Phở Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup)

Rememebr when I made Phở Bò (Beef Pho)? This is a chicken version, and I've made it as simple as possible.  We all like simple right?  This was our dinner shared with two bachelor friends. Our gentlemen guests were so excited to have a home cooked meal and were completely impressed.  It has been cloudy and cold, so soup was wonderful to come home to.  Plus when I went to pick up our friends, I was on the wrong side of the street.  Anywhere else this woudn't be a big deal, but next to the Queensboro Plaza Train Station, it meant a whole lot of lanes and barriers, dividers, and no way to cross.  I ended up turning too soon and going across the bridge to Manhattan and coming back to Queens.  Thankfully, we finally made it back to the apartment and a wonderful wafting smell from my pressure cooker where the broth was cooking.  I highly reccomend making broth of any kind in a pressure cooker.  The results are always fabulous and fast.

 This is a steaming hot bowl of flavor beyond any chicken soup you have ever experienced.

Ingredients:

4-5 pound Rotisserie Chicken (Costco really has the best price and sized chicken)
2 large bunch of Green Onions
7 large cloves of garlic
3 pieces of Dried Ginger
Roots and Stems of 1 bunch of Cilantro
2 whole star anise
12 cloves
2″x1″ piece of Cassia Bark (a.k.a. Saigon Cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
80g Light Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon Kosher Salt

1 Jalapeno

1 Lime

Water

Japanese Noodles or Rice Noodles

Remove chicken from bones.  Place chicken bones in pressure cooker pot with 1 whole bunch
 of green onions, 1/2 bunch of Cilantro, star anise, cloves, cassia bark, black pepper, sugar, fish
sauce, salt, and add water to the top of the fill line for your pressure cooker (mine is 16 cups).  

Set pressure cooker to high for one hour.

Strain broth through a fine mesh sieve into a large stock pot.

Bring to a boil.  We used Japanese noodles, but you can use traditional rice noodles if you want.  Cook noodles in broth according to package instrucitions.

Slice jalapeno thinly.  Slice remaining bunch of green onions.  Remove remaining cilantro
from stems.  Place all ingredients aside on a serving plate.  Cut chicken or shred chicken into bite
size pieces and serve next to the broth and plate of vegetables.

This is a build your own Phở Gà bowl.  Add ingredients then the noodles and broth over top.
We really had fun building our soup bowls and customizing how much of each ingredient.

Enjoy!

Phở Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup)

Printable recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

4-5 pound Rotisserie Chicken (Costco really has the best price and sized chicken)
2 large bunch of Green Onions
7 large cloves of Garlic
3 pieces of Dried Ginger
Roots and Stems of 1 bunch of Cilantro
2 whole Star Anise
12 Cloves
2″x1″ piece of Cassia Bark (a.k.a. Saigon Cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
80g Light Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Fish Sauce
1 tablespoon Kosher Salt

1 Jalapeno

1 Lime

Water

Japanese Noodles or Rice Noodles

Process:

Remove chicken from bones.  Place chicken bones in pressure cooker pot with 1 whole bunch of green onions, 1/2 bunch of Cilantro, star anise, cloves, cassia bark, black pepper, sugar, fish sauce, salt, and add water to the top of the fill line for your pressure cooker (mine is 16 cups).  

Set pressure cooker to high for one hour.

Strain broth through a fine mesh sieve into a large stock pot.

Bring to a boil.  We used Japanese noodles, but you can use traditional rice noodles if you want. Cook noodles in broth according to package instrucitions.

Slice jalapeno thinly.  Slice remaining bunch of green onions.  Remove remaining cilantro from stems.  Place all ingredients aside on a serving plate.  Cut chicken or shred chicken into bite size pieces and serve next to the broth and plate of vegetables.

This is a build your own Phở Gà bowl.  Add ingredients then the noodles and broth over top.  

Enjoy!

Mini Pumpkin Pie

I thought long and hard about what recipe I wanted to share.  This is the 200th post for Queens Foodie Mama.  We have come full circle.  December 12, 2013, was my first post.  Almost a year later, I'm sitting here contemplating this past year and all the culinary adventures we have shared. My friends who have been here in person to help me create these recipes and my friends and family across the country helping me and sharing the memories with me.  This has been a journey all about love of family, friends, and especially food.  That has been my guiding inspiration while I have created recipes to share with my friends and family and thought about what I know about their likes and loves.  If you have found a greater appreciation for ingredients you might never have thought about, if you have come to love sharing with your family new experiences of food, then we have shared that experience together, you and I.  

