Soba Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables

My husband is what you might call a "noodle addict," so I'm always looking for new ways to get our noodle on aside from your standard semolina pasta. Don't get me wrong, I love a box of De Cecco as much as the next person, but I can't go making a Lidia Bastianich recipe every night if I want to maintain my girlish figure. So, when I spotted this recipe when looking through an old issue of Cooking Light this week, I knew I had to try it. After all, I love sampling new ingredients and soba noodles were something I'd never tried.

Since soba noodles are made from buckwheat and I'm not always such a huge fan of wheat pastas, I was a little leery, but my skepticism was replaced with satisfaction when I slurped up my first noodle during the cooking process. They're a little earthy, like other wheat pastas, but I find the texture a lot more pleasing.

One more thing, don't be deterred by the negative reviews on the Cooking Light website. As long as you make sure to use quality ingredients from good Asian brands, I'm pretty sure you'll be happy with the results. Just do what I did and add a little more chicken and veggies to the mix to make the dinner a bit more substantial.

Quick and Easy Thai Salmon Cakes

As I've probably mentioned before, one of my favorite go-to cookbooks is Quick and Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott. I've made nearly every recipe in the book and all of them are fantastic. Using her recipe as inspiration, I've come up with my own version of Thai-style Salmon cakes and I think they're pretty darn delicious. Best of all, they're ready in about fifteen minutes. Pop some rice in the rice cooker earlier in the day, serve with a little salad or cucumbers marinated in rice wine vinegar, and you've got a great stand in for take-out.

Ingredients:

• 1 14-oz can of salmon, flaked, with skin and bones removed
• 1/2 cup panko (japanese bread crumbs)
• 3 tbsp minced, dehydrated onion (you could use fresh, but I've found it makes the cakes soggy)
• 1/4 cup mixed fresh herbs, chopped (I use dill, parsley, and sometimes basil. If you like cilantro, that would work as well and dried dill is fine in a pinch)
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt (or less, depending on how salty your salmon is)
• ground pepper to taste
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil.

Directions:

Using your hands, mix together salmon, panko, herbs and onion in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together egg, curry paste, fish sauce, salt, and pepper. Add to salmon mixture and combine, using your fingers. Form into approximately 6 cakes and set aside.

Over medium-high, heat oil in a cast iron skillet until little waves appear on the top. Add in the cakes, being careful not to overcrowd (you may need to do this in 2 batches) and fry for about 3 minutes on each side.

Serve with steamed rice, veggies, and sri racha sauce, if desired.

Top Ten Movies for Foodies

This weekend, my hubby and I went on a little movie date to see Julie and Julia, starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams and we both loved it! It's a great story that both guys and gals will enjoy, but one word of caution: don't see it on an empty stomach. Seeing this movie reminded me of all of the other foodie movies I love, so I thought I would compile a Top 10 of my favorites:

10. Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory: I'm not gonna lie, parts of this movie actually make me afraid of food (Veruca Salt, anyone?), but that golden ticket chocolate bar makes me so happy!

9. The Devil Wears Prada: Yes, I am aware that part of the premise of this movie is that no one eats, BUT, there is a scene where Andy's boyfriend makes a grilled cheese, and it always induces a serious craving.

8. Ratatouille: Well, this one is just cute.

7. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle: Okay, I know, White Castle isn't exactly gourmet, but who doesn't get the munchies watching this one?

6. Chocolat: Johnny Depp and chocolate... wait, what was the movie about again? Something with Juliette Binoche, but does it matter?

5. Spanglish: Adam Sandler plays a renowned California chef in a struggling marriage. If the food in the film has your mouth watering, that's because it was prepared by none other than Thomas Keller.

4. Eat, Drink, Man, Woman: A poignant story, great looking food, and some very cool Chinese cleaver skills.

3. Like Water for Chocolate: So romantic! Bring on the tissues... and some mole por favor.

2. Mostly Martha (the German original): A neurotic, German, perfectionist falls for a free-spirited Italian pasta chef. What's not to love?

