and she cooks too!

2012-02-13T21:03:00.000-08:00

Helpful site for baking by weight!

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/master-weight-chart.html

Almond Milk

2012-02-09T19:18:00.000-08:00

I've gotten into homemade non-dairy milks as of late, first it was pecan milk, then coconut milk, and now I'm at almond milk. After some hesitation, I recently bought a nut milk bag. Previously I had used a sieve to strain out the pulp, but even that leaves you with a slightly grainy texture, so I decided to take the plunge.

The thing I love most about using a nut milk bag is the speed. The one I purchased suggested using your hands to squeeze out the liquid from the solids which is much quicker, and releases more liquid in my opinion, than simply allowing the liquid to drain on its own (as I had been doing with the sieve method). Not to mention, the nut milk bag yields a much creamier milk.

Almond Milk

1 cup raw almonds

water for soaking

4 cups water

1/2 vanilla bean

3 pitted dates

Place the almonds and soaking water in a large bowl for 8 hours or overnight.
Drain and rinse the almonds well. Combine almonds and remaining ingredients in blender, blend until smooth.
Place nut milk bag over a bowl or storage container, then pour blender contents into the bag. Allow milk to strain for several hours or squeeze the bag by hand to extract the milk.

Stays fresh for 2-3 days, if you can hold onto it that long!

Cookie Troubleshooting

2012-02-06T07:09:00.000-08:00

Homemade cookies can be challenging. Sometimes your standby favorite cookie recipe(s) can be finicky, who's ever baked a batch and been disappointed when they were too flat or browned too much? Not to mention when trying out a new recipe, it's difficult to know whether the results will be worth it.

I stumbled upon this website which troubleshoots 10 cookie problems and how to correct the issue! (Scroll down to the "Problems" section.) Of course, by the time you've reached many of these results, it's too late to salvage that batch of dough, but at least you'll know for next time. Time to make a batch of cookies!

late season canning

2011-10-09T09:48:00.000-07:00

I spent an afternoon last weekend canning some tomatoes and peaches after finding some recipes that I just had to try. First up, earl grey peach preserves. Sounds delicious and I was right in time, as I nabbed the very last peaches at my CSA farm, supplementing with ripe nectarines. This recipe makes a small batch, yielding about 1 quart, which I love. Small batch canning always feels special to me. Perhaps having a small quantity of something makes it feel extra special, to be savored, versus having a half dozen little jars that seem impossible to get through. I really love the addition of tea to what would be plain peach preserves. Definitely deserving of the "whoa!!!" upon the first taste it. And honestly, I'd take this again over the plain stuff any day.

Next in line, tomato marmalade. Wait, tomatoes plus sugar??? I've never been baffled by a recipe like this one I pulled from an old cookbook (picked up at random at an antique store, of all places). I apprehensively went to my CSA farm and filled up a huge bag with tomatoes in the name of experimentation. The sweet smells wafting from this stuff on the stove sealed the deal and trust me, it's hard to keep from eating this stuff by the spoonful.

Note: if you've never done any canning, you should do some research ahead of time to learn the proper techniques for preservation. Otherwise, these recipes could be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks, or frozen. Check out the National Center for Home Food Preservation as a starting point.

Ripe Tomato Marmalade

9 lbs tomatoes

6 C sugar

1 tsp salt

2 oranges

2 lemons

4 sticks cinnamon

2 tsp whole cloves

To peel tomatoes, bring a pot of water to a boil. Have a separate bowl of ice water at the ready. Submerge the tomatoes, a few at a time, in the boiling water for about 30 seconds, until the skin loosens slightly and begins to crack. Remove tomatoes to the ice water to stop the cooking process, then remove to a towel. Using your hands or a small paring knife, gently remove the skins, then core and slice.
In a large pan, combine tomatoes, sugar, and salt.
Use a peeler to remove the peel from the oranges and lemons. Thinly slice the peels and boil in water for 5 minutes; remove and add to the tomato mixture. Peel the remaining white pith from oranges and lemon, then slice fruit, removing any seeds as you go. Add the citrus to the tomatoes.
Tie the cinnamon and cloves into a cheesecloth spice bag; add to the tomatoes.
Bring the tomato mixture to a boil. Cook rapidly, stirring to prevent burning, until thickened, at least 45 minutes.
Remove the spice bag. If canning, pour the marmalade into hot sterile jars and seal for 15 minutes. Otherwise, pour into a container and let cool before storing in refrigerator or freezer.

pantry storage recylcing

2011-10-08T21:21:00.000-07:00

I love buying stuff in bulk bins at the grocery store. I can buy small quantities of recipe specific ingredients and replenish my stock of staple ingredients without spending a fortune. Only problem is my pantry quickly fills up with plastic bags full of ingredients, sometimes unidentifiable if I forgot to write the item name along with the bulk code. My solution? Instead of buying those (expensive) plastic storage containers, I reuse glass jars. Even canning jars work great for this.

Rinse the jar clean and peel as much of the label off as possible. If there's any remaining paper or adhesive left, soak the jar in water and vinegar overnight, then scrub again. If the jar and/or lid have any lingering odors, soak in vinegar (otherwise your food will absorb these flavors). Wash and dry the jar and lid thoroughly, then label and fill with dry goods.

I also save large drink bottles (bottled juices often come in these) to store cold drinks, like homemade iced tea, nutmilk, or smoothies. Small spice jars store seasonings, simple syrup, or salad dressings, all of which are handy to take and use at work.

Below one shelf of my pantry. I love this method because I can easily see the items that I have and what needs replenishing.

green protein smoothie

2011-10-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

So...green smoothies. Is it just me, or does it seem a bit strange to drink a mysterious green liquid that looks like it would be quite at home in a swamp? The secret is to balance the green with fruit, banana really helps out here, plus it's a great thickener.

I'm a little bit crazy about this green smoothie specifically because it just tastes so good! Plus it's easy to mix up with different frozen fruit on hand. This blend in particular masks the slight grittiness to the hemp protein powder (any unflavored variety of protein powder would work great, too).

green protein smoothie

1 tbsp peanut butter

2 tbsp hemp protein powder

4 cups spinach

1 banana

1 C frozen blueberries or strawberries

1 C water or milk (So Delicious coconut adds a subtle richness), or more for a looser consistency

Add ingredients to blender in the order listed.
Blend until smooth.

Yields about 20 ounces, enough for one large or two small servings.

monster cookies!

2011-09-30T16:35:00.000-07:00

Monster cookies are perhaps my favorite type of cookie. Where else can you get delicious peanut butter, chocolate, and oatmeal bound together by sugar and fat? These things have been on my cooking bucket list for quite some time now; last year I had dreams of turning the momofuku compost cookies into monster cookies, but I never got around to it. Maybe my next batch? Anyway, thekitchn posted this brilliant flourless monster cookie recipe that I finally whipped up with some slight tweaks:

Peanut butter: Maranatha No-Stir Crunchy PB

Mix-ins: 1C M&Ms + 1/2C white chocolate chunks + 1/2C dark chocolate chips

I use a medium sized cookie scoop to form my cookies, then press them down slightly on the pan into fat disks. This method yielded me about 2.5 dozen cookies, plus several big gobs of cookie dough ;)

My other trick with all cookie dough is to freeze the dough into premade disks flat on a cookie sheet, then store them in a big ziploc bag in the freezer. This way I don't bake more cookies than I can eat at a time, plus I have easy access to fresh baked cookies anytime! Throw em on a cookie sheet when ready (still frozen) and cook for a few minutes longer than the original recipe.

beets.

2011-09-29T19:05:00.001-07:00

Yep, I went there. Beets have always been a mystery vegetable to me and even though I had previously never encountered one, I was always semi afraid of them. Unfortunately for me, my CSA box this week had a bunch tucked inside. So I did my research and found a couple beet and beet green recipes. One of the first recipe hits had nearly 300 reviews and 4.5 stars, how could I go wrong?

The beet greens have a surprisingly neutral taste, milder than kale even. As such, I think they would make a great accompaniment to other sauteed vegetables and no one would be the wiser. The beets themselves are nice and tender, slightly sweet. I have a feeling I'll be buying beets at least once this fall.

Roasted Beets + Greens

One bunch beets (about 6), washed and separated

Olive oil

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 C onion, finely chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

1 tbsp sherry vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place beets in a glass baking dish, adding enough olive oil to toss and coat. Cover pan with foil and bake for about 60 minutes, or until beets tender.
Tear beet green leaves from the hard red stems, roughly chopping the leaves.
After beets are done cooking, saute garlic and onion in olive oil until slightly golden. Add beet greens and cook until slightly wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
Slice beets. To serve, place beet greens over sliced beets and add sherry vinegar over the top. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

last taste of summer

2011-09-13T19:15:00.000-07:00

It's been really hot around here for over a week, then suddenly, cool temperatures are back! Kinda makes it feel like the real end to summer and while I'm not quite yet ready to let it go, I will carry this drink with me into the fall: shaken iced tea.

I discovered this drink on the menu at Starbucks and couldn't get enough of it. Perfectly brewed black tea, served over ice, and just slightly sweetened? Yes, please. Also doesn't hurt that it's the cheapest drink on the menu ;) Then I realized I could make the same drink and have it on hand all the time at home. All I'd need was some tea, some sweetener, ice, and a cocktail shaker for good measure.

Tea: experiment, play around, find what you like! I tend to use black tea (PG Tips tea bags or loose-leaf), but I've also had success with Yerba Mate. I make a batch of 1.5 liters at a time, traditional hot brew method, then chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Sweetener: simple syrup is quick and easy to make--boil equal parts water and sugar, then lower heat to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Otherwise, I think agave could be quite nice. It needs to dissolve completely in cold water.

Using a cocktail shaker, for added flair, add several ice cubes, followed by tea, and a splash of sweetener. Shake vigorously and pour into a glass. Without cocktail shaker, put ingredients in a glass and stir to combine.

I love this too because it can be custom tailored to your taste. Like extra strong tea? Brew it up! Extra sweet? Bring on the simple syrup.

Carrot Salsa Slaw Tacos

2011-09-05T18:47:00.000-07:00

I used most of my carrot salsa slaw in making some vegetarian tacos. Tacos are one of those things that everyone does a little bit differently and I doubt I am anywhere near traditional, given that I have no idea what "traditional" means here. I'd recommend subbing out any salsas or hot sauces you might like for the carrot slaw, adjusting the heat in that recipe.

I prep all ingredients ahead of time then assemble as the tortillas are ready.

Corn tortillas

Cheddar cheese

Black beans (for a meatless alternative)

Carrot Salsa Slaw

Corn, raw, cut fresh from the cob

Cherry tomatoes, halved

Heating my tortillas over medium low to medium heat until pliable, then put on a little cheese and allow to melt slightly. Remove tortilla to plate and add ingredients as desired.

Carrot Salsa Slaw

2011-09-05T18:33:00.000-07:00

For at least the past month, my CSA box has been overrun by carrots. A little bunch of 10+ carrots of which I've been stumped with how to use them. Don't get me wrong, farm fresh carrots are amazingly sweet compared to your average supermarket ones. But really, how many recipes use a lot of carrots, carrot cake aside?

I've been searching the internet for recipes to make, daring to only try a smoothie recipe as of late. Then I found this recipe for carrot salsa. I tweaked the recipe to my own taste, but more importantly, to incorporate more ingredients from my CSA box. I've also decided to call mine a "carrot salsa slaw" because some of the ingredients (lime juice, garlic, cilantro) reminded me of Asian food, slaws specifically. I made a batch of this around noon and have used it all up in tacos and a salad. I think I'm gonna be making a lot of this stuff in the coming week.

Carrot Salsa Slaw

2 C grated carrots

2 cloves garlic, grated

1 small sweet pepper, diced

1/2 hot red pepper, minced (or to taste)

1 green onion, minced

1 1/2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

Juice of 1 lime (or to taste)

1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)

10 cherry tomatoes, quartered

Combine carrots, garlic, peppers, onion, and cilantro in a bowl and mix until well combined. Stir in lime juice and salt, then carefully fold in cherry tomatoes.

zucchini brownies

2011-08-09T19:28:00.000-07:00

It's zucchini time again. This year I've been over run with them from my CSA, definitely something I wasn't expecting. I was out-zucchini'd week one when I tried them lightly marinated in a vinaigrette which was too reminiscent of recipes I've had for several years. And then I saw a link to a recipe for zucchini brownies! Being a chocoholic, I couldn't resist.

