Monday Morning: It’s a Wang Thang
I love me some chicken wings, especially the asian-inspired kind. I’ve tried various recipes and these are my top four.
They’re super easy and will make for a quick, albeit messy, weeknight meal. Or better yet, buy some beer, make ‘em all and invite some friends.
3. Sriracha Sweet & Spicy Wings
Enjoy!
Monday Morning: Watermelon
Oh, delicious and sweet watermelon. Even though I don’t know how to pick a good one out of a bunch, that won’t deter me from loving you and wanting to devour you.
In the height of the heat, there’s nothing I ever want more while in the sun than a nice, cold watermelon. Or the product of a watermelon.
2. Watermelon Jalapeno Margarita
3. Watermelon Mojito Popsicles
4. Watermelon and Strawberry Granita with Thyme-Infused Whipped Cream
The First Four
It’s been a week since we’ve moved in to our first house in the University Hills neighborhood (or is this Windsor Park?) after a long 3-day drive from Brooklyn, NY. The most exciting thing about living here is having a new pool of restaurants and bars to try out.
Understandably, it’s going to be tough not to compare my food experiences in New York to those that I will be experiencing here in Austin. Hey Austin, you have some big shoes to fill.
These are the first 4 restaurants I’ve visited so far, which are responsible for the extra 2 lbs. I’ve managed to pack on. A half pound per restaurants, not too shabby.
1. Franks 407 Colorado Street
I like Frank’s. I like the vibe, the drink menu and their kick ass branding. The hot dogs, however, are subpar compared to the gourmet dogs I’m used to eating: Crif Dogs and Asia Dog.
We chose a few dogs off of the menu that we thought sounded delicious. The Sonoran dog was our first choice: wrapped in bacon, deep fried, stuffed with cheese, topped with pinto beans, grilled and fresh onions, diced tomatoes, mayonnaise, mustard and jalapeno sauce. When it was brought out, we were impressed by the beastly size of it. The first bite? Not necessarily the greatest. It was a bit bland, but I blame that solely on the amount of pinto beans. If it weren’t for the beans, I think this would have been better than it was.
Next up: Taco Dog. It is what it sounds like it is. A hot dog topped with ground beef, lettuce and tomatos. This, too, was also a little bland and probably could have used a little hot sauce.
Last but not least: Mini Dog Trio. This was the best thing I had all day, but it probably could have also used a flavor punch.
All in all, the flavors just weren’t there for me. They sounded and looked appealing, but my taste buds wouldn’t agree. But, with that said, I’ll probably be coming back. Something has got to scratch my Crif Dog cravings.
2. El Chile Cantina 41809 Manor Road
This place is DELICIOUS. I’ve been dying for Mexican food and, unlike Rosa Mexicana or Dos Caminos, it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg in Texas. I absolutely love their free chips and salsa, so much that I think our table went through 3 bowls of chips.
I got the Enchiladas Verde, which were excellent, and even better when it was paired with their prickly pear frozen margaritas. Delish!
This is one of the places where I will continue coming back to until I’ve tried everything on the menu.
3. Chuy’s Tex-Mex Mulitple Locations
It is what it is: a chain restaurant. Like the Chili’s of American food. It felt like a chain restaurant but we came here for the margaritas. I also heard through the grapevine that they have an unlimited nacho bar during happy hour, which would probably be the only reason why I would ever choose to come back here over any other Tex-Mex restaurant in Austin.
4. Pho Van 8557 Research Blvd # 120
We ate here with my parents, who drove in from Dallas to help us unload the truck. My perception of pho restaurants is that they’re all the same, but if it’s bad then you’ll know it’s bad.
With that said, my parents seemed to be content with the food they were served. That speaks volumes, as my mom is ridiculously picky about what she eats. If there’s any distate for it, she’ll push it around her plate, criticize it and eat a few bites to coat her stomach before she drives home to cook her own dinner.
I’m not sure if I’ll be coming back here, but I also haven’t weighed the options here in Austin. This may be one of the only pho restaurants in Austin for all I know.
We’re movin’ it to Austin!
Apologies for the hiatus.
After much thought and Googling, I am very excited to announce that this blog will soon be turning into a food blog based on my foodie adventures in Austin. Austin, the food truck capital of the world.
I’m VERY excited about the turn of events and I can’t wait to get started.
