Blistered Shishito Peppers

 Last night for dinner, Mr. Devilish grilled a steak and we enjoyed a salad with HOMEGROWN lettuce AND tomatoes from our garden, AND HOMEGROWN Shishito Peppers.  He even made Homemade Ranch Dressing for our salad. Why the need for ALL CAPS? Why am I SHOUTING?  Well you should know I do not have a green thumb and I am super proud of our garden this year.  We have enjoyed BLT sandwiches with Cherokee Purple tomatoes at least twice a week for the last month.  I told him, "If you'd let me live in the country and have animals like I want we could have grown LITERALLY everything on this plate."  Which is a lie, if I had cows I would probably name them and love them like I love our dog Elli.  Anyway, I wanted the best preparation for the shishito pepper harvest so a quick consult with my brother-in-law who is a CHEF in New Orleans and I knew exactly what to do.  If you aren't familiar with shishito peppers, they are a small, slender green pepper, typically mild, and from East Asia.  Sometimes they have them in Asian restaurants as an appetizer.  Sometimes I see them at the grocery store, and definitely at the Asian Market.  They have a sweet, bright flavor and you just hold the stem and bite the whole pepper off and enjoy.  Most of the time they are not spicy, and I say MOST because once in a while you get a HOT one.  This experience is known as "Shishito Roulette" which has happened to me three times.  Shishitos are so delicious in flavor though, the risk of an occasional hot one is well worth it.  

Fresh from the garden and ready for Roulette.

Getting the wok "screaming hot"

Pour in the fresh peppers

They will sizzle like crazy.  BE CAREFUL
and wear an apron!

Stir constantly, keep them moving.
Remove to a bowl, toss with lemon juice 
and seasoings.

Enjoy! I'm so proud of our garden harvest.

BLISTERED SHISHITO PEPPERS

Shishito Peppers
Oil for frying
Juice from half a lemon
Flaked Sea Salt to taste
Red Pepper Flakes to taste

Preparation (According to Chef Jeff)

Place a small amount of oil in a wok.  "Get the wok SCREAMING HOT" Dump in your fresh shishito peppers and stir constantly until the skin starts to char and blister.  Place in a bowl and add lemon juice.  Toss and sprinkle with sea salt and red pepper flakes to taste.  Pour on to a platter and serve.

Asian Dumpling Salad

As I've said before, I'm a sucker for an Asian Salad.  Mr. Devilish Dish abhors sesame oil and cilantro and those are two of my favorite flavors.  So on the rare occasion he is out of the house at dinner time I usually opt for something with those ingredients.  My go-to has always been my Asian Chopped Chicken Salad and sometimes I opt for Cucumber & Sweet Pepper Salad. If he is out of town for a long time, then I go all out and make Thai Beef Salad, Copycat PF Changs Lettuce Wraps, and his least favorite:  Egg Roll in a Bowl. Now there's a new favorite in the Asian Meal Rotation for when he leaves town - Asian Dumpling Salad.  This is so good, and hearty with the addition of some delicious steamed dumplings.  The best part is it's one of those semi-homemade meals.  I don't feel as guilty because I'm not eating take-out, BUT I'm not cooking away in the kitchen just for myself.  It is the best of both worlds.  A hearty meal that doesn't require too much work in the kitchen and I get to enjoy all the sesame oil and cilantro I want when Mr. DD isn't here.  

This is soooo good.  The dressing is
similar to a really good dipping sauce
for the dumplings.  The perfect combination.

When ready to serve, toss the dressing and 
salad ingredients together.  Add the golden
brown steamed dumplings.  Toss them to ensure
they get a coating of salad dressing.

Enjoy as is or serve with Crab Rangoons
or Egg Rolls if you want a fuller meal.

