Hawaiian Style Shoyu Chicken Recipe

ALOHA! Welcome to Hawaii! If only.... 

But shoyu Chicken is a Hawaiian dish! Shoyu means soy sauce in Japanese, but in Hawaii soy sauce is referred to as shoyu also. It requires some marinating, but that's the most time consuming thing about this recipe. You can grill this for the true island BBQ, or bake it in the oven, as I did. It is typically served over rice. There's many different versions of this, but this is the one I used because it was simple and flavorful. This is a super easy DELICIOUS dish. You can buy skinless thighs to be healthier, but personally, I think that's where the best flavor is! If you are missing the tropical islands (like I am), try this for a taste! And now, I'll let the photos speak for themselves...

INGREDIENTS 

1 cup soy sauce 

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup water 

4 cloves garlic, minced 

1 onion, chopped 

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root

1 tablespoon ground fresh pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano 

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 

1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional) 

1 teaspoon ground paprika (optional) 

5 pounds chicken thighs 

INSTRUCTIONS 

Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, garlic, onion, ginger, pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and paprika in a large bowl. Add the chicken thighs, and toss to evenly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. The longer you marinate this, the better the flavor in the chicken. 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). 

Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush chicken with the sauce. Turn pieces over, and brush again. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn pieces over, and bake for another 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking. 

MAHALO!

Sandy

Photos from Hawaii 2012 

Sheng Wang, Chinatown NYC

I LOVE CHINESE FOOD. I mean home-style, authentic, Chinese food. And luckily the Chinatown in New York has some of the best authentic Chinese food on this side of the world. I discovered Sheng Weng through what I think was, divine intervention. I get Yelp emails to my inbox because I love food! The email of the day was the best ramen spots. This instantly made me crave a big bowl of home-style ramen! This restaurant had amazing reviews so I had to trek downtown to try it for myself. From the outside, the place looks ordinary, much like the other Chinese shops in the area. But step down into a world of wonderful! Apparently I'm late on discovering this gem because it was pretty busy for dinner. But thankfully, the restaurant has plenty of seating. This place is unique because this place pulls their own noodles! They also make their wontons and dumplings - the old fashioned way - and right in front of you too! I ordered 12 steamed dumplings to start, which costed a few dollars, and it was so perfect! I ordered a bowl of beef noodle ramen and it was SO good! You can taste the freshness in every dish. The prices are cheap but the food is not cheap quality! This place is blows my mind for ramen!  You just have to try it for yourself! 

http://www.yelp.com/biz/sheng-wang-new-york

Average Plate Prices

Hand-pulled noodles $4-6

Special Appetizers $2-4

Rice Plates $3-6

DIY: Terrarium

I was inspired by Pinterest and Martha Stuart to create a terrarium. Mine didn't come out as nice as hers, but they are still cute! When you need a little greenery around the house, but want it to be low maintenance - these are perfect! I can't keep a plant alive to save my own life! So I am a fan of these little suckers - I mean succulents.  You can buy the plants and dirt at Home Depot and the glasses and rocks from a craft store like Michael's or AC Moore. Make sure to put a few rocks on the bottom for water drainage. Then add the dirt, and decorate with more rocks on top. The aloe on the left eventually got so tall I had to move it to the tall glass vase on the right, and it still outgrew that. My advice for potting these... give them room to grow. Get a little dirty and have fun! 

xoxo, 

Sandy

Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps

I think ground meat is something that's always great to have in the refrigerator/freezer. Its easy to work with and versatile. But instead of making the same tacos and hamburgers again, mix it up with some Thai food! The flavors are so tasty and refreshing. This recipe uses turkey ground meat because I think its a little healthier. It also calls for some fish sauce, but don't worry, its not very pronounced. A lot of Asian foods have fish sauce, and you dont even realize. You can serve this by itself or over hot rice to make it a heartier meal. Give this a try and I guarantee that you'll love it! 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 minced red onion

1/2 cup of red peppers in strips

1 1/4 pound ground white meat turkey

3 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 juiced limes

1 bunch green onions, (thinly sliced)

2 red jalepenos, seeded, de-veined, and thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup chopped mint

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

lettuce leaves

cooked rice

Instructions

1) Heat canola oil over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet. Lightly sauté red onion until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. 

2) Add turkey and break apart with a spatula. Continue to cook until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any juice or fat and turn off the heat, cooling meat for 5 minutes.

3) Add fish sauce, soy sauce and lime juice to turkey and stir. Add the red peppers and continue to saute. Taste for seasoning then put in a serving bowl.

4) To serve, put 1/4 cup of meat in a lettuce leaf, then top with some green onions, jalapeno pepper slices, a pinch of cilantro and mint, and a sprinkle of peanuts. Serve with hot rice.

