tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9509292959547844562024-03-13T04:20:54.939-05:00Kacey's KitchenKaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.comBlogger325125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-45080772019431181682013-12-08T17:30:00.001-06:002013-12-08T17:30:53.855-06:00Eating Japan, Part 9<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Check out the other posts in this series, </span><a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/search/label/Eating%20Japan%20Series" style="line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Eating Japan</a><span style="line-height: 18px;"> to see what I've been consuming in my new country! You can also find a link to the Eating Japan series on the top of any page!</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">I"m not sure why I didn't do this before, but I'm going to start including a link to a google map for each location that we've eaten at. Just click the link at the end of each description and a new window will pop up with the location.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">There is this big Chinese restaurant on Route 58 that everyone passes all of the time, including us. For months, every time we drove past it, I said, "I want to go there one day". I know, so deep, right?</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">So months later, I'm not sure what actually led to us pulling into the parking lot, but we did, we entered this huge restaurant, and were seated at a private-ish table near the front windows. I say private-ish because we were surrounded by blinds and beaded curtains. I love the separation of tables here in Japan, private without feeling closed in. Anyway, we were handed 2 menus, a set menu in Japanese and an a la carte menu in both Japanese and English. We decided to go with the Japanese menu, which we sort of figured out some of the food on it, but didn't realize how the set menus actually worked here. Once we confused our waiter completely, he found an English set menu for us. Comparing the two menus we realized that they weren't the same, so we were determined to order off that Japanese menu. What we learned was the 'set menu' is for the entire table. So you pick which set you want based on how many people are in your group, some of the dishes automatically come with the set and others you get to choose. We ended up with 7 dishes, some were to share: vegetables stir fried in oyster sauce, sweet and sour white fish (shown below and DELICIOUS), roasted pork fried rice, and another dish I can't remember. Other dishes were served individually: corn soup and two types of dessert.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">I wasn't cheap, I think something close to ¥4000-¥5000 ($40-$50), but it was nice to try a variety of dishes and it all tasted very good. I'd definitely go back, maybe ordering a la carte just to save a few dollars.</span></span><br />
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<i><span style="line-height: 18px;">Directions to <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=26.325468,127.754505&hl=en&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=62.572465,50.009766&t=m&z=17" target="_blank">Toyo Hanten</a>.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A perk of living so close to so many other countries is that when our friends go on vacation, they bring us goodies from all over the place. This summer, in exchange for dog sitting our friends chocolate lab, they not only watched Sammy when we went away, but they brought us back North Korean wine. They obtained this while vacationing in South Korea, not North Korea if you needed any clarification on that. We all know that I enjoy wine and I don't discriminate. But. This. Wine. It was like no other wine anyone would ever make. We all tried it one, err... morning at our regular brunches. I'm not sure how to describe the taste of this, but it was not of any sort of wine. I would say it's closer to a cordial, but not really even close. Doing a quick search online, it seems like Kanggye Wine Factory is North Korea's leading wine producer. Oh god, I can't even imagine the non leading wines. Ugh. But, it was an experience to try, and pretty entertaining when we were all standing around staring at each others disgusted faces. I'm keeping the bottle for sure because North Korea. Duh. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Shit...my blog is probably gonna get flagged or something like that for all this NK talk. Politics aside, their wine is not tasty.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVmXBQySTGsmSbXaTSf7_qVTMvT70bF4DEe14XVswokVEceNPOoKO_vokjHddJfQMHSSdkyJwsqxsxNVuWTg3Y3CrEN3NfelWpXXSmWU34igsPzbK7js60si3iiKKgt-ANSaEi0wJPnui/s1600/North+Korean+Wine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVmXBQySTGsmSbXaTSf7_qVTMvT70bF4DEe14XVswokVEceNPOoKO_vokjHddJfQMHSSdkyJwsqxsxNVuWTg3Y3CrEN3NfelWpXXSmWU34igsPzbK7js60si3iiKKgt-ANSaEi0wJPnui/s1600/North+Korean+Wine.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I believe pork is it's own section of the food pyramid here in Okinawa. Rafute is probably one of the most famous dishes here, and I've even made it <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/05/braised-pork-belly.html" target="_blank">myself</a> a bunch of times. Let me just say this: It is fucking delicious. It's fatty and meaty and it melts in your mouth and it leaves your belly happy. This is what happens when you take a big slab of pork belly and simmer it and boil it and simmer it again in sake and just a few other ingredients. It's messy and time consuming to cook, but it's so worth it if you can find a decent piece of pork belly (it's impossible not to find it here). Of course, if you're really craving it, nearly any restaurant will have it on their menu.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">JA farmers markets are one of the best places to shop for produce in Okinawa. There is a fairly new one located in Yomitan (link to map below), and I believe at this location they produce all of the prepared foods for the local JA's. In addition to produce, the larger JA markets like this one carry beautiful local (exotic) flowers, meats, some fish, condiments, some household goods and gifts, snacks, and a large selection of prepared foods. They also sell plants and gardening supplies next door. On this particular day I grabbed this to-go meal and sat outside on a picnic table for lunch. This cost me ¥250 ($2.50ish) and is a bowl of white rice topped with salad on the left, roasted pork in the middle, and a stir fry of greens, carrots, onions and tofu. It was delicious, fresh, filling and cheap. What more could you ask for.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Directions to the <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=26.392581,127.745621&num=1&t=m&z=17" target="_blank">Yomitan JA Market</a>.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh man, Pineapple World. It's actually called Pineapple Park but I keep calling it Pineapple World. It's soooo freaking touristy it's funny. I do want to start off with a disclosure. I do NOT recommend taking a trip north ONLY for Pineapple Park. It's not worth that. But if you are up in the Nago area doing a bunch of things for the day, it's definitely worth a stop in. And if you're going, you're going to want to pay the ¥600 to ride the Pineapple Mobile. It's a pineapple shaped golf cart that automatically drives you and your group around the gardens and speaks to you (they have a bunch of languages you can choose from), explaining what you are passing and the history of pineapples. Our favorite factoid that we bring up everytime we see a pineapple was "Do you know where the word pineapple came from? Pine and Apple." HA!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once you get off your pineapple tour, I recommend you find the walking path and walk back through where the little cart took you. It won't take too much time, but you'll be able to see a lot more of the pineapple fields and other gardens. Then you'll be directed through one of the biggest tourist traps I've seen here on the island. It's a maze of everything pineapples and gift stuff. You get to sample almost anything you see, including tons of pineapple wine (mega sweet), pineapple (best pineapples ever!), pineapple cakes and pies (yum!), etc... There's also a restaurant, and I knew exactly what we were getting. A giant pineapple parfait for ¥1300. It was a monster I tell you. It was really good, and there was so much pineapple in it that even Aaron and I couldn't finish it. Pineapple, pineapple shortbread(?) cookies, pineapple sorbet (we wished it was ice cream), pineapple pound cake, pineapple syrup, corn flakes (great addition!) and whipped cream. Oh, and a cherry for good measure. </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Directions to <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=26.616424,127.969605&hl=en&num=1&t=m&z=16" target="_blank">Pineapple Park</a>.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen"><b>SUBSCRIBE HERE</b></a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!
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Be sure to check out my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/"><b>Where in the World is Kacey?!?</b></a> to see what goes on outside of the kitchen!</span></i>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-51012923092017368282013-12-02T04:43:00.001-06:002013-12-02T04:46:53.113-06:00Eating Japan, Part 8<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Check out the other posts in this series, </span><a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/search/label/Eating%20Japan%20Series" style="line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Eating Japan</a><span style="line-height: 18px;"> to see what I've been consuming in my new country! You can also find a link to the Eating Japan series on the top of any page!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is a fast food burger chain all over Japan called Mos Burger. You see these just as often in Okinawa as you see McDonald's. But I've actually heard good things about Mos Burger. So one day, I had a few minutes to kill in between a few errands, and what do you know, it happened to be lunch time and there was a Mos Burger across the street. Walking in, the restaurant chain was impeccably clean. It was also pretty quiet and peaceful. I don't remember the last time I even thought about stepping foot in a McDonald's, but I just imagine chaos. I placed my order at the counter, deciding to go all out with a beef burger, fry/onion ring combo, and my favorite juice, Acerola. I took my number and sat down on one of the tables in the minimalist dining area. There was also a smoking dining room in the back, if that fits your needs. In a few minutes, my wicker basket and ceramic dishes were brought out to me, along with a real glass with my juice. A second later, someone brought over a little ceramic dish filled with ketchup. What did I think? Well, for sure, the service, quality, and presentation beat out any American fast food chain I've ever heard of. It was a really small burger, but I didn't feel gross eating it. It tasted like food. The super fresh bun, lettuce, and tomatoes helped tremendously. While fast food burgers aren't my first choice of a meal, if I was in a position that I needed to go for a quick meal....I wouldn't even consider an American burger chain if Mos Burger was around.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Curry House Coco (known as CoCo's) is another super duper popular fast food joint here in Japan. And actually, you folks living in California can find a few locations there as well. I've only been a few times, and while it's not my favorite Japanese curry I've had, it's really not too bad at all. It's cheap (you can get a huge plate of curry and rice with some sort of protein for around $6.50), it's fast, and it's tasty. They must have 50 different toppings, and you can customize it anyway you'd like, with additional toppings (I put soft boiled eggs on everything), spice level, types of curry, etc. They have salads and desserts, but I've never been bothered with those. My friends with children love this place, they do a great job catering to children. The kids food always comes out immediately, they get a 'prize', and like many restaurants in Okinawa, they get their own meal sets and plastic ware/child friendly cups. Their curry can get insanely spicy, so it's not uncommon for people to ask what is the max level you've ever eaten at CoCo's (child-level spice is also available).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first time you eat Kakigori - Japanese shaved ice - you will vow never EVER waste your time on a snow cone EVER again. Yes, it's shaved ice with a sweet syrup poured on top, but it's not even close to being a snow cone. Kakigori is made using a hand cranked machine. A giant block of ice is placed in the machine and the person making it puts some serious muscle into grinding you out the most fluffy cup of ice you've ever seen. The ice is thin and fluffy, never hard and crunchy. The syrup absorbs into the entirety of it, and I've never had one with that gallon excess on the bottom - you know what I'm talking about. Mango is my favorite, but then again I've never cared to try other flavors. It's common to see Kakigori topped with ice cream, tapioca, or even red beans. During the summer, it's impossible to NOT find this anywhere you go. Little stands on the side of the road are everywhere, and it's an amazing refreshing treat after 110° days with 100% humidity. Below is the first one I ever had after an afternoon of scuba diving (which is why I look like such a mess). The stand I bought it from always has 2 old men running it, just hanging out with each other day after day. I passed them a hundred times and thought after an hour or two of breathing air from a metal tank and my skin absorbing salt water, now was a better time then any. So. Freaking. Refreshing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You've probably noticed that a bunch of pictures I've posted of a meal is a bunch of small portions in individual dishes on a tray. This is a very popular style of meal set called Teishoku (meal set). These are by far the best deals and some of the best meals you'll have here, especially for lunch. Nearly every restaurant will have some sort of Lunch Set, and you'll be able to find these on average for ¥600-¥1000. It depends on the restaurant how many dishes are included, but typically they will have a drink, white rice, soup, a side dish, pickled vegetable, and the main course. The picture below was posted over at <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.jp/2013/06/kouri-jima-kouri-island.html" target="_blank">Where in the World is Kacey?!?!</a> during a bike trip around Kouri Island, but I thought it should be here as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I've talked about the Awase Fish Market (Payao Fresh Seafood) before on <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/05/the-speckled-emperor-and-my-adventures.html" target="_blank">Kacey's Kitchen</a>. It's probably one of my favorite places. I know, I know, I say everything is my favorite! I'm not sure what this set was called, but on the right is Ikura Don with tamago (a bowl of rice topped with salmon eggs, shredded egg, and <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/10/eating-japan-part-6.html" target="_blank">umibudo</a>), a large bowl of fish soup on the left (basically it was half a fish chopped up and thrown in some tasty miso based broth, face and all. And the third part of my meal was a few pieces of the softest fish tempura that ever existed. I believe this set runs for about ¥1000 (approximately $10). And yes, I have 2 glasses of water. You'll understand when you come to visit, the drinking glasses are super tiny (compared to American glasses atleast).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Inside of the Makishi Public Market in Naha, tucked in the back, sort of hidden unless you know it's there, you'll find a great seafood and pork market. Not only can you find some of the freshest fish on the island (many are still alive), but you can buy it and have the restaurants upstairs cook it for you. Woah, right?! Whenever I'm down in the Kokusai area of Naha, I make sure to run into the market to see if anything catches my eye for dinner. Most of it does, I just don't know how to cook any of it (where the restaurants come in handy!). Anyway, a month or so ago we were down at the market and ate upstairs for the first time. We bought a tray of sushi from downstairs and then grabbed a seat in the restaurant and ordered some sides to go along with our meal. This included Mimigaa, which is boiled pigs ear. It's served chilled with some vinegar and a taste of sesame seed oil and sliced cucumbers. It's a little chewy and very good. It's sliced thin and personally, I would love to put it over a salad. Aaron also ordered Kobukuro, stir fried pork uterus, which, as far as offal goes, I rank up there with liver.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In response to the suggestion of my eating live octopus. I haven't encountered it yet, but when I do, I'm going to eat it.</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /><b>Question: Out of today's post, which meal would YOU most likely order if you had the option? Leave a comment below!!! </b></span>
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Be sure to check out my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/">Where in the World is Kacey?!?</a> to see what goes on outside of the kitchen!</i>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-87722021105660399882013-11-06T17:03:00.000-06:002013-11-06T17:03:29.342-06:00Eating Japan, Part 7If you're new here, check out the other posts in this series, <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/search/label/Eating%20Japan%20Series" target="_blank">Eating Japan</a> to see what I've been consuming in my new country! You can also find a link to the Eating Japan series on the top of any page!<br />
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A few weeks ago Kassie and I checked out a new-to-us dining spot on the seawall called <a href="http://www.transitcafe-okinawa.com/" target="_blank">Transit Cafe</a>. Popular with locals, tourists, and Americans, it's on the second floor with outdoor table and bar seating over looking the ocean. So it's already got a few things going for it! Everything looked delicious, and we had a hard time deciding what to order. At first we just ordered some smoothies and juice but quickly realized that we didn't have to drive anywhere for the next few hours (we were getting a pedicure around the corner), so we canceled that order and got ourselves a mid-day drink. ¥300 lunch special (about $3.05) for white wine and a beer for me. Below is my order of "Ethnic-flavored Okinawa soki (pork spare ribs). Kassie got the roast beeg and home-made sausage sandwich which was sort of a build your own open face sandwich. Both were very good and cost about ¥1300. I wouldn't mind going back at night to try some of their dinners, desserts and cocktails. Not to mention the sunset.<br />
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Another Seawall spot, Bar Coby. I met Aaron and a friend here during their lunch break one day, another new-to-us spot. For ¥980 ($10), there is an all you can eat pizza, pasta, salad, and drink lunch special. It was a really neat laid back little place, and another spot I'd love to go have a glass of wine at with some friends. The atmosphere was hip and cozy, we sat in our own corner in wicker lounge-type chairs, curtains, and a chandelier. What I liked about this place is it wasn't your typical buffet. There was a menu with about 6 pizzas and 4 pastas. Your food is made to order and there is waitress service. At the counter, you can get unlimited Japanese style salad and water/tea. The pizzas are small, but really very good, and I love that you can just keep ordering more through your waitress as she brings you your food. We'll probably hit this up for lunch on occasion, especially since it's close enough for Aaron during work.<br />
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Tenkaippin is another chain noodle shop here on the island. I think they have a few locations on island and a few in mainland and other countries. They are known for a thick, collagen rich broth, which is what I got (not shown). Below is Aarons order of tantanmen base soup and a side of fried rice. I believe we also got an order of gyoza. From what I remember, it was okay and well priced, but overall it wasn't very memorable, obviously.<br />
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Okay. This is a really crappy picture of some barbecued squid, and I don't even know the name of this restaurant, but we really enjoyed our time here and this squid was by far the best thing we had. It was a huge plate for only around ¥500 and was seriously perfect. This is a restaurant on Route 85 near Kadena AB, heading towards Uruma. It's on the Westbound side on the corner and it's a large building with a giant fish on the roof. Be warned, there is no English anywhere in the place, and no English speaking staff (at least when we went). It's a huge izakaya, and one of our favorites we've been to. You take off you shoes before you get into the restaurant area and place them in a locker (taking a wooden "key" with your locker number on it), and then follow your server through the maze of private noren (curtain) covered booths. Each table/booth is private, complete with a small tv, ash tray, call button, and curtains for privacy. There is a small cover charge automatically added to your bill, about ¥350, but then you get 'complimentary' appetizers, which is a self-serve 'salad' bar with a few varieties of tuna sashimi, salad, and some pickled condiments. We love this style of restaurants! This place was fun just the two of us, but it would be great with a bunch of people, ordering a bunch of plates and sharing them. As it's an izakaya, there isn't a lack of boozy beverages to indulge in as well. I chose a local beer, and thanks to the previous no-active-duty-drinking-outside-base ban at the time, Aaron had some nice cold tap water and drove us safely home. But this place was made to stay at All.Night.Long. And it would have been totally comfortable to do so.</div>