ASIAN DUMPLING SALAD

For the Dressing:

4 Tbsp Soy Sauce
4 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
4 Tbsp Chili Oil
2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
1 Clove Garlic, minced
2 tsp Ginger Paste

For the Salad:

1 Small Head of Romaine Lettuce, very thinly sliced (think chiffonade style)
1 Carton Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1 Large Cucumber, halved and sliced
1 Bunch Green Onions, chopped (green part only)
1 Handful Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Package Frozen Asian-Style Dumplings (choose your favorite flavor)
salt & pepper to taste

In a bowl whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili oil, sesame oil, sugar, garlic and ginger.  Set aside.  This will be your salad dressing.  

In a large salad bowl combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions and cilantro.  Toss together and set aside.

Prepare the dumplings according to package directions - or Simply fry them in a pan in a small amount of oil until golden brown.  Add 1/4 cup of water and cover with a lid to steam for approximately 5 minutes.  When the dumplings are done, remove them from the heat.

Pour the salad dressing over the lettuce mixture and toss.  Add the steamed dumplings, tossing to coat with dressing and serve immediately.

Cucumber & Sweet Pepper Salad

I'm sure by now you've heard the term "Girl Dinner." Typically it consists of Caesar salad, truffle fries and a martini.  Sometimes it involves oysters and champagne too.  One of our local restaurants even offers a "girl dinner" happy hour with the aforementioned items sharable for a group of girlfriends.  While that all sounds delicious, my favorite "girl dinner" is some type of Asian salad.  Mainly because Mr. Devilish Dish doesn't like it so it's a rare treat I get to enjoy when he's not home for dinner.  My go-to meal when he's away is typically my Asian Chicken Chopped Salad, but lately I've been enjoying this Cucumber & Sweet Pepper Salad. This recipe has been circulating on social media for several years, with variations featuring chicken, tuna, and even sushi nori.  But I love it as is. Fresh mini cucumbers and sweet peppers with everything bagel seasoning, chili crisp, and of course my own Japanese Restaurant Style Ginger Salad Dressing.  Most of the online recipes use a store-bought dressing, but I really like using my own homemade dressing on this recipe.  It's so simple to put together, and the crisp veggies are so colorful.  It is an ideal side dish for any Asian meal, but I've made it plenty of times as a side for barbecue dinners or cook-outs as a side dish for hamburgers and hot dogs. It is always a hit, as the fresh peppers are sweet, not at all spicy.  You can adjust the amount of chili crisp you add if you want a little more kick.  Not only is it perfect for a girl dinner, it is perfect for any dinner!

A crisp, colorful salad, ideal for any summer meal.

The Line Up.  Definitely make your own
Ginger Dressing.  It's worth it!

Slice your mini cucumbers.

Slice the mini sweet peppers.

Pour your Homemade Ginger Dressing over
the sliced veggies.  Toss together to combine.

Add the Everything Bagel Seasoning.

Add the Chili Crisp

Toss to combine.

Serve and enjoy for your own "girl dinner"

CUCUMBER & SWEET PEPPER SALAD

4 Mini Cucumbers, sliced
8-10 Mini Sweet Peppers, thinly sliced (I don't really worry about seeding them, the seeds kind of fall out on their own)
1/4 to 1/2 Cup Japanese Restaurant Style Ginger Salad Dressing (RECIPE HERE)
1 Tbsp Everything Bagel Seasoning
1 Tbsp Chili Crisp (Chili Crisp is a condiment, similar to chili oil, but with the addition of crispy fried ingredients like garlic, shallots and chili peppers.)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Add sliced cucumbers and sliced peppers to a salad bowl.  Pour in salad dressing and toss until coated.  Add bagel seasoning and chili crisp. Season with salt and pepper.  Toss and enjoy immediately.  I think it tastes best fresh, but it can be stored up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator.  

