NEW RECIPE: Gluten-Free Mexican Chocolate Pancakes

Breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day. As a kid, I had dreams about what the perfect breakfast would be - Chicken Apple Sausage, Scrambled Eggs, and my mom's Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Oatmeal. We would always have it when friends had sleepovers, and we started making it for Christmas brunch later on. 

This breakfast gave me a love and appreciation for pancakes, and its something I've always had a fascination with. For me, pancakes are versatile in terms of savory and sweet dishes, and are a canvas for amazing flavors. Having seen many kinds of pancakes in my life, I've created my favorite version for breakfast. 

This takes some of my mom's chocolate chip pancakes and mixes it with one of my favorite drinks - Mexican Hot Chocolate. Using the spices from that drink in this pancake mix makes it utterly delicious. Acid, sugar, and salt are all used to make the pancake extremely tasty. I also went for a gluten-free pancake with one of my favorite flours - brown rice flour - so that my sister can eat it and it has a low glycemic index. This means that the pancakes take a while to break down in the body and their energy is released slowly, making it a great energizing breakfast for the day between the low glycemic index, caffeine from the chocolate, and a little heat from the spices. It's a great wake-up meal! 

Recipe makes 10-12 large pancakes.

Ingredients:

2 cups brown rice flour
4 eggs
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp ancho chile powder
2 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 bar of dark chocolate (at least 65%), chopped into chunks (or, 1 cup dark chocolate chips)
3 tbsp sugar
1 pinch salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups whole milk and 1 tbsp lemon juice (or, 2 cups buttermilk)
2 tbsp melted butter (plus more, or olive oil, for frying)

Cooking/Assembling:

1) If making your own buttermilk, add the milk and lemon juice to a cup and let stand for 10-15 minutes.

2) Sift the flour into a bowl, Add in 2 tbsp sugar, the salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk well to combine.

3) In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, and sugar. Combine well.

4) While whisking, slowly add in the dry ingredients into the wet until you have a lump-free batter. Let sit in the fridge.

5) Add in the chunked chocolate and spices, and mix well.

6) Add 1 1/2 - 2 ice cream scoops of the batter (about 1/2 cup) into a frying pan on medium heat with a small pat of butter (or 2 tsp olive oil). Cook for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes on each side (when about halfway in is cooked and bubbles). Re-add the butter/olive oil between each pancake.

This stack of pancakes is just 4 high, and easily serves 4 (or 2 very hungry people). Nevertheless, it's got amazing flavor from the buttermilk and a bit of heat from the cayenne and ancho chile (but not burning). It's a great complete meal in a single, easy-to-make pancake!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Greek Greens and Potato Bake

This post is a little more surreal for me, because this is the last post I will ever do as a student at UC Davis. I will be moving to Southern California for graduate school in the fall. So, I will technically still be a broke college student, so the name of the blog can still hold true for a while longer! 

I decided to make my last dish at UC Davis something shareable. My co-workers have been begging me to cook for them for ages, so I whipped this up for my last shift at work for everyone to try. It's a spin of two different cuisines: one signaling to my heritage (Greek) and another to my inspirations (British). 

This potato bake is definitely based off of a shepherd's pie, but is much more vegetarian and packs amazing Greek flavors inside of it! I went with the filling of a traditional Greek spanakopita (spinach filled phyllo triangles) for this, to get a mix of creaminess, tangy feta, rich greens, and awesome potato all in one! 

Recipe serves 16-24 people.

Ingredients: 

3 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and washed
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 pound spinach
1 pound Dino Kale (important because it's not nearly as bitter as other kale varieties)
1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled
2 shallots, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 tablespoon dill
1/2 tablespoon oregano
Salt and pepper to season
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil

Cooking/Assembling:

1) Add the potatoes to cold salted water. Bring up to a boil, then cook for 15 minutes.

2) Drain and cool the potatoes, then mash together with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

3) Mix in the eggs. When fully incorporated, add in the flour to the potatoes. Set aside.

4) Saute the spinach and kale with the shallots, garlic, herbs, and the remaining olive oil. Season to taste, and crumble in the feta cheese. Squeeze in the lemon juice, then let cool.

5) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. In a large baking dish, add half of your potato mixture to the bottom layer. Add in the spinach and kale mixture, then top with the remaining potatoes.

6) Bake for an hour, then cool, cut into pieces, and serve!

This bake is really simple to do, and takes in a lot of awesome flavor! The spinach mixture is packed with amazing flavor, while the flour and egg gives the potato an amazingly creamy texture without milk, butter, or cream being added. It's a great appetizer, vegetarian entree, or shareable snack with friends and coworkers alike! 

I hope you enjoyed this recipe, and keep reading on as I continue my cooking adventures in Orange County! As always, let me know what you think and what I should change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Creamy Morel and Chicken Pasta

As a college student, I definitely appreciate being able to make quick and cheap meals. Pasta dishes are one of the quickest meals out there, especially if you're fortunate enough to have fresh pasta. Cheap to make, but hard to do, fresh pasta is something that is worth making in advance and having to cook a quick meal. 

I want to show with this recipe how easy it is to make fresh pasta and how much faster it is to cook. (Of course, if you have a great fresh pasta in your neighborhood, its great too). But with the use of a pasta machine (or even just a rolling pin), you can make your kitchen something extraordinary. 

Another way to spin up a pasta dish is to use higher quality ingredients, or ones of higher flavor levels. For me, adding that next level to a mushroom and spinach pasta would be to replace them with morel mushrooms and fresh arugula. They add amazing new flavor dimensions that regular mushrooms and greens don't offer, with earthy notes of the morel and peppery arugula. That kind of flavor is unparalleled, and makes for a great dish to impress! 

Recipe serves 4 people.

