Dejah

Kung Pao Gai Ding without the gazillion dried chili peppers. Eaten with Zeroodles "egg fried rice" Pulled out a piece of AAA beef tenderloin - purchased July 2018 @ $11.99 / lb. Didn't think it was "old enough" to go into the Clear out the freezer challenge. Cut into a couple of steaks, seasoned with Montreal Steak Spice and grilled in the cast iron pan on the stove. Eaten with roasted cauliflower, sauteed mushrooms, and spinach salad.

Vadouvan Curry Shrimp with some large shrimp, and 2 small lobster tails from Jan. 2018! Eaten with basmati rice, peas, and wilted spinach.

I looked up the Dragon's Well Tea Shrimp when you first commented. It'll be next on my "new recipes". I have a couple of containers from students. Thanks!

Made Jamie Oliver's Assam Crispy Skin Duck tonight. The skin was scored and rubbed with olive oil, Assam tea leaves and Five Spice powder. Should have taken a picture before I mangled the duck as the scored skin was kinda pretty and CRISPY! I save the duck fat and poured it while got over some fresh Thai lime leaves. Made gravy with the bits on the bottom of the pan, the vegetables, and a cup of Assam tea. Eaten with the pan vegetables, quick pickle of carrots and cukes, steamed Shanghai Bak Choy and Jasmine rice.

Baked Salmon with Creamy Lemon Sauce. I don't usually like salmon because I find it fishy - much prefer steelhead trout. However, no trout to be found but there was lovely salmon and big bunches of dill! This was the first time I really enjoyed this fish - baked in a mixture of butter, honey, garlic, and dried dill. The creamy lemon sauce (mayo, sour cream, fresh dill, lemon juice) was great, with the salmon as well as the pan fried turnip fries.

A friend dropped in this morning with a loaf of fresh homemade bread. He obviously hadn't heard we were on low-carb / no bread! What can say; did not want to hurt his feelings! So, for brunch, I made Denver sandwiches with habanero cheese. The bread was lovely toasted. He called it Monk's bread.

My s-i-l gave me a bag of chicken feet! Threw them into the Instant pot for 40 minutes, and I had lovely stock and tender feet. With the stock, I made wintermelon soup with re-hydrated shitaki mushrooms and some diced chicken. My bowl had a couple of feet, and the rest I will simmer gently in black bean garlic and chili sauce. Using my oven again as it was -25C with windchill -36. braised chicken with dates, roasted taters, carrots, and beets. A squeeze of lemon brightens up the richness of the sauce. Enjoyed the combined flavours of ginger, coriander, sweet paprika, cilantro, and dates.

Tried a sheet pan quesadilla with low-carb lavash. A bit messy as the lavash was flimsy. The original recipe used overlapping tortillas. Good tasting though. Cold temperatures tonight, so the oven was put to use: lemony Pork Piccata with spaghetti squash and peas/carrots. I had forgotten how very little xanthan gum is needed to thicken a sauce. Good thing I had Campbells Chicken broth and lots of lemons on hand to remedy the sauce which was pretty gooey!

When Kids come home, I bribe for more frequent visits with treats my Mom used to make for them. This morning, we had my Mom's Steamed Chinese cake. I haven't made this for quite a while, but I still use the old wicker basket passed down from my Mom, along with her recipe. The basket came with us from Hong Kong, 1958! Think it might be time to retire it. Cake is best enjoyed with a glass of ice cold milk or a cup of hot Jasmine tea.

Looks amazing! Must try...

Try to make childhood favourites for lunch when the kids come home. My Mom used to make these for them when they were little. Char Siu Baos. Made my own Char siu but bought the ready mixed flour. I made 3.5 dozen with the filling. Had dough left over, so steamed some Chinese sausage and wrapped them with the rest of the dough. Kids will each take some home.

Hubby's birthday today. Took out a piece of tenderloin that was not in cryovac. Thought I 'd better do something with it before freezer burn. Thawed it out in the fridge and left it sitting uncovered since Tuesday. Made hubby Beef Wellington. Our younger son came out from Winnipeg for a birthday visit, so we had the Wellington for supper. Eatedn with a big salad and some boiled peas.

I've used them past their expiry date...by a couple of months! They were in the fridge, and when I opened them, there was no change in odour. We ate them in soup and we are still alive.