Japanese Restaurant Style Ginger Salad Dressing

Summer is my favorite season for cooking.  Mainly because Mr. Devilish Dish does most of it outside and my kitchen stays cool and clean.  A few years ago for Christmas, I surprised him with a Blackstone Griddle.  A BIG one.  Imagine me trying to get that thing at Lowe's into the back of my car on my lunch hour and then hiding it in my parent's garage.  I wrapped up the Blackstone cover as his gift, and when he unwrapped it he was a little confused.  Why did I buy him a cover for a piece of equipment he didn't own?  Then I told him the rest of his gift was hiding in my parent's garage.  And after that loading and unloading it was his problem.  We've really enjoyed that thing because it is so multi-purpose.  We can make an entire breakfast on it outdoors including bacon, eggs and pancakes all at once.  It's great for Oklahoma-style onion burgers.  It's great for griddling Twinkies for Strawberry Shortcake.  It's also the best place to make a big batch of fried rice.  Earlier this year we had a crawfish boil and had a little bit of crawfish left over.  He used the leftover crawfish tails and andouille sausage and made an awesome Cajun-style fried rice.  And on that note - it is also like having your own hibachi on the patio.  All Mr. Devilish Dish needs to do is learn to make an onion volcano and flip a shrimp into my mouth from across the room.  Seriously he can whip up the best Asian dinner with steak, chicken or shrimp and a big pile of tasty grilled vegetables.  My contribution to the meal is a crisp salad with that tangy, sweet ginger dressing.  We love this dressing on a salad as an accompaniment to an Asian-style meal, but it also makes a great sauce or glaze for salmon or chicken.  My favorite way to use it, is to dress a cucumber-pepper salad which will be an upcoming post, so stay tuned!

Here's the ingredient list.

The carrot gives it such a vibrant color.

Elli's favorite use for the Blackstone Griddle
is when her dad prepares her a Gotcha Day or
Birthday Cheeseburger!

JAPANESE RESTAURANT STYLE GINGER SALAD DRESSING

1/2 Cup Avocado Oil (can use vegetable or canola but we prefer avocado oil)
1 1/2 Teaspoon Ginger Puree (can use fresh ginger but I like the ease of the squeeze bottle)
1 Medium Carrot, peeled and rough chopped
1 Shallot, peeled and rough chopped
1 Clove Garlic, peeled
2 Tbsp Honey
2 Tsp Sesame Oil
4 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce or Tamari
salt & pepper to taste

Add ingredients to a food processor or blender.  Pulse until smooth and combined.  Use on lettuce salad, cucumber salad or as a glaze on roasted fish or chicken.  

Coca-Cola Pickled Onions

We like to tease my Devilish Nephew about his "Bro Crush" on James Beard Award Winning Chef Chris Shepherd.  Chef Chris was named one of the 10 Best New Chefs in America by Food & Wine Magazine in 2013 and awarded the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2014.  In 2019 all three of his restaurants nabbed the Number 1 spots on Texas Monthly's list of Best New Restaurants in Texas.  These are just a handful of accolades awarded to Chef Chris and having eaten at one of his restaurants I can personally vouch for how divine and creative his food is.  Houston is such a diverse city and Chris Shepherd's food style reflects that.  It is a blend of Asian, Tex-Mex, Latin American and Texas barbecue traditions.  Nothing makes me prouder than my nephew sharing my love for cooking and especially his desire to follow cooking trends and be adventurous in trying new foods and recipes.  His obsession with Houston's most well-known chef is not surprising, and although we tease him about it, I'm glad to see him taking advantage of the interesting cultural influence Houston has on food.  When we visited him a while back, he prepared us Vietnamese Fajitas from the chef's cookbook.  As I was thumbing through the pages I stumbled upon this recipe for pickled onions.  I was so intrigued I even took a screen shot of the page.  Upon our return trip to Houston we planned a delicious Southern-style meal based around my nephew's melt-in-your-mouth ribs.  As we were brainstorming dishes to accompany the ribs, Mr. Devilish Dish said, "How about something simple like some pickles, or maybe some quick pickled onions?" Immediately I grabbed Chris Shepherd's cookbook and said, "I know exactly how we are going to quick pickle the onions." Making this recipe was so important to us we made three stops to find Mexican Coke.  (Everyone seemed to be out of stock) We finally bought a bottle from the taco truck near the nephew's house!  I can't say enough about how delicious my nephew's ribs were.  Absolutely perfect and worthy of any Texas barbecue contest.  We also enjoyed my Veggie Salad, which is a cool, crisp alternative to potato salad.  In true Southern style we had jalapeno pimento cheese sandwiches.  While all of these dishes were unquestionably outstanding, the Coca-Cola Pickled Onions stole the show.  This is a recipe we will go to again and again and I highly recommend you follow in the Devilish Nephew's footsteps, fall in love with Chef Shepherd and make this recipe pronto!

