Just because

Meat & Vegetable Lasagna


Deep-fried Dumplings



watching people devour my food makes me feel super tingly in a good way :)

More comfort

Foods that stick to your tummy make you feel full, and in the end, content. I'm not the type of person who regrets eating a good meal because it'll increase the number on the scale by a few pounds. I say it was worth it and increase the number of minutes on the treadmill the next day.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 cups flours
3 tbs. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk, chilled
1/2 cup shortening

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees [F].
Mix dry ingredients. Rub shortening into dry mixture using your fingers until the mixture resembles crumbs. Make a well in the center of your bowl and pour buttermilk. Stir until dough comes together (will be sticky).
On a floured surface, fold dough over 5-6 times.Gently pat dough out to 1/2 inch-1 inch thickness, Cut out 2-inch rounds using a biscuit cutter or a homemade version (I recycled a washed aluminum can). Place on a baking sheet so that they are slightly touching. Brush tops with melted butter or cream to add a glossy finish.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Fried Chicken Strips

I marinaded some chicken breasts cut into strips in buttermilk overnight. The following day I drained the excess buttermilk and coated the wet chicken with seasonings (salt, pepper, paprika). I dipped the chicken in a dry mixture of flour and plain bread crumbs (equal parts). Be careful when frying in hot oil because any bit of water that comes in contact with sizzling oil will cause harmful splashes! These strips take only but a few minutes to cook on each side so you can eat them almost right away.

New year mistake

Just a couple days into 2008, I made a terrible mistake. All I have to say now is that I'm grateful to still be alive after that one night. The only way I'm moving now is forward. No looking back.

Fried Fish Tacos

Ingredients:

boned and skinned, white fish (I used catfish fillets)

corn tortillas

shredded lettuce

1 cup dark beer

1 cup flour

1 tsp. paprika

salt for seasoning

vegetable oil for frying

**dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tbs. ranch dressing

a big squirt of ketchup

1 tbs. fresh lime juice

1 tsp. dijon mustard

2 tsp. hot sauce (optional)

Directions:
Cut the fish into relatively similar sizes. Prepare batter by mixing beer, flour, paprika, and some salt. Coat fish with batter.
Pour an inch high of vegetable oil into a deep frying pan. Heat oil until it reaches 350 degrees [F]. Since I don't have a thermometer, I just tested the oil temperature by dropping some batter into the oil and looking for bubbles to form around it.
Carefully drop fish pices into the oil. Remember not to add too many at a time or else the temperature of the oil will drop dramatically. Cook on each side for about 2 minutes, until they are golden brown. When they are done, drain fish on paper towels to remove excess oil.
To assemble the taco, place fish into corn tortilla and top with a layer of shredded lettuce and dressing of choice.

I incorporated some pancake batter mix with my flour to give the fish a fluffier coating. Definitely recommended. And with my leftover tortillas I made...

Sugar&Spice Tortilla Chips

Ingredients:
flour or corn tortillas
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
vegetable oil for frying

Directions:
Combine sugar and cinnamon. Cut tortilla into wedges (6 or 8 depending on the size of your tortilla). Drop them into hot oil. They don't take long to brown so keep an eye on them. Flip them over when they attain a light golden brown color. As soon as you take them out of the oil, place on a paper towl and liberally sprinkle sugar and cinammon mixture.