Made this for lunch today: Started last night: Re-hydrated tofu sticks and dried oysters, a vacuum sealed package of gingko nuts, ginger slices, orange peel, and dried salty turnip in por5k neck bone stock.

I assume heidih meant not in soup or sauce? I usually add a little bit of oil to my wok or frying pan, attempting for that "wok hei"...😁

Thanks for that Kenji link. I'll have to try the cucumber noodles that he shared. The tofu last night was supposed to be in MaPo. I usually add diced eggplant as well, but I needed a starch so left the tofu out. I buy the original Chinese style (not firm) blocks, slice then drain earlier in the day. This way, I find they stay in shape and can get a nice crust on the outside with soft texture inside, almost like a pan-fried potato slice. Tofu is one of my go-to starch replacements. The konnyaku noodles - I've tried various forms and brands. The ones I really like are the Zeroodle ones - rice, fettuccini, penne. Draining and blotting dry really helps these last few times with rice and fettuccini. Like Kenji said, in soup is so convenient. They make a great quick lunch dressed with sliced protein, veg, and lots of cilantro and chili oil! I TOO love tendon!

Spicy ground pork and eggplant (toban sauce). Eaten with pan fried tofu and mixed vegetables.

Made something other than poached eggs for breakfast today! Low-carb Blueberry Scones (made with almond flour and coconut flour), eaten with just Devon Double Clotted Cream. These were the first attempt. Next batch, I might reduce the almond flour and increase the amount of coconut flour to make the scones fluffier.

Finally some success making carrot noodles in the spiralizer! Per video, I boiled these for 4 minutes, not bad, but I'd rather have the Zeroodle noodles and rice. Made Coconut Curry Chicken in the Instant Pot to go with the carrot noodles. I am so happy that I have fresh Kaffir Limes leaves on hand at all times - from my own tree!

Don't know what the "chemistry" of stir-frying is to stir-frying the Zeroodles. but I think the sauce DID cling to the pasta better. Maybe it's because it was Alfredo sauce. I'll have to try with a tomato-based one next time. Watching a brand-name paper towel ad on TV made me crave wontons, but we're trying to reduce carb intake. Last night, I made up the filling with ground pork, shrimp, and water chestnuts, and stuffed deep-fried tofu and bell pepper. These were pan-fried then steamed with chicken stock and oyster sauce. Added baby gai lan for the veg. Made Zeroodle fried rice, and all filled the craving.

Must remember that next time! Trying to use up leftovers... For Ukrainian Christmas, our nod was some perogies made by a friend. Fried up with bacon is our favourite way. Left over prime rib and some veg did the trick. Tonight was attempt to use up the leftover filling from Shepherd's Pie. Trying to reduce carbs, so had some Zeroodle Fettuccini and Alfredo sauce with a big salad on the side. I actually read the Zeroodles package more carefully this time: drain well, dry with paper towel, stir-fry THEN add to sauce. Better!

Had a nice sized piece of Halibut left in the freezer = fish'n'chips. Eaten with peas, slaw, home fries, and curry sauce. Poached some chicken breasts and legs with thighs. Made Chicken Pot Pie to send home with Kidlets who were here for the afternoon while parents were working. Saved one for ourselves, using bits and pieces of puff pastry leftover. Eaten with salsa.

Picked up AAA Angus Prime Rib roasts at Walmart before Christmas - $5.99 / lb. Can't lose. This is the second time I've stocked up, and no regrets! A single rib seasoned with just Montreal Steak Spice. Eaten with mashed cauliflower, steamed broccoli, and mixed beg for the hubby. Then fell off the low-carb wagon tonight and made Shepherd's Pie with mashed taters. I always love pie crust on the bottom of my shepherd's pie, so I made pastry! Top of the mashed taters was sprinkled with spicy smoked paprika. The pie was made in a deep casserole dish by my potter friend. I love these as the pastry always stays crispy regardless of the juicy fruit or meat filling.

Soup of the Day: Italian Sausage Cauliflower and Kale Soup via Instant Pot

First time I had this delicious soup was in an Indian restaurant in Yorkshire, England. It was called Mulligatawny Soup, but it was not so thick and served with a slice of lemon. We loved it! But I wanted more body when I tried to make it, and it ended up looking like shain's, but without coconut milk. I guess it ended up more of a creamed curry lentil soup. That was a favourite with our musician friends who came to jam sessions at our banquet hall and later in our basement. I have curry leaves and everything else in my fridge at the moment. I'll be making this on the weekend!