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In Awase, near Comprehensive Park is a popular shopping center called Living Design Square. It houses 4 large furniture/accessory stores, including a resale store, 2 cafes, and a kid-drop-off-zone (which I love, not for my non-existent children, but so other people utilize it and I don't have to shop listing to little <strike>assholes monsters children</strike> assholes scream). I brought my friend Vickie here back when she was on island in the beginning of the year (and she's coming back in just a few days-YAY!!!) and we checked out one of the cafes called Soup Soup. The atmosphere is nice and bright and open up on the second floor, and it smells delicious. I know they serve other things asides from soup, but we weren't concerned with that. They have a lot of different menu combos, and I chose a set with 2 types of soup and a drink. All soup meals come with unlimited bread. The bread is self serve, and they must have about 8 types of rolls and a toaster oven on the side to warm up your selection. For the price, I remember it being good, especially on a cool rainy day. It sort of has a Panera type atmosphere/food quality/speed of service, so while not my number 1 spot in the area, if you're shopping all day and looking for a bite, it's definitely a reasonable option.<br />
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Man, some of these places I ate at SOOO long ago. And it's making me hungry as usual. There are lots of other places we've eaten at, so this series is going to continue basically forever. I'd also like to share with you photos of what I've been making at home. Obviously I've gotten out of the routine of posting my own meals with recipes, but maybe I can at least share images and basic commentary on them. What do you think?<br />
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<b>Question: What do YOU think I should be eating in Japan? Leave a comment below!</b><br />
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Be sure to check out my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/">Where in the World is Kacey?!?</a> to see what goes on outside of the kitchen!</i>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-48936036799247986502013-10-06T03:52:00.001-05:002013-10-06T03:52:58.828-05:00Eating Japan, Part 6Other posts in this series can be viewed here: <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/07/eating-japan-part-1.html" target="_blank">Part 1</a>, <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/07/eating-japan-part-2.html" target="_blank">Part 2</a>, <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/07/eating-japan-part-3.html" target="_blank">Part 3</a>, <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/07/eating-japan-part-4.html" target="_blank">Part 4</a>, <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/09/eating-japan-part-5.html" target="_blank">Part 5</a>.<br />
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Believe it or not, we can get some decent Mexican food here in Okinawa. There are a number of places around the island that we've heard just some 'so-so' reviews of, but our friends told us about Dos Manos and brought us there that same day, and I know we've found out go-to Mexican joint. Everything tasted fresh and homemade, including the tortillas. The portions were huge (I didn't finish mine, which is rare), and we loved the atmosphere of this restaurant. It's small, just a few mini picnic tables, and I've been told it gets packed during lunch. It's best to go earlier, because they often run out of meats for the day - a good sign that it's fresh prepared!<br />
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I'm not sure if I ever met a person who didn't enjoy ice cream. Seriously, is there anyone out there? If so, I don't trust you. No offense, it just seems wrong. So living on a sub-tropical island where there is 100% humidity most of the year, going to the beach seems as natural as breathing air, and eating ice cream just belongs. So this famous place is called Blue Seal. Blue Seal started out as a building to store dairy products for the military bases in the 1950's and people both on and off base started craving their ice cream, so they opened up shop off base. Blue Seals can be found all over the island, and although I've only ever gotten ice cream, some locations do have other food - Japanese/American fusion fast food. Can fast food be fusion? Sure it can. Anywho, below we have soft serve ube and vanilla twist in an Okinawa branded cone. Isn't that awesome the cone says Okinawa!?! I love it! Anyway, Ube (purple yam) is my favorite while Aaron's is Beni Imo (purple sweet potato, which has a smokier taste).<br />
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Now one of my favorite snacks, I ordered Umi Budo (aka sea grapes) at a sushi joint not having any idea what to expect. It's a local specialty and can be found at nearly any product stand, izakaya, or market. It's a type of seaweed also known as green caviar, which is how I would be describe it. I've eaten these by dipping them in a vinegar based sauce, eaten on rice, or on top of sashimi. They are salty like the sea, but have the texture and 'popping' sensation of caviar. A great tip I learned from a local was not to refrigerate them. I'm not sure why, as I've never done it. They aren't displayed refrigerated, and I don't find a need to. They never last that long to question it.<br />
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Okonomyaki is a famous Japanese pan fried dish, which I've indulged in a few times, including the shot below of my order at a festival this summer. It's known as a grilled pancake with cabbage, but I would describe it as more of a cabbage omelette. There are only a million different varieties of this dish, but I'll give you the jist of it. It's made of flour, eggs and shredded cabbage, but will often have green onion, a type of meat or seafood (squid or shrimp), and vegetables. Once grilled on both sides, it's topped with a sauce (similar to a BBQ sauce), bonito flakes, mayonnaise and pickled ginger. The consensus? I like it. I don't think Aaron has had it yet, but I would make a few changes to mine the next time I have it. After all the word 'okonomi' means 'what you like'. I would lay off the mayonnaise. I know, it's trend in Okinawa (in all of Japan, I do not know), and cut back slightly on the amount of sauce. I wish this was described differently, because if you try this, it is really good, but there are a lot of flavors and textures going on. Please do not expect an american pancake or omelette.<br />
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Aww Bento Boxes. So cute!!! Not all bento boxes are cute little characters, but those are more fun to eat. I love bento boxes because they are cheap, filling, and have a good selection of different types of food for all tastes and textures. Below is Rilakkuma, a Japanese cartoon bear who is completely stree-free and lazy. Look at his face! He looks just like Sammy! This is my first real bento box I've ever made, and it was completed for $10 (including lesson, food, and bento box to keep) here on base at a bento making class! It was so much fun, and much easier then you would expect! And then I ate his face off. Tasty!<br />
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So that's that for Part 6 of my Eating Japan series. As always, thank you for visiting, and I can't wait to share with you more of the things I've been eating living overseas, keep an eye out of what's ahead next!<br />
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Be sure to check out my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/">Where in the World is Kacey?!?</a> to see what goes on outside of the kitchen!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-52382893082689895462013-09-29T23:40:00.002-05:002013-09-29T23:40:36.084-05:00Eating Japan, Part 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Food, food, food. Nom, nom, nom. I've been on the other side of the world in recent weeks. Alaska, New Jersey, Vermont, New Hampshire. More on that to come soon on my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Where in the World is Kacey?!?</a> Although I ate plenty of delicious things there, I have to be honest with you, my stomach wasn't too happy with the insane amounts of carbs and dairy consumed back in the states. Sure, it was my fault, I was eating out nearly every meal. Asides from my body going into junk food shock, I was really starting to crave my usual Japanese fair of fish, fish, fish, sushi, sushi, sushi, and curry. The day after we arrived back home, we made sure to attack the sushi-go-round asap.</div>
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To continue on with my Eating Japan series, below is a few other things we have been consuming in the recent months. If you wanna check to see what else we've eaten, check out the other posts <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/07/eating-japan-part-1.html" style="color: #530800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">Part 1</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">, </span><a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/07/eating-japan-part-2.html" style="color: #a61100; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Part 2</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">, </span><a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/07/eating-japan-part-3.html" style="color: #a61100; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Part 3</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">, and<span style="color: #333333;"> <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/07/eating-japan-part-4.html" target="_blank">Part 4</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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I have a really difficult time here going grocery shopping and NOT buying something to eat immediately. Even if I'm not hungry, I feel it's my duty to experience all the Japanese food culture I can. That's reasonable, isn't it? While at one of the larger supermarkets here (San-A) I couldn't hep myself by grabbing a couple of things from the bakery, including this Sakana-Fry Sando (Fried Fish Sandwich), which is exactly what it sounds like. A delicious filet of tender white fish fried in a panko coating, with a spicy mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato on this amazingly soft bread that's called a Butter Roll. It's soft, it's crunchy, it's served at room temperature or heated, and it's delicious. It also costs about $1.00. Can't beat that with a stick.</div>
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Salads. Salads are really good here. They have tons of different kinds. One of my favorite is one of the most simple and most often consumed. It's what I would consider the 'house salad' and is super thinly sliced green cabbage, lettuce, carrots, cucumber, corn, and sometimes a few other veggies. It's very simple and usually topped with a sesame ginger dressing. This one was served with what tasted like a Russian Dressing/Japanese Dressing hybrid. Super crunchy, super simple and tasty.<br />
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A while back we checked out a popular ramen chane called Tan tan-men (Actually, I think it's called Ichibantei, but everyone calls it Tan tan-men). Known for it's crazy spicy noodle/soup dishes, we knew we had to try it. My mistake was wearing a white shirt. Lesson learned. Both of us had spicy chili oil splatter all over us, but maybe we just eat too aggressively. The meal started out with a small kimchi appetizer, and we knew it was going to be what we expected when we noticed a box of tissues in front of every other person. We sat at the bar with a bunch of locals on their lunch break, and we all dove head first into our bowls. It seemed like it at least, the bowls were the size of our head. I'm pretty sure we were tired after eating it all. As promised, it was spicy. I could see Aaron asking for even more spice though, he likes to push his limits of the Scoville.<br />
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I've already shared my love of onigiri with you, and this just takes it to a whole other level. This my friends is a rice ball wrapped in meat, aka, Nikumaki. Dreamy, don't you think? I don't need to explain much, it's a rice ball wrapped in meat slathered with a marinade.</div>
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Drinks are delicious here. Sure, they have soda products, but my favorite is the varieties of teas and juices. My favorites are Acerola and Mango (shown below). Legit juice.<br />
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We found ourselves at Kami Sushi one afternoon. It's a super popular place among American's here. The sign on the front of the building says "Los Angeles Style Sushi", and it was true to it's description. We actually haven't been 'wowed' by any of the popular sushi places geared towards Americans. I'm not trying to sound like a 'I'm living in Japan snob' or anything, but I believe these places try too hard to please Americans. The food is over salted and over sweetened for my tastes. But I have to give them credit, this place is always packed, so people like it apparently. I'm glad that both Aaron and I got a variety of things to try. This is a photo of his plate below, a lunch set of course! I ordered some things a la carte including a roll, a hand roll, and some umi budo (sea grapes), which has become one of my favorite snacks here. I'll cover that later! We sat at the bar in front of the tempura chef (tempura was pretty good here as well) and were kind of mesmerized by his oil skills and his 'seasoned' arms and hands. So overall, we had a good experience and might go back if a group of people wanted to go, but I'll keep on trying other sushi joints for a decent meal.<br />
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Does anyone living in Okinawa have any recommendations for me? We are constantly trying new places, and would love to find more eateries off the beaten path! I feel like this is a great series to continue doing, after all, we are always eating! So there's lots more to come!!!<br />
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<b>If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">SUBSCRIBE HERE</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!
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Be sure to check out my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/">Where in the World is Kacey?!?</a> to see what goes on outside of the kitchen!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-86871739258780744112013-07-24T06:31:00.000-05:002013-11-05T17:30:22.668-06:00Eating Japan, Part 4I love loving food. I'm sure you've figured that out by now. I also love posting things here at Kacey's Kitchen that make other people happy, and I've gotten a great response from this series, so thank you for your comments. Check out <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/07/eating-japan-part-1.html" target="_blank">Part 1</a>, <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/07/eating-japan-part-2.html" target="_blank">Part 2</a>, and <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/07/eating-japan-part-3.html" target="_blank">Part 3</a> if you haven't already.<br />
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There are many places around the island called Okinawa Soba House. A few months ago (oh my gosh, I can't believe we've been here this long already) we tried out Hanakinah Okinawa Soba House which is located on 81 across from House of 66 Cents fabric store. We loved this place. It's very open and clean and the entire back wall is windows over looking the old housing on Camp Foster. We were handed English menus and pointed to the self service teas & water area (this is very common here) and had a really hard time deciding what to get. As usual, we both ordered a set meal,<br />
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Casa de Carmen is another American Village find, and one of my favorites so far. Not many people I've talked with tried this place or even have heard of it even though it's street level right next to the main parking lot. I came here for lunch alone one day after running errands and had the whole place to myself, which was nice because it gave me the opportunity to chat it up with the woman running the front end of things (the ownder stays in the back to cook). It's a really cute and tiny place, and it was nice to sit inside but have the whole front of the store open to feel the breeze. For about ¥900 I ordered a spicy fish dish (I can't remember exactly what it was called) served with rice. Prior to my meal, they also brought me a brothy soup and a spicy roasted pine nuts, which were delicious as well. It's definitely a place I want to go back to, and bring Aaron along with me this time.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You might remember this picture from my post about the <a href="http://whereskacey.blogspot.jp/2013/05/azalea-festival-2013.html" target="_blank">Azalea Festival over at Where in the World is Kacey?!?</a>. It's hard NOT to find takoyaki around here. I'm pretty sure it's got to be Japan's #1 street food. Quoting myself from that post..."<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">It's a doughy ball filled with octopus (tako), green onion, and ginger which is cooked in this special grill pan. After it's done cooking, it's coated in a takoyaki sauce which is like a bbq sauce with mayonnaise and bonito flakes. There are a lot of variations of this, but the dough and octopus stay the same, otherwise it would be a different dish. I really enjoy takoyaki, but with a little less sauce. This guy was drowning in it. Just my preference though."</span></span><br />
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While hunting for a new lunch place in town near our side of the base, we kept striking out finding all these places to go that were only open at night. Eventually hunger was getting the best of us and we agreed that the next place we saw that was open we'd stop in. This is how we stumbled upon the Udon chain called Marugame Seimen. We actually had no idea what it was called until I found something in the restaurant with it's facebook page, so I was able to look it up. Here you are able to order a variety of Udon dishes, hot or cold, small or large which are made in house with 100% Japanese wheat flour and cooked in front of you. You are handed your bowl and then you grab a tray and an additional plate and self-pick any tempura, inari, or omusubi. You then pay (the Udon is about ¥450 (large) and each tempura/inari/omusubi is around ¥100. After you pay, there are various condiments and toppings you can add, including more soup. Hot tea and water are self service as well. Below is my Torotama Udon (the foamy looking white stuff on the left is sticky yam topping). Of course it has my favorite soft boiled egg. I topped mine with tenkasu (tempura crumbs) and lots of green onion (I actually went back for more after this picture was taken). I think there is a location on 58, but the one we went to is at the intersection of 224 and 75.</div>
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A girl from New Jersey would assume that she wouldn't be able to find a decent bagel when moving to Japan. After all, there weren't any bagel places in Oklahoma...or in Florabama. A girl from New Jersey moving to Okinawa would be pleased to find out she assumed wrong. Very wrong. A great bagel/sandwich shop called <a href="http://www.cactus-eatrip.jp/" target="_blank">Cactus Eatrip</a> is only about 15 minutes south of our base on Route 58. Once you pull into the 'parking lot', you'll realize that you need to pull a fancy Tetris maneuver or ask the super friendly owner to move your car for you - I'm looking at you <a href="http://www.markandkassie.com/" target="_blank">Mrs. O</a>! He'll do it, no questions asked with a smile on his face. He and his wife make the bagels every morning, and they taste like it. It's so refreshing. They might not be large, but they are tasty. And a variety of flavors too...blueberry, basil tomato, everything, oreo, or my favorite black pepper, and more! They have a bunch of bagel sandwiches: scrambled egg & lox, avocado & tomato, roasted chicken (approx ¥450). For a bagel with cream cheese, it'll run you between ¥250 - ¥300, but they have a ton of options. Maple cream cheese, honey peanut, anko cream cheese, rum raisin creamcheese, and more. They have a pretty good sized drink menu as well, anything from french pressed (I think) coffees and expressos, mango juice, cocktails, awamori, beer, and my favorite, Iced Ryukyu Rosemary Tea. In addition to bagel sandwiches, they offer a soup of the day and some cookies. It might take a little bit of time for your food to come out, but everything tastes great and is well worth it. It's really a place you want to go with a friend and hang out a while. It completely brings me back to New England hippy coffee joints. It's definitely a favorite here!<br />
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You guessed it, there's more to come for the Eating Japan Series, so keep a look out!<br />
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<b>If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">SUBSCRIBE HERE</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!
