Stir Fried Bitter Melon

I remember hating bitter melon when I was a kid. It was so ridiculously bitter, I could not imagine anyone enjoying this dish. But slowly as I got older, I slowly learned to love the unique bitter flavor. It is definately an acquired taste.
Bitter melon is a tropical and sub tropical fruit commonly consumed in South/South East Asia, China, Africa, and Carribbean.

Stir Fried Bitter Melon

Ingredients
- 2 bitter melons
- 1 tbsp Chinese fermented black beans, (a little smashed)
- salt to taste
- 1/4 cup of water

Instructions
1. Cut the bitter melon lengthwise, and gently remove the seeds


















2. Slice the bitter melon into thin slices














3. In a wok or skillet, heat up the bitter melon in a little oil.

4. Add the black beans and salt, and toss evenly. Add the water














5. Cover the bitter melons and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the melons are tender and thoroughly cooked. Add more water is needed.

6. Eat as a side, with steamed rice.

Hearty Beef Chili

Warm hearty chili, perfect for dinner on a cold day.
I prefer to make my chili using fresh chunks of beef, rather than the traditional ground beef. However, feel free to substitue this recipe with any type/cut of beef you prefer.


Hearty Beef Chili

Ingredients:
- 1.5 pounds of beef. Cut into tiny cubes
- 1 tsp of cumin
- 1 tsp of black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp of red pepper flakes
- 1.5 cups of water (use 1 cup if you prefer a thicker chili)
- 15 oz of Cannellini beans, drained
- 24 oz of canned diced tomates
- 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
- 3 oz of tomato paste
- 1 cup of diced onions
- Salt to taste

Instructions:



















1. Brown the beef and onions















2. Add water, tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, cannellini beans, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce

3. Stir, cover, and simmer for about 25 minues.














4. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Enjoy! Also tastes great with toasted bread. :)

Pine Nut Green Beans

String beans are good... but I always felt like they were so lonely!
When trying to figure out how to make string beans more exciting... PINE NUTS popped in my head.
These delicious toasty little nuts are the perfect sidekick to string beans.

Pine Nut Green Beans

Ingredients:
- 1 pound of string beans
- 1/3 cup of pine nuts
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Blanch your string beans, by throwing them in a pot of boiling water for 3 minutes, or until almost tender. Drain.
2. In a dry skillet, toast your pine nuts over medium heat. Be careful, because these can quickly burn!















3. In a separate pan, add olive oil, and minced garlic.

4. Add pine nuts and string beans.















5. Toss with salt and pepper.

6. Serve

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This dish is so fancy, it's guaranteed to impress any dinner date!
Even non-goat-cheese-lovers admit to loving this dish!

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:
- 5 chicken breats, de-boned, and de-skinned.
- 4 oz of goat cheese.
- 1 cup of bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- Salt and black pepper

Instructions:
1. Remove all bones and skin/fat from your chicken breasts.















2. Using a thin knife, carefully cut a pocket into the entire chicken breast. Try to do this, while only creating a small hole on the entrance of the chicken breast (where you stick your knife in).

3. Mix your goat cheese with about 2 tsp of black pepper.

4. Divide the goat cheese mixture into 5 equal parts (since you have 5 chicken breasts).















5. Stuff the chicken breasts with the goat cheese, being careful not to tear the meat.















6. Sprinkle the top and bottom of the chicken breasts lightly with salt and pepper.















7. Beat your egg in a shallow bowl.

8. Dip the chicken breast in the egg, then coat in the bread crumbs.



















9. Place the breaded chicken breast in the pan.















10. Turn when the bread crumbs turn golden.














11. Place the entire chicken breasts into an oven, at 365F for about 20 minutes, or until chicken breast is fully cooked.

12. Enjoy your meal! The melted goat cheese will ooze out of the moist chicken breasts.

Toasted Butternut Squash Seeds

I just realized that I posted about Butternut Squash mash, but not recipe for toasted butternut squash seeds!!

These sweet crunchy treats make a wonderful snack after dinner.


Toasted Butternut Squash Seeds

Ingredients:
- Seeds of 1 butternut squash
- 2 tsp olive oil
- sprinkle of cinnamon
- 2 tsp of brown sugar

Instructions:
1. Rinse and pat dry the butternut squash seeds














2. Mix the seeds together with the oil, cinnamon, and sugar.

3. Toast at 350F for 8-10 minutes, or until toasted.














4. Yum

Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon

Bacon is delicious! And so is brown sugar!
Put them together, and you get deliciousness^2!

Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon

Ingredients
- 1 lb. bacon
- 1 cup of brown sugar

Directions
1. Lay each strip of bacon on a paper towel, blotting each slice dry.

2. Pour the brown sugar into a wide plate, making an even layer of brown sugar on the plate.















3. Coat both sides of the bacon in the brown sugar. Make sure you press the sugar into the bacon.

4. Preheat your oven to 435.

5. Place the bacon onto a sheet pan.

6. Place the bacon in the oven, until brown and glazed (15 minutes or so). You can also use the broiler, which takes less time.

7. Transfer to onto paper towels to soak up any excess grease.

Simple Butternut Squash Mash

Butternut squash so sweet and so delicious, I have no idea why I never make it more often!

Butternut squash is so commonly overlooked as a dish to make during the holidays.
But here is a little secret: it is quick and easy to make.

Make this dish as a side for a holiday meal, and you are sure to WOW the crowd.

Simple Butternut Squash Mash

Ingredients:
- 1 butternut squash - roughly4 pounds
- 3 tbsp of brown sugar
- Water

Instructions
1. Cut the butternut squash in half, and remove the seeds. Save the seeds for toasting later :)














2. Cook the butternut squash.
You can do this by steaming this for 30 minutes, or covering the butternut squash halfway with water, and cooking in the microwave for 15 minutes.














3. When the squash is done cooking, let cool, and peel off the skin.

4. Mash the squash in a bowl, and mix in brown sugar. You can also use maple syrup in place of brown sugar.

5. Enjoy!

Seafood Vegetable Medley

I hope everyone is having a lovely holiday season, filled with lots of warmth, love, and FOOD!!

Here is a dish that is much lighter than typical holiday fare: seafood and vegetable medley!
A lot more figure friendly, and it won't put you to sleep!

Seafood Vegetable Medley

Ingredients
- 1 pound of shrimp
- 0.5 pounds of imitation crab meat (or any other seafood ingredient of your choice)
- 3 ounces of fish, cubed
- 1 cup of chopped veggies. I picked asparagus and edamame
- 1 tsp of oil
- salt for taste. About 1 tsp, more or less depending on preference.
- 1 tsp of tapioca starch
- 0.5 cup of water

Instructions
1. Heat the oil in the skillet.
2. Add all the ingredients, except for the shrimp, since shrimp cooks faster than the rest.















3. Stir for about 3 minutes.

4. Add in the shrimp.














5. Stir and add the salt.

6. Dissolve the tapioca starch in the 0.5 cup of water and add to the skillet. This creates a thickened gooey gravy.

7. Heat on medium high until boiling.















8. Serve