Tag Archives: sriracha

Comfort food, Main Dishes

Ham & Bacon Melt with Sriracha Mayo

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Sandwiches are always amazing. But you know what makes them even better? When they are hot. With melty cheese. And something spicy. Kind of like this one.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large roll
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1/4-1/2 lb ham
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp sriracha
  • 2 slices white American cheese

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Step 1: Fry the bacon 5-7 minutes, until crisp, and place on a paper towel to drain. Wipe or pour most of the grease out, leaving a thin layer. Place the roll in the pan cut-side down to toast. Or, you could use a toaster. Or not toast the bread at all, your call.

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Step 2: In a small bowl, or right on top of the bread, mix the sriracha and mayonnaise, and spread it around. Add cooked bacon on top. On the other slice of bread, layer on the ham and cheese.

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Step 3: Smush the whole thing together, and toast in the frying pan another minute or two, until the cheese gets melty.

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This sandwich would also work great with turkey or chicken, and you could use whatever type of cheese you prefer. I think softer breads are better for use here, because they have a chewy interior that contrasts so well with the crunchy toasted exterior while the white American cheese is creamy enough to tame the spicy sriracha.

 

Healthy, Informative, Review

Review: Asian Farmers Market

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One of my big priorities when visiting or moving to a new place is finding the good grocery stores. I know, lots of people think I’m crazy but I LOVE grocery shopping! It’s so fun walking up and down the aisles looking at different foods and imagining what I could create with it.  I especially love any type of ethnic foods, foods I’ve not tried yet, strange spices and sauces, and fresh produce.

All this and more is what I found by accident one fine spring day in New Haven.

The original intent was to go to ALDI’s for a stock-up on basics. Those who know me know my love affair with ALDI runs deep. I wouldn’t have eaten nearly as well throughout college without their no-frills rock-bottom food prices. If you’ve never been or don’t have one in your area (like Colorado…) I am very sorry. You could always do what I did and move across the country to be near one.

Anyways, I arrived half an hour earlier than they opened. Silly me, thinking they have normal hours on a weekend. So rather than wait in the parking lot, I decided to explore further up the street since I had not driven east yet.

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To my surprise and intrigue a few blocks down was a large red sign proclaiming “Asian Farmers Market”. We all know I adore a good farmer’s market, so I just had to stop in and check it out.

I was immediately rewarded with a double shelf of fresh vegetables, roots, herbs, and fruits as I walked in the door. There were your typical bananas and oranges, but also dragonfruit and huge daikon radishes. Fresh bunches of Thai basil, lemongrass, and mint lined the shelves.

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Huge stacks of 15, 25, and 50 pound bags of Thai, jasmine, brown, and white rice lined the opposite wall. Baked goods of all types covered the table just inside the door, tempting you the minute you step inside.

As I wandered slowly, drooling over everything, a kind asian man approached and asked if I needed any help finding something. I explained that I just wanted to look around, and we ended up chatting about how I’d just moved from Colorado, and he said he has always wanted to move to Colorado. Funny how that happens. He gave me some advice on the area, and it turned out he was the owner of the store!

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The owner told me many of the items actually come from NYC China Town. Food goods are flown in from Asia, and once a week or so he drives down to pick up a big shipment. Isn’t it great that us smaller town folks can enjoy the big-city luxuries by living so close? I’m glad he will drive into the city so I don’t have to!

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As I wandered the aisles I found tons of great bargains. I snatched up a pack of fresh spring snow peas for $1.50, a hefty chunk of ginger root for stir fry and tea, as well as a bag of sprouts. I grabbed a pound of mung beans, so I can sprout my own at home over the next few months. Some rice noodles, chicken bouillon, fish sauce, and of course Sriracha made it into my cart.

I ended up nabbing the last bottle of Sriracha, just as another customer rounded the corner. I don’t know if they wanted the Sriracha or not, but I hugged my bottle and ran away. I very nearly grabbed a small green jar of the garlic sriracha too, but figured I can always come back. They even had a two gallon jug of Sriracha! I’m sure someone somewhere uses that quantity, but my taste buds cry at the very thought.

