Lobster Rolls

A few weeks ago my husband and I decided to splurge on groceries for the week and make these lobster rolls. Let me tell you, it was worth it! Imagine sweet, buttery lobster placed over crisp lettuce, and topped with a spicy mayo all on a grilled bun. Delicious. 

To make 4 lobster rolls you will need:

• 4 steamed LOBSTER TAILS
• 3 Tbs + 2 Tbs BUTTER, melted
• 1/4 of an ONION, finely chopped
• 4 NEW ENGLAND STYLE BUNS (you could just square off the sides of 4 hot dog buns)
• 8 BIBB LETTUCE LEAVES (I used romaine because my grocery store was out of Bibb lettuce)
• 2 Tbs OLIVE OIL
• 1 Tbs RED WINE VINEGAR
• SALT & PEPPER, to taste
• 1/2 cup of SPICY MAYO (see recipe below)
• 1 Tbs CHIVES, minced
• Optional: LEMON WEDGES

For the spicy mayo you will need: (DON'T SKIP THIS! It makes the whole dish! (I also put this on sandwiches!))

• 1/2 cup HELLMANN'S MAYO
• 1 Tbs DIJON MUSTARD
• 1/2 tsp MUSTARD POWDER
• 1/2 tsp LEMON JUICE
• 1/4 tsp OLD BAY
• 1/4 tsp SRIRACHA HOT SAUCE (add more if you like spicy food!) 

Start off by making the spicy mayo. Put all of the ingredients into a small bowl and mix!

Whisk up the olive oil and red wine vinegar with a pinch of salt and pepper. Then dress the lettuce with the mixture. 

Take 3 tablespoons of melted butter and brush it onto the cut (outer) sides of the buns.

Grill each side of the buns until golden brown. 

Take the cooked lobster meat out of the shell and cut it into bite sized pieces.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small pot and then saute the onion in the butter.

Toss the lobster in the butter and onion.

Assemble the lobster rolls by placing the lettuce leaves into each bun, add the buttery lobster, drizzle on the spicy mayo, and lastly garnish with chives and lemon juice.

Then enjoy!

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Lobster Rolls

Ingredients:

To make 4 lobster rolls you will need:

• 4 steamed LOBSTER TAILS
• 3 Tbs + 2 Tbs BUTTER, melted
• 1/4 of an ONION, finely chopped
• 4 NEW ENGLAND STYLE BUNS (you could just square off the sides of 4 hot dog buns)
• 8 BIBB LETTUCE LEAVES (I used romaine because my grocery store was out of Bibb lettuce)
• 2 Tbs OLIVE OIL
• 1 Tbs RED WINE VINEGAR
• SALT & PEPPER, to taste
• 1/2 cup of SPICY MAYO (see recipe below)
• 1 Tbs CHIVES, minced
• Optional: LEMON WEDGES

For the spicy mayo you will need: (DON'T SKIP THIS! It makes the whole dish! I also put this on sandwiches!)

1/2 cup HELLMANN'S MAYO
1 Tbs DIJON MUSTARD
1/2 tsp MUSTARD POWDER
1/2 tsp LEMON JUICE
1/4 tsp OLD BAY
1/4 tsp SRIRACHA HOT SAUCE (add more if you like spicy food!) 

Directions:

1. Start off by making the spicy mayo. Put all of the ingredients into a small bowl and mix!
2. Whisk up the olive oil and red wine vinegar with a pinch of salt and pepper. Then dress the lettuce with the mixture. 
3. Take 3 tablespoons of melted butter and brush it onto the cut (outer) sides of the buns. Grill each side of the buns until golden brown. 
4. Take the cooked lobster meat out of the shell and cut it into bite sized pieces.
5. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small pot and then saute the onion in the butter. Toss the lobster in the butter and onion.
6. Assemble the lobster rolls by placing the lettuce leaves into each bun, add the buttery lobster, drizzle on the spicy mayo, and lastly garnish with chives and lemon juice.

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This original version of this recipe can be found at the following link: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/geoffrey-zakarian/lobster-roll.html

Chicken Yakisoba

My husband and I have been cooking food with a lot of Asian flavors lately and one of our favorite ways to do this is in a stir-fry! This recipe is great because (unlike most Asian recipes I've found) it doesn't require you to go out and buy 5 different kinds of sauces and oils that will most likely sit it the back of your fridge unused for the foreseeable future.

Another thing I like about this recipe is that it uses a few ingredients that I have come to know as 'staples' in the college kitchen and elevates the flavors to another level. Can you guess what they are?  Ramen noodles and Sriracha hot sauce of course!

To make my twist on a chicken yakisoba you will need:

• 2 medium CARROTS
• 1 large crown of BROCCOLI
• 1 medium ONION
• 1 CHICKEN BREAST
• 2 Tbs VEGETABLE OIL
• 2 (3 oz.) packages RAMEN NOODLES (Discard the seasoning packets! We will find flavors in other ingredients!)
• Optional: 1 tsp SESAME OIL
• SALT
• PEPPER

For the sauce you will need:

• 1/4 cup SOY SAUCE
• 1/4 cup WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
• 2 Tbs KETCHUP
• 1/2 Tbs SRIRACHA HOT SAUCE (if you like a lot of spice you could add another 1/2 Tbs)

Ok, before you start cooking anything you are going to have to spend some time chopping veggies. Peel the carrots and then grate them using a cheese grater with large holes. Next, cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Then slice the onion into strips. And lastly, cut the chicken into thin strips and then cut the strips into bite-sized pieces. (I do the chicken last, so I don't have to use more than 1 cutting board and knife.)

