Everyone is cooking at home more than ever before. I have been doing recipe swaps with family, friends and creating some of my own based on what I have in my fridge each week, substituting as needed and coming up with different variations of recipes I find online. Make meal planning more exciting by checking out the recipes below and sharing your own in the comments. #CookingInQuarantine
Pork Ramen
My boyfriend and I love our Ramen but we tend to order it for delivery as opposed to making it at home. This weekend we tried our hand at this delicious homemade pork ramen recipe from TheKitchn.com, one of my go-to websites for recipes. My boyfriend had gotten pork shoulder and threw that in the slow cooker the night before. He used chicken broth simmered with the bone from the pork shoulder instead of the homemade chicken stock (highly recommend, pork shoulder has so much goodness). We also added some Asian chili garlic sauce to give it a bit of heat and it was so delicious. We pretty much followed the recipe from there, allowing all of the ingredients to simmer for a few hours before enjoying. We used Udon noodles that we placed in the bowl first when serving, added the pork and veggie broth and shoyu tare (just a mix of soy sauce and mirin, which is sweetened sake), scallions for garnish and soft boiling the egg for 6 min at the very end to get that perfect yolky finish to top off this super tasty ramen dish that makes you feel good inside and out.
Cheese Fondue
I realized last week I had an electric fondue set in my cabinet that had never been opened. Perfect timing since I was looking for a way to amp up Friday Happy Hour at home and this was the perfect way to do it. It’s so much easier than I thought it would be and there are so many things you can dip from bread (I recommend fresh, cubed Italian bread) to crackers or chips, veggies and even fruit like apples. The possibilities are endless and delicious I can’t wait until I can go visit my nieces and nephew again so we can make chocolate fondue together. The full recipe is from WellPlated.com and can be found here along with a few recommended rules you should follow:
- Use good quality cheese (we chose a mix of Gouda and Edam, but traditional cheese fondue is Swiss)
- Grate the cheese and toss with cornstarch or flour
- Use a a good quality, dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc
- Add the grated cheese slowly and stir constantly for a smooth fondue
Empty Your Fridge Soup
- 32 oz Broth or Stock (I used Chicken but Veggie, Beef or Bone broth work too)
- 3 cloves garlic
- Caramelized Chicken Meatballs (turkey or any kind of smaller meatballs)
- Escarole or Kale (spinach or any dark green leafy vegetable)
- Carrots (fresh or frozen)
- Beans (we didn’t have any so we used a can of Campbell’s minestrone instead!)
- 1/2 cup cooked pasta (ditalini, pearls, pasting or noodles work too)
- Bay Leaves (whole or crushed)
- Celery Salt
- Italian Seasoning
- Salt & Pepper
- Grated Parmesan
Start by sautéing the garlic in some oil, then add the broth. Add the thickest, heartiest vegetables at first to give them time to cook through. Add all of your favorite seasonings and allow to simmer for at least a couple of hours, adding the meatballs and pasta, throwing the softer veggies like your greens in towards the end. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and serve with your favorite crackers or bread.
Delmonico Steak dinner recipe coming soon…
