A Vietnamese Moment

I got this recipe from bonappetit.com and it was completely delicious! I like the extra crumbly pie topping crust which gives it nice texture. For the bottom pie crust, I used my friend's vodka pie crust recipe. You can make the topping and crust ahead of time, preferably a day before if you can. https://www.bonappetit.com/RECIPE/BERRY-STREUSEL-PIE CRUST 2 and 1/4 cups of all purpose flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 7 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes 1/3 cups chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2 inch cubes *I actually used my friend's crust recipe so haven't tried this. TOPPING 6 tablespoons (packed golden brown sugar) 6 tablespoons whole almonds 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes 4 and 1/2 tablespoons of old-fashioned oats 4 and 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour 1. Combine all in a food processor and process until moist clumps form . 2. Cover topping and c...

I got this recipe from a friend of mine who has been baking pie in his family for years. He definitely makes one of the best pies I've had so I FaceTimed him when making this crust. I believe it's based off an old Cook's Illustrated pie crust recipe from over a decade ago. Ingredients - 2.5 cups of flour (separated into 1.5 cups and 1 cup) - 1 teaspoon table salt - 2 tablespoons sugar - 12 tablespoons of cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch slices (this is 1.5 sticks of butter) - 1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into small bits (if no shortening, you can exchange for butter 1:1, which is what I did) - 1/4 cup vodka - 1/4 cup cold water (can do a little less) Some things I learned from this recipe for an ideal crust: #1 Cold, cold cold - have all the ingredients cold - including the butter, water, and vodka. Prior to starting, place the water or vodka in the freezer or fridge. #2 Visible butter = visible flakiness Flecks of butter when melted wi...

I know this is an incredibly simple recipe - but I am the WORST at remembering recipes so I thought I would write a post on how to make overnight oats. It is a simple, healthy and light breakfast to have but does take a few minutes of prep the night before. Hubby loves this one because it's an alternative to the fast food he gets! Ideal ratios are 1/3 milk, 1/3 yogurt, 1/3  oatmeal, and fruit but you can always add more milk to your desired consistency. Ratios: 1/3 milk 1/3 yogurt 1/3 oatmeal Top with fruit If no yogurt, can do 2:1 milk to oatmeal ratio. 1. Mash up half a banana with a fork and layer the bottom of a mason jar. 2. Add oatmeal, milk or yogurt (or both), chia seeds, and yogurt. Mix it together. 3. Drizzle some honey over the mixture. 4.Top with fruit. 5. Let sit overnight.

There are so many methods to cooking salmon and I wanted a centralized location to keep those methods for a delicious salmon every time! There are many ways to cook a salmon and it really depends on your mood. You can sear the top or bottom, and you can bake. Tip #1 bring salmon to room temperature prior to cooking. This ensures more of an even doneness throughout the salmon. Tip #2: The key to a crispy pan seared salmon is a dry salmon. I usually remove the salmon from the fridge about 15 minutes before cooking so it chills. I rinse in water and then pat dry and let sit for about 15 minutes. Tip #3: The key to a good sear is a hot pan. Heat up the pan with medium-high or high heat. You can tell if a pan is hot when you see the oil lightly smoke. Tip #4: The key is to slightly undercook the salmon as it continues cooking when it is sitting in the hot pan. That's what I learned from Ina! You actually don't salmon to be cooked all the way through - you want a transluce...

Banh Xeo is a savory Vietnamese crepe. There are many instant Banh Xeo pre-made bags out there that are actually quite good! However, in a pinch, you can mix together a home-made version of rice flour, tumeric, and coconut. I believe this recipe is something I will be constantly updating in the future. It's one of those things that you will constantly tweak. I got it off a Vietnamese cooking blog. Some notes: - thought coconut milk taste was a bit strong, may want to add a little bit more water in the future to off set that - consider cooking protein and filling separate from batter, or before, or after batter poured - consider switch to coconut water rather than coconut milk - if no beer, can do all water in the future, club soda, or even sprite Ingredients: 1 cup rice flour 3 tablespoon of cornstarch 1/3 cup of coconut cream (slight coconuty, consider decreasing amount to add more water) 1/8 teaspoon of salt 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder 1.5 cup of warm water...

I got this recipe from Blue Apron - of all the blue apron recipes I've tried, this is definitely my favorite! It is incredibly easy to make and easy for a weeknight meal! Pair it with a salad for a delectable meal :) Ingredients - chorizo - we used about 1.3 lbs (this made about 6-8 patties) - mayo - about 2 tablespoons - fig spread - about 1 tablespoon - panko crumbs - we used 1/2 cup or a little more - red onions - sliced red peppers - bread: can do potato buns, brioche buns, or even wheat bread which is all I had - +/- cheese: we used shredded white cheddar cheese because that's all we had in our fridge 1. Combine chorizo with panko crumbs. Depending on the amount of chorizo, you can add more or less panko bread crumbs. No need to add salt because chorizo is salty enough. Add pepper to taste. 2. In a pan over medium heat, add red peppers and onions and cook. Should be about 2-3 minutes. Remove onions and sliced red peppers. 3. In the same pan, add additiona...

Garlic and Chives is a popular modern Vietnamese restaurant in my home town. When I found this recipe online (from the chef who created that restaurant), I knew I had to make it! Incredibly simple to make and very fast!  You can either saute, deep fry or even bake the salmon belly. We prefer deep fry for the most crispy texture. Skin on or off is up to you, but leaving the skin on keeps the meat intact better.  https://www.theravenouscouple.com/2018/09/salmon-belly-spring-rolls.html?fbclid=IwAR1ieAamHGSnnFIG551DgS4RCUEg0bdMqpGb5BHXrzbstLKL6cfVPE_VjD0 ingredients -  8 strips of skin on salmon belly, roughly 5 x 1 inch strips -- can use salmon fillet, any fatty piece of salmon will do  2 Tb oyster sauce -- or to taste 1 ts sesame oil Filling:  1.5 cups leafy greens, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup of Vietnamese herbs such as perilla, mint, basil, roughly chopped 3 peeled and sliced cucumbers cut in small strips length wise 1/2 cup pickled ca...