July 1st is the day, folks. July 1st.
Visiting home
I’m always ecstatic when I get to visit home because I know I’ll come back to New York ten pounds heavier from all of the delicious home cooked meals my mom made. At the rate of eating 5 times a day, who wouldn’t gain ten pounds?
There’s a routine to my visits home. My mom calls me a couple of days in advance to ask me if there’s anything particular that I’ve missed or that I’ve been craving. There always is. When I arrive to the house, there’s always 2 choices and normally, I eat both instead of choosing. Mama didn’t raise no dummy.
Without fail, there is always my favorite dish waiting for me practically every day of my visit: bánh ướt. Bánh ướt translates into “wet cakes”, but the translation isn’t representative of the actual dish. It’s actually sheets of thinly cut rice noodles, topped with chả lụa, a Vietnamese pork sausage, and garnished with fried shallots, chopped fresh mint and then splashed with nước chấm, which is a prepared fish sauce using garlic, lime, peppers and sugar (the same sauce you see with eggrolls, spring rolls, vermicelli dishes, etc.).
My mom’s homemade bánh ướt
Catfish salad
Cozy Crock-pot Chili
Apologies for the iPhone photo.
Nothing beats a good pot of crock-pot chili on a cold Sunday night. I served this with a nice and warm jalapeno cornbread mini loaf (Jiffy-style).
Serves:
about 4
Ingredients:
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck beef, ground for chili
S+P
Half an onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and very finely chopped
1/8 cup chile powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (28 oz) cans whole tomatoes, chopped (with juices)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Dash of hot sauce (I used El Yucateco Chile Habanero)
1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 (12 oz) bottle amber beer (I used Dos Esquis Amber Lager)
1 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Garnishes:
Shredded cheddar cheese
Tomatoes, diced
Sour cream
Cilantro, chopped
Directions:
In a skillet, heat half of olive oil (reserving other half for onion saute). Add beef and cook until no longer pink. Season with S+P; if there is excess fat, drain in colander.
Add remaining olive oil to skillet with onions, garlic, and jalapeno. Cook until onion appears translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
In your Crock-pot, combine the beef, onion mixture, chile powder, oregano, cumin, cayenne pepper, tomato paste and dash of hot sauce; stir to combine. Add the tomatoes, cilantro (reserving some for garnish), and beer. Cover and cook on high, stirring occasionally, for 4 hours minimum.
Add kidney beans and season with more S+P to taste. Continue to cook, uncovered, until thickened (about 30 mins).
Top with desired garnishes.
Note: If you like it spicy, add more hot sauce to adjust heat
Salsa Roundup: The Brooklyn Salsa Co.
Where: Whole Foods Market, Union Square
Price: $5.00
Spice Level: Hot
Rating: 
I love anything that comes from Brooklyn and I love it more when I see that they also love using locally grown ingredients. With that said, I couldn’t wait to pop open the top on this one and dive right in. I even read the label on the subway back home.
“The locally sourced, organic produce in Brooklyn Salsa has less than 40 food miles between farm and creation.”
The salsa has a delicious spicy kick to it and you can definitely tell it was made with grade A ingredients. Albeit, the spice level (understandably listed as hot) overpowered all of the other flavors–tomatos, mango, red bell pepper, onion, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, sea salt–including the salt on my chip.
However, the consistency is what really threw me off. When I rattled the jar, it felt like I was looking at the stir-fry sauce I had accidentally ruined last year when I put too much corn starch in it. The color was a bit dull and fell more towards a brown than an appetizing fresh-tomato red.
Overall, I really enjoyed the spiciness level and their promise of fresh ingredients, even if I only tasted the chili peppers. I personally did not care for the gelatinous texture and with that reason alone, I might opt out of trying their other styles.
Chips and Salsa
I live for chips and salsa. I could probably die eating chips and salsa. Over the years, I’ve tried so many different brands, I wouldn’t be able to recount which brands I’ve had and which of those I liked or disliked. Because of this, I decided to start documenting the ones I have tried recently and those I’ll be trying in the future.
Salsa is really all personal preference: chunky, vinegary, salty, peppery, mango-y, organic, spicy, chipotle-y. You could probably come up with any combination of these and find a brand that makes it. Afterall, there’s usually an entire aisle dedicated to chips and salsa which is, dare I say, the best aisle in the whole market.