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Be sure to check out my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/">Where in the World is Kacey?!?</a> to see what goes on outside of the kitchen!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-36161201935599582652013-07-16T23:48:00.000-05:002013-11-05T17:30:22.661-06:00Eating Japan, Part 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Oh man, doing this series is making me hungry. It's a good thing I'm going to explore a new-to-me farmers market and plan on grabbing lunch there. If you've been lame and missed out on the previous parts to this series, you'll have to catch up on <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/07/eating-japan-part-1.html" target="_blank">Part 1</a> and <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/07/eating-japan-part-2.html" target="_blank">Part 2</a>.</div>
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Jakkepoes, Jakkepoes, Jakkepoes. It's a name that I've been hearing for months and finally decided we needed to check it out. There is part of me that could eat here forever without having "American food", but it's really fun and interesting to check out "American style" restaurants. Even though the type of food is stuff we are use to in the US, there is always a Japanese flair to it. It's never quite the same as you'd get in the states, and it's really fun to see the local take on our food. About 20 minutes away from our house in Yomitan, tucked off the main roads through tiny streets, located within feet of the beach, is Jakkepoes, an American style pancake house, popular with both locals and visitors. They have a variety of pancakes and egg dishes, anything from savory (meatball pancakes - which I want to try next), to decadent (rum raisin petit stuffed pancakes), to classic (strawberry smothered pancakes). Aaron ordered the Banana pancakes which were plain pancakes smothered in sliced bananas, chocolate sauce, and a delicious homemade whipped cream. Below is my dish, which was called Anko Lovers (made with my favorite Azuki bean paste that is also in the Imagawayaki I talked about <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/07/eating-japan-part-1.html" target="_blank">here</a>.). All of the pancakes are plain, and although homemade and good, nothing terribly special (except for the fact you don't really find this style of pancakes very often in Okinawa). The delicious part was the toppings - which gave me some great ideas for me to use at home. My pancakes were liberally powdered with matcha and something else I couldn't really distinguish. Something vanilla-y and slightly brown sugary, I'm not sure what it was. A giant heaping of azuki, whipped cream and butter. We were also given syrup on the side, which I definitely didn't need since my entire dish was sweet. We thought it was a little high in price (I think around ¥900 each plus drinks), but it was tasty, filling, and a fun and friendly place to go to. What's nice is they are open later in the day, so I don't have to wake Aaron up too early on his days off to drag him to breakfast.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTfiAZRC4HiFjUr-bVTaMowcUb0I-fyrUzJWUQ1oOOLHHQr5qmrbCF7OOHso5IMC8KlFGjAsE2XKw2fsxZ7XcNZV36pQVhk1c9S19qZ3cD4z72iKhRpfaMImtjLUDevN8Mg9S5MgWtfH5/s1600/IMAG2004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTfiAZRC4HiFjUr-bVTaMowcUb0I-fyrUzJWUQ1oOOLHHQr5qmrbCF7OOHso5IMC8KlFGjAsE2XKw2fsxZ7XcNZV36pQVhk1c9S19qZ3cD4z72iKhRpfaMImtjLUDevN8Mg9S5MgWtfH5/s1600/IMAG2004.jpg" /></a><br />
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One of the first ramen places we were brought to was Ramen Kagetsu Arashi, which is one of the largest ramen chains in Japan. While it is good, reliable and comfortable, I'm often surprised by how many people think this is best ramen place around. While we haven't found our favorite, we are constantly exploring new ramen shops and finding super tasty ones every week. Maybe I'm turned off by the amount of Americans that eat there (locals also eat here too), maybe I'm a snobby bitch like that, but that's probably one of the reasons people like it so much...it's not too far out of their comfort zone. That being said, the food is good, and we don't turn down the opportunity to go with friends. They have both booth seating, bar seating, and tatami mat seating, which is my personal favorite. It feels cozy and more like a home-style meal. Another interesting thing about this restaurant is that you order your food off a ticket machine. As soon as you walk in, there is a vending machine with food options. You put your money in, make your selection, and it deposits both your change and a little tiny ticket that you hand to the waiter once you find a place to sit. While it is a ramen shop, people go here for their fried rice and gyoza, which is of course tasty as well. I really can't complain when this considered "fast food" here.</div>
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We are spoiled by living on base and having access to the commissary with American food, so we haven't really experienced any food withdrawals from back home. If we crave it, I just make it, although we really do eat quite a bit of Japanese food at home, since it's really our favorite. Once in a while we do want some sort of sandwich that I usually just whip up since sandwiches aren't really a 'thing' here. However, after hearing about a delicious gyro shop on the Sunabe Seawall, we thought we should really check it out. Aaron is right, we really are food snobs. After all, we are beyond skeptical when someone refers us to a restaurant or says it's great. We try it, but we don't get our hopes up. Sunabe Gyro totally lived up to the hype. I ordered their new fish gyro with fries and Aaron got the beef gyro. Aaron's was good, but my fish was where it's at. For 800¥ (approx. $8.07), you get a delicious gyro with fresh veggies, delicious taziki sauce, a soft yet crunchy pita, fries and a drink. And it's really good. The owners are really friends and fast getting your food out to you. They speak good English, and you can order take out, or sit upstairs on the roof (which we didn't learn about until after our meal). We'll be back for sure.</div>
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We had dinner and drinks (well, the girls had drinks and the boys drooled over them since active duty members were still on an off-base drinking ban at the time) with friends at Uroko, a great little place on the seawall. We had a large group and sat outside watching the most amazing sunset ever. It took a little while to get our food and drinks, and through some mis-communication someone never got their meal, but the staff was very apologetic and nice, we all agreed we would definitely give it another shot. They have a huge menu with some rotating specials, and an extensive drink menu (alcoholic and non alcoholic). Most of the dishes are small, so if going for a main meal, you might want to order a couple of them, which was totally fine with us since we wanted to try as much as possible. Below is a picture of my seafood caesar salad topped with raw tuna, salmon, and octopus. It was really delicious and I can't wait to go back!<br />
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Another Sunabe Seawall joint. I swear, we go other places than that neighborhood. In fact, we rarely go there, it just happens that I'm sharing a bunch of them with you today. Gordies Hamburger. The name even makes you want to go there. With probably a dozen or so burger options, they also have chicken and pork burgers, hot dogs, fries, onion rings, salad, non alcoholic drinks, shakes, floats, beer, and cocktails. They also serve breakfast everyday, which I need to check out. Everything is really fresh and crisp, they even make their own buns and grill everything over charcoal. They just recently opened up a patio, so I can't wait to go there to relax and grab a beer and burger one night.</div>
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This is one of my favorite sushi places we've been to so far. I don't even know the name of it and whenever I try to describe where it is to someone, they have no idea what I'm talking about. It's definitely a more traditional sushi place, and only seats a few people. The sushi was a bit more expensive than other places, but the quality was superior, so we were totally fine with that. There are so many types of sushi places, it really just depends on the day what we are in the mood for.<br />
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We have lots more to include in the Eating Japan series, so check back soon! Or even better, come and visit!!!<br />
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<b>If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">SUBSCRIBE HERE</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!
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Be sure to check out my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/">Where in the World is Kacey?!?</a> to see what goes on outside of the kitchen!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-84904546113292539432013-07-14T00:48:00.000-05:002013-11-05T17:30:22.665-06:00Eating Japan, Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Onto Eating Japan part 2. If you missed part 1, check it out <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/07/eating-japan-part-1.html" target="_blank">here</a>. We love eating and eating here in Okinawa makes us really really happy. I'm so glad I married a food person. While he's always enjoyed eating quantities of food, over the past few years Aaron has really grown to also enjoy quality food. He's even admitted to people that we are kinda-sorta-food-snobs. Slutty, dirty, greasy food has it's place, but when food should be good, we expect it to be good. Truth.</div>
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Here are a few more examples of food we've eaten since arriving in Japan. More to come in future posts as well. We don't want to make you drool too much at any one time. We aren't liable for drownings.</div>
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While Mister Donuts use to be in the United States (is it still there anywhere?), it's now headquartered in Japan and is a crazy popular chain here. Think Dunkin' Donuts of Japan. But better, cleaner, and more fun to go to. The stores are much brighter lit, and like many pastry shops here, you serve yourself. You pick up a tray and YOUR OWN tongs, and go down a cafeteria style line picking out all the donuts you want. You continue down the line to the counter where you order a drink if desired and pay for your selection (getting it wrapped if you were taking them to go. The tongs are taken and washed - I love how clean they do things here. Oh, and there is a sink right in the restaurant for you wash and dry your hands for before and after you eat (I LOVE this.). The donuts here are a little different. They have character shaped ones (Hello Kitty) with impressive designs, square donuts, filled donuts, glazed donuts, etc. The one below was a strawberry icing donut, and it had the texture and consistency of a funnel cake. With icing on it. It was yummy!</div>
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Obviously seafood is the thing to eat here, so you're going to see lots of that in this Eating Japan series. But we don't just eat your typical sushi. There are tons of fish and shellfish that you can get a million different ways. On this particular day, I explored Umanchu Ichiba - the Itoman Farmers Market and some other places on the south end of the island. I think this is my favorite market I've been to so far, and although it's too far from my house to go often, I'll be sure to stop when I'm in the area. The market not only has your typical produce section (it's own huge building), but it has a seafood building center, a Okinawan products building center, and a green house. There are about a dozen restaurants and bakeries, outdoor food stands, and a meat shop. I picked up some produce and bought a couple of the largest oysters I've ever seen. I planned to eat them right there, but somehow through my poor Japanese communication skills, the guy packed them for me to go. He put the shucked oysters on a tray with a slice of lemon, placed a small bag of ice on top and then used shrink wrap to enclose the whole thing. Placing it in a bag, I paid, thanked him and headed off to find a nice location to eat my oysters. While eating them at the market would have been fine, I ended up driving to the most southern cape on Okinawa down little itty bitty roads not sure if I was headed in the right direction until I came out of the woods and into a small parking lot on a cliff over looking the ocean. Seriously, check out that view and that huge ass oyster!!! It was amazing and I'm glad I decided to picnic it on a cliff. Not to mention, the oysters were FABULOUS!!!</div>
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The day after we arrived on island, our friends took us out to lunch to a place that they had not been to either. It turned out to be a great recommendation from a stranger. Taj Okinawa, an Indian curry restaurant not too far from base is a pretty popular location, and for a good reason. Below is Aaron's lunch set, which I believe was a daily special of mutton and lentil curry, naan, salad, chicken tikka, soup, and a drink (Indian milk tea if I recall). You really can't beat the "set" meals they have at a lot of places here. All of this food c<span style="font-family: inherit;">ost 900<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">¥ (about $9.00), and remember, no tipping! We've been here a couple of times, along with many of the other tasty curry shops in town, and I'm actually going again next week for a squadron spouse lunch. I think I'm going to try ordering off the menu this time, and maybe get a different type of giant naan. Mmmm...naan.</span></span></div>
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At one of our favorite kaiten-zushi aka sushi-go-rounds in Awase, I always get this dish. For about $2.00 you get 2 large pieces of salmon over rice layered with very thinly sliced white onion and green onion. I may or may not order multiple dishes of this. There's a location near the ferris wheel in Chatan also, for those of you in that area. I've already done 2 posts about sushi go rounds, <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2013/03/sushi-go-round.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.jp/2013/03/japan-first-days-part-2.html" target="_blank">here</a>, so I don't think I need to tell you again how much we love them. We really like sushi go rounds. Some days we just get a couple of plates and try to stay under a certain amount of money. Other times we agree that it will be our only meal of the day and we see how many plates we can stack up. If you're curious...it's a lot. A real lot. Trust me.</div>
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I am loving all of the beverage options you have here. At most restaurants you'll have the choice of coke, hot and cold varieties of teas and coffees, Orion or Kirin beer, and a variety of juice such as mango, guava, and below is a picture of acerorla juice. I had never heard of acerola juice, but it was very delicious and served in this super cute square glass.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0nkbEZg4KzNNQOD83oGkekJvq_Cc9u3GFIP8QUfDgxP7cLewZJp9vrRHSYTuLZu-YTealH2Clhc-IgtjByajTnWpU7TIbJUEfMS3tzmXYgb9jjNSDN-75SZpATxhP786KAdQpOJf2r1i/s1600/18+Feb+2013+(29).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0nkbEZg4KzNNQOD83oGkekJvq_Cc9u3GFIP8QUfDgxP7cLewZJp9vrRHSYTuLZu-YTealH2Clhc-IgtjByajTnWpU7TIbJUEfMS3tzmXYgb9jjNSDN-75SZpATxhP786KAdQpOJf2r1i/s1600/18+Feb+2013+(29).JPG" /></a></div>
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Another meal out when we first got here was at Kajinho or as it's better known, Pizza in the Sky. It's an accurate nickname for this place as it is located on top of a big hill over looking the town of Motobu and the East China Sea. It takes a bit of time to get there from the main road, as you follow this crazy narrow 2 lane-road-but-can-barely-fit-one car and has hair-pin-turns-that-no-one-can-see-around and it's steep-as-fuck. So just as you think you've been driving too far and have no idea if you'll ever reach it, you finally find the parking lot at the top and make your way to put your name on a list for seating. They do have indoor seating, but we sat outside on picnic tables, and took pictures of the gorgeous view before getting our table. With only large and medium pizzas to choose from, and one with toppings and one with only cheese, we ordered both, and a salad (which was so delicious). This is our first meal with corn in an unexpected place. Corn is put on EVERYTHING here, it's really funny, but most times, it really works. For example, we thought it was pretty funny looking on pizza, but as we all ate it, we all realized that we really liked it, and wondered why more places don't do it. The pizza is really good. Both the crust and the cheese was a little different, but tasty, and while the food is good, the view is better. Come for both.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIz_LVwrO6xkekkLIcb1y3Y5NJsa6sLWJJpjHxI4SNJ6ZRSuSesZ9YlYz11lF6dHWqsMrktiyPWqoAsPJajEGl9rGdpsK5AJLNROc3Mi2AGvjJP__gqDQrixatt7z4IIiPA1KJ2Wm8T9s3/s1600/18+Feb+2013+(32).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIz_LVwrO6xkekkLIcb1y3Y5NJsa6sLWJJpjHxI4SNJ6ZRSuSesZ9YlYz11lF6dHWqsMrktiyPWqoAsPJajEGl9rGdpsK5AJLNROc3Mi2AGvjJP__gqDQrixatt7z4IIiPA1KJ2Wm8T9s3/s1600/18+Feb+2013+(32).JPG" /></a></div>
