Cure Natural Aqua Gel Winner and Chocolate Whisky Truffles Recipe

Congratulations to our winner...
...Cynthia M. Richardson (Hofken)!

Please contact me at cncliving{@}gmail.com with your mailing address information so we can ship the prizes to you!

Thanks for entering this contest and there are a few other contests coming up so stay tuned!

Now onto a delicious and decadent recipe that I kinda made up myself!  It is ridiculously easy, rich, and a wonderful treat to gift or snack on after a hard day.  I started with this recipe by Melissa Clark of the New York Times, who is like my modern day Minimalist.  But I wanted to up the "wow" factor and decided to make a slightly wicked version with alcohol.  I had good whisky on hand as well as sea salt so why not (you can replace with the alcohol of your choice!)

Here is the reaction you will get when you give someone these truffles...
Person: Wow, these are amazing and you made truffles yourself!  You are such a good cook!
You (in your head): All I did was melt some chocolate and put some salt on top!  But sure, I am amazing.

Try it yourself - you deserve it!

Chocolate Whisky Truffles
Ingredients
- 12 ounces good chocolate (60% cacao), broken up
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4-1/3 cup whisky (to taste)
- pinch of sea salt (or kosher salt) for each truffle
- 3/4 cup cocoa


Prep Time: 30 minutes
Servings: at least 20 1" truffles
Directions:
1. Roughly break up the chocolate.  They don't have to be in very small pieces because they will melt!  Put this into a bowl.

2. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it comes to a simmer.  Add the whisky according to your taste.

3. Place the heated cream in the same bowl as the chocolate and whisk to melt the chocolate.

4. Cover this bowl and leave it in the refrigerator to set for an hour or more.

5. Set aside a plate full of the cocoa powder and take out the chocolate.  Create 1"chocolate balls and roll immediately in the cocoa powder.  Don't hold the chocolate too long because it melts very easily!

6. Put a pinch of sea salt on the newly formed truffle.

You can make truffles or eat the ganache itself and cut it into fun shapes too!

SpaWeek Gift Certificate Winner and Healthier Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe

Congratulations to our winner...

...Karina of C'est La Vie!

Please e-mail me at cncliving{@}gmail.com so I can pass your information along!

Now onto a familiar, salty, favorite food - caesar salad with homemade dressing!  I always prefer savory snacks over sweet ones and had been interested in creating my own caesar salad dressing for some time.  But I didn't love the use of eggs and was hoping to incorporate a healthier oil, like my new flaxseed oil (which is not used for cooking, but for cold food preparations).  So I adapted this recipe and it came out pretty well.  Why buy bottled dressing again?

Ingredients:

- 3 garlic cloves, chopped

- 4 anchovy fillets

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (one small lemon)

- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

- 2 1/2 tablespoons plain yogurt

- 1/3-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil or flaxseed oil

- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (or romano cheese) - reserve 1/4 up cheese

- 2-3 heads butter or romaine lettuce, outer leaves discarded, inner leaves washed and dried 

- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes

- 1 cup croutons (optional if you're trying to be low carb!)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 3/4 cup can serve 4 people 

Directions:

1. Mix the garlic and salt together so that the garlic becomes the paste (I just use the back of my spoon and press it against the cutting board).

2. Combine garlic paste with the anchovies to break up the fish.

3. Mix remaining ingredients except for lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.

4. Toss dressing with the lettuce, tomatoes, croutons if applicable, and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

$100 Shopbop winner and Cilantro chutney for dinner (or any time!)

Thanks for entering the Shopbop contest lovelies!  We can only have one winner this time and that lucky person is...
...Collifornia!

Congratulations darling and please give me your contact details at cncliving {@} gmail.com!
Don't fret darlings because I have more fun giveaways coming your way!

Now I want to let you in on a saucy little secret.  Actually it's a chutney and a delicious one at that!

This may seem strange, but I actually really don't like cilantro at all.  Yet I love, love this chutney!  One of my dearest friends made it for me as an accompaniment to her famous kebabs and I just couldn't get enough of the bite, spice, and cool flavor.  This is just such a great marriage of flavors and is so versatile.  We had it in cheese sandwiches, as a sauce for those wonderful kebabs, and well just for snacking.

Thanks to my dear M for sharing her recipe!

