Now, this is more of a how to recipe rather than a precise one. I’ve not put any measurements in my recipe cos it’s really all about your taste. Feel free to use whatever sauce, seasonings and toppings you like. You can also keep it completley vegetarian or top it with chicken, bacon, pepperoni or your favorite pizza toppings.

Here’s how you can make some portobello mushroom pizzas on the grill for a barbecue…

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Pizza

Ingredients:
* Portobello mushrooms
* Olive oil
* Salt & Pepper
* Garlic powder
* Pizza Sauce
* Mozzarella cheese
* Italian herb seasoning
* Red pepper flakes
* Toppings of choice (I used red pepper and chicken sausage)

Method:
- Start by cleaning the mushrooms. To to do this, first gently pull out the stem by twisting and pulling on it. Then, scrape out the gills (optional, it’s not necessary) with spoon. Then wash the mushrooms clean (you can use a damp cloth, but I just prefer washing them) and pat them dry with some paper towels.
- In the meantime get your grill going.
- Generously drizzle some olive oil over both sides of the mushrooms and rub it around with your fingers.
- Season the mushroom well on both sides with salt, garlic powder and black pepper.
- Once your grill is heated and your ready to go, cook the mushrooms bowl side (cavity side) down for 7-8 minutes.
- Then take the mushrooms off the grill and prepare the pizza part of this recipe.
- Smother some pizza sauce into the mushroom cavity. Top with some fresh chopped basil and fill it up with some grated mozzarella cheese.
- Next, sprinkle over some itlaian herb seasoning and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Then add whatever toppings you want on your pizza like sundried tomatoes, pepperoni, red pepper, onion, bacon…whatever you like really. I had some chicken sausage on hand so I used that with some red pepper.
- Then place the mushrooms back on the grill (fillinf side up obviously) and cook the mushroom for anothe 8-10 minutes (with the lid closed) until the cheese is bubbly and melted.
- Serve the pizzas hot with some fresh basil as garnish…mmmm!

I love me some grilled chicken and this recipe is a perfect example of how you can get creative while grilling/barecuing instead of making the plain ol’ burgers and hot dogs (not that they aren’t good).

Chicken drumsticks are the perfect BBQ food to serve at a gathering. Simply marinate them the night before, and cook them on the grill. They’re a no-fuss finger food that will have your family/guests licking their fingers. The possibilities for marinades and flavors for chicken on the grill are endless.

This beer marinated chicken with spices and lime in the marinade keeps the chicken drumsticks so juicy and tender all through the grilling that it’s hard to mess them up. They are not very spicy and have a barely there hint of beer flavor that makes it down to the bone. They are absolutely delicious!  Here’s the super easy recipe-

Grilled Beer Marinated Chicken

Ingredients:
* 8-10 chicken drumsticks
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 tsp onion salt
* 1 tsp paprika
* 1/2 tsp ground cumin
* 1/4 tsp cayenne
* 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
* 3-4 cloves of garlic
* Juice of half a lime
* 1 cup beer
* handful of chopped fresh parsley
* Salt to taste

Method:
- Rinse and pat dry your chicken drumsticks and toss them into a zip lock bag.
- Mix together all the remaining ingredients together to make a marinade. Starting with the olive oil, onion salt (or you can use finely diced fresh onion), paprika (I used sweet hungarian paprika), ground cumin, 1/4 of a teaspoon of cayenne powder (or more if you like a little more heat like I do, its fairly mild with just 1/4 tsp) and ground black pepper.
- Then grate the fresh garlic cloves and squeeze in the juice of half a lime.
- Pour in the beer.
- Give the marinade mixture a good stir to mix it all together and taste it. Then add some salt according to your taste but don’t be skimpy. (You want the marinade to be a bit salty, cos you’re adding it to a lot of chicken and you’re taking the chicken out of the marinade before you grill it.)
- Lastly toss in a handful of chopped fresh parsley and mix it in.
- Pour the marinade into the zip lock bag with the chicken. Seal it and massage the marinade into all the pieces of chicken. Let the chicken marinate for atleast a couple of hours in the fridge, overnight would be best to let the chicken absorb all the flavors. (I tend to flip the bag over every couple hours to make sure the  both sides of the chicken get to sit in  the juices to marinate more evenly.)
- Once the chicken has marinated simply throw them on the grill (make sure to oil the grill so the chicken doesn’t stick) for 25-30 minutes turning over the pieces & basting it with the marinade every 7-8 minutes until the internal temperature is above 170F. Another way to check if the legs are done if you don’t have a meat thermometer, is to pierce a leg with a sharp knife down to the bone and if the juices run clear, it’s done…if it’s pink/ red then you’ll need to cook the chicken more.
- Serve them up hot and garnished with some presh parsely and a squeeze of lime. Don’t forget to serve some chilled beer with these finger licking good chicken drumsticks!

