Tequila Sunrise

This has become my new favorite mix drink. I'm a big sucker for bright colors, so this drink is my kryptonite. I usually stir mine after I put everything into the glass, just so I don't get to the bottom of a super concentrated, sweet concoction. It's pretty and tasty!

No real recipe here, just mix:


About 2 shots of your favorite tequila
Almost fill the glass with orange juice
Add a couple splashes of Grenadine, just enough to make the bottom half of the glass red/pink
Stir and enjoy!

The Bistro at the Strand on the UCSD campus

You may have noticed that I fell in love with every kind of asian food whilst in San Diego. It was so prevalent there and so many of the recipes I cooked were some type of asian food. I craved it, all the time and I'm still have withdrawals for my favorite sushi place down there Ki Sushi.

So here is another restaurant post, this time in a college dining hall! I absolutely could not believe my eyes when I walked into this restaurant/dining hall the very first time, because it looks like a modern, fancy restaurant. I only had 2 chances to try the food at this place, but each time was fresh, and delicious. They have a sushi bar or sit down tables. I highly recommend making a reservation if you want to try the food here, because they are only open M-Th from 11-3! 

The prices are relatively cheap and they accept dining dollars or TritonCash if you attend UCSD. They give you a fancy bottle of tap water for your table, so you never run out. They give you some tasty wonton chips with several dipping sauces before your meal. I am still upset I never had the chance to try the Ahi Avocado Poke appetizer, but everything else I tried was delicious. 

I also tried the Hoisin-Glazed Roasted Chicken, but sadly I don't have pictures. But the first time I went I tried this:

Here are the Chicken Fresh Rolls, after I already dug in!

Then for dessert I tried this:

This was the Banana Turon with Green Tea Ice Cream, so refreshing!

All I can say, is that I hope this is the way dining halls are going in the future. The architecture was so modern, yet strange, but the service was so professional and quick. And the food was innovative and new for a dining hall. If you ever get a chance to try the food at The Strand, do it! 

Here's the inside. That building in the background is part of the transfer housing, which is where I lived  during my Junior year at UCSD. They hadn't built this restaurant until my Senior year, which is partly why it was so hard to get over there, plus classes conflicted. 

Club Sandwich

This sandwich took forever to make, was super messy, but mighty tasty! There are some interesting mayo mixes incorporated into this sandwich which are super easy to make. Try this for your next lunch!

Here's the recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cooking Time: 15 min | Difficulty: Easy | Serves: 2

Ingredients:

6 slices Sandwich Bread
4 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Prepared Basil Pesto (I used a store-bought pesto from Trader Joe's)1 Tablespoon Prepared Sundried Tomato Pesto (I used a store-bought pesto from Trader Joe's)
4 slices Bacon, Cut In Half
4 ounces Shaved Ham
4 ounces Shaved Turkey
2 Whole Avocados, Peeled And Sliced
2 slices Cheese (Swiss, Mozzarella, Etc.)
Romaine Or Green Leaf Lettuce

Directions:

1. Toast bread in toaster until light golden brown. Set aside.

2. Fry bacon until just barely crisp, then drain on a paper towel. Set aside.

3. Mix together 2 tablespoons mayonnaise with prepared basil pesto; in a separate bowl, mix additional 2 tablespoons mayonnaise with sundried tomato pesto.

To Make One Sandwich:

4. Spread two pieces of bread with basil pesto. On one piece of bread, lay ham on top of pesto mayo, then top with cheese and lettuce. On other piece of bread, lay the slices of ½ avocado on top of the pesto mayo. Top avocado with bacon. Lift the second slice of bread (the one with avocado and bacon) and place it, ingredient side down, on top of the first piece of bread.

5. For the second layer: On the top of the top piece of bread, spread the sundried tomato mayonnaise. Spread one side of the third piece of bread with sundried tomato mayonnaise. Place ham, cheese, and lettuce on top. Place other half of the avocado slices on the other piece of bread. Top with bacon slices. Place this piece of bread, ingredient side down, on top of the first piece of bread.

6. Use a sharp knife to cut the sandwich in half (on the diagonal) then again in fourths.

Pasta alla Vodka

I love vodka based drinks, and so I pretty much always have some vodka hanging around in the freezer. When I found this recipe, I knew I had to make it since I hadn't yet tried a vodka pasta sauce yet. So, here you go, enjoy!

Here's the recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman.


