Monthly Archives: May 2015

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Roy Rogers Fried Chicken

May 25, 2015 8:19 am , 2 Comments ,
Roy Rogers Fried Chicken

Two summers ago, our whole family drove to the States (New Jersey area, close to Philadelphia) to visit my uncles, aunts and cousins. When I say the whole family, I mean we rented a 11-passenger van to fit everyone!

One of our missions on every road trip to the US is to find the elusive Roy Rogers fast-food restaurant. They are famous for their fried chicken and roast beef sandwiches. Every time we’ve visited, my older brother and I HAD to eat their chicken. We even got my younger brother, who didn’t live there when he was little, to share our enthusiasm for Roy Rogers fried chicken. My uncle always wondered why we kept wanting to eat there. He said, “Church’s Chicken is better!” But eating at Roy Rogers brought back fond memories for my older brother and I because it was one of the fun outings with my cousins when we lived in the States.

Roy Rogers has since disappeared from the Philadelphia landscape. They’ve been overtaken by newer and perhaps better fried chicken places. Now it seems like they mostly reside at service stops throughout interstate highways or in certain parts of Philadelphia.

After crossing the border from Canada to the US, our first sighting of Roy Rogers was the second service stop at Clifton Springs. Of course, we were super hungry after we crossed the border and couldn’t wait so we ate at the first service stop instead. Shucks! Every time we go, we forget it’s the second service stop!

We didn’t get to eat at any Roy Rogers chicken during our stay in New Jersey and Philadelphia. But alas, on our drive back, we stopped at the Allentown Service Plaza and devoured the much anticipated Roy Rogers fried chicken! I honestly don’t remember if it tastes better than any other franchised fried chicken restaurants. It’s not the taste or aroma of the chicken that brings back my childhood memories. It’s eating it with my family that does. Hunting for Roy Rogers has become a family tradition. This fried chicken has become a collective Memorable Dish of my brothers and I. I can’t wait for our next road trip to the States again!

Roy Rogers Fried Chicken

Posted in: Chicken, Main Course, Poultry , Tagged: ,

Tuna Casserole

May 19, 2015 8:27 am , Leave a Comment ,
Tuna Casserole

You’d be surprised that I run out of food at my house. Yes, I do cook a lot but I try to buy fresh food as much as possible. I have nothing against the freezer. I do buy meat in bulk and freeze it. I make baby food and freeze it. And I buy frozen veggies and other frozen instant products when I’m in a food jam. But on one cold winter’s day, I actually had no meat in the freezer. I didn’t want to venture out to the grocery store in deep-freeze weather. What to do?…What can I make?…Tuna casserole!

Since I didn’t grow up with a North American mother, tuna casserole was not a childhood dish of mine. I don’t quite remember when I was first introduced to it. I might’ve eaten it at a friend’s house or I might’ve made it by myself since it’s such an easy dish to whip up. I didn’t discover tuna casserole until I was much older.

This seems like a dish of yesteryear when everyone today is eating designer foods. But there’s a comfort and simplicity to this dish. A can of cream of mushroom soup, cans of tuna and egg noodles (I use whole wheat rotini pasta). I also use grated cheese as a topping instead of the usual bread crumb topping I’ve seen in other recipes.

Whether you’ve had tuna casserole while growing up or never had it, give it a try! You can stock the items in your pantry and freezer and cook it in a pinch. Or like me, when you run out of meat in the house!

The first time I served this dish for the kids, they exclaimed, “We used to have this at daycare!” That was heartwarming to hear that they recollect eating this Memorable Dish at daycare where the ladies who cared for them were like family.