I’ve since  tweaked the proportions of the 5 ingredient rub, making it a little sweeter than the rub I used for the Chili Pork, but I still used cayenne to give it some heat, as well as to add another dimension of flavor other than just sweet. The cayenne breaks up the sweetness and gives the dish a savory element along with a touch of zip, without making it spicy.

I made a big batch of this Sweet Caramel Pork for dinner the other day when my in-laws were visiting and paired it with a bright Sweet ‘n Tangy Apple- Cabbage slaw to make some Sticky Caramelized Pork Sandwiches, which turned out absolutely delicious. They were a huge hit!

I could just eat this pork  plain, all day and not get bored of it. My husband said it one of his favorite dinners and voted to have it more often. As simple as this recipe is, I  could easily make it a weeknight meal. You could serve this pork up with fried rice, as I think it would taste great with Asian flavors too. However you wish to serve it or eat it, this recipe is a definite MUST-TRY!

 Sweet Caramel Pork

Ingredients:
* 1 1/2 lbs boneless pork rib meat
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 tsp cayenne (or paprika for less heat)
* 1 tsp ground ginger powder
* 1/2 tsp black pepper
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 medium onion
* 2 tbsp oil
* 1 green onion (for garnish)

Method:
- Pre-heat your oven to 375F. Then start by mixing together the brown sugar, cayenne (use less if you’re not a fan of spice or substitute it with paprika), ginger powder, black pepper and salt.
- Spoon over half the dry rub onto the pork ribs on all sides and rub it into the meat well. Save the other half of the rub for later.
- Heat a cast iron/oven proof pan on high heat and add about a tablespoon of oil in it.
- Sear the pork ribs to brown it on all sides, then pop the pan (or transfer to a baking sheet if it’s not oven proof) in the oven pre-heated to 375F for 25-30 mins. Turn the pork over about halfway through the cooking time. Then take the pan out and allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime chop the onion into big dice pieces.
- Once the meat has rested, slice the pork into thin slices.
- Heat a little oil in  wok or frying pan on medium-high heat and toss in the diced onion. Saute the onion for about 2 minutes.
- Then add in the sliced pork and toss it well with the onion.
- Add the remaining brown sugar-spice mix and stir it in with the pork so it starts caramelizing. Keep stirring the pork around in the caramel sauce, until it becomes sticky.
- Garnish the caramelized pork with some sliced green onion. Serve with rice or as a sandwich filling. Yummmm…

Since they were pork sandwiches, I decided to try an apple slaw and came up with this Sweet ‘n Tangy Apple- Cabbage slaw. As I’m not not a big fan of mayonnaise dressings when it comes to slaw’s, I came up with a much healthier, lighter and refreshing vinaigrette dressing using apple cider vinegar and honey.

The slaw not only turned out beautifully striking with it’s bright colors from the  red cabbage, carrots, green onions and apples, it was sooo crisp and refreshing with a perfect balance of tangy and sweet. It was hard to stop eating it.

This salad, healthy and  full of bright flavors is a great accompaniment/ side for grilling season and a must try in my books….Enjoy!