Cilantro Chutney
- 4 large sprigs cilantro (or up to 8 smaller sprigs, this depends on leafiness and length of your sprigs, under 7" would be small)
- 2 green mangoes, cubed
- 1 small onion, minced
- 2-4 small green chili peppers (depending on how spicy you like this!)
- 1 inch ginger piece, chopped
- a dash of lime (if the green mangos start to ripen)
- salt, 1/2 - 1 teaspoon, according to taste
- 1/4 cup of water to get your blender going

1. Put all ingredients into a blender and blend away.

2. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt (this does require quite a bit though).  Flavors will intensify in a few hours so keep this in the refrigerator for a few hours if you have time.  Makes 1 - 1.5 cups of chutney.

Super Perricone Winner and Pickled Carrot and Daikon radish recipe

The winner of the Super Perricone product (any up to $150) is...

...Sarah Tucker of Fairy Tales are True!  Congratulations my dear!  I'm sure you will pick a fabulous product!  Please e-mail me at cncliving{@}gmail.com with your item choice and mailing address.

Now onto a simple and delicious pickle for the summer...pickled carrots and radishes.  These humble combination is a staple in Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches (among my favorite sandwiches of all time!)  They are so refreshing as a topping or side and really easy to make.  The cutting is labor intensive, but the delicious results (especially atop bahn mi which I'll post next time) are worth it!  I adapted this recipe from Kevin at Closet Cooking - now there is a man that can cook!

Pickled Carrots and Daikon Radishes

Ingredients:
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup distilled white or rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2/3 pound carrots (peeled and cut to match stick size)
- 1/2 pound daikon radish (peeled and cut to match stick size)

 Directions:

1. Mix the water, vinegar, sugar and salt until the sugar and salt dissolves.
2. Place the carrots and radish in a container and cover with the pickling liquid.

3. Let pickle for at least one hour.  

4. Drain the pickle when ready to eat.

Cate Parr/Silver Ridge studio Watercolor print winner and vegan jap chae (Korean stir-fried sweet potato noodles) for dinner {recipe}

The winner of the Cate Parr watercolor print is...
...Monik!  Thanks for being a Bloglovin' follower!

Congratulations!  Please send me an e-mail at cncliving{@}gmail.com with your choice of 8"x10" print and mailing address within 3 days.


Now onto another favorite recipe in our household - vegetarian jap chae!  I absolutely love this dish.  It's a savory combination of lots of fresh vegetables brightened with sesame oil and soy sauce.  Like many other East Asian vegetarian dishes, it is completely vegan and gluten-free if you use a gluten-free soy sauce.  It's slightly labor-intensive because of all the individual vegetables, but I like to prep ahead and cook it quickly on a weeknight.  It's a delicious and simple dish and I hope it becomes a favorite in your house too!  I adapted this recipe from blogger buddy Ruth to incorporate more vegetables (love veggies!)

Vegetarian/vegan jap chae (Korean stir-fried sweet potato noodles)

Serves 2-3 as a main dish, Serves 4-6 as a side dish

- 1 bundle of potato starch cellophane noodles called dangmyeon (most packages contain 2-3 bundles and can be purchased at any Korean grocery store or most Asian markets)

- 1 bunch of fresh spinach

- 1 medium yellow onion, julienned

- 1 carrot, peeled and cut into match sticks

- 1 red bell pepper, julienned

- 8-10 fresh mushrooms (shitake, portabello), sliced

- 2 stalks green onions, sliced in 1.5” slices (green parts only)

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 tablespoons Olive oil or Canola oil, divided

- 3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided  

- 3 tablespoons sesame oil, divided

- pepper

- 1.5 tablespoons sugar

- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)

1. Boil one bundle of noodles for 5 minutes until softened and al dente in texture.  Drain the noodles and add to a large mixing bowl.  Cut them a few times with kitchen shears.
2. Add 1.5 tablespoons (each) of soy sauce and sesame seed oil.  Toss noodles until sauce is evenly distributed and set aside.  

3. Using the same pot as the noodles, add enough water to boil spinach for 1 minute.  Remove spinach from water and allow to cool just enough to squeeze as much water out as possible.  Cut spinach in thirds, and massage it while seasoning with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Add spinach to the large noodle filled bowl.
4. Heat a large frying pan on high. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and cook sliced onions for 2 minutes until they become slightly golden.  Add onions to the large bowl of noodles.  

5. Stir fry the remaining vegetables with these reduced cooking times: 30 seconds for the carrots, 2 minutes for the red pepper, 1 minute for the mushrooms, and 10 seconds for the green onions. 