I took my favorite parts from two recipes and made a couple of my own additions and they turned out great! Moist and a tad bit chewy, just how I like them :) These things are highly addicting, I basically ate a third of a pan in the span of an afternoon. Beware!

Zucchini Brownies

1/2 C vegetable oil

1 1/2 C sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

1/4 C cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp fresh ground cardamom

2 C grated zucchini

1 C almond flour

1 C AP flour

1 1/2 C chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large glass baking dish with oil and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the flours and chocolate chips until well blended.
Fold in flours, then chocolate chips.
Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Next time I make these, I will try using all almond flour, as this gave it a nice density and texture. This would make it egg and gluten free, and just a couple tweaks away from being vegan!

CSA Season: collard greens

2011-06-23T15:22:00.000-07:00

I signed up for a CSA basket for the season and with it come some vegetables I would not normally try. First up: collard greens.

I've never had collard greens, but I imagine they are in the same category as kale and swiss chard, two greens I have purchased and enjoy cooked up with eggs. I decided to cook my collard greens in a grill pan with bacon fat, which then turned into a sort of salad. I ate mine plain, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, then added a couple strips of bacon, torn into pieces. Next time I think I'll make my standard dijon-balsamic vinaigrette. I like using an old spice jar to shake up my vinaigrette ingredients, plus it makes a great little storage container and is a convenient way to take a couple day's worth of salad dressing to work for lunch!

Avocado Chocolate Pudding

2011-02-16T18:52:00.000-08:00

You know those recipes that you aren't entirely sure of, but you go against your gut instinct and make it anyway, hoping you'll be proven wrong? Well, as a general rule, I used to think avocado should never go near anything sweet or dessert like until this raspberry ganache fudge cake came into my life. So I gave a vanilla pudding recipe, made from avocado, a shot and that was a big mistake. But I turned it into a pretty yummy chocolate pudding recipe.

Avocado Chocolate Pudding

1 medium avocado
3+ tbsp carob or cacao powder, to taste
1 tbsp vanilla
3 tbsp agave nectar
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 C cold water

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.

The avocado makes this pudding rich and decadent and the blending makes it nice and light!

homemade tofu

2010-12-30T19:27:00.001-08:00

Homemade tofu, round one.

I received the Japanese cookbook, Kansha, for Christmas and decided to make the firm tofu recipe. So I bought some nigari (which is the coagulant) and some Ota Soy Nectar (the stuff is fresh, local, and of high quality). To make tofu, you basically slowly heat up your soy milk to 150 degrees, stir in some diluted nigari, then let it sit for a bit while the nigari does it's magic. Then you strain your "curds" and eat. All in all, quite an easy process!

While my first attempt at tofu did in fact turn out, it came out slightly bitter so it needs some work. Of course this recipe was for "firm tofu", I wish it came out a bit softer and sweeter than this stuff did. Perhaps with the right garnishes to eat it with, it would be quite delicious.

my fudge is better than yours.

2010-12-22T17:51:00.000-08:00

Ahh, the Christmas season is upon us. Technically, I suppose it has been for a while now. And with it comes all the cookies, cakes, and candies with which to stuff ourselves and then go back for round two.

A while back I saw this recipe for candied bacon fudge and I knew I just had to make it. While bacon desserts are not normally something I tend to cover, I have made bacon cookies as well as chocolate covered bacon (not too different from this fudge, I realize). This stuff is delicious. Life altering. Sweet. Salty. Satisfying. Just generally awesome.

Fresh Tomato Soup with Vodka

2010-11-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

I wasn't expecting to, but I really love this soup. I've never tasted any tomato soup with such a strong tomato flavor. Granted, this was also my first experience with homemade tomato soup.

I used homegrown tomatoes, the last ones of the season for this. It's a tasty way to use up a bunch of tomatoes.

Fresh Tomato Soup with Vodka

2 lb ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
2 1/4 C vegetable stock
1/3 C breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp dried herbs of choice
salt and pepper
2 tbsp vodka

Put the tomatoes, green onions, sugar, tomato puree, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and vegetable stock into a stockpot and let simmer for about an hour, covered, stirring occasionally.
Add the breadcrumbs, dried herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 20-30 minutes.
Add the vodka, then serve.

raspberry tropical smoothie

2010-08-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to perfect my smoothie technique. When not following recipes and making my own, I tend to over-do it in terms of quantity and end up with 40 ounces of smoothie. But today, success! I had some "tropical" produce around (pineapple, mango, banana) and thought the combination would pair well with some fresh raspberries.

Raspberry Tropical Smoothie

1 C mango, cubed
1/2 C pineapple, cubed
3/4 C raspberries
1 large orange, juiced
6 ice cubes

In a blender, combine the mango, pineapple, raspberries, an orange juice until well blended; add the ice cubes and blend until it reaches a smooth consistency.

fraternizing with the enemy: watermelon

2010-08-25T16:00:00.000-07:00

Fun fact that I didn't realize was such a fun fact until recently: I don't like watermelon. I recently tried it juiced, still didn't really like it. But juiced with other ingredients, it's not so bad. So I picked myself up a hunk at the grocery store for just that purpose and made a tropical smoothie. While the color in the end was not so appetizing, it tastes good!

my tropical smoothie

1 1/2 cups watermelon, cubed
1 1/2 cups pineapple, cubed
1 cup mango, cubed
1 banana, sliced
1 cup blueberry juice

Combine all ingredients in a blender on high speed until well blended.
Makes 40oz.

Another fun fact: Equal parts watermelon, pineapple, and mango taste just like cantaloupe...another one of my least favorite fruits ;)

chocolate simple syrup

2010-08-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

I used the last of my simple syrup making a cup of my favorite cold brewed coffee and instead of making another batch of plain syrup, I thought a chocolate version would be an interesting twist and nice change. You know, give my cuppa more of a mocha feel than latte. The result is a subtly chocolate flavor with my coffee, but it's nice! On its own, the syrup is super sweet and distinctly chocolate-y, but it mellows out when diluted with coffee concentrate and milk. At the end of the day, this may just be a watery Hershey's chocolate syrup, but feels more grown-up and less gluttonous than getting your chocolate fix from something normally reserved for the sundae bar.

Chocolate Simple Syrup

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp cocoa powder
splash almond extract

In a saucepan, combine the ingredients and cook over medium to medium high heat until the mixture starts to boil. Remove from heat, let cool, and refrigerate until ready to use.

mango summer rolls

2010-08-15T16:55:00.000-07:00

This recipe is basically just an assembly of fresh ingredients and can be customized as much as you want to incorporate your favorite flavors. This is my version, adapted from Vegan with a Vengeance, incorporating the ingredients I had on hand. I recently saw Giada De Laurentiis do a fruit spring roll that looks quite delicious, so really, the sky's the limit.

Mango Summer Rolls

rice paper wrappers, softened in hot water
1 mango, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
1 cup sprouts or delicate greens (I used pea shoots)
4 oz saifun bean threads, softened (or rice noodles)
optional ingredients: cilantro, mint, coconut, ground peanuts, etc

In the lower portion of the rice paper wrappers, place a few tablespoons of noodles, any optional ingredients, 5 slices of mango, and sprouts. Tuck the sides of the paper in and begin rolling. Keep covered with a damp cloth, chilled, until ready to eat. Serve with dipping sauce.

Summer Roll Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tsp shiracha hot sauce, more or less to taste
1 tsp soy sauce, more or less to taste
1 garlic clove, pressed/minced
1 1/2 tsp super-fine sugar

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients until combined. If necessary, microwave for a few seconds to dissolve the sugar. Serve chilled.

chai tea concentrate

2010-08-14T09:53:00.000-07:00

This stuff is handy to have around at home if you're a chai tea fan. The final chai tea product is much more flavorful than anything you'd buy prepackaged at the grocery store or buy at the corner coffee shop.

Chai Tea Concentrate

10 thin slices of ginger
1 cinnamon stick
10 cardamom seeds (from about 2 pods)
5 cloves, or 1/2 tsp
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups water

1/2 cup sugar

Combine first 6 ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a full boil, and then simmer over very low heat for 20 minutes. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.

To serve, blend about two parts chai tea concentrate to one part warm or steamed milk, to taste.

momofuku's compost cookies

2010-08-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

I was intrigued when I saw David Lebovitz post about them...really, Bugels in cookies?! But honestly, the picture for Momofuku's Compost Cookies had me at "hello"; slightly puffy, golden brown, and crackly on top, one look and you know they've got to be incredible. Or a master of disguise. Luckily, my rendition is quite fabulous if you ask me. For my add-in ingredients I used the following:

Baking ingredients:
chocolate chips
white chocolate chunks

Snack ingedients:
chocolate covered Pocky
chocolate/goo filled Easter eggs
cheddar sesame sticks
salt and pepper potato chips (thown in just to say "I did it!")

I also made the full sized, 6oz cookies which bake up to the size of a salad plate and are HUGE. Will I be making these cookies again? Probably, but with a different twist. I'm thinking Midwest style monster cookies :)

eggnog french toast

2010-08-13T16:50:00.000-07:00

Lost and forgotten in the depths of the archives, I just found this recipe which I never got around to posting. Not overly fitting to be posting a recipe with eggnog in the middle of the summer, but perhaps it'll get you thinking ahead...? Here's to hoping :)

This recipe came about during a post dinner dessert hunt. With eggnog and maple syrup in the refrigerator and a loaf of crusty bread going unused on the counter, why not make some french toast? I cut the bread into little rounds using a biscuit cutter and garnished with chocolate chips.

Eggnog French Toast

6 tbsp eggnog
1 tbsp dark rum
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
1 egg
Crusty bread, sliced

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. In a bowl, whisk all ingredients until thoroughly combined. When skillet is hot, dip bread slices into egg batter until coated, and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown.

an unintentional hiatus

2010-03-09T21:33:00.001-08:00

I've been meaning to post something in the past two months, I promise. I'd like to think that things got crazy, but really I got lazy. I've got a growing stack of recipes, but my latest cooking expedition is what really got me on here. If you read the 101 Cookbooks blog, no doubt you saw these chocolate puddle cookies inspired by Nuvrei bakery in Portland's Pearl District.

I just made a half batch of them...and wow. I can't tell if the cookies are overly sweet or not. It's honestly hard to tell. The outside has a slight crunch and inside is a delicious, chocolatey cookie studded with walnuts. A bit rich on their own, pair them with a glass of milk and you'll go back for at least one more. I know I did.

The cookies are really easy to make, though you might not have all the ingredients on hand (who has three cups of walnuts or a pound of powdered sugar laying around?), but I think its worth planning for. And the best part? This is the first cookie recipe I've made in a while that came out perfectly in the first batch! I'll definitely be making these again :)

vegan baking

2010-01-19T18:07:00.000-08:00

I recently found a great vegan blog that has a ton of baked goods. I'm not vegan, nor do I intend to become vegan anytime soon, but I do like the idea of cutting out some animal products. And hey, if it tastes good, why not?!

I made these brownies this weekend, though I admit, not vegan. Using margarine sounds kind of gross, so I instead used butter. The pumpkin gives them a nice fudginess that I love, though there is a slightly strange taste that goes along with it.

My other recipe is for vegan muffins and really, they are just as good as "normal" muffins.

Vegan Muffins

1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 carrot, shredded
3 medium apples, peeled and shredded
1- 1/4 cups oat milk
¼ cup oil
1 citrus fruit (lemon or orange), zested and juiced
½ cup dried fruits
½ cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two muffin tins (I used one regular and one mini).
In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, combine shredded carrot, shredded apple and milk and mix until well-combined. Add oil, citrus zest and juice.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in two batches until just combined. Fold in dried fruit and chopped walnuts.
Fill muffin tins 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Turn out onto a rack to fully cool.

the key to good cookies...

