RECIPES – The Sometimes Good Wife

November 1, 2014

Ginger + Lime Soba Noodle Salad Vinaigrette

This is currently my favorite salad to eat. Just cook your buckwheat soba noodles according to the package directions, rinse in cold water, and toss it with this super yummy salad dressing.

Ginger + Lime Soba Noodle Salad Vinaigrette

Source: Lo Huynh (4 servings)

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon peanut butter
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons canola oil

Directions:
Whisk ingredients together and toss dressing with soba noodles, grilled shrimp, mixed greens, julienned red onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes.

September 23, 2014

Hot + Spicy Rice Cakes

This is my version of Korean hot and spicy rice cakes. I don’t like my food too spicy, but if you do, feel free to add more red pepper paste. I also like to make it with Korean beef bouillon but if you don’t have Korean beef bouillon on hand, feel free to make it with chicken stock or chicken bouillon.

Hot + Spicy Rice Cakes

Source: Lo Huynh (4 servings)

Ingredients:
5 cups water
5 teaspoons Korean beef bouillon or Korean chicken bouillon
1 1/2 lbs. cylinder-shaped rice cakes
2 tablespoons Korean hot pepper paste {gochujang}
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 stalk green onion, cut into 3-inch long pieces
4 ounces tenpura square, cut into 2″ squares

Directions:
1. In a pot, add the water and bouillon and bring to a boil.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
3. Once the ingredients are brought to a boil, lower the heat to medium high.
4. Constantly stir and let it cook for about ten minutes, or until the rice cake is tender and the sauce has thickened.

September 11, 2014

Garlic Noodles with Shrimp: Version 2.0

Source: Lo Huynh (4 servings)

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons salted sweet cream butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound spaghetti, cooked al dente
12 each large shrimp, deveined but shell left on
9 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon scallions, minced
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

Garlic Sauce:
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon Maggi seasoning
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon cooking wine
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Garnish:
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

Directions:
1. Make the garlic sauce by mixing the granulated sugar, black pepper, fish sauce, Maggi seasoning, cooking wine, and oyster sauce in a bowl and set aside.
2. Mix 1 tablespoon of the garlic sauce with the shrimp and let marinate for 5 minutes and set the rest of the garlic sauce aside. Thread 3 shrimps per skewer.
3. In a hot wok, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sear the skewered shrimps on both sides for about 3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Set the skewered shrimps aside.
4. To the hot wok, add the butter, garlic, and scallions. Cook for about a minute or until the butter has melted and the garlic is fragrant.
5. Add the rest of the garlic sauce to the wok and heat it up for about a minute or until the sauce starts to bubble up.
6. Add the cooked pasta to the wok and toss until coated.
7. Add 1 tablespoon of the grated parmesan and chopped parsley to the noodles and toss.
8. Plate your noodles and garnish with the skewered shrimp along with more grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

November 30, 2013

HOMEMADE ENCHILADA SAUCE

I like to make my own enchilada sauce cause the canned enchilada sauce does not taste very good to me. This is a simple recipe and I think it taste TONS better than the pre-made canned stuff.

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Source: Lo Huynh (2 cups)

Ingredients
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons all purpose white flour
1 tablespoon chili powder
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
tt kosher salt

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and chili powder. Reduce heat to medium and cook until lightly brown. Stir constantly to prevent burning the flour.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat for about ten minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened. Season with salt.

November 30, 2013

GUAVA LIME BARBECUE SAUCE

This barbecue sauce is yummy! I used it to glaze some barbecue pork spare ribs for the husband’s birthday lunch.

Guava Lime Barbecue Sauce

Source: Lo Huynh (2 cups)

Ingredients:
8 ounces canned guava paste, cut into 1″ pieces
½ cup rice vinegar
½ cup ketchup
1 each fresh lime, juiced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
½ each sweet onion, minced
2 each garlic, minced
½ cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:
Whisk together all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off heat. Can be used as a glaze towards the end of cooking or brushed on after barbecuing.

November 30, 2013

SESAME FARFALLE PASTA SALAD

I made this pasta salad for the husband’s birthday lunch but it would be a great dish to make for our work lunch meals!