6. Add 1.5 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and 1.5 tablespoons of sugar, and ½ teaspoon of ground pepper to the large noodle bowl and toss everything until well mixed.
7. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the hot wok and add minced garlic.  Allow garlic to cook for a few seconds and add the entire bowl of mix noodles and vegetables to the wok/pan. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top, if using.  Serve warm or cold.  Enjoy!

Jimmy Choo for H&M winner and Malaysian/Singaporean hainanese chicken rice for dinner {recipe}

A new week, a new winner!  The winner of the Jimmy Choo for H&M bracelet is...

...Dawn, the Alternative Wife (thanks for being a Bloglovin' follower - that was her winning entry!).  Please contact me at cncliving{@}gmail.com within 3 days with your mailing address.


Now onto a new staple recipe in our house - chicken rice!  This chicken rice is one you'll find all over Singapore and Malaysia and is somewhat of a national dish in both countries (also known as Hainanese chicken rice in Malaysian restaurants).   The simple, poached chicken (or roasted which I actually prefer) is paired wonderfully with the most fragrant and tasty rice accentuated with hints of garlic, onion, and the aroma of pandan leaves.  I just made it yesterday and am glad I have tons of rice left (this recipe will make rice for at least four people!)  I combined a Mark Bittman recipe with a more traditional one.  The sauce is very sour and spicy but provides a nice tang when paired with the chicken and rice.  


Most importantly, this recipe is easy, affordable, and not too unhealthy (if you remove the chicken fat from the stock).  Enjoy!

Malaysian/Singaporean Hainanese Chicken Rice

Serves 4 to 6

Chicken and stock
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 whole (2.5 - to 4-pound) chicken, trimmed of excess fat
- 5-7 cloves smashed garlic
- Several 1/4" slices fresh ginger

Rice
- 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 shallots, roughly chopped, or a small onion

- 5 cloves minced garlic
- Several 1/4" slices fresh ginger, minced
- 3 cups long-grain rice (I used one part brown rice but this needs to either soak or more stock is needed)

- 8 pandan leaves, tied in a knot (I know this may be hard to get and this will still be tasty without it!)
- chicken stock (about 6 or so cups)

Sauce
- 1/4" slice fresh ginger, minced

- 4 cloves garlic, minced

- juice of 3 limes (or equivalent in calamansi)

- 5 tablespoons of chicken broth

- 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
- dash of hot sauce (optional because this will be hot!)

Garnish
- one cucumber, sliced
- one tomato (or several cherry tomatoes), sliced

1. Chop all ingredients and set aside - I sectioned off the portions for the soup, rice, and sauce.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add chicken to pot along with smashed garlic and sliced ginger. Bird should be completely submerged, but only just. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let bird remain in water for 45 minutes to an hour, covered, or until it is cooked through.

3. Remove chicken from pot, reserve stock, and let bird cool to room temperature. Taste test stock and flavor by adding salt 1/2 teaspoon at a time (salt should really come through in order to flavor the rice appropriately). 

4. Put 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat; you may add trimmed chicken fat to this also (err for chicken fat lovers but don't do this if you didn't skim your broth too much, it will already be somewhat oily). When oil is hot, add remaining garlic, ginger, along with shallots/onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes. 

5. Put rice and enough stock to fully cook rice (about 6 cups or so) into rice cooker along with the bundle of pandan leaves if you have it.  

6. Combine the ginger, garlic, pepper, and other sauce ingredients.

7. Shred or chop chicken, discarding skin. Put rice on a large platter and mound chicken on top of it; decorate platter with cucumbers, tomatoes, and serve.

J.E.M. Apparel Giveaway winner and Roasted vegetables with orzo for dinner {recipe}

The winner of any item from J.E.M. Apparel is...




....Giovanna of Swoon Online! 

Congratulations my dear!  Please e-mail me within 3 days at cncliving {@}gmail.com with the item you'd like, size, and mailing address.

Now onto a staple dish in our house - roasted vegetables and orzo.  This lovely vegetarian meal is fresh, flavorful, and addictive.  I love to roast vegetables year round (it's easy and hands free so why not?!) and toss it into pasta or frittatas.  I especially like this dish because the lemon and pine nuts really add an extra dimension to the dish; feta can also add a nice richness though it's still a tasty vegan dish without it.  The mix of vegetables is also flexible and fun - use a mix that works for you.  
My husband loves the smaller shape and taste of orzo, so much so that every time we go back to the US, I buy a few boxes to bring back (I don't know why they don't sell this shape here.)