Egg Roll in a Bowl {Gluten-Free}

January 13th is National Gluten-Free Day which is every day for me.  It's fortunate (or unfortunate really) that there are enough gluten-allergy sufferers that there is a food holiday devoted to us!  It has been a few years now, so eating a gluten-free diet is part of our daily life and I normally don't give it a second thought.  Developing recipes and adapting old ones to become gluten-free are something I enjoy doing most of the time like taking our family's Indian Fry Bread Recipe and coming up with a Gluten-Free Version.  Occasionally though I'm in a hurry or I'm not in the mood to experiment and it's easier to just eat a hamburger without a bun or a taco fillings without a tortilla.  Sometimes I can get my Asian fix with a good spring roll since the wrappers are rice paper but since I have to be cautious about soy sauce, it's safer to prepare Asian recipes at home.  That's when I realized I can have the delicious flavors of an egg roll without the gluten-y wrapper.  And it's prepared as a satisfying meal instead of an appetizer!  This recipe comes together super fast and if you go light on the sauce, it's pretty healthy too.  All the flavors of an egg roll, minus the gluten and minus the hassle of rolling and frying.  Win Win for everyone!

All the flavors without the wrapper!

Saute onions and garlic

Add additional ingredients and cook until
cabbage is wilted slightly.

Add shredded chicken and garnish with green onions.

Whip up a quick sauce with mayonnaise and
sriracha sauce.

Drizzle sauce over and enjoy.
Bonus: Gluten-Free!

Firecracker Chicken

When Little Devil lived at home our menu consisted of constant Asian recipes.  When we became empty nesters Mr. Devilish Dish said, "Can we take an Asian Food Hiatus?" so we did for a while and after a break I can report we are now enjoying some Asian meals now and then.  I made a version of this recipe a couple of weeks ago and while it was good, it wasn't great so I made it again last night because I wanted to tweak the sauce.  Both Mr. DD and I were really happy with the way it turned out.  Warning, it does have a little kick, hence the name Firecracker Chicken.  I'm super excited to have something that is crispy and fried that is gluten-free so it is a winning recipe all around.  I served it over rice and garnished it with some crisp green onions.  Skip the take out and make your own at home, it's that easy!

Better than Take Out!

Fry your chicken in a small amount of
oil until crispy.

Coat with sauce and bake until thick.

Garnish with green onions.

Serve over hot, steamed rice and enjoy!

Gluten-Free Honey Sriracha Wings

Last week I was on a mission to use all of the random things in my deep freeze.  Normally when I make wings, it's for some kind of football watching occasion and I make them in vast quantities.  Why there was one little lonely stray package of wings and drumettes in my freezer we'll never know.  I decided it was the perfect amount for a quick weeknight meal.  My pal Michaela over at An Affair From the Heart posted these Honey Sriracha Wings a while back.  We love wings and we love Sriracha Sauce, so I knew right away the recipe would make an appearance in my kitchen.  I used gluten-free flour because of the whole gluten allergy thing (insert eye roll) and the result was fabulous.  Since gluten-free flour is usually a combination including rice flour, the resulting crust had an almost tempura-like texture.  Fried up super crisp and tossed in the Honey Sriracha sauce.  I served them up with the traditional celery and carrots with my Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing, and a side of sweet potato fries.  It was a really fun and flavorful meal, and I will definitely be repeating this recipe for game watching in the future!

