Asian Peanut Dressing Recipe • Tasty & Versatile! | Club Foody

 

I’ll be blunt… I “dislike” commercial dressings and vinaigrettes. They’re mostly tasteless, are loaded with sodium 🧂 plus have too many preservatives in them. I don’t care if the label says “natural” or “no preservatives”, I don’t trust it!
 
C’mon, let’s think clearly about it. After being manufactured in the facilities, they leave either by trucks, planes or trains 🚝. Eventually, they arrive in our grocery stores before being stocked on the shelves. From there, they can be on the shelves for months…
 
When I make any of my dressings or vinaigrettes, there’s maybe 4 days at the most that they can be kept and stored in my fridge. I’m in control of the amount of sodium plus all my ingredients are fresh. Yes, it takes me a big 5 minutes ⏳ to make and it’s sooo worth it!
 
Along the years, I’ve been sharing many recipes like Mandarin Orange Vinaigrette with Sesame, Ranch Dressing, Italian Vinaigrette, Blue Cheese Dressing, … just to name a few. Here’s another one to add to this great list… Asian Peanut Dressing!
 
Besides being super quick to make 👩‍🍳, this condiment is incredibly tasty! This original recipe has layers of deliciousness. Although you’ll be using it as a dressing, the texture is thick enough to use as a dipping sauce for chicken or pork.
 
The main ingredient in this Asian Peanut Dressing is peanut butter. I use the creamy one but I’m sure crunchy would be just fine. The best way to melt it is to microwave it. Process for 30 seconds on “high”, stir well and if it needs a little more time, go for 10 seconds at a time to prevent it from burning.
 
The other option is on the stovetop. Add it to a saucepan, set the heat on low and stir constantly until melted. In my opinion, it’s not worth it because there’s only a 1/3 of a cup unless you decide to double or triple the recipe.
 
I cook often with cayenne pepper 🌶. It has some heat plus it distributes more evenly in a dish than red pepper flakes. In addition to its taste, cayenne pepper has serious health benefits. With vitamins and minerals, this culinary spice is also a great antioxidant. Let’s have a quick look at how healthy it is… 💚
• helps prevent cancer
• decreases migraines
• reduces stress
• boosts metabolism
• allergy prevention
• reduces high blood pressure
• helps prevent heart attacks
• moderates psoriasis when used as a cream
• eases joint pain
• improves digestive health
• has anti-fungal properties… and more
 
The depth of flavor of this Asian Peanut Dressing is amazing 🥰! It has great ingredients, giving this dressing its uniqueness. Forget the commercial ones and take 5 minutes of your time to make this healthy condiment…
Bon Appétit! 🍽
 
Here are several more incredible homemade dressing/vinaigrette recipes for you to enjoy… 😀
– Raspberry Vinaigrette
– Russian Dressing
– Roasted Red Pepper Parmesan Vinaigrette
– Thousand Island Dressing
– Catalina Dressing
– Pomegranate Molasses Dressing
and for even more dressing & vinaigrette recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Dressings & Salads

For ingredient amounts, directions, and much more, visit https://clubfoody.com/cf-recipes/asian-peanut-dressing/

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel 📽 by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube
 

Glass Noodle Salad Recipe • Tasty, Colorful & Healthy | Club Foody

 

There’s a tradition here at Club Foody that has being going on since 2017 (the site started in March 2016 so we missed the mark that year) and it’s to start the New Year with a salad recipe 🥗! It’s a nice, healthy and also delicious way to begin 2024!
 
In 2017, we started with my Julienne Salad then the years after that was Winter Citrus, Asian Chicken, Classic Cobb, Quinoa Beet, Pear Pomegranate Blue Cheese and last year, Egyptian Farro Salad! Now here’s the first one of 2024… Glass Noodle Salad!
 
This recipe is incredibly healthy 💚! With a gorgeous selection of fresh produce along with chicken, peanuts, sesame seeds and cilantro plus vermicelli noodles, not only is it satisfying but certainly a tasty way to keep up with the resolution.
 
The first thing to do is to poach and shred the chicken 🐓. This is the leanest way to enjoy this protein as it doesn’t require any fat to cook it. I have the easiest method of doing it so click on the link to view it… How to Poach & Shred Chicken the Easy Way
 
Vermicelli is a Chinese transparent noodle made from starch and often referred to as “glass noodles” where the Glass Noodle Salad recipe title is from. It’s sold dried and to reconstitute the texture and make them soft, they’re soaked in very hot water for 3 minutes ⏱ before being separated using either a fork or chopstick 🍜.
 
