FRIED BANANA (TURON)

let's be truthful...frying anything makes them that much more tempting. so, give into your guilty pleasure to these super easy filipino treats. they're great at bbq's and warm with ice cream.

FILIPINO TURON (FRIED BANANA)

posted on nibbledish by lealea

• halved or quartered saba bananas
• 1 package of spring roll wrappers (found in the freezer aisle)
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c white sugar
• water
• 2 c canola oil

peel and separate wrappers, set aside. mix sugars in bowl, set aside. depending on the size of banana, half or quarter them. then, dip or place under running water. then roll the banana in the sugar mix.

wrap in spring roll wrapper and seal with water.

deep fry until golden brown. you can place on paper towel to absorb some of the excess oil, but don't leave too long because the caramelized sugar will stick to the paper.

VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS WITH PEANUT SAUCE

the first time i ever tried a spring roll was, ironically, at greasy tgi friday's, where i was working through college. but, it was delicious and great alternative to the lesser option provided. what i like about spring rolls is how versatile they are. you can put anything you'd like with the basic components...shrimp, vermicelli, and some sort of herb, like basil or cilantro. one of my favorite ingredients used in the tgif version was asparagus. they also served it with some sort of soy sauce concoction for dipping, which was tasty, but a traditional peanut sauce makes this appetizer complete.

VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS

adapted from tiny urban kitchen posted on july 30, 2009

• 1 pack of spring roll skins (found in the dry noodle aisle)
• 1 pack of vermicelli noodles
• 1 lb of cooked shrimp
• 1 bundle of cilantro
• 1 bag of shredded carrots

**feel free to swap out any ingredients for your taste preference**

soak the noodles in hot water until soft (about 2-3 minutes). drain the water and cut into 1-2 inch snippets using scissors.

fill another large bowl (bigger than the wrappers) with hot water (not boiling - you don't want to burn your fingers).

lay the wrapper on the plate and put 2-3 pieces of shrimp, 4 stems of cilantro, and a small pile of vermicelli noodles.

the wet wrapper will stick to itself, so carefully wrap.

once it's rolled, it will look wet and soggy, but it will dry quickly and look tasty.

PEANUT SAUCE

• 1/2 c peanut butter
• 1 T soy sauce
• 1/2 T hoisin sauce
• 6 T water
• 2 T sugar

**just like the spring rolls, this recipe is versatile. if you want it more sweet, add more sugar. if you'd like it spicy, at srirachi sauce. thicker...add more peanut butter. you can even add chopped scallions, basil, etc.**

mix all the ingredients together until well mixed.

my yummy tip: if you're new to using the spring roll wrappers, they become hard again after 4 or so hours. so, these are the last things you want to prepare for a party. the peanut sauce will also naturally separate, so the more last minute this can be prepared, the better.

SPANISH SANGRIA

i love red wine...and it's good for the heart! during the hot summer days (however rare in san francisco) it's hard to fully enjoy a glass of red wine because it's definitely not very quenching in the heat. so, what do you do? turn it into a refreshing sangria. i took a friend of mine to a cooking class for her birthday last year and the theme was spanish seaside. in addition to a fabulous paella, she made a sangria. sangria's are an easy, yet impressive cocktail option you can serve at any party. it says fun and classy. unfortunately, i lost all the recipes from that cooking class (this is part of the reason why i started a blog), so when i was planning a friend's bridal shower, i scoured the internet for a recipe. then, i found my ultimate go-to. it was perfect!

SPANISH SANGRIA

posted on thibeault's table on may 5, 2009 (original source: barbara hansen's mexican cookery 1981)

• 1 bottle, dry full bodied red wine (i chose an argentina malbec - bodega norton)
• 2 T orange liqueur, such as grand marnier (triple sec works, too)
• 1/3 c simple syrup *see recipe below
• 1 lime thinly sliced
• 1 orange thinly sliced
• 1 lemon thinly sliced
• juice of 1 orange (or 1/2 cup o.j.)
• 1 c club soda

combine wine, simple syrup, orange liqueur, and orange juice and stir. add sliced fruit (do not let the fruit sit in the sangria for more than an hour before serving, as the peels may cause the drink to be bitter.)

and just before serving, add the club soda.

SIMPLE SYRUP

• 1 c sugar
• 1 c water

bring water and sugar to a boil and simmer until liquid is clear and the sugar has dissolved. pour into separate jar and refrigerate. keep for 3 weeks.

my yummy tip: i made this the night before for a 1pm party and kept it in the fridge overnight to let the wine breath. this was so light that even not-so-often drinkers enjoy it. also, in the original recipe, it does say not to let the fruit sit in the drink for more than an hour, but i added that the night before and it sat in the drink the whole party and was fine.