Walking in a Dim Sum Wonderland

In my family, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a little something Asian and this year, the “something Asian” was DIM SUM! For those of you who are unfamiliar, dim sum is a unique Asian treat consisting of carts filled with delicious goodness that are pushed from table to table and where each person may select any number of dishes to their hearts’ content. It’s the Asian version of tapas! Small dishes, usually cooked in mini steamers, are available at the point of a finger and usually, just like at a tapas restaurant, we usually order WAY TOO MUCH! Usual fare include: shumai (steamed dumplings), pork buns, noodles, salt and pepper calamari, and so much more…

One of my favorite places to get dim sum is a small little restaurant here in Las Vegas called Changs. The restaurant is quite petite and the parking is horrid but the food is divine and definitely worth what little trouble you may encounter in the parking lot. Just a note on dim sum, it’s usually only offered during the earlier part of the day (starting around 11am) and stops just after lunch (2pm-ish), so if you are going to have it, you have to be prepared to be there early, but it really is an experience you should have at least once in your life!

Changs is located on Decatur, just after Tropicana.

Changs
4670 S Decatur Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89103
(702) 362-3663

Pizza in the Black Hole

I recently experienced the most delicious pizza this side of New York City. I cannot, however, tell you what the name of this special gem is because…there is none! I mean, I’m sure there’s a name to the place but everyone I’ve talked to about it, doesn’t remember and quite frankly, I was too busy wolfing down my pizza to bother looking.

That being said, the pizza itself is TDF. To. Die. For. You can tell that only the freshest ingredients are used - from the mozzarella & ricotta balls (yes, I said balls), to the clearly homemade pizza sauce, to superbly seasoned sausage, this place knows pizza making. And the crust??? Forget about it! It is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside (even though it’s thin crust!) and it is all sorts of good!

Where, you ask, is this magical place? I was debating on whether or not to share with you all; but, I’m in a generous holiday mood so I will. It is located at the Cosmopolitan Hotel - Las Vegas, on the 3rd floor, in the hallway between Blue Ribbon and Jaleo. It is LITERALLY at the end of a dark and scary hallway (hence the black hole reference). It is a little tough to find but I promise you, this place will NOT disappoint. So, the next time you’re at the Cosmopolitan and you DON’T want to pay a million dollars for a good meal, check out this hidden treasure and try not to cry tears of joy after your first bite!

Being Asian ROCKS!

Visit any Asian home on any given night and there’s a 75% chance that the Chef of the household has made fried rice as one of the dishes served for dinner. Fried rice is a staple in the Asian household. Usually using whatever ingredients are on hand, fried rice is Asian comfort food at its best and one that I can’t live without. Just the other night, I was hanging out with my family trying to decide what to make for a late dinner. After rummaging through the ice box, I pulled out rice, eggs, & veggies – the perfect trio for Fried Rice! Fifteen minutes later, we had a one pot meal that was as warm as a panda hugging her newborn cub! The recipe here is basic but can definitely be varied to suit whatever you have in your fridge. Have fun and be creative with it – I promise - you won’t mess it up!

Basic Fried Rice

Ingredients

3-4 cups of cooked white rice
2 ½ cups frozen vegetables
2-3 eggs (whisked in a bowl)
1 ½ - 2 tbls garlic salt (rice needs flavor!) [start w/ 1 tbls, taste and add more to taste]
1 tbls dried herbs (I usually use Italian seasoning – but use whatever you have in the spice rack)
1-2 tbls of butter
1 tsp black pepper
1 ½ tbls onion powder
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat a medium – large skillet on medium heat. Add 2 tbls olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add the frozen vegetables, season with salt and pepper and sauté for about 3-5 minutes.
2. Add the rice and break down so that it is in a fairly even layer. Add the garlic salt, herbs, black pepper & onion powder. Toss everything together to make sure the rice is coated with oil, then, flatten out in the pan. Leave it alone for 3—4 minutes so the bottom can crisp up a bit. (Who doesn’t love those little crispy rice bits!)
3. Taste to check if more garlic salt is needed. Add, if necessary.
4. Make a well in the middle of the pan & pour in the eggs. Scramble, then, mix in with the rice. Mix well. Add butter to finish, making sure it is tossed well.
5. Viola! Done! Make yourself a bowl of piping hot fried rice and enjoy!

Zucchini Goodness

Ok, so I can't claim this recipe because I did not create it (my friend, Molly is the ingenious creator); but, I have made it TONS of times and I can guarantee that it will be a HIT wherever you take it.