Apple ‘n Cabbage Slaw w/ light cider vinaigrette

Ingredients:
For the slaw-
* 2 cups red cabbage
* 1 cup green cabbage/ or lettuce
* 1 – 1/2 apples (I used golden delicious apples)
* 2 carrots (about 1 cup)
* 3 green onions
* small handful cilantro

For the dressing-
* 2 tbsp salad oil
* 2 tbsp honey
* 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
* juice of one lime (about 1 tbsp)
* salt & pepper to taste
* dash of cayenne

Method:
- Shred the red cabbage and green cabbage (I didn’t have regular cabbage so I used lettuce instead) into fine strips. Measure 2 cups of the red cabbage and 1 of the green (or lettuce) for color and add it to a large mixing bowl.
- Grate the carrots using a big holed grater and add it to the bowl along with sliced green onions.
- Finely chop a small handful of cilantro and add it to the salad mix.
- Lastly, cut the apple into thin match-stick pieces and add it to the salad. If you’re chopping up this sald ahead of time, don’t cut the apple till you’re ready to dress the salad cos they’ll turn brown. Toss everything together well.
- For the dressing start with 2 tablespoons of salad oil in a jar or a bowl.
- Add the honey, apple cider, lime juice, salt, pepper and a light dusting of cayenne to the oil.
- Put the lid on and shake  the dressing (if you’re using a bowl simply whisk it with a fork) until the oil and other liquids are mixed well.
- Drizzle over the salad and toss well until everything is coated in the dressing.
- Serve chilled.

The cook time of this recipe may be a long but the prep work and recipe are super simple. The long cook-time is basically cos you want the meat very soft and tender enough to cut with a fork.

This recipe re-heats very well, infact it develops more flavor the next day like stews do, so it makes for a great make-ahead party dish. If you’re a fan of curry, this dish is definitely for you.

Beef In Coconut Curry Sauce

Ingredients: (serves 6)
* 1 1/2 lb beef chuck roast, cut into 2″ pieces
* 1 large onion
* 4 cloves of garlic
* 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
* 2 tbsp vegetable oil
* 3/4 tbsp curry powder
* 1 tsp cayenne
* 1 (13.6oz) can of light coconut milk
* 2 tbsp brown sugar
* 1 tbsp soy sauce
* 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
* 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped in chunks
* 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
* salt to taste
* 2 green onions/scallions for garnish

Method:
- Chop the large onion in big dice pieces. Mince the garlic cloves and grate the ginger.
- Season the beef pieces generously with salt.
- In a large pot (I used a pressure cooker) heat the oil over medium-high heat. Then brown the beef pieces on all sides, in small batches to seal the meat and give it some color.Remove from the pot and set the browned beef aside on a plate, covered.
- Toss in the onions and saute them for about 5 minutes until slightly translucent.
- Reduce the heat to medium, then add the garlic, ginger,curry powder and cayenne pepper and stir all the spices together with the onion. Let it cook for about 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk and add the brown sugar, soy sauce & fish sauce to the pot and stir everything well. Taste and season with salt if necessary.
- Add the browned beef back to pan, stir to combine all together well.
- Lower the heat to a slow simmer. You can  cover and cook the dish stove top for about 2-2 1/2 hours or slow cook it in an ovenproof dish covered at 275°F for at least 3 hours (4-5 hours is even better). Another option is a quick 30 minutes in a pressure cooker (like I did) till the meat is perfectly tender and falling apart.
- Once the beef is fork tender, add the bell peppers and tomatoes and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
- Serve over rice and garnish with sliced green onions.

I had the pleasure of visiting the alluring city of New York for the first time last week, for my brother’s wedding. During the week we managed to squeeze in a couple days of sight-seeing of the Big Apple which I soon realized was not nearly enough, but it  did give us a glimpse of what the city had to offer. Being the big foodies that my entire family are, we decided on doing a walking food tour. It is an interesting yet fun way to get a feel of a place through it’s food/ cuisine. In our case, we just wanted to sample as much as we could  while checking out the sights of NYC 

Our food tour covered the neighborhood in Manhattan known as Hell’s Kitchen. It includes the areas of Clinton and Midtown West and extends from 34th Street to 59th Street, from Eighth Avenue right up to the Hudson River. Hell’s Kitchen was a modest, gritty neighborhood that once housed  a lot of the poor, working-class immigrants. It was notorious for a lot of Ethnic conflict especially between Irish and Puerto Rican gangs.

