Pho Vietnamese soup

Beef bones (find the least expensive, I used frozen short ribs traditionally,  knuckle bones are used)
Onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 lb. Thinly sliced beef (sirloin)
2 cans Beef broth
4 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 finger Ginger, grated
2 dashes Star anise
Dash cayenne
Rice noodles

Side condiments
Mung beans sprouts
Sliced jalapeño
Cilantro
Thai basil
Sriracha sauce
Lime wedges

Boil bones with water, grated ginger, sliced onions, diced garlic for 1 hour. Remove the bones. Add star anise and cinnamon stick, rice noodles and thinly sliced meat. Add a few leaves of cilantro. Serve once the noodles are cooked (about 10 minutes). Add the condiments to your bowl.

If you use short ribs,  you can pull the meat off the bones and make the sauce to marinate the meat. In a small pot, mix 1 clove chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons vinegar (rice wine),  2 teaspoons brown sugar, 1/4 c. Soy sauce, 2 teaspoons water, 2-3 teaspoons cornstarch and a Dan of sesame oil. let the sauce thicken over medium low heat. Pour over the meat. Reheat and serve with rice.

Pan fried Brussel Sprouts with sliced garlic

After a trip to Whole Foods, we discovered how much we love Brussel sprouts. We started to make it on our own. They are very easy to make.

Wash the sprouts. Slice them into quarters and remove the stem.. Slice 3 garlic cloves in half. Pour about 1/4 cup olive oil into the pan. Cook over medium low heat, stirring to cook evenly, preventing the sprouts to burn too much. If the pan starts to get too dry, add more oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you want to make it extra special, cook bacon in the pan first. Remove and add oil and the rest of the ingredients.

Bill Yosses White House Spiced Honey Cake

3 cups flour, sifted
1/2 t. Salt
1 t. Cinnamon
1 t. Baking soda
2 cups honey
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup raisins
(lemon or orange rind or a candied rind might make a nice addition)

Preheat oven to 325. Mix flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Set aside.

In another bowl mix honey, eggs, and orange juice with a woodened spoon. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix in raisins as well.

Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans and divide batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for 1 hour nd 15 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Mu shu pork

Makes about 8 servings

3 Tablespoons soy sauce,  divided
2 Tablespoons sherry, divided
4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
8 oz. lean pork cut into matchstick pieces
 3 Dried mushrooms
2 dried wood ears (type of mushroom)
Mushrooms can be found at your local Asian market
7 teaspoons veggie oil, divided
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 cup bamboo shoots cut into matchstick pieces
1 small carrots, shredded
1/ can chicken broth
2 cups bean sprouts
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
16 mandarin pancakes
(you an use flour tortillas instead)

Marinade:
Combine 1 Tablespoon soy sauce and 1 Tablespoon sherry and 1 teaspoons cornstarch. Add pork and coat well. Let stand 30 minutes.

Mushrooms:
To reconstitute the mushrooms, place in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Let stand for 30 mi utes. Then drain and squeeze out extra water. Remove the stems. Cut the caps into thin slices. Cut wood ears into thin strips.

Omelet:
Heat 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add 1/2 of the egg mixture. Tilt to cover the bottom. Cook until egg is set. Loosen edges, turn omelet over and cook for another 5 seconds. Remove and repeat with oil and remaining egg mixture. When it is cool enough to touch, cut in half then into thin strips.

Sauce:
Combine 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon sherry, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch. Add water, sugar, sesame oil. Mix well.

In a wok or large skillet over high heat, add ginger. Add pork and stir for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, wood ears, bamboo shoots, carrot and chicken broth. Stir for 2 minutes. Add bean sprouts and onions and stir for 1 minute. Add the sauce and stir until it thickens. Stir in omelet strips.

To serve, spread about 2 teaspoon hoisin sauce on each pancake/tortilla. Spoon 3 Tablespoons pork mixtures pork mixture down the center and roll up.

If you are courageous enough to make you can make your own pancakes. Here is the recipe.

2 cups lour
3/4 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Place flour in a bowl, making a well in the center. Pour the water in the well. Press ino a ball. Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Cover and rest 30 minutes. Roll the dough into a 10 inch long log. Cut into 10 equal pieces. Keep unused pieces covered (can use plastic wrap). Cut each piece in half, roll out into a ball. On a floured surface, roll out one of the balls into a 3 inch circle and brush the top with sesame oil. Roll out the other ball into a 3 inch circle. Stack the 2nd ball on top of the 1st and roll out
to a 6-7 inch circle. Repeat wih remaining dough, covering each pancake as you make it.

Cook pancakes 1 at a time over medium low heat turning every 30 seconds for about 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook. Serve after cooking.
L