2010-01-19T17:48:00.000-08:00

I've inadvertently "tested" it myself dozens of times. It's a hard lesson to learn and adapt to, and it'll vary depending on the recipe--the texture/moisture, recommended oven temperature, baking sheet used, etc.

What am I talking about? Not over-baking your cookies!

Someone brought in cookies to work this morning and of course I grabbed one. I'm partial to my own cookies above a lot of others, but these were delicious. The secret? They were perfectly baked, still nice and moist in the middle.

My advice is to watch those cookies closely, as there is a very fine line between perfect and overcooked. Martha Stewart advises to cook until golden around the edges but still soft in the middle, leave on the sheet for a couple minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

tea in portland

2010-01-05T22:21:00.000-08:00

For a cute little shop, filled with tea accessories from tea pots to infusers to mugs and beyond, as well as a large menu of looseleaf teas, Tea Zone and Camellia Lounge is amazing. They have teas from around the world and plus they'll give you delicious samples! I had some vanilla rooibos; now I'm not normally a rooibos fan, but this was good stuff.

They also have a lounge in back which looks pretty cool.

Check it out!

adventures in kabocha: part i

2010-01-04T18:22:00.000-08:00

Kabocha = Japanese pumpkin

It's one of my favorite Japanese dishes: delicious, tender, sweet pumpkin simmered in dashi stock with some sugar and perhaps some soy thrown in. I always had big portions of the stuff "at home" in Japan. And let's not forget the oh so delicious tempura fried variety over a bowl of rice. Kabocha is still my favorite part in tendon and I will gladly trade it for my shrimp. Yum.

I found some kabocha seeds at a local Japanese grocery store, planted them, and now have several pumpkins to consume. So far I've gone through one (as they are supposed to "ripen" for a few months after harvesting) and tried a few recipes. I like this recipe because I can make it using a kitchen scale, leaving the measuring cups and spoons alone!

Kabocha Muffins

55g butter, softened
55g brown sugar
1 egg
180g kabocha, cooked and mashed
110g buttermilk
110g whole wheat pastry flour
15g baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line or grease a muffin tin and set aside.
In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add in the egg and pumpkin and stir until combined. Stir in the buttermilk.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking powder, then fold into the wet ingredients until just blended.
Scoop batter into muffin tin about 2/3 of the way up. Bake for 17 minutes until golden and cooked through.
Turn out onto a rack to cool.

Makes 12 muffins.

chocolate covered marshmallows

2010-01-03T19:13:00.000-08:00

Another post about David Lebovitz...I think I mentioned his marshmallows last winter as well. If you've never had homemade marshmallows, you seriously need to try them. They are so much better than those rubbery store bought ones (though those little guys toast up very nicely), and a breeze to make in an afternoon.

For an added twist, I did some chocolate covered marshmallows as well this year! My first attempt at tempering chocolate wasn't a total disaster, though I admit it wasn't a total success either. Tempering chocolate is a pretty exact science, here are some resources:

Cooking for Engineers
David Lebovitz (of course)

Once I tempered my chocolate, I dunked the marshmallows in a few at a time until well coated, then put them on a rack to fully dry. These sure make a nice gift!

tea latte

2009-12-29T12:07:00.000-08:00

Why go out to a coffee shop for a tea latte when you can make one at home at a fraction of the price? I think the best part of making these at home yourself is you can experiment with your favorite teas and even make your own simple syrups to use!

If you've got an espresso machine, you can use that to make this drink a bit more "authentic". For a basic tea latte, combine the following ingredients:

6-8oz brewed tea
2-4oz hot milk
vanilla syrup (to taste)

If using an espresso machine, steam the milk and syrup and set aside. Pack a scoop of tea leaves as you would ground coffee and pull your shot(s). Pour the tea shots into the milk and serve.

cinnamon rolls...with a twist!

2009-12-25T17:11:00.000-08:00

I was watching Everyday Italian the other day and Giada was making hazelnut cinnamon rolls. Now, I am not a fan of hazelnut but got to thinking how good walnuts might be in its place. Next thing you know, I'm making cinnamon rolls with apples, cherries, and walnuts.

One of the best cinnamon rolls I've ever had, if not the best, were those a coworker brought in at work. Let me tell you, they were so good I think I ate three of them (and they were HUGE)! There's no way I'll ever get that recipe and I'd be lucky to stumble across anything as good.

If you're not into making bread dough, try store bought dough as Giada recommends. Otherwise, any sweet dough will do. Roll out your dough into rectangles.

Cinnamon roll filling:

1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
dash vanilla

Mix ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Spread evenly onto dough, then roll, cut, and bake as normal.

"Stollen"

2009-12-24T20:24:00.000-08:00

When it comes to desserts, David Lebovitz is someone I trust unconditionally. His blog is good, his information great, and recipes phenomenal. Last time I was looking around his site, I saw his recipe for stollen and just had to make it. And hey, 'tis the season, as they say. Mine turned out deliciously and look surprisingly just like his.

I looked around for other stollen recipes but they all seemed to use candied fruits (more like a fruitcake) and that just wasn't appealing. Then I was going to blend recipes, but they used varying ingredient amounts with different yields. In the end, I basically followed his recipe, so I'll just link it here. Of the slight changes I made:

Substitute Grand Marnier for the rum to soak the fruits
Omit the candied ginger (due to its extreme price) and citrus peel (due to its apparant unavailability at grocery stores around here)

My only complain is not knowing when the bread is done cooking. Sure, he suggests using a digital thermometer, but come on, it's bread! Mine ended up being slightly overcooked I think, but delicious none the less. The recipe makes four loaves which makes it great for gift giving!

Bagels

2009-12-13T18:51:00.001-08:00

I had my first cheese bagel the other week and was blown away by how delicious it was. I decided I needed to make my own, as spending $1.50 for an impulse snack seems unnecessary, especially since bagels are so easy!

Here is my favorite bagel recipe: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/homemade_bagels

I've made this recipe several times, last time I believe was around Mother's Day for brunch. They are really easy to make, especially if you have experience working with yeast, as this can sometimes be tricky.

To make these "cheese bagels", simply sprinkle with shredded cheddar after brushing with egg, and bake for the specified time.

2009-12-13T18:08:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since my last posting and a lot has happened since. Two books I've read recently have really changed my perspective on food--Food, Inc and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I definitely recommend both books, but they really make you think.

Ideally, I'd love to be able to grow and prepare more of my food, but that's not really realistic. I have, however, been enjoying making my own applesauces, chai tea, and bagels in recent weeks, and right now, that's about as good as I can do.

One recipe I did learn from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is for yogurt cheese. It's a bit like a soft cream cheese. Simple drain yogurt over several layers of cheesecloth overnight. I like to salt mine as well to bring out the flavor. Spread over bagels, English muffins, and so on as you would cream cheese. It's tangy, easy to make, and a fresh alternative to cream cheese.

whatever, martha

2009-10-06T21:09:00.001-07:00

I've got a bit of Martha Stewart in me, in the best way possible, I like to think. I bought some oilcloth with the intention of sewing a lunch bag and some small zip bags as a kind of reusable/washable ziploc (they do sell plastic bag drying racks...). My first "project" was this lunch tote perfectly sized for three new containers. I actually have a modification or two for this bag style and ideas for a few new styles. I like this bag because it holds all my stuff but also because I can easily rinse it out if anything leaks!

I have also been on the lookout for reusable shopping bag patterns and projects online. I'm hoping to sew up some bags using old t-shirts and clothing but nothing has struck my fancy quite yet. Many tutorials simply have you cut off the sleeves, sew up the bottom, and maybe modify the neck a bit to accommodate larger items, but I guess I'd like something more...streamlined(?) than that. I did end up making this market bag, which I highly recommend as a quick project.

And in true Martha style, I spent a few hours of my weekend making chicken stock. One tip I learned from this book: your stock should be at a very low simmer--anything stronger will emulsify the fat into the stock which you don't want.

Capturing Summer

2009-09-30T23:09:00.000-07:00

It's something I've been wondering for a while now, well, at least since the first signs of fall a couple weeks ago--how can I make summer last as long as possible? Is it through farmer's market produce? Fresh brewed sun tea? The perfect cheeseburger?

I tried these methods, but sadly it just isn't working for me. I suppose the incoming rain and cooling temperatures are just going to require a change in mindset. It's the season for soups, stews, perhaps endless cookies and...pumpkin lattes?

I ran across a recipe for these [pumpkin spice lattes] a few days back and can't get enough! I've never tried the "authentic" Starbucks one, but its like drinking a mild pumpkin pie, and super easy to make with a bit of canned pumpkin. An espresso machine whips this up in a hurry (just steam the ingredients), otherwise the method listed on the site works just as well.

broiled tomato and eggplant

2009-09-22T19:06:00.000-07:00

I made broiled tomatoes to go with breakfast the other day; a quick, simple, and perhaps non-traditional breakfast food that comes together VERY quickly. It's also a great way to use up summer tomatoes. Depending on your individual preference, you may wish to broil the tomatoes for a few minutes for a cooked tomato texture.

Broiled Tomatoes

Ripe tomatoes, cored and halved
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Set the oven to broil, 500 degrees.
Place the tomatoes cut side up on a baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.
Broil tomatoes for 1 minute.

I am by no means an expert on Japanese cuisine. I do know they have a delicious miso eggplant side dish, though the Japanese eggplant is often cooked until soft (and slightly mushy). Until I find a real recipe for this dish, I'll continue to play around with different combinations for the miso sauce. This is my latest version; I like the combination of sweet and salty:

Broiled Japanese Eggplant

Japanese eggplant, in 1/2 inch lengthwise slices
1 tbsp white miso
1 tbsp mirin
1/2 tsp honey

Set the oven to broil, 500 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine the miso, mirin, and honey and stir until combined.
Place eggplant slices onto a baking sheet, then brush the miso sauce over each eggplant slice.
Broil for 2-3 minutes, until slightly browned. At this point, the eggplant should still have a bit of firmness to it.

Farmer's Market Orzo Salad

2009-09-21T20:26:00.000-07:00

I used fresh from the garden vegetables to throw together this pasta salad: zucchini and yellow squash. These plants yield huge quantities so it's always good to have a few more recipes in your summertime arsenal. I love this salad for its fresh color and all the cheese; I think its a great way to spice up some summer vegetables that become a bit bland and boring by the end of the summer.

Farmer's Market Orzo Salad

1/2 box orzo pasta (about 4 servings)

2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 small zucchini, cubed
1 yellow squash, cubed
3-5 sprigs of thyme leaves
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

In a large saucepan, cook the orzo in boiling water for about 9 minutes until cooked. Drain and set aside.
Using the same pan, heat the oil over medium low. Add the onion and garlic, stirring occasionally until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables and grate the cheese. When onions are ready, add the vegetables and thyme and stir, sauteing for three minutes, until the squash and zucchini are slightly cooked but still firm.
Add the cheese, then the pasta, and stir until combined. Season once more with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Sparkling Jelly Dessert

2009-08-31T22:31:00.000-07:00

Another day, another Japanese recipe. Jelly seems to be popular in Japan, and by jelly, I mean gelatinous liquid. From coffee jelly in espresso drinks and desserts to tomato jelly in pasta, nothing is off limits. I think jelly is cool and refreshing, perfect for summer. This recipe is from 大人のお菓子, which I will try to call "Sophisticated Snacks" or something like that going forward. The original recipe uses sparkling wine, but I tried making it with sparkling juice as well and it was just as tasty. Use whatever sparkling beverage strikes your fancy; for sweetened beverages, like soda, omit the sugar.

Sparkling Jelly

5g gelatin, or about 1 packet
2 tbsp water (to soften gelatin)
50mL water
30g sugar
250mL sparkling wine, or other sparkling beverage

In a small bowl, combine the gelatin and 2 tbsp water. Set aside.
Using the microwave or stovetop, combine the sugar (if using) and water and boil until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer liquid into a bowl; this bowl will later be used to chill the gelatin until ready to serve.
Add the gelatin to the hot water, stirring to combine. Gently pour in the sparkling wine.
Set aside 50mL of this mixture at room temperature for later. Cover the surface of the remaining liquid with plastic wrap. Place into an ice water bath and refrigerate.
Before serving, whisk the room temperature liquid until foamy. Spoon the chilled jelly into small serving glasses and top with a spoonful of foamed gelatin.

