To Do List- Recipe Collection

This is the story of a Recipe Collection Dinner.

If you are like me, you enjoying drooling over food magazines and cookbooks. I troll through them, copying recipes or ripping them out.
Of course as a result, I have two bulging binders filled with recipe clippings, in addition to 3 dozen or so cookbooks- that's a lot of dishes to try!

I need to go through more of these and actually make them. Perhaps once a week, make a new recipe from this stack? A lofty goal but I will try, and you are my witnesses!

~:~

I pulled one from here last night. It was in the front pocket of one binder, but it also sounded super appealing last night. I love Asian soups, and after a more indulgent weekend this was a perfect Monday night meal. I ripped this from Sunset Magazine's December '07 issue, and I did make a few modifications.
I added tofu and chicken to our serving bowls, so that NH could have plenty of protein and mine was vegetarian. You can use any combination of chicken and vegetable broth, or just one.

If you prefer different vegetables, use them too. Some baby bok choy would be nice, or fresh spinach, corn, or a julienne of carrots.

Japanese One-Pot

3 oz cellophane noodles, aka saifun or bean-thread

5 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup cooking sherry

1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/2 Tbs sugar
4 thin slices of fresh ginger, peeled
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
4 oz. sugar snap peas
4 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
3 scallions (green and white parts), cut into 1-in lengths

Optional:
cubed cooked chicken breast
seared tofu

Place the cellophane noodles in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before draining and setting aside. These noodles can be quite long so trim them into shorter lengths if you prefer.

In a large pot, combine the broth, sake, sherry, sugar, and ginger. Bring to a bowl, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the vegetables and noodles and simmer about 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still have bite.

Add chicken and tofu to large bowls, if desired. Ladle the soup carefully; you may need tongs to serve the noodles. Slurp up with large spoons and chopsticks.

Here is the magazine photo:

And my bowl

Not too bad, eh?

Verdict: Delicious! The cellophane noodles are fun to eat, and we loved the flavor of this broth. I can see this being a new 'winter/sick/warm comfort' staple.

It passed the "keeper" test and will remain in the recipe folder. :-)

~:~