Chinese Chicken Fried Rice - Cultural Cuisine

1 teaspoon oil

2 eggs (up to 3), lightly beaten

3 green onions

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

2 cups cooked rice, cold

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

½ cup chicken, cooked and shredded

½ cup frozen peas, thawed

Heat half of the oil and scramble eggs until thoroughly cooked. Remove from pan and set aside. Heat the remaining oil and add onions, garlic and ginger. Saute for 30 seconds. Add rice and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add soy sauce, chicken, peas, eggs and season to taste. Cook for a minute and serve while hot.

Black Bean & Couscous Salad - Cultural Cuisine

1 cup uncooked couscous

1 1⁄4 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin

8 green onions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1⁄4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained

salt and pepper

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a 2-quart or larger sauce pan and stir in the couscous.

Cover the pot and remove from heat.

Let stand for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar and cumin.

Add green onions, red pepper, cilantro, corn and beans, and toss to coat.

Fluff the couscous well, breaking up any chunks.

Add to the bowl with the vegetables and mix well.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Thai Beef Tenderloin and Watercress Summer Roll with Peanut Dipping Sauce - Cultural Cuisine

8 oz beef tenderloin

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon hoisin sauce

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

½ cup arugula or watercress

½ cup thinly sliced carrots (carrot matchsticks)

½ cup thinly sliced cucumber (matchsticks)

16 leaves mint, finely chopped

16 leaves basil, finely chopped

16 leaves cilantro, finely chopped

8 rice paper rounds

¾ cup peanut butter

⅓ cup coconut milk (more if necessary)

⅓ cup honey roasted chopped peanuts

1 teaspoon sambal or sriracha

1 lime

To make the sauce:

Add the coconut milk and peanut butter into a saucepan and warm (do not boil). Incorporate the two and add more coconut milk to thin to dipping consistency. Remove from heat when warm and mixed, add lime, chopped peanuts and hot sauce. Mix and set aside.

To make the roll:

Slice the beef into small strips and sear on medium high heat in sesame oil. Finish with soy sauce and hoisin and caramelize. Set beef aside to cool. Take the rice paper and gently moisten to make pliable. Lay in arugula, carrot, cucumber, mint, basil, cilantro and beef. Fold over both sides and roll; keeping it tight. Lay in a row and present with the peanut dipping sauce in a small bowl.

Beau's Bierocks - Cultural Cuisine

Dough:

1 cup milk, warm

½ cup water, warm

¼ cup butter, softened

1 ½ cups flour

½ cup sugar

4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

Filling:

2 lbs ground beef (85% lean is good)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced (make it a big one)

½ head cabbage, shredded (roughly one pound)

2 teaspoons salt (plus more to taste)

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon sugar (plus more to taste)

For the dough - if using a machine, put the ingredients into the bread machine in the order listed. Set machine to the dough setting for a 2 pound loaf.

For a stand mixer - add the ingredients in the order listed and knead with the dough hook for 10 minutes using the stir/low speed. Let sit in a loosely lidded container in an over with the light on for 2 hours to rise before using.

For the filling - brown ground beef with the garlic, onion pepper and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Drain any grease and then add cabbage, sugar and remainder of salt to the pan. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To Assemble - Divide the dough into four equal half-pound pieces. For each piece, roll out the dough roughly into a square shape and cut into quarters. Fill each portion with ¼ cup of filling. Moisten edges of dough with water and pinch closed. Flip and place onto a parchment/silpat lined sheet pan. Repeat for each piece of dough. You’ll get to about 8 a pan. Bake in 375 degree oven for 20/25 minutes or until browned. Spritz/brush with melted butter as they come out of the oven if you’re feeling classy (I don’t do this to the ones I freeze, otherwise crust loses its texture as it cools).

Asian Salad - Cultural Cuisine

1 package of family size Asian Chopped Salad (found in the produce section of your local grocery)

Cabbage

Green Cabbage

Carrots, Celery

Green Onions

Cilantro

Wonton Noodles

Sliced Toasted Almonds.

Fresh Cut Pineapple.

Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing.

Toss all of this together except place cut fresh pineapple in a bowl and serve next to the salad.

Amish Macaroni Salad - Cultural Cuisines

1 lb. macaroni (or small shells)

½ cup finely chopped celery

½ cup finely grated carrot

¼ cup finely chopped onion

¼ cup chopped green pepper (optional)

6 hard-boiled eggs (reserve 1 to slice for garnish)

Dressing

2 cups Miracle Whip

¼ cup vinegar

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

Cook macaroni as directed on package – drain and cool. In a bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients so they are well-combined and smooth. In large bowl, gently combine the macaroni, celery, carrots, onions, and remaining eggs.

Fold the dressing gently into the macaroni salad mixture. Place into your serving bowl and garnish with reserved slice egg and paprika.

Italian Cream Cheese and Ricotta Cheesecake

About two years ago, a few friends of ours came over to visit and wanted to make us a cheesecake so we bought a spring form pan. Since then that spring form pan has sat in her kitchen unused. This year for Easter I decided to dig it out and make a cheesecake. I was both surprised and delighted by the ease of this recipe.

16 ounces cream cheese, softened 

16 ounces Ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 Tablespoon lemon extract 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 

3 Tablespoons cornstarch 

1/2 butter, melted

16 ounces sour cream 

Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a spring form pan. 

Mix the cream cheese and ricotta cheese together in a mixing bowl until well combined. 

 Stir in the sugar, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, cornstarch, flour and butter. 

 Add the sour cream last and stir. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared spring form pan. 

Bake in the preheated oven one hour; turn off oven and leave in oven one hour more. Allow to cool completely and refrigerator before serving.

Voila! Even though this recipe takes a lot of time, it is not a lot of work. You can even bake it the night before like I did and it will be ready to go the next morning!