If you run out of foamed jelly, you can take a bit of your chilled gelatin, heat it up to get it back to liquid state, and then froth away.

Japanese-style Cheesecake

2009-08-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from a Japanese cookbook, 大人のお菓子. If you've ever had Japanese desserts, they are complete different from anything else--light, perfectly proportioned, not too sweet, and absolutely delicious!

After five failed attempts to make this cheesecake properly, cheesecake #6 turned out perfectly. Tenacity pays off, my friends.

Japanese Style Cheesecake

*This recipe is yields one 6" round cheesecake. If you use a larger pan, you may need to double or even triple the crust recipe to accommodate.

Crust
50g graham cracker, crushed to bits (1/4 C)
20g butter, melted (1.5 tbsp)

Crush the graham crackers into pieces in a plastic bag.
Combine and mix with butter until well blended. Press into the bottom of the baking dish to form the crust.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes while you prepare the filling.

Filling
200g cream cheese, softened (7 oz)
90g creme fraiche or sour cream (1/2 C)
80g sugar (1/3 C)
1 egg
2 tbsp cream
10g cake flour (2 1/4 tsp)
1" vanilla bean, split and seeds removed (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)

Using a rubber spatula, combine the cream cheese, creme fraiche, and half the sugar and mix until well blended.
Separate the egg, adding the yolk to the cream cheese mixture. Set the white aside in another bowl. Add the cream.
Using the back of a knife (parring knife works best), scrape the beans from the vanilla bean, add the baking powder, and stir into cream cheese mixture until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white and remaining sugar until stiff peaks form (this may take a few minutes with an electric mixer, be warned).
Gently fold 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture into the egg whites until just blended. Fold in remaining cream cheese.

Cheesecake

Carefully pour the cream cheese filling over the prepared crust, smoothing the top.
Place cheesecake on the middle rack of a preheated, 340 degree oven. On the lower rack, place a baking dish filled with a few inches of water to provide moisture.
Bake for about 40 minutes at 340 degrees, then reduce the heat to 320 and bake for an additional 20 minutes. At this point, the cheesecake should be cracked on top and slightly "jiggly".
Remove cheesecake and allow to cool on a rack.

The cake is perfect by itself, but add a spoonful of berry jam or sauce (try blueberry lemon!) for a real treat :)

the joys of the scale

2009-08-26T21:56:00.000-07:00

I've become a bit...unstoppable, we'll say, since recently purchasing a kitchen scale. Before, I was a bit annoyed when recipes were in grams. Now, I just roll with it and dare I say prefer this kind of measuring. No bothering with measuring cups and spoons! After buying an absolutely gorgeous glass top kitchen scale for a wedding gift, I had to get in on the action and bought a black and stainless steel one.

I am most excited about this purchase because it allows me to more easily cook from my Japanese snack/sweets cookbook, 大人のお菓子, literally "adult sweets". The book contains sophisticated cookies, cakes, and desserts and I am having great fun translating and trying out the recipes (no need to sloppily convert grams to cups with my new scale). I will admit, I have one huge translation issue, resulting in 5 less than perfect items. Clearly I don't give up easily.

Rosewater-White Chocolate Flavored Coffee

2009-08-17T14:13:00.000-07:00

Really, this is just a slightly jazzed up cup of coffee. I am not generally a coffee fan, though I will drink sweetened espresso drinks on occasion. Somehow, paying $4 for a cup of milk with coffee just doesn't appeal to me. I came up with the idea for a drink like this; who doesn't have a pot of coffee in their kitchen at home or at the office? Adding milk/cream and syrup makes that plain brown water into something special.

I like the idea of rosewater because it adds a nice floral scent and delicate flavor that lingers. This would also be fantastic as a white chocolate mocha, just substitute the white chocolate simple syrup for a white chocolate syrup. Both are available at standard grocery stores.

Rosewater-White Chocolate Flavored Coffee

1 scoop ground coffee
8 oz boiling water
4 oz milk, hot
1 oz white chocolate flavored simple syrup
1/2 oz rosewater

Prepare coffee in a french press, brewing for 1 minute. Combine all liquids into a mug and serve.

ニューヨークチーズケーキ

2009-08-05T16:57:00.000-07:00

I'm getting adventurous...Inspired by a recent trip to Japan, I perused the Kinokuniya bookstore for Japanese cookbooks before settling on one for desserts and snacks. 大人のお菓子 translates to "adult sweets" and is filled with a variety of recipes, all of which look pretty simple. This is before translation of Japanese to English and measurement conversion. I've tackled recipe conversion once the other way around; it turned out okay, not perfect, but okay.

I've settled on ニューヨークチーズケーキ, "New York Cheesecake", a classic. The proof is in the pudding though, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Blueberry, Lemon, Chili Pepper Jam

2009-08-04T19:57:00.001-07:00

I'm not going to lie...I went back to pick even more blueberries--for this recipe! It just didn't seem right to dig into my freezer stash to make this.

I made a blueberry, lemon, chili pepper jam the other day and had to have more. I was expecting it to be spicy, with the jalapeno and habenero peppers, but the peppers just add a bit of heat (not spiciness). It's really good! I think it would be good with cornbread or biscuits, you know, served up in a bowl...

Blueberry, Lemon, Chili Pepper Jam

3 pints blueberries
2 1/4 cups demerara sugar
1 cinnamon stick, toasted
1 lemon rind, sliced into thin strips
1 tbsp jalapeno, minced
1/2 tsp habenero, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp cilantro, sliced

If using, prepare the canning pot, jars, lids, bands, etc.
In a large pot, add the blueberries and sugar; mash berries and blend well with the sugar. Add the cinnamon stick, lemon zest, peppers, and salt.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often. Jam should thicken slightly.
Stir in the cilantro and cook for about 1 minute. Remove cinnamon stick.
Fill into jars or container. If canning, follow standard canning procedures. If freezing, allow jars to cool completely for 24 hours, then freeze. Otherwise, refrigerate until ready for use.

This photo doesn't do the jam justice, but it'll have to wait until I use it to get a better picture.

Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp

2009-08-03T18:12:00.000-07:00

Continuing the blueberry theme...this is the best blueberry dessert I have EVER eaten. I'm already freezing blueberries and rhubarb so I can make this all year. The best part is the simplicity of it; you mix up some crumble topping, toss the fruit with some standard pantry items, throw into the pan, and bake!

Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp
Bob's Red Mill Baking Book

Topping
¼ cup unbleached white flour
¼ cup soy flour
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
5 tbsp butter, chilled and diced

Filling
1/3 cup sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
2 cups rhubarb, diced into ½ inch pieces
2 cups blueberries

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9x9 inch baking dish.
For the topping, combine the flours, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Add the butter and work it into the flour mixture until crumbly. Refrigerate while making the filling.
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Add the rhubarb and blueberries, tossing well.
Spread the mixture in a prepared baking dish. Sprinkle topping over the fruit and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is brown and the fruit is bubbling. Serve warm.

blueberry lemon sauce

2009-08-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

This recipe is so easy, I'm typing it up as the stuff is processing.

Blueberry-Lemon Sauce

4 pints blueberries, washed
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice

Canning supplies: canning pot, jars, lids, bands, etc.

Prepare jars and lids per manufacturer instructions. Prepare canning pot with water to full boil, ready to process jars.
In a large pot, combine the lemon juice and zest, sugar, orange juice, and blueberries. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Lower the heat and simmer blueberry mixture for 2 minutes, stirring to completely dissolve the sugar.
Ladle sauce into jars, leaving 1/4in head space. Wipe rim clean, attach lid and band.
Process in canning pot for 15 minutes.
Remove jars and allow to cool on a rack. At this point, the jars make a cool popping sound as they are sealing.

Makes about 3 pints.

If you don't care to can you can refrigerate for up to 3 months.

For more information about canning, check out this site by the National Center for Home Food Preservation: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/general.html

This sauce is ridiculously good. It reminds me of a nice blueberry syrup, perfect for pancakes, french toast, or crepes.

U-pick? U-betcha!

2009-08-02T14:29:00.000-07:00

It's now an unofficial annual tradition--blueberry picking with my aunt. Last year we went out one morning to pick and walked away with 16 pounds! How did that happen? Well, when you're chatting away and picking big, plump berries, it's pretty easy it seems. This year, we were extra careful to unknowingly pick 20 pounds; we ended up picking about 14 pounds this time.

We went to Lolich's Blueberry Farm where u-pick blueberries were $1.50 per pound. They've got a huge field of blueberries, it seemed like different varieties were mixed in, so tasting each blueberry bush to find your preferred flavor is a must.

Check them out:

Lolich's Blueberry Farm
18407 SW Scholls Ferry Road
Beaverton, OR 97007
503.352.4448
http://www.lolichblueberryfarm.com/

freezer mania

2009-07-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

Ahh, the joys of the freezer. Tuck away those extra bits of dough (scones, cookies, bread), homemade jams, fresh picked berries, and extra cakes and cookies for a rainy day.

With the recent berry season, I have gone a bit wild making jams (freezer and traditional) and freezing all those delicious berries. Canning seems like a daunting process, so it's best to do a big batch of stuff at a time with another person or two to help out. For the majority of my jam making, I used the standard Certo recipes. I like the low sugar stuff if I can use it, otherwise I tend to add extra berries to lower the sugar to berry ratio. For strawberry jam, try using balsamic vinegar in place of the lemon juice for a FANTASTIC strawberry balsamic jam full of depth and wonderful strawberry flavor. Trust me. I originally saw it here: http://achowlife.blogspot.com/2009/05/canning-is-cool.html

Just this weekend, I pulled out a couple of chocolate dessert items--a chocolate chip pound cake and chocolate drop cookies. I made this chocolate chip pound cake recipe earlier this year and froze the second loaf, wrapped twice in foil, once in a freezer wrap, and then into a freezer bag (worried about freezer burn much?). The loaf cake recipe also comes with a chocolate sauce to dip the cake in or drizzle over. Absolutely delicious.

Smoked Salmon and Apple Carpaccio

2009-05-24T19:46:00.000-07:00

What to do with leftover smoked salmon or lox?

I saw this recipe for Smoked Salmon and Apple Carpaccio on Giada at Home.

It came together fairly quickly; with nothing to cook, it was as quick as slicing an apple and arranging everything on the plate. I chose to not serve mine on bread (Giada uses olive bread). I thought the flavors were interesting, not sure if I'd make it again though.

Mother's Day--in [food] photos

2009-05-15T19:56:00.001-07:00

Blueberry Pancakes with Orange Butter (orange butter not pictured)

Homemade Bagels and Lox

Coconut Shrimp Stew

Fresh fruit with rose scented whipped cream

Chocolate Covered Bacon

2009-04-04T20:05:00.000-07:00

Take a good look, for this is what chocolate covered bacon looks like! I'm not sure this rivals the bacon cookies I made, but it is kinda tasty. Makes me want to try the Vosges Bacon Bar (I saw it today at Whole Foods and was tempted...fortunately the price wasn't marked, otherwise I just might have bought one!).

This "recipe" isn't so stellar, so I won't post anything official. To try it yourself, cook up some bacon to your desired doneness; I prefer mine crispy. Meanwhile, melt some chocolate. When the bacon is cooked, spoon the chocolate on the bacon pieces. Chill until serving.

mojto time!

2009-04-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

I got a taste for mojitos while in Japan. I'm not really a big mint fan, so it really doesn't make a lot of sense. When I make mine at home, I tend to cut way back on the mint, using only a sprig or two. This week, I tried two "new" types: blueberry and pineapple. Yummy!

Some mojito fans may call me uncivilized for messing with this drink...but I can't help it! I like what I like. Besides pineapple and blueberry (pineapple was my favorite), I think strawberry or raspberry would be delicious.