For the Pasta (if not purchasing): 

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste

For the Sauce:

1 pound chicken breast, cut into 8 thin breast tenders
1/4 pound morel mushrooms, washed and halved
1/4 pound fresh arugula
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic
Salt and pepper to season

Cooking/Assembling:

1) In a mixing bowl or on a marble surface, place your flour into a mound and make a well in the middle. Scramble your eggs, and pour into the well. Stir in the flour slowly, then combine into a single piece of dough. Cover in plastic wrap, and store in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to rest.

2) Roll the pasta dough as thin as possible, then cut into whatever shape you desire. Tagliatelle (1/8 inch thick, long ribbons) is the best for this pasta dish.

3) Cook in salted boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and toss in olive oil and season to taste.

4) In a large frying pan, add olive oil on a medium high heat. Cook the chicken breast tenders for 3 minutes on each side, then remove from the pan.

5) In the same pan, add in the garlic and morel mushrooms. Season to taste, then cook until the mushrooms turn brown and shrink, about 3-4 minutes.

6) Deglaze with the chicken stock, then add in the cream. Bring up to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes.

7) Stir in the arugula. When it wilts, add the chicken breasts. Coat each chicken breast, then remove.

8) Stir the pasta into the remaining sauce and serve with the chicken breasts.

Using some simple but quick tricks allows you to take cooking to a whole new level in your new home! Things like fresh pasta and morel mushrooms set pasta dishes apart, and it makes this dish an amazing, enjoyable, and fun experience!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: One Pot Coconut Curry Pasta (Vegan and Gluten-Free!)

When I started my undergraduate career at UC Davis, I wasn't a food scientist, food blogger, or food anything. I was a pre-med student who enjoyed cooking. After a culinary competition vaulted me onto the food science track, I've met so many people who love food just as much or more than I do and learned many ways that food is heading towards the future.

Everything that I've learned about food came to a fitting conclusion for my UC Davis tenure last week. (For those of you that don't know, I'll be heading to Southern California for school in the fall, so my time at Davis will be coming to an end.) This past weekend, I competed in the UC Davis Food Science Graduate Student Association's Food Championship with people from many backgrounds of my life who love food just as much as I do: A nutrition student with a killer Instagram on cleaned-up food recipes (@fooddhism, give her a follow!), a friend of mine from church group with a strong passion for food, and a fellow food science student. Together, we bonded through the intense culinary competitions, field games, and trivia. We ultimately won the competition, which made a full circle for me since it was winning a food competition that inspired me onto the food science track in the first place. 

This recipe ties into all of that because this was the last recipe our group came up with - with a few twists that extend outside of the competition rules. The goal of the recipe was to make a fast, hearty meal for the end of the day. This meal is quick, delicious, and very healthy. By being very simple to make, it makes for a perfect lazy night meal! 

Recipe serves 6-8 people.

Ingredients:

1 package Thai red rice pasta (any short pasta also works, but this one is gluten-free and plays into the Thai coconut curry flavors)
6 Cromini mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 large yellow zucchini/summer squash, diced
2 cups kale
8 oz tofu, sliced
3 cups coconut milk
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup water (or vegetable stock)

Cooking/Assembling:

1) Stir together the coconut milk, curry powder, and soy sauce in a mixing bowl.

2) In a large pot, pour in your uncooked pasta. Arrange the vegetables and tofu in the way you want to serve your pasta.

3) Add in your liquids, and bring up to a boil while the pot is covered.

4) When the pot is boiling, cook the pasta according to package instructions uncovered.

This meal is quick to make, and packs a ton of nutrients in a healthy but hearty way. It's a great last minute meal with the wonderful flavors of curry and a variety of vegetables and proteins! This meal can be customized however you like - orzo pasta, chicken, tomatoes, and whatever other vegetables, grains, and proteins you want! The point is that it's a quick meal that is easy to make and clean! 

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Fruity Baked Oatmeal with Sugar-free Blueberry Compote

This recipe has a couple of interesting inspirations to it. The first is the actual baked oatmeal component. I got the idea from Gordon Ramsay, who made a baked oatmeal as part of his "Home Cooking" TV series. It's a quick, delicious, and healthy way to use up fresh oats without stressing over a pot of oatmeal. It was also incredibly simple, with just oatmeal and liquid absolutely necessary to make it. 

The second part of my inspiration for this recipe actually came from a Netflix documentary I watched as part of one of my food science classes (shoutout/thanks to Professor Matthew Lange for making us watch it, it was eye-opening!) This documentary, titled "Forks Over Knives", describes the benefits of switching to a diet focused on whole foods and plants. Cutting animal products completely out of a diet, the documentary claims, extremely reduces risks of cancer, hypertension, heart disease, and many other factors. As a food scientist, I could agree fully with this documentary. It actually inspired me to do my own trial period of whole foods, plant-based dieting. This is my first recipe based off of that. 

I'm using a pure unsweetened cashew milk as the liquid to add protein and flavor to the oatmeal. Vanilla and cinnamon are the two sole flavors, with the only sugar in this recipe coming from the natural fruit (even for the compote!) This makes the recipe sweet and flavorful, but healthy at the same time! 

Recipe serves 10-12 people.

For the Oatmeal:

2 Pink Lady Apples, cored and diced
2 Bosc Pears, cored and diced
1 stick cinnamon
1/2 tbsp lemon juice (squirt over the apples and pears to keep from oxidizing)
5 cups dried quick oats
5 cups unsweetened cashew milk
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla pod, seeds removed and added)

For the Blueberry Compote:

8 oz whole blueberries, washed
1/2 cup water
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
Sprigs of mint for garnish

Cooking/Assembling:

1) Preheat your oven to 380 degrees F.