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Don't worry, there are tons more pictures of foods we've eaten, so be on the lookout for the next post in the Eating Japan series!!!</div>
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Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-28735908468466216842013-07-12T19:12:00.000-05:002013-07-12T19:12:08.462-05:00Eating Japan, Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Oh man. We are loving Japan. Check out my other 'lifestyle' blog <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Where In The World Is Kacey?!?!</a> if you haven't already been doing so for our non-foodie adventures here. It's really easy to eat out here every day, so I try to make a point of planning meals 5 days a week. Don't get me wrong, we'd love to eat out every day, but it's not super friendly on the waist or the wallet of course. It's so refreshing to have options though. After living in the panhandle of Florida and Oklahoma for so long, we almost forgot what it was like to have too many options of amazing food.</div>
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Okinawan cuisine is influenced from countries all around the globe, and that makes us happy foodies. Below are some of the things that we've been eating since we've been here.</div>
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I may have shared this before, but Japanese exclusive flavored KitKat's are where it's at. It's sort of a 'thing' a lot of us Americans do here - track down the different varieties. Matcha (Green Tea) is of course a winner, but our favorite is the dark chocolate. We've found and enjoyed Beni Imo (purple sweet potato) and Hazelnut also. I'm currently on the hunt for Azuki (Red Bean), Soy Sauce, Wasabi, and Edamame. Let me know if you find them in a store (ordering online is cheating).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxZXyZb_naRGklsIQGTzZexv7iraMvMKvm_ZbPWHtSNt9MLbFOVHuy5yjmGGDbLcAhIK7hGVdgABRSCWUrqX7h6Z0WEXoUSJThUTu481NvRrGj0SFqsK57BSk8ZwBEzplz9HFNuXNcDKX/s1600/01+March+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxZXyZb_naRGklsIQGTzZexv7iraMvMKvm_ZbPWHtSNt9MLbFOVHuy5yjmGGDbLcAhIK7hGVdgABRSCWUrqX7h6Z0WEXoUSJThUTu481NvRrGj0SFqsK57BSk8ZwBEzplz9HFNuXNcDKX/s1600/01+March+(5).jpg" /></a></div>
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We've only been once to Hayatemaru Ramen, but enjoyed it. Since we've moved to Japan we've eaten the shit out of ramen, but really, who doesn't? It's addicting and delicious and it's everywhere. This place is in American Village downstairs next to SEGA. There are only a few seats inside, and some tables outside - giant bowls of ramen outside in the shade, yes please! If you can stop in for lunch, you'll get extra noodles for free. They also offer a punch card. Yay for free ramen!</div>
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Another American Village find, on the first floor of the Dragon Palace Building you'll find the Happy Bakary Cafe Van (that's how they spell it). Here you will find a variety of Melon Bread, which is sort of like a muffin and sort of like a roll, but it is all sorts of delicious. My favorite is the chocolate chip, pictured below. The inside of the bread is light and fluffy and the outside is a crisp and sugary, but never overly sweet. As you know, I don't like things that are too sweet, so Japanese baked goods totally rock my boat.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidNgNCbdvkypPpEcj6Vw9R-6cspbBlf-Nzj8pJZDFwPqzN8adCCAsWGDjbhhCbqC1_mmXGwvbnNjlJgyP244D6IGy0MkWxI1HrIldNZd-jz0fy52T-svq9HMbKBncUfbBLWC8Tz3tqSPTN/s1600/1+April+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidNgNCbdvkypPpEcj6Vw9R-6cspbBlf-Nzj8pJZDFwPqzN8adCCAsWGDjbhhCbqC1_mmXGwvbnNjlJgyP244D6IGy0MkWxI1HrIldNZd-jz0fy52T-svq9HMbKBncUfbBLWC8Tz3tqSPTN/s1600/1+April+(2).jpg" /></a></div>
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Every time we have driven past Toyo Hanten on Route 58 (which is all the time), I say I want to go there for Chinese food. Months later, we finally did, and really liked it. The restaurant itself is pretty cool, with large round tables fitted with lazy susans for sharing, and private tables/booths separated by curtains and beads for smaller groups. They do have an English menu, but thanks to Aaron's dedication to learning Kana, we were able to order off of the Japanese menu (and yes, there were more options on the Japanese menu). We weren't able to decipher every word, but enough to know the difference between a pork/rice/fish/noodle/etc. dish. We ended up getting a shared set meal of 3 main dishes in addition to tea, rice, soup, and dessert.<br />
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I don't remember where this was, but it was pretty tasty for a fast food style meal. It was white rice with shredded lettuce, chicken, and an egg. I LOVE that you can get eggs on anything here!!! I don't really understand the obsession with mayonnaise on everything, but they didn't put too much on this dish, so it sort of worked. (usually they smother stuff with mayonnaise). Would I put mayonnaise on my eggs at home though? Nope.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghhMg5r5VCp3SvSBRtfcwtrE9JbqFpVlMLMOaxcIttobkFoc0Oaoa4oMkzDYRL7eEzylpF0w0nPlvR4idkXbXgpuRPjTIIabVjHfP3gzTfMY-iq_tovvF3FjjBMxn6xDkCHiEPDEtIQXnN/s1600/06+March+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghhMg5r5VCp3SvSBRtfcwtrE9JbqFpVlMLMOaxcIttobkFoc0Oaoa4oMkzDYRL7eEzylpF0w0nPlvR4idkXbXgpuRPjTIIabVjHfP3gzTfMY-iq_tovvF3FjjBMxn6xDkCHiEPDEtIQXnN/s1600/06+March+(2).jpg" /></a></div>
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This is probably my favorite Japanese treat. I may or may not get one every time I go to the farmers market. It's really Imagawayaki, but I still refer to it as dorayaki since that's easier for me to pronounce. Both are the same idea. Imagawayaki is made in a special pan and filled with azuki (red bean paste) during cooking. Dorayaki looks more like american pancakes sandwiching the filling. Those are usually served cold. Both are delicious and traditionall filled with azuki (my favorite), but you can often find them with nutella or custard. Yum!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPyE2SIXaSAWyA4WlvZY4Y1Mj16JGu_yxHX02GXsfH9x-gOY_gfxdN3t_gdYrjySkGyaTPacsdVH3Yr20Eyg3k87p-0GTsZqyPXK8qw1gUGGqfojV8v-6D7IPRG1YH49xrtP4O1ZZJWszI/s1600/06.03.13+Pancakes+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPyE2SIXaSAWyA4WlvZY4Y1Mj16JGu_yxHX02GXsfH9x-gOY_gfxdN3t_gdYrjySkGyaTPacsdVH3Yr20Eyg3k87p-0GTsZqyPXK8qw1gUGGqfojV8v-6D7IPRG1YH49xrtP4O1ZZJWszI/s1600/06.03.13+Pancakes+(1).jpg" /></a></div>
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Sushi, sushi, sushi. Sushi. Oh man. Sushi. Let me tell you this right now. If we die from mercury poisoning or something like that because we've eaten too much fish while we have lived here, don't worry about it. We loved every second of it. How can we not eat fish nearly everyday when it's EVERYWHERE. It's going to be rough going back to the states. Even the sushi from the grocery stores here is higher quality than most sushi restaurants back in the states. Below is a picture from special set meal from Kouwa Sushi in the Sunabe Seawall area.<br />
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Well, I have a ton more food to share with you, so I think it'll be best to break this up into a multi-series post. What do you guys think of our normal everyday food so far? Is it something you could live with? For us, it's going to be hard to live without. I don't want to think about it.<br />
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Be sure to check out my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/">Where in the World is Kacey?!?</a> to see what goes on outside of the kitchen!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-65931368543691820212013-06-12T01:05:00.001-05:002013-06-12T01:05:54.903-05:00Thai Fish Cakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOdRs96-1HugNVnopTeNMELUbZL8lqDS7o-7oCKMyfntse-ux4NSuNJGOYsrZd8fzQz4vkwgyYyqzLzy7oi_6gMgr7M7EZoDZIAfiugK4mWWxh3gkyY0VU8fUXW0R0l0BB2_u0ndCwjEN/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Thai+Fish+Cakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOdRs96-1HugNVnopTeNMELUbZL8lqDS7o-7oCKMyfntse-ux4NSuNJGOYsrZd8fzQz4vkwgyYyqzLzy7oi_6gMgr7M7EZoDZIAfiugK4mWWxh3gkyY0VU8fUXW0R0l0BB2_u0ndCwjEN/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Thai+Fish+Cakes.jpg" /></a></div>
One of my favorite meals are simple <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2010/07/lemon-pasta-with-crab-cakes.html" target="_blank">crab cakes</a> over salad or spinach, but I'm always looking to mix up the flavors a bit. I've already shared with you <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2010/06/lobster-cakes.html" target="_blank">lobster cakes</a>, and while I've made fish cakes before, I've never posted them here at Kacey's Kitchen.<br />
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You can use any white fish you would like for this recipe, in fact, I'm not even sure what kind I used, I couldn't read the sign at the fish market here in Japan. But it was tasty, I promise you that. I used both fish and shrimp, but if you prefer one over the other, feel free to use only one kind. Personally, I enjoyed varying textures. I served this dish with sticky rice and steamed bok choy, and while you could use really almost any dipping sauce here, we chose a chilled sweet chili sauce. <br />
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<b>Thai Fish Cakes</b><br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/kaceyskitchenprintablerecipes/thai-fish-cakes" target="_blank">Printable Recipe</a><br />
Slightly Adapted from <a href="http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/thai-fish-cakes-recipe" target="_blank">Great British Chefs</a><br />
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*I've estimated the conversions in parenthesis, however, I used my kitchen scale. If you don't have one, consider it, they aren't expensive and you'll be surprised by how often you'll use it!<br />
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<ul>
<li>350g firm white fish fillets (3/4 lbs)</li>
<li>350g shrimp (shelled & cleaned) (3/4 lbs)</li>
<li>35g fish sauce (2.5 tbsp)</li>
<li>35g thai red curry paste (2 tbsp)</li>
<li>20g fresh cilantro, chopped (3 tbsp)</li>
<li>130g egg, beaten (1 egg)</li>
<li>15g granulated sugar (1 tbsp)</li>
<li>1 pinch salt</li>
<li>50g panko crumbs (1/3 cup)</li>
<li>80ml water (1/3 cup)</li>
<li>70g scallions, thinly sliced (4 scallions)</li>
<li>90g green beans, finely chopped (about 20 green beans)</li>
<li>10ml lime juice (1 tbsp)</li>
<li>5g lemongrass, chopped (grate about 1/4 inch off bottom of lemongrass)</li>
</ul>
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<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.</li>
<li>Chop fish and shrimp to desired texture. I like mine chunky, but you could even food process it if you would like. Combine all ingredients into a bowl.</li>
<li>Roll into 10-12 balls, depending on how large you would like them, and flatten each one onto parchment paper like a burger.</li>
<li>Place in oven and cook approximately 12 minutes or until golden brown.</li>
<li>Serve with rice, bok choy, and sweet chili dipping sauce for a tasty meal!</li>
</ol>
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Be sure to check out my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/">Where in the World is Kacey?!?</a> to see what goes on outside of the kitchen!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-83376801665611035082013-05-25T19:41:00.000-05:002013-05-25T19:41:21.521-05:00Turkey Sloppy Joe, It's all in the name. I have never had a sloppy joe before. Until I made these, I didn't even know not ever having one before was a big deal. Aaron's sloppy joe consuming mind was blown.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJWxaolOqibvE2cyI88bQ7pCUSITO0kcsX0ORWdwT0_GeugN11TBAAS1NHNx0T7YSPklSxdNhWUg5yAXdwX5BDc0Tkef0l7JNYk4HLAQenETs2WINm_lDTT8I6032x-I4FlKaPYyR5mte/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Healthified+Sloppy+Joe's.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJWxaolOqibvE2cyI88bQ7pCUSITO0kcsX0ORWdwT0_GeugN11TBAAS1NHNx0T7YSPklSxdNhWUg5yAXdwX5BDc0Tkef0l7JNYk4HLAQenETs2WINm_lDTT8I6032x-I4FlKaPYyR5mte/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Healthified+Sloppy+Joe's.jpg" /></a></div>
He kept coming in the kitchen asking what I was doing, and seemed confused whenever I said I was making sloppy joes. Apparently sloppy joes usually come out of a can??? This is how far detached I am from sloppy joes, I had not idea. Here I was thinking I was making a normal sloppy joe, maybe a little healthier using some ground turkey, but I thought I was doing a normal thing. Nope. And Aaron was skeptical. He agreed it smelt good, but was it really a sloppy joe? Was it going to taste like his sloppy joe memories?<br />
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I usually buy some fancy burger buns for sandwich situations such as these, but I saw american style white-bread hamburger buns at the local grocery store and thought I'd see how they were.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzs-c2ft8PhHTz6to2LrNmzjaL6h9-dhK-bXiaGU8Bohkp7MGRhoKvB7UQFlL6BB52XK8RsMIm40ZVjMSVToz135CpnuLBAcrEViI9zKO6HRqyPakLjtjgrR1u1o8eH73OmekaO2DYFP2X/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Healthified+Sloppy+Joe's+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzs-c2ft8PhHTz6to2LrNmzjaL6h9-dhK-bXiaGU8Bohkp7MGRhoKvB7UQFlL6BB52XK8RsMIm40ZVjMSVToz135CpnuLBAcrEViI9zKO6HRqyPakLjtjgrR1u1o8eH73OmekaO2DYFP2X/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Healthified+Sloppy+Joe's+1.jpg" /></a></div>
They tasted just like a white bread bun, but actually I think they held up a little better. The sloppy joes were very moist, and this bread supported the moister and weight enough to still be able to pick it up like a sandwich. Honestly, I don't know if that's how you'd eat a sloppy joe out of a can. Are you able to pick it up with your hands? Or are you stuck eating it with a fork?<br />
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Mysteries I tell you. Unsolved mysteries.<br />
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So the verdict? I really liked these. Of course, I can't compare them to the 'real thing' as Aaron says, but these were super tasty. Aaron said they were good, but he didn't like the idea of calling them a sloppy joe. I served them with some guacamole and greek yogurt and a side of sweet potato waffle fries, which is always delish.<br />
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<b>Turkey Sloppy Joes</b><br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/kaceyskitchenprintablerecipes/turkey-sloppy-joes" target="_blank"><b>Printable Recipe</b></a><br />
<i>By <a href="http://betsylife.com/2013/03/27/turkey-sloppy-joes-2/" target="_blank">Betsylife</a></i><br />
<ul>
<li>1 jalapeno pepper, diced</li>
<li>1 small red onion, diced</li>
<li>2 cloves of garlic, minced</li>
<li>1 1/4 lb ground turkey</li>
<li>1 14oz can diced tomatoes</li>
<li>1 14oz can tomato sauce</li>
<li>2 tsp cumin</li>
<li>1 tsp chili powder</li>
<li>1 tsp chipotle chili powder</li>
<li>1 can black beans, drained and rinsed</li>
<li>Salt and pepper to taste</li>
<li>1 tbsp Gourmet Garden cilantro (or 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped)</li>
<li>Cheddar cheese, guacamole, sliced jalapenos, sliced red onion, for garnish</li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>Heat olive oil or cooking spray in a large skillet over medium heat. Add jalapeno, red onion and garlic. Saute until onion begins to soften, about 4 minutes</li>
<li>Add turkey and cook until browned</li>
<li>Add in next 5 ingredients (through chipotle chili powder) Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes.</li>
<li>Stir in black beans, salt and pepper, and Gourmet Garden cilantro. Cook several minutes until beans are heated through.</li>
<li>Serve on hamburger buns or bread, and top with your favorite spicy food toppings like guacamole, sliced jalapenos, or red onion. Other suggestions: queso fresco, black olives, sour cream</li>
</ol>
<br />
<b>If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">SUBSCRIBE HERE</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!