All in all, it was a very successful accidental shopping trip, and I am looking forward to many more great curries and stir fry meals now. This will become a regular spot on my weekly/monthly grocery route. For anyone looking for some exotic cooking ingredients or ideas, I would highly recommend checking it out. Located at 913 Foxon Road in New Haven, CT 06513, the Asian Farmers Market is a family-owned, friendly spot.

 

 

Appetizers

Fried Pickles with Sriracha Ranch Dip

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For those who have not tried fried pickles, let me tell you something. They are awesome.

Can’t say something is gross until you try it, that was always my mom’s rule. Just try these, and then see if you can tell me “ew”. Frying makes anything better, so even if you don’t like pickles you will probably like these; and if you do like pickles you are in for a real treat!

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Ingredients:

  • Pickles (as many as you’re willing to cut up and fry)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tbsp paprika
  • 1/2 tbsp garlic salt
  • 2-4 tbsp sriracha
  • 1/2 cup ranch dressing
  • 1-2 cups frying oil

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Step 1: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, and egg. This is the base of the batter. Add the spices and mix well. You can even throw in some extra sriracha here if you want. Set the oil in a pan to medium-high.

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Step 2: Take the pickles, and either chop into circles, slices, or use a veggie peeler to make them really thin.

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Step 3: Dredge the pickles in the batter, making sure all sides are well coated. Lay in a pan with about 2 inches of hot oil. You want it hot enough that it immediately starts bubbling and hissing when you put the pickles in, but turn it down immediately if it start smoking.

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Step 4: Fry 2-5 minutes, then flip with a spatula or slotted spoon to fry on the other side. Remove the pickles to a plate covered in paper towels or a cooling rack to drain some of the oil and cool.

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Step 5: Take the ranch dressing, and mix in 1-2 tbsp sriracha (or other hot sauce).

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Step 6: Dip. Eat. Smile. Repeat.

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These are so good you might not want to share, but they are a great party appetizer. They are best served fresh and hot from the pan.

Main Dishes

Chicken & Cheese Enchiliadas

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It’s no secret that I love all Mexican foods. I’ve written about how I made the perfect refried beans, many variations on tacos, and the simple pizza-like toastadas. I’ve been meaning to tackle a particularly intimidating recipe for a while: enchiladas.
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You may not think enchiladas are intimidating, but for whatever reason I kept thinking it would be hard to make these. Then the s.o. requested it, I had a big stack of tortillas in the fridge, and so I was like, ok it’s time.
Turns out, they weren’t so scary after all. And damn delicious.
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Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
7 tortillas
2 tbsp taco seasoning
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup refried beans
1 cup shredded cheese mix
1 can tomato sauce
1-2 tbsp sriracha
I used large flour tortillas here, I know corn is the norm. But trust me, no one was upset about these. Give it a try, or go ahead and use corn if that’s what you have.
Step 1: Cook the chicken either in the oven, frying pan, or poach in boiling water. Use two forks to shred it finely. Cook in a pan with a little butter and taco seasoning.
Step 2: In each tortilla, spread a few tbsp beans, a handful of shredded chicken, and sprinkle on some cheese. Roll up, and place with the seam-side down in a sprayed oven-safe pan.
Step 4: Once the pan is full, sprinkle more cheese over top, then pour the tomato sauce over everything. Use as much as you need to cover the tops, but not to soak them. (Sidenote, I hate the taste of regular enchilada sauce at restaurants, that’s why I went the homemade tomato sauce version. If you like it or have a jar of enchilada sauce at home, feel free to use that.)
Step 5: Squirt on a thin layer of sriracha and/or hot sauce, and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.
We ended up having two each, and the leftovers didn’t last more than a day. These could be made in the crock pot as well, simply assemble and leave on low all day. Make sure to add extra sauce so they don’t burn if you go that route.
Serve with a little sour cream on top to cut the spice if that’s your thing.
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You could make the vegetarian by adding extra grilled veggies or tofu instead of chicken, and just feel free to add in some onions and peppers regardless of what else is in there.
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What’s your favorite Mexican food?