2) Combine the oats, apples, pears, and cinnamon stick in a baking dish. Pour over the cashew milk and vanilla extract/seeds, then mix to combine as well. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

3) Add the blueberries and water to a saucepan, and bring up to a boil, swirling occasionally. When the blueberries have all popped and burst, add in your lemon juice and reduce the liquid until it sticks to a spoon, about 8-10 minutes. Let cool in the fridge until ready to serve your oatmeal.

4) Top portions of oatmeal with your blueberry compote and a sprig of mint, then serve!

This recipe is all about convenience, as the time involved with this recipe is absolutely minimal but packs amazing flavor and health! With no extra sugar, this still manages to be a relatively sweet dessert. The lemon juice brings out the natural sweetness of the blueberries in the compote, while the cashew milk and vanilla do the same as the fruit bakes into the liquid. It's definitely an amazing and healthy alternative for dessert or breakfast that you should give a go!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think or what I should change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Hot and Cold Seafood Ceviche

Food that is the most delicious to me isn't the food that is heavy or rich. Rather, it is the food that wakes up the palate with exciting flavors and freshness. That freshness is something I crave and love to get in food, especially when it comes to seafood. As such, when I make a seafood dish, I prefer to keep the flavors fresh and lively.

This ceviche is just that. A ceviche is a South American dish comparable to a seafood salsa. Loads of fresh ingredients and produce go into it, with the seafood done raw or partially cooked usually (with the exception of shrimp, which is a common ceviche ingredient). For my ceviche, I've gone with a mix of colder seafoods (or raw) as well as cooked or hot seafoods. Scallops, tuna, and shrimp all go into this dish, and they combine with the fresh produce to make an amazing appetizer - or entree if you eat enough! 

Recipe Serves 2 people.

Ingredients:

1 oz ahi tuna, finely diced
5 shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 scallops
Salt and pepper to season
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 avocado, diced (save the skins to serve in, if you wish)
1/4 red onion, diced
3 roma tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp lime juice
1 clove minced garlic
2 tsp toasted cumin seeds
Fresh cilantro to garnish

Cooking/Assembling:

1) Stir together the avocado, red onion, tomato, tuna, garlic, cumin seeds, and some salt and pepper to lightly season. Squeeze over the lime juice before stirring to keep the avocado from going brown.

2) Season the shrimp and scallops lightly before cooking in a pan on high heat. The scallops need a minute to a minute and half on each side. The shrimp just need a minute before being finished cooking.

3) Chop up the shrimp and scallops into bite-sized pieces before mixing into the ceviche along with the fresh cilantro and serving.

Ceviches are amazing because of how incredibly fresh they taste and how easy they are to prepare. The above steps take no more than 20 minutes to complete, and make for a great, refreshing low-carb meal! 

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Grapefruit and Ginger Pound Cake

The area of culinary arts that I have the largest struggle with is definitely the baking part. Mainly because I like to play around with recipes, and baking is more of an exact chemistry. However, I do like to bake when I can, and usually I don't mess things up too horribly.

This recipe was definitely one of those kinds. I got the inspiration from a drink someone I met recently made. The drink consisted of grapefruit, ginger, and agave. To me, it was enticing because of the combination of grapefruit and ginger. In my mind, it made sense. Citrus and ginger are common pairings in Thai/Southeast Asian cooking, and both also go well in desserts or sweet drinks. I wanted to try putting in a cake, and this is the result I came up with!

The cake is a pound cake recipe derived from a sponge cake recipe by Gordon Ramsay. (I went for the pound cake because I prefer the denser crumb to that of the light sponge). I also chose to use an unsweetened whipped cream because of the amount of sugar in the cake and wanting to get a good balance. It turned out pretty well!

Recipe serves 12 people.

Ingredients:

175 g butter (about 3/4 stick)

175 g sugar

175 g flour

3 eggs

1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

Zest and Juice of 1/2 Grapefruit, Segments of the other half

1 bar of chocolate (you won't use the whole thing)

1 tbsp grated ginger with juice

150 mL heavy whipping cream

Cooking/Assembling:

1) Preheat your oven to 355 degrees F. 

2) Place your chocolate bar in the freezer to firm up. 

3) Cream together the butter and sugar until light and aerated. It should double in volume and take about 5-10 minutes in an electric mixer. 

4) Add in the Grapefruit juice, vanilla extract, and grapefruit zest, and mix in. Slowly mix in the eggs one at a time before beating in the flour slowly. 

5) Transfer the cake batter to a greased cake tin, and bake for 35 minutes.

6) As the cake bakes, whip the heavy cream into soft peaks with a mixer or by hand. Add in the grated ginger with juice, then finish whipping into stiff peaks. Place in the fridge to chill until serving.

7) Let the cake cool before adding the whipped cream on top. Garnish with grapefruit segments and grate the chocolate bar over the top of the cake. 

For me, this cake is amazing because it has a great balance. The grapefruit on top adds a refreshing citrus zing to help offset the richness of the cake. The ginger whipped cream gives an additional aromatic note, and actually keeps the cake from tasting too sweet. The cake itself is filled with awesome flavors of grapefruit and vanilla that bring together the whole dessert. Overall, it has great balance and is a great way to turn a drink into dessert form!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Fried Rice with Leeks and Homemade Baked Tofu

Tofu doesn't get the biggest fanbase out there in terms of protein sources. However, I personally find baked tofu to be the most appealing to anyone who may not be a fan. It's much firmer than the usually squish tofu because so much of the water is removed from it, and has a lot more flavor than standard tofu.

I tried to make my own at home, and found it to be incredibly easy and quick! Done in under an hour, this tofu has some great flavors, and goes great in a simple, quick fried rice! 

Recipe serves 3-4 people.

