I’ll Stir-Fry You In My Wok
Week 2 of Cook at Home month has me revisiting some old recipes, including Tofu Stirfry Wraps. I originally adapted this recipe to be veg-friendly about five years ago, and as much for my Beastie Boys title tribute, I have yet to buy a wok. My food pictures, however, have improved in the last five years thanks to my kitchen iPhone photography.
This recipe is based on an Everyday Food recipe for Chicken Stir-fry wraps, but I use tofu instead. I really like the freshness of this recipe, with the bell pepper, onion and ginger combo giving it a lot of flavor.
Tofu Stir Fry Wraps
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 package firm or extra firm tofu, cube
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar (optional)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- 6 to 8 Butter lettuce leaves, (about 1 head, also called Boston or Bibb lettuce)
Directions:
- Prep Work: This recipe doesn’t take long to cook, so you need to have things ready to go. Slice the onion and bell pepper, have the garlic ready to “press”, grate the ginger, mix the cornstarch/water in a bowl, and wash the lettuce.
- Cube the tofu, season with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat. Add the tofu; cook, stirring/flipping every few minutes, until almost golden brown, 4 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate, set aside. (If the tofu is still too soft, you can also put it on a cookie sheet and bake/broil it for a bit)
- Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to pan, along with the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until onion is tender and golden, about 2-3 minutes (reduce heat if browning too quickly).
- Reduce heat to medium; add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in soy sauce, rice vinegar and cornstarch mixture; remove from heat.
- Add tofu; toss to coat. Serve in lettuce cups.
Do you like tofu?
Based on this recipe from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast
Originally published October 2007
Squash, Kale, and Chèvre Tacos Recipe
You know when you try something tasty at a new restaurant and say “I’m totally going to try and make these sometime” and then you go home and sometime never arrives? Yes, that’s what I often usually do. So last week, I tried the Squash, Kale, Goat Cheese Tacos at Nearly Normals in Corvallis, and said that exact thing. And thanks to my self-imposed January is Cook at Home, No Restaurants month (except for 1x per week), I decided to actually give these tacos a go.
Surprisingly easy to replicate, and so delicious.
Squash Kale Chevre Tacos Recipe
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 6 corn tortillas
- kale
- butternut squash (acorn works too)
- Chèvre or feta cheese (2 oz)
- Pico de gallo
- olive oil
- salt/pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Peel squash and cut into 1″ cubes.
- Toss squash with oil & salt on a cookie sheet, spreading out in a single layer. Cook for about 30 min.
- Lightly fry/heat the corn tortillas in a skillet. Set aside.
- When the squash is almost done, heat olive oil on med in skillet and add several kale leaves. (cover with a lid for a few minutes) Cooking until soft.
- Top tortillas with a layer of squash, kale, chèvre, and pico de gallo
- Enjoy!
Shortcut: I was told Trader Joes has cubed squash in the freezer section.
These tacos are best with a side of black beans and rice (which I had at the restaurant, but didn’t plan ahead enough when I tried this recipe for myself). Verdict: I think these are my new favorite tacos!
Do you have any favorite restaurant recipes?
Homemade Chai Tea Latte Recipe
I love the routine of returning to my favorite fall things every October. An afternoon treat that I love to make is homemade chai spice lattes. I originally found a recipe on the The Kitchn for a Pumpkin Spice Latte, but ended up adapting it to what I typically have in my kitchen. So it’s more of a chai spice latte, but still amazing.
Chai Tea Latte Recipe
Serves 1
Ingredients
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 chai tea bag
- 1/2 to 1 TB of sugar (depending on your sweet tolerance)
- 1 TB of pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp of pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 cup of double strength coffee (you can also just use an instant coffee packet in less water, or refrigerate your extra double strength coffee to make this again tomorrow)
Directions:
- Boil water for the tea bag and let steep in a 1/2″ of water.
- Combine the milk and sugar in a saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring. When it starts to warm, pour the small tea mixture (and bag) into the saucepan. Remove tea bag after a couple minutes.
- Remove from heat when the milk is steaming, and stir in vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk to make it frothy.
- Pour in mug and add the coffee on top.
- Enjoy!
What’s your favorite fall drink?
In Season Cooking: Roasted Summer Vegetables
We just harvested our first summer squash this week! This is my first time growing squash — so I was all squeals when I found it hiding out under all the squash canopy leaves.
I’ve been dying to make Pasta with Roasted Summer Vegetables and Basil — my favorite squash recipe three summers running! To be honest, I wanted to plant summer squash just for this recipe! You roast summer squash, grape tomatoes, red onion, and garlic in the oven until they’re caramelized. Then you mix it with campanelle pasta, Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil. Yum!
It’s from the Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazine, but you can also get the recipe online.
What’s your favorite squash recipe?
In Season Cooking: Arugula Pecorino Pizza
Not to be obsessive over arugula – last week I wrote about making Arugula & Goat Cheese Pasta Salad – but when arugula wants to bolt there’s no stopping it! Since one of our arugula patches is on its way out, we’ve been using it like crazy. 
After searching for more uses for arugula, I came across another Martha Stewart Everyday Food recipe – from the January issue. I’d used the crust recipe for Pizza Margherita, so it was fun to try a different style of topping: arugula, shaved Pecorino Romano cheese, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Here’s the full recipe. This pizza was super delicious (& easy), seriously you must try it!
Six weeks into container gardening, I’m having a brilliant time! It’s so fun to go outside and pick veggies to add to dinner. And I’ve finally updated my “Watching My Garden Grow” container garden slideshow. Check it out:
Things I ♥: travel, food (I'm a pescatarian), the Pacific Northwest, bikes (I ride an orange mixte), beer (IPAs), summer, coffee, lists, and kittehs. Travel enthusiast, dabbler, and product manager at BootsnAll Travel Network.
Subscribe via RSS