Okay enough of my foodie philosophy and deep thoughts on food.  Why did I choose to make pumpkin pie?  Did you know pumpkins have a long history here in North America, since 7000 BC. In 1850 John Greenleaf Whittier even penned a poem about the beloved pumpkin pie.

Ah! on Thanksday, when from East and from West,

From North and from South comes the pilgrim and guest;

When the gray-haired New Englander sees round his board

The old broken links of affection restored;

When the care-wearied man seeks his mother once more,

And the worn matron smiles where the girl smiled before;

What moistens the lip and what brightens the eye,

What calls back the past, like the rich Pumpkin pie?

My son Donovan loves pumpkin pie and requested mini pumpkin pies.  He was even my sous chef while we made them for our Thanksgiving feast. These are not your simple mini pumpkin pies, come on you knew they wouldn't be. I wanted to switch up the crust and use something a little more flavorful.  What could be a great alternative to traditional crust? Cookie crust of course, but not just graham crackers.  I decided to go a step further and choose ginger snaps.

 Isn't it so cute, itty bitty, so cute and little?  This is a full flavor dessert in a small package.

Crust Ingredients:

2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves
12 tablespoons softened (1 1/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 large Egg
1/4 cup Molasses

Pumpkin Filling Ingredients:

16 ounces Pumpkin Puree (I used homemade, you may use canned)
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 cup Milk
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 large Eggs
1 large Egg Yolk

Preheat Oven to 350 Fahrenheit 

Let's begin with the crust.  Mix all the dry ingredients together.

Whisk butter, molasses, and brown sugar together in a stand mixer.

Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients including egg and whisk until combined.

Place aluminum/paper liners in two 12 cup muffin pans.  Place one tablespoon of batter in each muffin cup. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.

After they have baked, using the back of a tablespoon, smoosh the cookie down to create
a well.  The crust is complete.

Whisk all the pumpkin puree ingredients until combined.

Pour pumpkin filling into cups within a 1/3 inch of the top of the liner.

Increase the oven to 400 Farhenheit

Bake pumpkin pies for 15-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

They are so cute.  My son was super happy.  Allow to cool on counter and eat at
room temperature.

Serve pumpkin pies with whipped cream, homemade whipped cream preferred.

Enjoy!

Mini Pumpkin Pie

Printable Recipe Found Here

Crust Ingredients:

2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves
12 tablespoons softened (1 1/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 large Egg
1/4 cup Molasses

Pumpkin Filling Ingredients:

16 ounces Pumpkin Puree (I used homemade, you may use canned)
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 cup Milk
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 large Eggs
1 large Egg Yolk

Crust Process:

Preheat Oven to 350 Fahrenheit 

Mix all the dry ingredients together.

Whisk butter, molasses, and brown sugar together in a stand mixer.

Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients including egg and whisk until combined.

Place aluminum/paper liners in two 12 cup muffin pans.  

Place one tablespoon of batter in each muffin cup. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.

After they have baked, using the back of a tablespoon smoosh the cookie down to create a well.  

The crust is complete.

Pumpkin Filling Process:

Whisk all the pumpkin puree ingredients until combined.

Mini Pumpkin Pie Process:

Pour pumpkin filling into cups within a 1/3 inch of the top of the liner.

Increase the oven to 400 Farhenheit

Bake pumpkin pies for 15-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow to cool on counter and eat at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Molasses Crinkles

My Dad was always the one making cookies in my family when I was growing up.  One of his recipes was Molasses Crinkles.  Many years ago my Mom compiled all the family recipes into a binder for my siblings and I and the Molasses Crinkles recipe is in the section marked Mom's Favorites.  The recipe is simple and produces very yummy cookies.  I don't buy shortening and the original recipe calls for it.  I used coconut oil and they turned out amazing and were eaten as quickly as they were made.

These cookies are perfect for the Fall weather we have been having here, and they remind
me of my childhood.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups cold Coconut Oil
2 cups Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Molasses
5 cups All Purpose Flour
4 teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Cloves
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
2 teaspoons Ginger
White Granulated Sugar

Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit.

