Homemade Chicken Pho

Portland weather has been perfect the last few days but the rain is moving back in. When it rains I like to make soup. It warms up my kitchen and fills the house with a delicious smell. I think summer can be the best time for soup because you have so many fresh, local veggies at your disposal! And who doesn't like a little sweat in the summer? It cools you off! I found this soup recipe months ago at EatLiveRun and couldn't get the idea of making it out of my head. She claims it as the cure-all for colds and I could definitely see where it fits--I, however, still feel that udon is the cure-all--and that's backed by...well, years of colds on my part. I don't tend to get sick often, but when I do, Ktams knows I would love nothing more than a warm blanket, my computer, and some sniffle time over my favorite bowl of udon.

This Vietnamese-noodle-soup is quite delicious though and easy to make! The name of this recipe comes from one of my favorite one-liner movies, Superbad.

Image via MyPartyShirt.com

So, if you have no idea what in the heck I'm talking about, you can just ignore the title--as it's simply my sad attempt at food humor.

Food Lover's Friday: Weeknight Meals

Ohhhh it's feeling like a Food Lover's Friday kind of day. I've been doing a lot of search for new weeknight meals to change things up around here. Our weeknight schedules usually look pretty open when I check my calendar, yet we somehow always manage to throw something into the schedule that messes with everything else ("Hey, we should go try out Breakside Brewery" "Oh, (insert name here) wants to grab a beer after work"...and the list goes on).

It can be easy to forget to make cooking a priority during the week, but it's a must. In our house, dinner becomes lunch the next day--so to screw up dinner means that you've subsequently also messed up lunch the next day. That starts a bad streak of an attitude because I'm fine eating out one night but hate the idea of spending money on two separate meals in a row when, with just a little more effort and time, I could have had two home-cooked meals.

Try out these weeknight meals and see how they fit into your weeknight routine--let me know how it goes:)

Garlic Parmesan Oven Fried Chicken Breasts
(via Ambitious Kitchen)

Check out this recipe from Ambitious Kitchen. It made for a very yummy weeknight meal at our house. Our only change was the bread crumbs as I had forgotten to buy more panko crumbs. Even with regular breadcrumbs the recipe was adaptable and delectable, especially topped with some fresh chopped spicy oregano and hot sauce!

Once I had finished that I had already noticed another one of her recipes...

Healthy Chicken Chickpea Chopped Salad
(via Ambitious Kitchen)

This recipe was decent. I felt like I had ruined it as I had attempted to top it with a homemade BBQ sauce I had found, which didn't turn out how I liked it. While I wouldn't necessarily suggest that BBQ sauce recipe for this salad, it may be good on grilled foods. I would have much preferred a tangy honey mustard dressing or even a simple vinaigrette! Chickpeas can also be sort of difficult in salads because they all roll to the bottom of the bowl when you toss it--I could see taking a bit more of a Mexican twist (especially since it had avocado in it already) and doing a queso fresco, Cholula hot sauce, some black beans, and corn chips. YUM. This salad would also make a nice vegetarian option as you wouldn't really miss the chicken if it were left out.

For more meal ideas make sure to follow me on Pinterest!

How do you manage your weeknight meals?

Buying Local: GlassCast (Sponsored Post)

A few months back I had the pleasure of meeting a very talented Portland Blogger and jewelry designer for the company GlassCast by the name of Shannon. She was completely awesome and funny, and I'm pretty sure I called her Heather for the first hour (not on purpose but because I am absolutely the most horrible person when it comes to new names ever on the face of the planet). It wasn't my downright failure of a first impression that made me remember Shannon, however, (although--a huge face palm moment), it was Shannon's enormous talent and sense of humor.

Photo courtesy of Motormouth Studios

A little while later, I was invited to Shannon’s birthday, at which I had hoped to speak with her more about her jewelry design work; to make it more interesting, we were dressed to the nines for her white trash themed birthday party. Oh, yes. So as I fell into a deeper admiration for this 16 & Pregnant cast member (only for the party!) I also came to the realization that not only was she in her own arena for jewelry design, but she’s got more green in her in one nail than I do in my entire body. I mean this girl CAN GROW. She toured me through the backyard Felti-Farm, and I was amazed at her ability to garden.

I recently found out from Shannon that Made in Oregon has picked up some of her pieces from GlassCast to sell in their shops. This is incredibly exciting because it means I can now get a snazzy City and State Necklace locally! What I love most about Shannon is how open she is to custom work. Non-Oregon States Necklaces are available online in any US State you can think of and with a heart most anywhere! You can also request a specific chain length through the custom order if you so desire.

My custom job from GlassCast was a special order for one of my best friends who is back in good ol' Illinois. I, therefore, wanted an Illinois state with a heart over where my bestie and I had spent most of our time together--as roommates at the University of Illinois. It was completed quickly and before I knew it I was holding this beauty in my hands! I would be lying if I said there wasn't a moment of hesitancy in shipping this item (as I wanted to keep it for myself and just order another for my friend), but I knew if I loved it so would she, and that mattered a lot to me! So off in the mail it went. It was a wonderful surprise for my friend, and the quality of this piece will stand the test of time. If you're looking for a special gift to send or are just looking for a beautiful piece for yourself, I highly suggest a piece from Shannon's Shop.