For the Baked Tofu:

1 package firm tofu, cut into cubes
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup water
1/2 tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tbsp mirin
1 tsp Chinese Five Spice

For the Fried Rice:

2 cups Jasmine rice, cooked and cooled
2 eggs, scrambled
1 leek, finely chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tsp Chinese Five Spice
1 chili pepper, finely chopped (use a chili pepper suiting your spice tolerance/preference. I went for Shishito)
Green Onion to garnish

Cooking/Assembling:

1) Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.

2) Sandwich the tofu cubes between multiple sheets of paper towels and a clean dishcloth. Cover with heavy cans and leave for 10 minutes.

3) Remove the pressed tofu, and toss in all of the marinade ingredients in a greased roasting dish. Bake for 45 minutes.

4) Let the tofu cool and remove it from the roasting dish. Saute the leeks in a frying pan on medium high heat with the sesame oil and five spice.

5) Toss in the baked tofu after 3-5 minutes, and season with half the soy sauce and chili pepper. Scramble in the eggs, then toss in the rice and add in the remaining soy sauce.

6) Plate, and garnish with green onion.

This is a great, quick, cheap, but flavorful fried rice! I've always been a fan of fried rices because of that speedy cook time and versatility, and this vegetarian version is definitely a winner!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Cheddar Cauliflower Soup with Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms (Chopped at Home Challenge Submission)

Chopped has to be one of my favorite food TV shows out there. The creativity that the chefs exhibit when presented with a challenging array of ingredients to put in one dish is extraordinary, and inspires me to try it from time to time. I've even hosted a Chopped-style competition before with UC Davis (to see the recap of that and the winning recipe, take a look here!) and had a lot of fun with it.

This time, I'm testing my own mettle in the Food Network's Chopped at Home Challenge, presented by Sargento Cheese. This is a three-round competition, with round 1 involving comfort food, round 2 Mexican food, and round 3 grilled food. This first round, where submissions just closed in, required the use of Sargento Fine Cut Cheddar, Cromini mushrooms, leeks, and cauliflower.

This particular ingredient basket especially excited me because of the mushrooms and leeks - two of my favorite produce ingredients on the planet! Mushrooms have a unique velvety and buttery texture that goes great with the sweetness of sauteed leeks. Both of them also pair especially well with cheese, making it a great fit.

Cauliflower was an interesting choice of ingredient, but I am a huge fan of it, having used it in many sautes and baked dishes in my own apartment. I decided to go for a thick, cheesy soup with the cauliflower as a great comfort dish. I then dotted it with stuffed mushrooms filled with the mushroom stalks, leeks, cheddar, and pancetta (one of my favorite all-time ingredients). The result was a smoky, salty, rich, and amazing experience that is worthy of being one of my first Chopped contest submissions! 

Recipe Serves 2 people.

For the Soup:

3/4 head cauliflower, broken up into florets
2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Cheddar Cheese
2 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to season
Diced Roma Tomato, Chives, Paprika, and Cayenne pepper to garnish

For the Mushrooms:

1 Leek, finely chopped
8 Cromini mushrooms
2-3 oz pancetta, diced
2 tablespoons Cheddar cheese
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp black pepper
Parmesan Cheese to grate on top (any hard cheese is great, I went with a Sarvecchio cheese)

Cooking/Assembling:

1) Bring the chicken stock up to a boil on high heat in a pot. Add in your cauliflower florets, and turn to a medium heat. Cover and steam for 15 minutes.

2) While the cauliflower cooks, remove the stalks from your mushrooms and diced them, along with 2 of the cromini mushroom caps. Make sure the leeks and pancetta are also diced at this point.

3) Blend the cauliflower and half of the chicken stock along with the butter, cheddar, garlic, and seasoning. Set aside.

4) Add the pancetta to a dry pan on medium high heat and render out the fat. This should take around 5 minutes.

5) Drain any excess fat and return the pancetta to the pan. Add in your mushrooms and leeks, and season with the cayenne, paprika, and black pepper. Saute for 5 minutes or until the mushrooms go brown and the leeks are soft.

6) Take off of the heat and quickly stir in the cheddar cheese. Place your 6 remaining mushroom caps on a baking sheet lined with tin foil. Season the inside of the caps with salt and pepper, then add in the leek and mushroom mixture. Grate Parmesan over the top, then broil for 5 minutes in a salamander, toaster oven, or oven.

7) To serve, ladle the cauliflower soup into a bowl, and top with a dash of cayenne and paprika. Add in 3 mushrooms, and sprinkle the diced tomato and chives over the top.

This dish is very rich but has a great variety of flavors. From smokiness in the pancetta and paprika, to a light amount of heat from the cayenne, earthiness of the mushrooms and cauliflower, to the savory cheese and acidity of the tomato, everything plays together in a great, comforting balance. This is a low-carb, classed-up version of comfort food!

If you liked this recipe, please give it a vote here! I would love to win this round and move on to the finals, and you all can make that happen! Thanks, and enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Herby Pork Chop with Sauteed Veg and Diamond-Baked Potato (Valentine's Day Special 2016)

Valentine's Day is the perfect day for you to showcase your cooking skills to your significant other. Nothing is more impressive than cooking a delicious meal that looks amazing! It doesn't need to be fancy ingredients either, as this recipe showcases. 

I used this recipe to do some work on my food plating skills, so I add some "chef-y" twists to the meal that obviously don't need to be done if in a rush, but make the plate look even more amazing. The pork chop is coated in an awesome blend of Italian herbs, and the mushrooms and greens are mixed with herbs and a light amount of Parmesean for just the perfect boost of flavor. The potato is a simple baked potato, but scored into a diamond to give it a fancy appeal. 