Molly's Zucchini Casserole

Ingredients:
(6-7) Zucchini – cut in 1.5in. half rounds
(1) can of cream of chicken
(1) 8oz container of sour cream
(1) stick of butter, melted
(1) box of stove top or comparable stuffing
Shredded cheese
Salt and Pepper
Italian Seasoning

Directions:

1. Put the cut zucchini rounds on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Roast at 350 degrees for 25-28 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 min.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix the can of cream of chicken, sour cream and (2) handfuls of shredded cheese.
3. In another bowl, add the stuffing and (1) stick of butter. Mix well. Mix in (1) handful of cheese.
4. Add the zucchini into the sour cream/soup mixture. Mix well.
5. In a casserole dish, place the zucchini mixture and top with the butter/stuffing mix.
6. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
7. ENJOY!!

O, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING! O,WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY!!

I walk into work today like I usually do – tired and grumpy. I didn’t sleep well and didn’t have time to pick up my coffee so I was all-grump and no-smiles. My only saving grace is that I look quite lovely today; but, this morning even that isn’t going to be enough. I sit down at my desk and open my emails and an avalanche of requests comes crashing straight at me. Grrrrrr…

All of a sudden, I hear rustling in our break room and then laughter and glee. How, I asked myself, can anyone be so happy this early in the morning??? I’ll tell you how…

BABKA from The Bagel Café!!!!! Holy mother of all that is good and holy! This light, airy and moist cake tastes like HEAVEN! The inside is an amalgam of cake and bread, so soft you could lay a baby’s head on it, and the filling, OH THE FILLING, the filling is a beautiful blend of cream cheese and almond and sugar… STOP IT, I say, but they don’t, they keep going! The outside of the babka is flaky and COVERED! with powdered sugar, or, as I like to call it, snowflakes from heaven! I am NOT EXAGGERTING, PEOPLE! This is a MUST try when you’re in Las Vegas, or as something that you put on your bucket lists!
I wish I could post a picture of this delectably divine creation but we were little piggies and ate it all up. SO, I will just leave you to The Bagel Café’s website. TRUST ME, you will not be disappointed!

http://www.thebagelcafelv.com/index.html

The, I’m-so-tired-but-I-still-have-to-cook-dinner, Episode

Some nights it is just too much of a pain to go to the grocery store or even to go through a drive thru to get dinner. Last night was such a night. I wanted a no-fuss, no-muss dinner but since it wasn’t 3am, hangover tacos from Jack in the Box was not going to cut it.

So, I did what any respectable home cook would do, I threw together a quick and easy dish with whatever was in my pantry (well, ok, not only the pantry…the fridge helped too). The resulting recipe is a child of imagination and also it’s freakin’ delicious! (yes, I did just pat myself on the back…). This recipe begs to be varied so feel free to change it up as you wish!

Pantry Pasta


Ingredients
- 1lb to 1 ½ lb of rotini pasta
- ½ a bag of frozen O’Brien Potatoes
- 1-2 cans of chicken (or) tuna (or) 1 bag of pre-cooked chicken breast, cut in pieces
- ½ cup of Italian dressing (or any oil based dressing)
- ¼ cup of balsamic dressing (or, if you just have balsamic vinegar, use 1/8 cup)
- 1-2 tbls of Dijon mustard
- 1-2 tsp. of onion powder
- Salt & pepper to taste

Directions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt. Add pasta. Cook to al dente. Once drained, add back to warm pot.
- While the pasta is in the spa, heat a medium skillet with 2 tbls of olive oil on medium high heat. Put O’Brien potatoes in the skillet (still frozen), add salt, pepper and onion powder, toss in oil. Once tossed, leave potatoes alone for 3-4 minutes. (The point is to get them a little crispy on the bottom.)
- In a small bowl, add Italian dressing, balsamic dressing and Dijon mustard. Whisk until well incorporated. Set aside.
- Into the potatoes, add the chicken (or whatever protein you can find), salt & pepper and sauté. Taste potato/meat mixture to make sure it is seasoned well and that potatoes are cooked through.
- Mix together the pasta and the potato/meat mixture and toss well with the dressing you made earlier. Taste and add salt & pepper as necessary.
- Shovel a big portion into your bowl and sit and enjoy your creation!

Why people get their tonsils removed...

Ok, so I didn't get my tonsils removed, as the title of this blog entry would imply. BUT, I did get my wisdom teeth removed and it’s just as bad. Since I can’t really eat too much lately, I’ve had to find treats that would satisfy my sweet tooth (no pun intended).

Well – guess what I rediscovered… JELLO PUDDING CUPS! I’m not sure why these miniature dishes of chocolate goodness are so comforting, but they are. I suppose they remind me of those times in childhood when we weren’t feeling well and my mom would buy Jello to make us feel better. Since my mom is in another state and I can’t annoyingly call out, “MOMMY – I don’t feel good!!,” Jello Pudding Cups are the next best thing!

So, let that little kid in you back out and indulge in a good ol’ fashioned childhood treat!