Lemon Meringue Pie

After all the jams and preserves I've been making recently, I found myself with a surplus of lemons one day.  That coupled with the realization that Marie Callendar's closed all their stores in Oregon inspired me to create this lemon meringue pie.

I remember in the summers growing up, we used to eat Marie Callendar's fresh fruit pies - my favorite used to be the strawberry and peach ones. I never liked the lemon meringue pie (or any meringue pie for that matter), mostly because I thought meringue tasted strange. But as I got older, I think meringue grew on me. This pie is a perfect one for summer - a slightly tart but sweet lemon curd balanced out perfectly by the fluffy meringue. It is the perfect way to use up some extra lemons.

Pan-Fried Pork Tenderloin with Blueberry Chutney

After how much fun I had during my first strawberry picking adventure, I decided it would be the summer I would check out all the local farms here in Portland. I figured since I love berries so much, I should figure out where they actually grow and what they look like (outside the supermarket). They don't just come in boxes...

Since it's the beginning of blueberry season, I decided to go blueberry picking as my next trip out to the fields. Last weekend was the first day the farms opened for blueberry picking. I was so excited that despite the rain - typical of Portland, atypical of the summers - I still went. It wasn't quite as fun with the rain and the muddy fields. I gave in after less than half an hour mainly because I found several critters falling from the plants into my berry bucket (spiders and pincher bugs, yuck). I spent most of the time trying to fish them out with a stick that I thought maybe blueberry picking isn't as fun as strawberry picking. Maybe there are more bugs in blueberries.. or maybe it's just the rain? As I left, I saw a ladybug (which I think is a sign of good luck) - I decided it was a sign to go try again another day.

Grilled Scallops with Tomato-Bas​il-Onion Relish

Whenever I see scallops at the market, I think of the dried ones I used to find in a bowl of congee [or a thick Chinese "rice-soup" as I call it] or at some dim sum restaurant. They were always very tasty, but I always thought they were unhealthy.

This perception is shared by my hubby too. One day at the market, I found scallops on special, and he said he'd rather have something else. After all, we don't want to load up on preventable cholesterol, but at the same time I wondered - are scallops really that bad? How bad are they?

Tilapia Fish Tacos

A taco is a traditional Mexican dish composed of a corn or wheat tortilla folded or rolled around a filling. A taco can be made with a variety of fillings which makes it a versatile dish. Plus, you eat it with your hands, so there are no utensils to wash later :).

Usually on those lazy evening when I don't feel like cooking yet I don't want to go out and eat, I make taco's with pork or chicken. But this time, I decided to try a fish version - with tilapia. I grilled some bell peppers, onions, and some sweet corn. Then I pan-seared some tilapia with a sprinkling of a cumin, chile, and garlic. It was simple, quick, and delish!

Fresh Strawberry Tart

This is an overdue post since I've been swamped with other kitchen creations, and I just wanted to share the simplicity of an amazing strawberry tart [or pie]. When I went strawberry picking for the first time, I ended up with 21 pounds of Hood strawberries. The following day, I made strawberry jam [and that was the first time I canned anything]. The day after, I made a strawberry pie [well, it was in the form of a tart] that was 10 times better better than Marie Callendar's strawberry pie!

Grilled Salmon with Peach Salsa

One afternoon, I walked into "Whole Paycheck" [aka. Whole Foods] and was happily surprised to find their Alaskan King Salmon on special. I know you can hardly call it a bargain ringing in at $16.99/lb. when comparing it to chicken or pork, but I was in the mood for some fish.. so I grabbed a pound.

Dark Cherry Clafoutis Tart

Two weeks ago, I went to celebrate a friend's birthday at Simpatica, a restaurant that serves dishes made from seasonal and local ingredients, with a menu that changes each day. Our dessert that evening was a very yummy dark cherry clafoutis (pronounced kla-foo-TEE) tart that was paired with an almond ice cream. Of course, once I took a bite of that, I knew that would be a future creation I'd have to try making.

A cherry clafoutis is a rustic looking French country dessert from the Limousin region that is traditionally made with the first sweet cherries of the season [the cherries were left unpitted so their kernels could release their delicate almond flavor as they baked]. It is a pudding of sorts, with the sweet cherries covered by a thin pancake-like batter and baked in a hot oven until the batter has set with nicely browned and slightly puffed edges.

It's Strawberry Season, Hoods! Jam!

Yes, I'm finally back from my month-long hiatus from the blogging world. During the past month, I spent some time traveling throughout Taiwan where I took in the lovely sights of the country and ate tons of local cuisines - don't get me started on the night markets :).

This past July 4th weekend, I went strawberry picking for the first time (and dragged my hubby along for the fun of it). Usually when Hood season begins, I always buy $13 half-flats of Hood strawberries [which are only in season for about 3 weeks a year here in Portland]. If you haven't had these before, they are the sweetest and most flavorful strawberries you'll ever find - and they had a little "hood" or bump at the top. This year, my favorite farm opened a "U-pick" section - so I had to go.