Sunday, July 23, 2017

Chili Dogs

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 Hot dogs are perfect summertime food. You can make a whole hot dog fix-it bar for a fun picnic party.  Just have plenty of fixings so everyone can customize their own dogs.   

My son was very excited to try a chili dog for the first time.  I think I may have created a chili dog maniac.  He wanted a chili dog for dinner and breakfast the next day too.  

This chili dog recipe is really easy and it will really make your hot dogs extra special.


Chili Dogs
Recipe by Ramona from Kitchen Simmer

Ingredients:
Hot dogs (your favorite kind cooked through either on stove-top or grill)
Hot dog buns 

Condiments:
Shredded cheddar cheese or mix of cheese
finely diced red onion
finely diced green chilies or jalapeno
mustard


Chili for Hot Dogs:
1lb lean ground beef  (I used 93% lean)
1 small onion finely diced
1-2 cloves garlic grated finely
red chili flakes to taste
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp celery seeds
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce 
2 Tbs yellow mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
salt and black pepper to taste


Directions:
 Heat 1 Tbs canola oil in pan.  Crumble ground beef well then brown beef with some salt and black pepper.  Next add minced onion and garlic.

Next add cumin, celery seed and red chili flakes and cook for a minute.  Next add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and tomato sauce.

 Cook for 5 more minutes and taste for seasoning.  Keep warm and serve over hot dogs with your favorite condiments and toppings. Enjoy.







Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Monday, July 17, 2017

Asian Tuna Burgers with Spicy Tartar Sauce

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Asian Tuna Burgers with Spicy Tartar Sauce is a wonderful way to use pantry items like cans of tuna to be the star of your meal. 

I am always trying to feed my family of four on a budget.  Since I cook almost all our meals at home, it's easy if I take the time to keep a well stocked pantry that keeps me from running to the store all the time. 

I love to use canned good quality tuna to help keep things budget friendly.   Tuna is always a quick, easy and nutritious way to feed my family for lunch or dinner.  I love that tuna is naturally a lean protein, with healthy fat, and full of important vitamins and minerals.  
 
I enjoy creating dishes with canned tuna and I have made tuna pasta dishes, tuna melts, tuna salads, and my kid's favorite Asian Tuna Burgers with my Spicy Tartar Sauce.  These burgers come together in minutes and they have such a punch of flavor. 

If you are trying to keep things more figure friendly, then forgo the bun and top a green salad with this tuna burger for a great entree salad. 
So, the next time you are puzzled about what to make for dinner, think tuna.






Asian Tuna Burgers with Spicy Tartar Sauce
Recipe by Ramona from Kitchen Simmer
 
Ingredients:
2 cans good quality tuna in Water
1/4 cup finely sliced scallions/green onion
1 large egg
red chili flakes to taste (optional)
salt and black pepper to taste (see note)
1 Tbs of soy sauce
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1-2 cloves garlic grated
1/2 Tbs grated fresh ginger
sesame seeds (as needed)


Note:  salt is optional due to the use of soy sauce





Spicy Tartar Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise (light is fine, I don't recommend fat free)
1 Tbs pickle relish
1 Tbs sriracha sauce
salt and pepper to taste (optional)



Directions:

Step 1: Drain canned tuna well. Mix with minced scallions, egg, black pepper, soy sauce, bread crumbs, ginger, garlic and Dijon mustard.  Form 4 burger patties.

Step 2:  Heat a nonstick frying pan with 1 tsp of canola oil.  Fry the burgers on medium heat for 4-5 minutes on side one. Before flipping the tuna burger, apply a little canola oil on each burger and sprinkle sesame seeds so they stick to the patty.  Then flip and cook the other side of the tuna burger for 3-4 minutes.  Toast buns and serve with tartar sauce and garnishes.  Enjoy.




Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Thai Larb Gai (Spicy Thai Style Chicken Salad)

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Thai Larb Gai is my version of a spicy Thai style chicken salad.  This salad is a very bright and light salad that is perfect for the summer time months of the year.

I ordered this dish at a Thai restaurant a while back and I was so happy that my kids loved eating it as much as I did.  I knew that meant that I had to try to make this at home so we could enjoy it as often.

The recipe could not be easier because it starts out with ground chicken.  So there is no fussing with cutting meat... something I try to avoid if I can!  I decided to not make it the traditional way with the ground roasted rice, but added finely sliced cabbage and carrots into it instead.

The star of the dish is the dressing that is made with fresh lime juice.  The salad only gets better as it soaks up the salad dressing and gets marinated in all those wonderful flavors of lime, fish sauce and mint.