Although there are a number of stories as to how the area got the name “Hell’s Kitchen” our tour guide shared with us the most common version which traces it to the story of Dutch Fred The Cop, a veteran policeman, who with his rookie partner, was watching a small riot on West 39th Street near 10th Avenue. The rookie is supposed to have said, “This place is hell itself,” to which Fred replied, “Hell’s a mild climate. This is Hell’s Kitchen.”

The apartment complexes in this area were designed to accommodate as many people as possible, so they had small living spaces with communal bathrooms and big common kitchens in the basements that all the residents of the buildings shared. As time went by, people started modifying the apartments to include their own individual kitchens and so the big kitchens were left unused. So the smart thing to do was to convert the common  spaces into little restaurants as the kitchens were already setup.  It didn’t take long for all the immigrants to setup their own little food joints to share their ethnic cuisine and start businesses.

Today in the heart of the theater district in Hell’s Kitchen on West 46th St. between 8th & 9th Aves. you will find the most diverse and astounding number of eateries anywhere in the world. Said to have over 35 restaurants in the one block stretch, the choices of different cuisines alone will make your head spin (it definitely made mine spin and also made me want to move to New York just eat at all these places). From Caribbean, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Italian, Irish, Mexican and Thai to  Afghan,  Argentine,  Ethiopian,   Peruvian,  Turkish,  Indian,  Pakistani and Vietnamese, this area has it all! It’s literally like the United Nations of dining. Now, these restaurants are your hole in wall kinda places or mom-n-pop shops with quaint ambiance, but they serve up the most authentic and delicious food you can ask for and all at great prices!

We kicked off our tour with a sampling of some Mezze (appetizers served up in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Balkans, similar to the Tapas of Spain and Antipasti of Italy) at the L’Bayan. There was some aubergine/egg plant in a tomato sauce with mozzerella cheese, hummus and another egg plant dish in a yogurt based sauce, all served up with warm freshly baked pita bread.

Next stop was Latin food at OUT. This stop had me drooling at all the food on display and had we been there on our own accord it looked like a place I would have ordered way to much, just because everything looked so good and I I just have a weakness for food.

We sampled some fried plantain and some chicken empanadas (which I was too busy enjoying to take a photo of, so my apologies).

Then we hit the popular Gazala Place which serves up the cuisine of Druzea mystic religion whose faithful live mainly in the Middle Eastwhich shares flavors with Syrian, Lebanese, and Israeli traditions.  Their must try item is their off the menu- Boureka- a freshly baked savory pastry of buttery Filo dough, stuffed with a variety of fillings like spinach, feta, and artichoke.We got to try the spinach and goat cheese stuffed bourekas fresh from the oven and they were melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

Our guide then said we weren’t allowed to leave the city without having a some of New York Style thin crust pizza, usually sold by the slice. So stopped by Sacco Pizza where they made us a fresh pie which was everything a pizza should be. Great crispy crust, tangy sauce and stringy, gooey cheese. It was perfection!

Last stop, we couldn’t end without dessert, so our guide took us to Holey Cream an ice-cream parlor famous for their donut sundaes.Yup, you read right…Donut Sundaes. It’s pretty much where they take a fresh made donut, slice it in half, pile on 3 scoops of ice-cream from their excellent selection of flavors (we got oatmeal- raisin, NY cheesecake and a chocolate fudge), then they frost the donut with either chocolate, vanilla or strawberry glaze and top it with your choice of toppings. Sound’s like heaven…doesn’t it? Well, it was!

That last stop was truely the icing on the cake of a wonderful food tour, which included a lot of history about the area and some interesting facts about the surrounding buildings. If you’re in New York City and have an appitite for ethinic cuisines, I’d definitely recommend doing a food tour of Hell’s Kitchen. I know just where I’m headed for the next time a get to visit the Big Apple!