Danny Brown, Queens NY

One of my favorite restaurants in my hometown of Forest Hills is Danny Brown. A Michelin recommended restaurant in Queens? Yeah, you bet!  It is such a hidden gem tucked away on a small street. It gives you a Manhattan feel but with a local crowd. You'll see new and old families dining here as well as young trendsetters. The wine list is extensive, the food is always impeccable, and the service has never disappointed me. There is something for everybody here. As posted on their website, "Danny Brown... embodies the pleasures of a French wine bar, an Italian "Enoteca," and a Spanish Tapas bar, as well as that of a conventional restaurant." Below are some plates I have tried here - a cheese plate, steak, and confit of duck. Whenever I'm in my neighborhood, I try to have a meal here - reservation permitting! The wait can sometimes be long. But there is a reason why its always crowded, so the wait is worth it! 

Danny Brown

Wine Bar and Kitchen

104-02 Metropolitan Ave.

Forest Hills, New York 11375

Brand Attire Casual to Business 

Reservations Accepted and Recommended on Weekends

Stuffed Chicken Divan with a Sherry Dijon Sauce

In my college years, I used to love to eat this frozen package of broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken by Barber Foods. I never liked to eat many frozen meals, but as a college student, this was a staple!  It's better than ramen and pizza diet, right?  I wanted to recreate this - but fresh - and assumingly, healthier.  I found this great recipe from Food Network that is similar to my college memory.  You can create own variation to this, such as stuffing it with spinach, skipping the dijon sauce or the cheese, etc.  Any variation will taste amazing. Overall, I am very happy with this recipe.  And yes, it's much tastier than the frozen version I loved in college.  However, stuffing the chicken was more time-consuming than I realized. So if you want to give this recipe your best, just make sure you're not in a rush.  Bon Appetite! 

Total Time: 60 min

Prep : 30 min

Cook: 30 min

Ingredients

Cooking Spray 

2 cups (4 ounces) fresh broccoli florets

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Gruyere Cheese

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

4 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup low-fat evaporated milk (I skipped this) 

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth 

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Instructions

1) Preheat the broiler and we will begin cooking broccoli first. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook until bright green and crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and run under cold water until cold. Drain well again and squeeze dry in paper towels. Chop the broccoli and toss in a bowl with the Gruyere and garlic. 

2) Stuffing the Chicken - there are 2 methods to doing this. I choose the 2nd version, which I pulled from another recipe. Either way works!

• Insert a paring knife into the thickest part of each chicken breast to make a 3-inch deep pocket. Stuff each chicken breast with equal amounts of broccoli. 
• Pound the chicken thin without creating any holes. Stuff each chicken breast with equal amounts of broccoli and then sew it closed with a toothpick. 

Rub both sides of the chicken breasts with oil and thyme and season with salt and pepper.

3) Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. Put the chicken in the pan and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. If the chicken begins to brown too quickly, turn the heat down to medium to finish cooking through. Mist a shallow rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer to the baking dish and put in broiler.

4) Meanwhile, combine the milk and stock in a small pot, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir the sherry and cornstarch until smooth and pour, whisking constantly, into the sauce. Cook until just thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan. Top each chicken breast with 2 tablespoons of sauce and place under the broiler. Broil until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

5) Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and then cut each breast in half on an angle. (I served mine whole)

Nutritional analysis per serving

Calories 347; Total Fat 11g (Sat Fat 5.1g, Mono Fat 3.9g, Poly Fat 1.1g) ; Protein 50g; Carb 10g; Fiber 1g; Cholesterol 126.5mg; Sodium 433.5mg

Sprinkled with Parmesan Cheese

Topped with the Sherry Dijon Sauce

Served over Brown Rice

Sweet & Sour Chicken

The thought just occurred to me that I should cook more Asian food.  The ingredients are minimal, the flavors are delicious, and its so easy! This is one of my favorites and who doesn't love a stir-fry? Here is a super simple recipe for the next time you are in the mood for Asian food. 

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup broccoli
1/2 cup chopped carrots
4 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 4 teaspoons water
1 cup canned pineapple chunks, drained with 1/2 cup reserved juice
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp chili garlic sauce

Salt and pepper to taste


Directions
In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Season chicken cubes and add to pan. Brown chicken and remove to plate. Add the vegetables and stir-fry for a couple minutes. Stir in pineapple chunks, juice, sugar, vinegar and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer until sauce begins to reduce. Stir in cornstarch mixture and bring liquid to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

WD-50 - Molecular Gastronomy

FOR THE ADVENTUROUS KIND

WD-50 is one of the Top 10 best Molecular Gastronomy restaurants in the world. It lives up to it's reputation because this was one of the most unique dining experiences of my life. Wylie Dufresne is the owner and one of the pioneer chefs of this "food-science" genre. This man is an absolute artist in his creation of all the dishes from the cooking methods to the styling. He was first made famous on Bravo TV, but his excellence has carried him beyond 15 minutes. The food is fascinating with its play on flavors and presentation. It is truly a cerebral food experience. After dinner, our table was graciously invited to tour the kitchen and I met the man himself creating the dishes! One wouldn't think the actual owner would be the person cooking all of the food, but he humbly said, "of course I'm cooking back here, my name is on the door." The entire kitchen is meticulous, very much like a laboratory. Overall, the food and experience was amazing, but not for everybody, especially if you prefer traditional "comfort" style food.