Fruity Mojito

1-4 mint leaves
2 tsp sugar
juice of 1/2 a lime
1/4 fruit (pureed for more fruit flavor)
2 oz light rum
club soda
ice

In a glass, add the sugar, mint, fruit, and lime juice. Muddle to bruise the mint and dissolve the sugar into the fruit. Add rum, then top off with club soda and ice.

blueberry muffin throwdown

2009-03-21T15:20:00.000-07:00

What's a blueberry muffin throwdown, you ask. It is inspired by Bobby Flay's show, Throwdown, where he studies someone's signature dish, perfects it, then shows up to challenge them in a competition. I'm taking two blueberry muffin recipes, comparing them side by side, and selecting a winner based on which embodies the spirit, if you will, of a blueberry muffin. And may the best recipe prevail.

A. Blueberry Muffins, from Gourmet Magazine (via Food Network)

I found this recipe earlier in the week from a basic recipe search on Food Network. It was rated with 4 stars and sounded pretty simple. So I went ahead and made it.

3/4 C butter, softened
1/2 C vanilla sugar
1/2 C sugar
3/4 C milk
1 egg
1 3/4 C flour, sifted
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 C blueberries (I used frozen)
1-2 tbsp flour (reserved for the blueberries)

Preheat the oven to 400. Grease or line a muffin tin; set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in the egg, mixing well, then slowly add in the milk. Blend completely.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the butter mixture until just blended.
Toss the blueberries with flour to coat, then fold into the muffin batter.
Fill the muffin tin to nearly the top nearly to the top. Bake muffins for 20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Turn onto a rack to cool.

I found this recipe (as originally written) a real hassle, so I revised it a tiny bit to be less fussy (and added my own spin with the vanilla sugar and more blueberries!). Blending the milk into the butter/sugar was a soupy nightmare, I'm surprised the muffins even turned out as muffins.

The end result, though, is a very sweet, almost cake-like muffin that I thought was a bit sparse in terms of the blueberries. I really like a lot of blueberry in my muffins, otherwise what's the point of a blueberry muffin? The muffins also fall apart easily which make them a bit hard to eat.

B. Double Blueberry Muffins, from Gale Gand (via Food Network)

I've had this recipe in my arsenal for a few years now. Always super simple, always delicious. Like the above recipe, it is also rated with 4 stars on Food Network.

1/2 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 C blueberries (I used frozen)
2 C flour
1/2 C milk
1-2 tbsp flour, reserved for blueberries
1 tbsp sugar, reserved for muffin tops

Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line a muffin tin, set aside.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla, baking powder, and salt.
Mash 3/4 C of the blueberries and blend into the batter.
Add 1 C of the flour, mix well, then add 1/4 C of the milk and mix well. Repeat and mix until just blended.
Toss the blueberries with flour to coat, then fold gently into the muffin batter.
Fill the muffin tin with batter, then sprinkle muffin tops with the sugar.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let muffins cool in the tin for 20-30 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

These muffins have a nice blueberry flavor throughout and a nice texture. I enjoy mine as a nice mid-morning snack with tea.

And the winner is...

B! I prefer this more traditional blueberry muffin for its texture, taste, and appearance. Not to mention it is really easy to make. If I were big on muffins, I'd probably use this recipe as a nice base to experiment with.

my new favorite snack

2009-03-19T18:20:00.000-07:00

Chapatis with coconut-peanut butter

I originally saw these flatbreads on Guy's Big Bite, then again in another cookbook and decided to give them a whirl. I love 'em because they are super easy to make and would go well with a lot of different flavors. I also make mine entirely with whole wheat flour. Yes, it may sound a bit scary, but I think it works. Feel free to stick to the "real" recipe and use regular flour.

Chapatis

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup water

Combine flour and salt in a bowl, then stir in water until a stiff dough forms. Let rest for 20 minutes.
Preheat a skillet over medium to medium high heat.
On a floured surface, take small bits of dough (a bit larger than golf ball size) and roll out to 1/4 inch rounds.
Cook the rounds for 30 to 60 seconds per side. Be careful not to overcook!
Serve warm with your choice of toppings (see my favorite below), or plain if you like.

Coconut-peanut butter

1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp coconut milk

Combine ingredients well.
Eat.

hope you're hungry!

2009-03-04T20:55:00.000-08:00

Mmm...Thai food!

Dracula's Nightmare--

Pla Rad Prik--

Thailand Restaurant
http://www.yelp.com/biz/thailand-restaurant-beaverton

try something new!

2009-03-01T10:36:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I went out on a culinary limb and made a brussel sprout salad, inspired by this recipe from 101 Cookbooks. I have never really been a fan of brussel sprouts (though I do like them roasted and tossed with salty pancetta and balsamic vinegar), but I admit, these looked like they could be a winner.

I shredded the brussel sprouts and tossed them with a lemon vinaigrette similar to Heidi's. It made for a perfect light lunch paired with leftover roast chicken and bell pepper sticks.

With the said roast chicken, I also made chicken stock from the carcass. Very Martha Stewart of me, I know. But oh, wow, is that stuff good.

Chicken Stock

1 chicken carcass

1 onion, quartered

1 carrot, roughly chopped

zest of one orange

couple sprigs thyme

8 cups water

Place all ingredients in a large pot over medium high heat until boiling. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover slightly. Cook for up to 4 hours, adding more water as necessary. Strain and refrigerate until ready to use.

My stock gelatinized, so you may want to heat before using.

A couple of days ago, I made a nice tofu and spinach soup with my stock--so good! To make, bring the stock to a boil, add a handful of spinach, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until spinach is wilted. While this is cooking, cube some silken tofu and place into a soup bowl. Pour stock/spinach over tofu and serve.

yellow dal

2009-01-28T19:01:00.001-08:00

I mentioned homemade chicken stock yesterday--I decided to make yellow dal with it. I found this recipe in the foodday section of the newspaper while browsing through the recipes. It also happens that I bought yellow split beans at an Asian grocery store this weekend.

I have absolutely no experience with Indian cooking so I didn't know what to expect. The recipe was really easy to make, though, and tasted pretty good. Unfortunately, I forgot to add salt when cooking but it's a fairly easily remedied mistake. Here's my lunch, served over brown rice--

Yellow Dal

the peas:
1 C yellow split peas
1/2 bay leaf
1/4 tsp tumeric
3 cups chicken stock (obviously not vegetarian, but I don't mind)
Salt

Rinse the peas extremely well with running water in a sieve. Water should run clear. Add the peas to a pot with the other ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce to a simmer for 20-30 minutes until tender. Season with salt.

the tadka:
1/4 C vegetable oil (or ghee)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 C thinly sliced onion
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

In a pan, heat the oil over medium high to high heat. Add cumin seeds and fry for 10 seconds, then add the onion. Cook the onion over medium heat for 12 minutes until golden brown. Add in the crushed red pepper flakes and cook for another 2 minutes or so.
Serve the tadka over the top of the dal.

sunday afternoons

2009-01-27T20:33:00.000-08:00

The best way to spend a Sunday? In the kitchen of course! A friend and I made these wonderful cupcakes, along with citrus turbinado sugar cookies and chicken stock of all things. Sadly I don't have the recipe for the cupcakes myself. But the general idea is steeping the milk in earl grey tea. We whipped up a quick lemon cream cheese frosting to finish.

I recently spotted a natural sweetener cookbook--Sweet!--at the library on the new arrivals wall and instantly grabbed it. The gorgeous cover photograph really sealed the deal. When I did take a look inside, I had to buy it. The Semolina-Citrus Turbinados are the second recipe I've tried from it and I haven't been disappointed.

Semolina-Citrus Turbinados from Sweet!

1 C turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw brand is everywhere)
zest of 1 orange
1 C flour
3/4 C semolina flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cubed
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 egg

In a food processor, pulse the sugar and orange zest. Add flours, baking powder, and salt and pulse until blended. Add the cold butter and pulse until you have a bread crumb like texture. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and lemon juice; add to the food processor, running the machine until the dough forms a ball.

Knead the dough a bit, divide, and form into two 1 1/2" logs. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350. Slice the dough into 1/4" rounds and place onto a nonstick cookie sheet. Be sure to leave enough room for the cookies to spread a bit. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Keep an eye on them because the sugar may burn quickly. Transfer to a rack to cool. After cooling, spread icing on top of cookies, if desired.

To make the icing:

2 oz cream cheese at room temp
2 tbsp orange juice
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
orange zest, if desired

Whisk the cream cheese and orange juice (and orange zest, if using) until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar and mix well.

caffeine immunity?

2009-01-13T20:42:00.001-08:00

I can't resist cookies. And these ones are pretty fantastic.

Espresso Cookies

Bob's Red Mill Sourdough Muffins

2009-01-13T20:26:00.000-08:00

Honestly, I bought the Bob's Red Mill Baking Book on a whim at Powell's. Considering it was on sale for half the original price, I'd say it was a pretty good deal. The book is filled with all kinds of recipes using all kinds of grains.

I really like this recipe, especially with a sourdough starter sitting in the fridge. The best part trying different additions, like dried fruit or grated cheese. Just be sure to add it to the dry ingredient blend. I made two variations in one batch--white cheddar and provolone, and a dried blueberry/cranberry combination (the recipe recommends 1 3/4 cups of cheese for one batch, or 1 1/4 cups dried fruit).

Sourdough Muffins
from Bob's Red Mill Baking Book

1 3/4 C whole wheat flour
1 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 C sugar
1/2 C sourdough starter
1 1/2 cups warm milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 C vegetable oil

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir to moisten (this doesn't need to be well incorporated at all).
Cover with a lint-free dish towel and sit out at room temperature for 12 hours.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 and spray a muffin tin. Stir batter to combine, pour into muffin tin, and bake for approximately 20 minutes.

david lebovitz--revisited

2008-12-20T20:07:00.000-08:00

Winter is almost here--

It's been perfect hot chocolate drinking weather...I was out taking pictures this afternoon and needed to warm up. Enter David Lebovitz and his fantastic chocolate recipes. I enjoyed a nice hot cup of hot chocolate (made with soymilk and Ghiradelli's) with marshmallows, and later in the afternoon, fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.

I recently read some new information (new to me anyway) about the proper care of butter in making cookies, from using it at the right temperature to creaming it properly. I was curious and anxious to bake cookies with my new found knowledge.

The cookies ended up pretty flat which I'm not used to, but the flavor is great. I especially love the chocolate chip to dough ratio. The outside is slightly crisp, but the inside is nice and chewy. I will probably make them again just to see if the flatness is due to the recipe or execution. Looking at the ones Heidi made, though, I'm thinking it's on my end...perhaps that butter article wasn't so good after all.

Don't they look tasty?

a long overdue intro to david lebovitz

2008-12-19T19:09:00.000-08:00

I discovered David Lebovitz' blog last week...and oh how dangerous it is! I know I've heard about him countless places around the internet, but never actually took the time to visit his site. I instantly bookmarked a ton of recipes upon visiting his recipes page and honestly wish I had done so long ago. So far, I've had the Parisian hot chocolate, marshmallows, and cheesecake brownies, all of which are fantastic.

I really want to talk about the brownies today. I thought I had an amazing recipe with Jamie Oliver's fifteen brownies...I might have been mistaken. These brownies have that wonderfully fudgy texture paired with the sweet and tangy cream cheese. Honestly, I couldn't decide which was better even if I had them side by side. Nor would I want to!

As for the marshmallows and hot chocolate, I couldn't recommend them more! The hot chocolate tastes like a delicious, creamy, melted chocolate bar (which is basically what it is). If you go all out and make it with fancy chocolate, you wouldn't dare plop a marshmallow on top; save the marshmallows for other hot chocolate mixes or "lesser" chocolate...I personally used a half a king size Hershey bar (purchased super cheap at Grocery Outlet). A half batch of these marshallows do make quite a bit so I wouldn't recommend making more than that unless you plan on using them for something else (I've got my eye on some rocky road!).

chai tea mix

2008-12-18T18:18:00.000-08:00

A good cup of chai tea is always fabulous. I am partial to Oregon Chai brand; I really like its mild yet creamy flavor. I've had homemade chai before, the kind you actually boil with black tea and spices, but honestly the flavors are a bit strong for me. My palate has been trained, for better or worse.