In a medium bowl whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup, and 1/2 tablespoon of sriracha. Then set it aside for later.

Once you are ready to start cooking, bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil and cook the Ramen noodles for 2-3 minutes or until they are just barely under-cooked. Then drain the noodles and mix in 1 tsp of sesame oil to keep the noodles from sticking together.

Next, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Once the oil is hot, cook the chicken for 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Sprinkle chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper. When the chicken is cooked through set it aside in a small bowl. (Ideally you could just keep adding things to the skillet and not have to take the chicken out, but unfortunately my large skillet is not bottomless...)

Add another tablespoon of oil to the (now empty) large skillet. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook it for 1-2 minutes, continuously stirring, until the strips start to get tender. Then add in the broccoli and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Don't forget to keep stirring! The broccoli will start to turn a beautiful bright green! Next, add the grated carrots and cook, still stirring, for 1-2 more minutes.



Now, that the veggies are almost cooked through and tender, add your chicken back in to warm it back up. Once all of the ingredients are hot, slowly start adding the sauce while continually tossing the ingredients in the skillet to keep everything hot. Lastly, add the noodles and continue tossing everything is the sauce. Once everything is well mixed together and hot serve it up!

 Close up!

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Chicken Yakisoba

Ingredients:

• 2 medium CARROTS
• 1 large crown of BROCCOLI
• 1 medium ONION
• 1 CHICKEN BREAST
• 2 Tbs VEGETABLE OIL
• 2 (3 oz.) packages RAMEN NOODLES (Discard the seasoning packets! We will find flavors in other ingredients!)
• Optional: 1 tsp SESAME OIL
• SALT
• PEPPER
• 1/4 cup SOY SAUCE
• 1/4 cup WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
• 2 Tbs KETCHUP
• 1/2 Tbs SRIRACHA HOT SAUCE (if you like a lot of spice you could add another 1/2 Tbs)

Directions:

1. Peel the carrots and then grate them using a cheese grater with large holes. Next, cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Then slice the onion into strips. And lastly, cut the chicken into thin strips and then cut the strips into bite-sized pieces. (I do the chicken last, so I don't have to use more than 1 cutting board and knife.)
2. In a medium bowl whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup, and 1/2 tablespoon of sriracha. Then set it aside for later.
3. Once you are ready to start cooking, bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil and cook the Ramen noodles for 2-3 minutes or until they are just barely under-cooked. Then drain the noodles and mix in 1 tsp of sesame oil to keep the noodles from sticking together.
4. Next, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Once the oil is hot, cook the chicken for 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Sprinkle chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper. When the chicken is cooked through set it aside in a small bowl. (Ideally you could just keep adding things to the skillet and not have to take the chicken out, but unfortunately my large skillet is not bottomless...)
5. Add another tablespoon of oil to the (now empty) large skillet. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook it for 1-2 minutes, continuously stirring, until the strips start to get tender. Then add in the broccoli and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Don't forget to keep stirring! The broccoli will start to turn a beautiful bright green! Next, add the grated carrots and cook, still stirring, for 1-2 more minutes.
6. Now, that the veggies are almost cooked through and tender, add your chicken back in to warm it back up. Once all of the ingredients are hot, slowly start adding the sauce while continually tossing the ingredients in the skillet to keep everything hot. Lastly, add the noodles and continue tossing everything is the sauce. Once everything is well mixed together and hot serve it up!

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I based this recipe on the one I found on this website: http://www.budgetbytes.com/2012/03/chicken-yakisoba/

Honey Lime Chicken Marinade

Here is a marinade that will give your chicken a fresh, bright, citrus flavor! After marinading, you can grill it, bake it, or stir-fry it! We chose do make a stir-fry this time. 

For the marinade you will need:

• 3 Tbs SOY SAUCE
• 2 Tbs HONEY
• 1 Tbs OLIVE OIL
• 2 cloves of GARLIC
• 2 tsp SRIRACHA hot sauce
• RED PEPPER FLAKES to taste (we used about 1 tsp)
• 2-3 Tbs fresh chopped CILANTRO
• 2 LIMES, cubed
• 1 lb SKINLESS BONELESS CHICKEN BREASTS

In a large baggie combine all of the above ingredients. Squeeze the lime cubes into the baggie to release some of the juice, but make sure to throw the rind in the bag as well. Allow the chicken to marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours. 

To make a stir-fry like we did you will also need:

• 1/2 a RED BELL PEPPER, sliced
• 1/2 a GREEN BELL PEPPER, sliced
• 1/2 a ONION, sliced
• 2 servings of RICE

In a skillet we sauteed the peppers and onion until they were tender. We then added the chicken to the skillet along with several tablespoons of the marinade and sauteed it until the chicken was cooked through and all of the flavors had melded together. Serve over rice and enjoy!