Tuna Casserole

Tuna Casserole

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 box whole wheat Rotini Pasta (375 g)
  • 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 2 cans Tuna (7 oz can)
  • 2 cups frozen mixed Vegetables
  • 2 tsp Olive Oil
  • 1 cup grated Cheddar Cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Boil the pasta based on the instructions found on the package.
  3. Drain the pasta into a colander and mix with olive oil to prevent from sticking.
  4. In a large bowl, mix the mushroom soup, milk, tuna (drain the liquid) and vegetables together.
  5. Put the pasta into the mixture and mix until everything is combined.
  6. Pour tuna mixture and pasta into a baking dish and top with cheeses.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes or until pasta is bubbling.
https://www.memorabledishes.com/tuna-casserole/

Posted in: Fish, Main Course, Noodles, Pasta , Tagged: , ,

Circle of Food – Peking Duck Noodle Soup

May 10, 2015 8:38 am , Leave a Comment ,
Peking Duck Noodle Soup

My kids love eating at food courts inside of Chinese malls. I guess they love eating in any food court for that matter. They get very excited because it’s a treat and there are lots of places to choose from. What makes the Chinese food courts unique is the fact that they are all individually-owned. It’s a nice break from the franchised restaurants that we are used to at regular malls. It almost feels like we are eating on the streets filled with different food vendors, but in an enclosed and comfortable seating environment.

We often order dishes from different shops so we get to try everything. Since being a parent with young kids, I’ve ordered foods that the kids would eat, but not necessarily what I like to eat. Just the other evening, I went to the Chinese food court with my kids and my mom. As always, I ordered something the kids wanted to eat – fried noodles. I didn’t really want that but ordered it anyways. My mom ended up ordering what I normally like to eat – Peking Duck Noodle Soup. Maybe she wanted to eat that but I got a feeling she ordered it because of me 🙂

This brought back memories of when my mom and I were on a plane ride flying to Hong Kong. I loved that you got to choose between Western or Chinese entrées. For breakfast, there was a choice between congee or omelette. I ordered the omelette and my mom ordered the congee. I took a bite of the omelette and didn’t like it. Without a second thought, my mom gave me her congee. (Just so you know, I was a full-grown adult when it happened). I just voiced my dislike for the omelette and she gave me the congee right away!

I do the same for the kids now. I eat their food when they don’t finish it or I trade with them if they don’t like something. It’s like the circle of life or what I’d like to call – the circle of food. Parents always put their kids’ needs first no matter how old they are.

Just so you know, I have not attempted to make Peking duck at home. Even if I did, it would not taste the same as the ones you’d find at your typical Chinese BBQ shop. The method, technique, equipment and all that is involved in making a Peking duck is an art form. You can find Peking ducks sold at Chinese BBQ shops, Chinese restaurants that specialize in BBQ, or at select Chinese grocery stores. Once you buy your Peking duck, this dish is super easy to prepare and very comforting to eat.

Peking Duck Noodle Soup

Peking Duck Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Roasted Peking Duck*
  • 1 package of Jiang Xi Rice Vermicelli
  • 8 small stalks of Shanghai Bok Choy (Wash and cut in half.)
  • 5 cups of homemade Chicken Stock or store-bought Chicken Broth
  • 2 slices of Ginger
  • 2 cloves of whole Garlic
  • 2 stalks of Green Onion (Use the white part to infuse the broth and thinly slice the green parts as garnish.)
  • *You can buy ½ or whole roasted Peking ducks at Chinese BBQ shops. Don’t forget to ask for extra plum sauce.

Preparation

  1. Boil the vermicelli based on the instructions found on the package.
  2. Drain the vermicelli into a colander and rinse it with cold water.
  3. Put ginger, garlic, white parts of the green onion into the stock/broth and bring it to a boil. (You can take them out after the broth has been infused with these flavours.)
  4. Once the broth is boiled, add the Shanghai bok choy and boil for a minute or so.
  5. Then add the cooked vermicelli.
  6. Once the broth is boiling again. Turn off heat.
  7. Divide up the noodles and bok choy into bowls. Top with broth and sprinkle sliced green onions on the top.
  8. You can place the Peking duck on top of the noodles or you can place them on the side.

Notes

Note #1: If you cannot find Jiang Xi Rice Vermicelli, use whatever rice vermicelli is available at your grocery store. Alternatively, you can always use any type of egg noodles as well.