Prep Time: 15 min | Cooking Time: 25 min | Difficulty: Easy | Serves: 3


Ingredients:
8 ounces Pasta (any shape, but I used Penne)
1 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoons Butter
½ Whole Medium Onion, Chopped Finely
1 Cloves (To 2 Cloves) Garlic, Chopped
⅓ cup (to 1/2 Cup) Vodka
½ 14 oz. can of Tomato Puree (I couldn't find this in the store, so I used half tomato paste, half water to make the 7 oz. you need.)
½ cup Heavy Cream
½ Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
⅛ tsp (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese


Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, being careful not to overcook.


2. In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted, add in chopped onion and garlic. Stir and allow to cook for two minutes. Pour in vodka. Stir and cook for three minutes. Add in tomato puree and stir.


3. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream. Allow to simmer, being careful not to overheat. Stir in red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.


4. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water in case sauce is too thick. Add cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing to combine. Splash in a little water if it needs it. Stir in Parmesan cheese.


5. Pour mixture into large serving bowl. Garnish with more Parmesan cheese.

Dan Dan Noodles

I'm a big fan of noodle dishes with a spicy peanut sauce, and this one did not disappoint. I got this recipe from the last regular episode of Good Eats to air "Use Your Noodle 5". This recipe is so easy and cheap to make, so I recommend it to all you poor college students! :) 

Tip: When you buy fresh ginger, you never use the whole freaking thing in one recipe. What I do is use what I need, and then freeze it. Just stick it in a plastic bag and throw it in the freezer. I never defrosted it before using it, because you can still peel it and cut it fairly easily even while frozen. That way you're not wasting it and it doesn't mold like it does in the fridge. 

Another tip, I always keep a big jar of roasted peanuts in the pantry. I prefer unsalted, just so they are not affecting the salt content of the dish. I sprinkle them on many asian dishes and they are just handy to have around, because I found myself using them more than I expected.

Here's the recipe adapted from Alton Brown.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cooking Time: 15 min | Difficulty: Easy | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

⅓ cup Creamy Peanut Butter
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tbsp Grated Fresh Ginger
2 Tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 Tbsp Chili Oil
¼ cup Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
8 ounces Ramen Noodles (4 packets of Top Ramen noodles, just discard the flavor packets)
½ cup Roasted Peanuts, chopped
3 Scallions, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Place the peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and chili oil into the bowl of a mini-food processor. Process until the mixture is well combined and forms a paste, 1 to 2 minutes. With the processor running, gradually add the chicken broth and process until the sauce is creamy and well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, cover, and set aside while you prepare the rest of the dish.

2. Place 4 quarts water into a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook until al dente, 1 to 1 ½ minutes. Drain thoroughly in a colander. Add the noodles to the bowl with the sauce and toss to combine. Serve topped with the peanuts and scallions.

Margaritas!

I never thought about the combination of orange juice with margaritas, but it totally works! I found this tasty recipe from my favorite cook, Alton Brown on his show Good Eats.

Here's the recipe adapted from Alton Brown.


Prep Time: 5 min | Serves: 1 cocktail


Ingredients:
2 ounces 100 Percent Agave Silver/Blanco Tequila, divided (I used the Milagro brand tequila, and it tasted wonderful)
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
4 Limes, divided
½ small Hamlin Or Valencia Orange
2 Tbsp Light Agave Nectar
¾ cup Ice Cubes, about 3 to 4


Directions:
1. Pour ½-ounce of the tequila into a small saucer. Spread the kosher salt in a separate small saucer. Dip the rim of a martini or other wide rimmed glass into the tequila. Lift out of the tequila and hold upside down for 10 seconds to allow for slight evaporation. Next, dip the glass into the salt to coat the rim. Set aside.


2. Halve 2 of the limes, cut a thin slice for garnish from 1, and set aside. Juice the halved limes into the bottom of a Boston-style cocktail shaker. Cut the remaining 2 limes and the orange into quarters and add them to the juice in the shaker. Add the agave nectar to and muddle for 2 minutes until the juices are release. Strain the juice mixture through a cocktail strainer into the top of the shaker and discard the solids.


3. Return the juice to the bottom of the shaker, add the remaining 1 ½ ounces of tequila and any remaining on the saucer. Add the ice to the shaker, cover and shake for 30 seconds. Strain the mixture through a cocktail strainer into the prepared glass, garnish with reserved lime slice, and serve immediately.