After prepping the chicken and the noodles, the rest is easy peasy! Simply slice the red cabbage, julienne all the vegetables, roughly chop the peanuts, toast the sesame seeds and garnish with cilantro… done! I also like serving this dish with a couple of lime wedges.
 
Start the New Year with this easy and healthy Glass Noodle Salad! Packed with yumminess, this recipe is perfect as a main dish. I like pairing it with my Asian Peanut Dressing or my Mandarin Orange Vinaigrette although any of your favorites will do…
Bon Appétit!
 
Here are several more delicious & healthy salad recipes for you to enjoy… 😀
– Waldorf Salad
– Caesar Salad
– Greek Salad
– Tabbouleh
– Moroccan Couscous Salad
– Classic Pasta Salad
– Cucumber Salad
and for even more salad recipes 🥗, click on this link… Recipe Category • Salads & Dressings

For ingredient amounts, directions, and much more, visit https://clubfoody.com/cf-recipes/glass-noodle-salad/

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel 📽 by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube
 

Holiday Aperol Spritz • Perfect for any Celebration! | Club Foody

 

Here we are… just about to say goodbye to 2023 and welcome the New Year. All around the globe 🌎, there are parties and gatherings going on. Places are decorated with candles, poppers, confetti, and balloons 🎈, plus hors d’oeuvres and cocktails are served.
 
For years, I was a bartender. I loved that job for many reasons; meeting new people, fun atmosphere, very good money 💰, plus, once in a while, creating new cocktails. Although, I made hundreds of different drinks for patrons, there’s one that I never heard of…
 
Back in February, we were invited over to our friends’ place. Maria, our hostess, served us something I never had before. As I was the designated driver 🚗, I only enjoyed one but it was incredible. When we got back home, I told David that the drink was good but I knew I could make it better…
 
Here’s my Holiday Aperol Spritz! Refreshing and so delicious, this colorful cocktail really reflects the Holiday celebrations 🥳! Using a specific ingredient that really enhances this drink, my version is very tasty and “holiday-ish”! It’s also very quick to make!
 
There’s not too much variance from the regular cocktail except, I add some Cranberry Simple Syrup as well as garnishing it with an orange slice 🍊 and a couple of fresh cranberries… that’s all! These little add-ons give another dimension to the drink.
 
Besides this amazing Holiday Aperol Spritz, here are other mixed cocktails 🍾 that are perfect for this time of year. I think of Chocolate Martini, Holiday Punch, Homemade Holiday Eggnog (David likes adding rum to his… I prefer not!), Slow Cooker Mulled Cider, Mistletoe Kiss, and Blood Orange Martini… just to name a few.
 
This Holiday Aperol Spritz is another delicious way to toast the New Year! This refreshing cocktail is a tasty way to bring in 2024! From Club Foody, we wish you a healthy 💚, prosperous, and happy New Year!
Cheers!🥂
 
Check out these other amazing cocktail recipes… 😀
– White Russian
– Peach Bellini
– Dirty Dry Martini
– Spanish Coffee
– Homemade Holiday Eggnog
– Vodka Yummmosa
– Golden Sunset
and for even more cocktail recipes 🍹🥃🍸, click on this link… Recipe Category • Beverage & Cocktail

For ingredient amounts, directions, and much more, visit https://clubfoody.com/cf-recipes/holiday-aperol-spritz/

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel 📽 by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube
 

Blood Orange Miso Scallops Recipe • Tasty & Elegant! | Club Foody

 

I enjoy seafood and there’s a kind that I really love 💖 and it’s scallops! They have a fruity note and a slight buttery flavor along with a clean, soft briny saltiness. They don’t really have that overly “fishy” taste to them either like oysters. Their texture is fatty and creamy but when cooked, they turn opaque.
 
Don’t get me wrong, I still love lobster 🦞, crab, oysters and so on but being my top favorite seafood, I do have a few recipes on the website. There’s Sautéed Scallops with Beurre Blanc, Scallop Pineapple Ceviche, Bay Scallop Chowder, Maple Ginger Scallops, Scallops and Roasted Chestnut Soup.
 
There’s another one that we enjoy a lot and it’s my Blood Orange Miso Scallops! Incredibly delicious, this elegant recipe is perfect for any occasion. The sauce has a nice flavorful profile that really compliments the scallops. Another plus about it is it takes less than 30 minutes to make 👩‍🍳👨‍🍳!
 
This is a pretty straightforward recipe. The only thing that might make some of you hesitant to try it is being unfamiliar with the ingredients. Decades ago, we started seeing exotic seasonings, produce, and ingredients on our grocery shelves. These days, many supermarkets have an “International” aisle but for many, these are still foreign ingredients 😕.
 