Do you have questions for Shannon or her jewelry? Feel free to contact me and I will pass your information on to her! You can also find Shannon on her blog, KungfooFeltus.

Have you ever purchased anything from Made in Oregon?

June Portland Food & Drink Events

Looking for something to do in Portland this month? There's a lot going on! Consider hitting up some of these great local events!

Portland Dining Month

ALL MONTH LONG

Yes, you've already heard me talk about this--but that's besides the point! If you are hosting family in town or planning an evening out with your better half, this year's Portland Dining Month features restaurants for all tastes and is an extremely affordable special night out!

Portland Fuit Beer Festival

June 8th & 9th
VIP entry at 10am Saturday
General Public Saturday 11am-9pm | Sunday 11am-6pm

If you've ever wanted to see me at my happiest--you will find me at the Portland Fruit Beer Fest this weekend! Hosted at Burnside Brewery, this event will feature some exciting experimental beer and a few amazing collaborations (Bushwhacker Cidery and Upright Brewing especially)! I also have seen a lot about Breakside Brewery's Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Beer prep; let me just say it looks very interesting.

Get your tickets here

PDX Urban Wine Experience

Sunday, June 9th
4pm-7pm

Love wine? Why not have a sip (or many) at the PDX Urban Wine Experience this weekend hosted at Refuge PDX? Join members of PDX Urban Wine Association, and try some grapes from nine distinguished wineries. Each winery will be providing pours from two to three different wines. A new wine app by Indie Vinos will also be introduced at this event.

Get your tickets here

The Gorge Blues & Brews

June 21st-22nd
Friday 6pm-10pm
Saturday Noon-10pm

I've heard some pretty awesome things about the Gorge Blues & Brews. What have I heard, you might ask? It's a fest full of talented artists, delectable brews, and gorgeous views. Brewers like Walking Man, Ninkasi, and Breakside will be quenching thirst willst sweet tunes will fill the Gorge. The best part of this two day fest? You can camp in the Gorge or stay in one of the local lodges.

Get your tickets here

Wine Rush PDX

Saturday, June 22nd
3pm

Calling all wine connoisseurs! If you enjoy a hard to find glass of wine from wineries all over the West Coast you need to pencil this event into your calendar. If you're a lover of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Picpoul Blanc, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay, Sparkling Riesling, Sangiovese, Malbec Rosé, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Gewurztraminer, Mourvédre, Roussanne, Primitivo, Syrah, Barbera, Petit Verdot, Grenache, Semillon, Dolcetto, Vermentino, Pinot Grigio, Dry Riesling, or Tempranillo this event will both delight and excited you. I, for one, would love to get my hands on a new Dolcetto, Sanviovese, and Barbera (my personal favorites). Tickets should be bought prior to the event to guarantee entry. $20 coupons for purchase of wines at the event are also available with ticket purchases.

Get your tickets here

Portland Summer Food Cart Festival

Saturday, June 22nd
VIP entry at 12pm
General Public 2pm-9pm

As a large advocate for the food cart lifestyle in Portland, I cannot suggest attending the Portland Summer Food Cart Festival enough! Think fresh ingredients and sometimes simplified menus to get some amazing food out the window fast!You can find everything from Viennese Schnitzel to 

Get your tickets here

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Always on the prowl for the next big event in Portland? I find many an activity through Yelp's Events Page.

Are we friends on Yelp? Remember, there are many posts I make through Yelp that might not make it on this site (due to multiple factors--time being one of them)--so make sure to follow me there if you're looking for local Portland reviews and finds!

Grilled Tacos, Pastor Style

I still remember the first time I read about achiote paste. I just remember thinking, "where in blue blazes are we going to find that?!" Apparently it's quite the popular thing in Mexican cuisine because we were able to find it not only at our local Mexican grocer but since then I've even seen it at a New Seasons and a Safeway. Knowing that it's the hardest thing to come by for this grilled recipe, there's really nothing holding you back, aside from maybe finding the perfect pineapple (although that's a story all its own).

Al pastor is a similar way of cooking as the Lebanese shawarma style of cooking brought by immigrants to Mexico. You may also find it similar to one of my favorite European street vendor delights, the Turkish doner kebab or Greek gyros. I always find it interesting how a style of cooking or a dish could be adapted and changed to meet the needs of its people. Get some lamb, chicken, beef or pork into a flat bread or tortilla and top with some complementary toppings found traditionally within the culture. Sort of funny, isn't it?

This recipe, created by the awe-inspiring Rick Bayless himeself, is in Ktam's top 3 of all time. Grilled over charcoal, these tacos are immensely flavorful and pack a deep, smokey punch. Things to be careful about are under- or over-toasted corn tortillas, as well as making sure the achiote is thoroughly mixed into the marinade or you'll start having flashbacks to childhood and Nesquik (Dane Cook...no? Nevermind).

I've already scared you out of trying this haven't I? Well the brave will want to hi-five me in their glorious victory that is completing this recipe. Come on, what have you got to lose?

via Rick Bayless