Got Mint?

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

My favorite ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip and therefore everything mint-chocolate has me drooling for more. Fads may come and go, as do other flavor combos, but mint chip has always been here to stay in my book. If it's good as an ice cream, why not make a cookie out of it?

Bo Bia Spring Roll Recipe

When it comes to Vietnamese food, I usually let Nhan do the cooking. Although I have tried to make a few classic Vietnamese dishes, they never turn out quite as good as Mom's cooking despite all those years spent as her "sous chef" in Mom's kitchen.  And like many hand-me-down recipes, Mom's instructions usually consist of "a pinch" of this, or "a spoon" of that.  I really need to start convincing her to measure everything and write it all down so these recipes can truly be preserved. Nevertheless, I was able to pick up a thing or two. 
Spring rolls are one of my favorite Vietnamese appetizers. There are so many different types of spring rolls. What's so great about them is how light and refreshing they usually are and that you can eat a ton of them without feeling bloated and heavy afterwards. One of my favorite spring rolls is bo bia: stir fried jicama root with fresh mint leaves, eggs, and Chinese sausage wrapped in rice paper and accompanied by a peanut dipping sauce.

It's Enchilada Time

Vegetarian Enchilada Shells

I picked up this recipe from my dear college friends Avni and Jinali. They graciously had me over for dinner one day and I fell in love with this dish. It is the perfect recipe for sharing, especially at potlucks, since the shells make for great individualized servings and you don't even need a knife! On busy call months, I like using this recipe since we end up with leftovers for days which means less cooking, more sleep. 

Spinach Puffs Recipe

One of my favorite things about dinner parties are the appetizers, more specifically mini appetizers. My mom and I both enjoy cooking and coming up with new dishes to impress and what makes them even better is when they come out looking cute! My ideal party would be a tasting party, where all the food comes in mini sizes or tapas style so you can try a little bit of everything. This recipe is one out of my mom's repertoire and fits all these categories: mini, cute, tasty, and simple to make! 

Holy Guacamole!

Chunky Guacamole Recipe

One of my favorite items to get when going to a Mexican restaurant, is chips and guac. When I say guac, I mean REAL guacamole. None of the "add water and mix" stuff. Being in southern California has raised my standards for Mexican food, and thereby guacamole. It makes me oh so sad when I order guac and what they serve me is a watery mush with barely recognizable avocado. Creamy, chunky, spicy, and FRESH are the words I am looking for to describe the perfect guacamole. So I set off to make my own restaurant style guacamole.