<br /><br />
Be sure to check out my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/">Where in the World is Kacey?!?</a> to see what goes on outside of the kitchen!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-28485771721512624122013-05-16T19:07:00.000-05:002013-05-16T19:07:58.976-05:00Butternut Squash & Leek Latke Benedict<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhupZigzrias2RTp354pQwOOH_UnOjp9xiQq8FmIOIYIzZ56zavCkeb9JwnH9Doa0MEcW0i3M_QUNVi4mLJjF4NpMm2lMrLYgnmm2o7I6DuFHtYHH-m9n_x5G926MrOfZ5I_O_B_cxxLEG5/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen++-+Butternut+Squash+and+Leek+Latke+with+Poached+Egg+and+Hollandaise+Sauce+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhupZigzrias2RTp354pQwOOH_UnOjp9xiQq8FmIOIYIzZ56zavCkeb9JwnH9Doa0MEcW0i3M_QUNVi4mLJjF4NpMm2lMrLYgnmm2o7I6DuFHtYHH-m9n_x5G926MrOfZ5I_O_B_cxxLEG5/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen++-+Butternut+Squash+and+Leek+Latke+with+Poached+Egg+and+Hollandaise+Sauce+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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I was really excited to make these for dinner, and I put it off for a week (or more) because Aaron kept getting called into work. Finally, a night arrived where we would have a non-rushed dinner together! While I was already done preparing them, and nearly ready to cook everything, I found out he had to stay at work late and wouldn't be home for dinner. After waiting so long to make these and already making a disaster of the kitchen, this meal was going to happen regardless. And if I had to eat all of the poached eggs and hollandaise myself so they wouldn't go bad, then that's what was going to have to happen.</div>
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The sacrifices I make.</div>
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I ate the shit out of these. Oh man they were good.</div>
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I did feel a little bad because Aaron ended up walking in the door while I was washing the last dish. After they had dinner at Chili's thinking they had to work late, they were sent home... Chili's vs. my butternut squash & leek latke benedict? Bummer dude.</div>
<br />
<b>Butternut Squash & Leek Latke Benedict</b><br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/kaceyskitchenprintablerecipes/butternut-squash-leek-latke-benedict" target="_blank">Printable Recipe</a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Slightly Adapted from</i></span><i style="font-family: inherit;"> <a href="http://crepesofwrath.net/2013/03/11/butternut-squash-leek-latke-benedict/" target="_blank">Crepes of Wrath</a></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the Hollandaise Sauce:</span></div>
<ul style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup of water, for the double boiler</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 egg yolks</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp water</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">pinch of sugar</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">10 tbsp unsalted butter</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Juice of 1 lemon</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">¼ tsp kosher salt</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">⅛ tsp ground black pepper</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">⅛ tsp smoked paprika</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">⅛ tsp cayenne pepper</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">⅛ tsp ground mustard</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the Butternut Squash & Leek Latkes:</span></div>
<ul style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 small butternut squash</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 large leeks</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 eggs</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tbsp cornstarch</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tbsp flour</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp kosher salt</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">¼ tsp ground black pepper</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">¼ tsp cayenne pepper</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">¼ tsp smoked paprika</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">¼ tsp granulated sugar</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">tiny pinch of cinnamon</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the Poached Eggs:</span></div>
<ul style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 pot with almost-boiling water</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp white vinegar</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" itemprop="ingredients" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1-2 eggs per serving</li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Instructions</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">***If you own an immersion blender, you can make the hollandaise sauce in 2 minutes and only dirtying 1 bowl by <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/04/video-foolproof-hollandaise-in-2-minutes.html" target="_blank">following this method</a>. If you don't, you'll need to follow the steps below.***</span></div>
<ol style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Peel and grate the squash, and chop the leeks. Toss together, then squeeze any excess liquid out using paper towels. Add eggs, cornstarch, flour, and spices. Combine and set aside.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Using a double boiler, pour enough water to cover the bottom pan by an inch. If you are making a double boiler, make sure the second pot/bowl will fit inside of the bottom one without touching the water. Bring water to a simmer.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Add egg yolks to a small bowl and whisk them together with 1 tsp of water and a pinch of sugar. Add to the top pot/bowl. Whisk the eggs over medium heat (the water should just be simmering) for about 7 minutes, until the eggs look glossy and slightly thickened. Remove the pot from the pot with water in it and whisk in one tbsp of butter at a time, returning to heat if needed.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Keep whisking in additional tbsps of butter until incorporated. Whisk in the lemon juice, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and ground mustard. Season to taste. Turn off the heat, keeping the hollandaise in the double boiler to stay warm. Add a tsp of milk or so if it thickens too much while preparing the other components, whisk occasionally.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cook latkes. Heat a heavy bottomed cast iron pan with about 2 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. Scoop about 2 tbsp of squash mixture into pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes as they are, them flip them and flatten with a spatula. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, until they are crispy and golden on both sides. Remove from pat and let drain on paper towels. Continue with remaining mixture.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bring a large pot of water to nearly boiling. Add vinegar.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Prepare eggs by cracking each one into it's own ramekin. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; line-height: inherit;">When your eggs are ready to go, take a slotted spoon and swirl water in pot. Take the egg filled ramekin and pour/dip it into the swirling water until the egg comes out. The swirling water should help keep the white of the egg together, but you may have to encourage it with your spoon. Add additional eggs if they will fit, and cook each for 3 minutes. </span></li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">With slotted spoon, remove eggs and drain on a paper towel until ready.</li>
<li class="instruction" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="background-position: 0px 50%; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: decimal outside; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To prepare dish, stack latkes and poached egg, smother in hollandaise sauce. Top with some freshly ground pepper.</span></li>
</ol>
</div>
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<br />
<b>If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">SUBSCRIBE HERE</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!
<br /><br />
Be sure to check out my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/">Where in the World is Kacey?!?</a> to see what goes on outside of the kitchen!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-82331612945698129392013-05-09T17:24:00.002-05:002013-05-09T17:24:58.516-05:00Braised Pork Belly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtfjS4ixAG9dSsDnRvXNuUQXS4yjsXELjvy-H7d3LrCXATe16zHWJUaLeT7UNlW768zes1HpJzbPUn_IWDvhArXMeP7chZ5CycoSJZ3tKDUaDSVExchuncXW2WzCF43SbH6v4Pc7Yp1OB/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Braised+Pork+Belly+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtfjS4ixAG9dSsDnRvXNuUQXS4yjsXELjvy-H7d3LrCXATe16zHWJUaLeT7UNlW768zes1HpJzbPUn_IWDvhArXMeP7chZ5CycoSJZ3tKDUaDSVExchuncXW2WzCF43SbH6v4Pc7Yp1OB/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Braised+Pork+Belly+1.JPG" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Braised pork belly. You don't need me to tell you this is delicious. But I should tell you that it was AMAZING. And you too can make it at home. No more paying an arm and a leg and some trendy restaurant for small pieces of fatty pig. I eat pork belly in my own home. I just gotta figure out how not to eat this everyday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can of course find pork belly nearly everywhere in the states, but HERE, in Japan, it's literally everywhere, and it's pretty cheap for a nice hunk of it. Pork is a big deal here, so you can easily find ANY part you could think of.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I would recommend doubling the recipe, because I promise that you'll be sneaking pieces while it's cooking. And it's not often meat makes amazing leftovers, but this is equally as good the following day. For breakfast. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mmmm...braised pork belly for breakfast. It's what dreams are made of!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I served mine with steamed baby bok choy (you know, balancing out the meal a little) and some white rice. The garlic on the side of the picture is what I strained out of the sauce. Oh, the sauce!!! That's a whole thing in itself. You really need some steamed greens and white rice to absorb all the wonderfulness. Just do it.</span><br />
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Unrelated, as of last month, Kacey's Kitchen blog has been alive and running for 4 years!!!! Now...go make some pork belly!!!<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Red Braised Pork Belly</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">By <a href="http://joy-zhang.squarespace.com/" target="_blank">Joy Zhang</a> adapted from <a href="http://redcook.net/2008/01/18/hong-shao-rou-red-cooked-pork/" target="_blank">Red Cook</a></span><br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/kaceyskitchenprintablerecipes/red-braised-pork-belly" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Printable Recipe</span></a><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 lb. pork belly meat cut into two inch cubes</span></li>
<li id="yui_3_7_3_1_1368137914746_735"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 1/2 cups a light beer or water</span></li>
<li id="yui_3_7_3_1_1368137914746_735"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 slices of ginger</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4 tbsp vegetable oil</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">6 tbsp sugar</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">7 cloves of garlic peeled</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5 whole star anise</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 tbsp dark soy sauce </span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup Shaoxing wine </span></span></li>
</ul>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a large pot, heat beer or water with slices of ginger over high heat until boiling. Place cubes of pork into boiling water and cook for 15 minutes. This process helps remove the scum from the meat, using a spoon, slowly remove the gunk that floats to the surface and discard. Strain meat and ginger with a fine sieve and be sure to reserve the stock. Set boiled cubes of meat and ginger aside. </span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Melt 3 tablespoons sugar and the vegetable oil in a medium pot over medium high heat. Continue heating until the sugar is slightly brown. About 3 minutes. Put the cubed pork in the pot and brown it with the caramelized sugar. About 8 minutes.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Put the reserved pieces of ginger, remaining sugar, garlic, star anise, dark soy sauce, rice wine and reserved stock into the pot with the meat. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat. Cook for about 40-50 minutes. Stir the meat every 15 minutes to make sure the bottom of the pot does not get burnt. Remove the meat from the mixture with slotted spoon and set aside in a large bowl. Remove the cover and turn the heat to medium high and cook for another 15-20 minutes until the sauce reduces to a smooth consistency. Pour over pork belly when ready to serve. </span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This dish, like most stew dishes, is better if left overnight and reheated the next day. But if you can’t wait then plate it in a shallow bowl and garnish with shredded scallion and sprigs of cilantro.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Also feel free to use Rock Sugar in place of regular sugar for a shinier glaze.</span></li>
</ol>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">subscribe here</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!</span></b><br />
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<b style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Be sure to check out my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Where in the World is Kacey?!?</a> to see what goes on outside of the kitchen!</span></b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-43684939910512064442013-05-06T06:38:00.000-05:002013-05-06T06:38:19.328-05:00The Speckled Emperor and My Adventures at the Fish Market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdP6fot9BSkhuitXlsAVVkN8h99hYZOKkB6KsYvpUGmvwo97QPJ7YVFLCrNNcFhn5B_Z_lx-OdxhOVEgeoORS4MvF8PPEKXp8OMomrL19gzWQqgLNSsdFG4jp-7DoNOrj9njQjb1IU4bX/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Speckled+Emperior+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdP6fot9BSkhuitXlsAVVkN8h99hYZOKkB6KsYvpUGmvwo97QPJ7YVFLCrNNcFhn5B_Z_lx-OdxhOVEgeoORS4MvF8PPEKXp8OMomrL19gzWQqgLNSsdFG4jp-7DoNOrj9njQjb1IU4bX/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Speckled+Emperior+3.jpg" /></a></div>
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One of the greatest tasty things about living on an island in the middle of the Pacific is the abundance of fresh fish. You don't have to go far here to find it. Fish markets, produce markets, and even your regular grocery stores (off base) sell great quality FRESH seafood. One of my favorite local places to go for fish is the Awase Fish Market/CoOp. Literally, straight off the boat each morning, you'll find fish from all over the Pacific, and it's only 20 minutes from my house.</div>
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We had been here once before to check out the scene and purchase some veggies (they have a small produce stand/section in front of the store), but this day I ventured out myself, completely forgetting my Japanese/English dictionary. Google translate doesn't always cut it.</div>
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I arrived as soon as it opened (10:30am) and was greeted with fish monger smiles and lots of "Irasshiaimase's!" (welcome). While I was very excited to be here and get some fish and do what the locals do, I had to figure out what the fuck to do. A few fish have signs in English, but others I had to figure out using a generic fish sign and my phone. I was also the only non-Japanese in the place at the time, and everyone else seemed to be going on their merry way using tongs and baskets to pick their fish out of the giant tub of ice and bring them over to the counter to be weighed and paid. I stood around for a bit wondering what I wanted and how I wanted it prepared. I honestly wasn't sure what I was going to make for dinner, only that it was going to be seafood.</div>
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After a while of browsing, a woman approached me, and, speaking perfect English, asked if this was my first time here and if I would like her to tell me what to do. Oh man, I must have looked really lost. I told her I think I've figured out the procedure, I just wasn't sure how to ask to have my fish filleted. She said they would understand the word filet, and explained what I had already witnessed, which was: pick your fish, go to the counter, pay, tell them how you want it, wait for them to bring it to you in a bag. She was very surprised I came by myself and wished me luck, also informing me that if I brought over my 'catch' to the neighboring restaurant (inside the same building), they would cook it for me. That's pretty awesome.</div>
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So, I thanked her and we parted ways. I finally selected my Speckled Emperor, which I think is the same as the Spangled Emperor, a fish found off the coast of Australia. Perfect. I brought my dude over to the counter, paid for him (I forget how much he weighed, but he cost me about $16), and then they asked me something, which I couldn't understand, but assumed to be 'how would I like it prepared'.</div>
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"Filet kudasai" (please)</div>
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*blank stares*</div>
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*nervous looks all around*</div>
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Uh -oh. I didn't prepare for this after the woman told me they would understand. I carried on speaking English and using hand gestures to describe a flat thin object, until the gentleman perked up and very excitedly said, "Open?!?". Awesome. Perfect. That's fine with me! "Hai, Hai, Hai" and many giggles and "Arigatou gozaimasu's" from all of us, we move on to the next step.</div>
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My fish was tagged with a number, the same one I was given, and I followed it along the counter, which had a nice step so I could view what everyone was doing. The first person used a power 'scaler' to scale my fish, and pasted it along to this guy who gutted it. See it down there? Blood and guts and fish gore everywhere!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHNCE5rKzIWKe6oQmCnVNIiM3M3hSqAWm4g45X9mNe_0gfgvjhKryiV7EaIuZ_06wHo7qsFuF31Ioc8o9kcLvKsJL8626TOEbKXmqjwPwK3cdwCmfol7-48Dh0D2yH_PmGATiewP1p0LI/s1600/07+March+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHNCE5rKzIWKe6oQmCnVNIiM3M3hSqAWm4g45X9mNe_0gfgvjhKryiV7EaIuZ_06wHo7qsFuF31Ioc8o9kcLvKsJL8626TOEbKXmqjwPwK3cdwCmfol7-48Dh0D2yH_PmGATiewP1p0LI/s1600/07+March+(1).jpg" /></a></div>
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I watched as the third guy careful filleted and cut up other peoples orders, and when it got to mine, he grabbed it, and threw it into a bag, smiled, and handed it to me.</div>