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixer bowl with the whisk attachment.

In a seperate bowl combine, coconut oil, brown sugar, eggs, and molasses using a wooden spoon.

Add combined wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until combined.

Form dough into walnut sized balls and roll in white granulated sugar.

Place cookie dough on parchment lined sheet pans.

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes,  until golden brown on the bottom.  

Flatten baked cookies with back of spatula and allow to rest for 2 minutes before
 transferring to a plate.

Enjoy!

Molasses Crinkles

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups cold Coconut Oil
2 cups Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Molasses
5 cups All Purpose Flour
4 teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Cloves
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
2 teaspoons Ginger
White Granulated Sugar

Process:

Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit.

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixer bowl with the whisk attachment.

In a seperate bowl combine, coconut oil, brown sugar, eggs, and molasses using a wooden spoon.

Add combined wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until combined.

Form dough into walnut sized balls and roll in white granulated sugar.

Place cookie dough on parchment lined sheet pans.

Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, golden brown on the bottom.  

Flatten baked cookies with back of spatula and allow to rest for 2 minutes before transferring to a plate.

Enjoy!

Phở Bò (Vientnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

My sister-in-law Rachelle asked me to make Phở Bò (pronounced fuh) a long time ago.  I don't even remember when.  I have been compiling the ingredients and trying to figure out how I would make it.  Today in honor of our friend's the Alemany family who are moving to Utah, we had them over for Phở Bò   This morning I started to set all of ingredients together on my cutting board and realized I was missing Fennel, Fish sauce, and a piece of chuck beef.  I turned on the oven to preheat and went shopping at U Mart a wonderful local Asian grocery store.  I picked up the ingredients and went home.  When I got home I noticed a burnt smell, and the oven was no longer turning on.  Which means that I would not be charring the onions and ginger in the oven.  Thankfully the oven quitting did not stop me and my cause to prepare Phở Bò for our friends the Alemany's and Siri's mom Ann Stone.  I have never had Pho Soup nor have I made it, but unbeknownst to me Siri, Michael, and Ann had all eaten Phở Bò and could tell me if I came at least close to making what they had eaten before. This Pho is for you Rachelle!

 I really love how it looks, how about you?

Ingredients for the Pho Soup Base:

2 Yellow Onions 
4" nub of Ginger
5 lbs. Beef Marrow Bones
1 lb. Beef Chuck Top
6 quarts of Water
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 tablespoon Coriander Seeds
1 tablespoon Fennel Seeds 
5 whole Star Anise
1 Black Cardamom Pod
6 whole Cloves 1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher Salt 1/2 cup Fish Sauce

8 x 8 inch square of Cheesecloth
Butchers Twine

 Peel onions and cut in half through the root.

Cut ginger in half lengthwise.

Thankfully although my oven is not turning on my stove is working.

Place ginger and onion halves directly on stove top burners with flame on high.

Char the onion and ginger until blackened on all sides.

Place cinnamon, coriander, fennel, star anise, cardamom, and cloves inside cheesecloth and bring up sides with twine and tie the bundle tightly.

Put onions, ginger, herb/spice bundle, water, fish sauce, salt, beef chuck, and bones into a pressure cooker pot.  

Set pressure cooker to low and cook for 90 minutes.

After cook time has ended and pressure has released place a large mesh sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth over a large stockpot.

Pour pho broth and all ingredients into sieve.

Allow broth to drain and remove from pot.  

Check flavor of pho broth, add salt or fish sauce if desired.  Keep broth hot, place on stove top burner set to medium.

Ingredients for Pho Soup:

Pho Broth

1 bunch of Mint

1 bunch of Thai Basil

1 bunch of Cilantro

1 lb Flat Rice Noodles

2 lbs Beef Sirloin Steak

2 cups Bean Sprouts

Rinse mint, basil, and cilantro under cold water and remove leaves.

Prepare rice noodles according to package instructions.

Freeze sirloin steak for 15 minutes.

Thinly slice sirloin steak across the grain.

Keep pho broth hot on stove top.

Place desired amount of steak in bottom of bowl, add noodles, herbs, and sprouts and pour 
hot broth over soup.

The hot broth will cook the sirloin steak to perfection.

Enjoy!