Photo from Google Images
The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook
Asian Glazed Drumsticks
I’ve recently stumbled across a wonderful recipe blog earlier this month and now I can’t fathom living without it. I haven’t had a chance to cook too many things from SkinnyTaste.com’s recipe log but after putting these Asian Glazed Drumsticks to the test, I’m determined to try every single recipe on there!
Not only are they healthy but they’re downright delicious and the glaze comes out beautifully.
Asian Glazed Drumsticks
Gina’s Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 2 drumsticks • Points: 5 ww pts
Calories: 213 • Fat: 4.7 g • Protein: 27.5 g • Carb: 12.7 g • Fiber: 0.4 g
8 medium chicken drumsticks, skin removed
Pam spray oil
1 cup water
1 tbsp Sriracha hot sauce (more or less to taste)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tsp agave nectar (or sugar)
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp ginger, grated
2 tbsp chives or scallions, chopped
1 tsp sesame seeds
In a heavy large saucepan, brown chicken on high for 3-4 minutes with a little spray oil. Add water, balsamic, soy sauce, agave, garlic, ginger, hot sauce and cook on high until liquid comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Remove cover and bring heat to high, allowing sauce to reduce down, about 8-10 minutes, until it becomes a thick glaze, turning chicken occasionally. (Keep an eye on glaze, you don’t want it to burn when it start becoming thick) Transfer chicken to a platter and pour glaze on top. Top with chives and sesame seeds and serve.
Photo & Recipe via SkinnyTaste.com
Chicken Tortilla Soup
I’ve always been picky about chicken tortilla soup, especially in New York where finding decent Mexican food is no easy task. The best place I’ve had it has been La Esquina and even then, it was only amazing once despite the multiple times I’ve ordered it.
I woke up one day with the idea that I would try to cook it myself. What perfect situation I was in–my sister-in-law from Austin was in town!
Her response had me jumping for joy inside.
“That was the best tortilla soup I’ve ever had.”
Amazing.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
6 stale corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped, for garnish
Directions
In a Dutch oven or large heavy pot, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, peppers, salt, cumin, and coriander for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro (reserving some for garnish) and lime juice, and stir well. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
Heat the oil in a heavy pot or electric fryer to 350 degrees F. Add the tortilla strips in batches and fry until golden and crisp, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with the Essence.
Ladle the soup into 4 or 6 serving bowls. Garnish each serving with the diced avocado, the fried tortilla strips, and a small sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
Optional
I sprinkled the fried tortillas with a nice spice mix to add a little bite to it. Recipe as follows:
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Amazing. It’s like Frito Scoops, but way cooler.
Lean Cuisine? Oh, Yes!
For the past week, I’ve been eating Lean Cuisine for lunch. I have my excuses, though. The biggest reason would be because my husband has been out of town so I have no desire to cook just for one.
I’ve underestimated the variety of frozen deliciousness, and being the designer I am, the attractive packaging and color palettes. I can’t forget to mention the nice light sans-serif font that just calls out to me through the frosty freezer door.
The scale hasn’t been very courteous as of late. I’m hoping that by eating Lean Cuisine, the scale and I will become better friends.
My Mother: The Super Chef
I grew up around food, a lot of it. It wasn’t anything eclectic such as Indian, Italian, Peruvian, Mongolian, French, Cuban, or Jamaican. It was good ol’ fashion home-cooked Vietnamese food.
My mom is an amazing cook and often times she gets asked why she doesn’t open up a restaurant for herself. Her answer is quite simple and very much understandable. She loves cooking too much for it to become something stressful. She would never believe in a sous chef.
When I was young, and even up until this day when I visit her, I would wake up to the sound of her in the kitchen. Immediately after, I would notice the smell of something delicious being carried throughout the entire house. Enough to make me salivate, no matter what time of the morning it may be. She would cook multiple things everyday and there would never be the same thing cooked twice in one week.
Her natural talents - not using measuring cups, improvising ingredients, knowing just the right amount to cook, having a million recipes in your head without having to write them down, the ability to taste something and then replicate it so that it tastes even better – would be something I would give up a lot for.
And now, after many years of watching her with a close eye, I find myself trying to follow in her footsteps. I can only wish that one day I’ll be as good as her. As for now, I’m only an ordinary chef.