This is adapted from Barefoot Contessa (I personally find she can be too heavy handed with the oil and lemon sometimes!)

Orzo with roasted vegetables

Ingredients:

- 1 small zucchini, sliced or diced*

- 2 bell peppers (red or yellow), sliced or diced*

- 1 red onion, peeled and sliced or diced*
- 1-2 tomatoes (depending on size), diced

- 4 garlic cloves, minced

- 1/4 cup good olive oil

- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

- 1/3 to 1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta (I usually go with less pasta)

* I personally prefer larger chunks of vegetables though diced vegetables will have more consistent size!

For the dressing:

- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

- 1/4 cup good olive oil

- 1 teaspoon kosher salt

- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:

- 1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts), toasted

- 3/4 pound good feta, 1/2-inch diced (optional)

- 15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Toss the zucchini, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 30 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.  I like to leave it in the oven for an extra 10-15 minutes to ensure it's cooked through.

3. Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. 

Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.
4. Toast the pine nuts until golden and fragrant (can be done in a dry pan over medium heat).

5. For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the pignolis (and basil and feta if you're using it). Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.

Perricone MD Winner and lemon cream pasta with baby arugula for dinner {recipe}

The winner of our Perricone MD $150 product giveaway is...

...Grace Wong!


Congratulations and please e-mail me at cncliving {@}gmail.com within 3 days with your full mailing address information and product choice.


Now onto a staple dish in our house - lemon cream pasta with baby arugula, tomatoes, and broccoli.  I never, ever thought that I would call a cream pasta a staple recipe.  But this cream pasta manages to be somewhat light with the tang from an unapologetic burst of lemon.  I also sometimes sub out 1/4 or more of the cream pasta with milk (be careful of your milk breaking!)

This is adapted from Barefoot Contessa (I personally find she can be too heavy handed with the oil and lemon sometimes!)


Lemon cream pasta with baby arugula, tomatoes, and broccoli


Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon good olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
- 2 cups heavy cream (you can try to substitute 1/2 cup of milk but add it at the end when the pan is not as hot)
- 2 lemons
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bunch broccoli
- 1 pound dried pasta
- 1/2 pound baby arugula (I don't eat arugula but love baby arugula!)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for 60 seconds. Add the cream, the zest from 1 lemon, the juice of 2 lemons, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until it starts to thicken.

2. Meanwhile, cut the broccoli in florets and discard the stem. Cook the florets in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain the broccoli and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the package, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

4. Drain the pasta in a colander and place it back into the pot. Immediately add the cream mixture and cook it over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until most of the sauce has been absorbed in the pasta. 

5. Pour the hot pasta into a large bowl, add the arugula, Parmesan, tomatoes, and cooked broccoli.  Toss well, season to taste, and serve hot.

All Clad/Le Creuset winner and the best carrot ginger miso salad dressing for dinner {recipe}

Thanks everyone for entering the All Clad/Le Creuset giveaway.  Don't fret if you didn't win this time, because the prizes will just keep getting bigger and better!

The winner is...

...Claire from Bicoastally (thanks for the Bloglovin' love darling - that was the winning entry!)

E-mail me your prize choice from the original list and full mailing address info at cncliving {@} gmail.com.  You have 3 days to claim your prize!

Now onto one of my favorite salad dressing recipes EVER (and first mentioned here).  This is simple, somewhat healthy and has vegetables in it.  It's so good my friend dipped her bread into this dressing just to eat it (salad is apparently optional!)  I adjusted it from the Smitten Kitchen recipe because it was too chunky and didn't sit as well on salad.  I've gotten asked for this recipe at multiple parties and hope this becomes a hit with your friends and family too!

Avocado Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing

Adapted from www.smittenkitchen.com adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP.com

Serves 4, with dressing to spare
Ingredients:

- 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

- 1 small onion or shallot, peeled and roughly chopped

- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh ginger

- 2 tablespoons white miso (Korean bean paste can also be used)

- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon neutral oil (grapeseed or canola work)
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 small/medium heads of lettuce (butter or bibb are good) or mixed greens of your choice
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped or 2 cups grape tomatoes
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced (optional)


Directions:

1. Blend the carrots, shallot and ginger in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides, then add the miso, vinegar and sesame oil. While the machine running, slowly drizzle in the neutral oil and the water.

2. Arrange the lettuce, tomato, and avocado on a platter or among a few bowls. Drizzle with plenty of dressing and serve.

Enjoy!