I used this recipe for chai tea mix which I found on allrecipes. I found a couple recipes posted elsewhere which were exactly the same. I finally got a chance to use my vanilla sugar in making this which was great. This mix does have a bit of spiciness to it, but it is mild enough for all those chai tea concentrate drinkers out there (it was for me), so I definitely recommend at least trying a half batch.

101 Cookbooks Experimentation

2008-12-13T17:32:00.000-08:00

It's been a few weeks since my last post. I guess I've just let time slip by a bit too quickly. I actually made these recipes a while back, I found them from 101 Cookbooks. I really like that blog, there's always something interesting to try.

Nikki's Healthy Cookies

These sounded interesting...a "healthy" cookie?? Sounded so interesting, in fact, I made them. They were better warm, very banana-y. I suppose if you are an extreme banana fan, give these a go. Just be sure not to keep them in an airtight container, as they are moist. Personally, I did not like these cookies...

Amazing Black Bean Brownies

LOVED this recipe...who would have thought to put beans in brownies? I used leftover bean paste from this recipe. They have an incredible, moist texture which I love. Of course, the moist texture is not from chocolate and "fudgy", but fudgy none the less. I really can't describe it. I will be making these again for sure!

Anzac Cookies

Another lovely recipe for sweets (are you sensing a theme?). I really liked the butteriness of this cookie. These make for an excellent morning or afternoon snack paired with tea. Or, you know, to snack on all day.

Hummus en Fuego

My last 101 Cookbooks recipe I've made recently is for hummus. I really love Trader Joe's 4-pack hummus sampler, including roasted red pepper and garlic. I love this hummus recipe because it's got pretty basic stuff in it and easy to mix up and make how you prefer. I prepared the recipe as is, then added some roasted red peppers for extra flavor. Another excellent snack! I really love it paired with garlic pita chips (purchased at Whole Foods). This hummus would be perfect in wraps or on pizza.

Thanksgiving leftovers?

2008-11-29T17:43:00.001-08:00

Post turkey day, everyone's fridges are likely packed full of turkey, stuffing, cranberries, and other miscellaneous side dishes. What to do with these leftovers? Honestly, I have no idea. I'm very particular about how I eat my Thanksgiving foods: I need enough gravy to cover my potatoes and stuffing, turkey must be reheated to the proper piping hot temperature otherwise I find it utterly disgusting, and nothing, nothing should ever touch my dinner rolls.

Today I decided to make a little Thanksgiving leftover lunch. Originally I wanted to make a wrap, but then I decided to make a faux quesadilla, with cranberries, turkey, a bit of orange, lettuce, and black pepper white cheese. If I had to eat Thanksgiving foods every day of the year, this is how I would do it.

Next up, I think I'll try making a wrap with leftover turkey and roasted red pepper hummus, with some spinach thrown in for good measure.

soup and sandwich dinner

2008-11-16T19:47:00.000-08:00

It's fall and butternut squash is in season. What better way to prepare it than roast it, then make it into a soup?? I was really inspired to make soup after seeing Thai Spiced Pumpkin Soup on 101 cookbooks. The recipe does call for acorn squash, but I used butternut since I had it on hand and it tastes great!

Pair that with a grilled cheese sandwich, enhanced with cheese, apple, and bacon and you've got a seriously good meal.

This recipe comes from Tyler Florence, another one of my favorite Food Network chefs. If you are tired of eating the same old, I have nothing else to eat so grilled cheese will do, sandwich, be sure to give this one a try!

(Not your ordinary) Grilled Cheese

2 slices of bread
green apple, sliced thin
2 pieces of bacon, cooked until crisp
white cheddar cheese, sliced
dijon mustard
butter

Heat a griddle over medium heat.
To assemble the sandwich, spread a layer of dijon mustard on one slice of bread. Layer the cheese, apple, and bacon on top, then add the other slice of bread. Butter the bread and place onto the griddle, butter side down. Be sure to butter the other side of the sandwich at this time.
Cook the sandwich until golden brown, flip, and cook the other side until golden as well.

bacon cookies!

2008-11-15T19:31:00.000-08:00

You either love the idea of pairing bacon with anything and everything, or you think that's the worst idea ever. I personally fall into the latter category--I love perfectly crisp bacon, however, this is the limit of my culinary imagination. Until recently.

I made bacon chocolate chip cookies over a week ago...not too bad. I scoured the internet for more bacon cookie recipes and found a couple that sounded really tasty, including these, originally found here.

The recipe seems to be a basic shortbread style cookie with some crisp chopped bacon thrown in for good measure. The sweetness of the cookie comes exclusively from the maple glaze and the optional (but oh so necessary), caramelized bacon placed on the top.

The caramelized bacon (pictured above) adds extra crunch and bacon flavor. Surprisingly, the bacon within the cookie itself doesn't add much flavor, so this "garnish" is essential.

In the end, I suppose you're a bacon with everything type person or you're not...

pumpkin chip muffin loaf

2008-11-15T16:46:00.000-08:00

I was looking for a recipe with canned pumpkin so I could use up my leftovers from the pumpkin cookies I made. I finally settled on this recipe, but I wasn't entirely set on making cupcakes, mostly because I didn't have the cream cheese for the frosting but also because I wanted a coffeehouse-style baked item. (Side note: I really like the search function on allrecipes which allows you to search by ingredients you want and/or don't want...perfect when you need to use something left in your fridge!)

I followed the recipe exactly, using approximately 1 cup of regular sized chocolate chips. I poured into a loaf pan and baked for about an hour.

This makes a wonderful afternoon sweet snack, perfect with tea or coffee.

2008-11-15T16:42:00.000-08:00

I'm a cooking machine this weekend. I have hopes of making many things, including:

bacon cookies
peppermint ice cream
buttermilk biscuits
English muffins
and maybe some yeast bread

We'll see how much I actually accomplish ;) So far, I've got the ice cream setting up in the freezer and the cookies cooling, waiting for icing and a candied bacon topping.

Individual Blueberry Persimmon Crumble

2008-11-09T17:41:00.000-08:00

I went to Uwajimaya, an Asian grocery store here in the NW, and bought a bunch of interesting items. Never having seen them in grocery stores before, I sampled persimmon and bought a couple to experiment with.

Persimmons have an interesting flavor which I can't accurately describe. It reminds me of apple, but much more mild. I was thinking they would be great roasted with potatoes, or baked up in some kind of dessert. I decided to go with the latter.

Blueberry Persimmon Crumble

2 persimmons, cubed
1 cup blueberries
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp butter

1 1/2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp butter, softened

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set aside 4 small ramekins.
In a saucepan, combine fruit, sugars, and butter. Cook over medium low heat until a bit of juices release and thicken slightly.
Meanwhile, combine the last set of ingredients for the crumble topping.
Put the cooked fruit into the ramekins. Divide the topping evenly among the 4 servings.
Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes, until topping browns slightly.

Pumpkin Cookies

2008-11-09T12:35:00.001-08:00

I originally tried these at work when a coworker brought some in. I've never eaten anything like them before--soft like a biscuit or muffin, but with the sweetness of a cookie. I had to ask for the recipe. When I got it, I modified it a bit, using a different icing, subbing half the sugar for brown, and adding a bit of salt and vanilla. But in the end, I'm not sure those changes made that much of a difference because these are so good as is.

I did a search for other pumpkin cookie recipes and found a ton of them, each very similar. So apparently I've been out of the loop on this one.

Pumpkin Cookies

1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder

3 tbsp butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla (or try 2-3 tsp maple syrup for variety)

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the pumpkin and egg and beat until well combined.
Add all the dry ingredients and blend, careful not to overmix.
Drop the cookies onto a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, depending on size. I take mine out when they are a bit firm to the touch on the top, but soft underneath.
To make the frosting, combine the last 4 ingredients and whisk until all lumps are gone. Frost the cookies after cooled.

Gyoza!!!

2008-11-08T22:09:00.000-08:00

Let's be honest...I am a glutton for gyoza. There's just something amazing about pork, vegetables, and that salty dipping sauce that I can't get enough of. My friend, Tammy, was dead set on making gyoza and we finally got together to make them this afternoon! Its definitely a good idea to have some help on this recipe, as it can be quite time consuming to assemble and cook 60 gyoza, but so worth the effort!

I got my gyoza recipe from Amy Kaneko's book, Let's Cook Japanese Food! which I bought on sale from Powells over the summer. I chose this recipe over others mostly because the ingredients were easy to come by.

Gyoza

1/2 lb napa cabbage, finely chopped and well drained
3/4 lb ground pork
2 green onions, minced
3-5 shiitake mushrooms, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sake
1 tsp soy sauce

1 package round gyoza wrappers (about 60 skins total)
1 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp water for each batch

Soy sauce
Rice vinegar
Chili oil

Gently mix the cabbage, pork, onion, mushrooms, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, sake, and soy sauce (the first set of ingredients above).
To assemble the gyoza, take one gyoza and fill with about 1 tsp of the pork filling. Wipe a bit of water onto the edge of the skin and press skin over to form a seal. To make them prettier (and perhaps more authentic), pleat this closed edge. Set aside on a waxed paper baking sheet. It is important to not let them touch, as they will end up sticking to each other. Keep assembling until you run out of filling or skins.
Heat a large skillet over medium to medium high heat, depending on your stove. Add the canola and sesame oils and coat the pan. When the oil is hot, add the gyoza cooking about 10-12 at a time. Do not atttempt to move them! Cook for 3 minutes or until turning brown on the bottoms. Carefully add 2 tbsp water to the pan and promptly cover. Let cook for an additional 5 minutes, adding a small amount of water if necessary to prevent burning. Remove the lid and cook until remaining liquid evaporates (I turned my gyoza over after removing the lid to avoid any burning).
To make the dipping sauce, mix your desired amounts of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili oil.

Since this recipe makes so many, I recommend freezing them flat on a baking sheet. To cook later, thaw them and cook as normal.

Teriyaki Sauce

2008-11-07T22:11:00.000-08:00

If you recall my last adventure with tofu, this idea spun out of it. What to do with half a block of tofu?? I ran across this recipe by a simple google search and I absolutely loved it! I had the tastiest lunches the past couple days and my mouth waters for the next go round.

Teriyaki Sauce

1/4 cup low-sodium tamari
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp finely chopped garlic

Mix all ingredients with your meat (or meat substitute) of choice. (I marinated my cubed tofu for a few hours which was just right.)
Stir fry meat in a hot pan with a bit of oil until cooked. Try to keep as much teriyaki liquid out of the pan for now, as it will splatter and be messy, and burn pretty easily.
Add in reserved sauce and cook until slightly thickened. Note: if this sauce was in contact with raw meat, use at your discretion.

I served mine with short grain brown rice on the side.

Sweet and Spicy Almonds

2008-11-05T20:33:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe for spiced pecans a while back and filed it away. A couple days ago I finally came around to making it with the almonds I had on hand.

I'm not 100% sold on the final product, but I'm sure they'll grow on me :)

Sweet and Spicy Nuts

2 tbsp butter
3 cups nuts (the original recipe calls for pecan halves)
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp chile powder
1 tsp paprika
1/4 cup cider vinegar
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in middle.
In a large saucepan or skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add nuts and saute until slightly browned (3-5 minutes). Stir in sugar and cook for about 1 minute until a bit caramelized. Keep a close watch on the mixture because it burns quickly! (Personal experience tells me...a burned the first mixture--oops!) Don't be afraid to turn down the temperature, use your instincts. Add in the spices and vinegar, stir until cider has evaporated. Season with salt.
Spread nuts on a pan in an even layer and bake for 5-10 minutes until crisp.

Jamaican Jerk Spiced Tofu

2008-11-03T20:51:00.001-08:00

I found this recipe, thinking I had tempeh waiting to be used...turns out I was wrong! So I decided to use extra firm tofu instead.

Jamaican Jerk Spiced Tofu

1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 block extra firm tofu, cubed
2 carrots, shredded

Vegetable/canola oil for the pan

Combine the spices in a bowl; set aside.