I served this in lettuce leaves for a low carb appetizer.  You can also serve it over rice for a more substantial meal.   If you love light and fresh South Asian flavors, this salad will definitely be a hit.



Thai Larb Gai (Spicy Thai Style Chicken Salad)
Recipe by Ramona from Kitchen Simmer

Ingredients:
1lb ground chicken breast (or dark meat if you prefer)
2-3 cups finely shredded cabbage (I used a bag of coleslaw mix) 
1 cup julienne (matchstick) carrots
1 large bunch scallions/green onions sliced (divided greens and white bottom part)
salt and black pepper (to taste)
1 ts turmeric powder (optional)
1 tsp red chili powder (optional)
1-2 green chilies finely sliced
1-2 cloves grated garlic
one large handful fresh mint leaves
1 cup sliced red onions 
2-3 Tbs sambal oelek
Lettuce leaves (optional)
 

Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (or more to taste)
2-3 Tbs fish sauce (or more to taste)
1/2 Tbs brown sugar


Directions:
In a large skillet, cook ground chicken well on medium high heat. Season with a little salt and black pepper.  Then add grated garlic and optional ingredients of red chili powder and turmeric.  Cook until ground chicken is fully cooked (if any liquid comes out of the chicken, cook until all liquid is cooked out. 

 Tip: Use a potato masher to break up chicken in small pieces. 

Next add finely sliced cabbage, matchstick carrots, whites of scallions and finely sliced green chilies.  Cook for 2-3 minutes until cabbage is wilted, but still a little crunchy.  Allow chicken mixture to cool down where it is just slightly warm.

 Then add mint leaves, red onion slices and sambal oelek to chicken.  Top with dressing and toss well.  Taste for salt and seasoning, adjust as desired.  Note: If you want more salt you can also add more fish sauce. 

Before serving, allow chicken mixture to soak up the dressing for 20-30 minutes.  I like to serve this at room temperature with lettuce leaves.



 

Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Jalapeno Pimento Cheese Beef Patty Melts

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 I remember the first time I had a patty melt... I was an adult at a work luncheon.  A co-worker ordered one and I asked what it was.  They described it perfectly by saying it was like a burger and a grilled cheese got married then had this delicious "love child". 
 
That was over 20 years ago and I have been hooked on them since.  I introduced them to my kids a few years ago (they are lucky they didn't have to wait until they were 20).  They loved them because they both love burgers and grilled cheese.   
 
They also love my spicy pimento cheese with jalapenos.  So I decided we needed to take the already delicious patty melt and give it a spicy makeover.  Wow! These were great!   You must use a hearty sliced bread so your bread can stand up to all those yummy ingredients. 
 
Another trick I have learned from watching cooking shows is to grilled the patty right onto some sliced onions.  The onions get  caramelized and cooked right along with the burger and give it great flavor.  
 
So if you love burgers, grilled cheese and want something a little spicy in your life... this patty melt is calling your name.  


Jalapeno Pimento Cheese Beef Patty Melts 
Recipe by Ramona from Kitchen Simmer


Ingredients:
1lb lean ground beef
salt, black pepper to taste to season the ground beef
1/4 tsp garlic powder 
1 large onion sliced thin
Jalapeno Pimento Cheese (see recipe below)
Thick sliced bread (I used potato bread)
butter as needed


 Jalapeno Pimento Cheese:
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup cream cheese
1tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
red chili flakes to taste
1/4 cup chopped jalapeno
1 small jar pimento peppers



 Directions:
Make the Jalapeno Pimento Cheese spread by
softening cream cheese at room temperature for an hour.   Then add all the other ingredients to the cream cheese and mix well until spreadable then set aside  until needed. 

Take the lean ground beef and season it with salt, black pepper and granulated garlic. Gently mix until combined then divide into four equal portions.  Form into thin patty rectangle shape or shape of your bread.

Heat a griddle or skillet on medium heat with a little canola oil.  Place a layer of onions where the patties will be placed.  Place a patty over each pile of onions.   Top with more onions. 

Cook on each side (about 5 minutes ) for fully cooked burgers.

To make patty melts:  Apply some jalapeno cream cheese on both sides of bread and place a cooked burger with onions in the middle.  

Apply butter on the outside of bread (both sides) and grill on medium low until bread is golden brown and jalapeno cheese has started to melt. 

Serve immediately.  Enjoy.


 


Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Monday, July 3, 2017

4th of July Recipes 2017

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Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.