The plate itself in the photo is dusted with dessicated lemon peel, but you can use other spices that fit the flavor profile and your plate as well! Paprika is great for a white plate, for example. 

Anyways, this is overall a tasty, simple, and cheap meal that is just pimped up with simple cooking techniques and methods to make it look and taste absolutely delicious! 

Recipe serves 2 people.

Ingredients:

7-8 oz pork chop, thinly sliced
1 Russet potato
1/2 lb cromini mushrooms, quartered (any mushroom works for this)
1/2 lb fresh mixed greens (I went for a blend of arugula, kale, and chard, but even just spinach works)
Salt and pepper to season
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp toasted onion powder
1/2 tbsp dried basil
1/2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 clove minced garlic
Fresh Parmesean and dried lemon peel to garnish

Cooking/Assembling:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Take each potato half and score diamonds in it. Brush the halves with a half tablespoon of olive oil each. Season, and place onto a baking tray. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until fork tender.

3. While the potato bakes, heat another tablespoon of olive oil in a pan on medium high heat. Season the pork chops with salt, pepper, onion powder, basil, and oregano. Cook for 2-3 minute on each side.

4. Wipe out the pan, then add in another tablespoon of olive oil. Saute the mushrooms with salt, pepper, garlic, and thyme until brown, about 3-4 minutes. Toss in the greens, then plate.

5. For plating, place a mound of the sauteed vegetables in the center of your dish and dot with tiny flecks of the Parmesean cheese. Lay the pork chop (s) on top, then dust the plate with your spice of choice. Add the baked potato in the back, and serve!

This dish is incredibly simple to prepare, but tastes like a million dollars and looks incredibly impressive. Pair it with a glass of white wine to really make it a fancy dinner. There is nothing better to impress your significant other than a home-cooked meal - and this one takes all of the fuss out of making it! 

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Granita Two Ways

Midterm season is easily one of the most stressful times of college. Studying and cramming in as much material as possible to get those high grades on those exams results in lots of late nights, coffee runs, and stress attacks. Having a way to release all that stress is crucial.

For me, I've always found cooking and making food to be a relaxing habit, but during midterms, its hard to cook because it takes time which I'd rather commit to studying. However, there are a lot of simple dishes that can be made in quick amounts of time! There are also dishes that just need a little attention every now and then (aka excuses to take study breaks), and this granita is just that.

Granita is a traditional frozen Italian dessert that I like to call the "old-school shaved ice." It's highly customisable to whatever liquids or fruits you would like to use, making it a fun dessert that will last a while in the freezer! Simply mix it every hour or so while in the freezer while studying, and you'll get the ultimate shaved ice!

I've done two different forms of granita for this recipe, both of which are vegan. One is a coffee granita, and the other is a citrus rose granita. Try these out, then branch out on your own and go for what flavors you love the most! 

Each Granita serves 4 people.

For the Coffee Granita:

1 1/4 cups coffee (10 fl oz, basically the equivalent of 1 K-cup. Use any coffee you like!)
1/4 cup cashew milk (any milk or milk alternative can be used here)
2 tsp sugar

For the Citrus Rose Granita: 

1 cup orange juice
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp rose syrup

Cooking/Assembling:

1) Mix the ingredients for each granita in separate containers that can be placed in a freezer. Transfer to your freezer.

2) Every 45 minutes or so, use a fork to scratch up the mixtures and break up the crystals as small as possible. Continue this process for around 4-5 hours until the crystals are extremely fine.

3) Serve with fresh fruit, or add a shot of tequila the citrus rose granita before serving for an alcoholic refreshing dessert!

This is a cold, refreshing, and tasty dessert, no matter what way you make it! Add whatever flavors you want and garnish with what you like! Fresh mint, other herbs, fruit, nuts, alcohol, cream... The possibilities are endless! This is such an easy dessert to make, and a lot of fun to eat! 

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Ginger Congee with Sweet-Chili and Ponzu Pork

Everyone has a dish they made or remember being made for them every time they got sick as a child. For my family, that was congee. My mom would make this traditional rice porridge for me and my sisters anytime we got sick. It was warming and simple in flavor, making it easy to stomach. The ginger inside of it also helped heal us with its antibiotic properties. 

This is still my go-to dish when I am sick, and since I was sick over the past weekend, I made congee for myself. It's incredibly simple to make, and can either be done over a stove or in a rice cooker (as I did). You can add whatever you want to congee; all that's required is getting the ratio of rice to water right.

A 1 to 8 ratio, cooked for 45 minutes, makes the perfect congee. Flavoring it with ginger gives it a great flavor as well as a great remedy for being sick. I served it with a meat that's great for when sick because of the marinade - more ginger, sweet chili (which helps to sweat out some of the sickness), and ponzu, a Japanese citrus that contributes vitamin C. The warm, creamy porridge and the dense but flavorful pork combine together for a warming, comforting dish. 

Recipe serves 4-6 people.

For the Congee:

8 cups stock or water
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 cup Jasmine or other rice
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
Chives/Green Onion and black pepper to garnish

For the Pork:
1 pound pork chops, trimmed and sliced into thin strips
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce (Storebought, or make your own with water, cornstarch, sugar, diced chilies, rice wine vinegar, and ginger. Boil all together until you get a syrup or gel-like consistency.)
1 tablespoon ponzu
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced ginger

Cooking/Assembling:

1. Combine all of the ingredients for the pork marinade and the pork together in a container or doubled-up plastic bag. Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 20 minutes and up to 24 hours.

2. Mix together the rice, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, and garlic in a large pot or rice cooker. Add in the stock/water, then boil for 45 minutes. The porridge should have a thick consistency and support the weight of small objects (like stir-fried pork).

