Goi Cuo

These were really fun to make and turned out really pretty... like food art! 

Ingredients:

• 1 package clear edible rice paper sheet
• 1/2 lb cooked beef, filleted small
• 1/2 lb cooked tiger shrimp
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 bunch fresh mint leaves
• 1 large carrot, 'matchsticked'
• 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into very thin strips
• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
• 1 package vermicelli rice noodles, prepared and cooled
• 1 small can sliced water chestnuts, drained 

Directions:

Have all meats precooked and cold and the rice noodles prepared already (the noodles should be white, long and at room temp). Make sure all veggies and herbs are cleaned, dried, and set out before you start. Dip a sheet of rice paper wrapper into warm water very quickly, no longer than a second or two (or they will get too soggy) and lay flat on a work surface.

On one edge, lay a small handful of noodles, a few strips of meat, some shrimp, some cilantro and mint leaves, and a little of all of the veggies. Try to keep the 'sharper edged' veggies on the inside (middle) of the stack. Carefully start to roll up eggroll style, tucking in the sides, then continue to roll up-but not too tightly or the spring roll will split.

These rolls will be thicker than the typical Chinese-style fried eggrolls. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce. We had all types, the traditional spicy fish sauce, sweet and spicy, soy peanut, and ginger siracha. 

Reactions:

• Daddy - 'mmm, these are really... good... but I don't think I like Vietnamese food'. 
• Mommy - 'these are awesome, so light. I love them. We can definitely make these again'.
• Bri - 'uh, yeah, these are awesome, can I have another?!'
• Charis - 'mmhmsa sommgh!' (translation: my mouth is full but I love them!)
• Kairi - 'tooo... (gasp)... many... (eek) veggies!!!'. 
• Jocelyn - 'the rolls make me want to gag'
• Xander - 'um, I don't like the blanket, but I like everything else.'.

Ropa Vieja Pot Pies

This was so much fun. My sisters and brother all  helped out and we made this awesome (spicy) meal for the rents. :)

Ingredients:
4 thick-sliced bacon slices, diced
2 cups white onion, diced
1 cup red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 cup green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large poblano pepper, seeded and diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb flank steak, trimmed and seasoned with sal y pimiento

1 bottle beer (12 oz)
2 cups beef broth
1 Tbsp spicy mexican chili powder
1 Tbsp oregano
2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup masa harina
1 15-oz can of diced tomato
1 can black beans (we like Goya), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup green olives, cut in half
1/2 lime (for juice)

Directions:
saute your bacon in a large saucepan or dutch oven until crisp. Set aside to drain on paper towels. In the same pan, saute the onion, bell peppers, chiles, and garlic in the bacon drippings until beginning to brown; around 8 minutes.Transfer those to a bowl and set aside.

Cut the flank steak into thirds and sear until browned, about 4-5 minutes on each side. Stir in the beer, broth, and seasonings. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.

While that is cooking, you can prepare your biscuits (below).

Ingredients for Biscuits:
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup masa harina
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1/4 cup scallions, sliced
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup sour cream

Directions for Biscuits:
preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Whisk flour, masa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl until combined. Cut in the butter until it forms pea-sized balls. Then stir in the cheese and scallions. Set aside.

Going Back to the Meat... 

remove the steak from the pan and shred with 2 forks. In the broth, whisk the masa, bring to a boil. Simmer to thicken. Remove from heat and add back in the meat, the bacon, the veggies, the lime, the olives, the black beans, and the tomatoes.

Divide either between 6 individual pot pie ceramics, 2 9x9s, or 1 9x13.

Going Back the Biscuits...

Blend in the milk and sour cream to the dough until just combined. Scoop with an ice cream scoop in patterns on top of the stew in your baking dish(s) of choice. The idea is to keep it looking rustic. Bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick into the biscuits comes out clean. Serve with a tossed salad. :)

Again, we didn't get pictures, but that is because mommy is having a hard time figuring out how to get the camera and computer to like each other. She is probably going to start using her phone, at least her phone and the computer like each other! :)

Reactions:
This was too spicy for Charis and Jocelyn, but the rest of us LOOOVED it.
Xander ate two helpings, but he didn't like the biscuits... they turn out like dumplings and he is a texture kid.
Mommy and Daddy both ate two helpings, of everything!
Me and Kairi thought the spice was perfect and it was soo good!

Salmon Parcels

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 4 slices fresh ginger (cut into thin strips)
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 4 Tbsp orange juice
• 4 thick salmon fillets
• 1 carrot (peeled and cut into thin strips)
• 1 red pepper (de-seeded and cut into thin strips)
• 3 green onions (cut into thin strips)
• salt and pepper
• noodles (we used udon)

I cut my vegetables earlier in the day so they were ready for the meal and we used yellow pepper instead of red pepper. I also toasted my sesame seeds early and put them in a baggy.

Preheat the oven to 400. In a dry frying pan, toast the sesame seeds until golden. Remove pan, turn off the stove, and set aside.

Cut baking parchment into 4 pieces, at least twice as big as the salmon fillets (we used paper lunch sacks that we sprayed with a little olive oil). place a fillet in each bag or on each parchment piece. Top with a mixture of the vegetables.

In a small cup, mix the soy sauce and orange juice. Drizzle the mix over each fillet. Season with salt and pepper. Carefully fold the top and bottom of each parcel (or top of each bag) and gather up the sides. Leave room for the bag to steam the meat. Put all of the bags in a small backing dish, side by side. Put in the oven for 15 minutes.

While that is cooking, add the noodles to a pot of boiling water and cook until done. Drain. Remove fish from the oven when the timer goes off. Let them cool in the bag for about 2 minutes before opening.

We served our fish on the noodles, sprinkled with sesame seeds. We also served it with cranberry walnut salad.

It seemed to be a lot of vegetables for the fish. I would do 1/2 of the peppers next time.


KID RATING: ***

• Chef Bri - "I love it ,but the ginger was a little spicy."
• Kairi - "I liked everything about it" (and her plate was cleaned off)
• Charis - "I like the noodles and ginger and salad. I don't like the yellow pepper thingies."
• Jocelyn - "no fishy, no fishy. I love everything else though!"
• Xander - "Uh uh". (he didn't eat anything but his noodles and fish).
• Daddy - loved it all! He didn't like the skin on the bottom of the salmon though.