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Ahhh....duh.....open equals butterflied.</div>
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I just thought that it's a good thing Aaron and I like to eat things with faces on it, but I know a lot of people who wouldn't appreciate buying a whole fish. I was more excited about it then getting the fillet. I get to eat the whole thing, and then make some tasty fish stock out of it, which is exactly what we did. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3rJO6RL9kzAJ0o2rLmKDaJunKg_jv6mFk5PyINtkBhGck7C6IdhZPbPn4qlNSnfS54EWSlb1qvyi7ohWtkh8aJwP6Ae8Hl2DviDvgGWu31n7RQ4ybo0-6UpCo6iXbh0f96v_uvdOpj3gH/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Speckled+Emperior+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3rJO6RL9kzAJ0o2rLmKDaJunKg_jv6mFk5PyINtkBhGck7C6IdhZPbPn4qlNSnfS54EWSlb1qvyi7ohWtkh8aJwP6Ae8Hl2DviDvgGWu31n7RQ4ybo0-6UpCo6iXbh0f96v_uvdOpj3gH/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Speckled+Emperior+1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Below is our raw fish, just before baking it. As you can see, it was very cleanly gutted and scaled, so all I did was rub it down with some olive oil (inside and out), sprinkle some salt and pepper, and then shove some sliced oranges, onions, and parsley inside of the body. I then wrapped it completely in tin foil and baked it for about 25 minutes at 400°F. We ate it with some rice and veggies, and it was so freaking tasty. The skin got nice and crispy, and we were able to eat a lot more of it that we would have had I gotten it filleted. We simply just picked/pulled the meat off with chopsticks, and then I cleaned the rest of it for leftovers, and saved the bones and veggies to make stock with the next day.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1X9NUmxUXi3mVdQq1kGEtg8G1_Cd5cqmaFyuKboPUhINp6FdtRUzAhZcayOA3wER6iAxdIuBX7dFd2liqcWW_seXT0_eknmjN4JgZJIvW9bBs_Uvg4xhEv_z5uOnZlHvCa0y_t7IpHOBX/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Speckled+Emperior+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1X9NUmxUXi3mVdQq1kGEtg8G1_Cd5cqmaFyuKboPUhINp6FdtRUzAhZcayOA3wER6iAxdIuBX7dFd2liqcWW_seXT0_eknmjN4JgZJIvW9bBs_Uvg4xhEv_z5uOnZlHvCa0y_t7IpHOBX/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Speckled+Emperior+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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This was such a healthy fresh dish, and it tasted wonderful. For fish this good, you don't need anything complicated. I can't wait to try more, they had some much to choose from. That's the hardest part.</div>
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<b>If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">subscribe here</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!</b><br />
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<b>Be sure to check out my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/">Where in the World is Kacey?!?</a> to see what goes on outside of the kitchen!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-45671794047711506462013-04-27T18:10:00.000-05:002013-04-27T18:11:11.813-05:00Copycat Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFFEanqUFq58wt-Yk66V3zKckTZYl_7Qoxb0CKALlN8vqw6G8tMHwOoibcpxPaxdhF2cYQHz7Gb73eRpw9aUpjxbiSEXDNzJNVrQZaoWUy8jlrhapRP-ucsuF5hxgIQmhR80r63J1mqM3K/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Applebees+Asian+Chicken+Salad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFFEanqUFq58wt-Yk66V3zKckTZYl_7Qoxb0CKALlN8vqw6G8tMHwOoibcpxPaxdhF2cYQHz7Gb73eRpw9aUpjxbiSEXDNzJNVrQZaoWUy8jlrhapRP-ucsuF5hxgIQmhR80r63J1mqM3K/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Applebees+Asian+Chicken+Salad.JPG" /></a></div>
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I've got the creepiest looking hand in that picture. I also gotta seriously figure out where to take pictures in this house. A patio set would be ideal, we gotta get on that.<br />
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So Applebee's, eh? Did you know Applebee's are still in business? Crazy. The only reason I know that is because there was one in our last little tiny town, and it was always busy. I can't remember the last time I was in one. But way back when, when it was cool to wait in line at a restaurant that didn't accept reservations with 2 dozen other families with screaming kids to be waiting on by a teenager with 37 pieces of flair who hates their job, I would order this salad. To me it was the best thing on the menu, or the only thing on the menu. I'm honestly not sure now if I've ever eaten anything else there.<br />
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The salad is really good the first time around, but I'm telling you this because we're friends. Make sure you save some of it for the next day. Pour the salad dressing all over it and let it just soak overnight in the fridge. If you aren't a member of the soggy salad club already, THIS soggy salad with convert you. Seriously, it's delicious the first day but addicting the second. Don't mess around and eat the whole thing right away. Just trust me on this one.<br />
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Okay, I know, we've got fried chicken and mayonnaise in your dressing. If you're going the salad route to cut back, use some light mayo and don't put all of the dressing on your salad. But really, it does need the mayo in it. Don't be scared either, the other dressing ingredients cut it back so your not all like "BAM mayonnaise on my salad!". And the friend corn flake chicken is excellent also, but feel free to grill those suckers as well. It'll still be scrumptious!<br />
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While your waiting for the recipe to print (click 'Printable Recipe' in the recipe), head over to my other blog <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.jp/">Where's In The World Is Kacey?!?</a> to check out the most recent post on random things we did in February and March!<br />
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<b>Copycat Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad</b><br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/kaceyskitchenprintablerecipes/copycat-applebee-s-oriental-chicken-salad">Printable Recipe</a><br />
<i>By <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/">Kacey's Kitchen</a>, Slightly Adapted from <a href="http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/">Top Secret Recipes</a></i><br />
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<b>Dressing</b><br />
<ul>
<li>3 tbsp honey</li>
<li>1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar</li>
<li>1/4 cup mayonnaise</li>
<li>1 tsp Grey Poupon Dijon mustard</li>
<li>1/8 tsp sesame oil</li>
</ul>
<b>Salad</b><br />
<ul>
<li>3 tbsp canola oil</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>1/2 cup milk</li>
<li>1/2 cup flour</li>
<li>1/2 cup corn flake crumbs</li>
<li>1 tsp salt</li>
<li>1/4 tsp pepper</li>
<li>2 boneless skinless chicken breasts</li>
<li>2 cups chopped lettuce (any kind will do)</li>
<li>1.5 cup chopped red cabbage</li>
<li>1.5 cup chopped Napa cabbage</li>
<li>2 carrots, julienned or shredded</li>
<li>2 green onion, chopped</li>
<li>1/4 cup sliced almonds</li>
<li>1 block instant ramen noodles</li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>Whisk all dressing ingredients together and chill in the refrigerator until salad is ready.</li>
<li>In a small bowl whisk egg and milk together.</li>
<li>In another bowl, combine flour with corn flake crumbs, salt and pepper.</li>
<li>Cut chicken breast into 4 or 5 long strips. Dip each strip of chicken first into egg mixture then into the flour mixture, coating each piece completely.</li>
<li>Heat oil in skillet until hot, fry each chicken finger for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through.</li>
<li>In a large bowl, toss together chopped lettuce, cabbages, and carrots. Sprinkle green onions on top.</li>
<li>Toast almonds in a small skillet (do not use oil) over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until light brown.</li>
<li>Sprinkle toasted almonds over the salad. Crush dry ramen noodles in your hand and sprinkle over salad.</li>
<li>Add chicken to salad, cutting into bite sized pieces if desired. Serve with salad dressing.</li>
</ol>
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<b>If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">subscribe here</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-79120016522019237032013-04-22T07:17:00.001-05:002013-04-22T07:17:54.179-05:00King Crab Legs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh9huzIMKrKEAQ5OsOvH1XQh2aEwRgn_JKmcjlWUk5opTOLVkvtLdLSRS1fp-EQeh9zWJw0aQQPb7IQHXpsTKCUejJjj8wXoJO0ZouycV9zGzjZkQdJ4NYiOEAe1snPmvq00d3O8R-kTzU/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+King+Crab+Legs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh9huzIMKrKEAQ5OsOvH1XQh2aEwRgn_JKmcjlWUk5opTOLVkvtLdLSRS1fp-EQeh9zWJw0aQQPb7IQHXpsTKCUejJjj8wXoJO0ZouycV9zGzjZkQdJ4NYiOEAe1snPmvq00d3O8R-kTzU/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+King+Crab+Legs.JPG" /></a></div>
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Ahhh...Alaskan King Crab Legs. If I had to pick a meal that I feel is truly extravagant in both taste and wallet, but completely worth every penny, it would be this. I would eat it everyday if I could. The taste is unlike any other seafood I have ever tasted. It is remarkable sweet and tender, and because of the size of these suckers, the pieces of meat you get are insanely large.<br />
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I'm sure most of you have heard of or seen Deadliest Catch. Yup, that little guy above was caught using Deadliest Catch methods. Insane, right? But there's a reason people are out there doing some majorly badass things on a small(ish) boat in the middle of the Bering Sea, in the middle of winter (as if it would be any better in the summer...pfft), cause it's so freaking amazing tasting.<br />
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So where do you get these amazing legs from the sea? A store of course. Unless you live in Western Alaska and know someone who can get you some themselves. I guess you can order them online also, but I can't even imagine what kind of price you'd pay then. Growing up, my parents would splurge on special occasions and pick up a few pounds from Costco. Yup. Costco. Every month or so they would have a special display of King Crab Legs, lobster, and some other shellfish. <br />
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Like with most seafood, unless you are buying LIVE, the crab legs have been frozen previously. They have also very likely been previously cooked, which is totally fine. I've actually only bought mine in bulk, where you pick out your individual legs. I would LOVE to get a live one at some point, but that's committing to a lot of crab there, probably at least 10 lbs of crabbyness. I've also never bought a package of crab legs, so I can attest those taste exactly the same. I'd imagine pretty close, I mean, it's all cooked and frozen anyway. I still like picking out exactly which ones I'm going to buy.<br />
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Imagine my surprise when I found these while browsing through the commissary a few weeks ago. Not your typical commissary find that's for sure. And only $12.99 a pound!!! Yeah, I know that doesn't sound cheap, but this isn't something you're eating every week though, although I wish I could. I'd love to make some King Crab Benedict for breakfast one day ....mmmm... dreamy! Anyway, commissary, $12.99, King Crab Legs, awesome! There was a huge bin filled with ice and legs, and you just grabbed whichever ones you wanted, and threw them in a bag. They also had fresh shrimp for sale in another bin next to it for $4.20/lb (heads still on). I grabbed a bunch of those too. Hell, it's not very often I find food like this at the commissary, and for these prices, I'm taking full advantage.<br />
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While I was scooping the <strike>rest of our food budget for the month</strike> crab into 2 small plastic bags, two women walked up behind me and started making all these gagging sounds saying how disgusting it was pointing at crab legs and shrimp heads. What? You're grossed out because it's not processed and shrink wrapped with microwave instructions on it? First, that's pretty fucking disgusting in itself that I'm buying food and you're standing behind me pretending to vomit. Second, you are totally missing out one of the tastiest foods you will ever eat in your life, and for one of the cheapest prices you'll ever get it at. Jesus, I don't go over to your shopping cart and gag at your lean cuisine. Maybe I should though. I was waaay to busy oogling over my King Crab Legs for that nonsense and carried on my merry little way through the store.<br />
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These are seriously one of the easiest things to ever cook. I steamed 3 legs for about 6 minutes, and they were perfect. I find it's much easier to eat if you whack each leg with a heavy knife/mallet to start the cracking process. And what do you serve with them? Anything or nothing. I made some pearl couscous, but a hunk of bread and a light salad would be perfect as well. And please don't even bother with melted butter...it really doesn't need it. Trust me.<br />
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<b>If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">subscribe here</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-53335858179207641432013-04-08T21:00:00.000-05:002013-04-08T21:00:01.972-05:00Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I think I'm finally back in the groove of the kitchen! I spent a solid 2 days last week baking and cooking up a storm!</div>
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We've talked about sweets and chocolate here before. You all know I'd rather a slice of bread or cheese instead of a cookie or a cupcake. So why do I bake sweets you ask? Because it's fun. And I still like a sweet every now and again. And most other people like sweets, and I like baking for other people. You should also know that because I don't enjoy sweets as much as other people, when a sweet actually makes it on this blog, you know it's worthy. These are no exception.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QXPzRkB2w5-OxpDOvfOz4Fdus69-duKDsfMAtUI5WGpB0vh8I80zvOfKKvUGjEFaSbnbYPgEs6MCHBMCCBxa6BU5nuyV2M1WckjztzGAIABUs3XJm1Gc0K7_Cm5RIgA2jmOAaowZWLyT/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Triple+Chocolate+Chip+Peanut+Butter+Cookies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QXPzRkB2w5-OxpDOvfOz4Fdus69-duKDsfMAtUI5WGpB0vh8I80zvOfKKvUGjEFaSbnbYPgEs6MCHBMCCBxa6BU5nuyV2M1WckjztzGAIABUs3XJm1Gc0K7_Cm5RIgA2jmOAaowZWLyT/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Triple+Chocolate+Chip+Peanut+Butter+Cookies.JPG" /></a></div>
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The batter of these is ridiculously thick, and it was hard not to resist eating it all. I would love to put the raw dough in some homemade ice cream. Yum! </div>
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You can definitely use regular chocolate chips, but I think the chocolate chunks are just a little more special, and fun. The recipe makes a lot of cookies, so you could either freeze them, eat them, or share them. Aaron ate his for breakfast today. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8FVrtw_eKeOqcEPLXX9zAlEOvPypq2qJCekVTXavm5lHYgGWiNt9-XDzAymCX_eRG98oVgohVJY_ZxjlixywZ4nBlts43f3wjdNSyGiXLQuu10PEnT6ODGULo2QLwfyhYyFk8LqkvXjb/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Triple+Chocolate+Chip+Peanut+Butter+Cookies+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8FVrtw_eKeOqcEPLXX9zAlEOvPypq2qJCekVTXavm5lHYgGWiNt9-XDzAymCX_eRG98oVgohVJY_ZxjlixywZ4nBlts43f3wjdNSyGiXLQuu10PEnT6ODGULo2QLwfyhYyFk8LqkvXjb/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Triple+Chocolate+Chip+Peanut+Butter+Cookies+1.JPG" /></a></div>
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<b>Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies</b><br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/kaceyskitchenprintablerecipes/triple-chocolate-peanut-butter-cookies">Printable Recipe</a><br />
Adapted from <a href="http://mypanera.panerabread.com/recipes/recipe/double-chocolate-peanut-butter-chubbies/?utm_source=j0313w2&utm_medium=em&utm_campaign=c213">Panera</a><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">1¾ cups all-purpose flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">1½ tsp baking soda</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">¾ tsp salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">½ cup unsalted butter, softened</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">½ cup peanut smooth</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">¾ cup brown sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">¾ cup granulated sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 eggs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tsp vanilla extract</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts </span></li>
</ul>
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<ol>
<li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Heat the oven to 350ºF and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until relatively free of lumps.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Put the butter, peanut butter, and sugars in a large bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until lighter in color and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Beat in the eggs and vanilla on low speed. Stir in the flour mixture with a spoon. Stir in the chips and nuts.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17px;">Roll the dough between your</span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17px;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17px;">palms into 1½-inch balls</span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17px;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17px;">and set them on the prepared</span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17px;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17px;">sheets about 1 inch apart.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bake just until the cookie centers look dull instead of shiny, 10 minutes. (Cookies will feel soft to the touch but do not bake further.) Cool for 5 minutes in the pan. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">Transfer cookies to cooling rack, leaving them on the parchment paper if </span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">necessary</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"> (they will still be very soft). Then cool them completely on the rack.</span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px;">***Avoid overbaking! The texture of these treats is somewhere between a brownie and a peanut butter cookie, so they taste best when slightly underdone.</span><br /><ul><div style="border: 0px; clear: none; color: #222222; float: none; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; list-style: disc outside none; margin-bottom: 0.1in; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<b>If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">subscribe here</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-50735656047775684722013-04-02T20:03:00.000-05:002013-04-02T20:03:00.424-05:00Pork Yakisoba<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8QqxenkDAVsyOfuAsdQur-zz7suT0oQ_US7p2BlV8bW7lcr5SvVs_ibCNITj0wA-wRrVQZ0crNhbP8JnE2_D5m05fEZ6Hvx1xZ4gHdkGuoo5WD2I663i832wslhX-iYQNLuyV2GOtR35/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Chicken+Yakisoba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8QqxenkDAVsyOfuAsdQur-zz7suT0oQ_US7p2BlV8bW7lcr5SvVs_ibCNITj0wA-wRrVQZ0crNhbP8JnE2_D5m05fEZ6Hvx1xZ4gHdkGuoo5WD2I663i832wslhX-iYQNLuyV2GOtR35/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Chicken+Yakisoba.JPG" /></a></div>