3. Add the pork strips to a frying pan on high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes. Place some strips on top of a bowl of the congee, and garnish with green onion/chives, black pepper, and soy sauce to taste.

Congee is incredibly simple to make, as can be seen with just 1 quick step to make the congee and just 2 to make the pork! It's simple in flavor, but all of the ingredients inside and outside - ginger, chili, garlic, onion - all contribute to healing when sick, and the warmth brings comfort to anyone feeling sick! 

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Spicy Kidney Bean Arrabiatta

As a college student, I have to be able to make nutritious meals from what comes out of my pantry stores every once in a while. This means not only being able to cook with what's in my pantry, but being smart about what is in there as well. 

Sources of carbs, proteins, and vitamins and minerals all need to be present in my pantry stores so I have a balanced and healthy meal even when on a budget. There are amazingly cheap sources of all of these. Pasta and rice make for great cheap carb sources, beans and nuts are cheap proteins, and canned fruits and vegetables are great for vitamins, minerals, and health. Taking all of these and making them into a feasible dish may be hard, but it can be done!

This dish does exactly that - taking simple pantry stores and giving them a great twist. Cooking kidney beans into a spicy arrabiatta pasta sauce - one of my favorite tomato sauces of all time - and serving it with pasta makes a great, cheap, nutritious, and delicious meal! 

Recipe serves 4 people.

Ingredients:

400g or 1 pound pasta, any shape
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 medium white onion, finely chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp chili flakes
1/2 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tbsp dried basil
Salt and pepper to season
1 cup water
Fresh Herbs to garnish (Oregano or basil)
1 tbsp olive oil

Cooking/Assembling:

1) Place the pasta in salted boiling water and cook according to package instructions. Make the sauce while the pasta is cooking.

2) Add the olive oil to a sauce pan or large frying pan on medium high heat. Fry off the onions and garlic with salt and pepper to taste, and the chili flakes, dried basil, and dried oregano until they are sweated off, about 3-4 minutes.

3) Add in the kidney beans and fry off for another 2 minutes. Make a well in the center of the pan, and add in the tomato paste. Cook out for 30 seconds before stirring into the vegetables and beans.

4) Deglaze the pan with the crushed tomatoes and water, and bring up to a boil. Turn down to a simmer until the pasta is done cooking.

5) Drain the pasta, and mix into the sauce gently (with tongs as best). Plate, and garnish with fresh herbs.

This meal has a bit of heat, but the tomato offsets it with natural sweetness and acidity and makes for a great, balanced, and cheap meal! The only extra add-ons were some dried herbs and the chili flake. Everything else is ingredients that are easy to keep in a pantry (or in a garden, in the case of the herbs. Growing your own herbs is a great way to save money as a college student, by the way). This is an incredibly simple meal, but it packs a punch and gives you all the nutrients you need!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Turkey Meatball Pasta Bake

As a college student, it's important for me to be able to cook cheap but nutritious meals to keep myself going. I also try to put spins on them and make them delicious while keeping myself within a budget. 

With cheaper ingredients like healthy, natural pre-made sauces and cheap wines, I can cheat a little bit while still delivering on flavor and nutrition that I need. A pasta bake is the perfect example of that. While the white sauce on top I used was store-bought, I was still able to deliver a good meal packed full of flavor and the nutrients I need. 

This pasta bake uses a healthier ground turkey meatball, which is incredibly easy to make from scratch and cheaper than ground beef. With a homemade tomato sauce and cooked pasta, this contains a lot of veg, meat, and carbs that a college student needs to function! 

Recipe serves 12 people.

For the Meatballs:

1 pound ground turkey
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon onion powder

For the Pasta Bake:

1 package pasta (400-500 grams or 1 pound), any style
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 glass red wine
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 cup alfredo or cream-based sauce OR 1/2 cup Parmesean Cheese and 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese

Cooking/Assembling:

1. Combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs and form into 1-2 oz sized meatballs. Start the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water at this point, cooking based on package instructions.

2. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot on medium high heat. Sear the meatballs for a minute on each side, then remove from the pan.

3. Sweat off the onions and garlic in the same pot, along with salt and pepper to taste, basil, and oregano. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until the onions turn translucent.

4. Make a hole in the center of the pan and place the tomato paste in this area. Cook for 30 seconds, then stir into the onions.

5. Deglaze the pot with the white wine and add in the crushed tomatoes and water. Bring up to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.

6. Drain your pasta and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Transfer the meatballs back into the pasta sauce, and remove from the heat and stir in the pasta.

7. Transfer the contents of your pot to a large baking dish, and top with the cream sauce or cheese. Ensure that the meatballs are well-distributed before adding the cream sauce/cheese.

8. Bake for 35-40 minutes, then serve!

This is definitely a hearty dish, but it packs everything you need for a complete meal into a simple easy bake! It's got richness from the cream sauce or cheese on top, savory flavors from the meatballs, and acidic but perfectly healthy tomato sauce packed with onion to boost the flavor of the pasta, which makes a great carb base! This is a great meal to cook in college- and even beyond that!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Middle Eastern Coleslaw (Home for the Holidays, Finale)

The winter holiday season is a great time to spend with family and friends with all of the exciting celebrations and get-togethers happening. At most of these events, food has a center point where everyone gathers as they eat and enjoy whatever dish there is. From centerpieces to side dishes, its important to keep things simple and efficient so you're not super stressed. Each of these recipes is an easy recipe to pull off, and will impress your guests! 

A lot of times, holiday dishes can be incredibly rich or dense, as has definitely been the case with each of the dishes I've posted so far in this series. It's important to keep a balance of light dishes and richer ones during meals so you don't overload guests. A simple salad or coleslaw is a quick, easy, and effective light side dish to have for a meal.

