Chicken stir fry

Took some leftover chicken breast and stir fried in a wok with some sesame oil. Separately boiled up some pasta. Once the pasta is done, threw it in with the chicken, added chopped yellow and orange peppers and some cilantro. Top with oyster sauce.

Shish Kabob

Desipite the fact that its not genuine perisan kabob, its quite a nice thing to try because you can place whatever you like on the skewers. On this I took some thick cuts of top sirloin, bell pepper and onions. Grill on low heat to allow the meat to remain tender.

Grilled chicken salad

Easy. Healthy. Just marinade chicken with some osyter sauce/pepper/lemon juice. Grill and place on your favorite salad.

Fruit Salad with Almond Jello

One of my all-time favorite things about summer is the abundance of fresh, sweet, juicy fruits… from melons to mangoes, fresh fruits abound at farmers’ markets and grocery stores. The fruit salad I made is a twist on a popular Chinese dessert that combines almond jello with fruit cocktail. But why use fruit from a can when you can use fresh fruit?? I chopped up cantaloupe, honeydew, kiwi, pineapple, bananas, mandarin oranges, and strawberries, and added blueberries and grapes. Basically add whatever fruit you can get your hands on and try to get a variety of colors going for a nice visual effect. I made the almond jello from a mix you can find at any Asian grocery store (or you can make it from scratch with Knox gelatin, milk, and almond extract). After mixing all the fruit together, I added the almond jello, chilled it in the fridge, and voila! Some fruit salad recipes call for adding some lime juice and sugar/honey, but I prefer the natural sweetness of the fruit unaltered. Berry delicious!!! :)

New york strip steak

New york strip steak is a griller's pride and joy. Pick a nice thick steak (especially if you like your meat a little rare). I'd recommend getting one with the bone still in because cooking with the bone adds flavor to the meat. Turn on the grill and let it get very hot for 10 min. While waiting, pound in some salt/pepper into the steak to tenderize it. When ready, throw the steak on the grill and quickly seare both sides to seal in the juices. Then turn down your heat to medium and allow it to slowly cook to the desired doneness. Personally, I think a steak cooked more then medium might as well be burned. Served with salad and cayenne peppered white corn.

Rosewater icecream

As we enter the depths of summer, nothing makes a better snack on a hot night than some ice cream. Threw together three scoops of rosewater ice cream, fresh cherries, and chocolate covered raisins. Yummm....

Chilled spicy hot shrimp cocktail

Clean and wash the (preferably fresh) shrimp. Heat up a skillet with olive oil to medium heat. Throw the shrimp on and keep them moving (if they sit in one spot they'll overcook). Add some pepper and, if you're like me and like spicy foods, use a little wasabe to the mix. Once they change to pink, quickly take them off and put into your serving dish. Place in the refrigerator to chill and then serve when needed. Makes a great appetizer, but don't forget to warn people about the wasabe kick!

Scallops with pesto sauce

Take fresh scallops and saute in
olive oil and rosemary on each side until you see them change to a slight yellow color. Once done, place them aside and use the same juices/oil in the pan to cook up some noodles. I chose to use the spaghetti noodles leftover from the prior night, though in general I prefer an angelhair pasta. Mix in some basil pesto (if you're lazy like me, take a spoonful from a jar) and you're done.

Spaghetti

At the end of a long day, there is little better than a nice soothing bowl of spaghetti. Nothing fancy. Just threw it in a pot, boiled it, added some sauce with Italian sausage. Topped with garlic and oregano.

Turkey tacos

For instructions, see turkey taco salad from prior post.

Breakfast burrito

Grill up bacon, eggs and heat up some tortillas till crispy. Wrap with some cilantro and serve with coffee.

Note: best consumed while sitting on a rock in the morning mist with the sound of birds in the background.

Fresh sauteed rainbow trout

Step 1: Go to beautiful lake in the Sierra Mountains

Step 2: Catch lots of rainbow trout

Step 3: Cut the heads off, gut, and filet your own fish at the campsite

Step 4: Stuff with chopped onions, salt/pepper, and butter. Then wrap in foil and throw on the fire.

Step 5: Open when overwhelmed by the sizzling sound and delicious aroma and consume.

Cooking in the Sierras: Carne Asada

Threw marinated carne asada meat onto the fire grill along with some tortillas. washed up some cilantro. When crispy, rolled it along with some salsa and dinner is done.