Note #2: From my package of Jiang Xi Rice Vermicelli, it says to cook for 6-8 minutes. I have to cook them for 10-12 minutes for them to be al dente to soft. Test them out before draining the vermicelli to get the right consistency.

Note #3: If you cannot find Shanghai bok choy, you can use baby bok choy or any type of vegetable that you like.

https://www.memorabledishes.com/peking-duck-noodle-soup/

Jiang Xi Rice Vermicelli

Jiang Xi Rice Vermicelli

 

Posted in: Main Course, Noodles, Poultry, Soup , Tagged: , ,

Beef on a Kaiser

May 4, 2015 7:48 am , 8 Comments ,
Beef on a Kaiser

Guess where I had the most amazing beef on a kaiser? It was at a suburban mini mall in Scarborough called Agincourt Mall more than twenty years ago. Gosh, I am THAT old! At the time there were no places to eat except in this cafeteria-style restaurant. You know the ones where you pick up a tray, pick a salad from the cold food section, order your hot food from the person behind the counter and slide your tray at the end of the line to pay for your meal.

My mom would take my older brother and I to this mini mall to shop and eat. We went back frequently along with my younger brother even after we moved out of the neighbourhood just to eat their beef on a kaiser. Some time later they sold their business to another owner and converted the cafeteria-style restaurant into a full-fledged restaurant. Unfortunately, we tried ordering the beef on a kaiser and it wasn’t the same in either taste or experience.

Even though this joint is like a relic by today’s standards, I loved the whole experience of eating there. I especially enjoyed watching the man behind the counter assembling our sandwiches. Not only was he fast but there was a grace to it. I wish I could show you a video of him preparing the sandwich because my descriptions don’t do it justice. First, he cut the kaiser bun in half. Then he pierced the top half of the bun with his carving fork and dipped it quickly into the au jus without soaking up the bun. Then he cut thick pieces of beef on the what I believe was a prime rib roast on the bone and lay the meat on the bottom half of the kaiser. At last he took the top half of the bun and dipped it quickly into the au jus, put it on top of the beef and cut our sandwich in half. He made our sandwiches so perfectly and quickly that you’d think it was to be served at a fancy restaurant.

When this Memorable Dish was triggered my mind, I thought to myself, “How am I going to make this?!?!” I didn’t even know what cut of beef or spices the restaurant used! I tried recreating it based on recipes I found online. I think the restaurant used prime rib beef because they always gave my mom the rib bone with her sandwich. (They only gave the rib bone to their favourite customers, at least we liked to think so 😉

I’m satisfied with the results of this recreated sandwich. Both my mom and younger brother agree that it’s pretty close to what we had at the restaurant. I am so happy that we got to recollect this Memorable Dish together and can’t wait to make it next time for my older brother 🙂

Beef on a Kaiser

Beef on a Kaiser

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

6 Sandwiches

Ingredients

  • 1 Prime Rib Roast (approximately 4 pounds)
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 6 Kaiser Rolls
  • For Au Jus
  • 1 small diced Onion
  • 2 minced Garlic
  • 2 tsp of Olive Oil
  • 3 cups of Beef Broth
  • 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  2. Rub roast with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder and place on rack in a shallow roasting pan.
  3. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until thermometer reads 130°F.
  4. Rest the roast for approximately 20-30 minutes by placing it in another dish and cover with foil while you make the au jus.
  5. Skim off excess fat from the roasting pan.
  6. Heat roasting pan with 1 cup of beef broth and scrape the bits from the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
  7. Heat small pot with olive oil.
  8. Sauté onions until softened, then add garlic.
  9. Add beef broth from the roasting pan and the remaining 2 cups of beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring it to a boil and set aside.
  10. Carve beef.
  11. Cut the kaiser bun in half and lightly dip the inside of the top and bottom bun.
  12. Make a sandwich by placing the sliced beef in the bun.

Notes

Note #1: Make sure you take the roast out of the refrigerator and leave to sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

Note #2: You can have the au jus as a dipping sauce on the side if desired.

https://www.memorabledishes.com/beef-on-a-kaiser/

Posted in: Beef, Main Course , Tagged: , , ,
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