Cauliflower casserole with French-fried onions

Ingredients:

1. 1 can cream of mushroom soup
2. 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
3. 1 cup French fried onions
4. Cauliflower florets steamed in microwave for about 5 mins
5. Celery stalks diced
6. Green peas, a handful

Method:

1. Cut cauliflower into same sized florets, microwave. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on them and place them on a greased ( with a spoonful of olive oil) baking tray
2. Add the celery and peas, empty the can of mushroom soup, add the cruncy french onions. Mix
3. Bake at 300F for about 30 mins or until done. Add more french onions if you want extra crunch.

Had tomato-mozzarella salad with it

Roast duck with bok choy and shiitake mushrooms

My recipe for Roast duck is here. I sauteed the bok choy and shiitake in soy sauce and plum sauce separately. Goes well with shaved truffles too.

Garlic-Rosemary Roast Chicken

Link 1
Link 2

If you are baking with the skin on, it helps to loosen the skin and rub the garlic-herb mixture evenly under the skin first, and then on it. Insert a small, sharp knife and make shallow cuts on the meat. Sometimes I toss halved mushrooms into the baking dish, and always prefer fresh coarsely ground pepper for a crunch.

Potato- bacon soup

I thought bacon was unhealthy, until someone recently told me otherwise. Potatoes and bacon should be legally allowed to marry because they are one of the best pairs in my kitchen. Fried, crumbled bacon can work wonders in a mashed potato recipe, and this hearty soup can lift anyone's mood on a winter night.

I fry the bacon strips first (sliced bite-size) then add diced red onions and potatoes. This way you hardly need extra cooking oil( Olive oil, if you must). You can add shresdded cabbage for some fiber. Add water or chicken broth, boil and serve with bread.

Salmon Fillets with Chive Sauce

Link 1 [A sweet life]


You can bake the fish with minced chives too. I used a lot of freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil,ginger garlic paste, minced ginger freshly ground fennel seeds +cumin seeds + pepper+ coriander, Lahori fish powder (Ingredients gram flour(Besan), red Chilli powder, crushed coriander, carom seeds(Ajwain), raw mango powder (amchur) )on a bed of diced onions and tomatoes. I added minced chives half way through the baking (fresh fish takes very little time to cook about 15-20 mins at 350F, and keep it at 200 F or 'warm' later if you want) and served it on a fish plate with minced napa cabbage. The guests loved it. Will make it again soon. Can add red chili flakes if you like it hot.

Hat tip of the day: How to clean your stove/oven using baking soda and vinegar

Link 1

[howtocleanthings.com]

Chinese Beef with Bell Pepper

Link 1

[Cook Asian Food]

I discovered this dish at a Chinese restaurant in Milpitas, and am dying to try it at home. I need some Szechwan/Sichuan peppers and then I will be good to go.

Update
In the meantime, I tried it with black peppercorn instead. Not too bad :)

Fresh Vegetable Soup with Lime

Link 1

[WebMD]

Jalapeno poppers wrapped in bacon

Pan-Seared Steak with Mushroom-Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon Sauce

Link 1 

[epicurious.com]

This is an interesting read too. Link 2 [Steamy kitchen; How to soften steak]