1. Julie and Julia: Well, I won't spoil it for you. Go see it yourself!

Tomato Soup and a Sandwich to Make a Grown Man Cry

Every so often, I stumble across a recipe that's so good that upon taking his first bite, my husband looks at me with such profound love and devotion that I am utterly sure of the old adage that the way to the heart is through the stomach. Last night, I discovered one of those recipes. And believe it or not, it was a sandwich.

My poor photography skills simply do not do this bad boy justice. Small but packed full of flavor, the combination of soft, almost creamy broccoli rabe, garlic, provolone, and anchovies (the secret ingredient) ooze out between two crispy-chewy pieces of olive oil coated Italian bread. I think I could probably eat 100 of them. Even if, like me, you don't have a panini press, you can make this recipe easily. Just heat up a grill pan over medium heat, lightly brush with oil, and set the sandwiches on top. Then on top of the sandwiches, put a layer of aluminum foil and stack a heavy cast iron skillet on top of that. After four minutes, flip the sandwich and repeat.

Alongside, I served Ina Garten's fresh tomato cream soup, which even spiffed up with a little red pepper flakes and white wine was just ok. Perhaps it tastes better left over-- I'll find out soon enough.

Staycation Recap: Shrimp and Grits

A few weeks ago, my hubby and I embarked on our very own staycation. As obnoxious as I find the term to be, the actual at-home vacay turned out to be exactly what we needed. No, we didn't do the types of things you see on the Today Show ("Take pictures in front of a beach backdrop!" "Go snorkeling in your bathtub!"). We made it our own and decided to do our imaginary travelling with our palates. So, I devised a menu of indulgent, never-before-tried recipes and a few pounds heavier, I am here to tell you the delicious results.

Up first? Shrimp and Grits a la Bobby Flay.



I know that saying you "love bacon" is de rigueur nowadays, so I will spare you on my love of the uncured, applewood smoked variety. But, let me just say this: anything cooked in bacon fat will taste good. Anything. So, when you take briny shrimp, and stir it up in those tasty drippings, it's good. Ridiculously good.

As for the grits, I confess, I've always been a fan of the instant Quaker packets, which make a cold winter morning a lot more bearable. But, when you make them the old fashioned way and add cheese and butter to the mix, well, it's heaven.

By the way, this recipe makes a LOT of food and it's VERY rich. This is coming from someone whose appetite has been compared to that of a lumberjack on more than one occasion. So, pace yourself with the portions. I learned my lesson!

I'm Back with My Favorite Quick and Easy Weeknight Recipes

After a short sabbatical, I'm back! And I've got some recipes for you. Expect some interesting posts this month on The Dinner Diaries-- I've really been digging into my cookbook collection the past few months, so I have a lot to share.

But, in the meantime, here's a list of some of my favorite quick and easy weeknight recipes:

Tilapia Piccata from Cooking Light Magazine

Pasta Aglio Olio from yours truly

Broiled Salmon with Herb Mustard Glaze from Giada de Laurentiis

Chipotle Pork Cheeseburgers with Avocado and Tomatillos from Gourmet Magazine

Indonesian Ginger Chicken from The Barefoot Contessa

Turkey Chili from The Dinner Diaries with Corn Quesadillas from Gourmet Magazine

Japanese Style One Pot Supper from Sunset Magazine

Pasta with Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Rabe from the Dinner Diaries

Japanese Curry with Shrimp (or Chicken) from The Dinner Diaries

Korean Beef and Lettuce Wraps from Cooking Light Magazine

Stains the World Famous Cupcake Dog

Ever since my hubby and I got our beloved Border Collie Golden Retriever Mix, Pepper, we've become big fans of the show on Animal Planet called "It's Me or the Dog." The trainer, Victoria Stillwell, has a wonderful reward-based approach that I prefer over "The Dog Whisperer", Cesar Milan's techniques and it works well with our food-obsessed dog.

Which brings me to a similar pup, Stains, the Cupcake Dog. I saw this episode of "It's Me or the Dog" about a month ago and can't get enough of the face he makes when confronted with a plate of luscious cupcakes. Reminds me of someone else I know, who might not exercise as much self-restraint. Click here to watch the episode on Animal Planet.

Oh, and speaking of cupcakes, here are two of my favorite recipes:

Barefoot Contessa's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Vanilla Butter Roux Frosting