This coleslaw is done without mayonnaise, which may come as a controversy. However, I personally prefer coleslaw without mayonnaise, and it would make the slaw too rich in this case when the purpose of the dish is to be light. Instead, it's filled with fresh and aromatic flavors like pomegranate and toasted cumin for a great, Middle Eastern kick! 

Recipe serves up to 12 people.

Ingredients:

1 head Napa/Green Cabbage, cut into strips
1 head purple cabbage, cut into strips
1 white onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon sumac
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to season

Cooking/Assembling:

1) Get a bowl of boiling hot water and placed your onions in it for 5-10 minutes to get rid of the raw flavor.

2) Drain the onions, then combine all of your ingredients for the slaw together to taste. If you're toasting the cumin from scratch, simply place the seeds in a pan on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes.

This slaw packs a ton of fresh and vibrant flavors into it! From the fresh herbs, the crisp cabbage, and the aromaticness of the cumin seeds, this slaw is all about fresh, clean flavors. The pomegranate seeds add just a hit of sweetness along with the molasses, and the olive oil brings all of the flavors together in a cohesive "dressing". Overall, this refreshing dish will be a pleasure for guests' - and your - stomach after the richness of your holiday meals!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe - and this entire series of holiday dishes! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make any of these dishes at home, let me know! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Spiced Roasted Goose (Home for the Holidays, Part 4)

The winter holiday season is a great time to spend with family and friends with all of the exciting celebrations and get-togethers happening. At most of these events, food has a center point where everyone gathers as they eat and enjoy whatever dish there is. From centerpieces to side dishes, its important to keep things simple and efficient so you're not super stressed. Each of these recipes is an easy recipe to pull off, and will impress your guests! 

This goose is definitely more of a posh centerpiece, as it dials in at roughly $6-7 per pound. However, it has extraordinary flavor and pays off big for a lot of future meals because of one thing - the amount of fat you can extract from a goose is extraordinary, and its flavor is amazing as well. One goose can give you enough fat to last for half the year (in the fridge and out of light as much as possible, of course, to prevent spoilage). It's great for roasting potatoes, frying eggs or toast, and many other cooking applications.

Focusing back on the actual goose, though, it makes an amazing centerpiece for a get-together. If you are a fan of duck, you'll love the flavor that goose provides and that they cook very similar. Goose isn't too tricky to cook, making it an easy but interesting choice for a meal centerpiece! 

Recipe serves 12-16 people.

Ingredients:

1 14-18 pound goose, necks and giblets removed from the cavity
2 oranges, halved and zested
1 tbsp Szechuan pepper corns
2 tbsp Chinese Five Spice
1 tbsp sea salt

Cooking/Assembling:

1) Let the goose sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before starting.

2) Preheat your oven to 485 degrees F.

3) Score the skin of the goose all over in very small diamonds, about 1/4 inch in length.

4) Grind the orange zest, Szechuan peppercorns, Five Spice, and salt in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder to form a paste. Rub into the scored skin.

5) Roast the goose for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350 degrees F. Cook for another 15 minutes per kilogram (roughly 7-8 minutes per pound).

6) To ensure the legs cook evenly, cut them open with 15 minutes left of cooking. Not completely off, but cut open.

7) Let the goose rest for at least 45 minutes before carving. Don't forget to store the goose fat in containers!

The goose is carved and in the center of this masterful meal. It is incredibly tender and rich, so a little bit of goose goes a long way for a meal. The extremely fragrant spice rub helps cut through that richness (as does the rendering of most of the fat), making it an extravagant but easy centerpiece for any holiday meal!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Mint Chocolate Panna Cotta (Home for the Holidays, Part 3)

Copyright 2015, Constantine William Spyrou. All rights reserved.

The winter holiday season is a great time to spend with family and friends with all of the exciting celebrations and get-togethers happening. At most of these events, food has a center point where everyone gathers as they eat and enjoy whatever dish there is. From centerpieces to side dishes, its important to keep things simple and efficient so you're not super stressed. Each of these recipes is an easy recipe to pull off, and will impress your guests! 

One of the easiest desserts to make on your own from scratch is Panna Cotta. Italian for "cooked cream", this pudding has a unique texture that comes from a perfect balance of milk, cream, and gelatin to make it silky smooth and rich. Mostly just seen in fancy restaurants, these dessert can easily be made at home with little fuss!

The flavors I went with for this panna cotta are a favorite in our household: Mint and chocolate. Most of the family is a huge fan of mint chocolate ice cream. This takes those flavors and transforms it into an elegant dessert worthy of a celebration! 

Recipe serves 5 people.

Ingredients:

600 mL heavy whipping cream
150 mL whole milk
3 tbsp sugar
2 gelatin leaves (or 1-2 envelopes of gelatin powder).
1/4 cup fresh mint
Chocolate for grating
Crushed candy canes for a garnish 

Cooking/Assembling:

1) Bruise the mint with your hand or the back of a spoon to release the flavor better. Add into your cream, milk, and sugar (cream and sugar only if using gelatin powder) and bring up to a boil slowly.

2) Soak the gelatin leaves in cold water. If using gelatin powder, stir into your milk.

3) Strain the mint from the cooked cream, then pour into the milk while whisking (if using geltain powder only). Pour the entire combined mixture into ramekins or 6-8 oz. glasses (ramekins you'll want to turn the panna cotta out onto a dish, glasses look more fancy and don't need to be removed from their mold.

4) Transfer your dishes to the fridge and let set for at least 4 hours. You should have a slightly bouncy texture when touching the cream.

5) If using a ramekin, dip the bottom of it into some water to help warm the dish and release the panna cotta onto plates. Otherwise, simply grate with chocolate and top with some crushed candy canes, and serve!

