Smoked Salt & Pepper

I started this post about 5 years ago, when I was living in College Station and really into making sushi at home. At the time, there were not many good sushi restaurants in the area, and I was homesick for any and all kinds of ethnic food. There is just so much Lane's fried chicken tenders and delicious crinkle-cut fries or Sodalack's chicken-fried steak or McAllister's one girl can eat. So a few of my friends and I started rolling sushi at home. I'd done it once or twice before starting veterinary school, but hadn't busted out my bamboo mat very often. Because fresh fish was a bit hard to procure in College Station without being an angler or restauranteur myself, I stuck with smoked salmon. Also, as a beginner sushi-maker, cooked stuff is much less intimidating. And probably safer for everyone partaking. Hah. Sushi is pretty easy to make. As long as you can roll things (burrito, spring rolls, cigarettes, jelly rolls, etc.), you can probably ro...

I now work in South Austin and have been trying to explore the eats around I-35 and William Cannon.  That's how I've come to start eating an occasional lunch at the DK Sushi South location.  I have been a fan of DK Sushi since around 4 years ago, but have always frequented the North Lamar location since it's closer to my house.  I even dragged a few of my friends to a karaoke night there years ago, before we all had kids.  It was....quite the spectacle.  DK himself hosts their karaoke nights and there may be naked pictures of women on the lyric screens...Let's just say, it's not something you can do with a 2-year-old.  I think we also witnessed DK get one of his employees, who's birthday it was, really really really drunk.  Sake bombs were involved prior to each song. Anywho, now that I've been getting into a better groove at work and have some time on Friday if we don't have meetings, I've been using the time to explore nearby eateries.  Since ...

Sometimes you don't have time to plan dinner and so it's great to have some quick dinners on hand in the pantry.  Like boxed mac 'n cheese or better yet, ramen.  Although probably not the healthiest of choices, it;s quick and fulfilling and with some additions, can be a really great meal.  Here's how I usually fancy up ramen to make it more satisfying and filling. Start with really good instant ramen.  Try to get one without MSG.  I like this Korean version because the noodles are nice and fat and juicy and it's really spicy and flavorful.  I would advice NOT using the whole spice package-it's really hot! And you can get it at HEB, or at least it's at my HEB. If you have some leftover chicken broth or vegetable broth, use it in place of water.  Otherwise water works just as well. Throw some frozen or fresh veggies in along with the noodles while you're boiling them.  I like to use fresh spinach or frozen green peas or frozen corn Add ...

Tonkatsu is usually Japanese-style fried pork.  I use the same technique for chicken breasts.  This is super simple and, like all fried things, delicious.  I have made this with pork; a more traditional tonkatsu.  This usually requires frying twice to ensure the pork is cooked through.  I have also experimented with baking in an oven at 425*F on a wire rack after misting the coated chicken with oil with good success. Chicken Tonkatsu 2 servings, Estimated time ~30 minutes Ingredients 2 chicken breasts 1 c. all purpose flour 1/4 tsp. salt 1 egg, beaten 1-2 cups panko bread crumbs canola oil for frying Tonkatsu sauce*, shredded green cabbage, and sushi rice to serve Directions: If chicken breasts are thicker than 1/2", pound slightly until uniformly about 1/2" thick Set up small separate bowls for flour and salt, beaten egg and 1 tbs. water, and panko bread crumbs.  Dredge the chicken breasts in flour, shake off any excess.  Dip in eg...

Growing up, whenever I was sick, my mom made me congee, or rice porridge.  It is very easy on the stomach and so comforting.  Now, whenever it is cold outside or I'm feeling a little under-the-weather, I make some.    It is very easily digestible, so ideal when you're having some tummy troubles.  Starting in vet school, my roommate Allegra introduced me to adding fried tofu to the dish.  So yummy.  I also like to eat it with an ajitama egg , a soft-boiled Japanese marinated egg, Furikake seasoning (Japanese rice seasoning), Maggi seasoning, and cha bong , or dried shredded pork.  Of course, if you were sick, you might want it a little more plain, with maybe just Maggi seasoning and cha bong. I like to use one day old cooked rice, although you could start with uncooked rice grains, it will just take longer to cook.  What I learned from my mom is that there is traditionally two kinds of congee in Vietnamese cooking.  One is a plain rice ...

We threw a New Year's Eve party this year and it was lots of fun with some good friends.  I love trying out new recipes when I've got plenty of people to give me opinions, so I tried a few that I'd been saving up.  I worked New Year's Eve, so I did want to make sure I could either semi-home-make some or prepare them ahead of time.  None of these recipes are season specific, so they would be great for any party. My menu fore New Year's.  Click on link for recipes Cheese from Antonelli's Cheese Shop (brie, gruyere, gouda, and blue cheese) with homemade wheat crackers : why let crackers be an after-thought? Meatballs in tangy sauce : Reid's grandma introduced me to this easy and delish meatball appetizer Furikake Chex Mix : sweet, salty, umami, addicting! Pop over to my friend's blog for the recipe Meyer's Elgin Pork Sausage on pretzel sticks with mustard: no link, you can figure this one out! Sweet Potato Pancakes : bite-sized sweet potato latke...

Nothing is better in the cold than a piping hot bowl of ramen!  There are a few really excellent places in town (Ramen Tatsu-ya, Daruma, Kome at lunch) and one of the places we frequent is called Michi Ramen.  There, they have a 'Texas' style ramen, which is served with Texas toast and has brisket in it.  Yesterday I made pulled pork sandwiches (2 lbs pork butt, salt and pepper, 1/2 sliced onion and 1 c. chicken broth in slow cooker on high for 4 hrs, then shredded with a fork and mixed with bbq sauce), had some left over pork and pork broth so I made this copy-cat ramen.  The bbq sauce in the pulled pork gave the ramen lots of flavor. Homemade ramen is soooo much better than store bought.  It tastes better and it doesn't have all that awful sodium and MSG most of the packaged stuff has. That stuff is bad for you!  I remember when I was younger, my mom, sister and I would go to France to visit our grandparents.  My dad stayed back to keep his phar...