The crispiest, tempura-like wings,
in a sweet-hot sauce!

Best of all they are Gluten-Free

Serve with carrots, celery sticks,
My Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing,
and extra Honey Sriracha Sauce

The perfect meal or
game watching snack!

Move over Buffalo,
Honey Sriracha is the new wing in town!

We have the niftiest little hot wing platter.
It has a space underneath to toss the bones.
I found something similar HERE.

{Gluten-Free} Honey Sriracha Wings

adapted from: An Affair From the Heart

2 pounds chicken wings and drumettes
1 cup Gluten-Free flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium white onion, minced
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2/3 cup Sriracha Sauce
1/2 cup honey
oil for frying

Prepare the sauce by heating 2 tablespoons oil in a sauce pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and cook until tender.  Add rice vinegar, Sriracha Sauce and honey.  Bring to a low boil, then reduce to simmer for a few minutes until sauce is thickened.  Allow sauce to cool slightly, then puree with an immersion blender until smooth.  Prepare the wings by washing them and patting dry with paper towels.  Dredge in gluten-free flour.  Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet to 350 degrees F.  Fry wings in oil about 4-5 minutes per side, until golden brown and done.  Place on a paper towel lined platter to absorb any excess oil.  Toss in Honey Sriracha Sauce.  Serve with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing.  

Prep Time:  Approximately 15 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 10 minutes
       

 

Asian Chicken Chopped Salad

Whenever Mr. Devilish Dish leaves town, Little Devil and I have our list of favorites that we eat while he is away.  Which consists of: cheese tortellini with marinara sauce, Little Caesar's Crazy Bread and Chick Fil A.  None of these are his favorites so we always enjoy them when he isn't eating with us.  Well guess what?  None of those are gluten-free so we've had to change our "Dad is out of town menu" to some allergy free choices.  We both love Asian salads, which he can live without.  He's not a huge fan of a salad as a meal.  He's more of a "Where's the Beef?" guy.  I happened upon this salad over at the Full Belly Sister's blog.  We've probably made it at least 6 or 7 times, each time tweaking it just a little more to our preferences.  Finally Little Devil said, "This is the one.  You can blog it now."  So here it is.  Our new Dad is Away favorite:  Asian Chicken Chopped Salad.

Cool, Refreshing and just a little bit of kick!

Asian Chicken Chopped Salad

Adapted from: Full Belly Sisters

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

For the marinade:
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

For the dressing:
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
juice of 1/2 lime
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
salt to taste
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

For the salad:
1 head butter lettuce, chopped
1 head romaine, chopped
4-6 ounces salted cashew halves & pieces
4 green onions, chopped
2  (15 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained

In a small bowl combine the marinade ingredients.  Place in a large plastic bag and add chicken breasts.  Allow to marinate at least one hour, or as long as overnight.  When you are ready to cook the chicken, remove chicken breasts from marinade.  Preheat oven to High Broil.  Place chicken breasts on a foil covered baking sheet.  Bake on high broil for 5 minutes.  Turn chicken breasts over and bake the other side for 5 minutes.  (Make sure the chicken is no longer pink in the middle and its juices are running clear.)  Allow to cool slightly before slicing.

While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.  Place the salad ingredients in a large bowl.  Pour the dressing over and toss to combine.  Place servings of salad on plates and top with sliced chicken pieces. 

Prep Time:  1 hour to marinate     Cook Time:  Approximately 10 minutes

Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup (Gluten-Free)

A while back my friend Michaela over at An Affair From the Heart posted this awesome Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup.  The addition of ginger and cilantro gave it an Asian twist and red pepper flakes gave it a kick.  We were so impressed I couldn't wait to try it again.  Then along came the gluten-free diagnosis.  But I was determined to make it anyway.  Gluten-Free noodles are easy to find, and I made a couple of twists on Michaela's twists.  I'm delighted with this version too.  Now there's a twist on the traditional and a twist on the twist! Make sure you try both versions.  I used Hodgsons Mill Brown Rice Angel Hair Pasta and the results were fabulous.  I also substituted coconut milk for the cream for a truly Asian inspired flavor.  If you omit the butter for some olive oil and use coconut milk then this recipe would be great for not only gluten-free folks but dairy-free as well.  Everybody wins.  Great ingredients, great flavor.  No matter what kind of noodles or dairy you choose, this is a must make.  It will be your new favorite soup for the winter. 