In a skillet, heat oil over medium to medium high heat. Add tofu and stirfry until lightly browned. Add the spices to the pan and toss with tofu, then add carrots.

Serve over rice.

Garlic Toasts with Red Pepper Aioli

2008-11-02T17:37:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite recipes, from my favorite chef, Giada de Laurentiis. It's super simple too if you have roasted red peppers on hand.

Garlic Toasts with Red Pepper Aioli

2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers, patted dry
1/3 cup mayo
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

1/2" slices bread (Giada recommends ciabatta, I use Marsee baking Petit Pairs)
2 tbsp olive oil, for drizzling

For the aioli:

In a food processor, finely chop the garlic. Add the roasted red peppers and blend until relatively smooth; add mayo and blend well. With machine running, stream in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

For the toast:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle olive oil over the bread slices. Bake for 5 minutes until golden and slightly crisp.

Spoon the aioli liberally on the toasts.

Moroccan Chicken with Tomatoes and Zucchini

2008-11-02T11:33:00.000-08:00

This next recipe is from Robin Miller's cookbook. I got it at the library and really enjoyed it for its easy, yummy recipes. The recipe is great for fall when zucchini is in season. The dish tastes very nice over basmati rice to make a meal.

Moroccan Chicken with Tomatoes and Zucchini

2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 lbs chicken breasts, diced into 2 inch pieces
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp cinnamon
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 medium zucchini, diced

Heat a skillet over medium high heat, add oil and cook garlic for 60 seconds. Be sure not to burn!
Add the chicken and brown well on all sides. Next, add the spices and cook for another 60 seconds or so.
Add the tomatoes and zucchini and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 5 minutes or so. Season with salt and pepper.

Pumpkin and yogurt corn muffins

2008-11-02T11:32:00.000-08:00

You know what it's like when you've let the dishes pile up in the sink, the bathroom get too dirty, or the laundry become a bit too daunting? Yeah, I have neglected this blog for a couple weeks now which means I've got several things to post today.

I found this mini corn muffin recipe on justbento a few weeks ago and thought it sounded really tasty. Plus, I had some leftover yogurt I needed to use up. Unfortunately, I over baked the muffins and they were practically inedible :( If baked properly, I recommend serving them with some maple butter--mix together softened/melted butter with maple syrup and allow to refirm.

Pumpkin and yogurt corn muffins

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup minus 2 tbsp flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix
3 tbsp raw cane sugar
2 eggs
3 tbsp canola oil
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup lowfat plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Spray a mini muffin tin.
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. Add the wet to the dry and mix until just blended.
Spoon into muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes or so. Be sure not to overbake or they will be dry!

Coco Loco Brownies

2008-11-02T11:09:00.000-08:00

I've tried a Rachael Ray recipe for brownies in the past and it was a total disaster...we're talking an inedible hot mess of chocolate and marshmallows. I found a recipe for brownies in her magazine and decided to try it, half blocking out my negative experience and half wondering what would come of it.

I followed the recipe to a tee. Did it seem right? It did not. But I stuck with it. While they are not the best brownies I've ever had, they are extremely delicious and I will recommend the recipe.

Coco Loco Brownies

1 3/4 cups sugar
1 stick butter (I used salted) at room temperature
1 cup unsweeted cocoa powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1 1/2 whole almonds, roasted and chopped (to roast, stick in the preheated oven until lightly toasted--do not let them burn)
3/4 cup chocolate chips
2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper (this will make it much easier to remove from the pan and put onto a cooling rack, preventing the brownies from steaming in the pan).
In a saucepan, cook the sugar and butter over medium heat until bubbling. Remove from heat, stir the cocoa powder and 1/2 tsp salt; cool for 10 minutes.
While cooling, mix the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and 1/4 tsp salt. Set aside.
Whisk in the vanilla and eggs into the cooled sugar mixture until well blended. Stir in the flour, then almonds. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.
Spoon dollops of coconut mixture over the tops of the brownies. Gently pat down any large mounds. Bake until the coconut topping is golden brown and the brownies are set.
Take the brownies out of the pan and let cool on a rack.

a few new things

2008-10-18T21:47:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe a while back in Cat Cora's book, Cooking from the Hip. It's one of those "just wait til the season rolls around" recipes I was really excited about. I've never cooked with squash or lentils before, but it sounded so good I had to try it.

Curried Lentils with Butternut Squash

1 cup lentils
1 small butternut squash, cut into chunks
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp chili powder
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 and butter an 8x11" dish.
In a saucepan, add the lentils and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, add the squash, and reduce down to a simmer. Cook for 25-30 minutes until liquid is reduced down and squash is tender.
Strain liquid from vegetables. Return back to pan and mash the squash lightly.
Spoon into the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes until hot.

I served mine over coconut basmati rice (using leftover coconut milk from the cupcakes...) which was delicious!

For dessert, I decided to run with the coconut theme and make some pudding...from another saved recipe.

Warm Banana-Coconut Pudding with Tapioca Pearls

3 cups water
1/3 cup small tapioca pearls
bananas, sliced in half moons
1 14 oz. can coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt

In a saucepan, bring the water to a full boil. Add the tapioca pearls stirring constantly for 1 minute to avoid clumping. Slightly reduce the temperature to a strong simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or so. The mixute will thicken considerably.
Add the coconut milk, sugar, and salt and cook for a couple minutes.
Serve hot/warm with banana slices. Garnish with flaked coconut.

Japanese Dry Curry with Tempeh

2008-10-15T18:14:00.000-07:00

I heard of tempeh from my vegan cookbook a while ago, saw it at the grocery store, decided it looked scary, and didn't buy it. But then I came across this recipe on Just Bento which made tempeh seem a little bit scary. So I went back to the store and picked some up.

All I know about tempeh is it's soybeans, I believe fermented soybeans (same concept as Japanese natto, only not stringy and smelly). If you're interested, check out the wikipedia entry on it or a quick google search. But I do promise, it's not as scary as it seems!

I won't go into too much detail about the recipe, but it was pretty simple. I choppd up some vegetables in a food processor, sauteed them until tender, then added some spices, then the tempeh. Heat through and serve over rice! The recipe made enough for about 4 lunches.

Chocolate, Coconut and Rum Cupcakes with Coconut Lime Frosting

2008-10-14T21:17:00.000-07:00

Inspired by some leftover limes from an earlier meal (that dry rubbed salmon), I really wanted to make some cupcakes. So much so that I've been dreaming and scheming about them in my head for two days now.

Lime and coconut sounded really good...but then I had an even better idea of adding chocolate to the mix! And what goes better with the semi tropical flavors of lime and coconut then rum?? Off I went to find a chocolate rum coconut lime cupcake, or something like it. Ha. Like that was really going to happen.

I decided I wanted to make chocolate coconut rum cake with coconut lime frosting. I finally settled on a "light" chocolate cup cake recipe by Martha Stewart and decided I'd modify it a bit to incorporate my coconut rum inspiration, plus add a buttercream frosting later.

Chocolate, Coconut and Rum Cupcakes with Coconut Lime Frosting

the cake:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp hot water
3 tbsp butter, melted
6 tbsp buttermilk
1 1/1 tbsp dark rum
1 large egg
1 large egg white

the frosting:

1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tbsp coconut milk, plus more as needed
1 lime, juiced

the recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and coconut.
Mix cocoa powder and hot water to form a paste. Add the wet ingredients and stir until smooth and well blended. Whisk in the flour mixture.
Spoon the batter into the muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack.
To make the frosting, whisk all ingredients in a bowl until fluffy. Spread onto cooled cupcakes, and garnish with a bit of flaked coconut.

The cupcakes are quite light in my opinion, not to heavy or dense. While I would normally prefer my cupcakes a bit more dense, I think the texture compliments the delicate buttercream quite nicely. I suppose this is quite dangerous, as I feel I could eat half the batch in one sitting!

dry-rubbed grilled fillet of salmon

2008-10-13T20:37:00.000-07:00

I got this book from the library a few weeks ago. I'll admit, the title did sound kind of boring, but open it up and it's got a great layout, great pictures, and unique recipes. I found myself bookmarking more pages than I ever expected. The first recipe I've made is dry rubbed salmon. Sounds totally different than anything I've ever seen or tried, but wow is it good! I halved the recipe which made about 4 servings.

Dry-rubbed Grilled Fillet of Salmon, pg. 67

Fillet of salmon, approximately 1-2 lbs.

For the rub:

1/2 cup raw cane sugar
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup grated lime zest, from about 3 limes
1/4 cup coarse sea salt
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp cumin

Mix together all the rub ingredients. Spread evenly over the salmon fillet, gently rubbing into the flesh and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour (or in the refrigerator for 2).
Prepare the grill.
Scrape dry rub off the salmon; grill for 10-12 minutes or until cooked all the way through.

The Ultimate Caramel Apple Pie

2008-10-05T20:23:00.000-07:00

I made this pie for Thanksgiving last year to add some variety to our traditional pumpkin pie dessert. I ran across it on Food Network, it sounded good, so I made it! Little did I know it would be the most delicious pie. EVER. The recipe is by Tyler Florence, one of his "ultimate" recipes from the show, Tyler's Ultimate, where he takes traditional recipes and makes them, well, "the ultimate". Unfortunately for him, following the directions posted to the site will inevitably lead to failure, so let me tell you how to make it the right way.

The Ultimate Caramel Apple Pie

For the crust:

3 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks
2 eggs separated, (yolks for the pastry, whites for the glaze)
5-6 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

For the filling:

1 cup sugar, plus 1/4 for sprinkling on top
3 tbsp water
1/4 heavy cream
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 vanilla bean, split
1 lemon, juiced (optional)
4 Granny Smith apples, cored and peeled
4 Gala apples, cored and peeled
1 tbsp flour
2 tsp cinnamon
Couple pats of butter

To make the pastry, combine the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in the chunks of cold butter with a pastry blender, a little at a time, until the dough resembles cornmeal. Add the 2 egg yolks and the ice water, and blend for a second just to pull the dough together and moisten. Be careful not to overwork the dough. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

To make the caramel sauce, put the sugar and water in a pot and bring to a slow boil. Do not stir (I learned this lesson the hard way...the caramel does not form if stirred). You want the caramel to take on a nice golden color, but not to the point of burning. After the caramel has formed, swirl the sauce with a spoon to distribute the color evenly. At this time, take sauce off the heat and add the wine and cream, slowly. Return to the heat and cool until thickened and reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Let cool.

Remove dough from refrigerator, cut in half, and return one half to refrigerator. You will need this to warm up a bit in order to roll out the crust later. At this time, preheat oven to 350.

Take the dough roll out on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to a circle a bit larger than the pie pan you will use (I used a 9" glass pan). When rolled to desired size, place into pie pan and push into place.

To prepare the apples, I recommend using the slicing blade on a food processor. Otherwise, you'll need to use a mandolin or slice by hand. In this case, use lemon juice to keep apple slices from browning. However you slice them, (dry if appropriate) toss them with the flour and cinnamon.

Take the apple slices and layer them carefully into the pie crust. Every few layers or so, spoon a bit of the caramel sauce evenly over the apples. Continue this process until the apples are domed up (they will bake down a bit), and top with a few pats of butter.

Roll out the last bit of dough to fit over the top of the pie. Use the leftover egg whites to brush the edges of the pie to act as a glue between the dough. Lay the top crust over the pie and crimp the edges with the bottom to seal. Cut a few slits in the top of the pie to allow for steam to be released. Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drippings, and tent pie with foil.

Bake the pie, tented, for 25 minutes. Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling. Remove the foil from the pie and brush the top with the egg whites, then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake for an additional 25 minutes until the pie is nice and golden. Let the pie rest for at least an hour before cutting and serving.

Quinoa Salad

2008-10-04T17:34:00.000-07:00

I discovered a bento blog with a huge range of recipes, based around the Japanese bento style lunchbox. And since I'm always looking for something to eat for lunch, I like perusing the site to get ideas.

I decided to make a quinoa salad to go with dinner one night and it turned out pretty well.