This dish is incredibly smooth and creamy, which makes adding on garnishes like candy cane and chocolate great because it adds crunch. Additionally, the chocolate complements the panna cotta perfectly while the mint in the panna cotta and the mint from the candy cane cut through the richness to make this an awesomely balanced, elegant, and easy dessert! 

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Risotto Alla Vodka (Home for the Holidays, Part 2)

Copyright 2015, Constantine William Spyrou. All rights reserved.

The winter holiday season is a great time to spend with family and friends with all of the exciting celebrations and get-togethers happening. At most of these events, food has a center point where everyone gathers as they eat and enjoy whatever dish there is. From centerpieces to side dishes, it's important to keep things simple and efficient so you're not super stressed. Each of these recipes is an easy recipe to pull off, but will impress your guests! 

This holiday season, I decided to go to one of my favorite side dishes/vegetarian main courses to complement the Crispy Roasted Pork Leg - risotto! It's a dish I've played with a couple of times before when experimenting with ancient grains a while back, but I've never truly cooked a legit one. This was my attempt at it, and it went pretty well! 

I went with one of my favorite pasta sauces - alla Vodka - as the inspiration for this risotto to keep an Italian theme on our Christmas meal. It also gives a fancy, alcoholic kick to the risotto. Vodka sauce typically has tomatos and vodka in it, so my cooking liquid was a third tomatoes, two thirds stock. With some vodka spiked in beforehand, this makes a great dish! Make sure to cook it right before you're ready to begin the meal, as the rice can absorb more liquid as it cools and destroy the risotto consistency over time. 

Recipe serves 8-10 people.

Ingredients:

4 shallots, finely chopped
4 cups tomato puree (pasatta)
8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
8 cups uncooked arborio rice
2 oz vodka
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
Fresh basil and oregano for garnishing
Salt and pepper to season

Cooking/Assembling:

1) Combine the tomato puree/pasatta and stock in a sauce pan, and bring up to a boil. Turn to a simmer and leave on the back burner to add into the risotto over time. 

2) In a large saute or frying pan on medium-high heat, add in the olive oil, shallots, and garlic. Season to taste, and cook until the shallots soften, about 2 minutes. 

3) Add in the rice and stir until lightly toasted, about 1-2 minutes. Deglaze with the vodka, then stir the rice. 

4) While continually stirring the rice, add in ladlefuls of the tomato stock (roughly 1-2 cups at a time), waiting between each until the liquid is fully absorbed by the rice. Continue for about 45 minutes or until the risotto is lava-like in consistency and fully cooked. 

5) Stir in the sliced fresh basil, then plate, garnishing with fresh basil and oregano. 

This risotto is definitely not as rich as a risotto you would get in a restaurant due to no dairy being present, but it still packs a ton of flavor thanks to the vodka, tomato, and shallots taking the dish to a whole new level. It is a great, acidic, but tasty contrast to a centerpiece meat, and will impress your family and friends! Risotto may seem challenging, but this recipe makes it simple and fun!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

NEW RECIPE: Crispy Roasted Pork Leg (Home for the Holidays, Part 1)

Copyright 2015, Constantine William Spyrou. All rights reserved.

The winter holiday season is a great time to spend with family and friends with all of the exciting celebrations and get-togethers happening. At most of these events, food has a center point where everyone gathers as they eat and enjoy whatever dish there is. From centerpieces to side dishes, it's important to keep things simple and efficient so you're not super stressed. Each of these recipes is an easy recipe to pull off, but will impress your guests! 

The first recipe I wanted to do for this series is a centerpiece. Our family had this Crispy Roasted Pork Leg as the center of our Christmas dinner, and it was definitely a huge hit. Extremely simple to pull off, it simply requires some altering of temperatures in the oven and early prep work. Other than that, it can be easily just be left in the oven while guests are being entertained or other parts of the meal or being prepped (or if you just want to take a long break, that works too!) 

Pork leg itself is a more relatively cheap cut of meat at a little over 4 dollars a pound, making it perfect for families looking for a great centerpiece on a tighter budget. It is more meat for your money than turkey or poultry as well, so you get more meat out of a pork leg than a turkey of the same weight. 

This pork leg is incredibly tender and juicy, while the crispy skin from the rendered rind makes an amazing topping and looks impressive when scored (which makes the skin even crispier since the oven hits more of it!) 

Recipe serves up to 20 people.

Ingredients:

1 12-18 pound pork leg, skin on
1/4 cup kosher salt
4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
1 tablespoon dried chopped rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil

Cooking/Assembling:

1) Let the pork leg sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before starting. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.

2) Use the edge of a sharp chef's knife/santoku/straight-edged knife to score the rind of the pork leg. You want to get diamonds roughly half an inch to an inch thick. Be sure to not cut down to the meat.

3) Combine the salt, garlic, and herbs in a bowl, then rub into the pork rind, ensuring to get some into the score marks you've made. Any leftover can be rubbed onto the actual meat to season it.

4) Coat the skin with the oil to help prevent the rind from burning.

5) Place the pork leg onto a roasting tray and into the oven. Leave it at 450 degrees F for 30 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350 and cook for 15 minutes per pound.

6) Let rest (covered with tinfoil to trap in heat) for a good 30-45 minutes after taking the pork leg out of the oven. Carve up and serve! (You can serve the skin separately and let guests take pork leg pieces and crackling pieces together).

With no marinade or other extra added prep needed, this is a very easy centerpiece that will impress guests because of the tasty pork crackling and the juicy, sweet flesh of the pork. This centerpiece, because of the simplicity of it, also is versatile enough to be paired with any style of menu - from Italian or French-inspired meals to Spanish, Mexican, Carribbean, or even Filipino! Pork is such a versatile meat with great flavor, and this centerpiece really showcases that.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =)