Innie or Outie

We recently had a birthday celebration for our youngest dog, Jaco, and I came-up with this Asian-influenced twist on one of our family’s favorite cooking methods, Grilled Miso-Sake Steak Dinner:

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This meal consisted of grilled steak in a red miso, sake, powdered red chili pepper, powdered cumin, powdered marjoram,and olive oil marinade; chicken in an apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, minced ginger paste, powdered thyme, and white pepper marinade; foil-wrapped canned button mushrooms slices and frozen bean mix with butter, olive oil, chopped fresh parsley, and butter; sliced carrot, bell pepper, white onion, and garlic skewers; and a mixed mini-pasta salad with mayonnaise, wasabi, soy sauce, crushed senbei, and dry ochazuke.

Here’s another tasty home cooking idea with a twist, Crockpot-Curry & Cold Bean Salad Dinner:

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The meal consisted of minced carrot, bell pepper, and white onion with ground beef, two powdered curries, clove, cinnamon, minced ginger paste, minced garlic paste, and beef bouillon cooked in a crockette; ladled over a spicy pork sausage on a slice of bread;and garnished with a sliced, spiced, seaweed sheet; accompanied by deep-fried potato croquettes of ground whole potatoes with skins, crockpot curry, and dried bread crumbs then coated in panko; and a cold salad of shredded iceberg lettuce with bean mix sautéed in olive oil, butter, minced garlic paste, soy sauce, dried parsley flakes,and white pepper; chilled, then drizzled with olive oil; and garnished with parmesan cheese.

Here’s another simple and filling meal that can be made in minutes with a precooked basic crockpot chicken base, Simple Crockpot-Chicken & Bean Pasta Dinner:

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Whenever convenient, precook basic crockpot chicken base of finely chopped carrot, bell pepper, onion, potato and chicken thigh with dried fennel, bay leaves, red miso paste, sesame oil, white pepper, rosemary leaves, minced garlic paste, minced ginger paste, water, and chicken broth granules. Remove bay leaves and freeze until needed.

When needed, remove chicken base from freezer; place in pot; and begin defrosting on medium-low heat. Meanwhile, start short pasta-of-choice water and cook according to directions on package. Also, in a seperate skillet, heat olive oil and saute frozen bean mix of choice adding dried oregano flakes; once defrosted thoroughly combine with chicken base; stir-in quartered fresh cherry tomatoes. Once pasta is al dente, strain and add to chicken base combining completely; plate and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese; garnish with fresh basil leaves; add whole wheat dinner roll on the side as an accompaniment.

Here’s another quick and simple meal for those busy days, Turkey-Rice Dinner:

The meal consisted of canned turkey chili on leftover recooked rice topped with melted cheddar cheese and fresh basil; an iceberg lettuce, cucumber, scallion, and cherry tomato salad topped with creamy cheese dressing, bacon bits, grated parmesan cheese and dried oregano flakes; and toasted whole wheat dinner roll slices with garlic paste.

A simple and flavorful way to cook chicken, Crockpot Coq Au Vin:

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This slow cooker version of a chicken classic was served on a bed of pesto pasta surrounded by buttery Parmesan mixed beans.

Equipment and All Ingredients Needed

2 Stove top burners 1 Knife 1 Cutting board 1 Small bowl 1 Can opener

1 Crockpot 1 Pancake ring 2 Medium pots 1 Metal strainer 1 Whisk 1 Ladle

1 Large boneless chicken thigh

1 Medium can sliced button mushrooms

1 Slice bacon

2 Dried laurel leaves

¼ Large white onion

1 ½ Cups frozen bean mix

1/3 Cup red wine

¼ Cup fresh parsley

¼ Cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

1 Tablespoon dried thyme flakes

1 Tablespoon white pepper

2 Teaspoons minced garlic paste

2 Teaspoons chicken broth granules

2 Teaspoons corn starch

½ Teaspoon minced ginger paste

Fresh basil sprigs

Short pasta of choice

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This home cooked meal could be called a variety pack of small portions, Mini Meal:

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This non-bento mini portions meal consisted of a mini pizza made with a six-inch toasted tortilla topped with olive oil, minced garlic paste, curried shrimp bits, chopped fresh homegrown basil and cherry tomatoes, dried oregano flakes, and Parmesan cheese; a small salad of iceberg lettuce, chopped fresh home grown basil and cherry tomatoes, and bacon bits topped with creamy cheese dressing and chopped chives; leftover PineNut Pasta with chopped homegrown cherry tomatoes; and canned chunk-style minestrone soup with mixed beans and pasta.

This is a simple dish I created that makes use of that leftover packet of spices, Ramen-Chicken 10 Grain Rice:

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A simple dish that requires very little prep or cook time consisting of chicken, onion, olive oil, minced garlic paste, white pepper, canned sliced mushrooms, frozen bean mix, ramen spice, 10 grain rice, parsley, and nori.

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For the V-Day finale, I cooked this simple and tasty meal for hubby, Tomato-Shrimp Pasta Dinner:

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The meal consisted of minced garlic paste, minced ginger paste, and frozen shrimp sautéed in olive oil; with tomato paste, canned diced tomatoes with sauce, toubyanjan sauce, canned mushroom slices, sliced black olives, chopped frozen green beans, white wine, dried oregano flakes, dark brown sugar, and cooked pasta added; and topped with a fresh basil sprig and grated Parmesan cheese. Accompanying the dish, toasted tortilla with melted almond baby cheese and chopped fresh basil, and a glass of California white wine.

Here’s another simple seafood meal, Confetti-Shrimp & Ginger-Bean Dinner:

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Equipment and All Ingredients Needed

2 Frying pans 2 Stovetop burners 6 Toothpicks

1 Knife 1 Cutting board

20 Frozen shrimp

30 Frozen green beans

3 Slices bacon

1 Small red pepper

1 Large Shitake mushroom

½ Medium white onion

½ Cup white wine

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon minced garlic paste

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon white pepper

1 Teaspoon dried oregano flakes

1 Teaspoon minced ginger paste

Whole wheat dinner rolls

Fresh chives

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This is a super-quick lunch put together from leftovers, Ginger Pork – Chicken Pasta Lunch:

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Simply slice whole wheat dinner rolls; fill with one leftover Ginger-Pork medallion per roll topped with fresh basil leaves and crumbled baby cheese; heat in microwave for 1.5 minutes; remove from microwave and heat leftover Chicken Pot Pie filling. Meanwhile, add iceberg lettuce and cherry tomato slices to pork mini-sandwiches; plate sandwiches and chicken pasta; top pasta with cracked black sesame seeds.