Balsamic Tomato Chicken with Cous Cous & Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Balsamic Tomato Chicken (left); Cous Cous, Spinach and Balsamic Chicken (middle) and Chocolate Covered Strawberries (right)

note: photos above were taken with my phone, so not the prettiest (but, when i replace my stolen Canon, you will see better photos)

So, what have I been doing with my time? Well, I decided to finally make use of my kitchen. I guess thats what unemployed people do. haha. just kidding. But seriously, two main goals for the year -- if i can keep the goal is to ...

a) cook more, or at least a new dish/recipe every week and b) keep in touch with my good friends...

so i figure.... they can both coincide. I know i can't cook for all of you... so i figure, i'll share photos with you and that way we will still stay connected through food! i hope this entertains you and you will either say ... "ooooh, ahh, that looks good... now i'm hungry" or the opposite - "ugh, yuck thats gross. i just lost my appetite. "

So every week i'll choose a random dish to make. this was the second time i did this...and the menu was balsamic tomato chicken. Thank you Josephine for participating in the taste test! if anyone has any great recipes -- let me know. I wouldn't mind trying out some good recipes!

Until next time ...

The Not Martin Yan Can Cook signing off...

p.s. lets hope this will become a good habit! cross your fingers!

Photos are not that great since its with my camera phone. :D but just wait until i get my new camera...

p.s. if you want to be removed from this mailing list let me know. :D

My First Cooking Adventure -- Let's Cook Short Ribs

This is my first attempt to cook from scratch and what better way to start than to cook Spare Ribs! I was inspired after reading my Real Simple magazine and saw the recipe for it.

So I just hopped to it. Since it was my first cooking adventure, I decided to cook for one, which was a mistake considering I had spare ribs for three nights straight... I loved eating them, but having too much of a good thing is... well, you know -- too much of a good thing ... :D

I had to admit it was a bit daunting cooking this. You first have to marinade the heck out of the ribs, then bake it and finally you put it in the broiler for the final "crisp and charred" look. [If you haven't got the faintest idea what a broiler is ... well, its the bottom thing below your oven which you probably thought was part of the oven decor -- it actually has a practical use! -- so pull that straight handle and open it up! -- if you turn it on, you'll notice the flames are raging down there!]

oh yes, heaven! BUT, I do have to say -- i think the spare ribs that Sandy Ko once made were far more delicious and tender... so I will be asking her for her family recipe ... and I will cook this dish once more! yum yum yum!