Picture The Recipe Tip#52: How To Chill White Wine

Use frozen grapes as ice cubes to chill white wine without watering it down.

More Quick Tips…

I’m not a beer drinker at all, but I do love the flavor it lends when you cook with it. Beer batter fried fish is probably my favorite way to cook with beer, but I just may have found another recipe with this beef stew. It’s hearty and delicious..with a definite taste of Guinness.

If there’s one thing I would do differently in my preparation of the stew is that, I wouldn’t use extra stout, cos it’s extra bitter. But, I’m pretty clueless when it comes to picking beers and so I didn’t know the difference before. As you’ll see in my recipe below I specify not to use extra stout, although all my pictures show Guinness Extra Stout. Take my word for it. We still ate all the stew and it was delicious, but it left a little bitter after-taste that regular Guinness doesn’t leave.

Do give this recipe a try if you’re a stew fan…or a beer fan for that matter, you won’t regret it!

Guinness Beef Pot Pie

Ingredients: (makes 6-8 servings)
* 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
* 1 large onion
* 4 cloves garlic
* 3 sticks celery
* 10-12 mushrooms
* 2 cups diced pototoes
* 1 1/2 cups of frozen peas & carrots
* 2 tbsp tomato paste
* 1 tsp dried thyme/ or fresh sprigs
* 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 1/2 cups guinness (not extra stout)
* 2 cups beef broth
* 3 tbsp brown sugar
* 2 tbsp flour dissolved in water
* Salt & pepper to taste
* 2-3 tbsp olive oil
* handful of chopped parsley
* 1 pack of puff pastry
* 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water

Method:
- Start with the prep work. Roughly dice the onion & mince the garlic cloves.
- Slice your celery into small pieces and either half or quarter (for bigger mushrooms) the mushrooms.
- Generously season your beef pieces with salt and pepper.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a hot dutch oven/ large pot.
- Brown the beef pieces on all sides in a small batch and once they’re browned well, remove them with a slotted spoon and set them aside on a plate. Repeat until the beef is browned.
- Then add the diced onions to the same pot and sautee them for a couple minutes until they turn soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and sautee it for 2 minutes with the onions.
- Add the chopped celery and mushrooms to the pot and sautee them for a couple minutes.
- Next, add the tomato paste, thyme and rosemary. Also season the veggies with some salt. – Give everything a good stir then add the beef back into the pot along with all those juices.
- Pour in the Guinness stout and beef broth and bring the stew to a boil.
- Measure in the brown sugar and add a bay leaf to the stew then turn the heat down to a low simmer, cover the pot and let the stew slowly cook for about an hour.
- After about an hour (or earlier if you dice your potatoes big), add the potatoes to the stew. I used one bite honey gold potatoes and still cut them in halves. They normally take only 15-20 minutes to boil, but since I’m cooking my stew on low heat, I estimated they’d take about 30 minutes to cook. Put the lid back on and give the stew another 30 minutes.
- So after an hour and half of simmering the stew. Mix 2 tablespoons of flour in just enough water to dissolve it and stir it well to make sure there are no lumps.
- Bring the stew up to a rapid boil and slowly pour in the flour mix while stirring. It will start to thicken almost instantly.
- Once the stew has reached the consistency you like, turn the heat off, add the frozen peas and carrots and a handful of chopped fresh parsley. (You want the peas and carrots, tender and not overcooked and mushy, so they’re going to finish cooking in the oven when make our pot pies.)
- You can simply eat the Guinness beef stew as it, or you can take it a step further and make an Irish pot pie out of it. Pre-heat the oven to 400F and thaw the puff pastry packet according to the instructions on the pack.
- Roll out the pastry to get rid of the fold creases. Measure out the dishes you’re going to use and cut the pastry. I used 2 double-serving rectangular casserole dishes.
- Fill the dishes with the stew and place a cut pastry on top of each dish. Stretch the pastry gently and pinch it around the lip of the dish to prevent shrinkage during cooking.
- Brush the pastry lightly with egg wash (1 egg whisked with one tablespoon of water). Pop the pot pies in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the pastry turns golden and crispy.
- After removing the pot pies from the oven, let them rest for 15-20 minutes before serving them, allowing the stew to cool a little. Eat and Enjoy!