One of the great things about living in Japan is the endless supply of noodle dishes you can get ANYWHERE. And I mean ANYWHERE. On base, off base, instant noodles (which are waaay better than instant ramen in the states), but my favorite are the millions of ramen/noodle houses that make their own noodles. Mmmmm, homemade noodles are delicious. And addicting, and I want to go out and get some now!!!<br />
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It's been really hard to stay at home and cook since we've been here. There are only 348972 million places that we want to try, but we've been pacing ourselves. We've actually been pacing ourselves so well, that the other day we agreed we should start eating out MORE! That sounds crazy, but cooking myself has been really good, and it's taken me a while to get into the swing of things...in fact, even with all my cooking I've done here, I'm still not totally comfortable in this kitchen. Speaking of the kitchen, this photo reminds me that I have to update my header picture on my blog! Keep an eye out for that soon!<br />
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This is a great yakisoba dish, especially for busy days. It's quick and easy, is versatile, and doesn't take any planning. Oh, did I mention it's delicious? I may or may not have eaten all the leftovers for breakfast the following day. I added pork, because it's what I had on hand, but you could add any protein you want. Tofu, chicken, beef, shrimp, fish, it'll all work.<br />
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What made this dish extra special is that I was able to buy some fresh yakisoba noodles, which made such a huge difference. If you're able to secure some fresh noodles, do it...if not, I promise it will still be delicious with whatever you'd like to use. Even some linguine noodles could be used in crunch!<br />
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<b>Pork Yakisoba</b><br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/kaceyskitchenprintablerecipes/pork-yakisoba">Printable Recipe</a><br />
<i>Slightly Adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Yakisoba-Chicken/Detail.aspx">allrecipes.com (emmaxell)</a></i><br />
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<ul>
<li>1/2 tsp sesame oil</li>
<li>1 tbsp canola oil</li>
<li>2 tbsp chile paste</li>
<li>2 cloves garlic, chopped</li>
<li>1lb pork, thinly sliced</li>
<li>1/2 cup soy sauce</li>
<li>1 onion, sliced thin</li>
<li>1/2 head medium napa cabbage, chopped</li>
<li>2 carrots, chopped</li>
<li>1/2 lb Yakisoba noodles (you can use any noodles you'd like, including soba or ramen)</li>
<li>toasted sesame seeds</li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>In a large skillet combine sesame oil, canola oil and chili paste. Stir fry 30 seconds. </li>
<li>Add garlic and stir fry an additional 30 seconds. </li>
<li>Add pork and 1/4 cup of the soy sauce and stir fry until pork is no longer pink. Remove mixture from pan, set aside and keep warm.</li>
<li>In the emptied pan combine the onion, cabbage and carrots. Stir fry until cabbage begins to wilt. </li>
<li>Stir in the remaining soy sauce, cooked noodles and the chicken mixture to pan and mix to blend.</li>
<li>Add toasted sesame seeds, serve and enjoy!</li>
</ol>
<b>If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">subscribe here</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-62198308861043722142013-03-28T07:14:00.000-05:002013-03-28T07:14:00.449-05:00Veggie Summer Sandwich<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY6Vo_G-azjev2FgcFzpp2gMzzEcieCZtTedbCtEVanmPxsF19ZY7VxcCq_IfihLuL3bP-a6jxXXdrpRDvDvcHF56JmBs-pC1MzsXItEjkqHgbPk8VKfOQcEccPKl36dU0yB7TQKL2GDc2/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-++Summer+Sandwich.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY6Vo_G-azjev2FgcFzpp2gMzzEcieCZtTedbCtEVanmPxsF19ZY7VxcCq_IfihLuL3bP-a6jxXXdrpRDvDvcHF56JmBs-pC1MzsXItEjkqHgbPk8VKfOQcEccPKl36dU0yB7TQKL2GDc2/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-++Summer+Sandwich.JPG" /></a></div>
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That's right. We are already eating summer sandwiches here. And laying on the beach. It's glorious!</div>
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I haven't yet found a good place to buy a variety of bread here yet. And I haven't yet gotten into the baking groove here yet. The commissary is hit or miss, and unless you get there as soon as they place things like good bread out, the shelves are going to be empty. The day I bought this bread...it was a miss. I also didn't toast it as much as I should have. But I really, really wanted to eat this meal, so I made it anyway, with the bread I could find, and we still loved it.</div>
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I stuck to the recipe this time, mostly because I already had the ingredients, but feel free to add whatever it is you are craving. This worked for us as a dinner, but it would be amazing as a lunch or even a breakfast....on a bagel or english muffin maybe? Yum!!!</div>
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You don't really need a recipe for this, but it was really good, and what better way to share it with you than a printable recipe!</div>
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<b>Vegetarian Summer Sandwich</b><div>
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/kaceyskitchenprintablerecipes/vegetarian-summer-sandwich">Printable Recipe</a></div>
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<i>By <a href="http://www.housebeautiful.com/kitchens/recipes/gabrielle-hamilton-avocado-sandwich-recipe-0712">Gabrielle Hamilton</a></i><ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 lb (scant 2 cups) fresh ricotta</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Zest of 2 lemons</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 4 tsp for drizzling</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 pinches coarse kosher salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 pinch ground black pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">4 long, even slices of very good bread</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 large, perfectly ripe avocados</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 pint mixed-color grape tomatoes, cut in half horizontally (you won't use quite the entire pint)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">8 red pearl onions equaling 2-3 ounces, thinly sliced into rounds (or equivalent in thinly sliced red onion)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">4 tsp toasted sesame seeds</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Skin of 1 preserved lemon, flesh removed, finely diced <i><span style="color: blue;">(Kacey's Kitchen omited this)</span></i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">½ tsp toasted poppy seeds</span></li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mix the ricotta with the lemon zest, ¼ cup olive oil, and salt and pepper, and set aside.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Arrange slices of bread on a cutting board and divide the ricotta mixture evenly among the four slices. Spread into a generous even layer.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Split the avocados, remove the pits, and slice each half into even slices without cutting all the way through the leathery skin. Then, with a soup spoon or a flexible rubber spatula, release the flesh and arrange the slices neatly and evenly among the bread slices.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Artfully and attractively arrange the tomatoes by nesting them into the soft avocado. Then arrange the red onion slices over the tomatoes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Garnish each sandwich with the sesame seeds, the preserved lemon skin <i><span style="color: blue;">(Kacey's Kitchen omited the lemon skin)</span></i> and finally, the poppy seeds. Transfer to plates and drizzle with olive oil.</span></li>
</ol>
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Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-58809851493790423812013-03-24T17:08:00.001-05:002013-03-24T17:08:51.255-05:00Salt & Pepper Shrimp<span id="goog_1638492984"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFLCfcyzyFpI3XHW7HzKbjVSnA0EwAlvx6Q8AwEq68149z-Z7G0iZJRlQlqd1WjZSKZujq4aBn5ZlQyhwbMsZbzL98jCFxxo5AnMCnDWsLCwLPiXcZtUw3AGmMEzQfo8hN3vK9FrwJcxp/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Salt+&+Pepper+Shrimp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFLCfcyzyFpI3XHW7HzKbjVSnA0EwAlvx6Q8AwEq68149z-Z7G0iZJRlQlqd1WjZSKZujq4aBn5ZlQyhwbMsZbzL98jCFxxo5AnMCnDWsLCwLPiXcZtUw3AGmMEzQfo8hN3vK9FrwJcxp/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Salt+&+Pepper+Shrimp.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I know, I know, you all want some food updates!!! Since arriving in Japan we have done our fair share of eating out, but I think we've done pretty well balancing going to restaurants and shopping at local markets to make our own food. Another one of our recent favorites is buying prepared food at the grocery stores in town and bringing it back home. For example, we ate whole fried fish on Saturday that cost us 98 yen (That's like $1.05!) per FISH. And you eat the whole thing. Head. Bones. Face. Everything. It's right up our alley, and deserves it's own post, so let's get back to the shrimp.</span><br />
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One of our first days here, I found local Okinawan shrimp at our commissary, which were still frozen but OH! so much more delicious than other frozen shrimp I've bought. I always still to frozen shrimp that are not yet shelled and uncooked, and you should too. Trust me, it only takes a few minutes to de-shell them and the flavor is so much better. I can't even figure out why they have pre-cooked shrimp.<br />
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I pan fried these, and they were amazing, but I bet you could still bake these as well. Just don't over cook them, especially with yummy shrimp like these. I served them simply with some rice and steamed broccoli, and it was plenty for us!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Salt & Pepper Shrimp</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/kaceyskitchenprintablerecipes/salt-pepper-shrimp">Printable Recipe</a></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">By Rachel Rappaport of </span><a href="http://www.coconutandlime.com/">Coconut & Lime</a></i><br />
<ul style="font-family: inherit;">
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">2 lb extra large shrimp, peeled</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">2 tablespoons kosher salt</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">1/2 cup cornstarch</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">1/2 cup "instant" super fine flour (like Wondra)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">1-2 dried tien tsin chile(s), minced</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">canola oil (for frying)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">1/4 cup sea salt</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">1 1/2 tablespoons ground sichuan (szechuan) peppercorn</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">1 teaspoon white pepper</span></li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">In a dry pan, heat the salt and pepper mixture, stirring continuously to avoid burning, for 3-5 minutes or until heated through and very fragrant. Pour into a plate to cool completely. Set aside.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt to a small bowl of cold water. Stir to dissolve. Add the shrimp and wash the shrimp. Drain then repeat with remaining salt. Rinse the shrimp in cold water then pat dry. Set aside.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">Stir together the cornstarch, flour and 1-2 tablespoon(s) of the salt and pepper mix in a shallow bowl. Dredge the shrimp.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">Heat about 1 inch of canola oil in a large wok or skillet. Add the shrimp and fry, 2-3 minutes or until fully cooked. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. Plate and garnish with the minced chile. Sprinkle with additional salt mixture, if desired.</span></li>
</ol>
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<b>If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">subscribe here</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-14971926893114190472013-03-11T20:00:00.000-05:002013-03-11T20:00:03.357-05:00Sushi Go Round<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We will just call this place Sushi Go Round because I have no idea what the actual name of the place is. This happens a lot with us Americans living in Japan not knowing how to understand the language. But it doesn't prevent us from doing things and eating out. Not at all! </div>
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If you've been reading my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/2013/03/japan-first-days-part-2.html">Where in the World is Kacey?!?</a> you'll have recently seen a post mentioning this place. We've been here twice already, and it's been hard not to go back more often.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkAGb5osMPNavyOm0C3o1awfZq_4NsFkuPpmLkZsnks-egK1p828wz34mzEi24K7FRvAMmsjMrFJ6Z3kKFbdFvPdJ5-5xoWz0_wckZ9incliYwEej4vxXDShQC6y6EgZbpgnR9jVZ0nuT/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkAGb5osMPNavyOm0C3o1awfZq_4NsFkuPpmLkZsnks-egK1p828wz34mzEi24K7FRvAMmsjMrFJ6Z3kKFbdFvPdJ5-5xoWz0_wckZ9incliYwEej4vxXDShQC6y6EgZbpgnR9jVZ0nuT/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round.JPG" /></a></div>
Sushi go rounds are a really fun way of dining and trying new things. Neither Aaron nor I had ever been to one, but we were super excited to be moving to Japan and going to these all the time. At this place, you can either sit at a booth with a table or the 'bar'. This first time we sat at the bar. All seats have access to the conveyor belt. You are immediately served water and a cup for tea, and left on your own, unless you want something else to drink. Matcha (green tea) powder is waiting for you at your seat in a little tin where you shake just a little into your mug. A little goes a long way. I learned this. Then...I think this is the coolest thing...you just press your mug into the little spout. See it up there? The black round thing on the booth next to the napkins? That's the hot water dispenser!!! Built in!<br />
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At this point you can dive right in and start pulling plates off the conveyor belt. The sushi chefs are in the middle preparing everything, and there are typically 2 pieces per plate, and each plate is color coded according to price. Prices here range from 100 yen to 580 yen, or thereabouts. If what is on the conveyor belt doesn't suit your fancy, you can also order off the menu, writing down (in Kanji) what you want and how many. It doesn't seem that hard, and it's kind of fun trying to copy down symbols you've never really looked at before. Aaron was better at this because he had learned a lot of Kanji and practiced writing it. So even if he couldn't translate it, it was still a little familiar to him. There were a few things I didn't order this time because of how complicated the Kanji was. But we'll just have to keep going back until I decided to take the time to write it!<br />
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So...wanna see some of the things we ordered? Of course you do!<br />
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Aarons new favorite dish....Pressed Mackerel. He had all of these on me this time, but when we went back I tried it, and I can only describe it as a solid piece of fish. Not only is the texture a thick piece of fish, the taste is undeniably fish from the ocean. You bite into it and you are like, "Now THAT is a piece of fish". I know that sounds really stupid, but that's the only way we could figure out how to describe it. It was really good, and we'll be eating tons of it while we are here. Oh, I could also describe it as if I picked up a whole fish and just bit into it, that's what I would expect. Thumbs up from us!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDEfqpFtKSL_gyDl36Yr7nwGBB5fV1Jw-o2sQXjxCptodm3TQlgTBtAUlAeMNcgo30VS3b1lS1oPfFkQ01Qs75GAnxs_luJQiUlhJdMKQFxGDh4a2snn4J_3-qOrZONbOefElhwxEGUQC/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDEfqpFtKSL_gyDl36Yr7nwGBB5fV1Jw-o2sQXjxCptodm3TQlgTBtAUlAeMNcgo30VS3b1lS1oPfFkQ01Qs75GAnxs_luJQiUlhJdMKQFxGDh4a2snn4J_3-qOrZONbOefElhwxEGUQC/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round+3.JPG" /></a></div>
My favorite, Hotate. Scallops. A lot of time in the states, you'll get a chopped up scalloped rolled up and disguised. I often wondered if it was really scallop. But these. These are scallops! I wanted to order a dozen of them...but I settled with 2 orders so I could keep room for more.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJO8dbLFf1x-cDiy3D5IEV3OJni_sUAPtYpclG5U49Z4uMA1Fdg5HvhUf4sYwb48zUw1Ydk_Zjhjo-DTunY7OIlbC-ZZ5SwcwaE6Nlh0i3DxY2GqYMa4Q6Js55p5gNKydo7ta5tIHbHomS/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJO8dbLFf1x-cDiy3D5IEV3OJni_sUAPtYpclG5U49Z4uMA1Fdg5HvhUf4sYwb48zUw1Ydk_Zjhjo-DTunY7OIlbC-ZZ5SwcwaE6Nlh0i3DxY2GqYMa4Q6Js55p5gNKydo7ta5tIHbHomS/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round+2.JPG" /></a></div>
Uni, or sea urchin. Probably not something to order here. I've had it before, and it is a weird texture thing that most people don't enjoy. I usually skip it altogether and go for something else awesome.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXj8OU7xpimDbmUKFitrTnpk7ft7fvVBElF2J5kYACUT-Bmjva6FND-0tY76Mptet2Elhf3o9e7jTscQLBXo23bEmouavR9nLW5ZapDmooSQLCx4wUltvkgJ046-70sGvcwcz2CUaLS5_r/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXj8OU7xpimDbmUKFitrTnpk7ft7fvVBElF2J5kYACUT-Bmjva6FND-0tY76Mptet2Elhf3o9e7jTscQLBXo23bEmouavR9nLW5ZapDmooSQLCx4wUltvkgJ046-70sGvcwcz2CUaLS5_r/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round+4.JPG" /></a></div>
Mussels. This was interesting, in a good way! I was concerned that they were dried out, but once I bit into them, they were really juicy and mussely!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdG6YELF1jQAwrIWIso1l_Hy3ktzmF0nyi6A-WuijV_8lzX4gCsGo_iumjEmphJaaaUCz-WNMu26qaNjFVUCvop3YnYFJ5WirZJYlfB2HUuoiKDoWKbDFNJcQ4Irleu9rGMCnJLAdTSwV/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTdG6YELF1jQAwrIWIso1l_Hy3ktzmF0nyi6A-WuijV_8lzX4gCsGo_iumjEmphJaaaUCz-WNMu26qaNjFVUCvop3YnYFJ5WirZJYlfB2HUuoiKDoWKbDFNJcQ4Irleu9rGMCnJLAdTSwV/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round+7.JPG" /></a></div>
This is one of my favorite things here. Between the scallops and this salmon, I wouldn't need to order anything else. This is slices of salmon with shredded white onion and green onion on top. It's a great combination!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloccqpKrYUHXkg6_-iyqo08cyVA-w-Y2UWZjz0Kv6MvH3X46ADwM7h07qsgtlhlJ1xzjQWLtOltinHSmGByl9-8FvyNOYe0Jq3ghihitdEt5YDtrS_HTNJ7btdiqVvdAt4VeSWXuteuSU/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloccqpKrYUHXkg6_-iyqo08cyVA-w-Y2UWZjz0Kv6MvH3X46ADwM7h07qsgtlhlJ1xzjQWLtOltinHSmGByl9-8FvyNOYe0Jq3ghihitdEt5YDtrS_HTNJ7btdiqVvdAt4VeSWXuteuSU/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round+5.JPG" /></a></div>