Pho Soup

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients for the Pho Soup Base:

2 Yellow Onions
4" nub of Ginger
5 lbs. Beef Marrow Bones
1 lb. Beef Chuck Top 
6 quarts of Water
1 Cinnamon Stick

1 tablespoon Coriander Seeds

1 tablespoon Fennel Seeds 

5 whole Star Anise

1 Black Cardamom Pod

6 whole Cloves 
1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher Salt 
1/2 cup Fish Sauce

8 x 8 inch square of Cheesecloth

Butchers Twine

Process for Pho Soup Base:
Peel onions and cut in half through the root.

Cut ginger in half lengthwise.

Place ginger and onion halves directly on stove top burners with flame on high.

Char the onion and ginger until blackened on all sides.

Place cinnamon, coriander, fennel, star anise, cardamom, and cloves inside cheesecloth and bring up sides with twine and tie the bundle tightly.

Put onions, ginger, herb/spice bundle, water, fish sauce, salt, beef chuck, and bones into a pressure cooker pot.  

Set pressure cooker to low and cook for 90 minutes.

After cook time has ended and pressure has released place a large mesh sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth over a large stockpot.

Pour pho broth and all ingredients into sieve.

Allow broth to drain and remove from pot.  

Check flavor of pho broth, add salt or fish sauce if desired.

Ingredients for Pho Soup:

Pho Broth

1 bunch of Mint

1 bunch of Thai Basil

1 bunch of Cilantro

1 lb. Flat Rice Noodles

2 lbs Beef Sirloin Steak

2 cups Bean Sprouts

Process for Serving Pho Soup:

Rinse mint, basil, and cilantro under cold water and remove leaves.

Prepare rice noodles according to package instructions.

Freeze sirloin steak for 15 minutes.

Thinly slice sirloin steak across the grain.

Keep pho broth hot on stove top.

Place desired amount of steak in bottom of bowl, add noodles, herbs, and sprouts and pour hot broth over soup.

The hot broth will cook the sirloin steak to perfection.

Enjoy!

Ketchup

We ran out of ketchup the other day and I love making homemade versions of food, so I made ketchup to eat with our french fries and dinner.  My ketchup recipe is similar to Saveur's recipe found here.  Do you know the history of ketchup?  This link talks about the history.  The short version is, ketchup is the modern day ancestor to "ke-tsiap, a 17th-century Chinese brine of pickled fish and spices."  Heinz of course found this recipe and changed it completely to what we now affectionately call ketchup and some of us are like my nephew and put it on everything. 

 Homemade ketchup, I might start liking ketchup now.

Ingredients for this recipe are:  

1  22-oz. can tomato Purée

1 medium Yellow Onion, peeled and quartered

1 clove Garlic (not pictured)

1⁄2 fresh Jalapeño

2 tablespoons Turbinado Sugar (You can use dark brown sugar) 

1⁄2 cup Cider Vinegar

1/4 teaspoon Dry Mustard

1/4 teaspoon Allspice (ground would also work)

1/4 teaspoon  Cloves (Ground would also work)

1/4  teaspoon Ground Ginger

1/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

 Grind sugar and spices together in spice/coffee grinder, even the already ground spices.
Skip this step if you only used ground spices.

 All ground up.

 Press Jalapeño, and garlic separately through garlic press.

 Add everything but the vinegar and water.   Blend until puréed.

 Pour in water and vinegar and blend some more.

 Pour mixture into saucepan and heat over low for 45 minutes, only stirring occasionally.

Pour into a lidded container and refrigerate for up to a month.

Enjoy!

Ketchup  

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:
1  22-oz. can tomato purée
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1 clove Garlic, and peeled and pushed through garlic press
1⁄2 fresh Jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and pushed through garlic press
2 tablespoons Turbinado Sugar (You can use dark brown sugar)
1⁄2 cup Cider Vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Dry Mustard
1/4 teaspoon Allspice (Ground would also work)
1/4 teaspoon  Cloves (Ground would also work)
1/4  teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Grind spices, and sugar  in spice/coffee grinder. Put tomato purée, onions, garlic, spice mixture, and jalapeño into a blender or food processor and pulse until blended. Add vinegar and 1 cup water and purée until smooth.

Transfer mix to a medium saucepan.  Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store in refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 month.