My mom made  Khow Suey as a Sunday special  family meal when I was growing up and it was easily one of my favorites, still is. I can’t quite pin point what it is about this dish that I love so much, whether it’s the delicate yet creamy coconut milk sauce, the tanginess of the lime you add at the end or the mix of garnishes you put on top…the crispy garlic and onion with the freshness of cilantro and green onion…not to mention the heat when you bite into a sliced chili pepper…..yummm. I’m drooling just thinking about it.

My mom always used spaghetti instead of traditional egg noodles and it worked so well, I’ve just always stuck with it. So while this may not be a traditional version of the dish (I also don’t use any flour/lentil for thickening), it’s my mom’s recipe…the one I love.

Do let me know in a comment below if you try it and like it…I’m excited to share this one!

Khow Suey Recipe
(makes 5-6 servings)

Ingredients:
* 1 pack (1lb) of Spaghetti
* 2 large Chicken breasts
* 1 tbsp grated garlic (about 4 cloves)
* 1/2 tbsp grated fresh ginger (about an inch)
* 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
* 1 tsp cumin seeds
* 4 dry red chili peppers
* 10-15 curry leaves (can you Thai basil instead)
* 2 cans (14oz each) Coconut milk
* 1/2 a lime
* Salt to taste

For the toppings/ garnishes:
* 6 eggs
* 6 cloves garlic
* 2-3 shallots
* 2-3 green onions
* handful of chopped cilantro
* lime wedges
* 1-2 chili peppers
* 3-4 tbsps vegetable oil for frying

Method:
- Start by cutting the chicken breasts into small bite sized pieces and toss them in a bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of freshly grated garlic and half that of freshly grated ginger to the chicken.
- Sprinkle over the turmeric powder and some salt. Mix everything well so that all the chicken pieces are coated in the marinade. Let the chicken sit in the fridge, marintaing while you get everything else ready.
- Next, prepare all the toppings and garnishes. Hard boil the eggs, roughly chop the cilantro and finely slice the green onion and chili peppers at an angle. Set them aside in little condiment bowls.
- Finely slice the shallots and garlic (I used a mandolin slicer).
- Heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a small wok/skillet. Then fry the garlic slices until they turn a light golden. Remove them as soon as they turn golden (it’s literally a few seconds from golden to burnt) using a slotted spoon and place them on a paper napkins to drain the excess oil.
- Separate the onion layers, into strands and fry them in the same oil the same way you fried the garlic, until it turns golden. It’s best to do them in batches if your pan is small so that it browns evenly. Remove the fried onion with a slotted spoon and drain it as well.
- Transfer the same oil (now flavored with garlic and onion) to a large pot. We’ll use it to brown the chicken and make the sauce.
- In the meantime, boil your spaghetti according to the instructions on the packet. you can use chinese style egg noodles, but I’ve always just preferred spaghetti for this dish although it’s not traditional.
- Once the oil is hot in the big pot, work quickly and add the cumin seeds, dried red peppers and curry leaves to the oil. They’ll immediately start sputtering and will brown quick so give it a stir.
- Add the marinated chicken pieces and fry them with the spices untill they turn white or brown slightly..
- Lower the heat to low-medium and pour in the 2 cans of coconut milk (I used one regular and one can of lite coconut milk) and season it with salt. Bring it up to a simmer, stirring occasionaly.
- Once the sauce has been simmering for about 10 minutes and the chicken is cooked through, turn off the heat. You can add the noodles to the sauce and mix it together or serve the sauce separately….but before you do squeeze the juice of half a lime into the sauce for a touch of tanginess. It lifts up the whole dish, I promise!
- Serve the noodles hot with all the assortment of condiments/toppings/garnishes so everyone can customise the dish to their taste. I personally like all the topppings…and lots of it! Sluuuurp!