Sesame Farfalle Pasta Salad

Source: Lo Huynh (6 servings)

Ingredients:
1 lb. farfalle pasta, cooked al dente
1 bunch scallions, diced
1 each red bell pepper, julienned
3 each carrots, julienned
1/2 bunch cilantro , roughly chopped
2 each chicken breast, roasted and diced into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, cut in half, lengthwise
3 each cucumbers, sliced
1 cup baby spinach
8 ounces sugar snap peas
2 ears sweet white corn, cobbed

Salad Dressing:
½ cup canola oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
⅓ cup soy sauce
⅓ cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 inch fresh ginger, finely minced

Directions:
1. Whisk the salad dressing ingredients together.
2. In a big bowl, add the farfalle pasta, scallions, red bell pepper, carrots, cilantro, chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, sugar snap peas, and sweet white corn. Toss with the salad dressing.
3. Add the baby spinach at the last minute before serving to keep the spinach looking vibrant.
4. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

November 27, 2013

BERRY SANGRIA

Berry Sangria

Source: Lo Huynh (20 servings)

Ingredients:
3 4L jugs of Carlo Rossi Sangria Wine
2 cups granulated sugar
64 fl. oz. Ocean Spray Cran-Raspberry Juice
3 each oranges, sliced into rounds
3 each lemons, sliced into rounds
3 each cinnamon sticks
2 liters 7-up
3 pounds frozen berries

Directions:
1. Combine the sangria wine, sugar, cran-raspberry juice, orange slices, lemon slices, and cinnamon sticks.
2. Let the sangria sit for at least a couple hours before serving.
3. Add the frozen berries and 7-up at the last minute.

November 27, 2013

PORT ORANGE CRANBERRY SAUCE

Port Orange Cranberry Sauce

Source: Lo Huynh (4 cups)

Ingredients:
24 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 each orange, zest and juiced
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup Port
½ cup brown sugar
1 each cinnamon stick
3 cloves
2 cup water

Directions:
1. In a saucepan, combine cranberries, orange zest, orange juice, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and Port, and water. Tie the cinnamon stick and cloves in a cheesecloth or put in a ball mesh strainer and add to the saucepan.

2. Bring mixture to a boil.
3. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the cranberries have broken open and released their juices. The sauce is done when it is thickened and jam-like.
4. Discard the cinnamon stick and cloves.

March 12, 2013

HONEY LEMONADE BLACK ICED TEA

This is my morning beverage…a nice honey lemonade black iced tea. You can obviously switch out the black tea with whatever tea you please. For the lemonade, I actually like to use Simply Lemonade or organic lemonade. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this tea as much as I do! xoox.

Honey Lemonade Black Iced Tea

Source: Lo Huynh (1 serving)

Ingredients:
8 ounces water
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 each Lipton black tea bag
4 tablespoons lemonade

Directions:
1. Put the sugar, honey, and tea bag in a cup.
2. Boil the water and pour it into the cup with the sugar, honey, and tea bag. Stir.
3. Steep the tea for 5 minutes.
4. Let cool.
5. Add the lemonade and stir.
6. Pour over a glass filled with ice.

March 8, 2013

BUN RIEU {VIETNAMESE CRAB AND TOMATO NOODLE SOUP}

I remember making this dish when I was ten years old. My mom had given me some directions and I remember feeling incredibly proud that I was able to accomplish this on my own. Now over twenty years later, making this again reminds me of being that ten-year-old girl who became incredibly excited that my mom trusted me enough to make our family meal. I hope you enjoy this noodle soup dish!

The ingredients!

The rice vermicelli I used.

Bun Rieu {Vietnamese Crab and Tomato Noodle Soup}

Source: Lo Huynh (6 servings)

Ingredients:

Broth:
8 cups chicken or pork broth
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon tamarind soup mix
1 teaspoon red chili powder or paprika
4 each Roma tomatoes, quartered
6 ounces cubes of deep fried tofu
1 bunch scallions {white part only}, cut into 2 inch long pieces
1 teaspoon fine shrimp sauce {mam tom}
3 tablespoons canola oil

Rieu:
7 ounces crab paste with soya oil
1 bunch scallions {green part only}, cut into 2 inch long pieces
2 tablespoons dried shrimp, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes
4 eggs

To Serve:
vermicelli rice noodles, cooked according to package
romaine lettuce, shredded
fine shrimp sauce {mam tom}
lime wedges

Garnish:
green onions, chopped
cilantro , chopped
shallots, thinly sliced

Directions:
1. Saute garlic, white parts of scallions, and shallots in a pot with 3 tablespoons of canola oil for a couple minutes, or until shallots are somewhat translucent.

2. Add red chili powder or paprika and saute for 30 seconds to a minute. You don’t want the chili to burn.

3. Add broth, fish sauce, tamarind soup baste, sugar, tomatoes, fried tofu, and fine shrimp sauce and bring to a boil.

4. In a bowl, crack the eggs and mix with the crab paste with soya oil, dried shrimp, and green parts of scallions and add the egg and crab mixture to broth.

5. Simmer the broth for thirty minutes.

6. Ladle the broth over the cooked vermicelli noodles and garnish with the chopped scallions, cilantro, and shallots.

7. Serve with the shredded romaine, lime wedges, and fine shrimp sauce on the side.