This is my absolute new favorite soup.
I'm so excited that I can still have chicken noodle soup,
thanks to gluten-free noodles!

It's very hearty with lots of chicken and
veggies.

It's got a great kick and tastes so fresh
with the coconut milk and cilantro for garnish.

Thanks Michaela for a terrific inspiration!

Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

adapted from: An Affair From the Heart Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup



1 pound chicken breasts
10 cups chicken stock, divided (I use Better Than Bouillon)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (or olive oil)
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1 cup carrots, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1-1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/2 cup coconut milk (save reserve for garnish)
1 (8 ounce) package Hodgson Mill Brown Rice Angel Hair Pasta, broken into small pieces
fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish

Place chicken breasts in the bottom of a large soup pot, cover with about 2 cups of chicken broth. Cover pot and bring to boil, then reduce to simmer.  Cook for 7.5 minutes, flip chicken breasts over and cook for another 7.5 minutes.  Remove chicken breasts from pot.  Place on a cutting board and shred using two forks. Set aside.  Discard liquid from pot and melt the 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.  Add onions and celery and saute for approximately 5 minutes.  Add carrot and garlic sauteing for an additional minute.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add ginger and red pepper flakes.   Return shredded chicken to the pot and add the remaining 8 cups of chicken stock.  Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover and cook for 30 minutes.  While soup is cooking, in another pot prepare noodles according to package directions and drain them well.  Add coconut milk to soup, stirring thoroughly.  Add noodles.  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.  Serve topped with chopped cilantro and drizzled with reserved coconut milk.

Prep Time:  Approximately 20 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 1 hour total

Chinese Five Spice Wings

As much as my kid loves Asian cuisine I should just turn this blog into an Asian food blog.  She would be thrilled.  Her dad and I not so much.  We both like Asian food, just not twice a day every day.  But being the mom that I am I try to cook some kind of Asian meal at least once a week because I know how much she loves it.  (Usually on Thursday night's so the three of us can watch Big Bang Theory and Top Chef together...) So when I found the recipe for these Five Spice Wings I was excited.  My friend Michaela, over at An Affair From The Heart, had given me a set of Penzey's Spices a while back.  She's lucky enough to have a Penzey's store in Omaha, and she often treats me to unusual spices and seasonings.  One of them just happened to be Chinese Five Spice Powder.  If you aren't familiar with five spice powder, it's a mixture of five spices (duh!) used primarily in Chinese cooking, but sometimes in Asian and Arabic cuisines.  The five spice powder is a mixture of: cinnamon, star anise, anise seed, ginger and cloves.  So you can imagine what a great flavor these wings had.  I served them for dinner with some sesame noodles, but these would make a fantastic appetizer at your next get together.  So flavorful and juicy you don't even need a dipping sauce!

Chinese Five Spice Wings
So flavorful and juicy, you won't even need a dipping sauce!

PF Chang's Copycat Lettuce Wraps

Who doesn't love the lettuce wraps at PF Chang's?  A really flavorful filling wrapped in crisp lettuce and dipped in the sauce of your choice?  Yep, I'm in.  We make these quite often as the closest PF Chang's restaurant is 35 miles away.  Not exactly next door.  Since we cook Asian food on a regular basis, I make these as an appetizer a lot.  I also make them as an entree and serve alongside chicken fried rice or my Asian Meatballs.  Super easy to make, one pan to clean up and kind of healthy.  Oh yeah, and tasty!  Everything you seriously want in a recipe.  Without the drive.

Easy, healthy and tasty too!