinese Cold Spicy Noodle Recipe.

recipe. His story is featured on his grandson’s WordPress Blog RiceWineVinegar and he was also featured in a story about his historical New York restaurant and in the recipes section in the New York Times. Shorty Tang was born in 1926 in Sichuan’s Nianchang, worked in restaurants starting at the age of 12, and left China for Taiwan in 1946 where he worked as a street vendor before opening his first restaurant there. Then, he moved to Queens, NY in 1967 and opened a restaurant in Manhattan’s Chinatown which was famous for among other dishes, his Cold Sesame Noodles. This recipe is supposed to replicate Shorty’s but I’ve also listed Madame Wong’s recipe below it which I just happened to have found (strange coincidence) when making a version of her Chinese Lemon Chicken recipe. We served these noodles with a simple Pork Loin Roast and it was a great pairing. 

 

 

 

The easy way to add Fresh Ginger to any recipe. Freeze it, then grate it in.

The easy way to add Fresh Ginger to any recipe. Freeze it, then grate it in.

  • 8 ounces Chinese Egg Noodles or Soba or Spaghetti, cooked and cooled. 
  • 4 Tablespoons Soy Sauce or Tamari 
  • 2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter
  • 1 Tablespoon Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Red Chili Paste (or Chili and Garlic Paste or even Sriracha Sauce)
  • 1 Tablespoon Grated Fresh Ginger 
  • 1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons Sesame Paste (I forgot this ingredient and it still tasted amazing!)
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Peanuts
  • 4 Chopped Green Onions
  • 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, diced (my addition)
  • 2 Cups Spinach Leaves (my addition)
  • Feel free to add any other vegetables you like (like broccoli, bean sprouts, celery, cucumber etc…)
  • Feel free to add egg, tofu, leftover chicken, ham or turkey. 

 

Make noodles per package instructions. Drain and rinse in cold water. 

I add Spinach, Peppers and Grated Carrots to the mix.

I add Spinach, Peppers and Grated Carrots to the mix.

When cool, mix all ingredients with the sauce. Done.

 

 

 

As an alternative, here is Madame Wong’s Easy Cold Spicy Noodles Sauce Recipe Ingredients (a quicker, easier version but both recipes are delicious):

 

  • 1 Tablespoon Red Chili Sauce (or Chili and Garlic or Sriracha Sauce)
  • 1/4 Cup Sesame Oil
  • 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce or Tamari
  • 1/4 Cup Rice or Regular Vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

 

Either of these recipes work well for a kids’ lunch, or to bring to a picnic or a party although I would use Cashew or Almond Butter and Cashews instead of Peanuts as you never know who might be allergic if you’re sharing this dish with a crowd. Summer is over, but it is still warm in California. Jackson Brown just played at the Santa Monica Pier last weekend. So, I will eat these noodles until it starts to rain and think of Shorty and his lovely family and how even a single recipe can touch so many for years down the road.

 

  

Meatball Recipe | Made with Spices and Ground Turkey

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Allspice, Cumin, Coriander, Paprika, Turmeric,Ginger.

Allspice, Cumin, Coriander, Paprika, Turmeric,Ginger.

In the Middle East and parts of Africa, they form ground meat mixed with herbs and a wonderful mixture of spices around a metal stick ( or” kabob ” ). While you can use any meat in this recipe such as the traditional lamb or a mixture of lamb, beef or pork, I use ground Turkey or Chicken (depending on what’s on sale) and instead of grilling on a stick, I make meatballs and bake them on top of either wax paper or a “Silpat” (a silicone mat that you put onto a baking sheet to keep the food from sticking). You could also fry in oil if you like. These make great appetizers for parties. Just roll them smaller and serve with toothpicks. And you can put any combination of spices inside (jerk seasoning, Chinese 5-Spice etc…) to change them up!

 

When I used to consult a while back and was working at Legoland, California, I shared with a chef there that the night before, I had made the worst Turkey Burgers – ever. They were dry and tasteless. She shared with me that the simple secret to moist Turkey Burgers or Meatballs was to add ground or chopped vegetables into the mix because they added both flavor and moisture to the ground poultry which otherwise, cooks up dry. Yet, you don’t have to follow this recipe precisely. You can adjust some of the spices, herbs and vegetables as you like. That’s what makes it easy. 

 

Chopped vegetables add moisture to Turkey Meatballs or Burgers.

Chopped vegetables add moisture to Turkey Meatballs or Burgers.

  • 1 to 1 1/2 lb. Ground Lamb or other (I use Turkey).
  • 1/2 Yellow Onion
  • 1 Carrot (if you’re using ground poultry, otherwise optional)
  • 1 Celery Stalk (if you’re using ground poultry, otherwise optional)
  • 1/2 Bell Pepper (if you’re using ground poultry, otherwise optional)
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 1/2 Inch Fresh Ginger (skin peeled or cut off. We prepeel and freeze and grate to make it easy. Can be omitted since also using ground ginger as a spice. But I love the flavor).
  • Handful of Fresh Cilantro Leaves
  • Handful of Fresh Mint Leaves
  • 1 teaspoon each (Ground Allspice (or Cinnamon), Coriander, Cumin, Paprika, Turmeric, Ginger). 
  • Squeeze of 1/2 a Lemon (optional).
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup Bread Crumbs or if eating gluten free, substitute gf oats or gf bread crumbs).

Blend all vegetables in a blender or food processor.

Lemon Juice is optional but adds a nice flavor.

Lemon Juice is optional but adds a nice flavor.

 

Place meat in a bowl and add the spices, egg and bread crumbs. Mix with your hands lightly. Do not overmix or it will make the meatballs tough.

 

 

 

Mix & Bake. Done.

Mix & Bake. Done.

Roll into balls and place on a baking sheet covered with wax paper or a silicone “silpat” sheet (prevents the meatballs from sticking). Or, you can fry in a pan if you like as well. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes.

 

My little rescue puppy, Bella photobombing.

My little rescue Maltese / ShihTzu hyrid puppy, Bella photobombing again.

Usually I drizzle Tamari and Sesame Oil on top but this night, I served  with an Indian Raita sauce and a simple salad. Delish!