And this...geez...I can't remember what this was. Probably because it wasn't something I ordered, but was delivered. Fine with me! It was shrimp with some sort of barbecue style sauce. It was good, nothing special though. I'd much rather another plate of scallops!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbaxSfg99JwGurUk7RcnVgRJIgiYKY8uvAG0hIkOkUmEqs66S7ht6Pw69qDMmDzBHkPwRszUs9rq_G-UkLzcCtbLNSDw2kyTpfB-59ssGmPuLe9hbKpty_L5kGwfrUooMfRLm7mIvCwc9/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbaxSfg99JwGurUk7RcnVgRJIgiYKY8uvAG0hIkOkUmEqs66S7ht6Pw69qDMmDzBHkPwRszUs9rq_G-UkLzcCtbLNSDw2kyTpfB-59ssGmPuLe9hbKpty_L5kGwfrUooMfRLm7mIvCwc9/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round+6.JPG" /></a></div>
And here we have our stacks of plates (from 3 people). You just keep on stacking them in front of you until you are ready to leave. This helps you keep track of how much you are spending, because it is so easy to just keep ordering plate after plate after 100th plate!!! When you're done, just get up and the waitress will know you're ready to pay. She'll come over with what looks like a bar code scanner, and she just scans the dishes from bottom to top. Each plate has a chip in it to tell how much it cost. She'll walk back over the to register and you pay there. The whole thing is very fun. For those 3 stacks of plates down there, I think we spent around $50. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBop7eDH0QWgwZCrm5i-vwSYn_M0bQiG2rE98zQA4yVKhdlcbFI-_CKJ2w0RLmGNgi3duoLQl85OblBYvbFVSOjsmhF8aawl6gLUX4ORnKnIPHYOz3N9hhMJJBUjJ8vfNC6Qo3B3wEvQta/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBop7eDH0QWgwZCrm5i-vwSYn_M0bQiG2rE98zQA4yVKhdlcbFI-_CKJ2w0RLmGNgi3duoLQl85OblBYvbFVSOjsmhF8aawl6gLUX4ORnKnIPHYOz3N9hhMJJBUjJ8vfNC6Qo3B3wEvQta/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Sushi+Go+Round+8.JPG" /></a></div>
We've already been back to this place for lunch, and I know we'll be regulars here. I'll follow up with a post to show you how we order off the menu!<br />
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<b>If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">subscribe here</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-55873111303244555182013-01-21T06:00:00.000-06:002013-01-21T06:00:08.524-06:00Tomatoes Stuffed with Corn and Black Beans<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52ak2Dt1Ra3CUasFWNMA2dpV4RG9vfd6Hcmypv0emDtywxLouXR6qOzTErmhc-C5Bqm-8DPbSGsl6AlMiwVGiL3VcrOdiPqm7alqkFKjagtu8g6ydVZjOwouDLOTWEu_oUXlwoZ0yZrb_/s1600/Kacey'+sKitchen+-+Stuffed+Tomatoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52ak2Dt1Ra3CUasFWNMA2dpV4RG9vfd6Hcmypv0emDtywxLouXR6qOzTErmhc-C5Bqm-8DPbSGsl6AlMiwVGiL3VcrOdiPqm7alqkFKjagtu8g6ydVZjOwouDLOTWEu_oUXlwoZ0yZrb_/s1600/Kacey'+sKitchen+-+Stuffed+Tomatoes.JPG" /></a></div>
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We've been 'homeless' for a 1.5 weeks. We've been living without my essential kitchen stuff for 1.5 months. We've been living without my 'non-essentials' for 5.5 months.</div>
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I say we are homeless, but we are really staying with family while transitioning from Aaron's temporary training base to our 'permanent' base in Japan (yay!). We are grateful for this for many, many reasons, but one thing that I was excited about was being able to cook real meals in a real (really nice) kitchen. While living in our TDY furnished apartment, we didn't have a lot of kitchen equipment, and I didn't want to invest in lots of spices, or stock up on food, because we knew we would be moving so soon. We ate plenty while living there, but I just felt like all my meals fell a little short. All that was probably just an excuse, and I was just being lazy...but being in a nice kitchen with multiple ovens and plenty of counter space and spices and condiments and every pot and pan I could ever use....ahhh....it just feels good.</div>
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Not all my meals at our temporary home were lame. This one for example was a big hit with us. We don't eat a lot of stuffed tomatoes, but both of us always enjoy them when we do. I served it with some sort of rice concoction (mushrooms, onions, etc.), and we ate every bit of it. Don't underestimate it, we were plenty full from this meal.</div>
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For my vegan/gluten/veggie friends: Just lay off the cheese and breadcrumbs. If you want something to help bind things together, I would mash some of those beans.</div>
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<b>Tomatoes Stuffed with Corn and Black Beans</b></div>
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<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/kaceyskitchenprintablerecipes/tomatoes-stuffed-with-corn-and-black-beans">Printable Recipe</a></div>
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<i>By <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/925228/tomatoes-stuffed-corn-and-black-beans">Martha Stewart, Everyday Food</a></i></div>
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<ul>
<li>4 beefsteak tomatoes</li>
<li>2 tbsp olive oil, divided</li>
<li>3/4 cup corn kernels (from 1 large ear)</li>
<li>2 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced</li>
<li>1/2 to 1 small jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped</li>
<li>1 cup drained, rinsed black beans</li>
<li>1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar (2 ounces), divided</li>
<li>1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, divided</li>
<li>1 tbsp lime juice</li>
<li>Salt and pepper</li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice top 1/2 inch from tomatoes and scoop out flesh (reserve for another use; see below). </li>
<li>In a medium skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium. Add corn and scallion whites and cook until crisp-tender, 3 minutes. </li>
<li>Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in jalapeno, beans, 1/4 cup cheddar, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.</li>
<li>Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with 1 teaspoon oil. Brush tomato skins with 1 teaspoon oil, season all over with salt and pepper, and place in dish. Fill tomatoes with corn mixture. </li>
<li>Combine remaining 1/4 cup cheddar, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, and 2 teaspoons oil, season with salt and pepper, and divide among tomatoes. </li>
<li>Tent dish loosely with foil and bake 10 minutes. Uncover and bake until tomatoes are soft and breadcrumbs are deep golden, about 5 minutes more.</li>
</ol>
<br /><br /><br />If you enjoyed th<b>is post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">subscribe here</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-36676490898773936612013-01-11T14:10:00.002-06:002013-01-11T14:10:55.308-06:00Menu Planning: January 11, 2013<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00geHyKAo_A2msC0ASLpWsoCvjLT93NDs13pZhe5qvtC1QBILzNWUeCAuUebbKlkK-iYbAS5x2108T_Gxy5HanPsZY0in7H6zjUbyT_YeamuaI_TyvHuUFGl5aF29HKA58pvSvTmoqnXf/s1600/Sushi+Village.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00geHyKAo_A2msC0ASLpWsoCvjLT93NDs13pZhe5qvtC1QBILzNWUeCAuUebbKlkK-iYbAS5x2108T_Gxy5HanPsZY0in7H6zjUbyT_YeamuaI_TyvHuUFGl5aF29HKA58pvSvTmoqnXf/s1600/Sushi+Village.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>First sushi order at Sushi Village with Rach and Bren.<br /></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Helllooo 2013! Our year is starting out with moving out of our apartment (completed yesterday) and staying with family until we stay with more family until we stay with friends until we stay with more family until we leave for Japan. Or something like that.<br />
<br />But we still need to eat, right? Although our schedules are going to be pretty wacky, I'm menu planning, and we'll re-arrange days/meals as needed throughout the week. <br />
<br />
Speaking of menu planning, I'm trying something new. If you follow me on <a href="http://pinterest.com/KaceysKitchen/">Pinterest</a>, you'll have noticed I've been pinning insane amounts of food. I've been clearing out my starred google reader recipes and pinning them. It makes it so much easier to view and categorize. I can actually see an image of the food with whatever description I want, rather then just the title of the original blog post. I've also been using my <a href="http://foodgawker.com/">Foodgawker</a> account to favorite the recipes on there (same idea as pinterest, but only for images that have been accepted into Foodgawker). <br />
<br />
While I'm still using my handy dandy pen and notebook, I've also added a calendar for dinner plan on google calendar. I use google calendar a lot, and having our dinner plans on there might come in handy, we'll see. Oh, and I've been using the app <a href="http://outofmilk.com/">Out of Milk</a> to organize my shopping lists. It syncs to my phone, and I can email the list to my husband if needed. It has a lot of features, and if anyone is interested, I can go into more details about it later. <br />
<br />
So, as of this moment, here's what our meals look like for a few days..<br />
<br />
<b>Fri - </b>Chicken Scaloppine (<a href="http://www.plumpiecooks.com/2011/04/chicken-scaloppine/#.UPBp0G99KhU">Plum Pie</a>) w/ Mixed Greens & Cheesy Broccoli Orzo (<a href="http://iowagirleats.com/2012/08/16/cheesy-broccoli-orzo/">Iowa Girl Eats</a>)<br />
<b>Sat - </b>Chicken & Black Bean Stuffed Burritos (<a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-black-bean-burritos-50400000108353/">Cooking Light</a>) w/ Poblano Rice (<a href="http://joelens.blogspot.com/2012/05/green-poblano-rice-arroz-verde-al.html">What's Cooking Chicago</a>)<br />
<b>Sun - </b>Baked Ravioli Caprese (<a href="http://stephaniecooks.blogspot.com/2012/01/baked-ravioli-caprese.html">Stephanie Cooks</a>) w/ Salad & Garlic Bread<br />
<b>Mon - </b>Dinner Out w/ Friends<br />
<b>Tues - </b>Leftovers<br />
<b>Weds - </b>Turkey Meatloaf (<a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2009/05/mini-turkey-meatloafs.html">Kacey's Kitcen</a>) w/ Shredded Brussel Sprouts (Adapted from <a href="http://www.fullmeasureofhappiness.com/2013/01/09/bacon-brussel-sprout-salad/">A Full Measure of Happiness</a>)<br />
<b>Thurs - </b>Portabella Mushroom Cheesesteaks (<a href="http://ohmyveggies.com/recipe-portabella-mushroom-cheesesteaks/">Oh My Veggies</a>) w/ Tator Tots<br />
<b>Fri - </b>Leftovers<br />
<br />
What are you having for dinner this next week? Leave me a comment below!!!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEHw14jDfUdl8LHCsetQ4Piji18csj5sST6Yr4PqPvOpXXoF5npmBziBiXrvWvE-d5vDfUt3-6sSnmrGsqO5kQSxSbOLr53kwOAW8AHnpSHrKLxf6fm_FI6bJ-o-U-xR8J2T-4YKCGAS9/s1600/Simone+Peter+Pan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEHw14jDfUdl8LHCsetQ4Piji18csj5sST6Yr4PqPvOpXXoF5npmBziBiXrvWvE-d5vDfUt3-6sSnmrGsqO5kQSxSbOLr53kwOAW8AHnpSHrKLxf6fm_FI6bJ-o-U-xR8J2T-4YKCGAS9/s1600/Simone+Peter+Pan.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Cousin Time! She was Cpt. Hook and I was Smee. <br />Me: "Why am I Smee? Do I look like Smee?"<br />Simone: "Acctualllly...."<br />*Sigh* <br />It's a good thing she's cute.<br /></i></span></td></tr>
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<b>If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">subscribe here</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-62801013017922817652013-01-04T09:42:00.000-06:002013-01-04T09:42:01.732-06:00Fresh Water Chestnuts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Who would have thought I had to move to Oklahoma before seeing my first water chestnut. Or at least what I recognized as my first water chestnut. It came to me in my <a href="http://www.kaceyskitchen.com/2012/09/bountiful-basket-loot.html">bountiful basket</a> one week.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeSV4DPtjyIayOlA0VmVjoARHPqIl8F37fs8O0F3hYQKydenoWj3HaAzy87aCGyBFz7-jMwH1jUQSn_R5rK3gpRWE4asNBAACnK9CjTjBmTCSgrMu9PjGMJCMD-6BKJS_9ZmmI5W8ehM3n/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Water+Chestnuts+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeSV4DPtjyIayOlA0VmVjoARHPqIl8F37fs8O0F3hYQKydenoWj3HaAzy87aCGyBFz7-jMwH1jUQSn_R5rK3gpRWE4asNBAACnK9CjTjBmTCSgrMu9PjGMJCMD-6BKJS_9ZmmI5W8ehM3n/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Water+Chestnuts+1.JPG" /></a></div>
I didn't know what it was at first, and the only thing I could think of was a water chestnut, although I had never seen one before. I was excited because I had never had a fresh one before, and I don't enjoy canned water chestnuts. I don't appreciate canned ones in foods, they just taste like a bland awkward filler with both soft and crunchy textures. They don't belong in my food.<br />
<br />
But fresh water chestnuts? Fresh ones are AWESOME! They have a completely different texture and are sweet! We really enjoyed them, and I was sad to see them disappear (in our bellys!) because we never received them again.<br />
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Oh wait! We are going to Japan! Endless supply of fresh water chestnuts!!!<br />
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So moral of the story is: eat fresh water chestnuts and boycott the canned!*<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vgDuWrrwuOwyfDR9POSdXWzvLbNKjRBfXqSKqe9N_6dRvq65Zg4TrawNdaJfIrVoZD-R5pEjA7PgkZwIDnmCD8qAUCQ1u_H3uOogot8AjQXldYn_zHTVldTXowNIbGHo3-hfcbt1m3hB/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Water+Chestnuts+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vgDuWrrwuOwyfDR9POSdXWzvLbNKjRBfXqSKqe9N_6dRvq65Zg4TrawNdaJfIrVoZD-R5pEjA7PgkZwIDnmCD8qAUCQ1u_H3uOogot8AjQXldYn_zHTVldTXowNIbGHo3-hfcbt1m3hB/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Water+Chestnuts+2.JPG" /></a></div>
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*just kidding...don't boycott canned water chestnuts. That would be weird, and no one would take you seriously. Plus, I'm sure there are some people out there that really enjoy canned chestnuts. I don't happen to be one of them.<br />
<br />
<b>If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">subscribe here</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Check out my other blog, <a href="http://www.whereskacey.blogspot.com/">Where In The World Is Kacey?!?</a></b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-950929295954784456.post-56666525093237780302012-12-15T06:16:00.001-06:002012-12-15T06:17:58.769-06:00Mushroom & Beef Tacos with Avocado Salsa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNf_8mJYbRS-DXB68uBaXz4oHmaikU0tlx2Y-osF6SCDDVq-DVlJ_YAz6FvyohE1rpc7Dv3Q0GjwdPs1W-fYBclwaMfb4_VINhRCP5CJz7csAA6GAKs2xddSlNm2b4Zidxl-pt3MrH610/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Mushroom+&+Beef+Tacos.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNf_8mJYbRS-DXB68uBaXz4oHmaikU0tlx2Y-osF6SCDDVq-DVlJ_YAz6FvyohE1rpc7Dv3Q0GjwdPs1W-fYBclwaMfb4_VINhRCP5CJz7csAA6GAKs2xddSlNm2b4Zidxl-pt3MrH610/s1600/Kacey's+Kitchen+-+Mushroom+&+Beef+Tacos.JPG" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Caramelized mushrooms: Check.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Caramelized onions: Check.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Avocado salsa: Check.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a 100% satisfying meal. And totally versatile. Don't eat meat? Cut the beef, pump up the 'shrooms. Throw in some seasonings if you feel crazy. Chili powder, onion powder, garlic, cumin, oregano, whatever floats your fancy. Fresh cilantro always does it for me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Don't want a taco? Serve the whole shebang over rice. Nice nutty brown rice, but white will do. Want nachos? Serve it over chips! Pasta? Caramelize all those goodies and toss it over some penne. Why not? Make a quesadilla out of it. That would be banging.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now go and eat delicious foods...create what you want. And come back and tell me about it.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Beef & Mushrooms Tacos with Avocado Salsa</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/kaceyskitchenprintablerecipes/beef-mushroom-tacos-with-avocado-salsa">Printable Recipe</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Adapted from <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/beef-and-mushroom-tacos-with-avocado-salad">Rachael Ray</a></i></span></div>
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<div class="ingredientGroup" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="value" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">3 tbsp </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">extra-virgin olive oil</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="value" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1/2 lb</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">ground beef</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1lb white mushrooms, crimini mushrooms, or a mix</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 cloves garlic, finely chopped</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="value" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2 red </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">onions, thinly sliced</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="value" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2 </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">jalapenos, finely chopped</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Salt and pepper</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="value" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2 </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">avocados, cut into cubes</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="value" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1/4</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span class="type" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">cup</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">fresh lime juice (1 1/2 limes)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="value" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">8 </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">small flour tortillas</span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="ingredientGroup" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<ol>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="recipe-direction" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef, half of the onion and the jalapenos; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the beef is browned and the onion is softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; reserve the skillet.</span></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the remaining onion, the avocados and lime juice; season with salt and pepper.</span></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="recipe-direction" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the reserved skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook until golden, 7 to 9 minutes; stir into the beef mixture and cover with foil to keep warm.</span></span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; list-style: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="recipe-direction" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wipe out the skillet and return to medium heat. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, lightly toast on both sides for about 1 minute. Stuff the tortillas with the beef mixture and avocado salad.</span></span></li>
</ol>
</div>
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<b>If you enjoyed this post, and would like to follow 'Kacey's Kitchen', please <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/kaceyskitchen">subscribe here</a> so you don't miss anything! Have something to say? Leave a comment below!</b>Kaceyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16347359923099227598noreply@blogger.com0