Let’s talk about them…
Blood Orange – Native to Italy, from inside out, these little guys are different from others. First, their skins look like they’ve been in a fight and are a bit bruised. Second, their flesh is a deep “purply” red color like… well blood 🩸! Third, the flavor is slightly tart, something like a cross between citrus and raspberry. Blood oranges are not available all year round and can be found from December to May.
 
Red Miso Paste – Is simply fermented soybean reduced to a paste along with salt 🧂 and kōji which is a fungus cultivated on barley, rice or other grains. It has a lot of vitamins and minerals plus it’s also high in protein. This condiment is used for many different applications and has a bold savory taste to it.
 
Mirin – It’s a type of Japanese sweet rice wine that has been fermented. Although similar to sake, it has lower alcohol content and has more sugar than its counterpart. It’s commonly used in cooking. It’s a great condiment for seafood and teriyaki and used as a seasoning and glazing agent.
 
There are 4 types of mirin. The one I use for this Blood Orange Miso Scallops recipe is “kotteri” referred to as “mirin-type condiment”. It has next to no alcohol content – 0 to 1% – with only 1% salt to it. After it’s opened, it needs to be refrigerated.
 
Another popular one often found in our North American grocery stores is “aji mirin”. It’s labeled as “mirin-like condiment”. The difference between these two is the alcohol content; aji has between 8 to 14% with 2% salt. Both are very affordable.
 
Mirin also known as “takara mirin” has sake in it along with glucose and corn syrup. The difference between this one and the “hon mirin” also called “true mirin” use shōchū instead which is a Japanese liquor. Both are registered at 14% alcohol but “hon mirin” is aged longer.
 
Another ingredient that many might not be familiar with is nira chives also called garlic 🧄 chives because of their strong garlic flavor. They come in a buddle and can be easily found at most Asian supermarkets. It’s a great substitute for green onions or… chives.
 
As a foody, I enjoy experimenting with different ingredients to bring interesting flavor profiles to a dish. This Blood Orange Miso Scallops recipe is the perfect example. If you like taste adventures then you’ll really appreciate this one…
Bon Appétit!🍽
 
Here are several more delicious seafood recipes for you to enjoy… 😀
– Oysters Bienville
– Arroz con Gambas
– Country Boil
– Escargots à la Bourguignonne
– Lobster Newberg
– Moules Marinière
– Crab Louie Salad
and for even more seafood recipes 🦞🍤, click on this link… Recipe Category • Seafood & Fish

For ingredient amounts, directions, and much more, visit https://clubfoody.com/cf-recipes/blood-orange-miso-scallops/

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel 📽 by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube
 

Chocolate Beet Cake Recipe • Dark & Decadent! | Club Foody

The Holidays 🎄 are a great reason to indulge! There are different kinds of cookies like Gingerbread, Palmiers, Thumbprints, Sugar, as well as pies – I think of Sugar Pie, Eggnog Pie, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie, Mincemeat Pie… just to name a few -, candies such as Chocolate Bark, Brittle, Snowballs, Fudge, and more.
 
There are also cakes 🍰! This delicious list is quite long as well with Bûche de Noël • Yule Log, Fruitcake, Spice Cake, Red Velvet, Battenberg, Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake, Tres Leches, and so on. There’s another one that I like making during the Holidays and it’s my Chocolate Beet Cake!
 
Velvety, moist and so tasty, this dessert is so scrumptious 😍! It’s dense with a strong chocolate flavor to it. Beets and chocolate might sound like an odd combination but the delicious results will definitely surprise you! Each time I serve this cake, no one knows that there’s beets in it!
 
Every fall, I like buying a big bag of beets so I can make my Pickled Beets, make a delicious Beet Hummus, enjoy a healthy Quinoa Beet Salad, pair my Orange Glazed Beets with a protein, or sip a glass or two of my Red Velvet Boost! I also make this rich cake! Using this vegetable brings color, moisture and texture plus extra nutrients.
 
It normally requires about 3 large beets. The beets have to be cooked and then puréed. The majority of the time, I roast them but there are other cooking methods to use. Here’s the link to learn more… Beets ~ Prep & 4 Ways to Cook
 
When puréeing the vegetable, it’s important to clean the sides and the bottom of the bowl of the food processor. It has to be perfectly puréed with no little beet chunks in it. When this is done, it gives roughly a cup. If it’s slightly less or more, that’s okay. It’s one of the rare measurements in baking that doesn’t need to be accurate.
 