It is better with the addition of fresh tomato slices before serving. Next time, I'll do that and substitute some of the italian parsley for basil. It definitely lasts a few days in the fridge, so it's great to make ahead of time for later.

think Clif

2008-09-28T19:37:00.001-07:00

I love Clif bars...and Luna bars, and Larabars, and so on. So I thought, why not try and make my own? A quick google search landed me a recipe to try.

3 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup soy protein powder
1 1/2 cups nonfat dry milk
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 egg whites
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup cinnamon roasted nuts, chopped
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1 1/2 bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and spray with non-stick spray.
Thoroughly mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir in the wet ingredients until blended.
Put spoonfuls on the waxed paper and shape as you like (I chose bars, but round would make a nice breakfast cookie)
Bake for approximately 15 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.

Next time, I'll probably switch up the nuts and fruit for a new combination.

Onigiri--Japanese Rice Balls

2008-09-28T19:34:00.001-07:00

Onigiri is one of my favorite Japanese snacks/meals. I used to grab a couple from the convenience store for a quick lunch--so good! There's something special about the Japanese smoked salmon, perhaps umami??

I got my Onigiri recipe from Let's Cook Japanese Food! It's a really great basic Japanese cookbook with tons of great recipes. I chose to use leftover rice from dinner, along with grilled salmon. Not as good as the authentic variety, but simple to make. The onigiri recipe is on page 142 for reference. I'm not going to cover the recipe here, but just explain what to do.

Onigiri

Japanese style short grain white rice (Nishiki is a good starter brand, available at most grocery stores), cooked and cooled
Cooked salmon, flaked

Spoon out a small handful of rice into wet hands. Gently compact rice into a rounded triangle shape (see picture for example); this will be the shape of your rice ball. Make an indentation in the rice for your salmon filling--I like a wide and deep indentation which better allows for each bite of rice ball to have some salmon. Place flaked salmon in the indentation, making sure not to overfill, as this will make it difficult to contain. Take a bit more rice and cover the salmon filling, reforming the triangle shape if necessary. You can wrap in a piece of seaweed if you like, but I do not recommend this if you plan to store for any amount of time.

Fifteen Chocolate Brownies

2008-09-28T19:32:00.000-07:00

Jamie Oliver is genius, and it's not just the British accent. I found this recipe in his book, Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You a Better Cook. It's got all kinds of recipes in it. I've made his sticky saucepan carrots (which are REALLY good) and his brownies. I can honestly say I've never had better brownies in my life. It's better than even the Ghiradelli mix you can buy at the store. Of course, it's not as easy as adding eggs and some oil, but almost.

Fifteen chocolate brownies (p. 384)

18 tbsp butter
7 oz dark chocolate, broken up (I used a mixture of 80% cocoa and milk chocolate)
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 12 inch baking pan with was paper.
In a double boiler (put a large pan over simmering water), melt the butter and chocolate until smooth. Whisk dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to the chocolate. Finally, add in the eggs until smooth.
Pour batter into the baking pan and bake for 25 minutes. It is important to not over bake these brownies, so do not test with a toothpick.

These brownies are perfectly moist and melt in your mouth. I found they keep for several days without becoming dry--likely due to the under baking.

something new

2008-09-14T20:39:00.000-07:00

Because I'm too lazy to post a recipe, I'll leave you with a recommendation. I found a delicious beer. I like it only because it doesn't taste like beer at all. So here it is:

It is also available in a peach flavor which sounds delicious.

a little bit vegan

2008-09-06T17:23:00.000-07:00

I ended up buying The Complete Vegan Kitchen cookbook a few weeks ago because there were too many good looking recipes in there. Just in the past week I've made two sweet items from it: brownies and coffee cake, both with pretty good results.

Brownies

1/2 cup very hot espresso (you can use strong coffee instead)
1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

To start, preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8" square baking pan.
Whisk the espresso into the cocoa and sugar until smooth (this is where the "very hot espresso" is essential). Add the vanilla and oil.
Gently stir/fold in the flour, baking soda, and salt just until incorporated.
Pour batter into the pan and bake for 35 minutes.

I find these brownies to have a slightly different texture than others I've made. Not fudgy at all, but a bit crumbly instead. I do think the espresso makes an interesting twist.

Coffee Cake

1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cinnamon sugar roasted nuts, chopped
2 tbsp canola oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 vegan sour cream
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8" square baking dish.
For the coffee cake topping, mix the brown sugar, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, and chopped nuts; add the oil. If the mixture is too dry, add a bit of water until crumbly. Set aside.
For the batter, mix the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl. Add the sour cream (I used regular since it was on hand) and vanilla until incorporated. (My mixture was a bit dry, so I added a bit of milk. This again, of course, is not vegan, so I'd substitute soy, rice, or almond milk.)
Pour the batter into the baking dish and sprinkle the topping evenly over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

I really enjoyed this coffee cake, and the best part was how easy it all came together.

applesauce cookies

2008-08-29T10:44:00.001-07:00

This recipe is from the Bob's Red Mill Baking Book. And because I am feeling particularly lazy with this recipe (I made it over a week ago and had every intention of posting it, just hadn't gotten around to doing it), I'll provide a link to the recipe online.

Bob's Red Mill actually has quite an extensive recipe catalog on their website which is great.

Applesauce Cookies: http://www.bobsredmill.com/recipes_detail.php?rid=819

cinnamon roasted nuts

2008-08-28T14:59:00.000-07:00

I have a soft spot for cinnamon sugar roasted almonds and walnuts. I don't know what it is, though, they just have such great flavor. A friend let me try a batch she made a while back and I've been hooked ever since. She gave me her recipe as well, so I was in heaven. This past week I bought almonds and walnuts in bulk for the purpose of roasting them up, only it turns out I lost my recipe. A quick google search for a recipe and I was on my way.

Final result:

And now I have 5 cups to devour. Yum :)

ricotta ice cream

2008-08-27T23:32:00.000-07:00

Giada De Laurentiis is one of my favorite chefs. Every recipe of hers I've tried has been amazing. So when I watched her make this ricotta ice cream on her show a while back, I just had to try it for myself.

The ice cream base itself is really easy to make and the whole recipe comes together in no time. Here's a link to her recipe (I didn't bother making the chocolate filled cones, as I usually enjoy my ice cream in a bowl). I used 2% milk instead of whole since that's what I have on had.

The ice cream does have a strange, grainy texture to it from the ricotta cheese. It's a bit hard to get over I think, but the flavor of the ice cream with the chocolate chips goes together nicely.

I accidentally bought double the amount of ricotta cheese because I couldn't remember if the recipe called for 15 ounces or more. I think I'm going to make a blueberry ricotta ice cream next with all those frozen blueberries I've got. I'm definitely looking forward to trying that batch!

2008-08-25T22:01:00.000-07:00

I haven't been cooking much recently, but have made some new additions to my ever growing "to try" recipe collection and even a few new cookbooks. I'm really excited about my new book, Bob's Red Mill, which is filled with hundreds of recipes to bake. I even got it on sale, 50% off at Powell's which is amazing.

If I get with it, I'll start posting older recipes and photos I've still got around.

napa crusted pork

2008-08-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy herb crusted pork for some strange reason. I've made it three times now, twice with gravy, and it tastes so good! A few days back, I decided once again to pull out this trick using herbs and oil I received from my parents' recent trip to Napa Valley.

This is a fun recipe to try out different herb combinations, fresh or dried. Here is my approximate recipe (I lost the real one). Basically, you're looking for a paste-like consistency. I have used this on a large pork loin cooked in the oven and also a tenderloin grilled outside.

Herb Crust for Napa Crusted Pork

3 tbsp. stone ground or Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. dried herbs*
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Make enough of this to coat your meat, whatever size it may be.

*My herbs were a blend of thyme, fennel seed, savory, rosemary, lavender, and cracked bay leaves. I have used an Italian herb blend, as well as a blend of fresh rosemary and thyme.

budino

2008-08-17T23:08:00.000-07:00

Watching an episode of Everyday Italian yesterday afternoon, I found myself inspired to make a chocolate pudding dish I saw. Unfortunately, I later found the recipe online and it required more work than I liked. So I decided to make budino. I actually had it once or twice before after a friend recommended I try a recipe she likes, found on her blog. I made one by Nigella Lawson--I've seen her on Food Network and took a look at one of her cookbooks, she seems to excel at homey, comfort desserts.

Here's a link to her recipe, Budino Di Cioccolato.

I like this recipe because it is quick and relatively easy, plus I had all the ingredients on hand. The consistency is velvety smooth, like the center of a chocolate truffle (like my favorite Moonstruck truffle, Pure Gold), yum! I didn't notice a significant change in texture after letting it cool completely overnight, so I recommend trying it warm and chilled to find what you like best.

hummus and pita

2008-08-16T17:58:00.000-07:00

I was at Trader Joe's the other day and tried a sample of their quad pack hummus spreads. It was so good I had to buy it! Costs $4.99.

Starting from top, clockwise: Roasted Garlic Hummus, Hummus, Tomato Basil Hummus, Spicy Hummus. (I especially like the Tomato Basil)

To go along with this store bought hummus, I baked up some whole wheat pita bread (that baked into pockets). It's a relatively easy dough to make I found, taking only a few pantry ingredients.

I got the recipe from a new vegan cookbook I checked out from the library. I decided to look into vegan and vegetarian cookbooks as a way to prepare balanced meals without animal products as the protein source.

Whole Wheat Pita Bread, from "The Complete Vegan Kitchen" by Jannequin Bennett.

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

2 tsp sugar
2 cups warm water
1 1/2 tbsp dry active yeast
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
olive oil

In mixing bowl, combine sugar, 1/2 cup of the water, and yeast; let stand about 5 minutes, until foamy.
Meanwhile, mix both flours and salt in separate bowl.
Add remaining 1 1/2 cups warm water to the yeast mixture, then whisk in half the flour mixture until smooth. Stir/fold in the last half of the flour mixture until combined. Knead the dough until smooth, about 10 minutes by hand (or use a stand mixer with dough hook).
Place dough in bowl with a bit of olive oil in the bottom, turn dough to coat. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 450.
Punch dough down and let rest for 15 minutes. Cut dough into 8 pieces; roll each into 6-8" rounds, with thicker edges.
Place baking sheets in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Then place pita dough rounds onto baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, until browned and puffy.

Use for pita sandwiches, or slice into pieces and toast for 5 minutes or so in the oven and serve with hummus!

garlic-basil mayonnaise

2008-08-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

I like the idea of making this as a way to incorporate fresh basil to add a little something extra to a plain sandwich. I got the idea from a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis; Tyler Florence also likes to experiment and make his own mayonnaises in Eat This Book.

Garlic-Basil Mayonnaise

1/4 cup mayonnaise
4-5 leaves basil, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
a splash of lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients together until blended.

Perfect for sandwiches, burgers, or even french fries.

blueberries continued

2008-08-13T23:30:00.000-07:00

I made the best blueberry scones again the other night. I got the recipe from Food Network, it's by Tyler Florence: Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze. These are the best scones I've ever had, so yummy! I've made them without the glaze which definitely cuts back on the sugar, but I must say they are WAY better with the glaze. I transfer mine from the baking sheet directly onto a cooling rack, then put the rack over the baking sheet. This way I can add the glaze and the excess drips onto the sheet for easier cleanup.

I used another 2 cups to make multi-grain blueberry muffins last night. Here's a link to the original recipe: Multigrain Muffin, but I'll go ahead and post my slightly modified version. I enjoy this recipe because it is so simple to make and is healthier than the alternative blueberry muffin recipes out there.

Blueberry Multigrain Muffins

1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup oat bran
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 eggs
1 egg white
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup demarara sugar*
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups fresh blueberries

Start by preheating the oven to 375. Spray or line a muffin tin.

Whisk flours, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs and egg white; add the buttermilk, sugar, and oil. Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture until just evenly moist; the batter should be very thick--if not, add a bit more flour.
Toss blueberries with a bit of flour to coat evenly; gently fold into batter.
Fill each muffin cup with batter and bake 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Turn muffins out onto rack and enjoy!

*Substitute with regular brown sugar. I've been experimenting with unprocessed sugars, like demarara sugar which I bought in the bulk section.