After the batter is made, it’s poured into a 9-inch round cake pan 4-inch deep. The pan is lined with a parchment paper round that has been greased and floured. If you’re not familiar with it, click on this link to find out more… Parchment Paper Rounds for Cakes
 
While the Chocolate Beet Cake is cooling off on a wire rack after being inverted and the parchment paper round discarded, I make 👩‍🍳 the ganache. It’s so easy to make. The heavy cream along with some corn syrup is warmed up and poured over semi-sweet chocolate although bittersweet can be used instead.
 
I prefer shaving the chocolate 🍫 in lieu of chopping it because when the very warm heavy cream mixture is poured over, the chocolate melts faster. From there, I stir until the ganache is smooth and the mixture is shiny. I let it cool slightly for 5 to 8 minutes before pouring it over the cake.
 
I don’t cover the sides of the cake with the ganache as I like seeing drips of it instead of a solid coating. I find it prettier plus it suits the dessert better. I chill the cake for about an hour 🕐 before decorating. Depending on the event, I either use gold dust or leaves, fruits or nuts.
 
With its deep chocolate flavor and a nuance of red to it, this Chocolate Beet Cake is perfect for any occasion! Incredibly moist, nobody can guess there’s beets in it! This is a decadent dessert to make especially during the winter months…
Bon Appétit!🍽
Check out these other scrumptious dessert recipes… 😀
– Chocolate Lava Cake with Caramel
– Coconut Cream Pie
– Tropical Pineapple Upside Down Cake
– Mille-Feuille
– Lemon Meringue Pie
– Chocolate Éclairs
and for even more dessert recipes 🍰🍩🍨, click on this link… Recipe Category • Dessert

For ingredient amounts, directions, and much more, visit https://clubfoody.com/cf-recipes/chocolate-beet-cake/

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel 📽 by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube
 

 

Chicken Divan Recipe • Creamy & Tasty Casserole! | Club Foody

 

I miss going to New York 🗽. I love the city, its people, its culture, its history (there’s so much to do there), its shopping, and its restaurants. David has never been there and I want us to go just before Christmas because it’s MAGICAL!
 
The Big Apple has a lot going on in December; walking on Fifth Avenue and admiring the lights and decorations from Saks or the ones from Radio City, the gorgeous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree 🎄, going to Christmas markets, skating at Wollman rink ⛸, snuggling under a nice warm blanket while taking a ride on a private horse drawn carriage, etc.
 
As I’m dreaming to experience this fairytalelike trip with my husband during the Holidays, I couldn’t resist posting a recipe that originated at the Chatham Hotel in New York. It’s called Chicken Divan!
 
This mid-century casserole is simply mouthwatering! With chicken cubes 🐓 and broccoli florets along with other ingredients and seasonings in a lovely creamy cheese sauce plus topped with a mixture of breadcrumbs and cheese, this recipe is so comforting!
 
Casseroles are always nice to make and with the frantic pace of the Holidays, it’s sure to be a nice comfort food everyone will enjoy! Although there are a few steps to achieve this tasty dish, this Chicken Divan is easy to make 👩‍🍳👨‍🍳.
 
Blanching broccoli is one of the steps. This cooking process which takes only 3 minutes stops the enzymes, removes the bitter taste from the broccoli, brightens the color and helps keep the vitamins as well as the texture. The final results are bright green broccoli florets 🥦 that are not mushy, and not undercooked or overcooked!
 
As David and I are slowly switching from nonstick pans to stainless steel ones, I highly recommend you use a nonstick skillet for this recipe. For the sauce to have a nice thick consistency, flour is added and it can really stick to the bottom.
 
The topping for this recipe is not optional! It has to be made to complete the dish! It’s simply a mixture of Panko breadcrumbs, cheese 🧀and melted butter. It’s important that the breadcrumbs are all coated with butter 🧈 which helps them to brown and crisp the top.
 
Easy and incredibly delightful, this Chicken Divan recipe is so satisfying and perfect to make during the colder months of the year. This is another casserole that you and your family will love 💖. With a note of nostalgia, enjoy this old-time classic!
Bon Appétit! 🍽
 
Check out these other amazing casserole recipes… 😀
– Baked Ziti
– Lancashire Hotpot
– Ricotta Spinach & Sausage Pasta
– Breakfast Casserole
– Shepherd’s Pie
– Mediterranean Eggplant Casserole
– Frankie’s Macaroni Casserole
and for even more chicken recipes 🐓, click on this link… Recipe Category • Poultry

For ingredient amounts, directions, and much more, visit https://clubfoody.com/cf-recipes/chicken-divan/

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel 📽 by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube